Donna Vickroy – Page 15

A growing number of teachers either can't afford or are tired of paying for basic classroom supplies, which is forcing them to hold fundraising campaign or just grow tired of the drain and leave the profession.

Vickroy: Teachers forced to fundraise just to get basic supplies raises real questions about our school system

September 5, 2023 at 11:57 a.m.

If you're on social media, you're no stranger to fundraisers. Health issues, job loss, natural disasters are among the many reasons people go public with their pleas for financial help....

Braxton Hicks, 7, of Livingston, Texas, holds his face to a portable fan to cool off during a heat wave that occurred during a baseball tournament in Ruston, Louisiana, earlier this month. With climate change driving average global temperatures higher, teams and parents are having to pay closer attention to the heat.

Vickroy: As politicians bury their heads in the sand, new generations gearing up to address climate change

August 29, 2023 at 1:25 p.m.

Maui. Canada. California. Greece. Wildfires. Tornadoes. Hurricanes. Droughts. Annual 100-year floods. Scientists say global heat has put 2023 on track to be Earth's hottest year on record. As the frequency...

Pets shed hair -- something all animals owners know and have to learn to accept. But knowing when and why they shed can help, as can knowing how best to brush them to reduce the mess they create, says Abby Panozzo, veterinary medical technology program coordinator at Joliet Junior College.

Vickroy: If shedding pets drive you crazy, here’s a little on when and why they lose their hair — and how you can help

August 21, 2023 at 5:32 p.m.

We love them to pieces, until we're ready to go out to dinner and there's too many of those black strands all over our white jeans. Dog hair. Is it...

Both Will and Cook counties are holding special events Saturday to celebrate and educate people on hummingbirds, which will migrate hundreds of miles every year and consume huge numbers of insects to bulk up before their departure.

Vickroy: Two forest preserve hummingbird fests invite you to marvel, celebrate and help these fascinating fliers

August 14, 2023 at 2:27 p.m.

What is it about the ruby-throated hummingbird that fascinates us? Its size? Its speed? Its graceful, yet fierce, in-flight antics? Or is knowing how fleeting their presence can be? It...

John Austin, a recent graduate of Naperville Central High School.

Vickroy: Naperville Central and Richards graduates offer tips on how to succeed at high school, and life in general

August 8, 2023 at 5:15 a.m.

Because high school is such a formative part of the human experience, it's wise to shore up your chances for success. And how better to do that than by considering...

Rose Follenweider, of Tinley Park, highly recommends Mary Kubica's books, especially "The Good Girl."

Vickroy: Readers respond to recent column on love of reading with lots of book recommendations

August 1, 2023 at 2:49 p.m.

A good book becomes a part of you. Once it's in your head, or more specifically, your heart, it's there forever. When a story comes to life by virtue of...

It's important for children to have friends because it gives them a sense of belonging and builds their social skills, experts say.

Vickroy: Humans need friends so why is it so hard for us to make — and keep — them?

July 24, 2023 at 5:11 p.m.

"Friendship is a critical aspect of most people's lives. The majority of us really need social connection," says Marcia Gibson, a clinical psychologist with Marcia S. Gibson and Associates in...

Winter or summer, there's no better feeling for a book lover than time to put the feet up and crack open a new tome, as columnist Donna Vickroy can attest.

Vickroy: I’ll let you in on a secret — reading is the greatest pleasure in the world, especially when you’re retired

July 17, 2023 at 2:44 p.m.

Bummed about the entertainment industry's strike? Not me. I've got my books to get me through. After many years devoted to working, chauffeuring, commuting, helping with homework, pulling dinner out...

Skin cancer is the number one cause of cancer in Americans, and this — being in the sun soaking up the rays — is one of the major causes, experts say.

Vickroy: Throwing shade on sun worshipping – don’t be surprised if those golden tans of yore come back to haunt you

July 10, 2023 at 4:58 p.m.

Bad news, Beach Babies, skin cancer is the most common cancer in America. Even worse news, Baby Boomers, all those hours you spent frying like a slab of bacon under...

Victoria Jakresky cuddles a cat at NAWS Humane Society in Mokena, which is in danger of closing if it cannot to find a veterinarian willing to work with them.

Vickroy: Vet shortage causing big problems for animal rescues and shelters, with one facing closure because of it

June 27, 2023 at 2:52 p.m.

The local animal rescue community may lose a valuable member if NAWS Humane Society in Mokena can't find a doctor to replace the staff veterinarian who is leaving. The current...

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