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April 26, 2010
April 19, 2010
LF Baseball Plans Comedy Relief Show
The Lake Forest Baseball Association submitted the following:
Lake Forest, IL – Lake Forest Baseball Association will present "Chicago Comedy All-Stars," a comedy relief special event, on Saturday, April 24. It will benefit the youth players of the LFBA.
The Comedy All-Stars is being held at the Gorton Community Center located at 400 E. Illinois Road in Lake Forest. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with beverages available along with a silent auction. The comedy show will start at 8 p.m. and conclude around 9:30 p.m. The show is open to ages 16 and over. Tickets for the show are $20 per person and are available for purchase through the Lake Forest Baseball Association website, www.lfba.net or by contacting the LFBA at 847-235-2012.
The comedy show will feature Jimmy McHugh & Rick Young’s Chicago Comedy All-Stars, presenting 4 comedians. Performing will be: Jimmy McHugh (HBO, Comedy Central, ABC TV Channel 7-Chicago and ESPN2); Dobie Maxwell (“Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson”, “Funniest Person in Chicago” and WLUP and WLS radio); James Wesley Jackson (Emmy winner, toured Europe with the Parliament/Funkadelic, the world’s only Environmedian); and, Bob Jay (man of 1,000 voices, voted “Best New Comedian” in Vegas).
Elawa 'Planting Ideas' With New Series
By Joanne Miller of the Elawa Farm Foundation
Elawa Farm is pleased to announce "Planting Ideas," a new speaker series sponsored by ULINE. We invite the community to attend the series, which focuses on a variety of topics including Finance; Drug Trends; Olympic Experience; and Conservation.
Our first speaker is money coach and CPA Max Jaffe, founder & CEO of Spending Solutions. He'll talk about managing money, handling money and creating financial discipline. The presentation begins with refreshments at 6:30 p.m. on April 22. Mr. Jaffe will begin his speech at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but please call 847-234-1966 or email foundation@elawafarm.org if you are planning on attending. Seating is limited.
Save The Date: Eggers Author Talk
The following was submitted by Ragdale Foundation and 836CHI
Lake Forest--The community is invited to attend "An Evening With Dave Eggers and Luis Alberto Urrea" on May 4 at the Gorton Community Center.
Acclaimed author Dave Eggers (The Wild Things, Zeitoun) and Luis Alberto Urrea (Into the Beautiful North, The Devil’s Highway) will come together for a reading and discussion of their work. Tickets cost $25 ($20 for students); you can also attend a cocktail reception that includes priority seating for the event, wine and hors d'ouevres--these tickets are going for $100. All of the evening's proceeds benefit 826Chi's free writing programs for students and Ragdale's retreat for writers and artists. For more information or to purchase tickets (including premium seating and access to the pre-show cocktail hour), please visit www.826chi.org or call Ragdale at 847.234.1063.
About Dave Eggers: Lake Forest native Dave Eggers is a writer, publisher and editor, as well as the co- founder of the tutoring center/writing lab 826 Valencia. His 2000 best-selling novel A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius was ranked the 12th best novel of the decade by the daily national British newspaper The Times. In 2009, Eggers published Zeitoun, a story of New Orleans resident Abdulrahman Zeitoun attempting to ride out Hurricane Katrina. The Wild
Lake Forest native Dave Eggers, at left, and Luis Alberto Urrea
April 18, 2010
Lions Club Ready For Luau
The Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Lions Club invites the community to a Hawaiian Luau on Saturday, April 24 at the Lake Forest Club.
The annual spring fundraiser is an important tool in the Lions Club's ability to provide eye exams and glasses for children and adults in our community. It also provides a four-year scholarship at Lake Forest High School to a graduating senior involved in community service.
"We welcome any and all donations and would be happy to see a sell-out crowd at our party on the 24th. The economy has hurt many charities and we are not immune. We really need the help of the community we serve," said Brad W. Andersen, Lions Club member and managing broker/co-owner of Griffith Grant & Lackie Realtors.
The local Lions Club chapter is part of an international network of 1.3 million men and women in 205 countries and geographic areas who work together to answer the needs that challenge communities around the world. It's particularly focussed on helping people with hearing and sight disabilities.
If you have questions about the Luau or want to learn more about--or make a contribution to--the LF-LB Lions Club, please contact Mr. Andersen at 847-650-3456 or bandersen@gglrealty.com.
Citadel Caps Season With 'Independence'
Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest submitted the following information about its final performance of the 2009-2010 season:
Lake Forest, Illinois (April 14, 2010)-- The final show of Citadel Theatre’s 2009/2010 season will open on Friday, April 30, with the production of Independence by Lee Blessing. A mother and her three grown daughters make up an unforgettable cast of characters in this gripping tale set in small town Independence, Iowa.
