Hillgrove Avenue Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 11

Western Springs | La Grange | Harding Woods

JULY 2022

Vol. I, Issue 11

SURVIVOR’S STORY Caitlin McNeily of Western Springs opens up about her fight with breast cancer

WOMEN IN BUSINESS Western Springs native Leslie Danford

OUTDOOR PARTIES Entertaining with ease

JAMMIN’ IN JULY

Western Springs Business Association introduces new summer concert series

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Leading Off

Nazareth Academy baseball secured its first state championship in program history with a 5-1 victory over downstate Glenwood H.S. in Joliet in the IHSA class 3A state final on June 11. The Roadrunners’ march to a title included a series of convincing wins, as well as a one-run victory over Lemont H.S. in sectional play.

Publisher’s Letter

INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEY As we enter the heart of summer, Hillgrove Avenue is honored to present the story of Caitlin McNeily of Western Springs, whose recent breast cancer journey should inspire many women in the community, while encouraging them to be watchful of this pernicious disease. Some local residents may know Caitlin for her enterprising volunteer work as the founder of the Western Springs chapter of 100 Women Who Give A Damn, which awarded numerous $10,000 grants to regional nonprofit organizations between its inception in 2016 and 2020. Others might recognize Caitlin from her leading The Lactation Network, providing breast-pumps to new and expecting mothers to promote the benefits of breastfeeding. Caitlin observed a lump in her breast last August, and soon learned that even breastfeeding did not immunize her from this disease, which afflicts roughly one in eight women. You can read more about Caitlin’s breast cancer journey on p. 34.

In this issue, we also feature Lauren Goodwin and Kristen Hettinga of Western Springs, the president and executive director of the Western Springs Business Association (WSBA), respectively. Lauren, Kristen and WSBA board members have been developing Jammin’ in July, a new summer concert series that will be held on three consecutive Wednesday nights at the Tower Green in downtown Western Springs this month, starting on July 13. Summer concert series are popular attractions in the western suburbs, such as Burr Ridge’s Concerts on the Green and Hinsdale’s Uniquely Thursdays; but curiously, neither Western Springs nor La Grange has attempted such a concept until now. So we shine a spotlight on Lauren, Kristen, WSBA and their pioneering efforts, comprising just a portion of what will be an eventful season of concerts in the area that will also include Ravinia in Ridgewood (July 9), the Western Springs Park District’s

July 2022 | 12 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

Rockin’ Rhapsody (July 16) and La Grange Park’s Music Under the Stars (Wednesdays through Aug. 10).

In our monthly Women in Business installment, contributing writer Tracy Boyd met with Leslie Danford, a Western Springs native and Lyons Township High School alumna who recently moved back to the area in Hinsdale. Last year, Leslie launched Vitaminis, a juice comprised of natural ingredients including zinc, magnesium and Vitamin C, designed to support children’s immune systems.

In summer, one of the most popular local destinations is the La Grange Field Club, so we thought the timing would be ideal to connect with manager Toby Casella, who is also a longtime English teacher and wrestling coach at LT. Contributing writer Ann Potter sat down with Toby to learn more about a man who has made an impression across multiple sectors of the community.

With mask mandates lifted, our restaurant reviews are now in full-swing, and no one is happier than our food writer Robert Damien, who visited Il Mio in downtown Clarendon Hills, one of the western suburbs’ most popular new dining attractions. Opened late last year, Il Mio is leading of a wave of businesses that is revitalizing a downtown business district that was previously littered with vacancies prior to the Coronavirus pandemic.

We would like to continue to extend our gratitude to both our new and returning advertisers for their sustaining support. Please patronize our customers and utilize their services, as we rely solely on advertising revenues for funding.

Enjoy this issue, Mike Ellis Editor & Publisher

HOME PRICE APPRECIATION SINCE WWII

2021 2006

Historical Housing Market Data

1945

This graph shows home price appreciation since 1945. Historically home ownership has always been a way to create personal wealth. If you are thinking of buying or selling this season, please give us a call!

J L G R O U P, R E A LT O R S Julie Hennessey (773) 329-6330 julie@daprileproperties.com Lisa Grusecki (708) 214-4077 lgrusecki@daprileproperties.com www.JulieandLisaGroup.com Source: Case Shiller Index

®

Jackson square Mall Open 7 Days a Week

112 E Burlington Ave, La Grange, Il 60525 708-352-4120 jsqmall.com

Editor & Publisher Mike Ellis

Art Director Rachel Switall

Graphic Designer Maureen Mills

Contributing Writers Tracy Boyd Ann Potter

Fashion & Style Lynn Taylor Schwaab

Travel Kate Cunningham

Food

50+ VENDORS | 2 LEVELS | ALL UNDER ONE ROOF

Robert Damien

Sports Gregg Voss

Contributing Photographers Cheryl Brown Ian McLeod Carolina Menapace Marcello Rodarte

Reader Advisory Committee Heidi Brock, Tori D’Antonio, Kristin Hartman, Ann Potter, Vanessa Prinz and April Sullivan

Contact Information Advertising Inquiries 630-244-8037 Editorial Inquiries mike.ellis.0512@gmail.com Mailing Address: Hillgrove Avenue Magazine P.O. Box 1044 Westmont, IL 60559 The advertisements, photographs, logos and opinions shared in this publication are not the opinions of Clarendon Courier, Inc., unless otherwise specified. This magazine may not be reproduced in any way, including ads designed by our design staff.

July 2022 | 14 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

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Table of Contents

64

40

12 Publisher’s Letter Inspirational battle

18 15 Minutes Lindsey Mackenzie of La Grange

20 Around Town From people to places to parties: what’s happening in our community

22 Women in Business

30 Feature Toby Casella of La Grange

34 Cover Story Caitlin McNeily of Western Springs

40 Restaurant Review ll Mio

44 Preview Jammin’ in July

Western Springs native Leslie Danford

22 52 Social Scene The Legacy Guild spring fundraiser LGNN progressive cocktail crawl Hinsdale Kitchen Walk St. Francis Xavier School auction Community wellness soiree Clients, Community & Cocktails Guest bartending event Galentine’s soiree

64 Sports Lovin’ lacrosse

66 The Sister Project Try out some new recipes this summer

27 Summer soirees Entertaining with ease

ON THE COVER: Caitlin McNeily of Western Springs (photo by Carolina Menapace)

July 2022 | 16 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

15 minutes

Conversation

By Ann Potter Photography by Cheryl Brown Lindsey Mackenzie of La Grange

LINDSEY MACKENZIE A daughter’s love for her mother is the inspiration behind one local woman’s deep involvement at St. Francis Xavier Parish in La Grange.

Lindsey Mackenzie volunteers at every possible opportunity as an homage to her mother, who passed away 17 years ago.

“I’m trying to fulfill the role my mom wanted to have when she was alive,” Mackenzie said.

Her mother dealt with health struggles for a good part of her life, and died at the early age of 55. Her mother went to mass often at their church in Wheaton and had a very deep faith, but was unable to participate in volunteer programs. Mackenzie feels a need to do as much as she can in reverence to her.

Mackenzie, an enthusiastic, friendly mother of three active St. Francis (SFX) students (Elizabeth, 10, and twins Alex and Will, 8) currently serves as the parish’s Catholic women’s club president, ladies’ day out chairperson and volleyball coach.

