The North Shore Weekend East, Issue 272

FIND US ONLINE: DailyNorthShore.com

SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017

SUNDAY BREAKFAST

Kindness counts for Sew4Good’s Allison Cohen. P18

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SPORTS

Highland Park Giants hockey player Michael Gallo succeeds with a pass-first mentality. P16

SOCIAL SCENE

Heal Team 6 hosted an evening of old-fashioned Christmas fun for veterans, active duty military members and their families. P13

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NO. 272 | A JWC MEDIA PUBLICATION

CHRISTMASTIME IS HERE

‘Charlie Brown’ pageant transforms meaning of Christmas at Lake Forest church

BY STEVE SADIN DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM

C

hristmas pageants are almost always endearing and spiritually uplifting – but this year’s play at The Church of the Holy Spirit was even more than that: It helped deepen the meaning of Christmas for many performers.

More than 50 youngsters from the very young dressed as angels to youth in their early teens participated in a modified version of A Charlie Brown Christmas on December 17 at the Lake Forest church. Many said they found performing in the play was transformational.

“Christmas is about giving, not getting,” said Tom Foley of Lake Forest, who played Charlie Brown.

His sentiment was echoed by several of his fellow cast members, as well as by Debbie Stockert, the church’s director of family ministries and the show’s producer, who told the children: “This is your gift to the congregation and the community. You’re telling them what the meaning of Christmas really is.”

Foley said the scene where Charlie Brown feels sad because he thinks he has killed the tree he Continued on PG 8

These little angels performed in The Church of the Holy Spirit’s A Charlie Brown Christmas. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

INDEX

IN THIS ISSUE [ NEWS ] 8 amtrak protest prompts inquiry Lake Forest will review the city’s process for hiring consultants and other financial commitments.

10 from page to stage to film Writers Theatre of Glencoe and Wilmette Theatre are working together on a film series that complements what’s on stage. [ LIFESTYLE & ARTS ] 12 north shore foodie

Hewn bakers make bread the old-fashioned way. They knead it.

13 social scene Good tidings and joy were felt by all at the Heal Team 6 old-fashioned Christmas party. [ REAL ESTATE ]

what you get for $1.5 million We compare home listings in Lake Forest, Highland Park and Wilmette in the $1.5 million range.

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[ SPORTS ] 17 ‘happy days’ for cunningham, ramblers

Senior guard leading the way as Loyola Academy’s boys basketball team gets off to a flying start

[ LAST BUT NOT LEAST ] 18 sunday breakfast

Sew4Good founder Allison Cohen spins yarns of kindness at Sarkis Café.

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

NEWS CHEER Continued from PG 1

Hattie Robbins, an eighth grader from Lake Bluff who was wants to use in the play within the Lucy, said her experience participlay is demonstrative. Some of pating in A Charlie Brown ChristCharlie Brown’s friends decorate mas has her seeing the holiday it, showing him how nice it can be. differently, too. She said the way “Charlie is really down, and his the cast banded together to decofriends do something special for rate the tree to lift Charlie Brown’s him,” said Foley. “They really made spirits showed a generous spirit. it special.”

“It helps us realize the meaning When Linus finds the tree of giving to people,” said Robbins. down on the ground, he wraps it “It gave me a new meaning for

Tom Foley as Charlie Brown talks to Hattie Robbins as Lucy.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

in his blanket to care for it. Matt Kerouac, a parishioner from Lake Bluff and one of the pageant directors, said using the blanket to care for the tree is a significant act of giving.

“This is the only time in anything (Charles) Schulz does with the Peanuts characters where Linus gives up his blanket,” Kerouac said of the character that is always seen with his security blanket.

Alex Donato of Highwood, who handled the role of Linus, said that while practicing for the pageant he realized Charlie Brown was “a Debbie Downer” but that Linus and the others helped him feel better about Christmas.

He said the experience helped him understand the giving part of Christmas better. He had an opportunity to practice it in the community through Oak Terrace School in Highwood, where he is a fifth grader.

“At my school we had a toy drive,” Donato said. “We brought as much as we could for children who really need them. It helped me feel the spirit of giving, and it’s not about myself. Christmas has a new generosity.”

Christmas.”

Foley, a seventh grader from Lake Forest, said he is doing things during the Christmas season he has not done in the past in part because of the message of A Charlie Brown Christmas. It involves trying to make a difference in the community as well as with his friends and family.

“Instead of doing a present swap with my Boy Scout troop we helped out at Feed My Starving Children,” said Foley. “At Jewel Osco you can feed a family (by donating) $50. These are ways we can help out in the community.”

