Residents of Sun City may remember how during last year’s holiday season, the Woodchucks’ charitable efforts led to the charter club being featured on local news station, WGN9. However, their annual wooden toy making drive is not exclusive to just one year alone, as according to fellow Woodchuck and event organizer, Al La Pelusa.
“We’ve been running this program for about 15 years. How it works is we start organizing teams around July and I usually run the meetings, but the teams decide what toys they’re going to build. We set a deadline to have the toys done by Thanksgiving,” La Pelusa said. “When we make the toys, we wind up making twice as many so members can buy toys. We have a rule that you need to make a toy to buy a toy. By selling the toys to members, we recuperate money to buy supplies for the next year.”
Unfortunately, with the Millgrove Woodshop having been closed a majority of the time due to the pandemic, the Woodchucks were left with no choice but to cancel their annual toy making program for the first time since its conception. Yet despite this setback, the Woodchucks were not about to let COVID-19 get in the way of providing for underprivileged children this holiday season.
La Pelusa explained how the Woodchucks collect tips from any Sun City residents that ask for repairs to personal items brought into the woodshop. The tips this year totaled to be around $1,260, according to La Pelusa. Donating that money to the Grafton Food Pantry was simply not enough, however. The Woodchucks wanted to find a way for the children of the families who visit the pantry, to have something that they could enjoy for themselves.
It wasn’t long before the Woodchucks’ new plan came to fruition.
“At first, we tried thinking of ways to buy children toys, but for the price that we were looking at spending per toy, you couldn’t get much and the quality wasn’t like the toys we build. So, one day I just went to Culver’s and talked to Richard about buying gift cards for the kids and he ended up throwing in a free scoop of frozen custard for each kid as an added bonus,” La Pelusa said.
Richard Myers, a member of the management team at the Culver’s of Huntley, said he was more than happy to help in any way he could as he explained how Culver’s has had a history of being involved with the Sun City community.
“The Woodchucks had an opportunity that was huge for them and we helped them along the lines with that to help fulfill and to help these kids that have a real need, especially, you know, during a critical time. All the team, including owners, are [huge supporters] for what the Grafton Food Pantry is doing and how the Woodchucks help each year. This was a perfect fit. In addition, we gave enough single scoop custard coupons so that the kids can have an extra treat,” Myers said.
The Woodchucks were able to purchase 210 $6 gift cards that will be placed in a specially labeled envelope that includes the Woodchucks’ logo.
“The way its going to work out is that when the families go to the food pantry, they will receive a gift card for each child so each kid is getting a little gift card of their own. I know the kids will enjoy it. I think it’s going to work out fine,” La Pelusa said.
