The Continuing Tragedy of Mr. Wild’s Death

It was a typical sunny and slightly humid day in late August as we joined the mass of anxious parents leading our curious children to the paved area near the playground behind Springbrook Elementary School here in Naperville.  Our 5th grader had come to know the routine well and said a quick goodbye as he headed off with his blossoming independence to find his class line with his new teacher at the helm holding up the “5P” sign.  Our second grader was a little more bashful, more than happy to continue holding my hand tightly as he was in no hurry to make his way into the valley of tall kids.  As we searched for his second grade teacher, I noticed another smiling young red-haired 2nd grade teacher named Mr. Wild welcoming children and parents like a seasoned pro.   I couldn’t help but smile and wonder if this guy was even old enough to teach, but he was holding his own and seemed to be enjoying every minute.  I thought to myself, if only everyone could be so blessed to have such a genuine enthusiasm to be at work.  On that day, there were no news vans with towering satellite antenna sitting out front, no news cameras capturing the beginning of this important chapter in this young teacher’s life, no reporters seeking to learn more about Mr. Wild or how much fun it was to be a 2nd grade teacher with the last name “Wild”.

As the school year moved into full motion, there was an almost star-struck report one day from my 5th grader with dreams of the NFL that there was a new 2nd grade teacher that had played college football for North Central and his name was Mr. Wild.  I told him I thought that was pretty cool.  Still, that night when I turned on the local news there was no story about a college football player from North Central who was now teaching elementary school in Naperville.

Fast-forward to numerous mornings this school year and the frantic morning drop-off routine, orchestrated by the persistent vigilance of Springbrook Elementary teachers.  Each morning as parents, in our daily attempt to comply with the hurry-up-and-wait procedure, we quickly get to know the teachers’ commanding presence and determined faces to get everyone into school on time, sometimes operating with the military precision of a drill Sergent.  But on the mornings when Mr. Wild was on duty, he always stood out from the rest sporting a warm smile on his face and always welcoming students to school whether they were in his class or not.  I can remember one morning vividly when my 2nd grader was struggling to get his heavy backpack and other belongings together to get out of the car as he spilled onto the sidewalk.  There was Mr. Wild, smiling and lending a hand in helping him get his stuff together and making the situation a little bit lighter.  On that morning there were no news vans, cameras or assertive reporters hanging around to capture the story of Mr. Wild who was clearly doing what he was put on this Earth to do… and that was to teach.

Today, on this overcast and solemn morning, the world was moving a little slower at Springbrook Elementary School.  As I pulled into the drop-off line it was very clear that Mr. Wild nor his warm smile was there to welcome our children, nor would it ever be again.  I looked over to my left to discover the unwelcome sight of news vans with towering satellite antenna, cameras and reporters sitting on the street at the edge of the school campus.  I thought to myself, these tragedy vultures missed the biggest story of them all, which was that day back in August when Mr. Wild brought his warm smile, genuine caring and passion for teaching to start what would have been a long and inspiring career as a teacher.

On this day, I take immense pride in our courageous Springbrook Elementary teachers and staff as they managed to find a way to help our children understand on some level, doing their best to fight back their own tears in just getting through what was certainly one of the longest school days in their career.  We’ve all carefully navigated our way through conversations with our children and listening very carefully to their young feelings and emotions.

As for ABC 7 Chicago, Fox News Chicago and CBS 2 Chicago… shame on you for trespassing upon the tragedy and innocence of this morning during drop-off and this afternoon during pick-up by showing up at our school with your antennas and cameras blazing to drive home the tragedy a little deeper, leaving our children with even more questions.

This morning, I feel you over-stepped any boundary you may have had and further preyed upon the innocence of our children in the wake of such a senseless tragedy by turning the cameras on them.  I, and many parents I’ve spoken with, feel it was in exceedingly poor taste.  Your actions have served to only further contribute to the continuing tragedy of Mr. Wild’s death.

Von Heidecke School of Ballet Fundraiser October 6 and 7 at Cold Stone Creamery in Downtown Naperville

As many of you know, I’ve been producing  a documentary film about international choreographer Kenneth Von Heidecke for the past few years, who also happens to call Naperville his home as well as the location of the Von Heidecke School of Ballet.

The Von Heidecke School of Ballet is hosting a fundraiser on Thursday, October 6th and Friday, October 7th, 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM, at Cold Stone Creamery in Downtown Naperville.  On these dates, 35% of your purchase will be donated back to the School.

