Tag Archives: Chicago

“Undertaker” by Patricia Smith

A poet responds to gun violence

Like bards long ago, the poet Patricia Smith is often inspired by the news of the day. Often it’s unwelcome news that takes place in her Chicago neighborhood. In “Undertaker” she  tells the story of a local boy shot in … Continue reading

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A Prairie for Emily

A grieving father restores a prairie habitat in memory of a dead daughter

Lush prairie grasses sway in the breeze and the golden crowns of black-eyed Susans turn towards the summer sun. Emily’s Prairie runs along Salt Creek, behind the Rolling Meadows High School in the suburban town of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Once … Continue reading

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How Can You Arrange an End of Life Celebration Through a Cremation Service Provider? An Interview with Ronette Leal McCarthy

Ronette Leal McCarthy shares with us the insights of creating a special end-of-life ceremony.

Today SevenPonds interviews Ronette Leal McCarthy, an Illinois licensed attorney and counsel at Elements, the cremation company. Ronette earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana and Chicago. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Ronette … Continue reading

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This American Life on School Violence and Student Deaths

The Harper High School story reminds us that death and violence still happen every day.

In the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Connecticut, the storytellers at This American Life brought us a show recently to remind us that student death and gun violence aren’t all that unfamiliar in many of America’s schools. The … Continue reading

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Talking to Kids Facing Death

Reporter shares the stories of families who have faced this difficult conversation

Last month, Chicago Tribune writer Barbara Brotman was tasked with writing a story about new research presented in Chicago on “a particularly uncomfortable subject” — how to talk to kids and teenagers about their possible death. The research found that … Continue reading

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