City of Lake Forest, Illinois

As Veterans Day approaches, we're sharing the remarkable story of a humble Lake Forest resident and decorated Navy veteran, Captain James Daniel Ehret.🇺🇸

Often it’s not easy to spot heroes. They’re humble about their exploits, and it’s difficult to persuade them to speak about their accomplishments.

There’s a hero in Lake Forest named Captain Ehret. Nearly 91, on a rare occasion he may be dressed in his Navy uniform, a hat atop his head and medals across his heart, but otherwise few know he even served our country during war.

Captain Ehret flew the A-1 Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk and the A-7 Corsair II, all single-engine, single-seat light attack aircraft, in 100 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He provided air support to our troops on the ground during his three tours in Vietnam. He logged over 500 carrier landings -- half at night while landing on a pitching, rolling deck -- and was awarded seven combat air medals, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service Medal (for reasons he cannot divulge) and more than a dozen foreign and domestic awards.

Captain Ehret also was involved with strike operations officer on USS Enterprise, the world’s first nuclear aircraft carrier. He was commanding officer of the Navy’s largest jet training squadron, Training Squadron 7 – known as the Magnificent Seven and situated in Mississippi. He spent six years with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

As a young ensign and fledgling pilot, Captain Ehret made his first carrier landing while his father observed from the ship’s bridge with the commanding officer. After nine years as a bachelor naval aviator, he had become a professional groomsman and godfather. It was 1963, at his sister Jane’s wedding, he met the woman who would become the love of his life. He thought Helen “Honey” Carey was a blend of Elizabeth Taylor and Suzanne Pleshette. About a year later, Jim and Honey were married at St. Issac Jogues Church in Hinsdale and enjoyed raising five children.

While in the Navy, Captain Ehret and his wife moved within the United States more than two dozen times before settling in Lake Forest. Captain Ehret went through the same slow process of reaching a higher level of being as he matured in his Roman Catholic faith through study and daily attendance at mass at St. Mary’s Church. All this slowly and surely helped him to understand that God and his guardian angel have been at his side his entire life. He especially appreciates the love and support from the aptly named Back Pew Crew, which can be found after mass most days enjoying coffee and convivial exchange at Gerhardt’s Bakery.

We salute you, Captain Ehret!

Find the full story on the City's Lake Forest Love blog: https://loom.ly/2YTN4wg

Lake Forest’s remarkable gardens have added color to the town over the years, as has the work of its many dedicated garden club members.🌷

In May, the Junior Garden Club of Lake Forest was invited to become the 200th member of the Garden Club of America (GCA), an esteemed organization dedicated to stimulating knowledge and love of gardening, providing opportunities to gather and share information regionally and nationwide and protecting the quality of the environment through conservation and civic improvement.

“We are thrilled to have our club inducted into the GCA,” said Junior Garden Club President Lisa Walsh. “The GCA is a national leader in every respect, and our affiliation with it will only deepen and expand our club members’ knowledge and ability to contribute to areas of garden history and design, botanical arts, horticulture, photography, and conservation efforts.”

The impetus to investigate joining the GCA came from recognition that there was much the GCA offered that would benefit Junior Garden Club members.

“We knew our club already provided a high level of programming and that we had members who would welcome opportunities to deepen their knowledge base and get involved on a higher level,” said Walsh.

The application, review and site visit process to become a GCA member took more than two years.

"We took the time to speak with a number of GCA clubs around the country to see if we would be a good fit and found we were,” Walsh recalled. “Clubs range from ones that are primarily interested in digging in the dirt, while others are horticulture-focused. All are unique.”

She noted that the application process was quite involved and required gathering of a lot of historical information about the Junior Garden Club and its past endeavors. Walsh noted that GCA was particularly interested in how the Junior Garden Club was successful in attracting women of all ages.

“The concept of a community garden club is one that has been around a long time and that is reflected in an aging membership in some clubs across the country,” she explained. “Our membership ranges from young women raising children to women in their 90s. I think it’s because we are about keeping it light, fresh and fun while we hold our educational workshops and do meaningful work.”

Walsh is excited to see what members do with the club’s membership in GCA. To discern members’ interest areas and identify overlap with GCA’s offerings, the club recently surveyed members.

