Naperville News Digest: Winner of Santa’s Workshop drawing announced; Will County Eagle Watch to feature presentations, hikes; LWV hosting Zoom forums with Naperville fire chief, Dist. 11 candidates

Will County Eagle Watch to feature presentations, hikes

The Forest Preserve District of Will County will hold its annual Eagle Watch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

There will include eagle-watching, live bird presentations, guided hikes, family crafts and a scavenger hunt. Lil’ Deb’s Mobile Eats food truck will be on site.

Freezing temperatures at the Four Rivers site, where the DuPage, Kankakee and Des Plaines rivers converge to form the Illinois River, is a prime area to spot eagles who head to the open waters to hunt for fish, officials from the forest district said.

Live bird shows by Wisconsin-based Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center will be presented at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., which will also hold a meet-and-greet at 12:30 p.m. for those who would like to see a bald eagle, great horned owl, snowy owl and northern saw-whet owl.

Guided hikes will take place at 11:50 a.m., 12:55 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. Talon Talks will be offered at noon and 2:30 p.m.

Registration is not required. For more information, go to www.reconnectwithnature.org.

The Burghgraef family was the winner of a $500 gift card drawing held for those who visited Santa’s Workshop on the Naperville Riverwalk during the Christmas holidays. The card was provided by Woody Buick GMC, which sponsored this year's workshop. (Naperville Park District/HANDOUT)

Winner of Santa’s Workshop drawing announced

The winner of a $500 gift card drawing held when Santa’s Workshop came to an end was the Burghgraef family, the Naperville Park District announced.

Woody Buick GMC, sponsor of the Christmas event, continued its tradition of awarding a $500 gift card to one of the families who visited the workshop over the holidays, a news release said.

Santa set up shop in the Paddleboat Quarry Rentals building along the Naperville Riverwalk, meeting families by appointment and taking photos with them.

Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis will talk about how his department responds to emergency and nonemergency calls during a Zoom event being held Jan. 10 by the League of Women Voters of Naperville. (City of Naperville / HANDOUT)

LWV hosting Zoom forums with fire chief, Dist. 11 candidates

The League of Women Voters of Naperville is holding two Zoom forums for area residents.

In the first, Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis will discuss how his department responds to emergency and nonemergency calls and the other ways it strives to keep residents safe at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10.

In 2022, the fire department answered more than 11,000 emergency calls and handled 202 fires. It’s in the process of increasing its emphasis on mental health calls, the LWV release said.

Two other forums will take place at the end of the month for candidates seeking their party’s nomination for 11th District U.S. House seat in March primary.

A Zoom session will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, for Republican candidates Jerry Evans, Susan Hathaway-Altman and O. Kent Mercado. The 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, Zoom session will feature Democratic candidates U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, and Qasim Rashid.

Both will also be live-streamed on the League’s Facebook page. For more information, go to lwvnaperville.org.

Health and nutrition workshop to be held at Fort Hill center

Nutritionist Candace Lawrence will lead a nutrition workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, at the Fort Hill Activity Center, 20 Fort Hill Drive.

The program, open to anyone 15 or older, will cover holistic strategies, lifestyle choices and a healthy food balance, the Naperville Park District announced in a news release.

Lawrence, who’s part of the Trager Healing Center in Naperville, also combines Eastern acupuncture with Western science-based education, the release said.

Fort Hill Fitness members must register in person at the activity Center or by phone at 630-995-8900 in order to attend for free.

Nonmembers must register online at www.napervilleparks.org. The cost is $5 for Naperville residents and $8 for nonresidents.

Naperville resident elected president of national board

Naperville resident Julie Baker was recently elected to serve as national president of the National T.T.T. Society-Camping for Girls.

The nonprofit organization founded in 1911 aims to build girls’ self-confidence, leadership skills and life choices through a no-cost summer camp. Thousands of girls have been able to participate thanks to funds raised by its members.

Campers are selected with help of local school counselors, nurses, social workers, teachers and civic leaders to attend a camp program, the organization’s website said. The organization strives to be a supportive presence in the girls’ lives after camp by create ongoing relationships.

Locally, Baker’s Illinois chapter worked with Elmwood Elementary School in Naperville to send two girls to camp last summer.

Baker will serve as president of the group through October 2025. In that role, she will lead an eight-member board of women to support the organization’s goals, spread the word about the group and help serve more girls nationwide.