July, 2026

Serving Our Community

Road District: 847-381-7793

Township Office: 847-381-1924

Assessor's Office: 847-381-1120

Cuba Township Offices Closed Friday, July 3, 2026

A special thank you to the participants, volunteers, and donors who contributed to another successful Land We Love Run! Donations exceeded $20,000, an all-time high, with proceeds benefitting Folds of Honor. Folds of Honor is a 501c3 with a mission to provide scholarships to the spouses and children of our fallen veterans and first responders.

As we gather with family, friends, and neighbors this Fourth of July, we pause to celebrate the freedoms and opportunities that define our nation. This year is especially meaningful as we reflect on the 250th anniversary of American independence and remember the courage, vision, and sacrifice of our Founding Fathers and all who helped secure the liberties we continue to cherish today.

Independence Day is more than fireworks and festivities; it is a reminder of the responsibility we share to honor our history, protect our freedoms, and strengthen the bonds that bring our community together.

We wish everyone a pleasant, safe, and joyful Fourth of July. May your holiday be filled with gratitude, celebration, and time spent with those who matter most.

Warm regards,



Christopher Karam

Supervisor

****Appointments for services are REQUIRED****

Passport Services

Passport Applications: Passport processing takes 2-3 weeks for expedited processing and 4-6 weeks for standard processing. Expedited processing is an additional $60 per passport. Passport appointments are required - call 847-381-1924 to schedule an appointment. To check the status of your passport, click here.

Visit Travel.state.gov's renewal page if you want to renew an adult passport.

Food Pantry

The Tuesday food pantry continues weekly, by appointment only, from 10 AM to 1 PM. If you need food assistance, please email info@cubatwpil.gov or call 847-381-1924. You can also complete an online Intake Form, save it to your desktop, and email it to info@cubatwpil.gov, to sign up for the food pantry. A staff member will contact you within 24 hours (except on weekends).

If you are interested in organizing a food drive or donating to the food pantry, contact Ant at 847-381-1924, and she will assist in promoting the drive.



Below is a list of needed items:

• Bags of brown or white rice
• Canned salmon
• Canned meals including chili (mild), stew, and pork & beans
• Canned soups, including vegetable, chicken noodle, and any chunky soups
• Cereals
• Pasta sauce with meat
• Snacks including Cookies, Crackers, Nuts, Dried Fruit and Granola Bars
• Toilet Paper and Paper Towels
• 32 oz bottles of liquid laundry detergent
• Shampoo and conditioner

Visit the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Online Portal for Reduced Fare and Ride Free Customers

The RTA's Fare Programs Online is a web-based customer portal that allows residents with disabilities and seniors to apply for, replace, and renew Reduced Fare and Ride Free Permits. It's quick and easy to use - go to Fares.RTAChicago.org. Please call our office at 847-381-1924 if you need assistance with your application.

Cuba Township Half-Fare Taxi Program

The half-fare taxi program is available for Township residents who are 65 or older. The Township will subsidize half of the taxi fare up to $10.00. Please stop by the office to sign up for this program. Proof of age and residency is required. Limits may apply.

Metra Access Pilot Program

Metra Access is a pilot program running through December 31, 2026, offering a reduced fare on all Metra lines and zones for individuals enrolled in the SNAP program who reside within the RTA six-county region (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties). To apply, you will need a SNAP eligibility letter, a government-issued ID, and a 2" photo of yourself. You may apply at Fares.RTAChicago.org. Please call our office at 847-381-1924 if you need assistance with your application.

Cuba and Barrington Township PACE Service

The Pace program is subsidized by Cuba and Barrington Townships, and the Villages of Barrington, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, South Barrington, and Tower Lakes.

The service is available to seniors and disabled persons. Service hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM. The fares are $2.00 each way. Advanced reservations are required. Call 1-800-451-4599, Monday - Friday, from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM.

For additional assistance, call Pace customer service at 800-606-1282, option 2.

Ride Lake County - PACE Service

Seniors aged 60+ and people with disabilities interested in using Ride Lake County are encouraged to register by calling the Pace Call Center at 1-800-201-6446.

Registering early for Ride Lake County will allow riders to schedule trips. Seniors must provide their date of birth at registration, and individuals with disabilities must provide their RTA Reduced Fare Permit number at registration. Learn more

For the latest updates on roads, please follow us on Facebook!

Self-Serve Mulch

Self-serve mulch is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The mulch pile is next to the textile recycling bin in the same lot as the road salt.



Mulch Madness!

Mulch is now available for delivery to Cuba Township residents ONLY, for a delivery charge of $125.00 per truckload. Mulch is delivered on Fridays from 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM. Each load is 6-8 yards. The mulch is a double-ground mixture of hard and softwoods from removed Cuba Township trees. Email Sue at info@cubaroads.org or call 847-381-7793 to schedule your delivery.

Driveway Alert for Unincorporated Homeowners

If you are a homeowner in unincorporated Lake County and planning to put in a new driveway over an existing culvert, contact the Cuba Township Road District to inspect the culvert.

Instructions for Trees or Limbs Touching Utility Lines or Power Outages

If you have issues with trees or limbs touching utility lines, contact the utility company directly. The Township cannot trim trees or limbs within 10 feet of utility lines.

