Representatives of various Girl Scout Troops stand with members of the Park Forest Police Department at Saturday’s Peace Pole dedication ceremony. (Photo: Gary Kopycinski)
Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—May 5, 2014. If you have old electronics that you want to recycle, bring them over to Marian Catholic High School on Saturday, May 10 when Generation Green, a student-run recycling program is sponsoring the 4th annual Community Electronics Recycling Drive from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Additional information can be found in the ‘Green Events’ section.
And don’t forget that Sunday, May 11 is Mother’s Day. Be sure to do something special for Mom on her special day.
If your club, organization or local business will be holding activities or events in our community during the upcoming week, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with the details. Submission deadline is noon on Friday of each week.
Village of Park Forest
Village Board Meetings – Monday, May 5
The Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, May 5 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at Village Hall, 350 Victory Drive. Residents are encouraged to attend. Board meetings air live on cable access channels (Channel 4 for Comcast subscribers and Channel 99 for AT&T subscribers) as well as on the Village web site here.
To view previously held Board Meetings, visit the Village’s web site here and click on the date of the meeting you wish to watch.
Village Commission & Advisory Boards
The following Park Forest Commission is scheduled to meet the week of May 5:
- Tuesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. – Plan Commission
The meeting will be held at Park Forest Village Hall and residents are encouraged to attend.
Arts & Entertainment
Church of St. Mary, 227 Monee Road, Park Forest
Murder Mystery Dinner – Tickets Now on Sale
"MURDER" — an Interactive Medical Murder Mystery Dinner will be held on Saturday, May 17, in St. Mary’s Ryan Hall. Presented by "Without A Net Entertainment" the evening includes dinner, dessert provided by Scrementi’s and lots of fun! Tickets are $35.00 per person. Seating is limited. For additional information or to purchase tickets, please call the church office at 708-748-6686 or email [email protected]
DePaul University Art Museum, 935 West Fullerton, Chicago
Quilt Show ‘From Heart to Hand’ – Through June 22
DePaul University’s Art Museum will unveil a new exhibition, “From Heart to Hand,” will run through June 22 featuring 23 quilts produced by African-American women. Originally organized by the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Alabama, the exhibition demonstrates that quilts are not just household goods, but are also a means of personal expression. While quilting has been around in various forms for centuries, Louise Lincoln, Museum Director, explains that it was approximately 15 years ago that the contemporary art world “discovered” the distinctive work of the women in the town of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, who created quilts with intricate patterns that resembled abstract paintings. As the Gee’s Bend artists have become famous, quilt exhibitions have grown in popularity and have been featured in major museums, including the Whitney Museum in New York. The collection on display at DePaul Art Museum will include examples from Gee’s Bend, as well as other styles and subjects from the region of western Alabama, giving viewers rich insight on tradition and community. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/PUx4cp. The DePaul Art Museum at 935 W. Fullerton, just east of the CTA’s Fullerton ‘L’ stop, is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. For more information, call 773-325-7506 or visit www.depaul.edu/museum.
DePaul University Merle Reskin Theatre, 60 East Balbo, Chicago
‘Jackie & Me’ – Through May 10
The Theatre School at DePaul University will present ‘Jackie & Me,’ by Steven Dietz, adapted from the novel by Dan Gutman, and directed by John Jenkins, as the final production of the 2013-2014 Chicago Playworks for Families and Young Audiences season. This production runs through May 10 at DePaul’s historic Merle Reskin Theatre. Performances are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. Friday performances will be held on May 9 at 10 a.m. A special Sunday performance at 2 p.m. will be held on May 4. There will be no Saturday performance on May 3. Joey Stoshack has a talent that many kids dream of: the ability to travel through time. When Joey is assigned to write a report on an African American role model, he uses his powers to travel back to 1947 and meet Jackie Robinson, one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Through their adventures, Joey learns about real courage and what it feels like to walk in someone else’s shoes. This production is recommended for ages 8 and older. Educational themes include: baseball, courage, facing prejudice, family, history, thinking of others and overcoming adversity. For more information about pre-show and post-show educational activities and highlighted curriculum connections, please visit www.theatre.depaul.edu to download our free teacher guide. You can also request a teacher guide by calling the box office. For patrons who are blind or have low vision, the performance will be audio described on Saturday, April 19 at 2 p.m. with a pre-performance touch tour. Call 312-922-1999. The performances on May 2 at 10 a.m. and May 4 at 2 p.m. will be interpreted in American Sign Language. Call TTY: 773-325-7975. April 12 at 2 p.m. is USO of Illinois Day. U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their families, with a valid military ID, can attend the performance for free. Visit www.tixfortroops.org to reserve tickets, or call 312-922-1999 for more information. In addition, a wide range of events will be held in conjunction with this production including community partner days, an ice cream social, opening day autographs, post show discussions and more. For details visit the website or call the box office. Tickets are $10. Subscriptions and group rates (15 or more people) are available. DePaul employees, alumni and college students receive a discount (with ID). Tickets are available online or by calling the box office at 312-922-1999. DePaul’s Merle Reskin Theatre is located at 60 E. Balbo Drive at Michigan Avenue in Chicago. For information about parking, please contact the box office. The theatre is accessible via CTA busses (3-King Drive, 29-State Street, 146-Michigan/Museums and others) and CTA ‘L’ stops (Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Purple and Pink).
