Fundraisers
Aurora University students will hold an all-you-can-eat pizza dinner from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Luigi’s Pizza, 732 Prairie St., Aurora. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children younger than 12. Proceeds will benefit educational and community-service programs. For more information, call 630-844-5620.
Cat Guardians will hold a holiday bazaar from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Lombard Lagoon, Grace and Marcus Streets, Lombard. Admission is free. Proceeds from sales benefit the Cat Guardians shelter, a non-profit humane society for homeless cats. For more information, call 630-543-3395.
Boy Scout Troop 45 in Glen Ellyn will hold a pancake breakfast fundraiser from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in First United Methodist Church, Duane and Forest Avenues, Glen Ellyn. Tickets are $5; children younger than 8 are free.
Oak Park’s Animal Care League will hold its annual holiday bazaar from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the 19th Century Club, 178 N. Forest Ave., Oak Park. Baked goods, wreaths, holiday decorations, jewelry, candles and more will be for sale. All proceeds benefit the animals of the Animal Care League. For more information, visit www.animalcareleague.org.
The Sacred Heart Holy Name Society will hold its annual men’s card party/smoker from 7:30 p.m. to midnight Friday in Sacred Heart Hall, 114 S. Elizabeth St., Lombard. The public is welcome. Admission is $10 and includes food, drinks and door prizes. Proceeds will benefit the Diocesan Woman’s Choice Services Project. For more information, call 630-627-0687.
The Hinsdale Center for the Arts’ annual holiday home tour will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday in Hinsdale. Six historic and contemporary residences decorated for the Christmas season will be available to tour. Tickets are $35 the day of the tour and can be purchased in Garden Gallery, 30 E. 1st St., Hinsdale. Proceeds from the tour will benefit programs and outreach activities of the Hinsdale Center for the Arts. For more information, call 630-887-0203 or visit www.hinsdalearts.org.
A benefit for Sharing Connections will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. The movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” will be shown. Admission is $5. Sharing Connections provides furniture and household items to low-income families. For more information, call 630-971-0565, ext. 225, or visit www.sharingconnections.org.
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We Grow Dreams Inc., a non-profit organization that helps job-train people with disabilities, will hold a holiday open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday in the We Grow Dreams Greenhouse and Garden Center, 1055 W. Washington St., West Chicago. The open house will feature balsam reindeer in various sizes, poinsettias, indoor holiday plants, fresh greens and wreaths and more. For more information, call 630-293-0100 or visit www.wegrowdreams.org.
The Junior League of Kane and DuPage Counties will hold a rummage sale offering new and gently used children’s clothing, accessories and toys at affordable prices from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Aurora Family YMCA, 460 Garfield Ave., Aurora. Proceeds will benefit the Junior League and the scholarship fund at the Aurora Family YMCA. For more information, call 630-653-5989.
Volunteer opportunities
Metropolitan Family Services is seeking monetary donations or donations of toys and gift certificates for its holiday gift program, which will assist families in need this holiday season. This year’s goal is to match more than 1,400 children and seniors with gifts. Family sponsorship is available for $50 per child, and the money is used to provide gift cards. Friends, employees and church, civic or school groups can hold a toy or gift drive or sponsor a gift certificate. For more information, call 312-986-4140.
The Center for Economic Progress seeks volunteers in Chicago and suburban communities to help low-income families file tax returns. The center helps working families and individuals, preparing and filing their tax returns free of charge, ensuring they get their entire tax refund. After volunteers attend training classes in January they can choose to work with clients at more than 35 tax-preparation sites. To register for training or for more information, call Meghan Andrews at 312-630-0244 or visit www.centerforprogress.org.
The Batavia Retired Senior Volunteer Program needs volunteers to deliver meals to homebound seniors participating in the Golden Diners program. The time required for meal delivery each day is about 1 1/2 hours. Drivers are also needed to help seniors get to medical appointments and run errands such as grocery shopping, banking, etc. For more information or to volunteer, call 630-406-9993.
Volunteers are invited to assemble AIDS caregiver kits, which will be distributed by World Vision, from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday and 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1310 Shepherd Drive, Naperville. Supplies are also needed, including antibacterial soap, petroleum jelly, Clotrimazole antifungal cream, cotton balls, disposable latex gloves, washcloths, notebooks, pens and flashlights. Everyone is welcome to participate. For more information, call 630-961-9220.
The Young Professionals of the Naperville Chamber (YPN) and the Naperville Jaycees have joined forces to offer a dual membership to their organizations. YPN furthers the chamber’s mission by promoting the growth and development of the next generation of business and civic leaders. The Jaycees are dedicated to helping the community by volunteering time, fundraising and recognizing the outstanding effort of others within the community. For more information, call 630-544-3364 or visit www.naperville.net.
Those making a difference
The Ladies Auxiliary of the Leon Richardt Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6791 recently voted to donate $1,200 to the Simple Gifts Foundation. The money will help families displaced by the recent fire at the Main Street Apartments in West Chicago.
Approximately 1,000 sleepers participated in Bridge Communities’ Sleep Out Saturday held in early November. A video of the event is on YouTube and can be viewed at www.bridgecommunities.org.
Literacy Volunteers of DuPage recently received a $55,000 grant from the Illinois Secretary of State Literacy Office. The funds will pay for training volunteer tutors and support for tutoring adult learners.
The City of Warrenville recently announced that Richard Volkmer, a community volunteer and former mayor, is a recipient of the 2006 Studs Turkel Humanitarian Award, which recognizes extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary people.
Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton raised nearly $140,000 at its annual fundraising gala held in October in the Carlisle in Lombard.
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