April 12, 2025
NewsSportsNewslettersShaw Local RadioeNewspaperLocal EventsStarved Rock Country

Lighted Way in La Salle to host spaghetti supper April 28 at Uptown Grill

By Maribeth M. Wilson
Containers of spaghetti are prepared during the 24th annual Lighted Way Spaghetti dinner on Monday, March 27, 2023 at Uptown in La Salle.

The Lighted Way Children’s Developmental Center in La Salle will be hosting its annual spaghetti supper from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 28, at Uptown Grill, 601 First St., La Salle. (Scott Anderson)

The Lighted Way Children’s Developmental Center in La Salle will be hosting its annual spaghetti supper from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 28, at Uptown Grill, 601 First St., La Salle.

The dinner is dine-in, drive-thru or carryout. The cost is $15 per meal, cash or check only. Cash raffle tickets are $5 and a basket raffle ticket is $1. Raffle baskets are on display inside.

This year’s dinner will have a special touch, as paraprofessional April Selving thought it would be a nice touch to use the dinner to teach the community more about Lighted Way.

“Several weeks ago, [Selving] said wouldn’t it be cool if we used the spaghetti supper to better educate the community about the different syndromes and disabilities our kids have,” Executive Director Jessica Kreiser said.

Each of these 30 raffle baskets represents a syndrome or a disability that a student of Lighted Way has been diagnosed with. They were created as a way to further educated the community.

Each of these 30 raffle baskets represents a syndrome or a disability that a student of Lighted Way has been diagnosed with. They were created as a way to further educated the community. (Maribeth Wilson)

Kreiser said she wasn’t sure what that would look like. Selving up-cycled used sanitizer wipe containers to create different raffle baskets.

Each of the 30 baskets represents a syndrome or a disability that a student of Lighted Way has been diagnosed with.

“So, this was full staff participation,” Kreiser said. “I’m so proud of the team, because this took a lot of time ... and every single one of these is different.”

Kreiser said it’s important that people realize Lighted Way is in the business of educating the community; one way is through events like the spaghetti dinner or by taking the students into the community.

“What’s happens is community members watch our staff,” she said. “They watch how we communicate with our nonverbal students. They watch what are mannerisms are, you know how do we handle these things.”

Kreiser said the proceeds from this year’s dinner will go toward creating shade for the playground.

“I realize that might sound strange,” she said. “But, right now our beautiful playground is completely sun and many of our students have heat allergies or are heat regulated medications.”

To donate or if you have questions call Lighted Way at 815-224-1345 or email Kreiser at jkreiser@lway1.org.

Have a Question about this article?