We hope this finds you safe, well and hopeful.
There is a lot going on in the Village even though we are physically separated. In March, we committed to reaching out to each of our members and their families to ask what they needed, find out what they were doing and to reassure everyone that we would continue to offer content, services and connection in new and creative ways. The response has been terrific and we recruited an army of volunteers from the Village community—everyone wants to help!
Our engaged community demonstrates the Village concept in heartwarming ways—especially through their ingenuity and commitment to others. The Village staff, board, committee members, volunteers and supporters are working together to offer much-needed services: delivering food, prescriptions, supplies; creating virtual programs to provide engagement and connection; using technology to relieve isolation; and providing support for our members who care for those with memory loss.
The heart and soul of the Village community is demonstrated every day as people step up and share what they can. Volunteers of all ages make calls, deliveries, assist with videoconferencing, teach new online skills, and delight many with their knack for games and online activities that foster lifelong learning. Member Kathie Kolodgy is making chic (and protective) masks to send to those who request one; one of our partners, the makers of Cubii, a compact seated elliptical machine, donated 25 units to Village members to enable them to stay active without leaving their homes---and they continue to inspire Cubii exercise routines through Facebook. Others are coming up with an amazing array of engaging ideas to offer video programs—stay tuned!
We are grateful to see people of all ages rally to help one other in important new ways and demonstrate that an age-integrated community serves the needs of all people—and that all people, young or old, have unique strengths and insights to inspire others. We are The Village Chicago and we hope that you will join us—as a member, donor, partner or volunteer at a time when we need it most. Together, we can beat the coronavirus and strengthen the very essence of Chicago—for all of its citizens.
Take care and STAY HOME!
Darcy Evon and The Village Chicago
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In this strange time, when “see ya soon” has morphed from a casual goodbye to a poignant hope, the Village community has come together and is doubling down on what’s important - resilience, kindness and courage.
The community is made up of unique and remarkable individuals and we know some of the important things about one another - “He’s an attorney; she was a social worker; their kids live abroad; he keeps bees.” Here are the stories of some of these remarkable individuals that reveal how they came to be resilient, kind and courageous and why the fabric of our community is so strong and enduring.
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Village member Kay Smith is an artist whose mission was to capture American history on site, with a paintbrush and palette. She traveled from the frigid barracks of Valley Forge to the spectacular relighting of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. The American Legacy Collection is a one-of-a-kind collection of 250 original watercolor paintings and sketches, all produced on location—a visual record of American milestones and her life’s work. It was for this body of work that the Lincoln Academy of Illinois honored her with a lifetime appointment as Artist Laureate of Illinois. Here is Kay’s story about painting Independence Hall.
"My journey began in 1972 in downtown Chicago. I was in a crowded elevator, carrying my portfolio, when a man next to me asked if I was an artist. I answered yes. He said he was looking for an artist to illustrate a series of books for the Bicentennial. I smiled and nodded. It wasn’t unusual for men to chat me up in those days. But it turned out he was a publisher and gave me the assignment that changed my life.
"My first painting was to be of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Sitting there, out in the open, I was perched on a tiny folding stool, balancing my watercolor paper on my knees. Painting on location was proving to be more demanding then studio work; the light would change, people interrupted me. On the third day, I was making progress when a bus full of school children unloaded and surrounded me like I was the main attraction! They had come to see where the Declaration of Independence had been signed, but they were much more interested in me.
"What are you doing? What do you use water for? It looks like lemonade! Can I taste it? I see the building but where’s the statue? Are those things trees?” One little boy was particularly curious.
"The children were ushered away. Later, they all came out and were lined up to board their bus. The curious boy broke from the line and ran up to me. He looked down at my finished painting. ‘That looks just like Independence Hall,’ he exclaimed. He threw his arms around my neck, nearly knocking me off my stool. 'Lady,' he said, ‘you were the best part of the day!'"
To view the entire Collection and for more information about it, please contact Kay Smith by text at 773.709.2690; email at
akaysmith@att.net,
or visit her website at
kaysmithartist.com
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Intergenerational connections are rewarding and fun and are what brought the remarkable Avery Stone Fish into the Village community. We met him through Chicago Innovation, a long-time Village collaborator and sponsor.
Avery was born and raised in Cazenovia, New York. Both his parents had attended Northwestern University and he ended up there, too. He says, "I loved it there. I loved the spirit of it, and by spirit I mean just being happy with where you are." His enthusiasm and desire to give back led him to become the guy in the Willie the Wildcat suit – Northwestern’s mascot. In fact, it was Avery who, for the first time ever, brought all the Chicago team mascots together (Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, Fire, DePaul and Northwestern) at the first Chicago Innovation Awards event.
Avery started at Chicago Innovation as an intern and now has two roles. He is Program Manager for the Innovators Connection. In that role, he oversees Ageless Innovators, (Chicago’s first intergenerational reciprocal mentoring program created and managed in partnership with The Village Chicago) as well as the Women’s Mentoring Co-op and Corporate Startup Matchmaking. Avery is also a Senior Associate at Chicago-based innovation consulting firm, Kuczmarski Innovation.
