Hinsdale Magazine September 2017 by Hinsdale Magazine Group

Hinsdale SEPTEMBER 2017

SERVING HINSDALE, BURR RIDGE, CLARENDON HILLS & OAK BROOK

HINSDALEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIRST MAGAZINE $5 US VOLUME 7 ISSUE 9

MAGAZINE

JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME HINSDALE LITTLE LEAGUE ROLLS WITHIN ONE GAME OF LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

SCOTT JONLICH FOUNDER & PUBLISHER

sjonlich@hinsdale60521.com

and he credits his dad for shaping the man he is today. You Congratulations to the entire Hinsdale Little League can read Rosie Conway’s full interview with Jarrett on p. 76, organization, as the 12-year-old team accomplished something and you can also come meet him at the summit by purchasing no other Hinsdale team has ever done. They won the Great tickets at www.chicagosportssummit.com. Lakes Regional tournament, and narrowly missed a trip to the Little League World Series. The gritty group pushed it to the Oak Brook resident Jim Pehta is the chairman of the last six outs, and came up short, 6-3, in a championship finale Theodore Roosevelt Association’s Teddy Bear program, and to the Michigan state champions. truly has his heart in the right place. Jim volunteers to distribute thousands of teddy bears to sick children in hundreds of Hinsdale Magazine took a trip to the final destination just hospitals across the country. I’m proud to call him my friend, north of Indianapolis to witness a sea of red-shirted fans who and to date, the association, named after President Theodore filled the bleachers on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Back Roosevelt, has delivered over 88,000 home, the locals filled the local taverns, teddy bears. You can read Mady Miller’s including Fuller House, where the games article on p. 54 about how the generous aired live on ESPN. You can read all of the work of Pehta and his organization play-by-play action in Mike Ellis’s in-depth gives comfort to a child that needs it feature on p. 32, covering the team’s amazing MAGAZINE most. Local residents and businesses season. One highlight was Andres Waelter’s can support this incredible organization perfect game in the Illinois championship by donating or volunteering at www. game in downstate Olney, which actually theodoreroosevelt.org. solidified their third straight state crown! Most of this core group won state as 10 Dr. Joseph Marek of Advocate and 11-year-olds as well. Please visit www. Medical Group in Downers Grove hinsdale60521.com for more photos and founded Young Hearts For Life (YH4L), video highlights of the exciting run. and his mission is to provide every child and young adult a cardiac screening Coach Mike Ditka returned to have a (EKG) to reduce sudden deaths. This conversation with HM about the upcoming is an important story you will read on NFL season to give us his honest and HINSDALE LITTLE LEAGUE ROLLS WITHIN ONE GAME OF LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES p. 64, written by Rosie Conway. You straightforward insight on the Bears’ chances. will read how Clarendon Hills resident Last year, Iron Mike covered everything Kristy Brindley connected with Dr. from politics to player evaluation, and he sat Marek after her 16-year-old son Michael down with Mike Ellis and me to talk about collapsed and died after playing in a basketball game. The the upcoming NFL season, which you can read about on p.24. Brindley family honors their son’s memory and his love for Shortly after our visit with the coach, Hinsdale Magazine sports by continuing his blog as a non-profit foundation to drove up to Hoffman Estates to visit with another part of the inform other young athletes about getting a cardiac screening. Chicago Bears family—Jarrett Payton and his mom Connie. We A free screening program is available on Sept. 7 at Hinsdale were greeted warmly, as Jarrett reminisced about his famous Central, and you can learn more at www.just1mike.com, or by father Walter and their special relationship. Jarrett shared calling 630-207-2413. with us his memories of winning the MVP in the Orange Bowl when he played football at the University of Miami. He now If you would like share an important news story that enjoys life with his young son Jaden and his wife Trisha. Jarrett benefits your community in a meaningful way, please call will be a guest speaker this year at the second annual Chicago me directly at 630-655-3400, or e-mail me at sjonlich@ Sports Summit on Oct. 4 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in hinsdale60521.com. On behalf of our Hinsdale Magazine Chicago, where he will talk about empowering teens, finding staff, I appreciate you reading each month, and keeping your passion in life, while addressing bullying and respect for in touch. one another. Jarrett’s den is filled with memories of his dad,

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SEPTEMBER 2017

HINSDALE’S FIRST MAGAZINE $5 US VOLUME 7 ISSUE 9

JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME

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CONTENTS | September 2017 4

PUBLISHER LETTER

32 ON THE COVER

HINSDALE LITTLE LEAGUE

A summer to remember

Photography by Jennifer Boggs

70 COMMUNITY SCENE

Burr Ridge Chalk Fest Chicago Polo Cup Championship The Drake Challenge Cup 3-on-3 basketball tournament

70 20 TO DO LIST

September events

24 MIKE DITKA

Sunday conversation

45 WEDDINGS

Destination weddings

54 GIVING BACK

Teddy bears Team Up for Tony For chair-ity

64 HEALTH & WELLNESS

Hearts of Gold

66 THEATER & ARTS

Artistically inclined

76 SNAPSHOT

Jarrett Payton

80 PEAK PERFORMANCE

by Jim Fannin Big dreams do come true

82 INSIGHT

by Dan Meyer On white supremacy

FOR THE LATEST NEWS, HAPPENINGS, AND PHOTOS, VISIT HINSDALE60521.COM 14

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The blending of function, practicality and visual elegance. DESIGNERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WELCOME

FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Scott Jonlich sjonlich@hinsdale60521.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Mike Ellis mike@hinsdale60521.com CREATIVE DEPARTMENT Cheryl Chrzanowski Julia Sinogeikina CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rosie Conway Julie Jonlich Kerrie Kennedy Madeleine Miller COLUMNISTS Jim Fannin Dan Meyer FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS Daniel Garcia Kyle Hampson Jennifer Boggs Marco Nunez Jim Prisching ADVERTISING SALES Advertise@Hinsdale60521.com

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Hinsdale Magazine, Inc. 3 Grant Square, #201 Hinsdale, IL 60521 630-655-3400 Hinsdale60521.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 ÂŠ2017 Hinsdale Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.

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FALL INTO A NEW SMILE! Start Fall 2017 with the Smile You’ve Always Wanted Our smiles are more important than ever. But we’re not interested in cookie-cutter, piano key teeth— we want grins that truly represent who we are. How can you make over your smile without losing any personality, or harming your teeth in any way? Enter esthetic dentistry. This burgeoning concept is beginning to rule the dentist’s office – to the delight of both patients and dentists. Within this new realm, dental work is both beautiful and function-oriented. Dr. Peter Harnois of Hinsdale Dentistry elaborates on how to get the best of both dental worlds.

Why are you excited about the esthetic cause? Practicing at the esthetic tier allows me to routinely accomplish my ultimate goal: a gorgeous, healthy smile and a happy patient. With responsible esthetics at work, treatment is comfortable, the smile remains natural-looking, and the patient is wholly satisfied.

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Just what is responsible esthetics? A term coined by Dr. Ed Lowe of the AACD, it refers to removing the least amount of tooth structure to achieve the desired esthetics. Cosmetic dentistry as a field is undergoing a major shift to make esthetics a top priority.

Why is the dental world making the shift from “cosmetic” to “esthetic”? Cosmetic dentistry has long been the standard for patients seeking changes to the appearance of their front teeth. But it neglects to consider the full effects that treatment might have on the patient’s health. In this way, cosmetic dentistry is treatment that improves a smile’s appearance alone. Esthetic dentistry has a different focus: to improve a smile’s function, enhancing its appearance along the way. This type of treatment offers visual and physical benefits – something that patients really appreciate. The results are noticeable superficially, but extend deeper. For this reason, more and more dentists are looking toward esthetic practices.

As a dentist and an educator, how have you embraced esthetics? I’ve been practicing esthetic dentistry since 1990, and have made a commitment to educating other dentists on this branch of treatment. I’m proud to lecture internationally in over 30 cities per year, training hundreds of dentists to place minimally invasive veneers. My depth and breadth of experience, including a decade of educating dentists through hands-on veneer prep, make me a sought-after lecturer across the country. I am currently in the process of becoming accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the most prestigious education body for esthetic dentistry in North America.

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no pain, and no post-treatment recovery • President of the Illinois Chapter of time. the American Academy of Facial How do Lumineers compare to natural Esthetics teeth? Lumineers succeed at mimicking • Member of the AACD natural enamel; they’re indistinguishable • Member of the World Clinical from surrounding teeth. Their uniquely Laser Institute thin structure allows the ceramic • An international lecturer for the material to both reflect and filter light AACD, AAFE (Botox and (just like your teeth). The color of your dermal fillers), Biolase (the use of veneers will be precisely matched to laser technology in dentistry), adjacent enamel, allowing them to blend NuCalm (a natural relaxation neatly into your smile. technique for patients), and Terec Present-day Lumineers are fabricated Labs (emerging technologies like from Emax porcelain, which offers digital impressions). unparalleled strength and translucency. After spending a weekend lecturing, I’m Simply care for them the way you do able to bring my newfound knowledge your natural teeth. They won’t chip, and broadening experience back to my crack, or break, but they will remain a patients at Hinsdale Dentistry. powerful part of your smile.

Which procedures show esthetic dentistry in action at Hinsdale Dentistry? We are an esthetic dental

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TO•DO•LIST

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2017

music and an all-around great time. grauemill.org

9/15 - 10/30 Pumpkin Fest

The Haunted Barn at Bengtson’s Pumpkin Fest in Homer Glen is recommended for mature kids. Also visit the corn maze, kids’ rides and petting zoo. pumpkinfarm.com

9/17 Adler Planetarium, Chicago

9/2-3

Civil War Encampment

Don’t miss this favorite annual tradition when members of the 10th Illinois Regiment and their families spend the weekend on the Graue Mill grounds, depicting what life was like in a Union military camp. grauemill.org

9/6 & 13

Jazz at the Aquarium

Hear musicians and vocalists, see views from the terrace, buy cocktails and food, and visit the aquarium at Jazzin’ at the Shedd at Shedd Aquarium. www.sheddaquarium.org

9/8

Outdoor Living Expo & Wine Tasting Event

Featuring wines from Cooper’s Hawk and grilled

fresh hors d’oeuvres cooked on an outdoor kitchen grill. E-mail rsvp@aspools.com or call 708-349-2222 ext. 792 by Sept. 6.

9/9

First-Class Block Party

Enjoy cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere, cuisine from top restaurants, beverages from local purveyors, and the opportunity to get to know several of Illinois’ most inspiring college students. http://glasshalffull-il.com/rsvp

9/9

Hinsdale Chamber Merchants’ Garage Sale

Join the retail businesses of Hinsdale for a one-day sale of their merchandise. Shop for sporting goods, shoes, furs, toys, jewelry and more at deep discounts. www.hinsdalechamber.com

9/9-10

Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival

Enjoy live entertainment and a kids art booth while you are perusing the display of a variety of mediums including, paintings, photography, jewelry and mixed media. www.downtowndg.org

9/10

International Cup

In the third match of the International Polo Series and to close the Chicago Polo Season, Oak Brook Polo welcomes back the Wales Polo Team to compete for the International Cup. www.oakbrookpoloclub.com

9/10

Cornfest Family Fun Day

Graue Mill’s annual family picnic features food, fishing, the giant wood pile, fun

Cantigny Car Show

Join us for our annual auto show featuring a variety of vintage cars, food, entertainment and prizes. www.cantigny.org

9/21

Adler After Dark

Saturn Saloon offers open access, unlimited shows, entertainment, information about the Cassini probe that crashes into Saturn, and Old West-themed cocktails for ages 21 and over. www.adlerplanetarium.org

9/28

Girls’ Day Out Downtown Downers Grove

Nearly 20 of our unique boutiques and delicious restaurants will open their doors for a night of sales, demonstrations, “tastings” and fun! www.downtowndg.org

Hinsdale Magazine’s event calendar is provided as a service to the Hinsdale area community. Hinsdale Magazine does not endorse or certify any of the community events listed herein or the accuracy of the listing of said events including dates. Please confirm dates and times with other sources. The information contained in this section is a simple listing of events happening around the area that the staff believes may be of interest to the general community.

