Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association
Since its inception in 1989, OPALGA has become one of the largest community based, multipurpose lesbian and gay membership organizations in Illinois.
Around The OPALGA Center
OPALGA Claims Another “30 Under 30”
Congratulations to our own Hector Salgado, who directs the OPALGA Latino men’s program, ALAS. Hector recently received the distinction of being named one of the 2008 Windy City Times “30 Under 30” award winners. This award recognizes young activists who have made significant contributions to the LGBT community. Way to go, Hector—we’re proud of you!
Latino Men’s Retreat
Thanks to a generous grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health Center for Minority Services, OPALGA held its second annual Latino Men’s Retreat. This three-day event was again held in conjunction with Project VIDA in Chicago. This year, we hosted 14 young Latino men between the ages of 18–25 at the Menno Haven Retreat Center in Tiskilwa, Illinois. The retreat was meant to create community for these young men while exploring relationships, their culture and identity within the LGBT community, and HIV and STI prevention education. Although the weather for the event was a bit balmy and the facilities lacked air conditioning, our staff and retreat participants had a weekend to remember. Thanks to our ALAS program staff who facilitated the event—Hector Salgado, Celso Cardenas, and Alex Lopez—and Carlos Samaniego from Project VIDA. We look forward to next year’s retreat!
Donut Days!
Thank you to the 49 volunteers who helped to make this year’s Farmers’ Market Donut Days fundraiser an amazing success. To date, we raised close to $1,700, and we will receive another small check at the end of the season based on overall sales. As always, it seemed as though everyone had a great time, and most of you were well-versed in the ways of donuts. It was a smooth operation, and thanks for all of your time and talent!
Prism Youth Program
Some of you may have heard that we are holding our drop-in group for teens from 14–18 years of age on a trial basis every Thursday night. So far, so good, and we have decided to extend the program through August to meet the needs of our teen LGBT population. We will reassess the need later in the summer, and if there is sufficient demand, we may put Prism back into our regular rotation of drop-in groups that we offer.
Volunteer Spotlight
Given the number of volunteers that OPALGA counts on annually to do the amazing work that we do, we decided that everyone should get to know each other a little better. This month, we are highlighting volunteer member Navi Walker.
Empower: How long have you lived in the Chicago area?
Navi: I was born and raised in Chicago.
Empower: What town, village, or city do you live in now?
Navi: God, please don’t make me say it…, lol. Ahhh, Hillside.
Empower: What do you do for a living, or, if you’re in school where and what are you studying?
Navi: I am currently a concierge with Apple (computers), and hopefully I’ll be starting school at Columbia College Chicago…, woo hoo!!
Empower: How long have you been a member or involved with OPALGA?
Navi: A long time…, lol. Since I was 14 years old (I’m 23 now).
Empower: In what capacity do you volunteer?
Navi: I am one of the facilitators for RED, and sometimes I help out with Spectrum, when needed. I’m also going to try volunteering with OUTSpoken when it starts up again.
Empower: How did you come to volunteer for OPALGA?
Navi: I’ve been in it for so long that it’s just kind of grown to be a part of what I do. It was only natural to want to be more than a peer attending drop-in groups.
Empower: What’s your favorite color?
Navi: I used to be on this whole black-only kick, but I’m a huge sucker for bright, colorful things. Any bright color, I’m on it (except pink—pink is disgusting, no offense to hardcore pink lovers out there).
Empower: What’s your favorite movie and/or book and why?
Navi: Man…, I don’t know. I really can’t just pick one, but if I must say that I like one a little bit more than the others, it would be “Ranma ½” movies (totally obscure, I know), which are anime, and, oh, “Tipping the Velvet,” maybe. See I don’t know. I feel like I’ve made a bad choice there…, lol.
Empower: What are your favorite restaurants?
Navi: I love seafood like shrimp and lobster, so good old Red Lobster works for that. Also Benihana. I’m also really into Indian food, so I’m lovin’ me some Khyber Pass. But since I’m a serious foodie, like with movies, I can’t have just one favorite because I’m all over the place!
Empower: If money were no object and you could do anything you want, what would it be?
