WARM YOUR SPIRIT with a winter wine tasting Page 7
DECEMBER 2019
CLASSIC HOLIDAY FILM to beneямБt local charity Page 18
FILL YOUR 2020 CALENDAR with wonderful winter events Page 20
A
Victorian
Ch hristma hristmas in DOWNERS
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Editor's
NOTE Happy holidays! It’s December, and the Downers Grove area is filled to the brim with holiday cheer! Storefronts are bursting and streets are bustling amid the spirit of the season. There’s no more beautiful time to be in the western suburbs than right now! So join in the festivity of the season with a holiday event, concert, or festival. In this month’s issue of Suburban Life Magazine, we have just what you’re looking for. Enjoy a classic holiday film, while supporting a great cause at the Tivoli Theaters showing of It's a Wonderful Life. Toast the season and warm your spirits as the Cellar Door hosts its annual Winter Wine Tasting event on December 14. Some 50-60 wines will be available to taste and enjoy. Find a favorite for your holiday dinner. Are you yearning for a holiday celebration that harkens back to a simpler time? Enjoy the Victorian Christmas, hosted yearly by the Downers Grove Park District. And get in the spirit of this classic yuletide event by reading our interview with DG historian Kyra
Millard, who tells us all about the history of the holiday in Downers Grove. Then, when the presents have been opened and the eggnog has been drunk , mark your calendars for a host of wintertime activities all over the area, to get you up and off the couch even in the cold weather. Whatever you decide this season, share some time with friends, family or community, and enjoy the peace and camaraderie that surrounds us, here in the Downers Grove community. Best wishes for a glorious season, from all of us at Suburban Life Magazine. Thanks for reading.
PUBLISHER Daily Chronicle & Suburban Weekly Group Laura Shaw 630-709-4497 lshaw@shawmedia.com EDITOR Sherri Dauskurdas 630-427-6263 sdauskurdas@shawmedia.com DESIGNER Allison LaPorta 630-427-6260 alaporta@shawmedia.com LOCAL SALES MANAGER Daily Chronicle & Niche Publishing Jaclyn Cornell 630-845-5234 jcornell@shawmedia.com CORRESPONDENTS Pete Stadalsky, Jonathan Bilyk, Erin Sauder, Kevin Druley, Tom Witom, Wnedy Foster, Pat Szpekowski and Tom McCartney
Sherri Dauskurdas, Editor
on the
This magazine is available by subscription for $24 a year. If you would like each month’s edition mailed to your home, send your request with payment information to Shaw Media, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or via email at subscriptions@shawmedia.com.
COVER
Do you know the history of the holidays in Downers Grove? Discover the heritage and tradition on page 8.
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Published by Shaw Media 333 N. Randall Road, Suite 2 St. Charles, IL 60174 Phone: 630-845-5288
DECEMBER
2019
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INSIDE
What's
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
7 TOAST THE SEASON IN STYLE Wine a little, or a lot, during Cellar Door’s annual holiday tasting event. 8 GINGERBREAD, CAROLERS AND DECORATED TREES Downers Grove historian traces holiday to its fairly recent roots. 10 SAVE THE DATE! Mark your calendar for the 2020 Ice Festival, a February favorite, and a host of other winter fun!
DINING & ENTERTAINING
12 COFFEE LOVER'S DREAM COME TRUE Reviewer Tom Witom offers thoughts on the Weeknight Dessert Cookbook, and shares a tasty recipe. 14 RESCHEDULING SANTA? Suburban Superdad Jon Bilyk shares his dismay at the nonchalant attitude toward Dec. 25.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
16 UNDERSTANDING SQUATS Our PT and Fitness expert discusses this fundamental exercise.
BUSINESS & CIVIC
18 SHARING, POPCORN Tivoli plays to host to a holiday classic, in benefit of a local charity. 20 HOW TO BE SMARTLY CHARITABLE A Donor Advised Fund provides a simple, flexible, and efficient way to manage charitable giving.
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DECEMBER
2019
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TOAST the SEASON in
style!
