Posts Tagged ‘free’

The Monday Night Concert Series continues with a performance titled, “Celtic Soul American Roots,” performed by Irish duo Switchback at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

For more than 20 years, Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack have been entertaining audiences around the world with their unique American Roots music blended with Celtic Soul. FitzGerald plays guitar and mandolin, and McCormack plays bass and guitar. They both perform the vocals.

In 1986, FitzGerald was a mandolin student of Jethro Burns and had already been touring with Clifton Chenier when he met McCormack, an award-winning voice student of Whelma Oshiem at the American Conservatory of Chicago and a member of the Star Search-selected band, Beyond Blue.

Both were chosen by legendary County Kerry composer and concertina master Terrence ‘Cuz’ Teahan to join his traditional Irish group. Teahan taught FitzGerald and McCormack the old country techniques of Irish musical entertainment making them one of the last generations to be directly influenced by a master of this musical genre.

Teahan, and the power of seeing such Texan greats as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Ely and Rodney Crowell, fueled FitzGerald and McCormack’s songwriting which led to the formation of Switchback in 1993.

Their first album was a commercial success with Chevrolet using one of the songs to promote its Chevy Blazer. Switchback has shared the stage with such notable Celtic musicians and groups as Cherish the Ladies, Gaelic Storm, Liz Carroll and John Williams.

FitzGerald and McCormack annually tour Ireland and frequently perform at the County Mayo’s Westport pub owned by The Chieftain’s Matt Malloy.

Switchback also conducts educational programs and songwriting workshops for school and community organizations. The duo has developed several instructional sessions, and they can customize programs to fit the curriculum or concepts of the clients. Many of these seminars are held in elementary and high schools and libraries, but have been conducted in settings as far-ranging as juvenile detention centers and church camps.

Wherever they play, no matter the size or age of audience, Switchback always captivates and charms folks with their energy and creativity.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

The public is invited to an afternoon of movement-based learning with Brain Gym® with Aimee Edwards at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Brain Gym movements, exercises or activities refer to the original 26 Brain Gym movements, sometimes abbreviated as “The 26.” These activities recall the movements naturally done during the first years of life when one is learning to coordinate the eyes, ears, hands and whole body. There are four categories: midline, energy, deepening attitudes and lengthening.

The 26, along with a program for “learning through movement,” were developed by educator and reading specialist Paul E. Dennison and his wife and colleague, Gail E. Dennison.

For more than two decades, clients, teachers and students have reported the effectiveness of these simple activities. Although it’s not yet clear why these movements work so well, they often bring about dramatic improvements in areas such as:

•    concentration and focus
•    memory
•    academics: reading, writing, math, test taking
•    physical coordination
•    relationships
•    self-responsibility
•    organization skills
•    attitude

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

The public is invited to a performance by the Clyde Park Dancers at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The Clyde Park dancers, ranging from ages two to nine years old, will perform ballet for the residents and the public in honor of Veterans Day.

Taught by Roberta Kulik, the dancers belong to the Clyde Park District. She has been teaching ballet at the district for more than eight years. Each spring her students put on a recital. For the past three years they have taken part of that recital to residents and the public at the Arms.

This year’s spring recital was titled, “New Crown for the Royal Princess,” with each dance number representing a gem on the crown. At the Arms there will be seven gems performed to modern music.

“To dance is to live,” said Kulik, “and these girls really love to dance.”

Kulik has also been teaching monthly dance workshops at the Arms for over five years.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Oak Park Arms presents its popular series “You Be the Critic” at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The 1960 film “The Alamo” will be viewed and reviewed with radio announcer Dan Kane.

Directed by John Wayne, who also starred in the film as Colonel Davy Crockett, the Alamo is a war film about the Battle of the Alamo, a pivotal event during the Texas Revolution.

When General Santa Anna and his Mexican army were sweeping through Texas in 1836, General Sam Houston (Richard Boone) bought time to arrange his troops by asking Colonel William Travis (Laurence Harvey) to defend a mission against the Mexican army at all costs. Davy Crockett and Colonel Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark) also joined the fight.

Mixed reviews have touted the film for its battle scenes and criticized it for its historical inaccuracies. The film’s production costs kept it from becoming an immediate success, despite a large box office take. The film won the Academy Award for Best Sound, and was nominated several times, including for Best Music, Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

The Oak Park Arms will present a Veteran’s Day tribute at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Avenue. Roger Kotecki will perform a musical tribute about the American Civil War. This event is free and open to the public.

