Moms Talk

Catch the Olympic Spirit and Let the Games Begin!

Easy Ideas to Host Your Own Backyard Olympic Games

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games begin this Friday and my family is excited. I was lucky enough to get to attend the Olympic Games in Atlanta, and ever since then I have been a huge fan of the Games. I love the athletic feats, the back stories on the athletes, and the traditions of the Games like pin trading. I was amazed at how truly celebratory the event was for athletes and audience alike.  So, my family is really looking forward to watching our favorite events during this Summer's Olympic Games like basketball, beach volleyball, diving, and gymnastics. But it's just as much fun to host our own backyard Olympic Games as it is to watch the competition on TV. So, get the kids off the couch and see how easy it is to catch the Olympic Spirit. …

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Olympics Bound: North Shore’s Conor Dwyer

The Loyola Academy graduate and Winnetka native placed 2nd in the 400-meter freestyle and 3rd in the 200-individual medley at the Olympic Trials in Omaha; he will represent the U.S. in London starting July 27.

North Shore native Conor Dwyer is headed to the Olympics, to represent the United States, and his hometown of Winnetka, in London later this month.  Dwyer, 23, a Loyola Academy graduate, took second place in the 400-meter freestyle event June 25 at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska.  That placement qualified him for the U.S. Olympic Swim Team, along with 47 others who vied for the coveted honor. “It was unbelievable after the 400; it was a lot of emotion and it was hard for me to put it into words, I’ve put so much work in over the last 11 months,” Dwyer said. “It was breathtaking.” Dwyer also placed third in the 200-meter individual medley (IM) and fourth in the 200-meter freestyle events during the 10-day trials that ended July …

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Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Briefly

Lake Forest Boosts Sailing Coach's Olympic Bid

Ratliff seeks support in his quest for Olympic 2012 gold.

Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department will host a rally of support for its sailing coach, Hunter Ratliff, who is making his Olympic bid for the 2012 Games in the 470 class one design sailboat category.  The rally will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, in Lake Forest. Under Ratliff tuteledge, the Lake Forest team has achieved a record success as the No. 1 sailing team out of 27 schools from five states in the Midwest. Ratliff hopes to turn this success into financial assistance to aid his quest for Olympic gold. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. There will be a donation booth for those that care to make a tax deductible donation  or, one can be mailed to the …

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