Wine a little, or a lot, during Cellar Door’s annual holiday tasting event By Erin Sauder
W
hether you are dreaming of a white Christmas, or red, The Cellar Door Bistro & Wine Shop has you covered. The downtown Downers Grove gem is helping to take the guesswork out of wine shopping with its annual Winter Wine Tasting event. “It’s our biggest tasting of the year,” Cellar Door general manager Ryan Jansky says. “And it’s a good time to have it. People are always looking for something to serve at holiday parties or to buy for a gift.” This year’s festivities are set for 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at The Cellar Door, located at 5150 Main St., Suite A. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased online or at the door. Attendees must be 21 and older. Early bird pricing is available for a limited time. The can’t-miss event of the season offers attendees a chance to explore and expand their wine horizons. Dozens
of varieties, including red, white, sparkling, and more, will be on hand to sample during the open-house style tasting event. “We’ll have probably at least 50 to 60 wines open people can go around and taste. And a selection that runs the gamut,” Jansky says. “Most of these wines we don’t carry on an everyday basis. We’ll have special case discounts and special pricing just for that day. People can find some new favorites and stock up for the holidays.” Additionally, brand managers and distributors’ representatives will be on hand during the tasting to provide
insider knowledge about the wine. All wines will be ready to pickup before Christmas. And regulars to The Cellar Door Bistro & Wine Shop can rest assured their favorites from wineries such as Prisoner Wine Company, Orin Swift, Belle Glos, and Quilt will be available for sampling. The Cellar Door was founded by Sean Chaudhry in 2005 after he recognized the need for a local, no frills bistro and wine shop. The annual Winter Wine Tasting event began shortly after its opening, and continues to grow in popularity, Jansky says.
“We always have a really good turnout,” he says. “People really enjoy it. it’s a great time to come and taste a lot of wines at the same time and find a new favorite.” For those who aslo want to get their nosh on, Cellar Door offers an extensive menu featuring small plates, cheese and charcuterie flights, sandwiches, cauliflower crust pizzas, salads, tiramisu, and more. Suds enthusiasts will enjoy Cellar Door’s 12 rotating craft beer taps. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Make sure to spend some of it with a glass in hand at The Cellar Door Bistro & Wine Shop. Can’t make it to this year’s event? No worries. The Cellar Door also hosts monthly wine tastings, with one planned in January and another in February. For more information about the Winter Wine Tasting, as well as other upcoming events, visit www. cellardoorwine.com. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER 2019
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Gingerbread
Carolers and
DECORATED TREES
Downers Grove historian traces holiday to its fairly recent roots
H
o, ho, hold on a second… Christmas was only declared a federal holiday in the United States 149 years ago, and carolers always were met with goodwill and cheer? Yes, Virginia, that’s part of the holiday landscape as told by Downers Grove Museum curator Kyra Millard, who filled us in about life during the era as the Downers Grove Park District prepares for its annual “Merry & Bright: A Victorian Christmas” celebration at 3 p.m. Dec. 14. Before heading to the museum at Wandschneider Park, 831 Maple Ave. for a day of free family holiday fun, learn more about how Americans celebrated Christmas before and during the turn of the 20th Century. Suburban Life correspondent Kevin Druley had a chat recently with Millard, and here’s a bit of what he discovered about the Holiday season in Downers Grove: DRULEY: To what extent was Christmas entrenched in the culture back then? MILLARD: One thing most people nowadays don’t think about or even know is that Christmas wasn’t an official U.S. holiday until 1870, so it was right smack in the
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Victorian period. That was from 1837 to 1901. So it was really during the Victorian period that Christmas became a really popular holiday. … Prior to that, it wasn’t a major holiday at all. So this is also when we’re getting the majority of the traditions that we have today. One of the most iconic ones is obviously the Christmas tree that was popularized in the 1850s and came over from Germany with German immigrants, for the most part. And that largely looks the same today. It would have been a family activity to decorate the Christmas tree, and the early decorations would have been with things like nuts and dried fruit because they were easy to preserve. Maybe some gingerbread, but not the good kind to eat – with no sugar. … And then later with the growing Christmas market there would have been commercially-made ornaments that would have made it a lot easier for people to decorate the tree because they wouldn’t have to make the ornaments, and they could use them over and over and over. So that sort of became more of a showpiece in the house than a family activity, and I think it’s interesting today that we’ve sort of gone back to having an eclectic tree that
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER 2019
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people decorate together and it’s less a “Don’t touch that; that’s for show only” type of thing that (it) definitely was at the turn of the century, very showpiece tradition.” DRULEY: Which other familiar traditions took root in the Victorian period? MILLARD: Something else that was very popular in the 1850s and reached its peak in the 1890s is mailing each other Christmas cards. That was a logical extension of the letter writing that was already going on a great deal at this time. Prior to telephones, most people didn’t communicate with each other very often unless it was through letters. And even after the telephone became available, most people couldn’t afford that, so they still wrote each other letters. So Christmas cards were a very popular way of … sending each other a small gift – because the artwork would usually decorate them – and it was also very personal and inexpensive. So it was very easy for people to send that kind of thing and it was very, very popular to do so. Gift-giving itself, I think, is very interesting. It didn’t come into major popularity until about the 1870s and 1880s. There was some small-scale gift giving between immediate family members, but prior to the 1870s and 1880s when commercialization really hit and it was easier to acquire things, people really didn’t give each other tons of presents on Christmas. It was still a very religiously focused holiday, and it definitely still is, to some extent, but at this time, if you were not Christian, you didn’t have anything to do with Christmas at all. So for many people in the Victorian period, they didn’t see gift giving as an essential part of the holiday until a little bit later when it became the gifts were a token of your love and affection for that person. DRULEY: How about caroling? MILLARD: Caroling has been very popular from the get-go. It was a British tradition that came over and was an extension of the showing off your talents at parties expectation that
