In conjunction with an effort to ensure that area hospitals have an adequate supply of donated blood during the holiday season, when donations typically dip to low levels on a national scale, Hawthorn Mall, 122 Hawthorn Center, will host “12 Hours of Giving,” a blood drive and bone marrow registry event, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 21.

Northern Illinois

Girl Scout Cookie Program offers online sales

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois announced that it is kicking off the 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program earlier than usual this season with online sales through Digital Cookie 5.0, a recent web-based addition to the cookie program that helps Girl Scouts run and manage their cookie businesses online. Customers have the ability to order and pay for cookies online, and the option to have the cookies shipped directly to them (shipping charges apply), have the Girl Scout deliver the cookies or personally donate the cookies (with no additional handling fees). If customers would like to have Girl Scout Cookies in time for holiday gift-giving, they should notify the Girl Scout in their lives to send them an email from their personalized website as soon as possible. Customers seeking to be connected to a local Girl Scout Cookie entrepreneur can send an email to cookies4you@girlscoutsni.org. Local Girl Scouts also will take cookie orders in person (and online) from Jan. 4-27, 2019. Cookies, available in a variety of flavors, are $5 per box. For more information, call 844-476-4463 or visit www.girlscoutsni.org.

Barrington Hills

Holiday fire safety focus of ‘Keep the Wreath Red’

The village announced that the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) is participating in a public awareness initiative — for the 11th consecutive year — intended to raise awareness concerning the importance of fire safety during the holiday season. Through the “Keep the Wreath Red” program, lighted wreaths displayed at Fire Station #1, 22222 N. Pepper Road, Lake Barrington; and Fire Station #2, 120 W. Algonquin Road, Barrington Hills, begin the holiday season covered in red light bulbs. Firefighters then substitute a white bulb for each fire within the 48-square-mile district found to have been caused by holiday decorations. The program runs through Jan. 1, 2019. To help “keep the wreath red,” BCFPD officials recommend the following tips: Carefully inspect all holiday light strings and discard any with frayed cords or loose connections; turn off all holiday lights when leaving the house or going to sleep each night; keep candles away from combustible materials, such as clothing and curtains, and never leave burning candles unattended; keep live trees in water-holding stands and keep stands filled with water at all times; verify that artificial trees are flame-retardant; and place trees away from heat sources and at a safe distance from exits. For more information, call 224-848-4800 or visit www.bcfpd.org.

Deer Park

Village offers storm damage branch removal

The village announced that Groot Industries has offered to include storm damage branch removal with Christmas tree pick-ups that are scheduled for Jan. 2 and Jan. 8, 2019. Collection is intended for tree limbs and branches resulting from the recent winter storm. Other types of yard waste will not be accepted. Branches must be cut to no more than 4 feet in length and contained in bundles measuring no greater than 2 feet in diameter and not exceeding 45 pounds. The branches must be placed at the curb, adjacent to Christmas trees, prior to the scheduled pick-up dates. For more information, call 847-726-1648 or visit www.villageofdeerpark.com.

Fox River Grove

Homeowners to see reduction in property taxes

The village announced that Fox River Grove property owners will pay less in taxes to the village during calendar year 2019. The Village Board recently adopted a 2.1 percent increase ($18,882) to the amount of property taxes collected for the village portion of the property tax bill. This will be offset by a $97,588 reduction in taxes due to the retirement of the village’s outstanding general obligation bond. The net result is a 7.3 percent reduction ($73,185) of property taxes for 2019. The village portion represents about 6 percent of the overall property tax bill in Fox River Grove, while the other 94 percent of the bill is in the control of other taxing bodies, including schools (68 percent), county (8 percent) and fire district (6 percent), among others. For more information, call 847-639-3170, send an email to village@foxrivergrove.org or visit www.foxrivergrove.org. 

Vernon Hills

Hawthorn Mall to host blood drive/marrow registry

In conjunction with an effort to ensure that area hospitals have an adequate supply of donated blood during the holiday season, when donations typically dip to low levels on a national scale, Hawthorn Mall, 122 Hawthorn Center, will host “12 Hours of Giving,” a blood drive and bone marrow registry event, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 21. The event, conducted by Vitalant (formerly LifeSource), will take place on the mall’s upper level, next to Barbara’s Bookstore. To schedule an appointment, visit www.vitalant.org (Group Code 179B) or call 877-258-4825. In addition to blood donations, participants will be able to join the national bone marrow registry, Be the Match. Participating donors also will be entered into a drawing to win more than $1,000 in raffle prizes, including a host of gift vouchers, gift cards, a Hawthorn Mall tote bag, a framed, autographed photo of former Chicago Blackhawk Andrew Shaw and more. In preparation for giving blood, donors are asked to eat well, stay hydrated and arrive with proper identification. For more information, call Vitalant at 877-258-4825 or visit www.vitalant.org.    

–Lake County News Briefs–