Mokena's Front Porch Podcast
Welcome to Mokena’s Front Porch – THE podcast for Mokena history and community!
Nestled in the heart of Chicagoland, Mokena began as a small farming community that flourished after the Rock Island train line arrived in 1852. Today, with a population of over 20,000, its rich past continues to shape its future.
Your hosts:
🔹 Matt – A lifelong Mokenian, local historian, and author of two books on Mokena history. His blog, Matt’s Old Mokena, serves as the foundation for many of our episodes, bringing forgotten stories of the village back to life.
🔹 Israel – A passionate storyteller who grew up hearing firsthand WWII accounts from his grandfathers. Since moving to Mokena in 2016, he has embraced its history, working through technical challenges as a first-time podcaster to bring this show to life. He’s a BIG fan of Mokena!
Join us as we explore the people, places, and moments that make Mokena special. Visit MokenasFrontPorch.com for more stories, updates, and ways to connect. You can also find us on social media!
Pull up a chair, get comfortable, and step back in time with us on Mokena’s Front Porch.
Mokena's Front Porch Podcast
Colleen Patrick-Lenart: Candidate for Mokena Village Trustee
Colleen is a lifelong Mokenian and a sales professional. This is Colleen's first time running for elected office. She is running for the 2 year term.
Get to know Colleen Patrick-Lenart and be sure to vote on April 1st! Early voting starts March 17th!
She is running with the Friends of Mokena. Their website is FriendsofMokena.com
Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com
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Check Out Our YouTube Channel For Some Great Videos
Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.
Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
MokenasFrontPorch@gmail.com
I'm like I just put mine on airplane. I'm sorry. No, that's fine.
Speaker 2:And it's rich. Did you forget? I had my meeting with Israel tonight. How dare you? I'm here now. He just said how dare you? This is part of the podcast now.
Speaker 1:Colleen, thank you very much for sitting down with me, and you're running for village trustee this election. Just today I got another one of the mailers from the friends of Mokina, so you guys are active campaigning. So thank you for taking time to sit down with me. And first just tell me what do you think about this? Have you run before I have?
Speaker 2:not no.
Speaker 1:So what's this been like?
Speaker 2:so far for you. It's been interesting being part of the process. Government is something I've always been interested in. I studied out in DC for a short time while I was in college oh nice. So getting involved in government is something I've always wanted to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. And what has it done? I know you guys had the meet and greets. What else is going on? What are you guys?
Speaker 2:campaigning. We had the one meet and greet. So far. We have two more coming up. We've been getting out signs and we're going to start knocking doors soon. So it's just all part of the process, Nice.
Speaker 1:So tell us a little bit about yourself growing up. You grew up in Molkina, but kind of tell us about you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I grew up in Molkina in Brightway. It was great. There was a lot of kids there. We played outside a lot.
Speaker 1:And your whole life. You were born there, Born and raised here.
Speaker 2:So yeah, mom and dad's house. They built in 1973. Wow, so then and I actually still live there I bought the home after their passing, so it's kind of nice to keep it in the family.
Speaker 1:How much has that Brightway developed or grown up since you?
Speaker 2:were a kid. Not a lot, Not a lot. Yeah, a lot the same. There's a few new houses here and there, but for the most part it's the same.
Speaker 1:There's some really nice houses Newer ones being built in there. A real mix, that's actually one of the first areas.
Speaker 2:Uh, we had put a bit on a house for when we moved. It's beautiful, mature wooded, lots, so that's, I think, what's very attractive.
Speaker 1:Yeah real quiet back there and you have a direct connection to the the forest preserve trail. We're right next door. Yeah, that's awesome beautiful property there, uh, so, um, tell us about your family, my family.
Speaker 2:see, I'm the youngest of six. Wow, so I have four sisters and a brother. Um, so that that was always interesting.
Speaker 1:Have they all stayed in the area?
Speaker 2:Um no, unfortunately I did lose a sister several years ago. Um my brother Mark. He lives in Florida. My sister Renee lives in Alabama.
