Most recent greeting posted at top. Many Greetings to PN also are linked to online stories. Thanks for keeping greetings brief.
To Columnist Barbara Blomquist: My father-in-law saw the article about the quilt show in the paper and asked me to contact you. He has a Friendship quilt that was made by his family/neighbors in Naperville over 100 years ago. He wanted to know if you might be interested in displaying it at the show. Please contact me if you would like more information. —Kate Lichter
Editor’s Note: What a great connection! Barbara Blomquist provided information about contacting the Riverwalk Quilters Guild; P.O. Box 5092; Naperville, IL 60567 or e-mail to info@riverwalkquilters.com. There is also information on their website at www.riverwalkquilters.com.
Great work and great change are achieved each and every day by the numerous nonprofit organizations that serve our community. What many people may not realize, however, is that volunteers are truly the heart and soul of these organizations. Without them a day would not run as smoothly, the number of people touched by their work would decrease and the visitors and contacts they bring to an organization through networking would be greatly diminished. It’s hard to imagine where DuPage Children’s Museum would be without the aid and dedication of these volunteers.
While we try to thank our volunteers every day for what they do, National Volunteer Week, April 21–27, 2013, is a special time of year to highlight and publicly thank all the wonderful volunteers who contribute to the Museum’s success. This year’s theme, “Celebrate Service,” truly captures the meaning of this signature week, as we honor the people who dedicate themselves to take action and solve problems in their communities.
Volunteers have played a critical role in the success of DCM since its beginning, when two extraordinary volunteers, Louise Beem and Dorothy Carpenter, founded the Museum in 1987 with the purpose of providing open-ended, interactive learning experiences for young children. More than 25 years later, volunteers continue to help us positively affect the learning experiences of children and their families. In 2012, 941 volunteers invested more than 23,000 hours of service in the Museum, from greeting visitors and repairing exhibits to working in our Creativity Studio or assisting with special events. No task goes unnoticed and, best of all, each of our volunteers contributes something unique, while bringing fun, enthusiasm, fresh ideas, support, wisdom and talent.
Personally, I think one of the most impressive demonstrations of service by DuPage Children’s Museum volunteers has been their willingness to become advocates on behalf of the Museum. By lending their voices, these “Champions for Children” demonstrate an extraordinary level of commitment to the future of young children in our community. The statements of value they have made on behalf of the Museum are truly heartwarming and inspiring.
Please join me in extending my sincere gratitude, on behalf of the Museum and the children and families that we serve, for the efforts of our community volunteers. Let’s focus our attention on the impact and power of volunteerism, service and leadership with hopes to inspire others to engage in their communities. Whether facilitating the Museum experience with visitors or helping us extend our outreach efforts to children and families that face physical or economic barriers to attendance, DCM volunteers make our mission a reality. We celebrate your service each and every day!
—Sue Broad, President & CEO, DuPage Children’s Museum
My dad sent me this in the mail so I don’t forget my roots.. #Naperville twitter.com/hannahjso/stat…
— Hannah Jane Sorich (@hannahjso) April 8, 2013
I am contacting you on behalf of New Horizons Band DuPage. We are celebrating 15 years of making music in and around Naperville and would be glad of some print coverage for our upcoming 15th Anniversary Concert May 11. … Positively Naperville has always been a great resource for community organizations to get the word out. Thank YOU! —Tom Coyne
Editor’s Note: At 3PM Sat., May 11, director Maryann Flock and her New Horizons Band DuPage will celebrate 15 years of music-making. A free concert will be held at Benet Academy’s St. Daniel Auditorium, Lisle, IL. FYI: New Horizons Band DuPage is always recruiting new members. For info, visit www.newhorizonsbandassoc.org or if you have questions, e-mail info@newhorizonsbandassoc.org.
