Charles McKinney, dunk garner attention Monday, Nov 28 2011

Published in The DePaulia: Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Grant Myatt/Charles McKinney

 

Standing at 6 feet, 3 inches, 19-year-old Charles McKinney is not just a fan of concerts and movies-he’s also a freshman basketball player at DePaul who is already getting a lot of attention.

DePaul’s game against Lewis at McGrath Phillips Arena on Saturday, Nov. 5 was one to remember. The 70-63 exhibition game victory was memorialized by McKinney’s first time on the court that produced a dunk that made ESPN’s “Top 10 Plays of the Week.”

The ball goes up in the air, bounces off the rim and as DePaul and Lewis players look up in anticipation McKinney leaps over them in a single-bound making the crowd go crazy. DePaul has its very own “Superman” on the court.

Tony Wood, a sophomore studying PR, was able to catch the footage on ESPN and said that he was immediately at a standstill. “That kid is [freaking] awesome. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing so I ended up showing it to all my friends,” Wood said.

“It felt good,” McKinney said. “I’m just trying to make a name for myself, and it helped put our team on the map by getting more exposure.”

From FlipCam to YouTube to Twitter to SportsCenter. One of the people taping caught the dunk on camera and at halftime the video was uploaded to YouTube. One tweet to @SportsCenter and McKinney made the top ten plays of the day.

With a wingspan of 82.5 inches, McKinney is also ranked No. 52 among shooting guards on ESPN. These are accomplishments that a freshman rarely gets to experience, but all this attention is only pushing McKinney to work harder.

 

“I didn’t even know about ESPN at first,” McKinney said. “I was at Buffalo Wild Wings when it came on and everybody gave me a round of applause. I’m guessing they all liked it.”

Playing basketball is second-nature for McKinney. Coming from North Carolina’s Quality Education Academy he has always been a fan and a player, but his first time playing with DePaul was one he’ll never forget.

“I was a little nervous before going on the court because you never know what you’re going to get, but once I was in the game it all went away,” McKinney said. “I think I’m gaining a lot of respect from the upper-classmen just by continuing to play my hardest.”

 

Leave a Response »

 

Vegan greetings on Thanksgiving, beyond tofurkey Monday, Nov 28 2011

Published in The DePaulia: Thursday, November 10, 2011

There’s that awkward moment when you’ve come home for a holiday break and your mom slaps a giant turkey leg on your plate while telling you that you’ve gotten too skinny.

Glenn Koenig Vegan carrot cake, a sure staple for any vegan's Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, a time to be thankful for the privileges received and experienced daily.  For some, this is also a time to over-indulge in a feast of turkey, ham and the like, but what if you’re vegan?

There are a growing number of vegan-conscious individuals. According to a 2008 study done by Vegetarian Times, 7.3 million Americans are vegetarian, and one million of those individuals are vegan. To clarify, a vegetarian-conscious individual doesn’t eat meat while a vegan does not eat any product that is made from an animal. Either way, is not always the easiest transition to make, especially when you’ve just started out.

Here are a few tips from local vegans and vegetarians on how to stick to your commitment without upsetting your parents this holiday season:

Substitute Ingredients. Taylor Casey, 26, has been a vegan for three years and finds that it is easier to just substitute ingredients when needed.  “A lot of the time I’ll tell people I’m going to cook and they immediately feel like it’s going to be gross, but when it’s finished they can barely tell the difference,” Casey said. “Sometimes I won’t even tell my boyfriend that I’ve substituted just to see his reaction on how great it tastes.”

There are many everyday ingredients that can be “veganized.” For example, vegan butter, soy milk and vegan cheese are all options that many individuals don’t realize are available to their use.

Bring A Dish.  Yinka Francois, 32, knows the hard task of being invited to a dinner party and not being able to eat anything provided.  “It’s like going to a club and you forgot your I.D., everyone else can go have fun except for you,” Francois said. “I’ve learned to just bring a side dish just in case there aren’t any vegan-friendly dishes on the table.”

There’s nothing wrong with bringing food to an event when you’ve notified the host.  The key here is to provide a complementary dish that won’t steal the spotlight from the main course. Also, giving other guests information on how the food was prepared could be a great conversation piece for those that may be interested in the vegan/vegetarian journey.

