Dear Terra,

The best way to teach young people about recycling and sustainability is to "walk the walk."

So if you're a teacher preparing for the coming school year, I hope you'll stop by SCARCE, at 800 S. Rohlwing Road in Addison, and take a look at their incredible selection of recycled supplies for teachers and students.

SCARCE (which stands for School Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education) is an award-winning environmental education non-profit dedicated to creating sustainable communities. At their Reuse Center, they offer literal tons of school equipment and supplies for teachers and students, including bulletin board decorations, posters, art supplies, desk organizers, folders, binders, staples, and paper clips. They also have thousands of texts, reference and library books available for your classes.

If you're a teacher, or if you work at a non-profit, you can stop by and fill a box with all the supplies and books that you can fit in it, for just $10! Just make sure that you have your work ID with you. Substitute teachers must have a long-term class assignment and must provide a note from the school along with school ID. Items taken must be intended for use in the classroom or your organization’s programs and operations.

You can click here to find more information about SCARCE.

Go fish! This weekend only, Illinois residents can fish without a license

Illinois residents can get out on the water free of charge this weekend, as our state’s annual Free Fishing Days starts tomorrow (Friday).

The Free Fishing Days celebration will take place from June 14 to 17, coinciding with Father's Day weekend. During this four-day event, you can go fishing without buying a fishing license, salmon stamp or inland trout stamp. 

This is a great opportunity to try fishing for the first time. For newbies, here's a guide to everything you need to get started. You can learn more here.

Enjoy Family Bingo Night (and pizza!) at Ackerman SFC in Glen Ellyn TOMORROW

If you don't know your "two little ducks" from your "Dancing Queen," don't worry.*

All are welcome to enjoy an evening of bingo, pizza, and prizes tomorrow (Friday) at Ackerman SFC, 800 St. Charles Road in Glen Ellyn.

No registration is required; just drop in between 5 and 7 p.m. Prizes will be awarded at the end of each round. The event is open to all ages, but children aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Bingo cards are $1 each. Visit here for more information.

* For those of you who are not bingo fanatics, those are two examples of "bingo lingo," which in this case refer to the numbers 22 and 17. Please don't ask why we know this.

Listen to the music of Pete Seeger at the Music on Maple Street Concert in Lombard TOMORROW

Pete Seeger helped to awaken Americans to the beauty and power of our folk music tradition. You can hear some of Seeger's best-remembered songs and learn their stories tomorrow evening at the Lombard Historical Society's Maple Street Concert, "Barry Cloyd Presents: 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone?' The Ballad of Pete Seeger."

The outdoor concert will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) on the Society's grounds, at 23 W. Maple St. To learn more, you can click here.

Adult Pride Trivia in Lisle TOMORROW

You're invited to celebrate Pride Month by joining the Lisle Library District for LGBTQIA+ trivia tomorrow (Friday) at 7 p.m. at the Lisle Library District, 777 Front St.

Get a team or go solo. Prizes for first, second, and third place. You can click here to learn more and register.

Pride Month Spotlight: Arlene Halko

Chicago native Arlene Halko was working as a medical physicist at Cook County Hospital when the AIDS epidemic struck in the early 1980s.

Halko saw firsthand the pressing need for a safe place where people with AIDS who had been rejected by those closest to them could live out their final days. So she joined a small group of concerned activists to create Chicago House, which began as a hospice for people dying of AIDS. Today, Chicago House has grown to serve 2,000 people living with and affected by HIV each year.

A devout Catholic, Halko also was a member of Dignity/Chicago, an organization for gay Catholics and their allies; she became the group's first lesbian president, serving two terms.

Gay Chicago Magazine named Halko their Woman of the Year in 1988. She died in Chicago in 2007.

Vroom! Rev up your engines and head to the Lisle Car Show on SATURDAY

It wouldn't be summer in Lisle without the downtown car show series. This summer's second show will take place on Saturday, June 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. on Main Street, Burlington Avenue, and commuter parking lots.

During events, downtown Lisle is transformed into a car-themed block party, with music, food, beverages, prizes, raffles and more. For more information, you can click here.

Celebrate diverse cultures at Lombard's Multicultural Art Festival SATURDAY

The Lombard Historical Society invites everyone to the Building Love Amongst Cultures (BLAC) Multicultural Art Fair, to be held from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at the Sheldon Peck Homestead, 355 E. Parkside Ave.

