Food baskets are needed as Thanksgiving nears. The HOPE Chest of Pekin is sending out pleas for food donations for Thanksgiving to replace a regular donor that will not be contributing this year. Call (309) 620-9043 for more information.

PEKIN

Urgent plea goes out for Thanksgiving food aid

The HOPE Chest of Pekin is sending out pleas for food donations for Thanksgiving because it has lost a regular donor.

HOPE (Help Other People Excel) Chest officials recently learned the usual source for Thanksgiving meals cannot help this year, therefore, the agency has issued a public appeal to help supply meals for the 250-300 families it helps each Thanksgiving.

The organization’s HOPE Cupboard is interested in partnering with local businesses, churches, organizations or schools to provide for these families. Any group interested helping in part or all is asked to call the Pekin store at (309) 620-9043. Items needed are canned hams, jar or canned gravy, canned vegetables, canned fruit, biscuit mix, pie crust mix, boxed pudding and/or canned pie filling and Jello or other gelatin mix. The HOPE Chest is at 1106 Derby St., Pekin. It is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. every day except Sunday.

A tax receipt can be given to qualifying businesses for their donations.

The HOPE Chest partners with local charities and churches to reach out to underprivileged families in Central Illinois communities, by providing help and hope a thrift store, food pantry and other programs.

MORTON

Women, household duties of the past to be honored

My Grandmother’s Apron, a program to honor life’s special women, will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Morton Public Library, 315 W. Pershing, Morton. Participants are asked to bring or wear a favorite vintage apron as women’s household duties of decades past are remembered. The program will remember household duties such as hanging laundry, canning, filling button boxes, stocking the pantry and sharing recipes. The program is being presented by The Tea Ladies of Bloomington. Visit or call the library at (309) 263-2200 to register.

EAST PEORIA

VFW parade to honor vets

East Peoria Post 2078 Veterans of Foreign Wars will hold its annual Veterans Day Parade Nov. 5. The parade will start forming at Columbia and Washington street, west of Regions Bank at 1 p.m. and will kick off at 1:30 p.m. The parade will end at Central Junior High School on Taylor Street.

The VFW Post 2078 will also hold a Veterans Day ceremony at Soldiers Field in Fondulac Cemetery at 11 a.m. Nov. 5. Names of members who have died since Memorial Day 2015 will be read. The public is invited to attend.

STATE

Voter registration highest in 50 years

This election year with the first woman presidential candidate continues to make history as the number of registered voters in Illinois is at its highest in nearly 50 years.

The Illinois State Board of Elections reports that the number of active, registered voters in the state is at its highest since 1970; more than 7.9 million people are registered. That number is up from 2008 when interest in Barack Obama’s first bid for president helped to boost the number of registered voters to about 7.8 million.

And, state residents may continue to register to vote through Election Day. Because of that provision, the state expects the number of registered voters to further increase. Regular registration has closed, however, potential voters may take advantage of Grace Period registration, which extends through Nov. 8. Grace Period registration allows a voter to register at locations designated by the appropriate election authority.

Grace Period registration for Tazewell County residents is being held at the Tazewell County Clerk office, 11 S. 4th St., #203, Pekin, 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a. m. – 4 p.m. Nov. 5 and 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Nov. 6.

Voters registering and/or casting a grace period ballot must display two forms of identification (one must contain current address) and must register or update their address. Examples of accepted identification include but are not limited to: current & valid photo ID, current utility bill, bank statement, pay check or other government document showing name and address. For more information, call (309) 477-2267.

–Tazewell County News Briefs–