Sentinel 12-21-16

DECEMBER 21, 2016 VOL. 22 ISSUE 2 #shorewoodsentinel SHOREWOODSENTINEL.COM

from the Shorewood Sentinel

BULLETIN

Holiday Hours Area Post OfďŹ ces closed Dec. 26, Jan. 2 SEE PAGE 3

BUSINESS

Dave Says Knock out higher interest debt SEE PAGE 12

SPORTS Up for the challenge Joliet West is ready for a run at Pontiac title SEE PAGE 7

PAGE 2 | PA GE 2 | WEDNESDAY, DECEM BER 21, 20 16 | SHO REWO ODS E N TIN E L.COM

INSTAGRAM: Readers, attending a game in your area? Take a photo and tag @buglenewspapers for a chance to be featured!

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

3

COUNTY NEWS

County offers winter tips, warming centers Be cognizant of the potential risks posed by wind chill As temperatures plummet and a prolonged deep freeze is anticipated, Will County Executive Larry Walsh encourages residents to follow these tips and utilize local warming centers if necessary.

A complete list of warming shelters is listed on the home page of the Will County Emergency Management Agency’s website at www. willcountyema.org.

Since many of these locations are open upon request, residents should contact the shelter to ensure availability.

“I urge any resident who is in need to use these warming centers around the county,” Walsh said.

“By using these centers and other common sense practices, our residents can protect themselves and their family from the dangers of these harsh temperatures.”

Risks include hypothermia illnesses brought on by exposure to winter winds and cold can be fatal if treatment is lacking. Hypothermia usually occurs when the body temperature drops below 95 de-

grees. Seniors and the very young are most susceptible, but anyone is a susceptible to these extreme temperatures.

Symptoms include: shivering, drowsiness, slurred speech, hallucinations and shallow breathing.

Seek medical attention immediately if these symptoms occur.

Be cognizant of the potential risks posed by wind chill. For example, an air temperature of 20 degrees F feels like -10 F on exposed skin if the wind is blowing at 20 miles per hour.

Frostbite is another concern.

Frostbitten skin is whitish, stiff, and numb, but not necessar-

ily painful. Children may be especially susceptible because they can become so occupied with play that they tend to ignore physical symptoms.

Do not rub frostbitten skin because further friction may increase the damage and slow recovery.

Treat frostbitten skin with warm water for 20-to-40 minutes and seek medical attention immediately.

You should routinely avoid shoveling snow unless you are in good physical condition.

If you find it difficult to breathe while shoveling, quit immediately and go indoors where it’s warm.

Remember that overexertion can cause a heart attack.

Snowmobiling and skating can be great winter activities, but remember to use common sense.

If you plan to skate on a lake or pond, remember that the ice should have a uniform thickness of at least 4 inches and never skate alone.

You should never use a snowmobile on lakes or rivers without knowing the ice conditions.

To be safe, there should be eight inches of clear ice.

Also remember that heavy or drifting snow can obscure fences, tree stumps and uneven ground.

COMMUNITY BULLETIN

Area Post Offices closed Dec. 26, Jan. 2 Open Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve Because Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on Sunday this year; Post Offices will be closed on Monday, Dec. 26 and Monday, Jan. 2, the observed federal holidays.

Only Priority Mail Express will be delivered on the actual holidays as well as the observed holidays. All Post Offices will be open and regular mail delivery will resume Dec. 27 and Jan. 3.

All Post Offices in the Chicago area will be open Christmas Eve,

Dec. 24 and New Year’s Eve, December 31, but many will shorten retail lobby hours and close at noon.

Revised hours will be posted at each Post Office and commercial customers are asked to check with their business mail entry units for specific information about holiday hours of operation.

Customers are encouraged to go online to usps.com or call 800-ASK-USPS for information about specific Post Offices.

Blue collection boxes having final collection times before 12 p.m. will not be affected. However, boxes with final collection times scheduled after 12 p.m. may be picked

up early. Therefore, mail should be deposited into these mailboxes by 12 p.m. for early pickup on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31.

Postal services, including buying stamps and gifts, paying for postage and Post Office Boxes, and other transactions are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at usps. com.