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Hinsdale Magazine | Mike Ditka

Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka talks to HM contributing editor Mike Ellis about the upcoming NFL season at Ditka’s Restaurant in Oakbrook Terrace.

Sunday Conversation ‘Da Coach’ previews the 2017 NFL season By Mike Ellis | Photography by Marco Nunez Last month, Hinsdale Magazine caught up with legendary Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka at his restaurant in Oakbrook Terrace. Publisher Scott Jonlich and contributing editor Mike Ellis sat down with “Da Coach” to discuss his new venture in Westmont, Grill 89, and to preview the 2017 NFL season, which kicks off later this month.

SCOTT JONLICH: Grill 89 seems like it’s really taken hold, and it’s got some good community support. MIKE DITKA: It’s not a Ditka’s [Restaurant]—it’s a little lower-end. It’s doing well; it really is; the concept’s doing well. We’re very excited about it. The opportunity is good for us. We like to be out in the western suburbs—it’s been great for us. This place has been great.

SCOTT: How did you decide on naming “Grill 89” after coach’s uniform number? 24

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JEFF SHEARER: We tried to do a grill downtown, and it just didn’t work out on Madison Street. And then all of a sudden, this property came up, and we were just trying to tie it in, and make sure subtly people still know it’s coach [Ditka]; people still know it’s part of our brand. ... We were going to do “Ditka’s Bar & Grill,” but we thought it was too close to [Ditka’s Restaurant], so we just tried to tie-in the number. It’s amazing how many people understand it without us even saying it’s a Ditka restaurant. MIKE ELLIS: Do you think with all of the rule changes, the quarterback position has become even more important? DITKA: They’re throwing the ball so much more. The running game is important to me, because I’m old-school; but if you look at what they’re doing formation-wise, they

spread people out. They get matchups where the only way you can play defense is play them man-to-man. When they get the matchup they want, where they’ve got [your] linebacker on a slot receiver, they’re going to be [tough to stop]. ... The evolution of the game—the game has become like chess. It’s evolved so much with how you move people around, what you do with people; and these coaches today are doing a great job. ... I was in Dallas when we first started going to spread sets with Tom Landry, and we were the first ones to do it; and I brought it to Chicago. It’s so far advanced right now; if you take a team like the Patriots, look at what they do. Now they throw the ball to the tight end, but he’s flexed out. But if you look at them, the passing game drives their offense, not their running game.

ELLIS: They use the passing game like the running game.

DITKA: Absolutely. And a lot of teams are doing that now: use the passing game to set up the running game. If they can’t run it, they’re going to throw it every down. ELLIS: The Bears moved up in the NFL Draft,

and they picked up Mitch Trubisky out of the University of North Carolina. Do you have any thoughts on him?

DITKA: I don’t know enough about Mitch, but I’m sure they did a good job of scouting him. Right now, they’ve got two other guys ahead of him—but that’s only because he’s a rookie. I’m sure he’ll be good. They have good scouts. When you look at a football organization, it’s not about the coach; it’s not about the star player or quarterback; it’s about the whole organization, [and] scouting becomes such a big part of it. ... They’ve thought this one out, and Trubisky hopefully turns out to be what they think he will be. ELLIS: What do you think, realistically, his expectations should be for this season?

DITKA: If I was Mitch, my goal would be to be the starting quarterback, and take the Bears to the playoffs my first year. That would be my goal. I’m not saying what Mitch is going to do; but if you don’t think you’re better than the other guys, then you won’t be better than the other guys. ...

ELLIS: Staying in the NFC North, a lot of

people are talking about Green Bay this year as being the team to beat, but if you look at this division, it’s been very competitive the last few years. Do you think that Minnesota and Detroit can challenge them?

DITKA: I think they can all challenge— Chicago, Detroit, [Minnesota]. Green Bay, to me, is...driven by the quarterback [Aaron Rodgers] most of all. When you can do what they do with that quarterback and their offense, you’ve got a chance. Not the greatest defense; they can run the ball, [but] it’s not what they choose to do. ... It’s not a complete team, but it’s a good team; they’ve got a good coach up there. I think Detroit’s coming back; Minnesota’s coming back. It should be a good division. Every one of them thinks they can win it right now...and that’s what the goal is. ELLIS: The Bears’ first game, they’re hosting Atlanta, the defending NFC champions. I was really impressed by that team, and what they did in the playoffs. It looks like their defense is really coming along, and we know they’re very explosive and versatile offensively. They’ve got two running backs, too; it’s not just [Julio] Jones [at wide receiver]. They’ve got a really tough attack to stop. Do you think this is a team in Atlanta that could be around for a long time?

DITKA: I think Atlanta’s an interesting team. They can hit you in the mouth and beat you, and they can run around you and beat you. In other words, they’ve got a physical aspect to their offense and defense, because they can run the football. And defensively, they’re a pretty good football team. They’ve got a lot of guys that people don’t hear about or talk about, but they’re a pretty darn good football team on defense. Look at [quarterback] Matt Ryan—he’s good. They’ve got good receivers; they’ve got good running backs. You put all that together with good coaching, and you’ve got a team that has a chance. Being where they got to last year, it’s only going to make them that much hungrier.

“When you look at a football organization, it’s not about the coach; it’s not about the star player or quarterback; it’s about the whole organization, [and] scouting becomes such a big part of it...” –MIKE DITKA

ELLIS: You don’t think the effects of the Super Bowl will linger?

DITKA: No, I think you start from scratch; you don’t live in the past. They worked their butt Continued on the next page HINSDALE MAGAZINE, INC. | Hinsdale60521.com

Hinsdale Magazine | Mike Ditka off to get there; it didn’t work out the way they wanted, [but] now the goal is to get back and make it work out the way they want to. If you live in the past, you die in the past. You learn from your mistakes; you learn from what you did wrong; but you don’t live in the past.

ELLIS: Seattle is another NFC team that’s built a great

organization around their defense and Pete Carroll, who I think is one of the best coaches in the league. He’s had success [in college and the NFL]. What should organizations like the Bears take away from these organizations to get better and be more consistent?

DITKA: It comes down to getting the right

personnel. Pete’s a great coach; Seattle is a great organization. They made their mark with their defense, but they’ve become an offense that’s very capable. They’ve got a good young quarterback, [Russell Wilson], who’s outstanding; they’ve got some good receivers, and can run the football. Those things are imperative. ... [If you] match-up with Seattle’s defense right now, they’re probably as good a defense as there is in the league. ... I think [Carroll] is the kind of coach—he’s not like a one-year coach; he’s there. What he’s doing is pretty significant.

ELLIS: I think Tom Brady attracts more attention

than almost any other player. You see all of the comments—it’s so polarizing. A lot of people get hung up on the “cheating” controversies, but his accomplishments are just incredible.

ELLIS: [Kansas City’s] got [Dave] Tolb, who used to be

the Bears special teams coach, and they’ve got this [Tyreek] Hill kid who’s a little guy, but he can run the 40[-yard dash] in [under] 4.3 [seconds].

DITKA: And Andy Reid is a good coach—outstanding coach. I agree with you. When you start talking about the NFL and teams in the NFL, very few people think about Kansas City; it’s like it’s way out there somewhere. ELLIS: One of the topics I wanted to touch on is these

younger quarterbacks—[Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston]—and the teams around them. If you look at Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Oakland—these teams are all sort of taking the next step. Do you think this is the year that we might see a changing of the guard, Belichick so to speak?

“Bill is a great coach; he understands what you have to do to win. It’s a team thing; when you say “Patriots,” you say “team”—and that’s what they are: they’re a team.”

DITKA: You named a couple. Tennessee— Mariota is good. Oakland—that’s a good organization. People don’t seem to like the Oakland Raiders for the way they’ve been in the past, but they’ve done a pretty good job of restocking that team, and they’ve got a pretty good football team. ELLIS: You talked about Detroit [and

quarterback] Matthew Stafford. He impressed me more last year than any other year—all of those fourth-quarter drives, they were using the running game more often. He looked more like a leader without [wide receiver] Calvin Johnson. Do you think not having Calvin takes a little pressure off him, because he can distribute the ball more?

DITKA: They don’t cheat—they win. They’ve –MIKE DITKA got the best organization in football, and if you want to know why, you look at the results over the last ten years. Look at what they’ve done with the coaching staff, with the owner, with DITKA: I think you made a good point— the quarterback. If you ask somebody to name get the ball to more people. You don’t have some of their other players [besides Brady], they can’t do it. to depend on one guy as much. Stafford’s tough. If you’ve He makes people better. Bill Belichick is a great coach; he watched him play in the past, he’s a tough cookie. ... That understands what you have to do to win. It’s a team thing; division is going to be a really good division; I couldn’t pick when you say “Patriots,” you say “team”—and that’s what one team. I think Green Bay has the best quarterback. And they are: they’re a team. Minnesota, you said their defense came on strong; they get ELLIS: I think a team like Kansas City might be able to a little better on offense, they’ll be right there too. challenge [New England], because of their special teams. DITKA: Kansas City is a good team; Kansas City is a team that’s very close. Pittsburgh is very capable of beating anybody. If they can [get] back with that defense, they can run the ball, they’ve got a good quarterback, they’ve got some good receivers. Pittsburgh’s another one of those teams—why not? ...

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SCOTT: Are you surprised about how [Jay] Cutler’s career ended with the Bears? DITKA: Cutler’s a talent. DIANA DITKA: He’s no [Roger] Staubach. DITKA: He’s not a great leader.

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Hinsdale Magazine | Mike Ditka SCOTT: The last time we spoke last summer,

we talked about quarterbacks and leadership; and you were very straightforward talking about Cutler’s lack of leadership.

DITKA: I don’t know if it’s a lack of leadership;

“I was successmotivated. I was driven by success, and I wanted to succeed. George Halas hired me twice—once to play and once to coach. ... When I came to the Bears, I knew what we wanted; I knew what I was going to do. ... When you’ve got Walter Payton, that eases a lot of the pain because I believed in running the ball.” –MIKE DITKA

he has the appearance of not caring. ... [Jim] McMahon—whether you liked him or you didn’t like him; whether you thought he was good or not—the guys on our football team rallied around him. He was the guy they followed. ... [When] I was in Dallas, we had a kid that had a lot of talent at quarterback when I was playing. Then we brought in this guy named Staubach—and it was night and day. Everything changed, because there was a leader. I’m not saying that talent-wise he was better, but leadership out of that position to me was essential.

SCOTT: What you’re saying is, either you are

or you’re not—he is not.

DITKA: You become a leader or a follower—or get the hell out of the way. ELLIS: Staubach could run too. DIANA DITKA: He also got his training from the Naval Academy; he had a lot of discipline. DITKA: He was a special guy; he still is. That’s why he made a lot of money. SCOTT: When comparing their careers, you still favor Peyton Manning over [Tom] Brady? ELLIS: Well, right now you’re going to take Brady, because Manning’s retired.

DITKA: What about the team around them? ELLIS: Exactly—that’s a big factor. DITKA: I don’t think that, again, if you asked somebody to name a lot of the Patriots’ players, [they could]. You’ve got some little receivers running around. He makes everybody better— and that’s what I thought Manning did. ... I think a great quarterback makes the people around him better. Am I going to say one’s better than the other? You take either one and a paycheck, and you go home. ELLIS: Right now, you would think Brady

would be the guy. [Aaron] Rodgers is maybe more talented, but Brady—the results.

DITKA: Whether you like the Patriots or not, Brady is really, really good. ... I think it’s an

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organizational thing. I think the owner has put tremendous confidence in Bill [Belichick] to run the team.

ELLIS: Part of that [success] is Belichick. He

was a great coach with the Giants before he was with New England; he was their defensive [coordinator].