If trees are blocking the road, dial 911.

Need to report a pothole?

• Lake County roads - (847) 377-7400 or visit the LCDOT site.
• Unincorporated Cuba Township Roads - 847-381-7793

The Road District does not offer year-round electronics recycling. Visit LRS Recycling, Wauconda Recycling, or the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County.

As we celebrate the 250th Birthday of America from the signing of the Declaration of Independence, on July 4th, 1776, and remember those who carried the fight for Independence forward, to open unlimited horizons for their descendants, we tend to focus on what those descendants achieved after leaving familiar surroundings for unknown territories. Many had their skills, their education, their experiences in established communities But there was one more element; the Revolutionary War.

Coming into Cuba and neighboring townships in the 1830s and 1840s, from the East, many were born in the 18th century. Fathers, grandfathers and uncles had fought in the Revolutionary War. They knew of battles between Patriots and Loyalists, of war torn landscapes, and the price paid for Independence. After the Declaration, the War had continued until September 3rd, 1783 when the Treaty of Paris was signed. Among those who later made the trek westward, many had experienced their family members wounded and dying for the cause they believed in.

During those chaotic times, two families, whose roots can be traced back into the early 17th century would be united by one marriage, with their descendants among the first Cuba Township pioneers Their gravestones are prominent in White Memorial Cemetery. Francis Hollister Kelsey, born in Cambridge, Washington County, New York in 1797, and Innis Hollister, born in Pawlet, Rutland County, Vermont in 1802.

Francis Kelsey's parents were Samuel Kelsey, born in 1756 in Woodfield, Litchfield County, described as Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America. He married Betty Hollister of Glastonbury, Connecticut in 1774. She was the sister of Lt. Abner Hollister. Sr., who in 1775 joined the early beginnings of the revolutionary war in a force led by Benedict Arnold through the wilderness of Maine to recapture the British Province of Quebec. In the Revolutionary War Samuel served in Ely's Connecticut Regiment. 

Samuel's son Francis served as a Navy Captain in the War of 1812, but it is through his letters we know that, together with his wife Wealthy and other family members he left Sheldon, New York on Saturday, July 20th, 1842 and arrived in Chicago on August 9th traveling by a route that took them through Erie, Pennsylvania, across Ohio and on to Tecumseh, Michigan, established in 1824. Kelsey noted in a letter that their goods had been sent by water and had arrived safely.

The Hollisters had a heritage of large families, with different branches of the family serving in the Revolutionary War. Innis Hollister's father, Pvt. Innett Hollister (1761- 1844), at age 17, was drafted into one of several Connecticut Militia ordered, during the Burgoyne Campaign, to reinforce for a short time, the Continental Army of Major General Israel Putnam in their quest to oppose the advance of the British up the Hudson. 

The army career of Pvt. Innett Hollister, and father of Innis Hollister, in the Revolutionary War, is recorded in Hollister Family and Military histories. Not famed, or included in any of the recent televised and written histories of the Revolutionary War, he represents the dedication of people in 13 burgeoning colonies, for independence in their governance. His son Innis, born in 1802, was one of his 12 children. Innett died in 1844. Innis is believed to have arrived in Cuba Township, around 1838, old enough to know the stories of the most remarkable revolution in history. 

There is more to their, and their widespread families' histories, some of whom are also buried in White Memorial Cemetery, founded in 1855 by Innis Hollister and Thomas White. This article forms part of a series to further connect Cuba Township to the "Glorious Fourth"!

The writer is indebted to Mrs. Kay Griffith, a direct descendant of Francis Hollister Kelsey, for extensive historical information concerning the Kelsey and Hollister families.

If, readers have Revolutionary War ancestors , whose pioneer descendants are buried in local cemeteries, you will have a fascinating voyage into the past by consulting:

Find a Grave with a link to the White Memorial Cemetery: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/108836/white-memorial-cemetery

The next mobile household Chemical waste event is on July 18 at Lake Zurich High School.

1. Click here to make an appointment.
2. Click here to see what is and is not accepted.

• Village of Lake Barrington
• Village of North Barrington
• Village of Barrington
• Village of Port Barrington
• Village of Barrington Hills
• Village of Tower Lakes
• Lake County Permit Facility
• Lake County Sheriff's Office
• Barrington Countryside Fire Department
• LRS Recycling
• Wauconda Recycling
• Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO)
• Barrington Area Council on Aging (BACOA)
• Barrington Area Volunteer Connection
• Barrington Youth & Family Services
• Nicasa Behavioral Health Services
• PADS Lake County
• Barrington Area Council of Governments
• GiGi's Playhouse
• Smart Farms
• Citizens for Conservation
• Flint Creek/Spring Creek Watershed Partnership

County Board Commissioners

• Commissioner Mike Danforth – District 17

Illinois State Legislators

• State Senator Darby Hills – 26th Senate District (includes all areas of 52nd and 51st House Districts below)
• State Representative Marty McLaughlin – 52^nd House District (Cary, Fox River Grove, Port Barrington and parts of Lake Barrington, Barrington Hills, and Barrington)