Additional Postal Service holiday information and shipping deadlines can be found at usps. com/holidaynews.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

MORE INFO All Post Offices, stations and branches in ZIP Codes 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607 and 608 will open at their regular times and close at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, with the following exceptions: • • •

Closing at 2 pm: Joliet Closing at 3 pm: Bolingbrook, Woodridge Closing at 5 pm: Naperville, Plainfield,

FORUM

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Giving thanks for the season As CEO of Joliet Area Community Hospice, I’m proud that we are one of only a few hospices in the area that offers a pediatric hospice and palliative care program. Children served are from 0 to 21 and suffer from a variety of life threatening illnesses. Sixteen children have been cared for in our program this past year. Each year our pediatric staff hosts a holiday party for our pediatric families. The party took place Saturday, December 3 at JACH. Our staff chose names of patients and their siblings and purchased gifts for them. Two families whose children died while in our program in past years also donated gifts for our current families.

These gifts are not always typical toys for a child but may be sheets, pajamas

or needed medical supplies. During the party, the children visit stations to decorate cookies and make an ornament.

We appreciate Joliet Junior College photography students who donate their time and talent by taking family portraits. Each family received a framed photo that day and additional photos will be mailed later. F amilies sometimes comment that this is the first family photo they have had in a long time, if ever.

And they share just how relaxing it is to be at a party just for them; not afraid what others might think if their child acts out, needs a feeding tube or needs to be suctioned.

Thank you to Terry D’Arcy, of D’Arcy Buick GMC, for providing the pizza

again this year and Extreme Dancers Dance Studios for providing the entertainment for the second straight year.

Patients in the Joliet Area Community Hospice pediatric program are cared for in their own homes and occasionally in our Hospice Home.

The pediatric program is subsidized through fundraisers and generous donations from individuals.

If you would like more information about the Joliet Area Community Hospice Pediatric program, please call 815740-4104.

MARY K. SHEEHAN, CEO JOLIET AREA COMMUNITY HOSPICE

COLUMN >> TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Act Like You’re Sick: Perfect antidote to holiday stress Like a lot of guys, I absolutely hate to admit when I’m getting sick. I take it as a sign of weakness, of mortality. But at some point, around the time I can’t breathe or taste anything, I have to come to terms with myself and admit that I’m not well. And when I do, something amazing happens: I start to take care of myself and eventually feel better.

START BEFORE YOU HAVE TO As long as we ignore all of our body’s warning signs, we remain unhealthy.

But the simple steps of acknowledging the problem and taking some basic actions make all the difference. Removed from denial, we are free to sound the alarms and send all of our reinforcements to put us back together. We allow ourselves to sleep more, eat healthier, take a break from work, and even see the people we care about more often.

The irony is that the acts of a sick person are a foundation for long-term health, both physically and mentally.

The problem is that we don’t usually start them unless there’s already something wrong. Instead of waiting for our bodies and minds to fail, I want to recommend a better approach: Act like you’re sick right now. You will get all the same benefits without the misery of actually being ill.

CHECK YOUR INTERNAL RAIN BARREL Anything that presents a threat to our safety or wellbeing is a stress. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors’ stress-

TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

BY JASON FLORIN

ors were physical in nature, centered around life-or-death situations. Today, most stress comes from low stakes encounters, such as work and relationship difficulties, or simply trying to survive the holidays.

However, the potential for harm is greater than ever because these kinds of routine events bombard us on a daily basis, and they typically go unnoticed.

The Centers for Disease Control suggests that close to 90 percent of our illnesses are linked to stress, from the common cold to chronic pain. In fact, a good argument can be made that successfully managing stress is the most important task of our adult lives.

Like a rain barrel, our stress accumulates over time. This means that you may be unaware of any harmful effects until the internal barrel spills over. Once it does, you can’t undo the consequences.

A better strategy involves knowing your triggers, the conditions that cause

you the most stress. Some can be avoided, while others can be dealt with better.

Of course some stress is unavoidable – and even helpful – so there’s no use in trying to take advantage of your sick role for too long.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING Regardless of your religious affiliation, family history, or shopping preferences, the holiday season inevitably brings with it moments of wonder, as well as a full plate of stress. In the end, no one else will take care of you if you don’t do it for yourself.

This is the mantra of all of the helping professions, from nursing to counseling, yet it is one of the most poorly followed pieces of advice. The result is that a lot of qualified people leave their jobs because they don’t take care of themselves.

If you want to continue experiencing the same results of unmanaged stress – feeling sick, tired, and lacking drive – then keep doing the same thing. But trust me when I say that being stubborn about your health is a punishment that will stay with you long past the new year.

