News

Healthy Minds-Healthy Bodies Zumba Gold/Drum Fitness runs April 4, 11, 18

Bensenville, Ill.— Wood Street Fitness, in conjunction with Healthy Minds-Healthy Bodies (HMHB), is offering a new Zumba Gold/Drum Fitness seated class especially for veterans, beginning Tuesday, April 4.

The class, which runs from noon to 12:45 p.m. Tuesdays, April 4-18, is available in-person or via Zoom. Wood Street Fitness is located inside the Bensenville Park District’s Deer Grove Leisure Center, 1000 W. Wood Street in Bensenville.

“The seated Zumba Gold/Drum Fitness class is perfect for those dancing enthusiasts who need modifications, those with limited mobility or those just starting to exercise after a long period of inactivity,” says Fitness Supervisor Silvia Acevedo, who is also the HMHB instructor for the class. “This mixed class is a fun way to exercise your body and mind with coordinated moves.”

Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies is a trademarked program of AllenForce—implemented by licensed fitness centers like Wood St. Fitness throughout the country—that is offered free of charge to qualified veterans. Each facility and fitness professional complete specific training on veteran culture, PTSD, MST, injuries and illness specific to veterans and adaptive equipment.

Meet the Easter Bunny at April 1 event to be held at Varble Hill and Deer Grove Leisure Center

Bensenville, Ill.—Hop to it! It’s fun for the whole family when the Bensenville Park District’s annual Egg Hunt and Eggstravaganza returns Saturday, April 1, to Varble Park Hill and the Deer Grove Leisure Center (DGLC), 1000 W. Wood St., Bensenville. The event is free, thanks to the generous support of Grand Subaru, and no registration is necessary.

The egg hunt begins at 10 a.m. for little ones age 3 and under, with other age groups commencing at 10:10 (ages 4-5, 6-7) and 10:20 a.m. (ages 8-9 and 10 and older). Thousands of candy-filled eggs will be scattered across the hill at Varble Park, just waiting to be found. Don’t forget to bring a bag or container to hold them all!

After the egg hunt, be sure to bring the whole family into the DGLC for fun and games, crafts and inflatables. All are invited to take photos with the Easter Bunny until the event ends at 12:30 p.m.

Wood Street Fitness also invites families to join in Family Storytime with Yoga Bunny—a premium, interactive mind-body storytelling session in conjunction with the egg hunt—11 a.m. to noon, in the DGLC’s exercise room. After the story time, in which participants learn the child’s pose and other basic yoga moves, kids will make a bunny craft, and the special event will end with a visit from the Easter Bunny and unique photo opportunity with farm bunnies, Patty and Lucy.

Advance registration for is required by Wednesday, March 29. Fees are just $8 ($7 for those residing within Bensenville Park District boundaries). In-person registration can be completed at the DGLC or by phone at 630-766-7015.

Information about the Egg Hunt and Eggstravaganza and Family Storytime with Yoga Bunny may be found on the park district website.

Visit three historic Bensenville sites

Bensenville, Ill.— Ready for a local adventure? Pick up a community history passport at the Elmhurst History Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst, and get it stamped at three historical sites in Bensenville, including the Bensenville Train at Veteran’s Park, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 29.

The partnership between the history museum, Bensenville Community Public Library and Bensenville Park District allows visitors to hear stories about early immigrants and participate in hands-on history experiences at the train, located at Main St. and Church Rd.; Korthauer Log House, 740 W. Wood St.; and Churchville Schoolhouse, 3N784 Church Rd.

Bring stamped passports to Elmhurst History Museum through the end of April to receive a prize.

The program is free, and no registration is required.

Sign up through April 14; league play runs April 23-May 14

Bensenville, Ill.— The Bensenville Park District and Bensenville Raiders youth football program are joining forces to launch a flag football league for children between the ages of 5 and 14 in spring 2023.

“We are pleased to join with Raiders football to provide this spring flag football league,” says Recreation Supervisor Breana Aponte. “The program offers another chance for children to stay active outside of our soccer leagues.”

The flag football league will be broken into four distinct age groups, and teams will be determined based on skill level. Teams are now being formed for players aged 5-7, 8-9, 10-11 and 12-14. A skills assessment clinic will be held Saturday, April 15.

