Northbrook in 60 seconds
Lew Blond Run set
The date for the popular 20th anniversary of the Lew Blond Memorial 5K Run/Walk has been set.
Starting rain or shine at Maple School, 2370 Shermer Road, runners will take off on their 5-kilometer race at 8 a.m. Oct. 16. Those assembled for the mile-long walk start at 9 a.m.
A 5K certified by United States Track & Field and the Chicago Area Runners Association, in 2018 the Lew Blond drew more than 1,000 runners and volunteers.
The course starts off at Maple School, runs past Glenbrook North athletic fields down Sherman Drive, and into the surrounding neighborhood to the west before returning the same way.
The event honors Lew Blond, a beloved Maple School teacher who died of ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, in February 2000. Proceeds of the race benefit the Les Turner ALS Foundation, scholarships for prospective teachers at Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South, and special projects in Northbrook/Glenview School District 30.
There already is a tab to register for the 20th anniversary Lew Blond Memorial, as well as several levels of sponsorship opportunities, on the event website at lewblondrun.org. A phone number for information is (847) 498-4190.
Local girl makes good
Illinois Wesleyan University junior swimmer Ellen Gilbert, a former school record-setter and all-state swimmer at Glenbrook North, earned all-conference honors in the College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin.
The reigning CCIW swimmer of the year and a candidate for the award again this season, Gilbert led the conference in the 100 fly, 200 fly and 1,000 freestyle. Her 200 fly time of 2 minutes 4.27 seconds led all Division III women's swimmers. Also ranked fifth in the 100 fly, Gilbert was the only CCIW swimmer to rank in the division's top 10 in more than one event.
A two-time College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America selection, after last season Gilbert was named a CSCAA All-American.
First-pitch countdown
Check out the ticker on the website for Northbrook Action Baseball, counting down the seconds till opening day on April 26.
The website - northbrookactionbaseball.org - notes that there are still limited openings for players this season. Northbrook Action Baseball is a fundamentally-based tee-ball, baseball and softball program for boys in preschool through second-grade, and for girls in preschool through third-grade.
There's a registration form right on the website landing page. There's also sponsorship information there. For more information, call co-director Mark Gerstein at (847) 565-5799.