Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– September 7, 2009. Labor Day traditionally marks the end of summer and start of the fall season. According to predictions made in the Farmer’s Almanac, the Midwest should expect a very cold and snowy winter. So before it gets too cold, be sure to take advantage of the many events occurring in Park Forest.
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.
Park Forest Scenic 5 and More – September 7
A day full of excitement in Park Forest is just a couple of weeks away. Plan on making Park Forest’s Scenic 5 and More events part of your Labor Day plans. The Park Forest Scenic 5 and More consists of:
5 Mile Race;
5 Mile Family Bike Ride;
Competitions at the Aqua Center; and
5K Walk of the Central Park Wetlands.
Village of Park Forest Board and Commission Meetings
The following Village Boards and Commissions will meet the week of August 31:
- Commission on Human Relations – Tuesday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m.; and
- Youth Commission – Tuesday, September 8 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, 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.
Healing Arts
Come and experience the healing art of Reiki on Sunday, September 13 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at the Park Forest Health Department. Call to reserve a ½ hour session. Walk-ins also accepted. Loving donations to Nurses Plus suggested. For additional information, call Therese Goodrich at 708-748-7672.
Arts and Entertainment
Park Forest Art Fair
The Tall Grass Arts Association, in partnership with the Village of Park Forest, eNews Park Forest, Southtown Star, and Rich Township, presents the 54th Annual Park Forest Art Fair on Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in DownTown Park Forest. Juried artists will be selling paintings, photographs, ceramics, jewelry, stitchery, glass, wood carvings, and more. The fair includes food vendors, live music, children’s art activities and more. For details on this longstanding event, please contact Tall Grass Arts Gallery at 748-3377.
Park Forest Library, 400 Lakewood Boulevard
The following events will be held this week at the Park Forest Library:
- Book Discussion for Adults, Friday, September 11 at 1 p.m. The book, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer will be discussed. Seating is limited and registration is required. Call 708-738-3731 or www.PFPL.org for more information of to register.
- Children’s Program, Saturday, September 12 at 2 p.m. Celebrate the works of children’s author, Roland Dahl.
For more information, call 708-748-3731, extension 20.
Please note: the library will be closed on Monday, September 7 in observance of the Labor Day Holiday.
Faith United Protestant Church, 10 Hemlock St.
Barbary Coast Dixieland Band
The Barbary Coast Dixieland Band will make is fourth annual appearance at Faith United Protestant Church on Friday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m. The world renowned band will present a brand new program consisting of a variety of styles of music from the polka to Big Band, Dixieland jazz, and gospel songs. Tickets are $12 with 10% of all proceeds donated to the Rich Township Food Pantry. For more information, call the church at 708-747-1330.
Prairie State College (PSC), 202 S. Halsted, Chicago Heights
Photographer of the Year Exhibit
PSC’s Photographer of the Year Exhibit opens in the college’s Christopher Art Gallery on August 31 and runs through Thursday, September 24. In addition to works by PSC’s photographer of the year, Leonard Ferris, the exhibit also features selected works by students in fine arts, photography, and graphic communications. A reception will be held to honor Ferris and the student artists on Wednesday, September 2 from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Hours for the Christopher Art Gallery are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday from 5 p.m to 7 p.m. Visits can also be made by appointment. For more information about the exhibit, or to make an appointment for a visit, call 708-709-3636.
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.
Illinois Theatre Center, 371 Artists Way, Park Forest
A Shayna Maidel
Tickets are now on sale for A Shayna Maidel, the opening production of ITC’s 34th season. A Shayna Maidel dramatizes the saga of the Weiss family, Polish Jews whose lives are irrecoverably altered by the Holocaust. The New York Times described this play as “…a powerful, deeply affecting portrait of a family, which conveys the aftermath of the Holocaust through a poignant, imaginatively conceived examination of one divided family’s experience. A tribute to the sustaining power of family and to man’s indominatability.” A Shayna Maidel will open September 25 and run through October 11. Tickets range from $19 – $21. There is a $1 discount for students and senior citizens at all performances. For more information, call 708-481-3510.
Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University
Unbound
Paula Marie Productions presents Unbound, a new, hilarious stageplay written and directed by Stacye V. Clark. Unbound will be presented on Friday and Saturday, September 18 – 19 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, September 20 at 3 p.m. Ticket prices range from $22 – $38. For more information, call 708-235-2222 or visit the Center’s website at: http://www.centertickets.net/.
2009 – 2010 Center for Performing Arts 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 708-235-2222 for more information or visit the Center’s website at: http://www.centertickets.net/.
Freedom Hall Nathan Manilow Theatre, 410 Lakewood Boulevard
2009 – 2010 Season
Regular and subscriber tickets are now on sale for the 2009 – 2010 season. Events at the newly remodeled Nathan Manilow Theatre include: Second City 50th Anniversary Show; Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues Band; Windham Hill Winter Solstice Concert; Funkadesi; Switchback; and Abraxas.
The Senior Series events are: Radio’s Good Old Days; Nancy Hays – “I Love America”; “A White Christmas”; Banjo Buddies Dixieland Jazz Band; “The Rat Pack Jazz Quartet”; and Megon McDonough, “Her Way.”
Children’s Theatre events are: Writing Our World; and Animal Tales & Dinosaur Scales.
Tickets can be ordered by mail, phone or fax, on the web, or in person. Box office hours are: Monday – Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The box office is closed on Wednesday and Sunday. For more information, call the box office at 708-747-0580 or visit the website at: www.freedomhall.org.
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
Free LSAT Prep Class – Limited Seating
GSU is offering a free LSAT preparation class on Mondays, beginning September 21 and ending May 24. The class is from 7:30 p.m. to 10:20 p.m., in room A2202. Class work will focus on the three main areas of the test: reading comprehension, logic reasoning, and analytical reasoning. While many test prep serves charge as much as $1,000 for LSAT prep class, GSU is offering this class at no charge. Advance registration is required and seats are limited. For more information or to register, call 708-235-3963 or e-mail [email protected].
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
Good Neighbor Day
The Village of Park Forest and Calvary United Protestant Church, 425 N. Orchard Drive, present the 2nd Annual Good Neighbor Day event on Saturday, September 12 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Personalized Park Forest bags with school supplies will be provided to the first 75 children. There will also be free face painting, air jumpers for the kids, chess game challenges, free hot dogs, goody bags and much more. In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled for Saturday, September 19.
Thorn Creek Nature Preserve, 247 Monee Rd.
Owl Prowl Night Hike – Adults Only
On Friday, September 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., join us for this popular program and learn the habits and calls of the Barred Owl, Screech Owl and Great-horned Owl. Registration for this popular program is required as space is limited. Cost is $5/person. This event is for adults only. For more information, call 708-747-6320.
Trip to Shipshewana, Indiana’s Amish Community – September 16
Enjoy one of the largest Amish communities in the world. In town you can visit a variety of shops, an antique auction, visit the Mennohaus Museum or enjoy an authentic Amish style meal. Just a few blocks from downtown, you will find over a thousand vendors selling everything from fresh fruit to hand-crafted furniture at the Shipshewana flea market. The $37 fee includes motor coach transportation. The bus will depart from Freedom Hall at 7:30 a.m. and return at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call the Park Forest Recreation Office at 708-748-2005.
Kiwanis Pancake Day
The 58th Annual Kiwanis Pancake Day will take place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 26 in DownTown Park Forest. Advance tickets will be available at Village Hall at a price of $5 for adults and $2 for children under 12. Tickets purchased on the day of the event will be $6 for adults and $3 for children.
Moo-alisa “Win This Cow” Raffle – Drawing September 13
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.
Prairie State College Job Fair
Employers looking for candidates to fill open positions are encouraged to register for the Prairie State College annual job fair which is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The job fair is an opportunity for employers to meet and interview potential employees. The fair is open to currently enrolled students, alumni, and community members. Registration is $75 per company and includes seating and lunch for two representatives, table covering, and signage. Each additional representative attending the fair is $25. To register for the job fair, call Tanya Norfleet at 708-709-3755 or visit www.prairiestate.edu and click on the “Save the Date: Fall 2009 Job Fair” icon.
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.
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; 2009 Autumn Recreation Programs, 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.
