NL_010920

® 

new lenox’s Award-Winning Hometown Newspaper NewLenoxPatriotDaily.com • January 9, 2020 • Vol. 13 No. 43 • $1 

A 

,LLC 

Publication 

ForeverU planning to open 

community empowerment 

center in New Lenox, Page 3 

New face in 

the school 

Get to know the new 

school resource officer 

for D122, Page 4 

Staying 

healthy 22nd 

Century Media’s 

Healthy Living Expo 

is right around the 

corner, Page 6 

Sticking 

to the 

resolution 

Learn some tips on 

how to keep the goal 

of getting in the gym 

more, Page 7 

ForeverU founder 

Ryan Hesslau poses 

for a photo as he 

looks over plans for 

the new center that 

will be in New Lenox 

to serve the Lincoln- 

Way community. 

Sean Hastings/22nd 

Century Media 

The Best Way To 

SAVE FOR THE HOLIDAYS 

LincolnWay Community Bank 

CHRISTMAS CLUB 

www.LWCBank.com 

See our 

ad inside 

for details

2 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot calendar 

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com 

In this week’s 

Patriot 

Pet of the Week.............. 8 

Police Reports...............10 

Standout Student...........12 

Sound Off.....................15 

Puzzles..........................24 

Athlete of the Week.......33 

The New 

Lenox Patriot 

ph: 708.326.9170 fx: 708.326.9179 

Editor 

Sean Hastings, x48 

sean@newlenoxpatriot.com 

sports Editor 

Steve Millar x34 

s.millar@22ndcm.com 

Sales director 

Lora Healy, x31 

l.healy@22ndcenturymedia.com 

real estate sales 

Courtney Masinter ext 47 

c.masinter@22ndcenturymedia.com 

classifieds/Legal Notices 

Jeff Schouten, x51 

j.schouten@22ndcenturymedia.com 

PUBLISHER 

Joe Coughlin 847.272.4565, x16 

j.coughlin@22ndcenturymedia.com 

Managing Editor 

Bill Jones, x20 

bill@opprairie.com 

president 

Andrew Nicks 

a.nicks@22ndcenturymedia.com 

EDITORIAL DESIGN DIRECTOR 

Nancy Burgan, x30 

n.burgan@22ndcenturymedia.com 

22 nd Century Media 

11516 West 183rd Street 

Unit SW Office Condo #3 

Orland Park, IL 60467 

www.NewLenoxPatriot.com 

Chemical- free printing on 

30% recycled paper 

circulation inquiries 

circulation@22ndcenturymedia.com 

The New Lenox Patriot 

(USPS ##25405) 

is published weekly by 

22nd Century Media, LLC, 

11516 W. 183rd Pl. 

Unit SW, Office Condo #3 


and additional mailing offices. 

Periodical postage paid at 

Orland Park, IL 

POSTMASTER: Send changes to: 


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Published by 

www.22ndcenturymedia.com 

Thursday 

RIP sugar! How to Give up 

Sugar for Good 

6-7 p.m. Thursday, 

Jan. 9, New Lenox Public 

Library, 120 Veterans 

Parkway. Do you want to 

eliminate sugar from your 

diet? Do you struggle with 

eating too many sweets? 

Do you binge on cookies, 

cakes, or ice cream in 

isolation? If you answered 

yes to any of these questions, 

then this workshop 

is for you. The speaker 

will share how she eliminated 

sugar and teach you 

how to remove sugar from 

your diet. To learn more 

about the speaker, please 

see followyourspark.blog. 

Registration Required at 

newlenoxlibrary.org. 

Tuesday 

Trivia Night at Beggars 

Pizza 

7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 

14, Beggars Pizza, 650 W. 

Maple St. Enjoy pizza and 

drinks and answer questions 

on a multitude of 

topics. Form a powerhouse 

team or come alone, and 

we will find a group for 

you to join! Registration 

requested at newlenoxli 

brary.org. 

Wednesday 

Music Makers 

10:30-11 a.m. Wednesday, 

Jan. 15, New Lenox 

Public Library, 120 Veterans 

Parkway. Ages 3 

months–6 years Dance 

around, listen to stories, 

sing songs, play with instruments, 

then move and 

groove with your friends 

during toy time. No registration 

is required. Sign 

in on the Meeting Room 

door. 

UPCOMING 

Jacob Manka Memorial 

Scholarship Eat & Earn 

Fundraiser 

5-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 

16, Portillo’s, 2306 E. 

Lincoln Highway. Stop 

by with family and friends 

to enjoy a tasty dinner at 

Portillo’s and be a part of 

something special. Our 

goal is to raise funds for 

the Jacob Manka Memorial 

Scholarships, which 

will be distributed to at 

least two of his graduating 

classmates at the Lincoln- 

Way Central High School 

Scholarship Ceremony in 

Spring of 2020. 20 percent 

of all sales between 

5-8 p.m. go toward the 

scholarship fund so long 

as you show a hard copy 

or digital copy of the fundraiser 

flyer when ordering. 

Healthy Living Expo 

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, 

Jan. 18, Tinley Park Convention 

Center, 18451 

Convention Center Drive. 

Free admission. More than 

60 vendor booths, health 

screenings, healthy cooking 

demonstrations, speaker 

sessions, free 30-minute 

workout classes, community 

blood drive, and free 

tote bags and stress balls to 

the first 300 attendees. 

Valentine Heart Contest 

Beginning Monday, Feb. 

3, children can guess the 

number of candy hearts in 

the jar at the Lions Community 

Center. Whoever 

guesses closest to the actual 

number without going 

over will receive a special 

prize. Contest will close 

on Friday, Feb. 14 and the 

winner will be notified on 

Monday, Feb. 17. 

Comedy for the Critters 

8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 

22, New Lenox VFW 

Post 9545, 323 Old Hickory 

Road. Come out to a 

comedy show featuring 

WGN’s Mike Toomey 

and Matt Holt from Indianapolis. 

Doors open 

at 7 p.m., cost is $25 and 

you must be 18 years old. 

All ticket proceeds benefit 

The Three Rescues: South 

Suburban Humane Society, 

Illinois Horse Rescue 

of Will County or Hopeful 

Tails Animal Rescue. 

Tickets are available at any 

of these Three Rescues or 

at the NL VFW bar, the 

NL VFW Friday Fish Fry 

or call Kathy Connolly at 

(815) 325-9501. 

ONGOING 

Freedom From Smoking 

5-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 

2, Silver Cross Hospital, 

Pavilion A, Conference 

Center, 1890 Silver Cross 

Blvd. Start your New 

Year’s resolution strong. 

The American Lung Association’s 

Freedom From 

Smoking program is for 

smokers ready to quit. 

This proven program focuses 

almost exclusively 

on how to quit, not why 

to quit. This seven-week 

series begins on Thursday, 

Jan. 2. Cost is $25 per person 

for the one-day class. 

Register at silvercross.org. 

Lincoln-Way General 

Federation of Women’s 

Clubs Meetings 

6 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, 

Jan. 8, Trinity Services, 

301 Veterans Parkway. 

The New Lenox branch of 

the General Federation of 

Women’s Clubs. We are 

a local organization dedicated 

to strengthening our 

community and enhancing 

the lives of others through 

community service. 

LWABWO Meetings 

6-8 p.m. on the third 

Tuesday of each month 

Sept. through June, Gatto’s 

Restaurant,1938 E. Lincoln 

Highway. The Lincoln-Way 

Area Business 

Women’s Organization is 

a non-profit club formed in 

the 1970s to provide scholarship 

funds to graduating 

female high school seniors 

and adult women for the 

purpose of continuing 

education. We are always 

looking for new members. 

For more information, visit 

LWABWO.org. 

Chess Club 

10 a.m. Thursdays, New 

Lenox New Lenox Public 


Parkway. Group meets until 

after noon. Open to anyone, 

from beginner to master, 

who enjoys playing 

chess. For more information, 

call (815) 485-7425. 

Stroke Risk Assessment 

Each year, nearly 

800,000 Americans suffer 

a new or recurrent stroke. 

That means on average, 

a stroke occurs every 40 

seconds. Taking the Silver 

Cross Neuroscience 

Institute’s free stroke risk 

assessment at silvercross. 

org/neuro. 

Karaoke 

7:30 p.m.-midnight, every 

Friday, New Lenox 

American Legion, 14414 

West Ford Drive. Karaoke 

LIST IT YOURSELF 

Reach out to thousands of daily 

users by submitting your event at 

NewLenoxPatriot.com/calendar 

For just print*, email all information to 


*Deadline for print is 5 p.m. the Thursday prior to publication. 

with Chad every Friday. 

Come sing the night away. 

New Lenox Toastmasters 

This group meets on the 

second and fourth Saturday 

of the month at New 

Lenox New Life Church 

(media room), 500 S. Gougar 

Road, New Lenox. The 

club’s mission is to help 

members improve their 

speaking, communication 

and leadership skills. For 

meeting times or more 

information, email jrsel 

bor@gmail.com. 

Bipolar Disease Support 

Group 

6:30-8:30 p.m. second 

and fourth Tuesday of 

each month, Silver Cross 

Hospital, Behavioral 

Health Services, 1900 

Silver Cross Blvd., New 

Lenox. This support group 

is for individuals and family 

members coping with 

bipolar disease. First time 

participants should visit 

silvercross.org to register 

to attend. 

Fiber Arts 

6-7:30 p.m. First and 

third Thursday of every 

month, New Lenox Public 


Parkway, New Lenox. 

Join other knitters and 

crocheters in an informal 

exchange of ideas and 

information. Beginners 

are welcome. For more 

information, visit new 

lenoxlibrary.org.

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com news 

the new lenox patriot | January 9, 2020 | 3 

ForeverU to find its first home in New Lenox 

Sean Hastings, Editor 

The “cute” idea ForeverU 

founder Ryan Hesslau, 

of Mokena, had seven years 

ago when he was 16 years 

old about empowering the 

youth to overcome adversity 

has gained traction over 

the last few years. 

It’s only going to get 

stronger in 2020 as ForeverU 

is planning to bring the 

organization’s first community 

empowerment center 

to New Lenox. 

Since ForeverU was 

founded, it has been focused 

on personal development 

programs, which included 

retreats, camps and 

after-school programs. 

The facility is intended 

to serve the entire Lincoln- 

Way community. 

Hesslau is always thinking 

about is scalability, as 

in how can he bundle all the 

programs together and see 

a central location feed into 

everything they do. 

“We finalized a really 

unique program model 

where we have a personal 

development retreat at 

Camp Manitoqua every 

fall, winter and spring,” 

Hesslau said. “That’s the 

first program we send a kid 

through.” 

The model for the retreat 

is that a student should not 

have to go back, though 

they can for a recharge. 

They are then integrated 

into ForeverU. The mentor 

they had during the retreat 

remains to be their mentor 

after. The volunteering program 

also will be looked at 

ForeverU founder Ryan Hesslau talks to a group of 

students attending a past retreat. Tyler minnesma 

as ForeverU’s college program. 

After attending the retreat, 

students unlock access 

to a personal development 

camp in July. 

“So if we encounter a 

parent, family or student 

that would benefit from 

our programming, we send 

them through the retreat,” 

Hesslau said. “They’ll learn 

a road map, safety plan and 

leave and be enrolled in an 

after-school program that 

connects them to a mentor 

and peer support group to 

help stay on track.” 

The new facility will especially 

help with that. 

It is meant to be a safe 

haven for the youth, grades 

7-12, and through it, ForeverU 

will offer life readiness 

programs and initiatives to 

destress them, excel as human 

beings, and prepare 

them for college and jobs. It 

is also intended to help find 

a balance between communities 

and youth behavioral 

health. 

“What we wanted to do 

last year is plug into this 

model for a centered location 

where many of these 

students can go after school 

hours for support and use it 

as a way to educate, equip 

and empower these kids,” 

Hesslau said. 

ForeverU has been able 

to do that. It would have 

been easy to give up for 

Hesslau early on, though. 

Only about four people, 

who were mostly 

his friends, showed up to 

his first event in the New 

Lenox Commons. So, for 

Hesslau, “it’s always been 

New Lenox.” 

Seeing it grow and the 

thought of it getting even 

bigger keeps him up at 

night. 

“I never thought I’d be 

in an office, even,” Hesslau 

said. “It’s the weirdest thing 

to see things manifest. I’m 

grateful.” 

Even when things get 

tough, he’s not going anywhere. 

“Once I start looking 

at these kids, I see them 

Please see foreveru, 10 

 

 

 

 

Weight Gain 

Fatigue 

Hair Loss 

Constipation 

 

 

 

 

Low Libido 

Cold Hands/Feet 

Insomnia 

Depression/Anxiety 

 

 

 

 

Heart Palpitations 

Muscle Weakness 

Muscle Aches/Pains 

Digestive Problems 

 

 

 

 

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4 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot news 


Officer Kristine Kioltyka named new SRO for D122 


There’s a new face in the 

schools in District 122. 

New Lenox police officer 

Kristine Kioltyka took 

over as the district’s School 

Resource Officer, replacing 

Paul Simon, who had spent 

over one year in the position. 

Kioltyka has been with 

the New Lenox Police Department 

for just under one 

year. Her one-year anniversary 

is Jan. 28. She spent 

two and a half at the Niles 

Police Department. 

While she was transitioning 

to the NLPD, the Niles 

Police Department tried to 

keep her by assigning her 

to be the SRO, which is 

something she has always 

wanted to do. 

“It’s very exciting,” she 

said. “It’s kind of a different 

change of pace so I’m 

looking forward to the 

new beginnings. Learning 

something new has always 

been something I’ve been 

intrigued by, so I think it’s 

going to be a lot of fun.” 

Kioltyka found out near 

the end of 2019 that the position 

was going to open as 

Simon was going back to 

street police duties. 

She added it was a little 

out of nowhere, but the duties 

of being an SRO are a 

strength of hers. 

“I think that a strong 

point of mine is talking 

with the kids, I’m a people 

person and I think I’m 

good in the community,” 

she said. “It’s something 

that intrigued my interest. 

It was number one on my 

list to be a school resource 

officer at some point.” 

Over the last year, Simon 

made a positive impact on 

the students in the district. 

Simon preached the spirit 

of Aloha, presented the 

“hang loose” gesture and 

gave students seashells, 

Officer Paul Simon poses for a photo with Nelson 

Prairie third-grader Brooke Martenz last November 

during the coat drive. Simon spent over a year as the 

SRO. Photo submitted 

and the students looked up 

to him. 

While Simon’s “thing” 

was giving students seashells 

and preaching the 

spirit of Aloha, Kioltyka is 

not sure what her’s will be 

but she is looking forward 

to making positive impacts 

on the students. 

She has also received 

some advice from Simon 

since she was picked to 

take over. 

“He told me ‘be yourself, 

be your own person and create 

a persona that you want 

everyone to see,’” Kioltyka 

said. “He’s done really well 

with that. He was being 

Officer Kristine Kioltyka poses for a photo in the New Lenox Police Department. Her 

first day with the district was Monday, Jan. 6. Sean Hastings/22nd Century Media 

himself, which we all love, 

he’s a great guy and really 

funny. He has good energy. 

He also said to be good with 

time management, organization 

skills and interacting 

with the kids and being a 

role model for them.” 

She added that Simon 

was very comfortable being 

himself and she feels 

she is the same way. 

“I’ll have to find out 

what’s the best ‘me’ when 

I get my feet wet in the 

school,” she said. 

“It’s a great feeling. It’s 

going to be a lot of fun. 

Hopefully I’m a great influence 

and role model and 

somebody that they can 

feel comfortable to come to 

and talk to when they need 

to talk to somebody. I want 

to make it a comfortable 

environment where they’re 

not scared around me because 

I’m a police officer. 

I can’t wait to watch them 

grow up and succeed.”



Westside Children’s Therapy opens new location in Orland Park 

Vice President 

Dave Lapsker a 

New Lenox native 

Alyssa Groh 

Freelance Reporter 

After nearly 20 years 

of providing therapy for 

children with developmental 

delays and disabilities 

from birth to 18 

years old, Westside Children’s 

Therapy is opening 

its fifth location in Orland 

Park. 

Opening a new location 

in Orland Park was 

the “obvious next step,” 

said Mark Cassidy, CEO 

of Westside Children’s 

Therapy. 

The clinic’s Frankfort 

location was becoming 

outgrown, so Westside 

needed another location 

nearby to continue serving 

its patients. When looking 

for a new location, 

Cassidy said Orland Park 

was an easy choice because 

many of their 

Frankfort patients and 

employees travel from 

Orland Park. 

Westside Children’s 

Therapy, which first 

opened in Frankfort, is the 

brainchild of Shari Cassidy, 

a pediatric physical 

therapist. After working 

in Chicago while living in 

the south suburbs for 15 

years, Shari Cassidy realized 

many of her patients 

were traveling to Chicago 

for therapy. 

Realizing the demand 

for children’s therapy in 

the southwest suburbs, 

Shari Cassidy opened a 

private practice to offer 

physical therapy for children. 

Since its opening, Westside 

Children’s Therapy 

has not only expanded to 

five locations, but offers 

child and family counseling, 

physical therapy, 

behavior therapy, occupational 

therapy, speech 

therapy, feeding therapy, 

and VitalStim — a noninvasive, 

external stimulation 

therapy to treat swallowing 

disorders. 

Mark Cassidy, the son 

of Shari Cassidy, credits 

the clinic’s growth to his 

mother’s talent, passion 

and dedication. 

“My mom is a miracleworker; 

that is really the 

best way I can describe 

her,” said Mark Cassidy, 

of Mokena. “People say 

she gets results that many 

people say aren’t possible. 

A lot of the growth we 

have made has been centered 

around being able to 

expand what my mom is 

all about.” 

The new Orland Park 

location, 14711 S. Ravinia 

Ave., was set to open Dec. 

9, and is to look and function 

the same as the other 

locations. 

“We utilize a collaborative, 

multidisciplinary 

approach in our clinic’s,” 

said vice president Dave 

Lapsker, who grew up in 

New Lenox and now lives 

in Mokena. “Everything 

we do is play-based, and 

our facilities are warm 

and welcoming — it is 

obvious this is a place for 

children.” 

While simultaneously 

offering a variety of 

therapy services for children’s 

needs, Westside 

Children’s Therapy gives 

children the opportunity 

to develop new skills 

through play. All locations 

have jumping ledges, rock 

walls, slides, swings, ball 

pits, crash pads and more 

to help children learn and 

play. 

Mark Cassidy has 

watched Westside Children’s 

Therapy grow over 

the years, and credits 

much of its success to being 

family-owned. 

“When you are familyowned, 

your horizon is 

long-term; you want to 

be here 100 years from 

now,” Mark Cassidy said. 