“We have such a remarkable group of men, women and families,” she said. “It’s a special gift to be a part of our thriving parish. I grew up with my church feeling like it was a second home, and I feel that way about St. Francis.”

Mackenzie’s husband of 17 years, JB, was raised as a Presbyterian, and converted to Catholicism a few years ago.

“He wanted to participate more,” Mackenzie said. “I’ve always told him this is a relationship bigger than our marriage. JB likes to say, ‘It just makes life easier.’ I’m so proud to be his wife.”

More about Lindsey Outside of raising your children and volunteering at SFX, do you work? Yes, I’ve been a nurse since graduating from St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Ind. I worked at Northwestern for 17 years, and now I work part-time at EdwardElmhurst Health in cardiopulmonary rehab outpatient care. What’s something you’re proud of? Three years ago, I started something called the The Souls Dinner on All Souls’ Day. It’s an opportunity for friends who have lost a loved one to gather for an evening mass at St. Francis, followed by dinner at FourteenSixteen. ...

It’s my way of turning grieving into something beautiful. What is your ideal summer night in La Grange? Our family loves to walk to downtown La Grange for dinner at one of several great restaurants, have drinks with our neighbors and then watch an outdoor movie with the kids. Do you have summer travel plans? Yes, we are looking forward to a trip to Big Cedar Lodge in the Ozarks. Our trip will include a lot of outdoor activities, [such as] water sports, fishing and golf. n July 2022 | 18 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

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Around Town

From people to places to parties, here’s what’s happening in our community

By Kate Cunningham

Ravinia in Ridgewood

There’s no need to travel all the way to Ravinia in Highland Park to enjoy an outdoor concert this summer. Ravinia in Ridgewood, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, offers an easy, down-to-earth alternative right in your own backyard. Instead of symphony music, crystal wine glasses and poached salmon with dill sauce, think rock bands, bouncy-houses, snow-cones and concession classics. In other words, the kids will love this family-friendly summer festival.

Ravinia in Ridgewood takes place on Saturday, July 9 from 2 to 9 p.m. at Ridgewood Park in Western Springs.

Botanical Beauty

Summer is a great time to test your green thumb. La Grange-based florist Vagabond Botanical, which specializes in custom succulent arrangements and artisan seasonal outdoor containers, makes it easy by helping you select the right plants for you, delivering them to your doorstep and providing full-service aftercare advice to make sure they thrive.

Vagabond also organizes private educational events that culminate with guests bringing home their own succulent plants to care for.

For more information, visit Vagabond Botanical, 126 Calendar Ave. in downtown La Grange, or go to shopvagabond.com.

Parachute Home at Oakbrook Center

Launched in 2014 as an online-only brand, Venice, Calif.-based Parachute Home is expanding into brickand-mortar, recently opening a store at Oakbrook Center, one of only a few across the country. Known for its premium organic bedding and exceptional everyday essentials, Parachute Home’s focus is comfort and wellness at home, and its products are made without harmful chemicals or synthetics.

For more information, visit oakbrookcenter.com or parachutehome.com.

July 2022 | 20 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

Girlfriends’ Guide to Family Fun When Western Springs resident Annie Tandy founded Kidlist 11-and-a-half years ago, her kids were babies, and she was frustrated by the amount of time it took to research local kid-centric events, classes and resources. “I grew up here, but I still didn’t know what was going on and what was available,” Tandy said. Fast forward to 2022, and Tandy has a team of nine women—all moms who live in the western suburbs with different-aged kids—working to provide comprehensive information and share their experiences in a personal way. From summer camp guides to summer bucket-lists, kid-friendly restaurants to summer movie deals, Kidlist offers momapproved, one-stop shopping for some 850,000 parents per year, allowing them to take the research out of the equation, and just go have fun with their kids.

For more information, including details about the upcoming Kidlist park play-date series, go to mykidlist.com.

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Women in Business

Finding the silver lining Western Springs native Leslie Danford develops children’s beverage

By Tracy Boyd Photography by Carolina Menapace

T

here’s a contagious energy about Leslie Danford, as she easily shifts from talking retail strategy to spoon-feeding her 10-month-old daughter at the kitchen island.

The Western Springs-born mother of four recalls an early memory of designing a book about a princess. She was 7, and after asking her mom for money to make copies, stood outside Ace Hardware offering the work to passersby for five cents a copy. For those that know Danford, a lemonade stand just wouldn’t have cut it.

A “why not” attitude has carried Danford, who launched Vitaminis, an immune-boosting children’s drink during the pandemic, through a series of difficult choices in life. She shrugs, recalling the night her husband proposed.

“I wanted to cancel dinner,” Danford said, jokingly referring to her stubborn devotion to her first job in investment banking. “He wouldn’t let me, and sure enough, I got engaged that night, and went right back to work after dinner.”

Danford credits her husband, who she met in an entrepreneur’s club at the University of Chicago, with endless support. As a newlywed, she was accepted into Harvard Business School, and once again found herself choosing the hard path.

Taking time away from home, and trading the honeymoon phase of marriage for longdistance, she built a foundation that yielded a job back in Chicago at Bain Consulting.

After her first son was born and she started to seek new opportunities, it was Beam Suntory that came calling. That July 2022 | 22 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

call, naturally, coincided with another major milestone for Danford. She recalled accepting the job from labor and delivery, about to give birth to her second son.

“For me, I guess it’s about seizing opportunities, and making sure that your choices reflect running toward something, following your passion and calling, and not running away from something out of fear,” Danford said.

At Beam, Danford honed her retail beverage acumen, presenting a business plan for E-commerce that, in 2015, was uncharted territory. She excelled at driving a male-dominant industry towards change, but the temptation for challenge remained.

A former business school colleague encouraged Danford to join a growing start-up out of India, fresh with funding

I’m really glad to have this business because I really embrace the idea of using nutrients to support kid’s health. It’s all related.

Leslie Danford

Leslie Danford of Hinsdale

and destined to shake up the hotel industry in the U.S. That was 2019, and when the pandemic arrived, the promises of a thriving hospitably industry instead turned to hundreds of layoffs, including Danford.

She didn’t waste time brainstorming what would come next. Danford reflected on her experience in the beverage industry, started networking virtually with business leaders for guidance, and drew from her most important role—as a mom.

“All moms care deeply about their kids’ long-term health and happiness, but they’re stretched for time and energy, always jugging multiple balls and being pulled in multiple directions,” Danford said of the inspiration for her product. “Vitaminis was designed to solve for that—good, clean nutrition for kids’ health, super-easy and

convenient, and is a flavor that kids love.”

While she regularly lets her husband drive the menu-planning at home, the fundamentals of nutritional wellness were instilled in Danford from an early age.

“I grew up with a scientist father who approached meals like a math equation— protein (check), veggies (check), carbs (check, check). That’s always stuck with me,” she said. “I want to make sure we’re covering all the bases on any given day. I think so much of health is linked to healthy diet and exercise. I think of it as preventative maintenance.”

