Archive for the ‘Published Articles’ Category
Naperville Park Board Meeting – November 12th, 2009
November 12th, 2009 | 
Author: My name is Renata Gozdziak, I live directly across the street from Winding Creek Park.
I would like to respectfully request the Naperville Park Board to consider changing the name of Winding Creek Park to
Jack Hennessy Memorial Park.
I and also many other residents in Winding Creek, Maplebrook South and Maplebrook ll are in favor of an name change for Winding Creek Park.
Winding Creek Park is currently undergoing a major transformation, construction has been in progress since early 2009. When construction is completed we will have a new park complete with new ball fields, soccer fields, new playground and a path thru the park, it is the perfect time to change the name and complete the transformation to a park that will be an anchor of our neighborhood.
Our neighborhood park is where adults meet their neighbors and walk their pets.
Our neighborhood park is where families come together to enjoy an ice cream social or family fun day or other event put together by our Home Owners Associations.
Our neighborhood park is where a unique yearly event occurs — men come to play football every Thanksgiving Day. Rain or shine, during the past 10 years I have seen these guys go from driving the small economy cars that scream “college student” to men that show up in BMWs and new pick up trucks. I feel like I have watched them grow up and make that change from boys to men…..
A neighborhood park is truly a place where children and adults learn important lessons in life.
They learn to have fun and make friends, they learn to be part of a team, they learn to try hard and be the best that they can be.
They also learn about winning and losing.
I would like to tell you about a very special person from our neighborhood, Jack Hennessy.
Jack grew up 1 block from our neighborhood park.
Jack learned how to have fun and make friends, that is obvious from all the wonderful things that people remember about him.
Jack also learned how to be part of a team, as he joined the US Army and became part of a very special team on a very important mission.
Jack also learned how to try hard and be the best that he can be by distinguishing himself from his peers and quickly moving up thru the ranks.
Jack Hennessy also learned about winning and losing, as he paid the ultimate price and lost his life.
I understand that initially, the park board may not feel it necessary to rename a neighborhood park.
I understand the feeling may be that a precedent may be set by granting this request.
I would like the park district board to remember that because this is a neighborhood park it is highly possible that the average Naperville resident would not ever drive by or pay a visit our neighborhood park for any reason unless they lived here in one of neighboring subdivisions or had a child’s game scheduled at one of the fields.
I feel that our neighborhood park should be a reflection of our neighborhood.
Jack Hennessy’s legacy is one of a hero.
Jack Hennessy was courageous and followed his heart and did what he felt was right as a member of our neighborhood, a member of our community and as a citizen of our country.
It would be impossible to set a precedent by renaming our neighborhood park after Jack Hennessy.
The reason that I can confidently say that is because not every neighborhood has had a Hero like Jack Hennessy.
I would like to also submit these signatures from individuals and myself that are also requesting the Naperville Park Board to consider this request.
We gathered 835 signatures on-line from Naperville Residents and also those who knew Jack that have moved on and also those that are in the military that have served with Jack.
We also have an additional 45 signatures from neighbors that have recently visited the Mail Works Store on Washington St.
As of tonight there are 1,358 fans of Remember-Jack Hennessy on Facebook.
Jack Hennessy has not been forgotten.
Can I ask how the re-naming process works and what the next step would be??
Respectfully submitted,
Renata Gozdziak
Posted in 
Show Your Support
We have an on-line petition that has 553 signatures as of this morning.
1 more way to bring attention to our initiative is to show our support within our neighborhood.
Please fly your red-white and blue ribbons on your trees, on your mailbox or with the flag on your flagpole.
When your neighbors ask about the ribbons —
let them know about renaming Winding Creek Park to Jack Hennessy Memorial Park.
Ask them to support this cause too !!
Thank you,
Renata Gozdziak
What we have accompished…..
What we have accomplished::
Since the Naperville Sun ran the article honoring Jack and renaming Winding Creek Park the following has occurred::
We have a website up and running and the website had 150 hits from 5PM thru midnight yesterday — yes in just 7 hours.
