Hinsdale Magazine November/December 2023

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PORTRAITS OF THE PAST

HISTORIAN LESLIE GODDARD

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Rudy Ruettiger Hinsdale Central Sports History Vault: Out of the Ashes

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LETTER from THE PUBLISHER

A

How We Celebrate This Season

s the end of the year approaches, we have the good fortune of being able to celebrate the holiday season, and give back and help others in meaningful ways.

This season is exceptional, and to help you celebrate, we have a handy listing of some of the best local holiday events you should know about called “Let It Snow”.

Hinsdale Central is known for its sports teams. In this month’s article, you will learn that athletes and coaches at Hinsdale Central have won an astounding count of 233 state trophies and 108 state titles. The largest haul came in 2014-15 when the Red Devils won a state record: seven state championships for a school year.

It started in the fall with five titles: golf for both boys and girls, cross country for boys, tennis for girls, and boys soccer teams finishing on top. In the winter, the boy’s swimming and diving team claimed first; in the spring, it was the boys' tennis team's turn.

What were the reasons for this success? A strong athletic department, outstanding coaching, young people who are dedicated and talented, and parents and a community that offers great support, year after year after year. For them, winning has become a tradition.

Everyone loves a winner, and they also love an underdog —especially one who wins. One sports film that stands out is the movie “Rudy.” Maureen Callahan interviewed “Rudy” Ruettiger, of Joliet, who succeeded against really long odds; this was not only on the Notre Dame football field, but also he succeeded in bringing the film to life after a sportswriter told him that he had enough of a story for a movie.

To ring in the season, we tell you the story of the Agape Ringers, a group that uses handbells to make the beautiful holiday music you love to hear. KC Congdon leads the group, plus six others, for good measure and credits the groups for their unusual talent. Check out their performance on Dec. 9 in Elmhurst.

You’ve heard the saying that if you really love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life. Not everybody is as fortunate as Hinsdalean Leslie Goddard, who is our cover story for this issue. She has always loved history and has become an expert in the field. What makes her job really special and unique is how she has learned to bring history to life by impersonating many of the famous people she talks about in lectures around the country. She has a variety of costumes and props to impersonate famous historical figures.

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HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE

See her handiwork in curating the histories of Marshall Field, Sears, and Carson Pirie Scott, at the Elmhurst History Museum which is on display until January. She has worked with museum staff to bring to life memories of many moms, dads, and children during the holiday seasons of the past.

When we turn to good works and giving back, our coverage is overflowing—a good thing.

First, we bring to your attention the efforts of Hinsdale South High School and the LaGrange Area Department of Special Education who have collaborated to offer some 40 deaf or hard-of-hearing children success by using state-of-the-art programs. They help children throughout Western Cook and all of DuPage County.

We are also pleased to report the following events in the area: Young Life, a non-profit Christian outreach for youth is thriving. At a recent October gathering, several young members shared their testimonies. Rev. Dr. Dan Meyer, pastor of Christ Church in Oak Brook, encouraged families to donate to this powerful mission through his speech focused on the importance of today’s younger generations.

Candor Health Education is celebrating its 50 th anniversary in 2024, the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation recently raised $482,000 at their annual Autumn Affair, and the Brooks Strong Foundation’s 4 th annual golf outing raised scholarship funds for both Hinsdale Central athletes and to support kids going through cancer treatments. In addition, there was an open house fundraiser at a beautifully renovated mansion on behalf of the Hinsdale Historical Society. Also, the Hamara Parivar dance was performed at several west suburban locations to carry on traditions in Indian culture.

Finally, we share a touching story to honor the memory of 92 children and three nuns who perished in a fire on Dec. 1, 1958, at Our Lady Of Angels School in Chicago. This story is told through the lens of a student who was in the school that day, escaped, and eventually became a fireman in Downers Grove.

Enjoy the holiday season, and we look forward to sharing more stories with you in the new year!

Scott Jonlich, Publisher sjonlich@hinsdalemag.com

November/December 2023

Contents 29

18 TO DO'S Let it snow

23 SPOTLIGHT Hinsdale South’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing program

29 SPORTS Hinsdale Central

33 PROFILE Rudy

38 COVER Leslie Goddard

44 ARTS & THEATRE Agape Ringers

46 NOTEWORTHY Cafe La Fortuna

49 ARCHIVE Out of the Ashes

53 IN THE NEWS

53

Volleyball champions

55 SNAPSHOT Candor Health

55 COMMUNITY SCENE Chateau du Parc

58 COMMUNITY SCENE Garba & Raas

60 COMMUNITY SCENE Brooks Strong

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64 COMMUNITY SCENE Young Life

On the Cover: Historian Leslie Goddard portrays a stewardess for Pan Am in the 1960s.

Photo by Victor Hilitski

FOR THE LATEST NEWS, HAPPENINGS AND PHOTOS, VISIT @THEHINSDALEMAGAZINE 10

HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE

FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Scott Jonlich sjonlich@HinsdaleMag.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER & EDITOR Anne Healy anne@HinsdaleMag.com

MANAGING EDITOR Larry Atseff larry@HinsdaleMag.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Maureen Callahan Valerie Hardy

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jennifer Frencl Rachel Pavlovich

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Adam Andrzejewski Chuck Fieldman Anna Hughes Jeff Vorva

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS Victor Hilitski Greg Kozlick Laura Meyer

ADVERTISING SALES Brian Ade Renee Lawrence Cynthia Maquet

Hinsdale Magazine Group 3 Grant Square #201 Hinsdale, IL 60521 630-655-3400 www.HinsdaleMag.com No person, organization or publication can copy or re-produce the content in this magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the publisher. The publisher, authors, contributors and designers reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work. Hinsdale Magazine assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information. The information contained about each individual, event or organization has been provided by such individual, event organizers or organization. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Hinsdale Magazine. Comments are welcome, but they should be on-topic and well-expressed.

Copyright ©2023 Hinsdale Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.

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HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS at The Drake Oak Brook

Celebrate the holiday season this year at The Drake Oak Brook and create a lifetime of memories and new traditions.

Featured Events Thanksgiving Brunch

Thursday, November 23rd from 10am-3pm $102/Person | $35/Child 6-12 | Free/Child 2-5

Holiday High Tea After the Shopping Spree

Friday, November 24th from 10am-3pm $75/Person | $32/Child 4-12 | Free/Child 3 & under

Celebrate Thanksgiving with a delectable brunch menu perfect for the whole family. Enjoy Chef Esequiel’s carving stations, seafood bar, omelet stations, fresh waffles stations, an assorted dessert table and much more.

Champagne and mimosas are included.

Take a break from your shopping and join us for Black Friday High Tea, featuring all of your holiday tea favorites, chef’s exclusive finger sandwiches, and desserts. Our elves will be ready to wrap 2 small/medium size gifts while you relax and enjoy your tea.

Holiday High Tea

Dickens Christmas Dinner

$75/Person | $30/Child 4-12 | Free/Child 3 & under

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Join us this holiday season for traditional British high tea, where you can enjoy an assortment of holiday pastries, fruit bread, scones, and chef’s exclusive assorted finger sandwiches.

