Sun City Home to College of Knowledge

A mesh material covers the garage, but Louie Theodore quickly opens it up to whomever shows up for the College of Knowledge.

No one is turned away, but there are a few rules. Specifically, it’s Theodore’s garage so it’s his rules.

Not that the dozen or so Sun City Huntley residents who gather every morning at the Sunderlin Drive home always adhere to his mandate.

There was the recent movie screening that didn’t go over very well with College of Knowledge members. Theodore chose the movie Madame Butterfly, which quickly was labeled a chick flick. The sabotage quickly took hold.

“I had popcorn and everything,” said Theodore.

Bob Ensalaco, a friend of Theodore’s for decades, took control of the remote, messing with it until Theodore got annoyed.

“I turned it off and said get outta here,” Theodore said.

But it was in good fun, like the College of Knowledge itself. Sun City has dozens of clubs although perhaps none is as colorful as the college. It is a place where friendships are forged and solidified and where the learning continues.

The core members come from different backgrounds. Theodore is a former 18-wheel truck driver and part-time cop. Ensalaco is a retired psychologist.

There is Eddie Kruse, a retired master plumber; Don Nauer, a retired Chicago cop; Blackie Nawilko, a retired carpenter; Denny Odeen, a retired auto-repair shop owner.

Everyone has a story about their lives before coming to Sun City.

Nawilko was a carpenter at Daley Plaza. He worked there from the 1980s to 2005, during Richard M. Daley’s tenure as state’s attorney, then mayor. His city friends tease him about moving west, but he loves it.

“You can go anywhere in Chicago and you won’t find a place like this,” he said.

Most of the College of Knowledge members are from Sun City’s Neighborhood 28. No one is turned away. Its mission is simple — to get together, talk and share experiences.

The college is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The menu is usually whatever the guys bring, whether coffee, doughnuts or coffee cake. A few weeks ago, Theodore made 30 eggs and three pounds of pork sausage for 15 members.

Last year, the College of Knowledge got Theodore a new grill.

“They wanted a better breakfast,” he said.

The topic of conversation can range from sports — there’s one Green Bay Packers fan, the guy from Wisconsin — to farming to cars to politics. The College of Knowledge has those who love President Barack Obama and those who do not like his policies.

Crime is a big topic, in Chicago and in general, since there are a few former police officers. Some members have book knowledge, some have useless knowledge, and they joke.

Sometimes, there’s no topic, just a bunch of friends sitting around talking or arguing or just laughing.

“We start out very R-rated, then it turns to hell. I’ll leave it at that,” Theodore said.

There are no women members, but ladies are welcome to stop by for a quick cup of coffee.

The only female who ever hung around for a long time was Ralph’s pet dog, Cali. She became the college’s mascot until her death earlier this year. The members gave her a memorial.

Her photo hangs in the garage along with a photo of the late Ronnie Hull who died in 2010. He was a founding member of the college.

“He graduated,” one member said, fondly remembering Hull.

The discussion goes back and forth, like volleyball, between the members, who all have something to say.

What do they think about the 100-degree weather lately?

“It’s just a number, like age,” Blackie said. “I love the heat. You get over it” — the triple-digit numbers.

Weather is not a factor for the College of Knowledge. It is open even on the warmest or coldest days.

What do they think about the Route 47 full-interchange project and how it will affect Huntley?

“We hope to be alive when they open it,” Ensalaco said.

Most of the members are from the neighborhood, but there are a few outsiders. Everyone is welcome. “We don’t turn anyone away,” Theodore said.

Just remember, “When the door is up stop for a cup, if the door is down, turn around.”