William F. Bike, retired Gazette Chicago circulation driver, recently made the Honor Flight Chicago flight to Washington, DC.
By William S. Bike
ALTITUDE FUN FEST
Altitude Trampoline Park, 404 N. Armour St. will host the Altitude Fun Fest, a free family event, on Saturday, Sept. 7, between 3 and 6 p.m. Enjoy train rides, games, music, and food. Call (312) 291-9057 or log on to https://altitudechicago.com.
SUICIDE PREVENTION
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s National Suicide Prevention Week runs Sunday through Saturday, Sept. 8 through 14. Call (800) 273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
PARTY FOR THE PARK
Mary Bartelme Park will host the ninth annual Party for the Park on Sangamon Street between Monroe and Adams Streets on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 4 to 9 p.m. Run by the Mary Bartelme Park Advisory Council, the event will feature food, drinks, local vendors, live music, activities, and interactive arts. Proceeds support park events and improvements. Log on to www.westlooppark.com or email [email protected].
5K RUN/WALK
The Beyond a Mammogram Hyde Park 5K run/walk will be held Saturday, Sept. 21, at 9 a.m. at Harold Washington Playlot Park, 53rd Street and Hyde Park Boulevard. For more information, log on to www.hydepark5k.org.
HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Chicago Children’s Theatre will present the Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, a puppet-filled spectacular, from Tuesday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Oct. 28. Call (312) 374-8835 or log on to chicagochildrenstheatre.org.
NEW BOOK
Jim Edwards has written Chicago’s Lollapalooza Days 1893-1934, referring not to the modern music festival but to the wild and quirky characters who populated the city during that time. The book is Edwards’s fourth. For more information, log on to www.arcadiapublishing.com or call (843) 853-0044.
SYNAGOGUE SERVICES
Chicago Loop Synagogue, 16 S. Clark St., will hold Rosh Hashana services Monday through Tuesday, Sept. 29 through Oct. 1, and Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur services Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 8 and 9. Call (312) 346-7370.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS
The Chicago Public Schools will spend $820 million next year repairing 300 schools and building more pre-K classrooms, including at local schools: Greene, Holden, Irving, and National Teachers Academy. Call (773) 553-1000.
DE LA SALLE NEWS
De La Salle Institute will have open houses Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m., and Sat., Nov. 23, at 9 a.m. It will hold an entrance exam Saturday, Dec. 7, at 8 a.m. The school is at 3434 S. Michigan Ave. Call (312) 842-7355 or log on to www.dls.org.
FREE ADMISSION
The Field Museum is offering free admission for Illinois residents on Wednesdays from now through Nov. 13. The museum is located at 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr. Call (312) 922-9410.
FARMER’S MARKETS
The following Farmer’s Markets will be held in the community:
Bridgeport City Market, 1000 W. 35th St., Mondays, Sept. 9 and 16, 4 to 8 p.m.
Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St., Thursdays through Oct. 24.
Federal Plaza City Market, 50 W. Adams St., Tuesdays through Oct. 29.
Maxwell Street market, 800 S. Desplaines St., Sundays throughout the year.
Printers Row City Market, 700 S. Dearborn St., Saturdays through Oct. 26, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
South Loop Farmer’s Market, 1936 S. Michigan Ave., Thursday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m. through Sept. 26.
HONORING VETERANS
Honor Flight Chicago, a not-for-profit organization, flies veterans of the U.S. armed services to Washington, DC, at no charge for a day of recognition and sightseeing. For information on signing up a veteran for a flight, or to make a donation, log on to www.honorflightchicago.org.
Photo by Zac Bertucci
St. Therese Church held its 99th anniversary Feast of San Rocco di Simbario on Aug. 18, featuring a procession through the streets, a Mass, and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
CASINO NIGHT
The Illinois Medical District Guest House will host a casino night fundraiser Friday, Oct. 18, 6 to 9 p.m., at the Dalcy, 302 N. Green St. Nicole Cook, Mrs. America 2019,
will be the master of ceremonies. The guest house is located at 1933 W. Polk St. Call (312) 996-1167.
