Pastor Ray Launches New Children's Book

Pastor Ray has authored a children's book, Blow Wind Blow. The book launched on December 14 where he read the story to gathered families. Illustrated by Logan Square resident Alyson Beaton, the book tells the story of a young boy who is faced with a big decision. Though illustrated for children, the story has a message for all ages. For more information about the book, visit www.growbookspress.com.

A Very Merry Christmas Program.

The stage of Lutheran Day Nursery was transformed into a Christmas wonderland in preparation for our annual Christmas program on December 13. Over 50 parents and friends gathered to watch as the children performed holiday songs and a play depicting the events of the first Christmas. The teachers put lots of extra time and effort to make sure the children did their best. It was a wonderful program and a fitting start to everyone's Christmas celebration!

Special thanks to Lavinia Morozan, one of our parents, who created amazing costumes for the play; to Lilly Rodriguez and Sonia Pantoja, who did a spectacular job decorating the recreation room; and to the classroom staff for their great work with the kids.

To see pictures of the program, go to www.flickr.com/lutherandaynursery. Watch for a video of the program coming soon.

Community Service Learning

The children in Ms. Bennett's class participated in their own community service projects this month. First, with the help from families in Room 2B, they collected canned goods for a local food pantry. They learn counting skills while they also learn about helping others in need. Then, they turned athletic socks into snowmen. Ms. Bennett delivered the special socks to the residents of a suburban nursing home, many of whom are on Medicaid. Thanks, Ms. Bennett, for teaching the children the value of caring and sharing.

Christmas Art

The children helped design our annual Christmas card. Only one design could be used on the card, but they were all terrific. Enjoy their Christmas art.

The card includes our end-of-the-year appeal. If you would like to make a donation to help us help families, you can contribute online at http://www.lutherandaynursery.org/. All donations are tax deductible.

Giving Thanks For Family

Parents and children enjoyed a Thanksgiving luncheon together at Lutheran Day Nursery on November 23. The children made beautiful thanksgiving decorations for the tables and we enjoyed all the traditional food of the holiday including turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and pumpkin pie. We are always thankful for our involved moms and dads.

We Made History

Almost 70 people gathered on Friday, October 7, 2011, for "The Event of the Century", our celebration of 100 years of quality childcare, early childhood education, and family support. The evening was full of inspiring stories, special memories and wonderful fellowship around the tables. We enjoyed great food, a silent auction and the music of DJ MM. And we were inspired to follow in the footsteps of the amazing Lutheran Deaconesses that started Lutheran Day Nursery in 1911.

Thank you to everyone who attended or supported our event. We look forward to many more years of service to the Logan Square and Humboldt Park communities and to the impact we will make in the lives of children and families in the name of Christ.

To see pictures of the event, visit our new photo sharing site.

Reserve Your Place This Week

September 30 is the deadline to reserve your place for the Event of the Century--our celebration of 100 years of quality affordable childcare and early childhood education on Friday, October 7, 2011. See all the details below. Online payment is available. Contact us at 773-486-4222 to let us know you're coming.

The Event of the Century

Watch for your invitation to 'The Event of the Century', our 100th anniversary celebration on Friday, October 7, 2011. We will gather at 6:30 pm at the Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Rd. in Rosemont, IL, for a great meal and a program filled with inspiring stories, great memories, and more.

Tickets for the event are $100 per adult. Children's tickets are $25 per child ages 12 and under.

Not on our mailing list? Link to our web site to purchase your tickets online (be sure to include the names of those who will attend.)

Join us on October 7, 2011, and be a part of the legacy that is Lutheran Day Nursery!

Summer Fun

During the summer months, the children of Lutheran Day get to experience lots of special activities and field trips. Trips have included Ryerson Woods in Lincolnshire, IL, Brookfield Zoo, Pump It Up, and more. The children also saw butterflies emerge from their crysalises. They even pretended to be butterflies and sipped "nectar" from flowers. To see more pictures of our summer activities, visit our Facebook page.

Save the Date

Lutheran Day Nursery Association will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Friday, October 7, 2011, with "The Event of the Century", a gala event at the Rosewood Restaurant in Rosemont, IL. Please plan to join us for an evening of great food, fond memories and the opportunity to reconnect to the ongoing story of LDN.

We are looking for stories of how Lutheran Day Nursery impacted people's lives. Feel free to share your story as a comment or on our Facebook page.

Announcing Our First Technology Raffle

Tickets are now available for our first Technology Raffle Fundraiser to support the early childhood education programs at Lutheran Day Nursery. Each ticket costs $5.00 and can be purchased at the Lutheran Day Nursery office, located at 1802 N. Fairfield in Chicago or from a current parent or staff member. Here is a complete list of prizes.

• A Dell Inspiron Mini netbook (value: $300) Loaded with Windows 7; Includes a protective case


• Sharper Image Literati Wireless Reader (value: $250) Full color screen; Includes 150 free books


• Casio EX-Z16 Digital Camera (value: $100) 12.1 megapixels Includes battery charger


• IO GEAR Solar Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit (value: $75) works with Bluetooth enabled smart phones, PDAs, etc; Built-in solar panels charge the unit on the go


• Lettuce Entertain You Gift Cards (value: $50) Accepted at participating Lettuce Entertain You restaurants; No expiration date


• Groupon for Geja’s Café (value: $50 - $60) Fine dining at one of Chicago’s best fondue restaurants; Expires November 30, 2011

Only 1,100 tickets will be printed. The more tickets you buy, the better your chance of winning! The drawing for prizes will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2011, at Lutheran Day Nursery. Ticket holders do not need to be present to win.

Dr. Suess Week

The children in Ms. Bennett's classroom (Room 3-4) celebrated Dr. Suess Week by making green eggs and ham! Did they like them? Well, they all got to try them at least. In addition to the unusual breakfast, the children read many Dr. Suess books through the week.

Riding Campbell's Soup Labels

When the weather is frightful, indoor fun is delightful. And the children at Lutheran Day have a delightful time riding Campbell's Soup Labels. Actually, they ride scooters. But we were able to get the scooters thanks to your contributions of labels from Campbells, Peppridge Farm and other "Labels for Education" products. Please keep them coming! Each year, we are able to provide additional resources for our classrooms with the labels you collect. Thank you!

When Life Gives You Snow...

While snow makes travel, parking and walking difficult, it is the perfect material for building a snowman in the playground. The children in Room 4 worked together to roll the snow, add twig arms and a face. Unfortunately, the temperatures warmed up and within days, "Frosty" was just a puddle. It was fun while it lasted.

Blizzard of 2011 Shuts Down Lutheran Day

For the first time in many years, Lutheran Day was forced to close for two days due to the historic snow storm on February 1-2, 2011. The city of Chicago was immobilized with over 20 inches of snow and wind gusts of over 65 mph. While parents spent their days digging out their cars, homes, streets and alleys, the children got to experience the fun of snow days.

Christmas Program

Each classroom participated in the 2010 Christmas Program on December 14. The children sang songs of the season and our oldest classroom of 3 and 4 year olds presented the story of the birth of Jesus, complete with costumes. Thanks to one of our parents, you can see their songs on YouTube. Follow the link and enjoy! www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG8rZmOwm4A