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What does it take to direct a play? Hinsdale Central senior Emma LoDuca has long been drawn to the enchanting world of live theater. A couple of years ago she developed a passion for the medium of film and sought out a way to support both interests. That way was directing. LoDuca will make her directorial debut with Hinsdale Central Drama's family-friendly production of "James and the Giant Peach" Feb. 9 and 10 in the school's auditorium (see Page 16 for details). The famous...
How can homeowners avoid remodeling woes? Hiring someone to complete a home improvement project can be an exciting step for any homeowner. But to ensure the work is done right, the consumer has some work to do, too, said Jeff Kida, a certified remodeler and owner of DDS Design Services LLC of Hinsdale. A remodeler for more than 20 years, Kida said much of his work involves kitchen and bath remodels for architects and general contractors. "They need someone with design...
What is your train exhibit about? Frank Rozich's interest in model trains goes back to childhood, when he would occasionally be allowed to play with a train that once entertained his father as a child. Decades later, that train now sits on Rozich's mantle and is the flagship piece in what has grown into a prolific collection. A portion of that collection now fills the display cases inside a room at the Hinsdale History Museum at 12 Clay Street. Titled "Miniature Rails, Massive...
How do you know if old stuff is worth anything? Ready to part with that tacky collectible? It could be treasure to Rex Newell. "If something that you have is strange and ugly, it tends to be really valuable," said the veteran antique appraiser. "Strange is good in this business." Newell will offer his services to attendees of his "Antiques Roadshow"-like program from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, at the Hinsdale Public Library (see Page XX for details). He'll also...
How important is self care over winter break? The days surrounding Christmas and New Year's Day are called a break for a reason. Licensed clinical social worker and The Community House staff therapist Shannon Haut said taking time to care for oneself is the very best use of the days and even weeks between one semester and the next. She encourages students to take some time for themselves while class is out of session. "I say lean into that," said Haut, who works with young...
When and where are Christmas worship services? Hinsdale faith communities offer a range of opportunities to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, whose timing this year may alter churches' normal weekend rhythms. Here are the times and activities offered by the towns' houses of worship, from family-friendly fellowship to candlelight services for people who want to step outside just as the clock strikes Christmas. In addition to the in-person services listed below, many...
How can you dress up holiday drinks? Gatherings of friends and family are made extra special this time of year with the help of festive decorations, holiday attire and decadent dishes. For those whose gatherings also include cocktails, local mixologist Michael Bergeron said a cocktail can go from everyday to extra with just a few simple changes. Bergeron is the expert behind the bar at Hinsdale's Que Miso, a new addition to Washington Street that combines the flavors of...
How can meditation ease stress? A calm lake is able to mirror its surroundings in serene tribute. But toss in some pebbles, and the scene is suddenly roiled by the ripples. Meditation expert Umesh Bhatia believes our spirits are likewise too often unsettled by incoming concerns. "The average human has 30,000 to 50,000 thoughts in a day," he said. "The reason why we don't experiment the inner light is because of the rain of thoughts that are coming into our minds." Connecting...
As a 30-year resident of Hinsdale, Claudine Schramko said she is proud of the hometown she and her husband chose for their family. As a real estate agent, she finds joy in helping to make Hinsdale someone else's new home, too. Schramko, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, specializes in residential real estate. After spending years at home caring for her three daughters, she decided to enter the world of real estate four years ago. While selling homes was a...
Who was former Hinsdalean Grace Bagley? Researching the lives of prominent personages from the past comes naturally to historian Julia Bachrach. But when the starting point is Hinsdale's only Frank Lloyd Wright house, digging up details about one of its original occupants is a different kind of fact-finding expedition. To compose the exhibit "Finding Grace: The Forgotten Story of Social Reformer Grace Bagley" - currently on display in the 1894 home Wright designed for Bagley...
What do you do as a hospice chaplain? At 56 years old, plenty of people begin to think about the day when they will report to work for the final time and begin a more leisurely life. Not Branislav Dedic. Twenty-two years ago, at the age of 56, Dedic was about to embark on a new job as hospice chaplain at AdventHealth St. Thomas Hospice. Today, the 78-year-old credits the job for keeping him young and for strengthening his faith. As hospice chaplain, Dedic's job is to make a...
What should we know about 'Puffs'? Hinsdale Central senior Hannah Brown suggests the power of the Force animated her interest in theater. "I really liked 'Star Wars' when I was little, and I wanted to be a Jedi," Brown related. "I found out that wasn't realistic, but I thought if I was an actor then I could play a Jedi." Wanting to impact others the way memorable performances had moved her, she joined the Central's drama club freshman year. In the middle of the pandemic, she...
Small, strong, unique and determined are just a few words Hinsdale's Christina Scalise-Morrissey uses to describe a hummingbird. She said those same words accurately describe the children who turn to Hummingbird Pediatric Therapies for help to overcome all sorts of obstacles and meet all kinds of goals. Founder and CEO Scalise-Morrissey and her teams provide a host of services to children from newborns through pre-teen, including speech, occupational, physical and feeding ther...
