National Political Figure and Author, Paul Schmitz, Speaks on Leadership in LaGrange on November 8

On Thursday, November 8, Paul Schmitz of the White House Council on Community Solutions will speak to west suburban residents and business owners about the value of civic involvement. Known nationally for his work with Public Allies, Schmitz has recently published a book, Everyone Leads: Building Leadership from the Community Up.

The West Suburban Chamber of Commerce & Industry Foundation Non-profit Resource Committee (NPRC), together with Community Memorial Foundation, invited Schmitz to be the centerpiece of their 4th Annual Harvest Event at the LaGrange Country Club from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Harvest Event annually brings together community members, business owners and service agencies to celebrate the cooperation that assures the best possible quality of life for area residents.

Community Memorial Foundation President, Greg DiDomenico, said, “Paul’s inspiring message focuses on recognizing new leadership possibilities within ourselves and our communities so that together we can create social change.”

Social change and partnership are ideas that resonate with the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce & Industry Foundation (WSCCIF). In 2011, WSCCIF was the recipient of the Award for Outstanding Service to Individuals with Disabilities by the Illinois Rehabilitation Association, and was further recognized by the National Rehabilitation Association with the 2012 National Award for Media. In addition, WSCCIF is the arm of the Chamber of Commerce dedicated to providing educational and enriching programs in the Western Suburbs. In 2012, the Foundation served residents with events such as:

• The Electronics Recycling and Living Green Event held with Lyons Township High School.
• “Back to Work,” a free job retraining program geared to assisting out of work residents.
• Reality Store, a teaching exercise utilizing a “game of life” method to teach responsible decision-making to high school students.

WSCCIF is also the home of the Non-Profit Resource Committee, a group of dedicated, 501c3 agency representatives responsible for providing many crucial services in the west suburban region. The committee works together to share strategies and solutions for improving efficiency.

The Harvest Luncheon is open to the public and sponsored by Community Memorial Foundation, Vulcan Materials Company, The LaGrange Country Club, MB Financial Bank-LaGrange Park, Sharon Flaim, Greater LaGrange YMCA, and BEDS Plus. Proceeds of the event support the ongoing mission of WSCCIF.

For more information about the Harvest Event, sponsorship opportunities, or general information about the West Suburban Chamber and its mission, please visit wscci.org, or contact Katherine Leibforth at katherinel@wscci.org, or 708-387-7550.  For more information about Paul Schmitz, please visit publicallies.org.