“So many of our members are gifted and passionate about issues related to gardening, and we want them to be aware of how they can tap into all that GCA offers, even at the zone or national level,” Walsh explained. “I think we are going to have some really strong leaders step up. Getting our members plugged in is going to expand their passion and desire to do more.”

Find the full story on the City's Lake Forest Love blog: https://www.lakeforestlove.com/post/junior-garden-club-of-lake-forest-joins-esteemed-garden-club-of-america

Lake Forest residents can now divert hard-to-recycle plastics from landfills with the Hefty ReNew Orange Bag Recycling Program!

How it works:
♻️ Simply fill the orange bag with accepted items that can't be recycled curbside in Lake Forest, including chip bags, foam egg cartons, bubble wrap, plastic grocery bags, and other flexible packaging.
♻️ Drop it off at the Compost & Recycling Center (located at 1381 Kennedy Rd). Open hours: Saturday 8 am - 5 pm, Sunday 9 am - 5 pm, Closed: Monday-Friday.
♻️ That’s it! The orange bag makes it easy – and accepted items are printed directly on the bag.

Orange bags are available for purchase now at Lake Forest Sunset Foods and will be coming soon to Jewel and other local retailers. A limited number of samples are available at Municipal Services and City Hall.

While other neighboring communities may allow the Orange Bags to be placed in their curbside recycling carts, in Lake Forest the bags must be dropped off at the Compost & Recycling Center.

It's important to note that this program will complement, not replace, Lake Forest's current recycling efforts. The program works alongside your regular curbside and drop-off recycling, collecting hard-to-recycle plastics that would otherwise end up in the trash and diverting them from the landfill. It adds an extra layer of waste reduction without replacing your current recycling efforts.

Learn more and start recycling today at cityoflakeforest.com/OrangeBagProgram.

BOO - your Lake Forest Halloween Guide is here!🎃 Trick-or-Treating hours are TODAY, October 31 from 4-8 pm!🗓️

Keep your little ghouls and goblins safe with these spook-tacular tips from the Lake Forest Police Department:

🧟‍♀️🧛 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦: Little monsters need a grown-up or big sibling sidekick! Stay on sidewalks for safe haunting.
📸 𝐏𝐫𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐩: Snap a pic of your costumed crew before heading out.
✨ 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐔𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Pack those flashlights & glow sticks, Rock that reflective tape, and wear bright colors.
🚗 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬: Look both ways (even vampires do it!), crosswalks are your friend, stay alert for passing cars.

Happy Halloween from all of us at the City of Lake Forest!👻

Hey, there's a fresh batch of sand at Forest Park Beach!😍

Nearly 220 truckloads of sand were delivered to the second northernmost area (aka cell two) as part of the Sand Replenishment Project.🏖️

Restoring the profile of the beach in the fall makes it more resilient to wave action from winter storms.🌊

By improving this beloved community asset and ensuring it's longevity for years to come, the project checks the box for two priority areas in the City's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan:
✅Recreation and Community Well-Being
✅Infrastructure and City Facilities

As you walk along the gravel path in Lake Forest’s 168-year-old Forest Park, absorbing the beauty of Lake Michigan and the beach below, take note: this didn’t happen by accident. This property has been stewarded by a committed group of Lake Forest residents since its creation, and that care continues today.🌳

Recently, Forest Park Conservancy, formerly known as Forest Park Preservation Board, launched a website, www.forestpark1856.org, and a quarterly newsletter to keep residents aware of the unique history of the city’s first park, developments, ecological news and seasonal events. The Conservancy ensures the preservation and enhancement of Forest Park.

“I think what’s unique about Lake Forest is that we’ve got gems like Forest Park that blend into the community,” said Conservancy Board President Tom Donovan. “It’s important that, as a community, we appreciate the history and efforts made over time to plan, maintain and refine these beautiful parks.”

Located at the corner of Deerpath and Lake Roads, Forest Park was designated as a site for a public park in the 1856 original plan of Lake Forest by Almerin Hotchkiss. In 1892, Chicago’s first golf course was laid out on the grounds of Fairlawn, the Charles B. Farwell estate, roughly opposite Forest Park. Tomato cans sunk in the ground provided seven holes of play, with nearby Lake Michigan offering a significant hazard.

