Mothers Against Drunk Driving to Host 5K

'Walk Like MADD' 5K will be held Aug. 4 at Independence Grove in Libertyville.

Fundraising teams are being sought to participate in Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)'s signature walk—"Walk Like MADD" on Aug. 4 at Independence Grove in Libertyville. It will be the only one in Lake County. The community's first Walk Like MADD event was held last year. The fundraising goal for this event is $25,000. So far, teams have raised nearly $2,000, according to the local event's website. Register a new team, join a team or make a donation by clicking this link. The event is also seeking volunteers over 14 to help out before, during and after the big day.

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Do the Hornet Hustle

Register today for Highland Middle School's "Hornet Hustle," a charity 5K Run/Walk scheduled for April 6 at Independence Grove.

Highland Middle School will host the "Hornet Hustle" 5K Run/Walk for charity at 9 a.m. April 6 at Independence Grove in Libertyville. Come out and support efforts to provide a sustainable food source, such as the creation of piggeries, for the people of Uganda. All event proceeds will benefit the COVE Alliance. This is an officially-timed event with free T-shirts and medals for the top finishers. The cost to register is $40 per adult and $25 for ages 9 to 17. To register, go to http://tinyurl.com/5khornet. Same day registration starts at 7:30 a.m. at the North Bay Pavilion at Independence Grove. The event begins at 9 a.m. Course details For questions, e-mail Jon Hallmark at jhallmark@d70schools.org.

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Find Your Winter Sporting Activity at Lake County Forest Preserves

There's plenty of snow now to get out and enjoy some winter sports at Lake County Forest Preserves around Vernon Hills and Libertyville.

Whether you're into cross-country skiing, sledding, ice skating or ice fishing, the Lake County Forest Preserves have you covered for winter sporting activities in the Vernon Hills and Libertyville area. Check out these forest preserve locations to learn more: For current winter sports conditions, call the LCFPD hotline at (847) 968-3235. Got a favorite spot? Tell us in the comments.

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Bald Eagles Spotted in Lake County

A bald eagle was spotted on Tuesday at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville.

Have you seen any bald eagles flying around Lake County lately? If you have, you're not alone. The Lake County Forest Preserves shared a photo on their Facebook page Tuesday of a bald eagle that was spotted in a tree at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville. Commenters on that photo reported seeing bald eagles in other places, too, including at Route 173 and Kilbourne, and near Gregg's Landing in Vernon Hills. Even more sightings were reported when the photo was shared on the Grayslake Patch Facebook page. One reader said she saw a bald eagle in Lake Zurich on Jan. 27. Another said she spotted one in Lake Villa last week, while another reader said she saw a bald eagle in Gurnee on Monday. Mark Hurley, an environmental educator…

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'Bumpus' Entertains Crowd at Independence Grove

Independence Grove held its final concert of its summer series Aug. 7, featuring the funk and soul sounds of the band "Bumpus."

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$uper $aver

Ten Ideas for Fall Fun

Courtesy of www.Jan-Leasure.com.

Millennium kids of all ages, yes six to 60, are wasting too much physical energy and maybe some mental acuity by hanging out in front of the television and computer. Let’s get off the couch and sharpen our minds and bodies together! Instead of hibernating, let’s generate! Save money, have fun! 1) Pumpkin patches and local farms are always a great source of colorful, inexpensive, green fun! Activities start in August and often run through December offering holiday craft activities for the kids, recipes with locally grown foods for teens and adults. Pumpkin patch pictures are among my favorites! 2) Join the zoo crew! Do you have a zoo within 50 miles of your house? Spontaneous is good, but planning can be better. Most zoos today have …

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Independence Grove Improvements Tied to Route 21 Project

Access to forest preserve dog area, offices will be limited during preliminary work phase.

  As part of the Illinois Department of Transportation's (IDOT) efforts to improve Route 21 (Milwaukee Avenue), the following projects will be completed:   Preliminary work is underway and includes tree removals and construction of temporary pavement on the east side of Milwaukee Avenue. At various times during the preliminary work phase access to the Lake County Forest Preserves General Offices and to the Independence Grove Dog Exercise Area, both located on Route 21 north of Route 137, may be restricted. Preliminary work is expected to be complete by Oct. 31, 2011.   Major road construction work to widen and reconstruct the road is scheduled to begin in 2012. At various times during the road construction phase, access to the Dog Exercise…

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Women on Wheels, Camaraderie Through Biking

A group of Libertyville women find fitness, friendship, and untouched corners of Lake County through cycling.

For more than 10 years, Karen Meserve has wanted to take advantage of the wonderful trails around Libertyville, but she didn't want to just walk the trails alone. She wanted to breeze through them on wheels and share the beauty with other women. “I grew up in this area, so I know all kinds of places," Meserve said. "We have a great area here with such wonderful trails. People need to be using them – they’re free.” In the spring of 2011, Meserve's vision finally came true when she launched Women on Wheels, or W.O.W., a women's cycling group. “When I showed up for the first ride this spring, there were like eight women unloading their bikes and already talking to each other,” said Meserve, the fitness supervisor for Libertyville Sports …

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Patch Passport: Hidden Gem - Independence Grove

Patch gets a tour of the Lake County Forest Preserves hidden gem: Independence Grove.

The Village of Libertyville was orginally named Independence Grove, before it was changed to Libertyville, and it's namesake offers a year-round oasis for Libertyville and Lake County residents, as well as others in the surrounding communities. Nestled on the corner of Route 137 and Milwaukee Avenue, the Grove offers trails, boating, fishing and a beach in the summer months, and ice skating and ice fishing in the winter. For more information visit: www.lcfpd.org

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Independence Grove Summer Concert Schedule

The free outdoor concert series will be held every Tuesday from June 21 to Aug. 9.

Independence Grove will kick off its free summer concert series on June 21. The outdoor concerts presented by Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital will take place at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Millennia Plaza Outdoor Amphitheater, 16400 W. Buckley Road. If it rains, the concerts will be rescheduled for Thursday of the same week.

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