365 Naperville – Centennial Beach Plunge!

Centennial Beach Plunge

image from Google Earth

If you have been around Naperville for a while, you have probably swum at the Beach, had a membership there, or experienced your Junior High student all of a sudden wanting to go to the Beach instead of the neighborhood pool. If you are new to Naperville, you will ge to know it. And there is no better way to introduce or re-introduce yourself to this Naperville landmark than the Pre-Season Plunge!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 12, 2012 @ 1:00pm for the Centennial Beach Pre-Season Plunge. According to the Park District web site, “Guests will enjoy free admission, the opportunity to take the plunge, and free goodies from the Centennial Grill.”

Beach Membership

If you are purchasing a Centennial Beach membership for the first time, please visit  the Naperville Park District’s Administration Building located at 320 W. Jackson Avenue and South Maintenance Facility, 3415 Book Road. Please bring proof of Naperville residency in the form of a utility bill or a new pre-printed check in addition to your payment. A photo will be taken of you that will be included on your Beach membership I.D., so you must be present to obtain your card as a first-time member.

365 Naperville Earth Week Cleanup

Earth Week April 16-22

I think we are all a bit concerned and care about our planet and the environment. And being the community of action that we are, we often choose to become involved in making this a better place to live, work and play. And even though that is a 365 day a year concern for most of us, it does take special emphasis this week, designated as Earth Week. According to EarthWeek2012,

Earth Week 2012 is a time to promote awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment, sustainable living and earth awareness. Earth Week is also known as National Green Week 2012. Environmentalists all over the world will recycle and conserve energy this earth week!

In honor of Earth Day, help the Naperville Park District by volunteering your time to make our community a better place to live. From Monday, April 16 through Sunday, April 22 you can help spruce up our parks by picking up litter, weeding, and removing fallen twigs.

These parks need your help during Earth Week. Check the bottom of the page to arrange a time slot for your group to help

• Brighton Ridge Park
• Burlington Park
• Carol Acres Park
• Clow Creek Greenway
• Commissioners Park
• Country Lakes Park
• DuPage River Park
• Frontier Sports Complex
• Goodrich Woods
• Heritage Woods
• Hobson West Ponds
• Hunters Woods
• Knoch Knolls Park
• May Watts Park
• Nike Park
• Pioneer Park
• Riverwoods Park
• Seager Park
• Springbrook Parkway
• Walnut Ridge Woods
• Wildflower Park
• Westglen Park

Please contact Lynnette Hoole at lhoole@napervilleparks.org or 630-848-3606 to sign up for one of these opportunities.

365 Naperville – Girls High School Soccer Teams Unite For The Cause

Some rights reserved by stevendepolo *

Some might call it a double derby for breast cancer awareness. (Derby – soccer match between crosstown rivals). On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 District 203 & 204′s high school girls soccer teams will square off in two games at North Central College’s Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. Waubonsie Valley plays Naperville Central at 5 p.m. followed by Neuqua Valley against Naperville North at 7:30 p.m.

According to Ed Watson, Head Coach of the Naperville Central Redhawks, “Cancer has touched so many lives. This event is a great way for the girls at Naperville Central to honor members of their families that have fought or are fighting Cancer. What should not be missed in the festivities of the evening is that four great soccer teams will get to showcase themselves.”

There will be a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, T-shirt sales, and donations that will benefit Edward Hospital Cancer Center and Camp Hope, a summer camp for kids who have a parent or loved one living with cancer.  Additionally, players from all four teams have begun a season long effort to create fleece blankets and goody bags for patients at the Center.

Teams will wear T-shirts with their school color but with the same pink ribbon logo.

Mrs. Illinois Zara Johnson, a breast cancer survivor, will speak between games (around 6:45 pm). Cancer survivors in attendance will be invited to the field to join in a survivors circle with Johnson and players from the teams. Children who wear their youth team jersey’s to the game will also be invited to join.

*This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California, 94041, USA.

365 Naperville – Getting Your Irish On

Here’s all the details for this Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities here in Naperville from the City of Naperville:

The St. Paddy’s Day 5K race begins at 8 a.m. at the intersection of West Street and Jackson Avenue. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at Naperville North High School, located at 899 N. Mill St. The parade will continue south on Mill Street, east on Jefferson Avenue, south on Main Street and west on Water Street to the Naperville Municipal Center.

Race and parade route streets will be closed beginning at approximately 7:15 a.m. until approximately 11:30 a.m. The race and parade route only will be a no parking, tow zone from 5 a.m. to noon and will be posted accordingly. Race and parade route streets are re-opened to traffic as soon as the Naperville Police Department determines it is safe. Motorists should expect delays through the morning hours in and around the race and parade area and take alternate routes or allow extra time to get to their destination.

