WELCOME
NEW AND RENEWING
MEMBERS!

RECENT VILLAGE ACTIVITIES 

FITNESS

T'ai Chi

Mondays

10:00 - 11:00 AM

Whole Foods, 1550 N. Kingsbury

Members - $40 for each

series of 8 sessions  

or $7 per session  

Non-Members - $15 per session

Series continues through June 18.

 Click here to visit instructor Arlene Faulk's Web site. 

Thursdays

10:30 - 11:30 AM

Church of the Three Crosses

333 W. Wisconsin St.  

Members - $40 for each

series of 8 sessions  

or $7 per session  

Non-Members - $15 per session

 Series continues; join anytime.

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Hatha-Style Yoga
Mondays

7:00 - 8:15 PM 

Church of the Three Crosses

333 W. Wisconsin St.  

Members & Guests - $15

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Basic Meditation 

Saturday, May 26 

9:15 - 10:30 AM 

 Members & Guests - Free  

 To register for events, e-mail [email protected].

COMING IN MAY

Register for these programs by calling 773.248.8700 or e-mail

[email protected]

Payment is due in advance.

Let the Village office know if you need a ride! 

As the Village grows, from time to time events with limited attendance are fully subscribed with a waiting list.  If you wish to participate in any event, please sign up early. You can do this by calling or e-mailing the office.

 To register for events, e-mail [email protected].

COMING IN JUNE

Register for these programs by calling 773.248.8700 or e-mail

[email protected]

Payment is due in advance.

Let the Village office know if you need a ride!    

As the Village grows, from time to time events with limited attendance are fully subscribed with a waiting list.  If you wish to participate in any event, please sign up early. You can do this by calling or e-mailing the office.  

 SAVE THE DATE!

 Wednesday, June 6
(Emersons' host TBD)

Monday, June 11
(Ibsens' host is Donna Renn) 

7:00 - 8:30 PM

This month's readings are  

Gordiner's Comrades and 

Mandela's The Rivonia Trial.

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Village Men Discussion Group

Wednesday, June 13, 11:00 AM

Basil Leaf Cafe
(2465 N. Clark St.)

Male members only. Self-hosted lunch to follow.

The topic will be Higher Education: Our own experiences, our children's experiences and our grandchildren's challenges; an evolution in three generations.  We will share our own experiences and attitudes about a subject that is getting kicked around politically these days, but also one that is pretty near and dear to us personally.  

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My Vigorous Mind

Wednesday, June 27
1:00 - 3:00 PM

The program is held at Rush in the Searle Conference Center, 5th floor of the Professional Building at 1725 W Harrison St. Chicago, 60612.

Members and Guests - Free. Parking validation is provided. 

Everything we do is controlled by our brains--from breathing, sensing and feeling to speaking, moving and remembering. Just as we exercise to keep our bodies strong, it requires time and energy to keep our brains sharp and alert. There is growing evidence that we may be able to maintain our memory and thinking abilities by exercising our brain and eating healthful, brain-smart foods. Join us for an interactive program on brain wellness and learn the eight critical areas of our lives that impact the health of our brains as we age. 

 To register for events, e-mail [email protected].

For its third anniversary benefit on Monday, June 25, Lincoln Park Village is proud to present its very own showing of the new documentary, HAPPY.

Director and mastermind of the film is Roko Belic. The stepson of Village member and Saturday Meditation leader Ellen Stone Belic, Roko has so far won eight film festival awards, from Amsterdam to Maui to Telluride, for his groundbreaking new documentary.

In HAPPY, Belic traveled to five continents in order to create an unforgettable report about the emotion that graces and sometimes eludes us all. His film touches down to hear from medical researchers who study happiness and human longevity, from people such as the Dalai Lama who practice happiness, and from one or two individuals who are happy despite their challenges.

The message is that we can be happy--if we choose to be. As Benjamin Franklin wryly observed, "The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch it yourself!"