Speaker 1:My sister Sean is in Minnesota and my sister Kelly's local in New Lenox. Okay, wow, so what kept you?
Speaker 2:here. You said you went, you kind of you studied government in DC for a while. Yeah, so I left home, I went through Mokena schools, went through Lincoln Way and attended St Mary's College in Notre Dame and that's where I had the opportunity to study abroad, abroad in DC. Okay, so I did my senior thesis in my internship. While I was there I worked for the House Judiciary Committee Really. So that's kind of where I got my start Interesting, yeah, but you know my interest in government goes back to Mokina. I don't know if I'm getting off track here.
Speaker 2:No no please, but Mr Quinn he was such a history buff. He didn't need a text. His mind is so full of all these facts and what was your connection to him? He was my eighth grade history teacher, history teacher sixth, seventh and eighth grade and then constitution class that we were required to take from eighth grade.
Speaker 1:Wow, what do you remember from those classes? What was that like? What was Mr Quinn like?
Speaker 2:He was very interesting, very stern, but he wanted you to succeed. But he was full of factoids. So I don't know a single loaded muzzle, loading Springfield rifle, you know things he would spit out. It's just factoids you don't get from a book, you know. So he started my love for history and government get from a book, you know. So he started my love for history in in government and did they do a dc trip then in eighth grade they did, but that trip ended with my sister sean, oh so four years before I would have had the opportunity to go.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's too bad?
Speaker 1:yeah, because I've seen him post pictures of some of the I think some of the dc trips he had he had hosted, hosted in yeah, so all the older siblings got to go, except for me, so okay, what? What other memories do you have of growing up in Molkina?
Speaker 2:Just playing a lot, having the freedom to go around town and it was safe All the fairs. My parents they taught us at an early age to be involved with the community and they lived by example. So Mom and Dad. Dad was in the Lions Club. He worked his way through the ladders, became president of the club. Mom was always involved in St John's president of the church, council, girl Scouts, you name it just being involved and giving back. So we were always encouraged to be a part of something.
Speaker 1:With six kids, that couldn't have been easy to still spend so much time being involved.
Speaker 2:I often wonder how they did it, because they ran a business too. So I really don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what was the business? What did they do?
Speaker 2:It was a commercial flooring installation business my dad started in 1966. And actually after post-college I came home and was looking to stay in my field. I was going to go down to Springfield and my mom got sick and I'd always worked in the business in some kind of capacity. But after she fell ill started a year-long journey in the hospital. I stepped into that role and when was that it was in 2001.
Speaker 2:Okay, so I was fresh out of college and that was a little daunting at first because you know, juggling time at the hospital and running a business was not easy, especially when it was so new to me. So it was kind of baptism by fire, if you will.
Speaker 1:And that was back. Here Is the business based out of Mokina. It was Okay.
Speaker 2:So I ran it for 20 years and after my dad passed, my head was not in the right place to keep it going and a lot of people told me just put on a hole, think about what you want to do. But you don't put the union on a hole, or insurance or overhead. So I made a difficult decision to dissolve the business after 51 years. Wow yeah.
Speaker 1:Wow. So what happened then? Did you go back to work? Of course, I'm too young for that.
Speaker 2:I still stayed in flooring and I currently work for a very small company, mom and pop shop, just like working for mom and dad. So that's still what I'm doing, so talk a little bit about that a little more.
Speaker 1:What do you do? What does that?
Speaker 2:involve I'm in sales flooring, I work with contractors. I work with designers, builders, homeowners as well how people choose to make selections for flooring and materials that's right for the project.
Speaker 1:And what do you love about it?
Speaker 2:I love working with people. Yeah, yeah, I'm very much a people person, so that's easy.
Speaker 1:Are you going into people's homes? Is it businesses?
Speaker 2:mostly A lot of businesses Commercial, we do residential, mostly inside sales Very different from the role I had working for mom and dad where I dealt with mainly contractors and builders and architects.
Speaker 1:And you said 51 years that business was open and that can't be. I'm sure that was a struggle going through. What kind of lessons did you learn going through that process? What kind of lessons did you learn going through that process?
