“Elaine and Brita Pagels have been dream realtors for us. We knew from the start that they loved our historic home and the care we’ve taken of it. But a historic home is not for everyone, and they have great savvy about just how to show such a home to the agents and prospective buyers most likely to be excited by this unique (nearly 100 year old) tudor cottage with guest cottage. Both Brita and Elaine did a great deal of research as well as conferring with other agents to establish the asking price. It’s clear they work very cooperativelty rather than competitively with the real estate community and are respected for their know-how, mentoring and high ethical standards by all who them. Their strategy for timing with an advance story by Crain’s Chicago Business real estate guru Dennis Rodkin just prior to two open houses gained us ideal buyers. Their team’s work on and use of photography in the Berkshire Hathaway brochure that was created for our home were masterful. Elaine and Brita have been available to us for advice at every turn even now that the house is under contract and they must be terribly busy with other properties. We couldn’t reccoment the more highly.”
- Lillian and Michael, Founders and Creators, Somersaulter-Moats film production company whose work is now held at the Chicago Film Archive
Like the circle of a wedding band, there is no end to your happily ever after.
Downers Grove is a small world. This past spring, Jim Toth emailed me regarding a new documentary he was finishing regarding the Tivoli Theatre. I immediately responded to him, "Jim, this is Anne Healy. Our kids went to school together." Jim and I had previously worked together on some PTA-related events, but he was reaching out on something completely different. And that's how this magazine works. We write about events, people, and organizations that our readers share with us. So reach out. Please.
Fast forward to May when I attended the "History Happens Here: The Tivoli Theatre" documentary directed by Jim along with my colleague Valerie Hardy. In the dark theatre that evening, hundreds gathered to watch the history of Classic Cinemas and how it came to be. It was a treat to see Willis and Shirley Jonson be honored by the Downers Grove Historical Society as the 2023 Historians of the Year before the movie's start. As the legacy lives on with Chris Johnson at the helm, moviegoers can continue to experience a movie-going theatre experience at its finest. Yes, we can stream movies these days in our homes. But there is something about grabbing popcorn (Tivoli Theatre has the best) and enjoying a film as part of a community.
Our theme of arts and theatre continues with Ghostlight ETC. Providing an outlet for children from elementary school through college, this organization has grown, allowing hundreds of students to perform in various productions every season. Future thespians arrive from over 40 different areas to the recently renovated Masonic Lodge in downtown
Downers Grove to perform. Their most recent accomplishment is qualifying for nonprofit status, providing scholarships for their programs. Congratulations to Ghostlight.
District 58 is home to hundreds of passionate faculty and staff. This past spring, Jon Belonio was nominated twice for the annual Distinguished Service Awards presented by the Education Foundation of District 58. Inside and outside the classroom, Jon is passionate about art. He is the artist behind many of the murals the community enjoys as a freelance artist. Thank you, Mr. Belonio, for sharing your story and putting a smile on our faces through your beloved Belonio Doodles.
World-renowned children's author Joan Walsh Anglund grew up in Downers Grove and Hinsdale. You may not recognize her name, but you may know her work. A Friend is Someone Who Likes You was the first book that launched her career, and her illustrations - with eyes only as facial features for children in her drawings - will certainly jar up some memories. Thanks to Maureen Callahan, Contributing Editor, for working with the Anglund family on this piece.
Our July issue is packed with great stories- excellent summer reading by the pool or on vacation. We look forward to our September issue as we celebrate our fifth anniversary in Downers Grove. Enjoy the sunshine!
Sincerely,
Anne Healy
Associate Publisher anne@HinsdaleMag.com
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15 #WEAREDG Youth Football
19 PROFILE Jon Belonio
27 SNAPSHOT Food + Drink
29 SPOTLIGHT Ghostlight Theatre
33 HISTORY VAULT Somersaulter Duo
37 TRIBUTE Joan Walsh Anglund
42 COVER Classic Cinemas
48 GIVING BACK DuPagePads
52 HOME & DESIGN Architectural Gems
55 SPORTS Links & Drinks
60 EDUCATION Timothy Christian Schools
64 COMMUNITY SCENE Events Around Town
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Football is like life. It requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and respect for authority." This was once said by Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest coaches in the history of football. Now over 50 years later, hundreds of youth football players are learning what Lombardi's famous quote means as they begin their paths in football right here in Downers Grove.
The Downers Grove football community is fortunate to be the home of two rapidly growing youth tackle football organizations: Crusaders Football and Panther Football & Cheer. The spike in the numbers of both programs has
shown youth football is on the rise again, as these programs have offered the knowledge, communication, and safety certifications needed to change the misconceptions about concussions and violence in football.
Safety is the priority of both programs. All coaches and volunteers are certified annually through organizations such as USA Football Heads Up and Tackling. During the certifications, they learn the proper techniques of tackling, concussion awareness, and protocol enforcement. Having trained medical staff on the field is essential to determine if injured players are allowed to return to the field. Making sure all helmets are recertified yearly
by the manufacturer is mandatory for the safety of all players.
Both the Crusaders and the Panthers also believe a big misconception is the age at which one should start their child in tackle football. How young is too young? "Confidence. The younger the player starts, the more confidence they gain, which provides awareness and comfort on the field," said Pete Jezyk, the head Crusaders football coach. "They learn the game, how to tackle properly, and the repetitive movements produce muscle memory which is important at an early age," added Rudy Garcia, President of the Panther Board.
Mick Ranquist and his Crusaders team played in four conference championships and won two. In eighth grade, he was awarded the team ball for leadership. His football career at Montini Catholic, which includes a conference championship his freshman year, continues as he enters his Senior year as a Bronco. He looks forward to following his dream and playing at the next level upon graduation.
David Edwards played for the Crusaders and graduated from Downers Grove North. He went onto Wisconsin Badgers before starting his NFL career for the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. The Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022. His younger brother Joe also played for the Crusaders and is now at Downers Grove North.
The mission for both programs coincides as both strive to foster good sportsmanship, teamwork, dedication, hard work, and discipline while developing a love for the game. They both provide positive role models in their volunteer staff and promote a team atmosphere that encourages athletes to be the best they can be on and off the field. The feeling of community is strong in both programs, and many remain friends after they have aged out of the program.
Downers Grove Magazine had the chance to sit down with Jezyk and Garcia to learn more about what makes each program unique.
"The Crusaders continue the tradition of prayer before each game and carry on competitiveness with Christian values, which we instill in each," said Jezyk. "These values stick with the players both on and off the field for years after they are done playing with us."
The Crusaders football program has been running for over 65 years. It consists of a junior varsity (fifth and sixth grade) and varsity (seventh and eighth grade). Both teams have an average of 30 players. The players in the program come from St. Joseph School and St. Mary of Gostyn School, both in Downers Grove. Public school students who are enrolled in Religious Education are also eligible to participate on the team.
The Crusaders played in the Suburban Parochial Football League until last year. Over the last ten years, the varsity team has brought home four championships and was runner-up three times. They are now playing as part of the Southside Catholic Conference League. The conference consists of seven regular league games, plus the playoffs and an AllStar Game. There are two summer camps provided in July for fifth through eighth graders.
One of the biggest additions to the Crusaders' programs is that 100% of players use Insite Helmet Technology (IHT). IHT is a smart-helmet technology that records and analyzes the location and the severity of the impact and reports them directly to the coaches. "This technology gave us peace of mind knowing about the extra layer of safety provided, especially with the coaches monitoring it," said Cindy Clifford, mother of eighth-grade student Cannon Clifford who has played tackle football for three years.
The Panthers Football & Cheer organization, established in 1964, is a founding member of the Bill George Youth Football League (BGYFL). "We are proud of our football and cheer athletes, that are Panther alumni, who give back to our community as positive role models both on and off the field," said Garcia.