With a move from Chicago to Hinsdale, the stress of a pandemic and the delightful surprise of Danford’s fourth pregnancy, she drove her vision forward with the grace and determination that became a hallmark of milestones in her life. Vitaminis was developed over the course of nine months, with a measured drive to bring both babies into the world in the fall of 2021.

“Looking back on it, it was a superstressful time, but I tried to just tackle one thing at a time,” Danford said. “I focus day by day, and I try not to think about the big stuff.”

Danford, who even now doesn’t break from multi-tasking, puts aside product sketches and strategy sheets to transfer her daughter to her play gym. She mentions dropping in on the Hinsdale Kitchen Walk between calls, and lovingly refers to the pack of kids—hers included—that run the street. As a committee chair in the Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club, working on this year’s benefit, her community devotion is strong.

She called on her neighbors as a focus group, some of them appearing in content images, and ultimately influencing the immune focus of Vitaminis in light of the pandemic. Up next, based on another common mom complaint, is a berry-banana Hillgrove Avenue Magazine | 23 | July 2022

drink to support gut health and gently combat constipation.

Today, as she resumes a full-time management role with a boutique retail chain, Danford supports a marketplace of emerging products just like hers. She’s also found a bit of distance from her brand, along with the help of trusted partners hired on to manage Vitamini’s social media and Amazon sales presence. In turn, she’s found even more inspiration, and is starting to see returns.

“It’s a long game. Since I’ve gone back to work, I feel like Vitaminis has suddenly gained a lot of attention,” Danford said, pointing to a recent interview with CNBC on moms that were laid off during the pandemic.

“I’m embracing building the brand over time through word of mouth, sampling and local press, so more folks can try Vitaminis for themselves and see why they love it too.”

Danford has also found inspiration for her business close to home. Her daughter, born deaf, was recently diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare disease that impacts a child’s vision as they grow. Ever the positive force, she is now researching a drink with lutein, vitamin A and nutrients that support eye health.

“Now I’m thinking about ways I can leverage the business to support research,” Danford said. “Right now, there’s nothing out there to address vision-loss. I’m really glad to have this business, because I really embrace the idea of using nutrients to support kids’ health—it’s all related.”

Indeed, that lemonade stand would not have been enough for a young Danford, but through every challenge and contrast in her life, she’s made more than lemonade out of it. The Vitaminis brand is more than a drink: it’s a testament to a mom with a vision for the better—and that’s the sweetest part. n Readers interested in learning more about vision research can visit www.savesightnow.org.

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Entertaining

Summer Soirees Among the many benefits of summer is the opportunity to entertain with ease.

Just plump the outdoor cushions, source some chic outdoor tableware, light a multitude of lanterns and set out a summer spread.

By Kate Cunningham

Make it cushy.

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Roll out the maragaritas.

Rolling ‘Ritas Mobile Cantina, a 1968 vintage camper transformed into a funky mobile bar, serves up hand-crafted margaritas and a full beverage menu.

Prices vary; visit drinkritas.com.

Set a stunning table.

Add a Bohemian touch to your party with a Marrakesh melamine 12-piece dinnerware set. $129 at Pottery Barn in Oakbrook Center, potterybarn.com

Hillgrove Avenue Magazine | 27 | July 2022

Entertaining Spill-proof Skip the stems and avoid the spills with Happy Hour acrylic stemless wine glasses. $33 for a set of four at Pottery Barn in Oakbrook Center, potterybarn.com

Light up the party.

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Call the caterer.

Grilling for a crowd can get hot and time-intensive.

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Put a rug under it.

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July 2022 | 28 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

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Feature

HEART OF THE CLUB Toby Casella is a fixture at the La Grange Field Club

By Ann Potter || Photography by Cheryl Brown

F

Toby Casella of La Grange

or 17 summers at the La Grange Field Club, pool manager Toby Casella has been keeping the pool and grounds safe, clean and fun—in that order. This is his mantra, and it’s obvious when members arrive at the club each day.

“I want this to be a place where families create wonderful summer memories that they’ll never forget,” Casella said. “Members take pride in this facility, and so do I.” The La Grange Field Club (LFC), which features a large pool with two diving boards, a drop-slide, baby pool and four tennis courts, has been open since 1955. Its membership includes nearly 500 families, with a lengthy wait-list to join. Casella is an excellent fit to manage the club, since he knows the community well.

Casella grew up in the Field Park neighborhood of Western Springs. He is a 1984 graduate of Lyons Township High School, and has been an English teacher at his alma mater for more than 22 years.

“My mom was a teacher and great rolemodel,” Casella said. “The way she treated people and worked with kids was inspiring, and I wanted to do the same.”

While some teachers enjoy the calm of summer, Casella puts in 45 to 60 hours each week at the LFC, managing a staff of nearly 100, including local teenagers.

“For a lot of our staff, this is their first job,” he said. “I manage our staff like a coach: I give them a lot of responsibility, and expect a lot from them. Sometimes, I’m loud.”

Mike Herlihy, who has been the board president of the club for three years, credits Casella with how well the day-to-day operations work.

“The club is a complex environment, and he makes everything look easy,” Herlihy said.

“He never sits still, and expects the same of everyone who works for him.”

Casella encourages staff members to interact with members, properly address adults and proactively look for what needs to get done.

He also plays host to the annual Fourth of July party, which draws more than 1,000 guests.

“That day is crazy and nuts, but I enjoy it,” Casella said. “I know the belly-flop contest will stick in kids’ minds for years to come. It’s fun to be a responsible host for a huge party that is not at my house.”

The LFC has become a family affair over the years for Casella and his wife of 26 years, Chrissy, who reside in the country club neighborhood of La Grange. All four of their Hillgrove Avenue Magazine | 31 | July 2022

children, Mac, 24, TJ, 23, Kathleen, 21, and Keegan, 19, have worked at the LFC in some capacity, including snack bar and lifeguarding.

Mac has been assistant manager for several years, while Kathleen and Keegan are currently swim-team coaches.

“We’ve eaten a lot of family meals at the LFC over the years,” Casella said. “We wouldn’t have it any other way. I love having my kids work with me.”

Casella and his wife met as teachers at Morton East High School, where Chrissy taught math.

She stayed home with their children for 13 years, but recently returned to teaching. Chrissy was a high-school swimmer, which sparked their daughters’ love of swimming. Both girls excelled in swimming at LT. Kathleen was recently named captain of her University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse swim team, and Keegan is on the club swim team at the University of Illinois.

Athletic talent runs deep in the family. Toby was a football player and star wrestler at LT in the 132-pound weight-class. He continued to wrestle at Augustana College, and then transferred to Illinois.

The LFC even gave Casella the opportunity to play matchmaker. In the summer of 2007, Casella set up his younger brother Matt on a blind-date with LFC’s then assistant swimteam coach Lauren Roberts. The pair are now married, have four children and reside in southern California.

“Lauren’s amazing—she’s such a great girl,” Casella said. “I’m so happy I introduced my brother to her.”

In the classroom, Casella is the assistant division chair for English Language. He serves as the head freshman football and wrestling coach, and is also the sponsor for the ultimate frisbee club. Several years ago, the local VFW chapter named him LT teacher of the year for his development of an after-school program to help students who needed an academic boost, pass classes and graduate.

