Lake County Gazette

Greetings!

Come join us for a FREE Concert in the Park this Friday, August 20th! This concert will feature the rock, country, and blues band, Latest Rumor. 

The concert will take place at Community Park, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Community Park is located at 5 Park View Lane, at the corner of Old McHenry and Quentin Roads. So, grab your lawn chairs, pack a picnic, and enjoy the last performance of this year's summer concert series!

Sonic the Hedgehog

Friday, August 20

Dusk (approx. 8:15 p.m.)

Community Park

After discovering a small, blue, fast hedgehog, a small-town police officer must help him defeat an evil genius who wants to conduct experiments on him. This movie is rated PG for viewing audiences.

Thank you to our Movies in the Park sponsor

Helen Oliveri Real Estate

101 Gilmer Road

Hawthorn Woods, IL 60047

The Girl Scouts of Lake Zurich, which includes girls throughout Community Unit School District 95, recently held three day-long environmental events for Girl Scouts in grades 1^st through 5^th at Brierwoods Forest Preserve and Rambling Hills Park. Both park sites are located in the Village of Hawthorn Woods. 

Girl Scouts in middle and high school planned activity itineraries for each day and lead the younger Girl Scouts through outdoor related badge programs, entitled Journeys. Each Journey required the girls to participate in a Take Action Project, a project providing a sustainable solution to a community issue. 

The Girl Scouts partnered with the Village of Hawthorn Woods Parks and Recreation Department to learn about the importance of native plants, different types of tree canopies, and how to plant saplings. All of the Girl Scouts then took part in planting trees or native flowers at the two parks, completing the Take Action portion of their badge work. 

The Village of Hawthorn Woods would like to thank the Girl Scouts of Lake Zurich for assisting us in maintaining and enhancing our treasured parks!

If you would like to learn more about our many park sites, including Brierwoods Forest Preserve and Rambling Hills Park, please click here.

And, if you are interested in coordinating a group to volunteer at any of our park sites, please contact Brian Sullivan at bsullivan@vhw.org or (847) 847-3514.

The Village of Hawthorn Woods is seeking volunteers to assist in clearing invasive Buckthorn and other restoration activities at our Indian Creek Preserve, this Saturday, August 21, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. 

Buckthorn (pictured here) is an invasive plant which is detrimental to the preservation of our woodlands, prairies, wetlands, and parks. Buckthorn squeezes out native plants. Its foliage creates dense shade, in which wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs are unable to survive. Its shade also prevents the growth of young oaks and damages soil and wildlife habitat. 

The Indian Creek Preserve is located on Seneca West Avenue in the Estates of Indian Creek subdivision, Hawthorn Woods. 

If you would like to volunteer, please contact Brian Sullivan, Director of Parks and Recreation, at bsullivan@vhw.org or (847) 847-3531. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. Volunteers age 12-15 are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult, 18 years of age or older.

Take advantage of this opportunity to partner with your parks and make a difference in your community!

The Village of Hawthorn Woods, along with our Hawthorn Woods in Bloom Committee, would like to invite our residents, businesses, churches, and civic groups to take part in the beautification of our community. One winner will be chosen to receive the Excellence in Gardening Award in the month of June, July, August, and September. Gardens are judged with regards to design, maintenance, originality, color, and personal touch. Once a winner is chosen, Mayor Dominick DiMaggio will present a colorful “Excellence in Gardening” yard sign to the award recipient to display in their front lawn.

Nominate a friend, neighbor, or even your own garden for the award! All gardens nominated must be located within the Village limits of Hawthorn Woods. To nominate a garden, contact Brian Sullivan at bsullivan@vhw.org or (847) 847-3531. Nominations are due the first Friday of each month.

Check out what's happening in Hawthorn Woods this upcoming fall! The Parks and Recreation fall 2021 brochure is now available. The brochure contains information on events, such as Fall Family Fun Fest, Movies in the Barn, our Holiday Craft Fair, and the Hometown Holiday event. Check out our popular programs, such as Youth Soccer, Taekwondo, and Gymnastics. We also have new programs to offer, such as Green Sprouts, Nerf Flag Football, and Martial Arts Fitness classes. Registration is now open for all fall programs.