The organization consists of athletes ranging from second grade through eighth grade for tackle football and cheer, plus a Flag Football program starting as early as kindergarten. To date, there are 480 athletes signed up for the upcoming season. The Panther teams consist of players from surrounding suburbs, and the league plays across 24 towns. Last season, the Panthers had 17 teams and hoping for 21 this fall.
The Panthers have a nine-week regular season followed by the playoffs and a Superbowl. This past season the organization had nine teams in the playoffs and two Superbowl Champions. There are two camps available in the off-season to anyone, which allow athletes to get acclimated to football and understand what it means to be a Panther football player. This is a great opportunity for those who signed up for the season or want to try it out before signing up. "These camps allow our athletes, both football and cheer, to experience the Panther Family community with many campers signing up for the season," said Garcia.
Along with six football coaches clinics held during the offseason, one of the biggest additions to the Panther's program is the coaches development program. The program, overseen by two individuals with IHSA Football Certification, is designed to provide, educate, and assist all coaches in using the same terminology and verbiage used at the high school levels. "This will help the athletes acclimate and better understand what a coach is teaching them and will allow them to be more successful when they transition to high school," said Garcia.
Downers Grove is fortunate to have the options in this football community. Jezyk and Garcia both believe the camaraderie the kids have for each other starts at a young age and sticks with them throughout high school – sometimes even against each other. They make great memories playing football. And many have returned to give back where their career once began, right here in Downers Grove.
Mike Burrows and his youngest son, Colin Burrows, in August 2023. Burrows has been involved with the organization for the last 25 years - even before he had kids of his own in the program. After coaching his sons for the Panthers, he now gets to watch them play for the Downers Grove North Trojans. Some players he coached are now coaching their own kids within Panthers.
Joe Chiarelli and his younger brothers Caden and Christian all started playing for the Panthers program at six years old. Joe will continue playing in college at Wisconsin-Whitewater. Caden will play this fall as a sophomore at Downers Grove North, while his brother Christian will follow quickly behind after his last year with the Panthers this upcoming season.
BY VALERIE HARDY
Around Downers Grove, Jon Belonio is some what of a celebrity, especially among the 12 and under crowd. Wherever he goes in town, Mr. Belonio (as he’s known to his students) is likely to run into a child he has taught in art class at some point during their elementary school years. In fact, when he attended GroveFest with his family one year, he said hello to so many people his wife told him it looked like he was running for office. Even if you don’t recognize Belonio, though, you have proba bly seen his artwork throughout the community. Read on to learn more about the man behind the murals.
A: I knew I wanted to be an artist back in kindergarten. I used to watch Looney Tunes and Bugs Bunny cartoons, and I knew some body was out there drawing these things. I would go up to the TV and try to trace the cartoons really fast. My mom would tell me to get back
from the TV. She jokes that that’s why my eyesight is so bad today.
For the past 40 years, I’ve had a sketchbook with me pretty much everywhere I go. My mom was a pharmacist at the University of Chicago, and sometimes – if there wasn’t a babysitter available when she had to work – I’d go with her and just sit with my sketchbook for hours. I never get tired of drawing. Drawing is like breathing to me.
Q: How did your love of art morph into a career as an artist and art educator?
A: In high school, I excelled in art. I was part of the yearbook staff and newspaper staff. I was going to prove to my parents that cartooning wasn’t just a fun hobby but something I could succeed at. In college, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, they didn’t have a cartooning or illustration degree, so I started as a painting major. My sophomore year I had an epiphany:
“What am I going to do with a painting degree?” I switched to an art education major. They had a program where professors’ kids would come in on Saturday mornings, and I got
to teach them. It clicked then: I get to hang out with kids and talk about art! I fell into education, but I loved it from the very beginning.
Q: Could you share a bit about your teaching career?
A: I’m in my 23rd year as an art teacher in Downers Grove District 58, my Michael Jordan year, and my 26th year teaching. I started my career in Darien right after college, but my wife started teaching in District 58. An art teacher was leaving the district, and I was encouraged to apply for the position. There was a time in Downers Grove that students either had Mrs. Belonio or Mr. Belonio as their art teacher.
This year, I taught at Whittier, Hillcrest, and Fairmount. In the past, I was at El Sierra, Kingsley, Puffer, and Belle Aire. I love District 58, and because I love it here, I’m just going to go for it with the art curriculum. I created video lessons during the pandemic, and it kind of blew up. Now I use those videos kind of as my aide, like I’m co-teaching with myself. I still do many instructional videos, and now the students are more involved in the production.
Administration has been fully supportive of my work, and I have a great team in the art department in the district. I’ve been fortunate to work in one district for as long as I have. This spring, I was nominated for the district’s Distinguished Service Award, and another nominee, Ashley Honn, I had taught when she was a student at Kingsley. I’ve built great relationships through my time in the district, and I’ve been here long enough where I’m teaching
kids of former kids that I taught. I love that!
Q: The way you talk about your teaching career, it sounds like it’s more fun than work for you. Is that the case?
A: Even though my job is teaching students, I don’t see that as work. I spend my days sharing my love of art with kids. It’s my dream job. My father-in-law told me I should be a
principal, but I said no. I belong in a classroom with kids, doing art. Period. The end. It’s as simple as that.
Q: You practice what you preach (teach). How do you engage with art outside of the classroom?
A: I’m a freelance artist as well as an art educator. I just try to find the perfect balance of it all. I get four or five art commissions per month. A lot of my commissions are from the Downers Grove community. I also do art shows at various breweries, and I put shows on my Facebook page: Belonio Doodles.
I’m also part of an Arts Alliance. Everyone is really chill. We’re not in it for the sales. I’m not a business-minded person; I’m an artist. I also donate some of my art. For example, I donated some of my work to the Hinsdale Humane Society for their Arf Gallery.
Q: You don’t live in Downers Grove, but many of your designs have been on display around town over the years. What are some ways in which you have adorned the community with your art?
A: Even though I don’t reside in Downers Grove, it is my second home. I love it here. The Tivoli has my first Whittier Variety Show poster design on display in the lobby. I designed the outdoor school signs to Whittier, El Sierra, and Hillcrest and the sign to the Hillcrest playground. I did a mural at Hillcrest School last summer, and I created the CommUNITY design – featuring the mascots of all of the public and private schools in Downers Grove –during the pandemic. Also during the pandemic, I painted rocks and hid them in Downers Grove parks, and Lizz Lukes, another District 58
art teacher, and I added murals to the boarded up businesses in downtown Downers Grove. She was a huge part of organizing that with me. I have a Fair Game mural in their store, and I recently painted the windows at Happy Dog Barkery in honor of Pride Month. Honestly, I have done an insane amount of work for Downers Grove!
Q: You mentioned that your wife, Amy, was an art teacher in District 58. Is your family artistic in general?
A: Amy and I met in college. She was an art education major too. We actually married so early that after we finished student teaching, that Saturday morning was our wedding, and our graduation ceremony was the next day. Once we had our first
son, Parker, we were blessed that Amy was able to stay home with him and our other son, Riley. Amy is still an artist. Her style is more Van Gogh. She’s also the lead singer in a band. We live and breathe art, and the boys have known it their whole life.
Riley (19) is a graphic design major and has been a dancer his whole life. Parker (21) has been a musician his whole life and is studying music composition. He also teaches at School of Rock in Naperville. It’s come full circle. He now talks about his students to me.
MR. BELONIO TAKES A PHOTO OF HIS KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS’ ARTWORK AT WHITTIER SCHOOL, AND “LITTLE MR. BELONIO” MAKES AN APPEARANCE TOO. PHOTO BY CAROLINA MENAPACE CARTOON OF MR. BELONIO OUTSIDE OF THE DOWNERS GROVE PUBLIC LIBRARY•Bonds
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Drive through Downers Grove and surrounding suburbs and you will see the hallmark yellow, black, and white logo of the Ghostlight Educational Theatre Collective (ETC) on yard signs and window decals. Celebrating its second anniversary this month, Ghostlight may be one of the newest performing arts programs in the area, but it is quickly proving to be one of the best. Here are just some of the ways Ghostlight is making its mark.
