Local Programs/Events (as well as some online events):
Oak Park/River Forest Township Senior Services has a lot of programming too. See their calendar online here. Note: for any of the programs, please call the Activity and Nutrition hotline at
(708) 725-9129 to check availability and to register.
See Dole Center/Active Adult information below (in green section) as well as Forest Park Mohr Center News/Trips in attachment below.
April 1 from 10:00 am- 11:00 am: River Forest Township and River Forest Library present Coffee Monday with Jeanette Guzman from Victory Center of Galewood. Come to the River Forest Library to learn about Supportive living for older adults and persons with physical disabilities. Learn more about supportive living here.
April 1 from 10:00 am- 11:15 am: Age Options presents their 2024 Legislative Breakfast at West Suburban Senior Services at 439 Bohland Ave, Bellwood, IL. No Cost; RSVP to Peter Byer at peter.byer@ageoptions.org
April 1 from 1:15pm- 2:15pm: The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association presents A Brief History of the Reintroduction of Native Americans to Illinois. Learn more here.
April 3 from 9:00 am- 10:00 am: Trailside Museum of Natural History presents Senior Fitness Walks: A one mile walk in the forest preserves at your own pace with a Master Naturalist. Meet at the Thatcher Woods Pavilion. Register at 708-366-6530.
April 4 from 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm: Arbor West Neighbors presents Expanding End-of-Life Options with Catherine Marienau and Terri Powell at the Oak Park Library in the Veterans Room. In this presentation you will learn more about Medical Aid in Dying and the importance of planning for the end of life, including those with terminal illness.If interested or you want to learn more send an email to registerAWNprogram@gmail.com. See flyer here.
April 5 from 8:30 am- 10:30 am: Virtual ASA Roundtable Meeting. Brief remarks from the new IL Director on Aging. Updates on the American Society on Aging's initiatives and a discussion about cannabis and use among older adults. Register here.
April 5 from 9:30 am- 11:00 am: Oak Park Public Library presents Older Adults Coffee Hour. Stop by for coffee and conversation. Please register in advance here.
April 5 from 11:00 am- 1:30 pm: Kehrein Center for the Arts presents Aging Well Together. Learn more here.
April 5 at 7:30 pm: Madison Street Theater presents Comedy Mirror: A Standup Show. Learn more here.
April 6 from 9:30 am -2:00 pm: Oak Park Area Association of Realtors host a Blood Drive at the Sheridan in River Forest
(800 N. Harlem) Register here.
April 6 from 10:00 am- 1:30 pm: Park District of Oak Park and Fox Center present Repair Cafe. For more information, click here.
April 6 at 2:00 pm: The Oak Park Society of Engineers invites you to celebrate their 60th Anniversary at Jim and Pete's Italian Restaurant in Elmwood Park (7806 W. North Ave.) $35/person. Invited guest speaker is John Pantos, Senior Customer Performance Engineer, Progress Rail/EMD Division of Caterpillar. For more details, call Lew Concklin at 708-717-1953. See flyer here.
April 7 from 9:30 am- 10:45 am: First United Church of Oak Park presents Environmental Stewardship/Environmental Justice: Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives in Oak Park and Surrounding Communities. (848 Lake St., Oak Park)
April 7 at 1:00 pm: 6 Week CourAGEus Conscious Aging Workshop Series Read more here. ($89)
April 8 from 1:30 pm- 4:30 pm: View the Solar Eclipse. For more information, click here. The Cernan Space Center will be hosting a partial eclipse viewing. Learn more here.
April 8: Oak Park River Forest Township Senior Services presents Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention. This is the first day of this program. Make sure you register in advance to secure your spot. Learn more here.
April 8 from 1:15 pm- 2:15 pm: The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association presents Monday Enrichment Series: Science: Mammalian Diversity in the Philippines. Learn more here.
April 9 from 10:00 am- 12:00 pm: The Community Mental Health Board hosts Walk and Talk at The Community Recreation Center in Oak Park (229 Madison St.) Join your neighbors for a healthy walk around the indoor track. Community Resources are available too. Open to all older adults. Reach out to Megan Ulczak if any questions at megan.ulczak@pdop.org.
April 9 at 1:30 pm: The Levy Center presents Every Day Improv with Sue Gillan. This will be a Zoom Event. Register here.
April 9 at 7:00 pm: Margaret Burk and the Forest Park Arts Association present Tellers Night. Come hear stories, have a drink and enjoy food from Smokey Joel's or bring your own food. Tickets are $15 on line or at the door. (doors open at 6:30 pm) See more here.
April 10 from 9:00 am- 3:30 pm: The National Center to Reframe Aging presents Summit 2024: The Movement to Reframe Aging. See schedule here and register here.
April 10 from 12:00 pm- 5:30 pm: University of Illinois Chicago presents their Urban Forum. Learn more and register here. Tickets are $25.