DITKA: Bill was coaching the Giants special teams when I was coaching the Cowboys special teams, and it was interesting. When you prepared for the Giants, special teams— just don’t do anything wrong, and it’ll be okay. No, you better know what you were doing, because they were really well-prepared all the time. That’s where I got to know Bill. SCOTT: What do you miss about coaching? DITKA: I was success-motivated. I was driven by success, and I wanted to succeed. George Halas hired me twice—once to play and once to coach. ... When I came to the Bears, I knew what we wanted; I knew what I was going to do. ... When you’ve got Walter Payton, that eases a lot of the pain, because I believed in running the ball. A lot of these coaches today don’t believe in running the ball. ... I think you create an attitude when you run the ball on people. ... [The evolution of the game] doesn’t mean you can’t use a two tight-end set, two receivers, one back. You can be successful with that. What everybody’s gone to, because of these spread formations—because it’s a matchup that the defense can’t match-up with. You don’t have the personnel on defense to say, “We’re going to cover this slot receiver that’s split over here, this tight end that’s split over here.” Who are you going to cover them with? Conventional 11 guys, you’ve got two safeties, two corners, three linebackers and four lineman. You’re going to have to put in a nickel-back or dime-back. ELLIS: Some [teams] have gone to more like a 3-3-5 defense or a nickel defense.

DITKA: The way the game’s being played today, you have to do it. But if somebody did that on me, I would not be reluctant to run the ball 50 times a game with Walter. n To read the full interview, go to www. Hinsdale60521.com.

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Hinsdale Magazine | On the Cover

A SUMMER TO REMEMBER

THE STORY OF THE HINSDALE LITTLE LEAGUE 12U ALL-STARS THAT CAPTURED THREE STRAIGHT STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, CAPTIVATED A COMMUNITY AND WILLED THEMSELVES WITHIN SIX OUTS OF A TRIP TO THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES ON NATIONAL TELEVISION By Mike Ellis | Photography by Jennifer Boggs and Daniel Garcia

In late July and early August, the 12U All-Stars from the Hinsdale Little League went where no league team had gone before, taking their parents, the community and a whole group of newfound fans across Chicagoland on a memorable journey to Indiana that stopped before the eyes of hundreds of spirited fans attired in red and a national audience on ESPN, just one game shy of the Little League World Series (LLWS). From the goal they had set for themselves a year ago, to their desire to win for Brooks Tonn, 9, of Hinsdale, who was lately diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a tumor of the sinus region, the 12Us held a host of motivations as they forged their quest for Williamsport, Pa., the site of the LLWS. Although outsized by their opponents many steps of the way,

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Hinsdale demonstrated that good fundamentals mixed with an abundance of confidence can carry a baseball team a long way, regardless of physical stature or endowments. This is their story. THE ROAD TO INDIANA The fact that Hinsdale was representing the State of Illinois with a chance to go to the Little League World Series may have been stunning to many, but to those that closely follow Little League baseball, it was hardly a surprise. Prior to this year, Hinsdale had never won a 12U state championship, but squads composed of virtually the same players claimed state titles at the 10U and 11U levels the past two

The 2017 Illinois state champions and Great Lakes Regional runners-up, Hinsdale Little League: #1 Evan Phillips, #2 Andres Waelter, #3 Emerson Eck, #4 Reece Kolke, #6 Jakobi Lange, #7 Ben Oosterbaan, #8 Max Williams, #9 Grant Davis, #10 Joe Boggs, #11 Max Merlo, #12 Charlie Bergin, #15 Lucas Smith

summers. In fact, entering the 12U state tournament, Hinsdale’s all-star team had only lost one game—by a single run in extra innings—in its two previous years together. “I think that we’re all really close, because we’ve been playing together for a long time, and we’re all really good friends,” first baseman Joe Boggs said. ... “The team hasn’t changed too much, so we have really good chemistry. We’re always positive to each other, and if someone gets down, we pick each other up.” Charlie Bergin, who played with the Clarendon Hills Cardinals travel baseball team through 10U, joined Hinsdale Little League for the team’s 11U campaign, after moving from Clarendon Hills to Hinsdale. “I felt pretty confident,” Bergin said of the transition. “In the

first year of 10U, they won state. With me added and all of these other good players, [I thought] we could just keep on winning state. ... At 11U when we won state, I’m like, ‘Next year, we’re going to win state again, and we’re going to go to Williamsport.’ ” Teams competing for state glory are essentially all-star squads comprised of some of the best players at each age-level from their respective leagues. The Illinois state competition is partitioned into three stages: districts, sections and state. Hinsdale had the good fortune of hosting a number of the district games at Peirce Park, just off of the Tri-State Tollway and north of the tracks. After throttling its first opponent, 26-1, the 12U squad secured a confidence-boosting victory over Naperville

Continued on the next page HINSDALE MAGAZINE, INC. | Hinsdale60521.com

Hinsdale Magazine | On the Cover

The Hinsdale 12U team received a special send-off at Uniquely Thursdays in Burlington Park.

Continental—the only Illinois team it has ever lost to—in its second game. The loss occurred in 2016, when Hinsdale relinquished a sizable lead to Naperville in its first district playoff game. “In the first game after [10U], we slaughtered everybody,” shortstop and third baseman Ben Oosterbaan said, “and we went into that game kind of cocky, thinking that we could easily win district again. We were up by [a lot] of runs, and nobody had their 100-percent effort in; and they came back and beat us in extra innings.” Naperville Continental emerged from the losers’ bracket of the district field to set up a rematch with Hinsdale for the title at Peirce. Facing elimination, Naperville jumped on Hinsdale, 2-0, in the early goings. Sparked by a two-run home run by Boggs, Hinsdale rallied and pulled away for an 8-3 win to move on to the section tournament a week later. Days before the section tournament commenced, the squad suffered an unexpected, yet considerable setback, when catcher Lucas Smith experienced a recreational, non-baseball-related injury, sidelining him for the summer. Working with the catchers and calling pitches from the dugout following his injury, Smith said that while he would have rather been competing on the field, he obtained a new perspective watching his teammates from the bench. “It’s really different when you’re on the bench watching, than out on the field playing,” he said. 34

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In its first game of the section tourney, Hinsdale would face its toughest foe leading up to state in La Grange. Watching La Grange exhibit resourcefulness and perseverance in eliminating Western Springs in extra innings at the district level, Hinsdale players said they knew they were in for a challenge—especially without Smith in the lineup. “I thought they could hit the ball well, because Western Springs had some really good pitching, and they hit decently against it,” said Max Merlo, who plays left field and catcher. “So we were ready to see that they could hit us.” Riddled by injury, rust and a feisty opponent, Hinsdale fell behind, 3-0, in the third inning. “[Lucas] is a really good hitter, so that hurt when we were down by say, one or two [runs], we’d get some key baserunners on; then he’d come up and hit a home run, and [we’d] take the lead,” second baseman Evan Phillips said. “He was a really good catcher, and kept everything in front.” “We hadn’t played in a long time,” Oosterbaan said. “In district, we never faced great pitching. In the championship game [against Naperville Continental], we faced kind of a fast pitcher, versus La Grange, the pitcher was a little bit slower. So we were a little out in front of it, hitting pop-ups.” Keyed by a Phillips home run and a series of timely hits with men on base, the 12Us battled back to prevail, 9-5. In the next contest, Hinsdale made quick work of Evergreen Park, dispatching their opponents, 21-2. To determine the right to

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Hinsdale Magazine | On the Cover

Photograph by Daniel Garcia

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proceed to state, it would once again be a rematch in the championship game of the section tournament, but this time against La Grange. Getting out of the gates more quickly the second time around, Hinsdale cruised to a 10-4 victory to join three other opponents at the state tournament in downstate Olney. Despite having won state previously as 10Us and 11Us, this trip to Illinois’ top tournament carried far greater weight for the Hinsdale squad, as a win would secure a chance to compete at the regional tournament in Indiana on national television—and with an opportunity to move on to the Little League World Series. “We thought we could do something special this year, and continue on our season—not just end at state—and keep going to the top spot in the country,” center fielder Emerson Eck said. “What Mr. Smith our coach told us is that this whole ride—all of these tournaments that we’ve been playing in since 10U—, it’s all a business trip,” said Max Williams, who bats 11th and plays left field. “And he says e + r = o—event plus response equals outcome.” Pitted against River Forest in their opening game in Olney, Hinsdale set out to prove that size is not the most important factor on the baseball diamond. Third baseman and left fielder Reece Kolke said pitcher Andres Waelter was familiar with some of the River Forest players, having faced and lost to them the previous year at state as a member of the 2016 Hinsdale 12U team. “This year, they had some of the same players on their team,” Kolke said. ... “So we knew some of their players, [and] could attack some of their disadvantages.” Williams said the team’s resolve was put to the test when a River

Pitcher Andres Waelter hurled a perfect game in the Illinois state championship game.

Forest batter belted a long home run to level the score in the fourth inning. “We had to respond to that, and we had to come back and create a better outcome for ourselves,” he said. “That led us to scoring four runs and winning the game.” Hinsdale ultimately responded, emerging with an 8-4 victory; and Eck and Williams said the difference was the team’s collective ability to handle the hard heaters River Forest sought to unleash on them. “Some of their kids are over 6-feet [tall],” Williams said. “They throw really hard. Our team hits well off of harder pitchers, probably; and they thought they were going to blow by us with fastballs.” In the next game, Hinsdale faced another familiar foe in Moline—the team they trounced to claim their first state trophy as 10Us two years earlier. Leading by two runs in the fifth, Hinsdale exploded, opening up a commanding 13-4 edge in the end. Eck said that was “when we kind of knew that we had to take over the game.” In the state championship game, only a team from Beardstown—a small town west of Springfield in west-central Illinois—stood between Hinsdale and a trip to the Great Lakes Regional tournament. But unlike in many previous games, this contest would not be secured at the plate.

“They wasted their two best pitchers to Moline, so they didn’t have their best pitchers when they were playing us,” outfielder Grant Davis said. “We had trouble hitting that game in the championship. We loaded too early; we weren’t on time; we didn’t hit the ball. We were back in the plate, and our coach wanted us to [stand] in front of the plate, but we didn’t listen to him. ... But our fielding was very [good], and Beardstown was a pretty good team.” Eck imputed Hinsdale’s offensive struggles to Beardstown throwing a “junk-ball” pitcher, in contrast with the flamethrowers Moline and River Forest featured in the earlier games. Whether it was style, nerves or some combination thereof, Hinsdale looked to its most experienced 12U member—Waelter— to pick up the slack on the mound. Waelter did far more than that, retiring all 18 batters he faced to record a perfect game, blanking Beardstown, 4-0, to author a storybook ending to the team’s three-year domination of the Little League state playoffs. “I guess my curve-ball was working well,” Waelter said rather diffidently, adding that it was “probably” the best game he has ever pitched. Charlie Bergin, who split catching duties with Max Merlo, said Waelter “was hitting his spots nicely.” “What really helped us in the championship was our defense and pitching,” right fielder Jacoby Lange said, “with Andres’s

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Hinsdale Magazine | On the Cover

Hinsdale defeated teams from Kentucky and Ohio en route to the Great Lakes Regional championship game.

perfect game, when we weren’t hitting as well.” FROM WESTFIELD TO WILLIAMSPORT? After claiming the state championship, Hinsdale advanced to the Great Lakes Regional tournament in Westfield, Ind., a northern suburb of Indianapolis, where the 12Us would compete against a field of state champions from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin for the right to play in the LLWS. Fresh off his perfect game in the state title game, Waelter found trouble in the bottom half of the opening frame of Hinsdale’s opening game against Kentucky, surrendering a single, and inheriting a second baserunner following a dropped third strike. After inducing a flyout to right field, Waelter hustled to back up his third baseman—and this heads-up play saved a run from scoring on an overthrow. Brimming with confidence, he escaped the jam by recording the third out of the inning. Continuing the momentum-swing, Joe Boggs, batting cleanup, worked an 11-pitch at-bat, before lining a double to left field. After Boggs advanced to third on a wild pitch, Ben Oosterbaan lifted a flyball to right field, scoring Boggs, and putting Hinsdale on top, 1-0. Following a second scoreless inning from Waelter, Hinsdale extended its lead in the third inning, when its first four batters reached, and Boggs delivered a 38

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key two-RBI double to left, making the score, 4-0. With Waelter standing at third, Oosterbaan again did his job with his second sacrifice fly of the afternoon. Comfortably ahead by a 5-0 count, Hinsdale rolled the dice in the fifth inning by removing Waelter, who pitched four and one-third innings of scoreless baseball, allowing only two hits and no walks. The decision was induced by the score and pitchcount, with coaches wanting to have their ace available to pitch on three days’ rest that Friday if needed. But when Waelter exited, it was as if a shroud was lifted from the plate for the kids from Lexington, who anxiously jumped on Bergin in relief, loading the bases with two outs. After Kentucky’s Max DeGraff sharply singled home two runs, reducing the margin to 5-2, the tying run suddenly stepped to the plate. Needing to limit the damage, Bergin gathered himself on the mound, and recorded a crucial strikeout to end the inning. After retiring Hinsdale in order in the sixth, Kentucky mounted one final charge in the bottom of the inning. With the leadoff man reaching on a single, the Illinois champs turned to Oosterbaan to seal the contest. Inducing three consecutive routine outs, the Hinsdale reliever closed out the game, advancing his team just two wins from its target destination. In its second game against Ohio, Hinsdale was playing for a spot in the regional championship game on Aug. 12. Ohio came in having throttled its first two opponents by a

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Hinsdale Magazine | On the Cover

Parents, the community and newfound fans went on a memorable journey. Fan photography by Daniel Garcia

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The Hinsdale Little League 12U All-Stars lost only two games in three years of competing together, claiming three consecutive Illinois state championships.

