December 27

NEW LOCATION: 
Parking lot directly south of former First Midwest Bank, 
25 N. Ottawa Street in downtown Joliet

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow once again is partnering with Heartland Blood Centers and local mom Jennifer Babec during National Blood Donor Appreciation Month to host a community blood drive from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Thursday, January 12.

The Taylor Babec Community Blood Drive will be held at a new location: The parking lot directly south of the former First Midwest Bank building at 25 N. Ottawa Street in downtown Joliet.

The building currently is home to the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center and Will County Specialty Courts, both of which are operated by the State’s Attorney’s Office. Heartland’s mobile coaches will be parked inside the middle lot during the Blood Drive.

The new location will make donating more convenient to employees from the Will County Courthouse, Joliet City Hall and the Joliet Police Department, all of which are less than one block from the drive.

Everyone who donates blood will receive a $10 Noodles & Company card as a thank you gift for donating. In addition, Will County employees and their spouses who donate will receive one health insurance Wellness Point to be applied to the year that began in March 2016. Employees must register in advance by visiting www.managewell.com and logging on to the worksite wellness activity: “Blood Drive – Taylor Babec S/A.”

Appointments to donate can be made by calling Jennifer Babec at (815) 325-4282 or by visiting Heartland Blood Centers online at www.heartlandbc.org. Walk-in donors also are welcome on the day of the blood drive. Donations take roughly 30 minutes. Heartland is the sole provider of blood products for Silver Cross Hospital and Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center.

Support Desperately Needed in January

January is National Blood Donor Month because it is when donations are needed most. Many people schedule elective surgeries after the first of the year. And blood is needed to help people injured in winter auto accidents. January, however, is also a time when bad weather, personal illnesses and hectic post-holiday schedules prevent people from making blood donations. 

This Blood Drive is an opportunity to boost the local blood supply.

Who benefits from blood donations? Cancer patients may require up to eight units per month; bone marrow transplant patients may require up to two units per day. Liver transplant patients may require up to 100 units, and auto accident victims may need as many as 50 units. It is also worth noting that:

• More than 95 percent of Americans who reach the age of 72 will need blood (or one of the products that can be derived by blood) in their lifetime.
• About 75 percent of all people over the age of 30 have at least one personal acquaintance that has had a blood transfusion.
• Blood is a fragile substance. It is a liquid, living tissue that must be used within 42 days (five days for platelets) of the time it is donated.

Jennifer Babec knows first-hand the importance of blood drives. Her daughter, Taylor, required 22 blood transfusions that restored her health and her spirits during her successful battle against lymphoma when she was a little girl. Taylor’s cancer is in remission, but Jennifer continues to coordinate drives so there is an ample supply for others who need transfusions.

November 17

JOLIET — Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that County Board Member Herb Brooks Jr. and Dr. Rita Gray from the Will County Health Department have been appointed to the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center’s Board of Directors.

In addition, the Board of Directors bid a fond farewell to founding board member Mike Mikuska, who worked closely with State’s Attorney Glasgow over the past 21 years to develop the services the center provides to sexually abused children and their families. 

County Board Member Brooks, who also serves as the longtime pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, and Dr. Gray, who is a clinical psychologist and the Director of Clinical Training for the Health Department, were nominated by State’s Attorney Glasgow and approved by the Board of Directors at its most recent meeting.

“Our two new members bring tremendous experience, talent and passion to the Board of Directors,” Glasgow said. “It will be a great honor to work alongside Pastor Brooks and Dr. Gray as we guide the Children’s Advocacy Center in its mission to provide hope, healing and justice to vulnerable children.”

State’s Attorney Glasgow, who chairs the board of directors, established the Children’s Advocacy Center 20 years ago as a not-for-profit agency to improve investigations into cases involving child sexual abuse. When children make an outcry of sexual abuse, they are brought to the center, where trained and compassionate forensic interviewers obtain an accurate statement in a neutral, non-suggestive and child-friendly environment.

Interviews recorded at the center have been used to successfully prosecute thousands of child predators. In addition, the center’s experienced staff provides children and families with advocacy, counseling and social services that enable the healing process to begin.

