Local

In and Around Park Forest Week of August 17, 2015


“Gear of War” by artist and Purple Heart Recipient Folleh Tamba is one of works featured in Union Street Gallery’s ‘Art as Artifact’ exhibit. Source: www.unionstreetgallery.org.

Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—August 17, 2015. The south suburbs has an array of many interesting art galleries. Among them is Union Street Gallery in Chicago Heights which is currently featuring two interesting exhibits through September 5. ‘Art as Artifact’ and ‘The Urban Box Project’ feature the works of local artists as well as artists from Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. A free reception will be held at the Gallery on Saturday, August 22 for both exhibits. Additional information about the exhibits can be found in the ‘Arts & Entertainment’ section. Be sure to come out and support our local artists.

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, August 17

The Board of Trustees will hold a Board Meeting on Monday, August 17 at 7 p.m. 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.

To view previously held Board Meetings, visit the Village’s web site hereand click on the date of the meeting you wish to watch.

Village Commissions & Advisory Boards

The following Park Forest Commissions are scheduled to meet the week of August 17:

  • Tuesday, August 18 at 7 p.m. – Plan Commission
  • Tuesday, August 18 at 7 p.m. – Recreation & Parks Advisory Board
  • Thursday, August 20 at 6 p.m. – Housing Authority

The meetings will be held at Park Forest Village Hall and residents are encouraged to attend.

Arts & Entertainment

Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University (GSU), 1 University Parkway, University Park

Center for Performing Arts 20th Season – Tickets Now on Sale

To commemorate 20 years of great entertainment is no small achievement; it is to honor the past and celebrate the future. The Center for Performing Arts’ 2015-16 programming lineup will do just that. The Center will bring back past fan favorites, like improv comedy with Whose Live Anyway? and Salt Creek Ballet’s The Nutcracker; and welcome today’s popular sounds, among them 10-time Grammy award winners Take 6 and three-time Grammy- nominated Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues performing with seven other Chicago blues icons. October showcases comedy, dance and family fun. Join Emmy-nominated Ryan Stiles and other TV comedy stars for some hilarious improvised comedy and song, or bring the family to see the inquisitive, lovable little monkey, Curious George. If you like Alvin Ailey dance, try PHILADANCO! at 45, celebrating Joan Myers Brown and James Brown, pioneers in dance and music. November celebrates The Big Read, as GSU’s Theatre and Performance Studies program presents Ray Bradbury’s science fiction tale, Fahrenheit 451. Governors State University is one of 75 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive a grant to host a Big Read project.  Fahrenheit 451 is a gripping story that is at once disturbing and poetic.  Bradbury takes the materials of pulp fiction and transforms them into a visionary parable of a society gone awry, in which firemen burn books and the state suppresses learning. Bringing to light the dangers of censorship, Fahrenheit 451 is more relevant today than when Bradbury wrote it. The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. A list of Big Read activities and events is available on the Center’s web site. Concluding November will be Chévere de Chicago, a leading Latin/Jazz band, mixing Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Jazz, Blues, and just about everything else together into an exciting and unique collage of sound. This performance will feature Grammy award-winner Howard Levy and special guest trumpeter Grammy-nominated Victor Garcia (of CALJE Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble) and nine talented band members. Celebrate the holidays in December with Salt Creek Ballet’s The Nutcracker and Take 6.  The second half of the season highlights Chicago-based artists and local actors in a mix of shows including Porchlight theatre’s tribute to the music of Fats Waller in Ain’t Misbehavin, Sweet Home Chicago Blues, baby Broadway Seussical, and Southland Area Theatre Ensemble’s Sondheim on Sondheim. You can even go on an epic journey through Spain when Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater presents A Night of Spanish Dance featuring “Bolero” and “Mil Clavos.” This 40th anniversary tribute for the company highlights Maurice Ravel’s most popular work, The Bolero, and combines flamenco and contemporary dance styles. A sampling of food and wine native to the region will be offered as an add-on ticket.

For Tickets, Dates, Times and Information:

Online: www.CenterTickets.net
By Phone: 708-235-2222
In Person at the Box Office: 1 University Parkway, University Park, IL
Box Office Hours: Monday- Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (open to 6 p.m. on Thursdays) & 2 hours prior to all performances.

Groups of 10 or more, students, seniors and patrons who purchase a flex package of four or more shows are eligible for discounts.

