We’re BAPA Members. Are You? 

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BAPA’s work could not be accomplished without the support of our resident and business members. The following people shared some of their thoughts about why making their annual membership donation is an important part of what they do for the community, and for their own quality of life as Beverly/Morgan Park neighbors. You can learn more about becoming a BAPA member on our website https://bapa.org/support-bapa/ or by calling the BAPA office, 773-233-3100.  

 

Nate & Sonia Hollister 

“We moved to the Beverly area five years ago, with little knowledge of and few connections to the neighborhood. As we considered different areas to put down roots, Beverly became a frontrunner in part due to the work of BAPA. We began hearing about things like the Ridge Run, home tours, parades and other neighborhood festivities. For us, this evidence of local community involvement was exciting and exactly the type of neighborhood environment we wanted. Five years later, as the co-owners of a new local business, Two Mile Coffee Bar, the work of BAPA is just as important to us. We opened Two Mile to improve and enhance our neighborhood – and BAPA helps us get that message out and connect with our neighbors. BAPA provides a valuable service to the neighborhood. It’s a platform for community involvement and interaction. It’s an advocate for helping voice and solve real community issues. It connects people who care about where we live and want to make it a better, even more beautiful place to live.” 

Molly Sullivan & Thomas Murphy 

“Organizations like BAPA work to encourage community participation at every level and provide support for a variety of important neighborhood initiatives. It’s important work; great places to live and raise a family don’t happen by accident. The support for community events from the Ridge Run to promoting the local retail and food businesses are vital to helping keep our neighborhood strong and vibrant. One of the most important events BAPA sponsors is the annual Home Tour which provides an excellent opportunity for visitors to see all that Beverly has to offer and why newcomers and longtime residents love where they live!” 

Beth & Kevin Malloy 

“We moved here 4 years ago because of the strong community that makes truly makes Beverly/Morgan Park a neighborhood. We support BAPA because BAPA supports us and our neighbors! It provides both residents and visitors alike examples of how the community comes together for great events such as the Ridge Run and Bikes & Brews, instilling a general sense of pride in our community. We see BAPA as continuing to build on its history of strengthening our community by being a resource for homeowners. We love where we live!” 

 

 

Sweet Surprises at BAPA’s Holiday Cookie Crawl 

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Sweet Surprises at BAPA’s Holiday Cookie Crawl 

Everyone’s smiling when they arrive at BAPA’s annual Holiday Cookie Crawl. What’s not to love about visiting neighborhood businesses and getting a sweet surprise at every stop! The 4th Annual Holiday Cookie Crawl will be held Sat., Dec. 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at the time The Villager went to press, tins were available for purchase. Tins sales are online only at www.bapa.org. The cost is $25 each, limit two. 

The Crawl begins at the Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St., where participants will check in between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and receive their first two treats, one from the Misericordia pop-up and one from BAPA.  Cookie Crawl sponsors are Desmond & Ahern LTD., certified accountants and consultants, and County Fair Foods.  

This year’s event features more participating businesses, so tins are bigger to accommodate 17 treats. Cookie flavors include gingerbread men, eggnog snowmen, oatmeal with white chocolate, double chocolate with peppermint, red velvet, amaretti, pumpkin spice and more. Bakers and treat makers are Misericordia, Sweet Freaks, Laine’s Bake Shop, Home Run Inn, Smith Village, County Fair Foods, Beverly Bakery, Barraco’s, Alvin Green and Mr. Mike’s.  

Each of the cookie stops is located along Western Avenue. I It takes 4960 cookies to fill the 300 tins available for the crawl!  

In addition to collecting cookies, families can enjoy holiday music by the Chicago Children’s Choir at the Beverly Arts Center, visits with Santa at Beverly Bank, 10258 S. Western, 2 to 5 p.m., and special fun at other businesses. 

BAPA’s Holiday Cookie Crawl supports local businesses and encourages are residents to shop locally. 

  

 

 

Grace and Sid Hamper Will Receive BAPA Community Service Award 

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By Grace Kuikman 

For the past three decades, Sid and Grace Hamper have been tireless stewards of one of Beverly/Morgan Park’s most cherished institutions, the John H. Vanderpoel Art Association (VAA) collection of 19th and 20th century American art. As lovers of art and their community, the Hampers have committed their outstanding time and talents in abundance, Sid as treasurer, president and now president emeritus, and Grace as a volunteer and curator.     