Casella enjoys gardening when he can find the time. He plants canna bulbs each summer around the LFC as an homage to his father and mother. Canna plants lined his childhood home, and attracted hummingbirds.

“Now when I see a hummingbird at the LFC, it reminds me of my mom and dad,” he said.

Casella plans to be at the LFC for many summers to come.

Herlihy said, “He really is the heart and soul of the club.” n

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Cover Story

Caitlin McNeily of Western Springs

Caitlin McNeily of Western Springs shares her breast cancer battle

By Mike Ellis

PHOTO BY CAROLINA MENAPACE

Her cancer journey

B

reast cancer is an affliction that has ailed many women across a spectrum of ages, with approximately one in eight being diagnosed.

But for Caitlin McNeily of Western Springs, who breastfed her own three children, and provides breast pumps to new and expecting moms for a living, her diagnosis in August of last year came as a complete surprise.

“Honestly, outside of selling biopsy needles at one point in my medical device career, breast cancer was one arena I did not venture into, and had minimal if any knowledge about it,” McNeily said. “I was completely oblivious, and had the proverbial ‘that won’t be me’ attitude towards breast cancer.”

McNeily said she clearly observed the “irony” of her diagnosis, given what she does for a living.

“One of the benefits of breastfeeding is that it lowers risks of cancers, including breast cancers, so I felt a little ‘messed-with’ by the universe, as I breastfed all three of my kids for a total of three years, respectively,” she said.

A native of north suburban Wilmette, McNeily attended prestigious Loyola Academy, before heading to Indiana University, where she met her husband Mike. In 2009, they moved from Chicago to Western Springs, where McNeily began to cultivate relationships that would prove very beneficial during her cancer journey.

“We were newly-married and excited to start a family,” she said. “It took me a bit to adjust to suburban life, as I missed the excitement of the city and the yoga studios I frequented; but once we settled in, there was no looking back.”

In 2016, McNeily spearheaded the launch of the Western Springs chapter of 100 Women Who Give a Damn, which provided regional non-profit organizations the opportunity to deliver a five-minute presentation with the hope of earning a $10,000 donation through the event.

“We had many successful local events with an amazing leadership board,” McNeily said. “We were in the process of bringing in new board members to turn over the reins when COVID hit.”

McNeily said there are not currently any

My initial reaction to my cancer diagnosis was devastation. I was primarily thinking about my kids having to go through this experience at their young ages.”

Caitlin McNeily

future live 100 Women events scheduled.

Professionally, McNeily has worked in medical sales since 2006; and in 2014, she earned the opportunity to launch a new division for an existing medical equipment company that evolved into The Lactation Network (TLN), concentrating on providing breast-pumps to new and expecting mothers, which insurance companies were required to cover under the Affordable Care Act. “It did not take long for phone calls to start coming in from our breast-pump patients desperately looking for breastfeeding help, and not knowing where to turn,” McNeily said. “This is how the newest iteration of the business was born. We began connecting families with IBCLCs (lactation consultants) to provide essential, insurance-covered lactation care.”

According to McNeily, TLN has assisted more than 100,000 families on their breastfeeding journeys since its inception in 2016, and has secured IBCLC partners in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“I am extremely passionate about this business, and feel genuinely grateful and excited to go to work every day,” she said, adding that TLN provides prenatal and postpartum visits.

But while working to improve the breastfeeding experiences of others, McNeily unexpectedly encountered a struggle of her own when she felt a lump in her breast while in the shower in early August 2021, and immediately contacted her obstetrician for advice.

“I was in for a mammogram and ultrasound the following morning, and they determined

through ultrasound that I needed a biopsy,” she said, exhorting other women to check themselves on a monthly basis. “I had to wait three weeks for the biopsy, which was definitely an anxiety-provoking experience.”

McNeily received her unfortunate results on Aug. 26 while she was at Target purchasing some school lunch snacks on her children’s second day back. Although she had a clear obstetrician breast exam in January,

by August, she had developed a 7-centimeter tumor.

“My initial reaction to my cancer diagnosis was devastation,” she said. “I was primarily thinking about my kids having to go through this experience at their young ages.”

Following her biopsy and breast cancer diagnosis, McNeily spent her next several weeks engaging in doctor interviews and undergoing an MRI, a CT and a series of other tests. She elected to use Rush University Medical Center for care, and started chemotherapy nearly four weeks to the day after her diagnosis.

“The typical process for someone with my type of cancer and size tumor is called neoadjuvant chemo, where you proceed with chemotherapy before surgery,” McNeily said. “The reason this is the protocol is that surgery after chemo allows the team to determine how effective the chemotherapy was by measuring the amount of cancer left in your body at the time of surgery.”

Between September and January, McNeily underwent six total chemo infusions of a “cocktail” known as TCHP, a regimen employed to treat HER2+ breast cancer, the type of cancer with which McNeily was diagnosed.

“HER2+ cancer is usually aggressive, and thankfully is in testing for many new treatments, including a vaccine,” she said.

McNeily was infused over four hours every three weeks at the Rush Cancer Center in Lisle. She complimented nurses for making her days “smooth and entertaining at times,” while she worked and caught up on TV shows.

“I would leave there and begin to feel effects of the treatment almost instantly,” McNeily said. “The ten or so days after an infusion were the toughest, so all I did was rest and work from my bed. Then, I would Continued on page 36

Hillgrove Avenue Magazine | 35 | July 2022

Cover Story

Caitlin McNeily with husband Mike, children Matthew, Annie and Tommy, and dog Bass

Continued from page 35 feel good for the next ten days before my next infusion.”

Through chemotherapy, McNeily’s tumor quantity reduced by a factor of nearly ten from 7 centimeters down to just 9 millimeters, which residue was removed during surgery.

“The chemo treatment was therefore considered a huge success,” she said.

During this period, the McNeilys leaned heavily on family and friends for support, and McNeily credits the community for being uplifting.

“As the winter progressed, it was difficult to navigate the risk of COVID, as I was severely immunocompromised—but my husband deserves an immense amount of credit for carrying our household through that time,” she said.

After completing chemotherapy infusions in January, McNeily’s treatment continued with a double mastectomy in February, followed by radiation for three weeks in March. She has been declared cancer-free since her surgery in February.

Over the course of her cancer journey,

I have learned that a community like Western Springs is a gift,” she said. “The endless support my family has received has been truly overwhelming.”

Caitlin McNeily

McNeily has been appreciative of support from family, friends, co-workers and the community at-large.

“I have learned that a community like Western Springs is a gift,” she said. “The endless support my family has received has been truly overwhelming.”

Last October, the owner of McNeily’s company organized a “believe” 5K walk in her honor through the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The theme was derived from a July 2022 | 36 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

quote by fictional coach Ted Lasso: “I believe in hope. I believe in believe.”

“It was an extremely thoughtful gesture that brought out friends, family and colleagues to come and walk a 5K to support breast cancer research,” McNeily said. “We ended up having the most beautiful day, and I felt carried by our community that day and on many occasions before and since. It was an amazing show of love and support for which I am eternally grateful.”

Beyond her own internal circle, McNeily also became connected with a network of other women who are currently experiencing or have conquered breast cancer. She said a fellow breast cancer survivor in La Grange gave her a book called Silver Linings, which encouraged her to focus on her own silver linings on a daily basis.