Four years later, Ossian Cole Simonds developed a site plan for Forest Park including an unpaved carriage way for horse-drawn buggies with extensive views of the lake, walking paths across the park and down to the beach, remnants of the pre-settlement oak woodland and savanna and the use of native plants.

“From the beginnings of our town, plans were set in place integrating with and respecting the natural landscape,” Donovan said.

But during certain decades, Forest Park was neglected, which contributed to the deterioration of its once-beautiful landscape. Views of the lake were blocked by overgrown vegetation and invasive, non-native trees. Shrub beds had become lawn, and the 1896 carriage way grew into a wide asphalt road, paved to accommodate vehicles, as well as residents out for a stroll or bike ride, creating safety issues. Water runoff became an issue.

In 2008, at the urging of the City of Lake Forest, the Forest Park Project Board was created to guide the rehabilitation of the park, honoring the tenets of the Simonds plan. There ensued a unique public-private collaboration that has lasted more than a decade. Landscape and natural area management plans were designed by Stephen Stimson and P. Clifford Miller to restore degraded natural areas and introduce sustainable technologies throughout the site.

Their work was impactful. Diverse native plantings were introduced to reduce turf. Over 150 trees were planted.

“This town has always been blessed with talented landscape architects and dedicated residents who strive to preserve and maintain its natural spaces,” Donovan said. “How fortunate we are.”

Donovan is pleased that the conservancy’s public-private partnership with the City of Lake Forest is now being emulated by other organizations. “The standards we have set up for the park are now being picked up for use by other local parks,” he said. “This combination of public tax dollars with private donations can work quite effectively when people are invested in their community.”

Find the full story on Lake Forest Love: https://www.lakeforestlove.com/post/new-website-newsletter-share-history-and-beauty-of-city-s-first-park.

Officers Sineni, Magna and Polster had a fab-boo-lous time at "Boo in the Square" last night!👻 They even recruited some new officers.😁👮‍♀️

Mayor Tack proudly supported Noel Demetrio at the White House to celebrate the inspiring work she does work right here in Lake Forest!👏

Noel was honored alongside ten other young women during the "Girls Leading Change" event hosted by First Lady Jill Biden in recognition of her incredible community impact.

Watch Noel speak during the event (and give a shout out to Mayor Tack!): https://loom.ly/Q0yk01Q

Watch the full event video: https://loom.ly/SY4Ve-Q

View the 2024 "Girls Leading Change" Honorees press release: https://loom.ly/DWtcFDc

Congratulations Noel - we're so proud of you!👏

Your chance to beat the Election Day rush starts tomorrow!

Here's what you need to know about Early Voting at Lake Forest's City Hall:

🗓️ When: Oct 21 - Nov 2, 2024
⏰ Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-2pm
📍 Location: City Hall, 200 E Deerpath, Second Floor

𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒖𝒔: 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑 𝒃𝒐𝒙 𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒏-𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆!

This is a great opportunity for all Lake County voters to cast their ballots before Election Day on Tuesday, November 5.

Learn more at cityoflakeforest.com/EarlyVoting.

Memory loss among older Americans is a significant issue. To help improve the quality of life for those afflicted and to ease the burden on caregivers, Dickinson Hall Senior Center Lake Forest/Lake Bluff and the Lake Forest Library have united to unveil a Memory Café this year.

For 90 minutes on the third Tuesday of each month at Dickinson Hall in Lake Forest, attendees in the early stages of memory loss can talk about the past and connect with each other in a welcoming environment at no charge.

"We have been talking about introducing it here for quite a while,” said Tricia Schwall, senior resources manager at Dickinson Hall.

So had Krista Kosar, adult services librarian at Lake Forest Library.

“As the population ages, it’s become more of an interest,” Kosar said. Given that part of the library’s new strategic plan was to collaborate with other organizations in the community, she reached out to partner with Schwall on the initiative.

Introduced by a Dutch psychiatrist in 1997, Memory Cafés are global now. According to memorycafedirectory.com, they were created as “a way to break through the stigma associated with various forms of dementia. It simply wasn’t discussed and those living with the disease – and their caregivers – were suffering as a result.”