Each fall, spring, and summer session, Ghostlight typically puts on shows broken down by age group: elementary, junior high, and high school/college. All of Ghostlight’s
shows are “fully produced musicals with professional lighting, sound, and stage management,” explained Carolina Menapace, Ghostlight’s producer. In the recent spring productions alone, over 215 students were involved. These young performers hailed from 45 different public and private schools and included homeschooled students.
Initially, classes and rehearsals ran out of a space at Artistic Pursuit dance studio in Westmont, and Ghostlight rented auditoriums at local schools for its productions. However, the ETC’s five founding partners soon set their sights on creating a permanent home, with a stage of its own, for their programming. Menapace explained that they were “at the right place at the right time.” Two days after inquiring at Downtown Down-
ers Grove Management Corporation’s office about properties that might fit the bill, a realtor reached out about an available space at the Masonic Lodge at the intersection of Curtiss and Washington Streets.
“It was an absolutely perfect location,” Menapace said. It already had a stage, and the necessary renovations were mostly cosmetic, so the team at Ghostlight did most of the changes themselves. “Some of my favorite Ghostlight memories were made in the late nights spent renovating this historic building,” said Alex Bahaveolos, Ghostlight’s music director. “When I say each and every partner has put their blood, sweat, and tears into this building, I really mean it.”
While it started as a limited liability company, Ghostlight recently added a nonprofit arm to provide scholarships for its programming. A generous $10,000 donation from the George and Cindy Rusu Family Foundation offset some of Ghostlight’s operational costs and provided scholarships for a student from each school in Downers Grove Districts 58 and 99 to participate in the ETC’s programs and productions. Ghostlight also plans to host annual
fundraisers. Menapace, who serves as president of the Ghostlight nonprofit, has valued the mentorship from and collaboration with other nonprofit theatre groups like Naperville-based BrightSide Theatre and Schaumburg On Stage. “I could not have done any of this without their advice and experience,” she said.
In addition to the various theatre classes and mainstage productions Ghostlight has offered since its inception, this spring, Ghostlight started a glee club for students in 5th-9th grade to “give them a place to experience musical theatre and a space to be themselves,” Menapace said. “It’s been such a hit that we may expand it for other ages.”
Also new is the Theatre for Young Audiences program. This is intended to provide low-cost performing arts exposure to the youngest community members. Ghostlight recently staged a “Wizard of Oz” production for just $10 per ticket.
In addition to onstage opportunities, William Hunter Evans, Ghostlight’s technical director, said they are rolling out a “sort of apprenticeship program”
this fall for students who want to learn about the backstage side of theatre, such as lighting, sound, and set design. “There are so many parts that go into the creation of a production that people don’t always see,” Evans said, “but there is a small army working behind the scenes to make it all come together.” Ghostlight’s production manager, Colleen Gibbons, added, “As someone who has always loved theatre but has no interest in or talent for performing, I struggled to find opportunities to get training and experience working in my areas of interest backstage,” so she is “thrilled” students will have access to Ghostlight’s new technical theatre curriculum.
Check out what the Ghostlight students have been working on this summer!
• “Finding Nemo” (elementary production) – Weekend of July 1st
• “Grease” (junior high production)
– Weekend of July 15th
• “Jesus Christ Superstar” (high school/college production) –Weekend of July 29th
Tickets sell out quickly and can be purchased by visiting ghostlightetc.com. Donations may also be made via the Ghostlight ETC website.
new space. Doherty, Ghostlight’s artistic director, said, “We are so excited to be in downtown Downers, and the welcome from the community has been incredible… So many of the kids never want to leave and just love hanging out, which is one of the reasons we built this new space. We wanted to create a second home where kids could feel safe and loved and welcomed, and seeing that come to fruition is just mind-blowing.” Bahaveolos, Ghostlight's music director, added, “I think it’s important to note that Ghostlight is a queer- and woman-owned business. I love the vibrancy we get to share in the Downers Grove community, and it was great to see so many students (both current and past), family, and friends come together to open up our new space.”
Ghostlight has received rave reviews from its students and their families! Here’s what a few had to say.
1 It is really fun, and they are always fair with the rules. - Rooney Shea, 9
2 I love the experiences Ghostlight has given me, because now I want to be on Broadway! The team is unbelievable and so sweet and kind and would do anything for me, and I would do anything for them.
- Paige McNaughton, 12
3
There is no pressure to be a great performer; you are accepted and appreciated just as you are.
9; and Finn Ripper, 6
4
Being part of Ghostlight is like being part of a large family that helps you grow and celebrates your successes. - Raina Gazder, 14
5
I love the way it has boosted my confidence. It is a very warm environment with friendly people. - Sullivan Shea, 13
6
The team that is Ghostlight is the reason why I drive multiple times a week from Aurora to Downers Grove!
- Morgan Ripper, parent of Ghostlight students Spencer Ripper, 9; Bennett Ripper,
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Finding one’s reason-to-be is often a lifelong search.
Michael and Lillian Moats and JP Somersaulter- the trio behind the Somersaulter-Moats Film Collection- were lucky to find theirs early on. From 1973 – 1991, the Downers Grove residents created predominantly short, animated films, mostly adapted and original fairytales for children. There were also a few stories geared toward older audiences with storylines influenced by myth, creativity, and the logic of thought.
Collectively, their films have received more than 40 awards at national and international festivals.
The story of how the trio found each other is an interesting one. Lillian and JP met as undergraduates at the University of Michigan, while studying creative writing. The two married a year later. The following summer, JP, who had always been interested in filmmaking, talked Lillian into collaborating with him to create a series of industrial films for his father’s box-cut-
ting supply business. His father agreed to buy the camera for his son in exchange for the work.
Little did they know it was a first step.
“Lillian and I went to a local camera store to get the supplies we needed for filming,” JP laughed as he recalled, “and the people working there laughed at us when they asked where our crew was, and we told them ‘we’re the crew.’” The two laughed last, however, as their five industrial films, created in one sum-
mer, are still in use, despite the box-cutting supply company having been sold more than once. “The funny part is that employees still have to sit through them,” Lillian relayed, as she chuckled.
Lillian and JP returned to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1969 to pursue Master of Teaching degrees. Their joint thesis project was another collaborative effortthis one an educational film for teachers entitled Three Magical Methods , with a guidebook for helping children learn to brainstorm for creativity. A trip to the Midwest Film Conference with their project encouraged them to continue film making, through children’s animated movies.
At that point, Lillian and JP were both teaching in Downers Grove, at Belle Aire and El Sierra schools. As a side gig, JP created a live show about how animation works, broken down by age level, from kindergarten through high school. “I would get students from the audience to volunteer and animate them like puppets,” said JP. “It was lucrative, and wacky fun for me.”
He began working with Young Audiences, a national organization for school performers. He performed in about 25 states with an audience of almost a million students. “I lugged a suitcase of artwork and a 16-millimeter projector all over the country,” JP fondly recalled. “I still have the sweatshirt they gave me at Kitty Hawk elementary school.”
Their first independent film, The Silverfish King, premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival. After it won a Certificate of Merit there, it went on to the World Animation Film Festival in Zagreb, Croatia.
They were contracted to create six more original animated films over the next several years, before divorcing. Able to remain the best of friends and business partners, however, they continued working together. Their art films led to a contract with Coronet Filmsthe country’s largest producer of children’s educational movies at the time.
As luck had it, when they went in to record the soundtrack to their next film, The Gingerbread Man, in 1978, Lillian met Michael Moats,
the substitute sound engineer working that day. They were married a year later, with JP acting as the best man. The three continued working on films at Lillian and Michael’s 1100 Maple Avenue home.
