Shepard students build beds, help feed hungry

The Leo Club from Shepard High School recently built beds for children who need them at an event organized by the charity Sleep in Heavenly Peace at First Midwest Bank in Oak Forest, along with volunteers from the Alsip Chamber of Commerce.

“The target was 10 beds and we pulled off 20,” Leo Club faculty sponsor Camille Tunstall said. “The club enjoyed staining the wood the most.”

Sleep in Heavenly Peace organizes events to build, assemble and deliver beds to children and families in need around the country.

Not to be outdone, a group of Shepard athletes in the girls swim and dive program found time this week to volunteer at Feed My Starving Children, despite the in-season hectic schedule of practice and competition.

FMSC purchases, packages and ships nutritious meals to people living in need in many of the world’s poorest nations and the United States.

Orland Park library’s ‘READ’ effort goes local

Celebrities have been urging people to “READ” in posters since the American Library Association created the concept in 1985. The posters over the years have featured Michael Jordan, Harrison Ford, Bill Gates, and more recent, Baby Yoda.

The Orland Park Public Library recently reached out to local, Orland Park officials and celebrities to be photographed while reading. All of the 2021 READ posters that the library has made so far are posted on the wall in the Youth Services department in the library.

“It is such an easy thing to be photographed reading, but it goes a long way in the community to help encourage kids to read,” library communications manager Jackie Boyd said. “We look forward to making some more of these posters soon.”

Orland Park’s READ posters feature Darvin Furniture & Mattress president Will Harris, Orland Park police Chief Joseph Mitchell, designer Debbi Ross from Insides Looks, Orland Park Fire District Chief Michael Schofield, state Rep. Fran Hurley, state Sen. Bill Cunningham and library administrators and board members.

Metra police stop man from jumping from bridge

Two Metra Police officers prevented a man from jumping off a bridge into a rail yard, a dramatic incident that was recorded on one of the officers’ body cameras.

The Sept. 15 incident happened on the 127th Street bridge over the Metra rail yard in Blue Island. The street and the bridge were closed because Metra was rebuilding the road’s crossing with the Metra Electric Blue Island Branch tracks at 127th and Lincoln, just east of the bridge.

According to a Metra news release, the man, who had just fled his car after driving into the construction zone, was standing near the bridge railing when Sgt. Will Wright and Officer Andrea Clunie, confronted him. As they were commanding him to place his hands behind his back so they could arrest him, he suddenly attempted to jump off the bridge, but the officers immediately grabbed him and pulled him back.

He was arrested and, after his arrest was processed, taken to Ingalls Hospital for evaluation, Metra officials said.

Roberts Park firefighters visit schoolchildren in Justice

Roberts Park firefighters Cindy Byrd and Dan Dvorak visited classrooms last week at Brodnicki Elementary School in Justice to spread their message about fire safety. The classroom visits also included an up-close look at fire gear, and students were invited to participate in the coloring and poster contests “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety.”

The students also heard about the Roberts Park Fire Department’s 75th Anniversary Open House Celebration on Oct. 16.

Oak Lawn native’s Mount St. Helens experience topic of talk

Palos Park resident Melanie Holmes will present a program about her book “A Hero on Mount St. Helens” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Evergreen Park Public Library, 9400 S. Troy Ave., as well as online via Zoom.

Oak Lawn native David Johnston was on Mount St. Helens when the volcano rumbled to life in March 1980. Throughout that ominous spring, Johnston was part of a team that conducted scientific research that underpinned warnings about the mountain. Those warnings saved thousands of lives when the most devastating volcanic eruption in U.S. history blew apart Mount St. Helens, but killed Johnston on the ridge that now bears his name. Holmes tells the story of Johnston’s journey from a nature-loving Boy Scout to a committed geologist. Registration is at evergreenparklibrary.org or 708-42-8522.

Farmers market set at Smith Crossing in Orland Park

Discover tasty treats at the Fall favorites from top vendors featured at neighborhood event Smith Crossing Farmers’ Market hosts vendors with

A variety of fall treats will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 2 at Smith Crossing Farmers’ Market in the facility’s main parking lot at 10501 Emilie Lane in Orland Park. In addition to Smith Crossing’s new stand serving apple cider and cider doughnuts to benefit Emilie’s Fund, highlights include a variety of items from Misericordia Hearts & Flour Bakery and fresh local produce by Midwest.

Other vendors include Flowers by John, K & K designs, soaps by Bob, Color Street Nails and Mary Kay by Pat Evans. Also 20 to 30 cars from the Frankfort Car Club with nostalgic favorites from the 1930s to the 1970s will be on hand. More information is at smithcrossing.org.

Pours for Parks to benefit Operation Playground Foundation

Operation Playground Foundation presents the 5th annual Pours for Parks Craft Beer, Wine and Spirits Tasting from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Founders Community Center. Tickets include 10 tastings, and the first 400 people will receive a tasting glass. Entertainment will be provided by the River Road Trio Band. Food will be available for purchase from Hog Wild Express via their food truck.

The event will be held indoors and outdoors as permitted by the weather.

A number of breweries and businesses are offering tastings. New vendors for this year are The Wine Thief of Frankfort, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Thornton Distillery Company and Dillinger Vodka. Local and regional breweries include Arrowhead Ales Brewing Company, Brothership Brewing Company, Nik and Ivy Brewing, Trail’s Edge Brewing Co., Hickory Creek Brewing Company and MyGrain Brewing Company. There will also be tastings from Hailstorm, 3 Floyds, and more.

Tickets are $30 in advance or $40 at the door, or $15 for a ticket that doesn’t include tasting, and are available at www.opfrankfort.org.

Operation Playground Foundation provides support and improvements of park facilities and programs for the community of Frankfort.

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