Brian and Matt Sullivan, and their wives, Mary and Marsha, are concerned about the decrease in donations to local charities. To help, the Sullivans are pledging 10 percent of the money that their bar, Doc Ryan’s, makes on food orders. All you have to do is tell your waitress that you want to donate 10 percent, name the organization and give your name. Your favorite charity or organization will get the money and you will get the credit. The fundraiser applies to food only, and is a great way for people to make a difference.
For more information, call Doc Ryan’s, 7432 Madison, at 366-2803, or swing by and make a donation. So far, the Hephzibah Children’s Association, St. Bernardine’s Catholic School, Forest Park Youth Baseball and the Forest Park Middle School have been named as beneficiaries by generous diners.
Also in a giving mood is Whole Foods. The grocery chain is giving a portion of its proceeds to The Children’s Clinic, which provides free services in Oak Park.
While you are doing a little spring cleaning, you may be wondering what to do with all those books you’ve accumulated and that nobody seems to be reading. The Friends of the Forest Park Public Library will happily sell them at their next book sale, which runs all day on June 12 and 13, starting at 9 a.m.
After 21 years, Laureen Thornton will be leaving her familiar home away from home near the corner of Beloit and Madison. She will be sorely missed by her many friends and clients who stop in for financial advice. We sincerely wish she could stay. Her tax advice will have to be sought at her home, which is not as handy as on the avenue. By June 1, Thornton Tax Service will no longer be at its familiar place. Goodbye, Laureen.
The annual spell-a-thon sponsored by Literacy Volunteers of Western Cook County will take place at Holley Court on April 29 at 6:30 p.m. Local businesses can show their support by buying a word for $50 or buying a letter for $25. If you belong to an organization that would like to participate, I think there’s still time. Call 848-8499 or e-mail info@lvwcc.org. Forest Park spellers are Marge Zwadlo, Eleanor Locati and Ruth Loyd.
Stop by the Oak Park Art League and view some lovely art work, including Marge Zwadlo’s paintings.
The Michael Teolis Singers will perform at First United Methodist Church, 324 Oak Park Ave. on April 25. A special performance honoring Abe Lincoln will be narrated by Eddie Arruza of WTTW-TV. I’ll have more about this next week.
Forest Park welcomed an April Fools’ baby, Kaylee Reese Claire Zavala. She’s the first child of Joel Zavala and Emmaly Sansone. Paternal grandparents are Kate Scotty and Elias Zavala. Maternal grandparents are Terri and Roy Sansone. Paternal great-grandparents are Maria and Bernabe Zavala and Helen Quasi Scotty. Tom Tripp is the great-grandfather on mom’s side. Maternal great-great-grandparents are Lillian Sansone and Sylvia Tripp.
A family tradition in the Bill-Fink-Smentek family is to ring the bells of Saint Peter’s Church when births and weddings occur. Those bells tolled again a few months ago to announce the birth of Kolton James Smentek, son of Jill and David Smentek. Young James was born Jan. 28. His maternal grandparents are Janet and Gary Fink, and the paternal grandparents are Lynn and James Smentek. The baby’s great-grandmother is May Bill.
April 8 is the anniversary of Bill and Beth Linder, and the anniversary of Jim and Heather Collis; it is the birthday of Fran Nee. On April 9, Tiffany Basarich has a birthday; April 10, happy birthday to Ernesto Gasse, Rich Barger, Laura Annarino, Amy Mesheimer and twins Daniel and Patrick Hart; on the 11th, special happy birthday greetings to one of Forest Park’s stellar citizens, Dr. Phyllis Orland, and to Mike Thompson. Anniversary wishes to Kevin and Melissa Dodge. On April 12, Chrissy Neumann, Sara Mesheimer and Zachary Peter Janopoulos have birthdays; April 13, Kara Einbinder, Jim Stanton and John Spence; on the 14th, Don Cote, Dawn Mandile, Julie Mahnke, Sarah Stahlke, John Merino, Amy Thiesse Vobornik; on the 15th, Eleanor Locati.