was already in place. ... But this time, they might get something in return if they did it. They would usually get seed cake or fruitcake or a hot drink if they braved the cold and went out and sang for other people. So caroling was a major part of the holiday. It brought the Christmas cheer to other people even if they didn’t necessarily participate in that way. Nobody said no to somebody singing to them. DRULEY: How would you describe a typical Christmas Day celebration of the time? MILLARD: Christmas Day itself was very familycentered. It was very centered around the immediate family, maybe some aunts and uncles if they lived nearby. And very focused on Christ. It was the one day of the season that
was specifically for religious Christian people. There would have been, to some extent, people participating in the other traditions that weren’t specifically religious because they were fun and you definitely still get some of that today– but Christmas day itself would have been very religiously focused. If they did gift giving, they probably would have done that in the morning, and then they would have spent a good portion of the day at church. So they would go to church and they would come home and they would have the big Christmas dinner, which almost exactly resembles what we have today, if somebody has turkey. Some would have beef or ham, but usually turkey, as it was very easy to get in the U.S., and it was large, so you could feed a lot of people with it. … After dinner, they would have done various family activities. Charades was incredibly popular with people at this time, and along that line, children would often write poems that they would present to their family on this day, and they would put together small plays if there were enough kids involved. And there was just general hanging out with your family and popular parlor games. Pass the parcel was very popular, although it was just essentially just hot potato. But at the end of it, somebody got to open a small present. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER 2019
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Best served cold
Save the date for the 2020 Ice Festival, a February favorite BY WENDY FOSTER
W
hile traditional wisdom calls for bemoaning the cold of the Chicagoarea winter, a much-anticipated fun family event in Downers Grove is best enjoyed in the frigid outdoors. The Downers Grove 2020 annual Ice Festival will be held on February 7th-9th throughout the downtown area. More than 40 distinctive ice sculptures will be on display, in most cases, in front of the area businesses that sponsor the event.
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“Each year, we find that more and more people plan this as a must-do event for their winter activities,” said Erin Venezia, director of the Downtown Downers Grove Management Corporation, which has overseen the project since 2009. The individual participating businesses sponsor their unique ice sculpture, carved and delivered by Nadeau’s Ice Sculptures. The works of art sometimes reflect the specific business or may take on a Valentine’s Day-related idea but are oftentimes just a fun design. Regardless of the theme of the sculpture, each provides great photo opportunities. For instance, long-standing favorites are the Kissing Booth sponsored by businessman Ron Rocco of Rocco and Rocco Salon and Day Spa, and the I Love Downtown Downers Grove picture frame sponsored by the Downtown Downers Grove Management Corporation. Adding to the excitement of the weekend will be live ice carving demonstrations at various points
throughout the downtown area. Local restaurants will be serving up their fabulous fare, and downtown shops and boutiques will feature special promotions. “We have a wonderful, family-friendly town with wonderful restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques and we’re excited to show off all of the great things available in downtown Downers Grove,” said Venezia. “Our annual Ice Festival, which is a unique and timehonored tradition, is a fun way for families to explore our community.” The 2020 Ice Festival will be held on Friday, February 7-Sunday, February 9, in downtown Downers Grove. Live ice-carving demonstrations will be held on Friday at 5:30 p.m. on the corner of Main St. and Curtiss St., and Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Main Street Train Station and directly south of the Cellar Door at 5150 Main Street. For additional information and updates to the event, visit Downtown Downers Grove’s Facebook page.
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Looking for more?
Here’s a variety of other upcoming winter events around the area to help ring in 2020: NEW YEAR’S EVE COUNTDOWN TO NOON December 31, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Downers Grove Recreation Center 4500 Belmont Rd., Downers Grove Children celebrate the New Year with music, a photo booth, party favors, refreshments, and more. For children ages 2-10 years old. Registration required. $15$30. For more information visit DGParks. org. ROCKING NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA December 31 DoubleTree by Hilton Lisle Naperville 3003 Corporate W Drive, Lisle The celebratory event, which features four different packages, offers musical entertainment, dancing, and an open bar. Enhanced packages include butlerpassed hors d’oeuvres, five-course dinners, midnight champagne toast, late night snacks, and more. $289-499. For additional information visit www. EventBrite.com ENCHANTED RAILROAD January 17-February 23 Morton Arboretum 4100 IL 53, Lisle More than 10 miniature model trains travel through a two-level display of trees from around the world. Free with admission to the Morton Arboretum. Visit www.MortonArb.com. MEGA MODEL SHOW AND SWAP MEET January 18, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. St. John Lutheran Church 7214 S. Cass Ave., Darien The event features exhibits and merchandise of plane, train and automobile hobbyists. There will be more than 70 vendors operating model railroad layouts, food, raffles, and more. Admission is $2-5. Visit www.SJLCDarien.org. WHISKEY DINNER January 31 or February 1 Morton Arboretum 4100 IL-53, Lisle The delectable dinner features food paired with whisky cocktails, while whiskey expert Jillian Farrell delivers an educational talk. There will also be live musical entertainment. Tickets will be on sale beginning December 10th. Visit www. MortonArb.org or call 630-725-2066.
