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In This
Issue
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Sauk Village Village Hall
21701
Torrence Ave.
Sauk Village, IL 60411
708-758-3330
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- Becky Vela New SVPD
Sergeant
- Fire Dept. News
- Officer Williams Sworn In
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- Community Calendar
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Issue 17
Vol.
III
January
2004
| Fire Dept. Valentines
Dance
- Citizen Police Academy
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From the
Mayor's Desk
Mayor Roger Peckham |
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Saying
good-bye to 2003 and hello to 2004 is nothing that any of us can prevent.
The change in the year has very little effect on our daily lives. Many of
us have thought of changes with ringing in a new year but as you all know
change is difficult and hard to maintain. Certainly many American men and
women and their families have made great changes in their life during the
last two years since our countries involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. We
as Americans need to recognize their sacrifices and keep them and their
families in our hearts minds and prayers during this
time.
The Christmas Basket Elves again this
year did what they could to spread the Christmas spirit to many of our
Village residents this year. The group delivered over 150 baskets on
Saturday, December 20th. This group of volunteers out did themselves this
year. The funds to continue this program are raised through donations
received through the |
annual golf outing run by a great
group of volunteers. The group gives a lot of their time in planning and
coordinating this fund raiser. The same group of volunteers then compiles
a list of residents based upon names submitted, buy and sort food, prepare
baskets and deliver the baskets. The solid core of this program is slowly
dwindling and not to mention aging. We need new and younger help. Many of
you are very busy and have little free time, but this program needs to
continue. Consider giving some time this year and volunteer for this
program or another program in your Village.
This year our Christmas Basket had extra helpers in making deliveries.
Teachers Kristin Wajda and Eileen DeJong helped organize and deliver to
the community center the food, toys and clothing collected at the schools
of District 168. The following District 168 students also helped; Amanda
Jensen, Nicholas Vevers, Kevin Weller, Deonta Murphy, |
Dominique Williams, Kristie
Nieman, Juan Valdez and Christopher Sewell.
This year our deliveries were assisted by the Fire Department. Fire Cadets
Dustin Cox, Nick Bonnema, Donnie Synoweic, Albert Vidal, Robert Vidal,
Sean Vidal and Christopher Zavala who were assisted by Firemen Gary Bell,
Ed Meyers, Paul Meyers and a Village fire truck delivering baskets to the
residents. Thank you all for giving your time to this
program.
Finally, Sauk Village is in line for
a federal grant up to $600,000 for infrastructure and an access road for
the International Crossing Development on the northwest corner of the
Village’s boundaries. This federal grant is due to the work of Congressman
Jackson. The Board of Trustees and I are grateful that Congressman Jackson
and his staff were able to obtain this grant. The Board and I are looking
forward to working with Congressman Jackson in getting more federal funds
for our community in the future. |
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News From Your Village
Clerk - Liz Selvey |
Cold weather has arrived and with it high
heating bills. The CEDA Bloom-Rich Community Development Association is
taking applications for all income eligible households for low income home
energy assistance to help with the payment of gas and
electric
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bills. For
application locations, please contact the Village Hall at 758-3330.
On
March 16, 2004, a Primary Election will be held throughout the state. If
you are 18 years old or older, and/or have moved to the Village since the
last election and you have not registered to vote, you will not be able
to |
vote in the primary. You can register to vote Monday
through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Village Hall. The
Village Hall also has applications for student absentee and disabled voter
absentee. You can also contact Joan Meek at 312-603-0929 for more
information and applications
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Sauk Village
Police
Welcomes
its Newest Sergeant |
Sauk Village Police
Hosts
Third Annual
"Shop with a Cop" |
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On
December 1st, 2003, Patrol Officer Rebecca Vela became Patrol Sergeant
Rebecca Vela through a promotion by the Sauk Village Board of Police
Commissioners. Sgt. Vela joined the police department on April 26, 1993.
During this time, she has spent most of her time assigned to 3rd shift
(afternoons) and has worked part time with investigations and is a
certified juvenile officer. As the senior patrol officer assigned to the
shift, she was often the Watch Commander in the absence of a patrol
sergeant. Sgt. Vela will remain on afternoon shift as the second patrol
sergeant and she will be supervised and mentored by Sgt. Bob Schwertfeger.