“It is also personal for us, 

which forces you to be ingrained 

in the community. 

“At the end of the day, 

when people go to a pediatric 

facility, they want 

to go somewhere that is 

ingrained in the community. 

That is the heart of 

our business. You have 

kids and families going 

through some really tough 

times, and we want to be 

here to assist them with 

that.” 

For Lapsker, working 

within the communities 

where he was raised and 

now lives makes his job 

more meaningful. 

“The work that we do, 

the families and kids we 

work with is the definition 

of giving back to the 

community and having a 

really meaningful impact 

in the towns we serve,” 

Lapsker said. “Watching 

kids take their first step 

at age 5 who have never 

walked before is really 

meaningful. It is was drew 

me here.” 

Lapsker also says being 

family-owned gives Westside 

Children’s Therapy a 

bigger drive to deliver the 

quality services. 

Please see therapy, 12 

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Resolution solution to be presented by 22nd Century Media 

Expires 1/23/20 10/31/19 

Expires 1/23/20 10/31/19 

Get ready to vote for your 

favorite businesses! 

Vote Jan. 16–Feb. 9 

Voting in the 5th Annual Southwest 

Choice Awards presented by 22nd 

Century Media starts Jan. 16 

Keep an eye out in your favorite 

22CM publications or vote online at 

22ndCenturyMedia.com/swchoice 

visit us online at newlenoxpatriotdaily.com 

Healthy Living 

Expo to return Jan. 

18 to Tinley Park 

Convention Center 

Will O’Brien 


Early January means 

resolutions, playoff football, 

the arrival of winter 

weather — maybe — and, 

in Chicago’s southwest 

suburbs, 22nd Century 

Media’s Healthy Living 

Expo. 

The fourth edition of the 

annual, all-things-health 

event is set for 9 a.m.-1 

p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at 

the Tinley Park Convention 

Center. 

The expo is to feature 

healthy-cooking demonstrations, 

speakers, workout 

classes, upward of 70 

vendors running the gamut 

of wellness and more. As 

usual, admission is free. 

Attendees are asked to 

register at 22ndCentury 

Media.com/healthy. 

Organizers expect more 

than 800 guests to take in 

the activities, said Heather 

Warthen, 22nd Century 

Media’s chief events officer. 

“It’s a great event for 

capitalizing on New Year’s 

resolutions and for people 

who may have already 

given up on those goals,” 

Warthen said. “It’s a good 

reminder that, ‘Hey, maybe 

you shouldn’t give up 

on those resolutions.’” 

The day kicks off with a 

cooking class led by chef 

Tim Baran, of Joliet Junior 

College’s culinary arts 

program, and a presentation 

on healthy eating tips 

from Kimberly Kramer, a 

UChicago Medicine registered 

dietitian. Food-focused 

programming con- 

Please see HLX, 8 

If you go: Healthy Living Expo 

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 

Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 

Convention Center Drive 

Fitness class schedule 

• 9:30-10 a.m. Cardio Party with Britt 

• 10-10:30 a.m. Fred Astaire 

• 10:45-11:15 a.m. The Edge Fitness 

Club 

• 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. TRG Exclusive 

Fit Club & Salon 

• 12-12:30 p.m. Fred Astaire 

• 12:30-1 p.m. TRG Exclusive Fit Club 

& Salon 

Speaker schedule 

• 9-9:30 a.m. Cooking demo — Chef 

Tim Baran, Joliet Junior College 

Culinary Arts 

• 9:35-9:55 a.m. “Healthy Eating Tips 

to Start the New Year Right” — Kimberly 

Kramer, registered dietitian, UChicago 

Medicine 

• 10-10:30 a.m. Cooking demo — Carly 

Feldmeier, Nurturing through Nature 

• 10:35-10:55 a.m. “Stuck in a 

Rut? Meal Planning Tips to Start the 

New Year Right” — Kimberly Kramer, 

registered dietitian, UChicago 

Medicine 

• 11-11:30 a.m. Cooking demo — Chef 

Tom Grotovsky, The Unforgettable Chef 

• 12-12:30 p.m. Cooking demo — Chef 

Tim Bucci, Joliet Junior College Culinary 

Arts 

Vendors 

• 22nd Century Media 

• Amare Global 

• Audrey McFarlin State Farm 

Insurance 

• Beautycounter - Lauren Costello 

• Body & Brain Yoga, Tai Chi 

• Brannigan Chiropractic Center 

• Caption Call 

• Cardio Party with Britt 

• Cherish A Peace of Nature 

• Chiro One Wellness Centers 

• ClearCaptions 

• Color Street - Tracy Swanson 

• Country Financial 

• Crook & Marker 

• doTERRA 

• Edward Jones - David Sesterhenn, 

Financial Advisor 

• Elite Care Management 

• Elite Rehabilitation Institute 

• eSCENTials Aroma 

• Essentially 3B’s (body + blends = 

balance) 

• Family First Medical Group 

• Frankfort Circus Center 

• Fred Astaire Mokena 

• Greenhouse Group 

• Happy Coffee with Cathy 

• Health From Within 

• Heartland CannAssist - Quality CBD 

since 2015 

• Hempology CBD Store 

• Humana 

• ID Life 

• Independently Driven 

• Irish Greens Farm 

• It Works 

• Juicy Luzy Sangria 

• Kintsugi Wellness 

• LeafFilter Gutter Protection 

• Lifestyle & Oils LLC 

• Mercy Home for Boys & Girls 

• NEW YOU CBD 

• Nurturing through Nature 

• Oberweis Dairy Home Delivery 

• Parkview Orthopaedic Group 

• Partner 4 Health 

• Passanante’s Home Food Services 

• Physicians Immediate Care 

• Power Crunch 

• Power Home Remodeling 

• Progressive Radiology 

• Quidel 

• Reign Body Fuel 

• Renewal by Andersen 

• Riverside Health 

• St. Jude’s Children’s Research 

Hospital 

• Tea Bone 

• TeMi Beads 

• Tendaji Body Oils 

• The Edge Fitness Clubs 

• Thrive by Le-Vel 

• Total Life Changes 

• TRG Exclusive Fit Club & Salon 

• UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial 

• Ventimiglia Realty Partners 

• Versiti Blood Center of Illinois 

• Vitalife 

• Young Living Essential Oils 

• Weight No More



How to stick to the ‘workout more’ New Year’s resolution 


One of the most popular 

New Year’s resolutions is 

“I want to go to the gym 

more.” Most have either 

said it themselves, or had 

a friend or family member 

say it. 

While it can be a great 

resolution to have, going 

into the new year without 

any sort of plan, can be a 

key contributor as to what 

kills that resolution before 

the end of January. 

Reclaim Fitness trainer 

Kurk Schulte has seen 

those resolutions succeed, 

but he has also seen them 

fail. So, he has some tips 

for people who have set 

those resolutions, to stick 

with them. 

Three focuses he recommends 

are: 

1. Set a goal. 

2. Set a time frame. 

3. Stick to the goal and 

time frame. 

“The biggest issue that 

people come across is that 

they don’t have a goal and 

they don’t have a time 

frame,” he said. “The new 

year comes around, they 

say ‘I need to start working 

out, I need to get back 

in shape and healthy this 

year, so I’m going to start 

going to the gym,’ but they 

don’t really dive down 

deep to say what they want 

to do.” 

The people who stick 

with their New Year’s 

Resolution have a specific 

goal and a specific time 

frame to achieve the goal. 

“If people say, ‘I want to 

drop 15 pounds because I 

have a wedding coming 

up in May, Memorial Day 

weekend, for example, if 

they say ‘I need to drop 15 

pounds before the wedding 

so I can look my best that 

weekend,’ it gives them 

something they can shoot 

for,” Schulte said. 

When people go in 

blind is when they taper 

off and go back to their 

old habits. 

And another thing 

Schulte and the other trainers 

at Reclaim Fitness tell 

members, especially when 

they get discouraged in the 

beginning stages, is that 

the 15 pounds they want to 

lose, was not put on in one 

month. 

“Those 15 pounds 

aren’t going to come off 

in just one month,” he 

said. “Those 15 pounds 

of healthy weight is going 

to take time and dedication. 

But it comes back to 

having a goal and a time 

frame.” 

Call 

Another tip that Schulte 

gives to people trying to 

start the new year off right 

with going to the gym, is 

to create a realistic schedule. 

Typically, three-to-four 

days is a good place to 

start, he said, and increasing 

as time goes on. 

One thing Reclaim has 

implemented to drive that 

idea home is a program 

called Tribe 21/90. The 

tribe part is the community 

of people working together 

and the 21/90 part refers to 

the time to create and hold 

on to a habit. 

“Twenty-one days is 

usually what it takes to 

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create a habit to start really 

getting into the motion,” 

he said. “Ninety 

days is when you turn it 

almost into a lifestyle. We 

have it here in New Lenox 

and the Mokena location, 

where you’re doing that 

collectively with a group 

of people, where you’re 

committing to 21 days to 

really get going and then 

90 days turning into a lifestyle 

change.” 

It is done to help people 

stick with their fitness 

journey and hold them accountable 

to it. 

The program also gives 

people a variety of workouts 

to keep it fresh, challenging 

and exciting, 

Schulte said. The program’s 

workouts range 

from 30-45 minutes. 

Those interested in that 

program or becoming a 

member can learn more 

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about it by stopping in at 

the New Lenox location, 

1325 E. Lincoln Highway 

or in Mokena, 19816 S. 

LaGrange Road. 

Schulte added that trying 

to keep workouts consistent 

is key, too, and trying 

to find which time of 

the day best suits a schedule. 

The last thing to keep in 

mind, he said, is to focus 

on nutrition. 

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8 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot community 


Auggie 

The Adducci Family, New Lenox residents 

Some nicknames we call him include 

Auggie Doggie, Augustine, Auggielicious 

and Scheister. We picked Auggie up from 

Texas on Nov. 18, 2018 at 9 weeks old. 

Auggie loves to chase falling leaves, 

chew toilet paper and give tons of puppy 

kisses. He inspires us to walk daily and 

laugh. We love him so much and ask for 

God’s many blessings to ensure good 

health and a long happy life with us. 

Would you like to see your pet pictured as The 

New Lenox Patriot’s Pet of the Week? Send 

your pet’s photo and a few sentences explaining why your pet is outstanding to Editor 

Sean Hastings at sean@NewLenoxPatriot.com or 11516 W. 183rd St., Office Condo 3, 

Suite SW, Orland Park, Ill. 60467. 

APRIL BLAIR 

Broker 

New Lenox Girl Scouts pose for a photo with members of the Joshua Arms Senior 

Living center in Joliet. Photo Submitted 

Girl Scouts bring joy to senior living center 

Submitted by Girl Scouts 

Girl Scouts from Troops 750 and 1249 

took their annual visit to Joshua Arms Senior 

Living in Joliet. The girls provided 

an evening of holiday joy to the residents. 

Announcements 

Happy Birthday, Sophie Klosowski! 

Sophie turns Sweet 16 on Jan. 

13. 

Dear Sophie, 

Always know we love you and are 

proud of you and wish you a very 

Happy Birthday. 

Love, Grandma and Grandpa 

Families provided treats to share along 

with many bingo prizes. The girls sang 

holiday songs with the residents. This was 

the biggest turnout with close to 45 residents 

and 15 scouts. 

photo 

submitted 

Make a FREE announcement in 

The New Lenox Patriot. We will 

publish birth, birthday, military, 

engagement, wedding and anniversary 

announcements free of 

charge. Announcements are due 

the Thursday before publication. 

To make an announcement, email 


• Lifelong resident of the 

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hlx 

From Page 6 

tinues through the morning 

and early afternoon. 

“People get exposed to a 

lot of ideas, like meal planning, 

through social media 

but may have no idea how 

to start,” Warthen said. 

“The speakers are there to 

get them going in the right 

direction.” 

Another portion of the 

expo hall will be dedicated 

to half-hour fitness courses 

led by Fred Astaire Dance 

Studio and TRG Exclusive 

Fit Club & Salon, among 

others. 

“We’ll have a lot of cardio 

and dance, so it should 

be a lot of fun,” Warthen 

said. 

Healthy Living also is to 

feature health screenings 

and a blood drive led by 

Versiti Blood Center of Illinois. 

Blood donors will be 

given $10 Noodles & Company 

gift certificates while 

the supply of certificates 

lasts. The first 300 attendees 

will get a free stress bag 

and tote bag. 

Vendors cover a wide 

variety of specialties, including 

beauty, yoga, 

chiropractic, rehabilitation, 

scents and aroma, 

traditional and holistic 

medicine, food and, in a 

Healthy Living first, cannabidiol, 

or CBD. CBD is 

a non-hallucinogenic compound 

found in cannabis 

that has rapidly grown in 

popularity in recent years 

and is thought to offer a 

multitude of health benefits. 

“We’ve seen a lot 

more of these businesses 

popping up,” Warthen 

said. “One of our goals 

is always to educate attendees 

on what’s new in 

health.” 

It’s part of a focus for 

22nd Century Media on 

getting the New Year’s 

first month off the right 

start. 

“We’re hoping to get everyone 

together for a great 

time and to get rid of those 

extra Christmas cookies,” 

Warthen said.

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com new lenox 


MAGNOLIA DESIGN AND 

CONSIGN PRESENTS: 

Classes 

Available: 

> 2 Year Olds - Mon/Wed or Tue/Thur 

> 3 Year Olds - Mon/Wed, 

Tue/Thur or Mon-Thur 

> 4 Year Olds - Mon-Thur 

Registration for the 2020-2021 school year 

opens on Wed, Jan 15th. 

More information about St. Peter’s 

Preschool can be found on our website: 

www.stpeterspreschool.com 

or by emailing Mrs. B, Director, 

at mrsb@stpeters-preschool.com 

Website 

www.stpeters-preschool.com 

Email: 

mrsb@stpeters-preschool.com 

Address: 

12 W Saulk Trail Frankfort, IL 60423 

Stage to Sell 

for Spring! 

with Maria Miller 

If you are thinking about selling this year 

or just to change the look of your home... 

Then this is the event for you! 

Learn the 2020 home staging trends 

while having appetizers, drinks and prizes! 

Thursday, February 6 

5:30-7:00pm 

Demonstration starts at 6 

Magnolia Design and Consign 

15445 South 94th Avenue 

Orland Park 

RSVP at 708-945-3215 or 

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www.facebook.com/mariamillerhomes 

THANK YOU TO OUR TEAM! 

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foreveru 

From Page 3 

as my own,” he said. “I 

could never abandon them. 

Sometimes kids have bailed 

and stopped talking to me 

and stopped participating in 

our programs, but then they 

come back and we pick up 

where we left off. There’s 

never any grudges.” 

Hesslau believes some 

of the students he deals 

with don’t need treatment, 

though of course some do, 

but he strongly believes in 

one principle: People need 

people. 

“I feel for the outcasts, 

the kids sitting by themselves 

at lunch and having 

a difficult time,” he said. 

“I just want to give them a 

chance to realize that someone 

cares. I think that’s 

huge. 

“They just need people 

who are going to listen. 

Once we have an actual 

brick and mortar and it’s 

a site they can see, we’ll 

inform communities that 

ForeverU is coming to New 

Lenox [and] what is going 

to be happening. We’ll reintroduce 

the mission.” 

He truly believes they are 

saving lives. He had a student 

share a story at the end 

of a retreat like they usually 

do and the student said they 

were thinking about committing 

suicide, but ForeverU 

helped them see they 

have something to live for. 

Suicide was part of the 

start of ForeverU when 

Hesslau was in high school. 

Hesslau is hopeful that 

those who are struggling 

find out about ForeverU’s 

services, and, with that motivation 

in mind, he plans 

to continue building ForeverU. 

ForeverU broke up the 

fundraising into different 

phases to handle the estimated 

$280,000-$300,000 

operating budget. The 

goal right now is to raise 

$80,000 to get the doors 

open, as they are figuring 

that is enough to carry 

through a year or two. 

He is looking for local 

business owners who believe 

in the vision he has and 

would like to help. Those 

interested can email Hesslau 

at ryan@foreverumove 

ment.org, as he said he 

would like to just have 15 

minutes of time over a cup 

of coffee to discuss financial 

partnership. 

“We really want this to 

be an energetic, fast-paced 

facility with social impact 

happening,” he said. 

“There’s so many challenges 

in the world right 

now. If we can give the kids 

tools to show the world 

what they’re made of, we’re 

in a really good place.” 

Those interested in 

ForeverU’s services can 

register at foreverumove 

ment.org. The website also 

offers more information on 

the retreats, after-school 

programs and more. 

Additionally, if one is 

interested in supporting 

the organization, they can 

attend the annual gala on 

March 14 at Tuscany Falls 

in Mokena. 

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Sparkling Service - Old Value - Brilliant Results 

Police Reports 

Former Walmart employee allegedly steals 

merchandise valued at over $2,188 from store 

Kiera S. Wair, 19, of 1523 

E. 62nd St. in Chicago, was 

charged with theft on Dec. 

21. Wair reportedly was an 

employee at Walmart, 501 

E. Lincoln Highway and, 

while employed, took over 

$2,188 worth of various 

items. The complainant explained 

that on 10 different 

occasions, Wair scanned 

items at the self-checkout 

and canceled the sale. Wair 

would then take the merchandise, 

police said. 

Dec. 30 

• Vanessa E. Tillman-Johnson, 

45, 1204 Justice Lake 

Drive, Joliet, was charged 

with retail theft after she reportedly 

had taken alcohol 

valued at approximately 

$191.94 from Target, 2370 

E. Lincoln Highway. 

• Kimberly Watkins, 43, 

1937 Yale Ave., Chicago 

Heights, was charged with 

theft after she reportedly 

scanned items at a lower 

price to purchase them 

from Walmart, 501 E. Lincoln 

Highway, while she 

was employed at the store. 

The total loss was approximately 

$100. 

Dec. 28 

• Ivanna Travis, 27, 601 

Pasadena Ave, Crest Hill, 

was charged with retail 


stole various items valued 

at approximately $46 from 

Walmart, 501 E. Lincoln 

Highway, placed them in 

Target bags and left without 

paying. 

• Michelle L. Wagner, 62, 

509 Pueblo Drive, was 

charged with retail theft after 

she reportedly had taken 

items valued at over $172 

from Walmart, 501 E. Lincoln 

Highway. 

Dec. 26 

• Melissa J. Buss, 40, 1004 

McCameron Ave., Lockport, 

was charged with 

DUI. Police said an officer 

on patrol observed a vehicle 

speeding, conducted 

a traffic stop, met with the 

driver, Buss, and learned 

she was driving under the 

influence of alcohol. 

