Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Where can Vernon Hills residents recycle Christmas trees for free?
Coming up: This week, food events delivered to you from Quartino, Urbanbelly, Smoque BBQ, & more! on the Vernon Hills Patch calendar
Cheers Vernon Hills! We’re back, helping you stay up to date with what’s happening. Let's take on the day together! ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Where can Vernon Hills residents recycle Christmas trees for free?
- How did Vernon Hills factor into this historic state title three-peat?
Also on today's calendar: This week, food events delivered to you from Quartino, Urbanbelly, Smoque BBQ, & more!.
Find out what's happening in Vernon Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Vernon Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Thursday: Some sun, then clouds; colder, with a high of 22 and low of 16 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
- Friday: Partly sunny and not as cold, temps: high: 30, low: 15.
- Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high of 27 and low of 16 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• County residents have options in disposing of Christmas trees: ‘They can't be disposed of in a landfill' (chicagotribune.com) — Vernon Hills residents can recycle natural Christmas trees for free at Half Day Forest Preserve, where they’ll be turned into wood chips for local trails. Lake County Forest Preserves and most waste haulers, including LRS, also offer curbside or drop-off options through late January, but trees must be bare and unbagged, so check your town’s specific rules and deadlines. 
• 25 of 25: Countdown's top spot belongs to QND girls basketball team's championship reign (muddyriversports.com) — Vernon Hills girls basketball appears in this look back as the team Quincy Notre Dame defeated 62-45 to secure a three-peat state championship during a dominant 2009–14 run. The story revisits QND’s five straight 30-win seasons, multiple all-state standouts, and how their rise through IHSA classes created one of Illinois’ most impressive girls basketball dynasties.
📸 Around Vernon Hills
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Vernon Hills
★ Featured events ★
- This week, food events delivered to you from Quartino, Urbanbelly, Smoque BBQ, & more!
3:00 pm - Willow Hill Lights - Open nightly thru Jan 4
Willow Hill Golf Course, 1350 Willow Rd, Northbrook
5:00 pm
Friday January 2
Saturday January 3
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Gabby's Doll House Girl Scout Party
650 Lakeview Pkwy , Vernon Hills
6:00 pm
Wednesday January 14
📣 Vernon Hills Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- OMNI: SMART Recovery
Buffalo Grove, IL Calendar , 1111 West Lake Cook Road , Buffalo Grove
6:00 pm - Reg 'n' Go Kit: Lace Snowman
Lake Forest Library , 360 E Deerpath Rd , Lake Forest - GLMV Conversations 4 Success Network Group (C4S) - FREE
Holiday Inn Express , 975 Lakeview Parkway , Vernon Hills
8:00 am - Puzzle Exchange
Buffalo Grove, IL Calendar
12:00 pm - Coffee with Mayor Meier and Trustee Ugaste
Mundelein, IL Calendar , Mundelein Police Department 221 North Lake Street , Mundelein
9:00 am - Fire & Police Commission Meeting
Buffalo Grove, IL Calendar , 50 Raupp Blvd , Buffalo Grove
6:00 pm - Village Board Meeting
Buffalo Grove, IL Calendar , 50 Raupp Blvd , Buffalo Grove
7:00 pm - P4R (Professionals for Referrals) Network Meeting
Panera Bread , 1575 S Lake St , Mundelein
7:30 am - The Book Stops Here at Dickinson Hall: "Run for the Hills"
Lake Forest Library , 100 E Old Mill Rd , Lake Forest
11:00 am - Basketball: G/Freshman A
Buffalo Grove High School
5:30 pm - Basketball: G/JV
Buffalo Grove High SchoolGym
5:30 pm
Thursday January 1
Friday January 2
Saturday January 3
Monday January 5
Tuesday January 6
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Vernon Hills PatchAM possible:
- FIF (Fly Is Fundamental) — (773) 922-5363
'' Defined by Style. Driven by Culture." - Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Lake County is excited to share that over 3,500 residents have taken part in digital skills programming, and over 1,000 devices have been distributed to residents in need.
The Lake County Digital Growth Initiative (DGI) is looking forward to continuing digital skill-building efforts in the new year! The DGI offers no… (Nextdoor )
- Mariano's Fresh Market posted a job opening for Grocery Clerk in Vernon Hills. Apply here.
- Finish Line, Inc. posted a job opening for Finish Line Macy's Store Management - Hawthorn Center, Vernon Hills, IL in Vernon Hills. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Vernon Hills here.
🗞 Nearby News
Lincolnshire
- Lee Wise Named President of W.S. Darley & Co. (soldiersystems.net)
- Evangelization, prayer are big drivers of success at 25-year-old Relevant Radio - The Leaven Catholic Newspaper (theleaven.org)
- Zacks Research Upgrades Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ:ZBRA) to Hold (marketbeat.com)
Long Grove
- Those we lost: Local leaders, former governors and a conservative activist among notable deaths of 2025 (dailyherald.com)
- Column: Predicting three true outcomes in 2026 (chicagotribune.com)
- Firefighters rescue dog after home's chimney engulfed in flames, leaving family displaced in Gurnee (lakemchenryscanner.com)
Buffalo Grove
Ok Vernon Hills! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I just heard a golfer say he had four strokes on the first hole!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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