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8 | October 5, 2017 | The orland park prairie News opprairie.com Pekau decries sweetened beverage tax before Cook County commissioners Jon DePaolis Freelance Reporter Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau said he thinks Cook County’s sweetened beverage tax has hurt local businesses. MORAINE VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Open House All potential students welcome Discover why Moraine Valley is your best choice! Saturday, Nov. 4, 9 a.m.-Noon 9000 W. College Parkway • Palos Hills Building S n Hear a short presentation about the college, admission and financial aid process, student life, and more. n Learn about the transfer process – Complete the first two years of your bachelor’s degree here and save thousands of dollars! n Meet faculty from some of our career programs. n Take a tour of the campus. On Sept. 13, Pekau had no qualms about testifying at the Cook County Board of Commissioners meeting about the effect the recently enacted tax has had on Orland Park. There also will be information available for adult learners. RSVP (708) 974-5355 morainevalley.edu/openhouse morainevalley.edu 180025E The tax was approved in November 2016 at the rate of 1 cent per ounce of all sweetened beverages sold in Cook County. “Yesterday, it was punted back to the Finance Committee,” Pekau said to the commissioners. “I think that they weren’t sure they had the votes to get it repealed; so, they elected to [let it] go to the finance committee, which basically pushes everything back a month. From that perspective, that’s how their process works. Maybe they will get some financial information from the State regarding the sales tax that has been collected. I’m not sure if they will have that yet or not, to see how that is decreasing.” But in the absence of hard data, Pekau said he has anecdotal evidence from just the short time the tax has been implemented. “What I’ve heard is that it is definitely impacting THE Villas at Sunset Lakes Manhattan, IL Ranch Townhomes Starting at $239,900 Call Tim Tynan for a private showing ReMax 10 708.217.5435 Construction has started on these new spectacular ranch town homes. Surrounded by high end residential development and just minutes from I-80 and I-355 and New Lenox newest metra station. This new construction has high efficiency appliances, brick/stone construction, flexible floor plans and pre construction pricing. Full basement model from $269,900 and custom built to fit your budget, maintenance free living. visit us online at www.opprairie.com our businesses, and it is definitely impacting our tax collection — because there is less business,” Pekau said. “People are driving across to Will County.” That is one of the points Pekau said he made to the board. “I can stand in Cook County and throw a baseball through a gas station, convenience store or restaurant window [in Will County],” he said. “People in our community have for a long time been driving outside of it to go get gas, for example. Now, people are driving out of it to go get groceries. They are not just going to buy their pop outside of town — they are going to buy there other stuff outside of town, too.” Pekau said Orland Park is the third largest generator of sales tax revenue for Cause From Page 6 www.haleemfoundation. org/2017-comedy-fundrais er. Cook County — trailing only the City of Chicago and Schaumburg. “We sit on a border [with Will County], and it’s not a problem for people to drive across that border,” he said. Pekau also refuted the idea that the tax was created to promote better health. “If it is for health benefits, then why is 100 percent fruit juice being taxed,” he asked. “Why is vegetable juice being taxed? Yet, at the same time, you’re not taxing Ho Hos, Ding Dongs, cakes or any processed foods. Where does it end? When does the government get out of our pockets and let us make decisions on what we purchase and what we don’t purchase? That, to me, is critical.” He said the tax is driving economic activity out of the county. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Timeline: Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the walk begins at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, rain or shine. Who Benefits: American Cancer Society and those it serves by investing in research; providing free, comprehensive information and support to those touched by breast cancer; and helping people take steps to reduce their breast cancer risk or find it early, when it is most treatable. Who’s Organizing It: American Cancer Society and plenty of local teams featuring more than a thousand local breast cancer survivors, caregivers, volunteers, and corporate and community members. How to Help: Attend the 5K, which is a noncompetitive, inspirational event, raising awareness and funds for a world without breast cancer. It happens at Centennial Park, across from the Metra train station, at 10401 W. 153th St. in Orland Park. Love For Lana Timeline: Ongoing, but a team is to walk Saturday, Oct. 8, at Centennial Park during the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in support of the cause. Who Benefits: A 45-yearold mother of three from Orland Park who was diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer, as well as bone cancer. Who’s Organizing It: Her friends and co-workers How to Help: Visit www. gofundme.com/23nqcabg.