For their dedication to the Vanderpoel Art Association, the Hampers will be presented with the BAPA Community Service Award at the Beverly Area Planning Association annual Donor Recognition Reception on Thurs., Nov. 14. The by-invitation-only reception also honors BAPA donors giving at levels of $500 and up, and this year will be held in the John H. Vanderpoel Gallery at Ridge Park.   

The Hampers were recruited to the VAA through a friend, the late George Ralston, who recognized the talents that the couple possessed and the Association needed.  Ralston was right: the Hampers’ dedication to the VAA has been unmatched.  

Grace, who always had an interest in the arts, joined VAA in 1989, once the couples’ four children were grown. Grace summed up her experience with the VAA as “years of joy.” Through her work at the gallery, she has helped to curate the art, prepare exhibits and help wherever she has been needed. “I’ve met lots of interesting people from the art world,” she said.  

Sid joined the VAA in 1992, following his retirement from a successful career at the Chicago Board of Trade and as a lawyer in private practice. He was a teenager when he started working as a runner at the CBOT, and in the early 1950s became a trader. He is still a CBOT member and served ten years as a director. In 1958, Sid earned a law degree. In addition to this career as a trader, he opened a law practice with partner. He specialized in wills, probate, commodities and security law, and as a qualified trade advisor. Conveniently, the law office was located in the CBOT building.  

Sid’s expertise in finance and law were pivotal in raising funds needed to protect the Vanderpoel Art Association collection in perpetuity. He cultivated donors whose generous gifts made it possible to provide for the future of the collection and to underwrite important art conservation efforts, including the cleaning and restoration of about 30 art works. The VAA continues to preserve art, working with top quality art restorers.  

The outstanding art collection is named for Dutch-born artist John H. Vanderpoel who lived in North Beverly while teaching at the School of the Art Institute. Following the artist’s death in 1911, community residents took up a collection and purchased Vanderpoel’s painting “The Buttermakers.” In 1914 the painting was placed in Vanderpoel School as a tribute to the artist for whom the school – and the street where it’s located — was named. It was later decided that a memorial collection of works would be an even better honor. Vanderpoel was beloved by his students, many of whom were eager to donate their works to the collection.  

Many of the paintings in the collection were donated by artists or owners. “A lot of the paintings were in people’s homes,” Sid said. He explained that the first curator of the collection – John Campbell – would write to Chicago area artists asking them to donate pieces of their work. And they did. Paintings, drawings and sculpture arrived at Ridge Park. The file of Campbell’s correspondence documenting this fascinating aspect of the gallery’s history still exists.  

When the collection had grown too large to be housed in the school’s gallery, a new wing was built on the Ridge Park field house, creating a permanent home for the John H. Vanderpoel Art Association collection.  The collection of what is now more than 600 19th and 20th century works by American artists also grew in reputation. Counted among the artists are Mary Cassatt, Maxfield Parrish, Grant Wood, Daniel Chester French and Vanderpoel, whose work, “The Buttermakers,” is still on display. 

At the gallery almost every day for many years, Sid also dedicated important time to research and myriad other important tasks that illuminate, protect and benefit the art collection.  Many people – from the community and beyond – recognize the Hampers as the faces of the Vanderpoel collection. In fact, when Chicago Magazine profiled the Vanderpoel Gallery Feb. 2018, Grace and Sid Hamper were interviewed and appeared in the photograph.  

At age 88, the couple is no longer in the Ridge Park gallery every day, but they remain involved as tremendous resources and keepers of the collection’s history.  

“Grace and Sid Hamper have shown an extraordinary and steadfast commitment to the care and preservation of the John H. Vanderpoel Art Association’s art collection,” said Irene Testa, current VAA President. “Their leadership has been crucial to the success of the organization.  We are profoundly grateful for their efforts to preserve this valuable art collection for posterity.” 

For information on how to support BAPA at the Community Support Circle and higher levels, contact BAPA Executive Director Susan Flood, 773-233-3100.  

Buona BAPA Benefit 

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Buona BAPA Benefit 

Buona Beef, 10633 S. Western and will host a benefit day for BAPA Wed., Nov. 27, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.  It’s the night before Thanksgiving – supporting our neighborhood association is a great reason not to cook!  Present a copy of the ad printed on this page or a the digital version on your phone, and 20% of your sales will go to BAPA to support programs that directly benefit Beverly/Morgan Park.  

BAPA’s Cookie Crawl

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Holiday Event Yields Sweet Surprises 

Easy steps for holiday fun: 1. Open tin. 2. Insert cookies.  

Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) is making collecting cookies especially fun at the 4th annual Holiday Cookie Crawl, Sat., Dec. 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Families are invited to purchase a tin then visit participating businesses to do some shopping and pick up a cookie at each stop. Tins must be purchased in advance online at www.bapa.org for $20 each; online sales open at noon, Fri., Nov. 22, and maximum order is two tins. The quantity is limited. Find more details in the December issue of The Villager.  

BAPA Has One Goal: Improving the Community 

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From representing our community’s best interests with city government to planting trees on neighborhood parkways, the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) is at work making Beverly/Morgan Park the place where we love to live.  BAPA’s staff are changemakers, connectors and cheerleaders, and everything they do has one goal: Improving the community.  

BAPA Means Business 

Building on the organization’s core programs, BAPA has been expanding and updating services, starting with staff.  In November, Anna Fratto became BAPA’s Director of Economic Development, connecting businesses with opportunities that can gain them exposure with target customers.  

“Anna has brought terrific energy to BAPA’s business relationships,” said BAPA Executive Director Susan Flood. “Business owners are embracing BAPA membership and event sponsorship, and they’re taking advantage of the opportunities BAPA provides for getting their messages in front of their customers.”  

Fratto’s program area includes the BAPA Card, event and program sponsorship, business membership and communications, and reenergizing business referrals. She brings to BAPA experience as Public Affairs and Community Relations Coordinator for Citgo Petroleum Co., and Executive Director of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  

 In spring, Gary Jenkins took on the role of BAPA Director of School and Safety Programs. “Gary brings to BAPA outstanding insights gained from a long career with Chicago Public Schools and an active role in CAPS initiatives with the 22nd District Police,” Flood said.  Jenkins works on school initiatives that recognize achievement through the BAPA Student Community Service Awards for outstanding public school 7th and 8th graders, strengthening relationships with local schools and identifying school needs as liaison to the BAPA Education Committee. Jenkins works with CAPS officers to support safety and crime prevention programs, and he is expanding BAPA’s Safety Committee. He is currently serving as President of the Vanderpoel Improvement Association.  

In her role as BAPA Executive Director, Flood has been working with staff to expand programs and refresh projects to ensure BAPA’s work responds to current community needs. Flood now attends Chicago City Council meetings, representing Beverly/Morgan Park and staying informed about the work of our city government. She is forging strong relationships with community partners, working together on shared goals, and challenging staff and supporters help make BAPA’s services and successes even better.    

BAPA is known for working hard, but most people may not realize that the staff actually uses a lot of muscle. Beautification activities are designed to keep our community looking its best, and include the neighborhood-wide Clean and Green in April, Openlands tree planting days in spring and fall, and occasionally jumping out of the car to pull some weeds or pick up litter.  

Also serving on the BAPA staff are Associate Director and Communications Director Grace Kuikman, Community Organizer Mary Jo Viero, Office Manager Talie Leeb and Accountant Eileen Kenah.  

Progress Through Programs  

All of BAPA’s programs and events unify neighbors, build community pride, and align with the association’s missions. 

BAPA’s reorganized Housing Committee features members who represent Ridge Historical Society, Beverly Givins Castle and Chicago Bungalow Association as well as architects, real estate professionals and planners. Events like the Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour and Open House Chicago support the goals of the committee. The Home Tour showcases our beautiful homes to potential home buyers, and this year launched the BAPA Home Expo to connect homeowners with tradespeople who work on vintage homes.  

Beverly/Morgan Park’s first year on the Chicago Architecture Center’s citywide Open House Chicago architecture tour was a huge hit last fall, bringing several thousand people to visit the Village in the City. The event returns to the neighborhood on Oct. 19 and 20 and will feature several new locations. BAPA is the Open House Chicago community partner, assisting in local site selection, event promotion, and volunteer recruitment and training.   

The Ridge Run and Memorial Day Parade bring thousands of athletes and spectators to the Ridge Historic District to show off rich architecture and the community’s spirited lifestyle. The Bikes and Brews festival, this year expanded to include restaurant row and more brews, brings people together to celebrate with neighbors and enjoy a professional level cycling event.    

Other BAPA events support commercial areas. The 3rd Annual Sip and Shop will be held Thurs., Sept. 26, and feature shopping and sampling from 6 to 9 p.m., followed by an after party from 9 to 11 p.m. Co-sponsored by BAPA, Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association and 19th Ward Office, the event takes place in the 99th Street and 103rd Street businesses located around the Metra stations. In December, BAPA will host the 4th annual Holiday Cookie Crawl inviting people into local businesses to claim cookies and share holiday cheer.  

