DOWNERS GROVE

Rachel Maddow at Tivoli Theatre

The New York Times bestselling author and host of The Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC will be coming to Downers Grove on April 13 for an event hosted by Anderson’s Bookshop. Maddow will hold an author’s talk, followed by a question and answer period, according to Anderson’s. Tickets for the event are available with the purchase of Maddow’s book Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power from Anderson’s, according to the business. Those who attend the talk will receive an autographed copy of the book at the event.

Anderson’s Bookshop is located at 5112 Main St., Downers Grove. Or call 630-963-2665 for more information. Rachel Maddow will be at the Tivoli Theatre on Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. The Tivoli Theatre is located at 5021 Highland Ave. in Downers Grove.

NAPERVILLE

Goldfish Swim School Opening Summer 2013

A new swim school will soon be setting up shop in Naperville. The Goldfish Swim School, which has locations in Chicago, St. Charles and around the Midwest, has purchased a large warehouse space in Naperville.

The swim school purchased a 20,000-square-foot warehouse at 1688 Quincy Ave. The deal was brokered by Randolph J. Taylor of Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, who represented the Goldfish Swim School in the $1,595,000 purchase, according to a news release from Coldwell Banker Commercial. 

The swim school plans to open for classes in Naperville in summer 2013, according to the news release. The location is listed on the Goldfish Swim School website.

Goldfish Swim School keeps its pools set at 90 degrees to offer an inviting swim environment for its students, according to the Goldfish Swim School website. The swim school offers classes to children of all ages and abilities. 

New Yoga Studio Opens in Naperville

Naperville resident Brooke Tetik has opened a new yoga studio. Sundari Power Yoga opened on March 8.

The studio, which offers power yoga in a heated space, is located at 2863 95^th St., Suite 159 – in the same strip mall as the Jewel on Route 59.

Sundari Power Yoga promotes the practice of yoga for both physical and mental growth, according to Tetik.  The studio is also dedicated to helping students make the connection between physical practice and inner spirit. 

A variety of classes are offered including power vinyasa flow, yoga sculpt, slow flow, and yoga body bootcamp.

Learn more about the studio and its new student specials on its website or call 630-328-3454. 

Caroline Kennedy at Pfeiffer Hall

Caroline Kennedy, in conjunction with Anderson’s Bookshop, will visit Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton Ave., on the campus of North Central College at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 4.

Kennedy will be in Naperville to promote her new children’s poetry collection, Poems to Learn by Heart.

During the special program selected District 203 student readers will participate, there will be a Q&A segment with Kennedy, along with her presentation highlighting her new book, according to a news release from Anderson’s Bookshop.  A book signing will follow Kennedy’s presentation.

Tickets are required and available, while they last, from Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., in Naperville, 630-355-2665. A portion of ticket sales will benefit the Naperville Education Association’s Kid Boosters foundation.

HINSDALE

Foley Appointed President, CEO of The Hope Institute

Hinsdale’s Karen G. Foley has been appointed the President and Chief Executive Officer for The Hope Institute for Children and Families.

Her appointment was announced on March 13. Foley, a 16-year resident of Hinsdale, will assume her new role on March 18.

The Hope Institute for Children and Families is a nonprofit, which provides educational, residential and health services to children ages 5-21 with multiple challenges, including autism spectrum disorders.

“For the past 55 years, The Hope Institute has been a leading force in providing critically-needed services to some of our society’s most vulnerable individuals,” Foley said in a news release. “During that time, the record of innovation and forward-thinking fostered at Hope has changed our society’s view of those with developmental challenges and the ways in which those with differences receive services. I look forward to working with the talented and dedicated team at Hope to continue its mission to support children and their families to achieve optimum growth, independence and joy.”

Prior to her appointment, Foley served as the president of the nonprofit Chicago Scholars, an organization, which assisted talented, ambitious and underserved high school students to ensure they found success through college and beyond.

Foley has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from Kirkland College (since merged with Hamilton College) in New York. She served as president on the board of Mathcounts, a national program dedicated to increasing enthusiasm for mathematics among junior high school students as well as being an elected trustee of the Hinsdale Public Library, and the president of the foundation.

GLEN ELLYN

‘Bird’ Sales Benefitting Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center

Downtown Glen Ellyn business String Theory Yarn Company is selling hand knit birds customers have created and using the fund to benefit local nonprofit Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center.

The birds will be available at the store beginning on March 19, where they will be sold for $10 each, while supplies last.

The Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center provides afterschool and summer programs which emphasize literacy and community involvement, according to a news release from String Theory. Annually, the program serves over 80 immigrant, refugee and American born students from 14 different countries and groups.

Last year, downtown Glen Ellyn experienced a yarn bomb, when 100 knitted birds were hanging in around town, from light posts to flower boxes and perched on branches, according to String Theory Owner Janet Avila.

“People kept stopping in String Theory to buy them, but we didn’t have any to sell,” Avila said in a news release. “So this year when the organizer of the yarn bomb approached me about selling the birds to raise money for the GECRC, I thought it was a great idea.”

The knitted birds can be found at String Theory Yarn Company, 477 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn. Or learn more online.  Learn more about knitting the birds.

Have a business brief you would like to see published? Share it with Business Editor Mary Ann Lopez at maryl@patch.com.