Also, there is an in-service training program that all sergeants partake
in which will enhance her skills in supervision and
management.
Village Clerk Liz Selvey swears in New Police Sergeant Rebecca
Vela at
the
December 1st Village Board Meeting.
Mark Your Calendar For
The
Sauk Village Fire
Departments
Annual Valentine's
Dance
Saturday February
14th
Sauk Talk is produced by
volunteers of the Public Relations Committee of Sauk Village. Mary Seery,
Trustee, Debbie Carl, Editor and staff members Jeni Fischer, Linda Zolp,
Frank Zolp, Corinne Yates, and Linda Scott. Suggestions or comments should
be directed to Village Hall, faxed to 757-5670 or e-mail to DebiCrl@aol.com |
On December
13, 2003, twenty-plus local youngsters, along with their escort officers
from the Sauk Village Police Department, met with Santa and spent the
morning shopping at the Steger K-Mart to help celebrate the
holidays.
The event was “SHOP WITH A COP” – an annual event where
youngsters in need are treated to a shopping spree courtesy of funds
raised by the Sauk Village Police Association and other outside donations.
Children are selected with the assistance of District 168 principals and
staff members.
Part of the day is an early
breakfast, a meeting with Santa, and then a morning of heavy shopping.
Each child is allowed $50 each and many of the youngsters have given a
great deal of thought on what they would like to
buy.
The youngsters are chaperoned at all
times by personnel from the police department who also consulted with
Santa on who had been naughty and who had been nice in the
village.
The Sauk Village Police Department
would like to thank those who donated to the cause and to the fine folks
at the Steger K-Mart who are always so gracious and
kind.
With luck, we will be hosting the 4th
Annual “SHOP WITH A COP” early in December of 2004.
A
Special Thank you to Tracy Ross for her help with this issue of Sauk
Talk |
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to Top |
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Sauk Village Sports Association
News |
National Guard Celebrates 367th
Birthday! |
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The 2004
Baseball/Softball Season is quickly approaching and the SVSA Board of
Directors is still in need of dedicated parents to join the Board. We
still have several positions that need to be filled prior to opening day.
This organization is comprised of dedicated parents who want to help make
a difference in their children’s lives. The SVSA cannot continue to
operate without your involvement. Please contact any SVSA Board Member if
you’re interested or call 757-5873.
As the
Chicago Bears season comes to a close we would like to thank the Chicago
Bears and Sports Service for the fundraising opportunities we were given.
Our concession stands have generated several thousand dollars for our
program. We would like to say “Thank You” to all the volunteers who have
helped us staff our stands during this season. Your dedication, tireless
efforts, long hours and outstanding customer service skills have ensured a
great working relationship for years to come. If you would like to start
earning money towards your child’s 2005 Registration Fees, contact the
SVSA for more information.
Baseball/Softball registrations will be
starting at the end of January through the middle of March. We will also
be holding registrations for the third (3rd) Indoor Soccer League. Dates
and prices will be posted at the Sauk Village Sports Association Website
(WWW.SVSA.ORG)
Finally, our annual Candlelight Bowl will be held again at the Lynwood
Bowling Alley on February 7th. Tickets will be available shortly both
online and through Board Members. We have a great time last year and
anticipate another superb evening. Join us for some good food, crazy
bowling with friends and family and help support our organization. Door
prizes and gifts will be raffled off throughout the evening. |
December
13th, 2003 the National Guard celebrated its 367th Birthday. The National
Guard is our nation’s oldest arm of military services, tracing its
beginnings to the Massachusetts militia of the year 1636. The National
Guard, in 50 states, 3 Territories and the District of Columbia, continue
the proud traditions of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in providing mission
ready and capable units for the first – line defense of America at
home.
T he Illinois Guard has over 10,000
soldiers serving, 325 Armories, located throughout the State, and offers
opportunities for over 200 job specialties.
