And the Winner of Our Holiday Gift Card Basket Is...

We collected over $400 of gift cards and certificates from Orland Park businesses that will go to our lucky winner before Christmas. And we donated the equivalent dollar amount to Hurricane Sandy relief.

It is our great pleasure to announce the winner of our first Orland Park Patch Holiday Gift Card Basket. About 400 people entered, and the generous businesses listed below offered their wares and services in support of Hurricane Sandy relief. The businesses gave enough for Patch to donate $405.85 to the American Red Cross for Sandy victims. This is an effort near to our hearts, as hundreds of our siblings out east were affected greatly by the tremendous storm. Our winner is Denise Arnashus from Lemont! Congrats Denise. Here are the cards and certificates she won: A big thank you from us at Patch to everyone who participated. Happy holidays to you all! Sign up for Orland Park Patch breaking news alerts. Like us on Facebook and follow us on …

• Videos (1)

Humiliating Your Pets for the Holidays? So Are We.

Share your funny pet holiday photos with Patch! We'll even get you started.

'Tis the season to trim the tree, deck the halls—and dress the dog in a Santa suit? It's OK—a lot of pet owners seem to get a kick out parading their favorite four-legged friend in a red felt hat topped with a puff of white. And kids aren't the only ones starring in photos with Santa Claus. I admit to slipping a pair of antlers on my horses Ziggy and Finn, though Finn prefers the Santa hat. And my dog Huck doesn't know it yet, but there's a Santa suit with his name on it. I've showed you mine, now how about you show me your photos of pets decked out for the holidays. Just log in, click "Submit Photo and Video" and then select your desired photo to add to the album. Don't forget to proudly claim the photo and pet by leaving your pet's name …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (23)

Deals and Tales: Our 2011 Holiday Guide

We are collecting holiday stories to accompany our special holidays advertising section.

POLL: Are We Losing Thanksgiving as a Holiday?

With retailers starting to think about opening on the holiday, has Turkey Day become just another day? Tell us what you think.

Earlier this week, Steve Grzanich, an afternoon anchor and reporter for WBBM-AM (780), tweeted an interesting thought: Are we losing #Thanksgiving as a holiday? Christmas season starts now before Halloween w/very little mention of Turkey Day. #stoprushingxmas Right now, grocery stores have limited—and sometimes full—hours on Thanksgiving. Retailers are opening earlier and earlier to catch the Black Friday wave. Target is opening at midnight, and Toys R Us will be open at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving.  Has Thanksgiving lost its holiday appeal? Will it eventually become as significant as Arbor Day or Columbus Day? Have we lost it as a day off to be spent with family and copious amounts of food? Take our poll and tell us what you think in our …

•  18 Comments
• Photos (1)

Bare Shelves at the Orland Township Food Pantry Spark Community Response

With the pantry in serious need of donations this holiday season, local schools and businesses are doing what they can to help.

The Orland Township Food Pantry provides food to area residents who need immediate help, and with the holidays around the corner the organization could use a hand. Loma “Gigi” Hall, food pantry vounteer, said that the shelves are nearly bare in the storage room at the Township's main building in Orland Park.  “This is one of the busiest times of the year for the pantry that provides 250-300 families with meals every month,” Hall said. The pantry is need of an array of donated goods to help meet demands around the winter holidays. Boxed pastas and sauces, canned veggies, soups and other non-perishables as well as some refrigerated and frozen items are in high demand at the pantry, according to Hall. Kim DiPofi of Pompei Restaurant said she …

• Photos (3)

Cub Scouts Donated Toys and Gifts Over the Holidays: Whiz Kids

Each week, we'll feature a whiz kid, club or group from Orland Park or Orland Hills.

Patch Whiz Kids of the Week: Cub Scout Pack 383 Whiz Kids' Key to Awesomeness: The scouts banded together to collect toys and canned foods for those in need during the holidays. The donations were made to Orland Township's food pantry and holiday gift bag efforts. Pack 383 as well as Pack 372 were honored by the Orland Township Board of Trustees Tuesday night for the efforts in helping their neighbors.

• Photos (3)

Editor's View

The Rundown, Nov. 14 – 20: Tax Fury and Kustok Pleads Innocence

We take a look back at irate taxpayers, an expected yet still important moment in an ongoing case and coverage of the devastating fire in Oak Lawn.

Benjamin Franklin once said only death and taxes are certain in life. Orland Township homeowners shared the pains of one of those certainties this week, when the 2009 tax bills were received. Hundreds of people were shocked by the increased bills - some listing over $1,000 more to pay than the last. Orland Township Assessor Rich Kelly explained that efforts were made locally to relieve taxes, but the Cook County's multiplier made bills higher than before. Two ongoing stories involved the other certainty Franklin described. On Thursday, Allan Kustok formally expressed his innocence for the murder charge against him in the shooting death of his wife Anita "Jeanie" Kustok. His children, Zak and Sarah Kustok, pledged to stand by their father …

• Photos (1)

Fit Life

Body and Mind Tips for the Holidays

This week, Tina provides an assortment of ways to keep calm and relaxed during the holidays.

Are holiday happenings stressing you out already?  While the holidays are supposed to be an enjoyable time to reconnect with loved ones, in reality they are often a cause of major stress and anxiety.  What should I buy for Aunt Sue, brother Bob, and the other twenty people on the gift list?  How much can I afford to spend?  How will I have time to cook Thanksgiving dinner in between work, working out, deadlines, and other commitments? And how will we possibly all not get into an argument about politics over the upcoming holiday dinners? Uggh – stress.  It's not good for our health and it certainly disrupts our sleeping habits.  Many people just ride the wave frustrated and stressed out. Others turn to short-term fixes like pharmaceutical …

• Photos (2)