Local Senior News in Chicagoland

Local Senior News

Seniors Writers Invited To Share Their Wisdom;

Senior Idol Contest Still Open, Too!

The Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging is inviting all seniors to compete to be this year’s “Connect the Generations” Writing Challenge winner. Everyone aged 60 or older is welcome to submit an entry responding to the question, “What person or event had an impact on you?” Submissions are being accepted now. The deadline to enter is Aug. 2.

Submissions may be in the form of essays, poems, or song lyrics of up to 300 words, and must be the original work of the person submitting it. A minimum of eight finalists will be notified by Aug. 16. The three winning entrants will be awarded cash prizes and given the opportunity to read or have their entry read at the Senior Lifestyle Expo on Aug. 25, on the main stage at the Drury Lane Theater in Oakbrook Terrace. Winning entries also will be posted on the Chicagoland Senior News website at www.CSN50andBetter.com.

Entry forms are available online at www.SeniorLifestyleExpo.org or from Kim Robey, Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, 630-293-5990, or krobey@ageguide.org.

The Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging is a nonprofit organization responsible for developing and coordinating a network of services for older persons throughout an eight county area in northeastern Illinois. The Agency informs and advises public and private agencies and the general public of the needs of older persons living in the area, and acts as an advocate on their behalf. The agency serves DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties. Other information about the agency and other topics of interest to the elderly, as well as links to other resources, are available at the agency’s web site, www.AgeGuide.org.

There is still room for a few more contestants for the 5th Annual "Senior Idol" Competition. For more information please visit the Expo website at www.SeniorLifestyleExpo.org and look for links for the Senior Idol and Wisdom in Aging Writing Challenge on the right side navigation bar.

Hearthstone Senior Fair

Returns to McHenry

Hearthstone Senior Fair, an annual tradition for thousands of McHenry County seniors, will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 18 at McHenry County College located on Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

Hearthstone Senior Fair is an expo of services, products, information, fun and entertainment geared toward people age 50 plus. Fair activities include health and wellness screenings, exhibitors showcasing products and services geared toward seniors, music from the Vito Buffalo Orchestra, and new this year, McHenry County Celebrity BINGO.

The Centegra “Wellness on the Move” van will be at the fair to provide blood pressure checks and vascular screenings. An appointment is needed for vascular screenings and can be made by calling 877-CENTEGRA. There is a charge of $129 for the vascular screening.

After paying a $1 entrance fee all activities and entertainment is free. The entrance fee will be waived for anyone who brings a non-perishable donation for a local food pantry. The offices of Jack Franks and Melissa Bean will positioned at the entrance to distribute cans of franks and beans to use as your food pantry donation.

The fair is hosted each year by Hearthstone Senior Living Community. Sponsors of Hearthstone Senior Fair include Mercy Health System, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Centegra Health System, Home State Bank Senior Class Club, and Chicagoland Senior News.

For more details and discount admission coupons, visit our web site at www.hearthstoneil.org (click on Event Calendar) or contact Beth Burg at 815-321-4002.

Liberty Bank Sponsors
Senior Day Trolley Rides

Liberty Bank for Savings will be providing free trolley rides on Senior Day taking place July 9 during The Taste of Park Ridge. Rides are from noon to 3 p.m. and depart from Hodges Park, across from Park Ridge City Hall.

Docents from the Historic Tours of Park Ridge will accompany the trolleys and describe sites along the route including the public art display called The Promise of Park Ridge hosted by Rainbow Hospice. The Promise displays consist of pairs of decorated animals in three parks, Hodges, Cumberland and Centennial. Other points of interest along the 30-40 minute ride will be sample highlights of the Historic Tours which normally cover three dozen sites and take several hours to complete.

School-age children will also have the opportunity to win cash and prizes with the Historic Trivia Contest held monthly and sponsored by Liberty Bank.

Entry forms are available at participating retailers, the Chamber of Commerce offices, and City Hall. Proceeds from the historic tours which run from May through November will benefit The Kalo Foundation of Park Ridge and The Park Ridge Community Fund. The tours are part of the City’s Centennial observation.

Liberty Bank for Savings has been providing safe and secure banking service since 1898. The community bank, with offices on the northwest side of Chicago, in Park Ridge and Lincolnwood, celebrates its 112th anniversary in 2010.

For more information call 773-489-4471 or visit www.libertybank.com.

Literacy DuPage Schedules

Tutor Training Sessions

Imagine not being able to read a food label, fill out a job application, or help a child with homework. Over 225,000 of your neighbors in DuPage County need assistance in learning to read, write and speak English and they face those situations on a daily basis.

Literacy DuPage, formerly known as Literacy Volunteers of DuPage, helps meet their needs by providing one-to-one and small group tutoring with volunteer tutors, at a time and location convenient for both the tutors and the adult learners. When you share your time as a volunteer tutor, you can build a mutually rewarding one-on-one relationship with a neighbor who needs your help. You will see direct rewards from their work and take pride in helping them become more independent and comfortable members of your community.

Tutors may be retirees, homemakers, or employed full-time. Tutors need not be experienced in teaching or be bilingual. Tutors receive comprehensive training in a series of six workshops, preparing for English as a Second Language or Adult Basic Literacy instruction.

The next tutor training series of six sessions will be held at Plainfield Vilalge Hall, 24401 W. Lockport St. Sessions will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on July 14, 19, 21, 26, 28 and Aug. 10.

A second series will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. July 26, 28, Aug. 2, 4, 9 and 23 at Glenside Public Library, 25 E. Fullerton Ave. in Glendale Heights.

Tutor volunteers must attend all six sessions in a series.

To register for the tutor training series, inquire about other upcoming tutor training workshops or for additional information, call 630-416-6699 or go online at www.literacy dupage.org.

Big Band Event Scheduled

The Third Annual Celebration to a Joint Big Band Jazz Concert will be performed at 7:30 p.m. July 17 at the Naperville Community Concert Center in Central. The host band, the NMB Naperville Big Band, directed by Ken Kalina, has invited the popular all female big band, The Chicago Outskirts Big Band, to perform in this joint big band concert. Each band will perform highlights of big band music of the 30s, 40s and 50s. The concert is free. Seating is available, or you may bring your own lawn chairs.

Active and Retired Federal Employees to Meet

NARFE (National Active & Retired Federal Employees) Chapter 2181 meets at 1 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at the American Legion, 820 N. Liberty St. (Route 25) in Elgin.

This month’s meeting will be held on July 13th. A guest speaker is usually scheduled on subjects of interest to the group.

Active and retired federal employees and their spouses, and surviving spouses of those eligible to join NARFE from surrounding areas are welcome. Members receive the monthly NARFE Retirement Life magazine.

Lunch is available in the American Legion lunchroom before the meeting. Coffee and desserts are served after the meeting. Call Nick Hyser at 847-741-5772 for more information or visit the website at www.narfe.org.

Social Group Welcomes Widows and Widowers

St. Anthony WOW (widows and widowers) will meet at 7:30 p.m. July 9 at Frankfort Township Hall, 11000 Lincoln Hwy in Frankfort.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Following a brief business meeting, entertainment and refreshments will be provided.

This is a social group open to all widows and widowers.

For further information, call Mary at 815-469-4351 or Diane at 815-469-5917.