Shape up for Summer Neighbors™of
Transcription
Shape up for Summer Neighbors™of
Darien Neighbors™of neighborsofdarien.com Shape up for Summer Will “aggregation” make electric rates go down? Waste and water rates go up Vuillaumes worthy citizens of the year Park District gives a playground to Haiti Library comes alive this spring “Sillis” fundraiser will make your day March/April 2012 Your community magazine POSTAL CUSTOMER PERMIT NO. 93 WESTMONT, IL 60559 City of Darien 1702 Plainfield Rd. Darien, Illinois 60561 PAID PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE Neighbors Publications Neighbors of Darien Magazine Inside Information 630-995-3482 neighborsofdarien.com Neighbors Staff and Contributors 10 12 Tim & Kate Sullivan, Publishers Sharon Kassl, Production Director Mary Coyle Sullivan, Editor Linnea Carlson, Creative Director Colleen Zawarus, Graphic Artist Laurie Locke, Photography Contributions Community Liaisons Clare Bongiovanni, President & CEO Darien Chamber of Commerce, 630-968-0004 rt es y of P hoto CouNapervi ll e ne Stu dio O FEATURE STORIES Shape up for summer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Good Neighbors/Darien Citizens of the Year Robert and Charleen Vuillaume. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 DEPARTMENTS Mayor’s Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 City News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chamber of Commerce News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Around the Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Nuggets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 January Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 February Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Financial News: Fundamental vs. technical: How do you analyze the stock market?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Important Contacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Scott Coren, Assistant City Administrator City of Darien, 630-353-8104 Mary Wintermute, Administrative Secretary City of Darien, 630-353-8115 Christine Cigler, Public Information Coordinator, Indian Prairie Public Library, 630-887-876 For calendar listings: Please submit your activity dates to [email protected] For advertising opportunities: [email protected] 630-995-3482 NEIGHBORS™ is published bimonthly. Editorial contributions are welcome. Send your information to [email protected]. Advertising deadline is the 10th of the month preceding publication. ©2012 Neighbors is published by Emerald Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. TM Follow us on Twitter! “NeighborsMags” Follow us on Facebook “Neighbors Magazines” Neighbors of Darien Magazine A message from our mayor “I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: which is: Try to please everybody.” - Herbert B. Swope O ver the past few months we have been blessed with uncommonly warm weather for a Chicago winter. This is great for the City of Darien, as reductions in plowing save money that can be dedicated to capital projects such as repaving roads, repairing ditches to eliminate stormwater problems and fixing sidewalks. We hope this good fortune continues to allow us flexibility in our ongoing budget discussions. The Citizen of the Year award is one of my favorite programs of the year because I either meet a wonderful new person who has contributed to the community or learn more about the good deeds of friends I already know. This year was the first that the Citizen of the Year Committee selected a couple, Robert and Charleen Vuillaume, for their commitment to the City of Darien. They have both coached DYC teams, with Rob being named Illinois Coach of the Year in 2004. He also served on the Darien Zoning Board for seven years. Charleen has served on the PTO, was a room mother, has been a member of the Darien Women’s Club, founded a book club, volunteered as an office assistant at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, and volunteered with the Girl Scouts. The couple created The Gift of Carl Foundation, Inc. in memory of their son, which has provided Darien area students and others with over $100,000 in scholarships, helped band programs and children afford instruments, encouraged teens to participate in creative writing competitions and workshops, and supported the annual Arbor Day celebration. The Citizen of the Year Committee said, “In their quiet, unassuming ways, Rob and Char Vuillaume together have touched the lives of thousands in Darien. Children and adults, schools and library, parks and athletic programs, city and county government have ALL benefited from their leadership and support.” I would like to thank the Citizen of the Year Committee I appoint for their efforts again this year to find such deserving candidates. Please visit the City of Darien sponsored pages in this issue of Neighbors to see other important upcoming events, especially the ballot question in the upcoming election on electric aggregation. Last year the City of Darien put this question on the ballot to negotiate a lower electric supply charge, and was in the small minority of communities that did not pass the referendum. Since this time communities that did pass the referendum have saved a significant amount of money on the supply side of their bills, including Oak Brook finding 29% savings. Please take the time to learn about this program by reading our information and calling Scott Coren at 630-353-8104 with any questions. Respectfully, Kathleen Weaver City Of Darien, Mayor 4 Neighbors of Darien Magazine shape up for summer by Peggy Capper and Mary Sullivan 6 6 M arch is here and the winter blues are ending. It’s time to start thinking about fresh air, green grass and of course, preparing us for summer. Wait…summer??? That’s right! Swimsuit season is just around the corner (whether we like it or not) and experts say that there is no time like the present to get a jumpstart on summer. Whether it is preparing the mind, body or spirit, right now is the time to shape up for summer… Fortunately, Darien has as many fun and interesting ways to help residents get ready for summer. Whether it is utilizing the stellar Darien Park District, adhering to a new diet, getting advice from a personal trainer, or a combination of approaches, Darien has what it takes to help tackle everyone’s summer shape-up goals. Be active this summer as a family! Kids learn their parent’s behaviors, so be proactive this summer and get moving! Lose weight and get in shape by increasing your heart rate. 7 Neighbors of Darien Magazine shape up for summer There are many opportunities for kids to be active this summer at the Darien Park District. Youth classes include Pre-teen Yoga and Youth Fitness Frenzy Karate. Join the Darien Dash Running Club to train and run the Darien Dash 5K with other kids. The Darien Dash is the perfect opportunity to be active individually or with your friends and family. Youth Personal Training allows you to get an individualized and comprehensive workout with a personal trainer. The Buddy System is partner training. Train along side your friend to challenge and motivate each other. Park District ACE Personal trainer and AFPA Children’s Fitness Specialist, Laura Tanouye, shares 8 that the little things for fitness can go a long way. Walk instead of driving to the store, go to the park instead of playing a video game, jump rope while your food is grilling, and swim instead of sunbathing. Add these small things up throughout the day, and you will be increasing your fitness level! To stay active, Tim O’Brien, Darien Park District Fitness Center & Athletic Supervisor, recommends taking advantage of the conveniences here in Darien’s own beautiful backyard. Darien and the surrounding communities offer trails & paths perfect for biking, roller skating, running or jogging. You can bring your workout indoor at the state-ofthe art facility at the Community Center. The park district offers loads of fun, health- related classes to help anyone shape up for summer. They recognize that everyone’s needs are not the same and strive to meet their different requirements. “We offer a lot of classes for beginners, so