Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—August 17, 2009. With Park Forest Schools opening on August 20 there is no doubt that summer is drawing to a close. However, there is still time to enjoy some of the remaining summer events and start planning for fall activities.
Send information concerning your community activities or events during the upcoming week by e-mail to Rosemary Piser, Associate Editor, with the details. Submission deadline is noon on Friday of each week.
Village of Park Forest Board and Commission Meetings
The following Village Boards and Commissions will meet the week of August 17:
- Plan Commission –Tuesday, August 18 at 7 p.m.
All meetings are held at Village Hall, 350 Victory Drive. Residents are encouraged to attend.
Park Forest Health Department, 350 Victory Drive (lower level)
School and “Sports Only” Physicals
Children of Park Forest and the surrounding area who are going into preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grades are required to have a school physical. A fee of $41 will be charged for Park Forest residents and $46 for non-residents (cash only) on:
- Saturday, August 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and
- Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Appointments are required. To make an appointment or for further information, call 708-748-1118.
Arts and Entertainment
Man of La Mancha Theater & Lunch Senior Trip
On Thursday, October 1 at 11:15 a.m. participants will depart from Freedom Hall and head to the Theatre at the Center in Munster, Indiana. Lunch will be served before the show and you can choose between roast sirloin of beef or baked cod accompanied with two sides and dessert. Following lunch, sit back and enjoy the Tony Award winning play, Man of La Mancha – the musical based on Cervantes’ Don Quixote. The fee of $58.00 per person includes round-trip coach bus, lunch and the show. Registration deadline is September 2 (tickets are non-refundable). Register in-person at the Recreation and Parks Department of Park Forest Village Hall (350 Victory Drive) or over the phone with a credit card by calling 708-748-2005.
Prairie State College (PSC), 202 S. Halsted, Chicago Heights
Foodapalooza to Benefit Respond Now
The fourth annual Foodapalooza event will be held on Saturday, August 29 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Parking Lot C of PSC. Foodapalooza will feature eight live performances for the admission price of five or more non-perishable food items to benefit Respond Now, a community agency located in Chicago Heights that serves more than 2,700 people a month. Performances will include: Alaya Conscious, Circus Boy, Copperhead Road, Lupe Martinez, Month of Grey, Nine Point Nine, the Prairie State Collage Jazz Band, and Replay. There will also be family-friendly activities including clowns and games. Food vendors will be on site selling a variety of items including ice cream, Italian ice, popcorn, and pop.
Suggested items for donation include tuna, canned spam, peanut butter, jams and jellies, canned vegetables, pork and beans, canned soup, cereals, canned fruits, macaroni and cheese, instant potatoes, spaghetti sauce, pasta, canned salmon, canned stews and pastas, and packaged rice and noodle mixes. For more information, call PSC at 708-709-3500.
Tall Grass Gallery, 367 Artists Walk, Park Forest
With These Hands – 2009 Sculpture Invitational –Thru September 13
A varied compilation of sculptural works will be shown by artists Joshua Andres, Patrician Bohannon, Louis Greer, John Hansen, Angela Lee, Michele P. Owens, Michael Ruback, Eric Steele, Jan Stewart, Grant White, and Robert Williams. Admission is free to the public. Gallery hours are 11 AM to 4 PM Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call 708-748-3377.
Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University
Dance 4 Da Common Good Talent Benefit Show – Contestant Entry Deadline August 19
On Sunday, August 23 at 3 p.m., Dance 4 Da Common Good will showcase the best youth and young adult singers, dancers, and rappers from our area in an American-Idol style competition. The winner will earn the opportunity to record a professionally mastered demo in a recording studio or appear in their own music video. Hosted by “The Destined Legend,” Leon Rogers – comedian and WGCI radio personality. Panel of Celebrity Judges:
- Drew Sidora (R&B singer and actress, White Chicks and The Game);
- “The Dizz” (WGCI radio personality)
- Chelsea Fahey (model, winner of Miss Teen America 2005 and Miss Cook County 2009); and
- “Breev Eazie” (Gospel rap artist).
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Proceeds from Dance 4 Da Common Good will help launch LIVE UNITED Clubs—geared toward junior-high and high-school-aged students—to improve the lives of youth and their families in our Southland region through a variety of community service projects.
Those wishing to enter the competition must complete the Applicant Requirements found at: http://s-swuw.org. Entry fees are $50 per contestant and $100 per group (4 or more person). Application deadline is Wednesday, August 19 at 5 p.m.
2009 – 2010 Season Subscriptions
Help celebrate the Center for Performing Arts 15 years of touching lives and entertaining audiences in the south suburban area. Performances this season include singer, Jim Brickman, Animal Planet’s Jeff Corwin, the Hubbard Street Dance Troop of Chicago, and Whose Live Anyway, featuring comedian Ryan Stiles to name just a few of the diverse events for adults and children of all ages. Subscription and individual tickets are now on sale. Call 708-235-222 for more information or visit the Center’s website at: http://www.centertickets.net/.
Park Forest House Museum, 141 Forest Boulevard (Corner of Forest & Fir)
Relive your childhood memories or show your children/grandchildren what it was like to live in the ‘good old days’ by visiting the Park Forest House Museum. The Museum is open on Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults; children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Group tours are by appointment. Call 708-748-3731.
Educational Lectures
Governors State University (GSU), 1 University Parkway, University Park
Public Comments Sought
As part of the comprehensive evaluation conducted by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, GSU is seeking public comments about the university. Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the university or its academic programs and should include your name, address, and telephone number of the submitting individual. Comments will not be treated as confidential. Comments may be submitted by October 12, 2009 through the Commission’s website at www.ncahlc.org (click File Third-Party Comments) or by mail to:
Public Comments on Governors State University
The Higher Learning Commission
20 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602.
