Want to see a 12-foot-tall giraffe or a boy riding on a giant turtle, right here in St. Charles? Come to Sculpture in the Park, where you can view 17 unique sculptures in the picturesque setting of Mt. St. Mary Park, alongside the Fox River in downtown St. Charles at Route 31 and Prairie Street, now through September. Last year’s exhibit was a Top Three Finalist in Lt. Governor Pat Quinn’s Main Street “Award for Excellence.” Sculpture in the Park is brought to you by the Design Committee of the Downtown St. Charles Partnership, in conjunction with the St. Charles Park District.
Dads! Bring your children for a Father’s Day fishing derby June 14 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Bring your rods and bait to fish for the biggest and best catch in the Fox River. Prizes awarded to every child for their catch of the day and participants will receive a round of River View Miniature Golf.
During the construction closure of the intersection of 1st and Illinois Streets in downtown St. Charles, the 1st Street businesses are running a special “Make Tracks to 1st Street” promotion that features weekly prize drawings. For further information, visit the Downtown St. Charles Partnership’s website at www.dtown.org.
Saturday, July 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Renewable Energy Vehicle (REV) from The Field Museum will be visiting our Library. The REV runs on fuel produced from used cooking oils. Environmental educators who staff the veggie diesel van will provide mini-demonstrations and break down the mystery behind your alternative fuel choices. Experts with information about electric cars and solar enery also will be on hand. Will you be driving these cars in the future? Drop by the fair to investigate these fuel choices.
Pottawatomie Park, Fireworks at DARK Entertainment for the whole Family! Have a picnic. Go swimming. Play mini-golf. Food is available for purchase at the River View Concessions. Enjoy a “Red Woody” Band Concert at 6 p.m. In case of rain, the fireworks will be scheduled for the next clear evening. Come early – parking is limited.
St. Charles Community Unit School District 303’s community engagement initiative, Summit 303, has reached its halfway mark. Summit 303 has been meeting monthly since last fall to study the challenges facing District 303 and seek out potential opportunities. To date, participants have studied topics such as student achievement, class size, demographics, facilities, staffing, and school choice.
The issues discussed at Summit 303 meetings have, at times, been sensitive ones. According to Summit Co-chair Sherry Schmidt, “We’ve been presented with difficult choices with respect to facility needs, class size and enrollment. These are complicated issues but ones we need to sort through and determine what the community members want from their school district. I’m very proud to be a part of this program.” Additional meetings are scheduled this summer and fall – with a final report to the Board of Education set for November 2008.