Geneva cancer survivor organizing 'Soul Sisters' charitable group
Look out, Tri-Cities. The “Soul Sisters” are back in action.
Actually, there is nothing to be alarmed about because area organizations should greatly benefit as Lori Hansen of Geneva organizes a group of women that will carry that name and raise money for worthy causes every other month.
Anyone who knows Hansen knows this cancer survivor is full of energy when it comes to helping others. So she has what it takes to put together a group that will operate on a similar premise like 100 Women Who Care and other such organizations.
“Each member of those groups gives $100 at every meeting toward a certain cause, but my friends who volunteer don't have that kind of money,” Hansen said. “But if I say I need something during a toy drive, I know my friends will come up with gift cards, toys or books.”
Hansen has a lot of experience with this sort of thing, having been a member of the TriCity Family Services board of directors for eight years, and working as a fundraiser for the LivingWell Cancer Resource Center for seven years.
She originally organized Soul Sisters to walk in the Bridge Walk fundraiser for LivingWell. The did that annually, for seven years. Now, the name carries on to help others.
In addition to being a breast cancer survivor herself, Hansen lost a sister-in-law, and her best friend lost a sister, to the disease.
But the new group, which she figures will be somewhere around 40 women, won't always focus only on groups supporting cancer research or comforting victims.
Hansen has hooked up with friend Karen Ramella who owns “201 Cedar,” a refurbished home she rents for meetings, pop-up shows, dinners and other events. Hansen will rent that site six times over the next year for the Soul Sisters group to meet.
During the course of those meetings, the group will choose six charities to support in any way it can. The group will discuss possible recipients of its charity, but LivingWell will certainly be on that list, as will CASA, Joshua Tree and Anderson Animal Shelter, Hansen said.
If the number of members grows, it will be a good problem to have — even though Hansen eventually may have to find a bigger location.
“When I left the LivingWell center, the one thing I missed in working was that I was helping somebody in some way every day,” Hansen said. “But now that I am not working, I am trying to again help someone every day because I just felt I could do more.”
Those Belgian folks:
To say Belgians had something to do with shaping St. Charles would be an understatement.
Those who want to know why should take in a presentation about the Belgian Community in St. Charles at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9 at the St. Charles History Museum.
That's when presenter Cynthia Foster will talk about the Belgian workforce since the 1890s, as well as the civic and business contributions these residents made to the city.
Many descendants of the Belgians who mostly lived along the Dean Street area and worked at the Moline Malleable plant are still in that area called Belgium Town.
And when I see a few of them around town, they've been quick to tell me about this event at the history museum. So, there's plenty of pride at work on this topic.
Just dial 2-1-1:
After months of organizing and planning, the 2-1-1 information and referral hotline in Kane County has started taking calls.
The system is set up to help callers find various forms of assistance, as the phone lines will be operating 24/7.
We know Melinda Kintz of the Batavia United Way was a major leader in the push for this service, but it took all sorts of organizations to come together and develop what essentially is a call center for accessing organizations that provide social, emotional and medical services.
It sounds like a great place for a person to start in speaking to a specialist who can help sort out the various options offering services that would address a caller's particular needs.
Batavia United Way has a contract with PATH, an accredited call center, to receive these calls. PATH provides the 2-1-1 service for 40 counties in Illinois.
Start those holidays:
The merchants at the Berry House on Third Street in downtown Geneva have spent a lot of time the past year trying to make their shops stand out a little more in the city's key retail strip.
This indoor mini-mall setup has undergone some changes and welcomed new merchants who are part of a First Friday holiday event from 5 to 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 2, along with a few other nearby shops.
Holiday items, special deals and contests for prizes are all part of this event, which could be viewed in some ways as a warmup for the busy holiday season.
The Gathering, Geneva Antique Market, Grow Geneva, The Catholic Shop, The Coffee Drop Shop, Country Naturals, Denise's Adornments, Flourish, Houndstooth & Plaid, Little Red Barn Door, Pixies, Sundance Gallery and Royal Wren are all part of this event.
Helping the animals:
The promotion materials say, “Welcome to 1966.”
At first glance, I'd say no thanks to that. I was 13 years old that year, meaning I was lost in some fantasy world between the battles with nuns in my Catholic school classroom and the pure joy of the Beatles and many other bands grabbing my attention.
But this was a promotion for the Anderson Animal Shelter's key fundraiser — a gala called A Night 4 Paws, which is from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Q Center in St. Charles.
The evening stresses a 1960s theme and benefits the shelter's efforts to save the lives of almost 4,000 animals per year.
We all love those trips down memory lane when it comes to music, and if it helps animals in need of homes, it is a win-win.
Tickets are available on the shelter's website.
In addition, the center is holding what it is calling a “mega adoption event” from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, and Sunday, Nov. 4 at the South Elgin Petco store at 364 Randall Road.
dheun@sbcglobal.net