DuPage Co. society calendar

• Submit events at least two weeks in advance to Melynda Findlay via e-mail, mfindlay@dailyherald.com or by fax, (630) 955-0895.

• The Addison Community Switchboard needs volunteers to help sort food and gift donations for its Christmas Program from noon to 8 p.m. daily, today through Dec. 13, at Good Samaritan United Methodist Church, 960 W. Army Trail Blvd., Addison. Local families, seniors and children will receive food, gifts and household items through the program. The Addison Community Switchboard is a nonprofit organization that provides food, clothing, emergency financial assistance and resource referrals to needy families in Addison Township. To volunteer or to make a donation, call (630) 628-2698 or (630) 628-2699.

• The Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Guild's 31st annual Reindeer Route House Walk will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at six homes in Elmhurst decorated for the holidays by local florists. Proceeds will benefit hospital programs. Tickets cost $25 in advance and may be purchased at the following Elmhurst locations: The Pink Elephant Resale Shop, 121 W. First St.; Elmhurst Memorial Hospital's volunteer office, 200 Berteau Ave.; Phillip's Flowers and Gifts, 526 Spring Road; Pfund and Clint, 123 N. York St.; The Uptown Shop, 111 E. First St. and Carousel Flowers, 527 S. York Road. Tickets also may be purchased at Shamrock Garden Florists, 901 E. St. Charles Road, Lombard, or by calling Mary Connelly at (630) 782-7626. Tickets cost $27 the day of the event and may be purchased at any of the homes on the tour: Genene and Rudy Banducci, 273 Ridgeland; Dr. J Thomas and Lois Brown, 465 Stratford; Christy and Chris Collins, 162 Elm Tree Lane; Marilyn and Charles Graber, 448 Parkside Place; Barbara and Paul Rimington, 221 Sunnyside Ave. and Susan and Michael Tonne, 394 Addison Ave. Pot O' Gold raffle tickets also will be sold at the homes. The following Elmhurst restaurants will offer specials for house walk participants: Café Amano, 105 S. York Road. European breakfast table from 8:30 to 11 a.m. $7. Francesca's Amici, 174 N. York Road. Four-course luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., $15 and a free glass of wine from 3 to 6 p.m. Reservations required. Call (630) 279-7970. Roberto's Ristorante, 483 Spring Road. Free glass of wine after 9 p.m. For details, visit www.emhc.org.

• Volunteers are needed to help distribute gifts during the village of Bensenville's 37th annual toy drive from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. Participants should meet at the Bensenville Human Services Building, 302 W. Green St. For information, call (630) 350-3399, e-mail ldickson@bensenville.il.us or visit www.bensenville.il.us.

• A new Dunkin' Donuts store will hold an open house and fundraiser from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the shop, 1931 Ogden Ave., Downers Grove. Proceeds from the event will benefit Sharing Connections, a Downers Grove-based, nonprofit organization that provides furniture and other household items to needy DuPage County residents. The Dunkin' Donuts store's grand opening is expected the following week. For information, call Sharing Connections at (630) 971-0565 or visit www.sharingconnections.org.

• The Auxiliary of The West Suburban Association for The Retarded, Inc., annual Cookie Walk will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Deicke Home Activity Center, 1027 E. Division St., Lombard. Homemade cookies will be sold for $7 per pound. The event also will include a bake sale, raffles and a craft table. Raffle tickets cost $1 each, six for $5. Proceeds benefit residents of the association's Deicke Home. The West Suburban Association for the Retarded provides recreational opportunities and life skills training for adults with developmental disabilities. For details, call (630) 629-5212.

• The Humanitarian Service Project is seeking volunteers to help pack and sort gifts for needy children from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the HSP warehouse and office, 465 Randy Road, Carol Stream. Volunteers must be 18 or older and commit to a shift of at least four hours. For details, call (630) 221-8340.

• The Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity will hold a holiday event at 2 p.m. Sunday at Elmhurst College, in Irion Hall's Buik Recital Hall, 190 Prospect Ave. The event will include a seasonal sing-along and a showing of the 1935 classic "Scrooge." There also will be a gift basket raffle. Admission costs $2, $1 for children and students. Proceeds will benefit the VH-1 Save the Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to restore music education programs in public schools. For details, visit www.elmhurst.edu.

• The Love for Lucy Foundation will hold a pasta dinner fundraiser from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Lake Park High School West Campus, 500 W. Bryn Mawr, Roselle. The foundation was formed by friends of Lucy Pierri, a school nurse at Bloomingdale Elementary District 13, who has been fighting colon cancer for two years. Tickets cost $10, $5 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for kids 2 and younger. The event also will include a raffle and silent auction. Organizers hope to raise $100,000 to help Pierri with medical expenses. For details, visit www.freewebs.com/loveforlucy or call Lori Deichstetter at (630) 765-0355.

• The Carol Stream Rotary will present a concert by Brazilian pianist Rodrigo "Rod" Therezo at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at Glenbard North High School, 990 N. Kuhn Road, Carol Stream. Admission is free with the donation of a winter clothing item, which will be donated to a local charity. For details, call (630) 665-3325.

• Gavin Coyle will perform his annual Christmas Concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 16 at Wheaton Warrenville South High School, 1920 S. Wiesbrook Road, Wheaton. Coyle's concert will include seasonal music from both the United States and his native Ireland. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Proceeds benefit The People's Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that provides food, clothing, emergency assistance and education to needy residents of DuPage County. For details, call (630) 942-4000 or visit www.peoplesrc.org.

• The Hinsdale Humane Society's holiday cards now are available at the shelter, 22 N. Elm St., Hinsdale. The cards were designed by artists Mary Badenhop. The cost is $12 for a set of 12 cards and envelopes. Proceeds benefit animals living at the shelter. They will be sold during regular shelter hours, which are 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. To view design choices, visit www.hinsdalehumanesociety.org. For information, call (630) 323-5630.

• VFW Post 2801 in Villa Park is seeking donations to make its washrooms accessible to handicapped veterans. For information about the project, call the post at (630) 834-8191.

• Bridge Communities, a nonprofit agency that helps homeless families in DuPage County find permanent housing, is seeking donations of used cars. In most cases, cars donated to Bridge Communities are given to the families it serves, to help them move toward self-sufficiency. The agency, which is based in Glen Ellyn, aims to provide transitional housing to homeless families in DuPage County through partnerships with faith- and community-based organizations. During the past 18 years, Bridge Communities has helped more than 1,500 people cross the bridge from homelessness to permanent housing and self-sufficiency. For details, call Mark Milligan at (630) 545-0610, ext. 10, or visit www.bridgecommunities.org.