Members of the Spotlight Performance Academy’s Bel Canto choirs ran four stands on Saturday, Oct. 12, selling goodies to raise funds to help victims of hurricanes that hit the South in recent weeks.
Proceeds of the sale will go to World Central Kitchen. The organization has relief teams in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee following two major hurricanes in succession, Helene and Milton.
At the stand in front of her parents’ business, Thomas Photographic Studio, Elloren Thomas said the purpose of the fundraiser was to “help people who lost their food.” She and two choir friends, Charlie Guziejka and Alba Thomas-Radovic, were selling cookies, lemonade and fruit juice.
“We want to save their lives. They don’t have anything from their houses,” Charlie said.
In addition to the stand at Thomas Photographic, there were stands at Spotlight Director Carrie Bonanotte’s home on Western Avenue in Homewood, where Sandra Vaccaro was helping Braden Douglas and Sonny Bonanotte with sales; at the Herrman home in Chicago Heights, where Katharine, Max and Poppy Herrman were selling cookies, pumpkin muffins and lemonade; and at Apollo Park, where Amanda Jo Greep and Yvonne Oldaker helped Annie Lawrence, Eleanor Greep, Molly Tracy and Kylie Dixon with sales of brownies and lemonade.
Stands will be open again Sunday, Oct. 13, to continue the fundraiser.
The schedule includes:
- 18514 Page Ave. in Homewood from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with baked goods and lemonade.
- 1756 Burr Oak Road in Homewood from noon to 3 p.m. with “blood punch” served by “skeletons.”
- 1459 187th St. in Homewood from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with lemonade, cider and baked goods.
- 18148 Gottschalk Ave. in Homewood from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with lemonade and cider.
- 17818 Highland Ave. in Homewood from 1 to 4 p.m. with cider and lemonade.
- 3446 Vollmer Road (Bizio’s Fresh Market) from noon to 2 p.m. with brownies, cookies and lemonade.
Anyone who can’t contribute by patronizing the stands can donate directly at donorbox.org/help-for-hurricane-victims.