The skating rink at Artesian Park in Lake Bluff is lonely this week. It’s lovely to see the sun shining so brightly on Thursday, but by Friday the National Weather Service is forecasting a woeful mix of rain and snow with highs in the low 40s–which won’t do the outdoor rinks much good! Click here for the NWS local forecast

Dear GazeboNews readers,

I hope you are having a great holiday season. I’m taking a short break from writing and editing to work on some back-end tech improvements to the website. I’ll begin posting stories again in a day or two.

Stay safe and enjoy these last days of 2011,

Adrienne

Near the entrance to Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. Photo by James Paradiso

Here’s a photo of the winter’s first snow, which James Paradiso took near the entrance of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital earlier this week.

Rick Walraith works on his golf swing; he has a 0-3 handicap. Photo by A.J. Goldsmith

By A. J. Goldsmith

Early this week, Rick Walrath started his new job as Operations Manager of the Deerpath Golf Course. Under a sunny December sky and 47 non-seasonal degrees, a steady stream of golfers entered the pro shop eager to play. Groundskeepers were busy planting trees before frost set in.

Hopefully, this beginning is a good omen for Walrath’s stewardship, for he must address three years of declining memberships and overcome one of the worst seasons of inclement weather in our area’s history.

One of his objectives is to ensure that all Deerpath golfers experience the joy of the game. He anticipates special events, instructional programs and creative golf tourneys to bring golfers to Deerpath for a good time. Also, he is looking forward to working with Lake Forest’s new golf advisory group; he finds its members to be “highly motivated.”

“As our population grows older, it is imperative that we increase the golfers’ fun and lessen the level of frustration. One way we can do that is by moving tees forward. Instead of swinging a three wood for a second shot, a rarely-used six iron may allow the player to reach the green. For young people, learning the game, there is no reason they cannot start in the fairway,” Walrath said.

“We recognize that there is competition for the family’s recreational dollar; we will address this challenge with enthusiasm,” Walrath said.

Walrath, 42, is a native of Sterling, Illinois, about 50 miles south of Rockford. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1992 at Western Illinois University. In 2005 he qualified for a Golf Academy of America’s associate’s degree in golf operations management. He is also in the two percent of Class A PGA-certified instructors and operations managers.

In 2008-9 Walrath was head golf professional at Wynstone Golf Club in North Barrington. The past two years he served as general manager and head professional at Riverside Golf Club in Menominee, Michigan. He is employed by Kemper Sports Management, Inc., which has a contract with the City of Lake Forest to provide defined management services for Deerpath Golf Course.
Rick and Colleen have two daughters: Delaney, age 3, and Gabrielle, age 1. The family lives in Algonquin.

The LF/LB Running Club members pose at the Market Square train station, the starting point for every Saturday morning run, before taking off to decorate the tree. Photo by Michael McMahon.

Text by Mike Conklin
Photos by Michael McMahon

No holiday season is complete for Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Running Club members without their annual decorating of the tall pine Christmas tree at the south end of the bicycle trail at Old Elm Road.

This year, a light snow was falling when the runners and walkers took off from their customary Saturday morning meeting spot in the Market Square train station.

The group uses old running shoes and other sports paraphenalia for decorations. After the tree is dressed, everyone heads back to the train station for refreshments. Santa Claus, a close, personal friend of club member Rick Young, keeps pace with the runners and takes their Christmas present wishes in the process.

Here are the front runners heading heading south on the bicycle trail. Photo by Michael McMahon

Club member Dave Anderson stretches to attach an ornament to the tree. Photo by Michael McMahon

Santa Claus, who runs with the club and is an honorary member, oversees the decorating. One of his helpers, Chuck Gudbrandsen (also in red), is there to give additional instructions. Photo by Michael McMahon

By Gene Salvadalena, director of leadership development for The Charmm’d Foundation

The Charmm’d Foundation is looking for volunteers who are leaders in their communities to help solicit a broad based of community leader feedback on The Charmm’d Foundation’s resources.

Created in 2005, The Charmm’d Foundation provides skill-based resources for adults to help strengthen themselves personally and professionally and in turn, build a stronger community through; self-assessment, learning and practicing social skills, and ethical reflection.