Jason Florin is an associate professor of Human Services at College of DuPage and has over 15 years of experience working in mental health and substance abuse treatment. He holds degrees in Health Science and Counseling, and he is a licensed professional counselor. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent any other institution or organization.

COUNTY

NEWS FROM THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

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COMMUNITY BULLETIN >> SAFETY

Cooking safety during the holidays If a fire starts in a pan or pot, put a lid on it or slide a cookie sheet over it To keep a cooking fire from ruining your holiday celebration the Plainfield Fire Protection District has the following safety tips for you: Stand by your pan and keep an eye on what you fry.

Stay in the kitchen when cooking on your range or cook-top so you can monitor the food you’re cooking. Most cooking fires are caused by unattended cooking.

When using a turkey fryer always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for safe and proper use.

Always use a turkey fryer outdoors but not on a wooden deck or inside

a garage. Use a turkey fryer with thermostat controls to ensure the oil does not become overheated.

Thaw your turkey completely, ice on the turkey will cause the hot oil to splatter.

Make sure you don’t overfill the fryer with oil to prevent the hot oil from overflowing when you add the turkey.

Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the turkey fryer at all times.

Put a lid on it. If a fire starts in a pan or pot, put a lid on it or slide a cookie sheet over it and turn the heat off. Leave the pan or pot cov-

MORE INFO

•

Other safety tips to keep in mind include: •

• •

Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove, hot foods and hot liquids.

Make sure your floor is kept clear so you don’t trip while carrying hot food or liquids.

Turn pot handles towards the back of the stove or cook-top so they don’t get bumped into and knocked down or

ered while it cools down. If the fire does not immediately go out call 9-1-1. Don’t try to carry or move the pan or pot; leave it alone until it cools down. Never use water on a grease fire, doing so will cause the fire to flare up and spread.

• •

•

pulled down by a child.

Keep the area around the stove clear of food packaging, paper towels, dish cloths and anything else that can burn.

Clean up spills as they happen.

Make sure electric cords from small appliances such as coffee makers are not dangling off the counter where they might get snagged and knocked down or pulled down by a child.

Keep knives in a safe

If a fire starts in the oven or microwave, turn the appliance off and keep the door shut. If the fire does not immediately go out call 9-1-1.

For more information please call us at 815-436-5335 ext. 7314 or visit

SCHOOLS >> WILLIAM B. ORENIC INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Basketball team wins tourney 6th grade Girls’ Basketball Team took 1st place at the recent Des Plaines Valley Conference Tournament in Mokena

The William B. Orenic Intermediate School 6th grade Girls’ Basketball Team took 1st place at the recent Des Plaines Valley Conference Tournament in Mokena.

Team members are Jasmine Brown, Andie Burch, Kaylen Coggins, Avery Houlihan, Janiyah Jones, Christina Keoborakot, Jescee Kniceley, Grace Morrow, Yasmin Ocampo, Mary Papandria, Gabriella Randich, Jayleen Sanchez, Brooke Schwall, Maziah Shelton, Melle Slager, Ashlei Thomas, Lisa Thompson, Alisa Trejo, Akeisha Watson and Trezure Wells.

Co-coaches are Christine Moran and Alex Pokorny.

Troy Community School District 30-C Athletics and Activities Director Meagan DeGroot said the team has a lot of talent and more.

“The girls are not only great athletes,” DeGroot said, “but also amazing students and well-rounded young ladies. I

SUBMITTED PHOTO

The William B. Orenic Intermediate School 6th grade Girls’ Basketball Team took 1st place at the recent Des Plaines Valley Conference Tournament in Mokena. am very proud to have such a great group of young athletes

to feed into Troy Middle School next year. I have high hopes

for these young women to win some hardware in the future.”

•

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•

location where they won’t get knocked down or pulled down off of the counter.

Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children in a high, locked cabinet and never leave children alone in a room with a lit candle.

Make sure your home’s smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.

Advise overnight guests of your home escape plan and family meeting place.

www.plainfieldfpd.com or www. nfpa.org/cooking. The Plainfield Fire Protection District wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

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TAKE 5

FOR WHEN YOU NEED 5 MINUTES FOR YOURSELF! WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

ARIES

MARCH 21 TO APRIL 20

You may go to extremes of behavior in the week ahead, but it is all for a good cause. Your social circle will expand exponentially if you participate in community activities and outings.