We have a Facebook Page ” Remember-Jack-Hennessy” with 900+ fans since last Thursday—yes in 6 days.
We have an on-line petition that has 256 signatures that we have received in the last 24 hours.
A great start and a great thank you to all that have told their friends, neighbors and family !! We still have to keep gathering friends and names and signatures and let Naperville Park District know that this is important to us as friends and neighbors of Jack Hennessy.
We are still trying to get the word out.
You may be seeing this flyer at area businesses
If you know of any business or location that we could place signs please let me know !! Thank you everyone — we are making great progress !!!!
Thank you,
Renata Gozdziak
Please sign petition !!
We have our on-line petition up & running !
Please sign our on-line petition so we are able to present petition results to the Naperville Park Board. There are no guarantees that they will approve the name change, so we need to let them know that our neighborhood has not forgotten Jack Hennessy, that our neighborhood is involved and we want this change to honor Jack !!!
Thank you,
Renata Gozdziak
Sun Article
A matter of honor
Neighbors want to rename park for local fallen soldier
October 19, 2009
Winding Creek Park in Naperville is currently undergoing a major renovation, including new trees and a bike path, baseball diamond, playground, and soccer field. But some folks in the neighborhood believe now is the time for something else besides a facelift: a new name.
With Veterans Day approaching, park neighbor Renata Gozdziak is the self-appointed point person for an initiative to name the park after one of its own. Former Naperville resident Jack Hennessy, who grew up in the neighborhood, was killed while serving in Iraq in October 2004. And Gozdziak hopes the right people will agree to rename Winding Creek Park in Hennessy’s honor.
(Jonathan Miano/Staff Photographer)
“When Jack Hennessy returned home, we held a memorial for him, and the number of people who had luminaries out in their yard was just incredible,” Gozdziak recalled. “I’m sure that the events of 9/11 affected a lot of people, and Jack felt he wanted to do something. He was killed at the age of 21, and people here were just overwhelmed. He was so friendly and so outgoing.”
In recent months, as renovations began to take place at the park, Gozdziak said she began to get an idea and decided to approach members of her local homeowners association regarding her plan.
“I talked about the renaming idea with members of the homeowners association and got a lot of positive feedback,” she said. “They gave me a number of ideas about how to go about it and who I would have to contact.”
Cindy Hennessy, Jack’s mother, said she just learned about Gozdziak’s idea a few days ago and understandably was moved by the suggestion.
“Jack died on Oct. 1, and whenever that date comes around, I think people just naturally think about him,” she said. “Jack enlisted back in August of 2001, about a month before the United States was attacked. There was no connection to his being in the military at that time with what happened, but this was something he always wanted to do.”
Cindy Hennessy said being a soldier “was his calling,” and that she and her family learned about his real accomplishments only after his death.
“There have been so many stories about him we never learned,” she said. “Jack was actually working as a sniper, and he actually became a sergeant before he was killed in a much quicker time than most people who serve in the military. He loved being a soldier.”
Gozdziak said she has a short window of time to submit an article to the homeowners’ monthly newsletter about her initiative, and her next move is to attend a park district meeting Nov. 12, where she hopes to push the envelope further.
“I’ve e-mailed some of the park district board members, and so far, I haven’t received an official response,” she said. “I figure going to a meeting so close to Veterans Day would be perfect timing. I think the feeling is that if the board agrees to rename the park, it might set a precedent. But my feeling is that this is a neighborhood park, and not a place that people all over Naperville use.”
She set up a Web site — www.remember-jack-hennessy.com — to get others on board with the park idea.
The Naperville Park District did name one of its facilities Sgt. David M. Caruso Memorial Park in the Longwood neighborhood. Caruso, a recon ranger, was killed Nov. 9, 2004, in the act of rescuing a team member while on a mission in Fallujah, Iraq.
Cindy Hennessy said a plaque with her son’s name was placed in the park not long after he died, and that regardless of how things turn out, she’ll be at peace.
