From the community

Rotary Raises a "Pot O' Gold" At Annual Auction

By Chris Gerrib In Trib Local

March 22 at 4:20 p.m. 

On Saturday, March 19th, the Rotary Club of Darien held their 27th annual charity fundraising auction. This year’s theme, “Pot O’ Gold” was well-received by the crowd of over 180 guests who attended. Attendees enjoyed a four-course meal and beverages, as well as the “heads or tails” raffle. The auction, which benefits the charities of the Rotary Club of Darien, raised over $35,000. The event was held Ashton Place banquets in Willowbrook.

Funds raised will be used for such programs as:
• college scholarships
• opportunities for adult learners
• a community grants-in-aid program
• The Top Ten program to recognize local high school students
• Support and volunteer efforts for Carefree Village nursing home residents

Included in the above total was $16,000 raised for via the “fund-an-item” program. This year’s item was the Assistance League of Chicagoland West’s Operation School Bell. Operation School Bell provides new winter clothing to students at or below the poverty level in Darien and surrounding schools.

Visit the Darien Rotary Club’s website at www.darienrotaryclub.org to learn how you can become involved or to apply for a grant or scholarship. For more information about the Assistance League of Chicagoland West, visit their site at http://www.chicagolandwest.assistanceleague.org/dcontact.cfm.

Darien Rotary Club Strikes Gold with Charity Auction

The "Pot O' Gold" theme at this year's Darien Rotary Club Auction was a hit.

By Christine Hirhager  Darien Patch March 21, 2011

The Darien Rotary Club met with friends Saturday night for their 27^th annual charity auction at Ashton Place. The service organization was formed in 1974 to help serve the community of Darien.

The theme of this year's auction was “Pot O' Gold” in honor of St. Patrick's Day. The evening started with a silent auction. More than 300 items were on display, with everything from a signed Bears jersey to a weekend trip to Lake Geneva.

Afterward, dinner was served and club president Randy May thanked everyone for coming.

“Every dollar generated here tonight goes to someone in need,” May promised.

May also bragged that because of Rotary's international efforts, there has been only one case of polio in the world within the past year. In addition, the Darien Rotary Club has also supported the residents of Carmelite Carefree Village Retirement Center, and has given grants to more than 540 individuals.

At that point, auctioneer Larry Little took over. The bidding started with a heads or tails game in which most of the audience participated. The winner, Bob Pachmayer, received $520 credited to him for his bids throughout the evening. Pachmayer took advantage of it by immediately bidding on, and winning, a cake for his thrilled table.

Rotary Club member Eric Martzolf left with one of the auction's most exciting items, an African safari. While Martzolf has never been to Africa before, he claimed he has always wanted to go. His wife, who will be accompanying him on the trip, smiled in awe. Martzolf said he got the trip as a birthday gift to her.

Besides its usual charity, this year the club has chosen to work with the Assistance League of Chicagoland West's project “Operation School Bell” for the Rotary Club's “fund a project.” The project provides new winter coats to students at or below the poverty line in the DuPage area.

Carla Feinkind was there to represent the League and ask for bids. Their goal for the night was $10,000. Rotary Club member Margaret Simak, who had not even heard of the program previously, matched that goal in the first bid.

The bidding went on to earn the project $16,150. Feinkind was overwhelmed by the crowd's extreme generosity.

“Thank you so much. This is ridiculous! Thank you!” Feinkind said.

The Rotary Club exceeded its goal of raising $40,000 by $7,000—and did so with a smaller crowd than usual. As the auction drew to a close, most stuck around to enjoy each others company as they sipped drinks and finished their desserts.

Carla Feinkind accepts donation on behalf of ALCW

ONS supports PADS

Phyllis and Betty join forces to stock PADS

On Monday, March 14th, Phyllis Young helped us deliver the kitchen equipment to the PADS day center in Wheaton. The facility had been redone and most of the older kitchen equipment was about to "expire". Based on our work with PADS, a request was made for an entire kitchen "wish list". Because they serve so many meals each day at lunch, industrial strength and equipment up to code for restaurnat standards was required. Operation New Start stepped up and donated a part of their budget at the last meeting. Thank you to all at ALCW for raising the money, buying the items, and carting them to the day center.

                    ---Submitted by Betty Cronin 

PADS DuPage Executive DIrector Carol Simler was extremely grateful for the collaborative effort.  Operation New Start donated the funds that allowed Betty Cronin to shop for items on the extensive PADS wish list. For 25 years, DuPage PADS has provided hope for people who are homeless in DuPage County by offering an array of services that builds towards self-sufficiency and helps to stop the cycle of homelessness. 

Betty & Phyllis:

It is with humble appreciation that I thank you for the generous kitchen shower for our newly renovated Support Center!  I went this morning to talk to Sue & Jen and was overjoyed at what you have provided. 

