KidsMatter, youth team celebrate acts of kindness
KidsMatter and the Collaborative Youth Team, with representatives from 36 organizations supporting children and families, recently visited several people who were nominated for their outstanding acts of kindness.
As part of its Kindness Counts initiative, people nominated by community members are being celebrated during the Random Acts of Kindness Week from Feb. 14 to 20.
Three fourth-grade students at Prairie Elementary School were recognized for helping kindergarten students for 15 minutes every day. The older students go out of their way to do things like making birthday cards for the younger children, organizers said in a news release.
The organizations also recognized Anita Knotts for her work with the Women in Business group that is part of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce and Maureen Dvorak for welcoming new families to Naperville School District 203.
Nominations for the Kindness Counts initiative may be submitted during the entire month of February at https://forms.gle/8VAnp3JN2MZ39ozk6.
American Legion Post 43 offering school scholarships
Naperville American Legion Post 43 is offering three $3,000 scholarships for current high school seniors to attend college or trade school.
Eligible applicants include children, stepchildren, grandchildren or great-grandchildren of a member of the American Legion Post 43, Chapter 43 Legion Riders or Sons of the Legion Squadron. They also can be members of Scout Troop 510 or 507, a Naperville American Legion Post 43 high school oratorical contest participant, the child of a Naperville military veteran killed or disable while on active duty or a Post 43 school award winner from Naperville junior high schools.
To apply, students need to submit a high school transcript, list their leadership and participation in school and community activities, state their honors, community service and patriotic involvement and write an essay about the responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society.
Scholarship applications should be emailed to todd.betulis@gmail.com by May 1. Winners will be announced by May 25.
For more information, go to www.naperlegion.org or contact Todd Bertulis at 618-250-3683.
Cruise the County Challenge for bicyclists starts March 1
The Forest Preserve District of Will County is encouraging bicyclists to hit the trails this spring as part of its annual Cruise the County challenge.
From March 1 to May 31, bicyclists can log their rides along the county’s most beloved bikeways, including the DuPage River Trail in Naperville, to collect a promotional prize.
The trails on the challenge include the 17.6-mile DuPage River Trail from Whalon Lake to Vermont Cemetery in Naperville, the five-mile Lake Renwick Bikeway in Plainfield, the 13.4-mile Hickory Creek Bikeway and Old Plank Road in Frankfort, and the 15.2-mile Wauponsee Glacial Trail from Sugar Creek Preserve to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, which goes through Joliet and Manhattan.
A group ride on the Wauponsee Glacial Trail will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 27, in honor of Celebrate Trails Day. Bicyclists can check off one of the four rides on the Cruise the County challenge that day and stay for a presentation from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie staff.
The group ride is free for those 16 and older and will start at the Sugar Creek Administration Center, 17540 W. Laraway Road, Joliet. Register by April 24 at www.reconnectwithnature.org.
The challenge deadline is May 31 to collect one of the district’s promotional giveaways.