Nothing says Christmas like a traditional dinner while our holiday carolers are serenading throughout the evening.

Choose from an exclusive Prix Fixe holiday menu.

Friday-Sunday in November & December

Brunch with Santa & Mrs. Claus December 10, 17, & 23 from 10am-2pm $85/Person | $45/Child 6-12 $25/Child 3-5 | Free/Child 2 & under Spread the holiday cheer with Santa and Mrs. Claus at our annual Christmas Brunch. Enjoy a delectable spread for the whole family to enjoy and a kid’s room to keep your little ones entertained.

December 8 from 5pm-9pm

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Visit thedrakeoakbrook.com to view all of our holiday events and to make your reservations.

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TO-DOS | HINSDALEMAG.COM

LET IT SNOW The holidays are here, and we’ve curated a list of local events guaranteed to spread the season’s cheer! From light shows to stage performances, we’ve got you and your family covered for a festive and fun-filled end to 2023.

BY ANNA HUGHES

Grove Express 5K

IllumiBrew at the Morton Arboretum

11/16/23 - 11/17/23 www.mortonarb.org Be one of the first to enjoy 50 acres of lights, colors and sounds at the 11th annual edition of Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum at IllumiBrew. This 21-and-up event allows tasting ticketholders to try a variety of beers, ciders and meads from popular Chicagoland breweries stationed along the Illumination trail.

11/23/23 @ 8:30 AM www.groveexpress.com There’s no better way to start the day of thanks than by giving back to the community. Bring your family, friends and pets to the annual Thanksgiving Day 5K to get some exercise and fresh air before enjoying an evening of turkey and football. The race benefits local education and youth programs across the Downers Grove community.

Winter Lights at Central Park

11/23/23 - 1/7/24 @ 4:309:30 PM www.obparks.org If you dream of walking in a winter wonderland this holiday season, Oak Brook Park District has just the thing for you. Each night, the half-mile path through Central Park will be filled with decorative lights and the holiday spirit – a perfect free outing for all ages

and accessibility levels. Donations benefiting the People's Resource Center and The Oak Brook Park District Foundation will be accepted.

“A Christmas Carol”

Drury Lane Theatre 11/24/23-12/30/23 www.drurylanetheatre.com “A Christmas Carol” is a Christmas classic. Enjoy this holiday staple during its 30th-anniversary run at the beautiful Drury Lane Theatre in Oak Brook. Watch the journey of Ebenezer Scrooge unfold, reminding everyone of the importance of Christmas joy.

Showtimes vary by date.

GROVE EXPRESS IN DOWNERS GROVE

JOFFREY BALLET’S “THE NUTCRACKER” PHOTO BY TODD ROSENBERG

Clarendon Hills Chamber Holiday Walk

12/1/2023 @ 5-9 PM www.clarendonhillschamber.com Get ready to kick off the holiday season with the Clarendon Hills Chamber Holiday Walk. Bring the whole family to meet Santa, enjoy the Christmas tree lighting, and shop!

Joffrey Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”

12/2/23-12/27/23 www.joffrey.org The Joffrey Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” is a two-hour extravaganza of music and dance.

Two-time Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon reimagines the Christmas classic, bringing this holiday tradition to life at the historic Lyric Opera in Chicago.

Showtimes vary by date.

Hinsdale’s Winter Wonderland

Katherine Legge Memorial Park 12/3/23 @ 9 AM - 1 PM www.villageofhinsdale.org It’s the most wonderful time of the year at Katherine Legge Memorial Park. Hinsdale’s “Winter Wonderland” event will have pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, live reindeer, visits with Frozen’s Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff, and so much more! The Village of Hinsdale and Hinsdale Police Department will be collecting toys for a Toys for Tots Drive; attendees are encouraged to

bring a donation for the drive. Preregistration is required for this event.

Elmhurst Tree Lighting

12/7/23 @ 5:30 PM www.epd.org Join Elmhurst Park District in Wilder Park to ring in the holiday season with the lighting of community trees. Families, businesses and organizations are invited to decorate one of the 60 trees along the park

pathway. The “People’s Choice Award” returns after Dec. 3, and community members can vote for their favorite of these trees on Facebook.

ILLUMIBREW AT THE MORTON ARBORETUM PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MORTON ARBORETUM HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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SPOTLIGHT | HINSDALEMAG.COM

SIGNS

ASL classes are offered as a foreign language option at Hinsdale South.

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to Bridge Two Worlds

Hinsdale South’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing program is a place to be seen in a sound-based world

veryone wants to belong and feel accepted. This need is especially acute during the high school years. LaGrange Area Department of Special Education, (LADSE), in collaboration with Hinsdale South High School (HSHS), takes these needs seriously. The Deaf Education Program offers a state-of-the-art education option for deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students from far and wide.

The LADSE classrooms are located on the lower level of HSHS. “Our heart and soul is Hinsdale,” said Director Carrie Morfoot, “but our daily

BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN

operations are LADSE.” While the DHH Program began as a district program in 1966, it now exists as a co-operative effort between LADSE and HSHS. In other words, all program funding comes through LADSE, which rents the space from District 86. “It’s really a wonderful collaboration with the district,” Morfoot feels. “We’re very lucky.”

Currently, 40 students from zip codes throughout the DuPage and West Cook County area are enrolled in the DHH Program. Transportation is arranged through bus service provided by students’ home districts.

LADSE meets students where they are the day they arrive, providing academics at their level. Varied learning opportunities ensure that all students - from DHH students who are fully mainstreamed with interpreter services to students with additional disabilities have the tools they need to succeed.

“We have a lot of success with our students because we are able to provide them with a lot of individual attention,” said Morfoot.

Students come into the program at all academic levels. They work in co-operatives, similar to a cohort system, grouped with students of similar ability.

Teachers present to classes using total HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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communication, which is American Sign Language (ASL) paired with speech.

Many students are mainstreamed, learning in a regular classroom alongside their hearing peers while accessing the classroom environment through sign language interpreters. A staff of interpreters is always available to attend classes with these students, as well as extracurricular activities.

“Often, teenagers don’t want to stop the teacher and admit they’ve missed something,” said Morfoot. “We advocate for them to tell their teacher they’ve missed something or let their interpreter know so they can get help,” said Morfoot.

Students with disabilities, in addition to DHH, can spend much of their day in a community-based classroom learning life skills, such as cooking and laundry, in addition to academics. They also hold jobs around the school that offer a chance to work with mainstream students, such as lunch delivery.

The DHH program also offers both applied and academic level classes.

Applied level courses use academic content and relate it to real-life applications. Academic courses follow mainstream content while providing additional support. “The goal is always to move students to the mainstream classes whenever possible, but we never want any student to feel overwhelmed,” Morfoot noted. "Sometimes, a student will move into mainstream classes one step at a time. This program offers them a bridge.”

Besides a staff of DHH certified teachers, students have a strong support system of adults, twelve of whom are Deaf themselves. A speech pathologist works with students on communication challenges. A Deaf social worker helps students work out regular high school issues, as well as providing support for students and their hearing family members. Students who need them are also entitled to services of occupational and physical therapy as well as vision and mobility.

