A dozen days you’ll like at Senior Center

By Kathy Headley

Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor

6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778

As you read this issue of the Greater Southwest News-Herald today, we are in the midst of the 12 Days of Christmas at the Southwest Regional Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie. It began Tuesday, Dec. 13 with the Posada and Christmas karaoke; On Wednesday the 14^th at 10 a.m. it was Design your Own Christmas Ornaments; Thursday the 15^th, also at 10 a.m., it is Design your Holiday Cards; and Friday the 16^th is Wear Your Red Sweaters.

The festivities continue next week on Monday the 19^th with Bilingual Caroling; Tuesday the 20^th is Ugly Holiday Sweater Day. The Center’s big holiday party is on Tuesday, as well, and begins with caroling at 9:30 a.m. DJ Chico takes over the party at 10.

To finish off the week, Wednesday the 21^st is Christmas Super Bingo with coffee and treats at 10:30 a.m.; Thursday the 22^nd is Bingo with the Community Safety Team and the festivities wrap up on Friday, the 23^rd beginning at 9 a.m. with a Christmas Movie Marathon.

All of the above is the brainchild of Felipe Sanchez, the assistant regional director. So thanks to Felipe for another wonderful round of fun events for the seniors.

As they have done in the past, Greater Southwest Development Corp. is partnering with local small businesses for holiday shopping. Check out the list of participating businesses at greatersouthwest.org. Shop at any of them and receive a free gift with purchase.

If you have ties to St. Rita of Cascia Parish and need a Christmas gift suggestion, a new shipment of glass hand-painted ornaments was ordered from Poland and is now here. The ornament features the artist’s rendition of the beautiful church and her rendition of the popular saint.

These are a limited edition with a certificate of authenticity. They can be purchased at the rectory, 6243 S. Fairfield, or call (773) 434-9600 to inquire about shipping. Suggested donation is $29.

Community Cinema brings a Christmas double-feature to the Chicago Lawn Branch Library, 6120 S. Kedzie, this Saturday, Dec. 17, beginning at 12:30 p.m. with the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas, followed by the 1992 film The Muppet Christmas Carol at 2:30 p.m.

The traditional Kucios (fish and herring) dinner at Nativity BVM Church is this Sunday, Dec. 18, at 12:30 p.m. in the parish hall.

Also at Nativity, traditional Christmas wafers are now available through Advent. You can obtain wafers either in the sacristy after the Masses or weekdays at the parish office.

Lauds morning prayer continues to be held at St. Adrian Church, 7000 S. Washtenaw, throughout Advent, Monday through Friday, at 5:30 a.m.

Everyone is invited to A Youth Christmas Concert at St. Adrian on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. in the church. This event was organized by the Neo-Catechumenal Communities.

Now back to 1978. Recently we talked about Grunwald Savings and Loan at 84^th and Kedzie and with another location on Archer. Brad S. tells us the original Grunwald was located at 3804 S. Kedzie and remained at that location for years, with the other two newer buildings not coming about until the 1980s. I never knew that.

When we left last week, we had decided to stop in at the shoe store just east of Kedzie on the north side of the street and see what kind of selection they had of a new item out this year, a pair of Totes stretch boots.

June B. was the first to identify Ed’s at 3116 W. 63^rd St. Miami Joe remembers the store too. He tells us they sold only quality shoes. He bought his last pair of Red Wing work shoes there, and his daughter used to get her nurse’s shoe there. He also remembers two waitresses from Huck Finn that worked at the Archer and Damen location, who would come to the store for their shoes.

Well by this week in 1978, Southwest News-Herald carriers were giving out a free gift to their customers. You guessed it – the new 1979 calendars. Here’s a question for any former carriers: The calendars were different than regular calendars and had a different name. They were called unique. Why was that?

Also on our list in 1978 were stocking stuffers. While the shoe store we just left is so close to 63^rd and Kedzie, let’s run into the drug store on the northwest corner of the intersection and see what they have. Does anyone remember the name of that store 44 years ago?