February 2009


West Ridge Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce an additional way to recycle in our neighborhood!
365 days per year, 24 hours per day  you can simply drop off you paper items to be recycled at 2 Paper Retriever Boxes in the nieghborhood.
Devon Bank - Easily accessible in the southeast corner of the lot at  6445 N. Western Avenue.
High Ridge YMCA - Accessible to all through the YMCA lot 2424 W. Touhy. entrance on Western Avenue.    We can accept your newspapers, school & business documents, junk mail, catalogs, soft cover books & magazines.

Did you know that 1 week of daily newspapers can add up to 10 lbs of paper? The  West Ridge Chamber of Commerce is committed to community education.  Our local RECYCLING program is in place not only to help the earth, but to assist community schools.  In the 2007-08 school year the Chamber raised $2,000 through these programs. Funds provided financial assistance to Boone Community School.  The entire 4th grade class and 5 teachers were able to attend a science field trip at Experiencia at no cost to them. On the trip, students had a chance to experience hands on learning of subjects like recycling, composting and water conservation and collection.  Help us generate funds to do it again! Recycle your paper with us Please call the Chamber offices with questions  773-743-6022 

Children's Programs in February at the Chicago Public Library, Northtown Branch!
Story Time at Your Library! Winter Session: January 13- February 19 Toddler Time: Tuesdays at 10:00 AM Preschool Pals: Thursdays at 10:00 AM Please note: There will be no Preschool Pals program on Thursday, January 22 or February 12! Toddler Time and Preschool Pals are thirty-minute programs consisting of songs, finger plays, rhymes, flannel board stories and books for children and their parent or caregiver. Toddler Time is designed for children ages 18-36 months and their parent or caregiver. Preschool Pals is designed for children ages 3-5 years and their parent or caregiver. Registration is recommended!  You can register in person at the Circulation Desk or by calling (312) 744-2292. Homework Break! February 11 and 25 at 4:00 PM Take a homework break at the Northtown Branch and listen to folk and fairytales at 4:00 PM. Homework Break is designed for school-age children. No registration is necessary.
After School Homework Help! Northtown's Teacher in the Library provides free homework help for elementary, middle and high school students!  The Teacher in the Library is available Monday through Thursday from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.  No registration is required. Special Program Invitation!! The Chicago Public Library and the Art Institute of Chicago are pleased to announce the 2009 Art and Reading Together Program, Stitches & Stories: An American Perspective.  The Northtown Branch has been selected as one of 6 library branches to participate in this exciting program.  Families with children ages 3-12 are invited to participate.  Families who wish to participate must be able to attend two programs at the Northtown Branch (one in January and one in March) as well as a special free field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago.  Families who wish to participate must register for all three programs.  Participation in these programs is intended for children and their parents and is not intended for children to participate in alone. Program Dates: Wednesday, March 18 at 6:30 pm: Stories From Quilts: A Family Story and Craft Program led by Leslee Saturday, February 21: Special Free Family Field Trip to the Art Institute of Chicago If you and your children would like to participate in this program series please register at the Circulation Desk or by calling (312) 744-2292.  If you have any questions about this series please come in to the library and speak with the Children's Librarian, Leslee.  With the exception of the field trip to the Art Institute, all program are held at the Northtown Branch.  All three programs are free of charge. Happy Birthday President Lincoln! Wednesday, Feburary 18 at 4:00 pm:  President Abraham Lincoln would be 200 years old this year!  Come celebrate Lincoln's birthday with a special program of stories and crafts!  Registration is recommended. Contact the branch (312) 744-2292 with any questions or to register for these events.

2009-10 Membership Directory & Map 
To be listed in the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce 2009-10 Membership Directory & Map your membership dues must be current and paid by April 1, 2009.  Dues $85 per year for small businesses $125 per year for large businesses $25 for Friends of West Ridge - not profits & residents  As a WRCC member you will be listed in our online directory with a link to your website, in our printed directory and have the ability to host and attend WRCC events for FREE or at a discounted rate.  Did you know that the more reputable websites- like Chambers of Commerce-  that your site is linked from the easier your business will be to find in Google and Yahoo! searches?? Not sure if you are a member?  Call the Chamber office! 773-743-6022

1st Quarter Networking Luncheon
Join Colleagues from around the neighborhood and beyhond at the West Ridge Chambers of Commerce 1st Quarter Luncheon.

Wenesday, February 4th - noon

Gulliver's Restaurant  2727 W. Howard Street Chicago, IL 60645 
$12 for WRCC members $17 for Non -members CREDIT CARDS, CHECKS & CASH ACCEPTED AT THE DOOR, but a reservation is required.  For those of you who are participating in the Chicago Public Schools Job Shadow Program on that day, please bring your students to lunch.  (Students will be no charge)
RSVP to the West Ridge Chamber BY FEB 3.    773-743-6022 or westridgechamber@sbcglobal.net

1st Tuesdays with The West Ridge Chamber of Commerce
February 1st Tuesday Networking DATE: Tuesday, February 3 TIME: 530-730pm LOCATION: CJE Senior Life 3003 W. Touhy Avenue  Be sure to join us for great refreshments and a chance to meet new people. If you are a small business owner, concerned resident or work for a large corporation this is a chance to get out and network. See you then! As of January 1, 2009 the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce will be charging non-members a $5 entry fee to 1st Tuesday events.  MEMBERS ARE FREE!  Are you a member interested in showcasing your business by hosting a 1st Tuesday event?  Contact the Chamber today to reserve your date in 2009!

