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December 23, 2020 Vol. 40, No. 21 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Community of Caring Special pullout section

Oak Park Plan Commission chair resigns mid-meeting Made insinuations of sexism within the commission

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

program — and eliminating about 15 other programs, as part of what administrators are calling a prioritization process.

Prioritization, administrators have said, is an attempt to bring the university more in line with the religious values of the evangelical denomination that governs it and to realize $5 million in cost savings that will then be reallocated for other purposes.

According to a statement emailed to undergraduates, which Wednesday Journal obtained last week, the programs slated

After serving only a few months as chair, Iris Sims abruptly resigned from Oak Park’s Plan Commission during its Dec. 16 meeting. Sims, the sole female commissioner, implied the commission was sexist in the lead up to her sudden resignation, after refusing to entertain suggestions made by her fellow commissioners.

“I move to resign. Have fun,” Sims told commissioners. “I’m out.”

Her resignation came in the middle of a public hearing regarding the proposed apartment complex slated for 261 Washington Blvd. proposed by Ambrosia Homes Inc., whose representatives witnessed Sims’s surprising departure.

Located in the Ridgeland-Oak Park Historic District, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) endorsed the project prior to its hearing with the Plan Commission. Commissioner Jeff Clark called it a “miss” that the HPC did not identify the building’s narrow setback.

“This is a historic district, and this is a pretty big issue,” he said.

Sims countered Clark’s concern by saying the

See CONCORDIA on page 14

See SIMS on page 15

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

BRILLIANCE: Michael Mackey, of Oak Park, prepares luminarias to be placed on the sidewalks of Cuyler Avenue. Over 150 blocks participated in the Light Up the Night event on Saturday.

Cuts at Concordia put college on edge Some fear school’s religious mission puts non-Lutherans at risk

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

Last week, Concordia University Chicago in River Forest announced it is significantly reducing its faculty and staff — including a well-known employee who heads up the gerontology

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D200 board has uncomfortable conversation on race As tensions from Matt Baron letter lingers, board members discuss ‘Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You’ during Dec. 17 meeting

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

The word race has “always been a charged word throughout the history of our country, but today there’s a different edge to it,” LeVar Ammons, District 200’s equity director said at the start of what would turn out to be a rather uncomfortable topic of conversation at a Dec. 17 school board meeting.

“Why do you think race has become even more polarized in today’s society?” Ammons said, posing the question to board members.

There was silence for about 10 seconds before board President Sara Dixon Spivy chimed in.

“At times, we realize how little we’ve evolved … The reality is that not much has changed at all,” she said. “I think we’ve seen that on the national level and I think we’ve seen that locally.”

The conversation was the first of a twopart discussion on the book “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. The board read the book as part of its “ongoing professional development on issues of race and equity,” Spivy explained in a board memo.

The discussion of the book, which board member Gina Harris selected, happened roughly a month after a controversy that erupted last month over board member Matt Baron’s letter to the editor that was published in Wednesday Journal.

Baron had responded to a Facebook comment written by a well-known Oak Park activist on an article about Oak Park Trustee Dan Moroney, who is now running for village president.

The activist, Dima Ali, wrote that Moroney is a “white supremacist”. In response, Baron requested that the comment be deleted before submitting a letter to the editor in which Baron equated Ali’s Facebook comment to an act of terrorism. Ali is Muslim-American — a fact of which Baron said he was not aware before writing his letter.

The controversy prompted Baron to issue an apology, which did not satisfy Ali and her supporters who have called on Baron to resign.

The controversy was only really alluded to on Dec. 17, but its resonance was felt by board members, with some members admitting that they just weren’t up for the discussion, considering the circumstances.

“Tonight, I’m feeling like there’s so much not being said,” Harris said about five minutes into the conversation. “Based on what we’re dealing with in our community right now, [I don’t feel that] this conversation can be highly productive, as I would love for it to be. So, I’m just a little bit challenged by our conversation tonight, in light of everything that is going on.”

Board member Jackie Moore echoed Harris, saying that she wasn’t “in the space to do anything other than reflect on this, given our current local climate and the hurt, harm and divisiveness that is happening.”

Despite being at the center of the tension, Baron responded after Spivy broke the long pause with her thoughts on the current racial climate.

“I know as a white man, I’ve had the privilege of not having to look at [race] much in my life — not much for me personally and certainly not much within my family,” Baron said. “And so, it’s been a gradual process and an uneven process for me of really having this increased awareness.”

Baron said he grew up in “a lily white community in the suburbs of Boston, which is a notoriously racist city,” before touching on the periphery of last month’s controversy that perhaps fed into the long pause at the beginning.

“It felt like we had an hour of silence when [Ammons] opened this up,” Baron said, partly because of the “feeling of being misunderstood.” Baron added that he stands “with all of our communities,” including the Muslim community.

“With regard to conversations on race, what terms have you heard throughout your life that have been re-contextualized?”

Spivy asked her board colleagues.

“Yes, we’ve re-contextualized lots of terms, but to me and other people too, we can re-contextualize terms all we want,” said board member Craig Iseli. “When somebody talks about white supremacy, to me, I understand the context people are using it or whatever, but I grew up with it in a different context and it hurts me when somebody does that — regardless of what their intent is.”

“It’s interesting that you hearing that word hurts ... when I and most of the people I know, specifically Black people, have lived with a number of words that hurt on a regular basis,” Harris said. “I feel like there’s an ability for us to begin to have an understanding of … what that harm feels like …

I’m appreciative that you said that, so thank

you for sharing that.”

“I think using the word the way we’re trying to use it is great and I am sure, I know, because of my own biases that I’ve said things unintentionally that hurt other people,” Iseli said. “I’m not asking for any treatment over it. I’m just throwing it out there as a fact, because I realize I’ve done it and I want to just talk about it.”

The second part of the board’s discussion on “Stamped” will take place at the Jan. 14, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting.

You can view the discussion at: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qzRyj9SaPk. The conversation happens at the 4:29:00 mark.

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

The D200 board read ‘Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,’ as part of its “ongoing professional development on issues of race and equity,”

Oak Park had 113 new COVID cases in past week Resident dies; marks 45th COVID related death in the village

By JAMES KAY Staff Writer

For the ninth straight week, Oak Park has had over 100 positive cases of COVID-19. Along with 113 new cases in the village, a 71-year-old woman died after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the Oak Park Department of Public Health.

Since April 2, 45 Oak Park residents have died due to COVID-19 related complications. That is when the OPDPH reported the first fatality in the village. With the latest cases, there have been 1,972 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the village, those who tested positive from Dec. 16-22 ranged in age from “less than 20s to 90s.”

River Forest had 24 new cases of COVID-19 over this past week, according to the village’s database (the age of those who tested positive for coronavirus in River Forest is not listed).

Oak Park’s rolling 14-day positivity rate went down slightly over this past week and is now at 6.31 percent, according to Northwestern University’s COVID-19 database. It is still averaging 18 new cases a day.

River Forest’s rolling 14-day positivity rate also had a small dip (now under eight percent) and is averaging 3.9 cases a day.

The Village of Oak Park didn’t announce any fatalities in long-term care and assisted living facilities. Between Belmont Village of Oak Park, Oak Park Arms, Berkeley Nursing & Rehabilitation, Brookdale of Oak Park and Oasis of Oak Park, there have been 31 resident deaths since the village started reporting how COVID-19 has impacted longterm care and assisted living facilities.

Cook County’s Director of Communications, Natalia Derevyanny, announced on Dec. 21 the county has had 7,694 COVID-19 related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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BIG WEEK December 23 - 30 Holiday Magic

Saturday through Thursday, Dec. 26 to 31, 3 to 9 p.m., Brookfield Zoo Visit “Chicagoland’s largest and longest-running lights festival featuring over a million twinkling LED lights.” The display includes a 600-foot-long tunnel with thousands of colored lights synchronized to music, a 20-foot-lit orb ideal for picture-taking, a 41-foot-tall tree and larger-than-life LED animal sculptures. Pose with a life-size cutout of Santa and at other selfie frames. Also, participate in a gnome scavenger hunt and enjoy festive foods, such as hot chocolate, spiced wine and cinnamon sugar pretzels while strolling past the 660 decorated trees, many with homemade ornaments. The zoo is not open prior to 3 p.m. on Holiday Magic days.

Advance admission and parking tickets are required to ensure social distancing. $17.95-$24.95.

Tickets: czs.org/tickets. More: czs.org/holidaymagic. 8400 31st St., Brookfield.

Grief Journaling Workshop

Be Our Neighbor

Sunday, Dec. 27, 2 to 4 p.m., Zoom with the Oak Park Public Library For those experiencing the loss of a loved one, you are invited to try journaling. Sessions begin with prompts followed by time to journal. At the end, there is time to share (optional). Resources for writing, grief, where to get help and more are provided. Feel free to attend any or all sessions.

Next up: Jan. 31. Register: oppl.org/calendar

Tuesday, Dec. 29, 4 to 5 p.m., Zoom with the Oak Park Public Library Structured discussions and activities, paired with an episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, will help kids gain social-emotional skills that help prepare them for future success. Because children learn more when watching educational programming with their caregivers, adults are asked to stay and participate in viewing and discussions. Recommended for ages 3 to 6. Register: oppl.org/calendar

Library Buddies Tuesday, Dec. 29, 11 a.m. to Noon, Zoom with the Oak Park Public Library Stop by the virtual Children’s Services desk to chat with library team members for 10 minutes. Options include hearing a story (or children can read to the librarian!), interacting with a puppet, sharing some jokes, or show-and-tell with pets. Also on Jan. 5, 12, 19 and 26. Register: oppl.org/ calendar

Adult Improv Tuesday, Dec. 29, 7 to 8 p.m., Zoom with the Oak Park Public Library Join us for a night of spontaneous comedy. All skill levels welcome.

Register: oppl.org/calendar

Handmade Jewelry Show and Beaded Snowflake Kits Through Dec. 24, Bead in Hand View and purchase jewelry designed and created by staff artists. Create your own beaded snowflakes with metal forms available in kits to make several or just one.

The store offers other DIY kits for ages 6 to adult with virtual instructions for basic stringing and earring design. Items can be ordered online and picked up curbside or shipped. Or, shop in the store by appointment. Request items by phone or email: 708848-1761, query@beadinhand.com. Hours: Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays, Noon to 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m.; and Christmas Eve, 11 – 3. More: beadinhand.com/appointments--procedures.html. 145 Harrison St., Oak Park.

Holiday Housewalk for Healthy Kids Anytime through Dec. 30, Virtually with OP-RF Infant Welfare Society Children’s Clinic Take video tours of five Oak Park & River Forest homes, all dressed up for the holidays. View, one-of-a-kind, how-to holiday project videos showcasing local talent and merchants.

And, enter the Grand Raffle for a chance to win $10,000. $55, includes one raffle ticket. Tickets/more: https://one.bidpal.net/holidayhousewalk/welcome.

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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Thanks at Christmas

A

s Christmas comes tumbling toward us this week, I know that each of us is sorting out what this holiday means, how it feels, how it aches at the close of this brutal year.

It is like no other Christmas. In a week it will be like no other New Year’s.

I am blessed that no one in our immediate orbit has died from COVID-19, though certainly it feels as if in the past three weeks the virus is getting closer. Colleagues here at the Journal have had the virus in their families. The stories being swapped tell of more immediate worry.

Earlier in the pandemic one of my sisters, Jeanne, had COVID-19. Jeanne is profoundly disabled and lives at the Ludeman Center, a state facility in Park Forest. The virus has come back around there with vengeance and taken a toll on the hard-working people who provide care as well as on the residents. Another sister, also named Jeanne — it’s a Catholic thing. You get to pick your name when you become a nun — is part of an order that runs nursing homes.

The ravages of COVID have been strong in those homes

DAN HALEY

among both elders and staff.

With the arrival of vaccines, it is paramount that those living and working in these care facilities, in prisons certainly, top the list of those being protected. I don’t need Marco Rubio alleging he is offering a lesson to me by taking a shot. I need my sister-in-law who works in the nursing home in Naperville to get the vaccine.

While this has been COVID’s year — and it ain’t done yet — its impact, its revelatory power has been to teach us how profound are the disparities between those of means, those who are white and those who struggle for an opportunity, whose opportunities have been systematically closed down over generations, who are people of any color other than white.

This is real in Oak Park and in River Forest, as it is in every aspect of American life.

And so this year brought us to the “racial reckoning.”

Folks, it is only a reckoning if something changes, if everything changes.

There is work to be done locally, there is pain to accept as part of that work. Would work better if we can bring a generous heart to the pain.

Another big 2020 change, clearly and absolutely, here at the Journal is our reinvention as a nonprofit newsroom.

We started talking about this not quite two years ago. It seemed like an imperative if we were going find a sustain-

able way to report local news in our seven neighborhoods.

Did not know how much of an imperative until COVID hit in March and advertising collapsed like a rotted pumpkin after Halloween.

Small and large donors, along with the federal government’s PPP loan, are the reason we remain upright and in a determined phase of change and growth. We’ve got a week until the New Year and the close of our NewsMatch fundraising project. Would love to have you sign on as part of this.

Mainly though I want to say a deep thanks to all the people who have seen the importance of community journalism. It has been beyond gratifying to see a print subscriber add a $2 donation to their renewal, to have hundreds of people who have read our stuff online for free ante up with $50 or $100. Thanks to those who have now given twice this year. Thanks to our handful of larger donors and to the foundations that are coming to understand just how core a good local publication is. Finally, thanks to the seven carefully chosen members of our first board of directors. When you are working to build something brand new, it is good to have smart and passionate people along on the journey.

To each of you, in the welcome days following Monday’s solstice, let’s focus on blessings, let’s steel ourselves for the year ahead, and let us express love and nurture empathy and hopefulness.

ART BEAT

The magical humanity of Rachel Joyce

By ELIZABETH BERG

L

Guest Author

eave it to Rachel Joyce to make me lust after a beetle. But not just any beetle.

A golden beetle, and one that has never been found. Is this real, the golden beetle that holds such a prominent place in Joyce’s latest novel? Or is it metaphor?

Maybe it’s both.

She will be joining me to discuss her work at the next virtual Writing Matter event in early January.

Miss Benson’s Beetle was an immediate New York Times bestseller, and it deserved to be. The book is about the search for the beetle, yes, but it’s so much more. It’s about a search for self. It’s about how the feeling of being unappreciated can fuel changes in your life -- big changes.

It’s also about female friendship. Not that there’s much hope for the two disparate women the novel turns on to become best buds at first: Margery Benson, who is looking for an assistant to accompany her to New Caledonia in her search of that elusive beetle, is an uptight, lonely former school teacher. Enid Pretty is a bit of a floozy who seems to attract trouble wherever she goes.

But they find a way.

Acclaimed author Ann Napolitano said, “This novel made me realize how hungry I am for stories about women loving each

other into being their best selves.”

Joyce is also the author of the hugely popular, Booker Prize-nominated, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. After I finished reading that, I held it to my chest and nearly blessed it. You know that feeling? When a book is so well realized, when it ends up meaning so much, you’re loathe to lend it to anyone? One of my favorite reviews of that book said, “It was moving, believable, funny and heartbreaking by turns. I got my husband to read it and he remarked, “What a lovely person Rachel Joyce must be, to have written such a story.” As indeed she is.

But Joyce is not only lovely, she’s funny.

She once spoke to librarians and revealed that she “actually had a job” as a volunteer in the library: she was allowed to put books back on the shelf. Sometimes, she said, she went to the J section and rearranged some of the books there to be in a more prominent position. Wink.

She’s interesting, too. She says that between her first writing ambitions at age 14 and the writing of her first novel, she was, “a young woman, a mother, an actress, and a writer of radio drama -- not to mention a terrible waitress in a wine bar, a doorto-door sales girl for one morning and an assistant in a souvenir shop.”

I’ll be talking to her about the glorious humanity and the unforgettable characters

she creates as a writer, but you can believe I’ll also ask her about those other jobs.

I founded Writing Matters because for me, what matters most in books is the writing. I want to be moved by a story, but even more so by the language used in telling g that story. I look for authors who meet eet a rather high bar, in that respect, and nd deliver them to an audience I have found to be appreciative and respectful.

Before the pandemic, we held our events in a space filled with flowers, music, great food and wine, and d authors there to personalize books. We look forward to doing it again at thee beautiful Nineteenth Century Club in Oak Park when it is safe to do so.

In the meantime, we have been able to get authors we would never have been able to because of distance -- Joyce will be coming to us from England. And we have audiences members from far away, too. It’s been fun to see how far: New Zealand, anyone?

It matters to me that our events are personable, fun and inspiring, and that we slip in a bit of edification every now and then as well. We love to try to accommodate all audience questions and comments, too.

Writing Matters with Eliza-

beth Berg in conversation with Rachel Joyce is Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, 2 p.m. It is a free event, held in partnership with the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association.

Register: nineteenthcentury.org.

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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RESIDENTIAL — COMMERCIAL — RETAIL — CHURCHES — SCHOOLS

Changing course, George’s goes carryout only In response to one-day closure, diner complies with indoor dining mandate

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats editor

SERVING OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST SINCE 1976 ASSISTED LIVING • SHELTERED CARE • MEMORY CARE • SKILLED NURSING

Now safely moving new residents to our small, wooded campus.

“We tried to do dine-in out of desperation and unwillingly created negative attention, but we love and miss our customers,” said Saki Konstantos, a co-owner of George’s Family Restaurant. “Our customers are like family to us and we would like to see them again.”

After receiving a one-day closure order from the Oak Park Public Health Department for failing to comply with the indoor dining ban, George’s Family Restaurant, 145 S. Oak Park Ave., has changed course. The once defiant diner has transitioned to carryout and delivery services only.

The following statement was posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page Dec. 19: “We’ve heard our local community loud and clear and would like everyone to know we are operating as a carry-out and delivery business only. We’ve been here since 1984 and would love to serve you for the foreseeable future. Help support us by ordering our fresh and delicious food.”

The statement, reposted to popular Takeout 25 Oak Park Facebook page, has been widely viewed and received favorably.

The exposure helped to increase carryout sales over the weekend. The boost in business was much needed and represented a

45% increase in sales last Sunday, but that revenue is less than half of what George’s would have generated on a pre-COVID Sunday. Overall, business at the Oak Park diner is down 70%.

“We need business but allowing a few people to eat in the restaurant wasn’t really about money,” said Konstantos. “I have elderly customers that live alone who would walk over to eat at George’s every day. I legitimately care about them and wonder what they will be eating in the interim.”

Though the restaurant drew negative attention from community members for failing to comply with the mandate, George’s Family Restaurant has made concerted efforts to keep customers safe and healthy during the pandemic. Prior to the second wave of dining rooms closures, the Konstantos family invested $11 thousand dollars in tempered glass barriers to ease trepidation surrounding winter indoor dining. The dividers, installed between all booths, are designed to offer patrons and staff members increased protection from COVID-19 and will be in the restaurant when indoor dining returns.

Desire for robust carry out sales remains high and stimulus money would give the restaurant hope as the move to carry-out only service forced staff layoffs. Now, Konstantos, his father George, brother Johnny and one cook make up the skeleton crew dedicated to getting food out the diner door.

“My dad is 72 years old. He did everything he was supposed to do,” said an emotional Konstantos. “He spent his life building this amazing business and I do not want to see it destroyed in front of him.”

A safe & smart choice.

Choosing a community you can trust has never been more difficult.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues.

We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

CONTACT US FOR AN OUTDOOR VISIT 2800 Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546 (708) 477-5092 | CaledoniaSeniorLiving.org

File photo

Limited availability!

PIVOT: Despite installing plexiglass dividers, George’s Family Restaurant will no longer allow dine-in customers.

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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No. 2 at OPEDC takes new post in Massachusetts

Viktor Schrader heading economic development in Medford

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Whether you’re a fan of the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation (OPEDC) or not, chances are you like its economic development director, Viktor Schrader. Affable and approachable, Schrader has spent a decade with OPEDC, welcoming developers to Oak Park and bringing businesses to the community.

“I’m really proud of the work,” Schrader told Wednesday Journal. “It’s been a pleasure and a lot of fun.”

As the year draws to a close, so does Schrader’s time in Oak Park. Starting in January, Schrader will be working for the city of Medford, Mass., as its first ever economic development director.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “The city is growing. There’s a really bright future.”

Schrader will work directly with the mayor of Medford as a municipal employee, recruiting new business and working with developers. Medford is also closer to where his family lives.

As exciting as the job is for Schrader, it is one met with bittersweet feelings and tough goodbyes.

“I’ve been on the struggle bus here, the last week or so,” said Schrader, who called himself a softy. “I’m visibly crying on Zoom calls.”

Those bittersweet feelings are felt not only by Schrader but those who have worked with him directly during his 10 years with OPEDC.

“Viktor is always the consummate professionVik would help in any way he could,” Lynch said. al – exclamation point,” said David King, a lead“Not only was he outstanding in his economic ing local real estate broker. “Just a great guy, and development role, but he continually offered adhe truly poured his heart and soul into selling vice, made introductions, and otherwise supportthe village of Oak Park.” ed local business in a friendly way.”