Please extend our thanks to the member of the Assistance League for providing us a "new start" in our new space.  Our staff can't wait to get all the items put away and being to use them.  PLUS! When I was there the UPS truck pulled up with the coffee grinder.  Wow, down to the last detail.

We are certainly blessed by your hard work and your saying "yes" to help us begin again.

With sincere thanks!

Carol Simler

Executive Director 
DuPage PADS

Here is the "wish list" we fulfilled: It is a long list----

Kitchen Wish List

Dutch Oven (large heavy kettle) 5 qt – stainless steel w/copper bottom

Knives – 8 or 10 inch chefs, 3 or 4 inch paring, and serrated knife for slicing bread

Assorted oven-safe and microwave safe mixing bowls, at least 2 very large (monster) size

Liquid and dry measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Bunn type coffeemaker, at least a 2 burner

Coffee grinder

Blender

Food processor (chopper)

Baking sheets – large commercial and large personal use kitchen sizes

Disposable aluminum food servers (large and small)

Toaster slice- bagel size slots (4 slice)

Food thermometers

Stainless steel colander

Assorted stainless steel or aluminum slotted and regular spoons, ladles, serving forks, all with long handles

Plastic resealable containers to store sugar, coffee and leftovers

Metal tongs with blunt and scalloped edges

Scoops for sugar, coffee, etc

Kitchen shears

Various sizes of funnels

Tea/Juice/Drink-Mix pitchers

Vegetable peelers

Casserole dishes for microwave and oven

Heat resistant spatulas

Heavy duty can opener

Cutting boards – different colors for different types of foods

Resealable plastic bags (quart and gallon size)

Commercial size aluminum and plastic wrap

Small bowls or containers to hold sugar/sweetener packets, salt/pepper packets, creamer packets, etc

Serving platters and bowls

Cleaning Supplies

Sponges

Kitchen towels

Dish soap

Bleach

Cleanser

Sink strainers

Scrubbers

Paper products

Trash bags (tall kitchen and 45 gal)

Small pails

Stand alone paper towel roll holder

Commercial dish drainer for dishes to air dry

Stainless steel cleaner

Oven cleaner

In the Spotlight: Phyllis Young

Phyllis with Marguerite Spangehl, who honored
Phyllis with a lovely presentation 

At our March chapter meeting, we celebrated the many contributions of member Phyllis Young, and expressed our gratitude for her years of leadership for ALCW. 

Phyllis is both a fundraising giant and a philanthropy guru.  For two years, she co-chaired the extremely successful Books and Brunch Silent Auction. Her dedication and creativity in this job led to profits of more than $20,000 in each of these years.

At the end of her tenure with Silent Auction, she immediately took on the co-chairmanship of Operation New Start.  She is, in the words of Meg Cooper, "the shopper to end all shoppers". 

Phyllis has worked hard to build relationships with suppliers.  She has helped to set up a "team" system for deliveries, which has allowed so many of our members to take a meaningful role in serving the clients of this program.

Team members say that she has shown herself to be incredibly responsive to their needs, with a wonderful non-complaining attitude.

Dee Dugo helped sum up the positive force that Phyllis has been for ALCW.  "Her self sufficient style and open flexible attitude have made difficult projects look like easy tasks.  Frequently we don't know how much work has gone on behind the scenes.  Phyllis has a natural warm kindness and has been a great asset.  We are fortunate to call her a member."

Member in the News -- Carla Feinkind

Town Column: Resident honored for her relentless work to help others

March 10, 2011 The Doings Newspaper 

By SARA CLARKSON Town columnist

Often those who work to give voice to those without one speak quietly of themselves, and that trait can be called the quality of humility. It is satisfying when those soft-spoken yet empowering people are recognized for their contributions as Carla Feinkind of Hinsdale was March 3 in Chicago.
Feinkind was one of a score or so people honored with The Giving Voice Award from SHALVA on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. SHALVA is a Chicago organization that aims to fight domestic abuse in homes, especially Jewish homes. The name means two things. In Hebrew, it is the word "tranquility," and for the Chicago nonprofit it is an acronym meaning SHelter, Assistance, Legal advice for Victims of Abuse. During the course of its 25 years, the organization has served close to 5,000 victims of domestic abuse.
The Giving Voice Award was presented to members of the greater Chicago area in recognition of their efforts to make a difference in the lives of other people.
"Carla came to mind because this is an individual who has dedicated her life to helping other people," said Helene Paris, a former Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills area resident and the member of the board who nominated Feinkind. Paris and Feinkind go way back, in fact. Paris is a charter member of the Assistance League of Chicagoland West chapter which was founded more than 15 years ago. She met Feinkind six weeks after the assistance league's founding when Feinkind joined, and today, Feinkind is the president of the Hinsdale-based chapter of the league.
Thrilled, honored and humbled are the words Feinkind used to describe how she felt about the recognition. For one thing, Feinkind, who is Jewish, said the organization strives to serve the Jewish community as well as the area as a whole and for another, just to be recognized when it feels like there are people out there who do more, was surprising. The Hinsdale chapter of assistance league last year provided coats to more than 2,000 needy students in the greater Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills and Burr Ridge area and has outfitted kitchens for dozens of people making the transition from homelessness to their own homes, and that's just two of the group's initiatives.