HUSKEY HEROES January 25 and 26 Morton Arboretum; 4100 IL-53, Lisle Siberian sled dogs are featured in sledpulling and skijoring demonstrations. Visitors can interact with the dogs and sled-teams. There will be information from the Adopt-a-Husky organization. The event is included with Arboretum admission. Visit www.MortonArb.org. VALENTINE CRAFT AND VENDOR SHOW February 1 Chateau Orleans Banquets; 80 Cass Ave., Darien More than 30 artists, crafters and vendors will display items including clothing, jewelry, accessories, art, and more. Visit FestivalNet.com. PIZZA + PROSECCO February 7, 6-8 p.m. North American Pizza and Culinary Academy; 1970 University Lane, Lisle The special pizza party features demonstrations of pizza-making techniques by Master Instructor, Leo Spizzirri. Attendees will dine while drinking prosecco. $50/person. Visit www.PizzaCulinaryAcademy.com WINTER BEER FESTIVAL February 8, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Ty Warner Park 800 N. Blackhawk Dr., Westmont The event, which is held in heated tents, features Chicago-area craft beer brewers. Admission includes (20) four-ounce pours of beer selections. There will be food trucks, camp fires, and outdoor seating. $40/person. Visit www.WestmontParks. org or call 630-963-5252.
Details at www.downtowndg.org or 630-725-0991
CHOCOLATE WEEKEND February 8 and 9, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Morton Arboretum; 4100 Il-53, Lisle In celebration of the cacao tree, the event features specialty chocolate vendors with items to taste and buy. Arboretum members can shop early, on February 7. Visit www.MortonArb.org. FOOD FOR KIDS PACKING NIGHT February 25, 5:30 p.m. Lace Elementary School 7414 S. Cass Ave., Darien The Darien Rotary Club is sponsoring the event at which participants pack food for 200 kids in Darien, Burr Ridge and Willowbrook area. Participants are invited to show up to help; no RSVP required. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER 2019
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TOM’S COOKBOOK LIBRARY:
THE WEEKNIGHT DESSERT COOKBOOK
COFFEE LOVER'S DREAM COME TRUE BY TOM WITOM
C
offee Lovers’ Cake is one of 80 tasty, easy-to-prepare and decadent treats in food writer Mary Younkin’s just-published The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook (Page Street).
Younkin’s latest addition comes with an added incentive. Home cooks who follow her directions should be in a position to whip up the author’s tempting desserts in no more than 15 minutes of hands-on prep time; some can take as little as five minutes. In her introduction, Younkin recommends having all of the calledfor dry ingredients lined up on the counter but not yet measured. Also, have the eggs, butter and additional ingredients within easy reach. She
has several timesaving suggestions on equipment and techniques. The book is divided into six chapters covering such topics as cookies; bars; cobblers; crisps, crumbles and flops; ice creams and no-bake treats. Younkin, the creator of food blog Barefeet in the Kitchen, has two previously released books to her credit – The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook and The Weekday Lunches and Breakfasts Cookbook.
Journalist Tom Witom, who lives in Elgin, has written extensively about food and the food industry. Contact him at editorial@ kcchronicle.com
COFFEE LOVERS' CAKE (YIELD 8 - 12 SERVINGS)
FOR THE CAKE: • Butter, for greasing pan • 1 1/2 tsp. instant coffee • 1/2 cup room-temperature water • 1/2 cup light-brown sugar • 1/4 cup white sugar • 1/3 cup vegetable or lightflavored olive oil • 2 eggs • 1 tsp. vanilla extract • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 2 tsp. baking powder • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
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FOR THE FROSTING: • 1 1/2 tsp. instant coffee • 1 tablespoon water • 1/2 cup butter, softened • 2 cups powdered sugar • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round or square baking pan with butter. To make the cake, combine the instant coffee and the water and stir to dissolve. Set aside. Combine the light brown sugar, white sugar and oil in a large bowl. Beat until fluffy crumbs form. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Slowly pour in the coffee mixture while continuing to beat the mixture. Slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt to the egg mixture. Beat until, just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 34 to 36 minutes, or a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting. To make the frosting, combine the instant coffee and the water and stir to dissolve. Place the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time, beating until well combined. Add the vanilla and the coffee, beating until well combined. Slowly add the cream, while beating the frosting. The frosting should be light and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Add more powdered sugar to the frosting for a thicker frosting or more cream for a thinner frosting. BAKER’S NOTE: This cake can also be doubled for a 9 x 13-inch cake pan or made as a layer cake using two 8-inch round pans.
