GLENVIEW: What's giving us hope for 2021
Editor’s note: As 2020 finally leaves the building tonight, we thought that, instead of reviewing this genuinely tragic dumpster fire of a year (haven’t we all had enough of that?), maybe it would be best to just look forward to 2021. So we surveyed a cross-section of Glenview and Northbrook residents to find out what inspires them, what they’ve accomplished, how they’ve successfully navigated the pandemic and, perhaps most importantly, what’s giving them hope as we head into the new year.
Jim Patterson
Glenview Village President
Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho once said: "Life has many ways of testing a person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once."
That's what 2020 was like for many of us. We were tested by so much at once - a novel coronavirus, an economy in stress, political upheaval - and at the same time were socially distanced from loved ones and our community.
For this particular test, I couldn't be prouder of how our health professionals, first responders and essential workers answered the call. Our village staff ably managed the local financial repercussions. Core Glenview services continued uninterrupted. We succeeded in our intention to not react but respond.
So how could I not have hope going into 2021?
We are starting the new year with a sound spending plan and a firm understanding of the potential uncertainties and challenges that could impact it. Vaccines will be administered over the next few months. The Village will complete an important collaborative process to insure that future development blueprints balance what can realistically be achieved with the community's aspirations.
The Village of Glenview commits each year to challenge the status quo, prioritize investment in infrastructure, be respectful of taxpayers, and evaluate opportunities for more efficient service delivery methods.
2021 will be no different.
Jill Brickman
Northfield Township supervisor; Northfield Township Food Pantry president
In the face of all the challenges the pandemic has imposed on our community, we at Northfield Township have also seen people stepping forward in countless ways to help others.
From hundreds of individual donations to the young boy who shared the money he got from the Easter Bunny so others would have food to the junior high student who published and sold a cookbook for her bat mitzvah project and donated all the proceeds to the pantry, inspiration is everywhere. We have scores of similar stories.
The hundreds of people of all ages who have volunteered their time and energy to serve others provide confidence that we'll get through this. They've worked carefully and safely and with tremendous dedication just because they know their neighbors need help.
Even when things seem bleak, there are good people around us. We have neighbors of all ages and from every background who want to help others. It's easy to have hope in the light of these stories, and to have confidence that our wish for easier times for many in 2021 will come true.
Edwina Cowell
Founder, Spiritual Playdate, Glenview
While this year of terrible suffering from COVID-19, racial unrest and economic turmoil has turned life as we know it upside down, it has also created innovation and opportunity with wonderful new ways for us to connect.
We are "Zooming" with our friends and family, kids are virtually meeting with their teachers and working remotely has become the norm. This new, virtual way of life has even pushed us to meet new, wonderful friends online whom we may never have otherwise met.
What's been so incredible to me - and what gives me the most hope - is that this year, through my work, I have met so many inspiring folks from all over the planet, people who care deeply about the kind of world we are creating for the next generation.
My organization, Spiritual Playdate, is an online peace education program for kids and what I have seen develop these last nine months is that, globally, parents and teachers have become hyper-aware that our children need much more social, emotional and spiritual support in their daily lives.
What's interesting is that kids have always needed this, but now we see things more clearly. Unceasing trauma and loss have led to fear, anger and anxiety in kids and adults alike, but there are so many tools and skills that we can offer to help manage feelings and behavior.
Peace education practices like gratitude, forgiveness and mediation can equip kids to better cope with an uncertain future. Understanding concepts like justice, The Golden Rule and bullying will help them overcome victimhood. And the great news is, by starting this work with kids at an early age, we can give young children a head start at becoming a confident, loving teen and then a compassionate, emotionally intelligent adult.
This is what gives me hope for the New Year - that society has renewed its focus on this kind of holistic peace education and that we are using its teachings to create a more tolerant, loving future.
This is what gives my heart wings.
Beverly Dawson
President, Glenview History Center
I'm among the multitude of those who feel a great deal of hope as we welcome a New Year! Vaccines are now available to mitigate COVID-19 - that's the first step on the road to some semblance of normal. Despite the horrendous losses of the past year, time and again we've seen these challenges bring out the best in people - and I believe we'll see that continue. With experienced, stable national leadership on the horizon, I believe we can look forward to seeing the country back on track. I'm so looking forward to seeing our schools, churches and businesses completely open again, the job market rebounding, serious progress toward social justice and all of us being able to hug our loved ones again.
