Most recent greeting is posted at top. Occasionally, Greetings to PN also are linked to other online PN stories. Many of these greetings, edited for space for the printed paper, will appear in the next issue of PN. Thank you for keeping greetings brief. And thanks for sending your thoughts about this community with your signature. We welcome them!
To PN via 204 E-News: I want to take a moment to thank the many parents, students, and staff who helped the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation celebrate its 25th Anniversary last month. Nearly 600 attendees watched as 280 students provided an amazing evening of entertainment. If you missed the event, DVDs are available from NCTV.
We hope you will be able to join us for next month’s Fine Arts Festival on May 17 taking place at all three high schools. The IPEF has proudly sponsored the Fine Arts Festival for more than 20 years. The day is filled with 80 musical performances and 12,000 pieces of art on display.
The IPEF is able to fund events such as the Fine Arts Festival through the generous support of our parents who donate to the IPEF during the registration process. Parents are our primary funding source and allow us to provide programs, such as grants for teachers and free cardiac screenings for high school students, that may not otherwise be possible. As you complete your child’s registration for next school year, I encourage you to consider supporting the IPEF.
Now that we have celebrated our first 25 years, we are spending time looking forward. As chairman, I can tell you the IPEF will continue to seek ways to do more for the students of District 204. As part of our plan, the IPEF will be launching a new website in May to help communicate who we are, what we do, and how you can be involved.
On behalf of our Board of Directors, I thank you for taking an active role in making a positive impact on our schools and our community. —Kent Duncan, Indian Prairie Educational Foundation Board Chairman
To PN: I miss picking up my copies of PN at Wilma’s now that it’s closed. Will have to find a new regular spot. I’m a bit old-fashioned and still like the feel of the paper, and to look at stories I wouldn’t catch online. And the layout. Love it. So inviting. See you soon. —Steve Hyett, Naperville
Editor’s Note: During the Memorial Day Parade Committee meeting in April, Emily Binder announced that local historian Steve Hyett again will serve as the voice of the Memorial Day Parade for NCTV17 on May 26, 2014, as the community honors all veterans and their families that have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Registration for entries in the annual parade is open until May 9.
To Jim Penick & forwarded to PN: I thought (Positively Naperville) was very impressive. Going through it, I can’t imagine how many hours it takes to get all that together. Well put together. —Pete Soumar, Soumar Masonry Restoration, Inc.
To Friends of the Naperville Park District: I think we all are looking forward to summer, especially after living through one of the coldest, snowiest winters on record in the Naperville area. As you browse the 2014 Summer Program Guide, we invite you to take advantage of the many opportunities represented here to make the most of the warm, sunny days ahead.
In fact, as a special celebration of spring and a prelude to summer activities, the Park District invites the community to join us for the 2014 Spring Fever Reliever, a free event to be held on the Riverwalk from 11AM – 3PM on Saturday, May 10. Activities include: half-price paddleboat rides and kayak rentals, live music, hands on nature activities, Dog Disc Championships, fitness demonstrations, free popcorn and more. This event will be a great time for families and people of all ages to get outdoors, enjoy the weather and once again experience all of the wonderful, active things that residents can take part in within our community.
Summer can bring more free time and encourage a more relaxed pace with time to learn new skills, reconnect with neighbors, friends and family, discover new places, play favorite sports, or simply enjoy the outdoors.
For some of you, the essence of summer is spending leisurely days or evenings at Centennial Beach. One of the best values in town for the summer continues to be the Centennial Beach season membership; the special early bird rate for residents is available through May 12, which makes Beach passes an even more incredible value. New for 2014 are two additional benefits for Beach members: a 10 percent discount at Centennial Grill and two members-only appreciation days planned for Aug. 22 and 29.
For others, summer means getting out on the golf course to enjoy a regular tee time, participate in tournaments or in a league, practice at the driving range, or take lessons. Golf truly is a lifetime sport. In 2014 both Springbrook and Naperbrook Golf Courses will continue the recent emphasis on introducing kids to the great game of golf, while also looking at ways to improve the golf facilities and programs for adults and seniors, who can enjoy the game well into their 90s. We will be addressing the need to make some cosmetic improvements to both clubhouses with some paint, new furniture at Springbrook and some other nice amenities at both locations. Please come out later this spring to check out the changes and let us know what you think.
After a successful first year, Springbrook and Naperbrook Golf Courses are proud to be participating in the PGA Junior League (PGA JLG) again this season. This program is designed to bring a “Little League” atmosphere to golf, in a more popular, less stressful type of competition. The emphasis is on fun, recreation and sportsmanship of the game for players at any level with the opportunity to advance skills and achieve recognition. The season runs from April through July with sectional and regional championships beginning in August.
