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I think the diversity and vibrancy of our communities might come as a surprise to some people outside DuPage County.
I wish some of those people could have joined us at the Naper Pride Fest last Saturday. For the third year in a row, the Naper Pride Organization hosted a family-centered, Naperville-focused celebration of LGBTQ residents, with the goal of bringing together people from all walks of life in a celebration of inclusivity. (That's Anne Dempsey, Naper Pride's director of health and wellness, on my right, along with two of the many volunteers who made the day such a success.)
At the Fest, I was deeply impressed by the work that's being done by so many committed people in our communities. I had a good talk with Corvin Ezri, founder of the Prideful Path Project, which focuses on LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent education, trainings, and workshops. I also met people from Youth Outlook, which connects LGBTQ+ youth with health care options and resources for both physical and mental health.
I also spoke with members of the Wheaton Ally Collective, which is made up of affirmative churches, youth outreach groups, and PFLAG, the nation's largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. You can contact the Collective at WheatonAllyCollective@gmail.com for their list of supportive local businesses.
I hope you'll take a few minutes and learn more about these organizations that do so much to make our communities welcoming to all.
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We're so excited about the new and improved Briar Patch Park in Wheaton!
Our district includes some of the most enjoyable parks and natural areas in the entire state. Last weekend, I was honored to join the Wheaton Park District in a celebration of the renovations at Briar Patch Park, which now provides even more recreation opportunities for our communities.
I’m very pleased that I was able to secure more than $500,000 in grant funding from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for this project. As you'll see when you visit, those funds were put to good use. The upgrades include replacement of baseball backstops, remodeling of the picnic shelter, concessions and restroom, repaving the tennis court, new outdoor fitness equipment, improved landscaping, and three new pickleball courts!
Parks like these help to bring our community together and make Wheaton an even more welcoming and livable community. As we enjoy these last days of summer weather, I hope you'll take some time to visit this park, at 1700 Briarcliffe Blvd. I also encourage you to go to my website and download my District 42 Summer Parks Passport, for more suggestions of beautiful nearby green spaces to explore,
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Big thanks to IDFPR for making our on-the-spot professional licensing event a great success!
I'm very proud of the way my district office staff handles constituent requests when people need help navigating the State of Illinois' bureaucratic hurdles.
But sometimes, you need to go straight to the source. So it was great to welcome representatives from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to Helen Plum Library in Lombard on Tuesday for an on-the-spot assistance event.
IDFPR staff were on hand to help with new applications and renewals and to untangle delays with existing applications. We were delighted that almost 50 people showed up to ask for help, and IDFPR was able to close half the cases while they waited!
Nancy Richman, from the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association, stopped by to check out the event and share some of her own experiences with licensing. (That's Nancy in the photo.) Thanks to IDFPR, and to everyone who joined us.
And if you need assistance with a license application or renewal, please reach out to my office at 630-812-9292 or Reptch42@gmail.com.
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Parents can get a few hours off with Kids Night Out in Lisle TOMORROW
Thanks to the Lisle Park District, parents can have some kid-free time while their kids enjoy a safe "night out" tomorrow (Friday) from 5 to 8 p.m. at Gentle Learning Preschool, 1925 Ohio St. in Lisle.
Kids will spend the evening doing craft projects and playing outside on the Lisle Park District's enclosed playground (weather permitting).
Kids Night Out is open to children aged 3-9, and advance registration is required. There will be a Kids Night Out every month through the end of the year, and spots are limited. So sign up as soon as you can! For more information and registration, you can click here.
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Wheaton, are you ready to rock? The Mix on Main Street Music Festival launches SATURDAY
Chris and Nikki from 101.9 The Morning Mix will kick off the Downtown Wheaton Association's first-ever Mix on Main Street Music Festival at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21.
The party, which will carry on through Sunday, is free and will feature pop-up shops, food and drinks, and live music – including a special performance by Wheaton native, Maddi Jane, a finalist on NBC’s The Voice.
For more information about the weekend-long festival, including an incredibly long list of live performers, visit the Downtown Wheaton Association website.
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There's something fishy happening at York Center Park District's Knolls Park SATURDAY
So you think you can fish? Then the York Center Park District's Fishing Derby is for you!
The event opens at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Knolls Park, 1502 S. Meyers Road in Lombard.
Fishing begins at 8 a.m., and all participants will have two hours to catch as many fish as they can. Prizes will be awarded in multiple categories. Advance registration is required.
This event is held rain or shine; call (630) 629-0886 if weather is severe. To learn more, you can click here.
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Head to Lake Ellyn for the kids-only Autumn Gone Fishin' Derby SATURDAY
Children aged 3 to 12 are invited to take part in the Glen Ellyn Park District's Autumn Gone Fishin' Derby on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Lake Ellyn, 645 Lenox Road.
Participants will have one hour to catch as many fish as they can, with prizes for the largest, smallest, and most fish caught, as well as for the overall "Best-Dressed Angler."
