In the elegance of the Bryn Mawr Country Club in Lincolnwood, a gritty Chicago issue was addressed in a powerful, transforming way.  The organization “Literature for All of Us” held a fundraiser to “empower teen parents and other underserved youth to transform their lives.”  The program started fourteen years ago around the kitchen table of Karen Thomson.  It sponsors weekly book groups which foster trust, acceptance, and confidence in these young people who read and discuss works significant to their growth.  These young parents talk about what it means to parent.  They are introduced to and provided with beautifully illustrated children’s books to share with their own children.  Another segment of the Literature for All of Us program, Boys Expansion, aims to reach boys faced with the challenge of gangs, drugs, crime, and early parenting.  Recently, the Literature for All of Us initiative partnered with Chicago Women in Trades to train and support women interested in working in the trades.  The book discussion groups encourage these young men and women to express in their own words the journey, the wisdom they have gained from their own experiences.  Below is a poem written by Sandra Wade who was on a Literature for All of Us Girls’ Retreat in Michigan, Spring, 2014.

What We May

The summer is upon us and we are gathering to decide just what kind of book club we want to have. Join us at Trattoria  Trullo at Lincoln and Lawrence on Thursday from  6:30 til 8:30pm. You buy dinner and we will supply the wine.

On your way over, stop and visit us at the Lincoln Square Farmers Market

at Leland and Lincoln from 4-7:30

The City of Chicago has been designated an Age-Friendly Community by the World Health Organization (WHO).

In order to find out more about how residents feel about the age-friendliness of our communities, as well as what is needed in our neighborhoods, an evaluation is being done by Northwestern University’s Buehler Center on Aging, Health, and Society.

This survey is confidential and we strongly encourage you to fill it out, and to give your feedback. We can’t create the communities of our future without information about what people want. Thanks for your participation!

Click here to complete: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ChicagoAgeFriendlySurvey

Friday, May 30th dawned with clear sunny skies.  500 seniors from the neighborhood, along the dozens of volunteers and the entire Maifest Committee breathed a sigh of relief!  Community members enjoyed a delicious lunch together, German music, and of course the pleasure of seeing old friends and meeting new ones. 

Thanks to Matt Lodge, Joe Matushka, Alderman Pawar, Gene’s Sausage, The DANK HAUS and
many others – we had an enjoyable and tasty lunch on a delightful afternoon. Along with many neighborhood volunteers were high school students from Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club who served lunch

What an enjoyable day we had mixing, mingling, meeting friends old and new, in our neighborhood – a place where everyone is made to feel welcome.

By the way – if your address is no longer in the 47th Ward due to the 2010 Census Ward Boundary changes – please contact Alderman Pawar’s office at 773-868-4747, let them know and they will add you to the invitation  list for upcoming events.

Join us on June 19 at Tratoria Trullo 4767 N Lincoln for dinner from 6:30-8:30 om

June 13 & 14 Spring Rummage Sale – Fri. 1-8 pm, Sat. 9-3 pm
Bargains will be plentiful and treasures sure to be uncovered at our Spring Rummage Sale! Set up in the gymnasium begins on June 1 and donations will be receive during business hours in the days leading up to the sale. Volunteers are needed for set up and pricing. See Jean Oeste for details or call the church office to donate or volunteer. 773-549-5472

The church is located at 2050 W. Pensacola Ave – Chicago, IL 60618

The Chicago Community Trust (CCT) asked folks from all over Chicagoland to gather on Monday, May 12 to discuss Community!

Over 1,050 of these conversations took place; including four right here in our ward that Alderman Pawar attended; including one hosted by Forward Chicago.

Thanks to the many hosts and hundreds of participants who brought all of their ideas On the Table! Community members invited by Forward Chicago came together and discussed what we would like to see in a Community for All Ages.

CCT has asked for notes on all of these conversations and will have follow-up on the ideas, suggestions and plans that were brought up by the various attendees.

Check out this creative collaboration at: http://www.onthetable2014.com/