Drivers reroute for gas giveaway
Cars backed up for several blocks Saturday morning at the BP gas station on 79th St. and Laramie Avenue in Burbank as drivers waited for free gas from Chicago businessman and millionaire Willie Wilson.
This was his third gas giveaway, with $1 million worth of gasoline scheduled to be given away, with up to $20,000 at the Burbank station alone. Anyone with a ticket received a full fill-up, up to $50, of any grade gasoline. Some people were in line for two hours, getting there as early as 6:30 a.m.
However, there was confusion at other gas stations, such as the BP at 167th and Oak Park Avenue in Tinley Park. That station’s event, as well as several others in the south suburbs, were canceled at the last minute. A Tinley Park police officer was at the station to tell people about the cancellation, but did not know why it was canceled. An employee at the station did not comment when asked why.
Sharnez Crump, of Chicago, says she first went to a gas station at 119th and Marshfield, but said it was canceled without a reason given. She made it over to the Burbank event at 6 a.m. and was still in line at 8:40.
“When I got here the line was backed up to 86th and Cicero,” Crump said.
“I usually can’t afford a full tank,” she said. “I try to keep it at about half full, it’s too much to fill up all the way.
Don Marquardt, of Burbank, said he got in line at 7 a.m. and was just getting to the pumps at 8:30.
But that 90-minute wait was quick compared to the last gas giveaway he attended in Hazel Crest. He said that was a two-hour wait.
As an Instacart worker, he said he tries to do neighborhood jobs as much as possible, mostly due to high gas prices.
“I try to get my gas tank as low as possible, I’m down to two bars
(on my fuel indicator),” Marquardt said. “It costs about $50 for me to fill it up. It used to cost $35.”
Lisa Johnson, of Hazel Crest, said it costs her about $60 to fill up her SUV.
“Oh this helps, this really helps,” Johnson said. “The gas, the food, the rent, you just don’t get a break. So that is very nice of him to do this for people.”
Demetrius Whitney, a third-time volunteer for the free gas events, was directing cars toward gas pumps as they became available. He and other volunteers had been there since 6 a.m. in preparation for the 7 a.m. start time.
“It gets chaotic, but it gets simple if you just lead with ‘good morning’ and ‘God bless you,’ ” Whitney said.
There was a fender bender in the parking lot, but that didn’t create a scene or slow down things.
“This is Willie Wilson’s money, not taxpayer money,” Whitney said. “Right now it’s a hard time for everybody, so being able to volunteer and do something for the community — it’s all we have. We have gotten so much gratitude and appreciation today.”