Welcome to Tri-Cities Central, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting local happenings in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and surrounding communities.
Get yours: subscribe here. Refer a friend: share this link.
Team registration is now open for Tri-Cities Canstruction, a first-of-its-kind community competition coming to Waubonsee Community College in February 2027 — a collaborative effort from the Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles Chambers of Commerce.
“We are incredibly grateful to Waubonsee Community College for embracing this vision and helping us build the foundation for a successful regional event,” said Margaret Perreault, President and CEO of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce and Tri-Cities Canstruction Co-Chair.
Here's what to know:
The build: Teams will use 2,000 to 4,000 canned food items to construct large sculptures, with every can donated to local food pantries after the event. This year's theme, "Harmony for Hunger," asks teams to build music-inspired structures.
Who can join: Businesses, schools, nonprofits, civic groups, architects, engineers, contractors, students, and designers are all eligible. Each team just needs an architect, engineer, designer, contractor, or builder on board to make sure the structure is sound.
A credit for early teams: Northwestern Medicine is funding a $650 credit toward canned food purchases through ALDI or Woodman's for the first six eligible registered teams, using a bulk purchasing program meant to streamline ordering. Chamber organizer teams from Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles aren't eligible for the credit, leaving more room for community businesses and groups to claim it.
Even if you're not building: People who don't want to build can still pick a team and food pantry to support with a donation on the event website. Any leftover funds go straight to that pantries.
“Tri-Cities Canstruction is a wonderful example of what our communities can accomplish when we work together to combine creativity, compassion, and service,” said Carrie Schneider, Executive Director of the St. Charles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Hollywood Casino Aurora is the presenting sponsor, with Grand Appliance and Target also signing on to back the event. Registration, sponsorship info, and donations are all available here.
📖 Thanks for reading
Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.
Not signed up yet? Subscribe here.