How’s this for a destination wedding? … Kosovo! Your neighbors, Zanfina Rrahamani and Berat Muja will soon be back from their two-week wedding celebration. The actual date of the wedding was Aug. 30. Along with relatives and friends were the bride’s mother Vildana Rrahmani, her father Tefik Rrahmani, and her brothers Labeat and Urtan Rrahmani. A few Forest Park relatives were unable to attend for various reasons. We hope they’ll all be able to get together in Kosovo someday soon.
Remember St. Bernardine’s reunion dinner and party on Sept. 23. All alums and friends are invited. Send your $40 check to St. Bernardine Reunion, 1225 Southwest High Ave., Topeka, Kansas 66604. Mass will be celebrated at 5 p.m., and the dinner will be catered by Jimmy’s. My notes are illegible, but the name Jennifer Wolfe is prominent here.
Another very important date to remember is Saturday, Sept. 16th, noon until 3 p.m. That’s the day the annual Doll Tea Party will be held. The event takes place at 839 S. Oak Park Ave. Admission is $2 for every child 3 years of age and older. These raffle tickets could win you any of many exciting prizes, including the grand prize … the American Girl Doll of the Year! This year’s doll is “Gabriella!” (We had a choir nun named Sister Gabriella at Saint Kilian’s back in the ’40s. She had a missing lower tooth and a rather short fuse as I recall.
Old-timers may remember Mark Ross, who moved to St. Charles many years ago. But his heart never left Forest Park. The first summer after Mark moved, he rode his bike into Forest Park every morning to raise the flag over the library. Well, Mark is all grown up now and the father of a remarkable young lady. Kaylie Ross graduated from Harding University in May and, using her degree in broadcast journalism, got a job in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at Channel 12 station KFUS where she works in the newsroom as a digital content writer. (There certainly wasn’t any such thing as a “digital content writer” when I graduated.)
The community center has some good free movies scheduled for September. On the 14th, Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance star in the five-star Steven Spielberg Bridge of Spies. That’s at 1 p.m. with free popcorn served. Then on Oct. 12, a Harry Potter spinoff, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, also at 1.
Has anyone spoken to Saint Anthony? Is he still available? Please remind him that my birthday book is still missing. I’d appreciate his cooperation in this matter. I know you’re not supposed to bribe them with grand promises, but I will think of something wonderful if that birthday book ever reappears.
So if I’m missing your birthday, sincere apologies. And happy birthday to you!
Jackie is a former Chicago and Elmwood Park schoolteacher with an undying love for music, friendly pets and a host of life’s other treasures too numerous to list. She was born on the far southwest side of Chicago in a great neighborhood when it was a great time to be young.