Each film took almost a year to complete. The cottage on the property behind their home (the original house on the lot), served as the animation studio. JP periodically took the finished, or shot, 16-millimeter film to a laboratory in the city to be processed. A few days later, a “work print” would come back to the cottage to be edited.
Post-production, the work print went into the studio, and the soundtrack got put together against the finished film. All the drawings had to be timed exactly to the narration. Michael, a fulltime sound engineer at the time, expertly inserted mostly original music and sound effects. A storyboard of sorts was created through timing sheets on graph paper and Post-it notes with sketches of the scenes.
Lillian and Michael welcomed their son, David, in the early 80s. He created his own three-minute, 300 drawing, animated movie, Avery Coonley Schoolhorse , starring the school’s seahorse mascot, while he was a student at Avery Coonley.
As the computer era dawned, a selftaught Michael digitized the entire
Somersaulter-Moats library of films. He also re-engineered JP’s long film and pet project, Donna Rosebud. The 80-minute movie takes place in a world where people speak only through mental telepathy. The artsy film featured every friend in JP’s life.
Michael, the trio held a screening in May of the film’s improved, finished production at Chicago Filmmakers in the city’s Edgewater neighborhood.
“It was guerrilla-filmmaking,” he said, as he laughed. “We climbed up the Goldblatt and Water Tower buildings without permission, to shoot footage. Those were the days when you could pretty much do whatever.”
Donna Rosebud, finished in 1986, premiered at the Music Box Theater and the Art Institute. It was also featured in the Edinburgh Film Festival. Now completely digitally remastered by
The three reunited, as JP had moved abroad some years ago. He flew in for the event from his current home, Ebora, Portugal. Michael and Lillian had just sold their Maple Avenue home and were on their way to retire to the United Kingdom to be closer to their son, who lives there. The three had a chance to reminisce and enjoy a final screening of the new and improved Donna Rosebud. Also present were several cast and crew members and old friends. It was a bittersweet way to start life’s next chapter.
To check out the Somersaulter-Moats collection, visit the Chicago Film Archives at chicagofilmarchives.org.
"It was a great way to make a living, but it was just fun in and of itself."
– JP SOMERSAULTER, OF THE SOMERSAULTER-MOATS COLLECTION, ON MAKING CHILDREN’S ANIMATED FILMS.THE TRIO ENTERTAINED QUESTIONS AFTER THE RE-RELEASE OF DONNA ROSEBUD AT CHICAGO FILMMAKERS. THE SILVERFISH KING (LEFT) LAUNCHED THEIR CAREER. AVERY COONLEY SCHOOLHORSE (RIGHT) WAS ANIMATED BY DAVID MOATS AT AGE 9. IMAGES COURTESY OF THE CHICAGO FILM ARCHIVES
The local area native who became a world-renowned children’s author
BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN
What is a friend?
The answer depends on who you ask. A friend is someone who helps you. It’s someone with whom you have shared memories and common ground. A friend- above all- is someone who likes you.
Joan Walsh Anglund, a former Downers Grove and Hinsdale resident, was the children’s author who illustrated this fundamental idea on paper in 1958. But the echoes of Anglund’s first book, A Friend is Someone Who Likes You, are still heard. Her work found its way to many corners of the earth- even through the wrought iron gates of Buckingham Palace and into the royal hands of noted fan, Queen Elizabeth II.
A Friend is Someone Who Likes You is the storybook that launched Anglund’s career as a children’s book author and illustrator. The idea for the simple yet profoundly themed story came shortly after her young family moved to New York City in the mid-1950s. Anglund and her children found themselves lonely after moving to the Big Apple. Longing for her Midwestern roots, she glanced out at the Manhattan skyline and imagined a potential friend behind every window.
She began to rethink her idea of friendship. “A friend can be a boy or a
girl or a cat or a dog, or even a tree that lets you climb it easily,” Anglund once said. The overarching message to young readers is that sometimes, you have to find your friends. A Friend is Someone Who Likes You was named one of the New York Times’s ten best-illustrated books of 1958. The book, still in print, has sold four million copies.
The story came alive through illustrations of her own children playing in nature. “My mother always carried a sketch pad with her,” said daughter Joy Anglund Harvey. “She was always drawing and writing little poetic phrases.”
Ironically, the sketches were based on a family farm- a now-developed plot of land on Plainfield Rd in south Downers Grove. “That farm is a huge part of my memory,” said Joy. “We spent every summer at the farm in Downers Grove.”
The book launched a wildly successful career that spanned half a century and
produced over 120 titles. All touch on universal themes such as love, friendship, and holidays. Titles such as Look Out the Window (1962), What Color is Love (1966), and Spring is a New Beginning (1963), are works of Anglund’s collection that have sold 50 million copies in 17 languages.
Anglund came to be known for her iconic illustrations in which children have only eyes- no other facial features. “Children move too quickly,” she once offered by way of explanation for her distinct style. “I didn’t have time to draw their whole faces.”
For inspiration, she largely observed her children and grandchildren at play. “My mother came into our rooms and sketched the toys on the floor, our living room at Christmastime, my cat, the dresses and overalls we wore,” said Joy, fondly. Anglund often discreetly wove a child’s name into a scene. Anglund’s son, Todd- whom she
lost at an early age- served as the muse for the title character, The Brave Cowboy (1959), and its sequels.
Born Joan May Walsh in Hinsdale in 1926, Anglund lived with her family in Downers Grove for the first decade of her life. The child of two artists, Anglund often drew in the attic of the family’s Prince Pond home. Her father, Thomas Walsh, was a commercial artist who drew one of the versions of the iconic Morton Salt girl. He frequently drew whimsical, illustrated messages for his family on the porcelain kitchen table before leaving for the day. He nurtured his daughter’s talent as he taught her drawing techniques.
Anglund attended kindergarten at Avery Coonley School, which had a profound impact on her. “My mother told wonderful stories, well into her nineties, of being outdoors and taking nature walks on the school’s wooded grounds,” said Joy. “It’s how she learned to love nature.”
The primary years were spent at St Joseph School. Anglund’s family lived on Saratoga, just blocks away. She and her sister bounced down the sidewalk to 6 a.m. mass every day, after which they sewed the altar cloths before school began. “My grandmother remembered the nuns who taught her as being strict, but she loved them,” said granddaughter Emily Anglund
Nellen. “They instilled a strong faith in her, which grounded her life.”
The next few years were wrought with tragedy. Anglund’s younger sister died of spinal meningitis as a toddler. Her grandfather was killed in a train accident, and her father by a drunk driver shortly thereafter. With the Great Depression looming, Anglund’s mother packed her and her sister into the family car and drove to Florida. They stayed a year. “It was the best thing we could have done,” Anglund later told filmmaker Tim Jackson in a documentary about her life. “We were able to be outside in nature all the time. It helped us heal.”
A year later, the family moved back to the area. They settled in Hinsdale, with Anglund’s grandparents. She graduated from Hinsdale High School in 1944. She went on to attend The School of the Art Institute. As a student, she met her husband, Robert Anglund, a student at The Goodman
Theater across the street. The two married a year later.
Anglund pursued her dreams as a commercial artist. Among other opportunities, she worked a stint for Marshall Field & Company. A few years later, the couple moved their family to New York and eventually Connecticut, where they built a life on the east coast.
She imparted her free-spirited nature to her family. “My children grew up in my art studio,” Anglund recounted. Not one to take time from her children during the day, she often worked through the night. Her career took an upward turn as she built a cottage industry as her characters appeared on Hallmark cards, dolls, bedsheets, and beach towels.
Her work closely followed a nature theme. She made her children’s childhood idyllic. “Getting outside into nature was a daily requirement,” said Joy. “Rain or shine, we went outside and always reported what we observed while building a snowman or jumping in leaves.” Anglund and her family spent 60 summers on Nantucket Island. “My mother loved the sea and that was a great place to be outdoors,” Joy remembered.