The church’s production of A Charlie Brown Christmas included a nativity scene. As Linus explained the true meaning of Christmas by speaking the Biblical verse announcing the birth of Jesus, children portraying all of the people who were present in the manger in Bethlehem on the first Christmas walked on stage and became part of the scene.

“As (Linus) reads the scripture it becomes a very meaningful part of the play,” said Erin Sloan of Mundelein, a church member and another of the three directors.

Amtrak uproar prompts LF financial review

BY STEVE SADIN DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM

A

public outcry over $192,000 paid by Lake Forest to a Washington D.C.-based lobbying firm to help secure an Amtrak stop in town and funding for its required infrastructure prompted a review of the city’s financial controls.

Finance Director Elizabeth Holleb outlined four recommended changes during a Finance Committee meeting December 18 at City Hall, and the Lake Forest City Council went into executive session later that night to delve deeper into the situation.

Lake Forest officials have been trying to secure an Amtrak stop for more than five years and in March 2016 retained the services of Chambers, Conlon and Hartwell, a lobbying firm in Washington D.C., to help it achieve that goal.

The lobbyist was hired to help get approval for the stop and funding for a pedestrian underpass at the west Lake Forest train station. Amtrak made the passage a requirement for the stop when it gave its approval in a November 30 letter, according to Mayor Rob Lansing.

During a December 4 Lake Forest City Council meeting, several residents complained that the money paid to the lobbyist was never approved by the council but funneled through the city’s attorney, Victor Filippini.

Not only were residents upset about the way the matter was handled, but so were some members of the council. Alderman Prue Beidler said at the time she wanted the legislative body to examine the situation.

Alderman James E. Morris, chairman of the council’s Finance Committee, met with City Manager Robert Kiely Jr. and Finance Director Holleb December 8 to discuss ways to prevent that much money from being spent without council approval.

Holleb said the city manager has the authority to spend up to $20,000 without a vote by the council.

Holleb said the meeting produced four changes, which the council planned to discuss in more detail in the executive session. She said the city has certain contingency funds approved when the

budget is passed to allow for expenses that are not specifically part of the annual spending plan.

Reports of expenditures from the contingency funds go to the city manager. If one of the suggested changes is approved, the chairman of the finance committee, who is always an alderman, will get a copy of the report as well.

Another change Holleb said was discussed December 8 and got consideration at the executive session is that expenses from the contingency fund will be disclosed before the expense is incurred.

Holleb said another procedural change will require when an entity makes an expenditure on the city’s behalf to a third party, both the proxy and the actual recipient must be disclosed. She gave the example of both a general contractor in a construction project and the subcontractors.

A fourth change Holleb said is under discussion is disclosing the entire amount that is likely to be spent for an ongoing project at the beginning rather than as each payment is made.

Alderman Michelle Moreno said after Holleb spoke she would like to see a limit of $25,000 put on any expense from the contingency fund and an annual limit of $50,000.

Lansing said the December 8 meeting was a start and the executive session was the next step.

He also said the December 8 meeting and the executive session were a direct result of the lobbying issue. He is not sure what other proposals might arise.

“This is a fact finding mission,” said Lansing. “We’re taking it very seriously.”

Lansing indicated both during the Finance Committee meeting and after the council meeting it is not likely there will be specific changes ready for a vote by the council before its January 16 meeting.

Several residents were not happy over what they called the lack of transparency by the city and its lobbying expense. They were seeking answers.

“There are rules for a reason,” said Lake Forest resident Kate Zimlich. “Trust takes years to build, seconds to lose and forever to rebuild.”

More Effort Demanded to Prevent Holding Track Some residents are not happy with the city’s exuberance in its effort to secure the Amtrak stop but its show of less enthusiasm to prevent a nearly two-mile long holding track proposed by the Federal Railroad Administration.

The third rail is part of what the FRA, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation are suggesting because Amtrak has asked the FRA to let it add three round trips daily between Chicago and Milwaukee. It will let slower freights move onto the holding track while speedier passenger trains pass.

Joanne Desmond, a Lake Forest resident and president of the Academy Woods Homeowners Association, has been pushing the city to take a more active role to defeat the third rail. She continued her quest at the December 18 meeting.

“There is a lack of trust in our city government based on your evidence of concealment of public funds and contracts, duplicity in the communication of untrue and misleading statements and hypocrisy making statements to residents that there is no money to oppose the third rail along with claims the city has no power because the railroads are outside its jurisdiction while surreptitiously spending exorbitant amounts of taxpayer dollars to exert that very influence on the railroad to get an Amtrak stop,” said Desmond.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017 |

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Bobby Kennedy, Writers Theatre’s director of new work & dramaturgy, at the 2017 “From Page to Stage” kick-off.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WRITERS THEATRE

North Shore libraries, finding a movie theater to do a regular or the second year in a row, film series as a part of that exthe Wilmette Theatre and pansion was an exciting idea, as the Writers Theatre in many of our library film screenGlencoe have partnered to ings had been very successful,” present a yearlong, curated se- said Bobby Kenny, director of lection of films that complement new work and dramaturgy at the lineup of theatrical produc- Writers Theatre.

