Elect Laura

As a six-year incumbent Maine Township Trustee, I was quite honored when the Maine Township Supervisor asked me to fill her shoes and lead off the annual Niles-Park Ridge CROP Walk for Hunger. I have always been very supportive of the work done by the Maine Township Food Pantry in serving underprivileged or disadvantaged people of the township. I was equally impressed by the hard work and dedication of the people that turned out for the Niles-Park Ridge CROP Walk For Hunger, particularly their coordinator, Lynda Santrella who then donated a percentage of the days’ proceeds to our food pantry.

Therefore, that day when I awoke I was dismayed by the unbelievably terrible weather. The previous day had been a beautiful sunny early October day and Sunday, October 14th dawned a blustery, cold, rainy, and gloomy day. I was dismayed because I thought the walk would have to be canceled or the turnout greatly reduced. I was therefore really impressed when I arrived at the staging area a half-hour before kick-off time and it was mobbed. This group is really dedicated. And, as luck and karma would have it by the time I had the honor of speaking some short opening remarks of thanks to the group on behalf of Maine Township, the rain had stopped and the sun was breaking through.

I wish to thank the CROP Walk for their huge donation of $6,250.00. to the Maine Township Food Pantry. A perfectly timed donation which will help replenish the food from Thanksgiving baskets so that our pantry can now do our annual Christmas Baskets of food and necessties. Recently, I received a letter of thanks from Lynda Santrella which was so nice I wanted to share it.

Dear Trustee Morask,
I cannot thank you enough for your part in this year’s Niles-Park Ridge Crop Hunger Walk on that rainy-sunny-beautiful spirited Sunday Oct. 14th.
Your comments and presence were very sincere and added an “official” special touch to the event.
It appears that we will have no problem reaching our goal of $25,000, therefore being able to donate at least $6,250.00 to the Maine Township Emergency Food Pantry.
I have enclosed some pictures that I thought your would enjoy.
I wish you great success in your endeavors.”

Gratefully,

Lynda Sandra Santrella
Coordinator

On Tuesday, November 20th, two noted law firms, Meczyk & Goldberg and Lawrence Hyman & Associates, joined forces to hold a Thanksgiving Reception honoring Judicial Candidate Laura Morask at their downtown offices overlooking Daley Plaza. There were numerous colleagues, friends, family members, and Judges and political notables making appearances to partake of the fabulous spread done by Wendy Pashman of Entertaining Company.

One of the most special guests was Committeeman Mark Thompson whose appearance as the Maine Township Committeeman, Laura’s home area, meant a great deal to Laura and the Committee to Elect Laura Morask.

“I would especially like to thank Committeeman Mark Thompson for coming down here tonight in this nasty weather and making a commitment to my campaign. It meant the world the me” Laura said.

Half of Maine Township’s area is within the boundaries of the 12th Judicial Subcircuit. Laura will be presenting her credentials to the Precinct Captains and Mark Thompson to seek their endorsement on December 13th, at 7:30 P.M.

Laura has already garnered by an overwhelming margin of 47-9 the endorsement of the Republican Organization of Wheeling Township. Laura was also endorsed Monday evening at an event featuring “The Two Laura’s” by the Republican Women of Wheeling Township. The other “Laura” featured at that event is candidate for state representative Laura Bartell. There are five townships that comprise the geographic area of the 12th Judicial Sub-circuit ; Maine Township, Wheeling Township, Northfield Township, Elk Grove Township, and New Trier Township.

We had thirty lawyers amid beautiful surroundings at the Thanksgiving reception thrown by prominent attorneys Ralph Meczyk and Lawrence Hyman and their associates. Friends, co-workers, judges and private attorneys munched on beautifully executed hor d’houevres from Wendy Pashman’s Entertaining Company.

