Community Photos

•   Guest speaker J.J. O'Connor, center, chats with PAL/Clearbrook supporters at the 16th annual PAL fundraiser. Clearbrook
•   Participants of the fifth annual Walk-n-Roll support the Recycling Avenue program of Avenues to Independence with a "walk-n-roll" around Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights. Supporters raise $2,500 for Recycling Avenue. John J. Beusse
•   Mariana's Bakery spreads “sweet delight” to struggling children and homeless. American Aid Foundation founder and president Frank Slove and director Carmen Gonzalez present Mariana's Bakery owners Carmen, Miguel Jr. (son) and Miguel Sr. Gonzalez a certificate of appreciation for their continued generosity to the foundation's programs. American Aid Foundation
•   The Choral-aires Chorus placed second in the Community Teams category raising funds for breast cancer research last month, missing first place by only $25. The chorus raised $3,985 by the time the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure rolled around, with more donations still coming, surpassing their original goal of $3,000. The Choral-Aires has five current chorus members that either have, or have had, breast cancer. And this year, 2 of the team members discovered that their mothers have breast cancer, so they were walking on race day for their moms. One member of our team, Kara Gray, celebrated her 10 years without breast cancer this year. While not a Chorus member, she is the daughter of long-time member Martha Anderson, who also walked with the team on race day. Lindsey Herza
•   On Jan. 21, Elmhurst City Clerk Patty Spencer presented the Choral-Aires Chorus with a proclamation declaring January "Sweet Adelines Month." The Choral-Aires, an Elmhurst-based Sweet Adelines International chapter, is hosting Guest Nights each Monday in January from 6:45-9:45 pm at the Redeemer Lutheran Church Recreation Center as part of the SAI Global Open House event. Pictured, from left, are: Co-Director Bonnie Fedyski, Patty Spencer, Co-Director Amy Brinkman, and Chorus President Nancy Smith. Valerie Baxter
•   Pre-Kindergarten students at Aristotle Preschool and Kindergarten dressed up in different job professions. Choices include artists, police officers, doctors, and chefs children enjoyed a fun filled day. For more information visit: www.aristotlegreekschools.com Rita Petratos
•   "Delightful and Delicious!"
  George and Sarah Naxera of Kildeer sample mouth-watering morsels from 20 local restaurants at Clearbrook's fourth annual "Around the World Food Tasting" on Oct. 16 at Arlington Toyota-Scion in Palatine. Proceeds from the event went to the 3,400 children and adults with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other developmental/intellectual disabilities that Clearbrook serves. Colleen Gallagher
•   Piotr Andrzejeski of Des Plaines proudly displays his first-place trophy after taking home the title at the USTA 10-and-under tennis tournament held at Midtown Athletic Club in Chicago on April 27. Courtesy of Midtown Athletic Club
•   Des Plaines City Officials, Police Department personnel and Dayton Freight employees gathered outside the Police Station Nov. 24 to close the door on the trailer headed for the East Coast with donated items as part of the Des Plaines Police and Fire Department’s "New York, Des Plaines Has Your Back" Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort. Thousands of items were collected from throughout the community, with numerous schools, businesses and residents lending support to the relief efforts. According to Police Chief Bill Kushner, Des Plaines Police have been working with a representative from the New York City Police Department who is coordinating relief efforts in the area. Two members of the Des Plaines Department, Sergeant Ron Smith and Officer Tom Stancato, who worked on coordinating the Relief Effort, are traveling with the trailer, donated by Dayton Freight, and are relaying photographs to the Police Department as they travel. (pictured above left to right) Anthony James, Driver, Dayton Freight, Des Plaines Police Sergeant Ron Smith, Police Chief Bill Kushner, Police Officer Tom Stancato, 4th Ward Alderman Dick Sayad, and John Mezyk, Service Center Manager Dayton Freight, Des Plaines, pose for a photograph outside the truck that departed Saturday with items as part of “New York, Des Plaines Has Your Back" Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort. Karen Kozenczak
•   Emery Moorhead from the ’85 Chicago Bears (second from right) spins the roulette wheel for Clearbrook at their Spring Casino Night held on March 2 in Palatine. Moorehead was one of five former NFL players who volunteered at Clearbrook’s Spring Casino Night. Clearbrook
•   Gather Your Girlfriends for Martinis, Massages, and More: No kids. No men. Just women, wine, and golf.