“Spring flag football is a chance for players to develop their skills outside of the regular football season and also serves as an entry to the sport,” Raiders President Tye Brooks says. “We are looking forward to growing the sport of football in Bensenville through our partnership with the park district.”

The Raiders’ mission is to teach football and to help youth on and off the football field. Teams will practice once per week with Sunday games, which take place April 23 – May 14. Practices will take place at locations, days and times determined by the coaches, and game times and locations will be determined later based on the number of players and teams.

The fee is $100 and includes player jerseys. Register at the Deer Grove Leisure Center, 1000 W. Wood Street, Bensenville, March 18 – April 14.

New Fischer Farm Discovery Camp experience complements traditional Under the Sun programs

Bensenville, Ill.— Buoyed by a brand-new Fischer Farm Discovery Camp experience, Bensenville Park District summer camp programs are filling at a rapid pace. The district offers three distinct summer camps for children ages 6 to 10 in addition to a teen camp for those ages 11-15 and Tot (age 2) and Sunshine Camps (3-to-5 year-olds).

“Spring is in the air and summer camps are on everyone’s minds,” explains Bensenville Park District Customer Service Manager Laura Borshell, cautioning prospective campers not to wait. “Bensenville camps are the place to be this summer, and registrations have been coming in fast and furious, so don’t wait until the last minute to register.”

The all-new Fischer Farm Discovery Camp allows children ages 6-10 to explore and enjoy farm life. Participants will interact with farm animals and learn about working and living on a farm. Participants also hike, churn butter, take care of goats and feed chickens.

“Participants will learn about farm animals by interacting with them and get to play with old fashioned toys and take-home crafts,” says Fischer Farm Program Supervisor Maris Rosenfeld. “Through farm chores, creative crafts and adventurous field trips, they’ll travel back through time and have an amazing summer.”

Adventure Camp—based at the Deer Grove Leisure Center (DGLC), 1000 W. Wood Street, Bensenville—emphasizes fun, making new friends and trying new activities. Campers aged 6-10 will have a summer full of adventure, cool crafts, games, new discoveries about their surroundings, fantastic field trips, afternoon swim time and nature exploration.

All skill levels are welcome at Sports Camp at the DGLC. The focus of this camp for 6-to-10-year-olds is having fun, learning good sportsmanship, practicing new skills and developing athletic abilities. Participants learn the rules to a new sport each session, then compete against their friends near the end of the session. Campers will also enjoy field trips and swim time.

Teen Leadership Camp, for those aged 11-15, teaches responsibility, respect and cooperation as campers take on the role of counselors in training. Teens will enjoy interesting crafts, cool games and sports, afternoon swim time, exciting field trips and opportunities to help lead the younger campers in activities. They will also take field trips on their own.

“The Bensenville Park District offers so many different kinds of camps,” says Recreation Supervisor/Program Coordinator Leslie Monarrez. “Here, you have the option to choose a different camp to meet various interests of individual children. Sessions are only a week long, so children can explore multiple interests throughout the summer and families have more flexibility to take vacations.”

Tot Camp offers a caring and gentle introduction to the camp experience for two-year-olds with a new and exciting theme presented each week. Campers meet in the Nursery Room from 9 to 11:15 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and enjoy nature exploration, vegetable gardening, water play and visits to the splash pad on hot days. They also play games, get messy with sensory craft projects and have story time.

The Sunshine Camp caters to children aged 3-5 and is designed to foster children’s growth and independence through exploration, guest speakers, sports, camp songs and playground time in addition to visits to the splash pad. The camps run from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Tiny Tot Room. Registration for both Tot and Sunshine Camps begins Tuesday, April 4.

“We enjoy outside and nature—we sing, we dance, we play,” says Cindy Banazynski, the park district’s lead preschool teacher. “It’s a lot of fun. We try to engage with nature with our youngest group in a safe way.”

Camps begin Monday, June 5. Before- and after-camp experiences are also available for those ages 6 and older. Registration can be completed in person at the DGLC, and payments may be made with cash, credit card, money order or check payable to the Bensenville Park District. Save $10 per session by registering on or before May 5.