Hope you will considering offering your support to this most deserving local arts institution which sacrifices much to make professional ballet instruction of this caliber accessible to the entire Chicagoland region.  We are truly fortunate to have both Ken and the Von Heidecke School of Ballet in our community.

“Behind Ribfest” Documentary Film to Debut at the Naperville Independent Film Festival on September 18th

Over a year ago, I began production on a documentary film about Ribfest.  Many of us know the festival from the perspective of attendee, but few get the chance to go behind-the-scenes of everything that goes into making this volunteer-run festival a success in raising millions of dollars toward the elimination of child abuse and domestic violence.  This film follows along with the Naperville Exchange Club, the rib teams, the musical entertainment acts, the volunteers and the faces behind the festivals ultimate mission.  I’m pleased to report the film is finished and will debut on September 18th at the Naperville Independent Film Festival at 7 PM at the Ogden 6 Classic Cinemas.  As a little teaser, take a look at the promo below:

Get Ready for Naperville Ribfest, Celebrity Chefs and the Ribfest Documentary Film

Who’s ready for Ribfest 2011!  It’s been an amazing year-long journey since last year’s Ribfest.  As you may recall, I have been working with the Exchange Club in producing a feature-length documentary film about Ribfest, of which production began almost exactly one year ago on June 18, 2010 and after a final shoot a couple of months ago, post-production/editing is in full motion.  The documentary is a behind-the-scenes look not only at what it takes to bring Ribfest to life each year, but more importantly the human stories behind the festival’s solitary mission of donating all net proceeds to area agencies working toward the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence… over $9 million to date.  Stay tuned for our premiere this Fall at the Naperville Independent Film Festival.

I’m also very excited to announce that another non-profit I’m helping out, America’s Chefs, will be featuring celebrity chef-hosted live cooking shows in the new America’s Chefs Kitchen Arena, including a daily hands-on kid’s cooking demo in which kids’ and parents and learn to make and actually prepare a healthy dish together.   The mission of America’s Chefs is to provide a “taste of home” and food/culinary entertainment to service men and women of our U.S. Military across the country and around the world, including events in the Persian Gulf region and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Each chef is an alumni restaurant owner from the hit Food Network series “Diner’s, Drive-Ins and Dives” as well as numerous appearances elsewhere, including “Guy’s Big Bite”, the “Guy Fieri Roadshow Tour”, ABC’s “Extreme Home Makeover” and two of which are in the process of starring in their own food TV shows.  Take a look at the image posted up above for more details.  You definitely will not want to miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity.  Below you’ll find a couple of episodes I produced for America’s Chefs TV which provides an inside look at their mission.  Ribfest will be America’s Chefs first major civilian event and they are looking to build support and awareness for their non-profit mission.

See you at Ribfest! SM

World of Naperville Reaches 110,000 Visit Mark

In May, the World of Naperville will be celebrating it’s 5th anniversary.  To date, this little blog about our small town in a big city has surpassed the 110,000 visit mark.

While there have been months that are very active in terms of content and others not so active, I’m still very proud to be able to provide this volume of content about Naperville.  Like any town or city, we’re far from perfect and certainly have our fair share of flaws, but it’s the celebration of the unique energy, the simple moments and vitality that ultimately matters in the end.

To those who truly know the real spirit of Naperville, you know that the overwhelming majority of us are nowhere near the stereotypes and images perceived by others and depicted in some local publications.  For the most part, we’re just another Midwestern town with an affection for “community”, the belief in helping others and the desire to live in a place which provides many opportunities and ways for us to enjoy life with our friends, families and neighbors.

Given my roots, I live by the belief that there is a little bit of “small town” in every city, no matter how large.   In the end, it’s the human and social capital… the energy, the accountability and the pride of those who inhabit a block, a neighborhood, a town or a city… which makes a community extraordinary and these are qualities which simply cannot be purchased with money at any price.

SM

Zigfield Troy Golf – A Family Tradition of PGA Member Professionals Since 1950

Who’s ready to polish their golf game?  Or, if you’re like me, poised to scrub some of the rust off after years of neglect?  Spring is here and I’m very blessed to have been given the opportunity to work with another family business with a multi-generational legacy in sharing their unique story.

