Dear Terra,

I can't let Women's History Month go by without taking a moment to honor Ellen Martin.

Every year, I am newly inspired by the brave woman lawyer who led a group of women to vote in Lombard in 1891 – nearly three decades before the 19th Amendment recognized American women's right to vote.

Martin was a smart, savvy attorney who had graduated from the University of Michigan law school in 1875 and was admitted to the Illinois bar the next year.

As a woman working as a lawyer in the 19th century, Martin had spent much of her career advocating for women’s rights. She noticed that the Lombard village charter had accidentally included gender-neutral language. It read, “All citizens of said state of Illinois, above the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been actual residents of said town of Lombard ninety days next preceding any election held under the provisions of this act, shall be entitled to vote at any such election."



When Martin read the charter language, she saw her chance. She rounded up more than a dozen of her women friends, and they marched together to the village polling place. Together, she and her friends made history – even though the village leaders quickly rewrote the village charter after they realized their mistake.

This year, I've been thinking about the 14 women who joined Ellen Martin at the polling place. It must have taken so much fortitude to stand firm beside Martin as she argued with the election judges, showing them the charter language and demanding their ballots. So let's honor them today as well.

As reported by the Chicago Tribune in 1891, the other women who voted were Miss Margaret Towne, Mrs. N. Cushing, Mrs. S. R. Thurston, Mrs. C. B. Vance, Mrs. H. S. Rand, Mrs. J. H. Patterson, Miss Maria Reade, Mrs. Isaac Claflin, Mrs. Cynthia Williams, Mrs. H. B. Rand, Mrs. W. R. Plum, Mrs. B. R. Reynolds, Mrs. C. L. Towne, and Mrs. H. W. Plum. (You may know Mrs. W.R. Plum better as Helen Plum, the namesake of Lombard's public library – and the person who first brought lilacs to the village!)

Their story reminds us that courage is contagious, and that when we stand up for what we believe in, our courage can change the world.

To commemorate Ellen Martin and the bold, patriotic women who went to vote in 1891, the Lombard Historical Society will present a documentary film, “All Citizens", by local filmmaker Tim Frakes, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at the Carriage House, 23 W Maple St. The program is free, but registration is required as space is limited. You can click here to register.

Explore Nature at Night (and make s'mores!) in Downers Grove SATURDAY

You're invited to explore the nighttime forest with the Downers Grove Park District's Nature at Night Hikes, on Saturday, March 16 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the William F Sherman Jr. Interpretive Center in Lyman Woods, 901 31st St.

This hike's theme will be "Dashing Deer", and will include s'mores around the campfire. All ages are invited; children must be accompanied by a registered adult. The fee is $14 per person. You can click here to register.

Lombard is looking for help to keep our parks beautiful this summer

Interested in a summer job full of sunshine in Lombard's beautiful parks? Join the Lombard Park District team as one of their seasonal parks maintenance workers.

The Park District offers a friendly work environment, flexible work schedules, and an opportunity to make friends and learn new and different skills while bettering our community. If you are interested, you can apply here today.

Free Public Stargazing in Naperville on SATURDAY

You're invited to view the wonders of the heavens through the Naperville Astronomical Association's observatory telescopes and through members' personal scopes, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 16 at the Association's Astronomy Education Center, 3712 Plainfield-Naperville Road in Naperville.

These events, which are free to the public, are only held on clear nights. The go-or-cancel notice should be displayed on the calendar and on the NAA homepage by 2 p.m. the day of the event. You can click here for more information.

Recycle your outdated electronics (and much, MUCH more) in Lisle SATURDAY

It's spring cleaning time again. If you have a pile of outdated electronics, broken crayons, and other household goods that you don't want or need, don't just throw them in the garbage!

You can spare our landfills and give a second life to some of those items by bringing them to the annual Sustainable Saturday event, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Mar. 16 at Benedictine University's Rice Center parking lot, 5700 College Road in Lisle. This event is co-sponsored by the Village of Lisle, Benedictine University, DuPage County, SCARCE, Lisle Township, and LRS Waste Management Services.

Be prepared for delays, as they're expecting a lot of participants. If they reach capacity before noon, the event may close early. For more information and the long, long list of accepted items, you can click here.

