"If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday” - Pearl S. Buck - Novelist

Being a devout history buff, I recently purchased “An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960’s by noted historian Doris Kerns Goodwin. I have enjoyed a number of her books, and purchasing her latest was an easy decision. An Unfinished Love Story offers a detailed view of events familiar to those of us who grew up and/or lived in the turbulent years known as the 1960’s. This was a decade marked by the idealism of the Kennedy years as well as the violent assassination of three beloved political leaders and the turmoil wrought by the Vietnam War.

On a personal level, I did much of my growing up in the 1960’s, and lived and learned a great deal about life as I experienced each of these events. From the hope and idealism of John F. Kennedy’s election in 1960, his “Ask not what your country can do for you, Ask what you can do for your country” charge, to the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and John and Robert Kennedy, each event impacted my life and is still vivid in my memory. Reading An Unfinished Love Story while recounting those events, also provided me a personal view of the Kennedy and Johnson White Houses displayed through the writings of Kerns Goodwin’s husband, the late Richard Goodwin. As a speechwriter and policymaker for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, Mr. Goodwin had an upfront and personal view of the pivotal moments of the 1960’s, while Kerns Goodwin’s service in the Johnson White House presented her with a unique perspective on the events of the latter portion of the decade.

An Unfinished Love Story provides insights into some of the most critical issues faced by the American Presidency during the 1960’s, and serves as a guide to the complex decisions that were made during that decade that have had a long lasting impact on our country, Understanding how those events played out in the 1960’s presents us with an opportunity to better understand how, as “dark” as those events were, our nation came through them successfully, and will overcome the important issues we face today if we work to truly understand what kind of country we want to live in as we go forward. I believe historian Henry Glassie stated it well when he wrote “History is not the past, but a map of the past, drawn from a particular point of view to be useful to the modern traveler.” I feel as if this book has given us an opportunity to each be a “traveler” and to review and reassess events that have impacted the lives of so many of us who lived through that decade, and to know that such a reassessment will better prepare us for our future.

Happy 40th Anniversary, Darien Chamber of Commerce!

Mayor Marchese recognized the Darien Chamber of Commerce on the organization’s 40th Anniversary.

The Summer Concert Series

Mark your calendars for Cadillac Groove on July 25th and bring your friends and family for an evening of fun! You can bring a blanket or lawn chair and relax at the park while enjoying food from great local restaurants. And please consider bringing along some cleaning supplies and canned goods to donate to the Mount Carmel Food Pantry before the show!

Darien Fest: August 9-11

Join us for Darien Fest, August 9 - 11 at Westwood Park (northeast corner of 75th St. and Fairview Ave.). There will be carnival rides, food and drinks, and live entertainment daily! Unlimited ride specials are available.

Entertainment includes:

• Friday - Cadillac Groove
• Saturday - Lyn Skynyrd
• Sunday - Whiskey Road

NO pets, bikes, coolers or outside food and beverages are allowed inside the grounds.

The event is presented by the City of Darien and the Darien Chamber of Commerce. View Details.

Save the Date - National Night Out

Tuesday, August 6th, 2024  5pm – 8pm

Westwood Park

(N/E Corner of 75th St and Fairview Ave)

Come out and meet your neighbors and help make our neighborhoods safer!

The event will feature:

* Touch-a-Truck * Games * K9 Demo *  

* Darien-Woodridge Fire Department * 

* Tri-State Fire Department * 

* Vendors * Blood Drive*

Contact Sgt. Doug Rumick 630-353-8304 or drumick@darienil.gov, Ofc. Lauren Throm 630-353-8303 or lthrom@darienil.gov if you would like to represent your business or group at the event. View Flyer

Tornado Preparedness

In the event of a severe weather emergency, the sirens will sound for 3 to 5 minutes, which indicates:

• A confirmed sighting of a tornado, tracking towards the community, has been reported by a trained weather spotter within Darien or the surrounding communities, or
• The National Weather Service has issued a warning for the Community indicating that it is the path of an oncoming tornado, or
• A confirmed sighting by a trained weather spotter of severe winds causing structural damage within the city or surrounding communities.

There will not be an all clear sounded. If you hear a subsequent siren, that means that more severe weather has been spotted in the area.

Residents should understand that outdoor warning sirens are not designed to provide effective warning inside homes or buildings. It is recommended that each residence have a N.O.A.A. weather radio to monitor severe weather conditions, and that all family members are informed of what to do in a severe weather emergency. There are many free phone apps that will issue severe weather alerts. 

What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?

• A tornado watch means that hazardous weather is possible in the area
• A tornado warning is issued when hazardous weather is occurring, imminent, or likely. A warning means weather poses a threat to life or property. People in the path of the storm need to take protective action.

Find more tips: Tornado Preparedness

Dr. Kari Peronto Named New Hinsdale South High School Principal

Following two decades of service as a trusted educator and passionate leader at Hinsdale South High School, Dr. Kari Peronto has been selected as the school’s next principal.

Peronto currently serves as South’s assistant principal for operations (APO), and was slated to be moving into the assistant principal for instruction (API) role before being named principal. She started at HSHS in 2004 as a special education teacher and later served as director of student activities and as dean of students

Peronto holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Concordia University Chicago. She also earned her master’s in School Leadership from Concordia and a bachelor’s in Special Education from Illinois State University. Read more (link).

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Peronto to her new role!

Parks and Recreation Month - Darien Park District

Not only is July Parks and Recreation Month, but 2024 is the 50th Anniversary of our very own Darien Park District! To celebrate, the parks have planned 50 amazing events to celebrate throughout the year. Check out the upcoming events such as movies, book clubs, holiday celebrations, and more that the park has planned for our community here. Thanks you, Darien Park District, for your dedication to making our community more beautiful and more fun!

DuPage Crisis Recovery Center Presentations Available

The DuPage County Health Department is offering community presentations about the new Crisis Recovery Center (CRC) set to open in the summer of 2025. These presentations will provide valuable insights into the future of behavioral health crisis services in our community.

Presentation Highlights:

• Vision for an ideal behavioral health crisis system
• Overview of CRC services
• Video walk-through of the CRC
• Current access to crisis services
• Q&A session

Use this email to schedule a presentation for your organization and help support the mental health needs of our community. Learn more here.

Summer Safety - Never Leave Children or Pets in the Car

Why are hot cars so unsafe? For starters, internal vehicle temperatures can raise quickly and become up to 50 degrees warmer than the outside air temperatures. So even if it’s a cool day outside, a vehicle may still pose a threat to a child or pet. A child’s body temperature increases 3 to 5 times faster than an adult’s and a pet can die from heat stroke within 15 minutes.

Toddlers and young children are also at risk of vehicular heatstroke, and they are more likely to climb into a vehicle without supervision. Children “gaining access” to a vehicle accounts for nearly one-quarter of child heatstroke fatalities. Some children climb into a vehicle without the knowledge of an adult and may be unable to exit the car, especially if child locks are activated. In a fast-paced society, routines are often upended at a moment’s notice. It is during these moments of hurriedness and change in routine that many of these preventable tragedies occur. For this reason, it is more important than ever to remember: Once You Park, Stop, Look, Lock.

Find more information on vehicle heatstroke here.

Darien Woman’s Club Fall Member Registration is now OPEN: link

Youth Basketball Workouts - July 21 & August 3: link

Darien Community Blood Drive - July 20: link

Every Garden Tells a Story - Garden Walk - July 20: link

Senator Curran/Rep. La Ha Community Recycle Event - July 27: link

Knights 3 on 3 Tournament - July 28: link

Lacrosse Clinic - July 28: link