DINING & ENTERTAINING DECEMBER 2019
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Re-scheduling
? a t n Sa Generational politics aside, this nostalgic Gen-Xer is taking issue with how we’ve begun to regard the holidays
T
he most ironic part of the column that follows may be that I don’t like wearing ties very much. And my wife thinks fedoras look funny on me. But at the end of this column, you may wish to consider getting off my lawn. Here goes: Since childhood, history has held a fascination for me. From stories of yesteryear to old sports statistics, which fuel the never-ending debates over how young stars stack up against the luminaries of the past, mulling over such trivia has engulfed countless hours.
Offer up an album of historical photos, or a trove of historical video footage or (even better) audio? That’s also a rabbit hole I won’t quickly climb out of. It’s why few things on the interwebs hold my
interest like Postmodern Jukebox. For those not familiar, PMJ, the brainchild of musical genius Scott Bradlee, has built a touring company around the premise of taking modern pop, rock and hip hop hits, and reworking them into the musical styles of yore, such as swing, jazz, ragtime, bluegrass, Motown and more, performing them with a full musical ensemble, live, complete with period attire. A warning, however, for history and music lovers: allow ample time before checking them out on YouTube (which everyone should.) While the talent is undeniable and the music superb, the true attraction in PMJ is the living glimpse they provide of the musical performances and standards of the decades gone by, appealing to my sense of tradition – and to my concern that important traditions have been and are being lost, amid the continuing cultural revolution begun by the Boomers, sustained by a shrugging Generation X, and kicked into a higher gear by the often unfairly maligned Millennials. You know who they are: While technically, defined as those born from about 1981-1996, the term is more properly defined today as “Anyone kind of young whose technology, worldview and way of life are destroying everything good in the world, or at least everything I like.” Take a quick spin on the Google machine, and watch the results light up with articles plastered everywhere, decrying “Millennials” for destroying (or at least kneecapping) everything from traditional financial institutions, movie theaters and network TV, to fast food, breakfast cereal and the auto industry.
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The generational blame game grows tiresome after a while. Consider how Boomers changed societal standards. When was the last time anyone wore a tie and fedora to a baseball game or other sporting event? (As an aside, I’ve long thought a minor league team somewhere should stage a ‘40s Night, and offer discounted tickets and concessions to anyone who comes to the game dressed to the nines. Can we make it happen, Kane County Cougars?) When was the last time a majority of people on an airliner wore even business casual? Dress code aside, there remains the gnawing sensation in the back of my mind that amid the desire for change and comfort, we are losing something important. Most recently, this has emerged in a discussion in my family over holidays. For as long as my memory serves, holidays – and particularly Holidays, with an uppercase “H” – were times for families to gather, from near and far, and make a point to be together, you know, on or immediately adjacent to, the holiday. This year, though, for the first time, my family has decided to relocate one of our holiday gatherings to a Saturday. Why? Because it’s just not “convenient” for everyone to travel on the holiday itself. Weekends are better, or they prefer to travel somewhere else, or they just want to stay home and lounge. While I see the attraction of ensuring the most people possible can gather, the strategy, to my mind, diminishes the significance of the holiday itself - the reason for the season, if you will - and produces a gathering with little to distinguish it
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from a summertime get together, while making the holiday just another day off in the middle of the week. It feels as if the busyness of modern life has intruded on sacred ground, complicating the efforts of too-quickly aging, flummoxed traditionalist parents to pass on the holiday traditions, and significance thereof, to the next generation. No one sings “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and means the middle of January. In a few years, however, who knows? Please don’t misunderstand: I love my family, and all the times we get
together. And summer reunions are a blast. Give me a backyard filled with significant others, kids and grilled meats any day of the week. But I’d prefer not on a mutually convenient Saturday, standing in for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Given the growing popularity of such relocated, unmoored gatherings, though, I suspect many of you feel differently. Now, if you could please take a couple steps onto the sidewalk, I’ll pretend to tighten the tie I don’t like wearing, don the fedora I don’t own, and be on my way.
Jonathan Bilyk writes about the triumphs and travails of being a modern-day dad who legitimately enjoys time with his family, while tolerating a dog that seems to adore him. He also doesn’t really like the moniker “Superdad” because it makes it sound like he wants to wear his undergarments on the outside of his pants. (Also, the cape remains on back order.)
