Delnor Hospital fundraiser sets a record

The Delnor-Community Hospital Auxiliary must really know how to throw a party, because its latest fundraiser was a whopper of a success.

The group announced this week that its James Bond-themed November ball, 'To Delnor, With Love," raised more than $100,000 for the hospital, the most ever.

The money will support the hospital's expansion, which includes adding two operating rooms for open heart surgery (should the state authorize it) as well as making all in-patient rooms private.

The hospital notified the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board in October that it would like to do open-heart surgeries. It has not filed a formal application yet. It expects the project to cost about $6 million.

The auxiliary previously donated to the hospital's campaign for breast health, including the establishment of a digital imaging center. That campaign has concluded.

If you missed last year's event, mark your calendar: the 2008 version is Nov. 15 at the Q Center in St. Charles.

Java for a cause:Œ

You can combine coffee and compassion with the members of the high school's Model United Nations club.

Geneva school board member Susan Shivers proudly showed off a stainless steel travel mug Monday night that the group is selling. It features a logo that combines the tree from the City of Geneva's logo with a globe, and the words "Geneva thinks globally."

The money goes to six schools run by a peace-and-development group in Darfur, a region of the country of Sudan in Africa that has been plagued by warfare and genocide.

For information about ordering, contact the club's adviser, Sue Khalaieff, through the social studies department at the high school: (630) 463-3800.

Pasta for piccolos: The Geneva High School Music Department's fundraising pasta dinner is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the cafeteria at the school, 416 McKinley St. The dinner, with carryout available at 4 p.m., will include mostaccioli, salad and bread from Taylor Street, dessert from Moveable Feast, Cocoa Bean and Sweet Tomatoes.

Want to rephrase that? In Monday night's discussion about the possibility of relocating Harrison Street Elementary School for a year, trustee Leslie Juby pointed out that Harrison Street will have a new principal next year, and that it might seem a little mean to ask a newbie to start in one building, then move to another, the first year of their job.

Said Juby: "It's not like they're an old-timer ..." and then her voice trailed off as she realized the faux pas she had just made, as retiring Harrison Street principal DeeDee Slagle was in the audience.

"I'm so sorry. I'll just stop talking now," a flustered Juby said, as many in the room, including Slagle, laughed.