Latest news with #SenioroftheYear
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville News Digest: Registration open for Junior Tour de Naperville on Aug. 9; senior task force seeking nominees for volunteers of year
Registration for the Junior Tour de Naperville, set for Aug. 9 at Wolf's Crossing Community Park, remains open for children ages 3 to 5 and 9 to 12, Naperville Park District officials said. The 6- to 8-year-old group is at capacity, officials said. Naperville's take on the Tour de France, the event allows participants to ride their bikes, tricycles or Big Wheels along a 1.2-mile loop trail at the 3252 Wolf's Crossing Road park. Start times are staggered based on age. The 3- to 5-year-old group starts at 9 a.m., followed by 6- to 8-years-olds at 10 a.m. and ages 9 to 12 at 11 a.m. All participants must wear a helmet, a news release said. Parents can accompany their children around the course or cheer from the sidelines. Older children are encouraged to ride the course as many times as they can. Register at The Naperville Senior Task Force is accepting nominations for its Senior of the Year award through Aug. 31. Nominees must be Naperville residents who are 65 or older and have a history of community service and volunteering. Volunteer and community activities, positions in civic and charitable organizations, and information about their background, career or family should be part of the nomination. The award winners will be recognized at the Oct. 7 Naperville City Council meeting. Nomination forms are online at Supplemental materials may be sent to nominateasenior@ Students in the College of DuPage's dance program can earn a general associate in arts degree starting this fall. The new academic path is available to current and incoming students. With the degree, students can study dance while earning a degree that supports transfer and career flexibility, faculty member Jessica Kondrath said in a news release. The dance program also collaborates with the college's theater, art, fashion and music programs to expand skills and career options. Courses include dance appreciation, ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip hop, choreography, pedagogy and production and performance, the release said. COD is the only community college in the area to offer a course in dance technology in which students can learn and use motion capture technology, explore music software to score their own work and create dance films, according to college officials. Naperville Park District officials are reminding pet owners to keep parks and trails safe, clean and enjoyable by cleaning up after their animals and keeping them leashed when outdoors. The district recently released its rules for dogs and other pets in public places, which are also stated in the city's ordinance for proper pet handling. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. They are not allowed to roam freely in parks, ballfields, turf fields, splash pads or elsewhere, a news release said. The district does not operate any dog parks so anyone seeking one for recreational purposes should go to the facilities operated by the Forest Preserve Districts of Will County and DuPage County, the release said. Dog waste contains bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that can be transmitted to humans and wildlife or washed into local waterways, negatively impacting water quality, which is why the district provides stations with dog waste bags in several of its parks, the release said. For more information, go to
Hamilton Spectator
03-07-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Meet Caledon's 2025 Senior of the Year: Ed Taccone
Ed Taccone remembers sitting in his kitchen after church, surrounded by half a dozen families while his mother made big plates of pasta. Taccone's family immigrated to New Brunswick in the early 1950s from Italy, and his parents immediately became involved in the church, often inviting other families over for meals. Taccone shared that these families were extremely grateful, as they often didn't have a lot of money. 'Being younger back then, I didn't realize at the time what they were doing. But later on in life, of course, I did. And I wanted to follow suit, so I volunteered,' said Taccone. Taccone shared that volunteering has always been in his heart, and before becoming President of the Agricultural Society, he volunteered in numerous other areas, including hockey teams, car clubs, and more, before he found himself and his family moving to Caledon almost 40 years ago. Taccone wanted to see how they could help the community after moving, and having friends in the Caledon Agricultural Society, he attended a couple of meetings. 'After that, I thought to myself, these people are wonderful. To get their time and not expecting any favors in return, I thought this is for me. So, I joined in 1989, and from there, it just escalated,' said Taccone. Taccone currently sits as President of the Society and says he has no plans of stepping down until the new community centre is finished. 'The community really needs something in North West Caledon. We don't have a community building, per se, and for me, it's important that we're able to. We're not asking for any money. This is the Agricultural Society that wants to put the building up, but at the same time, something that the town can use too,' said Taccone. He hopes that the centre will also act as a way of putting Caledon on the map. 'People moving here need a place to stay. We kind of have to open our arms a little bit,' said Taccone. He reflected on how his parents immigrated to Canada, and the country gave his family a home. 'Canada gave my parents and my family, my uncles, aunts, cousins, an opportunity to be part of a beautiful country,' he said. 