By William S. Bike
Editor’s note: At press time, future events listed in Around the Neighborhood still were scheduled, but changes are happening on a daily basis due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Check websites or call before going out in case events have been postponed or canceled.
TAI CHI
Instructor Chad Koch of All in Motion offers tai chi every Sunday at 9 a.m. in Mary Bartelme Park, 115 S. Sangamon St. All in Motion is located at 112 S. Sangamon St. Log on to www.aimgymchicago.com.
ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES
Local resident Richard Alvarez has created an anti-racism resources website at https://antiracism-resources.com. You also can find his resource list at www.gazettechicago.com.
PARK DISTRICT NEWS
The Chicago Park District will host Movies in the Parks with social distancing. All Movies begin at dusk. Follow Chicago Park District: Movies in the Parks through Friday, Sept. 11, at www.facebook.com/ChicagoParks.Movies or call (312) 742-1134.
PEOPLE
Maria Angelica Santana and Giuseppe Celia were married on Aug. 1 at Our Lady of Tepeyac Church. They live in the Tri-Taylor community.
DE LA SALLE ROUNDUP
The United States Marine Corps and the American Volleyball Coaches Association named De La Salle Institute’s women’s volleyball program one of 461 U.S. women’s high school teams to earn the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2019-20 season. Representing the Meteors last season were: Lisandra Barragan, Francesca Bertucci, Jacalyn Burrows, Jessica Groark, Sara Hentgen, Amayah Jones, Ariana Joubert, Isabella LaCoco, Angela Lunn, Maeve Mangan, Jill McManus, Ella Mulheron, Nina Penny, Nyiah Penny, Felicia Plebanski, Anais Rodriguez, Daniela Scalise, Anastasia Yarus, and Zoe Watts.
Recent graduate Abari Davis has been named a Chicago Cubs Scholar. The program supports high-potential students with demonstrated need; Davis has enrolled at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
De La Salle named four Chick Evans Scholars from the school’s Class of 2020. The scholarship for golf caddies went to Andres Cuevas (attending the University of Kansas this fall) and Victor DeAvila, Judah Green, and Zabdiel Green (attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).
The Kansas City Royals baseball team drafted recent graduate Ben Hernandez.
Recent graduates Thomas Haepp, Guadalupe Vazquez, and Jonathan Valenzuela received Posse Foundation Scholarships for extraordinary academics and leadership.
De La Salle will hold its Meteor Rising golf outing on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Cardinal Creek Golf Club, 615 S. Dixie Hwy., Beecher, IL. Cost is $150.
The school has hired several new teachers. Allan Amador teaches algebra, coaches football, and moderates the Math Club. Josh Hollander teaches consumer education and serves as an assistant coach for the men’s volleyball team. Eric Thiese works in the technology department. Bob Vogt teaches business finance and helps moderate the Mock Trial Team.
The American Baseball Coaches Association honored 11 members of the men’s baseball team whose classroom excellence netted a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher: Matt Boehm, Jeremy Figueroa, Cristian Granados, Ben Hernandez, Isaiah Hernandez, Lee Hodges, Matt Kappel, Billy LePretre, Matt Navarro, Mike Passarelli, and Tyler Pirelli.
De La Salle is at 3434 S. Michigan Ave. Call (312) 842-7355 or log on to www.dls.org.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION
To help alleviate the food gap created by the COVID-19 pandemic, First Immanuel Lutheran Church is partnering with the Travis Manion Foundation to host a community food distribution on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church, 1124 S Ashland Avenue. Food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Call (312) 733-6886.
GLESSNER HOUSE
Glessner House, located at 1800 S. Prairie Ave. will host several programs in September. On Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 5:30 p.m., Elizabeth Doyle and Friends will present a live concert of jazz favorites in the outdoor courtyard; bring a blanket and chairs, food, and beverages and enjoy music under the stars. Tickets are $12.50. On Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m., Rachel Bohlmann will present On the Way To Suffrage: Chicago Women and Politics, 1865 to 1920 to honor the centennial of women’s obtaining the right to vote. Tickets for the online program are $10. On Thursday, Sept. 24, author Greg Borzo will present an illustrated talk, Chicago’s Fabulous Fountains. Tickets for the online program are $10. Advance tickets required for all programs. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.glessnerhouse.org.