GEMINI

M AY 2 2 T O J U N E 2 1

Your mind is a tool that you can use any way that you wish. Pry out some information or hammer out some details in the week to come. Avoid misunderstandings with loved ones and co-workers.

LEO

J U LY 2 3 T O A U G U S T 2 1

Look for the silver lining. Throughout the week to come you may have numerous opportunities to create something good out of something that, on the exterior, is somewhat upsetting.

ACROSS 1 ROAM 4 GOT READY FOR COMPANY, PERHAPS 9 NORSE SHAPESHIFTER 13 WORD OFTEN FOLLOWING “FURTHER” 14 ONE ADOPTING A PUPPY, SAY 15 THE TEMPTER 16 TRIVIAL AMOUNT 17 *BARGAIN DAIRY PRODUCT? 19 GO OUT 20 DEDICATED LINES 21 ELIMINATES COMPLETELY 22 BAR SUPPLY 24 FARM CRIES 25 VESSEL WITH A SPOUT 26 DATABASE COMMAND 27 SPOTS 30 __ OF ROSES 32 *NICKNAME FOR A ROLLER COASTER HIGHLIGHT? 34 RECLINED 35 EASILY PROVOKED 36 SOAP CONTAINING GROUND PUMICE 37 *SECURITY WORKERS ASLEEP ON THE JOB? 39 ONLY DWARF WITHOUT A BEARD 40 HAD 41 GOES AFTER 42 OATH FOR TOONDOM’S DICK DASTARDLY 43 PROVIDE MONEY FOR 44 IT’S NAMED FOR A TRAPEZE ARTIST 47 TURKISH TABBY 50 DEADEN, AS A PIANO STRING 51 REASON FOR AN EXTRA PERIOD 52 *REALLY HOT COLD DRINK? 54 VIOLIN ENDING 55 CUCKOOPINTS,

E.G. 56 MERGE 57 “WELL NOW!” 58 BAR OFFERINGS 59 IT’S A STUNNER 60 REJECTED

DOWN 1 THEY MAY BE NOBLE 2 __ READER 3 HOLIDAY RATE, PERHAPS 4 LOSER-TO-BE? 5 STRAY 6 ARAB POTENTATE 7 MUSCLE MAG DISPLAY 8 GREEN DAY DRUMMER __ COOL 9 LORENZO OF “RENEGADE” 10 MAN WITH RISING ASPIRATIONS? 11 IRON-RICH CABBAGE 12 SIGNS 15 LAYERED CLOUDS 18 NEIGHBORING 23 BLUEGRASS CHARACTERISTIC 24 TRANSVAAL SETTLERS 26 SHAKES OFF 27 2002 CAGE/ STREEP FILM

28 HONKY-TONK 29 FIX, IN A WAY 30 GOYA’S “THE DUCHESS OF __” 31 STRETCHED 32 OVERUSED 33 UNSPORTSMANLIKE LOOK 35 REGIONAL ANIMAL LIFE 38 SEIZES UNLAWFULLY 39 MEDICINE DISPENSER, AND, IN ANOTHER WAY, A HINT TO THE ANSWERS TO STARRED CLUES 42 BUMP AT THE OFFICE, MAYBE 43 BAR HEADS 44 BLUE GEM, BRIEFLY 45 HINDU SAGE 46 WITHDRAWAL PROCESS 47 OPEN A TOUCH 48 NOT 49 KINDER-GARTEN STAPLE 50 SPANISH LADY 53 HARDWARE ITEM

LIBRA

SEPTEMBER 24 TO OCTOBER 23

You may be overindulgent with loved ones and friends as this week unfolds. The worst that can be said is that you may yield and compromise when it is not in your best interests to do so.

SAGITTARIUS

NOVEMBER 23 TO DECEMBER 22

Lighten up. Plug in a Christmas tree or turn on the porch light. Your seriousness can be a turnoff when faced with duty and responsibility in the week to come. Focus on the future.

AQUARIUS

JANUARY 21 TO FEBRUARY 19

Money walks when impulse talks. Control your desire to make rash purchases in the week ahead. If you keep an eye on the future past transgressions won’t impact your wallet as much.

SUDOKU

TAURUS

A P R I L 2 1 T O M AY 2 1

Bad news travels fast, but it isn’t likely to put you at a disadvantage as this week unfolds. You might easily make some imaginative and shrewd business or financial decisions.

