Sept. 8 will be Literacy Day at local libraries. Come and learn how easy and rewarding it is to tutor adults who have not learned to read English. Whole Foods Market will host a community support day in honor of the occasion by donating 5 percent of customers’ grocery bills to the organization. It’s estimated that more than 25 percent of adults in Cook County can’t read well enough to fill out a job application, read a medicine label or read a simple story to a child.

Contact Tiffany Morgan of Literacy Volunteers of West Cook County, 125 N. Marion, Suite 301, e-mail info@lvwcc.org or call 708-848-8499.

Mary Richie was a busy girl last week. She hosted five visitors from England while preparing to host the CUinFP annual party. (Her little nephew especially enjoyed feeding five smelts to a sting ray at the aquarium.) Mary was more than ably assisted by Dean Holub, who co-hosted the CUinFP event. Dean is also busy caring for his ailing mother, Dolores Holub, famous grand dame of Forest Park for many years. She is lucky to have Dean, a devoted son, to care for her. Jerry Webster, president, gave a stirring speech. Then he hurried off to the hospital to undergo a procedure and is now doing very well.

Wayne Schauer of Do It Best Hardware donated a barbecue grill as a door prize for the gathering. Gigi Alfano won the grill, but since she lives in an apartment, she had no use for it. Bill Dwyer‘s number was called, but he’d thrown his ticket away when Gigi’s number was read. Everyone believed him, so Bill got the grill. Congratulations.

No account of the evening would be complete without mentioning the culinary wonders of Bonnie Doolin. Bonnie’s mcnuggets in honey mustard sauce were a hit, her fruit chutney a miracle, and on and on. One of Bonnie’s secrets for honey mustard sauce is this: If you can’t get the honey out of the jar and you’re in a hurry, use maple syrup and add a bit of yogurt.

Rose Everson, Joan Steinbach and Carol Friedl spent a day at Starved Rock last week. They also went for a ride down the I&M Canal on a replica of the canal boat ridden by Abraham Lincoln. The boat is pulled by two mules named Larry and Moe. They love the exercise and are well loved and cared for. When Larry and Moe aren’t working, they are entertained by their friend, Curly, a goat.

The memorial Mass at St. Odilo’s in Berwyn for Natalie Erickson‘s mother, Wendy, was like a visit to the past. Old traditional black vestments were worn by the priest, Gregorian chant was sung, bells rung at the consecration, incense swung at the congregation, etc. Up and down, on your knees, on your feet, back into your seat. Just like in the old days.

Happy birthday to Ron Apilado, Steve Knack, Steve Sedlack, Patti Mullin, John Tricoci Jr., Lois Bugajski, Tim Scheiwe, Jamie Carr, Sheila O’Shea, Eric Batterscy, Connor Hoehne, Nancy Bower, Dan Novak, Marc Neumann, Veronica Barajas, Jack Brennan, Jodi Giblin, Marianne Fabrini, Larry Steinbach, David Kazar, Todd Bower, Toni Terrano, Amanda Koehne, Michael Dillon Clifton, John Michael Deering, Millie Mango, Aaron Bakartis, Christine Carr, Joe Carr, Lynn Mazzone, Heather Webb, and Todd Marler. Anniversary greetings to Bill and Maureen Flagg and Tony and Lucy Vondrazka.

Thanks for your time.