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GREATEST GENERATION Charlie Hartley: Patriot and Successful Entrepreneur
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Light Up the Night Clarendon Hills Infant Welfare
Keeping the Doors Open District 181 adds saliva testing
Paul Virant Introduces Vistro Prime!
E VE RYW H E R E E L S E I T ’ S H E A LT H C A R E
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LETTER from THE PUBLISHER
THOUGHTS FROM THE “GREATEST GENERATION” People ask me all the time about how we select topics for the magazine. After all, it is hardly cookie-cutter, as you may have noticed. We pay attention to news and information that we believe will interest and enlighten. Sometimes, people give us a tip; sometimes, it is a matter of timing; sometimes, there is a story within a story that will draw interest. A few months ago, we spoke to Charlie Hartley of Hartley’s Cycle Shoppe about how times have changed in downtown Hinsdale since he has been in business in town since the early ’50s. When we sat down with Charlie, we found out that there was a bigger story—a story about a man who was part of the “Greatest Generation,” and through a lot of perseverance, created a very successful business selling bikes, and got involved with the community. We also keep uncovering stories about how people are dealing with the vagaries of the pandemic to reach their goals.
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The Clarendon Hills chapter of the Infant PLUS Welfare Society of Chicago auxiliary was looking for a way to run a successful benefit, while not being able to get people together. They came up with a “virtual” streaming video that sold 160 tickets to “Light Up The Night,” an annual celebration involving the whole town of Clarendon Hills. Ingenuity and hard work got the job done. Light Up the Night
Clarendon Hills Infant Welfare
Keeping the Doors Open
District 181 adds saliva testing
Paul Virant
Introduces Vistro Prime!
The Hinsdale Historical Society also found an ingenious way to plan a virtual “kitchen walk luncheon” on Friday, May 7, the weekend before Mother’s Day. As you read the story, you will learn that participants will be gathering at homes to enjoy a luncheon (catered or picked), a raffle and access to online content with an emphasis on design that “makes the old, new again.” As we all know, school learning, in-person, in these times has been a real challenge. Well, credit to the parents and staff at District 181 for finding an approach that combines safety and simplicity to make it possible for children to attend school in-person. They found a non-intrusive approach that uses a simple saliva test, which can be administered regularly and at low cost. HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE
Jim Fannin has taught athletes and businesspeople at all levels how to successfully get in the “zone” for success. He discusses The Masters, which marks the start of the golf season for many; shares the disciplines that champions follow on the golf course, on the tennis court and in the boardroom; and he talks about how to use the most fundamental of human tasks— the act of breathing—to help you focus better.
GREATEST GENERATION Charlie Hartley: Patriot and Successful Entrepreneur
10
The pandemic has put many to the test in finding ways to function when they can’t get together, but when it comes to sports, it is the exact opposite: there is no substitute for going head-to-head.
Of course, we all know how local dining establishments have had a rough time during the pandemic. We talked with restaurateur Paul Virant, who has revamped his Hinsdale restaurant Vistro Prime as a steakhouse.
Last but not least, Hinsdale Magazine wants to do its part for the community. To that end, we are hosting a seminar on Friday, April 23 at 9:30 a.m., and we have asked Jim Fannin to give a live and streamed Zoom talk on how you can make your company more successful, and which, in turn, will enable people in your company do more for your community. https://zoom.us/j/93325086019?pwd =RVRWVzkyTTg5Mm1XMTFqWG5jL2ZPQT09#success Joining Jim as a speaker will be Roy Spencer, founder and owner of Perma-Seal. His company has been recognized as one of the top workplaces in Chicagoland, and he a big believer in giving back. This first event will be at his company headquarters in Burr Ridge. Note the commonality of all these stories: people not giving up, and looking to make things better, together. It has to make you feel good.
Scott Jonlich Founder & Publisher sjonlich@hinsdalemag.com
CONTENTS 10 PUBLISHER’S LETTER
30 COMMUNITY SCENE
16 COVER STORY
36 GIVING BACK
One of “The Greatest Generation”Charlie Hartley, Patriot and Successful Entrepreneur
26 GIVING BACK
40 SCHOOLS
Light Up The NightClarendon Hills Infant Welfare
16
Hinsdale Historical SocietyKitchen Walk Luncheon
Raising the Quality of Life, Family by Family-Helping Willowbrook Corner
Keeping the Doors OpenDistrict 181 adds Saliva Testing Program
42 ENCORE
Personalized PerfectionTalking with MK Construction
46 ENCORE
Diveheart-On the Mark
50 SPORTS
Jim Fannin talks about sports
62 FOOD & DRINK
30
40
Paul Virant-Local restaurateur reintroduces Vistro Prime
62
ON THE COVER: Charlie Hartley, Patriot and Successful Entrepreneur Photography by Marcello Rodarte
FOR THE LATEST NEWS, HAPPENINGS AND PHOTOS, VISIT WWW.HINSDALEMAG.COM 12
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presents
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Do More In Your Business & In Your Community Featuring
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Mike Ellis mike@HinsdaleMag.com CREATIVE DEPARTMENT
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Julie Jonlich Kerrie Kennedy Wendy Foster FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Jim Fannin, America’s ZoneCoach® Roy Spencer, President, Perma-Seal - Recognized as one of Chicago’s workplaces by Chicago Tribune - Roy is a member of “Conscious Capitalism”
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Hinsdale Magazine, Inc. 3 Grant Square, #201 Hinsdale, IL 60521 630-655-3400 www.HinsdaleMag.com Serving Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills and Oak Brook. No person, organization or publication can copy or re-produce the content in this magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the publisher. The publisher, authors, contributors and designers reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work. Hinsdale Magazine, Inc. assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information. The information contained about each individual, event or organization has been provided by such individual, event organizers or organization. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Hinsdale Magazine, Inc. Comments are welcome, but they should be on-topic and well-expressed. Copyright ©2021 Hinsdale Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.
Charlie, Thank you for your dedicated service to Country and Community. Your friends at Hinsdale Bank
Hinsdale Magazine | Cover Story
One of
“THE GREATEST
GENERATION”
Charlie Hartley, Patriot and Successful Entrepreneur BY LARRY ATSEFF PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCELLO RODARTE 16
HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE
HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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Hinsdale Magazine | Cover Story
T
om Brokaw, famous as a national nightly TV news anchor, became even more famous when in 1998, he published interviews and observations about the men and women he called the “The Greatest Generation”— those who grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. One person he didn’t interview was Charlie Hartley—yes, that Charlie Hartley, of Hartley’s Cycle Shoppe in Hinsdale. In these times of a pandemic, which has upset the very basics of living throughout the world, and fanciful notions like “cancel culture” are attempting to literally rewrite history, his factual history is worth knowing.—It is also reassuring.
“While Ft. Leonard Wood was hot and humid, Ft. Lewis was always raining,”
never got dry. You had to change boots every day, but your boots never got dry.”
An entrepreneurial spirit Charlie remembers one unique situation, which speaks to the fact that he never has been shy when it comes to making money and seeing opportunities. “While we were at Fort Lewis, they were going to let us come home for Christmas for one week,” he said, “and I asked the captain of our company if I could charter some airplanes to fly the guys home to Chicago. And he says, ‘If you think you can do it, go ahead.’ And I did.”
“The world and I, especially, will never forget about one month before the invasion was to take place, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and then on Nagasaki to convince the Japanese to surrender.”
Charlie was born on June 28, 1928 in Elmhurst, one of three children. His father Charles was secretary-treasurer of the Elmhurst Chicago Stone Co., and served in World War I; while his mother was a housekeeper. The family had three children. Even though his father had a good job, Charlie was expected to work at an early age.
Three early doses of reality On his first job, he learned a valuable lesson about taking care of customers. He recalls working on a route delivering Saturday Evening Post magazines. He would go door to door, with a sack full of the magazines, which were “unusually tall.” In fact, when it rained, they got soaked. When he started losing customers, he used his common sense and found a magazine that fit into his sack so they didn’t get wet. He implemented another improvement when starting using a bike to make more deliveries. While it expanded his route, when the bike broke down, he had to rely on himself to fix the chain or the flat tire. Little did he know then how handy it would be to know how to repair bikes. A serious dose of reality hit in 1945, when Charlie walked onto one end of the stage at Elmhurst (York) High School to receive his 18
diploma, and went to the other end to meet an army recruiter who enlisted him into military service. Since the war was still raging, he knew it wouldn’t be long before he would be going overseas. After four weeks—a standard period of leave— and before basic training, he was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri for six weeks, and then on to Ft. Lewis, Wash. for further training as a combat engineer.
HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE
- CHARLIE HARTLEY
Charlie said. “We never saw the sun one day after we got there—never. When I looked out the window next to my bunk, those little squares in the screen were always filled with water in the morning. That's how humid it was.—And our boots
Young Charlie Hartley in uniform during World War 11
The trips to Chicago and back to Seattle were “trips” in themselves.
“I hired two commercial DC-3s,” Charlie said. “We flew the guys home to Chicago. We landed in the northeast corner of Montana to refuel, and it was snowing out. And our plane came in first; [and a] second plane came in. And while he was taxiing over to the fuel depot, the wings hit a hangar, so it decommissioned the aircraft. So, they had to bring another airplane in from wherever it was coming from, and fly those guys home. So they were a day later than we were, but they got back okay to Chicago. “The trip back to Seattle was no picnic either. Of course, they never have snow in Washington, because it always rains. But as we approached Washington, it was snowing. The airport was at the Boeing plant landing-strip that had no capacity for removing snow on the runway. So we had to land at another airport, and on the other side of the mountains at Wenatchee, Wash. And then the airlines had to hire buses to get us over the mountains. Well, when you get up in the mountains, what are you going to have?—more snow. So we followed a snow-plow. This caused 150 guys to be AWOL, because of Seattle having snowfall. That was an experience by itself. I had never followed a snow-plow that a big propeller in front that throws the snow off into the woods—[that]
Yokohama. ... I bought my mother a set of Mikomoto pearls. And I bought scarves for my sisters, but didn’t buy anything for my dad. ...
The devastation caused by atomic bombs dropped on Japan
doesn't push it to the side like they do on our highways here." Charlie said the plane traveled about 3 miles per hour. At Ft. Lewis, Charlie and his fellow servicemen learned what a combat engineer does: laying down runways and roads, building bridges and operating LSTs (landing ship tanks) in preparation for an invasion of Japan. Like thousands of others, he was shipped out to Okinawa to get ready.
When an international event changed his life “The world and I, especially, will never forget about one month before the invasion was to take place, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and then on Nagasaki to convince the Japanese to surrender—what a dramatic turn,” Charlie said. The Japanese indeed surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri. And while many Japanese died because of the bombs, many more were spared on both sides, because it avoided the deaths that would have been caused by the massive allied invasion that was being planned. And just like that, the mission of soldiers in Charlie's company and thousands of others completely changed from fighting a bloody battle to the new American role of helping Japan to recover from the bombing devastation. “We spent two years working to put Japan back together,” he said. “They had no water, no electricity, no roads, no
buildings—it was our job to put all of this back. I remember as we cleaned up the bombed-out streets, bombed-out streetcars and buses, they were all put away in the fields. The Japanese men would actually come during the night, and wheel them away and put them on their property. I don’t know how they did it, but they did, so they could live in them. In reality, all of this belonged to the Japanese anyway. There was nothing standing between Yokohama and Tokyo. The only [things] that [were] left were I-Beams and pieces of chimneys.” “Because we had so many companies, we actually worked 24 hours a day— different shifts, so things could keep moving. Because there was a big shortage of water, we had to repair the system to get that going. We had to get the trains up and running, getting electricity back for the streetcars again. The remaining streetcars were not enough, so I remember riders were actually hanging off the sides of the streetcars to go from point A to point B. “Being in headquarters company, I was doing all the battalion’s paperwork. And when the lieutenant colonel was not going to be using his Jeep, he told me I could use [it]. And believe it or not, there were three fellows with me that I graduated with from high school and enlisted with me, and if we had liberty at that time, we’d get the Jeep and go sightseeing. One of the things I wanted to go see was the submarine base that the Japanese had, which was around Tokyo Bay. Those were off-limits, so we never got to see those. “I do remember going to downtown
“The same people always ran out of money, because we only got paid once a month. So I always knew ahead of time who the pay officer was, and I would notify him that I’d be at the other end of the table, where I could collect my money. And I lent money to the guys in all the companies, 6 for 5. ... If I hadn’t been in headquarters company, I would have never had that opportunity. But when I was there at the pay table, I was able to collect my money. The same guys would come back in the middle of the month and borrow money again. I don’t know what they were doing with their money, but anyhow, it was none of my business as long as they paid me. So I was making money—you might call it investing. “And I gave up smoking cigarettes at that time, too. Because you could sell a carton of cigarettes for 1,500 yen. I have no idea how the translation was. But I’d take my Japanese money to the PX, and the officer would change their Japanese money for American money. Then I’d go to the bank on the post and put it in my account. Yes, I did invest it. I did.” “After two years, we were slated to rotate back to the states—and were we happy!”
A memorable welcome home “We came on a transport ship, and there was a sign on the Golden Gate Bridge: “Welcome home.” We got in too late in the afternoon to have a tugboat put us into the dock, so we weighed anchor in San Francisco Harbor. And when we got there, the tide changed at that particular time, and just started moving out. We had general prisoners aboard the ship, and they were down in the chain locker (that’s where you put the prisoners—the most secure place of all). They had leg-irons on; they had no handcuffs. They would have to come up to the weather deck, then go down the weather deck, then go down the gangway to get to the galley to eat. Well, these two young men decided that this was their opportunity. So the two of them jumped overboard while they were waiting in line to go down to eat. And of course, as soon as they hit the water, they started
Continued on next page HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
19
Hinsdale Magazine | Cover Story Continued from previous page yelling for help. The guys in front and back of them didn’t say anything; they just shut up and let them go. When that tide goes out, the tide is really, really strong. It wasn’t long before a man overboard alarm was sounded. And, because it was dark now, they put on the big lights, and got a lifeboat out. And, of course, Alcatraz was off the starboard side. So I don’t know if the operator from our ship had notified them we had two men overboard, but soon they had a motor launch in the water already, and they went over and picked them up. So they got to Alcatraz even before the got off the boat.”
Question and Answer Larry Atseff: What rank did you have? Charlie Hartley: I rose to the rank of Tech 5. I received several ribbons and medals for that duty: victory medal south Pacific ribbon, good conduct medal, army of occupation Japan and south Pacific ribbons.
What to do next? Atseff: There you were, in 1947-8, out of the Army and back to being a civilian. What did you do next? Hartley: To tell the truth, I was trying to find myself, and I had a lot of different jobs. I came back to Chicago, and got married to Audrey Hauber in 1949. I tried being a milkman; I was a milkman for Bowman Dairy. And we had a bad winter. I had a milk route all the way in Wood Dale, Itasca—way out west. To make sure it wouldn’t be late in the morning, I had an alarm on my radio. It broke, and I took it to Charlie’s, a radio/ TV bike repair shop in Oak Park. I asked him to fix my radio/alarm so I wouldn’t get fired for being late. He said, “Okay, if you will help me with repairs.” When he got so many bicycles that it crowded his TV and radio business, I offered to buy the bike repair part of his business and the tools to go with it. I opened a shop in Oak Park, and that was the first time I was actually running a bicycle business. In wintertime, delivering milk was not pleasant. So the spring came, and I said to Audrey, “Let’s go down to Florida.” We put all the bike tools in storage, and went 20
HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE
down to St. Petersburg, Fla., where there was a dairy.
were hungry. And I ate the bacon then, because it was something to eat.
I went to work for them for a year and a half or two. The split shift was terrible. Because I’d have to go down early in the morning, load the trucks as they pulled up, and then have to come back in when they got done with their route at 1 p.m. I worked until all the trucks got in. You got paid by the hour, but with a split shift, you could never do anything.
Another turn of events and a new direction
And so we decided we would come back home to the Chicago area. I went to work for a while at International Harvester and then Chicago Screw and some other places, all the while working with tools and learning my way around machinery, and still working on bikes in off-hours.
