2023 SPCA Holiday Decorating Contest Photo Gallery
Here are photos of the homes that received the most nominations.
You can vote on the homes here until 12/26/2023
Announcing the SPCA 2023 Holiday Decorating Contest!
Hey Neighbor!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we’re excited to announce our 2023 Holiday Decorating Contest! Whether you’re a fan of twinkling lights, festive wreaths, or giant inflatable Santas, beginning today your can make your preference count.
How to Participate
Nominate Homes: Use this form to nominate well-decorated homes in our neighborhood. Nominations are open starting today until Tuesday, December 19th. We cannot accept nominations after that date. You are welcome to nominate your own home although it’s probably more in the spirit of the season to nominate one or more of your neighbor’s homes. Please upload a photo of the home if you can. There is a button at the bottom of the form to do that. You are also welcome to email your nominations directly to us at [email protected]
Top 20 Showcase: After all the nominations have been counted, the 20 homes with the most nominations will be featured in an online gallery. We will then open voting for about a week. We will send you an email with the voting form once the web gallery of our top-nominees is assembled.
Cast Your Vote: An online vote will follow to determine the winners. We hope to conclude this contest shortly after the 25th. Let’s see whose holiday cheer shines the brightest!
Partnering with Openlands for a Greener Tomorrow
We’re thrilled to renew our partnership with Openlands, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving natural spaces in Chicago. Remember the 20 trees we planted together on Earth Day in 2018? It was a memorable event that brought many of us together and beautified our community.
We Need Your Help Again!
This Earth Day 2024, we aim to replicate that success, but we need at least 20 signups to make it happen. Openlands will provide FREE TREES for parkway spaces (the area towards the streetside of your sidewalk). Here’s your chance to contribute to the green legacy of our neighborhood and plant a free tree in front of your house!
Sign up here
Please share this with your neighbors or anyone who has space for a tree in their parkway who lives in Sauganash Park. Our tree-lined streets are a hallmark of our community’s beauty and charm. It is one of the things that makes our neighborhood special. Your participation is key to maintaining this.
Thank you for making our neighborhood festive this holiday season. And I hope that together, we can plant the seeds for a greener future!
Best wishes,
Don Morton
SPCA Chairperson
🎃 A Heartfelt Thank You for a Spook-tacular Halloween Bash! 🎃
As the echoes of laughter from our recent Halloween Bash fade, we pause to reflect on the magic that was. It’s truly heartwarming to see our community come together to celebrate, and we’re thrilled to report that the event was a delightful success!
Such a memorable evening would not have been possible without the unwavering commitment and support of many.
🌟 Our Outstanding Volunteers: Your dedication, enthusiasm, and hands-on help were indispensable. Thank you for being the backbone of this event.
🙏 A Special Shoutout to Our Generous Sponsors:
- State Senator Ram Villivalam: Your contribution brought the magical performance of The Great Boodini to our community.
- All Aboard Learning Express: Thanks to you, our little attendees wore big smiles as they enjoyed the delightful balloon creations.
- Alderman Sam Nugent: The face-painted masterpieces on our kids were a testament to your wonderful sponsorship.
- The Learning Experience: The craft stations were buzzing with creativity and happiness, all thanks to your generous support.
👏 Our Dedicated Board Members: Your tireless efforts in planning, coordinating, and executing ensured that every detail was perfect.
❤ To All Our Supporters: Your continued faith in our endeavors and your presence at our events provide the encouragement we need to host such successful events.
Some of the photos we took are in a gallery posted below. We’d love to see and share your favorite moments from the event also! If you have any photos or memories you’d like to share, please forward them to [email protected] and we will add them to this gallery.
Warmly,
Don Morton SPCA Chairperson
🎃 Important Update & Final Reminder for Tomorrow’s SPCA Halloween Bash! 🎃
Hey Neighbor!
The SPCA Halloween Bash is almost here, and we’re bubbling with excitement to celebrate with you tomorrow! Before we dive into the festivities, we have a few important updates and reminders to ensure our evening is smooth and spectacular!
🗓 Date: Saturday, October 14th – Tomorrow!
New Start Time: 4:30 PM
We’ve shifted our start time a smidgen to 4:30 PM. Be ready to let the magical evening commence!
Rain or Shine, It’s Party Time!
