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This past weekend I attended the Lions Club District 1J Convention in Carol Stream Illinois. My attendance marked my 33rd convention, many of which I served as convention chair for our Darien Lions Club. Beyond celebrating our service to others, my favorite reason for attending a District 1J Convention is the opportunity it affords me to meet Lions from other clubs, some of whom have become close friends over the years. This year was no exception, in fact, I met several individuals this year who I hope will stay in touch with me over the coming years. I truly believe in the quote, “We don’t meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason.” During this convention, I had a chance to meet several individuals whom I feel I was destined to meet. Let me introduce you to just a couple who definitely made an impact on me this past weekend.

The theme of this year’s convention was “disco,” and convention goers were asked to wear disco-style clothing. On Friday evening, I met Jerry from Algonquin, who came to the convention with a wig and clothing that reminded me of former “Survivor” singer Jim Peterik. Jerry’s outfit and wig were so convincing, one almost expected him to break out in a chorus of “Eye of the Tiger.” Jerry and I found ourselves engrossed in conversation, and we had several interesting conversations over the remainder of the convention. When we parted Saturday night, we wished each other a successful coming year and pledged to find a way to get together sometime in the future.

Throughout Friday evening, I had reason to talk to a young woman from the Island Lake Lions who, while early in her Lion career, has made significant contributions to her club. Her name is Sarah, and when she recounted elements of her life, I found myself drawn into her life experience as an individual who has dealt with significant life issues, especially her status as a legally blind person. While I always felt I had a good idea of what is meant by “legally blind,” Sarah truly “schooled” me on this topic, and we spent time Friday night and Saturday morning discussing how she copes with her blindness and with the challenges life presents her. I was truly impressed with this young woman; I consider her a real fighter, and as she said to me, her challenges have made her a stronger person. As with Jerry, hopefully, Sarah and I will continue to communicate over the next year.

There are two quotes that I feel summarize my convention weekend; each one speaks to how we form connections with others, and how listening to their stories, not only gives us a better idea as to who they are, it provides a mirror for us to better understand ourselves. Philosopher Roman Krznaric states that “to discover who we are and what to do with our lives, we need to step outside ourselves to discover the lives of other peoples.” This thought awakened my mind to a line from “To Kill a Mockingbird,” when Atticus spoke to Scout regarding “Boo Radley.” In assisting her in understanding why Boo was so different, Atticus stated that “you really never understand a person until you consider things from their point of view until you climb into their skin and walk around in it.” More than understanding their uniqueness, I more fully understand that meeting people such as Sarah and Jerry provided me with a chance to better reflect on my own life. I hope that each of you has an opportunity to better reflect on your life through the eyes of those you meet.

On Sunday, May 19, come join the Chamber of Commerce at their 23rd Annual Darien Dash, 1 Mile, 5K & 10K Family Friendly Run. The morning festivities begin at 8 a.m. with a DJ and warmup stretches to your favorite tunes, followed by a FREE Kiddie Fun Run (Ages 5 & under). The 5k & 10K kick off at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 1 Mile at 8:35 a.m., as you walk/run through the picturesque neighborhoods near the Darien Swim & Recreation Center. Water and nutritional snacks complete your run along with an awards ceremony for the top (3) in age groups: 14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and +80.  For more information, please visit the Darien Chamber of Commerce website.

The 2024 Spring edition of the Darien Connections Newsletter is out! You should receive a copy in your mailbox and you can also check it out online here.

Darien’s 25th Annual Arbor Day Celebration will take place on Friday morning, April 26, at 9:30 am, at Hinsbrook Park (Beechnut Lane and Hinsbrook Ave., just west of the Darien Swim Club).

Mayor Joe Marchese will speak about Darien’s Arbor Day program and the history of Arbor Day. Beth Bengston from The Morton Arboretum will “edutain” those families and friends in attendance with tree knowledge. Darien police and Tri-State fire will briefly educate the children in attendance on fire safety and stranger danger. Hinsdale South HS Madrigal singers will entertain with their magical voices too. Learn more here.