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UNDERSTANDING
SQUATS WITH ZACH TOMANOVICH, DPT, CSCS
T
he squat is a fundamental movement pattern for life and development. This movement is used on a daily basis for sitting and standing from a chair, going to the bathroom, and when picking an object up from the floor. It is also popular among strength and conditioning specialists as a way to increase lower extremity strength. This movement requires adequate mobility and stability across the body in order to be performed with efficient mechanics. The squat is one example of a complex movement that can be assessed and taught by our coaches at TheraCORE’s Fitness Center. TheraCORE’s fitness coaches believe that knowing the origin of a movement is vital to fully understanding how it works and why we need it. Although convenient, the luxury of modern chairs, cars, and plumbing have allowed for a sub-optimal relationship with full range of motion in the hips, knees and ankles. In short, we have lost the global meaning and purpose of the squat, among other
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common movement patterns. To clarify, the squat is not just an exercise; it is a position that a human expresses to live and function through their life. This position can be expressed more fully with speed, power, and strength through a variety of applications. However, it should always go back to the root fundamentals in order to preserve the maintenance of mobility. Mobility is defined as the ability to actively move a joint through its full range of motion. Ankle mobility is important for a squat because it allows the shin to travel forward as one descends. If ankle mobility is less than optimal, we may see compensatory patterns at the feet, knees or trunk including toing out, feet crashing in, knees caving in, or excessive torso bending. This leads to biomechanical inefficiencies, impaired muscular activation patterns and may increase the risk for injury.
Put simply, the squat can be defined as “pelvis between heels.” A more detailed explanation of this movement might also include the following: feet forward, thighs parallel to the ground, chest lifted, and spine neutral. There are steps that can be taken to assess and improve squat form, and it begins with positional awareness. To determine your own positional awareness, try performing these steps: u Put something on the floor in front of you. u Place your feet a little wider than the
width of your shoulders.
u Lower yourself down with arms in
between your knees.
u Pick up the object.
HEALTH & WELLNESS DECEMBER 2019
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Remember the squat is a movement pattern, not just an exercise. If you are unable to perform it properly then it is time to get assessed by a TheraCORE fitness coach. Proper movement is a skill that can be trained and benefits fitness as well as overall health and sports performance. TheraCORE’s fitness coaches will assess your movement patterns and break them down to identify imbalances, movement dysfunction and areas of strength. Once assessed, your coach will guide you through an exercise program that includes a variety of movements that progress in complexity over time to meet your specific needs. Your fitness coach will also work with you to achieve your fitness goals and provide education on hydration, nutrition and strategies to adopt a healthy lifestyle. To get started, contact TheraCORE’s fitness center and schedule a free 30-minute complimentary fitness coaching session.
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DEPOSIT BY DECEMBER 31 TO SAVE! 708-365-9258 | AspiredLivingLaGrange.com Zach Tomanovich is a Physical Therapist and Fitness Coach at TheraCORE Physical Therapy in Westmont.
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A Pathway to Living® Community HEALTH & WELLNESS DECEMBER 2019
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Tivoli plays host
to charity screening of a classic holiday film By Pat Szpekowski
T
he joys of living include being comfortable and cared for by supportive family and friends. Imagine not having the means to sleep comfortably in a bed, but because of personal circumstances, life just takes a person or a family on a different turn through no fault of their own.
is quickly sold out. All ticket proceeds are generously donated by the Tivoli Theatre to benefit Sharing Connections. This annual excursion has become a top family holiday tradition to the delight of many
Varju recalls how as a young child his widowed mother worked many jobs to support him and all 8 siblings. “She sacrificed so much for us and if it were not for the kindness of others, we couldn’t have continued on. I don’t want to see any other ‘little Ryans’ out there go through life without clothing or a bed.” He added that all of his siblings are actively involved in volunteerism or working with a nonprofit organization. The generosity of others had a strong impact on them all.
Sharing Connections, a 501(c)3 nonprofit located in Downers Grove, is dedicated to literally furnishing hope to those who need it most. Their clients have housing, but are faced with the harsh reality that their “home” is empty or severely under-furnished – without cribs and beds for the children, a table, chairs and dishes to share meals, or even a sofa to sit on and relax. Through donations of gently used furniture, household items, and clothing from businesses and families in the community, Sharing Connections is able to be filled with the everyday items most people take for granted and distribute them to those in need. During this time of the year filled with hope, compassion, and the holiday spirit, one of the most cherished and uplifting movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, serves as inspiration for a popular Sharing Connections fundraising event. The annual “It’s A Wonderful Life” holiday benefit will be shown with reserved $5.00 ticketed seating at the Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove on Sat., Dec. 14 and Sun., Dec. 15 at 1:30pm. The event
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stranger to the organization or the kindness of strangers. “I have been involved here for over 14 years,” Varju says, “and feel it is my life’s calling to help others. We truly do furnish hope to one person at a time.”