The Wilmette Theatre regutions.

The series is part of From larly partners with other nonPage to Stage, an initiative profit organizations to enrich started by the Writers Theatre audience experiences, such as over a decade ago that presents its partnership with The Field workshops, special events and Museum to present Science On lectures through collaboration Screen earlier in 2017.

“We partner with so many with North Shore public libraries. When the Writers Theatre organizations and we love to do decided to expand From Page this sort of thing,” said Wendy to Stage beyond libraries to Sharon, executive director of the other North Shore nonprofits, Wilmette Theatre.

A representative f rom the Wilmette Theatre was a Writers Theatre leads a discusnatural fit for a film series.

“When we made the decision sion after each film, exploring to expand From Page to Stage themes raised and encouraging to include partners beyond discussion from the audience.

Audience members have the

BY EMILY SPECTRE DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM

F

opportunity to ask questions sation about social justice.

“From Page to Stage is a and learn more about the Writers Theatre production as pretty dynamic program,” she well. said.

Selecting films that pair well By expanding From Page to with the Writers Theatre pro- Stage to other North Shore ductions is a collaborative nonprofits like the Wilmette process. The films that are Theatre, Writers Theatre hopes chosen touch on themes of the to further engage the commuplay, have a direct link or offer nity in thoughtful conversations. a complementary experience, “The goal is to give our comsaid Geoff Button, associate munity the opportunity to producer and casting director at engage in conversations about Writers Theatre. For example, big ideas—accessing similar the film An Ideal Husband was conversations through multiple shown in conjunction with the different types of experiences,” play The Importance of Being Kennedy said.

Ernest, since both were plays The next film pairing is the written by Oscar Wilde. film Long Day’s Journey into The Wilmette Theatre also Night with the play A Moon For weighs in on what films the staff the Misbegotten, showing on thinks are best suited for their February 25 at 2 p.m. at the audience. Sharon noted that Wilmette Theatre. when Parade was paired with the film of To Kill a Mockingbird For more information go to in the spring, there was strong www.writerstheatre.org and attendance and a robust conver- www.wilmettetheatre.org.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017 |

WISHING YOU A HEALTHY NEW YEAR FILLED WITH LOVE AND LAUGHTER.

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

LIFESTYLE & ARTS

NORTH SHORE FOODIE

HEWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS

BY EMILY SPECTRE DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM

“W

e make bread the way it used to be made,” said Julie Matthei. She should know. As co-owner of Hewn Bakery in Evanston with Ellen King, she bakes it all day long.

Full stop, that’s the essence of Hewn. Call it a motto or call it a way of life, but Matthei and King started the bakery in 2013 utilizing locally grown heritage varieties of wheat, and employing an age-old philosophy that handmade truly is better.

In real time that means it takes Hewn’s bakers two days to make a loaf of bread. The ingredients are mixed by hand (although Matthei said as they’ve become busier, some ingredients are mixed with mixers), the bread is shaped by hand, and the loaves are left to rest overnight. “It’s a scientific process. It depends on

the weather, but that is the beauty of bread making,” Matthei said.

Making many things by hand is one way Hewn sets itself apart from other bakeries, but another way is how it sources its ingredients. Instead of relying on commercial yeast, the bakery makes all its bread with a housemade, naturally fermented starter. King created the starter about eight or nine years ago and has been feeding it ever since to keep it active.

“It’s the perfect pet,” she joked.

While using a wild yeast is in keeping with their homegrown philosophy, King said that it also naturally breaks down gluten, making their bread easier to digest. The wild yeast acts as a natural preservative — the acidity in the yeast actually helps preserve the bread. That means Hewn’s bread can stay fresh for four days on the counter in a loose paper bag.

“It is just a way of recycling something that tastes great, and it adds a lot flavor to the bread,” Matthei said.

The bakery offers a wide variety of bread, including the country loaf, a good everyday bread naturally leavened and made with whole wheat flour, which is a best seller. The heritage varieties also are popular with customers, as well as specialty loaves such as cheese bread or beer bread, made with beer from local breweries.

Come holiday time, Hewn also offers up some unique goodies. Right now the bakery is selling three types of jarred mixes — chocolate chip cookie, gingersnap molasses cookie and lemon ginger scones — that makes cooking at a home a snap.