King said he “truly wishes him all the best in Schrader was instrumental in attracting more his future endeavors,” but that Schrader’s abthan $800 million worth of new investment in sence in Oak Park will be felt acutely.

Oak Park, according to Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb.

“I will really miss my friend,” King said.

Abu-Taleb believes Schrader embodied the valIn a statement to Wednesday Journal, OPEDC ues of Oak Park while having the ability to exExecutive Director John Lynch called Schrader VIKTOR SCHRADER press those values to new investors and connect an “incredible asset” not only to the OPEDC but personally with local businesses. to the entire village of Oak Park.

“Everybody knows Viktor. Everyone loves Viktor, and I “He always took the time to talk with shop owners, landlords, and even concerned residents and everyone knew that wish him the best,” said Abu-Taleb.

Projects Schrader’s proud of most “First and foremost, I’m proud of the revitalization that has occurred on Harrison Street, Madison Street, and in downtown Oak Park over the last five to six years,” said Schrader, adding that each took enormous effort and leadership.

“This work typically takes decades, but because of a unique level of collective effort by village leadership and staff, the OPEDC, and dedicated partners in the community and private sector, we’ve been able to usher in really positive change in a relatively short period of time.”

Other highlights include the 37-unit affordable housing development at 801 S. Oak Park Ave., as well as the District House condominium complex at Lake and Euclid –

the former site of Tasty Dog – for its “stand-out” design.

“The brewery boom also comes to mind,” said Schrader. “I worked very closely with all four local breweries – One Lake Brewing, Oak Park Brewing Company, Kinslahger Brewing Company and Wild Onion Tavern.”

Bringing beer to Oak Park was a top priority when he began working with the OPEDC, according to Schrader.

“I think the village board at the time even said that when I was introduced at my first council meeting,” he said.

Last but not least, according to Schrader, are the 100plus small businesses he worked with over the years with finding space, understanding the market, developing business models and landing financing.

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Purchase at oprfchamber.org *at participating merchants. or service providers.

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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Oak Park schools hone hybrid plans

D97 administrators introduce live streaming format, D200 talks saliva screeners

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

Daily saliva screenings. Ubiquitous face masks. Mounted projectors in every classroom. That’s part of the reality many students and teachers will confront once they return to classes after the winter break.

The school boards for Districts 97 and 200 held meetings last week that offered those glimpses into what in-person, hybrid learning might look like when it starts, which is likely early next year for both districts.

At a regular meeting on Dec. 15, the D97 school board gave the green light for administrators to set Feb. 1 as a target date for returning to in-person, hybrid learning. Administrators had presented an initial hybrid learning plan in October that contained a Nov. 30 target date, but that was scrapped in favor of a more cautious and open-ended timeline.

Parents and guardians in D97 have until Jan. 6 to indicate whether or not they prefer their students continue full remote learning, which has been in place since March, or want to switch to hybrid learning.

The district has since made some changes to the hybrid learning plan that was released in October. In addition to the date change, the most significant change in plans has been a live streaming learning format that allows teachers to simultaneously teach students who opt to continue full-remote learning from home and students who opt to return to in-person learning in the classroom.

Eboney Lofton, the district’s chief academic and accountability officer, said on Dec. 15 that the live streaming format was a way for the district to address many families’ concerns about the possibility of their children being assigned different teachers than those with whom they started the academic year.

When the district unveiled its initial hybrid learning plan in mid-October, administrators warned parents about the possibility of their students being assigned different teachers in the second trimester — a scenario some D97 board members said they wanted to avoid.

Lofton said the administration “heard from our community [that] we should privilege the relationships students and teachers developed at the beginning of the year” and that the live streaming proposal is a way of honoring the community’s wishes.

Michael Arensdorff, the district’s senior director of technology, showed board members a video tutorial he and Lofton created that illustrates the live streaming model.

All classrooms will have wall mounted projectors and speakers designed to minimize background noise while all teachers will be equipped with Apple MacBook lap-

Photo provided

GEARING UP: Michael Arensdorff, D97’s senior technology director, demonstrates live streaming instruction on a video presented to board members on Dec. 15. tops and iPads that they’ll use simultaneously. During instruction, teachers will interact on Zoom with students learning remotely at home on the projectors and they’ll interact directly with students learning in the classroom space.

“These are similar things that [teachers] are doing in their classes already, but now I’m just projecting it in my [in-person] class here, as well as being on the Zoom with students at home [who] are watching the same thing,” Arensdorff said.

Administrators said they’ll finalize schedules once they know how many families opt to return students to classrooms.

Administrators at Oak Park and River Forest High School are also making some major technology adjustments and making plans to adapt to the pandemic era once inperson learning resumes.

During a regular meeting on Dec. 17, the D200 school board unanimously approved a roughly $27,000 purchase of a remote phone system that will allow all district phone numbers to “run on an app on any smartphone or mobile device,” according to a Dec. 17 memo from Christopher Thieme, D200’s executive director of educational technology, and Cyndi Sidor, D200’s chief financial officer.

“With the closure due to COVID19, physical access to on-site telephone services has negatively impacted the efficiency of the district to function in a remote environment,” they said.

The board also approved a quote for the purchase of 170 video kits that will cost $117,130 and another $24,539 for additional components like docking stations.

Each video kit includes a “high-resolution camera with a digital pan/tilt/zoom functionality controlled by a remote and a speaker with embedded noise-canceling microphones designed for a large room.” All classrooms will also contain a document camera that displays “both two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects.”

Administrators are also researching two local providers of saliva screenings, which

can help determine the probability that someone has COVID-19.

During the Dec. 17 meeting, D200 Supt.

Joylynn Pruitt-Adams said that Safeguard is one provider that is currently available, but it doesn’t diagnose COVID-19.

“If a person were to test positive, they would have to do a follow-up test,” PruittAdams said.

She said Safeguard’s result turnaround is between four and eight hours, and costs $11 per test. Safeguard, she said, was developed by a Loyola University Medical Center physician.

The other provider, Shield Saliva, was developed by the University of Illinois at Chicago and costs $20 per test. Unlike Safeguard, Shield Saliva is a diagnostic test, so no follow-up test would be needed.

But Shield Saliva is currently unavailable, because it’s still waiting for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which the firm anticipates happening in January.

The result turnaround for the Shield Saliva test is between eight and 24 hours, Pruitt-Adams said. Unlike Safeguard, Shield Saliva, because it’s a diagnostic test, would require OPRF to share identifying information with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Pruitt-Adams said both Safeguard and Shield Saliva have false positivity rates of less than 1 percent. She said that if the district contracts with a screener, administrators anticipate conducting approximately 2,900 tests per week. Safeguard would cost approximately $545,000 over 17 weeks while Shield Saliva would cost approximately $949,000 over that same time period, she said.

The superintendent said the district won’t be able to utilize either screener before February. In the meantime, D200 administrators are relying on key metrics, such as the COVID-19 positivity rate for the school population, for Oak Park and River Forest, and for Cook County, to determine whether or not they return to hybrid learning — something that won’t happen before mid- to late January.

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their sights firmly fixed on next April. With slate with the village presidential hopethe deadline to file candidacy petitions past, ful are lawyer Lucia Robinson, digital and the village of Oak Park’s candidate roster sustainability consultant Ravi Parakkat, and Stephen Morales, a health care consulhas 13 people vying for office. tant.

Morales is the chair of the village’s With incumbent Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb not seeking re-election, Oak Park resi- Community Development Citizen Advisory dents will choose one of four candidates to Committee and both Morales and Parakkat become the next village president. In the serve on the Environment and Energy Comrunning is Park District of Oak Park part- mission. Parakkat also created “Take Out 25 time employee and community activist Cate Oak Park” to support local restaurants hurtReadling, Village Clerk Vicki Scaman, and ing from COVID-19 sanctions.

Oak Park residents will have two cancurrent village board trustees Dan Moroney didates to choose from for village clerk in and Simone Boutet.

Oak Park’s village board election will April. Deputy Village Clerk Christina Walikely be a tough fight with seven vying for ters is running to replace Scaman, as is Lou three open trustee spots. Candidates include Anne Johannesson, an administrative assisfirst-term trustee Deno Andrews seeking tant in Oak Park Elementary School District re-election, as well as community activ- 97 and executive assistant with the Intergovist and teacher Anthony Clark, backed by ernmental Body of the Village of Oak Park Represent Oak Park along with candidates (IGOV).

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By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

Thirteen people have filed to run for local school board seats in Oak Park ahead of the April 6, 2021 Consolidated Election, according to public information available from the Cook County Clerk’s office. The deadline for candidates to turn their nominating papers into the clerk’s office was Monday.

Most notably, none of the incumbent District 97 board members who were up for re-election — including Rob Breymaier, Katherine Murray-Liebl and sitting board President Keecia Broy — decided to run for second terms.

That means three challengers will fill those open seats next year. Those challengers include: Erin Connor, Jennifer Kovar, Nancy Ross Dribin, Venus Hard Johnson, Kate Odom, Jeremy Duffy, Kebreab Henry and Elias Ortega.

Five people filed to run for the four open seats on the District 200 school board. Just two incumbent board members — Craig Iseli and Tom Cofksy — have filed. Incumbents Matt Baron and Jackie Moore did not file to run for re-election. In addition, three chal-

lengers filed to run: Fred D. Arkin, David Schrodt and Mary Anne Mohanraj.

Now with candidate filings finalized, citizens will have the opportunity in the coming days and weeks to present objections, if any, to their candidacies.

Wednesday Journal will start regularly publishing profiles of each candidate early next year. So far, the paper has profiled just one candidate — former D200 board member Fred Arkin, who is seeking to regain a seat on the board after serving one term, from 2015 to 2019.

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Senator Don Harmon delivers food to those in need

Illinois Senate President delivered over 400 meals

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Santa may ride a reindeer-pulled sleigh to deliver Christmas joy, but Illinois Senate President Don Harmon rides a minivan. On Dec. 21, the senator and his team made special trips throughout the area, handing out hundreds of meals to local organizations, enough to feed roughly 902 people.

Paid for by Meridian Health Plan of Illinois and prepared by Bailey’s Catering, Harmon connected with Meridian after it reached out to local legislatures asking for advice on which community groups could most use the food.

“It was a lovely offer,” Harmon told Wednesday Journal. He said he took part in the event to provide food to people in and around his district that might not otherwise have a good meal during the holiday season here.

“I so appreciate [Meridian’s] generosity and was happy to connect that generosity with the constituents I represent,” said Harmon.

Harmon and his team kicked things off at noon, delivering 41 meals to the New Moms facility in Oak Park.

“We are grateful that Senator Harmon and his team thought of New Moms [and] to deliver the additional meals to our families,”

said Jenna Hammond, New Moms communications director.

The cuisine caravan then gave out 50 meals to the West Side Ministers Coalition for its senior program, before heading over to PCC Austin Family Health Center to drop off 140 meals for first responders and healthcare workers.

Some special guests came along for the ride and to lend a hand, including Harmon’s chief of staff Eileen Lynch and the man who prepared the scrumptious meals of turkey, sweet potatoes and pecan pie.

“Robert Bailey, the chef, was in the van delivering with us, and it was nice to say hello,” said Harmon. “He evidently spent a year or two at Proviso High School and ran into a classmate in the middle of our deliveries.”

Harmon said the chef and Bailey Catering did a “wonderful” job preparing and packaging the meals, with each individual meal able to feed two people.

The final distribution depot was First United Church in Oak Park, where the senator and the team passed out 175 meals for Housing Forward clients and residents of West Cook YMCA. Housing Forward staff, including executive director Lynda Schuler, greeted the senator and picked up the food, which Housing Forward clients ate for dinner that night.

“I think it’s very safe to say, what a nice way to have a little early holiday celebration, and especially when it’s so generously donated,” said Erik Johnson, Housing Forward communications director.

Johnson said he was impressed with the

cross-section of organizations Harmon was delivering meals to.

“I just thought it was such a nice way to support the community,” said Johnson.

After distribution duties were fulfilled, Harmon headed over to the Write Inn, 211 N. Oak Park Ave., which Housing Forward has leased for its interim housing program, for an abbreviated tour.

“We were thrilled he could make the time to come over,” said Johnson.

For his part, Harmon found the new hous-

ing operation remarkable.

“I’m impressed,” said Harmon of Housing Forward. “It sounds like COVID has pushed us into what may be a superior model.”

Harmon found the change from a rotating shelter model “really encouraging” because it offers much more stability for people experiencing homelessness than moving from church to church on a nightly basis.

“They do really wonderful work there and I’m hoping that this a sensible model they can maintain,” said Harmon.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

MEALS ON WHEELS: (Top) Michele Zurkowski, executive director of Beyond Hunger, left, and Illinois Senator Don Harmon deliver meals outside of First United. (Left) Staff from Housing Forward load up a vehicle with meals, while (above) additional church Staff unload the meals from Chef Robert D. Bailey’s catering trailer.

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

13

Sweet Christmas for New Moms

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

While COVID-19 has prevented New Moms from holding its annual holiday parties, program participants will still have a holly, jolly Christmas, thanks to River Forest resident Carey Palmer and other volunteers.

“I think they’re going to have a good Christmas, in light of all the generosity that our community has poured out,” said Jenna Hammond, New Moms director of development and communications.

The organization, which has facilities in Oak Park and Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, helps young mothers experiencing poverty and homelessness by providing housing, family support and job training.

In years past, New Moms held Christmas parties for the families in the program. Santa came to pose for pictures, while kids, with their moms, decorated cookies baked by Palmer.

“She was not going to let that fall away this year,” said Hammond.

To keep the tradition alive, Palmer made cookie-decorating kits, which were distributed to New Moms families, with four homemade sugar cookies, store-bought icing, Hershey Kisses, and different kinds of sprinkles. In total, Palmer made and delivered 118 individual kits.

“Everyone was thrilled,” Palmer told Wednesday Journal.

It was a big undertaking to make that many, so she multitasked, chipping away at the project while working from home.

“I would be on conference calls and in the background, while I’m on mute, I’d be filling packets of sprinkles or rolling out my dough,” said Palmer.

Her 5-year-old son Calvin helped stamp the tags on the kits. A friend of Palmer’s lent a hand as well, coming over

one day to help assemble the kits.

Palmer’s 2-year-old daughter, Ruby, and Calvin served as their mom’s quality assurance team, testing one of the kits.

“I used one at my house with my kids,” said Palmer. “They were eating humongous cookies with frosting and sprinkles on it, bouncing off the walls.”

Now an associate board member at New Moms, Palmer began volunteering with the nonprofit after becoming a mother herself.

“I had this realization after having my first child of how privileged I was,” she said.

Palmer had a home, resources, stable finances and friends and family nearby to help, but raising a baby was still challenging.

“It just made me think about people in different situations,” she said.

Palmer misses not having an actual New Moms Christmas Party this year but feels glad the families will have the opportunity to spend time together, creating Christmas memories as they decorate.

“Hopefully we’ll all be back in person next year,” said Palmer.

A significant part of the New Moms Christmas Party was the gift shop, where mothers in the program could choose from an array of donated toys and other items, then wrap them as gifts to give their children on Christmas morning.

To ensure each of the families have presents under the tree this year, New Moms had to switch gears.

“We changed the name this year to Operation Santa because of having to shift it all around,” said Hammond.

Each mom made a wish list on Amazon, which allowed them the agency and autonomy to choose gifts best suited to the needs, personalities and interests of their families,

Carey Palmer with her cookie kit according to Hammond. Donors then purchased the gifts.

“This year, we received over 1,500 gifts, which was the most ever that we have received from our generous donors,” she said.

With substantial donations, New Moms was able to put together family gift bags for 93 mothers and 132 children, delivered by volunteers and staff.

“At New Moms, we talk a lot about how hard this year has been,” said Hammond, “but also, how encouraged we are by how the community and our supporters have really stood around our families. And that’s really powerful to see.”

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

CONCORDIA

Transparency in question from page 1 to be cut include six bachelor’s degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences: Game Art, Graphic Arts, Theater (which will remain as a minor and extra-curricular activity), Women’s and Gender Studies, and Emergency Medical Services.

Two programs in the College of Graduate Studies: English as a Second Language (ESL) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are slated to be cut.

In the College of Business, seven programs will be eliminated: the Associate of Arts Degree; Public Safety; Management Information Systems; Human Resources Certificate; specializations in Not-for-Profit, Entrepreneurship and School Business Management; Church, Not-for-Profit Management; and Business Communication.

In the statement emailed to undergraduates, administrators said “the most substantial change involves moving forward with a significant reduction in our faculty and staff through voluntary or involuntary separations and voluntary early retirements.

It is important for you to know that each member of our community who is departing, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, has been offered a retirement or severance package.”

Administrators also said that “our top priority during this transition is supporting you, our students, by minimizing any disruptions you may experience,” and vowed that “every student currently enrolled in an affected program will have the opportunity to earn their degree here at Concordia-Chicago.”

Concordia’s Board of Regents “reviewed, approved, and adopted the final recommendations” for program cuts at a private meeting on Dec. 11, administrators explained in a separate statement, which they emailed to alumni on Dec. 18.

“Thankfully, the university is not facing a financial crisis,” the statement reads.

“However, based on a recent analysis, we would have faced one within the next two years. Such a crisis would have led to more drastic actions with less certain outcomes.

Prioritization will help us avert such a situation.”

Administrators did not give an exact number of employees who are scheduled to be let go. When contacted on Dec. 21, Eric Matanyi, associate vice president for Communications & Marketing, said the statement sent to alumni “stands as our official public statement regarding our Prioritization process.”

The programs identified for elimination represent less than 10 percent of Concordia’s more than 200 programs, but they have raised suspicions among some students and faculty who are concerned about how the university is making the cuts, specifically the role the institution’s religious mission

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM plays in determining the programs and employees that are eliminated.

The announcement comes roughly two weeks after the Concordia Faculty Senate, a group of faculty members that provides advice and consultation on a range of matters within the university, complained that faculty, even tenured employees, were being stripped of protections, such as having a say in the program- and job-cutting process and being given at least three to six months’ worth of severance.

In an email statement released earlier this month, Matanyi said the $5 million in cost savings will “be reallocated to support existing under-resourced programs/operational areas, as well as new initiatives.”

He added that the university “is emphasizing its ongoing commitment to its mission and vision,” part of which is to be “steadfast in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Holy Scriptures” and to faithfully practice the “confessional teachings of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod,” the Lutheran denomination that operates the national Concordia University System of seven colleges and universities and a satellite campus.

In an email sent anonymously, one Concordia faculty member, who feared retaliation, claimed that the university is “hiding its newly announced ‘anti-secularist’ prioritization agenda from the over 95% of the student body who does not practice the Lutheran-Missouri Synod religion.”

Another faculty member, who also requested anonymity, complained about the 2019 job posting that Concordia published while searching for a new president. The posting requires that all nominees “be a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation and male, faithful to the Scriptures as the Word of God and to the theological positions of the LCMS.” In about a half-dozen other emails, students and faculty, most requesting anonymity, also pointed to a YouTube video published in October by Concordia President Russell P. Dawn, in which Dawn explains that when Concordia “fell into serious financial difficulties back in 2003, its route to recovery was driven mainly by increasing revenues without much thought about identity. New programs were added rapidly, often without considering the fit of such programs with Concordia’s identity.

“A number of those programs ended up fitting quite well, but some others didn’t,” he said. “Eventually, it got to where there was no strong, clear, unifying identity to draw it all together and make sense of it. If Concordia is going to thrive, truly thrive, it will only do so if it develops a clear, strong, unifying identity.”

In the Dec. 18 statement, administrators did not provide an explicit list of criteria that governed the program and job cuts, but they did mention that “reinvestment will have a positive impact on our future and includes items such as creation of new academic programs, infrastructure improvements, and salary restructuring.”

One cut that stings Earlier this month, before the Board of Regents met and as the Faculty Senate expressed their concerns, Lydia K. Manning, a professor of gerontology at Concordia who also heads up the university’s gerontology department and its Center for Gerontology, told Wednesday Journal that she worried about the continued existence of her program.

Manning said the program may be comparatively small, enrolling fewer than 100 students, but it punches above its weight in terms of the amount of outside funding it brings in and the impact it has on the surrounding community.

Manning’s concerns prompted community leaders in Oak Park and River Forest to submit a letter of support for the gerontology program.

This week, a student in the department, who worked closely with Manning, said while the program doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, Manning was among faculty members who were “let go.” Manning could not be reached for comment on Monday and

by Tuesday afternoon, university officials had not confirmed whether or not Manning was among the faculty members who were terminated.

Lauren M. Bouchard, a doctoral student in gerontology and Manning’s graduate assistant at the center, sent a letter to President Dawn addressing her concerns with “a deeply disturbing shift in the university primarily as a staff member.

“There has been virtually no communication with graduate students, and there is also a pervasive use of vague and unhelpful information in official messages,” Bouchard wrote. “To my knowledge, your administration has not attempted to elicit graduate student feedback regarding any university

modifications, a dangerous precedent to your most vital stakeholders.”