On Friday, Nov. 8, BAPA will co-sponsor the 19th Ward Veterans Breakfast to recognize local men and women who have served or currently serve in U.S. armed forces.  

Get the Message 

“BAPA has the biggest megaphone in the community,” Flood. “Our communications cover all platforms.” 

The Villager is delivered to 16,000 mailboxes every month, covering the people, institutions and businesses that make us all Love Where We Live. BAPA’s weekly e-newsletters go to more than 8,000 inboxes and on alternate weeks provide updates on local news through the Neighborhood Notes and upcoming events through the new Nightlife & Entertainment. BAPA’s online Community Calendar is the go-to place for events information, and robust postings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram keep people connected.  In partnership with the Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association, BAPA is engaged in a digital radio campaign to promote the Village in the City as a great place to life, shop, dine and visit. Ads drive listeners to villageinthecity.org for visitor information.  

You Can Be a Changemaker Too! 

A 501 (c) 3 not for profit organization, BAPA relies on the support of neighborhood residents and businesses to fund its work in the community. BAPA is not politically affiliated and represents the best interests of everyone Beverly/Morgan Park. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Look for the membership envelope in this issue of The Villager or join/renew online at www.bapa.org.  

BAPA’s office is located at 1987 W. 111th St. For more information on programs, events, memberships and donations, call 773-233-3100 or visit www.bapa.org.  

 

Shopping, Sampling & Smiling: 3rd Annual Sip & Shop  

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Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA), 19th Ward Office and Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association will present the 3rd annual Sip & Shop Girls Night Out on Thurs., Sept. 26, 6 to 11 p.m. Shoppers are invited to take advantage of free bus transportation that will travel between the 99th and 103rd Street shopping districts continuously that evening.  

Businesses in the train station districts at 99th Street and 103rd Street will offer special sales, beverage and food tastings, demonstrations and more from 6 to 9 p.m. starting at Beverly Barre, 9909 S. Walden Pkwy.  

Participating stores in the 99th Street shopping district are Beverly Barre, Cakewalk Chicago, Capsule, Color Me Beauty Bar, Joplin Marley Studios, Markland Hubbard, Pizzeria Deepo, Sweet Freaks, Tranquility Salon Co. and Turkey. 

In the 103rd Street shopping district, participating stores are BHive, Calabria Imports, Bani’s Beets, Belle Up Boutique, The Blossom Boys, The Heritage Gallery, Ohana Ice & Treats, Starbucks, RMH Design and Root Consignment. 

Pop-up shops include Beverly Dry Goods and Mayta Design in Joplin Marley Studios, 90+ Cellars in Pizzeria Deepo and Traveling Vineyard in Root Consignment.  

Free raffle tickets will be offered at every participating stop, so the more places you visit the better your chance to win merchandise from Sip and Shop businesses.  

An after party with a DJ, signature pasta dish from Calabria Imports, and beverages will be held in the Beverly Bank & Trust parking lot at 103rd and Walden Parkway from 9 to 11 p.m.   

Admission of $15 in advance or $20 at the event covers the goodies and giveaways including a souvenir shopping bag (while supplies last) and the after- party. Order advance tickets online at www.bapa.org; there is no processing fee for online orders.  

BAPA Welcomes New Neighbors, Invites All Neighbors to Get Involved  

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By Mary Jo Viero 
BAPA Community Organizer 

Are you new to the neighborhood?  

Moving to a new community can be overwhelming.  Trying to meet people and learn about everything the neighborhood has to offer takes time and is not always easy.  BAPA is making this process easier by hosting a new neighbor meet and greet on Tues., Oct. 1.   

If you moved into your Beverly/Morgan Park home after January 2018, BAPA wants help you connect with new friends and neighbors, local businesses and resources, and organizations, including your civic association. Homeowners will receive reusable welcome bags filed with giveways and coupons from local businesses and helpful information about the neighborhood.  

Little Company of Mary Hospital is sponsoring this event.  

Everyone Can Get Involved  

BAPA’s serves the area from 87th 119th streets, California to Beverly avenues. In order to communicate effectively and address the different needs of each section of the community, BAPA’s service area is broken down into several smaller sections called civic associations.  These groups are vital to our overall community because they give a voice to the specific needs of particular areas.  