Korean Conflict not as eventful as World War II for Charlie Charlie recalled he was called back to active duty in October 1950. Hartley: When the Korean War started, I got stationed at Ft. Sheridan, Ill., and I got involved in troop movement. My MOS (military occupation specialty) put me in a headquarters company again. So I actually was attached to the United States Post Office in Ft. Sheridan as a rotation specialist. Everyone in the post office was in troop movement, where we would accompany a group, so we’d rotate these assignments. I would take a train, and then the next five days, I’d be assigned to another train. ... Then I’d go to an airforce base, and try to get a lift home at some airport that's closer to Chicago, and then I'd take a bus or a train to get back. I’d just drop them off and head back. They always gave you a train ticket to come back on, but you could find ways of getting home faster than a train. And then you could turn your ticket in to get money, which came in handy, because I was married at that time. In all, my service time in both wars was five years, seven months, three days and nine hours. Atseff: How was the food? Hartley: I won’t eat hamburger that’s green in the middle. I will not eat dried eggs. The milk was powdered, [which] wasn’t too bad if it was cold, but [when] warm, it was terrible. Dry eggs were terrible, but you ate them, because you
Hartley: When I got out of the service this time, I started working for Ford Motor Co. And a situation came up that showed another side of me: standing up for myself. Production was halted one day, because a part for the assembly of an engine wasn’t available, and I was called on the carpet for it. I said I tried to get the part out of engineering so I could have it manufactured. The boss said, “[Whom] did you talk to in engineering?” And I said, “I talked to Mr. A.B.C.” He said, “Get Mr. A.B.C. here immediately.” And they brought him in and asked, “How often has Mr. Hartley been to see you?” And he says, “I don’t really remember how many times. Why?” “Well, the production line is now shut down, because of your inability to produce the engineering needed. Now, are you going to want to pay all those people, while we send them home because you did not get the engineering done?” And Mr. A.B.C. says, “No, I don’t want to do that.” The boss [asked], “How soon can you have the drawings done?” And Mr. A.B.C. [replied], “I can have it in about 12 hours.” The boss said, “I don’t want you going home tonight before you have that done. I want that paperwork down in the main tool room, so it can be manufactured during the night, so we could have the line running tomorrow morning.” I went back to my job out on the production line, and I saw my light on to go see my boss. He said to me, “You never do that.” I said, “Mr. Bowman, what do you mean by that?” He said, “You say ‘them’ or ‘they,’ not the guy’s name.” And I said, “You don’t say you went to Mr. A.B.C.?” ”Never—you never point a finger at anybody, not in the corporation. You'll never get any place with Ford Motor Co. that way.” When they were closing the plant on 79th [Street] and Cicero Ave., they flew Audrey and I to Detroit, because there was an opportunity to stay with Ford there. And we went over to Flint, Mich., spent the weekend there, looked around the town [and] came back. And Monday
Continued on next page
At 92, Charlie Hartley still stays quite active. HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
21
Hinsdale Magazine | Cover Story
Hartley opened his store on 24 W. Hinsdale Avenue in 1973.
Continued from previous page morning, the light was on again, so I went in to see Mr. Bowman; and [he] says, “Well, are you going to take the transfer?” I said, “You need an answer now?” And he said, “What's wrong with that?” I said, “Okay—no.” “What?—you’ve got ten years with the company already. You’re getting a transfer; you get a pay-raise. We’re going to pay for the move. What in the world are you going to do?” I said, “I’m going to open a bicycle and hobby shop.” He said, “You’re going to open a bicycle store?” “Yeah, because I have five kids, and I can get bikes wholesale.” He says, “Now I know you’re nuts.” Now Mr. Bowman was really a nice man, but he was very upset with me about pointing my fingers at the man in engineering. And I said that if they can’t take it, to point a finger at the guy that’s responsible for it—no, I’m not going to go there. And so Audrey and I and the kids moved to Hinsdale in 1954, and we have [lived] in this town for 64 years. (Charlie now resides in Willowbrook with his daughter Debra.)
Starting to sell bikes in Hinsdale 22
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Hartley: One Saturday morning in 1958, Audrey went to the bakery on west First Street in Hinsdale, and in the window, she saw a sign: “store for rent.” [The] next thing you know, we opened the bicycle store, and Lee Soltwisch was my landlord. I was still working for Ford, and Audrey took care of customers in the store. I would come home and work on the bike repairs at night. Atseff: Aside from having a bike for each of your five kids, what was your businessplan? Hartley: Early on, I had occasion to talk with a gentleman by the name of George Bunker, president and owner of Chicago Name and Tag Plate Co. I said I would like a loan of $5,000, so I could build an inventory, and start selling bikes as well as repairing them. He told me to take the loan $1,000 at a time as I needed it, so I wouldn’t have to pay interest on the whole loan at once. And I started out by getting the Schwinn bicycle franchise for the town. At the time, it was at Soukup Hardware, and they weren’t selling too many. I told Schwinn I would buy 20, and they said, “Let’s get started.” I also have the honor of selling the Cushman
motor scooter—scooters which required no licenses. That was another good investment in inventory. I just knew those Cushman scooters would sell in a town like Hinsdale, and I always made sure each customer knew what the latest models were, and who was buying them. I figured if I could get 50 percent of the kids in Hinsdale to buy a bike, 25 percent in Clarendon Hills and 25 percent in Western Springs, we could have enough business. Sales started growing, and I was able to pay my loan back to Mr. Bunker, which helped my credit rating. Then, in 1973, the location at 24 W. Hinsdale [Ave.] opened up, and I purchased the building, and after remodeling, we moved in right before Christmas. Since we were right by the tracks, that location showed train commuters there was a bike shop in town. That helped too. Others in town got to know me and vice versa. For example, for years, me and the folks that run King Keyser would share repairmen. In the winter, they would work for King Keyser on ski equipment; in the summer, they came over to my place to work on bikes. In fact, Rick Johnson at
King Keyser respected me so much that he vowed never to open a bike shop while my shop was in business. I always paid attention to customers. When a customer got a ticket for overparking, I said “Let me take care of that for you.” I took a lemon and turned it into lemonade. Charlie got involved with businesses in other ways. He started the West Suburban Bicycle Dealers Association, and served as president for three years.
Getting even more involved in town In 2010, an event in Charlie’s life recalled his years in the Army, and it changed his life and involvement in the town. Hartley: It was when I went to my son-inlaw’s father’s funeral, and the American Legion did a service for him. And as they came out of the room, I thanked each and every one of them for their dedication to the American Legion and to my son-inlaw’s father.
I came back to Hinsdale, and I went up to [village] hall and said, “I’d like to become an American Legion member.” And it’s the best thing I think I’ve done in a long time, because this town of Hinsdale has been so good to me and my family, that anything I can do to help Hinsdale, I’ve got to do. Because raising five children in this town—which is not an easy town to be the underdog in—the Hinsdale people were so good to me, that I just [had] to pay them back. With American Legion Post 250, Charlie has been involved with parades and educational activities to remind young people of the role American servicemen have had in the history of the country. For years, he has also participated in Shriner bike parades, riding a highwheeler bicycle. As another example of community involvement, he helped spearhead the gift of the beautiful clock that graces the Hinsdale train platform as president of the Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Rotary Club in 2007-08. The bricks at the foot of the clock also have the names of his kids.
The Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Of the many forms of recognition that Charlie has earned, perhaps one of the most memorable was the Honor Flight Chicago he took in October 2008 with 162 veterans to Washington, D.C.
wake-up call, and each of us was given an envelope, filled with letters from relatives and friends thanking us for our service. When we landed, there were 600 waiting to greet us. God, it blows you away. In closing our interview, Charlie told the story of when he felt he really arrived in Hinsdale. Hartley: In 1976, I was convinced by listening to Wally Phillips on WGN to buy a Cadillac El Dorado, the last convertible Cadillac made in the U.S.A. I walked into the dealership with Audrey and said, “I would like to buy that red one with the white seats.” Audrey said that was way too flashy, and instead chose a classy Venetian ivory model. I really enjoyed that car, and still have it to this day…in beautiful condition. As a matter of fact, Charlie has really enjoyed a very good life. He typifies “The Greatest Generation”—people who remind us that hard work, self-reliance, pride of country, proud to serve in the military, practical ideas, willingness to stand up for principles, and an urge to help others is what has made this country great, whether he was in the Army or in his bike store. In addition to interviewing Charlie directly, we also relied on an interview by Cherryl Walker in 2014 for the Veterans History Project for Library of Congress. ■
Hartley: It was a wonderful experience, down to the last detail. We were greeted at Midway Airport by ‘Andrew sisters’ impersonators, and treated to breakfast by the USO. We landed at Dulles in Washington, and were taken to the World War II memorial and the Korean War memorial. On the way back to Chicago, we heard reveille, the morning The Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Rotary Club donated the clock in downtown Hinsdale during Charlie's club presidency in 2007-08. HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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WHY PATIENTS TRUST HINSDALE DENTISTRY AND DR. PETER HARNOIS FOR THEIR
SMILE MAKEOVERS
Hinsdale Dentistry transforms hundreds of smiles per year. Just why are so many patients choosing this practice for cosmetic dentistry? Because they know that Dr. Harnois is an esthetics expert—not just regionally, but internationally. Combine his authority with the top-tier technologies available at his practice, and the decision becomes crystal clear. Hinsdale Dentistry has long been setting a standard for comfortable patient care, with the aid of multiple dental lasers and the iTero digital scanner for digital impressions. These tools provide more comfortable, precise and efficient treatment and give patients of all ages a new understanding of dental care. Whether Hinsdale Dentistry’s patients are children receiving fillings prepared with a water laser and no painful shots, adults prepping teeth for crowns or veneers, or anxious patients hoping to whiten their teeth without sensitivity or to avoid traditional impressions, the practice’s minimally invasive technologies revolutionize their experience. Dr. Harnois’ mastery of these tools has led to him becoming a sought-out trainer for emerging dental technologies and techniques. He travels throughout North America teaching other doctors to provide similarly exceptional treatment, sharing his skills as a clinician and esthetics authority.