32-6 scoring margin, and immediately applied pressure to Bergin on the mound. Helped by a minor baserunning blunder, the Illinois state champs limited the West Side little leaguers from Hamilton, Ohio, to one run in the top of the first. Meanwhile, Ohio starter Lake Cundiff retired Hinsdale, 1-2-3, in the bottom of the inning, holding the three-time state champions scoreless over three innings by exhibiting good command and execution of his off-speed pitches. In the top of the third, manager Anthony Waelter lifted Bergin with one out and the bases loaded in favor of Max Merlo. After falling behind in the count, Merlo surrendered a two-RBI double to the first batter he faced, as Ohio extended its lead to 3-0. While the kids from Hamilton would further widen the gap to 4-0 after three and a half innings, Hinsdale remained within striking distance, as Ohio left eight runners on base over the course of six innings, several of whom were stranded in scoring position. Hinsdale began its comeback bid in the bottom of the fourth, when Joe Boggs led off with a swinging-bunt single. Oosterbaan then drove the ball to left field, and after a misplay by the Hamilton left-fielder, Boggs came around to score to trim the deficit to 4-1. The game remained 4-1 until the bottom of the sixth, when out of the blue, Hinsdale staged its greatest rally of the entire postseason. Boggs remained perfect at the plate with an infield single to lead off the inning, and he was followed by an Oosterbaan single to left field—the only hit that would reach the outfield in this improbable inning. Next up, Merlo dribbled a ball to the left of second base, but under duress, Ohio shortstop Braedyn Moore hesitated and flipped the ball to his second baseman late, loading the bases. Reece Kolke then delivered an RBI infield single,

followed by an RBI groundout by Max Williams, which cut the Ohio lead to 4-3. With his pitch count steadily creeping up, Cundiff had to be removed after exceeding 85 pitches. A wild pitch allowed Kolke and Merlo to each advance a base. With runners at second and third, batter Jacoby Lange lined a ball to shortstop, which Moore snagged. Desperately trying to apply a tag to end the game, Moore sprinted after Kolke, who slid back to second just in time, as Merlo headed home from third to tie the game. With the winning run now at third, another wild pitch allowed Kolke to come to the plate, as Hinsdale prevailed, 5-4. Entering the championship game, Hinsdale had the advantage of being able to set its rotation, slotting Waelter in the starting role on full rest, while having the option to turn to ace reliever Oosterbaan if needed. But the Illinois champs’ opponents— Grosse Pointe Woods/Shores Little League of Michigan—acquired the edge of staving off elimination on three consecutive occasions before the championship. After blowing through Kentucky, 10-0, and Ohio, 11-3, on Aug. 10 and 11, Michigan was imbued with a confidence to equal Hinsdale’s entering the title game. The game began more or less as scripted for Hinsdale, with Waelter battling through a tough first inning, and holding Michigan’s potent lineup to just one run over the first four innings of play. Meanwhile, while they managed only one hit in the first five innings, the Illinois champs were efficient at the plate, coaxing walks and manufacturing a pair of runs in the second and third innings. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Bergin was hit by a

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Hinsdale Magazine | On the Cover

First baseman Joe Boggs fields a ball, and prepares to make a throw.

pitch, and with one out, Merlo delivered a double to right-center field to place runners at second and third. Williams followed with a tapper in front of the plate, driving in Bergin from third to square the game at 1-1. In the bottom of the third, Hinsdale chased Michigan starter Drew Hill from the game without another hit, as Boggs and Evan Phillips started the frame with walks, and Waelter drove Boggs home with a grounder to first base later in the inning. Entering the top of the fifth inning, Hinsdale was just six outs away from its desired destination of Williamsport—and that’s when the prolific Grosse Pointe bats that beleaguered Kentucky and Ohio struck with a vengeance. Second baseman Matthew Greene led off the inning with a double to left, and although Waelter induced star shortstop Joey Randazzo to ground to short, Hinsdale tried to get lead runner Greene, who escaped from a rundown when the Illinois outfielders failed to cover second to continue the play. Center fielder Joseph Wisniewski followed by driving a game-changing single into rightcenter field, scoring Greene, and after an off-line throw to the catcher, the always-aggressive Randazzo beat Waelter’s tag to the plate, as Michigan regained the lead, 3-2. “I think they came in really loose,” manager Anthony Waelter 42

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said. ... “But I think we just tensed up; we made some ball errors and play errors that I haven’t seen us made. We made some choices that I thought were different from what we would typically make.” Oosterbaan replaced Waelter, and after Michigan plated a fourth run, third baseman Jordan Arseneau delivered the proverbial backbreaker, homering over the left-field fence to put Grosse Pointe ahead, 6-2. Hinsdale tried to mount another furious rally over the final two innings, but reliever Will Pflaum remained composed under pressure, and was aided by some sparkling defensive gems by Greene and Randazzo on the infield. Down to one final out, Lange kept Hinsdale’s slim hopes alive with an RBI single that scored Merlo; but Pflaum promptly retired Boggs—who had been perfect at the plate for three games—to dash Hinsdale’s dreams, 6-3. “It’s a little hard; I’m sure the boys are hurting right now,” Waelter said immediately following the game. “They wanted to win for a few things: they wanted to win for Brooks [Tonn]; they wanted to win for Hinsdale. They were really looking forward to Williamsport—that was their goal; they set that goal at the beginning of the year.” n

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Hinsdale Magazine | Weddings

Model: Emily Spencer Hair: Lauren Lavigne at Lunatic Fringe Salon Makeup: Chantel Peterson Bouquet: Daysha Barlow Dress: Sassy Chic Jewelry: Morgan Jewelers Telegraph Marketplace

Destination

WEDDINGS Far from home, but close to the heart, destination weddings allow couples to spend quality time with loved ones, start the honeymoon early, and celebrate what’s unique and special about them. From beach weddings to mountain weddings, and European weddings to more exotic weddings, we’ve pulled together all the ingredients you’ll need to make your special day beautiful and personal. By Kerrie Kennedy

Continued on the next page HINSDALE MAGAZINE, INC. | Hinsdale60521.com

Hinsdale Magazine | Weddings

From Marchesa’s exclusive bridal shoe collection, the Margaret, a floral laser-cut floral heel with ankle strap, exudes boho beauty. $995 at lwdbridal.com

An elegant climbing gold leaf design lends an air of the exotic to this cake from Amy Beck Cake Design in Chicago, amybeckcakedesign.com.

Exotic

wedding

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Showcase your shoulders—and some showstopping earrings—in this plunging lace Berta gown. $8,580 at Nordstrom in Oakbrook Center

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Poppy De

levingne ’s and Ja mes Coo Morocca k’s n-themed Marrakesh hippie-inspired, wedding .

Caviar-bordered Maya chandelier earrings by iconic jewelry designer LAGOS capture the Bohemian mood of the 1970s. $1,000 at Nordstrom in Oakbrook Center

Hinsdale Magazine | Weddings Exude European opulence with a pair of Alexander McQueen double drop earrings in royal purple and antiqued metal, saluting McQueen’s gothic/romantic legacy. $795 at Nordstrom in Oakbrook Center

Pippa Middleton’s and James Matthews’ British wedding

European

Introduce your wedding guests to the (future) Mr. and Mrs. with a beautifully-drawn monogram hand beveled in 24-karat gold. Cane’s engraved Royalty Alexandria invitation available at Ashley’s Stationery in Hinsdale, ashleyscustomstationery.com

Steeped in iconic romance and dramatic elegance, this Rosa Clara “Delfos” satin gown features a sheer-illusion back of ornately embroidered and beaded tulle, and a train trailing the show-stopping ballgown skirt. $3,950 at Nordstrom in Oakbrook Center

wedding

Whether you dream of a wedding in a medieval castle in Ireland or a romantic cathedral in Paris, the rich history of a European destination has the all the makings of a fairy-tale wedding.

The simplicity of the ballgown allows for a more ornate shoe, like this Romy metallic lace pump from Jimmy Choo, $775 at Neiman Marcus in Oakbrook Center.

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Channel Pippa Middleton’s gorgeous wedding bouquet with this one from Phillip’s Flowers in Hinsdale, phillipsflowers.com.

Hinsdale Magazine | Weddings What better to put in your ears than gifts from the sea? Akoya pearl earrings, $560 at Nordstrom in Oakbrook Center

Beach

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Megan Fox’s an d Brian Austin Green’s beac h wedding

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The lustrous, metalized, pearl-encrusted Tatiana Slide is like cocktail jewelry for the foot. $350 at Tory Burch in Oakbrook Center

Fern prons and scabiosa pods add texture to the white ranunculus, calla lilies and hydrangea in this bridal bouquet from Jane’s Blue Iris in Hinsdale, janesblueiris.com. Look like a vision from the ocean in this Sabrina Dahan Oceane gown, featuring an ombre skirt that fades from ivory to blue with beaded V-neck bodice. Price upon request, sabrinadahan.com 50 HINSDALE60521.COM | HINSDALE MAGAZINE, INC.

Your Neighbor

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Q&A ASK THE EXPERT

TRUST OWNED LIFE INSURANCE HOW TO EFFECTIVELY USE INSURANCE FOR ESTATE PLANNING Many high net-worth individuals often wonder what the best way is to create a seamless estate plan, and though there are many options, trust-owned life insurance (TOLI) has been proven to be very beneficial, as it enables the trust to provide for the beneficiaries by balancing inheritances among the heirs estate tax-free, which poses as one of the top issues among wealthy individuals. This strategy also is beneficial for individuals who desire to give to charity upon passing. The trust-owned life insurance strategy works well for those of high-net worth, those who have illiquid assets, such as businesses or qualified plans, and those who live in states with large state death taxes.

How It Works When an individual purchases a life insurance policy, often times, it is the most beneficial to have them owned by their Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT). An ILIT is an irrevocable trust designed to own life insurance where the death benefit is taken out of the grantor’s estate. The trustee of their trust then maintains the policies, which allows families to achieve a variety of important tax planning and charitable giving opportunities. At death, the death benefit proceeds will be paid to the designated beneficiaries of the trust income and estate tax -free, as the trust is no longer owned by the estate. The premiums are typically funded by annual exclusion gifts but can be done using private financing or premium financing.

