A race for needy in DuPage, ice cream takes to the streets in Elgin, a campaign of hope in Mount Prospect and more.
Peer pressure
Another shoutout to Schaumburg High senior Emily Staudt, recent recipient of the village's Volunteer of the Year, youth category. Emily is all sorts of involved, but what especially caught our attention was this She works with Operation Click to teach fellow students the importance of safe driving. There's still hope, so keep up the good work, Emily.
Human race
Now in its seventh year, the DuPage Human Race continues to be one of the highlights of the spring calendar. Organized by Giving DuPage, the 5K serves as a fundraiser for 58 groups that otherwise would lack resources to sponsor their own runs. After this year's 5K, the Human Race will have raised more than $500,000 to help DuPage residents in need.
Cold comfort
A rite of summer long missing from the city of Elgin will return after 45 years. This week, the Elgin City Council voted unanimously to lift a ban on ice cream trucks. The change will allow trucks and carts to sell frozen treats from April through October. For suburban kids - and kids at heart - that's sweet news indeed.
Books (and more) galore
If you live in Kane or DuPage counties and like going to the library, new options are coming. Patrons at 19 libraries will have access to a minimum of 8 million more items when their libraries join 78 others in a suburban consortium that pools efforts in materials and borrowing. A grand plan.
PanCan success
Kudos to the organizers of Monday's PanCan event at Prospect High School. Held in honor of Dist. 214 prep aquatics guru Rob Lindgren and his battle with pancreatic cancer, those in attendance and online donors raised more than $6,000 in waging a fierce campaign of hope.
Stink takes the stage
Turns out the second time was a - is charm the right word? - for the Chicago Botanic Gardens' star corpse flower. Spike disappointed lovers of the bizarre two years ago when the plant seemed about to bloom and emit its famously horrendous odor, then fizzled. It could have been five years till the next smelly show, but this week Spike fooled everyone again. Odoriferous!
Vernacular of change
Metroburb. Big Empties. We're going to have to get used to some new terms in development. A New Jersey company has plans to transform the former AT&T campus in Hoffman Estates and may need a tax break designed for large vacant buildings. Meanwhile, a makeover also is envisioned at Motorola's former site in Schaumburg. By whatever name, they're ideas worth watching.
Yay for YEA!
Congratulations to the 16 junior high kids from Palatine Township Elementary School District 15 who competed in a local "Shark Tank" as part of Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!). Area businessmen and woman listened to their pitches and awarded at least $100 as an investment in each business. Great job!