Ed Kelly and Augie Sallas |
IN SPORTS: Ed Kelly loves
sports. Now, as semi-retiree, he heads the Ed Kelly Sports
Program, Inc. and is sponsoring its 40th
Annual Giant Awards Dinner. This event will be held on Monday,
June 30, 2014 at the White Eagle Banquet Hall, 6839 N. Milwaukee
Ave., Niles, IL. Cocktails at 6:30 p.m. Dinner at 7:15 p.m. Ticket
donation: $100 each. If you are interested in attending this gala
event make checks payable to The Ed Kelly Sports Program, 2224 West
Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. “This going to be our biggest
Awards Dinner. It's will be a 'Who's Who”, said Kelly.
HONOREES will be: Joel
Quenneville, Chicago Blackhawks – Head Coach [Muhammad Ali
Athlete Award]; Dominic DiFrisco, Edelman P.R. Firm – Sr.
Consultant [Irv Kupcinet Media Award]; Mike Brey, Notre Dame
Men's Basketball – Head Coach [Ray Meyer Coach Award]; Tom
Fitzgibbon, Sr., Twentieth Century Services, Inc.-President [Bill
Hogan's Sr. Labor Award]; Luis A. Toledo, Midwest
Moving and Storage, Inc.-President [Harry Kempf Business Award]; John
Cullerton, Illinois State Senate – President [Jerry Gleason
Achievement Award]; Marc Schulman, Eli's Cheesecake – Owner
[ Marshall H. Smulson Humanitarian Award].
Joel Quenneville |
A POWERHOUSE: Ed Kelly, 89, former Democratic Committeeman of the north side 47th Ward organization, is one of Chicago’s astute politicians. He still continues to be connected in both sports and in political circles. For years, Kelly's ward were known as the “Fighting 47” because of Eddie's strong leadership within the Cook County Democratic Organization.
DURING HIS HEYDAY, because of
Kelly’s strong leadership skills combined with the close alliance
with Mayor Richard J. Daley; Eddie was appointed
Superintendent of the Chicago Park District. As the Park
Superintendent, he took great pride in caring for Chicago's parks.
Eddie was passionate about promoting sports and had an outstanding
boxing program for the kids.
I’VE KNOWN EDDIE for a long
time and I am honored to be a long-time friend of Ed Kelly. Eddie
has always been a friend of our Hispanic community. As the Park
Superintendent, Eddie was involved with both the Puerto Rican and
Mexican communities. “I created the Mexican Museum in Harrison Park
and the Puerto Rican Museum in Humboldt Park. In 1967, Kelly formed
the first Hispanic Umpire Association at Lincoln Park and created
soccer fields. Eddie is proud to let people know that he has four
grandchildren that are half Mexican and two great-grandchildren.
“Great kids,” said Kelly.
IN 1982, I asked Ed Kelly to
do two things; [1] create a small park on an empty lot at the corner
of 28th St. & Trumbull Ave. in Little Village. Eddie
said, OK, but a passive park. He said the corner lot was too small,
but he could install some hobbyhorses and a couple of slides at that
location. Today, the passive park is named “Miami Park” and kids
are enjoying it. And, [2] to repair the chain link fence around Limas
Park, 24th & Trumbull Ave. and to make other
improvements. Again, Kelly got the job done.
TWO YEARS later
in 1984, I asked Park Supt. Ed Kelly for a swimming pool, with
a dome, for Piotrowski Park in Little Village. Eddie said to me,
“Augie, I can give you a pool but without a dome because a lack of
money in our park budget. Do you still want it?” Of course, I said
yes! Within the same year, Kelly had a pool built at Piotrowski Park.
Years later, the Park District put a vinyl top over the pool. I had
also asked Eddie to paint the park benches and remove graffiti at
Piotrowski Park. Kelly had this work done immediately.
TODAY, Ed Kelly is still busy
helping people and giving recognition to individuals at his Annual
Giant Awards Dinners who made a contribution in our society. Ed
Kelly cared about our parks in Little Village, and I thanked him for
it.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
THURSDAY,
JUNE 5th—Little
Village Rotary Club, 1st
Inaugural Gala Event at Mi Tierra Restaurant, 2528 S. Kedzie Ave.,
Chicago. Fun starts at 6 p.m.: cocktails, dinner reception and
installation of officers. Guest speaker: Anita
Alvarez, Cook
County State's Attorney. Donation $50. For more info purchasing of
tickets online: www.littlevillagerotary.org
SATURDAY, JUNE 7th—Joseph E. Gary
Elementary, 3740 W. 31st St. Rummage Sale, 8 a.m. To 1
p.m. Vendor’s fee: $10. Questions, call 773/534-1455.
MONDAY, JUNE 16th—Chinatown
Business Luncheon Series featuring Gov. Pat Quinn, Phoenix
Restaurant, 2131 S. Archer Ave., Chicago Chinatown. Ticket Price:
Non-Members: $20. For more info call 312/328-0848. Purchase
tickets at: HTTP://BPT.ME/702514.
TUESDAY, JULY 15th—[Save the
Date] 4th Annual Birthday Golf Outing, State Rep. “Lisa”
Hernandez, 24th District.