BLF-6-27-2013

Thursday, June 27, 2013 • MyBarringtonLife.com

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S TO G THIN THIS DO END EK WE

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IN HIS HONOR Barrington woman spearheads effort to get Roger Taylor Park memorial plaque repaired, rededicated Postal Customer Barrington, IL 60010 *********ECRWSSEDDM****

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Barrington residents love to give back

Thursday, June 27, 2013

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Since meeting the two girls who are hosting a lemonade stand, with the intent of donating proceeds to Oklahoma residents affected by recent tornadoes, I’ve been quite impressed with the resilience and giving spirit of the Barrington community.

Reilly Ramsey has hosted another lemonade sale at her home, raising $30, and her friend, Julia Stegvik, hopes to set up shop during the Fourth of July parade. The girls were back out in front of Blue Cherry last week.

I also had the opportunity to acquaint myself with the DeLaurentis family and the Solly’s Way Foundation. It’s inspirational to see friends and family members overcome tragedy in a meaningful way.

As discussed in Community Corner below, Solly passed away a little over a year ago, and his family has established a scholarship foundation to provide college opportunities to any applicable high school student in the Barrington, Lake

TARAH THORNE Barrington Life reporter Zurich and Wauconda areas.

Solly’s wife Sharyn, now a single mother, is working full time to provide for three children on her own. Yet she has dedicated her heart and soul to establishing the Solly’s Way Foundation to make a difference in the lives of children who are less fortunate.

Solly himself was giving back to the community when he died during a charitable motorcycle run.

Another notable give-back program was brought to my attention at Heinen’s

Fine Foods. A reader called to tell me about the grocer’s school donation program, and I stopped in to check out the store for myself.

A complaint I’ve heard from some Barrington area residents is the scarcity of grocers and large-scale convenience stores such as Wal-Mart and Target. I know most people cherish the independent downtown businesses as much as I do, but the lengthy drive could get frustrating when you absolutely need something from a convenience store.

Knowing that Heinen’s is a chain store from northeast Ohio, I hadn’t given much thought into stopping in. It offers the “Heinen’s Club,” where a percentage of your grocery bill will be donated to a local school of your choice every time you make a purchase.

What a neat, unique program. We all need groceries, and it’s nice to know we can give back to the community in the process.

COMMUNITY CORNER: SOLLY’S WAY FOUNDATION

VISIT US ONLINE

Solly’s Way Foundation was started this year by the DeLaurentis family and friends after the death of Solly DeLaurentis Jr. Solly was taking part in a charitable motorcycle run for The Salvation Army in June 2012 when a rare, undetected heart defect caused him to black out. He lost his life giving back to the community, and the foundation has plans to continue his charitable legacy. Sharyn DeLaurentis, Solly’s wife, spoke with Barrington Life about her involvement with starting the foundation.

For breaking news, updated features and event coverage, visit MyBarringtonLife.com.

You also can like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ barringtonlife and follow us on Twitter at @BarringtonLife.

Q. Solly’s sudden death must have been a shocking, confusing time for your family. How did you turn that emotion into passion and form the Solly’s Way Foundation charity?

Solly’s sudden passing was definitely shocking and a very confusing time for our family. I felt like I was in a fog for months. So many people from this community rallied around our family. They would just show up and spend time with us and listen. When Solly’s cousin, Jerry, and good friend, Paul, introduced a golf outing to me, I had that “a-ha moment” that you hear about. The idea of the Solly’s Way Foundation came to me. The Solly’s way Foundation officially started Feb. 21 of this year.

Q. Nonprofit options are endless. How did you happen to choose a college scholarship charity?

Solly was loved by so many people. I thought what better way to honor such a great man than by helping other families who have gone through such a terrible loss like ours. After the initial shock and confusion of that terrible day, something became very clear to me. Solly’s death had obviously affected countless lives, and many of us

CORRECTION

Solly (far right) is remembered by his wife, Sharyn (far left), and three children, Anthony, Natalia and Rianna (left to right).

were having difficulty coping with the finality of his absence. Still, no one was more impacted than our three children, Anthony, Natalie and Rianna.

Losing a parent at a young age is clearly one of life’s most difficult challenges.

Q. The foundation has a golf outing coming up next month. Will this be your first fundraiser?

This is the first fundraiser for Solly’s Way. We are, however, always accepting donations via our website. I encourage anyone who is interested in making a donation to visit us at www.Sollysway. org.

Q. What are your future plans for the foundation?

Our plans for the future are to help many young adults who have lost a parent. Giving a little bit of hope and financial relief to those families that have gone through such a terrible loss can make all the difference in their healing process.

In the article “Program needs to ‘replenish the ranks’ published on page 4 of the Thursday, June 20, 2013, edition of Barrington Life, several names were misspelled. The correct spellings are Wrigley Marquith, Jake Shindelar and CarolAnn Shindelar. The article was about the Barrington Police Explorer program.

Barrington Life regrets the errors.

WHAT’S INSIDE Healing children..........................4 Train Lady....................................8 In Their Life.................................11 Pony club...................................14 Life 5...........................................18

ON THE COVER Rosemary Peterkort, left, of Grayslake, and Mary Behrens of Barrington read over a letter written by Rosemary’s brother, Roger Taylor, who was killed in action at Iwo Jima during World War II. Read more on pages 12-13.

Joe Shuman – For Shaw Media

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

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GOOD DEEDS NONPROFIT TEAMS UP WITH ADVOCATE GOOD SHEPHERD TO PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE TO CHILDREN Kyle Grillot – kgrillot@shawmedia.com

Jasmine Rivas Hernandez, 15, of La Paz, El Salvador, rests with her host, Terri Klatt, of Elmhurst before Dr. Raymond Kawasaki, a cardiac electrophysiologist, performs a catheter ablation procedure on her at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. Hernandez is one of three children receiving the procedure through a partnership with Healing the Children, an organization committed to providing children with necessary healthcare worldwide. The children stay with a host family before and after the procedure and the operation is done free of charge through the hospital and the cardiologist.

By BRETT ROWLAND browland@shawmedia.com BARRINGTON – Cecilia Miranda Urbina’s life is about to change.

The 13-year-old girl from El Salvador underwent a heart procedure last week at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital to correct an arrhythmia that prevented her from playing sports, exercising and even eating certain foods. At the end of the month, when she returns to her family in San Salvador, she’ll be able run, swim and do everything else her friends do.

The chain of events that brought her to Barrington for treatment was extraordinary, Miranda Urbina said.

‘‘

The heart procedure alleviates the need for medication and lets them live normal lives.