April 14 from 12:00 pm- 2:00 pm: The Village of Oak Park presents Holi Celebration on Village Hall's south lawn. Color play begins at 1:20 pm. Music and food for purchase. Learn more here.
April 15 from 12:00 pm- 2:00 pm: The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association presents their Scholarship Recipients. Meet the Nineteenth Century OPRF High Scholarship recipients.
April 16 at 7:00 pm: Moth StorySlam at Fitzgeralds: Register Early!!! Learn more here.
April 17 from 7:00 pm- 8:00 pm: Triton College Global Music Series: American Folk Music at the Triton College Performing Arts Center- R Building, Room 218. Award winning banjo and fiddle duo, Jonas Friddle and Anna Jacobson from Chicago 's Old Town School of Folk Music. (free)
April 19 at 7:30: Good Shepard Church presents Jazz Prayer Service (every 3rd Friday through May) For more information, click here.
April 20 from 8:00 am- 10:00 am: Earth Day Clean Up at DesPlaines River. Learn more here. Pre-registration is required.
April 21 from 11:00 am- 2:00 pm: The 8th Annual Community Health & Wellness Fair will be at the Community Recreation Center in Oak Park (229 Madison St., Oak Park)
April 22 from 1:15 pm- 2:15 pm: The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association presents their Monday Enrichment Series: Art: Georgia O'Keefe, An American Original. Learn more here.
April 23 at 10:00 am: AARP Equity by Design presents Vibrant Encores: Vacant Buildings Helping to Solve the Housing Crisis. This is a virtual event. Innovative adaptive reuse of unused and underused buildings is helping solve the affordable housing crisis and providing lifelong housing as people age. Drew Roskos from the Oak Park River Forest Senior Services Committee will be one of the speakers. Register here.
April 27 from 9:30- 2:30 pm: The Alzheimer's Association presents The 2nd Annual African American Conference: Release the Silence: RACE into Action. Learn more here.
April 27 from 6:30 pm- 9:00 pm: Madison Street Theater and Subtext Theater Company present their Spring Debut. This is a free event, but donations are accepted. Learn more here.
April 29 from 1:15 pm- 2:15 pm: The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association presents their Monday Enrichment Series: Literature: Blending Fiction with History: The Sinking of the S.S. Eastland. Learn more here.
Robert's Westside: Every 2nd Tuesday is Tellers Night and Every 3rd Tuesday is Soup and Bread and Every 4th Tuesday is Open Mike Night.
Websites for more Events:
Trailside Museum of Natural History events here.
Oak Park and River Forest Museum April Calendar: April 23: Labor History Presentation and April 27: Thatcher Woods Walking Tour Click here.
Hemingway Foundation Events: April 4: Hemingway and Chicago Baseball Revisited and April 26: Friday at Hemingways: Speaking for Earth: A Poetry Reading: Learn more here. Also, the Hemingway Shorts Competition is open until April 15. Learn more here.
See Dominican University Events here. (a lot of Events in April)
Triton College Events here.
The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association April Calendar of Events here. (also listed above)
Oak Park Library Calendar here.
Green Community Connection Calendar has a lot going on in April Click here to see One Earth Film viewings and Earth Day Events and always Repair Cafe.
Newberry Library Events here. (many online)
The Park District of Oak Park has Active Adult Programming open to all communities (see just below); The Mohr Center in Forest Park has programming (see their newsletter in attachments) and
Village of North Riverside has some nice trips too (some local and some bigger trips). Call 708-762-5214 if you want to get their newsletter.
Wednesday Journal Community Section: here.
Also, please note the libraries, Township and OPRF Museum all have book clubs.
ONGOING CALENDAR:
Every Monday:
10:00 am- 10:50 am: Fitness Fellowship presents Gentle Yoga with Carol Olsen at Oak Park Arms (every Monday and Friday). Open to the community.
1:15 pm- 2:30 pm: Nineteenth Century Charitable Association presents their Monday Enrichment Series. For more information, click here. (note: all Monday Enrichment Programs are live-streamed if you can't make the event in person: Zoom link here.)
6:00 pm- 8:00 pm: The Oak Park Meditation Group meets in person at the Oak Park Public Library "Maze Branch on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month and on Zoom the other Mondays. It is open to all who want to learn and practice meditation together. Each session begins with a brief warm-up drawn from yoga or qigong, followed by meditation instruction, sitting and walking meditation, reading and discussion. Open to all. For more information, email OakParkMeditationGroup@gmail.com
Every Tuesday:
1:00 pm: Illinois Pathways to Health and the Mohr Center host Fit and Strong: Moving Towards a Healthier You. See flyer here. (at the Mohr Center: 7640 Jackson Blvd.) (every Tuesday and Friday) Reservations Required.
