Heritage Festival features fun, food, fitness - Village of South Holland

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2 AUGUST 2006 SOUTH HOLLAND TODAY Town Center road/sewer improvements underway By Cindy Cruz In preparation for the continued development of Town Center, the Village has begun major infrastructure improvements. While the construction of a new water main and storm and sanitary sewer lines will result in the closure of a portion of South Park Avenue for nearly three months, South Holland officials are working with the South Park merchants to minimize the inconvenience. The infrastructure work includes the installation of a 12 inch water main that will link into a line on the south side of 162nd Street where Walgreens is presently located. The new line will go under 162nd Street, north to 161st Place, east to South Heritage Festival (continued from front page) Banjo Buddies Dixieland Band, Hannah’s African Youth Dance Team, along with some old favorites. Oh yeah, and there’s food, too. Sunday, Sept. 3 – Veterans Park Sunday evening will feature an uplifting Praise, Prayer and Music Celebration in Veterans Park at 6 p.m. In case of rain, First Reformed Church (15924 South Park Avenue) will host the event. By Deidra Somerville For Paarlberg descendants and history buffs alike, it’s nice to reflect back on how far the community has come by coming out to the annual Paarlberg Fest, taking place Monday, Sept. 4, at Paarlberg Park, 172nd & Paxton, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The sights, sounds, and smells of the Paarlberg Fest all make up a grand potpourri of South Holland history. From visiting the Civil War encampment on the grounds to viewing the display of the traditional handmade quilts by the South Suburban Heritage Quilters, visitors will see the many ways that the old villagers contributed to their communities and in turn, contributed to history. Arts and crafts lovers will enjoy the Policing initiative (continued from front page) Park and north on South Park to 160th Place. Town Center Director Ralph Edgar said officials met with the South Park merchants in May to outline the plans. Alternate parking lots will be located on the corner of 162nd Street and South Park across the street from where the new Walgreens is being built, and behind Roosevelt Center, the bowling alley and the former site for DeYoung Furniture. Frank Knittle, community development and public works director, said signs directing patrons where to park for specific locations will be posted to help facilitate easier access to the South (continued on page 3) Monday, Sept. 4 – Paarlberg Park The weekend culminates on Labor Day with the Paarlberg Fest at 172nd and Paxton. A Civil War encampment, art displays and great food for a hot summer day will be some of the featured entertainment for the event. The South Holland Band will also play for one last time this season. ■ PAARLBERG FEST SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE partnership with Allied Waste in which Allied will be posting decals with the same message on their trucks and commercial dumpsters. In addition, beginning this month, South Holland officers will be sent to conduct training of Allied Waste employees, who have routes throughout South Holland daily and have the opportunity to see the neighborhood when residents are not home. “We are training Allied workers on what various artists showcasing everything from basket weaving, handcrafted mailboxes and birdhouses, to wood carving, visual art and jewelry making. Children will enjoy magic shows, clowns and a dog show as well as safety demonstrations by the South Holland Fire Department. Visitors can cool off with ice cream from Cunis Candies and Ice Cream Shop or try the popular Dutch dessert, Olie bollen. The South Holland Municipal Band will also be on hand for your listening pleasure in their final performance for the season. More information on Paarlberg Fest is with the Historical Society at 596- 2722.■ signs to look out for to determine if there is suspicious activity happening during the day, and to be able to notice certain things during their pickup that would be important for us to follow up on,” Millsaps said. The department has an above-average ratio of officers for the number of residents, but every bit helps. “Our residents are really good about letting us know when something is not quite right,” he said. “If they notice someone in the neighborhood that looks suspicious, they let us know about it. What this does is let everyone in the neighborhood know that the residents do care about the neighborhood and that we are all working together.” For more information about the community policing initiative and the monthly meetings being held for your area, call the South Holland Police Department at 331- 3131.■ SOUTH HOLLAND Thomas Kent Jr., a member of the USA Track & Field, qualified to represent Illinois in the Junior Olympics in Baltimore in July. Thomas, who will be a senior at Marian Catholic High School, is a member of the 4x100 relay team which is ranked among the top teams Thomas Kent Jr. SALUTES in the nation. Thomas’s father was a member of a 4 man sprint medley relay team that broke the world record in the event in 1974 at the Pocatello Idaho relays. Thomas resides in South Holland with his parents, Thomas Sr. and Rose. Katherine Miles-Underwood, a student at South Suburban College, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. Two Seton Academy students were among 11 area graduates who are recipients of the 2nd Annual Don Rising Scholarship. Laura Mogle and Kim Wilburn will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to be used for their educational purposes. Thornwood High School graduate Rachel Gadson has been named