All children must be accompanied by an adult; registration is required for children only. The fee, $12 for residents and $18 for nonresidents, includes bait, snacks, and activities. Participants must bring their own fishing poles. For more information, you can click here.
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Cycle through local historic sites with the Wheaton History Bike Tour SATURDAY
Everyone's invited to join the Wheaton Bicyclist & Pedestrian Commission for their History Bike Tour on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 2 to 4 p.m.
The leisurely 8-mile tour will begin at the Wheaton Library West Plaza, 225 N. Cross St.
Bob Goldsborough, a longtime Wheaton resident, amateur historian, and writer for the Chicago Tribune, will guide the tour to eight local parks and provide historical commentary at each site. To learn more, you can click here.
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Blood and Food Drive in Glen Ellyn TUESDAY
Your donations make a difference! So if you can, please make time on Tuesday, Sept. 24, to participate in our Blood and Food Drive with the Kiwanis Club of Central DuPage and the Glen Ellyn Park District.
We'll be collecting donations of blood and food from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center, 800 St. Charles Road.
Food items will be donated to the Glen House Food Pantry. Appointments are recommended for blood donations, but walk-ups are welcome.
If you can, please pick up a few extra grocery items this week to donate as well. Your donation can make a real difference in the life of a family struggling to keep food on the table. For more information, you can click here.
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We're collecting for the DuKane A.B.A.T.E. Annual Food and Toy Run
From now through Wednesday, Oct. 9, our office is collecting new, unopened toys and non-perishable food items for DuKane A.B.A.T.E.'s 38th Annual Toy and Food Run.
The run will be held on Sunday, Oct. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting at Knuckleheads Tavern, 108 E North St. in Elburn, and ending at Sycamore Speedway, 50W086 IL-64 in Maple Park.
A.B.A.T.E. (A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education) is dedicated to promoting and preserving the rights of motorcyclists, off-roaders, and ATV riders through education, safety, and awareness.
Please contact our office at Reptch42@gmail.com or 630-812-9292 to schedule a drop-off or porch pick-up. You can also donate through the Amazon Wishlist here.
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Shred your confidential documents, donate paper goods to Outreach House on Sept. 28
If you have a filing cabinet overflowing with outdated personal records, we can help!
My office is joining forces with State Sen. Laura Ellman to host a Shred Event and Paper Products Drive on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. to noon at Lombard Village Hall, 255 E. Wilson Ave.
We're asking "shredders" to bring along donations of some essential household paper products, such as toilet paper and paper towels (new and in the original wrapping, of course.) Donations will benefit the Outreach House in Lombard.
For more information, you can contact my office at reptch42@gmail.com or 630-812-9292.
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Donate to our Birthday Bag Food Drive to help make a family's special day happier
Food does so much more than nourish our bodies. Special foods are at the center of so many of our celebrations – and to me, there's nothing more special than a birthday cake to help celebrate another year with someone we love.
To help make sure that people who are food-insecure can celebrate with their families, my office is hosting a Birthday Bag Food Drive throughout the month of September to benefit the Glen House Food Pantry.
The Pantry has welcomed more than 300 new families in 2024, and they're on pace to present almost 2,000 birthday bags this year to our neighbors in need. But they can't do it without our help. So I'm hoping that you'll be able to donate to this special drive. Birthday Bag donations can include:
- Gift bags
- Boxed cake mixes
- Canned frosting
- PRE-PACKAGED 6-inch party plates
- PRE-PACKAGED 6-inch party napkins
- Boxed birthday candles
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Birthday cards (Create your own or use the template on the Glen House website.)
To arrange a time to drop off donations, please email reptch42@gmail.com or call 630-812-9292. And check out the Pantry’s website for all the Hunger Action Month activities happening in September. You can also donate through our Amazon Wishlist here.
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Upcoming Events
We have lots of events coming up, so please take a look and mark your calendars today!
Sept. 27: Tween Golf, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Holes & Knolls, 845 Pershing Ave. in Glen Ellyn
Sept. 27-29: Pop-up Book Sale, at the Helen Plum Library, 411 South Main St. in Lombard
Sept. 27: Lisle Library District Fall Fest, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 777 Front St.
Sept. 28: HOPtober Fest, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Memorial Park, 225 Karlskoga Ave. in Wheaton
Sept. 28: Lombard Fire Department's Pink T-Shirt Fundraiser, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Babcock’s Grove House, 101 W. Saint Charles Road
Oct. 4-5: Tales & Tombstones, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lombard Cemetery, 462 S. Main St.
Oct. 5: The Scarecrow Scramble, at 5 p.m. at Lisle Community Park, 1825 Short St.
Oct. 5: Lombard Park District's Fall Fest, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Lombard Common, 433 E. St. Charles Road
Oct. 12: Painting Pumpkins, from 10 a.m. to noon at The Museums at Lisle Station Park
921 School St.
Oct. 16: Glenbard Options Fair, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Glenbard North High School, 990 Kuhn Road in Carol Stream
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,
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Terra Costa Howard
State Representative
42nd District
913 S. Main St.
Lombard, IL 60148
(630) 812-9292
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