• A male subject reportedly 

stole Huggies Diapers from 

Walgreens, 466 Nelson 

Road, valued at $43. 

Dec. 24 

• Robert A. Startz, 66, 731 

Ogden Road, was charged 

with DUI. Police said an 

officer was dispatched to 

the 600 block of W. Maple 

Street in reference to a possible 

intoxicated driver who 

had struck the donation box 

while leaving the drive 

thru. The officer arrived 

and reportedly observed 

multiple traffic violations, 

conducted and traffic stop 

and met with the driver, 

Startz, and learned he was 

driving under the influence 

of alcohol. 

Dec. 23 

• Branden Perez, 19, 

419 Mills Road, Joliet, 


theft. The complainant 

at Walmart, 501 E. Lincoln 

Highway, advised 

that Perez reportedly had 

taken clothing, books and 

medication without paying. 

The items were valued at 

$94.34. 

• Nicole Majchrzak, 40, 

3544 W. 157 St., Markham, 



took clothing items valued 

at $156 from Walmart, 501 

E. Lincoln Highway. 

• A resident in the 2800 

block of Gifford Place 

reportedly had their unlocked 

vehicle entered 

while it was parked in their 

driveway overnight. A 

fluke multimeter and a pair 

of sunglasses were stolen, 

police said. 


block of Doxbury Court reportedly 

had three of their 

unlocked vehicles entered 

while parked in the roadway 

overnight. Shoes and 

two purses were stolen, police 

said. 


block of Rebecca Drive 

reportedly had two of their 

unlocked vehicles entered 

while they were parked in 

their driveway overnight. 

A purse and a camera were 

stolen, police said. 

• James E. Gomez, 33, 

1328 Ridgewood Ave., Joliet, 


theft after he reportedly had 

taken seven bottles of alcohol 

from Jewel Osco, 2021 

E. Laraway Road. Police 

said Gomez was confronted 

by the complainant 

and the Gomez pushed 

the complainant multiple 

times in attempt to leave 

the store. Police said Gomez 

initially provided false 

identification. 

Dec. 22 

• Alycya J. Ellis, 20, 2 Peale 

St., Joliet, was charged with 

retail theft after she reportedly 

had taken food, clothing 

and electronics valued 

at $71.63 from Walmart, 

501 E. Lincoln Highway. 

Dec. 21 

• Jazmyne Wright, 30, 6104 

S. Rockwell St., Chicago, 



had taken clothing valued 

at $31.44 from Walmart, 

501 E. Lincoln Highway. 

Dec. 20 

• Omar Crowley, 53, 9126 

S. Daughpin Ave., Chicago, 


theft after he reportedly 

had taken alcohol valued at 

$435.85 from Jewel Osco, 

2021 E. Laraway Road. 

The complainant described 

the vehicle Crowley left in 

and officers from a neighboring 

town made contact 

with Crowley on a traffic 

stop. Officers located the 

stolen alcohol in the vehicle 

he was in. 

Dec. 15 

• Katie M. Johnston, 24, 

540 Scribner St., Joliet, 

was charged with DUI. An 

officer was dispatched to 

the 600 block of W. Maple 

St. in reference to a possible 

intoxicated driver 

who was in the drive thru. 

The officer located and 

followed the vehicle and 

witnessed a violation and 

conducted a traffic stop on 

the vehicle. The officer met 

with the driver, Johnston, 

and learned she was driving 

under the influence of 

alcohol. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: The 

New Lenox Patriot’s Police 

Reports are compiled from 

official reports found online 

on the New Lenox Police Department’s 

website or releases 

issued by the department and 

other agencies. Anyone listed 

in these reports is considered 

to be innocent of all charges 

until proven guilty in a court 

of law.



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OPPORTUNITY

12 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot school 


The new lenox patriot’s 

Standout Student 

Sponsored by Marquette Bank 

Nicole Hague 

Noonan Academy first-grader 

What is one essential you must have 

when studying? 

I like to use my dry erase board to study. 

What do you like to do when not in 

school or studying? 

I play by doing pull-ups with my brothers 

or tripods with my sister. 

When is your dream job? 

I want to be a police officer so I can 

save the world. 

What are some of your most played 

songs on your iPod? 

LOL. I don’t have an iPod but the song 

“30 point Buck” is funny. 

What is one thing people don’t know 

about you? 

That I have a dog. 

What do you keep under your bed? 

I have a bed tent, toys and my art kit. 

Who is your favorite teacher and why? 

Mrs. Pignotti because she’s fun. 

therapy 

From Page 5 

“We put so much pressure on ourselves, 

and we all have different areas of 

expertise,” he said. “We come together 

and have a long-term vision in place. We 

are not taking and shortcuts.” 

With a mission to give back to the 

community, Westside also created The 

Westside Foundation to help families 

with the financial costs of therapy. 

“With health care costs rising, more of 

that cost is being pushed on the patients,” 

photo submitted 

What extracurricular(s) do you wish your 

school had? 

After school art program. 

If you could change one thing about school 

what would it be? 

Desserts for our lunches 

What’s your best memory from school? 

I love our school picnic. It’s the best 

time with our friends. 

Standout Student is a weekly feature for The 

New Lenox Patriot. Nominations come from 

New Lenox area schools. 

Mark Cassidy said. “We are finding families 

are suffering, especially families 

with children who have special needs. 

So, we have a foundation for anyone in 

Illinois with a kid who had special needs. 

They can apply for services to help alleviate 

the financial burden of care for 

their children.” 

For more information on Westside 

Children’s Therapy, visit westsidechild 

renstherapy.com. For more information 

on The Westside Foundation, visit 

westsidegivesback.org. 

visit us online at newlenoxpatriotdaily.com 

School News 

Grand Valley State University 

New Lenox woman named 

to dean’s list 

Megan Cosgrove was 

named to the dean’s list for 

earning an average GPA of 

3.5 or higher for the fall 

semester. 

Southeast Missouri State 

University 

NL woman’s grades earn 

her spot on dean’s list 

Miriam Gorecki was 




semester. 

Lincoln-Way students compete in 

annual bridge building competition 

Submitted by Lincoln-Way District 210 

Every year, students at all three Lincoln-Way 

schools build a model bridge 

and test its strength in the annual Bridge 

Building Competition. The schools participated 

the week of Dec. 9. 

Students were given a kit with 15 twofoot 

pieces of basswood and specifications 

for this year’s contest. Then, using 

glue, they design unique concepts and test 

its strength by seeing how much weight it 

will hold before it breaks. The bridge with 

the highest structural efficiency wins. Efficiency 

is determined by dividing the 

mass held by the mass of the bridge. 

The contest is open to all students, but 

the majority are those in physics and engineering 

classes. 

The top four winners from each school 

will go on to compete in the regional contest 

at the Illinois Institute of Technology 

in Chicago on Jan. 28. The top two in that 

competition will represent the region in 

the international contest in spring 2020. 

The top four from Lincoln-Way Central 

were Kenneth Harris, Kaitlyn Bittner, 

Hannah Luming, and Matt Stillman. 

The top four from Lincoln-Way East 

were Jacob Falejczyk, Jackson Seida, Tori 

Entwistle, and Davey Fitzpatrick. 

The top four from Lincoln-Way West 

were Sydney Swanberg, Isabel Tuckett, 

Dylan Wasilewski, and Carly Kaiser. 

Belmont University 

Dean’s list has New Lenox 

student’s name on it 

Abigail Hauschild was 




semester. 

University of St. Francis 

Group of New Lenox 

students named to dean’s 

list 

Nathan Aftanas, Valerie 

Avalos, Riley Brandt, 

Dominic Cooper, Joshua 

Cosgrove, Shane Cummins, 

Lindsay Czarnowski, 

Madison Eckberg, 

Clayton Ferm, 

Brandon Jarosz, Ryan 

Korte, Aaron Michalak, 

Kaylynn Pinder, John 

Saffrahn, Dylan Schultz, 

Shea Soraghan, Makayla 

Turner, Marissa Valencia, 

Katherine Wozniak 

and Lauren Wozniak 

were named to the dean’s 

list for earning an average 

GPA of 3.5 or higher for 

the fall semester. 

Compiled by Sean Hastings, 

Editor, sean@newlenoxpa 

triot.com. 

LW West student Isabella Gira tests her 

bridge during the competition. Photo 

submitted


the new lenox patriot | January 9, 2020 | 13



FROM THE MOKENA MESSENGER 

Girl Scouts seek creative, 

colorful future 

Choosing shades of 

blue, purple and pink, 

5-year-old Cole Nappo, 

of Mokena, enjoyed a 

morning of painting a 

sweet cupcake on a canvas 

while learning more 

about Girl Scouts. 

“I used my favorite colors,” 

she said, sharing her 

plans to hang her colorful 

new artwork in her bedroom. 

Held Dec. 28 at Mokena 

Community Public 

Library District, the Girl 

Scouts recruiting event 

garnered the interest of 

several area families. 

The experience was 

geared toward reaching 

out to girls in kindergarten 

and first grade. 

“It’s our first time doing 

canvas painting as a 

recruitment event,” said 

Lynn Lode, treasurer and 

event coordinator for the 

Mokena Girl Scouts, and 

a 20-year volunteer with 

the organization. “We 

learned about the idea 

from a troop who did this 

in Merrillville, [Indiana].” 

For Lincoln-Way-area 

girls, there are plenty of 

events in which to participate 

with their local Girl 

Scouts. 

“We have a motherdaughter 

PJ party coming 

up in January, a tubing 

trip to Wilmot Mountain 

in February and, of 

course, [we started] selling 

our famous cookies 

on Jan. 1, which teaches 

the girls about entrepreneurship 

and business, 

and also raises the funds 

to do the things we do,” 

said Jean Lachat, service 

unit manager for the Mokena 

Girl Scouts, who has 

volunteered for 15 years. 

Reporting by Beth Krooswyk, 

Freelance Reporter. 

For more, visit MokenaMes 

sengerDaily.com. 

FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND 

Young, Goodings Grove 

among schools to 

participate in The Crayon 

Initiative 

As part of a collaboration 

with the Homer Glen 

Junior Woman’s Club, 

Young School and Goodings 

Grove School are 

among local schools that 

have started collecting 

used and broken crayons 

for The Crayon Initiative. 

Crayons are melted and 

pressed into new wax to 

give to children’s hospitals 

around the country, 

and help the environment 

by keeping harmful materials 

out of landfills. 

“We started rolling out 

the program in September,” 

said Melissa Jelenik, 

chairwoman of the Woman’s 

Club’s Educational 

Committee. “The schools 

that have responded have 

already shown great interest.” 

Since this is the first 

time the Woman’s Club 

has implemented the program, 

Jelenik is unsure of 

how many crayons will be 

collected, but she is hopeful 

the program will make 

an impact on the children 

who receive them. 

“I’m hoping to get several 

pounds of crayons 

rounded up,” Jelenik said. 

“We plan on finally collecting 

all of them in May 

from the schools.” 

The Crayon Initiative 

works with dozens of 

partner hospitals across 

visit us online at 


the United States, along 

with several in Illinois. 

“I like that they had 

multiple different ways 

to get involved in the 

program,” Jelenik said. 

“They make it very easy 

to [serve] them, with 

things like discounted 

shipping for charities.” 

Estimates from the 

Initiative claim that one 

20-pound box of crayons 

yields enough to give 125 

children an eight-pack of 

crayons to brighten their 

hospital stays. Young 

School has participated in 

the initiative since the beginning 

of the school year 

and has a box set up in the 

main office. 

Reporting by Derek Swanson, 

Editorial Intern. For 

more, visit LockportLegend 

Daily.com. 

FROM THE ORLAND PARK 

PRAIRIE 

Youth creativity soars 

during library’s first 

paper plane contest 

On Dec. 26, children 

tried their paper airplanemaking 

skills at the Orland 

Park Public Library 

as part of the first Paper 

Plane Championship 

Challenge. 

Children’s librarian 

Alex Pappas came up 

with the idea and said the 

rules of the competition 

were simple. 

“I encourage you to 

make a lot,” Pappas said 

to the 10 children who assembled 

for the competition. 

Children won based on 

design, distance and art, 

among other categories, 

and every child left with 

candy and a book. The 

program lasted the better 

part of an hour that afternoon. 

While the library provided 

how-to books for 

making effective paper 

airplanes, Pappas said 

the contest was less about 

technical proficiency than 

having fun. Even so, he 

offered some suggestions 

to would-be paper plane 

pilots. 

“If you’re throwing a 

paper plane and you’re 

throwing it as hard as 

you can, it’ll probably go 

straight into the ground,” 

Papppas told the children. 

He urged them to throw 

their creations “nice and 

gentle.” 

Pappas said he arrived 

at the idea of a plane contest 

because Wright Brothers 

Day was Dec. 17. The 

federally recognized observation 

marks the day 

when the first heavierthan-air 

craft successfully 

launched in 1903 at Kitty 

Hawk, North Carolina. 

Pappas explained that paper 

aircraft are a familiar 

way to introduce youths 

into design. 

“I think they’re a good 

teaching tool,” he said. 

“I don’t know how often 

you’ll see paper planes 

in schools these days, but 

they’re fun to show off 

and throw.” 

Reporting by Jesse Wright, 

Freelance Reporter. For 

more, visit OPPrairieDaily. 

com. 

FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION 

Children ring in 2020 at 

New Year’s Countdown 

The Frankfort Park District’s 

New Year’s Countdown, 

which culminated 

at noon on New Year’s 

Eve with a balloon drop, 

gave Frankfort’s youngest 

residents a chance to 

share in the end-of-year 

celebrations. 

The young crowd was 

happy to spend the morning 

of Dec. 31 participating 

in New Year’s-themed 

activities at the Founders 

Community Center. 

“We’re ending 2019 

with a countdown to the 

New Year,” said Cali 

DeBella, special events 

coordinator for the Frankfort 

Park District. “These 

kids are having fun coloring, 

[playing] little games 

and more. If they can’t 

celebrate at midnight, 

they’re celebrating here at 

noon.” 

To make the event run 

smoothly, teen volunteers 

from the Lincoln-Way 

schools helped the young 

visitors have fun. One of 

the girls, Lincoln-Way 

East junior Kayleigh Hanlon, 

played Jenga with the 

children. 

“I had nothing else to 

do today, so I thought I 

would come out and help 

the kids and earn some 

service hours,” Hanlon 

said. 

The Frankfort teen said 

she has volunteered five 

other times at the Frankfort 

Park District. 

“These kids are so funny,” 

Hanlon said. “I really 

enjoy doing this.” 

As noon approached, 

DeBella and the teen volunteers 

ushered the children 

to a room filled with 

party decorations. Each 

child was presented with 

a noisemaker and colored 

glasses with 2020 on 

them. The children stood 

underneath a bag of balloons, 

stretching their 

hands out toward the ceiling 

as the countdown began. 

Reporting by Mary Compton, 

Freelance Reporter. For 

more, visit FrankfortStation 

Daily.com. 

FROM THE HOMER HORIZON 

Moms, their children 

celebrate New Year with 

Stroller Strides workout 

The New Year hit at 

11 a.m. for mothers and 

their children working out 

during a Stroller Strides 

workout session held Dec. 

31 at MPX Elite Fitness in 

Homer Glen. 

Mothers brought their 

young children in strollers 

and completed a workout 

that incorporated their 

children every step of 

the way. They did jump 

squats during which they 

would tickle their children 

when popping up, 

and pushed their strollers 

as they jogged around the 

gym before celebrating 

the New Year 13 hours 

before midnight. 

Michelle Marinello, 

owner of a local franchise 

of Fit 4 Mom that produces 

the Stroller Strides 

workout, said it can be 

difficult for parents of 

young children to stay up 

until midnight, so the idea 

of having the ball drop at 

11 a.m. is “genius.” 

“Their kids still get 

to be a part of the whole 

New Year’s Eve concept 

and be exposed to the fun 

that’s associated with the 

New Year,” Marinello 

said. “But now, the moms 

can go home and get a 

good night’s sleep. 

“That’s the whole concept; 

we want kids to be a 

part of things and tie them 

in to everything.” 

The new decade was 

made official at 11 a.m. 

when the adults gathered 

balloons into a parachute 

and let them rain down 

over the children there. 

Kelly Dennis, while 

resting with her 4-yearold 

daughter Madelyn, 

said she regularly attends 

the local Fit 4 Mom workouts 

because she likes the 

community. 

“All the moms are awesome,” 

Dennis said. 

Reporting by Benjamin Conboy, 

Assistant Editor. For 

more, visit HomerHorizon 

Daily.com.

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com sound off 


Social snapshot 

Top Web Stories 

From NewLenoxPatriotDaily.com as of 

Monday, Jan. 6 

1. Year in Review 2019: Providence 

students shine in and out of classroom 

with ‘Providence Advantage’ 

2. Year in Review 2019: LW West 

celebrates ‘A Decade of Orange’ 

3. Year in Review 2019: New Lenox Park 

District looks back on celebrating 50- 

year anniversary 

4. News You Viewed: Most read stories in 

2019 from NewLenoxPatriotDaily.com 

5. Year in Review 2019: NLFPD gets 

new equipment, continues strong 

community involvement in 2019 

Become a member: NewLenoxPatriot.com/plus 

Our 4th - 8th graders had some winter 

break fun at our Just for Tweens Lego 

Club on Friday. Don’t miss our next one on 

Fri., Jan. 24 @ 4:30 pm. Register today! 

https://newlenox.librarymarket.com/justtweens-lego-club-6 

The New Lenox Public Library posted this 

on Dec. 30 

Like The New Lenox Patriot: facebook.com/ 

TheNewLenoxPatriot 

@LWWestWarriors tweeted this Dec. 31 

Follow The New Lenox Patriot: @TheNLPatriot 

From the Editor 

How do you hold yourself to 

your New Year’s resolution? 

Sean Hastings 


I 

set a New Year’s 

resolution nearly every 

year and by the end 

of the year, I forget what 

it was. For 2019, it was 

probably get in the gym 

more, or eat healthier. I 

have no clue. 

Like most, I find the 

resolution somewhat easy 

to stick to that first month 

or so. We’re all hyped up 

about the new year, our 

resolutions are still fresh 

in our minds and we’re 

excited about them. 

But come the middle of 

February, our busy lives 

sometimes tend to get in 

the way of some of our 

resolutions. We may slip 

up one day one week, then 

a couple the next, and 

before we know it, we’re 

back to our old habits. 

The big part, at least for 

me, is that we lose sight of 

why we chose that goal in 

the first place. I for one do 

not hold myself accountable 

to be in the gym more 

times each week. I tell 

myself I’m too busy or too 

tired, and weeks go by before 

I’m back sometimes. 