His work excites him. "It’s about loving Chicago and being able to support the growing Chicago innovation ecosystem and the values intrinsic in it."
Avery is active in the Village as a member of the Bridging Generations Professional Board and participates in many Village programs, including being the organizer and emcee of one of our most popular events, Trivia Night. From his millennial viewpoint, he sees important values in the Village that are beneficial to the Chicago community he loves:
"The enormous value the Village places on community and the recognition that there is intrinsic value in staying connected."
"The care and support everyone in the Village community shows to one another. They are truly in it together."
"The Village's recognition of the need for innovation and intergenerational connection. Research shows that people with intergenerational relationships are three times happier than those without them."
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The remarkable character of the Pat we know started to emerge even as a young child. Raised in a farming community, the local high school was small and presented many opportunities for Pat to learn how to lead. But even before that, at the age of 9, she started to admire the advertising she saw in magazines like
Better Homes & Gardens
magazine and thought, "I want to do that." She graduated from the University of Illinois with a BA in Home Economics and a minor in Communications and soon thereafter earned an MA in Advertising. She worked at the great Chicago advertising agency, Leo Burnett for a total of 19 years. She left twice to pursue other interests and they wanted her back both times.
Pat started losing her hearing just after high school graduation, and at age 21 was told that nothing could be done. She got her first hearing aid in 1967—it amplified sound but didn’t make words clearer. She became adept at lip reading, but on phone calls, her secretary listened and took notes, allowing Pat to respond.
One of the times she left Burnett was to work for a new organization called Self Help for Hard of Hearing People in Maryland, now known as Hearing Loss Association of America. It was the first organization founded to help those with hearing loss who were not deaf. But after two years, she missed Chicago, so she returned. Then in 1988, she was among the first 500 people to receive a cochlear implant.
At mid-life, finally with the ability to hear, she formed a firm to consult with companies and public accommodations struggling to fulfill the newly passed ADA by building ramps. She brought them the knowledge to provide communication access in their facilities.
And then in 2016, she brought it all to the Village. Pat was on the task force that worked through the Village’s name change. She has served on the Strategic Planning Committee, the Program Committee, as Co-Chair of the Marketing Communication Committee, and she is a member of the Village’s Board of Directors. And it is Pat who remembers to arrange for communication access for the hearing impaired at Village events.
The Pat we know was indeed formed in her childhood when a line in the movie
So Dear to My Heart
struck a chord and has stayed with her to this day: "It’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you do with what you’ve got."
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If you have ever worked on a project with Chuck Cooper, you know that he sits quietly, taking in all the discussion and then - just when it is needed - he offers up a concise, rational statement that clarifies the issue and moves the process along. It’s a gift.
Chuck acquired that wisdom during a life that was deeply affected by the upheaval and uncertainty of the Depression, World War II and the Korean War.
Chuck was born in 1928 and was just a kid during the Depression. His father was a cutter at a clothing manufacturer – a seasonal position from which he was laid off every year. Someone from the family had to be home at all times so they wouldn’t miss the call to come back to work.
Chuck entered the University of Illinois just as World War II was ending. To pay his expenses, he capitalized on post-war shortages. "I sold bras," he recalls. One of his roommates had an "in" with Maidenform, so Chuck took orders and delivered the hard-to-find undergarments to sorority houses; because of the housing shortage, he joined a fraternity and worked in the kitchen to pay for it; and he also ran a shoe repair concession. Chuck graduated debt-free with a BA in Journalism.
Twice narrowly escaping deployment to Korea, Chuck was discharged from the Army as a First Lieutenant in 1953. He took a position with Helene Curtis which was the beginning of a highly successful career that lasted 41 years. He retired from Helene Curtis as COO in 1994 after negotiating its sale to Unilever.
One of Chuck’s proudest achievements was spearheading the production of an award-winning film,
In Our Own Hands – The Hidden Story of The Jewish Brigade in World War II.
It’s about the hard-won establishment of the Brigade as part of the British Army to represent the Jewish people in the fight against Nazi Germany.
Chuck has been active in the Village for six years. He has served on the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, the Marketing Communications Committee and is currently a member of the Village board. Chuck says "What I particularly enjoy about the Village is the variety of opportunities to be with smart people who are open and willing to listen. It holds my interest and I always look forward to what’s next."
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Tom Terry / The Terry Group
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Tom Terry, CEO of The Terry Group, has been an active member of the Village for more than six years. He has a powerful vision of Chicago as a center of excellence, celebrating diversity and harnessing the power of all of citizens, particularly people over 50.
His healthcare consulting company, The Terry Group, is a national leader in helping clients deliver quality healthcare and sustainable financial security products, services and systems. He sees parallels with his company and the Village Chicago:
"It's not just about financial systems and financial safety nets. It's about people, and the Village represents exactly that. It represents people and bringing people together with diverse interests, diverse means, diverse outlooks. It is the power of that I think the Village coalesces and brings into focus - and the potential as a vehicle to transform the city of Chicago is phenomenal."
