BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com
As Santa prepares his sleigh for the annual Christmas Eve trip around the world, the Illini Lodge 17 Fraternal Order of Police this morning prepared their sleighs for a trip around Champaign County.
Nearly 30 volunteers gathered at ValuCheck in Champaign around 5 a.m. to pack boxes full of food for families in need.
The organization, with over 200 members, raises funds throughout the year just to give back to the community they serve.
“People hear Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), and they immediately think of the labor side of police,” President John Wright said. “The Fraternal Order of Police is a big flag and we’re just a portion under it. We’re actually the benevolent side of it, so all the work our lodge does is charitable.”
The food boxes have been part of the FOP’s annual tradition for 30 years.
“We’re just basically trying to engage with community, let them know that we’re people, too,” Wright said. “The reasons that most of us became police officers and law enforcement professionals is so that we could give back to our community.
“So it’s just another way we do that, and we’re trying to build relationships with folks. And we think that helping folks in need, helps do that.”
The boxes include breakfast items, like cinnamon rolls, a Christmas ham, canned goods and eggs, among many other items.
“The idea behind it is to provide a meal for the whole day,” Wright said.
Once the boxes are packed, police officers throughout Champaign County will spend the day knocking on doors of those in need to deliver the holiday goods.
Wright said 369 boxes will be delivered this year; that is about 40 more than in 2018.
Throughout the year, the FOP gathers names from community organizations and schools throughout Champaign County to identify those in need. They also take direct requests from families.
Having the information prior to Dec. 1 each year helps the group get the best prices on food.
“Cheaper boxes means we can get more of them,” Wright said.
“The more money we raise the more boxes we can afford to put out, obviously,” Wright said.
By the end of the packing rotation, around 8:30 a.m., Wright said if funds allow or another donation comes in, the group could increase the number of boxes that are available to hand out.
“To the time we load the trucks, we can go up and down,” he said.
Mahomet Police Department Officers Dave Parsons and Bill Ward alongside Chaplin Lutz Braunig helped with the food distribution this morning.
For many years, Parsons and Braunig went out delivering the packages on their own, but for the last five years they have enlisted the help of other Mahomet residents.
Braunig said this year they had the largest turnout of 15 to 20 volunteers.
The volunteers reported to Parsons, picked up a couple boxes from Braunig, delivered them, then returned for more.
Approximately 60 boxes were handed out in Mahomet. Braunig said that number is down from years past.
“Wonderful is such an insignificant word,” Braunig said. “We’re overwhelmed with the response.”
Thanks for your help, Dani.