“I learned that having a network of women who are also in breast cancer treatment was an invaluable part of my journey,” she said.

“I have a network of women, most of whom I have never met in person, with whom I text almost daily. It helps because your bad days and their bad days do not tend to line up, Continued on page 38

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Cover Story

I want to let this community, [which] so graciously lifted me up, know that I am here for anyone going through this experience, be they you, your family member or your friend.”

Caitlin McNeily

Continued from page 36

so they can be a support system in a unique and important way, because they are going through the same thing.”

Although she has been deemed cancerfree, McNeily’s treatment is not yet complete, as she is receiving an antibody infusion drug called Kadcyla every three weeks through the end of October, and will undergo reconstruction surgery in the fall.

“This infusion is easier—albeit not without side-effects—than the TCPH protocol I was on prior,” she said.

McNeily implores women to perform selfbreast exams monthly, and to “be your own advocate.”

“There is a movement within the breast cancer community called ‘feel it on the first,’ so I encourage you to set a reminder on the first of every month to complete a breast selfexam,” she said. ... “From the time of feeling the lump in my breast to diagnosis, I cannot tell you how many medical professionals told me they were confident ‘it was nothing’— follow your instincts and be relentless in controlling your own healthcare.”

For anyone in the community currently suffering from the effects of breast cancer, McNeily said she is more than happy to be in their corner.

“I want to let this community, [which] so graciously lifted me up, know that I am here for anyone going through this experience, be they you, your family member or your friend,” she said. “Having some texting buddies in the same boat as you is crucial, and I will always be ready and willing to provide that support to other people in this situation.” n

Caitlin and Mike McNeily at a “believe” walk in Western Springs in October 2021

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Hillgrove Avenue Magazine’s

MEDICAL

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Patients travel the United States and internationally for Dr. Chudik’s orthopaedic skills and his kind and genuine bedside manner. He is approachable and prefers to build a partnership with his patients that emphasizes open communication and education. By taking the time to listen and find out what is actually bothering his patients, he helps them understand what is wrong and collaborates with each patient to craft an individualized treatment plan based on their personal timing and goals.

Dr. Chudik is fellowship-trained in shoulder and sports medicine and a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in shoulder, knee and sports medicine; partner at Hinsdale Orthopaedic Associates, a division of Illinois Bone and Joint Institute with offices in Western Springs and Westmont, Ill.; clinical professor at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine; research associate of Argonne National Laboratory and Edward J. Hines Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory; a faculty instructor for the University of Illinois at Chicago Sports Medicine Fellowship; a “Top Doctor in Orthopaedics;” team physician for USA Swimming and many local schools and organizations.

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Restaurant Review

IL MIO

Filling the culinary void in downtown Clarendon Hills

By Robert Damien

Papardelle with short rib ragu

D

owntown Clarendon Hills has hit the jackpot—finally. After experiencing a dearth of fine restaurants for too long, Il Mio

was born.

The restaurant opened on Jan. 7, as the pandemic’s vice-grip on the world had finally weakened, and there was new business activity as normalcy seemed to be in the offing.

For Rich and Lynn Ciota and Sam Palumbo (with his five daughters), the founders of this delightful dining establishment, Il Mio represents a restaurant with a “downtown vibe,” where you don’t need to traverse the city or sit in crawling traffic in your car for an hour to enjoy scrumptious cuisine that rivals any restaurant in Chicago proper.

As I entered the airy, uplifting space and asked for Rich, smiles abounded. Waiters, July 2022 | 44 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

waitresses, hostesses all smiled generously.

Thankfully, I had foregone lunch, because I had heard great things about Il Mio, and wanted to enjoy this tasting as much as possible while blissfully filling the void in my stomach. Pastas, fish dishes, chicken entrees, sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, abundant appetizers—everything emphatically beckoned me.

After a few minutes, I was greeted by

a man who gave off a remarkable air of calm, confidence and class. Rich Ciota, not surprisingly, studied culinary arts at Kendall College, graduating in 1993. He has been around food—as a busboy, chef, owner, etc.—for 38 years and counting. Rich’s philosophy is really quite simple: delicious food, attentive service, fair pricing, and the way you treat patrons is what hospitality is all about. This is what keeps people returning to his dining room, referring friends and writing glowingly positive reviews about his restaurant.

Rich and I sat at a rather remote table to make it easier to discuss Il Mio, his authentic dishes and his motivation for creating it. He spoke about his passion for food, for nurturing his patrons as if they were family, for giving Clarendon Hills and surrounding suburbs a destination restaurant with a burgeoning popularity that testifies to the talents, visions and love of community abundantly present at Il Mio. I asked Rich for his recommendations, then sat back and anticipated the waves of deliciousness that would come my way.

The burrata wedge that was brought to me a few minutes later by my server Dusan was fit for climbing—it was a massive culinary composition. Burrata is an Italian cheese produced originally in the region of Apulia, in the heel of the iconic boot-shaped country.

It has a solid mozzarella-cheese casing that is filled with stracciatella (ribbons or threads of fresh mozzarella and cream), which together creates an exquisite treat both in taste and texture. Creamy, delicate, and not runny—the ball was balanced atop a sizeable wedge of fresh iceberg lettuce, seated on a generous bed of tomato confit and pancetta cracklings. The creamy blue cheese dressing that topped it and oozed down its sides was ideally pungent and fresh. The slight drizzle of balsamic glaze imparted a subtle yet profound sweetness to the dish. It surpassed anything I had tasted in Italy when I traveled there a few years back to scatter my mother’s remains in the Adriatic.

Next came the aromatic, steaming mountain of pappardelle with short rib ragu, which I have made time and again, thinking rather self-servingly that I had perfected this iconic pasta dish. (I had not!) When I say the flavors burst in my mouth when I took the

Peroni beer on tap

Il Mio has it all: a fun, hospitable staff, delicious food, ambience (there’s not a bad seat in the house), fine wine and cocktails, and gracious owners. I was greatly impressed and charmed

by Chris and Lynn.

first forkful would be a gross understatement.

The meat was cooked and simmered in the sauce until it was falling apart. The sauce was perfectly and not overly seasoned or herby, which is a good thing. The pappardelle (thick pasta ribbons) was prepared al dente, just the way I like it, and held the meaty ragu as it should. Crowned with a modest dusting of parmigiano reggiano and a smidgen of freshly-cracked black pepper, the dish was divinely inspired and abundantly enjoyed.

Mom would have been displeased that I enjoyed this pasta almost as much as anything she had ever prepared.

Grilled salmon was next on the table: Hillgrove Avenue Magazine | 45 | July 2022

a sizeable piece of fresh Scottish salmon sitting on a bed of creamy risotto, accompanied by grilled asparagus, yellow and green zucchini in a perfectly-balanced lemon butter sauce with capers. The fish was soft, delicate and not the slightest bit rare in the middle. The accompanying vegetables were reassuringly charred and not overcooked. The risotto was simple, yet sublime: a modest mound of creamy Italian rice that had the perfect balance of flavors and a satisfyingly rich texture.

The panna cotta (cooked vanilla cream) I had for dessert rivaled anything I had ever sampled. It was custardy, thick, creamy and not the least bit cloyingly sweet, as one would expect. Having lived in Japan for several years, I developed an appreciation for desserts that are delicious without being overly sweet. This was cooked cream perfection.