Our party is happening come rain or shine! We’ve secured 6 sturdy canopies to keep our entertainers and guests cozy and dry, ensuring uninterrupted fun even if the skies decide to sprinkle.🎉
New Sponsor Alert: The Learning Experience
A huge shoutout to our latest sponsor, The Learning Experience, who provide early education services in our community. They’re generously sponsoring our craft stations, making sure our little artists have a bewitching time creating Halloween masterpieces!
Event Highlights:
4:30 PM: The Enchanted Evening Begins!
4:45 PM: Strut Your Stuff in the Costume Parade.
5:00 – 6:00 PM: Be Amazed with Balloon Twisting & Face Painting.
6:00 – 7:00 PM: Marvel at the Magic of The Great Boodini.
7:00 – 8:00 PM: Dance the Night Away in our Glow Stick Dance Party.
Location: In between Tripp and Keeler on Granville
Heartfelt Thanks to All Our Sponsors:
The Great Boodini: brought to you by State Senator Ram Villivalam.
Balloon Twisters: sponsored by our friends at All Aboard Learning Express.
Face Painting: generously provided by Alderman Sam Nugent.
Craft Stations sponsored by our friends at The Learning Experience Sauganash.
And, of course, a round of applause to our board members who’ve worked tirelessly to orchestrate this event! As well as our members and sponsors: together, we’ve made this incredible event possible!
🌟 Last Call for Volunteers 🌟
There’s still a chance to sprinkle extra magic on our event by volunteering! If you’re eager to assist in crafting an unforgettable night, please sign up here.
Your enthusiasm, spirit, and presence are needed. We can’t wait to celebrate, create, and dance the night away with you!
See you tomorrow, rain or shine!
Don Morton
SPCA Chairperson
🎃 Join the SPCA Halloween Bash on October 14th 🎃
Hey Neighbor!
Get ready for an evening of spook-tacular fun! Our annual Halloween Event is just around the corner, and we’ve lined up some magical entertainment for everyone.
🗓 Date: Saturday, October 14th
🎉 Event Highlights:
4:30 PM: Let the Party Commence!
4:45 PM: Show off your Halloween look in our Costume Parade.
5:00 – 6:00 PM: Transform with Balloon Twisting and Face Painting.
6:00 – 7:00 PM: Be captivated by our magician – The Great Boodini.
7:00 – 8:00 PM: Light up the night in our Glow Stick Dance Party.
Where: In between Tripp and Keeler on Granville
A Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:
The Great Boodini is generously sponsored by our very own State Senator from District 8, Ram Villivalam.
The delightful Balloon Twisters come courtesy of our neighborhood friends from All Aboard Learning Express. They offer early educational experiences right in our neighborhood.
And our friend and Alderman, Sam Nugent, graciously sponsored our talented face painter for the evening.
We couldn’t have gotten such a great event together without the hard work of our board members and the support of our members and sponsors. Our profound gratitude extends to all. Together, we’ve made this incredible event possible!
🌟 Volunteer Opportunity 🌟
To ensure our event runs without a hitch, we’re seeking enthusiastic volunteers. If you’d like to be a part of this bewitching night, please sign up here. Your involvement will truly make a difference!
Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and let’s make this Halloween unforgettable! We eagerly await your presence.
Best,
Don Morton
SPCA Chairperson
Fall General Meeting Tuesday 9/19 at 7 PM
SPCA Fall General Meeting Tuesday 9/19 at 7 PM
Autumn is just about here, and with it comes our eagerly awaited General Meeting!
Each fall on the third Tuesday in September, we invite all our neighbors to join us for our General Meeting. We try to feature helpful and important people to enlighten us on topics that matter the most to our community
Why Attend? It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet, mingle, and voice your concerns.
When? Tuesday 9/19 at 7 PM
Who’s Speaking? This year we’re thrilled to announce:
- Alderman Nugent will shed light on pressing issues in our Ward.
- Senator Ram Villivalam will provide updates from Springfield, answer questions, and receive feedback from residents.
- A police captain from the 17th district will discuss catalytic converter thefts in our area.
- Representatives from US Congressman Quigley’s office and State Representative Mike Kelly’s office will also share updates and respond to community members.
- Lastly, a Treekeeper from Openlands is expected to join us to discuss a tree planting program. We are hoping to plant more trees along the easements in our neighborhood this Earth Day.
