September 13 - 19, 2021 by StreetWise_CHI

September 13 - 19, 2021 Vol. 29 No. 36

$1.10 goes to vendor

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Arts & (Home) Entertainment

We are replacing our usual calendar with virtual events and recommendations from StreetWise vendors, readers and staff to keep you entertained at home!

SportsWise

The SportsWise team discusses a local youth sports organization, Chicago Westside Sports.

Cover Story: Chicago getaways

StreetWise vendors and staff share their favorite places to spend the few remaining days of summer.

From the Streets

North Lawndale Employment Network celebrates its first permanent campus at 1111 S. Homan Ave.

The Playground THIS PAGE: Par-King Skill Golf in Lincolnshire (Facebook photo).

Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher

dhamilton@streetwise.org

StreetWiseChicago @StreetWise_CHI

Suzanne Hanney, Editor-In-Chief

suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com

Amanda Jones, Director of programs

ajones@streetwise.org

Julie Youngquist, Executive director

jyoungquist@streetwise.org

Ph: 773-334-6600 Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616

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ARTS & (HOME) ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Since being stuck inside, which shows have you been watching? Which movies? Have you read any good books lately? Any new music releases have you dancing in your living room? StreetWise vendors, readers and staff are sharing what is occupying their attention during this unprecedented time. To be featured in a future edition, send your recommendations of what to do at home and why you love them to Creative Director / Publisher Dave Hamilton at dhamilton@streetwise.org

Thank You For Being a Friend!

'The Golden Girls: the Lost Episodes, Vol. 5' Hell in a Handbag Productions presents this show in what they call a “preservation and celebration of camp and parody” this fall. In accordance with this mission, the play consists of the four original Hell in a Handbag cast members — David Cerda, Grant Drager, Ryan Oates and Ed Jones — parodying the classic show "The Golden Girls" in drag to create a show that blends some nostalgia with an excess of comedy. It’s showing at Leather Archives and Museum, 6418 N. Greenview Ave., and it’s sure to be a lively and fun night for appropriate audiences (18 and up). The show runs Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through October 23. Opening night is Thursday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $23 and are available through eventbrite.com

Celebrate the Season!

(HOME) ENTERTAINMENT

Fall Nature Fest at LaBagh Woods Kick off the fall season at LaBagh Woods Forest Preserve (W. Foster and N. Cicero Avenues) this Saturday, September 18. Cook County Forest Preserves is bringing an outdoor block party celebration to this location and it’s FREE for anyone who’s interested in attending. The event is also the perfect blend of entertainment, community and education; enjoy food, drinks, and games while also learning about the local ecosystem and participating in a tree giveaway. There will also be animal ambassadors from the Brookfield Zoo to give demonstrations, so there are plenty of ways to engage. The party will take place from 12 - 3 p.m. and Facebook RSVP (www.facebook.com/pages/LaBagh-Woods) is encouraged!

Free Dance Performance!

Mural Dances It’s your last chance to catch this out-of-the-box dance performance series. Synapse Arts has been bringing site-specific live music and dance to murals throughout the city of Chicago. On September 18, the FREE performance will be held at Loyola Park (1230 W. Greenleaf Ave.) from 1 - 3 p.m. with a dance directed by Rachel Damon, so bring your family and friends and your own chairs for an afternoon celebration of visual and performance art! Synapse Arts is an organization that promotes expression of individualism and challenges social norms. Learn more about their mission and this series at their website: synapsearts.com.

Modern History

'Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992' The powerful and emotional story of the Los Angeles riots is at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. This show will run on Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through September 26, and follows the aftermath of the 1991 police beating of Rodney King from multiple perspectives. With plot pulled from historical archives and monologues pulled from real interviews, the play opens compelling discussions about race, power, and misinformation that are highly relevant to the current zeitgeist. The runtime is 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission. Tickets start at $25 and are only available for advance purchase, so visit cityofevanston.org to claim yours today!

Classic Opera Opening!

'Macbeth': Opening Night Giuseppe Verdi’s operatic adaptation of this Shakespeare play is opening at Lyric Opera of Chicago this Friday, September 17 and runs through October 9. Like the original play, it tells the story of Macbeth, a Scottish general aiming to claim the throne, and his wife who supports and encourages his increasingly troublesome and tyrannical political actions until they both descend into madness. Performed in Italian, the music promises to be lively and exciting. English translations will also be projected to allow audiences to follow the story. The show begins at 7 p.m. at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, and runs for three hours with one intermission. Tickets start at $69 at lyricopera.org/shows.