Speaker 2:Wow, yeah, there were lean times and there were good times, especially with six mouths to feed. Business wasn't always there, so you have to learn to live within your means. Mom and dad were very responsible in that way, because to bring up six kids and have eight mouths at the table every night yeah, when business isn't great, is can be a struggle yeah, and you know, bringing that to a close.
Speaker 1:You know, uh, as you know, you had to end that business or you decided to dissolve it. Um, you know what do you? What did that teach you, or any any lessons you learned off of that from that experience, from dissolving the business, from, from having to go through shifting your career, closing down this business?
Speaker 2:It was a difficult time, for sure, because I say the three hardest things to do in life is to lose a loved one, to relocate and to start a new career. And I kind of did all three at once, wow, because I was dissolving the business we purchased the family home, and then I was switchingving the business. We purchased the family home, and then I was switching careers, oh my gosh, it was, it was.
Speaker 2:It was a lot, because my dad was my business partner, my dad, my friend. We went a lot through each with each other with my mom's illness. I learned so much. There was a 11 year journey with her wow, not being well. So, um, yeah, we went through a lot because mom had 24-hour care for 11 years and I managed all of that too. So, yeah, takeaways from that. It's just sometimes a fresh start is just what you need.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's what I did do you look back now and realize I mean, are you still happy with the decision you think it was?
Speaker 2:there are days I have regrets yeah, yeah, because working for yourself, um, brings with it a freedom you don't get from working for somebody else, but at the same time, um, you can close the door at night and go home and not have to think about the bills or your employees. So that's kind of you know and you're married.
Speaker 1:Tell us about your fine husband. Yeah, I'm married to Rich.
Speaker 2:Rich and I met in 2001. We lived in Lansing for a short time where he owned a four flat, and we decided we wanted to buy a home. So the first home we bought together was on Bryant Road here in Mokena, where we lived for 13 years before we purchased the house in Brightway.
Speaker 1:Nice, yeah, and Rich is my vice president of the Lions Club and very active and a great all-around guy.
Speaker 2:I'll give him that.
Speaker 1:He enjoys his time with the club? Yeah, we have a lot of fun. What do you remember of your dad talking about his time in the Lions Club?
Speaker 2:Oh, he enjoyed it immensely. It's something that he was wholeheartedly behind, you know, because there's, you know, a lot of times a lot of the work falls on a few Sure, and he made sure he was there for Candy Day and for handing out baskets and being part of the meetings and getting the firecracker dance going, because I know it was a much smaller deal then and they helped to grow it. Yeah, um yeah, and just meeting all the guys, and they used to have a father-daughter dinner that we used to be a part of so we really were intimate with the club.
Speaker 2:We knew all the people who were part of it and um. So a lot of fond memories there.
Speaker 1:A lot of fond memories so one thing we'll talk a little bit more about is, you know, the desire for change in downtown. But having a perspective of growing up in Mokina, what are some of your memories of downtown Mokina?
Speaker 2:Oh, how much time do we have?
Speaker 2:Gosh, downtown, mokina. I mean at the time there you had Dave's Auto Body, you had Tuttle's Moquina sales, big gyms, a pizza, all these landmarks, but I think mainly it was it was Moquina sales. And then the pharmacy was right next door. So many hours spent in there with the Tuttle's, with great people. You could buy your mom a Mother's Day gift and then go get your your prescription next door. I don't know just the family feel, because you go in there and you know everybody, you see your friends, you see your neighbors, the people you go to church with. And then just Mr Tuttle would dress up as Santa every year. Oh yeah, and you know kids always get to a point where they kind of start to not believe. And we'd walk in there and he'd say, oh, say, oh well, here come the Patrick girls. And then name us one by one. So I think you know he kept us, you know, believing just a little bit longer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was. I thought it was cool he did that. It's an interesting perspective too, because there's not a lot of us there's you know, mokena's a lot of new people in town, so not everybody has that perspective of a vibrant downtown and what it could be, right um. So I think that's an interesting perspective for you to have and you know I'll be able to share. So you also serve on a village commission is that right the community affairs commission okay so talk about that. What's that experience been like?