LOW-COST INTERNET
Internet Essentials makes it possible for people receiving public assistance to qualify for low-cost internet service. Log on to internetessentials.com.
MARKET NEWS
Maxwell Street Market, Des-plaines and Taylor Streets, is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sundays, year round. It offers many types of merchandise including tools, clothing, furniture, collectables, and food. Parking is free on Desplaines from Harrison to Polk Streets and from Taylor Street to Roosevelt Road.
GALA AND AWARDS
The Italian American Chamber of Commerce Midwest will hold a gala and awards dinner Friday, Oct. 11, at the Bridgeport Art Center’s Sculpture Garden Gallery, 1200 W. 35th St. The group will honor prominent business leaders Anthony Chimino of Assurance Agency, Richard D’Onofrio of Savewave Energy, and James Lencioni of Aria Group. Email [email protected] or call (312) 553-9137, ext. 105.
JAZZ SHOWCASE
Jazz Showcase in Dearborn Station, 806 S. Plymouth Ct., will present saxophonist Harry Allen and his quartet with vocalist Rebecca Kilgore on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6 and 7, at 8 and 10 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 8, at 4, 8, and 10 p.m. On Monday, Sept. 9, at 8 and 10 p.m., saxophonist Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few will perform. Call (312) 360-0234 or log on to jazzshowcase.com.
MCAULEY NEWS
Grade school girls are invited to visit Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School and attend an open house on Sunday, Sept. 29, or the Thursdays of Nov. 7 or Dec. 5. They also may attend Girls Night Out on Friday, Oct. 18. The school will give its high school entrance exam on Saturday, Dec. 7. It is located at 3737 W. 99th St. Call (773) 881-6500, or log on to www.mothermcauley.org.
DOG PARK
McKinley Park has broken ground on a 12,000-square-foot dog park within its boundaries near Western Avenue and Pershing Road. Project leaders expect the park to open in October. Aldermen Patrick D. Thompson (11th Ward) and George Cardenas (12th Ward) provided $400,000 in tax increment financing for the dog park. The McKinley Dog Park Advisory Council played a key role in making the dog park a reality by working for the park for more than five years.
ENERGY FUTURE
The Metropolitan Planning Council will host its annual luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 19, from 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave. Keynote speakers will be Raj Chetty of Harvard University and David Williams of Opportunity Insights, who will discuss economic mobility and raising families out of poverty. John W. Rowe, chairman emeritus of Exelon Corp., will receive the 2019 Champion Fighter Award.
Call (312) 922-5616.
WORSHIP SERVICES
Next Ministries will begin worship services on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 10:30 a.m. at National Teachers Academy at 55 W. Cermak Rd. Log on to nextministries.org.
MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE
Music of the Baroque will perform Mass in B Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St. Call (312) 5651-1414.
PHOTO CONTEST
The National Italian American Foundation is seeking submissions for its annual photo contest. Subject matter should be related to Italy or Italian Americans. Deadline is Monday, Oct. 7. Log on to www.niaf.org/photocontest.
LEARN TO KAYAK
Northerly Island Park, 1521 S. Linn White Dr., will offer Learn to Kayak for Beginners on Thursday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. Call (312) 742-7529.
HEALTH & WELLNESS EXPO
100 Black Men of Chicago Inc. will hold a Health & Wellness Expo on Saturday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Jackson Blvd. There will be a blood drive, health screenings, flu shots, and youth violence awareness sessions. Email [email protected].
The Lady of the Lake art exhibit in the Greektown Temple at Halsted and Monroe Streets features hand carved and concrete sculpted works by artist Carrie Fischer.
LYRIC OPERA
Lyric Opera of Chicago will present a hologram of Maria Callas in concert on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr. Rossini’s The Barber of Seville opens Saturday, Sept. 28. Log on to lyricopera.org or call (312) 827-5600.
FESTIVAL ON PRAIRIE
The Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance will host the Festival on Prairie Avenue on Saturday, Sept. 7, from noon to 6 p.m. at Prairie Avenue and 18th Street. Enjoy pony rides, a petting zoo, family fun, food, tours, music and dancing, and inflatables. Log on to http://www.pdnachicago.com/.
