One S’more Summer Night

August 31, 2026

With the new school year on the near horizon, our young people enjoyed the waning hours of summer with events at both campuses. At the West Loop Campus, our young men gathered in the soccer building to watch a screening of Marvel’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”  

Our young people enjoyed movie treats like freshly popped popcorn, cookies, walking tacos, and soft drinks.

Under clearer summer skies over the Walsh Campus backyard, our coworkers brought out the barbeque grills and smokers to treat our young women to a feast of home-cooked ribs and flank steak.  

Advancement’s Joe Wronka and Jim Marrese each brought their best grilling game and filled the air with the memorable aromas of a classic summer picnic as they battled over who made the best ribs. The official results are still being tabulated, but our young people enjoyed all of the delicious food. Alan Mares-Green cooked the steaks and prepared a special Chimichurri sauce. Special thanks to Barb Bandyk and the Walsh kitchen team for helping to prepare a classic summer barbecue.    

After dinner, youth and coworkers gathered around the campfire to enjoy s’mores and good conversations. Some talked about their experiences with their first days of school while others learned about the art of making the perfect s’more.  

It was an opportunity to relax and take in the last moments of summer while deepening relationships with peers and coworkers. Making that opportunity possible was a special donation by Kevin Collins who provided a new fire pit and six Adirondack chairs, along with marshmallow roasting gear.    

Once the sun went down, our young people gathered on the lawn to watch the animated movie “Elemental” on the inflatable screen.  

While our young people enjoyed a summer filled with learning and growing, we are excited about all they will achieve in the new school year.