EDNESDAY AY, DECEMBER EC 25, 2013
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Gymnasts balance school, national competitions
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Rachael Underwood
THE SEASON OF HOPE
Let the LIGHT shine in Local clergy deliver messages of hope, peace
H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
Tom McNamara is a retired special education teacher from Crystal Lake. He sold his house and bought an RV that he drives around the country to give homeless people socks. He has already helped people in 15 different states.
By SHAWN SHINNEMAN sshinneman@shawmedia.com
R
ev. John Dillon sees profound potential in every child he baptizes. During this year’s Christmas sermon, he spins that vision toward a theme of the interconnectivity of humanity. Clergy across the county deliver their sermons to some of their biggest services of the year on Christmas and Christmas Eve. Centering their talks on the birth and gift of Christ, pastors will try to bring their messages to people with their own experiences or, for some, by tying in major events from the past year. Dillon, of RidgefieldCrystal Lake Presbyterian Church, will do so by starting with the potential in every young child. “Every child changes their family and has the potential to change the world, good or bad,” he said. Dillon said he varies his holiday sermon themes from year to year, but makes sure he’s providing an inspirational message rather than trying to teach a deeper understanding of scripture. At least half of the congregation, Dillon estimates, will settle in at his church for the first time all year. “You have to communicate in a way that is open to outsiders,” he said. Dillon expected between 500 and 700 people between the church’s four Christmas Eve services. At The Church of Holy Apostles, a Catholic church in McHenry, Fr. Paul White expects about 3,000 people during Christmas Masses, compared to about 2,000 on a typical weekend. White said he’s taking his lead this year from Pope Francis because of all the strides he’s made for the Catholic Church. White said the Pope’s engagement with people – washing the feet of prisoners, visiting the poor and holding children – has had a strong impact bringing those who’ve been marginalized back to Catholicism.
CL man helps homeless one sock at a time Retired teacher sold home, bought RV to travel country By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – When it comes to helping the homeless, Tom McNamara never gets cold feet. And he does his best to make sure those he helps don’t get them either. The retired special education teacher ditched his Crystal Lake home for an RV that he takes around the country to provide the homeless with new, dry socks. McNamara has already distributed thousands of socks
to people from Mississippi and Missouri to Arizona and New Mexico. “The smiles you see when a kid gets a pair of dry, clean socks are incredible,” he said. “It is definitely a need and most people look by that. All our other organizations do a great job, but they get jackets, hats, scarves, gloves; we forget socks.” McNamara was inspired to start his one-man charity tour after discovering the Joy of Sox – a Philadelphia
See SOCKS, page A10
Health care site put to test as deadline nears By CARLA K. JOHNSON The Associated Press CHICAGO – The government’s retooled health care website was put to its biggest test yet as record numbers of Americans rushed to beat Tuesday’s extended deadline for signing up for insurance. After a disastrous, glitchfilled rollout in October, HealthCare.gov, where people in 36 states can shop for coverage, received 2 million visits Monday, its highest one-day total, the government said. Traffic was not as heavy on Tuesday but still high, White House spokeswoman Tara McGuinness said. She had no
See SERMONS, page A10
LOCALLY SPEAKING
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JOHNSBURG
CARPENTERSVILLE
J’BURG SENIOR NAMED ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
MAN SENTENCED FOR DOMESTIC BATTERY
Kayla Toussaint had a strong finish in the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic, averaging 23 points and five rebounds while shooting 83 percent from the free-throw line in Johnsburg’s final two games. Also in ‘Inside girls basketball,’ Crystal Lake Central looks for continued success after a third-place finish in the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic. For more, see page B2.
Tyrell D. Sumling, 24, has been sentenced to five years in prison for beating and severely injuring his then-girlfriend in June 2012, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. He agreed on Monday to a five-year prison sentence in exchange for a guilty plea of one felony count of aggravated domestic battery. For more, see page A3.
ALGONQUIN: Jacobs junior Chrishawn Orange shines as the team’s top scorer this season. Sports, B1
immediate estimate of visitors or how many succeeded in obtaining insurance before the midnight deadline. “The site is performing well under intense consumer traffic,” said Kurt DelBene, a former Microsoft executive appointed last week to take over management of the online marketplace. “With the highest volumes we have seen to date, response time is fast and the error rating is low.” Error rates were lower than 1 in 200, and pages loaded quickly, in less than a halfsecond, officials said. For a multitude of reasons,
See HEALTH CARE, page A10
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