Dear Friends,
 

 

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Secretary of State offers drive-thru 

 

Many people have expressed concerns about waiting inside during the ongoing public health crisis to renew their license plate stickers or standing in long lines in the cold. I’m happy to see that the Illinois Secretary of State's Office is offering people a safer and easier way to renew their registrations through the drive-thru service. Read more here.  

 

 

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More support for first responders

This week, I've been urging our local fire departments to apply for The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Small Equipment Grant program. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, additional funding for our first responders is needed more than ever to help keep them safe.

OSFM will award $3.3 million to eligible fire departments and ambulance services during this application period. The program was created to provide grants of up to $26,000 for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment.

Our local first responders need additional PPE to do their jobs safely, and these grants will help secure those supplies. We need to make sure they stay as safe and healthy as possible, so they can continue to do the life saving work we all benefit from every single day. The program allows eligible applicants the opportunity to purchase small tools and equipment that they may otherwise not be able to afford along with personal infection control items such as masks, gowns and gloves.

Applications can be submitted until January 29, 2021 and are available on the OSFM website.

 

 

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Conservation scholarships available

 

College-bound students interested in careers in environmental preservation should consider applying to the Illinois Conservation Foundation for its annual Conservation Achievement Scholarship. Up to four one-time scholarships of $2,000 are given to outstanding high school seniors in Illinois who have demonstrated effective, voluntary and long-term dedication to the preservation, protection, enhancement and/or promotion of Illinois' natural resources.

Almost $150,000 has been awarded to 71 students since the conservation scholarships began in 2005 thanks largely to generous donations from numerous organizations and individuals. Applicants must be Illinois residents and a senior in an Illinois high school during the year of the scholarship award.Learn more here.

 

Sincerely,

Steve Stadelman | District 34