Volunteer Spotlight: Peg Goodwin
Spend even five minutes with Peg Goodwin, and you’ll understand why everyone adores her. Her warmth is immediate, her laughter infectious, and her spirit radiates kindness. Peg doesn’t just light up a room—she fills it with joy. And since 2018, she’s been sharing that joy with The Salvation Army, one selfless act at a time.
Peg’s journey with The Salvation Army began with a simple question. While working her day job at Walgreens, her boss invited her to volunteer with him at the Lou Bachrodt 12 Hours of Salvation Toy Drive. Peg said yes—and she’s never looked back. That one day of service changed everything.
“I get so much joy and pleasure from it that I don’t want to miss it,” Peg says. And she hasn’t. Since that first toy drive, Peg has been a steadfast presence at every toy distribution, every holiday season, every opportunity to help.
She affectionately calls herself a “professional toy stacker” or an “elf,” but what Peg really does is deliver hope. Each year, she sorts and stacks toys, welcomes families from the Angel Tree program, and helps ensure every child feels the magic of Christmas. She does it all with joy that inspires everyone around her. As Finance Coordinator Sally Earp shared, “When I volunteer for the 12 Hours of Christmas and Peg is there, I know it is going to be a great day! It is such a pleasure to serve with her because she is joyful and loving and has such a kind, giving spirit.”
One Christmas, at the height of the pandemic, Peg experienced a moment she’ll never forget. She was packing gifts for a family, and a young boy had asked for a remote-controlled red Corvette. “I’ll be lucky if I find a red car, let alone a red Corvette,” she thought. After digging through box after box, she came up empty—no red cars, and certainly no Corvette. Tired and disheartened, she offered a quiet prayer: “Lord, what am I going to do?”
And then, as if guided by grace, she wandered to a quiet corner of the Christmas warehouse. There, sitting alone on the floor, was a single remote-controlled red Corvette. When she shared the story with Development Director Nancy Jenkins, she asked in wonder how such a thing could have happened. Nancy simply said, “Because it’s Christmas.”
Because it’s Christmas. That’s the kind of moment Peg believes in—and the kind she helps make possible for others.
Her favorite event is still the toy drive. She can’t imagine a December without it. “It never ceases to amaze me how much generosity exists in Northern Illinois,” she said. And every year, she sees extraordinary acts of giving. She remembers one woman who used her entire stimulus check to buy toys for others. Another woman, elderly and apologetic, brought just one small toy—saying it was all she could afford.
Peg gently reassured her: “When you take the time to choose the toy and bring it here, that means just as much to us as any donation, big or small. Every gift matters.”
Peg lives by that belief. She carefully budgets throughout the year so she can buy and donate toys herself. And when the season ends, Peg doesn’t stop giving. Whether it’s at Koats for Kids, a food distribution, or another outreach event, Peg is there. She even brings friends to volunteer alongside her. She doesn’t just lead with love—she multiplies it.
Ask Peg about herself, and she’ll probably tell you a story about someone else’s kindness. That’s just who she is—humble, compassionate, and endlessly generous. But today, it’s our turn to tell her story. To say thank you.
Thank you, Peg, for the countless hours, the tireless joy, the unwavering heart. Thank you for giving so much of yourself to this mission of love, hope, and community.
Each morning, Peg begins her day with a quiet prayer as she looks out at the city: “Thank you, God, for giving me another day. Another chance to do right for people.”
And every day, Peg lives that prayer—beautifully, wholeheartedly, and with the kind of grace that leaves a lasting impact on everyone she meets.
Peg Goodwin, you are a light in this world. The Salvation Army is deeply grateful to call you not just a volunteer, but a cherished friend and a beloved member of our family.
