10/7/26
Today, our guest speaker was PJ Youker, Chief of Police. Much of the presentation and discussion focused on the legitimate use of, and control of the ALPRs (Automated License Plate Readers).
9/9/26
Today our guest speaker was Joan DiPiero, Community Engagement Coordinator/College of DuPage Community Engagement Department.
COD's Community Engagement Department honors the College's reciprocal relationship with the community, offering a variety of mutually beneficial partnership programs to expand awareness of the contributions of College of DuPage students, faculty and staff to the community. The Community Engagement Department oversees multiple programs and initiatives designed to engage with and enlighten the public regarding College of DuPage, including community and corporate partnerships and the COD Cares service project initiative.
COD Cares Volunteer Organization actively supported its neighbors, collaborating with local businesses and nonprofits while fostering a culture of service among College employees, students and community members. Community service takes many forms, from doing yard work for seniors and tutoring children to distributing groceries and fostering rescue animals. Visit https://cod.edu/gateways/community-engagement/cod-cares/community-support-opportunities.html
Opportunities include:
Animal Rescue Foundation (A.R.F.)
DuPage Pads
DuPage Senior Citizens Council
Giving DuPage
Humanitarian Service Project
Loaves and Fishes
People's Resource Center
The Fuel Pantry: The Fuel Pantry provides free food and personal care items to all currently enrolled (full or part time) COD students, staff, and faculty with a self-identified need. The Fuel Pantry accepts non-perishable foods and toiletries year-round. The most in-demand items are always changing, so please visit https://fuelpantrycollegeofdupage.company.site/ for the most accurate list. Convenient donation bins are at multiple places around campus, including the E.E. Gibson Dining Hall (SRC Door #7) and just outside the pantry (SRC Door #1). In addition, tax deductible cash donations can be made through the COD Foundation at https://foundation.cod.edu/donate/. Volunteering: The Fuel Pantry welcomes the community, as well as COD students, faculty, and staff to volunteer! Please email them at CODFuelPantry@gmail.com to let us know how you’re interested in helping!
9/2/26 Today it was our pleasure to have fellow Rotarian Curt Barrett as our guest speaker. Curt is the former city manager of the Village of Winfield and a member of the St. Charles-Geneva Rotary Club. Additionally, and for purposes of today's presentation he is the Membership Coordinator for Rotary District 6440, and is responsible for assisting Clubs within the District to develop effective statagies to attract new members and engage/renew existing members.
The key: people don't join clubs… they join experiences. Those experiences include lively, informative & friendly meetings, engaging community service opportunities, and attractive social opportunities.
8/19/26
Today, our guest speaker was Janek Kerschner, Archivist with the Theosophocal Society in America (TSA). What, you may ask, is an archivist? An archivist is a professional who collects, organizes, and manages historical records, documents, and digital files. However, the subject of her presentation was the upcoming August 29 Open House celebrating the 100th anniversary of TSA in Wheaton. Schedule:
- 11am-5pm: tours of the grounds and the Olcott building
- 1pm-4pm: history lectures
- 11am-5pm: exhibits, light refreshments
What is the TSA? The Theosophical Society in America is a section of the worldwide Theosophical Society, founded in New York in 1875, with its international headquarters at Adyar, Chennai (Madras), India. The American Section has its national center in Wheaton, Illinois, on a beautiful forty-acre estate called Olcott in honor of the Society’s co-founder and first president, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott.
TSA:
- Has a Vision of wholeness that inspires a fellowship united in study, meditation, and service.
- Has a Mission of encouraging open-minded inquiry into world religions, philosophy, science, and the arts in order to understand the wisdom of the ages, respect the unity of all life, and help people explore spiritual self-transformation.
- Has an Ethic holding that our every action, feeling, and thought affect all other beings and that each of us is capable of and responsible for contributing to the benefit of the whole.
8/12/26
Today, our guest speaker was Officer Chris Dempsey (pictured below). A member of the department since 2023, Chris is responsible for the department's numerous community engagement events.
Community engagement events give the community a meaningful opportunity to interact with members of the Police Department in a non-enforcement and non-emergency capacity. These events connected residents with the Police Department and community partners to foster relationships, enhance transparency of operations through open dialogues, and promote service and collaboration to align with the City’s mission: To maintain Wheaton as a desirable residential community by providing quality infrastructure and services that meet community needs, enhance safety, and enrich the quality of life by being responsive,
innovative, and efficient. Additional information can be found at https://www.wheaton.il.us/321/Police-Department
Some of Community engagement events are:
- Neighborhood Roll Calls
- National Night Out
- Department Tours
- Cops and Bobbers
- Coffee with Cops
- Polar Plunge
- Bike to School
- Shop with a Cop
- Ride to School in a Patrol Car
- Touch a Truck
- Cop on a Rooftop
Upcoming: Wheaton Concours Car Show: Join the Wheaton Police Department and The Hamilton Collection for the Wheaton Concours Car Show from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, at Memorial Park (225 Karlskoga Avenue). This free community event benefitting Special Olympics Illinois will feature a lineup of exotic cars that include Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren Porsche, along with supercars, classics and American muscle cars. Enjoy a DJ, food vendors and more while checking out an incredible collection of vehicles. Learn more at wheatonconcours.com.