Despite her great success, the author led a quiet and humble life. She greeted a fan waiting for an autograph like they were the only person who ever asked. “My grandmother was always thrilled at the impact her work had on people,” said Emily. “Her goal was never to become famous; just to create her artwork.”
Anglund passed away in 2021 at the age of 95. “I don’t know why I was given such a good life,” she once said, smiling. Regardless of her age, her spirit was eternally that of a child. “I have no intention to be old and sensible,” Anglund said. “Because every day, the world is new to me.”
For a poignant look at the author’s life, check out Joan Walsh Anglund: Life in Story and Poem, a documentary by Tim Jackson. ■
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Appointments are beginning to fill fast.
To live and dream. To play and rest. To connect and grow. To welcome bigger, better things.
Wolowick Women's Health is now open in Downers Grove. Dr. Karen Wolowick has been a practicing OBGYN for over 17 years. She aims to reconnect with the more intimate and rewarding aspects of women's health and spend more time with patients to make a difference.
to see his reaction. It was a culmination of appreciation and acknowledgement that really meant a lot to him.”
Chris later shared how much the recognition and film (which he described as “a bit of a love letter” to Willis and Shirley for all the work they did) touched him and the rest of his family as well. He said candidly, “My dad is getting up in age a bit, so this could not have happened at a better time.”
For many attending the soldout premiere of the documentary film “History Happens Here: The Tivoli Theatre” on May 2, it was a very meta experience. They were watching the fulllength feature about the Tivoli Theatre in the Tivoli Theatre, seated near members of the Johnson family, also prominent subjects of the film.
Produced by independent filmmaker Jim Toth in conjunction with the Downers Grove Historical Society, the documentary honors the 95-year history and lasting legacy of one of Chicagoland’s oldest and best-preserved movie theaters. It also chronicles the storied lives of the Johnson family, the theater’s long-running proprietors.
The premiere began with an organ performance (the Tivoli Theatre’s organ is a star in and of itself), and the event doubled as a recognition ceremony. Downers Grove Historical Society Director Rich Kulovany introduced the 2023 Historians of the Year, Willis and Shirley Johnson, who received a standing ovation.
Willis’s son, Chris Johnson, the current CEO of the family’s business, Classic Cinemas, accompanied the couple on stage when the distinction was bestowed upon them. Chris recalled how his father was using his walker that evening. “I told him he could accept the recognition from his seat, but he kept pointing up to the stage,” Chris said. “It was so much fun
The documentary was so popular that advance tickets sold out just days after their release. In fact, Toth had to disinvite many of the friends and relatives he had initially asked to attend the premiere because there would not have been seats for them. Thankfully, to accommodate the demand, Chris offered to host an encore presentation of the film at the Tivoli Theatre the morning of May 13. Toth said Chris also had planned a future open house and screening of the film to be held at LaGrange Theatre, the newest historical movie theater in the Classic Cinemas portfolio, acquired by the Johnsons just last year.
“History Happens Here: The Tivoli Theatre” received rave reviews from its early viewers. For those who may have missed it, the documentary is viewable on demand via the Historical Society’s website: downersgrovehistory.org.
The Tivoli Theatre opened on Christmas Day 1928, and while it was one of the earliest movie houses in the Chicago area, it was actually the third movie theater in the village of Downers Grove. However, the Tivoli was unique in that it opened during the transitional period from silent films to “talkies.” In fact, the Tivoli was one of the first theaters in the nation built specifically for motion pictures with sound.
The nearly century-old iconic movie theater was the vision of local businessmen Gustave and George Bunge who worked with architects Van Gunten and Van Gunten and contractor J.T. Schless Company to bring the design into reality. The French Renaissance-style theater originally held nearly 1,400 seats. Unlike many theaters of the time, it did not include balcony seating. It did boast a 19-foot stage that, while shallow, easily accommodated vaudeville and other small-scale productions.
In the mid-1950s, wider seats were installed with greater distance between rows to increase comfort for theatergoers, reducing the Tivoli’s seating capacity to its current 1,012. Over the next two decades, the theater remained relatively unchanged and experienced general wear and tear. It was at this point, in 1976, that Willis Johnson entered the picture. He purchased the Tivoli property and began extensive renovations.
Located in the heart of downtown Downers Grove, the Tivoli Theatre building occupies nearly half a block and contains a bowling alley, residential hotel, and storefront business and office spaces. In addition to screening countless movies, over the years, the venue has hosted big-name performers like Sonny & Cher, Julie Andrews, and Poi Dog Pondering. It has been the site of events featuring actors, comedians, and authors such as Anthony Michael Hall, Jim Flannigan, and Nicholas Sparks respectively. Two Monday evenings per month, the Tivoli is also home to the After Hours Film Society, a not-for-profit organization com -
Jim Toth moved to Downers Grove in 2015 and spent 20 years as a creative director in Chicago’s advertising industry. During the coronavirus pandemic, however, he was laid off. While unfortunate, these circumstances afforded him the gift of time, and the self-proclaimed amateur filmmaker bought a new camera and began experimenting, largely by filming his son and daughter.
Toth was a member of the Downers Grove Historical Society’s Board of Directors, but he stepped away in 2018 due to professional and familial commitments. However, he still wanted to “give back, but in a more interesting way,” he said. He initially paired his passion for local history with his newfound filmmaking talents by coproducing with the Historical Society a short documentary on Downers Grove’s Main Street Cemetery, one of the only cemeteries in the nation still operating in an active downtown area. Toth’s next film was the first in the “History Happens Here” docuseries: a nearly 40-minute mini-feature about the Mochel family and the hardware store they ran for multiple generations.
The Tivoli Theatre edition of “History Happens Here” was envisioned as another short documentary, but early in the filming process, Toth knew a “leap to a full-length feature” would be the only way to do justice to the historical theater and Johnson family’s stories.
The project took 10 months and included 10-15 hours of interviews with the Johnson family, through which Toth observed the family members “finishing each other’s sentences.” He quickly determined it necessary to shoot with two cameras to best capture the Johnsons’ “reactions to each other.”
Toth said that beyond interviewing the Johnsons, he spent over 200 hours metaphorically “with them” through the editing and post-production process. He was still making edits the day before the premiere, and he recounted how – even as he sat next to Wendy, Chris Johnson’s sister, watching the final product the morning of the premiere – he still saw “100 things to change. These things are never done.”
Yet Toth was extremely proud of the film and honored to help share “such a beautiful story.” He described viewing the documentary at the Tivoli along with the Johnsons as “almost a transcendental experience.”
While Toth is taking a break from local historical filmmaking, he has many future subjects in mind, including Downers Grove’s Moose Lodge and Denburn Woods. For now, however, he is pursuing his newly discovered passion for chronicling family histories by offering his services to help other families commit their “collective history into an artifact that can be passed down to the next generation.” For more information about Toth’s legacy family films, visit jimtoth.com.
mitted to bringing foreign, art, and independent films to suburban audiences and inviting viewers to participate in post-film discussions.
With the 2015 stage conversion to a thrust configuration extending over the orchestra pit, the theater has also hosted numerous dance recitals and school variety shows. The Tivoli has even been the backdrop for weddings, but the Johnsons drew the line at holding funerals there. However, as discussed within the documentary, they might rethink the “no funeral policy” when the time comes to hold a celebration of life to honor Willis, Chris said.
Nearing its hundredth anniversary, the Tivoli Theatre is one of the longest-running, continually operating movie theaters in Chicagoland, no small feat given the numerous obstacles it has faced throughout the years. It survived the Great Depression soon after opening, competition with shopping malls in the 1970s and 1980s, a storm blowing its roof off in the 1990s, and – more recently – the advent of streaming services and a global pandemic that shut down large public spaces like theaters. Chris attributes the Tivoli’s endurance to a willingness to evolve.