This network gives DHH students a 24

HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE

A total communication approach of ASL, accompanied by speech, are used.

safe space to belong, and be heard. The program provides a means for DHH students to be with others who understand them. Social opportunities via DHH extracurricular activities get students together to have fun outside of school.

American Sign Language (ASL) is offered as a foreign language elective for hearing students. To visit this classroom is to walk into a silent class of students being taught sign language by a Deaf teacher. Students were preparing for a test the following day through various interactive activities.

“My grandfather is hard of hearing,” said ASL student, Mayra Biga. “I would rather teach him some signs to communicate than have people yelling at him.

People who know ASL are the minority, but it’s no different than learning French or Spanish.”

“I study ASL because my niece is hardof-hearing and I want to be able to communicate with her,” said Leen Kanakri.

Teacher Rebecca Wasilewski signed a sentence which the interpreter translated as, “I don’t make this an easy class because I want students to study hard and learn as much as they can to be able to communicate with the Deaf.”

Many ASL students work with others in the DHH program as peer buddies for Deaf students in gym classes, ASL Club or Best Buddies (an international movement dedicated to ending isolation of students with disabilities). One

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM While DHH students are welcome to participate in any sport or club offered at HSHS, a few opportunities are specifically for students in the DHH Program: Junior Illinois Association of the Deaf – A national organization with local chapters that offers DHH students a place to socialize. At a recent event, students had dinner together at a local restaurant before attending HSHS’s Homecoming game, followed by the dance.

American Sign Language (ASL): Club – A club that joins both DHH students and hearing students to learn and practice ASL. Deaf Academic Bowl – Academic event that offers regional and national competitions. Last year, the team attended a competition in Texas.

Deaf Drama – A theatrical group that holds two plays a year completely in ASL with voice interpreters provided. former ASL student has returned as a teacher in the DHH program.

The high school years present challenges at any school. LADSE’s DHH Program works to minimize these barriers for its students and help them prepare to go as far as possible in the world. ■

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SPORTS | HINSDALEMAG.COM

TROPHY HUNTING

Hinsdale Central girls golf and boys' basketball coach Nick Latorre said athletes at the school put in hard work and commitment, which has led to the school's athletic success.

Hinsdale Central is now up to 233 state trophies, including 108 state championships

H

BY JEFF VORVA | PHOTO BY JEFF VORVA

ere is how the Illinois High School Association postseason opened for the 2023-2024 school year:

Hinsdale Central’s boys golfers finished second in the state in Class 3A Oct. 7 at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington, and on the same day, the girls finished second in

Class 2A at the Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur.

That meant two more state trophies found their home in the confines of the storied school.

For those keeping score at home, it was trophy No. 232 and 233 for the Red Devils, according to IHSA records, and 108 are state champion-

ships. Only New Trier, with 317 state trophies and 125 state championships, has more.

Hinsdale Central has been phenomenal in some sports (53 trophies in boys tennis, 41 in boys swimming and diving, 37 in girls tennis, and 21 in boys golf), but 20 sports teams have claimed trophies, and 16 of them won state titles in all.

HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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The Hinsdale Central girls golf team, shown after winning the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional, brought home yet another state trophy in early October.

Mike Jezorio, who just started as the school’s Athletic Director this summer, is stunned by the sheer volume of state hardware, which in some sports is given to the top three teams and, in others, the top four.

“We don’t have enough space for all of our trophies,” Jezorio said. “We have a nice, new, very large trophy case as you enter the building off Grant Street. We call it the Grant Street Plaza. There are a lot of trophies in there. As I walk around the school, even more trophies are in different places that I didn’t know housed them.”

A huge haul of state championship trophies came in 2014-15 when the Red Devils won a state-record seven for athletics for a school year. It started in the fall with five titles earned out of nine sports offered, 30

HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE

The 1992-1993 girls swimming team at Hinsdale Central won the state championship and was in the midst of a run in which it won four straight state titles. Photo courtesy of Hinsdale Central

with boys and girls golf, boys cross country, girls tennis, and boys soccer teams finishing on top.

In the winter, the boys swimming and diving team claimed first, and in the

The Hinsdale boys golf team from 1945 was one of the early teams to win a state championship for the school, which now has 108. Photo courtesy of Hinsdale Central

spring, it was the boys tennis team's turn. The school also won state in an IHSA activity – speech – the same school year.

Retired Athletic Director Dan Jones remembers how crazy that time was.

“That year was one to remember for the books,” he said. “We had two days in which we won two state championships in a day – boys and girls golf one day and the boys cross-country team and the boys soccer team won on another day. I remember being at the boys cross country meet (in Peoria) and celebrating their state championship and then driving up to Hoffman Estates for the night soccer game. Being at both events on the same day was surreal, to tell you the truth.”

The school’s first trophy came in 1907-1908 when the boys basketball team took fourth in the state. A year later, coach John Snyder led the Red

Over the years, the state athletic scene grew, more sports became available, and the trophies kept coming to Hinsdale Central.

golf team, said it was important for the older players to pass their wisdom and experience to the younger players to keep the success rolling. “I know that on the golf team, we don't focus on winning but more on team bonding and leadership,” she said. “We help younger girls and players from all four years spend a lot of time together. Having that bond is worth it.”

What’s so special about the athletes at this school?

To hear Jezorio tell it, there are a lot of people responsible.

"We have really talented kids who work hard at it,” said Nick Latorre, who coaches the girls golf and boys basketball. “They spend hours working on their game. They are so dedicated to their craft. The success goes back to the work and the time and commitment that they make. There is a real commitment to excellence at the school.”

“It’s not done alone,” he said. “It’s not just done by the athletic office or the coaches. It’s not just done by the kids. It’s a community of parents and students who are invested, as well as community members who either had a student who went through or live within the boundaries and are a fan of the program. Everybody has a part in it.” ■

Devils boys basketball team to the first state championship in school history beating Washington, 18-13.

That was around the same time baseball star Honus Wagner signed a $10,000 contract with Pittsburgh.

Caroline Owens, a senior on the girls HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

31

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RUDY!

30 years later, Rudy walks on with a new generation

BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN

E

verybody loves an underdog. Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger is one of the most memorable in the history of film. Thirty years ago, audiences watched him muscle his way into one of the country’s most selective institutions, the University of Notre Dame (UND). This nonscholar of less athletic ability than his teammates worked harder than anyone around him. Coach Ara Parseghian was able to see beyond Rudy’s 5-and-a-half-foot, 165 lb. stature to see the oversized heart of this walk-on football hopeful, ready to give his all at every turn.

Ruettiger graduated third from the bottom of his high school class. “I got into Notre Dame because I forged a path other than the traditional route,” said Ruettiger. “I didn’t have SAT scores and high grades. I found people at Holy Cross College who helped me. I had to work very hard, but I also managed to build relationships which ultimately opened the golden door for me.”

“Eventually, they let me in to Notre Dame,” Ruettiger relayed, “because at some point, people don’t care what you know when they know how much you care. When they see that, you’ll succeed, because others will help you get where you want to go.”

How close is the movie to real life?