The Center for Performing Arts is honored to be supported by generous foundations, agencies, sponsors and individual supporters. Made in Chicago Series is supported by The Chicago Community Trust. PHILADANCO! at 45 is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest Touring Fund. A portion of GSU’s arts programming is made possible by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. If you would like to donate to the Center for Performing Arts please visit www.CenterTickets.net for details.

Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO), 377 Artists Walk, Park Forest

Cool Jazz on a Hot Night – Tickets Now on Sale

On Wednesday, August 26, wind down your summer at Ravisloe Country Club, 18231 Park Avenue, Homewood, with the swingin’ sounds of the Ben Clark Quintet and their program of Ira and George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern and more jazz standards. Based in the Lincoln-Way area, the quintet includes IPO friend, Lincoln-Way Central High School Orchestra Director Stacy Williams-Jackson on bass. Pre-concert activities are from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. This concert will be held outdoors in Ravisloe’s courtyard unless it looks like rain, in which case it will move into the Great Hall. Chairs provided, open seating. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online at: https://secure.ticketsage.net/websales.aspx?u=ipo&pid=292207. For additional information, call 708-481-7774 or visit www.ipomusic.org.

National Veterans Art Museum, 4041 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago

NVAM to Observe Memorial Day 2015 with New Exhibition – Through August 28

The National Veterans Art Museum (NVAM) will exhibit The Joe Bonham Project through August 28. The Joe Bonham Project aims to keep the dedication, sacrifices and indomitable spirit of our wounded warriors present and accounted for with more than a hundred drawings and illustrations created during the time spent patients at VA Hospitals throughout the United States.  The Joe Bonham Project is named after the central character in Dalton Trumbo’s 1938 novel Johnny Got His Gun. Joe loses all his limbs and his face to an artillery explosion, yet survives only to be eventually ‘warehoused’ beyond human interaction. Featuring artwork created in a variety of media by fifteen combat and civilian artists, The Joe Bonham Project seeks to show the real face of war and its aftermath to the public with images that portray the realities and human consequences of combat. Several of the artists in The Joe Bonham Project are seasoned war artists including Michael Fay, Richard Johnson, Steve Mumford, Kristopher Battles, Victor Juhasz, Roman Genn, and Robert Bates. Other artists, such as Jeffery Fisher, Fred Harper, Jess Ruliffson, Ray Alma, Bill Harris, and Josh Korenblat, have friends and family who have, or are currently serving in the armed forces. Working primarily at in-patient surgical shock-trauma wards, these artists have spent significant amounts of time with some of the most physically battle damaged soldiers, sailors and Marines. Most have endured multiple traumatic amputation injuries and disfiguring facial wounds, and will endure months of operations and challenging physical therapy. With them on this journey back to wholeness are often equally traumatized family members. All have volunteered to be sketched. For additional information, call 312-326-0270 or visit: www.nvam.org.  

‘The Things They Carried’ – Permanent Exhibit

The National Veterans Art Museum reopened its permanent exhibit ‘The Things They Carried’ in a brand new gallery space meant to be more immersive for viewers. Inspired by Tim O’Brien’s book ‘The Things They Carried,’ this exhibit serves as a visual companion that illustrates the narrative with fine art and photography from veterans that lived the stories in the novel. Much like the book, the exhibit explores the concept of storytelling and questions how one might share the story of the Vietnam experience. The exhibit takes as its central question “how to tell a true war story” and prompts viewers to consider their personal stories and contemplate how they might share their own narratives. By literally incorporating the essential elements of storytelling: Who, Where, When, and What, ‘The Things They Carried’ begins by chronicling the Vietnam conflict through first-hand visual accounts and descriptions. The exhibit culminates in the re-creation of an authentic Vietnam-era tented shelter to bring viewers into the intimate physical experience of sleeping, living and working in the field during that time. With artworks and objects created and collected by over twenty Vietnam veteran artists, ‘The Things They Carried’ also provides visual interpretations to viewers, illustrating the war by those who were there. This form of pictorial storytelling offers insights into the individual personalities of those who served, where they were in Vietnam both geographically and environmentally, and what the cultural climate of the time looked like. Representations and artifacts come together in ‘The Things They Carried’ to offer an individuated and holistic presentation of the social and historical context of the Vietnam War. With didactic guides and lesson plans that accompany the artwork and artifacts, visitors of all ages can gain a better understanding of “how to tell a true war story” as explored in Tim O’Brien’s book, as well as explore possibilities and benefits of personal storytelling. Featured artists include László Kondor, Dean Sharp, Charles Shobe, William Myles, James McJunkin, John Hosier, Michael Harac, and Arthur Jacobs. The Museum is open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers free admission year-round. For additional information, call 312-326-0270 or visit: www.nvam.org.  

