DeKalb County news briefs

COUNTY

Job skills classes

open to county residents

 

Northwestern Medicine invites DeKalb County residents to the DeKalb Public Library for the next several Thursdays to get help landing and keeping jobs. The sessions are being held from 3-4:30 p.m. in the Bilder Family Meeting room at the library, 309 Oak St.

Meetings will address topics such as writing cover letters, following up on applications and developing interview skills, as well as coping with workplace stressors and balancing work and home life once you’ve landed a job.

The sessions are free and hosted by Northwestern Medicine’s IPS employment specialists.

The schedule includes:

  • Cover letters March 21
  • Applying for jobs April 4
  • Interview skills April 11
  • Mock interviews April 18
  • Job maintenance April 25
  • Workplace stressors May 2
  • Human resources and benefits May 9
  • Emotions and employment May 16
  • Work/life balance May 23

YMCA seeks nominations for leadership awards

Know someone who’s made an impact on the DeKalb County community and deserves recognition? The Kishwaukee Family YMCA wants to honor them at its upcoming Community Awards Dinner.

Nominations for the awards recognizing a youth leader, emerging leader and outstanding community leader will be accepted until March 29.

The Y’s annual fundraising dinner will be May 16 at Faranda’s Banquet Center, and Jarrett Payton, son of late NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton will be the featured speaker.

The Youth Leader Award goes to a child serving or improving his or her community in youth development, healthy living or social responsibility. The Emerging Leader Award honors a person 19-35 years, old who has provided significant, ongoing volunteer contributions through leadership, involvement, and community service. The Outstanding Community Leader Award honors a person whose body of volunteer work through leadership, involvement and community service has advanced DeKalb County in youth development, healthy living, or social responsibility.

The event will raise money to support the Y’s programs and scholarships. Sponsorship opportunities for the dinner are available. For more information about becoming a sponsor, contact Heather Dunker, marketing and communications director at 815-375-5406, or visit kishymca.org.

DeKALB

School election forum to be held in University Village

Joseph Mitchell, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, is hosting a forum for candidates running in the DeKalb District 428 School Board race. The event will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. March 21, in the community room at University Village, 722 N. Annie Glidden Road. Many children in the complex attend District 428 schools. Dan Kenney, founder and executive director for DeKalb County Community Gardens, will act as moderator. The spring election is April 2; and early voting is now available. For information about the forum, call New Hope at 815-756-7906.

Bank gives money to local FFA chapters

Eight area FFA chapters are receiving financial support from First National Bank. The bank is donating a total of $2,500 to the DeKalb, Harvard, Hinckley-Big Rock, Indian Creek, Newark, Rochelle, Somonauk-Leland-Sandwich and Sycamore chapters.

First National Bank’s contribution is part of its broader efforts to celebrate National Agriculture Week, and will help provide positive educational experiences for the students enrolled in agricultural education in Illinois. First National Bank and its affiliates are among the largest Agribusiness lenders in the country.

 

SYCAMORE

Chamber makes a statement with a redesigned logo

The Sycamore Chamber of Commerce has given itself a bit of a facelift, 103 years in the making.

The chamber has unveiled a new logo.

The logo has been pretty much the same for a century, with only minor tweaks here or there. Sycamore Chamber member and former chamber board chair Wendy Tritt, founder and owner of Trittenhaus Design LLC in Sycamore, created the new design using green and blue and keeping the iconic sycamore tree leaf.

The colors are meant to be progressive and bold, but not trendy. The green represents growth, energy and commerce; the blue, depth and stability, trust, loyalty, confidence and intelligence.

SYCAMORE/GENOA

Team raising money at Portillo’s for MS research

Diners who eat at Portillo’s, 1780 DeKalb Ave., March 28, can help raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. A local team in an upcoming National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Walk MS event has partnered with Portillo’s for the fundraiser that will be held from 5-8 p.m.

If diners tell the cashier they are supporting Tina’s Team, then 20 percent of the sales’ proceeds will go to the team, which is spearheaded by Tina Brust of Genoa, who was diagnosed with the central nervous system disease in 2000.

Her team will take part in the May 5 walk in St. Charles, and has a goal of raising $6,000.

Supporters who can’t make it to Portillo’s on March 28, can donate at the webpage anytime by going to nationalmssociety.org and searching for Tina’s Team.