Sorted by date Results 301 - 325 of 332
Locks on steamer trunks don't last forever. That simple fact was the start of a family business that's been around for 100 years. Kaehler Luggage got its start when Walter Gustav Kaehler, a Chicago locksmith, saw potential in not just fixing the trunks commonly used by travelers in the early 1900s, but selling them. "He got the brilliant idea to start stocking steamer trunks and opened up a store in Evanston," said Buzz Kaehler, the founder's grandson and the business'...
How does the West Suburban Giving Circle work? Since 1985 the Chicago Foundation for Women has worked to improve the community through its support of organizations that benefit women and girls. That work spread to the western suburbs with the launch of the West Suburban Giving Circle a little more than four years ago. The West Suburban Giving Circle is one of six organizations that share and drive the Chicago Foundation for Women's mission to "invest in women and girls as...
How should families observe Fire Prevention Week? Masks, helmets and air tanks are just some of the firefighting equipment that will be on display during the Hinsdale Fire Department's annual Fire Prevention Week Open House Saturday, Oct. 12. Firefighter/paramedic Andy Smith, a 19-year veteran of the Hinsdale Fire Department, said the department works year-round to help prevent fires and to teach people what to do when a fire occurs. Fire Prevention Week is a chance to drive...
Newcomer is a title that Heather Laughman has held more than once. And no matter how many times she finds herself as a resident of an unfamiliar new town, it's always a challenge to make it feel like home. As a member and former co-president of the Newcomers and Neighbors of the Greater Hinsdale Area, she tries to make that transition easier for those who are new to Hinsdale. Laughman said she remembers feeling a little lost, lonely and overwhelmed shortly after moving to...
What danger do coyotes present to people and pets? Even if you haven't seen one, chances are there are coyotes living in your neighborhood. Dan Thompson, ecologist with the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, said he believes a majority of the Chicago area's coyote population lives not in protected places like the forest preserve, but in suburban and urban areas. "Just because you've never seen them doesn't mean they aren't there," he said. Coyote sightings and even encoun...
Becoming an Eagle Scout was never really part of Jack Otten's plan. "I never gave it much thought," Otten said. "I was just enjoying being a Scout." But as he approached his final year of high school, the Hinsdale Central High School senior said earning Boy Scouting's highest rank suddenly seemed like a natural progression to his decade-long scouting career. So he set out in search of a project - a final step in every scout's journey toward the Eagle rank. Otten said he knew...
Part of what makes the holidays special are the traditions that adults and children alike come to know and love. One group of residents is bringing a special tradition back to life this holiday season, while two organizations are inviting residents to annual events that promise to help get folks in the Christmas spirit. Luminaria tradition reignited The residents of Golfview Hills will resurrect a longtime holiday tradition this year by setting out luminaria on Christmas Eve....
How does Delos therapy relieve muscle pain? Muscle stiffness doesn't show up on conventional medical imaging, but the discomfort that it causes for millions of Americans is quite real, and relief can be hard to find. That was the experience of Kenny Owens, an athlete and electrical engineer who sought relief from hard, painful muscles. After exhausting all forms of conventional treatment, he discovered that direct pressure administered from multiple angles gave him relief. "He...
When Alex Levesque approaches a group of young men in his 1967 Mustang, they tend to pay attention. Levesque knows that young men love cars, and for 12 years he's used that knowledge, and his muscle car collection, to steer them away from lives of drugs and crime and into jobs in automobile restoration. Levesque said having something to do isn't enough to keep young men off the streets and out of gangs. "They need something that they love to do," he said. Levesque is founder a...
How did teaching become a passion? No one gets to college alone. Every student is supported along the way by some exceptional teachers - like the ones recognized each year with the University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award. Included in this year's class of honored educators is Chris Wilbur. Now in his 17th year at Hinsdale Central High School, Wilbur was nominated by former student Amani Mryan, now a first-year student at UC. In her nomination, Mryan spoke of Wilbur's...
Nancy Nyheim thought she knew her community pretty well when she was introduced to HCS Family Services as a volunteer four years ago. Like many Hinsdaleans, she was surprised to learn that DuPage County is home to the second-highest food insecure population in the state. And also like many Hinsdaleans, Nyheim became committed to doing something about it. Now on staff as the volunteer coordinator at HCS, Nyheim said the second annual Blues, Brews & Barbecue event is an easy...
For three generations, Beth Burtt's family has called Hinsdale home. And for nearly four decades, Burtt has made a career of helping others to find their own home in the village. Burtt said it was her love for Hinsdale that sparked the start of her real estate career 38 years ago. The people have kept her here. "There are people I've helped find houses who I've become dear friends with," Burtt said. Once an owner of Brush Hill before the firm was purchased by her current firm,...
By Sandy Illian Bosch [email protected] The leaves might be changing and the temperatures might be dropping, but the real sign of autumn's arrival in Hinsdale is the annual Fall Family Fest. The villagewide community event happens from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Hinsdale Middle School. Heather Bereckis, Hinsdale's superintendent of parks and recreation, said the change in venue will allow plenty of room, inside and out, for the variety of activities...
Any reader will tell you that books can make the world a bigger place. For those who find it difficult to leave their homes, a book or a movie can provide a much-needed glimpse at a world beyond their own four walls. Pat Allen is one of three local women who bring the world to homebound Hinsdaleans in the form of books, movies and magazines each week. Organized by Hinsdale Public Library patron services assistant manager Martha Kennedy, the library's Doorstep Delivery service...
Before Ivy Rehab could open its clinic in Hinsdale, it needed a physical therapist who could provide the quality of care that Ivy clients expect and deserve. That's how things work at Ivy, William Haskell, director of business development - Midwest operations. First comes the talent, then comes the clinic. "We find the person first," said Haskell, who lives in Hinsdale with his wife and three children. Kim Connelly-Grote has been the face of the Ivy Rehab clinic at 100...
What is the goal or your new evening prayer group? Mike Stone of Hinsdale is a chaplain and an ordained minister. But he doesn't believe that worship has to take place inside a church. As far as he's concerned, worship can take place any time and anywhere, including after hours in a bakery. Throughout his adult life, Stone has gained support, inspiration and a deeper understanding of his faith through his involvement in men's prayer groups and Bible studies. When he recently...
Kari Galassi has spent far more time on a soccer field than a stage. Yet somehow she has found herself at the helm of YES! Productions, a new theater program for young people in and around Hinsdale High School District 86. On her path to showbiz, the mother of three spent time leading the charge for the school district's recent referendum. As president of the Vote Yes committee, Galassi said she got to know her community, and the entire District 86 community, on a new level....
What role does relaxation play in fighting cancer? A battle against cancer involves so much more than a patient's body, doctors and drugs. It also affects the person's mind, emotions, family and friends. This reality is the focus of Wellness House in Hinsdale, and of its special event planned for Saturday, Sept. 7, at Wellness House, 131 N. County Line Road. The Mind:Body Fest will showcase the many services and programs available at Wellness House to help patients,...
Hinsdale Central senior Tess Klygis isn't one to "just wing it." Whether it's a test, an audition or a performance, she likes to be prepared. And that's exactly why she decided to be part of the Hinsdale Central Drama Club's first production of the year - an improv show guided by the experts from CSzTheater Chicago. The experience has pushed Klygis out of her comfort zone while teaching her what she believes to be valuable tools not only for an actress, but for anyone. She...
The Klinger family's annual excursions to destinations far and wide began when Sylvia and Bob's children, David and Katharine, were very young. "We started in the late '90s and we just kept going," Sylvia said. And whether the destination is Ireland, Mexico or anywhere else, the overarching purpose of every Klinger family trip is the same - to disconnect from everyday life and to spend time connecting with each other. "Once we get on that plane, we can breathe," Sylvia said....
Football has never been just a game for Corey Huth. It's an experience that brings a whole community together. All three of Huth's children have been involved in the Hinsdale Central High School football program - her two sons as players and her daughter as a cheerleader And throughout her children's high school careers, Huth has been involved, too, as an active member of the Hinsdale Central Boosters and the Hinsdale Central Football Club. Now, as youngest child Charlie...
How should families ready for the start of school? With just one week left before the first day of the new school year, many children might be tempted to cram as much summer as possible into their final days of vacation. But Jessica Schultz, a teacher on special assignment with Hinsdale Elementary District 181, suggests easing in with a few simple but important changes in the week before classes begin For most kids, the first thing on the back-to-school to-do list should be...
Whether you're looking for drama, mystery or an emotional musical experience, it can be found on a stage not far from home. New shows are opening at theaters throughout the area, offering Hinsdaleans and their neighbors quality live entertainment without the trip to the city. Here are few to consider: • 'Agatha Christie's Murder in the Studio' Sept. 5-14 Theatre of Western Springs 4384 Hampton Ave. Theatre of Western Springs opens its 91st season with a trio of mysteries by Ag...
While temperatures were hitting all-time highs in Illinois, a group of teachers and administrators from Hinsdale District 181 were wearing winter coats to ward off a winter chill. July is winter in South Africa, where a group from District 181 spent nearly two weeks of their summer break. Funded by the Casten Family Foundation and Tom and Judy Casten, the trip was an extension of a years-long cultural and professional exchange program between the teachers of Hinsdale and...
A month without a phone, video games or a computer is a pretty harsh punishment by any American teenager's standards. But for Boone and Cooper Brackett of Hinsdale, it's the best part of summer. Boone, 16, and Cooper, 14, just returned from their annual month-long wilderness retreat at Cheley Colorado Camp in Estes Park, Colo., just outside Rocky Mountain National Park. As participants in the camp's Trails End program, their home for the month wasn't a cabin or even a tent....
