Message from the Supervisor

August 2012

We’re Here to Help

If you find yourself falling behind on rent/mortgage, utilities or other life services, we’re available. Call us and let us assist you by offering support (if you’re eligible) or work to partner your needs throughout services and agencies in Lake County.

Utility Assistance
For those who qualify, the township is once again processing LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) applications. Here’s a tentative calendar of dates for submitting applications:

  • September – Elderly or Disabled residents
  • October – Residents with disconnect notices
  • November – All other eligible residents

Go to the following link for updates: ildceo.net/dceo/Bureaus/Energy+Assistance/Illinois+LIHEAP/ - or call us for an appointment.

Voter’s Registration

Make sure you’re registered to vote heading into the upcoming election season! You can register at the Shields Township office as long as you have two pieces of identification (one must have your local address on it); you’re a US citizen and 18 years old (by Election Day). Or, call the Lake County Clerk at 847-377-2404.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors (and having fun while doing so)

Today’s economy continues to be challenging for many of our neighbors. But you can help! Following are upcoming community activities great for participation by the whole family. Have fun while making a difference in your community:

  • Monday, September 17 – 2nd Annual Drive Fore Food Golf Outing benefiting the food pantry at Shields Township (see www.shieldstownship.com/golf for full details on how to help)
  • Wednesday, September 19 – Mobile Food Pantry in North Chicago. Be one of the many needed volunteers who help distribute nearly 10,000 pounds of food in two hours. The township partners with the Naval Station Great Lakes as well as the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
  • Saturday, September 29 -- Local residents are sponsoring an event of marksmanship and shooting at the Northbrook Sports Club for the benefit of Beef4Hunger, an organization which routinely donates hundreds of pounds of high quality beef to the Shields Township food pantry.
  • Saturday, October 6 – RibFest at the Gazebo in Lake Bluff. Judge for yourself…buy a vote for your favorite ribs and that team may win the coveted Peoples’ Choice Award. The food pantry reaps the proceeds of the voting.

Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)

Thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors, private funding was secured to launch a pilot Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). With referrals from school counselors and community leaders students ages 14-17 were part of this revamped program. The youth worked 3 hours per day at either the North Chicago Public Library or the Lake Bluff Park District. Then, distinguishing it from other such programs, they participated in the FreeStyle Friday component. Each Friday during the 8 weeks curriculum, the students visited various locations where they learned about a variety of ways Healthy Choices come in to play in everyday living. Here are some highlights:

  • At Lake Forest Bank and Trust they learned about saving vs. spending (are you spending because you want to or need to?), toured the bank and each one held $20,000;
  • A visit to the County Courthouse and Bond Court introduced them to a variety of cases—what is a felony, misdemeanor or civil case. Then Judge Potkonjak talked to them at length about court from a judge’s perspective;
  • Visiting the County Morgue and Lake County Jail gave the group an all-too-real look at the consequences of poor decision making;
  • Lake Forest College provided the backdrop to a discussion about the hidden concerns of social media as well as a campus tour to whet their appetites to college life;
  • Socially transmitted diseases were a sobering topic led by the Lake County Health Department;
  • The youth spent a couple of visits at CROYA (Committee Representing Our Young Adults) talking about bullying and recording a song;
  • During a behind-the-scenes tour of Halas Hall, the young people heard stories of professional athletes who overcame poverty and lures of gangs to become strong students who used their gifts of athleticism constructively.

Special thanks go to so many who volunteered to make this program exceptional: Jimmy Baldwin, JB Taxi; BJ Coleman, videographer, Todd Nahigian at CROYA and all the folks at the various locations who gave so much of themselves to make a positive impact on these youth. We intend to post the video chronicling SYEP on our website.

Kidney Disease Screening

Fresenius Medical Care, partnering with the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois will conduct a free screening “to help area residents determine if they are at risk for developing kidney disease.”  When:  October 18 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Where: 110 N. West Street in Waukegan. Medical professionals will be available for private consultations. Call 312-583-9074 for more details.

Stay in Touch

We endeavor to keep you posted as best we can. Please visit our website, www.shieldstownship.com for updates, questions or contact information. An archive of videos from past meetings and the minutes from those meetings is available.  We welcome everyone to our meetings: the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. We meet in the Community Room here at the township offices.

Gale Strenger Wayne
Shields Township Supervisor