Geneva art fundraiser benefits kids with cancer

Alyssa Alvin's love of art and music, especially the piano and violin, was apparent to all who encountered her at Geneva High School.

Sadly, so was her struggle with leukemia since the diagnosis in May of 2010. Alyssa passed away during the summer of 2014, only 18 years old at the time.

When Alyssa was in Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, she noticed that younger children had plenty of things to do to help pass the time between treatments. But preteens and teens often didn't have those same types of diversions available.

Her parents remembered that, and it was the seed for creating the Alyssa Alvin Foundation for Hope, with a mission of providing musical instruments and art supplies for children with cancer.

The foundation operates under the mission statement of "We believe in the healing power of music and art!"

It will hold its last fundraiser of the year from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, with the second annual art exhibit, La Fiesta de Arte, at the El Molcajete restaurant, 227 S. Third St., in Geneva.

The Mariachi Institute of Chicago has volunteered to perform during the last hour of the exhibit, after the silent auction is completed. Ticket donations are $15 per person.

Basically, Alyssa first dreamed of a day when she could play a piano like her brother. Those days came fairly quickly. And she added a high skill level on the violin as well.

Prior to becoming ill, Alyssa accompanied Midori, a renowned Japanese violinist at an Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra concert in 2008, a moment that made her family proud.

"When Alyssa passed away, friends told us we should establish a foundation in her name to honor her life and help others," said her mother, Yolanda Alvin.

"Alyssa remained positive throughout her treatments, and we believe that music and art were healing for her," Yolanda said.

While in the hospital, Alyssa created a collage of a young geisha that has become the invitation cover for the art fundraiser, Yolanda added. That collage was also the highest bid auction item at the Art Gallery in Chicago in June of 2011.

"We believe we can bring joy, support and Christian values to teens and young adult cancer patients with an interest in musical or visual arts," Yolanda said.

In her own words from a journal she wrote during her illness, Alyssa supports that notion. "Music has and always will be a part of my life," she wrote. "Music was my only escape from the reality I was going through with intense chemotherapy …"

She went on to say that playing music and singing brought a calmness she needed. "I feel at peace with myself and my surroundings."

Peanut Days clarification:

Mike Dohan of St. Charles Kiwanis sent me a note updating some information I'd received about the group's upcoming fundraiser.

Peanut Days will take place Sept. 22-24 as planned, but the chocolate bar giveaway was scrapped at the last minute because of storage issues in potentially warm weather, Mike wrote.

Mike also mentioned that Fox Valley Troop Support no longer exists. "We will use other agencies to get the peanuts to the troops," he wrote.

Firewood for Viv:

Winter is lurking around the corner, and those who need firewood can help a family with its medical bills for a baby fighting leukemia.

The Geneva boys' soccer team is behind this effort for Viv Brady, a 1½-year-old daughter of Geneva Middle School South sixth-grade science teacher Sandie Brady and her husband, Grant. Sandie is also a Geneva High School graduate, and the family currently lives in St. Charles.

Those organizing the "Ignite Hope for Viv" fundraiser are selling face cords of seasoned mixed hardwood for $135 and half cords for $70, with the proceeds going to the family for those bills.

"Many of the boys have had Sandie as a teacher and wanted to do something for her and her family," said organizer Debbie Sweet.

The fundraiser continues through Oct. 15. The wood will be delivered and stacked by the boys' soccer team on Sundays.

Those interested in helping out by ordering firewood can do so by visiting foxvalleyfirewood.net and typing "Viv" in the comment section of the order.

Expand that Trader:

So, I'm at Trader Joe's in Batavia and again noticing how popular this grocery store has become. And I see the empty storefronts on either side of it.

The logical question pops into my mind. Why not just expand Joe's into one or both of those spots?

Taking a wild guess here, but I'm thinking that would end any worry about another empty storefront in that particular retail strip for some time.

A taste of Vietnam:

It's called the Pho 95 restaurant, and a reader has informed me that it offers delicious Vietnamese food at very reasonable prices.

This restaurant is at 2770 E. Main St. in St. Charles, in the spot formerly occupied by Gina's Pizza and Subs in the retail strip area that currently has an empty Butera grocery store.

The reader said she went to Pho 95 with a Vietnamese friend and both found it offering "delicious and fresh" dishes from that part of the world.

So, here's a confession: I've never had Vietnamese food and might not know it even if someone put it in front of me. But it certainly sounds worth a try.

dheun@sbcglobal.net