Full- and part-time, seasonal and year-round positions available

Bensenville, Ill.—Update that resume and bring it to the Bensenville Park District between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 25, when the park district hosts its job fair in the Oak Room of the Deer Grove Leisure Center, 1000 W. Wood Street, in Bensenville. The event is free and open to the public.

The district is hiring for full- and part-time, seasonal and year-round positions at the Bensenville Water Park and Splash Pad, Deer Grove Leisure Center, Fischer Farm, White Pines Golf Club and Wood Street Fitness. The following positions and more are being filled:

• Concession workers
• Lifeguards
• Pool staff
• Pool managers
• Camp counselors
• Maintenance workers
• Farm workers
• Beverage cart workers
• Kitchen staff
• Golf staff
• Servers
• Fitness group instructors
• Personal trainers

Attendees will also be eligible to receive a variety of free promotional items and can enter to win raffle prizes, including golf for two plus a cart at White Pines, a free jar of honey from Fischer Farm, a group fitness class day pass and water bottle and a fitness center day pass and water bottle from Wood Street Fitness.

Registration is not required to attend the job fair, and prospective employees can meet hiring managers and representatives from various park district departments. Those interested can apply for positions online at BvilleParks.org/JoinOurTeam.

Take time to learn basic yoga poses after Varble Hill egg hunt; then join in eggstravaganza

Bensenville, Ill.—Wood Street Fitness invites families to join in a premium, interactive mind-body storytelling session in conjunction with the Bensenville Park District’s annual Egg Hunt and Eggstravaganza at the Deer Grove Leisure Center (DGLC), 1000 W. Wood Street. Family Storytime with Yoga Bunny takes place 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 1.

“We invite families and children to relax and unwind with Yoga Bunny after the egg hunt,” says Wood Street Fitness Supervisor Silvia Acevedo. “This approachable, sweet book is a fun way to introduce kids to child’s pose and other basic yoga moves.”

According to publisher Harper Collins, “Yoga Bunny helps readers wind down as they learn beginning yoga poses, from downward dog to tree pose. Brilliant author-illustrator Brian Russo shows readers just how relaxing yoga can be.”

“Practicing yoga with Yoga Bunny by Brian Russo is a perfect activity for kids and their grown-ups around Easter time to create and reinforce family connections,” Acevedo adds. “It promotes self-esteem for children in addition to oral, listening and literacy skills; boosts their imagination, creativity and focus and provides the physical and mental benefits of exercising.”

After story time, kids will make a bunny craft, and the special event will end with a visit from the Easter Bunny and unique photo opportunity with farm bunnies, Patty and Lucy.

Advance registration is required by Wednesday, March 29. Fees are just $8, $7 for those residing within Bensenville Park District boundaries. In-person registration can be completed at the DGLC or by phone at 630-766-7015. Registration hours are 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Drop-off registrations can be done at any time the facility is open.

Register for summer programs and activities at the Deer Grove Leisure Center

Bensenville, Ill.—The Bensenville Park District’s Fall Program Guide is online and will soon be delivered to area residents in time to register for summer programs beginning 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, for those living in park district boundaries (April 5 for all others), at the Deer Grove Leisure Center (DGLC), 1000 W. Wood Street, Bensenville.

“We invite our community to get out and play,” says Executive Director Joe Vallez, noting more than 50 activities will be held at district parks as part of the district’s Park ‘N Play initiative. “We are proud to unveil a number of new and expanded programs to engage residents of all ages.”

Summer activity and special event highlights include the free Egg Hunt and Eggstravaganza April 1, Easter Brunch at the White Pines Golf Club, Earth Day at Fischer Farm presented by Grand Subaru, Fitness de Mayo, four movies in the park, fitness days in the park, monthly family golf nights at White Pines Golf Club and more.

Additional highlights include a new farm camp experience at Fischer Farm, pickleball at the DGLC, new summer sports leagues, ticket specials for local minor league baseball and Wood Street Fitness free weeks, in addition to the Bensenville Water Park and Splash Pad, which opens Memorial Day. In-district veterans can also register for the new veteran’s golf event taking place Monday, June 12.

Household information should be updated with the Bensenville Park District prior to registration. Household registration forms are available at the DGLC as well as online at BvilleParks.org/forms.