Since Rudy’s release in the fall of 1993, we’ve watched him chase down his dream. According to Ruettiger, we’ll be able to share new moments as the director’s cut of Rudy will soon be released.

“They just called me the other day to let me know,” he said, smiling.

I did grow up in Joliet. I attended Joliet Catholic. We were a huge family- 14 kids. My family was more behind my ambitions than was depicted in the movie, however. My mom always understood the importance of dreams.

She told us to think big. The idea of me going to UND wasn’t realistic to my father, though, so he couldn’t really get behind it. My brothers and sisters supported me, though.

On the eve of this classic sports film’s 30th anniversary, Hinsdale Magazine Group Contributing Editor, Maureen Callahan, interviewed the most loveable underdog in the history of college athletics.

For anyone who ever thought their dream was out of their reach, there’s Rudy.

The takeaway message of Rudy is hope.

That was crystal clear. We had to change some things to make the movie work, however.

Were the characters accurate?

It would have been impossible to fit everyone that impacted Rudy’s story into the movie- for better or for worse.

Some of the characters were amalgamations of people. For example, Rev. John Cavanaugh, CSC, the priest who helped Rudy figure out how to get into HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

33

the university, represented several priests who watched out for Rudy.

D-Bob, the tutor Rudy met early on at Holy Cross, is a real guy. The two became lifelong friends. He represented the people who helped Rudy.

Rudy's brother, Frank Ruettiger's character, was written as the nemesis. He actually supported Rudy in real life.

The writers needed a representation of the people who criticized Rudy, however, so that was assigned to Frank.

Fortunately, we found very credible actors that carried the story. Sean Astin, who played the title role, was perfect because he wasn’t the greatest athlete as a kid but tried the hardest for his coaches. His childhood wasn’t easy as the son of Patty Duke, who struggled with mental illness. He didn’t have a perfect life.

Ned Beatty, who played Rudy's father, started out in real life as a struggling actor with 8 kids. Finally, he made it in Hollywood. It made him plausible, as

“People don’t care how much you know when they know how much you care.”

- DANIEL “RUDY” RUETTIGER

my real father was a man who lived under much stress.

Charles Dutton, who played Fortune, the stadium groundskeeper, had spent time in prison before getting paroled and becoming an actor. He was kind of a tough guy, beat up by life, so that edge he showed was real. But like his character, he didn’t let life get him down.

Was there any pivotal part of your story that was left out?

Yes. After high school, I was in the Navy for a while. It gave me a mindset of complete structure and discipline.

My Lieutenant Commander was a UND graduate. One day I noticed his class ring. I asked him how I could get one. He said, ‘study hard and you can do it.’ He also called me a leader among midshipmen, which built up my confidence. And that’s when I started dreaming. When you believe in yourself, you dream big.

Whose idea was Rudy?

Mine. A sports writer was in the locker room after the final game of the season when I was carried off the field. After hearing some of my story, he said, “this only happens in Hollywood.” That’s how I first got the idea.

How did you go about getting the movie made?

It almost didn’t happen. At first, I couldn’t get UND to agree to let us

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film on campus. They didn’t understand my vision. The only movie ever filmed on the university’s campus was Knute Rockne, All American that starred Ronald Reagan in 1940. They weren’t interested in another football movie, particularly one that starred a walk-on. It didn’t fit with their brand of All Americans.

So, I did what I always do. I found another way.

I went out to Hollywood to try to sell the script. I told a lot of people my story. Ironically, the manager of the hotel where I was staying was the brother of Angelo Pizzo, who wrote Hoosiers. He told Pizzo about the script.

Eventually I met with Pizzo. I had to convince him. He said he didn’t want to get pigeonholed as a writer of Indiana sports films. Also, he didn’t like Notre Dame. I knew he liked my story, though, so I built a relationship with him over the next two years. One day I

came home to a message from Pizzo on my answering machine that the movie was greenlighted. He onboarded David Anspaugh, who directed Hoosiers, and we went from there.

At that point, the producers gave me 48 hours to get UND on board. After two days, they were going to scrap the project. I had to convince the priests to let the film crews onto campus. It took some tall talking, but eventually they came around. We had to get things right in a short time. The entire last scene at the football game was shot in one take during halftime of the 1992 UND vs. Boston College game.

In the end, it went well and UND is happy about it now!

on faith and going for our dreams.

Don’t ask permission for your dream, reach out and grab it. And if the obvious path doesn’t work, find another one. I had to work very hard, but I got into UND because of the relationships I built. I made the football team because Coach Parseghian and the others saw that I was willing to give my all at every turn.

We’re all successful in one way or another. Some of us just don’t see it because we’re comparing ourselves to other people. Don’t judge yourself by other people’s successes. Do your best, figure out a way to overcome the obstacles and collaborate with others. And have hope. That’s what Rudy is all about.

What advice do you have for underdogs?

Life is about leaping out

HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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Goddard as entrepreneur and fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer

BACK in TIME Leslie Goddard brings history to life

M

BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN

“I knew, however, if I ever wanted to teach, it would be history,” said Goddard.

ost of us dream of finding an occupation we love- something for which we have a heartfelt passion while still making a living. Leslie Goddard has managed to do just that. This home-grown historian brings the past back to life - in a fun and entertaining way - through character impersonations and lectures.

History has always been special to Goddard. After earning a BA from Stamford, this Hinsdale Central graduate earned two master’s degrees- one in Theatre History and Literature from the University of Illinois and a second in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester, UK.

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That led to the final stop on her educational journey - the Interdisciplinary PhD program at Northwestern, where she graduated with a doctorate in U.S. History, Women’s History, American Studies, and Theatre.

Time spent as the Director of Oak Brook Graue Mill confirmed her path.

“I used to imagine how great it would be to live there,” Goddard laughed. “I really loved it.”

Goddard as Betty the Pan Am Stewardess

Stints at other suburban history museums helped her hone her curatorial skills. One day at Evanston History Museum, co-workers learned she had

A Sears Department Store in downtown Elmhurst

studied theater. She was asked to portray a local woman who had been active in the temperance movement for an upcoming exhibit. Goddard was fascinated by the 19th-century fashions that accompanied the role and made compelling arguments for the temperance movement to the audience rather than just presenting it as a lecture.

The presentation turned out to be Goddard’s aha moment. “I learned there was a market for living history,” she said. “I started getting offers from women’s clubs and book clubs to deliver portrayals of historical characters.”

The Walnut Room at Marshall Field’s in 1945

characters she portrayed and historical lecture topics based on her own interests. A few years in, however, she realized the value of specialization.

While some of her historic characters go back as far as Louisa May Alcott and Amelia Earhart, Goddard has

“I learned there was a market for living history.”

– LESLIE GODDARD ON HER CHARACTER IMPERSONATIONS OF HISTORICAL FIGURES THROUGH TIME

In the beginning, Goddard chose the come to find a niche in mid-century American history.

Amelia Earhart is just one of the firstperson portrayals performed by Goddard.

She keeps a steady rotation of historical characters in her repertoire. At any given moment, about a dozen or so significant women from the past can be met through Goddard’s performances. “It takes me about a year to get another personality researched and cued up to present,” she said. “I find my costumes and accessories on eBay and in vintage stores. I have an entire garage full of props, too,” she laughed.

