MK_032620

® 

mokena’s Award-Winning Hometown Newspaper MokenaMessengerDaily.com • March 26, 2020 • Vol. 12 No. 33 • $1 

A 

Publication 

,LLC 

Lending a 

hand 

Mokena group 

to help residents 

in need during 

COVID-19 outbreak, 

Page 3 

The coronavirus pandemic impacts local 

government, organizations , Page 6 

A different 

drive-thru 

Mokena medical 

group offers driveup 

coronavirus 

testing, Page 4 

Virtual 

care 

The Cancer Support 

Center keeps online 

services going, 

Page 5 

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2 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger calendar 

mokenamessengerdaily.com 

In this week’s 

Messenger 

Editorial........................11 

Faith Briefs....................14 

The Dish........................16 

Puzzles..........................17 

Going Rate....................20 

Classifieds................ 21-28 

The Mokena 

Messenger 

ph: 708.326.9170 fx: 708.326.9179 

Editor 

TJ Kremer III, x29 

tj@mokenamessenger.com 

sports editor 

Steve Millar, ext 34 

s.millar@22ndcm.com 

Sales director 

Lora Healy, x31 

l.healy@22ndcenturymedia.com 

real estate sales 

Courtney Masinter ext 47 

c.masinter@22ndcenturymedia.com 

classifieds/Legal Notices 

Jeff Schouten, x51 

j.schouten@22ndcenturymedia.com 

PUBLISHER 

Joe Coughlin 847.272.4565, x16 

j.coughlin@22ndcenturymedia.com 

Managing Editor 

Bill Jones, x20 

bill@opprairie.com 

president 

Andrew Nicks 

a.nicks@22ndcenturymedia.com 

EDITORIAL DESIGN DIRECTOR 

Nancy Burgan, x30 

n.burgan@22ndcenturymedia.com 

22 nd Century Media 

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Published by 

www.22ndcenturymedia.com 

A Message From 22nd Century Media Leadership 

An unshakable commitment to community 

There is no denying 

we are enduring a 

historic moment in 

time. The spread of the 

coronavirus is affecting 

our world and our community 

as we know them. 

We are all in this 

together. We cannot just 

say those words; we must 

live by them and act in 

their respect. And here at 

22nd Century Media, we 

are working tirelessly with 

that goal in mind. 

We publish 15 newspapers 

(including the 

one you are reading) and 

news sites, as well as 

operate a number of community 

events and offer 

local marketing solutions. 

When the news reached a 

critical point two weeks 

ago, we let our employees 

know that while we 

serve an essential function 

in these trying times 

we needed to act in their 

Warm Regards, 

Joe Coughlin, Publisher 

Cancellations/ 

postponements 

Mokena Junior High School 

presents Disney’s “The 

Little Mermaid Jr.” - 

Cancelled 

7 p.m. March 27; 2 

p.m. and 7 p.m. March 

28, Lincoln-Way Central 

High School, 1801 E. 

Lincoln Highway in New 

Lenox. 

Ava Logan Quartet - 

Cancelled 

1-2 p.m. March 28, Mokena 

Community Public 

Library District, 11327 

195th St. in Mokena. 

Woodcock Walk - 

Cancelled 

best interests as well. We 

offered for them to work 

remotely whenever they 

could and told them that 

if they felt ill in any way, 

please not to come into 

the office. 

Upon receiving the 

email, not one person 

exited the newsroom. 

News was coming 

in, and our journalists 

wanted to report it to you. 

Local businesses were in 

need, and our sales reps 

wanted to offer solutions. 

Our events director was 

rescheduling. 

Since that day, whether 

working in or away from 

the office, our staff has 

been dedicated to equip 

you with news, information 

and resources to help 

you and your loved ones 

navigate these uncertain 

times. 

That is our everyday 

goal for your community: 

6:30-8 p.m. March 28, 

Hickory Creek Preserve 

– LaPorte Road Access, 

10537 W. LaPorte Road in 

Mokena. 

Mission Meals Dinner - 

Cancelled 

April 2, EggCetera 

Cafe, 19709 Mokena St. 

in Mokena. One Love 

Global Wellness would 

ask that individual and 

families that would 

have attended to please 

call (708) 479-6613 and 

we will try to help or 

refer to agencies that 

can. 

Pride Fest 

Noon-5 p.m. June 13, 

Yunker Farm, 10824 W. 

LaPorte Road. 

To provide accessible and 

reliable information and 

resources. You deserve access 

to such information. 

It is a responsibility 

that we do not take 

lightly. There are many 

out there that may abuse 

that responsibility and 

through either negligence 

or immorality present 

inaccurate and unreliable 

information. 

Accuracy matters. 

Credibility matters. Your 

reality is affected by the 

news you receive. That is 

always at the forefront of 

our decision-making, and 

we are honored to be the 

trusted provider of your 

local news. 

In that vein, we have 

created a dedicated web 

page where you can find 

all our news related to the 

coronavirus, as well as 

local resources — such as 

how to help, where to get 

Mokena Seniors Club - 

Suspended 

11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on 

the third and fourth Thursday 

of the month at the 

Frankfort Township Community 

Room, 11100 Lincoln 

Highway in Frankfort. 

help, activities for children, 

health information 

and more — for you and 

your family. We have the 

latest news that directly 

affects your immediate 

health and wellness, as 

well as the uplifting stories 

that deliver hope. 

To support local business, 

we have also created 

a special Carryout and 

Delivery Directory, which 

is also free at Directory. 

22ndcenturymedia.com 

This dependable coverage 

is vital during these 

times. We thank our loyal 

subscribers who help fund 

this work, and for those 

who have not subscribed, 

we hope you see value 

in this information and 

consider supporting local 

journalists at 

MokenaMessenger.com/Plus. 

Within the news feed, 

you will notice multiple 

stories of local businesses, 

residents and service 

groups doing what they 

can to help their community 

during this time. It is 

of the utmost importance 

that we support each other 

during this time. We have 

all heard how this virus 

will affect our health and 

wellness, but it will no 

doubt also have an effect 

on our livelihoods. 

To the extent of our 

means, we must support 

each other. Order carryout 

from a local restaurant. 

Take an online class. 

Choose a local grocer. We 

will emerge from this, and 

when we do, what kind 

of community will it be? 

That’s up to us. 

It is in times of crisis 

that true character is 

revealed, and we don’t 

know about you, but we 

think that our bond is 

stronger than any crisis, 

stronger than any virus. 

Heather Warthen, Chief Events Officer Andrew Nicks, President Collins Mony, Chief Technology Officer 

Editor’s Note 

LIST IT YOURSELF 

Reach out to thousands of daily 

users by submitting your event at 

MokenaMessenger.com/calendar 

For just print*, email all information to 


*Deadline for print is 5 p.m. the Thursday prior to publication. 

All events listed here were set to occur as of press 

time Monday, March 23. As cancellations may 

occur, please check directly with the organization 

hosting the event for the most up-to-date 

information.

mokenamessengerdaily.com news 

the mokena messenger | March 26, 2020 | 3 

‘It takes a village’ 

3 

Mokenians band 

together to offer 

assistance to 

residents 

Jon DePaolis 

Freelance Reporter 

Amidst a backdrop of 

uncertainty and anxiety, a 

group of Mokena residents 

have banded together with 

the intention of helping 

those in the community 

who are in need. 

Terry Germany, a Mokena 

resident, and other 

like-minded community 

members have formed 

Mokena Strong, a 501c3 

nonprofit designed to help 

their neighbors during the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

Germany said the idea 

formed around March 12, 

after he read a post on 

Facebook from a woman 

who wanted to help the elderly 

by going to the grocery 

store for them. The 

woman wrote that she also 

would take out garbage or 

do other helpful services 

for any older resident who 

needed help. 

“I was on the road, thinking 

about it and thinking 

about it,” Germany said. 

Later, Germany called 

up a friend, Village of Mokena 

Trustee Joseph Siwinski, 

and asked for his 

input on putting together 

some sort of community 

volunteer group. As they 

talked over options, they 

decided to loop in another 

Mokena resident, Tim Ozinga. 

The three of them met 

on March 14 to hammer 

out some of the details. By 

the end of the day they had 

reached out to the Village, 

the fire department and the 

police to let them know 

what they were thinking of 

doing. 

“With their blessing, 

which was very nice to 

hear by the end of that 

Saturday night, the next 

step was to get [the group 

together] to discuss what 

we could do legally,” Germany 

said. “Can we pick 

up pharmaceuticals? How 

do we do that without getting 

ourselves into a situation 

where you try and 

help and do something you 

shouldn’t have done?” 

What they determined 

they could do was take 

nonemergency calls from 

community members in 

need and determine from 

there if it was something 

the volunteers could handle. 

If not, they would 

direct the resident to the 

fire department, police or 

emergency personnel. 

“It’s been happening 

naturally, which is heartwarming,” 

Germany said. 

“It’s bringing us together, 

which is what we need in 

this country. We need to 

be brought together, instead 

of being divided. It 

naturally has brought us 

together communitywide.” 

Germany said the group 

has created a database to 

log all the calls and requests. 

As the requests 

come in, the volunteers 

filter them into 19 designated 

areas in which 

they have divided up the 

Village. Each area has a 

dedicated number of volunteers. 

From there, the 

request gets sent to one of 

the area’s volunteers to be 

handled. 

He gave the example of 

someone requesting assistance 

picking up groceries. 

He said the group 

would ask where the groceries 

were purchased, 

where they needed to be 

delivered to and any other 

specifics about where to 

place the groceries upon 

delivery. 

“There will be no [physical] 

contact between the 

person who needs help 

and the volunteers,” Germany 

said. “They will 

come place [things] on the 

porch, call the homeowner 

… and deliver with a mask 

and gloves on. Safety will 

always be a priority.” 

He said all volunteers 

will need to be 18 years 

or older, and background 

checks will be performed 

on every volunteer before 

they can assist or help. 

Germany said before 

the group even officially 

launched, seven requests 

had come in. Currently, he 

said Melissa Fedora, the 

executive director of the 

Mokena Chamber of Commerce, 

was volunteering 

her time to help answer 

some of the requests. 

He also said that Mokena 

Strong’s services 

would not just be for senior 

citizens. He said the 

group can assist those who 

have sustained injuries and 

cannot leave their home, 

as well as others who are 

immunocompromised because 

of health conditions. 