DR. HARNOIS’ INTERNATIONAL LECTURING As a clinical trainer and lecturer for The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the American Academy of Facial Esthetics, and DenMat, the manufacturer of Lumineers, Dr. Harnois provides handson training and education to dental and medical professionals across the country. He shares his philosophy that every patient deserves the most gentle and minimally invasive cosmetic and metal-free dental treatments with natural results, and enables other dentists to elevate their patient care. THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF COSMETIC DENTISTRY (AACD) Dr. Harnois is a 10-year member of the AACD, which is considered the highest body of knowledge of esthetic dentistry. He is also one of the main presenters at their annual educational symposium each year. THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FACIAL ESTHETICS (AAFE) Dr. Harnois is the President of the Illinois American Academy of Facial Esthetics and trains dentists in Botox and dermal filler techniques. He is a nationally recognized leader in minimally invasive total facial esthetic techniques. Dr. Harnois has instructed thousands of healthcare
professionals through both lecture and hands-on courses and is an outstanding instructor who is known for his coherent and interactive style. DENMAT, LUMINEERS MANUFACTURER Dr. Harnois partners with DenMat to train other dentists in minimally invasive esthetics. He provides hands-on preparation and placement of minimally invasive, ultra-thin, highly esthetic veneers, and educates other dentists on smile design and case consultation and evaluation. He has also authored their educational platforms for the last four years. As an educational leader for current dental technologies and minimally invasive procedures, Dr. Harnois is able to truly transcend and provide patients with unparalleled dental care. If you’re interested in learning more about a noninvasive smile makeover or full mouth rehabilitation, reach out today to schedule a complimentary consultation. We are offering specials on Lumineers smile makeovers—reach out today to learn more!
911 N. ELM, SUITE 230 | HINSDALE, IL | 630-323-4468 | WWW.HINSDALEDENTISTRY.COM
Hinsdale Magazine | Giving Back
Light Up the Night
Clarendon Hills Infant Welfare BY: MIKE ELLIS
T
he Clarendon Hills chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago auxiliary (CHIW) presented its annual benefit, “Light Up the Night,” at homes throughout the village on Jan. 23. The chapter sold approximately 160 tickets, which provided purchasers with access to a streaming video produced by CHIW members that featured both live and recorded content. Ticket purchasers had the option of hosting their own benefit parties in their homes, but most opted to simply enjoy the content with their families. CHIW president Jen Alsman, benefit
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co-chair Melissa Woodbury and chapter member Michelle Casini toiled on video production in Alsman's basement throughout the evening. Alsman, Woodbury and benefit cochair Danielle Wheeler recorded a professionally-shot video at the new restaurant Walkers in downtown Clarendon Hills, introducing viewers to aspects of Infant Welfare, which operates the Angel Harvey Family Health Center in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Infant Welfare CEO Jerry Isikoff discussed the impact of Coronavirus on the Angel Harvey clinic, explaining that they have had a number of staff members test positive for the virus, but have been
fortunate not to lose any patients to the disease thus far. In a recorded segment, Woodbury introduced Jasmine Flores, a former Infant Welfare patient who resides in the Gage Park neighborhood of the city roughly 45 minutes from the clinic. The video concluded with a comedy routine by Pat Tomasulo of WGN Ch. 9 that tackled a variety of subjects, ranging from politics to crime in Clarendon Hills. For more information about the Clarendon Hills chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago, visit www. clarendonhillsinfantwelfare.org. ■
Danielle and Michael Wheeler
Andrew and Liz Bassett
Joe and Michelle Recendez
Melissa Woodbury, Michelle Carlini and Jen Alsman
The Ma family HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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Hinsdale Magazine | Community Scene
Hope Lloyd Brown, Alexis Braden, Cara Omiecinski, Carrie Rozich, Sabrina Ribeiro, Jen Chillo, Kristen Laakso and Sarah Zielke
Hinsdale Historical Society Women's board preparing kitchen walk luncheon
L
BY MIKE ELLIS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINA MENAPACE
ike many non-profit organizations, the Coronavirus pandemic has forced the Hinsdale Historical Society (HHS) Women’s Board to make significant adjustments to its events. The women’s board canceled the popular Hinsdale Cooks! Kitchen Walk in May 2020 due to the pandemic, and was unable to conduct the event traditionally the Friday
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before Mother's Day this year as a result of lingering restrictions. Instead, the board improvised, converting its luncheon—generally held in January—into a virtual event styled the kitchen walk luncheon, and moving it to May 7, the Friday before Mother’s Day. Luncheon co-chair Sarah Zielke said the kitchen walk has been a
tradition that ladies in Hinsdale and surrounding towns have looked forward to for roughly the past 15 years, and the women’s board wanted to keep the custom of gathering in May alive. “Typically, on the Friday before Mother’s Day, we wake up, look out the window hoping for a sunny spring day, get dressed up and get ready for a day of beautiful homes and fun with friends,” luncheon co-chair Hope Lloyd Brown
said. “This year, we are hoping you wake up feeling the same way.” Tickets to the virtual luncheon will go on sale April 5, and will include lunch, a raffle ticket and access to online content on the day of the event. Ticket sales will coincide with the launch of social media content on the women’s board’s online platforms, which will continue for the ensuing month leading up to the luncheon on May 7. Historical society trustee Alexis Braden said renowned regional interior designers Summer Thornton, Sarah Vaile, Laura Ashley Allan and Kelly Hurliman will be providing "design and entertainment inspiration" on social media through May 7. “Our hope is that people will
follow along on Instagram,” Zielke said, adding that there will be a “very well-coordinated digital rollout” of content. “There will be designers highlighted; there will be weekly rafflepulls; there will be content provided by local businesses.” Zielke described the luncheon as a “very design-focused event;” however, its focus will not be limited to home design, also incorporating designer dresses and art pieces that have been donated by designers from around the world. “It’s been interesting to see what people contribute,” she said. But home design will be the primary point of emphasis. The theme of the
luncheon, “making old, new again,” shines a light on incorporating modern design in older homes. “I think with designers, the theme really resonates,” Zielke said. From a fundraising standpoint, Zielke said the raffle—for which designers have contributed coffee-table books, amongst other items—will be the “central focus.” Attendees may either purchase individual tickets or serve as ambassador hostesses in their own homes, with the pricing structure mapped out on the women’s board website. Homeowners that host up to ten guests in their homes that day will be eligible to receive additional perquisites.
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Hinsdale Magazine | Community Scene
Continued from previous page “We’ll have a pretty quick turnaround in terms of how many hostesses we'll have,” Zielke said. Given the virtual nature of the event, there will be no cap placed on the quantity of hostesses.
prizes from noteworthy designers and artists including Mark D. Sikes, Kara Mann and Paloma Contreras. Zielke
said
“people’s
genuine
it will be able to resume the Mother's Day weekend kitchen walk tradition in 2022. “No matter what,” Zielke said, “[the luncheon] will be a wonderful way to spend May 7, and an opportunity to come together.”
“Typically, on the Friday before Mother’s Day, we wake up, look out the window hoping for a sunny spring day, get dressed up and get ready for a day of beautiful homes and fun with friends. This year, we are hoping you wake up feeling the same way.”
