Tri-Cities briefs

Help give gifts

The Salvation Army Tri-City Corps in St. Charles needs volunteers for its Christmas gift distribution. Volunteers will help patrons select gifts, restock toys and clothing, carry boxes of food to patrons' cars and clean up after the event, which is from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. To sign up, call Tammy Gundlach at (630) 377-2769, ext. 201 or e-mail tammy_gundlach@usc.salvationarmy.org.

Toys for Tots drive

The Fox Valley Park District and local police continue their annual Toys for Tots drive for two more days to provide holiday gifts for less fortunate children. People can drop off new, unwrapped toys at Fox Valley Park District facilities, the Aurora police and fire departments, Aurora City Hall, the North Aurora and Campton Hills police departments, Daleiden Mortuary in Aurora, and the Kane County Sheriff's Department in Geneva through Friday. For details, visit foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.

Winning guess

Drew Rukavina, 10, of St. Charles came the closest to guessing the number of lights on West Chicago's holiday tree - 3,800. (Drew guessed 3,674. Other guesses ranged from 7 lights to 40,000.) The Count the Lights contest at this year's Frosty Fest celebration highlighted the importance of being counted in the 2010 Census. For more information on the census, visit census/gov/2010 census.

Donate to food pantry

A donation to the Sugar Grove Between Friends Food Pantry is a valuable gift in whatever form it might take. Consider ways to help: Donate food, donate your time or make a monetary donation to the pantry. If you need the assistance of the food pantry or would like to help, go to sugargrovefoodpantry.org or contact Melisa Taylor at (630) 466-0345 or e-mail her at taylormmt@yahoo.com. Monetary donations can be made out to Between Friends Food Pantry and mailed to P.O. Box 509, Sugar Grove, Ill., 60554.

COD radio receives funds

The Illinois Arts Council recently awarded the College of DuPage radio station a $34,910 grant to help fund operations. WDCB 90.9-FM was one of 26 Illinois public radio stations to receive the funding. College officials said the council regularly funds operations of the campus station, but money is more of a necessity this year because state appropriations are limited. The station predominantly features jazz music and received Chicago Music Awards the past two years as the area's "Best College/Community Music Radio Station."