The Turkey Dilemma.  Kenneth Sanders, 22, has struggled with sticking to his commitment because his family is huge on meat and dairy products, especially during holidays. “I’m always trying to convince my mom to make a tofurkey for Thanksgiving,” Sanders said. “I end up just piling on the veggies and being stared at by the rest of the family.”

We all know that a good centerpiece makes for a great presentation, but what if turkey just isn’t making the cut this season? Some may be a little uncomfortable with the thought of no turkey this year, but there’s nothing wrong with having a duo-centerpiece. Have the turkey on the table, but vegan sausage paired with rice and beans could also give your guests an experience worth talking about.

Whether you’re a carnivore, vegetarian or vegan, what is important this holiday season is that everyone is able to enjoy family company and a home-cooked meal. Try to be daring and inspire your guests, you never know what conversations and memories could be made this year.

HELPFUL VEGAN INFO:

Table of Substitutions

*Butter-Vegan Buttery Spread, Earth Balance brand

*Bacon-Tempeh Bacon

*Milk-Soy Milk

*Gravy-Vegan Gravy

*Eggs-Soy Yogurt or Silken Tofu

Vegan/Vegetarian Stores in Chicago

*Kramer’s Health Foods

*Karyn’s On Green

*Green Grocer Chicago

*Bonne Sante Health Foods

*Whole Foods

Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in Chicago

*Drew’s Eatery

*Chicago Raw

*I Dream of Falafel

*Pick Me Up Café

Stats

*7.3 million Americans are vegetarian

*22.8 million follow a vegetarian inclined diet

*11.8 million are interested in a vegetarian diet

*59 percent are female/ 41 percent are male

***study released by Vegetarian Times

Leave a Response »

 

Is Monogamy Really For You? Monday, Nov 28 2011

No one likes a cheater.  For that same reason, countless amounts of time have been spent in front of the television booing the person that has just failed a lie-detector test.

The LGBTQ community continuously struggles with monogamy vs. non-monogamous relationships.  The response to the topic is of mixed emotions.

On one hand, some couples that have decided to maintain an open relationship have found themselves just as happy as couples that have decided to maintain a strictly monogamous relationship.

Just the same, other couples that have decided to maintain a monogamous relationship value the stability that is offered within a committed relationship.  Such stability plays into their psychological health as well as the prevention of the spread of HIV.

There are many options for couples in search of the right method of exclusivity:

Lester Brown, a 33-year-old director at a marketing research firm, is in a monogamous relationship with a 30-year-old event coordinator that is not out.  They have been together for almost 3 years.

David Czar, a 35-year-old engineer, is in a non-monogamous relationship with Chris Pine, a 26-year-old retail manager.   They have been together, on and off, for nearly 5 years.

Both Brown and Czar have helped in formulating three simply challenging steps in maintaining a relationship in the LGBTQ community.

Friends First.  “Luckily it was really important to us to connect on [a] friendship level and not just a physical one,” Brown said.  “We never get tired of being around each other, and I know it sounds strange and I don’t know if it would be considered healthy, but we spend most of our time together and we love it.”

Many relationships in the LGBTQ community skip the “getting to know you” phase.  It is often a rushed situation that fizzles out just as quickly as it was sparked.  What Brown finds important in his relationship with his boyfriend is that he does not view him as a piece of meat; he’s spending his life with his best friend.

“We started out trying to get to know each other, but it quickly grew into a more intimate situation,” Czar said. “We were so hot for each other, but after all these years things got a little mundane so we found ways to mix it up.”

Yes, intimacy is important in a long-term relationship, but when the foundation of your relationship is solely sexual then what you have when those acts are not occurring is a lack of connection and depth with one another.  The value of each individual involved is strictly determined by their “achievements” in the bedroom.

Stick To It. “[Our] biggest challenge was having our past follow us and others who did not respect our union so to speak, but once we decided to make that commitment and also live together we’ve been monogamous,” Brown said.  “We will always face the challenge of temptation as I’m sure would be a challenge for any couple.”

It happens more often than not, the elusive ex comes back into the picture after all these years.  It is important that you come to terms with that previous relationship in order to completely move on to the next.

Many couples fall victim to temptation.  This is nothing to be ashamed of, but rather once that flaw has been admitted then both individuals can begin to work on ways to stick to the commitment they formed with one another.

