Orland Township Holiday Program: Highlighting Donor Kindness

Students at Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School helped make the holidays a bit brighter for families in Orland Township.

Orland Township’s Holiday Program has provided a yearly holiday meal, gifts, and other personal items to more than 200 resident families in need for over three decades.

This year, National Junior Honor Society students at Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School, located in Orland Hills, joined the list of highly appreciated donors.

Junior high teacher Lisa Murphy, one of the five faculty members dedicated to the schools NJHS chapter, explained how students have a monthly service project that give students the opportunity to provide acts of kindness, and instills the many rewards and challenges that come with caring for those in need.

“We’re always happy to see local youth getting involved at Orland Township,” said Supervisor Paul O’Grady.

“It’s vital that we instill the importance of service for the benefit and betterment of our communities in these kids; they are our future, after all. I’m extremely grateful for their participation in our program this year.”

8th Grade NJHS students at Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School with their gifts for Orland Township's Holiday Program. (photo: Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School) — 8th Grade NJHS students at Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School with their gifts for Orland Township’s Holiday Program. (photo: Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School)

The 8th Grade NJHS students that partnered with the Orland Township Holiday Program purchased gifts specifically for pre-teens and teens. The group took time to deliberate on what to provide based off wish-lists from the program, then stayed after school to wrap the gifts and prepare them for delivery.

Over 30 gift bags full of socks, reusable water bottles, art supplies, books and journals, snacks, craft kits, and plenty of fun games, arrived at the Township ready to be distributed to families who registered for assistance through the Holiday Program this year. “It really is a rewarding experience for the kids,” said Murphy.

“Since the recipients are in the same age group as our members, they have a pretty good idea of what they’d like to open up on Christmas morning. They’re happy to be able to help out for the holidays; and they know they’re making a difference in our community.”

For more information on programs, services, and events being held at Orland Township, visit the website, orlandtownship.org, or call (708) 403-4222. Be sure to like the Orland Township Facebook page for more updates.

Gifts from the 8th Grade NJHS students at Orland Township. (photo: Alexandria Shipyor | Orland Township)

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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