America’s most wanted: Hefner meets her idol
Oak Park’s Mary Rose Hefner sees Johnny Depp every day. Six posters of the cinematic superstar line her bedroom wall. But on June 19, she saw a different side of Depp.
Mary Rose, whose father served alongside Depp’s uncle in the Marines, got the chance to meet her idol in person. He’s in town filming, Public Enemies, a movie about the notorious Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger.
Dan Hefner, a lifelong Oak Park resident, served with Bob Depp in Vietnam. Previously, Dan had been treated only to a private “Before They Were Famous” viewing as Depp’s uncle showed him family photo albums featuring a young Johnny. But an opportunity to meet Bob’s famous nephew never presented itself until last week.
“He showed me scrapbooks of Johnny in a pirate costume at 7 years old. I guess Captain Jack Sparrow was a natural role,” said Hefner.
Though dressing in pirate garb made him an icon for many, Depp was in an altogether different costume when Mary Rose met her star crush.
“She was ecstatic, he came out of the car, and she almost fainted, because he is a very good-looking guy. He came right up to her and said, ‘You must be Mary Rose,'” her dad recalled.
Hefner was thrilled with the way Depp treated his star-struck daughter.
“Johnny was very gracious; he took three pictures. He couldn’t have been a nicer person-a very genuine guy.”
Mary Rose, a freshman at Trinity, told her father the experience was the “coolest thing that every happened to me.”
“For a girl, it’s like being with the Beatles, or like getting a hug from Elvis,” Hefner said.
Get behind the ears
Daniel Jones (pictured at right) was all washed up last Thursday as RUSH/Oak Park Hospital hosted a “mock” emergency drill for volunteers and surrounding suburban hospital personnel.
The trainees were non-medical professionals. Jones was actually taking part in the decontamination drill for a Boy Scouts’ emergency preparedness merit badge. About seven volunteer trainees participated in the morning and afternoon drill. They learned how to put on, walk and move in the decontamination “space” suits-similar to those seen in the movies-last Thursday morning. In the afternoon, they took part in a mock drill where they had to scrub down volunteers acting as contaminated victims. RUSH/Oak Park hosts the drill every year.
A bake sale for Barack
Last Sunday, Oak Park’s Acupuncture POINTS hosted “Baking for Barack: We Bake, You Donate.” The fundraising event took place in front the office at 1105 Holley Ct., and lasted for several hours.
Owner Yosef Pollack’s motivation for putting on the event was simple: “Basically I want to get Barack into the White House.” Pollack is part of the local MoveOn group that is working to raise $250,000 for the Obama presidential campaign. MoveOn reportedly held three other bake sales in different locations last weekend.
Planning for this fundraiser began only three days before it took place. Pollack was able to quickly put together banners for the event and, with a significant amount of help from his wife, stocked the fundraiser with all sorts of baked goods. Visitors had their choice of cookies, brownies, breads, macaroons and much more.
Over 100 people showed up during the course of the day.
“I was very impressed. We only decided Thursday night this would happen,” said Pollack. Acupuncture POINTS raised $1,114 in cash, but Pollack says he expected more people who weren’t able to make it will donate online to Obama’s campaign.
Avenue Sidewalk Sale this weekend
Here’s the schedule for this weekend’s Avenue Summer Sidewalk Sale:
Saturday
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Oak Park Art League art demonstrations, 9 a.m.-noon, on Lake Street
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Great Harvest Bread Co. art project (while supplies last) on Lake Street
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Avenue Kids performance, 11 a.m. to noon, in front of the Scoville Square building on Oak Park Avenue.
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Hipshimmy performance, noon-1 p.m., in front of the Scoville Square building
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Animal Care League on site pet adoptions, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Lake Street.
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Face painting, noon-2 p.m., on Lake Streetn Farmers’ Market Band performance in Hunter Court on Oak Park Avenue
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Not So Typical performance, 2-3 p.m., in front of the Language and Music School
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Ms. Gretchen performance, 3-4 p.m., in front of the Language and Music School
Sunday
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Intuit Dance performance at Hunter Court at 1 p.m.
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Ms. Gretchen performance, noon-2 p.m., in front of the Language and Music School
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Not So Typical performance, 2-3 p.m., in front of the Language and Music School
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Bike Ambassador, noon-3 p.m., on Lake Street
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For more information, contact Tina Lewis, event coordinator, Avenue Business Association, 708/296-0987.