Kotecki is a storyteller, musician and historian. For the past decade Kotecki has told the history of the Civil War through music. He not only sings songs significant to the war but also educates audiences. Rogers explains the history of the melodies and lyrics which give a strong sense of the poetry and eloquence of this critical time in history.

Music has always been part of Kotecki’s life. He began as a student of classical piano. His musical background expanded to include rock bands and experience as a church keyboardist.

Kotecki has a direct familial link to the Civil War. His great grandfather served with the 82nd Indiana Infantry as part of the army that took Chattanooga, Atlanta, and then marched to the sea with General Sherman. This sparked his interest in the music of the Civil War.

In 1919 President Woodrow Wilson declared Nov. 11th as Armistice Day in order to honor the soldiers of World War I which at the time, people believed it was the last war. As more wars occurred, however, the name was changed to Veteran’s Day so all veterans would be included.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

A professional from Interim Health Care will present a talk about hearing titled, “Can You Hear Me Now?” at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The public is invited to this free program.

Gradual hearing loss that occurs with aging is common. According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated one-third of Americans between the ages of 65 and 75 and close to one-half of those older than 75 have some degree of hearing loss.

Doctors believe that heredity and chronic exposure to loud noises are the main factors that contribute to hearing loss over time.

In most cases, hearing loss results from damage to the inner ear. Aging and prolonged exposure to loud noise may cause wear and tear on the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that send sound signals to the brain. When these hairs or nerve cells are damaged or missing, electrical signals aren’t transmitted as efficiently, and hearing loss occurs. Higher pitched tones may become muffled, and it may become difficult to pick out words against background noise.

Ear infection and abnormal bone growths or tumors of the outer or middle ear can cause hearing loss. Other factors, such as earwax blockage or a ruptured ear drum, can prevent proper hearing as well.

Talk to your doctor if you have the following signs and symptoms:
•    Muffled quality of speech and other sounds
•    Difficulty understanding words, especially against background noise or in a crowd of people
•    Frequently asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly
•    Needing to turn up the volume of the television or radio
•    Withdrawal from conversations
•    Avoidance of some social settings

Hearing loss cannot be reversed, but there are steps to take to improve hearing including hearing aids.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

The Monday Night Concert Series continues with pianist Mark Valenti at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Valenti received his master’s degree in Music from Northwestern University and his bachelor’s degree in Music from the Philadelphia Musical Academy. He has studied with such notable teachers as Benjamin Whitten, Zoltan Kocsis, and Mary Sauer.

In addition to giving solo recitals in cities throughout the U.S., Valenti has performed in France, Belgium, Hungary and Luxembourg as well as for former First Lady Barbara Bush in Washington, D.C.

Valenti has performed in recital live on WFMT classical radio. He has done extensive work in the jazz field including performances with Gregory Hines, Frank Foster and Al Grey and has appeared on television with Joe Sudler’s Swing Machine and singer/actor Christopher Durham.

Formerly a professor of music at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Xavier University in Chicago and the Loire Valley Music Institute in France, Valenti currently teaches at his studio in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Taught by Roberta Kulik, the Oak Park Arms’ monthly tap dance workshop takes place at noon, Thursday, Nov. 8, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

The first 15 minutes features basic tap moves that can be done either sitting or standing. Kulik continues the class with 45 minutes of basic tap steps and routines. Tap shoes are welcome, though not required.

This type of dance is a left-brain/right-brain workout great for coordination, balance and memory.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

The Oak Park River Forest Garden Club of America presents “Garden Therapy,” at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Oak Park Arms retirement community, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.

Club members will guide and assist participants in making beautiful floral arrangements with seasonal flowers and greens. These arrangements can be kept and taken home.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Call to reserve your spot. For more information, or to reserve a spot, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

Visitors are welcome at the next meeting of the Mills Investment Club at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. New members are always welcome to join or visit.

For more than 30 years the investment club has come together to learn how to follow economic trends and use that information to expand its portfolio. With guidance from Pat Koko, president, club members jointly purchase stocks and make decisions as a group on a month-to-month basis.

The club provides a fun, easy, way to learn about investing by combining camaraderie, education and buying power, and confidence.

“Our year-to-date is 9.7% right now, which puts us ahead of the Dow,” said Koko. “We’ve got a variety of stocks, and we’re doing really well.”

To make the best financial choices, a special presentation is given by a different group member each month. Topics are presenter’s choice and always range. Each member is also in charge of following one stock throughout the month and presenting the group with a report of the stock’s activity.

There are currently over 15 members. To formally join, attendance to at least 3 meetings is required and the final decision is voted on by the group, but anyone can come as often as they like without becoming a member.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.