Bouchard declined to comment when reached earlier this week, but agreed to share her letter to the president.

Marcus Wolfe, who said he was Manning’s first doctorate graduate associate in gerontology and could be the nation’s first African American male with a gerontology doctorate once he obtains his degree, said he has a different viewpoint about the administration. Wolfe confirmed that Manning was among faculty who were leaving.

“I’ve known Lydia longer than anybody else there and worked with her longer than anybody else, but I chose Concordia, because of Concordia,” Wolfe said, adding that his main priority has been ensuring that he finishes his degree.

“I’m more concerned about the gerontology program and from what I understand, the administration is going to make sure we finish,” Wolfe said. “I need to become a doctor in gerontology. That’s what I’m concerned with.”

Wolfe, who said he’s been at Concordia for four years and grew up in the Lutheran faith, said he hasn’t seen signs of rampant anti-secularism or discrimination at Concordia and lauded the administration’s responsiveness to his concerns, saying whenever he’s had a question about something, they’ve answered it within a few days.

“I don’t understand what the problem is,” he said, while referencing the concerns about Concordia’s religious mission made by other students and faculty members. “I don’t know where that’s coming from. It’s a Lutheran institution, so why wouldn’t it try to hold up Lutheran values? I chose a Lutheran institution because that’s my belief system.”

This is a developing story.

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

15

SIMS

“‘Buildings should be complementary to the character of the surrounding community,’” Brozek quoted.

In Brozek’s four years on the commission, he said commissioners have given developers recommendations to alter the appearfrom page 1 ance of proposed buildings.

This appeared to further frustrate Sims, commission’s guiding principles do not give who replied, “Larry, we’ve done all of that the Plan Commission authority to make deand I’ve said all of that. I’m not really sure cisions on projects based on how they would what you’re driving at, honestly, really.” fit into historic districts.

Village Planner Craig Failor suggested “I think it would set a horrible precasking Ambrosia Homes whether they edent because it’s outside of the bailiwick would be willing to consider an all-brick faof things that govern our decisions,” said çade for the side facing Washington BouleSims. vard to satisfy appearance concerns.

“Can I just say that I disagree with that?”

“I don’t think we ask the applicant to do said Clark. that or not. This is Larry’s opinion. He’s one To which Sims replied, “I’m speaking.” person. He has a right to vote against if he Sims continued to shut down commission- doesn’t like it,” Sims said. ers’ attempts to express their unhappiness Commissioner Jon Hale then suggested with the materials used as the building’s Brozek make a motion to have the comfaçade material. At one point, Sims asked mission vote on recommending Ambrosia the commission’s attorney to comment on Homes make aesthetic changes to its façade. commissioners having the ability to “create “At the same time, I would not be voting in their own rules.” favor of that,” said Hale.

The debate over the role of the commisBut putting it up for a vote would allow sion continued throughthe commission an opporout the hearing. Sims held tunity to square away the firm to her strict interpreissue once and for all in a tation of the commission’s very transparent manner, authority, believing it said Hale. cannot make decisions on Sims did not take kindly projects based on how they to Hale’s suggestion or the would fit into historic disreasoning behind it. tricts or direct developers “There is nothing that to make aesthetic changes. we’re doing that is not Comparing herself to transparent; there is LAWRENCE BROZEK the country’s vice presinothing that is not above Commissioner dent-elect Kamala Harris, board,” said Sims.

Sims expressed her frusHale interrupted Sims to tration for what she perapologize, saying, “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have said it ceived as being constantly that way.” interrupted by other comSims’ frustration appeared to reach a femissioners.

Commissioner Paul May said he respected ver pitch when Commissioner Nick Bridge Sims for trying to keep the commission on said he wanted to hear what the applicant task, but commissioners have the ability, thought of changing the appearance.

“Nick, excuse me, hello!” said Sims. “I based on the ordinance under which it was created, to “provide opinions as to whether realize that it’s highly unusual to have a something meets the standard of enhancing woman chair this commission, but here’s the community, enhancing the neighbor- the thing, I’m the chair.”

While Sims replaced a man, David Mann, hood.”

While May did not find the building’s ap- as chair of the Plan Commission, the compearance of concern, he stated he still want- mission has had multiple female chairs, ed to hear out the commissioners who did, most recently Mann’s predecessor Linda and that the community relied on the com- Bolte. As chair, Bolte succeeded Colette Lueck, who in turn succeeded Carolyn West. mission to have those discussions.

Sims incorrectly said that commissioners “No one is suggesting that there’s any sort of censorship going on,” said Sims, who voted to name her chair, which is decidedly added she felt some of those types of con- not in the commission’s purview. Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb appointed Sims chair. versations were productive.

“If you want to vote me out, you can do “What I’m saying is none of us, no comit, but you’re not just going to take over and missioner, not me, has the right to tell a developer that they have to use a singular ma- decide how we’re going to do things or not do things because you feel like it,” Sims told terial based on that person’s assessment of commissioners before leaving the virtual a given neighborhood.”

Commissioner Lawrence Brozek said he meeting.

Without Sims, the commission voted 6-2 was still struggling with how the building to recommend the village board approve the would fit into the historic district and cited project, with Clark and Brozek voting no. a particular item within the Plan CommisWednesday Journal has reached out unsion’s charter that backed up his desire to successfully to Sims for comment. have the developer address those concerns.

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

C R I M E

Man arrested after hit-and-run

Oak Park police have arrested 81-year-old Richard E. Lillquist for the Dec. 2 hit-and-run that left a pedestrian hospitalized with two broken hips. The victim is at Loyola Medical Hospital, where she is expected to make a full recovery.

Lillquist was arrested for leaving the scene of an injury accident, failure to give aid or information, failure to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk and failure to reduce speed.

The hit-and-run occurred in the first block of Lake Street west of Austin Boulevard around 9 p.m., Dec. 2. The victim, an Oak Park woman, told police she was walking home, carrying groceries, when an unknown vehicle hit her as she was crossing north on Lake Street at Lombard Avenue. Private video surveillance aided in the investigation, the village of Oak Park reported.

Lillquist, who was released on bond, could face up to seven years in prison.

Armed robbery

On the pretense of buying some custom T-shirts from the victims, a man robbed two Chicago residents in a parking lot in the 300 block of Chicago Avenue at 4:49 p.m., Dec. 11; when the two victims arrived in their car, the offender got into the rear passenger side of the victims’ vehicle and then pulled out a small silver or black pistol and demanded the victim’s property. The offender grabbed the victim’s cellphone, opened the cash app and transferred $150 to an unknown account, then took the victim’s Air Jordan Retro 1 shoes and the custom T-shirts. He then demanded the property of the driver of the vehicle as well. The victims complied and the offender fled in a black Chevy Impala carrying two other men going south on Ridgeland Avenue. Police reports

describe the offender as a Black male in his late teens with dark skin, tall and muscular, with his hair in short twists or braids. The reports describe the two other men as Hispanic.

Robbery

Two men forcibly removed a woman’s backpack and her car keys as she was entering her apartment building in the 400 block of Taylor Avenue at 5:01 p.m., Dec. 18. The two men fled in the victim’s blue 2006 Acura TL. Estimated loss is $6,000.

Attempted robbery

A woman was walking down the street in the 300 block of Wisconsin Avenue about 10:55 p.m., Dec. 13 when four teenage boys approached her; one tried to grab the woman’s cellphone, while the other boys surrounded her. When she screamed, the first offender hit her. The boys fled without the cellphone, traveling eastbound on Washington Boulevard.

Burglary

Someone broke into a property being rehabbed, took all the copper piping, and caused extensive damage between 5 p.m., Dec. 14 and 6 a.m., Dec. 16 in the 800 block of South Elmwood Avenue. The damage and loss is valued at $26,700.

Theft

■ Someone took a 10-foot, inflatable, green Grinch Santa Claus and two 6-foot yellow Minion inflatables from outside a residence in the 300 block of Division Street between 8:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., Dec. 13.

■ A USPS package containing jewelry was taken from the

lobby of a building in the 1100 block of Harrison Street between 3:25 p.m., Nov. 30 and 9:55 a.m., Dec. 14. Estimated loss is $343.02.

■ Someone took the Google Nest security camera from the front door of a residence in the first block of Lake Street at 9:36 p.m., Dec. 12. Estimated loss of $250.

■ The catalytic converter was cut from a white 2007 Toyota Prius parked in the 600 block of Harrison Street between 8 p.m., Dec. 16 and noon, Dec. 18. Estimated loss is $2,500.

Criminal property damage

■ Someone slashed the rear passenger side tire of a silver 2020 Ford Escape parked in the 900 block of Lyman Avenue between 4 p.m., Dec. 12 and noon, Dec. 13. Estimated damage is $200.

■ The front picture window of AM & L Electric, 951 Garfield St., was shattered between 7 p.m., Dec. 19 and 12:25 p.m., Dec. 20. The estimated damage is $600.

■ Someone shattered the south-facing window of Ronnie’s Mini-Mart, 1116 South Blvd., between 8 p.m., Dec. 16 and 6 a.m., Dec. 17.

These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports Dec. 14-21 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

NEED TO REACH US?

oakpark.com/real-estate email: buphues@wjinc.com

17

Homes

Candy canes and silver lanes

AGLOW

Holiday cheer spread via lights, inflatables, even flamingos

By LACEY SIKORA

T

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

LIT UP: A battalion of Santas, snowmen and toy soldiers line the front lawn of a home on Elmwood Avenue in Oak Park (top) while inflatable pink flamingos (above) decorate the fronts of several homes on Clinton Avenue. Inset, an inflatable dreidel celebrating Hanukkah adorns the front lawn of a home on Ashland Avenue in River Forest.

Contributing Reporter

he tradition of using lights to decorate during the month of December can hold many meanings. Those of Christian faith often say that the use of lights symbolizes the Star of David in the biblical Christmas story. Others might point out that the winter solstice and Christmas both fall at the darkest time of the year, which led to using candles as decorations for centuries.

When Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, introduced the “Tannenbaum” or Christmas tree to Britain in the 1840s -- and the tradition quickly spread across the Atlantic -- it was common to light the in-home tree with candles. While beautiful, the candles had the unfortunate side effect of frequently enflaming their host.

In 1882, Edward Hibberd Johnson, a collaborator See LIGHTS on page 19

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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From our Family to Yours

Have a Wonderful Holiday!

May 2021 bring Peace, Health, and Happiness.

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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LIGHTS

Decorations bring holiday cheer from page 17 with Thomas Edison, had the bright idea to light up a Christmas tree safely. Johnson lit a tree with a strand of red, white and blue bulbs.

His generator-powered decorations were expensive but, by 1894, President Grover Cleveland was decorating the White House tree with strings of lights. By the 1930s the lights were used to decorate trees, homes and stores throughout the country.

Today, it is common for municipalities and homeowners alike to brighten the winter nights with colorful strands of light. In Oak Park, Marion Street is lighted for the season, and the first annual Light Up the Night Oak Park on Dec. 19 introduced luminaria -- white bags lit by tea lights -- to sidewalks throughout the village.

At homes throughout the area, homeowners turn to lights, blow-mold holiday figurines and, yes, even inflatables to add a bit of seasonal spirit to their yards.

In this unprecedented year, perhaps we all can benefit from a bit of brightness.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

MERRY AND BRIGHT: The Snoopy’s dog house award for decorations this year could be this home on Franklin Avenue in River Forest (top). Inflatables seem to be a very popular decoration choice this year as evidenced by this home on Elmwood Avenue in Oak Park (above).

Other homeowners went for a more classic look emphasizing lights, like this home on Oak Park Avenue (far left).

On Home Avenue (left), the homeowners have erected a Santa’s Workshop display.

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

the holidays might look a little different this year, but one thing that remains the same is our ability to

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M. Call Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at 613-3310 ktrainor@wjinc.com

I

Christmas (Baby, please stay home)

’m tired from this.

COVID, I mean. I’m tired of it, too, don’t get me wrong, but I am also tired from it. Things I should be able to do on autopilot, like take the Green Line downtown, or walk to Whole Foods and Petco, all require presence and focus now. Is my mask on right? Am I staying distant? Did someone cough? Don’t breathe. Don’t touch your face. What did I come here for, again?

If this is what the Enlightened mean about staying in the present, they can f----- have the present. This is exhausting.

I think I’m mostly grouchy because I love Christmastime, and we are making the best of it but there’s stuff we’re just not going to get. We gave up on Thanksgiving. Just announced to the family that we were going to “observe” Thanksgiving 2020 on May 27, 2021 and treated the day itself like a Thursday off.

We’ll get everyone together in May, when we will be able to eat inside or outside, so no matter what the CDC says we can all hang out. My wife already ordered an inflatable yard turkey for the occasion.

I’m trying to make the best of this. I put up lights for the first time in years. Twinkling blue and white lights and a wreath and 10 sidewalk lights in the style of old-fashioned outdoor bulbs but that looked much, much larger on Amazon. I had expected waist height, though, which they are only if one is an elf. Still, it’s festive to have the little things down there to light the way for passing Pomeranians and Chihuahuas to have a pee and feel tall.

Speaking of dog-walking, I have, while walking a dear friend of mine, noticed something about the various nativity mangers we pass: While most (but not all) subscribe to the convention of leaving the baby Jesus in the green room until Christmas morning, they are all set up so the people and livestock are already peering with interest at the empty cradle here in early December.

Shouldn’t they be doing manger things? And why are Mary and Joseph there already? The presence of Mary, come to think of it, raises several other questions given that she is not visibly uncomfortable in these dioramas despite the imminence of a new baby. I have been around several women in the last few weeks of pregnancy, and they do not generally look quite so serene.

I’m really trying to make the best of it, though. We’ve got a bunch of show tickets this year, all for variations on The Nutcracker — Russian! Balanchine! Hip-hop! Burlesque! — and we have done multiple drive-through light displays. I mulled some cider with chai. We’ll probably put up the tree at some point so I can spend the next few weeks yelling at the cats. I saw Elf at a pop-up drive-in in Pilsen, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is ticketed for this weekend. I’ll probably receive a virtual present or two, and maybe bake some cookies. Gotta make the best of it, you know?

Still, we — all of us, including you — are all just so, so tired of making the best of it. I would like not to have to make quite so much best of anything. I would like the best of it to be made already, possibly for pickup. Ideally I might have some best of it made by someone else and brought to me.

Maybe I’ll ask Santa.

Alan Brouilette is a columnist for our sister publication, the Forest Park Review.

ALAN

BROUILETTE

VIEWPOINTS

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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Looking for good causes? p. 23

Needed: antiracist, white Oak Parkers to join this quest

M

uch that is significant, discouraging, harmful, and inspiring has been said over the last three weeks regarding the “white supremacist” Facebook post by an Oak Park Muslim woman and a response post by a politically prominent white man, labeling her words an act of terrorism. Since the terrorism post was removed, the WJ has apologized and attempted to promote healing, and resolved to do no further harm in ways some people have seen as thoughtful and racially responsive, and others have called further examples of white male privilege.

In the many responses to these developments I see two guiding principles that more whites in our community should take to heart and action.

These principles are found in the humble explanation and apology offered by Ken Trainor on Dec. 9 on behalf of the Journal, as well as in the politically and racially instructive observations of ShaRhonda Knott-Dawson, Gavin Kearney, and others.

JOHN DUFFY

One View

Ending the empathetic fallacy The first principle is one of action. Those of us truly committed to racial justice and equity must get beyond our persistent inertia, reinforced by what some have labeled the “empathetic fallacy,” the belief that injustice, oppressive discourse, and a discriminatory social reality will change as more people simply develop a cognitive and affective understanding that such reality is patently wrong.

As many have pointed out since the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many other people of color, and the massive protests against police brutality that followed, the awakening of millions of individuals around the nation to systemic racism is not enough to ensure change. Persistent, ongoing action to alter inequitable policy, institutional racism, and harmful personal and collective behavior must now take place.

A more diverse, inclusive and equitable Oak Park, as set forth in the new Village Vision Statement, requires greater direct white support of racial justice work now in motion in our village and schools, but is far from complete.

These equity-driven goals include: substantially expanding affordable housing, reviving a viable and respected Community Relations Commission, reallocating parts of the police budget to fund more social and psychological services for adults and youth, developing a robust village racial equity policy with accountability protocols, and supporting OPRF High School’s equitycentered curriculum restructuring.

Accountability relationships All of these changes now before us are within reach.

They can advance justice and equity. To achieve them requires that more white people build accountability relationships with people who have long endured religious, gender, and racial oppression. Such relationships are essential if we are to make equity a lived standard and not just an aspiration.

Accountability relationships require humility, sharing and relinquishing power, and the willingness to be a supportive voice, and not the leading voice.

When we choose to act for justice, we must consistently heed the heartfelt concerns of our neighbors who have suffered, be answerable for what we do and say, and be willing to grow, moving further away from our intended or unintended role in human oppression.

Abandoning the empathetic fallacy and nurturing personal and collective accountability relationships with those harmed by centuries of oppression remain ongoing personal challenges for me.

As the New Year approaches and we enter the second half century of seeking a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive community, I invite other antiracist white Oak Parkers to actively join this ongoing quest.

John Duffy, a longtime Oak Park resident, is a cofounder of the Committee for Equity and Excellence in Education.

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

O U R

V I E W S

OPRF board shows its mettle

O

V I E W P O I N T S

ften on this page we have lauded the school board at Oak Park and River Forest High School for its efforts on issues of equity. Those are deserved plaudits though there is unending hard work ahead.

There is, though, another critical area of concern where the past handful of District 200 school boards have sought to do cleanup on the grievous errors of earlier boards. That is taxation and finance.

Short of calling it theft, there was a long period when the school board and the administration of our high school intentionally overtaxed property taxpayers in River Forest and Oak Park. It went on for years, allowed by a loophole in state law. It was deceitful and it permitted the district to pile up an absurd — north of $100 million — reserve of cash. This was money taken directly from the wallets of taxpayers and stockpiled without purpose in district accounts.

Perhaps it gave school officials a warm feeling knowing they had more cash than they could ever spend. But it has proven to be an albatross for a district and cost it the trust of its constituents for more than a decade.

More recently, the school board has foregone taking every penny possible from taxpayers in its annual levy, has at times actually abated money to taxpayers and has insisted on spending down a portion of the reserve on the long-overdue renovation projects at the school.

This has been a thoughtful process. Don’t get us wrong, we’re still paying a pretty penny to operate this high school. But finally it feels we sometimes operate from the same side of the table.

Now, in this pandemic year when ordinary taxpayers are seriously pressed by lost wages and stress-filled uncertainty, the high school board asked its administration and financial advisors for options as it crafted its annual tax levy.

Three options came back to the board and it chose the path least expensive to current taxpayers. There would be no levy increase for existing taxpayers. The board would tax only new construction in the villages. It is wise to tax new construction as it permanently captures these hardwon additions to our tax base.

Coupled with foregoing a 2.3 percent hike on everyone else, a hike based on an increase in the Consumer Price Index, the board directed staff to find a commensurate $1.7 million in cost savings. Perfectly reasonable.

When the proposed cuts came back to the board, seemingly pre-leaked to constituent groups, this mildmannered board went into apoplexy stating, to a person, that they felt manipulated by the administration and its proposed cuts to programs directly of interest to students and families. Reductions in field trips, cutting unspecified extracurriculars, summer camps, and some sports seemed straight out of the playbook cynical school districts deploy when going for a tax hike.

We’ve heard it a million times. “Raise your taxes by the price of a measly pizza a week and we can save arts and music. Vote this down and, well …”

The school board wasn’t buying it. Instead they agreed to cover any immediate revenue losses out of that still super-sized cash reserve while the administration is given another opportunity to find legitimate waste and create a few efficiencies as a way to balance its budget.

Good for the school board.

A

Have yourself a merry, grown-up Christmas

friend recently tweeted the link to a blog titled, “The Better Letter” by Bob Seawright. “If you have any Christmas spirit in you at all, you have a ‘grown-up Christmas list’ of some sort,” Seawright wrote. “A better world seems a bit more plausible at Christmas somehow, and it is something ‘devoutly to be wish’d.’”

This year, he said, “I’m scaling back my demands. It’s 2020, after all. I have a single (and devout) Christmas wish: … Please, for the sake of our medical workers, take good care. Wear masks.

Avoid unnecessary travel and groups.

Wash your hands. That’s a simple, smart, and kind Christmas wish everyone can and should grant. Please.”

Good wish, and I like the concept of a “grown-up Christmas list.” At my age especially, most of us really don’t care that much about what we “get” for Christmas.

Our wish lists have become much less materialistic. Many are starting to shed our “stuff.” We are looking for more intangible “gifts.”

I’ve noticed, while reading the yearend, catch-up letters I receive during a season so conducive to reflection, despite its busyness, that after the year-in-review summary, most people end with a paragraph or two which amounts to their grown-up Christmas list. Some are very straightforward, like my dear friend Margaret Cherene in California, who was just diagnosed with cancer. She ended her letter with “My hopes/wishes/prayers for 2021: 1. Vaccinations for all and the demise of COVID-19.