14 ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
https://josephinumevents.square.site/Fourteen arts organizations from Bridgeport, Bronzeville, West Town, Heart of Chicago, Pilsen, and the South Loop are part of an exhibition at Hyde Park Art Center, Artist Run Chicago 2.0, on display now through Sunday, Nov. 1. This is the art center’s first exhibition after reopening. The 14 organizations are: from Bridgeport, 062 Gallery and Co-Prosperity Sphere; from Bronzeville: Blanc Gallery, from West Town, Document; from Heart of Chicago: AMFM, Prairie, Slow, and Western Pole; from Pilsen: ACRE Projects, Annas, Chicago Art Department, Rootwork Gallery, and Tiger Strikes Asteroid; and from the South Loop, D Gallery. Other arts organizations from other neighborhoods also are represented. Log on to www.hydeparkart.org or call (773) 324-5520. The center is located at 5050 S. Cornell Ave.
GARDEN RENOVATION
The Hart Peace Community Garden, 645 N. Latrobe Ave., is undergoing renovation to make it easier for seniors and people with disabilities to grow and produce flowers, with assistance from Human Scale, a design nonprofit founded by University of Illinois at Chicago students. For more information, email [email protected].
JOSEPHINUM BIRTHDAY
Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart, 1501 N. Oakley Blvd., will have its virtual 130th birthday celebration on Friday, Oct. 2, featuring a silent auction and party games. Sponsor opportunities are available. See https://josephinumevents.square.site/.
MENTAL HEALTH
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago offers support groups and other resources for individuals who may need help. Call (833) 626-4244 or visit www.namichicago.org.
ART INSTITUTE NEWS
The Art Institute of Chicago is scheduled to present the exhibition Monet and Chicago during the summer through Monday, Sept. 7, at 111 S. Michigan Ave. Log on to www.artic.edu.
BENTON HOUSE INFO
At Benton House,3052 S. Gratten Ave., find out about public benefits such as supplemental nutrition assistance and citizenship application help. Call (773) 927-6420 or email [email protected].
BOULEVARD NEWS
The Boulevard of Chicago at 3456 W. Franklin Blvd. provides medical respite care and housing services for homeless adults discharged from area hospitals. Call (773) 533-6013 or log on to www.blvd.org.
BUCKNER RESOURCES
Residents who want to share their thoughts or require assistance on coronavirus or any issue in the community can reach the office of State Rep Kam Buckner (D-26th) at (773) 924-1755 or by email at [email protected].
CCT NEWS
Check out Chicago Children’s Theatre,100 S. Racine Ave., any evening from 7 to 11 p.m. to see a larger-than-life, multi-color, bright new window installation that changes the colors of the rainbow around the life-affirming message “Everything will be okay.” Chicago Children’s Theatre staff and artists created, programmed, and installed the window display using paper, stencils, and LED lights pulled from the theater’s existing production stock. See a related music video at https://www.youtube.com/watchv=V0JBp0LtbNM.
CCT also offers virtual theatre and learning for youngsters ages two through 13.
For information, call (773) 227-0180 or log on to chicagochildrenstheatre.org.
NURSE CONSORTIUM NEWS
The Chicago Bilingual Nurse Consortium helps foreign-educated nurses attain licensure in Illinois.
National Council Licensure Examination predictor tests are available to demonstrate probability of passing the nursing exam.
The organization’s website at www.chicagobilingualnurse.org also lists jobs available for nurses. For more information, call (773) 838-1870.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services reports that Community Services Block Grant Scholarships are available for those enrolled or planning to enroll in college or vocational training. Contact Jenny Schuler at [email protected] or (312) 746-7291.
CITY NEWS
City of Chicago emergency rental assistance is available for people suffering financial hardship. Call 311 or use a search engine to find City of Chicago Family & Support Services online.
GET ORGANIZED
Community Organizing and Family Issues,2245 S. Michigan Ave., (312) 226-5141, organizes and trains parents to win improvements in schools and communities and in how to create organizations and programs. See cofionline.org.
CMI RESOURCES
The Crisis Management Institute (CMI) works with schools and parents after a tragedy, such as a shooting or national event like the Sept. 11, 2001. To deal with issues related to coronavirus, the CMI launched several websites. One has resources for school counselors, counselors.cmionline.com; a second is for parents, parents.cmionline.com; and a third serves children and their parents, resources-for-kids-during-covid19. Parents can access several children’s books by Marla Koch to help children deal with quarantine by using the resources tab of the parents’ website. For more information, log on to www.cmionline.org or call (503) 585-3484.
