Thursday, December 15, 2022 | |
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Dear River Forest residents,
During the last Village Board meeting of 2022, the Board approved the purchase of street cameras and related hardware/software to be installed north of Lake Street to Augusta Boulevard, and from Thatcher Avenue to Harlem Avenue. These cameras are meant to help deter crime and provide evidence to support law enforcement efforts. The cameras are crucial to enhancing resident safety throughout the community. Ensuring the safety of our residents is a top priority for our Village Board!
This holiday season, please consider shopping local at the small businesses in River Forest that make our Village unique. Remember, if you spend $100 at a local small business, nearly $50 of those dollars go back to the community to provide vital services such as police and fire, snow removal and more. If you make a purchase at a regional chain store, just $14 comes back - and online shopping brings just $1 to the community! These are just a few reasons to shop and dine locally in River Forest.
Finally, I am so excited to see the beautiful lights throughout the Village at the “Light Up the Night” event, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of River Forest and Oak Park, this Saturday, December 17. More information on how to get involved can be found in the article below.
Sincerely,
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Cathy Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest
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Keep the Wreath Red this Holiday Season! | |
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During the holiday season, fire departments around the State are asked to hang a holiday wreath containing red lights in a highly visible location. The wreath in River Forest will be hung at the fire station on Park Avenue, and will be illuminated constantly. However, if a fire occurs anywhere in the Village that is directly caused by holiday decorations (trees, lights, cords, candles, burning wrapping paper in fireplaces, etc.), the red bulb(s) will be changed to white bulb(s). Please help keep the wreath red this holiday season by being aware of fire hazards! For safety tips to help accomplish this goal, click here.
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Last Week for
Santa's Mailbox
| You have until tomorrow (Friday, December 16), to drop off your letters to Santa in his mailbox at The Depot. Santa's mailbox is open to residents daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Make sure to include a return address on all of your letters to Santa! | |  |
Wellness Wednesdays with OPRF Chamber | The Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce just released their December newsletter focused on “Wellness Wednesdays.” This is a Chamber initiative that taps into local expertise for health and wellness resources and information. View the newsletter here. | | |
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Provide Feedback on Northeast Neighborhood
Traffic Control Measures
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In October, the Village Board approved temporary measures to attempt to calm traffic in the northeast corner of the Village. Over the past few weeks, the temporary barriers and signage have been implemented at several locations, most recently at the intersections of Lemoyne and Harlem and Greenfield and Harlem. To read more about the traffic study and the temporary installations, visit this page. To provide feedback on the improvements, please email Village Engineering Technician Bill Koclanis at bkoclanis@vrf.us.
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Dominican University Opens Food Pantry | Dominican University (DU) is now addressing food insecurity on campus through a new food pantry, which opened in early November just steps away from the Center for Cultural Liberation. Sponsored by the Student Nutrition and Dietetics Association, the food pantry allows for the storage of non-perishable, nutritious food items that students are able to select at no cost. Food pantry hours differ each week, so email for more information. To learn more about the food pantry, click here. | | |
School District 90 recently started to review their Kindergarten Program to ensure the curriculum aligns with broader instructional programming and provides all students with a strong academic foundation. To support this effort, the School District is conducting a survey to garner feedback from stakeholders from across the community regarding perceptions on the Kindergarten program model, and whether it meets the needs of students and families. Please consider participating in this survey by clicking here. | | |
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Save the date for 'Light up the Night' this Saturday, December 17. The Kiwanis Club of River Forest and Oak Park sponsor this annual event and have assembled luminary kits for purchase. Each kit is $10, with net proceeds to benefit local youth. Included in the kit are 10 white paper bags, 10 plain wax candles, sand, instructions and helpful hints. Recommended spacing for the luminaries is five feet between lights, with one kit lining one side of the sidewalk. However, many residents like to line both sides of the sidewalk, in which case two kits would be necessary. Kits are now available for porch pickup here. Cash or checks addressed to the Kiwanis of River Forest and Oak Park can be dropped into the mail slot to the right of the door with the supplied envelope. Don't forget to grab one sandbag for each kit purchased!
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Reduce, Recycle and Reuse During the Holidays | |
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For most, the holidays are a time of family, gatherings, delicious meals and gifts. Since holidays have become more consumer-driven in the past decade, it is becoming difficult to celebrate while staying waste-conscious. Here are a few ways to celebrate the holidays while also reducing, reusing and recycling:
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Reduce electricity usage from lights. If possible, choose LED lights or decorate with a garland or wreath. Get creative!
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Reuse old decorations, wrapping paper and ribbons to decrease waste.
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Recycle wrapping paper that cannot be salvaged or participate in the light recycling effort in River Forest.
Click here for additional sustainable holiday ideas!
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River Forest Business Spotlight! | |
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What's Happening in River Forest?
to find out, today!
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Click the name below to visit the organization's website:
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