The Hinsdale Historical Society Women’s Board will present a virtual kitchen walk luncheon on May 7. Starting April 5, tickets may be purchased at Take-home meals will be www.hinsdalehistory.org. Local provided by Paul Virant and ladies are invited to serve as Vistro Prime. ambassador hostesses, and open On the day of the luncheon, up their homes to up to ten guests - HOPE LLOYD BROWN, co-chair, Kitchen Walk luncheon participants are encouraged the day of the luncheon. There is to share their own tablescapes no limit to the number of hostesses eligible to and home events on social media. enthusiasm to have an opportunity participate. For more information about the “People are so excited to have to have something to look forward luncheon or the women’s board in general, something to look forward to,” Zielke to, and get dressed up, and have visit www.hinsdalehistory.org. ■ friends over” has made the luncheon said. worthwhile to plan. There will be content on the day of the She said the women’s board hopes event, including a raffle-draw, featuring “We would love it if it gets broader visibility, due to the format,” Zielke said.
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Hinsdale Magazine | Giving Back
RAISING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, FAMILY BY FAMILY The Willowbrook Corner Early Childhood Collaborative
F
or a family living in poverty in DuPage County, taking a new baby home from the hospital is both joyous and fraught with unbelievable challenges. As just one example of the perils
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BY LARRY ATSEFF
ahead, consider car-seats. The hospital may provide a family with an infant car-seat if they cannot afford one themselves; but generally, a baby outgrows that gift before its first birthday.—Then what? How does a family choose between keeping their
baby safe in transit (and not breaking the law), or providing food, medicine or housing? When families are stressing over such grave decisions, the importance of early childhood development can often become a backburner issue, even when it should be
among the first priorities for a young child.
“It fills a need for our families to find additional resources as they start on the journey of being parents.”
network that was needed to get things done, without it. It was a springboard to improve the hierarchy of family needs, from jobs, to food, to transportation, to ultimately childcare and early childhood education, that was needed.”
In the case of one family in Willowbrook Corner, an under-resourced area located in the southeastern corner of DuPage County, that second car-seat was provided through the - DR. TOM SCHNEIDER, superintendent, School District 180 Willowbrook Corner Early For more information on Childhood Collaborative the collaborative initiative, and we are incredibly appreciative of (WCECC). The WCECC is making DuPage Foundation for the program.” visit https://dupagefoundation.org/ a big impact in the region thanks initiatives/bright-early -dupage.html/ As a result, the lives of children in in a large part to funding from the the region, who funnel into Hinsdale title/how-snodgrass-family-fund-of-dupageSnodgrass Family Fund at the DuPage South High School, are positively foundation-is-delivering-impact-throughFoundation through the foundation’s impacted. the-willowbrook-corner-early-childhoodBright & Early DuPage initiative. collaborative?page=. ■ Marianne Pokorny, director of “Bright & Early DuPage is incredibly civic engagement for the YWCA important for our families, so they Metropolitan Chicago, oversees the have access to birth to five support leadership for Bright & Early DuPage. systems," said Dr. Tom Schneider, “Grants from the Snodgrass Family superintendent of School District 180. “It fills a need for our families Fund of DuPage Foundation through to find additional resources as they Bright & Early DuPage have provided start on the journey of being parents. critical funding for so many initiatives We’re thrilled to be able to work as and actions,” Pokorny said. “We partners with Bright & Early DuPage, would not have had the meetings, the HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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Hinsdale Magazine | Schools
KEEPING the Doors
OPEN
District 181 adds saliva testing program as it resumes full in-person learning this month
BY MIKE ELLIS
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I
n-person gatherings in general have been turned upside down by the Coronavirus pandemic, and at the heart of the debate concerning safety and efficiency has been the question of the proper attendance model in schools. After spending nearly the entire schoolyear in hybrid learning, Community Consolidated School District 181 targeted a return to full in-person instruction for the first time in more than a year on April 5. Passions have run high on both sides of the debate both during board of education meetings and in online forums, but ultimately, the board determined that it was in the best interest of the students and community to resume full in-person learning for the last two months of the school-year. But with the number of children in school approximately doubling at any given time, the district adopted a voluntary saliva testing program to increase the probability of full in-person success.
which formed a partnership with D102 to conduct testing. Both districts commenced with a pilot program, and have continued with saliva screening throughout the year. When a D105 board member inquired regarding potential privacy concerns back in September, Campbell replied that all samples are “properly disposed” of once they have been run. Lavigueur said studies have revealed that weekly surveillance programs have “driven down transmission rates in the areas they cover.”
the district handled things,” Sultan said. But in watching events unfold throughout the school-year, Sultan said she was confident in sending her children back for full in-person instruction in April. “I have no hesitation at this point,” she said. ... “The game-plan that I’m seeing the administration roll out is amazing.” Sultan said her niece, a sophomore at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, has enjoyed a pleasant experience on campus this year, with twiceweekly testing.
“I think it’s really wonderful that they have another avenue through which parents can feel more comfortable getting their children back to school.”
District communications director Jamie Lavigueur said D181 sought out a nonintrusive test that could be conducted on a weekly basis, and provide results within 24 hours at a cost not to exceed $20 per test. The district settled on Brookfield-based SafeGuard Surveillance LLC, which Lavigueur said satisfied all of the desired parameters. SafeGuard Surveillance was established by Dr. Ed Campbell, a virologist and associate professor at Loyola UniversityChicago, who is also the vice president of the La Grange School District 102 board of education. Campbell derived the saliva test from his friend and colleague Dr. David O’Connor, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who developed the test in the summer of 2020 for the purposes of opening his son’s school. In order to take the test, the subject spits into a vial, and then receives a result within hours. District 102 adopted the saliva screening program prior to the start of the 202021 school-year, and was followed weeks later by La Grange School District 105,
- SHAZIA SULTAN, District 181 parent
“With weekly testing, we will have a more accurate assessment of overall COVID-19 rates and risks at D181 schools, providing an extra layer of reassurance for providing in-person instruction, in addition to the many safety measures our schools already have in place,” she said. Saliva screening is efficacious in proportion to the number of students and staff that participate. District 105 set a target of 80 percent student participation, but did not exceed 75 percent at any point in 2020. While District 181 understands that not every family will desire to participate in the program, Lavigueur said “the more individuals who participate, the more effective it is as a preventative measure.” Shazia Sultan of Hinsdale, the mother of a seventh-grader at Hinsdale Middle School and a fourth-grader at The Lane Elementary School, said she likes the availability of the saliva screening program. Prior to April, Sultan’s kids had been fully remote the entire year. She said she was “nervous” at first, and was unsure how the district would manage its hybrid model. “I wanted to buy myself time to see how
“Whatever we can do to have the most confidence in [the kids’] safety, it’s very important to have it,” she said. Sultan likes the fact that the program is voluntary, adding that the pandemic has been a “personal battle” for parents. “If you don’t want to use it, you don't have to use it,” she said. ... “They need to do what's best for their children.”
Sultan said she disagrees with comments she has observed from parents online opining that there are better ways to spend money. “At the end of the day, a child’s safety is not more or less than something else,” she said. Sultan said the board and administration have to do what’s best for the “majority” of families, and can't cater to every individual opinion that exists within the community. “I think it's really wonderful that they have another avenue through which parents can feel more comfortable getting their children back to school,” she said. Lavigueur said in-person students and staff have the opportunity to sign up and begin testing at any time throughout the year. “Our goal with this program is to avoid any school closures by identifying asymptomatic individuals, who can still spread the virus to others,” District 181 superintendent Dr. Hector Garcia said. “We encourage all of our students and staff to participate in this quick and easy reassurance of safety that provides another level of protection as we return to full inperson.” ■ HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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BUILDERS | MK CONSTRUCTION
PERSONALIZED PERFECTION in luxury home construction BY LARRY ATSEFF 42
HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE
BUILDERS | MK CONSTRUCTION
H
well-designed, well-constructed luxury homes, remodels and additions, as well as baths and kitchens, all over the Chicagoland area. When you look at our Web site, you will see the quality of construction; you will see the quality of smart, modern design; you will see the quality of the materials we use. And you can read the Q. We know there has been testimonials of the work we a residential construction have done and how we have boom since about April of worked with our customers. this year. How has your firm - MARCIN KAWA, founder and owner, MK Construction & Builders They speak better than I do— been doing? and that’s why most of our A. Fortunately, we have work comes from referrals. been busy, but we know that there are running the job from beginning to Q. What trends do you see in new more customers that we can also take end. And most of all, I learned that I home construction? care of, especially in luxury residential had an eye for design, which can lead A. We build all over the area. construction. to more luxury home projects. Along Because we build in the city, where Q. What separates MK Construction the way, I got to know people in the space and lot-size are at a premium, we industry who wanted to do the best job from other residential builders? have gotten to be very good at making possible, like I did. And so, in 2004, I A. I spent several years as a efficient use of space. And while there decided to start MK Construction & contractor, learning the business from is demand for large luxury residences, Builders, with a focus on quality, highthe ground up, so to speak. I learned there are also trends away from end construction. first-hand the best practices that go "McMansions" and toward making Now here I am 16 years later, more efficient use of outdoor space into building a home that people really appreciate and which allow us to be thankfully, with a staff that has grown for more entertaining and family use. very price-competitive. I learned [that] with the business. I am still "handsthe better you listen to the customer, on," and together, we are building Continued on next page insdale Magazine recently reached out to Marcin Kawa, founder and owner of MK Construction & Builders, to learn how his company has been doing during the residential construction boom this year.
