It was always a dream of mine to work for the Chicago Cubs.  For the last three seasons, I have gotten to live that dream.  Each day, I thank my lucky stars that I get to go to Wrigley Field  for my job.  While I love my coworkers and love being a security services ambassador, those that know me, know that the full dream is to get on full time in the community affairs department.  Cubs Charities and working with other organizations to give back to the community is my true passion.  I want to make a difference.  I want to make my city, my state, my country, my world a better place.  I want to be a leader.  I want to give the Cubs everything that I have to offer.  While I have not been able to break in to getting to work in that department yet, I will still keep trying.  I will not let the dream die.

Horrible tornadoes ravaged several Illinois towns last Sunday including Coal City…10 miles from my hometown of Morris.  The worst area hit by the tornadoes was Washington…located down by Peoria.  Almost the entire town was devastated by the F4 tornado.  Over 1,000 homes were destroyed.  Cubs Charities decided to work in conjunction with the American Red Cross to hold a donation drive to help the people of Washington, Illinois that lost everything.  I jumped at the chance to help out and quickly volunteered my time to help the cause.  Thankfully, Abby gave me the opportunity to help out.  The last two days were so rewarding to me.  I got a chance to taste my dream and work for two days doing what I love to do.  Stacy and I gathered up 6 or 7 bags of stuff to donate to the cause and then I stayed to help collect the donations that were coming in.  Because of the generosity of the Chicago Cubs fans, employees and caring citizens that stopped by, we were able to fill an entire semi-trailer and half of a smaller UHaul with clothes, bottled water, canned foods, gloves, coats, blankets, cleaning supplies, tote bags, personal hygiene items, shoes, flashlights, medical supplies etc.  Everyone that came would tell us “thank you for doing this” but it was THEIR generosity and THEIR kindness that was making it possible.  They would the ones doing the giving.  Without them it would have been impossible to do.  The local news media was very helpful with spreading the word so everyone knew and had a chance to go there before the truck left.

Thank you Cubs Charities for letting me help out and thank you Chicagoans for your contributions.  I hope that it may help brighten the day for those that lost everything and let them know that there are people that care about their well being and that we are all in this together.