Tom Strong

1 month ago | chicagotribune.com | Tom Strong

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”We all know people to whom that may apply, and maybe you are lucky enough to actually be one of those people. I have known many, and one of the first people who always comes to mind is retired Aurora Police Officer Joe Beyke. Officer Beyke passed away in February at age 81, and his memory will live on in the minds of all of the young people he touched in his career in law enforcement.

2 months ago | chicagotribune.com | Tom Strong

Needing to update my passport last summer, I headed for the Kane County Clerk’s Satellite Office in downtown Aurora. I was hoping to get help in navigating the process from someone working in that office. I was lucky enough to meet Rene Romero, who is responsible in that office for passports and for redeeming taxes—accepting payment for current and late taxes. He patiently answered all of my questions, and helped me with assembling my photos and documents. He impressed me as a caring public servant.

Dec 14, 2024 | chicagotribune.com | Tom Strong

Having worked in a large public school for most of my career, I began to realize that day-to-day operations ran smoothly because of the work of secretaries. Principals, deans and department heads were important, but things operated efficiently because of the secretaries. I had a second career of sorts as a volunteer in the Waubonsee Community College Adult Education Department.

Nov 16, 2024 | chicagotribune.com | Tom Strong

As happens to me after attending the Aurora Veterans Day parade and celebration each year, I departed this year’s recent event feeling many emotions. I am so very proud of all of our veterans, and I am grateful to them for so much. I was slightly disappointed later that day to see a Facebook post commenting that “the parade gets smaller year by year.”Having attended the celebration for decades, I have noticed quite the opposite.

Oct 19, 2024 | chicagotribune.com | Tom Strong

“What unites us is greater than what divides us.”Unfortunately, we have all become too familiar with the divisive rhetoric coming from our many different politicians. So much so that I have even started to wonder if the above quote is meaningful at all during these tumultuous times. I have hope that it does still hold true for our nation, and I see situations along the way that keep that hope alive for me. It can be something as simple as a reunion of old school football teammates.