Speaker 2:that it's been great. Um, currently, right now, we're only doing um cleanup day that we organize, but we used to be in, uh, the host of beautification awards, and that has been temporarily suspended, so, um, we're looking to add more to what the committee does you know why that?
Speaker 1:why they don't do the beautification awards anymore not 100.
Speaker 2:Sure, I know that there was some confusion with with people moving on after they'd won a lifetime achievement and maybe some confusion in that regard.
Speaker 1:That little house on Front Street in Division, there on the tracks, had a lifetime beautification award that I don't think it deserved.
Speaker 2:Well, see, there you go. That's probably part of the problem. There's new owners now and they do a great owners now, but yeah, keeping the the records like that, so yeah, anything else that, um, you know you got to be a part of, or I don't know what those commissions do.
Speaker 1:You guys have meetings or what do? You. We still do just kind of planning meetings for the cleanup day?
Speaker 2:yeah, because we try to get a lot of children involved, because they it works uh, community service, and it's just a good thing for the community.
Speaker 1:Tell people what cleanup day is like.
Speaker 2:Cleanup day. We meet at the village hall at 9 am. We go to various parts of town and collect garbage. We also plant wildflowers. Right off of Wolf Road we plant trees. We try to do it around Earth Day, so it's a nice community event. We serve lunch afterward and kids get their their community service hours and the village looks better than it did when we started yeah, what do you usually?
Speaker 2:you know how many people you usually get coming out for that oh 100 to 150 200 wow, yeah, it's pretty good it depends on the year, definitely depends on the weather well, sure, because we've had some really nice days and we've also been snowed on, so yeah, oh, wow, really yeah.
Speaker 1:So you get a little snow shovel and a garbage bag.
Speaker 2:So what made you want to be a village trustee um, I just say I've been a friend of the moquina for a long time, a supporter of them uh, for probably about 20 years, whether it be by putting out signage or collecting signatures. I trust in the board. They've done good things and I know, with somebody stepping down, I filled that two-year term. I thought it was a good opportunity to get involved. It's something I've wanted to do to give back to the community. It's given back so much to me. It's something I've wanted to do to give back to the community. It's given back so much to me. So, yeah, in the past too, while I lived on Bryant Road, I served as judge of elections. I was my precinct committeeman, so I just figured.
Speaker 1:This is just another way to give back and your race is a little different. It's a two-year term, as you said. You're running to fill the term of trustee Germany. No, smith, I know too many Terrys on the board. Yeah, terry Smith, sorry, terry German. Terry Smith resigned and then Jim Roberts was appointed and now it's you and Nick Clancy running for the two-year term, correct? So just maybe tell us why what you think you offer and that you'd bring to the board as a trustee.
Speaker 2:I think what you mentioned a little bit ago about having a unique perspective into the old Mokina, I think that you know, as on all occasions you get to a point, whether it be in government or in your church, you see the elders kind of passing the baton and I think that I have a deep connection to still the old Mokina and new as well. I think having a pulse on both brings a unique perspective to running as trustee, to involve everybody, hear everybody's wants and needs for the downtown area, for the village, hear everybody's wants and needs for the downtown area, for the village, and not just you know taking one person's side, if that makes sense.
Speaker 1:How do you think that your professional background helps, would help you to be a better trustee.
Speaker 2:I think managing a business is much like running a village or helping to manage a village All the different roles you take on, whether it be dealing with your patrons, your customers, your vendors, your suppliers Within business. You have to be fiscally responsible and that's something I bring to the table because it's something I had to deal with and then also having to manage people and deal with people. Communicating effectively is so very important. The ability to listen is even more important. They say you've got two ears and one mouth.
Speaker 1:That's a good one. And how do you see the role of a trustee?
