More than 100 parent chefs and bakers from the Downers Grove North High School Parents’ Club brought in food and beverages for the annual Holiday Tea last month.

The tea is hosted by the group every holiday season as a way of thanking the teachers and staff at the high school, and it is a big event.

Club member Debbie Hare said about 300 teachers and staff members attended the festivities. The tea was held in the school library, which “was decorated to represent a peppermint candyland,” Hare said. Those contributing food brought in drinks, appetizers, desserts and even main courses.

“Anything from Swedish meatballs to fruit trays,” Hare said. “The variety of foods was wonderful and was especially welcomed by staff and teachers.”

Thirty-five parents came in to help set up, serve the food, and then later take down the peppermint decorations and clean up again.

“The staff and teachers came in to eat and chat with one another between 2 and 4 p.m. They all seemed to enjoy the festive atmosphere and the holiday entertainment provided by students,” Hare said. “The Chamber Choir came in and sang during scheduled choir classes and a jazz trio came in after school to add to the holiday mood.”

Mary Dawes and Jean Stawarz, co-chairs of the Holiday Tea, said they are grateful to everyone who helped make the event possible. While the more than 100 bakers are too numerous to all be named, the volunteers who assisted on the day of the event and also baked are: Margie Anderson, Amanda Barbaro, Sue Black, Gwen Box, Dawn Callahan, Alison Clemens, Chris Colletti, Kim Consentino, Dana Eldridge, Mary Beth Frederick, Pat Gusior, Peggy Gutzke, Howard Hohnsen, Nick Hohnsen and Sue Knoebel.

This list also includes Connie Larson, Tamba Loll, Molly Lorch, Becky McKay, Barbara Mech, Deborah Morrill, Lynne Mulvey, Laura Poad, Mary Przbyl, Mary Rakowski, Sandra Randa, Sharon Roth, Liz Rudy, Cheryl Scantlen, Darby Schober, Linda Schranz, Aldona Sharif, Lori Steffen, Debi Thompson, Tana Williams and Ginger Worlds.

In other news

Financial and intellectual nourishment, as opposed to the edible kind, was the order of the day when the Downers Grove Area Branch of the American Association of University Women recently announced this year’s Back to the Books Scholarship winners.

Coleen Walter of Westmont and Cathy Dees of Downers Grove co-chair the Educational Foundation Committee, which interviews applicants.

“Back in November, when our scholarship committee interviewed candidates, we were very impressed with the women we spoke to,” Walter said. “We awarded a total $6,000 split among three women.”

They are Esther Last of Westmont, Alma Klein of Lisle and Amy Polivka of Downers Grove. Last and Klein both attend Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. Polivka attends Rush University and is getting her bachelor’s in science nursing, which she hopes to use in the labor/delivery or mother/baby unit of a hospital.

The AAUW annual used book sale, to be held at Puffer Elementary School in Downers Grove June 12 to June 14, is the fundraiser by which the branch earns money to support these scholarships. For more information on AAUW membership, the book sale or the scholarships, visit www.aauw-il.org/downersgrove or e-mail Dgaauwusedbks@yahoo.com.