Village Celebrates + Locals Donate Food, Socks, School Supplies

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest! Welcome to a busy June weekend. I hope you’re all continuing to stay safe and healthy this summer.

In today’s Daily, it’s Juneteenth, Father’s Day weekend and the Summer Solstice! Find out how Chicago’s next-door neighbors are celebrating — and giving back to people in need.

First, today’s weather: Partly cloudy throughout the day, with a high of 89 and low of 65.

Here are the top five stories today in Oak Park:

1. More details are emerging about Village Manager Cara Pavlicek’s move to Northbrook in August. Pavlicek gave her formal notice to the Village June 17, but will continue in her current role for the next 60 days. She told the Wednesday Journal: “I will miss Oak Park – it is a very special community.” (Wednesday Journal)

2. It’s Juneteenth, otherwise known as Freedom Day. The Village, Oak Park Public Library and neighboring towns Berwyn and Forest Park are all celebrating the date in 1865 when slaves were officially freed. (OPPL)

3. Tomorrow is Father’s Day! The Chicago Tribune has curated a list of popular dine-in and take-out destinations to treat Dad this weekend. (Chicago Tribune)

4. Youth services committees in Oak Park and River Forest launched a school supply drive to help local youth ahead of the 2021-2022 school year. Collection boxes will be available all summer outside the Oak Park Township office.(Oak Leaves)

5. Still confused about mask rules in Oak Park? The Village is using social media to clarify its face-covering guidance as Illinois is officially in Phase 5 of its reopening plan. There are still many circumstances where fully-vaccinated residents are asked to wear a mask. (VOP Facebook)

Today in Oak Park:

• Chicago Audubon hosts a guided nesting bird walk at the Trailside Museum of Natural History. (8 a.m.)
• Pick up a Father’s Day grill kit at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant. (9 a.m.)
• Take the OPRF Museum's self-guided bike tour of important historical sites in Oak Park’s African American history. (10 a.m.)
• Celebrate Juneteenth with the Village caravan. (3 p.m.)
• Donate nonperishable food at Ascension Parish. (4:30 p.m.)

Additional events are always available for viewing on Patch’s Oak Park Community Calendar, thanks to our sponsors.

Oak Park Patch Notebook

• Oak Park is no longer in a state of emergency due to COVID-19, but the Village is continuing to respond to the ongoing pandemic with the help of its new public health director, Theresa Chapple-McGruder. (Oak Leaves)
• Second graders at St. Luke’s Parish School collected 490 pairs of socks to donate to those in need. (Village of River Forest)
• Tomorrow marks the Summer Solstice, the beginning of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere. (NASA)

Happy Juneteenth, happy Father’s Day, happy summer solstice. It’s quite the weekend we’re having, isn’t it? I think we deserve to celebrate.

See you Monday,
Georgi

About me: I am a lifelong Illinois resident and Lewis University graduate with a passion for White Sox baseball, classic literature and local news.