ALCW inTribLocal Hinsdale March 10

Ricki leads the way

Ricki Lessig

                                                                                                                                                                Treasurer Ricki Lessig called a meeting on March 8 to plan the 2011-2012 budget. There was a lot of thought and advance planning during the 2 1/2 hour session, but in true ALCW fashion, a lot of smiles and camaraderie too.

Carla Feinkind 

Laurie Cleary 

Diane Mrozek 

Maria Kim and Meg Cooper 

Bridge Communities Speaks Out

Melini, Bridge Communities client;
Karen Stewart, Program Director;
and Joyce Hothan, Executive Director 

Joyce Hothan speaks to ALCW members 

Thank you to Melini, Karen and Joyce for coming to our February Chapter Meeting and educating us about how Bridge Communities serves people throughout our community.  Melini told us her story, which includes a difficult divorce.  She was living with family, trying to go to school and trying to support her daughter.  Now she has a place of her own and her kitchen is fully equipped, thanks to our Operation New Start Program.  Individuals who participate in the Bridge Community program receive strong support toward their goal of becoming self-sufficient.  Participants are in the program for two years and in that time they receive subsidized housing, mentoring on budgeting, help with car repairs, counseling, and tutoring.  Melini’s story was truly inspiring and it is a pleasure to know that we can support her, as she works hard to achieve her goals.
--- Meg Cooper, VP Philanthropy

From Joyce Hothan, Executive Director of Bridge Communities after her visit with us at the February chapter meeting:

Dear Carla,
Please extend my thanks on behalf of Bridge Communities for the gracious invitation to speak before your membership.  We appreciate your warm hospitality and strong interest in the work of Bridge Communities on behalf of homeless families.
We are most grateful for the partnership with Assistance League's wonderful Operation New Start which provides such essential items for our moms.  We look forward to a continual deepening of our relationship.  Please call on us anytime if we can be of assistance.

Members engaged in break-out sessions following the Bridge Communities presentation. 

All members are invited to attend impromptu lunches after the monthly chapter meetings. This one was a good bye lunch for JoAnn Slezak who is moving out of state. 

JoAnn Slezak, Meg Cooper, Marie Raffl,
Carla Feinkind, Heather Laughman, Diane Mrozek and Ricki Lessig

Operation Early Reading Reads "Too Many Pears!"

Overnight snow and frigid daytime temperatures couldn't stop Operation Early Reading volunteers from trekking to two La Grange Head Start schools on Tuesday, February 8. 

Readers included Carla Feinkind, Linda Legner, Marie Raffl, Susan Rusk (non member), Paula Whitelaw, Diane Mrozek, Pat Mrozek, Heather Laughman and current OER co-chairs Maria Kim and Carol Yee. 

The ladies read "Too Many Pears!" to a total of 62 pre-kindergarten students ranging from 3 - 5 years old in the morning and afternoon sessions at Congress Park School in Brookfield and Ideal School in Countryside. After listening to the story of a cow who loved pears, the youngsters participated in a coloring and counting activity. 

"At Ideal School, one of the children recognized us from last year and said to the teacher, very excitedly, 'they are here!'," Maria Kim reported. 

Linda Legner

Paula Whitelaw

   

Heather Laughman

 "I am so glad I got to participate with OER and reading to the kids!" said Heather, who has agree to take over Maria's position as Carol's co-chair. "They were so adorable and seemed really happy to have us there. What a great "hands on" experience that was fun too!" 

Carla Feinkind

Pat Mrozek

Maria Kim 

Maria is fluent in Spanish and a huge asset to the Operation Early Reading program. "There was an increase in the number of Spanish-speaking children," Maria said.  "Last year, I think there was a total of 5-6. This year, there were 9 children who were in the Spanish only category, although they are learning English in class, and appear to know their numbers in English. Each time we counted the pears, we took turns counting in Spanish and English."

The carefully-selected books always open up a dialogue with the children, who love to tell stories of their own.

"Before I read the book, we talked about the snowstorm and many said their dad's or a relative's car had gotten stuck in the snow," Maria said. "Also, a couple children told me that they didn't like pears, but oranges or apples." 

"All in all," Maria added, "the children were glad to see us, as well as being excited about getting a copy of the book and taking it home to share with their family."