The times and locations of the parade and race street closures, parking restrictions and tow-away zones can be found on a color-coded map located on the City’s website at www.naperville.il.us/stpatricks.aspx. The map requires Adobe Acrobat reader to view. Parking is available for event participants and spectators throughout the downtown area. For more information on parking in downtown Naperville, visitwww.naperville.il.us/downtownparking.aspx.

A color-coded accessibility plan for the parade is available for viewing atwww.naperville.il.us/stpatricks.aspx. In addition, an accessible seating area has been designated on Jefferson Avenue, west of Webster Street, on the southwest corner of this intersection.

The St. Paddy’s Day 5K is hosted by the Rotary Club of Naperville Sunrise. Proceeds from this event will be used to provide health-related services to those in need. For more information on the St. Paddy’s Day 5K, visitwww.stpaddysday5k.com.

The St. Patrick’s Day parade is sponsored by the West Suburban Irish, Inc., a non-profit organization headquartered in Naperville with membership extending throughout the western suburbs of Chicago. For more information on the St. Patrick’s Day parade, visit www.wsirish.org/st.patrickparade.htm.

365 Naperville – Jaycees’ 28th Annual Egg Hunt

This 28th annual Naperville Jaycees tradition promises lots of colorful eggs to be hunted and a special visit from the Easter Bunny. The egg hunt begins at 10:00 a.m. sharp, so please be on time because the eggs disappear fast! Only children age 2 or younger may have help from a parent. The Jaycees also will be accepting donations of non-perishable food items at the event; no glass containers, please. Event parking is limited.

Location:   Frontier Sports Complex                Softball Complex – Off Cedar Glade Drive

Date:         April 7, 2012              10:00am sharp!

Ages: 1-8

This is a FREE EVENT!!!

365 Naperville – The Polls are Open, Naperville – For Early Voting

March 20, 2012 is primary day in Illinois. Historically the turnouts are low – and registrations for this presidential primary are down from 2008. (Chicago Tribune). If you are going to be out of town, still away at school, or otherwise occupied on that date, it is not too late to vote early! You still have until Thursday, March 15, 2012 to cast your ballot. Following is information and links for voters in DuPage and Will County who want to make their vote count.

DUPAGE COUNTY

First day to Early Vote - Monday, February 27, 2012 

Last day to Early Vote - Thursday, March 15, 2012

List of Early Voting Locations and Hours - English     Spanish

WILL COUNTY

First day to Early Vote - Monday, February 27, 2012

Last day to Early Vote - Thursday, March 15, 2012

List of Early Voting Locations and Hours 

Just a couple of reminders for this election: You must declare an affiliation to receive the proper ballot. You may be required to show a government issued photo id, depending on the polling place.

365Naperville – Free Museum Adventure Pass

Did you know that Naperville Public Library cardholders could receive free admission to 14 exciting museums and cultural institutions throughout the Chicago area?

The Macy’s Museum Adventure Pass program provides free admission to unique cultural destinations throughout the Chicago area to library card holders at over 140 suburban public libraries. This special opportunity is made possible by a generous contribution from Macy’s, the participating cultural organizations, and the DuPage, Metropolitan, and North Suburban Library Systems.

There are some restrictions and limitations.  You can check out the details here.

365Naperville – #172 – Upcoming Performances at North Central College

North Central College’s Fine Arts Programs has a variety of events coming up in the next few weeks to suit a wide range of musical tastes. Here is a brief synopsis of some of the programs with links to click thru for details and tickets. Enjoy!

Joan Curto Sunday, February 26, 2012 @ 6:00 pm

Come listen to Naperville resident and acclaimed cabaret singer Joan Curto as she performs selections from her Great American Songbook program.

Called a “cabaret icon” by NBC news Chicago, Curto has established herself as one of the top performers in Chicago, winning the Chicago After Dark Award for Outstanding Cabaret Artist. Garnering a reputation for her thoughtful interpretations of the American Songbook, she performs regularly at venues throughout Chicago, including Harris Theater, Drury Lane, Thorne Auditorium and Maxim’s, and nationwide at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center and Gardenia in Los Angeles. The Chicago Tribune has praised Curto’s work, describing her as a “seasoned interpreter who makes every note count.”

The performance begins at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, in North Central College’s Madden Theatre at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. Tickets are $35 and $25; call the North Central College Box Office at 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix.

