Thursday, April 29, 2021
Dear River Forest Residents,

For our residents ages 16 and up who want to receive the COVID-19 vaccine but haven’t scheduled an appointment yet, we are fortunate to have two vaccination sites nearby that now allow walk-ins. Vaccination appointments are currently available at Triton College and the former HOBO store in Forest Park. Also, any of our residents who are homebound can now receive their vaccine in the comfort of their own home through the Cook County Department of Public Health. Additional information about both of these opportunities to be vaccinated is provided below. 
 
I’d like to welcome the Sheridan at River Forest, a senior assisted living community. This new development offers many important benefits to our community by providing a needed housing option so older residents can stay in this community and be closer to friends and family members. This also helps stabilize property taxes by providing additional funding for schools and other vital community services. 

Economic development opportunities continue at Lake and Lathrop with residential sales and retail leasing continuing. Sedgwick Development group presented an update to the Village Board on April 26. Please click here to view the presentation that lays out a plan for the project to move forward.
   
Finally, I am so pleased to let you know that the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Ad Hoc Advisory Group is now formed and its members have officially been appointed. Please click here to learn more. I am thrilled to be a part of this journey to ensure that River Forest is always a welcoming place for both our residents and visitors.

Sincerely,
Cathy Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest
COVID-19
Vaccine Update

The Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) is now accepting walk-in appointments at a number of sites across Chicagoland, including Triton Community College and the former HOBO store in Forest Park. Learn more here. Also, the CCDPH announced it will follow CDC and FDA guidelines to resume distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This comes as the State continues to make progress in vaccinating more residents. Updated vaccine data is available here. 

Text ‘AlertCook’ to 888-777 for text alerts about appointments at mass vaccination sites, or register here to receive text or email alerts. Appointment locations can also be searched by zip code at vaccinefinder.org and scheduled on ZocDoc.  
River Forest
COVID-19 Cases

From Sunday, April 18 – Saturday, April 24, River Forest had 18 new positive cases with 354 tests completed, resulting in a 5.1% positivity rate. During the previous week, there were 14 new positive cases and 414 tests completed, representing a 3.4% positivity rate. 

Although vaccine eligibility and availability have increased across the State, residents are still encouraged to follow safety guidelines. Please continue to avoid large gatherings, wear face covers while in public, wash hands often, and practicing social distancing.

View daily COVID-19 case updates throughout the state by zip code by clicking here.
Home Administered Vaccines for Homebound Individuals

The Cook County Department of Public Health is offering residents who are homebound due to medical reasons, the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in their home. Mobile home health care vaccination services are available to suburban Cook County residents only. To register and for more information, click here. 
Sheridan at River Forest
Ribbon Cutting

The Sheridan at River Forest, a senior lifestyle community at 800 N. Harlem Avenue, celebrated its grand opening Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. According to its website, “residents at the facility live fulfilling lifestyles with days spent among friends, plenty of services and amenities to enjoy, and compassionate care when they need it.” To learn more about this new community, click here. 
Drug Take Back Collection Bin

The Village would like to remind residents to take advantage of the prescription drug take back collection box, located in the basement of Village Hall. This receptacle offers a safe and responsible method to discard unused, unneeded or expired medications so they stay out of the wrong hands and don’t damage the environment by entering the water system. For more information, click here.
Veg Out!
Join this community-wide campaign to raise awareness about the impact that eating less meat has on reducing our carbon footprint. Support participating restaurants on Wednesdays, which will showcase a special menu that supports this initiative. Click here to learn more.
 
Are you a local restaurant that is interested in joining the Veg Out! initiative? For more information or to participate, please send an email to Sustainability@vrf.us.

Click on the photo to enlarge.
Arbor Day Tree Trails
Tomorrow, Friday, April 30, is Arbor Day! So, if you are looking for a unique, fun and socially distant way to celebrate the day, then check out the River Forest Tree Trails: On Your Block activity sheet. This activity will help you and your family learn more about the trees that you see every day between your sidewalk and the curb. For more information, click here.
Did You Know?
Do you know how to prevent water backflow? Has your backflow prevention device been inspected? Do you know what a backflow preventer is and why it’s important? If not, be sure to check out the Village website, where you can find the Guide to Preventing Water Backflow. Note: If you have a lawn irrigation or a fire suppression system, your backflow prevention device needs to be inspected annually - this year’s deadline is July 31, which cannot be extended by the Village.
Looking for More Information? Visit vrf.us and enter your topic into the search bar (top right of the page) or email info@vrf.us with any questions!
Make life a little sweeter by treating yourself to a trip to River Forest Chocolates! This boutique shop specializes in a variety of specialty confections that are perfect for holidays, corporate gifts, religious celebrations, thank you gifts and so much more! River Forest Chocolates also offers personalized individual specialty favors, event party trays or an entire 'Sweet' table, which can be customized to your needs. For more information, call (708) 366-0891 or click here.
Shop River Forest! Please support our local businesses whenever possible! You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s website. If you’d like your business to be featured in the weekly Business Spotlight, please send us an email.