St. Coletta’s celebrates 75 years at benefit Nov. 9
Area residents are invited to put on their dancing shoes and join the celebration of St. Coletta’s of Illinois and its 75 years of service to adults and children with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
A Caritas Benefit with a 1950s theme is planned for Nov. 9 at The Odyssey, 19110 S. Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park. The dinner dance includes specialty cocktails, dinner, dancing and live music from a seven-piece band Coax & Folks. Band member Daniel Waddell serves on St. Coletta’s Foundation Board.
“This is not only a celebration of our organization’s past, but a chance to look ahead at the continued impact we can have on our community,” St. Coletta’s CEO Hearth Benedick said in a news release. “We invite everyone to come dressed in their best 1950s attire and join us for a night of nostalgia, fun, and generosity.”
Tickets cost $200 per person or $1,800 for a table of 10. Sponsorships also are available. For tickets or information, visit www.stcolettasofil.org/caritas or call 708-342-5200.
Chicago Ridge library gains $26k grant
The Chicago Ridge Public Library has earned a $26,000 grant from the Illinois secretary of state, thanks to combined state funds, federal Library Services and Technology Act funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
“This grant will help support and expand access to the various programs and services that Chicago Ridge PUblic LIbrary officers,” State Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, said in a news release. “This grant will allow our library to become more accessible to members of the community and to continue promoting literacy and learning for all ages.”
Grants include funding to enhance online catalogs, support day-to-day operations, equip vision-impaired people with narrations of newspaper content and expand interlibrary loan programs.
Metra Electric plans station reopening, one-day closure
The 147th Street/Sibley Boulevard station on the Metra Electric Line in Harvey will reopen to passengers on Oct. 28 after a more than two-year project to rebuild and upgrade the station.
The station now includes an elevator, new covered staircase, a kiss and ride lane, improved pedestrian pathways, bicycle parking, a new platform covered by a canopy and warming shelters.
A ribbon-cutting with elected officials takes place at 10 a.m. Oct. 29 at the station. Thanks to funding from the Regional Transit Authority, Metra also will host Metra Harvest Fest for the community from noon to 3 p.m. Nov. 2 in the station’s parking lot. The free event features games, music, food trucks and giveaways.
The $20.8 million project is the first significant upgrade to the station in nearly three decades.
The University Park station on the Metra Electric Line will be closed Oct. 27 because of scheduled track work between University Park and Richton Park.
Riders who normally board trains there should use the Richton Park station instead. Trains will operate to and from Richton Park on their regular Sunday schedule.
Trunk or Treat at Good Shepherd in Palos Heights
Families are invited to Trunk or Treat from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 26 in the back parking lot at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7800 W. McCarthy Road, Palos Heights.
Volunteers will pass out candy and other goodies from decorated trunks, and goodie bags will be given out upon arrival while supplies last. Members of the Palos Heights Police Department will be on hand. The event moves inside if the weather is poor.
Attendees are encouraged to dress up. Allergy-friendly options are available for those with severe food allergies. Information is at 708-448-4170 or www.good-shepherd-church.com.
Oak Forest ends daily parking fees at Metra lots
The Oak Forest City Council recently approved an ordinance to eliminate daily parking fees at its five Metra lots, and it already has taken effect.
In a news release, city administrator Tim Kristin called the city’s collection system “antiquated and costly in both time and resources.” Deteriorating payboxes have been vandalized and burglarized, which leads to police officers responding and public works employees repairing the boxes. It costs about $60,000 to replace 12 payboxes.
It takes police officers at least an hour per day to collect the money and about five hours weekly for counter clerks at City Hall to sort and count the coins and bills.
Given the decrease since the pandemic of people parking at the lots, losing the daily fee will not have a significant impact on the city’s bottom line, Kristin said. It’s hoped that free parking will lead to more commuters and an increase in foot traffic in the Gateway Development area.
Orland Park resident named Comcast regional VP
Grace Hong Duffin was named vice president of external and government affairs for Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region, which includes Illinois, northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.
She will lead the government relations team and the community impact team, which includes franchising activity, compliance, third-party relations and community investment initiatives, including digital equity.
Prior to this post, Duffin spent six years as president and chief executive officer of the Kenneth Young Center, a community nonprofit that provides mental health counseling, treatment and support in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.
She has a bachelor’s degree in human development and social policy from Northwestern University, law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. She and her family live in a southwest suburb of Chicago.
Bingo night planned at Frankfort church
St. Peter’s United Church of Christ hosts a BYOB bingo night from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 2 at the church, 12 W. Sauk Trail, Frankfort.
Adults 12 and older are invited to play. Cost is $20 per person and $2 for each additional card; only cash will be accepted. A split-the-pot cash prize will be available. Information is at 815-469-2220.
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