Dr. Raymond Kawasaki

’’

A cardiac electrophysiologist at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital

“It’s a miracle that people made this happen,” she said in Spanish in an interview conducted with help from a translator. “I don’t know how to thank all the people who helped.”

Miranda Urbina’s miracle involved nonprofit groups in two countries, many volunteers and 70,000 donated frequent-flyer miles.

Healing the Children, a nonprofit that provides medical care to children world-

wide, arranged the trip for Miranda Urbina and two other teens with arrhythmia from El Salvador. The nonprofit’s Illinois/Indiana chapter, based in Barrington, brings six children to the U.S. each year for medical care, Director Jeff Degner said. It also funds medical missions to send U.S. doctor abroad to treat patients.

The chapter arranges visas, flights, travel escorts, hospital stays and finds doc-

tors to volunteer services. It also locates host families for the children, who often stay for several weeks after the procedure for follow-up care.

Miranda Urbina flew to O’Hare International Airport along with Jasmine Rivas Hernandez, a 15-year-old from La Paz, and Jose Albañes Colocho, a 13-year-old from Santa Ana. All three have Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, an extra electrical connection in the heart that can cause very rapid heart beat. The extra tissue is present at birth in about 0.1 to 0.3 percent of the population. Those with the syndrome tire easily from exercise. Other symptoms include weakness, dizziness,

light-headedness and anxiety.

More serious cases can lead to difficulty breathing, chest pains and death, said Dr. Raymond Kawasaki, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital.

The condition curtailed what the teens were able to do.

“They haven’t played much, they can’t eat chocolate or drink Coca-Cola, and they have to take medication to suppress the rhythm issues,” Kawasaki said. “The heart procedure alleviates the need for medication and lets them live normal lives.”

El Salvador lacks the facilities necessary to perform the

• Continued on page 5

• Continued from page B4 procedure, said Kawasaki, who has been working with Healing the Children since 2007.

“We insert thin electrode catheters into blood vessels which are then guided to the heart,” he said. “We then identify the abnormal heart tissue which is causing the arrhythmia and destroy it by applying heat or freezing energy through one of these catheters. Once this is done, the patient can be cured of their arrhythmia.”

Kawasaki treated the teens last week at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital. Kawasaki donated his time and the hospital donated use of its facilities, said Erin Abbey, an Advocate spokeswoman.

For each of the teens, the journey here has been remarkable.

Rivas Hernandez, one of 16 children, hadn’t seen several of her brothers and sisters in more than a decade. They had left Eli Salvador for the U.S. when she was young.

When they learned she would be staying with hosts in Elmhurst, several called to see if they could visit. Hosts Tom and Terri Flatt, who have worked with Healing the Children for many years, welcomed a reunion.

The gathering swelled in size. Sixteen relatives, including four siblings, came to Elmhurst to see Rivas Hernandez earlier this month. Some family members drove 16 hours from Texas for the short visit. Nelson Rivas Hernandez, a brother she hadn’t seen in 13 years, drove 12 hours from Virginia with his family for the occasion.

“He said ‘If I don’t see her now, I may never see her again,’ ” Terri Klatt said.

Rivas Hernandez was elated.

Jose Albañes Colocho was apprehensive about leaving his family to come to the U.S. for the heart treatment. Hosts David and Danielle Kopstain, of Arlington Heights, helped make the trip easier by making him feel at home.

Albañes Colocho said he was excited to return to El Salvador, where he would be able to resume a more normal life. Through a translator, he

Photos by Kyle Grillot – kgrillot@shawmedia.com

Healing the Children Illinois/Indiana Chapter

ABOVE: Juan Menjivar of Lake in the Hills watches as his wife, Ana Menjivar, teaches Cecilia Miranda Urbina, 13, of El Salvador how to ice a cupcake while at Ana’s Cakes & Bakery in Gilberts. The Menjivars are hosting Miranda while she undergoes a life-changing heart procedure at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.

LEFT: Jose Albañes Colocho, 13, of El Salvador rests before Dr. Raymond Kawasaki performs a catheter ablation procedure at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.

n What: Healing the Children is a nonprofit organization that provides medical care to children worldwide, the Illinois/Indiana chapter is based in Barrington. n How to help: The organization needs host families, voluntary medical professionals, hospitals, frequent flyer miles, and money.

Donations can be made through the organization’s website. n Information: www.htc-il.org said he was looking forward to being able to eat chocolate and play soccer.

“It will be a complete change of life,” he said.

Healing the Children relies on volunteers around the world and donations to help get medical care for children.

“All along the way, there are people who are helping us,” Degner said. “It’s a chain of love.”

Juan and Ana Menjivar are part of that chain. The Lake in the Hills couple are hosting Miranda Urbina and

have hosted other children in the past. Both were born in El Salvador.

Juan Menjivar fled the country to escape a civil war that killed more than 75,000 people during 12 years of fighting. After hearing about Healing the Children several years ago, they got involved.

“I think it’s a very special opportunity for us to lend a hand,” Juan Menjivar said.

“It’s one of our duties to help others.”

Healing the Children is “really a team effort,” said Dr.

Kawasaki. The work is especially rewarding because the heart procedure can radically change a child’s life.

“It takes me back to why I wanted to be a doctor in the first place,” he said.

Working with the nonprofit is “contagious,” Terri Klatt said.

“Everybody wants to be a part of it,” she said. “It’s like a snowball, it just keeps getting bigger.”

The three teens have follow up appointments with Kawasaki this week and are

“I think it’s a very special opportunity for us to lend a hand. It’s one of our duties to help others.”

Juan Menjivar Lake in the Hills resident hosting one of the children undergoing medical procedures at Advocate Good Shepherd

scheduled to return to El Salvador on June 30.

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Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

For teens, medical procedure will be a ‘complete change of life’

Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life

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Patrons take bite of farmers market

By TARAH THORNE tthorne@shawmedia.com The Barrington Farmers Market opened June 20 and will continue to run every Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. through Oct. 17.

With 23 regular vendors, the market features fresh fruit, produce, gourmet cheeses, oils and vinegars, baked goods, local artists and a weekly children’s activity at 4 p.m.

Oberweis Dairy is among the five rotating vendors setting up shop once a month, along with Gramp’s Gourmet Food homemade pickles, Taste of Michigan Cherries, Doug’s Specialty Herbs and The Spice Merchant.

The market began in 2000 under the leadership of the Barrington Village Association as an initiative to build community ties and increase foot traffic in the downtown area.

This year, market guests will be offered the opportunity to donate money to local food pantries that will offer market gift certificates to those in need.

Wanda Fox of Fox and Company Flower Market in Richmond is new to the Barrington Farmers Market scene this summer.

