Above / The community is welcome to honor Karen Moloney, owner of the Dairy Queen in University Commons, for her empathy and generous heart, providing funds for Hope for the Day.
This Sunday, Nov. 12, the community is invited to an Ice Cream Party in honor of Karen Moloney, owner of the Dairy Queen in the shopping plaza along Wehrli Road at Lisson Drive.
Though closed for the season, family, friends and individuals from Naperville and beyond are welcome to gather outside the store from 11AM to 1PM to help raise awareness and money for Hope for the Day, a Chicago-based suicide prevention program that Moloney passionately supports in order to recognize a beloved 17-year-old former employee, Jon Kaden, who committed suicide in 2011.
Organized by Naperville residents Judy Koziol, Debbie DelGrosso and Dee Dee Porter, the get-together at the popular ice cream attraction welcomes past supporters of the Dilly Bar Golf Outing, a tribute to Kaden, previously run by Moloney to benefit Hope for a Day. This time, however, the event also will honor Moloney, now challenged herself with an incurable cancer.
According to Porter whom we ran into the other day in downtown Naperville, Mayor Steve Chirico as well as WGN meteorologist Tom Skilling are expected to be there.
Porter added, “From the neighboring business owners to the neighboring schools —because Karen has touched so many lives — people have reached out financially, baked cookies, provided sound systems, volunteered many hours to distribute door hangers and flyers, and just the kind notes and support to Karen and her philanthropy.”
Members of the Naperville police and fire departments also will be present.
“It is a total community event and it is amazing how one kind-hearted person, Judy Koziol, came up with this idea to honor another a generous woman, Karen Maloney, who has always treated her patrons like family,” said Porter.
Live entertainment will be performed by singing groups made up of youngsters who attend schools in the area. And Little Pops Pizzeria will offer authentic New York-style to the mix of available refreshments, hot and cold.
The Ice Cream Party fundraiser will be held in the parking lot in front of the Dairy Queen located in University Commons, 1817 Wehrli Road. Hope for the Day will be handling all of the donations on Sunday and will have a table set up there, too.
Everyone is welcome to join family and friends to honor Moloney as they continue to help raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental illness, aiming to erase stigmas, organizers said.
For more information or to donate online, visit www.dillybar.org.
