As we near the end of the year, may we count our blessings twice and forget our troubles and just be happy! I am reminded of this quote by Wiliam Penn: “I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” Food for thought. Be kind. Be generous. Be humble. Teach your children well. I would like to say hello to Sandy and Chuck, Steve and Ken. I would like to thank everyone for their continued kind words to me on my newspaper articles. It means so much! Now, let’s see what’s going on in our neck of the woods…
Join the Midway Chamber of Commerce for their annual Cookie Walk on Saturday, Nov. 14. This year marks their sixth annual Cookie Walk on Archer Avenue and their second annual Cookie Walk on 63rd Street!
Stroll through the neighborhood, visit participating local businesses, collect delicious cookies, and discover all that our small business community has to offer. Each year, we look for ways to grow and improve the Cookie Walk based on the experiences of our businesses and attendees, and they are excited to make this year one of the best ones yet! Registration is available online at the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s website. If multiple people in your group would like to receive a cookie at every stop, each person will need their own tote. Totes are limited, so we encourage purchasing yours early once sales open.
The 63rd Steet Cookie Walk runs from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. You will pick up your tote bag at Los Mangos on 5923 W. 63rd St. the day of the event. These totes cost $15. The Archer Avenue Cookie Walk runs from 10 a.m.-noon and tote bags cost $30. You will pick up your tote bag at The BizHub, located at 6422 W. Archer Ave. on the day of the event. Remember: You can only pick up totes at your route’s registration location. There will be no advance/pre-event tote pickup. Each tote holder receives one cookie per participating business/stop. More details, including routes and participating businesses, will be announced soon.
Midway Merry Market Kick off the holiday season at the Midway Merry Market, 6402 W. Archer, on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Midway Marketplace. Shop small and enjoy a festive morning featuring local businesses, artisans, food vendors, bakers, boutiques, holiday gifts, sweet treats, and more. You won’t want to miss out on either of these festive community events that are fun for the whole family!
Garfield Ridge Library
Story & Craft Wednesdays, Nov. 11 and18 at 10:30 a.m. Ages 18 months and up. Join us for a quick story and fun craft. Early arrivals can color and build puzzles.
Block Play Monday, Nov. 16, at 10:30 a.m. Let’s build something together! Join us and play with our DUPLO bricks, foam blocks and mega blocks. Block play can offer significant benefits for children including enhancing fine and gross motor skills, fostering mathematical thinking and boosting creativity, imagination and language through self-expression and communication while building structures. Ages 18 months and up.
Reading Hour with Cipriani’s Pizza Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. Join us for an hour of reading and free pizza. Bring your own book or choose from the library collection. Join others in the love of reading or discover the joy of reading for yourself. At the end of the reading hour, Cipriani’s Pizza will provide free pizza to all participants. For ages 3 to 13. Children under 11 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Registration is required.
Mad Hatters Saturday, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m. The Mad Hatters are coming! Join The Junior League of Chicago’s “Mad Hatters” for a fun-filled program with stories, songs and interactive movement. Families, feel free to wear your silliest hat for this fun family program. Children receive stickers and a free book for participating. Ages 3-7.
Clearing Public Library
Story Time with Ms. Kim on Thursdays, Nov. 5-19 at 11 a.m. Join us for story time, especially for our littlest patrons! We share songs, rhymes, and books, plus suggestions for at-home activities. For kids 0 to 5.
International Games Day Mini Gaming Convention Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Join us for a day of gaming, crafting, puzzling and fun at this mini gaming convention. Play pinball on classic machines from The Flip Pinball Museum, compete in a Super Smash Bros Ultimate and Mortal Kombat III tournament on a live stream with I Play Games, crafting for kids with The Trash Goblins, play Classic Arcade and console video games from all eras, choose from our large selection of board games, compete in speed jigsaw puzzling, paint and make a fantasy miniature, and meet Lia Montelongo, model for Sindel in the Mortal Kombat III video game. Ages 5 and up.
Community Events
St. Rene Goupil, 6340 S. New England, “Super Bingo” Sunday, Nov. 8. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Games begin at 1 p.m. $20 admission at door. Refreshments and food are available for purchase. Free coffee.
St. Faustina Parish, 5252 S. Austin, all are invited for the fifth annual “Las Mananitas to Our Lady of Guadalupe” on Saturday, Dec. 12. (Tri-lingual: Spanish, Polish and English). Mananitas songs to Our Lady 5-5:45 a.m. Followed by Solemn Mass 6-7 a.m. in all three languages. After the mass, please join us in Ward Hall for hot chocolate and pastries. Mariachi Joyas de Chicago will play during Las Mananitas, the Mass and in Ward Hall. Please help support the parish by purchasing raffle tickets for $5 each-only 1,000 will be sold. Raffle drawing will take place on Saturday, Dec. 12, in Ward Hall. First prize is a framed Blessed Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe from the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Other prizes will be raffled off as well, including a $500 cash prize and a $250 cash prize. For more information, call 773-767-2411.
The next combined meeting of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch and CAPS (Beat 11) will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. in Ward Hall, located at 52nd Street and South McVicker Ave. The purpose is to identify chronic problems and issues that affect the community. Meet our Beat 811 police officers and community leaders and get the latest updates on all that is happening in our neighborhood. Come and share information and raise any concerns you may have. The next Beat 12 Meeting for the 8th District will be held at the Clearing Public Library, 6423 W. 63rd Place, on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m. The Clearing Night Force Watch Group meets at 5:30 p.m., prior to the monthly CAPS meetings. Please join this group to show your support.
The Garfield Ridge Senior Center, located on Archer and Laramie, has many fun events for November. Veterans Day Bingo Party Friday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. $20 per person. Morning snacks with coffee and tea. Lunch consists of two tacos (beef or chicken), beans, rice, soda and dessert-Mexican Paletas. You will receive two bingo cards to play 10 games of bingo. There will be a guessing game, split the pot and a raffle. Tickets are $1 or 6 for $5. Tickets are available for purchase until we sell out. First Friday Bingo & Coffee meets on the first Friday of every month during bingo, 9:30-11 a.m. The baked goods are free and beverages are free! Bingo cards cost 50 cents. Please call 312-745-4255 or stop at the center. Ask for Julie.
Save the Date: Wintrust Sports Complex’s annual Holiday Extravaganza Craft Fair! Saturday, Nov. 28, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Located at 5499 W. 65th St. in Bedford Park, there is something for everyone. Just bring a can/box of non-perishable food as your entry fee and enjoy visiting over 100 vendors. This is a fun family event with crafts, food, and Santa stopping by to surprise everyone. Many vendors will be selling holiday items as well as candy, cookies, you name it. This is a great event to start or finish your Christmas shopping!
Bundle Weekend: Two Holy Martyrs/St. Vincent DePaul Society is having their Bundle Weekend at St. Rene Grupil Church, 64th and New England, on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 2-5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 8, from 7 a.m. to noon.
They are collecting clothing, shoes, purses, etc., small kitchen appliances, utensils, bed bath and kitchen linens, home decor, household items, books, CDs and DVDs.
They cannot accept electronics or large baby items (strollers, car seats, etc., due to recalls).
Please box or bag donations, unusable clothing and linens can be sold for rags.
Donations, in support of our St. Vincent DePaul Society, enables us to help those in need in our community.
Until next time, keep being nice to one another and share a smile! Please continue submitting information to my email: ptyznik@gmail.com.