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By Kathy Headley
Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor
6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778
Isn’t it hard to believe that Labor Day, the official end of summer, is already upon us? If you have spent time around the Natural Areas at Marquette Park, which includes the Ashburn prairie, savanna and wetland habitats, you have noticed that Doug Bosco, a consultant at Forest Business Services, and his volunteers have been out cutting back willows and invasive plants to allow the native species to breathe and continue to thrive.
Tall grasses, New England aster and wild onion are a few of the native species you can find here. The transplants, preserved in the center of the park, have made this area their home. You can easily read more about them on the signs posted near the plantings just east of Kedzie.
By the time this week’s Greater Southwest News-Herald hits the press, new concrete should be in place over at St. Clare of Montefalco at 55th and Washtenaw. Over the years, the cracks have gotten bigger around the church property and Rev. Homero Sanchez OSA, Pastor of St. Rita of Cascia Parish, of which St. Clare is now a part, and the Parish Finance Committee voted to remedy the situation.
If you are a senior looking into senior living facilities and reading this early (the online version of this column is typically posted early Wednesday morning), then you may want to visit the Southwest Regional Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie, for the housing fair this Thursday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
On Sunday, Sept. 3, Community Cinema brings the 2023 Paramount film 80 for Brady to the Chicago Lawn Branch Library, 6120 S. Kedzie. The PG-13 movie begins at 2 p.m.
This coming week will be your last chance to purchase Football Mania tickets at St. Thomas More, 2825 W. 81st St. Your $20 donation gives you a chance of winning one of 18 weekly prizes for all 18 weeks of the professional football season. At the end of the season there are an additional two grand prizes. Tickets can be checked weekly at Charitymania.com and are available at the rectory until Thursday, Sept. 7.
The next Perpetual Novena to St. Rita of Cascia is on Thursday, Sept. 7, in the St. Rita Shrine Chapel, 7740 S. Western, at 7 p.m. As always, all are invited to stay after and enjoy a slice of the famous Racine Danish Kringle.
The annual Our Lady of Siluva novena begins at Nativity BVM Church on Friday, Sept. 8, with an 11 a.m. Mass and novena. Mass and novenas continue from Monday, Sept. 11, to Sunday, Sept. 17.
The Greater Southwest Development Corporation, in partnership with Daley College, has put together the First Annual Southwest Economic Summit to be held at the college, 7500 S. Pulaski, on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event features informative panels, discussions and 19 guest speakers. If you are in business, this is for you. The event is free to attend with registration: shorturl.at/dnptM. For questions, contact GSDC at (773) 436-1000.
Now back to 1973. As the summer was ending, the Girl Scouts of Troop 345 (Grace United Church of Christ) and their leader, Lois Conn, had spent a week camping at Butternut Springs.
The winner of the best and most unique exhibit at the Scout Fun Fair held at McCormick Place was won by Explorer Post 9485, sponsored by Holy Cross Hospital and under the direction of Ray Kolosa. Theirs was a temporary first aid station that took care of 14 real first aid situations.
Local 4-H Clubs displayed their projects at the Southwest Club-O-Rama at the Marquette Park fieldhouse. Winners would then participate in Purple Ribbon Days at Ford City.
For the first time since 1969, a baseball team from the Chicago Public League ruled the state, as the Hubbard High School Greyhounds took the state championship. Mayor Richard J. Daley toasted the team and presented them with a key to the city. And, as many of you will remember, third baseman Phil Klimas was drafted by the Chicago White Sox.
I hope some of you were a part of any of the above experiences and if you were, we would love to hear about it.
When we left 1973 last week, we had stopped at Cronin’s Clever Cleaners and were greeted by Barbara, who was always waiting at the counter with a welcoming smile. After she retired from Cronin’s, Barb could be seen at another local business on 63rd Street. I mentioned that it was a go-to place for anyone interested in the type of hobby equipment sold at this shop. I wondered if anyone remembered the name of the shop Barbara spent her time at after retiring and why she chose that particular shop in which to hang out?
Jack C. was the first to identify Marquette Photo Supply as the shop where Barb was all-of-a-sudden spending lots of time. And why was that? Jack, who was a member of one of the photography groups that met in the back of the store, also knew it was because Barb married Marquette Photo’s proprietor, Joe Herbert.
I’ll add a fun fact to that. One time Joe shared with me that he and Barb were married on New Year’s Eve in the rectory at the original St. Rita High School on 63rd and Claremont.
As we leave 1973, let’s spend a few weeks visiting 1981. Where’s the closest Kentucky Fried Chicken? This would be an easy one for me because we could just walk right over.