Some of you have called since last month's record breaking rain about aid programs for the damage caused by the severe flooding. Click here for more information on accessing the federal aid program. If you have neighbors who do not have access to email, please let them know about this. Thanks.

Sponsored by the Hamilton Action Team, The Map Room, and Fizz Bar & Grill, this fundraiser will take place on June 15th; 1-5pm at Fizz Bar & Grill, 3220 N. Lincoln Avenue. Come out for a fun afternoon of sampling the best craft beers from more than 30 breweries and noshing on appetizers!  Souvenir glass included! Tickets are on sale now!  $45 before June 1st ($50 after, if available). Go to www.fizzchicago.com to buy tickets. All proceeds benefit Hamilton Elementary School. 21+ older only, please.

OpenWall's Next Art Show - Reception Changed to June 6 

The opening receptions for the our next office art show has been delayed a few weeks. The Chicago Photography Center just informed us we will be able to display some of the student awardees from a recent show feature their After School Matters and CPC Outreach Programs.

And OpenWall is proud to announce that fellow committee member, artist and curator Alpha Bruton was honored by The African American Historical and Cultural Museum of the San Joaquin Valley, California, for her give back to the community including her working with the museum and the California Association of Museums where she curated the new installation of the State Community College District Wall of Fame. Alpha is the founder of the Phantom Gallery Chicago Network.

Volunteer Service in 47th Ward. Are you looking for a rewarding and enjoyable way to be involved and serve your community? Do you like talking to people and helping them find solutions to problems? If you have a morning or afternoon a week, please volunteer and join us in the 47th Ward Service Office.

Thanks to good neighbor Maureen L. on the 2300 block of Winnemac for stepping in to help a neighbor in need with an electrical issue. As she said: "we all do what we can for each other."

The new Lincoln Square Friendship Center (LSFC) & Friendship Pet Food Pantry just signed a lease at 2733 W. Lawrence Avenue with an opening anticipated this fall! Now they need donations of the following items to get the new pantry started: large round table and chairs, large folding tables, paint supplies, cleaning supplies, decorations, bookshelves, stereo, coffee mugs and money. And they need volunteers! Can you help them in cleaning their new space? The cleaning dates are June 7and 10 starting at 6 p.m. They could also use volunteers at local festivals whose organizers will donate to the LSFC in return. Email lincolnsquarefc@gmail.com to sign up for one of these events:

• Ribfest: June 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Need 10-15 volunteers
• Square Roots: July 12 from 6 to 10 p.m. Need 25 volunteers for a $750 grant
• Hunger Walk: June 29 Each person to walk with the Friendship Center will earn a $12 in credit from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Participants can also fundraise for a matching grant from Thrivent Financial-up to $1,600.

Our 2nd Annual Plant Exchange at Ravenswood School was a total success! So many plants changed hands. Even long-time gardeners found plants they didn't have in their own gardens. Unexpectedly, we had apartment dwellers exchange house plants! Many thanks to the Ravenswood teachers, parents and community for hosting us, hanging out and helping our neighbors. And a special thanks to Donna Forsberg for sharing her expertise and neighborly help to everyone. The extra special treat was the bake sale put on by the Ravenswood Parents! One of the Dad's baked homemade cinnamon rolls which as total YUM.

Thanks to neighbor Ann McIntee who gave an informative presentation at our 47th Ward Gardening Network May Workshop. We followed with questions and conversation, and all appreciated her down-to-earth approach to gardening.  If you would like a copy of Ann's most helpful guide to gardening how-to's and when-to's, please let me know.

Please read this article from the Patch about our neighbor Rinda West and her native garden. Rinda is a landscape designer and participant in our 47th Ward Gardening Network. Alderman Pawar, the 47th Ward Gardening Network and the 47th Ward Green Council all advocate for the use of native plants.  As Rinda so rightly states: "The low-maintenance plants have already adapted to the area's climate and don't require water or fertilizer... the plants add to the region's biodiversity, bringing food to bugs and birds."   

Please join us for an introduction to Chicago Cooperative on Sunday, June 9, at 1:30 p.m. at the Sulzer Library Auditorium in Lincoln Square. Chicago Cooperative is a new start-up that is working to build a large-scale, full-service, member-owned food and grocery cooperative on the north side of Chicago. Our group of about 20 community members has been meeting for several months to organize a Steering Committee to turn our vision into action.

We are inviting area residents and community organizations interested in helping to shape the development of Chicago Cooperative by joining volunteer committees or by becoming future Steering Committee or Board Members. We will review the timeline and work that needs to be done to make this a city-wide success. "This is the heart of a very exciting building process. We hope you will join us and be a formative part of our growing organization," Grant Kessler.

Bring in Your Old Linens.  When you clean out your linen closet please think of the abandoned pets who are awaiting their forever homes at local shelters and foster homes. Bring us your old towels, blankets and sheets and we will deliver them.