Freezing temps signal ice harvest season at
West Chicago farm
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We found this story on FOX32News Chicago and thought you might enjoy it. Turn on your sound and watch this video to gain an insight into life in this region prior to the advent of refrigerators.
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Received an email from Karen Allen Ballentine on 2/14/2025. The part that pertains to the above story follows:
Interesting video! My great or great-great grandfather, I forget which, was an original Kline. We visited the Kline farm a few years ago and since we were the only ones there, we got to hear some stories about the Kline family, something they don't share with other visitors.
Interesting video! My great or great-great grandfather, I forget which, was an original Kline. We visited the Kline farm a few years ago and since we were the only ones there, we got to hear some stories about the Kline family, something they don't share with other visitors.
Have you seen the Facebook post
All Aboard: A History of Population Growth in West Chicago?
Thank you Friends of the West Chicago City Museum.
All Aboard: A History of Population Growth in West Chicago?
Thank you Friends of the West Chicago City Museum.
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Archived from the Home page on December 22, 2024.
WCCHS Football 2024
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West Chicago Wildcats Make History with Back-to-Back Playoff Berths
Click here to read about it! The Illinois State 7A Championship playoffs stated Friday, November 1st, with our 27th ranked Wild Cats (6-3) playing the 6th ranked Ironmen (8-1) at Normal Community High School in Normal, IL.
The final score was Wild Cats 16, Ironmen 41. |
Halftime Homecoming Game
(Video courtesy of Barbara Alm Mazzochi) |
Date |
Played |
Score |
Result |
Aug 30 |
Round Lake |
0-42 |
Won |
Sep 6 |
at Joliet Central |
57-28 |
Won |
Sep 13 |
at Glenbard South |
8-63 |
Loss |
Sep 20 |
at Ridgewood |
43-35 |
Won |
Sep 27 |
South Elgin |
38-21 |
Loss |
Oct 4 |
Elmwood Park |
14-52 |
Won |
Oct 11 |
at Glenbard East |
7-49 |
Loss |
Oct 18 |
Riverside-Brookfield (Homecoming) |
10-41 |
Won |
Oct 25 |
Fenton Bensenville |
35-36 |
Won |
Scores from Scores Stream.
Archived from the Home page on March 16, 2024.
11th Annual Winter Social Event
It's come and gone! A Classmates picture has been posted on our Special Events page.
Archived from the Home page on February 17, 2024.
60 Year Reunion
It's come and gone already! See a recap on Our Reunions page.
Your pictures can be uploaded at the top of our 60 Year Candids page until the end of October.
Reunion photos are now on our 60 Year Reunion Candids page.
Your pictures can be uploaded at the top of our 60 Year Candids page until the end of October.
Reunion photos are now on our 60 Year Reunion Candids page.
Archived from the Home page on January 13, 2024.
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Remembering WLS
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Archived from the FAQ page on December 10, 2023.
Looking to Connect with his Father's Past
Charles Works, WCCHS class of '62, passed away in 1998 and his son, Matthew, is looking to make contact with anyone who knew him. Here is his Contact Us request:
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Looking for info on Charles Works class of 62. Would like to talk to any one alive from those years. I am his son Matthew Works. He passed away 1998.
Matthew Allen Works 630-201-4058 or [email protected]. |
We've already sent him links to the West Chicago Public Library yearbook collections for '59, '60', '61 and '62 which he has been sharing with his family. If you knew Charles, feel free to contact his son.
Archived from the FAQ page on October 3, 2023.
Q |
When I open a BLOG page, I see a POST but no comments are visible and there is no way to start or add to the conversation. |
A |
Click on the POST's title or, if the number of comments is greater than zero, click on the word "Comments".
Also, read the "POSTing Tips" in the right-hand side bar. |
Archived from the FAQ page on October 3, 2023.
Q |
I want to send money in advance to help the Planning Committee with pre-reunion commitments, reservations, etc. Where should I send it? |
A |
There are 2 ways to send us money:
THANK YOU in advance.
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Archived from the Classmates -> Contact Info page on October 1, 2023.
Planning Committee Contact Info
Planning Committee contact information.
