Want free wine? Name the art by village hall
I saw beheaded Q-tips. My hubby saw PVC pipes run amok. One of you saw a spaghetti garden. Another saw pickup sticks.
If, as they say, art is in the eye of the beholder, some of us are wearing rose-colored shades, some of us are vision-challenged and some of us … well, we could use a little wine.
Wine, you say?
Why, that's just what our "Name that Piece" contest needs! Thanks to WineStyles guru Tom French, it's just what we'll get. Or at least what two lucky winners will get.
Enter our contest to aptly dub the unique public art exhibit in front of the Algonquin village hall and you'll have a chance to win one of two free wine-tasting parties for up to 20 people each at WineStyles, a Lake in the Hills wine shop on Randall Road. That's a private party for 20 worth about $200. Times two. Wow!
We have some terrific entries so far and welcome more. Take a gander and give it your best shot. Mark your e-mail "Name That Piece" and send it to amack@dailyherald.com or phone it in to (847) 931-5725. If the true judge of good art is provoking reaction, I do believe this piece is making a name for itself.
Did too. Did not.
Speaking of provoking reaction, I heard from a number of you after last week's column suggesting and only half-jesting a therapist in a flak jacket is needed for Huntley District 158's school board. Let's just say certain public officials took issue with some of my comments. Among them, school board member Aileen Seedorf wants to clarify she did not ask Algonquin police to investigate her fellow board members as I suggested. She says, and the report confirms, her complaint was specific about only one fellow board member. And she notes she actually told the police officer taking her report that she did not want to file charges; she just wanted the incident documented.
Consider it clarified. I think I was carried away with wonder at the wild behavior and wrote more strongly than I should have. I know y'all know how that works. Still, I contend that a public official filing a police report about another public official at a public meeting is tantamount to asking police to take a look at the matter.
That board member, Tony Quagliano, says he is embarrassed and doesn't have a problem with Aileen filing the police report but strongly contends he did not threaten her. He says he was very frustrated and said something along the lines of "You should just have your heads knocked together" to Aileen and fellow board member Larry Snow in the heat of a disagreement. He also said he used cuss words.
"I personally believe it's her right to do what she feels is necessary," he said. "I apologized for using harsh language -- not for having threatened her -- because I don't feel I threatened her in any way, shape or form. I felt I'd used strong language to a woman, and that is what I was embarrassed about."
That's an idea
Hhhhhmmmm ... maybe our next contest should be one for the most creative suggestion to help District 158 board members find peace. That might take more than one wine party, though.
Season's reason
Speaking of peace, Donna Schleehauf of Faith Community Church, 10547 Faiths Way, Huntley, asked me to share their invitation to us all to visit their Living Manger from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the church on the corner of Algonquin and Haligus roads.
May I suggest she extend a special invitation to a certain board?
Go, girls
No matter how Sydney Leidig and Lindsey Giustino celebrate their actual eight birthdays, I think the two St. Margaret Mary students from Algonquin will agree they've already had the greatest gift ... ever! The girls were among the lucky to attend last Saturday's sold-out Hannah Montana concert in Rosemont, where I hear they were on their feet and out of their seats the whole time. Screaming with everyone else, including Sydney's mom, Sue, when Hannah took the stage. Hey, if you can't scream at your eighth birthday celebration, when can you?
Certainly not at a school board meeting. Happy birthdays, Sydney and Lindsey!