JEWEL-OSCO HAS FUND-RAISER FLYING HIGH

JOEL ELSON

MELROSE PARK, Ill. -- The 217 Chicagoland Jewel-Osco stores gave away 43,000 kites, saluting students for their participation in the Illinois Father of the Year essay contest.

The fund-raiser was held in conjunction with Father's Day this month. Donated kites had a retail value of $1.99 apiece. The retailer was "proud to be part of the essay contest sponsored by the Illinois Fatherhood initiative," said Greg Josefowicz, Jewel's executive vice president and general manager.

"Everyone who participated in this contest is to be commended for their thoughtful, heartfelt essays," he said.

This was the second time Jewel-Osco had participated in the Father's Day event. "We hope an adventurous day of kite-flying will provide students with special memories for their next Father's Day essay," added Josefowicz.

The 43,000 students throughout the state submitted creative essays on the subject: "What My Father -- or Father Figure -- Means To Me." Selected essays will be published in a softcover booklet entitled "The Faces of Fatherhood," which Jewel will sell in stores for $7.

David Hirsch, president of the Illinois Fatherhood initiative, Chicago, the country's first statewide, nonprofit organization that promotes responsible fathering, applauded Jewel-Osco "for its efforts to encourage participation by donating a kite" to each child who submitted an essay.

The retailer plans to continue its support "of families by working with the Illinois Fathers' initiative, and assisting the organization in its mission to help men become better fathers and father figures," said the Jewel executive.

Josefowicz also sent letters of congratulation to the students for their participation in the essay contest. Included in each one was a general merchandise coupon, good toward a free kite that could be redeemed at any of the 154 Jewel-Osco combination stores or 63 free-standing Osco drug outlets.

Thanking the students "for being part of this contest," Josefowicz told them to "take this coupon to any Jewel-Osco for a free kite to fly with your father and celebrate your achievement."

The contest also was sponsored by the National Center for Fathering, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Chicago Public Schools, and the five Diocese of Illinois.