Tom is one of the country’s leading actuaries, a strategist known for his work helping client organizations solve the most complex problems. He also has developed a keen understanding of the issues facing older adults and observes that the current pandemic reinforces some of the most important tenets of the Village:
"The Village is many things to many people. But now we are discovering anew the need for connection. Driving forces are redefining it and we are discovering new forms of it. For people in the "third 1/3" of life,
connection
is vital and now, it’s even more important. It’s the Village’s sweet spot."
The pandemic will pass, but Tom hopes that Chicago and the country will learn from the crisis and forge ahead.
"My greatest hope is that there will be permanent change. It will not be the same world and I hope we take advantage of the positive lessons. Sure, some dark aspects of humanity have emerged but bright spots will also shine and prevail. Our generation is being looked at to demonstrate moral and personal leadership and to build on the lessons learned."
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A recent article in the Washington Post explains why now more than ever it is important to be kind. Human connection bolsters the immune system and one of the most important things kindness can do is ease our reaction to stress. "In an experiment at the University of Utah, dozens of undergraduate students were brought into an empty room, seated in a chair and told they had been accused of shoplifting. They had three minutes to formulate their responses. Their hearts began to race. Their blood pressure spiked. Stress hormones flooded their systems.
"But in some instances, before leaving the room, the experimenter would tell the student: ‘If you need me for any reason or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me. I appreciate your participation in this experiment, and I’d like to be helpful to you should you need any help.’ In those cases, the students’ hearts didn’t beat quite so fast. Their stress responses were much less extreme.
"For everyone quarantined in solitude, aching and afraid for far-flung family and friends, this science can provide some solace. A supportive phone call, an empathetic ear, an expression of love — these things can bolster the immune system on a molecular level. Whether you are the recipient or the giver, kindness is good for your health. And the extent to which we cannot only be open to receiving support from others … but be a source of support to them, can potentially help us all get through this."
Read the complete article
here
.
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Save the
NEW
Date for the Village Benefit!
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Mark your calendars!
Tuesday, September 22
is the new date for the Village's 11
th
Anniversary and Benefit celebration. Join us for an unforgettable evening at DePaul’s beautiful Holtschneider Performance Center. Watch your inbox and mail for invitations, spectacular silent auction items, and news about this popular event – and save September 22!
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Something to Celebrate - A Special Birthday
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Last Thursday Village member Dorothy French’s friends and family celebrated (at an appropriate distance) her 90
th
birthday! CBS cameras captured the moment and you can see the happy occasion
here
.
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Support the Village Today!
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Please consider joining us as a member, donor, partner or volunteer at a time when we need it most.
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Village Programs: Zooming Along
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Social distancing is transforming the Village in ways we couldn't have imagined and is giving us new tools that will make us even stronger. Each week, we are adding new virtual programs via Zoom, including:
- Exercise at Home with Jill Stein, Tuesday, April 21, 9:00 AM (click here)
- Cooking Tips from Village member Jan Walters, Tuesday, April 21, 2:00 PM (click here)
- "Front Porch" Discussion Group with Village member Dick Sullivan, Wednesday, April 22, 5:00 PM (click here)
- The Health App with MacTutor, Thursday, April 23, 10:30 AM (click here)
- Birdwatching Tips from Village member David Baker, Friday, April 24, 11:00 AM (click here)
- Watch His Girl Friday (1940) and join the Saturday Afternoon at the Movies Discussion on April 25, 3:00 PM (click here)
All virtual programs require registration, so be sure to click the links below to RSVP today! Participants will receive an email confirmation with details for joining the programs via Zoom. See
our web calendar
for more upcoming programs!
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Village Member Pastime Groups
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Are you...
Looking for a new career, about to retire, wondering what's next? Seeking companions that share your interests? Searching for a way to utilize your abilities? In need of occasional help? New to Chicago? Worried about changing needs? An adult child with aging parents?
Village members are part of an inclusive, intergenerational community, connected to others and to the resources that support growth and well-being as we navigating life after 50 together.
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Leadership of The Village Chicago
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Board of Directors
Karen Terry,
President
Nancy Felton-Elkins,
Vice President
Ruth Ann Watkins,
Vice President
Charles G. Cooper,
Vice President
Angie Levenstein,
Secretary
Richard W. Sullivan,
Treasurer
Kathie Kolodgy,
Immediate Past President
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David E. Baker
Donald M. Bell
Patricia Clickener
Thomas C. Eley III
Judith Gethner
Bruce Hunt
Ira Kohlman
Therese Meike
Gail C. Moss
Linda Randall
Leatrice Berman Sandler
Wally Shah
Bob Spoerri
Lois Stuckey
Janet Walters
Melville Washburn
Joyce Winnecke
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Advisory Council
Neelum T. Aggarwal, MD
Robyn L. Golden, LCSW
Joanne G. Schwartzberg, MD
Mary Ann Smith
CEO
Darcy L. Evon
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The Village Chicago is a member-to-member network of friendship, engagement and services for people over 50. We support all aspects of well-being through social engagement, an extensive services and referral network, lifelong learning, health and fitness, intergenerational relationships, work and purpose.
2502 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60614.
773.248.8700
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