Jeffrey Meeuwsen, Lisa Hilgenberg
Photography by Robin Subar

The third annual Ragdale Ring Gala graced the grounds of the artist retreated in Lake Forest in June, celebrating the Belle Epoque period, during which Ragdale’s founding architect Howard Van Doren Shaw lived and worked. The garden party featured the first viewing of Shaw Town, the contemporary performance space inspired by Shaw’s original 1912 open-air theater. Guests, many in creative period attire, enjoyed mingling with the people of Shaw Town, an eclectic cast of characters including stiltwalkers, aerial performers, and a fire dancer. The evening was co-chaired by Marci and Ron Holzer, and Melanie and S. Michael Rummel, as well as an active committee. More than $100,000 was raised to support the Ragdale Foundation. ragdale.org

Dustin O’Regan, Sally McDonald, Jeanna Park, Michelle Gramza

Leah Bowers, Catherine Athenson

Juan Suarez, Tibaire Suarez, Luis Suarez

Jeanette Kuhns, John & Jeanna Park, Dena & Jeff Perry

Colleen McGovern, Mary Ayaleanos

Meg Kindelin, Jenny Snider

Jennifer Munck, Susan Taves, Angela Godberg, Ibby Pinsky

Rick Holson, Fred Schuster, Chris Webb

Ragdale Ring Gala

Dennis Tuskan, Steve Samson

Liam and Francesca Connell

Roland Ford

Roland M. Ford (Rolly) died Saturday August 8th 2015. He was born October 22, 1931 son of Eleanor Abbott and Willis Roland Ford. He grew up in Evanston, IL along with his 3 sisters and 2 brothers. After college graduation from Michigan State University, he served as a pilot in the Air Force. He worked for Abbott Laboratories as Director International Marketing, Agricultural and Veterinary Products Division.

Rolly was a resident of Lake Forest for over 50 years. As a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church, he served in many church positions and was active in his children’s activities. His love of the outdoors – fishing, hunting, boating, and gardening – was shared with family and friends in Lake Forest, Epworth and Naples.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Gerry and children, Mindy (Malcolm) Bourne, Bryan (Carrie) Ford, Greg (Robin) Ford, Doug (Maynonne) Ford, and Beth (Rick) Jones; and sixteen grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 on Friday, August 14, 2015 at the First Presbyterian Church, 700 North Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, IL In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Lake Forest. Info Wenban Funeral Home, Lake Forest, IL 847/234-0022 or wenbanfh.com”>http://wenbanfh.com”>wenbanfh.com.

David Coleman Photography by Mary Carol Fitzgerald

Since 1990, the Children’s Brittle Bone Foundation has raised awareness and provided research and support for children living with the rare bone disease Osteogeneis Imperfecta.

Today in the United States there are 20,000 to 50,000 people living with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), though an exact number isn’t known because the disease is so frequently misdiagnosed. As a result of this and a genral lack of awareness, there was very little money being raised for the disease as recent as 25 years ago.

The Children’s Brittle Bone Foundation was founded in 1990 to combat this issue. “Our mission was to raise money and awareness for research into causes and an eventual cure for OI,” says David Coleman, the foundation’s President of the Board of Directors. Coleman has been with the foundation for more than 10 years, but his history goes back to its founding, when a family friend was born with OI and several local families came together to raise money for research.

Since then, the non-profit charity has made huge strides in OI research and raised awareness on a national level. “Over the years we have done really a terrific job raising money very efficiently and putting it to work with a one-hundred-percent volunteer organization,” Coleman says. A strong volunteer staff allows the foundation to put every dollar raised toward medical research and impact grants for children living with the disease.

Through concerts, golf outings, and lobbying Congress, the Children’s Brittle Bone Foundation was able to fund 23 research programs between 1990 and 2002. The National Institute of Health designated $12 million in live funding in the late 1990s, as CBBF was the only organization funding research for OI at the time. With this grant, the foundation was able to organize fellowship grants for scientists specifically studying OI, encouraging research in the area and providing stability for scientists who previously were unable to study OI due to lack of funding. Often, scientific research is competitive and so it is not widely shared, but the CBBF shares information across researchers, creating a base of knowledge.

In early 2008, in a joint initiative with the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, the CBBF created the Linked Clinical Research Center program (LCRC), a nationwide network designed to provide medical care for people with OI. Before the center, there was no standard of care for OI treatments, services, or medications. “Most hospitals see so few OI cases that they don’t know what to expect,” says Coleman. The LCRC program captures data across its six nationwide centers throughout the life of patients, providing doctors across the country with information and case studies they would not have had otherwise.

After 2014, the foundation lobbied Congress again and was approved for another $6.25 million in funding to create the Brittle Bone Disorders Rare Disease Clinical Research Consortium. The center focuses on research, understanding, and treatment options for diseases characterized by bone fragility and fractures, and puts OI on the same national level as other rare diseases like ALS and cystic fibrosis.

“Because of our research, we’ve been able to make many remarkable strides,” says Coleman. “When my friend was born with the disease, they knew it was OI and that was it. Today, we can tell you exactly what kind it is, what it means, what your life will be like.” He says that information makes a huge difference for children and parents. There are eight types of OI, each requiring different types of treatment and drugs. “Having the correct OI diagnosis has been one of the biggest breakthroughs,” Coleman says.

While research has been a critical part of CBBF’s work, Coleman says it’s the impact grants that have the most tangible results. “Research, as important as it is, is sometimes an underappreciated value compared to when you can see what you’re putting your money towards and see the difference it makes in someone’s life,” he says. The Impact Grant Program, started in 2009, provides things like wheelchairs, ramps, handicap accessible vans, and other necessities to OI patients and their families. “It’s like Make a Wish meets Home Makeover,” says Coleman. He says when most people think of brittle bones they think of arms and legs, but OI also affects teeth and the bones in your ear that allow people to hear. Since the program was created, more than $18 million has been raised to fund more than 100 grants.

One of CBBF’s biggest fundraisers, the annual golf outing, was held August 10 at Knollwood Country Club this year. “We try to be different from regular charity golf outings,” says Coleman.

Donations and volunteers keep the CBBF running and providing research and grants for families of children with OI. If you’d like to volunteer or be involved with the foundation in any way, contact David Coleman at info@cbbr.org.

HIGHLAND PARK – The recently opened Highland Park-Highwood Legal Aid Clinic achieved a notable success with the dismissal of a case of mistaken identity against a 20 year old Highwood resident. As the clinic was beginning operations, the case was referred to the Clinic. Ms G. was served with a complaint filed in DuPage County, alleging her to be a woman of the same name who lived in Addison and owned a dog that had attacked a mail delivery person, and suing her for $50,000.

