DRIVES AND SALES
*Donations of new, unwrapped toys may be dropped off through Dec. 13 in the Finance Lobby or Police Lobby at the Village Hall, 200 E. Wood St., Palatine. The Finance Lobby is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and the Police Lobby is open 24 hours. The village is partnering with the Woodfield Area Children’s Organization and the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign.
*Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS) has released it first calendar, “Beautiful Things with Wings” for 2008. The calendars cost $10 and are available in the WINGS resale stories in Palatine, Niles and Schaumburg or online at www.wingsprogram.com. All proceeds will benefit women and children facing domestic violence and homelessness. Call Jessica Jarrard at 847-908-0910.
*Christmas ornaments for 22 women and 42 children assisted by Home of the Sparrow, a transitional housing shelter, may be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays in Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church, 8505 Church St., north of McHenry County College. All of the Home of the Sparrow’s Christmas decorations were damaged during the August floods. Call 815-459-1132 or e-mail office@rclpc.org.
*Food for Fines will be accepted through Monday in the Algonquin Area Library, 2600 Harnish Drive. Non-perishable food items will be accepted as payment for fines. All food will be donated to area families through Hearts of Gold. Donations may also be dropped off at the Eastgate Branch Library, 115 Eastgate Drive. The Hearts of Gold Giving Tree is on display in both locations. Participants may take an ornament and purchase the requested gift for an area child. Gifts should also be returned by Monday. Call 847-458-6060.
*Artwork done by patients of the Adult & Child Rehab Center in Woodstock will be on display through Friday in the Woodstock Library, 414 W. Judd St. A 2008 calendar and notecards featuring the artwork are available for the first time. Calendars cost $10 and notecards cost $6 for a package of six. They are available in the Woodstock Chamber, Read Between the Lynes and Home State Bank in Woodstock, as well as at the center, 708 Washington St., Woodstock. All proceeds will benefit the center, which provides therapy and nursing services for residents of McHenry County. Call 815-338-1707.
*Donations of yarn may be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays in Senior Services, 3519 N. Richmond Rd., McHenry. Yarn is used for knitting and crocheting lap robes for nursing home residents and scarves and mittens for Head Start students. Call Debbie Danitz 815-344-3555.
*Donations of new, unwrapped toys for infants through teenagers may be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays through Dec. 20 at the following locations: Ross, Sullivan, MacArthur and Eisenhower Schools in Prospect Heights; the School District 23 office, 700 N. Schoenbeck Rd., Prospect Heights; and the Prospect Heights Park District. Boy Scout Troop 36 and the 100% Foundation will deliver toys to 10 area agencies, hospitals and food pantries. For more information, call 847-727-3885.
*The Niles Fire Department will hold its fourth annual Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots drive. Donations of new, unwrapped toys may be dropped off through noon Dec. 21 in fire stations at 8360 W. Dempster St. and 6611 Jarvis Ave.; the police station, 7000 W. Touhy Ave.; the Senior Center, 999 Civic Center Drive; and the Niles Fitness Center, 987 Civic Center Drive. No stuffed animals or toiletries will be accepted.
*Donations of new, unwrapped toys will be accepted through Monday at any Mt. Prospect fire station.
*The Giving Tree will be on display through Christmas Eve at Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee. Shoppers are invited to select a gift tag and buy the requested gift. Names and gift requests are submitted by 14 area non-profit agencies assisting area families, children and seniors. Call 847-428-2200.
*Donations of new, unwrapped books in English and Spanish for local children 6 and younger will be accepted through Dec. 16 in the Mt. Prospect Public Library, 10 S. Emerson St. Call 847-253-5675.
*Donations of new, unwrapped gifts for ages 1 to 16 may be dropped off through Dec. 14 in the Buffalo Grove Police Department lobby, 46 Raupp Blvd. Donations will be given to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots drive.
*The Mitten Tree Project, donations of new hats, gloves, mittens and scarves for residents of Des Plaines, is under way at: Des Plaines City Hall, Health and Human Services Division, 1420 Miner St., 5th Floor; Prairie Lakes, 515 E. Thacker St.; Des Plaines Library Children’s Department, 1501 Ellinwood St.; First Bank, 678 Lee St.; First Midwest Bank, 749 Lee St.; Fifth Third Bank, 510 Metropolitan Way; Plaza Bank, 379 S. Rand Rd.; Midwest Bank, 1545 Ellinwood St.; Frisbie Senior Center, 52 Northwest Highway; and Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, 310 N. River Rd.
FUNDRAISERS
*The second annual Sinatra and Pasta, a fundraiser and food drive for the Palatine Township Food Pantry, will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday in Durty Nellie’s, 180 N. Smith St. Palatine. The event includes a buffet pasta dinner, raffle prizes and a tribute to Frank Sinatra by performer Sam Magdal. Admission is $10 and two non-perishable food items. Tickets will be available at the door. Call 847-217-1845 or 847-358-6700.
*An annual Christmas tree sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Pioneer Tree Farm, 4614 Pioneer Rd., off Illinois Highway 31 north of Illinois Highway 120, McHenry. Visitors can cut their own tree. Trees cost $35, any size, and a percentage of the sales will be donated to the McHenry County Defenders. For more information, visit www.pioneertreefarm.com or call the Defenders at 815-338-0393.
*A drawing for a one-of-a-kind diamond and garnet pendant will be held Dec. 15 in Studio 2015 Jewelers on the Woodstock Square, 110 N. Benton St. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit Turning Point, McHenry County’s advocate for victims of domestic violence. Tickets cost $10 or three for $25. Tickets are available in Studio 2015 or call Turning Point at 815-338-8081.
*A workshop on how to repair and refinish kitchen cabinets and furniture will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley’s ReStore, 860 N. State St., Elgin. Call 847-742-9905 or visit www.restoreelgin.org.
*Empty Bowls at Oakton, an annual fundraiser to fight hunger, will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Oakton Community College, 1600 E. Golf Rd., Des Plaines. For a $12 donation, participants will select a handcrafted bowl to keep and receive a simple meal of soup and bread as a reminder that someone’s bowl is always empty. There will also be a raffle and silent auction. Entertainment will be provided by the acoustic duo Patchouli. The event will benefit food pantries operated by Maine, Niles and Northfield Townships. For more information, call 847-635-1699 or e-mail emptybowls@oakton.edu.
*Clearbrook’s third annual “Wonderland of Lights,” a 1.6-mile drive-through holiday light show, will be open through New Year’s Day at Arlington Park, 2200 W. Euclid Ave, Arlington Heights. Hours are 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The cost is $10 per car Monday through Thursday and $12 per car Friday through Sunday. Proceeds will benefit clients of Arlington Heights-based Clearbrook. For more information, call 847-577-4646. A discount coupon is available at www.clearbrook.org.