Your Attendance Matters
All these esteemed guests will join us at the Sauganash Park Fieldhouse this Tuesday at 7 PM. Your participation counts. Your voice and presence matter to us. Come, be a part of this dialogue and let’s work together to shape our community’s future.
We hope to see you there!
Back to School Movie Night
Hey Sauganash Park Neighbors! 🍿🎥✨
Summer’s winding down, and as the school bells begin to ring, let’s make one more neighborhood memory together!
Back to School Movie Night: “Monsters University“
When: This Friday, 8/25
Where: On the corner of Tripp and Graville in Sauganash Park
🎉 Event Highlights: 🎉
- 6:30 PM Kickoff with games and chalk fun
- 🍿 Complimentary popcorn for all
- 🍋 Refreshing lemonade stand
- ~7:36 PM (sunset): Movie time!
Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and that awesome neighborly spirit. It’s the perfect opportunity for the kids to enjoy a movie with their pals and for everyone to connect as the school year begins.
Weather Looks Great!
Let’s end this summer with a bang! Hope to see you all there. 😊
Independence Day Parade and Picnic Event
Once again the SPCA and the SCA are partnering to celebrate our independence as a community.
The celebration will begin with a parade that will travel through Sauganash, cross Peterson, and end at the War Memorial. A few of our community leaders will give short speeches. Then all are welcome to attend a picnic at the park. The SPCA will provide hot dogs and the SCA will provide refreshments and other treats.
Parade Begins at 9:30 AM
The parade will form on the west side of Sauganash Park at 9 AM on Tuesday, July 4th. The parade will begin around 9:30.
All community members are welcome to march with or ride alongside the parade. Bicycle decorations are encouraged! You are also welcome to spectate. Feel free to set up a lawn chair along the parade route and grab some free candy if any is thrown your way.
Picnic to Be Held After Parade
Please join us after the parade for a picnic at Sauganash Park. Our new membership cycle begins July 1st. We encourage you to pay your dues at the event. Look for our membership tent!
You are also welcome to pay your membership dues in advance through Zelle at our payment address: [email protected] or paypal us at paypal.me/yourspca.
Our dues for the 2023-24 membership cycle are just $40 ($30 for seniors over 64).
Volunteers Needed
The SPCA cannot do our part in hosting this event without volunteers. We need help with the setup. We need help wrapping the 2000 hot dogs. And we need help cleaning up the mess. This is a community effort. And this is a great opportunity to give back to your community.
If you can donate some time, please signup here. We can’t do it without you.
Thank you!
Sauganash Bike Club
The Sauganash Bike Club, an informal group of recreational riders, will meet at the corner of Granville and Keeler at 7 a.m. on Wednesdays. All riders are welcome to join!
Spring General Meeting THIS TUESDAY, May 2nd
Spring General Meeting THIS TUESDAY
Our Spring General Meeting is this Tuesday at 7 PM. The meeting will be held at the Sauganash Park Fieldhouse. US Congressman Mike Quigley and Alderman Sam Nugent will speak.
We will host an election for the officers of our board. Any and all dues-paying SPCA members are invited to run and / or vote.
We will also gauge community interest in planting new trees in our easements and parkways, as we did several years ago.
PLEASE JOIN US IN-PERSON. All interested parties are welcome to attend.
WHAT: Spring General Meeting
WHEN: Tuesday, May 2nd at 7 PM
WHERE: The Sauganash Park Fieldhouse
WHO: US Congressman Mike Quigley and Alderman Sam Nugent
Successful Earth Day Clean Up Event
Thank you to all who participated in our annual SPCA Earth Day Clean Up event. Special thanks to Sauganash Brownie Troop 26105 who came out in full force! The event was productive and our community and trails are much cleaner due to our collective efforts.
Also thanks to Alderman Nugent and the 39th Ward for the assistance!
Signup for Praying Mantis Egg Distribution
The SPCA will distribute praying mantis eggs to interested members this spring. Praying mantis provide safe and effective insect control. They are voracious predators and wholly organic. We have sourced 400 eggs and seek to distribute them around the neighborhood.
EGG DISTRIBUTION WILL BEGIN AFTER MEMORIAL DAY.
Dues-paying members can signup to receive free praying mantis eggs this spring. If you have already signed up THIS YEAR, you do not need to signup again.
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. Help us grow as a community association!