2. Schools reopen full time so parents can go back to work.

3. My cancer goes into complete remission!

4. The Donald Trump nightmare ends!!”

I heartily concur with all of that.

KEN

TRAINOR

A retired nurse and longtime Oak Park resident who has successfully battled her own health setbacks over the past few years, writes: “Hopefully in the rear-view mirror of this year, we will all recognize the complete madness that we, by hell and high water, managed to get through. If I’m not mistaken, each of us will come up with all the good things these scary times made us fervently appreciate — the chitchat in the grocery store, the hugs and the handshakes, the spectacular meals eaten and served by folks other than yourself or a spouse, the laughing children playing T-ball, the up-close giggles of grandchildren as they are being squeezed close, the crowds in our beautiful parks, the freedom and ease of seeing

the bottom half of faces, the absence of fear as our doctors, nurses, aides, technicians, teachers, shopkeepers, first responders, and other front-line workers tend to their jobs without the cloud of COVID-19 being uppermost in their minds.

“I do believe all these things will be happening next year when I send out my next Christmas missive. In any case, I pray they will be happening again at long last and that we will all be healthy witnesses to the return of a life we probably never quite appreciated enough. Joy to the World to you and those you love!”

Charlie Finn, a wisdom figure in my life, who often writes about the wisdom figures in his life in rural Virginia, where he and Penny raised their family, concluded, “What are our wishes in December 2020 for those close to our hearts? Stay safe. Be a beacon in a dark time, courageous in bringing your own particular gift to this moment. Trust we will again get our bearings, having learned what we needed to learn — nothing more important than, across the world, we truly are one family, in need of each other. Remember birth in a manger means hope, solstice means turning back to light. We wish you both hope and light.”

And here’s how I closed my letter: Youth is what this holiday is about. New birth, rebirth, redemption. Hope — Emily Dickinson’s thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.

Hope has two parts: 1) looking far enough down the tunnel to see the light at the end, and 2) walking to the end of the tunnel.

Keep walking, friends. We’re getting there. May the intangible gifts, the gifts of the magi, be abundant for you this holiday season.

As for giving gifts of the magi, Howard Thurman figured that one out long ago: “When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flock, the work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among all, to make music in the heart.”

Have the merriest, most grown-up Christmas you can under our current circumstances.

It will be enough.

V I E W P O I N T S

Good causes abound in this season of giving Editor’s note: I asked a couple of friends to compile a list of the good causes they donate to when they can. Obviously there are plenty of other worthy causes as well (Housing Forward and Growing Community Media spring to mind). But this represents a good cross-section: ■ Prisoner Visitation and Support – a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia. PVS visitors visit prisoners in the U.S. federal prison system and military prisons. They offer companionship and friendship, with no religious or other agenda. Their particular focus is prisoners who don’t receive regular visits, are facing long sentences, and/or are in solitary confinement. https://www.prisonervisitation.org.

■ Habitat for Humanity – a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries.

Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. https://www.habitat.org.

■ Beyond Hunger (formerly Oak Park-River Forest Food Pantry) – provides hunger-relief programming and services to 13 zip codes across Cook County, including portions of Chicago and its near-west suburbs.

Services range from helping people connect to benefits like SNAP (“food stamps”) and Medicare savings, to nutrition education and cooking classes led by registered dietitians, and summer meals for kids who lack them when school is out. https://www.gobeyondhunger.org.

■ Franciscan Outreach is a leading provider of homeless services in Chicago. They offer healthy meals to those who are hungry, a warm bed for those who need shelter, vital case management for those who need guidance, and access to critical resources for those who need specialized services such as health care, mental health counseling, and substance use disorder treatment. https://franoutreach.org.

■ Companions Journeying Together – reaches out to incarcerated women and men in Illinois through a variety of programs designed to build healthy relationships and foster positive communication between prisoners and their families. Projects include special holiday communication projects, provision of re-entry materials and referrals, community education/training, and advocacy. They record imprisoned parents reading books to their children and send the recording and book to the child; send birthday, Mother’s Day, and Christmas cards to imprisoned people; and organize pen pal clubs whose members correspond one-on-one with prisoners. https://cjtinc.org.

■ TreesThatFeed.org – A wonderful couple in Winnetka created this way to give breadfruit trees to families in Haiti, Jamaica and elsewhere. These trees bear starchy nutrient-dense fruit in three years, give shade, prevent soil erosion, grab carbon, feed children in schools, and when given in numbers, they can provide an income and a sense of worth for families.

■ PBS (WTTW), WFMT, WBEZ – Public TV and radio and Chicago’s classical music station.

■ ChildrensDefense.org – helps children get what they need to survive and thrive.

■ OneEarthFilmFest.org – This amazing local eco-film fest is entering its 10th year!

They are part of Green Community Connections.

■ NationalHealthFreedomCoalition.org – To help ensure that we can continue to make individual choices for our health.

■ WomenForWomen.org – a remarkable program to educate, heal and support women who are victims of war and rape. They teach that women have rights and dignity and empower job skills. You can donate monthly to support a “sister” and her year-long empowerment program that truly is life changing.

■ ArborDay.org – Arbor Day Foundation. More trees will help save us and the environment. These wise beings also grab carbon.

■ VFW.org – Veterans of Foreign Wars ■ CitizensClimateLobby.org – CCL empowers people to work for climate change solutions with a carbon fee and dividend approach.

■ PleasantHome.org – A favorite place in the most beautiful park in Oak Park. Thanks, Park District of Oak Park.

■ St. Martin de Porres Food Pantry – This monthly ministry is through Ascension Church, which collects groceries for the food pantry of their sister parish in Austin on the third weekend of the month.

■ DNC – The Democratic National Committee (or the Democratic Party of Oak Park) ■ HepzibahHome.org – helping highly traumatized children as well as other programs for children. They have had a Giving Tree for gifts for the kids at Whole Foods Market since 1994, but the virus prevented this outreach this year.

■ Unitarian Universalist Service Committee – UUSC. org, one of the best human rights organizations.

■ Parliament of World Religions – parliamentofreligions.org. Imagine a world where people of all religions have interreligious dialogue and work together, from the core of their religion’s teachings, to help the common good. This organization had its birth in 1893 in Chicago, the World’s Parliament of Religion at the Columbian Exposition. https://parliamentofreligions. org/parliament/1893-chicago.

■ FaithInPlace.org – Faith in Place empowers Illinois people of all faiths to be leaders in caring for the Earth, providing resources to educate, connect, and advocate for a healthier environment and communities.

■ Heifer.org – It’s so easy to change a poor family’s life by donating one or more animals for food, nutrition, income and self-worth.

■ Oak Park River Forest Museum – our terrific local history repository at Lombard and Lake. https://oprfmuseum.org.

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Senior Editor Bob Uphues Staff Reporters Michael Romain, Stacey Sheridan, Maria Maxham Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Arts Editor Michelle Dybal Sports/Staff reporter James Kay Columnists Marc Blessoff, Jack Crow, Doug Deuchler, Linda Francis, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Designers Mark Moroney, Javier Govea, Debbie Becker Business Manager Joyce Minich Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls Sales & Development Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

Growing Community Media BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fire you to action.

In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing.

Please understand our verification process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verification, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confirm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay.

If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@ wjinc.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 250-word limit

■ 500-word limit

■ Must include first and last names,

■ One-sentence footnote about yourself,

municipality in which you live, phone number (for verification only)

■ Signature details as at left

your connection to the topic

Email Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com or mail to Wednesday Journal, Viewpoints, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

H O W

T O

R E A C H

U S

ADDRESS 141 S Oak Park Ave., Oak ParkIL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-5248300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00.

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Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address corrections to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, Il 60302. © 2020 Growing Community Media, NFP.

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

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C R I M E

Special Advertising Section

Christmas These items were obtained from the Oak Park and River Forest police departments, XXX, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated.

—Compiled by Devin Rose

2020

A GUIDE TO AREA CHURCH SERVICES

www.unitytemple.org holiday services at

Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation Christmas Eve Services Thursday, December 24, 2020 4pm Christmas Pageant & Worship for All Ages 7:30pm Musical Prelude 8pm Candlelight Service with Choir, Carols and Readings

May the blessings of a healthy and joyous Christmas be yours!

CHRISTMAS CHURCH GUIDE

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

25

GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH What do you do when you’ve had a fire and spent eighteen months rebuilding and renewing the structure only to have a pandemic stop your plans for celebration? Stay grounded in God and move to digital worship! God didn’t leave the building when we left the structure. God didn’t leave the community of Good Shepherd when we shifted to a temporary location. God continues with us in this digital moment. We sure hope you see God’s light in Sunday worship and monthly Jazz Prayer. Visit our website at www. goodshepherdlc.org where you will find FB and more links to our Jazz Prayer, Christmas Eve services, and Nativity Display.

GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH During the pandemic members of Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest have gathered for live-streamed worship services every Sunday at 8:30am on YouTube. Live-stream Christmas services will include special music from small groups of vocalists and instrumentalists. The Children’s Service will be presented in a new video format for 2020. It opens with the candle cross procession, a 70-year-old tradition, which was filmed outdoors this year on the church steps.

Join us for Christmas worship at the Grace River Forest channel on YouTube where the 2020 Children’s Christmas Eve service video premieres at 4:15pm on December 24.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:5

PILGRIM CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Pilgrim Congregational Church UCC extends warmest wishes for peace, hope, love, and joy to the entire community this holiday season. Be part of the season with us at two events on Christmas Eve: 4:30-5:00 a parade with lights, scripture, and rhythm instruments as we seek the Christ child outside the church; and a 7:00pm Service of Lessons and Carols live on our Pilgrim YouTube channel. Everyone is also invited to join us for worship online any Sunday morning at 10:00am. See www.PilgrimOakPark/org/events for details.

UNITY TEMPLE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION Worship is central to the life of our community. It reminds us of who we are, what we can become, how we want to live, as well as what we hope to give to the wider community. Due to COVID-19, our Sunday morning services are currently streaming virtually at 10am and can be accessed on our YouTube channel. Our Sunday morning services follow a regular order of worship each week, which includes a message for all ages, music, prayer, and a sermon. Each week, we seek to provide both comfort and challenge as we draw from many different sources of inspiration.

Christmas worship at Grace River Forest on YouTube Children’s Service of Lessons and Carols Premieres at 4:15pm on December 24 on the Grace River Forest channel on YouTube. A 70-year tradition in a new video format.

Live-stream services December 24, 7pm Special music and candlelight singing of “Silent Night”

December 25, 10am Hymns, scripture and preaching 7300 Division St.▪︎ River Forest ▪︎ 708-366-6900 ▪︎ GraceRiverForest.org

“Peace on earth will come to stay when we live Christmas every day.”

– Helen Steiner Rice

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

V I E W P O I N T S

C

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Merry COVID-free Christmas!

hristmas can’t come soon enough! I’ve done all my shopping and just have a few gifts left to wrap. That is an amazing accomplishment for me because I am normally the wrapping-Christmas-morning-person.

One of the main reasons for this personal phenomenon is COVID-19. Shopping has been limited to only a few stores.

Several weeks ago I wrote about all the “Amazon return stores” that exist in the Chicagoland area. I have made a killing at those stores, even when the items were reduced to $0.50. I’ve managed to find some really great things. I could literally budget $10 a person and have a minimum of 5-6 nice, useful gifts for the person.

This second wave of COVID-19 has hit closer to home than the first time around, way back in March. Several close family members caught it. Thankfully, they recovered. But it was scary to know that someone in my immediate family had contracted it. Several of my very close friends also had family members diagnosed with it. Thankfully, those individuals have recovered as well.

Even though I’ve gone through all my normal holiday motions, I really don’t feel a true Christmas spirit. I have my Santa’s elf hat and will soon switch to my red Santa hat. I have the reindeer ornaments on my car lit up with LED lights that run off the USB port in my car. I play my Nat King Cole Christmas Is For Children songs, but the magic that is Christmas is still eluding me.

I need a bit of snow on the ground to

really feel like Christmas.

There is something about the sound of the crunch of the frozen snow and the slush covering my feet that really says Christmas to me.

Based on weather reports I’ve seen, this will not be a white Christmas.

I have a small electronic water globe shaped like a Christmas tree. I placed that on the mantle above the fireplace. I put a few decorations up around the house, but I didn’t go all out. One of the things I purposely do, is wish people a Merry Christmas. Since I haven’t been in the malls, and the stores that I shopped at really didn’t play Christmas music, it has been a missing feature in my shopping experience.

Instead I’ve heard constant reminders of “Do not open the boxes.”

I stopped by my daughter’s house and can appreciate that she really has done up the house for my grandkids for Christmas. The live tree is up and many of my Christmas decorations have mysteriously appeared in her house. Seeing all she did shows that to get into the Christmas spirit, we have to do a lot of the physical things to bring about a Christmas-y environment.

I’m again having to make the “next year I’ll do better” promise, but there is no guarantee.

One thing that will make Christmas very special is that after the Thanksgiving gatherings, there was no major surge in COVID-19. For once we can appreciate the experts being wrong.

So have a Merry COVID-19 Free Christmas!

Arlene Jones writes a column for our sister publication, the Austin Weekly News.

ARLENE JONES

Ways to improve the world My name is Emma Meister Bresnahan and I am a senior at Oak Park and River Forest High School. I have been working on a service learning project, centered on sustainability, for my civics class. Climate change is a frightening, very real thing, and I know a lot of people feel like there is nothing they can do to help.

Of course, this isn’t true! There are always small changes that people can implement in their lives to do better for the planet, and better for themselves, even if they may seem small. Small actions can add up, the more you do them and the more people begin to try.

With this message in mind, I created a poster of some simple things that people can do to be more sustainable. A lot of them are very basic things that people may already know, so I plan to

make more in the future that have more varied examples. Even if the implementations I suggest are basic things, my poster can be a launching point.

For example, if someone saw my poster and realized that they were doing a lot of the things I had listed, they might try to find more ways to improve their environmental impact. Which is exactly my goal!

As long as people are thinking about the way they treat the world, and hopefully making some change(s) to be better, that’s good enough for me. I have attached an image of my poster to this email, and even if you choose to do nothing with it, I hope that it inspires you to think about how you could improve your actions to better the environment.

Emma Meister Bresnahan

OPRF High School student

Thanks, Anan, for stepping up Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb is leaving office with our village in “a better place” than when he took office: ■ Downtown development was the right thing for the village’s benefit generally, especially for the environmental value of density development around a transportation hub; ANAN ABU-TALEB ■ Madison Street received the long-needed traffic cooling and visual improvements to make inviting spaces for pedestrians and new development;

■ Public safety was well served with the promotion of reasonable police reform as data and good policy dictate; and ■ All citizens are being served by building on the village’s longstanding diversity position, now focusing more on equity.

Thank you, Anan, for stepping up when business and development needed attention and now leading through the challenge of COVID.

David and Mena Boulanger Oak Park

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

27

Honoring our public health heroes My good friend and truly outstanding village clerk emeritus, Terri Powell, proposed the Fauci Awards on Facebook. She gave rise to a letter I have long planned to write but never got around to until her little nudge.

Hands down, Mike Charley would win this award with his ability to run a health department on fumes and then gear up to challenge a pandemic in the face of too few resources

and the opposition of those who choose convenience over science. Every day he faced the pandemic with knowledge and courage. And he even appreciated the citizens who called for information and reassurance about not just COVID-19 but the other myriad public health issues in our village.

But honestly, we have a tie.

His predecessor, Margaret Provost-Fyfe,

RN. Margaret took over a busy, overworked health department even while she continued as a supervisory public health nurse. She served as the primary staff liaison and professional consultant to the Oak Park Board of Health and its chair. She was a valuable teacher, advocate and support for the board.

There was never an ask by the board that she did not provide.

How Oak Park will ever find a new health director with the same knowledge, motivation, commitment, endless energy and commitment to the health of Oak Park, I do not know. It is clear to me that Mike and Margaret are public health heroes of the highest order.

Frank Vozak

Former chair, Oak Park Board of Health

Wassup, Santa?

Something’s amiss at Santa’s House.

Nothing is stirring, not even a mouse.

Mail lies unopened, left in a heap.

Elves haven’t spoken for over a week.

Even Rudolph is off his food And North Pole folk are uncommonly rude.

The problem is Santa. He isn’t himself.

His wife is worried about his health.

“What’s wrong with you, Santa?” she has to ask.

“I really don’t think you’re up to the task.”

But even her threat doesn’t cause a bluster.

Lying in bed, no defense can he muster.

“Come, come now Santa,” she says a bit cross.

She isn’t used to being the boss.

“I can’t,” he mumbles, “I don’t have the strength.”

“But Santa, with sleigh you’ve travelled at length.”

“It’s the year,” he sighs, “It’s too much to bear.”

“You know, my dear, it’s your job to care.

You must arise. Clothe yourself in red.

You can’t stay here, depressed and in bed.

Get up, get up, shake your big sleepy head.

Love is the tonic you need to spread.

You’re the best thing to happen in 2020 For sorrow and hardship, there’s been aplenty.”

“OK, if you’re sure I’ll make a difference, I didn’t think people would notice my absence.”

“You must be joking, we’ve been sad for so long.

We need you to come sing a Christmas song.

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly Ho, Ho, Ho, let’s all be jolly.

For this year we’ll be gathered only a few Without the pleasure of family and crew.”

Then Santa arose, and guess what? He’s coming!

Rudolph’s eaten and harnessed for running.

Thank you, Santa, for coming to town Now we can turn our frowns upside down.

Val Gee

Oak Park

28

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

V I E W P O I N T S

Active waiting during the season of Advent Editor’s note: This piece was published previously in the Catholic Worker newspaper in New York City. We thought it fit this particular season: he line for the meals we’ve been serving from the sidewalk outside of St. Joe’s often stretches to the end of the block, and sometimes I’ll peek my head out and see that it’s already forming an hour before we serve.

Our friends outside are patient as we prepare to hand out cups of soup, donated sandwiches, snacks, and the most sought-after cup (or two, or three, or seven) of coffee each morning.

I find myself looking to the winter months with apprehension. What will the cold weather mean for our friends outside, in a moment when indoor public spaces that might provide a warm respite are few and far between? How much more waiting in the cold, damp weather might our own outdoor operation require of those we serve?

Advent is a season of waiting, though our world recognizes time as a valuable commodity, and some are forced to wait more than others. Often, those who are economically disenfranchised end up waiting the most: for public housing, for a life-saving medical treatment, to await trial in jail due to inability to post bail, to be granted asylum through a convoluted legal process.

The Economic Policy Institute finds that employers steal $8 billion annually from low-wage workers through wage theft, including overtime violations which effectively refuse to honor the established exchange rate of money and time. The disproportionate toll of the pandemic on people of color has shed light on this entanglement of money and time and marginalization with other factors, such as access to information, location, environmental conditions, and education, among countless others.

Right now, we often seem to be in a state of perpetual waiting, in many cases with a horizon that seems hazy and indeterminately distant. We’ve waited for when we can open the houses to guests once again. We’ve waited for the moment we can see friends and family with no fear of infection.

We’ve waited through an exhausting election season for a new presidential term. We’ve waited for those in power to hear the voices calling for decisions that radically reimagine what safety looks like in our communities, so that no more Black Americans are murdered at the hands of police.

Waiting often carries the connotation of being a passive process, though the examples of community organizing and action that have emerged over the past months have demonstrated a form of active waiting, one that makes use of the time in limbo.

I’m reminded of the John O’Donohue poem “For the Interim Time”: “Do not allow confusion to squander / This call which is loosening / Your roots in false ground, / That you might come free / From all you have outgrown.”

The current moment has, in many ways, caused our society to reckon with the uprooting that must

T

be done so that new seeds can be sown.

The organizing that has happened over the last months has been passionate and creative in channeling the energy of the interim. We’ve seen spirited protests against police brutality, bail funds for those detained for speaking truth to power, efforts of white folks to learn about internalized bias, visionary mutual aid efforts, art that challenges and inspires, celebrations of Black joy, illustrations of what it looks like to keep each other safe, memorials for radical comrades — the list goes on.

This active waiting can also be seen here at Maryhouse and St. Joe’s. We’ve found ways to be creative in how we serve our friends and form new visions of hospitality for our outdoor operation.

We’ve discussed the impact our work has on the environment, and once again revived a composting system and discussed how to minimize food waste on the line. We’ve formed new partnerships — like our relationships with World Central Kitchen, Our Saviour Parish in the Bronx, and St. Boniface in Brooklyn, all of which have provided us with meals throughout the pandemic — and adapted longstanding relationships for the current moment, such as that with the Lower East Side chapter of Food Not Bombs, an anarchist collective committed to food justice. We’ve honored friends of the community we’ve lost through memorials and a Mass in the park across the street from St. Joe’s.

One of the most humbling examples of this engaged form of waiting has been that of Martha and Carmen, who have attended to the work of the houses with enthusiasm, even as the thought of impending prison sentences for the King’s Bay Plowshares 7 action lingers. The other day, I ended my morning shift as they began working together to prepare dinner, because the people must be fed and chopping vegetables to feed them is a small joy and a worthwhile use of freedom.

