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the tinley junction | February 7, 2019 | 11
FROM THE HOMER HORIZON
Understanding World Religions
series educates on various faiths
Exploring and understanding
world religions can be a daunting
experience for those looking to
learn about different faiths.
Since last month, Our Mother of
Good Counsel in Homer Glen has
been hosting a weekly class on Understanding
World Religions to help
members of the community learn
about different faiths. Led by the
Rev. Joseph Broudou, pastor of the
parish, the class explores the three
main Abrahamic religions — Judaism,
Christianity and Islam, as well
as Hinduism and Buddhism.
“By learning about other religions,
it helps someone to want to go deeper
and know more about their own religion
and faith,” Broudou explained.
As part of the parish’s Faith Formation
and Religious Education
program, the Understanding World
Religions series was created with
the intention of answering questions
about other religions, as well
as finding connections and similarities
within other faiths.
Since 1997, Janet Litterio has
been the coordinator of faith formation
for the parish. It is the first time
the parish has hosted a class like
this, and Litterio is excited for the
doors it could open.
“It will give a better understanding
of people’s neighbors, not just
here in Homer Glen but globally,”
Litterio said.
Remaining classes are from
1-2:30 p.m. Thursdays through Feb.
14, as well as 7-8:30 p.m. Mondays
through Feb. 18, respectively. Refreshments
are served, and walk-ins
are invited.
For more information, contact
Litterio in the Faith Formation Office
at (708) 301-0214.
Reporting by Rochelle McAuliffe,
Freelance Reporter. For more, visit
HomerHorizon.com.
FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION
Frankfort restaurant mixes up
special drink to benefit charity
Who would have thought a beverage
could help people?
Throughout the month of February,
Frankfort’s Dancing Marlin
Restaurant will donate some proceeds
from sales of its new Heartini
cocktail to the nonprofit group Suburban
Service League, which provides
financial assistance to charities
in Chicago’s south suburbs.
“Dancing Marlin started fiveand-a-half
years ago,” said Jackie
Gabriel, the restaurant’s general
manager. “With Frankfort embracing
this restaurant, we want to be
able to pay back for what everyone
has done for us. I approached [Suburban
Service League President
Stacy Holland] and asked her, ‘How
can we help others?’ We decided to
do this month-long promotion.”
The Heartini was the brainchild of
the restaurant’s mixologist, Desiree
Gleason, who previously designed a
pink drink called “Stop and Smell the
Roses” to benefit the Cancer Support
Center in Mokena and Homewood.
“I wanted to use gluten-free vodka,
which I infused with mango and
then added blueberry pomegranate
with a splash of lemon juice,” Gleason
said. “It’s amazing. It’s rare that
bartenders are able to give back.
This is a way for us to help others.”
Officers from the Suburban Service
League plan to use the money
from the Heartini sales to expand the
organization’s fundraisers. The nonprofit,
which started in 1963, celebrated
its 55th anniversary last year.
“We choose nonprofits around the
holidays, and we’ll give them gift
cards,” Suburban Service League
Treasurer Lisa Hogan said. “Those
are more personal donations from
our members.”
Reporting by Mary Compton, Freelance
Reporter. For more, visit Frank
fortStation.com.
FROM THE NEW LENOX PATRIOT
Local receives award rarely given to
private pilots
The title of Federal Aviation Administration
Wright Brothers Master
Pilot is not one handed out lightly.
In fact, it takes half a century of
exemplary flying just to be eligible.
So when New Lenox resident Simon
“Bud” Vancina learned he had
received the award late last year,
it took a moment for him to grasp
what was happening.
“I was quite surprised,” Vancina
said. “I’m not a commercial pilot,
and I don’t fly for a living; I fly
as a hobby. Most of the time, the
people who get these awards are
pilots who are flying in some sort
of aviation field. To be singled out
as a private pilot, flying my own
aircraft, it’s pretty neat.”
Neat might be a bit of an understatement.
The award recognizes dedicated
service, technical expertise, professionalism
and many other outstanding
contributions that further the
cause of aviation safety. In order
to be eligible for the FAA Wright
Brothers Master Pilot award, pilots
must have 50 years of flying experience,
marked from the date of their
first solo flight, and hold a U.S. Civil
Aviation Authority or FAA pilot
certificate for 50 years.
Pilots also must have no aviation
violations on their records, and
meet all current medical and biannual
requirements to maintain certification.
The New Lenox resident checked
all the boxes.
“Flying is not that complicated;
it’s just like anything else,” he said.
“If you want to be good at something,
you have to practice.”