The group will not deal 

with medical assistance or 

emergencies in any form, 

however, as those calls and 

requests should be made 

of emergency personnel, 

the fire department and the 

police. 

For more information, 

call (708) 400-3434, or 

visit mokenastrong.org. 

There is also a Facebook 

page for the group at @ 

mokenastrong. 

800-421-3220 

dykstrahomeservices.com 

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4 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger news 


Mokena medical group offers drive-up coronavirus testing 

T.J. Kremer III, Editor 

Family First Medical Group, 

with offices in Mokena and Evergreen 

Park, has begun offering 

people drive-up testing for the 

coronavirus. 

Testing begins with a phone 

consultation, followed by a video 

screening, according to Ryan Dawson, 

marketing director for Family 

First Medical group. 

Should a physical test be recommended, 

patients are scheduled for 

a drive-up appointment where they 

are first given a flu swab, the results 

of which take about 8-10 minutes, 

Dawson said. 

If that flu swab comes back negative, 

then patients are administered 

a COVID-19 swab, which takes 

about 48 hours for results to come 

back, Dawson said. COVID-19 is 

the disease caused by the coronavirus. 

Patients enrolled in Family First 

Medical Group’s in-network health 

insurance plans typically have 

Family First Medical Group founder 

Dr. David Beckmann performs a 

drive-up test for the coronavirus. 

Photo submitted 

their costs covered through their 

insurance policies; however, those 

outside of the network can also be 

tested. The cost for the flu swab is 

about $90, but Dawson said Family 

First Medical Group is working 

on securing testing kits that would 

give results faster than 48 hours 

and would cost $60 to those outside 

the group’s health insurance 

network. 

Family First Medical Group secured 

the testing kits from a thirdparty 

independent lab, Dawson said. 

Family First Medical Group also 

works with Women’s Healthcare of 

Illinois. 

The group’s founder, Dr. David 

Beckmann, understood the need for 

quick testing while maintaining the 

safety of patients who have to come 

into the group’s offices, according to 

Dawson, and so began the drive-up 

testing on Monday, March 16. 

Those interested in setting up a 

phone consultation should begin by 

calling Family First Medical Group 

at (708) 572-7575, or Women’s 

Healthcare of Illinois at (708) 425- 

1907. More information can be 

found on their websites at yourffmg. 

com and whcillinois.com. 

Election 2020 

Incumbent Bobby Rush wins 

D1 Democratic primary 

Jacquelyn Schlabach 

Contributing Editor 

Incumbent Bobby Rush 

won a four-way U.S. Congressional 

District 1 Democratic 

primary March 17, 

setting up a three-way bout 

in November against Republican 

nominee Philanise 

White and independent 

Ruth Pellegrini. 

In the primary, Rush 

earned 88,499 votes (71.76 

percent of total ballots 

cast), with all precincts 

reporting, according to 

unofficial results from the 

Board of Election Commissioners 

for the City of 

Chicago, as well as the 

clerks’ office from suburban 

Cook and Will counties. 

Challenger Sarah Gad 

earned a total of 12,805 

(10.38) votes, while Robert 

Emmons Jr. had a total 

of 12,254 (9.93) as of Saturday, 

March 21. 

In Chicago, Rush dominated 

with 67,545 votes 

(70.55). There, Emmons 

took second with 7,067 

votes (8.32). 

In suburban Cook County, 

Rush tacked on another 

16,861 votes (58.62). 

Gad followed with 5,349 

(18.60). 

Rush also won Will 

County with 4,093 votes 

(42.45). Gad was closest 

there, with 2,859 (29.65). 

Emmons follows with 

1,592 (16.51), then Matthews 

with 1,098 (11.39). 

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Virtual programs remain active at Mokena cancer center 

2 

Mary Compton 

Freelance Reporter 

Going through cancer is 

tough, and going through 

cancer amidst a pandemic 

can create more anxiety 

than usual. The Cancer 

Support Center of Mokena 

wants to make sure that its 

patients are not alone. 

“Because of the recommendations 

from the [Centers 

for Disease Control 

and Prevention], we had to 

close our doors with oneon-one 

direct contact with 

our participants,” said Sue 

Armato, executive director 

of The Cancer Support 

Center. 

“We have engaged activities 

so we can still support 

our participants using virtual 

options,” Armato said. 

“One of the things we’re 

doing is anyone who has a 

therapy appointment, nutrition 

counsel or needs to 

talk to somebody, they can 

talk to our therapist over 

the phone. We also have 

a wide range of programs 

on our website that people 

can watch at home.” 

Armato said that new 

videos will continue to be 

posted every week. 

Because of concern 

about the coronavirus, two 

major fundraisers for the 

Cancer Support Center 

have been rescheduled. 

The Casablanca Casino 

Night gala that was scheduled 

for May 1 will now 

be held on Oct. 30 at the 

Olympia Fields Country 

Club, and the Spring Walk 

of Hope scheduled for 

May 17 has been rescheduled 

for June 21. 

Also because of the 

coronavirus, a special program 

has been implemented 

for mental wellness. 

“We want to reduce anxiety 

by conference calls,” 

Armato said. “Participants 

can call in and hear the 

presentations remotely. 

We’re also going to be 

doing wellness checks for 

people who are active participants 

who have been 

coming to the center for 

the past 12 months, we 

are checking in with them. 

We’re still having opportunities 

for people who still 

want to plug in.” 

Armato encouraged 

people to visit The Cancer 

Support Center’s Facebook 

page to get updates 

and access all the new information. 

Armato encourages 

those who have been recently 

diagnosed with cancer 

to call the center. 

With rewards for safe behavior that 

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Contact me today. 

Donations can be made 

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Road, Mokena, Illinois 

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call (708) 478-3529. 

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Coronavirus pandemic begins to shape new normal for community 


With the rapidly developing 

situation that is the 

coronavirus pandemic, 

The Messenger wants our 

readers to have the most 

up to date information possible. 

The following articles 

have been published online 

for free at Mokena 

MessengerDaily.com, and 

DRIVE 

CAR BUYERS 

there is a dedicated page 

on our website with all 

the latest area-wide information, 

which readers 

will find at the top of our 

website. The Messenger 

encourages our readers to 

utilize these resources to 

remain informed and safe 

during these trying times, 

as we will continuously 

update these and other articles 

as they happen. 

TO YOUR DOOR WITH A 

CLASSIFIED AUTO AD 

708.326.9170 


First death related to COVID-19 in Will County reported by State 


A case of COVID-19 

has led to a death in Will 

County, the Illinois Department 

of Public Health 

announced Thursday, 

March 19. 

As of press time Monday, 

March 23, the total 

deaths in the state related 

to the illness were nine. 

Currently, IDPH is reporting 

a total of 1,049 

cases in Illinois, 21 of 

which have been reported 

in Will County. Cases 

have occurred in ages 9 to 

99. 

Will County Executive 

Larry Walsh on March 16 

issued a Proclamation of a 

Disaster for Will County 

via email in relation to 

the COVID-19 outbreak 

across the county. This 

proclamation will activate 

the county’s emergency 

response plans to assist 

the residents during this 

time, according to the 

email. 

The email advised to 

limit gatherings with more 

than 50 people and to consistently 

wash hands and 

use hand sanitizer. People 

also are encouraged to 

self-quarantine to limit the 

spread of the virus. 

The Will County Health 

Department is recommending 

the following 

actions be taken for those 

who feel they may have 

been exposed to the coronavirus: 

• Isolate yourself and 

self-monitor for the symptoms. 

This includes taking 

your temperature three 

times daily (morning, 

afternoon, evening) to 

check for a fever, along 

with watching for other 

symptoms such as cough 

and shortness of breath. 

• If you do have these 

symptoms, you are asked 

to phone your medical 

provider for an examination, 

as your medical 

provider is the one who 

knows you and your family’s 

medical conditions 

best. Always call ahead 

of time, as your provider 

may have certain times or 

areas where they prefer 

symptomatic patients to 

go. 

• Call the hotline. The 

Will County Health Department 

has established 

a Coronavirus hotline for 

questions, available from 

8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday 

through Friday at (815) 

740-8977. 

Residents are encouraged 

to continue to monitor 

the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention’s 

website for more information: 

cdc.gov/ 

coronavirus/2019-nCoV/ 

index.html. 

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visit 22ndCenturyMedia.com/camp 

LWSRA provides timeline, 

answers questions about 

participant who tested 

positive for COVID-19 

Bill Jones, Managing Editor 

Lincolnway Special 

Recreation Association 

provided additional information 

March 18 about a 

situation involving one of 

its participants who tested 

positive for COVID-19 

after taking part in three 

events in early March, in 

response to questions the 

organization said it has 

received since publicly 

addressing the situation 

March 16. 

LWSRA issued a letter 

March 18, offering a 

timeline, message from 

the parent of the Cook 

County resident who reportedly 

tested positive 

for COVID-19 and answers 

to some frequently 

asked questions about the 

situation. 

The timeline says the 

participant may have 

come in contact with 

someone at Elim Christian 

Services in Crestwood 

who tested positive 

for the coronavirus, 

though the letter from 

LWSRA emphasizes this 

has not been confirmed. 

Coronavirus 

update 

to Village 

services 

Submitted by the 

Village of Mokena 

All Village facilities 

remain open for business; 

however, a number 

of practical, common 

sense operational adjustments 

have been made 

in the interest of protecting 

the health, safety, 

and well-being of you 

and your family, as well 

as Village elected officials 

and staff. 

Village Hall – 11004 

Please see lwsra, 8 Please see services, 10

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8 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger News 


NL native making motorcycle trip around the world 

Sean Hastings 


David Smith, a New 

Lenox native and 2010 

graduate of Lincoln-Way 

Central, has known he 

wanted to do a big trip and 

adventure since he was in 

the academy. And when he 

was active duty, he would 

lay in his bunk and dream 

of what that trip would be. 

The trip was going to be 

on a motorcycle. Some of 

the inspiration came from 

a book from the ’70s called 

“Jupiter’s Travels.” 

Just a few years later, 

that trip has begun. Smith 

embarked on his motorcycle 

March 4 from “his 

backyard” in Washington 

D.C., where he currently 

lives. 

The plan has been in the 

works for three years. 

“There’s so many different 

facets,” Smith said. 

“What type of motorcycle 

do I want? And what do 

I want to bring? I didn’t 

Pictured is the map of David Smith’s route. 

want to bring too much 

because I have to carry it 

on the bike. I wanted to 

launch from New Lenox. I 

thought it would be poetic. 

