Joliet police deliver to Salvation Army

The Joliet Police Department made its own contribution to the holiday spirit on Wednesday when it delivered a truckload of food to the Salvation Army.

The annual “Pack the Paddy Wagon” campaign helps supply the food pantry at the Salvation Army center in Joliet, which has seen an outpouring of food, coat and clothes contributions to its cause during the holidays,

“This is a true example of what’s happening every day,” Envoy Scott Hurula, who heads the Salvation Army center at Third Avenue and Richards Street, said as he welcomed the police donation. “We get calls from people saying, ‘We did a food drive. We did a coat drive. Everybody’s stepping up.”

Deputy Sherrie Blackburn and Deputy Richard Brown grab bags of food donations from the police department’s “Pack the Paddy Wagon” food drive at the Salvation Army in Joliet. — Deputy Chief Sherrie Blackburn and Deputy Robert Brown grab bags of food donations from the police department’s “Pack the Paddy Wagon” food drive delivered to the Salvation Army in Joliet on Wednesday. (Gary Middendorf – gmiddendorf@shawmedia/Gary Middendorf)

Churches, schools, workplaces, social clubs and service organizations are all making contributions, Hurula said.

The Pack the Paddy Wagon campaign “is a cooperative effort between the police department and the citizens of Joliet,” Chief Bill Evans said, noting that residents also make donations.

This is the fourth year for the “Pack the Paddy Wagon” drive.

Bringing the donation to the Salvation Army center ensures the contribution goes to the local community, said Officer Bob Klancher.

“This is probably one of the best gems out here that helps the community that its in,” Klancher said.

A photo of Officer Bob Klancher and Salvation Army Volunteer Coordinator Linda Trevino hangs in the lobby at the Salvation Army in Joliet. Officer Klancher is a regular volunteer at the Joliet location. — Joliet Police Officer Bob Klancher shares a holiday moment with Salvation Army Volunteer Coordinator Linda Trevino at the Salvation Army center in Joliet where the police department delivered food donations from its annual Pack the Paddy Wagon campaign. (Gary Middendorf – gmiddendorf@shawmedia/Gary Middendorf)

Klancher is a familiar figure at the Salvation Army, where he helps as a volunteer and as a member of the advisory board.

He’s also the neighborhood officer for the community and sees the good done by the Salvation Army, especially during the holidays. The center last weekend did its annual Christmas distribution of food baskets and gift baskets that include toys for kids.

Some of the recipients walked over from houses in the neighborhood, Klancher said.

“It’s helping people right here literally,” he said.

While food and clothes donations are up, contributions to the Salvation Army’s bell-ringing campaign are actually down, Hurula sad. The Salvation Army in Joliet expects to fall far short of its $115,000 goal this year, which is being attributed to a shortage of bell ringers and the weather.

Salvation Army volunteers ring the bell as they walk along Chicago Street at the Light Up the Holidays Festival and Parade in downtown Joliet. — Salvation Army volunteers drew attention to the annual bell-ringing campaign during the Light Up the Holidays Parade in Joliet on Nov. 25. (Gary Middendorf/Gary Middendorf)

“Our best bell-ringing days are the 23rd and 24th (of December), and Mother Nature has another idea for us,” Hurula said, pointing to the severe winter weather blowing into the area starting Thursday.

But the donations of winter coats have come in handy. Many people need them and have turned to the Salvation Army for help.

“The phone has been ringing off the hook all this week,” Hurula said.

Joliet police deliver to Salvation Army

Envoy for Joliet Salvation Army commends holiday spirit from police and other groups