Co-owner Julie Matthei delivers a pastry to a customer at Hewn in “It’s totally easy and makes a Evanston. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER great gift,” Matthei said.

Hewn also partners with small grains from North Shore brewAlso for sale for the holidays farms in the Midwest to source eries such as Sketchbook, Tem- are take ’n bake morning buns. its flour milled from heritage perance and the Pekish Pig, that These croissant pastries filled grains. The bakery also uses spent would otherwise be thrown out. with vanilla sugar on the inside

are prepared and frozen, ready to be baked whenever need-be during the holidays. They are available to be pre-ordered for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Hewn also bakes up some very special pies just for the holidays.

Cherry pie, and a bourbon pecan pie made using Evanston’s very own Few bourbon, are available for the holidays. On the savory side, a brie en croute, which is a wheel of brie topped with a fruit compote and enclosed in a homemade pastry, is also available just for the holidays.

In addition to its famous breads, Hewn also makes pastries such as croissant, scones and muffins, as well as brownies, cookies and sandwiches. And if that isn’t enough, on weekends the bakery also offeres monkey bread and sticky buns.

Hewn is located at 810 Dempster Street, Evanston. For more information go to hewnbread.com.

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017

LIFESTYLE & ARTS

SOCIALS Good OldFashioned Christmas Heal Team 6 Photography by Robin Subar

Veterans, active duty military members, and families enjoyed an evening of good old-fashioned Christmas fun at Wildberry Pancakes and Café to kick off the Christmas weekend. Guests enjoyed a traditional turkey dinner, mingling and reminiscing, and holiday cheer. Santa joined the party to listen as children whispered their holiday wishes in his ear.

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

REAL ESTATE

What You Get For $1.5 Million We’ve scoured the North Shore to find some of the best deals for around $1.5 million.

…In Highland Park Location: 8 Heritage Drive Highland Park Size: 3,522 square feet Price: $1,479,000 The 12 ranch-style residences offer an array of unique and appealing amenities, beginning with its prime location. Located across from the lovely grounds of the Chicago Botanic Garden and walking distance to the internationally recognized Ravinia Festival, Highland Park’s latest luxury community is in the North Shore’s most desirable address. This lovely ranch home has an open floor plan; perfect for both growing families and empty nesters with frequent visitors.

Soaring 10-foot ceilings, master bedroom suites, his and hers master baths (in the Devonshire plan), custom painted cabinetry and fixtures by such brands as Wolf, Sub-Zero and Kohler, sur-

round homeowners with elegance. Heritage’s maintenance-free living means peace of mind, even if away from home for an extended period of time. Keyless entry pads, aluminum-clad windows and long-term warranties on roofing are just a few of the conveniences homeowners can expect in their new residence. Basements are included.

Exclusively Presented By: Karen Skurie Baird & Warner 847-361-4687 karen.skurie@bairdwarner.com

…In Lake Forest Location: 145 N. Sheridan Road Lake Forest Price: $1,425,000 Stunning Goebler renovation, classically appointed and like-new home on 1.1 private wooded acres! Circular drive enters off Illinois Road for South-facing appeal. Designed for an open floor plan, the flow of this home is effortles.

The deep millwork, built-ins and architectural interest are apparent everywhere. Nature views abound from every room, with open, light-filled rooms further enhanced by floor-to-ceiling win-

dows, high-ceilinged living room, trayed master and much more. The spacious family room walks out to a beautiful stone patio and fire pit.

Exclusively Presented By: Patricia Carollo Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Koenig Rubloff Realty Group 847-951-8817 847.460.5417 pcarollo@KoenigRubloff.com

…In Highland Park …In Wilmette

Location: 839 Bob O Link Rd Highland Park Size: 5,000 square feet + Price: $1,450,000

Location: 2219 Birchwood Avenue Wilmette Size: 5,700 square feet + Price: $1,499,000 Wilmette’s best new construction value! Over 5,700 sq. ft. of beautifully finished space on 4 levels. Spacious, sunny kitchen with light cabinetry & premium appliances is adjacent to family room with fireplace-both overlooking the large lot through south-facing wall of windows. Paver patio & sprinklers. Coveted attached heated garage & large mudroom add convenience every day. Private master retreat with spa bath (and closet to DIE for!). 3 more family bedrooms, 2

full baths and full size laundry complete the 2nd floor. The 3rd floor features amazing flex space & full bath. Deep lower level has a rec room, exercise room, and bedroom with private bath. Just move in and enjoy!

Exclusively Presented By: Sandy Clifton Coldwell Banker 847-212-3981

Custom Brick home on over half acre wooded lot, close to town. Open and flowing floor plan with tons of natural light. Over 5,000 square feet plus full finished basement. Four en-suite bedrooms upstairs with additional loft area.

ily room with fireplace. Finished basement has 5th bedroom and full bath along with exercise room, wet bar and huge recreation area. Impressive long driveway with 3 car heated garage.