Special thanks to our Benefactors: The Gift of Carl Foundation.

The second full week of April is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Join us in recognizing and honoring the thousands of men and women who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance to the world’s citizens. Thank you for your commitment to the health and safety of our community.

April is Earth Month - a time for celebrating and advocating for environmental awareness and sustainability. Consider making sustainable gardening a part of your yard maintenance. Sustainable gardening works with nature and supports the surrounding ecosystem. Consider these tips from the American Horticultural Society on how to make your garden more sustainable:

April is Autism Acceptance Month. Join the CDC as they raise awareness to promote autism acceptance, celebrate neurodiversity and individual differences, and continue to advance inclusivity and connectedness throughout the community. It’s also a time to honor the unique lived experiences of people with autism. Working together, we can support young families as well as children and youth with autism as they transition into adulthood, helping each individual reach their full potential. Learn more here.

The City of Darien is accepting applications for the following positions:

Applications can be obtained here and can be sent to the City of Darien at 1702 Plainfield Rd., Darien, IL 60561 or emailed to lklemm@darienil.gov.

Residents can now submit their property maintenance concerns on the City’s new online site, OpenGov. This streamlined site allows users a way to submit their property maintenance concerns, commonly referred to as property maintenance violations. In order to access the portal, please visit the City’s website. If you have any questions, please contact Jordan Yanke, City Planner, at (630) 353-8113.

All of us, at times, let our emotions get the best of us. Perhaps you currently feel overwhelmed, find yourself immobilized by anxiety and/or fear, or you just can’t let go of your anger. Perhaps you are experiencing grief resulting from a significant loss which has you wondering if things will ever get better?

Lord of Life Lutheran Church (725 – 75th St., Darien, IL) is hosting an Emotional Health Workshop on Tuesday, April 30, at 7:00 p.m. The program will be presented by Jeff Wood, a retired educator and H.S. counselor. This experiential workshop will explore healthy, productive living through the development of skills for effectively managing emotions. All are welcome. Learn more here.

The City Council will meet on Monday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Darien City Hall. View the agenda here.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on April 17. The case involves a petition from Indian Prairie Public Library for a variation request from Sections 4-3-7(A)(11), 4-3-7(C)(4), and 4-3-10(A) of the City’s Sign Code. The petition specifically requests to allow for the construction/installation of electronic message board signs. The agenda will be posted here.

In our continuing effort to keep Darien residents informed, the Darien Police Department is introducing Emergency Notifications via text. Please visit our Direct Connect Signup page and provide your cell phone number to receive text notifications in case of an emergency. These texts will be sent at any time (day and night) when an incident within the City may impact the community (e.g. police activity, accidents where there are road closures, etc.). There is no cost to sign up for this service. The Police Department will continue to use X/Twitter for non-urgent notifications.

Darien’s Direct Connect E-Newsletter (DC) is the City’s primary source of information for residents and businesses. Please tell your friends and neighbors about DC, forward this email to them, and ask them to sign up. Signing up is simple and can be done here.

Click on the links below for more information on these upcoming community events!

Lions Club Big Raffle 2024: link

Spring Craft and Vendor Fair - April 13: link

Darien Arts Council Meeting - April 16: link

April 18-20: link

Composting STARTS Now! with DGC Sprouts - April 24: link

Mayor Joe Marchese, (630) 200-2390

Bryon Vana, City Administrator,

City Hall (630) 852-5000

Police Department (630) 971-3999

Public Works Streets & Water (630) 353-8105

Community Development (630) 353-8115

Visit the City of Darien's website for information on City services.

Follow us on Facebook at @CityofDarien.

Follow us on X at @CityofDarien.

Follow the Darien Police Department on X at @DarienPolice.

Join your Darien neighbors on Nextdoor.