There’s one good thing about this brutally cold weather — the “ice and snow sculpture” is back. About a week ago, Winfield resident John Neuman ventured out to his front yard and started to put a base together for his infamous ice and snow sculpture.
“I didn’t know it was going to be this cold for this long,” he said.

“First I wrapped strings of lights around the base’s inside so this would make the sculpture glow like a volcano and brighten up the area,” Neuman said. 

Last year’s balmy December and January prevented Neuman from creating his sculpture. 

He made several valiant attempts but all ended in a melted mass of ice and snow.
This year Neuman has not lost his touch — the sculpture is looking pretty, especially at night and growing every day. 

But the frigid weather made it quite difficult.

“My hose kept freezing right up to the house,” Neuman said. “I had to keep thawing the hose using a hair dryer.” he said.

If the weather forecasters are correct and cold temperatures continue, the sculpture could last well into spring, Neuman said.

District 34 kindergarten registration
Winfield Elementary School District 34 will have its annual kindergarten registration at 7 p.m. Monday, March 19, in Room 135 at the Primary School, 0S159 Winfield Road. This is an informational meeting for parents only.

Parents who have children who will be age 5 on or before Saturday, Sept. 1, are encouraged to attend. A variety of topics, such as registration procedures and how to prepare the child for kindergarten, will be discussed. Children will be invited to an open house at a later date. Parents must bring proof of residency (such a utility or property tax bill) as well as the child’s birth certificate from the county, not the hospital.

 The district will also be conducting a free screening Tuesday, March 6, for children ages 3 to 5, who are not yet in kindergarten, who have not been screened before. For details, call Maureen at the district office, (630) 909-4901.

St. John’s fish fry
St. John’s Knights of Columbus members will cook and serve their first fish fry dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 in St. John’s School Hall, 0S257 Church St. The cost is $7 and includes fish, baked potato, cole slaw, dessert and a beverage.

The St. John’s Council of Catholic Women will join the knights in serving the fish fry’s during the five Fridays in Lent, March 2, 9, 16 and the 23. CCW will donate their proceeds to the chapel renovation, said Grand Knight Bill Brach.

Winfield United tree sale
Winfield United volunteers will host its second native tree sale sometime in April. Last year‘s tree sale took place April 24, and all 104 trees were sold out in the sale’s first half our. WU plans to increase its inventory this year. WU volunteers also will distributed 1,148 native trees (sycamores and maples) to students at four local elementary schools.