The Summer 2023 Program Guide may be viewed and downloaded from the Bensenville Park District website, BvilleParks.org. Hard copies will also be available at the Deer Grove Leisure Center. Registration forms may be found online as well as in the back of the Summer Program Guide.

Registrations can be completed in person at the DGLC or via mail with payments included. Mail registration payments may be made by credit card, money order or check payable to the Bensenville Park District, 1000 W. Wood Street, Bensenville, IL 60016.

Bensenville, Ill.— Andrew Godfrey has been promoted to general manager of White Pines Golf Club, 500 W. Jefferson, Bensenville, after previously serving as White Pines Head PGA Golf Professional and PGA Manager.

Godfrey—a 2012 graduate of Western Illinois University, where he was a two-time Summit League Golfer of the Week and was named to the Summit League Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence—has largely been working on the golf aspects of White Pines since his arrival from Mistwood Golf Club in 2020.

“It’s something that I’ve been working hard here since 2020 just to help improve the facility as a whole,” he explains. “You know, I was brought in mainly to improve the golf side, but looking at the at the entire golf club, we really had to start from ground zero and work our way up. I think we’ve done a great job of that. Moving forward, we really want to grow this facility with banquets and weddings and everything else that comes along with it, such as special events like our Live at White Pines concerts and new veterans’ golf events.”

Over the past couple years, Godfrey has worked to put the right people in place, hiring Head PGA Golf Professional Bill Roper and Tom Eddy as assistant professional. Marline Rivera was promoted to food and beverage manager, and a new events coordinator has been hired. He says having a customer-service-first staff is the cornerstone of White Pines.

“The customer service aspect is always tops on my radar here—customer service and making sure that we have all the details down to what we need to do and stay really, really focused. The golf side’s in a good place, and we feel really good; we just want to move forward and really grow the banquet and food and beverage business,” Godfrey says. “I’m looking forward to that challenge.”

Godfrey says that White Pines is one of the gems in the Chicago area, and he looks forward to building upon the club’s excellent reputation.

“White Pines is awesome. Our banquet hall overlooks the beautiful golf course, and we have a great ceremony site area and a huge tent that we can utilize, so facility-wise, it’s a great property,” Godfrey adds. “We’re doing really well getting the name out there, making sure that everybody’s aware that we’re here, and we’re looking to move forward. I’m booking a lot of events and weddings, so we are doing a really good job in turning our service around and really making sure that everybody’s having a great time.”

One opportunity for growth, according to Godfrey, is the club’s 37 Bar and Grill: “We’re going to change the menu up a little bit this year and do a few different things, including fish fry and an Easter brunch in addition to other fun activities and specials.”

White Pines’ two 18-hole championship courses, situated on more than 260 acres, has been a favorite among Chicago area golfers since 1928. The course, owned and operated by the Bensenville Park District, is an excellent choice for players of all skill levels. Whether it’s an evening at the lighted driving range, a casual round with friends or an outing or special event, White Pines is perfect for getting “away from it all.”

“I just I’m really excited for the challenge and all that this property has to offer,” Godfrey adds. “There’s a lot of moving parts and pieces to this, and I think we can really do awesome things.”

Partnership with Rock Valley Publishing to produce six publications each year

Bensenville, Ill.—The Bensenville Park District has partnered with Rock Valley Publishing to produce a bi-monthly newsletter to be distributed via mail to those living within park district boundaries in addition to insertion in the Bensenville Independent. The newsletter is entitled “Wazzup Bville!” and provides news and information about park district programs, events and activities.

“We are excited to provide this service to our residents,” says Bensenville Park District Executive Director Joe Vallez. “It will be one of the cornerstones of our communications to engage those in the community we serve with detailed information about our programming.”

The newsletter will be published in February-March, April-May, June-July, August-September, October-November and December-January. It replaces the previous quarterly newsletter, “Access Bensenville,” which focused on park district accessibility news. Accessibility content from the park district and its community partners—Bensenville School District 2, Fenton High School District 100 and NEDSRA—will be contained within its own section in the new newsletter format.

An electronic version of “Wazzup Bville!” will also be posted to the Bensenville Park District’s website at BvilleParks.org/Wazzup.