BEACON PLACE NEWS
Halloween fun at Beacon Place
The Beacon Place Teen Leadership Board hosted a wonderful Halloween Open House for families in the Beacon Place community on Sunday, November 1! The afternoon provided fun for all ages with games, face painting, pumpkin decorating, and all kinds of  "treats'! Nearly 100 people attended including kids, and many moms and dads who all came dressed ready for the fun! Ten year old Carlos R.  used the math skills he has been working on in the Beacon Place After-school Program to calculate the exact number of Skittles in a jar, winning the contest. This event is solely coordinated by the 25 teens on the Leadership Board who  donated the treats, snacks and supplies and coordinated all of the games that the kids enjoyed. This a terrific example of how committed our teen volunteers are to making a difference in the lives of the families that they have connected with at Beacon Place! 

Beacon Place Teen Leadership Board hosted the Halloween Open House for families!
Moms and dads came dressed for the party as well!
Decorating pumpkins was fun for all!

Beacon Place MOMS Focus on Health!

Cooking Matters.....Making Healthy Meals on a Budget

This fall the Beacon Place MOMS are participating in a 5 week Cooking Matters course learning how to make healthy meals on a budget.  As part of the No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in America, Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters course teaches participants to shop smarter, use nutrition information to make healthier choices and cook delicious, affordable meals. At Beacon Place, the course is being led by Lilah Handler, Manager - Healthy Lifestyles Initiative, at Everthrive Illinois - the local organization that is spearheading Cooking Matters courses in our area. 

  The focus of the course is to teach healthy cooking methods as well as to teach the participants how to "shop smarter, read nutrition labels to make healthier 
choices, and cook delicious, affordable meals." Additionally, each participant receives the ingredients to take home in order to recreate the recipe for their families.   As a part of the program,  the MOMS toured Lewis Fresh Market where they practiced reading  the
nutritional information provided on labels and were then challenged to  purchase ingredients to make a healthy meal that included 3 out of 5 food groups.  
Lewis Fresh Market is a generous partner to Beacon Place.

The women in the MOMS group also recognize healthy lifestyles go beyond the food they prepare for their families, it also includes exercise. So, to track their progress overall, the women worked with representatives from Rosalind Franklin University to identify their own baseline physical assessments before the class began. Equipped with donated pedometers, the women are now keeping track of their daily distance walked. They are working to increase their distance each day and will assess their baseline indicators at the end of the 5 weeks to determine the overall impact to their health from the improved nutrition and increased exercise. 

Way to go ladies!! These women are setting positive examples for their families and their community! They motivate all of us to get moving! 








Breast Health Seminar

Continuing their focus on health, the women also learned from Nancy Amicangelo, a representative from A Silver Lining Foundation who gave a presentation about breast health, including specific information about access to care and prevention available in the local area. A Silver Lining' s vision is to ensure that socioeconomic status does not affect an individual's ability to obtain information, timely cancer screening and diagnosis.

The MOMS found Nancy very inspiring after learning she is a two-time breast cancer survivor. One of our moms shared that she was motivated to get a mammogram after a similar presentation last year which revealed a small abnormality that was further screened and determined to be benign. However, she credits Beacon Place with awakening her to the importance of paying attention to her own health. It is our goal to continue assisting this community by bringing critical expert resources to share important information for families to achieve the strong health they desire. 



.... And Then a Few Minutes for Well Deserved Pampering!

Looking good is just as important as feeling good and is critical for overall positive self esteem so the women rounded out their month with a special "SPA DAY" at Beacon Place!         
Cindy Nennig, Owner and Stylist, and Bianca Wick,  both from CR Spa in Libe rtyville,  spent the day with the women of the MOMS group doing 10 haircuts and 10 manicures! 
Cindy gives Carla a new look! 

Shawn enjoys getting her nails done!
















This was such a special day for the women who do not often have an opportunity to do something special just for themselves. Their smiles and laughter were clear indications of the joy they all got from the wonderful experience. The donation of time from Cindy and Bianca was especially generous and they both indicated that they would love to come again next year! 

Looking good ladies!!

Rocio likes her new nails!
Guadalupe loves her new haircut!


 



Our special thanks to......

Thank you to First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest for sponsoring a mobile food truck for families in the Beacon Place neighborhood ! Although it was rainy, more than 120 hungry families still came to get a box filled with fresh produce, frozen meats, canned goods and more! The wonderful volunteers from 'First Pres' worked along side of our Beacon Place families to distribute the food! This was a fun day and an absolutely great example of neighbors helping neighbors!



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Thank you to two special veterans who made a visit this month to the  Afterschool Homework Club at Beacon Place. Commander Sharon Marsh, a nurse and Waukegan resident, and Sergeant George Gandara, spoke with the children and shared their stories. Thank you also to Midwest Veterens Closet for helping make this visit possible. 
















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Thank you Cristo Rey St. Martin for an informative presentation for our MOMS Group regarding their college prep and high school work program. This presentation provided lots of good information on an affordable high school option in Waukegan that prepares all of the students for 4 year colleges and universities!


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Thanks to the Deerpath Middle School students who helped sort school items during their local Day of Service!



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Thanks to Senator Terry Link (30th District State of Illinois) for his visit to Beacon Place. Senator Link is truly committed to our communities having grown up near the areas we serve, and his current district covers our area and the communities of many of our volunteers! Thank you for your interest in Beacon Place Senator Link! The kids can't wait to see you again on your next visit!

A MESSAGE FROM BARB,
 OUR  BEACON PLACE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.......

November is a time to be thankful for all of the blessings that we have in this world.
It is wonderful to see so many positive changes happening at Beacon Place with all of the stresses and worries that we see in the world today. Watching our moms learn and grow into women of confidence and understanding has been one of the most exciting developments this past year.  Along with the development of our moms, the children continue to  flourish in our house of dreams. The children eat and play 
tag before tutoring programs , laugh and  make friends.  They experience a safe environment where they can learn and be kids. I am thankful for the groups of volunteers photographed in this email that have touched the lives of our families.  Not only have we had several groups of new faces, but we also have our dedicated program volunteers who help put a smile on a face and read a book with our children. Without them, we would not be able to help our families.  Beacon Place is 3 years old next month and has accomplished more in this short period of time than I could have ever imagined. Thank you for your support and think of us this holiday season as we continue to count our blessings  in our house of dreams.



Beacon Place
603 S. McAlister
Waukegan, IL 60085
224-572-9330