Advantages of Trust Owned Life Insurance By having one’s life insurance owned by their ILIT, a high networth individual is able to take advantage of many benefits. By utilizing this strategy, it allows assets owned by the trust to pass to the beneficiaries according to the grantor’s wishes without being subject to the federal estate taxes. This is possible because the owner is the trust, which now removes the proceeds from the insured’s estate. It also allows for the proceeds to provide liquidity to help the estate pay expenses and taxes once the grantor passes away. This liquidity opportunity is available due to a provision which allows the trust the discretion to purchase assets from either spouse’s estate, or to make loans to either estate, which keeps cash available for estate liquidity purchases. Additionally, an ILIT gives an individual the opportunity to provide for a charity while preserving an inheritance for their chosen beneficiaries. The ILIT provides a death benefit that replaces the value of the gift made to charity. Furthermore, the gifts that are made to the ILIT will reduce the overall value of the estate, which will in turn reduce the amount that would be calculated in the taxable amount. While considering options to reduce and eliminate taxes at retirement by ways of different advanced planning techniques, understand every situation is unique and different from your own. Please call for a complimentary consultation to determine if this strategy is right for you and your financial situation.

ONE PARKVIEW PLAZA, SUITE 117 | OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL | 708-481-4000 | WWW.WPN360.COM This article is not intended to provide any specific tax, legal, or financial planning advice, and is meant solely for informational purposes only. If you would like more information, please contact Wealth Planning Network to speak with an advisor directly at 708-481-4000.

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Hinsdale Magazine | Giving Back

TEDDY BEARS

Bringing smiles and comfort to sick kids By Madeleine Miller Photography by Marco Nunez

Jim Pehta of Oak Brook has chaired the Theodore Roosevelt Association’s Teddy Bears for Kids program since 2008.

54 HINSDALE60521.COM | HINSDALE MAGAZINE, INC.

ne of the most popular and beloved toys of all-time is the teddy bear. Maybe you still have yours from when you were little. A teddy bear is a friend who won’t “un-friend” you—a cuddly companion who’s by your side when no one else is—a comfort when you need someone to hug and hold on to. A bear is your buddy that assures you that you won’t have to face difficult times alone—like when you’re sick. The Theodore Roosevelt Association’s (TRA) Teddy Bears for Kids program has been distributing bears to hospitalized children since 1986. The program initially focused on New York City-area hospitals, but went nationwide in 2009. Oak Brook resident Jim Pehta has been the chairman of the Teddy Bear program since 2008, and is responsible for successfully expanding it throughout the United States. “We’ve delivered more than 88,000 teddy bears to children in hundreds of hospitals since the program began,” Pehta said. “If a hospital has 36 beds, they need 36 bears. A teddy bear provides comfort and security when a child needs it most, such as when he or she comes out of surgery.” The story of how stuffed toy bears came to be called “teddy” bears can be traced back to a hunting trip that President Theodore Roosevelt took in 1902. After several days of hunting in Mississippi, the president had failed to shoot a bear; but his hunting guides were determined that he would not go back to the White House empty-handed, so they followed dogs that had cornered a large black bear against a tree. The men tied the bear to

the tree, and summoned Mr. Roosevelt to come and claim “My heart breaks when I hear of children suffering his prize. When the president arrived, he refused to shoot from illnesses,” he said. “If I can help alleviate some of the bear, citing that it was “unsportsmanlike.” the pain and suffering by giving them teddy bears, that’s the least I can do. It’s an honor to be a part of a program When newspapers got wind of the story, they ran with that is hosted by TRA. Theodore Roosevelt was a great it. A cartoonist’s depiction of the event garnered even American.” more national attention for the story. A Brooklyn candy shop owner saw the cartoon, and placed several stuffed Another supporter of the program is Jimmy Connelly, a bears that his wife had made in his store window. He pilot and business owner who resides in Boston. Connelly wrote President Roosevelt, asking if he could call the bears firmly believes that the true measure of life is not in “Teddy’s bears,” and was given permission. The rest is monetary things, but in what you give back to others. history. “Children are so important,” he said. “I believe that President Roosevelt would be very Connelly shared the story of visiting the pediatric pleased with TRA’s Teddy Bear program,” said Tweed division of the University of Vermont Medical Center with Roosevelt, CEO of TRA and great-grandson of the some members of Boston College’s hockey team. former president. “His father opened boarding houses “One of the players handed a giant teddy bear for orphaned boys, so my great-grandfather learned holding a heart that said ‘I Love U’ to a young girl who’d about helping others at a very early age. He would take been in the hospital for quite a while,” he said. “It was enormous pride in the fact that teddy bears are being used such an emotional moment, that he stood back from her today to help sick children.” bed and started to cry. This young man now understands the value The teddy bears that of giving to others, and the girl hospitalized children receive understands that we love and support through the program have plenty “The Teddy Bear program her.” of personality. They are pleasingly plush, come in cuddly white, Barbara Gaab of New Haven, not only benefits children; chocolate brown and cozy caramel Conn., is a 30-year member of TRA it profoundly impacts the colors, and are about a foot tall, with a passion for helping others. lives of the adults who are with red bowties. Their arms are “The Teddy Bear program involved in it.” –GARY BRILL open wide as if in need of a hug, has been a great way to honor and and their eyes are full of love. support TRA,” Gaab said. “You Inkwell Global Marketing in New should see the children when they get York City has been manufacturing their bears; their faces light up with the bears since the program began. excitement and joy as they hug them tightly. This program softens the stress and fear of being in the hospital. And the “God put us on this earth to do good,” said Gary Brill, hospitals are grateful to get the teddy bears, too, as this Inkwell’s business manager, “and children are a gift from God. These bears make sick kids feel better, and put smiles enables them to give something comforting to their young patients.” on their faces. “I remember going to a local hospital recently with The teddy bear is so special, so iconic, that he even has some park rangers from the National Park Service. One a special day set aside for him. Sept. 9 is National Teddy little boy fell asleep in his bed, clutching his bear. The Bear Day, and it’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate the strongest man in the room could not pry that teddy bear joy that these friendly bears have brought into our lives out of this child’s arms. Everyone left the ward that day in and into the lives of our children. tears;—this moment will remain with me forever. It’s the caring and the concern of the donors and the “The Teddy Bear program not only benefits children; people who get involved in the program that bring joy and comfort to kids who need it, Pehta said. it profoundly impacts the lives of the adults who are involved in it.” “We established the Teddy Bear Honor Roll to What Hal Holbrook did for Mark Twain, Joe Wiegand recognize those who contribute $400 or more to the program,” he said. “Each donor receives a beautiful plaque does for Teddy Roosevelt. He brings the 26th president to with a photo of President Roosevelt and his or her name life, performing as Roosevelt more than 400 times a year engraved on it.” n in theaters, at conventions, meetings and other events. The Colorado Springs, Colo., resident is a member of TRA, and has been a longtime supporter of the Teddy For more information, visit www.theodoreroosevelt.org. Bear program.

HINSDALE MAGAZINE, INC. | Hinsdale60521.com

Dr. Cynthia Satko, D.D.S., M.S

Equine Connection I had the opportunity to visit some very special equine friends with my son Tommy last month. We spent the day getting to know these gentle Saddlebred horses, broodmares and their babies by feeding them carrots in exchange for “horsey kisses” (Tommy’s words).

Snowpine Stables

World Champion “Kiss My Cuerv o” trained by Moc tezuma Stables an d owned by Snow pine Stables.

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We ease your mind. 800 Hillgrove Ave., Suite 202 Western Springs, IL 60558 708.246.6400

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Hinsdale Magazine | Giving Back

TEAM UP for TONY The Oak Brook Polo Club and community are hosting a ‘Team Up for Tony’ fundraiser in support of lifelong polo player and Hinsdale resident Tony Sekera who was paralyzed in a polo accident in June. By Rosie Conway When Hinsdale resident Tony Sekera, a lifelong polo player and lover of the sport, tragically fell from his horse during a routine polo practice in Aiken, S.C., the polo community rallied quickly to raise funds to support Sekera and his family. Sekera suffered a fracture to his vertebrae resulting in paralysis. From this point on, he will always have to rely on 24/7 nursing care which is costly. To offset the costs and help Sekera’s family, his friends have organized and are hosting a fundraising event at the Oak Brook Polo Fields. On Sunday, Sept. 17, the Oak Brook Polo Club and Chicago Polo community will extend their seasons to host a benefit match in honor of friend and teammate Tony Sekera. The benefit match will be a field-side tailgate ticketed event. Spectators can purchase individual tailgate spots for $30 online or onsite. Availability and tailgate location will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Gates open to the public at 1 p.m., and guests can bring their own picnics, as no food or beverages will be served on site. Many friends and family members will be there in support of Sekera and his whole family. “I have known Tony for six years and was co-chair of Oak Brook Polo for a number of years as well,” said Jim Pehta, a friend of Tony Sekera. “He printed all of our programs and collateral material for Oak Brook Polo. He was always very, very helpful.” Sekera is the owner of Lithoprint, a full-service commercial printer in Westmont. According to Pehta, one of the most memorable things Sekera did was accumulate polo balls, and asked polo players to sign them. He then distributed the balls to children at the polo fields on Ronald McDonald days. 58

Hinsdale60521.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE, INC.

Left: Tony Sekera defending Samantha Falbe in the 2016 Commander’s Cup; above: Jim Drury, Tony Sekera, Jason Wales and Tomas Obregon Photography provided by Oak Brook Polo Club

“It was so touching and such a nice thing Tony did,” Pehta said. “The kids really loved it.” Another friend of Sekera and his wife Cindy, Kathy Maher, echoed the sentiment of others regarding Tony’s endless generosity. “Tony is always so fun and always so wiling to help others,” said Maher, who recalled socializing with Tony and Cindy just prior to the accident. “We were both very excited about the upcoming polo season.” Maher, who works full-time, said one way she has helped the family is through the GoFundMe page set up in Sekera’s name. “For me, this is such an easy way to support Tony and Cindy,” Maher said. “I know how expensive all of this will be.” Jim Drury, president of the Oak Brook Polo Club and the captain of the Oak Brook Polo team, has known Sekera for more than 25 years. According to Drury, Sekera is one of the most experienced polo players in the Chicagoland area, with only a handful of polo players having played as long as he has. “Tony is always such an upbeat, positive and engaging guy,” Drury said. “Tony played as often as he could, and he gave a lot of himself to the game.” Since polo is such a small community of only approximately 3,500 players nationwide, Sekera’s accident resonated throughout the association, because he is both respected and admired. As a player, Drury believes that Sekera’s motivation for playing polo is more unique than others. Some play for prestige, competition or fame, but, according to Drury, Sekera played simply because he loves the game. “Tony loved the friendships that he formed in polo as well,”Drury said. “Those friendships are such an important part of Tony’s life.” Tony and Cindy are extremely grateful for all the support. “We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from neighbors, friends and the polo community,” Cindy Sekera said. “We are encouraged by even the smallest improvements in Tony’s muscle strength and overall health.” n The benefit match will begin at 3 p.m. at Oak Brook Polo Club’s Prince of Wales Field, located at 2606 York Road in Oak Brook. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Sekera family to support Tony’s long-term care and therapy. For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, visit www. oakbrookpoloclub.com.

You are cordially invited to attend... these annual holiday fundraisers hosted by the Oak Brook Chapter of the Auxiliary of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago

Preview Party Monday, November 27, 2017 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. PARTY DETAILS Hors d’oeuvres, Dessert Bar & Crepe Station French Martinis courtesy of SavWay Fine W ines & Spirits Holiday Boutique Silent Auction, Preferred & Split the Pot Raffles Entertainment by French Chanteuse Claudia Hommel $55 in advance | $65 at the door

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Holiday Boutique 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Luncheon at Noon Master of Ceremonies Allison Rosati, Anchor, NBC-5 News, Chicago Fashion Presentation by ZZAZZ Productions $85 per person

Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois

MEGA CASH RAFFLE Two $5,000 Winners, sponsored by Nives and Joe Rizza

On-line reservations begin October 16 at: www.oakbrookchapterinfantwelfare.org All proceeds benefit the Angel Harvey Family Health Center, bringing the gifts of medical care and healing to children and families in need.

