Young girls react with joy after receiving their Operation Christmas shoe boxes. First Baptist Church of Sycamore is collecting donations for the effort that over the years has gift-filled shoe boxes to more than 135 million children in 150 countries.

DeKALB

Mock interviews help to make good first impression

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Your job interviewing skills can make all the difference in that first impression when meeting a potential future employer. Practice makes perfect with Goodwill’s mock interviews. During Goodwill’s mock interviews, which are 30-minute sessions, participants can build confidence in their interviewing skills, get professional feedback on how to improve their interviewing techniques, and walk out of the session with enhanced skills to gain the edge in their next interview.

During the mock interview session, participants will also learn about Goodwill’s Attire to Hire Program, which will provide you with clothing appropriate to wear to interviews.

Mock interview sessions will be held starting at 10 a.m. Nov. 18 at DeKalb Goodwill Community Resource Room, 1037 S. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb. Need more information? Send emails to chamber@dekalb.org.

Art in small boxes Is on display in DeKalb

The Art Box, frame shop and gallery in downtown DeKalb, is hosting an exhibition of small works called, “Good Things/Small Packages,” through Dec. 31.

There is a saying in gift giving that “good things come in small packages.” This is typically in reference to something expensive or thoughtful such as jewelry or a family heirloom, but something small doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. Fine art also falls into that same category of “good small things.” Many historically famous paintings are surprisingly small.

The exhibit at The Art Box will feature the small side of mostly local artists who show their work online under dekalbgallery.com. Producing small work is challenging for the artist because the picture plane is seen as a whole at close range. Errors can be obvious, however, happy accidents and serendipity still apply no matter what dimensions dictate.

The Art Box, 308 E. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb, is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Wednesdays and most Sundays. For information, call (815) 758-0313 or email dan@dekalbgallery.com.

SYCAMORE

Sycamore Church is participating In largest children gift program

First Baptist Church of Sycamore is a collection site for Operation Christmas Child – the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind.

The annual project is a favorite of many area residents, families, churches and groups who spread joy to children around the world by filling shoeboxes with a gift such as a doll or soccer ball and other toys, school supplies, clothing, personal hygiene items and notes of encouragement.

During National Collection Week, now through Nov. 21, anyone can drop off a gift-filled shoebox to send to a child overseas. The church hopes residents will contribute more than 1,900 shoebox gifts to help make the 2016 global goal of reaching 13 million children in need.

First Baptist Church is at 530 W. State St., Sycamore. Collection hours are 5-7 p.m. Nov. 16, 10 a.m.-noon Nov. 17 and Nov. 19, 1-3 p.m. Nov. 18 and Nov. 20, and 9-11 a.m. Nov. 21.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to more than 135 million children in more than 150 countries and territories. For many of these children, the shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call (815) 895-3116 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. By going online to give the suggested donation of $7 per shoebox for shipping, participants can follow their boxes to their destinations around the world.

Family owned DeKalb  restaurant  marks 60th anniversary

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, board members and staff recently congratulated Pizza Villa on its 60th anniversary. Located at 824 W. Lincoln Hwy. in DeKalb, Pizza Villa is a third-generation, family-owned business. The restaurant has five levels of dining and a game room. The restaurant serves pizza and other Italian favorites along with broasted chicken, pork chops, salads and sandwiches.

STATE 

Illinois medical marijuana records set in first year

The number of qualifying patients who can purchase cannabis in Illinois stands at about 12,000, as legal sales reach their first-year anniversary.

It has been nearly one year since legal sales of medical marijuana began in Illinois. The new monthly figures released by the Illinois Department of Public Health show an additional 900 people were approved for the state’s medical marijuana pilot program in October, bringing the number of patients to 12,000. Retail sales reached $4.12 million, including $2.35 million in dry flower sales and $1.76 million in cannabis-infused products.

The number of licensed medical marijuana dispensaries also grew, with 46 now open for business in Illinois. Last month, dispensaries sold 193,204 grams of dry cannabis to more than 6,800 unique patients.

Dispensaries have sold $28.09 million worth of medical cannabis since legal sales began on Nov. 9, 2015, and wholesale sales by cultivation centers now total $18.12 million.