Granny got the degree! Last Sunday a new graduate walked across the stage to receive their diploma that they had waited since 1951 to achieve. This time, however, the graduate happened to be the oldest undergrad recipient in Northern Illinois University’s history – 90 years old. After waiting almost seven decades, Joyce DeFauw of Geneseo received her bachelors of general studies. DeFauw had originally pursued a teaching degree and then home economics. However, after being a few semesters away from graduation, she met her husband and had nine children throughout the years. 

After nine children, including two sets of twins, she had her hands full and decided it would be best to put a hold on her degree. It wasn’t until 2019 that she decided to go back to school to finish the degree she had pursued back in 1951. Due to the pandemic, DeFauw took courses online in order to accelerate the process, using a gifted computer – the first computer she ever owned. The pandemic gave a lot of time for people to consider their education goals, and for DeFauw, she felt it was her time to give it another go.

It was definitely a change for her, but she told a local news station, WREX, that it wasn’t something that she had always planned to finish. DeFauw is one of the few people in their nineties in history to decide to go back and pursue education.

DeFauw always valued education and wanted to remind others that it’s important to never give up on your dream, even if you get sidetracked. She is a reminder that anything is possible if you put your mind to it! The grandmother of 17 and great grandmother of 24 said it was ultimately her family that encouraged her to return to NIU, known then at her time as Northern Illinois State Teachers College. As she put it, “Don’t give up. Even if you do quit, go back. Just hang in there. Keep learning. Keep giving thanks. It’s there for you. Just go for it.”

Chestnuts roasting over an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose and Christmas lights! Nothing quite embodies the holiday season like driving home when the sun has set and seeing houses bursting with Christmas lights and decorations. This season, neighborhoods are not the only places lit up with the holiday spirit. Multiple locations and festivals create wonderful light shows all over Illinois during December and January. Embrace the holiday season and make memories with loved ones by visiting these colorful and bright light shows. Here are some of the best Christmas light displays to visit in the state: 

• Pathway of Lights – At Aikman Wildlife Adventure, Arcola, each Sat. from Nov. 12 – Dec. 17
• Holiday Glow – In Allerton Park, Monticello, Dec. 2 – 23, Dec. 27 – 30, Jan. 6 – 7, Jan. 13 – 14
• Light Up the Park – In Chatham Community Park, Chatham, Nov. 25 – Dec. 25
• Wonderland in Lights – In Effingham Community Park, Effingham, Nov. 24 – Jan. 1
• The Festival of Lights – In Forest Park, Shelbyville, Nov. 18 – Jan. 1
• Candlestick Lane – At Grant Place & Eastern Lane, Urbana, Dec. 10 - Dec. 31
• Christmas in the Park – In Manner’s Park, Taylorville, Dec. 9 – 25
• Lightworks – In Peterson Park, Mattoon, Nov. 18 – Dec. 26
• Christmas Wonderland – In Rock Spring Park, Alton, Nov. 30 – Dec. 27
• Festival of Lights Winter Wonderland – In Veterans Park, East Peoria, Nov. 24 – Jan. 2
• Holiday Festival of Lights – In Aurora, Nov. 25 – Dec. 25
• Christmas Around the World & Holidays of Light – At the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago, Nov. 30 – Jan. 8
• Illumination – At the Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Nov. 19 – Jan. 7
• Lincoln Park ZooLights – In Lincoln Park, Chicago, Nov. 19 – Jan. 1
• Brookfield Zoo's Holiday Magic – In Brookfield, Dec. 1 – 4, Dec. 14 – 18 and Dec. 26 – 31
• CTA Holiday Train – In Chicago. Follow the train to see if you can catch a ride!

James Bond, the legendary spy, has now been immortalized in a legendary way. An extraordinarily detailed corn maze was created on a farm in Illinois to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the iconic agent’s first film Dr. No. The maze features the five actors who have portrayed 007 over the years: Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Sean Connery, Daniel Craig and Piece Brosnan. The corn maze is located on Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. Every year the Illinois farm creates a masterful corn maze, and in 2022 they decided to celebrate James Bond.  