the better the job will go, because we are bringing their dreams to life. I also learned the importance of delivering a job on-time and on-budget, and
“Fortunately, we have been busy, but we know that there are more customers that we can also take care of, especially in luxury residential construction.”
HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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BU I L D E R S | M K C O N S T R U C T I O N
Naturally, this is good for us and our expertise in making the most of space inside and out. We even have spec homes, where people can actually see some of our homes for the quality of design, quality of construction and use of top-quality materials.” Q. How about the trends in remodeling and additions? A. After living in a home for a while and wanting to stay in the home, people know what they want, or they are thinking about upcoming changes. The pandemic has more people working from home, and having their children "go to school at home." So, instead of having an entrance with a living room/family room, people are thinking of a front room that can serve as a home office for the family. They want that flexibility of the space. We are quite good at helping people decide on whether it is better to remodel or add on. It depends on
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how they see their future needs over the next 10 to 20 years. Above all, they want well-designed plans that are functional, meet their tastes and [are] cost-effective. Q. What trends do you see in remodeling luxury bathrooms and kitchens? A. Customers are asking more about spas and tubs in bathrooms where people can relax, or designs with more walk-in showers and luxury appointments in finishing the bathroom areas. Kitchens are already a place for people gathering. Today, they want them to be even more a place where people can gather and for space that is more multi-purpose. So, not only is there an emphasis on kitchen islands with seating; there is also demand for more space where people can sit around a table, and the kitchen area can be more multi-purpose. And, of course, they want the finest in appliances.
Q. What are you doing to respond to the current limited ability to meet face-to-face? A. We have turned this problem into an advantage for our customers and ourselves. We work on the basis of virtual meetings to keep customers up to date. We regularly use 3-D home tours, so customers can see actual progress on a job as it progresses. Constant updates with this new technology have made us more efficient and more responsive, and our customers have told us they appreciate the technology. To learn more about MK Construction & Builders, go to mkconstructioninc.net, or dial 773-817-1861.
Pictures are from recent custom remodeling project in Chicago.
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ON THE MARK DIVEHEART RECREATIONAL THERAPIST RON RISPOLI EYES 2020 PARALYMPIC GAMES IN TOKYO
E
ach month Diveheart Organization spotlights incredible volunteers in Hinsdale Magazine.
By joining the Diveheart team, you will become part of one of the most innovative non-profits in the diving world. Diveheart relies on the participation and donations of people like you to support our adaptive diver programs. Your involvement is valuable, regardless of whether you are on the surface, underwater or just spreading the word. Please support Diveheart, share the Diveheart story, and come join us at an event. We are about you. AS A RECREATIONAL THERAPIST, WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU SEE SPECIFICALLY FROM SCUBA THERAPY FOR YOUR STUDENTS?
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Any activity can have therapeutic benefits, as it is based on each individual person and their perceived mastery of the activity. What I believe sets scuba-diving apart from many/ most activities is that, 1. most people with or without a disability do not participate in the sport. Only one percent of the world’s population scuba-dives. Right there, the diver with the disability is participating in an activity that 99 percent of the world does not. 2. Unlike land-based sports and activities, scuba-diving allows for weightlessness to take over. For most of my students who have grown up sitting in a wheelchair, they are constricted by the laws of nature, meaning gravity takes over. Most of them have to use wheelchairs or walkers to ambulate. They have limited or no ability to use their legs. And depending on the disability, they
may have limited or no movement of their arms as well. Scuba-diving allows these same individuals to get free from their wheelchairs or walkers, and experience a gravity-free environment. They get to float underwater, and very often see their legs and arms move freely for the first time.
I previously mentioned the phrase “perceived mastery.” If you or anyone perceives that they are good at something, especially something that they enjoy doing, you or they will continue to do it. So if someone enjoys scuba-diving, they will continue to do it. And they will become more skilled as well. This perceived mastery only increases their self-worth and self-esteem. It also encourages them to try to do more. I can honestly tell you that I had a very shy student, who in high school P.E. class was told to sit on the sidelines and cheer the others
on. After getting involved in scubadiving, this “shy” student has ventured out of her comfort zone, and has gone on to get involved in more activities. In addition to diving, she is the lead volunteer at her local hospital for the past five years. WHAT ARE THE PARALLELS BETWEEN ARCHERY AND SCUBA IF ANY? The parallels between adapted archery and adapted scuba, better yet archery and scuba, is that with some adaptations or modifications, almost anyone can participate in either sport. And this goes for most sports in general. With a little tinkering here or there, every sport can be made accessible to anyone with a disability. Diveheart has trained a young lady with no arms to be a scuba diver. One of the best Paralympian archers that I know also has no arms and shoots his bow using his feet. If there is a will, there is a way! As I previously stated I grew up playing able-bodied sports. I did not use or did not need any adaptations…until I
took up archery. And with one small adaptation, a mouth tab attached to my bow string, I am now shooting with my contemporaries. I only wish that I would have done this sooner. I am currently shooting with some of the best adapted archery shooters in the world. My goal was to compete in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan next year, but as I said, I’m shooting with some of the best archers in the world. I have learned that there is still more work to be done. My goal as a Diveheart Board Member and volunteer, my goal as a person with a disability, is to educate others and let them know that they don’t have to sit on the sidelines and cheer others on, that with some slight modifications that they too can participate in scuba diving, or any activity that they choose. n
Ron Rispoli takes aim at Chicago Bow Hunters club located at 320 Charleston Drive in Bolingbrook.
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The Master
A
re you an expert? This is a person who has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area. Are you an expert financial advisor? Are you an expert parent? Are you an expert writer, singer or guitar player? Are you an expert golfer or tennis player? As an expert, are you attracting the peak performance mindset of the "zone," especially at the right time and place? An expert spends an inordinate amount of time, energy and sacrifice to reach this apex level of performance. Every year, approximately 90 to 100 professional and amateur golf experts play The Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga. They qualified because of this expertise; however, on tournament Sunday, only one will be called a Masters champion. A master is extraordinary. This person is unique. This is a rare artist, performer or player of consummate skill. This individual is more than expert at their craft. He or she can consistently put the "zone" on like an overcoat, as they showcase their expertise. Typically, a master is a person of the past whose work serves as a model or ideal. A master has spent an inordinate amount of time and effort in honing his or her expertise. They excel at the basics of their passionate work, and fully understand all of the nuances that come with it. A window of mastery opened to this individual when experience, knowledge, skill and passion culminated at the same time. A relentless pursuit of excellence brought them to this place in time. Through a myriad of challenges, they remained true to the purity of their craft. These are the masters. Who is a master? Think of Jimi Hendrix as he magically stroked his guitar. He felt the music, and it exploded through his fingers to mesmerized audiences. The great guitarists that followed all dreamed of Jimi’s riffs.