community members who can help others by paying it forward while watching a movie filled with miracles. In the course of the two day shows, over 1800 people will attend and support Sharing Connections to fulfill its mission. Ryan Varju, who recently took the helm as Chief Executive Officer of Sharing Connections, is no
Founded by Leeanne McGrath in 1986, Sharing Connections began with the simple gesture of brightening someone’s day. McGrath collected cribs and baby accessories from others who no longer needed them and stored them in her overflowing garage. In 2001, Sharing Connections moved to its current warehouse location, which today comprises over 13,000 square feet. McGrath continues as its passionate advocate and serves on the board as a Life Trustee. The numbers associated with Sharing Connections is staggering. Last year, it helped over 10,000 individuals. Over 119,558 people have been furnished hope since
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the nonprofit’s inception. At the core of its mission, over 15,000 beds and cribs were provided to children for a safe place to sleep - many for the very first time. Sharing Connections works with pre-qualified families who are recommended for assistance through counselors, case managers, and schools. Clients have an average salary of approximately $12,400 a year for a family of four. “We have a small staff of five people,” says Varju, “who work with over 600 social workers. We also couldn’t do anything without our valuable volunteers. Over 60 of them are actively involved with us each week.” Volunteers are needed to assist in preparing furniture and organizing items in the warehouse and others are needed for the truck crew to assist in picking up furniture items in the
community. Volunteer opportunities for individuals or groups are available for school, church and most community service requirements. There’s still time to donate new toys to Sharing Connections for local boys and girls who will be able to experience the joy of a special Christmas. They are in need of 1,500 new stuffed animals, children’s books, puzzles, board games, hats & gloves and children’s coats for the Annual Christmas Toy Program. New toys will be accepted at their Downers Grove warehouse through Sat., Dec. 21. The community has stepped up beyond expectations over the years to help Sharing Connections make a positive difference in a person’s life. With a strong personal commitment Varju says, “Our goal remains strong to keep every child above the floor so they have a safe place to sleep.”
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How to Be
SMARTLY CHARITABLE A Donor Advised Fund (DFAs) is a charitable investment account that provides a simple, flexible, and efficient way to manage charitable giving. It is a registered non-profit that typically functions as a conduit to allow you to fund, and then to make subsequent grants from, qualified charitable organizations you wish to support.
DFAs have experienced a jump in popularity over the past years as US wealth continues to build and also, in part, due to 2018 tax reform. Historically popular among both high net worth (those with a net worth of $1 million - $30 million) as well as among the ultra-high net worth (those with a net worth of $30 million+), DAFs are now becoming an attractive alternative to affluent investors (those with a net worth of $100,000 to $1 million) as thanks to a competitive landscape some DAF’s can now be accessed for as little as an initial $5,000 investment. Donor Advised Funds allow the donor to provide funding and then to allow that funding to be invested and grow tax-free as long as the funds are ultimately dispersed to qualified
CHARACTERISTIC
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non-profits. Some allow illiquid assets to be donated, such as real estate, which the DAF can then eventually liquidate for subsequent investment or disbursement. Let’s take a quick look at why these have become so popular. Over the decades I’ve had the privilege of working with a number of people whose hard work and good fortune resulted in significant personal wealth and who are philanthropically inclined. As part of a desire not only to “give back” but to also instill this value to their family members, often times these successful people are tempted to form a private foundation. Here is a simple comparison on a few key elements of both:
DONOR ADVISED FUND
PRIVATE FOUNDATION
Annual distribution requirement
None
5%
Confidentiality
Donor can choose from full recognition to complete anonymity
None. All information is publicly available.