The Village of Hawthorn Woods Youth Soccer League offers young soccer players an opportunity to learn the game of soccer and build upon their existing skills. This program provides instruction in a recreation-based environment where participants learn by playing together on the field. Our program focuses on player skill development through training, drills, and scrimmage games. All levels welcome. Visit www.vhw.org/YouthSoccer for complete details.

September 8 - October 30

Wednesdays, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Heritage Oaks Park - Soccer Fields

This program is designed to introduce the art of taekwondo to children by instilling the five ancient tenets of taekwondo as a way of life - courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. This program provides the foundation for physical and psychological training; increasing their strength, fitness, flexibility, confidence, and ability to focus. It teaches children how to build a strong healthy body and provides the foundational elements for improved motor skills, better ability to pay attention and follow directions, practice courtesy and discipline, and gain self-confidence. All participants must wear a uniform. Uniform fee: $65 (separate from program fees). Visit www.vhw.org/taekwondo for complete details.

Little Jins (Ages 5-7)

Tuesdays, Sept. 7-Oct. 26, 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Hawthorn Woods Aquatic Center - Community Room

Fees: $120/resident; $138/non-resident

Kids & Family (Ages 8+)

Tuesdays, Sept. 7-Oct. 26, 5:00 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.

Hawthorn Woods Aquatic Center - Community Room

Fees: $300/resident; $345/non-resident

Introduce your child to various sports, including baseball, football, track & field, hockey, volleyball, and more. Click on the links below to view our program offerings this fall.

The Parks and Recreation Department partners with Vernon Hills Gymnastics to offer gymnastics classes for various levels. Click here to view our class offerings, including:

Workout with fitness classes that “pack a punch”! These martial arts inspired fitness classes are fun and fast-paced 30-minute workouts that include kicking, punching, strength training, muscle toning, and cardio building. Classes are held in the safety of a non-contact, supportive group class structure. Come work up a good sweat and enjoy the benefits of what we like to call “kick-punch therapy.” With this class pass, you may attend unlimited classes for the full 12 weeks. See the schedule of classes below. Gloves and gear are provided.

Various days and times (Click here to view class schedule)

Lake Zurich Family Martial Arts

Fees: $250/resident; $290/non-resident

FIT4MOM is the nation’s leading prenatal and postnatal fitness program, providing fitness classes and a network of moms to support every stage of motherhood. From pregnancy, through postpartum and beyond, FIT4MOM fitness and wellness programs help make moms strong in body, mind, and spirit. Your first class is FREE! Class offerings include Body Boost, Strides 360, Body Well, and Stroller Strides.

Various days and times (Click here to view class schedule)

Hawthorn Woods Aquatic Center - Community Room

Whether you want to learn the game of pickleball or build upon your current knowledge and skills, this class is for you. Classes will focus on pickleball basics, such as forehand and backhand shots, serving, and court positioning. Players will learn scoring and the rules of the game through drills and playing time. The pace of this class will give players the opportunity to develop the skills needed to play this fun and energetic game. All levels welcome. All equipment will be provided.

Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Mundelein Community Center - Gym

Fees: $59/resident; $68/non-resident

Friday, August 20

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Community Park

Concert featuring Latest Rumor (Rock, Country & Blues)

Closed for the 2021 Season

The Hawthorn Woods Aquatic Center is now closed for the season. Our last day was August 15. We would like to thank everyone for trusting us to operate your pool, and for cooperating with the new and changing rules and regulations this summer, as we aim to keep our community safe and healthy through the on-going pandemic. 

We are pleased to report that we had no major rescues or medical incidents throughout the entire season, due to our well-trained staff, as well as all of our patrons following proper safety protocols. Not only did we exceed in passing our Health Department inspection, our lifeguards flawlessly passed an unannounced live rescue drill conducted by the Countryside Fire Department. Again, thank you for a successful and fun summer at the Hawthorn Woods Aquatic Center for our 2021 season. We look forward to seeing you next year! 

