This year, as every year it seems, the Maino Family, does incredible things! Most were awe-some, many educational, a few…well, we could use your prayers at times.

Our incredible daughter, Christina is active at the Noble Charter School UIC College Prep. She has worked for various non-profit organizations across Chicagoland teaching those with devel-opmental and mental health problems such topics as math, reading, money management and coping skills. She has previously held positions as a Mental Health Professional and Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional and uses these abilities as part of UIC College Prep's Support Services Team. Since Sylvia and I often take care of those with disability, we are very proud of our daughter’s many accomplishments! When she’s not working (or hanging out with this fella Ryan whom she seems to like quite a bit), she has fun with our grandsons Dominic IV and Vin-nie! She also helps Sylvia take care of her grandmother, Carmen.

Dominic III, Edie, Dominic IV and Vincenzo are always an important part of our lives throughout the year. Dominic has a degree in business and currently works for Devry University, while Edie is a techy with AT&T. She solves all my iPhone issues!!! Dominic IV is in 3rd grade, taking guitar lesions and with his brother, Vinnie, carrying on the Maino tradition of being talented, extremely bright, handsome, etc. (As a grandfather, I may be a bit biased!)

Sylvia, my incredible wife and partner, is one of the primary care providers for her mother who has Alzheimer ’s disease. From Sunday thru Wed, she is at her mom’s house doing all those things necessary to help her mom. Sylvia’s sister, Nilsa takes over on Friday until Sunday with several other family members helping out during the week as well (thanks Christina, Theresa, Greggo and many more!). On Thursday, Friday and some weekends you will find her taking care of children at the new Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago which is now located right next to Northwestern Hospital & Med School downtown. She also is the head of the Art & Environment Committee and sings alto in the choir at St. Bartholomew Church. I try to get her out and about as often as possible which includes seeing plays at the Filament Theatre and the Gift Theatre, going to Sing-Along Messiah concerts and attending various functions in the neighborhood. We are experiencing a major boom, with many new neighbors moving in, new businesses opening up, great culture (theater, museums, art, music) and more! We also had a chance to go to the UK (Wales & England, more about that in a bit).

I’ve been fairly busy as well. I’m teaching, conducting research, and seeing patients at the Illinois College of Optometry/Illinois Eye Institute and at Lyons Family Eye Care. I really love what I do, so I’m not sure when retirement may become part of my lifestyle. This year I presented research and lectured at the International Congress of Behavioral Optometry in Birmingham, UK; the AOA meeting and this coming April, during the COVD meeting in Las Vegas (I know, it’s a tough job, but someones gotta do it!!!). I still do a great deal of writing/editing and am an editor/journal board member for several publications.

Chicago is an incredible city and I’ve taken to heart the concept of local involvement. I’m sup-porting the re-election campaign of my Alderman, serve on the Board of Directors of the Filament Theatre and in general a real proponent of all the great and new opportunities, restau-rants, cultural venues and more going on right where I live. It is exhilarating!!! I had an opportuni-ty to sing with the Paderewski Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus at the Copernicus Center (alongside incredibly talented soloists) and during the rather eclectic St. Bart’s concert this De-cember (We included Christmas music, a male Norwegian Chorus, Hispanic and Children’s Choir and several soloists).

I’m sure the future holds many great things for my family and yours! We wish you all a

very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year with good health, fiscal security, friendship, and love. Have a bit of fun too!

For live links and additional info go to:

http://www.slideshare.net/DMAINO/mainos-christmas-newsletter-2014

Maino’s in Bath, UK

Dominick at Cardiff Castle

Lecturing in the UK

At Nunney Castle, UK Cold & Rainey at Stonehenge

1st Communion for Dominic III

The Arena’s with Dominick

At the circus

Christina & Ryan (Dom X2) at the Filament Theatre

Mainos + Grants at Mom’s BD Dinner

Paderewski Choir, Soloists, Conductor