The maze was shaken, not stirred, as it was created to also feature a Bond girl, a Monaco casino and an Aston Martin car driven by 007. The corn maze is distinguished as the world’s largest corn maze, it stretches 10 miles and spans over a 28-acre area. Those who came to visit the maze needed all the skills of a great spy to work their way through it, as the maze is actually created out of 4 smaller mazes, each one having its own dedicated in and out path. The maze was created using state of the art design and planting technology. Last year the Richardson Farm depicted the famous band “The Beatles” in their corn. Every year Illinoisans wait in anticipation to see what the farmers will create next, and hopes are high for another spectacular maze in 2023. 

The corn maze was open September through October of this year, and the amazing design of James Bond through the decades drew a lot of media attention to the Illinois farm. As fall season comes to a close and the holiday season is upon us, the Richardson Farm is switching gears from corn to pine. The Richardson Christmas Tree Farm will be opening the day after thanksgiving, and those who enjoyed the spy-level maze can now enjoy getting a tree with their families for the holidays.

Those who wish to visit the farm can visit their website here.          

What better way to end a fairytale romance, than with a grocery store wedding? A white dress, “I do’s” and fresh produce were all present at the wedding between Michael Hurd and Jessica Bojanowski. The couple won a contest to have their wedding at an Aldi grocery store, and on Nov. 9, 2022 they exchanged vows between the aisles at the supermarket’s model location in Batavia. The couple won the ‘Happily Ever Aldi’ contest, where winners would receive a free-of-charge wedding, including hair and makeup for the ceremony and a professional photographer.

The couple noted their love of Aldi, saying how their busy work schedules leave little time for romance, so their weekly Sunday morning Aldi grocery trips became a tradition where they always made time to spend together. Jessica and Michael won out of 500 other couples who applied to get married at an Aldi. They were the first couple ever to get married at one of their locations.

The wedding was officiated by one of the grocery store employees. After the ceremony, guests headed to the beer and wine section for the reception. Cocktail hour consisted of Aldi classics like chicken sliders, jumbo coconut shrimp and a charcuterie board that spanned an entire checkout lane. The wedding cake was a three-tiered carrot cake with a wedding cake topper featuring a shopping cart and fondant colors matching the Aldi logo.

In addition to winning the wedding ceremony, the couple also won free groceries for a year and a wedding registry including small kitchen appliances, bedding, towels and home goods. Aldi helped provide essentials for the couple starting out. Aldi is a purveyor of fresh produce, deli meet, milk, bread and love.

When thinking of visiting Chicago, the first thing that comes to mind might be the Sears Tower, the Bean or the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier. These are all famous landmarks of the city. Landmarks are a staple of towns and cities, and are the most recognizable aspects of a town that can draw in tourists or fill residents with pride. Landmarks in any town deserve to be recognized and preserved, which is exactly what the Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards accomplish. Multiple locations in Illinois have been chosen for the 2022 Awards.

This year was the 29^th annual anniversary of the awards program, which celebrates preservation efforts in Illinois. The winners are chosen by a jury of preservation professionals across all of Illinois, who select locations based off of the positive impact on their community, the way it inspires others to save places, and the degree to which it aligns with Landmarks Illinois’ mission. Landmarks Illinois was established in 1971 and is the state’s leading voice for historic preservation. They help communities all over the state save the important places in their lives through a wide range of programs, such as the Preservation Awards.

This year awards such as the Award for Advocacy, the Award for Restoration and the Award for Rehabilitation were given out, among others. The Award for Advocacy was bestowed upon Hotel Belleville in Belleville. The 91-year-old former hotel has been rehabilitated into an affordable housing development called “Lofts on the Square.” The Award for Restoration was given to the Chicago Cultural Center Grand Army of the Republic Rooms. This building is Chicago’s main public library, and has undergone $15 million in restoration to preserve its original features. The Award for Rehabilitation was granted to Crown Brew Coffee Co. in Marion. The coffee shop opened in October 2020 in a 120-year-old building. The coffee shop was rehabilitated by its owners, and was the first business to open in a city-led downtown revitalization effort, proving what is possible when local governments and business owners come together for their town’s economic development.            

To see the full list of 2022 recipients of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards you can visit here.