Townships 'Have a Heart,' request food donations

Barrington and Cuba townships are joining together for their 7th annual "Have a Heart" food drive.

Residents can drop off donations from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 9 at two locations.

The Barrington Countryside Fire Station No. 1 at 400 N. Northwest Hwy. in Barrington and Station No. 3 at 22N222 Pepper Road in Lake Barrington are both designated drop-off locations.

Donations of non-perishable food are greatly appreciated. Checks are welcome as well.

All donations will be used to help aid Barrington-area residents.

For questions on the food drive, contact Cuba Township's Cheryl Tanaka or Kate Formichella at (847) 381-1924 or Barrington Township's Barbara Janssen at (847) 381-5632.

Gift-giving goes on: The holidays may be over, but the giving keeping going at Hospice of Northeastern Illinois.

Andrea Jaurigue, a volunteer at the Barrington-based hospice, recently donated $1,725 in gift cards for the hospice patients and their families who need them most. The $25 cards are for use at Wal-Mart, Jewel food stores and Citgo gas stations.

Jaurigue of Lake Zurich, raised the money for her gift cards through a program at Allstate in Northbrook, where she works.

Throughout the year, more than 100 employees donated to the cause.

Janice Farrell, the hospice volunteer services coordinator, said the gift cards will be distributed to hospice patients within the organization as well as to clients of its Hope's Friends pediatric program and its Life Improves with Friends in Transition, or LIFT, program for people with life-limiting illnesses.

Hospice of Northeastern Illinois is a community based, not-for-profit organization serving families throughout McHenry, Lake, Northwest Cook, Kane, Boone and DuPage counties. They provide comprehensive end-of-life care to nearly 1,500 patient families each year.

For more information, visit www.HospiceAnswers.org.

Musical comes to BHS: With school back in session, students at Barrington High School are preparing for this year's musical.

The school's fine arts department will present "Once upon a Mattress," the musical version of the famous fable "The Princess and the Pea," at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 and March 2 and 2:30 p.m. March 3 in the school's Richard C. Johnson Auditorium, 616 W. Main Street.

The cast and crew include more than 70 students.

Tickets -- $15 for adults, $10 for children -- can be purchased starting Feb. 19 at the school's box office. Senior citizens are admitted for free.

All seats are reserved, and no ticket orders will be taken by phone.

For more information, call the school's fine arts department at (847) 842-3214.