Il Mio has it all: a fun, hospitable staff, delicious food, ambience (there’s not a bad seat in the house), fine wine and cocktails, and gracious owners. I was greatly impressed and charmed by Chris and Lynn.

If you crave authentic, creative, delectable cuisine in an inviting, not-too-cozy (spacious) environment, I recommend that you go to Il Mio straightaway. Clarendon Hills is experiencing a culinary renaissance, and Il Mio is spearheading it. n

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Preview

Jammin’ inJULY

WSBA unveils new summer concert series in downtown Western Springs

By Mike Ellis || Photography by Carolina Menapace

R

esidents of Western Springs and surrounding towns will have more opportunities to gather at the Tower Green this summer, thanks to a new summer concert series the Western Springs Business Association (WSBA) is organizing.

This July, after presenting its signature summer festival, Gathering on the Green, WSBA will introduce Jammin’ in July, a three-week series of outdoor evening concerts on Wednesdays, July 13, 20 and 27.

“I think that we’ve always talked about doing something more, because the Gathering on the Green and fall festival are such big hits,” WSBA executive director Kristen Hettinga said.

Jammin’ in July will become the newest summer concert series in the region, joining larger, more established events such as Uniquely Thursdays in Hinsdale, Concerts on the Green in Burr Ridge and Dancin’ in the Street in Clarendon Hills.

“We knew we couldn’t compete with Uniquely Thursdays or something to that magnitude, but we felt like the community would want to casually come out for a drink, and listen to some local bands play,” WSBA president Lauren Goodwin said.

The concept of a summer concert series was proposed years ago, but required some time to come to fruition. The Grand Avenue Big Band formerly performed an annual summer evening concert at the Tower Green, sponsored by the Grand Avenue Community Center, Western Springs Park District and Village of Western Springs; but this is WSBA’s first foray into summer concerts.

“Lauren has really spearheaded it,”

Hettinga said.

Goodwin initially suggested the name Groovin’ on the Green, which Hettinga felt was too similar to Gathering on the Green.

WSBA ultimately settled on Jammin’ in July, which member Rohini Mathrani of Spring Orthodontics proposed.

“Kristen and I are always thinking of new ideas—it’s just coming up with a team to execute it and make it successful,” Goodwin said.

Held in late June, Gathering on the Green served as a springboard for Jammin’ in July.

The concerts will span 5 to 9 p.m. on three consecutive Wednesday nights in July, affording locals three chances to attend if they cannot make each week. Beer and wine will be served between 5 and 8:45 p.m.

The events will kick off with bands such as Blue Lexi, followed by “headliners” later in the evening. Good Things will headline the first concert on July 13; Toy Robots will be the featured band on July 20; and Evil Burrito will close out the series on July 27.

Domino’s will serve as a food vendor at all three concerts, while additional food vendors will include Beach City BBQ, Happy Lobster and Zaney Dogs. Goodwin said WSBA is approaching all of the restaurants in downtown Western Springs to encourage them to offer to-go or picnic dinners for those Wednesday nights.

Hettinga envisions picnic blankets and children running about the green as families enjoy the entertainment without any “formal games.” While Jammin’ in July will be similar to neighboring series like Uniquely Thursdays in terms of organizational structure, Hettinga said it will not offer as July 2022 | 48 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

much surrounding or associated activity, with tables only available for event sponsors.

“This isn’t to compete with Gathering on the Green or St. John of the Cross fest; we’re just keeping it simple,” Goodwin said. ...

“We’re just focusing on music and food and being outside.”

WSBA is promoting Jammin’ in July via social media, and would like to attract passersby riding the train as well.

According to Hettinga, all proceeds will be directed towards other WSBA events such as fall festival, plus the WSBA scholarship program.

“It’s not really about making money; it’s about offering another event that the community can attend,” Goodwin said.

The Village of Western Springs will function as premier sponsor, joined by @ properties and Pinnacle Financial. Village officials and WSBA members will volunteer in the beer tent during the concerts.

WSBA plans to make Jammin’ in July an annual summer concert series.

“We’re going to learn a lot from this,” Goodwin said. “We have no idea what to expect as far as attendance, but we’re hopeful that people want to come out and invite their neighbors and friends.” n The Western Springs Business Association will present Jammin’ in July, its inaugural summer concert series, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, 20 and 27 at the Tower Green in downtown Western Springs. All concerts are free to attend, with beer and wine available to purchase between 5 and 8:45 p.m. For more information about the series, visit www.westernspringsbusiness.com.

WSBA executive director Kristen Hettinga and president Lauren Goodwin

July 2022 | 50 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

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Social Scene

SPRING FUNDRAISER The Legacy Guild

Roughly 500 community members displayed their support for The Legacy Guild at the local non-profit organization’s spring fundraiser at The Elm in La Grange on April 30.

Jukebox JBC and Wedding Banned provided musical entertainment, while attendees were invited to purchase raffle tickets for wine and spirit packages.

Event sponsors included FNBC Bank & Trust, @properties, Cathy Bier of Coldwell Banker Realty, Vintage Charm, Home Helpers, James J. Stork of Pinnacle Financial Group, Smothers Group with

Compass, Kathy Dierkes of State Farm Insurance and Ryan Williamson of Horizon Wealth Management.

The Legacy Guild provides scholarships to students residing in the Lyons Township High School attendance area who have lost a parent.

Since its inception, the organization has awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarship assistance to nearly 200 students.

For more information about The Legacy Guild, visit www.thelegacyguild.com.

Kit Joyce and Kelly Neidetcher

Deb Butler and Renee Hartman Allison and Steve Koppel, and Lindsey Paulus

Marilee Seppelt, Rick Mahoney, Patti Sullivan, Tim Callaghan, Tim Sullivan, Bob Bridgman, Kristin Bridgman, Colleen Sullivan, and Linda and Tom Chernesky July 2022 | 52 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

Joe and Nancy Cummings

Brian and Dominica Davis

Taylor Carey and Sue Carey, and David and Renee Hartman

Liam and Maureen Bresnahan

Amy Seus, Jennifer Hayes and Ellen Kunkle

PHOTOS BY CHERYL BROWN

Caitlin Williamson and Tricia Riberto

Meg and Amanda Keeve, Paula Struwing and Will Batavs Hillgrove Avenue Magazine | 53 | July 2022

Karin Carney, Megan Kostal and Lynn Taylor Schwab

Social Scene

PROGRESSIVE COCKTAIL CRAWL La Grange Area Neighbors & Newcomers Several dozen members of the La Grange Area Neighbors & Newcomers (LGNN) joined together for a progressive cocktail crawl on April 23.

Three LGNN members residing within the La Grange historic district hosted, as participants strolled from one home to the next on a warm spring evening.

Katie Davis, Jen McElroy and Katie Vercellino

For more information about the La Grange Area Neighbors & Newcomers, visit www.lgnewcomers.com.