A Safe Space!

Sister Outsider Sister Outsider is one of Chicago’s violence interruption programs and this summer, it's been kicking into high gear with a series of events that create a safe space for Black women, girls, and gender nonconforming folk to get outside and get active! This last walk of the season through South Shore will be led by a professional fitness instructor for a fun morning of low-impact exercise. It will begin in Rosenblum Park, 7547 Euclid Ave., at 10 a.m. and RSVP is required to participate. The walks are presented by Sisters in Cinema, an organization that strives to promote wellness and non-violence in all of its programming. To learn more about their work and to RSVP, go to sistersincinema.com.

Life is a Cabaret!

'Cabaret Burlesque & Great American Songbook' Supported by the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Chicago Cabaret presents this celebration of 100 years of music and cabaret history. Entertainers from throughout Chicago are coming together to present “Cabaret Burlesque & the Great American Songbook” at Haven Entertainment Center, 923 E. 43rd St., at 3 p.m. on September 19. The show promises to be both cutting edge and classic as performances by LGBTQIA+ drag artists, comedians, and dancers are paired with all your favorite jazz and Broadway hits. Admission is FREE and RSVP is required. You won’t want to miss it, but if you do, be on the lookout for the other 100-year anniversary event on October 3. More information about registration and future performances is available at chicagocabaret.org

Free Concert!

Argyle Night Music Argyle Night Music is presented by Uptown United with a grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events September 16, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Argyle Street will be shut down from Kenmore to Sheridan to allow outdoor dining while enjoying live music. Sam “Trump” Harris is a multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter who first picked up a trumpet at age 7. Since moving to Chicago in 2009 to obtain his fine arts degree in music, he has become widely known as a bandleader, sideman, mentor, & curator, with a vibe that is sophisticated and soulful. exploreuptown.org/argyle-night-music.

Lively Theater!

‘Anyone Can Whistle’ Skokie Theater presents this Tony Award-nominated musical that follows the mayor of a small town who schemes to invent a miracle to bring tourist money to her town. Over the course of the story, a skeptical nurse releases 40 patients from a mental hospital and the mayor must work to determine who in the town is sane: a more challenging task than expected. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, “Anyone Can Whistle” promises a lively night of theater for any and all attendees, so come on down to 7924 N. Lincoln Ave on Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through October 10. Tickets start at $45 with discounts for students and seniors. For more information, visit Skokie Theater’s website at skokietheatre.org/ anyone-can-whistle.html. -Compiled by Audrey Champelli & Dave Hamilton

www.streetwise.org

Vendors Russ Adams, John Hagan and Donald Morris chat with Executive Assistant Patrick Edwards.

Patrick: We’ve all now been introduced to the Chicago Westside Sports program, which has gone through some ups and downs, and, to me, is as important as any other program out there. Russ: I agree. I remember growing up and playing in the neighborhood: how sports used to keep us engaged in an activity that kept me and my friends from running ragged through the streets. We were poor, but we were full of energy and that need for life. Donald: We were the same. This program is a part of a network that looks to provide this for the communities who need it the most.

SPORTSWISE

Patrick: For those not in the know, Chicago Westside Sports is an operation in which police officers, local churches and community leaders come together with a common goal to build community. John: Unfortunately, the grant ran out in 2019. Sgt. Jermaine Harris, one of the co-founders of the program banded together with other participants and brainstormed with the focus being, “We’ve got to bring this back.” Harris joined forces with Stephanie Marquardt, executive director of the community resource organization City of Refuge, to offer the program for free to kids wanting to play baseball, basketball and learn archery.

(Chicago Westside Sports Twitter photo).

