The last couple of weeks have been doozies. Fights are breaking out online among neighbors, coyotes are prowling the streets and the unusually warm weather has meant that gangs of middle school e-bikers look like the 2024 update to "The Fast and the Furious."
Last week, when emotions were running particularly high on both sides of the political aisle, I met my fellow members of the Garden Study Club of Hinsdale at Graue Mill to make the giant annual holiday wreath that hangs outside of the old mill. It felt great to work alongside my neighbors making something beautiful. As I was piecing together evergreens, it struck me that, no matter your political leanings, we can all find common ground on something: we all want the best for our community.
The Community House Ball
It is in that spirit that I get to highlight one of the most dazzling events of the social season: The Community House Holiday Ball. This year's theme, Winter of Wonder, is poised to bring neighbors together in support of the nonprofit's 83 years of providing vital services to more than 200,000 individuals annually. The nearly 500 guests can expect a landscape of blues and purples in a snowy vibe, reminiscent of the ethereal aurora borealis, all in the transformed field house on Dec. 7.
While I may not be a native Hinsdalean, I certainly know my way around The Community House. As a mother to young children, I enrolled my children to introductory sports classes and slime camps; in elementary school, they battled in chess tournaments and played basketball; in middle school, they cheered for their classmates at theater productions and found tutors; and in high school, they supported their friends who started volunteering on the Junior Board as a way to give back to the community.
As an adult, I've done my own bit of performing through the bi-annual Community Revue, danced it out in Zumba every week and have been amazed by my friends' expressionist oil paintings created through LyArts. There really is something for everyone.
This year's co-chairs' experiences echo my own. Winter of Wonder is led by Maureen and Chris Kunitz, Dana and Ryan Reko, and Ian and Susie Thorpe.
"I grew up in Hinsdale, moved away, and then moved back in 2021," Susie Thorpe said. "I was so excited to see that The Community House was still there and was offering more than ever. ... When we got the call to host, we knew that it was the right fit. All of our families are passionate about what The Community House provides."
The SPARK Youth Development Initiative is a focus of the evening. This program provides after-school recreation, educational support and counseling for families facing economic challenges in unincorporated Willowbrook.
"For me, as a speech language pathologist, the SPARK program overlaps with my passion for helping kids."
While SPARK focuses on supporting at-risk families, the quality care that The Community House provides (i.e., mental health counseling, reading support, etc.) is accessible to families of all income levels. The Community House does not receive tax dollars, so the money raised from these events goes a long way in providing programming at a discount to everyone.
Tickets to this year's event sold out in record time, but tonight, Nov. 14, is the Wine Donation Party, which is another way to support the agency. Guests are invited to bring a donated bottle of wine (or more!) valued at $50-$150 to Hinsdale's newly opened speakeasy, Pour Destino, starting at 7 p.m. Guests can stay to nibble on light bites and share a glass of wine in celebration of the upcoming gala. Donated wine will be auctioned off at Winter of Wonder to tables, so your donated bottle gets an extra value of helping others. Can't make it tonight? You can find more ways to support the mission of The Community House at http://www.thecommunityhouse.org.
- Allison Peters is the paper's society columnist. Readers can email her at [email protected].
