By William S. Bike
DEVIL’S BALL
The Auditorium Theatre will host its Devil’s Ball-Sizzlin’ Summer Nights on Friday, June 16, at 7 p.m. There will be music, food and drink, dancing, a tour, and a silent auction. For information, log on to auditoriumtheatre.org.
SUMMER SERATA
Avanti Group’s Summer Serata will be held Friday, June 30, 7 p.m. to midnight, at Gibson’s, 233 N. Canal St. There will be an open bar, food, music, and a gelato tasting. Podcaster John Viola will speak. For information, log on to www.avantigroupprofessionals.com/events-1/event-one-al6wj.
STORY TIME
The Canaryville Library, 642 W. 43rd St., has story time every Thursday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. for children age five and younger with a caregiver. Story time is followed by play time. Call (312) 747-0644.
DRAGON BOAT RACE
The Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce 23rd Annual Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy will be held on Saturday, June 24, in Ping Tom Memorial Park, 1700 S. Wentworth Ave. For more information, email [email protected] or call (312) 326-5320.
RE-ENTRY AFTER PRISON
The new City of Chicago website, chicago.gov/reentry, provides a central hub of all re-entry related information to give returning ex-offenders a single location for information about workforce training opportunities, Community Re-Entry Support Centers, and civil rights.
DAVIS SECOND CHANCE DAY
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot proclaimed April 29 Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-7th) Second Chance Day in Chicago, recognizing his contributions to helping 100,000 men and women by serving as chief sponsor of the Second Chance Act of 2007. The act helps ex-offenders re-integrate into society and aids their families as well. For the Re-Entry Employment Service Program, log on to https://ides.illinois.gov/jobs-workforce/programs/re-entry.html.
DE LA SALLE NEWS
De La Salle Institute recently named teacher Paul Dirschl, the National Honors Society moderator and mock trial moderator, educator of the month.
De La Salle is at 3434 S. Michigan Ave. Call (312) 842-7355 or log on to dls.org.
CITY COLLEGES NEWS
City Colleges of Chicago Star Scholars earning their associate degrees in the 2022-23 school year took part in a ceremony at Malcolm X College to celebrate their Star Scholarships, which cover tuition and books for up to three years at City Colleges. Students qualify for the Star Scholarship if they graduate from a Chicago Public School or Big Shoulders Fund Catholic high school with at least a 3.0 GPA. To learn more about the Chicago Star Scholarship program, visit www.ccc.edu/starscholarship.
Students who graduated from Chicago Public Schools in fall 2022 or spring 2023 are invited to enroll in the City Colleges of Chicago Summer Start session by Monday, June 12, where they can earn college credits and up to $1,000. Classes take place from Tuesday, June 20, to Friday, Aug. 4. and to receive the full payment, students need to sign up, attend, and participate in the Summer Start program at https://pages.ccc.edu/apply/summer-start/, and also register for fall 2023 classes at City Colleges.
DUBUCLET NEW STATE REP
Democratic committeepersons appointed Kimberly Neely DuBuclet, a Metropolitan Water Reclamation District commissioner, to replace Lamont Robinson as State Representative in the 5th District. Voters elected Robinson 4th Ward alderman. DuBuclet is a former 26th District representative.
E(ART)H CHICAGO
E(art)H Chicago, pronounced Earth Art Chicago, launches this month with 12 artworks and a series of events. The initiative features work by artists with a mission to create impactful public art projects that will raise awareness and inspire action on climate change and environmental justice. The artists and community organizations collectively received nearly $700,000 in grants to create the artworks. Some of the events, free unless otherwise noted, are Plant-tastic: Saturday, June 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Back of the Yards’ Sherman Park, 1302 W. 52nd St.; Rio de Bienvenida/River of Welcome Launch Event: Saturday, June 3, 1 to 4 p.m., Canalport Riverwalk Park, 2900 S. Ashland Ave.; House of Kapwa Opening Ceremony: Saturday, June 3, 3 to 6 p.m., Burnham Park, near 41st Pedestrian Bridge and Oakwood Beach; Rest.Rise.Move.Nourish.Heal Live Dance Performance: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, June 8, 9, and 10, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Art on the Farm in Grant Park, 119 E. Congress Pkwy, fee charged, sliding scale tickets available; and Triangle Garden Party: Saturday, June 10, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., McKinley Park Community Garden, 3518 S. Wolcott Ave. For more information, go to: https://earthartchicago.org.
JOFFREY FOR ALL
The Joffrey Ballet will hold its free Joffrey for All celebration Sunday, June 25, at 5:30 p.m. at Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park. Artists from Joffrey’s community engagement programs, Academy of Dance, and professional company will perform free at the event in addition to offering dance workshops on the park lawn prior to performances. For information, visit www.joffrey.org.
11TH WARD NEWS
The 11th Ward Office recently hosted the 18th annual Boy and Girl of the Year ceremony at McGuane Park. Winners were eighth grade Girl of the Year Ana Benadada of Mark Sheridan Academy; eighth grade Boy of the Year Albert Flores of Bridgeport Catholic Academy; seventh grade Girl of the Year Nicole McManus of St. Gabriel School; and seventh grade Boy of the Year Max McQuaid of St. Jerome School.
The ward office is at 3659 S. Halsted St. and has extended hours on Mondays until 7:30 p.m.; residents are urged to make an appointment. The office also is open the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. Call (773) 254-6677.
WEST SIDE STORY
Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N. Wacker Dr., will present West Side Story from Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 25. For tickets or more information, log on to www.lyricopera.org.