The National Guard is serving across the globe as a result of the events
of September 11, 2001, the War on terrorism and the support of missions in
Afghanistan and Iraq. The National Guard’s Direction, General Blum stated
“citizen-soldiers are making sure we’re going to have more freedoms to
defend and more rights to enjoy than we did the previous year”. We will
not let our nation down. For more information about becoming a
citizen-soldier, please visit our website at
1-800-GO-GUARD.com
or
call
1-800-GO-GUARD.
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NEW POLICE OFFICER SWORN
IN |
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The Sauk Village Police
Department is very proud to present its newest member, Officer Alan
Williams. Officer Williams graduated from the Police Training Institute on
December 11th and was sworn in on December 16th, 2003 at a Committee
Meeting of the Board of Trustees. Officer Williams is currently in the
field training program working under the supervision and direction of the
department’s field training officers.
After completing his in-house
training sometime in mid-March, Officer Williams will be assigned to a
patrol shift under the supervision of a patrol sergeant. the police
department hopes to have two additional officers scheduled to attend the
academy in early February and have them assigned to street patrol of Sauk
Village by the Summer of
2004.
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Greetings from the Sauk Village Fire Department! We sincerely hope that
you had a wonderful holiday season and wish you a safe and happy new year.
We at the Fire Department are looking forward to another big year as we
continue to grow to meet the needs of our ever-growing community. We have
several exciting things in the works.
First of
all- construction is now complete on the re-working of our east bay. Two
new bay doors were installed on the north wall of the east bay and three
of the bay doors facing east were blocked in.
T
his work was done to accommodate the new rescue/pumper expected to arrive
in April that will be ready to be put in service in May. The new Squad 502
will replace the old Engine 502, which is a 1980 fire engine currently
used only for brush and rubbish fires. The new 502 will also replace our
1991 Ford F350 Light Rescue Squad 505 which carries all the car
extrication equipment and a portable air cascade for filling air
bottles.
The new 502 will not only serve at
vehicle accidents and any fires, but will also house equipment needed at a
variety of rescue incidents. The new 502 will be a welcome addition to our
fleet.
As a side note, due to the location of
the new bay doors, parking has had to be re-arranged a bit at the station.
Visitors are always welcome at the Fire Department, but please do not use
the “old” parking spots located directly in front of the new doors. We are
currently using the doors for a fire engine and the existing rescue squad.
We don’t want to block them in. Feel free to park along the far east side
of the lot, or along Jeffrey Avenue on the west side of the station. We
are hoping to do something to improve our parking situation in the near
future.
We’re also looking forward to starting a new program at
Rickover Jr. High School. The Fire Department’s Captain of Training, Rich
Atwood, has been working with Rickover’s Associate Principal Ms. Julie
Iverson to develop a “cadet” style after school program. Tentatively, the
classes will be approximately one hour in length and will meet every two
weeks for the remainder of the school year. Students will be taught the
history of the fire service, fire safety, and first aid skills. The goal
of this program is to give the student some very important life safety
skills that they can use at home and at school and to encourage them to be
a positive influence among their peers and in their
community.
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Coming
in April! The American Heart Association will be having their annual CPR
campaign with the goal of training at least 1000 community members in CPR.
The Sauk Village Fire Department will be joining in this year with our own
goal of training at least 50 people. Fire Departments all through the
Chicago Metro area will also be participating with the same goals. Our
plan is to host a few different sessions throughout April. The course
being taught is the AHA’s “Family and Friends” course and is very simple.
Participants must be at least 10 years old and there will be a nominal
fee.
The “Family and Friends”
course is not appropriate for people who need CPR training for their job
or for Healthcare Providers. People in these categories are encouraged to
call the fire station during normal business hours. One of our CPR
instructors will contact you to arrange a class to fit your needs. We also
offer the AHA’s First Aid course. These courses are offered at a very
reasonable and competitive cost.
As always, we
extend our appreciation to the residents of Sauk Village for your
continued support. With the cold weather, remember these few simple fire
safety tips:
- Keep flammable materials away from furnaces, fireplaces,
and wood burning stoves.
- Make sure your furnaces are clean and
functioning properly.
- Make sure you have smoke detectors throughout
your homes, especially in sleeping areas- and make sure they work! -
Change the batteries twice a year.
- Make sure carbon monoxide
detectors are working properly.
