Stagg students showcase art at McCord Gallery
Art by students at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills can be viewed through Jan. 24 at McCord Gallery & Cultural Center, 9602 W. Creek Road in Palos Park.
An artist reception is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at the gallery, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 4 .m. Saturdays. The show began Jan. 12.
Paintings, drawings, multimedia work, ceramics, jewelry and other types of art are showcased in the exhibit. The reception and exhibition are free. Information is at 708-671-0648.
Students’ silent movies star in film festival
Students from 12 high schools will screen their original motion pictures during the ninth annual Student Silent Film Festival, which starts at 6:45 p.m. Jan. 28 at Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave. in Downers Grove.
Competitors and their film titles include area high schools “Witch’s Game” by Hillcrest, “The Silence Between Us” by Homewood-Flossmoor, “King of Hearts” by Neuqua Valley, “Final Deal” by Oak Forest, “Missing” by Tinley Park and “The Master Deck” by Lyons Township.
A panel made up of industry professionals from arts education and entertainment will evaluate the movies. Three winners will be chosen based on cinematography, technical editing, lighting and narrative development.
The movies tell their stories without voices or sound effects. They will be accompanied by live music by Derek Berg, a professional pianist, on the SilentFilmtronic 2000, which uses samples of instruments from classic synthesizers.
Tickets to the festival, which is open to the public, cost $20 in advance at www.studentsilentfilmfestival.org. Tickets at the door cost $25.
The event was founded in 2017 by animator and entrepreneur Ed Newmann, of Hinsdale, Lyons Township High School teacher and LTF station manager Bill Allan, of La Grange, and Clarendon Hills Music Academy CEO Derek Berg, of Clarendon Hills.
Green Hills library event offers tips to job seekers
Job Jumpstart Lab take place at 2 p.m. Jan. 27 in the first-floor meeting room of the Green Hills Public library, 10331 S. Interlochen Drive in Palos Hills.
Attendees can “supercharge” their job search with tricks and tips on topics such as cover letters and job boards, resumes and LinkedIn. It’s aimed at those 18 and older. Sign up at greenhillslibrary.org or by calling 708-598-8446, Ext. 120.
Dot Foods gives boost to area pantries
Six area food pantries were blessed recently to receive a share in $36,000 of donated foods and other necessities by Dot Foods’ Chicago distribution center in University Park.
Each food pantry chose items from the company’s inventory list to best meet its needs, and Dot employees helped pantry staff and volunteers with the donated items at the sites. As part of its charitable work, the company donates to local food pantries throughout the year via its Neighbor to Neighbor program, which began in 2014.
Receiving the recent donations were Helping hands Food Pantry, 102 N. First St. in Peotone; Provision market, 5430 W. Main St. in Monee; Living Springs Community CHurch Food Pantry, 19051 S. Halsted St. in Glenwood; Cornerstone COmmunity Development, 943 E. Lincoln Highway in Ford Heights, Faith Movers Church/Faith Mart Food Pantry, 425 Exchange St. in Crete; and St. John’s More Than Meals Food Pantry, 1131 School St. in St. John, Ind.
Thorn Creek Nature Center offers birding class
Those interested in learning about birds are invited to join a six-week class from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays, Jan. 25 through March 1, at Thorn Creek Nature Center, 247 Monee Road in Park Forest.
Master birder Sue Zelek will talk about a specific group of birds each week, detailing the markings, habits, songs and key shapes of local birds. The program, sponsored by the Thorn Creek Audubon Society, is for those 11 and older and costs $50 per person, which includes a field guide and short walks after a presentation in the center, which is accessible to people with disabilities.
Registration is required; call or text 708-747-6320 or email thorn_creek@att.net. The center is open noon to 4 p.m. Fridays but trails are open from sunrise to sunset every day all year.
Ballet company interprets classic tale at Orland Park library
The Orland Park Library will host a performance of Sandra Cisneros’ classic “The House on Mango Street” with Ballet 5:8’s Second Company at 1 p.m. Jan. 31 at 14921 S. Ravinia Ave.
The free show features music, narrative and expressive dance to share a journey of belonging and hope. “Through dance, audiences will experience the emotional depth and poetic beauty of Cisneros’ iconic coming-of-age story,” a news release shared.
The event is possible thanks to an National Endowment for the Arts Big Read grant awarded tin partnership with Arts Midwest to Ballet 5:8, a Latino-and ALAANA-led, women-led professional ballet company based in Chicago’s south suburbs founded in 2012. It srves more than 400 students each year with campuses in Orland Park and Chicago’s Beverly and Lakeview neighborhoods.
Register at orlandpark.librarycalendar.com/events or call 708-428-5205.
Worth Township Hall hosts job, resource fair
A job and resource fair is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 29 at the gymnasium at Worth Township Hall, 11601 S. Pulaski Road in Alsip.
The event will feature people from industries such as construction, IT, retail administration, health care, transportation and warehousing and logistics, as well as social services and career resources.
It’s presented by Reps. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, as well as Democratic Reps. Michael Crawford, and Mary Gil; Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago; Worth Township Supervisor Patricia Joan Murphy; and the YWCA.
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