Illuminate Northbrook happens Nov. 18 at Village Green
The Village of Northbrook will hold its Illuminate Northbrook Hot Cocoa Stroll on Nov. 18 at Village Green Park.
A great success in its 2021 debut, the schedule has people gathering in the park starting at around 5:30 p.m. A countdown beginning at 6 p.m., which last year was led by Village President Kathryn Ciesla, will culminate in turning on Christmas lights to illuminate the downtown.
Complimentary hot cocoa will be available, but don't dawdle getting there, it was a hot item. Consider bringing your own mug to promote sustainability. Also consider wearing a proverbial ugly Christmas sweater.
The Northbrook Park District's Northbrook 28 Children's Choir will perform, directed by Jeremy Bartunek, and people can grab some 3-D glasses to enhance the lighting experience.
Like last year's event, the Northbrook Rotary Club, joined by the Rotary Club of Glenview Sunrise, will have collection boxes on-site for its "Coat Off Your Back" coat drive. A donated coat or hats, mittens, scarves and gloves earns a collectible Illuminate Northbrook mug, while supplies last, and access to special offers from Northbrook businesses.
The 2021 Rotary coat drive brought in nearly 400 coats at Illuminate Northbrook alone. This year's intention is to provide winter gear to veterans as well as to resettled immigrants who may be unprepared for a Chicago winter.
Speaking of ...
The Rotary Club of Northbrook will offer a special luncheon meeting Nov. 15 with guest speaker Trent Spoolstra, who is the associate regional director of the Anti-Defamation League's Midwest office.
The meeting will be held at the Hilton Chicago/Northbrook, 2855 N. Milwaukee Ave., with check-in at noon and the program from 12:15-1:30.
Spoolstra will examine "The State of Antisemitism" at regional, national and international levels, given that 2021 incidents of antisemitism were the highest in decades. He believes a reason is continuing stereotypes of Jewish people still believed by many Americans.
One of the things Spoolstra does as associate regional director is facilitate adolescent training sessions to counter antisemitism.
There are no walk-ins allowed for this special luncheon meeting, and the $25 tickets must be purchased in advance. To purchase a ticket, visit Rotary Club of Northbrook online at portal.clubrunner.ca/2398 and scroll down to the program notice.
A good day
The Illinois Association of Park Districts presented three awards to the Northbrook Park District on Oct. 14 at its Best of the Best Awards Gala in Wheeling.
First of all, Michael Ziering was acknowledged with a service award for his 15 years as an elected park board commissioner. Chair of Golf Operations since 2010, Ziering was board president from 2012-15 and vice president from 2010-12.
The Northbrook Park District earned an IAPD "Best Friend of Illinois Parks" business award in the small business category for a financial scholarship program it offers residents, which is fully funded due to a partnership with Northbrook Bank & Trust. The five-year partnership has aided the presentation of community festivals, concerts and running races.
For a second straight year the IAPD gave the park district a "Best Green Practices" award. This one was for its LED lighting replacement program in tandem with ComEd. A grant of nearly $940,000 from the energy company enabled the park district to switch out fixtures at eight park district facilities. This is anticipated to save an annual $135,000 in energy costs, a savings that is equivalent to reducing more than 3.2 million tons of carbon emissions.
Youth Services and U2
Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook will present a fundraising concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie.
A family-friendly concert, the popular Chicago band Tributosaurus will dig into its deep repertoire to play songs by U2 and REM at this concert.
General admission tickets are $50, with tickets for children 17 and under are $35. A "premium" ticket ($100) and several levels of sponsorships also are available for the event to benefit Youth Services, which turned 50 years old this year.
To register for tickets and view sponsorship opportunities, visit www.ysgn.org/concert.
Great institutions
Family Service Center, 191 Waukegan Road, Northfield, will present its 2023 Heart of the Family award to the Debra Gelfand Children's Foundation at FSC's Chrysalis Luncheon Nov. 16 at the Valley Lo Club in Glenview.
Founded in 1991, the Debra Gelfand Children's Foundation is a nonprofit that works to support families in Glenview School District 34 who are experiencing hardship. Debra Gelfand, who had six children go through District 34 schools, did the same before she died in 1990.
Acting on a promise to continue her work, Gelfand's best friend, Barbara Silver, started the foundation and continues as its president with one of Debra's sons, Zach, as vice president. Barbara Silver's husband, Howard, serves as treasurer.
Family Service Center, also a nonprofit organization, provides affordable mental health services and support to people in Glenview, Kenilworth, Northbrook, and Wilmette.