Annual bicycle exchange and sale returns
Park Ridge Friends of the Parks and the Park Ridge Park District will conduct the fourth annual Pedals for the Parks Bike and Trike Exchange, offering residents an opportunity to donate and purchase used bicycles.
Donations will be accepted on April 8, from 9 a.m. to noon at Centennial Aquatic Center, 100 S. Western Ave. Bikes of all sizes and in all conditions will be accepted, according to organizers.
The public sale will take place on April 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Maine Park Leisure Center, 2701 W. Sibley Ave. The sale will again coincide with Earth Day celebrations.
Bicycle donors will receive a receipt that can be used for early-bird shopping from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., according to Friends of the Parks.
In the event of rain, the sale will be rescheduled to May 6 at the same location and time, organizers said.
Proceeds from the sale will help support the Friends of the Parks initiative to plant new trees at Park Ridge parks. Bikes not sold will be donated to Working Bikes, a Chicago-based company that repairs old bikes and donates them to people in need around the world, Friends of the Parks said.
For more information, visit www.prfriendsoftheparks.org.
Park Ridge yard waste collection resumes
Residential yard waste collection resumes the week of April 3 during regular refuse collection days, the city of Park Ridge announced.
Yard waste should be placed in large paper yard bags or yard waste carts and left alongside refuse carts for collection by Groot, the city said. Yard waste should not be placed in plastic bags.
Branches less than 2 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length must be tied together in bundles weighing less than 50 pounds in order to be collected. Twigs and small brush should be broken up and placed in yard waste bags or the yard waste cart, the city said.
For pick-up of larger branches and tree removals, residents must contact a private company, according to the city.
To purchase a yard waste container from Groot, call 800-244-1977.
Newcomers Club holds kids sale
The Park Ridge Newcomers Club’s Spring Kids Sale will be held April 8 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 260 N. Northwest Highway in Park Ridge.
Admission to the sale is $2 per adult, with free admission after 11:30 a.m. Credit cards are accepted for purchases, according to the club, and all sales are final.
St. Paul hosts blood drive April 9
A blood drive will take place April 9 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church’s Morello Parish Life Center, 320 S. Washington St., in Park Ridge. The drive is hosted by the church’s Holy Family Guild, in partnership with LifeSource.
All donors must present valid photo ID and will be given a health assessment prior to donating, according to a blood drive notice.
Walk-ins are welcome after 11 a.m. To schedule an appointment, contact blood drive coordinator Christine Perille at 847-823-8755 or christine.perille@gmail.com.
Maine East presents jazz concert
Maine East High School’s Big Band ensemble will join musicians from schools in East Maine School District 63 for a concert on April 17 at 7 p.m.
The concert, featuring songs by Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Elvis Presley and others, will include the Gemini Junior High jazz ensembles and jazz musicians from Apollo and Melzer Elementary Schools.
The concert’s special guest artist is Chicago trumpeter Victor Garcia.
The performances will take place in the auditorium of Maine East High School, 2601 W. Dempster St.
Safe driving course offered
The Park Ridge Police Department will host an AARP Safe Driver Course for drivers over age 50 on April 26 and April 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Park Ridge Public Works Service Center, 400 Busse Highway.
Cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members.
To register, call Officer Tom Rechlicz at the Park Ridge Police Department at 847-318-5220 or Maryanne Forde at 847-692-3423.
District 64 holds kindergarten welcoming events
Parents and guardians of children entering kindergarten next fall are invited to attend a “Kindergarten Roundup” hosted by Park Ridge-Niles School District 64.
School offices will be open for parents to ask questions about the registration process, drop off a birth certificate or complete the home language survey, the district said. The roundup will also include orientation with school principals and teachers and a classroom visit, according to the district.
Dates of the roundups are as follows:
* Field School, April 18. Office hours are 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with presentation and tour from 6 to 7 p.m.
* Carpenter School, April 19. Office hours are 6:30 to 8 p.m., with presentation at 7 p.m.
* Franklin School, April 19. Office hours are 5:30 to 7 p.m., with presentation and tour at 6 p.m.
* Roosevelt and Washington schools, April 20. Office hours are 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with a presentation at 6 p.m. and tour at 6:40 p.m.
Children must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2017 in order to be eligible to enroll in kindergarten for the 2017-18 school year, the district said.
Families are asked to complete a pre-enrollment form prior to attending any of the Kindergarten Roundup events by visiting www.d64.org/about/registration. Children in other grades, including preschool, can also register for the 2017-18 school year through the same link, according to the district.
Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
