Irving Garden needs your help!!!
Yes, spring and summer will come. I have faith that soon we will all feel the hot sun on our shoulders.  If you are like me, you can’t wait to get out in the garden and wake up that earth! Well look no further because the Irving garden needs you! There are a lot of ways to volunteer in the Irving Garden. Here are just a few:
  • Fill greenhouses with dirt (thanks to those that helped on this. There is still a little dirt left on the native prairie garden)
  • Prepare the garden beds for planting (Some volunteers are tackling this memorial day weekend.Bring a shovel and join in the fun. actual dates and times are not known yet. Contact Bharathi at bjayaram68@yahoo.com or just come on by)
  • Help classrooms transplant seedlings into garden beds (late May, early June)
  • Repair and improve watering system (ASAP)
  • Tend and water the garden over the summer
  • Help harvest veggies throughout summer and into fall
All these things are important. I am particularly seeking assistance with the watering system. The hose connections leak, the sprinkler heads are failing and get smothered by the plants after a while and the water pressure is poor. Any creative, handy parents out there want to take this project on?
Finally, I am also looking for someone to take over my role of coordinator. I can assist this spring and there are a few dedicated volunteers that can assist as well. Please let me know if you are interested in any of these needs.
Here’s to spring and warmer days!
Thank you,
Reshma Desai

Parents vs. Teachers 3rd Annual Softball Game – May 23

Friday, May 23rd is the Parents vs. Teachers 3rd Annual Softball Game. The game will start at 6:00 p.m. on the Irving Turf Field.

There will be food trucks in the parking lot for the night! Please bring your families, lawn chairs, blankets, etc.  If you are playing in the game, warm-ups begin at 5:00 p.m. (The food trucks will be serving food then as well). The playground will be open for the children to play on all throughout the event.

To join the parent team, contact Jassen Strokosch (jassens@gmail.com). To join the staff team, contact Nick Sakellaris (nsakellaris)

There is an Adult Night Out after the game (8:30 / 9:00 p.m. ) at Sidebar next to Fitzgerald’s on Roosevelt Road. Please come out and join us!

FLYER

ROBINSON’S RIBS MENU

TACOS BERNARDO will have steak, chicken and veggie tacos. $2/taco. Plus, Mexican colas.

Benefit for Lincoln School Student
The Lincoln Girl Scouts, Lincoln Girls on the Run–and Lincoln community in general– have put together an event to raise funds for Isabelle Jones, a fourth grader at Lincoln who was diagnosed with an inoperable, cancerous brain tumor in December and who has been undergoing radiation and chemotherapy at Lurie Childrens’ Hospital since then.
Isabelle’s Carnival will take place on Saturday, June 7, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Oak Park (820 Ontario Street, just north of Scoville Park). We will have games, entertainment, a raffle and silent auction. Here are just some of the silent auction/raffle prizes we have collected:
A skating lesson at the new Ridgeland Rink with Oak Park Olympic Speed Skater Emery Lehman
A private tour of the Hemingway birthplace and museum for up to 10 guests
A customized architectural walking tour of the Chicago Loop for up to 10 people (kids 10 and up), led by a local architectural expert
A post Labor Day weekend at a lovely three bed/2 bath cottage in Union Pier, MI
Cubs and Sox tickets for several different games this summer
Two Blackhawks tickets for the 2014/2015 season
A framed textile by local artist Jeanette Durand
A brewery tour and tasting at local microbrewery Ale Syndicate
$100 gift certificate to Maya del Sol
Two tickets to “Million Dollar Quartet”
$50 Gift certificate to Jen McNulty Fine Arts
A piece of Rookwood pottery from Heritage Tile in Oak Park
A necklace, bracelet and earrings of freshwater pearls designed by Kate Linn
Check out the Isabelle’s Carnival Facebook page for prize updates.
We hope to have a great turnout at this event, and also raise funds for Isabelle’s care. In addition to being a fundraiser, this event is something fun for her to look forward to after many difficult months of cancer treatment.
Tickets are $5 presale and $7 at the door (kids under 5 free, with a max of $20 or $21 per family to enter). Raffle tickets will be $5 or 5 for $20.  To buy presale entry tickets, contact Lynn Thomas, at lynnannthomas64@gmail.com for locations.
If you are interested in making a donation to the fundraiser, a bank account has been set up at Community Bank of Oak Park and River Forest, 1001 W. Lake Street, under the name “Isabelle Jones Assistance Fund”
We are also collecting raffle prizes and small prizes (bubbles, chalk, crayons, small items) for the carnival games. If you are interested in donating, please contact Lynn Thomas at lynnannthomas64@gmail.com
Thank you!!

FLYER

 

PTO Election and New Nominations
Presenting... our new PTO Co-President, Jeff Wallichs! You don't have to be crazy to take the job, but it helps.

Presenting… our new PTO Co-President, Jeff Wallichs! You don’t have to be crazy to take the job, but it helps.

Congratulations to our new PTO board members! They were voted in at the May 1 PTO meeting and will be off and running after May 29. We do still have some openings, so read on…

There was not a second nomination for Co-President so that position remains open. We have recently received a nomination for Lori McConnell. Since she is currently a Vice President that position has become available.

At the May 1 meeting we discussed adding a second Treasurer position. This was positively received by all in attendance. At the May 29 PTO meeting we will vote to approve that position and also to fill it. Read more details about the two Treasurer roles here.

We will have another election at the PTO meeting on May 29.

Nominations for Co-President, Vice President (General) and Assistant Treasurer are now open and will be accepted until the time of the vote on May 29, 6:30pm. More info on what these positions do can be found here. Those interested should contact Mr. Hodge (jhodge@op97.org), Laura Crawford (lauracrawford47@gmail.com) or Talley Hann (talleyhann@gmail.com).

Incoming:
Co-President: Jeff Wallichs
Vice President (Communications): Carmen Rivera
Vice President (Volunteers): Hilary Klein
Co-Secretary: Eduardo De Santiago

Open (accepting nominations):
Co-President: Lori McConnell has been nominated
Vice President (General): Open
Assistant Treasurer: Open

Continuing:
Co-Secretary: Rebecca Tull
Lead Treasurer: Lynn Battoglia