Will County Gazette

The Bolingbrook mayor and city council recently commended an organization from the village for their work to assist needy families during the holiday season. 

During a Nov. 15 village board meeting, Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta recognized Lee Bush Jr. from the organization of Operation Christmas for all their hard work bringing some extra help and joy to families in need during the holidays. The organization has been working in the village for 49 years, and it is sponsored and supported by local volunteers and businesses. (8:40)

Bush explained that the organization works with the local school district to identify families who might be in need over the holiday season so that they can support them and give a little additional help. The organization actually helped Lee and his family when he was in grade school, and he has been involved with the organization ever since giving the same help that he received to others.

"I was part of this program since I was nine years old, so thirty something years that I’ve been involved with it off and on," Bush said at the meeting. "It’s been great for me to be able to receive and make a childhood because we probably would not have had a Christmas growing up without this, but then now leading the program and leading the charge and the great group of volunteers that we have and being able to get out within our community and being able to help out."

Families can apply for assistance, but anyone from the community can also register to support the organization. The organization has a website and a Facebook page where they can be contacted. They will host a toy drive and extend help to numerous families through the end of the year in whatever way they need. There are also multiple other nonprofits in the Bolingbrook community that are helping out in various local capacities.