Russ: I can’t imagine taking up archery, but it don’t sound bad. Patrick: Agreed. Let these communities learn something different from the basics: basketball, baseball, and football. Donald: Recently, more than 20 kids from the West Side came together to play baseball at Columbus Park. If I’d been more aware of this group and, specifically, this event, I would’ve gone. See what’s really going on! John: One of the greatest things about this is that the kids and the officers can interact, and influence both ways. This can only help not only in the now, but also for later. Patrick: Right. Even if only one kid sees something different for his future, then we’re doing it. And it’s not even

about a kid being a crime victim, or one that commits crimes and, subsequently, ending up in jail or dead. It’s about kids being able to be kids and to see there’s more to life than, perhaps, what they see in their community. Russ: The phrase “falling through the cracks” is real in the hood. I’ve seen it. Shoot, back in the day, I cradled that line myself. Most of us have. Donald: Right. And that’s the difference, while there are issues even within these programs—there are knuckleheads everywhere—there are more not involved in these programs. And that’s not even to come down on them, because every kid has a road that’ll get him right. Unfortunately, recognizing this and choosing sensibly is a tough thing for anyone, let alone a 9- or 13-year-old. John: Let’s not forget this

program is run by volunteers and, though the program is fun and an energy outlet, it also develops life skills. Patrick: Another thing I realized is that it’s, also, to the benefit of those leading the program. Officers need to experience kids in these communities who are smiling, not involved in criminal activity—victim or victimizer. As Sgt. Harris expressed, it helped him work through his own mental health. It gave him balance in the workplace, and hope for the children in the community. Russ: Shout-out to Avion Tart, one of the many kids in the program who has participated and grown not only on the field, but also in school and, most importantly, life in general. Check it out at www. chicagowestsidesports.org. Any comments or suggestions? Email pedwards@streetwise.org

COVERSTORY

DAY TRIP OUR FAVORITE PLACES TO SPEND THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER There is just enough summer left for a short getaway – and luckily, Illinois is the 15th best state for road trips and 6th best for number of attractions, according to WalletHub. Many of these sites are in Chicago: the lakefront, various museums and Millennium Park. Still others are within a two-hour drive. StreetWise vendors and staff give you their picks for a last grab at summer fun.

New Buffalo Light House (cityofnewbuffalo.org), The Stray Dog Bar & Grill (Facebook), Church Brewery (Facebook).

LAKE MICHIGAN HARBOR COUNTRY

Just an hour and a half drive and two states away, Michigan’s beach towns feel like another, quainter world. On a recent trip, a group of friends and I stopped in New Buffalo, one of several charming towns along the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan. New Buffalo and many of the nearby beach towns are filled with restaurants, shops, breweries, and antique stores galore. We ate a delicious lunch, spent a day at the beach, played cards at a local brewery while sipping on a flight of beer, and even made a stop at a casino on our way home. It’s an easy jaunt for the day or the weekend, with a big payoff. While it’s still on the same hometown lake, it feels like a substantial getaway! -Recommended by Program Manager Amanda Jones

MONTROSE BEACH I want to go out on the lakefront - Montrose Beach. That's where I went all my life, my neighborhood.

-Recommended by Vendor JT (Chicago Park District photo.)

A mule pulls a boat; Channahon (I & M Canal photos).

ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL HERITAGE TRAIL

The Illinois & Michigan (I&M) Canal Heritage Trail provides an alternate pathway into the Starved Rock area. It is also a piece of Chicago history. Before there were planes, trains and automobiles, rivers transported goods and people. The I&M Canal started in what is now Bridgeport and connected Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River via the Chicago River, the DesPlaines River, and finally the Illinois River. Work began in 1836 and finished in 1848. When the canal was under construction in 1840, Chicago was just a town of 4,000 people, but by 1850, it had grown to 30,000 people. Four years later, its population had more than doubled, to 74,000. Railroads cut into the canal’s passenger traffic, but grain and lumber continued to move by water; a million tons in 1882, the I&M’s peak year. The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal replaced it in 1900. The Stevenson Expressway uses the same route. Most of the towns platted by canal commissioners are still standing: Lemont: Nineteenth-century church spires rise on the bluffs above downtown, where many of the buildings are made of local yellow limestone used in Chicago’s Water Tower. Nearby at 10600 S. Archer Ave. is the church of St. James at Sag Bridge, founded by Irish who dug the canal, many of whom are buried in its cemetery. Lockport: Just 30 miles from Chicago, this was the canal commission headquarters. Its building now hosts the Will County Historical Museum and Research Center. You’ll also find Lock 1 and the block long Public Landing. Channahon: Located 50 miles from Chicago on the DesPlaines and Kankakee Rivers, it is the gateway to Lock 8, an aqueduct, one of two remaining lock tender’s homes and the ghost towns of Aux Sable and Dresden. An easy bike trail of crushed limestone leads to Morris. Bikes can be rented by the hour and unlocked at stations in Lockport, Channahon, Morris, and LaSalle. iandmcanal.org/bike Morris: 70 miles from Chicago, this agricultural center hosts the 72nd Grundy County Corn Festival September 22-26. You’ll find a variety of foods, live music, pony rides, petting zoo, flea market, craft fair and parades. cornfestival.org Ottawa: 90 miles from Chicago on the Fox and Illinois Rivers, it has the last remaining tollhouse. By 1871, boat captains had paid enough fees to retire the state’s debt for canal construction. Ottawa was the setting for one of the debates between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. It was also the home of William D. Boyce, the founder of American Boy Scouting; and of John Hossack, who used his Greek Revival home on the Illinois River as a station on the Underground Railroad. Tangled Roots Oktoberfest, featuring craft beer, Bavarian dishes, music, a carnival, miniature golf and vendors, will be September 17-19 tangledrootsoktoberfest.com/ottawa An easy, flat bike trail continues 15 miles to LaSalle. Utica: This is the gateway to Starved Rock and home of the LaSalle County Historical Museum, in an 1840s canal warehouse. Exhibits encompass the local Radium Girls, who painted clock faces with the luminous carcinogenic; and the Aitken One-Room Schoolhouse. The 51st annual Burgoo Festival October 9 & 10 is its major fundraiser. Pioneers used venison or squirrel for burgoo, but this stew is made of beef, carrots, hominy, and more, cooked all night Saturday. You’ll also find antiques and crafts vendors, a classic car show, children’s games and blacksmith demonstrations. www.lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org/burgoo LaSalle: The western terminus of the I&M Canal features Canal Lock 16 and the chance to take a one-mile, 60-minute tour on a replica canalboat, “The Volunteer,” pulled by a mule along the shore. (Adults $20, seniors 62+ $17, youth 4-16 $9, Children under 3 free; family pack (2 adults and 2 children) $49) iandmcanal.org/experiences/canal-boat -Recommended by Editor Suzanne Hanney www.streetwise.org

First three pictures: Scenes from Starved Rock State Park (Illinois Department of Natural Resources photo). The Great Hall at Starved Rock Lodge (courtesy photo)..

STARVED ROCK STATE PARK Starved Rock State Park, 100 miles southwest of Chicago, is the perfect trip to get out and see nature’s beauty, with a little something for everyone. It offers beautiful views of the Illinois River, deep canyons, bluffs and waterfalls. Hike through 13 miles of trails. Book a trolley or river tour to see some stunning views. If you’re looking for more than a day trip, you can spend the night in one of its 129 campsites – some with electricity and hookups, some for tents alone at camp.exploremoreil.com. A bathhouse offers showers and flush toilets. You can also stay in one of the 1930’s log cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps or at the Starved Rock Lodge & Hotel with its log furniture and great hall dominated by the state’s largest two-sided fireplace starvedrocklodge.com/starved-rock-state-park/ or Ph. 815.667.4211. The hotel has dining, entertainment, spa packages and shopping. Whatever you decide, bring a fully charged camera to get some spectacular photo memories. -Recommended by Executive Director Julie Youngquist Starved Rock State Park is the state’s No. 1 attraction, with up to 3 million visitors a year. Glacial meltwater formed its 18 deep sandstone canyons, which change with the seasons. Spring brings waterfalls; winter cold produces ice falls offset by the textured rock formations and snow. There are no entrance or parking fees, which means the park is first come, first served. From May to October, that can mean parking lots are filled – and closed—by 11 a.m. Besides hiking on your own, there are some night hikes among the free guided hikes offered from June through November, with pre-registration at the lodge website. Fall colors weekend is October 16 and 17, the peak time for northern Illinois. Eagle Watch is in January. Trails range in length from less than half a mile to less than five miles , easy to moderate in difficulty; some have stairs. With parking staggered throughout the park, you can choose your limits. Besides the attractions on land, there are fishing, canoeing, kayaking and paddleboats available for rental, (although swimming and wading in the park itself is prohibited). The Illinois River is nearly a mile wide here, a busy commercial corridor with access for industries. However, there is a 50-yard wide paddling lane with sandy banks, sand bars, and backwaters where birds fish. On the eastern side of the park, you’ll find bald eagles, white pelicans, great blue herons, egrets, whooping cranes and sandhill cranes. Other paddlers have seen Asian carp leaping nine feet into the air – sometimes into the kayaks themselves. October through January is also waterfowl hunting season. The park’s name comes from a Native American legend of the 1760s: Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa Tribe was murdered by an Illinois brave, whose tribe took refuge on a 125-foot butte in the Illinois River. In retaliation, the Potawatomi, who were controlled by the Ottawa, surrounded the butte until the Illinois all died from hunger. In 2018, under Gov. Bruce Rauner, the State of Illinois used $11 million from its Open Land Trust to buy the adjacent 2,600 acres of a former coal and limestone mining operation, which will roughly double the size of Starved Rock State Park. The vision was for wildlife habitat, restored forests, campgrounds, canoeing and kayaking, picnicking and better access to Wildcat Rapids, the state’s only stretch of rafting-suitable whitewater. The land was still undeveloped as of 2020. Another nearby alternative is Matthiessen State Park, 2.6 miles south of Starved Rock on Illinois Rt. 178. You’ll find the same sandstone formations as at Starved Rock, along with camping, fishing, hiking and mountain bike trails. -Recommended by Editor Suzanne Hanney