Tess Quinn and Erin Frakes

Lauren Dolan, Katie Davis and Ashley Novak

Ashleigh Powell, Katie Vercellino, Julie Gallatin, Julie Gurican, Jennifer Musser, Jenny Perlongo and Nichole Veihman

Christine Scioscia and Erin Shanahan

Anna Baskin, Kelly Walker, Jill Mahrt and Amy Current July 2022 | 54 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

PHOTOS BY MIKE ELLIS

Rachel and Beth Willis

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Social Scene

HINSDALE KITCHEN WALK Hinsdale Historical Society

More than 1,000 west suburban ladies toured five luxurious interiors at the annual Hinsdale Kitchen Walk on May 6.

Presented by the Hinsdale Historical Society Women’s Board, the kitchen walk is a Mother’s Day weekend tradition that has grown into a sort of Friday holiday for area moms.

Less-than-ideal weather conditions could not deter the largest turnout in kitchen walk history, dating back to 2005.

Trolleys were a popular method of travel, with five VIP trolleys encircling the tour, joined by separate private trolleys organized by ladies from Clarendon Hills

Colleen Whitehead, Tiffany Stojka, Kristen Ori and Kelly Gress

Briana Murray, Pamela Pontikis, Courtney Casey, Lynne Boche and Katie Jaqua

and Hinsdale.

This year’s theme was “design matters,” with the interior designer of each home present that day to showcase their work with guests.

New to the kitchen walk this year was a stop at Immanuel Hall that afforded a boutique shopping opportunity with local vendors such as Game Set. All proceeds from the kitchen walk support the Hinsdale Historical Society.

For more information about the Hinsdale Historical Society, visit www.hinsdalehistory.org.

Julie Sutton and Kelly Clifford

Mercedes and Juhl Patterson, Lauren Kavanaugh and Sylvia Kos July 2022 | 56 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

Elizabeth Burke and Christine Carney

PHOTOS BY MARCELLO RODARTE

Paul Virant and Diana Wagenbach

Social Scene

AUCTION FUNDRAISER

Casey Moran and Maria Onesto Moran

St. Francis Xavier School

Several hundred St. Francis Xavier (SFX) School parents attended an auction fundraiser on April 30.

Themed “back to the ‘90s,” the auction raised more than $170,000 in funding for technology upgrades, tuition assistance and the staff fund. The live auction highlight was an at-home Polish dinner for ten and house blessing by SFX Fr.

Rich Milek, and the Silent Auction featured more than 100 items, including classroom art projects, principal for a day, a West African dinner party with winetasting and a New Buffalo getaway.

Entertainment was provided by Bosco band.

Due to the pandemic, this was SFX’s first auction since 2018.

Ali and Terry Faloon, and Chris and Sue Baker

PHOTOS BY CHERYL BROWN

Noreen and Dan Vesser

Grace Burke, Rachel Malone, Andrea Deko and Allison Leahy Hillgrove Avenue Magazine | 57 | July 2022

Margie Got and Katie Kanzer

Social Scene

COMMUNITY WELLNESS SOIREE Luxxe Honor

Lori Meltzer, Jen Del Giudice and Erin Hennessy

Guests mingled and visited with Luxxe Honor founder and owner Jennifer Del Giudice, as they enjoyed snacks and cocktails.

Luxxe Honor extended membership referral rewards to members in attendance.

Kerri Dimonte and Patti Stark

Nichole, Vivienne, Jane and Ellen Veihman

PHOTOS BY MIKE ELLIS

Local ladies and Luxxe Honor clients attended the La Grange business’s community wellness soiree on May 12.

Luxxe Honor opened up its entire facility to attendees, including its yoga studio on the lower level.

Social Scene

CLIENTS, COMMUNITY & COCKTAILS Carol Walsh Rosentreter Group The Carol Walsh Rosentreter Group celebrated into the evening at Davanti Enoteca with neighbors, colleagues and clients turned friends after achieving RE/MAX’s prestigious chairman’s award.

Rosentreter has long been a recognized top performing Western Springs real estate professional, but her roots in the community are deep. As a second-generation Western Springs resident, Rosentreter built her business while raising her own family with the support of the community.

Today, with her daughter Kris Rosentreter by her side, she continues to serve the neighborhood with support from RE/MAX Properties.

Kris and Carol Rosentreter

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PHOTOS BY CHERYL BROWN

Mike Dulla, Archie Vetter and Meg Pound

Social Scene

GUEST BARTENDING EVENT JL Group

Julie Hennessey and Lisa Grusecki, sisters and real estate brokers comprising the JL Group with d’aprile properties, served as guest bartenders for charity at FourteenSixteen in downtown La Grange on April 21.

Hennessey and Grusecki selected Brookfield-based Community Support Services (CSS) as the non-profit organization their guest bartending would benefit.

CSS is a private non-profit agency that provides and promotes services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, working within their communities with the hope of strengthening their independence, self-esteem and ability to participate in and contribute to community life.

For more information about Community Support Services, visit www.cssservices.org.

Ruthann Wengerd, Deidre Rice, Lekshmi Nair and Kristine Fletcher

Deidre Rice and Kevin Radelet

Missy Pignotti, Julie Hennessey and Lisa Grusecki

Diane Farina-White, Kezria Fleming, Alaina Washington, Andrea Hicks-Jones and Yessica Orozco July 2022 | 60 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

Jill and Don Bonfiglio

PHOTOS BY IAN MCLEOD

Lisa Nadle and Sharon Flaim

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Social Scene

GALENTINE’S SOIREE Simply From the Heart

Dozens of local ladies gathered at the new Circa Lighting store in downtown Hinsdale for Courtney Casey Interiors’ third annual galentine’s soiree benefiting Simply From the Heart (SFTH) on March 10.

Courtney Casey of Hinsdale, founder of Courtney Casey Interiors, collaborated with Kendra Scott, Bloom3 in La Grange, artist Yvette Lenzi and Zzazz Productions,

which supplied a DJ for the evening.

Guests browsed the remarkably illuminated store, which glowed from ceiling to floor throughout.

SFTH is a non-profit organization founded by Jackelyn Kastanis of Hinsdale, which beautifies patients at 15 hospitals in Illinois, Michigan and across the nation, including Advocate Children’s Hospital in

Oak Lawn and Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

The soiree raised nearly $10,000 for SFTH. For more information about Simply From the Heart, visit www.sftheart.org.

Lynne Boche and Alicia O’Brien

Paula Czyz, Jackelyn Kastanis, Courtney Casey, Bea Harnois and Maria Leja

Ashley Keeley, Amanda Mancini and Abbie Diamantopoulos July 2022 | 62 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

Christy Hernandez, Shazia Sultan and Allison Dolph

PHOTOS BY MIKE ELLIS

Katie Storino and Lisa Kahley

Social Scene When you’re out on the town, be sure to add the hashtag #HillgroveAvenueMag to your most fabulous Instagram photos!

g a M e u n e v A e v o r g l #Hil

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Sports

Lovin’ lacrosse Lacrosse grows in western suburbs as kids pick up the game earlier

By Gregg Voss

O

n the East Coast, lacrosse is known as the fastest sport on two feet.

Here in the Midwest, the sport is enjoying unprecedented growth, and in many ways, the La Grange area is leading that charge.

So what’s the elevator speech about why local youngsters should give lacrosse a try?

Look no further than Lyons Township boys lacrosse coach Bill Kalbfleisch.

