July 6, 2012

Ride for AIDS Chicago
Join the Alderman and his staff for Ride for AIDS, an annual cycling event to be held next weekend, July 14-15. Alderman Harry Osterman will be riding a portion of the journey on Saturday, July 14 and his staff will have a tent set up on Sunday, July 15. The ride is two days, 200 miles, and is produced by Test Positive Aware Network and designed to raise needed monies for TPAN and other community partners. This fundraiser allows TPAN to continue to provide and grow their wonderful services. 
Click here to make a general donation to the ride. Registration is now closed. 

Care For Real Fan Drive
Past summers have taught us how hard the heat can be on some of us, particularly the very young and old. Together, Alderman Osterman, Alderman O’Connor, the EBNA block Club (Edgewater Beach Neighbors Association) and CFR (Care For Real) are teaming up to collect fans and air conditioners for our neighbors who could use a little cooling. Please check your closet, your basement, your storage or garage for any spare cooling devices – and if you’re not using it anymore, let us recycle it.
Since 2007, the monthly visits of your neighbors to Care For Real food pantry has gone from 700 a month to over 5000. The majority of CFR clients now are neighbors aged 40 to 60 and their kids – folks who have worked their whole lives, but have some challenges now. Let’s give them a break from the heat. We’ll be collecting through the end of July.
Questions? E-mail: info@careforreal.org.

If you drop it off, CFR will pick it up. Four locations:
5339 N. Sheridan Rd (Care for Real), Monday thru Friday: 9:00 to 4:00, Saturdays: 9:00 to 1:00.
5253 N. Kenmore (Epworth Church), south side entrance, 2:00 to 6:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays
5533 N. Broadway, (Alderman Osterman, 48th), Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri, 9:00 to 5:00, Tuesdays 9:00 to 7:00.
5850 N. Lincoln, (Alderman O’Connor, 40th), Mon & Thur, 9:00 to 7:00, Tue, Wed & Fri, 9:00 to 4:30.

Vaudeville Show at Unity Lutheran Church 
Unity Players announces auditions for a Vaudeville 2012 show. Singers, dancers, comedy routines, magicians, acrobats, animal acts and any specialty acts are welcome to audition.
Auditions at 1212 West Balmoral:
Saturday – 7/21 from 10 am to 12 pm
Sunday – 7/22 from 12 to 2 pm
Performance Dates:
9/7-8 and 9/14-15 @ 7:30 p.m.
9/9, 9/16 @ 2:00 p.m.
Please contact Hank Keil at (773) 275-5125 or Unity Lutheran Church at (773) 878-4747

Education and Summer Programs Update

Summer Book Drive

Planet Pre-School
“Planet Pre-School” is an innovative program at Berger Park that utilizes the irresistible power of the creative arts to give children ages 3-5 the fundamental tools they’ll need to become successful in early academic life. They will learn critical thinking while they play in the puzzle zone, shop at the market, or cook in the kitchen! Dancing and movement introduces physical fitness, while planting a garden and tending to pets helps them learn responsibility. It’s a busy, fun-filled planet! Cost: $144 for 8 weeks. Contact Justin Ostergaard at (773) 761-0376 if you’re interested. Registration now open at Berger Park for fall preschool. 

Kegs for Kids Needs You!
Kegs for Kids is a fundraiser for Helen C. Peirce Elementary School at Hopleaf Bar on Sunday, September 9th from 1-6pm. They could use an extra set of hands in almost all areas of the fundraiser, both planning and the night of. Click here if you’re interested in volunteering your time and talent. K4K is also in search of Silent Auction items – this is a crutial part of their fundraiser. If you have access to event tickets, vacation rentals, art, services, dinners, etc., please consider donating them. Click here if you’re interested in donating. 

Construction Update
 

Edgewater Library 

Glenwood Watermain Project
Monday 7/2/12 – Friday 7/6/12
Crew continues to transfer individual water services from old main to new main. Final connections at cross streets tentatively scheduled to begin at end of week or at beginning of the following week of 7/16/12. 
Progress to-date:
Main-line water main is approximately 98% complete as of Friday 6/29/12.
Service transfers are in progress and 80% complete
Water main phase of project is approximately 80% complete.
Remaining work:
Complete remaining service transfers
Complete 4 final connections and 1 connection abandonment (at Foster)
Remove old hydrants and mobilize equipment and materials to next project
Street and parkway restoration
Minor fallen branch removal by Forestry
Note:
Residents are advised to open a lower-level laundry tub faucet, bathtub faucet or outside sill cock after the crew completes their individual service transfer to the new water main. Doing this will allow any loose mineral sediment in older house plumbing to clear without blocking kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators. Residents can expect a moment without water when the remaining faucets are first turned back on as air is expelled from the house plumbing.

Broadway Watermain Project
This week the contractor has managed to get all the way to Balmoral. At the beginning of next week all that’s left would be to finish the crossing at Balmoral and install some hydrants. No parking signs will be removed afterwards and the job will go into disinfection status which would take up to the end of next week. Concrete cap work should be completed by today. All traffic control and signs should be removed from the job site on Monday.