Take a day trip to explore, learn and eat without adding extra miles to your car. Reserve a seat today and join the St. Charles Park District for some local adventures this summer.
The park district’s Adult Activity Center provides programming for those age 50 and older, as well as welcoming members and guests for daily drop in at the center’s location inside the Pottawatomie Community Center. In her role as the Adult Activity Center Supervisor Lynne Yuill is the ultimate event planner, organizing day trips, inviting guest speakers and planning a few parties too.
Yuill said this summer, she’s got her good walking shoes ready to step out and explore. She’s planned summer day trips that include a fish boil, a visit to Lake Geneva, touring the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago to see the Pompeii exhibit and an afternoon of cruising aboard the Windy City, one of the tall ships that sails out of Navy Pier in Chicago.
“This summer we have almost a trip every week,” she said. “I’ve had people clamoring for the seasonal activity guide and wanting to know what I had planned so they could pencil in the events they were interested in.”
Join the ACC for a day trip to Milwaukee for a docent-led tour of the Milwaukee Art Museum and a docent-led tour of the Pabst Mansion on Thursday, July 13. Or what about food tour in Milwaukee? The daytrip, Burgers, Custard & Bobbleheads Tour features lunch at a Milwaukee diner, a custard crawl with multiple scoops plus a visit to the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame & Museum on Wednesday, July 19.
Fans of live theater will want to register for the trip to White Pines Theatre to see the show, “You Gotta Have Friends” in Mt. Morris Thursday, Sept. 7.
These and other day trips have an advance registration deadline and Yuill said she expects most events to fill up, so don’t delay registering. Many day-trip costs include round-trip transportation on a motorcoach, tickets to the event including the guided tours.
“Going with a group is convenient and everything is taken care of. You just pay, show up and have a great day,” Yuill said.
And from day trips to classes and lunches, the ACC events provide a great way to meet new people. Yuill said every day she sees friendships blossom whether it’s over the mahjong table in the ACC room in Pottawatomie Community Center or as participants chatter during the bus ride for a day trip.
“That’s what I really love about my job,” she said.
For a day trip closer to home check out the visit to College of DuPage to see the Andy Warhol exhibit on Tuesday, July 25.
The summer fun at the ACC launches with a kickoff lunch party Thursday, May 25 at the Pottawatomie Community Center. There are still a few seats available, with tickets $15 for ACC members and $20 for nonmembers. The event will have a 1960s theme with entertainer Michael Joseph performing favorite songs from the era.
Yuill said members wanted more cooking classes. She’s excited to try the new program, Tiny Kitchen Mug Cakes & Cookies, featuring a chef who will share a recipe to make a cake using a coffee mug and microwave and a chance to mix up cookie dough participants can take home to bake and eat on Monday, June 19.
And this summer the ACC will continue its monthly slot to volunteer at the Northern Illinois Food Bank on the second Wednesday of the month. It’s the perfect way to give back to the community and it provides a great outlet to meeting new friends as well.
“I see so many friendships blossom,” Yuill said.
There are also some unique lectures on the calendar featuring a discussion on Victorian era clothing from a local collector, learning about squirrels from the park district’s favorite naturalist Pam Otto and a local retired Navy captain will share stories from her career.