Smart Living Rockford- March 2024

Spring is in the Air

Well, I’m officially back from maternity leave!

Life with a newborn and a toddler is chaotic, and let’s just say when it comes to this column, typing one-handed in my Notes App has become the new normal. My “writing process” is changing, but I’m happy to make it work.

I find that daily jaunts outside with both kiddos in tow has helped all of us to sleep better during the night. Nothing compares to fresh air to give my spirit a boost. And now that the winter weather is quickly fading, I can’t help but find myself looking around the house for spring cleaning tasks and desired home improvement projects. (Will anything major get done this year? No, probably not. But hopefully my husband and I can complete some smaller projects).

Springtime is a busy season for local florists, nurseries, home centers and hardware stores, but these businesses are used to an influx of customers this time of year. Thus, now’s a great time to evaluate your home. Do the gutters need cleaning? Does the backyard need a new fire pit or some general TLC? What about the roof, or the siding on your house? And that’s just your home’s exterior. Inside your house, do you have flooring that needs an upgrade, or a kitchen that begs for improvement?

We’re proud at Smart Living Magazine to highlight wonderful local businesses that stand by their work. Every time you read an article in our “Home & Garden” section, you can bet you’re reading about a local business that offers superior customer service in addition to a job well done.

All of the sudden, something I’d typically find boring (like, sorry, a story about gutters) suddenly becomes more interesting. And it’s because these local business owners exude passion for their work and improving their customer’s lives.

Whatever you need done around the house, we hope you find great resources in this magazine. ❚

Lindsey Lukas Senior Editor

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Improving Sleep With the Right Mattress

By Peggy Werner

Abetter night’s sleep can be accomplished with a good mattress.

To help customers make that lifechanging decision, Guler’s Appliance and Mattress, 4435 E. State St., has done most of the work ahead of time by selecting the best mattresses from the best manufacturers at all price levels, says Andy Guler, vice president.

Guler’s Sleep Center opened about two years ago after the store moved to its current 12,000-square foot location.

“Our customers have been asking us to sell mattresses, but we

didn’t have the space, and now we do,” Guler says.

A person’s sleep positions, body type and personal preferences for firmness, feel, and materials all play a part in choosing the right mattress. Regardless of the cost, most mattresses need to be replaced every eight to 10 years.

It’s time to go shopping for a mattress if you are not getting a good night’s sleep, wake up with aches and pains, or you are just not comfortable in your bed. If the mattress is sagging and/or leaves an imprint where you sleep, the mattress is losing support and needs to be replaced.

Many people who snore, have sleep apnea, back problems, or other health problems can benefit from an adjustable base, which can raise and lower the feet and head, Guler adds. A sleep option he sees growing in popularity is the split

king, which consists of two side-by-side twin mattresses, so each person can have their own mattress and base while sleeping in the same bed. The store also has a clearance section with high-end mattresses priced at deep discounts because they are not the newest models.

“The best way to buy a mattress is to come in person, take your time, try the mattresses, and see what feels best to you,” Guler says.

For more information, call (815) 962-8877 or visit gulerappliance.com. ❚

A Mother’s Strength

Stories of grieving mothers seem always to be in the news, pulling deeply at our hearts. Such tragedies bring to mind Jochebed, mother of three Biblical giants — Moses, Aaron and Miriam. According to Jewish tradition, this clever woman not only loved her own children, but was a caring midwife. She descended from Jacob, who God called “Israel.” Imagine her terror and heartbreak when the Egyptian pharaoh, fearing a population explosion of Jews, ordered all Jewish male infants killed.

“The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, ‘When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.’ The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, ‘Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?’

The midwives answered Pharaoh, ‘Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.’” -- (Exodus 1:15-19).

Jochebed hid her own beautiful infant son for three months before crafting the watertight basket that would safely float him on the Nile into the hands of Pharaoh’s daughter. At the moment Jochebed let go, she didn’t know she’d soon be called to nurse him and be part of his life well into adulthood.