Don’t miss seeing this mature wooded backyard.

Master suite hosts sitting room, huge walk – In closet and spacious master bath which includes double sink, whirl pool tub and steam shower.

Quality millwork in first floor office includes coffered ceiling and built –in book cases. Large kitchen opens to eating area and two story fam-

Exclusively Presented By: Ted Pickus @properties 847-432-0700 847-417-0520 tedpickus@atproperties.com

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017 |

Athena Alexander

Jozaphene Aramanda

Doug Bennett

Connie Browne

Jina Cho

Gina Collins

Janine Cosek

Eileen Cullum

Lisa Davis

Erin DeAngelis

Dean Diakonis

Melissa Dombrowski

Deborah Domick

Kathleen Doron

Anne DuBray

Michael DuBray

Linda Emme

Ilisa Farrell

CindyLee Fine

Patti Furman

Gary Gavula

Faith Gleeson

Natalia Grebenschikov

Sheila Griffin

Abdul Halani

Amy Heinz

Eileen Hoban

Lily Hosseini

Judy Huske

Vienna Jacob

Gary Jensen

Dimitra Katris

George Katris

Catherine Kolb

David Korkoian

Sonny Kovacevic

Emily Lam

Chris Lee

Jan Leverenz

Jon Leverenz

Ivy Levinson

Allie Lippert

Margaret Ludemann

Marcia Mack

Peter Maloney

Jodi Manning

Courtney Marrone

Peggy McGivern

Paula McGrath

Marta Nelson

Marty Norkett

Ann O’Hara

Cheryl O’Rourke

Pearl Park

Alison Pontarelli

Christie Ramsey

Shaun Raugstad

Kiki Ress

Lucy Rivera

Paul Rogalla

Teresa Scherr

Marla Schneider

Matthew Schneider

Michael Schneider

Tim Shaker

Juanita Soong

Gayle Stellas

Anne Taubensee

Keane Taylor

Mary Theisen

Anya Wilkomer

Clara Zhang

15

TAYLOR LINDSTROM Broker Manager

847-404-8900

Taylor.Lindstrom@cbexchange.com

GLENVIEW OFFICE 1420 WAUKEGAN ROAD GLENVIEW IL 60025 (847) 724-5800 COLDWELLBANKERHOMES.COM

©2017 Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

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| SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017

SPORTS PASSING WITH FLYING COLORS

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @tnswsports

Piling up the assists ranks as top priority for Highland Park Giants’ Gallo

BY BILL MCLEAN, SPORTS@NORTHSHOREWEEKEND.COM

T

he Highland Park Giants hockey player with four hat tricks this winter wanted to talk about anything but the number of goals (22) he had scored in 40 games after a recent home contest at Centennial Ice Arena.

“I’m a pass-first guy,” humble senior center/forward Michael Gallo said, following HP’s 4-2 defeat of visiting Mount Prospect-based Prep V1 on Dec. 12.

“I prefer assists to goals.”

Have stick, will … feed puck to teammates.

As often as possible.

“Michael,” Giants senior center Kyle Powers said, “is a sniper for

Michael [Gallo] is a sniper for us, but he does like to pass. Great eye-hand coordination … it’s the kind that’s out of this world.”

— Highland Park Giants senior hockey center Kyle Powers us, but he does like to pass. Great eye-hand coordination … it’s the kind that’s out of this world.”

It’s the kind that also helped Gallo — a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks’ talented and quickhanded right winger, Patrick Kane — provide 17 assists, tied for second among teammates behind senior forward Ryan Genender’s 18 through Dec. 12; Genender also paces the Giants (24-11-7) in goals with 26.

Gallo was a young hockey/

questions, he grew particularly animated when the query was about his team.

Michael Gallo wanted to talk about others, not about Michael Gallo.

“Be respectful, be kind, around everybody,” Gallo said. “That’s how my mom [Michele] and dad raised me. You do that, and you avoid having enemies.”

Not a bad life goal.

Credit both Michele and Neal Gallo with an assist.

‘4’ THE TEAM: Michael Gallo of the Highland Park Giants takes possession of the puck during boys hockey action last week.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

baseball player, around seven years old, when a pair of hockey injuries — fractured right shoulder blade, torn right rotator cuff — reduced his bat and glove to closet-space fillers at home. Gallo had learned all about baseball from his father, Elmwood Park native Neal Gallo, and his Uncle Jack (Neal’s brother, a middle infielder who played minor league ball in the New York Yankees’ organization).

