Dignified Solutions
This letter is always the last thing that is organized before pressing the “send” button to release our gorgeous magazine pages northward to Wisconsin where QB is printed. I look at all of the material we’ve produced – so much of it a community effort – to see what strikes me. The stories and photos for our spring issue showcase so many marvelous things going on in our community.
QB’s cover feature is a story about the increasing critical, basic needs of residents, ones that would go unmet were it not for the collective efforts of local churches, governments, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and individuals who contribute generously.
In our visits with Senior Pastor Bill Hybels at Willow Creek Community Church, we heard the concerns of a pastor who cares as much about helping to fill those needs as in providing a path to dignity for those his church can help. On June 3, Willow Creek will open its new Care Center in South Barrington - a project that is as groundbreaking a model for dignity-centered outreach as it is for the sheer magnitude of its operation. What an accomplishment! The most heartwarming thing I took away from our meetings was that so many of the volunteers (there are 2,000 now and more are needed) were once helped by a Willow Creek Care Center in another location. The unforgettable and life-changing support given becomes an investment that almost guarantees a return of some kind from the person who gets back on his or her feet. While not expected or required, the passion to give back becomes a sustainable system for others.
We’re excited to honor Maggie Gruber as our Quintessential Person. There are many dedicated teachers who will retire this year from Barrington District 220, and we applaud them all. Many months ago, Maggie Gruber was nominated for the honor by a colleague. We always welcome a chance to hear from you about story ideas and suggestions.
While most of you know the Rihanna story by now, we went behind the scenes with the BHS-TV team to focus on them. (We’re glad Rihanna made it, even though she was rather late.) We have set up a partnership with BHS-TV and they will produce a companion video to one of our stories for each QB issue. Check out our website for their videos.
The pages ahead cover so many more happenings and good projects in town. It’s all thanks to the advertisers who choose our magazine to connect their business with you. Please do keep our loyal advertisers and their quality businesses in mind when making a purchase, and let them know that you saw them in QB.
Happy Spring!
