Latest news with #Bechtold
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How to support trafficking survivors with jewelry
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Mother's Day is just a few days away, which has a local nonprofit working with a jeweler to make a beautiful, yet meaningful piece. At Thomas James and Bechtold Jewelry, you'll find no shortage of treasures. 'We've been a long time jeweler. The Bechtold family started in 1902. I took it over in 2018. And we kind of continue the family tradition of actually serving families in the area,' CEO and Owner of Thomas James and Bechtold jewelry, Thomas James said. Over 7K runners expected at Avera's Race Against Cancer They are continuing that legacy of service by partnering with Call to Freedom to make a special piece that was originally designed by a 9-year-old girl. 'Her mom had come out of a trafficking situation, and she wanted to do something special because they were reunited. And so we came together with the idea to be able to create this necklace initially for last Mother's Day,' Call to freedom President and CEO, Becky Rasmussen said. Then, the crew at Bechtold Jewelry decided to take it a step further for this Mother's Day. 'We thought, why don't we use that same design?' James said. To add to the charms 'charm', James is having his high school apprentices work on the pieces. 'They have it cut out with the laser, but it's not done from there. From there they have to the charms have to be actually refinished and polished a little bit. So they have to take care of that. And they're doing it all,' James said. Buying a piece of jewelry ahead of Mother's Day, that will in turn support trafficking survivors. 'These are real people, that they're mothers, they're daughters of somebody, they're aunts of somebody that are being trafficked. And so I think this really symbolizes the importance of understanding that we need to come together as a community and really support those that are coming out of trafficking,' Rasmussen said. 'We want to make a difference in this world. And we draw that from our faith, and we actually want to make a difference in other people's lives in the best way that we can. Not every not all of us could do what Becky's doing, but we can do this. This is what we can do. And that's why we're doing it,' James said. One-hundred percent of the proceeds will go towards supporting people affected by trafficking. Click here for more information on the Call to Freedom Charm. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Chicago Tribune
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
La Grange OKs new band shell, performance area in Gordon Park
A new band shell will be going up at Gordon Park in La Grange after the Village Board last week unanimously approved a special use permit allowing the Park District of La Grange to replace the existing performance area. The project will substantially increase the size of the bandshell at one of the district's largest parks, in the northeast corner of the village. 'The Park District is proposing a significant enlargement of the bandshell structure anchored in generally the same location,' Trustee Tim O'Brien said in introducing the measure. 'With open size and similar rear design.' The current bandshell was also the result of a special use permit approved in 2013, and the new proposal includes various modifications to the site, including improved pedestrian access from the parking area to the bandshell. The Park District already took the plan to the village Plan Commission, which gave it a unanimous recommendation on March 11. Trustees had little comment on the issue, although Beth Augustine did have a question for Park District Executive Director Jenny Bechtold. 'I have a pretty good sense of the programming you plan to do and how it will change slightly by having this structure,' she said. 'Could you tell us a little bit about what you see from the Park perspective?' Bechtold spoke of the Park District's planning for the new structure as a work in progress. 'We're still kind of working through programming,' she said. 'But one of the items we're looking at is Country Jam. This summer we will not have it. We will be closed (for reconstruction). But we're looking at other events like the Country Jam, similar size, nothing too large. We can do dance recitals, senior events, so there's a host of opportunities. We've had some inquiries about rentals from orchestras and church groups, so there's different opportunities. Bechtold also assured the board that any programming would comply with village ordinances, particularly those pertaining to noise. After the vote, Bechtold spoke of the reasons for enlarging the bandshell. 'Right now when we have special events at Gordon, for example, we have to bring in a stage,' she said. 'When we did Endless SummerFest, we had to pay to have that big stage brought in. So now this is a permanent stage for us to hold different programming.' Bechtold stressed that the new bandshell also would make it possible to hold programs outside of musical entertainment. 'We can do fitness classes,' she said, noting the size of the covering. 'We can do dance recitals, senior programs.' Bechtold acknowledged the increase in the size of the bandshell. 'Right now it's 180 square feet, and it's going to be 2,000,' she said. As for the cost of the new bandshell, it will be covered by the money from the Park District's successful 2024 referendum, which gained the District $13.82 million and passed with 74% of the vote. There isn't a specific cost yet named for the new bandshell, but Bechtold estimated it would be between $800,000 and $900,000. The next La Grange Village Board meeting will be 7:30 p.m. April 7, at the La Grange Village Hall, 53 S. La Grange Rd.