Celebrate the equinox and honor native American culture in Glen Ellyn SUNDAY

You're invited to celebrate the spring equinox with the Midwest SOARRING Foundation at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Mar. 17, at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve, St. Charles and Swift roads in Glen Ellyn.

Midwest SOARRING (Save Our Ancestors Remains & Resources Indigenous Network Group) Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to educate the public about native American customs and communities.

The equinox ceremony will be held at the picnic pavilion near the river. The event will take place rain or shine, so make sure you dress for the weather when attending this family friendly event. You can click here for more information.

Jump into St. Patrick's Day with Leapin' Leprechauns in Downers Grove SUNDAY

This St. Patrick’s Day (Sunday, March 17), the Downers Grove Park District invites children to a magical adventure with the "Leapin' Leprechauns" from from 1 to 2 p.m. at Lyman Woods, 901 31st St.

The event is intended for children aged 5 to 12 and will include St. Patrick's Day-themed games, a hunt for four-leafed clovers, and a search for the legendary pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. To learn more and register, you can click here.

Who was the first female Nobel winner? Find out TUESDAY at the Lisle Library District

Do you know the name of the first woman to win a Grammy award? Or the first woman to to take the lead in the Indianapolis 500?

The Lisle Library District will answer these questions (and many more) when they celebrate Women's History Month with a women’s history trivia quiz from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 19 at the library, at 777 Front St.

You can put together a team or compete solo. There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. You can click here to register.

Learn how to support a child's 'emotional regulation' at District 41's mental health webinar TUESDAY

It can be hard for children to maintain healthy control over their emotions, especially during stressful times. To help parents and others learn how to support children when their emotions are running high, District 41 is offering a webinar, "Emotional Regulation – Recognizing What's Wrong," at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 19.

The webinar, which will be presented in English and Spanish, is the latest in the district's 12-part Mental Health series. These webinars are designed to give parents and others more information on a variety of issues related to children's mental health.

Tuesday's webinar will provide three strategies that can help a child deal with out-of-control emotions through specific communication techniques. You can click here to register.

Give blood in Lisle THURSDAY and save a life

The Lisle-Woodridge Fire District and the Lisle VFW Post 5696 will host a blood drive from 2:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 21, in the training room of the Fire District, 1005 School St. in Lisle.

Please note that photo ID is required. Also, please make sure to eat a healthy breakfast and drink plenty of water before donating.

Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. You can click here to make an appointment.

Take a look at these state grant opportunities

If you or your organization are working to help make our communities healthier and safer, you may qualify for one of these grants available through the State of Illinois:

• Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Training Series for Professionals: Year one of this project will include developing educational programming for two target audiences, planning and implementing targeted marketing throughout Illinois, and launching ADRD education.
• Housing First Permanent Supportive Housing: Intended to prioritize systems rebalancing, the development and expansion of Permanent Support Housing (PSH) for individuals who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness and/or have been institutionalized
• CRRS (Certified Recovery Support Specialist) Success Program: The program will provide high-quality recovery support training, supervised practical experience, and wrap-around supports for individuals with lived expertise of mental health, substance use, or co-occurring mental health and substance use recovery.
• Restore, Reinvest, and Renew: The program will aim to reduce gun violence through intervention and prevention, to improve re-entry and diversion services for people involved with the criminal justice system, and to support programs that improve the social determinants of health.
• Energy Efficiency Assessment Program: The objective is to support public housing authorities, units of local government (municipalities, counties, or townships), or nonprofit organizations reduce the total energy cost and consumption of single family and duplex residences in Illinois.
• Computer Science Equity Grant Program: A competitive grant program to support the development or enhancement of computer science programs in the K-12 schools.
• Community Solar Energy Sovereignty Grant Program: Grants are intended to overcome barriers to community ownership of solar energy projects by providing upfront access to capital to support the development of projects, businesses, community organizations, and jobs creating opportunity for historically disadvantaged populations.
• Job Training Economic Development Program: The purpose of the program is to meet the skill needs of the target industries by establishing and expanding partnerships between employers and Eligible Entities to develop training programs and provide access to Barrier Reduction Funding for individuals in the Target Population.