even if someone hasn’t been keeping up with their resolution they can just jump in. We don’t want people to feel overwhelmed.” They also offer classes catered to different age levels. “Our main goal is to get people active and offer recreational opportunities for everybody. It tends to be a stereotype that we are just for little kids, but we offer something for everyone,” explains Tim. In addition, the park district holds classes at different times during the day as an added convenience. “There are classes that accommodate everyone’s schedules & abilities – so hopefully people will be able to find something,” Tim adds. One of the park districts more popular classes is Zumba. Zumba is a Latin-inspired fitness program that combines dance and aerobic elements. One of the reasons for the class’ popularity is that it does not feel like a typical workout. “There are so many great benefits to Zumba. It’s like you aren’t even exercising because it mixes music and dance. It literally sculpts the entire body and you burn a lot of calories. It’s an allaround fantastic workout and it’s a lot of fun!” The park district continues to offer traditional exercise classes such as yoga, Pilates, aerobics and other circuit style classes, to name a few. The Fitness Center has membership categories that can fit your workout regime and budget with memberships ranging from one month, three month and annual offerings. Overall, the park district strives to meet residents’ needs by offering quality programming at a reasonable cost. “We are all about being affordable for people. We are here for the community that is what we are all about. We provide recreation at an affordable price for the entire family.” The Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center is a 90,000 square foot fitness center and health club in Downers Grove with three indoor pools, an 9 Neighbors of Darien Magazine Tips for preventing weight gain and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle* shape up for summer indoor track, an extensive fitness floor and weight room, three group exercise studios (including Yoga and Pilates studios), and a basketball court. Serving the western suburbs of Chicago, the Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center is the recipient of a Checkmark for Quality from the readers of Chicago Consumers Checkbook magazine, was voted Best Fitness Center by the readers of Suburban Focus Magazine, has the top ranked pools in DuPage County, and received a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Medical Fitness Association. There are numerous additional specialty services and amenities including nutrition counseling and weight management services. In addition to these two outstanding facilities, Darien is home to Xsport Fitness, one of America’s fastest growing fitness chains in the nation, providing their members with state-of-theart equipment and facilities, combined with first class service, quality personal trainers, educational programs, dietary supplements, and the latest in fitness apparel. The gyms also feature a child’s play area and they are open 24 hours a day, seven days 10 a week. The surrounding communities have fitness options in numerous locations with all different types of offerings, so there are no excuses to not get moving! The YMCA in Downers Grove has extensive programming for the entire family. This long-standing facility provides health and wellness programs for every age from birth to 100+. Good nutrition and weight management are key aspects to a healthier you! According to Delnor Hospital’s in Geneva’s web site, to successfully lose weight, one must eat a nutritionally balanced, lowcalorie diet, as well as increase one’s physical activity. Although there are many programs advertised to help people lose weight, the only proven long-term and safe method is for individuals to burn more calories than they consume. One pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories, so to lose one pound a week; a person should consume approximately 3,500 fewer calories per week. This can be done by reducing the daily intake of food by 500 • • • • • Avoid foods that are high in fat and sugar Reduce alcohol intake Avoid stress, frustration, and boredom Seek medical treatment for depression Perform aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week • Increase physical activity by walking rather than driving • Climb stairs rather than using an elevator or escalator • Always talk to a health care provider before starting an exercise program *Taken from Delnor Hospital web site calories per day (500 x 7 days will provide a deficit of 3,500 calories per week). To lose 2 pounds per week, a deficit of 1,000 calories per day is required. If this seems impossible, one should remember that physical activity also contributes significantly to weight loss. The deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories can come from a combination of increased physical activity and reduced intake of food on a daily basis. Ultimately, the key to losing weight and shaping up for summer is to stay motivated. If someone sets short-term goals as well as a long-term goal he or she will achieve success. No matter how Darien residents utilize all that the area has to offer, one thing is for certain, there is no time like the present to shape up for summer. City of Darien 630-852-5000 • www.darien.il.us Electric aggregation ballot question T he City of Darien has placed a referendum on the upcoming March 20th ballot allowing the City of Darien to solicit bids for the purchase of power on the open energy market. The goal is to reduce the electricity costs for residential homes and small businesses. Residential electric rates are set every May by ComEd. The fixed rates are then in effect for 12 months. The City is taking the necessary steps to have other electric suppliers provide rate quotes to compete with ComEd. Even if the power is purchased from another supplier, residents would not notice a change as their billing would still be through ComEd. The City of Darien has been purchasing its power for water pumping and street lighting operations from suppliers other than ComEd since 2007. These suppliers have been able to offer lower rates than those from ComEd. Municipalities are now able to receive bids from suppliers on behalf of the entire community. If the rates are lower than ComEd’s, the municipality can move all residential and small business accounts in the city limits to the new supplier. This is similar to how the City negotiates advantageous pricing for refuse haulers, concrete driveway repair, tree trimming, and gas lights. Before the municipality can make this choice for electricity, the residents need to approve a referendum question on the March 20th ballot. Even if the referendum passes, Darien is not obligated to switch suppliers. It simply gives the City the right to solicit competitive bids. Once the bids are received, then the City Council will decide if it is in the best interest of the residents to move to the lower cost supplier. Residents will have a few chances to opt-out of the aggregation program, but must do so before the City service begins. Residents will receive notice from ComEd informing them of the opt-out period, who to contact, and how they must communicate their intention to opt-out. If not, all residents will remain with ComEd for the following 12 months. For more information please visit our website at www.darien.il.us or call 630-353-8104. Community choice electric aggregation Q&A Q: How can the City purchase power at a potentially lower cost? A: Deregulation allows the City to shop for power and purchase in bulk for our customers at a lower price. Q: Who will take care of my power if there is an outage? A: ComEd, by law, will still be paid to distribute the power to the homes and businesses and handle any emergency repairs. Q: What if I don’t want to participate in the program? 