Excise tax on investment income
None
1-2% of income
IRS Approval
One Day
Can take weeks
Set-up expense
None
Legal & Filling Costs
Valuation for charitable deduction: closely held stock or real estate
Fair Market Value
Cost Basis
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Often the thinking behind the establishment of a private foundation is that it allows for a tax-advantaged way to grant funds to a charitable cause that the donor is passionate about supporting. This same goal can be accomplished with a lower required investment by using a DAF. In addition to structural advantages, there can be tax advantages to using a DAF. According to the American Endowment Foundation DAFs can offer tax benefits in the five following ways: 1. INCOME TAX: You receive an immediate income tax deduction in the year you contribute to your DAF. A DAF administrator is a public charity, so contributions immediately qualify for maximum income tax benefits. The IRS does mandate some limitations, depending upon your adjusted gross income (AGI): • Deduction for cash – up to 60 % of AGI. • Deduction for securities and other appreciated assets – up to 30% of AGI. • There is a five-year carry-forward for unused deductions. 2. CAPITAL GAINS TAX: You will incur no capital gains tax on gifts of appreciated assets (i.e. securities, real estate, other illiquid assets.) 3. ESTATE TAX: Your DAF will not be subject to estate taxes. 4. TAX-FREE GROWTH: Your investments in a DAF can appreciate tax-free. 5. ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX (AMT): If you are subject to alternative minimum tax (AMT), your contribution will reduce your AMT impact. Of final note, more recently DAFs have become attractive to “impact investors.” Impact investments are investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. In response to a growing desire among investors, many DAFs offer impact investing options and more recently some have been set up exclusively to that end. Although some may feel that this is an overlyultraistic focus, know that it can be accomplished if it is important to you. For additional insights, reach out to your financial advisor or give my team a call. Our firm believes strongly in “giving back” and you can often find us supporting a local charity with our time, talent, and treasure. We also stand ready to serve you and your family. FILE# 2814910.1
Tom McCartney is the Founding Principal of My Advisor & Planner and a registered representative and investment advisory representative with M Securities. Investments in securities involve risks, including the possible loss of principal. My Advisor & Planner is independently owned and operated. McCartney and his team can be reached at info@ mapyourfuture.net or 630-457-4068.
Photo by Indre Cantero
This material is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or tax advice and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified attorney, tax advisor or plan provider.
Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through M Holdings Securities, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC). My Advisor & Planner is independently owned and operated. File #0709-2018
BUSINESS & CIVIC DECEMBER 2019
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The Glass-Half-Full Guy:
3 WAYS
TRAVELING HAS CHANGED ME WITH PETER STADALSKY
A
fter spending months in the wilderness or on the road and then resuming a fulltime position back home and attending a university, I feel at times like I have lived multiple lives. The person we are on a vacation is typically a more footloose version of ourselves back home in the routine. But the times I’ve traveled long-term became the new routine, rather than a footloose vacation. I’ve been doing my best over the years to not feel so separate from the “nature boy” I am while traveling around the world nothing is worse than a lamenting traveler, finding dissatisfaction with home and only dreaming of the next adventure.
PEOPLE ARE VERY DIFFERENT, AND VERY MUCH THE SAME. Growing up I lived in the same town and that was the extent of what I knew in terms of lifestyles. We had taken vacations as kids, but I never gained a sense of drastically different manners of living - until I turned 21. I started traveling around the U.S. and eventually other continents, living in rural areas, cities, mountains, and cultures with contrasting norms. These experiences opened my mind to the concept that there is no one correct way to live. Familiar can often feel like the right way, but the world is far more complex than that. Some cultures place more precedence on promptness and time, while others
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place more emphasis on relaxation. Both have their advantages and drawbacks. Depending on culture and individuality, people can value drastically different things. It’s enlightening to learn these differences and it has helped me be more open minded to questioning my own beliefs. Interestingly, as different as we can be, the similarities between us all are plentiful too. Basically anyone can enjoy a star-filled sky, a good laugh, and a giant pizza. My overall lesson: people are different, and the same too, and both are perfectly okay. YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO TRUST. One late afternoon in rural Utah, a gentleman named Jon, whom I didn’t yet know, approached me working on my motorcycle and asked if I needed to use the tools in his garage. As we worked on my bike he invited my friend and I to stay for dinner and sleep in his family’s spare room for the night. That was 9 years ago. Just last week at medical school, I saw a student walking out of the parking lot at night in the cold rain. I decided to pull up alongside her and offer her a ride, which she graciously accepted. I can recall several times in life wanting to help strangers but feeling too uncomfortable or fearful to reach out and offer. If people like Jon had not reached out to a stranger like me, I don’t know if I ever would have had the courage to offer that young woman a ride.
Accepting others grace has taught me to trust the kindness of others, but has also encouraged me to be the most trustworthy person I can be. WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY. Travelers can get pinned with the stereotype of being vagabonds, void of responsibility. To speak only for myself, traveling has taught me how important responsibility is. Travel has actually given me the opportunity to put into action the lessons of responsibility my parents taught me as a child. When navigating places far from home, you are accountable for your health, finances, shelter, plans - basically everything to survive. Additionally, all the planning required for big trips is a huge responsibility. And if you are planning a trip for others to join, you are responsible for their safety as well. These hard decisions have forged a path for me to establish my independence. The greatest impact traveling has made on the kind of person I am, is connecting the lessons I’ve learned afar to the everyday situations I face in my life at home. Change is never a one time event found on some mountaintop, but an ongoing practice. Peter Stadalsky is an Aurora resident and adventurer. He shares his travel experiences with a “glass-half-full” view of the world.
TRAVEL DECEMBER 2019
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