If you have questions or suggestions regarding our 60 year reunion in 2023, please feel free to contact anyone on the committee.
If you have questions or suggestions regarding our 60 year reunion in 2023, please feel free to contact anyone on the committee.
Archived from the Classmates -> Contact Info page on October 1, 2023.
Details are now available on our 60 Year Reunion BLOG page.
If you need a hotel room, the Carol Stream Holiday Inn will hold a block of discounted rooms until September 7th.
Archived from the Home page on March 21, 2023.
60 Year Reunion!
We have consolidated reunion information on our Blog page and are currently trying to determine your interest.
On February 16, Tom Overton sent an email to all our classmates asking for a Yes/No reply to two questions:
On February 16, Tom Overton sent an email to all our classmates asking for a Yes/No reply to two questions:
- Are you interested in a 60 year reunion?
- Will you need overnight accommodations?
Archived from the BLOG page on March 21, 2023.
On Thu, Feb 16, 2023 at 8:19 PM Tom Overton <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello to all those living more than a day’s travel on horseback from the friendly confines of DuPage County. I write you asking for your participation in the planning of a 60-year class reunion. Your input is not excruciating, costly, time consuming or a risk to health and safety. All this takes, is to hit the “reply” button on your favorite black box immediately after replying “Yes” or “No” to the question: Will you attend and need accommodations?
If we get enough “Yes” replies, we will book something at the Carol Stream Holiday Inn so those coming by public transportation have a comfortable place to stay and spread gossip. If the travel crowd seems a bit sparse and plan on attending via personal travel carpets, we will probably plan something more casual in or around the town where we spent our youth.
To give you a bit more to ponder, our thoughts are gravitating around an August or September booking. Your input is always welcome, invited, and will carry weight when the time to tally votes pops out of the cage. So with that, I leave you to the hand wringing, decision making, calendar checking, best offer weighing and button pressing. I know this is somewhat presumptuous, but we would ask for your opinion by mid-March allowing us to move forward. May I add, I will not hang by my thumbs awaiting replies; hunger and thirst won’t allow such activities.
Take care and the best to you all, regardless of your decisions.
Tom Overton
Hello to all those living more than a day’s travel on horseback from the friendly confines of DuPage County. I write you asking for your participation in the planning of a 60-year class reunion. Your input is not excruciating, costly, time consuming or a risk to health and safety. All this takes, is to hit the “reply” button on your favorite black box immediately after replying “Yes” or “No” to the question: Will you attend and need accommodations?
If we get enough “Yes” replies, we will book something at the Carol Stream Holiday Inn so those coming by public transportation have a comfortable place to stay and spread gossip. If the travel crowd seems a bit sparse and plan on attending via personal travel carpets, we will probably plan something more casual in or around the town where we spent our youth.
To give you a bit more to ponder, our thoughts are gravitating around an August or September booking. Your input is always welcome, invited, and will carry weight when the time to tally votes pops out of the cage. So with that, I leave you to the hand wringing, decision making, calendar checking, best offer weighing and button pressing. I know this is somewhat presumptuous, but we would ask for your opinion by mid-March allowing us to move forward. May I add, I will not hang by my thumbs awaiting replies; hunger and thirst won’t allow such activities.
Take care and the best to you all, regardless of your decisions.
Tom Overton
Archived from the BLOG page on March 21, 2023.
July 11, 2022 from Tom Overton, Planning Committee Chairperson:
Greetings from the CO 1963 Reunion Planning Committee
After an enjoyable lunch and meeting concerning the 60-year reunion, some of the following topics were discussed: When, Where, Plated or Casual Buffet, Afternoon or Evening, Anticipated Head Count, Lost Classmates since the 50th. There was the customary banter about offspring and their offspring, places visited, and what happened over the last two years.
For a quick bit of information, since June of 1963 with a graduating class of 140 people, we have lost the ability to communicate with 54; 34 have passed on and 20 are missing.
Getting down to business, I had a discussion with the new head of sales at the Holiday Inn of Carol Stream and what was once a need to reserve space for an event a year in advance has transformed to two months being the new norm. Giving thought to our age, current inflationary pressures, and uncertainty of what lies around the corner, we thought two months was a good number to use at this time.