FOXFORD STATION WESTERN SPRINGS

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Spacious and Stylish Downsizing Options Close to Home at Foxford Station For years Tischler Finer Foods and Breen’s buildings sat vacant in downtown Western Springs. Thanks to Hinsdale, Ill.-based Foxford Communities, the prominent corner of town is now seeing activity with the recent groundbreaking of Foxford Station, a mixed-use development that includes 28 luxury condominiums and 3,600 square feet of commercial space. With over 25 years of experience in developing and delivering high-end homes, including single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums, Foxford Communities (www.foxfordcommunities.com) worked closely with the village of Western Springs to design a luxury condominium development that blends in with the town’s quaint downtown characteristics and mirrors the sophisticated style of the surrounding homes. Located at the corner of Wolf Road and Burlington Avenue, Foxford Station is within walking distance to the Western Springs Metra Station and within proximity to all of the shopping, dining and cultural attractions downtown Western Springs has to offer. According to the Transit Oriented Development Institute, communities like Foxford Station showcase one of the country’s fastestgrowing housing trends—pedestrian-oriented mixed-use communities centered around high-quality train systems that make it possible to live a lower-stress life without complete dependence on a car for mobility and survival. However, location isn’t the only desirable feature of Foxford Station. With homes measuring approximately 1,770 to 3,060 square feet, flexible and open floor plans offer spacious living areas that lead to a large private outdoor balcony or terrace with ample room for a fullsized grill and patio furniture. Condominium units offer a variety of floor plans, from two to three bedrooms to two to

three baths, with select homes including a den. According to Joan Smothers, managing broker and owner and the exclusive Realtor® for Foxford Station, a number of empty-nesters have been drawn to Foxford Station. “The community’s maintenance-free lifestyle, expansive single-level floor plans and high-end finishes have made it especially popular with downsizing baby boomers, many of whom are choosing to stay close to family and friends,” said Smothers. “Also, when you combine Foxford Station’s high-end features with the property’s convenient location—within walking distance to the Metra and proximity to Interstates 55 and 294—it’s also a smart option for commuters.” Foxford Station condominiums feature a number of upscale interior finishes, including eat-in gourmet kitchens with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and custom kitchen cabinets. Additionally, each condominium at Foxford Station includes a master suite with a walk-in closet and master bath with a soaking tub, walk-in shower and quartz-topped double-bowl vanity. Residences also include a large laundry room with enough space for a fullcapacity side-by-side washer and dryer. Condominiums at Foxford Station feel extra spacious thanks to ceiling heights of 9 feet or higher, and details like crown molding and hardwood floors in the kitchen, living and dining room areas lend a higher degree of sophistication. For convenience and ease, each condominium comes with two parking spots in the building’s secured and heated parking garage. Residents will also be able to take advantage of a shared community terrace that will provide a common space for large outdoor gatherings and entertain with friends and family.

For more information on Foxford Station, visit www.foxfordstation.com or contact Joan Smothers from Smothers Realty Group at (708) 482-2980 or joan@smothersrealty.com.

Hinsdale Magazine | Giving Back

Lynn Issleib, Christine Marzullo, Angelique Lopez, Julia Wade, Jacquie, Wooldridge, Vicky Joseph and Chad Pedigo

FOR

CHAIR-ITY At The Community House on Oct. 5, Bridge Communities will host its annual ‘A Chair Affair’ cocktail auction and gala to raise money to help break the cycle of poverty and homelessness in DuPage County. By Rosie Conway | Photography by Daniel Garcia

he next time you pass by a discarded, broken chair on the curb, only to scoff at its uselessness, you may want to take a closer look. Thanks to the creativity of local artists, that chair has the potential to become a beautiful work of art. Twenty such chairs will be auctioned off at The Community House (TCH) on Oct. 5 at Hinsdale’s debut event of “A Chair Affair”—a cocktail reception and auction gala that raises funds for Bridge Communities, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide housing, mentoring

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and supportive services to homeless families in DuPage County, and to transition the families back into fullyfunctioning and responsible community citizens. While working with the individual families during a two-year program within 140 apartment buildings scattered throughout the area, Bridge Communities acts as a comprehensive support system with multiple community volunteers. It provides employment specialists, social workers, counselors and academic tutors, among other roles. Each family is also paired with a case worker that is well-versed in community resources to help the mentors work with transitioning the families back into their local communities. Chad Pedigo, director of community engagement for Bridge, couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming gala. “We are the largest transitional housing provider for homeless families in DuPage County,” said Pedigo, who began his work with Bridge Communities as a volunteer in its learning resource centers. “We focus on selfsufficiency for local families. I’m proud that the success we provide through our transitional housing program is so significant.” The gala is the first of its kind in Hinsdale, but Bridge Communities began A Chair Affair four years ago in other neighborhoods. Thanks to the success of each event, Bridge decided to bring the gala to Hinsdale. “We began A Chair Affair events in Naperville, but this is the first time we are debuting it here in this community,” Pedigo said. “The chair theme began with local artists who wanted to make the artwork more personal and also meaningful.” Artists took discarded pieces of furniture, and transformed them into something beautiful and new. The concept became a metaphor for the homeless families helped by Bridge Communities, who often feel discarded or ignored, in that they are also transformed into selfsufficient members of society, and into families that are appreciated. The event will feature 20 one-of-a-kind pieces of chair artwork designed by local artists using mixed mediums and styles. “We ask artists all across the community to get involved,” Pedigo said. “Each year, it’s completely unique as to what the chairs will look like. Some of the chairs will be part of the silent auction, but some will be part of the live auction.” Beginning Sept. 8, the auction chairs will be placed in areas across the community for display. Libraries, fitness centers, banks and stores are among the host areas for the chairs on display. “The chairs on display are important, because not

only can the public preview the auction chairs early, [but] it also helps us create a dialogue within the community about what the chairs represent,” Pedigo said. The chairs are also available for preview on Bridge’s Web site, where people can vote for their favorites. The top three chairs are then included in the live auction portion of the gala. Beginning at 6 p.m. on Oct. 5, guests will enjoy a cocktail and buffet reception, while previewing the art for silent auction. Guests will enjoy scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, a dessert buffet and an open bar of wine and beer. There will be a welcome speech given by John Hayner, CEO of Bridge Communities, followed by a personal client speaker—a family member that has successfully completed the two-year Bridge Communities program, and has transitioned back into society. Following the speeches, guests will enjoy a live auction with the aforementioned top three chairs, but also a selection of chairs handpicked by an artist panel. There will be raffle prizes, including a jewelry pull with exclusive pieces from Kendra Scott—an Austin, Texas-based jewelry designer who recently opened a store at Oakbrook Center. There will be a wine-pull, at which every bottle will be valued at $20 or more, and include a magnum bottled valued at $300. Pedigo acknowledged that without the help of local community members, the gala and auction would not have been possible. After recently connecting with the Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club, he was introduced to a number of women volunteers in the community. The Chair Affair committee includes the following members: Laura Allen, Lynn Issleib, Julie Larson, Angelique Lopez, Christine Marzullo, Andrea Sanger, Julia Wade, Jacquie Wooldridge and staff member Vicky Joseph. For Pedigo, he believes raising money through these events and helping these families in need is more rewarding for him than for the families. “It’s very empowering to see families that have successfully gone through the program to then turn around and give back to their communities,” Pedigo said. “It’s wonderful to watch families transform from a multigenerational cycle of poverty into a cycle of kindness, and to help ensure that they never become homeless again.” n Admission tickets are $50, and will be available for purchase at the door. For more information, please visit www.bridgecommunities.org.

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Hinsdale Magazine | Health & Wellness

HEARTS of GOLD Thanks to the combined efforts and funding of the Just1Mike Foundation, Young Hearts for Life and Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, on Sept. 7, every student at Hinsdale Central High School will be given the opportunity to be screened for undetected heart conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac death. By Rosie Conway Photography by Daniel Garcia

Dr. Joseph Marek of Advocate Medical Group (above); Kristy Brindley (right) of Clarendon Hills holds a photo of her son, Michael.

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Did you know that sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in young athletes and the second overall cause of death among youth under the age of 25, with an estimated 60 young adults dying each week from SCA in the United States? These shocking statistics were ones that prompted cardiologist Dr. Joseph Marek of Advocate Medical Group in Downers Grove into taking action, and finding a way to screen youths in America for undetected heart conditions. “For the longest time, there was nothing that was practical or cost effective for detection,” Marek said. “As a cardiologist and as a parent, I’ve been concerned about these conditions.” After reading a Wall Street Journal article in 2006 about cardiac screening in Italy, Marek thought the reporter got the information wrong. It turns out that in fact, for 25 years, Italian doctors have been doing electrocardiogram (EKG) screenings, which are quick, simple and painless tests. “Sure enough, just doing a simple EKG on young adults and athletes would have a very significant impact on reducing sudden death,” Marek said. And so in 2006, Dr. Marek founded Young Hearts For Life (YH4L), a cardiac

“These tests are easy to perform so I developed a training program for parent volunteers so we can do large scale screenings in a short period of time.” –DR. JOSEPH MAREK screening program that uses trained community volunteers to deliver a low-cost, efficient screening program. Young Hearts for Life is the largest cardiac screening program in the United States, having screened more than 180,000 youths. Of those, over 2,000 students have been identified as “at-risk,” whereas they would have gone undetected had they not been screened at all. “As a parent, we want our children to eat right and exercise, but as a father of teenagers at the time, I realized it was a lot easier to do EKGs than to change a teenager’s behavior,” Marek said. “So we started a smallscale screening at Butler Junior High [School], where I had been teaching CPR for eight years, and we’ve grown from there.” An EKG records the electrical activity of the heart through electrodes attached to the skin that use mild adhesives, and can detect approximately 60 percent of the abnormalities or markers from heart conditions associated with sudden cardiac death. The test can help prevent the tragedy of losing a child at a young age. One such parent that knows all too well the dangers of SCA is Clarendon Hills resident Kristy Brindley, mother of Michael Brindley and the president of the Just1Mike Foundation. Michael was a rising junior at Hinsdale Central and only 16 years old on June 22, 2016, when he collapsed after a basketball game while at a leadership camp at Culver Academies in Indiana. “He scored the winning shot,” Kristy said, “but after the game, he didn’t feel good. He collapsed and went into sudden cardiac arrest.” Michael, the youngest of three boys in the Brindley family, was known as kind-hearted and having a passion for sports. Because he wanted to become a sportscaster, Michael started the blog Just1Mike (in contrast to “Mike and Mike” on ESPN), and posted on his blog 110 times in three years. After his passing, the Brindleys continued to use Michael’s blog name as a non-profit, fully tax-deductible foundation. They most recently connected with Marek and Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital to bring the Young Hearts For Life screening program to Hinsdale Central on Sept. 7. The screening, fully funded by Just1Mike, YH4L and Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, is the first full-school screening at Hinsdale Central, and to date, 1,300 students are signed up. “Michael would have been a senior this year, so it is really important for us to do something for his class,” Brindley said. “We met with [principal] Bill Walsh, and

presented our program. He was so receptive to it.” On that day, Central students will be excused from study-hall, health or P.E. classes to enter the fieldhouse. Girls and boys will then be completely separated, get the test and return to class. Two cardiologists will be present to read the EKGs, and scan for abnormalities. Results are all confidential and HIPPA-compliant. If there is something abnormal on the EKG, parents are to be contacted immediately. Parents will also receive a code, and can go online to obtain results. Approximately 120 community parent volunteers are needed per shift to perform the test, and will be broken up into morning and afternoon volunteer times. “These tests are easy to perform, so I developed a training program for parent volunteers so we can do large scale screenings in a short period of time,” Marek said. Michael’s closest friends have become volunteers with the foundation as well. Molly Schwarz and Emily Graham, both of Clarendon Hills, immediately reached out to the Brindleys, as they had known Michael since kindergarten. Four of Michael’s best friends, three of whom attend Hinsdale Central, have become members of the junior board for the Just1Mike Foundation: Max Thompson, John Wheeler, Sam Thoele and Jack Armstrong. All have rallied in an effort to get Central students screened for abnormalities by making posters, selling wristbands and helping parent volunteers. The Brindleys hope to pass on more information through the foundation, and to continue working with cardiologists to screen youths for SCA. “Timing is critical with SCA; you have to have immediate CPR and an AED,” said Brindley, who also notes that for every minute a person is in sudden cardiac arrest, his or her chance of survival decreases by ten percent. They hope the foundation will also continue to work with schools and communities on an emergency preparedness plan, CPR training and eventually, a scholarship at Culver Academies, where Michael spent three summers at camp. “I love talking about him, and the only way I can survive this is to continue to do work in Michael’s name,” Brindley said. “For us, there will always be only one Mike.” n For more information, visit www.YH4L.org. To learn more about the Just1Mike Foundation, call 630-207-2413, or go to www.just1mike.com.

