🌱 Holiday Events Selling Out + Giving Tuesday + Vaccine Clinics

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First, today's weather: Mostly sunny and milder. High: 47 Low: 33.

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Here are the top stories today in Oak Park-River Forest:

1. Oak Park elementary school students are set to get their second shots of the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine at health department clinics this week. Lincoln and Beye Elementary School students will get their second dose today, with seven more clinics on the calendar this week for the remaining schools. (VOP)

2. It’s Giving Tuesday! Wednesday Journal has a guide for supporting local nonprofits today and all year long, from Beyond Hunger to Housing Forward and dozens more. Other opportunities to give locally include the ongoing Carnival Grocery Food Drive and Community of Congregations' Holiday Food and Gift Basket program. (Wednesday Journal)

3. Cook County has reached another “grim milestone” in the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing 12,000 deaths in the region due to the virus. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is urging vaccination as health officials warn of another potential surge due to indoor gatherings. (Patch)

4. Census data shows Austin and Englewood lost the most Black residents over the past 10 years. According to the Sun-Times, neighborhood leaders say the city “must devote more resources to closing gaps in homeownership, wages and life expectancy between Black and white Chicagoans.” (Paid source: Sun-Times)

5. The River Forest Park District will host a workshop for young filmmakers Dec. 5. Students ages 10-14 can learn about storytelling, editing and production from film professionals. (Park District)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Oak Park Art League kicks off its Intermediate Drawing course. (10 a.m.)
• OPRF Museum hosts a Giving Tuesday edition of “Ask the Historians.” (11 a.m.)
• Outdoor Advent prayer service at St. Giles Parish. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Forest Park nonprofit Sarah’s Inn is collecting toys and gift cards for domestic violence survivors through Dec. 3, with four drop-off locations in River Forest. (Forest Park Review)
• Dominican University’s “Adopt-a-Kid” Christmas donation program has gone virtual. Donations benefit Fraternite Notre Dame in the Austin neighborhood. (DU)
• Animal Care League Board Advisor Chatka Ruggiero will match all donations today. (ACL)
• Tickets are sold out for this weekend’s Downtown Oak Park Winterfest & Cookie Walk. (DOP)
• Some time slots remain open for Saturday's Candlelight Walk at Oak Park Conservatory. (PDOP)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Obstacles and Intimacies: new art from Stephanie Brooks (December 3)
• Add your event

That's the news for Nov. 30! See you tomorrow for another OPRF Daily.

— Georgi Presecky

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