With paddles and canoes strapped to the tops of their cars, people from all over the country and all corners of Illinois headed to the Oak Spring Road Canoe Launch in Libertyville, Ill. for the 51st Annual Des Plaines River Canoe Marathon.

Local Author Dena Tyson publishes her first book “Give Me the Strength”, a truly inspiring, witty and courageous story, about taking back control of your life. Depicting a young man who suffers a stroke behind the wheel, finding himself in the middle of rush hour traffic. Taking a quote from the novel “the more you do the better you become” were the words of his wife of eighteen years who took his life into her own hands. She never allowed him to stop believing that he could. He never lost hope, and he never gave up. This is an incredible story and is available at www.denatyson.com.

Sunrise Beach in Lake Bluff was packed with plungers and spectators in the early afternoon March 1. People and groups from around the state came out to support the event which raises money for the Special Olympics.

NeighborhoodCircle.com's resident TV Fiend Heather Leszczewicz got the chance of a lifetime: She went to the Oscars. Here are some of her personal photos from her experience as a bleacher fan on the red carpet.