COMMUNITY SCENE

The Rotary Club of Downers Grove held its Rotary GroveFest Special Edition in August in downtown Downers Grove. This sensational community event gave everyone an opportunity to celebrate summer and the return to normal after challenging times and featured 12 live bands in the entertainment area and a Midway with carnival rides. With the generous support of individual sponsors, the local business community and over 300 volunteers, the club redistributes the funds raised in this event to support causes in and around Downers Grove.

THE FESTIVAL WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY.

THE WALUS FAMILY ATTENDS THE EVENT.

DR. KEVIN RUSSELL, DISTRICT 58 SUPERINTENDENT AND DR. HANK THIELE, DISTRICT 99 SUPERINTENDEN, VOLUNTEER AT ROTARY GROVEFEST.

The Downers Grove Swim & Racquet Club held its second annual Boat Regatta in August. This event requires that participants to only use duct tape and cardboard to create a floatable device. The goal? To make it across the pool in a record setting time.

CAROLINE AND HEIDI GROENEWOLD

ANDREW AND CAITLIN MADIGAN ATTENDS THE EVENT.

THE HACKETT FAMILY

The Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival celebrated 44 years in September. Always a local favorite, this year the attendees enjoy the work from a live street chalk artist as well as a Kids’ Art Booth. Many favorite artists returned, after a year off from Covid-19, from a variety of different specialties including printmaking, wood working, jewelry and metal working.

BRIANA KESTERSON OF TWISTED EVERGREEN ART SHARED HER SIDEWALK CHALK ARTISTRY

ART FEST VISITORS HILARY AND FRANKIE VENEZIA AT THE INDIAN BOUNDARY YMCA CRAFT BOOTH

The Community Adult Day Center, a Downers Grove nonprofit serving older adults and their families living with cognitive and physical challenges, celebrated its 35th year of service to the community by hosting “Community Day” on Sept. 18. The main festivity was a “Shop N Stroll” fundraising event showcasing downtown Downers Grove businesses while bringing awareness to the vital work done at the Center. Event registrants were asked to visit at least 10 participating merchants. A drawing was held and prizes awarded including: one $1,000 and two $500 Downtown Gift Certificates as well valuable gift certificates to local businesses.

CADC VICE CHAIRMAN DEBBIE HARE, DUPAGE COUNTY BOARD MEMBER LIZ CHAPLIN AND CADC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SUSAN SINDERSON AT SHOP N STROLL SIGNUP

CADC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS SIGN UP PARTICIPANTS. FRONT ROW - SHANDRA BOWLIN, STEPHANIE SINDERSON, BACK ROW - SUSAN SINDER

The Grove Foundation held its 28th Annual Golf Outing fundraiser at the Downers Grove Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 11. Guests enjoyed beautiful golf weather, a delicious Skuddlebutt’s barbecue, and abundant prizes donated by local merchants. Proceeds directly fund the Foundation’s annual grant program which provides financial support to a variety of local non-profits and programs that enhance the quality of life in Downers Grove. The Grove Foundation is celebrating its thirtieth year of operation. www.thegrovefoundation.org.

Photography by Christina Powell.

GEOFF NEUSTADT, BRYAN KUNZE, MIKE KUNZE, AND MATT NEUSTADT GROVE FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS CATHY MAHONEY (SECRETARY) AND LOIS KOPIS (VICE-PRESIDENT)

ALICIA HOLMES, ELIZABETH JONES, JEN HAMILTON, AND MARY ELLEN WALKER IN FRONT OF THE “HOLE IN ONE CAR” DONATED BY OGDEN LINCOLN OF WESTMONT