  From left, Bonnie Newman, Carolyn Szaflik, Lori Runquist, and Tracy Baron show off their creative ensembles that won them "Best Dressed Foursome" at last year's Clearbrook Women's Classic Golf Outing. Colleen Gallagher
•   Girl Scout Troop 40523 delivered cookies to the homeless at JOURNEYS | The Road Home in Palatine. The clients felt grateful receiving such a special treat. JOURNEYS | The Road Home
•   Clearbrook president Carl M. La Mell (center) chats with Newsapalooza creators, Grammy award winner, Richard Marx (left) and radio personality, Roe Conn. Newsapalooza is a rock & roll stage show, featuring Chicago media talents singing and/or playing instruments. This year's show benefitted Clearbrook. M. Samskhina
•   Twenty five Thanksgiving baskets were created by Holy Family Medical Center staff and will be distributed to local families in need. Adrienne Dimopoulos
•   "Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation"
  Brendan Swarbrick on top. Youth from Oak Park Jr. Huskies Wrestling Club Jerry Swarbrick
•   Women gathered for a wonderful luncheon at the Inverness Golf Club April 30 to benefit JOURNEYS | The Road Home. JOURNEYS provides supportive services to over 1,300 homeless and at risk families and individuals annually. It also manages the PADS shelter program. The "Garden of Giving" Women's Luncheon raised nearly $8,000. JOURNEYS | The Road Home
•   A handful of local private ambulances have given resources to the East Coast to help out the preparation of Hurricane Sandy and Noreaster Storm Athena. Bless their hearts A-TEC Ambulance, Inc.
•   Talented dancers ages 7-17 are invited to audition to be a part of the Moscow Ballet's annual production of "The Great Russian Nutcracker." Auditions will be held August 29, 2012, at the Southport Performing Arts Conservatory (SPACE) located at 3433-37 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago. Dancers must be no more than five feet tall and have had at least two years of ballet training. Registration required. $5 audition fee. For more information call 773-463-1220 or visit www.southportarts.com Moscow Ballet
•   Picture of newly crowned Ms. Wheelchair, Illinois
  Danielle Austin. She will be making her inaugural appearance at the EHLS Open House April 24 at 210 W Campus Drive, Suite B, Arlington Heights, and will be signing autographs and answering questions. Danielle Austin
•   The work of Bunky Echo-Hawk, Pawnee/Yakama artist from Oklahoma will be featured in the neXt gallery Celebrates Ēkwabet's 25th Birthday Bunky Echo-Hawk
•   Sen Dan Kotoski (D-33), 2nd from right, visits with Avenues to Independence Excutive Director Bob Okazaki, left, and Avenues' program participants Cindy Wroblewski and David Blachut. Laura Miles Lockwood
•   Eight patriotic ladies of the Twenty First Star Chapter NSDAR posed to participate in the Park Ridge Memorial Day Parade May 30. From left, Mary Seaman, Regent Joy Martin, Bonnie Jean Weinman, Dorothy Wilson, Alissa Weinman, Ann Michael. On the end, in front are Mary Johnson and Barrie Shinn. Bill Weinman, husband of a DAR member drove the Twenty First Star Chapter car in the parade. Daughters of the American Revolution is a service organization whose objectives are: historical preservation, promotion of education, and patriotic endeavors. Women in the Northwest area who are interested in membership in the DAR and are able to prove lineage back to a Revolutionary soldier or a person who gave aid to the cause, please contact Dorothy Wilson at (847) 328-6346. Ann Michael
•   Donated to the community by West Chicago resident Maria Villela, the City's official Christmas tree is installed at 306 Main Street in downtown West Chicago, where it will be lit at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 1, 2012 at West Chicago's Frosty Fest. Krista Coltrin
•   Members of the Friends of Clearbrook Committee take a break between flights of wine to pose at Clearbrook’s 49th Annual “A Grapevine of Friends” Wine Tasting that took place on February 23, 2013 at the Chicago Marriott Schaumburg. The event drew nearly 400 people. Chicago Corporate Photography

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