SHARE THIS STORY

Orland Township’s Holiday Letters to Elders Program

Spread Holiday cheer to a Senior who lives near! Program offers service hours to students who volunteer

Orland Township’s annual Holiday Program, which provides a yearly holiday meal, gifts, and other personal items to more than 200 families and young children who experience financial difficulties, is expanding and adding a new program entitled Holiday Letters to Elders.

“As the holiday season continues, it’s important to remember one major thing: that love and attention are some of the most valuable gifts you can give.” Said Supervisor Paul O’Grady.

“The Holiday Letters to Elders program, which is completely student-volunteer based, aims to showcase that love by providing hand-written Holiday cards to senior residents living in Orland Township.”

Students in grades 6th-12th are highly encouraged to participate in the program. According to the office of Supervisor Paul O’Grady, Orland Township services well-over 2,100+ seniors yearly, making participation opportunities in the program plentiful.

In exchange for letters, the Township will offer one service hour for every 5 completed, with a limit of 3 hours per volunteer. Letters MUST be written at Orland Township to keep track with mailing.

Starting Nov. 22, Volunteers are welcome to visit Orland Township, located at 14807 South Ravinia Ave. Orland Park, IL., during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., OR during select holiday donation hours in order to participate in the program:

• Tuesday, Nov. 30 from 3 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 1 from 3 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 2 from 3 to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 4 from 3 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The last day to submit a letter is Dec. 15.

Supplies, including writing utensils and blank Holiday cards, will be available onsite at Orland Township for participants to use. Registration is encouraged, but not required. For more information, contact Lindsay at [email protected].

For more information on programs, services, and events being held at Orland Township, visit the website, orlandtownship.org, or call (708) 403-4222. Be sure to like the Orland Township Facebook page for more updates.

Author
Recent Posts

Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter