Longtime Geneva educators proud of their U of I grads - all 4 of them
When Yvonne and W.P. "Mac" McElroy celebrate something regarding their grandchildren, they have to do it in bunches.
The McElroys are best known in Geneva for having spent so much time serving the school district. "Mac" was principal at Geneva High School from 1962 to 1972 and a guidance department director until 1985, while Yvonne taught fifth grade at Fourth Street School from 1962 to 1985.
But it is their daughter, Brenda, a 1969 graduate of Geneva High School, whose children have provided the big news in the past month.
Brenda and her husband, Steven Pacey of Paxton, Ill., watched history unfold at the University of Illinois when their quadruplets graduated from the college at the same time this spring.
The Pacey children - Rachel, Robert, John and Edward - were born in 1986 and are now ready to enter the education field themselves, with Edward staying in school to seek a doctorate in economics.
"There wasn't much recognition at all regarding them all graduating at the same time," said a proud Yvonne McElroy. "But then it must have dawned on someone to see if this had ever happened before, and a reporter (Julie Wurth) for the alumni magazine and newspaper in Champaign did an article stating it was the first time in the college's history.
"People were encouraging me to tell everyone and get this in the newspapers, but I didn't want to be bragging about it," Yvonne said.
Yvonne said her daughter had one child, and then used fertility drugs to help with a second. The result was quadruplets.
"We were very fortunate that they were all born healthy and OK," Yvonne said.
Speaking like a true teacher and proud grandmother, Yvonne then added, "And they were all very good students."
Deck with a view: Vern Oie figures there's a perfect place to view the results of the River Corridor Foundation's work in St. Charles, particularly the projects funded through various grants and donations from events like the annual Bob Leonard Walk-a-Thon.
It's during this year's walk-a-thon that Oie, one of the key players in the River Corridor Foundation's work, is planning on having participants climb the five decks of the new First Street parking garage to get an overview of the river project.
"The view from up there is amazing, and you get a real nice view of what is going to happen with the river project," Oie said. "Some people may want to take the elevators to the top, but the 'real' Leonard walkers ought to walk it."
This year's Bob Leonard Walk-a-Thon, honoring Leonard's tireless work on the River Corridor Master Plan, will take place at 9 a.m. Aug. 9.
Participants take a nice hike from Pottawatomie Park through downtown and Mount St. Mary Park and back, getting a close look at the results of the river plan - turning eroded shorelines into beautiful walkways, building pedestrian terraces, extending river walk paths and building a new canoe and kayak launch.
"We're probably a little more than halfway done with the whole project and everyone has been participating," Oie said. "We've gotten grants from the county that have helped and many individual donations."
More information and walker registration forms are available at www.stcrivercorridor.org.
Walk to your store: The ridiculous cost of gasoline has an upside. It appears more people are walking. I have noticed some folks in my neighborhood walking, rather than driving, across Fabyan Parkway or Randall Road to nearby stores to pick up groceries. It's a win-win equation of exercise and not using gasoline. My wife claims this is common in Europe with the corner-store concept. It also used to be common in the neighborhoods of big and small cities alike in this country.
So, there's an answer to the current economic mayhem. Bring back the corner stores, but keep food prices down so people would actually walk to these stores and save money. The franchised pantries may pass for a modern-era corner store, but they'd have to adjust pricing levels a bit to be a viable option.
Outdoors and art: When Third Street in Geneva is closed to traffic, you know it has to be for a good reason.
Today is the last day for the most current good reason. If you enjoy looking at art for a collection or for decorating rooms in your home, then you'll want to be sure to take in the Geneva Arts Fair today along Third Street.
Over the years, communities have discovered that good weather, which can be hit or miss around here, and outdoor displays of talented artists make for a winning combination.
It was too early to predict the weather as I was finishing this column, but let's hope the exhibitors in Geneva, or at Batavia's "Art in Your Eye" festival in two weeks, don't encounter a storm like the one that tore apart an art festival in Evanston last month.
dheun@sbcglobal.net