“I couldn’t throw a baseball after the injuries,” Michael Gallo recalled. “I wasn’t too upset because I was getting kind of bored with baseball at the time I was hurt.

“Now, though, I miss the sport.”

He has been a hit for the Giants on the ice, despite having

not played a single minute of travel hockey. Gallo is a house league (Falcons Hockey Association) lifer.

“Center, wing, on our power play, on our penalty kill … I can put Michael anywhere, and he never says no,” Giants hockey coach Sean Freeman said of Gallo, who finished with 10 goals and 11 assists in 39 games in his rookie year on varsity last winter. “He’s been consistent for us; that comes from his willingness to work hard on his game with us and on the driveway at his home. And he’s a kid who gives us quiet leadership.

You know how he greets me each time I see him? With a genuine, ‘Hi, how are you?’

“Some would say a bed is one

of the most important parts of a house,” the coach added. “You need it. You rely on it to be there for you each night. Michael is the bed of our hockey program.”

At this time next year, Gallo hopes to fall asleep nightly on a bed on a Big Ten campus. Three of the colleges he is considering are University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin and Indiana University.

Sister Gabby, a chemical engineering major at Illinois, played hockey for Warren Township High School’s club team when she attended HPHS. Possible careers for Michael?

Insurance agent (like his father) or financial consultant or sports agent.

For now, the only job he cares about is the one with the salary of $0: HP Giants hockey player.

“What I like, what all of us on this team like, is winning hockey games and the feeling that comes with winning,” said Gallo, who had an assist in the game against Prep V1 last week and sported a tie, a shirt and khaki pants (team dress code) afterward.

One of his favorite high school teachers, Mr. Woldeit, attended the game. Gallo took a math class taught by Woldeit last year.

“Nice man,” Gallo said. “Big help. He never hesitated to take the time to help me when I was struggling in his class.”

As Gallo stood rinkside, patiently answering mostly hockey

Notable: Six HP Giants hockey players, paced by senior Ryan Genender’s 44 points (26 goals and 18 assists), had totaled at least 30 points through Dec. 12. The other five: senior forward Michael Gallo (22 goals, 17 assists); senior forward Dylan Abt (19, 15); senior forward Gabe Schlussel (18, 13); junior forward George Giese (14, 16); and senior forward Sam Frazer (13, 17). …

Freshman Jack Manone and junior Zachary Gordon are sharing goaltending duties for the Giants this winter. Manone was 16-6-6 (5 shutouts) with a save percentage of .909 through Dec. 12; Gordon was 7-5-1 with an .899 save percentage and a goalsagainst average of 2.04. … HP senior defenseman Tyler Wiesman (3 goals, 12 assists through Dec. 12) has been accepted by Cornell University.

“Smart kid,” HP Giants coach Sean Freeman said. … Junior defenseman Sebastian Thomas is the Giants’ captain in 2017-18, with Abt and senior defenseman Charlie Levine-Wolf serving as alternate captains. … Genender scored twice, and Schlussel and Tyler Wiesman tallied one goal apiece in HP’s 4-2 defeat of visiting Prep V1 on Dec. 12. Prep V1 scored two goals in a 21-second span to cut HP’s lead to 3-2 in the third period. Levine-Wolf had two assists; Gallo and Frazer each finished with an assist. Manone recorded 30 saves. HP and Prep V1 had skated to a 3-3 tie in the teams’ previous meeting (Nov. 11) in Mount Prospect.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017

17

SPORTS

HIS TIME TO SHINE Sharpshooting Cunningham critical to Loyola Academy’s success

BY KEVIN REITERMAN, SPORTS@NORTHSHOREWEEKEND.COM

Y

ou notice his shot.

In fact, you can’t help but notice his

shot.

Kevin Cunningham has NBA range.

He’s the Deadeye f rom Downtown.

His long-distance shooting is exclamation-point good.

And like most top-flight shooters, the Loyola Academy senior can catch fire and hit ’em in bunches.

He can get five-alarm hot — at any time.

Which brings us to one of Cunningham’s unique obses-

Other sports kept interrupting the one sport that I liked the most: basketball. The overlapping got to be too much.

I had to make a decision.”

— Loyola Academy basketball player Kevin Cunningham sions: being on time.

Time always is of the essence with Cunningham. Just ask LA senior and fellow captain Pete Mangan.

“We roomed together on basketball trips [with Fundamental U], and he’d set three different alarms to make sure we got up on time,” said Mangan, with a smile. “He doesn’t like to be late.”

Not. To. Anywhere.

“It’s better to be an hour early than a minute late,” Cunningham said.

“I try to be early to everything,” he added. “That’s just me. That’s just who I am.”

