AROUND TOWN
Library happenings
The O’Fallon Public Library is celebrating Children’s Book Week May 12-17 with an exciting book raffle and special storytimes and activities. Young readers may sign up all week for the prizes and winners will be announced on Saturday. Five different books will be presented in age-appropriate categories. One board book, one easy reader, one picture book, one middle grade title and one book for young adults will be given out.
Miss Syndy will have a special storytime built around the book, “If You Give a Pig a Party” at 6:30 p.m. on Tues., May 13. The event is designed for children from pre-kindergarten to second grade.
Refreshments and an activity will accompany the story.
Gail Long’s popular storytime for preschoolers will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wed., May 14.
Local children’s author Terri Vest is inviting youngsters to come to a book reading and signing of her recently published book at 6:30 p.m. on Thurs., May 15. She will also have an activity tied in with the book that is suitable for children from pre-school to second grade.
Democratic Club
The O’Fallon Township Area Democratic Club will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, May 12, at VFW Post 805, 221 W. First St. For more information, call 624-6785.
Korean War vets meeting
The next meeting of the Korean War Veterans Assoc. will be at 7 p.m., Monday, May 12, at the Swansea Improvement Assoc. Bldg., 310 Service St., Swansea. Anyone who served in Korea from 1945 to the present or anywhere during the Korean War Era (June 1950-Jan. 1955) is eligible to join. Meetings are held on the second Monday of every month. For information call 624-5418.
Blood Drives
• Knights of Columbus, 5420 Old Collinsville Rd. 3 to 7 p.m., Monday, May 12.
• Frieze Harley Davidson, 1560 N. Green Mount Rd. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
Quilt Guild
The Hearts ‘N Hands Quilt Guild will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the First United Methodist Church, 504 E. Hwy. 50. Award-winning quilt artist Nadine Thompson will be talking about the history of crazy quilts. Contact Chris Yavorsky at 624-8249 if you have any questions.
Cartwright tribute
Rev. Joel Catlin brings his one-man tribute to Peter Cartwright, the circuit-riding frontier preacher, to the O’Fallon First United Methodist Church, 504 E. Hwy. 50, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. The performance is free to the public. For more information, call 632-2354.
Math help
Mathnasium O’Fallon, 210 Hartman Lane, is offering free math help for all OTHS students during finals week. Students may visit the center for 90 minute help sessions from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 15; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, May 17; or between 2 and 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, May 19 to 22. Students should call the center at 624-6402 before attending, and should bring with them math textbooks and any practice tests.
Marchers needed
The Veterans’ Monument Association is inviting all military personnel and veterans to march or ride in the Mayfest Parade Saturday, May 17. Line up is on State Street at 3:15 p.m., with the parade starting at 4 p.m. For information, contact Betty Osborne at 632-3204.
High School Study Day at library
The O’Fallon Public Library is once again offering an after-hours “High School Study Day” in cooperation with the OTHS Media Center. The library will be open for OTHS students to prepare for final exams from 8 to10:30 p.m. on Tues., May 20. Students can study in a relaxed environment and enjoy nutritious snacks, bottled water, and coffee, provided free of charge.
Shelter needs help
Spencer Pet Rescue, 1405 Highway 50, is asking for donations of money, old towels and blankets, and food for the no-kill animal shelter. Sponsors also are needed for individual animals. Spencer will send a picture and story about the animal chosen for sponsorship. Call 632-7387 for more information.
Summer employment
The St. Clair County Highway Department has an opening for temporary summer employment for one youth, age 16 -18, living in District 18 in O’Fallon. The program starts Monday, June 9, and continues through Friday, Aug. 1. The pay is $7.50 per hour. The work consists of unskilled labor work. Hours are from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the candidate must have transportation to and from work. Send a letter along with name, age, address and phone number to County Board Member Craig Hubbard at 807 W. US Hwy. 50, Suite 6, O’Fallon, Ill. 62269.
NAMI meetings
The Belleville chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, a support group for families and friends of individuals with serious mental illnesses, meets at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 15, at Hilltop Emporium, 207 E Main St, in Belleville For more information, call 234-8259.
Class of 1973 reunion
The O’Fallon Township High School Class of 1973 has scheduled its 35th reunion over the weekend of July 25 and 26. If you did not receive an invitation, please email your contact information or questions to hubert101@hotmail.com.
Keep Troops Rolling
VFW Post 805 continues to collect items to support deployed combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Items needed are suntan lotion, insect repellent, Chapstick, soccer balls, liquid bath soap, personal hygiene items, powdered drink mixes, personal snacks, beef jerky, hard candy, gum, music CDs, movie DVDs, silly string (used by combat troops to check for trip wires), paperback books, hand held games, school supplies (for the local schools) and stuffed animals which are used as packing material and then donated by the troops to children. The post also encourages cards and letters. Donations may be dropped off at any Auffenberg Dealer Group Metro East location; the Scott Air Force Base Youth Center; the O’Fallon Progress, 1480 N. Green Mount Road, Suite 200; or the Texas Roadhouse restaurant. For more information, contact Chip Shaffer by phone at 618-567-5315 or via e-mail at grumman3@icss.net.
Phones for calling cards
VFW Post 805 is supporting deployed troops by collecting unneeded cell phones to be exchanged for calling cards that will be sent to troops overseas. Cell phones may be dropped off at the post, 223 West First Street; any Metro East Auffenberg Automotive Dealership location; the O’Fallon Progress; or Texas Roadhouse. For information, contact Chip Shaffer by phone at 618-567-5315 or via e-mail at grumman3@icss.net.
Phone book recycling
The St. Clair County Health Department is recycling telephone books through May 31 at several sites in O’Fallon and Shiloh. Old phone books may be dropped off at O’Fallon City Hall, 255 S. Lincoln and the O’Fallon Post Office, 1111 S. Lincoln; at a specially-marked trailer in the Dierbergs parking lot in Shiloh; or, for military personnel only, at the Scott Air Force Base Recycling Center, Building 3286.
Biographies needed
The O’Fallon Veterans’ Monument Association has installed a touch screen kiosk that allows visitors to locate individual names on the monument. The screen also gives the veteran’s military biography and photo. New biographies and photos of veterans whose names are inscribed on the pillars are now being accepted.
Send biographies, not to exceed 500 words, and a picture to: O’Fallon Veterans’ Monument Association, P O Box 403, O’Fallon, Ill. 62269. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for returns. For more information, call Jo Smith at 628-0451.
VFW fish fry
O’Fallon VFW Post 805, 221 W. First Street, and its Ladies Auxiliary sponsor a fish fry from 4 to 9 p.m. every Friday. Dine in or call 624-2651 for carry out.
K of C fish fry
The O’Fallon Knights of Columbus and its Ladies Auxiliary sponsor a fish fry from 4 to 8 p.m. every Friday. Dine in the hall, located at 402 E. Hwy. 50, or call 632-6229 to order carry out.
