Oak Forest Rotary Club Blood Drive

The Oak Forest Rotary Club is hosting a Blood Drive on Saturday, February 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Oak Forest Park District at 15601 Central Avenue.

Sanitation and social distancing protocols are in place to keep you safe. One pint of blood can save three lives!

The SARS COV-2 antibody test, AKA COVID-19 Antibody Test (CAT), will be performed on all blood donations as part of the standard testing.

Learn more about the Oak Forest Rotary Club, the leading service organization in our community, go to their website at www.oakforestrotary.org.

Veterans Assistance

The Oak Forest Veterans Commission would like to make residents aware of assistance to Veterans in Cook County. Qualified veterans can visit vacofcookcounty.org for more information.

Program Description
The Veterans Assistance Commission (VAC) is a separate distinct unit of local government created by State Law and funded by Cook County. The VAC provides emergency financial assistance to Honorably Discharged Military Veterans and their families, who reside in Cook County.

Types of Assistance

Assistance with Rental and Mortgage payments.
Utility payment assistance with Electric, Gas and Water.
Public Transportation (CTA/PACE} to Outpatient/Medical appointments, CWT/School, Job Interview, Employment, Housing Search.
ALDI Food gift card.
Burial assistance for veterans.
Job service assistance referrals.
Records requests: Birth Certificate 0D214 Application

For more information, please email ofveteranscomm@oak-forest.org.

Coyote Mating Season

Department of Wildlife says that the aggression of coyotes will be on high for the next several weeks.

The next 4-6 weeks is mating season for coyotes. Please pay attention to your dogs and cats when outside. The outcome can be tragic because coyotes will attack your pets. Coyote breeding typically peaks in late February and early March. Male coyotes can become more aggressive during this time of year.

Here are some steps to prevent human–coyote conflicts:

Do not run if a coyote approaches you. Safety procedures for dealing with coyotes are different than those for dealing with an unknown dog. Yell, stand up straight, and wave your arms (the goal is to make yourself appear larger), or throw something at the coyote to make it move away (the goal is to scare it away, not to injure it).
Teach your kids what to do if they see a coyote. Have them throw their arms up in the air and yell “like a monster” to scare the coyote away.
Do not leave small pets unattended when they are outside, especially at night. Consider the use of fencing or kennel runs to protect small pets.
Do not feed coyotes. Property owners should limit the availability of unintentional food sources, such as bird food, pet food, ripe fruit, or trash.

For more information, go to the wildlifeillinois.org website.

Keep Fire Hydrants Clear of Snow

In case of fire, firefighters need to be able to get to the hydrants quickly to protect people and property.
We need your help! There are more than 3,000 fire hydrants in the City of Oak Forest. Please take time to shovel at least 5 feet away from any fire hydrants in your yard or neighborhood. Time spent clearing fire hydrants can mean extra time to save lives and property in the case of a fire at your house or your neighbors.

Keep Outdoor Vents Clear of Snow

Check on your gas meter, sidewall vents and gas appliance/dryer vents during and after heavy snowfalls, and clear snow away from the vent’s opening if it builds up. If you do notice a mound of snow blocking your furnace or dryer vent, clear it away by hand – don’t use a shovel or a snow blower, as either could cause damage to the vent pipe. Doing this will prevent possible carbon monoxide poisoning. Check your CO and smoke alarms to make sure they are working properly.

Winter Weather and Your Roof

The Oak Forest Building Department is aware that many residents are concerned about the snow load and ice damming on their roofs.

If you decide to hire a contractor to remove snow or ice from your roof, please remember to call the Building Department at 708-444-4817 to confirm that they are registered and their insurance is up-to-date. We can also email you a list of registered roofers.

It is important to remember that you should leave an inch or two of snow so as not to damage your shingles during the snow removal process. ICY ROOFTOPS ARE VERY DANGEROUS, SO PLEASE DO SO WITH EXTREME CAUTION.

The CRCA Chicago Roofing Contractors Association shared more information about Winter Weather and Your Roof:

Ice dams occur when the attic warm air melts the snow above. The snow melt runs down the roof to the unheated overhang soffit, then freezes. Water keeps coming from up above and backs up under the shingles as it hits the 'dam,' causing leaks.
Remove snow above the ice dam with snow rakes and other similar tools. Never use a torch.
Place ice melt compatible with the roof in fabric that can melt the ice dam.
Roofs are dangerous to be on, even in good weather. Ladders can slip, roofs are slippery and falls from height cause serious injuries. Call a professional.

COVID-19 Updates

As of Tuesday, February 2, 2021, all regions, including Oak Forest are at Phase 4 Restore Illinois.

Illinois Regional COVID-19 Resurgence Criteria can be found at: Illinois Regional COVID-19 Resurgence Criteria | IDPH.

COVID-19 symptoms may include fever, sore throat, loss of taste, cough or shortness of breath. Visit CDC.gov for more information regarding symptoms.

