Roseland Community
"Good News"
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Below is what others have said about Roseland and Pearl Willis:

Alan Krashesky featured Pearl Willis in "Someone You Should Know" on ABC TV in November, 2002.

The Technology Executives Club (of Chicago) held Roseland and Pearl Willis as one of 3 Individual Finalists (and 10 Finalists in total) for a Community Service Award in December 2003.

Barbara Smith, Fenger H.S. Counselor, said in September 2002, "It's a blessing, the kids are very fortunate and I can't say enough good things about Pearl Willis".

Cynthia Massie, staff member at Campus Crusade for Christ's Agape Center in Roseland, said in September 2002, "At one point we were praying: God move 'em [the gang bangers] out, move 'em out. Then she [Pearl] just decided we're not going to ask God to move them out-- we're going to ask God to win them."

Nancy Mast, volunteer CPA to Roseland, donor and volunteer, said in 2002, "Pearl is the most amazing person I have ever met".

Nancy Fallon-Houle, volunteer lawyer to Roseland, donor and volunteer, said in 2001, "She has made countless personal, emotional and financial sacrifices in order to start and continue Roseland's operation. She doesn't cash her paychecks. Instead she leaves them on her dresser, and leaves the cash in the corporation, even though she doesn't have enough to make ends meet at home. She gives away everything you give her, to someone who needs it more than her. In my view, she is Saint Pearl".

Independent filmmaker, Jeff Roloff, created a film in 2001 called "Pearl-In-The-Hood".

In December 2000, the Benjamin Gingiss Service Award Foundation awarded a $5,000 award the Pearl Willis through the Illinois Humane Society.

Pastor Emry Lindsay, of Christ Temple Cathedral in Roseland, who has served on the Board of Roseland, said in 1999, "Pearl is a very special person in our community".

In 1998, a Volunteer said: "I gave her a coat, as she shivered without one, on a cold day in December. I saw her again in January, shivering again, because she had given the coat away to someone who had no coat".

"Pearl multiplies every ounce of help into a pound of results. Example: I made a 12-quart pot of chicken pot pie filling (3 pot pies) for Pearl and her family first, and secondarily for day care lunch. I gave her the full stockpot, plus 3 frozen double piecrusts. She resourcefully split the 3 double crusts into 6 single crusts, fabricated additional crusts out of biscuit dough, added more vegetables to the filling and stretched it to NINE pies which fed 25 people, including a 50-year-old woman in the neighborhood, her 70-year-old mother, and her 90-year-old grandmother."

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