The first session this summer started with people chatting over snacks and coffee. Schwall and Kosar – who are dementia friendly certified, along with their staffs -- explained what a Memory Café is and asked participants what they’d be interested in during future events.

“As the population ages, it’s become more of an interest,” Kosar said. Given that part of the library’s new strategic plan was to collaborate with other organizations in the community, she reached out to partner with Schwall on the initiative.

“I got the impression they enjoyed the first session and that they’ll be back,” Kosar said. “The bigger it gets, the more exciting it will be. We’re flexible on topics and letting the conversation flow.” Future sessions will also include mindful yoga, music, creative storytelling and more.

Membership at Dickinson Hall or the library is not required – the only requirement is to register in advance (see registration information below). Caregivers must accompany attendees. Schwall pointed out the experience is important to them.

Find the full story and learn more at https://www.lakeforestlove.com/post/caf%C3%A9-encourages-those-with-memory-loss-to-talk-about-the-past-connect.

To register for the Memory Café, please call Dickinson Hall at (847) 234-2209 or email [email protected].

Time may fly by, but some things stay the same! Any idea when this historic photo of Market Square was taken?🕐

Comment with your best guess below⬇️. The first person to guess correctly wins some exclusive Lake Forest swag - and bragging rights!🏆

Lake Forest still has the same charm and elegance it always has. From the iconic architecture to the bustling atmosphere, Market Square remains a testament to our City's rich history and enduring spirit.

Share this post to spread the Lake Forest Love. Let's see who knows our town's timeline the best!

📸 Photo courtesy of the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff

Have you visited the Forest Park Beach Pathway yet? It's officially open - come check it out!🌟

Thank you to everyone who attended the Ribbon Cutting last weekend and took part in the "first walk" down the new, universally accessible boardwalk.

The pathway is more than a new way down to the beach – it’s a testament to how special Lake Forest truly is. While the City committed $1.3 million to the project, Diana and David Moore provided a generous lead donation, and Lake Forest residents came together to raise nearly $1 million in just three months.

Only in Lake Forest is something like this even possible! This kind of philanthropic spirit is a cornerstone of Lake Forest’s identity, reflecting our community’s unmatched generosity and commitment to investing in its future.

"Fiscal Stewardship" is a priority area in the City's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and this project is a shining example of how private-public partnerships can help support capital projects, enhancing our community spaces while responsibly managing our resources.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in making this project happen. Together, we're paving the way for the future of Lake Forest!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the process to develop the City's Strategic Plan!👏

Over the last year, the City gathered community feedback through a Community-Wide Survey, in-person and online workshops, and online surveys to help shape the plan.

Last week, the City Council unanimously voted to adopt Lake Forest’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan.

The 2025-2030 Strategic Plan reaffirms the Mission, Vision and Values and Cornerstones of the previous plans.

Based on the public feedback, it includes refocused and newly created Priority Areas with fresh objectives for future planning and policy guidance:
💲 Fiscal Stewardship
🏛️ Infrastructure and City Facilities
🚨 Public Safety
🍃 Recreation and Community Well-Being
🟢Community’s Visual Character and Development
📈 Business and Economic Vitality
💬 Community Engagement

As has been Lake Forest’s practice for many years, the new Strategic Plan will guide policy and budget recommendations made by City Staff over the next five years. The new Priority Areas will respectively be tied to budget goals established by each department in the budget process. Also, during the annual budget process, an annual progress report will be provided to provide an update on the implementation status on various aspects of the plan.

Flip through the Strategic Plan at https://online.fliphtml5.com/awapp/tdoq/ and learn more at cityoflakeforest.com/StrategicPlan.

Anyone else catch the Northern Lights last night?😍

The view from Forest Park Beach was absolutely electric!⚡

📷: Thais Photo & Design

Early voting at City Hall is 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒.🗓️

Early Voting Hours:
🕘Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm
🕘Saturdays: 9 am- 2 pm

If you have a mail-in ballot, you can drop it at the US Post Office. 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐕𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏.☑️

This is a great opportunity for all Lake County voters to cast their ballots before Election Day, Tuesday, November 5.

Find more information on early voting: https://loom.ly/E81XpSo