opprairie.com News the orland park prairie | October 5, 2017 | 9 The Rev. Walter Ledogar, 79, led Orland Park church for 50 years Pastor remembered for devotion to his family, community involvement Jon DePaolis Freelance Reporter The Rev. Walter Ledogar, 79, served as pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Orland Park for more than 50 years, but he will be best remembered as a devoted family man and member of the community. He died Sept. 20. Ledogar was born May 21, 1938, in Newark, New Jersey. According to his son, Mark, Walter knew from an early age that he wanted to serve his faith. “He wanted to be able to connect what he did every day to his beliefs and his faith,” Mark said. “He found that there was a really good connection between his really strong organizational skills and his communication skills, and how those could be empowered to do the Lord’s work as a minister. “My dad’s faith was anchored and fed by the faith his parents instilled in him, and that included his involvement in a very vibrant congregation outside of Newark, New Jersey. Dad spoke often of that community of faith and how that was part of his life.” As a child, Ledogar was involved in a bicycle accident that left him near death. It was so bad that doctors had to perform a brain surgery. “He talked often about the thanks that he had for that experience and that he lived through it,” Mark said of his father. “Whether or not he connected that experience with giving thanks back to God through ministry, he never made that connection [to us]. But I’ve often wondered if that life-and-death experience planted seeds [in him] that there is something more to life than just what we do day in and day out.” Ledogar was commissioned as chaplain at the United States Navy Reserve School in Newport, Rhode Island, and he graduated from Concordia Seminary, located in St. Louis, Missouri. In August 1964, Ledogar married Carol Crane. A year later, he was called to serve as pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Orland Park. The Ledogars spent the next 50 years serving the community. Mark said he feels a sense of gratitude to Orland Park for supporting his parents for so long. “They loved my mom and dad so dearly, and they loved Orland Park back,” Mark said. “I don’t know how many people know this, but when my dad was called to Orland by the Lutheran church, he was called to close down Christ Lutheran. They said it was a community that was not going anywhere. It was a farming community, and he came out with the full preparation by the church to begin to close it down and transfer them to other places. “But when he came out, and he saw these people and how lovely they were and how committed they were, he said, ‘No. This is a place where God is working. This isn’t going to be sending people elsewhere.’ “For the community to support my mom and dad in this effort, just as my mom and dad supported the community, it was a great partnership. I can’t imagine it happening it any better.” The late Rev. Walter Ledogar is pictured in 1964 (left) and 2015. He led Christ Lutheran Church in Orland Park for 50 years. Photos submitted “He was fearless when it came to putting himself in places where people needed support the most.” Mark Ledogar — son of the late Rev. Walter Ledogar, on his father’s role as a chaplain Welcoming Orland Park Mark said his father’s hallmark as a pastor was what Walter called “practical ministry.” “Certainly, he was a great preacher — good on the pulpit, a good communicator, and very organized and detail-oriented,” Mark said. “He was meticulous in how the church organization was run, and how it looked, and how it was neat and tidy and welcoming to people.” That last part — the welcoming — was apparent in how Walter remembered the names of those who attended the church, whether or not they were regulars. He also extended his service to the community, acting as chaplain of the Orland Park Police Department and Orland Fire Protection District, as well as director of the Orland Park Civic Center Authority and director of Metropolitan Family Services. “He was fearless when it came to putting himself in places where people needed support the most,” Mark said. “He was the chaplain for many years for the police department and the fire protection district. He was often called on to join police and fire professionals in the most sad of circumstances and sharing news with family members about the death of a loved one, often tragically. “Dad was never afraid of that. He leaned into that practical ministry as a way to empower him to bring God’s grace and love to people.” Police Chief Tim Mc- Carthy started at the Orland Park Police Department in 1994. By then, Ledogar already was serving as the police chaplain. They overlapped until Ledogar retired around 2001. “It was always helpful to have someone like Pastor Ledogar assist our officers when you’re going to visit a family member to tell them they’ve lost someone,” Mc- Carthy said. “He would arrange for any follow-up that they’d want to have with their own minister or other counseling services they might want.” McCarthy said chaplain service is important to a police department. “Walter was just such a personable, wonderful man, and he really filled the bill in so many ways,” McCarthy said. “He simply lived his faith, and he lived it 24/7. It didn’t matter who you were or what religious denomination you were a part of, he lived his faith for everyone, and he gave much more than he got, without a question. He was there to help whenever he could for whomever needed it. That’s really the measure of a man or woman. Did they give more than they got? He would go out of his way any time to assist us as we needed it.” Orland Park Trustee Patricia Gira also interacted with Ledogar by way of the Cub Scouts. Her husband is the Cubmaster for Pack 372 in Orland Park, and she, herself, was a den leader. “Ledogar was the minister that was part of our group,” Gira said. “He came to our Blue and Gold Dinners, and he gave an invocation for the boys. He was just always so willing to be a part of the community. Pastor Ledogar was a special man.” Mark said his father’s commitment to “really walking with people, not being separated from them,” was the truest sense of ministry. “Some refer to that as the parish,” Mark said. “The parish extends far beyond the walls of the church. It really talks about that community around the congregation. I think my dad had a really strong sense of parish, even though he didn’t use that word. That was reflected in his leadership in a variety of community events and activities.” ‘He grieved for people’ Mark also got to see another side of Ledogar: the role of parent. “He had a great heart,” Mark said. “He was emotional. He grieved for people. We would see that in my dad. He’d come home, and he’d really grieve for people who were really hurting. That was, for my brother and me and my mom, a privilege — to see this person be so strong for people and support them but doing so only because you allow yourself to be supported. That’s pretty awesome. It was a major lesson for me and my brother and my mom.” Mark said Ledogar also was an incredibly supportive parent. Often, Ledogar would tell Mark and his brother a saying that Ledogar’s own father had said to him, “Do your best, and God will take care of the rest.” “That was very liberating,” Mark said. “It was both inspiring to want to do your best but also not be so oppressive to where you’d freak out if you weren’t going to win or accomplish something. You realized you weren’t alone in that endeavor.” Memorials in Ledogar’s name may be made to Christ Lutheran Church for the Home Welfare Fund, 14700 S. 94th Ave., Orland Park, IL, 60462.
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