Sorted by date Results 276 - 300 of 344
Even with her requisite 200 hours of training behind her, Piyorose Narakol felt ill equipped on her first day as an au pair. Placed with a host family in Virginia, the young woman from Thailand didn't know how to open a stroller, use a dishwasher or, most critically, attend to the 16-month-old left in her care. "I knew nothing about how to take care of the kids," said Narakol, who earned her 200 hours by volunteering in her mother's school. As owner of Asia Bridge Childcare,...
Suja Mathew's first encounter with Cook County Hospital, now known as John H. Stroger Hospital, wasn't as a physician or even as a medical student. It was as the daughter of a critical patient. That experience 30 years ago led Mathew from a career in foreign service to one dedicated to providing care for underserved populations. Today as chair of medicine for the Cook County Health System, Mathew considers it "a profound privilege" to help lead the team at the same facility...
There are many lessons to be learned from seeing new places and welcoming new experiences. For the Kapcar family of Hinsdale, the first lesson of their epic 2016 journey to visit America's national parks occurred just seconds after leaving their driveway in their rented motorhome. "We were RV rookies. We didn't know how to do it at all," said Carissa Kapcar, wife of Chris and mother to Jack, Lucy and Vivian, then 12, 8 and 5 years old, of their Preparing the RV and stocking...
Sandra Holt didn't intend to become an artist. Although she had enjoyed a career teaching art to others, the purses she began making in retirement were supposed to be nothing more than a hobby. "I just couldn't stop," said Holt, who pairs her talents as an artist with the sewing skills gained from her grandmother to create one-of-a-kind handbags. Using unique fabrics and cork from Portugal, she creates special occasion bags in a variety of shapes and sizes. The bags will be am...
How can folks explore the world without leaving home? Those who enjoy Hinsdale Public Library's travel presentations share a certain wanderlust. But these days, the Voyager's Travel Discussion Club, like everyone else, is staying pretty close to home. Program facilitators Mike Oetting and Susan McBride aren't letting the COVID-19 pandemic keep folks from enjoying the world's wonders and exploring its most sought-after destinations, even if that means doing so from the safety...
Like most people, Isabella Xu was finding it hard to escape the constant flow of news, headlines and updates regarding the spread of COVID-19. But despite the 24-7 onslaught of information, Xu could find very little about how the pandemic, the abrupt end to the traditional school year and the sudden need to stay at home was affecting people her age. Rather than sit and wonder, the soon-to-be Hinsdale Central sophomore took it upon herself to initiate a research project to...
As associate vice president of facilities at Governors State University, Hinsdale resident John Potempa has a lot on his plate, not the least of which is the construction of a state-of-the-art cafeteria where students can fill theirs. The nearly $4 million remodel of the dining hall, expected to be unveiled when school starts in late August, is perhaps the largest project currently under way on the University Park campus. "It's an unending job," Potempa said of his role as...
The Hines-Shah family of Hinsdale had been to India before. They had even attended an Indian wedding before. But they had never experienced anything quite like the four-day extravaganza of 2019. Jay and Katie Hines-Shah, along with children John and Betty, traveled to India over Thanksgiving last year for the wedding of Jay's cousin's son. Generations gathered for the traditional wedding celebration, which began with a family party at which the bride and groom's families...
For this year's high school graduates, the final summer before college isn't what they planned. With businesses closed, programs canceled and pools at limited capacity, these new Central alums had to find creative ways to pass the time and put money in their pockets. Molly, Lindsey and Allison Bruns have their grandma to thank for the business venture that has kept them busy - and their bank accounts in the black - this summer. Grandma asked her granddaughters to recreate a...
After months without a cut or color, clients of iDesign Salon and Blow Dry Bar in Hinsdale are in for a treat when they return for their first post-shutdown appointment. While its doors were closed to customers, the salon celebrated its 20th anniversary with a major remodel. "People are blown away by the way the salon looks," said Tami Abraham, who owns the business with husband and hairdresser Terry Abraham. Abraham said this is the third remodel in the 20 years since...
It takes more than food to care for a family, but many food assistance programs don't allow for purchases of the things needed to keep ourselves and our homes clean - things that during COVID-19 are more important than ever. "The hygiene pantry was our idea to help families in need with keeping their homes and selves clean during COVID," said Dr. Jennifer Swoyer, director of the Amita Health Adventist Medical Center Residency Program in La Grange and a resident of Hinsdale....
When Dina Patel's parents moved to the United States from western India in 1970, there was no cultural center or organization to help them connect with people who shared their culture. So they got creative. "They used to call random people with the same last name and made friends through that cultural bond," Patel said. Born and raised in the United States, Patel said she grew up in the traditions of her culture and the community her parents helped to build. A few years after...
