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Homewood gardeners special efforts win Blue Ribbon, Beautification Awards

  The Stafford House at 18520 Dundee won a Blue
  Ribbon Award from the Homewood Beautification
  Committee.
(Provided photo)
 

Gardeners in Homewood were recognized with special honors when the village’s Beautification Committee gave awards Oct. 17 for outstanding presentations.

 
Ten homeowners won the Blue Ribbon Award for the beautiful upkeep of their property. Others received Beautification Awards, and businesses also were recognized for their planters and small gardens around their properties. Special recognition also went to individuals and families who plant and maintain planters in the community.
 
Members of the Beautification Committee divide the village into sections and survey block-by-block for the most prestigious front yards that show off the beauty of Homewood’s homes. The Blue Ribbon homes are selected by all members of the committee, explained Annie McLaughlin, committee chair.
 
  The Rodriguez Family won its first Blue Ribbon
  Award for its beautiful display at 18553
  Carpenter Ave.
(Provided photo)
 

Josie and Gil Rodriguez were excited to win a Blue Ribbon for their home at 18553 Carpenter St. Gil said the family has lived there 36 years, and two years ago they won a Beautification Award. He maintains the grass, but credited his wife with the plantings. 

 
Josie said for many years “I could not even turn or touch dirt” but after surviving cancer she started looking at life differently, and “little by little I started doing more. Now I’m actually planting.” She’s not sure what got the selection committee’s attention, but she did add ferns this year.
 
Marilyn Stafford, at 18520 Dundee Ave., won her first Blue Ribbon Award after winning Beautification Awards. She said her garden looked spectacular this year. She admits she really worked at it this year because her house was part of the National Council of Jewish Women garden walk in June. 
 
  Potted plants line the drive at the Kluger home
  at 1049 Coach, a Blue Ribbon winner.
(Provided 
  photo)
 

“What I did this year, I put more statues and art décor out. I had them in the back yard, and moved them to the front. We’ve been working toward this every year,” Stafford said. “Color is one thing, but in my mind the décor helped.”

 
Blue Ribbon winner Larry Kluger said he enjoys spending time outdoors taking care of his garden at 1049 Coach Road. It’s his hobby.
 
“I don’t golf. My wife golfs, so I take care of the plants,” he said. “I grew up with plants. My mom had lots of plants.”
 
Lori and Steve Beyer at 1232 Birch Road won a Beautification Award this year. Lori said the wet spring did make gardening difficult this year, and after she set her flowers in she nurtured them every day.
 
Lucy and Joe Harper at 18258 Hood Ave. were first-time Beautification Award winners. Lucy said she changed up her plants and went with an orange and purple color scheme. She also went to a nursery for sunpatiens that “work beautifully and they’re so full,” she explained.
Blue Ribbon Winners
  • Wood Family, 1922 187th Street
  • Schmidt Family, 1533 Burr Oak Road
  • Rodriguez Family, 18553 Carpenter Street
  • Lindstrom Family, 2220 Cedar Road
  • Kluger Family, 1049 Coach Road
  • Browne Family, 18136 Dolphin Lake Drive
  • Stafford Family, 18520 Dundee Ave.
  • Wagner Residence, 3026 Elliott Lane
  • Michael O’Brien & Barbara Hogan, 1648 Evergreen Road
  • Scott Family, 1805 Maple Road
 
Beautification Awards
Powell Family, 1835 182nd Place; Moore Family, 1053 186th Place; Weitzel Family, 1857 186th Place; Asato Family, 1316 190th St.; Lee Residence, 1330 190th St.; Steven & Lori Beyer, 1232 Birch Road; Kloss Residence, Carpenter Street; Groboski Family, 1911 Cedar Road; Kleinfelder Residence on Dolphin Lake Drive; Crockett Family on Dolphin Lake Drive; Wells Residence, 3030 Elliott Lane; Gdalman Family, 1826 Evergreen Road; Bob and Laurie Defoe on Golfview Avenue.
 
Grygiel Residence on Hillside Avenue; Kevin and Linda Bewley on Homewood Avenue; Erickson/Nason Family on Homewood Avenue; Harper Family on Hood Avenue; Thomas Family, 3216 Knollwood Lane; Irelande Residence on Lexington Avenue; Amerio Family, 1359 Linden Road.
 