I have time. I just tell 

myself I don’t. Just like 

Kurt Schulte, a Reclaim 

Fitness trainer, said in 

the story on Page 7, we 

tell ourselves we want to 

have these goals, but have 

no plan to reach them. 

They’re just loose goals. 

I kept that same goal 

for 2020. Except now I’m 

trying to find a way to get 

there. Sometimes after 

work, I go straight home 

thinking I’ll get ready 

to go back. It’s comical, 

because I never do. Now, I 

pack a bag every morning 

and as I drive home, 

it stares me in the face, 

almost guilting me into 

going. 

I tell myself it’s one 

hour better spent there 

than on the couch. I 

won’t share my personal 

goals, but I do have them 

in mind and I’m taking 

Schulte’s advice and going 

to stick to it. 

Why do you want to go 

to the gym more? When 

do you hope to reach your 

goal? 

That goes for anything. 

If you want to eat healthier 

and cut sweets out of your 

CONTACT 

diet, how are you going to 

make it happen? Will you 

plan your meals each day? 

What will you eat instead 

of that bowl of ice cream? 

Instead of ordering that 

burger when you go out to 

eat, what will you order? 

A New Year’s resolution 

could be something 

as simple as being more 

organized. What was the 

problem and why is that 

your resolution? Will you 

buy a planner? Will you 

use the calendar on the 

phone that you’re always 

on? 

We have plenty of ways 

to hold ourselves accountable 

to stick to our New 

Year’s resolutions, but 

we set these goals with 

no plan on how to reach 

them. 

We need to give ourselves 

a shot at completing 

these goals; if we don’t, 

we’re just saying nonsense. 

Sound Off Policy 

Editorials and columns are the opinions of the author. Pieces from 

22nd Century Media are the thoughts of the company as a whole. 

The New Lenox Patriot encourages readers to write letters to Sound 

Off. All letters must be signed, and names and hometowns will be 

published. We also ask that writers include their address and phone 

number for verification, not publication. Letters should be limited 

to 400 words. The New Lenox Patriot reserves the right to edit 

letters. Letters become property of The New Lenox Patriot. Letters 

that are published do not reflect the thoughts and views of The 

New Lenox Patriot. Letters can be mailed to: The New Lenox Patriot, 

11516 West 183rd Street, Unit SW Office Condo #3, Orland 

Park, Illinois, 60467. Fax letters to (708) 326-9179 or e-mail to 

sean@newlenoxpatriot.com. 

www.newlenoxpatriot.com. 

‘Tis the season to 

advertise in 


LORA HEALY 

708.326.9170 ext. 31 l.healy@22ndcenturymedia.com 

®

16 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot new lenox 


THANK YOU FOR VOTING US 

BEST SENIOR LIVING FOR 

THREE YEARS IN A ROW!!! 

STERK FAMILY LAW GROUP NAMES MORNINGSTAR 

MISSION AS THEIR FIRST CHARITY OF THE MONTH 

WHAT MAKES TINLEY COURT DIFFERENT 

THAN ALL THE REST? 

Tinley Court offers a Unique Lifestyle of Catered Senior Living 

All Residents monthly fees include: 

• 3 Chef Prepared meals served to you by professional wait staff 

• Full Daily activity program which includes entertainment & trips 

• Wellness Center offering podiatry, therapy, x-ray, lab, hearing 

& dental services without having to leave the building 

• Weekly housekeeping 

• Utilities 

• Library, chapel, café, beauty/barber shop 

• Walking distance to Tinley Park shops & restaurants 

• Veteran’s Financial Assistance available 

WHAT DOES “CATERED 

SENIOR LIVING” MEAN? 

It means we understand that 

each person has unique needs 

and wants. At Tinley Court 

those needs and wants will 

be met with dignity, 

respect and support. 

Tinley Court strives to nurture individuality with a 

sense of purpose in hopes of enriching one’s life. We offer 

a support system like no other senior community. Staffed 

24 hours for the well-being and security of our residents. 

WINTER 

SPECIAL 

1/2 OFF ENTRANCE 

FEE IF THE DEPOSIT 

PUT DOWN ON DAY OF 

TOURING. LIMITED TIME 

OFFER PLUS $200 OFF 

OF YOUR MONTHLY 

RENT FOR A 12 

MONTH PERIOD. 

PET 

FRIENDLY 

On January 2, 2020, Sterk Family Law, P.C. in Orland Park, Illinois celebrated its 5th 

Anniversary. Sterk Family Law provides a full range of family law and estate planning 

services in Orland Park for clients in Will, Cook and DuPage counties. The Sterk Family 

Law Group team provides a holistic approach to the practice of law and strives to not only 

service a client’s legal needs, but also help manage a client’s emotional and over-all wellbeing 

by establishing connections with a vast network of counselors, support groups, and 

various other non-traditional service providers within local communities by way of the unique 

Resource Center. The Resource Center provides Sterk Family Law clients with access to other 

professionals to help prepare for the next step in their lives. 

To commemorate the 5th Anniversary, Sterk Family Law Group has selected 12 local charities 

to feature on a monthly basis and believe that these organizations exemplify the mission of 

Sterk Family Law Group. Our first featured local charity is Morning Star Mission. 

Since 1909, MorningStar Mission has had one main goal — to help people in need. 

MorningStar Mission is a non-denominational organization dedicated to relieving the 

spiritual and physical hunger of the poor by providing food for the hungry, clothes for the 

needy, shelter for the homeless and the gospel of Jesus Christ for all. Morningstar helps 

people by getting to the core issues of what has caused their homelessness. Regardless of 

whether the problem stems from alcohol, drugs, mental health or family matters, Morningstar 

has programs developed for those who are ready to make a real change in their lives 

At the Mary L. Weitendorf Women & Family Center and through the Reclaim Youth Support 

Ministry, women, children and families have access to numerous resources to get back 

on their feet and live a renewed life. At the East Side Café, MorningStar Mission offers 

three meals, six days a week and two meals on Sunday to homeless and near homeless 

guests. MorningStar also offers a number of programs for homeless and recovering men 

including an Emergency Shelter, 180 Men’s Residential Recovery, Hope House and Veteran’s 

Program. The New Day Drop-In Center provides a safe environment for those experiencing 

homelessness to spend daytime hours, attend services, locate resources and speak with case 

managers. It serves also as a heating and cooling center. Finally, the MorningStar Counseling 

Center provides those who in need with affordable, professional counseling. 

MorningStar Mission is active in the local community and offers various ways for all of us to 

help and become involved. You can give, volunteer, attend events, refer, and become active 

in so many ways. Contact MorningStar for more information at morningstarmission.org. 

Remember, but for the grace of God go I. 

To connect with Sterk Family Law Group, visit sterkfamilylaw.com or call 815-600-8950. 

Most Affordable Senior Living on the Southwest Side!!! 

2017 WINNER 

2018 

WINNER 

2019 

WINNER 

Call 708-532-7800 

TO SCHEDULE A PRIVATE TOUR. 

16301 S Brementowne Rd., 

Tinley Park, IL 60477 

www.tinleycourt.com 

Member of Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce Since 1994 

2019 WINNER 

MorningStar Mission relieves the spiritual and physical hunger of the poor by providing 

food for the hungry, clothing for the homeless and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all. 

Since 1909 MorningStar Mission has served men, women, children and entire families, 

offering the hope for hurting through one-time meals and long-term recovery programs. 

For more information, call us at 815-722-5780 or visit morningstarmission.org

Mom Column 

January’s mom column from our 

contributing columnist focuses on a variety 

of New Year’s resolutions, Page 20 

No bones about it 

Mexican flavor, fun atmosphere highlights of 

dining at Fat Rosie’s, Page 23 

the new lenox patriot | January 9, 2020 | newlenoxpatriotdaily.com 

Tom Kelly’s Chophouse and Pub helps local families celebrate the new year with early 

balloon drop, more, Page 19 

People celebrate as balloons and confetti fall from the ceiling at Tom Kelly’s during the restaurant’s early New Year celebration. Sean hastings/22nd century media

18 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot faith 


FAITH BRIEFS 

Revolution Church (24520 South U.S. 

Highway 52, Manhattan) 

Worship Service 

10 a.m. Sundays. 

United Methodist Church of New Lenox 

(339 W. Haven Ave., New Lenox) 

Contemporary Worship 

Service 

5 p.m. Sundays. A light 

dinner is served after the 

service 

Worship Schedule 

Traditional worship is at 

9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Sundays. 

St. Jude Catholic Church (241 W. Second 

Ave., New Lenox) 

Life in the Spirit Prayer 

Group 

The Life in the Spirit 

Prayer Group will be meeting 

at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, 

Jan. 16. Please join us for 

a journey into a Life in 

the Spirit. Speakers are 

John and Mary Kocourek 

For questions call John or 

Mary at (815) 557-8990 or 

(815) 557-8274. 

Reigniting Catholicism 

7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 

FUNERAL SERVICES DIRECTORY 

22. A 10-part series. Fr. 

Tom McCarthy will be 

the presider — “Jesus and 

You.” This program is to 

learn about faith, ask questions, 

meet more people in 

the church and find ways 

that the Catholic Church 

can be a positive influence 

in their life. 

Bunco for Babies 

6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 

31. Doors open at 6:30 

p.m.. A $10 donation is required. 

Register at stjudes. 

org/register-here. 

Lincoln-Way Christian Church (690 E. 

Illinois Highway, New Lenox) 

Worship Services 

9 and 10:30 a.m. Sundays. 

Grandparents Raising 

Grandchildren 

6:30-8:30 p.m. the 

fourth Thursday of each 

month. Are you a grandmother/grandfather/aunt/ 

uncle or other relative age 

55 or older raising a child 

in place of their parents? 

This support group will 

assist with social and emotional 

support and ideas 

to help you cope with the 

impact of this role on your 

health, emotional wellbeing, 

finances, and family. 

Social skills groups are 

also provided for children 

ages 3-12 with a reservation. 

To reserve a spot, call 

Kimberley Tarcak at the 

Senior Services Center of 

Will County at (815) 740- 

4225. 

Central Presbyterian Church (1101 S. 

Gougar Road, New Lenox) 

Bible Study 

7 p.m. Tuesdays 

(815) 462-0202. 

The Hub (1303 S. Schoolhouse Road, 

New Lenox) 

The Landing 

6:30-8:30 p.m. every 

Wednesday. This is a 

group to help teens break 

free from hurts, hang-ups 

and addictions. There is no 

charge. For more information, 

search for Freedom 

Haus on Facebook. 

Cherry Hill Church of Christ (2749 

Lancaster Drive, Joliet) 

Bible Study 

9:30 a.m. Sundays. 

 

 

 

 

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funeralservices. 

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Trinity Lutheran Church (508 N. Cedar 

Road, New Lenox) 

Services 

5 p.m. Saturdays, 8 a.m. 

and 10:30 a.m. Sundays. 

For more information, call 

(815) 485-6973. 

Christ Mission Church (22811 S. Cedar 


Celebrate Recovery 

7-9 p.m. every Tuesday. 

For anyone struggling with 

hurts, habits, or hang-ups. 

For more information, call 

Deb at (708) 516-6318. 

St. John Orthodox Chapel (112 Church 

Street, New Lenox) 

Sunday Services 

10 a.m. Sundays. After 

the service is Introduction 

to Orthodoxy. Refreshments 

served, Seekers 

are welcome. Visit saint 

johnofchicago.com or call 

(630) 638-9462 

New Life Church (500 Gougar Road, 

New Lenox) 

Intro to New Life 

Church staff offers a 

one-day Intro to New Life 

workshop, which will provide 

the opportunity for 

attendees to engage in an 

in-depth dialogue about 

the church’s mission, beliefs 

and approach to ministry. 

To register, sign up at 

newlifenewlenox.org or 

call the church office at 

Grace Episcopal Church (209 N. Pine 

St., New Lenox) 

Saturday Service 

5 p.m. the first, third 

and fifth Saturday of each 

month. 

Cornerstone Church (1501 S. Gougar 



8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. 

every Sunday. 

Parkview Christian Church (2121 S. 

Schoolhouse Road, New Lenox) 

Worship Services 

4 p.m. Saturdays; 8:30 

a.m., 10 a.m. and 11:30 

a.m. Sundays. 

Peace Lutheran Church (1900 E. Lincoln 

Highway, New Lenox) 

Bible Study 

10 a.m. Every Wednesday. 

For more information, 

call (815) 485-5327. 

The Journey Church (14414 W. Ford 

Drive, New Lenox) 


10 a.m. Sundays. 

Have something for Faith 

Briefs? Contact Editor 

Sean Hastings at sean@ 

newlenoxpatriot.com or 

call (708) 326-9170 ext. 48. 

Information is due by noon 

on Thursdays one week prior 

to publication.

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com life & Arts 


Tom Kelly’s helps locals ring in early New Year 


For some, making it all 

the way until midnight 

is a tough task — especially 

when one has children 

whose bedtimes 

are before midnight. 

Sometimes, those bedtimes 

are the same for the 

parents. 

Tom Kelly’s Chophouse 

and Pub owners Kelly and 

Brett Trumpey have young 

children of their own and 

have dealt with the stress 

of trying to find something 

to do with the children 

on New Year’s Eve. That 

sometimes meant waiting 

in long fast food lines. 

Kelly’s parents, Pat and 

Jerry Lavery, also own the 

restaurant. 

So, Kelly and Brett created 

something for themselves 

and others to enjoy: 

a midday New Year’s Eve 

party. 

“We thought, ‘Why 

don’t we create something 

where the parents can relax, 

kids can have fun, and 

have a free event and open 

it to the community?’” 

Kelly said. “It’s awesome. 

The kids have a blast, parents 

can eat and have a 

couple drinks if they want 

to. 

“We created something 

that we’d want to go to. 

The community has been 

very receptive.” 

It was the second year 

that Tom Kelly’s hosted 

the midday New Year’s 

event and the space was 

packed, almost wall-towall, 

with people anxiously 

waiting for the 2 

p.m. balloon drop. Just 10 

hours before the real drop, 

balloons and confetti fell 

from the restaurant’s ceilings 

to cascade down on a 

group of excited children 

and parents. 

The balloon drop was 

even moved up 30 minutes 

to cater to the excitement 

of the anxious children and 

some of the ones getting a 

little bit tired, further proving 

how tough it can be to 

keep a child fighting it out 

until after midnight. 

But once the balloons 

and confetti fell, confetti 

was rethrown into the air 

and balloons were bounced 

around among the ecstatic 

children. 

For Nicole Stockmal 

and her three children, 

that was their one and only 

New Year’s Eve party. 

“We got here right at 

noon,” she said. “The kids 

love it. I grew up with Kelly, 

so it was nice to know 

the people here.” 

As balloons bounced 

around and confetti flew 

through the air, Stockmal 

danced around with her 

children. 

“The look on the kids’ 

faces for everything we do 

[is my favorite part of the 

holiday season],” she said. 

“We saw the winter lights 

here in New Lenox, Homer 

Glen. They have fun no 

matter what it is. You give 

them balloons and confetti 

and it’s the time of their 

life.” 

Stockmal also noted 

how all of the area’s 

events — Tom Kelly’s 

New Year’s Eve included 

— cater to entire families. 

“The kids are having a 

great time and it’s familyfriendly 

for everybody,” 

she said. “You don’t 

have to worry about anything.” 

Tom Kelly’s also does 

similar celebrations for 

Halloween, Christmas, 

Easter and may have a 

summer kick-off party in 

Brady Andrews, 6, plays with his noisemaker at the Tom Kelly’s New Year’s Eve party. 

Photos by Sean Hastings/22nd Century Media 

2020 as well. 

And for just its second 

year, the New Year’s Eve 

party has grown. Even 

though Kelly was working, 

she was still able to 

enjoy it. She also is glad 

that what her and her husband 

created has been 

well-received by the community. 

“The parents can go 

out at night if they want 

and this way the could do 

something during the day 

with their kids,” Kelly 

said. 

And just as it is for 

Stockmal, the looks on the 

children’s faces is the best. 

“Just to see all their faces 

light up and having a blast, 

it makes all the noisemakers 

worth it,” Kelly said. 

A group of friends dance together following Tom Kelly’s early New Year’s Eve balloon 

drop.

20 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot life & Arts 


poetry corner 

IF I WERE A 

SHEPHERD 

Be Brave Mom 

Resolving to enjoy every adventure in 2020 

Julie Sanders, New Lenox 

resident 

If I were a shepherd 

And you a lost sheep 

I’d tell you ‘bout Jesus 

My soul is His to keep. 

You know, He’s my 

Savior 

That He died for me 

My sin separated us 

In repentance, I’m free. 

I trust in the Savior 

His work is complete 

He died, raised to life 

God’s mercy seat. 

Baptized and born again 

Clothed in His righteousness 

Sin’s bondage is broken 

I’m filled with faithfulness. 

Come to the Savior 

Repent and confess 

Those weary and burdened 

Come enter His Rest. 

Come to the narrow path 

God’s only way 

through Jesus Christ His 

Son 

May salvation be today. 

To submit a poem to Poetry 

Corner, email Editor Sean 

Hastings at sean@newlenox 

patriot.com 

DON’T WAIT 

...To Place Your 

Classified Ad! 

CALL 708.326.9170 

22ndcenturymedia.com 

Rebecca Barker 

Contributing Columnist 

As the New Year 

begins you can’t 

help but feel like 

you’re getting a little bit 

of a fresh start. Not just 

because of the resolutions 

you may or may not have 

made, but the general 

calm that comes with the 

close of a bustling holiday 

season. It’s a chance to 

dismantle all those decorations, 

clean everything, 

of course, sort out old 

toys and make room for 

new and maybe try a new 

adventure too! 

As a mom, a New 

Year’s resolutions can be 

tricky, as you so rarely 

think of just yourself. You 

could try a new cookbook 

recipe (despite the cries of 

childhood disapproval), 

to take time to reconnect 

with friends or get 

your nails done (despite 

lack of time to shower 

much less talk on the 

phone independently), or 

maybe as a mom the best 

resolution might just be 

to be Brave. Don’t get me 

wrong, I try very hard to 

practice what I preach and 

set out fearlessly on an 

adventure with two kids 

and a backpack of wet 

ones and cereal bars, but 

fear of the unknown and 

that unexplainable mom 

gift to see all the possible 

things that could go 

wrong often creeps in. So 

Maya and Harrison Barker weigh their frozen yogurt at Sweet Frogs in Frankfort. photo submitted 

this year try a little harder. 

Try something new as a 

family like eating out at a 

restaurant or to discover a 

fun adventure like a children’s 

music class. You 

could even tackle a project 

at home that seems “too 

messy” “too much work” 

or “too old” because it 

could turn out to be “too 

much fun.” 