The Clinic’s managing attorney, Kathryn Vanden Berk, submitted proof to DuPage County that this woman was in class that day at Highland Park High School and had never lived in DuPage County. We were able to get the lawsuit dismissed and the potential $50,000+ claim against her was extinguished.

“I was gratified that this injustice was able to be resolved- without the intervention and services of the Legal Aid Clinic, our client would have received a default judgement which would have caused problems for her for years to come” said Ms. Vanden Berk.

The mission of the Highland Park- Highwood Legal Aid Clinic is to provide essential legal services to all residents of Highland Park and Highwood who otherwise cannot afford them. “In the few months we have been open, we have been able to submit DACA applications, stop a wrongful eviction, and intercede on behalf of residents with their landlords, allowing residents to stay in their homes” said Executive Director Karyn Davidman.

The clinic is located at The Firehouse Youth Center, 1830 Green Bay Rd. Regular office hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9AM-12 noon and one Saturday morning a month.

For more information about regular clinic hours and expanded summer hours, please call (847) 926- 1867 or e-mail info@hplegalaid.org. To learn more about the Clinic’s services, other available resources, or to donate or volunteer, visit the Clinic’s website at www.hphlegalaid.org.

This Letter to the Editor is from the Highland Park-Highwood Legal Aid Clinic.  Letters to the Editor represent the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of Daily North Shore. 

WINNETKA – Picture Book superstars Mac Barnett, (Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Count the Monkeys, Extra Yarn) and Christian Robinson (Last Stop on Market Street, Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker) present an interactive storytime based on their new book, Leo: A Ghost Story, on Wednesday, Sept. 2nd, at 4:30 PM at The Book Stall, 811 Elm Street in Winnetka. In a starred review, Booklist calls Leo, “A tender, touching story of friendship and the power of imagination.”

Attendees will help cover the sidewalk outside The Book Stall with their chalk drawings, and each kid will be officially knighted – Two things that Leo, a ghost, gets to experience in the book. This event is recommended for ages 3–7, and is free and open to the public. The purchase of a copy of one of the visiting authors’ works from The Book Stall is requested in order to enter the book-signing queue.

A new family moves in to Leo’s house, and they are very unhappy to find themselves living with a ghost. So Leo departs on a quest to discover people who will appreciate him. He finds Jane, who accepts her unusual new playmate immediately. Publishers Weekly calls Leo: A Ghost Story, “A warm and wise story about acceptance trumping difference.”

Mac Barnett is the author of several award-winning books for children, including Sam and Dave Dig a Hole and Extra Yarn, illustrated by Jon Klassen, as well as The Skunk, Telephone, and Count the Monkeys, among others. Mr. Barnett is the founder of the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers, and serves on the board of 826LA, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center.

Artist Christian Robinson has illustrated several acclaimed picture books, including Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker, which received the Coretta Scott King Honor, a Robert F. Sibert Honor, a Bologna Ragazzi Honor Award for nonfiction, and a Boston Globe Horn Book Honor. Christian likes to stay indoors on rainy days and look out the window while drinking a big cup of hot cocoa. You can visit him online at www.theartoffun.com.

For additional information on this event, or to reserve a signed copies of any of the remarkable author/illustrator teams’ titles, please contact Robert McDonald, The Bookstall at Chestnut Court, 811 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093, 847.446.8880, robmc1002@yahoo.com

Author Rebecca Makkai

Lake Bluff native and Lake Forest resident Rebecca Makkai is a North Shore treasure.

Her debut novel The Borrower and her second novel The Hundred-Year House not only earned her critical praise and awards but also a dedicated following of readers who love her talent for telling marvelous stories.

That aptitude is once again on display, this time in a short story collection titled Music For Wartime (Viking). The 17 stories, including one as short as little more than a page, feature an assortment of creative and fascinating characters — musicians and composers, photographers and other visual artists, circus people and reality TV people — all of whom are survivors in one way or another.

Makkai will read on Aug. 12 at 10:30 a.m. at Highland Park Public Library and on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at Northbrook Public Library.

Here is a Q&A from freelance writer Gregg Shapiro:

Gregg Shapiro: Rebecca, if you don’t mind, I’d like to begin by talking about the Music For Wartime cover, which is reminiscent of a bygone era. I know that authors aren’t usually involved in the book cover process, but I was wondering what you think of it.

Rebecca Makkai: I love it! I know plenty of authors who have no say-so in their book jackets. I’m fortunate that my agent and I basically have veto power on the cover. My editor is amazing, and she lets us gives a lot of input into things like what artists we’re choosing. My first two books had hand-drawn covers, and we worked with the artist on that.

For Music For Wartime, it’s hard for a story collection because there’s not one central image that you can necessarily latch onto the way that for The Hundred-Year House they could put a house on the cover. They sent us some proposals that were cool. There was one with a bird’s talons swooping down. Nothing was quite right. They were getting sort of close and then suddenly, out of nowhere, they sent us this (image that became the cover). It was so bold and graphic and cool. The font, I felt, was sort of a throwback, like you said, to an earlier era. It almost feels like a reissue of Kafka or something.

GS: Can you please say something about determining the order of the stories in a collection such as Music For Wartime?

RM: I thought of it in terms of putting together an album. Of course, no one listens to whole albums anymore. But back when we did…

GS: …actually, all the kids are listening to vinyl these days.

RM: [Laughs] Great! The way a musical artist put together an album — they were trying to tell a story with the order as well as with each song. There’s a lot to the order of this collection. It starts with the story “The Singing Women” and it ends on an image, in the story “The Museum of the Dearly Departed,” of two people singing, and this woman listening to them and not knowing what to make of it; those two moments bookend the collection.

Also, there are stories about my own family history that are woven through that buildup as you go and also cast light on the other stories and why I would write them. It was important for me to balance the humor and the darkness in the collection by not having too many heavy or light stories next to each other. (I wanted) to change the texture as I went and keep it in balance.

GS: The stories in Music For Wartime were written before, during and after the publication of your novels The Borrower and The Hundred-Year House. Were any of the stories in the book originally intended to be novel-length as well?

