Your SPCA
Here are the winners of the 2021 SPCA Holiday Decorating Contest, as decided by our community members through an online vote. It was a close contest. Thank you to all who participated!
6100 N Kedvale Ave.
6026 N Kedvale Ave.
6206 N Kedvale Ave.
6057 N Kedvale Ave.
We will contact runners-up.
Thanks again to all who participated!
Last week our neighbors nominated the best decorated homes in Sauganash Park. We created a gallery of 21 homes. Now it’s time to vote for the winner!
The voting period begins now. The last day that you may submit a vote is Sunday, 12/26.
I recommend that you browse the gallery of homes. Click the photos to enlarge them and see the addresses. Choose your three favorites and submit them on this voting form.
Your first place vote is worth 3 points. Your second place vote is worth 2 points. And your third place vote is worth 1 point. The homes that receive the most points will win the contest.
Winners will be awarded a gift card to one of our partner restaurants in the following increments: $100 (1st), $50 (2nd), and $25 (3rd and 4th). Runners up will also receive a special prize.
We are looking forward to announcing our community-selected winners one week from today, on Monday 12/27.
Don’t forget to vote!
We’ve made some revisions to our annual holiday decorating contest. This year community members will nominate well-decorated homes. Previously only our board members participated in the nominations and judging. Now the winners will be entirely determined by the community.
You can nominate your own home if you want, but it’s probably more “in-the-spirit” to nominate a neighbor’s home. You can nominate more than one home also. Here are the rules and procedures for this contest:
1. Neighbors will nominate well-decorated homes until 12/19. Homes must be in Sauganash Park. Use this webform to nominate homes. Please include a photo for the voting process. You may find this easier to do on your phone.
2. Members of our community will vote for the winning homes from 12/20 to 12/26.
3. Winners will be awarded a gift card to one of our partner restaurants in the following increments: $100 (1st), $50 (2nd), and $25 (3rd and 4th). Runners up will also receive a special prize.
We hope that you like this revision of our classic holiday contest. We need your nominations, votes, and participation to make this a success. Please join us!
Alderman Nugent’s participatory budgeting process is underway for 2021-2022. The next meeting is December 9th.
Participatory Budgeting is a great way to direct funds to our community, but we need to participate to be considered. Keep up with all the meeting dates here.
Remember when we won this improvement? We couldn’t have done it without community participation. Please participate if you can.
The Chicago Police Department hosts local beat meetings monthly. You can connect with police officers at these meetings. You can learn about ongoing criminal activity in the area, and you can report problems that you are experiencing and request assistance.
The Sauganash Park Community is part of the 1711 beat. It is helpful for our community if we have representation at these meetings. Please consider attending. Here is the schedule for 2022:
December is yet another great month to get involved with your community.
Let’s make this a memorable holiday season!
Don Morton
SPCA President
This summer we partnered with six local businesses to provide discounts to our members. We nominated all these businesses as selections for the North River Commission’s Best Business Awards. They have been giving our members generous discounts. Now we can show them our gratitude by voting for them in this contest. VOTE FOR OUR PARTNERS NOW UNTIL NOVEMBER 16th.
Since her election Alderman Nugent has divided the menu money (discretionary spending) with communities in our ward. This process is known as participatory budgeting. Two years ago we helped to win repairs for the underpass at Lowell and Granville (pictured below). We’ve won some other great projects too.
Do you have an idea or suggestion to make capital improvements to our community? The participatory budgeting process is beginning again for 2021-2022. We are looking for volunteers from Sauganash Park who can help represent us in this process. Contact me if you think that you can help or just sign up here.
A community conversation about crime and law enforcement in the 17th District will take place on the evening of November 16th via Zoom. If you would like to attend this meeting, you can RSVP with 17th District Community Organizer, John Campos.
November is a great month to get involved with your community.
I hope that you answer the call.
We need your help.
Don Morton
SPCA President
Join us on Saturday, October 23rd at Glenlake and Kedvale for our Halloween Movie Night. The event will begin at 5:30 PM and we will start the movie at 6:30 PM. We are planning on screening The Adams Family 2. All are welcome to attend. Children must be accompanied by adults. Costumes are encouraged but not required.