Speaker 2:The trustees need to work together as a team. The mayor sets the agenda and we need to work together as a board to make sure that we are putting forth the residents of Mokena first and hear them, listen to them and achieve what it is that they want to see. We may not always see eye to eye in the board, but we work for it as a team because we are working for the village.
Speaker 1:So what are some ways that you think the village could improve how they communicate with residents?
Speaker 2:I think they're pretty transparent now and you know you can attend board meetings. Those are open to the public, which is nice, so as far as I don't know that they really need to increase the way that they Pause, I think they're transparent Because I know that this came up at our meet and greet and because everything is online, you're able to see all of that. I think that if you're interested enough, you're going to seek out that information.
Speaker 1:Okay, as we talked a little bit about downtown, that's something that I think every resident, especially residents that live downtown, would love to see an active downtown. What do you think there's something that you could do as a trustee, a real thing you could do that would make a difference in our downtown?
Speaker 2:As far as attracting meaningful business, everyone I've talked to when they found out I was running for the things you hear about are places to eat, places to shop, so that we can keep things local. So anything I can do in that regard to encourage meaningful business that's going to be meaningful for our village, our residents, I will certainly try and do.
Speaker 1:If you could wave a magic wand over Front Street or downtown Mokena, what would it look like to you?
Speaker 2:It would look much like it did when I was growing up it was full, it was busy, people shopped there. People were constantly in the downtown area. I know things have changed over time. Places have come and places have gone. We want to get people to stay is what we need to do, and if we bring a meaningful business to Mokena, I think that our residents patronizing these places people are going to have the longevity that we need and not just start up and then leave in a couple of years.
Speaker 1:Trustee Matanis actually talked a little bit about it, but also in the idea of this, the shifting of how businesses work and how us as consumers work, with less going in, actually going into a store or walking down the front street. You know we're much likely to either go online or you get in our car and drive down to you know Meyer or somewhere. How do you think we would embrace that as a community or with a downtown that's still viable but also takes those kind of things into consideration?
Speaker 2:I think, supporting shopping local. You know, you have places such as an English Garden I don't buy flowers from anybody but kim um, these are places that we want to have in towns, these small, um, not box store, brand name stores that you can go to something truly unique that you're not going to find anywhere else, something that you're not going to find online, something you're not going to find on amazon, um, and something with a small town charm, you know yeah, and it's kind of that idea of you know breeding community or having that be the thought right to to go.
Speaker 1:yeah, not just go on ftdcom, but you know go on englishgardencom or you know yeah, supporting local and walking into the store, uh, but yeah, finding ways to create connections with people.
Speaker 2:Which is meaningful, because I think that some people hear the revitalization of downtown maybe somehow will ruin our small town feel I don't think that's the case at all, because now you're patronizing local business, small business. You're going to run into your friends and your neighbors. It keeps that small town feel, yeah, it keeps that small town?
Speaker 1:feel Any areas you?
Speaker 2:can think of within the village that the village could either cut costs or generate new revenues. Well, attracting meaningful business is going to generate new revenue, that's for sure we can do that. As far as cutting costs, I think that we've been very fiscally responsible, so that's not a major concern. I know people want to talk about their tax dollars, but if you open up that tax bill and you look at those numbers, what's one, two and three? It's the schools. You know schools and the fire department. So I think our taxes as a village are very low and we'll continue to do that should we get elected.
Speaker 1:Yeah, one of the things the village is starting to talk about is the idea of building a new, and we'll continue to do that should we get elected. One of the things the village is starting to talk about is the idea of building a new village hall. That's a huge effort and, as we saw with the police station, that took a number of years. So I don't think it's something we're necessarily talking about breaking ground next year. But again, if you kind of had that magic wand, what would you like to see and where would you want to see it? What does it look like?
Speaker 2:I've been asked this question before. I think near the police station might not be a bad idea. What does it look like? I don't know. Maybe something similar to what it looks like now, but have it be more modern, have it more accessible. I don't know, maybe something similar to what it looks like now, but have it be more modern, have it more accessible and then hopefully too, in fashion with the police station, use very little tax dollars to build it, just like the water treatment plant, you know, keep the cost low.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're running with a full slate, but you know you talk about communication as well. So say you're in a scenario where you're elected with a mixed slate. What is something you can do to work to be an effective trustee, even when you might have people in place that you don't agree with or haven't run with or you have differences of opinions with?
