Remember Zanfina Rrahmani, our graduate from Proviso Math and Science Academy who won many honors and is now a pre-med student at Loyola? Well, no surprise, Zanfina is on the dean's list at Loyola. She is still working part-time at Ed's Way as well.
Heather Babcock and Donald W. Thompson will be married in a garden wedding this June. Heather is the daughter of Tina and Gary Neubeiser, of Forest Park, and Jeff and Phyllis Babcock, of Countryside. Donald is the son of Mark and Dorothy Thompson of Lombard. He is a graduate of Glenbard East and North Central Naperville and is currently employed at First Data in Warrenville. The lucky newlyweds will move right into their newly built home in Aurora after the wedding.
Congratulations to Dan Watts, newly named president of the Forest Park National Bank. In case you didn't remember, Dan is practically responsible for our great Forest Park Public Library. His way with words, and his legal expertise, got us over many bumps in the process of convincing some village officials way back then that we really needed a new library.
We didn't mention the death of J.D. Salinger last week. He was an icon of my generation. We read and reread Catcher in the Rye and his short stories for years. Also, not much mention was made of the death of Howard Zinn. His works about America are painful eye openers.
An article by John Hubbuch in the Jan. 27 Wednesday Journal is very much worth reading. It's too late, elections are over, but keep his words in mind next time you go to the polls.
Special happy birthday wishes to Mike Cossio on Feb. 15. His wife, Claire, will take him to Disneyland to celebrate. Mike has wanted to go there for years and now Claire will make his dream come true at last.
There will be a special concert of the Oak Pak Symphony on Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. featuring the orchestra and chorus in a rousing performance of the Beethoven "Ninth Symphony." Tickets are available at the door at the First United Church, 848 Lake St.
You might want to mark "Love Your Library Day" on your calendar. That's Feb. 21. On this day, amnesty is offered for overdue books and other materials. Stop at the front desk and find out more. There will be many other activities sure to please kids, adults, teens, everyone. There's always the Book Discussion Group to interest you, of course. Forest Park cardholders can register for free computer classes beginning at 9 a.m. on Feb. 20 as well.
Happy birthday this week to Karrie Schlichting, Kirsten Cursel, Paul Stahlke, Elisha Apilado, Eleanor Cole, Tiffany Greenberg, Christine Marshan, Cedrick Javier, Daniel Marote, Paula Peterson, Emmaly Sansone, Carl Grapentine, Amelia Huebner, Michael Paulin, Hailey Reis, Timothy X. Lane, Lyle Vincent Clifton, Valentina Marusek, Payton Schmidt, Marty Redmond, Ethan Flanagan, Julie Xia, Connie Daylo, Lauren Pardun, Sammy Anderson and Shelby Adolphson. Happy anniversary to Tim and Dorothy Gillian, and Bonnie and Pat Cimiglia.