12 A: Residents will have multiple opportunities to “opt out” of the program, which will be your right by law. Q: How do I opt-out of the program? A: Customers will have a few chances to opt-out of the program, but must do so before the City service begins. Customers will receive notice from ComEd informing them of the opt-out period, who to contact, and how they must communicate their intention to opt-out. The Illinois Commerce Commission has yet to determine the course of action to be taken if a customer who opted out, decides to rejoin the Community Choice Aggregation option at a later date. Q: What happens if the City cannot purchase or negotiate lower rates than ComEd? A: Your account would stay at ComEd and ComEd would be both the power provider and the local distribution company. Either way, ComEd will be our distributor. By voting yes on the referendum, Com Ed will then have to compete with power suppliers from throughout the Midwest to provide our power. Q: Why is this opportunity available? A: This is the last part of the Deregulation Process. Until this Act was amended, only larger customers such as industrial, commercial, and governmental entities could participate. Three fourths of this commercial load is currently purchased from sources other than ComEd. Q: Why is the City of Darien doing this? A: The City does not profit from this. We, as a governmental organization, are trying to take advantage of the new law to benefit our residents and small business and save them money. Q: I am currently enrolled in ComEd’s budget program where you are able to spread out your ComEd electric service costs evenly throughout the year. Will the new power provider have this or a similar program? A: The City will request that this program is included in the bid specs. Q: What happens if the new power provider cannot meet its demand? Will we see brownouts? Would there be a surcharge to cover the costs of getting power from another supplier? A: In the unlikely event that a supplier could not deliver the contracted power, ComEd would provide and deliver power to the City residents. The Illinois Commerce Commission reviews all power suppliers to ensure that they can meet the demand. NIMEC and other energy consultants continue to work with the Illinois Power Agency and the ICC to adopt rules which will alleviate these concerns. Q: If aggregation means lower energy costs for customers, won’t ComEd simply increase charges on the distribution side to protect its profit margin? A: ComEd owns the distribution system only, and so does not realize profits or losses from the sale of energy. ComEd has worked for several years with large commercial and industrial customers who have switched to third-party energy suppliers, and remains supportive of other customers who switch to third-party suppliers. In other words, there will be no impact on distribution rates, Per ICC regulations, ComEd cannot introduce any separate distribution fees on cities that aggregate. Once again the City of Darien does not profit from Community Choice Aggregation. We, as a governmental organization, are trying to take advantage of the new law to benefit our residents and small business and save them money. Chicago water rate increase O n January 1st, the City of Chicago and the DuPage Water Commission increased the amount the City of Darien is charged for water we receive from Lake Michigan by 34%. This is only the first year of four annual increases by the City of Chicago through 2015. Some communities increased their water rate on January 1st to make up the difference for the higher cost of water. The City of Darien will maintain water rates at their current level until the water budget is reviewed as part of budget meetings that began on February 22. The next budget year begins on May 1, 2012 and will take these current and projected future increases into consideration. If you would like more information please call City Administrator Bryon Vana at 630-353-8114. 13 City of Darien 630-852-5000 • www.darien.il.us Veolia Environmental new rates T he City of Darien is entering into its second year with Veolia Environmental as its refuse hauler. Each April 1st the rates go up according to the contract. The pickup procedures will remain the same for 2012-2013. Below is a summary of our garbage services for the coming year: Waste Hauling/Recycling - Darien uses a sticker system in which residents affix one sticker for each 32/33 gallon garbage can or on a garbage bag picked up on a regularly scheduled garbage day. The weight limit for the garbage is 50 pounds per container. Yard waste can be put in a brown paper bag or put in a garbage can with a permanent “YARD WASTE ONLY” tag affixed to the side. The stickers and tags can be picked up at City Hall. April 2012–March 2013 Refuse Sticker price – 32 gallon $3.03 Optional Cart 64 gallon - Monthly fee $18.65 Optional Cart 96 gallon - Monthly fee $22.83 Garbage Holidays - Our garbage collectors have six holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. On the weeks that this occurs, garbage collection will be pushed back one day from the holiday. Bulk Items - Bulk items are large items not included in normal garbage pick-up. Examples of bulk items are sofas, loveseats, chairs, tables, and microwaves. Two stickers must be affixed to each bulk item for it to be removed on your normal garbage pick-up day. White Goods - White goods include refrigerators, ranges, stoves, freezers, air 14 conditioners, water heaters, and other domestic large appliances. Because these need to be disassembled by hand due to environmentally harmful materials, five stickers are required to be affixed before they will be removed on your regular garbage pickup day. Recycling - Recycling is free when put in any receptacle under 35 gallons and marked “Recycling” so the driver can identify it. Bins may be purchased at City Hall for $8.00 (med.) or $17.00 (lrg.). Please help keep our neighborhoods clean by placing heavy recyclables on top, which keeps the lighter items from blowing out of the bins and into our yards. The following are examples of acceptable and unacceptable recycling items. Acceptable: newspapers, steel cans and tins, glass bottles and jars, detergent and fabric softener containers, plastic buckets, milk and juice jugs, aluminum cans. Items not accepted: styrofoam, motor oil, insecticide, items contaminated with food, pizza boxes, tarps, plastic grocery bags (bags can be recycled in many grocery stores, such as Jewel.) Electronics Recycling - Starting January 1, 2012, Illinois law made it illegal for you to throw your electronics in the garbage. This law seeks to prevent dangerous substances contained in electronics from infiltrating our water supply and soil when they end up in landfills. For places you may recycle electronics in DuPage County please visit: www.dupageco. org/EDP/Waste_Recycling_and_Energy/1549/ or call City Hall at 630-852-5000. 2012 Darien Citizens of the Year T his years worthy recipients are Robert and Charleen Vuillaume. Read about their amazing qualifications on page 26. On Monday, March 5 everyone is invited to the Citizen of the Year cake and coffee reception at City Hall. Come and meet the 2012 Citizen of the Year and celebrate with us. Then, please join us on Saturday, March 24 at Alpine Banquets for a dinner/dance honoring our Citizen of the Year. Ticket cost will be $30.00 per person. Reservations for the dinner/dance will be available after February 1 at City Hall. For questions or reservations please call Mary at Darien City Hall at 630-353-8102 Concrete replacement program I s your concrete driveway in need of repair? The City of Darien will be conducting our annual sidewalk, curb and gutter replacement program this summer. In conjunction with this program, we will again be offering homeowners the opportunity to replace their driveway, apron, and depress their driveway curb, at a competitive bid price. If you would be interested in receiving more information on this program please call Mary at 630-353-8102. *If you identify a sidewalk in need of repair, please call us at the above telephone number. 