My mind wanders to the line Dorothy Day attributed to her confessor, Fr. Zachary, that “there is no time with God,” mentioned in reference to retroactive prayers for the souls of the dead. I’ve never heard about a line formed at the pearly gates while the paperwork is processed, so maybe a God unrestrained by time has better ways of doing things. This particular form of transcendence feels difficult to grasp for my time-obsessed pea brain, but seeing our interim time as an illustration of the “already but not yet” nature of the Kingdom of God — one that is both here as we build it and still not yet fully realized — feels like a start.

And so we wait, waiting actively, waiting in joyful hope, waiting and working in expectation that what we do in the interim is building the sort of society we seek, perhaps one without DMVs, maybe fewer lines, surely with less anxiety over one’s ability to survive, one where it’s easier to be good, one that is both already and not yet, one that comes into being as we build it.

Annie Moran is a volunteer with St. Joseph House in New York City, a Catholic Worker community.

ANNIE MORAN One View

O B I T U A R I E S

Rev. Thomas Dore, 85 St. Giles pastor emeritus

Rev. Thomas M. Dore, 85, pastor emeritus of St. Giles Parish in Oak Park, died on Dec. 17, 2020. Born on Aug. 28, 1935, in Chicago, he attended Our Lady of Victory School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago, and University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein. Ordained on May 1, 1961 by Cardinal Albert Meyer, he celebrated his first solemn Mass at St. Tarcissus Catholic Church in Chicago.

He served in a number of parishes. He was associate director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and associate pastor at St. Cyprian Parish in River Grove. In his last two assignments, he was pastor at Our Lady of Ransom Parish in Niles and St. Giles Parish in Oak Park where he served until he retired in 2009.

Rev. John J. Rudnik, a classmate of Dore, recalled how hard-working and spiritually-oriented he was. Rudnik also mentioned that he was a great supporter of Liturgy Training Publications, the publishing arm of the Archdiocese of Chicago, which was founded by his parents, Thomas and Margaret Dore.

A private prayer and commendation service was held on Dec. 21, at the All Saints Catholic Cemetery Chapel, followed by a graveside committal.

A memorial service will be held in 2021.

Rich Means, 78

Election lawyer for Mayor Harold Washington Richard (Rich) Kenneth Means, 78, of Oak Park, died on Dec. 17, 2020. Born in Champaign and raised in Western Springs, he graduated from Lyons Township High and attended college at Eastern New Mexico University and the University of Stockholm. He graduated from Northwestern University Law School in 1968 and practiced election and public service law for more than 50 years until he died. Long involved in civic activities and progressive politics, he was most recently Illinois Chapter chair of the liberal advocacy group Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) and a past state chairman of Independent Voters of Illinois (IVI).

“He was a very significant figure in independent politics and the go-to counsel to many an independent office seeker,” said Dan Lauber, who served with him on the IVI board.

He was twice the chairman of the Chicago Bar Association’s Election Law Committee and past executive director of the Chicago Council of Lawyers. His proudest professional accomplishment was serving as election lawyer for Harold Washington’s successful Chicago mayoral campaign in 1983. He and his wife, Anne, are longtime members of Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation (UTUUC) in Oak Park.

Rich was the husband of Anne L. Rooney; the father of Chris (Michele), Annika (Andrew) Rothbaum, and Alex Means; the grandfather of Logan Means, and Eve and Soren Rothbaum; the brother of James (Linda) and Dexter (Lynne) Means and Margaret “Peggy” (James) Newman; and the brother-in-law, uncle, friend and colleague to many.

A virtual Celebration of Life service will be scheduled for late January. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Americans for Democratic Action @ https://adaction.org, Beyond Hunger @ https://www.gobeyondhunger.org, or the UTUUC Abundance Fund @ www.unitytemple.org.

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

29

O B I T U A R I E S

Bill Moonan, 86

Peggi Rohlfing, 62

Librarian, professor at Illinois State

Longtime resident of Oak Park and River Forest

Willard “Bill” Moonan, 86, of Oak Park, dued from complications of COVID-19 on Dec. 8, 2020.

After serving in the U.S. Army, he attended the University of Minnesota and earned a master’s degree in both Educational Psychology and Library Science.

He was employed as a librarian at Illinois State University, Milner Library for 27 years. While there he became a professor, headed the psychology section, and wrote an annotated bibliography of Martin Buber.

The family would like to thank the staff of Presence Villa Scalabrini Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Northlake for their devoted care during the last weeks of his life.

Bill is survived by Nancy, his wife of 33 years. He was loved by his “children,” Kamala Nagaraj and her husband James Francis, Kailas Nagaraj and his daughter, Leena, and Asha Nagaraj. In addition, he is survived by a daughter and son and their children from a former marriage.

Always ready to help anyone in need, Bill would be happy to know you remember him by contributing to your favorite charity.

Marguerite (“Peggi”) Claire Rohlfing, 62, a resident of Oak Park and River Forest for over 50 years, died on Dec. 11, 2020 after a courageous four-year battle with cancer. Born in Berwyn on Oct. 20, 1958 to the late Jermane and Patricia (nee Marcotte) Steinhauer, she graduated from St. Luke Elementary School in River Forest, Immaculate Heart of Mary High School in Westchester, and later earned her degree in Communications from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.

Peggi is survived by her children, Megan (Erik) McMahon, Timothy, Erin and Lauren Rohlfing; her siblings, Mary Kaye (Keith) Depperschmidt, Martin, Patricia (Andrew) Myjak and Daniel Steinhauer; and she was the aunt and great aunt of many.

A private funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Giles Church in Oak Park, followed by private interment at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago.

In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (st.jude.org) are appreciated.

Arrangements were handled by Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home.

Rev. Joseph Auer, 89 Retired priest, raised in Oak Park

Rev. Joseph E. Auer, 89, retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and former associate pastor at St. Linus Parish in Oak Lawn, died on Dec. 14, 2020. Born on May 6, 1931, in Pittsburgh, he attended St. Edmund Catholic School in Oak Park, Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago, and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein. Ordained on May 3, 1957

by Cardinal Samuel Stritch, he celebrated his first solemn Mass at St. Edmund Church.

He served in a number of parishes and was pastor at St. Catherine Laboure Parish in Glenview. He loved sports and was a great fan of Notre Dame football.

Visitation and Mass were held on Dec. 19, 2020 at St. Linus Church in Oak Lawn, followed by private interment at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in River Grove.

To run an obituary Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com, before Monday at noon.

Please include a photo if possible.

ONLINE and IN PERSON options for Private Lessons for Language, Music and Academic Tutoring.

In Person option for 2020/21.

Multi-Age K-5th Grade “Homeschool in School“ program

The Language and Music School At International Mansion 509 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 info@internationalmansion.com • (708) 524-5252 • InternationalMansion.com

30

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020 New local ads this week

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

WEDNESDAY

CLASSIFIED Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

Place your ad online anytime at: www.OakPark.com/Classified/

YOUR WEEKLY AD

REACHES SIX SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES: OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST, FOREST PARK, BROOKFIELD, RIVERSIDE, NORTH RIVERSIDE, AND PARTS OF CHICAGO

Please Check Your Ad: The publisher will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion.

Wednesday Journal Classified must be notified before the second insertion.

The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 | BY E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM PART TIME HELP WANTED

SUBURBAN RENTALS

SPOTLESS CARWASH at 7343 Roosevelt and 7802 Madison St in Forest Park is in need of an attendant. We are looking for someone who likes to be outside and is friendly and likes people.

OAK PARK: ROOSEVELT/ OAK PARK AVE. CORRIDOR 2BR 4RMS close to blue line. On site laundry, parking, heat & water incl. $1200/ month 708-383-9223

The duties are to meet and greet customers, spray their wheels and perimeter of the car with soap, wipe the windshield with the sponge on a handle to prep a car before entering the automatic bay. Make change, sell tokens, automatic and self serve wash instructions, keep the lot, equipment room, and perimeter clean, and empty garbage cans.

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT

HELP WANTED

Pay is $11.00 per hour. The hours an attendant is on duty are 9-5 on weekdays 9-4 on Saturday and Sunday. If you can fit any of these hours on a part time basis we can work with you.

Please come to 7343 Roosevelt Rd. in Forest Park to pick up anapplication. 708-771-2945.

Thank you

SUBURBAN RENTALS

RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. *1116 sq. ft. suite *569 sq. ft. with patio OAK PARK–1053 Lake St. *Entire 3rd Floor, 1275 sq. ft.

OAK PARK– 6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. *3 and 5 room office suites Strand& & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

ITEMS FOR SALE 10 FT CHRISTMAS TREE In box.

708-447-1762

FOREST PARK 2BR 2nd floor, 5 large rooms, 2 bedroom w/ 1 car garage. Stove, refrig & water included. Walk to transportation.

No Pets. Tenant pays own heat & electric. 1 mo. security. $1100.

Avail. now.

630-279-8111

Buying? Selling? Renting? Hiring?

Wednesday Classified 708-613-3333

SUBURBAN RENTALS

SUBURBAN RENTALS

POOL TABLE Complete setup pool table 708-447-1762

M&M

property management, inc.

708-386-7355 • www.mmpropmgt.com 649 Madison Street, Oak Park Contact us for a complete list of available rentals throughout Oak Park and Forest Park.

Apartment listings updated daily at:

AUTOS FOR SALE 2013 CHEVY CAMARO 3000 certified miles.

708-447-1762 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430 10,000 miles.

708-447-1762

WANTED TO BUY WANTED VINTAGE FISHING WANTED Vintage wooden fishing lures, vintage lure boxes, empty or full, vintage tackle boxes, vintage fishing rods and reels, minnow buckets, even vintage hooks, sinkers EVERYTHING. Email CJ cnewton@seologic.com WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys.

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

PETS While you’re away, your pets are okay . . . at home

cat calls

Oak Park’s Original Pet Care Service – Since 1986

Daily dog exercising Complete pet care in your home )PVTF TJUUJOH t 1MBOU DBSF Bonded References

524-1030

FIREWOOD

FIREWOOD UNLIMITED

Fast Delivery MIXED HARDWOODS CBH & MIX 100% OAK CHERRY OR HICKORY 100% BIRCH Seasoned 2 years Stacking Available

847-888-9999 Order online:

www. suregreen landscape.com

Credit Cards Accepted

Find your new apartment this Saturday from 10 am – 4pm at 35 Chicago Avenue.

Or call us toll free at 1-833-440-0665 for an appointment.

FLOORS KLIS FLOORING INC.

New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining. Low prices, insured.

Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com

You have jobs. We have readers! Find the best employees with Wednesday Classified!

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

A&A ELECTRIC

Let an American Veteran do your work

We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & Switches Added • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp • Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.

708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

HANDYMAN Mike’s Home Repair

HEATING/ AIR CONDITIONING

708-296-2060

HEATING AND APPLIANCE EXPERT

Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

CURT'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair

FREE ESTIMATES Excellent References No Job Too Small

708-488-9411

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Furnaces, Boilers and Space Heaters Refrigerators Ranges • Ovens Washer • Dryers Rodding Sewers Lic/Bonded 25 yrs experience

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HAULING

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Roofing Repairs Concrete Repairs • Drywall All types of handiwork Call For Free Estimates Ask for John

BASEMENT CLEANING

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PAINTING & DECORATING CLASSIC PAINTING Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost

Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Monday December 28th, at 4:00 p.m. Plans and proposal forms can be found at https://www.oak-park.us/yourgovernment/budget-purchasing/ requests-proposals or at www. questcdn.com under login using QuestCDN number 7441108 for a non-refundable charge of $30.00.

The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of bid opening.

All prospective bidders must prove they are pre-qualified by the Illinois Department of Transportation before receiving bid documents. The work to be performed pursuant to this Proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer Published in Wednesday Journal December 23, 2020

708.749.0011

Ask for John

PLASTERING

Attention! Homeimprovement pros!

McNulty Plastering & Stucco Co.

Reach the people making decisions - your target demographic. Advertise in Wednesday Classified.

Call 708/613-3342

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park --Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302-- will receive electronic proposals until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday January 21, 2021 for Project: 21-19, Oak Park Avenue Water and Sewer Main Improvements- South Contract.

Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. In general, the improvements consist of the installation of ductile iron water main, including valves, domestic service lines, fire hydrants, a private lead water service replacement option, and precast valve vaults; installation of sewer main, Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) lining of combined sewer main, precast manholes, drainage structures, and sewer services; pavement patches at utility excavations, curb and gutter, sidewalks, restoration of landscaped parkway areas; brick parkway removal and replacement; and all appurtenant work thereto.

Small & big work. Free estimates.

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Items for Sale ads run free in Wednesday Classified. To place your ad, call 708-613-3342

Starting a new business in 2021?

Call the Experts!

Publish Your Assumed Name Legal Notice in Wednesday Classified.

Call 708/613-3342 to advertise.

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park --Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302-- will receive electronic proposals until 10:00 a.m. on Monday January 18, 2021 for Project: 21-20, Oak Park Avenue Water and Sewer Main Improvements- North Contract.

Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. In general, the improvements consist of the installation of ductile iron water main, including valves, domestic service lines, fire hydrants, a private lead water service replacement option, and precast valve vaults; installation of sewer main, precast manholes, drainage structures, and sewer services; pavement patches at utility excavations, curb and gutter, sidewalks, restoration of landscaped parkway areas, implementation of a detour; and all appurtenant work thereto.

Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Monday December 28th, at 4:00 p.m. Plans and proposal forms can be found at https://www.oak-park.us/yourgovernment/budget-purchasing/ requests-proposals or at www. questcdn.com under login using QuestCDN number 7441090 for a non-refundable charge of $30.00.

The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of bid opening.

All prospective bidders must prove they are pre-qualified by the Illinois Department of Transportation before receiving bid documents. The work to be performed pursuant to this Proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer Published in Wednesday Journal December 23, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y20005443 on December 14, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of ARISE LIFESTYLE & FITNESS with the business located at: 1135 HANNAH AVE 2, FOREST PARK, IL 60130. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: IYIOLA ADEBAJO 1135 HANNAH AVE 2 FORST PARK, IL 60130, USA Published Forest Park Review 12/23, 12/30/2020, 1/6/2021

Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICES

(708) 613-3333 • FAX: (708) 467-9066 • E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

oak-park.us.

SUBJECT PROPERTY ADDRESSES: 640 - 728 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 ZONING DISTRICT: MS Madison Street Zoning District LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Parcel 1: LOTS 13 TO 27 IN BLOCK 4 IN OGDEN AND JONES’ SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 7, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 13 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Parcel 2: LOTS 1 TO 14, BOTH INCLUSIVE, IN JAMES B. MUIR’S RESUBDIVISION OF LOTS 1 TO 14, BOTH INCLUSIVE, IN THE RESUBDIVISION OF LOTS 8 TO 15, BOTH INCLUSIVE IN F. E. BALLARDS SUBDIVISION OF BLOCK 5 IN ODGEN AND JONES’ SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 7, TOWNSHIP 39, NORTH, RANGE 13 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. PINs: 16-07-418-014, 16-07-418017, 16-07-418-018, 16-07-418020, 16-07-419-017, 16-07-419018, 16-07-419-019, 16-07-419020, 16-07-419-021, 16-07-419-022 and 16-07-419-023.

PROPERTY OWNER: JD Real Estate, Inc., 4333 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL 60632 and Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 PETITIONER: Pete’s Market, Inc. – Stephanie Dremonas, 4333 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL 60632 REQUEST: The Petitioner is requesting a planned development for an approximately 50,000 square feet retail grocery and related parking, landscaping and other improvements, with the following Zoning Ordinance allowances: Article 5: Commercial Districts -Table 5-1: Required Setbacks – Street Setback which states that a build-to zone of 5-15 feet setback along Oak Park Avenue is required, while the application proposes a distance of 408 feet; Article 5: Commercial Districts -Table 5-1: Required Setbacks – Rear Setback states that a rear yard setback along the north side of the abutting alley is required to be 25 feet (inclusive of any alley), the application requests a reduction to 15 feet (the width of the alley); Article 10: Off-Street Parking and Loading, Subsection 10.2: Location of OffStreet Parking Spaces (B)(4) states that parking areas shall be located to

the rear of the principal structure, the application proposes a surface parking in the front of the principal structure, not the rear; Article 7: Design Guidelines, Subsection 7.4 Building Design Standards (A)(1) states that a building wall that faces a street must not have a blank uninterrupted length exceeding 30 feet, while the application proposes an eastern building wall does not comply, with a proposed blank uninterrupted length of approximately 200 feet; Article 7: Design Guidelines, Subsection 7.4 Building Design Standards (A) (4)(b) states all ground floor front building facades must include display windows at ground level and must cover 60% of the ground floor building façade facing the public way (except alleys), while the application proposes a ground floor front building façade having approximately 0% of display windows; Article 11: Landscaping, Subsection 11.7 Required Parking Lot Interior Landscape (A) states that one parking lot island must be provided between every 10 parking spaces, while the application proposes a reduction of 8 islands, resulting in 4 parking lot islands, and Subsection 11.7 Parking Lot Interior Landscape (B) states that the minimum total landscape area of a parking lot must be 10% of the total parking lot area, while the application proposes a total landscape area of the parking lot at 6.2%.

In addition, the applicant is requesting a Street Vacation for a portion of Euclid Avenue between Madison Street and the northern abutting east-west alley. They are also requesting a partial Street Vacation for a five-foot-wide strip of Madison Street between Oak Park Avenue and Wesley Avenue.

A copy of the application and each of the applicable documents are on the Village Website at www. oak-park.us and also on file and available for inspection at the Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, during current business hours, Monday through Thursday, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Plan Commission may continue the hearing to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO BE HEARD OAK PARK PLAN COMMISSION Oak Park, Illinois 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal December 23, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY Request of Simone Michele Bartlett Paul Case Number 20206007305 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Simone Michele Bartlett Paul to the new name of: Simone Michele Bartlett.

The court date will be held: On January 11, 2021 at 9:00 AM at 16501 S. Kedzie Parkway, Markham, Cook Count, Illinois] in Courtroom # 207 Published in Wednesday Journal 12/9, 12/16, 12/23/2020

Wednesday Classified 3 Great Papers, 6 Communities To Place Your Ad, Call: 708/613-3333

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR MASTR ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGES TRUST 2007-1, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-1 Plaintiff, -v.ELLEN M. RAVITZ, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 18 CH 03457 123 S. EUCLID AVENUE OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on February 13, 2020, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 11, 2021, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the follow-

ing described real estate: Commonly known as 123 S. EUCLID AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-07-400-0160000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

The judgment amount was $657,505.06.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate tax-

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK PLAN COMMISSION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK PLAN COMMISSION DOCKET NUMBER: PC 20-04 HEARING DATE: January 7, 2021 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits LOCATION OF HEARING: The Plan Commission will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video.

The meeting will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT Uverse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7 (e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an inperson public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Written testimony or comments regarding the application may be provided prior to the public hearing by email to planning@oak-park.us. The individual’s name and a reasonable part of their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. If email is not an option, written testimony or comment can be dropped off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the south entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 7, 2021. All written testimony and comments will be distributed to the Plan Commission and made a part of the official hearing record. Those wishing to provide public testimony at the hearing shall contact the Village Planner at planning@oakpark.us for instructions on attending the live Zoom meeting by 5:00 PM the day of the hearing. Interested persons may also participate in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by emailing the cross-examination form to clerk@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing to sign up. Individuals who sign up to participate in this manner will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the meeting online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone.

Questions regarding written testimony or comment can be directed to 708-358.5420 or email to planning@

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DOCKET NUMBER: PC 20-03 HEARING DATE: January 7, 2021 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits LOCATION OF HEARING: The Plan Commission will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video.

The meeting will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT Uverse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7 (e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an inperson public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Written testimony or comments regarding the application may be provided prior to the public hearing by email to planning@oak-park. us. The individual’s name and a reasonable part of their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. If email is not an option, written testimony or comment can be dropped off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the south entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 7, 2021. All written testimony and comments will be distributed to the Plan Commission and made a part of the official hearing record. Those wishing to provide public testimony at the hearing shall contact the Village Planner at planning@oak-park.us for instructions on attending the live Zoom meeting by 5:00 PM the day of the hearing. Interested persons may also participate in the hearing to cross examine the applicant

and its witnesses by emailing the cross-examination form to clerk@ oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing to sign up. Individuals who sign up to participate in this manner will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the meeting online through Zoom webconference means or by phone.

Questions regarding written testimony or comment can be directed to 708-358.5420 or email to planning@oak-park.us.

