Journal Reporter

Rosemont - a town of big-time, world-class sports events, big-name entertainment, where corporate America shows itself off with huge conventions and trade shows.

Rosemont - a community with more financial muscle than most of its neighbors combined.

Rosemont - a town of Helping Hands, with compassion for the needy and less fortunate, dispensing dollars and resources as well as small-town friendliness and congeniality.

The village isn't all about life in the fast lane, it's also about help for those on the other side of the local economy, who can barely afford to survive, much less enjoy the finer things of life.

Rosemont has a group of helping hands that call themselves exactly that. They recently finished their 18th year of providing meals, food packets, financial assistance, gift certificates, and many other kinds of assistance to needy persons and groups in the Rosemont and Leyden Township area.

While many local charities conduct annual fund-raising campaigns and distribute goodies on a seasonal basis (typically Thanksgiving and/or Christmas), Helping Hands in Rosemont is a year-round, "let us know what you need and we'll try to help" kind of organization, according to its coordinator, public safety officer Dale Torii.

With the help of Mayor Donald E. Stephens and other village officials, Helping Hands works around the calendar, and occasionally around the clock.

"We deliver turkeys to 75-100 families at Thanksgiving, and about the same n of meals at Christmas," says Torii. "But we also try to respond whenever we're called upon to help, whether it's helping a senior pay for or obtain a prescription, or helping kids go on a field trip or summer camp. We work with schools and churches and try to provide manpower or financial assistance wherever it's needed, anytime."

"When I need a bigger group of volunteers, such as turkey distribution at Thanksgiving, I put out the word in the public safety department, and 10 or 15 guys usually respond."

His group serves needy persons in Leyden Township, not just within the village limits.

"We started out as a loose group of volunteers, now we are as bit more organized," he said. "I'm president, Mike Sullivan (also in public safety) is vice president, and my wife, Dawn, is our secretary. She does all the paperwork and keeps track of records. She also does all the gift certificates for people to shop at area stores."

The group has been active since about 1984, Torii said, and he's been involved since 1990. Torii is a 22-year veteran of Rosemont Public Safety.

Torii said both Mayor Stephens and his wife, Katherine, play significant roles in Helping Hands. "If we need funds, Katherine particularly goes to bat for us and promotes our cause," he said. "And the mayor frequently reaches into his own pocket and donates, and contacts his friends to do so."