Kendall County PADS needs more volunteers to keep its temporary housing shelters open to local homeless. Each season PADS needs nearly 600 volunteers, at least 18 years’ old, to provide overnight shelter, nourishing meals, and caring hospitality to homeless guests. Some volunteers serve two or more times each month, in 4 1/2-hour shifts. (Photo courtesy of Kendall PADS)

Kendall County 

 Kendall County PADS needs more volunteers to staff shelters 

A poignant part of the Christmas story is a couple needing a safe place to stay for the night.

On Wednesday night, just four days before Christmas, men and women will be seeking shelter at the United Methodist Church of Plano.

However, four more volunteers are needed to keep the temporary housing shelter open, according to Diane Morris, a site coordinator for Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS) of Kendall County.

In October, Kendall County PADS began its seventh season of helping the homeless at seven churches that hope to continue opening their doors on designated nights of the week through April 16, 2017.

But this season the nonprofit organization has been consistently short of volunteers on four of those nights, according to Anne Engelhardt, executive director of Kendall County PADS.

“I am trusting that we will have more volunteers,” Ms. Engelhardt said. “They are slowly filling in.”

Kendall County PADS needs more volunteers to keep its temporary housing shelters open to local homeless.

Each season PADS needs nearly 600 volunteers, at least 18 years old, to provide overnight shelter, nourishing meals, and caring hospitality to homeless guests. Some volunteers serve two or more times each month, in 4 1/2-hour shifts. ​ And some of the site coordinators serve every week.

At United Methodist Church of Plano, there is a need for male volunteers on the second and third Wednesdays of the month, a male on the third shift on the first and second Wednesdays, and a female on the third shift on third Wednesdays. Those wishing to volunteer may call (630) 552-3985 or email her at dkaymorris@aol.com.

Overnight guests at PADS receive a hot meal, a safe place to sleep, breakfast, and a packaged lunch to go. They also receive assistance with employment, social services, and housing referrals.

PADS of Kendall County is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization funded by donations received through grants, gifts, private donors, organizations, and businesses. Those who wish to donate or volunteer may call (331) 207-8903 or visit the website at www.kendallcountypads.org.

11 candidates running for FVPD Board  

Eleven residents will be vying for a total of seven seats on the Fox Valley Park District Board of Commissioners in the April 4 elections.

They will be the first candidates on the ballot in the Park District’s 70-year existence. Since its formation in 1947, state law called for Park Board members to be appointed by the Kane County Board chairman, as opposed to being elected, as most other park boards are throughout the state.

As the second largest Park District in Illinois, Fox Valley serves 233,000 residents in Aurora, North Aurora and Montgomery, covering four counties — Kane, DuPage, Kendall and Will —encompassing 65 square miles.

The new state law, through legislation sponsored by retired Kane County Board chairman Karen McConnaughay, creates three geographic districts, with two elected from each district. A seventh member is elected at-large.

The 1st District includes the entire west side of the Fox River, from the North Aurora village limits on the north to the Montgomery limits in Kendall County to the south. Its western limit is the city limits for North Aurora, Aurora and Montgomery, and the eastern limit is the Fox River.

The 2nd District has a western limit of the Fox River, running south to the Kendall County line, running east to the DuPage-Kane county line, north to the railroad tracks, west to Farnsworth, north to Indian Trail and west on Indian Trail to the river.

The 3rd District runs from the North Aurora village limits and the Aurora city limits on the north to the Aurora city limits in Will County to the south. The eastern edge runs to the Aurora city limits on the east, in DuPage County, at some points going as far as Route 59. Its western limit is the Fox River running south to Indian Trail, where it turns west along Indian Trail to Farnsworth Avenue, south to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks, east to the DuPage-Kane County line, running along the boundary with the 2nd District.

Here are the candidates who filed petitions, according to their District jurisdiction:

1st District: Charles Anderson, Aurora; Matt Hicks, Jr., Aurora.

2nd District: LuAnne Kelsey, Montgomery; Elizabeth “Beth” Waller, Montgomery; Jerry Butler, Aurora; Mary Ann Cummings, Aurora.

3rd District: Giovanni Santana, Aurora; Holly Scholz, Aurora; Roger Schnorr, Aurora; Cynthia G. Penne, Aurora.

At-Large: Alexander G. Alexandrou, Aurora.

The elected Board will be seated on May 1, 2017, at which time a lottery drawing will take place to determine length of terms, which will be staggered. Initially, four Board members will serve four-year terms, and three Board members will serve two-year terms.

Newark 

Newark American Legion supplies Christmas cookies to veterans’ home 

The Newark American Legion in Newark delivered 41 dozen Christmas cookies to the Illinois Veterans’ Home in LaSalle-Peru this past week for their 180 resident Christmas party with their families.

