Encore Resale Shop Sales Purchase New Security Vehicle
The ladies with the Silver Cross Advisory Board have been busy raising over $86,000 to support our hospital. This special group of volunteers run the Encore Shop – the upscale resale store, with sales proceeds donated to the Silver Cross Foundation to support patient care.
Last Christmas, they gave the Silver Cross Foundation $50,000 to help fund the construction of the Amy, Matthew and Jay Vana Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Since opening in July 2022, over 300 premature and critically ill newborns have received specialized care close to home – keeping families together.
But that’s not all! This spring they paid off the second part of their pledge to purchase a 2024 Ford Police Interceptor for the hospital’s Security Department. The sleek black vehicle will be used 24/7 to patrol the New Lenox campus and assist in transporting patients, visitors and staff when the courtesy shuttle and valet are not available.
“We are extremely grateful to the Advisory Board and the folks who donate to and shop at the Encore Shop,” said Gabe Vazquez, Chief of Security at Silver Cross Hospital. “We’ve needed a replacement cruiser for quite some time so we can continue to provide a safe environment.”
This isn’t the first vehicle that the Advisory Board has purchased. In 2000, they donated $25,000 to buy a pick-up truck for Building Services to keep the hospital’s grounds maintained year-round. Since the shop opened in 1961, they have donated over $1.6 million to expand and add new facilities, programs and services; purchase needed equipment and enhance the expertise of caregivers through scholarships.
“We are extremely fortunate to have habitual customers who regularly comment about how nice our shop looks and enjoy their resale shopping experience,” said Judy Lake, Advisory Board president. “We also appreciate the many donors who drop off items to be sold in our shop, keeping us very busy. Our volunteers are very hard workers but we also have fun as a group. It makes us proud to be able to contribute so much to the hospital over all these years.”
The Encore Shop is located on the Silver Cross Hospital campus at 710 Cedar Crossing Drive, New Lenox – across from The Kurtz & Vana Family Pavilion. The shop is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All proceeds benefit Silver Cross Hospital. Donations can be dropped off at the Encore Shop during regular business hours or anytime in the collection bin on the south side of the hospital. The shop accepts new and gently used adult and children’s clothing, antiques, books, household items, jewelry and seasonal decorations.
For more information, call the Encore Shop at (815) 300-7642 or Silver Cross Hospital’s Volunteer Services at (815) 300-7117.