Here's to the resiliency of the human spirit and a very Happy 2021!
Kathy Fielding
CEO, North Suburban YMCA
2020 wasn't the year any of us expected, yet for all of its loss and heartache, at the North Suburban YMCA we found plenty of reasons to celebrate and remain hopeful for 2021.
They say that people show you who they really are during a crisis, and this year we saw the best in people as they offered their time, money and skills to our 15 North Suburban communities within the Y's service area. Most of the Y's efforts go toward serving others for the greater good, anticipating needs before they arise, and creating new programs and services for those that need it most.
This year, we teamed up with several local agencies to ensure that no one who needed our help got left behind:
• Partnered with Hunger Resource Network/Hunger Free Northbrook for our Holiday Giveback initiative by leading a food and gift card donation effort for more than 162 food-insecure families, putting more than $6,000 back into our local businesses and restaurants;
• Donated several thousand face masks to Wheeling School District 21, Curt's Café, The Harbour, Roberti Community House and the WINGS Program;
• Joined forces with Covenant Living to launch the "Brighten Someone's Day" outreach program, bringing joy to senior residents struggling with isolation;
• Partnered with the Red Cross to host three critical blood drives;
• Collected and distributed electronics so those in need can stay connected virtually; and
• Brought together a team of volunteers and staff to conduct well-being checks on seniors and other community members.
Also notable was that our annual Strong Kids Fundraising Dinner went virtual this year, for a six-day extravaganza, engaging 400 active participants, ensuring that no one gets left behind due to financial difficulties.
This year also introduced new well-being initiatives including the growth of the Y's Adult Education Series, now the most popular adult offering with virtual and live programming; the launch of the Virtual Y, a new membership-only resource that ensures community members can access their favorite classes and programming online; running a successful 2020 day camp season without a single case of COVID-19; and initiating a Remote Learning program for second- to eighth-grade students and special needs students.
We continued to bring the community together by hosting three sold-out drive-in movie nights, sponsored by Sunset Foods, Dairy Queen Northbrook and AmpliVox Sound Systems; holding a live and virtual 5K run; and helped our local art community by hosting a virtual holiday pop-up art sale.
Looking ahead, our 2021 summer camps feature 40 general and special interest camps that promote friendships, confidence and curiosity. Plus the Y's winter offerings include new children's classes and workshops like the "One and Done" art workshops, Mini Movers Dance for ages 3-5 and the "Jokin' Around" Comedy Class for first- through fifth-graders. We also have a virtual Trivia Night and a Family Scavenger Hunt coming soon.
The pandemic slowed the world down, but at the Y, our courage, support and connection through the incredible power of social responsibility has never been stronger.
Through it all, I have been truly humbled by the commitment, passion and hard work of our amazing and tireless Y staff, volunteers, members, donors and the Y Board for creating this truly mission-driven agency. I'm so proud to be a part of this community, and I'm pleased to say that there's so much more to celebrate in 2021!
Mike Korman
Retired U.S. Navy Master Chief, entrepreneur, Glenview School District 34 board member
The year 2021 should be one of optimism and rebirth. At the start, I will not focus on Coronavirus (Sars-CoV2).
I hope that the deep election engagement of the 2020 General Election in November paves the way for a richer and more focused electorate in the April 2021 Consolidated Elections, which include township and village leaders, school board members across our community as well as park, library and other elected offices. I urge you not to take a break from the next election. I happen to believe that our lives will be far more influenced day to day for the next four years by the decisions we make as voters in April 2021.
There will be competitive races for township officers (Democrat and Republican), trustees in Glenview and Northbrook, and Glenbrook High Schools District 225, Glenview School District 34. Park and library boards will likely see new faces. If you don't take the time to connect with these prospective candidates before they are elected, they may not accept your call after they are elected. I have worked dozens and dozens of elections over 35 years; I very simply believe this to be true ... most especially for local offices.
So, what can you do?