What does it mean to be a Model PLC at Work School? Before becoming The Lane School's top administrator in 2017, Brandon Todd worked in the northwest suburbs at a "PLC" district. Those letters stand for professional learning community, a philosophy that emphasizes teacher collaboration to advance student performance. "Collective teacher efficacy has such a huge impact because it goes beyond one lesson," Todd said. "We need to know the students by name and by need." He...
How and why has Redeemer changed its Sunday school? Everyone's habits changed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for many, that includes the weekly ritual of attending church, said Kelsey Johnson, associate pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hinsdale. Church services have long since returned to in-person gatherings that closely resemble those held pre-pandemic, but attendance at Redeemer's THOSE services and Sunday school have not, Johnson said. "It's the story...
The publication of "The Inspiring Story of Café La Fortuna" was intended to coincide with the Hinsdale coffee shop's 10-year anniversary in 2022. The process, however, was a bit more time-consuming than anticipated. "It took us a little longer," owner Angela Lavelli said with a laugh. Lavelli and her co-writer - and daughter - Alejandra Franco will hold a release party for the book from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16, at the Hinsdale Public Library (see Page 24 for details)....
When Jarrar Salam transferred to Hinsdale Central High School from a boarding school in Connecticut, he had never attended a public school before. Compared to his school of 200-some students, his Central seemed huge and overwhelming, Salam said. It was the Ambassadors Club that helped him navigate his new surroundings and to become comfortable as a member of the Red Devil community. Club sponsor Donna Wheeler said about 50 to 60 ambassadors help 60 to 80 new students...
What is the Adult Inter-Faith Fellowship? Ron Hilt felt unwelcome as a boy when his pursuit of childhood pleasures clashed with church dogma. Experiencing ostracism following a divorce also left a bad taste in his mouth. Now retired, the Union Church of Hinsdale member is drawing on those episodes to foster a community where all have a seat at the table. Hilt is among a group that has recast the church's longstanding Men's Club into the monthly Adult Inter-Faith Fellowship, wi...
His years spent growing up in Hinsdale gave Anik Zampini an up-close knowledge of life in the village. His years spent in places around the world showed him that his hometown is a great place to be, to live and to raise a family. Born in Hong Kong and after living in Italy, Nigeria, Thailand, Colombia and Venezuela, Zampini calls Hinsdale home. As a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Realty, his job is to make it home for others, too. "It's a dream come true," Zampini...
What is the Global Climate Strike? Hinsdale Central's Natasha Bhatia watched a biology class documentary sophomore year on ocean acidification, caused by an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from human activity. It prompted her own sea change. "That made me realize how severe this problem is, how urgent it is and how little work was being done to resolve it," she said. Two years later, the Red Devil senior is co-head of Fridays For Future Chicago, the local...
There are nearly as many reasons to work out as there are ways to work out. As owner of Spark Fitness in Hinsdale, Ted Dres makes it his job to match up the two for everyone who walks through his doors. After a decade or more offering personal training at clients' homes, Dres purchased Spark Fitness 10 years ago and celebrated the business' 10th anniversary in August. His experience in helping people get fit and stay that way measures more than 20 years. Even before earning hi...
What's important to know about senior living? "Most of us don't want to admit that we need help," said Mary Ferguson, community outreach director for The Birches assisted living and memory care in Clarendon Hills. And the subject of moving into senior living can be a fraught one for adult children to broach with their parents. But better to address it earlier than too late, Ferguson advised. "You do not want to start looking at senior living when you have a crisis," she said....
The Swanson Group of Compass Real Estate was a team long before they sold their first house. "We started dating in high school," said Sarah, who along with husband Michael make up the Swanson Group real estate team. She was Sarah Buddig before marrying fellow Hinsdale Central grad and lifelong Hinsdalean Michael after college. The son of two real estate agents, Michael got his real estate license right after college, while Sarah headed to law school. As Michael's downtown...
What does aviation mean to you? As a boy, Hinsdale's Bob Boutin went on fishing excursions with his father, flying in sea planes to remote sites around the world. Their trip mates would lobby for Bob to sit in the cockpit. "At a very young age, I got involved in seeing the planes and flying, and it kind of caught my interest," Boutin said. This Saturday is Aviation Day, an annual observance on the Aug. 19 birthdate of pioneering pilot Orville Wright. This December will mark...
How can parents help kids get ready for school? The items on a child's classroom supply list often aren't the only things they're carrying back to school. Worries and uncertainties, said psychotherapist Sarah Stukas, can add to a student's back-to-school load, whether they're a kindergartner or a student headed to college. Stukas said a little preparation and a few simple tools and tricks can ease the mental load that can come with a new school year. Stukas is a licensed...
