Lake County public service

Calls for volunteers and events that benefit the public, such as social service clubs, call for donations of items, blood drives, bone marrow drives, food pantry drives, food giveaways, etc. Deadline is two weeks before event date.

Feb. 18Free homebuyers seminar: 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 18, Buffalo Grove Bank Trust, 200 N. Buffalo Grove Road. Refreshments will be provided along with a raffle to win a $25 VISA gift card. Space is limited, Call (847) 634-8400 or visit buffalogrovebank.com.Feb. 23Women's Self-defense Class: 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 23 to March 16, Mundelein Police Department, 221 N. Lake St. The Mundelein Police Department will host a free self-defense class for women 18 and over (17 year olds with parental permission may also attend). Students should wear loose fitting workout clothes. Space is limited. To register, call (847) 968-3770. For information, call Officers Schletz, Smith or Whittaker, at (847) 968-4600.Feb. 25Disability Fair: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. Find out about resources for people with disabilities. Visit www.clcillinois.edu/events/index.asp.March 1Early Childhood Screenings: Register by Monday, March 1. Screenings by appointment Friday, March 12, Aspen School, 500 Aspen Drive, Vernon Hills. For children living within the boundaries of Hawthorn School District 73 ages 3-5 suspected of having developmental delays in speech, motor skills, socialization and cognitive development. For an appointment, call (847) 990-4377.March 13Clothes for the needy: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. the second Saturday of each month, St. Andrew Episcopal Church's Elijah's Mantle for Children in Need community service project, 31 Park Ave., Grayslake. Clothing in sizes ranging from infant to 16 boys and girls is available. There is no cost. Donations of gently used children's clothing in good condition are always welcome. For details, visit standrewsgrayslake.org or call (847) 223-2310.OngoingChild care for job seekers: Kiddie Kottage Child Care Center, 620 Rollins Road, Ingleside. The center is offering to watch children for free while their unemployed parents look for a job. The time limit for child care is 21/2 hours. No reservations are necessary; parents must fill out a form at drop off and bring immunization certificates with them. Call (847) 973-2435.The Glass Slipper Project: Through Feb. 28, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Bring gently-used formal dresses on hangers to the library for the Glass Slipper Project, to help young women attend their proms. Dresses must be less than 5 years old, tea length or longer, clean and in good condition. Call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.Free Tax Preparation: By appointment from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays through April 10, Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich. For seniors age 60 or older, families with incomes of $35,000 or less and individuals with incomes of $25,000 or less. Register by calling (847) 438-3433, or online at eapl.org. Tax Assistance: By appointment, Monday afternoons through April 12, Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. Senior citizens may make an appointment with an AARP volunteer. To register, call (847) 634-3650.Book Donations: Vernon Area Public Library District, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. The library accepts book donations year-round during regular business hours. Fiction, nonfiction, hardcover and paperback books, DVDs, videos, CDs, CD-ROMs and books-on-tape are accepted. Receipts for tax-deductible book donations are available upon request. Call (847) 634-3650 or visit vapld.info.Greyhounds Only: The Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, Wis., recently closed, leaving around 500 dogs in need of homes. Greyhounds Only rescue group is looking for people to foster or provide temporary shelter for dogs or donate money, dog food, or large crates. To help out, call Greyhounds Only at (847) 421-9828 or (773) 297-4739 or Sue Purdom at (815) 501-3533.Grant Township Food Pantry: Drop items off from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, Grant Township Supervisor's office, 26725 W. Molidor Road, Ingleside. The pantry food is running low; nonperishable items such as canned goods, peanut butter, pancake mix, syrup, etc. are needed. Items such as toiletries would also be greatly appreciated.Clothes Closet and Food Pantry: Receive goods from 10 a.m. to noon the second and fourth Saturday each month; goods collected 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, The Edge Church, 42 E. Grand Ave., Suite 102., Fox Lake. Must be a resident of Fox Lake or Ingleside to receive goods. For information, call (630) 287-1592.Boy Scout Troop 275: 7-8:30 p.m. every Thursday, Community Church of Round Lake, 217 Goodnow Blvd., Round Lake. Troop 275 participates in monthly camp outs, service projects and adventure activities. Open to boys ages 11-17. Call (847) 715-6511 or e-mail inthecourt@sbcglobal.com.Tree and bench donations: The Vernon Hills Park District offers residents and neighbors the opportunity to honor a special person or commemorate an event by donating a tree or bench in a district park. Trees range from $225-$475 depending on the species selected, and can be personalized with a bronze plaque, which is sold at cost. Benches may be purchased for donation at a cost of $700, and personalized with a bronze plaque. Prices for plaques start at $70. The Tree Bench Donation order form can be found online at vhparkdistrict.org or at the Park District Community Centers. For more information, call Cheryl Baron, at (847) 996-6933.Pooch Pantry: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays, Lake County Animal Control, 29278 N. Highway 83, Mundelein. Accepting donations of dry and canned dog and cat food, treats and domestic bird food; gift cards for PetSmart, Petco, and Pet Supplies Plus; cat litter; resealable plastic bags; and pet welfare goods such as bowls and toys. The Pooch Pantry will be open for families in need from 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays. For information, call (847) 566-1960.Eli Skinner Chapter, NSDAR: The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is seeking volunteers to make wool caps for the troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and South Korea. Wool head covering which can be worn under the Kevlar helmet provides warmth to the head and neck, but does not restrict vision. Patterns are available at www.geocities.com/helmetliner. For details, contact helmetliner@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 236, Auburn, IL 62615. Electronics recycling: 8 a.m. to noon, the first Saturday of each month, Wauconda Township Highway Department, at 505 W. Bonner Road, Wauconda. All Wauconda Township residents are invited to bring in electronic recyclables. Items accepted include computers and computer components, video games, televisions, VCR/DVD players, cameras, radios and accessories, phones, and more. For more information call the Township Office at (847) 526-2631.Allendale Association: A not-for-profit children's facility in Lake Villa, looking for qualified volunteers to work directly with children or on other projects. Help a child develop positive relationships with adults, share gardening knowledge in the vocational horticultural center, evaluate a student's Individual Education Plans and meet with the child's therapeutic team, work in the thrift store, or help in other ways. To learn more, visit www.allendale4kids.org. Knit or crochet for babies: The Waukegan Area Branch of American Association of University Women is looking for people to knit or crochet baby hats for babies born at Vista Medical Center East. Call (847) 244-7926. Avon Township Food Pantry: Grayslake Area Public Li#173;brary, 100 Library Lane, Grayslake. Drop off packaged and canned food items. This is an ongoing, year-round collection. For information, call (847) 223-5313.Recycle Printer or Copier cartridges: Grayslake Area Public Li#173;brary, 100 Library Lane, Grayslake. Drop off any printer (inkjet or laser) or copier cartridges for recycling. For information, call (847) 223-5313.Beth Am Food Pantry: Food distribution takes place from 12:30-2 p.m. on the last Sunday of the month at 225 N. McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove. Nonperishable food donations are always welcome. (847) 459-1677.Paper drive: 9:30-10 a.m. and 11 a.m. the third Sunday of each month, Grace Lutheran Church, 501 Valley Park Drive, Libertyville. Church youth will man the church recycling bin to assist with the unloading of cars. The bin is in place every day. A portion of the cash credits for all paper donations will be used toward a green gift for the community. For information, visit aboutgracelutheran.org/paperdrive.html or call (847) 367-7050.Wheeling Township food pantry: 1616 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. Collecting unopened toiletries of all sizes to distribute to needy families. Soap, shampoo, skin creams, toothpaste, etc.