For me this year, 

I’m taking a few deep 

breaths and trying to be 

an example of flexibility, 

through a bit more spontaneous 

action and likely 

a ton more humility. Topping 

our adventures will 

surely be crafting projects. 

My kids are artists and I 

honestly love to draw and 

create, too. We assembled 

a “Make Things Box” for 

2020 including all kinds 

of incidental craft supplies, 

paint pens, sharpies, 

googly eyes, and pompoms, 

plus recycled items 

like paper towel rolls, 

empty containers, jugs, 

and boxes. We also love 

to cook together (mostly 

desserts) so I’m trying 

to work our way through 

my new Magnolia Table 

Cook Book and try one 

new recipe a week if we 

can together. Shopping for 

the items and mixing it up 

together; don’t worry I’ll 

keep plenty of mac and 

cheese on hand in case it 

goes south. 

We will also be working 

on exploring some 

new local adventures like 

signing up for a course at 

the New Lenox Community 

Park District. Be 

it gymnastics, dance or 

sports they have a huge 

selection to keep your 

family busy and excited. 

We also love to see 

what’s new at the New 

Lenox Public Library 

for programming or just 

exploring a new book to 

keep the winter blues at 

bay. And my new favorite 

adventure is to explore 

eating out. With one 

picky eater and one eat 

anything kid, we often 

resist the opportunity to 

explore our inner foodie, 

but baby steps to a few 

kid-friendly spots will 

hopefully ease us in. Topping 

our list is a favorite 

for eat in or take out, Chicago 

Dough Company on 

Route 30 in New Lenox, 

we love their mostaccioli 

and spectacular pizza, 

too, but nothing tops the 

cheese sticks. We are also 

sure to reward our sweet 

tooth with a favorite 

frozen yogurt outing to 

Sweet Frog in Frankfort. 

The kids love the idea 

of making their own ice 

cream creations and adding 

all the toppings, too! 

So welcome 2020 and 

all you have in store, from 

birthday parties to potty 

training, bring it on. Looking 

back at 2019, I am so 

grateful for the memories 

and the journey. What I 

remember most are the 

moments when we as a 

family just stopped worrying, 

stuck together and had 

a great adventure. I look 

forward to so many more 

that 2020 has to offer. 

I’m Rebecca Barker… mom 

of two, wife and writer. I’ve 

lived in New Lenox most of 

my life and excited to share 

some of the adventures that 

go along with being a mom. 

Skip the nap, grab a snack, 

get creative and Be Brave 

Mom. For more follow me @ 

bebravemom2 on Facebook; 

@Be_Brave_Mom on Twitter 

and https://bebravemom. 

blogspot.com

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com life & Arts 


Bringing the Beat 

The Beat 2, a band that plays classic rock from the ’50s 

through the ’80s, plays a show at Gatto’s 

Make next Christmas 

MERRIER. 

LincolnWay 

Community Bank 

CHRISTMAS CLUB 

Now is the perfect time to set money aside to help 

make next Christmas low on stress and high on cheer. 

Stop by and open a LincolnWay Community Bank 

Christmas Club account. 

ABOVE: The Beat 2 

performs a show at 

Gatto’s in New Lenox on 

Saturday, Jan. 4. Photos 

by Mike Lorenz/22nd 

Century Media 

LEFT: Bill Sifuentes, 

singer and guitarist, plays 

a song during The Beat 

2’s performance at Gattos. 

BELOW: Tom McElroy 

sings and plays bass 

for the band The Beat 

2, which plays classic 

rock music from the ’50s 

through the ’80s. 

MOKENA 

19102 S. 88th Ave. 

708-326-8300 

www.LWCBank.com 

NEW LENOX 

US30 at Marley Rd. 

815-462-4300 

$10 minimum to open. No minimum balance required. 0.50% 

Annual Percentage Yield (APY) current as of 1/1/2020, and subject to 

change at any time, without notice. Service fees can reduce earnings 

on any account on which fees may be imposed. Recurring automatic 

transfer from a LincolnWay Community Bank account required.

22 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot new lenox 


PRESENTED BY 22ND CENTURY MEDIA AND 

UCHICAGO MEDICINE INGALLS MEMORIAL 

2020 EXPO 

9 a.m.–1 p.m. 

Saturday, Jan. 18 

Tinley Park Convention Center - 

South Exhibit, 18451 Convention 

Center Drive, Tinley Park 

FREE ADMISSION | FREE PARKING 

The Healthy Living Expo 

has tons of activities! 

• 70+ vendor booths 

• Community Blood Drive presented by Versiti 

Blood Center of Illinois - donors receive a $10 

coupon* for Noodles & Company *while supplies last 

• FREE 30-minute workout sessions 

• Speaker Sessions 

• Free tote bags* presented by Hempology CBD 

Store *guaranteed to the first 300 attendees 

• Enter to win a free door prize from one of our 

vendors at the 22nd Century Media table 

• Free stress balls* presented by Elite Rehabilitation 

Institute *guaranteed to first 300 attendees 

SPONSORED BY 

VENDORS INCLUDE: 

• 22nd Century Media 

• Amare Global 

• Ami Wellness 

• Audrey McFarlin State Farm Insurance 

• Avolve Fitness 

• Beautycounter - Lauren Costello 

• Body & Brain Yoga, Tai Chi 

• Brannigan Chiropractic Center 

• Caption Call 

• Cardio Party with Britt 

• Cherish A Peace of Nature 

• Chiro One Wellness Centers 

• ClearCaptions 

• Color Street - Tracy Swanson 

• Country Financial 

• Crook & Marker 

• doTERRA 

• Edward Jones - David Sesterhenn, 

Financial Advisor 

• Elite Care Management 

• Elite Rehabilitation Institute 

• eSCENTials Aroma 

• Essentially 3B’s (body + blends=balance) 

• Fabulously Sweet Creations 

• Family First Medical Group 

• Frankfort Circus Center 

• Fred Astaire Mokena 

• Greenhouse Group 

• Happy Coffee with Cathy 

• Health From Within 

• Heartland CannAssist - Quality 

CBD since 2015 

• Hempology CBD Store 

• Humana 

• ID Life 

• Impact Physical Therapy/Chicago 

Recovery Room 

• Independently Driven 

• Irish Greens Farm 

• It Works 

• Juicy Luzy Sangria 

• Kintsugi Wellness 

• LeafFilter Gutter Protection 

• Lifestyle & Oils LLC 

• Mercy Home For Boys and Girls 

• NEW YOU CBD 

• Nurturing through Nature 

• Oberweis Dairy Home Delivery 

• Parkview Orthopaedic Group 

• Partner 4 Health 

• Passanante's Home Food Services 

• Physicians Immediate Care 

• Power Crunch 

• Power Home Remodeling 

• Progressive Radiology 

• Quidel 

• Reign Body Fuel 

• Renewal by Andersen 

• Riverside Health 

• St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital 

• Tea Bone 

• TeMi Beads 

• Tendaji Body Oils 

• The Edge Fitness Clubs 

• Thrive by Le-Vel 

• Total Life Changes 

• TRG Exclusive Fit Club & Salon 

• UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial 

• Ultra Slim 

• Ventimiglia Realty Partners 

• Versiti Blood Center of Illinois 

• Vitalife 

• Young Living Essential Oils 

• Weight No More 

AND MORE TO COME! 

For more information, visit 22ndcenturymedia.com/healthy

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com dining out 


The Dish 

Fat Rosie’s continues to grow from Frankfort roots 

Nuria Mathog 

Contributing Editor 

At Fat Rosie’s Taco & 

Tequila Bar in Frankfort, 

the vibe is fun, vibrant and 

colorful. 

The main dining area is 

full of surprises. Multiple 

saddles hang from the rafters, 

and a skeleton in a 

sombrero greets customers 

near the grills. The back 

dining room is strung with 

papel picado, a type of 

Mexican artwork made by 

cutting designs into colorful 

tissue paper. 

Caroline Foglton, a 

Mokena resident and one 

of the managers at Fat 

Rosie’s, said the restaurant 

prides itself on providing 

diners with an “awesome 

fiesta” experience, quality 

customer service and 

fresh, delicious food. 

“I enjoy that we’re just 

a big family,” she said. 

“Every day you come to 

work, you feel like you’re 

in Mexico. You don’t feel 

like you’re at work.” 

Fat Rosie’s is named after 

a pet donkey owned by 

a Mexican farmer who the 

restaurant chain’s proprietor, 

Scott Harris, met during 

a trip to Mexico. The 

Frankfort location opened 

in 2015, followed by a second 

Chicago-area location 

in Naperville in 2018. In 

December, a third restaurant 

opened in Schaumburg. 

“We’re going to try and 

do our cooking classes; 

we’re going to offer those 

to people out here, as well, 

if they want to make their 

way up to Schaumburg,” 

Foglton said. “We’re also 

doing tequila dinners. ... 

We work closely with the 

chefs, as well as our bar 

manager, and we do specific 

dinners based on tequila 

drinks and stuff like 

Fat Rosie’s Taco & 

Tequila Bar 

28 Kansas St. in 

Frankfort 

Hours: 

• 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. 

Mondays-Thursdays 

• 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. 

Fridays and Saturdays 

• 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 

Sunday brunch 

• 2 p.m.-8 p.m. 

Sunday dinner 

For more information ... 

Phone: (815) 534- 

1640 

Web: fatrosies.com 

that.” 

At Fat Rosie’s, the tacos 

are a bestseller, with 10 

varieties served a la carte, 

such as the carne asada 

($5), filled with grilled 

steak, pico de gallo, queso 

fresco and avocado-tomatillo 

salsa; camarones ($5), 

which consist of grilled 

shrimp topped with pickled 

red onions, arugula 

and jalapeno-garlic aioli; 

and the vegetarian coliflor 

frita ($4), with fried cauliflower, 

toasted almonds, 

red onion, tomatillo jam, 

cilantro, queso fresco and 

Fresno pappers. Diners can 

mix and match tacos, and a 

set of three is served with a 

side of rice and beans. 

“The beans we make 

in-house,” executive chef 

Ivan Vargas said. “The 

base for the beans is epazote. 

It’s a good flavor. The 

rice, we use carrots, onions 

and tomato sauce.” 

Vargas said his favorite 

dish at the restaurant is the 

tampiquena ($24), a grilled 

skirt steak that comes with 

salsa de la casa and is 

served with a red cheese 

enchilada, rice and beans, 

rajas, grilled queso fresco, 

cilantro and guacamole on 

Pictured are three of the tacos offered at Fat Rosie’s in Frankfort: (left to right) carne asada, camarones and pollo a 

las brazas. Photos by Nuria Mathog/22nd Century Media 

A set of three tacos automatically comes with rice and 

beans, which can also be ordered as extras for $3 each. 

the side. 

“We’d like to bring the 

flavor, the Mexican flavors 

and different Mexican 

foods, Mexican and American, 

and mix it,” he said. 

On Sundays, the restaurant 

offers brunch from 

10 a.m.-2 p.m., featuring 

popular Mexican breakfast 

and lunch dishes such as 

huevos al Mexicana ($10) 

— scrambled eggs cooked 

with tomato, serrano peppers, 

cilantro, onion and 

avocado, served with 

black beans — as well as a 

bar where diners can make 

their own custom bloody 

Marias ($10 per glass), a 

The pina, or pineapple margarita ($11), includes 

pineapple juice, fresh zest, a house margarita mix, 100 

percent blue agave tequila and Tajin seasoning. 

drink similar to the classic 

bloody Mary but mixed 

with tequila instead of 

vodka. 

Foglton said she hopes 

to give diners walking into 

Fat Rosie’s an adventure 

that takes them on their 

own culinary journey. 

“We want everybody to 

just feel like they’re somewhere 

else, rather than 

here in downtown Frankfort,” 

she said.

24 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot puzzles 


crosstown CROSSWORD & Sudoku The crosstowns: Frankfort, Homer Glen, Lockport, Mokena, New Lenox, Orland Park, Tinley Park 

Crossword by Myles Mellor and Cindy LaFleur 

Across 

1. Real estate ad 

abbr. 

4. Neighbor of Afghanistan 

8. Dance night 

12. Shoe designation 

13. __ much (less) 

15. Palindromic address 

16. Trash 

17. Great local forest 

area for boating and 

fishing 

19. Went crazy over 

21. Egyptian, for one 

22. More tender 

23. Uncle Ben’s dish 

26. Pundit 

27. British sports 

cars 

30. Irritates 

33. Mario Puzo best 

seller 

36. W.B.A. calls 

37. O.T. book 

40. School again 

42. Cutting device 

43. Bit of perspiration 

45. Living room 

piece 

46. Sci-Fi/horror 

combo from the 70s 

48. Envelope type 

49. Valentine’s Day 

flowers 

54. Origin 

56. Woman’s name 

derived from peace 

in Greek 

57. Contemptible one 

60. Violin part 

61. Equipment assembly 

location 

66. Seek damages, 

perhaps 

67. Full range 

68. “Holberg Suite” 

composer Edvard 

69. Wrongly prefix 

70. Double 

71. Church projection 

72. Bygone plane, 

abbr. 

Down 

1. Go back over 

2. Hayfield 

3. Lady of León 

4. Kind of decorator 

5. Abbey ___, Beatles 

album 

6. Automatic cash 

source 

7. Sonoma neighbor 

8. Chum 

9. Nutritional fig. 

10. Symbol of strength 

11. Madame, for short 

14. Knight title 

15. Chris Noth’s role 

in “Sex and the City” 

18. Aural device 

20. Dream indication 

24. Be-bopper 

25. Charitable organization 

27. Allots, with “out” 

28. Actress Garbo 

29. Utter 

31. Extended time 

away from wk. 

32. Capt.’s heading 

34. ___ amis 

35. Flawless serve 

37. Basketball association 

38. Slippery slider 

39. 1968 Broadway 

debut 

41. The crown jewel 

of Homer Glen’s 

park system 

44. ___ gratias (thanks 

to God) 

47. Like a rare baseball 

game 

50. Iconic defenseman 

Bobby 

51. California shakes 

52. Boredoms 

53. Most wise 

55. Bo Derek’s number 

58. ___ roll 

59. “Tomb Raider” 

heroine Croft 

60. Understands 

61. Military rank, abbr. 

62. Choice marble 

63. French friend 

64. Colt, e.g. 

65. Turbulent water 

NEW LENOX 

Little Joe’s Restaurant 

(1300 N. Cedar Road, 

New Lenox; (815) 463- 

1099) 

■5-8 ■ p.m. Tuesdays: 

Piano Styles by Joe 

Williamson’s Restaurant 

and Pub 

(1490 W. Maple St. New 

Lenox, (815) 485-8585) 

■Wednesdays: ■ 

$5 

House Wine Wednesdays 

■Sundays: ■ Spicy 

Bloody Marys $5 

Hickory Creek Brewing 

Company 

(1005 W Laraway Rd, 

New Lenox. (779) 803- 

3974) 

■3 ■ p.m. -close Fridays: 

Happy Hour from 3 

to 6 p.m. followed by 

Smokin’ Z BBQ food 

truck from 5:30 to 

8:30 p.m. and live 

music. 

HOMER GLEN 

Front Row 

(14903 S. Bell Road, 

Homer Glen; (708) 645- 

7000) 

■7 ■ p.m. Wednesdays: 

Trivia 

FRANKFORT 

Pete Mitchell’s Bar & 

Grill 

(21000 Frankfort 

Square Road, Frankfort; 

(815) 464-8100) 

■6-8 ■ p.m. Wednesdays: 

Free N’ Fun Bar 

Game. Free to play. 

MOKENA 

The Alley Grill and Tap 

House 

(18700 S. Old La- 

Grange Road, Mokena; 

(708) 478-3610) 

■9 ■ p.m. Tuesdays: 

Karaoke 

Fox’s Restaurant and Pub 

(11247 W. 187th St., 

Mokena; (708) 478- 

8888) 

■6 ■ p.m. Thursdays, Fridays 

and Saturdays: 

Performance by Jerry 

Eadie 

To place an event in The 

Scene, email b.conboy@ 

22ndcenturymedia.com. 

answers 

How to play Sudoku 

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that 

has been subdivided into nine smaller grids 

of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, 

column and box must contain each of the 

numbers 1-9. 

LEVEL: Medium 

Crossword by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com local living 


If you are looking for the perfect ranch home 

at a great price, look no more. Ranch Villas at 

Keating Point, in the Village of Channahon, 

offers ranch homes that are both beautiful and 

maintenance-free. 

These unique, detached townhomes feature 

two bedrooms and two baths in 1,308 to 1,621 

square feet. Each comes equipped with a full 

basement, two-car attached garage, brick fronts, 

and central air. 

These Ranch Villas start in the $230’s and 

boast an association fee of just $140 per month. 

We offer five floorplans for you to choose from. 

Do you long for a little more time to yourself? 

For more family moments, too? 

Luxury Ranch Detached Townhomes 

Immediate Move-Ins. • Maintenance-Free Living 

Starting from the $230’s 

Maintenance-free living at The Ranch Villas at 

Keating Pointe is our solution to your problem. 

In one of our ranch townhomes, you can finally 

wave goodbye to the chores that gobble up your 

precious time. All exterior and landscaping 

maintenance is done for you, including snow 

removal. If you’ve had enough of cleaning 

gutters, mowing the lawn, and shoveling the 

driveway, you’re ready to take the next step. 

The photos in this article feature The Roma, 

one of the floorplans you can choose from for 

your new ranch home. This 1,467 sq. ft. design 

features two bedrooms and two baths. Plus, 

you’ll get a flex room to use as you see fit. 

Office? Guest room?You tell us. The Roma also 

features ceilings that reach nine feet high and a 

large kitchen with included appliances. You’ll 

enjoy an impressively roomy feel, bounty of 

spaceforentertaining,andultimateconvenience. 

Speaking of convenience, a basement, two-car 

attached garage, and patio are included. The 

Roma starts in the low $240’s, delivering quality 

in its construction and price tag. 

Looking to move into a new home sometime 

soon? Our ranch homes also feature quick 

delivery homes. These quick delivery homes 

have move-in dates as early as this fall. 

To learn more about our detached ranch 

townhomes, give us a call at (815) 290-5303 or 

go to homesbycore.com. 

