Tennis enthusiasts rally for ALCW

Meg Cooper, Ricki Lessig and Heather Laughman

On Friday January 6^th, 20 ladies participated in a tennis party fundraiser for Assistance League. It was held at Midtown Athletic Club in Willowbrook. Midwest kindly donated their facility along with the services of their tennis pro. They also supplied some door prizes. Participants paid $50 for an evening of tennis, catered food and plenty to drink. It was fun to see people interacting on and off the court, and hopefully learning about our organization in the process.

ALCW members Mary Kay Shukis and Mary Parsons hosted the event which was attended by members Meg Cooper, Ricki Lessig and Heather Laughman.

--Submitted by Mary Parsons

Friends love ALCW

Books & Brunch in Doings Trend

Books & Brunch scores for readers

January 10, 2012 12:28PM

Co-chairs Meg Cooper of Burr Ridge and Maureen Hegarty of Hinsdale | Photo by Scott Hardesty

Event:
Books & Brunch

Benefiting:
Assistance League of Chicagoland West

Attended:
370

Raised:
$75,000

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Updated: January 13, 2012 10:29AM

The Assistance League of Chicagoland West held their annual Books & Brunch event on Nov. 8.

With attendance topping the 370 mark for the first time in Books & Brunch’s 15-year history, the Abbington in Glen Ellyn expanded the main ballroom to accommodate the crowd that filed in on a raw and rainy day to meet and hear presentations by authors Melanie Benjamin, Marcus Sakey and Luis Urrea.

Authors continue to show strong support for the organization, whose mission involves helping families and children in DuPage and western Cook counties.

This year’s ALCW signature event raised over $75,000 to benefit three main philanthropies. Operation School Bell gave coats, hats and gloves to over 1,600 children in 22 schools this fall. The Operation Early Reading backpack program is serving 700 Head Start and kindergarten students who take home ALCW-donated reading materials on a rotating basis throughout the school year. Operation New Start has delivered 28 kitchen kits valued at $400 since June to families moving from transitional housing to independent living.

Books & Brunch co-chairs were Maureen Hegarty of Hinsdale and Meg Cooper of Burr Ridge. NBC-Channel 5 newscaster Dick Johnson once again served as master of ceremonies.

Hinsdale-based Assistance League of Chicagoland West is one of 122 chapters in the National Assistance League and the only one operating in Illinois.

For more information, go to www.alcw.org or call (630) 321-2529.

Online and in Print

Books & Brunch in Online Patch

Books & Brunch has banner year

Posted by Marianne Cortopassi
December 15, 2011

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It was a banner year for Books & Brunch, the Assistance League of Chicagoland West fundraiser that has become a preferred event for authors who respect the organization’s mission of helping families and children in DuPage and western Cook counties.

With attendance topping the 370 mark for the first time in Books & Brunch's 15-year history, the Abbington in Glen Ellyn expanded the main ballroom to accommodate the crowd that filed in on a raw and rainy November day to meet and hear presentations by authors Melanie Benjamin, Marcus Sakey and Luis Urrea.

The ALCW signature event raised over $75,000 this year to benefit three main philanthropies. Operation School Bell gave coats, hats and gloves to over 1,600 children in 22 schools this fall. The Operation Early Reading backpack program is serving 700 Head Start and kindergarten students who take home ALCW-donated reading materials on a rotating basis throughout the school year. Operation New Start has delivered 28 kitchen kits valued at $400 since June to families moving from transitional housing to independent living.

Books & Brunch co-chairs were Maureen Hegarty of Hindale and Meg Cooper of Burr Ridge. NBC5 newscaster Dick Johnson once again served as master of ceremonies.

Hinsdale-based Assistance League of Chicagoland West is one of 122 chapters in the National Assistance League and the only one operating in Illinois. For more information, contact www.alcw.org or call (630) 321-2529.

Books & Brunch in the News

Chicago Tribune Trib Local Section - Thursday, December 22, 2011
For a better copy, go to Trib Local

The Hinsdalean
Good News
Thursday, December 22, 2011

Thanks from Canticle Place Friends

Members bring holiday cheer to Canticle Place

Linda Legner and Joanna Williams

On Monday evening, December 19, eight "Secret Santas" traveled to Canticle Place in Wheaton, representing Assistance League of Chicagoland West in the annual Operation Friendship holiday party. The CP residents prepared dinner and dessert for their ALCW friends and shared an evening of camaraderie by the Christmas Tree. The celebration is an annual tradition that brings smiles and gratitude all around.

Betty Cronin wrote,

"WE (ALCW members who so generously donated) helped make their Christmas at Canticle Place. We heard this from all the residents who attended!

Diane Mrozek, Phyllis Young, Betty Cronin, Joanna Williams, Maureen Haggerty, Carla Feinkind, Linda Legner and Mary Parsons attended the Christmas Party. We had a wonderful time sharing Christmas joy with the residents. We also had many laughs over the Gift exchange that they had set up for the members of ALCW.

The presents were assembled under the tree - then later in the evening ALCW members helped move the gifts to the residents' private apartments to be opened privately. I cannot thank everyone who contributed enough for your generosity. It was unbelievable how fortunate we are to have such wonderful members. I have given lists of everything contributed to Ricki for her calculations of In-Kind, but my rough estimates show that members donated about $5,000 in individual gifts, food and gift certificates for the 14 residents. In addition, our budget of $1,000 for Operation Friendship will be given to the residents for food over the coming tough winter months.

All the residents attended with the exception of Alicia and Ken who were at the hospital because of Alicia's failing health and John Aguilar, who returned later from work. I have also sent along the THANK YOUs from the residents who are truly grateful."