“All the fields have been planted,” she said. “We have a lot of perennials.”

Fox said she is committed to the 10-week market.

Longtime market vendors Sue and Dale Rankin of S&D Honey travel from Bartlett to sell their local honey and homemade soaps at the market. They also offer knife sharpening services.

Randy Lobono’s freshsqueezed lemon-, lime- and orange-ade stand can be spotted from a distance.

Lobono has been a Barrington Farmers Market vendor for nine years and has a helper, Doug Foster, this year. Both Lobono and Foster are local Barrington residents.

Last week’s toasty weather helped refreshment sales.

“People are dehydrated,” Lobono said. “We provide water with nutritious Vitamin C.”

Photos by Tarah Thorne – tthorne@shawmedia.com

ABOVE: Melissa Woolridge sold oil and vinegar for The Olive Tap. She was quick to offer patrons tasting samples. LEFT: Randy Lobono (left) runs Randy’s Lemonade, a refreshment stand that is completely unique to the Barrington Farmers Market. His friend, Doug Foster (right) will be helping out this year.

The market, featuring 23 regular vendors, opened June 20 and will continue to run every Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. through Oct. 17.

By STEPHANIE KOHL Barrington Life Contributor The village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District are figuring out what individual departments would look like if the two part ways.

The terms of an intergovernmental agreement, which expires Jan. 1, between the two dictates that the village is responsible for fire department staffing, with the district paying for personnel services under contract.

“We basically came to an impasse on what we felt were key issues,” said Tom Rowan, president of the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District Board.

The district wants seven more firefighters; the village denied the request.

Rowan said the district is using the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association to find an interim administrator to help determine what is needed to establish services on its own. The district has two fire stations, one in Barrington Hills and one in Lake Barrington, covering about 48 square miles.

The district hopes to name an interim administrator in July.

It has also sent a request for proposals from private contractors offering firefighter services. The district received responses June 17 and plans to review them soon. District officials would like to have a staff of 30 to 33 personnel, including a chief. Rowan said the district sent a letter to the village recently requesting a lease of 18 firefighters for a period of two years. Rowan indicated the district would pay all costs associated with the employees.

“We want to have everything in place before the end of the year so we can service our residents completely as the transition occurs,” Rowan said. “... We are confident we’re going to get the people and caliber of equipment we need to provide services.”

Eric Brouilette, president of Local 3481, said union members believe the best way to serve residents is to continue as one department.

“We support the intent behind the [district’s] proposal and we believe with quality negotiations, they would see it’s best to carry on as one unit,” he said.

Barrington Village President Karen Darch said last week what is driving discussions is providing great public safety while being fiscally responsible. Of the employees provided by the village, twothirds are for the district, while the remainder cover the village. While the district pays its share of these employees’ costs, the village remains on the hook for pension and disability payments whenever the district ends the contract, Darch said. Village taxpayers should not be responsible for more than the costs of what the village needs, she said.

“What we’re trying to do is look at it as being good tax stewards of the taxpayers, but also look forward for their public safety,” Darch said.

Darch also said more information is needed regarding the district’s request to lease 18 firefighters from the village and the legacy costs associated with such an agreement.

She said that in the worst case scenario, should all 18 firefighters become catastrophically injured, it could cost $160 million in disability payments.

Darch said the village still wants to work with the district, adding mutual aid agreements will likely be implemented. Village Manager Jeff Lawler said the same stations will still serve the same areas.

The village is awaiting a study from a consultant on what a village fire department, serving only the 5 square miles of the municipality, would look like. That report is expected to be released to the village board July 15 for review.

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Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

Questions arise as 2 fire departments rethink partnership

Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life

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Train Lady opens gardens to public North Barrington estate is home to a private model railroad garden

By STEPHANIE KOHL Barrington Life Contributor BARRINGTON – Elaine Silets was just a young girl when she stole her brother’s model train because he just wasn’t into it.

Now the internationally renowned designer and manufacturer of model railroads and garden railways, affectionately known as The Train Lady, opens her gardens, garden model railways and private Harvey M. Silets Memorial O Scale Railroad Museum to the public once a year for the Garden Walk and Model Railroad Display.

Silets said the annual event – this year’s is scheduled for June 29 – generally attracts 3,000 to 5,000 people.

“If you’re an artist, you will find this very intriguing because there’s movement and sounds in these works of art,” said Silets, who was recently named the Grand Marshal of Barrington’s Fourth of July parade.

Silets said her gardens are constantly changing and have gone from simple to the complex creations they are today.

“It’s designing as you go and shooting from the hip, but that’s also the joy of it,” she said. “They’re constantly changing, as any good garden will.”

The Train Lady’s private model railroad gardens are spread across 10 acres of her North Barrington estate and include a variety of scenes, including the “Glorée & Tryumfant Garden Railway,” consisting of 6,000 square feet of waterfalls, streams, lakes, bridges, trestles, and city and country vignettes, as well as a circus, plant material and miniature trees of every descrip-

tion.

Silets, her family, volunteers and gardeners begin preparing for each year’s event in January. She also relies on roughly 60 volunteers to run the event the day of.

“The people that work for me are phenomenal and we really enjoy building these gardens together,” Silets said.

All proceeds from the oneday event benefit the Harvey M. Silets Memorial Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to students attending Interlochen Arts Camp in Interlochen, Mich.

Representatives from the camp will be on hand at a booth to answer questions, and two musical trios – a piano trio and a jazz trio – comprised of young Interlochen alumni will serenade visitors with live music throughout the day from The Train Lady’s garden gazebo.

“Over more than three decades, the Silets family has been instrumental in helping provide much needed scholarship funds to nearly 50 talented young artists from around the world to attend Interlochen, where they have received the best training available,” Jeffrey Kimpton, president of Interlochen Center for the Arts, stated in a news release.

“In the years to come these artists will be a positive influence on the arts and culture in our country, and around the world.”

Silets herself was an art major at Interlochen Arts Camp. Her oldest grandchild currently attends Interlochen.

“I loved it from the minute I walked on campus,” Silets said, adding Interlochen was also her late-husband Harvey Silets’ “favorite place on earth.”

Photos provided

ABOVE: The garden railway “consists of 6,000 square feet of waterfalls, streams, lake, bridges, trestles, city and country vignettes, as well as a circus,” Elaine Silets said. “Magic awaits kids and adults of all ages.” TOP: Elaine Silets is known as “The Train Lady.” Silets enjoys hosting a private garden and model railroad display benefit featuring 11 model trains.

