In the interest of safety, all Lake Forest High School students and their dates are required to travel by bus to and from Prom. Through the efforts of Project Safe Prom, LFHS is able to lease the 18-20 buses required to transport over 800 Prom attendees at an estimated expense of $23,400. Each year, the Junior Class is responsible for raising the funds.

This year we have raised $15,000 so far. Please help us reach our goal! Return the form you were sent in the mail with your donation. Can’t find your donation form? Click on this link to download one from the Lake Forest High School Website.

To be recognized as a donor in the Prom invitation your donation needs to be received by February 29, 2012.

Thank you for helping make our prom a safe successful night!!!

LFHS Junior Class

We’ll also put a vote out to the GazeboNews readership for the “Best Pet Photo”. Winner gets a $50 gift certificate to Pasquesi Home & Garden in Lake Bluff!

Liam, with Clifford

10-year-old Liam, a black Labrador Retriever, with his best friend of 9 years, Clifford, a stuffed toy animal

Polly

Rescued from a shelter, Polly is now a certified therapy dog who visits the Center for Enriched Living and children's reading programs.

Joey

Joey, a Labradoodle, loves all the Open Lands around here

Ginny

Ginny, a chocolate Lab, loves the water. Here she is at Sunrise Beach in Lake Bluff

Nellie

Nellie relaxing in the garden

Bonnie

Bonnie, an 11-year-old mini dachshund, in the holiday spirit

Bonnie in autumn

Toby, Tucker and Monty

These three Norwich Terriers, Toby, Tucker and Monty, are wintering in Arizona

Henry

Henry, an Old English Sheep Dog, posing for his Christmas picture

Izzie and Cody

Strange bedfellows ...

Chloe

Chloe from Lake Bluff

Lake County Partners Board of Governors Chair Chuck Lamphere has announced the selection of a new Lake County Partners (LCP) President and Chief Executive Officer, following an extensive national search and interview process. Michael Stevens, the current Deputy Development Director for the City of Columbus – Ohio’s largest city, and the state’s capital – will serve as the new LCP President/CEO.

Michael Stevens brings 15 years of economic development experience in both the public and private sectors to LCP. At the City of Columbus, he has focused on regional collaboration and business retention and expansion, resulting in 116 companies locating or expanding there, adding 24,475 new jobs to their local economy. Prior to working at the City of Columbus, Stevens worked for Cardinal Health as its Manager of Facility Operations, which included developing and managing a $10 million dollar budget and managing facilities in five states. Prior to that, he served as the Economic Development Director for the City of Dublin, where Cardinal Health’s main headquarters are located.

During his career, Mr. Stevens has demonstrated success in improving the local business climate, fostering regional economic development, and enhancing regional competitiveness.

Chuck Lamphere, LCP Board of Governors Chair, and President of Van Vlissingen & Company said, “The selection committee was very impressed with Mr. Stevens’ credentials. His leadership skills, diverse experience and expertise, as well as his demonstrated ability to produce results in the area of economic development made him our top candidate.”

Lake County Partners is Lake County’s Economic Development Corporation. It is a public/private partnership made up of local elected officials from across Lake County, and local business leaders. Its mission is to maintain economic vitality and quality of life in Lake County by creating and retaining quality jobs, stimulating capital investment, pursuing economic diversity and improving the County’s business climate. Partners’ focus is on attracting, retaining and expanding businesses, advocating for infrastructure improvements, and spearheading initiatives that bolster business success.

County Board Chairman David Stolman said, “Creating and retaining jobs is more important now than ever before given the recent economic challenges. We are confident that Mr. Stevens will bring the leadership we need to continue to improve Lake County’s economic vitality. We look forward to him joining the LCP team and welcome him to Lake County.” Mr. Stevens will start at the end of March.

We’re still taking submissions, so if you want to be in on the contest please send your best pet photo to adrienne@gazebonews.com by Feb. 24. Winner gets a $50 gift certificate to Pasquesi Home & Gardens!

** (it’s going to be hard to pick a winner!!)

Sir Magnus Pym

Sir Magnus Pym

Bailey

Bailey's favorite place to sit!

Patty

When Patty jumped into the stroller, her eyes just pleaded for a walk!

Sawyer

Sawyer is an 11-month-old Siberian Husky and loves activities ...

... no matter what the weather!

Cider

This is Cider's favorite sleeping position. He always hopes for a belly rub and his favorite game is fetch. He brings his ball to you and drops it at your feet, fetches it and brings it back just like a dog.

Simba

Simba, yellow labrador retriever

Simba at the beach

Lucky

Lucky enjoying a day at the dog park

Clancy and Nellie

Clancy and big sister Nellie

Callahan

Callahan, the hiding cat

Flanagan

Flanagan on his 11th birthday

Submitted by the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce

Sandy Lincoln's 2011 presentation drew a large audience

On Wednesday evening, February 22, Sandy Lincoln, senior vice president and chief market strategist for BMO Asset Management U.S., will make his much-anticipated annual appearance in Lake Forest. The title of this year’s presentation is “Peak, Trough, Now & Next: A look at what the markets have been through, what’s happening now, what likely comes next, and what to do with your investments.”

Sandy Lincoln

Hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, this year’s event will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, which is located at 1905 W. Field Court in Lake Forest. In addition to the presentation, appetizers and wine tastings will be provided by The Fresh Market.

