May
TLIA Newsletter
Members Only
Table of Contents
2022 Beach Rules
Diving Ducks in TL
June Graduate Bio Solicitation
Car Magnets for Sale
Yard Waste Burning
Paper Shred Event Rescheduled
Progressive Dinner Food Crawl
Fourth of July Activities and Parade Leader
Spring Clean-Up Recap
Invasive Alert: Garlic Mustard!
Soccer Field Update
Geese Mating Season
Beach Tag and Boat Sticker Reminder
Tennis and Pickleball Update
Youth Tennis
Easter Egg Hunt Photos
Swim Lessons
Tot Soccer
End of School/Summer Kick-off Party
Kindergarten Playdate
COVID Update
Upcoming Events
TLIA Board
TLIA Board Meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of every month at the Tower Lakes Village Hall.
Beach Committee
2022 Tower Lakes Beach Rules
Dates and Hours of Operation:
The Beach will open Friday, June 3 and close Sunday, August 21. Lifeguards will be on duty from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Monday – Saturday, and 12:00 noon - 6:00 PM on Sunday. Swim lessons will be taught from 12:00 noon - 4:00 PM Monday – Thursday. Beach tags (BLUE 2022) are required for entrance to the beach. Please remember to bring them with you as this is to ensure that only TLIA members in good standing are using our beach facilities. If you are asked for your tag and you do not have it, you will not be allowed on the Beach-Play Island.
Beach Policies:
Age 11 is the minimum age a child is permitted to go to the Beach – Play Island without a person 16 years or older. Children who are under the age of 11 and are unsupervised at the Beach will be asked to leave Play Island. Parents sending children (over age 11) to the beach without adult supervision should be sure to review with them the beach rules and appropriate behavior while at the beach.
Children who have not completed 8th grade must swim 6 laps between the two nearest rafts without touching the bottom or stopping in less than 6 minutes before they will be allowed to swim to the far rafts. Two of the laps must be freestyle or crawl. In addition, guards have the authority to revoke that privilege if they feel the swimmer is not strong enough to safely swim out to the far rafts.
Children must get out of the water completely during Rest Periods. This includes the shallow area in front of the ropes. This is the time for children to take a break, parents to check on children and guards to take a break. Children are not allowed to swim from any shore area on Play Island during the Rest Period. If they do, they will be asked to leave Play Island. Guards will not be supervising swimmers during Rest Periods.
All members MUST check in at the Welcome table when entering Play Island and bring their beach tag(s) with them. Guests are always welcome when accompanied by a TLIA member in good standing. Please be sure to also sign your guests in and let them know about the beach rules.
Children under 18 must swim inside the roped area when at the beach. If a minor swims outside the roped area, they will be asked to leave the beach for the day and parents will be notified.
DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON PLAY OR ANY OTHER ISLAND AT ANY TIME!
Golf carts are NOT allowed on the Beach-Play Island (or any TLIA property).
Smoking is not allowed on Play or any other island at any time!
Fishing is not allowed on the Beach – Play Island or on ANY bridge.
Bikes are not allowed on the Beach – Play Island.
Glass bottles are not permitted on the Beach – Play Island. The lifeguards will hand you a plastic cup if you are drinking out of a glass bottle.
No one may play under the rafts or jump off the back of the rafts where they cannot be seen.
Please keep in mind
The beach is a busy place, especially in June and July. Parents must be sure to closely supervise young children when at the Beach – Play Island. As you know, water clarity is very poor. With so many kids in the water, it is impossible for the guards to know where each child is. Please review with your kids how to call for help if they need it and what their limits are when they are in the water. Floatation devices and life jackets are helpful but small children can still get into trouble if they lose their footing and fall face forward, even in shallow water.
THE LIFEGUARDS ARE IN CHARGE
Please remember that the guards are there for the safety of our community. While their duties do include general upkeep, it is in the best interest of our community to clean up after ourselves and allow the guards to watch swimmers. The guards have the authority to close the beach due to severe weather and have the authority to tell people to leave the Beach – Play Island for not following TLIA rules.
If you have any concerns about the beach or the guards, please do not hesitate to contact Mary Magro (815-545-7710), Andy Milne (773-951-9062), Paula Ermilio (847-656-6134), or Don Sidlowski (715-522-0065), or email them all at Beach@TLIA.org
Have a fun and safe summer at the Beach this year!
Communications Committee
Licensed Real Estate Brokers
"I am so thrilled to welcome my daughter
(and Tower Lakes resident!) Jackie Aprati to my real estate team at Compass!"