Service to her community has always been part of Amy Wickstrom's life. Her new job as executive director for HCS Family Services, she said, is the culmination of decades spent helping those in need. "I just always wanted to help and to take care of people," said Wickstrom, who worked with March of Dimes, Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, and a San Francisco-based service for the homeless population before landing in Hinsdale. She also spent time working as a domestic violence...
Why is pelvic floor health important? In the early months of 2020, physical therapist Khushboo Joshi was busy tweaking a telehealth version of her new private practice as a means of providing pelvic health services to women living in places that lacked easy access to care. In March 2020, that place became Joshi's own home. A physical therapist for 18 years, Joshi opened her own private practice upon moving to Hinsdale earlier this year. Along with a telehealth site that would...
For more than two decades, people have gathered one spring morning each year to stroll together through the streets of Hinsdale in support of Wellness House. Known as the Walk for Wellness House, the event raises money for the organization's cancer support programs and awareness of the services provided for people with cancer and their loved ones. "It's something that the community has grown to expect and look forward to being part of," said Executive Director Lisa Kolavennu....
New Hinsdale Central High School graduate Vivian Eck wants to turn her love of fashion into a career, and she's not waiting until after college to get started. "I realized I didn't have to wait," said Eck, who was spurred to action when she read her senior letter - a letter she had written to herself as a high school freshman. Realizing that she still held the same dream of starting her own fashion company, she decided to waste no more time. In November 2019, Eck presented...
Since recently selling her Hinsdale home of eight years, real estate agent Anna Fiascone has some advice for other professionals in her field. Sell your own home. "It reminds you to have a lot of empathy for your clients," said Fiascone, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago. She said the experience of selling her beloved family home, searching for another and moving has made her even better equipped to manage and understand the stress felt by the homeowners...
Since the COVID-19 shutdown began in March, church service has looked different, yet quite familiar, to Dina Zeilstra and her family. Members of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Hinsdale, the Zeilstra family gathers in their home every Sunday to watch the live stream of their church's weekend service. It's a new weekend ritual practiced by church-going families of every denomination. With buildings shuttered to protect against the spread of coronavirus, churches everywhere turne...
Growing up in South Carolina, Brian Kenney loved visiting the ocean and admiring its creatures. And while Chicago doesn't offer much of an ocean view, Kenney has found a way to enjoy and support ocean wildlife while living in the Midwest. As Kenney transitioned into the role of CEO of Chicago-based GATX Corp. in 2005, he began looking for a single nonprofit organization to which he could offer his time and expertise. Already a "huge fan" of the Shedd Aquarium, Kenney said his...
Mira Albert's pediatric dental practice was preparing to close its doors even before the world shut down due to COVID-19. "By March 15 I realized we just needed to not be seeing patients anymore," Albert said. She said she closed the practice not only to protect her staff and patients, but also to conserve valuable personal protection equipment for those directly fighting the pandemic. So while businesses around her were proceeding as usual, she and her fellow doctors and staf...
Donna Vorreyer never wanted to be anything but a teacher. "I was one of those kids who loved school," she said. "There was never a doubt in my mind that this is what I wanted to do." In her 36-year teaching career, Vorreyer taught students from kindergartners through eighth-graders. But it was the middle schoolers who she came to enjoy most. "I started to realize how much more I could do with the older kids," said Vorreyer, who after a few years teaching in the lower grades...
As the rain continued to fall Sunday night, Jordan Koshgarian's phone continued to ring. Peoples' homes had water where it didn't belong, and they knew to turn to the century-old local business for help. "They want to get their basements cleaned out and dried out," said Koshgarian, vice president of Koshgarian Rug Cleaners Inc. of Hinsdale. Along with the rug cleaning services that remain at the heart of the family-owned business, water restoration is one in an array of...
Volunteer work has always been part of Dot McCarthy's life. From preparing breakfast for guests at the PADS homeless shelter to raking leaves for senior neighbors, McCarthy said she enjoys giving back to her community any way she can. Involvement in Community Memorial Foundation's second annual Young Community Changemakers program allowed her to take her commitment to service to a whole new level. The Young Community Changemakers program, also known as YC2, is a leadership...
For more than 50 years Hinsdaleans have turned to the experts at Vern Goers Greenhouse for their gardening needs. And while things are a bit different this time around, owner Phil Goers said he expects this year to be just as busy, if not busier, than every year before. While much of the world stood still in March and April, Goers and his staff were busy preparing for the months ahead by planting and growing seedlings and stocking the store with everything the at-home...
While businesses everywhere scramble to reinvent themselves in light of the COVID-19 lockdown, John Yurchak said it's pretty much business as usual at The Fruit Store in Hinsdale - and busier than ever. "We've always run a clean, tight ship," said Yurchak, co-owner of the family-owned business that has kept the people of Hinsdale supplied with fresh fruits and vegetables since 1982. He said delivering the best products with personal service has always been key. The result is a...