But when I was getting 

discharged and the time of 

year, I didn’t want to push 

it off.” 

The trip is to help raise 

awareness for veteran suicide. 

He said that every 

duty station he was at, 

there was some form of 

self harm or suicide. 

He is teaming up with 

Vets4Warriors.com. 

“I didn't hear about them 

when I was active duty,” 

Smith said. “I think there 

are a lot of people who 

could [benefit] from hearing 

about them. There are 

a lot of people in my network 

who are active duty.” 

Smith, himself, got out 

of the military Nov. 1. He 

served as a Navy Officer 

and graduated from the 

United States Naval Academy 

at Annapolis with a 

degree in mechanical engineering 

in 2014 

Smith is giving himself 

12-18 months to finish the 

entire trip. 

In planning his trip, 

Smith said he spent more 

time planning in the other 

counties since he is not 

as familiar. In the United 

States, he said he has 

it planned out, but also 

dropped pins on places he 

wanted to see and “connected 

the dots.” 

The support he has received 

is far more than 

what he expected. 

“I’ve been completely 

blown away by the response 

people have given 

me,” he said. “It’s been 

1,000 times more than 

what I expected. People I 

haven't talked to in years 

have reached out. The guy 

I stayed with in Charleston, 

South Carolina, just posted 

an Instagram story saying 

it's cool to see someone 

pony up and go do their 

dream. People have been 

sharing stuff, too.” 

At first, Smith did not 

think the coronavirus was 

going to hinder his trip too 

much, but the last couple 

weeks ended up doing 

that. He said he has had to 

reroute around cities, but 

is still pushing forward 

Pictured is New Lenox 

native David Smith. 

Photos Submitted 

with the adventure. 

Once he makes his way 

across the U.S., he is shipping 

the bike to Australia 

where he will then ride 

across. 

He added that he has 

learned about the best way 

to take the trip across Australia 

and has had friends, 

and friends of friends, 

reach out to him and offer 

a place to stay while he is 

out there. 

Smith’s father, Dave 

Smith Sr., plans to join his 

son on the Mumbai leg of 

the trip. 

“This is huge,” Smith Sr. 

said. “I’m extremely proud 

of the boy. He is an amazing 

individual. He has not 

failed on anything he’s 

wanted to do.” 

Smith Sr. has never had 

a chance to ride with his 

son. He gave it up when 

Smith was 1 or 2 years old. 

For those interested in 

following along with his 

trip, follow him on Instagram 

@westwardmoto 

or at westwardmoto.com. 

At press time, he was in 

Texas. 

“It happened fast. It’s 

really crazy to see something 

go from when I was 

in deployment daydreaming. 

I felt like the guy from 

Forrest Gump starting the 

shrimp company,” he said 

with a laugh. “It’s starting 

to materialize and now I’m 

on the road, it’s been awesome.” 

lwsra 

From Page 6 

That LWSRA participant 

then attended a Shamrock 

Shuffle event March 6 

at the Orland Park Civic 

Center, spending 20 minutes 

around 6 p.m. at the 

LWSRA facility. 

HIRING 

Then, on March 8 the 

participants attended a 

Chicago Wolves game, as 

part of an LWSRA program, 

during which the 

group sat in Section 116; 

Rows P, Q and R; Seats 

1-7. And on March 9, the 

individual was part of an 

LWSRA program at Thunderbowl 

in Mokena. 

LWSRA said the bowling 

alley also was notified. 

According to the participant’s 

family, the individual 

did not show symptoms 

of COVID-19 until March 

12, and LWSRA said it 

was not aware at that time. 

Need help staffing your 

business or finding 

volunteers during this 

time of need? 

WE’RE HERE TO HELP! 

Reach out to our Recruitment Team today 

to get help FAST. 

(708) 326-9170 ext. 46 • n.pavlina@22ndcenturymedia.com 

The person tested positive 

for the coronavirus at 

Northwestern Hospital in 

Chicago, as previously reported. 

On March 13, the association 

said it canceled 

programs, and cleaned 

buses and vehicles, unaware 

that an individual 

was infected but to address 

growing coronavirus concerns. 

LWSRA received notice 

of the positive coronavirus 

test on March 16. It closed 

the Lincolnway Special 

Recreation Center that 

day, according to the letter, 

and staff started to notify 

people. 

LWSRA confirmed in 

the letter that the participant 

was on buses, which 

were sanitized after the 

March 6 and March 8 

events. Daily sanitizing 

started March 13 in an effort 

to be “proactive,” according 

to LWSRA. 

The organization said 

no one on its staff has 

been experiencing symptoms. 

The letter also 

notes the participant did 

not take part in a March 

9 lunch, but was on the 

bus the day prior to that 

program going out. It also 

notes LWSRA moved a 

polling place and canceled 

a board meeting “in 

the best interest of the 

community.” 

The Q&A adds that 

LWSRA will not provide 

participant information, 

but anyone who thinks 

their children have directly 

contacted the individual 

should self-isolate for 

14 days and monitor for 

symptoms. The letter also 

suggests notifying one’s 

primary care physician if 

symptoms develop. 

LWSRA’s building and 

buses are to be cleaned 

and sanitized the week of 

March 27. 

The LWSRA is a nonprofit 

organization that 

serves those with mental 

and physical disabilities 

through athletic, social 

and educational programming. 

LWSRA programming 

is suspended 

through April 5, and 

its offices until March 

30, in accordance with 

Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention 

guidelines. 

Publisher Joe Coughlin 

contributed to the reporting 

of this article.

mokenamessengerdaily.com mokena 

the mokena messenger | March 26, 2020 | 9



FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION 

Virtual gallery lets 

residents appreciate area 

artists from home 

The Frankfort Arts Association’s 

downtown 

gallery may be temporarily 

closed, but community 

members can still enjoy 

local artists’ work by visiting 

the organization’s 

newly-launched digital 

gallery. 

The association’s latest 

exhibition, titled “Treasures,” 

challenged artists 

to create artwork with a focus 

on something valuable 

to them. Originally slated 

to run March 8 through 

April 25 at the physical 

gallery, the exhibition has 

since moved to an online 

format at frankfortarts 

association.org/treasuresexhibit. 

Frankfort Arts Association 

board member Katie 

Stempniak said the organization’s 

leadership opted 

to create the digital gallery 

in an effort to help “flatten 

the curve” by reducing potential 

community spread 

of COVID-19. 

“We just wanted to be 

able to give the community 

somewhere to go and 

virtually appreciate some 

of the art, and give them 

the option to purchase it if 

they wanted to,” Stempniak 

explained. “We want 

to be part of the community, 

and whether it’s 

in-person in the gallery, 

a pop-up gallery or a virtual 

gallery, we just want 

to support local arts and 

artists.” 

Nearly three dozen artists 

from Frankfort and 

surrounding communities 

contributed work to the 

juried exhibition. The submissions 

include photography, 

sculptures, paintings, 

pastels and jewelry, 

Stempniak said. 

Reporting by Nuria Mathog, 

Editor. For more, visit Frank 

fortStationDaily.com. 

FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION 

Tinley police chief warns 

residents at-home 

coronavirus testing ‘does 

not exist’ 

Some recent Facebook 

postings surrounding coronavirus 

concerns have 

warned the public that 

scammers are going doorto-door, 

claiming they are 

authorized to administer 

at-home tests. 

Tinley Park Police Chief 

Matthew Walsh said the 

police station has not received 

any calls related to 

it but that it is still important 

to let residents know 

“this does not exist.” 

“Do not let people in 

[your] house to be tested 

for this virus because it 

does not exist,” Walsh 

said. “There’s not enough 

kits available, and there’s 

nobody that’s doing that.” 

Assistant Village Manager 

Pat Carr said in an 

email to The Junction 

that he also has not heard 

of anything like this in 

the area, but the Village 

of Tinley Park is not testing 

anyone. He added that 

testings are to go through 

an individual’s health care 

provider. 

Carr is involved in a new 

volunteer initiative with 

other residents to provide 

assistance to those who are 

at-risk individuals and the 

elderly. 

“What I was told was 

any deliveries of food or 

anything would be made 

by people in uniform in a 

Tinley Park marked vehicle,” 

Walsh said. “Volunteers 

would be making 

phone calls to those that 

might possibly be in need.” 

Volunteers will have 

proper credentials and 

identification, Walsh added. 

Reporting by Jacquelyn 

Schlabach, Editor. For more, 

visit TinleyJunctionDaily. 

com. 

FROM THE ORLAND PARK PRAIRIE 

Joey’s donates roughly 

500 pizzas to people 

helping in Chicago area 

Two Orland Park businesses 

have been helping 

those helping others 

by making sure they are 

well-fed — to the tune of 

roughly 500 pizzas. 

Joey’s locations in both 

Orland Park and Morgan 

Park teamed up with 

Nick’s Painting & Decorating 

Inc., of Orland Park, 

to deliver the pizzas March 

19 and 20 to first responders, 

family shelters, city 

workers, medical staff and 

more in the Chicago area. 

Nick Ipema, owner of 

Nick’s Painting, said the 

idea started with interior 

designer Susan Devito, 

who wanted to serve the 

community during its response 

to the coronavirus 

pandemic. She wanted to 

“be a light for those that 

serve us daily,” Ipema 

said. 

The original plan was to 

provide goods, doughnuts 

and other items to people, 

but Ipema started making 

calls and found everyone 

was short on food and had 

limited supplies. 

“We wanted to do something 

big,” he said. “So, 

I was conjuring up ways 

that we could get a lot 

of food, quickly and efficiently, 

without taking 

over a shop’s entire product 

and workload.” 

He turned to friends Anthony 

Nardo and Nick Iozzo, 

of Joey’s. And Joey’s 

Pizza soon became the 

topic of discussion. 

“What an excellent way 

to get food out to these 

people,” Ipema said. “We 

could stagger the deliveries 

every three hours, and 

I could have my guys use 

our vans to deliver.” 

Ipema said both Joey’s 

and Nick’s are seeing a 

slowdown in business, so 

this effort became a way to 

put their combined talents, 

employees and business 

tools to use. 

Reporting by Bill Jones, Editor. 

For more, visit OP 

PrairieDaily.com. 

