DuPage County briefs

Lombard's toy parade:

The Lombard Fire Department's annual toy parade is set for today, Dec. 12. The fire trucks will leave Fire Station 1 along St. Charles Road about 10:30 a.m. and travel south on Main Street to Glenbard East High School. Anyone wishing to donate new, unwrapped toys may stand along the route on the west side of the street and hand the donations to firefighters. The fire trucks will caravan to Yorktown Shopping Center, where the toys will be unloaded and brought into the mall for the toy drive. Radio station 100.3 "Love FM" will be broadcasting live from the mall and the radio station has pledged to match all donations brought in between noon and 2 p.m.

Seat belt awareness campaign:

West Chicago police this week announced that officers issued 51 citations for seat belt and child restraint violations from Nov. 13 to Nov. 19 during the first of five traffic safety campaigns funded through a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation. The second campaign will run from Dec. 18 through Jan. 3. The grant allows the West Chicago Police Department to beef up patrols for child restraint, seat belt, speeding and alcohol-related violations.

Aurora coat drive

Aurora's Youth Services Department is collecting new or clean, gently worn coats, hats, scarves and gloves through Dec. 21 for Aurora youths, adults and senior citizens. All sizes are needed. Community members may drop off items between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at: Youth and Sports Activities Department, 501 College Ave., Suite 304; Aldermen's Office, 60 E. Downer Place; and Customer Service Center, 3770 McCoy Drive (adjacent to Fire Station 8). For more information, call (630) 844-3619.

Contest deadline extended:

The art contest deadline for students ages 5-13 to design a program cover for Naperville Park District's upcoming production of "S.O.S. Trouble in the Trench" has been extended to noon Dec. 19. The top three designs will be chosen. For details, visit napervilleparks.org to download an entry form or pick one up at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, 305 W. Jackson Ave.; the Barn Recreation Center, 421 W. Martin Ave; the South Maintenance Facility, 3415 Book Road; or the park district Administration Building, 320 W. Jackson Ave.