Nearly 200 Girl Scouts help expand butterfly garden in Naperville
Nearly 200 members of the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana and Rose Pest Solutions joined forces to expand the garden at Camp Greene Wood in Naperville by planting hundreds of native species to attract honeybees, bats, butterflies and other pollinators.
The 1,000-square-foot garden space was originally a butterfly garden, but over the years had become overgrown, a news release said.
Janelle Iaccino, a pollinator expert with Rose Pest Solutions, helped design the space and layout for the new plants.
Once the garden grows, it will be a place for pollinators as well as the thousands of Girl Scouts who camp on the grounds and participate in events there. The site should attract honeybees, butterflies, hummingbirds, beetles, moths, birds and bats and will teach about the symbiotic relationship between plants, nature and pollinators, officials said.
The garden was designed to increase biodiversity on the grounds while providing a food source for the pollinators. The project was donated by Rose Pest Solutions, which has locations throughout the Chicago area.
Ribbon-cutting event held for Settlement’s new Innovation Gateway
Naper Settlement held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sunday for its Birck Family Innovation Gateway, a new entrance to the museum at 523 S. Webster St. in Naperville.
The ceremony, featuring local dignitaries, donors and community members, also included the premiere of Naper Settlement’s immersive welcome video, “Naperville: Looking Back is Looking Forward.”
The center offers an improved museum campus entrance that is accessible for people of all abilities and will serve as a rental space for wedding receptions, meetings, lectures, workshops and other activities, a news release said.
Settlement staff are developing the digital experience that encourages visitors to upload their own histories, which will be part of the gateway, the release said.
Will County’s annual free book event returns weekend of May 31-June 2
Will County’s annual three-day event at which residents can drop off and pick up used books will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday, May 31-June 2, at the Pilcher Park Nature Center, 2501 Highland Park Drive, Joliet.
The event is co-sponsored by the Will County Resource Recovery and Energy Division and the Joliet Park District.
Last year, nearly 2,000 residents dropped off or picked up books at no charge, County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said in a news release.
Schools, libraries and individuals may bring unused and unwanted books, including hardcover or paperback books, which will be redistributed for free. Categories include fiction, non-fiction, children’s, romance, hobby, travel, health and living, religion, textbooks, periodicals and cookbooks.
The event prevents thousands of books from ending up in landfills. Those that are not taken will be recycled, county officials said.
Naperville Chamber announces the Four Under 40 award winners
The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce will recognize four young professionals at its annual Four Under 40 Achievement Awards ceremony to be held Wednesday, June 26, at Northern Illinois University’s Naperville campus.
This year’s award recipients are Leslie Kane, director of education and community for the Center for Creative Arts Therapy; Atusa Freyer, director of marketing for the Naperville Country Club; Lauren Bierschenk, owner of Lauren Bierschenk Farmers Insurance Agency; and Daveyon Bradley, a business development professional for Sundog IT.
The awards highlight excellence in four categories: Leadership in Community, Leadership in Business, Excellence in Career and Life Balance, the chamber said in a news release.
Bradley said receiving the nor is a powerful tool.
“It not only validates the hard work and passion that young leaders bring to their fields but also motivates them to continue pushing boundaries and striving for excellence,” he said in a statement. “When we recognize emerging talent, we are essentially saying, ‘We see you, we value your contributions, and we believe in your potential.’”
To attend the ceremony, go to www.naperville.net.