2012 brush pick-up schedule April 23–27 June 25–29 T August 27–31 October 22–26 he City of Darien is pleased to be able to offer FREE BRUSH PICKUP for all residents within our boundaries. To help keep the streets clean and our crews on schedule, please stack the brush neatly by the curb. The chipper can accept brush up to 6” in diameter. Please do not tie the brush or put it in garbage cans. All other yard waste such as grass clippings and flowers should be disposed of through our yard waste program with Veoila Environmental. All brush needs to be out no later than the Sunday night prior to the designated pick up week. The chipping crew can make only one pass and may complete your street as soon as Monday morning. Residents who are unable to put their brush out prior to the scheduled week can take it to the Municipal Services Facility, located at 1041 S. Frontage Road, and place it in the brush dumpster. Brush will be accepted Monday through Friday from 7am until 2:30pm. No landscape companies are allowed to dump in the brush dumpsters. If you have any questions regarding brush pick up, please contact Municipal Services at 630-353-8105. Your elected city officials and city administrator Kathleen Moesle Weaver Mayor 630-271-1619 JoAnne Ragona City Clerk 630-963-6248 Michael J. Coren City Treasurer 630-985-0974 Ted V. Schauer Alderman 630-969-3081 Tina Beilke Alderman 2 630-789-2597 John Poteraske Alderman 3 630-968-0199 Joerg Seifert Alderman 4 630-789-8177 Joseph Marchese Alderman 5 630-254-2421 Sylvia McIvor Alderman 6 312-961-9230 Halil Avci Alderman 7 630-963-4260 Bryon Vana City Administrator 630-353-8114 15 Darien Chamber of Commerce darienchamber.com 630-852-5000 • www.darien.il.us 1702 Plainfield Rd. • Darien, IL 60561 • 630-968-0004 Welcome new chamber members Avon: Susan Kaegler Independent Avon Representative Bolingbrook • 630-972-9739 McDonald's 809 Plainfield Rd • Darien Aurora Huerta • 630-969-7690 Avon is the world’s leader in anti-aging skin care, fragrances and color cosmetics. I can empower you to look and feel better with my dynamic Avon Products. All products are 100% guaranteed. Call me today for your complete beauty consultation. Avon is the largest corporate supporter of Breast Cancer. The iconic Golden Arches® of Darien has a fresh and modern look and will unveil its dynamic redesign during a grand opening celebration on March 15th. “We’re changing with the times – and we never stop looking for ways to improve,” said Aurora Huerta, the restaurant manager. “This new McDonald’s speaks to the needs of our customers and our community. We want our customers to enjoy every part of the McDonald’s experience.” 7th annual Client Appreciation Networking Expo “Where Relationships Grow Business” Now you can host a high energy event for your clients that will be convenient and affordable! Join us for the 7th annual Social Affair on Wednesday, April 25 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook, from 5:30-8:30pm. The package includes venue, table, delicious hors d’oeuvres, DJ entertainment by Turn It Up Entertainment and featuring the Hinsdale South Hornet Jazz Combo. Vendor tables are $150 for members and $300 for non-members. This event is FREE to all Darien Chamber Vendor Clients and $10 to the general public. Check out Darien Chamber member hot deals at www.darienchamber.com Beijo Bags Darien • Dina Vardal • 815-685-4660 Beijo is a designer handbag company created by Susan Handley since 2002. Her design materials are of exceptional quality creating handbags that make a statement holding their shine and luster for years to come. They are designer handbags at an affordable price. They can be found at home parties or public events. Contact me for your own Beijo showcase party. Shaklee Independent Distributor 4125 W. 59th St • Chicago Ruth Kutz • 630-728-6152 Shaklee is the #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the U.S. All of our products are clinically proven. We offer Nutritional Supplements, Resveratrol + Polyphenols, Inch/Weight Loss, Sports Nutrition, Get Clean Green Cleaners, Anti Aging Skin Care. Dream Plan Opportunity. 100% money back guaranteed. Turn It Up Entertainment Kevin Long • 815-302-4366 Concklin Insurance Agency, Inc. 240 S. Westmore Ave • Lombard Michael O’Donnell • 630-268-1600 X4030 Concklin Insurance has been providing unique insurance solutions protecting business and family assets for over 50 years. We tailor custom plans to insure your business, family’s home, auto, life, and health with an unprecedented level of personalized service. At Turn It Up Entertainment DJ Service we know how long you have been dreaming of your wedding day. Our commitment to professionalism, honesty, and integrity will translate into a one of a kind experience that you will never forget! A note from Darien Chamber President & CEO Clare Bongiovanni Thank you to all of our Chamber Members for their 2012 membership renewals, your support to our organization is greatly appreciated! The Darien Chamber has very dedicated volunteers who are busy planning two community events, the 7th Annual 16 Client Appreciation Networking Expo and 12th Annual Darien Dash. I look forward to seeing you at both of these events! On behalf of the Darien Chamber we would like to congratulate 2012 Citizens of The Year, Chamber members Bob and Charleen Vuillaume, The Gift of Carl Foundation. Chamber Members gather for State of The Chamber at Carrabba’s Italian Grill Upcoming Events March 3, 11am Kumon Math and Reading Center of Darien Ribbon Cutting Ceremony & Open House 7511 Lemont Road, Darien March 15 McDonald's Grand Opening Event 809 Plainfield March 17, 9am Coffee With The Mayor Speedway 75th & Cass March 22, 11:30am West Suburban Multi-Chamber Luncheon and Expo Bobak’s Signature Events April 10, 11:30am Membership Luncheon Event Featuring: Senator Kirk Dillard Carrabba’s Italian Grill April 18, 5:30pm DWB Spring Fashion Show Midtown Athletic Club April 21, 9am Coffee With The Mayor Carmelite Carefree Village April 25, 5:30pm Client Appreciation Networking Expo Ashton Place The Darien Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the 12th Annual Darien Dash race on Sunday, May 20. This is one of Darien’s most popular community events. The event will begin at 8:30am at the Darien Community Park (71st and Clarendon Hills Rd.). The Darien Dash has recently added a 10K course, giving our runners the option of a 10K, 5K or 1 Mile Fun Run race. The first 500 participants to pre-register will receive a t-shirt and goody bag. Race day goody bags can be picked up at the Darien Dash Race Expo on May 19 from 9am–12pm at the Darien Park District. One of the major goals of this event is to raise money to benefit children in our community schools and youth organizations. We can reach our goal with your participation. Please join us as a Sponsor and become part of this exciting event. Year after year, the number of participants has grown and we plan to make this year even better. 17 Around the Block for more, visit neighborsofdarien.com Darien VFW looks for a home Park District donates playground to Haiti Last summer Darien Community Park got a new state of the art playground. In case you were wondering what happened to the old equipment – look no further. The Darien Park District donated the old playground from Darien Community Park to kids around the world (kidsaroundtheworld.com), and they were able to re-install it in Haiti. Executive Director Stephanie Gurgone worked in cooperation with her staff to see this project come to life. She said it was extremely fulfilling for all involved and the pictures sum it all up! The Darien playground was installed in November at a place called Grace Village located North of Port au Prince in Haiti. In addition to the playground, the people at Grace Historical society seeks members The 2012 Darien Historical Society’s “Re-Member Membership Drive” runs through March. You are cordially encouraged to join the organization, which preserves Old Lace Schoolhouse at the corner of 75th & Cass Avenue. The process is simple, take your choice. For Individual & Family Memberships, call Cathy at 630-745-7779 or mail your check to Old Lace Schoolhouse at 7422 Cass Avenue, Darien 60561. Enclose your name, address, phone number and optional e-mail. Your card will be mailed to your address. Membership levels are $10/individual or $15/couple annually or $100/individual or $150/couple Life. As a member, you will