“It’s an up-and-down action game, and you can be any size,” said Kalbfleisch, who grew up on Long Island playing lacrosse and was LT’s head coach from 2012 to 14, winning conference all three years. “It has the hitting of football, the running of soccer—and that’s what makes it interesting.”

You might think of lacrosse as a low-profile sport with a stick that has a net at the end of it, and looks a little like hockey on a football or soccer field. But for area kids and their coaches, it’s emerging into the mainstream.

“I think overall in three years, we’ve gone from 28 girls to 50,” Nazareth Academy girls coach Michael Mossing said. “We’ve had tremendous growth, and it’s not necessarily girls that have been playing club lacrosse their entire time; it’s girls that have done another sport, and don’t feel that those are the sports for them, but they want to still be involved in a team environment. It’s like, ‘Let’s take a chance,’ and they find out it’s something they really like.”

But don’t take Mossing’s word for it. Try his players.

“My sister started playing her freshman year here at Naz, and I was in seventh grade at the time, and I started coming to the summer camps here, and that’s how I got started,” sophomore defender Leah Sautkus said. “My sister told me how fun lacrosse was, so I thought I would try it, and I fell in

love with it.”

Sophomore attacker Georgie Nemeth said she didn’t begin playing until her freshman year.

“My friends really interested me in lacrosse, and told me how fun it is, and I’m already a runner, so I decided to try it, and I fell in love with the sport,” Nemeth said.

It’s the same story on the other side of town at LT. “Freshman year, I was going to try out for soccer, but I didn’t really have the enthusiasm as much anymore,” said Ryan Maley, a senior midfielder on the LT girls team. “My freshman-year basketball coach got me and my friends into it. We picked up a stick the week before freshman-year tryouts, and we made the team.”

Maley’s coach Cecilia Luxem played lacrosse at LT from 2009 to 13. Luxem noted that while lacrosse is uber-popular on the East Coast, the local game has gotten a boost over the years from the success of Northwestern’s perennially powerful women’s team. She agrees with Mossing that when her kids try it, they like it.

“They all have some athletic background,” Luxem said. “It’s, ‘I played soccer, it didn’t work; I played softball, it didn’t work.’ We have a lot of basketball on our team.”

Ten players are on the field for a lacrosse team at a time, each wielding a netted stick— three attackers, three midfielders, three defenders and goalie—so it’s similar to soccer or hockey. Girls have a stick and goggles, while boys have a stick, helmet, elbow-pads, gloves and shoulder pads.

Amanda Kammes is the CEO of Lakeshore Lacrosse, the only all-girls lacrosse club in Illinois, which draws players from La Grange and Western Springs, among other places.

Kammes is also the girls varsity coach at

Benet Academy, and said everything from the lacrosse field size and roster size is similar to other sports, which is appealing.

She has seen the growth of the sport firsthand, and explained that much younger kids are trying it out and sticking with it.

“I would say over the last three or four years, our rec program has grown tenfold,” Kammes said. “We also launched a program called Little LAXers, for 4- to 7-year olds, to basically learn lacrosse in a fun, gym classlike environment.”

For years, Kammes said Lakeshore’s travel program went down to sixth-graders, and now it starts at the fourth-grade level.

Luxem said for the first time, thanks to local club programs like Lakeshore and East Ave., she’s seeing kids as young as 3 and 4 starting in the sport.

Jerry Considine, the Glenbard West girls coach, is the girls lacrosse director for East Ave., which hosts the La Grange Lightning program that will return this fall after a short hiatus. He said East Ave. is going to host a lacrosse camp at Gordon Park the week of July 11, at a cost of just $120. Families can sign up at the Park District of La Grange website, or simply show up the first day.

Kelly Letten has been the lacrosse coordinator for the Western Springs Recreation Department for eight years, and she regularly sees hundreds of kids come out, including 3-year-olds in its “intro to Lax” program.

“We see a lot of kids who come over from football, basketball and T-ball, and they are finding something that fills in the gaps,” Letten said. “All they need is a stick, and if they don’t have one or don’t want to buy one just yet, we can provide that. When you can get a stick in a kid’s hand, they fall in love with it.” n

Lyons Township junior Amanda Hahn plays for Lakeshore Lacrosse.

Opinion

TRY OUT SOME NEW RECIPES THIS SUMMER Happy summer.

I will never cease to be surprised and delighted when I hear one of you say, “I read your column in the Hillgrove magazine.” It’s been lovely connecting with you here, and even more in person.

In exchange for my gratitude, my wish for you is a simpler summer filled with ban de soleil (if you can find it), all the sun your heart’s desires, and boatloads of what Lauren and I call “wheezy laughing.”

I don’t think I’m the only one who was counting the minutes to summer; I think every parent, kid and teacher was too.

The re-entry catapulted all of us right back to where we were before COVID came along, and it has been non-stop ever since.

Bring on summer! You deserve it. After all, you showed up every day and did it all. The time has come for simple summer pleasure.

Book-time or me-time—just make the time and keep it simple.

Re-establish some balance and incorporate the little things (which, ironically, are actually the big things) that bring joy, like home-

PHOTO BY ALINA TSVOR

cooked meals, snuggling up with a good book and most importantly, human connection.

Many of those are the first things we forego when life is on high-speed like a timelapse video.

Perhaps you need a little inspiration.

The Sister Project Blog is curated with the sole purpose to achieve a little cozy, mindful well-being—i.e. total and utter simplicity.

When it comes to home-cooking, the simpler, the better.

I think the best recipes consist of four ingredients or fewer, and I happen to have the perfect summer eats and drink for you.

If your garden includes homegrown tomatoes, you are going to want to get your hands on some fresh sourdough for one of our seasonal summer staples: garlic tomato toast.

Here is what you will need: • Sourdough (or any fresh bread you like) • Heirloom tomato • 1 whole peeled clove of garlic • Olive oil • Salt

Instructions: Broil or toast your bread, and scrape the garlic clove all over it. Place the tomato slices on top, drizzle with olive oil and salt, and enjoy.

I told you: simple is key.

Another favorite summer staple and one that is exploding with juicy sweetness and nostalgia is a childhood favorite our family calls “strawberries and fluff.” You know the one.

Here is what you will need: • Strawberries • 2 bricks of cream cheese (room temperature) • 2 jars of marshmallow fluff Combine the cream cheese and fluff with a hand-mixer, and serve with strawberries.

It is perfectly cool and sweet—the perfect summer treat.

Of course, summer wouldn’t be complete without an Aperol Spritz (see our blog for the recipe) with a striped paper straw to boot.

While the days are long and the sun still burns hot, enjoy the simple pleasures of summer.

Before you know it, the leaves will be crinkling beneath your toes, and you will have wished for one more spritz or a couple more pages poolside.

For more tips to live a life enriched by cozy + mindful + well-being, check out our website, www.thesisterprojectblog.com.

Remember, keep it simple.

Stay cozy, Michelle

Cozy Convos with The Sister Project Michelle Anderson and Lauren Massarella operate The Sister Project blog and host a podcast, “Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project.” Anderson and Massarella author a monthly column for Hillgrove Avenue Magazine.

July 2022 | 66 | Hillgrove Avenue Magazine

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