There is nothing more damaging to trust then when someone goes back on their word.  If you aren’t ready for a monogamous relationship then don’t get in one.  If you are involved with someone who is seeking monogamy, then it is important to define what monogamy means to each person.

“Being with one another is much more than what happens when we have sex,” Czar said. “Our hearts are for each other-so what if we like to have a little fun with others.”

For some, being monogamous could mean that you are completely exclusive to one person.  For others, monogamy could mean that you are only sleeping with one person, but are given the freedom to date and interact in other sexual acts with another.

Many of the conflicts that are found in relationships are formulated through the psyche.  Each individual maintains a different definition of the same concept.  The key is placing both definitions on the table so each party is able to make a sound decision on the progression of the relationship.

Communication Is Key.  “We have a policy in our relationship that the only rule is there are no rules, we talk about any feelings we have and make decisions from there,” Brown said.  “What I do know is universal is the skill of communication and having an open ear and mind.”

Without communication a relationship is not able to maintain the previous two steps above.  This not only promotes understanding, but trust as well.

“Most people think it was me that brought up the idea of bringing other people into our bedroom, but it was actually Chris,” Czar said.  “I was a little thrown off at first, but to be honest I had thoughts about the same thing so it was nice to connect on that level.”

By feeling comfortable enough with your partner to express your desires and needs you give them an opportunity to partake in your life, but also allow them to gain respect for your honesty.  It is important to continuously maintain a listening ear while expressing your own feelings.

Whether it is monogamy you are searching for or an open relationship, if you care about the individual it is your responsibility to inform.  “I love him to death, but I’ve always been told to keep one eye open at night,” Brown said.

-End-

Leave a Response »

 

Columbus, who? Monday, Nov 28 2011

Published in The DePaulia: Monday, October 17, 2011

 

Monday, Oct. 10 was Columbus Day, and if it weren’t for my bank being closed, I would not have known.

As I walked past an empty school that was filled the week before with students furthering their education, I questioned the school’s productivity. What might have been taught that day? Columbus Day has been a statutory holiday since 1907. That’s 104 days of education that have been compromised.

With the day off for many people, you would think you’d hear people discussing the tradition of the celebration or at least doing something to show they understand what the holiday means. Instead, I found people overcrowding the retail stores. The only value I could find in Columbus Day, if any at all, was not in unity but in economic stimulus. Perhaps that is why the government has preserved this holiday for so long.

Some would argue that the Columbus Day parade keeps the tradition alive and the city aware. But how many people actually attend the parade? Kenneth Sanders, a junior at DePaul, says that he always misses the parade.

“I missed the parade because I went out the night before knowing I didn’t have work the next day,” Sanders said.

Landon McCarrol, a native of Columbus, Ohio, said Columbus Day was always a big deal in grade school but never at home.

“I spent most of the day in my pajamas watching cartoons,” McCarrol said. “My dad would cook and my mom would clean, but [there's] nothing unusual about that.”

Enrolled at a school that takes pride in its diversity, I was determined to find something or someone that was actually celebrating the day. I checked out DePaul’s events page, and the only events listed were an ePortfolio Teacher Workshop and a silent auction to benefit Sister Marie Therese Diang. So I hit the streets. Instead of a celebration, I found a protest that shut down Jackson Street, filled with people of all shapes and sizes looking for a better job market and demanding a change in the economy.

Other cities may have something different to say about Columbus Day, but it’s clear what Chicago had to say–we want our jobs back and we want to work. Marching through the streets, Occupy Chicago protesters are proud Americans but concerned citizens. As evidenced by the large number of protestors, it is clear we’re not interested in celebrating the birth of our nation, but rather we are troubled by its current state.

 

Leave a Response »

 

The LGBTQ Divide Monday, Nov 28 2011

Racism still exists today and the person who fails to acknowledge it is blissfully ignorant, and when crime is involved we’ll see our friends become our enemies and our enemies become leaders in the community.

The Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago has been under the microscope since the summer after an unusual amount of crime was reported.  Its residents have experienced mob muggings and have witnessed brutal attacks.  Boystown, a gay-friendly area of Lakeview, has been a hot spot for these crimes.