FROM THE HOMER HORIZON 

Neighborhood comes 

together to provide safe, 

fun activity for kids 

As the world around 

them stopped and people 

sealed themselves inside of 

their homes, one neighborhood 

in Homer Glen found 

a unique way to get out of 

the house while practicing 

social distancing. 

On March 17, residents 

of the Pebble Creek neighborhood 

put shamrocks in 

their front windows and 

challenged local children 

to find as many as they 

can. Throughout the rest of 

the week, it offered a way 

Please see nfyn, 11 

services 

From Page 6 

Carpenter St. 

• While regular operating 

hours continue to be 

maintained, we encourage 

you to conduct business 

with us over the phone at 

(708) 479-3900, or online 

for the immediate term. 

• Water shut-offs for 

non-payment of Village 

utility bills are being temporarily 

halted. 

Mokena Police Department 

– 10907 Front St. 

• Shift strength has been 

increased during certain 

times each day to offer 

greater service to residents 

and businesses. 

• Public contact for nonemergency 

service calls is 

being limited. In practical 

terms, this means a police 

officer may respond to you 

over the phone rather than 

meeting with you in person. 

• Emergency calls for 

service (crime or a lifethreatening 

medical situation) 

will continue to be 

answered promptly. Simply 

dial 911. 

• All on-site public services 

(including public 

fingerprinting, child safety 

seat inspections and drug 

take-backs) have been 

temporarily suspended. 

Precaution guidelines 

While the current environment 

presents significant 

challenges, your 

Mokena Village Board and 

staff remain committed to 

providing the best possible 

service to you during this 

difficult time. 

Social distancing is a 

necessary defense in the 

battle against this novel 

coronavirus; however, we 

encourage you not to forget 

about our local Mokena 

businesses. They need 

your support. Did you 

know that many Mokena 

restaurants have adapted to 

Governor Pritzker’s recent 

executive order (closing 

bars and restaurant dining 

areas) by providing carryout, 

drive-thru, pick up/ 

take-out and/or delivery 

services. 

To be fair, these are 

highly challenging times, 

but together we will get 

through this. 

As we have previously, 

we urge you to utilize the 

following resources to inform 

and protect yourself 

against the possibility of 

this disease: 

• Illinois Coronavirus 

Hotline: (80) 889-3931 

• Centers for Disease 

Control: cdc.gov/ 

coronavirus/2019-ncov/in 

dex.html 

• Illinois Department 

of Public Health: dph.il 

linois.gov/topics-services/ 

diseases-and-conditions/ 

diseases-a-z-list/coronavi 

rus 

• Will County Health 

Department:will 

countyillinois.com/Coun 

ty-Offices/Public-Healthand-Safety 

You should also continue 

to practice the common 

sense actions listed below: 

• Wash your hands often 

with soap and water for at 

least 20 seconds. If soap 

and water are not available, 

use an alcohol-based 

hand sanitizer with at least 

60% alcohol. 

• Avoid touching your 

eyes, nose, and mouth with 

unwashed hands. 

• Avoid close contact 

with people who are sick. 

• Stay home when you 

are sick. 

• Cover your cough or 

sneeze with a tissue, then 

throw the tissue in the 

trash. 

• Clean and disinfect 

frequently touched objects 

and surfaces. 

Finally, be assured that 

Mayor Frank Fleischer, 

Clerk Melissa Martini, and 

your Board of Trustees, 

along with Village staff, 

are working closely with 

our partners at the federal, 

state, and county levels regarding 

developments and 

additional resources that 

may become available to 

combat this public health 

issue. 

Stay healthy, stay safe, 

and remain vigilant. We’re 

all in this together.



Social snapshot 

Top Web Stories 

From MokenaMessengerDaily.com as of 

Monday, March 23. 

1. Breaking News — LWSRA participant 

tests positive for coronavirus 

2. Breaking News — 10 coronavirus 

cases now reported in Will County 

3. Patient tests positive for the 

coronavirus at Silver Cross Hospital 

4. UPDATED: LWSRA provides 

timeline, answers questions about 

participant who tested positive for 

COVID-19 

5. Mokena medical group offers driveup 

coronavirus testing 

Become a member: mokenamessenger.com/plus 

From the Editor 

On the value of living virtually 

TJ Kremer iii 


Technology is often 

viewed as both a 

curse and a blessing, 

and we are seeing 

clear examples of that as 

the coronavirus pandemic 

continues to affect our 

community. 

There is no doubt that 

modern technology has 

contributed to the spread 

of the pandemic, with 

travel taking such a large 

role. Because people were 

so easily able to hop from 

one place to the next via 

airplane or some other 

mode of transportation 

during the early stages 

of the pandemic, untold 

numbers who may have 

otherwise remained unaffected 

potentially became 

infected. 

But, through the wonders 

of the virtual world, 

not all ties to the outside 

world have been cut. 

We are seeing community 

members reach 

out to others who need 

assistance via the internet. 

In particular, a group of 

Mokenians has started a 

nonprofit group, Mokena 

Strong. (That story is on 

Page 3.) 

Even area churches are 

turning to modern technology 

in order to provide 

spiritual comfort to their 

followers. (That story is 

on Page 15.) 

In the coming days, 

weeks and —likely — 

months, we will become 

even more dependent on 

technology to keep us 

connected. 

But we cannot forget 

that there are some people 

who either do not have access 

to the internet, or are 

not proficient enough to 

utilize this technology. 

We must continue to 

provide as best we can the 

latest news and updates to 

those who are unfamiliar 

with or unwilling to use 

this technology, as well as 

to continue to check in on 

them to offer any assistance 

that we can. 

Technology can help us 

get through these trying 

times. But, for all of us 

to get through it together, 

we must do our best to 

keep those who lack the 

technology in the loop as 

best we can. 

“#9pmroutine” 

Steve Frank posted this to Mokena Neighborhood 

Watch’s Facebook page Saturday, 

March 21. 

Like The Mokena Messenger: facebook.com/ 

mokenamessenger.com 

“Go to MOKENALIBRARY.ORG , click on 

Reference, and then scroll down and click 

on Tutor.com Live Homework Help to get 

started for FREE!” 

@MokenaLibrary posted this on its 

Twitter account March 18. 

Follow The Mokena Messenger: @mokenamessenger 

nfyn 

From Page 10 

for youths to get out of the 

house and burn some energy. 

It also gave parents a 

way to get a few minutes 

of relief and relaxation. 

Kaitlyn Yoder, a resident 

of Pebble Creek, found out 

about the hunt on Facebook. 

“It falls under the social 

distancing guidelines, 

because we can all do it 

from our houses and decorate,” 

Yoder said. “But we 

can still get out and walk 

around the neighborhood 

and ride bikes with your 

family and make a game 

of it.” 

With the world slowing 

down, people are coming 

to terms with the fact that 

some things they have enjoyed 

in the past might not 

be there for them as the 

coronavirus continues to 

spread across the country. 

“This way, we still get to 

kind of celebrate St. Patrick’s 

Day and get out of 

the house while doing it,” 

said Yoder, who was wearing 

a green White Sox shirt 

and green socks as she 

worked from home. 

After the work day was 

over, Yoder and her husband 

took their two daughters 

out hunting for shamrocks. 

Reporting by Benjamin 

Conboy, Assistant Editor. For 

more, visit HomerHorizon 

Daily.com. 

CONTACT 

Sound Off Policy 

Editorials and columns are the opinions of the author. Pieces from 

22nd Century Media are the thoughts of the company as a whole. 

The Mokena Messenger encourages readers to write letters to Sound 

Off. All letters must be signed, and names and hometowns will be 

published. We also ask that writers include their address and phone 

number for verification, not publication. Letters should be limited 

to 400 words. The Mokena Messenger reserves the right to edit letters. 

Letters become property of The Mokena Messenger. Letters that 

are published do not reflect the thoughts and views of The Mokena 

Messenger. Letters can be mailed to: The Mokena Messenger, 11516 

West 183rd Street, Unit SW Office Condo #3, Orland Park, Illinois, 

60467. Fax letters to (708) 326-9179 or e-mail to tj@mok 

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www.mokenamessenger.com. 

HELP YOUR 

BUSINESS BLOOM 

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN 


LORA HEALY 

708.326.9170 ext. 31 l.healy@22ndcenturymedia.com 

®

12 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger mokena 


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• Library, chapel, café, beauty/barber shop 

• Walking distance to Tinley Park shops & restaurantsts 

• Veteran’s Financial Assistance available 

WHAT DOES “CATERED 

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It means we understand that 

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The Digital Marketing Sales Director will work with an established sales team to sell our 

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The ideal candidate would possess an entrepreneurial spirit and a drive to work with 

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- Going with sales reps on calls to existing clients to sell them IMC services 

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- Working with our digital marketing team and clients to make sure their campaigns 

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the mokena messenger | March 26, 2020 | mokenamessengerdaily.com 

History lesson 

Contributing Columnist Matt Galik reexamines 

flu pandemic of 1918, Page 15 

Curbing the spread Chesdan’s 

provides curbside service, talks cleanliness amid 

growing coronavirus concerns, Page 16 

Mokena church goes digital to reach parishioners, Page 15 

The Rev. Dindo Billote prepares to celebrate Mass to a mostly empty St. Mary Church in Mokena Sunday, March 22. The Mass was livestreamed on social 

media because of concerns about the coronavirus and large gatherings of groups. T.J. Kremer III/22nd Century Media

14 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger faith 


Faith Briefs 

St. Mary’s Catholic Church (19515 

115th Ave., Mokena) 

All events canceled until 

further notice. For more 

information, call (708) 

326-9300. 

St. John’s United Church of Christ 

(11100 Second St., Mokena) 

All Church Services and 

activities are currently suspended. 


call (708) 479-5123. 

Mokena United Methodist Church 

(10901 LaPorte Road, Mokena) 

Sunday worship is suspended. 


call (708) 479-1110. 

Marley Community Church (12625 W. 

187th St., Mokena) 

All programs and services 

have been suspended 

until further notice. For 

more information, call 

(815) 485-8587. 

Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church 

(10731 W. La Porte Road, Mokena) 

All church services and 

activities have been suspended 

until at least April 

5. For more information, 

call (708) 479-5600. 

Parker Road Bible Church (18512 

Parker Road, Mokena) 

Worship Service will 

be streamed online. Sunday 

School and our other 

weekly groups are canceled 

until further notice. 

For more information, call 

(815) 463-1125. 

Grace Fellowship Church (11049 

LaPorte Road, Mokena) 

All events and worship 

services have been canceled 

until further notice. 