CHICAGO WATER TAXI

Water taxis by the Chicago Riverwalk and Ping Tom Park (Chicago Water Taxi Twitter)

When I think of last-minute tours of Chicago, it’s got to be a quickie. If you’re moving about and around, you may not have time to rent or lease a car, so the best way to get around is a taxicab. But if you want to do something new or different, I suggest the Chicago River, as in our August 30 edition of StreetWise. We have 22 miles of lakefront, but 150 miles of riverfront, considering the combined Chicago, Calumet and DesPlaines rivers. Taking a water taxi is sensible and appropriate. Since the story came out, I noticed the water taxi dock at Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue. You can pay right then and there as you board. No reservation is needed. My thought is to take a water taxi from Wacker and Michigan to Ping Tom Park in Chinatown. Once you are in Chinatown, you can have the Chinatown experience of eating there. Then, you can have the CTA experience of taking the Red Line back to Chicago Avenue. Walk over to the Magnificent Mile and enjoy shopping. Finally, go over to the lakefront and relax somewhere in the shade, or even go swimming. There are so many things to do in Chicago at the last minute. This is just one humble StreetWise vendor’s idea. -Recommended by Vendor A. Allen

OSTERMAN BEACH I had a big barbeque at the beach at Bryn Mawr. My Link [card allotment] came on September 1 and I had it September 3. I had an alley barbeque last year but more people came to this one. -Recommended by Vendor Gwendolyn Freeman (Chicago Park District photo.)

UNION PARK POOL I want to go swimming in the pool at Ashland and Lake (Union Park) near my home. -Recommended by Vendor Adrian Gardner (Chicago Park District photo.)

WRIGLEY FIELD/ GUARANTEED RATE FIELD

I want to see a Cubs baseball game in person, a White Sox game too. -Recommended by Vendor Merv Sims (Wikicommons photo.)

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LINCOLNSHIRE

An aerial view of the Par-King Skill Golf courses; The Super Looper hole (Facebook photos). The outdoor pool at Lincolnshire Marriott Resort (courtesy photo).

I am a kid at heart, and I really enjoy revisiting childhood activities as an adult: bowling, the arcade… But now our arcades are barcades and feature rotating craft beer selections and our bowling alleys feature specialty cocktail bars, which is excellent for drinking, but a little much for the pocketbook when all I want to do is play some pinball. Not to mention, the last thing I want to do is dress up to go bowling. Chicago has a tendency to turn nostalgia into upscale events, which can be quite enjoyable, but at the same time, I occasionally crave simpler events. The television show “Holey Moley” on NBC has reignited my love of mini golf, and caused me to spend time researching the best courses nearby. The best I have found thus far is Par-King Skill Golf (12711 N. Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire), only about 32 miles from the center of Chicago. It is a wonderland of bright-hued and tacky obstacles that will transport you right back to childhood. Putt through a spinning windmill? Check. Putt at a scary-as-hell clown? Check. Moving obstacles? Water traps? Hot pink enchanted castle? All "check." It is exactly what I imagine the '70s to be like! There are two 18-hole courses, and all without the burden of having to order the right drink and wear the right clothes to fit in. Want to make a night of it? I have also stayed at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort (10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire). Now, I know staying at a Marriott doesn’t sound overly tempting, but this Marriott boasts a theater, spa, golf course (traditional, not mini), three restaurants (plus a breakfast buffet [which I did not try because of COVID]), an indoor and outdoor pool, and a full Starbucks! Not to mention the heavenly Marriott mattresses and pillows in the freshly remodeled rooms. Their mattresses have become so coveted that Marriott now sells them themselves. Everything you could need for a night is right there, which is good, because there doesn’t seem to be much going on anywhere nearby. The best part, which I imagine is because of location, the room was under $100 a night! A friend and I swam all day, had superb burgers by a fire pit on a big patio that was surrounded on one side by the outdoor pool, and on the other side by a cute lake. Then, when it got too cold, we swam some more at the indoor pool. If that doesn't sound like vacation, I don’t know what else would! -Recommended by Publisher / Creative Director Dave Hamilton

