They've been acting together for years, but the day to day stresses of work and life have kept them out of the theater. 10 years ago, Pam Turlow and her husband Ben Dooley saw an oppotunity.
After her father had checked into the Oak Park Arms Retirement Community, they thought about putting on a show. It him them - radio.
Players on both sides of the chess boards were left surprised Friday afternoon when members of Whittier School's Starry Knights chess club squared off against residents of the Oak Park Arms retirement community.
The Starry Knights, made up of kindergarten through fifth grade students from Whittier, 715 N. Harvey, practice every Friday. But some of the retirement community residents hadn't played chess in decades, and some were just learning for the first time. Even so, players from both groups had tricks up their sleeves.
"These people are a lot better than I thought they'd be," said Merrick Silvis, 10, when he finished his first match.
Lynn Marti, 87, had a similar opinion. "They're really good," he said, admitting he struggled against one of his opponents. "They surprise you sometimes."
The Oak Park Arms Retirement Community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave., hosted an Apple-themed Open House on Saturday, Oct. 15.
The first annual Pie-Baking Contest took place at the open house and celebrity judges included: Chief of Police Rick Tanksley; Battalion Chief Wiley; Village Clerk Teresa Powell; Oak Park Arms Queen 2011 Ruth Palmer; Oak Park Arms King 2008 John Heflin.
The Winners are: 1st place: Leslie Atwood of Oak Park; 2nd place: Margaret Budz of Oak Park and 3rd place: Jim Flanagan of River Forest.
Yesica Sanchez got a lot of attention in her nine months living at the Oak Park Arms. Male friends were vexed when they heard she was spending time with other men. Crowds gathered when she put an extra bit of effort into her appearance. Would-be matchmakers tried to set her up with eligible suitors.
"I tried to marry her off to one of my six grandsons, but it didn't work," said Gertrude Crowley, an Oak Park Arms resident, as she bid farewell to her friend Thursday afternoon.
Pat Thomas of Oak Park is one of the lucky people. At the age of 16, she discovered medical illustration, a profession that would make use of her avid interest in biology and her well-honed artistic abilities.
She's still at it, and finds plenty of creative satisfaction in her career.
Through May 8, some 20 examples of her work will be on exhibit at the Oak Park Arms Retirement Community, where her father, a retired artist who just turned 90, lives.
Among television trivia buffs, the short list of neighbors who are also friends usually begins with Ralph Cramden and Ed Norton of Honeymooners fame; Fred Sanford and Don "Bubba" Bexley of Sanford and Son; and that wacky duo, Joey and Chandler, from the sitcom, Friends.
But real-life characters are more compelling, and at the Oak Park Arms, the list is topped by 90-years-young John Heflin and his longtime next-door neighbor and friend, Delbert Elmore, 88.
Yesica Sanchez is as much a cheerleader as an intern on this particular afternoon at the Oak Park Arms, helping to run its Friday game of miniature golf at the senior residential community.
The lounge area has been turned into a putting course. Sanchez, a 23-year-old social work student at Dominican University, retrieves golf balls and gives them back to the players. About 10 seniors, all residents of the Oak Park retirement complex, are playing.
The Oak Park Arms celebrated Veteran’s Day on Thursday, Nov. 11, in the ballroom with a Tribute program.
Veterans from the staff at Oak Park Arms presented the flag in a color guard. A patriotic program followed with an invocation by Rev. Marti Scott, Minister, Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church.
It didn't take Louise Haviland long at all to feel at home after moving into Oak Park Arms the final week of August.
The building at 408 S. Oak Park Ave. has been an independent and assisted living rental retirement community for several years. But Haviland's vivid memories of Oak Park Arms date back to the early 1920s, when the newly-built structure was a luxury
While many a person her age is lamenting the loss of friends, 97-year-old Gertrude Crowley is making more friends daily. At last count she had 97 friends on her Facebook page, and she is hoping each of them will also take time to read her latest blog entry.
"Glob. Bog? No, blog. I can never say that crazy word. Where do they come up with
They've been acting together for years, but the day to day stresses of work and life have kept them out of the theater. 10 years ago, Pam Turlow and her husband Ben Dooley saw an oppotunity.
Players on both sides of the chess boards were left surprised Friday afternoon when members of Whittier School's Starry Knights chess club squared off against residents of the Oak Park Arms retirement community.
The Oak Park Arms Retirement Community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave., hosted an Apple-themed Open House on Saturday, Oct. 15.
Yesica Sanchez got a lot of attention in her nine months living at the Oak Park Arms. Male friends were vexed when they heard she was spending time with other men. Crowds gathered when she put an extra bit of effort into her appearance. Would-be matchmakers tried to set her up with eligible suitors.
Pat Thomas of Oak Park is one of the lucky people. At the age of 16, she discovered medical illustration, a profession that would make use of her avid interest in biology and her well-honed artistic abilities.
Among television trivia buffs, the short list of neighbors who are also friends usually begins with Ralph Cramden and Ed Norton of Honeymooners fame; Fred Sanford and Don "Bubba" Bexley of Sanford and Son; and that wacky duo, Joey and Chandler, from the sitcom, Friends.
Yesica Sanchez is as much a cheerleader as an intern on this particular afternoon at the Oak Park Arms, helping to run its Friday game of miniature golf at the senior residential community.
The Oak Park Arms celebrated Veteran’s Day on Thursday, Nov. 11, in the ballroom with a Tribute program.
It didn't take Louise Haviland long at all to feel at home after moving into Oak Park Arms the final week of August.
While many a person her age is lamenting the loss of friends, 97-year-old Gertrude Crowley is making more friends daily. At last count she had 97 friends on her Facebook page, and she is hoping each of them will also take time to read her latest blog entry.