Cheri Stewart, the president of the Auxiliary delivered the cookies to the assistant director of Volunteer Services, Bailey Bongartz, at the Veterans’ Home.

The cookies were baked by the auxiliary members and area residents of Newark and Sheridan who volunteered to bake when they heard where the cookies were going. The veterans home requested 30 dozen for the family Christmas party but the response was so great 41 dozen were delivered.

Oswego 

Teen charged with battery at Oswego High School 

A 16-year-old Oswego boy has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery, as well as disorderly conduct and resisting a peace officer stemming from an incident that occurred at Oswego High School on Dec. 16.

Oswego Police responded to Oswego High School at approximately 12:30 p.m. after it was reported that a male juvenile entered the school without permission as students were leaving for the day.

Police said the juvenile did not comply when he was asked to leave the school. During the incident, the juvenile allegedly battered staff members. The Oswego Police School Resource Officer eventually took the juvenile into custody and arrested him.

The Kendall County State’s Attorney approved two felony counts of aggravated battery. The juvenile was also charged with Resisting/Obstructing a Peace Officer and Disorderly Conduct. The juvenile was booked and processed at the Oswego Police Department and transported to the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center pending court proceedings.

Oswego Police receive new AED from Fox Valley Heart Fund 

The Oswego Police Department would like to thank the Fox Valley Heart Fund (FVHF) at Rush-Copley for their donation of an automated external defibrillator (AED) as part of their AED Donation Program, one of the many community initiatives FVHF offers.

Each quarter, FVHF donates an AED to an area non-profit organization. The program is entirely funded by contributions received from Rush-Copley employees, patients and community members.

Oswego Police Sergeant Brian Nehring submitted an application for consideration and the police department was fortunate in being chosen as this quarter’s recipient. Maryll Moon, Development Officer for the Rush-Copley Foundation Staff delivered the new AED on December 15, 2016 and Sergeant Nehring accepted it on behalf of the Oswego Police Department.

Oswego Police Officers carry AEDs in their vehicles in case of medical emergencies such as cardiac arrests, as very often police are the first responders to such a call.

For someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, an AED delivering a shock within the first three to five minutes after that person’s heart stops can increase a that person’s chance of survival 50 to 70 percent. The survival rate improves to close to 90 percent if an AED is used within the first minute.

FVHF was organized in 2004 with the mission of promoting cardiovascular health while reducing gender and economic disparity.

FVHF helps both men and women from every racial, ethnic and socio-economic background recognize their personal heart health risk and overcome the unique challenges and barriers they face to living healthier lives.

Free Christmas tree removal  

Groot Industries will collect Christmas trees after the holidays through the second full week of January (through Jan. 13).  Residents are asked to place their bare tree (no lights, ornaments, tinsel or any decorations) by the curb on their normal scheduled garbage day without a yard waste sticker and not in a bag.  After the second full week in January residents will be required to wait until April when the yard waste program starts up again and a sticker will be needed at that time.

Sandwich 

 Sandwich Program aims to help owners understand their dogs 

Join local owner of Mid-Day Play, Lanette Yingling, for a fun-filled two-hour program on Jan. 7 at 1 p.m. at the Sandwich Library where you will learn how to understand what your dogs are trying to tell you through their body language and behaviors.

Also, learn how dogs should be interacting socially among other dogs as well as people, the importance of mental and physical stimulation, and the typical behavior of dogs in different stages of life: puppy, adolescent and adult.

Do not bring your dogs to this program. Registration required. Visit www.sandwich.lib.il.us for more information.

Yorkville 

 Yorkville Dist. 115 offers free suicide prevention training  

Please join District 115 and its partner in suicide prevention, Elyssa’s Mission®, for an informative and important training on suicide prevention to be held on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Yorkville Middle School Auditorum. This training is targeted toward district employees and parents of Y115 students.

This presentation will cover important risk factors and warning signs for suicide as well as how parents can talk to their children about this often difficult topic and where to find help when needed. Presenter Katie Baker, LCPC, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and director at Elyssa’s Mission®. She has extensive experience in suicide prevention education.

Elyssa’s Mission provides resources to help prevent teen suicide. The community-based organization was founded in 2006 in honor of Elyssa, a bright, gifted and outgoing Chicagoland girl who bravely battled post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Elyssa’s Mission provides hands-on support to area public and private schools and community organizations in order to educate students, staff and parents on how to recognize and assist those teens most at-risk. Elyssa’s Mission fully funds and implements the evidence-based SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program in over 100 middle and high schools in Illinois. Learn more about our work at risk. http://elyssasmission.org/

RSVPs for this presentation are requested to Sarah Gorges at sgorges@y115.org so an appropriate number of handouts can be made available.