Columns

December 18, 2019December 16, 2019

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Columns, We're Not in Kansas Anymore - a Column by Helen Baldwin

I’ve been in awe of spectacular night skies for as long as I can remember. When our family moved to the mountains of North Carolina (close to the stunning ... Read more

December 18, 2019December 16, 2019

Ella Finds Her Niche as She Performs at Her First Concert

Columns, Five Servings of Strength- a column by Michael Casten

The seats in the high school auditorium filled quickly before Ella’s first concert with the Young Naperville Singers (YNS) began. We had spent the morning getting ready for the ... Read more

December 17, 2019December 13, 2019

Amid the Stress, I Am Finding Time to Rest

Columns, The Mermaid Chronic(les) - a Column by Kala Godin

There are only a couple of weeks left in the year and although I’m excited for Christmas, I’m also ready for this year to end. Let’s bring back the ... Read more

December 17, 2019December 13, 2019

A Robot Named Otto Transformed My Life

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

Four years ago, I put on my big-boy pants and finally learned how to feed myself. Throughout my high school and college years, I was too lazy to pick ... Read more

December 16, 2019December 12, 2019

I Am the One I’ve Been Waiting for

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

Like a decent percentage of the global population, I have part of the “Frozen II” soundtrack stuck in my head. The movie is about the unknown. Self-acceptance. Stepping into ... Read more

December 11, 2019December 9, 2019

Ella and Daddy Have a Saturday Morning Date

Columns, Five Servings of Strength- a column by Michael Casten

This week was my daughter Ella’s turn to have a date with me. My wife, Lindsay, and I try to spend one-on-one time with each of our three kids ... Read more

December 10, 2019January 8, 2020

Pondering the Possibilities of the Future

Columns, The Mermaid Chronic(les) - a Column by Kala Godin

A few columns ago, I wrote that I no longer was pursuing Spinraza (nusinersen). I still have no qualms about that decision, because we have a number of potential ... Read more

December 10, 2019December 6, 2019

The Movies that Made Me: Life Lessons and SMA

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

During the recent Thanksgiving holiday, I spent a lot of time reading, going to movies, and streaming shows at home. I particularly enjoyed the Netflix documentary series “The Movies ... Read more

December 6, 2019December 4, 2019

I Don’t Need to Win to Be a Winner: Volunteering Is Its Own Reward

Columns, From Where I Sit - a Column by Halsey Blocher

My parents and I recently attended a National Philanthropy Day breakfast with a group of staff from Turnstone, our local center for people with disabilities and their families. I’ve been a ... Read more

December 6, 2019December 4, 2019

The Unexpected Feeling a Bookstore Gave Me

Columns, Life, One Cup at a Time - a Column by Alyssa Silva

I was recently strolling through the best-sellers section of a bookstore and couldn’t remember the last time I had set foot in one. I had just stopped in for ... Read more