Riders enjoy a wintry trip through the Mayslake forest preserve. The public can again enjoy winter outdoor fun at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Wonders of Winter open house Feb. 3 at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook.

COUNTY

Public can help send valentines to Care Center residents

The DuPage Care Center is offering the community an opportunity to send Valentine wishes to its residents.

For a $3 donation, community members can send a Valentine balloon to a Care Center resident to spread cheer and warm wishes. Last year, the public sent more than 1,000 heart-shaped, helium balloons that lined the center’s corridors and filled its rooms on Valentine’s Day. Volunteers and staff delivered the balloons to more than 350 residents. The center’s mission is to provide quality long-term care as well as short-term rehabilitative services. Many of the residents are elderly, chronically ill and on public aid.

Donations will be accepted until Feb. 13, and may be sent to: DuPage Care Center, Attn: Valentine Balloons, 400 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton 60187.

Balloons will be delivered to residents Feb. 14.

Funds from the sale of balloons will benefit the Resident Recreation Fund, which provides programs and activities to improve the quality of life of residents living at the center.

For more information, contact Linda Gray at (630) 784-4303 or linda.gray@dupageco.org.

Winter celebration at Mayslake

Enjoy winter outdoor fun with activities such as ice fishing and snowshoeing at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Wonders of Winter open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 3 at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook.

Help cut ice from the lake and meet live birds of prey from Willowbrook Wildlife Center’s raptor education program. Warm up around an open fire while making s’mores, and then step inside Mayslake Hall for games, crafts and interesting information about plants, animals and programs from rangers, naturalists and volunteers. Explore historic Mayslake Hall, a registered national landmark well-known as a cultural and educational center. Other activities include archery and geocaching.

Registration is not required, and admission and most activities are free. If there is sufficient snow, there will be horse-drawn sleigh rides for $5 per person (free for children younger than 5). For more information about Wonders of Winter, call (630) 933-7248.

Literary DuPage seeks volunteer tutors

Literacy DuPage is recruiting volunteers to tutor more than 200 learners who cannot understand, speak, read or write English. With a command of the English language, these adults can get jobs, support their families and thrive in their communities. Prospective volunteers can learn what would be expected of them at a session scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25, at Spring Wood Middle School, 5540 Arlington Drive E, Hanover Park.

Successful tutors will be those who have passion for helping and teaching, patience to help learners, empathy to understand the learner may be balancing work, family and other responsibilities and resourcefulness to connect learners with the information and tools they need.

Tutors and students will meet in sessions to be held through early June at area libraries. The training fee is $40, which helps defray the cost of training materials. For more information, go to literacydupage.org or call (630) 416-6699.

NAPERVILLE

Foodies invited to Restaurant Week

From Jan. 26 to Feb. 8, Naperville Restaurant Week will showcase local restaurants. From fast casual to fancy dining, each venue will provide either a prix fixe menu at an appetizing price, or discounts on featured menu choices.

The early list of participating restaurants and their offers include:

• Bangkok Village: Discount/complimentary Item 15 percent off dinner menu valid Monday-Thursday.
• Catch 35: Prix fixe lunch, $22.  Prix fixe dinner, $33 or $44. See website for menu.
• Empire Burger & Brew: Prix fixe lunch, $10.  Prix fixe dinner, $12.  See website for menu.
• Jimmy’s Grill: 20 percent off any food purchase.
• Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria: Discount/complimentary Item, free appetizer or dessert with any $20 purchase. Dine-in only.
• Nando’s Peri Peri: Prix fixe lunch and dinner $12.50.  See website for menu.
• Potter’s Place: Free appetizer with the purchase of two entrees. Choose from stuffed jalapenos, queso fundido, taquitos, pico de gallo with avocado or guacamole. Dine-in only.
• Q-BBQ: $5 off with any purchase of $20 or more. Dine-in or carry-out.
• SixtyFour A Wine Bar: Prix fixe dinner $24.  See website for menu.
• Sullivan’s Steakhouse: Prix fixe dinner $44.  See website for menu.

For up-to-date information, go to dinenaperville.com/naperville-restaurant-week or the websites of individual restaurants.

ELMHURST

Girls tennis coach wins state honor

Kara Dollaske, York Community High School counselor and assistant girls’ tennis coach has been recognized as Assistant Coach of the Year for girls’ tennis by the Illinois High School Tennis Coaches Association. Dollaske has served as an assistant girls’ tennis coach at York for the last six years. 

Some of her team highlights from this past season include:

• Most dual wins in JV1 history (27-2). Went 5-1 in Conference Dual meets. 
• Entered conference tournament tied for 2nd place (28 points)
• Placed 2nd in Conference Tournament (40 pts), only 1 point behind the tournament winner. 
• Solidified Conference 2nd place position with 68 points. 
• All 7 positions advanced forward in the first round of the 
• conference tournament. 
• Won York Invite (random draw, 8 team invite) and DGS Doubles Tournament (5 doubles, random draw, head to head winners advance)

When Dollaske started coaching tennis at York, the school had about 50 girls playing at three levels. Since then, the program has grown to 112 athletes.

–DuPage County News Briefs–