BY JIM FANNIN
Picasso or Jackson Pollock. They permeate our visual senses with the delicate touch of their artist’s stroke. When I helped launch the famous South Beach artist Romero Britto, it was the master Picasso that he emulated. Emily Dickinson was a master of the English word. Her poetry stands the test of time, as it invokes feelings of our own mortality. She has been recognized as one of the world’s top 50 most influential women. Ansel Adams captured the beauty of the American West, with his amazing blackand-white photographs. One glance at his scenes of Yosemite National Park, and you immediately think his name. Generations of photographers have tried in vain to capture his magic. And remember Fred Astaire? How he graced the stage! He was a virtuoso dancer whose career spanned 78 years. He had technical control and an astonishing sense of rhythm. Rudolf Nureyev, Sammy Davis, Jr., Michael Jackson, Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov all felt his influence. He made us all want to dance. These are experts that became masters. In the 2021 Masters Tournament, golf experts from around the globe gather to test their craft in the Georgia town of Augusta. One will be declared The Masters champion. Each contestant will leave Washington Road, and turn onto Magnolia Lane to the world’s greatest golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club. This memorable lane is 330 yards long, and is adorned by 61 beautiful magnolia trees. For 35 years, I’ve traveled up this picturesque driveway. I know it well. Through this entrance, the players will approach a 365-acre compound that encases the 18-hole course. This will be the player’s canvas, where they will attempt to
paint a masterpiece. The victor will place a white ball into 18 cups with the least strokes. The 7,475yard course is spectacular, with more than 80,000 plants of upwards of 350 varieties that adorn the Augusta National grounds. But don’t let the beauty fool you. Only a masterful performance on the treacherous and demanding course, in front of the most knowledgeable spectator base in the world, will wear the “Green Jacket” as the symbol of his mastery. Each could be considered experts of their craft—but are they truly a master?
Experts believe. Great experts expect. The master knows. The Masters test is formidable. From the first hole, the course will be challenging. Over 90 percent of the golf experts that tee it up will choke and be out of contention when the final round on Sunday is underway. Who will be left to vie for the Green Jacket prize? Most golf pundits (Golf Digest, etc.) say Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau or Dustin Johnson will still be in the hunt Sunday afternoon. They include Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele. This list is based on historic results—makes sense. Statistics— okay. However, the master has heart (not that the above players do not), and heart is difficult to measure. Outside of the favorites, look for dark horse performers Paul Casey, Patrick Reed, Brian Gay (Zoniac), Patrick Cantlay and Tommy Fleetwood. I’m rooting for the dark horses to have a heartfelt, masterful week. ■
Tip du jour: Focus on what you do well. Deal from your strength. Continue to hone these prominent parts of your craft.
Think of painters Salvador Dali, Pablo HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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Hinsdale Magazine | Sports
Why golf champions
WIN BY JIM FANNIN
I
t’s now spring. The Masters is here. It's time to play golf in the "zone." If you’re not a golfer, please share this with a family member, business associate or friend that
• Have low mistake tolerance; • Overthink their golf swing;
plays.
• Lack strategy or tactics for every shot;
There have been five distinguishing characteristics that have all played a major role in golf champions winning. I know: I’ve helped ten professionals win their first tournament. These intangibles spell an acronym that make up the word S.C.O.R.E. in the proprietary and proven S.C.O.R.E. Success System.
• Become impatient;
The five mental markers, once balanced at a high level, attract the peak performance mindset of the "zone." This is where your best golf resides. They are:
Self-discipline: Champions are committed to excellence, and are willing to stay with their own process of mental, physical and technical pre-round and pre-shot routines to achieve it. They are prepared for every practice and every round before they enter the range or course. They especially are prepared to swiftly adjust to changing circumstances, situations and conditions.
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• Have random or haphazard pre-round or pre-shot routines;
• Quit or give up mentally on the round; or • Rush or hurry their routines and shots.
Concentration: Champions focus their mental and physical energy on each task, as it leads to their goals and ultimately their vision. They can especially focus on the basics when the money is on the table. They can then detach from their goals, and totally lock in on the task at hand.
(while playing themselves); • Blame their swing or putting stroke; or • Blame the course, conditions, circumstances or situations.
Optimism: The champion has much more than belief; they have expectancy. In pressure situations, they can ramp it up to a sense of knowing. This unbridled confidence creates trust with what they have at the moment. They know that what they have is enough to reach their performance standard. They expect to reach their targets before every shot or putt. Champions do not: • Put themselves down; • Fear the first tee shot;
Champions do not:
• Have poor posture during the round;
• Lose focus without swiftly regaining it;
• Possess negative self-talk;
• Become easily distracted;
• Think negative in the past tense, as in mentally replaying errant shots;
• Go into the past after an errant shot or putt;
• Lack trust in their swing or their ability to right the ship;
• Focus energy on themselves;
• Feel inferior when their playing partner consistently out-drives them;
• Go into the future (except for strategy and tactics);
• Feel unlucky;
Champions do not:
• Juggle too many swing-thoughts;
• Lack vision with well-defined goals of what they want to accomplish;
• Think outside the course (business, family) while playing;
• Play without well-defined targets on the fairway or green;
• Get confused on what to do;
• Play without mentally mapping their overall course strategy;
• Become indecisive;
• Feel like a victim of the wind, poor lie or other factors;
• Judge another golfer’s swing or play
• Have the feeling they need to shoot
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• Second-guess themselves (especially with club selection); • Think too far ahead while performing;
a certain score;
• Choke on the final, closing holes; or
• Judge their performance while playing;
• Show their physical stress-level to their opponent.
• Attach to future results; • Abandon the process; • Drop their head after a missed putt or errant shot; or • Lose their will to compete.
Relaxation: The best in the world are cool customers. Seldom do you see champions sweat. They appear effortless, and move with ease and grace.
Enjoyment: The champion loves what he does and does what he loves. They love to execute the basics of golf, especially during “moments of truth.” The passion they exude permeates their performances. It ignites their spirit to heights that the normal golfer cannot reach. Their enthusiasm increases, especially when a challenge is placed in front of them. Champions do not:
Champions do not:
• Dread challenges;
• Worry;
• Lack passion (although a poker face can mask the pleasure of the challenge);
• Stress out before, during or after the round; • Get angry; • Have anxiety over a short putt; • Try too hard or press; • Panic;
• Lose the bounce in their step; • Have negative body language (especially after an errant shot or putt); • Use sarcasm regarding their golf game;
• Feel uncomfortable over a shot;
• Lose enjoyment when expectations don’t meet reality;
• Hold their breath or clinch their jaw at swing impact;
• Coast or go through the motions;
• Feel fatigue due to stress; • Have restless sleep before an important round; • Increase unnecessary grip pressure during their swing or putting stroke;
• Force the action from despair; • Have too much self-discipline; • Try too hard; • Lose the desire to compete; • Abandon the love of playing golf; or
• Breathe more than ten breaths per minute while playing;
• Lack smiles, high-fives, thigh-slaps or fist-bumps.
• Fear the first hole (especially in a big event);
All golf champions have high levels of self-discipline, concentration, optimism,
relaxation and enjoyment (S.C.O.R.E.) when they play.
What’s your weakest S.C.O.R.E. link? Champions know the "zone." Here’s what happens when golf is at your best. Intuition takes over decision-making. Your inner voice whispers 6-iron when logic says it’s a 7-iron. Of course, it was a 6-iron. Conscious thoughts are negligible or void between shots. Your eyes double or possibly triple shutter-speed, giving the illusion that the cup is larger or the overall round is in slow-motion. Skin sensitivity is heightened, and touch and feel on each shot are rewarded. Breathing is deep and long. A natural chemical cocktail is deposited into the blood stream for focused energy. Digestion slows down from the constricting blood vessels and capillaries in the stomach. The blood is swiftly diverted to the brain for clarity, and the large muscles for inordinate quickness, speed, agility, strength and stamina. A feeling that “nothing can go wrong” envelops the anointed "zone" performer. He or she knows the putt will be drained. A sense of purpose and calm arrives. This surreal feeling has been and is chased around the world by every golfer. However, it more frequently arrives at the champion’s doorstep. ■
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Tennis in the Zone BY JIM FANNIN
I
n Columbus, Ohio in the early 1970s, I had the good fortune to play my childhood idol in a tennis exhibition match—the great Pancho Gonzales. He was there to promote his racket company, and the irony was that my first racket was a Pancho Gonzales autograph model.
lost to a boy from Kentucky.” Now the crowd increased their laughter, and nervously, for the first time in the match, so did I.
me on the head like a child. Can you believe he did that? He said, “Kid, you just need some experience and more confidence.”
He gave the microphone back to the umpire, while I sat in my chair and thought, “Wow, I’m playing one of the best players in the world, Pancho Gonzales.” Exit, self-discipline.
Thanks for the lesson, Pancho. I never saw him again.
So, here I was on the court, facing my idol in front of 2000-plus spectators. I was so pumped up to play him, and he was still a world-class player.