Just as the game looked like it might be slipping away from the Ramblers, Cunningham came to rescue by hitting two clutch free throws with 10.8 seconds left to preserve the win.

“We want the ball in his hands at the end of a [tight] game. We want him to dominate the ball,” Livatino said.

“He’s the one we want at the free-throw line.”

Pressure? What pressure?

“You can’t doubt yourself in that situation,” said Cunningham, who currently is averaging 12 points, five assists, five deflections, three rebounds and two steals per game. “I wanted to be the one who got fouled. I wanted to be the one who went to the line.”

“Ramar [Evans] was that guy last year,” Cunningham added.

“I like having that role this year.”

Cunningham, who has made 18 three-pointers in LA’s first eight games this season, was the second-leading scorer on last year’s 22-9 squad, when he made 71 threes and tallied 284 points.

Mike Weinstein hopped on the Cunningham bandwagon early. The founder and head coach of Fundamental U has been enamored by Cunningham’s long shot — for a long time.

“He can really shoot it,” said Weinstein, who grouped Cunningham with Mangan on his 17U Black squad. “He gets the ball out quickly, and he can shoot from 30 feet.”

Cunningham was 400-degree-oven-setting hot in a Thanksgiving Tournament game earlier this season. In a 46-41 loss to archrival New Trier, he went far, farther and farthest — nailing three NBACUNNING KEVIN: Loyola Academy’s Kevin Cunningham, a 6-foot guard, drives to the hoop against esque three-pointers from the 6-9 Dusan Mahorcic of Notre Dame during action last week. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER top of the key — in a fourBetter late than never is not was so active — and cunning point. minute span in the third quarter. in his phraseology.

— that he made seven deflec“And he can really guard,” the “When he gets in a groove, For the most part, Cunning- tions in 32 minutes of action. coach added. he’s a lethal weapon,” noted Putting extra weight on his Weinstein. ham plays basketball likes he’s Putting up a stat like that double-parked. The 6-foot speaks to his all-out hustle — shoulder is just fine. In fact, Cunningham had stretches point guard is in constant and his inner fire.

Cunningham wouldn’t want it like that while playing for Funmotion — on both ends of the “Kevin is a do-everything any other way. damental U. The Glenview court. player for us,” said LA head In a 40-37 victory over Notre native wasn’t afraid to dial it up In a 33-30 loss at St. Rita on coach Tom Livatino. “He’s leads Dame on Dec. 12, Cunningham against top-flight competition Dec. 15, the crafty Cunningham us. He scores. He handles the became the man of the hour. in the Under Armour Champi-

onships in Atlanta and the Bigfoot Hoops Classic in Las Vegas.

“Our 17U Black had a great season, and Kevin played a big part in it. He had a great summer,” said Weinstein. “The kid’s a ‘hooper’.”

Weinstein especially loves Cunningham’s makeup on the court.

“He plays with the right mindset,” said Weinstein. “He’s fearless.

“He never gets too high.

Never gets too low. Never complains. Never makes excuse,” the coach added. “He just competes.”

Cunningham is dead serious on game day.

“That’s who he is,” said Mangan. “He’s locked in.

“I’ll talk to him before a game, but I will pick my spots,” the teammate added.

Cunningham, a former soccer and baseball player, felt the pull of basketball at a fairly early age.

“Other sports kept interrupting the one sport that I really liked the most: basketball,” said Cunningham, who used to split time with Joy of the Game hoops and Glenview Blaze baseball during the summer months. “The overlapping got to be too much. I had to make a decision.”

Cunningham also is locked in on playing at the next level.

So far, he hasn’t made a decision or commitment.

But no worries. He still has time.

Notable: Loyola (6-2, 0-1 in the Chicago Catholic League) had its four-game win streak snapped on Dec. 15, when the Ramblers fell to host St. Rita 33-30. Kevin Cunningham and junior Connor Barrett tallied 14 points each, while senior Pete Mangan had six rebounds, four steals and two assists. …

In the 40-37 win over visiting Notre Dame on Dec. 12, Cunningham led the way with 15 points, four rebounds and two assists. The other stat leaders were Mangan (10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) and Barrett (10 points).

18

| SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SUNDAY BREAKFAST

So good, sew kind

BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT

A

llison Cohen inches her car forward to a Starbucks drive-thru window. The Evanston resident prepares to pay for her drink.

The barista at the window refuses to take Cohen’s money.

“Already taken care of,” the smiling employee informs a pleasantly stunned Cohen. “The customer in the car ahead of you is having a good day and wanted to pay for your drink.”