This and That
Hope Lutheran Church, 424 Indianwood Blvd.
Outdoor Movie Night
On Friday, August 21 from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. come and bring your lawn chairs or blankets for a night of fun and a movie. For more information call, 708-748-1995.
Open House at Curves
Curves, 3717 Sauk Trail, Richton Park, will be holding an Open House on Saturday, August 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Curves offers a complete fitness and nutrition solution for woman. The Open House will give woman an opportunity to learn more about the Curves program. Refreshments will be served and participants will be eligible to enter a drawing for some great prizes. For more information, call 708-748-6981.
Walk the Central Park Wetlands
On Saturday, August 22 at 9 a.m., meet at the Aqua Center parking lot for a 2k walk of Central Park Wetlands. Participants will learn about the wetlands, wildlife and experience the terrain. For more information, call 708-846-5763.
Thorn Creek Nature Center, 247 Monee Road
Nature Camp for Seniors
On Thursday, August 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, learn the skills you need to teach your grandchildren and the children you mentor about the woods. Discover Thorn Creek Woods in a new way. Ages 50 years and up. $5 per person registration fee. For more information, call the Nature Center at 708-747-6320.
Moo-alisa “Win This Cow” Raffle
Moo-alisa was created by the Salon Artists of Park Forest and was the mascot for the Park Forest 10 Ton Challenge. Raffle tickets are $5 each for your chance to win her. The Drawing will be held on Sunday, September 13 at the Park Forest Art Fair. Raffle proceeds will benefit local children through the Tall Grass Arts Association School and the Abraham Lincoln Allen, Jr., Youth Services Fund of the Friends of the Park Forest Health Department. Contact Brenda Walker at 708-748-1118 or stop by the Park Forest Health Department, 350 Victory Drive to purchase your ticket.
Village of Park Forest Economic Development
Business Person of the Year
Nominate the person you believe should be named Park Forest’s Business Person of the Year. Nomination forms can be found on the Village of Park Forest web site (www.villageofparkforest.com). Nomination forms are due October 30. For more information, call Sandra Zoellner at 708-283-5623.
Shop Park Forest First!
Park Forest Farmers’ Market
The 36th Annual Park Forest Farmers’ Market will be held on Saturday’s from 7:00 a.m. to Noon through the end of October. Vendors from across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan will have a tremendous array of fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers, breads, cheese, organic eggs and meat, and the “best pork chop sandwiches in the universe.” Come early and enjoy a breakfast burrito and cup of coffee while you shop the Market. The Market is located in the parking lot of the Eagle Movie Theater at the corner of Lakewood Boulevard and Cunningham Drive in DownTown Park Forest.
Greening of Park Forest
Safe Disposal Program – Bio-waste
The Park Forest Health Department and Environment Commission have partnered to provide information on the proper disposal of bio-waste such as used syringes or lancets (medical sharps). Begin by purchasing a Sharps container to dispose of your medical sharps for $10 at the Park Forest Health Department. Return the filled container to the Park Forest Health Department and purchase a new container. Call Brenda Walker at 708-748-1118 for more information. You can find additional recycling information by clicking on the “Recycling” icon found on the front page of eNews Park Forest.
Recycle Used Cell Phones and Cell Phone Accessories
The Rotary Club of Park Forest is conducting a used cell phone and accessory collection drive to benefit the families and programs of the South Suburban Family Shelter. Donated items can be placed in the collection box located in the lobby of Village Hall. For more information, call Denyse Carreras at 708-283-5603.
Go Green with a Free Tote Bag
The Village of Park Forest encourages residents to visit Village Hall to pick up an environmentally friendly canvas bag that can be used for your day-to-day shopping needs. These bags are free while supplies last with only two expectations: 1) that residents have a valid email address so that future environmentally conscious concepts can be shared by the Village’s Environment Commission; and 2) that bags are limited to one per household. For more information on this program, visit the Village Manager’s Office on the second floor of Village Hall of call 708-748-1129.
Rain Barrels
Rain barrels have become the “must have” item for Park Forest residents. The Park Forest Environment Commission and the Park Forest Recreation and Parks Department are facilitating the sale of rain barrels for $49 each. Residents interested in buying rain barrels can visit the Recreation and Parks window on the main floor of Village Hall, 350 Victory Drive, to order a barrel in the color of their choice (terra cotta, gray, black or blue) and pick them up at the Farmers’ Market on Saturday, September 5th. You can also purchase a rain barrel at the Farmers’ Market with colors limited to the stock-on hand. Common rain barrel accessories will also be available for sale at the Farmers’ Market. Payment can be made in either cash or personal check. For further information, call Village Hall at 708-748-2005.
Human Interest
Donate Unused Air Miles to Support Families of Wounded Servicemembers
“Operation Hero Miles” collects unused frequent flyer miles to help military families visit service members who were injured in Iraq or Afghanistan and are recovering in military hospitals around the world. Airline partners are: AirTran, Alaska Airlines, American, Frontier, Midwest, Northwest, United, and US Airways. To donate airline miles, visit www.FisherHouse.org.
Donate to Troops Serving Abroad
The Village of Park Forest is currently seeking the names and addresses of local military personnel currently serving overseas so that they may receive packaged donations from Park Forest residents. If you are a Park Forest resident and have a family member from your household currently deployed or if you have recently returned from a tour of duty, please call Judi Lancaster at 708-283-5608 or stop by the Manager’s Office at Village Hall, 350 Victory Drive.
Sources: Village of Park Forest Weekly Manager’s Report; State Representative Anthony DeLuca, Spring/Summer 2009 Calendar of Events, Park Forest Library, Tall Grass Arts Association, Center for Performing Arts, Prairie Sate College, Governors State University, Illinois Theatre Center, and Park Forest Historical Society websites.