Speaker 2:Sure, well, that's going to happen, even with you know, let's say the whole site did get elected. There's going to be a difference of opinion. It doesn't matter that you all ran together. That's where effective communication comes in, because at the end of the day, we have to remember that we work for the village of Molkina, we work for the residents. We're trying to bring the things that they want to see. So effective communication. Yeah, there might be disagreements, but then that's when you work together to get the hard stuff done.
Speaker 1:So what do you do? What would your steps to make that happen be?
Speaker 2:Well, with any issue that might come up, there's going to be two sides. Right, You've got to weigh the pros and cons. You have to listen to other people. Why do they believe what they believe? I'll say what I believe. Then come to some kind of common ground Because, again, at the end of the day, we do work for the village.
Speaker 1:Now it takes a lot of time and time commitment to be a trustee. Talk about, maybe, what you think or you understand that commitment to be.
Speaker 2:I know it's a time commitment, but it's not something I would have, you know, delved into if I didn't think that I could handle the time commitment. But yeah, the Monday meetings, work sessions, all of that, of course, and there's ribbon cuttings and other things that you'll attend yeah, it's a time commitment, but it's something that's meaningful to me, which is why I'm willing to commit the time.
Speaker 1:And have you tell us about any experience, if you have, you've had at board meetings any village board meetings?
Speaker 2:I've been to a few here and there over the years, not many. I think it's great now that they're online, so if you don't have time to attend, you can watch them to come for your own any reason you've gone a specific thing you've gone for. Do you remember to be nosy? You know, sometimes they have the hearings the public hearings.
Speaker 1:So yeah, um, but nothing really like. You need to get a proclamation for like ribbon dancing or anything in high school. Okay, you never know so, as we just start to wrap up, I have some, you know, light, little lighter questions. And um uh, if you were talking to a new resident in uh Mokina, what advice would you give them to help them feel involved and feel connected in town?
Speaker 2:I would say get involved with some of our local organizations, such as Alliance. I know that, uh, it's a great way to get to know people. Maybe get involved in the chamber if you're business-minded. We have our churches, there's groups, there's clubs. There's lots of ways to be involved for children and adults too. So it's not just an adult resident growing up too, as I said, it was part of the church, the youth groups that they have. So there's so many different ways within the community that we can be involved.
Speaker 1:Tell us what is your favorite breakfast restaurant Favorite breakfast restaurant.
Speaker 2:We don't go out to eat a lot, but is it bad if it's not in Mokina? No, we do like to enjoy the, etc. You could say your real one too. We do like to go to Chef Klaus's Country Cooking. Oh, that's a good one. Yeah, yeah, Okay. Or we could go down south and go to a Waffle House.
Speaker 1:Those are not bad too. Yeah, how about you say you don't go out much but you have a favorite area restaurant?
Speaker 2:Chef Klaus's in Frankfurt. Yes, they've issued.
Speaker 1:What do you have a go-to menu?
Speaker 2:item there. Um, I don't, it's terrible. I used to work for Klaus many, many years ago in the old downtown location Um, so I've had everything on the menu since.
Speaker 1:I don't know what it is, but we went for my mom's birthday one year and got like the big meat platter. It was amazing. I don't know what it's called, but get the big meat.
Speaker 2:It was like every kind of I don't know pork and whatever beef shank the chef calls his platter probably what it was uh, what is your favorite?
Speaker 1:a Mokina community event.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's got to be the 4th of July parade. I'm a sucker for that that and the firecracker dance. I think that the Lions Club does a great job. It brings a lot of people together and, honestly, as many people as you see throughout the year. I find that a lot of times at these events it's people I see once a year, so it's always something to look forward to. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, you mentioned the parade. What's your parade day activities? Do you have a spot you go to? There is.