There were at numerous Friends, Sponsors and three benefactors who all pitched in their time, effort and generosity to help PUT LAURA ON THE BENCH. Scott Morask, one of the “SPONSOR” level donators drove in to attend all the way from McHenry County.  Laura’s remarks included:

“I really want to thank Ralph and Larry and their associates and staff who gave so generously of their time, effort and money particularly at a time of year when we gather close with our families and friends and reflect on our love for them. I consider all of the people who came last night my extended family, most of all Ralph Meczyk, Lawrence Hyman and all their associates. Its because of people like Ralph and Larry that we can help put good quality candidates on the bench.”

I received an endorsement from the Republican Women of Wheeling Township, a distinguished group of their own with many of the same goals and members as the Wheeling Township Republican Party from last Saturday.  The event featured the two Lauras - Laura J. Morask, and Laura Bartell, candidate for 66th District state representative , with a tribute to First Lady Laura Bush. Numerous people signed up to hold coffees and to donate money.

“The Women of Wheeling Township - these ladies who volunteer out of their sincere desire to change the direction our State is headed and to help the people of America have better leaders - are the lifeblood of this great organization and I thank them for devoting their considerable energies to my candidacy.”

There are great photos of the event at the Republican Women of Wheeling Township’s website.

Photo Credit: Republican Women of Wheeling Township

Laura J. Morask attends recent Marine Corp birthday Party at Chicago Sports Bar and Grill.

Another packed crowd-perhaps the best one ever overflowed the confines of the Chicago Sports Bar and Grill when I walked in to the annual Marine Corp Birthday Party. It was a great event, with all of the longtime Marines attending, hosted by Judge Ken Wadas. In attendance were fellow marines, retired Judge Wayne Meyer, Chicago Police Officer Eddie May, Arunas Buntinas, Bill Merritt, and many others. The cake was cut by the youngest and oldest Marine in attendance and the Marine Corp Hymn was sung. I had the honor of having my photo taken with many of the longtime Marines who have done so much to protect our country.

Candidate Laura J. Morask Overwhelimgly Endorsed by the Republicans of Wheeling Township at their November 10th, Endorsement Session.

By a rousing vote of 49-9 the Republicans of Wheeling Township endorsed Laura J. Morask’s candidacy for the 12th Judicial Subcircuit, over that of her opponent who filed her candidacy papers at the last minute, 3:00pm Monday, November 5th. Apparently the Wheeling Republicans were not distracted in their full-fledged support for Laura. The packed house applauded Laura as she walked to the podium to present her credentials.

Laura spoke of her work of 22 years to protect the community as a gang prosecutor, a sex crimes prosecutor and a Maine Township trustee and her election together with a group of longtime prominent Maine Township Republicans. In closing Laura spoke of her support for and honor of the veterans of America. “I am a member of the American Legion and received a Service to the American Constitution award. I am also an honorary Marine Corp member for 20 years and wish the Marines here a Happy Birthday! Finally, I want to thank all the veterans without whom I would not be able to be here today”.

Photos courtesy of David Gonzalez

I have for fifteen years been privileged enough to be an honorary Marine as for many of those years I and some others organized and helped run the annual Marine Corp Birthday Party held for thirty years at 26th and California and attended by State’s Attorneys, Public Defenders, Judges, current and former, Police officers as well as building personnel at 26th and California who had been with the Marines. This year the party is being held at Chicago Sports Bar and Grill at 4335 W. 47th Street from 5:00 PM- 9:00PM . Everyone is welcome to come say Happy Birthday, sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic and watch the oldest marine and the youngest marine share cake-cutting duties with the Marine sword. Semper Fi!

Judge Ken Wadas, longtime Judge, former prosecutor and defense attorney and organizer of this event for thirty years reading the annual letter from a Marine right before we sing Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Police Officer Eddie May, a highly decorated 11th district police officer and marine attending the Marine Corp Birthday celebration.

Join us for cake!

The campaign rally at Bailey’s Restaurant in Park Ridge marked the sucessful kickoff to Laura’s campaign. Laura J. Morask is a twenty year veteran prosecutor and six year incumbent of the Maine Township Board. Laura is running for Judge of the Circuit Court , 12th Judicial subcircuit.

