It was perfect weather for the many special events taking place this weekend and, according to reports, all were successful. Looking at pictures of homecoming dance attendees, I found it difficult to realize some already were old enough to attend. This does show how time does fly.
The crowds at the Octoberfest enjoyed the sounds of Oompah bands, German food, beer and the camaraderie of the event.
Mexican Independence Day festivities abounded with color, dancing and extremely good Mariachi music. The attempt to set a Guinness world record had a slow beginning, but by 6:00 p.m. Saturday, a good part of the mosaic was finished. The boxcar train mosaic, using more than 11,700 reusable cups with colorful lids, was completed around 2:19 p.m. Sunday. The confirmation on setting the world record takes about 15 weeks. Sara Phalen, vice president MCCD, said there is much paperwork involved in this. It truly was a community effort.
AROUND AND ABOUT
Wayne/Winfield Area Youth/Family Services offers hour-long computer classes for senior citizens at Wayne Township, 27W031 North Avenue. Not only do seniors learn basic skills, but also have the opportunity to socialize. The fee is $2. Reservations are required and may be made by calling (630) 231-7166.
“Introduction to Pinterest” is at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 27, “Using the Camera on Your Smart Phone” is t at 2:00 p.m. Friday, September 29.
West Chicago City Museum Historiography program is a non-fiction book reading group. The discussion group meets at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, September 21, 2017, at the Museum, 132 Main Street. Guests can bring a sack lunch; dessert and drinks are provided.
The book under discussion is “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien. In his third book about the Vietnam War, novelist O’Brien writes a collection of short stories about a platoon of American soldiers in the war. Call the Museum at (630) 231-3376 for further information.
State Senator Jim Oberweis (R-25) and State Representative Mike Fortner (R-49) host a Fraud Prevention Program from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, September 21, 2017, at Wayne Township, 27W031 North Avenue. Topics include protecting persons from scam artists and fraudulent businesses, avoiding identity thefts and checking credit reports. Information is provided by the Office of the Illinois Comptroller. Refreshments are served.
For more than 25 years, the First United Methodist Church of West Chicago has provided a site for Public Assistance to Deliver Shelter every Thursday evening to Friday morning from October through May. This is a multi-church effort and new volunteers are needed each year to provide a safe haven for the homeless living in DuPage County. There are a variety of on-site and offsite tasks that need to be completed each week and vacancies on each shift from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., 1:00 to 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 to 7:30 a.m. The start date is Thursday, October 5. The most critical needs this year are an opener for the 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. shift and staffers for the 1:00 to 5:00 a.m. shift. This is typically a rather slow shift with responsibilities for laundry and making the morning coffee. At least one man is needed for this shift.
An orientation for new volunteers is at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, September 21, 2017, at the church, 643 East Washington Street. To volunteer, call Brian Hendricks at (630) 333-0640 or (630) 231-3344 or email hendricks@fnal.gov.
American Supply and Science, 33W361 Roosevelt Road, celebrates its 80th anniversary with an Extravaganza Tent Sale from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, September 23, and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, September 24, 2017.
Gallery Theater, 129 Main Street, opens its eighth season with the play, “Grace and Glorie,” by Tom Zeigler. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, September 22 and 23, 2017 and September 29 and 30, 2017 and at 3:00 p.m. Sundays, September 24, 2017 and October 1, 2017. The ticket price is $14, $12 for senior citizens. To make a reservation, email GalleryTickets@gmail.com, on the website www.Gallerytheaterstudio.org or call (630) 234-5919.
Grace, a feisty 90 year-old cancer patient, has checked herself out of the hospital and returned to her beloved homestead cottage to die alone. Her volunteer hospice worker, Glorie, is a Harvard MBA recently transplanted to this rural backwater from New York. Glorie is tense, unhappy and guilt-ridden, her only child having been killed in an auto accident when she was driving. As she attempts to care for and comfort the cantankerous Grace, the sophisticated Glorie gains new perspectives on values and life’s high and lows.
Members of the cast are Carolyn Larsen and Das Hasek. The director is Gail Cannata. (www.merleburl.com)
The fourth 1.5-mile community walk in the Move with the Mayor Challenge is Saturday, September 23, 2017, at Reed-Keppler Park, 201 West National Street. Sign-in and a pre-walk warm up and stretching session led by West Chicago resident Jessi Bass of Rhythm N Motion is at 8:30 a.m.; walk starts at 9:00 a.m., lasting about one half hour. Persons participating have the opportunity to win fun prizes and their names entered for the grand prize drawing of an all-expense paid trip to the Museum of Science and Industry or to Six Flags Great America. HWC is providing 10 bicycles and Northwest Medicine is providing bike helmets at World Heart Day celebration, Friday, September 29. Participants who walk in at least 3 of the walks, recorded in their Walking Passports are entered into a drawing for a bicycle.