DePaul University Theatre School, 2350 North Racine Avenue, Chicago
‘The Scavengers’ – Previews May 7 & 8, Opens May 9
‘The Scavengers,’ will open at the Theatre School at DePaul University on May 9, in the Sondra & Denis Healy Theatre and runs through May 18. Previews are on May 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m. The play is written by Lucas Baisch (BFA Playwriting, Class of 2014) and directed by Bonnie Metzgar (Artistic Director, About Face Theatre). An urban play set in the present day, ‘The Scavengers’ asks what secrets live in the objects we collect. Seventeen-year-old Miles desperately clings to his adolescence as his world falls apart around him. His elder sister can’t find a job. His brother, newly returned from victory on a dubious reality show, won’t cash the check. Not to mention the vortex of garbage in the ocean that threatens to destroy everything. With the help of Kid, a neighborhood butcher, they seek out a hoarder who may have the key to helping his family survive. This production is recommended for mature audiences. An Opening Night Reception will follow the May 9 performance of ‘The Scavengers.’ Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. General admissions tickets are $15, preview tickets are $10 and student tickets are $5. Subscriptions and group rates (six or more people) are available at 312-922-1999. All tickets are reserved seating. Tickets are available by calling 312- 922-1999 or by visiting the online box office at www.theatre.depaul.edu. The Fullerton Stage Theatre and the Sondra & Denis Healy Theatre are located within The Theatre School at DePaul University, 2350 N. Racine Ave. at Fullerton Avenue. The school is easily accessible via the Fullerton CTA Station and the Fullerton (74) bus. Call the box office for additional transit suggestions or visit the Chicago Transit Authority for specific routes from your location. Visitors and audience members can park in DePaul University’s Clifton Parking Deck, located at 2330 N. Clifton Ave. Please call the Box Office for more information.
‘What Happened in Pinkville? A Cubist Dialectic on the Massacre at My Lai’ – Previews May 14 & 15, Opens May 16
‘What Happened in Pinkville? A Cubist Dialectic on the Massacre at My Lai’ by Greg Allen (Founder, The Neo-Futurists) will open at the Theatre School of DePaul University on May 16 on the Fullerton Stage Theatre. It runs through May 25. Previews are May 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. This world-premiere play tells the true story of an American-military atrocity: the massacre of 500 civilians in a small village during the Vietnam War. By exploring the history, the murders, the cover-up and the trial of Lieutenant William Calley, playwright Greg Allen asks the question, “Who is responsible for soldiers’ actions during wartime?” A dramatic examination of war atrocities and their far-reaching implications, this production features the Class of 2014 Master of Fine Arts in Acting candidates and is directed by Remy Bumppo Founder, James Bohnen. This production is recommended for mature audiences. For patrons who are blind or have low-vision, the performance of “What Happened in Pinkville? A Cubist Dialectic on the Massacre at My Lai” will open on Friday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. The performance will include audio description as well as a pre-performance touch tour. Call 312-922-1999. The performance on May 25 at 2 p.m. will be interpreted in American Sign Language. TTY: 773-325-7975. Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. General admissions tickets are $15, preview tickets are $10 and student tickets are $5. Subscriptions and group rates (six or more people) are available at 312-922-1999. All tickets are reserved seating. Tickets are available by calling 312- 922-1999 or by visiting the online box office at www.theatre.depaul.edu. An Opening Night Reception will follow the May 16 performance of ‘What Happened in Pinkville? A Cubist Dialectic on the Massacre at My Lai.’ The Fullerton Stage Theatre and the Sondra & Denis Healy Theatre are located within The Theatre School at DePaul University, 2350 N. Racine Ave. at Fullerton Avenue. The school is easily accessible via the Fullerton CTA Station and the Fullerton (74) bus. Call the box office for additional transit suggestions or visit the Chicago Transit Authority for specific routes from your location. Visitors and audience members can park in DePaul University’s Clifton Parking Deck, located at 2330 N. Clifton Ave. Please call the Box Office for more information.
Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, 377 Artists Walk, Park Forest
Literature in Music – Tickets Now on Sale
On Saturday, May 17 at 8 p.m. at the Lincoln-Way North Performing Arts Center, 19900 S. Harlem Avenue, Frankfort, two beloved works inspired by Shakespeare take center stage on the final concert of the season. Also, rising violin star, Anna Lee, makes her Chicago debut performing the beloved Glazunov Violin Concerto. David Danzmayr will conduct the orchestra. The concert will feature Symphonic Dances fromWest Side Story by Leonard Bernstein andSelections from Suites to the ballet, Romeo & Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev. Tickets are $55, $45 and $35 and can be purchased online at https://secure.ticketsage.net/websales.aspx?u=ipo&pid=215837. For additional information, call 708-481-7774.
National Veterans Art Museum (NVAM), 4041 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago
Espirit de Corps Exhibition – Through August 1, 2014
NVAM is celebrating its first anniversary in its Milwaukee Avenue location with its art exhibition, Esprit de Corps, an exhibition highlighting the spirit of creative resilience. Esprit de Corps features art by nine veterans of Vietnam, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror. The NVAM will be free and open to the public through August 1, 2014. Esprit de Corps is sponsored by Omicron, Bank of America and Paratech Incorporated. Drawing on breakthroughs in using art to assist with reintegration of veterans and for therapeutic expression, Esprit de Corps traces the process and roles of therapeutic art from the act of initial perception through expression of experience to an ultimate communal sharing and understanding of the real impact of war. Featured artists include Joseph Fornelli, Jerry Frech, Jonathan Hancock, Peter Sullivan, Benjamin Suarez, Thomas Gilbertson, Theodore Gostas, Richard Williams and Erica Slone. High resolution images of work in the show are available through the NVAM’s Dropbox. For additional information and hours, visit the museum’s website at www.nvam.org.
Park Forest Public Library, 400 Lakewood Boulevard, Park Forest
Library Closure – Sunday, May 11
The Park Forest Public Library will be closed on Sunday, May 11 in honor of Mother’s Day.
This Week’s Events at the Park Forest Public Library
The following events will be held this week at the Park Forest Public Library:
- Monday, May 5 at 3 p.m. – Online Job Search — Learn the basics of applying for and looking for a job online. Registration Required.
- Monday, May 5 at 6 p.m. – Cinco de Mayo Fiesta — Enjoy bilingual stories, a make-your-own salsa station and learn the Mexican Hat Dance on the kids’ zone stage.
- Tuesday, May 6 at 10:30 a.m. – Music and Movement — Develop large motor skills, increase coordination and instill an appreciation for music of all genres in this weekly class designed for children ages 2-5 and their parents or caregivers.
- Tuesday, May 6 at 6 p.m. – PJ Storytime — Wear your pajamas & come join us for stories, crafts & games.
- Thursday, May 8 at 10:30 a.m. – kids’ zone Story Hour — Parents and children of all ages will join us for songs and stories during this one hour program.
For additional information or to register for certain events, please call 708-748-3731 or visit www.pfpl.org/
Park Forest Historical Society, Park Forest
Step Back Into the 1950s at the Park Forest House Museum
The 1950s Park Forest House Museum at 141 Forest Blvd, Park Forest, is open Wednesday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The museum can also be open for groups by appointment, at other times. Donation is Adults $5; Children 12 & under free with an adult. Scout and school tours are priced individually. For details, to arrange a special group tour, or to volunteer, visit the Park Forest Historical Society website, www.parkforesthistory.org, or call Jane Nicoll at 708-481-4252.
Park Forest Plaza Print for Sale
Annabelle Gould’s print of the Park Forest Plaza is available for sale at the Park Forest House Museum, 141 Forest Boulevard. The vibrant print is from an original watercolor, showing kids and their moms in the Park Forest Plaza, in front of the old Holiday Theatre and Golden Hanger Shop. The print can be purchased at the House Museum during normal hours of operation on Wednesdays and Saturdays or through the Society’s online store on their website at www.parkforesthistory.org. Prints are $15 each. Online purchases also required an additional $6 fee for postage and handling. For additional information on other items for sale by the Society, visit www.parkforesthistory.org.