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Hinsdale Magazine | Theater & Arts

“For the community, it’s providing opportunities and experiences to come together and examine our humanity.” –JIMMY MCDERMOTT

The Community House’s Ly Hotchkin Arts Program is expanding its course offerings this fall.

ARTISTICALLY INCLINED Ly Hotchkin Arts Program seeks to serve, appeal to entire community By Mike Ellis | Photography by Daniel Garcia In 2012, Hinsdale and its surrounding communities lost a leading local cultural institution when the Hinsdale Center for the Arts (HCA) closed its doors. But not long afterward, an idea took root “on the porch of Judy Casten,” a Hinsdale resident who was hosting a party for The Community House (TCH) at the time. The product of that concept was the Ly Hotchkin Arts Program (LHAP), which has been up and running within the walls of The Community House since the start of 2017.

Although an entirely separate organization from the HCA, arts program director Jimmy McDermott said it was designed to fill the void left by the center’s closure five years ago, explaining that its purpose was also to function as a way to honor Ly Hotchkin, who served as TCH executive director for more than 30 years. “Enough time had passed between the closure of that organization and the inception of this one that there’s a bit of a diaspora,” McDermott said. “So it’s a matter of trying to call some of those individuals back, resurrect more or less the spiritual purpose of the HCA, but having it be an entity unto itself.” While the LHAP does concentrate on many traditional aspects of art, such as painting and drawing, McDermott was quick to point out that this arts program is striving to be much more for the community. “For the community, it’s providing opportunities and experiences to come together and examine our humanity,” he said, adding that he also believes the program must be able to “[impart] skill on a certain level that’s on par with every first-rate entity or training institution in Chicagoland.” In its nascent stages, McDermott said the LHAP has provided largely kid-focused course offerings, beginning with its winter breaks arts camp, wherein children had the opportunity to experiment with a different artistic medium each day, ranging from painting and sculpting, to theatre, music, creative writing and even comic book illustration. “We really wanted [it] to be more or less a sampler of all of the things that we aspire for the program to be,” he said, “because I want it to be programming in every discipline for every age.”

Continued on page 68 66

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Hinsdale Magazine | Theater & Arts In more recent months, the LHAP has been offering more specialized, non-traditional classes as well, including “thread and tech” and photo-video workshops. “Thread and tech” is a STEAM-based (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) class that introduces middleschool-aged kids to the principles of an electrical circuit, and teaches them how to build their own circuit, which they convert into a piece of wearable art such as a handbag, hat, infinity scarf or bracelet thereafter. In the photo-video workshops, which the LHAP offered for the first time this summer, children participated in a four-session camp that featured a photo safari that introduced participants to principles of photography and photo editing; a “green screen,” which allowed kids to experiment with video editing; and a sports broadcasting portion in which children videoed a baseball game being played in one of TCH’s unrelated summer sports camps. “Kids really like to see themselves in the context of their favorite things and universes,” McDermott said. ... “I’m really interested in growing that component of this program particularly.” McDermott, who has a dramatic theatre background himself, and has been on the job for nearly one year, said that he is the only permanent employee currently on staff within the arts program, and that all of his outside instructors are independent contractors. Accordingly, networking with artistically-inclined individuals in the area is a crucial piece in the program’s growth and development. Many Hinsdale Central alumni are likely acquainted with one of McDermott’s summer instructors: Pam Kalafut, who taught art at the high school and also served as a popular activities director. McDermott said he has also been in contact with Hinsdale resident and artist David Marcet, whom he originally learned about through a spread in a back issue of Hinsdale Magazine. “He’s been really helpful and engaged in conversation,” he said, adding that Marcet, an art professor at Benedictine University, will be leading drawing workshops at the LHAP with both child and adult sections this fall. In addition to bringing on artists as course instructors, McDermott said he is also interested in engaging them to share their talents with community members in the form of demonstrations or presentations. He described meeting a Burr Ridge resident named Mark Osgood, who furnishes wooden bicycles by hand, adding that in his dexterous undertaking, Osgood combines engineering and craftsmanship with “an incredible amount of vision and artistry in what he does.” “Just getting him to show what he does somehow, or show a portable component of this room of how he actually goes about fashioning something like that, is an idea that I have, and that he and I have talked about,” McDermott said. This fall in particular, if you’re looking to enroll your children in some after-school or weekend extracurricular activities, you might even find something that piques your interest as well at the LHAP, which is preparing to roll out more adult classes. “We have a lot of activities here where parents are dropping their kids off for activities,” McDermott said. ... “I feel like we need

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to be offering something for them while they’re in the building as much as possible.” Offerings for kids will include the aforementioned drawing workshop with Marcet, as well as “no-school studio,” a concept built around engaging kids on days off from school. “If there’s any day in the District 181 or District 86 calendar where students are not in attendance, we’ll actually be offering a half-day camp,” McDermott said, adding that the themes will change from session to session, and will be announced several weeks ahead of time. Meanwhile, adults are encouraged to explore any of the following courses this fall: Drawing in nature: Autumn. In this course, enrollees will draw outdoors, examining the change in foliage throughout the month of October. “We see the progression of October in this four-week, concentrated class,” McDermott said. Stationery-making. This class, offered in both youth and adult sections, will introduce participants to crafting their own stationery for the holiday season. Introduction to photography. McDermott said enrollees in this course can bring anything from a state-of-the-art digital camera to a disposable or cell-phone camera, as they explore the art of photographic “composition.” Introduction to apparel design and manufacturing. As the class description suggests, this offering is geared towards adults interested in fashion design. “Studio Vino.” This course with a catchy name appears to have been made with the social and enterprising ladies of Hinsdale and surrounding towns in mind, combining fine art and wine in the form of “wine and paint parties.” With this striking combination, “Studio Vino” could soon become as familiar a name in Hinsdale vernacular as Vistro or Nabuki. n

McDermott said the Ly Hotchkin Arts Program appears to be headed in the right direction, with considerably more courses available this fall than in previous months. “We’re definitely growing,” he said. “We’re offering at least twice as many programs for fall [as] we have earlier this year; so I’m really excited about being able to offer that gamut.” But in addition to its growth at The Community House, McDermott said envisions a program that can “grow outside the walls of these rooms.” “I want the program to actually have a life of its own,” he said. “I want it to exist in the community as a purpose and as kind of a mission, [rather] than just a physical space.” The Ly Hotchkin Arts Program is a division of The Community House, with programming based at the organization’s main building at the corner of Madison and Eighth Streets in Hinsdale. Individuals interested in enrolling in courses or learning more about the program or the organization in general are encouraged to visit www.thecommunityhouse.org.

DANIEL GARCÍA PHOTOGRAPHY

630-306-4852

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Hinsdale Magazine | Community Scene

BURR RIDGE CHALK FEST PHOTOS BY DANIEL GARCIA

Burr Ridge Village Center welcomed nearly 60 participants of all ages to enjoy its inaugural Chalk Fest on Aug. 3. Families, professional artists, amateur artists, student artists and anyone who just wanted to “chalk,” were welcomed to leave their mark on the Village Green. Contestants were provided a designated square, chalk and creative liberty to design an original work of art. Winners at this year’s event included Christina Koss, Carrie Rozich, Meagan Monteleone, Jnaiya Owens, Caroline Goldthorpe and Carolyn Zolecki.

1. Henry and Phil Maish; 2-3. Burr Ridge Village Center’s inaugural Chalk Fest participants; 4. Carolyn, Madelyn and Maxwell Zolecki

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Hinsdale Magazine | Community Scene

CHICAGO POLO CUP CHAMPIONSHIP It was a perfect day for polo on July 30, as hundreds of spectators came out to Prince of Wales Field to witness the championship match between Oak Brook Polo Club and Morgan Creek in the annual “Chicago Polo Cup.” Despite not having played at Oak Brook in a few years, Morgan Creek defeated the home team, 9-8, in an exciting match.

Tomas Obregon, Jim Drury, Betina Gozo (celebrity/fitness trainer and winner of the Next Fitness Star competition), Mariano Gutierrez and Horacio Onetto. Photograph by Time Stops Photography

THE DRAKE CHALLENGE CUP Oak Brook Polo Club gave a warm and “kettle-drums” welcome to the Kingston Polo Club from Jamaica on Aug. 6, as they prepared to compete for one of Oak Brook’s oldest and most celebrated trophies: The Drake Challenge Cup.

While the match kicked off the start to the “International Polo Series,” it was also the 55th year of Jamaican Independence Day.

Tomas Obregon of Oak Brook. Photograph by Judith Coleman

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Hinsdale Magazine | Community Scene

COMMUNITY HOUSE 3-ON-3 BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PHOTOS BY MIKE ELLIS

Dozens of young aspiring athletes participated in the fourth annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament hosted by The Community House (TCH) in Hinsdale on Aug. 19.

Kids played throughout the morning and early afternoon across the property, with temporary courts set up in the parking lot and on the tennis courts. Boys and girls from fourth through eighth grade constituted most of the tournament competitors, while some adults also competed in the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open tournament in the fieldhouse indoors.

The tournament also included a silent auction, highlighted by an autographed Kris Bryant jersey, a basketball signed by the entire 2016-17 Chicago Bulls roster, and a smattering of Blackhawks, Bulls and Cubs tickets. For more information about The Community House and its upcoming programs and activities, visit www. thecommunityhouse.org.

1. Several teams from the Hinsdale Inferno program entered the tournament; 2. Much of the play took place on makeshift courts outside The Community House; 3. Temperatures escalated as play progressed into the afternoon; 4. Kids from fourth through eighth grade made up most of the tournament competitors; 5. These two squads played a pair of grueling games to decide the seventh/eighth grade girls title.

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Jarrett Payton will be speaking at the second annual Chicago Sports Summit on Oct. 4.

A Conversation with

JARRETT PAYTON For the son of Chicago Bear Walter Payton (a.k.a. Sweetness), life is still, well, sweet!

Interview by Rosie Conway | Photography by Marco Nunez

s a TV and radio broadcaster and former NFL HM: How did you become involved with the Chicago running back, Payton will be part of the 2017 Sports Summit? speakers and panelists at the second annual Chicago Sports Summit on Oct. 4 at the Hyatt PAYTON: I was approached by the organizers of the event Regency Hotel. HM thinks Jarrett is someone to attend the summit this year in 2017. I am passionate about giving back to my community, and any chance I you should know... have to do so that aligns with my messages through JPF, I jump at the chance. I know WGN is also involved, so HM: Was there a specific event or instance that inspired having their support means a lot as well. you to start the Jarrett Payton Foundation (JPF)?

PAYTON: At a very young age, my parents instilled in my sister and me that both giving back and service are important foundations for your adult life. Once football was over and I was exploring my options for the future, I knew I wanted giving back and service to be a part of that. JPF is my donation to my community; it’s my opportunity to share my experience, impact kids and give them opportunities. HM: What values were instilled in you at a young age,

either through schooling, coaches or your parents, that you continue to live by today?

PAYTON: One of my main messages is, “We’re more similar than we are different.” This is a more important message today than ever before. I encourage kids to get to know one another, and you never know where things may lead to after an initial conversation is had. We judge a lot in our society, and if we just have a conversation, it can go a long way for everyone involved. HM: Growing up with a celebrity father wasn’t without its challenges. How did your father teach you to stay focused on what’s important?