- Keep space heaters away from walls
and flammable materials i.e. furniture, drapes, bedding, etc.
- Have a
plan on how to get out of your home in case of fire and review it with
your family.
BE SAFE!! |
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Human
Relations
Commission |
Sauk Village
Student
Government Night |
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NEWS FROM
THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION
The Human Relations Commission wants
you to know your elected officials. This issue we are featuring TRUSTEE
MARY SEERY.
MEET YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS
Although Trustee Seery is the
youngest trustee serving on the Board she has, however the longest tenure.
Trustee Seery grew up in Sauk Village and has been volunteering for years.
She is the current chair of the Public Relations Committee and has held
that post for the past four years. Prior to serving on the Public
Relations Committee she was the Chair of Parks and Recreation for six
years. We asked Trustee Seery the following candid questions:
Q.
What encouraged you to run for this office?
“I ran for office because I
grew up in a very active family. My parents were and still are community
volunteers. I learned by example and also started volunteering. That lead
to my running for elected office the first time in 1993.”
Q. Do you
work outside Village Hall?
A. “Yes I am the Marketing Director for
Windy City Anesthesia.”
Q. How do you spend your down time?
A.
“My rare down time is spent with my husband Matt. I also create
mosaics.”
Q. What is your vision for the Village of Sauk
Village?
A. “My vision for Sauk Village is to keep striving and growing
as a community with great businesses, diverse residents and strong
community pride.”
Mark your calendars for the
Sauk Village Sports Association
Opening Day Parade scheduled for
Saturday, March 1, 2004 at 9:00 a.m.
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Sauk Village Welcomes Third Generation
Luther
Sauk
Village Fire Department swore in Kevin Luther at a Sauk Village Board
meeting. Kevin joins a family of volunteers including his father
Lieutenant Doug Luther of the Sauk Village Fire Department and his
grandfather Zeke Luther, current Village Trustee and former Sauk Village
Firefighter.
Mayor Peckham and Ms. Sauk Village Edria Johnson and Little Ms.
Liberty
Kayleigh McKay greet Santa when he arrived in Sauk
Village. |
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Sauk Village News That Will Affect Your
Neighborhood |
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SAUK VILLAGE PASSES NEW
ORDINANCE ON MOTORIZED OR MOTOR-ASSISTED VEHICLES |
Senior
Citizen
Scam! |
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On
December 9th, 2003, the Village Board of Trustees passed an ordinance
which prohibits certain motorized or motor-assisted vehicles in specified
areas of the village. In particular, Section 3 of the ordinance
states:
“It is unlawful to use, operate, or be
in control of any motorized or motor-assisted skateboard, roller-skates,
scooter, pedicycle, bicycle, mini-bike, go-cart or all-terrain vehicle
upon any sidewalk, street, alley, bike path, public way or any other
municipal property within the Village or upon any private sidewalk,
street, alley, parking lot or other area that is open to the public unless
signs are posed expressly permitting the use of such vehicles in a given
area. The absence of such signage in any area is prima facie evidence that
the use of the vehicles described in this Section 3 is prohibited in that
area.”
This means that it is illegal for anyone of any age to drive the
popular gas, diesel, or electric scooters in the village – except on
private property with the owner’s permission or where allowed by posted
signs. Motorized or motor-assisted wheelchairs or other device which is
being used to transport a physically challenged person is not prohibited
by this ordinance. Anyone found violating this ordinance can be issued a
citation with a fine that would not exceed $750.00. The device could also
be seized and released only with the payment of the tow bill and proof of
ownership. If you are planning on purchasing such a device, please arrange
for a proper location for its use. It is the intention of the village to
safeguard your safety and others using public or quasi-public property.
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In mid to late January a female
white in her early thirties was playing to the emotions of our big-hearted
senior citizens by taking her young baby to senior’s homes and asking for
money. This woman claims to have an emergency, transportation or other
medical problems with her child, she requests cash with the promise to
repay the debt in a few days; which never happens.
PLEASE, if someone
approaches you with this type of situation, direct them to the police
department. This is a SCAM and the individual we have spoken of has been
arrested on several counts. If you become or have already been her victim,
contact the Sauk Village Police Department at
708-758-1331.