Prairie State College (PSC), 202 South Halsted, Chicago Heights
‘Graduate Exhibition +2’—Through May 21
PSC students is on display through Wednesday, May 21, in the Christopher Art Gallery, located on the PSC main campus. ‘Graduate Exhibition +2’ features works that include drawings, paintings, photography, and mixed-media pieces by the students, who are completing degrees in fine arts, graphic communications, and photography. Works by two additional artists, Irene Ganas and Annabelle Mullennix, also is featured. PSC student artists whose work will be featured in the exhibit are Joshua Joyce of Richton Park, Karalyne Murray of Beecher, Devyn Foster of Olympia Fields, Charles Beard of Chicago Heights, Annabelle Mullennix of Matteson, Irene Ganas of Crete, Brittany Ivy of Homewood, Keli Panega of Steger, Ashieka Daniels of Flossmoor, and Beatriz Romero of Sauk Village. The Christopher Art Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. Visits also can be made by appointment. For more information about the exhibit or to make an appointment for a visit, call 708-709-3636.
Roosevelt University’s Gage Gallery, 18 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago.
Photo Exhibit on Southeast Ohio’s Post-industrial Landscape – Through May 10
An exhibition by award-winning photo essayist Matt Eich, who tells the story through his photographs of an Ohio community abandoned by major industry, runs through May 10 in Roosevelt University’s Gage Gallery. Featuring images of southeastern Ohio from 2006-12, Carry Me Ohio is a catalog of working-class issues and people who were forced to adapt after industry, including mining for coal, salt and clay and the cutting of timber, left the region approximately 40 years ago. One of the nation’s most promising young documentary photographers, Eich began taking pictures in southeast Ohio while he was a photojournalism student at Ohio State University. He has worked as a freelancer for GQ, Esquire, Mother Jones, Time, Fader, Harper’s and National Geographic, among others. Free and open to the public, Roosevelt’s Gage Gallery has hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, visit www.roosevelt.edu/gagegallery or call 312-341-6458.
Salon Artists Gallery, 294 Main Street, Park Forest
‘Bob at Large’ – Opens Tuesday, May 6
‘Bob at Large,’ an exhibit of work by Bob Gramberg will be shown from May 6th through May 30. Come meet Mr. Gramberg and enjoy his new art during a reception that will be held on Friday, May 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with music and refreshments. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For additional information and Gallery hours, call 708-833-5108.
South Suburban College (SSC), 15800 South State Street, South Holland
Biannual Student Art Exhibit Art – Through May 7
SSC’s Biannual Student Art Exhibit will be on display through May 7th. More than 300 original artworks of Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Drawing, Jewelry, Photography, Digital Graphics and Animation created by SSC student artists will exhibit in the Dorothea Thiel, Photo Four, and the Lee E. Dulgar Galleries. A Pot Luck Reception will be held Wednesday May 7th at 12 noon in the Art & Design Department on the 4th Floor. The exhibit is open to the public at no charge Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The Thiel and Photo Four Galleries are on the 4th floor in the Art & Design hallway, while the Dulgar Gallery is located on the college’s 1st floor. The galleries are closed on weekends and holidays. For more information, please call 708-596-2000, ext. 2445 or ext. 2300, or visit www.ssc.edu/art.
Tall Grass Arts Association, 367 Artists Walk, Park Forest
‘Near and Far’ by Nikkole Huss & Richard Schmidt – Through May 10
Tall Grass Arts Association invites everyone to visit our newest exhibit, ‘Near and Far,’ consisting of nearly 70 works by Nikkole Huss and Richard Schmidt. The exhibit will run through May 10. In ‘Near and Far,’ Huss and Schmidt follow the centuries-old tradition of finding inspiration in nature – natural forms, organic growth and decay, light and weather, time and space. But their methods of discovery and interpretation have taken them on two very different paths. Richard Schmidt works from environments he actually visits in Illinois, New York, New Hampshire and Maine to gather information for his very literal, highly-detailed oil and watercolor paintings. Nikkole Huss studies landscape from a distance, documented through satellite images and telescope records from hundreds of miles above the earth. She redefines and recreates nature in encaustic, often viewing from great distances the same kinds of places Richard studies from a few yards away. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For additional information and Gallery hours, please visit the Tall Grass website (www.tallgrassarts.org), or call the Gallery 708-748-3377.
