AROUND TOWN
Booster sale
The O’Fallon Township High School Band Boosters Yard Sale will take place from 8 a.m to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug 16, in the school’s South Gym. The Boosters are accepting donations. Arrangements for a pick up may be made by calling Charlene McGinthy at 618-920-0040.
Roads oiled
The O’Fallon Township Road District will be oiling and chipping roads throughout the township on Aug. 18 and 19 and Highway Commissioner William Peach is cautioning motorists to be aware of flagmen blocking off roads. Peach asks residents to remain alert and patient when traveling township roads during these dates.
For more information, contact the highway commissioner at 632-3517.
Historical meeting
The O'Fallon Historical Society will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 19, at the history museum, 101 W. State.
Following the business meeting, Richard Lay and Connie Nisinger will present a program on Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, burial place of John O'Fallon, John Mason Peck and the Gartsides who sunk the first coal mines in O'Fallon. The public is welcome and admission is free.
Birthday social
The Senior Citizens Club of O’Fallon is having its monthly birthday social at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the Township Building, 801 E. State St. Bingo will be featured along with the last sign up for the fall dinner to be held on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Seniors IDs
The St. Clair County Transit District will be taking photos from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, at the O’Fallon Township Building, 801 E. State St., for senior citizens interested in free public transportation.
All participants must live in one of the 15 townships in the Transit District and must bring proof of their age, such as driver’s license, state photo identification or passport.
This photo is being taken as a result of Illinois legislation permitting those 65 years and older to ride public transportation free with proper identification.
Spaghetti Dinner
The O’Fallon Knights of Columbus will host a back to school spaghetti dinner from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the K of C Hall, 402 E. Hwy 50. Dine in or carry out is available. Orders can be called in at 632-6229. Music will also be available from 7 to 11 p.m. The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children under eight.
Calling cards
Xi Chi Chapter 5456 of ESA International is supporting Hope for Heroes by partnering with Cell Phones for Soldiers to fill the need for calling cards for troops overseas.
Used cell phones are recycled and in turn the recycling company provides an hour of international minutes on calling cards, which are shipped to military deployed overseas.
Cell phones may be dropped off at any of the Auffenberg dealers in the metro-east along with Jack Schmidt Chevrolet in O’Fallon. For more information, call 618-567-5315 or e-mail grumman3@icss.net.
Passionate pork
Main Street O’Fallon is getting set for a day of fun and great pork steaks during Pork with Passion on Saturday, Oct. 4.
The event will be from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. on First Street between Oak and Vine streets in historic downtown O’Fallon. There will be a pork steak cooking contest with cash prizes, live musics, door prizes and more.
Ticket sales by local merchants begin on Aug. 19 for door prizes from the merchant and Pork with Passion.
NEA registration
New Enterprise Academy (NEA) is currently enrolling new students for the 2008-2009 school year. NEA is a not-for-profit academy that provides an individualized and advanced academic curriculum to help students discover their unique abilities and fosters a lifetime love of learning. NEA offers small class sizes, daily Spanish classes, educational partnerships, differentiated student instruction, certified teachers and other unique opportunities to its students. For more information, visit the school’s web site at www.newenterpriseacademy.org or call 632-1505.
Farmers market
The O’Fallon Farmers Market will be open from 7:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday until the end of October. For more information, call 632-3671.
NAMI training
NAMI of Greater Belleville is offer a class to address the needs of family, friends and caregivers of individuals with serious mental illness. The Family to Family Education Program will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. each Monday from August 11 through November 10 in the SWIC Programs and Services for Older Persons building at 201 N. Church St. in Belleville. To register, call 225-7035 by Friday, Aug. 1.
Recreation programs
• A Mighty Ball Soccer program will run from 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturdays from Aug. 16 to Sept. 27, except Labor Day weekend, in 0’Fallon Community Park. Children ages 3 through 5 are eligible to participate, with the 3 year olds in one division and 4 and 5 years olds in another. The registration fee of $30 for O’Fallon/Shiloh residents and $40 for all others includes team shirt and soccer socks. Shin guards are required. Contact Keith Richter.
• O’Fallon and Shiloh K - 8th graders are eligible to participate in a youth soccer league that will start in August and run through October. The coed teams participate in the Tri-County League. The fee for K - 4th graders is $50 and for 5th - 8th graders, $55. The fee includes a team shirt and soccer socks. Shin guards are required. Contact Andrew Dallner at a dallner@ofallon.org or call 624-1039, ext. 5102.
Registrations for all programs are accepted between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of each month at the Parks and Rec office in the Cavins Center.
Together time
Discovery School is offering a new program this fall called “Together Time.” The weekly one-hour class for children ages 24 to 48 months and their parent or guardian is meant to be a bridge between life at home and their school years ahead. Led by an early-childhood educator, the program provides free-flowing play, singing, story time, and snacks in a warm, safe environment. For parents and caregivers, the program offers a place to carry on informal discussions about child development and parenting. Call 632-3670 for more information.
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.
Monumental biographies
Biographies and a picture of any veteran currently inscribed on the pillars are now being accepted for inclusion on the Veterans’ Monument kiosk.
If not previously submitted, please send the biography, not to exceed 500 words, and a picture to: O’Fallon Veterans’ Monument Association, P O Box 406, O’Fallon, IL 62269.
If you wish to have your picture returned, which will appear in a 3" x 2" format on the site, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Any questions, please 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.
The Knights of Columbus is an international Catholic family fraternal service organization with nearly 1.7 million members in over 12,500 local councils. Last year, Knights donated 60 million volunteer hours and $130 million to charitable and benevolent causes, sponsoring projects to benefit their church, councils, communities, families, and youth.
The local O'Fallon council donated over $50,000 to charity last year supporting organizations such as Special Olympics, St. Clair Adult Vocational Enterprises (SAVE), the Illinois Center for Autism, Parents and Teachers of Exceptional Children (PTOEC), and the St. Clare, St. Nicholas, Corpus Christi, and St. Joseph parishes.
The council also sponsors local events for the community, such as an annual Halloween Party, spelling bee, soccer challenge, and free throw contest.