For example, for many years, the Tivoli operated as a fully restored single-screen movie theater showing second-run films, but it ultimately shifted to screening new releases. Then, in 2021, the Johnsons converted an adjacent storefront into an intimate second theater space. Aptly named the Willis Theatre, the new theater at the Tivoli contains over 30 heated reclining seats.
Willis Johnson has owned the Tivoli Theatre for close to five decades, but his Downers Grove roots run even deeper. Willis grew up in Downers Grove, and he only left briefly when he joined the military. He returned to the community and raised his own children in Downers Grove. For many years, Willis even lived at the Tivoli Hotel located adjacent to the Theatre. Willis was a partner in a printing busi-
ness for over 20 years before he entered the movie theater business. After taking over the Tivoli Theatre operations by default when the film exhibition company that was leasing the theater abruptly closed for “remodeling,” Willis established the Classic Cinemas brand.
Along with his wife, Shirley, and son, Chris (who initially worked as an usher at the Tivoli starting in 1980), Willis quickly grew the business. With the Tivoli as its flagship location, today, Classic Cinemas has 16 theaters, with a collective 137 screens, primarily in Illinois, but with one theater across the border in Beloit, Wisconsin. At one point, the Johnsons even operated a second theater in Downers Grove, the Tivoli South Theatre, located in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center at 63rd Street and Belmont Road.
Classic Cinemas is the largest movie theater business in Illinois and is in the top 40 in the nation. However, the Johnson family’s business savvy spans beyond the movie theater industry. Chris explained how they prioritize “property acquisitions” near their theaters. “We are selective about tenants,” he said. “Our goal is to drive foot traffic and create a complimentary night life to our theaters.”
The Johnsons aim to enhance or revitalize the areas in which their theaters are situated. This includes having “a mix of regional, national, and local tenants that all lend to having a successful downtown,” Chris said.
Chris said his father would “volunteer for everything – a million different downtowns and civic centers. He would volunteer relentlessly.”
One particular way Willis volunteered was as the founding president of the National Association of Theatre Owners of Illinois, and Chris followed in his footsteps, currently serving as the organization’s president. “I’m turning into my dad, like those commercials,” Chris joked, but he acknowledged his pride in carrying his father’s work forward.
He also said “Shirley is an unsung hero,” always by Willis’s side, both within and beyond the business. This is one of the myriad reasons Chris is grateful to the Historical Society and Toth for recognizing Willis and Shirley and creating the corresponding documentary. He said, “They did an amazing job and should be applauded.”
Proceeds from “History Happens Here: The Tivoli Theatre” went to the Downers Grove Historical Society, a non-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating the town’s rich history. In her welcome address at the film’s premiere, Historical Society President Amy Gassen said she anticipated a high turnout for the event, and the soldout crowd was a “testament to the love and passion people in and around Downers Grove have for this building and its incredible history.”
Gassen also expressed gratitude to the Johnsons for sharing their story and noted “how fortunate” it was that Toth was willing to volunteer his talents to create the documentary. For others interested in contributing to the efforts of the Historical Society, various membership opportunities are available: individual ($25), family ($40), business ($100), senior ($15), and more. Members receive free or discounted entry to most events sponsored by the Historical Society, such as tours of the Tivoli Theatre and the annual History on Tap trivia pub crawl.
For the last 35 years, many in this community remember assisting DuPagePads- formerly known by the acronym P.A.D.S.- Public Action to Deliver Shelter- in their church basements. Scout troops, youth groups and others, made up a cast of thousands of volunteers that cared for their neighbors’ most basic human needs. From organizing supply drives, to making dinner, to setting out the actual pads for guests to sleep on, the organization has brought DuPage County residents in from the cold. And cared for them. And made them feel wanted and welcome.
In the former congregate model, people would arrive in the evening, use the shower, have dinner, and go to sleep. Most had nowhere to go after breakfast the next morning. Often, they spent the day trying to get to the next shelter, on public transportation, often with children in tow.
It’s impossible to build a life in that situation, let alone manage the stress and anxiety that accompany it.
The pandemic forced the hand of an overdue solution. Congregate shelters,
deemed unsafe in March of 2020, were closed, leaving many homeless DuPage residents literally out in the cold. April Redzic, President & CEO of DuPagePads, was brand new to the organization at that moment. She assembled her team and took a hard look at the situation.
They decided to pivot the entire Pads shelter model from single nights at church locations to one of temporary residency. Their medical-respite location, a former Downers Grove hotel, became an interim-housing complex. The major change was one of the first under Redzik’s tenure.
DuPage is the first community in this state, and one of only three in the country, to utilize this residential prototype. “As we pioneer this model, I meet regularly with other shelter providers who are looking to set up a similar situation,” said Redzik. “The data shows how well this works for our clients, so while we’re the first, we certainly won’t be alone.”
So far, the new model has brought many positive changes. Data collected from residents who were surveyed showed a 75% decrease in mental and physical health incidents among clients, simply because people had a safe place to stay.
DuPagePads is now able to accommodate short term, emergency housing situations, as well as several-month stays. Unlike the former congregate model, clients now have their own space, similar to an apartment complex. “It’s amazing how life improves when people have
a front door and shower of their own,” Redzic commented. “While the goal is to have clients and families stay in interim housing for as few days as possible, they are welcome to stay until a suitable housing alternative becomes available.”
ter- a career and vocational service, offers clients access to the skills necessary to find employment. Plans are in the works for College of DuPage to partner with the organization to offer GED classes, as well as IT certification, job coaching, and interview prep.
Onsite computers are available to aid clients with job searching.
The shift in the housing model has brought DuPagePads’ ultimate goal more clearly into the light-to help clients find a permanent way out of homelessness and into a new life.
Clients now have daytime hours to spend on resources to help better their situation. Time formerly spent moving to the next shelter during the day, is now freed up to spend with their case managers, social workers assigned to each client. The Empowerment Cen-
From their interim-housing stop, DuPagePads works to connect clients with other options in the community for housing, whether that’s an apartment they are renting on their own after they’ve become employed, another housing provider in the community, or another social services program that will help them with their unique needs. Each client has their own situation, so case managers work to help them end their homelessness in the best way for their circumstances.
For Redzic, now in her third year at the helm of DuPagePads, ensuring
REDZIC AT A TASTE OF HOPE, DUPAGEPADS' YEARLY FUNDRAISER
“I don’t think people appreciate the bravery it takes to walk into an unfamiliar space and tell strangers you have no home.”
-APRIL REDZIK, DUPAGEPADS PRESIDENT & CEO
shelter is a cause for which she has always had a particular passion. But it’s nothing new. Her mother led by example, encouraging Redzic as a child to bake cupcakes for a homeless shelter near Joliet, in hopes of making the guests smile. Her mother still works in a food bank. Caring for others is a quality tightly woven into the fabric of her family.
Redzic began her career as the editor of Spirit, Catholic Charities’ donor magazine. She eventually worked up to the role of Director of Communications. During that time, she also helped found a literacy program at a homeless shelter in the city. She found herself at the crossroads of remaining in non-profit work and
on to Kids Above All, a Chicagoland non-profit based on child welfare and early education.
Her experience helped her hone the skills she uses daily to promote DuPagePads’ feeling of home. She sees each client as an individual with a unique set of circumstances. They’re everyday people, needing some temporary assistance as they overcome a stumbling block on their journey.
The nature of the organization is one which sees the full circle of life. Of their approximately 300 clients, about a hundred are children. Since DuPagePads acquired the property last March, six clients have welcomed new babies.
resource room, located onsite, is stocked with toiletries, clothing, food, and other sundries. A recent Mother’s Day brunch donated by several volunteer groups gave resident moms their first reason in a while to smile.
returning to school to pursue a Doctorate of English.
An unexpected detour presented itself one freezing cold Christmas morning as she watched two little boys squeal with joy while dodging ice banks in a shelter parking lot as they rode new scooters. They had just received their first-ever Christmas gifts.
