advertisement

The Soapbox: A black belt in life for an inspirational woman

Inspiring:

About the time you may be reading this Kelly Schultz will be seeking her black belt in karate at a Lake in the Hills martial arts and fitness club.

So?

It's more than a bit noteworthy that Schultz, 33 and a resident of Crystal Lake, will be doing so today from a wheelchair. Even more noteworthy: She's seeking her black belt in the able-bodied division.

Black belt in life:

Schultz, born with spina bifada, dislikes the idea of qualifying in a "disabled" category and says her fitness regimen has led to physical advances. "I want to walk again," she says. ""I'm not getting a black belt in karate; I'm getting a black belt in life."

Yes:

Inspiring.

Lombard does the right thing:

Lombard officials did the right thing not once but twice after the Taste of Lombard went kaput. First, they created a committee to solicit ideas and support for a new festival. And then, when no one came forward, they did the right thing again by simply moving on while leaving the door open for new ideas down the road.

Championship month:

With February comes the IHSA state tournament series in several winter sports. Here's wishing the best to all of our area teams and student-athletes. Play hard, play fair, play to win and have fun.

Speaking of championships:

When it comes to huge sports stars, Naperville Central stands tall with alums such as NFL coach Sean Payton (1982), WNBA star Candace Parker (2004), and the late Harry Kalas (1954), the voice of NFL films. Next weekend, another Redhawk takes center stage as Denver's Owen Daniels (2001) plays in Super Bowl 50. Stand tall, Redhawks.

In praise of a police officer:

A tip of the hat to Deerfield police officer Rhenna Hall, who found an elderly Wood Dale couple who had been missing for more than a day and then worked in a caring and compassionate way to make sure they got home safe. Thanks to her efforts, this story had a happy ending.

Good luck, Chief Laine:

Former Algonquin police chief Russell Laine was sworn in this week as Fox Lake's top cop. It's no secret Laine is taking over a department that has been rocked by scandal during the last five months. Laine mentioned stability, leadership and guidance when asked what he hopes to bring to the job. It's a big challenge. We wish him well.

Helping far from home:

Community can mean more than just your immediate neighbors. That's the spirit behind an effort led by the Buffalo Grove Police Department - with help from firefighters in Arlington Heights, Lake Zurich, Grayslake and elsewhere - to collect hundreds of cases of bottled water for fellow first responders in Flint, Michigan. They're to be lauded.

Thankfully, there was a Plan B:

Good thing Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network had a backup plan to deliver an organ for transplant after the plane carrying it slid off the runway at Chicago Executive Airport. Good thing the airport owned by Wheeling and Prospect Heights had installed a new system to stop errant planes. All's well, thanks to planning for contingencies.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.