receive the DHS “Newsletter” that updates on-going activities at the museum and scheduled events. Managed solely by unpaid volunteers, your membership supports maintenance, mailings, preservation, development and education – a big bang for not too many bucks. Remember DHS today! Proudly associated with the Darien Chamber of Commerce, Business Membership information is electronically available through publicity offered by the 18 Village are also starting a feeding program and center that will feed an additional 175 street children who are currently “living” in Titanyen, the village at the bottom of the hill below Grace Village. They’re also building two beautiful children’s homes able to provide a new home for 80 children. After the playground was completed, they are planning on beginning construction on an elderly orphanage home, and then a home for the rescued children. Diana Hamachek who works for kids around the world shared appreciation to the Darien Park District for partnering with them to recycle this playground. They look forward to partnering again with our community in the future. Chamber or contacting Alice at 630-964-6792. Open house at Old Lace Schoolhouse & Museum is set for Sunday March 4 & April 1 from 1-3pm. Lion’s Club annual pancake breakfast Join the Darien Lion’s as they host their 41st Annual Pancake Breakfast at Eisenhower Junior High on March 18 from 7:30am–1pm. The Darien Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Post 2838 has begun raising funds with the intention of opening their own post home. It is a monumental task but they are up to the challenge! They feel a post home will be needed to support their mission as they welcome home over 140,000 troops home from Iraq, and as troops rotate home from Afghanistan. The post is not interested in a tavern, but instead they would like to invest in a banquet hall type venue, in order to have a place for fundraising, parties, weddings etc. The vets have many ideas & would love to brainstorm with their neighbors as they work together for our common good. Everything is possible! For more information contact Bill Marchetti, RVN 69-70, Fundraising Chairman for the Darien VFW Memorial Post 2838 at [email protected] or call 630-826-4761. Spring has sprung at Park District The Darien Park District is offering numerous Spring Break Escape Camps:Spring Break Camp is offered for ages 6-11. All day with extended hours. Spring Break Chess Camp, ages 6-13, Monday-Friday Marine Biology Camp, ages 7-12, Monday-Thursday Pee Wee Sportsters Camp, ages 4-6, Monday-Thursday Babysitting Course, ages 11-15, March 17 Home Alone Course, ages 9-11, March 23 There are also a variety of children's sports classes throughout the year starting with age 2. Exploring Sports, Run, Jump and Shoot, Soccer/T-Ball Combo, Cheerleading, and Gymnastics are just a few that the Darien Park District offers. There are also various Tot classes such as Tot & Kid Rock, and Let’s Get Moving. The park district offers Karate and Taekwondo as part of our martial art classes, which is great exercise and self-esteem. Thinking Easter…. a great way to start out the day with an Easter Egg Hunt which is free at either the Darien Around the Block Community Park or Westwood Park. After the hunt, come join the Bunny and us for a Breakfast, which includes many surprises. You need to pre-register and pay for the Breakfast with the Bunny. Both events are on April 7. Adult Social Dance is a great way to get out of the house and socialize. Monday nights starting in March. Come and join the fun. Couples only. Belly Dance is a great way to get in shape and have fun doing it. Thursday nights, next session starts in April. Spring fever! Come and learn how to cook some delicious dishes while having fun. Quick and Light Dishes – March 21 from 6:30–8:30pm. Chef Laura will give us some great hands on ideas to cook healthy. Around the World Favorites - April 12 from 6:30–8:30pm. This is another wonderful way to learn how to cook various dishes. AARP Driver’s Safety will be offered on Mon. & Tues. 9am-1pm. Save the Date for the Skate School Ice Show –May 4, 7pm and May 5, 2pm and 7pm. Adult day trip: Chunk of Chocolate March 22, 9am-4pm. Learn about chocolate as you travel to various places to enjoy and purchase chocolate. Lunch will be at Pompeii on Taylor St. Don’t miss this “choco-riffic” day. Adult day trip: Four Winds Casino, New Buffalo, MI April 3, 8:30am-4:30pm. This package includes $15 Instant Credit Slot Play plus a $10.00 food coupon towards any purchase at the various restaurants in the casino. Adult day trip: Chicago Money Tour & Greek Islands April 19, 8:15-4:45pm. Tour of the Chicago Merchantile Exchange and Federal Reserve Bank and Money Museum. Family style lunch is at Greek Islands. Pavilion rental Get ready to enjoy one of our pavilions for this summer. Reservations start on April 2 at 8am on a first-come basis. A permit is needed to be able to reserve a pavilion. 20 for more, visit neighborsofdarien.com Celebrate Arbor Day and plant a tree! Trees have a transforming effect around our homes and in our community. Trees add value and beauty to your home, provide food for local animals and birds, and remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, which helps to clean the air we breathe. Planting a large shade tree on the west side of your home helps to reduce air conditioning costs in summer. They provide shade for kids to play under. Use evergreen trees planted around your property to create a windbreak and help reduce energy costs. Trees are emotionally important. We plant trees to mark a birth of a child, a special event, or provide a living memorial for someone dear we have lost. Most important, trees make us feel good! They calm us and reduce our stress. Do you love trees? Are you interested in Arbor Day? Come to Darien’s 13th Annual Memorial Arbor Day Celebration, on Friday, April 27 at 9:30am. This year’s ½ hour celebration will take place in Westwood Park on 75th Street. Trees will be planted as a living memorial to honor children, parents and those who have given their lives in public service. Local school children will grow butterflies for release during the event, learn about the importance of growing and protecting trees and sing a special “tree” song. Darien’s Tree Chaplain, Fr. Gavin Quinn will deliver an ecumenical tree blessing. “Tree’t” bags will be given to attending school children with information about growing trees, and how to be “green”, along with seed packs for garden planting. The Morton Arboretum and Darien/Woodridge Firefighters are often in attendance. This Memorial Arbor Day Celebration is brought to you by the generous support of the Vuillaume family’s The Gift of Carl Foundation. To help us continue the great work of this foundation, we ask for your financial support at www.giftofcarl.org. This event is also brought to you by the City of Darien and Darien Park District. For additional information about Darien’s upcoming Arbor Day Celebration contact Kathy Minardi at [email protected] Be a champion with SWARM The Darien Swarm, since its inception in 2008, boast not only three state titles in football but regional titles in Cheerleading for three years in a row in addition to a 9th place National finish. What the Swarm is most proud of is the scholastic ability of its participants. The Swarm is affiliated with Pop Warner Little Scholars, the only national youth sports organization that requires its participants to perform well in the classroom before performing on the field. Come be a part of the Swarm. They are holding cheer and football registration online at www.darienswarm.com. If you register before March 31 you will receive a $20 discount on registration fees. The Swarm will also be holding in person registrations at the Darien Police Department. SWARM = Spirit, Work ethic, Attitude, Respect, Model citizen Children’s spring clothing resale Don’t miss out on a great shopping experience. The Darien Woman’s Club annual Children’s Spring Clothing Resale is set for March 10 from 9am–1pm at Prairieview Elementary School. Be sure to take advantage of this cost effective way to shop for the upcoming seasons! Around