Byline: Kathryn Grondin
The major league baseball home run chase will hit home during a Geneva fund-raiser.
The Geneva Academic Foundation's upcoming auction fund-raiser will include items for auction from this year's two record-breaking home run hitters - Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.
Superintendent John Murphy has donated a baseball autographed a few years ago by McGwire for the Sept. 25 event. It is not a home run ball from this historic season, but it is his signature.
Auction items also include other sports paraphernalia - a Sammy Sosa picture autographed by the Cubs favorite, a sleep-over at the fire department, dinner for eight served by the school board and more.
The money raised is later funneled into the schools through donations by the foundation.
For more information, call (630) 208-9199.
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Moms with a purpose: Western Avenue School's first ever Grandparents Day event was a grand success, younger and older participants said.
The success of the event, held earlier this week, was in large part due to the work of five Western Avenue School mothers.
Grandparents Day committee members included Alice Duever, Cass Koenig, Cindy Lorenzo, Elaine Modene and Cinthia VanBerkum.
'It was a team effort,' Modene said. 'It was great.'
The turnout was so good, the group had to rent 32 extra tables the morning of the event.
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More wild about other interests: Steve and Jeri Powles will be closing their Geneva shop, In the Wild Nature Emporium, Sept. 26.
The couple has so many interests they want to pursue that they just do not have the time to run the shop at 223 W. State St. anymore.
After operating the store for four years, Steve now will spend more time collecting fossils in South Dakota.
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And the winners are: St. Charles residents Tom and Naomi Bosko won the $100 dinner raffled at the Festival of the Vine last weekend.
Hundreds of people filled out entry forms at the fest's Flavor Fare for a chance to eat at one of Geneva's restaurants.
'Oh my gosh, I'm so excited that I can hardly believe it,' Naomi said, upon learning about winning. 'I had almost forgotten to fill out the entry form so I ran back to pick one up to fill out.'
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Tidbits: Geneva city employees are saying goodbye today to Planning Director Mike Donahue. While Donahue will continue to live in Geneva, he is leaving his city job to work for a private firm. His last day is today. ... Stop by Western Avenue School's fall clothing resale between 6 and 9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the school, 1500 S. Western Ave. ... Mark your calendar for next year's Festival of the Vine, which is slated for Sept. 10-12.