It’s sad to experience the passing of such a good and talented man as Roger Ebert. One Memorial Day, while I was marching with our Boy Scout group, I happened to spot Ebert on the sidewalk, by himself, on Jefferson Street, just before the parade route turned west onto Ellsworth. This was in the early-1990’s, before cancer wormed into his life, and he was wearing his trademark panama hat. He clearly was there to savor privately a good, old-fashioned, patriotic parade. Not wanting to blow his cover, I walked towards him and said, “Is that you, Roger?” He just winked and said, “I love this stuff.” What a tribute to Naperville that Ebert would consider us a great place to enjoy a parade. —Bob Fieseler
Editor’s Note to all Readers: This past week PN has received a number of e-mail greetings, some signed and some anonymous, that included insinuations as well as questionable information about an “elite group” of citizens, allegations that could not be substantiated. We try hard to earn your trust by providing correct information as we preview the months ahead where citizens band together to plan events and raise private funds for hundreds of worthwhile causes. We welcome thoughtful comments, opinions, corrections and updates based on facts and signed by local residents.
Furthermore, we recognize that thousands of citizens contribute to the quality of life in Naperville by connecting and serving as volunteers for local boards and commissions, faith organizations, nonprofit agencies, service clubs and more. It’s quite remarkable when you think about it. In fact, one summertime 5-day event alone attracts more than 3,500 volunteers annually to help run the Exchange Club Ribfest in conjunction with Independence Day in July.
On a related subject, because of the humongous number of requests we receive to promote the events and fundraisers that many volunteers put together, we’re asking event planners/ PR folks to submit brief events via our website for consideration. After a long weekend of putting PN to bed in late March, we were looking at 616 e-mails that came in while we were in production for the April issue. We appreciate that we’re included/copied in so many news releases, but going forward, we’ll need your help to provide our community service. Constant Contact blasts are not considered press releases.
You’ll find “Submit Event” at the bottom of every web page at www.positivelynaperville.com. It typically takes up to 12 hours before the post is approved for publishing by our web editor. Thanks! —Stephanie Penick, PN Publisher
I just wanted to thank you for include the Hopping for Hope event on April 13 in your calendar of events this month. Every little bit helps spread the word and promote the event. I am so excited and nervous at the same time 🙂 I really appreciate your continued support! —Ann Zediker
Editor’s Note: The 2012 Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk was a huge success along the Riverwalk. Here’s hoping and hopping this year’s event attracts even more supporters.
Over time I’ve trained some of my friends to check out PN and my column on or around of the 3rd of each month. Last month and this month I’ve received a emails that they can’t find my column. They say they go to www.positivelynaperville.com, click on ‘columnist’ and that I’m not listed. Sure enough, I tried it today and they’re right. What step am I missing. Your faithful follower. —Hatless Ed Channell
Editor’s Note: PN’s digital version is evolving and updated daily. Ed’s column and all columns are posted throughout the month in a rotation. Not all monthly columns are available the first day of the month online as they are in the print version. We appreciate all our contributing columnists. Patience is a virtue.
Editor’s Note: Michael Anderson posted his thoughtful remarks regarding hybrid or district systems, a ballot measure in the Consolidated Election. His extensive remarks remain posted in their entirety on a March 29 Positively Naperville FB page with a big photo of “Vote Here” and a PN post that says “Since voter turnout is expected to be low for the Consolidated Election, we’ll remind residents every day to become informed voters by April 9, trying to increase Naperville’s numbers.”
Agreed, here are some things to think about, too…
Hybrid or District systems (Facebook, March 29)
…With all that being said, I hope that just as many people turn out to vote for our local election as did for the 2010 national one AND come informed. Also, I’m sure that the Yes-At-Large crowd is banking on the fact that fewer than 18,000 voters will turn out (approximate number in the 2011 election) and that they will be able to overturn the will of the people with even fewer votes for it than they had in 2010.
Thank you for taking the time to read and think about this issue. —Michael Anderson, Naperville Resident
Editor’s Follow-Up: After studying the issue of a hybrid vs. at-large council representation for many years in the City of Naperville, we concluded that there are many good arguments pro and con, but the benefits of districts for all citizens do not, in our view, out weigh the benefits of the current at-large system.
During a recent Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Candidate Expo, we also discovered that 9 of 11 council candidates support at large as do many of the school board candidates who noted the word “unity” in community. United we stand.