The event is FREE for SPCA members. We suggest a donation of $10 for guest families.
Please bring your own seating. The movie will be projected on an inflatable screen in the street. We will provide popcorn and a hot chocolate bar. We hope to see you there!
WHAT: Halloween Movie Night
WHERE: Glenlake and Kedvale
WHEN: Saturday, October 23rd at 5:30 PM (Film Begins at 6:30)
Thank you for being our neighbor!
Please save the date for our Halloween Movie Night. The event is scheduled for dusk on October 23rd. We will provide popcorn and treats. We will also play a family-friendly Halloween movie on an outdoor screen. More information about this event will follow.
The SPCA held our Fall General Meeting at the Sauganash Park Fieldhouse on September 21st, 2021.
We were joined by Alderman Nugent, Police Commander Pontecore, and Kevin Kuhn from the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Our friend Dana Fritz from Congressman Quigley’s office also shared some messages with our audience.
Brian Nadig from Nadig Newspapers wrote about the event here and in our local paper.
We attempted to live-stream the event. Some listeners reported audio problems. If we continue hosting hybrid-meetings, we may acquire a microphone to improve our audio quality. Thank you to all who participated and attended! Also, if Kevin Kuhn from the Forest Preserves of Cook County inspired you to volunteer, you can sign up here.
The Coat Drive for Afghan Refugees ends this week. Officials expect that over 500 Afghan refugees will re-settle in the Chicagoloand area. Senator Rahm Villivalam, Representative Denyse Stoneback, and Representative John D’Amico have organized a coat drive to help them.
Date: Monday, September 20 – Friday, October 8.
Accepted Items: New or clean, gently used coats (coats only – no other clothing)
Drop-off Locations: Donations can be dropped off at their offices (Or visit bit.ly/DriveDropOff)
Details: Donate new or clean, gently used, coats for the RefugeeOne “Share The Warmth Drive” for incoming refugee families. Donations can be dropped off from 9AM-5PM, Monday-Friday at any collection location.
We hope to see you at our Halloween Movie Night on October 23rd.
Thank you for being our neighbor!
Please join us in-person tonight at the Sauganash Park Fieldhouse at 7 PM.
Masks are required per city, county, and state health mandates. We will distribute masks at the door.
We will be joined by Alderman Nugent, Police Commander Pontecore, and Kevin Kuhn from the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
If you cannot make it in-person, we will offer a live-stream of the event at this link. Members who join us online will NOT be able to interact with our speakers at this time. I hope that you can join us in-person and show our community leaders that we care about our neighborhood!
Where: 5861 N. Kostner Ave.
When: TONIGHT, Tuesday, September 21st at 7 PM
What: Neighborhood General Meeting with Civic Leaders
Over the coming months, officials expect that over 500 Afghan refugees will re-settle in the Chicagoloand area. Senator Rahm Villivalam, Representative Denyse Stoneback, and Representative John D’Amico have organized a coat drive to help them.
Date: Monday, September 20 – Friday, October 8.
Accepted Items: New or clean, gently used coats (coats only – no other clothing)
Drop-off Locations: Donations can be dropped off at their offices (Or visit bit.ly/DriveDropOff)
Details: Donate new or clean, gently used, coats for the RefugeeOne “Share The Warmth Drive” for incoming refugee families. Donations can be dropped off from 9AM-5PM, Monday-Friday at any collection location.
We hope to see you at the General Meeting tonight at 7 PM.
Thank you for being our neighbor!
Don Morton
SPCA President
According to our by-laws, the SPCA hosts our Fall General Meeting annually on the third Tuesday of September. This year we will hold this meeting in-person at the Sauganash Park Fieldhouse.
We will be joined by Alderman Nugent, Police Commander Pontecore, and Kevin Kuhn from the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
We are offering a live-stream of the event here, if you’d prefer to stay home due to Covid-19 or other reasons. Members who join us online will NOT be able to interact with our speakers at this time. I hope that you can join us in-person and show our community leaders that we care about our neighborhood!
Where: 5861 N. Kostner Ave.
