More than 15,000-plus pounds of pumpkins composted at smash
This year’s Pumpkin Smash at the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots in Naperville resulted in more than 15,000 pounds of pumpkins being composted.
A Naperville Park District news release said 402 families brought their fall pumpkins, gourds and jack-o-lanterns to the Nov. 9 event where they were counted and weighed.
The final total was 1,348 pumpkins weighing in at 15,350 pounds, officials said.
Composting pumpkins keeps them out of landfills, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and creates a natural fertilizer for the soil, officials said.
At the end of the growing season, volunteers gleaned all remaining produce before the community garden plots closed. About 1,000 pounds of food was donated to Loaves & Fishes Community Services from the gleaning and about 2,100 pounds of produce donated this year, officials said.
Soccer clinic at TOCA to feature Fire star Kellyn Acosta
The Kellyn Acosta Foundation and TOCA Football are hosting a charity soccer clinic from 4 to 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at TOCA Football, 1740 Quincy Ave., Naperville.
Participants will receive direct feedback from Acosta, a member of the Chicago Fire, as they build skills, including ball mastery, passing and receiving, across multiple stations, a news release said. Participants will also receive a T-shirt, TOCA ball, and a photo and autograph from the soccer star.
Time slots are available for children 6 to 9 years old and 10 to 16 years old.
The cost of the clinic is $60 per player with proceeds supporting the Kellyn Acosta Foundation, which raises awareness and funds for disadvantaged or disabled children in local communities.
The clinic is limited to 40 participants per session. To register, go to www.tocafootball.com/offer/kellyn-acosta-soccer-clinic-2024.
Knox Presbyterian Church hosting 9th annual Cookie Walk
Knox Presbyterian Church will be hosting its 9th annual Cookie Walk from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at 1105 Catalpa Lane.
The event features homemade Christmas cookies and candies for sale at $7.50 per pound as well as hostess gifts, small gifts and stocking stuffers, organizers said.
Sale proceeds will support Loaves & Fishes Community Services, which helps those with food insecurity in DuPage, Will, Kendall and Kane counties.
For information, go to www.knoxpres.org.
DuPage Children’s Museum presents award to Pritzker
The DuPage Children’s Museum presented Gov. JB Pritzker with its 2024 Great Friend to Kids Award at its annual Block Party fundraiser last month.
Museum officials recognized Pritzker for establishing the Illinois Department of Early Childhood, museum officials said in a news release.
In a videotaped acceptance speech, Pritzker acknowledged the museum’s growing impact and said it has shown they can connect children to exceptional learning experiences.
“Working and growing together, we are modeling the solution building mindset and skills our children and families need to thrive,” the governor said in his speech.
The museum also celebrated its impact, serving more than 350,000 people and expanding access through immersive exhibits and playful learning programs, the release said.
Museum pop-up events bring learning-through-play activities to libraries and community centers for underserved populations and its STEM Learning Labs for area elementary schools served nearly 11,600 students in the 2023-24 school year, the release said.