Navi: I know it’s a cliché to some, but I’d love to travel. Travel and write about everything I see and experience (hence the reason why I’m taking up journalism in college). Then, after that, I’d settle and open up an international café or restaurant. Yeah, that feels about right.
Thank you, Navi, and thank you to all of our volunteers! You may be next in the spotlight!
Recipe Corner
Several years ago, OPALGA talked about putting together a cookbook containing our members’ favorite recipes. Now, in anticipation of our organization’s 20th anniversary, we have decided that the time is right for this tasty project!
Talk to your family, your friends, and your neighbors to find those recipes that you really enjoy and want to share with other OPALGA members. Please feel free to submit any of your favorite recipes, and be sure to give a credit for the originator of the recipe, if applicable.
All recipes should be submitted to jeziebarth@comcast.net. Please include the word “RECIPE” in your subject line, and be sure to attach your recipe to the e-mail as a Microsoft Word document. Thank you!
In the meantime, we plan to publish a few of the recipes that we have already received in upcoming issues of Empower. Bon appétit!
Hummingbird Cake (Victorian Era Recipe)
Submitted by Richard Poltorak
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
1 c. cooking oil
3 beaten eggs
2 c. chopped banana (3 bananas)
½ c. chopped walnuts
1-½ tsp. vanilla
Glaze:
1 tbsp. melted butter
1 c. sifted powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tube/fluted tube pan. In a mixing bowl, stir flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together. Remove 2 tbsp. of pineapple juice and set aside. Add pineapple, oil, eggs, banana, nuts, and vanilla to flour mixture. Stir until blended—do not overstir. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake for approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert cake and remove from pan and cool completely.
Glaze: In small bowl, combine melted butter and powdered sugar. Add pineapple juice a bit at a time to make a glaze that can be dribbled back and forth on cake with a spoon, and enjoy!
John Seaton and the Garden of Eden
On a sunny, crystalline Saturday morning in early spring, I sat down on a bench within the lovely surroundings of the Oak Park Conservatory with John Seaton to talk about his retirement as the Manager of Conservatory Operations for the Oak Park Conservatory. John’s official retirement date was June 6, 2008. An articulate and charming man, John and I discussed his background, his proudest accomplishments, and his challenges as the manager of the Conservatory for the past 24 years. Please read on to get to know this remarkable man, long-time OPALGA member, and stalwart resident of south Oak Park.
A native of Wales, John was born and raised in Colwyn Bay, and after the age of two, his family moved to Hampshire, Somerset, and then to Devonshire in the south of England, where John’s father was a dairy farmer. John attended Dartington Hall School in Devonshire, a progressive, coeducational boarding school similar to Summerhill, which many of you may be familiar with if you have read the famous book Summerhill by A. S. Neill.
“I enjoyed the school very much. I met very interesting people, and it gave me lots of expensive ideas and hobbies, but no real way of satiating them,” John said.
John continued, “By the age of 17, it was decided that academia was not for me.” He left school and began to work as an unpaid apprentice at the Dartington Hall garden. After a year, he was officially accepted into their apprenticeship program. He lived in the garden in a hostel for young gardeners, called a “bothey,” where, John said, “we lived there and ate and slept horticulture. We had lectures one evening a week, and, occasionally, we would go off to look at other gardens.”
After two years, John was certified and then was accepted at the Lacham School of Agriculture as an assistant gardener to the college. John worked there with a lot of the agricultural students on keeping the grounds going and was there for several years. From there, it was on to Cannington in Somerset to study horticulture. John’s next stop was a training program at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley, in Surrey. He then worked as an instructor and gardener for the Gloucestershire Farm Institute, and later moved on to running the research greenhouses at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
In 1972, John was hired by the University of Wisconsin, Madison, as an academic specialist, running the botany greenhouses and garden. In 1984, John took the position at the Conservatory. He said, “It was really sort of coming back to my roots because I had studied municipal horticulture rather than botany.”
The Conservatory began as a community effort in 1914 to provide a place to house exotic plants that area residents collected during their travels abroad. The present Edwardian-style glass structure, built in 1929, houses a botanical collection of more than 3,000 plants.
