Palos Park Woman’s Club collects over 800 items for MVCC food pantry
The Palos Park Woman’s Club chooses a charity to help as part of the club’s holiday party, and this year it was Moraine Valley Community College’s Project Care Food Pantry that earned that distinction.
The donation of more than 800 items for the pantry began when club member Susan O’Keefe, an adjunct faculty member at the college, called Jessica Contreras, who directs counseling and holistic student support at the college, which is based in Palos Hills. “When I arrived at their annual holiday event, I was genuinely taken aback by the sheer volume of donations already gathered,” Contreras shared via a news release.
Contreras and Moraine Valley President Pamela Haney spoke at the party. They said the pantry has seen a significant increase in student use and helps those who need food assistance.
Club members visited the pantry to drop off the items as well as cash donation. Co-presidents Ann Olive and Ronette Leal McCarthy, Treasurer Traci Dawodu and O’Keefe met with Haney, Contreras, student Ava Barba and Scott Friedman, dean of Student Engagement.
Metra offers special fares, schedule for holidays
Traveling on New Year’s Eve will be a little less expensive, thanks to Metra offering Family Fares early in the day and free rides after 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
The free rides will be for all trains arriving at or leaving from Metra’s downtown stations; alcohol will be banned on all trains after 7 p.m. New Year’s Eve. Trains will operate on reduced schedules, although the last outbound trains from downtown on the BNSF, Metra Electric, Union Pacific West, Heritage Corridor and Rock Island lines will be held until after 1 a.m. The last Southwest Service train leaves downtown at 12:42 a.m.
In addition, Family Fares have been extended to all weekdays through Jan. 2. The fares allow up to three children 11 and younger to ride free with each adult.
A special $7 pass on New Year’s Day will allow unlimited rides that day and can be bought from conductors, ticket vending machines and the Ventra app. Trains will run on Sunday schedules, which means no Southwest Service trains.
Library collecting warm items for BEDS Plus
Green Hills Public Library is hosting a collection drive through Jan. 4 for BEDS Plus, which helps individuals struggling with housing insecurity.
New hand warmers, new coats, new sweatpants and new legging, as well as low-denomination gift cards can be brought to the Patron Services Desk of the library, 10331 S. Interlochen Drive in Palos Hills. Donors will receive an ornament to put on the giving tree set up in the ground-floor lobby.
This year, BEDS Plus has assisted more than 5,8000 people in the south and west suburbs of Cook County. “The need is great, and unfortunately it’s something we see every day,” Library Director Jane Jenkins shared in a news release.
H-F park district earns association award
The Illinois Association of Park Districts and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association have recognized the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District as an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency.
The two associations, which operate statewide, administer the program with a goal of better delivery of park and recreation services to residents. “This program gives recognition to park and recreation agencies, and forest preserve districts that demonstrate a strong commitment to providing exceptional programs, services, and facilities that enrich the lives of their communities and residents,” Suzi Wirtz, IPRA executive director shared in a news release. “Achieving Distinguished Park and Recreation Accreditation is a testament to the dedication of the agency, its staff, board, and community.”
The honor requires a lengthy process of application and evaluation. Management procedures, facilities and parks, personnel, finance and business operations, legal documentation and other factors such as safety manuals and mission statements are evaluable. The Homewood-Flossmoor district applied in the spring and received word of the status in November. It will be reevaluated in six years.
Father Perez KOC sets annual free throw contest
Boys and girls 9 to 14 years old can show off their basketball skills during the annual free throw contest offered by Father Perez Knights of Columbus Council 1444 from 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 4 in the main gym at Brother Rice High School, 10001 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago.
Participants register at the contest, which has no entry fee. Contestants will vie against others in their own gender and age group, and winners will advance to the district championships in February, followed by the regional competitions in March and state finals in April.
After up to three warm-up attempts, competitors shoot 15 consecutive free throw attempts. All National Federation of High School Association basketball free throw rules will be followed. Tie-breakers will be held if necessary. Email john.mikrut@icloud.com for information.
Lemont senior earns perfect ACT score
Kinga Strzalka, a senior at Lemont High School, earned a perfect score of 36 on the ACT earlier this year. She’s the ninth Lemont HS student to achieve the feat.
The ACT tests math, reading, English and science scored 1 to 36 points. A student’s composite score is the average of the four test scores.
Strzalka began taking accelerated math classes at the high school while still attending Old Quarry Middle School. She’s been with the girls’ swim team for four years and competes in Mathletes, Scholastic Bowl and Academic Challenge. She also belongs to Leo Club and has been inducted into the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta math honor society.
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