In Remembrance

After the July 4 shooting massacre in Highland Park, I wrote a couple of article about my close overlap with the place, growing up next door in Glencoe.  My dad’s medical office was in Highland Park, his hospital was there, my first real job was in Highland Park, as was my mother’s favorite grocery store, and much more.
 
I know two people on the Highland Park City Council, including my long-time friend Tony Blumberg, whose family lived down the block in Glencoe but later moved to Highland Park, and was a camper at Camp Nebagamon when I was a counselor at the summer camp.  I’d been in touch with Tony, asking about plans Highland Park had for the 4th of July this year, and what he said they came up with seemed very respectful and moving for the occasion – including commissioning a piece of music to be played at a memorial, a walk down last year’s parade route and flying drones at night over Lake Michigan, instead of fireworks.
 
Tony sent me a link to the music piece, “Repair the World” composed by Stacy Garrop.  It was written as a piano trio, though she transposed it for string quartet (which is how the piece was played at the ceremonies by members of the Highland Park Strings), as well as an arrangement for solo piano, performed here by Susan Merdinger.