The Lansing Journal

Barb Dust closes Festival of Lights with a new tradition

story and photos by Melanie Jongsma

LANSING, Ill. (January 6, 2018) – When Curator Barb Dust realized that the ending of the Festival of Lights would coincide with Epiphany this year, she began looking for a Three Kings cake. The cake—also known as King Cake, Twelfth Night Cake, Epiphany Bread, or Rosca de Reyes—is part of of the traditions surrounding the observance of Epiphany in many cultures. Dust turned to Lansing’s La Rosa Bakery for the cake and had it ready when the Festival of Lights opened at 11:00 this morning for its last day.

Epiphany around the world

In many countries and cultures the Christmas season extends to January 6, and Epiphany is the culmination of the gift-giving holiday. The Lansing Historical Society began adding Epiphany exhibits to their Festival of Lights displays about three years ago. This year’s display included explanations of Epiphany traditions from the following countries:

Italy

Mexico

France

Greece

Poland, Bavaria, and other Catholic countries

England

A delightful discovery

Heritage Middle School student Peter Henderson was the first guest at the Epiphany celebration, though he declined the cake. He had spent the morning at the library reading and decided to take a break. “I wanted to explore,” he explained. “I’m like, ‘I haven’t been down here [in the museum] in a long time. Let me come down here and see what is going on.'” Unaware that today was Epiphany, or that it was the last day of the Festival of Lights, Henderson was delighted at his discovery. Dust was delighted at his delight, and she gave him a personal tour of many of the exhibits.

Packing it all up

The Historical Society’s observance of Epiphany ended at 1:00pm today, and volunteers will spend the next few weeks packing up the Christmas displays. Dust says it takes all of January to disassemble the trees, put away all the ornaments, and fit the bins and boxes back into the storage room. She credits “Tony’s genius,” referring to fellow Historical Society member Tony Delaurentis, with the ability to fit a growing number of exhibits into the same amount of storage space each year.

January 15, 10:00am

by Patricia Muhammad

SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. (December 28, 2017) – School District 205, South Suburban College, and Thornton Township are hosting a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration titled, “Courage Now, Courage Tomorrow, Courage Forever,” on January 15 at South Suburban College. Doors open at 9:00am, and the program begins at 10:00am, according to Communications and Media Director Ernst Lamothe Jr.

Lamothe said, “The purpose of the event is to celebrate the vision and heart of Dr. King’s dream. It’s also to celebrate as a community together, which is why this year’s theme is named courage.”

Keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Ozzie Smith Jr. believes Dr. King’s message is just as timely in today’s social climate as it was in years past. Smith said, “Dr. King’s dream is more necessary now than it’s ever been. His message is as relevant now as it’s ever been. We are going through such incredible times, and we have to rise and meet the challenge.”

Lamothe commented, “With so much that has gone on in this country—not only during this year but in recent years—there is a need to revisit not only how we got here, but how Dr. King’s dream is still necessary today. We need to understand the importance of being together as a community.”

History

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a southern black Baptist preacher and activist from Atlanta, Georgia, who started the Civil Rights Movement in 1954. King helped establish the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and he advocated sit-ins and non-violent protests. With the SCLC and the NAACP, King pushed for integration and social equality for blacks. Today, the Civil Rights Movement benefits people of all races and creeds. King’s life abruptly ended at the age of 39—he was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. King’s controversial death sparked civil unrest, violence, protests, and widespread vandalism.

Lamothe says, “History is something that is important for the younger generations to understand because it gives them a guiding light. It’s hard to understand where you’re going if you don’t understand history.”

Courage

The King celebration is an annual event that typically draws a crowd of more than 350 people. This year’s “Courage” event will be the only sponsored King celebration hosted by Thornton Township.

South Suburban College is located at 15800 South State Street in South Holland, Illinois.

(Image: “Martin Luther King, American,” by Liisa Wrang. Free for commercial use.)