I started thinking about what happened and what could happen. As the next game began, my energy was not on his side of the net. That’s where I’d been sending it freely to my targets. No, I started thinking about me and what I needed to do. So long, concentration.
I remember as the match began, I had so much energy inside of me that everything seemed in slow-motion—I was locked in the moment. The first time I served, I hit a clean ace that Pancho never touched. The second point, I won with another ace. I finished that game winning all the points. As we proceeded, I started moving Pancho Gonzales corner to corner, giving him an education in tennis court geography. After leading 4-1, we took a break while we changed sides of the court. Pancho stopped (remember, it was an exhibition match), and stood facing the audience. He grabbed the microphone from the umpire, and for everyone in the crowd to hear, he said to me, “You’re unbelievable, where are you from? I’ve never seen anyone so good.” Like a fool I replied, “Kentucky.” Everybody starting laughing. And then Pancho lit up and said, “You know, I’m one of the best players in the world, and I’ve never
My confidence level was very high before the match began, but right now, I’m playing my childhood idol. I remember holding my throat, the classic universal signal for choking. My confidence was slowly shrinking. Goodbye, optimism. Relaxation?—forget about it. I was tighter than bark on a tree. Enjoyment?—well, that was gone too. This was definitely not fun anymore.
When you are aware of being in the "zone," you’re not in it anymore. How many times do we get ambushed by an external distraction, and immediately plummet to our lowest performance level? With information arriving so fast via e-mail, text, Twitter, Facebook, fax, FedEx and cell-phone, it’s no wonder we become vulnerable to outside influences. From Pancho, I learned to prepare for the unexpected. I learned to stay locked-in on my objectives and the task at-hand. Before your next important performance, immunize yourself from the outside influences. Let nothing penetrate your champion’s mind. And always look great in the mirror after you’re done. ■
The next thing I remember is sitting in the locker room with my head slumped down on the tail-end of a 6-4, 6-1 defeat. I looked up and saw Pancho preening in front of the mirror. He was wearing a $1,000 shark-skin suit. He continued to revel in his rugged handsomeness in the mirror, knowing he looked good. He then came over and patted HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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Hinsdale Magazine | Sports
Attention athletes: need to relax? Learn to "breathe like a baby"
H
ow does a little baby fall asleep so quickly? Here’s the same technique to calm yourself down when the pressure on the course, court or field appears to be the greatest.
negative air. Place your left or right hand on your stomach. With every inhale and exhale, let your stomach move your hand. Breathe through your stomach; be aware of your hand being moved. After a few deep breaths, you’ll start to feel your shoulders relax.
When your heart is pounding, breathing is difficult and you’re preparing to tee off during the biggest event of the year, try this:
Slowly, repeat inhaling and exhaling, until you are in a relaxed rhythm. Within 30 seconds, you will feel more relaxed. Now send all of your energy down the middle of the fairway to a well-defined target. In tennis, send your energy to the other side of the net to well-defined targets. You’re ready to compete. Use this technique anytime
Begin by inhaling deeply; unhinge your jaw. Let your tongue float in your mouth. Place all of your awareness on your breathing. Fill your lungs full of positive, energized air; now exhale 58
BY JIM FANNIN
HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE
and anywhere. Remember: your supposed “nervousness” was just your body preparing to attract the "zone.” In fact, the blood vessels and capillaries in your stomach constrict in order to divert blood from the stomach to your brain for clarity, and to your large muscles for inordinate, speed, quickness, balance, strength and agility. This blood transfer gives most the feeling often described as the “butterflies.” Now you know what to do: Breathe like a baby. ■
Golf in the Zone™ School Waldorf-Astoria GC, Orlando FL
April 19 2021
Who: All golfers seeking to maximize their mental
performance to gain an edge on the competition, while lowering their scoring average. Enrollment limited on a first-come-first serve basis.
Led by:
Jim Fannin, America’s ZoneCoach® and Brian Mogg, Golf Digest top 50 Instructor. Learn coping skills for eliminating worry, anxiety, impatience and fear that you can apply in golf, business and any life situation, condition or circumstance. Equal time spent on classroom and range instruction.
Cost:
$975 per person
Contact Jim Fannin: askjim@jimfannin.com or call 630.321.2021
777 Oakmont Lane, Suite 50, Westmont, Illinois 60559 | P 630.655.9436 | www.albritebuilding.com
A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD STEAKHOUSE by Chef Paul Virant in Downtown Hinsdale Vistro has reopened as Vistro Prime! Join us for dinner and drinks Tuesday to Sunday—we look forward to welcoming you in.
Hours, Menus & Reservations: vistroprime.com • (630) 537-1459 • 112 S Washington St
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Strive Programs teach commitment and provide an opportunity for growth, to give you the greater advantage!
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FOOD & DRINK
Paul Virant
Local Restaurateur Reintroduces Vistro Prime
BY KERRIE KENNEDY PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCELLO RODARTE
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I
t’s been a long year of homecooking and takeout food, but as vaccine rollouts give Americans the confidence they need to return to inperson dining this spring, restaurant owners are hoping for a robust recovery. For local restaurateur Paul Virant, who owns Vie in Western Springs, the newlyrenamed Vistro Prime in Hinsdale and Gaijin in Chicago, it’s been a roller-coaster of a year, with lockdowns, restrictions, curfews and more. “Like a lot of other restaurants, we had to shift our business model quickly,” Virant said. “We now do a lot of carry-out at Vie, and we also did a lot of special meal-kits for major holidays.” Virant also had to address the push for outdoor space, erecting tents at Gaijin and Vistro Prime, and building a patio with a pergola and lighting at Vie. Suddenly, the landscape is changing again, and Virant—who kept his restaurants going thanks in part to two rounds of PPP loans—is preparing for recovery driven by pent-up demand. “There’s no question—it does feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” Virant said. “This past weekend, there were a lot of people at my restaurant in the city. Things are getting brighter.” And while there’s no doubt the last year has been tough, it hasn’t been without some silver linings.
“For me, 2020 was an opportunity to reflect and make changes,” he said. “It gave me time to do some redecorating, make changes to menus and rethink some of my concepts.” One of the biggest changes he made was at Vistro, which he re-concepted and rechristened Vistro Prime. “Hinsdale does not have a steakhouse in town,” Virant said. “I decided it was time that changed.”
“There’s no question — it does feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.” - PAUL VIRANT
Here’s a look at what Virant has planned for his restaurants this spring: • Vistro Prime. While the solid core of Vistro will remain in place—with burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, salads and a la carte offerings on the menu—the restaurant is transitioning into a neighborhood steakhouse. The new menu will feature dover sole, diver sea scallops, lamb-chops and five different cuts of steak, along with a variety of sauces and enhancements that can be customized by the diner. Along with the menu change, Vistro Prime received a makeover to match, featuring banquettes and tables dressed with white cloths and
votives. And to top off the old-school vibe, Bananas Foster, prepared tableside, will top the dessert list. Vistro Prime, 112 S. Washington in Hinsdale, vistrorestaurant.com • Vie. Virant’s mothership restaurant, which opened in 2004, remains a locallysourced foodie destination, where the produce comes from Midwestern farms and fish from the Great Lakes. While its culinary concept remains the same, Vie’s chef of 11 years Dan Compton has recently added a variety of sharable snacks to the menu, including cheese plates, deviled eggs and cheddar-cheese straws with smoked apple butter. Perfect to share on the restaurant’s brand-new patio over a bottle of wine, perhaps chosen with some help from Vie’s inhouse sommelier. Vie, 4471 Lawn Ave. in Western Springs, vierestaurant.com • Gaijin. After opening in November 2019—just four months before the lockdown—Gaijin reopened to the public on March 1. One of only a handful of Akonomiyaki (savory pancake) restaurants across the country, Gaijin prepares the traditional Japanese comfort food on a 12foot griddle in an open kitchen, and delivers it to tables equipped with warming units. Besides customizable savory pancakes, Gaijin’s menu features a number of shared appetizer plates and mochi donuts topped with a variety of frostings. Gaijin, 950 W. Lake in Chicago, gaijinchicago.com ■
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FOOD & DRINK
Vie in Western Springs features Pan-seared scallops, sweet potato puree, frisée, warm truffled sherry vinaigrette
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FOOD & DRINK
Gaijin in Chicago prepares traditional Japanese comfort food like Okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake) HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com
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