For more information, call 

(708) 479-0300. 

Have something for Faith 

Briefs? Contact Editor T.J. 

Kremer at tj@mokenames 

senger.com or call (708) 

326-9170 ext. 29. Deadline 

is noon Thursday one week 

prior to publication. 

Robin’s Nest 

Seeing how love can make a difference 

Robin Melvin 

Contributing Columnist 

Our world is highly 

anxious and so 

easily panicked. 

But, take heart. Spring 

is about to bloom. In 

fact it already has. T.J. 

Kremer’s article here in 

The Messenger a couple 

weeks ago, “Out of tragedy 

springs opportunity,” 

proves there is always 

something good and 

wonderful happening. 

Jesus tells us that a 

true neighbor is someone 

who stops to help 

another. Especially in the 

midst of pain and unsure 

times. 

That’s what happened 

in February as hundreds 

of neighbors gathered to 

support the Manka family 

whose son, Jacob, died 

last spring. His dad said, 

“There’s a lot of love in 

this building … And yes, 

it does help. We don’t 

know what tomorrow 

will bring but we know 

that we have people who 

care and are praying for 

our family. So, yeah, it’s 

definitely helpful.” 

There were neighbors 

in need and neighbors 

who stopped to help. 

Jacob’s spirit, his passion 

to help others, is 

quite alive. And I believe 

Jacob was loved well, 

too. He’s still making a 

difference because that’s 

what love does. 

With tons of negative 

media out there, we 

need to hold on to these 

good stories, these God 

stories. Like another I 

hear from a friend who’s 

helping Nashville rise up 

from tornadoes that hit a 

couple weeks ago. 

“As I worked as a crisis 

counselor yesterday, 

in the most devastated 

area after the tornadoes, I 

heard over and over how 

neighbors are helping 

neighbors. One person 

said ‘It doesn’t matter 

what color they are, what 

party they voted for, 

they’re humans in need 

just like us.’” 

Ya’ll, Nashville and 

Mokena show us what 

neighborliness is all 

about. This is how we 

change our communities 

and our world. With 

kindness and compassion, 

we are the heart, 

hands and feet of Jesus. 

“We the people” break 

down dividing walls and 

rise strong together. 

Death and devastation 

don’t get the last word. 

The cross is empty. 

And because hope rose, 

we have the power to 

redeem. We have the 

tenacity to use pain for 

good purpose. By putting 

Please see robin, 16 

Here’s the good word 

“I subscribed for 

the breaking local news, 

(and) it is great to see what 

is going on in our area and 

local sports coverage.” 

— Ryan Johnson, 

of Frankfort 

“Love being kept 

informed of local news 

and events. The online 

(version) is easy to read and 

very informative.” 

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real time via email and can 

share with other 

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Join thousands of 

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mokenamessengerdaily.com life & arts 


Churches turn to technology in time of crisis 

3 


As Rev. Dindo Billote of 

St. Mary Catholic Church 

in Mokena prepared for 

Sunday Mass this past 

weekend, he recognized 

he and the church were in 

uncharted territory. 

Instead of preparing to 

greet in person the 100 or 

so parishioners that regularly 

attend the 9:30 a.m. 

Mass, Billote was preparing 

to greet them in a 

somewhat unconventional 

manner: online. 

Because of restrictions 

on gatherings implemented 

by the State of Illinois 

and recommendations by 

the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, 

churches across Mokena 

are turning to technology 

to reach their followers. 

“And, so, we had wanted 

to do something for 

our people to keep them 

spiritually connected to 

our parish,” Billote said. 

“And while the Mass itself 

is beautiful and should be 

experienced live to receive 

communion, we decided 

since they can’t have that 

people should make something 

called ‘a spiritual 

communion,’ which is a 

certain prayer that they 

would say and receive the 

eucharist that way spiritually.” 

That led Billote and the 

Rev. Dindo Billote, of St. Mary Catholic Church in 

Mokena, prepares for a livestream of Mass Sunday, 

March 22. Churches are turning to technology in order 

to reach followers who are no longer to gather in large 

groups. T.J. Kremer III/22nd Century Media 

church to get innovative 

and livestream the Mass 

on social media. 

“The technology that we 

have — and have never 

had in the church 10, 20 

years ago — [we decided] 

to actually use that and 

have livestream of the actual 

Mass, which will be 

taking place in our parish 

church being filmed,” Billote 

said. 

St. Mary Catholic 

Church is among several 

Mokena churches — including 

Grace Fellowship 

Church of Mokena, Immanuel 

Lutheran Church 

Mokena and Mokena United 

Methodist Church — to 

continue to try and reach 

followers virtually. 

With the nature of 

church communities being 

close-knit ones, shutting 

the doors to the public 

is a trying experience, 

Billote said; however, he 

added that being an online 

presence for the faithful is 

something to help lift people’s 

spirits up. 

“We just can’t wait for 

the day when all this is 

over and everyone again 

is united with our community 

because, basically, 

we’re a community and we 

want to be together again,” 

Billote said. “We want to 

be together, for sure. So, 

this is kind of whetting our 

appetite for that day.” 

For more information on 

online services, visit the 

churches’ Facebook pages: 

@stmarychurchmokena, 

@mokenaumc and @ 

GraceFellowshipMokena. 

Matt’s Old Mokena 

Drawing comparisons between 1918, 2020 pandemics 

Matt galik 

Contributing Columnist 

Much like the 

spring of 2020, 

the Mokena 

of fall 1918 was a place 

of worry. World War I 

was reaching its bloody 

end, and many village 

families had loved ones in 

the French combat zone. 

Although the war was 

winding down, American 

casualties were still a daily 

occurrence. A little over 

a century ago, another 

enemy reared its ugly head, 

and this one too at home. 

The new foe, the Spanish 

flu pandemic, proved 

itself to be just as deadly 

as anything lurking in the 

trenches of the Western 

Front. 

While the outbreak of 

the illness is usually dated 

as having begun in early 

1918 and carried on until 

the end of 1920, October 

1918 bore the worst of it 

in the United States. One 

chronicler called the Spanish 

flu the “greatest medical 

holocaust in modern 

history”, while the London 

Times wrote “never since 

the Black Death has such 

a plague swept over the 

world.” Anywhere between 

50-100 million people 

across the globe were lost 

to the pandemic. Normal 

strains of influenza are 

most dangerous to the 

children and the elderly, 

while the variant from a 

century ago was claiming 

relatively young people in 

robust health. 

By Oct. 2, 1918, the first 

recorded case in smalltown 

Mokena cropped up 

when 16-year-old Hugo 

Niethammer fell ill. The 

son of a Front Street hardware 

merchant, the trouble 

was compounded when 

pneumonia also set in. But, 

luckily, the lad was able to 

pull through. Meanwhile, 

just outside town, another 

drama was unfolding. At 

the time, the Rock Island 

railroad housed 52 itinerant 

Mexican workers in several 

converted box cars on a 

sidetrack about a quarter of 

a mile east of Mokena. It 

was here that the Spanish 

flu’s deadly tentacles 

would wreak the most 

havoc. 

Over the course of 

the second weekend in 

October, the entire camp 

was walloped with the 

pandemic, entire families 

coming down with it at 

once. Mokena farmer 

George Maue, who also 

served as the supervisor 

of Frankfort Township, 

knew what was happening 

and immediately went into 

crisis mode, sending an 

urgent call for doctors, of 

which three Rock Island 

physicians showed up that 

Sunday. On Monday, Oct. 

14, the railroad sent out 

mattresses and blankets for 

the ill, which was a step up 

from the austere conditions 

of the bare box cars they 

were living in, the inhabitants 

oftentimes sleeping 

on the floors. Before long, 

new cars were sent down 

the line, while the old ones 

were fumigated. 

It was all to no avail. By 

the end of that week, six 

of the workers were dead, 

including a young, freshly 

married couple. The harvest 

of human life also left 

a baby motherless. Saddest 

of all, time has not preserved 

any of the victims’ 

names, whose immediate 

burial was provided for in 

St. Mary’s Cemetery. 

As October carried on, 

hardly a family in the village 

escaped the flu, the list 

of infected reading like a 

who’s-who of Mokenians 

in the era. The Wolf Road 

home of Carl and Mable 

Krapp was invaded by the 

virus, while at around the 

same time Clinton and 

Dorothy Kraus, children 

of the town barber, also 

were knocked down with 

it. Also included among the 

sufferers were blacksmith 

Albert Braun, postmaster 

Ona McGovney and cattle 

man John Cappel. Eighteen 

people were displaying 

flu-like symptoms on Oct. 

14, and that the number 

had dramatically climbed 

to 25 two days later demonstrates 

the rapidity with 

which the Spanish Flu was 

making short work out of 

Mokena. 

To protect village residents, 

warning signs were 

placed around town, and 

the homes of the infected 

Please see matt galik, 16

16 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger dining out 


The Dish 

Chesdan’s remains operational with curbside pickup, delivery during pandemic 

Business continues 

to serve customers 

their favorites 

Thomas Czaja 


With several modifications, 

a Homer Glen business, 

like many others, 

is ready to keep filling 

orders for the cuisine patrons 

want during a global 

pandemic. 

Chesdan’s Pizzeria & 

Grille in Homer Glen has 

had carryout and delivery 

options for a while, meaning 

it was prepared for recent, 

indefinite changes, 

according to owner Dan 

Garr. 

With Gov. J.B. Pritzker 

mandating all bars and 

restaurants in the state 

eliminate dine-in through 

March 30 because of 

coronavirus concerns, 

establishments are doing 

what they can to keep 

business going. Takeout 

via pickup and delivery, 

which Chesdan’s does, 

are still allowed, as are 

drive-thrus. 

“We are pretty well set 

in terms of having boxing, 

delivery bags,” Garr said. 

“We have quadrants set 

up, and our staff is trained 

to take credit cards over 

the phone for deliveries 

or curbside pickups.” 

The business announced 

on its Facebook 

page March 17 that while 

patrons cannot currently 

dine in, Chesdan’s is not 

limiting its menu for pickups 

and delivery. During 

this unprecedented time, 

all deliveries are free and 

taking place all day, beginning 

at 11 a.m. 

“Somebody can be out 

in the parking lot, and 

they can always call and 

we’ll run it out to them,” 

Garr added about pickups. 