Over the years, the building fell into disrepair. In 1970, when plans were made to raze it, a group of concerned citizens led a successful drive to preserve, and eventually enhance, this unique resource. After this successful fundraising effort, the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory was officially formed in 1986 to work with the Park District of Oak Park to help promote community interest, offer educational opportunities, and support projects that benefit the Conservatory and its visitors. In 2000, the Conservatory Center was opened to provide expanded space and facilities for educational programming, day-to-day operations, and public events. “The Conservatory was saved by the community, for the community,” said John, “and I’ve always felt like this position is in trust to the community.”
The Conservatory draws up to 30,000 visitors annually. In 2004, the Conservatory was named an Oak Park Landmark, and in 2005, it was named to the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
One of the challenges of running the Conservatory has been to get and keep the word out, and John said that the Friends of the Conservatory have been tremendously helpful in that area. Funding is also always a challenge. John said that there are a lot of demands on limited resources, and he has been very frugal with his budget.
Part of John’s job has been to oversee the astounding number of bedding plants that are planted at public parks and sites throughout the village of Oak Park. When John arrived in Oak Park, Scoville Park had just been redesigned, and John was the first person to plant material in the beds surrounding the war memorial in the park. In later years, when OPALGA started its “Building Bridges” festival in the park, John tried to provide plant material that related to that festival. John joined OPALGA in the year of its founding (1989) and said that he would like to have been more involved throughout the years but that he wasn’t because of his total involvement with the Conservatory.
“One of the things about my job that I have enjoyed the most,” said John, “is how the community has taken to the conservatory. They come in and just sigh with relief, especially during a winter like our last one, which seemed to go on forever.” He continued, “This is a place where children often take their first faltering steps. Our displays in the parks, our plant clinics, our presence at the Farmers’ Market—all of this has led to a lot of good will generated by what the Conservatory does in the community.”
John said that his proudest accomplishments at the Conservatory have been getting the Friends of the Conservatory organized, getting the Conservatory Center built, and obtaining both the local and national historic recognition. When I asked what the best-kept secret about the Conservatory is, John said, “I call it the Garden of Eden at the corner of East and Garfield. It’s right here. You don’t have to go to Florida. Coming to the Conservatory is an aesthetic experience. You can just come here and enjoy a sense of green and growing.”
In the first phase of his retirement, John is going to spend some time in England visiting his granddaughter, and he is proud to say that he is expecting another grandchild!
The theme of “community” came up again and again in our conversation, and John is both grateful for and satisfied with his time in the village of Oak Park. “One needs to be who one is in the world, and I’ve been lucky to be who I am,” he said. We will continue to see John out and about in the village, stopping to smell the roses.
Message from the Co-Chairs
Thursday, May 15, 2008—on its face, a day that was not unlike many others for most people. As the end of another workweek drew near, the Chicago area continued to be unseasonably cool. Across the country, plans for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend continued to change as many Americans grappled with the worsening effects of the economy.
Thursday, May 15, 2008—a day that was most unlike many others for members of the LGBT community. By a stunning 4-3 ruling, the California Supreme Court ruled not only that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, but also rejected California’s marriage laws as discriminatory. The expansive 121-page decision from the Republican-dominated court disagreed with the arguments about the importance of preserving only traditional marriages. In writing for the majority, Chief Justice Ronald George declared that the right to marry “is of fundamental significance” and cannot be denied to couples based only on their sexual orientation. Immediately hailed as a huge victory for gay rights, the decision now refutes any idea that Massachusetts is peculiarly alone in its recognition of gay marriage.
This decision in the nation’s most populous state is expected to have an impact far beyond California, although the effects there could be enormous. The latest census figures show over 100,000 same-sex couples in California alone, about 25% of whom have children. What now remains to be seen is the effect it will have in other states like Illinois, where a bill seeking to recognize civil unions is now pending in the state legislature.
As members of the LGBT community, we have certainly learned the hard way that any victory, no matter how huge, is no guarantee of future success. This court’s decision resulted from San Francisco’s highly publicized gay weddings in 2004, which in turn helped fuel a conservative backlash in that election year. The religious right joined with social conservatives to fight bitterly in their opposition to same-sex marriages, and the result had a ripple effect nationwide. In Ohio, for instance, opponents prevailed in a state that wound up being key to Bush’s re-election.