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Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

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GET TO KNOW STEVE MARTINS, BARRINGTON HIGH HOCKEY CLUB HEAD COACH 7-year-old daughter, Isabelle, takes figure skating lessons and is beginning to compete in local competitions.

In addition, my wife, Jennifer, is also on the ice as much, if not more, than I am, teaching figure skating in Rolling Meadows. Every summer, family schedule permitting, we try to head back to Gatineau, Quebec, to spend time with my family and friends – usually right around July 1 for Canada Day.

How do you hope to enhance the Broncos hockey program? Are there any changes you plan to make?

How long have you been involved with the Barrington Broncos High School Hockey Club?

What have you done with the program?

I have been involved with the Broncos High School program since late January.

I’m in the process of hiring a supplemental coaching staff for next season, as well as implementing a summer skate program that would enable our players to be better prepared for the fall.

What is your hockey background? Where have you played and coached?

Hockey has been a big part of my life for over 36 years. I began playing when I was 5 years old and continued on to play Division 1 college hockey at Harvard University, where I was selected ECAC Player of the Year and First Team All-American.

After being drafted by the Hartford Whalers in 1994, I was fortunate to play over 950 professional games during a 14-year span, including time in the AHL, IHL, NHL, and Europe. I captured two professional league championships; the Turner Cup in 1998, and the Calder Cup in 2008, both with the Chicago Wolves.

I have been coaching with the Barrington Redwings hockey organization for the past three years and have assumed a bigger role last year as its youth hockey director, overseeing the selection and

Photo provided

Newly hired Barrington Broncos Hockey coach and director Steve Martins enters the club with 36 years of hockey experience. He has played over 950 professional games. development of nine youth hockey teams.

How long have you lived in Barrington? Why do you choose to live here?

My family moved to the Barrington area four years ago. My wife grew up in Hoffman Estates and was familiar with many of Barrington’s great attributes: the school system and great teachers, the beautiful natural parks and preserves, and the proud sense of community. We can’t say enough about the wonderful people and families we’ve met during our brief time living here.

What inspired you to become a hockey player?

What about a director and coach?

I grew up in Gatineau, Quebec, a predominately French-speaking town in Canada, where every 5-yearold watched the Montreal

Canadiens on TV and aspired to play in the NHL. I’ve had a passion for the sport since a very young age and consider myself very fortunate to be able to now teach and inspire kids to learn about the game.

While I never thought I would be coaching or directing a high school program per se, with my increased responsibilities with Barrington’s youth hockey program last year, coupled with my genuine interest in working with kids of all ages, getting involved at the high school level with the Broncos program seemed like a perfect fit.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your career? What is most challenging?

The most rewarding aspect of my career is seeing how the game of hockey can shape and influence people’s lives. I am in a position to make such a positive impact not only

in developing better hockey players, but in helping kids become better people – teaching them virtues of hard work, perseverance and sportsmanship that will hopefully stay with them long after their involvement in playing hockey is over.

There are many challenges for any high school coach or director, but I believe gaining each player’s trust is paramount to being able to make a real connection and ultimately, get the most out of any athlete.

What do you do in your spare time? Does your family enjoy hockey as well?

As with any family that has children playing competitive sports, having spare time is rare. My 9-year-old son Isac plays on a hockey team (which I also coach) with the Barrington Redwings organization, while also playing soccer through BASA. And my

The Broncos hockey club has been recognized for many years as being among the top high school programs in the state of Illinois. I want to continue that tradition and instill a passion for the game of hockey in each player.

With the formation and Broncos membership into the very competitive Scholastic Hockey League last season, an important part of my job will be to increase awareness about the great opportunity players have to play at a very high level of competition for their high school.

I also know from personal experience that winning teams, championship-winning organizations, set goals and expectations very early on in any season. A total commitment to these team-set goals is a key to any longterm success for the program going forward.

How will you balance directing and coaching?

I believe the hockey director and coaching positions will complement each other.

As hockey director, my job is to oversee the scheduling of games and tournaments, resolve any disciplinary issues that may arise during the year, as well as chart the overall course and direction of the program as a whole. As varsity coach, I will have the opportunity to gain needed insight and feedback from the players on a day-to-day basis, enabling me to make important organizational decisions and changes.

Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

BARRINGTON — The Barrington Broncos High School Hockey Club has announced the addition of Steve Martins as hockey director and varsity head coach, effective immediately.

Martins comes with knowledge of both the sport and Barrington. He joined the club on an interim basis last season and played at Harvard University before being drafted into the National Hockey League in 1994. Steve and his family live in the Barrington area.

As hockey director, Martins will be responsible for the development of the club, staff hiring and player selection and training.

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Remembering Roger Roger Taylor Park memorial plaque to be repaired, rededicated

By SHERYL DEVORE sdevore@shawmedia.com Mary Behrens is looking forward to next month’s rededication of a memorial plaque in Roger Taylor Park.

“It’s a tiny little park with a big story to tell,” said Behrens, a Barrington resident who grew up across the street from the park in Round Lake Beach.

She never met Roger Taylor, who died March 2, 1945, in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II, just shy of his 19th birthday.

But Behrens, along with her brother, Jeff Denecke, have spearheaded an effort to get the memorial plaque – which reads, “Roger Taylor Park, gratefully dedicated to the memory of the man whose name it bears” and had fallen into disrepair over the decades – repaired.

It’s unveiling, for the second time, will be at 11 a.m. July 5. The Northern Illinois Pipes and Drums and the Marine Corps League will perform.

Their tale of rediscovering Roger Taylor and being inspired to rededicate his memorial park involves a missing World War II duffel bag, a tin box not opened for decades, and two families brought together by the sad connection of having lost a loved one in a long-ago war.

Never forgetting Rosemary Peterkort recalls Nov. 2, 1945, as a gloomy day.

Barely a teenager, Peterkort remembers standing in a 2-acre park in Round Lake Beach as a small plaque was placed, and the family and neighborhood paid homage to her brother, Roger Taylor.

After Roger died, the family spoke little of him.

But that marker in the park remained visible. Denecke, now living in California, said he and his siblings would play in that park across the street from their home.

He remembers a military honor guard placing a wreath on the marker on Memorial Day. Sometimes they did a gun salute, but slowly that faded away.

“As we got older, about high school age, we got protective of it,” he said. “We would prevent people from vandalizing it. Kids would throw rocks and we would tell them not to.”

Denecke would sometimes sit at the memorial and talk to Roger, a man he never met who still somehow reminded him of an uncle, Ernest Galles, who died Aug. 9, 1944, outside of Normandy during World War II. Years passed. Denecke enlisted in the Army, spent four years in Korea and Europe, then moved to California. But he never forgot about Roger or his uncle.