a 2006 Corneal A. Davis Scholar. Three South Holland residents received scholarships from the Twenty Pearls Foundation of Lambda Tau Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Sorority. Phylicia L. Trottman was awarded the Shirley Phillips Scholarship. She will attend Howard University in Washington, DC. Martin Okasi received the Rising Star Scholarship and will attend Southern Illinois University. David Frazier was named the Presidential Freedom Scholar. He will attend St. Louis University. All are graduates of Thornwood High School. Army Pfc. Mykelle Walker recently completed basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. She is the daughter of Master Sgt. William and Michelle Walker of South Holland. Trustee Art Bennett and Endon Anderson of the Neighborhood Groups Organizing Committee were recently awarded trophies for their bowling prowess. Shantica S. McClellan and Rebecca Rudenga were named to the dean’s list at Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. Megan Springer was named to the dean’s list at Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL. Crystal Malone recently participated in the International Academy of Design and Technology’s 27th Annual Imagine Fashion Show. Malone, a graduate of Thornwood High School, is studying fashion design. Will Smit has been named to the dean’s list at Purdue University-Calumet, Hammond, Indiana, and Michelle Smit has been named to the dean’s list at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. They are the son and daughter of Bill and Lori Smit. Amanda Van Rosendale, daughter of Bob and Cindi Van Rosendale, spent two weeks at the Czech Republic playing soccer in a sportsblitz with twenty-eight others. ■ Each month South Holland Today will salute residents of achievement. If you know someone who should be recognized for honors, awards, promotions, appointments or other accomplishments, send details to South Holland Today Salutes, 16226 Wausau Avenue, South Holland, IL 60473. Cooks of the year – Rib Fest winners Rib Fest winners pictured with Mayor De Graff, from left to right, are Don Rush, 1st Place; Richard Hamilton, 2nd Place; David Green, 3rd Place.
SOUTH HOLLAND TODAY AUGUST 2006 3 RESIDENT YOU SHOULD KNOW Longtime teacher a model to follow By Deidra Somerville On a day that seemed just like any other, Devondra Barrett was faced with a decision that did indeed change her life. After years of being encouraged to be a model, the 39year-old decided to give it a try. “A young man wanted to try me out for a hair ad,” she said. Both were pleasantly surprised when the magazine ad made it among the top five shots and was placed on the back of the magazine and used for a poster. She has since received call backs for a number of ads, Baker’s Secret, Ashley Furniture and the Market Place to name a few. A photo from one of her more recent sessions for a magazine made the cover. Barrett, a wife and mother, as well as a teacher for 13 years, has made keeping a positive image part of her portfolio as a model. “Being a teacher I really don’t want to go toward drinking, gambling or tobacco ads,” she said. “I ask God to lead me in the right direction.” Among those encouraging her to go for it were her students at Harvard Elementary School in Chicago’s Englewood community. “They were so cute,” she said. “They said, ‘You should do it, Ms. Barrett. You would make a pretty model!’” Her work with her students has earned her the respect of parents and her fellow educators. She won a grant from the Chicago Foundation for Education for the past two years for her work in the classroom. The grant is awarded to educators who use innovative and creative techniques to reach students and enhance their learning in the Town Center work begins (continued from page 2) Park businesses. Customers will be able to walk through the lots and use new sidewalks to access the businesses. South Park Avenue from 161st Place to 160th Place will be reconstructed and closed to traffic from the day after Labor Day until the day before Thanksgiving (Sept. 5 - Nov. 22). A new 42-inch storm sewer will also be installed. Edgar explained that the storm sewer system and sanitary sewer in the old Village area were constructed in the 1930s as part of the Works Project Administration, and they are combined, meaning that the sanitary sewer system goes into the storm sewer system. That type of configuration is no longer permitted. The redevelopment of the downtown area will result in the modernization and separation of these important systems, Edgar said. The new systems involve the intentional oversizing of all of the lines – water, sanitary and storm sewers – so that in the future water and sewer systems outside the boundaries of Town Center can be improved as well. The new 12-inch water Devondra Barrett – mother, teacher, model. classroom. The foundation also awards teachers who bring their curriculum to life. For Devondra, that’s what makes teaching fun. “Last year I designed a curriculum to teach about the rain forest,” she said. “This year my theme was about fish.” Barrett is also a track and cheerleading coach for varsity level and first and second graders. Her cheerleading team won first place citywide in both varsity and the first and second graders, better known as the Pee-Wees. The Chicago native has seen her life come full circle from her formative years growing up in Englewood. “The children need a lot of love and attention,” she said. “I try to expose them to different things. Teachers should have a positive attitude and set common goals for the classroom. And they should be ready – because if they aren’t ready for their class, their class will surely be ready for them!” Having won the hearts and minds of her students and fellow educators, she’s