Established 1980

Excitement filled the air as residents flocked to Orland Township on June 17th and 18th. After a tense year and a half of strict pandemic guidelines and stay-at-home orders, seniors were able to finally partake in their normal activities at the Township once again. 

Senior Drop-In – notably, one of Orland Townships most popular events – allowed nearly 105 seniors to joyfully socialize during lunch, partake in a fun game of Bingo, and celebrate a few birthdays over the two-day span.

“It’s heartwarming seeing our community come together again, in ways we were once used to”, said Supervisor O’Grady. “This has truly been a long-awaited return. Our seniors are one of our top priorities here at the Township, and we’re happy to have them back!”

For more information on Orland Township happenings, call 708-403-4222, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or visit the website at www.orlandtownship.org/

Full Story available in the Orland Township Messenger

As Phase 5 sets a full reopening for the State of Illinois, Orland Township senior residents can finally expect a full-fledged return to normalcy after the hefty changes that came with COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, Orland Township had suspended most senior services and activities, including Drop-In, back in March of 2020.

After the eight-month pause initiated by the Township to protect the health and welfare of residents and employees, seniors were able to partake in certain events again by following CDC guidelines. Up until now, Orland Township has had to hold senior drop-in and bingo at the Orland Chateau, and has had to limit capacity to meet social distancing guidelines. 

However, starting on Thursday, June 17th, the Senior Activity Center will completely reopen for ALL senior activities after careful consideration from Supervisor Paul O’Grady and the Board of Trustees. Drop-In will resume on Thursdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. and will take place at the Orland Township Senior Activity Center. Residents MUST pre-register and are limited to attending one Drop-In per week. Senior exercise classes will also resume, including Joints In Motion (J.I.M), Tai Chi, Ageless Grace, and Strong and Fit, starting in July.

“We thank you for your patience and understanding during this past year, as our major concern has been the health and safety of all of our residents, especially when it comes to our seniors.” said Supervisor O’Grady. “We have missed them at Orland Township and are excited to finally welcome them home to the activity center!”

For information on upcoming events, call Orland Township at 708-403-4222, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or visit the website at www.orlandtownship.org/ 

Full Story available in the Orland Township Messenger

The Orland Park Public Library is going Fine Free. Books, audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-Rays, Book Bundles, Magazines, Launch Pads, Puzzles, and Video Games will not incur a fine if they are not returned within the loan period. 

Certain materials would still be fined if not returned on time. Those items are Lucky Day materials, ILLs, Rokus, Video Consoles, Family & Friends CPR Kits, VHS to DVD Converters, Flick Pix Boxes, Kilowatt Meters, Smart Home Speakers, and “Library of Things” materials.

“For some patrons, the inability to pay a fine can cut off access to the library when they need our services most,” said Library Director Mary Weimar. “More and more libraries have moved to a fine free system, where patrons with overdue items are not charged fines, but blocked from check outs until items are returned.”

Due dates for items remain the same. The library will continue to encourage renewal or timely return of materials and consideration for others through the automatic notice system. 

Once items are seven days overdue, the library will place a block on the patron’s account. Patrons are encouraged to contact the library to see if renewals are available. The block will be removed once the material is returned or renewed. Patrons will be required to renew their materials if they would like to keep them beyond the initial loan period. Items that reach 28 days of being late will be considered lost and the cost of the item will be billed to the patron’s account. Accounts that have more than $10 of fines on them will be blocked. 

The Orland Park Public Library is located at 14921 S. Ravinia Ave. The library serves the residents of the Village of Orland Park. Call 708-428-5100 with questions.  

Full Story available in the Orland Township Messenger

Orland Township held a scholarship awards dinner on May 20th at Petey’s II, 15900 S. La Grange Rd., Orland Park. The students, who reside in the Township, were awarded an overall total of $13,500 from the Orland Township Scholarship Foundation. Over the past several years, Supervisor Paul O’Grady -who also serves as the President of the Foundation- and the Board of Directors have awarded over 130,000 dollars in scholarships, helping well over 150 students receive financial aid towards college. 

The students and their families were invited to the honorary dinner. Supervisor Paul O’Grady presented the awards to the students after dinner was served, where he also discussed the various events that aided the success of their fundraising efforts. 

“With the rising cost of tuition, the generosity of the donors to help these kids with such a financial burden is a great investment.” O’Grady said. “It is important that we continue to care for the future of Orland Township through our youth.”

Of the 17 award recipients, five were from Carl Sandburg High School (Joseph Aguinaga, Madeline Barone, Kevin Hurley, Pranav Ram Madan, Kyla Cassandra Santos), four were from Providence Catholic High School (Emma Kulpinski, Brett Laird, Colin Peck, Nora Whitten), and eight from Victor J. Andrew High School (Ashley Cozzolino, Alyssa Cozzolino, Hannah Davis, Alexis Krueger, James McSheffery, Emmily Scumaci, Adam Winistorfer, George Winistorfer).

Full Story available in the Orland Township Messenger