CANCER

J U N E 2 2 T O J U LY 2 2

Trust, once lost, is seldom regained. Communicate clearly to maintain the trust of friends and partners in the week ahead. Prevent caution from turning into fear by being honest and forthright.

VIRGO

AUGUST 22 TO SEPTEMBER 23

Common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden. Luckily, you have a watering can nearby or other tools to nurture smart thinking. Be a smart cookie in the week ahead.

SCORPIO

OCTOBER 24 TO NOVEMBER 22

The princess and the pea had a love hate relationship.

You may be overly sensitive to irritations when the ones who love you best are doing everything in their power to treat you well this week.

CAPRICORN

DECEMBER 23 TO JANUARY 20

Money walks when impulse talks. Control your desire to make rash purchases in the week ahead. If you keep an eye on the future past transgressions won’t impact your wallet as much.

PISCES

FEBRUARY 20 TO MARCH 20

Read the tea leaves. You may need to work harder and receive less appreciation than usual this week. Focus on fulfilling obligations and protect your reputation from unnecessary criticism.

JUMBLE

Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 2016

PREVIOUS PUZZLE’S ANSWERS

PREVIOUS PUZZLE’S ANSWERS

PREVIOUS PUZZLE’S ANSWERS

JUMBLES:

• GLORY • CAKED • GRIMLY • WEEVIL

ANSWER:

WHY THE PICKLE MAKER DECIDED TO QUIT -IT WAS “DILL” WORK

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

PAGE 7

>> INSIDE: LOCKPORT GIRLS OFF TO A FAST START PAGE 8

BASKETBALL

MENTALLY

READY

Joliet West will head into Pontiac with all the skill as well as mental preparation to compete for a title

BY MARK GREGORY Sports Editor @Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

When Joliet West entered the Southwest Prairie Conference this season, it was thought by many that the Tiger basketball team would go unchallenged by most - if not all - of the confernce.

That has been the case thus far, but West has its sights set on bigger goals than just a conference title and it has the ability to show that after Christmas in the 86th annual Pontiac Holiday Tournament.

West is the No. 3 seed in the field behind No. 1 Curie and No. 2 Simeon.

And despite not seeing a lot of top competition so far this season, coach Nick DiForti knows the Tigers are ready for the challenge.

“It is the best tournament.,” he said. “We don’t prepare for one game, we always prepare for

3

SEED FOR WEST AT PONTIAC

the best game on the schedule.

So, every day we come out and we prepare as if it is a conference championship game or a state championship game.

“These guys challenge themselves every game and they don’t care who the opponent is, they are up for everybody. We learned last year what happens when we don’t and we learned it earlier this year and hopefully we have turned that corner for good.”

DiForti said he looks at Niles West in the first game abd sees a challenge with the Wolves, who are playing in their final tournamnet under coach Bob Williams, who will retire at season’s end.

“Our first round game is againts a team that has probably the best coach in the whole tournament, Bob Williams,” DiForti said. “That is always scary. When you have film on SEE READY PAGE 10

11

WINS TO OPEN THE SEASON

PHOTO BY MARK GREGORY

Tabyous Casterberry and the other seniors have Joliet West mentally prepared for the Pontiac Holiday Tournament.

TWITTER: For up -to-the-minute coverage of upcoming local sport events going on in your area, follow @VoyagerSport

8 SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

BASKETBALL

Porters starting fast

BY MARK GREGORY Sports Editor @Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

After dropping its first game of the season, the Lockport girls basketball team went into win mode rattling off nine of its next 12 games, including six in a row before back-to-back losses to Sandburg and Bolingbrook.

“It has been going really well. We have made a lot of steps forward,” said Lockport coach Dan Kelly.

“We lost a couple hard games back to back, but this group has a lot of resiliancy and they like to compete. We havent pacticed in over a week now and maybe that is showing.”

The Porters rallied from the losses to win their final two games in the Oak Lawn Tournament, defeating Riverside-Brookfield 61-33 and beating Oak Lawn 66-25 to PHOTO BY MARK GREGORY

SEE PORTERS PAGE 10

Diamond Davis and Lockport placed third at Oak Lawn.

INSTAGRAM: Readers, attending a game in your area? Take a photo and tag @buglenewspapers for a chance to be featured!

