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Our seniors need your support.
Earlier this week, I spent some time with members of the DuPage Senior Citizens Council at their Lombard office. (That's me with some of their great people – and Shane, Executive Director Marylin Krolak's wonderful dog.)
The Council provides important senior meal programs – both Meals on Wheels and special dining programs at some of our local restaurants. In our district alone, they serve more than 300 of our senior neighbors.
In addition, the Council offers a wide range of important services designed to help our seniors stay connected to our communities. That's where you come in.
The Council is a volunteer-driven organization, so they rely on people in our communities to keep the program going. Depending on your schedule, you could help deliver meals, participate in yard clean-up days, or just make a few phone calls each week to check in on some of our older neighbors.
If you're interested in learning more about volunteering, whether individually or as part of a a group, please click here.
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Summer kicks off for kids in Glen Ellyn SATURDAY! (At least, that's what we hear from B.R. Ryall YMCA )
If you know some kids who are counting down the days until summer starts, you can head over to B.R. Ryall YMCA for Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 26.
From 10 to 11:30 a.m, you can get a sneak peek at their upcoming camps and activities. You also can take part in a family Zumba class, play ping pong, swim, do yoga, or tour their newly renovated facility, at 49 Deicke Drive in Glen Ellyn.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, you can click here.
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Looking for plants that are hardy and beautiful? Check out Wheaton's Native Plant Sale SATURDAY
Native plants help to bring your garden to life, providing food sources for birds, butterflies and other pollinators while making landscape maintenance a bit easier for home gardeners.
You can find beautiful, affordable native plants for your garden this Saturday, April 26, from 8:30 to 11 a.m., when Wheaton’s Environmental Improvement Commission and the Wheaton Park District host their annual Native Plant Sale at the Wheaton Public Works Storage Yard, 820 W. Liberty Drive.
These native flowers, bushes, grasses and shrubs are adapted to Illinois weather, so they don't need as much watering or special fertilizers. They also are grown nearby, so they have a smaller carbon footprint than exotic plants shipped here from faraway nurseries.
You can start putting together your own native plant wishlist by clicking here.
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In May, I set my clocks to Lilac Time. Take a look at this year's great events!
It's almost that time of the year in Lombard, when the lilacs bloom and the whole village celebrates our exceptional collection of these beautiful plants.
From the evening of Friday, May 2, when the Lombard Park District hosts the Little Lady Lilac Ball, through May 18, when the festival culminates in the annual Lilac Parade, Lombard will be awash in blooms (and fun!)
We've added a few choice events to our upcoming events section below, but you can find a full schedule of Lilac Time events here.
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Are you a scientist at heart? Head over to STEMCON at COD on SATURDAY
Whether you're a scientist, a scientist wannabe, or just a garden variety "geek," you'll have an unforgettable day at STEMCON this Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd. in Glen Ellyn.
You can test your steady hand with a life-size version of the classic Operation game, sit down as an AI robot sketches your caricature in seconds, make LED bracelets while you learn about circuits and electronics, and drive robot-controlled cars in a simulated lunar environment.
Kate the Chemist (Kate Biberdorf, a chemist, science entertainer, and professor at Notre Dame) will bring the heat – and the ice! – to STEMCON with some jaw-dropping (but safe) chemistry experiments.
STEMCON is a free public outreach event by COD, designed to educate and inspire K-12 students who are interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers. To learn more, you can click here.
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Kids – and kids at heart – can Touch-A-Truck in Downtown Wheaton SATURDAY
You can touch (and climb and honk) a firetruck, police car, or big construction vehicle on Saturday, April 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m at the Downtown Wheaton Association's Touch-A-Truck event.
Wheaton Fire Department trucks, Public Works Department vehicles, and other cool rides will be on display, so kids can climb in and enjoy them from behind the wheel. For more information, you can click here.
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Delve into Illinois' Potawatomi heritage and culture in Glen Ellyn SATURDAY
For more than 10,000 years, the Potawatomi people lived in this area, forging a lasting culture. You can learn about the Potawatomi people and their lives on Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m. at the Glen Ellyn History Center, 800 N. Main St.
The program, "Potawatomi: We are Still Here", will be presented by the McKee House Native American Cultural & Environmental Center.
Author and photographer, Sharon Hoogstraen, a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation,will join traditional gardener Edward J. Mitchell, of the Prairie Band Potawatomi, to share their stories.
This presentation is brought to you through the collaborative efforts of the Midwest SOARRING Foundation, the McKee Preservation Group, the Glen Ellyn Historical Society, and the (NAS) Native American Studies Committee of the College of DuPage. To learn more, you can click here.
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Spring cleaning? Clear out your outdated stuff at Glen Ellyn's Recycling Extravaganza SATURDAY
Do you have a few boxes of old stuff shoved into a corner of your basement, garage, or storage area? You can clean them out with a clear conscience this Saturday, April 26, when the Village of Glen Ellyn hosts its Recycling Extravaganza, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd.