So what happens next? In California, Governor Schwarzenegger has promised to uphold the decision and to veto a bill already being drawn up that seeks to defy the ruling by amending the state’s constitution. In Illinois, time will tell. Proponents of the civil unions bill are guardedly optimistic, yet recent efforts by the ACLU, OPALGA, and Equality Illinois to spur a letter-writing campaign were disappointing. Meanwhile, New York has just announced that it intends to honor all out-of-state same-sex marriages. As to the upcoming election, Obama supports civil unions but is opposed to gay marriage. McCain is on record as opposing a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage; he prefers to leave the issue to individual states. All of us at OPALGA will be watching and waiting with great interest.
Meanwhile, earlier that same week, Larry McKeon, Illinois’ first openly gay legislator, passed away at age 63 after suffering a violent stroke. In 1992, Larry took a job as Mayor Daley’s liaison to the gay and lesbian community. Many questioned the appointment, and yet under Larry’s tenure, advances for the LGBT community were numerous as he continuously displayed keen insight into issues of significance to us. Thursday, May 15, 2008, would surely have brought a smile to Larry’s face.
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!
Around the OPALGA Center
Youth Pride Picnic
The Fifth Annual Youth Pride Picnic will be held on Saturday, June 28, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Stevenson Park, 49 Lake St., Oak Park. This annual event is a way to bring together all LGBT youth and young adult programs in the Chicagoland area to celebrate during Pride Weekend. The picnic is free of charge and includes food, music, and outdoor games. This year’s picnic is co-sponsored by OPALGA and the Broadway Youth Center in Chicago. Any adult volunteers are welcome; if you are interested, please call Susan at 708-386-3463.
Prism Returns
Because of recent calls and inquiries by both teens and their parents, we are going to hold Prism, our teen drop-in program, during the month of June. Prism will be open every Thursday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at The OPALGA Center, 947 Garfield St., Oak Park. If the response is positive, we will consider extending our hours throughout the summer. If you have a teen who might benefit from the program, please call The OPALGA Center at 708-848-0273!
HIV Testing Is Up and Running
OPALGA has provided two outreach testing nights at Sunday Madness @ Merenderos San Marcos in Cicero (2120 S. Cicero Ave., Cicero, from 10:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m.) and our drop-in groups. We have been providing free, anonymous HIV testing and counseling to close to 30 young men through our outreach efforts. This new program has already proved to be both a needed and rewarding service to provide to our community.
If you are in need of a test or know of an event at which you would like testing to be available, please call The OPALGA Center at 708-848-0273. We are able to provide testing that fits your schedule.
Elmhurst College Outreach
Thanks to longtime OPALGA member Jim Kelly, who volunteered his time to meet with 17 students at Elmhurst College in May. Jim provided an interactive and informative talk that both engaged students in understanding their own perspective and experience with homosexuality and covered current political issues in the gay community. The class completed a survey for Jim. The results showed that almost 60% of the class have a close friend who is openly LGBT, but almost 20% feel that being LGBT is abnormal. Forty percent think it is a choice, and 30% have religious convictions that being LGBT is sinful. No one identified as LGBT. We still have some work ahead of us. Thanks for getting out there for us, Jim!
Volunteer Spotlight
Given the number of volunteers that OPALGA counts on annually to do the amazing work that we do, we decided that everyone should get to know each other a little better. This month, we are highlighting volunteer member Kara Ashley.
Empower: How long have you lived in the Chicago area?
Kara: All my life.
Empower: What town, village, or city do you live in now?
Kara: I live in Oak Park.
Empower: What do you do for a living, or, if you’re in school, where and what are you studying?
Kara: This was my last year at Triton, and I’ll be transferring to Roosevelt to major in social work.
Empower: How long have you been a member of or involved with OPALGA?
Kara: I first went to PRISM about six years ago.
Empower: In what capacity do you volunteer?
Kara: I volunteer with RED.
Empower: How did you come to volunteer for OPALGA?
Kara: Andy, other volunteers, and Susan encouraged me to volunteer.