Pavlacka Family, 1811 Maple Road; Reynolds Family on May Street; Maksimik Family on Morris Avenue; Spratt Residence on Morris Avenue; Faster Residence, 1534 Olive Road; Maatman Family on Palmer Avenue; Ahern Residence on Perth Avenue in memory of John Ahern.
 
Kim Luytgaarden on Perth Avenue; Jean & Tom Schultz, 1315 Ridge Road; Leslie Jenner & Joel Hukill, 1638 Ridge Road; Stein-Spretnjak Family, 2161 Ridge Road; Hackett Family, 2166 Ridge Road; B. Pruitt Family on Robin Lane; Borger Family on Sacramento Avenue; Leonard Family on Stedhall Road; Holder Family on Stewart Avenue; Johnson Family, 2718 Tarpon Court.
 
Business Awards
Gardens of Homewood, 900 175th St.; 905 Building, 905 175th St.; Hunter Douglas, 915 175th St.; Eagle Express, 925 175th St.; Century 21 Affiliated, 930 175th St.; Carl Buddig Co., 950 175th St.; Girl Scouts, 1005 175th St.; 1055 Building, 1055 175th St.
 
American Technical Publishers, 1155 175th St.; Francis & Crnich CPA, 1205 175th St.; Friedman Huey & Associates, 1313 175th St.; Homewood Disposal, 1501 175th St.; Calumet Country Club, 2150 175th St.; Walgreens, 820 183rd St.; Culver’s, 950 183rd St.; Shir Tikvah, 1424 183rd St.; Homewood Historical Society’s Dorband-Howe House, 2035 183rd St.
 
Lassen’s, 2131 183rd St.; Kirschner Vision Group, 2156 183rd St.; Flosswood Condos, 2301 183rd St.; Flosswood Condos, 2311 183rd St.; Flossmoor Station Condos, 2321 183rd St.; Walt’s Food Center, 2345 183rd St.; Dunkin’ Donuts, 2353 183rd St.; Infinity Properties, 2401 183rd St.; Barbara Brown Allstate Insurance, 2405 183rd St.
 
Sweat Equity, 2413 183rd St.; Master Television, 2425 183rd St.; Best Cleaners, 2429 183rd St.; Arbor Eye Center, 2640 183rd St.; The Clubhouse, 2700 183rd St.; Homewood-Flossmoor Racquet & Fitness Club 2920 183rd St.; McDonald’s Restaurant, 3132 183rd St.; Let’s Learn Children’s Academy, 3355 183rd St.; Goodspeed Cycles, 2125 183rd St.; Blueberry Hill, 2155 183rd St. 
 
Municipal Service Center entrance, 17755 Ashland Ave.; CN, 17641 Ashland Ave.; CN Training Center, 17750 Ashland Ave.; Salem Lutheran Church, 18324 Ashland Ave.; Homewood Bat Co., 17845 Bretz Drive; Cherry Creek Condominiums, 18310-18320-18330 Cherry Creeek Dr.; Balagio Ristorante, 17501 Dixie Highway; Law Office of Wiliam Bryan, 17926 Dixie Highway; Eighner’s Florist, 17928 Dixie Highway; Police Department entrance, 17950 Dixie Highway; Parish of St. Joseph, 17951 Dixie Highway; Homewood Science Center, 18022 Dixie Highway.
 
St. Paul Community Church, 18200 Dixie Highway; Tews-Ryan Funeral Home, 18230 Dixie Highway; First Midwest Bank, 18600 Dixie Highway; Mission Optical, 18646 Dixie Highway; Barton Chiropratic, 18665 Dixie Highway; Pearson’s Bakery, 18670 Dixie Highway; Pete’s Auto Service, 18678 Dixie Highway; Old Gold Jewelry, 18701 Dixie Highway. 
 
The Art Corner, 18703 Dixie Highway; Cilantro Cocina Mexicana, 18755 Dixie Highway; William Lau & Co., Ltd., 18825 Dixie Highway; Tres Chick Salon, 18831 Dixie Highway; Elder Road Condominiums 903-916-932 Elder Road; Cancer Support Center, 2028 Elm Road; First Presbyterian Church, 17925 Gottschalk.
 
