The Dakota Inn Bar and Grill in Alsip will give to
children and teens fighting cancer by sponsoring a “Hawaiian Luau” Benefit on
Saturday, September 21, 2013. Free food, Mai Tai drink specials and a variety
of split-the-pot and other raffles highlight the popular event which will take
place from 3 to 8 p.m. at 12119 Crawford Avenue in Alsip.
All
proceeds will benefit the Orland Park-based Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest
Foundation (POTCF), a non-profit organization that provides comfort and
distraction from painful procedures to children and teens diagnosed with cancer
by providing a toy, gift or gift card in 45 hospitals nationwide.
Find out what's happening in Evergreen Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Dakota Inn was established in 1994 by
proprietors Jim Bradford and Angele Joachim. The friendly, neighborhood bar
often hosts benefits to help raise money for local charities. Last year’s event
was quite successful, raising nearly $3,000 to benefit childhood cancer
patients, and organizers this year are hoping for an even bigger turnout.
Find out what's happening in Evergreen Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The
Treasure Chest Foundation currently serves more than 8,600 children and teens
each month who are battling cancer at 45 treatment centers in 16 states across
the nation. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. CEO Colleen
Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin
had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Colleen discovered that giving her
son a toy after each procedure provided a calming distraction from his pain,
noting that when children are diagnosed with cancer their world soon becomes
filled with doctors, nurses, chemotherapy drugs, surgeries and seemingly
endless painful procedures. Martin celebrated his 20th anniversary of remission
from the disease earlier this year.
For more information about the upcoming Hawaiian
Luau, call the Dakota Inn at 708-388-6622. If you would like further
information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel
at 708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s web site at
www.treasurechest.org.
