COVER STORY
E-EDITION
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
Lasting Legacy
Giving Beyond a Lifetime By Dave McGowan Did you know that approximately 10% of estates include a provision for a charitable distribution? It’s a great way to leave your legacy and to ensure that the organizations you supported during your lifetime will continue to benefit from your generosity. As I mentioned in my May article,…
Making Polo More Accessible
Introducing a new generation to one of the world’s oldest sports Photos by Courtney Kelly Chicago Polo Academy is helping introduce a new generation of players to the sport. Located in Maple Park, Illinois, the academy hosts scheduled competitive tournaments and offers riding lessons, polo instruction, and practices for students under the direction of Thomas…
Then & Now
The familiar places of Downers Grove, seen across generations By Julia Mazurek | Photos courtesy of Greg Elisha, the Downers Grove Historical Society, the Downers Grove Park District and Michelle Lytle It’s easy to forget that many Downers Grove streets have served as the backdrop for community life for well over a century. …
Reading Ready
Two former District 58 students turned teachers take literacy instruction to the next level By Valerie Hardy As students at Fairmount Elementary School, Beth Hatlen and Karla O’Brien learned to read together. Today, these childhood friends run a business that helps thousands of other students learn to read. Hatlen and O’Brien co-founded…
Home Court Advantage
DGN alum Charlie Rohlf connects passions for sports, technology, and statistics into a career with the NBA By Julia Mazurek | Photos courtesy of District 99 Downers Grove native Charlie Rohlf leads one of the National Basketball Association’s most important teams. He’s not a coach, scout or general manager. Instead, as…
From One Fire Truck to 8,000 Calls
Downers Grove Fire Department evolves to protect a growing community By Julia Mazurek | Photos courtesy of Downers Grove Fire Department Tucked inside the Downers Grove Museum sits a piece of local history: Engine 1, the fire department’s first motorized truck. The 1920 pumper engine manufactured by the White Motor Company is a symbol of…
Built to Last
How Andrew Carnegie’s vision helped shape the Downers Grove Public Library By Maureen Callahan A local library is something every community needs. Although it’s importance and relevance can sometimes be overlooked, it’s meant to be a place for everyone. The idea of steel and railroad billionaire Andrew Carnegie was to make education – at both…
Honoring DuPage’s Best Educators
Downers Grove North’s Jeff Grant Named Educator of the Year By Julia Mazurek | Photos courtesy of DuPage Regional Office of Education When Jeff Grant’s biology students head outside for class, they’re not taking a break from learning – they’re stepping into one of the most unique classrooms in DuPage County. Just beyond the grounds…
The Reshaping of Real Estate
Understanding the market forces changing the way homes are bought and sold By Amy Robey of Mainstreet REALTORS® If you’ve heard anything about the housing market over the past several years, you know it’s a difficult time to buy. High mortgage rates, coupled with low inventory, have posed a challenge, particularly for first-time homebuyers, to enter the market. Inventory…
Remembering Ella French
Five years after her daughter’s death, Elizabeth French heals through helping police By Maureen Callahan On the night of August 7, 2021, Chicago Police Officer Ella French and two other officers conducted a routine traffic stop while on patrol in Englewood. Officer French and one of her partners that evening, Officer Carlos Yanez Jr., were…
Luxury at Home
Bringing the resort and country club experience home By Hinsdale Magazine Group Staff Luxury living today is less about square footage and more about creating a home that rivals a five-star resort. Homeowners are investing in spaces that promote wellness, recreation, and everyday enjoyment, bringing experiences once found only at luxury hotels and private clubs…
A Legend Etched in Landscape
Gertrude Kuh remains one of the most notable women in landscape design By Maureen Callahan | Photos courtesy of the Deimel Family Archives Outdoor landscaping is what makes a house a home. A century ago, the name Gertrude Kuh became well known, particularly on the North Shore. As one of the first women in her…
Chicagoland: The Quiet Golf Capital of the World
By Valerie Hardy When most people think of world-class golf destinations, the Midwest probably isn’t the first location to come to mind. Instead, they likely consider courses like St. Andrews in Scotland, Pebble Beach in California, and Pinehurst in North Carolina. However, situated right here in the Second City and its surrounding suburbs are courses…
A Guide to Some of the Oldest Places in Chicago
Explore the landmarks, hotels, businesses, and institutions that have preserved Chicago’s rich history for generations By Sophia Schiappa Timeless Tourist Attractions Buckingham Fountain Buckingham Fountain is a monumental Beaux-Arts-style fountain located in Grant Park, Chicago. Dedicated in 1927, it is one of the largest fountains in the world and a defining feature of Chicago’s lakefront…