Union Street Gallery, 1527 Otto Boulevard, Chicago Heights
‘Entrances & Exits’ – Through May 10
Union Street Gallery presents an exhibit of select photographs by members of Gallery 7 in Joliet, Illinois. The exhibit will run through May 10. ‘Entrances & Exits’ can be literal representations such as doors and windows or symbolic manifestations representing the entering or exiting of a place or time in our lives. Viewers will see a wide range of Entrances & Exits in this moving and beautiful photography exhibit. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For additional information or Gallery hours, call 708-754-2601 or visit http://www.unionstreetgallery.org/.
Regional Juried Exhibit of Small Works – Through May 10
A regional juried exhibit of Small Works will run through May 10. Art does not have to be large to make a statement. Some of the most powerful pieces of art are the smallest. Small art is deliberate and intimate; it draws the viewer in closer, causes them linger. Small art can be playful and whimsical like a toy, familiar like everyday objects, or precious like a small altar. Minute Musings is an exhibit of art that is 12" and smaller. The exhibit will include 69 works of art by 45 talented artists from the Midwest region. Art exhibiting includes painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics, digital art, collage, assemblage, mixed media and video. The exhibit free and open to the public. For additional information or Gallery hours, call 708-754-2601 or visit http://www.unionstreetgallery.org/.
Educational Lectures & Opportunities
DePaul University Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Avenue, Chicago
New Directions in Study of the African and Black Diaspora Academic Colloquium — Friday, May 9
New directions in the study of the African and black diaspora will be the focus of an academic colloquium at DePaul University on May 9. Many universities that offer degree programs in this discipline, including DePaul, pay specific attention to the ways in which concepts of history, power, identity, gender and race shape contemporary understandings of Africa and its diaspora. Scholars, including Jean Muteba Rahier from Florida International University and Rita Kiki Edozie from Michigan State University, will examine current research topics and academic programs in the field with an emphasis on mapping out ways to advance the discipline. DePaul’s Center for Black Diaspora was established in 1993 as the Center for African American Research. The name was changed in 1996 to expand the scope of the Center’s work. Jackson advocated refocusing the center to study more than just black diaspora in the United States, and include the migration, movement, dispersal, slavery and refugee status of blacks and Africans all over the world. The colloquium coincides with the center’s 20th anniversary and the 10-year anniversary of the African and Black Diaspora Studies program. The invited speakers are professors or department chairs in the fields of black diaspora, Africana studies and African-American studies. They include: Kimberly N. Brown, Virginia Commonwealth University; Carolyn Cooper, University of West Indies, Mona, Jamaica; Carole Boyce Davies, Cornell University; Chapurukha Kusimba, American University; Erik McDuffie, University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign. Also, Sylvester Ogbechie, University of California, Santa Barbara; Akinwumi Ogundiran, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Hugh Page Jr., Notre Dame; Olúfémi Táíwó, Cornell University; Elisa Joy Black, University of California, Davis; and Michelle Wright, Northwestern University. The colloquium’s main goal is to help determine future viability of program development and the resources needed to help professors and students grow the field of African and black diaspora studies. The academic conference will be held May 9 at the DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave. in Lincoln Park. The program begins at 10 a.m. and continues through 6 p.m. More information about the colloquium and DePaul’s Center for Black Diaspora is available at http://las.depaul.edu/diaspora.
Governors State University (GSU), 1 University Parkway, University Park
Job Search Assistance Every Tuesday at GSU
The Mobile Workforce Center’s mobile unit will be at GSU every Tuesday, from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., parked near the university’s front entrance. Center services include resume development, access to online job boards and websites, instruction in how to conduct an online job search and improve keyboarding skills, and assistance of staff. The center is equipped with 11 computer stations with Internet access, printer, and copy machines, and is wheelchair accessible. Services are free and available to residents in all counties. For additional information, contact the Workforce Services Division of Will County at 815-727-4980.
