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the northbrook tower | August 23, 2018 | 3
Second Northbrook After Dark a glowing success
Hilary Anderson
Freelance Reporter
The Northbrook Park
District’s second annual
Northbrook After Dark
event once again proved
having old-fashioned fun
transcends all ages.
Teams of four individuals
raced on foot in the
dark and competed with
each other to master eight
physically and mentally
challenging games placed
around a course in the
Northbrook Park District’s
Techny Park Prairie and
Fields. Each team member
participated in every game.
It was a constant scene
of laughter, silly, yet creative
outfits, glow sticks,
flashlights and the innerchild
coming out of each
participant at the event held
Friday, Aug. 17.
Ideas for the variations
on standard games had
their beginnings last spring.
“The fun actually started
last April when members
of the park district began
brainstorming ideas,” said
Dan Catron, recreation supervisor
at the Northbrook
Park District. “We had fun
thinking up possibilities.
We wanted them to be different
from last year’s challenges.”
The object of the Northbrook
After Dark event was
to be the team that finished
first. There also was a prize
for the most colorful team.
The team coined Justin
Time team was back for
a second year. Each team
member wore a shirt of a
famous person with the
first name of Justin.
Megan Van Dergeest
donned the shirt of baseball
star pitcher Justin Verlander;
Blake Van Dergeest
wore one of Justin Bieber;
friends Deborah Medhurst
Northbrook residents (left to right) Ryan Rassin, Brad
Walker, Charlie Walker, 11, and Ellie Rassin, 12, all of
Northbrook, were named the best-dressed team.
Morgan Bergeron, 12, of Northbrook, attempts to
balance five die on a tongue depressor during one of
the games at Northbrook After Dark.
had Justin Timberlake and
Mark Medhurst had one of
Justin Trudeau.
“We’re here to defend
our title,” Blake Van Dergeest
said. “We won last
year.”
The Dark Side team
members similarly were
event repeaters.
“We are always on the
hunt for different things to
do, not just going to restaurants,”
Aimee Daly said.
“This event fills the bill.”
Her team included husband,
Tom Daly and friends
Lydia and Joe Chen.
There was the Light Side
team with members Ryan
Rassin and daughter, Ellie,
12, and Brad Walker with
son, Charlie, 11.
The male team members
wore hats with “flair” hair
while Ellie sported a colorful
mohawk. Ellie Rassin
is credited with putting the
team together.
“We are big fans of TV’s
‘Amazing Race’ so we
thought we would try this,”
Ryan Rassin said.
Audrey Waltenburg
was captain of her Cosmic
Chaos team. It also
was her birthday. Her two
daughters, Hailey, 15, and
Brooke, 14, signed their
mother up for the event and
were members of the team
with Audrey’s friend Holly
Team Cosmic Chaos, comprised of (left to right) Holly Reschke, Brooke Waltenburg,
14, Hailey Waltenburg, 15, and Audrey Waltenburg, all of Northbrook, were the
first-place finishers on Friday, Aug. 17 at the second annual Northbrook After Dark.
Photos by Rhonda Holcomb/22nd Century Media
Northbrook After
Dark Winners
Best Dressed: Team
Light Side
First Group to finish:
Team Cosmic Chaos
Second: Team Justin
Time
Third: Team Color Burst
Reschke.
“This is how I like to
celebrate my birthday,”
Audrey Waltenburg said.
“I am with my favorite
To view more
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people.”
Team Awesome’s members
were Elizabeth and
Chris Farabaugh and Ben
and Serena Schaffner.
“There are so many
amazing things the Northbrook
Park District does,”
Serena Schaffner said.
“Things like this event creates
community and is really
fun.”
Malina Madness is the
name Hilary and Aaron
Maolina gave their team.
Their twin sons Noah and
Jason, 12, were members.
Tim Mateja and daughter,
Zizi, 12 and Keith
Bergeron and daughter,
Morgan, 12, composed the
Color Burst team.
“This is a beautiful evening,
the summer is ending
and it is a good fun thing
to do before they go to
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Enroll your child in the
Jewish Youth
Connection
Hebrew
School
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2548 Jasper Court,
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847-509-9204
HIGH HOLY DAYS
Rosh Hashana
September 9,10,11
2018/5779
Yom Kippur
September 18,19
All Are Welcome
Tickets for Unaffiliated
$125
for admittance to all services
Please see Dark, 14
Led by
with
Rabbi Aaron Braun Cantor Rabbi Moshe Shur
visiting from New York
www.ncshul.com