Lemont Girl Battling Brain Tumor Gets 'My Little Pony' Birthday Surprise

Teachers from Oakwood School surprised 8-year-old Ellie Cuiching on Friday with a purple and pony wonderland at her home. She was also visited by a real-life pony from Kopping Farms.

Ellie Cuiching, a Lemont girl battling a rare brain tumor, got the birthday surprise of a lifetime Friday thanks to several generous teachers, parents and community members. Lenore Duffy, Ellie's second-grade teacher at Oakwood School, led a small group in turning her front yard into a "My Little Pony" wonderland after school. Ellie, who officially turned 8 years old Sunday, loves ponies, flowers and the color purple, so the group decorated her yard with colorful signs, ribbons and plenty of "My Little Pony" gifts. "Ellie and her family have gone through so much. It's really a miracle to see how far she's come since her diagnosis," Duffy said. "I wanted to do something special to celebrate her birthday and give her something to smile about…

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Editor's Corner

Happy Birthday, Lemont Patch!

Sept. 10 marks the first anniversary of the site, and we owe big thank you to our loyal readers.

What a difference a year makes. On Sept. 10, 2010, I spent most of the day battling nerves, stress and adrenaline as Lemont Patch went live to the world. It was something I had been waiting for all summer, but when it finally came I wondered if anyone would actually visit and if the hard work would pay off. Thankfully, people came. And the hard work? I can only hope it's made as much of a difference to you as it has to me. I have never been prouder of anything as I am to be the editor of Lemont Patch. This first year has been both amazing and stressful, and I am so grateful for all of the experiences it has brought me. Since launching last fall, we've grown from having a few hundred loyal readers to tens of thousands of visitors. We've …

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Lemont Boy Uses Birthday to Raise Money for Park District

Budding philanthropist Milo Greenspon, 5, raised $3,625 for the Lemont Park District by asking for donations in lieu of birthday presents.

For most kids, birthdays are all about cake and presents. For 5-year-old Lemont resident Milo Greenspon, birthdays are about giving back to the community. Every year, Greenspon chooses a different local organization and asks family members and friends for donations in lieu of gifts. In the past, the young philanthropist has chosen the Lemont Police Department and the Special Olympics Torch Run. This September, he chose the Lemont Park District. "This year Milo chose the Lemont Park District because of his fond memories associated with the Park District programs and he wants other children to experience such wonderful memories," said Catherine Greenspon, Milo's mom. During his birthday party at the CORE Fitness and Aquatics Complex on Sept…

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