Around and About in West Chicago - 26 Dec 2007

     Once again the giving spirit of the staff and students at our local schools brightened the holidays for many.

• At Currier School and the Early Learning Center, staff members provided gifts for needy children through the Reach for the Moon Foundation.
• Staff members at Gary School provided holiday gifts for low-income or single parent families. Since supplies at food pantries are low after the holidays, the school is having a food drive in January.
• Indian Knoll hosted a Mitten Tree for donated gloves, hats, boots and mittens for children and a Toy Drive through Humanitarian Service Project. Proceeds from the Parent Teachers Organization Santa Shop and Cookie Walk benefited the Adopt-a-Family program.
• Pioneer School staff partnered with staff from Highland Elementary School in Naperville to adopt 23 needy families. Not only do they purchase gifts, but also provide essentials for the cold weather. Staff also bought brand new teddy bears to give to children spending the holidays in Central DuPage Hospital. Students made cheerful cards for these patients.
• Turner School staff provided gifts and food certificates for needy families of the school.
• The Student Council of Wegner School sponsored the annual Toys For Tots drive, with the assistance of the police department. Staff did an "Angel Tree" through the Reach for the Moon Foundation, buying gifts for children of families in need.
• Staff at West Chicago Middle School adopted several families for the holidays.

School District 33 provided gifts and needs for children through the Reach for the Moon Foundation. This foundation also has adopted all the families at the Welcome Center. Families are chosen across the district if they have experienced financial/medical situations this year, but are not identified to staff. This Foundation provides paper ornaments or stockings that hang on a tree, representing both a need and a want for each child who would not otherwise receive any gifts this year. Staff members choose one or more stocking/ornaments, then wrap the gifts and bring them to school. Terri Roman, a District 33 social worker and Reach for the Moon volunteer, sorted and delivered the gifts to families.

Community High School students and staff sponsored many different programs.

• The Key Club collected change during lunch, adding to its funds to purchase gifts for needy children distributed by Humanitarian Service Project. Another activity is delivering handmade Christmas decorations to residents of the DuPage County Convalescent Center.
• Skills USA conducted a school-wide food drive for the local pantries. Future Business Leaders of America adopted a family through the Winfield Township program.
• The Counseling Center sponsored Toys for Tots. Several of the advisory classes adopted a Welcome Center family.
• Students from the Community Leadership class volunteered at PADS, plus collected needed personal hygiene items.
• The Art Club donated $120 to the Heifer International Project to buy a goat for a family in a third world country, plus $80 to WeGo 2 Africa.
• At the Dec. 18 Varsity Basketball game, students brought toys to be donated to the Pediatric Oncology Unit at CDH.

     In School District 25, the second graders at Evergreen Elementary School sang carols for the residents at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living Center in St. Charles. Benjamin Middle School students also provided musical entertainment at Wood Glen Nursing Home here and at Rosewood Nursing Home in St. Charles. Students collected toys for teen youths in needy families of Wayne Township.

     The students and families of St. Mary's School continued the annual Advent Angels tradition of spending part of Christmas Eve with residents of West Chicago Terrace Nursing Home. Each school family not only purchases a gift for one of the residents of the home, but also takes the time to deliver the gift personally. "This gift-giving time brings comfort to the residents who may not always be remembered or receive visitors, and allows our families to keep the true meaning of Christmas foremost in our minds and heart," said school Principal Nancy Coughlin.

     Wheaton Academy Student had an evening of fun at the annual Coffee Shop event. The proceeds from the admission fee, food and beverage charges benefited a certain individual at the DuPage Convalescent Center. The students through fundraising filled 630 backpacks with supplies for the on-going Zambia project.

Happy New Year!

AROUND AND ABOUT

     The fun of celebrating New Year's Eve is close to home as some restaurants in the community offer special packages for the evening.

     La Noche, 124 Main St., offers complimentary champagne, dinner, live Mediterranean music and Belly Dancing. The price is $50 for reservations made in advance and $60 at the door. The telephone number is (630) 854-7300.

     Santo Maria's Ristorante Italiano, 145 W. Washington St., New Year's Eve festivities include presents, prizes, hats, noisemakers, food and drink specials and complimentary champagne at midnight. Entertainment Rock-n-Soul with Danny Campos is from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. For information or to make reservations, call (630) 876-6016. 

     Tivoli Ristorante, 956 N. Neltnor Blvd., offers full-party regalia with complimentary champagne, six-course dinner and live entertainment by Frank D'Rone and Trio. The price is $125 per person. Hotel accommodations and limousine service is available. For further information and to make reservations, call (630) 957-6500.

     At the Dec. 17 meeting, City Council approved the 2007 Tax Levy ordinance. City Treasurer Don Earley said, "As in past years, we are approving a 4.9 percent increase for the 2007 tax levy in the amount of $3,137,596 which yields an additional $146,561 over the prior year extension and is a sufficient levy amount to support the City's budgeted expenditures."

     Also an ordinance was passed to amend the fee schedule. The city conducts an annual review of its fees to determine if they are equitable and cover the cost of providing services. Among the changes are increasing the building permit fee for several minor construction projects from $50 to $75, a $25 fee for providing a zoning verification letter, the engineering inspection increases from two to four percent of the engineer's estimate of cost to cover the cost of inspection and a fee has been added to cover the cost of reviewing field changes that occur when construction is underway.

     The following fee adjustments are increasing the annual business registration program from $20 to $25, the landscape waste transfer station business license from $4,000 to $4,500 and the tobacco dealer license from $250 to $400. Other adjustments are adding bowling as an activity subject to the amusement tax and changing the occupancy inspections from ten cents to 11 cents per square foot. Business licenses are subject to a five percent annual increase.

     Council approved the acquisition of the property at 419-421 Main St. in the amount of $230,000 for the Downtown Redevelopment Plan and Project.