ART FEST
The Printers Row Art Fest will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, on Dearborn Street between Polk and Harrison Streets. Browse art jewelry, and photographs for sale and enjoy food, drink, and live music. The fest also will feature photos from the South Loop Neighbors Photo Contest. Entry is free. For more information, contact Amdur Productions at (847) 926-4300.
INTERNET COURSES
Public Narrative, 600 S. Michigan Ave., offers courses in various locations on topics including social media, communication plans, podcasting, search engine optimization, and analytics. Call (312) 369-6400.
RANDOLPH STREET MARKET
The Randolph Street Market Festival at 1341 W. Randolph St. hosts the Chicago Antique Market, Indie Designer Market, Holiday Market, and Modern Vintage Chicago. Browse the plentiful stalls, with more than 300 vendors selling collectibles, and enjoy food and live music. Dates are the Saturdays and Sundays of Sept. 28-29, Oct. 26-27, Nov. 23-24, and Dec.14-15. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free parking available. Call (312) 666-1200 or toll free at (877) 319-2643. Log on to www.randolphstreetmarket.com for more information.
BOX SHOPS BY RELATED
Related Midwest is once again offering Box Shops by Related, a pop-up container market offering lifestyle and design-centric products, along with an outdoor event, and recreational and lounge space at the east end of the West Loop’s Restaurant Row. Located at 725 W. Randolph St., Box Shops by Related is a collaboration with Chicago-based Latent Design. The container market’s custom-designed, temporary storefronts will offer local entrepreneurs a setting to showcase their goods and services. The market is open Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., through October. For more information, visit boxshopsbyrelated.com.
SAINT IGNATIUS NEWS
Saint Ignatius College Prep is celebrating its sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) from now through June 30, 2020, with several events.
The Class of 1969 will celebrate its reunion on Saturday, Sept. 14.
The Classes of 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, and 2015 will celebrate their reunions on Saturday, Oct. 12.
The school is located at 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd. Call (312) 421-7124 or log on to www.ignatius.org.
FOUNDATION PRESIDENT
Gazette Chicago reporter Susan S. Stevens is the new president of the Chicago Headline Club Foundation as well as the secretary and a past-president of the Headline Club itself. The Chicago Headline Club is the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The club plans a fundraiser-reception around the holidays to Toast the Truth, which will be open to all. Donations are accepted. Contact her at [email protected].
ST. MATTHEW NEWS
St. Matthew Lutheran Church offers food for the needy at its Comedor San Mateo Soup Kitchen.
The church needs donations to repair the church and dining room roofs as well as two sinks and to purchase dishes, disposable utensils, toilet paper, and towels.
The church campus is at 2108 W. 21st St. Call (773) 847-6458.
Photo by Chris Bevel
At the ribbon cutting signifying the end of the HVAC project at the UIC College of Dentistry were, from left: the Illinois Capital Development Board’s Mike Wilson, Andrea Bauer, and Blanca Arteaga; UIC’s Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Robert Barish and Chancellor Michael Amiridis; and UIC College of Dentistry Dean Clark Stanford and Executive Associate Dean Susan Rowan.
SEEKING TUTORS
Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago is seeking tutors to help students in grades two through eight Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. starting Sept. 11 and running through Dec. 18. To volunteer or for more information, call (312) 225-4951 or email [email protected]. The church is located at 1936 S. Michigan Ave.
SHRINE NEWS
The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii is hosting a Miraculous Rosary Novena through Monday, Oct. 7. The shrine is at 1224 W. Lexington St. Log on to www.ourladyofpompeii.org for more information.
SIGCHO-LOPEZ NEWS
Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez of the 25th Ward holds regular Ward Night meetings open to the community on Tuesdays at 1645 S. Blue Island Ave., 4 to 8 p.m. Call (773) 523-4100.
SLN NEWS
South Loop Neighbors will host the Dearborn Park Yard Sale, Saturday, Sept. 7, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dearborn Park, 9th Street and Plymouth Court. Email [email protected].
Submissions for the SLN Photo Contest are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, and must be dropped off in the management office at 899 S. Plymouth Ct.
The SLN Pub Crawl will be Saturday, Oct. 19, from 2 to 6 p.m.
