Turn bad golfing into good deeds
Terrible golfers -- and that's most of us -- now have the opportunity to turn bad playing into good deeds at Pottawatomie Park.
The ongoing "Piglets 4 Tots" fundraiser thrives on poor putting to help buy toys for children.
It's a unique program that actually gives you an excuse for spending longer than you might normally like on the putting green.
The rules are simple.
Every time it takes three strokes or more to sink a putt that should have taken two, you agree to donate 50 cents to Toys for Tots.
You can register at the golf course, 8 North Ave., where you'll be given a special key chain identifying you as a participant.
More than 50 people have joined up this year and already raised more than $600 for charity.
"That's a lot of bad golfing," course employee Billy Ogiego joked in a new release announcing the fundraiser.
"I like to rib them when they 3-putt and don't come and tell me," he warns. "I'll point out that's a toy or a sock that some child's not going to have at Christmastime."
The effort grew out of a friendly challenge between six golfers who came up with the idea earlier this year, and participants hope to raise at least $1,000 through the rest of the season.
Now, get out there and do your worst.
A Top 10 town: A city survey recently showed that most residents think St. Charles is a good place to call home.
Turns out, it's the 10th best place in all of Chicago's west suburbs -- if you ask West Suburban Living magazine.
St. Charles ranked 10th out of 63 communities evaluated for the magazine's "Top Towns in Which to Live in the Western Suburbs" list, which appeared in the publication's latest issue.
According to the Downtown St. Charles Partnership, which is promoting the ranking, the list was developed using factors such as the city's quality of education, crime rates and home values. The magazine also looked at parks, downtown areas, libraries, high school test scores and shopping.
"It's no surprise to me that St. Charles would be recognized as one of the top communities," Mayor Don DeWitte said in a news release. "My surprise is that we aren't ranked first."
The city also was rated 7th for best downtown, 2nd for most park acreage per person, and 4th for most library materials checked out per cardholder.
Zoning board filled: The St. Charles zoning board of appeals got back up to full force this week with the appointment of one new member and the naming of a new chairman.
The city council on Monday appointed commissioner Elmer Rullman to replace former chairman James Byrne, who recently stepped down after 33 years on the board. Former alderman Don Nippert also was appointed to the commission to fill the recent vacancy.
DeWitte said Nippert and Byrne each have "very solid backgrounds" in the community and will be good additions to the board.