RM: The only story that I thought of originally as a novel is that last story, “The Museum of the Dearly Departed.” It’s a story about this apartment building in Chicago where there’s been a gas leak and most of the tenants have died. These people are coming in and cleaning out the apartments, and there’s this woman who’s inherited an apartment and doesn’t really know what to do with all of the things. It gets more complicated from there. I originally had it plotted out as a novel. It was going to be about all of these people coming back to these apartments. It would actually be a pretty heavy book, but I think it would work as a novel.

GS: I’m glad you said something about hitting notes. As one could glean from the title of the collection, music is a recurring theme in the book. Do you play an instrument?

RM: I do. Not seriously or anything. I play the piano and I sing. I should say that I sing like most people sing — in the car. I should say that I sang pretty seriously through college, doing a touring chamber ensemble and things like that, as well as musical theater. The piano was also during college, but I was never going to make a career of it.

My parents were both talented musicians. My mom played the organ and my dad was an amazing piano player. That wasn’t their career. They were both linguistics professors. I grew up going to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. There were concerts in my house when I was a kid, which was something I put into one of the stories in the collection. As I started assembling stories, I noticed that there was music in a lot of them, and the other arts were coming up, too. I decided to make that a focal point of the collection. To a certain extent, I wrote a couple of stories to fill that in. The story “Cross” is about a string quartet. I specifically thought – “If I’m going to make music the focus of the collection, I really need a story about actual practicing professional musicians somewhere in here.” Fortunately, I managed to find the help of a professional violinist to read a couple of the stories involving string instruments because I was winging it on that stuff [laughs].

GS: In the story “Cross” that you mentioned, the main character, Celine, comes home after being away to discover that a memorial shrine has been erected in front of her house because of an accident in which deaths occurred. Why do you think that the phenomena of crosses and shrines at accident sites has become increasingly popular, and what do you think of them?

RM: I think that’s why I wrote that story. I’m really disturbed by them. Not in the same way that the character in my story is disturbed. For her, it’s her house where it happened. The people making the memorial have made it incredibly tacky, and she feels she might be a snob for thinking that. She’s having religious issues with it.

I go on a lot of long cross-country trips with my family, and you see them everywhere. They probably make me a more careful driver. It’s really disconcerting to see, “Oh my gosh, all these people died on this road!” In many cases they are on somebody’s property line. They’re going to be seeing it every time they look out their window. The issues that someone could have with that is that it is a marker of death, which is disturbing, and also that it’s an overtly religious symbol. It came to me the way a lot of stories come to me where I’m noticing something in real life and sort of dwelling on it and obsessing  about it and then realizing that there might be something there to write about.

GS: The downtown New York art world is referenced in “St. Anthony Come Around.” In 2015, that world also figures into Kim Gordon’s memoir Girl In A Band and Brad Gooch’s memoir Smash Cut, as well as the movie Downtown 81, starring Jean-Michel Basquiat, which was just reissued on DVD. What do you think it is about that scene that has made it undergo such a renaissance?

RM: I don’t if it’s the amount of time that’s passed. I’m noticing it in other ways, too. The novel that I’m currently working on is set in 1985, in Chicago, with the specter of AIDS looming in the background. It’s also set partly in the present day. Because I’ve been writing about it, I’ve been really in tune with what’s being published and talked about.

Dale Peck just wrote a book called Visions and Revisions: Coming of Age in the Age of AIDS. Hanya Yanagihara wrote a novel called A Little Life that’s been getting a ton of press and seems to be about a circle of gay friends in the 1980s. From what I understand, she eclipses the AIDS issue in an interesting way. I’ve been questioning why I would want to write about that in this story and in my next novel. I was born in 1978. I was alive (then), but I wasn’t part of the Chicago or New York art scenes [laughs]. My life wasn’t directly impacted by AIDS in the sense that I didn’t lose anybody. I wonder if it’s just that we’ve had processing time for the AIDS issue, the art scene and everything that was going on in the `80s. There used to be more of a kitschy fascination with it.

GS: You make reference to movies in “The Museum of the Dearly Departed.” Which, if any of these stories, would you like to see made into a movie and why?

RM: Mmm, cool! That’s a great question. If you were to expand the plot greatly and add a lot of stuff to it, I think that “Saint Anthony Come Around” would be an interesting one. There’s this huge mystery at the heart of it. There’s a man who has disappeared and you have a lot of different characters that you could theoretically follow around through the 1980s art world, all of whom would have their own stories.

GS: What are some of your fondest memories of growing up in Lake Bluff?

RM: The education that I got, in every aspect, was really friendly to someone who would wind up going into the arts and writing. I went to Forest Bluff School in Lake Bluff, which is Montessori. I couldn’t write stories all day, but I would write stories any day, if that makes sense. I went to Lake Forest Academy for high school. I had this string of amazing English teachers who let me do creative work. Also, acting in plays at Gorton (Community Center) and doing musical theater in high school; it’s a community that values and supports the arts. My writing has gotten a ton out of having done theater as a kid. Living inside a story for that long, you learn about story structure in a way that I don’t think you can just from reading.

Gear for Goals brings love of baseball to Kenyan youth.

In honor of back-to-school season, Wintrust Community Banks is teaming together with local youth charity Gear for Goals to host a sports gear collection drive to benefit kids in need.

Until August 31, community residents are encouraged to donate new or gently used baseballs, bats, gloves, soccer balls, and even musical instruments at participating Wintrust Community Bank locations.

Each year, Gear for Goals (G4G) collects sports gear to benefit under resourced children, both locally and globally in over 29 countries, including the Dominican Republic, Kenya, and Russia.

“Our goal is to collect 150 lbs. of sports gear at each location, totaling 1,500 lbs. of gear,” states Dr. Warren Bruhl, Executive Director Gear for Goals. “This would help about 30,000 kids have access to sports.”

Event Information: Gear for Goals/Wintrust Community Banks’ Gear Drive

When: Until Monday, August 31, 2015
Where: Wintrust Community Banks participating locations include Buffalo Grove Bank & Trust in Buffalo Grove; Deerfield Bank & Trust in Deerfield; Glenview Bank & Trust in Glenview; Northbrook Bank & Trust in Northbrook; Northview Bank & Trust in Northfield; and North Shore Community Bank & Trust in Glencoe, Wilmette and Winnetka.
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm; Saturdays 8:30am – 1pm

For location information, visit http://www.northbrookbank.com or http://www.nscbank.com. For a full list of requested items, visit http://www.G4GSports.org.

During the effort, Wintrust Banks will give each junior saver $5 in treat dollars towards goodies in their community for donated equipment. (Limit: one per household).