One of the lessons we’ve learned repeatedly, is the fact this class does not enjoy showing any sign of preference until things are cemented in place. So, for now, there will be no formal news about a reunion until we are approximately six months out from having to make a choice.
If the desire to contact a committee member strikes, click here for a list of options and scroll down the left column.
This website [Blog] will still be a source of information of any discussions taking place prior to the next committee meeting sometime in March or April of 2023. I’m hoping we can convene in February for the pizza and discussion event we used to enjoy prior to all the commotion. Until another time, have fun, do what feels good, and keep those cards and letters coming.
Tom Overton
Committee Chair Person
After an enjoyable lunch and meeting concerning the 60-year reunion, some of the following topics were discussed: When, Where, Plated or Casual Buffet, Afternoon or Evening, Anticipated Head Count, Lost Classmates since the 50th. There was the customary banter about offspring and their offspring, places visited, and what happened over the last two years.
For a quick bit of information, since June of 1963 with a graduating class of 140 people, we have lost the ability to communicate with 54; 34 have passed on and 20 are missing.
Getting down to business, I had a discussion with the new head of sales at the Holiday Inn of Carol Stream and what was once a need to reserve space for an event a year in advance has transformed to two months being the new norm. Giving thought to our age, current inflationary pressures, and uncertainty of what lies around the corner, we thought two months was a good number to use at this time.
One of the lessons we’ve learned repeatedly, is the fact this class does not enjoy showing any sign of preference until things are cemented in place. So, for now, there will be no formal news about a reunion until we are approximately six months out from having to make a choice.
If the desire to contact a committee member strikes, click here for a list of options and scroll down the left column.
This website [Blog] will still be a source of information of any discussions taking place prior to the next committee meeting sometime in March or April of 2023. I’m hoping we can convene in February for the pizza and discussion event we used to enjoy prior to all the commotion. Until another time, have fun, do what feels good, and keep those cards and letters coming.
Tom Overton
Committee Chair Person
Archived from the BLOG page on March 21, 2023.
6/1/2022 12:43 PM from Tom Overton, Planning Committee Chairperson:
WCCHS Class of 1963
Hello.
For those of you wondering how time could travel at three times the speed aging, I’d like to inform you we are a year away from 60 years since the day we departed the friendly confines on Joliet Street in the town of West Chicago. For those of you managing to stay on top of such nonsense, congratulations.
I contact you because once again we have assembled the reunion planning committee to compile comments and suggestions for another momentous affair generally referred to as a class reunion. This is for those wishing to participate in assorted caloric intake and the discussion of old times. To accomplish our task, we would sincerely appreciate some feedback offering a compass point for us to follow.
To say the last two years have been an experience we never contemplated on that memorable day in June of 1963 would be an understatement. Who’d have thought a national economy would be severely hobbled, a virus would cause so much carnage both physically and emotionally, and we would see folks thinking twice about gathering to enjoy the company of others. The fact is, it happened, and the consequences do play into our daily activities.
With that in mind, please take a moment to reply to this message or head over to the class website, www.wego1963.com and give us your thoughts about having another reunion. Would you prefer something outside in the afternoon, something inside with a simple fare, or something a bit more traditional with white table clothes and shiny eating utensils? Maybe those choices are not in your thoughts at all, because you would prefer to abstain from any further gatherings.
Please take a moment to ring our bell, tell us how things are moving along and if this has any interest for you.
And with that, please accept my best wishes for enjoyable experiences throughout your days and thank you for your time.
Tom Overton
Hello.
For those of you wondering how time could travel at three times the speed aging, I’d like to inform you we are a year away from 60 years since the day we departed the friendly confines on Joliet Street in the town of West Chicago. For those of you managing to stay on top of such nonsense, congratulations.
I contact you because once again we have assembled the reunion planning committee to compile comments and suggestions for another momentous affair generally referred to as a class reunion. This is for those wishing to participate in assorted caloric intake and the discussion of old times. To accomplish our task, we would sincerely appreciate some feedback offering a compass point for us to follow.