LEGAL AID
First Defense Legal Aid, located at 5100 W. Harrison St., provides representation to people in custody, informs people of their rights, and organizes volunteers to help. For more information, call (800) 529-7374.
FOOD PANTRIES
The following food pantries provide groceries and meals to those who need them.
Chosen Tabernacle Full Gospel, 4310 S. Champlain Ave., Thursday, 1 to 3 p.m., (888) 834-9414.
Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer, 4945 S. Dorchester Ave., Wednesday, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., (773) 624-3185.
Hyde Park SDA Soup Kitchen, 4608 S. Drexel Blvd., Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., (773) 373-2909.
Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, 4242 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., (773) 548-7500.
Kenwood UCC Soup Kitchen, 4608 S. Greenwood Ave., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:30 to 10 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m., (773) 373-2861.
Operation Pull Grant Memorial, 4017 S. Drexel Blvd., Tuesday, 1 to 3 p.m., (773) 285-5819.
GBMA HELP
Greater Bridgeport Mutual Aid, a network of more than 150 volunteers, has organized to provide free grocery delivery, direct people to resources and information through a telephone hotline, provide digital enrichment for students during remote learning, and do neighbor support check-ins. The network serves the Bridgeport, Chinatown, Armour Square, and Canaryville neighborhoods. Services are available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Request services on the group’s website at www.gbmachicago.org or by calling or texting the group’s hotline at (312) 818-1393. Donations are welcome by emailing GBMA through the organization’s website.
GWTP JOB TRAINING
Greater West Town Partnership, 500 N. Sacramento Blvd.,offers job placement and training programs in wood products manufacturing and shipping and receiving. Call (312) 563-9570.
HR HOTSEAT
HRHotSeat Chicagois a free monthly online meetup of more than 1,600 human resources practitioners, service providers, students, and Chicago-area profes-sionals in job transition who come together to expand networks and solve problems. Visit www.HRHotSeat.com or email [email protected] for a calendar of upcoming events.
GIVE BLOOD
The Illinois Coalition of Community Blood Centers encourages people to give blood. Contact Vitalant at www.vitalant.org or (877) 258-4835 to schedule a donation time. For more information, log on to www.illlinoisbloodcenters.com.
LOW-COST INTERNET
Internet Essentials makes it possible for people receiving public assistance to qualify for low-cost internet service. Log on to internetessentials.com.
LADIES OF VIRTUE
Ladies of Virtue,1245 S. Michigan Ave., (877) 565-7121, provides mentoring and leadership and empowering experiences, including help with school applications, for girls ages nine through 18 from underserved communities. Log on to lovchicago.org.
LATINO UNION
Latino Union of Chicago collaborates with low-income workers to improve their social and economic conditions through employment opportunities. Log on to latinounion.org or call (312) 491-9044. For those looking to hire workers, call (773) 588-2641.
RENTERS’ SERVICES
The Lawyers Committee for Better Housing provides eligible renters with supportive services and free legal aid. The LCBH also offers Rennie the Chatbot at rentervention.com to help with people’s housing problems. The LCBH is located at 33 N. LaSalle St. Call (312) 347-7600 or log on to www.lcbh.org.
MERCY NEWS
Mercy Home for Boys & Girls seeks adults to be mentors for youngsters. Learn more at MercyHome.org/ChicagoGazette.
Call (312) 738-7560 or log on to www.mercyhome.org.
EMPOWERING LATINAS
Mujeres Latinas en Accion empowers Latinas through service and advocacy. Their domestic violence crisis hotline is (312) 738-5358 and their rape crisis hotline is (888) 293-2080. Mujeres is located at 2124 W. 21st Pl. Call (773) 890-7676.
IMMIGRANT JUSTICE
The National Immigrant Justice Center, 224 S. Michigan Ave., provides comprehensive legal services to low-income immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. It will continue to do intakes over the phone during the coronavirus crisis. Call (312) 660-1370 or log on to www.immigrantjustice.org.
OUTDOOR MARKET
The Pilsen Community Market will be held in Plaza Tenochtitlán, 1821 S. Blue Island Ave. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday.
RAOUL SUES DEVOS
Attorney General Kwame Raoul is one of 16 attorneys general who filed a lawsuit against U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the U.S. Department of Education, challenging their unlawfully repealing borrower defense regulations and replacing them with regulations that benefit predatory for-profit schools at the expense of defrauded students. Student borrowers who have questions or need assistance can call the attorney general’s Student Loan Helpline at (800) 455-2456. Borrowers also can file complaints on the attorney general’s website at https://ccformsubmission.ilattorneygeneral.net/.
