Byline: Kimbriell Granderson
Several students at Frank C. Whiteley Elementary School recently celebrated their 70th birthday.
It wasn't their age or wedding anniversaries, of course. It's the 70th anniversary of the Cub Scouts and 90th anniversary of the Boy Scouts.
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on Feb. 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916. Its mission is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of citizenship and to develop personal fitness.
Cub Scout Pack 332, which is made up of boys from Whiteley, celebrated the anniversary in many ways.
During the week, Scouts wore their uniforms to lead the school in the Pledge of Allegiance. They delivered the morning school announcement and presented a Cub Scout fact of the day.
Second, the Cubs participated in the Whiteley 'Giving Tree' community service program. This program involved students bringing cans of food to school in order to help a local food pantry. The Cubs gave up their recess time to help pack the food to be delivered to the local food pantry.
Last, Pack 332 set up a display titled 'The Best of Scouting' in a case in the main hallway of the school. Pictures as well as projects the boys have worked on were on display. The anniversary week came to a close with the annual Pack 332 blue and gold dinner.
The sport of fund-raising: Craig Bernacki, a candidate for the Hoffman Estates park board of Commissioners, is planning a rather unconventional way to fund his campaign for the board.
Instead of a humdrum outing to the local tavern, Bernacki's excursion will include cheerleaders, heavy-hitting football action and drinks to boot.
His team of supporters will meet at 3 p.m. March 4 for an XFL Enforcer game at Soldier Field.
'Everybody has a little stupid (fund-raiser) where they charge $25 and go to the local bar,' Bernacki said. 'It's so phony. It's no fun.'
Anyone - children and adults - can go to the XFL game. Tickets are $100 for adults and $50 for children. Prices include lunch, drinks, transportation and third-row seats between the 10- and 20- yard lines. Bernacki is hoping to draw between 15 and 20 people and raise at least $1,000, he said.
'It's just something different. I'm always into new ideas, not the same-old same-old,' Bernacki said. 'I'm not a politician so this might seem a little unorthodox.'
For tickets, call Bernacki at (847) 338-3517 or (847) 437-5000.
'That's a good question': The crowd chuckled a bit at the Hoffman Estates mayoral forum Friday when Christopher Bollyn prefaced each of his answers with: 'That's a really good question.'
Speaking of responses: Mayoral candidate Brendan O'Malley failed to come up with an answer, when asked how he would recommend handling the increasingly diverse population of Hoffman Estates. 'I think ... I'm, I'm not prepared for that answer,' O'Malley said.
William McLeod, however, seized the opportunity to go on at length about the diversity in the village and how all residents should feel they're part of the community. Meanwhile, Bollyn talked about his concern over a lack of health insurance for minorities.
McLeod, Bollyn, and O'Malley will face off in the Feb. 27 primary in a three-way race for mayor.
