For those whose very lives revolve around the coming elections, that day is drawing close. Let us remember that each candidate is a good person, a person with feelings, a person who is your neighbor and potential friend. You may prefer one candidate, but that does not mean the other two are evil ogres.
A wise person once said “treat all enemies as potential friends, and all friends as potential enemies.” Rather a cynical view of life I’d say, but probably good advice.
Two of the mayoral candidates have earned excellent formal educations. The third was a high school drop out who later got a GED. But remember Abraham Lincoln dropped out of school in the first grade. That doesn’t necessarily make Tony Calderone another Lincoln, but it is something to remember.
“The majority is almost always wrong,” more wise words to be remembered by the losers.
Real winners in Forest Park are Daniel and Sarah Gasse who come to us from Argentina and England and have brought a rich treasury of talent. They founded the Music for Life Foundation right here in Forest Park. This organization fosters a love of music in all of us, but especially in young people, and encourages them to enrich their lives with music. A young person who shows promise and is unable to pay for lessons is given music lessons gratis at this school. On Feb. 24 the Music for Life Foundation will sponsor a performance of music played on exotic and unusual instruments most of us probably never heard before. Have you every heard the Turkish ud? The saz? What about the bandonean? You’ll hear Geraldo Perez play that one.
The bandonean, by the way, is not a Turkish instrument; it’s related to the concertina.
At the concert, John Milan will play the harmonica, accompanied by Terry Tennes on the piano. Hulya Alpakin will also perform on the piano and the Cavatina Duo, Dennis Azabagic, guitar and Eugenia Moliner, flute will round out the program. It all starts at 7:30 p.m. at First United Church of Oak Park, 848 Lake St.
Come in out of the cold to Healy’s Westside on Thursday, Feb. 22 from 6 till 8 p.m. $20 will get you all the beer, wine, soft drinks and appetizers you can eat in two hours. And your $20 will benefit the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest (what a mouthful, I really do not like that name). Please try to come, I know you’ll have a great time.
Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church, the “Little Church that Could,” has gained a few new members. Judy Jilek, by no means a new member, will serve as president and vice president of the council. The ever faithful Loretta Woeltje will continue as treasurer and Ruth Loyd as secretary.
Birthdays this week: (Do I know your birthday?) Feb. 21, Jacque Madden, Megan Lyons, Bill Dunne; 22nd, Phil Kachlic, Jean Guntow; 23rd, Jean Leinweber, Meghan Krieger, Jacqueline Janney; on the 24th, Mary White, Sam Huynh, Scott Grams, Haydn Bush; 25th, Gary Neubeiser, Rachel Hamilton, Alexandria Eterno; Feb. 26, Joseph and Jillian Tricoci, Darryl Licht, Dan Criscione, Patrick Dornecker, Susan Rehore; Feb. 27, Courtney Holewa, Diane Janopoulos McGrath, Art Kazur, Connor Sullivan, Gina Pardun, Norris Killean; on the 28th, Aaron Rada and Chris Borzello.
