Geneva resident Erika Wackenhut attracted kids for a game at an annual holiday party for residents of Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora on Dec. 15. Wackenhut, a social worker and shelter after-school program volunteer, is West Aurora School District 129's homeless liaison stationed at the shelter. In the background are Santa and Mrs. Claus, Ted and Marianne Wilkinson of Yorkville, who surprised shelter residents at the yule party with holiday stories and candy canes. 

One of the things they teach you in Patch training is to avoid taking your own picture. Whatever you do, they say, avoid the shot where you're reflected in the window when you're taking that directory listing photo of the Strawflower Shop. It's just a little harder to do than you might think, as evidenced by the two photos you see here. The first, a shadowy reflection of myself, gets in the way of my efforts to shoot the silhouette of a city worker putting the finishing touches on a "patch" job along East Side Drive. This was one of those cases of government doing good, responding to concerns…

This "Moments" column has Rick Nagel's name and mug shot on it, but this particular moment was captured by Geneva Patch freelance photographer Terence Guider-Shaw. I wanted this photo to get special, standalone attention because (a) it's such a great shot, (b) there's just so much joy on the faces of the players, and (c) that game really has the chance to spark a late-season surge for this very talented soccer team. "Entering Thursday's game against state-ranked St. Charles North with a losing record, Geneva's boys soccer team left the field brimming with newfound confidence and enthusiasm …

Wednesday was the first day of school, Thursday was the first full day of classes, and Friday was the first football game of the season. Labor Day is just around the corner, with the promise of the annual Folk Music & Storytelling Festival at Island Park, and it won't be long after that Genevans turn their attention to Festival of the Vine. But on this 90-degree day in August, summer holds on for one last moment at Sunset Pool. Today is the last of the season at the pool, which had a great year. At the August Park Board meeting, Superintendent of Recreation Jay Kelly said revenue from daily …