Dear Terra,

It feels like summer is just racing past us. After what seems like about five minutes, we're already saying farewell to our interns.

It's been great having these talented young people in our office and out in our neighborhoods, knocking on doors and meeting some of our constituents.

It sounds like they learned a lot (and had a lot of fun):

"Some of the best experiences I had out in the district were with kind constituents at the doors." – Nathan Inches

"My favorite event was the VIP Launch of the exhibition "Hokusai and the Floating World" at College of DuPage."– Carolyne Abel

"I quickly discovered how constituent-oriented the office is, as most of the legislative projects I worked on were directly initiated by constituents. Plus, our weekly ice cream trips were delicious!" – Kels Scott-Otis

"The dedication and passion of these people have instilled in me a sense of hope in our public institutions. Being able to interact with professionals as well as constituents out in the field has been an incredibly rewarding experience." – John Minter

"This summer prepared me for the next steps in my life and supplied me with many memorable moments and laughs with my fellow interns." – Luke Wiesner

"A highlight for me was seeing how the office collaborates with those in the community. I was blown away by how much collaboration there is with libraries, park districts, and local government." – Ty Giordano

Please join me in wishing our interns the very best as they embark on their careers!

Trade your cape for a bathing suit and join the Superhero Swim in Glen Ellyn TOMORROW

Unleash your inner superhero at the Glen Ellyn Park District's Superhero Swim tomorrow (Friday) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Sunset Pool, 483 Fairview Ave.

Children aged 3 through 8 are invited to glide through the water, meet their favorite characters, and refuel with pizza.

The fee is $10 for residents, $12 for nonresidents. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, you can click here.

Get ready to Bounce Back to School with inflatable fun in Lombard SATURDAY

The Lombard Park District is offering a free morning of fun with its Bounce Back to School event on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Lombard Common, 433 E. St. Charles Road.

There will be bounce houses, an inflatable obstacle course, refreshments, giveaways, and other entertainment. For more information, you can click here.

Enjoy fun and fitness at Glen Ellyn's 2K Kids Color Bash Run SATURDAY

Get ready for colorful fun at the 2K Kids Color Bash Run, from 9 to 11 a.m. on Aug. 10 at Ackerman Park, 800 St. Charles Road in Glen Ellyn.

Kids will be covered from head to toe in an assortment of colors at four different locations throughout the 1.25-mile course. Prizes will be awarded to the top three runners in each age group. The registration fee includes a timing bib, t-shirt, and post-race colorful events.

This event is for children ages 4 to 10, accompanied by an adult. Registration is required for children only. Visit here to register and learn more.

Celebrate healthy, tasty food at Veggie Fest in Lisle this weekend

Veggie Fest, one of the largest food festivals in North America, is coming to Lisle this weekend.

Veggie Fest is a free family-friendly festival featuring more than 27 food booths and 100 vendor tents, all celebrating plant-based foods.

The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10, and Sunday, Aug. 11, at Danada South Park, Navistar Circle in Lisle.

To learn more, you can click here.

Head back to the past at the Illinois Vintage Fest in Wheaton this weekend

Illinois Vintage Fest returns to the DuPage County Fair Grounds, 2015 Manchester Road in Wheaton, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9 and 10.

Illinois Vintage Fest is home to more than 100 vendors of clothing, collectibles, home goods, and much more. Entry is free. You can click here for more information.

Got a great idea? Let's talk at my Tuesday with Terra meetings in Glen Ellyn

The best – and most important – part of my job is meeting with the great people who live in our district and talking with them about the issues that matter most to our communities.

That's why I hold regular "Tuesdays with Terra" constituent meetings throughout our district. This month, I'll be talking one-on-one with constituents on Tuesday, Aug. 13, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Glen Ellyn Public Library, 400 Duane St.

So if you have an issue you'd like to discuss or an idea you want to share – or even if you just want to talk about our state government and the work we do – I'd love to meet with you.

As always, registration is required. To make your appointment, please reach out to my office at 630-812-9292 or email reptch42@gmail.com.

Bring your lawn chairs for summer music in Downers Grove TUESDAY

The Downers Grove Summer Concert Series continues this Tuesday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. at Fishel Park, 1036 Grove St.

This week's free concert features Valius, who will be playing classic hits from the 1960s through today.

Doors open and food and beverage sales begin at 6 p.m., with music from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Don't forget to bring your lawn chairs or blankets! To learn more, you can click here.