Come share this special experience with the Village. Learn about a subject we Americans know far too little about.

The price of a ticket covers a reception with light appetizers and beverage, a private viewing of HAPPY and a discussion afterwards with Belic and Village board members Dr. Neelum T. Aggarwal and Charlotte Damron.

**********  

Happiness IS Contagious--Catch It!

ROKO BELIC, Academy Award Nominee 

Director Roko Belic presents his new, award-winning documentary, HAPPY, which takes us on a journey across five continents in search of what makes people happy.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Combining real-life stories of people around the world and powerful interviews with leading scientists and practitioners in the growing field of Happiness Research, the documentary HAPPY explores the secrets behind our most valued emotion. This joyful film discovers that there are universal tools for happiness, many of which correlate to the values and connectedness that have motivated the growth of Lincoln Park Village. Best of all, the scientific researchers in the movie are discovering that happiness is a skill that can be learned. For more on the HAPPY movie, click here. 

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Monday, June 25, 2012 

 Registration, Ticket and Host Committee information appears here  

Questions? Call the office at 773-248-8700.  

... and unexpected member perks:

"As luck would have it, my husband and I were the first to act upon the Village's offer of free VIP passes to the recent International Antiques Fair at the Merchandise Mart. Yet another swell, unexpected perk as members of Lincoln Park Village! Many thanks!"

                                                                                               --Paula Giannini

... and 'life-expanding' member services:

"Among the many services Lincoln Park Village offers for its members, one of the most important to me at this time are the volunteer drivers."

Artist Kay Smith enjoyed two wonderful experiences due to the insight and thoughtfulness of her driver, volunteer Bob Hernquist. Although she offered to take a cab, his insistence on coming back for her after a luncheon with friends at the Union League Club resulted in this: "I used the 30 minutes' wait time for his arrival to take a quick turn through Union League's art collection. Glorious!"

On the ride home, Bob learned that Kay had not yet seen the ceramic murals on the history of Chicago under the Lake Shore Drive Bridge.

"Well," she says, "he knew the territory and drove under the Drive to an opening in the fence for me to walk to the bridge and see the murals. I was blown away! They are by Ellen Lanyon. Ellen and I were at the School of the Art Institute together. I didn't know her well, but I felt I did as I enjoyed her murals.

Kay Smith painting at Millikin University in 1992.

"So l came home blessed by a wonderful experience of a brief but fully enjoyed exposure to Ellen's art and the pleasure of seeing that part of the River Walk for the first time."

Kay, an esteemed water-colorist and instructor of note, concludes, "Through the thoughtfulness of my volunteer driver that day, I see that with planning, I can have transportation to places I want to paint or visit. This means that I can continue my career independently as a plein air [outdoor] artist, as I have done all of my life.

"Here's to Lincoln Park Village! It is a life-expander! I love the freedom it gives me to know I can just pick up the phone for help of most any kind."

                                                                                                        -- Kay Smith

... and all-around Village experience:

Monna Ray is an annual participant in a survey on the health and quality of women's lives for the Women's Health Initiative. The survey includes a section on activities, thoughts and feelings.

Monna writes, "Completing the forms and putting them in the mail, I was reminded how Lincoln Park Village contributes to my health and well-being. I could answer YES, there was someone I could call to take me to a doctor's appointment; YES, I was learning a new skill, attending cultural events on a regular basis; and YES, I felt positive about my life--and the importance of volunteering and inter-generational contact to emotional well-being. Those last two are areas of activity that have been a part of my Village experience.

"I am thankful for the community of friends I have as a Village member, for making my life more secure, more interesting and more fun."

                                                                                                     -- Monna Ray   

If you've been hearing more bird songs these days, it's possibly because April and May are the height of the migration season for hundreds of bird species that pass through Chicago. They start from as far south as South America and pause here on their way north--as far as the Arctic Circle. Their full migration season runs from mid-February through May going north and, on the return trips, from mid-August to November.