“Dreamweaver International is thrilled to have our Gear for Goals’ project work hand-in-hand with Wintrust Banks to bring sports to kids in need,” states Bruhl. “We have some huge needs coming up with trips planned to the Dominican, Haiti, and Kenya and many of the donated items will find their way into the hands of thousands of under resourced children.”

Since its inception in 2012, Gear for Gears continues to strive to bring sport, hope, and opportunity to children everywhere.

“We’re seeing amazing growth and joy coming from the efforts of Gear for Goals,” states Bruhl. “To date, G4G has helped over 130,000 children globally, including plans to expand our sponsored little league in Kenya to grow into other regions,” says Bruhl.

For more information or ways you can help, visit http://www.dreamweaver911.org.

About Dreamweaver International/Gear for Goals
Dreamweaver International is a non-profit located in the United States that provides education, healthcare, and humanitarian aid to the people of the Rift Valley of Kenya. Dreamweaver International is making a global impact through its Gear for Goals’ project, bringing sports gear and hope to under resourced children around the world. G4G currently serves children in the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Bolivia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Russia, Philippines, Jamaica, India, and Cuba.

About Wintrust Community Banks
Wintrust Community Banks were created to provide an alternative to the big banks, offering the solutions and services of larger competitors with the customer-focus and service that can only be found at a true community bank. With more than 125 locations across the Chicagoland area, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana, Wintrust Community Banks offer a number of financial solutions including personal, business and commercial banking; lending; mortgage; and treasury management services. The banks are staples of the communities they serve hosting free events, offering complimentary seminars and sponsoring local organizations and community activities. Wintrust Community Banks are Members FDIC and Equal Housing Lenders.

– Submitted by Wintrust Community Banks

HIGHLAND PARK – People soon will be able to ask “How much is that doggie or kitty in the window,” when Orphans of the Storm opens a storefront pet adoption center here at 464 Central Avenue.

The animal shelter will have two windows; one with cats, and the other with dogs, said Tom Brackney, operations manager. “If you highlight an animal in a retail environment it makes people say, ‘Wow I didn’t know you could get a pet here.’”

As indicated on their website, since the animals are fully vaccinated, spay/neutered and microchipped, adopters will be able to take their new pets home with them that very day.

Brackney described the adoption process: “We go through a series of questions. It’s good to bring in your family to make sure the animals are comfortable around small children. Sometimes we’ll mix up cats and dogs to make sure everyone gets along. We also check with renters to make sure that pets are allowed. The whole process with application takes about a half hour.”

The cost for “fully vetted and ready to go cats” is about $225. “Dogs cost a bit more as they’re larger animals,” said Brackney.

Another advantage to adopting a pet from Orphans of the Storm is that it owns its own animal hospital, the Ruth Helen Wolf Animal Clinic & Hospital in Libertyville, which Brackney said gives a discount on vet services.

Brackney explained how the animals are sent to Orphans of the Storm: “Animal control picks up animals in every city, and quarantines them for five to seven days. At the end they either euthanize or send them to shelters.”

Orphans of the Storm founder Irene Castle and her husband Vernon were vaudevillian dance stars. He was killed in an airplane accident in 1918. In 1939 Fred and Ginger Rogers did a movie based on them entitled, “The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle.”

In 1928 Irene Castle remarried Major Frederick McLaughlin (founder of the Chicago Blackhawks) and with his help, she built the original Orphans of the Storm animal shelter in Riverwoods/Deerfield. The mission remains the same 87 years later: “Needy animals deserve a place to find loving homes.”

Orphans of the Storm will showcase their dogs and cats in Port Clinton on Sunday August 16 from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. Other dates include: August 23, September 20 and 27, and October 4 and 11.

Brackney is looking forward to the Orphans of the Storm storefront opening at 464 Central Avenue. “The contractor said it will hopefully be ready at the end of October.”

To learn more about volunteer opportunities and the history of Orphans of the Storm  visit www.orphansofthestorm.com.

Orphans of the  Storm hopes to open in Highland Park in October.

New Trier High School grad Taylor Tashima, seen in August of 2013 after winning a silver medal at the U18 World Championships in Thailand, will be playing for Northwestern this fall. Photography by Joel Lerner

All that stood between Taylor Tashima and the chance to play for the U.S. junior women’s national volleyball team was a tumor twice the size of a golf ball.

Eight days before tryouts, on Feb. 12, doctors Robert Kern and Gary Lissner from Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine diagnosed Tashima with an osteoma. The benign tumor had stretched through Tashima’s right sinus and wedged between two eye muscles in her orbital cavity, dangerously close to her optic nerve.

Tashima wondered if she would ever play volleyball again.

It seemed cruel that a tumor growing in one of the worst possible spots could threaten to take away the sport that had become one of the most important parts of Tashima’s life. Less than three months before her diagnosis, Northwestern had wrapped up a 16-15 season in which Tashima, Northwestern’s freshman setter, led all Big Ten freshmen in double-doubles, recorded 8.38 assists per set (10th in the conference) and at one point notched two triple-doubles in a three-match span. She quickly acclimated to the 6-2 system coach Keylor Chan introduced in late October, proving to be the Wildcats’ most versatile player.

But as it turned out, Tashima needed Northwestern as much as Northwestern needed her.
As Kern and Lissner suggested at the time of her diagnosis, Tashima could have undergone surgery immediately and missed the junior national team tryouts, ending her vision of winning a second career gold medal that summer. But Tashima’s actual vision was also at risk. She had a decision to make.

“It didn’t fully hit me,” Tashima says, recalling when she first heard the results of her CT scan. “In my mind it was just, ‘Okay, one more setback, another thing to get through.’ I wanted to get it over with and just keep playing volleyball.”

Tashima knew what it felt like to represent the United States. She captained the youth national team to a silver medal at the 2013 U18 World Championships in Thailand, one year after the Tashima-led USA team won gold at the NORCECA youth championship in Mexico, in which she was named the competition’s best setter. That team also finished fourth in the European Global Challenge in Croatia — the same competition Tashima would play in again if she made the 2015 team. Above all, she knew opportunities to play internationally only come around so often. Tashima delayed her surgery until after tryouts, knowing she was competing for a spot on a team she quite possibly couldn’t play for.

“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play volleyball again,” Tashima says. “So, what better way to end everything than by playing the best, high-level volleyball in the nation?”