Last year on Memorial Day, Denecke wrote a blog post about Roger Taylor, his uncle, and his father, now dead, who served in the Marine Corps.

The post led to a note from a Netherlands man, who for 68 years had Ernest Galles’ duffel bag from World War II. The man mailed it to Denecke, who gave it to his mom, Trudy Denecke. At 86, she still lives across the street from Roger Taylor Park.

“The duffel bag brought memories,” Trudy Denecke said. “I remember seeing my dad cry for the first time when he heard about my brother being killed in action. Men did not cry back then.”

Remembering Roger After receiving the duffel bag, Jeff Denecke figured he owed

FAR LEFT: Rosemary Peterkort of Grayslake looks over a letter written informing her mother that Rosemary’s brother, Roger Taylor, was killed in action at Iwo Jima during World War II. ABOVE: Peterkort (left) and Mary Behrens of Barrington read over the letter together. Behrens is spearheading an effort to get the memorial plaque repaired at Roger Taylor Park in Round Lake Beach. LEFT: Letters and memorabilia belonging to the late Roger Taylor (inset).

Photos by Joe Shuman

Roger something. He began reading all he could about World War II, and entrusted his Barrington-based sister, Behrens, to research Roger Taylor.

She learned Roger was a prolific letter writer and a talented musician, and had graduated third in his class from Grant Community High School in Fox Lake in 1943. She found that Roger had been buried overseas in Iwo Jima, but was returned home in November 1949 to be buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in Round Lake.

Behrens discovered Roger Taylor’s sister, Rosemary Peterkort, living in Grayslake. When they connected, the woman who lost her brother so long ago was near tears.

“She had feared he had long been forgotten,” Behrens said.

Behrens’ visit led Peterkort to seek out – and open – an old tin

box of her mother’s that she had been instructed to never open.

Inside were nine months of letters from her brother to her mother. One of the last letters was dated Jan. 12, 1945, shortly before he died. It contained a sad note of irony about his fate.

“Don’t worry about me, cause I’m with the best men in the world,” he wrote.

Reading the letters, Peterkort began to feel a closeness with her brother.

“I never really got to know him until now,” she said.

And she owes that, she said, to Mary Behrens and Jeff Denecke.

They continued to research Roger, and found an account of the memorial. It detailed how he joined the Marine Corps on June 2, 1944, at age 18, and how he was the only man from Round Lake Beach to die in World War II. He died while serving on a machinegun crew.

The more they read, the more it became apparent the marker in Roger Taylor Park needed to be repaired. All three are looking forward to unveiling it July 5, for the second time.

“I wish more people would understand the impact of what these soldiers have done for us, what soldiers are doing for us now,” Peterkort said. “Because of them, today we live such a good, rich life.”

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Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life

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Half-century of horsemanship Fox River Valley Pony Club celebrates its 50th anniversary

By STEPHANIE KOHL Barrington Life Contributor BARRINGTON HILLS — For 50 years, the Fox River Valley Pony Club has worked hard to create the next generation of equestrians.

That history and work ethic will be celebrated Saturday at Cresswood Farm in Barrington Hills during a 50th anniversary party open to alumni, their families, coaches, trainers and supporters.

The Fox River Valley Pony Club – an educational organization dedicated to helping young horse enthusiasts become proficient horse managers and riders – belongs to the larger organization of United States Pony Club. It emphases safety, teamwork, sportsmanship and developing horsemanship.

“The kids really, really learn hands-on training, not just to ride a horse, but learn horsemanship,” said Judy Freeman, district commissioner for the Fox River Valley Pony Club.

The club has about 50 members, ranging from 6 to 20 years old. It is an all-volunteer organization, and club members are required to have their own horses and means of transport.

The club also holds competitions, including the two-day Mini Event each May, and the three-day Horse Trials in June. Both events serve as fundraisers for the club.

“You can really pursue a level of competition and the Pony Club program is really built on a system of steps,” Freeman said. “... It’s a really effective way to create a young adult that’s capable of training a horse.”

Allison Springer is one such person. She grew up in Barrington Hills and started riding when she was 6.

Her parents purchased her first horse from a neighbor for just $15, according to her mother, Carolyn Springer.

It was also through neighbors that the family learned about the Pony Club.

Allison Springer became a member and remained with the Pony Club until she was 20.

Since then, she has become a professional equestrian. She owns Allison Springer Eventing in Upperville,

Photo Provided by Pony Club

Juergen Roesch (left) and Kristen Wojcik (right) are amongst the pony club’s early riders. Roesch, a longtime volunteer and instructor will be honored Saturday during the reunion celebration.

If you go n What: FRVPC 50th Reunion – barbecue, bonfire, games n When:: 4 to 8 p.m. June 29 n Where Cresswood Farm, 500 W. County Line Road, Barrington Hills n Suggested Donation: Adult $30, Children $15 n RSVP: To Cindi McCann at cresswood@ earthlink.net or call (847) 381-0188. n Know more: Visit foxrivervalleyponyclub.weebly.com.

Va., and has qualified as an alternate for the United States Equestrian Team for the 2012 London Olympics, as well as an alternate for the 2010 World Equestrian Games.

“The Pony Club taught me everything about horses to begin with,” she said. “When we got the pony, my parents and I knew nothing. ... It’s such an amazing organization. ... It really teaches kids to develop into really knowledgeable horsemen.”

Although her daughter has moved on from the Pony Club, Carolyn

Springer is still actively involved.

“I think the great thing about Pony Club is it’s a group activity,” she said. “It teaches the kids handson responsibility.”

Springer is part of the 50th Reunion planning committee. Emily McHugh, one of the founders of the Fox River Valley Pony Club, and Juergen Roesch, a longtime volunteer instructor, will be recognized at the reunion. Christy Cressey, a former district commissioner, looks forward to the reunion, especially to honor Roesch. Cressey had three children in the Pony Club.

“We’ve had some really great riders come out of our club because of Juergen,” Cressey said.

Roesch spent about 20 years with the Pony Club, working with kids on Saturdays from about 2 p.m. until it was dark outside.

“We really made them take care of their horses all the time and ride all the time,” he said. “[I enjoyed] watching the kids develop and turn into great equestrians.”

Cressey said in addition to the equestrian training that takes place in

“It’s just a beautiful thing when you and your horse come together in your sport ... I just appreciate this community and everything it has to offer. It’s just so special and I’d love to see it continue. [Pony Club] is a wonderful organization.”

Christy Cressey Former district commissioner the club, she is also proud of the club’s focus on the land and land preservation. She is also impressed at the different riding and learning options that have opened up to kids over the years.

