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Mom wears three hats (and ballistic vest)
Mom wears three hats and ballistic vest
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Updated: December 18, 2012 3:18PM
It could be said things come in threes for Glencoe Public Safety Lt. Betsy Seno. Seno, a Northbrook resident since 2004, says her most important roles are that of wife to John, an attorney, and mom to three (John, 20, a Michigan State University sophomore; Sean, 18, a Glenbrook North High School senior; and Kate,15, a GBN freshman). Then there’s that trifecta she’s mastered. This mom shoot and pack gun, too. For 28 years, she’s been with the Village of Glencoe.
Q. So you wear three hats.
A. I’m a police officer, firefighter, paramedic; in Glencoe, we’re public safety, so we do all three things. I was promoted to lieutenant in 2001. We wear many hats every day. Everything we do we have to make a conscious effort to do it right.
Q. And you’re famous for your baker’s hat too. Can we say Cookie Monster?
A. I do enjoy baking. Well, actually, I haven’t made cookies lately, let’s see, since Festa (Glenbrook North H.S. marching band autumn 2012 fundraiser). I made cookie baskets for Festa, but I’ve branched out to caramels now and pecan brittle. Thanksgiving was quite a feast. I made 10 homemade pies. I pick the blueberries in the summertime and freeze them, we get those in Michigan. And we picked apples in the fall and brought them home and kept them. The pumpkins we got off the farm in Michigan, the cherries we picked in Michigan. The pumpkins, we cooked down. We make pecan pies, but I had to buy those.
Q. So you’re a mom who wears an apron and a bullet-proof vest?
A. It’s pretty cool (laughs here). One day I was in the kitchen getting ready for work. I was working the night shift and my oldest son was home. I put my vest on and I’m putting my gun belt on, and I’m talking with the kids as I’m doing this. It’s like no big deal … it’s an average day in my world and (her son’s friend) looks at me, and she goes, “Oh, Mrs. Seno, you are so intimidating!” So I said, “Really, do I look intimidating?”
Q. It’s a wonderful life, Betsy Seno, yes?
A. I have a wonderful life. I have a husband who adores me. I have three amazing, amazing children that are just the joy of my world. (Her co-workers) are pretty amazing people, each one of them individually. They all have a special gift that they bring. It’s just … I love what I do. My life has been very blessed.
