Good morning, DuPage! It's a cozy Sunday with today's high at 55°F and a low of 39°F, so grab a light jacket as we embrace the overcast skies. ☁️

The Downers Grove Public Library has been chosen as one of only 50 libraries across the United States to host the traveling exhibition "Americans and the Holocaust." Presented by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association, the exhibition will be on display from April 14 through May 19, 2026. Through a collection of primary sources from the 1930s and 1940s, the exhibit examines the complex motives and pressures that shaped how the American government, military, media, and general public responded to the threats of Nazism and the Holocaust.

To accompany the exhibition, the library has curated a series of special events, beginning with a grand opening ceremony on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), April 14, at 6:30 p.m., which will include a community-led "Reading of the Names." Other highlights include a presentation titled "What Did Americans Know?" by the exhibition’s curator, Daniel Greene, on April 21 at 7 p.m., as well as an Educator Night and multiple guided tours throughout the month. This significant cultural event aims to foster community dialogue and provide a deeper understanding of a critical era in global and American history.

The Glen Ellyn Park District is inviting community members to participate in the 35th annual DuPage River Sweep on Saturday, April 18, 2026. This year’s local effort will focus specifically on cleaning the shoreline and surrounding grounds of Lake Ellyn Park (645 Lenox Road) from 9:00 a.m. to noon. By removing debris from these areas, volunteers help prevent litter from entering the broader DuPage River system, contributing to the health and beauty of the local ecosystem.

The event is free and family-friendly, welcoming volunteers of all ages, though children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult. The Park District will provide essential supplies like gloves and trash bags, but participants are encouraged to bring their own rubber boots or hip waders if available. Registration is required by Saturday, April 4, and can be completed through The Conservation Foundation’s website at theconservationfoundation.org/sweep.

On March 21, the Midwestern University Dental Institute in Downers Grove hosted its annual "Give Kids a Smile" event and health fair, serving 48 patients between the ages of 5 and 15. The initiative provided a comprehensive range of free dental services, including exams, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, fillings, and extractions. Beyond dental work, the event featured a multispecialty approach, offering families access to screenings and educational resources from the university’s optometry, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology programs.

Designed to be both educational and stress-free, the event utilized a "passport" system where children earned stamps and prizes for visiting various health stations. To support patients with dental anxiety, sensory bags containing items like noise-canceling headphones and fidget toys were provided during treatment. The event served as a critical hands-on learning experience for Midwestern University students, emphasizing the importance of community service and interprofessional collaboration in improving long-term health outcomes for underserved populations.

See our Calendar of Events Here!

On this day in 1998, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge opened to traffic in Japan, proudly claiming the title of the longest bridge span in the world. This engineering marvel stretches an impressive 1.2 miles and connects the islands of Honshu and Shikoku, making travel a breeze for locals and tourists alike. 

A fun fact about Glen Ellyn is that its iconic Lake Ellyn is actually man-made. In the late 1880s, the local Hotel Glen Ellyn created the lake by damming a small stream to offer guests a "resort" experience right in the suburbs. While the grand hotel eventually burned down in 1906, the lake remained and became the heart of the community.

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