Prairie State College (PSC), 202 S. Halsted, Chicago Heights
Summer STEM Programs at PSC – Registration Required
The STEM@PSC program is hosting two summer programs for area high school students and graduates interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) disciplines. The Science and Math Camp will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, Mondays through Thursdays, from July 7 through 31, and the deadline to apply is April 30. The Summer Bridge Program will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:30, Mondays and Wednesdays, and 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from July 7 through 31. The deadline to apply for the Bridge Program is May 30. The Summer Science and Math Camp is a free four-week experience for students in the PSC district entering their senior year of high school in fall 2014 who are interested in pursuing science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) majors after graduation. The goal is to help them advance their understanding in science and math, learn about current science and math research areas, and research STEM career paths. Among the highlights for students who participate in the Science and Math Camp are Field trips to see professionals in different science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers, group projects, and college style lectures and labs. The Summer Bridge Program is a free program intended for incoming freshman students interested in STEM majors who are enrolled or enrolling at PSC, and whose COMPASS Placement Test math scores were lower than expected. The goal is to assist these students in preparing to retake the math section of the test and get placed into the correct course, thereby decreasing the amount of time it takes to graduate from PSC. Once they’ve received their new scores, students meet with their STEM advisors to work on a degree completion plan. Of the 25 students that participated in last summer’s program, half increased their COMPASS Placement Test math scores, with some jumping more than one course, saving $464 for each class skipped. Both the Summer Science and Math Camp and Summer Bridge Program are STEM@PSC programs made possible by funds from U.S. Department of Education grants. STEM@PSC is dedicated to student success by building a supportive learning community, beginning with first-year students and guiding them throughout degree completion and the transfer process. For more information, contact Paula Bulaon at 708-709-3798 or email [email protected].
Opt In to Technology at PSC
You can bridge the gap between technology and a new you at PSC’s new Opt In program that consists of two computer training centers and free classes to teach basic technological skills. One location is at the Adult Training and outreach Center in Room A145 at PSC’s main campus. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The other location is at the Matteson Area Center’s Computer Training Lab located at 4821 Southwick Dr., Matteson. Hours for this location are Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. No matter what skill level you have or want to have, Opt In can help. Both computer labs and on-site tutors are free and open to the public. For additional information, call Lisa Zeigler at 708-709-3548 or e-mail [email protected].
Rich Township Free Basic Computer Classes for Adults
Rich Township is offering free basic computer skill classes for adults every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Leonard Robinson Family Services Center, 22013 Governors Highway, Richton Park. Participants will learn Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet skills, résumé building skills, and more. Classes are open only to residents of Rich Township. For additional information, call Mark Mason or Joe Moran at 708-748-6722.
South Suburban College (SSC), 15800 South State Street, South Holland
Job Fair – Seeking Employers & Job Seekers
SSC and Thornton Township are partnering to offer a 2014 Community Job Fair on Tuesday, May 20th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. This free event is open to the public and will be held in SSC’s Fitness Center located on the South Holland campus. SSC and Thornton Township are currently seeking employers and hiring managers to participate at this special event. The Community Job Fair is an excellent opportunity for employers to recruit upcoming SSC graduates and alumni, current students, and community residents. An employer fee of $75 will include a skirted table, two chairs, and a light lunch for two representatives. There is a fee of $10 for each additional representative. It is important to the success of the Job Fair that company representatives remain at their tables from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (may arrive as early as 8:30 a.m. to set-up). A continental breakfast will begin at 9:00 a.m. and lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. In addition, SSC offers a FREE Employer Services web-based Job Posting Board. Participating employers can post their employment opportunities to SSC or to the entire 12 member community colleges in the consortium. Employers should respond by May 1st to reserve space by contacting Gerri Weatherspoon at 708-596-2000, extension 2391, or email [email protected].
Summer Basketball Camp – Registration Now in Progress
The SSC Basketball Program is now accepting registrations for their summer camps in June. The Bulldogs will host two camps–a Championship Basketball Camp from June 16th through June 19th from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., and a Championship Shooting Camp from June 23rd through 26th from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the SSC Fitness Center/Fieldhouse. The camps are designed for Boys and Girls ages 7 – 17, and will be directed by Head Coach John Pigatti and players from the 2014 Bulldog Basketball Team. The cost of the Shooting Camp is $60 and the Basketball Camp is $105, with a special price of $140 for both camps. Campers will need shorts, basketball shoes, and a T-shirt or practice uniform. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase every day of the camps. The main goal of these camps is to provide each individual with an opportunity to become a better player and to have some fun along the way. In order to accomplish these goals, the emphasis will be on the fundamentals of basketball. The 2014 SSC Men’s Basketball Team finished 7th at the National Junior Conference Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Tournament with a final record of 31-6. Coach Pigatti brings over 20 years of college coaching experience from a well-rounded background. He was also the head coach of the Five Star Basketball Post Development Camp where he instructed several top 100 high school players in the country. Pigatti has received six Region IV-A Coach of the Year Awards and has been named IBCA Coach of the Year. For more information, or to register for the Basketball Camps, please contact Coach Pigatti at 708-596-2000, ext. 2524 or email [email protected]. SSC is located at 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois.
