Around and About in West Chicago - 06 Mar 2008

     One of the goals of Mayor Michael Kwasman is to recognize the valuable contributions the local service clubs and organizations give to the community. He plans to have a representative from the various clubs to deliver a brief presentation at City Council meetings. “This allows the public to know about the existence of the organizations and their importance to the community,” he said.

     At the March 3 Council meeting Ed Hedeen, president of the West Chicago Rotary Club, gave a brief overlay of its activities, goals and objectives.  “Our club has 26 members and meets at noon each Wednesday for lunch, a little social time and an informative program.” The Rotary Club is a service-driven organization, and we strive to serve both locally and internationally.”

     “Our club was established in 1954 and played a big role in building the first swimming pool in West Chicago,” with the formation of a committee and aggressive fundraising, involving people in the town. “Through humanitarian and vocational programs, our club gives about 90 percent to the community and 10 percent overseas,” he explained. Projects provide assistance and scholarships for both academic and vocational classes, schools and students. “We have contributed to the Fox Community Center and Humanitarian Project for many years. Recently we have added DuPage CASA and the West Chicago Library literacy program to our giving, both through monetary donations and volunteer help.”

     Hedeen said the local club has been very involved in the worldwide eradication of polio. “This has been a top international Rotary priority since 1985,” and requires the immunization of every child age 5 and under. “We are 99+ percent of completing the goal. Thus far, two billion children have received inoculations.” Another project in which the club is participating is the provision of a “truck to carry water to the villages in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world.”

     The concept for Rotary was started in 1905 in Chicago and in the early 1920s became an international organization. There are more than 1.2 million members in 180 countries.

AROUND AND ABOUT

     Now through Sunday, March 16, the West Chicago Dollar Tree, at Routes 64 and 59, is once again joining forces with Operation Homefront to collect toys, candies and more for Easter baskets to give to children of parents serving in the Armed Forces. Persons may purchase a basket, toy or both. Operation Homefront delivers the items to local area families.

     The DuPage County Farm Bureau hosts its 15th annual Agricultural Education Expo for third and fourth grade students, their parents and teachers from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, March 5 and 6, at the DuPage County Fairgrounds. Youths have the opportunity to see the places, people and effort it takes to make pizza. They also have a hands-on experience, grinding grain for the crust, planting tomatoes for the sauce and following the journey from cow to milk to cheese. Local schools participating are Evergreen, Indian Knoll and St. Mary’s. On a side note, our City Museum had a similar project with children’s activities centered on pizza for the Smithsonian Key Ingredients exhibit in 2003.

     West Chicago residents and garden club members, Billie and Sam Childress, present a slide show highlighting the gardens they visited in New Zealand. The program begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Faith Community Church, 910 Main St.

     The Friends of the Library is hosting its annual Book Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8, at the library, 118 W. Washington St. This is a book lover’s dream—a wide selection of books at very reasonable prices. This is a great way to read books by authors unknown to you and become acquainted with some different reading material.

    Wayne Atkinson, well known for his watercolor paintings, is the featured artist for the month of March at Gallery 200, 200 Main St. The opening reception is from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 7. The City Museum, 132 Main St., also is open during the time period of the reception.

     You can have some fun and wacky family time at the Indian Knoll School from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 7. Activities include games, Moon Walk, face painting, raffle, yummy food and a silent auction. Students in each grade have created a special basket for the auction. Basket themes are Summer Fun for kindergarten, Gardening for first grade, Games and Movies for second grade, Holidays for third grade, Sports for fourth grade, Just for Dad for fifth grade and Just for Mom for sixth grade.

     Community High School Education Foundation 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament has a new bounce this year with the addition of the adult and youth wheelchair competition, which begins at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8. Paralympics Gold Medal winner Jennifer Warkins Ruddell is bringing a team from Champaign. There is no charge for persons attending the event to cheer on their teams competing in various categories.

     The Special General Election for the U.S. 14th Congressional District is from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8.

     Remember to spring ahead as Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 9.

     The library’s program at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, revolves around the benefits of yoga. Terry Riban, a certified Yoga instructor, discusses the roots of this exercise, which focuses on health and wellness. The informational session demonstrates how yoga is non-competitive and beneficial for all fitness levels. Reservations can be made by calling the library at (630) 231-1552, Ext. 4.

     St. Mary’s School, 147 Garden St., is hosting a Kindergarten Information Night at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12. The faculty presents information about the curriculum, school principal Nancy Coughlin answers questions and current school families provide tours of the campus. The school offers a full-day kindergarten program, with maximum class size of 16 students. Teacher-supervised before and after school care also is available. For further information or to arrange a private tour, call the school at (630) 231-1776.

     The library’s Books for Lunch program, “Safely Aging in Place,” is at noon Thursday, March 13. Kathy Reuter from University of Illinois presents information on how sensory and physical changes affect one’s daily routine. She also discusses modifications that one can use to adapt to these various aging changes. Bring your own lunch. Beverages and desserts are provided.

     Coffee with the Mayor is from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 15, at City Hall. The library is hopping with activities Saturday, March 15.

