A ‘Thank you’ box: 450 police care packages readied

The North Pole-based elves have nothing on the crew which stuffed police care boxes here like they were stockings hanging from a fireplace mantle.

At a speed which would make Santa Claus and his crew blush, about 40 volunteers spearheaded by Kankakee Community College’s Kendra Souligne assembled 450 care packages destined for every member of the Kankakee County law enforcement community.

Now for the fourth time, but its first time under the umbrella of the KCC Veterans Association’s Police Care Package Project, volunteers gathered in KCC’s Iroquois Room to assemble the packages largely meant as a gesture to simply say “thank you.”

A pair of makeshift assembly lines were set up, and volunteers armed with an empty 12-inch-by-11.75-inch box filled it with goodies such as water bottles, snacks, tissues, hand sanitizer and chap stick as well as gift cards and theater tickets.

The boxes will be distributed to the officers of the 14 county-based police departments as well as Jerome Combs Detention Center officers, police dispatchers and the Kankakee County Coroner’s office.

The care packages are set for Dec. 29 delivery, the date which marks the fatal shooting of Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic and the career-ending injuries sustained by Bradley Police Sgt. Tyler Bailey.

The incident took place in 2021.

Souligne, KCC’s director of financial aid and student engagement, was overwhelmed by not only the supply of volunteers, but the merchandise to be put in the gift boxes.

“I was so nervous about this last week,” she said.

She added she wasn’t sure enough goodies would be available to fill up the gift boxes. But everything came together and within some 30 minutes, the entire process was completed.

The group then set up a human assembly line to get each gift box placed inside a KCC van. The final hurdle is waiting for the calendar to tick down to Dec. 29.

On that day, the cargo will be brought to each department, and the department leadership will hand out all the boxes to its police officers.

Peterson, who was recently appointed superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kankakee County, was on hand once again helping to fill the care packages. Peterson has been helping each year the program has been in place, and he was overwhelmed.

In this program’s first year, 250 care packages were distributed through Peterson’s Project Headspace and Timing. It is nearly doubled the amount of care packages now.

“People need a reminder,” he said regarding the importance and dedication of law enforcement personnel.

He also said police need reminders that they are appreciated as well.

A KCC law enforcement student, Christina Cooper, 20, of St. Anne, was on hand. She said students were given the opportunity to help with the project or attend class. They chose the task of filling gift boxes.

“They protect our community. I feel like helping the community,” she said.

Jasmine McKnight, of Manteno, an employee of Spa Remedy, a company which participated in this project, said this was the first time being a part of this program.

“This is awesome. It feels good to be a part of something like this,” she said.

She said she has two relatives on the Kankakee police force.

While McKnight won’t deliver the gift, she was proud to have had a hand in letting her family’s officers — and those throughout the region — their work is not taken for granted.

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