GARFIELD RIDGE
Compiled by Rob Bitunjac, Neighborhood Captain
PHOTO BY JASON SCHUMER
W
hen outsiders think of Chicago, they likely envision State Street or Michigan Avenue. They think about the Sears Tower (not the Willis Tower!), the Picasso, or more recently, the Bean (not Cloud Gate). But a true Chicagoan knows that this is only the façade—that the real lifeblood of the city lies in Chicago’s neighborhoods and, more specifically, in the people and organizations that make up those neighborhoods. Like many other neighborhoods, Garfield Ridge has its share of special people and amazing organizations, which provide a sense of community like nothing else. If you are a business in Garfield Ridge you talk to Mary Ellen Brown, the president of the Garfield Ridge Chamber of Commerce, or Anita Cummings, the president of the United Business Association of Midway (UBAM). If you are an individual with a local concern, you talk to Henry Pukala, the president of the Garfield Ridge Civic League. Have a security concern? Reach out to Al Cacciottolo of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch. And finally, to find out what is going on in the neighborhood and to get all your questions answered, talk to Louis Kujawa, branch manager of the Garfield Ridge Library. The Chamber of Commerce sponsors parades, farmers’ markets, and holiday decorations among other things. UBAM holds seminars for small businesses, dedicates parks, and provides a way to network in the community. The Garfield Civic League hosts tours and luncheons for community leaders. The neighborhood watch serves as the community’s Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) organization and
hosts rummage sales, car shows, and other fun activities for the neighborhood. And of course the library is the community hub, serving as the go-to place for students looking for help with their homework or adults looking for help in finding a job. In the last year, community organizations like these have taken on more importance as we lost much of our personal connection to others. They also have adapted themselves to take on new tasks, as the pandemic necessitated. The Chamber of Commerce provided special banners for graduates in 2020 and 2021 who were unable to have in-person graduations or parties. The neighborhood watch helped community members get access to much-needed help and health-care needs. The library stayed open during most of the pandemic, held virtual programs, and helped people connect to vaccines and unemployment registration. A community can be defined by its people and organizations, and in 2021, Garfield Ridge is certainly an example of that. (Rob Bitunjac) Neighborhood captain Rob Bitunjac, and his wife and three children, are lifelong residents of Garfield Ridge, where their family has lived for the past hundred years. He has worked for the Chicago Public Library for the past thirty years and is currently the branch manager for the Clearing Branch Library. In 2011, along with a group of other local historians, he formed the Clear-Ridge Historical Society and has served as the president since its inception. The Clear-Ridge Historical Society has written three books on local history and offers tours as well as free programs at the Clearing Library, where it maintains a local history file. SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 47