now out to win the respect of the modeling community. For Devondra, modeling is more than a job; it’s a way of life. ■ By Deidra Somerville You’ve always wanted to run in a marathon but have thought twice. Maybe the race was too long or you didn’t have anyone in your community to join you. Maybe you didn’t know enough about how to train for it and didn’t want to overdo it. Consider Heritage Haul as the run/walk event which you’ve been waiting for – it’s right here in the community, it’s 3.1 miles all together, not a long distance at all, and you have plenty of neighbors to run with. The tips featured here can put you near the finish line with some more seasoned participants. Running expert Andy Palmer offers great tips on how to get in shape for a 5K event, especially if you haven’t done much in the way of exercise. He recommends that the trainee start off with the goal of making his or her time running at about 75 percent of maximum capacity. For those with a heart monitor, that’s at 220. If you don’t have a heart monitor, you should be able to actually engage in conversational talking while running. If you aren’t able to do that, then you are above the mark. Palmer recommends building up your running time by initially running for 15 minutes straight for 2 to 4 days a week and working upward to 20, 25, all the way up to 45 minutes. If your body is ready to move ahead faster then the regimen calls for, then go for it. Once you are able to make your time at this rate, you’re ready to move on to the next phase of training – conquering distance. ‘The redevelopment of the downtown area will result in the modernization ... of important systems.’ Ralph Edgar, Town Center Director main will allow for exceptional pressure throughout the old Village area which is vital to the new construction, Edgar added. Knittle said the new storm sewer brings the line through a networking system that enters Veterans Park northbound and runs into a newly created retention pond/ wetlands area which has an overflow that goes into the Little Calumet River. The pond will be developed as an educational wildlife area with aquatic plantings. Future plans include constructing a bridge over the TOWN CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WORK SCHEDULE June 19 – July 21, 2006 ........................... Water Main – Phase I July 24- Sept. 1 ..................................... Water Main – Phase II Sept. 5 – Nov. 22 ................................... Water Main – Phase III July 24 – Oct. 20 ....................................... Storm Sewer Main Sept. 5 – Nov. 22 ................................ South Park Avenue Closed, Roadway Construction November ............................................... Streetscape – Phase I Nov. 22 ................................................. Street Open to Traffic Dec. 4 – 8 ............................................ Combined Sewer Lining May 2007 .............................................. Streetscape – Phase II Training for a 5K event SIMPLE IDEAS The second goal is to run the entire distance without actually walking. “At this point the athlete has gradually built up his/her cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular, and connective tissue systems to withstand the strain of steady running,” Palmer said. “The goal for this program is to cover the distance in a race situation with no walking. Many athletes will progress faster than this program is set up for, which is fine. But, if there is any question, be conservative.” Training two to four days a week, the goal is to run three miles, gradually working your way to five miles. Once you can run five miles comfortably, a 5K event will be a breeze. Palmer says to keep in mind that it’s always best to manage your health first and the racing ambitions second. Do what’s best for your body first and the rest will work for you. A good pair of running shoes is every 5K winner’s best friend. If you are unsure which to choose, be sure to buy them from a place with knowledgeable staff that can help you choose the best shoes for your needs. The soreness you will feel will not be your best friend but will be important to pay attention to. If it doesn’t decrease significantly after your second week of training or if you have an injury, use ice and take a break. Running through an injury is never advisable, says Palmer, and could prevent you from running altogether. Good luck to all of you. I’ll see you at the finish line! ■ pond and adding a gazebo and a possible river walk. Knittle pointed out that because of the combined sewers, during heavy rainfalls backups in homes in the area were common. It is believed that the separation of the lines will help alleviate flooding in the area. The Village’s goal is to have that section of the storm sewer and water main that runs through the park completed before Labor Day so the work will not interfere with Heritage Fest. Residents in the area affected by the work were also notified of what would be taking place and provided with a tentative time schedule so that they can plan accordingly. Edgar said the business owners appreciated that the Village was trying to minimize the negative impact of the construction on their business. They were pleased with the alternate parking being provided and the Village’s willingness to put up signs to direct patrons. Village officials are urging residents to patronize these businesses as they contend with the construction. While the infrastructure improvements are underway, traffic will be rerouted to 154th Street to Cottage Grove and south to 162nd Street.
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Heritage Festival features fun, food, fitness - Village of South Holland

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