City of West Chicago, Illinois

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West Chicago Resident to Compete in National Beauty Pageant

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Maria Paulina Garcia to Compete in Miss Earth® USA Beauty Pageant in January 2023

West Chicago resident, Maria Paulina Garcia, will be participating in the upcoming Miss Earth® USA beauty pageant. The pageant will take place in Orlando, Florida from Jan. 1 to Jan. 8, 2023.

Each of the, at least, 51 delegates of the national title pageant are judged based on multiple components. Components of the competition include the delegates’ interviews, promotional video content, swimwear and evening gown competitions, runway competitions, results of their special projects, and delegates' overall commitment to the environment.

Winners of the national pageant have the opportunity to compete for the international title, which is held in the Vietnam with 90 different countries participating.

Promoting Environmental Sustainability in West Chicago as Miss Earth Illinois

Prior to the national and international pageants, state pageants serve as the preliminary trials for delegates. Garcia currently holds the title of Miss Illinois Earth, and she has held the title since August 2022. She will remain the titleholder through April 2023.

While Garcia awaits her opportunity to compete for the national title, she has had multiple responsibilities as the current Miss Illinois Earth. Apart from assisting with the promotion of the mission and goals of the Miss Earth® USA pageant, her other responsibilities include assisting with educating the West Chicago community on the importance of environmental advocacy.

As part of this local promotion of best environmental practices, Garcia and all other state delegates are tasked with creating and executing a "Think Global, Act Local Project.” As part of the project, each delegate is required to engage and invite the local public within their communities to participate in activities that promote environmental sustainability.

In addressing how she hopes to encourage better environmental practices in West Chicago and fulfill the requirements of the special project, Garcia provided the following statement.

“It is everyone's responsibility to take care of our planet. From the CEO of an oil corporation, to the State Senator, to the working class citizen, to the student. We are all contributing to the healing or demise of the Earth.

I hope to encourage my fellow West Chicago residents to be informed about current environmental issues and how they can contribute to the solutions through volunteering with conservation organizations such as Fermilab Natural Areas and the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. There is little turnout from our community for these organizations’ volunteer events, and I continue to encourage my neighbors to join in the efforts to preserve our local prairies and forest preserves through volunteering.”

About Maria Paulina Garcia

Garcia’s family immigrated from Mexico to West Chicago when she was 3 years old, and she has now been a resident of the City for 23 years. She currently serves on the City of West Chicago’s Cultural Arts Commission and is also a member of the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage. Apart from her continued interest in competing in beauty pageants, Garcia aspires to build a career in cybersecurity in Japan.

When asked what her other goals were, Garcia stated that, “Ultimately, my goal is to inspire Latina women to follow their dreams. As a first generation immigrant, I had to pave the path to success with my bare hands. I am trying to be the role model I didn't have growing up for my niece and nephews, and I will gladly lend anyone the tools needed to carve their own paths. There is plenty of room for everyone to shine and thrive.”

Garnering Community Support Leading Up to the Competition

Garcia has garnered the support of West Chicago as she prepares for the upcoming national pageant. The City of West Chicago’s Mayor Ruben Pineda provided the following statement in regards to Ms. Garcia’s great achievement and upcoming competition.

“As the Mayor of West Chicago, and as a resident of this community, I am extremely proud of Maria Paulina and her achievements. Our community is comprised of individuals of great character, and Ms. Garcia is yet another prime example. Her dedication to her craft, her community, and the environment is commendable and is of great benefit to all of us as West Chicago residents. The City of West Chicago will be cheering for her this January, and will continue to wish her great success in all her future endeavors.”

 

About Miss Earth
Since 2001, the Miss Earth® organization has created a platform for women and girls to experience glamour of the beauty pageant industry while making an impact on our most pressing environmental issues around the globe.

The Miss Earth® USA organization offers multiple age divisions to help influential young women and girls gain experience and recognition for their achievements.

In partnership with our official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization B4ACUSA, the Miss Earth® USA organization values more than beauty. We are Beauties for a Cause®.

Provide Input for New Park through Survey by December 12

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The City is seeking feedback from the community through an online survey as part of the planning process for the development of a new park near Weyrauch Street at the former Kerr-McGee site.

All information gathered will be used to create a final master plan for the development of the park. The portal to submit input will be open through Monday, December 12.

As part of the second phase of the planning process, the City’s consultant, Upland Design, has been gathering feedback from the community, which included an in-person public meeting held on Wednesday, November 30.

During the meeting, attendees were able to provide feedback on several design concepts for the park, including concepts of elements and amenities as well as playground and challenge course designs. The concepts and elements presented during the meeting were created from feedback given during an initial community input kick-off meeting held on Wednesday, November 2 as well as input from an online survey.

In following the same procedure, the City’s consultant has provided the current online survey, which presents the same information provided during the in-person meeting.

For more information about the park planning process, or for more information about the former Kerr-McGee property visit westchicago.org/kerrmcgee.

Complete Survey

City to Host Second Community Input Meeting for New Community Park

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The City of West Chicago and the City’s consultant, Upland Design, will host a second community input meeting to gather community input regarding a new community park development at the former Kerr-McGee property.

The meeting will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30 at the West Chicago City Hall located at 475 Main Street.

During the previous meeting, residents were asked to provide their input on different ideas and images presented by the City’s consultant as well as vote on their favorite park elements. The second meeting will be a continuation of this effort.

Public Input Meeting Flyer (ENG)
Public Input Meeting Flyer (SPN)

For more information about this development, visit the City’s website at https://westchicago.org/kerrmcgee.

Online Portal Open to Submit Feedback for Community Park

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Tell Us Your Ideas for a New Park

The City hosted a community input meeting on Wednesday, November 2 at the West Chicago City Hall to gather feedback from the community regarding a vision for a new park at the Kerr-McGee site.

For those unable to attend the meeting, the complete survey from the evening has been made available online and will be open for input through Monday, November 7. To submit your feedback about the park, please use the button below.

Please note: The City will also host an additional community input meeting on Wednesday, November 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Complete the Survey

Healthy West Chicago Receives National Public Policy Award

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On Thursday, October 27, Healthy West Chicago was presented with the 2022 Public Policy Award by the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention during it’s 20th Annual Meeting of the National Forum which was held virtually.

The National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention annually recognizes individuals and organizations that have helped advance heart disease and stroke prevention above and beyond the norm.  The organization’s Public Policy Award is given to an individual or group who have been effective in promoting policy change that reduces the heart disease and stroke burden on a national, state, or local level.

Healthy West Chicago was the recipient for the award for it’s efforts in advancing infrastructure changes that have made walking and active living more accessible to more people in West Chicago. Mayor Ruben Pineda was the delegated recipient of the award for the City and Healthy West Chicago, and provided the following statement acknowledging the award:

“The City of West Chicago and Healthy West Chicago are honored to be bestowed with this year’s Public Policy Award. Obesity is a present and growing health crisis in our country. In West Chicago, we are prioritizing the health and well-being of our community by assisting our residents with making healthier choices in order to increase the quality of their lives.”

Healthy West Chicago is a non-profit organization that was formalized in 2014 through a collaboration of community leaders in local government, education, healthcare, social services, faith-based congregations, businesses, and non-profit organizations who have organized to increase nutrition and physical activity in the City of West Chicago.