PHOTOS: Volunteers Make ShareFest a Day of Giving

Check out photos from the job and health fairs, entertainment and service projects around the community.

ShareFest's "11 Days of Giving" began Sept. 1, but today marks the main event—a festival of sorts that features free health care, a hazardous waste collection, lots of entertainment and a whole lot of giving.  The annual New Lenox event unites the community to help those in need and foster a spirit of giving what you can.  Today, Patch will be at the main location—the Spencer School Campus—updating this live blog with photos and calls for help. You can add your photos from the day and comment with any updates.  11:45 a.m. — SWAT DEMONSTRATION NEARS There are a bunch of great presentations and demonstrations going on at ShareFest today, and one of the coolest is the SWAT demonstration by the South Suburban Emergency Response Team. That's …

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VIDEO: L-W Marching Bands Perform Together in Community Concert

The student musicians of Lincoln-Way District 210 schools took to L-W Central's football field last week to play in the Marching Band Showcase.

It's a rare occassion when the marching bands of the Lincoln-Way high schools come together to perform. But when they do, it's something the musicians and audences treasure. Students from Lincoln-Way East, West, Central and North performed in the district's Marching Band Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at L-W Central's football field. The bands showed off their elaboarate performance numbers for family, friends and area residents. This was the second year for the event, and it was free. But attendees were encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item, which was donated to the food pantries of Frankfort and New Lenox townships. For a look at the performances and interviews with some of the musicians, check out the video in our media gallery…

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PHOTO GALLERY: Police vs. Fire Charity Softball Game a Home Run

New Lenox police defeated New Lenox firefighters in the annual Guns 'n Hoses softball game, which raised more than $3,000 (and counting) for the township food pantry.

Police officers and firefighters often work together to help the village, and Saturday was no different—even if they were facing off in a softball game. Members of the New Lenox Police Department and New Lenox Fire Protection District participated in the third annual Guns 'n Hoses charity softball game to raise money for the New Lenox Township food pantry. The police won 7-3. Erika Leader of the fire district said at least $3,140 was raised for the food pantry, but more money is coming in from T-shirt sales. There was also about $300 of food collected. At the end of the game, the fire district presented the police department board the firefighters made with all the names of the 72 New York Police Deparment and Port Authority officers who …

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ShareFest's 11 Days of Giving Starts Thursday

Find out what to donate and where all the collection points are around New Lenox from Sept. 1-11.

The annual ShareFest volunteering event has grown significantly this year, both in its offerings and the length of service. ShareFest is an annual event that brings together hundreds of volunteers to work on service projects throughout New Lenox and help others in need through various collections. This year, the event promises to be bigger and better than ever, in part because it's calling for donations outside of just one weekend and creating "11 Days of Giving." The regular collection drives—including books, toys, food, items for the troops and more—will expand outside of one weekend and last from Sept. 1-11. The "main event" is Saturday, Sept. 10 at Spencer Crossing School, and this year adds a job fair, health and safety fair and an …

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Food Pantry Survives Record Visits This Summer

The New Lenox Township food pantry sought help earlier this summer to feed the growing number of families who needed help. But as kids start going back to school, the number of visits are expected to drop until the holiday season.

After getting a record number of visits this summer, the New Lenox Township food pantry is looking forward to the fall, when kids go back to school and a couple big food drives will replenish the shelves. In June, the food pantry had 360 visits, the most ever for a single month, family services manager Kathie Johnson said. She sent out an email begging for cereal and other goods from the community and said she had a lot of response. "The call for help worked to get us through the summer," Johnson said. Learn more about the New Lenox Township and its food pantry. In 2009, the township's food pantry saw about 166 food pickups per month, and through July 2010, the visits went up to about 208 per month. This year, however, monthly visits have …

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Five Nonprofits Making a Difference: Patch Picks

Patch puts the spotlight on groups lending a helping hand in the Lincoln-Way area.

With charitable giving having a tendency to drop off after the holidays, mid-February is probably the perfect time to consider donating time or money. This week, your area Patches found five Lincoln-Way nonprofits that make a big difference in our community and that could use your help. Patch Picks: Five area nonprofits making a difference

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Helping Hands

Township Food Pantry Operations Different, Yet Also Very Similar

Responding to a reader inquiry, we look at requirements to utilize food pantries in the New Lenox and Frankfort townships.

As the 2010 year winds down to a close, it seemed a good time to finish up this year's business by addressing a concerned raised by one reader though potentially held by many more: qualifying for assistance. In New Lenox Township, requirements to receive aid from the food pantry are only to show proof of residency; beyond that, there are is no further documentation needed.  Kathy Johnson, Family Services Manager for New Lenox Township, put it best by pointing out, "When you're on the outside looking in, you don't know the whole story." Although she was speaking about the situation her clients might be in, the same also seems to apply for the situation Johnson and the New Lenox Township food pantry are in. That situation is as follows: …

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patrick markham

4:29 pm on Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Thanks John, I truly respect the "Patch" ability to cover so much news both good and of course the bad. It speaks volumes of a great "culture" you and Caroline and others have at the "Patch". I have one more "good News " item i will post up in comments. thanks patrick markham   more ›

Scouts Honored: Local Troops Pack Village Hall

Boy and Girl Scouts were recognized for recent food drive success.

The Pledge of Allegiance was quite a bit louder during Monday night's Village Board meeting. The pledge, always said before board meetings, was led by a packed room of about 100 local Boy and Girl Scouts and their parents. The scouts in attendance were honored with a "Good Citizens" award for their success during last month's food drive. "The scouts every year make a tremendous effort with the food drive," Mayor Tim Baldermann said. "This year was just phenomenal." The Village Board presented a resolution recognizing the work of the local scouts, which including three Cub Scout troops, five Boy Scout troops and 32 Girl Scouts troops. The scouts distributed nearly 6,600 brown grocery bags to homes and then collected them once filled with …

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Helping Hands

With Holidays Nearing, Local Food Pantries Seek Help

Food pantries in New Lenox have seen an increase in people needing help this year.

Although the New Lenox Township has had to cut some items from bags of food it gives to residents in need, family services manager Kathie Johnson has remained optimistic. The number of those coming in for assistance has steadily risen, but Johnson and her staff of volunteers have continued to fill sacks with groceries. In July alone, 823 people benefited from the services. "This is an awesome community and they take care of their neighbors," Johnson said. "Some people can afford what they give and a lot of people can't, but they give it." The New Lenox Township food pantry is one of three in town, with the other two at St. Jude's Catholic Church and the New Life Church. All three operate entirely on donations of food items and financial …

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