PAYTON: While my father influenced decisions in my short 19 years with him, he also gave me the freedom to make my own decisions. He and my mother would weigh in on important decisions up to that point, but also in a way, he set me up for a long life without him, because he gave me the tools to make decisions on my own as well. My dad led me in the same way he played on the field. He always played like he had been there before, not flashy or fancy. He led me in the same way.

HM: As a guest speaker, what are some of your key talking points at the Chicago Sports Summit?

PAYTON: I’ll be on the panel discussing empowering teenagers. I’ll focus on some of the same topics I speak to kids about at schools. I talk to kids about finding their passion—that passion may be in sports, math, science, drama, music—, but to find their passion and use that drive and determination to better themselves in all facets of their life. I will discuss what I mentioned earlier, which is my slogan: “we’re more similar than we are different.” I will also incorporate my “hashtag,” #begreat. Lastly, I’ll discuss anti-bullying and respect. HM: What advice would you give to athletes who

transition out of playing sports into working in the business world?

PAYTON: Sports teach you a lot about life. There is so much advice I could lend here, but I think the most important aspect of life that sports teach you the most about is teamwork. It doesn’t matter what sport you play or what job you do in the business world—teamwork will always be an important aspect to take seriously. It doesn’t matter if you work individually or as a team, teamwork is always involved. If you are an individual athlete, you still have coaches, trainers and so on that work with you. If you have a career that is more individually-based, you still have an audience, boss, client or customer that is involved, and requires teamwork. HM: You played soccer and football in high school. How did playing two sports complement each other?

PAYTON: Both sports teach you a lot about endurance. Continued on the next page HINSDALE MAGAZINE, INC. | Hinsdale60521.com

Hinsdale Magazine | Jarrett Payton With soccer, you run around a lot, and it’s hard on your body from that perspective. Football, with all the techniques and plays during the course of a game or practice, it’s hard on you in a different way. Endurance is important to both sports. Having transitioned to football late in my highschool career, the aspects of soccer that I learned as a young child helped me transition easily.

HM: “No Bull” is a program at the Jarrett Payton

Foundation that addresses bullying. What’s the most important message you hope participants take away from this program?

PAYTON: My Project: No Bull is the main program within

JPF. I want kids to take away the fact that anything they put their mind to, anything they are passionate about, they can “#begreat” at it. There’s no limit to the success they can have. I don’t talk about bullies and bystanders; I talk to kids about being better people, better children to adults in their lives, better leaders in their community, better friends and siblings. I want to create leadership qualities in kids that can have an impact on them for their entire life, enriching their lives to be better people, and thus not focus on the bad in people. I don’t want them to pick on other kids, but instead, easily stand up for themselves and others, and be proud of their #begreat moments.

HM: Today, even national news outlets focus on Chicago as

a hub of crime and gun violence. How does your foundation offer hope to children in Chicago?

PAYTON: We focus on creating passion and motivation within children within their community, schools, homes to be better, #begreat. When I enter a school to speak to kids, my goal is to impact one child. The violence in Chicago and negativeness in society isn’t going to be changed overnight, but if I can impact one child per day, and they impact another, we’re beginning the movement and heading in the right direction. HM: People say the only legacy we really leave behind is our children. How is Walter’s legacy alive and well in you?

PAYTON: I think of, hear stories about and talk about my dad every single day. People will often apologize to me for wanting to speak about my father. I stop them and tell them I appreciate the fact that he is remembered. I know that my family is doing our part, by examples of these stories, to keep his legacy alive. I entered this world as Walter Payton’s son; I want to leave it with people telling stories about me, Jarrett Payton, the same way they tell stories of my father. My dad always considered everyone the same—doesn’t matter your income, job, sex, gender, ethnicity, race—he treated everyone the same. I strive to be like him in that way to see everyone for who they are, and treat others the way I want to be treated. n

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Second Annual Chicago Sports Summit Benefits Chicago Sports Summit Foundation and After School Matters By Lisa Stafford Pro sports and community leaders will explore compelling topics during the second annual Chicago Sports Summit on Oct. 4 at Hyatt Regency Chicago. Panelists will discuss advances in sports science, branding a business with sports celebrities, and how sports and after-school activities help youth engage in positive behavior, potentially reducing the violence in Chicago. Jarrett Payton, former NFL player and son of the late NFL Hall-of-Famer Walter Payton; Jamal Mayers, former Chicago Blackhawk; and Kim Foxx, Cook County State’s Attorney, are some of the luminaries that will present at the event. Six-year-old Henry Dahl, a YouTube star for his “Snacks with Henry” feature during which he interviews the various Chicago Bulls players, will also make an appearance at the event. The summit will raise funds for the Chicago Sports Summit Foundation, an organization that supports the physical and educational development of Chicago-area youth through partnerships with local charities sharing the same vision. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to After School Matters, a non-profit organization that offers innovative extracurricular activities in the arts, communication, sports, science and technology to at-risk teenagers. Last year’s event raised $35,000 for After School Matters. Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR) will host the event, Athletico Physical Therapy will serve as title sponsor, and Optimum Nutrition will be the breakfast sponsor for the summit. This half-day event will function as an opportunity to connect with some of the biggest names in Chicago sports, promote a product or service, and host VIP clients. Companies interested in purchasing a table or sponsorship can call 630-212-1226. Individual tickets are available for $200. To purchase, visit www.chicagosportssummit.com.

Hinsdale Magazine | Peak Performance

BIG DREAMS do come true Toyota Park in Bridgeview

It was a muggy, overcast day in August 2002, and Steve Landek (my client and the mayor of the Village of Bridgeview) was giving me a tour of his 7.15-square-mile fiefdom. Eventually, we drove past open fields of vacant land, and I asked, “Who owns this?” and Steve replied, “The village owns all of this land.” Instantly, a lightning-bolt vision of a 20,000-seat outdoor arena popped into my mind. I saw the stadium exterior with fans walking into the venue. I envisioned the field and the packed seats of fanatic fans. “Steve, as the “zone coach” to two star players for the Chicago Fire [Major League Soccer franchise], I know they need their own, customized stadium.—This is the perfect place! ... “Playing in their current home of Soldier Field makes the Fire’s 14,000 fans look anemic on television within the iconic 60,000+ seat stadium,” I said. “Plus, there are no other 20,000-seat arenas in Chicago, and a venue this size could draw world-class concerts, festivals and other prominent spectator experiences. Steve laughed out loud, bellowing, “You’re crazy!” Maybe I was. “Come on, Steve,” I said. “Shut your eyes, unhinge your jaw and see your new stadium.” With eyes shut and a toothy grin, he replied, “I see it; I see it.” The land where my visual intervention took place is

strategically located 12 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. With easy access to major roads, a world-class airport and one of the greatest cities in the world, this facility could survive and thrive. Within a few weeks, meetings were orchestrated with three of my clients: Bridgeview Bank, the Chicago Fire and the Village of Bridgeview. A deal was struck, money was raised for construction, and a vision was swiftly turning into reality. On Nov. 30, 2004, the Village of Bridgeview broke ground on the state-of-the-art Toyota Park, and it officially opened on June 11, 2006. “It is amazing that one thought resulted in a $100 million, 20,000 seat stadium on the South Side of Chicago,” Landek said, “despite the fact that many disbelievers doubted this project from its beginning.” When I attend an event at Toyota Park, it is incredible to think that the former vacant land underneath was transformed into a venue for the likes of entertainers such as Eric Clapton, BB King, Phish, Korn, Kenny Chesney, Pitbull, Jimmy Buffet, Jennifer Lopez, Iggy Azalea, Bob Dylan, Demi Lovato, John Mayer, Slipknot, Chris Brown, Vince Gill, Marilyn Manson, Ariana Grande and of course, the Chicago Fire. Steve Landek is a civic visionary, and with his leadership and perseverance, this big dream came true. They do.—Why not for you? n

JIM FANNIN Columnist Burr Ridge resident Jim Fannin is a world-class thought leader and coach with 43 years of experience in life, business and sports. To learn about his thought management programs, visit jimfannn.com and tune-in to his weekly podcast, The Jim Fannin Show.

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Hinsdale Magazine | Insight

ON WHITE SUPREMACY I am white—about as white as a person gets. My grandmother’s family came over on the Mayflower. I am the fourth of five generations to go to Yale. My high-school yearbook features very few non-Caucasian faces. I fear sunburn from the fluorescent lights in my comfortable office. And for the past 20 years, I have served as senior pastor of a 6,000-member evangelical church in the Midwest. It thankfully contains a growing range of people, but it is still predominantly white. Like many others of my diminishing tribe, I have watched our country transform into a mosaic of colors, ethnicities and cultures that was largely invisible and inconceivable to me when I was growing up. Demographers tell me that I should get ready for a lot more change. “My people” will be a minority by the time I go to the grave, cholesterol-willing, somewhere about 2050. I confess, this creates some anxiety for me. The future America won’t look much like my forbearers knew. My children, already challenged in their college admissions by this changing context, are facing a wildly more competitive environment than the one in which I grew up. I will be looked back upon as a relic of an age in which the hue of my skin afforded me special advantages of voice and resource, denied to others. There is no certainty that the cultural values I have cherished will be central to the America already emerging. For all these reasons, there is a part of me that understands some tiny corner of what motivates the white supremacy movement. I do not agree with it, but in some small way, I understand it. Even some of us who despise the swastika, and who utterly reject the hatred and violence with which the “White Hoods” march, feel nervous about our country’s future. The increasing diversity of our nation has brought so much blessing, but also a level of complexity and conflict for which we feel ill-equipped. Many in mainstream America feel worried, and in some measure, angry at the shrinking validity and influence of the culture we knew. We recognize there was and is a lot of bad—a lot—and yet we fear losing some of the good. But that doesn’t change the fact that there is no place in our nation for the spirit that marched on Charlottesville, Va. It is not anywhere close to a holy spirit. White supremacism, like many forms of bigotry, frequently leans on the Bible as one of its sources of authority. Racists, fascists and terrorists routinely co-opt some holy book as justification for their aims. They see themselves as the “chosen people,” set apart to advance God’s purposes as no one else can. This, however, cannot be further from the viewpoint advanced

DAN MEYER Columnist Daniel Meyer is senior pastor of Christ Church of Oak Brook, Illinois. 82

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by the Bible itself. The scriptures of the Old and New Testaments arose in a world already fragmented by a variety of forms of tribalism and enmity. At points, the ancient texts seem influenced by these parochialisms. And yet, the dominant message of the Bible presses in a different direction. The Judeo-Christian scriptures tell us that: • God is the Creator of every race, and loves all of them equally. • Multiplicity and variety is a sign of God’s abundance. • God has placed the divine image inside everyone, everywhere. • The Lord stands with the vulnerable and the under-resourced. • God will judge those who have used their power for selfish and violent purposes. • God’s kingdom is concerned not with the color of our skin, but with the condition of our souls. In many places, the soul of our nation seems sick right now. Blinded by pride, we struggle to recognize our own brothers and sisters. We focus on our differences. We are bunkered and battling on many fronts. Fighting to secure our position and place, we may even invoke Jesus to carry our banner. Yet Jesus is not a safe refuge for supremacists. On the contrary, Jesus was notorious for crossing boundaries of race, gender, nationality, politics and privilege to build community with “others.” In one of the most famous passages of the New Testament, we are told that Jesus did not regard even his divine status as something to be grasped, but humbled himself, taking the form of a servant, and gave up his life to advance the life of others (Philippians 2:58). For this very reason, the Bible says, Jesus alone is worthy of “supremacy” (Colossians 1:18). The supremacist in any of us needs to think hard about this. Jesus was not white; he was not wealthy; and he was not American. Yet the Bible declares that Jesus was exalted to the very “highest place,” and given “the name that is above every name,” and that one day every knee will bow —in similar service to others—out of reverence for him (Phil. 2:9-11). This is why the biblical worldview, stripped of its counterfeits, still matters in America today. It is a worldview that is generously concerned for the flourishing of all people. It teaches us that there is beauty and power in diversity. It challenges us to believe that the most enduring kind of prosperity and abundance comes as we focus beyond ourselves to the well-being of others. In this shared concern lies what we used to call and now need to pursue with even greater fervor: “our commonwealth.” n