Sign Language Santa at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
A girl chats with American Sign Language Santa Keith Strnad of Oswego, center, at the Aurora Lions Club annual party for deaf and hearing impaired kids Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Lehnertz Avenue Christmas display
Aurora’s 73rd annual Lehnertz Avenue drive-thru Christmas display will open at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15 and will feature lawn signs and cutout figures of, religious and secular figures homeowners’ lawns, including Charlie Brown characters, The display will every day run from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. through January 3,
Reader’s Voice: Plano Church, Xmas Sale, Samaritan boxes
December 8, 2024Dear editor; The Plano Methodist Church wishes to thank everyone for supporting their Christmas Sale November 23. The Christmas Sale consisted of Christmas decorations, greenery, snowmen, wreaths, Santas, dishes, and ornaments. Donations from the Christmas Sale will go toward ministry of the Plano Methodist Church. The Plano Methodist
Suburban Norwegian-Americans welcome Julenisse
Julenisse, Norway’s version of Santa Claus, made an early stop in Montgomery Sunday, Dec. 1. Sons of Norway Polar Star chapter 5-472 members celebrated Juletrefest, a traditional Nordic Christmas, with its annual December meeting at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Montgomery. The family event featured a potluck luncheon, tree trimming,
Aurora church, Christmas season, reverse Advent calendar
Wesley United Methodist Church, 14 N. May Street in Aurora, is celebrating the Advent season by focusing on fighting local hunger. Sunday, Dec. 1, Reverend Tammy Scott, lead pastor, opened her Advent-season sermon series “From the Manger,” with “Hope Grows.” The series continues with “Peace Grows,” Dec. 8; “Joy Grows,”
Fifty nativity sets to be displayed at Oswego church Dec. 6
Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist, 5 W. Washington Street in Oswego, will display 50 nativity sets Friday, Dec. 6. The 20th annual display will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the church during the Oswego Christmas Walk in downtown from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.. The
Oswego Presbyterian nativity pageant Dec. 13
Oswego Presbyterian Church, 1976 Route 25, will stage a live nativity pageant from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. The public is invited. Admission and parking are free. The church’s annual presentation will feature a depiction of the story of Jesus’ birth every 15 minutes. Live animals are
Aurora Lions ring for Salvation Army, volunteers needed
Aurora Lions Club members collected donations for the Aurora Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign Saturday, Nov. 23. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., 14 Lions rang handbells in one-hour shifts outside Jewel-Osco, at 1952 W. Galena Boulevard in Aurora from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Army Aurora Corps Major Joaquin
Baking duo celebrate 50 years of making treats
Approximately 400 homemade buttermints came out of an Aurora oven recently for the 19th annual cookie and candy sale at Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora. The sweets, in pink, green, yellow and white hues for the holidays, are an annual highlight of a sale sponsored by the church’s United
Plano American Legion: Turkey Bowl
The second annual Turkey Bowl was held at the Plano American Legion November 17.
Inaugural Lumenaura illuminated downtown Aurora
I’m not sure that I ever pronounced it correctly, but Lumenaura sure was fun. Aurora’s inaugural light festival that branded itself as an interactive light and sound experience ran from October 4 through November 1. Lumenaura gave us another reason to explore downtown Aurora. Branded as an “illuminated art experience”
Christkindlmarket Aurora opens for the season
The Entrance to the Christkindlmarket Aurora was busy on opening day, Friday, Nov. 2 at RiverEdge Park, 360 N Broadway, Aurora.
Wanted: Women to help women read, write, speak English
The Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora seeks female volunteers to tutor immigrant women in English. Alison Brzezinski, DLC tutoring coordinator, said training sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18. Training will take place at the center at St. Therese Church, 260 Vermont St. in
Oswego Christmas Walk Friday, Dec. 6
The Village of Oswego Christmas Walk, presented by Servbank, will start the holiday season in downtown Oswego from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6. The free event will feature musical performances, visits with Santa’s reindeer, ice sculpting, an inflatable sled hill, the Village’s annual tree-lighting performance and an
Aurora volunteers assemble 128 sandwiches for community
Volunteers at Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora made 128 sandwiches for hungry individuals in our area Saturday, Nov. 9. Let’s Go Fellowship, a church adult group, sponsored the project in a meeting at the church. Twenty-four volunteers made turkey and cheese and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that were
Early Thanksgiving: 140 in need celebrate with dinner
Approximately 140 Aurora-area people in need celebrated an early Thanksgiving dinner Saturday, Nov. 9. “Feast of Hope,” a dinner with all the trimmings and winter-clothes giveaway, was co-sponsored by Lv Cares Foundation and Hand-in-Hand Humanity Haven, Inc., Aurora-based nonprofits. Sit-down and delivery dinner options were offered. LaVern Allen, Lv Cares
Aurora Lions sponsor lunch at Hesed House
Aurora Lions Club member, Joe Beary, distributes cookies at a club-sponsored lunch at Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora.
Aurora Lions induct two members
Aurora Lions Club inducted two new members during its November 7 membership luncheon at Pomegranate Restaurant in Aurora. Welcomed to the club were Mary Arch of Aurora and Gabriela “Gabby” Gaytan, North Aurora. Randy Brown, co-president and membership chair, conducted the induction ceremony. With Arch and Gaytan, Aurora Lions total
Oswego veteran travels to D.C. on Honor Flight Chicago
Oswego Army veteran, Durwood Hafenrichter, center background, poses for a photo with family members and friends after returning from a recent Honor Flight Chicago trip to Washington, D.C.
Random Acts of Kindness to help heal our country
It’s been a very long election and news cycle, extending for years. From our ongoing fatigue over the COVID-19 pandemic, to new variants and vaccine news, to a constant 24/7 media overload of pundits arguing over the recent election, we have seen an increasing division between family members and community