Pastor Brooks has a long history of community work focused on the needs of children. He has served on the boards of both Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will & Grundy Counties as well as CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Will County. In addition, he served as the president for Joliet Public Grade School District 86 and as a member of the Family Violence Coordinating Council.

“I have a strong interest in protecting children, particularly those who are disadvantaged,” Brooks said. “The children who visit the center for interviews, counseling and other services are going through the most traumatic time they may ever experience. It’s an honor to work with a vital agency that helps bring justice and healing back into their young lives.”

As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Gray brings a wealth of experience regarding the important work that is performed by the Children’s Advocacy Center. The Will County Health Department has used the center as a referral source for abused and victimized young people. In addition, she has counseled families and children during times of crisis.

She serves on University of St. Francis Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Advisory Board and the Illinois Psychological Association Committee. And she is affiliated with many local agencies including the Will County Community Health Center Medical Clinic; the Will County Departments of Detention, Probation and Juvenile Court; Guardian Angel Community Services; Cornerstone Services; Stepping Stones; and Youth Experiencing Success in Schools (YESS).

“I truly believe in the center’s mission to deliver justice to sexually abused children and to help the healing process begin for them,” she said. “The services that the Children’s Advocacy Center delivers are invaluable to those who are coping with the trauma of child sexual abuse. I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors.”

On a bittersweet note, State’s Attorney Glasgow and fellow board members presented Mikuska, president of Mickey’s Tire and Service Centers in Joliet, with a plaque honoring his 21 years of service and his work as a founding board member. Mikuska, who decided to step down this year, recalled humble origins when the State’s Attorney approached him at a United Way event to talk about establishing a Children’s Advocacy Center nearly 22 years ago.

“I remember that we used to begin our meetings discussing, ‘OK, how much money don’t we have this month?’” he said.

The not-for-profit center is funded through grants, donations and fundraisers. However, Mikuska worked with the State’s Attorney and fellow board members to develop the center into the first-class agency it is today with its staff of highly skilled professionals and a range of social services for children

“If it wasn’t for your vision this place wouldn’t exist today,” Mikuska told the State’s Attorney at his final board meeting.

Mikuska also is responsible for the slogan that was adopted by the Children’s Advocacy Center when its logo was being redesigned for its 20th Anniversary in 2015. The new motto, “Hope, Healing, and Justice for Abused Children,” perfectly sums up the mission and work of the center, said State’s Attorney Glasgow, who thanked Mikuska for his hard work over two decades.

“I turned to Mike at the very beginning because he is creative and he is committed to protecting children in their time of greatest need,” he said. “Without the steadfast dedication of this devoted community leader, we might never have launched the Children’s Advocacy Center. We will miss him greatly. And we all wish him well as he takes on new endeavors.”

November 15

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow has purchased a highly trained drug-detection dog that will be deployed in the Channahon Police Department’s first ever K-9 Unit.

Hutch, whose handler will be Channahon Officer Dustin Carlson, was formally introduced to the village officials and citizens by Mayor Missey Moorman Schumacher at a recent Channahon Village Board meeting.

State’s Attorney Glasgow used $14,840 in drug forfeiture funding controlled by his office to purchase and train Hutch, a German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix, for the Channahon Police Department. The funding is seized from criminals who were involved in selling illegal narcotics. The State’s Attorney deploys a legal team to aggressively pursue the forfeiture of funds from dealers so his office can redirect this money toward law enforcement initiatives that remove drugs from the community.

“As we are all aware, the sale of illegal narcotics has taken a deadly turn in recent years with the rise in popularity of heroin across our nation. This year we are on course to reach 70 heroin overdose deaths in Will County, which is a tragic milestone,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “The addition of a K-9 unit with a dog trained to detect the presence of illegal narcotics will enable the Channahon Police Department to identify dealers and take this deadly drug off our streets. I know this will save lives.”

Mayor Missey Moorman Schumacher and State’s Attorney Glasgow.

Hutch also will serve as a liaison between the Channahon Police Department and local citizens at various community celebrations and functions. The dog is highly socialized and enjoyed attention from children.

