DuPage County briefs

Easter Seals plans gala

Several residents will be honored when Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley Region sponsors its 31st annual benefit gala, "Superheroes Unite," at 6 p.m. March 21 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Oak Brook residents Fred and Lisa Barbara will be honored with the 2009 Carol and Jack Sanicki Crystal Heart Award for their support of Easter Seals for more than 10 years. Chris Cook of Carol Stream, a senior at Elmhurst College, will be featured as the Easter Seals 2009 ambassador. Cook, who has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, received physical, occupational and speech therapy services at Easter Seals as a child. He now lives an independent life and will graduate in May with a degree in theater and social work. For details on the gala or to purchase tickets, contact eastersealsdfvr.org or (630) 282-2029.

Spelling bee in Lisle

The DuPage County Regional Spelling Bee will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Lisle Junior High School, 5207 Center Ave., Lisle. Eighth-graders will be vying for a chance to compete in the 82nd annual Scripps National Spelling Bee held May 26 through 28 in Washington, D.C.

PADS plans fundraiser

DuPage Public Action to Deliver Shelter will hold its third annual "A Taste of Hope: Chefs Uniting to End Homelessness" from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Abbington Distinctive Banquets near Butterfield Road and Route 53, Glen Ellyn. Proceeds from the event, which features samples from dozens of area establishments, benefit the homeless. For details, call DuPage PADS at (630) 682-3846, ext. 242, or visit www.dupagepads.org.