     The Friends of the Library annual Egg Roll is from 12:30 to 1 p.m. on the library lawn area. The event is open to children between the ages of 1 and 9. The children are divided into appropriate age groups, rolling a wooden egg to the finish line. Each participating child receives a special egg with a small goodie inside.

     The Mini-Theatre Troupe presents a puppet show at 1:15 p.m. The plays are “Attack of the Easter Bunnies,” “Story of the Easter Bunny,” “The Easter Egg Disaster” and “Max Counts his Chickens, 1,2, 3.” At the end of the show a special surprise takes place.

     Talking about hopping, the park district is having a special event, Bennie Bunny Bundles, starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 22. Bennie Bunny is hopping down the Bunny Trail to deliver a special bundle of goodies and sweet treats to children. The charge for the special delivery is $25. Registration is due by Saturday, March 15, and can be made by calling the park district at (630) 231-9474.

     West Chicago Sister Cities holds its fourth annual Traditional Irish Boiled Dinner Saturday, March 15, at American Legion Post 300, 123 Main St. Social hour is at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The menu is corned beef, cabbage, boiled potatoes and carrots. The price is $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Other happenings include a bake sale, a 50-50 raffle and a limerick contest. To reserve your tickets, call Melissa Birch at (630) 621-0128.

Also Sister Cities presents Movie Night at 7 p.m. Friday, March 14, in the Wheaton Academy Fine Arts building, 900 Prince Crossing Road. “The Lives of Others” is set in the oppressive world of communist East Germany in the 1980s. The film has an R rating because of graphics and content, but does provide adults with an overview of Germany at that time in history.

     The After Prom second annual St. Patrick’s Day Bash and Silent Auction is from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at Klein Creek Golf Club, 1N333 Pleasant Hill Road in Winfield. Musical entertainment is the band, This End Up, who received phenomenal reviews last year. Both live and silent auctions are offered. A popular item from last year is on the bid table again, a reserved parking place at the high school. The winning bid price was $1,350 and added to the coffers of the more than $21,000 raised last year. The price of tickets bought in advance is $20 and $25 when purchased at the door. Tickets are available at Pal Joey’s, Sandpiper Restaurant and State Bank of Illinois, or call Becky Koltz at (630) 231-0251. The After Prom activity this year begins at 11:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, at Lifetime Fitness in Bloomingdale. Activities for students include taking on the challenge of the climbing wall, swimming, running in inflatable obstacle courses, racing in bungee runs and having portraits drawn by caricature artists.

     A legislative forum on Autism, sponsored by State Rep. Mike Fortner (R-95-West Chicago) and Franco Coladipietro (R-45-Bloomingdale), is at 7 p.m. Monday, March 17, at Wheaton Community Center. Featured speakers are Christine Wiener, Director of Giant Steps IL Autism School; Dr. Darlene Ruscitti, DuPage Regional Office of Education; Dr. Michael Volpe, Executive Director of School Association for Special Education in DuPage County, and Christopher Kennedy, Autism Society of Illinois. For further information, call Maria Rook, Legislative Assistant for Fortner, at (630) 293-9344.

     With the resignation Bob Wetegrove, there is an opening on the Library Board of Trustees until the April 2009 election. To apply for the position, submit a letter to Alison Chapin president of the board, by Monday, March 17. The address is Alison Chapin, President West Chicago Public Library District, 118 W. Washington St., West Chicago, IL 60185. For further information call the Administrative Librarian Melody Coleman at (630) 231-1552, Ext. 123.

     The High School Booster Club is holding its second annual bowling fundraiser for the softball program at 8 p.m. Friday, March 28, at Wheaton Bowl, 2031 N. Gary Ave. in Wheaton. The charge is $25 per person and includes one game each of traditional bowling, scotch doubles bowling and crazy bowling, plus pizza and dessert. Raffles also are part of the action. Reservations are due by Wednesday, March 19, and can be made by calling Sue Taddeucci at (630) 347-7907 or via mail to ON416 Lake Drive, West Chicago. IL 60185. Make checks payable to West Chicago Booster club with softball in the memo.

     The chamber held its annual Installation Dinner Feb. 21 at Tivoli Ristorante. Officers are president, Mike Naill of Keller Williams; vice president, Wade Meyer of Payroll Solutions; secretary, Evelyn Canabal of Professional Development Services and treasurer, Stacey Gallagher of State Bank of Illinois. Directors are Laurel Smolecki of AFLAC Insurance, Lolly Frederick of College of DuPage, B.P.D., Leah Ertel of Kinder Care Learning Center, Ren Hughes of NorthStar Credit Union, Jon Keith of Wheaton Academy, Mary Ann Manna of Re/Max Cornerstone, Joe Buchholz of Buck Services, Thomas Marziani of Marziani Enterprises, Gordon Cole of Midwest Logistics, Juan Chavez of Jel Sert Co. and Chuck Strayve of Chuck Strayve Landscaping Ltd. Ex-officio members are Joe Buenrostro of the West Chicago Fire Protection District, Leslie DeMoss of the West Chicago Park District and Leo Aviles of the West Chicago Police Department.

     Bowling for Diabetes, sponsored by Sons of the American Legion Post 300, held Feb. 29 was a huge success. More than $14,000 was raised for the American Diabetes Association.

     Scott Taylor is the park district’s new Athletic Supervisor.