If you have a question about state grants, please contact my office at 630-812-9292 or email us at reptch42@gmail.com.

Donate to 'Rock Your Socks' in March to honor World Down Syndrome Day

In honor of World Down Syndrome Day (March 21), my office is participating in the Rock Your Socks Drive, collecting new, unused socks throughout the month of March.

We're joining forces with the Village of Glen Ellyn, Glen Ellyn Park District, Glen Ellyn Public Library, School District 41, Chitkowski Law Offices, and Faith Lutheran Church to collect socks, which will be given to the People's Resource Center. Last year, the Rock Your Socks drive collected an amazing 2,100 pairs of new socks. We're hoping to surpass that number this year!

I know I'll be rocking my wacky socks once again to show my support for people with Down Syndrome on March 21, and I hope you will, too! To learn more about the symbolism of wearing wacky socks on this day, take a look at the 3-21 Foundation website here.

If you would like to schedule a time to drop off donations, please email reptch42@gmail.com or call us at 630-812-9292.

Secure your spot in Innovation DuPage's Big Idea Pitch Contest by March 22

Are you an aspiring student entrepreneur? Don't miss this opportunity to participate in the Big Idea Pitch Contest, organized by Innovation DuPage.

You'll have a chance to present your innovative business concepts and compete for cash prizes, with $5,000 going to the first-place winner.

All participants will receive constructive feedback from an eminent panel of judges, as well as valuable exposure within the local business community.

Innovation DuPage is devoted to cultivating the next generation of business leaders. You can apply now by submitting your application here by Friday, Mar. 22 .

If it's March, it must be time for Glen Ellyn's Kiwanis Hanging Basket/Vidalia Onion Sale

The Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn is hosting its annual sale of hanging flower baskets and Vidalia onions, to raise money for children in our community.

To order a hanging flower basket, you can click here. You also can order a bag (or more!) of Vidalia onions, now through April 29, by clicking here.

Additional information and forms for ordering can be found here.

Upcoming Events

We have lots of events coming up, so please take a look and mark your calendars today!

Mar. 23: Lombard Park District's Egg Hunt, from 10:40 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Lombard Common, 433 E. St. Charles Road, field east of Paradise Bay Water Park

Mar. 23: Bunny Brunch in Lombard, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Lombard Community Building, 433 E. St. Charles Road

Mar. 23: Safe, free viewing of the Sun, with the Naperville Astronomical Association, from 9 a.m. to noon at Naperville Riverwalk, by Dandelion Fountain, in Naperville.

Mar. 26: Glen Ellyn Park District's Grandparents and Me Day Bingo, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Main Street Recreation Center, 501 Hill Ave.

Mar. 28: Flashlight Egg Hunt from 7:45 to 8:15 p.m. (ages 6-8) and 8:45 to 9:15 p.m. (ages 9-11) at Churchill Park, 271 St. Charles Road in Glen Ellyn

Mar. 29: Glen Ellyn Park District's Eggs-traordinary Egg Hunt, from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. or 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. at Maryknoll Park, 845 Pershing Ave.

Mar. 30: Public Stargazing from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Naperville Astronomical Association Astronomy Education Center, 3712 Plainfield-Naperville Road

Mar. 30: Glen Ellyn Park District's Hopper Cottontail and Friends Hoppy Party, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center, 800 St. Charles Road

Apr. 4: An Evening With National Speaker and Author Richard Montañez, the Creative Force Behind Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, at 7 p.m. in the Belushi Performance Hall at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd. in Glen Ellyn

Apr. 16-19: Restaurant Week in Lisle, showcasing restaurants throughout the village

May 20: B.R. Ryall YMCA's Annual Meeting and Champions Dinner at 5:30 p.m. at Abbington Distinctive Banquets, 3S002 Route 53 in Glen Ellyn

If you have any questions about pending legislation or other issues related to your state government, please don't hesitate to contact my office at 630-812-9292 or RepTCH42@gmail.com.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong,

Terra Costa Howard

State Representative 

42nd District

913 S. Main St.

Lombard, IL 60148

(630) 812-9292