Column: ‘Bloom where you’re planted’ can mean your backyard
So, you're stuck at home with your significant other, and possibly a kiddo or two or three. You absolutely love them with all your heart. But let's face it, they're...
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Dechter: St. Joseph’s Table tradition feeds the poor and nourishes the spirit
Josephine "Jo" Sangermano Townsend will be 92 come April, and for the last 50 years, she has been creating lovely and well-loved St. Joseph Day tables at her parish. For...
Column: Volunteering for Frank Lloyd Wright Trust ‘a labor of love’
In February 1980, Oak Park resident Frank Pond first began training to become a volunteer for the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust. Now, four decades later, the 70 year old is...
Column: Oak Parker bares her struggles in film to help others heal
It isn't every day that one gets to see their dreams come true, but that's exactly what's happening for Oak Park resident Kelley Kitley. Production will soon start to make...
Column: How the U.S. imprisoned Italian Americans during WWII; how house plants can clean indoor air
"I don't care so much about the Italians. They are a lot of opera singers." --Franklin D. Roosevelt, who dismissed Italian Americans, which comprised the largest ethnic community in the...
Column: Resolving to volunteer with dogs and cats this year
Every year, it seems we make New Year's resolutions that somehow never get kept. That's usually what happens to me, although last year, I did manage to stick to the...
Column: Tots in a senior home melt residents hearts, and little ones love ‘grandmas’ and ‘grandpas’
When Jaime Moran and Pam Lawrence opened a pre-school inside the senior retirement community the Oak Park Arms in late August, they knew they'd found the perfect place. It was...
Column: And if it’s not the most wonderful time of year?
If you're feeling a little Grinchy these days, you certainly aren't alone. Bah humbug, you say? As you probably know, not everyone finds peace, joy, and perfection this time of...
Felicia Dechter column: ‘Keep the Wreath Green’ and the turkey off the floor
Once again this year, the Oak Park Fire Department is dreaming of a green Christmas. That's because the department's holiday fire safety awareness program, Keep the Wreath Green, starts on...
Forest bathing heals with the benefits of nature, and it’s free
Have you done your forest bathing today? You're probably thinking, what the heck is forest bathing? Despite its name, it doesn't involve taking a dunk in any water. It's actually...