Four days after tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Kern and Lissner removed Tashima’s osteoma in pieces during a five-and-a-half-hour procedure. Neither doctor had seen an osteoma in the orbital and sinus cavity, let alone operated on one, but they wanted to avoid leaving a scar on Tashima’s face when removing the part of the tumor in her orbital cavity. The doctors made an incision in the soft tissue around her eye through a process called the transcaruncular approach, a procedure so successful that Kern presented the case at a convention in Brazil a couple months after the surgery.

Tashima left the surgery with double vision, which she says faded quicker than expected, and then spent the next six weeks recovering while staying “completely non-active.” Around mid-April, she gradually eased back into volleyball with a clear protective mask on her face, like the ones NBA players commonly wear after facial injuries.

“It definitely made setting a lot harder,” Tashima says of her new facewear. “I had to change a lot about my technique and how I’m used to setting. But I made it work.”

Tashima played through Northwestern’s spring games wearing her mask, but two and a half weeks after recovering from surgery, a sinus infection sent her to the hospital and sidelined her until May 11.

Incidents like these are now more of a concern than ever for Tashima. Because the bone separating her sinus and orbital cavity is gone, Tashima says her frontal sinus can’t drain properly when she gets sinus infections, causing the infection to go straight to her orbital cavity. Kern and Lissner hope scar tissue will replace the bone, but, Tashima says, “there is no way of knowing.”

“I’m definitely a lot more cognizant of my body and how I’m feeling, if I’m getting enough sleep, if I’m eating right,” she says. “I can’t be a typical college kid and just eat whatever I want. I really have to take care of myself. But that’s also to my benefit, because when you’re a D-I athlete, you have to take care of yourself.”

Adds Taylor’s father, Paul: “I used to think that she was invincible. Her system has been challenged, so she needs to be that much more aware about sleeping, washing her hands, staying virus-free as much as possible because her body is going to be susceptible.”

In total, Tashima spent two months away from volleyball. She recovered from her infection by mid-May, this time for good, giving her roughly seven weeks to prepare for the European Global Challenge in July — if she made the team.

“As a parent, to see your kid go through that, it tests your faith, it tests your resolve,” Paul says. “You want to give your kid as many lifelong tools to weather storms, and Taylor weathered a storm that most kids her age don’t have to deal with.”

On May 29, USA coach Tom Hogan announced his roster — 92 days after Tashima’s surgery. The 12-player team included two setters: Jordyn Poulter, an incoming freshman at the University of Illinois, and Tashima.

Three and a half months later, Tashima’s decision to delay her surgery had finally paid off.

“It means a lot to me knowing that all the coaches on the USA team had faith in my ability to rebound,” Tashima says. “It was definitely a lot of motivation for me to keep going strong and do my best to be prepared to go overseas. I mean, when I stepped in the gym with [my teammates] in Europe, it felt normal.”

To get to that point, Tashima worked with her athletic trainer, Haley Zimmerman, to build back the 20 pounds of muscle she had lost during her two recovery periods. She received support from her family, teammates, coaches and friends through “get well” cards and too many text messages to count. And Tashima’s house in Wilmette — just a 10-minute drive from campus — gave her a nearby home base.

“I definitely think it was the strong support system I had at Northwestern that helped me see the bright side through all this,” Tashima says. “The whole coaching staff was there for me, and my team came and visited me right after I had my surgery, even though I couldn’t really talk because I had stitches [from the surgery].”

Paul says his daughter doesn’t take anything for granted, whether it’s the opportunities volleyball has afforded her, the responsibilities she bears or her health.

“Taylor has such a good perspective overall,” says Chan, the Northwestern coach. “She’s such a humble person, and hard working. I don’t think she’s ever had an injury like this, and I think any time anyone goes through that, they take a moment and realize that tomorrow is never guaranteed.”

Tashima did recognize what she might have lost — but not until after her operation.

“I didn’t fully realize the seriousness of the surgery and what could have happened until after it was all over,” Tashima says. “And I’m really glad that happened because it would have made it a lot more stressful.”

Thrust into a difficult situation, Tashima adapted just as she always has. And in Europe, with a new team and a fast-paced offense to figure out, she would have to do it again.

On July 3, Tashima left for Venice from O’Hare International Airport for the 2015 European Global Challenge.

The U.S. junior women’s national team was supposed to compete in the 2015 FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship, initially scheduled in July in Cyprus, the Mediterranean island. But when the tournament was moved to Puerto Rico and delayed until mid-September, the U.S. pulled out of the competition knowing most of its players had college team conflicts, choosing instead to compete in the Global Challenge.

So, it was off to Italy, then Slovenia, then Croatia, where the WJNT would compete against the Croatian and Israeli senior national teams along with the seven matches they would play in the Global Challenge.

Some of the U.S. junior players — like Tashima — had competed internationally before, but many of the girls were still playing together for the first time. The U.S. team spent the first few days getting to know each other as the players traveled around Italy and scrimmaged against the Italian junior national team. But unlike the U.S., the Italian team had played together for years while practicing year-round.

“We don’t have that opportunity,” Tashima says. “I’ve played with some of the girls before, but it’s never the same team every year.”

The U.S. lost both of its scrimmages to Italy before the tournament started as the players adjusted to their new teammates and an offense that was foreign to many of the players.

“They were teaching us what [U.S. women’s coach] Karch Kiraly teaches to the national team,” Tashima says. “The offense is very, very fast. It can be high error if the set isn’t just perfect or the hitters aren’t right on time, but when it does work, there’s no team that can stop us.”

Playing what Taylor’s dad calls “the ultimate team sport,” it would have been understandable had the U.S. failed to synchronize and master its demanding offensive system. Every player needed to be on the same page for the team to have a shot. “Any player that is struggling can be a huge detriment,” Chan says. “You can’t hide them like you can in other sports.”

But playing for so many different teams during the last couple years — high school, club, multiple USA rosters, Northwestern — taught Tashima how to adjust to her new teammates and the different playing styles that accompanied them.

“I’m used to adapting,” Tashima says. “It is hard because you have such a short amount of time, but everyone [on the WJNT] was so good that it made my job really easy.”

By the time the tournament rolled around, Tashima says, “we had (worked) out a lot of the kinks.” The U.S. steamrolled through every team it played, including the Hungarian and Slovenian junior national teams, on the way to the finals —except Italy, which dealt the U.S. its only loss of the tournament on July 13.

Three days later, in Pula, Croatia, the U.S. again faced Italy — who else? — in the championship game. Tashima and her teammates rebounded from a 2-1 deficit, winning the fourth set 25-21 before taking the gold when they edged the Italians, 15-12, in the decisive fifth set.

