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One day before retiring from his 62-year career in Hinsdale, barber Nick Rossi was still gaining new customers. As Steve Zilk of Willowbrook sat in Rossi's chair for the first time on July 29, he soon became aware that he was in the care of a local legend. People waved as they passed by the storefront's window on Hinsdale Avenue and longtime regulars dropped in with farewells and wishes of good luck as Rossi carefully trimmed Zilk's hair to his new customer's satisfaction....
Members of the Hinsdale Chorale had long anticipated the group's 20th anniversary celebration, which would poetically occur in the spring of 2020. But like so many things in that year, the milestone passed without the fanfare it deserved. The 20th anniversary concert is one of three that the chorale was forced to cancel while the world sheltered against COVID-19. Longtime member Kristi Freitager said it's by far the longest stretch she's ever endured without singing. But the...
Living across the ocean from your family is hard enough. Add a global pandemic, and keeping in touch becomes a real challenge, especially for those who aren't yet old enough to have their own cell phones and social media accounts. Eliana Villone wasn't about to let COVID-19 get between her and her young cousins living in Italy. So while she was unable to visit in person, she found another way not only to keep in touch, but to help her young cousins learn English in her...
When Mark Pelkowski began his career with the Hinsdale water and sewer department, he knew nothing about the village and not much more about water and sewer. But 20 years later, there's not much Pelkowski doesn't know about the system that keeps water flowing in and out of Hinsdale's homes, businesses and public buildings. Pelkowski is part of a five-member team charged with maintaining the village's water mains, storm sewers and sanitary sewers. The community pool also falls...
The sparks that flew during Christian Goers' honeymoon to South Africa weren't all for his new wife. As the couple celebrated their new marriage in 2008, Goers discovered a fascination in the country's many bird species, igniting an interest that would last for years to come. "I saw birds I had never seen before," said Goers, who has since traveled the world with his eye to the sky. He said there are new and different birds to be seen wherever he travels, including back home...
Running for office wasn't always part of Julie Renehan's plan, but doing what she could to help her community was. In 2017, she determined the best way to do that was to pursue a seat on the DuPage County Board. "I decided I was going to take my community service to the next level," said Renehan, who had volunteered in many capacities, including with the Hinsdale Junior Women's Club and as an election judge prior to placing her name on the 2018 ballot. After a successful run...
It's called vacation Bible school, but there's nothing restful about the fast-paced schedule kept by the 120 children attending this summer's weeklong event at Hinsdale United Methodist Church. For 2.5 hours each day, children have been keeping busy with a variety of activities, all geared toward strengthening their relationships with Jesus Christ. Emma Francis first attended vacation Bible school at Hinsdale United Methodist Church as an elementary school student. Now a junio...
Married to a professional chef, David Schwalb wasn't about to compete with his wife's kitchen skills, so he took his cooking game outdoors. "If it's something to be barbecued, it's my area," said Schwalb, who has been perfecting the arts of grilling and smoking for about 10 years. His primary tools are a gas grill, which he uses for grill jobs, and a Big Green Egg for smoking meats. "Ribs are probably my favorite thing to do," Schwalb said. This specialty dish requires the use...
Hinsdale has no river running through it - or even a large body of water within its village limits. Yet the suburb is home not only to its own rowing club, but to the 2021 Midwest Rowing Championships' second-place team. Recent Hinsdale Central graduates Alex Fuchs and Christian Thompson recently rowed their way to the finals on Dillon Lake in Nashport, Ohio. The Midwest Rowing Championships brought teams from several states to compete in a variety of events. Fuchs and Thompso...
Golf is to Ron Christoph as the mail is to the U.S. Postal Service. No matter the weather or the time of year, Christoph likely can be found on a golf course. A member at Cog Hill in Lemont, Christoph plays every day, often switching things up between the club's four courses. With two of the four open year-round, Christoph's clubs rarely get a chance to rest. Growing up in Texas, Christoph started playing golf in high school. Decades later, the game still presents a challenge...
If summer is a time for leisure and soaking in the sun, no one told the folks working on the renovations at Hinsdale Central High School. The improvements now underway are part of a $140 million facilities improvement project approved by voters in April 2019. The plan includes projects at Hinsdale Central High School, Hinsdale South High School, and the district's new Transition Center in Burr Ridge. The leased building will provide an area where young adults with special...
No matter how much time John and Karen Ochoa find to spend on their sailboat, it never seems like enough, John Ochoa said. He purchased his first boat with his brother-in-law in 1998, and for years enjoyed family adventures aboard the craft. Now that he and Karen are empty-nesters, the couple still take every chance they get to spend an afternoon, evening or even a full weekend enjoying Chicago from the vantage point of Lake Michigan. "It's a really unique way to see the...