Online Educational Resources
Online college programs are a great way for today’s busy people to complete or earn a degree. To find an online college program in Illinois, visit http://www.onlineschools.org/guides/Illinois/ where you will find a compilation of every college program offered online in Illinois offered on a full or part-time basis.
Top U.S. Universities
Choosing what college or university to attend can be a very daunting experience. With educational costs continually increasing, it’s more important than ever to choose a university that meets your specific educational needs. At http://www.topschools.com/, you will find a comprehensive resource that ranks each university throughout the nation by size, degrees offered, tuition costs, admission, graduation and retention rates.
Healthy Living
Governors State University (GSU), 1 University Parkway, University Park
Free Psychotherapy Available from GSU’s Psychology Program
GSU’s Psychology Department is offering free psychotherapy services to members of the community. Conversations with a psychotherapist can help people cope with depression, anxiety, relationship issues, stress, and life transition problems. Confidential, one-on-one sessions are held with a GSU graduate student in psychology under the supervision of a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Individuals and couples, 18 years and older, are eligible. All sessions are conducted in Matteson, IL. The number of sessions is determined by the client’s needs. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, call 708-235-2841.
Sertoma Centre, 4343 West 123rd Street, Alsip
Free Community Education and Prevention Programs about Mental Health
Sertoma Centre’s Mental Health Services facility is offering community mental health seminars, free of charge to community groups, schools, law enforcement agencies, religious organizations, and other community groups at their location in Matteson or facility. Education Programs will include: Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) which increases public awareness of suicide and improves one’s ability to identify and refer those at risk for suicide. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a public education course that helps participants identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance disorders. Also included is Mental Health First Aid for Youth and Anxiety/Depression Screenings. Thanks to a grant, these educational opportunities are available at no cost to you or your organization. To arrange a free educational opportunity for your club, group, workplace, organization, or church, call Gia Washington at 708-748-1951, Ext. 418 or email at [email protected].
Park Forest Fire Department, 156 Indianwood Boulevard, Park Forest
CPR Classes
CPR classes are available at the Park Forest Fire Department. Click on the following link for more details: http://pffd.vopf.com/cpr-classes.html
Shirley J. Green Senior Center, 297 Liberty Drive, Park Forest
Senior Citizen Weekday Lunch at the Senior Café
Senior citizens of all income levels are invited to lunch weekdays at the Rich Township Senior Café located inside the Rich Township’s Shirley J. Green Senior Center. The CNN site is open to all south suburban residents, including those living outside of Rich Township. Participants must be 60 years of age or older. The suggested donation for lunch is $2.50. Lunch is served Monday through Friday at noon. Bingo begins at 10 a.m. For additional information or to make a reservation for lunch, call 708-747-2700.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA)
Assistance With Medications & Health Services
If you, or someone you know, are struggling to pay for medications every month, they may be able to get the medicines they need for free or almost free through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance. If you live in Illinois, you can get access to more than 475 public and private program available to help you pay for your medicines. Simply visit http://www.pparx.org/en/click_illinois to find out if you can apply to any of these great programs and to get connected with 10,000 free clinics and doctors.
Unitarian Universalist Community Church (UUCC), 70 Sycamore Drive, Park Forest
Healthy Living Group to Discuss ‘Meditation’ – Thursday, May 8
UUCC will host its monthly Healthy Living Group on Thursday, May 8. This month, speakers Lynn Lidbury, LCPC and Beverly Feldt will discuss meditation. The event will begin at noon with an optional bring your own brown bag lunch. The discussion will be from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event is free and all are welcome. Coffee and tea will be provided. Bring a snack to share if you wish. We all want to be happy and healthy. So let’s share our knowledge and experience, and the wisdom of experts, to help each other and ourselves in our ongoing quest for health and happiness. We have started a new open group, meeting once each month, focusing on a health related topic, usually with a volunteer guest speaker, sometimes with participation, and hopefully always with sharing, respect, and mutual support among participants. For additional information call 708-481-5339 or visit: www.uuccpf.org
Green Events
Marian Catholic High School, 700 Ashland Avenue, Chicago Heights
Generation Green Recycling Event – Saturday, May 10
Generation Green, a student-run recycling program at Marian Catholic High School, is sponsoring the 4th annual Community Electronics Recycling Drive on Saturday, May 10, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., in Marian Catholic High School’s parking lot. Generation Green, which oversees the recycling program at Marian Catholic, throughout the school year, includes roughly 12 Marian Catholic student volunteers who will assist with moving electronics from vehicles on the day of the event. If it plugs in the wall, Generation Green will take it. This free service recycles unwanted or broken electronics, including computers, monitors, printers, laptops, TV’s, stereo equipment, microwaves, or large household appliances. For more information about the Community Electronic Recycling Drive, please contact Marian Catholic High School at 708-755-7565.
