December / January  2004

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Happy New Year!!

I would like to pay tribute to our club, the Lincoln Park Pacers, which will be celebrating a 20^th birthday this year. Bringing in 2004 with Pacer friends made me realize how important this running group has been to me the past 13 years. When first joining the club in December of 1989, I never imagined that those runners I met at the CARA board that day would become my “running family”. At first, I was just looking for a group of people to run with. A common interest in running was just the beginning; the friendships that I developed throughout the years will last a lifetime. Being a Pacer is “Running with Friends”, our new motto!…At this year’s Pacer holiday party on Sunday, December 20^th, Ben Squires received a special plaque, honoring him for being a founding member of the club. He received the first “Ben Squires Award”, a brainstorm idea started by our new 2004 Pacer president, Dan Stohr. The award will be given annually to a deserving Pacer who has gone “above and beyond” for the benefit of the club. It was appropriate Ben should receive the first award, and as the Pacers and Ben’s whole family looked on, he gave an informative and heartwarming history of the club’s beginning and told us what the club has meant to him for 20 years….. We will look forward this year to celebrating year number 20 at a special gathering, and hope that many Pacers, old members as well as new, will be there to celebrate with us. As some of you may remember, in May of 1994 we celebrated year #10 at the old Gun Club on the lakefront. The Gun Club is no longer there, but the Pacers are still up and running !!!  Stay tuned for the celebration to take place later this year….The annual Christmas morning fun run was held at Busse Woods this year. It was a spectacular day, blue skies, sunshine, crisp cold temperatures, and just enough snow on the path to make the run festive. It you looked off the path into the woods, you would have seen the elk hanging out enjoying the day! About 15 Pacers showed up for the run, including Urs Weber and Lori Soderholm who were here visiting from New York. There were a couple of 4-legged friends in tow- Amy and Jack Euske’s dog Mattie, and a new puppy belonging to Tom McNichols and girlfriend Susanne. Breakfast at Grannies completed a perfect Christmas morning outing…. When Dan Stohr was in New York running in Central Park, he met and talked with Alberto Arroyo, considered the “Mayor of Central Park”! Alberto has been running on the reservoir park path since 1935. He is now 88 and walks the path—very impressive!!…Two new Pacers, Bob and Marianna Gould just moved here from New York, where both have run for years. Bob is celebrating the “big 60” this month and is still running strong…..Jim Des Jardins and Deb Bear have a new addition in their house- Jim’s 17 year old daughter, Jeanette. This has been an interesting experience for all, and Jim is busy adjusting to being a full time dad. Meanwhile, Deb is busy making decisions and preparing for a job opportunity in the Middle East. Wishing to work in another country and help people with health issues has been an admirable goal she set years ago. We wish Deb luck with her career pursuits….Jennifer Leslie and her friend Tara spent 2 weeks over the holidays in Mexico, first Mexico City, then on to Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, and back to Oaxaca for New Years…..Jennifer emailed that Puerto Escondido was filled with beautiful 20 year olds, many wandering the surfer beaches topless or nude. So—for all those interested in viewing young hard bodies and surfers galore, Puerto Escondido could just be the vacation destination for YOU?!!..Cary Adams spent much of his holiday redecorating his Old Orchard dental office. He closed his office for 2 weeks, and painted and painted and painted. That was the easy part—the hard part was trying to decide on colors for paint and carpeting from hundreds of swatches. The almost completed project looks great according to “Dr.” Adams loyal staff….Monica O’Hara and S.O.(significant other!) Brian have also been busy painting Brian’s Oak Park condo, only they don’t plan to stick around to enjoy the new paint job. The two-some will soon be moving together into a new place in Oak Park. A good question--where will all our Pacer parties be held once Monica leaves her place on Troy? Monica hosted her annual New Year Eve bash again this year, and the party was attended by some of the Pacers who were in town for the New Year. Stuart Schulman was NOT there. He and S.O. Diane took a road trip to Niagara Falls for the holiday. Niagara Falls is well known for their numerous wedding chapels as well as the falls---hmmmm??!!! Anything you want to share with us about the trip Stuart??…. The holiday’s are over, and for many of us, it means the beginning of some serious training. Until recently, the winter provided us with a running path clear of ice and snow, with warmer than usual temperatures. That was great for running, but for those who wished to participate in winter sports that required significant snow, it was frustrating. We FINALLY got some snow, and many Pacers are anticipating hitting the trails for some cross-country skiing or maybe some down hill skiing! Hal Olin and Gordon McIntosh drove to Hal’s place in Colorado to ski after the first of the year. Gordon was out there for a week, but Hal will be gone for two months. What a life Hal has!! There is talk about several Pacers joining Hal in Colorado for some skiing…..This year’s S-NO-W FUN RUN was held once again in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin on Saturday, January 10^th. A group of Pacers went up to run the 5 mile race, and spent the night at the Grand Geneva Resort…well, except for Cary Adams who decided that camping at the Bong Campgrounds would be more adventurous. Great fun was had by all who went- Jennifer Leslie, Debbie Hoegemeyer, Janet Omer, Denise DeBo, Joanne Kaeding, Dean Battistella, David Farley, Cary Adams, Matt Knoop, John Turshan, Frank Nicholson, and “new” Pacer Jonathan Berens. They all braved the cold winds to make it to the Schnapps table at the finish line! Congratulations to Frank Nicholson and Joanne Kaeding on winning the medal for their individual age. Half of Joanne’s award rightfully goes to Jonathan, who selflessly paced her. The other half goes to Janet, who is the same age and just wasn’t running her best due to getting over a bout with a bad flu!!   The plan for Sunday was to go cross country skiing, but due to warmer than usual temps and poor snow conditions on the trails, everyone either ran, swam in the hotel pool, sat in the Jacuzzi, or all three….Word came from past Pacers, Keith and Jeanelle Burns, who moved from Chicago to New Zealand several years ago. They are now busy “raising kids” and still wearing their Pacer shirts when they run in the races!! I guess once a Pacer-always a Pacer….Happy and healthy running to all in 2004!!!

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