For 35 years, tennis pro Teri Watland had a racquet in her hand at the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District’s Racquet & Fitness Club. She retired on Friday, Dec. 29. Watland has been a fixture around the courts teaching all levels of tennis. Over the three-plus decades, she would give tennis lessons[Read More…]
Feature
First Irons Oaks holiday trail walk a hit despite soggy conditions
About 450 people signed up for the first Light Up Trail Walk at Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center. Irons Oaks Manager Cheryl Vargo thought that was a pretty good response for the new holiday event. She was even more impressed with the number of people who braved rain on one[Read More…]
Gingerbread day in Flossmoor provides holiday wonder
Saturday, Dec. 2, was a day of gingerbread magic in Flossmoor, starting with the Gingerbread House Extravaganza at Flossmoor Public Library. Youth Services Manager and gingerbread house construction chief Jenny Lucas said the current version of the event has been going for about seven years. She builds the houses in[Read More…]
Winfrey sisters mark two decades of holiday charity work
When Mara and Kayla Winfrey started their annual holiday hot chocolate stand to raise money for the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots program, they did not plan to continue the tradition for 20 years. Of course, they were 2 and 4 years old at the time. Their father, Dave Winfrey,[Read More…]
Homewood Chevy gives new car to brave mom for Christmas
Homewood Chevy gave Chicago resident Tiease Holmes a Christmas she will never forget. On the morning of Christmas Eve, Holmes was presented with the keys to a brand new 2024 Chevrolet Trax. The moment brought her to tears. Homewood Chevy has been playing Santa to locals in need for the[Read More…]
Karaoke party has Swifties celebrating all things Taylor Swift
Homewood Public Library’s Taylor Swift Karaoke event had the crowd ready to share all the music and fun that makes them Swifties. The event Dec. 2 was open to all Swifties, devoted fans of Taylor Swift, for an enchanted evening of making friendship bracelets, deciding which favorite T-Swift song to[Read More…]
Performing arts: 23 Miles South: Community theater with open arms
Both kids and adults can find a home with 23 Miles South, a community theater group. Founder Dawn Peloso said there are people who don’t easily find a place to fit in at school or in the community. She makes 23 Miles South a place they can thrive. “We have[Read More…]
Lessons from five decades teaching preschool
Preschool might look simple. In some ways, it is. Nan Wexler of Homewood has more than five decades of experience teaching the littlest students. She currently teaches at FCC Weekday Preschool in Flossmoor, where she has been for more than 10 years. Before that, she taught for four decades at[Read More…]
Homewood residents taking leading roles in Drama Group’s ‘Harvey’
Elwood P. Dowd has a special friend, Harvey, a 6-foot white rabbit who is ever present (in his imagination). Elwood has a loving sister, Veta Louise, who wants to believe him. She confesses to sometimes seeing Harvey. Bringing a story like that to life for the Drama Group is the[Read More…]
Performing arts: Spotlight Performance Academy answers community need to perform
If Spotlight Performance Academy were a flower, it would be bursting into bloom. And sending out rhizomes. The community performing arts organization is growing in every direction, adding members, adding programs and adding connections to other arts organizations. Spotlight is a non-profit organization that grew out of Bel Canto Children’s[Read More…]