News

This pajama party has a cause

By JESSICA SIEFF / Vigilant/Argus
Wednesday, December 3, 2008 2:50 PM EST

BUCHANAN - When the wind turns bitingly cold, freezing ears, noses and fingertips every inch of the way from the classroom or the office to the car - there is little that compares to the safety and comfort of home that awaits the end of the day. And for that matter - the joy so many feel when they shed their stiff layers for their favorite pair of pajamas before climbing under the covers.

This holiday season, that safety and comfort that comes from a loving home, where nightfall means slipping into soft, fluffy PJs and drifting off to sleep can be a challenge for some families struggling to make ends meet.

But as it seems - it will not be a challenge they'll be forced to take on alone.

The Salvation Army of Niles - in partnership with the Buchanan Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) is launching the first ever - Pajama Competition Challenge. Both organizations plan for the challenge to become an annual event.

Monroe Lemay, director of the BACC said the idea had come about after hearing the story of Genevieve Piturro, who was featured on an episode of the Oprah show. Piturro, "in her mission to find her purpose in life, volunteered at a homeless shelter," Lemay said. "There, she came in contact with children who went to bed without pajamas.... She realized then, that for most struggling families, pajamas are a luxury and an item that most parents can't afford to buy."

From there, Piturro "went on a mission" to collect pajamas for needy children through friends, businesses and other donations.

The Salvation Army of Niles "approached me as director of the chamber to help them come up with ways they could reach the Buchanan Community with their services."

The idea had a personal impact as well. Lemay said, growing up on a Kibbutz in Israel, one gift every child received during the holiday of Chanukah was a brand new pair of pajamas - something they would show off with pride around the children's houses (where children slept and lived together much like a dorm).

And the first area challenge was born.

"Both Jan (Jan Nowak, Social Service Director of the Salvation Army in Niles) and Tamela (Tamela Spicer, Regional Director of Development for the S.A.) said that 'pajamas always symbolized the feeling of warmth and safety and that is what we want for every child...'" Lemay said.

So when members of the BACC braved the snowfall that blanketed Michiana Friday, to attend a chamber Perc Breakfast at the American Legion in Buchanan, Lemay, Nowak and Spicer, who wanted to get the word out, greeted them...

In their pajamas.

A display of food baskets, donation cans and - of course - pairs of pajamas were set out and those who attended received information and handouts inviting them to take on the challenge.

"We challenge your companies, organizations, employees, individuals and citizen supporters to collect new pajamas for our children," stated one handout by the Army.

There has been no shortage of support from the community as so many area schools and organizations are holding food and toy drives throughout the area for the Salvation Army of Niles and other area organizations including RAM-Love Inc.

Still Lemay hopes area businesses, individuals, friends and families will rise to the challenge.

"At first I thought of it as an individual challenge, but with all the organizations and small businesses and large corporations, I truly see great potential here," Lemay said.

The challenge, more basically, is to pick up a pair of new pajamas when visiting any department store, Wal-Mart or Meijer for example. Area libraries have stepped up as checkpoints where pajamas are to be brought on two specific collection days.

Business organizations can put the challenge to employees, families or friends can form a group and do the same - raising as many pairs of new pajamas as possible for area children.

"Berrien County is a very giving region," Lemay said. "And considering the pajamas reach the children in our community, I truly believe that many people will join the challenge."

A challenge, that may just make it easier for so many children to sleep at night.

Those who wish to donate pajamas to the Pajama Competition Challenge can drop off their donations at the following area libraries - which are joining the event with special events of their own:

The Cass County Library, 319 M-62 in Cassopolis, will collect new pajamas on Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a story time and pajama party from 6:30 - 8 p.m.

And the Niles Public Library, 620 E. Main Street, will collect donations of new PJs at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for a children's pajama slumber party.

Anyone with questions can contact the Salvation Army of Niles at 684-2660.

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