To say the last two years have been an experience we never contemplated on that memorable day in June of 1963 would be an understatement. Who’d have thought a national economy would be severely hobbled, a virus would cause so much carnage both physically and emotionally, and we would see folks thinking twice about gathering to enjoy the company of others. The fact is, it happened, and the consequences do play into our daily activities.
With that in mind, please take a moment to reply to this message or head over to the class website, www.wego1963.com and give us your thoughts about having another reunion. Would you prefer something outside in the afternoon, something inside with a simple fare, or something a bit more traditional with white table clothes and shiny eating utensils? Maybe those choices are not in your thoughts at all, because you would prefer to abstain from any further gatherings.
Please take a moment to ring our bell, tell us how things are moving along and if this has any interest for you.
And with that, please accept my best wishes for enjoyable experiences throughout your days and thank you for your time.
Tom Overton
Archived from the BLOG page on March 21, 2023.
January 7, 2021 from Tom Overton, Planning Committee Chairperson:
It may seem premature to begin planning the next class reunion but we know making direct contact with all classmates, forming a reunion committee, sending out surveys and making the decision takes time. We also know nothing is settled, the dust is still airborne and what we plan today could easily be scrapped tomorrow with some sort of executive order or problem. Problems needing solutions should be common place for most of us by now and this is just another problem notch we can add to the story stick. So for no other reason than a show of our resilience, let us start collecting ideas and feelings about another reunion.
As 2018 Reunion Committee Chair I will take the reins once again to start the process. Send a note or call me, for or against, to make your thoughts known. I have a duty to keep names confidential, but not ideas. Let’s see if we can get a ball rolling in a positive direction.
Tom Overton
450 W. Lincoln Highway
Dekalb, IL 60115-3003
[email protected]
As 2018 Reunion Committee Chair I will take the reins once again to start the process. Send a note or call me, for or against, to make your thoughts known. I have a duty to keep names confidential, but not ideas. Let’s see if we can get a ball rolling in a positive direction.
Tom Overton
450 W. Lincoln Highway
Dekalb, IL 60115-3003
[email protected]
Archived from the BLOG page on March 21, 2023.
60 Years Since Graduation
Reunion 2023
On July 11, 2022, the Planning Committee Chair Person (Tom Overton) sent an email to the class about the possibility of a 60 Year Class Reunion and looking for your suggestions. So far, the response has not been overwhelming, suggesting that there may not be enough interest in this event. We have over $1000 in seed money for venue deposits, etc.
In addition to a possible reunion, it has been suggested that we have a summer picnic and/or attend WeGo Homecoming game. Perhaps we could do all 3. Perhaps you have another suggestion.
What are your thoughts?
In addition to a possible reunion, it has been suggested that we have a summer picnic and/or attend WeGo Homecoming game. Perhaps we could do all 3. Perhaps you have another suggestion.
What are your thoughts?
Archived from the Home page on February 11, 2023.
Annual Winter Social Event
Except for the COVID pandemic shutdown and recovery in 2021 and 2022, this has been an annual event since 2014!
As stated on our Home page, "We're back!"
As stated on our Home page, "We're back!"
February 2020 was our 7th Annual Winter Event. February 2023 will be our10th annual.
Please join us if you can.
Please join us if you can.
Archived from the Home page on February 11, 2023.
Reconnect during our 60th year since graduation.
First up: Winter Luncheon
We're back! Join us at 12:30pm Saturday February 11, 2023
on the Fox at Pal Joey's, 31 N. River Street, Batavia
As in the past we'll enjoy a buffet with Pan Pizza, House Romaine Salad, Pasta Marinara,
Cola/Diet Cola/Lemonade. $15 pp. Cash bar.
We've reserved the private dining room that seats 20-25; there is plenty of overflow space in the bar area. Since our 2018 class reunion we've had personal good times and bad times, lost several classmates and lived through covid. Now, let's simply enjoy an afternoon to meet face-to-face while comparing grand children (great-grand children?), pictures, share stories and celebrate the start of another year in this world we love.
We will consider and get feedback on several other potential 60th year events:
Reunion 2023
Summer Picnic
WeGo 2023 Homecoming
Didn't find what you're looking for? Go to items Archived in 2022 and before....