In terms of cleanliness, 

Chesdan’s is following the 

Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention guidelines, 

along with sanitization 

checklists. Staff there 

wear gloves. Disinfectant 

has always been at maximum 

strength, and door 

handles and pens that are 

frequently used are being 

wiped down as much as 

they possibly can be. 

Customers can still 

walk in to pick up their 

order, but if they are not 

“Support your local restaurants. 

It’ll be good for everybody.” 

Dan Garr — Chesdan’s owner 

Chesdan’s Pizzeria & Grille 

15764 S. Bell Road in Homer Glen 

Hours: 

• 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday 

• 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday 

• Noon-9 p.m. Sunday 

For more information ... 

Phone: (708) 301-8300 

Web: chesdanspizza.com 

comfortable doing so 

given the circumstances, 

curbside remains the best 

option, with a pickup area 

set up on the side of the 

building. That said, Chesdan’s 

is still trying to do 

all it can for its employees. 

“We are trying to keep 

the waitstaff working, 

because we do need hostesses 

and people manning 

the phones for deliveries, 

pickups and things of that 

nature,” Garr said. 

He noted on the first 

day of the new guidelines, 

on St. Patrick’s Day, that 

orders were still coming 

in at a decent pace. On 

March 17 on Facebook, 

the business wrote, “A 

great big thank you to all 

our loyal Chesdan’s customers 

who are placing 

those curbside pickup and 

delivery orders! We love 

you!” 

Garr said since Chesdan’s 

makes everything 

from pizzas to pastas to 

sandwiches to desserts 

and more, he expects a 

mix of their offerings to 

keep moving out the door. 

Those in the mood for 

a pizza can still get the 

The king special personal-size pizza ($9.67) is a quick 

option for an individual looking for a meal on the go 

from Chesdan’s Pizzeria & Grille in Homer Glen. 

Thomas Czaja/22nd Century Media 

likes of a large 14-inch 

thin crust cheese ($18.50) 

that serves 3-4 people, 

or any of their other pies 

with various sizing, pricing 

and toppings. 

Elsewhere on the menu, 

the baked rigatoni ($17 or 

$12.30 for the meta portion) 

comes with tomato 

Alfredo and mozzarella 

cheese, with the option to 

add spinach, mushrooms 

or broccoli for $3 each. 

That and the Parmesancrusted 

tilapia ($15.55) 

— served with garlic butter, 

lemon and Parmesan 

— are solid options during 

Lent or anytime. 

While it is unknown 

what the future holds, including 

if the no-dining in 

mandate will be extended, 

Garr and his staff are 

ready and willing to keep 

serving customers their 

favorite menu items. 

Those interested can 

also order online with 

DoorDash via the Chesdan’s 

website and/or follow 

the eatery on Facebook 

to keep up on the 

latest with any potential 

further changes. 

“Support your local 

restaurants,” Garr said. 

“It’ll be good for everybody.” 

Robin 

From Page 14 

love’s energy into the 

living, we serve well and 

suffer well. Yes, out of 

tragedy springs opportunity. 

“I imagine Lent for 

you and me as a great departure 

from the greedy, 

anxious anti-neighborliness 

of our economy, a 

great departure from our 

exclusionary politics that 

fear the other, a great departure 

from self-indulgent 

consumerism that 

devours creation. And 

then an arrival in a new 

neighborhood, because it 

is a gift to be simple, it 

is a gift to be free; it is a 

gift to come down where 

we ought to be. 

“Self-giving God, call 

us to walk the road of 

newness—a new self, 

a new society, a new 

world, one neighbor at a 

time. May we have traveling 

mercies this Lenten 

season. Amen.” ~ Walter 

Brueggamann 

For more with Robin, 

visit robinmelvin.com/ 

contact or on Facebook, 

Robin Melvin, Author. 

Also be on the lookout 

for her story in a new 

Chicken Soup for the 

Soul book coming out in 

April. 

The thoughts and opinions 

expressed in this column are 

those of the author. They do 

not necessarily represent 

the thoughts of 22nd Century 

Media or its staff. 

matt galik 

From Page 15 

were quarantined. Like 

our current battle against 

COVID-19, all four village 

churches and the Mokena 

Public School were 

closed until further notice, 

and “gatherings of every 

nature” were banned in 

the incorporated limits. 

Early on, 15-year-old Ruby 

Bechstein of Mokena 

Street was one of the ill. 

On Oct. 16, she lost her 

battle with the Spanish 

flu, and has been remembered 

by history as the 

first resident of the village 

proper to succumb to the 

pandemic. The grim reaper 

struck town twice that day, 

when 33-year-old Emma 

Schenkel was also claimed 

by the virus. Their deaths, 

along with those of the 

Mexican railroad laborers, 

led the local correspondent 

to the Joliet Herald-News 

to lament that week as “one 

of funerals” for Mokena. 

In keeping with quarantine 

rules and the belief that the 

flu thrived indoors, theirs 

were held outside, while 

crowds were kept away, 

before the young women 

were ultimately laid to rest 

in St. John’s Cemetery. 

When we look back upon 

the experience of our village 

forebears, we can learn 

from their example. Community 

leaders placed rules 

upon the town, and while 

they were uncomfortable 

and new, townfolk followed 

them and came out of the 

pandemic more resilient and 

unified than ever.

mokenamessengerdaily.com puzzles 


crosstown CROSSWORD & Sudoku The crosstowns: Frankfort, Homer Glen, Lockport, Mokena, New Lenox, Orland Park, Tinley Park 

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abbr. 

4. Western wolf 

8. Bother 

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it 

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detective 

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cash ___ 

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the BCS 

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short 

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20. Caspian or Dead 

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24. Coal color 

25. Declined 

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28. Boxer or chow, for 

example 

31. Hitter’s tool 

33. Sneaker 

34. Chest muscles, 

briefly 

35. More than some 

36. Bowling variation 

38. Raccoon feature 

39. Masseur’s workplace, 

maybe 

42. Burdensome 

44. Inactivity 

46. Signs 

47. Empty (of) 

49. Rotating piece of 

machinery 

50. Of part of the eye 

51. Meteorological 

event 

52. Playground piece 

for two 

54. Boldness 

57. Abbr. on a business 

letter 

58. Director Jean-___ 

Godard 

59. John Boyd ___: 

nutritionist and nobel 

prize winner 

60. Confucian path 

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18 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger local living 


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AT&T UNLIMITED &MORE PREMIUM PLAN: Avail. to elig. customers only. Plan starts at $80/mo. after autopay & paperless bill discount w/in 2 bills. Enroll in both to get discount. Multiple Phone Line Discount: Monthly $15 (3 lines) or $30 (4 or more lines) discount applied to plan charge w/in 2 bills. Limits: After 22GB of data usage on a line in a bill cycle, for the remainder of the cycle, AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds on that line during 

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trademark of Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS company. You must be a SHOWTIME subscriber to get SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and watch programs online. STARZ® and related channels and service marks are the property of Starz Entertainment, LLC. Visit starz.com for airdates/times. Amazon, Amazon Music, and all related logos and motion marks are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The Walking Dead: ©2018 AMC Network Entertainment LLC. All 

Rights Reserved. ©2018 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. ©2018 AT&T Intellectual Property. All Rights Reserved. AT&T, Globe logo, DIRECTV and all other DIRECTV marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

20 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger real estate 


Feb. 20 

• 11869 Golden 

Gate Drive, Mokena, 

60448-2027 - Antonio 

J. Gonzalez to David 

W. Latko Jr., Marissa 

Degroot, $555,000 

Feb. 21 

• 12526 Crystal Court 

W, Mokena, 60448- 

7102 - Chicago Trust Co 

Na Trustee to Jessica 

Ward, Zachary Ward, 

$448,455 

Feb. 24 

• 19736 Foxborough 

Diver, Mokena, 

60448-1891 - Martin 

Cosgrove to Stefano 

Fazio, Elizabeth Fazio, 

$118,500 

Feb. 25 

• 20130 Alison Trail, 

Mokena, 60448-1688 

- Diplomat Property 

Manager Llc to Joseph 

L. Earl, Joseph H. Earl, 

$600,000 

• 18133 Haas Road, 

Mokena, 60448-8902 

- Darren M. Zwonitzer 

to John G. Heim, Jill M. 

Heim, $550,000 

• 10259 Cambridge 

Court K, Mokena, 

60448-7925 - Federal 

Home Loan Mtg Corp 

to Terry W. Hammar, 

Sandra S. Hammar, 

$160,500 

The Going Rate is provided 

by Record Information 

Services, Inc. For more 

information, visit www. 

public-record.com or call 

(630) 557-1000. 

STAY UP TO DATE 

ON 22CM EVENTS 

IN YOUR AREA. 

For more info visit 

22ndcenturymedia.com/events

mokenamessengerdaily.com classifieds 


CLASSIFIEDS 

Help Wanted · Garage Sales · Automotive 

Real Estate · Rentals · Merchandise 

Sell It 708.326.9170 | Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It | DEADLINE - Friday at 3pm 

Automotive 

$52 4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Real Estate 

$50 7 7 papers 

lines/ 

Help 

Wanted 

1003 Help Wanted 

Help Wanted 

$13 4 lines/ 

per line 7 papers 

Merchandise 


lines/ 

1023 Caregiver 

Automotive 

1061 Autos Wanted 

Business Directory 

2003 Appliance Repair 

QUALITY 

APPLIANCE 

REPAIR, Inc. 

• Air Conditioning • Furnaces 

Refrigeration • Dishwashers 

Stoves & Ovens • Microwaves 

Garbage Disposals 

Washers&Dryers 

Family Owned &Operatedsince 1986 

Someone you can TRUST 

All work GUARANTEED 

BEST price in town! 

708-712-1392 

2004 Asphalt Paving/Seal Coating 

Outside Work: 

Lawn Fertilizing & Core 

Aeration: Year-round & 

Seasonal Employment 

Potential for paid winters off. 

Benefits incl. health, dental, 

IRA. Good driving rec a must. 

Time and a half over 40 hrs. 

Apply in-person 8am - 3pm 

Lawn-Tech, Ltd. 

7320 Duvan Dr 

Tinley Park, IL 

708-532-7411 

School Bus Drivers Wanted 

Homer School District 33C 

seeks quality individuals 

to join our family of 

school bus drivers. 

$17.42/hr. + full benefits 

available 

Training provided. 

Call (708) 226-7625 

or visit homerschools.org 

employment tab 

Lawn Care Service 

Looking for responsible, 

motivated with driver’s 

license. Pay based on exp. 

