December 22, 2024
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State Sen. Loughran Cappel’s office kicks off annual Toys for Tots drive

By Shaw Local News Network
Senate With State Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, D-Shorewood, opting to run for Will County executive, the race to replace her in Springfield has led to another competitive primary. Joliet teacher and school board member Meg Loughran Cappel, Joliet City Council member Larry Hug, and Bolingbrook business consultant Michael Crowner are vying to replace Bertino-Tarrant in District 49. Cappel said she's connecting with voters through her experience as a special education teacher and working mother. She said public education is her focus. She wants to tackle issues like the teacher shortage and provide more social-emotional support for students in underserved communities. "These are things that I'm experiencing firsthand (as a teacher)," Cappel said. Hug emphasized his record on the Joliet City Council and the millions of dollars in new business and construction generated in the city since he was first elected in 2011. He said at the state level he wants to focus on improving Illinois's fiscal condition. "We need to actually sit down, roll up our sleeves and spend our current money wisely," Hug said. Crowner, a first-time politician, said he's selling his financial expertise as his biggest asset. He said he wants to "make sure that our state is in a place where people can afford to raise their families." The winner of that Democratic primary would then likely face Plainfield Republican Tom McCullagh.

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood (Photo provided by State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel)

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, is organizing a Toys for Tots collection for children across Will County.

“We often take for granted our ability to give and receive gifts during the holidays – but the reality is, hundreds of children in our community go without them each year,” Loughran Cappel said in a release announcing the drive. “This season, let’s not only think about our own families but the families around us, too. Help us out by donating toys to the kids who need it most.”

Loughran Cappel’s office, located at 20660 Caton Farm Road, Unit D in Crest Hill, will serve as a Toys for Tots drop-off location now through Dec. 12. Residents are encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys for kids of all ages. The toys will be gifted to children in need throughout the holiday months, according to the release.

The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute toys as Christmas gifts to children in the community.

For more information, call Loughran Cappel’s office at 815-267-6119.

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