Immediate Move-Ins • Maintenance-Free Living

26 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot real estate 


Nov. 14 

• 897 Meadow Ridge Lane, New 

Lenox, 60451-2448 - Mary Ann 

Murphy Trustee to Mary Ann Daniluk, 

$183,000 

• 474 Kingston Drive, New Lenox, 

60451-1527 - Pretium Mortgage 

Acquisition T. to Dennis Gress, 

$253,000 

• 2030 Royalglen Drive, New Lenox, 

60451 - Nvr Inc to Richard Drage, 

Camille B. Drage $307,272 

• 2808 Joela Drive, New Lenox, 

60451-3529 - Marquette Bank 

Trustee to Steven M. Soyk, Joyce A. 

Soyk $357,593 

Nov. 18 

• 2038 Somerglen Drive, New Lenox, 

60451 - Nvr Inc to Constance V. 

Nichols, Allen D. Nichols $361,737 

Nov. 19 

• 807 Winter Park Drive, 60b, New 

Lenox, 60451-3106 - David R. Farris 

to Hanna G. Hanlon, $215,000 

2931 Ferro Drive, New Lenox, 60451- 

3429 - Henry Villarreal to James K. 

Grant, $335,900 

• 1758 Mays Drive, New Lenox, 

60451-4114 - Weber Homes Inc to 

Mark W. Brasseur, Kathleen Cusack 

Brasseur $509,787 

Nov. 20 

• 193 Pottawatomie Lane, New 

Lenox, 60451-9729 - Carrie 

Beemsterboer to Anna Skobel, 

Nicholas Varichak $520,000 

Nov. 22 

• 865 Winter Park Drive, New Lenox, 

60451-3106 - Chicago Title Land 

Trust Co Tr to James J. Suppes, 

$199,000 

The Going Rate is provided by Record Information 

Services, Inc. For more information, 

visit www.public-record.com or call 

(630) 557-1000. 

DRIVE 

CAR BUYERS 

TO YOUR DOOR WITH A 

CLASSIFIED AUTO AD 

708.326.9170 

22ndcenturymedia.com

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com classifieds 


1003 Help Wanted 

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT 

VILLAGE OF MOKENA 

The Village of Mokena is accepting resumes for the position of 

Administrative Assistant. This position isdesigned to provide executive 

level administrative and clerical support by working with and for the 

Mayor and Village Administrator. The successful candidate should 

possess an Associate Degree accompanied by additional college level 

course work or prior executive level secretarial experience in either the 

private or public sector. Additional desired qualifications include, but are 

not limited to, excellent oral and written communication skills, 

proficiency with Microsoft Office, Excel, and PowerPoint, along with 

Adobe InDesign orMicrosoft Publisher. Responsibilities require that this 

individual possess a high degree of motivation, independence, and 

creativity, aswell asasound working knowledge ofmodern business 

technology systems .Executive support functions are rendered directly to 

the Village President and Village Administrator with supplemental 

executive support to the Village Board of Trustees. The anticipated salary 

range for this position is $50,000 to $60,000 (DOQ) with anexcellent 

benefit package and positive working environment. Interested individuals 

should submit acover letter and resume with five references to Village of 

Mokena, c/o Village Administrator, 11004 Carpenter Street, Mokena, IL 

60448 or submit via e-mail to administration@mokena.org. Position open 

until filled. EOE 

SENIOR SALES 

ASSISTANT 

Due to rapid growth and 

growing business opportunities, 

Aero Rubber Company 

seeks a detail-oriented 

Senior Sales Assistant for 

a full-time position. 

Working directly with a sales 

engineer, you would be 

responsible for providing 

exceptional customer service 

and performing sales 

administrative functions. 

This is a very diversified 

position in our fast-paced 

office. 

Qualifications: 

- Strong organizational & 

communication skills 

- Expert in Microsoft Office 

- Industrial B2B customer 

service experience a plus 

Competitive salary & 

benefit package including 

401K. 

To apply, send cover letter 

and resume to: 

cstratton@aerorubber.com 

Homer Glen-Home Office 

adding to permanent office 

staff. Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm. 

Exp in cust serv, computer, 

some accting. Start @ 

$14/hr w/ pd vacation + 

raises. Solid work history + 

reliability a must. 

Only serious need apply. 

Send resume to: 

apm-resume@comcast.net 

DRIVE CAR BUYERS 

TO YOUR DOOR WITH 

A CLASSIFIED AUTO AD 

CALL US TODAY at 708.326.9170 

Help 

Wanted 

P/T Administrative Assistant 

We are looking for an 

experienced individual to 

perform a variety of administrative 

and bookkeeping tasks 

for our small construction 

office in Frankfort. 

Flexible hours: 20-30 hrs/wk. 

Applicant must be experienced 

in QuickBooks or similar 

accounting program and be 

proficient in MS Office with 

expertise in Word and Excel. 

Submit resume & cover letter 

to: john@jmcconst.com 

School Bus Drivers Wanted 

Homer School District 33C 

seeks quality individuals 

to join our family of 

school bus drivers. 

$17.42/hr. + full benefits 

available 

Training provided. 

Call (708) 226-7625 

or visit homerschools.org 

employment tab 

ENTRY LEVEL 

INSIDE SALES 

TAM Retail is hiring indiv. to 

build relationships w/ customers 

and provide solutions for their 

technological needs. Must be 

tech savvy, able to perform cold 

calls, & good at cust. relations. 

F/T, M-F in Orland Park 

Email: sales@tamretail.com 

Join Our Team! 

Frankfort Chiropractic/ 

Personal Spa - 708.478.3000 

1. Massage Therapist 

2. Chiropractic Assistant 

Flexible Hours 

Warehouse and Delivery 

Full-Time Position 

Valid Driver’s License 

Apply in Person 

Mike’s Furniture 

830 E. Cass Joliet, IL 

1003 Help 

Wanted 

CUSTOMER SERVICE 

REPRESENTATIVE 

The Village of Mokena has an 

opening for a Customer Service 

Representative. The successful 

candidate will have an extensive 

background of customer service, a 

thorough knowledge ofMicrosoft 

Office, and the ability to perform 

their duties with minimal supervision. 

Duties include but are not 

limited to: answering and directing 

phone calls, waiting onresidents 

at the service counter, maintenance 

ofvarious databases, data 

entry ofwater bills, and building 

permits, etc. Municipal experience 

preferred but not required. 

Salary range upper 30s. Please 

send your resume w/ cover letter 

to the Mokena Village Hall, 

Attn: Village Administrator, 

11004 Carpenter Street, Mokena, 

IL 60448 or electronically to 

administration@mokena.org . 

Position open until filled. EOE 

No phone calls. 

1061 Autos Wanted 

1096 Commercial 

Property 

$85,000 14735 S.Pulaski, 

Midlothian 3,000 sqft 

comm building can be used 

as 2 units.7 rooms, 4 hlf 

baths, 2 waiting rooms, 2 

storage rooms. Close to 

CTA, highways, schools, 

shopping. For info call 

John Campas 312.638.9120 

WANTED! 

WE NEED CARS, TRUCKS & VANS 

Running Or Not! 

Top Dollar Paid - Free Pick-Up 

Locally Located 

(708)205-8241 

Rental 

1225 Apartments 

for Rent 

Real Estate 




708.326.9170 

Automotive 

1315 Commercial 

Property For Rent 

Frankfort: For Lease 

1000 sqft Office OR Retail 

Traffic light corner, great 

exposure, huge LED sign, 

ample parking, private 

washroom, indv hvac, reasonable 

rent 312.622.6300 


RENTAL 

PROPERTY 

in the newspaper 

people turn 

to first 

CALL US TODAY: 708.326.9170 


Business Directory 

2003 Appliance Repair 

QUALITY 

APPLIANCE 

REPAIR, Inc. 

• Air Conditioning • Furnaces 

Refrigeration • Dishwashers 

Stoves & Ovens • Microwaves 

Garbage Disposals 

Washers&Dryers 

Family Owned &Operatedsince 1986 

Someone you can TRUST 

All work GUARANTEED 

BEST price in town! 

708-712-1392 

2006 Basement Waterproofing 

2011 Brick/Chimney Experts

28 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot classifieds 


CLASSIFIEDS 

Help Wanted · Garage Sales · Automotive 

Real Estate · Rentals · Merchandise 

Sell It 708.326.9170 

Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It 

DEADLINE - 

Friday at 3pm 

Automotive 

$52 

4 lines/ 

LOCAL 

7 papers 

REALTOR 

DIRECTORY 

Help Wanted 

per line $13 

4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Calling all 

Real Estate 

$50 

7 lines/ 

7 papers 

Merchandise 

$30 

4 lines/ 

7 papers 

 

 

Ready to sell 

your real estate? 

CALL 

MIKE McCATTY 

GROUP 

708-945-2121 

BILLION INSALES 

5000 SOLD 

BUY, SELL ORRENT 

Handling your entire Family’shousing needs for over 15 years. 

• Your listing advertised on all major websites 

• Instant feedback- weekly updates 

• Professional photography- aerial shots too 

• Discounts to all teachers, senior citizens, 

veterans, 1st responders, doctors & nurses. 

CALL TODAY-LISTED TOMORROW 

Bob Haustein 

Lincoln-Way Resident • Remax 1st Service 

Call, Text or Email 

708-822-3690 

bobhaustein@yahoo.com 

www.bobhaustein.com



2017 Cleaning Services 

...to place your 


CALL 

708.326.9170 

2025 Concrete Work 

Ideal 

Firewood 

Seasoned Mixed 

Hardwoods 

$120.00 per FC 

Free Stacking & 

Delivery 

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2070 Electrical 

HANDYMAN SERVICE —WHATEVER YOU NEED 

"OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE" 

Windows, Doors, Decks Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling, Plumbing Interior and 

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R E A S O N A B L E 

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Automotive 

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2150 Paint & Decorating 

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PAINTING 

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Fast, Neat Painting 

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$52 4 lines/ 

7 papers 

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lines/ 


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lines/ 

2294 Window Cleaning 

P.K.WINDOW 

CLEANING CO. 

Window Cleaning 

Gutter Cleaning 

Power Washing 

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call and get $40.00 off 

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2390 Computer Services/Repair 



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Merchandise 

Directory 

2474 Appliances 

Kenwood Stove 

Great condition, almond color 

$275.00 

Whirlpool Refrigerator 

18.1 cubic foot 

Great condition, almond color 

$275.00 

2489 Merchandise 

Wanted 

Metal Wanted 

Scrap Metal, Garden 

Tractors, 

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Sports Cards - All Sports. Over 

20 albums. Make offer, cash 

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2701 Property for 

Sale 

COMMON AD - REAL ESTATE 

SECTION 

SHERIFF'S SALE OF REAL ESTATE 

of 665 Anderson Road, New Lenox, 

IL 60451 (Single Family Residence). 

On the 30th day of January, 2020 to be 

held at 12:00 noon, at the Will County 

Courthouse Annex, 57 N. Ottawa Street, 

Room 201, Joliet, IL 60432, under Case 

Title: PNC BANK, NATIONAL AS- 

SOCIATION, SUCCESSOR BY 

MERGER TO NATIONAL CITY 

BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGE 

TO MIDAMERICA BANK FSB 

Plaintiff V. MARIAN E SINIAWSKI 

A/K/A MARIAN SINIAWSKI; MI- 

DAMERICA BANK, FSB; WELLS 

FARGO BANK, N.A.; UNKNOWN 

OWNERS AND NON-RECORD 

CLAIMANTS Defendant. 

Case No. 17 CH 1822 in the Circuit 

Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, 

Will County, Illinois. 

Terms of Sale: ten percent (10%) at the 

time of sale and the balance within 

twenty-four (24) hours. Nojudicial sale 

fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring 

the residential real estate pursuant 

to its credit bid at the sale or by any 

mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other 

lienor acquiring the residential real estate 

whose rights in and tothe residential 

real estate arose prior to the sale. All 

payments shall be made in cash or certified 

funds payable tothe Sheriff of Will 

County. 

In the event the property is acondomin- 

ium, in accordance with 735 ILCS 

5/15-1507(c)(1)(H-1) and (H-2), 765 

ILCS 605/9(g)(5), and 765 ILCS 

605/18.5(g-1), you are hereby notified 

that the purchaser of the unit, other than 

amortgagee, shall pay the assessments 

and legal fees required by subdivisions 

(g)(1) and (g)(4) of Section 9and the assessments 

required by subsection (g-1) 

of Section 18.5 of the Illinois Condominium 

Property Act. 

Pursuant to Local Court Rule 11.03 (J) 

if there is asurplus following application 

ofthe proceeds of sale, then the 

plaintiff shall send written notice pursuant 

to 735 ILCS 5/15-1512(d) to all parties 

to the proceeding advising them of 

the amount ofthe surplus and that the 

surplus will beheld until aparty obtains 

acourt order for its distribution or, in 

the absence of an order, until the surplus 

is forfeited to the State. 

For Information Please Contact: 

Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer 

P.A. 

233 South Wacker Drive 70th Floor 

Chicago, IL 60606 

P: 1-312-566-0040 

F: 1-312-566-0041 

PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT 

COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT 

YOU ARE ADVISED THAT THIS 

LAW FIRM ISDEEMED TO BE A 

DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING 

TO COLLECT ADEBT AND ANY 

INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL 

BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. 

COMMON AD - REAL ESTATE 

SECTION 

SHERIFF'S SALE OF REAL ESTATE 

of 652 Princeton Lane, New Lenox, IL 

60451 (Single Family Home). On the 

16th day of January, 2020 to be held at 

12:00 noon, at the Will County Courthouse 

Annex, 57 N. Ottawa Street, 

Room 201, Joliet, IL 60432, under Case 

Title: U.S. Bank National Association 

Plaintiff V. Brian Hall a/k/a Brian T. 

Hall; et. al. Defendant. 

Case No. 19 CH 0824 in the Circuit 

Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, 

Will County, Illinois. 











payments shall be made in cash or certi- 

2701 Property for 

Sale 

fied funds payable tothe Sheriff of Will 

County. 



5/15-1507(c)(1)(H-1) and (H-2), 765 

ILCS 605/9(g)(5), and 765 ILCS 








Property Act. 












For Information Please Contact: 

Codilis & Associates, P.C. 

15W030 N. Frontage Road Suite 100 

Burr Ridge, Illinois 60527 

P: 630-794-5300 

F: 630-794-9090 









2703 Legal 

Notices 









STATE OF ILLINOIS 

) 

) SS. 

COUNTY OF WILL 

) 

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OFTHE 

TWELFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT 

WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS 

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIA- 

TION, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO 

NATIONAL CITY BANK, SUCCES- 

SOR BY MERGE TO MIDAMERICA 

BANK FSB 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

MARIAN ESINIAWSKI A/K/A MAR- 

IAN SINIAWSKI; MIDAMERICA 

BANK, FSB; WELLS FARGO BANK, 

N.A.; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND 

NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS 

Defendant. 

No. 17 CH 1822 

NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE 

Public notice ishereby given that pursuant 

toajudgment entered in the above 

cause on the 29th day of October, 

2019 ,MIKE KELLEY, Sheriff of Will 

County, Illinois, will on Thursday, the 

30th day of January, 2020 ,commencing 

at 12:00 o'clock noon, at the Will 

County Courthouse Annex, 57 N. Ottawa 

Street, Room 201, Joliet, IL 60432, 

sell at public auction tothe highest and 

best bidder orbidders the following-described 

real estate: 

LOT 298, IN HIBERNIA ESTATES 

UNIT 1, PART OF THE EAST 1/2 

OF THE SOUTHWEST 1/4 AND 

PART OF THE WEST 1/2 OFTHE 

SOUTHEAST 1/4 INSECTION 23, 

TOWNSHIP 35 NORTH, RANGE 11 

EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL 

MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE 

PLAT THEREOF RECORDED OC- 

TOBER 31, 1995, AS DOCUMENT 

NO. R95-83947 AND CERTIFICATE 

OF CORRECTION RECORDED 

2703 Legal 

Notices 

JANUARY 31, 1996 AS DOCU- 

MENT R96-9106, IN WILL 

COUNTY, ILLINOIS 

Commonly known as: 

665 Anderson Road, New Lenox, IL 

60451 

Description of Improvements: 

Single Family Residence 

P.I.N.: 

15-08-23-305-019-0000 











payments shall be made in cash or certified 


County. 



5/15-1507(c)(1)(H-1) and (H-2), 765 

ILCS 605/9(g)(5), and 765 ILCS 








Property Act. 












FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CON- 

TACT: 

Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer 

P.A. 

233 South Wacker Drive 70th Floor 

Chicago, IL 60606 

P: 1-312-566-0040 

F: 1-312-566-0041 

Plaintiff's Attorney 

MIKE KELLEY 

Sheriff of Will County 









STATE OF ILLINOIS 

) 

) SS. 

COUNTY OF WILL 

) 

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OFTHE 

TWELFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT 

WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS 

U.S. Bank National Association 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

Brian Hall a/k/a Brian T. Hall; et. al. 

Defendant. 

No. 19 CH 0824 

NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE 

Public notice ishereby given that pursuant 

toajudgment entered in the above 

cause on the 14th day of August, 2019, 

MIKE KELLEY, Sheriff of Will 

County, Illinois, will on Thursday, the 

16th day of January, 2020 ,commencing 

at 12:00 o'clock noon, at the Will 

County Courthouse Annex, 57 N. Ottawa 

Street, Room 201, Joliet, IL 60432, 

sell at public auction tothe highest and 

best bidder orbidders the following-described 

real estate: 

LOT 127, IN SCHOOLHOUSE 

MANOR UNIT II, BEING A SUBDI- 

VISION OFPART OFTHE EAST 

1/2 OFTHE NORTH EAST 1/4 OF 

SECTION 23, TOWNSHIP 35 

NORTH, RANGE 11, EAST OF THE 

THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, 

ACCORDING TO THE PLAT 

2703 Legal 

Notices 

THEREOF RECORDED SEPTEM- 

BER 27, 1993, AS DOCUMENT 

R93-83735, AND CERTIFICATE OF 

CORRECTION RECORDED OC- 

TOBER 27, 1993 AS DOCUMENT 

NO. R93-94393, IN WILL COUNTY, 

ILLINOIS 

Commonly known as: 

652 Princeton Lane, New Lenox, IL 

60451 

Description of Improvements: 

Single Family Home 

P.I.N.: 

15-08-23-210-006-0000 



twenty-four (24) hours. No judicial sale 






whose rights inand to the residential 


payments shall be made incash or certified 


County. 



5/15-1507(c)(1)(H-1) and (H-2), 765 

ILCS 605/9(g)(5), and 765 ILCS 








Property Act. 












FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CON- 

TACT: 

Codilis & Associates, P.C. 

