Local Bikers Raise over $90,000 for Charity

Team Pedal Heads raised over $50,000 for the Bike MS: Tour de Farms 2012, while the Psyclomaniacs raised almost $40,000.

At the Bike MS: Tour de Farms 2012 over the weekend, The Pedal Heads didn't hang on as the top fundraising team, but there's little disappointment in losing when the team still managed to raise $52,517 for charity. Not bad for a bike ride. While the team—made up of local bikers—was ultimately passed up by a couple of teams who received corporate sponsorships, they didn't ride away from the weekend without taking home some hardware. The team won the “Largest Team” (an estimated 120 Pedal Heads were expected to ride) and “Best Team Jersey” awards. And when the official awards ran out, team captain Vicky Tate issued her own awards to the team's top fundraisers, which were: • Scottie Graser: $5,610 • Donna Granback: $3,275 • Steven Mayer: $2,…

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Dunk a DG Official for Charity this Saturday

Charity dunk tank to be operated during Lemon Tree Grocer's 2nd Annual Father's Day Grand Grill Out.

If you find yourself disappointed in some of your local elected officials, Lemon Tree Grocer is giving you something you can do about it this Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of its 2nd Annual Father's Day Grand Grill Out, Lemon Tree will operate a charity dunk tank featuring numerous Downers Grove delegates. From State Senator Ron Sandack to DG Mayor Martin Tully to village council commissioner Bob Barnett and more, there will be plenty of opportunity to provide “community input” in the name of charity. All profits from the dunk tank will be given to the Downers Grove Junior Woman's Club. The dunk tank schedule: • Senator Ron Sandack, 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. • Commissioner Bob Barnett, 10:30-11 a.m. • Commissioner Geoff Neustadt, 11…

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DGN Radio Students to Hold Car Wash for Make-A-Wish Foundation

Charity car wash and radio "Rock-A-Thon" to take place this Saturday, June 16.

If you're planning on washing your car this week wait until Saturday when students associated with the Downers Grove North radio station—WDGC 88.3 FM—will be holding a charity car wash to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The event, planned by radio students Alex Duta and Jordan Gustafson, will consist of a charity car wash from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a 16-hour long “Rock-A-Thon” radio show hosted by Duta, Gustafson and others. The “Rock-A-Thon” will go on the air at 8 a.m. and wrap up at Midnight. Duta and Gustafson came up with the idea out of a desire to promote the radio station and give back to the community. Choosing Make-A-Wish as the charity was an easy decision for Duta, who will be a sophomore in the Fall and hopes to pursue …

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Charity Begins at Home

Smiles Top Wish List for Local Rock Band

DamnRomantics to play benefit show at Shanahan's

When the local rock band DamnRomantics performs Saturday, Dec. 18, at Shanahan's it will be for more than applause. It will be for smiles. Raffle tickets will be sold throughout the evening, with half of the proceeds going to the ultimate winner and half to Alliance for Smiles, a charity that repairs "broken smiles" by offering treatment for cleft lip and palate deformities to children in under-served areas of the world. "My dad, Patrick O'Flaherty, is a dentist in Downers Grove," said band member Kevin O'Flaherty. "Charity is a big part of his life. The past several years, he has donated his skills to Alliance for Smiles.  He spends a few weeks in China every year helping to repair children's cleft palets. "It has been a very rewarding …

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‘Tis the Season for Sharing

Sharing Connections Furniture Bank looks to the community to lend a helping hand

 Sharing Connections, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization based in Downers Grove, helps low-income families in need transform their bare apartment or house into a home by providing furniture and household items. A majority of the families helped by Sharing Connections are coping with crises like domestic violence, job loss, or financial hardship, with an average annual income of only $11,600. More then 50 percent of the people it helps are children. Sharing Connection's vision is simple, yet powerful: "Through individualized and respectful care, we will ensure that everyone eats at a table and sleeps in a bed.  Everyone wanting to make a home can. Everyone wanting to help will.  Everyone involved takes away something good." Sharing …

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