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

9

BASKETBALL

Angels struggle to score against Cougars

BY SCOTT TAYLOR For the Bugle www.buglenewspapers.com

A theme to the early part of the season for Joliet Catholic has been getting the ball in the basket and that problem came up again in a 31-20 loss to Plainfield South last week.

“Some days the ball goes in, some days it doesn’t,” JCA coach Nick Leonard said. “Today they didn’t. But they still played hard defensively. One way to win is to keep them off the board and I think we did that. The girls fought offensively. We ran some good stuff, we just couldn’t make baskets. But, it didn’t deter them.”

The Angels have been struggling at times scoring this season, so they have been trying to keep the pace slower and get good

PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR

Kara Wilhelm and JCA are fighting through scoring struggles this season.

shots, and it has worked out with a higher shooting percentage.

“We want to keep the score down, so we want to be methodical and when we get a good shot, we want to make it,” Leonard said. “Our shooting percentage has been down and we have been working on it in practice and they have gotten better, which is a positive. But, they are executing. And, if they are executing, confidence is going to come.”

JCA features a new look team this year after losing its top six players in the rotation from a year ago.

“We lost four girls that are playing college ball right now and we lost our top six overall,” Leonard said. “We have 30 girls in the program and have three levels for the first time in five years and girls

are excited to play basketball at JCA again. Losing isn’t easy, but they aren’t giving up and they are proud to wear JCA on their chests, which is all I care about.”

The Angels were also facing injuries and sickness, which allowed more young players to get minutes. Sophomore Kellen McLeod led the team with 10 points in the game.

“We were down two players due to sickness and injuries, so we had a lot of young girls getting experience,” Leonard said. “It is almost proving to themselves they can play at this level. I’m not going to lose confidence in them. There are going to be mistakes, but I want them to be aggressive mistakes.”

SEE ANGELS PAGE 10

TWITTER: For up -to-the-minute coverage of upcoming local sport events going on in your area, follow @VoyagerSport

10

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM READY FROM PAGE 7 people and you have two weeks to prepare - that first game is always so hard. If we win, we would then have Peoria Manuel or Bloom and we are in the same bracket as Simeon.”

We are preparing to play the best team in the state because PORTERS FROM PAGE 8 earn third place in the tournament.

Lockport added the Oak Lawn Tournament to its already busy holiday schedule because it was in

we have to.”

DiForti said the difference in this season and last is that the Tigers know they can compete with the top teams in the state and they mentally ready themselves for that challenge.

“We know that these games are in our reach and last year, our guys mentally prepared dif-

ferently,” he said. “This year is more mental. We go in and treat Plainfield South as if they are state champions because at any moment, they can hit a bunch of threes and make it a game and I know, I have seen it happen. Our guys have accepted the coaching.

“It is really all mental. We have

four seniors and they are driving this. It is every day and they push each other mentally and physically and I only see it helping.”

Lockport will join West at Pontiac, while Joliet Central will travel to Bloomington, Minooka will compete in York and Joliet Catholic will be at East Aurora.

search for more games.

“We had to pick up some games with the Joliet teams leaving our conference because we lost four games and it was going to be hard to go out and fill four nonconference games,” Kelly said.

“Last year around Christmas we had a time where we didn’t play at all. So, now we are playing a lot

and then we will play after Christmas.”

After a break for Christmas, the Porters play in the Hillcrest Tournament Dec. 26-28.

“It is good for the girls. It gets them playing more games in a competitve environmenta and gets them playing for something in a tournament,” Kelly said.

Kelly said the goal of playing all the games is simple.

“We are looing to get better every game,” he said. “It has been a different person every game. We have had several games where we have had several kids scoring nearly double digits. When we are operating offensively, we can score in multiple ways.”

els, so the best player is going to play. They are going to be able to mix with varsity because we run the same stuff. We all practice together because I don’t want to separate freshmen from seniors, because once you are in the program, you are an Angel.”

A big help to the cohesion of the

team and program at all levels has been the attitude of the seniors.

“The seniors have come back this year and set the tone,” Leonard said. “They are treating everyone equally and accepting every player no matter their age. They do drills together and have been instrumental.”

ANGELS FROM PAGE 9 Leonard is looking to rebuild the program, and is doing it throughout the program, from the lower levels up to varsity.

