Approximately 300 people attended Thursday’s YouthBuild Lake County (YBLC) and Great Lakes Credit Union annual Fall Fest in North Chicago.
“Fall Fest brings our Lake County community together by creating a welcoming space where families, local organizations, and neighbors can connect and celebrate,” said YBLC Executive Director Tameka Wilson, who is also the daughter of North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr.
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“It is also an incredible opportunity for the young adults in YBLC’s programs to serve the communities they call home by creating a fun and memorable experience for local families,” she said.
“Our young adults get to see firsthand the positive impact they can have on those around them, resulting in a stronger sense of pride, respect, and connection to Lake County that stays with them long after they have completed their program and entered the local workforce,” Wilson added.
Rockingham explained why the event is a model community builder.
“Just look around,” he said. “You see all the young kids that are out there, and they’re out with their families. To me, that is the most important thing, when we can get families out together.”
Kathleen Rodriguez, marketing and communications specialist for Great Lakes Credit Union, acknowledged the volunteers and community providers for their contributions to the Fall Fest, and talked about the partnership with YBLC as an adjacent-building neighbor.
“We have like-minded missions, which is to help improve the financial well-being of people in the community and our young people,” she said. “As a credit union, part of what we do is giving back to the community, so we really want to establish ourselves as a trusted partner within the community.
“We really love the community, and we like to partner with people and other organizations with similar goals to help uplift the communities, and it’s great to see all the families and children that come out to Fall Fest,” Rodriguez added.
Amenities included pumpkin decorating, games, face painting, and cornhole bags. First responders from North Chicago participated. There were costume contests and trunk-or-treating. The winner of the best trunk-or-treat entry was the Foss Park District’s decorated van.
The North Chicago Public Library also had its decorated bookmobile there. A table included Halloween candy and free books, plus complimentary three-dimensional printed items.
“We’re just trying to spread awareness of what we have in the library and what we have to offer to the community,” said Leah Martinez, who helped to staff the library table.
“I love the library,” she said. “It’s like a second home to me.”
Nearby, tossing a bean bag was Mateo Chavez, 12, a seventh-grader from North Chicago.
Mateo’s mother, Ruby, said, “We need more events, and we need more … educational programs for the kids. We need the community to be united.”