Park Forest Historical Society, 141 Forest Boulevard

Park Forest House Museum – Moving to New Location

The Park Forest House Museum is now closed while moving from its current location at, 141 Forest Boulevard to 227 Monee Road. It is anticipated that the re-opening date will be announced soon. For additional information, visit the Park Forest Historical Society website, www.parkforesthistory.org, or call Jane Nicoll, 708-481-4252.

Park Forest Public Library, 400 Lakewood Boulevard

The following event is scheduled the week of August 17:

  • Monday, August 18 at 11 a.m. — Sunrise Story Adventure — Jump start your morning with a series of stories that are sure to get you moving. Ages 12 and under.
  • Monday, August 18 at 3:30 p.m. — Art in the Afternoon — Unleash your inner artist. Drop in to create an amazing project of your own. Ages 12 and under.
  • Thursday, August 20 at 3:30 p.m. — Friendship Bracelet Making — Create a gift for a special friend or make something nice for yourself. Ages 12 and under.
  • Friday, August 21 at 3:30 p.m. — Art Studio —  Enjoy an afternoon of creating a masterpiece on canvas. Ages 12 and under.

For additional information or to register for an event call 708-748-3731 or visit www.pfpl.org.

Park Forest Health Department 350 Victory Drive

Fundraiser at Balmoral Park Racetrack – Saturday, August 22

The Friends of the Park Forest Health Department will be hosting a fundraiser at Balmoral Park Racetrack, 26534 S. Dixie Highway, Crete, on Saturday, August 22 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Racing starts at 7:10 p.m. – come prepared to win and have fun while supporting the ongoing services of Nurses Plus. The evening includes 2 full hours of Balmoral’s Deluxe Buffet and 1 soft drink per person plus a Race Program. Advance tickets are $40 for those 11 years and older and $20 for those 5 to 10 years of age. Tickets on the night of the event will be an additional $5 per ticket. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Park Forest Health Department which is located in the lower level of Village Hall, 350 Victory Drive. If you cannot attend the event but would like to make a donation, please make your check to ‘Friends of the Park Forest Health Department.’ For additional information, call 708-748-1118.

Prairie State College (PSC), 202 South Halsted Street, Chicago Heights

Photographer of the Year & Annual Student Work Exhibition – Through September 10

A selection of works from PSC Photographer of the Year honoree Annabelle Mullennix of Matteson will be on display through Thursday, September 10, during the Annual Photographer of the Year and Student Exhibition in the Christopher Art Gallery on the college’s main campus in Chicago Heights. An artists’ reception is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m., Wednesday, August 26, in the gallery. The annual student exhibition also will include works from various classes during the 2014-2015 academic year, and have been chosen by the fine art faculty members. Works include photographs, paintings, drawings and three dimensional works. Additional PSC students who will have their work highlighted during the show include Carl Kenneth Sago of Sauk Village; Kenya Moffett Garner of Glenwood; Carol Bruns and Tyler Kelly of Beecher; Dean Coy, Caitlin Gerritsen, Amy Roesch and Alex Rosales of Chicago Heights; Diamond Jones, Melinda Arce Gudino and Robert Villarreal of Homewood; Ryan Bennett, Vanessa Marie Guzman, Stephan Johnson and Anthony Manson of Park Forest; Lawrence Davis III of University Park; Nickyle Edwards of Flossmoor; Alexandria Reed of Calumet City; and William Billingsley of Matteson. 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. The gallery will be closed on Labor Day, Monday, September 7. Visits also can be made by appointment. For more information about the exhibit or to make an appointment for a visit, call 708-709-7738.

Roosevelt University Gage Gallery, 18 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Golden Age of Photography at the Chicago Reader – Through August 28

For more than 30 years, the Chicago Reader was a trailblazer and signature example of the kind of creative freedom in both photography and design that alternative weekly newspapers all over the country came to embrace and showcase. Now, in a new exhibit that runs through Aug. 28 at Roosevelt University’s Gage Gallery, the public can experience what the golden age of photography and design once was like at one of the nation’s leading alternative weeklies, the Chicago Reader. Featuring 80 black-and-white photographs taken between 1971 and 2004 by more than a dozen photographers who were freelancers for the Chicago Reader during its golden age, the exhibit is the largest group photo show ever presented at Gage. More than just a photo exhibit, Chicago Reader in Black & White features famous layouts from the alternative weekly including “Faces of AIDS,” which was an in-depth, four-page look at AIDS hospice care in Chicago at the height of the AIDS crisis. A short documentary with the views of 14 former freelance Chicago Reader photographers also is part of the exhibit. The exhibit is the final installation in Gage Gallery’s yearlong Above the Fold: 10 Decades of Chicago Photojournalism series that is sponsored by Roosevelt’s College of Arts and Sciences and made possible by the generosity of donor Susan Rubnitz. Free and open to the public, Gage Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.  For information, call 312-341-6458 or visit www.roosevelt.edu/gagegallery.