Speaker 2:We go to right out in front of J&R Sales. Oh okay, Since I was a little kid I mean, of course, growing up I didn't get to watch the parade because I was always in band.
Speaker 1:But since graduating from high school, yeah, that's what we're always at, so you walked in some parades as a kid, just a few. Do you remember when the parade was on Front Street? I do, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:I was just reading some old newspaper articles and how it was such a big controversy at the village when that happened. But what?
Speaker 2:do you remember about those days? I remember people being really upset because we started the high school or the grade school and we came down wolf and went down front and then you come back out and around um yeah, people were mad that it wasn't on front street anymore what was it like?
Speaker 1:you know what do you remember of it being on front street? How many people there were?
Speaker 2:they must have been like just jam-packed, but it was the front street looked different then because the parking was different. Everything was set up just a little bit different. Yeah, I mean we're going back now, but yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, you don't have to remember.
Speaker 2:Well, florida wasn't as wide. There were no streetlights, there were no sidewalks. Oh, wow, it was much narrower. So it was, yeah, it's a different time. Wow, and that's back when La Porte Road was a two-lane road. So yeah, everything the landscape has changed.
Speaker 1:The olden days, right yeah, what's?
Speaker 2:your favorite thing about Mokina? The people, the people and the churches. I have a deep love for St John's and, just having grown up here, I think that it's just a great place to live. I enjoyed how I grew up and I want to keep people here and feel the way I did raising their families, having their kids enjoy the things I did. But it's definitely the community and the events that we have and it still does have that small town feel. I know some people make fun of me. They're like oh, you're from Mokina, you know, back in the Laura Ingalls days. We've come a long way, we certainly have, and we can grow and still have the small town feel.
Speaker 1:Now I want to loop back a little bit because we didn't talk much about. You mentioned DC and I'm a sucker for DC, but I want to talk a little bit about your time there and what you did in government there and, you know, maybe talk about your experience.
Speaker 2:It was great. So at St Mary's we had a project where we had to research a representative. So I chose Henry Hyde. So I went to DC with the knowledge of knowing that he chaired the House Judiciary Committee. So I went to go get my internship. I went to his personal office and they weren't hiring. So I went over to the House Judiciary Committee and they said when can you start? My first day of work was the day the Star Report hit the community Wow really Yep.
Speaker 2:So, to say the least, they were inundated. Very exciting time to be in DC because of what was happening. So, yeah, I was an intern, so I did a lot of the grunt work, but that's how DC works, that's how things get done by interns. But it was neat being a part of the hearings. I mean, we have a president who's being impeached. You learn a lot. I enjoyed time talking with the committee parliamentarian. He was so full of knowledge, being sent over to the Library of Congress to go get the Linda Tripp tapes which I had no idea I was transporting until I got there. Yes, wow. So yeah, it was a very exciting time. They offered me a job before I came back and I said I need to go finish that second semester senior year. But that's how I knew I would get back and I knew it wouldn't be in DC because that's not– while it was exciting, not for me. So that's why I knew at some point I would like to get involved on the small level.
Speaker 1:Yeah, dc was a bit much, and you never thought of running for anything previously, prior to this. No, no, okay. Well, as we said, you're running for the two-year term and this one is really kind of a head-on. You know one-on-one, so I just want to give you a second. You can tell people why they think you think you're the best candidate and that they should vote for you.
Speaker 2:I think of the, the business acumen. I bring my understanding of the inner workings of business, having the pulse on old, mokena and new, bringing in fresh perspective. I think that that's helpful and just my deep love of the community and I really want to listen to people and get things done. I mean, we've all wanted to see a revitalized downtown area and if I can be a part of that process I welcome it.
Speaker 1:Great Well, I appreciate you taking time to talk to me and make sure you can watch all of our candidate interviews on the website, on our YouTube channel, and then early voting starts March 17th and be sure to vote on April 1st. Thank you for doing this.
Speaker 2:Thank you, colleen. I appreciate it, appreciate your time, thank you.
