Lake Forest Children Hunt Easter Eggs

Watch the children scramble for eggs during annual holiday event.

Hundreds of Lake Forest children dashed for Easter Eggs Saturday at Deer Path Middle School as part of the City’s annual community event sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department. Get local news in a daily email from Patch. It's like getting a free newspaper. Learn more.  In addition to the scramble for plastic eggs with some containing coupons for prizes, the children and their families enjoyed a magic show, carnival games, arts and crafts as well as an opportunity to have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny. The picture taking was sponsored by Patch. Anyone who did not have the chance to take the picture home with them Saturday can get it this week at the Recreation Center. Patch will have a complete photo gallery depicting …

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Openings Still Exist for Fred Jackson Golf Classic

Lake Forest grad Sarah Spain will be there to present the awards.

  Lake Forest High School graduate Sarah Spain will be on hand to present the awards at the 11th annual Fred Jackson Golf Classic June 1 at Deerpath Golf Course. Spahn is an ESPN W columnist, a SportsCenter anchor for Chicago’s ESPN 1000 and a reporter for ESPNChicago.com. There are still openings to play in the tournament, which starts with check-in and lunch at 11 a.m., a shotgun start at noon followed by dinner, awards and silent auction at 5 p.m. The silent auction is a major fundraiser for the Friends of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Foundation, which channels the money toward park programs, park enhancements, the Lake Forest Fourth of July Festival and the Golf Classic. For information, fill out the attached PDF form or call (847…

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Waveland Park Basketball Court Serves as Reminder of Lake Forest Youngster's Spirit

Friends and family of Daniel Jaekel raise money to help build court to preserve his memory.

Alex Moore grew up within walking distance of Waveland Park in Lake Forest, and his companion at the park more often than not was Daniel Jaekel. “I remember playing on the Waveland jungle gym with him on the weekends,” Moore said. “So every time I go there, I can just think of all the fun times we had there.” Moore was back at the park late in September, but playing a game of hoops on Waveland Park’s new basketball court, which was dedicated to Jaekel. In November 2005, at age 11, Jaekel died suddenly of a heart condition. His parents, Mary Kay and Tom, and his sisters Libby and Sarah knew that Daniel’s spirit of friendship and kindness would never be forgotten. However, they wanted to do something to bring his friends, like Moore, and …

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The Wild Side of Wildlife with Rob Carmichael

Video: Tagging Snakes To Track Their Movements, Habits

Eastern garter snakes are an important part of the food web -- both as prey and as predator.

In our previous segment, we introduced Matt Most, who is a graduate student from Loyola University looking at movement patterns of our population of Eastern garter snakes. However, we held back on the details to give you a better picture in this segment of how field researchers measure and gain information on populations to make critical resource management decisions. From March through June 2011, passive sampling methods were used in this fieldwork, including meandering surveys and cover board arrays. Upon capture, the garter snake is taken back to the Wildlife Discovery Center and its health is assessed to ensure that the animal is an active, healthy specimen for our sample. After our assessment, each snake is marked using PIT tags, …

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Patch Passport: Kid-Friendly Fun

Take advantage of time with your kids and get out and enjoy these hot spots. Your Patch Passport gives you options for great local spots for kid-friendly fun.

Summer’s here, school’s out, the kids are bored, and the sounds of video games and the television are driving you crazy. It’s time to turn off the gadgets and explore some of the best summertime activities in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff. There are dozens of things to do in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff, and here are two of the best. Lake Forest - Elawa Farm Lake Forest is known for its pristine beach and beautiful woodlands, which is why it was named Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. Take advantage of the abundant wildlife and outdoor scenery at one of the most entertaining, educational, and kid-friendly places in town: the Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm. You and the kids will be amazed by the incredible display of reptiles …

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VIDEO: Lake Forest's Emery Moorehead Makes Stop at Chicago Bears Youth Football Camp

He was a member of the 1985 Super Bowl Chicago Bears. Emery Moorehead talks football with youngsters attending the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation's camp last week at Deerpath Park run by former Bear Robin Earl.

Look for more from former Chicago Bear Emery Moorehead on the current Bears and the NFL lockout, coming exclusively to the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Patch Facebook page on Tuesday (July 5). Read the story on the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Department's Chicago Bears Youth Football Camp held last week at Deerpath Park.

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Waveland Park Playground Replacement To Start In August

Project includes relocation, and updated equipment.

With the renovation of the tennis courts at Waveland Park due for completion this summer, the Lake Forest City Council has given its approval for the replacement of its playground. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department expects to begin the project in August, and have it completed by Oct. 1. Built in 1991, Waveland Park’s playground equipment has reached the end of its useful life, said Mary Van Arsdale, Lake Forest’s director of parks, forestry, and recreation. Several timbers are rotting, and safety has become an increasing concern. The area also is adjacent to a retention pond, and the playground has experienced much flooding over the years, especially during a rainy spring and summer season, like the area has experienced this year…

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Sox Complete Improbable Finish With Majors Championship Title

Thrilling final play saves victory in House League finale over Cubs.

As unlikely as it might be for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox to meet for a championship, when the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Department's House League Majors season began, it was just as improbable the local versions would advance to a title game.  The unusual happened with the White Sox edging the Cubs, 8-7, for the title Saturday at Everett Park by making some plays in the field fans on the North and South sides would like to see at the major league level.  The Sox finished the year at 4-2-1 after dropping their first two games, while the Cubs closed the season at 5-5.  “It was a fun season,” Cub coach Skoo Walker said. “We were not supposed to be here.” With the Sox ahead 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, the …

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Minor League's Blue Jays Are Flying High

Chalk up wins in Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Center baseball.

The Lake Forest Recreation Center's Blue Jays have heated up the ball field despite the chilly spring weather. The Blue Jays, part of the Recreation Center's Minor League baseball progam, have posted wins in their last three outings and are on fire heading into the remainder of the season. Facing off against both the Orioles and the Red Sox last week, the Blue Jays came off the field victorious. The Blue Jays fell to both of these teams earlier in the season. The Blue Jays, sponsored by Buffo's Pizza, are 4-4 this season posting additional wins during their face offs with the Twins and Athletics. The Recreation Center's Minor League season continues through June 4.

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