In conjunction with National Blood Donor Month, McHenry Township and the McHenry Township Fire Protection District will host a community blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 26 at the McHenry Township Recreation Facility, 3519 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg.

McHenry County

Workforce Network scores grant to aid post-jail program

The McHenry County Workforce Network recently received a Talent Pipeline Grant of nearly $196,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce for its creation of a Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship Program, intended for at-risk young adults and residents returning to the workforce after incarceration. The program is designed to be a career pathway for under-served populations to gain skills needed to enter apprenticeship programs or directly into employment with a local manufacturer. The program runs through June 30, 2020, and will include workplace readiness courses, manufacturing essentials courses, hands-on learning activities and more. The McHenry County Workforce Network is partnering with McHenry County College, the Illinois Department of Corrections, the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, the Illinois Manufacturing Association, the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Stateline Society for Human Resources and local employers to bring this opportunity to the community. For more information, call 815-334-4000 or visit www.mchenrycountyworkforce.com.

McHenry Township

Township to host community blood drive at Rec bldg.

In conjunction with National Blood Donor Month, McHenry Township and the McHenry Township Fire Protection District will host a community blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 26 at the McHenry Township Recreation Facility, 3519 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg. The blood donation process begins with registration, followed by a review of health history and a mini-physical. The actual donation takes about 10 minutes and requires approximately one pint of blood. A photo ID is required at donation time. Donors are encouraged to eat a meal and drink plenty of water prior to giving blood. Blood donation requirements include a minimum weight of 110 pounds and minimum age of 16. Appointments are recommended; walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment, call Vitalant at 877-258-4825 or visit www.vitalant.org. and use Group Code 241G. For more information, visit www.mchenrytownship.com.

Algonquin

FirstLight Home Care expanding to Algonquin

FirstLight Home Care, an award-winning provider of non-medical home care, will expand its presence in the greater Chicago area with a new location, in Algonquin, set to open in early 2019. The office will be owned and operated by the father-daughter team of Glenn and Katarina Garbowicz. FirstLight of Algonquin will serve several area communities, including Carpentersville, Elgin, Huntley, St. Charles and Sleepy Hollow. The home-care provider serves seniors, adults with disabilities, new mothers, veterans, individuals recovering from surgery and other adults in need of assistance. FirstLight caregivers help with a variety of needs, including personal hygiene and household duties such as cooking, cleaning, running errands, mobility assistance and dementia care. Qualified caregivers (home health aides and certified nursing assistants) interested in FirstLight career opportunities are encouraged to contact Glenn Garbowicz via email at ggarbowicz@firstlighthomecare.com or Katarina Garbowicz at kagarbowicz@firstlighthomecare.com. For more information, visit www.firstlighthomecare.com.

Fox River Grove

Village joins MCRide public transit service program   

The village announced that all Fox River Grove residents will now have access to MCRide, a coordinated dial-a-ride service. The curb-to-curb, demand/response public transit service provides rides within and between all of the partner municipalities, including Fox River Grove, Crystal Lake, McHenry, Woodstock, Huntley, Marengo, Johnsburg, Harvard, Richmond and Union, as well as Marengo and Riley townships. Riders also can be transported to other select locations, including Good Shepherd Hospital (Barrington), The Hollows (Cary), Valley Hi Nursing Home (Woodstock) and the Fox Lake Metra Station. In addition, seniors and people with disabilities can receive rides to/from McHenry, Dorr, Grafton, Greenwood, Nunda and Richmond townships. Seniors and people with disabilities will receive all rides at a reduced rate. For more information, call Village Hall at 847-639-3170 or visit www.mchenrycountyil.gov.

Huntley

Police Dept. seeks applicants for Citizen Police Academy

The village announced that the Huntley Police Department is now accepting applications for its upcoming Citizen Police Academy. The program is scheduled to be held from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning March 6 and continuing through May 22, at the Huntley Police Department, 10911 Main St. The Citizen Police Academy is free of charge and open to individuals (ages 18 and up) who live or work in Huntley. Applicants will be subject to a background check. Advanced registration is required. The deadline to register is Feb. 15 or until the class is filled (seating is limited). To access an application, visit www,huntleyil.us. For more information, call 847-515-5411 or send an email to mracila@huntley.il.us.

Woodstock

Collection of historic quilts on display at Opera House

The city announced that historic quilts from the collection of the McHenry County Historical Society & Museum will be on display through Feb. 5 at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St. The quilts date from the 1870s to the 1940s and highlight a variety of patterns from the Historical Society’s collection of more than 160 quilts. One of the featured quilts is a red, white and blue signature quilt made by the Women’s Relief Corps to raise money for the local Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization composed of Civil War veterans from the Union Army. The names of Woodstock residents who contributed to the cause are embroidered on the quilt. The quilts are available for public viewing — free of charge — from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call the Opera House box office at 815-338-5300 or visit www.woodstockoperahouse.com. 

–McHenry County News Briefs–