the Block for more, visit neighborsofdarien.com “Silli‘s” fundraiser will make your day better Crusaders challenge family night Join Our Lady of Peace on March 9 at 6pm for an inexpensive family night filled with games for all ages, basketball, food, a bake sale, prizes, and fun! Crusader Challenge Family Night features OLP’s junior high students competing in a homeroom vs. homeroom basketball challenge. There will also be other games and activities for school age children to participate in. All are welcome, so plan to attend this entertaining, enjoyable evening. Safety Village Of Darien celebrates 25 years Safety Village of Darien (SVD) is a child safety educational program for children ages 5 through 10. It is celebrating a major milestone this year - 25 years of educating the children of our community. Some 5,000 children have graduated wearing their yellow shirt embellished with the picture of Mark Hagen. This has happened year after year because of tremendous contribution of the Hagen family. They have been supported every step of the way by the incredible teaching staff of Jenn Campo, Donna Adams and Beth Orr, along with close to 300 teen volunteers. The program began in August of 1988. In the summer of 1987 the Hagen family, Dave, Cindie and children Kelly and Mark took a vacation to Oregon to visit family. On the evening of July 12, Kelly, her brother Mark and cousin Mike were going to the arcade. As Mark was crossing the street a driver who was not paying attention to the road struck Mark and he lost his life within an hour. This accident took the life a nine-year old boy who was found to be crossing the street correctly. After many months, the Hagen family was encouraged to start a safety program for children. Many months were spent researching safety for children and talking to fire, police and school individuals who helped guide the Hagen’s into developing a curriculum. They also had to try and find family and friends who would be willing to volunteer in the operation of the programs. Hours upon hours were spent deciding what and how to teach the many subjects we wanted to offer the students. The primary focus of Safety Village is for 22 children ages 5 through 7. They offer classes for this age group throughout the summer months. They also have a class for students 8 through 10 years of age usually held in the late summer. Throughout the years they have tried many different ways of teaching the safety subjects and have offered programs to different age groups, but the most impressionable and able to grasp the information fall in the 5 to 10 year old range. There will be another summer of safety sessions planned with specific dates being announced soon on the website at: www.safetyvillageofdarien.org. Registration will take place starting April 18 via the website. The 25th Anniversary Celebrations will start in the spring with monthly activities planned with local schools. In August there will be a huge Fun Fair and possible 5k run for safety event. They will also have a presence in the Darien 4th of July parade asking former and current students and teens to participate. Founder Cindie Hagen shared that, “Dave and I are beyondcomprehension of what happened in our lives on July 12, 1987 when Mark died. We had to go on for our teen-age daughter. We have been so blessed by so many people and organizations that gave us a chance and believed in our dreams for Safety Village. That is the only reason we are here on the 25th anniversary. We have absolutely no way of thanking all of these people. Friendship and strength truly gives a family who has lost a child the reason to live. Dave, Kelly and myself can attest to that kind of love and we are so eternally grateful to each and every person who has been there for us.“ The James Borsilli Children’s Trust Fundraiser will be held April 20 at Carriage Greens Country Club in Darien in order to raise money for his surviving children Nikolas and Daniel. James Borsilli is a 1982 graduate from Hinsdale South High School. He graduated from Illinois Benedictine College in Lisle with a degree in international business and economics. In 1988 he joined the Darien Police Department and became a Sergeant in 2002 and proudly served the City of Darien for 24 years. He passed away from cancer after a year long fight. The City of Darien retired his badge in honor of his service. He was truly one of those unique individuals that continuously placed the well being of others including strangers in front of his own. “Silli,” as all knew him, would make everyone’s day better without even trying. More information can be found at BorsilliCancerFund.com or by contacting Joerg Seifert at 630-207-2093 or [email protected] or Ed Rentka at 630-514-3254 or [email protected] or by calling the Darien Police Department. Library offers amazing spring offerings Friends of the Library Book Sale Shop for the best book bargains around on April 28 from 9am–3pm. From mysteries, science, history, home improvement, biographies, and more, the selection will be great. On Sunday, fill a bag with books for just $2. Kids Read 2012 Read with your friends and neighbors – just like the adults do for The Big Read! This year’s book is The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, the story of a boy who worked hard keeping the clocks in the Paris train station working while trying to solve a mystery. Read the book and put your name on a special clock face and you might win free passes to the Museum of Science and Industry. There are special programs at ten area libraries – pick up your guide at the Kids & Teens Ask Us Desk. The Creative Challenge Workshop LEGOLAND Discovery Center comes to the library on March 9 from 6:30–7:30pm. Meet the LEGOLAND model builder and create an invention, a clock tower, and a train as inspired by Hugo Cabret. Be sure to register on March 3 since space is limited. Hugo Cabret Science Fair and French Snacks Mad Science of DuPage County presents Gears, Gears, Gears, the Science of Magic and Optical Illusions on March 30 from 6:30-7:30pm. Whole Foods of Willowbrook will provide French snacks. Be sure to register starting on March 16 since space is limited. Evening with an Author— Lauren Willig Bestselling novelist Lauren Willig will talk about the Pink Carnation series, including her latest installment, The Garden Intrigue on April 11 at 7pm. She will answer questions from the audience and sign books. Anderson’s Book Shop of Downers Grove will be present to sell copies of her books. The Big Read The Big Read 2012 encompasses 30 programs and ten libraries, a successful eight-year run, and a much-anticipated visit from the author. This year’s title is The Paris Wife by Paula McLain which recounts the tumultuous years that Hadley Richardson spent with her husband, Ernest Hemingway, in Paris during the 1920s. “I couldn’t be more thrilled that your libraries have selected The Paris Wife for The Big Read,” said Paula McLain. “I’m grateful for your support, and have my fingers crossed that your reading community will be as captivated by Ernest and Hadley’s story as I am—and by the dazzling world of Jazz-age Paris I’ve worked so hard to create.” Read the book and enjoy a discussion or a program at any of the ten participating libraries. The entire schedule can be found at thebigread.org in a brochure at the Indian Prairie Public Library. 