We donate $250 per sale of each TL home to the youth committee
TL on Migratory Route for Diving Ducks!
By Don Sidlowski
A group of diving ducks was feeding on North Lake early last month. I counted at least eight ducks – probably four mated pairs – but there could be more. Hard to tell, since they’re constantly diving under the surface and bobbing up again.
Freshwater diving ducks are known as pochards. There are four distinct types: scaup, canvasbacks, redheads and ring-necked ducks. Within each type are several different birds. The one that has been frequenting Tower Lakes this Spring is most likely an eider. I’m not a trained birder so I won’t go out on a limb and try to identify the exact species. These ducks are attracted to the pothole lakes all across the upper Midwest. Most diver hens arrive as already paired, but there are always solitary drakes seeking out the remaining unpaired hens. The birds nest on land, usually many yards away from the water. For this reason, we won’t see many diving duck nests here in Tower Lakes. They’re stopping here because of the abundant food in early Spring at the bottom of our two lakes, but they will move onto areas such as Flint Creek or Crabtree, a bit farther south, where there is less development to lay eggs and hatch their young. All of these diving ducks feed on a combination of the roots, rhizomes and tubers of the seaweed that abounds in our two lakes, as well as insects, larvae and eggs. After diving down, they propel themselves into the muddy bottom, obtain their meal, and resurface to swallow it. Lather, rinse, repeat, over and over again. It’s both fascinating and great fun to watch them at work, and quite the interesting difference from the mallards we see on our lakes year-round.
It’s quite the show to watch these ducks relentlessly dive and surface over and again. From my vantage point at 225 Circle, high above North Lake, it’s a commanding view with the leaves still not budded out on the trees. But anyone could join in the fun from the shoreline.
In case you missed them this time, be on the lookout next Spring!
June Graduate Recognition
Do you have a Middle School, High School or College graduate that you would like to honor?
Please complete the requested information and submit a photo NO LATER THAN MAY 15 for publication in the June newsletter!
TL Car Magnets for Sale!
Many residents have been requesting TL magnets for their cars, so TLIA ordered more!
Cost per magnet = $5.00
Cash accepted, or write a check made payable to TLIA.
To order, email Mary Beth Adams at: adams277@comcast.net.
Township
Cuba Township Paper Shred Event Rescheduled!
Due to unexpected issues with the Shred-It truck, the event has been rescheduled to:
Saturday, June 18, 2022
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (or until the truck is full).
Location: The Cuba Township Road District (blue farmhouse).
Limit: 4 paper bags per vehicle.
The event is limited to Cuba Township residents. When the Shred-It truck is full, the shred event will end. Try to arrive early!
Yard Waste Burning
Yard Waste Burning is allowed from
April 1 to May 31 during the hours of
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
*CLICK HERE to read the full Village Code on Open Burning.
Events Committee
Food Crawl Progressive Dinner – Around the World!
New progressive dinner Food Crawl will be on Saturday, May 21.
It’s back and with a new name! Join your friends and neighbors for the 2022 Food Crawl – Around the World! Party-goers will receive an itinerary and visit two houses featuring a worldly cuisine of the host’s choosing. You will meet a diverse group of neighbors at each house and then join everyone at the Dessert House for the remainder of the evening.
Guests: Please plan on bringing 4 bottles of wine. 2 bottles of wine will be brought to each home - one to share and one to appreciate the hosts.
Cost: $25 per person before May 7. $30 per person after May 7 (Hosts do not have to pay to attend).
Additional information/itineraries will be shared with hosts and guests a week prior to the event.
House 1 – 6:00 PM
House 2 – 8:00 PM
Dessert House – 10:00-midnight
Hosts: Please provide substantial but informal food to serve buffet-style. Choose your own worldly cuisine - Italian, Mexican, Greek, etc.—it's up to you!
Additional information/itineraries will be shared with hosts and guests the week prior to the event.
SAVE THE DATES!
- Friday, July 1 – Adult Social
- July 2 & 3 – Fun activities, including your favorites!
- Monday, Fourth of July – Parade, Pancake Breakfast, and more!
A full schedule will be included in next month’s newsletter.
Looking for Lead Volunteer(s) for the World Famous Tower Lakes 4th of July Parade!
Duties for you (and a friend?) include:
- Managing parade logistics and about 10 volunteers
- Organize flag raising and hand out ribbons at the ceremony
- Contact the Fire Department, Police Department and Boy Scouts
No experience? No problem! We will assist with notes from previous Leads.