708.226.9322 

Part-time Telephone Work 

calling from home for 

AMVETS. Ideal for 

homemakers and retirees. 

Must be reliable and have 

morning &evening hours 

available for calling. 

If interested, 

Call 708 429 6477 

M-F, 10am - 1pm Only! 

LAWN TECHNICIAN 

Professional company 

located in Frankfort 

looking for reliable 

individual to apply dry 

fertilizer. Experience a 

plus, but not necessary. 

For interview call: 

(708)479-4600 

landscapeassociatesinc.com 

Sterling Site Access 

Solutions LLC. 

Located in Phoenix, IL 

(near Harvey, IL) 

Seeking: Manufacturing 

Operators (2 years exp.) & 

Manufacturing Maintenance 

Technicians (8 years exp.) 

Submit resumes to: 

recruiting@sterlingsolutions.com 

WANTED! 

WE NEED CARS, TRUCKS & VANS 

Running Or Not! 

Top Dollar Paid - Free Pick-Up 

Locally Located 

(708)205-8241 

The legend 1995 Jeep Cherokee 

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$400. Motor needs work. $850 

Call 708-717-5903 

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2900 Merchandise 

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Chicago Bear official NFL 

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Civil war puzzles 1000pcs all 

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ships of all kind Mayflower etc 

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base history buffs- creativity is 

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w/tan trim. $50ea. Call 

708-429-7929. Will text picture. 

Electric snow shovel, seldom 

used $95. Call 815-478-3870 

Golf umbrellas $10ea; tennis 

racquet $10; Sears 3/8” electric 

drill $20; Black & Decker 

edger $10. Call 708-601-1947 

Hankook Optimo H426 size 

P215/55R17 slightly used, 

good threads $25 Call 

815-463-0282 

Julien #3900 stainless steel 

prep sink, new, dimensions 

16”x13”x8” deep, high quality 

under mount sink with mounting 

hardware $85. Call 

708-310-0699 

Kidde fire extinguisher, rated 

A-B-C gauged $17; Vehicle 

w/shield snow-shield $6; 

1988-89 Tracer rear window 

wiper blade $10. Call 

708-460-8308 

Kitchen dinette set, good condition 

all but one chair has no 

back. Chairs are caster chairs 

$100. Call 815-464-6176 

Lg tent w/attached sunroom, 

new in box $95. Call 

708-429-0259 after 4pm 

Lynx pro golf bag $35; 

Bullseye putter $30; Titleist 

golf bag like new $35. Call 

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Men’s Austin Reed suit 44long 

tan includes Alfani shirt 

16-34-35 and 3ties $80. Call 

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Mens cold weather jacket, rich 

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Excellent condition. 

$25 OBO Call 708-403-2525 

Mini LED flashlite $2; Large 

LED flashlite $5; Miniwax 

12oz wood filler, repairs damaged 

wood $10; Alum. snow 

scoop shovel, new $24. Call 

708-460-8308 

2900 Merchandise 

Under $100 

Mini snow shovel steel 

blade/handle $8; Ice blast 

w/shield de-icer $4; New wall 

covering smoother brush $5; 

24pc foam brush set $5. Call 

708-460-8308 

Pair of 26” crystal-look table 

lamps cut-glass/polished brass, 

excellent condition asking 

$50pair OBO; oval mirror 

34x21w beveled edge $50. Call 

708-460-2587 

Peerless kitchen faucet, 

#P299575LF.SS, brand new in 

box, with sprayer high arc $40. 

Call 708-614-5728 

Pillsbury Doughboy porcelain 

collection 7pieces, $100 Call 

815-464-6176 

Pro golf bag $35; Bullseye putter 

$30; 3pack Titleist balls 

$5; Titleist golf bag new $30. 

Call 708-478-8976 

Quadrilla children’s wooden 

blocks, 2complete sets-Rail + 

Twist and Rail, lightly used 

$100 Call 708-475-2102 

Red Wing steel toe insulated 

work boots, new inthe box. 

Paid $160, sell for $100 OBO. 

Call 815-485-6008 

Ron Popeil rotisserie grill $30; 

grey trunk, great for college 

student $30. Call 

708-790-1824 

Singer sewing machine portible, 

many fancy stitches $35; 

Sea shell Tritons trumpet $50. 

Call 708-535-9354 

Snow skies: 5’6” Dynastar, 

5’6” Rosignol, 6’3” Heads 

w/poles, all for $100. Call 

708-717-5054 

Weight bench and weights 

$100. Weights alone worth 

$450. Call 815-469-0891 

Weight bench plus weights 

$100 (weights alone selling for 

over $450 at store). Call 

815-469-0891 

Weight vest up to 40lbs $40; 

Vintage Bulls xl winter jacket 

$30; Scottie Pippen vintage 

jersey $30. Call or text 

224-394-2765 

Whirlpool Cabrio laundry 

dryer $100 firm. 708-785-0987 

Wooden fireplace mantel, 

never used, $70. Call 

708-479-0193 












28 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger sports 


Athlete of the Week 

10 Questions 

with Matt Stillman 

Matt Stillman is a senior 

at Lincoln-Way Central 

and an outside hitter for 

the Knights boys volleyball 

team. 

The start of the 

upcoming season is on 

hold because of the 

coronavirus. What are 

your thoughts on that? 

I’m just trying to stay 

positive. Trying to think of 

things I’m grateful for, and 

pick up friends who are 

down. It’s kind of crazy, 

all of it. 

How did you get 

started playing 

volleyball? 

I’ve been playing since 

eighth grade. I’ve played 

club every year since then. 

My cousin, Sam Gorecki 

who is my age and is a libero 

on our team here at 

Central, played. So I wanted 

to play, too. He went to 

Martino and I went to Mokena 

Junior High, so we 

were rivals. I used to play 

soccer until eighth grade 

but now it’s just volleyball. 

What is it about 

volleyball that makes 

it the sport for you? 

I’ve made good friends 

playing it. I just love the 

competitiveness of it. But 

it’s mostly being with your 

teammates and having 

leadership with them. 

What have you learned 

from Central volleyball 

Photo submitted 

coach Mary Brown? 

I’ve learned a lot from 

her. She makes us work 

hard at practice. She 

makes us mentally tough. 

I’ve learned to be a leader 

because she teaches life 

lessons too. 

Do you have a favorite 

moment so far playing 

for the Knights? 

Yes, it’s actually our loss 

to [eventual state champion] 

Marist in last season’s 

sectional semifinal 

[at Marist]. Even though 

we lost [25-18, 26-24] 

we worked really closely 

together [being the only 

team that took Marist past 

25 points all postseason] 

and played our best match 

of the year. 

What do you do to 

pump yourself up 

before a match? 

Before a club match, I 

play on Ultimate 18 Gold, 

I listen to music. But in 

high school, we get in a 

circle and talk about what 

to focus on and that’s what 

3 

really gets you into the 

match. 

If you could be any 

superhero, who would 

you be and why? 

The Flash. Because he’s 

really fast and I could 

get to my block sooner. I 

would be able to close the 

block and get the ball up. 

If you could meet any 

person in the world, 

living or dead, who 

would it be and why? 

Walt Disney. My family 

likes Disney a lot. It would 

have been cool to meet 

him and see what went 

on in his head to make the 

whole Disney franchise. 

Are you going to play 

volleyball in college? 

Yes. I’ve already committed 

to Trine University 

in Angola, Indiana. I did 

that last October. The volleyball 

coaches and the 

team are really cool. But 

they also have a really good 

engineering program and 

I’m going to study that. 

What’s the best 

thing about being an 

athlete at Lincoln-Way 

Central? 

Probably the competition 

that you get here. But 

also the teammates in general 

and the environment 

for the athletes in general. 

Interview by Freelance Reporter 

Randy Whalen. 

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the mokena messenger | March 26, 2020 | 29

30 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger sports 


Athletes, coaches wait and hope for a spring season 

6 

STEVE MILLAR, Sports Editor 

Mariam Azeez misses 

long jumps. 

The Lincoln-Way East 

sophomore track athlete 

is able to stay in gear for 

her running events easy 

enough while school is out 

and practices are on hold 

amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

But after breaking the 

school record for the long 

jump, going 19 feet-1.5 

inches at the LW East Invitational 

indoor meet on 

Feb. 29 at Olivet Nazarene, 

she is not able to 

practice that event. There 

are no pits for her to jump 

into at home. 

“I miss it,” she said. “It’s 

my favorite event. Right 

now, I’m just running outside, 

going on the treadmill, 

trying to stay active.” 

Like all athletes in the 

area, Azeez and her Griffins 

teammates are in waitand-see 

mode, hoping 

their seasons can resume 

in April or May. 

“It’s so sad,” she said. 

“Everyone on the track 

team is devastated about it, 

but we’re all still training. 

We’re just hoping the outdoor 

season will happen 

at some point and that this 

will be over with.” 

Azeez’s coach, Brian 

Evans, said this is unlike 

anything he has ever experienced. 

“It’s certainly a new 

curveball,” he said. “This 

is Year 21 for me and 

we’ve never had a scenario 

or event like this take 

place. There’s no manual 

or playbook we can go to, 

so we’re just taking it one 

day at a time. 

“Obviously safety is a 

Lincoln-Way East’s Mariam Azeez hopes to get back to 

competing in the long jump soon. 22ND CENTURY MEDIA 

FILE PHOTO 

the number one priority. 

We just want everybody 

to sit down for a minute 

and make sure they’re being 

safe and we can get 

through this as a society 

before we even begin to 

think about track and field 

again.” 

Lincoln-Way Central 

softball coach Jeff Tarala 

said it is tough for coaches 

to be apart from their players 

for so long. 

“We took team pictures 

on Saturday [March 14], 

and it was kind of sad,” 

Tarala said. “A lot of the 

girls were like, ‘Hopefully 

we’ll see you in a month.’ 

You get so connected with 

them all. We spend an incredible 

amount of time 

with each other. We’re sad 

to have to separate like 

that.” 

Players and coaches say 

they are trying to remain 

hopeful that there will be 

competition at some point. 

“I feel awful for the seniors,” 

Tarala said. “I really 

hope there is at least 

something, whether it’s a 

shortened season or just 

a playoffs or tournament 

format.” 

Lincoln-Way West athletic 

director Ted Robbins 

said all the Lincoln-Way 

district athletic directors 

are in a “holding pattern.” 