Every resident of Beverly/Morgan Park is encouraged to be involved in their civic association. Each association has its own personality, priorities and challenges which contribute to the spirit of the neighborhood. BAPA’s goal is to help each of the civic associations to be strong and active so that we can work together on larger projects that are important to the whole community.  

Active civic associations help build relationships with neighbors, strengthen communication and create a unified voice. Working on projects together provides a sense of pride and satisfaction right where we live.  Most associations have a family friendly focus, offering activities like bike rides, movie nights and Easter egg hunts. Many associations participate in tree plantings and the annual Clean and Green, working to beautify their area’s park or public space.  

Problem–solving also fosters active participation.  In the past, associations have addressed issues such as traffic, noise, and problem homes or businesses.  

The more you get involved, the more you will Love Where You Live.  

Neighbors who want more information about the new neighbor meet and greet or becoming active in their civic association can contact me at  mjviero@bapa.org or 773-233-3100. I look forward to hearing from you. Together we are stronger.  

BAPA News: Mike Morrissey Award

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Former BAPA Board Member Earns Lifetime Achievement Award 

Anyone who knows Beverly/Morgan Park resident Mike Morrissey understands his dedication to the community he grew up in and still calls home, as well as his fierce commitment as a criminal defense attorney for the last 40 years. Last month, Morrissey was honored with the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (IACDL). 

Morrissey is the current Deputy Public Defender supervising the Felony Trial Division, the Murder Task Force at 26th Street, and the Misdemeanor and Preliminary Hearing Courts. IACDL stated he received the award not only for his dedication to his profession, but also for the hours he has spent mentoring colleagues and his devotion to his family and community.  

Aside from his extensive professional accomplishments, those closer to home know him as a St. Ignatius grad who went on to study at Marquette University and DePaul Law School. At home, he spent time with his family, including wife Nancy, a former Chicago Public Schools teacher, and his five children. He coached baseball for his sons and their friends in the Ridge-Beverly Little League, and served on the BAPA board of directors. 

In 2004, Morrissey received the Chicago Bar Foundation Richard J. Phelan Public Service Award, and in 2016 he received the St. Ignatius Alumni Award for excellence in the law profession. He taught trial advocacy at DePaul for 25 years, and served on the faculty of numerous criminal defense programs and as a member of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on pattern instructions in criminal cases. 

BAPA thanks Mike Morrissey for his commitment to his career, his family, and his community. His personal, professional, and civic impact is felt far and wide. 

Millerick Named Property Preservation and Safety Coordinator

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By Abby Johnson

Twenty-two-year-old Liam Millerick has joined BAPA’s staff as the new Property Preservation and Safety Coordinator. His onboarding comes after Roberta Kleinman, Coordinator of Property Preservation Services, retired earlier this year. 

Millerick is a life-long resident of Beverly/Morgan Park, a graduate of St. Barnabas Elementary School and Brother Rice High School, and he is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy with minors in Urban Studies and Geographic Information Systems from the University of Illinois at Chicago. His work with BAPA officially began in the summer of 2017, but he grew up surrounded by the BAPA name, he said. 

“I heard people talking a lot about the organization, especially my parents,” he said. “I knew it was a pretty integral part of the community.” 

Once he decided to study Public Policy and Urban Studies, he realized involvement with BAPA would provide worthwhile exposure to the type of work he intended to pursue, he said. 

“I figured that if I’m going to work in urban planning, then it’s probably a good idea to understand how my own community works,” he said. “I think it’s great experience for what I might eventually deal with on a much larger scale.” 

Millerick is certainly acquiring this experience. As a Property Preservation and Safety Coordinator, he responds to property complaints, informs residents of zoning restrictions and renovation regulations and directs neighbors to the proper city service departments. It’s a responsibility that he finds challenging, but interesting. 

“It’s difficult at times,” he said. “Sometimes I’m asked a question, and I don’t even know where to begin researching for the answer. But I’m getting the hang of it. Plus, it’s something I enjoy doing.” 

When asked what he has learned within his role so far, Millerick said his job has reminded him of the importance of beautification and preservation initiatives throughout the community.  

“I never really realized how beautiful this neighborhood is until I started working for BAPA,” he said. “Now that I actually work to keep it this way, it’s become a lot more apparent to me.” 

That’s the most important part of his new job, Millerick said. To make sure the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood retains its beauty.  

“It’s something that should be around for future generations,” he said. “Just like it was here for me.” 

For property complaints or inquiries, email lmillerick@bapa.org.