Got a green thumb? The Lisle Township Food Pantry Garden needs your help!

Do you like to garden? Would you like to learn more about how to grow fruits and vegetables in your own back yard? The Lisle Township Food Pantry Vegetable Garden group could use your volunteer assistance!

The garden plot is located on Township property and is tended to by a dedicated, fun group who grow and harvest organic produce for the Lisle Township Food Pantry clients.

If you're interested, please email ltfpgarden@gmail.com for more information.

Glen Ellyn Chamber will go plastic-free at Taste of Glen Ellyn fest Aug. 15-17

The three-day Taste of Glen Ellyn kicks off next Thursday, Aug. 15. And this year, the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce will be making the event greener by serving beverages in recyclable and reusable containers only.

The Glen Ellyn Chamber manages a beverage tent at the Taste that is staffed by community volunteers. To help cut down on plastic use this year, the local environmental group Go Green Glen Ellyn secured a donation of aluminum water bottles from Open Water. Two Hound Red Brewery of Glen Ellyn will serve beer on tap, and Go Green has donated recyclable, reusable aluminum party cups. Go Green Glen Ellyn is also providing volunteers to collect the recyclables.

You can check it out for yourself from Aug. 15 through Aug. 17 at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd. The annual event also will feature live entertainment, festive foods, cold beverages, a business expo, and carnival rides.

Taste of Glen Ellyn Hours:

Thursday, Aug. 15, 5 to 10 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 16, 5 to 10 p.m
Saturday, Aug. 17, noon to 10 p.m.

A portion of the proceeds of the Carnival will fund scholarships for local high school students. Grant money is offered to non-profit members of the Glen Ellyn Chamber who volunteer at the event. For more information about Taste of Glen Elllyn, you can click here. For more information about Go Green Glen Ellyn, you can click here.

Apply now to enroll in Lombard’s Citizen’s Police Academy, starting Sept. 10

The Lombard Police Department invites citizens living or working in Lombard to sign up for its 34th Annual Citizen’s Police Academy , beginning Sept. 10.

The free 10-week program, led by Lombard police officers, offers an overview of police department operations, procedures, and challenges.

The Academy will be held on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Lombard Village Hall, 255 E. Wilson Ave. The program will begin on Sept. 10 and run through Nov. 12.

Applications are requested by August 30, 2024. You can find the application here.

DuPage County will hold its first Mental Health Summit and Expo on Sept. 7

The DuPage Council on Strengthening the System for Mental Health and Substance Use Care will host its inaugural Mental Health Summit and Expo from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the DuPage County Administration Building, 421 County Farm Road in Wheaton.

At the expo, you can talk with representatives of local mental health and substance use treatment organizations and hear from a panel of mental health experts, practitioners, and policymakers.

The event will feature former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy. During his time in Congress, Patrick J. Kennedy led passage of the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which requires insurers to provide coverage for mental health and substance use disorders. For more information and to register for the event, you can click here.

Upcoming Events

We have lots of events coming up, so please take a look and mark your calendars today!

Aug. 16: York Center Park District's Movie in the Park, at 8:15 p.m. at the YCPD Gym, 1609 S. Luther Ave, in Lombard

Aug. 16: Dinosaur Day, at 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Helen Plum Library, 411 S. Main St. in Lombard

Aug. 17: Cosley Zoo 50th Anniversary Celebration, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1356 N. Gary Ave. in Wheaton

Aug. 21: DuPage County Veterans Resource Fair, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the the JTK Administration Building, 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton.

Aug. 28: Impact DuPage, Virtual Learning Collaborative Session on Harm Reduction and Substance Use Disorder, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., via Zoom

Sept. 9: B.R. Ryall YMCA’s 25th Annual Golf Classic, at 11:30 a.m. at the Prairie Landing Golf Club, 2325 Longest Drive, in West Chicago

Sept. 17: On-the-Spot Event with IDFPR and Rep. Costa Howard, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Helen Plum Library, 411 S. Main St. in Lombard

Sept. 28: Shred Event and Paper Drive, from 9 to noon at Lombard Village Hall, 255 E. Wilson Ave.

If you have any questions about pending legislation or other issues related to your state government, please don't hesitate to contact my office at 630-812-9292 or RepTCH42@gmail.com.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong,

Terra Costa Howard

State Representative

42nd District

913 S. Main St.

Lombard, IL 60148

(630) 812-9292