Happy 2012!



We here at WGIC hope the first month of your new year has been super positive and successful.  To all those getting married in 2012 (special shout out to Jen and Pete :D), congratulations!  To everyone else with events planned in this year of the Dragon, Happy Planning.

 

Happy Casimir Pulaski Day!

As some of you may already know today is Casimir Pulaski Day, which honors a man who is considered a war hero in both the United States and in Poland.

We decided to share some background/info/stats/interesting information about Mr. Casimir Pulaski and his Special Day:

*Casimir Pulaski Day was declared in 1997 by the Illinois General Assembly

*The holiday is celebrated on the first Monday in March

*The holiday seeks to honor the heritage of Polish-Americans

*Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw

*Casimir was believed to have been the person who saved General George Washington’s life in 1777.

*Casimir is known for his contributions to the U.S. military in the American Revolution by training its soldiers and cavalry.


*Pulaski died from wounds suffered at the Siege of Savannah on October 9, 1779.


*Chicago Public Schools, Cook County government offices, the Chicago Public Library, Springfield Public Schools, and state-wide public and private schools close on this holiday.



Hope all the chilies enjoyed their day off! Happy Pulaski Day y'all!

Happy President's Day

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Presidents' Day, originally known as Washington's Birthday, falls on the third Monday of February.  We hope you all have the day off and are enjoying our great city.




Events Happening Around Chicago (February 21)
         
          1.  Parkway Drive Preform - 5:30pm, House of Blues

MLK Day

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day today we wanted to leave you with one of our favorite quotes from the inspirational, influential man himself:

"Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Dr. King also frequently asked 'what are you doing for others?' What better way to celebrate this amazing life than to give back.  Choose a cause that means something to you, and go for it.  Do you love animals, children, an eco-friendly world? Then make it happen.

Love one another, spread peace and spread acceptance. Have a great day, everyone!

Elfster.com

We love this idea.  Almost everyone is involved in at least one Secret Santa give-away each year. Whether it's for work or the family, it's almost inevitable!

Well this year, we've found a way to make the gift giving as easy as pie.  Elfster.com is the online Secret Santa mecca.  Just enter everyone's name and email address and click DRAW and the program RANDOMLY matches names.  With everyone being so busy these days, having an online version of SS is uber convenient!

Benefits of Elfster.com

1. You can post links to your 'wish list' so your Secret Santa has no trouble finding what you really want this year 

2. You can anonymously ask your gift recipient questions to help you buy

3. You can FB Connect. Meaning you can post to Elfster.com through Facebook and even use your Facebook profile picture as your Elfster.com photo.

4. Names are stored and can be used again next year - saves you the time and hassle of re-entering information

5. It's FREE!!

6. It's Green! No paper pieces being wasted to pull names :)  Every little bit helps.

Start your own Elfster community at Elfster.com today!

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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We hope the luck of the Irish is on your side, and you have a wonderful day celebrating with friends and family. Make sure your celebration ends safely: designate a driver or take advantage of pubic transportation to get you home.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the WGIC Team!

St. Patrick's Day March 17th

St. Patty's day is almost upon us (we still can't believe how fast this year has gone), and we want you to be prepared!  There are so many great ways to celebrate, even if you aren't Irish. Because the holiday falls on a weekday this year, the big parade falls on the Saturday prior (March 13th).

The Downtown Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at noon on Saturday, March 13th.  But get there early to see the river died green. Or if you can't be there in person, check out this awesome stop motion video of the river changing its hue.



The South Side Irish St. Patrick's Day Fest will also take place on Saturday, March 13th with activities for guests all ages.  Events will include food and live entertainment, as well as an array of contests.  Please see the above link for more information on the festivities.