By Eileen O. Daday
Daily Herald Correspondent
A national organization known
as Project Sweet Peas recently won
a $25,000 grant through the Pepsi
Refresh Project and, by extension, its
Illinois leaders, Don and Theresa Wellman
of Schaumburg, shared in the
award.
Each of the 12 project leaders across
the country received $1,500 to continue
their mission of coming to the aid
of families with seriously ill children.
“We’re thrilled,” says Theresa Wellman,
a special education aide at Waterbury
Elementary School in Roselle.
“This will allow us to deliver another
50 bags to parents with children in the
ICU.”
Their award is part of the Pepsi
Refresh Project, which plans to award
more than $20 million in 2010 to move
communities forward, its website says.
The awards are part of an effort to
support innovative, optimistic ideas
and, each month, Pepsi awards up to
32 grants, ranging from $250,000 to
$5,000.
Project Sweet Peas is a grass-roots
organization — still working on getting
its nonprofit status — started by three
mothers who each had experienced
having a child born with a rare birth
defect called congenital diaphragmatic
hernia (CDH), which required stays in
intensive care.
They came together last year for
comfort and support, Wellman says,
and have devised a way to reach out to
others who are experiencing the same
harrowing experience of having a
child in the hospital. Their Sweet Peas
care packages offer a touch of comfort
and simple devices to help build
memories.
Since forming last November, project
leaders across the country have distributed
more than 800 bags.
Their gift bags include everything
from baby blankets, booties, caps and
stuffed animals, to handprint molds,
disposable cameras, picture frames
and assorted toiletries.
The Wellmans joined the project
after their first child, Donny, lived for
only six days in 2006 in the neonatal
intensive care unit of Comer Children’s
Hospital at the University of Chicago in
Chicago.
“We wanted to be at the hospital
every minute, so we wore the same
clothes and had to wash them at
night,” says Don Wellman, who works
with a truck leasing company in Melrose
Park.
They stayed at the Ronald McDonald
House and had many of their
needs provided for, but some things
they still lacked.
“I had no personal items for my
son,” Theresa Wellman says. “When
he passed, the hospital provided some
clothes, but it wasn’t the same.”
Their son was born with CDH, and
their activism in Project Sweet Peas is
as much about promoting awareness
about the disorder as it is to comfort
other parents.
The Wellmans call their project
“Donny’s Shining Light,” and share
both their personal story about his
short life as well as information on
how to help support the mission of
Project Sweet Peas.
They have a wish list of items they
seek to help fill the gift bags with, as
well as a way to help support their
efforts financially.
Since November, they have distributed
44 care packages to families
of children receiving treatment
at Comer Children’s Hospital and
are excited to be able to deliver even
more after sharing in the Pepsi grant,
they say.
“I just want to carry on my son’s
life,” Theresa Wellman says, “and
have his love inspire others.”
For details, visit projectsweetpeas.
com.
Daily Herald Correspondent
A national organization known
as Project Sweet Peas recently won
a $25,000 grant through the Pepsi
Refresh Project and, by extension, its
Illinois leaders, Don and Theresa Wellman
of Schaumburg, shared in the
award.
Each of the 12 project leaders across
the country received $1,500 to continue
their mission of coming to the aid
of families with seriously ill children.
“We’re thrilled,” says Theresa Wellman,
a special education aide at Waterbury
Elementary School in Roselle.
“This will allow us to deliver another
50 bags to parents with children in the
ICU.”
Their award is part of the Pepsi
Refresh Project, which plans to award
more than $20 million in 2010 to move
communities forward, its website says.
The awards are part of an effort to
support innovative, optimistic ideas
and, each month, Pepsi awards up to
32 grants, ranging from $250,000 to
$5,000.
Project Sweet Peas is a grass-roots
organization — still working on getting
its nonprofit status — started by three
mothers who each had experienced
having a child born with a rare birth
defect called congenital diaphragmatic
hernia (CDH), which required stays in
intensive care.
They came together last year for
comfort and support, Wellman says,
and have devised a way to reach out to
others who are experiencing the same
harrowing experience of having a
child in the hospital. Their Sweet Peas
care packages offer a touch of comfort
and simple devices to help build
memories.
Since forming last November, project
leaders across the country have distributed
more than 800 bags.
Their gift bags include everything
from baby blankets, booties, caps and
stuffed animals, to handprint molds,
disposable cameras, picture frames
and assorted toiletries.
The Wellmans joined the project
after their first child, Donny, lived for
only six days in 2006 in the neonatal
intensive care unit of Comer Children’s
Hospital at the University of Chicago in
Chicago.
“We wanted to be at the hospital
every minute, so we wore the same
clothes and had to wash them at
night,” says Don Wellman, who works
with a truck leasing company in Melrose
Park.
They stayed at the Ronald McDonald
House and had many of their
needs provided for, but some things
they still lacked.
“I had no personal items for my
son,” Theresa Wellman says. “When
he passed, the hospital provided some
clothes, but it wasn’t the same.”
Their son was born with CDH, and
their activism in Project Sweet Peas is
as much about promoting awareness
about the disorder as it is to comfort
other parents.
The Wellmans call their project
“Donny’s Shining Light,” and share
both their personal story about his
short life as well as information on
how to help support the mission of
Project Sweet Peas.
They have a wish list of items they
seek to help fill the gift bags with, as
well as a way to help support their
efforts financially.
Since November, they have distributed
44 care packages to families
of children receiving treatment
at Comer Children’s Hospital and
are excited to be able to deliver even
more after sharing in the Pepsi grant,
they say.
“I just want to carry on my son’s
life,” Theresa Wellman says, “and
have his love inspire others.”
For details, visit projectsweetpeas.
com.
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