The Fair features works by local artists, as well as food trucks, entertainment, and activities for children. To learn more, you can click here.

Gone Fishin' Derby in Glen Ellyn SATURDAY

Cast your lines at the Glen Ellyn Park District's catch-and-release fishing derby on Saturday, June 15 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Lake Ellyn Boathouse, 645 Lenox Road.

You’ll have an hour to catch as many fish as you can. Prizes will be awarded for the largest, smallest, and most fish caught in three age groups: 3-5 years, 6-8 years, and 9-12 years, as well as for the overall 'Best Dressed Angler.' The registration fee includes bait, snacks, and activities (note: participants must bring their own fishing poles).

This event is for children ages 3-12, accompanied by an adult. Registration is required for children only. The fee is $12 for residents and $18 for nonresidents. Visit here to register and find more details.

Commemorate Juneteenth in Naperville on SATURDAY

Naperville Neighbors United will lead a commemoration of Juneteenth from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 15, at Rotary Hill, 440 Aurora Ave.

The event will include music, speeches, and dancing. The event is free; you'll need to bring your own lawn chairs and blankets. You can click here to register and learn more.

We're back! Sign up for Tuesday with Terra on June 18 at Helen Plum Library in Lombard

I'm excited to start up a new summer of Tuesdays with Terra, my monthly one-on-one constituent meetings. We're starting out from 1:30 -3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18 at the Helen Plum Library, 411 S Main St. in Lombard.

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.

Hear the Glen Ellyn's own Jazz Ensemble at Maryknoll Park WEDNESDAY evening

Enjoy a live concert by the Glen Ellyn Jazz Ensemble, a dynamic 16-member group, on Wednesday, June 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Maryknoll Park, 845 Pershing Ave. in Glen Ellyn.

Admission is free, and no registration is required. Just show up (with your own lawn chairs or blanket) and enjoy the music! You can visit here for more information.

Join me and my colleagues at our End of Session Recap in Naperville on June 20

If you're interested in learning more about our state government and how it affects your business and your community, I hope you'll join me and some of my fellow legislators on June 20.

The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce will present its annual End of Session Recap from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, in the Calamos Conference Room of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce office, 55 S. Main St. in Downtown Naperville.

I'll be a panelist along with State Senators Linda Holmes, Laura Ellman, and Seth Lewis and my fellow State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr. You can click here to submit your questions and register today.

Upcoming Events

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

June 21: Glen Ellyn Park District's Shot in the Dark, from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at Holes & Knolls, 845 Pershing Ave.

June 21: Kids Night Out in Naperville, at 6 p.m. at the Fort Hill Activity Center Childcare and "The Fort" Indoor Playground, 20 Fort Hill Drive

June 21: Make Music Wheaton, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. throughout Downtown Wheaton

June 21: Bubble Palooza, from 10:30 to 11 a.m. at the 95th Street Library, Wagner Family Pavilion, 3015 Cedar Glade Dr. in Naperville.

June 22: Charity Kitchenware Drive, benefiting The Chicago Furniture Bank, from 10 a.m. to noon at St Petronille Catholic Church, 420 Glenwood Ave. in Glen Ellyn (parking lot along Duane Street).

June 25: Blood and Food Drive, from 9 a.m. to 1: 30 p.m. at Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center, 800 St. Charles Road in Glen Ellyn

June 25: Family Fun in the Neighborhood, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Spalding Park, 22W325 2nd St. in Glen Ellyn

June 26: Glen Ellyn Park District's Movie in the Park, at 7:30 p.m. at Surrey Park, 95 Surrey Drive

June 28: Music on Maple Street Concert Series, featuring Angela James, from 7 to 8 p.m. at 23 W. Maple St. in Lombard

June 28: Summer Break at the Lake, from 5 to 10 p.m. at Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road in Glen Ellyn

July 4: Glen Ellyn Park District’s Freedom Four 4-Mile Run/Walk, at 7:30 a.m. at Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road

July 4: Wheaton 4th of July Parade, at 10 a.m. on Main St. in Downtown Wheaton.

July 4: Glen Ellyn 4th of July Parade, at noon along Fawell Blvd.

July 4: Lisle 4th of July Parade, at 10 a.m. beginning at Lisle Junior High School, 5207 Center Avenue.

July 4: Downers Grove 4th of July Parade, at 1 p.m. stepping off from Main St. and Grant St.

July 4: Lombard 4th of July Fireworks, at dusk at Madison Meadow Park,

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