Among the current characters on the

docket is Pan Am Betty, a stewardess who can tell you about the strict height and weight requirements of 1960s flight attendants, along with the hijinks that ensued while transporting celebrity passengers. Julia Child is happy to relay her misadventures of learning to cook in Paris in an almost entirely male industry. Have you ever wondered how the huge collection of Tupperware stuffed into a kitchen drawer in virtually every American home got there? Shrewd saleslady Brownie Wise can provide that answer, along with the story of her rise from single mother to head of Tupperware Home Parties.

Jacqueline Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Lady Bird Johnson, and Georgia O’Keefe are also available for hire.

Fashion mogul Lilly Pulitzer is the most recent leading lady to have found her way into the lineup.

When asked her favorite character to impersonate, Goddard laughed as she replied, “I can’t choose. It would be like picking a favorite child.”

In addition to her mid-century characters, Goddard also lectures on historic pop culture, such as Riverview Amusement Park, Chicago candy companies, and historical retail stores. Elmhurst History Museum will host "Lost Chicagoland Department Stores" from HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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October through January. This nostalgic exhibit will bring visitors back to the era of in-person shopping in Chicago department stores. Through photos, memorabilia, and artifacts, visitors will be whisked back in time to Marshall Field’s, Sears, Carson Pirie Scott, and the other usual suspects that were part and parcel to seven legendary blocks of shopping in the Loop.

The exhibit promises to be a fun stroll down memory lane for visitors, and one which Goddard enjoyed creating.

It evolved from research performed during the pandemic. Like many others, Goddard found herself with time to finally delve into a project. “My grandfather worked at Marshall Field’s for most of his career, so I had his stories to work with,” said Goddard, “but I needed more.”

With historical archives shuttered, she began reaching out to people of that era to hear their personal stories. She found that in addition to the merchandise people took away from the store, they acquired just as many memories.

“Everyone seemed to have a story about Marshall Field’s at Christmastime-dressing up and taking the train into the city, admiring the windows and, if they were lucky, having lunch under the Christmas tree in the Walnut Room,” said Goddard. “I realized that these department stores provided the backdrop for memories made by thousands of Chicago families.

They’re a sort of thread that binds Chicagoans together.”

Enough research was gathered about Marshall Field’s alone to create Goddard’s first book, Remembering Marshall Field’s. Readers are offered an up-close look into the gone-but-notforgotten era of the city’s retail icons in "Lost Chicago Department Stores."

Chicago’s sweeter past can be relivedfrom Frango Mints to Lemonheads and everything in between- through the pages of Chicago’s Sweet Candy History, a book dedicated to the Windy City’s chief confectioners.

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Goddard as environmental scientist Rachel Carson, circa 1960s.

The Elmhurst History Museum’s exhibit, “Lost Chicagoland Department Stores,” in collaboration with Goddard, will be on display at the museum through Jan. 28, 2024.

Visit elmhursthistory.org for more information. For more information on Goddard and her list of engagements, visit lesliegoddard.info.

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ARTS & THEATRE | HINSDALEMAG.COM

T

he ceremonial sound of bells elevates any event to a special occasion, especially the particular elegance of a handbell choir. It’s truly an art form that requires a high level of dedication from each ringer, not only to their individual bells but to the group.

The Agape Ringers, Chicago’s premier community handbell choir, was founded more than three decades ago

by David Weck, editor of Hope Publishing, a sheet music publishing company. Weck needed a recording choir for new musical demos. He invited a group of local directors who regularly played his music to form the group.

Enthusiastically, they agreed.

The group has since been incorpo-

Ringing in the SEASON The Agape Ringers: Performing a musical art form

BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN

Lifelong musician, KC Congdon, has directed the Agape Ringers for four years.

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rated as a non-profit organization.

They hold performances and workshops regularly. Each year, the group tours to a different domestic or international destination to perform.

Anyone with a love of music and appreciation for the camaraderie of a small group is welcome to audition.

KC Congdon has had the Agape Ringers under her baton for the last four years. Her appreciation of the nuances of the bells is a big reason this group’s well-earned reputation of excellence, started under Weck, is intact. “Directing a handbell choir works best if you’ve been on the

didn’t know what it was, but it sounded fun,” Congdon recalled. A few years later, Congdon’s church was gifted a memorial of handbells. As the only person who knew how to play them, she was asked to conduct the choir as a high school senior.

The camaraderie of a handbell choir is palpable.

other side of the table, so you know what the ringers are experiencing,” Congdon knows.

She knows because she’s been there.

Having been a founding member, Congdon has firsthand knowledge of her ringers’ experience. She knows what each ringer can handle. She acknowledges their challenges and shares their joy in perfecting pieces.

It’s how she gets the elegant sound for which the Agape Ringers have come to be known.

A handbell is exactly what the name implies - a bronze bell designed to be rung by hand. To get the sound, the ringer grasps the bell by its flexible handle and moves his or her arm to make the hinged clapper strike the inside of the bell. Each bell produces a single note.

With only two hands and one or two bells for each, a ringer can usually play up to two to four notes and their sharps and flats. To be successful requires focus. If a ringer is responsible for more than two notes, they must be coordinated enough to put one bell down and pick up another before the previous note appears again in the music.

missed because nobody else can cover your part; they have their own bells.”

There’s a great sense of accountability to playing in a handbell choir.

“The bonding is different in handbells than anywhere else I have seen.”

– AGAPE RINGERS DIRECTOR, KC CONGDON, ON THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY OF A HANDBELL CHOIR.

Congdon is a lifelong musician. She began studying piano at five years old.

In middle school, her teacher asked her to join her handbell choir. “I

She has been directing ever since.

Congdon now directs six handbell choirs of various ages and stages of life. She literally teaches students from kindergarten through retirement. Her favorite age group is high school and college students. “They want to learn things, and they’re not afraid to try new things,” Congdon observes. But she also appreciates watching older adults learn from their much younger fellow ringers. “It’s fun to watch a 10-year-oldteach the senior citizen standing next to them what a symbol in the sheet music means,” she smiled.

“I love to watch the interaction.”

Congdon loves what she does. “I give the music director at my church credit for seeing the potential in me to direct that first church choir when I was so young,” said Congdon. “He could have gone to an adult. I’m always grateful he took a chance on me.”

The Agape Ringers will perform their annual Christmas Show on Dec. 9 at 4:00 p.m. at Elmhurst Christian Reform Church.

For tickets, more information, or recordings, please visit their website at agaperingers.org

The group performs regularly, both locally and internationally.

That’s one of the things that makes this type of music so community-building. Congdon loves the bells because “there’s only one of each bell.

If you’re not there to play, you’re HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

43

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THE LADIES OF

Café La Fortuna tell their story

O

n the evening of October 16th, nearly 100 fans of Hinsdale’s Café La Fortuna gathered at the Hinsdale Library for an in-person book launch of “The Inspiring Story of Café La Fortuna.” It was authored

by Proprietor Angela Lavelli and her daughter, Alejandra L. Franco.

