Latest / WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio / Talk Line 11-12-206: Clara Harris on Lee County holiday assistance with Goodfellows

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Talk Line 11-12-206: Clara Harris on Lee County holiday assistance with Goodfellows · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hey there, Sauk Valley, 835 on your Thursday morning. You
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: know what that means, it's time for Talk Line. And
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  Speaker 1: I'm joined in the booth once again by our good
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  Speaker 1: friends from the good fellows of Lee County and one
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  Speaker 1: of the nicest, uh, fella we were, I don't know
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  Speaker 1: what the lady equivalent of fella, but Clara Harris, just
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  Speaker 1: such a kind woman and a tireless worker helping families
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  Speaker 1: in Lee County and anywhere you really can. So I'm
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  Speaker 1: glad to have you back in the studio, Claire.
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  Speaker 2: Well, thank you for inviting us, Brandon. Today is really
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  Speaker 2: an important day. So I'm blessed that you did make
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  Speaker 2: sure you fit us in your busy schedule. A lot
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  Speaker 2: of information we need to get out there. So October
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  Speaker 2: 31st was the first deadline. And that is so people
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  Speaker 2: could get their name in, thrown in there for the
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  Speaker 2: shop of the copper sheriff and for their food voucher.
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  Speaker 2: anyone that did not make that deadline, you still can
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  Speaker 2: send an application in. We have them at the front
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  Speaker 2: of our building. Call us at 815-973-5135 if you're not
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  Speaker 2: sure where you can pick one up, but they are
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  Speaker 2: at the front of our building. When you get them
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  Speaker 2: filled out and put all the paperwork necessary with it,
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  Speaker 2: you can bring them back. We have a black box
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  Speaker 2: by our door. It's secure. Throw it in there, and
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  Speaker 2: it's in. A lot of people waited until the 30-31st
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  Speaker 2: of October. They barely made it, and ones that didn't
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  Speaker 2: have all their paperwork, if they didn't get it to
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  Speaker 2: us before November 1st, it was considered in for the
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  Speaker 2: December 1st deadline, but not for that October 31st. So
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  Speaker 2: please don't call me and be upset. If you didn't
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  Speaker 2: include your paperwork, I can't change the rules. The rules
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  Speaker 2: are everything has to come in with your application. So
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  Speaker 2: with that being said, we want to make sure we
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  Speaker 2: meet the needs of every family in Lee County that
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  Speaker 2: needs it with a hands up for Christmas time. We
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  Speaker 2: have barrels and tags out in the community. Folks. They
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  Speaker 2: are being blessed with things in those bins. I've had
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  Speaker 2: to go a couple places a couple times now and
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  Speaker 2: empty them because they were too full. So thank you
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  Speaker 2: to the community and anyone that grabs a tag or
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  Speaker 2: if you're just at a location that has a barrel
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  Speaker 2: and you buy something and put it in there, bless
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  Speaker 2: you for that because every child's needs are going to
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  Speaker 2: be met. And we appreciate that. We're just the in-between community.
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  Speaker 2: And so we like to let everyone know you're helping
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  Speaker 2: us with a hands up for those in the community
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  Speaker 2: that need it. So we appreciate it. But December 1st
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  Speaker 2: is our final deadline. We start December 5th. So we're
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  Speaker 2: cutting it pretty close. I did that so that we
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  Speaker 2: could make sure everyone that needed it that, you know,
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  Speaker 2: maybe forgot. just procrastinated, or they moved new into the community.
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  Speaker 2: Of course, we do emergency ones through the school if
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  Speaker 2: we're notified or an officer, you know, someone moving fresh
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  Speaker 2: into the community. We're going to make sure we take
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  Speaker 2: care of those. So just know your needs will be
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  Speaker 2: met if you put that application in. Please do so.
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  Speaker 2: We are down there working, working, working. Let me tell you,
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  Speaker 2: it's set up. But we're still getting brand new stuff
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  Speaker 2: in out of those bins as we get calls from
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  Speaker 2: the locations. Come and empty the bin. It's full. So
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  Speaker 2: just know we are down here working away at Goodfellas
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  Speaker 2: of Lee County. We want to make sure you have
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  Speaker 2: a good holiday season. Absolutely.