These attacks have birthed a Facebook group called “Take Back Boystown.”  The group has gone under a lot of criticism on the name with questions of who exactly is the group targeting along with comments that patrons have left on the page.  Adrian McGuire said that Boystown was built by gay whites and that it should have stayed that way.  He later apologized for the number of statements that he left on the group’s page.

“Boystown was meant to be a happy place with open arms full of hugs and love for all of us gays who wanted a place to feel safe and have fun without the bullshit and crime,” McGuire said.  “It’s sad that Boystown has been taken advantage by these fucking savage monkeys.”

Crime is no stranger to the streets of Chicago, but this neighborhood seems to be receiving a lot of media spotlight and attention.  There are people in other parts of Chicago that experience these attacks daily, but Joe Nevill, a resident of Lakeview, has found comfort in the amount of police that have been placed on duty in the area.

“Great job but don’t let up a bit until we eradicate this crime wave we are experiencing,” Nevill said.  “The streets are still not safe enough to walk at night-I see thugs hanging out and walking everywhere, with no police in sight.  Please keep an eye on them officers.”

It appears as though the best thing to do now is to define what a thug look like.  We can assume that a thug does not look like Joe Nevill, a white male wearing a t-shirt, jeans and gym shoes; almost everyone is wearing those items while in Lakeview.  Then what exactly should residents be looking for?

The term thug can be defined as a cruel or vicious ruffian, robber or murderer.  It is safe to say that many of these perceived thugs, if they are as such, would be in possession of a weapon of some sort.

A study published in the “Journal of Experimental Social Psychology” shows that when white and Asian Americans were given a picture of a man that quickly followed by a picture of a tool or a gun, participants were more likely to misidentify a tool for a gun when the preceding picture was that of an African American.  The results show an unconscious bias against blacks that can be closely related to the defining perception of a thug.

Brandon Bailey, a patron of Boystown, said that on any given night there are dozens of groups of black kids hanging out on Halsted looking exactly like these groups, and that calling the police every time you see a group of blacks on Halsted would be extremely racist.

Darrell Jones, an out of town patron of Scarlet Bar from Texas, said that racism and crime should have a zero-tolerance policy on Halsted Street.  He also notes that racism and crime in the community have nothing in common.

For McGuire that is not the case.  “I’m trying to spread the word about the truth.  It’s our neighborhood that is being taken advantage of by these ghetto fuckers who could care less about us,” McGuire said. “We need to stop being friendly to these animals who are destroying our neighborhood.”

There is an abundance of voices looking to “fix” Boystown, but who are we letting go in order to do so? The cultural diversity that explodes on Halsted will be lost forever if we “Take Back Boystown.”

-End-

Leave a Response »

 

Planetarium lights up after dark falls Monday, Nov 28 2011

Published in The DePaulia: Monday, October 3, 2011

 

For the Adler Planetarium, the sky is not the limit. And there’s no better way to understand this than spending some time at the museum at night.

MCT Wire Service This portrait of Stephan's Quintet, also known as Hickson Compact Group 92, was taken by the new Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) aboard NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Thursday, Sept. 15, was the planetarium’s second anniversary of the after-hours event “Adler After Dark.” Held every third Thursday of the month year-round, the planetarium provides live music, food and drinks. Right now the theme is “Harvest Moon.”

On the anniversary date, Die Musikmeisters played in the café and Half Acre Beer Co. held beer tastings. Experts from Northwestern University and Brew Camp walked attendees through the science of brewing beer.

Michael Smutko, an astronomer and director of the observatory, says that although it was an easy decision to make beer part of the theme, the story behind the harvest moon is quite interesting.

“The harvest moon, as the legend goes, was named the harvest moon because it’s the full moon closest to the fall equinox,” Smutko said. “It rises just as the sun is setting, so that extra moonlight gives farmers more time to harvest their crops.”

Whether the beer or the harvest moon draw people in, there’s no doubt that “Adler After Dark” is a relatively popular fall activity among Chicagoans. Almost 20,000 people have attended the event since it first started two years ago.

The Adler Planetarium had an earlier program entitled “Far Out Fridays,” which started about six years prior to “Adler After Dark.” Because it was not as successful as they hoped, the new program was created and a 21-and-over policy was instated.

Their goal is to capture the in-between generation, the one that has forgotten about the planetarium and now has children who could possibly come back for the daytime programs.