If you are interested in being part of a Park Advisory Council for Printers Row Park, email [email protected].
MEMORY CAFÉ
South Loop Village hosts a free Memory Café on the second Thursday of each month, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 1936 S. Michigan Ave. The Memory Café offers a monthly social gathering for persons living with dementia and their care partners. Register at [email protected] or call (312) 225-4406.
GREEKTOWN ART
Greektown Chicago, the Greektown Arts Committee, and SSA #16 are hosting an exhibit of 20 sculptures along Halsted Street in Greektown, the Modernity of the Ancient Greek Discus, through November.
In addition, the Chicago Sculpture Exhibit has installed the Lady of the Lake art exhibit in the Greektown Temple at Halsted and Monroe Streets. It features hand carved and concrete sculpted works by artist Carrie Fischer.
Log on to greektownchicago.org.
TAYLOR-LAURIDSEN NEWS
Taylor-Lauridsen Park, 704 W. 42nd St., seeks new members for the pinochle club, which meets Thursdays at 10 a.m. New or experienced players welcome.
For more information, call the park at (312) 747-6729.
GALLERY EXPANDS
345 Art Gallery, located at 345 N. Kedzie Ave., received a $40,000 grant from the City of Chicago Neighborhood Opportunity Fund to expand into the vacant lot next to the gallery with a 1,000 square foot addition to host art, workshops, and events. Call (872) 444-5544.
TRAUMA HELPLINE
The toll-free TURN Trauma Counseling Helpline, (833) TURN123, operates from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. TURN stands for The Urban Resilience Network, and the helpline assists those experiencing trauma caused by exposure to violence. The organization also provides trained ambassadors to visit community events and schools to educate about trauma.
BLUE COLLAR
Paintings, sculptures, and installations by Cleveland Dean and Anthony Adock are on display from now through Sunday, Oct. 6, in the exhibition Blue Collar at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 2320 W. Chicago Ave. Call (773) 227-5522 or log on to www.uima-chicago.org.
UIC INFORMATION
The University of Illinois at Chicago held a ribbon cutting ceremony July 17 to celebrate completing a four-year construction project to renovate the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system in the UIC College of Dentistry building. In addition to improving the HVAC system, the $30 million-plus State-funded capital project replaced many older ceilings and lighting fixtures and provided a new sprinkler system in the building at 801 S. Paulina St.
UIC’s Gallery 400 is displaying The Last Judgement, large-scale sculptures by a variety of artists built as pyrotechnic scenography for a public pyrotechnic event in Little village on Saturday, Oct. 12, when fire will be used to partially destroy the sculptures. In a related matter, the gallery will show the film Brimstone & Glory on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. about the National Pyrotechnic Festival in Mexico. The gallery also will have a papier-mache lanterns and pinatas workshop on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. The gallery is at 400 S. Peoria St. Log on to gallery400.uic.edu. UIC will host an open house on Saturday, Sept. 21. Log on to openhouse.uic.edu.
BLOOD NEEDED
Vitalant, the Chicago area’s largest blood center, is facing an emergency need for blood and platelets. To donate, visit vitalant.org or call (877) 258-4825.
WCA NEWS
The West Central Association Chamber of Commerce Madison Row series will host Summer Wine Down as its Second Saturday event on Saturday, Sept. 14. Contact Rod Burch at [email protected], (312) 504-1884, or www.wcachicago.org.
The WCA is located at 406 N. Aberdeen St. Call (312) 902-4922.
WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL
The 21st annual World Music Festival Chicago runs Fri. through Sun. Sept. 13 through 29. This citywide, multi-venue event features more than 60 artists from 25 countries at 20 venues, including Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center. The festival embraces well known stars and emerging artists in genres that range from traditional to contemporary. The schedule has not been finalized, so check for a list of artists, venues, and programs at www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/world_music_festival.html.
TENNIS CAMPAIGN
Whitney Young Magnet High School, 211 S. Laflin St., is working to raise $15,000 to improve the school’s four tennis courts. The U.S. Tennis Association will match up to $60,000 in donations, and the school already has raised $45,000. Call (773) 534-7500.