Thursday, August 8, 2024

Dear River Forest residents,

I’m looking forward to the “Casual Conversation with the Village President” event on Saturday, August 31 from 9 - 10:30 a.m. at the River Forest Park District Depot. Everyone is welcome to attend and share questions you may have about the Village, or to get more information on services or programs available to residents and businesses. 

The below programs help to improve overall quality of life, and either directly or indirectly, help to keep costs down. Personally, I’ve seen considerable savings over the last five months by being a part of the Community Solar Program! If you’re not yet signed up for any of these programs, please visit the links below to learn more:

• Composting program: We’ve partnered with Lakeshore Recycling Systems to offer a yard waste/food scrap compost program to reduce organic waste in landfills, and “Bin Sharing” is now available to reduce monthly costs. Find more information, or complete the service request form here. 
• Electric Aggregation Program and Community Solar Program: Another important partnership is with MC2 for our aggregation and solar programs. Residents save 10% on the supply portion of their utility bills by choosing to enroll in community solar, which also supports the Village’s Climate Action Plan. 
• WaterSmart Program: This program enables customers to understand water usage, and be alerted if there are any issues - such as leaks - that cause higher bills. WaterSmart provides real time notifications right to your smart phone through email alerts. Catch leaks and other problems before they run up your bill. 
• Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce 6-Month Complimentary Membership: Offered to all River Forest businesses due to a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, the goal here is to provide a helping hand for businesses to access resources, so that they can thrive and grow. 

I welcome your feedback, and I hope to see you on August 31. Learn more about the “Casual Conversation” event here.

Lastly, the Village is hosting "White Sox Day with the Village President" and has approximately 90 free tickets to give away to residents as our home team battles the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, September 10 at 6:40 p.m. at Guaranteed Rate Field. Those interested are welcome to pick up the tickets at Village Hall during normal business hours. The tickets are first-come, first-served and a limit of four per household. Please note: ticket holders are responsible for their own transportation to the event.

Sincerely,

Casual Conversation with the Village President

Join Village President Cathy Adduci for “Casual Conversation with the Village President” on Saturday, August 31 from 9 - 10:30 a.m. at the River Forest Park District Depot. All community members are invited to attend this informal event that provides an opportunity to ask Village President Adduci questions and/or give feedback on Village operations and initiatives. For more information, click here.

Triton College Hospitality Class

Triton College now offers an "Introduction to the Hospitality Industry" course to prepare students for careers in hotel and restaurant management, baking and pastry making, and culinary arts. Chef Denise Smith-Gaborit, chair of the Hospitality Industry Administration, notes that an associate degree or certification from Triton enables graduates to skip entry-level positions. The program includes state-of-the-art facilities, flexible scheduling, job assistance, and hands-on training for student success and career readiness. To learn more, click here.

Hub Kitchen in Wednesday Journal

Hub Kitchen is a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who share a passion for food - and a vision for success! They opened in July and offer a shared commercial kitchen with professional, affordable space for businesses that prepare all types of food. To learn more, view an article that features this new business in the Wednesday Journal here.

Let's Conserve Water, Together!

Consider ordering a rain barrel to capture and store rainwater from your roof! This water can be used to water your lawn, garden, or household plants, reducing stormwater runoff and easing the strain on combined sewer systems during major storms. Additionally, employing water-saving techniques can save money, divert less water from natural bodies, reduce water and wastewater treatment costs, and decrease energy used to treat, pump, and heat water. For different ways to play your part in conserving water, click here.

Schedule your child for a back-to-school eye exam with Dr. Patel, O.D. or Dr. Bauer, O.D. at Kirk Eye Center. Both doctors are experienced specialists that provide advanced services to help patients obtain optimal eye health and clearer vision. Services range from general eye exams - to specialized care such as LASIK and laser cataract surgery. Kirk Eye Center also has a full optical shop for all your eyeglass needs. To learn more, or make an appointment, call 708-627-9400 or click here.



Please support local businesses whenever possible! If you have a business located in River Forest with a valid business license, it can be featured in the Village’s business spotlight. If you’d like your business to be featured, please send us an email. You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s Shop River Forest website.

Village of River Forest

400 Park Avenue

River Forest, Illinois 60305

708-366-8500

vrf.us