Lake County Gazette

As a Dementia-Friendly Community, the City works to connect across sectors and help individuals, businesses and organizations adopt dementia-friendly practices that serve to include and encourage people with dementia to engage fully in community life. 

Individuals, loved ones, and caregivers who live with memory loss, mild cognitive impairment, early Alzheimers, and other dementias are invited to participate in a new Memory Cafe at the Highland Park Public Library. A Memory Cafe is a safe space and social gathering place for those impacted by dementia to meet, socialize, and explore a different topic each month that engages the senses. Register at hplibrary.org/events. The next Memory Cafes will be held on October 20, November 17, and December 17, 2021. 

Memory Kits are also available for checkout from the Library. These interactive kits are designed to engage people with dementia or other cognitive issues through sight, sound, smell, touch, and hearing. Kits may include books, puzzles, fidgets, CDs and CD player, cards, art, and other sensory material. Visit the Library to check out a kit. This initiative is funded by a grant from the Highland Park Community Foundation. 

Efforts to help Highland Park become increasingly inclusive for individuals with dementia and memory loss are spearheaded by Police Department Social Worker Dr. Cynthia Plazas and Senior Center Social Services Coordinator Jennifer Aiello. Everyone plays a part in creating a welcoming and inclusive community; learn more about dementia-friendly training for individuals. The team is currently working on plans to connect business owners with valuable training opportunities for their employees. More information will be available soon.

Learn more about efforts to support those living with dementia.

You're Invited: Meet Your Neighborhood Police OfficerJoin us for a special event to learn more about the City's Police Beat Coordinator (PBC) program, on Monday, October 18 at 6:30 PM at the Highland Park Country Club. You'll meet your PBC officer and learn how the PBC program helps Highland Park officers partner with the community to provide effective and efficient public safety services.

This event will be held in person. In accordance with State of Illinois guidelines, attendees will be required to wear a face mask. Community members will also be able to attend virtually via a live stream on the City's Facebook page. To facilitate the flow of conversation, guests who will be attending virtually are encouraged to submit questions in advance via email at cityhp@cityhpil.com.

For more information, call 847.432.7730, or visit cityhpil.com/police.

Volunteer on a City Advisory Group, Board, or Commission

The Mayor and City Council are preparing to appoint interested residents to City Advisory Groups, Boards & Commissions for terms beginning January 2022. Applications for high school juniors to serve as Student Commissioners are also available. Visit cityhpil.com/boardsandcommissions for a list of the various groups, goals, responsibilities, and requirements. For information, contact the City Manager's Office at 847.926.1000 or cityhp@cityhpil.com.Historic Preservation Awards

The Historic Preservation Commission is accepting nominations for the 2021 Highland Park Historic Preservation Awards. These awards recognize projects that preserve, conserve and protect structures and landscapes of historic significance in Highland Park. Nomination forms are available online at cityhpil.com/hpc. Nominations are due Friday, October 15.

COVID-19 Updates

• IDPH announced that five community-based testing sites will now offer COVID-19 vaccinations, including the Arlington Heights site located at the Arlington Race Track (823 Wilke Rd.) All three COVID-19 vaccines will be offered during operating hours. Appointments are not required and vaccinations are available to anyone age 12 and older. 
• The CDC provided guidance about COVID-19 vaccination for moderately to severely immunocompromised people. 
• As at-home COVID-19 testing kits become increasingly available, information about these products is available from the FDA. As with all products that receive approval or emergency use authorization, the FDA will post public communications and safety alerts to its website.
• Hand sanitizers are now widely available from traditional suppliers and drug manufacturers. As a result, the FDA has now withdrawn its temporary guidance that allowed manufacturers that were not drug manufacturers at the time to produce certain alcohol-based hand sanitizer and alcohol for use in hand sanitizers during the public health emergency. The change is effective December 31, 2021, to allow businesses time to adjust.
• More than 711,000 Americans have been lost to COVID-19. A new CDC study demonstrates that a secondary consequence of a death toll of this magnitude is children who lost all or some of their caregivers. The study indicates that more than 140,000 US children have lost a primary or secondary caregiver due to the pandemic.
• Vaccination against COVID-19 remains the best way to protect families and communities. If getting your vaccine is still on your to-do list, learn about the options available to you at vaccines.gov.

• In Season at the Ravinia Farmers Market

Fall fruits and veggies are in abundance at this week’s Ravinia Farmers Market, Wednesday, October 13 from 7 AM -1 PM at Jens Jensen Park, in the Ravinia Business District. Be sure to shop for all your weekly menu needs around what’s in season this week: produce, fruit, farm fresh eggs, cheeses, meats, fish, artisan breads and pastries, hand-poured chocolates, cookies and snacks, pickles and condiments, local honey, maple syrup, cut flowers for your table and so much more!

Shop for festive organic pumpkins and gourds for decorating and baking! This week’s market features a wide selection of heirloom tomatoes, cabbage, eggplant, sweet and spicy peppers, fall squash, greens and lettuces, herbs, and other local and organically grown produce!. It’s still fruit season, and this week’s Market is abundant with Midwest pears, apples, jams and jellies, and even peaches and raspberries.

Stop by the Welcome Tent to enter the free drawing for your chance to win a natural products goodie bag! The Market continues through October 27.

Live music is sponsored by the Highland Park Community Foundation. 

Learn more about this week's Market.

Housing Rights WebinarJoin Community Partners for Affordable Housing and attorneys from Prairie State Legal Services for a free webinar to learn about tenants' rights as the eviction moratorium expires. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, October 20, 5:30 - 7:00 PM via Zoom. Registration is required. The presentation will address the rights of tenants facing eviction, the eviction process for tenants with and without a written lease, rental assistance programs, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Register for the webinar.

Underage Drinking Prevention SurveyNorth Shore School District 112 parents and caregivers are invited to participate in a survey from the Lake County Health Department. The Keep Showing Up Campaign is intended to share resources with parents in order to help them talk with their children about underage drinking and your feedback will help tailor these resources to the needs of Edgewood and Northwood middle schools. Responses are requested by October 25. 

Complete the survey. Share Share Share