DuPage County briefs
Portillo opens new restaurant:
The Portillo Restaurant Group will open its newest store Monday at the northeast corner of Boughton Road and Route 53 in Bolingbrook, officials announced Friday. The building covers more than 8,800 square feet and sits on a site that includes a former Jewel-Osco building that the company will lease to other tenants. The new store will replace the current Portillo restaurant across the street. Owner Dick Portillo said the company outgrew the older restaurant and the new site will offer greater visibility and a larger drive-through.
Marklund Giving Tree:
Marklund's annual Giving Tree drive is continuing through Dec. 11 at two locations: Marklund Hyde Center, 1S450 Wyatt Drive, Geneva, or Marklund Philip Center for Children, 164 S. Prairie, Bloomingdale. Marklund serves infants, children and adults with severe and profound developmental disabilities with therapeutic services, day programming, 24-hour nursing care and community programs. Giving Tree cards are created for each resident with a brief bio and three gift suggestions. Donors take a card and purchase one or more wish items and return them, wrapped, to Marklund. New this year, donors also can support day-to-day expenses, such as electric, gas and water bills. Donors also may give items from Marklund's general wish list, located at marklund.org. For details, call Cathy Nikrandt at (630) 593-5468 or Stevie Armbruster at (630) 593-5473.
Addison gift drive:
The Children's Library at the Addison Public Library, 4 Friendship Plaza, has its own "Giving Tree," based on the classic Shel Silverstein book. Choose a leaf with the age of a child, and bring a new book and the leaf back to the Children's Library by Nov. 29. The books the library collects will be given to the Addison Switchboard for its Christmas drive. Beginning Dec. 1, snowflakes that include the donors' names will be placed on the Giving Tree. In addition, there is another tree in the lobby of the library with tags for the Addison Switchboard Christmas Drive. All gifts must be wrapped and have the tag attached by Sunday, Dec. 6.
Honor a loved one:
CNS Home Health and Hospice, an affiliate of Central DuPage Hospital, presents the 19th annual Tree of Lights ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Lake Park High School West Campus, 500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Roselle. Anyone is welcome to honor a loved one who has died, is battling a life-threatening illness or a special person. Tree of Lights is both a remembrance service and a fundraiser for community programs. For a contribution, a hand-inscribed ornament will adorn one of 15 trees displayed during the ceremony. Ornaments are available online through Dec. 15 for mailing and at the event. For details, call (630) 933-7329 or visit cnshomehealth.org.
Willowbrook play:
Willowbrook High School's Theatre Department presents "The Complete History of America" at 7 p.m. today in the Doris White Auditorium, 1250 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park. The PG-rated comedy highlights 600 years of history in 90 minutes, from Washington to Watergate, and answers such questions as "How many politicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?" Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for students and children, $2 for Willowbrook students with a school activity pass and free for senior citizens with a District 88 Gold Card.