The Balloon Guy

I have been adding to my Oak Parker project a little slower during the summer months, been busy with kids, outdoors, pools, festivals and local events. There aren't many Oak Park family events that pass that one doesn't see The Balloon Guy at, and so I felt he would be a good addition to the project. So I met him one very wet stormy Thursday night at the TNO event and got a couple shots in.

He definitely is an Oak Park character

David Lyons

Franciscan Outreach

Franciscan Outreach contacted me about visiting their soup kitchen and overnight shelter/transitional housing and taking some photos for them. Here are some of the people I met. Some help out at the soup kitchen on a daily bases, others are very newly homeless due to airline layoffs, and one was packing his bag leaving transitional housing and heading home. You can read about the work this organization does here With over 300 beds a night provided to some of Chicago's homeless every night of the year, and supper provided to many more people in need at their soup kitchen they are working hard to help their community.

I don't get to spend a lot of time with the guests when working but I always come away with a warm heart. There is such a strong connection to someone who is sharing a little of themself in this way. The recording of who they are right then in their life brings us together briefly, I get to see them, connect with them. My hope is that through these photos others out there might make a connection too, take a moment to see these people, look in their eyes and in some way reach out and help every now and again.

Sugar Beet Gala

Summer is keeping me busy and away from my computer, I should post a little something from time to time and so I'll show some images from one of the most fun filled of summer nights. If you live in the Oak Park area and haven't heard of The Sugar Beet Food Co-op it's time to check them out as they build steam.

" The Sugar Beet Cooperative will provide high quality, locally sourced food produced in ecologically sounds ways. Not only will we offer good food at fair value to member-owners and the community, The Sugar Beet Co-op will also serve as a neighborhood gathering place for sharing and learning, which in turn will support our regional food shed.
The vision of The Sugar Beet Co-op is to nurture our diverse community through the practice of cooperative economics and through educational programming honoring a more sustainable relationship between the foods we eat and the world we live in. "

Cheryl and Jenny tell a little of what they are doing and the farmers they plan to work with.

all photos are Here