THE BUZZ: AUGUST 2025

SLAM DUNK

You know that feeling when local talent makes it big? That’s exactly what’s happening with Lake Forest native Julia Muscarello. As a member of Wilson Sporting Goods’ team of women product designers, Muscarello created a second signature basketball collection for WNBA star Caitlin Clark. She worked directly with Clark to understand the key elements that drive and inspire her both on and off the court. These insights shaped four unique designs that reflect what keeps Clark motivated and centered—water, golf, pastel colors, and words of encouragement. Launched earlier this summer, Wilson’s Caitlin Clark collection includes the “Aspire,” a UV-reactive basketball that changes color in sunlight to reveal inspirational messages; the “Oasis,” a white and blue design with subtle golf course elements; the “Embrace,” Wilson’s premium Evo NXT basketball featuring a pattern based on decibel-level data from Clark’s biggest plays; and the “Envision,” an outdoor basketball with a subtle labyrinth pattern that reads “DREAM BIG” in Clark’s favorite blue. For Muscarello, designing for one of the WNBA’s brightest stars represents more than just product development—it’s about creating tools that inspire the next generation of athletes. wilson.com/en-us/basketball/collaborations/wilson-x-caitlin-clark

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ALLERGY LIFELINE

If you’re a parent dealing with your child’s severe food allergies, you know that overwhelming feeling when you first get the diagnosis. That’s exactly what inspired MOCHA (Mothers of Children Having Allergies)—a support group that’s become so much more than its founders ever imagined. Back in 1997, two Chicago-area moms, Denise Bunning and Anne Thompson, were both struggling with the same thing: their kids had serious, life-threatening allergies, and they felt completely alone. Both women thought, “There have to be other families going through this,” so they started putting flyers in doctors’ offices. Within the first month, nine families reached out—and MOCHA was born. MOCHA functions as a “one-stop shop” for food allergy education and support, offering curated quarterly newsletters featuring food allergy summits, conferences, summer camps, webinars, lunch-and-learn sessions, and information about allergy-friendly companies. The organization connects families with essential resources, tools for daily management, publications, and fresh industry news to help make navigating food allergies more manageable. The best part? These aren’t just random tips—everything is carefully chosen by parents who’ve been where you are and know what actually helps make life with food allergies a little easier. mochallergies.org