Oak Forest COVID-19 Statistics

Current numbers for Oak Forest from the Illinois Department of Public Health website (www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid19-statistics) as of Friday, February 26, 2021:

2,630 positive cases
22,432 people tested
3.7% Positivity Rate (Suburban Cook County, Region 10)

COVID-19 Vaccination Update

The State of Illinois, the Cook County Department of Public Health and the National Guard have two COVID-19 vaccination sites in our area. However, appointments are required. They are not walk-up sites.

Tinley Park Convention Center at 18451 Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park, IL 60477

South Suburban College at 15800 South State Street, South Holland, IL 60473

The State and Cook County have a website available to accept appointments at https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov/ or by calling 833-308-1988 (from 7 a.m. to 7:0 p.m. Monday-Friday).

In addition to Cook County Health sites, the Cook County Department of Public Health
has distributed vaccines to more than 90 partner locations including Jewel-Osco, Mariano's, Walgreens, Federally Qualified Health Centers and hospitals who are also offering vaccines by appointment. Additional sites can be found at https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/vaccination-location.

See more information about the state's vaccination plan on the IDPH website.

COVID-19 Testing Site Open in Tinley Park

A drive-thru coronavirus testing center is located at 7460 Duvan Drive in Tinley Park. It is open daily and offers PCR testing, with results in 1-3 days, rapid testing at $125 and antibody testing.

An appointment is required. Visit the NAS Testing Center website or call 708-649-0333.

Next Oak Forest City Council Meeting

The next Oak Forest City Council Meeting will be held on March 9, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.

Residents are invited to attend both meetings (must wear a mask and practice social distancing) or you can watch live on www.oak-forest.org/live.

If you missed the most recent meetings, click on the links below:

February 23, 2021 - Committee of the Whole (C.O.W.) Meeting
February 23, 2021 - City Council Meeting

Walk/run Virtual #CNBFleadh5k
Register now

Get your family, friends together, and walk/run our Virtual 5k. With a virtual race, you can complete the race, decked out in your green attire anytime or anywhere
from March 6th to March 17th. Several groups will be meeting on March 6th in the morning, to do their own version of "Fleadh 5k"!

NEW! A portion of every runner's registration will be donated to Julia's Legacy. Julia's Legacy of Hope was founded by her family in her honor. It's mission is to provide funds for the purposes of pediatric cancer research, college scholarships, and to give comfort to kids with cancer and their family.

Oak Forest Park District - Leprechaun
Activities 8:30am-10:30am

The Oak Forest Park District will be hosting Pre-Parade activities including: Hot Cocoa Bar, Fun Crafts for Kids, Open Bean Bag Play, Games and Light Concessions. Great way to start your Fleadh day!

Additionally, run the CNB Virtual 5k at The Zone Fitness Center using their treadmills. No membership needed. Anytime from 3/6-3/17 during open hours.

Fleadh Parade-Central Avenue 11am

Line up along Central Avenue between Oak Forest High School and the Oak Forest Park District on March 6, 2021. The parade will start at 11:00 am. Bring the family, wear your green, and let's have some fun! Don't forget your bags to grab all those goodies!

Looking to enter the parade? There is still time to register your family, organization or company. Deadline to submit Parade Registration Form is March 1st.

Social distancing and wearing masks or face coverings is recommended.

Click above for more details.

Acorn Library - Fleadh Around Town Leprechaun Contest

Acorn Library invites you to register to build a leprechaun to decorate the path for the the Annual Fleadh Parade!

You will receive a head, hat, and arms; you provide the rest. We will post your creations in front of the library before the big parade on March 6th. The winners will receive a pizza party gift card!

Oak Forest-Crestwood Chamber of Commerce

Visit Local Restaurants After the Parade

Oak Forest local restaurants need our support more than ever due to the on-going pandemic. Plan on stopping by one or two or more for lunch to eat, drink and be merry!

For the latest news about all the events scheduled for the 2021 Fleadh on March 6th, follow us on Facebook for updates Oak Forest Fleadh, 708-687-4600.

SD 142 Kindergarten Registration

Forest Ridge School District 142 will begin registering kindergarten-aged children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2021 and live within the district boundaries. Your child’s date of birth must be on or before September 1, 2016.

To register your child for the 2021-2022 School Year visit:
http://www.d142.org/registration.

Please address all questions to the District Registrar, Mrs. Spagnola at 708-687-3334 or email: registration@d142.org.

Always Receive City of Oak Forest Emergency Notifications

The new Everbridge system replaces Reverse 911 as a means to notify citizens. Critical situations like severe weather and criminal activity require information to be shared quickly and effectively with residents.

Everbridge helps the City of Oak Forest send messages out to the entire town or certain areas of the town where a particular emergency is taking place such as a water main break. Creating an account is easy! If you ever move and do not want any notifications, you have the ability to delete your account.

Go to the City of Oak Forest website at www.oak-forest.org and look for the Everbridge logo to create an account or click this link: Everbridge Registration.

You can even download the Everbridge app via Google Play on android devices or Apple app store on iPhones or iPads.

Enter a cell phone number for voice and text, landline phone number for voice, email address for notifications, as well as home address. Entering your home address helps the City of Oak Forest send messages to only certain areas of the town that a particular emergency is taking place.

Sign up today to help us better communicate with you.