The Town of Wake Forest will host a retirement reception in honor of Planning Director Chip Russell on Sunday, Nov. 17, from 3 to 6 p.m. A program celebrating Chip’s 32 years of service to our community will begin at 4 p.m. Please make plans to join us for this special occasion at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre at 405 South Brooks Street. Light refreshments will be served. #

Wake Forest is home to a new organization, Soroptimist International of Wake Forest (SIWF), focused on educating, empowering, and enabling young women in our community. Soroptimist means “best for women.” The Wake Forest chapter earned its charter last May. Soroptimist International (SI), founded in 1921, works to improve the lives of women and girls around the world. Two important programs they facilitate are: Live Your Dream awards grants to women who are the head of their household and who are working to further their education. These grants assist the awardee in any way possible to help them continue their education (paying for tuition, travel to school, babysitting so she can attend school, etc). SIWF plans to mentor our awardees throughout their educational career leading up to assisting them with resume writing, completing applications, and preparing and dressing for interviews. Dream It, Be It supports high school young women in pursuit

It’s November and close to crunch time for the Wake Forest Police Department’s 13th annual Turkey Drive. They need to have your donations by the end of day Saturday, Nov. 23, the same day they will also accept donations of frozen turkeys at the Wake Forest Police Department Main Station, 225 South Taylor Street, from 9 a.m. until noon. Police officers and staff will distribute the turkeys while they last on Monday, Nov. 25, from 9 to 11 a.m., at the Wake Forest Community House, 133 West Owen Avenue. So, you can submit online donations via PayPal at http://bit.ly/2019TurkeyDrive. Cash and checks written to the Wake Forest Police Department are also accepted. Anyone wishing to contribute cash or a check to this year’s Turkey Drive should contact Det. M.W. Sattler at 919-795-7270 or msattler@wakeforestnc.gov<mailto:msattler@wakeforestnc.gov>. All monetary donations will be used to purchase additional turkeys. Det. Sattler organized the police department’s first Turkey

The Town of Wake Forest is conducting an online survey to gather input from residents concerning what they want in the way of information – and how they want it. A link to the survey is available on the Communications page of the Town’s website at www.wakeforestnc.gov/communications<http://www.wakeforestnc.gov/communications>. The survey asks residents how they currently receive information and how they prefer to get news from the Town. Additional questions inquire about the quality of information received, the effectiveness of various communications tools and input on future communications. “We strive to provide accurate, timely information as effectively as possible,” said Communications & Public Affairs Director Bill Crabtree. “Our commitment is grounded in the second goal of the Town’s strategic plan – to ‘Enhance and Promote a Safe and Connected Community.’ The survey is a valuable way we can learn how best to connect with our residents and provide the kind of information they

For more than a decade, Christine Gonenc and Lauren Repnyek, founders of My Birthday Too, a non-profit organization (501c3), were active volunteers in the Wake Forest schools attended by their sons. While doing so, they discovered that the fundamental needs of some children were going unmet; which likely meant other simple pleasures of childhood that many take for granted — such as celebrating a birthday — may also be missing. In early 2019, with their own children now grown, Lauren and Christine launched My Birthday Too as a way to give back and invest in local youth. After all, every child deserves a birthday celebration. “It all started with the vision: ‘To help children feel cherished and celebrated’,” says Repnyek, “and we accomplish this by bringing fun, memorable birthday experiences — hosting parties and providing families in-need with party supplies — making it possible for children to feel treasured and