Category: Announcements

First our neighbors selected 20 well-decorated homes for our contest. Then we received around 50 online votes after a week of voting. Now the results are in and here are the winners of our contest:

4th Place – 6322 Keystone

3rd Place – 6200 Tripp

2nd Place – 6311 Kildare

1st Place – 6236 Lowell

This year’s contest winners will be awarded small trophies. I hope to deliver them this weekend. Our contest winners will also be announced in the next issue the Sauganash Sounds.

We appreciate everyone who participated in our contest by voting and nominating homes. And thank you to everyone who decorated this year. You make our neighborhood a brighter place.
 

Attend the 2023 Aldermanic Forum in the 39th Ward

The SPCA is cosponsoring the 2023 Aldermanic Forum for the 39th Ward along with 9 other civic associations in the Ward. Our current Alderman Sam Nugent, who has sponsored and participated in many of our events, is up for reelection. She will be running against Denali Dasgupta. 

All are welcome to hear both candidates have a civil discussion about issues facing the Ward. It will be moderated by David Schaper of NPR News. The forum will take place on Thursday, January 19th at the Irish American Heritage Center at 7 PM. Doors open at 6:30. This event is free.

Additionally, if you have a question that you’d like our moderator to ask, you may submit it here. 

What: 39th Ward Aldermanic Forum
Where: Irish American Heritage Center
When: Thursday, January 19th – Doors open at 6:30
 

Join or Renew Your SPCA Now

Our community association is the SPCA. We are a volunteer organization. We rely on membership dues from our neighbors. Though it is a new year soon, we are still in our 2022-23 cycle. Our membership cycle runs from July 1st to June 30th.

If you haven’t joined or renewed yet for this year, please do so as soon as you can. We need your membership to support our snow removal efforts this winter. 

Here are the top nominated homes for the 2022 SPCA Holiday Decorating Contest.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES NOW THROUGH MONDAY, 12/26!

Don’t see yours? Only the 20 homes that received the MOST nominations were included in the vote.

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 Gift Cards

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!

Vote for Our Partners in the North River Commission’s Best Business Awards

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.

We Need Your Help with Participatory Budgeting

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.

Community Conversation About Policing the 17th District

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

SPCA Halloween Movie Night on October 23rd

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.

SPCA Fall General Meeting Was Successful

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.

Coat Drive for Afghan Refugees

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!

SPCA Fall General Meeting TONIGHT at 7 PM

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

Coat Drive for Afghan Refugees

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