Good News Sunday: New pickleball facility in Naperville draws crowd

This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories recently published by the Daily Herald:

The first rule of pickleball: Everyone talks about pickleball.

That’s why a steady throng of new and potential customers attended the March 23 grand opening of The Picklr in Naperville, at Fox River Commons, 740 Route 59.

“Everybody that’s in pickleball knows about everything that’s going on in pickleball,” said Beatriz Maia, who plays five days a week and will make the half-hour drive from Sugar Grove for what she called nine “tournament-grade” courts in the 31,000-square-foot space in a former Office Depot.

Tim Osborn of Aurora said he’d made about 30 friends playing pickleball in Naperville. He prefers playing outdoors, but that’s not always possible. That’s where The Picklr and its indoor space comes in handy.

“We know that we get horrible weather most of the time, and every so often we can get a good day and you want to be outside. But other than that, you’re stuck inside,” he said.

For the full story, click here.

Student steers bus to safety when driver collapses

At about 8:15 a.m. on Feb. 20, Jeffrey Starck was riding to school with other students on a school bus in Lake Villa when the driver became unresponsive due to a medical emergency.

Starck jumped into action, took the steering wheel and guided the bus off the street onto a front lawn near Oakland Drive and West Grasslake Road. Using the brake, Starck brought the bus to rest in front of a tree, police Chief Rochelle Tisinai said.

The heroic save earned the teen a commendation from Lake Villa police and the village board on March 18 for his role in averting a potential crisis.

Tisinai and Mayor James McDonald presented Starck with a Life Saving Award.

“The entire incident happened in less than eight seconds,” Tisinai said, calling Starck a “local hero.” “It was remarkable. His quick actions certainly saved the lives of others on the bus.”

“He should be proud,” McDonald said. “A lot of people panic in the moment of a crisis.”

For the full story, click here.

U-46 recognizes Boys & Girls Club of Elgin with award

Elgin Area School District U-46 celebrated its 20-year partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin, recognizing it with the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Partner of the Year Award.

U-46 Chief of Staff Brian Lindholm presented the award to Boys & Girls Club Chief Executive Officer Cathy Russell and Chief Operating Officer Natalie Pawluk during the chamber’s annual meeting March 20.

Lindholm said the Boys & Girls Club serves about 3,000 U-46 students each year from 34 schools at 28 sites, nearly 10% of the district’s student population.

“Thousands of U-46 students’ lives have been changed through access to Boys & Girls Club programs that support their growth to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens,” Lindholm said.

Cathy Russell, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club, said the organization’s goal is to “serve all of the kids who need us most, and to be there for them when school is out.”

For the full story, click here.

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