The Italian junior team had beaten the United States three times in an eight-day span, but the U.S. won the game that mattered most.

For Tashima, winning another international medal wasn’t all that came out of the tournament. The competition served as a worthy substitute for the high school club tournaments she didn’t get to play in anymore between seasons.

“When you have a tournament every single weekend, you’re in that competitive mindset year-round,” Tashima says. “But in college, you’re expected to turn it on right away for a timespan of only a couple months. So I think it was really beneficial for me to go overseas and compete and play live volleyball.”

Tashima’s international adventures might not be over, though the competition will only get tougher. If she tries out for the national team after Northwestern, she would compete for limited spots against the best volleyball players in the country. But going through the U.S. pipeline the last few summers gives her an edge, however slight.

“It was great to learn all the techniques, all the strategy,” Tashima says of the Global Challenge this summer. “It’ll definitely make it easier after college if I want to, if I get a chance to train in the national team gym. It makes the transition a whole lot easier.”

At least one person already backs Tashima, no matter what she chooses to do.

“I believe life is about memories and unique experiences,” Paul Tashima says. “If Taylor has the opportunity to do something at an elite level that most people don’t get a chance to do, why wouldn’t you do it? I’ll support her as long as she has a passion for doing what she loves.”

But for now, Tashima has the upcoming season on her mind — and that’s about it.

“I think we’re all ready for the season to start,” Tashima says. “We’re ready to play a lot of volleyball.”

The season opener is set for Aug. 28. NU will play Wake Forest in the opening round of the Loyola Rambler Challenge.

** This story was released by the Northwestern University Sports Information Department. Jasper Scherer is the author.

Lake Forest’s Anthony Colosimo, a Loyola Academy grad, committed no errors at first base during his two seasons with Division II Purdue University Calumet. Submitted photo

Anthony Colosimo proved to be a defensive whiz for Division II Purdue University Calumet this past spring.
The Loyola Academy grad, a first baseman, didn’t commit an error during his two seasons with the Peregrines. In 64 starts, the senior, a Lake Forest resident, wound up with 522 putouts and 31 assists.
His 1.000 fielding percentage this past spring earned him a gold glove in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). With Colosimo manning first base, the Peregrines finished the 2015 season with a 23-16 record after winning only five games in 2014. At the plate, he batted .278 with six doubles and 23 RBIs. He had a .361 on-base percentage. He finished with nine multi-hit games.

WINNETKA—John Brockenbrough Hutchins, formerly of Winnetka, passed away on August 10, 2015.

John was born in Chicago on July 2, 1935 to John Sellers Hutchins and Belle Brockenbrough Hutchins. He grew up in Winnetka with his three younger brothers: Coleman Sellers Hutchins, Harley Hutchins and Brown Brockenbrough Hutchins. He graduated from The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey and continued on to earn his bachelor’s degree in 1958 from Williams College.

After graduating, he volunteered for the draft and became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne’s Artillery Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

John started his professional career with American Hospital Supply Corp, where he worked in contract supply and marketing, transferring from Chicago to New York then back to Evanston over a 20 year period. He finished his career with Hospilab, International, where he worked with developing countries around the world.

During retirement, John volunteered his time to help seniors with taxes and other financial matters and enjoyed traveling, spending time with his family and many close friends, and pursuing his life-long passion of the game of golf.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Suzanne Chapman Hutchins and children John Chapman (Margaret) Hutchins, Lila Hutchins (Louis) Bahin, and Christopher Foresman (Angela) Hutchins, as well as six grandchildren: Riley Bahin, Belle Hutchins, Colin Bahin, Lila Hutchins, Tanner Hutchins and Ella Hutchins.

A private memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Northshore University Health System Foundation, Advance Care Planning, 1033 University Place, Evanston, IL 60201 or The Community Church of Vero Beach, 1901 23rd St, Vero Beach, FL 32960.

From Donnellan Family Funeral Home

GLENCOE—An unknown offender defaced a park district sign at the bottom of the hill at Glencoe Beach, a park district employee told police.

Reportedly, the incident occurred between 10pm on August 6 and 2:15pm the next day.

The estimated cost of repairs is $200.00.

From the Glencoe police blotter

LAKE FOREST – Republican Congressman Bob Dold will host a forum on the persecution of Christians in the Middle-East and Hindus in Bangladesh at St. James Lutheran Church in Lake Forest. The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. on  August 19.

Keynote speaker Juliana Taimoorazy, President of Iraqi Christian Relief Council, will speak about her organization and her personal experience with persecution in the Middle East. Dr. Richard Benkin, author of A Quiet Case of Ethnic Cleansing: the Murder of Bangladesh’s Hindus will also speak.

Hon. Robert Dold, GOP Congressman for the 10th Congressional District, will discuss his efforts in Washington to deal with religious persecution across the globe.

All are welcome to this free event at St. James Lutheran Church, 1380 North Waukegan Road, Lake Forest.

HIGHLAND PARK – The Ravinia District‘s August Third Thursday will focus on the family. Highland Park Bank and Trust will host its annual outdoor carnival in the Ravinia District’s Brown Park, on August 20^th from 4 to 7 p.m. Families will enjoy the free carnival atmosphere, food and entertainment. The kid friendly carnival will be complete with a bounce house, face painting, carnival games and a raffle to win a free backpack.

Children from The Performers School in Highwood will put on a short concert at the event. Other Ravinia businesses will also be participating in the family fun. Joe Palminteri State Farm will have popcorn with a topping bar, visit Design Quartet at Ravinia for complimentary face painting, Full Circle Architects will have a spread of drawing and coloring activities, head over to Ravinia Barber Shop for hair and Pieros Pizza will be handing out slices of Pizza and small samples of Pasta. The Highland Park Public Library will be hosting family friendly activities during the event. Ravinia Festival is excited to bring an instrument petting zoo to the Ravinia Business District.

Other participating businesses include, SoShee Boutique, Arthur M. Feldman Gallery and Uncle Dan’s- The Great Outdoor Store, and The Highland Park Fire Department.

Ravinia District’s Third Thursdays will feature several themes throughout 2015 including: a progressive holiday party, and quarterly Design and Dine evenings. Other Ravinia District “Doings” to watch for include: Free music series in Jens Jensen Park every Saturday from 11am-2pm through August; Ravinia Farmers Market through October 28; and the 1^st annual Ravinia District fall festival celebrating music and community in October. For more information on District ‘Doings’ visit https://www.facebook.com/RaviniaDistrict.HighlandPark?fref=ts. For information on Ravinia District visit https://www.cityhpil.com/Index.aspx?NID=631.