The event is generously sponsored by BMO Global Asset Management, a multi-disciplined asset manager with specialized teams and boutiques located across the globe, including operations in Toronto, Chicago, London and Hong Kong. With additional personnel based from the Middle East to Asia to South America, the international network oversees in excess of $40 billion dollars.

The general public is welcome; walk-ins will be accepted. Admission is $25 after. Reservations may be made through the Chamber website at www.LFLBchamber.com or by calling the Chamber office at 847.234.4282.

The Glenview Police Department is investigating a “ruse” residential burglary that allegedly occurred in the 4500 block of Concord Lane on Feb. 13 at 3:30 p.m.

A man told a homeowner that he was working on water pipes and needed to check the home’s water. He walked through the home checking faucets and was talking on a walkie talkie in a language the homeowner could not understand. After the man left the residence, the homeowner noticed that jewelry was missing.

Incidents similar to this have been reported in Lake Forest and other North Shore communities this winter.

In Glenview, two additional recent “ruse burglary” attempts were reported. One was on Feb. 10 in the 2500 block of Harrison, and the other was on Feb. 16 in the 2200 block of Robincrest, according to the Glenview PD.

Barbara Kelner, Lake Forest; Jamee Gregory, author, New York; and Maureen Griffith, Lake Forest

On Wednesday, February 8, the Women’s Board of Catholic Charities, Lake County Services held its annual Kick-Off Luncheon featuring Jamee Gregory, author, entertaining expert and philanthropist. A sell-out crowd of over 200 members and guests were greeted by Women’s Board President Debby Lambert of Lake Forest along with chairpersons Maureen Griffith and Barbara Kelner also of Lake Forest.

Jamee captured the behind-the-scenes stories of the most spectacular parties in Manhattan featuring Tory Burch, Michael Kors and Evelyn Lauder during her presentation. She also signed copies of her book, New York Parties Private Views during the reception.

Debby Lambert, President of Women's Board of Catholic Charities, Lake Forest, and Mary Ann Moschner, Lake Forest

The Kick-Off Luncheon drawing prizes featured a $1,500 gift certificate from Sault & Pepper; a makeover for six plus champagne from bluemercury, Lake Forest; and a $50 gift certificate from The Perfect Setting plus two tickets for the 2012 Art of Caring.

Northern Trust underwrote this event which raised approximately $10,000. The luncheon “kicks off” the Women’s Board Annual Benefit “The Art of Caring, Changing Lives” which will be held May 19, 2012. The Kick-Off Luncheon Committee also included Rayelle Tyler of Gurnee.

Catholic Charities Lake County Office is located at: 671 S. Lewis in Waukegan. The office serves the communities of: Antioch, Wadsworth, Zion, Winthrop Harbor, Waukegan, Gurnee, Lake Villa, Ingleside, Fox Lake, Round Lake, Gurnee, Grayslake, Libertyville, North Chicago, Lake Bluff, Mundelein, Wauconda, Island Lake, Barrington, Lake Zurich, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Highwood, Highland Park. For more information about the Lake County Office, please call: (847) 782-4000.

Catholic Charities:
Helping people in need for more than 90 years, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is one of the largest private, not-for-profit social service agencies in the Midwest, annually assisting more than one million people in Cook and Lake counties without regard to religious, ethnic or economic background. Catholic Charities fulfills the Church’s role in the mission of charity by providing compassionate, competent, professional services that strengthen and support individuals, families and communities.

I wondered what about Wonder! when I drove past it on the way to my daughter’s basketball tournament in Deerfield last month. It was a large, brightly lit, big-box store in a strip mall building previously occupied by Sears Great Indoors. There was no tagline beneath the Wonder! sign, so unless you were standing in front of the store and looking in the window, you had no idea what Wonder! was.

Turns out it sold high-end products for babies and young children, and that it was financed by a Lake Forest man. Also turns out that it closed less than four months after it opened.

Here are two articles about Wonder!’s closing:

Chicago Tribune

GlobeSt.com

We’re taking submissions up till Feb. 24, so if you want to enter a picture in the GazeboNews/Pasquesi Home & Garden Best Pet Photo Contest, please send it asap to adrienne@gazebonews.com.

GRIFFIN

Thanks to a GazeboNews story in 2010, Griffin is now a much loved member of his family. The kids even fight for him to sleep in their beds every night!

CINNAMON

Cinnamon's head is crooked, so the pet shop sold her for just 1 cent!

... and she's worth much more than every penny!

ANGEL

Angel, a bichon frisee, is the sweetest dog in the world!

JACK & CHUCKIE

Jack and Chuckie, dressed for Halloween

ANITA DEE

A lazy house cat, Anita Dee

CINNABUN

An 8-year-old rabbit, Cinnabun

ANOUK

Anouk, a very happy husky!

KARMA

Karma, riding in the back seat.

JOE

Joe, a bull terrior, dressed for Cinco de Mayo

BREE

Bree, a greyhound, claims the coolest spot in the house

A LAB AND CATS

Great minds think alike!

“I’m very excited by the diversity of the voices represented at this year’s festival, most of whom are concerned in some way with environmental writing or writing about place,” said Professor and Lit Fest organizer Josh Corey. “From the feminist ecopoetics of Brenda Iijima to the gonzo piscatorian Mark Spitzer to the contemporary fairy tales of Kate Bernheimer to the visionary environments of Ed Roberson, these writers all bring ethical and imaginative intensity to their work.”

Events are sponsored by the Dean of the Faculty, American Studies Program, the English Department, Artist-in-Residence, Student Government, and the Mojekwu Fund.