Looking back on her adventures is one of the many things that Barbara Riegger loves about travel. But sometimes, photos and videos just don't tell the story. "I wanted a journal that is easy to use and doesn't take a huge amount of time to fill with content," said Riegger. Instead of simply wishing for the perfect travel journal, she decided to use her vast experience as a traveler to create one of her own. "Travel. Experience. REMEMBER: A fun and inspirational travel diary,"...
Everyone is just one storm, one fire or one accident away from needing the services of the American Red Cross. That's why Hinsdale resident Hilary Chidi makes membership on the organization's board part of his already busy life. An executive vice president at TransUnion and a father of two young boys, Chidi recently joined more than 30 civic and corporate leaders on the volunteer board of the American Red Cross of Illinois. "The importance of the work they do cannot be...
There are few days between May and September that don't include at least one trek to the Hinsdale pool for Karl and Jean Meyer. "We go there for a lot of different reasons," said Karl, not the least of which is to swim laps. "It exercises every muscle in your body," he said, while also being gentle on joints. And it doesn't aggravate Karl's ongoing back issue. Thanks to indoor pools like the one at their gym in Countryside, the Meyers can enjoy their favorite form of exercise...
With flowers as the palette and her yard as the canvas, Janet Roxworthy thinks of her garden as a painting in progress. "I'm always tweaking. There's always something to do, always something to change," said Roxworthy, who has been transforming the landscape around her Hinsdale home for nearly a decade. Her yard is filled with ornamental grasses, knockout roses, coneflowers and coral bells. Hostas and ferns add life to the shady spots, and hydrangeas, lavender and clematis...
A long walk can be a great way to sort out one's thoughts and make plans for the future. During his gap year between high school and college, William Seppanen of Hinsdale did just that. After graduating from Hinsdale Central High School in 2020, Seppanen spent much of the next year hiking all 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Starting out in Maine, Seppanen had made his way to West Virginia by the fall. After the snow had time to thaw, he hiked the other half this spring,...
Andrea Lamberg remembers the exact moment that set her on the path toward her new job as Hinsdale's finance director. Lamberg said she was about 10 years old when she became enthralled with the paper that her older sister was using for her homework. The ledger was filled with lines and boxes just waiting to be filled with numbers - numbers about which Lamberg was eager to learn. "I was fascinated. I wanted to do whatever that was," Lamberg said. That early version of a modern...
Thursday is about to resume its place as everyone's favorite night of the week in Hinsdale. The concert series Uniquely Thursdays is back, offering, in addition to live music, local food vendors, beer and wine, and walkable access to all downtown Hinsdale has to offer. "Everyone is excited," said Eva Field, president and CEO of the Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce. While other towns are scrambling to create summer fun for their residents and neighbors, Field said the chamber's...
When you're working for nearly 18,000 people, it's difficult to know what any given day might bring. Whether it's filling a pothole, trimming a parkway tree or clearing an icy street, George Peluso said his goal every day is to provide excellent customer service to everyone who calls Hinsdale home. As director of public services and engineering, Peluso oversees the staff responsible for the village's roads, water system, parks and more. Everything from road repairs to...
Volunteering and community service are important parts of Shriya Mehta's life. Period. The Hinsdale Central High School rising senior recently received the National Community Service Awards Ambassador Award from the United Nations Association after logging more than 100 hours of service between June 2020 and April 2021. Many of those hours were spent at the head of Hinsdale's local chapter of Period. Period is an international organization that strives to eliminate period...
The unofficial start of summer 2021 coincided with the official opening of the 45th season of the Hinsdale Farmers Market. Launched on Memorial Day, the outdoor market will host more than two dozen vendors from Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin every week through October. From 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Monday, Burlington Park transforms from tranquil suburban oasis to a bustling outdoor market filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh eggs, regionally produced honey,...
Years before she would earn the title of doctor, Kristin Tvrdik found the career she was looking for at the Hinsdale Humane Society. While working at the shelter as a summer intern, Tvrdik discovered her professional path. "After that experience, I knew for sure I wanted to go to veterinary school," said Tvrdik. More specifically, the experience convinced her to focus on shelter medicine. As medical director at Hinsdale Humane Society, she's seen that plan come to fruition....
When Cathy Coyne Hofmann discovered that Southern Illinois University offered a degree in communications, she knew she had found a path for her education and a channel for her love of language. A chatty child, Hofmann said her report cards often included comments about her tendency to talk in class. But as an adult, she found a way to turn her gift of gab and endless energy into a successful career and a resource for her community. Now retired from her role in marketing and...
What does it mean to be recognized by Forbes? When Carrie French entered the world of wealth management, she was in a field dominated by men. "When I started, I didn't even know any female financial advisors," French said. Times have changed. Twenty years later, French has a female boss whose boss is also a woman. Earlier this year, French became one of 29 J.P. Morgan Wealth Management advisors to be named among Forbes' 1,000 Top Women Wealth Advisors for 2021. Seeing how far...