Frank Galati Photography provided by the Steppenwolf Theatre

Frank Galati and the Steppenwolf Theatre were both born in Highland Park—Galati in the hospital in 1943, the company in a church basement in 1974—and his professional and personal lives have been intertwined with both the wider Chicago theater scene and what is readily recognized as one of the leading theatrical companies in the country ever since.

Galati grew up in Northbrook. He attended Northwestern University in Evanston, earning an undergraduate degree, a PhD, and then became a Professor of Performance Studies there. His high school drama teacher, Ralph Lang, had earned a PhD at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois and taught there, and invited Galati to watch and critique some of his students.

“I first heard about Rondi Reed, Randy Arney, Tom Irwin, and Joan Allen—all of those original Steppenwolf members, because they were my former teacher’s students. I watched a scene with John Malkovich and Laurie Metcalf, who were undergraduates at the time and, needless to say, fantastic. We became friends and have been ever since.”

The Grapes of Wrath with actors Gary Sinise & John Malkovich

He joined Steppenwolf in 1985. Before that “I was always kind of, you know, like an uncle figure on the side. Sometimes I would have dinner with Jeff Perry or Gary Sinise and talk about the plans for the theater,” Galati says.

Over the years, those plans and dinners and talks led to a groundbreaking production of The Grapes of Wrath in 1986, adapted from John Steinbeck’s novel by Galati and directed by him, as well. It moved from Steppenwolf to Broadway, and has since been translated into more than 25 languages and performed in Japan, China, Israel, Scandinavia, and Iceland.

In addition to winning Galati two Tony awards, the play quickly became recognized as a theatrical milestone. “I’ve seen enough theatre for five people’s lifetimes at this point,” says Patrick Hoffman, Director of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, “and The Grapes of Wrath was superb in every way. I was so knocked out by it that I went back the very same week to see it again.” The production is one of several of Galati’s that the Archive has video recorded and preserved.

Now Galati, Steppenwolf, and Steinbeck are together again. Galati has returned to collaborate with Steppenwolf on his adaptation of East of Eden. Directed by Terry Kinney, it kicks off the company’s 40th anniversary season.

Galati is aware that for many East of Eden is the 1955 James Dean movie, and for some a turgid, eight hour mini-series with Jane Seymour in 1981. “I think that the movie is seriously flawed,” says Galati. “It starts on page 489 of the book, so it’s less than a third of the story. People think that it is a gigantic epic, and it’s true that while it covers three generations of the Trask family, it only takes place over a period of almost twenty years, from 1900 to 1918.” The film also eliminated a central character, Lee, the Chinese house man who cares for the Trask sons. “They gave all of his profound, philosophical observations to Julie Harris, who is playing this sixteen year old girl! It in no way corresponds to the complexity and density of Steinbeck’s original story.”

Galati’s North Shore roots, Steppenwolf, and East of Eden are not the only impetus for him to return to Chicago. He still has family here and remains involved in Chicago theater, including the Goodman, where he was an associate director for 25 years. Additionally, the founders and some members of Looking Glass Theatre are former students.

Eric Rosen, founder of About Face Theatre and Artistic Director of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, recalls “When I was nineteen, I saw The Grapes of Wrath on Broadway. It was as if I had discovered the language of theater and Frank spoke it beautifully. I did everything I could to study with him at Northwestern as a graduate student. Frank casts an enormous spell as a director, as a writer, as a teacher, and as a profound theorist of what theater could do.”

The success of The Grapes of Wrath made the Steinbeck estate and publishers eager for Galati to adapt another book, and Steinbeck’s widow, Elaine, was an enthusiastic supporter. “I got to know her very well,” says Galati. “She was a great booster of Steppenwolf and she came to all of our openings in London, California, Chicago, and Broadway.”

“I’ve always loved Steinbeck,” says Galati. “I’ve read all of his books, and East of Eden was always something that I had thought about doing for years, but I didn’t know how, so I just kept postponing it.” Then, another Steppenwolf member, actress/director Amy Morton urged Galati on and convinced him to adapt Steinbeck, again. “It’s been an interesting mutual history that I’ve shared with my brothers and sisters of the Steppenwolf, says Galati, and “that’s led us to where we are now.”

HIGHLAND PARK – Ruby of Siam, a Thai restaurant that has been serving family recipes on the North Shore since 1984, opened here on July 4 in the storefront that formerly housed Tio Tannous and Filippo, across from the Renaissance Place Cinema.

“We were pushed by our customers to open a location in Highland Park,” said owner Iris Dhalawong, who also owns a restaurant in Skokie with his wife and parents.

They added subtle changes to the décor, which is more upscale than their Skokie location. “We made an Italian kitchen into a Thai Kitchen by adding woks and other equipment,” said Dhalawong.

Some of the most popular dishes include satay with pork or chicken that is grilled with a side of peanut sauce and cucumber salad; the Ruby Crab Legs (Crab Rangoon) that look like crispy hand rolled cigars filled with cream cheese; imitation crabmeat and celery; and the Lime (Chicken, Tofu or Shrimp) that is served over crispy collard greens and lime sauce.

There’s also a variety of noodles, rice, soups, salads and meat dishes. The menu has over 100 Thai items that range from sweet to spicy or a bit of both.

Dhalawong revealed their secret to success: “Every dish is made special order which is the biggest reason people come to us. We make everything with fresh organic vegetables, and make it a point to help people with allergies.” They also offer gluten-free options, and are “vegetarian and vegan friendly.”

The restaurant has a four-course lunch special for $11.99. “It is essentially a Thai version of a bento box lunch with appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert,” said Dhalawong.

They offer a special dinner and a movie package to use at Renaissance Place Cinema. If you bring your ticket stub in you’ll receive half off one entrée.

Ruby of Siam received its liquor license on July 31 and features a full service bar. This is another distinction from the Skokie location.

Prior to Ruby of Siam, Iris’ parents Sunipa and Pallop opened Siam Square in Chicago in 1984. Soon they moved the restaurant to Evanston. Sunipa admits that she wasn’t the cook in the family, and attributes their success to her husband’s grandmother.

The Dhalawong Family, from left: Pallop; Sunipa, and Iris

Pallop helped his grandmother cook as a child, and brought her recipes with him to the states.

In 1991, the couple opened two restaurants within a few weeks. Ruby of Siam originated in Bannockburn, while Clay Pot was in Glencoe. Another restaurant followed in Evanston, and Ruby of Siam has been going strong in Skokie for 20 years.

