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Morton Arboretum photo by Barbara Rose
Branching Out
Sharing Stories and Information through Outstretched Arms
September 2022
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Ready for Fall?
We'll miss those long, sunlit summer days and the joys of gathering in breezy backyards. But our fall calendar is packed with new opportunities to venture out intellectually, creatively, compassionately, for fun and fellowship. Here's the news!
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Advocacy News - Housing Options
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The well-attended "Aging in Our Communities: Housing Affordability, Accessibility and Possibilities" Forum was held in May. Organizers included River Forest Township, Arbor West Neighbors, Concordia University Center for Gerontology, the Russell and Josephine Kott Memorial Trust and Lisa Peters-Beumer. Watch for more events to get people thinking about ways to stay in their communities.
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A group of Arbor West Neighbors attended an August tour of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) held in Evanston, sponsored by Evanston Development Cooperative. ADUs are separate units sharing zoning with homes on single-family lots. Learn more at the Oak Park Village website, Guide to Accessory Dwelling Units.
An additional program underway is a Pilot Homesharing Program in River Forest. Contact Betsy Kelly, Senior Outreach Coordinator, River Forest Township, bkelly.rftownship@gmail.com.
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End of Life Programs:
Losing a Loved One
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Four panelists reflected on their experiences with the death of their spouses in a moving and informative program at Maze Library in July.
One attendee said later, “you could have heard a pin drop while the panelists talked”, covering diverse medical issues and varying life situations. All of the panelists had enjoyed long-term marriages, and several had cared for their loved one at home.
Panelists recalled feeling very alone. Some still today struggle with feelings of guilt and others with the realization that they never said goodbye.
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Next in the series is
Making Choices
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m
Oak Park Library
834 Lake Street
Veteran's Room, 2nd floor
A panel of health care professionals and practitioners will share critical knowledge about such options as hospice versus palliative care, the role of end-of-life doulas and the national nonprofit, Compassion & Choices. They will educate us on the choices we have and on how to ensure we receive the care we want.
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Thanks to AWN member, Margaret Prechel, for creating an electronic Arbor West Neighbors Membership Directory. Members can watch their inbox for updated versions as AWN membership grows.
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Arbor West Neighbors member, Jan Johnston, won First Place in this year’s Illinois Woman's Press Association Professional Communications Contest in the Web & Social Media category for her Dec. 13, 2021 blog entry, “Pearls of Strength”. Check out the winning entry here.
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The July ramble in Thatcher Woods included (l to r) Denise Poncher, Cecily Mango, Karin Grimes, Pete Notier, and (not pictured) Andi Agrimonti. It was a beautiful day and the group covered two miles through the woods and up and down, under the bridge along the Desplaines River.
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In August, a group headed to beautiful Waterfall Glen Forst Preserve in Darien and had a most enjoyable ramble to the waterfall and along the streambed through the woods, then circled back by way of the scenic overlook above the trail.
The next regular meeting will be for a longer hike at 1:00 pm on Sept 23rd in the Palos Preserve at Maple Lake, south of 95th St. For further information contact Peter Notier, pnotier@gmail.com.
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Splendid July weather drew more than 40 members and guests to John and Elisabeth Muhlenberg's summery backyard for lively conversation and finger food. Happily, many of our members with limited mobility were able to attend.
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The August Meetup was another lovely backyard event, hosted by Susan Stall and Charlie Hoch. A number of new guests were among the 38 in attendance.
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Arbor West Neighbor Events
for Members and Guests
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Save The Date
2022 Member Celebration
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
5:30 - 7:30 pm
Nineteenth Century Charitable Association
178 Forest Ave, Oak Park
Watch for an invitation in October
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Fiber Works
The Fiber Works Group now meets in person twice a month,
the first and third Wednesdays.
Next Meeting
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Contact Denise Poncher, drponcher@gmail.com, or
Bonnie Jordan, jordan-bonnie@hotmail.com for information and location.
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Re-imagining Aging
Catherine Marienau and Gail Zelitzky,
founders of "Women over 70-Aging Reimagined" Podcast,
draw on interviews with their guests that inspire new and different ways of thinking about adventure as one’s life changes. You are invited to a Zoom discussion to explore what options lay ahead in your future.
10:30 - noon
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Contact Louise Corzine, louisecorzine@gmail com to sign up |
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Mix of Minds Discussion Group
meets the second Monday of each month, 3:00 - 4:30 pm, to discuss thought-provoking articles chosen by group members on a rotating basis.
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Marion Sirefman, www.SirefmanArt.com, will host the third session in a series to help small groups of Arbor West Neighbors Members explore various media, using her large surplus of art supplies. Each session is limited to 4 participants.