Residents work and shop local

by Katie Arvia

LANSING, Ill. (December 29, 2017) – Serving people with developmental disabilities has been LARC’s mission since first opening its doors in 1956. Originally a school, LARC now serves approximately 100 adult clients each year and provides them the opportunity to work, live, and participate in the broader community.

Local work

LARC collaborates with several local businesses to provide work and a paycheck for their clients. The work varies from packaging to-go utensils for Glenwood Oaks restaurant to assembling boxes for BMW auto parts.

“The excitement that happens with this paycheck that they get every two weeks is really something special,” said Ken Sadowski, Public Relations Director for LARC. “It gives them a sense of accomplishment. It gives them a sense of belonging.”

Dining out

Other than working for local businesses, LARC clients give back to the community by choosing a Lansing restaurant to dine at every payday for their aptly named “payday dinners.” In the past, they have visited Baker’s Square, Mancino’s, and Bohemian Joe’s.

Local entertainment

In addition to the payday dinners, LARC clients also participate in a monthly dance put on by Thornton Township, weekly trips to the Lansing Public Library, and bowling nights on Monday.

“They do things that you and I might do,” said Ernie Gonzalez, LARC’s Executive Director. “Our goal for the coming year is to get them out in the community more and become active members of the community.”

In the community

Additionally, LARC also offers home-based care and has 11 group homes, referred to as CILAs (community integrated living arrangements), throughout Lansing that house 4–5 clients each. LARC is currently hiring Residential Living Assistants to work in the group homes and ensure clients’ safety while assisting with daily activities.

Although several clients already work outside of LARC’s main facility, one of their goals for 2018 is to get more of their clients jobs throughout Lansing. Gonzalez says all they need is a chance.

“We want other organizations to let somebody be a bus boy or wash dishes or do something to get them out in the community,” he explained. “We want to be able to take them out and show them that they can have the same kind of experiences out there.”

Greater involvement

Moving forward into 2018, Gonzalez says he hopes that clients will be afforded the opportunity to attend events such as concerts, dances, and church, just to name a few. Any residents or businesses that are interested in working with LARC are encouraged to call and offer up their suggestions.

“Think about ways to reach out, think about ways to embrace this organization, think about ways to get involved,” said Sadowski. “Make contributions that the clients of LARC are making back to the community.”

In the future, LARC hopes to have open houses, internships, and more events that allow Lansing residents to learn more about LARC as well as get involved. Awareness is key to successful partnerships.

Contributions and collaboration

“I want people to realize that our clients do contribute to this community,” Gonzalez said. “LARC is changing. LARC wants to be a partner and collaborate with the folks in Lansing. We want to give our clients experiences that they haven’t had before.”

LARC is located at 19043 Wentworth Avenue in Lansing, Illinois. Call 708-474-1540 or email Ken Sadowski for more information or to get involved.

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The legacy of Anthony ‘Tuffie’ Pate

By Patricia Muhammad

Saving the world

Anthony Pate earned the nickname Tuffie because he would defend anyone who called on him. “I told him when he was a teenager that he could not save the world,” said his mother.

Best friends

James Cobbins and Tuffie were best friends in high school, as close as brothers. “Tuffie was my superhero. He was like a big brother to me,” Cobbins said. After Tuffie’s departure Cobbins struggled to find a sense of belonging. His parents noticed.

When Tuffie was home on a short military leave, Cobbins’ father took him to Tuffie’s home in Harvey. “My father felt that Tuffie and I needed to have a man-to-man talk, since I seemed to start straying on the wrong path,” Cobbins recalled. Those “tough love” talks kept Cobbins grounded.

The ultimate sacrifice

But one wintry day, the unimaginable happened. According to a report given by Tuffie’s mother, Tracy Pate, her son received a distressing call from the wife of a navy buddy. She was being threatened, and her husband was at sea when she called him, so he told her to call Tuffie, knowing Tuffie would help. Pate says her son arrived on the scene and was stabbed to death as he attempted to save his friend’s wife.

