Even thundering snow couldn’t stop Cinderella from attending the Ball this year. The DeKalb County Youth Service Bureau presented the 2^nd Annual Royal Children’s Ball on Friday evening amidst the late winter blast.

The event was once again hosted at NIU’s Altgeld Hall and rolled out the red carpet treatment for children from the moment they arrived. This year’s ‘guests of honor’ enjoyed dancing, magic, royal salon treatment, raffles, family photos, games, crafts and even a special appearance from Cinderella and her prince, compliments of the Stage Coach Players.  

“This event is a great way to engage families and support a good cause at the same time. There were over 400 in attendance this year, which says a lot about how fun this event is for families with young children.”  - Michelle Nelson, Fundraising/Development Chair for the YSB Board of Directors.

The Youth Service Bureau is a non-profit counseling agency that has served DeKalb County youth and their families for over 40 years. They provide reduced-cost services including individual and family counseling, groups, and specialty programs for court involved youth, runaway youth, and youth suspended from school.

“In the past three years, we’ve seen significant increases in youth that are suffering from complex mental health issues and families that are in crisis with little support. Meanwhile, state funding is less reliable than ever. The Royal Children’s Ball is fun for families and allows us to help the families that need it most in our community.” – Jason Nicol, Executive Director.

The Royal Children’s Ball, which generates between $15,000 – $20,000 each year, is an affordable and fun activity for the entire family with non-stop action. It takes a lot of support from sponsors, vendors, and volunteers to make the night magical and memorable for the youngsters.

Becki Huml, who attended the Ball with husband Joey, daughters Maddie (7) and Avery (5), and their son Elijah (1 ½ ) “My daughter Avery couldn’t believe it when she heard that there were professional stylists ready to pamper them with hair and make-up.  She begged me to take her there from the moment we arrived at the ball.  She couldn’t stop smiling after seeing her hair and make-up. My girls were literally skipping down the hallway singing ‘this is the best night of our lives!’”

For tickets, click here

Come one, come all to the…

Royal Children’s Ball   

An enchanted evening for children pre-school through elementary and their families filled with music, food, dancing, and other majestic family activities.

When:    Friday, March 2^nd, 2012

Where:  Altgeld Castle on the campus of NIU

Tickets: $15 per family member

Presented by: DeKalb County Youth Service Bureau

For Tickets or More Info:  815-748-2010 or click here

Don’t worry, you did not miss Halloween, the fabulous costumes you saw were actually guests of the “Totally Awesome 80’s Bash” fundraiser put on by Children’s Home + Aid and the DeKalb County Youth Service Bureau.

Guests of the event were taken down memory lane and partied like it was 1989 to the sounds of Madonna, Michael Jackson, REO Speedwagon and more. Highlights of the evening included a jaw-dropping performance by a Michael Jackson impersonator, vintage 80’s music by DJ BStarr, and a dance floor full of questionable 80’s dance moves!

The 80’s Bash was a collaboration between two local youth-serving organizations and raised over $8,000!

• Children’s Home + Aid – provides vulnerable children and families with prevention services for children at risk of child abuse and neglect
• Youth Service Bureau – provides counseling and supportive services to at-risk adolescents and low income families throughout DeKalb County.

The Totally Awesome 80’s Bash was made possible by the generous support from KishHealth, Daily Chronicle, Raimonde Drilling, Upstaging, and Andrew’s Chiropractic. The Beth Fowler School of Dance performed a dazzling choreographed routine for the audience. Over 60 local businesses generously donated items for the silent auction and prizes for the 80’s trivia contest and raffles.

Tickets are now available by clicking here, or by calling 815-899-0137

Jason Nicol, Executive Director of the Youth Service Bureau, accepts a check for $100 from Sycamore High School graduate, Karsten Larson. Karsten was awarded the $100 by the Sycamore Rotary for being Student of the Month in April and decided to donate it to YSB’s VolunTEEN Program. Karsten learned about the VolunTEEN Program through her involvement with Youth Engaged in Philanthropy at the DeKalb County Community Foundation.

“It’s really a fun, fast-paced event that raises a lot of money to help youth and families in need of services,” – executive director Jason Nicol. “In just 90 minutes, we were able to raise over $4,000!”

Participants had plenty of opportunities to bid as there were over 100 bikes donated from the City of DeKalb, City of Sycamore, and from the community. Blue Van Moving & Storage helps transport the bikes each year.

The proceeds will go towards YSB programming, which includes counseling, 24 hour/day runaway & lockout assistance, drug and alcohol prevention, school suspension, and many more. YSB’s mission is to assist youth as they build healthy lives and relationships with their family, friends, and community.

Almburg Auctioneering donated their expertise and volunteers from Target Distribution Center and the Genoa Knights of Columbus were on hand to help with the event. Kishwaukee Community Hospital and the Daily Chronicle are the top annual sponsors of YSB.

 “It’s vital that we get youth the help that they need as early as possible. The better we do this, the greater impact on the child’s education, family life, and our community as a whole. We provide reduced-cost services to DeKalb County residents which means more people have access to the help they need. We are very thankful to all who made this event such a success!” – Jason Nicol.

Bids on bikes start at $5.00!!  WOW!!  

Garage Sale Items– everything must go!!!

When:
Saturday, May 21st.

Viewing starts at 9 a.m., bidding at 9:30am

Where:
The YSB Parking Lot

Payment:
Cash, Credit Card, Check

YSB is still looking for additional bike donations for the Bike Auction. 

If you have a bike, please
contact us to coordinate a drop-off.

By:  Robin Waffle, MS, CADC

Prom season is nearing!  This is a time of celebration for all of our high school students.  There are many activities planned including the big dance, after party, and a weekend full of plans.  Our teens love to get together and “party”.   During this time of commemoration we as caring adults need to watch over our youth.  Sometimes prom events can get out of control.  Some teens like to add alcohol to their celebration thinking that it is the “expected” thing to do.  They feel like it is a rite of passage. 

Celebrating students don’t use good judgment when it comes to alcohol use.  During these times they tend to binge drink which could cause emergency health issues, even death.  That is why we need to talk to our teens about drinking.  Let your teens know that it is not okay for them to drink.  Let them know of the health risks including potential seizures, coma, and death.  Keep talking.  Teens need to hear things several times.  The more you talk to your teen about this topic the more likely they are to remember what was said and be able to resist peer pressure. 
 

You can look for signs of alcohol use by your teens.

• Hug them when they return home from a graduation party.  It is possible to smell alcohol on a person’s breath.  
• Listen for slurred speech. 
• Look for staggering and lack of coordination. 
• Check for signs of nausea and vomiting.  If you find that your teen has been drinking seek medical attention if needed.  

Are you concerned that your teen is experimenting with alcohol?  YSB has a program that can help.  The Alcohol/Drug Early Intervention Program offers alcohol/drug assessments and early intervention groups that will assist teens in making wiser decisions about these issues.  For more information please call us at 815-748-2010.