“It’s just a beautiful thing when you and your horse come together in your sport,” Cressey said. “... I just appreciate this community and everything it has to offer. It’s just so special and I’d love to see it continue.

[Pony Club] is a wonderful organization.”

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Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

YMCA Summer Camps and Programs

Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life

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4th of July parade celebrates tradition ‘Home-grown in Barrington’ is this year’s theme

By KATIE FINLON kfinlon@shawmedia.com BARRINGTON – A homegrown parade and festival honoring the American dream and freedom will mark this year’s Independence Day celebration in Barrington.

The Barrington Fourth of July Festival begins at 5 p.m.

July 3 at the Metra North Commuter Parking Lot on Spring Street. The festival will end July 6.

Events include a frozen T-shirt contests, rock-climbing walls, face painting, a BAGGO tournament and the annual Fourth of July parade, which starts at 10 a.m.

July 4 at Barrington High School and ends at the Metra North Commuter parking lot.

Fireworks will begin at dusk that evening.

The parade will feature 75 floats from Barrington and surrounding towns, according to parade co-chairwoman Nicole Keiter. The parade will also feature four to six high school student organizations.

This year’s parade theme will be “America-Land of Hopes and Dreams: Homegrown in Barrington.”

The parade’s theme essay contest winners – Zoe Nelles, 10, and Elizabeth Deneff, 12 – will be featured in the parade, along with poster contest winner Kailey Jeffs, 8. Pranav Sivakumar, the Scripps National Spelling Bee second-place winner, and Megan Metha, Illinois Doodle 4 Google winner – both students at Barrington Middle School – Station Campus – will also march in the parade.

The festival’s staff consists of volunteers, and the six-toeight member Barrington Area Fourth of July Celebra-

tion Committee spends nine months planning the annual festival. Some community members, such as Brian and Stephanie Cecola, have volunteered for more than 10 years.

Committee member Joe Kelsch said the general public doesn’t always know who puts the event together, and it takes loyal committee members to make the festival happen.

“The Cecolas are to be commended for their efforts,” Kelsch said. “They are the prime organizers and this event would not happen without the dedication of the Cecolas.”

Parade attendees are invited to take part in a food drive by bringing nonperishable food items, which will be collected and donated to the Barrington and Cuba Township food pantries, according to committee member Kristin Leese.

“The truck will be coming through at the beginning of the parade so people won’t

have to hold on to [the donations] for the entire parade,” Leese said.

The parade will feature returning groups such as Crosswinds Jazz and the Barrington Community Band.

This year, the parade will also feature new acts such as stilt walkers and fire performers, Keiter said.

“We’re lucky enough that they’re excited enough that they want to come back to our parade,” Keiter said. “I think it’s good for our residents for [the performers] to do that.”

Along with the contest winners and student organizations, Jeff Arnett, Barrington 220 Chief Communications Officer, said that many parent-teacher organizations also march in the parade.

“It’s fun and fulfilling to see students and staff contribute to show the school district’s part in the celebration of the Independence Day holiday,” Arnett said.

Barrington Fourth of July Festival n Begins July 3 and runs through July 6 n Barrington’s Fourth of July parade begins at 10 a.m. July 4 at Barrington High School, 616 W. Main St. The route will end at the Metra North Commuter parking lot near the intersection of East Station and Spring streets. n Fireworks will begin at dusk, about 8:30 or 9 p.m., on July 4.

Spectators can watch the fireworks at Barrington High School. n The full entertainment schedule can be viewed at www. barrington4thofjuly.com.

Admission n $5 for kids, free for adults 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. n $5 for adults, free for kids 17 and younger after 6 p.m. n Tickets to buy food items are $1 each.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 5:00PM - 11:30PM

THURSDAY, JULY 4 10:00AM - 3:00PM

FRIDAY, JULY 5 11:00AM - 11:30PM

SATURDAY, JULY 6 11:00AM - 11:30PM

LOOK FOR ME! I WILL BE MAKING A VISIT.

Visit www.Barrington4thofJuly.com for a complete list of charities that bene t from the proceeds raised from this years event.

Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

BARRINGTON FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION

A COMMUNITY TRADITION MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CONTINUED GENEROSITY OF THE FOLLOWING CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES & CITIZENS!!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life

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DO O T S G 5 THIN OUND R A & N I TON BARRING “FIDDLER ON THE ROOF JR.”

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WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, June 27, and Friday, June 28; 3:30 p.m. Sunday, June 30 WHERE: Willow Creek Community Church, 67 E. Algonquin Road, South Barrington COST & INFO: Celebrate the abilities of the artists from Willow’s Special Friends ministry, accompanied by their peer mentors, as they perform this family-friendly Broadway musical.

The event is free. For information, call Special Friends Director Paul Von Tobel at 224-512-1233 or visit the event website at www.willowcreek. org/fiddlerontheroof.

ANNUAL GARDEN WALK AND MODEL TRAIN DISPLAY BENEFIT

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WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 29 WHERE: North Barrington Gardens at Wandering Tree, 125 Arrowhead Lane, North Barrington COST & INFO: Come and enjoy the gardens, the garden railway and the private Harvey M. Silets Memorial O-Scale Railroad Museum. Admission is a cash donation of $10 per person. Children younger than age 12 will be admitted for $2. For information, visit www. trainlady.com.

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GOEBBERT’S PINK DAY WHEN: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 29 WHERE: Goebbert’s Farm, 40 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington COST & INFO: Wear pink and come support Goebbert’s third annual pink day. A portion of the farm’s sales for that day will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Raffle tickets will be sold for gift basket prizes from local businesses. Free 10-inch hanging plant baskets will be given out with any donation of $15 or more. Tax donation receipts will be available.

SEINING CLASS WITH CITIZENS FOR CONSERVATION

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WHEN: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 29 WHERE: Citizens for Conservation headquarters, 459 W. Highway 22, Lake Barrington COST & INFO: Celebrate June as “Leave No Child Inside” month. Join longtime Citizens for Conservation volunteer Tom Vanderpoel as he uses seining nets to see what is in the water. Will there be frogs, fish, mussels or larvae? Be prepared to get wet and muddy. Water shoes/boots or closed-toe shoes are required. Open to children ages 6 and older. For information, email youthed@citizensforconservation.org or call 847-382-7283.

“THE GREAT GATSBY”

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WHEN: 5:10 and 8 p.m. Friday iday and Sa Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday WHERE: The Catlow Theater, 116 W. Main St., Barrington COST & INFO: A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor. Tickets are $5.