Play Bunco
Join the
Ladies Auxiliary of the
Sauk Village Fire Department on February 6th
and March 5th for their BUNCO! Everyone has a great time and you could
leave a winner
The Next Fire
Department Pancake Breakfast is scheduled for March 14th, 2004 at the Sauk
Village Fire Department
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to Top |
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Human Relations
Commission |
PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY AND GUARANTEE ITS
SAFE RETURN!!! |
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The
purpose of the Human Relations Commission is to promote a truly open
community with long-term population diversity and integration and to
stimulate the improvement of human relations among all persons. The
commission seeks also to provide citizens with an equal opportunity to
grow, participate in and to share to the best of their ability the
economic, educational, political and social benefits of the community. We
welcome your questions and comments; you may contact us by calling Village
Hall and asking for voice mail box 622.
The
next time you stop by Village Hall also view our display board. This is a
good place to brush up on historical facts and celebrate the ethnic and
cultural diversity of our Village. The month of January featured the
accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. .
Report Street Light Outage
If you
notice a street light out, please contact the Village Hall and report it!
This will assist the Public Works Department in keeping our streets lit
and safe.
SVSA
Opening Day Parade is March
1st,
2004 9a.m. |
With the
holidays over, many of us have received some very nice gifts from Santa.
Santa has asked that we remind everyone to make a record of their property
(make, model, and serial number) which will facilitate the return of their
property should it become lost or stolen. Sometimes, the records were
misplaced or the equipment was purchased second hand. But, there is a
simple, yet highly effective way to safeguard your property and ensure
it’s return should it be lost or stolen and later found.
By engraving your driver’s license or state
ID number followed by the state abbreviation on each item, any police
department can run a check on your information and locate you to return
your property. DO NOT ENGRAVE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!! So, when you
have a moment (or when you purchase something new), engrave or permanently
mark your information on your property. And, should it be lost or stolen,
it may one day come back to you.
Save The Date! The Sauk Village Fire Department’s Annual
Valentine’s Dance is Saturday February 14th @ St. James
Hall
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Adult
Education Classes
Offered |
Citizen Police
Academy |
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The
following classes will be offered for adult education beginning the week
of February 7th.
Saturday attendance days are February. 7th, 14th. 21st
and 28th from 9:00-11:00 a.m.
United States
regional cooking: Learn the recipes and culinary secrets from different
regions of the United States. Some regions that will be covered are New
Orleans, Creole, southern, North Eastern, Cape Cod, and others. Chef Roger
Lis will share his culinary secrets with you. 5 sessions, 2 hours each,
Cost $5 per session $2.50 per session for seniors. Minimum enrollment of 8
students for class to run.
Computer Basics:
Learn the ins and outs of running a computer. What is a disk drive, ram
and other functions? This class covers basic computer operations, a basic
overview of computer software and an introduction to the internet. This
hands on How to is not to miss. Instructors Heather Lis and Jon Solomon
demonstrate a step by step approach to working your desk top
machine.
Cost: Free to the
public.
Photoshop 7.0: Learn the basics to running and using the
computer program Photoshop 7.0. We will cover changing images, adding text
to images, repairing old photos and other applications. Students should
have working knowledge of computers and their programs. Three 2-hour
sessions. Beginning February 14th. Free to the public. Students should
bring photos and a floppy disk.
How to get
your student into college: An informational series of workshops where you
will learn how to apply for financial aid, scholarships and acceptance to
schools. Class for parents of juniors or seniors in high school. Class
will also cover a session on colleges and their acceptance requirements.
Instructor: Rich Kowalczyk (Bloom Trail Counselor) will provide you will
all of the information needed. Cost: Free to the
public.
ESL: English as a second
language will be taught by Bloom Trail instructor Howard Kaufman. Course
is free to all.
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The Sauk
Village Police Department will once again be hosting a Citizen Police
Academy. This academy will run from March 10, 2004 through April 28, 2004.
Deputy Chief Tom Lacheta has gathered a large group of instructors for
this academy.
This class is an attempt to
educate society on complex workings of a modern day police department,
assisting people in becoming more informed and adding aware citizens to
the community.
