Editor's Notebook

Hair Today, Gone March 25: Help Patch Editor Raise Money to Fight Cancer

If Frankfort Patch editor Joe Vince earns at least $250 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, he'll go from redheaded to bald-headed. Find out how you can donate.

I'll admit that despite being four U.S. presidents removed from high school I can sometimes be susceptible to peer pressure. This has led to some rather unfortunate fashion and grooming choices in the past (hello, ironic Hawaiian shirts). That's why it seems appropriate that the actions of students and staff at Lincoln-Way North High School and New Lenox editor Michael Sewall have pushed me to participate in Frankfort's St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraiser Sunday, March 25, at Jameson's Pub. The event, which is being organized by the Frankfort Police Department, has a goal of $10,000, and it's about halfway to it. My goal is to raise at least $250 for the charity that helps fund cancer research for children. If I reach that goal, I will go…

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UPDATED: Frankfort Teen Runs Chicago Marathon for Burn Survivors

At 17, she'll be one of the youngest runners, and she's raising money for The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.

"I want to say I ran the Chicago Marathon and that I finished and not in an ambulance," said Tricia Paul, 17, of her ambitious plan to run her first marathon Sunday. Paul has been a runner for years, starting with cross country and track in middle school and continuing with cross country during her first three years at Lincoln-Way East High School. "My senior year I realized I wanted to do something that was more of a personal goal," Paul said. "With cross country, I didn't really enjoy running long distances for a (scored) time. I wanted to be able to reach my own goals," she added. READ: Frankfort Square Mom 'Will Run for Food' Paul began training at the beginning of the summer. During the week, she would run about 11 miles and then …

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Want to be part of Fall Festival? Volunteer

Chairwoman Cheryl Howard says there are jobs for all ages to help run this nationally ranked arts and crafts festival.

As a longtime volunteer for Frankfort's Fall Festival--an event that draws 300,000 people to town--chairwoman Cheryl Howard knows her way around the fest. In recent years, Howard has not only been in charge of the 200-plus volunteers who "make the fest run like clockwork," she also pitches in wherever needed as part of the free labor pool. Because for Howard, working the fest isn't just about volunteering, it's about building a strong community. With that goal in mind, a new feature Howard added to the volunteer experience this year is a scavenger hunt. Part training, part team building, part social activity, the hunt takes place at a volunteer gathering on Aug. 13, about three weeks before the festival gets underway. "We're doing a walk …

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Frankfort Park District Needs Volunteers for the Fourth

The district is looking for teens and adults to help with entertainment for this year's Independence Day celebration on Monday.

The Frankfort Park District is looking for volunteers to help staff its traditional Fourth of July activities at Main Park on Monday. Teens and adults are welcome to help out, said recreation superintendent Stacy Proper. They'll be put to work running the carnival games or monitoring the inflatable bounce houses, helping kids stay safe and have fun. The shift runs from 4:30-9:30 p.m., and high school students can earn service hour credit. Interested individuals should contact special events coordinator Cali DeBella as soon as possible at 815-469-9400. If you're not up for volunteering, never fear: The park district would love to see you just come out and enjoy the festivities. A huge hit at other park events, the B96 Street Crew will be on…

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Helping Hands

Giant Volunteering Event Will Include Waste Collection, Job Fair and More

ShareFest, the large-scale community service event in New Lenox, attracts helping hands from throughout the area.

Earlier this year, I wrote about how the planning was getting underway for this year's New Lenox ShareFest, a giant community service event that attracts volunteers from throughout the area. Just over three and a half months later, with just over three and a half months left until the big event, there have been several developments. The fifth-annual event, started in the late '90s by a group of religious leaders in central Arkansas, brings together the needs of the community and those wishing to serve those needs. This year's event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10 (have you marked your calendar yet?). Among the planned activities are a number of service projects for individual residents as well as public spaces, food collections for the …

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Helping Hands

As Relay for Life Events Near, There's Still Time to Show Support

It's not too late to form a team for New Lenox Relay or to simply show up at Frankfort and Mokena's for moral and donatory support.

She was only 14 years old when she passed in 2000. It was a mere three years earlier that she had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was Alicia DiSandro, of New Lenox. Her parents, Nick and April, with the help of Alicia's five siblings, keep her memory alive as well as cope with her passing while trying to find a cure by being the local organizers of the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life in New Lenox. This year's will take place Friday, July 15, at Lincoln-Way West High School starting at 6 p.m. and running through the night until 6 the next morning. Although New Lenox broke away to have its own relay, Frankfort and Mokena continue to share their own. This year's event begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 10 at Lincoln-Way East …

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Volunteers Still Needed to Help D843 Students 'Lose the Training Wheels'

The national learn-to-ride camp for special needs students returns to New Lenox from June 13-17.

Using specialized bikes designed by University of Illinois graduate Richard Klein, 35 campers will attempt to "lose the training wheels" this summer, as part of a national learn-to-ride program sponsored by Lincoln-Way Area Special Education District 843. The great news is, most (about 80 percent) will succeed. Even for those who don't lose the training wheels, the confidence they gain is just as important. "To give a child independence is just an incredible gift," 843 District director Sally Bintz said. "To see a student start out on Monday and not be able to ride a bike and by Friday to see them 'launched'...I look at the smiles on the students' faces, but the smiles and tears on the parents' faces are just amazing," she added. District …

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Helping Hands

Share the Experience of ShareFest 2011

The fifth annual event is another opportunity to help out in a number of ways.

Most people in their 20s or older know where they were on Sept. 11, 2001, but an event on that infamous day's ninth anniversary last year reminded me of the attitude that swept across the country in the weeks after 9/11, even if only temporarily: We came together to help others in our respective communities. That event, ShareFest, enters its fifth year in New Lenox, and various community leaders are starting to plan for the large-scale volunteerism event, which will be on Sept. 10 this year. The original ShareFest dates back to the late 90's with a group of religious leaders in central Arkansas. Local coordinator Gary Cheney said it's, “about meeting the deepest needs in the community ... and bringing the people together to do that.” …

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Helping Hands

Blizzard Brings Out the Best

One neighbor steps up to help another dig out after last week's snow storm.

Just as I was submitting last week's column, “The Great Blizzard of 2011” was getting underway. Late the next morning I (and later the wife with the kids) set about digging out from the Snowpocalypse/SnOMG/Snomaggedon. With our drive cleared and half of the public sidewalk in front of our house done as well, a young man with a gas powered snow thrower walked by. “Need a little help?” he said. Well, I'm a proud and strong man, but I'm not stupid. So the good Samaritan cleared the second half of our sidewalk. But this wouldn't be the last I saw of him. Now that my drive was done, it was time to go across the street and clear the drive for the older woman who lives alone. It's not as noble as it sounds: she has a pretty good snow thrower she …

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Helping Hands

Give a Happy Birthday With Toy Donations

With almost no publicity, there remains an ongoing need that can be easily met.

Over the weekend, it occurred to me that there's a different donation (much less publicized than ones around Thanksgiving and Christmas) that can be made year round for still yet another specific reason. Our oldest son recently turned 7 so we had a birthday party for him at our house, inviting a dozen of his friends from school and other activities. As I can only imagine is typical now, my wife bought a collection of small ($3-$7) gifts to give out as prizes and other take-home gifts for the guests. Trouble is, she over-bought to ensure there were enough and we now have a full bin of leftovers. We could save these for our younger son's next party later this year. Or they might make nice stocking stuffers. There's even Easter coming up. …

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