CHICAGO MUSEUMS I would do a tour of the Chicago museums - all of them: the Shedd Aquarium, Planetarium, Museum of Science and Industry, and DuSable. Those museums hold a lot of history and people love 'em. -Recommended by Vendor Keith Hardiman (Shedd Aquarium courtesy photo.)

63rd STREET BEACH The lake at 55th Street, which is my neighborhood, or 63rd Street, still close to home.

-Recommended by Vendor Troy Dixon-EL (Chicago Park District photo.)

Cabin at the White Pines Lodge (courtesy photo). Lorado Taft's "The Eternal Indian," commonly known as the Blackhawk Statue (Wikicommons photo). Two scenes from White Pines Forest (Manuel Diaz photos).

WHITE PINES FOREST STATE PARK

Take a retreat from the urban jungle and head to While Pines Forest State Park. This beautiful forest is just southwest of Rockford, situated in the Rock River Valley – it sounds far but is under 2 hours by car. This is a great place for families to hike, fish, picnic and camp. One of the more unique things to do is to drive over the concrete fords over the flowing creeks. It’s one of the strongest memories we all have from our many group outings to White Pines. Once you park, hit one of seven hiking trails (rated easy, moderate and disability-accessible) that lead to open grassy fields perfect for playing frisbee or kite flying. Or drop a fishing line into one of the creeks. There are plenty of places to set up a picnic or BBQ. The White Pines Lodge restaurant also offers Midwestern comfort food. There's plenty of space for camping if you want to stay the night (reserve at the camp.ExploreMoreIL.com), or rent a cabin or room at the White Pines Lodge. -Recommended by Executive Director Julie Youngquist The last stand of natural white pines in Illinois and the most southern stand of white pines in the United States, White Pines was named by Midwest Living Magazine as “one of the top 15 best wilderness getaways.” It is a 385-acre “undiscovered,” quiet retreat. Just 11 miles from White Pines, a 48-foot statue of a majestic Native American overlooks the Rock River valley at Lowden State Park, 1411 N. River Road in the town of Oregon. Its best viewing is near sunset, while driving on the other side of the river along Illinois Rt. 2 between Rockford and Dixon. The statue of the “Eternal Indian” is more commonly known as Chief Blackhawk. According to legend, when the chieftain was forced across the Mississippi River after the Blackhawk War, he admonished his captors to care for the land as his people had. Sculptor Lorado Taft, who was part of the Eagle’s Nest art colony on the site, is said to have thought of the chief as he stood looking at the bluffs one evening, his arms folded across his chest with the same reverence he imagined in Native Americans. A selection of Eagle’s Nest art is housed at the Oregon Public Library and is viewable online (oregonpubliclibrary.com). Restoration was completed last year on the hollow statue, which ranges in thickness from 8 inches to 3 feet. Estimated at 100 tons, it is thought to be the second largest concrete monolithic statue in the world. Its outer surface of cement, pink granite chips and screenings is three inches thick. Lowden offers four miles of foot trails. Its 80 Class A campsites have electricity, a shower building, and a sanitary dumping station for trailers. Another option is the campground cabin, which has two sets of bunk beds, a full-sized bed and electricity. Reservations are taken for the campsites and cabin at camp.ExploreMoreIL.com. Also available are 38 Class B/S campsites that do not offer electricity, but which have access to showers. For the true wilderness experience, there are 8 Class D primitive hike-in only campsites. A boat launching ramp and docks are located across the Rock River from the park, 1 mile north of Oregon on Illinois Rt. 2. Motorboating, fishing and water skiing is permitted, but not swimming. Celebrating its 50th year on October 2 & 3 will be Oregon’s Autumn on Parade, which features 180 crafts vendors on the Ogle County courthouse square, antique cars and tractors, a parade and an Olde English Faire. -Recommended by Editor Suzanne Hanney www.streetwise.org