First, get to know the candidates. Understand their hopes, desires and plans for our community. They are asking you to support them to represent us. Mostly, by the way, as unpaid volunteers. Ask tough questions: What are their opinions on developments, taxes, services and changes which may come their way. Why are they running? Are they "protest" or single-issue candidates, or will they represent a broad view of their constituents?
Second, on Election Day in November 2020, I served as an election judge in our community. At polling places across Northfield Township, which substantially includes all of the villages of Glenview and Northbrook, Glenbrook South and Glenbrook North high school students participated as election judges. As the administrative judge for Northfield Precinct 33, I decided to allow the students, as sworn election judges, to run the precinct from start to finish. What a breath of fresh air. Optimistic, full of energy, fully capable and enthusiastic. They did a superb job.
Do you want a glimpse of our future leaders? Join us on Election Day in April 2021 as an election judge. Become a small part of our electoral process. Elections in our nation are one of the foundations of hope. You will see hope in the eyes of every voter and worker, hope for our schools, villages and township. And Bravo Zulu to every candidate and Election Day worker. You are the lifeblood of our vibrant representative republic.
Irv Leavitt
Columnist at Honest Context (http://bit.ly/honestirv); former Pioneer Press reporter covering Northbrook and Glenview, off and on, from 1989 to 2017
I have two hopes for the Glenbrook area for 2021. One is about what gets done and the other is about how it gets done.
I was very pleased as I followed the Northbrook Village Board's two-year journey to an inclusionary - read: "affordable housing" - zoning ordinance, and downright ecstatic when it was passed in December. Now, I want to see the village government and local developers get together to actually build a few affordable units. That might lead to a little diversity in town, a local source of employees and a start to reducing the age of a town that has become one of the oldest in Illinois.
It won't be easy. Northbrook is losing some of its most skillful leaders to retirement: Development/Planning Director Tom Poupard, Village President Sandy Frum, Communications Manager Cheryl Fayne-dePersio and Village Manager Rich Nahrstadt.
There's a nascent grass-roots initiative to encourage the same kind of ordinance in Glenview.
As change comes to the area, I hope it comes willingly and with kindness. The few homeowners who are afraid to take what they think is a risk to the value of their property aren't evil. They're only fearful of losing points on their most important investment.
Brian Mazzaferri
I Fight Dragons singer, Glenbrook South alum
I see 2021 through a supremely hopeful lens. I think with vaccines starting to roll out right at the beginning, we'll see things gradually and safely open back up, and I'm really looking forward to live music returning. So many small independent venues and bands have been adversely impacted in 2020, but the communities that have rallied around them to help them make it through will now be able to return and gather and celebrate and make and listen to music together in real life. On a personal level I'm excited for us to release our new b-sides album and head out on our first West Coast tour in 8 years(!) in the fall.
Mary Patronik
Ad hoc volunteer, Northfield Food Pantry
I've been a resident of Glenview for nearly 20 years, having moved from Chicago with my husband and two sons in search of a place that felt like a good fit. From the beginning, we've experienced a community of empathetic citizens who are graced with good humor and generous hearts.
My years as a leader with District 34 PTAs, the Glenview Education Foundation and Sts. Peter & Paul Sunday school taught me that given the opportunity, our community will show up and support our neighbors in need. When I felt we needed a collective nudge this past spring, I reached out to a handful of compassionate and connected people who could help tackle food insecurity in our township. I challenged several friends and met new ones by asking them to become Neighborhood Food Drive Captains. This team helped raise awareness of hunger in our community while reaching out to their neighbors and friends, helping us all feel a little more linked during these many socially distanced months.
Thanks to Wendy Ban, Helen Costello, Larissa Gesecki, Mary Hershey, Cathy Freidinger, Kaki Voss, Sue Swaringen, Cheryl Tantillo and Lisa Zimbler, Glenview's empathy and kindness muscles remain strong. They inspired their book clubs, had their kids pull wagons around the block, designated their porches as collection points and even had a signup for drivers to collect from neighbors' houses - delivering thousands of items to the food pantry this year.
I am confident that Glenview's compassion will continue to strengthen in 2021 and I look forward to the days when we will celebrate our community ties in person.
Kevin Pollack
Glenview musician and actor
Hope and luck. We're all connecting with friends and loved ones digitally, but there will be a time hopefully soon where we can all see each other face to face.