The book is a behind-the-scenes look at how and why the coffee they offer is so special and has become so wellknown and regarded. The first part is an excellent primer on the history of coffee beans; where they are grown, their varieties, and how beans are processed.

The second part is the story of how Angela got involved with the coffee

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bean growing business, and then, how she and her family moved from Mexico and opened Café La Fortuna in Hinsdale in 2012, using a single origin beans with no blends from Chiapas, Mexico. At the launch, Angela and

Alejandra both shared the challenge and how they learned together what it takes to put together both an excellent history of the coffee industry, and a family memoir all in one well-done, short volume of less than 50 pages.

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Out of the

ASHES

Six and a half decades later, Chicagoans still commemorate Our Lady of the Angels school fire

BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN

T

he first day of December ushers in the holiday season. It’s a promise of happiness and celebration. But it’s also the day that Chicagoans pause to honor the memory of 92 children and three nuns who perished in a fire at Our Lady of the Angels School (OLAS) on the city’s near west side.

The day was December 1st, 1958. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the day Chicago cried- one of the darkest days in our city’s history. First-grader Michael Mason went on to eventually become a Lieutenant in the Downers Grove Fire Department. He escaped the school as it was burning.

Six and a half decades later, Lieutenant Mason recounted his memories of one of the deadliest fires in American history with Contributing Editor Maureen Callahan: People always ask if I became a firefighter because of the [Our Lady of the Angels School] fire. To be honest, in the beginning, the answer was ‘no.’

After I got into the fire service, however, I realized more and more what that school fire meant to firefighters. I came to appreciate the aftermath of that school fire and the effect it had on many things.

I still have some recollection of that Fri-

ON DECEMBER 1ST, 1958, OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS SCHOOL ON CHICAGO'S NEAR WEST SIDE- BURNED DOWN.

day afternoon. I was in first grade. It was almost time for the school day to end. My classmates and I sensed something was wrong because the nuns were scurrying around nervously. Some kids said they smelled smoke, but nobody in my class saw anything. After the fire was investigated, we learned the path it took. We figured out that it had been burning in the ceiling above our heads, but we didn’t know. The nun that taught us rounded us up to go outside, but she didn’t have us get our coats. It was freezing outside that day.

As soon as we exited the building, the smell of smoke and burning wood was overpowering. There was mass chaos.

People were screaming. Glass shattered.

Parents in the neighborhood saw the

LIEUTENANT MICHAEL MASON, DOWNERS GROVE FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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during the day, was in her rocking chair with her rosary in her hands, watching the footage on TV. Not long after, my mom raced in the door and grabbed me. I still remember how hard she hugged me.

92 students and three nuns perished in one of America's deadliest school fires.

People always call me a survivor, but I usually just say I was a witness. There are actual survivors with much worse memories than mine. Another survivor who became the Fire Chief of Elgin was in the north wing, which took the initial brunt of the fire. Those were the third and fifth-grade classrooms- they got the worst of it. He remembers hitting the ground and crawling. He barely made it out. Many of the kids in that wing didn’t make it. footage on TV and ran to the school to try to find their children. There were people running everywhere, shouting their kids’ names, trying desperately to locate them from the ground outside their classrooms.

and ran them down the ladders. As the fire raged hotter and hotter, they saw time running out and began dropping the children off the ladders as soon as they pulled them out, reasoning that

I don’t think anybody in the city slept that night, but definitely not in my neighborhood. You could hear parents wailing in their houses from the street.

The smell of smoke was heavy in the air, and sirens continued all night as the firefighters fought the raging flames.

I heard a loud banging noise and turned to see The next day was Satthe firemen trying to urday, and the weather break through a was warmer. I wanted to wrought iron fence play outside. I rememoutside the school. It ber walking down was later learned that Springfield Avenue, not their arrival was being able to find my delayed due to an erroplaymates. A friend of neous school address -LIEUTENANT MICHAEL MASON, DOWNERS GROVE FIRE DEPARTMENT, mine lived in the apartRETIRED, AND OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS SCHOOL FIRE SURVIVOR given to the first ment above me. I never responders by the persaw him again. He just son who initially called wasn’t there anymore.

I found out in the emergency. Meanwhile, smoke injury was better than death. years later he died in the fire. poured out of the building. I saw a fire- The near west side was a heavily Italian man running with a little girl thrown neighborhood at the time. Families over his shoulder. were very close. Neighbors who lived Ninety-two children from within a mile adjacent to the school opened their and a half radius died the day OLAS People brought ladders from their doors to pull children inside to shield burned down. Grief hung in the air.

The neighborhood fell apart. Nobody home garages and put them up to class- them from the horrific vision. knew what to say to one another, so room windows. Kids jumped from second-story windows- some to their I walked to school every day with my they didn’t say anything. The commudeath and some to lifelong injuries. cousins. That day, I went to our usual nity went into a terrible depression.

Inside, students piled up in front of meeting place in front of the convent, classroom windowsills as they climbed but they weren’t there. There were so Our Lady Help of Christians- the next over one another in an effort to escape. many people. It was bedlam! An elderly Catholic school over from OLAS- put man picked me up so I could see what their own students on a special schedFiremen recounted having to reach far was going on. I’m honestly not sure ule and took in a bunch of OLAS kids. down inside the windows to grab the how I got home that day, but I never Others were farmed out to public children- mostly boys because their belt found my cousins. When I got back to schools while they waited for the new buckles gave them something to grab. my family’s apartment, my grand- school to be built. It took two years.

They pulled them out a few at a time mother, who watched my sister and me My family hung around for a few more

“After I got into the fire service, I realized more and more the significance the [Our Lady of the Angels school] fire had to fire fighters.

A lot changed after that fire.”

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years. By that time, a bunch of families had moved out to Elmwood Park.

They couldn’t bear to stay in the neighborhood with all those memories.

That’s what my family did after I finished sixth grade.

The really weird thing was that nobody in the school, or the neighborhood, talked about the fire. When the new OLAS school was built, there was no monument, no plaque- nothing to commemorate the lives lost in the fire.

The nuns never mentioned it again.

For many years on December 1st, Holy Family Church in Roosevelt Square-

which schools are built. OLAS, like many schools of the day, had much highly varnished wood that was very flammable. Safer building materials became a requirement for public buildings. Previous to the code, there was often no way to tell if a fire was brewing until it was visible. Alarms for early detection, sprinkler systems, and fire doors and windows became mandatory. Windowsill heights may not exceed 44 inches off the floor, so they may be easily egressed in case of fire.

There cannot be any locked gates; everything must be accessible to emergency personnel.

Although Mason believes he did not necessarily become a firefighter because of this tragic childhood event, he now realizes that it somehow helped steer his career. In his early twenties, he lived as a jazz musician in the city. “A few of my buddies were with the Chicago Fire Department (CFD),” said Mason.

“They got me to ride along on a few of their calls. They always thought I would make a good firefighter, but I thought they were nuts,” he laughed.

All at once, Mason “was hooked.” He began studying to be a medic in the late 70s and entered Boston’s Fire Academy, as CFD was on strike during the Jane Burn administration. After graduation, he moved back to the area when a position became available in Down-

ers Grove.