The Adler has recently been exploring other options to spread the word about events like this. Their Interactive Media Team, consisting of Angelique Rickhoff, Christina Yang and Gina Avalos, created a TweetUp VIP area for a select few of their Twitter fans. These VIPs were also given gift bags and complimentary food and beverages as incentive to keep tweeting about the planetarium.

“We update all the social media,” Yang said. “We’re constantly using Facebook, Twitter and even updating the website from time to time.”

With growing awareness of “Adler After Dark,” Smutko said that they had to limit the amount of guests visiting the Doane Observatory.

“The Doane Observatory turns out to be so popular that we have to ration tickets for it,” Smutko said. “Tickets for the Doane are of no extra charge, but you just have to reserve your ticket before they run out.”

Lauren Coffaro, the manager of Public Relations and Promotions at the planetarium, said that next month on Oct. 20, the Adler Planetarium will be hosting “‘Spooky Space’ Adler After Dark,” in which attendees will be able to dress in Halloween costumes as well as view the one-night-only “Space Mysteries” show.

“Adler After Dark” allows patrons to “enjoy all access to the museum, music and a cash bar against the spectacular view of the Chicago skyline,” Coffaro said.

A great opportunity to spend some time in the fantastic museum in an entirely different setting than the usual daytime observation, “Adler After Dark” is definitely an event to check out.

 

Leave a Response »

 

Chase: Speaking Out Monday, Nov 28 2011

Transgender, the unspoken T in the LGBTQ community that has long felt like the stepchild that gets awarded the spacious room in the attic during the winter.  This is how Chase Calling depicted her view on the part of the community that she has felt so conflicted about.

Standing at 5 feet 11 inches, Calling, 27, said her style is more on the lines of being ambiguous, but it was not always so easy for her to describe.  Wearing a black fedora, cardigan, jeans and a t-shirt that read “I Am A Faggot,” Calling often tip-toes on the line of masculinity and femininity.

“I feel like I’m a little more complicated than most when it comes to my identity,” Calling said.  “Growing up all of my experiences were gay with men, but now I would consider myself queer because sometimes I enjoy being masculine or feminine with both men and women.”

Calling considers her sexuality fluid; she is physically attracted to men, but emotionally invested in women.  Looking at Calling it’s hard to see any remnant of a man that once was, but she has been called it all.  Throughout the years she has been referred to as a fag, lesbian, a tranny and just a woman; all of which she embraces as herself.

Growing up, Calling’s mother became a huge influence on the path that she has taken.  Her mother did not approve of her being gay, and prevented Calling from going to cosmetology school because she felt it would be too flamboyant of a career choice.  Calling was given the ultimatum to either stay with her mother or go to school and be forced to leave.

“My mother never approved of the way I lived my life.  She even said that I was the reason she started using drugs again,” Calling said.  “I decided to just join the Air Force because I hoped that they would make me masculine, straight even, but that didn’t work.”

While in the Air Force, Calling began to do hair on the side for many of the other women members in the service.  They would come to her room and each time she would hope no one would say anything to a higher ranking officer.

Her decision to transition was not the easiest, but it was sparked while in the Air Force.  She had been at a club and noticed a woman sitting at the bar.  The woman had a natural beauty about her as she gracefully turned down men and their drinks.  Calling said that the woman, who revealed to her that she was transgendered, was not over the top or really exaggerated in her environment.

“Deciding to transition is a difficult step to make in your life, but for me I feel like it’s an experience that was bound to happen,” Calling said.  “When I was younger I would wrap a sheet around me and walk down the stairs holding my ‘dress’ up just like Cinderella.”

After getting out of the Air Force and starting her transitions, Calling began to do work with Howard Brown, the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ health organization.  Here she worked as a facilitator for the Life Skills Research Project.  The purpose of the program was to teach transgendered people about self-value in hopes of decreasing the HIV rates within the community.

Stereotypes like sex workers changing to sleep with straight men and the myth that all transgendered people have HIV are obstacles that Calling can remember facing when she first began to transition.  “If I was even in a position to offer advice to anyone it would be to go online and do as much reading as possible, and don’t accept society’s view of what trans is; talk to people that have been there.”

