IL Firefighters Union Donates $19K to City Schools

Members of Communities In Schools were having their annual Christmas lunch Thursday when they received news that the Aurora Professional Firefighters, Local 99, was donating more than $19,000 to the organization.

“We were all dancing around and I about cried,” Communities In Schools of Aurora Executive Director Theresa Shoemaker said. “It was so exciting.”

The organization aims to help students in Aurora public schools stay in school by supporting them through tutoring, counseling and additional resources.

Members of the firefighters union presented a check to Communities In Schools at the Aurora Fire Department’s Central Station on Friday. The union raised $19,776 through an annual charity golf outing called “Igniting Hope & Sparking Inspiration" at the Blackberry Oaks Golf Course.

“We want to support our community we serve and enhance the life of those who live in Aurora,” Firefighter Aaron Calhoun said.

The funds will be used for tutoring, counseling and after-school programs, along with coat drives held annually, Communities In Schools officials said.

“Everything we do takes place within the school, so the child does not get lost on the way to the service,” Shoemaker said. “If it's a counselor, they come to the school to see the child.”

This year, Communities In Schools, along with the Kiwanis Club, Salvation Army and city of Aurora, has already delivered 1,800 coats to various public schools. Students also receive hats and gloves through the program.

“This is important during the wintertime,” Shoemaker said. "If anyone shows up at school and doesn’t have a coat or has a raggedy coat, the social worker will give them a new one."

Calhoun said Christmas time is always a good season to give back and this is not the first time Communities In Schools was selected to receive funds from the charity golf outing.

“We hope kids get the tools they need to be successful, whether it’s backpacks or notebooks,” Calhoun said. “They offer after-school programs that help keep kids out of trouble and off the streets, so they’ll get guidance.”

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