“That was it for me,” Redzic smiled, as she recalled the scene. “That moment changed my life. Those little kids stole my heart.”
She earned a Master of Non-Profit Administration from Notre Dame. Her first few years in the field were spent at United Way, before moving
A client in their care is currently in stage four cancer. “We want him to feel cared for, while also having as much independence and dignity as possible,” Redzic feels. “Him being with us, versus being unsheltered, or living in a car, for example, is just so much better. I’m glad he’s here.”
A couple that came to DuPagePads last year were placed in supportive housing (subsidized housing for clients who have been homeless and meet eligibility requirements). They recently passed away, but it was with dignity, in their own space. While the community mourned them, they were also able to celebrate that their former clients were independent, with their own space, at the end of their lives.
While they’re there, every effort is made for clients to feel at home. A
Designs with Dignity, a non-profit organization, is currently working to execute plans to make the former hotel rooms at the interim housing complex more family or roommate friendly. “While folks are here with us, we want them to feel as welcome and comfortable as possible on their journey out of homelessness,” said Redzik. “People come with belongings and need space.” Updates to the property are ongoing, including repairing the exterior stucco, building an outdoor play area, and creating a pleasant garden space for clients to enjoy.
Every year, Taste of Hope, DuPagePads’ annual fundraiser, raises money for the organization’s current needs. Last year’s event raised the final dollars needed to purchase the hotel that has become the interim housing residence. This year’s proceeds will go toward the new kitchen, which is in the process of being built.
“I don’t think people appreciate the bravery it takes to walk into an unfamiliar space and tell strangers you have no home,” said Redzic, when asked to sum up her clearest observation thus far. “So often we have the head of a family walk in and tell us just that, for the sake of their children. It takes a ton of courage.” Come what may, DuPagePads will help. ■
There is no shortage of unique architecture in the Chicagoland area. In this issue, a handful of homes nestled in the western suburbs are featured that either break away from typical design trends or embrace traditional aesthetics.
Located in Downers Grove
Built in 1974, the home was originally designed by local architect Richard Marker as his own family residence. Modeled after the Edith Farnsworth House in Plano, IL, built by German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marker's goal when designing and building the home was to create a sleek, modernist house inspired by nature's surrounding elements. Today, the steel structure retains its original glass facade and wood interior, along with some modern updates.
Located in Elmhurst
During the 1920s, Spanish Revival residences were built throughout the country. This type of architecture was born as a result of the Panama-California Exposition and became a style movement from 1915 to 1931, but examples in the Midwest were very rare. As one of the most recognized houses in Elmhurst, it is the only example of the Spanish Revival style based on an area survey by the City of Elmhurst. The stately house features the style, including ceramic red-tile roofs, rounded arches, and an asymmetrical façade.
Brook
Designed by the internationally renowned cutting-edge architect and award-winning Douglas Garofalo, the home was built in 2011, the year before he passed away. This contemporary architecture implementing the Fibonacci Sequence produces visually appealing architecture based on the proportions, size, and placement of one element compared to another. Constructed of steel, glass, and concrete and featuring a three-story horn in the back makes this home a unique find in the western suburbs.
Located in Burr Ridge
Built in 1856 as the residence of Mr. Robert Vial, it is considered to be the oldest farmhouse in the community. Showcasing a mix of Italianate and Greek Revival styles of architecture, it is now operated as a museum by the Flagg Creek Heritage Society and open for public viewing. The house remained in its original location until 1989, when Roger Anderson, owner of the Timber Trails Golf Course, sold the building to the Flagg Creek Historical Society for $1 with the caveat that the building would be moved to another location. The house was moved from its original location to Wolf Road.
Located in Hinsdale
Built and designed in 1958 by architects George Fred Keck and William Keck, it is believed to be the only Keck-designed home in Hinsdale. The U-shaped five bedroom six bathroom home was recently renovated with many of the original details saved, returning it to its midcentury modern glory. This spring, the village's Historic Preservation Commission unanimously recommended the Village Board approve landmark status for the house.
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You don’t have to join a country club to enjoy a round of golf on a beautifully manicured course followed by beverages and bites at a quality clubhouse or onsite restaurant. Whether you’re a scratch golfer or still growing your game, this list of local courses is sure to provide a pick with the perfect level of challenge and a stunning setting for your “nine and wine” outing or well-earned meal after
playing 18. Not a golfer? Skip the greens, and head straight to the 19th hole!
Wheaton
With three nine-hole courses, yielding three separate 18-hole configurations, golfers will not get tired of golfing Arrowhead, a staple in the western suburbs for nearly a century. Arrowhead Restaurant & Bar features a comprehensive lunch and dinner
menu, and its dining terrace overlooking the course offers breathtaking views, especially at sunset.
Downers Grove
Formerly titled Downers Grove Golf Club, this historic nine-hole course reopened this season as Belmont Golf Club, a throwback to the site’s name in the late 19th and early 20th century. Signage denotes the holes’
unique new names, each reminiscent of the course’s or golf’s origins or descriptive of the hole’s layout. For example, the third hole is “Tweedie” after the course’s early president, and the fourth hole is “Blind” since it contains a blind tee shot. A historic clock tower will round out the course’s refreshed yet classic vibe. After golfing, grab a drink in the recently renovated clubhouse or new pergola area.
Wheaton
The names – Woodside, Lakeside, and Hillside – of Cantigny’s three ninehole courses say it all. The picturesque, rolling terrain and 27 challenging holes have drawn golfers from near and far over the past three decades.
Enjoy seasonal, house-made fare in Fareways Grill’s dining room, lounge, or covered patio, which overlook the course and Swan Lake.
Lemont
This renowned club features four 18-hole courses. All are open to the public, including the nationally ranked Course No. 4, or “DUBSDREAD,” a long-standing stop on the PGA Tour. Cog Hill also offers 42 lighted and heated driving range bays with food and beverages available at the range. For a more leisurely drinking or dining experience, visit Cog Hill’s Bar & Grill for locally sourced menu items and a glass of Cog Hill Long Drive Ale,
brewed by Lemont’s own Pollyana Brewing Company.
Romeoville
Mistwood Golf Club features 20 St. Andrews-style sod-wall bunkers, making the 18-hole course in suburban Chicago feel straight out of Scotland. To continue to experience a taste of Scotland, literally, visit McWethy’s Tavern for a hearty dinner or lighter lunch from the “Pick Two” menu. Seating is available in multiple dining areas and patios, and if you miss McWethy’s during the off-season, just join the Tavern’s SOUPscription service to receive four containers of the chef’s specialty soup each month.
Oak Brook
This pristine 18-hole course beckons golfers of all levels. For those wanting to finesse their swing this season, driving range memberships ($1,000) allow for unlimited use of the club’s north range April-October. With indoor and outdoor seating and a range of refreshments, the Patio Bar is a perfect place to unwind.
Villa Park
A nine-hole course owned and operated by the Elmhurst Park District and Village of Villa Park, Sugar Creek challenges experienced players yet is short enough to be accessible for beginning golfers. A three-acre pond comes into play on four holes. The clubhouse, featuring a banquet room, bar, and deck area, is an ideal setting to refuel after a round.
Glen Ellyn
Village Links boasts both a nine-hole and an 18-hole course and is both beautiful and functional. Owned by the village, it has a sophisticated stormwater detention system incorporated into the property. The course’s restaurant, Reserve 22 (named for the number lakes at the Links), was recently awarded the Diner’s Choice award for Best Outdoor Dining in the Chicago area, and with a bee apiary and greenhouse on site, the restaurant’s delectable dishes often feature its fresh honey and produce.
Oak Brook
Located on the grounds of the Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort, this 18-hole course features multi-tiered tees, providing a challenging golf experience for any player. The property has two restaurants on site, including the Tin Cup Bar & Grille, serving classic American fare. Visit Willow Crest to feel like you are on a golf getaway just minutes from home!