Calling liked the work at Howard Brown because it made her feel like she had a family.  She considers herself to be family-oriented, and is looking forward to having kids in the future.  She said that for her, the desire to have kids has nothing to do with hormones but rather it has always been an innate feeling.  Her only regret is that she wished she had done the transition earlier in life and stored some sperm for children later down the line.

Today Calling is working at a salon and she plans to open up her own salon in the future.  “I’m glad that I went through all of the things that I did because it really taught me how to fight for myself, I’ve always been so sassy,” Calling said.  “People just need to learn that gender is not connected to genitalia.”

-End-

Leave a Response »

 

Discharged ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ veteran, student speaks Monday, Nov 28 2011

Published in The DePaulia: Monday, October 3, 2011

The entire country celebrated Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’s repeal Tuesday, Sept. 20.

In Chicago, the celebration at Downtown Bar & Lounge at 440 N. State St., featured the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) with special guest Jim Messina, President Obama’s campaign manager for 2012, and a DePaul student by his side.

Marquell Smith, a DePaul student studying Business and Human Resources was a co-host/discharged veteran due to the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, and has been at the forefront of getting the policy repealed. He pats himself on the back for the night and also credits those supporters who not only supported him, but those who have had to serve in silence.

“Don’t just thank them for how they served or why they served, but for also serving in silence,” Smith said. “I showed up to a lot of town hall meetings and a lot of protests in the city, but what happened at that time was that there were people who were brave enough to stand up as well, which made this possible.”

Smith was given the privilege of introducing Messina to the crowd.

“What’s special about Jim Messina is that not only is he Obama’s campaign manager, but he’s also the person that when a lot of people were silent about Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, he spoke up about repealing it,” Smith said.

At the event, Smith presented Messina with a military coin. Smith said that he knew it would mean a lot, but also joked that it’s all he could afford because he’s still a broke college student.

Messina, most recently the Deputy Chief of Staff to President Obama and graduate of the University of Montana, walked on stage to a silent room.

“This is a big F-ing deal,” Messina said. The crowd laughed.

“So many of you in the room worked very hard for this for a very long time, and it’s a reminder that we can still do big things,” Messina said. “We can dream whatever we want, and we can go get it done.”

Messina said that he has the pen that President Obama used to sign the repeal hanging on his wall. “I heard the President say that we’re going to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and we’re going to do it in a way that works,” Messina said.

“In the end, when the President signed that bill and slammed his hand down on the desk and said this law is gone forever, it showed all of us that we can do great thing,” Messina said. “We aren’t a country that says ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ We are a country that says ‘out of many we are one.’”

The repeal is not only important to today’s military, it affects several generations of servicemen and women. Veronica Hernandez, another co-host/discharged veteran due to the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, said that her nephew is graduating from basic military training. “I am a very proud aunt and very proud veteran knowing that he has the ability to serve freely among those serving with him.”

Filled with civilian and veteran supporters, some regular attendees of the Downtown Bar & Lounge were surprised at how many people came out to celebrate. Christopher Schoop, a patron of Downtown Bar & Lounge, said that he visits the bar at least once a week and he rarely sees it so packed. Celebrations in Chicago and across the country made Sept. 20 a day to remember.

Leave a Response »

 

Front and Jump Page Samples Monday, Nov 15 2010

Below is my first front page that jumps to the second page of a pseudo newspaper entitled “Chicago City Scoop.” I do not own the rights to the information used within the newspaper.  The purpose is to solely build my portfolio, and provide a sample of the work that I am capable of doing.   The teasers, nameplate, headlines, cutlines and layout are all my original work.  Click here to download the PDF file and tell me what you think.

Leave a Response »

 

Chicago’s Smaller Museums: Preserving the Passion Monday, Nov 15 2010

Journals and newspaper collections from the Lansing Historical Society. (Photo by Nathan Ottens)

Audio Slideshow: Small-time Chicago museums

By Jim Crago and Nathan Ottens-Sanders

Giuseppe Gaglione of Stampland on Chicago Avenue has a passion for collecting rare rubber stamps – some used from the early 20th century. He also schedules as much time as possible for making rubber stamps to put on display for all to see.

“We don’t receive any monetary donations,” Gaglione said. “But donations of rubber stamps and stamp pads are always welcome.”

