Community Photos

•   Nathan Cummings of Grayslake was the overall men's winner at the Long Grove Heritage Run on Sept. 8 with a time of 18:28. Nathan participated on behalf of OMNI Youth Services, one of the 10 charities participating in this year's event. G Dorner
•   Mariana's Bakery spreads “sweet delight” to struggling children and homeless. American Aid Foundation founder and president Frank Slove and director Carmen Gonzalez present Mariana's Bakery owners Carmen, Miguel Jr. (son) and Miguel Sr. Gonzalez a certificate of appreciation for their continued generosity to the foundation's programs. American Aid Foundation
•   The Choral-aires Chorus placed second in the Community Teams category raising funds for breast cancer research last month, missing first place by only $25. The chorus raised $3,985 by the time the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure rolled around, with more donations still coming, surpassing their original goal of $3,000. The Choral-Aires has five current chorus members that either have, or have had, breast cancer. And this year, 2 of the team members discovered that their mothers have breast cancer, so they were walking on race day for their moms. One member of our team, Kara Gray, celebrated her 10 years without breast cancer this year. While not a Chorus member, she is the daughter of long-time member Martha Anderson, who also walked with the team on race day. Lindsey Herza
•   On Jan. 21, Elmhurst City Clerk Patty Spencer presented the Choral-Aires Chorus with a proclamation declaring January "Sweet Adelines Month." The Choral-Aires, an Elmhurst-based Sweet Adelines International chapter, is hosting Guest Nights each Monday in January from 6:45-9:45 pm at the Redeemer Lutheran Church Recreation Center as part of the SAI Global Open House event. Pictured, from left, are: Co-Director Bonnie Fedyski, Patty Spencer, Co-Director Amy Brinkman, and Chorus President Nancy Smith. Valerie Baxter
•   Corona trying on costumes Colleen O'Rourke
•   Join us this summer for Meadows Cruise Nights every Saturday night from 6 to 9 p.m. (until Labor Day). Hosted by Meadows Christian Fellowship Church, 2401 Kirchoff Road in Rolling Meadows. It is a free, family friendly event. Liz Schrenk
•   "Delightful and Delicious!"
  George and Sarah Naxera of Kildeer sample mouth-watering morsels from 20 local restaurants at Clearbrook's fourth annual "Around the World Food Tasting" on Oct. 16 at Arlington Toyota-Scion in Palatine. Proceeds from the event went to the 3,400 children and adults with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other developmental/intellectual disabilities that Clearbrook serves. Colleen Gallagher
•   District 96 first grader Callie Fitzmaurice and 3rd grader Neil Thakker were among the Ivy Hall Elementary students who brought music to Belmont Village Assisted Living residents in Buffalo Grove on Dec. 20. The senior residents enjoyed holiday favorites sung by the group and solos played on a variety of instruments. Teachers who organized this traditional visit by Ivy Hall students include Nikki Comin, Enzie Pangilinan, and Jane Pittman. School District 96
•   The District 96 Kildeer Countryside Elementary School 5th-Grade Student Council, sponsored by Art Teacher Leslie Norman, is partnering with the U.S. Marine Corps for the annual Toys for Tots donation drive. The toy collection to benefit less fortunate children is a long-standing tradition at Kildeer School. During a visit to the school on Nov. 7, Master Staff Sergeant Thompson (right) and Staff Sergeant Iddins thanked the student council for their work to organize the toy drive and answered the children's questions about serving others as a U.S. Marine.
  
  
  
  
  Please contact me with questions regarding the following news from School District 96 (serving Buffalo Grove-Lake County, Long Grove, Kildeer, Hawthorn Woods, Lake Zurich, and Vernon Hills): 847.821.7931, ext. 7722
  Thank you,
  Betsy Fresen School District 96
•   Sunset over Indian River Lagoon - Florida Dale Chellis
•   District 96 Country Meadows first-graders in Long Grove culminated their study of American symbols as guests at the Inaugural Ball. Couples were announced as they entered the gym and then the box stepping and waltzing began. Music teacher Jesse Rathgeber, physical education teachers Holly Smith and Kathy Nihill, and first-grade teachers Mary Fey, Meg Larson, Griselda Perales, and Lindsay Stanton collaborated to present the unit and the gala. Pictured are first-graders Kaitlyn Blechman and Zachary Hertzberg. School District 96
•   Children at Messiah Lutheran Preschool & Kindergarten in Wauconda collected 147 items to help stock the shelves of the Wauconda/Island Lake Food Pantry. MLPK
•   Clearbrook president Carl M. La Mell (center) chats with Newsapalooza creators, Grammy award winner, Richard Marx (left) and radio personality, Roe Conn. Newsapalooza is a rock & roll stage show, featuring Chicago media talents singing and/or playing instruments. This year's show benefitted Clearbrook. M. Samskhina
•   The Palatine American Legion Family of Post 690 hosted 33 Navy recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Training Center Adopt-A-Sailor program for Thanksgiving Day meal and activities. Cathy Steiner
•   Every Halloween for the past 13 years, the house at 1274 Thorndale Lane in Lake Zurich has been decorated with flying ghosts, walking zombies, creepy gremlins, blood-thirsty vampires, scary scarecrows, ghouls of every kind, an evil devil, a headless horseman, a caldron-stirring witch, a life size coffin with a corpse inside, a towering pumpkin-head man, skeletons crawling out of their graves, a full-size climbing spider, jack-o-lanterns, and tombstones all in a creepy cemetary.
  