Zigfield Troy Golf is located just down the road on 75th Street in Woodridge (1535 W. 75th Street).  Back in the 1930s, Zigfield Troy Golf was born of the vision of a Chicago South-Sider by the name of Zigfield Troy.  He opened his first driving range in his teens and spent his whole life making the game of golf affordable and accessible to all.  In Zigfield’s own words, he wanted to create a “Poor Man’s Country Club”.  Over the years, Zigfield Troy and his family became familiar names in the PGA as both members and professionals.  Today, the legacy continues year-round at Zigfield Troy Golf where you’ll find an outdoor and covered/heated driving range, a 9-hole precision Par 3 course, a staff of PGA Member Professionals for individual/group lessons, a full service Pro Shop, professional club assessment/fitting/repair, a Jr. Golf Program for kids during the Summer, the Annual Zigfield Troy Open Tournament (last weekend in June), putting/chipping practice greens and more.  In other words, most everything you would expect to find at a private country club, but far less expensive and open to the general public year-round.

In a nutshell, there’s something for golfers of all levels and families where you can enjoy the game of golf without spending an entire day  playing 18 holes.  Green fees range from $7 – $12, they have family buckets of range balls and will even provide you with some clubs to hit if you don’t have them.

There is also a vacation-style miniature golf course by the name of Lost Mountain Adventure Golf as part of the facility.  So, the whole family can come along and have an memorable time.

If you’re interested in getting involved in the Zigfield Troy Golf legacy and would like to interact, get golf tips from their PGA Professionals, exclusive offers, golf trivia/history, free giveaway challenges, connect with other area golfers, updates, see Zigfield Troy Golf videos and more, you should consider becoming part of our Zigfield Troy Golf Facebook Family by CLICKING HERE.

At the end of the day, what excites me about working with Zigfield Troy Golf and will capture your heart as well is the story told in the video below about Zigfield Troy, which was featured on the Golf Channel’s “PGA Today” show.

We are indeed very lucky to live in an area where inspiring and extraordinary family stories are so commonplace.  SM

Naperville’s Vostry’s Mobile Tune-Up and Repair: An Unsung Hero of the Blizzard of 2011

To say the least, when we all reflect upon the Great Blizzard of 2011, our memories will be full of eye-popping snow drifts, jubilant kids and plenty of sweat equity invested in the ongoing removal of the crushing 18-20 inches of snow from our driveways, walkways, sidewalks and all the extra “plowed” in egresses to our residential streets.

If you’re like me, you gave plenty of pep talks to your grossly under-sized and under-equipped little snow blower as you forcibly choked their way through creating nicely squared ice mazes.

We also spent plenty of time helping our neighbors, some of which had no snow blower and were forced to face the icy white depths with only a shovel and empty expressions of overwhelmed bewilderment.

Personally, my last round of snow removal ended across the street helping my neighbor plow the end of his driveway from the icy mounded barriers created each time the city plows would come through.  I asked much of my “little snow blower that could” and while it died many times within the strangulating snow it never gave out until the very end.  Finally, after completing this last round the belt snapped and those tiny paddle blades ceased to move.

I needed convenience and a quick fix.  Truthfully, I wasn’t crazy about taking the time to load “little red” into the mini-van only to take it somewhere that may have taken a couple of days to get fixed.  Even more, I had no idea when the next snow would hit.  Thus, I recall once upon a time hearing about a local service that is a repair shop on wheels and sure enough, after a quick internet search found Vostry’s Mobile Repair and Tune-Up.

I gave them a call and expecting a long waiting list, I actually ended up getting on the schedule that afternoon.  Even more, expecting to pay a big premium for the home service I was very pleasantly surprised to find the cost wasn’t anywhere near what I expected.

After Mr. Vostry finished up, I was so excited by how easy and painless the repair had been that I asked if it would be okay to take a couple of pictures as I told him about the World of Naperville blog.  He was more than happy to indulge and I told him I would continue spreading the word about his outstanding service.  My personal thanks to Vostry’s Mobile Tune-Up for the passion and commitment they put into making these types of services so convenient here in Naperville.

Now as we head into lawn mowing season, I’ll be giving them another call to drop back by for my lawn mower maintenance as well.  SM

Ribfest Documentary Film Update from the World of Naperville

It’s been a very busy 2011 thus far and its still ramping up.  So far, I’m humbled by the amount of progress I’ve made and paths I’ve crossed with so many amazing people as I continue this journey of purpose.   Unfortunately, during this time I’ve also found myself tardy in keeping up with my posts here in the World of Naperville.

