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Updated: April 10, 2012 11:55AM

Tax appeals open
in River Forest

Pamela Kende, River Forest Township Assessor, announces the Cook County Assessor has opened River Forest for property assessment appeals. Typically River Forest has been open for appeals in spring and has been open as late as June. Opening the appeal process for one month in February allows seniors to come to the office just once to complete the necessary paperwork for senior exemptions and assessment appeal. All seniors must re-apply yearly for a senior exemption. If you have received any senior exemption in the past, the Cook County Assessor will send you the forms for you to reapply. Watch for this mailing to arrive soon.

River Forest will be open for appeals through Feb. 27. River Forest Township property owners may make appeals online directly with the Cook County Assessor’s Office at www.cookcountyassessor.com.

The River Forest Township Assessor’s Office is available to help taxpayers determine the best reason for filing an appeal, find comparables and complete the appropriate forms. The Township Assessor’s Office will only be able to take appeal applications through noon Thursday, Feb. 23.

Meet 7th District
candidates Feb. 25

A Candidates Forum for Illinois 7th District State Representative will be held beginning with meeting and greeting the candidates at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Park District Building in Forest Park, 7501 Harrison St. The Candidate Forum will follow and run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sponsored by Citizens United in Forest Park; www.cuinfp.org; cuinfp@yahoo.com.

River Forest is also in the 7th State Representative District.

Earth Fest April 21
seeking sponsors

Sponsors are now being sought for the Oak Park’s third annual celebration of green living — Earth Fest — scheduled for Saturday, April 21, in the LEED Gold-certified Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd. Sponsors not only receive special recognition in event promotional materials, they also help move the community toward the important goal of living sustainably.

This year’s event will highlight organic farmers, eco-friendly landscapers, local chefs and restaurants, games and activities for children, items for sale and entertainment. Sponsors earn the opportunity to not only educate but also to engage and empower people to make healthier choices for themselves, their families and the planet. Sponsorships range from $125 to $1,000. A sponsorship form is posted at www.oak-park.us/earthfest.

For more information, call (708) 358-5778 or e-mail sustainability@oak-park.us.

Stop smoking
help offered free

Free nicotine replacement patches are available through the Illinois Department of Public Health Tobacco Free Communities www.idph.state.il.us/TobaccoWebSite/home.htm fund. Residents age 18 and older are eligible.

To register, call the Illinois Tobacco Quitline at (866) 784-8937; www.quityes.org.

Local smoking cessation classes for adults and teens are offered by the Oak Park Department of Public Health www.oak-park.us/Health/index.html. Call (708) 358-5485 for details.

Seguin seeks older
adult volunteers

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Seguin Services is seeking adult volunteers, aged 55 or older, to volunteer with FIIVEChicago (Fostering Intergenerational Inclusive Volunteer Engagement in Chicago). It is a volunteer program in which young people with disabilities partner with older adult mentors to engage in service to their communities together. Seguin is seeking volunteers to attend training in February or March and commit to volunteering six hours per month for a period of nine months. The volunteers will mentor the young adults as they volunteer together at area soup kitchens, animal shelters, for environmental causes, with foster children, in nursing homes or hospitals, with homebound older adults and more.

For more information or to volunteer, call Casey Burke, of Seguin, at (708) 222-2288.