Blog

My docent friends,

My feelings are a bit scattered this mid-February.  As the snowflakes fall and the temperature plunges, it is hard to imagine that the river cruise will likely begin in about 7 weeks(!) and our neighborhood tours will be starting back up.  But it happens every year…..winter gives way to spring “better winter” which is what I call March and April.  Calling anything before May in Chicago, spring, is just silly.

I am feeling joyous that core walking tours are restarting.  Staff has worked hard with docent council to develop a logical and safe plan for resumption of tours.  Please read Blake’s email regarding the restart.  You can also find information posted on the bridge.  I hope many of you are planning to hit the streets (hand warmers and toe warmers are a must!) to give some February and March tours.  Please sign up as early as you can.  This will help with planning and ticket sales, since tours with no assigned docent, will not be put on sale.

I am feeling anxious about COVID.  Even as things get better, there is concern about vaccine availability and all the new “variants” of the mutated virus.  I am starting to think I should have concentrated my education more in science and less in business.  I suggested this to my wife, who gave me a side eye and said accounting was perfect for me.  I chose to take that as a compliment.

I am feeling romantic as Valentine’s Day approaches.  I wish I could walk by Fannie Mae on the way into the CAC and pick up some chocolates.   Instead, I think I am going to make a heart-shaped layer cake (why we have heart-shaped cake pans, I cannot tell you).  But the CAC will be open SO soon.  Make sure to tell your tour guests that they can come back and visit once it opens.

I am feeling sad today.  The loss of our good friend and colleague, Leanne Star, is still a fresh pain.  Leanne was such a happy and productive docent.  She had just rejoined docent council, and we will all be worse off for the contributions she will not be able to make to our organization.  I will never forget her.  Many times, as I have prepared to give a tour, I have tried to remember those former docents from our previous 50 years who are no longer with us.  We represent them as much as ourselves, the CAC and the City of Chicago.  But we now have an opening on docent council.  If you are interested, please send me a note by 2/26/21 to express your interest in the position.  My email is kf*****@gm***.com.

I am feeling grateful to all of you, my docent colleagues.  The support you have shown to the CAC, docent council, and me personally, has been much appreciated.  It has been quite a journey these past 14 months as docent council president (11 of those 14 dealing with COVID!).  I appreciate your confidence, and I will continue to support YOU in any way I can.  Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Forgive my scattered thoughts and feelings.  For now, then, stay safe and stay warm.  I will write to you next in “better winter.”

Kent.