SUBJECT PROPERTY ADDRESSES: 601-603 Maple Avenue, 605 Maple Avenue, 609 Maple Avenue, and 613-615 Maple Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois SUBJECT PROPERTY LEGAL DESCRIPTION: 613-615 MAPLE AVENUE: LOT 4 IN BLOCK 5 IN WILSON’S ADDITION TO OAK PARK, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF LOT 1 EXCEPT THE EAST 40 ACRES THEREOF IN THE SUBDIVISION OF SECTION 18, (EXCEPT THE WEST HALF OF THE SOUTH WEST QUARTER THEREOF) IN SECTION 18, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 13, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 601-603 MAPLE AVENUE: LOT 1 IN BLOCK 5 IN W.J. WILSON’S ADDITION TO OAK PARK, A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF LOT 1 IN B.F. JERVIS SUBDIVISION OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE NORTH WEST 1/4 OF SECTION 18, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 13, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, EXCEPTING THEREFROM THAT PART DEEDED TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BY INSTRUMENT RECORDED AS DOCUMENT 95403125, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 605 MAPLE AVENUE: THE NORTH 40 FEET OF LOT 2 IN BLOCK 5 IN W.J. WILSON’S ADDIDON TO OAK PARK, A SUBDMSION OF PART OF LOT 1IN B.F. JERVIS’ SUBDIVISION OF SECTION 18, TOWNSHIP 39

NORTH, RANGE 13, (EXCEPT THE WEST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER), EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILUNOIS. 609 MAPLE AVENUE: LOT 3 AND LOT 2 (EXCEPT THE NORTH 40 FEET THEREOF) IN BLOCK 5 IN W.J. WILSON’S ADDITION TO OAK PARK, BEING A SUBDIVION OF LOT 1 (EXCEPT THE EAST 40 ACRES THEREOF) IN THE SUBDIVION OF SECTION 18 (EXCEPT THE WEST ONE-HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER THEREOF) IN TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 13, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. SUBJECT PROPERTY PIN’S: 1618-109-001, 16-18-109-002, 16-18109-003, and 16-18-109-004 SUBJECT PROPERTY OWNER/ PETITIONER: Rush Oak Park Hospital, an Illinois Corporation, 520 South Maple Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois 60304 REQUEST: The Petitioner is requesting a Zoning Map Amendment to reclassify the subject property from the R-7 Multiple Family Residential Zoning District to the H Hospital Zoning District.

A copy of the application and each of the applicable documents are on the Village Website at www. oak-park.us and also on file and available for inspection at the Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, during current business hours, Monday through Thursday, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Plan Commission may continue the hearing to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO BE HEARD OAK PARK PLAN COMMISSION Oak Park, Illinois 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal December 23, 2020

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

es, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required

by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium

unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, Alexander Potestivo, POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610, Chicago, IL, 60606 (312) 263-0003.

Please refer to file number 109484.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610 Chicago IL, 60606

312-263-0003 E-Mail: ilpleadings@potestivolaw. com Attorney File No. 109484 Attorney Code. 43932 Case Number: 18 CH 03457 TJSC#: 40-924 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 18 CH 03457 I3155622 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR HIS ASSET SECURITIZATION CORPORATION TRUST 2007OPT1, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-OPT1; Plaintiff, vs.

CHARLES T. GRANT; JUANITA J. GRANT AKA JUANITA LACOURT; PRAIRIE PLACE AT 6436 ROOSEVELT CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 19 CH 14415 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty

Public Notice: Your right to know • In print • Online • Available to you 24/7/365

PublicNotice Illinois.com REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-18-428-043-1019 & 16-18428-043-1064.

Commonly known as 6436 Roosevelt Road, Unit 311, Oak Park, IL 60304.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g) (4) of Section 9 of the Condominium Property Act Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Law Clerk at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group, 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 3609455. W18-0641 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3161076

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

Wednesday Journal Forest Park Review Riverside Brookfield Landmark

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Wednesday Journal, December 23, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

2-4 Bedroom Luxury Condos from $699K - $1.5M We are open

Saturday, December 26 + Sunday, December 27 for your holiday wish list Call 312-335-5354 for your private appointment

www.RF-LakeStreet.com Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently owned and operated. If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully.

Community of Our year of resilience and generosity

A

s 2020 draws to a close, we join together to mark a year that has brought unexpected adversity, and celebrate the great generosity of our communities in the face of great challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed so much of the strength of our character and the resiliency of our communities.

It has also brought into relief the inequities which always have undergirded our systems but play out now, and more obviously, in the deeper impact of this virus on our neighbors of color and those of lesser means.

This year our Community of Caring section reflects on the powerful work of an array of the non-profits that serve Oak Park and River Forest but also our neighbors in Austin, Berwyn and Proviso Township.

We turned to the leaders of these organizations and asked what this year had taught, what was the impact on the people they serve, and how these neighborhoods have risen to support them.

The stories are about reinvention on the run, innovations which will outlast the pandemic, the inspiring resilience of people in need who have been clobbered by COVID

and the repeated outpouring of support – financial support, volunteer support – in a year when it felt as if the pins were being knocked out from under these virtuous enterprises.

The non-profits of western Cook County accomplished so much for our friends and neighbors in this most difficult of years, and they have been able to do so thanks to the generosity of the people who call this region home.

This section is once again produced in a partnership between the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation and Wednesday Journal, now itself part of a newly formed non-profit called Growing Community Media.

We hope that even as we celebrate a little differently this holiday season, you will read the stories that follow and be inspired, before the year closes, to offer your support to the worthy and essential non-profits included in this Joyful Giving Catalog.

Antonio Martinez, Jr., President and CEO OPRF Community Foundation

Dan Haley Editor and Publisher Growing Community Media

F O R E S T PA R K

JOURNAL REVIEW W E D N E S D A Y

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December 23, 2020

Community of Caring

OAKPARK.COM | FORESTPARKREVIEW.COM

your Community your Foundation Please, give to the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation's Annual Fund today.

OA K PAR K-R I V ER F OR E ST

Community Foundation

The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is a unique and vital part of the fabric of our community. With leadership, advocacy, and perseverance, the Foundation has mobilized essential resources to help those most in need in our neighborhood and beyond. Our service to our local organizations, donors, and scholars has continued without interruption, pushing for a more just and socially equitable community.

Together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Donate today at oprfcf.org or call 708-848-1560

OAKPARK.COM | FORESTPARKREVIEW.COM

December 23, 2020

Community of Caring

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COVID pushes Housing Forward into a new model With overnight shelters unsafe, nonprofit reinvents its service

‘I

t’s hard to think of a silver lining in this global disaster,” says Lynda Schueler, for 22 years the executive director of Housing Forward. “But this has pushed us to a limit I never thought I’d see.”

The limit was the immediate and stunning realization that in the COVID-19 pandemic, with an airborne virus, that a rotating series of overnight homeless shelters in church basements had to be shut down and replaced with something else entirely.

Those shelters had been Housing Forward’s model for decades, the pride of welcoming congregations, the shared work of hundreds of volunteers.

The nonprofit had rethought and expanded its mission over the past decade layering on a series of case management and support services, adding specialized housing options, negotiating apartment leases intended to transition people from the shelter into more permanent housing.

But since the early days when it was called West Suburban PADS, the foundation of that more ambitious mission was always the overnight shelters – 12-hours a day, nine months of the year, with dinner and breakfast served up by volunteers.

But with COVID-19 all too real by March, Housing Forward pivoted finding empty hotel rooms in Oak Park and nearby for its clients. That was the start of the broader reimagining of its services and quick conclusion that it would never go back to its church shelter model.

“In March, no one had a plan. There was no off the shelf solution. It was from the hip decision-making. There was a bit of panic,” says Schueler. “Keep everyone safe. That’s what we knew. Staff. Clients. Volunteers.”

In a pandemic hotel rooms were readily available and the model solved so many intractable problems. They provided 24-hour housing for clients. They no longer needed to exit a shelter in the early winter mornings and then bounce from the library to a Starbucks to the el to stay warm all day long.

“Hotel room space provided so many solutions,” says Schueler. “Our population is already traumatized by being homeless. The hotel rooms offer our clients their own feeling of stability. It allows them to really focus on their goals. They have a place to keep their belongings and not have to stuff them behind bushes. It allows them and us to see beyond their immediate crisis.”

This new model, heavily underwritten

with federal dollars from the CARES act and much of it funneled through the village of Oak Park, resulted in the bold step of Housing Forward signing a one-year lease for the all the rooms at the pandemic shuttered Write Inn on Oak Park Avenue.

“It’s a huge, huge deal,” says Schueler. And it was reinforced in August when the Housing Forward board voted to adopt the 24/7 interim housing model as its principal means of housing the homeless.

Can it be sustained? Schueler says there “is a big question mark.” And that is whether the federal government chooses to support this model of care for the homeless, a model focused on active and timely transition into work and independence.

“This year we have learned a lot. Like wow. A lot,” says Schueler. “What we are doing is really making a difference.”

File photo

Kim and Anthony, long homeless and often found on the Eisenhower ramp at Harlem, are making the positive but challenging transition to new jobs and their own apartment thanks to Housing Forward.

THROUGH DECEMBER 15

THROUGH DECEMBER 31

DONATE A WISH LIST ITEM

MATCHED GIVING

We are currently collecting gifts for children living at Hephzibah Home and in our foster homes, and for families receiving our services. You can find our wish list at hephzibahhome.org/donate/wishlist

Make a contribution online by December 31 and your gift will be matched by generous benefactors through our annual Hephzibah Holiday Challenge. Double your gift today at hephzibahhome.org

Your donation will impact a child's life.

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December 23, 2020

Community of Caring

OAKPARK.COM | FORESTPARKREVIEW.COM

Round 4 COVID grants focus on arts, culture groups Community Foundation grants 24 nonprofits total of $172,500

For 20 years, L’Arche Chicago has opened doors ~ providing lifelong homes for people with intellectual disabilities, building communities of mutuality and belonging, and revealing the many gifts of people with disabilities.

With the high, state wide demand for community integrated living spaces and the growing accessibility needs of our aging members, L’Arche Chicago plans to acquire a fully accessible home for adults with intellectual disabilities. A new home provides opportunities for existing members to thrive in an adaptive environment as well as creating room for new members, who seek the same thriving community.

Join this effort and make a needed impact by donating towards a home for life!

Go to: www.larchechicago.org/opendoors

Support your local animal shelter this holiday season!

Acting as a safe haven for pets in our community since 1973.

The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation (OPRFCF) has announced its fourth round of Rapid Response and Recovery Fund grants, totaling $172,500 for 24 nonprofits in the western Cook County region. Eight of the grants will deliver muchneeded funding to organizations providing basic human needs and services during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the remaining 16 are microgrants intended to help local arts, cultural and business organizations continue to operate until the pandemic has lifted.

“Although the release of a vaccine has given us a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, we are not in the clear yet, and help will continue to be needed,” said Tony Martinez, Jr., president and CEO of the OPRFCF. “In addition to supporting organizations that are providing relief to at-risk populations, the foundation felt it was also important to aid the arts and cultural institutions so important to the richness of our community so they are still there when we are finally able to visit them again.”

The following organizations were awarded grants in the latest round. Those marked with an asterisk are first-time Rapid Response and Recovery Fund grant recipients: ■ Bethel New Life ■ Chicago West Community Music Center ■ Echo Theater Collective ■ Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park ■ Frank Lloyd Wright Trust ■ Hephzibah Children’s Association

Make a donation, view adoptable pets, learn about our foster program, and view volunteer and job opportunities at AnimalCareLeague.org Animal Care League is committed to providing shelter, medical care, and comfort to animals in need; reducing animal overpopulation; and acting as a community resource, thus promoting the human/animal bond. Animal Care League acts as the stray holding facility for Oak Park, Forest Park, River Forest, Northlake, North Riverside, Melrose Park & Elmwood Park.

1011 Garfield, Oak Park, IL. 708-848-8155

Pro Musica Youth Chorus

■ Historical Society of

OPRF

■ Hunger Walkathon West Crop Walk ■ IWS Children’s Clinic ■ L’Arche Chicago ■ Lawrence Hall ■ Madison Street Theater ■ Maywood Fine Arts Association ■ MOMENTA ■ Oak Park Art

League

■ Oak Park Festival Theatre ■ Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce ■ Open Door Repertory Company ■ Pleasant Home Foundation ■ Providing Instruments for The Next Generation (PING!) ■ Pro Musica Youth Chorus ■ The Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest ■ WonderWorks ■ West Cook YMCA The organizations receiving grants in the latest round are primarily based in Oak Park-River Forest but serve the greater western Cook County area. Twenty-one are receiving Rapid Response and Recovery Fund grants from the foundation for the first time.

The Rapid Response and Recovery Fund has received a total of $1.1 million in donations since it was launched in mid-March with a seed investment of $50,000 from the foundation. The foundation then matched dollar to dollar the first $100,000 in donations, and the fund received $250,000 from the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund. In May, longtime Oak Parkers Ken and Patty Hunt offered a challenge to match donations, dollar for dollar up to $250,000. Individual, family and corporate donors rose to this challenge, donating an additional $270,000 toward this vital effort — including $30,000 raised by the 700 Block of Bonnie Brae’s LemonAid charity drive, which selected the fund as its beneficiary this year.

To date, more than 600 gifts totaling over $604,000 have come from the community.

“We want to once again thank the Hunts for their generosity, as well as the hundreds of donors who have shown their support as the foundation responds to the local demands of this global health crisis,” Martinez said. “As residents of Oak Park and River Forest make their end-of-year charitable decisions, we want to encourage them to consider donating to this vital effort.”

To support the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation and its work on behalf of the community visit oprfcf.org or call 708-8481560.

Organizations interested in learning more about the Rapid Response and Recovery grants should contact program director Elizabeth Chadri at echadri@ oprfcf.org.

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As hunger grows, need reaches middle class neighbors Beyond Hunger’s biggest challenge is the stigma of seeking help

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verything has changed. Every aspect of our operation,” says Michele Zurakowski, executive director of Beyond Hunger, about her agency’s response to the impact of COVID-19.

“What it has driven home to us is the disparate impact the virus is having on our Black clients and on the Hispanic immigrant community,” says Zurakowski.

Since COVID hit in March, Beyond Hunger has seen a 250 percent increase in demand for its services at the same moment it had to remake how it delivered its services.

“We’ve seen a major drop in older Black clients from Austin” coming to the Oak Park location to pick up food, said Zurakowski. “They don’t want to take the bus. There’s no more car pooling outside of immediate family.”

In response Beyond Hunger has found ways to deliver food to clients in Austin. They made 300 deliveries in April alone.

“We’ve seen a huge influx in Latino immigrants from Berwyn in particular,” said Zurakowski. The specific challenge with this group is their reluctance to take part in traditional food distribution that comes via funds with ties to the federal government and which require some amount of data collection – names, addresses, birthdates.

Beyond Hunger’s solution here has been to find a local philanthropist to fund a new program teamed with a social worker who interacts with recipients. The private funding largely eliminates data collection. The agency has also found partners in Berwyn to help serve the 150 families in

the program through pop-up distribution days.

We hope with the new (federal) administration that the fear among immigrants will diminish. But it is going to take time,” said Zurakowski.

Beyond Hunger has taken pride in recent years with a distribution model at its facility inside First United Church on Lake Street which allowed clients to roam aisles and select their own food. It was intended to replicate a supermarket and offer more independent choice. That, of course, does not work in a pandemic where social distancing is the rule.

And so the agency invented a drive-through model (with a pedestrian walk-up option for clients without cars) at its Lake Street location. It is an innovation, says Zurakowski, which may outlast the immediate safety demands of the pandemic because driving up in a car, never leaving the car, never entering the facility offers not just safety but a level of privacy.

Privacy is a ratcheted-up concern as people who have never before needed a food pantry – many of them Oak Parkers – now find themselves turning to Beyond Hunger.

Zurakowski started at the old Oak Park Food Pantry in 2008, just ahead of the Great Recession. She sees comparisons between these two devasting events.

“People don’t want to go to a food pantry. They will work through every resource they have before they do come. It takes a lot of courage on behalf of their families to make that choice,” said Zurakowski. “We are a middle-income

Connecting your child to everything they need.

community. It is hard to ask for help. It is much easier to give.”

As in 2008, Zurakowski believes the financial impact of the pandemic will last far longer than the successful rollout of vaccines. “After 2008, demands for our services did not peak until 2012. We need to build our resources.”

As always, Beyond Hunger relies heavily on volunteers.

In training now volunteers hear the advice about what to do when a client in the drive-through turns out to be the parent you knew from T-ball or ballet lessons. It is a balance, said Zurakowski between absolutely acknowledging that connection without probing the immediate circumstance.

“We love the drive-through because it cuts down on the stigma,” she says.

Like many local non-profits, Beyond Hunger has had to invent new ways of fundraising as traditional galas and other face-to-face events are not possible now.

“People have been incredibly generous,” she says. And creative. “We had a local photographer who took family portraits on front porches and donated the proceeds to us.

We’ve had kids rake leaves and send us the money.”

The images are seared in peoples’ minds of TV news with miles long lines of cars waiting for a box of food, she says.

“Hunger is easy to understand. It is visceral. We’ve all felt hunger. And people have responded. Way more people are giving. People who have never given before. People who have been donors are giving more.”

P

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Mentor

Therapist T

JOHN 14:27

Family Counselor

Case Manager Crisis Worker Outreach Worker Care Coordinator

Concordia University Chicago wishes you the blessings of the

Prevention Specialist

Christ Child this Christmas and throughout the New Year.

In-person counseling and telehealth services available.

Donate at www.yos.org/donate or call 773-777-7112.

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At desperate moment, offering direct help to neighbors

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s the pandemic took hold early in 2020, the needs of some were immediate and painful. Before aid from the federal government arrived, or when that help was not accessible due to worries over immigration status there were shared efforts made to funnel cash and other necessities of life directly to families and individuals.

In Berwyn, a community with a large immigrant population, Awake, a small nonprofit with a focus on adding educational resources and building civic engagement, quickly changed gears. Lisa Polderman, vice president of Awake’s board, said that when the first mandated closures came that her organization reached out to the local families who were receiving educational services.

“We anticipated they would be hit hard,” she said. Many of Awake’s families are wary of government help in the first place due to current policies on immigration.

The impact of lost jobs – many of their clients work in restaurants and hospitality where jobs were immediately closed – translated into rent which could not be paid, groceries which quickly dwindled.

Awake took $5,000 from its small reserves with the intention of giving $500 directly to its families. It was always a flat $500.

There were no strings or demands on how it should be spent.

The organization then turned to its Berwyn neighbors to raise more. This sort of spontaneous giving is not the tradition in Berwyn but it was in the face of COVID. Awake raised $40,000 from 735 small donors, many of them from Berwyn, but also from Cicero, Chicago and Oak Park. Public

Local donors step up to make generous gifts possible

“I’ve seen the first-hand impact on my neighbors. And I’ve seen the ripple effects as jobs were eliminated, incomes were greatly reduced. Food, rent, utilities unpaid.”

JASON FRANKENA

school teachers turned to their networks to raise cash that would benefit their school students. The Berwyn Running Club held a Virtual 5K to raise money for Awake.

And with that grassroots backing, two local foundations took note and made grants.

The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation contributed $15,000 from its quickly launched COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund. The Logan Foundation added $10,000.

All told Awake raised over $70,000 last spring which all went out the door to families in need. “It blew out of the water any previous efforts we’d made,” said Polderman. “People really felt the need to give and to do it locally.”

Find out more at berwynsawake.org.

Meanwhile in Oak Park and River Forest, communities with much more structured and aligned non-profits, the same need for immediate and direct help was seen by a small group of neighbors. They quickly launched Oak Park Mutual Aid with a goal of direct giving to those impacted by CO-

File photo

NEW SKILLS: African American Christian Foundation in Oak Park helps young people with job and life skills.

VID. From the start there was also the goal of offering the practical and mundane help necessary when all routines are quickly disrupted. So grocery shopping and delivery became part of the service, picking up prescriptions for those quarantined, actively connecting people with existing social services and government agencies which could help but which individuals had never needed to think about before.

Evelyn Antwi-Mensah heads the Oak Park-based African American Christian Foundation. Started by her father 35 years ago, AACF offers job training and placement, job readiness and high school completion options for younger people.

“My father was all about education, about creating a nurturing environment,” said Antwi-Mensah of her dad, Kwadwo AntwiMensah.

When the pandemic hit, AACF was hit, too, with multiple challenges and a sudden surge in demand for its services. The agency closed its North Avenue headquarters for two weeks while it figured out how to shift all of its training to online virtual learning.

Active participants in the program have leapt to nearly 300 as “people lost their jobs due to COVID,” said Antwi-Mensah. Now people who worked in hard hit industries such as restaurants and working “to get skills that allow them to find work, to earn more.”

The non-profit focuses on people from 16-24, most are low income, and says Antwi-Mensah face “additional barriers” including being young parents, ex-offenders, mental health challenges, homelessness or aging out of the state’s foster care system.

AACF supports its clients with the full range of support services including tuition, transit and driving lessons.

AACF also benefitted from a COVID Rapid Relief Fund grant from the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation last spring.

Find out more at aacfworks.org.

Jason Frankena is an Oak Parker – a South East Oak Parker he makes clear – who saw his work as a project manager in commercial real estate construction “grinding to a halt” with the pandemic. With his wife still working and their immediate needs protected, Jason said, “I had time on my hands. I had the opportunity to help.”

