Christ the King 2050 Groundbreaking
Work will soon be underway on an addition and remodeling at Christ the King School in north Beverly, and there is no shortage of excitement! The old convent will be gutted and remodeled, and a small addition will be built. The addition will house new kindergarten rooms; new rooms for art and music, guidance counselors rooms; a media center; and a secure main entrance and office.
The existing main building and newly renovated convent building will be connected for easy mobility between spaces, and an elevator will allow handicap accessibility to all five floors of the school.
The Christ the King parish is thankful for current and alumni families for making the project possible. To celebrate, a Groundbreaking Ceremony will be held Mon., July 8, 7 p.m. on the corner of 93rd & Hoyne Avenue. All friends and neighbors are invited to join the fun and add to the first piece to the Christ the King time capsule that will be opened in 2050.
Stretch, Shop, Sample: Local Businesses Partner on New Fitness Festival
The Beverly CoLab Fitness Festival will debut Sat., Aug. 10 at Morgan Park Academy, 2153 W. 111th St. Organized by Jenny Harkins, owner of Treadfit, the event invites people to sample fitness classes from top local studios, and enjoy the morning shopping and sampling from Beverly/Morgan Park restaurants, salons and retailers.
Fueled by positive energy from a wide variety of top-quality fitness classes and retailers, the Beverly CoLab Fitness Festival will offer 30-minute sample fitness classes, live music, cooking demonstrations with local “celebrity” chefs, a recovery zone for relaxing and stretching out sore muscles, food and beverage samples and more.
For more information, email beverlycolab@gmail.com.
Juneteenth Celebration
Moms of Beverly, Burst into Books and the Southwest Chicago Diversity Collaborative will host the 1st annual Juneteenth Family Celebration Sat., June 29, noon, West Picnic Grove 8, Dan Ryan Woods, 87th and Western.
The free, family-friendly event will include storytelling, a drumming circle, African-based art, culture, and food, as well as music and numerous kids’ activities including face painting.
Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19 every year to commemorate the emancipation of slaves. The celebration of this day is similar to celebrating Independence Day as it is the date that all slaves in this country received freedom from the institutionalized oppression of slavery.
The idea for the new local event began when neighborhood resident and Juneteenth organizer Shanya Gray saw the way the neighborhood embraces St. Patrick’s Day and wondered how to create other neighborhood-wide events that celebrate cultural traditions.
“We have a great mix of cultures in this area, but diversity in our neighborhood doesn’t happen by accident,” said Gray, a co-founder of the online community Moms of Beverly. “It can only exist if we recognize, celebrate, and encourage it.”
“Too often, we think of history as a memorization of facts in school,” said Juneteenth organizer Jurema Gorham. “But we create our own history every day, in the present. Celebrating our unique story and building on it is a strength.”
Sponsors of the event include 19th Ward Youth Foundation, Beverly Area Planning Association, Bookies - New & Used Books, Bounce My House, Clark Lichty with Edward Jones, Joshua Mercer with State Farm Insurance, Michael Burrage with New York Life, Mirjam Quinn & Associates, Mongon Dance Academy, Nautilus School and Urban Wreaths.
What if Church Were a Dinner Party?
Bethlehem Lutheran Church (ELCA) invites the community to a pop-up dinner church experience Wed., July 24, 7 p.m., Joplin Marley Studio, 9911 S. Walden Pkwy.
Dinner churches have been popping up around the country, as faith communities seek to offer a comfortable and warm welcome to those who might be uncomfortable visiting a church on a Sunday morning.
“When I read the Gospels, I notice that Jesus is constantly sitting down to eat,” said Bethlehem’s pastor, Jennie English-Dumont. “And Jesus ate with everyone. His table was completely inclusive. Early Christian worship began with a full meal shared by the community. We want to return to that sense of sharing the abundance of God in fellowship with one another.”
