Wheaton asks residents: How can you make a difference?
There will be lots of good, selfless work going on in Wheaton this weekend in celebration of national Make a Difference Day, and everyone is encouraged to join in.
The largest communitywide effort to help others Saturday will be the sixth annual Stuff-A-Truck Food drive at the People's Resource Center, 201 S. Naperville Road. Residents are asked to stop by the center between 1 and 3 p.m. to drop off healthy, nonperishable food for those in need.
"We're going to be giving tours of the PRC so the community has an opportunity to learn more about everything they do besides just the food pantry," said Laurie Oberhelman, a member of the city's community relations commission.
Food also can be left in collection boxes through Saturday at numerous businesses around town, including Ultra Foods, Cardinal Fitness and Cantigny Park. A complete list of locations is available at wheatonchamber.com.
To help out with the Stuff-A-Truck drive, the Wheaton Public Library will accept food donations in lieu of money for fines Saturday. One item of food will remove $1 in fines. Up to $5 in fines can be waived.
Students from Edison Middle School and Lowell, Sandburg, Washington, Whittier and Wiesbrook elementary schools are contributing to the food drive, too, along with St. Paul's Lutheran Church and the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce.
Another community project scheduled for Make a Difference Day will take place in Adams Park from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Volunteers are needed to help clear weeds, rake and clean up the park. Bags, buckets, extra rakes and truck disposal will be provided by the city.
"This year we're being a little bit more specific in that we're asking for people with a real interest in gardening," community relations Commissioner Renee Webb said.
While not directly related to Make a Difference Day, the city's community relations commission is also in the process of collecting stocking stuffers for the children of military personnel serving in the city's adopted battalion, the 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army in Fort Riley, Kansas.
Items being collected include candy, new books and small toys and games. Collection boxes will be set up at city hall, the library and several other locations through Nov. 11.
This year the commission is also looking for businesses or residents who would be willing to help fund 850 workout T-shirts for the soldiers in the battalion.
Donations can be mailed or dropped off at city hall by Nov. 11, made payable to "Community Relations Commission Escrow."
Anyone else planning to do their own Make a Difference Day project can send a brief description to community relations commission member Desiray Young at desiray@jycon.com to be recognized along with the community's other efforts.