Put your communication skills to work by being part of a core group of volunteers who will be responsible for getting a broad base of community leader feedback on The Charmm’d Foundation’s resources. This will allow for continuous improvement of how and what we offer, and in turn help build an even stronger community. This group will be contacting 10-15 other community leaders in the Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Knollwood, Benton Township and Zion Township communities, twice a month on an on-going, on-call basis. We will want the core group to vary who they reach out to in order to allow for a broach reach into the community.

Examples of projects the core volunteers will assist with in getting community leader input on includes and is not limited to; community messaging reaction, reaction to our skill building resources, soliciting feedback on our web site, marketing community events we are supporting, and much more.
It is anticipated that we’ll be using the core volunteers to help (2-4 hours per month), getting community feedback from 10-15 other community leaders the core volunteers have networks with.

Outside of an initial orientation session & quarterly coordination meetings at our Foundation’s office in Buffalo Grove, the process the core group of volunteers use to collect & submit community feedback can be done via email, phone, and/or in person.

Initially we are looking to identify 5 core volunteers in the areas listed above. If you are interested please contact Gene Salvadalena, Director of Leadership Development for The Charmm’d Foundation at gene@tbgfoundations.org or 847-883-9953

Due to freakishly warm temperatures during this holiday week, these were the only citizens enjoying the ice hockey rink in West Park on a recent afternoon. When asked by the paparazzi (Cyn Sansing Mycoskie of cynimage photography) that tired old question, “Are you ready for Christmas yet?”–our web-footed friends issued a brief “No comment,” and swam politely away, asking that their names not be used.

photos by Cyn Sansing Mycoskie of www.cynimage.com

The following is a letter to the community from LEAD Board President Heather Hale, Psy.D., LCPC, CADC

Dear Community Member,

As many of you know, Betty Frank-Bailey will step down from her role as Executive Director of LEAD and Speak Up in the spring of 2012. Betty has been involved with LEAD for more than a decade as a volunteer, board member, board president, and currently, as Executive Director. During her tenure, she has made invaluable contributions to our community and truly embodies LEAD’s mission and values.

LEAD’s Board of Directors is grateful for Betty’s dedication and recognizes her outstanding contributions to both LEAD and Speak Up. While we will be sorry to see Betty go, her planned departure presents a wonderful opportunity for a talented individual to join LEAD and Speak Up as both organizations continue to grow and evolve. Our primary goal is to preserve and enhance the legacies of both LEAD and Speak Up as vital community resources while continuing to expand their reach and enhance their effectiveness in the community. The LEAD Board of Directors, in coordination with Speak Up’s Governing Board, is seeking the ideal candidate who will continue the vital work of both organizations.

LEAD’s and Speak Up’s significant roles in the community have never been stronger. For 25 years, LEAD has been changing lives by raising awareness, offering exceptional resources and initiating candid discussions to address issues facing parents today. During the last five years, Speak Up has succeeded in building an effective community coalition dedicated to significantly reducing alcohol and other drug use by youth in our community.

For your reference, a position description and application can be found at LEADweb.org and SpeakUpLFLB.org. Interested individuals should email a cover letter and application (including their resume) to edsearch.leadsu@gmail.com by January 31, 2012. Please feel free to forward this information to anyone you know who may be qualified or interested in this opportunity. Thank you in advance for your consideration and help during this significant transition.

Sincerely,

Heather Hale, Psy.D., LCPC, CADC
LEAD Board President

Submitted by Lake Bluff Open Lands Association

The word Solstice combines the Latin sol, or sun and stat, to stand. During the winter solstice, the sun reaches its southernmost point below the earth’s equator, this year on December 22nd, then just stands there for a bit before beginning it’s return northward along the celestial sphere.

The winter solstice marks the shortest day, the beginning of winter and the longest night. (It can only get better from here!)

Historically, people have sought relief from this, the darkest and coldest night, by lighting candles or making fires to warm their bones, their sprits and their souls (and maybe their soles too).

Please join us for this mostly BYO event as we create our own warmth and camaraderie in the stark, natural beauty of LBOLA’s Skokie River Prairie just before sundown 4:15 on Thursday, December 22nd.

Parking for the Skokie Preserve is just east of the Mariani offices, just west of the water filtration plant on Highway 176.

For additional information, please call the LBOLA warmline at (847) 234-2860 or visit LBOLA.org.