Guests at dinner church will be invited to sit with others and enjoy a mean including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. The “sermon” for the evening will be a short personal reflection intended to spark conversation among guests. Holy Communion will be shared. All are welcome at the communion table.
The service portion of the evening will start promptly at 7 p.m. and go until 8:30. Find details at www.bethlehem-chicago.org or call 773-445-7558.
Turpin Cares Christmas in July Collection
Turpin Cares, a philanthropic non-profit organization known in the community for its annual holiday drive at Starbucks, is hosting a Christmas In July collection to help homeless people on Chicago’s south side.
Turpin Cares collects and distributes food, comfort items, and hygiene products to local shelters, other non-profits, and individuals on the street. To support the summer drive, look for Look for the holiday sign with the Turpin Cares logo at Starbucks, 1933 W.103rd St., and select an ornament that lists a pantry or hygiene items. Purchase items new and drop off at the Starbucks by July 25.
Last Christmas, Turpin Cares partnered with Almost Home, another local non-profit, and Starbucks to donate over 5,000 food and hygiene items and $650 in cash and gift cards to homeless Chicagoans.
Turpin Cares is a philanthropic non-profit organization sponsored, in part, by Turpin Communication, a Beverly/Morgan Park based consulting firm. Donated items and gift cards are distributed to individuals, shelters and other organizations doing good in area neighborhoods. Learn more at www.turpincommunication.com/about/turpin-cares.
Smart 911
Smart 911 is a free, online platform that allows users to create a Safety Profile and securely enter important medical and household information to be better prepared in the event of an emergency. The information will automatically display for dispatchers when the user dials 9-1-1.
Smart911 is currently used in thousands of communities nationwide.
The majority of calls to 911 are now made from cell phones, making it difficult for call takers to determine the exact location of an emergency. Smart911 enables dispatchers to be better prepared with up-to-date information. Among the information included in safety profiles are allergies, physical and sensory impairments, diagnoses like autism and Alzheimer’s, current medications, layout of the home and emergency contacts.
People can sign up at www.smart911.com or download the free app from the iTunes or Google Play store.
NCS Cartoon Exhibit Coming to BAC
The Chicago Midwest chapter of the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) will host its first ever exhibit of cartoon art by chapter members opens at a reception Sun., Sept. 15 2 to 4 p.m. and continues through Nov. 3, Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St. Chapter members are newspaper comic strip and comic panel artists, caricaturists, editorial cartoonists, humorous illustrators and character designers working in and around Chicago.
The exhibit is a rare opportunity to get an up-close view of original cartoon art and meet the artists. An exhibit of student work from the Vanderpoel Art Association and Marist High School will be on display in the Atrium gallery concurrently with the NCS show. In conjunction with the exhibit, the NCS Chicago Midwest Chapter will host a cartooning open house at the BAC on Sat., Sept. 21, featuring two workshops demonstrating cartoon art and a panel discussion with artists in the Baffes Theatre. Info: ncs-chicagocartoonists.com.
Council Oak Montessori School to host weekly enrollment coffees over summer.
Council Oak Montessori School, 2521 Grove St., Blue Island, will host weekly enrollment coffees on Wednesdays throughout the summer. The school offers Montessori education from preschool to middle school. Coffees include tours of the school and information on the “high fidelity” Montessori education offered at Council Oak.
The Montessori method of teaching was developed by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator. Methods may be followed rigorously or loosely. Council Oak takes pride in their “high fidelity” Montessori method. Its teachers are all certified in Montessori methodology and techniques and school Executive Director Lila Jokanovic earned her Montessori certification from the Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center and leadership training from Harvard University.
Benefits of Montessori education include mixed age communities, hands on learning methods, and guided autonomy. These benefits however, are just the beginning of what COMS can offer. In order to really understand the extent of what Council Oak Montessori School can offer your child, they believe it is important to visit the school and speak with the people who work with the children every day.
For information about enrollment coffees and the school, call 708-926-9720 or visit www.counciloakmontessori.org.
