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Why have Christmas cards endured as a holiday tradition? In 1943, according to London's Victoria and Albert Museum, an artist was commissioned to create 1,000 engraved holiday cards by Sir Henry Cole, who would later become the museum's first director. Recipients saw a joyful family toasting the holidays and flanked by images of charitable acts. A caption read, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You." The gesture is believed to have launched the practice of exchanging...
Jamie Quinn got her start in real estate seven years ago, but selling Hinsdale to homebuyers is something she's been preparing for her whole life. "There's probably no one who would know Hinsdale better," said Quinn, who was raised in Hinsdale and returned to her hometown two years ago to raise her family and grow her career in real estate. She and husband Thomas brought their two daughters to Hinsdale in 2019. Among other things, Quinn said she enjoys walks to downtown,...
Following the 1990 founding of Hinsdale's Wellness House, the agency needed a reliable stream of funding to help sustain its mission of supporting cancer patients. Sisters Shelia Botti and Nancy Keenan and their friends Kathy Ryan and Suzy Stout recognized that their shared interest in pre-owned household treasures could translate into an enterprise furnishing resources for hope and healing. They launched The Courtyard consignment shop in 1991, a move Botti half-jokingly said...
What makes a great Thanksgiving dessert? Fancy, elaborate desserts certainly have their place at the holiday table. But they aren't what comes to mind when pastry chef Toni Marie Cox thinks of Thanksgiving. "It's a fall holiday, so in my mind, it's rustic things," said Cox, owner of Toni Patisserie & Café in Hinsdale. "It's why pies are so appropriate. It's also about the fall harvest." Apples are quite popular in pies, but Cox is also using them this year in a French apple...
What's it like returning to live shows? A canceled Hinsdale Central musical in 2020 and an exclusively virtual one last spring has primed students and audiences for a theater reunion. That nationwide longing prompted Music Theatre International to release free-of-charge nearly four dozen hit show tunes from productions such as "Ragtime," "Rent," "Newsies" and "Little Shop of Horrors" for a one-time, one-weekend opportunity to help revive local theaters. "If you want to do...
After 15 years as a stay-at-home mom and a short stint in the real estate world, Jacqueline Gale wasn't sure where life would lead her next in early 2018. A chat with her cousin, Kevin Votava of the Hinsdale Fire Department (now retired), set Gale on the path toward the front desk at Hinsdale Village Hall and a job that she thoroughly enjoys. Gale was hired as a part-time finance clerk in March 2018 and went full time nearly a year later. As finance clerk, Gale is the first...
Sisters and Hinsdale residents Trish Injaychock and Courtney McCarthy understand the elements of an unforgettable vacation, and their clients trust them to deliver. As the owners and founders of Hinsdale-based Elysian Travel, an upscale boutique agency, Injaychock and McCarthy draw on their backgrounds as a large-scale event planner and global brand manager for a hotelier, respectively, to plan "exclusive experiences" for people. "There's nothing better than when a client...
After more than a year of virtual performances, the Nazareth Academy theater program returns to the stage Oct. 28-30 with "Clue." Inspired by the well-known board game, "Clue" is a murder mystery with a funny side. The 15-member cast of "Clue" includes a pair of juniors from Hinsdale who are excited to be back on the stage. Emma Francis and Harrison Gianares shared with The Hinsdalean some details about the show and their love of the stage. Emma Francis What do you have in...
Why is earth science important? Years ago Hinsdale Middle School science teacher Katie Garvey was at her childhood Orland Park home when she felt the structure sway from a passing train. Except there was no train. "I didn't think it was an earthquake at the time. It was really little," she said. As denizens of the Midwest, Hinsdaleans can be thankful that major seismic activity and tsunamis do not rank among natural disaster threats. But the unpredictable nature of the...
How do support groups help those on the cancer journey? Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are told they have cancer. Yet when the diagnosis hits close to home, it can leave the patient and their loved ones feeling isolated and alone. Support for patients and families dealing with cancer comes in many forms at Hinsdale's Wellness House. Along with classes about topics relevant to navigating the journey through cancer, Wellness House offers dozens of ways for...
How can we stay healthy this flu season? The 2020-21 seasonal flu season was among the most mild ever thanks to COVID-19 safety protocols and a population primed to get flu shots. But as people's defenses slip after 18 months of pandemic prevention, medical professionals like Dr. Nishi Sahgal, director for infectious disease at AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Hinsdale, warn this flu season, with COVID-19 still circulating, could be much worse. "It can certainly happen,"...
While her mother was building a career helping people buy and sell houses in and around Hinsdale, Suzy Marcus was helping owners turn those houses into homes. Five years ago, the two came together to offer buyers and sellers the best they both have to offer. “I’ve been in the design business for over 25 years,” said Marcus, daughter of real estate agent Suzy Styfer. Styfer has been selling homes for 25 years. “She’s the seasoned professional,” Marcus said. Combined wi...
What does the American Legion do for vets? Last weekend's 20th anniversary 9/11 commemorations reminded Americans both of the tremendous loss suffered and the stirring acts of heroism exhibited in the face of unimaginable terror, an occasion now observed as Patriots Day. Today, Sept. 16, is also a tribute to patriots. American Legion Day marks the 1919 birth of the oldest veterans organization in the U.S. Hinsdale American Legion Post 250 was among the first chapters, then...
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...
Why is weather fascinating? With New Orleans and the Louisiana coast picking up the pieces after Hurricane Ida's devastating blow, severe weather events are top of mind for many. September is National Preparedness Month, a federal government designation to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. To mark the occasion, Paul Sirvatka, meteorology professor at College of DuPage, will present the virtual...
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...
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...
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...
At the time of the infamous Brown's Chicken Massacre in Palatine in early 1993, Hinsdale Police Chief Brian King was a detective with the Wilmette Police Department. The horrific incident, in which seven restaurant employees were killed by two robbers, led to groundbreaking interjursidictional collaboration to solving murder cases - and a new opportunity for King. "I was lucky enough to get on a start-up task force that supervised homicide investigations for the towns just nor...
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...
Dan Deeter was working as an engineering consultant on private construction projects in 2008 when the Great Recession took a wrecking ball to the market. "I was designing and developing subdivisions for a variety of different home builders," he said. "When the bottom dropped out, there was a whole bunch of civil engineers who were out of jobs." Deeter decided to explore the municipal sector, applying for the village engineer position in Hinsdale. He was asked if he planned to...
Hinsdale has been a Tree City USA community for nearly 30 years, due in no small part to John Finnell. As superintendent of parks and forestry for the village of Hinsdale, Finnell leads an eight-member team that is charged with the care of almost 15,000 village-owned trees. "The village is like living in a park," said Finnell, who is in his 15th year as a part of the Hinsdale village staff. Having long admired Hinsdale, its trees and the village's commitment to caring for its...
Directing a municipality's development requires keen negotiating skills, according to Robb McGinnis. "You're trying to thread the needle between helping to protect the status quo in a neighborhood and helping the builder and homeowner get the home built," he explained. McGinnis joined Hinsdale's staff as building commissioner in 2006 and added community development director to his portfolio in 2009. He said his department is responsible for regulating development within the...
The year a teenage Brad Bloom reported to his first day of work at the village of Hinsdale, the country was celebrating its bicentennial, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak formed the Apple Computer Co. and folks were flocking to theaters to see the first film in what would become the "Rocky" franchise. Forty-five years later, Bloom is still coming to work in Hinsdale every day, and he wouldn't have it any other way. "The days are full and the pace is fast, but I like it," said...
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...
