GECRC Events

Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center (GECRC) events offer a great opportunity to benefit GECRC while connecting with your friends, family, neighbors, or customers.

Past Events

2024 Picklepalooza

What an amazing time we all had in August at Pickled Wheaton for our second annual sold-out Picklepalooza 2 fundraiser! Congratulations to our Intermediate/Advanced bracket winners Team "Wolfie," Sue Kamphuis and Barb Iverson, and to our Beginning/Intermediate bracket winners Team "Shorty," Kristen Short and Lisa Leuer!! Thank you so much to all of our sponsors, players, attendees, volunteers and the Picklepalooza committee for all of your hard work on this incredibly fun event that raised $8000 in sponsorships for GECRC and had 50 pickleballers and fans attend!

Thank you also to Pickled! in Wheaton for being such wonderful hosts!

 

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2024 Literary Event: A Tremendous Success!

What an incredible night! Our annual Literary Event featuring acclaimed author Mary Beth Keane on April 18 was a tremendous success, raising more than $25,000! More than 140 attendees listened to Mary Beth’s remarks on her fourth novel ‘The Half Moon,’ which was released in paperback format April 2. We are so grateful to Mary Beth for traveling to Glen Ellyn to share her insightful wit and wisdom with us!

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We would like to thank the Bookstore of Glen Ellyn for their partnership in making this event possible. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading ‘The Half Moon’ yet, you can purchase a copy from the Bookstore.

Thank you so much to all of our generous sponsors, including our Book Lovers level sponsors Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust and the Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn.

For a complete list of sponsors, raffle and silent auction donors, please see the lists linked below.

Thank you to Glen Oak Country Club of Glen Ellyn for their wonderful hospitality.

We also want to recognize the dedicated efforts of the Literary Event committee, especially chairperson and GECRC board member Janis Pfister, who devoted countless hours of her time. Thank you to committee members Katie Prescott, Maureen Winans, Angela Fanella, Shannon Burgess, Karen Winter, and GECRC board president Celia Rodee for all of their hard work.

Finally, thank you to the GECRC board members and staff for their support at this event. All of these efforts make such a difference in the lives of our students!

Literary Event Sponsors and Donors:

  • Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust
  • Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn
  • Balance Yoga + Pilates
  • Ball Foundation
  • BP Wash 'n Go
  • Carrie & Renee Team- Compass Realty
  • Casey's Gas Station
  • Crowne Plaza
  • Dairy Queen of Glen Ellyn
  • Identity Graphics
  • Julia Smith Architecture
  • Laubinger & Associates, LLC
  • Marcels/Marche
  • Papier Girl
  • Park and Oak
  • Quaid and Rooney's Broker|Owners
  • Sign of the Whale
  • String Theory
  • Theresa Hiser
  • TKS Design Group

In-Kind Raffle and Silent Auction Donations for the Literary Event:

  • a la main
  • Ashley Van Lopik
  • Bench 492
  • Blackberry Market
  • Burger Social
  • Crowne Plaza
  • Crumbl Cookies
  • Dairy Queen
  • Dr. Leslie Wardell
  • DuPage Children’s Museum
  • Enchantments
  • Gather and Collect
  • Gia Mia
  • Gilda Ross
  • Glen Ellyn Police
  • Good Roots
  • Hale Street Cantina
  • Health Track Sports Wellness
  • Jayne
  • Jeans and Cute Top Shop
  • Koze
  • M&Em’s
  • MacAnnich Arts Center
  • Marci Meyers
  • Mion Artisan Soap
  • My Half of the Sky Coffee Shop
  • Nothing Bundt Cakes
  • Olive and Vinnies
  • Papier Girl
  • Paramount Theater
  • Proof No. 5
  • Sign of the Whale
  • String Theory
  • Tasting DeVine
  • The Bookstore
  • Theresa Hiser
  • Two Brothers Round House
  • Two Hound Red
  • Village Links
  • Vintage Charm Wheaton
  • Vintage Moon Studio
  • Wheaton Yamaha Music School
  • Three Local Book Clubs: The Book Club, Novels and Neighbors, and Bound by Books

Download Literary Event Program

GECRC Golf Outing

Golf Outing Committee Chair: Rebecca DePorter, GECRC Board member and Laura Ulepic, Development Director
Golf Committee: Christian Ambler, Casey Mulcare, Dawn Cassata, Jackie Rickert and Jackie Reeves
 
The second annual GECRC Golf Outing, held at Village Links of Glen Ellyn, brought together more than 74 golfers in support of GECRC programs. 
 
We had a beautiful day of golf followed by a casual dinner. Two Hound Red Brewing Co. beer was flowing on the course, friends were catching up, and the students at GECRC will benefit from the generosity of our sponsors and guests for many months to come. Nearly $12,000 was raised that day.
 
We are so grateful for all of our incredible sponsors:  
 
Birdie Level, $1500
  • Allstate Insurance, Mulcare Insurance Agency
  • Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust
  • Quest Food Management Services
 
19th Hole Level, $1000
  • Foundation Wealth Strategies
 
Beverage Cart, $300-$500
  • Harry Cotter, Allstate Insurance
  • Jeff Diedzic, Allstate Insurance
  • Jason Herbers, Allstate Insurance
  • John Paciorek, Allstate Insurance
  • David Rosenberg Agency, Allstate Insurance
  • The Home Companies
  • Griffin Harvey Group, Compass Realty
  • Exploring Flooring
 
Fore!, $250
  • AAA Insurance, Nick DelGuidice
  • First American Mortgage, Dan Palumbo
  • Jimmy John’s
 
Personal/InKind Donations
  • Identity Graphics
  • Two Hound Red Brewing Company
  • Mark & Lori Gapinski

Sponsors

Golf Sponsors

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Rock Around the Block

So much gratitude to all of the members of our incredible community who came out to support GECRC Rock Around the Block parties over two weekends in late August and early September (one was rescheduled due to illness.) So much fun was had listening to talented local musicians, catching up with neighbors and learning more about GECRC. Generous donations topped $5000 and counting - we are so humbled and grateful! Extra special thanks to our block party hosts: the Winters, the Lobdells, Anna Dunham, the Petersellis and Megan Lowrie, as well as our musicians: Exmoor Avenue: Justin Ullman with special guests Matt Gasaway and Courtnay Roberts, with a special shout-out to Barry Dupuy for all of his support; Cottage Avenue: Gabi Winter with special guests Will Carlson, Vivienne Winter (party here turned into an open mic night with musicians from Wheaton Yamaha Music School, Calvin Coleman, Alan Taylor and neighbors!); Turner Avenue: Gabi Winter, and Main Street: Back Pocket Bourbon and Side Project. Also thank you to taco truck Mario's Cart (Exmoor Block) for donating 10 percent of proceeds back to GECRC, and to the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company for stopping by the Montclair party. Our community is truly incredible!

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GECRC Family Fun Day

GECRC’s amazing community of students, families, volunteers, board members and staff all enjoyed the GECRC Family Fun Day on Saturday, June 11 in celebration of GECRC’s 20th anniversary. About 100 individuals were in attendance to enjoy face-painting, snow cones, games, a raffle and more at Churchill Elementary.  An enormous thank you to the countless individuals and organizations that made this day possible. A special thank you to the Glen Ellyn Lions Club for donating the pizza lunch for the event!

“I was excited to celebrate GECRC's growth alongside our students and their families, the most important members of our organization's structure,” said GECRC volunteer coordinator Maryam Ghouse. “There were smiles everywhere, parents and children alike got to have fun, and by my standards, that made it a successful event!”