Next SessionExploring Watercolors: Tuesday: September 13, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
This session is filled, but Contact Marion, msirefman@hotmail.com if you wish to be placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.
Watch for more sessions in the Spring!
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Upcoming Member Meetups
Casual gatherings to get to know each other better and catch up on the latest Arbor West Neighbors news.
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September Meetup
Hosted by Jan Johnston
424 Iowa, Oak Park
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
10:30 am - 12:00 noon
October Meetup
Hosted by Val Lester
and Geof Greer
400 N Cuyler, Oak Park
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
4:30 - 6:00 pm
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Share Your Legacy
Nationally known storyteller, writer and Arbor West Member, Margaret Burk, will offer a Fall workshop in three parts. She will lead the group in accessing memories, writing, and sharing them in a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Wednesday mornings
October 26, November 2 and November 9, 2022
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Workshop cost is $30 for AWN members: $50 for non-members.
Preference is for in-person sessions; a location will be determined closer to the start of the workshop.
For registration or information contact margaretburk@hotmail.com
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Meet Your Arbor West Neighbors Members
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Judy Smith - Board Member
Judy has been involved in AWN since 2016. She and her husband have two girls and a boy, and they lived in Chicago before moving to Oak Park 19 years ago. Judy has a law degree and worked for a corporate lawyer in Chicago. She later earned a Masters in Gerontology from Concordia University. She volunteers with an elder-law group and finds the work very rewarding. Her interests include running, biking, hiking and other outdoor activities. She loves to read and one of her favorite categories is historical fiction.
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Richard White - Board Treasurer
Rich has served on the Board since AWN's inception, currently as treasurer. Though he was born in Springfield and has lived in New York, his family had deep connections to the Oak Park area. His father was in the first class that completed all four years at Fenwick High School. Rich has lived in the Oak Park Area since 1975. He resides in Forest Park with his wife and has three children. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, he enjoyed his career as a computer scientist.
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Ralph H. Lee
Ralph, an Alabama native, moved with his family to Oak Park from St. Louis 44 years ago and still lives in the same home. He and his late wife of 61 years raised four daughters. He has four granddaughters and a grandson.
He was president of two community colleges during his 19-year academic career in four cities before joining Oak Park-River Forest High School's faculty as a chemistry and physics teacher for 16 years. After retiring, he served five years as Church Administrator for Unity Temple's Unitarian Universalist Congregation, followed by two elected terms on the Board of OPRF District 200 in Oak Park.
He enjoys singing in Unity Temple's choir, low-stakes poker games, family gatherings, world travel, household appliance repair, political and religious discussions and arguments, storytelling, and occasional ukulele playing.
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Are you interested in forming a Book Club? Details will be determined by the participants themselves. If interested, please email Valerie Gager at vgager@yahoo.com.
An Outreach Group will be looking at the demographics of our area to see how well Arbor West Neighbors reflects our communities. The group plans to create a one-page flyer about AWN and what we do. Members Henry Kranz, Lissa Schwartz, Judy Smith, Jane Wood and Phyllis Rubin have agreed to serve. If you're interested in helping, contact phyllis.rubin@comcast.net.
Two Oak Park Commissions would welcome new members: Aging in Place and the Disability Access Commissions. You can learn about the commissions, and find forms to apply at these links to the Oak Park Village website. We need to have a voice in our local village governments!
Movie Circle seeks movie buffs to: choose (1) favorite movie, (1) time per year and lead a (1) hour long Zoom discussion.
Interested? Contact Ed White, ewhite0640@comcast.net
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Don't Miss This
Member recommendations
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Ruth Reko suggests the book, Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs about Aging Determine How Long & Well You Live by Becca Levy (William Morrow, 2022).
The author shares her research, and the studies of other social scientists, about the benefits of positive attitude toward one's own and others' aging. She also details ways that business and advertising communicate both overt and subtle ageist messaging that all of us need to challenge.
Chris Hauri recommends this post on AgeWise Colorado's web site:
Ageism: What it is, why we should care, and what to do about it. "I think it’s one of the better ones on defining the issue," Chris says.
Chris also reminds us it's time again for LemonAID, the annual River Forest 9/11 charity fundraiser. Stop by the 700 block of Bonnie Brae from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11. Among its designated charities this year is Kindness Creators, an intergenerational pre-school at Oak Park Arms.
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Branching Out will appear bimonthly in your inbox.
Member submissions to arborwestneighbors@gmail.com for the November edition are due by Friday, October 21, 2022. Please add NEWSLETTER in the subject line.
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The Mission of Arbor West Neighbors is supported, in part, by a grant from the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation.
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