Empower: What’s your favorite color?
Kara: My favorite color is maroon.
Empower: What’s your favorite movie and/or book and why?
Kara: Movie-wise, it’s a tough choice, but Lost in Translation is a definite favorite. I love the story and how the gentle themes of insomnia and “finding yourself” (as the movie states) play throughout it. As for my favorite book, I currently have a love affair with the Twilight series written by Stephanie Meyer.
Empower: Where do you go for your favorite meal?
Kara: My favorite meal changes daily, really, but I’m always up for some great Thai food at Dharma Garden.
Empower: If money were no object and you could do anything you want, what would it be?
Kara: Oh the possibilities…. I would probably build a chain of cafés, give them really catchy names, and hire local talent to display/perform their art.
Empower: What are you listening to the most on your iPod?
Kara: 1. “The Con” by Tegan and Sara
2. “The City Lights” by The Umbrellas
3. “Jesus Christ” by Brand New
4. “Both Hands” by Ani DiFranco
5. “Breathe Me” by Sia
6. “World Spins Madly On” by The Weepies
7. “Schism” by Tool
8. “Warm Whispers” by Missy Higgins
9. “My Skin” by Natalie Merchant
10. “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails
Thank you, Kara, and thank you to all of our volunteers! You may be next in the spotlight!
Recipe Corner
Several years ago, OPALGA talked about putting together a cookbook containing our members’ favorite recipes. Now, in anticipation of our organization’s 20th anniversary, we have decided that the time is right for this tasty project!
Talk to your family, your friends, and your neighbors to find those recipes that you really enjoy and want to share with other OPALGA members. Please feel free to submit any of your favorite recipes, and be sure to give a credit for the originator of the recipe, if applicable.
All recipes should be submitted to jeziebarth@comcast.net. Please include the word “RECIPE” in your subject line, and be sure to attach your recipe to the e-mail as a Microsoft Word document. Thank you!
In the meantime, we plan to publish a few of the recipes that we have already received in upcoming issues of Empower. Bon appétit!
Miss Nancy and Kat Potato Salad
Created on June 17, 1973
12 medium new potatoes
8 tbsp. mayonnaise
6 tbsp. pickle relish with juice
2 tsp. dill weed
2 tsp. celery seed
4 tsp. garlic salt
A few shakes of cracked pepper
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/3 c. olive juice
Cut potatoes into smallish size, boil rapidly until tender; drain, dry slightly over flame. Mix potatoes with remaining ingredients and serve while hot!
Submitted by Suzanne Johnston
Message from the Co-Chairs
Much has been written about the power of numbers. Interesting, then, how many different numbers seem to be involved with OPALGA this month:
1—As in “EACH ONE…REACH ONE.” This is a theme that our Board has adopted this year. Its central premise is profound yet simple—each of us as Board members should—no, must—make a constant effort to bring a new person to each event or program we attend. Whether it is the Gala, a potluck, a membership meeting, or whatever, the most efficient and effective way to help us grow and strengthen our organization is through membership efforts all year long. We will be asking you many times this year to join us in this effort.
4—As in “4 Minutes,” Madonna’s latest smash hit featuring Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and one fierce pair of knee-high boots.
14—As in Saturday, June 14, when OPALGA members and guests go “The Full Monty.” We have bought out the entire house that evening at the Village Players Theatre to see a local version of the Broadway favorite. Your ticket includes unlimited wine and beer before the show, hors d’oeuvres, the performance, and a $15 donation to OPALGA. There will also be a cash bar available at intermission. Mark your calendars now to join us, and call the box office right away (1-866-764-1010) because seating is obviously limited.
15—As in April 15, everyone’s least favorite day of the year. Yet, as another tax filing deadline passed us by, the grim reality reminds us that even as acceptance continues to grow for same-sex couples, the tax disparities faced by our community are unjust, unfair, and utterly discriminatory. The worst part is that the so-called dual taxation is only one key area out of many where members of our community are not given equal footing with straight couples—hospital visitations, health insurance, Social Security benefits, retirement savings, pensions, and estate taxes are just a few other glaring examples where LGBT individuals and couples are denied certain rights and privileges based on sexual orientation. Let’s have great times along the way but not lose sight of the fact that we cannot truly celebrate until these major hurdles are cleared in our struggle for equality.