While the daughters strive to find their own independence, they come to discover that family ties are deeper than they realized. Blessing’s critically acclaimed script addresses the complexity of female relationships, and in particular, the unique connection between mothers and daughters. Independence will open on Friday, April 30, and close on Sunday, May 16. The show stars Chicagoans Catherine Marcroft, Amber Page, Laura Rauh, and Holly Robison. Citadel’s Artistic Director Scott Phelps of Lake Forest is directing and Jo Ann Avellone of Lake Bluff is producing. Citadel will be collecting donations throughout the run of the show for the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in honor of one of Citadel’s founding members, Kristin Spangler, who lost her battle with the disease last year. The entire production of Independence is dedicated to her memory.
Independence first premiered to critical acclaim in 1984 as part of the Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. The play takes place in the home of Evelyn Briggs. Briggs is the mother of three grown daughters who are living very separate lives. Kess,
Continue reading "Citadel Caps Season With 'Independence'" »
Spirit of 67 Home Tour: Time To Sign Up
The following was submitted by the Spirit of 67 Foundation:
On Thursday, May 6, 2010, the Spirit of 67 Foundation Board will host its 8th annual Home Tour, Opening Doors for Education.
The tour will include four lovely Lake Forest homes known for their design, architecture and historical significance. In addition, each home will showcase a grant funded by the Spirit of 67 Foundation.
Attendees are invited to enjoy an elegant three-course luncheon at The Grille on Laurel. Tickets can be purchased at www.spiritof67foundation.org. Advance reservations must be received by April 29, 2010.
April 17, 2010
April 16, 2010
April 15, 2010
Deer Path Gallery Opens New Exhibit
Deer Path Art League Gallery invites the community to visit its new exhibit, "Art is ... Black, White & Shades of Gray." It includes the monochromatic creations of John Dove (photography); Jason Fricke (printmaking); Brian Mancl (photography); Jennifer McCurdy (porcelain); Mark McMahon (drawing); Peter Rujuwa (sculpture); and Elaine Unzicker (metal).
The Opening Reception is Friday, April 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is free and complimentary wine and cheese will be served. The Exhibit is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 12-May 14, 2010.
Deer Path Art League & Gallery is located in the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, 2nd floor, Lake Forest. Contact 847-234-3743 or info@deerpathartleague.org, or visit www.deerpathartleague.org.
Gardeners: It's Time To Divide & Conquer
By Veva Schreiber of the LB Garden Club
Gardeners know that when the native Dog Toothed Violet appears and daffodil sprouts push up to the sun, spring is just around the corner. Around this time, many local gardeners investigate their gardens and discover that some plants have outgrown their spots and are rootbound. It's time to “divide and conquer” and give them the space they need to thrive.
But what to do with the older plants? The Lake BLuff Garden Club asks that you donate them to its annual Mother's Day Plant Sale, which will be held on Saturday, May 8, on the Village Green. Here’s how: Just locate that sharp spade and dig up the entire plant. Then cut or separate it into manageable pieces. Save and replant one clump or two and call or e-mail Dodie Cook at 847-295-1674 or rhcdec@comcast. If digging help is needed, call or e-mail Dodie to schedule a digging time by Garden Club teams. Digging and collection dates are April 19 to April 30.
Your own plants will be happier and thrive once they have the space they need. Profits from the plant sale are used for civic projects in Lake Bluff. It’s a win-win situation.
The donated section is one of the most popular and profitable areas of the plant sale. Experienced gardeners know that these locally grown plants are “tried and true,” and they start to line up even before the plant sale opens. The plants' vigorous growth shows they have adapted to the vagaries of the weather and soil conditions in this area.
If space is limited in your garden and you must remove older plants to make room for the newcomers, why not donate them to the Lake Bluff Garden Club’s plant sale? And then stop by the Plant Sale on May 8 to replenish your beds with new varieties that others have shared.
Lake Bluff Garden Club members Marti Palmer and Dora Hoogscarpel got an early start as they took advantage of a dry and sunny day to dig plants for the Donated Section of the 48th annual Garden Market to be held on the Village Green Saturday, May 8. Digging and potting officially begins April 19 and will continue through April 30.
Instrument Swap Benefits CROYA
CROYA's Activator Academy is hosting its 2nd annual Musician's Exchange, where you can buy, sell and trade used and new equipment and CDs. Items include guitars; amps; drums; keyboards; band instruments; recording gear; & more. Fifteen percent of all proceeds benefit CROYA. For more information contact Shelia Christofalos at christos@cityoflakeforest.com or her husband, Nick Christofalos, at 847-477-7967
The swap meet is on Saturday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the CROYA Student Union, 400 Hastings Road, Lake Forest.