Dhalawong appreciates all of the effort his parents put into starting their family business. “When my parents came here from Thailand they went to college and worked several jobs. My dad even worked in a steel mill and cut many sheets of steel,” he said.

Ruby of Siam is located at 1849 Second Street in Highland Park, and is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Fridays until 9:30 p.m. Saturday hours are from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

For reservations or to place carryout orders call 847/433-9332

Credit: GPGC

GLENVIEW – After nearly a year of renovations, the Glenview Park Golf Club, 800 Shermer Road, reopened to the public late last month.

“The turf grass has grown thick, the renovated bunkers have been raked, and the new fleet of golf carts are charged up and ready to go,” shared Ron Cassidy, director of golf at GPGC.

Among key improvements: re-graded fairways, reseeded tees and greens, improved turf grass conditions, and renovated sand bunkers that challenge all levels of golfers. Additionally, 10-minute tee-time intervals and on-course play clocks will help flow and pace of play.

“From continuous cart paths to rolling contours in the fairways, the challenging layout features beautiful views and substantially improved playability,” Cassidy said.

The project also focused on significant storm-water management upgrades including improved drainage areas to enhance the golf experience and protect area neighborhoods. To further support drainage, native prairie landscaping – with foliage that changes colors with the seasons – offers additional detention areas for excess water.

“The storm-water management system was intricately woven into the site to fit seamlessly with the surrounding golf course and elicit an immediate sense of environmental sustainability,” said Rick Jacobson, lead architect for the renovation of GPGC.

Jacobson, who visited GPGC as a young man first learning to play, said he applauds both the Park District and Village of Glenview for taking a proactive approach in restoring the historic facility for current residents and future generations.

Renovating GPGC, operated by the Glenview Park District since 1955, was a key initiative of the Park District’s strategic plan.

Tips from a GPGC Pro

Looking to improve your golf game? Daily North Shore caught up with GPGC instructor Michael Stone to get the scoop on best ways to lower scores. Stone, who said he couldn’t ask for a better job, has been with GPGC since 2007.

• Equipment: The proper equipment is key, shared Stone. “Go to your local club and schedule a fitting,” Stone suggested. Having clubs that fit properly is one of the quickest ways to see improvement, he said.
• Chipping: “When just off the green use a seven or eight iron,” Stone advises players. “Place the ball back in your stance with your weight leaning towards the target, then swing the club in a pendulum motion.” When further off the green, Stone suggests the same set-up, “except switch to a wedge and take a bigger swing.”
• Putting: Before you head out to play, take a couple golf balls and draw a straight line all the way around the ball, Stone said. “This can be used to help aim your putts.” When on the green, position the line on the ball to point at your target – this may or may not be the hole depending on the slope of the green, Stone advised. “Then, when standing over the ball, align your putter with the line on the ball.”
• All Shoots Tee to Green: Always find an intermediate target as close to the ball as possible Stone said of aligning your shot. “Then when standing over the ball use the spot you picked out to align yourself,” he added.
• Manage Expectations: Perhaps most importantly, Stone also reminds players that golf is a game of patience and improving skill level takes time. “It’s a difficult game and it’s a game of honesty and integrity much like in life,” he said. “It’s a never-ending learning process.”

Reserve a tee time for the 18-hole course in person, by phone or at golfglenview.com. Same day online reservations are available until 9 a.m. To schedule a private or semi-private lesson (in half hour increments; by appointment only), call the Golf Shop at 847-724-0250.

The clubhouse has also reopened with an updated café and golf shop. The space features multiple locations to eat, drink and socialize, both indoors and out.

This photo by Desiree Ruhstrat was chosen to be the cover photo for the 2015 Bagpipes & Bonfire invitation, after winning last year’s photo contest.

LAKE FOREST – John and Paula Lillard and their family will chair Lake Forest Open Lands’ 28th Annual Bagpipes & Bonfire on Sunday, September 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Middlefork Farm Nature Preserve in Lake Forest, IL. Bagpipes & Bonfire attracts over 1,700 attendees and serves as Lake Forest Open Lands’ annual fundraiser. It is a one-of-a-kind multigenerational family event complete with cocktails, dinner, Scottish bagpipes, Belgian pony rides, Highland Dancers, Fly Casting, Sheep Herding, Pipe Bands March, Sky Divers in Kilts, an Amazing Grace Bagpiper performance at dusk followed by the Lighting of the Bonfire.

As Lake Forest Open Lands’ Life Director, John Lillard is delighted to being chairing this annual fall event with his family, which includes Governor Paula Preschlack, daughter Lynn Jessen and granddaughters, Margaret Kelley and Caitlin Myers. “Lake Forest Open Lands’ is all about connecting to our natural surroundings,” he said.

The 2015 Bagpipes & Bonfire Chairs are comprised of the following individuals; Chair, John and Paula Lillard; James and Paula Lillard Preschlack; Howard and Lynn Lillard Jessen; Jonathan and Margaret Jessen Kelley; and George and Caitlin Myers.

The Bagpipes & Bonfire Committee includes: Sage and Austin DePree, Brenda and John Dick, Jamee and Marshall Field, Melissa and Andrew Goltra, and Katie and Jim Skinner.

Proceeds from Bagpipes & Bonfire support Lake Forest Open Lands’ land conservation efforts encompassing over 800 acres and environmental education programming. Lake Forest Open Lands’ education and community outreach programs educate over 4,000 children and students annually.

Northern Trust is the Presenting Sponsor and Baxter and Mariani Landscape are the Silver Sponsors.

For questions about Bagpipes & Bonfire or to inquire about tickets and sponsorship opportunities please email ldavidson@lfola.org or call Leslie Davidson at 847.234.3880 x17.

Submitted by Lake Forest Open Lands Association

Lake Forest Open Lands is an independently funded conservation and educational organization devoted to the acquisition and stewardship of our natural landscapes, and to ensuring all generations have a meaningful, lasting connection to nature and our land. Lake Forest Open Lands Association is the first land trust in Illinois to receive national accreditation with the Land Trust Alliance (LTA). In addition, the organization is an active member of Chicago Wilderness. Since its establishment in 1967, Lake Forest Open Lands has acquired, preserved, restored and maintained over 800 acres and 12 miles of walking trails encompassing native landscapes, prairies, savannas, woodlands, and wetlands for the benefit and enjoyment of local communities. For more information about Lake Forest Open Lands, please visit www.LFOLA.org.