Thanksgiving is our national day of prayer. It’s the day that we, as a nation, reflect on our many blessings. Our economy might be in a tailspin, but we still have plenty of blessings.

Turkey is the fowl topic of the month. It’s uppermost on our minds and will soon be on our palates. For Dick Wickstrom, turkey is foremost.

The election is over. Whether you voted blue or red, you participated in the American process. Our forefathers fought for the right to have their votes counted and their voices heard.

Trick or treat. It’s the day for miniature hobgoblins to beg for a sugar fix. But wait — man’s best friend wants in on the fun.

The leaves are falling. Autumn’s the time of year when we open the shed doors and shove in the lawn furniture. Of course, cleaning out the shed is a pre-requisite.

Once upon a time, there was a library director named Timothy Jarzemsky. When his Bloomingdale Library, 101 Fairfield Way, was filled with people eager to read and learn, he was happy.

This Saturday, Oct. 11, is your opportunity to make a difference at Springfield Park, 269 Springfield Drive, Bloomingdale. From 9 a.m. until noon, you can help preserve the wetlands.

Munich’s Oktoberfest is the time to eat, drink and be merry. For Roselle’s American Legion Post 1084, 344 Maple Ave., October is also a time for joyous meals, though there’s a menu variation.

What do New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, film director Steven Spielberg and astronaut James Lovell have in common? And, what will these famous folk soon share with local teens Nick Ciaglia, A.J. Fisher, Bryce Miller, Ben Stone and Greg Zurawel?

Support the troops” isn’t a tag line, it’s a life goal for Bill Wolff of Bloomingdale’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7539.

It has been seven years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Those events have forever changed who we are and how we live. The milestone reminds us to appreciate every single day.

Expect to see Elsa the dachshund, marching bands, floats, clowns and horses in Bloomingdale’s annual Septemberfest parade this Saturday, Sept. 6. The procession will begin at 11 a.m. from DuJardin School, 166 Euclid Ave. Watch as the queue heads west on Schick Road into Old Town on Bloomingdale Road.

Labor Day weekend is a time to reflect on memorable summer events — the family reunion, the stay-cation, the Beijing Olympics.

It’s soccer mom time of year. I fondly recall spending 11 autumns (not to mention a few spring seasons and some winter indoor seasons) as a soccer mom.

The Games of the XXIX Olympiad have begun. In Beijing, the race is on for the largest collection of gold medals.