“If the renaming happens, I’ll smile and I know it would mean a lot to Jack,” she said. “We’ve had a tremendous amount of support from people in the area and I personally have a strong faith. I’ll understand regardless of how this works out.”
The views expressed in these blog posts are those of the author and not of the Sun-Times News Group.
Jack T Hennessy
Sgt. Jack Taft Hennessy, age 21, born May 19, 1983 in Wheaton, IL. Moved to Naperville in 1991, where he graduated from Naperville Central H.S. in 2001. During high school Jack participated in soccer, wrestling and gymnastics. He will be remembered by his high school friends and classmates as lively and likeable. Jack had a long standing desire to join the Army. He enlisted while still in his senior year of high school. He went through Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia and was stationed at Fort Hood, TX prior to deploying to Iraq in March 2004 with the 1st Cavalry Division. He was killed during a firefight in Baghdad on Oct. 1, 2004. His family will remember him as a fun loving character with a great sense of humor. They are extremely proud of his dedication to duty and his ‘can-do’ attitude. In his short 21 years, Jack lived an extremely full life. His family is blessed to have had him in their lives. Jack is survived by his parents, Bernie and Cindy Hennessy; brother, Eric Nagel; sister, Anna. He is also survived by extended family consisting of grandparents, Roy and Verva Taft, Bruce and Dori Wine, Jane and Jerry Hinrichs. In addition to grandparents, he is survived by aunts and uncles, Steve and Anne Taft, Rob and Cindy Taft, Barbara Taft Parker, Chris and Jodi Wine, Mark and Maria Wine, Todd and Elaine Wine, Sue and Carl Brodarick, Rich and Darby Zwagerman, Pete and Mary Zwagerman, Clare and Rick Sabones, Margaret Hennessy, Bill and Jan Hennessy. He is also survived by numerous cousins. Jack was preceded in death by his birth mother, Debra Taft Hennessy and grandparents Bernard and Frances Hennessy. His family is thankful for the best wishes and generous support from friends and church community during this difficult time. Visitation Monday 2 to 9 p.m. at The Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville. Everyone is asked to meet for Funeral Services on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m. at Naperville Presbyterian Church, 943 Sanctuary Lane, Naperville, with Rev. Dave Schutter officiating. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to ARMY Emergency Relief, Attn: Donations in memory of Sgt. Jack Hennessy, 200 Stovall St., Room 5-N-13, Alexandria, VA 22332-0600. For info, 630-355-0213.
Websites related to Jack T Hennessy
http://www.mco.com/valor/389585.html
http://www.libertyunites.tv/tribute_v8270-us+army+jack+t+hennessy.html
http://www.iraqwarheroes.com/hennessy.htm
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/20041005080331128
http://www.freedomheroesofnaperville.org/PDF/henj101-Hennessy,Jack.pdf
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/states/il/naperville/
http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-619698-6.html
http://www.dupageco-il-vetsmemorial.org/fallenHeroes.asp
Tags: 
- Please Sign Petition to rename Winding Creek Park in Naperville as the Jack Hennessy Memorial Park.
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The question I have heard over and over again is::
What can I do to help?
There are 3 things that would help tremendously
1.) Contact your Naperville Park Board to voice your support. Their e-mail addresses are down below.
2.) Pass the word to your friends and neighbors who are Naperville residents to help gather support for this idea.
3.) We will be requesting that all households in the Winding Creek – Maplebrook South – Maplebrook ll subdivisions fly red-white and blue ribbons in front of their homes to show their support for this idea. This will be after November 1st, so it does not interfere with Halloween decorations.
Naperville Park Board Members are ::
Suzanne Hart ,
Gerry Heide,
Ron Ory,
Mike Reilly,
Andrew Shaffner,
Marie Todd and
Kirstin Young
Emails for Park Board Members::
shart@napervilleparks.org, gheide@napervilleparks.org, rory@napervilleparks.org, mreilly@napervilleparks.org, ashaffner@napervilleparks.org, mtodd@napervilleparks.org, kyoung@napervilleparks.org
Renata Gozdziak
630-927-6669
bluzin1@aol.com