South Suburban College (SSC), 15800 South State Street, South Holland

Play On! – Tickets Now on Sale

The PAC Rats Theatre Company of SSC will present Play On!, the hilarious Rick Abbot comedy. Performances will take place in the Kindig Performing Arts Center on the college’s Main Campus on September 18, 19 and 25 at 8 p.m., September 26 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and September 27 at 2 p.m. Amateur dramatics takes a good-natured ribbing in this behind-the-scenes comedy about the perils of community theatre.  A theatre troupe is mounting a local playwright’s original murder mystery.  With no royalty fees to pay, the company thinks it got a great deal until the playwright continues to interrupt the rehearsal process with constant rewrites and changes.  To add to the problems, the cast and crew are starting to get on each other’s nerves.  Act I is a rehearsal of the dreadful show with bickering actors, bumbling crew and backstage romances in full swing.  Act II is the near disastrous dress rehearsal, and the final act is opening night where anything that can go wrong, does. Tickets are just $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 55 or better, and $6 for students.  Group rates are also available.  Ticket reservations can be made through the 24/7 box office voicemail line at 708-210-5741, or email [email protected].

Tall Grass Arts Association, 367 Artists Walk, Park Forest

‘Autumn’s Soft Breezes’ – Annual Gallery Artists Exhibit – Through September 20

‘Autumn’s Soft Breezes,’ Tall Grass Artists Gallery’s annual artists’ exhibit will run through Sunday, September 20. All juried Tall Grass Artists are invited, annually, to participate in an exhibit that, although it has a name, does not require adherence to a theme or specific material.  It does require, however, that artists exhibit a work not previously exhibited in the gallery.  The exhibit is free and open to the public. For additional information or Gallery hours, call 708-748-3377 or visit www.tallgrassarts.org

Union Street Gallery (USG), 1527 Otto Boulevard, Chicago Heights

‘The Urban Box Project’ – Reception Saturday, August 22

USG will host ‘The Urban Box Project’ which will run through September 5 at the Gallery. A reception will be held on Saturday, August 22 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. Luis Sahagun, a Chicago Heights based artist along with two Bloom Township high school students will be creating street interventions, paintings, and sculptures entirely made out of materials excavated from Chicago Heights. In addition, a site-specific installation will be created with debris and objects collected from the city. The community is encouraged to visit and experience this LIVE process every THURSDAY in August. The final exhibition will contain a collection of Luis’ artwork, visual documentations of the street interventions performed by the TUBP and independent sculptures created from the collected rubble. You may find in-progress pictures of this project on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter under #theurbanboxproject. For additional information, call 708-754-2601 or visit www.unionstreetgallery.org.

‘Art as Artifact’ Exhibit – Reception Saturday, August 22

USG will present ‘Art as Artifact’ through September 5 at the Gallery. A reception will be held on Saturday, August 22 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. This vibrant exhibit will present contemporary art within a visual context that enables the audience to examine the work through an ethnographic lens. Paintings, Sculptures, and Installations in the exhibit are made from both organic materials that derive from nature and inorganic modern-day materials such as plexi-glass, plastics, and metals.  The exhibition consists of 17 visual artists that represent the states of Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. For additional information, call 708-754-2601 or visit www.unionstreetgallery.org.

Unitarian Universalist Community Church (UUCC), 70 Sycamore Drive, Park Forest

‘The House I Live In’ Screening – Friday, August 28

UUCC will screen the documentary film ‘The House I Live In’ on Friday, August 28 at 7 p.m. A discussion will follow the film screening. For over 40 years the War on Drugs has accounted for over 45 million arrests, cost over $1 trillion, has made America the worlds’ largest jailer and has damaged poor communities at home and abroad. ‘The House I Live In’ goes inside America’s longest war to examine the effects of drug laws on everyone from the dealer and the grieving mother to the jailer and the federal judge. ‘The House I Live In’ reveals the profound human rights implications of U.S. drug policy. The event is free and open to the public. Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided. Bring a snack to share if you wish. Optional donations appreciated. For additional information, call 708-481-5339 or visit www.uuccpf.org.