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  Speaker 1: And you folks are always working tirelessly year-round to make
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  Speaker 1: sure folks are going to have a great holiday season
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  Speaker 1: and to help any way that you can. It's a
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  Speaker 1: non-stopping mission, but I'm glad that you all are at
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  Speaker 1: the forefront of it.
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  Speaker 2: Well, thank you. I can't say enough, and I want
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  Speaker 2: to put a plug in. We have faithful, faithful workers
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  Speaker 2: that come. They're just volunteers. They're not on the board.
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  Speaker 2: They come. I'll tell you, the laughter and the camaraderie
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  Speaker 2: is just awesome to be a part of and hear.
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  Speaker 2: We'll get those toys in. And, of course, we mark
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  Speaker 2: all the UPCs off. That's a needed, necessary thing. And
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  Speaker 2: as they're doing it, they'll say, did you see this toy? Oh,
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  Speaker 2: my gosh, some kid is really going to be happy
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  Speaker 2: when they get this, you know. And they look at
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  Speaker 2: the tag and they're like, oh, it's a 12-year-old. And
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  Speaker 2: it's an interactive kind of, you know, toy thing. or
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  Speaker 2: a baby, and they'll giggle and they'll laugh and they
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  Speaker 2: have good fellowship. So you're also being a catalyst for
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  Speaker 2: us to allow these people to come in. They'll call
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  Speaker 2: me and want to volunteer. They come in, they make
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  Speaker 2: new friends. They made a friend for life because they
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  Speaker 2: all have the heart for giving and wanting to give back.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a beautiful thing to see people come together
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  Speaker 1: for this kind of thing. And you know, I mean,
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  Speaker 1: speaking of somebody's listening to this and thinking like, well,
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  Speaker 1: I'd like to help. How do they get involved?
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  Speaker 2: Well, they need to call me at 815-973-5135. We do
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  Speaker 2: have some dates and times that we need some help.
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  Speaker 2: I am still taking in from a lot of the
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  Speaker 2: banks and businesses that traditionally always let their employees come
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  Speaker 2: and help us out. They are contacting me, hopefully by Friday, plug, plug,
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  Speaker 2: that we will have our calendar full of helpers. But
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  Speaker 2: just call me because if there's something that you can do,
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  Speaker 2: we'll let you know. Here's a plug. Key Club had a,
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  Speaker 2: they have for the second year, a box in the DHS,
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  Speaker 2: I think, in the cafeteria. I'm not positive where they
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  Speaker 2: have it. But it took in gently used clothing. Eliza Zimmerman,
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  Speaker 2: who is the president of Key Club right now, she's
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  Speaker 2: a senior, she brought the offerings to us and we
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  Speaker 2: had it on Facebook. So if you saw it, that
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  Speaker 2: young lady's going places. I wouldn't even be surprised if
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  Speaker 2: she takes over my job in the future generations. But
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  Speaker 2: she was very excited and she asked if there was
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  Speaker 2: another job they could do. And I said, you know what?
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  Speaker 2: I need a crew of four people. I need someone
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  Speaker 2: to come in and vacuum our back staircase, our front staircase.
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  Speaker 2: We've done it, but with all the movement going on,
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  Speaker 2: we need it done again. And then, of course, our
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  Speaker 2: floors to be dust mopped and wiped up. She goes,
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  Speaker 2: I'll get you a crew. So that young lady is
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  Speaker 2: going to make sure that everything's spit and shine in
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  Speaker 2: for everyone that's going to come and receive. She's a leader.
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  Speaker 2: She is. Okay, so another reminder, folks, if your child
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  Speaker 2: does go shop with a cop or shop with a sheriff,
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  Speaker 2: you still will receive an appointment day and time from
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  Speaker 2: Goodfellows because you come shopping for yourself. We provide Christmas
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  Speaker 2: for the entire family from birth on up. And our
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  Speaker 2: oldest client was 92 before he passed. So just know
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  Speaker 2: that when you get that, you'll say, oh, and start
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  Speaker 2: to throw it away. That's for you. The adults in
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  Speaker 2: the family will come shopping. The police will notify you.