20—As in the birthday OPALGA will celebrate next year. Planning has already started for a Gala birthday party to end all parties. We will return to The Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook, so set aside Saturday, May 2, 2009 NOW!!
24—As in April 24, Barbra’s birthday. Enough said—Happy Birthday, Babs!
40—As in $40, the cost of a ticket to see “The Full Monty” (see number 14 above). A true bargain for a great night.
200—As in the number of seats available for “The Full Monty” (see number 14 and number 40 above). Are you getting the theme here? Call now to reserve your seats.
340—As in the attendance at this year’s Gala. You asked for an outstanding venue, we gave it to you, and you showed up in huge numbers. Give yourselves a big hand!
400—As in our membership goal for year-end. To achieve this, we will need your help. We ask each of you to personally adopt “EACH ONE…REACH ONE.” Make this your personal mission for 2008. Help us grow OPALGA into a larger and stronger association so that we can continue to put on superior programs and events all year long.
So, our look at numbers has returned to where it began. Yes, numbers are powerful. But, also remember the strength in numbers. Enjoy the rapidly improving weather, and we will see you soon at another event.
NOTE: Any winning lottery tickets that result from playing a combination of any of the numbers featured in the above column will be expected to produce a generous contribution to OPALGA!
Around The OPALGA Center
Marie Kuda at The Center
Thanks to Marie Kuda, renowned LGBT historian, for sharing her astounding breadth of knowledge with the women of OPALGA on Wednesday, March 19, in honor of Women’s History Month. The women present were treated to a stream of history that has never been taught to us in any classroom. Marie’s presence is a reminder that we have always been here—it’s just that many of us don’t know it. For those of you who are interested, Marie has donated a copy of The Completely Queer Gay and Lesbian Encyclopedia to The Center, and she has compiled a list for us of “100 Years of Lesbian Writers in Chicago.” She has also generously offered to do a follow-up slide show that will be open to the entire membership. Watch for the date in an upcoming issue of Empower.
HIV Testing Now Available
OPALGA is now able to provide anonymous and confidential HIV testing on site or in the community to anyone who identifies as a gay or transgender male. Testing is free, and appointments can be made by calling our confidential line at 708-386-3463 or by sending e-mail to prism@opalga.org.
Membership Recognition Reception Planned for May 29
Just a reminder that the annual OPALGA Membership Recognition Reception is being planned for May 29. At this informal reception, members will be able to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages while celebrating the 19th anniversary of our organization. The highlight of the reception will be the presentation of the Carol Zientek Award for Distinguished Service and the Brian Findlay Award for Outstanding and Long-Term Commitment. Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 29, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Holley Court Terrace, 1111 Ontario St., Oak Park, IL 60302.
Gay Day at the Farmers’ Market and Village Players Theatre
Don’t forget to set aside, Saturday, June 14, for “Gay Day” in Oak Park.
OPALGA volunteers will begin their (very early) morning by making, serving, and selling donuts with Pilgrim Congregational Church at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market, 460 Lake St., Oak Park. Half of all proceeds will be given back to OPALGA, so this is a great way to raise money for the organization and to have a lot of fun while doing so. To volunteer, please call Susan at 708-386-3463 or send e-mail to prism@opalga.org.
The fun continues Saturday evening with a benefit performance of “The Full Monty” at the Village Players Theatre, 1010 W. Madison St., Oak Park. For only $40 per person, you will be treated to a pre-performance buffet with beer, wine, and soft drinks at 6:30 p.m. followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, call the Village Players Theatre box office at 1-866-764-1010 and tell them you are purchasing tickets for the OPALGA benefit.
The Center Pledges to Help Reduce Bottled Water Waste
The Center is in need of a large Brita® water filtration system that we can keep in the refrigerator. Staff and volunteers go through many bottles of water, and we would like to be able to continue to support our voracious water drinkers while considering the environment. If anyone would like to make such a donation, it would be greatly appreciated! Please call Susan at 708-386-3463 to make arrangements.
