Community Christian Church

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Helping Out In The Western Suburbs

Gift Effort Does Double Good, Proceed from Sale to Benefit Two Schools

Published December 13, 2006 - The Chicago Tribune

By Nancy Munson, Tribune staff reporter

More than 5,400 deeply discounted toys were bought last weekend by needy families in the East Aurora community at a gift mart sponsored by Community Christian Church of Naperville.
Parents of children at Bardwell and Brady Elementary Schools in east Aurora were invited to buy toys for a dollar or two instead of paying higher retail prices, said Kirsten Strand, director of Community 4:12, an outreach ministry at Community Christian Church that helps "under-resourced" communities. "The gift mart gives people the dignity of purchasing gifts instead of taking a handout," Strand said.

This year's sale raised approximately $7,000--the highest in the four-year history of the event--and the money will be donated back to the two elementary schools to fund school improvements, including ordering new books in the schools' libraries, Strand said. Church members donated some of the toys, and the rest came from toy drives held at local businesses, other churches and preschools.

The event required help from more than 400 volunteers who assisted with gift-wrapping, child care and Spanish translation. Community 4:12 is involved in several outreach programs in struggling east Aurora schools, including an after-school book club, tutoring and a parent mentor program, Strand said. For more information, call 630-388-5000 or visit www.communitychristian.org .

Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune