North Aurora Mothers Club a big part of community
What would North Aurora be without the North Aurora Mothers Club?
Annually, the NAMC members throw a community Halloween party, help out dozens of families in December with Operation Christmas, and welcome spring with their baseball parade.
The club raises nearly $20,000 a year for children and families in North Aurora with its dinner dance and North Aurora Days fundraisers.
The group just kicked off its 2007-08 fundraising season with another successful North Aurora Days.
Lesley Schafer was in charge of the Mother's Club events at the Clock Tower Plaza this year along with the North Aurora Lions Club.
"We had 40 Mother's Club volunteers working at the beer tent and ticket booth this year," Schafer said. "With an active membership of 48 that means almost everybody that's a current member volunteered."
The Lions and the NAMC share the proceeds of the beer tent and this year Schafer said that the total profit was $23,368. So each club received $11,685 in proceeds from the beer tents, food vendors and inflatable rides from Party Savers.
Schafer is happy to be part of the membership committee this year and is hoping to get to enjoy more of North Aurora Days next summer when she is not as busy organizing the whole event.
In April the group disbursed $18,000 to local schools and organizations serving North Aurorans.
Nearly $13,000 went to Fearn, Schneider and Goodwin elementary schools, Jewel and Herget middle schools and Todd and Hope Wall schools in Aurora.
Fox Valley Special Recreation, Messenger Public Library, Little Friends Autism Center, Hesed House and Fox Valley Hospice were among the other organizations that received donations from the NAMC.
Tracy Fisher is in charge of the 2008 NAMC Dinner Dance, the group's other fundraiser, to be held Feb. 9.
Fisher said she joined the group last year and jumped in to participate right away.
"I was always hearing from my neighbors who were involved for so many years and I wanted to be a part of a group that raises money to go back to our community," Fisher said. "It makes you feel good."
The group holds monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of the month from September to May at the Valley Community Bank at 76 S. Randall Road on the corner of Randall and Oak streets.
The first meeting of 2007-08 will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4.
If you want to learn more about the group before joining, attend the new member open house from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 21 at the bank.
Call Susan Campbell at (630) 907-1094.