23 Around the Block There are numerous programs taking place at IPPL The Big Read: Paris in The Jazz Age March 4, 2pm The Big Read: Art Deco Chicago March 15, 7pm 4th Wednesdays: Big Read: Paris Today April 25, 1pm Special Event – A Visit with Paula McLain May 3, 7pm at Ashton Place, Willowbrook Enjoy the personal reflections of Paula McLain as she discusses her motivations for writing The Paris Wife, her painstaking research, and her remarkable ability to immerse herself in this world she created. Register at thebigread.org or call 630-887-8760 ext. 239. for more, visit neighborsofdarien.com IPPL celebrates Earth Day In honor of Earth Day on April 22, IPPL invites you to drop off the following items at the library during April: • Gently used cell phones • Used eyeglasses • Worn US flags The library will donate the phones to the organization Cell Phones for Soldiers, the eyeglasses to the Darien Lions Club and the flags to the Darien VFW. The first 200 people to bring in one of these items to be recycled will receive a reusable plastic cup. Teens Celebrate Earth Day Get green and creative with crafts made from recycled materials, including an eco-friendly pop-top bracelet or belt. We have pop-tops or bring your own. Earth Day - Today’s Smart Living: Water Conservation and Rain Barrels * The Conservation Foundation will share tips on how to conserve water, decrease run-off and flooding, and reduce water pollution from your landscape. A brief introduction on the whys and how’s of rain barrels and their role in promoting earth-friendly yards will also be included. Nuggets An eclectic collection of what's happening in the Darien Area Around Town Ribbon cutting & open house Kumon, the world’s largest after-school math and reading enrichment program opens a center in Darien at 7511 Lemont Rd. (Lemont Rd and 75th St) in the Chestnut Court Shopping Center. The Darien Chamber of Commerce invites the public to attend Kumon’s Grand Opening Event on March 3. It will take place from 11am–3pm, beginning with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Notable Chamber Member(s) (i.e. Mayor, City Council Member, etc.), followed by a literacy open house event supporting Reading Is Fundamental (RIF). Grand opening event McDonald's in Darien has a new look inside and out! Stop in on March 15 to check it all out. The modern exterior design changes include: • A welcoming, and inviting entry into the restaurant. • A clearly identifiable double-lane drive-thru for enhanced, on-the-go service. Upscale and contemporary interior décor consists of: • Comfortable lighting levels and fixtures that create pleasant dining experiences. • Modern seating and furniture, including booths, chairs, high-seated community tables and lounge-style seating areas. OLP students create the living stations and walk for charity In preparation for Easter, Our Lady of Peace School sixth grade students present the “Living Stations” at 7pm on March 16. All are welcome. On April 27 at the Darien Sportsplex, OLP school students will again sponsor four charities, giving each student the opportunity to raise money for their school and a local charity in need. Each student walks a maximum of 5 miles and is encouraged to “lead the way” for positive change! Over $30,000 has been raised and donated to the 12 charities that have been sponsored in the past three years. 24 Neighbors Magazines moves to Batavia, IL Neighbors Magazines has moved its headquarters from Naperville to Batavia. Their offices are now in a historic limestone building built in the 1920’s. In addition to Neighbors of Darien, the company publishes magazines for Downers Grove, Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles and expects to add two communities to its roster this year. Partnership opportunities are available for anyone seeking a lucrative business opportunity in the fast growing “hyperlocal” publishing field. For more information please call 630-995-3482. 25 GOOD NEIGHBOR Neighbors of Darien Magazine Robert and Charleen Vuillaume Darien Citizens of the Year 2012 T by The Citizen of the Year Committee ime Magazine began the tradition of selecting a Man of the Year in 1927. Since then, individual people, classes of people, couples, and even the computer and Planet Earth have been selected as the Person of the Year. This year‘s worthy recipients are Robert and Charleen Vuillaume. Since moving to Darien in 1988, “Rob and Char have selflessly given their time, talents and treasures in support of Darien,” states one nominator. “Soon after their arrival, they became leaders and supporters of Darien’s schools, athletics, religious and governmental institutions”, states another. They both have coached DYC teams. Rob was named an Illinois Coach of the Year in 2004. Char has served on the PTO, was a room mother and volunteered with the Girl Scouts. Rob, a Navy Veteran, served on the Darien Zoning Board for seven years. Char has been a member of the Darien Woman’s Club, founded a book club and volunteered as an office assistant at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. With their children, Dan, Renee and Carl, they have distributed food baskets to the needy at holiday times. Their giving spirit and dedication to service has affected many. Their daughter Renee has served in the Peace Corps in Uganda. In 2005, tragedy befell the Vuillaume family, when their beloved son Carl, 16, died during a family vacation. In response to this tragedy and the outpouring of support from Darien, Rob and Char founded The Gift of Carl Foundation, Inc. They have committed themselves to Darien in the diverse areas that provided Carl the greatest joy: music, literacy, theater arts and the outdoors. Since then, they have donated thousands of hours to make Darien a nice place to live. To date, The Gift of Carl Foundation has provided Darien area students and others with over $100,000 in scholarships, grants, etc. There is a Turkish proverb that states: “He that conceals his grief finds no remedy for it.” Father Gavin Quinn (2003 Darien Citizen 26 of the Year) says that Rob and Char Vuillaume are “truly dedicated to others.” Here are just some of their accomplishments with the foundation: Music and Literacy • Help band programs and children whose families would not be able to afford an instrument. They hold instrument recycling drives where hundreds of instruments are donated to schools throughout the Chicagoland area. • Create and sponsor the annual Write-On Teen Literacy Festival, in partnership with the Indian Prairie Library. The festival promotes and encourages Darien and surrounding area teens to participate in creative writing competition, literacy workshops and author visits from award winning teen authors. They visit local schools to promote the event and share the inspiration behind the creation of The Gift of Carl Foundation. • The foundation has also donated library books to the youth services department. • Sponsor scholarships for children for private music instruction. Teresa Avci (Carl’s piano teacher for 10 years) says, “Several of my current and past students have received scholarships for piano lessons.” Theater Arts • Organized 20 theater scholarships for Hinsdale South High School students. Pam Baker Karnstedt, Hinsdale South theater teacher and leader also sings their praises. “The Gift of Carl Foundation has given graduating thespians approximately $20,000 in scholarship money.” • LaGrange Actors with Special Needs Theater Group has received a $2500 grant. This donation has helped many young adults of special needs develop their acting, singing, and social skills. The Outdoors • The Darien Community has been beautified by many memorial trees planted in Darien parks with the P hoto Courtesy of Studio One Naperville ...continued, page 30 DARIEN SUNDAY MARCH 2012 MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 1 4 Open house Old Lace School House & Museum 1-3pm 5 City Council meeting City Hall 7:30pm 6 2 Summer Camp Registration begins YMCA Please send your event information to [email protected] SATURDAY 3 Naper Settelement Trivia night 6-10PM Club Saturday Night YMCA, 7-10pm 7 8 Darien Woman's Club Meeting Darien Swim & Racquet Club, 7pm 9 Crusadors challenge family night Our Lady Peace, 6pm The Creative Challenge Workshopm Library 6:30-7:30pm The Big Read: Paris in The Jazz Age Library, 2pm 10 Kingsley PTA toy, sport, & baby resale Kingsley School, Downers Grove 9am-1pm Darien Woman's Club Children's Spring Clothing Resale Prairieview Elementary Downers Grove, 9am-1pm Live Wires YMCA, 6:30-9pm 11 College Major and Career Planning Seminar Library, 2-3:30pm 12 13 14 15 The Big Read: Art Deco Chicago Library 7pm Freaky Friday Splash & Bash YMCA, 6:30-8pm 16 Prostate Cancer Awareness 5K Walk YMCA, 7pm Stations Our Lady of Peace Church, 7pm 17 Club Saturday Night YMCA 7-10pm Coffee With The Mayor Speedway 75th & Cass, 9am March 15-17 - Spring Musical: “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” Hinsdale