They have not yet canceled 

games beyond the 

start of April, except in 

cases where the scheduled 

opponent has mandated a 

longer shutdown. 

“We’ll adapt and move 

when we get further information,” 

he said. “That’s 

where we’re at, I think like 

everybody. 

“Everybody’s been great 

about it, though. They all 

understand this is a bigger 

situation than high school 

athletics. It’s a worldwide 

issue. The athletes, especially 

the seniors, are disappointed, 

of course, but 

they have been fantastic in 

dealing with this.” 

Azeez said her teammates 

have tried to get beyond 

the initial shock and 

sadness and take a positive 

approach to the situation. 

“We’re trying to stay optimistic,” 

she said. “We’ve 

been talking in group chats 

and we were all really sad 

about it at first, but then we 

started trying to encourage 

everyone to stay positive 

and keep working.” 

Youth Sports 

Pride and heartbreak for Mokena Jr. High volleyball team 

7 


Mokena Junior High’s 

seventh-grade girls volleyball 

team made a memorable 

run to a sectional championship 

and qualified for 

state for the first time since 

2006. 

The Meteors never got 

their chance to play at 

state, though, as the Illinois 

Elementary School Association 

canceled the tournament 

amid the coronavirus 

pandemic. 

“We’re trying to stay 

positive about the situation, 

but it is disappointing,” 

Mokena coach Crystal 

Grimes said. 

Mokena was set to play 

Taylorville Junior High in a 

Class 4A state quarterfinal 

match Friday, March 16, 

at Kingsley Junior High in 

Normal. 

The day before, however, 

the IESA announced 

the tournament would be 

postponed. The organization 

later announced the 

cancellation. 

“We knew there was a 

possibility it would be canceled, 

but we had a normal 

practice, getting ready for 

the game with Taylorville 

the next day,” Grimes said. 

“They hadn’t made it to 

state in about 20 years, so 

we knew it would be an underdog 

vs. underdog-type 

situation because the last 

The Mokena Junior High seventh-grade girls volleyball 

team huddles during a match. The team won a sectional 

title and qualified for state before the tournament was 

canceled. SHARNA WILKERSON/MOKENA JUNIOR HIGH 

time we made it to state 

was 2006. 

“As soon we started 

practice, we found out the 

news.” 

Still, there was some 

hope the tournament might 

be resumed at a later date. 

“At first it was just postponed,” 

Grimes said. “We 

didn’t know if it would for 

sure be canceled. We knew 

that if it did get postponed, 

we’d have a couple weeks 

to practice. So, we wanted 

to make this a fun practice 

and not push the girls too 

hard. They ended up having 

fun and stayed positive. 

“We reflected on our success 

throughout the season. 

I couldn’t be more proud of 

this group.” 

Mokena, which finished 

15-4, beat Liberty Junior 

High from New Lenox 25- 

18, 11-25, 25-20 on March 

9 in the sectional match. 

The team included Bella 

Bullington, Bella Dimitrijevic, 

Ava Birmingham, 

Morgan Kozlowski, Charlotte 

Wilkerson, Aubrey 

Birmingham, Flynn Meyer, 

Ava Quinlan, Skyla Dolan, 

Paige LeCompte, Taylor 

Mowry, Gianna Kolenko, 

Lily Vargas and Lindsey 

Klitz. 

Lauren Bullington was 

the assistant coach. 

“In the end, the girls 

were disappointed, but they 

stayed positive,” Grimes 

said. “That is something 

that set this team apart. If 

we lost a game, they didn’t 

get down on themselves 

and came back strong for 

the next one.”

mokenamessengerdaily.com sports 


fastbreak 

22nd century media file 

photo 

1st-and-3 

THREE FEATS FROM THE 

GIRLS INDOOR TRACK 

AND FIELD SEASON 

1. Kate Guderjan 

Guderjan (above, 

No. 51), a LW East 

sophomore, broke 

school records in 

the 600 meters and 

the mile (5 minutes, 

14.33 seconds). 

2. Mariam Azeez 

The LW East 

sophomore broke 

the school record 

in the long jump 

(19 feet-1.5 inches) 

at the LW East 

Invitational at Olivet 

Nazarene on Feb. 

29. 

3. Sam Spencer 

The Providence 

senior and 

defending state 

pole vault champion 

broke the state 

record in the event, 

vaulting 13 feet, 5.5 

inches March 5 at 

the Joliet Central 

Steelmen Shuffle. 

Air Force brings home LW East grad, team stuck in Honduras 


Lincoln-Way East graduate 

native Shannon Cooley and the 

other 54 players and coaches on a 

women’s tackle football team that 

had been stranded in a Honduras 

hotel after the country closed its 

borders and began a lockdown 

were airlifted out of Honduras on 

Friday, March 20, and returned to 

the United States via two U.S. Air 

Force planes. 

“It was definitely a crazy couple 

days, but I’m really glad to be 

back,” Cooley said. 

Cooley, a junior at Arizona 

State, was part of the U.S. team 

competing in the American Women’s 

Bowl in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. 

The team was set to fly home 

on Monday, March 16, but late 

night on Sunday, March 15, Honduras 

president Juan Orlando 

Hernandez ordered the country’s 

borders to be closed for at least 

seven days and put a curfew in 

effect because of the coronavirus 

pandemic. 

The team was staying at a Clarion 

Hotel and was not allowed to 

leave the hotel premises. 

“We have no idea how long 

we are going to be here,” Cooley 

said before the team was evacuated. 

“Our team is together in one 

place, so that helps a lot. We want 

to stick together as a team. 

“We’re just looking forward to 

getting out of here, being back 

home. Right now, everything is 

turned upside down and we’re 

looking forward to getting back to 

our families and dealing with the 

crisis back in the States.” 

Cooley and the rest of the team 

got their wish as the Air Force 

planes flew them into Charleston, 

Frankfort native Shannon Cooley 

was part of a U.S. women’s 

football team that was stranded 

in a Honduras hotel for nearly a 

week after Honduras closed its 

borders amid the coronavirus 

pandemic. PHOTO SUBMITTED 

S.C. Cooley made it back to Arizona 

the next day. 

“It was wild,” Cooley said. 

“We were in the jump seats. All 

our luggage was saran wrapped 

and put on pallets and loaded 

on. The plane was packed. Every 

seat was taken. It was crazy 

loud. It was an experience that I 

never thought would be on my 

bucket list, but now it’s checked 

off. 

“Just walking off the plane, it 

felt so good to be back in the U.S. 

It was crazy. It was unreal. It felt 

so good to be home and to be all 

together as a team. 

The coronavirus had not yet 

made much of an impact in Honduras 

when the team flew into the 

country Wednesday, March 11. 

The tournament went on as 

scheduled from Thursday, March 

12, through Saturday, March 14, 

before the Honduras government 

issued an edict banning events 

of more than 50 people, causing 

the championship game between 

the U.S. and Mexico, scheduled 

for Sunday, March 15, to be canceled. 

“It wasn’t hectic at all when we 

got [to Honduras],” Cooley said. 

“Everything was fine. There were 

only three [coronavirus] cases in 

Honduras, so it actually seemed 

safer than the United States.” 

Cooley said the hotel was essentially 

void of guests other than the 

team. Most of the hotel staff was 

also gone, but a few employees 

were still around to help them out. 

“There are some people who 

live at the hotel and also work 

here, so they are still here,” Cooley 

said. “Other than them, there 

are no employees here. The hotel 

has been good with us, though, 

trying to figure out a solution. 

“The Mexico team and Costa 

Rica team have had to move multiple 

times because their hotels 

have closed. We’ve been lucky 

that this hotel has worked with us 

and let us stay.” 

Shannon’s mom, Kathi, was in 

regular contact with her daughter 

throughout the ordeal. 

“She’s tough,” Kathi said. 

“She’s going to act like, ‘Mom, 

I’m good.’ But I know she’s having 

a tough time. 

“They shouldn’t have to deal 

8 

with this. They should be able to 

go home.” 

Cooley, who played basketball 

at East, decided to give football a 

shot and joined the Phoenix Phantomz 

of the Women’s Football Alliance. 

She is in her second year as a 

receiver with the team, and has 

also had the opportunity to play 

with the U.S. team – essentially an 

All-Star team – in multiple international 

tournaments. 

“It’s so crazy because I tell people 

two years ago, I didn’t even 

know how to put a helmet on and 

now I’m travelling all over the 

world playing football,” she said. 

“It’s been an amazing experience, 

except for something like 

this happening.” 

It’s a situation Cooley never 

imagined she would be in. 

“It seems like it was a movie,” 

she said. “It definitely doesn’t 

seem like it actually happened, but 

I know there were a lot of people 

who took some time out and there 

were a lot of strings pulled to get 

us out of there. I’m thankful for 

our organization, all the congressmen 

and local representatives who 

helped, and anyone that had a part 

in getting us out.” 

Cooley said she and her teammates 

will now share a lifetime 

bond. 

“Our team said we have to come 

up with a saying, so we came up 

with ‘There was always Honduras,’” 

she said. “When we go other 

places or play other teams, we’ll 

think back about this. 

“We come from all over the 

country, so a lot of us didn’t really 

know each other before this. But 

after this, we definitely know each 

other better than I ever imagined.” 

Listen Up 

“It’s so sad. Everyone on the track team is devastated about it, but we’re all 

still training. We’re just hoping the outdoor season will happen at some point 

and that this will be over with.” 

Mariam Azeez - LW East sophomore track athlete, on spring sports being 

suspended 

what2watch 

Scheduling decisions 

Will spring sports resume as April begins, be further 

postponed, or will the season be canceled entirely? 

Index 

29 – Team 22 Boys Basketball 

28 – Athlete of the Week 

FASTBREAK is compiled by Sports Editor 

Steve Millar, s.millar@22ndcm.com.

mokena’s Hometown Newspaper | March 26, 2020 

HOMECOMING LW East grad 

makes it home after being stuck in 

Honduras as borders close, Page 31 

KINGS OF THE COURT Meet 

our Team 22, featuring the area’s 

best boys basketball players, Page 29 

Area athletes, coaches deal with life 

without sports as they hope for seasons to 

resume, Page 30 

The Lincoln-Way Central baseball field sits 

empty March 17 as all high school sports 

games and practices have been suspended. 

STEVE MILLAR/22ND CENTURY MEDIA

MK_032620

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