15W030 N. Frontage Road Suite 100 

Burr Ridge, Illinois 60527 

P: 630-794-5300 

F: 630-794-9090 

Plaintiff's Attorney 

MIKE KELLEY 

Sheriff of Will County 


Under $100 

4men’s suits black, grey, pin 

stripe blue, tan size R42 Call 

708-289-2814 

Airplane lamp-green glass 

body with metal. $40 Call 

708-642-9019 

Blackhawk 2013 Stanley Cup 

autographed hat and shirt NHL 

R eebok $100 Call 

815-838-7898 

Drive knee scouter steerable 

knee walker crutch. Dual adjustable 

locking hand brakes. 

Matte black. Gently used. $70 

Call 708-403-3521 

Free firewood in Orland Park. 

Call 708-745-4335. 

Front set of Weather Tech laser 

measured floor mats for 2015 

Honda Tucson Limited. $50 

Call 708-404-9722 

Genuine Boston Outfitters 

men’s leather jacket size 7x 

$100 Call 708-642-9019 


Under $100 

Large bird cage 

24”lx12”hx12”w for small 

birds $25, Small wooden 

cages-wire bars $13, Tool box 

forged steel 12x10x10 $49. 

Call 708-478-8976 

Regulation Ping Pong table, 

fold upand rollable. Good condition. 

$100 Call 708-846-1556 

Ryobi hedge trimmer model 

P2600 18” blade 18v works no 

battery or charger. Not used 

much. $20 Call 708-715-2271 

Treadmill with incline feature 

and workout monitor. Works 

great. $100 Call 815-485-6008 

Trek all terrain bicycle men’s 

17” frame model 700, red -in- 

cludes owners manual $75 Call 

708-301-9239 

Two white drop-in Kohler cast 

iron vanity sinks $20 Call 

815-485-6008 

Whirlpool gas dryer. White 

Cabrio model. Works great. 

Call 815-469-5131 



CALL 

708.326.9170

newlenoxpatriotdaily.com sports 


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Circle One: 

with Sydney Swanberg 

Sydney Swanberg is a senior 

guard on the Lincoln- 

Way West basketball team, 

who also competes in 

cross country, and track 

and field. 

The basketball team is 

15-2 through the end 

of December. What are 

your impressions on 

the season so far? 

I think it’s been a lot of 

fun. Outside of basketball, 

we have a lot of fun team 

chemistry. That’s been the 

best part of us being successful. 

What is going to be 

the key for the team 

to stay successful 

and to do well in the 

postseason? 

We have to play defense 

and everyone has to 

be communicating. As the 

season has gone on, our 

defense has been better. So 

that’s the focus. 

How did you get 

started playing 

basketball? 

My older sister, Sara, 

played, too. I liked watching 

her play so I signed up 

for park district basketball 

in fifth grade. 

Chip DeLorenzo/222nd 

Century Media 

You are a three-sport 

athlete. What other 

sports do you do? 

Cross country and track. 

I played softball my whole 

life and for the first three 

years at West. Then I decided 

I wanted to do a fall 

sport so I ran cross country 

as a junior. Now I will run 

track this spring and I will 

do the distance events. 

So, what sport do you 

like the most? 

I like them equally. But 

I had a lot of success in 

cross country and I had 

colleges start coming up 

to me. But I reached out 

to Carthage College to run 

cross country and track 

there. So I have now committed 

to going there. 

Since we are still in 

the basketball season, 

what have you learned 

from West basketball 

coach Ryan White? 

His famous saying is 

“suck it up.” I think of that 

a lot when I’m struggling 

in a game. You have to 

“suck it up” and deal with 

it. Even when you don’t 

think that you can. 

If you could be a 

superhero, who would 

it be and why? 

Superwoman. I thought 

it was a really good movie. 

She cares a lot about other 

people. 

Do you have your own 

vehicle and, if so, do 

you have a name for 

it? 

Yes. Pearl. Because I 

have a Jeep Grand Cherokee 

that is light silver. So it 

reminds me of a pearl. 

Do you have any 

superstitions you do 

before you compete? 

Yes. My shoes are double 

knotted before every 

sports event. I’ve done that 

since I was younger. Still, 

I’ve run my share of races 

with one shoe untied. I actually 

ran my best race this 

past cross country season, 

at the regional [finishing 

13th] with one shoe untied. 

What’s the best thing 

about being an athlete 

at Lincoln-Way West? 

Everyone is super supportive. 

I feel pressure, but 

a good pressure, to perform 

because of the support. 

Interview conducted by 

freelance reporter Randy 

Whalen.

34 | January 9, 2020 | the new lenox patriot sports 


Hockey 

Lincoln-Way caps big weekend with win over Lyons 

STEVE MILLAR, Sports Editor 

Lincoln-Way senior Jacob Faruzzi carries the puck 

toward the goal during a 3-2 win over Lyons on Sunday, 

Jan. 5. Chip DeLorenzo/22nd Century Media 

The Lincoln-Way co-op 

hockey team has taken its 

lumps over the course of 

the season but hopes to be 

hitting its stride at the right 

time. 

Wins on back-to-back 

days are a good start. 

Lincoln-Way won its 

second straight game by 

edging Lyons 3-2 in an Illinois 

Hockey West contest 

Sunday, Dec. 5, at All Seasons 

Rink in Naperville. 

“It was a big weekend,” 

said Jason Lange, a senior 

at LW West. “I think we’ve 

been working hard. We put 

in the work over winter 

break to be ready. We know 

how important these last 

four games before the playoffs 

are, and I think we’re 

starting to figure things 

out.” 

Lincoln-Way improved 

to 5-12-2 in Hockey West 

play. 

All three of Lincoln- 

Way’s goals came from 

seniors: Lange, David Caddigan 

and Jacob Faruzzi. 

“We have some good 

leadership there, but they 

have to go more now,” 

Lincoln-Way coach David 

Dingle said. “We’re a 

somewhat inexperienced 

team overall. We had half 

the team moving up from 

JV to varsity, so it’s a big 

leap. 

“Now’s the time to start. 

Now is what we wanted to 

build up to with playoffs in 

two weeks.” 

Lincoln-Way got off to 

a very slow start as Lyons 

dominated the first 10 minutes 

of play and took a 1-0 

lead on Dominic Varchetto’s 

goal just under eight 

minutes in. 

“We were just kind of out 

of sync at the start,” Dingle 

said. “We were coming off 

the long winter break before 

this weekend, so it was 

tough to get back into the 

flow.” 

Lincoln-Way, though, 

grabbed the lead for good 

with two goals in a 51-second 

span. Faruzzi, a senior 

at LW East, tied it with 2:56 

3 

to go. 

Caddigan, a senior at 

LW Central, added the goahead 

goal 51 seconds later. 

Lange gave Lincoln- 

Way some cushion when 

he scored with 5:40 to go in 

the second period. 

Lange has embraced his 

role as team captain. 

“It’s really important,” 

he said. “I’ve been a varsity 

player for four years 

and I’ve seen how much 

the captains have helped 

me the last three years. I 

just want to be that for my 

teammates. 

“I want to be somebody 

they can look up to, ask 

questions to. I want to be 

a role model on and off the 

ice.” 

Lyons cut the lead to 

3-2 on a goal from Nathan 

Davis, but just 26 seconds 

remained, and Lincoln- 

Way was able to run out the 

clock. 

Jack Schedin, a senior at 

LW West, turned in a strong 

performance in goal to limit 

Lyons to the two goals. 

Cancer Support Center of Mokena employees Cynthia 

Turnquest (far left) and Jen Linares (far right) receive 

a check and a signed jersey from Lincoln-Way hockey 

club captains (left to right) Haydn Grencik, Jason 

Lange, Joseph Pustis and Ryan Meske. The hockey 

teams raised $4,305 during their “Stick it to Cancer” 

event. photo submitted 

Hockey 

Lincoln-Way hockey raises over 

$4,000 for Cancer Support Center 

STAFF REPORT 

The captains of the three 

Lincoln-Way hockey club 

teams recently presented 

a check for $4,305 to the 

Cancer Support Center of 

Mokena. 

The teams - varsity gold, 

junior varsity blue and 

junior varsity red, made 

of players from all three 

Lincoln-Way schools - 

held “Stick it to Cancer” 

games in October to 

raise funds. Players wore 

special pink jerseys and 

held split the pot raffles, 

bake sales, chuck-a-puck 

games and more to raise 

money. 

This was the eighth time 

Lincoln-Way hockey held 

its “Stick it to Cancer” 

events, and this was the 

most money raised yet. 

The team captains also 

presented Cancer Support 

Center of Mokena staff 

members with a signed jersey 

from all the Lincoln- 

Way players. 

This Week In 

KNIGHTS VARSITY 

ATHLETICS 

BOYS BASKETBALL 

■Jan. ■ 10 – at Lockport, 7 

p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 14 – hosts Bradley- 

Bourbonnais, 6:30 p.m. 

GIRLS BASKETBALL 

■Jan. ■ 9 – hosts Bradley- 

Bourbonnais, 6:30 p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 14 – at LW West, 

6:30 p.m. 

BOYS BOWLING 

■Jan. ■ 11 – SouthWest 

Suburban Conference meet 

at Orland Bowl, 8 a.m. 

GIRLS BOWLING 

■Jan. ■ 9 – hosts Stagg at 

Laraway Lanes, 4:30 p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 13 – hosts Joliet 

West at Laraway Lanes, 

4:30 p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 14 – LW West at 

Laraway Lanes, 4:30 p.m. 

DANCE 

■Jan. ■ 11 – at Lockport 

Invite, 4 p.m. 



at Lockport, 5 p.m. 

BOYS SWIMMING 

■Jan. ■ 9 – at Lockport, 5 

p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 14 – hosts 

Homewood-Flossmoor and 

Joliet Central, 5 p.m. 

WRESTLING 

■Jan. ■ 10 – at Andrew, 5 

p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 11 – hosts LW 

Central Mega Duals, 9 a.m. 

WARRIORS VARSITY 

ATHLETICS 


■Jan. ■ 10 – at Sandburg, 6 

p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 15 – at Tinley Park, 

6:30 p.m. 


■Jan. ■ 9 – hosts Andrew, 

6:30 p.m. 


Central, 6:30 p.m. 

BOYS BOWLING 



at Orland Bowl, 8 a.m. 

GIRLS BOWLING 

■Jan. ■ 9 – Bolingbrook at 

Brunswick Zone, 4:30 p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 11 – Oak Foest Invite 

at Oak Forest Bowl, 8:30 

a.m 

■Jan. ■ 13 – Plainfield East 

at Bowlero Romeoville, 4 

p.m. 


Central at Laraway Lanes, 

4:30 p.m. 

DANCE 

■Jan. ■ 11 – at Lockport 

Invite, 4 p.m. 



at Lockport, 5 p.m. 

BOYS SWIMMING 

■Jan. ■ 9 – at Stagg, 5 p.m. 

WRESTLING 

■Jan. ■ 9 – at Joliet West, 5 

p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 10 – hosts 

Homewood-Flossmoor, 5 

p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 11 – hosts LW West 

Mega Duals, 9 a.m. 

CELTICS VARSITY 

ATHLETICS 


■Jan. ■ 10 – at Providence- 

St. Mel, 7 p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 13 – hosts St. 

Laurence, 7 p.m. 


■Jan. ■ 9 – hosts De La 

Salle, 7 p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 11 – at Lockport, 

2:30 p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 14 – hosts St. 

Ignatius, 7 p.m. 

BOYS BOWLING 

■Jan. ■ 11 – Catholic League 

Championship meet at 

Palos Lanes, 9:15 a.m. 

DANCE 

■Jan. ■ 12 – at Huntley 

Invite, TBA 

WRESTLING 

■Jan. ■ 10 – at De La Salle 

triangular with Brother Rice, 

5 p.m. 

■Jan. ■ 11 – at LW West 

Mega Duals, 9 a.m. 

LINCOLN-WAY CO-OP 

ATHLETICS 

GIRLS GYMNASTICS 

■Jan. ■ 15 – at Homewood- 

Flossmoor, 5:30 p.m.



Wrestling 

4 Roundup 

4 

Boersma continues dominance 

as Celtics rally to beat Moline 

RANDY WHALEN 


Perhaps the Providence 

wrestling team’s record 

isn't where it wants it to 

be. 

But the Celtics know 

they have the talent to turn 

that around in the second 

half of the season. 

With some guys now 

getting healthy and others 

hitting their stride, 

Providence staged a 

comeback and defeated 

Moline 41-33 to kick off 

the new calendar year on 

Friday, Jan. 3, in New 

Lenox. 

In the dual, recently 

No.1 ranked heavyweight 

Ryan Boersma continued 

to impress with a tech fall 

to clinch the victory. 

Boersma (23-1), a 

sophomore who recently 

vaulted to No. 1 in Illinois 

Wrestling Coaches 

and Officials Association 

rankings, has only lost 1-0 

to senior Steven Kolcheff 

out of Michigan. 

While many heavyweights 

are obviously 

big, at 6-foot-6 and 260 

pounds, Boersma is more 

agile and just towers over 

his opponents. 

"Usually my leverage 

is awesome, and I 

can do moves a lot easier 

and reach around guys," 

Boersma said of using his 

size. "I just want to keep 

winning. I got in the top 

eight at state last year and 

this year I want to win it." 

Providence coach Donnie 

Reynolds believes 

Boersma can do it. 

"He's trending in the 

right direction," Reynolds 

said of his heavyweight. 

"You can't teach size and 

he's one of the taller kids 

in the state. He's got a lot 

of different ways to score. 

He just needs to keep 

learning new things so 

someone can't focus on all 

his moves." 

The Celtics have taken 

on a very challenging 

schedule this season. 

"We've gone up against 

a who's who of Illinois 

wrestling," Reynolds 

said. "But [the victory 

over Moline] was a good 

win." 

It was as the Celtics (8- 

12) rallied for some nice 

win after a slow start. 

Starting at 106 pounds, 

Moline (13-9) won the 

first three bouts, two of 

them by fall, to take an 

early 15-0 lead. 

But Billy Lindsey 

fought off a challenge 

and the freshman emerged 

with a 4-2 overtime win 

at 126 to start the Celtics 

comeback. 

"Billy Lindsey is a 

tough kid and he stopped 

the bleeding," Reynolds 

said. "He was wrestling 

down a weight and this is 

his first meet back after 

being out the first semester. 

It's good to have him 

back." 

Unfortunately for Providence, 

senior Nick Matthias 

suffered a knee injury 

early on in his match 

at 132 and had to injury 

default. That gave the Maroons 

their largest lead at 

21-3. 

Sophomore Sean 

O'Connor started the Celtics 

on a five-match win 

streak with a 6-2 win at 

138 pounds. 

Kevin Countryman 

continued it with the first 

of four straight pins at 145 

to close the Celtics within 

21-12. 

"Kevin is getting back 

in shape," Reynolds said. 

"He's getting back in form 

now after helping the 

football team to the quarterfinals." 

Countryman, who took 

fourth at the individual 

state finals at 145 in Class 

3A last season, is ready to 

help Providence prevail 

in the second half of the 

season. 

"It's good," he said of 

getting the victory over 

Moline. "We're a young 

team and if we win the regional 

or get some people 

to the sectional, we will 

probably see [Moline] 

again." 

Frankfort resident Jack 

Bruno at 152, fellow junior 

and New Lenox resident 

Kaden Bray at 160, 

and sophomore Aidan 

O'Connor at 170 continued 

on with three straight 

pins for a 30-21 lead. The 

Maroons came back with 

a pair of pins at 182 and 

195 to retake the lead at 

33-30. 

But a forfeit win at 

220 and 19-4 tech fall by 

Boersma at 285 capped 

the comeback off for 

Providence. 

Going forward, Providence 

is focused on improving 

as a team. 

"We've gone against 

good teams," Countryman 

said. "I think our wrestling 

shows we are more 

than our record. We will 

peak at the right time of 

the season." 

LW Central wrestlers 

beat H-F, fall to LW East 


It was an up-and-down 

night for Lincoln-Way 

Central’s wrestling team 

Friday, Jan. 3. 

The Knights beat Homewood-Flossmoor 

41-24, 

but struggled in a lopsided 

50-13 loss to Lincoln-Way 

East. 

Central continued 

its success at the lower 

weights as sophomore 

Joey Malito and freshman 

Nathan Knowlton shined 

throughout the night. 

Against East, Malito 

won a 10-1 major decision 

over Connor Koehler at 

113 pounds. Knowlton, a 

two-time IESA state champion 

at Martino Junior 

High, pinned the Griffins’ 

Blake Fries at 106. 

Central’s only other win 

came from senior Ron Jancaric, 

who picked up a 7-1 

victory over John Ingram 

at 220. 

West wrestlers go 2-1 at 

Ruettiger Cup 

Lincoln-Way West’s 

wrestling team finished 

second at Minooka’s Ruettiger 

Cup on Saturday, 

Jan. 4. 

The Warriors beat 

Lincoln-Way East 40-30 

and Moline 47-25, and 

dropped a tight 31-28 dual 

to the host Indians, who 

are ranked No. 8 in Class 

3A by the Illinois Wrestling 

Coaches and Officials 

Association. 

Brock Pfeifer, Javen Estrada, 

Garret Geigner and 

Payton Geigner all went 

3-0 on the day. 

Huge night for Curran in 

Lincoln-Way Central’s Nathan Knowlton controls 

Lincoln-Way East’s Blake Fries on his way to a pin in 

the 106-pound match Friday, Jan. 3. The Griffins won 

the dual 50-13. JULIE MCMANN/22ND CENTURY MEDIA 

win over Bloomington 

Lincoln-Way Central’s 

boys basketball team improved 

to 9-4 with a 70-64 

win over Bloomington on 

Saturday, Jan. 4, in New 

Lenox. 

Junior guard Sean Curran 

rang in the new year 

with a huge performance, 

pouring in 32 points. Fellow 

junior guard Nick 

Tingley added 14 points, 

while senior guard Sean 

Michalak also chipped in 

14 points. 

The Knights were set 

to take on Chicago Ag 

Science on Monday, Jan. 

6, and Glenbard West on 

Wednesday, Jan. 8, before 

a SouthWest Suburban 

crossover at Lockport on 

Friday, Jan. 10. 

Knight stars in Providence 

victory over Proviso East 

Senior guard Lauren 

Knight poured in 27 points 

to lead Providence’s girls 

basketball team to a 59-49 

win over Proviso East on 

Saturday, Jan. 4, in New 

Lenox. 

Claire McGrath chipped 

in eight points. 

Providence improved to 

12-4 and was set to play at 

St. Laurence on Tuesday, 

Jan. 7. 

The Celtics are scheduled 

to host De La Salle 

at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, 

Jan. 9, and play at Lockport 

at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, 

Jan. 11.



