Barrington trustee pays tribute to brother during Pride Month

When Barrington village Trustee Todd Sholeen displayed a miniature flag in honor of Pride Month on the dais at Monday's village board meeting, it had a very personal meaning.

The Pride flag, he said, was a tribute to his late brother, Jeff.

Sholeen, who said he participated in Chicago's Pride Parade this month, recalled for his fellow trustees how a friend of Jeff's carried his ashes during the Pride Parade in New York City. He noted that the parade route ends at the Stonewall National Monument, which marks the location where the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the United States began in 1969.

Sholeen also thanked the village board for issuing a proclamation recognizing Pride Month.

"I do feel we could do a little more, because the village of Winnetka has banners up and down their two main streets on Green Bay Road," he added.

He also mentioned that Buffalo Grove and Aurora hold Pride parades.

"But I am appreciative of the steps we have taken to recognize Pride Month," he said.