Educational Lectures & Opportunities

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 South Halsted, Chicago Heights

2nd Annual Mental Health Conference – Registration Now in Progress

Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart will be the keynote presenter during the PSC Second Annual Mental Health Conference, “Changing Perspectives and Altering Perceptions: Understanding Mental Health.” The event is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday, September 17, in the Conference Center of the college’s main campus in Chicago Heights. The annual conference is focused on reducing the stigma of mental health disorders, and includes Dart’s keynote presentation, a general session, and choice of 10 breakout sessions, a panel discussion and an exhibitor expo. Dart’s presentation will be “From Washington to Chicago Heights: Root, Effects, and Solutions for the Criminalization of Mental Illness.” Breakout sessions will include topics “Understanding Mental Illness and Homelessness;” “Empowering the African American Client: Demystifying Mental Health;” “Transgender Health and Wellness: Providing Quality, Informed, Compassionate Care;” “Working with Soldiers and Veterans: Getting Soldiers to Talk About Their Pain;” “Foundations for Mental Health: Social and Emotional Learning in the Schools;” and “Care of the Mind, Body and Spirit.” During the panel discussion, “Journey Part 2: Supporting My Family Member,” attendees will hear personal experiences from parents who are assisting a loved one with managing their mental illness and recovery process. There is a $99 registration fee. Continuing Education Units (CEU) are available for an additional $20. For more information, call 708-709-7957. Conference and registration details also are available at www.prairiestate.edu/mentalhealthconference. The registration deadline is Thursday, September 10. Event partners include The Catholic Charities, Ingalls Behavioral Health Services, Grand Prairie Services, National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) South Suburbs of Chicago, and Sertoma Center. Exhibitor opportunities still are available. For more information, call 708-709-7799.

Roosevelt University, 430 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Requesting Public Comments – Due by September 12

In preparation for an upcoming comprehensive accreditation evaluation from its regional accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission, Roosevelt University seeks comments from the public on substantive matters related to its quality as an institution and its academic programs. Roosevelt will host a visit team from the Higher Learning Commission on October 12 and 13, 2015. The visit team will review Roosevelt’s ongoing ability to meet the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation in addition to comments from the public. The public is invited to submit comments regarding Roosevelt to:

Public Comment on Roosevelt University
The Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1411

Comments can also be sent to the Commission’s web site at: http://www.ncahlc.org/HLC-Institutions/third-party-comment.html. Comments must be in writing, signed and received by the Higher Learning Commission by September 12, 2015.

South Suburban College (SSC), 15800 South State Street, South Holland

Manufacturing & Electronic Engineering Programs Open House – Monday, August 17

SSC is hosting a Manufacturing & Electronics Engineering Open House on Monday, August 17th from 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at the Oak Forest Center.  The Open House will showcase the college’s fast-track Manufacturing Basics and Industrial Maintenance certificate programs, as well as the Electronics Engineering degree program. This specialized open house will highlight occupations, provide a tour of SSC’s new state of the art Manufacturing Lab, and give attendees the opportunity to speak with engineering instructors.  These hands-on programs are designed to serve the needs of both employees and employers. Attendees will receive insight on how Manufacturing Technology and Engineering are providing tremendous opportunities for those ready for a career of the future.  All are welcome–parents and especially students who are in the process of choosing an exciting career.  Financial aid, scholarships, and internships are available to those who qualify. Manufacturing companies are expanding their workforce in the Chicago Southland and Northwest Indiana region and are seeking employees who are prepared to meet their demand.  Get the skills now to capitalize on the industry growth in the coming years. Some certificates can be completed in less than a year, and classes are available for credit or non-credit. Classes begin Monday, August 24, 2015.  For more information, call 708-225-6032.  SSC’s Oak Forest Center is located at 16333 South Kilbourn Avenue, Oak Forest, 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

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.

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.

Unitarian Universalist Community Church (UUCC), 70 Sycamore Drive, Park Forest

Yoga Classes by Karen Nielsen – Mondays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays

Yoga classes by Karen Nielsen are available at UUCC on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Wednesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. No reservations needed. Drop-in fee is $10 per class and the 6th one is free. For additional information, call 708-481-5339 or visit www.uuccpf.org.

