Saturday Soapbox
The courage of Leah Hayes ...
Courage takes many forms and comes in all shapes and sizes. Some days, it looks a lot like Leah Hayes, a 13-year-old Sugar Grove girl who has a chance to swim in the 2024 Olympics and who was diagnosed at age 6 with a disease called alopecia universales, which caused her to lose all the hair on her scalp and body. She wore wigs for years before one day, in fourth grade, standing up in front of her classmates and explaining why she didn't have hair.
... who's already a champ:
That took courage and Sports Illustrated celebrated the young swimmer by naming her its 2018 Sports Kid of the Year. After our Lauren Rohr got the chance to talk with Leah and those who know her best, it's clear why the teen deserves the honor as both an athlete and a person. Congrats, Leah. Whether you win a spot on the Olympic team or not, you're already a champion.
Salute to a hero:
Jill Morgenthaler, a retired Army colonel, was among the first women to enter Army boot camp and later had a dramatic encounter with Saddam Hussein. She died a week ago and we echo U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth's remembrance of this suburban vet as a “decorated officer who knocked down barriers in the military and motivated a generation of women.”
So much for the groundhog
Mere days after the polar vortex, Woodstock Willie missed his shadow, promising an early spring. So, even with all the snow, ice storms and extremely high winds to follow, we at least had hope. Now, as the lion has roared to kick off March with a deep chill, let's just root for the lamb to have the final say.
Signs of spring
Sure we're cold. The sun's never coming out. Snow is flying about. But, two annual rites of spring were budding in this week's Neighbor sections — sugar maple events (mmm, real syrup!) and fish frys that support area Legion Posts, as well as other charities. Nice bit of sustenance to keep us going until real spring weather kicks in.
The way to really wait:
Thursday's terrible train delays resulting from a computer glitch further eroded confidence in Metra and Amtrak. Amtrak departure and arrival times have always seemed more of a guess anyway. With ride-share prices spiking Thursday afternoon, that backup to Metra seems unattractive. But driving and using apps to find the best parking deals can't really be the best way, can it?