GLESSNER HOUSE NEWS
Glessner House, 1800 S. Prairie Ave., will present A Walk Through Time, its annual tour of landmark Prairie Avenue homes, on Sunday, June 11, from 1 to 4 p.m.; tickets range from $50 to $60 per person. The courtyard concert series will resume for the season on Wednesday, June 14, at 6 p.m., when Chicago Symphony Orchestra principal cellist John Sharp and friends will perform music for string trio; tickets are $50. On Wednesday, June 28, at 5:30 p.m., the four-concert jazz series, sponsored by Lakeside Bank, will begin with vocalist Suneetha Vaitheswaran; tickets are $15. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit glessnerhouse.org or call (312) 326-1480.
BEYOND ANTIQUITY
The National Hellenic Museum is presenting Beyond Antiquity, an exhibition from Greek American architect and artist John “Yanni” Fotiadis through Saturday, Sept. 30. In a series of nearly 40 drawings, paintings, and digital artworks, Fotiadis explores classical antiquity in Greece. The museum is at 333 S. Halsted St. and is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information, visit nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call (312) 655-1234.
OBSERVANCES AND HOLIDAYS
June and early July observances and holidays are: Flag Day, Wednesday, June 14; Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18; Juneteenth, Monday, June 19; summer solstice, Wednesday, June 21; Eid al-Adha begins, Thursday, June 28; and Independence Day, Tuesday, July 4.
OUR LADY OF THE HOLY FAMILY NEWS
Our Lady of the Holy Family, 1334 W. Flournoy St., holds Sunday Masses at 9 a.m. in English and 11:30 a.m. in Spanish, as well as a Saturday evening Anticipatory Mass at 5 p.m. in English.
Mass is held at 6 p.m. in the church on Mondays followed by the Holy Rosary at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday Masses are at 8 a.m. in the chapel at 1335 W. Harrison St. On Friday, Mass is held in the church at 6 p.m., followed by Adoration and Confessions.
OLHF offers a Friday Food Pantry for area residents facing food shortages. Contact the parish office or just come to the pantry, located behind the church at 1334 W. Flournoy St., from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Call (312) 243-7400, email [email protected], or log on to www.olhfchi.org. The two Sunday Masses are available on YouTube and accessible through the parish website.
HELP FOR REFUGEES
To help refugees being tossed out of Texas and bused to Chicago, hygiene supplies such as sanitizers, medical kits, diapers, and baby formula can be donated to the Pilsen Food Pantry, 1850 S. Throop St., which has mutual aid networks to connect the items to migrants across the city. Contact the food pantry at www.pilsenfoodpantry.com.
SAINT IGNATIUS NEWS
Saint Ignatius College Prep students, led by the Care for Our Common Home Club, cleaned up the neighborhood recently, gathering buckets of trash. The school is at 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd. Call (312) 421-5900 or log on to www.ignatius.org.
ST. PETER’S GALA
St. Peter’s Church in the Loop will host its ninth annual gala Thursday, July 13, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Blvd. Tickets are $225 per person, and there will be silent and live auctions. For information call (312) 372-5111 or log on to stpetersloop.org.
POMPEII SHRINE NEWS
The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii is offering pavers on which one may honor a loved one or offer an intention. Each paver costs $250. For information, email [email protected] or call (312) 421-3757, ext. 310. The shrine is at 1224 W. Lexington St.
CABRINI SHRINE NEWS
The National Shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, 2520 N Lakeview Ave., has new hours: Monday closed; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Masses are held Thursday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m., Sunday at 10 a.m., First Fridays at noon, First Saturdays at 10 a.m. Eucharistic Adoration is every Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. Confession is the first and third Saturday of each month, 3 to 3:45 p.m. For more details, visit cabrininationalshrine.org or call (773) 360-5115.
SHEDD CONSTRUCTION
Shedd Aquarium has begun building its Integrated Aquatic Science Labs, a shared space for clinical care and conservation science. Shedd’s scientists, animal care team, and field researchers now will work together in one spot at the heart of Shedd’s building to maximize collaborations, expand the aquarium’s capacity to accelerate applied science, and amplify the impact of results. The aquarium will remain open during construction and is located at 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Log on to www.sheddaquarium.org.
GOLDEN APPLE WINNERS
South Loop Elementary School teachers Helen Chan, who teaches fourth grade, and Rick Coppola, who teaches seventh grade, received Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching—the first time two winners came from the same school in the same year. The school is at 1212 S. Plymouth Ct. Call (773) 534-8690.
FARMER’S MARKET
The South Loop Farmer’s Market will be held every Saturday through Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Printers Row Park, 627 S. Dearborn St.
WESTINGHOUSE REUNION
The Westinghouse High School Class of 1973 50th year reunion will be held Friday, June 23, at the Four Points by Sheridan at O’Hare, 10249 W. Irving Park Rd., Schiller Park, IL. Reception will be at 6 p.m., and dinner at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $100 per person. There also will be a picnic on Saturday, June 24, at 9 a.m. For information on how to sign up, call Freda Madison at (773) 516-3782, Kevin Madison at (773) 983-2373, Susan Anderson-Lucas at (630) 740-6935, or Carol Ward at (312) 545-1972.
DECATHLON TEAM
The Whitney M. Young Magnet High School decathlon team took second place at the United States Academic Decathlon National Competition in Frisco, TX, earning one of the school’s highest scores to date at the national level. During the competition, each student competes in ten events: art, economics, literature, math, music, science, social science, essay, interview, and speech. The school is at 211 S. Laflin St. Log on to www.wyoung.org.
‘LORI’ RE-RELEASED
Lori (Laughter and Tears), a novel by award-winning author Charlene Wexler, has been re-released by a new publisher, Speaking Volumes. Lori is a family saga about a clash of cultures, a domineering mother-in-law, an alcoholic husband, a fatally ill child, the possibility of economic ruin—and friendship and redemption. To order the book, go to tinyurl.com/4wfsfevr.