  I enjoy decorating each year and a new ghoul appears each Halloween season. The adults and children, especially those in the neighborhood, love to come by each day, some more than once, to see the creatures. Nighttime is especially scary, when the lights come on, the creatures seem to come to life as they move and change in the wind.
  
  People from all over hear about the house and its decorations and have been stopping by to see what new creatures have come out each year. Cars park outside the house and many come out to take pictures of themselves in the cemetary.
  
  There are many trick or treaters that come each year, some say that the house is too scary for them to come to the door and get their treats so I often sit outside in costume to hand out treats. Creepy halloween music plays on Halloween, adding to the already scary effects.
  
  Food donations for the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry are welcome. Nancy Burke
•   Redbull Stratos space jumper Felix hung up in my tree. Nicole Morrissey
•   The Lake Zurich High School Varsity Dance Team has qualified to compete in the 2013 Universal Dance Association National Dance Team championship in Orlando, Fla. next February. The team earned a placement in the championship while competing at the UDA Elite camp, held at Illinois State University. Team members are, from left, front: Julia Packer, Emma Light, captains Stephanie Monday and Carly Dust, Day-Day Jonaityte, Melissa Grizely, and Jenna Monday; middle: Morgan Kamins, Dana Matasek, Gina Bundra, Kendall Sharp, Olivia Carey, Sophia Gritsonis, Allison Dust, and Margaret Lotowski; back: coach Theresa Johlie, Emma Davis, Isabel Young, Abbie Theis, Michaella Andersen, Nicole Anderson, Suzanne Zborowski, and coach Melanie Ewanio. Laura Bundra
•   (L to R) Dr. Seeds and Dr. Alpert of the Midwest Bone & Joint Institute (Barrington, Algonquin, Geneva, Elgin) speak at the recent Chicago Soul FC press conference. The physicians have been chosen to provide medical care for players on the new Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) team. The doctors also care for the Chicago Slaughter Arena Football, Chicago Hitmen Hockey, Chicago Outlaws Lacrosse and other area college and high school sports teams. Evan J. Thomas
•   "Local Girl Needs Help"
  A little girl in our community needs help with medical expenses. Her name is Isabella Oliver. Please see her story at: www.gofundme.com/Isabellasjourney. "Give, and you will receive...The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." Luke 6:38. Friends of Isabella Oliver
•   A handful of local private ambulances have given resources to the East Coast to help out the preparation of Hurricane Sandy and Noreaster Storm Athena. Bless their hearts A-TEC Ambulance, Inc.
•   bottom row: Sean Naughton, Jack Housinger, Mason Schaller, Charley Dir, Ryan Patel; middle row: Colin Biesterfeld, Jeff Morton, Jeff Bikus, Austin Ehren, Ethan Ekstrom, Drew Breitenreiter; top row: Coaches Bruce Dir, John Bikus, Terry Biesterfeld, Donn Breitenreiter, Millie Naughton
•   A 31-inch Northern Pike caught in Lake Zurich on Feb. 2. James Kosatka
•   Student dancers from the Northwest suburban area auditioned on Sept. 9 for the Barrington Youth Dance Ensemble 2012 production of "The Nutcracker," to be performed Nov. 30, Dec. 1-2 at Barrington High School. Pictured are: front row, from left, John Kolasinski Jr., Juliana Nikolich, Hannah Harris, Hannah Ray and Lindsey George; second row, Mackenzie Jaekel, Brittany Bonefas, Becca May, Jessica Malec, and Melanie Monarrez; and third row, Abigail Roberts, Daniel Monarrez, and Richard Falls Jr. Diane Crawford, Barrington Youth Dance Ensemble
•   Dr. Ulwyn Pierre, the global radio talk show host of “Leadership – Success – and You” to speak at June 7 Small Business Success in Lake County event. Register at www.SmallBusinessSuccessinLakeCounty.com SBDC
•   Early morning sunrise over the Keeneland Racecourse during the January Thoroughbred horse sale in Lexington, Ky. Stephanie Cooley

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