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  Speaker 2: And if you've gotten that call, then you need to
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  Speaker 2: just make sure that you come for yourself, the adults
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  Speaker 2: in the family.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah. No, absolutely. But that's great. I mean, like
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  Speaker 1: you said, taking care of the entire family, you know,
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  Speaker 1: it's really a relief this time of year. As magical
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  Speaker 1: as it is, it can definitely be hectic sometimes. and
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  Speaker 1: the kind of the burden of that. So this is
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  Speaker 1: really nice when, you know, families are already struggling with
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  Speaker 1: some basic things to have one less thing to worry about,
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  Speaker 1: you know, when they want to give their kids and
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  Speaker 1: themselves a nice Christmas.
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  Speaker 2: Well, and as I reminded some of our young women,
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  Speaker 2: you know, when they, the first time they come, they're
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  Speaker 2: kind of humbled. One said to me, well, I feel
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  Speaker 2: kind of embarrassed. I have to ask for this. I said,
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  Speaker 2: looking at what you provided for me. You're a hard worker.
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  Speaker 2: You're going to work. You're paying your bills. That is
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  Speaker 2: what you want to see your children doing, paying your bills,
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  Speaker 2: get that stuff done. We're here to help you with
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  Speaker 2: Christmas because people in the community want to do that.
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  Speaker 2: So always look at it that we're here for you
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  Speaker 2: at Christmastime. Don't even worry about that. Make sure you
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  Speaker 2: continue to pay your bills on time. Get things done
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  Speaker 2: that you need to do to provide for your family.
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  Speaker 2: And put that application in with us. We want to
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  Speaker 2: make sure that happens.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, and to anybody listening, thinking that or resonating with
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  Speaker 1: that individual is that everybody needs help. At some point,
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  Speaker 1: one form or another, whether it seems like a lot
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  Speaker 1: or a little, it doesn't matter. It is just the
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  Speaker 1: truth of it. And I mean, proof of it is
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  Speaker 1: from when you were born. No baby goes out and
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  Speaker 1: makes it on their own. And the rest of us
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  Speaker 1: were just too weak to figure it out.
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  Speaker 2: That's right. So it's okay.
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  Speaker 1: And there's this strange stigma around not, you know, feeling
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  Speaker 1: like we can't ask for help while being a person
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  Speaker 1: who would gladly help another and not make them feel bad.
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  Speaker 1: And you got to remember, most people feel the same way.
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  Speaker 1: Like they would not want to shun you or make
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  Speaker 1: you feel bad. They would So don't hesitate. Don't hesitate.
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  Speaker 1: Don't feel bad. And, I mean, Clara and the rest
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  Speaker 1: of the team down there are certainly going to make
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  Speaker 1: you feel comfortable with all this. I know that.
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  Speaker 2: And our helpers. We always have a personal shopper and
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  Speaker 2: a personal bagger with every person who comes in. And
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  Speaker 2: as I want to remind you, I said to the
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  Speaker 2: young lady, she said, well, I don't want anything for myself.
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  Speaker 2: You do need a gift under that tree. That's why
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  Speaker 2: we make sure we take care of the whole family.
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  Speaker 2: The theory there is if you have a daughter. you
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  Speaker 2: want her to grow up knowing that she's important. And
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  Speaker 2: if there's a present for mom under that tree, they're
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  Speaker 2: going to look at it, mom's important, you know. And
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  Speaker 2: the same with young men. If there's a gift under
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  Speaker 2: that tree for mom or dad, they're going to respect
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  Speaker 2: their adults and the people of the opposite sex. So
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  Speaker 2: like I reminded the one mom, I said, your daughter's
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  Speaker 2: going to know that she's important. She's not going to
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  Speaker 2: accept any behavior from someone that isn't okay, that she's honored.
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  Speaker 2: And the same with the young men. They're going to
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  Speaker 2: honor their mother and their father. So they're going to
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  Speaker 2: do that throughout their life. That's a building block. You
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  Speaker 2: planted a seed in their mind. I'm important. And then
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  Speaker 2: she kind of looked at it a little bit different.
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  Speaker 2: She goes, yeah, I do want to know my son
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  Speaker 2: will take care of and respect women. And I want
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  Speaker 2: my daughter to never let somebody treat her less than.
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  Speaker 2: So just keep all of that in mind. I mean,
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  Speaker 2: that's pretty heavy stuff that I just said. And it takes...
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  Speaker 2: But remember, we want to be there for you at
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  Speaker 2: this time of the year. We love what we do,
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  Speaker 2: or we wouldn't still be doing it. We have been
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  Speaker 2: around 114 years helping the communities in Lee County. So please,
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  Speaker 2: please get those applications in. And hopefully before December 1st,
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  Speaker 2: but if it is December 1st, I'll still make sure
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  Speaker 2: you come.
