What I wanted most for my daughter
was that she be able to soar confidently in her own sky,
whatever that may be.
— Helen Claes
Tina Valentino is the Editor/Publisher
Cinderella. If only I had the nerve to print the picture of me in my cowgirl Halloween costume, complete with red hat, red boots, holster and six-shooter at about age 6, you might imagine that I wasn’t much of a Cinderella fan. And you would be right. I probably watched more episodes of Bonanza than anyone in my first grade class. Over the years, I had been Tweety bird, a bunny, a scarecrow, a hobo and a dozen other impersonators at Halloween but never once a princess.
Until I was in high school. Prom was one of the first teenage stress tests, along with getting a driver’s license, my first dent and taking the ACT. In today’s world, however, sexting, bullying, drugs, peer pressure, date rape, unemployment and social networking, to name a few, give the average teen—and their parents—a lot more to worry about than the color of the corsage. While well-off teens will charge their expensive dresses and be chauffeured in Hummer limos, what about the girl whose parents work two jobs just to get by? Or aren’t working at all? True, it’s not the worst thing in the world to miss your Prom. There are poor, lonely, sick people, homeless veterans and numerous other causes that deserve our attention. But “The Cinderella Project” isn’t asking for much. Just a little self-esteem for the average girl.
I had never even heard of it before until the director of the Forest Park Community Center brought it to my attention. After Googling it, I see it’s been accomplished with great success around the country from New Hampshire to Los Angeles. The local idea came from Kiwanis member Jerry Lordan who inspired Mary Win Conner and Karen Dylewski to run with it and do their best to give some area girls a chance to find their inner princess. It’s not a charity. “It’s a way to make it a fabulous experience for proud young teens who simply can’t afford the dress, accessories, beauty salon costs that are all a part of going to Prom,” explained Dylewski, the mother of two girls. “Many of us know what it’s like to be that girl who simply cannot afford to spend a lot of money but every girl should be able to attend her Prom if she wants to.” So, the fairy godmothers have been busy and continue to welcome donations of dresses, shoes, purses, jewelry, hair and makeup services so that any girl, no matter her financial status, can find her inner princess on this special night. “I am just hoping that we can show some girls that they can be anything they want to be,” added Dylewski, who currently has 22 dresses in her office. Wardrobe donations are being accepted by Karen at the Howard Mohr Community Center at Desplaines and Jackson Boulevard in Forest Park and by Rachell Entler at the Park District of Forest Park. If anyone wishes to contribute makeup, hair or nail services, contact Mary Win Connor at winbaldy@aol.com or Karen at kdylewski@forestpark.net.
I was one of the lucky ones. I had an awesome dress. My friend did my hair and makeup. And my date, the only person I wanted to go with, said yes. I remember it like yesterday and I commend these neighbors for trying to make some simple wishes come true.
The closing of the Avenue Parking Garage, originally set for last Sunday has been rescheduled to next Sunday, February 19th. The Avenue parking garage will be closed from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. to all parking, bicycle and pedestrian customers, so that the new photovoltaic array may be lifted by a huge crane to the roof top. The Village of Oak Park claims that this sun powered electrical generating device will create enough electricity to power the garage. Seems to us as if the Village is wishing for a lit of sunny skies! The direct cost to Oak Park Taxpayers is somewhere around $200,000. Question: Will the project pay for itself before the garage falls apart?