'Canada is home. I was five years old when we came here. It's always great to come home.' Part of home for him is being involved and volunteering. Not only is he a part of the Agricultural Society, but also the Headwaters British Car Club, where, for the past ten years, he has transformed part of his backyard into a Super 8 track to enhance the club's cohesion. 'Just being with people is wonderful. You know, at the end of the day, regardless of what you hear, people need people,' said Taccone. 'All the years I've been a volunteer, I've never thought of being recognized. I just did,' he said. Taccone shared that for the rest of his life, he feels that nothing will compare to the honour of Senior of the Year. No time for rest for the Senior of the Year, shortly after his award, he jumped right back into the busy world of volunteering, with the annual Strawberry Festival and Canada Day festivities ensuring residents of all ages can come together in celebration and community spirit, much like his own. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
02-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
North Glengarry's 2025 Evening of Excellence
The Township of North Glengarry is rebranding its awards of excellence recognition program to broaden the scope and create new categories. The awards event will continue to celebrate North Glengarry's individuals, organizations and businesses that are essential in making Glengarry such a great place to live, but this revamped event will also showcase the growth and development of North Glengarry. Included in the evening will be a presentation showcasing new businesses, funding success stories and new developments, along with improvements & upgrades to local venues. The rebranded awards program will continue with its previous years' categories including Citizen of the Year, Community Service Group, Business of the Year, Excellence in Agriculture, Youth of the Year, Senior of the Year, Dedication & Leadership and the Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, North Glengarry has a Legacy Award presented for significant anniversaries in the Township. The first of the new categories for 2025 is the Leader Under 40 award, recognizing individuals under the age of 40 who have shown innovation, leadership and dedication to public service, community development or cultural preservation. The second new award for 2025 is the Champion of Culture and Heritage, recognizing an individual or group focused on preserving heritage, fostering community pride, encouraging conservation and highlighting local cultural history. 'Celebrating Success, Showcasing Growth' is the new tagline for the event focused on recognizing the individuals, businesses, groups and organizations that continue to contribute to the evolving, growing and developing communities in North Glengarry. Nominations for the awards open June 25, 2025, and will run until July 28, 2025. Nomination forms can be completed & submitted online or can be downloaded, filled in and delivered to the Township offices. North Glengarry's Evening of Excellence is planned for September 25, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Age
23-06-2025
- The Age
Awarded mentor jailed for ‘appalling' child abuse while working as football umpire
An Indigenous elder and former Victorian Senior of the Year has been jailed for 'appalling' offences against a child he had mentored as a football umpire. Robert Eccles, 72, was in April found guilty by a County Court jury of four child abuse charges, including committing an indecent act on a child aged under 16 and sexual penetration of a 16- or 17-year-old child in his care. He was acquitted by the jury of another four charges of sexual penetration and one of committing an indecent act with a child. Eccles was aged 59 and working as a senior umpire in Warrnambool when he started giving full-body massages to a 15-year-old junior umpire in his garage in 2011. The Indigenous elder had mentored the boy and told him the massages were important for his performance as an umpire. When the boy turned 16, the massages became sexual. Eccles faced the County Court in Melbourne on Monday, supported by four women, and was sentenced to a maximum of four years and eight months in jail, with a non-parole period of nearly three years. Chief judge Amanda Chambers found his offending against a child who was under his care while inside his home was an inherent beach of trust. '[It was] appalling offending against a child who you had mentored and encouraged,' she said.
Sydney Morning Herald
23-06-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Awarded mentor jailed for ‘appalling' child abuse while working as football umpire
An Indigenous elder and former Victorian Senior of the Year has been jailed for 'appalling' offences against a child he had mentored as a football umpire. Robert Eccles, 72, was in April found guilty by a County Court jury of four child abuse charges, including committing an indecent act on a child aged under 16 and sexual penetration of a 16- or 17-year-old child in his care. He was acquitted by the jury of another four charges of sexual penetration and one of committing an indecent act with a child. Eccles was aged 59 and working as a senior umpire in Warrnambool when he started giving full-body massages to a 15-year-old junior umpire in his garage in 2011. The Indigenous elder had mentored the boy and told him the massages were important for his performance as an umpire. When the boy turned 16, the massages became sexual. Eccles faced the County Court in Melbourne on Monday, supported by four women, and was sentenced to a maximum of four years and eight months in jail, with a non-parole period of nearly three years. Chief judge Amanda Chambers found his offending against a child who was under his care while inside his home was an inherent beach of trust. '[It was] appalling offending against a child who you had mentored and encouraged,' she said.