When: Tuesday, September 21st at 7 PM
What: Neighborhood General Meeting with Civic Leaders
The Chicago Park District is offering a number of youth programs that are now open for registration. They have parent and tot classes, floor hockey, dodgeball, and more! Check out or register for their offerings here. But do hurry if you are interested. Programs are beginning now.
We are continuing to distribute our membership cards. These cards can be used at these six great local businesses: Alarmist Brewing and Taproom, Dakota 94, Donna’s Garden, Chai Asian Bistro, Sauganash Grill, and The Learning Experience Sauganash. We appreciate these local businesses who have extended discounts and promotions to our members.
We heard that some members encountered problems scanning the QR codes. The QR codes have now been fixed, but you can also access the membership discount page here.
We have finished distributing our membership cards to all members who paid their dues as of September 10th. If you paid dues for our 2021-2022 membership cycle and you haven’t received your cards, contact us. Sometimes we make mistakes. We will be happy to look into things and get your membership cards to you. Also, if you haven’t joined our association for this cycle yet, now is a great time to join.
Thank you for being our neighbor!
Don Morton
SPCA President
Our friends at The Learning Experience Sauganash are hosting a fun event TODAY from 11 AM to 1 PM. Their Summer Carnival Event will have face painting, games, live music, and food. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.
Stop by. It is right in the neighborhood.
Where: 4110 W. Peterson
When: 11 AM – 1 PM TODAY, August 21st
What: Face painting, games, live music, food, and socializing
Alderman Nugent is hosting a ward-wide virtual community safety meeting on Thursday, August 26 at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to provide residents with primary source information about public safety in our ward.
Commander Ronald Pontecore of the 17th Police District will join the Alderman to answer questions from our community. All questions should be submitted in advance of the meeting: [email protected].
Where: Online – Advance Registration Required
When: 6:30 PM on Thursday, August 26th
What: 39th Ward Public Safety Meeting with Civic Leaders
We are continuing to distribute our membership cards. These cards can be used at these six local businesses: Alarmist Brewing and Taproom, Dakota 94, Donna’s Garden, Chai Asian Bistro, Sauganash Grill, and The Learning Experience Sauganash. We appreciate these local businesses extending discounts and promotions to our members.
We have finished distributing our membership cards to all members who paid their dues as of August 17th. If you paid dues for our 2021-2022 membership cycle and you haven’t received your cards, contact us. Sometimes we make mistakes. We will be happy to look into things and get your membership cards to you. Also, if you haven’t joined our association for this cycle yet, now is a great time to join.
Thank you for being our neighbor!
Don Morton
SPCA President
Our friends at The Learning Experience Sauganash are hosting a fun event this Saturday from 11 AM to 1 PM. Their Summer Carnival Event will have face painting, games, live music, and food. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.
Where: 4110 W. Peterson
When: 11 AM – 1 PM This Saturday, August 21st
What: Face painting, games, live music, food, and socializing
The SPCA annually hosts a General Meeting on the third Tuesday in September. This year our Fall General Meeting will be held at the Sauganash Park Fieldhouse on September 21st at 7 PM. We hope to provide a video stream of the meeting to include those who are avoiding gatherings.
Currently, Alderman Nugent is scheduled to speak about happenings in our Ward. We also invited CPD Commander Pontecore, who leads the 17th District. We hope that he will join us. Kevin Kuhn from the Forest Preserves of Cook County will also speak about the work that they are doing in our area.
Where: 5861 N Kostner
When: 7 PM – 8:30 PM on Tuesday, September 21st
What: SPCA Fall General Meeting Featuring Civic Leaders
We are continuing to distribute our membership cards. These cards can be used at these six local businesses: Alarmist Brewing and Taproom, Dakota 94, Donna’s Garden, Chai Asian Bistro, Sauganash Grill, and The Learning Experience Sauganash. We appreciate these local businesses extending discounts and promotions to our members.
We have finished distributing our membership cards to all members who paid their dues as of August 15th. If you paid dues for our 2021-2022 membership cycle and you haven’t received your cards, contact us. Sometimes we make mistakes. We will be happy to look into things and get your membership cards to you. Also, if you haven’t joined our association for this cycle yet, now is a great time to join.
Thank you for being our neighbor!
Don Morton
SPCA President