This annual event is intended to help keep outdated goods out of our landfills, and the list of items that will be accepted by local recycling groups is incredible. (It even includes faded American flags, to be respectfully disposed of by local Boy Scouts.)
The Village will also be collecting non-perishable food items to donate to the Glen House Food Pantry.
Please note that there will be no document shredding, and they will not accept electrical ballasts, hazardous waste, fire extinguishers, chemicals, or prescription drugs. For more information and a (very long) list of accepted items, you can click here.
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Hey, Tortured Poets! Come learn more about Taylor Swift's lyrics in Lombard SUNDAY
Taylor Swift's songs cover the emotional spectrum, from love and friendship to heartbreak and grief, but did you know many also contain lots of references to great poets and other famous writers?
(Fun fact: “So High School” name-checks the Greek philosopher Aristotle, while nods to F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, show up in three separate Taylor Swift songs.)
If you're a Swiftie, you can learn more about Taylor's literary inspirations on Sunday, April 27, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Helen Plum Library, 411 S. Main St. in Lombard.
Librarian Jez Layman, the Adult & Teen Programming Coordinator at Elmhurst Public Library, will explore Taylor's bookshelves through her songs. (Other Swift-favored poets include Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath, and Emily Dickinson.)
Please note that registration is required. To register, you can click here.
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You still have a couple days to get out and enjoy Lisle Restaurant Week
The Village of Lisle is offering Restaurant Week from now through Saturday, April 26, giving food lovers an opportunity to check out some of our local, independently owned restaurants.
Restaurant Week includes special prices on multi-course meals, as well as drink specials and other promotions. For more information, including participating restaurants and offers, you can click here.
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Learn more and ask questions about the East Branch DuPage River Trail in Lombard TUESDAY
The DuPage Division of Transportation would like to hear your thoughts on their plans for the East Branch DuPage River Trail, which would extend the bike and pedestrian trail from the Illinois Prairie Path to Butterfield Road (IL 56).
They will host a public information meeting on the project on Tuesday, April 29, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Butterfield Park District, 21W730 Butterfield Road in Lombard.
This open-house style meeting is your chance to learn more about the project, explore potential trail routes, share your feedback, and ask questions! For more information, you can visit here.
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Help young parents and their babies by stocking Teen Parent Connection's Pantry
It's astounding how expensive it can be to care for an infant. To help young parents provide for their little ones, my office is collecting essential items for the Teen Parent Connection Parents' Pantry.
From now through April 30, we're collecting diapers, baby wipes, adult body wash, sunscreen and toothbrushes for kids, and toothpaste. (They especially need size 4 diapers!)
Teen Parent Connection is a nonprofit serving families throughout DuPage County. They offer programs that serve the community through education, empowerment, and support for young parents – including school-based pregnancy prevention education programs, pregnancy and parenting support groups, and the Parents' Pantry.
To learn more about Teen Parent Connection, you can click here. To schedule a drop-off time or porch pick-up, please contact us at reptch42@gmail.com or 630-812-9292. You can also donate through our Amazon Wishlist here.
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There's still time to order hanging baskets and Vidalia Onions from Glen Ellyn Kiwanis Club
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.
You can order hanging baskets by clicking here. You also can order a bag (or more!) of Vidalia onions by clicking here. The sale lasts until April 29.
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Upcoming Events
We have lots of events coming up, so please take a look and mark your calendars today!
Apr. 29: Sierra Club's River Prairie Group's Environment Program, at 7 p.m. at the Glen Ellyn Historical Society, 800 N. Main St.
May 1-17: Guided Tours of Lilacia Park, 150 S. Park Ave. in Lombard
May 2: Little Lady Lilac Ball, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Lombard Community Building, 433 E. St. Charles Road in Lombard
May 4: Lilac Time Arts & Crafts Fair, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Downtown Lombard
May 5: Weather and Storm Chasing 101, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Helen Plum Library, 411 S. Main St. in Lombard
May 7: B.R. Ryall YMCA Annual Meeting and Champions Dinner, at 5:30 p.m. at Abbington Distinctive Banquets, S002 Route 53, at Route 53 and Butterfield Road in Glen Ellyn
May 7: Discover DuPage on a Budget, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Helen Plum Library, 411 S. Main St. in Lombard
May 8: Lombard's Annual Lilac Sale, at noon at Lilacia Park, 150 S. Park Ave. in Lombard
May 16-18: Battle of the Paddles Pickleball Tournament, at 8 a.m. at McCollum Park, 6801 Main St. in Downers Grove
May 17: Mutt Strut 5K & 1 Mile/Pancake Breakfast, at 8 a.m. at Lilacia Park, 150 S. Park Ave. in Lombard
May 17: Wine Tasting in Lilacia Park, from 7 to 9 p.m. at 150 S. Park Ave. in Lombard
May 18: Lombard Lilac Parade, at 1:30 p.m. at 1014 S. Main St.
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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