The Tuff Luv movement

That was December 7, 2003. In the years since, Cobbins has diligently kept Tuffie’s memory alive—by following his example and making positive change.

“I have a movement called Tuff Luv,” said Cobbins, whose business is headquartered in Lansing. “The name Tuff Luv comes from my friend…Tuffie. I take anything that I do or any type of work I do to give back, and I call all my businesses Tuff Luv.”

These days, under his Tuff Luv Entertainment initiative, Cobbins helps his sister Christina in the development of an all-girls’ basketball program in Crete, Illinois. Last month, Cobbins and his godsister Carmen Pate, joined together to launch a toy drive for more than 150 boys and girls. Through the years, Cobbins has reached out to help school children and single moms by providing book bags and school supplies.

Tuffie was a courageous soul who will be remembered as kind-hearted, thoughtful, and caring. He laid his life down so someone else could be spared.

Cobbins said of his friend, “He was a giver and a protector. He changed my life. He was a motivator and kept my head on straight. Tuffie reminded me of Vin Diesel in the movie Fast and Furious. Once you became part of Tuffie’s family, you always felt safe, protected, and loved.”

Formation continues after delay

by Ashlee De Wit

LANSING, Ill. (December 22, 2017) – Development of Lansing’s Human Relations Commission has been slower than anticipated through the fall, but efforts are expected to pick up in the new year.

Initially, the hope was to have the Commission in place by the end of 2017. However, a series of meetings between Village administration, the Lansing Police Department, and a group of citizens and clergy called the Lansing Community Coalition took priority.

“The meetings…have been more or less follow-up on what needs to happen so that we don’t have a situation unfold like one did at the end of June,” said Village Administrator Dan Podgorski, referring to a confrontation between a black teenager and an off-duty Lansing police officer. The June 24, 2017, incident was captured on video and shared virally on social media.

That incident expedited Mayor Patty Eidam’s campaign pledge to create a Human Relations Commission for Lansing.

Shifting focus

So far, the administration’s meetings have been focused on the relationship between the police department and the community, Podgorski said, but the focus will shift to the Human Relations Commission going forward.

“We needed to pay attention to these community groups, [and] give them the attention and the priority, to make sure they understood that we were dealing with the situation in the right way,” he said. “I think we’ve achieved that, but I think that’s also been one of the reasons why the formation of the HRC is delayed a little bit.”

“There’s been a ton of dialogue on this,” said Lansing’s Director of Communications, Ken Reynolds. “Different groups have different suggestions for what the Village needs to do from this point forward, and the Village administration is reviewing what our plans were for the Human Relations Commission, and then comparing that to what some outside groups are looking for.”

Community involvement

The main group in discussion with the Village has been the Lansing Community Coalition, which consists of local citizens and a number of clergy members—including Pastor Leroy Childress of Grace Church in Lansing.

“Yes, there has been dialogue, and we are moving forward to what I would hope to be good results,” Childress said. “I think we’re moving forward to a similar goal.”

“People want to know that there’s progress—that something concrete is going to evolve from the meetings,” Podgorski said. “One of the end results is the formation of the commission.”

Next steps

The next step in putting the commission together will be a workshop-type meeting, scheduled for sometime in January. The meeting will include members of the administration, members of the coalition, and potentially one or two elected officials. The workshop is to establish the structure and goals of the commission—as well as the application process, which will be publicized for the Lansing community.

Board involvement

Creating the commission and choosing its members will ultimately be up to the Village Board.

“We would put together a structure and objective for the commission, and have it adopted in the form of ordinance or resolution that will establish the commission—the number of members, what their terms would be, how they are selected, and what their role would be,” Podgorski said.

Applications from potential commission members will be reviewed by the administration, and then the mayor will bring her commission appointees to the Village Board meeting, to be voted on by the trustees.

“That’s how all our other commissions work,” Podgorski said.

All this is expected to take place in the next few months. “I think it’s reasonable to say that sometime during first quarter of 2018, we will have the commission in place—or we’ll be close to having it in place,” Podgorski said.

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