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MANHATTAN CHAMBER OF Commerce named Pat Curran of Operation Care Package as its ''Citizen of the Year.'' Pictured (l. to r.) are Mayor Bill Borgo, Pat Curran, past recipients of the award Bill Johnson and Donna Chellios with Chamber President Diane Huelsman.
Chamber announces Business and Citizen of the Year  Share
Bill Johnson - Manhattan Chamber of Commerce (MCC) Treasurer, owner of Select Perfection Construction and last year's recipient of the Citizen of the Year award - presented the Chamber's ''Citizen of the Year'' award to Manhattan's Pat Curren at the MCC's fourth annual State of the Village Address luncheon. Curren has worked tirelessly to grow ''Operation Care Package'' over the past eight years, seeing to it that thousands of service men and women deployed overseas receive packages filled with personal products and treats in addition to letters of encouragement. ''I was surprised in the beginning when I heard from my son just how many service personnel do not receive mail for one reason or another,'' Curren said. ''That is how we started.'' The humble beginnings began in the homes of three women. Operation Care Package now shares the old former Country Company Insurance offices with the Will County Farm Bureau, on Rt. 52 in Joliet. ''Now we need more space, so if anyone knows of a larger facility available, please let us know,'' Curren told the crowd. The group now ships out over 150 packages a week and spends over $100,000 in postage.
''We spend more time fundraising than we do packing boxes,'' Curren said. ''We also have an enclosed trailer on our wish list.'' For more information about the organization, check out its website at www.operationcarepackages.com. Manhattan Chamber President Dianne Huelsman presented the Business of the Year award. ''This year's Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award is presented to a company whose presence has been made widely known to our community in just a few years,'' Huelsman said. ''The McCormack Agency, State Farm Manhattan opened its doors in the Foxford Plaza in January of 2008.'' Huelsman added that owners Jim and Stacy McCormack have jumped in to get involved in the community. ''The McCormack Agency has been a supporter of numerous Manhattan events and causes including their Platinum membership in the Chamber, their membership in the Manhattan School District Foundation and their involvement and sponsorship of events such as Manhattan Fun Days, Wine Festival and Irish Fest, among others,'' Huelsman said. ''Together Jim and Stacy and their business are a credit to Manhattan, and we are very fortunate to have them here,'' Huelsman concluded. ''We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge their dedication and civic involvement by awarding them this year's Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award.'' Clearly surprised, Stacy McCormack thanked everyone and the Chamber for the honor. ''We opened up just a few years ago and have enjoyed wonderful support from the community,'' McCormack said. A plaque also was awarded to 2009 Manhattan Chamber of Commerce President Dr. Jeff Pietrzyk. ''Dr. Jeff has been a huge asset to our organization volunteering his time to serve the members of the Chamber of Commerce,'' Huelsman said. ''2009 was a very busy year for Dr. Jeff, as he moved his practice to a new location and welcomed his first son into the world, with wife Christa.'' Pietrzyk continues to serve as a Chamber director. Russell Publications prints several community newspapers each week, serving Will, Kankakee and Cook counties.
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