Page 37 - August 2018

auditorium, stage, office and conference suites, kitchen with pantry, event staging area, storage and parking. It’s designed specifically to serve the needs of children with autism by miti- gating outside factors such as noise, buzzing lights and so on.
The basketball court in the gymnasium will feature the FOP logo in the center circle. That attribute was planned even before Graham came knocking at the door of Easterseals Chicago CEO Tim Muri with this latest fundraiser idea.
Easterseals had developed a relationship with the White Sox, especially their all-star first baseman whose foundation “Abreu’s Amigos” also raises money for the organization. Muri heard the idea to have the door autographed for auction and immediately signed on.
“We never had an experience with something like this but we have a great connection with the White Sox, so we thought it would be cool if we could get it done,” Muri explains. “The way Kevin and the FOP continues to raise funds is second to none in our minds. We would not have been able to build this facility if it wasn’t for the support of the FOP.”
Muri submits that having a hand in building a facility that his research indicates will be the first of its kind on a campus like Easterseals has in Chicago motivated Chicago Police Officers to elevate their support even higher. He is also grateful that the of- ficers’ need to serve the community and desire to touch a lot of lives has opened so many doors for what Easterseals has been able to accomplish.
“When you’re around Kevin, Rocky or any number of those FOP people, you see that the pipeline of support is a labor of love,” Muri adds. “When they see what we are building, hope- fully they will see they are part of something special.”
As a result, Lodge 7 has always gone above and beyond the call to serve Easterseals. President Graham, for example, initial- ly requested a door off an old beat car from the Department.
When that request couldn’t be met, he found his own door, and the Lodge carried out the idea.
It’s been that way going back to 1982 when Nolan, who was the Easterseals chair for seven years and still serves on the board, posed for the annual stamp the organization produces. A little girl in leg braces was also in the picture.
“It was a hot day and we were doing all kinds of poses, but we couldn’t get anything,” Nolan remembers. “Then, she just looked up at me and grabbed my chin. The photographer snapped it as a quirk, and it turned out to be the stamp.”
Suffice it to say the FOP connection with Easterseals has al- ways been serendipitous. The way it has grown and the volume of funding and other support has led to so many signature mo- ments.
“I’m glad we were able to get our foot in the door and keep it there,” Nolan says. “It’s almost synonymous. FOP and Easter- seals go hand in hand.” d
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2018 37