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By DANIELLE ELLIOTT Barrington Life Contributor SOUTH BARRINGTON – It started with small roots as a roadside vegetable stand in Arlington Heights.

Sixty-five years later, the stand has sprouted to become Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center, which has two locations and is known for its pumpkins, Fall Festival and being an ever-growing family endeavor.

“People know us as the farm with the pumpkin on the silo,” said Sue Murdock, an employee for 25 years and manager of the company’s South Barrington operation.

The farm is preparing for its summer produce debut Friday, which includes offering patrons a variety of fresh vegetables and other items.

The size of the operation has grown exponentially since George Goebbert opened his vegetable stand in 1948. It grew when George’s son Jim joined the business and in 1972, bought the 40-acre South Barrington location and started selling pumpkins on the roadside.

Jim Goebbert started the Fall Festival in 1978 after closing the Arlington Heights location to focus on the new property. A year later, “Happy Jack,” the giant pumpkin on the silo, went up, and the popularity of Goebbert’s farm skyrocketed.

The large number of customers led to the founding of a 400-acre production farm in Hampshire. Jim Goebbert’s son Lloyd works the Hampshire farm, and son Lee runs the marketplace at the South Barrington location.

“Being a family business has its challenges but it also has its benefits,” Lee Goebbert said. “You can always count on family, they will always be there if you need something.”

While known for its sweet corn and tomatoes, Goebbert’s sells a large selection of homegrown vegetables including peppers, green beans, squash,

Photos by Danielle Elliot for Barrington Life

Flowers and plants are available to buy at Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center year-round. Summer produce is available starting June 28. BOTTOM LEFT: Goebbert’s is a family-run business celebrating its 65th anniversary this fall. BOTTOM RIGHT: A new feature this is the Farmer Gem’s Mining Company, an attraction for kids to sift through a bag of sand and hidden mining stones. The children get to keep the stones they find.

potatoes, muskmelons and different herbs.

The only time the farm brings in produce is when Illinois soil cannot grow the plants sufficiently. Grapes, oranges, apples and cherries are

bought and brought in from the Chicago International Produce Market.

“People are conscious of buying locally. That is what we do and have always done,” Murdoch said. “We have a

grower who also goes to the market for what we can’t produce, and he handpicks what we need.”

The family continues to expand its business to meet the growing needs and demands of

customers.

“Each year we try to add something new, a little change here and there,” Lee Goebbert said.

This year the market’s newest edition is gemstone mining, an attraction for kids to come and learn about rocks and stones. In addition, the farm has a playground, train and animals.

“Farming is the history of this country and so few people know anything about it anymore. It’s nice to educate the children,” Murdoch said.

The garden center also offers classes to help share gardening expertise with those who are interested.

Barrington resident and customer Mary Piazza has been coming to Goebbert’s Garden Center three or four times a month — for 26 years.

“My favorite part are the ideas and plants,” she said.

“Everyone is so nice and so helpful here. I’ve taken their instructional classes on planting, and they will even plant with you if you bring in a pot to teach you hands-on.”

Produce was the basis for the family business, and the Goebbert’s honor that by continuing to provide the community with a place to get groceries and make family memories.

“We sell pumpkins and squash, but what we are really selling is a family experience.

Some families save to come here, others meet up with their grandparents and neighbors to have a great day,” Murdoch said.

The Goebbert family takes great pride in the happiness their business brings to area families.

“We’ve been here for 40 years and have seen the community grow. Adults who came as kids now bring their kids. We hope people enjoy the farm,” Lee Goebbert said.

“Every season we hear stories like ‘I came here as a kid and now I’m bringing my kids’,” added Murdoch. “For us, that makes it all worthwhile.”

Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

More than a silo

Business at Goebbert’s Farm & Garden skyrockets

Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life

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8LETTERS Barrington Tag Days a success To the Editor: About 1,000 people in Illinois have ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or motor neuron disease, and about 250 more are diagnosed each year.

The disease may seem relatively rare, but we find many people know someone who has been affected by it.

At the Les Turner ALS Foundation, we are working toward the day when no one is affected by the disease. We are dedicated to treating and eliminating ALS through research, patient services, education and advocacy.

During National ALS Awareness Month in May, hundreds of Les Turner ALS Foundation volunteers participated in Tag Days drives, collecting donations and raising ALS awareness.

The Tag Days drive in Barrington was a success, raising more than $17,500. We thank Bob Lee and Chris and Connor Maytnier for their efforts as the local Tag Days captains, and we

How to sound off We welcome original letters on public issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, home address and day and evening

are deeply appreciative of the people who supported the cause.

Tag Days drives were held in 29 communities and volunteers collected nearly $80,000.

ALS causes motor neurons to stop working and die. The result is loss of voluntary movement

telephone numbers for verification purposes. We limit letters to 350 words. Submit letters by email to letters@mybarringtonlife.com.

and muscle functions such as speaking, swallowing and breathing. About 10 percent of all cases are inherited, and a faulty protein pathway is known to play a role in all types of ALS. Though treatment of symptoms often improves quality of life, there is

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no cure for ALS. Founded in 1977, the Les Turner ALS Foundation serves more than 90 percent of the ALS population in the Chicago area and is affiliated with Northwestern Medicine, where it funds both a clinical care program and two scientific research laboratories. The foundation offers comprehensive patient services, such as support group meetings and professional in-home consultation services.

To those who donated through Tag Days and to those who served as the manpower behind this effort, thank you. Your support allows us to continue providing help and hope to people with Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Wendy Abrams Executive director, Les Turner ALS Foundation, Skokie

Big lies on guns To the Editor: I am a member of the National Rifle Association I believe in the Second Amendment.

I do not adamantly oppose

background checks.

Now, did you know that the government’s own Bureau of Justice Statistics (reporting to Attorney General Eric Holder) just released figures showing a 39 percent decrease in gun-related homicides from 1993 to 2011?

At the same time, Pew Research Center released figures not only showing the decrease in homicides, but that non-fatal gun crimes were down by 70 percent, from 1.5 million in 1993 to 467,300 last year. If states such as Illinois actually prosecuted armed, violent criminals, the numbers would be better.

The gun control advocates would have you believe we are under a constant blood bath, and their lies have convinced 56 percent of Americans (according to Pew”s research) that gun violence is skyrocketing. Only 12 percent think it is down.

Our president and his gang keep the big lies going and, as shown above, they work.

James A. Wagner Barrington

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Barrington police enforce safe driving during July 4 holiday

By TARAH THORNE tthorne@shawmedia.com BARRINGTON – Local authorities are preparing enforcement campaigns and raising awareness about drinking and driving as Independence Day approaches.

