Make A Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others — a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Everyone can participate. Created by USA Weekend magazine, Make A Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of October, meaning this year it will be celebrated Oct. 25.

Many people take part in Make A Difference Day. Young and old, individuals and groups, anyone can carry out a volunteer project that helps others. It might be as ambitious as collecting truckloads of clothing for the homeless or as personal as spending an afternoon helping an elderly neighbor or relative.

In keeping with the volunteerism theme, the Villa Park Lifelong Learning League is hosting a Show-and-Tell Fair from 9 a.m. to noon at the Iowa Community Center, 338 N. Iowa Ave. Local volunteer, nonprofit, service and religious groups have been invited to participate in this mini-expo.

The Lifelong Learning League was formed in March 2007 as a coalition of local volunteer groups. The League’s mission is to encourage collaboration between community organizations to provide a variety of educational, cultural and informational opportunities in the community in all stages of life.

A total of 17 members make up the League, including the Villa Park Library, Villa Park Recreation, School Districts 45 and 88, the Villa Park Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society and Rotary Club.

Judy Grove is the Adult Outreach representative for the Villa Park Library and is very active in the League.

Of the League she said, “We have no officers, no bylaws, no regular headquarters and no bank account or budget. We have tried to avoid becoming another bureaucracy but instead to become a voluntary coalition of willing participants.

“One of the main goals is to keep each other informed about what all our groups are doing, which helps us understand what is happening in the community, how we can cooperate and help each other and how we can co-promote each others’ activities to make them more successful.”

The Show-and-Tell Fair will recognize and celebrate the many volunteers that already serve our community and will give each service group a specific opportunity to show the community what they do and to encourage others to become part of their organization.

Each group will display photos, literature and memorabilia about what community projects they have sponsored, what services they provide and what niches they serve within the community.

The day will start with a kickoff address at 9 a.m. The Show-and-Tell Fair runs from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. and the day ends with a Results of the Day presentation until noon.

The event is free and will include food, music and many family activities. The groups participating have been encouraged to provide handouts, giveaways, games and activities to involve those attending.

Grove said, “We at the Lifelong Learning League want to make Villa Park a more interesting, stimulating and nourishing place to all ages of people to enjoy. And we are working to incorporate cooperation into the cultural patterns of the village. We believe in Synergy. The whole is more powerful than the sum of the parts. We can do more together than any of us could do separately.”