Highland Park Neighbors Magazine Articles

This March, the Highland Park Community Foundation’s (HPCF) Associate Leadership Council (ALC) is bringing Bocce Night back after its successful debut in 2020. On Saturday, March 7, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., the ALC will host the event at the Highwood Bocce Club, offering residents of Highland Park and Highwood a fun, welcoming evening of friendly competition, connection, and an opportunity to learn more about HPCF’s mission of giving where you live.

Designed as an accessible and fun introduction to the Foundation’s work (HPCF), Bocce Night aims to connect new audiences with HPCF in a relaxed, social setting. For ALC member Ken Sabino, who is helping to lead the event, the evening is about visibility, outreach, and strengthening community ties. It also continues the tradition of bringing people together through fun community-focused gatherings.

“The goal of the event is to raise awareness about HPCF, especially the ALC, and the good work being done to support residents,” Ken shared. “A lot of it is also about bringing in people who may not know about us yet but want to give back to their community.”

That focus on expanding awareness is central to the ALC’s mission. As ALC Co-Chair and HPCF Governing Board member Taryn Kessel explained, the ALC plays a key role in broadening the Foundation’s reach.

“We’re really trying to expand our visibility and attract different demographics in the area,” Taryn said. “We want to reach more people who might want to get involved or become donors to support our mission.”

Beyond hosting events, the ALC serves as a bridge between the HPCF and the next generation of community leaders. “Our role is really about building future leaders,” Taryn shared. “Before the ALC started, I felt like the visibility of the Foundation skewed toward a demographic rooted in the original founders. But there are so many younger families and returning residents who were raised here and are now raising families of their own.”

Many of those residents, she noted, are searching for meaningful ways to give back, often without realizing that HPCF already exists and aligns with their values. “They may not know about the Foundation,” Taryn said, “but it’s exactly what they’re looking for. Our work touches so many lives in the community.”

From supporting cultural and creative arts, education, human services, senior services, and services for individuals with disabilities, HPCF’s reach is broad. “We really cast a wide net in strengthening this community,” Taryn explained. “The ALC helps make that work more visible to a younger cohort, so more people want to be involved.”

At its core, Bocce Night is meant to be joyful and inclusive. “This is just supposed to be a really fun night to come together,” Ken said. “It’ll be an inexpensive way for people to get out of the house, have fun, and help spread the word about HPCF and the ALC.” Taryn echoed that sentiment, adding, “I think it’s going to be an entertaining night that helps raise awareness about who we are and what we do.”

With friendly competition, shared purpose, and a commitment to connection, the ALC’s Bocce Night reflects the heart of HPCF — bringing people together to strengthen the community they call home.

For more information about Bocce Night, email info@hpcfil.org. To purchase tickets for the event please visit tinyurl.com/alcbocce