"When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.”

-Unknown

Over the last two and one-half years, I have written a Mayor’s Message for our weekly Direct Connect electronic newsletter. During that time period, I have heard a number of compliments for my messages, and a few negative critiques asking for more content on city affairs and events. Whether it was a message regarding the city’s operation or covered a topic from a more humanistic viewpoint, I searched not only my mind, I searched my heart for a topic and for a writing method to present it. I have been fortunate to have found topics over the last two and one-half years by using this process.

Sadly, I have found that the recent passing of my son has affected my ability both mentally and emotionally, to find topics that I feel not only are informative, they “touch the soul” of the reader. As Maya Angelou states, “the idea is to write it so that people hear it, and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.” Those topics were the ones that most readers related to, and they were the ones I enjoyed presenting to my readers. During this period where I am grieving the loss of my son, I will not be presenting any new Mayor’s Messages. Starting with our November 28th Direct Connect, I will be going to the archives, and presenting you with messages from the last two years. I will try to reprise those messages that readers said they truly enjoyed.  

Hopefully, as time passes, and my family heals from this loss, I will find the inspiration to once again provide you with new messages on a weekly basis; messages that you can enjoy, and messages that will hopefully inspire you. Thank you for your past support and thank you for your expression of condolences to me and my family.

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Darien's Tree Lighting and Holiday Celebration

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Tree Lighting & Holiday Celebration at the Darien Historical Society this past weekend! What a fun and festive way to start the holiday season! A big thanks to the Darien Woman's Club, the VFW, Darien Lions Club, the Darien Historical Society, the Darien Garden Club, and the Indian Prairie Library for working together with the City to offer this event to the community! Check out the video below for fun photos of the event!

The Heart of Darien Presented to Tom Sailer

Mayor Marchese and the City Council honored Tom Sailer with the Heart of Darien Award. Tom's contributions to our city include his leadership within the Darien Chamber of Commerce as well as his dedicated service and financial contributions to the Darien Lions Club. Twenty plus years ago, the Darien Chamber of Commerce was close disbanding due to mismanagement and poor leadership. This individual, along with two other Presidents, provided the leadership that would bring the Chamber back as a thriving and growing organization. He has continued his dedication to the Chamber through his leadership, support, and participation in the Chamber's programs, and until recently, has served as a member of the Chamber's Executive Board. 

As a member of the Darien Lions Club, he has been active in a number of the club's programs and activities, especially the Darien Lions Food Basket Program. He has made generous financial donations to the program in memory of his departed wife, Pat. His financial generosity is evident in his many contributions to other community groups in and outside the city of Darien. it is obvious that over the last 25 years, he has given his heart to our city and its residents. The "Heart of Darien" award recognizes residents who enrich the community through their unselfish commitment to the public good. The people of Darien truly make this a Nice Place to Live!

Holiday Service Update

City Hall will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 28 and 29, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Refuse/Recycling Collection services on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will NOT be postponed. Thursday and Friday collection service will be postponed by one day.

Overnight Parking Ban Suspended for Holiday

The City's overnight parking ban will be suspended from Wednesday, November 27 at 2:00 a.m. to Monday, December 2 at 6:00 a.m. All other parking restrictions will remain in effect.

Turkey Preparation and Cooking Safety

Are you in charge of preparing the Turkey for Thanksgiving this year? Let's review some food preparation safety tips from FoodSafety.gov to keep everyone healthy and happy over the holidays:

• Store your turkey in the freezer until you are ready to thaw it or, if you have a fresh whole turkey, it can be stored in the refrigerator until its use by date.
• Be sure to leave enough time to thaw your turkey safely using one of the methods found here.
• Raw turkey and its juice can contaminate anything they touch. Be sure to handle your turkey correctly to prevent harmful germs from spreading to your food, family, and friends. Wash your hands, use a separate cutting board for raw turkey, and wash all tools and surfaces thoroughly before preparing the next item. Learn more.
• It’s safest to cook stuffing in a casserole dish instead of inside your turkey. Cooking stuffing in a casserole dish makes it easy to be sure the stuffing is fully cooked. If you do cook stuffing in the turkey, put the stuffing in the turkey just before cooking and ensure that the stuffing's center reaches 165°F.
• To roast a turkey in your oven, set the oven temperature to at least 325°F (163°C). Place the completely thawed turkey in a roasting pan that is 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep. Cooking times depend on the weight of the turkey and whether it is stuffed. Use a food thermometer to make sure the turkey has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
• Find more tips to safely prepare your Thanksgiving meal here.

Small Business Saturday

This holiday season, let's make a big impact by shopping small. Small Business Saturday is on November 30th, and it's the perfect time to support the local businesses that make our community unique!

Let's celebrate the businesses that call The City of Darien and DuPage County home! Click here to find local businesses.

Citizen of the Year Nominations are Open

The Citizen of the Year Committee is searching for a very special person who has given of themselves to make Darien a "Nice Place to Live"! If you know of a person who goes "above and beyond the call of duty" ... is always there when someone needs a hand ... and who has contributed to make Darien a special place, please nominate them for this honor!

Nominees must be residents of Darien and not currently serving as an elected official. The deadline for nominations to be considered for the current year is Monday, January 6, 2025. Learn more and make your nominations here.

Darien Park District - Holiday Events

The Darien Park District has fun holiday celebrations and more planned through the remainder of the year. Find all the info on upcoming events here and enjoy all the holidays have to offer with your friends and family!

Open Enrollment for Medicare

Choose your 2025 Medicare Plan by December 7 when the open enrollment plan ends. Don't wait until the last minute, find all the options at medicare.gov.

Find additional information and assistance at the DuPage County Health Department website or by calling (630) 682-7400. Or, get help comparing plans from the Senior Health Insurance Program counselors through DuPage County Community Services. Call (630) 407-6500 between 8:30am and 4:30pm on weekdays to schedule an appointment.

Recycle Holiday Lights

Pulling out the Christmas decorations? Don't throw out those old lights! Christmas light recycling through Elgin Recycling will be available outside the Darien Police Department through mid-February.

Pace Needs Your Feedback

ReVision is a transformative initiative aimed at reimagining suburban transit service to better meet the evolving needs of the region. As part of this project, Pace announced an online survey and a series of open houses, starting November 20, 2024, to engage the public and gather valuable feedback on future transit services. 

The ReVision project seeks to reimagine Pace’s transit network, informed by shifts in travel patterns and rider feedback. The concepts highlight potential changes meant to expand access, improve frequency, and create a system better aligned with the needs of today’s suburban riders. 

Pace’s ReVision online survey and open houses offer residents, riders, and stakeholders the chance to provide input on how transit can best serve their needs. Survey participants and open house attendees will have the opportunity to review network concepts, consider service priorities, and learn about specific routes and services. More information about the service concepts, survey, and open houses can be found at www.pacebus.com/revision. Community and passenger feedback will be essential in refining the final service concepts. Take the survey here.

DYC Volleyball Registration is OPEN for 2024/25 (view flyer): link

DYC Soccer Registration is OPEN for 2024/25: link

Darien Woman’s Club Fall Member Registration is now OPEN: link