Boys swimming 

Bozzi, Knights hold off Andrew to win title at home invite 

5 


Lincoln-Way Central 

junior Joe Bozzi was super 

pumped up to see the 

Knights win the championship 

of their home 

invite, the Lincoln-Way 

Central Holiday Invitational, 

on Thursday, Jan. 2. 

The Knights kicked off 

the new year by putting up 

210 points to edge Andrew 

(207) for the title in the 

eight-team competition. 

Sandburg (199), Stagg 

(157), Lemont (148), Hinsdale 

South (146), Lincoln-Way 

West (130) and 

Oak Forest (45) rounded 

out the field. 

“It was a great team effort,” 

Bozzi said. “Everyone 

swam incredibly well. 

We’ve all been working 

extremely hard in practice 

and it showed today.” 

While their classmates 

have been enjoying their 

winter break, the Knights 

swimmers have been 

working through some 

marathon practices. 

“It’s a grind practicing 

while we’re on break,” 

Bozzi said. “We wake up 

at like 6:30 every morning 

and we’re here until noon. 

So, we’re working very 

hard but we’re all pushing 

each other and it’s making 

us better.” 

Bozzi, a returning state 

qualifier in the 200 and 

500-yard freestyles, has 

been coming on strong in 

the butterfly. At the Holiday 

Invite, he easily won 

the 100 fly in 52.98 seconds, 

more than a second 

ahead of Sandburg’s Sean 

Harlin (54.38). 

“I feel I swam well today, 

especially in the 100 

fly,” Bozzi said. “I’m hoping 

to get the school record 

[52.07] for that event by 

the end of the year.” 

Bozzi, who also took 

second in the 200 free 

(1:45.9) was the Knights’ 

only winner on the day, 

but Central pulled off the 

team title with consistently 

strong swims across the 

board. 

The Knights’ team of 

Bozzi, Matt Senese, Nathan 

Fritz and Will Jager 

finished second in the 200 

medley relay (1:43.35), 

while Bozzi, Senese, Austin 

Moy and Devin Mihaichuk 

teamed up for a thirdplace 

finish in the 400 

free relay (3:26.12). Moy, 

Fritz, Jager and Noah Ivicic 

were fourth in the 200 

free relay (1:36.25). 

Michaichuk in the 100 

fly (57.78), Tyler Quigley 

in the 100 free (53.69) and 

Senese in the 100 back 

(59.85) also had fourthplace 

finishes for the 

Knights. 

“It was very exciting,” 

Central coach Dana Kellerman 

said. “[The Knights] 

swam great and I was so 

proud of them. We’ve been 

working on good streamlines 

and being strong 

off the walls. Focusing, 

in general, during winter 

break can be hard and I 

was so impressed that they 

were able to focus on those 

little things.” 

Junior Sean Finley led 

LW West, winning the 100 

breaststroke (1:01.85) and 

taking third in the 200 individual 

medley (2:05.16). 

“I feel like I performed 

very well,” Finley said. 

“Getting first in the 100 

breast was really unexpected, 

and I got a good 

time in the 200 IM, too.” 

The Warriors’ Tristan 

Minarik was third in the 

100 back (59.41). 

“We’re happy to get in 

and compete,” West coach 

Eric Pavlacka said. “This 

is our only meet over winter 

break and it’s nice to 

break up the monotony 

of just grinding hard in 

practice every day. We 

had some great swims and 

some not great swims, but 

we’ll look to build on this 

over a really busy January.” 

Girls Basketball 

Threes are wild for Warriors at prestigious tournament 

6 

RANDY WHALEN 


The Lincoln-Way West 

girls basketball team made 

sure its first trip to the State 

Farm Holiday Classic was 

a memorable one. 

The Warriors were certainly 

underseeded at No. 

5 in the girls large school 

bracket of the tournament, 

which bills itself as 

“America’s Largest Coed 

Holiday Basketball Tournament. 

The Best Basketball 

This Side Of March.” 

They finished third in a talented 

16-team field. 

West (15-2) is known 

for its 3-point shooting and 

that was on display in Central 

Illinois during the final 

week of 2019. The Warriors 

ended up shattering 

the tournament record for 

most 3-pointers by making 

45 for the tourney. The 

old record was 27, set by 

Springfield in 2010. 

West hit 13 threes in 

each of the first two games, 

which tied a 19-year old 

record held by Downs Tri- 

Valley. 

Freshman Ava Gugliuzza 

easily established a new 

record for most 3-pointers 

in a tournament. The freshman 

guard sank 23 of them 

and had the old record of 

16 beat with 17 with one 

game still to go. 

She added a half dozen 

more as the Warriors easily 

won the third-place game 

by a score of 79-55 over 

Bethalto Civic Memorial 

on Dec. 30 at Illinois Wesleyan’s 

Shirk Center in 

Bloomington. 

“My mom [Amy] told 

me that,” Ava Gugliuzza 

said of having the record 

in hand before the final 

game. “I certainly did my 

best and really didn’t come 

here to break that. I just 

Lincoln-Way West freshman Ava Gugliuzza broke the 

State Farm Holiday Classic record with 23 3-pointers in 

four tournament games. 22nd Century Media file photo 

enjoy playing on the team 

and playing with my sisters. 

I didn’t know I’d do 

that.” 

Both Ava and her oldest 

sister, Taylor Gugliuzza, 

were named to the 

All-Tournament team. Ava 

scored 79 points in the 

four tournament games. 

Taylor finished with 96 

points, scoring at least 22 

points in each game. They 

were the only two teammates 

that made the alltournament 

team. 

“Ava has been a gamer,” 

West coach Ryan White 

said. “She’s stepped in 

with the older kids and not 

slowed down. 

“You never know what 

you are going to get in 

these third-place games. 

So I’m happy the kids 

came out and played their 

best. We got in a rhythm, 

got in flow. We wanted to 

take off.” 

Trailing 4-2 early on, 

the Warriors went on a 

10-0 run to take the lead 

for good. Taylor had a 

pair of layups in the burst 

while Ava angled in a pair 

of 3-pointers. 

“I’ve preferred to drive 

in and attack the basket 

but I will shoot the three 

if I can,” said Taylor, who 

was 8-of-10 from the freethrow 

line in the thirdplace 

game and made 10 

3-pointers in the tournament. 

“We were upset 

about the [69-62 semifinal 

loss to Morton]. But 

third place isn’t bad and 

it shows we will be ready 

to play good teams if it 

comes to that.” 

Ahead 17-12 after a 

quarter and 19-14 a minute 

into the second period, 

Taylor scored 13 straight 

points and had 16 points 

total as West outscored 

the Eagles 26-10 the rest 

of the quarter for a 45-24 

halftime lead. 

Sophomore forward Bri 

Wooldridge chipped in 13 

points and senior guard 

Sydney Swanberg added 

eight points for the Warriors. 

Morton (15-0) defeated 

Marist (12-3) 68-51 in the 

title game. The Warriors 

led Morton by a point after 

three quarters and were the 

only team to come within 

single digits of the Potters 

in the tournament. 

“It shows that we can 

have that attitude,” Ava 

Gugliuzza said. “We can 

play with ranked teams 

like that if we see them 

again.”



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Bendy fighting opponents after fighting cancer 

6 


The rounds and rounds of 

chemotherapy Anthony Bendy 

underwent while beating non- 

Hodgkin lymphoma twice certainly 

took a toll on the New 

Lenox native’s body. 

Bendy, a Lincoln-Way West 

graduate, was not sure if he had 

the strength to compete on the 

collegiate wrestling mat, but he 

wanted to try. 

So, after enrolling at Joliet 

Junior College in the spring of 

2018, Bendy approached wrestling 

coach A.J. Blahut about 

joining the team. Bendy had 

not wrestled competitively in 

three years since finishing his 

high school career with the Warriors. 

“I just thought it would be 

good for me physically and mentally,” 

Bendy said. “It’s something 

that made me feel normal. I 

got to be a part of a team again.” 

Bendy was not sure what Blahut’s 

reaction would be, but the 

coach was on board with him 

joining the team the following 

winter for the 2018-19 season. 

“Coach was for it,” Bendy 

said. “I don’t know if he knew 

what to expect, but I think he 

knew that I really wanted to do 

it and he wanted to give me the 

opportunity.” 

Blahut knew how important it 

was to Bendy. 

“Wrestling is more of a personal 

challenge for a lot of 

athletes and sometimes I think 

they’re trying to work out their 

inner demons and compete 

against themselves to see where 

their limits are,” Blahut said. “I 

think Anthony is making sure 

that he’s fighting every day, and 

he’s going to continue to fight regardless 

of what’s thrown at him, 

so who am I to take that away? 

“If students have the heart and 

dedication – those characteristics 

that are needed not only to be a 

successful wrestler but also successful 

in life – you have to let 

them make their own decision.” 

When last season began, 

Bendy was still undergoing 

treatment. He had limited opportunities 

to compete and 

struggled when he did get on 

the mat. He won just one match, 

but it gave him a little taste of 

what college wrestling was like, 

and he was able to head into this 

season with some experience 

under his belt. 

Now, a little more than six 

months after undergoing what 

he hopes will be his final cancer 

treatment, Bendy, 23, is thriving 

in wrestling. With the bulk of 

the season still ahead of him, he 

has already won four matches 

for the Wolves. 

“Last year, I lost a lot and 

that was really tough mentally,” 

Bendy said. “I wasn’t someone 

who was used to losing a lot. I 

had to get my mind back to a 

winning zone, believing that I 

can win. I’m starting to get that 

swagger back this year, so that’s 

been good. 

“Last year, I felt like it was 

more just trying to get my body 

back. It was like that at the beginning 

of this year, too. But 

now I feel like my body is back 

and then it became about getting 

right mentally. Now, I feel good 

all around and I just want to 

take it day by day and see where 

I can go with it.” 

Fighting spirit 

Bendy was first diagnosed 

with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 

the summer of 2016, shortly after 

his freshman year at Illinois 

State, where he did not compete 

in athletics. 

“It was pretty scary when it 

first happened,” he said. “I didn’t 

really know a lot about it. I had 

never seen anybody go through 

treatment or anything like that. It 

was more of the fear of the unknown 

for me.” 

Bendy underwent five rounds 

of chemotherapy. After going 

into remission, he re-enrolled at 

Illinois State for the fall 2017 

Lincoln-Way West graduate Anthony Bendy (left) competes during Joliet Junior College’s Purple vs. 

White Wrestle-Off scrimmage. Bendy has returned to wrestling after battling cancer and has won four 

matches for the Wolves. JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS 

semester, only for the cancer to 

return that October. He deferred 

treatment long enough to finish 

the semester, then returned home 

to begin more treatment in January 

of 2018. 

“The second time, there was 

a lot less fear,” he said. “I knew 

what to expect and I was ready to 

face it head on. It was definitely 

more frustrating than anything. 

It was upsetting, but I knew 

what I had to do and I had to get 

through it.” 

Bendy underwent a stem-cell 

transplant, utilizing some of his 

own cells that were harvested 

early on. He then underwent 

some intense chemotherapy 

sessions. With his immune system 

severely compromised by 

the powerful treatment, he was 

hospitalized for a month at the 

University of Chicago’s Comer 

Children’s Hospital, then quarantined 

to his house for three 

months after being released. 

The toughness that Bendy displayed 

on the mat at West was 

extremely visible as he battled 

the disease. 

“I remember there were times 

where I felt really tired, but I just 

tried to think about what was at 

stake,” Bendy said. “I always 

thought about all the people who 

were supporting me. My mom, 

[Jennifer], was always there for 

me and I always wanted to have 

a smile on my face for her. I was 

just trying to stay tough for the 

people around me.” 

Along the road to recovery, 

Bendy developed a relationship 

with Cubs star and cancer survivor 

Anthony Rizzo. 

“It was really cool,” Bendy 

said. “He’s someone I look up to. 

You see him on TV and think so 

highly of him and then to meet 

him in real life and share some 

similar stories, it was great. He’s 

so down-to-earth and easygoing 

and he does a lot of great things 

for the community.” 

The path back to normal 

Wrestling gave Bendy a 

chance to be something other 

than a cancer patient. He wanted 

to be an athlete again, a teammate 

again, and a winner again. 

He is all of those things now 

for the Wolves. 

“It had been three years since I 

competed, plus going through all 

the treatment, so it was tough to 

come back,” he said. “It’s been 

nice seeing my progression the 

last two years, but it’s definitely 

been a long road.” 

Bendy is set to earn his associate’s 

degree from JJC in May. He 

plans to attend Governors State 

next and is considering becoming 

a wrestling coach. While he 

still has some choices to make 

about his future, Bendy knows 

he made one great one to return 

to wrestling. 

“I feel like it’s one of the best 

decisions I’ve made in my life,” 

he said. “I’ve had a lot of fun, 

and I’m really happy that I tried 

this. 

“It’s nice to be getting back on 

track after everything. It’s been a 

long road, but I’ve learned a lot 

along the way.”



fastbreak 

Girls Gymnastics 

LW co-op wins fourth straight Erin Olmsted title 

4 

chip delorenzo/22nd 

century media 

1st and 3 

THREE STARS OF THE 

WEEk 

1. Sean Curran 

Curran (above), a 

junior guard at LW 

Central, poured 

in 32 points in a 

70-64 win over 

Bloomington. 

Curran has helped 

the Knights win 

nine of their first 13 

games. 

2. Grace Kmak 

Kmak, a junior on 

the Lincoln-Way 

co-op gymnastics 

team, won the 

all-around title at 

the Erin Olmsted 

Invitational at 

Andrew, finishing 

with a score of 

35.475. 

3. Lauren Knight 

Knight, a senior 

guard at Providence, 

went off for 27 

points in a win over 

Proviso East. 


One sign of a great team 

is the ability to produce 

successful results even 

when not everything is 

clicking. 

The Lincoln-Way co-op 

gymnastics team demonstrated 

that at the Erin Olmsted 

Invitational on Saturday, 

Jan. 4, at Andrew. 

Lincoln-Way won the 

meet for the fourth consecutive 

season despite 

not being at its best. Lincoln-Way’s 

final score of 

137.325 beat out Oswego 

(135.425) and host Andrew 

co-op (134.15) at the 

top of the eight-team field. 

“I think we did pretty 

well,” said Allie Reis, 

a junior at LW East. “It 

wasn’t our best meet. We 

had kind of a rough start, 

but we all came together 

at the end and finished off 

strong. 

“It says a lot about our 

team. We work really well 

together this year. I think 

we do a good job of not 

letting things get us down. 

We’re pretty resilient and 

we can come back even 

through rough times.” 

Grace Kmak, a LW 

Central junior, led the way 

by winning the all-around 

with a score of 35.475. 

“It wasn’t my best day,” 

Kmak said. “We’re still 

working on stuff for later. 

“I just try to do as best as 

I can and not worry about 

how I did in the past event 

when I get to my next 

The Lincoln-Way co-op gymnastics team celebrates with its championship plaque 

for winning the Erin Olmsted Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 4, at Andrew High School. 

STEVE MILLAR/22ND CENTURY MEDIA 

one.” 

Kmak also won the 

vault with a 9.325. She 

was second on bars (8.5) 

and beam (9.05) and tied 

for ninth in the floor exercise 

(8.6). 

“My vault was good all 

around,” Kmak said. “Going 

ahead, I’m going to 

work on bars, get everything 

together. I just need 

to hit everything at the 

end of the year.” 

Kmak was the Hinsdale 

South Sectional champion 

in the all-around last season, 

so expectations are 

high this year. 

“I’m ready,” she said. “I 

just want to go in and do 

even better than last year.” 

Lincoln-Way coach 

Kory Thompson said 

Kmak sets the tone in a 

major way for the rest of 

the team. 

“Grace motivates the 

rest of them when she’s 

doing well,” Thompson 

said. “When everyone 

else is doing well, that 

sets her up to have a better 

day.” 

Thompson said her 

gymnasts have a close 

bond, and one girl’s performance 

can have an 

impact on her teammates 

– in a positive or negative 

way. 

“They have grown so 

close,” Thompson said. 

“As a team, they work 

together so well and they 

get along really well. It’s 

tough sometimes because 

when one of them has an 

off day, it tends to reflect 

on the others. 

“But when they do get 

it all together, they pick 

each other up and build 

off each other’s routines.” 

Thompson was proud to 

see her team fight through 

some early struggles on 

Saturday. 

“We had a few bobbles,” 

she said. “There was a lot 

of time off over break. We 

were just a little off today, 

but it was nice to see 

the girls pull through and 

work together to make 

things happen.” 

Korina Jarosz, a senior 

at West, pitched in by winning 

the bars (8.875). East 

freshman Natale Hrkel 

made it three Lincoln-Way 

gymnasts in the top four 

on bars with her fourthplace 

finish with an 8.4 

Reis finished second 

on the floor with a 9.25, 

while her teammate Lucy 

Haas was fifth (8.825). 

“I’m really focusing on 

floor, which has always 

been my favorite event,” 

Reis said. “I’m just working 

on little things to 

get my score up, especially 

for the postseason 

events.” 

Reis also tied for fourth 

on the beam with an 8.9, 

tying her teammate Skylar 

Koczor, a junior at East. 

Olivia Gonda, a sophomore 

at West, had a solid 

day for Lincoln-Way as 

well, as she finished fifth 

in the all-around (32.55). 

Lincoln-Way will compete 

at Andrew again for 

the SouthWest Suburban 

Conference meet on Jan. 

29 before hosting a regional 

at East in the first 

week of February. 

Lincoln-Way is in the 

Hinsdale Central Sectional. 

Reis said Lincoln- 

Way’s great team bond 

will help it in the big 

events down the stretch. 

“It’s great having everyone 

support you,” she 

said. “Everyone’s going to 

have a bad routine sometimes. 

Having everyone 

else around to help you 

get back on your feet is 

really important.” 

LISTEN UP 

“I feel like it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I’ve had a lot of 

fun, and I’m really happy that I tried this.” 

Anthony Bendy – LW West graduate, on returning to wrestling at Joliet 

Junior College after battling cancer 

Tune In 

Girls Basketball, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14 

LW Central at LW West 

• The Knights and the red-hot Warriors square off 

in a crosstown showdown. 

Index 

34 – This Week In 

33 – Athlete of the Week 

FASTBREAK is compiled by Sports Editor 

Steve Millar at s.millar@22ndcm.com.

new lenox’s Hometown Newspaper | January 9, 2020 

ON TOP AGAIN Lincoln- 

Way gymnasts win fourth straight 

Erin Olmsted title, Page 39 

WINNING AT HOME LW 

Central swimmers take championship 

at home invite, Page 36 

New Lenox’s Bendy back on the wrestling mat after battle with cancer, Page 38 

Joliet Junior College’s Anthony Bendy controls an opponent during a recent match. JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS

NL_010920

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