Mason now has 42 years of fire service under his belt. The majority of this experience was in the actual fighting of fires, from which he is now retired. But he is still in the game. Some years back, he founded RICO Fire and Rescue Incorporated. The acronym stands for Rapid Intervention Company Operations. Put simply, it’s a class that teaches firefighters maneuvers and techniques on how to rescue themselves during fires and collapses. “I offer the class during the week of 9/11 every year because of that tragic event,” said Mason. “Firefighters come from all over the world to learn this.”

Also an award-winning jazz musician, Mason collaborated with several other musicians to create Angels of Fire, a CD of music that commemorates the OLAS fire, told through a series of a dozen songs. All proceeds benefit I Am Me Camp (formerly known as Burn Camp), the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance’s children’s summer camp for fire survivors.

“Five survivors of the OLAS fire went on to become firemen,” said Mason. “I don’t think I was necessarily influenced by the fire to join the fire service, but later, I think I indirectly came to know why I went down this road and then used it as a purpose,” Mason believes.

Lieutenant Mason founded RICO Fire Rescue, Inc.

the city’s Fire Department Parish- held a mass for survivors of the OLAS school fire. For years, I attended it with my firemen buddies from Chicago, but after a while, I stopped going. I had to move on.

Out of the ashes of this mind-numbing disaster, however, rose a series of improvements for school designs and fire safety- Life Safety Code 101. These improvements were implemented not only for school buildings but also for public buildings.

The new code changed the materials of

RICO teaches firefighters maneuvers and techniques on how to rescue themselves during fires and collapses.

HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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ON TOP OF Elmhurst volleyball stars THE WORLD win world title

BY JEFF VORVA

T

he waiting was excruciating.

The result, however, was exhilarating.

Elmhurst residents Abby Vander Wal and Ava Falduto were key players on the USA U-19 team that won the Federation Internationale de Volleyball World Championship on August 11 in Osijek, Croatia.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Falduto, a senior libero at Immaculate Conception High School. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed of as a little kid. Just going out there and representing this country was a dream come true, and winning on top of that was a feeling I can’t even describe.”

To get there had some angst.

Flashback to late July.

The two were at a training facility in Colorado Springs with 17 other athletes on pins and needles, awaiting the news of who would make the final cut for the 12-member team.

To have two athletes from Elmhurst to just get an invite to the camp was huge. To have both make the team?

That would be special. Especially when they were the only representatives from volleyball-strong Illinois.

“That whole day was pretty nerve-wracking and pretty scary,” said Vander Wal, a junior outside hitter at

Timothy Christian’s Abby Vander Wal and Immaculate Conception’s Ava Falduto hug after winning a world championship in volleyball.

basketball circuit for the Lombard-based Breakaway Basketball program.

“Back then, we both played volleyball at a different age level,” Vander Wal said. “We obviously didn’t know something like this would happen. She (Falduto) is one of my best friends, and we have gotten to be super tight over the last two years. We have grown close, and making this special trip with her has been amazing.”

“Just going out there and representing this country was a dream come true, and winning on top of that was a feeling I can’t even describe.”

- AVA FALDUTO ON WINNING THE VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Elmhurst residents Abby Wander Wal and Ava Falduto formed a friendship seven years ago and won a world championship in volleyball in August. Photo by Victor Hilitski

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Timothy Christian High School.

“Everyone was feeling nervous. They were supposed to send us a text message at 4 in the afternoon.”

freaking out. Abby’s didn’t load either.

When mine finally loaded, I ran over to Abby, and she didn’t get it yet, so I got to tell her, so that was pretty cool.”

Vander Wal said most of the players roamed by themselves at the Colorado Springs facility, waiting for the text because they wanted to be alone to deal with their feelings if there was bad news.

The two hugged when they got the good news.

Falduto said that when the text finally came, technology threw a curveball.

“We had no idea we would make the team because everything was so close,” Vander Wal said. “There was no guarantee for anything. We didn’t know what to expect. We gave each other a big hug. It was a really cool moment.”

“I was on a bench, but before that, I was pacing back and forth,” she said.

“It wasn’t loading, and I didn’t have the best connection, so when (coach Jamie Morrison) sent it out, it was just loading for a few minutes, so I was just

Vander Wal said that although they were never teammates until being selected to the USA team, they met seven years ago in Atlantic City when her brother, Ben, and Falduto’s brother, Johnny, played on the travel

HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE

The 5-foot-7 Falduto is heading to Penn State and has plans to enroll there early. The 6-foot-3 Vander Wal has made a verbal commitment to the University of Texas but has some volleyball left in her at Timothy Christian.

The USA beat Türkiye 20-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-16, 15-10 in a come-from-behind marathon to claim the gold medal. Vander Wal had 15 kills, two blocks, and two aces and was named the tournament’s MVP. Falduto was a defensive wizard throughout the tournament.

The USA went 9-0 in the tournament and matches against Korea, Serbia, Brazil, and the title match against Türkiye went five games.

“The girls were great, and we had a really good connection on and off the court,” Falduto said. “We all got along, and it was really fun to play with them.” ■

SNAPSHOT | HINSDALEMAG.COM

CANDOR Health Education

C

andor Health Education (formerly The Robert Crown Center for Health Education) is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024: 50 years of educating and empowering fourth through eighth-grade students, helping them navigate changes associated with growing up. Since the Robert Crown Center opened in January 1974, its mission has been to positively impact young people's physical, social, and emotional health through innovative education programs in partnership with parents, schools, and communities.

Candor Health Education serves over 85,000 students annually in 650 schools, providing them with science-based, medically accurate information that normalizes taboo topics. Its programs are designed to plant seeds that will grow into informed decision-making as students mature. Students learn about how their bodies will grow, the impact of substance use on a developing brain, and skills to build healthy relationships.

They fill a gap, serving many schools without dedicated health teachers or staff who feel comfortable delivering lessons on sensitive topics like puberty, human reproduction and embryology, and teen sexual health. The Candor Health Education programs are a safe space for young people to learn and ask questions, especially when misinformation on these topics is so easily accessible. A

former student said, "Supporting elementary and middle school health education is critical. The world is changing how we view sex and how we view gender. Kids need access to safe places to ask questions and learn information without being judged."

Over half of Candor Health Education's budget comes from school fees, and they receive some government funding for substance abuse prevention from the Illinois Department of Human Services and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) office of Chicago. However, Candor Health Education raises additional money from foundations, individuals, and local businesses to fund continued programming. Right now, they are looking for supporters to help raise $33,000 to give away 50 programs for free, impacting 1,250 students.

Candor Health Education continues to expand outside the Chicagoland area as well. Since the pandemic, the organization has been offering virtual program delivery, which allows Candor Health Education to extend its reach to a broader audience. They currently provide programs in central Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and New York.