“I want to establish a program,” Leonard said. “We are going to be uniform through all three lev-

COMMUNI-

UPCOMING EVENTS IN YOUR AREA WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

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SENIORS >>

Families come together for Timbers’ Elves Timbers of Shorewood hosted its annual Santa and the Timbers’ Elves Christmas Party

BY MEGANN HORSTEAD For the Bugle @BugleNewspapers sweditor@buglenewspapers.com

To spread some holiday season cheer, The Timbers of Shorewood hosted its annual Santa and the Timbers’ Elves Christmas Party on Dec. 17.

Highlights at the event included treats, horse-drawn wagon rides and a petting zoo.

The Timbers of Shorewood Executive Director Faith Ann Varga said bringing the community together to ring in the holiday season is important.

“We do it every year and we hold it for the community,” she said.

“And, of course, we started this for family members so they would bring their grandkids … and then it just started to mushroom.”

Santa, a magician and a live reindeer were also on hand for the holiday event.

Varga said the festivities are designed to please.

“Our residents love it, as you can see they’re all sitting around,” she said. “It’s for them too. For them to enjoy, for them to see the kids,

and for them to have their families come and bring their kids with, too.

It’s all about making people happy and letting people know what we’re about.”

Christina Gomez, of Joliet, was in attendance for the event with her two daughters.

“It’s really nice,” she said. ‘They like the animals best.”

This year was Gomez’s first time attending the holiday party at The Timbers of Shorewood.

“I Googled it trying to find events for Santa because today’s my day off,” she said.

Gomez said the holiday season is a “big deal” in her family.

“We try to get out as much and enjoy the holidays as much as we can,” she said.

Gomez said it’s nice getting a chance to celebrate the holiday season with family, and she looks forward to coming back to The Timbers of Shorewood for its annual event next year.

Patrick Leaf, 18, of Joliet, was one of many volunteers helping out at Christmas party.

“It’s around Christmas time, so I figured I’d do something to help

out,” he said. “This is a good event to help out.”

Leaf said his favorite part was seeing the cheer brought to all of the children who were in attendance.

“Everybody seems to be enjoying themselves and having a good time loving what we’ve put on,” he said.

Leaf said he’s glad he chose to assist The Timbers of Shorewood at its annual holiday party.

“It’s always nice to see how they take care of everybody that lives

here,” he said. “It’s a nice environment, so being able to help out here and being able to put on (an event) is a good thing to be a part of.”

This year’s event drew in between 200 and 300 people.

Varga said the hope is people recognize what The Timbers of Shorewood does for the community.

“We’re independent and assisted living,” she said. “We do a lot of short-term stays and respite stays.

So, we want people to understand

and know that, too. So, by coming into to the building and seeing us, (they’ll notice) we’re different.”

Varga explained that The Timbers of Shorewood is different in how they have a lot of common area, a licensed restaurant and a lot of space for events.

“These people, you want them to live like they’ve lived a life,” she said.

Varga said bringing back the holiday event for a 13th year made sense on many levels.

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BUSINESS + REAL ESTATE

NEWS ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

GUEST COLUMN >> DAVE SAYS

Knock out higher interest debt Gold is essentially a fear-based product, and the less fear that’s out there, the cheaper gold is

DEAR DAVE, We just started following your plan, and we have $39,000 in debt.

We make $55,000 a year, and two of our smaller debts — one car and a credit card — are both $7,500. The credit card has a higher interest rate, so my wife thinks we should pay it off first. I look at the car as a necessity, and for that reason I think we should pay it off first.

Who’s right?

PAT DEAR PAT, When the rules of paying off debts from smallest to largest don’t apply, I look at things this way:

If you have two debts that are of equal amounts, I would attack the one with the larger interest rate first. In your case, that would be the credit card debt.

I get what you’re saying about the car. You guys might be in a bind if something happened and you lost one car. But it’s also something you could work around if you had no other choice.

So yeah, knock out the credit card first then move on to the car.

Going this route will serve two purposes: — DAVE DEAR DAVE,

What are your thoughts on transferring an IRA over to gold?

SANDY DEAR SANDY, Honestly, I think that’s about the dumbest thing a person could do.

I hope I wasn’t unclear. Gold is essentially a fear-based product, and the less fear that’s out there, the cheaper gold is.

Gold is going down like a rock right now as people start to believe in the economy and the economic direction of this country again.

The stock market indicates this is true, and in the process, gold becomes worth less and less.

— DAVE

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven bestselling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

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