South Locust Road renamed after Operation St. Nick founder Joe Schmitz

The city of Morris celebrated the many, many contributions of Operation St. Nick founder Joe Schmitz on Nov. 4, officially renaming Locust Road south of U.S. Route 6 to Joe Schmitz Drive.

Schmitz officially operated Operation St. Nick since 1981, but it has roots before that in 1979 and going even further back to when Schmitz’s father delivered food baskets from his tavern in Streator. Now, whenever kids are on their way to school, to West Side Park or the new YMCA, they’ll see the Schmitz’s name on the road sign.

“My hope is that some day, 10-15 years from now, when your kids and grandkids are in the car going to the YMCA or the elementary school or the park to play ball, they see the sign of Joe Schmitz Drive and say ‘who the hell is Joe Schmitz?’” Schmitz said. “And I just hope you say, a kind man who loved to help people.”

In the now 42 years of Operation St. Nick, the organization has raised $2,642,164 to help families in need, a number that will surely grow with the upcoming Christmas season. Operation St. Nick raised over $150,000 in last year’s auction, which provided 163 children with $250 worth of presents for Santa to bring them on Christmas morning. It also provided parents with $300 worth of groceries and a $1,000 voucher that can be used on their electric or gas bills.

Guy Christensen said in a letter to the City Council that there isn’t a single person more deserving in Morris than Schmitz.

“These are some of the traits and passions I have learned and admired about Joe while being his friend,” Christensen said. “His faith and family come first in his life, helping the less fortunate families in Grundy County through Operation St. Nick, his never-ending support of all the city and school sports programs, and his selflessness to work and make Morris and Grundy County a better place to live is constantly helping those around him be better people.”

Schmitz and his wife, Carol, moved to Morris in 1968, and he said he couldn’t have done anything without Carol’s support all these years.