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  Speaker 1: Okay? And what's the best ways for people to get
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  Speaker 1: those applications in?
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  Speaker 2: Well, like I said, we have them at the front
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  Speaker 2: of our building, and I know they're being taken because
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  Speaker 2: I filled them last week twice with 20 each time,
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  Speaker 2: and they were gone. So yesterday when I was in,
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  Speaker 2: I refilled it again with more applications. Ironically, though, I
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  Speaker 2: haven't gotten those 60 back yet, so... please make sure
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  Speaker 2: they get filled out that black box next to it.
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  Speaker 2: You do not have to mail it. You can put
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  Speaker 2: it in there. I check that daily. Okay. The very
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  Speaker 2: last day I will, it is a Tuesday, December 1st,
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  Speaker 2: I believe I will check it as late as five
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  Speaker 2: o'clock it, if it is in there by five o'clock
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  Speaker 2: on December 1st, it's in on time after that. I'm sorry.
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  Speaker 2: It's late. Um, But there are other locations in each community.
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  Speaker 2: Like I said, please call me if you're not sure. 815-973-5135.
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  Speaker 2: And we'll let you know where they're at in your
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  Speaker 2: community if you're not in Dixon. Just get them filled
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  Speaker 2: out and put in there. Absolutely.
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  Speaker 1: You're going to breathe a sigh of relief.
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  Speaker 2: Once you do. Yes. And you're going to know that
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  Speaker 2: you're going to be taken care of. I mean, we don't.
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  Speaker 2: They get a food voucher or IDOT food if they're
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  Speaker 2: in on time by the 31st. After that, everyone is
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  Speaker 2: allowed a winter coat if they need it. They get
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  Speaker 2: snow pants for the kiddos because we only do those
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  Speaker 2: up to like teens. We give socks and underwear. We
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  Speaker 2: have hats and gloves. Each child will receive six Christmas gifts.
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  Speaker 2: Each parent will receive two gifts for themselves. They get
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  Speaker 2: gifts out of the Christmas section. They're going to get
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  Speaker 2: books and movies. We want to make sure we promote
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  Speaker 2: that educational part. And there's fun stuff there. And then
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  Speaker 2: my favorite is books. But next to that is family
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  Speaker 2: fun night section. There's a brand new game or a
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  Speaker 2: brand new puzzle waiting for you to grab for your family.
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  Speaker 2: Sit down on a Friday or a Saturday and have
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  Speaker 2: I don't know, a lot of people say I grab
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  Speaker 2: a pizza or one lady goes, I always make enchiladas
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  Speaker 2: and tacos. And I'm like, awesome. So her family looks
• 13:42
  Speaker 2: forward to that. They get that new board game out
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: and they're playing that for the evening. So just know
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  Speaker 2: that everything is here. It's waiting for you. There are
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  Speaker 2: stocking stuffers for the entire family. I can't say enough
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  Speaker 2: about the giving. We are just blessed. Every day I
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: get a phone call. So it's fun.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, you have so much passion for your job, and
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  Speaker 1: I just love seeing you light up when you talk
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  Speaker 1: about it. And again, I love that you're the one
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  Speaker 1: doing it.
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  Speaker 2: Well, and you know what? It's not just me, though.
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  Speaker 2: You keep saying that, Brandon. We have a board of really... generous, kind,
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: awesome people. I mean, I don't make decisions on my own.
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  Speaker 1: We had a board meeting yesterday. I am glad you
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  Speaker 1: are such a front and center mouthpiece for it, though,
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  Speaker 1: because it is so passionate the way that you do it.
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  Speaker 1: Not to say that nobody else is. I'm sure they
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: put it out there just as well. But the passion
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  Speaker 1: that comes out of you when you're promoting it, you
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  Speaker 1: are a perfect person to be helping with the organization
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: when it comes to promoting it, because I just love
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  Speaker 1: seeing it. So and I'm sure it resonates with everyone else.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you.
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  Speaker 1: Unfortunately, we're out of time, but Clara, thank you for
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: coming in for the tireless work that you and everybody
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: over at Goodfellas of Lee County does, and we look
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: forward to your next update.