Past stories about Lisle have made a difference

Like a small pebble tossed into a pond, this column strives to spread ripples of good news about our community.

Sometimes we make a bigger splash than others. Here are some examples:

Sharing Connections

Lisle residents are proud to call Sharing Connections their own. From its humble beginnings in the two-car garage of founder and Lisle resident Leeanne McGrath, the organization had distributed 2,000 cribs when we revisited it on May 14.

That column told how gently-used cribs donated by area residents are given to low-income families to comfort and keep their babies safe. Sharing Connections also pairs the crib with donated linen, baby essentials and a special, often handmade, blanket.

It's a wonderful story of dedicated volunteers, much-needed donations and generous souls.

Responding to the column, then-Executive Director Judie Caribeaux wrote, "We saw a 30 percent increase in pick-ups of furniture that people wanted to donate after your column ran. Additionally, The Bedding Experts in Villa Park came across your column and we are in conversations about beds at a reduced price for our families.

"Your column has helped others understand that even in this affluent county, people go to sleep on the floor at night," Caribeaux wrote.

Last week, I talked with new Sharing Connections Executive Director Ann Wohlberg and learned the crib count tally is now at 2,053 and counting.

When asked what two items are at the top of her wish list, Wohlberg said there's a need for small dressers, especially for children, and cleaning supplies. Food stamps, she said, can't be used to purchase paper or cleaning products.

If you'd like to help, check out www.sharingconnections.org or call (630) 971-0565.

Weather folks

Volunteers responded to columns Feb. 19 and Oct. 1 on joining the COCORAHS.

Meteorologist Tim Halbach of the National Weather Service forecast office in Romeoville oversees the Illinois program of Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow volunteers, or COCORAHS, pronounced "Coco- RAZ."

Volunteers use a uniform rain gauge to measure daily precipitation in their own back or front yard and record the data through the Internet to an interactive Web site.

Halbach, a specialist in atmospheric science, said the information is proving of value to scientists looking at developing patterns.

The program allows for volunteer flexibility but access to the Internet is required. A training session filled quickly and Halbach scheduled another session last week that also was filled.

"A majority of the people knew about the training session because of your article," Halbach said. "Ten to 20 new observers signed up in the Lisle/Naperville/Aurora area because of the column."

The goal is to have one observer per square mile in urban and suburban areas. Lisle can use a couple more. Naperville should have 35 observers across the city and right now has seven.

For details, check out www.cocorahs.org.

Frank Lloyd Wright

The June 25 column went on the road and reported from Acme, Pa., the new location of the sleek, modern ranch house designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and originally built for Donald and Elizabeth Duncan in Lisle.

Since the first column I wrote on the prefabricated house four years ago, the structure was taken down and each piece was numbered and stored. My search for the rest of the story led nowhere until this year when I saw an advertisement while surfing for an overnight in a genuine Wright house.

The Duncan House was reassembled, better than ever, and debuted as the showpiece of three Unisonian-style houses at Polymath Park Resort in Pennsylvania.

A private tour of the well-designed house allowed me to report on the exquisite craftsmanship and restoration that went into the refurbished building. The new owners added a lower level banquet room that seats 100 and rent overnight stays.

After the Duncan House column ran, a reader put me in touch with a former neighbor of the Duncans, Sue Pollock.

"There were 26 lots built on the original Duncan property and Mr. Duncan kept three acres for their house," said Pollock from her home in Florida.

"The way the house was set on his rectangle piece of property, it had the back of the house actually facing Ambassador Court because the front of the house faced west and backed up to greenery.

"Neighbors tried to get the house on a historical record but no one was interested or helped us so eventually we gave up," Pollock said.

"It was actually a neighbor who bought the property from the Duncans and built the other homes on it. He again tried to have the house saved. I was thrilled someone took the house that cared for it."

Details are available at www .polymathpark .com.

Sears House

The Sept. 24 column was on another special house in Lisle. This story encouraged interested individuals or businesses to bid on an authentic and exceptional Avalon Sears Catalog House that the village owned and wanted to sell. The only caveat was that the house needed to be moved.

The column offered some innovative and, I hoped, insightful ideas for the house. The place had a historic pedigree, being the home of Lisle's first mayor, Thomas Malloy, and his family.

The column included research at the DuPage County Recorder's office, discussions with Sears catalog house experts and interviews with Mayor Joseph Broda; former assistant village manager Barbara Adamec; the first mayor's wife, Bea Malloy, in California; Lisle resident Nancy Schneider; a local Sears Catalog house owner; and village staff.

At the 11 a.m. Oct. 1 public auction at which official sealed bids were to be opened, I was the only person who showed up. There were no bids, no prospects, no officials and not even another curious reporter.

The final fate for the Sears house will be determined tonight at the Lisle village board meeting.

Lisle Park District has asked for some historical parts of the house, said facilities manager Aaron Cerutti. He hopes items such as a door with its original hardware and a steam radiator will one day be displayed among photos of the house at the Museums of Lisle Station Park.

I still wish the Sears Catalog House could have its own knight in shining armor.