The Fourth of July holiday can be deadly due to the number of motorists traveling, Barrington Police Chief David Dorn said.

“Too many people die each year due to those who choose to drive after drinking,” Dorn said.

AAA estimates 40.8 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Independence Day holiday, according to a news release from the organization, with 84 percent of them traveling by vehicle.

That is 6 million more Americans traveling than Memorial Day, according to AAA. In 2011, 428 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes from the Fourth of July holiday from July 1 to July 5, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Of those, 161 fatalities involved at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or higher.

The Barrington Police Department has announced its plans for the statewide “Independence Day Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” enforcement efforts beginning June 28 and running through July 7.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Campaign #5” is the fifth of six enforcement campaigns funded by a grant received from the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety.

“It’s important for people to know that these services are meant to be a last resort and we really encourage people to pick a designated driver before they head out for Fourth of July festivities.”

Beth Mosher of AAA Chicago

It funds additional officer hours dedicated to enforcing child restraint, seat belt use and speeding, and alcohol-related violations.

For those traveling out of state, the AAA routinely offers “Tipsy Tow” or “Towto-go” services over independence day weekend. The services are not offered in Illinois, but Beth Mosher of AAA Chicago spoke on the issue via e-mail.

“It’s important for people to know that these services are meant to be a last resort and we really encourage people to pick a designated driver before they head out for Fourth of July festivities,” she said.

Four state highways run through Barrington Hills and while the Barrington Hills Police Department did not receive IDOT campaign funding, Deputy Chief Richard Semelsberger is planning for “vigorous enforcement.”

He advises anyone traveling that weekend to “plan ahead, drive safely and buckle.”

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Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

‘Drive sober or get pulled over’

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life

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.com Bike Barrington sets cycling movement in motion Liz Luby Chepell

BARRINGTON – Cloudy skies and the threat of rain didn’t keep residents away from the inaugural Bike Barrington family bike ride Saturday.

The village of Barrington partnered with the Barrington Junior Women’s Club and the Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Committee to host the free event, one in a series of new initiatives aimed at making Barrington a more friendly place for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The event included activities to promote bike safety, plus a 2-mile bike ride starting at Barrington’s Village Hall. Nurses from Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital gave away 300 bike helmets and helped fit each one properly.

Village CycleSport offered free bike checks and prizes, and Heinen’s Fine Foods provided healthy snacks and water.

About 120 people registered for the activities, and officers from the Barrington’s Police Department led about 60 cyclists on a ride down Station Street and Dundee Avenue to promote proper riding techniques in a street setting.

Kevin Kramer, the village’s economic and community development planner who helped plan Bike Barrington, said hosting more bikethemed events is just a small piece of the community’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan, an initiative adopted in October.

The Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee helped draft that plan, with a focus on finding ways to improve safety and access for people who enjoy walking and biking in Barrington.

The committee advising the village is looking at a combination of ways to promote pedestrian and bike safety in Barrington, including improvements to intersections for pedestrians and cyclists, more signage, more crosswalks, and striping for more bike lanes on streets.

There are also plans for large-scale, long-term improvements, some of which will require intergovernmental

Photo provided by Bob Lee

The Village of Barrington partnered with the Barrington Junior Women’s Club and the Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Committee to host Bike Barrington, which included activities to promote bike safety plus a two-mile bike ride starting at Barrington’s Village Hall. funding.

The village recently secured an $800,000 federal grant through an Illinois Department of Transportation enhancement program to add a path for bikes and pedestrians on Main Street and Hart Road outside Barrington High School.

Kramer said the village won’t break ground until the project makes it through engineering and construction phases, but noted it’s one example of the planned improvements.

“I think there’s a lot of momentum right now for bikes,” Kramer said.

“And, especially with gas prices a little bit higher, we want to give more people in Barrington who want to come downtown for events the opportunity

to safely ride down to Cruise Nights or the Farmers Market, for example, without having to drive, park and walk.”

Besides making Barrington more bike friendly, Kramer said, the goal is to connect the village to other towns for safer travel.

Barrington currently has 1 mile of bike lane, eight-tenths of a mile of shared use path, and many miles of recommended streets for bike riding.

Outside of the village, there are more than 17 miles of off-street paths within the park district and forest preserve immediately adjacent to Barrington.

They’re all mapped out on Barrington’s Bikeways map.

Kramer said that based on the

turnout and early feedback from the Bike Barrington community ride, the village will likely make it an annual event.

“Biking is a lot of fun, and I think people are starting to realize again that getting their families out on a Saturday or Sunday morning is a great time to ride, and the option to ride safely is just another great amenity that’s part of life here in Barrington,” he said.

• Liz Luby Chepell publishes 365Barrington.com, a website promoting people, places and events in Barrington. She is providing weekly content from her website to Barrington Life as part of a partnership with Shaw Media. She can be reached at liz@365barrington.com.

This week’s recipe is a healthier version of fried ravioli; these are oven-baked and homemade. Kids really love this dish for dinner. Serve with a mixed greens salad and dinner is done.

OVEN TOASTED RAVIOLI WITH ALFREDO SAUCE For Italian Sausage Wonton Ravioli About 48 wonton wrappers 1 lb sweet Italian sausage – cooked, drained and cooled 1 cup ricotta cheese Small handful torn basil leaves 4 or 5 chopped green onions (just the green ends) 1 egg Mix together the cheese, egg, Italian sausage, basil and green onion for the filling.

To make ravioli, lay a wonton wrapper on a flat surface and brush with water.

Scoop 1 teaspoon of the filling onto the wonton. Place another wonton wrapper on top and seal the sides, carefully pressing air pockets

Oven Toasted Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce

Debi Stuckwisch The Personal Chef out. Using a ramekin or glass as a guide, cut the ravioli into circles and seal edges again with fork if desired.

Repeat as necessary.

For the Oven Toasted Ravioli Wonton ravioli (or use refrigerated ravioli) 2 eggs 2 tablespoons milk 3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Nonstick cooking spray Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Dip each ravioli in the egg mixture and coat in the bread-crumb mixture.

Place on an ungreased baking

Photo provided

sheet. Spray ravioli with cooking spray.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese Toasted ravioli

For the Alfredo Sauce 3 tablespoons sweet butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups heavy cream

Melt butter in medium saucepan with olive oil over medium/low heat.

Add the garlic, cream, white pepper and bring mixture to a simmer.

Stir often.

Add the Parmesan cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth.

When sauce has thickened, add the mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. Stir often.

Place ravioli on serving plates and spoon sauce over pasta.

Barrington Life | Thursday, June 27, 2013

Make healthier version of fried ravioli

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

| Barrington Life 24