The class will be held at
the Sauk Village Village Hall located at 21701 Torrence Avenue.
Participants should dress in casual attire.
For the student to graduate and receive
certification of completion from the Sauk Village Police Department, the
student must: Be on time, be in attendance for the entire class time, pass
the exam with a minimum of 65% and attend a minimum of 36 hours of the 42
hours offered (equals missing no more than 2 classes). All students must
be at least 18 years of age.
Applications
for this class are available at the Sauk Village Police Department.
Persons with criminal histories may be rejected from this program. This
class is offered free of charge by the Sauk Village Police
Department.
Spots are limited to 40 people! Register
soon.
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Join The American Cancer Society’s
RELAY FOR LIFE!
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Relay
For Life, the American Cancer Society’s national Signature Event, is
coming to Bloom Trail High School! The inaugural “Relay For Life of Bloom
Township” is scheduled for May 21-22, 2004.
This team event builds friendship among team members by having fun and
raising money for a great cause. In 2003 alone, the Illinois Division
raised $14.6 million in Relay For Life events across the state. We are
ready, willing, and on target to raise $50,000 for our rookie year at
Bloom Trail.
The event consists of teams of
8-15 members who camp out together in efforts to raise money and fight
cancer. Each team is required to have at least one member walking or
running the track during the entire event. The event brings enjoyment is
inspiration to all participants, particularly during the Cancer Survivor’s
Walk and the Luminaria Ceremony.
The Cancer
Survivor’s Walk begins the laps for each Relay For Life event and each
survivor is given a Survivor’s medallion or commemorative t-shirt and are
treated to a special luncheon immediately following the Opening Ceremony.
The Survivor’s Lap honors those who have won their fight against cancer
and those who are |
currently undergoing treatment.
The Luminaria Ceremony takes place after dusk, when the track is glowing
with luminaria. On each luminaria is a name of someone who has survived
cancer, or lost their battle to the disease.
The event is also filled
with music, entertainment, games and other family activities. This year,
the Relay For Life of Bloom Township will have many activities to keep
participants energetic and lively, and we are actively seeking
entertainment and corporate sponsors for our event.
To reach our goal
we need your support! There are many ways for you to get involved: Form a
team from school, church, neighborhood, family, etc., help out on the
planning committee, volunteer the day of the event, enlist the support of
a corporate sponsor, invite a cancer survivor to participate. You will not
only be a part of a fabulous community event, but you will raise funds to
improve the quality of life for cancer patients today and the outlook for
those diagnosed in the future.
If you are interested in learning more
about this important event, please contact the American Cancer Society,
Heidi Gonzalez at (708)633-7770.
After all, it’s about a community that
takes up the fight!
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Local drinking water and
wastewater systems may be targets for terrorist and other would-be
criminals wishing to disrupt and cause harm to your community water
supplies or wastewater facilities. Because utilities are often located in
isolated areas, drinking water sources and wastewater collection systems
may cover large areas that are difficult to secure and patrol. Residents
can help by noticing and reporting any suspicious activity in and around
local water utilities.
Any residents
interested in protecting their water resources and community can join
together with law enforcement, neighborhood watch groups, water suppliers,
wastewater operators, and other local public health officials. If you
witness suspicious activities, report them to your local law enforcement
authorities.
Examples of suspicious activity
might include:
People dumping or discharging material to a water
reservoir
People climbing or cutting a utility fence.
Unidentified
truck or car parked or loitering near waterway or facilities for no
apparent reason
Suspicious opening or tampering with manhole covers,
building, or equipment
People climbing or on top of water
tanks
Peoples photographing or videotaping utility facilities,
structures or equipment
Strangers hanging around locks or gates
Do
not confront strangers. Instead, report suspicious activities to local
authorities.
When reporting an incident:
State the nature of the
incident
Identify yourself and your location
Identify location of
activity
Describe any vehicle involved (color, make model, plate
#)
Describe the participants (how many, sex, race, color hair, height,
weight, clothing)
For emergencies, dial 911 or other local emergency
numbers.
For more information on water security visit:
www.epa.gov/safewater/security
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