He read about the early efforts of Oak Park Mutual Aid – it had come together in a hurry early in the pandemic – on social media sites and he reached out.

File photo

FILLING A NEED: The Hunt family were among the founders of Oak Park Mutual Aid. They also made a notable donation to the COVID Rapid Response and Recovery Fund at the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation.

“I’ve seen the first-hand impact on my neighbors. And I’ve seen the ripple effects as jobs were eliminated, incomes were greatly reduced. Food, rent, utilities unpaid,” he said.

“We’re not trained social workers. We’re not social workers,” he said of the dozens of local people who have come together through Oak Park Mutual Aid. Frankena said people with needs and with the ability to help come to the organization through the website at oakparkmutualaid. com. Donations of cash can be made at the site, offers to volunteer are also welcomed.

Neighbors looking for help can fill out a simple form spelling out what they need. Responses are made within 48 hours, he says.

So far, the nascent non-profit is making small direct cash gifts to get an electric bill paid or toward rent. And then it offers to help navigate “a social service network that is scattered and not logical,” he says.

Frankena says he likes the grassroots nature of Oak Park Mutual Aid. It has an organic appeal as they work to help neighbors, families they know from their kids’ school, from around the village.

Oak Park Mutual Aid is currently organizing to become a 501(c)3 non-profit.

“We don’t see the need ending anytime soon,” he says of the completely volunteer organization.

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At Hephzibah everything is different but still the same Keeping hands on connections even during the pandemic

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lot, a lot has changed,” says Merry Beth Sheets, executive director of the Hephzibah Children’s Association, as she looks back at the nine months of the COVID-19 pandem-

ic.

While the losses are real and profound, Sheets says, “even during the pandemic we can still move forward.” She said that in Hephzibah’s three top programs that changes and growth have taken place since COVID hit in late winter.

The Intact Family Services program has doubled its case load since the state expanded the project on July 1. Hephzibah social workers are now working 94 cases across metro Chicago with families where there is worry about abuse and neglect. The virus has changed the program but agency staff is still face-to-face with each family at least monthly with virtual visits in between.

“The current situation only adds stressors for these families,” says Sheets. But Hephzibah staff is able to add support services for these fragile families while protecting the children. “Some of these visits may take place on the front porch” due to the pandem-

ic, she says, but the personal contact can never be fully replicated on Zoom.

Hephzibah, which for decades has partnered with the District 97 elementary schools to provide before and after school care for the kids of working parents, has pivoted this year to add daily in-person support for students during e-learning. The program is live in three D97 schools where there are a combined 215 students being supported in virtual classes as their parents – all essential workers – head to their jobs.

Hephzibah had to double its staff to pull this off and added midday hours since the program also continues to offer before and after school care.

Meanwhile there is the group home on North Boulevard near downtown Oak Park.

This is home for 26 children – ages 3-11 – who are assigned to Hephzibah by the state having been deemed to have suffered the “most severe trauma” within their families of any abused children in Illinois.

Building stability and connection is essential to the program and the pandemic has closed several of those routes even as the staff has been expanded and technology

brought to bear to foster those virtues.

“We haven’t had those interactions since March,” says Sheets.

Gone for now is the one-on-one mentoring volunteers provided weekly through the Heart Mates program. Also missing are small but valued efforts such as employees of the Park District of Oak Park who arrive to custom decorate the bedroom doors of each new arrival.

In normal times, the children in the residence also attend school at either a D97 facility or a therapeutic day school. Now with all schooling virtual they have lost connections to school friends.

Mandated in person visitations with siblings and parents have also disappeared though Sheets reports that Zoom visits with family members have been more regularly attended than the sometimes logistically challenging in-person visits.

Sheets also said the kids in the residence have each other, a giant extended family. And that, she said, might be better than an only child in a family home who faces greater isolation. To get the children beyond the four walls of the group home, Sheets says staff

will sometimes gather a handful, load them into the van and just go for a drive, maybe stopping by a Forest Preserve to run around.

Like many of the social agency leaders interviewed for this project, Sheets pointed to the resilience of the children in Hephzibah’s care. “It was a shock to all of us at the beginning. Ten months in we have a strong plan on COVID.” Speaking of the children in the residence, Sheets says, “I hope for a minimal impact.

They’ve had challenges beyond belief. But they’re fortunate to be here with all this support. They live in a social situation. I hope they make it up along the way. These kids are resilient.”

Sheets also lauded her staff. “They’ve had to work in a real scary time. I can’t speak enough about our staff. They are heroes.”

And Hephzibah’s legendary volunteers are still at it, making Christmas for the kids.

“Our Wish List has gone online for children in the foster program and the group home.

We will be bringing in everything that is on those lists.”

Success Knows

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So we stop at nothing to provide life skills training, assistive technology, meaningful employment and a place to call home for people with disabilities, as well as specialized foster care for children.

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Community of Caring

Resilience the unexpected gift at Thrive Counseling

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Clients, staff, community demonstrate determination, commitment

any things have surprised John Meister, the executive director of Thrive Counseling Center, during this pandemic year. But whether he is talking about the clients served at Thrive, the professional staff there or the wide community which benefits from its services, he keeps coming back to resilience.

“The resilience of our clients has just amazed,” he says.

Their ability to adapt quickly to the loss of in person therapy sessions has surprised everyone. Back in March when COVID first became real, Meister said a March 13 staff meet-

ing reflected the fears and the clear sense of the unknown everyone was feeling. By March 16 all face-to-face sessions were cancelled and the agency hustled to move to telephone sessions. Patient sessions dropped sharply in March. But to the surprise of all, by April there was a large rebound and the percentage of “kept appointments” actually rose as homebound clients called in to their therapists. There were no issues finding transportation and the other logistics that could keep appointments from being dropped.

Meister and his team learned a lot in the first weeks about how to do phone therapy an exhausting 5 to 8 hours a day.

They found that it was more successful converting a client who had started with in-person sessions into a worthwhile phone therapy sessions. Launching a new client only virtually has been more problematic.

“There is an element of trust between a client and their therapist. There are subtle cues that you don’t get over the phone,” he says based on the observations of his staff. “But telephone therapy is better than no therapy.”

Meister spends a lot of hours trying to figure out the future of how insurance companies and the government agencies which subsidize mental health treatment will pay for this care once the pandemic is eventually over.

“A hybrid model – in person and virtual – will become the new normal,” he says. What exactly it looks like it is too soon to tell.

Meister said that back in March he thought COVID’s impact would blow a hole in Thrive’s tight budget of between

“A hybrid model – in person and virtual – will become the new normal. What exactly it looks like it is too soon to tell.”

JOHN MEISTER

Executive director, Thrive Counseling Center

$300,000 and $500,000. How to begin to replace the $200,000 raised in its annual gala seemed unfathomable. Now he says, with the work of his board, Thrive is “bowled over by the response from the community.” Their virtual fundraisers cleared more than $200,000 and Meister said they discovered “the community really values what we do.”

That has been a gratifying realization for Meister and other nonprofit leaders interviewed for this project.

Now as the year closes, Meister has decided to close the agency down between Christmas and New Year’s so the staff can get an actual break. “Of course, no one can travel.

But it gives us time to take stock to spend time on things which bring us joy.”

And then, he says, it will back to at least six more months of therapy by phone.

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December 23, 2020

Thank you to all of our readers Dear Readers, We’re excited to share that we met our NewsMatch goal, our Board Match goal, and now our Match Maker goal! These funds are absolutely critical to maintaining our Independent community newsrooms and will enable us to continue reporting across our seven neighborhoods.

To all of you who have already contributed: YOU made this happen and we are so grateful.

To those who have not yet given: There is still time to help out -- we’re not done yet! We’re introducing a stretch goal of $10,000, which will: • Cover costs of reporting this spring’s local elections, school and business re-openings, vaccine rollouts, and more across our Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review, Riverside-Brookfield Landmark and Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest • Sustain our hyperlocal reporting as our local businesses recover from the effects of COVID-19 • Help us launch in early 2021 new, reader-friendly websites and newsletters to better serve readers in our seven communities We’re excited about our 2021 plans and know that, with your help, we can make them happen. Here’s how: We challenge you to ask just one friend — someone who values journalism like ours — to match the donation you made to the Weekly, the Journal, the Review and the Landmark! Ask them to go to [flag specific donation link] or give them the donation envelope in this week’s paper. But don’t delay: we have until Dec. 31 to meet this goal!

We thank all of you. We wish you all safe and joyful holidays. And join us with hope and optimism for the New Year!

With deep gratitude, Dan Haley Editor and Publisher Growing Community Media

To donate, visit www.growingcommunitymedia.com/donate

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Community of Caring

The Joyful Giving Catalog

Everything you need for a better world: • More Art

• More Food

• More Compassion

• More Health

• More Education

• More Housing

• More Equity

• More Peace

Browse, read, share with your children. Give Locally – Give Joyfully!

Each of the organizations listed in this catalog paid a fee to participate. If you run a nonprofit and you would like to be listed here, or if you would like to sponsor a nonprofit to be listed here, please contact Lourdes Nicholls (Lourdes@oakpark.com) or Marc Stopeck (Marc@oakpark.com).

African American Christian Foundation (AACF) AACF empowers young adults trapped by extreme poverty to spearhead them through education to become leaders in their communities.

These are young people who persist and cope with immense traumatic hurdles as they strive to build a better future. Founded in 1985, AACF takes a holistic approach focused on positive youth development, goal setting, and opportunity. We encourage youth to take control of their potential through mentoring, enrichment and reinforcing life skills. Youth are engaged in internships, employment, secondary education, vocational training, and provided with supportive services that encourage achievement in all their endeavors.

Youth enduring severe poverty face tremendous challenges, we need and count on supporters like you to join us to help them succeed.

For more information, or to make a donation, please visit us at aacfworks.org\

Animal Care League Animal Care League offers a safe haven for pets in need. Rooted in the community since 1973, Animal Care League takes a proactive approach to animal care and adoption as well as preventative measures to help reduce the number of homeless animals in our communities.

With over 1000 pets coming to our doors each year, Animal Care League counts on supporters to ensure that we can provide what is needed from routine vaccinations to life saving surgery.

Make a difference in the life of a homeless animal by visiting animalcareleague. org where you can sign up to volunteer, make a donation, view our adoptable pets, and learn about upcoming events.

Arbor West Neighbors Arbor West Neighbors is a grassroots organization of neighbors connecting to empower adults to thrive as we age in community. We support the residents of Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park and Austin as we age in homes of our choice. We envision multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and economically diverse communities where all older adults are valued, age with dignity, and enjoy opportunities for growth and engagement.

Do you want to age with a purpose? Join us to share your collective talents, experiences and passion to broaden the image of aging. Learn more at: Arborwestneighbors.org

Beyond Hunger When the pandemic hit, we revamped our service model to keep everybody safe. Instead of inviting people to shop inside our food pantry, we now prepack boxes with nearly 80 pounds of groceries and pop them into car trunks or shopping carts for participants. We’ve added more home delivery recipients knowing that elderly and disabled individuals are more at risk for COVID-19. The contents of each box is tailored to meet the needs of our community.

Along with food, we include toilet paper, toothpaste, and reusable washable masks.

With your support, we can make sure no one in our community goes hungry this winter.

Even a little goes a long way: every $1 donated can feed a neighbor for an entire day.

youth escape gangs and violence to become positive leaders in their communities. These young people face enormous obstacles and trauma, and so we surround them with the counseling, mentoring, training, and opportunities they need to build a future and succeed. We engage youth at every stage, with specialized teams dedicated to street violence interventions, gang detachments, creative after-school programming, academic school and college support, mental health care, community violence crisis response, and enrichment activities ranging from art and music to sports, podcasting, engineering and gardening. Potential doesn’t discriminate, neither should opportunity.

To learn more or to donate, visit clustertutoring.org.

The Collaboration for Early Childhood

Join us in BUILDing a better future. Visit and donate at buildchicago.org/

Celebrating Seniors Coalition Since our inception a decade ago, the Celebrating Seniors Coalition has been passionate about dispelling outdated and inaccurate myths about what it is to be a senior in our society.

At the same time, the Coalition has raised funds to help meet the basic needs of daily living for dozens of elders in our community.

As we get to the “other side” of the pandemic and embark on our second decade, join us in Celebrating Seniors—those people 60 and over in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park.

Learn how you can join honor and support these esteemed elders at our updated website: www.CelebratingSeniors.net.

Cluster Tutoring

To donate, visit GoBeyondHunger.org or send checks payable to Beyond Hunger, 848 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60301

BUILD Since 1969, BUILD has helped Chicago’s most vulnerable

other homework to prepare the student for a successful academic career. When Cluster started nearly 30 years ago, fewer than half of Chicago Public Schools graduated from high school. Now, all of Cluster’s seniors not only graduate but are accepted at colleges and other post-graduation programs. Donations go toward materials that help students learn.

Cluster Tutoring is a nonprofit, community-based organization that provides free one-to-one tutoring to students in grades K through 12 from Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. Tutor-student pairs work together during the school year on reading, math, and

Support young children this giving season. For over 15 years, the Collaboration for Early Childhood has embraced the vision that all children should arrive at kindergarten safe, healthy, and ready to thrive. This year we sharpened our equity focus and responded to the needs of our community members affected by the health pandemic and national events of racist violence. We launched Ready, Set, Kindergarten! a virtual support system for 30 families whose children transitioned to kindergarten in the midst of COVID-19. We distributed 175 ‘Activity Kits’ to families of children with disabilities to enhance their at-home learning. We supplied 62 families in need with essential items, and the work continues.

For more information, or to make a donation, please visit us at www.collab4kids. org or follow us on Facebook.

Concordia University Chicago Concordia University Chicago is a liberal arts, Christ-centered, Lutheran university where truth, freedom, and vocation form students for lives of influence and service for the common good. Founded in 1864, the University is located on 40 acres in River Forest, Illinois. Historically a college for teachers, it now offers more than 100 areas of

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The Joyful Giving Catalog study through traditional, blended or online classes. Students can earn a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees through one of four colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education and the College of Graduate Studies. Professors are passionate about teaching, learning and preparing students for success in their chosen vocations. Beyond academics, Concordia offers NCAA Division III athletic teams, intramural sports, touring music ensembles and numerous student clubs and organizations focused on service, recreation, spiritual life and more. Currently, more than 6,400 students are enrolled.

To learn more, please visit CUChicago.edu or CUChicago.edu/GiveNow to support our students.

The Day Nursery

Since 1912, The Day Nursery has provided exceptional early childhood education in an environment that welcomes all children, enhances individual strengths, and fosters the academic, social-emotional, and physical development that leads to school readiness. You can help lay the foundation today for successful adults tomorrow.

To learn more about us and to donate, visit www.thedaynursery.org Randolph St, Oak Park, IL 60302 The1139 Friends the Oak Park 708.383.8211of - Fax: 708.383.0692 Email: info@thedaynursery.org www.thedaynursery.org Conservatory A United Way Community Partner/NAEYC Accredited

The Oak Park Conservatory began as a community effort to house exotic plants residents collected during their travels abroad. Completed in 1929, it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Free to the public with 50,000 visitors annually, the Conservatory offers a rich atmosphere throughout three indoor showrooms featuring more than 3,000 plants.

The Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory offers programs focused on enriching the visitor experience at the Conservatory. Toddlers through adults can participate in year-round educational and recreational programs, volunteer opportunities and special events. To learn more or to join, visit fopcon.org.

Growing Community Media Growing Community Media is dedicated to building community through independent, non-partisan local journalism. We believe that high quality community journalism preserves and strengthens the fabric of our democracy.

Independent community journalism holds local governments to account. It connects neighbors. It is the credible source when social media goes haywire, and it allows a community to debate and celebrate. Through Austin Weekly News, Wednesday Journal, Forest Park Review and Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, Growing Community Media reports local news and tells compelling local stories across many platforms. Our mission calls us to build fact-based accountability and connection, conversation and civility, diversity and a sense of belonging.

Join our mission by donating at growingcommunitymedia.org or contacting dhaley@wjinc.com

Hephzibah Children’s Association Hephzibah is making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and struggling families.

Oak Park’s oldest social service agency, Hephzibah is the only program in Illinois designated to care for the most severe cases of abuse and neglect of young children ages 3-11. Hephzibah Home provides comprehensive, therapeutic care for traumatized young children. Our Family Based Program supports more than 100 foster care children and stabilizes 150 families in crisis. Our Day Care Program delivers quality, affordable day care and summer camp programming for elementary school children in Oak Park.

Make a difference with us at hephzibahhome.org.

Historical Society Forest Park The Historical Society Forest Park was founded in 1975 for the purposes of “collecting and preserving the rich heritage of Forest Park.” The historical society offers tours of Haymarket Martyr’s Monument in Forest Home Cemetery every Saturday in the summer, collect oral histories of Forest Park Veterans of Military service, hosts several historical events a year and celebrates Forest Park.

For more information about the Society, its events and programs, or to donate visit forestparkhistory.org or mail us: Historical Society of Forest Park, PO Box 311, Forest Park IL 60130

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Sedrick finds growth and opportunity at BUILD

edrick, fifteen, came to BUILD in elementary school, already angry, quiet, and unwilling to talk about traumas in his past. Now in high school, he has transformed into a thoughtful young man who seeks avenues of growth and uses the mistakes of his past as examples to help him make better choices.

His phenomenal growth evolved from the support of his dedicated BUILD mentor, his own determination, and a lot of fun, too! “Sedrick is now giving himself opportunities to learn from his challenges and his youth,” notes Jeremy Mercado, Sedrick’s mentor, and Career Readiness Coordinator at BUILD. In the beginning, Sedrick signed up for activities: playing basketball, softball, and working in the garden.

Eventually, to everyone’s surprise he got involved with BUILD Radio, where a microphone helped him find his voice! He continues to engage in My Brother’s Keeper and other BUILD programs including Strong Bodies, Iris Garden’s Summer Program and more.

Now, Sedrick is one of BUILD’s best advocates! Famous for his laugh and his spotless Air Jordans, he’s training to

Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest We are the community’s story tellers and our new facility is an 1898 Oak Park Landmark at Lake and Lombard called Oak Park River Forest Museum, selected

by Illinois Association of Museums as Small Museum of the Year. We invested $1 million in private funds to create a welcoming space in a former firehouse. Come and check out featured exhibit “Open House: The Legacy of Fair Housing,” before it closes in 2021. We are not supported by tax dollars and a gift of any amount funds our 2021 schedule of programs, our research center, and our knowledgeable staff.

Learn more and donate at oprfmuseum.org or 708-848-6755

Sedrick be an Apprentice Mentor and recruits other young people to BUILD - most recently, his own little brother Philip, twelve.

Sedrick’s mentor Jeremy couldn’t be prouder. “Sedrick’s willing to grow from anything life brings him now, big or small,” he says. “His future is going to shine bright.”

You can help BUILD a better future for Chicago’s most vulnerable youth. Visit and donate at buildchicago.org/

Housing Forward Housing Forward is passionately focused on one vision – ending homelessness. We believe in bold, comprehensive approaches to prevent homelessness whenever possible, respond to housing crises, and stabilize individuals and families through permanent housing. With offices in Maywood and Oak Park, we offer wraparound services including case management, housing, outreach, employment, and emergency assistance. Last year, we served over 2,000 adults and families across 20+ communities. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our emergency shelter and supportive services programs consolidated into a 24/7 Interim Housing model for clients on a path to permanent housing—including medical respite. This site joins Sojourner House

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Community of Caring

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For UCP Seguin, Giving Is A Family Affair

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been able to work in a gainful, productive, meaningful job. As his father gratefully affirms, “Richard wouldn’t be who he is today without UCP Seguin.”

Since then Richard has been an active participant in everything the world has to offer. Rose and Rich ensured that he had a good education, while providing opportunities for him to participate in sports and enjoy social and recreational activities in the community. Through employment services provided by UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago, Richard has

Throughout their many years of involvement with the organization, the Smiths have been faithful financial donors in support of UCP Seguin’s programs for people with developmental disabilities. In addition to monetary gifts, Rich and Rose gave of their time and talent, helping to form a local special recreation association to provide fun activities for individuals with disabilities in the west suburbs. Even as his wife Rose passed away, Rich carried on her legacy of generosity. Rich has acted as the Moonlighters DJ for many years

hen Richard “Rick” Smith Jr. was born with Down syndrome 53 years ago, his parents Rose and Rich were determined to make the life of their only child the best it could be. They arranged for him to attend the original Seguin School, where he was offered the chance to develop, learn and grow.

and Ohana House in assisting individuals and families, plus two new housing programs focused on youth and veterans.

To learn more, volunteer, or donate, visit housingforward.org, email giving@housingforward.org or call 708.338.1724 ext. 262.

IWS Children’s Clinic Help us champion childhood health! The OPRF Infant Welfare Society and our Children’s Clinic have continuously been there for at-risk children and families since the start of the pandemic.

We serve the dynamic whole health needs of children: sick visits, critical vaccines at well child check-ups, integrated behavioral health services, and preventive and restorative dental care, including for children with special needs.

Together, we are ensuring the health and well-being of children in our community, including Oak Park, Chicago’s West side, Berwyn, Cicero and beyond.

