In the last 10 years, the Glenbard West Boosters have helped raise and donate more than $1million to help fund programs ranging from academics to co-curricular activities at the high school. The boosters fundraising tradition continues with its upcoming Vegas-themed event being held Feb. 2 at the Crowne Plaza. Time is running out to reserve a place at the dinner. “This past year was another successful fundraising year and thanks to the ongoing generosity of families and merchants in the Glenbard West community,” said Laura Henkel, co-chair of the booster's auction said. “Funds were disbursed …

Glen Ellyn Junior Woman’s Club Christmas Baskets Program Donors are being sought to adopt a family for the holidays. For more than 60 years the Glen Ellyn Junior Woman's Club has provided holiday cheer through their Christmas Baskets program, which benefits local community members in need. Donors adopt a family and buy gifts for each person in the family.  Participating families range from small to large.  Food from the Salvation Army and gifts through local school toy drives are added to the family basket.  The drop-off date for wrapped gifts is Dec. 6, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Parkview …

After 13 years coaching football for the Glen Ellyn Golden Eagles, Mike Dayton is ready to spend some time sitting on the sidelines. Dayton started coaching the team when his oldest son, Tyler, was 5 years old. Today, Tyler is a senior. “I was kind of hanging out when flag football started when he was 5 and they were looking for coaches and I just kind of raised my hand, and 13 years later, I’m still doing it,” he said. “I knew I wanted to be involved in my kids’ athletics.” For the last 13 years, he’s been committed to coaching during the football season and helping run clinics in the off-…

Local churches are preparing to celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, by blessing the pets in their community. According to the American Catholic website, Francis, whose feast day is October 4, loved the larks flying over the hilltop in his town. He and his early followers allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey at the small hotel where they were staying. Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God’s living things: “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.” This weekend, local …

Music with a mission will be on tap Sunday at a special religious service that will incorporate the music of the band U2 with worship. The outcome will benefit local and global food programs.  The U2 Eucharist will be held at the First United Methodist Church. The hunger relief concert will include songs from the band throughout the religious service. Everyone is invited to attend the special service and worship. All donations collected during the service will go toward the fight against hunger, said Rev. Kristen Larsen. Locally, the funds will go to the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry. Funds will …

If there are two things nonprofits are always in need of they are volunteers and funding. That is no different for the Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center. The nonprofit has recently expanded its literacy efforts in Glen Ellyn and would like to grow its program to offer even more assistance to children in need in the community. To grow the program more funding is required. With nothing to lose, other than a chance at some grant funding, the organization is in the running for a Chase Community Giving Award. If the literacy nonprofit gets enough votes to stay in the race, it could receive …

What started off as a block party has grown into an annual community event benefitting local nonprofit Bridge Communities. Glen Ellyn’s fourth annual Backyard BBQ Cook-Off was the idea of a small group who hoped it would draw people downtown. It started off small as a block party, but the group found residents were interested in the barbecue festival. Now the event, being held Saturday, will draw more than 1,000 people to Glen Ellyn’s downtown. “We had three goals,” said Tom "Pig Daddy" Koprowski, one of the event’s founders. “One was to create foot traffic for our downtown. To promote and …

Jori Appleberry is a hair stylist by trade but a volunteer at heart. When a new client came to her for a hair appointment at Namaste hair salon, the women hit it off and a friendship and volunteer partnership was formed. Appleberry’s client that day was Carrie Gowans, Chicago chapter director for Flashes of Hope, a nonprofit that gives families with children who have cancer or who are chronically ill, the opportunity to enjoy a fun photo shoot. The families get to relax and have fun and later receive free, professionally taken photos. “It’s a keepsake for the family,” Gowans said. “We hope it…

So much goes on during the summer, with people vacationing and parents running the kids around to activities, nonprofits see a decline in donations as people direct their energy elsewhere. At the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry, donations definitely drop during summer, but though things are a little sparser at the pantry, the organization is always prepared to help those in need, according to an official with the nonprofit. Wednesday, locals have a way to give back to the organization while enjoying a meal at their favorite restaurant. Diners can “Take a Bite Out of Hunger” while eating at …

By now Robin Currie should be settling in to her temporary home away from home. Currie left Glen Ellyn last Friday on a three-week volunteer trip to Morocco where she will help students learn English language skills. Since 2008, Currie has taken the three week volunteer vacations, where she gives back and helps others. The Glen Ellyn resident and pastor associate at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church has previously volunteered in South Africa, India, Russia and China. “In retirement you don’t quit doing things, you just do what you love,” she said. Though many people make visits to the countries …

Shaun Emerson is an entrepreneur with a lot of experience in the technology field and with technology start-ups. When he came up with a new business idea, he thought why not offer a boost to others, particularly nonprofit organizations. Project Boost launched on July 31 and its first client is Kaitlin’s Hideout, the Glen Ellyn-based play center dedicated to children with autism and special needs. The center also serves as a place for families to gain information along with social and emotional support. “It’s about bringing attention to and helping local causes,” Emerson said of Project Boost…

Alicia Rasnic loves to garden. Her experience out in the garden played a key role in a new project Bridge Communities started earlier this summer. Rasnic, a long-time Glen Ellyn resident, began volunteering with Bridge Communities five years ago. She learned about the nonprofit from a friend who invited her to its annual Garden Party.  “Because I was retired, I wanted something to get involved with, and Bridge seemed to be a really good opportunity,” Rasnic said. When she signed up to volunteer with Bridge Communities, Rasnic was asked to participate on the development committee doing …

When Kay McKeen was growing up, her family lived the “waste not, want not” lifestyle. Her parents and grandparents instilled in her the belief that you didn’t waste anything and you didn’t hurt anything, even a leaf on a tree. Vacations were spent camping, out in nature or having picnics. Back in those days, it wasn’t called being environmental.  So, it may be no wonder that the woman who said she spent time as a girl with her aunt, a Girl Scout leader, cleaning up highways gathering soda bottles to clean the roadway and to also cash in for refunds, helped create a local nonprofit that has …