Alderman Danny Solis and Ruben Aguilar |
50th ANNUAL: The City of Chicago Park
District, Michael Kelly, General
Superintendent & CEO and Evelyn
Diaz, Commissioner, Department of Family & Support Services hosted the
50th Annual Senior Citizen Hall of Fame and 45th
Annual Senior Citizen of the Year Awards Luncheon. The award luncheon was held
Saturday, June 2, 2012 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel Ballroom, 301 East North
Water Street, Chicago.
ATTENDING
the ceremony
were more than 400 Senior Citizens and guests from across the city. Joyce
Gallaher, Executive Director of the Chicago Area Agency on Aging, was the
mistress of ceremonies. Joyce introduced several Aldermen and dignitaries. Sixty-seven
seniors were inducted into the Senior Citizen Hall of Fame and three Luminaries:
Father George Clements, 80; Andrew Miles, 86; and Ruben D. Aguilar, 85. All three luminaries were honored, receiving
a beautiful glass plaque. Alderman Danny
Solis [25th Ward] was introduced and congratulated all the seniors,
especially Ruben Aguilar whom Solis said, “He’s my guy!” Len Dominguez, Director of the Carlos & Dominguez Fine Art
Gallery in Pilsen, and I attended the awards luncheon as guests of Aguilar.
Len Dominguez and Ruben Aguilar |
RUBEN
D. AGUILAR was
born in Chicago to Mexican parents and in 1933, when he was 7 years old, Ruben
and his entire family were sent back to Mexico during the infamous repatriation
raids. More than two million Mexicans--Mexican-Americans and undocumented-- were deported
back to Mexico in trucks and by train. "Mexicans were blamed for unemployment during
the great depression of the early 20th century", said Aguilar.
RUBEN WAS in Mexico when he turned 18
years old and received a notice from the Induction Center in Chicago for him to
report back to U.S. for the draft. He returned to the U.S., reported to military
service in the Korean War and drafted into the army during World War II, as a
marine. Many Mexican-Americans who were sent back to Mexico, illegally, in 1935
returned back to the U.S. to fight for their country.
AFTER
HIS military
service Ruben returned to Pilsen and worked in design oriented jobs until he
had enough money to open his own factory, Chicago Creative Textile Design. The
highlight of his career was a commission to decorate Soldier Field stadium for
the 1976 Bicentennial celebration. Mayor
Richard J. Daley personally met with Ruben and asked him to decorate Soldier
Field. Ruben adorned the stadium with 39 foot murals 18’ high and 8’ wide with
images of famous sport figures.
TODAY, Ruben has a store in the heart
of Pilsen on 18th Street where he tells stories of his past and
creates new work which is for sale. He is a mentor to young artists in the
community and sells their work at his store located at 1504 West 18th Street.
Store hours are 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. except on Wednesday when the store is closed. Visitors
are always welcome.
A CHICAGO treasure, Ruben Aguilar is a
testament to the old saying, if you do what you love, you’ll stay young
forever!
William Luna, Curator |
OPEN HOUSE: Holding a new sign, William “Bill” Guillermo Luna, curator of
the Museum
of
Mexican Culture and History, 3610 W. 26th announced the Museum will once again host
visitors during the Open House Chicago
2012. It’s a free public event Oct.
13 and 14, 2012. “Open House
Chicago is an opportunity to showcase our Mexican culture and history,” said
Luna. Last year over 200 people visited the Museum. “We had visitors from
Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana, plus from the suburbs of Chicago,” Luna said.
THE
OPEN House Chicago event is sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Little Village was selected as a
hosting neighborhood because it is a colorful, exciting and interesting community.
Visitors will have 25 neighborhoods to visit during Open House Chicago. No
reservation necessary. For more information on Open House Chicago 2012, call 312/922-3432.
CURATOR
LUNA began his passion as a Mexican Culture historian in 1992 when he
opened a Mexican book store. After 20 years his store evolved into a Mexican
Museum. Luna teaches Mexican culture at the Indiana University Northwest campus
in Gary, Indiana, teaching the history of Mexico and Latinos. He is available
to make presentations to church groups, senior clubs, schools, military and
community organizations. Videos and movies of Mexican history can be seen at
the Museum. In Little Village, Luna said that today it is now strictly a
museum. The Museum is a collection of Mexican artifacts, photos, equipment,
statues and memorabilia.
VISITORS to the museum will see black
& white and colorful photos of Pancho
Villa, Emiliano Zapata and scenes of the 1910 Mexican revolution. Hanging
on the walls is a Maya calendar, photos and maps of the Maya empire, twelve
colorful paintings of Aztec emperors with their histories and background. Other
items on display are sombreros, saddles, ropes, spurs used by the Mexican
vaqueros [cowboys]. There are photos of the War of Independence, the Batalla de
Puebla and U.S. military equipment are also featured in the museum.
THE MUSEUM is
under the auspices of the Little Village Community Council and has a vendor
number with the Chicago Public Schools and an IRS 501(c) 3 tax exempt status.
THE MUSEUM will soon be offering a course in Chicago entitled, “The Mexican American Civil Rights Movement” in collaboration with Dr. Rita D. Hernandez from Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi, College of Education. For more info contact William Luna at 773/551-4750.
THE MUSEUM will soon be offering a course in Chicago entitled, “The Mexican American Civil Rights Movement” in collaboration with Dr. Rita D. Hernandez from Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi, College of Education. For more info contact William Luna at 773/551-4750.
Ernesto Espinoza points to the neighborhoods for scouts |
BOY SCOUTING: Ernesto Espinoza, Assistant Director of Field
Service, Chicago Area Council, and Boy Scouts of America announced there will be
a Scouting Meet & Greet meeting on Thursday, June 28, 2012 at the Steve
Fossett Center for Scouting, 1218 West Adams St., Chicago. Registration at 5:30 p.m. Meeting at 6:30
p.m. Botanas and aguas frescas will be served. Cocktails after the
presentation. Parking available.
SCOUTING
provides youth
with an opportunity to try new things, provide service to others, build
self-confidence and reinforce ethical standards. “Scouting also helps the
community become a better place to live by instilling the values of
Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful,
Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent in youth and adults”, said Espinoza.
ANYONE interested in scouting, kindly RSVP by June 22nd to Myriam Herrera at 312/421-8000, ext. 209 or Myriam.herrera@scouting.org Ernest Espinoza can be reached by cell: 214/907-9759.
_______________________________________________________________
HEALTH FAIR
FERIA DE SALUD
SAT., JUNE 23, 2012
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
at
LITTLE VILLAGE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
3610 W. 26th St.
--FREE--
Blood Pressure, Diabetes Screening,
WALKS Clinic, Community
Wellness Program, Senior Wellness
Information, Giveaways, Asthma
Screening
FOR MORE INFO: 312/286-3405
____________________________________________________________
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!