Qigong with Jim Kobus – Most Thursdays

UUCC will host Qigong with Jim Kobus on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the church. This class will usually meet on Thursdays but there may be exceptions, so if you are interested in attending, please send an email to Jim Kobus at [email protected] so he can notify you when class will NOT be held. There is a suggested donation of $5 per class. Please bring your own water. It is recommended that you eat dinner after class, not before. For additional information, please call 708-799-1925 or visit www.uuccpf.org.

Buddhist Meditation – Saturdays

Learn to enjoy the simple and straight-forward practice of meditation. Please join us for sitting and walking meditation in the Zen and Theravadan Buddhist traditions. This is an on-going event led by Steve McCabe and Beverly Feldt will be held on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at UUCC. There is no cost but a free will offering is most appreciated (proceeds go to UUCC). For additional information contact Steve McCabe at 708-465-3116 or Beverly Feldt at [email protected].

Green Events

Thorn Creek Nature Preserve, 247 Monee Road, Park Forest

Become a ‘Friend of Thorn Creek’

Friends of Thorn Creek Woods is the citizen activist group responsible in very large part for preserving and securing the dedication of the Thorn Creek Woods as an Illinois Nature Preserve. Friends’ volunteers continue to provide support in so many ways: staff the nature center on weekends; trail work; displays; leading hikes; special events; cleaning; pruning; artwork; music; research; and so on. Friends is a voice for the Woods and preservation values, donates funds for equipment and sponsors an annual meeting, Garlic Fest and Earth Day. Members receive a quarterly newsletter. Annual membership in Friends is $10. For additional information, call 708-747-6320.

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.

Village of Park Forest, 350 Victory Drive

Park Forest Famers’ Market – Every Saturday Through October

The Park Forest Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October. The Market hosts 22 full spaces with a variety of fresh flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, bakery goods, herbs and dairy products, food and entertainment. Local businesses are also on hand at the Market selling artwork, garden ornaments, jewelry and more. The Park Forest Farmers’ Market accepts EBT/Link, WIC, and Senior Nutrition Coupons. The Park Forest Farmers’ Market is located in the parking lot closest to 271 Lakewood Blvd, at the corner of Lakewood Boulevard and Cunningham Drive, just across from the Park Forest Police Department. 

This & That

Governors State University (GSU), 1 University Parkway, University Park

Secretary of State Services – Tuesday, August 25

The Secretary of State’s Mobile Service Unit will be at GSU on Tuesday, August 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the Hall of Governors. Services available at the mobile service unit include driver’s license and State ID renewal, replacement, and corrections; vehicle sticker sales; passenger and b-truck license plates; vehicle title and registration; parking placards for persons with disabilities; and organ/tissue donor information. In addition, vision tests and the written driver’s license exam can be taken. No driving tests will be given. The services provided are available to all qualified Illinois residents. State law allows driver’s license renewal up to one year in advance. Proper identification is required for new and duplicate driver’s licenses and state ID cards. Acceptable forms of payment include personal checks, cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit and debit cards. For information, visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

State Representative Anthony DeLuca – 195 W. Joe Orr Road, Suite 201, Chicago Heights

Document Shredding Event – Saturday, September 19

State Representative Anthony DeLuca will host a free document shredding event on Saturday, September 19 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Bloom Plaza, 1020 Dixie Highway, Chicago Heights. Help protect yourself from identity theft. Bring documents that contain your personally identifiable information to be safely shredded, such as old bank statements, tax returns, bills, receipts, credit card applications and outdated medical records. Please remember to remove all paper clips, staples and other bindings. This event is free and open to the public. There is a limit of two boxes per car. Cardboard boxes cannot be left at the event. Residential shredding only (no commercial shredding). Shredding accepted until shred trucks reach capacity. For additional information, please contact Representative DeLuca’s constituent service office at 708-754-7900.

Village of Park Forest, 350 Victory Drive

Village-wide Garage Sale – Registration Now in Progress

Do you have items in your home you no longer need that could become someone else’s treasures? Do you love a good deal and enjoy a great garage sale or flea market? Park Forest’s Village-wide Garage Sale brings together buyers from near and far for one large garage sale, and the entire community is the garage! Over 145 homes participated in 2014. This year’s Garage Sale will be held on September 18 through 20. Set-up your garage sale at your home during one of Park Forest’s busiest weekends and capitalize on thousands of out-of- towners visiting for the Park Forest Art Fair on September 19 and 20. Registration is now in progress. Additional information is available at www.villageofparkforest.com/garagesale or by calling Village Hall at 708–748-1112.

 


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