Woodlands Community Church, 18301 Governors Highway; Pops Beef, 18328 Governors Highway; Cherry Creek Shopping Center, 18348 Governors Highway; Portillo’s, 17500 Halsted St.; KFC, 17505 Halsted St.; Menard’s, 17545 Halsted St.; Potbelly, 17575 Halsted St.; BMO Harris, 17600 Halsted St.; Freddy’s Frozen Custard, 17601 Halsted St.
 
Target, 17605 Halsted St.; Kohl’s, 17620 Halsted St.; Subway, 17627 Halsted St.; Chipotle, 17700 Halsted St.; Jewel, 17705 Halsted St.; Vision Works, 17723 Halsted St.; McDonald’s Restaurant, 17740 Halsted St.; Best Buy Plaza-Besyata Investment Group, 17800 Halsted St.; Krispy Kreme, 17815 Halsted St.; Office Max, 17825 Halsted St.; Home Depot, 17845 Halsted St.; Boston Market, 17855 Halsted St.
 
Starbuck’s, 17860 Halsted St.; Chili’s, 17928 Halsted St.; Jenny Beauty Supply, 18130 Halted St.; The Room Place, 18150 Halsted St.; First Saving Bank of Hegewisch, 18200 Halsted St.; White Castle, 18250 Halsted St.
 
Homewood Terrace Condo Association, 18205-18211-18217-18223-18229 Hard Drive; Suzie’s Hallmark, 18065 Harwood Ave.; Art 4 Soul, 18135 Harwood Ave ; Grady’s Snack ‘n Dine, 18147 Harwood Ave.; Serenity Chiropractic, 18216 Harwood Ave.; Spornette, 18240 Harwood Ave.; Lisa Grant Dentistry, 18243 Harwood Ave.
 
Homewood Veterans Memorial, Olive Road at Harwood Avenue; Marie Irwin Community Center, 18120 Highland; Comcast, 17710 Hoffman Way; Walgreen’s Data Terminal, 17730 Hoffman Way; Dedert Corporation, 17740 Hoffman Way; Cameo Condos, 940 Holbrook Road; Suburban Access, 900 Maple.
 
Freedom Village, 935 Maple Road; Manor Care, 940 Maple Road; INX International, 1000 Maple Road; Accurate Dispersions, 1111 Maple Road; Homewood Florist, 18064 Martin Ave.; UpsaDaisy, 18100 Martin Ave.; Homewood Terrace Condo Association, 18205 Morgan Ave; Morris Court Condos, 18241 Morris Ave.
 
Ridgewood Condominium Association, 916-926-936-946-956-943 Olive Road; James J. Kreuz DDS & Gregory J. Duffner DDS, 18040 Park Ave.; Ravisloe Country Club, 18231 Park Ave.; Ridgewood Condominium Association, 945-955 Ridge Road; Law Offices of Briones, Harvey, Trevino & Cruz, 1910 Ridge Road; Asian Harbor, 1930 Ridge Road; Eldridge Dental Group, 1944 Ridge Road.
 
Van Sipma’s Jewelers, 2011 Ridge Road; Tin Ceiling, 2012 Ridge Road; The Village Door, 2019 Ridge Road; CiviliTea, 2025 Ridge Road; LaBanque Hotel, 2034 Ridge Road; Bill Butcher Law Office, 2044 Ridge Road; Lou Lou Belle, 2049 Ridge Road; Twisted Q BBQ, 2053 Ridge Road; Red Bird Café, 2057 Ridge Road; St. Andrew’s Church, 18850 Riegel Road; The Oaks of Butterfield Townhome Association, 19250 Riegel Road.

Adopt-A-Planter Participants
1700 Ridge Road Planter, The Welsh Family; Fire Department Apron Planters, Homewood Professional Firefighters; Hickory Lot Planter, Margaret Youpel; South Viaduct Planter, Margaret Youpel;  Martin & Hickory Avenues Planter, Fred and Mary Koeppen; 18102 Martin  Ave. Planter, Girl Scout Troop 65113; Metra Station Planter, Tom and Mary Ellen Brabec; Village Hall Entrance Planters and Maple & Ashland Planter, Lisa Syren.

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