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones Saturday, March 3, 2012 @ 8:00 pm

Groundbreaking banjoist/composer/bandleader Béla Fleck has reconvened the original ‘Béla Fleck & The Flecktones’, the extraordinary initial line-up of his incredible combo. Rocket Science marks the first recording by the first fab four Flecktones in almost two decades.ar from being a wistful trip back in time, the album sees the Grammy Award-winning quartet creating some of the most forward thinking music of their long, storied career. While all manners of genres come into play – from classical and jazz to bluegrass and African music to electric blues and Eastern European folk dances – the result is an impossible to pigeonhole sound all their own. Simply put, it is The Flecktones, the music made only when these four individuals come together.

Venue: Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville IL
Ticket Information:  Price Level 1 – $80, Price Level 2 – $70. A $2 per ticket convenience fee applies to online purchases.

Air Supply Sat., March 31, 2012 at 8:00 pm

365Naperville – #171 Valentines Specials

It’s almost here! Are you planning something special to celebrate with that certain someone? Here are a few ideas from some of Naperville’s merchant community. Check them out!

MESON SABIKA
1025 Aurora Avenue | Naperville, IL 60540 | 630.983.3000 | www.mesonsabika.com

Guests who make their Valentine’s dinner reservations will be entered into a drawing to win a romantic complimentary dinner for two. Winners will be surprised with the complimentary dinner upon arrival to reservation. Reservations must be made a minimum of 24 hours in advance in order to be entered into the drawing. Valid for dinner reservations only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights during Valentine’s Day weekend. One drawing per day.  A special Valentine’s Day menu, priced at $29.95 per person will be offerred.

LA SORELLA FIVE DAYS OF VALENTINE!
Feb. 10, 2012 – Feb. 14, 2012 

Francesca’s restaurants locations are celebrating Five Days of Valentine Friday, February 10 through Tuesday, February 14. During these five days, Francesca’s will feature a heat-shaped Pizza con Prosciutto e Rucola, arugula, lemon, olive oil, roasted plum tomatoes, mozzarella and Prosciutto di Parma, for $11.99. They will also feature the festive Ravioli Tartufati, heart-shaped pasta with a garlic Parmesan cream sauce, fresh tomatoes and a drizzle of white truffle oil for $16.99.

COLDWATER CREEK THE SPA – VALENTINES DAY GIFT CARD PROMO!
Feb. 01, 2012 – Feb. 14, 2012 

Buy a $100 gift card and receive a coupon for a complimentary enhancement up to $20.

HEART OF DOWNTOWN! Feb. 10, 2012 – Feb. 20, 2012 
website: http://www.downtownnaperville.com

You buy, local charities benefit! Purchase at the following participating businesses from Feb 10-20 and you decide where a portion of what you spend should be directed. Charities include: Little Friends, Loaves & Fishes Community Food Pantry, 360 Youth Services, Samaritan Interfaith, Naperville CARES & the Naperville Area Humane Society!

Shop at THESE businesses & MENTION Heart of Downtown for your charity to benefit. Businesses include:

• Abyhaasa Yoga (at Jefferson & Webster)
• Andersons Bookshop
• Artistic Creations Salon
• Baubles by Maclyn
• Beidelman Furniture
• Fitness Experts
• Giordanos – on Main
• Its A Bling Thing
• La Sorella di Francesca
• SaraBoo Creek
• Twisted Olive
• Two Doors East
• Two Bostons Pet Boutique

HEAVEN ON SEVEN – VALENTINES DINNER! Feb. 14, 2012 
5-10PM

Nothing says lovin’ like a hot cup of Gumbo, so bring your honey on over for our special Four Course Dinner for Two for $50 per couple plus complimentary roses for the ladies.

This is by no means a comprehensive list. If you know of others, feel free to add them in the comments! Happy Valentines Day!

365Naperville – #170 Naperville Chamber of Commerce Events

I was scanning the Naperville Chamber of Commerce calendar today and a couple of events caught my eye.

Special Membership Luncheon with Tom Ricketts, Chairman, Chicago Cubs

Monday, February 13, 2012, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville, located at 3003 Corporate West Drive in Lisle. What an opportunity to hear from the top where the Cubs are headed. With a new management team, OperationsPresident, including General Manager, and Manager and a significant changes in players, this is sure to be an interesting presentation.

Tickets for the event are $25 for Members, $30 at the door, and $35 for nonmembers. To register or for more information, visit the Chamber’s website,www.naperville.net, contact Lisa Spaeth at 630-544-3365, or the Chamber at 630-355-4141.

Annual State of the City Address with Mayor A. George Pradel

Monday, Feb. 27. The event will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the new Marriott hotel at the corner of Diehl and Naper Blvd.

Tickets for this special breakfast meeting are  $30 for Members and $40 for nonmembers.   To register or for more information, visit the Chamber’s website,www.naperville.net, or the Chamber at 630-355-4141.