April 14, 2010
When The Smoke Clears, Plants Can Grow
By Adrienne Fawcett
If you were anywhere near the railroad tracks on south Western Avenue last weekend, you may have noticed a new warning next to the construction signs. It read "Smoke Ahead!" This was not an order to light up a cigarette on the next block. It was a heads up to the dense white stuff from a prescribed burn that Lake Forest Open Lands conducted on the east side of the tracks.
Fire is nature's way of managing invasive species such as buckthorn and honeysuckle. It also keeps native brush such as dogwood and sumac in check, since these sometimes overpower other, more tender native plants. Prairie fires once took care of this task; now it's the job of land managers ... or pesticide companies.
"If we didn't do this, the railroad would come in and spray with pesticides," said Lake Forest Open Lands' land manager Jim Tunney.
Mr. Tunney and restoration ecologist Ryan London explained that many rare native plants grow in the land near the tracks, which is owned by the City of Lake Forest but managed by Lake Forest Open Lands. The list includes:
- gentian
- bottle gentian
- turks cap lilly
- high-quality species of blazing stars
- purple prairie clover
Prescribed burns have many benefits in addition to weed control. The fire blackens the soil, which then absorbs sunlight more quickly and warms up faster than regular soil. This gives natives a chance to come up sooner. Also, the white ash serves as a natural fertilizer because it adds potassium and calcium to the soil, which raises the PH and helps with native seed germination. Another benefit is that the heat scarifies native seeds such as New Jersey Tea, a native shrub with hard pods that need heat to open.
The crew alternates prescribed burn areas year to year.
The top photo shows the burn at Ryan Place and the tracks, looking north on Sunday, April 11. The second photo directly above this caption shows what the pre-burn brush looked like across the street on that day.
Amstutz Expressway Actually Goes Somewhere ...
By David Miller, resident lighting designer of Bowen Park
The infamous lakefront Amstutz Expressway comes to an abrupt end north of downtown Waukegan. But turning left will take you immediately to Bowen Park, a gem of a public park with lighted athletic fields, a museum and the Jack Benny Center for the Arts. And inside that building is the Dr. Lynn Schornick Theatre, home to the Bowen Park Theatre and Opera Company, one of only a few non-Equity professional theatres in Lake County, as is Lake Forest’s own Citadel Theatre.
Recently several local residents have been in productions at Bowen Park. Lake Forest soprano and voice teacher Andrea Taylor was one of four singers featured in the Opera's production of Shakespeare's Women. Lake Bluff actress June Entwisle Miller was featured as Gertrude in the fall production of Hamlet, having performed in Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap there the previous season. June Miller is the music director of the local Buckthorns, a singing group that raises money for local charities and of the Highland Park Music Club's Women's Chorus, which performs around the area in various venues that serve Senior Citizens. She is president of the local KV Chapter of PEO, the women's philanthropic organization.
Presently, Bowen Park is performing the hilarious comedy, The Complete Works of Shakespeare...Abridged. Several years ago, CenterStage in Lake Forest, our own community theatre group, mounted that work during a summer's day on the Lake Bluff Village Green.
In the show, three actors perform dozens of roles in this irreverant look at ALL of the Bard's work, all in less than two hours. There are still tickets available for the 8 p.m. shows on Friday and Saturday, April 16 and 17. Check out the website by clicking here, and then check out the hidden gem of a intimate theatre.
(The photo above is of June Miller, at left, performing as Gertrude in Hamlet.)
LB Dad Running For State Rep
Mike Clark is a Lake Bluff business owner, Park District Foundation board member, dad and volunteer firefighter who wants to don a new hat: politician. He's running for state representative of the 58th District of Illinois this fall as an Independent and is securing signatures to get on the ballot--he needs 3,000 by June 20. He and his volunteer supporters have 584 names so far and will be walking the neighborhoods and manning the post offices on Saturday mornings now through June. Why is Mr. Clark running for office?
"As part of the construction work force for over 20 years, I have seen the industry devastated these last few years," he said. "While some of the problems are certainly part of the normal 'up and down' cycle of an economic recession, this time it is dramatically worse. Illinois is a terrible environment for small businesses. The staggering debt, the destructive tax policies, the excessive spending, the corruption, the poor management of education, transportation, and other programs have all reached a boiling point with me. I want to be a voice for small business and begin the long process of improving Illinois' reputation for creating jobs and allowing hard-working families to prosper. I believe the government was created to serve the needs of the people and not the other way around."
If you want to learn more about Mr. Clark and/or step up to support him, please visit his website at www.clarkforstaterep.com. That's him in the photo, with his six-year-old daughter.
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