Reporting by Erin Redmond, Freelance
Reporter. For more, visit NewLenoxPa
triot.com.
FROM THE MOKENA MESSENGER
Police respond to week of vehicle
break-ins, thefts
Mokena Police Chief Steve Vaccaro
updated the Village Board at
its Jan. 28 meeting on a string of
car burglaries that occurred in mid-
January.
Vaccaro said between Jan. 14-22,
the Mokena Police Department responded
to 10 vehicle burglaries and
four reportedly stolen vehicles. He
said nine of the vehicles that were
broken into were unlocked at the
time and parked in residential driveways.
All four vehicles that were
stolen had either keys or a proximity
fob inside the vehicle. One of the
stolen vehicles was unlocked inside
of a closed garage, but the garage
was opened using the garage door
opener found inside of an unlocked
vehicle parked in the driveway.
Vaccaro said he thinks all of these
incidents occurred between 1 and 5
a.m. and that it is the same group of
criminals who have been committing
similar acts in nearby suburbs.
“Our investigations division is
currently working on a possible
connection to the burglaries,” Vaccaro
said. “Rest assured that we are
committed to finding those involved
in these burglaries.”
Vaccaro also encouraged residents
to be proactive in not becoming
victims by locking their car
doors, not leaving valuables in the
vehicle, and doing a 9 p.m. check
every night to make sure doors are
locked and garage doors are closed.
He also said if residents see something
suspicious, they should report
it to the police.
Reporting by Jon DePaolis, Freelance
Reporter. For more, visit MokenaMes
senger.com.
FROM THE ORLAND PARK PRAIRIE
Mackeys’ Pub supports veterans
with annual chili contest
Offering the community a place
to gather the weekend between the
NFL conference championships
and the Super Bowl, along with
some warm chili and a friendly atmosphere,
Mackeys’ Pub in Orland
Park hosted its annual chili contest
the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 27.
Mackeys’ has hosted the event
for the past several years as a way
to bring the community together to
support local veterans. A veteran
himself, owner John Mackey said
the chili contest is not the only way
the local pub gives back to veterans.
“Anybody who served, you get
a special camaraderie with anyone
else who served,” Mackey said.
“You can’t do enough for the vets;
you really can’t. … [This] is a small
event, but it keeps the word out.”
As in years past, the proceeds of
the event will be donated to the Disabled
Patriot Fund and the Village
of Orland Park’s Veterans’ Commission.
The Disabled Patriot Fund
works to provide financial support
to military families impacted by the
War on Terror.
Gail Blummer, a volunteer cocoordinator
for the Disabled Patriot
Fund, said Mackeys’ Pub always
is supportive of the organization,
holding a Queen of Hearts competition
every week, in addition to
hosting the fundraising chili contest
annually.
“It’s because of [John],” Blummer
said. “And his customers, who
are very strong supporters of the
veterans.”
Orland Park Veterans Commissioner
Catherine Foster added,
“[John] is always there for support.”
Reporting by Amanda Del Buono,
Freelance Reporter. For more, visit
OPPrairie.com.
FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND
Main Street Lockport’s 1836 Event
seeks to upscale the Scale House
Six months in the making, Main
Street Lockport’s annual 1836
Event is a week away, and this
year’s iteration is to feature even
more fundraising attractions and activities
than in years past.
Former Main Street Lockport
President Tina Keller said the fundraiser,
which is to be held on Feb.
15 at the Public Landing, 200 W.
8th St. in Lockport, has been held
on and off for more than 25 years,
having recently been re-started.
Planning the 1836 Event each year
relies on the Main Street Lockport
board members, Keller said.
“This year’s theme is upscale the
Scale House,” Keller said.
She said she hopes the amount of
funds raised will increase this year,
and predicted there will be 85 or
more attendees.
“In the past, we put money raised
toward planters and lighting,”
Keller said.
The main goal of the annual fundraiser
is to improve the historic
downtown area, and this year proceeds
are to be used to light the
Scale House.
A digital photo booth, live music,
Main Street Wall of Wine and VIP
access to Gallery Seven are to be
part of the evening’s festivities.
“The 1836 Event is the only fundraiser
for Main Street,” Keller said.
Main Street Lockport’s first online
auction, which is to contribute
to the fundraising efforts, is already
open and can be found at https://
bit.ly/2WAAt39. The auction site is
open through Feb. 12.
For more information about Main
Street Lockport’s 1836 Event or to
purchase tickets, visit www.visit
lockport.com.
Reporting by Alex Ivanisevic, Assistant
Editor. For more, visit LockportLegend.
com.