Both participants and non-participants can log in their physical activity, either steps or minutes, during the month at www.westchicago.org, under Move with the Mayor. Students, families and staff rom Indian Knoll, Pioneer and Turner schools are participating in this walk.
One hundred-seventeen persons participated in the walk Saturday, September 16, 2017at St. Michael’s United Church of Christ. No schools were participants per se as District 33 marched in the MID parade.
West Chicago is one of 10 cities participating in the Move with the Mayor Challenge, an initiative of the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention, in the month of September.(www.merleburl.com)
Twenty-seven parochial school teams participate in the fifth through eighth grade cross- country event Saturday, September 23, 2017, at Kress Creek Farms.
During its Fall Festival, Sonny Acres Farm, 29W310 North Avenue, offers a myriad of activities, a large choice of size and shapes of pumpkins, farm stand items and decorations. The Novelty Shop offers a variety of items for special Halloween fun. Of course, the Costume Shop not only has Halloween costumes, but also scary accessories. Activities include pony rides, petting zoo, Spook Shed, Dizzy Zone, Haunted Barn and Hay rides and the Haunted Hayrides. Some of the events take place daily and others only on weekends. The Fest begins Saturday, September 23, 2017. For more information call (630) 231-3859 or visit the website www.sonnyacres.com.
The Fourteenth Annual Concert in the Park fundraiser is from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, September 23, 2017, at Hawthorne’s Backyard Bar & Grill, 1200 West Hawthorne Lane. The $20 ticket price includes dinner, a chance to win the door prize of a television, games and musical entertainment of Karaoke with Laronda and live music by Wolf’s Crossing. Many raffle opportunities are available. This is a great event to meet friends, have an evening of fun and support a good cause.
Proceeds benefit the Houston J. Pineda Scholarship Fund. Each year a senior graduating from Community High School District 94 that has good grades and is a participant in baseball and/or soccer is the recipient of the scholarship. Pineda was a sophomore at CHS, who died from the result of an automobile accident in 2002.
Persons unable to attend and want to make a donation can make a check payable to the scholarship fund and mail to Houston J. Pineda Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o DuPage Community Foundation, 104 East Roosevelt Road, Wheaton, IL 60187.
West Chicago Public Affairs Committee meeting is at 6:00 p.m. Monday, September 25, 2017, at City Hall, 475 Main Street.
West Chicago Citizen Corps offers a seven-week Community Emergency Response Team training course at the Regional Firefighting Training Academy of the West Chicago Fire Protection District, 302 Kress Road. Classes take place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays, starting September 27, 2017. Participants must be at least 18 years old and live or work in West Chicago or the WCFPD. To enroll send name, address and contact telephone number to West Chicago Police Detective Robbi Peterson at rpeterson@westchicago.org.
CERT training provides basic training in disaster preparedness, which increases the ability of citizens to survive until responders or other assistance arrives. Topics covered include weather safety, fire and life safety, medical, light search and rescue, CERT organization, psychology and terrorism.
As part of its Business Round Table, the West Chicago Public Library District holds Score: General Business Discussion Round Table at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 27, 2017, in the small meeting room, 118 West Washington Street. Score Mentor George Safford, a West Chicago resident, is the moderator. It is geared for those starting a new business or owners of existing small businesses. To make a reservation, call the adult services department at (630) 231-1552, extension 4.
West Chicago Elementary School District 33 hosts a Technology Fair from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 27, 2017, in the cafetorium at Leman Middle School, 238 East Hazel Street. Activities include demonstrations of technology used in the classroom and information about websites that can be used at home.
As part of the countywide Voices of DuPage, the West Chicago City Museum, 132 Main Street, hosts its third Town Hall Share at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 28, 2017, rescheduled from Wednesday, September 20. The topic is “Talking 180 Years of Bilingualism in West Chicago.” Many know of the large Spanish-speaking population today in West Chicago, but for almost 60 years the community had a large German speaking population, including a church that held mass into World War II, which was almost unheard of in the U.S. Persons are encouraged to share the immigration history of their families, including when a non-English speaking ancestor first came to the states, or any other experiences with bilingualism.
Voices of DuPage is a collection of cultural institutions that serve DuPage County residents that seek to preserve and promote our historical legacy. The members, primarily museums and libraries, focus on oral history programs.
West Chicago Garden Club meeting is Thursday, September 28, 2017, at Faith Community Church, 910 Main Street. Social time is at 6:45 p.m., short business meeting at 7:00 p.m. and program presented by Laura Ekasetya, director and Head Horticulturalist at Lurie Gardens located in Millennium Park in Chicago, at 7:15 p.m. She discusses pollinators and pollination plats at the Gardens, plus its history and maintenance.
The World Heart Day celebration takes place at 5:30 p.m. Friday, September 29, 2017, in the gym at Gary School, 130 East Forest Avenue.