Parents certainly want their children to do well in school. In addition, for a large (and growing) number of families, one’s Christian faith is central – the virtues, the values, and the promises of the Bible.
When parents are serious about both, Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst is the perfect choice for preschool through high school, according to Superintendent Matt Davidson, in a recent interview with Elmhurst Magazine.
On our tour of the 24-acre school campus in south Elmhurst, Davidson said, “Starting with me, to every teacher, to every educational assistant, all 280 employees, we work hard to create a challenging and rewarding environment for our 1,250+ students. We partner with parents to help their children learn and grow in three areas: upholding Biblical truth, igniting academic growth, and inspiring courageous leadership – one student at a time.”
As the largest PS-12th grade Christian school in Illinois and one of the largest in the country, Davidson admits that is a pretty ambitious set of goals. But he said, “By any measure, we are meeting them.”
“We are competitive academically with other top schools, public and private, with the added component of a strong connection rooted in the timeless values of the Bible,” Davidson said. “We
have developed proven teaching/ learning strategies complemented with a perfect blend of innovation. Instead of teaching all the students in a given class the same material while giving the same assessments at the same pace, we look at data to determine how students are performing and then create a customized and appropriately challenging educational plan for each student. I know it sounds make-believe, but we’re doing it.”
The elementary school was recently only one of 6 in the state to win the “Whole Child Award” from the Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development – thus recognizing Timothy’s commitment to student growth in every way. When Timothy Christian high school students enter
scholastic competitions in Engineering, Science, and Robotics, they’re almost always on the medal stand. For example, the Timothy Christian High School ACES Team (Academic Challenge in Engineering and Science) won the State Championship this year, a highly competitive academic battle of private and public school scholars across Illinois. VEI, a student-run virtual business plan, also captured the State title and placed 13th at Nationals. Timothy Christian High School was
recently recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. In this year’s Class of 2023, 26 seniors were named State Scholars, two were named Commended Students in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship program, and three were awarded the pinnacle status of National Merit Finalists; all coming from a high school of 420 students! Timothy Christian seniors average well above norms for SAT and ACT scores, and their seniors are often accepted at toptier colleges and universities, often with college credits they already earned at Timothy Christian High School.
Timothy is a full member of council with CESA (Council on Educational Standards and Accountability) – an organization of the top Christian Schools in the nation. Currently, there are only 50 full members of the council. Timothy is considered a flagship Christian school, often sharing best practices with other schools across the nation.
“We also emphasize athletics and the performing arts because they promote teamwork, conquering fears, overcoming adversity, learning lessons and motivation in failure, and realizing opportunity in victory,” Davidson said. “We have dramatically upgraded our sports facilities – including a firstclass basketball arena, a new stadium for soccer and lacrosse, a new running track, and new tennis courts. Other extracurricular activities on campus include over 24 clubs and opportunities in drama, fine arts, mock trial, student council, and several technology-focused organizations, among many others.”
“In other ways of helping students become leaders, as many as 30 of our high school students serve as interns in real-life settings in the marketplace and other career fields,” Davidson added.
“We also send groups of teens to countries and places in the US to serve. We
“We are competitive academically with other top schools, public and private, with the added component of a strong connection rooted in the timeless values of the Bible.”
– MATT DAVIDSONDAVIDSON HAS BEEN THE UPERINTENDENT OF TIMOTHY CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS SINCE 2010.
call them Renew Service trips,” Davidson said. “This year, 37 students helped build two houses in Costa Rica, 26 worked at an orphanage in Honduras, and 16 helped minister to victims of human trafficking in Los Angeles. In these settings, our students come to understand how leadership starts with a willingness to help people.”
Another measure of success: record enrollment and record demand. The students come from nearly 700 church-going families from 20 miles in every direction. Timothy is a non-denominational Christian school with over 220 churches represented.
Overall, the school’s alumni, board of directors, and current families and students believe in the mission so much that they have invested over $60 million in the last ten years to improve and expand the facilities. And yet, tuition levels remain lower than other private schools in Chicagoland of similar size and programming.
Timothy’s success is not a happenstance. It comes from a well-thoughtout vision and an enduring commitment to fulfill it. Davidson was hired 13 years ago to lead the school because the board liked what he said he would bring; he has delivered. As Elmhurst Magazine staff walked
through the buildings with Davidson, students updated him on progress in one activity or another made sure to say hello, and they smiled as Davidson encouraged them. They know he supports them, and they respond. Every parent has his cell phone number. When he emails parents, he starts with the same phrase in his salutation: “Team Timothy.” And it’s clear this team is winning.
It’s obvious that Davidson loves his job. He certainly gets the love back in
several ways. One big way is student results. “Our students are learning how hard work can pay off. One of the keys to winning,” said Davidson, “is to get enough people to care… enough people willing to pay the price for success. Here at Timothy, it’s a community of people who care. We’ve locked arms together behind these simple truths for our youth: God loves you, and He has a purpose for your life. Nothing will be impossible for you as you live out that purpose for His glory.”
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Attendees enjoyed a night of fun at the free live summer concert on June 6th sponsored by the Downers Grove Park District. Chicago Tribute Anthology played throughout the evening as concert goers kicked back and relaxed at Fishel Park in downtown Downers Grove. The free concerts are held Tuesday evenings through August 15 and feature a variety of genres.
JOIN OUR WAIT POOL EARLY FOR PRIORITY PLACEMENT. SELECT 6TH GRADE OPENINGS AVAILABLE.
Schedule your personal tour and learn why more and more families are choosing Timothy Christian Schools for a Biblically-rooted education.
timothychristian.com/tour
PS-12TH GRADE NONDENOMINATIONAL BIBLICALLY-ROOTED TRADITIONAL VALUES
Timothy offers over 40 extracurriculars and co-curriculars, and over 20 Advanced Placement®, Dual Credit, and Honors classes.
2023–2024 OPEN HOUSES
High School Showcase Night, November 6
Elementary Open House, November 13 (Grades 1-6)
Middle School Open House, November 27 (Grades 6-8)
Preschool Information Night, December 4
Kindergarten Information Night, December 13
“Having a like-minded community of other parents who believe in the timeless virtues and values of the Bible has dramatically impacted my family’s life.”
As a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Timothy Christian Schools is a college preparatory school that is committed to an excellence-driven program of academics that is fostered by the eternally relevant morals, virtues, and values found in the Bible. Whatever your child’s goals are — they can get there from here!
timothychristian.com
hello@timothychristian.com
Timothy Christian Schools 188 W. Butterfield Road Elmhurst, IL 630.782.4046
ON JUNE 2, JIM TUREN WON “BEST IN SHOW” WITH HIS 1968 CHEVY II NOVA AT THE MOOSE CRUISE NIGHT.
Through September 1, downtown Downers Grove will host classic car shows that feature old favorites and new cars alike. The Moose Cruise nights, sponsored by the Loyoal Order of Moose Downers Grove Lodge, features cars from the 1950s to the 1990s, including muscle cars, hot rods, and more on Friday nights from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Walk over to live entertainment at Main Street Station, sponsored by Downers Grove Downtown Management Group, the same evening.
Our first watch with a dial and bezel set with lab-grown diamonds. The bezel is set with 48 Top Wesselton brilliant-cut lab-grown diamonds, and there are a further 44 Top Wesselton brilliant-cut diamonds set into the dial. Each diamond is E-G in color and VS1 quality. In total, the watch is set with 1.2 carats of diamonds.
Behind these precious stones, the watch has a 41.5 mm stainless steel case, a cherry red dial, an automatic mechanical movement and either a stainless steel bracelet or a cherry red rubber strap. It’s water-resistant to 30 bar (300 metres).
Powered by the Oris 733 modified Sellita movement which boasts a 36 hour power reserve.
