For a second year, we asked Wednesday Journal readers to add their voices to the nominations for our annual Villagers of the Year. There were many ideas posted to OakPark.com and, a few also, sent direct to the editors. A good number were, we think, entirely sincere though there is always the sarcasm factor to consider in evaluating online comments.
Here then, in no particular order, are the names put forward by you, our beloved readers.
Bill Fitzgerald of FitzGerald’s; Rick Kuner, an activist and former Oak Park trustee; Gary Cuneen of Seven Generations Ahead; Dennis Murphy from Poor Phil’s; Gary Balling, the retiring head of the Oak Park parks; Mary Jo Schuler of Marion Street Cheese Market, etc., etc.; Sharon Patchak-Layman of the D200 school board; Mike Clark, the retired public works employee and unofficial village greeter; Nancy Dillon, the now deceased River Forest trustee; the also deceased Oak Park trustee Gus Kostopulos; Doug Wyman, VMA stalwart; State Senator Don Harmon; Becca Martin of Live Here Oak Park, a local website; the District 200 OPRF school board; the Vote Yes pro-D97 referendum committee; IMPACT, the local activists focusing on substance abuse among teens (and last year’s winners); David Barsotti, Kevin Murphy and, again, Sharon Patchak-Layman, for opposing the Lake and Forest project; Lynn Kessen, a candidate last year for the Oak Park village board; Bob Tucker who won a village board seat; and, if our snark-ometers were set correctly: David Pope, Oak Park village president; Trustee Ray Johnson, Village Manager Tom Barwin, retired village attorney Ray Heise.
Finally, both Ken Trainor and Marc Stopeck (Shrubtown) of the Journal were nominated. We gave them each McDonald’s gift certificates for the honor but they are not eligible.
Red Brick Pavers were not considered because they are inanimate.