North Lawndale Employment Network opens first permanent home by Suzanne Hanney

The North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) celebrated the completion of its first permanent campus at 1111 S. Homan Ave. with an August 26 open house. The new NLEN campus (nlen.org) is an adaptive reuse of the former Community Bank of Lawndale, the first African American-owned bank in the neighborhood. Wheeler Kearns Architects (wkarch.com) transformed the former bank building into a vibrant community hub. The design is driven by NLEN’s aim to create a connection between the site and the community, supporting its residents with pathways to economic prosperity. Inside, peek-through windows offer a glimpse into the production space for Sweet Beginnings, an urban beehive enterprise NLEN launched in 2004 that offers full-time transitional employment while also financing the nonprofit through the sale of beelove™ honey products. Sweet Beginnings maintains five beehives on the roof of the renovated drive-through of its community bank partner, Wintrust Bank. On the first floor, a one-story glass addition houses the Beelove Café, which offers healthy fresh foods for sale through a partnership with the local nonprofit Inspiration Kitchens. The café serves as a central gathering place, as well as a common space between the building’s programs. A glass door at the café serves as an entrance to the bank, offering NLEN’s clients easy access to its services.

FROM THE STREETS

In front of NLEN’s main entry, a former parking lot has been transformed into a landscaped public plaza. The balance of the building includes NLEN’s administrative offices, training rooms, a computer lab, and a dedicated space for community events, such as town halls, yoga classes, and live music.

Originally built in 1983, the 20,000 square foot bank building was designed for security, with thick walls, few windows, and perimeter fencing. For Wheeler Kearns Architects, this security focus posed a design challenge to creating a people-oriented, inviting structure with a sense of transparency and welcome. Highlights of the design interventions include: • New windows and an expansive glass bay window entry to the Beelove Café and removal of the security fencing. • Visually connecting Sweet Beginnings’ central production space with the surrounding café, bank, and entry lobby. • Showcasing neighborhood history, such as a second-floor photo montage honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who briefly lived in North Lawndale in 1966. Offering much-needed community green space is the building’s entrance plaza, populated with native plantings and ample seating. Inside, a moss wall greets visitors in the lobby. Connected to the adjacent community room, a new walled Peace Garden offers a sanctuary for collective healing. Enhanced by the sounds of a fountain, plantings are surrounded by stone pavers and brick plaques recognizing donors and memorializing local individuals lost to gun violence.

Local philanthropists recognized NLEN’s vital work by naming its new headquarters project as one of six finalists for the 2020 Chicago Prize. For two decades, NLEN has helped its West Side clients - whether facing financial hardship or returning from incarceration - to advance economically through training programs and resources. Sweet Beginnings alone has served over 500 clients, who have seen a 75 percent increase in their monthly income. The new headquarters will allow NLEN to serve 5,000 people annually, doubling its prior capacity. The 50 percent increase in Sweet Beginnings’ production space will provide for 100 new transitional jobs over five years, while adding six permanent local positions. NLEN’s President and CEO, Brenda Palms Barber, reflected that “Transforming a former bank building into a bright, open, and welcoming workforce campus and cafe required an extraordinary commitment, an abundance of creativity and talent, and a sincere passion for advancing our mission of creating pathways to training and good middle-wage jobs. "

Opening day (Tara White photo). Interior and exterior (photos by Tom Harris). All photos courtesy of Wheeler Kearns Architects.

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9 10 11 12 13 19 22 25 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

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www.streetwise.org

How StreetWise Works

Our Mission

Orientation Participants complete a monthlong orientation, focusing on customer service skills, financial literacy and time management to become a badged vendor.

Financial Literacy Vendors buy StreetWise for $0.90, and sell it for $2. The profit of $1.10 goes directly to the licensed vendor for them to earn a living.

Supportive Services StreetWise provides referrals, advocacy and other support to assist participants in meeting their basic needs and getting out of crisis.

S.T.E.P. Program StreetWise’s S.T.E.P. Program provides job readiness training and ongoing direct service support to ensure participants’ success in entering the traditional workforce.

Solution

THE PLAYGROUND

To empower the entrepreneurial spirit through the dignity of self-employment by providing Chicagoans facing homelessness with a combination of supportive social services, workforce development resources and immediate access to gainful employment.