When visiting Stampland, it was obvious that Gaglione took his craft very seriously. When asked about his idea for Stampland, he lit up like a child finding presents under a Christmas tree.

How does Gaglione sustain without the aid of thousands of advertising dollars?

“We go to conventions, mostly on the east coast, and we promote via our website. My wife Darlene also teaches classes for scrapbooking.”

Giuseppe Gaglione of Stampland demonstrates his early 20th century stamp maker. (Photo by Jim Crago)

The John G. Shedd Museum and Field Museum, to name a few, have been mainstays throughout the years and have always sustained through even the toughest economic times. They display life from 20,000 leagues under the sea and pay homage to The Ancient America’s and Chocolate to thousands of patrons each year.

Father Krasic, Director of the Croatian Ethnic Institute and Museum, says that educational services, by way of his exhibit, help spread the legacy of Croatians in Chicago -past and present.

“We want to educate even those who do not speak Croatian on the journey of Croatians to America,” Father Krasic said. “There are many famous Croatians that have come through Chicago like Toni Kukoc of the Bulls and there’s something to say about that.”

Most of the smaller museums rely on loyal volunteer workers and generous monetary donations to sustain their collections. Money from big businesses is almost non-existent.

“We receive very few corporate donations,” said Karin Abercrombie of the Swedish American Museum. “We rely a lot on smaller grants and memberships.”

Abercrombie also says that they rely on artifact donations for display that may have been discovered from an abandoned house or even museum.

There have, however, been situations when big brother has helped little brother in times of need. Nicholle Dumbrowski of the DANK Haus German-American Cultural Center says that the Field Museum helped teach a workshop on how to preserve their collections; they have also helped in other situations.

“The Chinese Museum burned down a few years ago,” Dumbrowski said. “The Field Museum jumped in and helped preserve what was left.”

But what about museums that do not have the privilege of national funding or unlimited dollar amounts for advertising? Most of the “smaller” museums rely on public donations from visitors.

“There is no charge to visit the museum,” said Tony DeLaurentis of the Lansing Historical Society. “We do have a donation box for anyone who cares to make a donation.”

While the larger museums witness hundreds, if not thousands of visitors per day, DeLaurentis says that they receive five to 10 visitors per day when they are open.

“We do several fundraisers, some annually and some ‘special projects,’” said DeLaurentis. “Our annual Bakeless Sale usually nets us approximately $1,000.”

Collette Renfro of The Blackberry Harvest Dollhouse Museum says that she started her museum when she was a child.

“I have had a dollhouse since I was eight years old,” Renfro said. “One thing led to another – another house, another house, another house.”

Renfro says that her museum is also a Shoppe and that it is her personal business. While she receives donations on occasion for help, she says that there has been a slight decline in attendance.

“There’s definitely a decline, mostly because of the internet. Mothers are able to outbid someone online [for a dollhouse] instead of coming in.”

Renfro, like many of the other curators, started their museums based on “passion” and have carried it on for years.

“One day my landlady came to the house and mentioned, ‘Oh, this is like a museum,’” Renfro said. “And I replied, ‘One day I’d like to open a museum; I might be just a housewife but I’m going to do it!’”

View Larger Map

• Swedish American Museum
ADDRESS – 5211 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60640
773-728-8111
MAIN MESSAGE – Spread the Swedish immigration message from 1870 to 1920.

• DANK Haus German-American Cultural Center and Museum
ADDRESS – 4740 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60625
773-561-9181
MAIN MESSAGE – Promote German culture in the city.

• Stampland
ADDRESS – 2708 W. Chicago Ave. Chicago, IL 60622
773-366-8934
MAIN MESSAGE – Nostalgia for all things stamps.

• Lansing Historical Museum
ADDRESS – 2750 Indiana Ave. Lansing, IL 60438
708-474-2447
MAIN MESSAGE – Collections of historical items and stories of the towns past.

• Croatian Ethnic Institute and Museum
ADDRESS – 4851 S. Drexel Blvd. Chicago, IL 60615
773-373-4670
MAIN MESSAGE – To educate those interested in Croatian history and language.

• Blackberry Harvest Dollhouse Museum and Shoppe
ADDRESS – 18120 Dixie Highway Homewood, IL 60430
708-957-4332
MAIN MESSAGE – Appreciation for dollhouses for young and old.

Leave a Response »