AFter Hours

The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce was proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the partnership of Christians Against Poverty and The Compass Church Naperville Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event was facilitated with esteemed ambassadors and community members, as well as civic leaders Mayor Steve Chirico, Senator Laura Ellman and Naperville City Council Woman Jennifer Bruzan Taylor. NACC Board Chairman, Christina Caton Kitchel spoke for NACC President and CEO, Kaylin Risvold and welcomed CAP to the chamber. Christians Against Poverty is an international not for profit that helps folks who are crippled by debt; parents who can't feed their children, families facing eviction and desperate people living in fear and without hope.

The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the ribbon cutting of Star Smiles Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry, 1003 South Washington Street, Suite 265, Naperville. The ceremony was facilitated with esteemed ambassadors and community members. Mayor Steve Chirico welcomed Dr. Andre Jham and his practice to Naperville and thanked him for choosing our city.

Thirteen restaurants and food purveyors in Downtown Naperville banded together to raise funds in support of World Central Kitchen relief efforts in and around besieged Ukraine. Together, they raised $13,759 for the organization from a percentage of their total sales for April 12. Taking part in the effort were Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, Bev's, Catch 35, Cinnaholic, Empire Burgers & Brew, Firecakes Donuts, Hizemans, Naper Nuts & Sweets, Quiubo, Santo Cielo, SixtyFour Wine Bar & Kitchen, Sweet Home Gelato and the Lantern. Groups and parties large and small dined for lunch and dinner and enjoyed take-out snacks. One group of 21 members of the Rotary Club of Naperville Sunrise enjoyed dinner at Catch 35 where the general manager is a member of their club.

Michaela Lacko-Mariano (holding scissors) hosted a ribbon-cutting on April 19 at her new office at 213 S. Wheaton Avenue in Wheaton, heralding the opening of her practice, Elevate Acupuncture & Holistic Health. Marty Keller of Milton Township C.E.R.T. (far right, holding ribbon) represented the Ambassadors from the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce who support new members as they onboard to the Chamber. Other chamber members included, left of Michaela, Brigit Huyvaert of Reign in Business, Aleta Fox of Mulcare Insurance Agency-Allstate and Pablo Riveroll of Southwestern Real Estate.

Mayor Phil Suess of the city of Wheaton, left, celebrated with Kevin Walker, owner of Extract Juicery, and Wheaton Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Wheaton Association (DWA) staff and guests at Extract Juicery's one-year anniversary celebration and balloon drop held on March 12. Along with Mayor Suess, Allison Orr, executive director of the DWA, and Vickie Austin, president/CEO of the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, acknowledged Kevin and Extract Juicery's commitment to the Wheaton business community.

Jessica Montalvo, M.D., (third from left) joins Dale Showalter of Showalter Roofing (far left) and Jeff Reiter of Cantigny Park & Golf (right, holding ribbon), both Ambassadors of the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, for a ribbon-cutting on April 14 at Forum Health Wheaton, 2150 Manchester Road, Suite 210, Wheaton. Among the attendees from the Chamber members was Milton Township Supervisor John Monino (second from right), to celebrate Forum Health's opening.

Women of the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce and their guests enjoyed an afternoon of virtual learning plus an in-person Happy Hour, Business Expo and Fashion Stroll at "Reset for Success: Women in Business Expo 2022," held March 18 at Klein Creek Golf Club. From left are Moyra Gorski of Gorski Wellness, Christina Carrington Riley, CCR Creatives, who chaired the WIB Expo Task Force, Lulú Hertenstein of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and chair-elect of the Wheaton Chamber's board of directors, and Heather Graf of RE/MAX Suburban, a Business Expo sponsor.