The biggest Naperville-related project I’m working on has been my documentary film about Ribfest.  Believe it or not, we actually just concluded the last piece of principal photography at the Exchange Club’s agency luncheon just last week at Meson Sabika.  That’s the event where all the net proceeds have been awarded and each agency shares their mission and stories.  It’s been an amazing journey and I’m excited to continue the editing process.  In the end, we will see a time period between June, 2011 and March 2011.  We’ll have more information about when the film will premiere soon.  In the meantime, I want to personally thank Ray Kinney and the rest of the amazing people at the Naperville Exchange Club for their support and cooperation throughout this project.  It’s definitely a collage of many behind-the-scenes sides of Ribfest that few get to see… with plenty of stories that deserve to be told about the incredible mission behind Ribfest.

Anyway, the weather is getting warmer and I look forward to picking up the pace with the World of Naperville very soon.  SM

Fresh and Affordable Sushi in Naperville in an Unexpected Place

Today was an ominous day as the pearly white occupants of my mouth were driven to their annual check-up at Wheatland Dental.  After all the scraping, buzzing, suctioning, gum-ripping x-ray mouthpieces and an extra power-scrub courtesy of the Cavitron, I felt it my obligation to reward my teeth to a nice soothing lunch.

Sushi was the first thing that entered my mind, but I often find it hard to shell out the serious dollars for a sushi lunch.  Suddenly, I realized that I was next door to one of my favorite affordable sushi joints that may seem unexpected to some…  Caputo’s Italian Market .  For less than $10, you can choose from an array of fresh daily made sushi trays, which you can actually see being handcrafted in the deli department by professionals.  Today I went for a red chili spicy salmon sushi roll, which consisted of 8 pieces with beautiful slices of salmon sitting atop each piece… all for $8.99… and it tasted every bit as good as some of the higher end sushi restaurants in town.  All the delicious indulgence without the guilt-ridden check at the end of the meal.

Barbecue Pit BBQ at Our 2nd Annual Kentucky Derby Party in Naperville

It’s impossible to imagine that the first Saturday in May is just days away when the memories from our Kentucky Derby Party last year seems just like yesterday. To catch everyone else up who didn’t read my posts last year, I’m originally from Kentucky and grew up amidst the wonderful bluegrass rite of spring tradition of the pomp and circumstance behind the annual Run for the Roses, which is more famously known as the Kentucky Derby.

For our guests, this year’s menu will be similar to last, with one major difference… instead of Keene’s Country Ham from Bardstown, KY on Derby Breakfast biscuits, I’ve made the family recipe of slow smoked pork bbq which spent all of yesterday on my firebox grill cooking slowly on heated waves of hickory, white oak, apricot, peach and apple wood smoke. Additionally, I’ve kicked the family bbq sauce recipe up a number of notches to create three variations: A sweet and smokey bourbon sauce, the regular sauce and a little hot-and-spicy wonder which I will simply refer to as “Sucker Punch” sauce. Sucker Punch is one of those fun bbq sauces that taste zesty and benign at first, but within a couple of seconds the beads of sweat begin to form.

When I say “family bbq recipe” it is not only a recipe I grew up on but also one which set my father’s restaurant venture in motion many years ago in the late 1970s.  A place simply called “The Barbecue Pit”. The space was literally built from the ground up and I still have memories of dropping by the building after school as it was being built. The Barbecue Pit was simple and bare with picnic tables on concrete floors assembled near an old pot-belly stove. Across the counter was an enormous smoker pit, which I recall looking almost sinister from my vantage point as a young child. Like many restaurants, The Barbecue Pit ran into its share of business problems demonstrating the truth that it takes more than a great food product to succeed in the business. Nonetheless, the recipe has survived and for my part, this generation continues to retain the fundamentals while at the same time welcoming some slight innovations.

My dad passed away in 2001, yet every time I fire up my own barbecue pit, working the fire, smelling the wood aroma, making the mop sauce, the bbq sauce, basting every hour, feeding in soaked wood chunks and sneaking a little piece of the outer layer bark toward the end from one of the 6-7 lb. Boston Butts (better known as Pork Shoulder), it’s not only a tribute to one of his lifelong passions, but I almost feel as though he is standing there right next to me with that satisfying smile on his face. While some see bbq simply as food, I come from a place where it is both a conversation-drenched pastime and proud tradition.

Maybe one day we can throw this party for all of Naperville for charity. Until then, we look forward to greeting our invited guests on Saturday and sharing in a Mint Julep, a BBQ sandwich and, of course, a few horse races along the way.

Pit-O-Pat, The Barbecue Pit Mascot