SWALCO is hosting three Household Chemical Waste Events in the month of September. The dates of the events are:



Saturday, September 11, 2021

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Saturday, September 25, 2021

The facility where the events are taking place is located at: 1311 N. Estes Street, Gurnee, IL 60031.

Appointments are required for Household Chemical Waste Events located at the Gurnee Facility to ensure safety & efficiency. Collections are for residential waste only. No business waste will be accepted. All SWALCO HCW Collection Events are FREE for Illinois residents only. Please click here for more information, or to schedule an appointment.

Additionally, SWALCO offers a Residential Electronics Recycling Program for Lake County residents. For more information about this program, please review the Residential Recycling Program drop-off instructions here.

If you purchase an energy-efficient furnace, boiler or smart thermostat this year, you may be eligible for a @NicorGas rebate. Nicor is offering rebates of $200-$225 for furnaces, depending on the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) percentage and installation date. Rebates of $350 are offered for boilers with an AFUE of 95% or above. For ENERGY STAR^® certified smart thermostats, you can receive a $25 rebate.

For more information or to apply, go to: http://bit.ly/37JvNii.

The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) has begun a Phase I Engineering Study for the areas surrounding the Old McHenry Road and the Canadian National (CN) Railroad Crossing and along Quentin Road.

LCDOT seeks to improve safety, traffic operations, and connectivity for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians within and surrounding the Old McHenry Road and CN Railroad area. The project will evaluate the feasibility of constructing a new grade separation at the CN Railroad tracks, meaning motorists will not have to sit and wait for the nearly 20 trains that pass through each day.

The project team is just now getting started and community participation is most welcome. A virtual open house for the community will be planned this fall.

Visit the project website: Here you can learn more about the project, including maps of the study area, timeline, and frequently asked questions. As the project progresses, documents will be posted to the website. Be sure to click on the “Comment Map” tool where you can add your inputs directly to the map at https://omxproject.com/ [omxproject.com].

The Delta variant continues to spread at a rapid pace around the country. It is highly transmissible and is accounting for more than 93% of COVID-19 cases in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lake County is currently experiencing a HIGH level of COVID-19 community transmission. This means that Lake County has 100 or more weekly cases per 1,000 residents. The CDC recently updated their guidance and recommends that everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, wear a mask indoors in areas with substantial and high transmission. New guidance also recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools. To keep track of transmission by county, check out the CDC page COVID-19 Integrated County View.

Getting as many people vaccinated as possible against COVID-19 continues to be the most effective way to control the pandemic. All COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the United States are effective against COVID-19, including severe disease, hospitalization, and death.

Having additional layered prevention strategies will also continue to control the spread. Layered prevention strategies include:

View the full Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.

View the Guidance for Implementing COVID-19 Prevention Strategies in the Context of Varying Community Transmission Levels and Vaccination Coverage.

Lake County has released a Coronavirus Data Hub to centralize data related to COVID-19 in Lake County. To access the data hub please click here or visit the Lake County website available at www.lakecountyil.gov/COVID19data.

What to do if you are sick: 

Call your doctor: If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider immediately.

Do not walk into a healthcare facility, urgent care clinic, or hospital before calling. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. If your doctor believes that you need to be tested for COVID-19, your doctor should call the Lake County Health Department Communicable Disease Program to arrange for you to be assessed.

Monday, September 13, 6:00 p.m.

Monday, September 27, 6:00 p.m.

If you would like to attend a virtual meeting, the meeting agenda will be posted 48 hours prior to the meeting on our Village website at vhw.org with Zoom link instructions.

Chief Operating Officer

Chief Administrative Officer/Village Clerk

Your Elected Officials

Mayor Dominick DiMaggio

2 Lagoon Drive | Hawthorn Woods, IL 60047

Ph: (847) 438-5500 | Fx: (847) 438-1459