The pay-it-forward-to-thestranger-in-the-car-behind moment happened a few years ago. Cohen had become a feelgood “victim” of a random act of kindness (RAK). It inspired her on that day. It invigorated her (Who needs an extra shot of espresso? Not Cohen).

Cohen — now a full-fledged RAKtivist — enters Sarkis Café in Evanston with a gift and a small paper bag full of items for me on a morning in early December.

I unwrap the gift; it’s a sharplooking, multi-patterned cloth bookmark.

The items in the bag?

Ten fabric tissue holders.

“Take one and give the rest of them to people you don’t know,” she tells me. “Surprise them.”

Cohen, 56, launched Sew4Good nearly a year ago. Its mission statement: Bring people together and introduce sewing and quilting through small projects that benefit the community.

Sew4Good’s fun, fitting tagline: Spreading goodwill one stitch at a time.

“I had quit my job [in the fall of 2016] as an account manager for a software company,” says Cohen, who grew up in St. Louis and graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in interior architecture. “I was feeling overwhelmed and tired. I showed up at an Evanston Rotary Club meeting one day, mainly to network, and that was when I first heard about National Random Acts of Kindness Day. I thought, That’s it! I really enjoy sewing and

quilting and engaging with people, and I like marketing and websites. I’m driven to make things; I’m a maker.”

Cohen had National Random Acts of Kindness Day in mind when she started to organize her first two Sew4Good events in Januar y. A combined 35 participants attended a

pair of sewing sessions at Unitarian Church of Evanston and Evanston Stitchworks in February. They made fabric tissue holders and days later — on February 17,

Allison Cohen

2017 — distributed them to morning commuters on train platforms and to folks in senior centers, homeless shelters, retirement homes and libraries, among other locations.

“I was at an airport, later in the year, and noticed [a custodial worker] who looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders,” Cohen says. “Moments later, as I was walking away, I remembered I had a tissue holder. I walked back to where she was working and gave it to her. The look she gave me as she held the tissue holder … it was one that said, Wow, somebody is acknowledging that I’m here.

“People,” she adds, “sometimes only need to know that somebody o u t

People sometimes only need to know that somebody out there is thinking about them.”

—Allison Cohen, president and founder of Sew4Good there is thinking about them.”

The next National Random Acts of Kindness Day is February, 17, 2018. Cohen and her tight-knit Sew4Good creators intend to shower strangers with gifts once again. Sew day is set for February 10 in Evanston.

“I loved making things when I was little,” Cohen says, adding her art teachers and a professional printmaker, who lived down the street from her, inspired and encouraged her often. “Ceramics, textile arts, things like that. My nextdoor neighbor and I made things and sold them at the end of our driveways. We’d set up picnic tables and sell bead jewelry and other items. The money we made, maybe $20, that all went to a charity.”

An Evanstonian since 2002, Cohen landed a job in March as director of partner management with Serraview, a software/space and real estate management company. She works from home for the New York-based business. Before returning to her roots in the Midwest, Cohen had worked for an interior architecture firm in New York.

Cohen is nearly as enthusiastic about tennis as she is about making someone’s day with a useful, charming gift. She dubbed herself a “beginner for 25 years” before deciding to take the sport more seriously five years ago by signing up for United States Tennis Association league play and drill sessions with club professionals. The Evanston Community Tennis Association board member and racket-wielding RAKtivist plays tennis two to three times per week in the summers and heads a local Girls’ Night Out tennis group.

“I really like tennis,” says Cohen, a huge fan of Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the top-ranked man in professional tennis and a 16-time Grand Slam singles champion. “It’s great exercise, and playing it gives me opportunities to meet people.

“I read Rafa’s book [Rafa: My Story, written with John Carlin].

I wanted to find out more about him, about a fierce competitor who’s charismatic and gracious off the court. Those different traits intrigued me. Rafa, I learned, takes nothing for granted each time he competes.

He appreciates each match, and he treats every opponent the same way. Rafa feels he has to prove himself every day.”

Cohen finishes her breakfast of scrambled eggs (prepared with tomatoes) and bacon strips at Sarkis. A sip of orange juice remains in her glass. We chat some more at our table.

Our waiter/cook is busy behind the counter.

Cohen then nudges the paper bag of fabric tissue holders closer to my plate.

“Go ahead,” she urges. “Give him a tissue holder.”

I grab one. I approach our waiter/cook.

“This is for you,” I say.

The man, somewhat startled, takes it.

The man does not say a word.

The man does not need to say a word.

His smile makes me smile.

For more information about Sew4Good and its plans to celebrate National Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17, 2018, please visit sew4good.net..

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

A D V E R T I S I N G

SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017 |

I N Q U I R I E S

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SATURDAY DECEMBER 23 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2017 THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

all roads lead home for the holidays.