The events committee is hoping to get someone to lead this popular and important TL tradition. If you’re interested, please contact events@tlia.org
Grounds & Beautification Committees
Spring Clean-up Recap
Another very successful Spring Clean-up day! The Grounds Committee appreciates all the effort given of our volunteers. In summary the following projects were completed:
- Removed two large trees that fell over by the dam that were blocking the path.
- Cleaned up and cleared the shoreline by the dam by removing invasive plants.
- Cleaned up debris and cleared several invasive plants on the shorelines of Rest Island and the little islands around rest island.
- Cleaned up the boat launches in preparation for people storing their boats/kayaks.
- Cleaned up the park across from the tennis courts and got the volleyball court ready for the season.
- Removed a lot of buckthorn at Barsumian Park and cleaned up the area.
- Removed a downed large tree blocking the path to the North Lake boat launch.
Garlic Mustard:
Not as Yummy as it Sounds!
Need an educational project for your kids or grandkids? Use this time to take out an aggressive invasive plant our geographic area is fighting, garlic mustard. Homeowners are joining forces with BACT and Citizens for Conservation to eliminate this infiltrator from their own properties and in our community. Each garlic mustard plant can produce thousands of seeds that spread quickly and survive in the soil for five years before germinating. They also produce a toxin that can inhibit the growth of most other plants. These traits allow it to easily invade yards and woodlands, displacing native vegetation and your own chosen garden plants. It also has a detrimental effect on our trees.
Garlic mustard is very easy to pull at this stage; the entire root comes out easily with a slight tug. The plant’s seeds are very prolific, so do not put the pulled plant in your lawn and leaf bags; you don’t want the seeds to return to spring new life via composted lawn waste. Put the plants directly in your garbage receptacle and then to the landfill, where they will decompose and not spread their seeds.
Lake Committee
Spring Geese Mating Season
As the warmer temperatures move back into our area, the familiar sight and sounds of Canada Geese are all around us in Tower Lakes. The Lake Committee asks for your help spotting mating pairs and nests for the geese around the lake. If you see a goose nest, or a pair of geese inhabiting your yard or another area while you’re out walking or paddling around TL, please contact Will Knight. It is vital that we monitor the number of mating pairs and nests around the lake to assess previous efforts to reduce the number of Canada Geese that are calling Tower Lakes home.
Will Knight can be contacted at willmknight@gmail.com
Soccer Field Update
Planning and preparation continue for improvements to the soccer field and the recent wet weather has again shown the need for it. The low spots have had standing water in them for much of the past month so. The plan is to regrade the field and improve the drainage, while filling in the low spots. From a timing perspective, we anticipate the work to commence in the late summer or early fall, after the heavy summer season of use. Doing the work at that time of the year provides adequate time for the reseeding to take root and for the field to be ready for next year. Utilizing data and learnings from the recent H&H study which monitored ground water levels in and around the soccer field, engineering plans were developed and submitted to Lake County Stormwater Management. They have recently approved the permit application so we are set to go later this year.
Member Services
Beach Tag and Boat Sticker Reminder!
BEACH AND ISLAND RULES
The beach and islands are for the use of TLIA members, RFPP members and their guests. TLIA members must have their current TLIA tags to access the beach and islands. All guests must be accompanied by a TLIA member or have their host's TLIA tags when swimming, fishing, or using any TLIA facility. New Tower Lakes residents should contact the Membership Services Chairman for tags.
Boat Stickers
A numbered sticker is issued to each boat registered for use on Tower Lakes. Contact the Member Services Chairman Brent Rowley for registration information or if you have any questions. Numbered TLIA boat stickers are issued to each rigid-hulled boat (canoe, rowboat, paddleboat, sailboat, kayak, etc.) and should be affixed to the right stern. If you sell your boat to a non-TLIA member, the sticker should be removed and the Member Services Chairman contacted. If a boat is purchased from a previous TLIA member, it needs to be re-registered by the new owners or it will be considered non-registered.
Member Tags and Boat Decals
Order Form
Tennis Committee
TLIA Tennis and Pickleball Update!
The nets are up and the courts are available for play! Please remember the courts are for the use of TLIA members and their guests and are for tennis and pickleball playing only. No skates, bicycles, other vehicles or toys such as soccer balls are permitted on the courts. Please follow the rules and regulations of TLIA when playing on the courts.
Adult Tennis Lessons
- Scheduled to start in June
- Taught by Crystal Lake Racquet Club Professional, John Sisto, our returning pro for the past 25 years
- Join an existing class, if space is available, or form your own class of 4 of equal abilities
- Lessons are for one hour on Friday and Saturday mornings
If you have questions about adult lessons, please contact Pat Covek at 847-526-5089.