IWS Children’s Clinic serves 3,400 children each year, and your generosity is key as our costs of providing care have increased substantially due to COVID-19. A gift of $50 pays for two essential vaccines. A gift of $150 provides specialized dental services.

Champion Childhood Health – Give Today! www.oprfiws.org/donate or 708-4068661.

L’Arche Chicago L’Arche Chicago provides high quality care in community-integrated homes for adults with intellectual disabilities in the OPRF area. Our mission is lived through daily life shared in mutuality: afternoon walks to the park, doctor’s appointments, and dinner parties. Moreover, L’Arche is committed to life together in a way that welcomes difference. As our society seems increasingly fearful of difference, L’Arche offers a counter story: that the differences so often keeping people apart can become the substance of joyful and transformative relationships.

Make a needed local impact through our people and mission at www.larchechicago. org/opendoors

Maywood Youth Mentoring Program Organized in 1993 as a 501c3, the Maywood Youth Mentoring Program has served hundreds of middle to highschool youth providing a variety of programs, workshops, field trips, and experiences designed to increase academic potential and instill cultural pride. Since 2008, the program has hosted free monthly youth breakfasts with topics ranging from anger management/and conflict resolution,

Rose and Rich Smith, with their son Ric so all the people with disabilities could rock the night away with friends during their Saturday nights out.

Buoyed by his son’s successes, his wife’s memory, and his own zest for life, Rich Smith personifies the spirit of philanthropy, a spirit that that continues to make UCP Seguin a preeminent

etiquette, police/community interactions, sexual health, drug and alcohol avoidance, and academic excellence. Youths practice critical thinking skills to encourage positive life choices. Volunteer mentors interact with youth providing positive role models for college and career choices. Funds are needed to continuously provide free services and incentives for participation.

To volunteer, or to donate, visit us at maywoodyouthmentoring.org, or contact Barbara Cole, founder/CEO at 708-3443577.

New Moms

New Moms believes in the strength, skills, and potential of all families and communities to achieve audacious possibilities for their futures. At New Moms, young moms take powerful first steps towards economic mobility and family well-being. Our 2-Generation Approach puts families experiencing poverty in control of their goals and unleashes their potential. We partner with families to construct the foundations of well-being by strengthening core life skills, incorporating early childhood development supports, building pathways to and preparation for education and employment, and expanding positive social networks and access to community resources.

Learn more and donate at newmoms.org.

organization serving people with disabilities.

You can join Rich Smith and help to provide life without limits for people with disabilities. Donate online at ucpseguin.org or send gifts to UCP Seguin, 332 Harrison Street, Oak Park IL 60304

The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association

The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association strengthens our community through learning, giving, and sharing our landmark building through space grants to local non-profits (80% of its usage is non-profit). During COVID-19 our building has been largely closed, but we have been connecting with our community with weekly Monday Enrichment Zoom programs. We are also providing community outreach to food pantries, shelters and first responders. We need your help keeping our ‘doors’ open.

If you would like information about donating, please contact us at 708-386-2729 x 3 or epayton@nineteenthcentury.org. You can also make a donation at nineteenthcentury.org.

Oak Park Art League Celebrating its centennial in 2021, the Oak Park Art League (OPAL) is one of the longest, continually running non-profit arts organizations in Illinois. OPAL is a vibrant cultural center where the invitation and challenge to use art as a medium for personal and community growth is made available to people of all ages. Since 1921, OPAL has brought arts education, appreciation, exhibitions, and the spirit of artistic inquiry to the surrounding community. OPAL is committed to meaningful community

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outreach to the population that makes up our greater community through partnerships and on-site art and programming with local social service agencies through our “Family stARTs” program.

For more information about membership, volunteering, or to make a donation, please contact Executive Director, Jill Kramer Goldstein at 708-386-9853 or director@ oakparkartleague.org. The Oak Park Art League is located at 720 Chicago Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302.

Oak Park Regional Housing Center For more than four decades, the Oak Park Regional Housing Center (OPRHC) has been an advocate for fair housing. Our mission is to achieve vibrant communities and promote intentional and stable residential integration throughout Oak Park. The OPRHC is the only non-profit in Oak Park and the Greater Westside Region that encourages pro-integrative housing options.

Our work is at the heart of why Oak Park is such a wonderful, diverse, and vibrant community, welcoming to everyone.

Support our work with a donation at oprhc. org/donate. To learn more about the OPRHC call 708.848.7150, inforequest@ liveinoakpark.com, 1041 South Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302.

Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation

The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is based on a powerful promise: to create an enduring institution where people can come together and pool their resources to meet our community’s most pressing needs — not just now, but forever. For sixty years, generations of thoughtful and caring donors and residents have empowered the Foundation’s work to safeguard and advance the community in which we live, raise our families and work.

From helping donors with legacy gift planning, to managing donor advised funds, to strengthening local non-profits, we connect. Visit oprfcf.org or call Rhea Yap at 708-848-1560 to start a fund, discuss your charitable estate plans, or make a donation today.

December 23, 2020

Community of Caring Oak Park and River Forest High School Alumni Association Through its Bobbie Raymond Summer Enrichment grant program, the Oak Park and River Forest High School Alumni Association helps current OPRFHS students experience life-changing experiential learning opportunities that advance their interests and knowledge in preparation for higher education and future career goals. All freshman through juniors are eligible to apply for awards, though students from under-resourced families receive greater consideration. For more than 20 years, students have traveled to destinations throughout the U.S. and the world, taking part in cultural exchanges, camps, and enrichment opportunities. The future outlook of these life-changing opportunities, and their accessibility for students most in need depends on your support today.

Donate at https://tinyurl.com/oprfalumnidonate

OPRF High School Scholarship Foundation In May 2020, the Oak Park and River Forest High School Scholarship Foundation granted $140,000 in scholarships to 63 graduating seniors. Since 1924, the Scholarship Foundation has been an important and growing partner in the community, providing much-needed financial assistance to OPRFHS students as college tuition and expenses continue to increase.

Please visit our website at www.scholarships4oprfhs.org. and make a gift to our General Fund to help increase the number and amount of scholarships we offer or to the College Knowledge Project (CKP) Scholars Fund that supports our CKP alumni, many of whom are first generation college students.

We hope you will join us by investing in the future of OPRFHS students today and make a tax-deductible donation. Contact scholarshipsoprfhs@ gmail.com to learn more.

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Service to the community is a longstanding and integral part of Concordia-Chicago’s identity

Teacher and students in Concordia University Chicago’s Early Childhood Education Center.

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he Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) is a treasured institution within Concordia University Chicago and the surrounding community. As the ECEC celebrates its 45th anniversary, our teachers reflect on how they inspire lifelong learning as a centerpiece of the educational experience.

“What has helped the ECEC endure for 45 years is its unwavering commitment to best educational practices rooted in the most current research and theory, as well as the Gospel,” says Bogusia RyndakMazur, assistant director. “Our exceptional teachers foster children’s natural curiosity about the world and support a lifelong love of learning through guided play and project-based learning.”

Ryndak-Mazur has been working at the ECEC since 2001, when it was still housed in the basement of Lindemann Hall. In 2002, the ECEC moved into the brandnew Christopher Center building, where Ryndak-Mazur taught younger full-day preschool, gaining the experience that led to her promotion to assistant director in December 2019.

“As part of the University, the ECEC always inspired me, personally, to continue my education,” she says. “I came to the Center with a master’s degree, but working with University students, professors and families who have high expectations of us motivated me to pursue further education. I went on to earn a Professional Teacher License and am currently in my third year of a PhD program in early childhood education. My educational journey is far from over.”

The connection between the ECEC and the College of Education was the idea of Professor Emerita Dr. Shirley Morgenthaler, and it continues to this day. “The curriculum framework we use is based off Shirley’s original framework,” says Cathy Gruenwald BA ’88, ECEC

director. “Over the years, the ECEC staff have taken her framework and expanded it as the basis of our emergent and project-based curriculum.”

Teacher Kim Keane BA ’11 explains that the Early Childhood Education Center has multiple layers of learning built into it: the children, the lab students and the teachers. “The ECEC has a significant impact on the learning and growth of every person involved, from the infants all the way up to the administration,” she says.

Through the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became even more apparent how valued the ECEC is by the local community. After temporarily closing in March in observance of Illinois pandemic regulations, the ECEC reopened in June with a lower capacity, amended operations and strict safety measures in place. “Over these past several months I have been struck repeatedly by how blessed I am to be part of this community.

Everyone has approached the work that we do with such grace, compassion and commitment,” Keane says. “The teachers have worked hard to provide safe and positive environments for their students.

The administration advocated for us.

While we were closed, the families even got together to fundraise in our support.

God is so good!”

“The ECEC has been an invaluable asset to Concordia-Chicago and the community for the last 45 years,” says Ryndak-Mazur. “I am confident we will continue to share the Christian faith with others while also providing the best early childhood environment and experiences for many years to come.”

Learn more about the Early Childhood Education Center at CUChicago.edu/ECEC and to read the full edition of the recent Forester magazine visit CUChicago.edu/ Forester.

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Community of Caring

It Takes A Village To Create A Happy Holiday Season at Hephzibah

hen asked what he wanted for Christmas this year, Hephzibah’s newest resident 6-year-old Nate replied, “I don’t believe in Santa Claus. Last year, I asked for love and I didn’t get it.”

This year, the holidays will be different for Nate and all the children in Hephzibah’s care, because love is abundant, and our generous supporters help ensure that it is a holiday season filled with excitement and joy.

It takes months of work and an entire community of elves to bring holiday cheer to the hundreds of children and families in Hephzibah’s care. And, while the pandemic has forced the cancellation of the many traditional celebrations and events, the holidays will still be joyous and

Oak Park Mutual Aid Oak Park Mutual Aid (OPMA) is a coalition of neighbors dedicated to directly caring for one another and those around us in greatest need. We provide direct community support including food, clothing and limited financial assistance. Our website and volunteer responders also share a collection of resources that can help support those living in Oak Park and the surrounding area during this difficult time. To date, we have raised more than $47,000 in donations and assisted hundreds of area residents.

As the situation will remain difficult for the foreseeable future, we need your help through donations and volunteering! https://oakparkmutualaid.com/

fun-filled this year.

Thanks to generous foundation, corporate and individual donors, and imaginative Hephzibah staff, this year children living at Hephzibah Home will enjoy festive light displays in the neighborhood, special holiday meals, and open gifts purchased specially for them from a personal wish list.

The hundreds of children and families in Hephzibah’s foster care program and receiving services through our Intact Family program, will receive gifts, gift cards and holiday meals all provided by donors to Hephzibah and from several corporate partners and their supporters.

“There is still much to celebrate this season,” says Juliet Yera, director

One Earth Film Festival By taking care of each other, we take care of ourselves. That’s the lesson that the COVID19 pandemic and the growing social & environmental justice movements are teaching us. And that’s the Power of We! The One Earth Film Festival continues to grow and expand our circle of engagement. Save the date for our exciting 10th anniversary One Earth Film Fest, March 5-14, 2021. The Festival was born in Oak Park, and this year, we will be screening virtually to a national audience. Join us for quality films, engaging discussion, meaningful action opportunities and community-building.

Memberships start at $25 ($15 for students / seniors).

For more information and to donate, visit oneearthfilmfest.org/give.

of development. “Though 2020 has been an especially challenging, difficult year for our children and families, we are so fortunate to have a generous community embracing the

spirit of the season.”

Visit the Hephzibah Wish List at hephzibahhome.org/donate/holidaywish-list/ to help make a child’s holiday dream come true.

Opportunity Knocks Opportunity Knocks is dedicated to enriching life and community for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) as they live, work, learn, grow and connect within their community. We use a dynamic, person-centered and community-based approach to programming that serves to engage the voice of our participants, foster interdependent connections, encourage exploration, promote holistic wellness and healthy relationships.

We are 95% privately funded so your support is more important than ever this year in keeping our mission moving forward. To join us in creating a more dynamic and inclusive community for all, visit opportunityknocksnow.org, 8020 Madison Street, River Forest, IL 60305.

The Parks Foundation of Oak Park

The Joyful Giving Catalog

The Parks Foundation of Oak Park promotes giving opportunities to support initiatives for the Park District. Our mission is to collaborate with residents, community groups and partner organizations to support exceptional projects that enhance and enrich our parks and community life.

We believe a commitment to equity and diversity is what makes our community strong.

Our fundraising efforts enhance scholarship funding to make it possible for all community members to participate in Park District programs. Last year over 200 scholarships were provided to enable individuals and families to

participate in park district programs.

To learn more, and make a donation, visit parksfoundationop.org

PING! Providing equitable access to instrumental music for students in grades 4 through 12 in Oak Park and River Forest public schools has been the mission of PING! (Providing Instruments for the Next Generation) for more than 20 years. PING! loans band and orchestra instruments to students in need, and provides music enrichment through workshops; mentoring; and scholarships for summer music camps, school music trips, and private instruction. In this challenging year of COVID, PING! is adapting these enrichment programs to fit the needs of our students learning at home. Community support for our PING! students this year is more important than ever.

For more information, or to make a donation, please visit our new website at pingoprf.org. If you have an instrument to donate, send us an email at pingoprf@gmail. com.

Pro Bono Network We believe access to justice should not depend upon your ability to afford an attorney.

There are simply not enough legal aid lawyers to help people in dire need of civil legal aid.

These include issues of safety from an abuser, adequate housing, critical care documents, and more. Pro Bono Network has enabled 400+ attorneys to give more than 24,000 hours of free legal assistance to over 4,300 clients

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The Joyful Giving Catalog whose lives were meaningfully changed.

To get involved or donate, visit pro-bononetwork.org. Your support will make an impact the lives of many!

River Forest Public Library Foundation

Proviso Partners for Health

Young students in The Day Nursery playground.

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The Day Nursery Difference

t the heart of The Day Nursery’s mission is the belief that all children have the right to a quality early childhood education regardless of their ability to pay.

COVID-19 has resulted in an unemployment rate not seen since the Great Depression. Many who still have jobs have seen their hours cut. That recently happened to a Day Nursery family who had been in attendance for almost two years. The parents experienced a reduction of hours as well as required furlough days. They asked The Day Nursery if they could somehow reduce their child’s attendance temporarily to make ends meet during this challenging time.

At The Day Nursery, we understand that for children, consistency and continuity are vitally important, especially in early childhood. So, The Day Nursery worked with the parents, recalculating their new income, and was able to provide them with a reasonable fee level, that

considered their new circumstances.

Utilizing our internal financial assistance, The Day Nursery could give the family an opportunity for their child to continue to attend the program 5 days a week, providing the child the consistency needed to thrive and the parents some piece of mind.

Everyone - The Day Nursery, the child, and the parents – were thrilled to create a solution that worked for all. That’s The Day Nursery Difference.

Thanks to our generous donors whose gifts can provide support to families when they may need it the most and ensure that we can continue our mission to provide exceptional early childhood education in an environment that welcomes all children, enhances individual strengths, and fosters the academic, social-emotional, and physical development that leads to school readiness.

To learn more about us and to donate, visit www.thedaynursery.org

Proviso Partners for Health (PP4H) is a community-led coalition to advance racial and economic pathways toward justice, community health, and well-being. COVID-19 disproportionately affects people of color and highlights the unmet mental health needs that Black/African American and Latinx residents have experienced for generations. In response, PP4H launched True You, a virtual series that gives voice to the historical and current racial trauma and promotes racial healing. The series recognizes the power and strength of self-discovery through peer support among people of color.

Support our vision and expansion of this work by donating and visiting www. provisopartners.com/

Race Conscious Dialogues RACE CONSCIOUS DIALOGUES The Race Conscious Dialogues are designed for people who are white to deepen their awareness of identity, power and privilege, then develop tools for anti-racism work.

The foundational workshop series consists of 4 sessions, 3 hours each, with light readings to be done in preparation. This volunteer-based nonprofit was intentionally created for our community of Oak Park and surrounding areas. All discussions, readings and activities are framed around unpacking and understanding Whiteness - our own racial identities, the historical and current harm being caused by Whiteness, and guided discovery of how we show up and work collectively to eradicate racism.

River Forest Public Library connects our community with information and entertainment, with each other and the world.

RFPL Foundation works to enhance the Library today and for the future through fundraising and advocacy. The Foundation fully funded major updates in the Children’s Room in 2019.

We have provided support for the Lobby/ Circulation renovation, Summer and Adult Reading Programs, special programming, and the Anne Smedinghoff Memorial Garden.

Help ensure a strong community and a bright future for River Forest Public Library with your gift. We gratefully accept cash, credit/debit, securities and bequests. Visit RFPLFoundation.org/donate.

SisterHouse Founded in 1982 by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, SisterHouse educates and empowers women to lead sober and fulfilling lives by providing a safe and structured spiritual living community. Each successful and resilient woman is reaching towards her full potential by growing in self-awareness, self-respect and forgiveness, learning to embrace self and others, while building healthy relationships. She learns not only how to maintain sobriety, internalizing the 12 steps and building a support system, but also how to thrive in life. Each SisterHouse woman secures quality employment and stable housing. She makes plans for her future and acquires the skills, knowledge, and abilities to realize her dreams.

For more information or to donate go to sisterhousechicago.org.

We invite your participation! Donations are appreciated as well www. raceconsciousdialogues.org/donate

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Community of Caring

The Joyful Giving Catalog

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Equitable Access in Instrumental Music

or one Oak Park middle schooler, playing the double bass for the first time in 4th grade – an instrument taller than he was at the time – became more than just adding music to his life. It increased Braden’s confidence, his fine motor skills and helps him be a more well-rounded student, according to his mom, Jennifer.

something new.

PING! (Providing Instruments for the Next Generation) not only provides Braden, and other peers who need assistance, with their instruments, but other opportunities to these young musicians in Oak Park and River Forest public schools, such as pairing mentors from OPRF High School with PING! students in grades 5 through 8.

“He started expressing interest in music very early on,” she said. “I think if we waited until we were at a place where we could afford all the extra things with music, we would have missed that window in supporting him in his interests. We’re really grateful we didn’t have to forego that very long because of all the resources that PING! has provided.”

Braden began meeting his mentor virtually this fall as PING! has adapted to keep students safe and engaged.

In their first session, Braden learned

St. Angela School St. Angela School has walked with the families of Chicago’s west side for one hundred years— walked with a deep commitment to enriching the lives, and the futures, of their children. We have a rich and varied history – and a future of great promise. We provide our children with a safe and loving environment and challenging academics; we help them explore paths that lead to meaningful and rewarding careers; and we teach them, above all, to believe in themselves. As we prepare for our next hundred years, we’re proud to reaffirm our commitment to love and serve all those who choose to be part of our community.

Learn more about St. Angela School at saintangela.org or call us at (773) 6262655

“He taught me some holding positions of the double bass and some tips to play better,” Braden said.

After he made those adjustments, Braden said, “It sounds way better than I used to play.”

Jennifer believes it would have been a missed opportunity for Braden if not for PING!.

Learn more/donate: pingoprf.org/ donate.

Sweet Rest If you are curious about how to shift to an anti-racism, anti-white supremacist way of being, while considering what a world that accepts and supports Black women broadly and widely looks like, we invite you to join our community. The Sweet Rest subscription is designed as a set of 12 monthly emails that build on each other and invite the reader on a journey. The content is geared toward a white audience ready to change from within. The coaching emails, complete with monthly action items that compel readers to act without further traumatizing people of color, will deepen the justice walk of white people without further burdening the lives of people of color. Your monthly subscription dollars are used to create rest opportunities for Black women.

This is the kind of restorative framework that we hope will move us toward a more equitable way of being.

To learn more or to subscribe please visit www. sweetrest.net

Braden and his bass.

UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago UCP Seguin believes that all people, regardless of ability, deserve to achieve their potential, advance their independence and act as full members of the community. So we stop at nothing to provide life skills training, assistive technology, meaningful employment and a place to call home for people with disabilities, as well as specialized foster care for children. Our goal: life without limits for people with disabilities.

Make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. Donate online at ucpseguin. org or send gifts to UCP Seguin, 332 Harrison Street, Oak Park IL 60304

West Suburban Special Recreation Association West Suburban Special Recreation Association provides recreational programming for individuals with disabilities who reside in Oak Park, River Forest & nine other surrounding communities.

Join us for our Virtual Celebration Benefiting the Stars of WSSRA. Auction opens 9:00am November 30. View Auction Items or make a donation at https://one.bidpal.net/ wssrastars2020

Youth Outreach Services Youth Outreach Services supports youth ages 12 to 21 and their families, by providing free programs that offer skill development, therapeutic interventions, and mentorship to improve their safety and well-being. Through the past 60 years, YOS has offered outpatient, community-based behavioral health and substance abuse treatment, after school mentoring and outreach, family therapy, crisis intervention services, case management, foster care, transitional living and housing services, in-school prevention curricula, and juvenile justice programs.

Help youth flourish by donating at www.yos. org/donate or text @YOSCARES to 52014.

Or help empower youth to reach their goals, by calling 773-777-7112 to refer them for services.