And for the youngest players, Springbrook now offers junior summer camps to include ages 5-6 to encourage even earlier learning of the game. Additionally, both Springbrook and Naperbrook once will again offer parent/junior golf lessons for parents and their children ages 5 and up. Both offerings provide young children with an excellent introduction to the sport of golf while building a foundation of skills and confidence to cultivate a long-term interest in the game. For those parents who want to get their kids started in the game of golf even earlier, the Park District also offers SNAG (Starting New at Golf) for ages 3-4 during the summer. For more information on this program, please see our 2014 Summer Camps Guide, or call us at (630) 848-5000.
Whatever your favorite summer activity is, the Naperville Park District is pleased to be able to offer excellent places and programs for fun, relaxation and growth. —Ray McGury, Executive Director, Naperville Park District
To the Community / Council Vote to Increase Pay Unfortunate: Our city council’s recent vote to nearly double their pay (albeit at the sacrifice of medical coverage) was both surprising and unfortunate. Only recently did our council choose to decline pension benefits because most were uncomfortable stating that they worked the 20 hours per week needed to qualify for pension benefits. If the job doesn’t clearly require the 20 hours needed to qualify for pension benefits, why would it qualify for the more lucrative medical coverage which is supposed to only be given to full time (over 30 hour per week ) employees?
Many councilmen stated that they feared people could not, or would not, serve on council should medical coverage simply be eliminated. One brief look around our community should make it clear that such a fear is unfounded. Naperville has thrived in large part because there is no shortage of residents willing to donate their time, talents, and treasure to community causes. Our school board races are traditionally very competitive yet provide no pay whatsoever. Many residents serve on demanding city commissions without compensation. Maybe most importantly, board members of any of the dozens of Naperville’s large not-for-profits serve for no pay.
Our council should have terminated medical coverage and left the pay where it previously had been. Naperville would have no problem finding high quality councilmen…with or without medical benefits or increased pay. To believe otherwise is to underestimate our residents’ commitment to service. —Kevin Coyne, Naperville Resident
Editor’s Note: News coverage of the April 15 City Council Meeting appears online in the Daily Herald, Chicago Tribune. Thanks for reading daily newspapers, too. To watch the video of the entire meeting, visit the City’s archive of past meetings for April 15. Simply click on the agenda item of your choice. We appreciate the City’s transparency.
Letter to the Editor from the DuPage Children’s Museum: 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. Every day millions of caring people enrich their communities by helping to educate our children and prepare them for the future. Without them a day would not run as smoothly, the number of people touched by their work would be lessened, 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 support and dedication of these volunteers.
While we try to thank our volunteers every day for what they do, National Volunteer Week, April 6 – 12, 2014, 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 take time to focus national attention on the impact and power of volunteerism.
Volunteers have played a critical role in the success of DCM since its beginning, when two extraordinary volunteers, Louise Beem and the late Dorothy Carpenter, founded the Museum in 1987 with the purpose of providing open-ended, interactive learning experiences for young children. More than two decades later, volunteers continue to help us positively affect the learning experiences of children and their families. Last year, 858 volunteers dedicated 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. In my new role here at the Museum, I look forward to meeting and interacting with these caring individuals who positively impact our ability to serve this community.
Please join me in extending my sincere gratitude, on behalf of the Museum and the children and families that we reach, 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! —Sarah Orleans, President & CEO, DuPage Children’s Museum
There were so many mentions of us in this (April) issue of PN. Thank you! —Madelene Bernar, St. Patrick’s Residence
Editor’s Note: St. Patrick’s Residence, a nursing and rehabilitation facility, is celebrating its first 50 years all during 2014. One of the ways St. Patrick’s is commemorating their anniversary is to represent the caring, fun-loving sisters with a portraiture of Sister Jeanne flying high in the Century Walk mural, “Naperville Loves a Parade.”
Now that it’s springtime, artists have begun to paint again as they head to the finish line for the colorful mural that extends all along the exterior wall of Rubins Way. Limited spots are still available to join the crowd of spectators and business landscape featured just off Main Street. For more information about Naperville’s outdoor public art project, visit www.centurywalk.org.
What’s more, St. Patrick’s Residence will host its annual “Golf…It’s Habit Forming” at Stonebridge Country Club on Mon., May 19. For info, visit the 2014 Charity Golf Outing Listing at events.positivelynaperville.com/charity-golf-outings.