If you have questions about youth lessons, please email Bridget Lacson at youthtennis@tlia.org.
Reserved Court Times
In addition to scheduled tennis lessons, the courts are reserved for the following groups:
Tuesday – Pickleball drop-in at 6:00 PM
Wednesday – Men drop-in tennis at 5:30 PM
Thursday – Women drop-in tennis at 6:00 PM
Sunday – Men drop-in tennis at 9:00 AM
Memorial Day
Please join us for a Round Robin tennis tournament on Memorial Day (Monday, May 30th) from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Water and snacks will be provided by the Tennis committee. All abilities are welcome and encouraged!
We hope to see you on the courts!
Tower Lakes Youth Tennis Sign-up
Youth tennis lessons will begin June 6th and run through July 28th.
Classes are Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday running from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
K through 8th grade = $95 for 60-minute lesson
The planned lesson schedule is:
Kindergarten (M/W 9-10)
1st grade (M/W 10-11)
3rd grade (M/W 11-12)
5th grade (M/W 12-1)
2nd grade (T/Th 9-10)
4th grade (T/Th 10-11)
6th grade (T/Th 11-12)
7th-8th grade (T/Th 12-1)
Class times and days may change based on enrollment. The grade is based on what your child’s grade level will be in the fall of 2023. We will try to accommodate all requests.
Please drop off a check made payable to TLIA by May 25 to:
Bridget Lacson
25466 Wren Rd
312-927-2114 | sheansbm@yahoo.com
Youth Events
Easter Egg Hunt Photos
It was a sunny, albeit a little chilly, day for the Tower Lakes Easter Egg Hunt!
A big THANK YOU to Alexandra Todd-Middleditch - TL’s very own Easter Bunny.
Tower Lakes Tot Soccer
WITH COACH LAUMANN AND COACH MEYER
For Tower Lakes tots ages 2-5
Dates: All Saturdays in May (May 7, 14, 21, 28)
Time: 9:00 – 9:45 AM
Please bring your own soccer ball and water bottle.
Registration is $20 and includes a T-Shirt* with your child’s name.
Registration and T-shirt orders need to be in no later than April 22. Payment can be made via Venmo to @carlyrenkens or Zelle at (773) 490-4800, or, you may pay with cash at the first practice.
*color may be subject to change
Swim Lessons
Swim lessons will be offered this summer for eight weeks, beginning Monday, June 6 thru Thursday, July 28. Lessons will meet twice a week, either M/W or T/TH and are scheduled between 12:00 noon - 4:00 PM Swim lessons are offered to children ages 3 and up.
Lessons are for eight weeks and are $80 per child. Classes will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will do our best to accommodate all requests. Your check will guarantee your spot.
Paula Ermilio
414 E Lake Shore Dr
847-656-6134 | paulaermilio@gmail.com
All Lifeguards providing instruction have received training and certifications. Lessons that are canceled due to poor weather conditions or beach closure will not be rescheduled. Lessons will be canceled if the temperature is below 65 degrees at lesson time.
Correction: The April 15 eBlast incorrectly referred to the end of the swim lesson season as June 28. The actual end date is July 28. The editors apologize for the confusion.
End of School Year/Summer Kick-Off Party and Beach Safety
Now that school is nearly over, please join us for a summer kick-off party at the beach! Our Luau-themed party will start with a beach safety discussion and include music and games for the kids.
Saturday, June 4, 5:00 PM
Tower Lakes Beach
Pizza and popsicles will be provided. Please bring your own beverages (adult and child) and chairs or whatever makes you comfortable at the beach.
Kindergarten Playdate
Calling all Kindergarteners for the ‘22/’23 school year! Come to the playground to meet other kids before school starts in the Fall!
- Sunday, June 12 at 11:00 AM
- Iverson Park – East side at East Lake Shore and Devonshire
Beverages and snacks will be provided.
Please sign up so we have a head count for enough snacks.
Youth Events—SAVE THE DATE!
- End of School Summer Kickoff Party/Beach Safety – June 4
- 1st Kindergarten Play Date – June 12
- Back to School Party – August 13
- 2nd Kindergarten Play Date – August 14
- Movie Night/Family Campout – September 10
- Halloween Pizza Party – October 31
- Turkey Trot – November 24
- Santa Event – early December TBD
Coronavirus Update
Please know that due to the COVID-19 Virus any TLIA-sponsored activities are subject to change. Check your email and www.tlia.org for updates.
Join
TLIA Email List
Stay up-to-date with events in Tower Lakes