Village Viewpoint: Hope, Gratitude and Patience
Back in May I wrote my Village Viewpoint about the power of hope and gratitude. Six months later I am reflecting on the power of hope and gratitude once again. However, I am adding one more powerful word to the list: patience. The amount of stress, suffering and uncertainty we have experienced over the past eight months feels like enough for a lifetime, and yet, it is […]
12 Weeks of Christmas Raffle: November Surprises!
By Brittany Wiley BAPA Business Liaison BAPA’s 12 Weeks of Christmas Raffle got off to a spectacular start with lots of people competing for creative collections of goods, services and meals from Beverly/Morgan Park businesses. For just $20 per ticket, people have a chance to win a prize that’s worth $1500! Each package has a theme […]
Bringing Out the Best In Our Neighborhood
By Maureen Reilly BAPA Board President Beverly/Morgan Park neighbors, the last time I wrote to you our community, city, and country were at the doorstep of the coronavirus pandemic. I used the word “unprecedented” to describe both the fearsome challenges of COVID-19 and the remarkable response to the crisis from our community’s people, businesses and organizations. BAPA’s quick and nimble response to the crisis is […]
BEEhavior: Edna White Garden Installs Insect Observatory
The Edna White Community Garden, 1850 S. Monterey Ave., is a beautiful place to visit. Filled with colorful native plants, bountiful vegetables and herbs (most of which help to feed hungry neighbors), meandering paths and buzzing beehives, it’s a place to truly enjoy nature right here in the neighborhood. Soon visitors will be offered a chance to get an up-close view of the bees and insects […]
Tween Filmmaker Produces Talk Show to Inspire Others
By Kristin Boza Avery Kelley, a Beverly/Morgan Park resident and Keller Regional Gifted School 7th grader, already has an impressive resume. As a writer, director, producer, and filmmaker, Kelley hosts the weekly Tweendom Talk Show on YouTube, where she connects with others across the city who are doing great things in their communities. “I first got the idea […]
Blue House Continues After-School Programming During the Pandemic
By Tina Jenkins Bell BAPA School Liaison The Catholic Youth Ministry Center at Morgan Park High School (CYMC) or Blue House, 1825 W. Monterey Ave., continues to serve Morgan Park High School students during the pandemic, despite the challenges of having to conduct their work remotely. The Blue House, known for myriad after–school guidance and student support services, offers educational workshops, career explorations, conflict […]
Get Your Ho-Ka Turkeys at County Fair
By Kristin Boza Thanksgiving celebrations may look different this year, with Zoom call-ins to the cousins and a smaller in-person table. Regardless of what the guest list looks like, County Fair, 10800 S. Western, is ready to serve the community for all their Thanksgiving dinner needs. The famed Ho-Ka turkeys, from Howard Kauffman Turkey Farm in Waterman, Ill., takes […]
Divvy is Here! What You Need to Know to About the Bike-Share Program’s Expansion into Beverly
By Cathriona Fey BAPA Community Outreach & Improvement You may have noticed the new Divvy bike stations recently installed throughout the neighborhood. Primarily located near Metra stations, residents can now access these shared bikes as an alternative to driving, to connect to public transit or to simply take in the neighborhood and get some exercise. Divvy is a public-private partnership between the Chicago […]
Novel Idea: Bookies Launches T-Shirt Fundraiser
Browsing in Bookies. It’s a pastime a lot of neighbors have missed since the pandemic forced the bookstore to close for several months. Owner Keith Lewis has reopened the store on a limited basis (yay!) and is hoping his novel idea for a Bookies apparel fund raiser will appeal to his customers and help him recoup some of the revenue lost during the extended store closure. Bookies t-shirts ($24), longsleeve-shirts ($27) and […]
Feeding the Hungry: Maple Morgan Food Pantry
In its 37–year history of providing emergency food assistance in our community, the Maple Morgan Park Food Pantry has seen local families through hard times including an extended teachers’ strike and a few serious recessions. But since the pandemic began, the number of neighbors being served by the pantry has increased 300 per cent. The Maple Morgan Park Food Pantry’s annual holiday turkey fundraising campaign is underway. The […]