Feed My Starving Children MobilePack Event Returns to Lemont

The multi-day charity event—which involved nearly 1,000 volunteers at Lemont Township last year—will be hosted by the First Church of the Nazarene on Oct. 12-13.

The massive, multi-day philanthropic project that brought more than 1,000 Lemont residents together to help the hungry in 2011 will be back in town again October 12-13. Thanks to the efforts of a small group of organizers led by Lemont resident Peggy Magdziarz, Feed My Starving Children will bring a MobilePack event to town in hopes of making more than 200,000 meals for starving children throughout the world. “Initially when planning it the first time, I wanted to try it for one year,” Magdziarz said. “But as it started growing, I thought maybe we could do it again.” Last April, Lemont hosted its first MobilePack site at the Lemont Township building on Warner Avenue. Magdziarz’s original goal of raising $19,000 was far surpassed as more …

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Whiz Kids

Happy Hands Preschoolers Participate in 20th Annual Trike-A-Thon for St. Jude

Students got a lesson in bike safety Tuesday as they raised money for the children's research hospital.

Students at Happy Hands Methodist Preschool in Lemont are riding their bikes to save lives. On Tuesday, dozens of 3-and 4-year-olds at participated in the preschool’s 20th annual Trike-a-Thon to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The hospital, founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, is located in Memphis, TN, and has treated children from all over the United States as well as 70 other countries. The Trike-A-Thon a week-long safety curriculum and fundraising program offered by St. Jude. After a week of safety lessons in the classroom, schools designate a day or two for children to bring their bikes and helmets for a 10-minute race, which is supported by pledges from family and friends. On Tuesday, Happy Hands students rode …

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Giving Back: American Red Cross, Scarecrow 5K, Teaching Opportunities

There are plenty of ways around the area to volunteer and contribute to society. Below, some upcoming opportunities.

WHAT: ESL Teaching Opportunity WHERE: St. Joseph Services, Bolingbrook WHEN: 12:45 to 3:15 p.m. Thursdays through Nov. 3 WHY HELP: Volunteers are needed to help teach basic English skills to adult students. Assigned classroom workbooks will be provided, and volunteers will have orientation and observe a class before teaching. REQUIRED SKILLS: Volunteers must be older than 18 and make a minimum six-month commitment, with at least two hours of in-class class and a half-hour of preparation per week. A 10-hour online training will be required. Volunteers also should be prepared to shadow two classes prior to teaching, and must provide a copy of their resume and two professional references. Volunteers also need to pass a background check and be…

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Weekend Charity Garage Sale to Benefit Melanoma Research

Lemont resident Jill Risatti hosts this weekend's garage sale, in memory of her mother, Dawn Gargano.

When Lemont resident Jill Risatti's mother, Dawn Gargano, succumbed to melanoma in December 2009, Risatti promised to keep her memory alive. More importantly, however, she hoped to spread awareness about the skin cancer. This Saturday and Sunday, Risatti will host a Charity Garage Sale at her home, 122 Cass St., to raise money for the Melanoma Research Foundation, an organization that supports research for treatment as well as helps teach prevention techniques and spread awareness. According to Risatti, the choice to raise funds for a research center was one her mother would have wanted. "Her big thing was that she really didn't want other people to go through what she went through, so she wanted to fund more research," she said. Melanoma…

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Amanda Luevano

10:06 am on Thursday, June 23, 2011

This Saturday and Sunday (June 25-26) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sorry!   more ›

Happy Holidays From Patch

Thanks-Giving in Our Corner of the World

Organizations and individuals throughout the village of Lemont have worked to provide holiday food and gifts to families in need.

In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, groups in our community are doing their part to give to those in need. The Lemont Jewel-Osco has been collecting donations of $1 to help provide boxed meals to families on Thanksgiving. There is still time to assist with this effort after Thanksgiving for Christmas boxed meals. For more information, call 630-816-4972. First Church of the Nazarene will be assisting the Rev. Ron Allen and the Chicago First Church of the Nazarene (located in the Austin neighborhood) by providing a full Thanksgiving dinner for those in need. If you are interested in assisting, please call Pastor Ron at 312-287-7074m or email him at rallen@chicagofirstnaz.org. The Lemont Junior Woman's Club will be …

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This Corner of the World

Dining Out? Make a Difference With a 'Side of Relief'

Local restaurants are participating in the new "Add a Side of Relief to Your Meal" program to benefit the Lemont Township Family Assistance Fund and the Lemont Food Pantries.

Could you live off $10,830 a year? If you have a family of four, could you make ends meet on $22,050? This is the 2010 federal poverty threshold.   The thresholds were originally developed in the 1960s by the Social Security Administration. Recently, many have questioned if the number is contrived and whether or not families are able to legitimately stay survice by these calculations. Lawmakers are debating ways to achieve a more realistic barometer of poverty that accounts for the cost of living in different areas, local employment numbers and the availability of public transportation to expand possible employment boundaries. With that information under your hat, here is the local ramification: Each community must adapt the poverty level …

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Lemont Boy Uses Birthday to Raise Money for Park District

Budding philanthropist Milo Greenspon, 5, raised $3,625 for the Lemont Park District by asking for donations in lieu of birthday presents.

For most kids, birthdays are all about cake and presents. For 5-year-old Lemont resident Milo Greenspon, birthdays are about giving back to the community. Every year, Greenspon chooses a different local organization and asks family members and friends for donations in lieu of gifts. In the past, the young philanthropist has chosen the Lemont Police Department and the Special Olympics Torch Run. This September, he chose the Lemont Park District. "This year Milo chose the Lemont Park District because of his fond memories associated with the Park District programs and he wants other children to experience such wonderful memories," said Catherine Greenspon, Milo's mom. During his birthday party at the CORE Fitness and Aquatics Complex on Sept…

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Local Business Organizes Chili Cook-off to Benefit Lemont Food Pantry

The event will be held Sunday, Sept. 26, in Talcott Square Plaza.

Business owners in Talcott Square are kicking off the fall season this Sunday with a chili cook-off to benefit the Lemont Food Pantry. The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at 435 Talcott Ave., the same lot occupied by the Lemont Farmers Market every Tuesday. The entry fee is $10 for all participants. Contestants must provide a gallon and half of chili to be judged. The winning recipe will receive $150. The remaining proceeds will be donated to the food pantry. Viviana Grasso, owner of Petal Play Design Studio in Talcott Square, organized the event after realizing the need for food pantry's need for donations. "I thought to myself a while back that it would be great to pick one organization to help out," Grasso said. "There are more …

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