Northtown Garden Society Meeting
The Northtown Garden Society meeting will be held at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, February 5, 2009 at the Warren Park Field House, 6621 N. Western Ave.  Our speaker will be Kirsten Akre of the Chicago Park District, Kilbourne Park Greenhouse. The topic will be "Organic Vegetable Gardening in Small Spaces".  The speaker will start at 7:30 P.M. A $5.00 donation is requested from non-NGS members.  For further information, call Ginny at (773) 973-4170.
Northtown Garden Society Meeting The Northtown Garden Society meeting will be held at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, February 5, 2009 at the Warren Park Field House, 6621 N. Western Ave.  Our speaker will be Kirsten Akre of the Chicago Park District, Kilbourne Park Greenhouse. The topic will be "Organic Vegetable Gardening in Small Spaces".  The speaker will start at 7:30 P.M. A $5.00 donation is requested from non-NGS members.  For further information, call Ginny at (773) 973-4170.

Crash a Class at DeVry University
Monday, February 16, 2009
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

A school catalog can only tell you so much.
So come see for yourself what DeVry is all about.
Sit in on business, information systems and healthcare technology classes.  Discover how DeVry's small class sizes and hands-on approach deliver the skills you'll need for a great career.

Crash a Class and see what DeVry has to offer.

For more information call (773) 697 2151

Let's get technical about it.

Join us for DeVry University's "Careers in Technology Forum"
Explore career opportunities in the field of technology.  Juniors and Seniors can learn about the variety of career choices and options in Computer Information Systems, Electronics, Telecommunications and Web Graphics at this interactive workshop.

·       View Senior Project Expo for live demonstrations.
·       Participate in workshops.
·       Hear about technology career trends from Industry Representatives.
·       Pizza lunch will be provided

Date:        Friday, February 27, 2009
Time:        10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Location:   DeVry University Chicago Campus 3300 N. Campbell
Chicago, IL 60618

Space is limited so register your students early!
RSVP by Monday, February 23, 2009.
Fax the attached registration form to (773) 697-2707 or contact Mary Kuhn at (773) 697-2052 or mkuhn@devry.edu to reserve your spot.

Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) Save the Dates:  Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) is sponsoring the "Art of Survival,"  an exhibition of  artwork by survivors of sexual assault on  Thursday, April 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Northeastern Illinois University, Student Union Building, 550 North St. Louis, Chicago.

Event features the collection of Jean Cozier, sexual abuse survivor and founder of the Judith Dawn Memorial Fund for the Arts. Admission free, parking available in Lot  F. For more information, visit www.c4chicago.org or phone 773.765.0780.

Get your running shoes running for the second annual C4 Miles: Making Strides for Mental Health on Sunday, May 3.  Proceeds benefit Community Counseling Centers of Chicago.  For more information, visit www.c4chicago.org or phone 773.765.0808.

Support the Bid for 2016
Wed. Feb 4, 630-730pm Indo-American Center, 6328 N. California Community Kick Off Meeting! Presentation my Mike Murnane, Community Realtions for Chicago 2016.  He will help us understand ways we can support Chicago 2016. Please contact Susan Patel at 847-571-5123 or susanpatel@hotmail.com with more questions. Northtown

Garden Society News
Several West Ridge residents and members of the Northtown Garden Society (NGS) are helping the Wicker Park Garden Club and Chicago Park District on a display, Paradise in a Parking Lot, for the 2009 Chicago Flower & Garden Show (CFGS) to be held at Navy Pier from Saturday, March 7th through Sunday, March 15th.  NGS members Jennifer Albom, Ginny Davis, Ann Glapa, Frank Glapa, Mary Oellrich, Michael Oster and Eva Mannaberg are joining other Chicago Community Garden developers in preparing the plant materials and attending classes in preparation for helping with the display installation and serving as docents for the show.  Ms. Albom, the Glapa's, Mr. Oster and Ms. Oellrich have been working with the Indian Boundary Park Advisory Council and the Chicago Park District on the new gardens at the park. In return for helping with the 2009 CFGS, plants, trees and shrubs used in the display will be donated to the gardens at Indian Boundary Park . For information on the Northtown Garden Society, please contact Michael Oster, NGS Co-chairperson, at (773) 465-3570 or hotseato@yahoo.com. For information on the 2009 Chicago Flower & Garden Show, visit their web site, www.chicagoflower.com. For information on the Wicker Park Garden Club and the plans for the display, visit their web site, www.wpgarden.org.