Watching nature's mighty fliers is free. But it's not as easy as one might think. So it was that early Sunday morning, May 6th, nearly a dozen Village members met near Montrose Harbor. Their purpose: To go on a bird walk at the peak of the season. Their leader: Village board member and expert birder David Baker. Their hope: To identify as many different migrating and native birds as possible.

The day was sunny and humid, with a bit of mist coming off the lake. The harbor area was blocked from vehicle traffic because of a foot race called Cinco de Miler, which brought Mexican music and a crowd that grew more lively as the morning unfolded.

But the birds didn't mind. In two and a half hours, Baker identified and helped the Village group spot 40 of the 60 or so different species he believes were on the wing that day. To see the entire list of birds spotted by the Village birders, click here.  

A birder since he was 15, in El Cerrito, CA, Baker maintains an Excel spread sheet that lists 500 or so different species he himself has sighted here and there across North America. The total number of North American birds, he says, is close to 720.

As he led the group around Montrose Harbor and past Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club, Baker pointed out Barn Swallows that swooped above the water or paused to gather bits of mud for their nests.

Explaining that they tend to gather near the ground, he then pointed out five of the twenty or so different species of Sparrows that can be seen on the lakefront. Several healthy-looking Robins and Canada Geese and Grackles flew in and out of range. So did a half-dozen of the thirty or so different species of Warblers that can also be seen here.

The group moved east to the "Magic Hedge," a lush, protected area that the Chicago Park District has reclaimed from land that once housed Nike missiles. In that haven Red Wing Blackbirds chased through honeysuckle bushes and trees; a dozen or more Blue Jays flapped high overhead; a Downy Woodpecker and a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet made their appearances.

Montrose Beach, which has amazing birdwatching adjacent to an extensive dog beach revealed two species of angular-bodied Terns, Spotted Sandpipers and Sanderlings, Mallard Ducks and two species of Gulls. A Ruddy Turnstone, replete in its brilliant breeding plumage, also stuck around so everyone could admire it. Montrose Point to the south yielded Catbirds, an Ovenbird, and an American Redstart.

By the end of the walk, eleven different Warblers had been seen, including a rarely sighted Hooded Warbler. When two drably dressed, experienced birders called out "White-winged Dove!" a human migration quickly followed them to the place they said they'd seen that species, which belongs far from the Midwest. Unfortunately, no one else shared their luck.

The intrepid Village birders kept up with their guide, and a bracing time was had by all. As Angie Levenstein later recalled, "The colors of the Warblers in the early morning light were brilliant and fresh. It was very exciting to me as David led us through the walk and helped find the birds. What a fun way to start the day!"  

Susan Nelson photos

Baker gives three tips to anyone who might want to go birding during the rest of the spring migration (through mid-May) or the birds' return trip south: "1. Dress in layers. 2. Take binoculars [he recommends 10x 42's]. And 3., take a bird book."

Because it's so much more fun to go birding with a group than alone, he says he can recommend joining the birding group that leaves North Pond Caf� at 7 AM every Wednesday for an hour walk led by Geoff Williamson (http://home.comcast.net~geoffrey.williamson). In addition, Chicago Audubon Society birders lead tours every Saturday through the end of May. Meet at 8 AM at North Park Village Nature Center, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd., Building D (for more information, call 773-539-6793). 

  --Susan Nelson 

Lincoln Park Village members are fortunate to have gotten to know three outgoing, hard-working Loyola University graduate students this past year. All are from Loyola's School of Social Work, all hope to earn their Master's in Social Work in May 2013, and all plan to focus on gerontology in the future.

Individually, each has (or will have) spent 480 hours working as an intern in the Village office. That comes to 16 hours a week per intern, generally on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Collectively, they have helped to keep the Village running smoothly. They are at the Village to learn all aspects of how a new not-for-profit organization works. Their tasks, which include direct contact with members, volunteers and other staff members, range from friendly visits and fulfilling requests for rides and services to helping plan new programs for members.

