Thoughts about park and Geo-Karis
After the chill of this brutal winter passes and the intense heat of summer invades us, my family will take its weekly 40-mile roundtrip trek to the shores of Lake Michigan at Illinois State Beach in Zion.
This place is a wonderful haven to unwind from the stress of daily living. The natural beauty and peace and serenity have been preserved against the ravages of time. The abundance of prairie land, forests, hiking trails, camping and picnic areas, and boundless shoreline represent freedoms of our land, country, state and county, offered to all who seek it.
When my family is at Illinois State Beach we are able to relax, rejoice and unwind escaping to a slice of heaven. My 10-year-old daughter likes to take a friend or two and build sandcastles and moats. I love to collect rocks and once found one that I keep in my pocket every day. It contains a perfect heart shape of seaweed embedded in the center of this rock. This represents the love of my life, my wife (and family).
You see my lovely wife has MS and is wheelchair bound and rarely gets out of the house. When we come down to the beach, she is able to soak up the bright sunshine and even dangle her feet in the waves breaking on the shore. My wife and daughter are happy, so I am too.
The only obstacle that reduces our joy here, is the struggle it takes for me to pull my wife in her wheelchair through the 100 yards of rough sand, to get near the lake and then back again. I'm 55 years old and it takes a toll on my body as well as a rough ride for my wife. Every 30 feet or so, I have to catch my breath and ease the pain in my muscles. Try pulling 150 pounds through the sand.
One day while visiting a beach on the Michigan side of the lake, we were able to proceed on a wooden plank setup in the sand and our journey was a breeze. In 2007 I wrote to Sen. Adeline Geo-Karis about this. She had officially disembarked from the political scene at the time but still took the time and effort to respond to my suggestion that this could be implemented here in Illinois. Her untimely passing has presently curtailed this dream.
We see the highly unusual, extremely high accolades embraced upon this tremendous individual, by all legislators of both political parties and the public alike. Her spirit is alive in the park named after her. She had great vision, courage, abilities and passion to make things right.
Many families beside mine can benefit with a walkway above the sand to near the shore. Families pushing baby strollers and beverage coolers. Children with red wagons and even people on wheelchairs or walkers greatly need this convenience which wouldn't cost an inordinate amount of money.
Through the spirit of this fine lady and her many friends and confidants; I'm confident that somehow this walkway will get done. My family honors her memory.
Randy F. Gollay
Buffalo Grove