Candidate Laura J.Morask cogratulated her father-in-law, 35 year veteran Chicago Police Detective Sargeant Richard Morask upon winning the grand prize raffle.The prize was a $500.00 valued Zoom Professional teeth whitening donated by Dr. Nikki Laskaris, a premier dentist and long time Park Ridge resident and business owner.

Join the campaign or email joinus [at] electlaura [dot] net.

Law Firms to Honor Candidate Laura J. Morask as Outstanding Candidate for Judge of the Circuit Court
Two noted firms of Meczyk & Goldberg, and Lawrence Hyman & Associates who specialize in civil and criminal trials are joining forces to throw a gala Thanksgiving reception in their law offices on November 20th, 2007 in honor of Laura Morask’s candidacy for 12th Judicial Subcicrcuit Judge. This is a holiday open house in Laura’s honor from 5:00PM to 8:00 PM at 111 W. Washington, Suite 1025.

Click the orange donate button on the right in the sidebar.
Suggested Donations are $150.00 Friend, $250.00 Sponsor, $500 Benefactor

RSVP 847-698-3932 to Committee Chairs;
Dean Morask, Ralph Meczyk or Lawrence Hyman

Donations to this event can be mailed to:
Committee to Elect Laura Morask
2701 Cherry Street, Park Ridge, IL 60068

As you read, I filed for candidacy for Judge of the Circuit Court, 12th Judicial Subcircuit on Monday, October 29th in Springfield, Illinois. Some other candidates and myself drove down on Sunday with all our documents. I knew well in advance that the filing for Judges and other Statewide office seekers file in Springfield, Illinois instead of at your local county office. But knowing ahead of time the process as laid out in cold black type of the Election guide does not do justice to the real thing! At first as I was lining up in the freezing cold, dawn of what was supposedly going to be a warm sunny October day I was thinking this was so strangely unofficial for such an official event in a person’s life. First, you think that the Board of Elections will be in a stately majestic government building but its not. Its a converted house on a residential Springfield street. Everyone who wants to be part of the lottery for first ballot position needs to be in line by 8:00 AM. I imagined on the way over that there would be some bureaucratic official means for ensuring this. Much to my surprise it was far more direct than that-at exactly 8:00 AM a State Trooper positioned himself at the end of the existing line which by now snaked well around the block. Everyone in front of him was considered to file at 8:00 AM assuming all your documents were in order. Anyone behind him was not considered filed at 8:00 AM.

At first you could hear some mumbling from very cold people disgruntled perhaps by the slowness of the line and the coldness of the weather since the forecast had been so promising. As we inched ever closer over the next three hours to the promised haven of warmth in the building itself, people seemed amazed at the semi-circus like atmosphere; street carts handing out free coffee, hot chocolate and cookies, direct-mail companies hawking their promotional materials, candidates tour buses pulling up from all over the state with signs emblazoned on them for their candidate, people chatting comparing their respective candidacies, or catching up with old friends and people frantically fielding phone calls.

I stood bundled in scarf, gloves and a double layer of turtlenecks, along with a very warm hooded black sweatshirt kindly lent to me by another candidate who saw me shivering uncontrollably. By now I had sacrificed the noble idea of looking well-dressed in the proper business attire I usually dress in for my job as a courtroom prosecutor. Standing there, it dawned on me that we were actually part of a much bigger event, an amazing sight-democracy in action. As a veteran Maine Township Trustee I have often heard it said that township government is the closest form of government to the people. As I inched towards a spot where the sun would at least hit me and warm me up a bit, I realized this process much like township government was another example of government closest to the people as it truly was the great equalizer.

We stood in line with everyone from United States Presidential Candidates representatives and delegates (They didn’t’ stand in line long) through United States Senate candidates, other judicial candidates, State Representative and Senate candidates as well as candidates for much smaller local races. No matter how humble or grandiose your candidacy was-no matter US Senate or local judge, everyone was equal-equally cold, equally exhausted and equally exhilarated to finally file your documents with the incredibly warm, welcoming and professional people that staffed the State Board of Elections, and equally proud to be part of the American process that defines our country.