South High School Auditorium, 7:30pm 18 Lions Club Pancake breakfast Eisenhower Junior High 7:30am-1pm 25 19 City Council meeting City Hall 7:30pm 26 Family Movie: Disney’s Aristocats Library 2:30pm-4pm 20 27 Skatepark Excursion YMCA 4-8pm 21 Percussion concert Hinsdale South High School Auditorium 7:30pm 28 Healthy Kids Day-Free Community YMCA, 10am-12pm Underwater Easter Egg Hunt YMCA, 7pm 22 Park District Adult day trip: Chunk of Chocolate 9am-4pm West Suburban Multi-Chamber Luncheon and Expo Bobak’s Signature Events 11:30am 29 Teen Movie: The Outsiders Library 6:30-8:30pm 23 RU Game? March Madness Matchups – NBA2K12, Library 6:30pm -8:45pm 24 RU Game? Strategy Showdown Library, 6:30pm-8:45pm 30 Hugo Cabret Science Fair and French Snacks Library 6:30- 7:30pm 31 March 26-30: Spring Break Programs for Kids, YMCA, all day 27 Financial News Neighbors of Darien Magazine Fundamental vs. Technical How Do You Analyze the Stock Market? DARIEN SUNDAY APRIL 2012 MONDAY Open house Old Lace School House & Museum 1-3pm 1 Youth Freestyle Clinic YMCA 1:45- 2:30pm 2 Park District Pavillon rental begins City Council meeting City Hall 7:30pm 8 EASTER TUESDAY 9 WEDNESDAY 3 Park District Adult day trip: Four Winds Casino New Buffalo, MI 8:30- 4:30pm 10 B.Y.O.B. PARTY Library 7pm Membership Luncheon Event Featuring: Senator Kirk Dillard Carrabba’s Italian Grill 11:30am 15 16 City Council meeting City Hall 7:30pm 17 Spring jazz concert Hinsdale South High School Auditorium 7:30pm THURSDAY 4 FRIDAY SATURDAY 5 Darien Woman's Club Meeting - Darien Swim & Racquet Club 7pm 6 Egg Hunt on the Lawn YMCA 10-11am Choral conert Hinsdale South High School Auditorium 7:30pm 11 Evening with an Author: Lauren Willig Library 7pm Passover begins until April 13 12 Blood drive Hinsdale South HS. 8am-2pm Ask the Master Gardeners Library, 6-8pm SWARM Cheer & Football Registration Darien Police Dept. 7-9pm 18 DWB Spring Fashion Show Midtown Athletic Club, 5:30pm 19 Park District Adult day trip: Chicago Money Tour & Greek Islands 8:15am-4:45pm 13 Moms and Dads Morning Out YMCA 9:45am-1:30pm Smarty Pants presents the Big Balloon Show Library 6:30-7:3pm 20 Freaky Friday Splash & Bash YMCA, 6:30pm-8pm Ethnic fair Hinsdale South HS Fieldhouse, 6:30pm The James Borsilli Children's Trust Fundraiser Carriage Greens Country Club, 7pm 22 Youth Breaststroke Swim Clinic YMCA 1:45pm -2:45pm Teens Celebrate Earth Day Library 2:30-4:30pm 29 Friends of the Library Book Sale Library 1-5pm 28 23 Earth Day Water Conservation and Rain Barrels Library, 7pm 24 Spring band concert Hinsdale South High School Auditorium 7:30pm 25 Big Read: Paris Today Library, 1pm Girls Only Afterschool Club YMCA, 4:30-6pm Chamber of Commerce Client Appreciation Networking Expo Ashton Place, 5:30pm 7 Easter Egg Hunt at Darien Parks 9am Sharp! 26 27 OLP students walk for charity Darien Sportsplex 9am-3pm Arbor Day Celebration 9:30am Westwood Park 14 Adult Freestyle Clinic YMCA 8-9am Y 2 VIP Teen Overnight YMCA 7:30 pm - overnight 21 Adult Breaststroke Clinic YMCA 8-9am Club Saturday Night YMCA 7-10pm Coffee With The Mayor Carmelite Carefree Village, 9am 28 Friends of the Library Book Sale, Library 9am-3pm Hinsdale South High School PROM Shedd Aquarium by Angelo Imbrogno, President, The Blue Diamond Group T his article will focus on the differences between Fundamental and Technical analyses of the stock market and whether one is better than the other. Fundamental analysis involves examining information on both a macro and micro scale and determining whether the stock market, or a particular security, is overvalued or undervalued. It involves many elements such as interest rates, GDP (gross domestic product) and other economic factors such as the unemployment rate or manufacturing data. It also takes into consideration company specific details like financial reports, management experience and even includes the political environment as fiscal policies may also affect financial markets. Technical analysis is the process of analyzing historical price patterns to predict future results. One common example is a Moving Average. A 50-day Moving Average (50MVA) is an indicator that charts the average price of an index or security over the previous 50 days. A stock trading above its 50MVA is said to be technically Strong, whereas a stock trading below is considered technically Weak. By using these tools you can survey price movements over time and extrapolate the data to help make future investment decisions. Which of these two forms of analysis should you use when making an investment decision? Answer: Both disciplines have significant relevance and neither one should be ignored. Utilizing only one approach is similar to a musician playing the piano with one hand tied behind their back...your performance may be mediocre at best! Each discipline has unique attributes that can help you gain insightful and pertinent information that is not available in the other discipline. I urge all investors to seek information from both Fundamental and Technical Analysis to gain a well-balanced and comprehensive perspective for all your future investment decisions. *Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA/ SIPC. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. 30 SAVE THE DATE! Special Library Event – A Visit with Paula McLain Ashton Place, Willowbrook, May 3, 7pm Please send your event information to [email protected] 29 Neighbors of Darien Magazine Important Contacts Neighbors Magazine 630-995-3482 [email protected] City of Darien. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-852-5000 City Administrator. . . . . . . . . . 630-353-8114 Director of Municipal Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-353-8106 Public Works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-353-8105 Post Office – Westmont . . . . 630-968-0855 Humane Society – Darien. . . 630-375-7976 Fire Departments — 911 for Emergency Darien-Woodridge. . . . . . . . . 630-910-2200 (West of Cass) Tri-State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-323-6445 (E of Cass, S of 67th, W of Rt. 83, N of I-55) Lemont. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-257-2376 Police Department — 911 for Emergency Darien. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-971-3999 TDD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-971-3999 Utilities Com Ed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-EDISON-1 Nicor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-642-6748 ATT New Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-244-4444 Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-611-4466 Comcast Cable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866 594-1234 Internet Service. . . . . . . . . . . . 888 423-7888 Downers Grove Sanitary District. . . . . . . . . . . 630-969-0664 Veolia Environmental Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 708-409-9700 Library Indian Prairie Library. . . . . . . 630-887-8760 Park District Community Center. . . . . . . . . 630-968-6400 Administrative. . . . . . . . . . . . . 630-968-6400 Darien SportsPlex. . . . . . . . . . 630-789-6666 Parks Department. . 630-968-6400, ext 122 Neighbors of Darien Magazine Robert and Charleen Vuillaume contributions made by The Gift of Carl Foundation. Every year on Arbor Day, various other families who have also lost loved ones gather in our parks to be comforted by the living growing trees planted to commemorate their loss. • Mobilized a group of volunteers to build and distribute compost bins throughout Darien. • Led residents in cleaning and clearing the walking trails at Waterfall Glenn Forest Preserve. • They continue to sponsor grants to children’s 30 Continued from page 26 outdoor education at Lace and Eisenhower Schools, band programs at Cass Jr. High, the Hinsdale South courtyard project, and many other projects. In their quiet, unassuming ways, Rob and Char Vuillaume together have touched the lives of thousands in Darien. Children and adults, schools and library, parks and athletic programs, city and county government have ALL benefitted from their leadership and support. Their courage, commitment and humility should be a model to us all.