CHICAGO — Two Northwest Side aldermen will dip into their campaign funds to buy pizza and booze for any teacher who stops by Bije's Grill and Bar, 7455 W. Irving Park Road, on Friday afternoon.
The Dunning meetup marks the fourth annual Teacher Appreciation Reception hosted by Ald. Nicholas Sposato (38th) in his ward, and this year Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) will join the event as a co-sponsor, he said.
"The teachers around here do a great job, and I personally think they have one of the most underpaid jobs out there," Sposato said. "So we just want to show a small token of our appreciation."
Educators who show up to Bije's between 3:30-6 p.m. Friday will be treated to the restaurant's pizza and salad, plus one drink of their choice, courtesy of the aldermen. Sposato won't ask teachers to show credentials, instead trusting those taking advantage of the offer to really be teachers, he said.
Sposato spent more than $1,000 on the event in previous years, and this year he'll spare no expense again, he said.
"People didn't just grab domestic beers and well drinks — they were going for the Grey Goose, stuff like that," the alderman said. "If you want to treat yourself to a $5 beer, that's fine."
