Submitted by Dayenu Ministries
Dayenu Ministries will be hosting an event at the Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd. from 6 p.m to 9 p.m. on Friday, December 16. Cookies, Cocoa & Cards will be a time to make cards for hospitalized children, first responders, veterans, nurses and doctors. Guests are invited to bring cookies – “a dozen to share, a dozen to spare” – so that guests may enjoy cookies while writing cards as well as providing cookies that Dayenu Ministries will distribute with the cards over the holidays.
Founded in 2019 by Darryl & Rebecca Cheeks, Dayenu Ministries is a nonprofit 501(c)3, established to bring people together for service projects within the community. Focusing on underserved or underrecognized groups, the ministry seeks to encourage and supply aid where possible.
“In addition to the recipients of our service projects, we really feel that one of the groups we are serving is our volunteers,” said co-founder Rebecca Cheeks. “So many people want to do good for others, but don’t know where to begin. At Dayenu Ministries, we provide that venue for people to become involved in helping others. With our current event, Cookies, Cocoa & Cards, we want to remind folks that in this season of giving – the greatest gift we can give is to share love, encouragement, and gratitude with others.”
This event will specifically focus on people who are away from their own families during the holidays either due to hospitalization or because of their job serving others (first responders and medical personnel).
In January of this year, co-founder Darryl Cheeks passed away following a long battle with a very rare medical condition. His wife, Rebecca, hopes this event will also be an opportunity to recognize and honor Darryl’s passion for serving people. Even when his illness left him largely confined to a wheelchair, Darryl could always be found helping, supporting and serving others.
Both Darryl and Rebecca’s families have a long, four generation history in Evanston. They attended ETHS together and their fathers, aunts and uncles also attended ETHS together. Most recently three of their children graduated from ETHS. Until his death, Darryl served on ETHS’s Foundation Board. The Cheeks family was deeply honored when the Oliver A. Ruff Education & Mentoring Foundation awarded a scholarship in Darryl’s name to two young men embarking on business degrees in college.
In November of 2021, Dayenu Ministries held an Appreciation Dinner for Evanston’s Fire & Police Departments as well as many of Darryl’s nurses from Rush Hospital. The event was a great success and the Cheeks family was so pleased to host it at the Evanston Ecology Center. This will likely be the location of many more events to come.
Dayenu Ministries’ Cookies, Cocoa & Cards welcomes everyone to join them for this special event. They especially hope that those who knew Darryl will stop by to raise a cup of hot chocolate in his memory.
For more information, visit www.dayenuministries.org , email hello@dayenuministries.org , or call (847)363-4015.