For more information on its programs or how you can donate or get involved, visit candorhealthed.org. ■ HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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COMMUNITY SCENE | HINSDALEMAG.COM

Hinsdale Historical Society & Château du Parc PHOTOS BY MARCELLO RODARTE

More than 200 people attended An Evening at Château du Parc in early October at the home of Mimi and Dan Collins at 420 S. Park in Hinsdale. Guests enjoyed libations, hors d'oeuvres and music while learning about the home's extensive 20-month restoration process, recently completed by the homeowners. The event featured an interactive exhibit, hosted via the Hinsdale Historical Society's Historical Tourist App, with newly unveiled content detailing the home's renovation and shedding light on the original owners of the home. Guests were encouraged to download the app to view supplemental visuals and to hear narration by Hinsdale Historical Society's Matt Stockmal. All Proceeds from the event will benefit the Hinsdale Historical Society’s R. Harold Zook Home & Studio at KLM. ■

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➀ Château du Parc is located at 420 South Park Avenue in Hinsdale. ➁ Homeowners Mimi and Dan Collins ➂ Hope Lloyd Brown, Paulette Lloyd and Sarah Zielke ➃ Stacey Campbell, Julie Langdon and Ruta Dudenas ➄ Ginny Stewart, Lisa Sexton and Marygrace Hess ➅ Amanda Swanson, Sarah London and Amy Waldron

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➊ Steve Napleton, Mimi Collins, Bill Napleton, Kathy Napleton, Carol Napleton, Stephen Napleton and Madeline Napleton ➋ Allison Knuepfer, Elizabeth Dziedzic, Emily Hannigan, Megan Pack and Walker Rediehs ➌ Christy Hernandez, Event Chair Alexis Braden, Event Chair Hope Lloyd Brown, Event Chair Anna Fiascone, Event Chair Sarah Zielke and Elizabeth Dziedzic ➍ Carrie Rosich and Kristen Laakso ➎ Amelia Canham Eaton and Mimi Collins ➏ Stephanie Tuthill and Kayla Weiss ➐ Allie Howard Killen and Event Chair Margherita Lutz

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HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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COMMUNITY SCENE | HINSDALEMAG.COM

Annual Garba & Raas

PHOTOS BY MADELINE CRAIG

Hamara Parivar was formed in 2015 by a group of friends from the Western Suburbs of Chicago who all have young children. Their goal? To continue to carry on traditions and educate future generations about their culture. The group hosted their Annual Garba & Raas on October 14 at The Community House in Hinsdale. The colorful event full of traditional dancing was enjoyed by attendees both young and old. ■

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COMMUNITY SCENE | HINSDALEMAG.COM

Brooks Strong Foundation PHOTOS BY MARCELLO RODARTE

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In late July, 140 golfers descended on the beautiful Hinsdale Golf Club for the Sixth Annual Brooks Strong Invitational Golf Tournament. This marks the fourth year in a row the event has been a sell out. Golfers and their guests enjoyed a wonderful round of golf followed by a beautiful cocktail reception and awards ceremony. The highlight of the day was recognition of two recipients of the first annual Brooks Strong Scholarship which is awarded to student athletes at Hinsdale Central High School.

The event raised more than $75,000 in support of the mission of Brooks Strong Foundation to support kids going through cancer treatment. ■

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HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE

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➀ Brooks Tonn ➁ McCall, Stephanie and Charlotte Brzozowski ➂ Griffin, Rob, Scarlett, Nora and Hunter Tonn ➃ Attendees at the annual golf tournament ➄ Brooks Strong Scholarship winners Evan Phillips and Max Williams (center) ⑥ Susie Turek, Christine Trainer, Denise Howe and Linda Davis ➆ John Trainer, Don Davis, Steve Hartschuh and Adam Linn ⑧ Brooks Strong Junior Board members Nicholas Naccarato, Emmett ➈ Callahan and Nick Zoberis checking in golfers. ⑨ Karen Eck, Lauren Rock, Lynn Ambrose, Jodi Leonard

HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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Plan Your Year-End Charitable Giving Now Through DuPage Foundation As the seasons change and we approach the close of 2023, now is the time to start planning your year-end charitable giving to ensure you accomplish your goals and maximize your potential benefits and tax savings.

If you already have your list of favorite charities ready to support, great!

If not, DuPage Foundation is here to assist you. Below are some examples of how we can help: • • • • •

Support you in focusing your passions and interests and matching them with opportunities to make a difference, locally and beyond; Offer education about persistent and emerging community needs; Highlight ways to assist not-for-profits that are struggling to keep up with rising costs, supply chain challenges, and staff shortages; Provide effective, tax-efficient giving strategies for you and your loved ones; and Work with you and your advisors to create a charitable legacy plan to benefit your community and favorite causes through DuPage Foundation as a part of your estate plan.

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COMMUNITY SCENE | HINSDALEMAG.COM

YOUNG LIFE

Raising money for faith-filled youth programs

BY ANNA HUGHES

Hope: that’s what today’s younger generations are searching for, according to Rev. Dr. Dan Meyer. Meyer, the pastor at Christ Church in Oak Brook, gave a compelling speech to local parents at October’s

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Young Life fundraising event at Hinsdale Golf Club. Young Life, a nonprofit Christian outreach for youth, is a staple in the Chicagoland area; year after year, it brings generations of teenagers closer together and closer to God. In his speech, Meyer listed the other five things “Gen Z” and “Generation Alpha” are looking for. The second, after hope, is healing. The third is growth, then inner peace, purpose, and truth, respectively. Research shows, Meyer said, that these kids are searching for identity: who are they in this world of technology, where they have access to the highlight reels of everyone’s lives? They are staunch advocates for mental health education and destigmatization while dealing with their own trauma, anxieties, and more.

These WyldLife and Young Life participants (junior high and high school students) are experiencing a time of confusion, and many are left wondering: where do they fit into it all? Young Life aims to combat this thinking, teaching them that their identity, first and foremost, is as a child of God. The annual Young Life budget sits just under $300,000 — made manageable thanks to the generosity and continued support of families in the community.

One of those supporters in particular is Bob Walsh. Walsh, a former camper turned board member, was honored with the Hinsdale Area Lifetime Achievement Award for his years of financial support and volunteering.

Everyone in the room had nothing but praise for Walsh, who has helped hundreds of students grow in their relationship with God. 64

HinsdaleMag.com | HINSDALE MAGAZINE

Some of those students were in attendance at the fundraising event, sharing their testimonies on a poster board. On one side, they shared how they felt before joining Young Life— lost, alone, insecure — and on the other side, how they’ve grown through the program — now filled with love, joy, confidence, and the desire to know God. Meyer said that 60% of young people truly desire to make a positive impact in the world, and these high school students are certainly part of this majority.

Meyer also recounted his testimony; he’s one of many who can proudly say that Young Life changed his life for the better. Thanks to generous donations from the community that allowed him to attend camp, he was inspired to turn his life into service to God and the local community. You, too, can be one of the people who changes a young life by helping support this organization.

The event raised almost one-third of the needed annual budget, and they still have a long way to go. The committee is hoping for more support. Any gift is extremely appreciated and will help Young Life continue to help our community’s kids grow in this amazing faith-based program.

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➀ Rev. Dr. Dan Meyer - lead pastor at Christ Church ➁ Bob Walsh was honored with the Hinsdale Area Lifetime Achievement Award at the event. ➂ Attendees shared their testimonies on personal growth after joining Young Life.

To support Young Life and WyldLife, please visit giving.younglife.org/easterndupage.

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