STUDENT HONORS
Several St. Laurence High School students from the Bridgeport, Chinatown, East Pilsen, and Canaryville areas have made the school’s honor roll: Charlotte Bailey, Stephen Beres, Matthew Dyjak, Lucas Garcia, Ivan Huayamave, Emanuel Lopez, Fiona Sjostrom, Mary Katherine Sjostrom, Ashley Staszak, and Anthony Tado. The school is at 5556 W. 77th St. Log on to www.stlaurence.com.
SHRINE NEWS
Sunday reflections by the Rev. Richard N. Fragomeni, rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii,are online at www.ourladyofpompeii.org. The website also offers the opportunity to make reservations for Sunday Mass.
The shrine is at 1224 W. Lexington St. Call (312) 421-3757.
SAINT IGNATIUS NEWS
The National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association named five Saint Ignatius College Prep swimmers as All-Americans. They are Summer Brainin, Madison Schiml, Abbey Taute, Kira Tiv, and Julieta Tracy.
The school is located at 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd. Log on to www.ignatius.org or call (312) 421-5900.
VEHICLE REGISTRATION
The State of Illinois has suspended enforcement of vehicle registration until Monday, Nov. 2, due to the coronavirus.
UIC INFORMATION
The Oral Medicine and Facial Pain Student Clinic is located in Room 127 of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry at 801 S. Paulina St. Clinic hours are Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clinic sees patients with chronic mouth sores and pain, dry mouth, facial pain, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
In two recently published studies, UIC physicist Robert Klie and colleagues from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Nion Company developed and demonstrated ultra high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy in an electron microscope with isotope sensitivity in solid and liquid samples. Their groundbreaking approach in high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy ranked among the ten best entrants in the 2020 Microscopy Today Innovation Award competition.
UI Health broke ground on its 200,000-square-foot clinical building on Aug. 13. The Outpatient Surgery Center and Specialty Clinics building will provide expanded space to serve patients needing GI, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, transplant, and urology services.
The Latin@s Gaining Access to Networks for Advancement in Science (L@s GANAS) initiative won a 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine. UIC and L@s GANAS won for their dedication and leadership in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus and in the classroom and by advancing the number of Latinx students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
ART FEST
The Printers Row Art Fest will be held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5 and 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Dearborn Street between Polk Street and Ida B. Wells Drive. The Near South Planning Board is in charge. The fest and all its events are free. See printersrowlitfest.org.
CONTACT ROBINSON
State Representative Lamont J. Robinson (D-5th) wants to hear what residents think are the most important issues in the community. Contact him at (773) 924-4614 or at his office at 5048 S. Indiana Ave.
FARMERS MARKET ONLINE
The South Loop Farmers Market online marketplace is open for new orders of produce, meat, eggs, bread, baked goods, specialty foods, plants, beer, and other products every Friday at 9 a.m. Vendors will pack your order and have it ready for pickup on the following Thursday between 2 and 6 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 1936 S. Michigan Ave. Pickup fee is $10. During pickup, customers will come to the parking lot of Second Presbyterian Church and form a line outside the church’s back door. Customers must wear a mask and follow all social distancing and safety precautions. The market also will deliver to select buildings. Sign up at www.southloopfarmersmarket.com/slfm-direct.
TRAUMA HELPLINE
The toll-free TURN Trauma Counseling Helpline,(833) TURN123, operates from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. TURN stands for The Urban Resilience Network, and the helpline assists those experiencing trauma caused by exposure to violence. The organization also provides trained ambassadors to visit community events and schools to educate about trauma.
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
If your business has experienced substantial economic injury due to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Association is authorized to issue assistance through a small business economic injury disaster loan program. This program can provide low interest loans of up to $2 million to businesses and private non-profits. See https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.
HIV+ WOMEN
The Women’s Treatment Center offers free assistance with online applications for enrollment into the Illinois Ryan White Part B Program for HIV+ women. Call (312) 850-0050, ext. 4994. The center is at 140 N. Ashland Ave. Log on to www.womenstreatmentcenter.org.
Send news of events held “around the neighborhood” by the 15th of the month before the month they are to occur to William S. Bike, Around the Neighborhood, Gazette Chicago, 1335 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607-3318, fax (312) 243-4270, or email [email protected].