Thorn Creek Nature Preserve, 247 Monee Road, Park Forest
Wednesday Morning Walkers – May 7
On Wednesday, May 7 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., enjoy light exercise and experience nature firsthand on Thorn Creek’s winding trails. Trails can be wet or muddy, so please wear sturdy shoes. Terrain is moderator. The Wednesday morning walks will continue each week through April and walkers new to the program must register two days before they first hike. For additional information, please call 708-747-6320 or e-mail [email protected].
Benefit Picnic – Saturday, May 10
Swing into May at a fun family benefit Picnic Fundraiser at Thorn Creek Woods on Saturday, May 10 from noon to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Bring a picnic lunch. We’ll provide seasonal drinks and have a bake sale ad a Spring Raffle too. The Picnic Renaissance event is for all ages. Admission is $5 for adults and children under 12 years of age are free. The Picnic at Thorn Creek Woods will feature all things spring with a Spring Hike taking a virtual tour of a fox’s travels in the woods, a Spring Raffle with baskets and bicycles, a Maypole Pageant for children and adults to join in on, slideshow, and crafts for all ages including decorating your own pageant pennant. Experience the woods from three perspectives – the bird’s eye view with maps and photos, a fox’s eye view hike along the trails and an old oak’s view, witnessing the history of our woods from woodlots to Nature Preserve. At 1 p.m. join in the May Day ‘Robin & Marion’ Pageant complete with live Renaissance dance music, a procession, a Maypole ad parts for ‘spring warblers.’ Then at 2 p.m., join our naturalists for a Spring Signs Hike with vixen pay prints keepsakes to be found along the way. This Picnic event sponsored by Friends of Thorn Creek Woods will kick off the ‘Raise the Planks & Sink the Pans & Paint the Nature Center’ fundraising at Horn Creek Woods. We need to repair the new north bridge, pain the nature center exterior, replace the south bridge or re-route the trail, replace the old long boardwalk and improve the Owl Lake trail. Friends is accepting donations to the Capital Fund. For additional information about the Renaissance Picnic and the Capital Fund, call 708-747-6320 or e-mail [email protected].
Experience the Thorn Creek Nature Center
Thorn Creek Nature Center is housed in a historic building, originally Immanuel Lutheran Church of Matteson, Illinois built in 1862, and later Village Bible Church of Park Forest. A gothic frame country church, its notable architectural features include curved ceiling, tongue-and-groove paneling and a raised pulpit. Its current attractions are displays of the preserve’s flora and fauna, a bird feeder viewing area, Eugene E. Schwartz reference library and an expanded children’s section. The Nature Center is open Friday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Trails are open daily year-round, dawn to dusk. For additional information, call 708-747-6320.
This & That
Park Forest American Legion Post 1198, 1631 Western Ave., Chicago Heights
Friday Fish Fry
Join Park Forest’s American Legion Post 1198 for fish, shrimp, wings, beef and appetizers on Friday, May 9 beginning at 6 p.m. Carry outs are available. For additional information, call Jesse Rodriguez at 708-481-3055.
Rich Township Shirley J. Green Senior Center, 297 Liberty Drive, Park Forest
South Suburban Senior Fair – Friday, May 9
The South Suburban Senior Fair 2014 will be held on Friday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Rich Township Shirley J. Green Senior Center. This event features more than 25 businesses, organizations and services that hold seniors as their main priority. Come out and gather information and talk with experts in the field of senior services. You may also win a raffle or a door prize. Coffee and refreshments will be served. Reservations are not required. Transportation for $1 (roundtrip) is available by calling 708-748-6727. At noon, lunch will be served in the Rich Township Senior Café for $2.50. If you would like lunch, please call 708-747-2700 by Thursday, May 1 to make your reservation. The only requirement to have lunch is that you or your spouse be age 60 or older. For additional information or questions, please call 708-748-5454. The Senior Fair is a joint venture between the Park Forest Rotary Club, Park Forest Health Department (Nurses Plus) and the Rich Township Senior Center.
