Sorted by date Results 201 - 225 of 344
The best thing about John Giannelli's job as Hinsdale fire chief is the opportunity to help someone in need. The worst part, Giannelli said, is witnessing that need for help. Inspired by a cousin who worked as a firefighter in Pennsylvania, Giannelli became a cadet with his hometown department in LaGrange Park when he was 18 years old and started as a firefighter/paramedic in Hinsdale in 1991. Working his way up through the ranks of the department, he was named chief five...
Alana Wett's 32-year career is driven by one simple fact. "I just really like to help people," said Wett, the new director of philanthropy at The Community House. Wett, who joined the staff of the Hinsdale nonprofit in June, said her primary job is to raise money for the facility's wide range of programming. But she also wants to draw awareness to all that The Community House has to offer, and to the fact that all Community House programs, from youth recreation to family...
Hinsdale is a friendly, welcoming place, and not just for people. Through the efforts of the Hinsdale Rotary Club and its many community partners, the village is becoming an increasingly attractive place for monarch butterflies. Scattered throughout town, in public places and in private gardens, are habitats designed to attract and nurture monarchs and other pollinators, thanks in no small part to the Hinsdale Rotary Club's latest initiative: Operation Pollination. Hinsdale...
In the days following news of the car accident that took Kendall Pickering's life in December 2020, swimmers and coaches from throughout the Chicago area and even beyond reached out to the Hinsdale Central team. It is those teams, said Hinsdale Central varsity swim coach Bob Barber, who will participate in the first competitive event to be held at Hinsdale Central's new Don Watson Aquatics Center starting with diving at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28. Swimming competitions begin...
If there's a new pergola, patio or pool being built anywhere in Hinsdale, Lourdes Garcia knows all about it. As the village's building inspector and code enforcement officer, it's Garcia's job to see that every project is being done properly and with as little inconvenience to neighbors as possible. An employee of the village for about eight years, Garcia said she never dreamed that a job managing a large apartment building in Woodridge would lead to where she is today. "It...
"What I did over summer vacation" is a quintessential essay topic when kids return to school in the fall. If these teachers were to receive the same assignment, they certainly would earn a high grade. Miss Allen becomes Mrs. Penn Teacher Perry Allen returned to her fifth year at Oak School with a new name and an exciting story to tell. Allen met Wilson Penn when the two were third-graders at Oak School. They remained friends and classmates until high school, when the two...
After decades spent living and working in Hinsdale, Matt Miller has explored just about every corner of the village. Except for one. A musician since his teen years, Miller said he has long dreamed of playing on the Uniquely Thursdays stage. It's a dream he will see come true tonight, Aug. 19. "Getting a gig is one thing. Getting a show that's a part of your life, it makes such a difference," said Miller, who will perform with the rock cover band Reckless from 6 to 9 p.m. in...
Anyone who has attended Hinsdale's Fourth of July celebration, sifted through the parks brochure or clicked on the village's website has witnessed firsthand the work of Sammy Hanzel. As recreation and marketing communications manager for the village, Hanzel not only plans a host of special events but also lets people know about them through banners, website posts, brochures and flyers. "If it's printed, I probably worked on it," said Hanzel, who joined Hinsdale's staff five...
Grace Richards and Vyktoria Saulis have always found ways to share their love of song with the world around them. A pandemic wasn’t going to change that. Richards and Saulis are co-founders of Song for a Smile, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing joy with personalized video recordings of requested songs, as well as concerts, performed and recorded by Richards, Saulis and their musical friends. Richards has been singing for nursing home residents since she was 11 years old. B...
Meredith Jaye is new to Hinsdale, but only to those who haven't made the trip to the flagship store in Glen Ellyn. "Hinsdale just seemed like a logical location for the next spot," said Kim Fuller, owner of M & Em's Children's Boutique and Meredith Jaye in Glen Ellyn. Fuller's latest retail creation opened at 48 S. Washington St., in May. It offers carefully selected women's clothing, accessories for wardrobe and home, as well as unique gifts. "We're wrapping gifts all day...
As Hinsdale's village planner, Bethany Salmon is helping the village prepare for the future while keeping one eye solidly focused on the past. Salmon's job is to protect the buildings that make Hinsdale special while exploring opportunities for expansion and improvement. Developers and business owners with hopes of bringing projects to the village must first pass their ideas past Salmon. "We're not interested in growth for the sake of growth," said Salmon, who was drawn to...
For many parents, a child's impending high school graduation is filled with anticipation of what is to come. But as Matt Friedman approached the end of his years at Hinsdale Central High School, his parents worried about what the future had in store. Diagnosed with autism, Matt lacked the social skills and executive functioning needed for a traditional college experience, said his dad, Hinsdale resident David Friedman. But he knew his son had skills that would be valuable in t...
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,"...