Two of the three, Alexa Workman and Dana Anderson, completed their internships at the end of April. The third, Susie McGuire, will be with the Village until August. She will be joined by Jose Rivas Perez, whose internship begins in June.

The Village's internship program would not be possible without the seasoned guidance of member Betty Dayron, LCSW, who earned her MA from the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration. Betty brings 43 years' experience as a Social Worker at Jewish Family and Community Service (now JCFS), where she worked in clinical, resettlement, administrative and human resource fields.

Here, then, are closer looks at the three interns, whom you may have seen at Village events as well as in the office--and heartfelt thanks for their skillful transition from masters' candidates to spokes in the wheels that make the Village roll so smoothly.

Alexa Workman was born in Chicago but grew up in both Northville, MI, a suburb of Detroit, and Texas. She lives in the Wrigleyville area of Lake View. This Saturday, May 12, she graduates with her bachelor's degree in social work. She hopes to continue full-time as a student one more year and receive her Master's in Social Work next May.

Her subspecialty is gerontology, which is how she came to be an intern with Lincoln Park Village. She says that she has obtained a wealth of skills through the Village. "My biggest lesson has been the importance of slowing down, meeting each member where he or she is and being flexible."

What Alexa has most liked about the Village, she says, is that she has formed "amazing relationships with members and the staff. I didn't anticipate that I would like administrative work so much or helping a bit with program development."

She said that she is not absolutely sure that she will go into the traditional therapy role of a social worker. "Ideally, the kind of job I'd like is to be the executive director of a village--to specialize in administrative social work."

Dana Anderson is from the Kansas City, Kansas, area. She did her undergraduate work in marketing at the University of Kansas and DeVry; she moved to Chicago in May 2011 and lives in Lincoln Park.

Like Alexa, her internship ended in April. She will graduate with her Master's in Social Work in May 2013, with emphases on health, mental health, and gerontology.

What Dana has learned from her work at the Village, she says, is that "everyone is looking for community, no matter what age they are." She has also learned how crucial it is, in an aging population, to guard against isolation.

The Village, she says, has impressed her greatly because "everyone is there to be helping." She cites "a true volunteer aspect" to the Village's organization as well as a sense of community, with everyone "working in a hands-on manner."

Dana said she hopes to go to Portland, OR, after she has earned her master's.

Susie McGuire, who is from Highland Park, graduated with a bachelor's degree in consumer economics from the University of Massachusetts and Amherst. She lives in Lincoln Park.

She also expects to earn her Master's in Social Work in May 2013; her emphases are mental health and gerontology.

Susie says that she is impressed "by how important the Village is to everyone involved." She has particularly liked her interactions with members, both on the phone and in person.

The most important thing for her to learn for her future, she says, is "the best ways to assist people and their families.

"I feel lucky," she concludes. "I have a couple months yet to go and hope to be able to organize new health-related classes for the Village."  

--S.N. 

Joining Lincoln Park Village

Lincoln Park Village helps members live life to the fullest by providing a vibrant array of stimulating activities, engaging events and, if needed, services from the most trusted resources. But most important, the Village is a community composed of neighbor-to-neighbor connections that can enrich lives in new and unexpected ways. If you are interested in becoming a member, please call the Village office at 773.248.8700 or follow the links below.

Download Membership Application 

Download the form to pay via auto-withdrawal through your bank account.  

Application Process

Membership is available to adults 50+ living in greater Lincoln Park and surrounding communities. A membership application is available above, or call the Village office for other options. A reduced-rate program, Member Plus, is available for those on limited fixed incomes.

After becoming a member, an informal conversation will be scheduled to acquaint the new member with the services, programs and events of the Village and to better understand the new member's specific interests and needs.