Every Wednesday:
10:00 am- 11:30 am: Free Zumba Gold at the Roos Center in Forest Park through Rush Oak Park Hospital and Park District of Forest Park. For more information, click here.
11:15 am- 12:15 pm: Line Dancing at the Dole Center (in Oak Park) for Active Adults. Free to all. Teaches rhythm, groove and hip-hop. Sign up here.
1:00 pm- 2:00 pm: Oak Park and River Forest Township Senior Services presents Painting and Drawing with Slowfire. See upcoming classes here.
Every Third Wednesday:
2:00 pm- 4:00 pm: Memory Cafe at Oak Park Township Senior Services Location. (130 S. Oak Park Ave.) This is also offered Virtually (see attached flyer)
Every Thursday:
10:00 am- 11:00 am: Come to Oak Park Township Senior Services Office (130 S. Oak Park Ave.) and join "Mad 4 Mats" (Made with Love) Learn how to make mats for the homeless or unhoused with "plarn". Please donate any plastic bags you may have.
1:00 pm- 3:00 pm: Come to the River Forest Community Center to play Mahjong and socialize. We have a teacher for those new to the game.
Every 4th Thursday:
from 4:00 pm- 5:00 pm: The Oak Park End of Life Options Coalition has their monthly meeting. For more information on this group reach out to Roz Byrne at roz@rozrealestate.com or call (708) 370-7444.
Every Friday:
10:00 am- 10:50 am: Fitness Fellowship presents Gentle Yoga with Carol Olsen at Oak Park Arms (every Monday and Friday). Open to the community.
1:00 pm: Illinois Pathways to Health and the Mohr Center host Fit and Strong: Moving Towards a Healthier You. See flyer here. (at the Mohr Center: 7640 Jackson Blvd.)
Every Saturday:
1:00 pm- 5:00 pm: College of DuPage Radio presents Those Were the Days with Steve Darnall. Enjoy old-time radio classics and music on 90.9 FM WDCB or listen live here.
Every 1st Saturday:
10:00 am- 1:30 pm: Repair Cafe at Fox Community Center. (Fox Center) Bring any small items that need to be repaired. If you are interested in being a volunteer repair person please stop by and let them know. Click here for more details. (see attachment below)
Every Sunday:
6:00 pm- 9:00 pm: Tune into Radio's Golden Age with Steve Darnall. KXEL- AM/1540 or listen live here. (Go to nostalgiadigest.com to learn more)
Local Music:
Music and Potlucks (a local organization of your neighbors that donates to local charities) To learn more, click here.
Friendly Music Community Calendar here.
Robert's Westside
Fitzgeralds Calendar of Events: Click here for their Event Calendar (including a lot of free music events in their side bar) They also have Baby Gold BBQ next door for before or during the show: Consider Moth Radio Show (tickets go fast) and Tuesday Bluesday, $5 Hamburger Wednesday and Voice Box
Comedy: Comedy Plex in Oak Park: Click here.
Other Useful Information:
If you are looking for a way to meet more people and you want to be more involved in your community, connect with Arbor West Neighbors (our local Village group). Learn more here.
Blue Zone Retreats here. (not cheap!)
Recipe Box Cafe at Dominican University. See upcoming meals here. (Final Two for the Season: April 4 and April 11)
2024 Older Adult Community Market April 11 and April 25 at PAV YMCA in Berwyn (2947 Oak Park Ave., Berwyn) Free fresh fruit, vegetable and non- perishable groceries.]
Senior Tech Support is offering Virtual Tech Classes: April 15: "Switching from Cable to Streaming." Learn more here and April 29:"Cutting the Cord" here. ($20/ class)
Call 211 Metro Chicago is a free resource connecting all Cook County residents with essential health and social services to help them meet their basic needs. Trained, local specialists are available 24/7 to connect individuals with the support they need, such as food, housing, utility assistance, access to health care, and other vital resources.
Elderwerks Resource Directory here.
Rush Generations Information
The 'Old Lady Project': Angela Allen is reclaiming the phrase "Old Lady". Listen to her podcast here.
CUB (Citizens Utility Board) provides help with utility bills. If you have any concerns about your bills, call 1-800-669-5556; Call for a Free Home Assessment: a representative will walk through your house to see how you can save and will give you free products to make things more affordable. 1-855-433-2700. For Oak Park Residents also look into Oak Park Climate Action Network at opcan.org
Fraud/Scam Information:
Be careful of scammers or people trying to take advantage of you, whether they call or come to your door, including utility scammers. If you have any concerns, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 or CUB (the Citizens Utility Board) if it is related to your utilities at 1-800-669-5556 as well as your local Police Department. Another resource is the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360 a toll-free service available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Crime Prevention Fraud/Scam Tips from the River Forest Police Department here.
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