Winfield Township hosts its Annual Recycling Extravaganza from 9:00 a.m. to noon, Saturday, September 30, 2017, 2017 at the Township Road District facility, 30W575 Roosevelt Road. It involves all three “Rs”— Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Acceptable items involve household items, electronics. New this year is a $10 cash fee per car for electronic devices. PROSHRED is on hand for shredding personal documents with a limit of three banker-size boxes per vehicle. Also Epaint Recycling Solutions is on hand to collect paint. For latex paint, the fee is $1 per one-quart can, $2 per one-gallon can and $10 per five-gallon pail. For oil-base paint the fee is $4 for one-quart can. $8 per one-gallon can and $20 per five-gallon pail. These fees can be paid by cash or credit card. Other participants are SCARCE, Working Bikes, Chicago BioFuels LLC, Elgin Recycling, DuPage County, West Chicago Lions Club, Boy Scout Troop 33 and CERT.
Call the road department at (630) 231-8850 for further information.
The 28th annual Tale Tombstones Tell takes place from 10:00 a.m. to noon Saturday, October 7, 2017, at Calvary Cemetery. Note the new time and location. Starting at 10-minute intervals, the tours are 45 minutes in length with the last one starting at 11:15 a.m. Volunteers, such as readers, guides, set up and take down, still are needed. If interested, call the West Chicago City Museum at (630) 231-3376.
For the 8th year, the City of West Chicago continues with the Brilliance in Business Awards program, which recognizes businesses for their best practices, creativity and sustainability. Residents, businesses, non-for-profit profit organizations or members of economic development organizations can nominate a business(s) for one or more awards. Businesses also may nominate themselves.
The categories are Outstanding Downtown Entrepreneurship, Outstanding Small Business, Outstanding Growth, Outstanding Achievement in Design and Innovation and Outstanding Achievement in Health, Safety and Environment. Program guidelines and nomination forms are available online at www.westchicago.org, under Business or by calling Luis Martinez, City Business Development Coordinator, at (630) 293-2200, extension 157. Nominations are due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, October 16, and may be made on line or by mail to City of West Chicago, 475 Main St.,West Chicago, IL 60185.
In addition to City officials judging, others are previous Brilliance in Business winners and regional business leaders. Winners also receive an invitation to Breakfast with the Mayor and a formal recognition at City Hall.
Community High School District 94 offers a Lifetime Gold Card to persons 55 years and older and a resident in the district. The card entitles the holder free admission to many of the district-sponsored events held at West Chicago Community High School. Some of the ticketed or fundraising events such as the Variety Show, Band Showcase and benefit plays for the Drama organization are excluded. Proof of age and residency are required. Persons can either visit www.d94.org/goldcard or visit the District Administrative office, 157 West Washington Street, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Jesse Felix, Superintendent of Projects & Outreach, has several complications arising from his second hip replacement. Until infection is cleared, he is not supposed to place any weight on his temporary hip, which could be anywhere from eight to 16 weeks. Once this is treated, he will have hip surgery once again. Persons can send cards to Jesse Felix, c/o West Chicago Park District, 201 W. National St., West Chicago, IL 60185.
Sincere sympathy is extended to the family of Dolores M. Mennecke, who at the age of 90 passed away Friday, September 8, 2017.
Deepest sympathy is expressed to the family of Vera June Sorensen, what the age of 71 passed away Thursday, August 31, 2017.
Sincere sympathy is extended to the family of Donna Kay (Weisbrook) Rollo, who passed away at the age of 75 Friday, September 15, 2017.
John Habermeier, CEO of Synergy Builders, was featured in the “Coffee Break” section of the Monday, September 11, 2017, issue of “Daily Herald Business Ledger.”
Burrito Parrilla Mexicana, 100 West Roosevelt Road, is now open. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Melinda Johnson, bilingual first grade teacher at Currier School, was one of the four teachers highlighted in the Suburbs Top Teachers series in the Neighbor section of the Monday, September 11, 2017, issue of the “Daily Herald.”
For West Chicago Community High School 2017 Homecoming, the Queen was Madysen Simanonis and the King is was Andrew (Drew) Brady. Other members of the court were Queen are Nicole Coco, Daniela Gaeta, Maribel Gonzalez, Emily Rivera, and Sophie Szczesny, plus Dylan Davidson, Brandon Magana, Arturo Marquez, Fabian Medina and Michael Sawicki. The homecoming football game was good, even though the Wildcats did not win. The score was WCCHS-20, Larkin High School-22.
At the Wheaton Academy football game Friday, September 15, 2017, the score was WA-21, Elmwood Park High School-17.
Cindy and Ray Soto celebrated their 25th Wedding anniversary Tuesday, September 19, 2017.
West Chicago Community High School student newspaper, “The Wildcat Chronicle,” won a Quill and Scroll Award for excellence in publishing.
West Chicago resident Bruce R. Kelsey, retired as Associate Judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court July 7, 2017.
My email address is merleburl@earthlink.net.