State’s Attorney Glasgow offered to purchase the K-9 Unit after hearing of the Channahon Police Department’s need from County Board Members Regan Freitag and Don Gould. He currently is working with police officials and community leaders in Wilmington to purchase a K-9 for the Wilmington Police Department also.

During the recent Village Board meeting, Mayor Schumacher presented the State’s Attorney with a certificate of appreciation for purchasing the dog. In a light-hearted ceremony, the mayor also swore in Hutch and took his paw print for village files.

“Our Nation is in the grips of what is becoming an uncontrollable heroin epidemic that is savagely claiming the lives of people from all walks of life,” the State’s Attorney said. “No one is immune to this deadly crisis. As elected officials we all feel the call to action.”

The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office has pursued an aggressive agenda that involves targeting heroin dealers and expanding overdose investigations to forcefully pursue drug-induced homicide arrests. The State’s Attorney also has worked with the HERO and H.E.L.P.S. organizations to present forums throughout the county to educate citizens about the dangers of this extremely addictive and illegal narcotic.

November 3

JOLIET – The Crest Hill Police Association has presented Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow with a $1,500 check to benefit the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center.

The Crest Hill Police Association this year selected the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center as one of the beneficiaries of the proceeds from its Seventh Annual Golf Outing held Sept. 28 at the Inwood Golf Course in Joliet.

Crest Hill Police Association President Henry Tough presented the check on Nov. 3 to State’s Attorney Glasgow, who created the Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995 to improve the way allegations of child sexual abuse are investigated.

State’s Attorney Glasgow, who chairs the board of directors, established the Children’s Advocacy Center 21 years ago as a not-for-profit agency to improve investigations into cases involving child sexual abuse. When children make an outcry of sexual abuse, they are brought to the center, where trained and compassionate forensic interviewers obtain an accurate statement in a neutral, non-suggestive and child-friendly environment.

Interviews recorded at the center have been used to successfully prosecute thousands of child predators. In addition, the center’s experienced staff provides children and families with advocacy, counseling and social services that enable the healing process to begin.

“I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the Crest Hill Police Association for choosing the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center as a beneficiary of its golf outing this year,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “This funding means a great deal because it was raised by police officers who recognize first-hand the Center’s crucial role in child sex abuse investigations.”

For information about the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, call (815) 774-4565.

November 2

Johnson, who began working with State’s Attorney Glasgow on the Paws 4 Kids program in 2012, will receive The Allen Award during the 2016 Honors and Recognition Banquet Thursday evening at the Jacob Henry Mansion’s Victorian Ballroom. The award is named after the founder of Project Acclaim, the Rev. James E. Allen, and is presented to those who demonstrate a commitment to community service.

State’s Attorney Glasgow launched Paws 4 Kids through the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center and turned to Johnson, who has worked for years raising and training puppies on behalf of the Leader Dogs for the Blind organization. Her personal dog, Jackson, is licensed through Therapy Dog International and was the first canine to begin comforting children who visit the Center for victim-sensitive interviews that are conducted during child sexual abuse investigations. These interviews, recorded in a child-friendly, neutral environment, have been used to successfully prosecute literally thousands of child predators.

Jackson is a 63-pound Labrador Retriever. Since then, Johnson has brought her other personal dog, Malley, also a Labrador Retriever, as well as two highly trained facility dogs, Kiwi and Angus, both English Labradors, into the fold at the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office. Angus works with support groups associated with various specialty courts; Kiwi also works in the Children’s Advocacy Center and will be comforting children when they testify in court. 

“This is a wonderful honor for someone like Cheri, who loves dogs and so completely understands the life-affirming bond between children and man’s best friend,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “Cheri’s dogs bring all the love and kindness they experience under her care to work with them every day, and they give it to vulnerable children who rely on them for comfort and support during the most difficult times in their lives.”

Project Acclaim, originally called Joliet Project Pride, was formed by the Rev. Allen in the 1980s to promote civic pride and inspire community involvement. At its honors and recognition banquet, the organization also will honor Terry D’Arcy of D’Arcy Automobiles for his philanthropy as well as the Pritz Family of Joliet. The event is open to the public. More information on the Allen Award and the banquet can be found on line at www.projectacclaim.org.