Highwood Pre-Pumpkin Fest meet with HGTV Producers

HIghwood Director of Public Works Jeff Ponsi showing how fast and efficiently he can drill thousands of pumpkins for the 2012 Pumpkin Festival in Highwood.  Watching next to him from left is Public Relations Ilyse Strongin Bombicino, Alderman Eric Falberg, and Producer of HGTV show Pumpkin Wars which will be doing a special on Highwood's festival going for a new World Record of most lit jack o'lanterns. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Director of Public Works Jeff Ponsi, shows how the drilled pumpkins have to keep their tops for the Guinness Book of Records most lit jack o'lanterns at once terms are. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Danny Downing, one of two producers of the HGTV show Pumpkin Wars that will be doing a special on Highwood's Pumpkin Festival and Guinness Book of records attempt, has a go at drilling a pumpkin himself. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Highwood Alderman and Chairman of Special Events, Eric Stalberg, explains to Valen Emmert, producer of an HGTV show, Pumpkin Wars, what exactly will be happening in order to accomplish their victory for the Guinness Book of Records win of most jack o'lanterns lit at once and what goes down at the Highwood Pumpkin Festival. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Director of Public Works, Jeff Ponsi (left) shows HGTV producer Danny Downing the Blue Prints for the construction of the 2012 Highwood Pumpkin Festival. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Valen Emmert, producer of the HGTV show Pumpkin Wars, drills some pumpkins for the 2012 HIghwood Pumpkin Festival. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Danny Downing and Valen Emmert, producers from the HGTV show Pumpkin Wars, brainstorm with Highwood Alderman and Chairman of Special Events, Eric Stalberg about the events and itinerary of the 2012 Pumpkin Festival. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Drilling a couple of pumpkins may get a little messy, but drilling thousands is another story, at this year's Pumpkin Festival, celebrated from October 18-20, 2012 in downtown Highwood. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Alderman and Chairman of Special Events Eric Stalberg, helps Public Relations Ilyse Strongin Bombicino go through all the banners of sponsors for this year's Pumpkin festival in downtown Highwood. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Truck loads of hay, corn stalks, and pumpkins are dropped off at the Public Works Building in Highwood preparing for this year's Pumpkin Festival which will be competing to keep their World record of most jack o'lanterns lit at one time. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

From left is HGTV producers Danny Downing and Valen Emmert, Public Relations Ilyse Strongin Bombicino, and Highwood Alderman and Chairman of Special Events Eric Stalberg, going over the itinerary of this year's Pumpkin Festival that will be debuted on a show called Pumpkin Wars, which will be competing with another town for the Guiness Book of World Records, most jack o'lanterns lit at one time. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

IHSA Varsity Football: Grant at North Chicago

North Chicago High School's Varsity Football team enters their stadium to play Grant High School. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, North Chicago fans getting riled up. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

North Chicago starts with a routine ritual before playing Grant's Varsity Football team. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, North Chicago's cheerleading squad works the crowd just before the start of the game. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, North Chicago's Marching band works the crowd along with their cheerleaders. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, with North Chicago's Gerald Wade high five-ing every player just before the National Anthem. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, with the National Anthem played just before the start of the game. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, with a moment of silence for our fallen brothers and sisters of Afghanistan just before the National Anthem. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, North chicago gets some excitement going before the kickoff. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant's Jonathan Wells makes a great run down field against North Chicago. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant's Kyle Whitman looks for an open player against North Chicago's Varsity Football team. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, with Grant's Jonathan Wells making another exceptional run down field. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, with Grant's Quarterback Kyle Whitman. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Grant Plays North Chicago in Boy's Varsity High School Football, with North Chicago's Jay Amos Mays creating a nice run. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

IHSA Varsity Girls Volleyball: Maine East at Deerfield

Deerfield's Madelyn Otto (2) strategizes with teammate Linden Gill (7)during their Varsity Volleyball game against Maine East. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Deerfield Junior Madelyn Otto serves against Maine East in Varsity Volleyball. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East Sophomore Sarah Hua-Pham (4) making a great block against the Deerfield Warriors, with very talented teammates behind her, Kate Gebultowics (5) and Klaudia Pajak (18). | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East's Kayla Diaz (8) just barely saving the ball against Deefield in Volleyball, behind her is Sarah Hua-Pham (4). | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Deerfield's Susana Deschamps makes an excellent kill against Maine East's Kayla Diaz (8) and Amanda Roddy (14) attempting to block, with Klaudia Pajak in the back going for a save. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Deerfield's Madelyn Otto knocks the ball back over the net with Maine East's Kate Gebultowics (5) waiting to block. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East's Kate Gebultowics makes a diving attempt to keep the volleyball in play but the point goes to the Deerfield Warriors. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East Blue Devils celebrate after a monsterous comeback in match two, just after losing match one against the Deerfield Warriors in Girl's Varsity Volleyball at Deerfield High School. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East Blue Devils play Deerfield Warriors in Girl's Varsity Volleyball in Deerfield.  Maine East going over strategies and plays just before the start of match one, with Monica Wlodkowski (16) and Kayla Diaz (8). | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East Blue Devils play Deerfield Warriors in Girl's Varsity Volleyball in Deerfield. Maine East's Head Coach, Anne Bezek, goes over strategies just before the start of the first match. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

The Deerfield Warriors get fired up just before they play Maine East in Varsity Volleyball. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East's Kate Gebultowics (5), sets up her teammate Veronica Malesinski for a spike agaist the Deerfield Warriors in Varsity Volleyball. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East's Hannah Farley makes a great kill against Deerfield in Varsity Volleyball. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East Blue Devils play Deerfield Warriors in Girl's Varsity Volleyball in Deerfield, with Deerfield's Margaret Ackerson serving. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East Blue Devils play Deerfield Warriors in Girl's Varsity Volleyball in Deerfield. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Maine East's Hallie On Chong (6) waits for whatever Deerfield will attempt to dish out to her, in Varsity Volleyball. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Haiti Day at Shiloh Baptist Church

Rev. Arthur Gass speaks at Lake County's Haiti Day at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan, helping raise money and awareness about Haiti. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

A Choir sings at the Haiti Day at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Patricia Desir sings solo at the Lake County Haiti Day at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan, helping raise money and awareness about the poverty and destruction from the last earthquake in Haiti. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Attorney John Joanem speaks at Lake County's Haiti Day Fundraiser at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Haitians waves flags as emotions purge through the audience at Lake County's Haiti Day Fundraiser at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Rev Franco Valdemar (right) speaks with the Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in Chicago, Gertrude J. Beauboeuf, at Lake County's Haiti Day Fundraiser at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Shiloh Baptist Church presents a Haiti Day helping raise money and awareness about the poverty and destruction from the last earthquake. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

John Joanem with his Mother, Odette, donate some money at a Haiti Fundraiser at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan, with Robert Pierre (left). | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Haitians waves flags as emotions purge through the audience at Lake County's Haiti Day Fundraiser at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Haitians waves flags as emotions purge through the audience at Lake County's Haiti Day Fundraiser at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

From left is Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in Chicago, Gertrude J. Beauboeuf, Attorney John Joanem, and Rev. Arthur Gass, chatting after a Haiti Day Fundraising service at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media

Vice Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in Chicago, Jean Charles Clerveau making an appearance at Shiloh Baptist Church's Haiti Day, helping raise money and awareness about the poverty and destruction from the last earthquake. | Mark Ukena~For Sun-Times Media