Volunteers, donations needed for annual MLK Day of Service

It’s not too late to be a part of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Jan. 15 hosted by the Village of Flossmoor.

As Flossmoor approaches its 100th birthday in 2024, the Flossmoor Community Relations Commission would like to challenge individuals and non-profit organizations to make Monday, Jan. 15, the biggest Day of Service yet in the village, said Stephanie Wright, Flossmoor’s community engagement manager.

Volunteers are needed Jan. 15 for:

• Crocheting or knitting covers for water filters for Water with Blessings distributing water filters and buckets to women in countries that don’t have easy, inexpensive access to clean drinking water. Crocheted covers help protect the filters from breaking. Creation session will be from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Flossmoor Village Hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road. Finished products can also be dropped off at the Flossmoor Public Library. For patterns, click here.
• Chi Lambda Lambda Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity blood drive at Irwin Community Center, 18120 S. Highland Ave. in Homewood, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Creating Valentine’s Day cards at Flossmoor’s Serena Hills Elementary School, 255 Pleasant Drive, for residents of long-term care facilities from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Pre-registration is required.
  Picking up litter at Sand Ridge Nature Center, 15981 Paxton Ave. in South Holland, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Making lunches for South Suburban PADS and tie blankets for You Matter 2’s Project Kennedy at Flossmoor’s Heather Hill School, 1439 Lawrence Crescent, from 10 a.m. to noon.
• Organizing food items and making blankets sponsored by Spotlight Performance Academy, working at the Homewood Science Center, 18022 Dixie Highway, from 9 a.m. to noon.
• Reading with the Homewood-Flossmoor High School Boys’ Wrestling team at the H-F Fieldhouse from 10 a.m. to noon. Donated children’s books are also needed.

Donations are needed for:

• The Chicago Southland Green Committee collecting items for People Electronic Recycling Drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Flossmoor Park’s Park Place, 2523 Flossmoor Road. Accepted items include: desktop/laptop computers, phones, TVs and monitors (no CRTs), printers, power cords and cables, servers and networking equipment, hard drives and other computer parts, and computer accessories, such as keyboards, mice and speakers. Items can be in any condition: new, used or broken.
• Sunrise Senior Living of Flossmoor and Olympia Fields staff and residents will be making toys and treats for the South Suburban Humane Society. Donations of gently used or new blankets, T-shirts and towels can be dropped off through Jan. 15 at either location: 19715 Governors Highway in Flossmoor, or 3633 Breaker Drive, Olympia Fields. In addition, the Flossmoor location will be selling dog toys and treats from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with all proceeds going to the animal shelter.
• Girl Scout Troop 65152 is requesting new socks, gloves and scarves to donate to women, men and children through Respond Now. A drop box is available at Flossmoor Village Hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road.
• Jack and Jill of America Inc.’s South Suburban Chapter will be collecting non-perishable food items for its Souper Bowl of Caring to benefit the Bloom Township Community Pantry. A donation box is currently available at Flossmoor Village Hall.
• Plan4Success is asking for donations of packaged, store-bought baked goods for local service agencies that serve our community, such as teachers and first responders throughout the South Suburbs. A drop box is available at Flossmoor Village Hall.
• Jack and Jill of America Inc. Monarch Cities Chapter is partnering with Western Avenue School to make care packages for Prairie State College’s TRIO program. Donations of non-perishable snacks and foods, energy drinks, cough drops, Halls Vitamin C Drops, chewing gum, Visa gift cards, hygiene items and travel cups will be accepted from Jan. 8 to Jan. 15 at Western Avenue School, 940 Western Ave.

To get involved, visit the village website or call 708-335-5472.