Imagine how frightening it was to release her beloved infant into a river full of hazards. Imagine the moment she opened her fingers and released the basket. In desperation, but also in faith, she made the decision to trust God to be her son’s No. 1 protector. In so doing, history unfolded in a way that led not only Moses to freedom, but all of Israel.

Many a desperate mother is engulfed by terror when her own strength is insufficient to protect her child. And many an overconfident mother mistakenly believes her strength alone is sufficient for her child. All mothers can learn from Jochebed, who knew that God alone was her child’s deliverer -- and her own. ❚

-- Janine Pumilia

Bark & Wine Gala Benefits Noah’s Ark

By Jim Taylor, managing editor

Animal and wine lovers can mark April 6 on their calendars. That’s the day Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, 111 N. First St. in Rockford, holds its 15th Annual Bark & Wine Gala at the Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Road in Rockford.

“Mary’s Market will be doing the food this year,” says Marcia Brice, office manager and fundraising coordinator for Noah’s Ark. “There will be a grazing area for appetizers, and Nothing Bundt Cakes will be doling out desserts again this year.”

The gala is the largest fundraising event of the year for Noah’s Ark, Rockford’s first no-kill animal shelter. The sanctuary opened its doors almost 50 years ago in April 1978.

“The proceeds from the gala go to all of the animals we take care of,” says

Noah’s

Brice. “We shelter them, feed them and vet them until they can find a forever home.”

The organization also operates an an-

imal hospital at 321 N. Fourth St., where rescue animals are treated for illnesses, vaccinations, and spaying or neutering. Since opening, Noah’s Ark has rescued

Ark Animal Sanctuary hosts its largest fundraising event of the year April 6.

more than 30,000 animals. Currently, there are about 130 dogs and cats under its care.

“At the shelter, we take in either stray, abandoned or unwanted animals,” Brice says. “They stay here until they are adopted.”

In addition to sheltering animals, Noah’s Ark has partnered with Winnebago County Animal Services to ensure pets from low-income homes can be vac-

cinated and microchipped. There’s also a trap-neuter-return program for feral cats.

“That’s a big one,” says Brice. “We have so many feral cats in the area.”

The 12-member staff at Noah’s Ark is bolstered by a large volunteer base and a number of animal lovers who have opened their homes to rescues through the group’s foster program.

“When we get litters of puppies or animals that need to be socialized, we foster them,” says Brice. “You don’t want a mother and pups to deal with too much stress.”

All of these programs are made possible through public support for Noah’s Ark and the Bark & Wine Gala, which has grown increasingly popular as the years have gone on.

“Last year we had a little over 250 people,”

says Brice. “We’d always love more.”

In addition to the meal, the gala features quarter buckets and dollar buckets. There’s a $10 mystery prize up for grabs, gift card raffles, a booze toss ring game, and a silent auction with hundreds of baskets and prizes up for grabs.

“Camping World in Roscoe has donated a Blackstone grill with all of the accessories,” says Brice. “Paradise Casino sent us an overnight stay and a meal, and BMO Center donated four tickets to ‘Bluey’s Big Play.’”

Brice and her team are still accepting donations for the silent auction. Anyone who wishes to donate, be a sponsor or volunteer for the gala can call (815) 9622767. Tickets are available in singles for $50 or couples for $90. A table of eight can be purchased for $350.

Brice is hoping to make this year a record-breaker.

“Last year we made almost $20,000,” says Brice. “My goal this year is to beat that.” ❚

Extending Independent Living for Seniors

By Jim Taylor, managing editor

Michael Sullivan is used to removing barriers for aging homeowners. But the barrier he finds most challenging isn’t actually physical.

“The hardest part is for the homeowner to acknowledge that they are aging,” says the owner of Sullivan Home Improvement Solutions.

It can be difficult to admit that climbing stairs or performing a once-simple household task is more difficult with age. Admitting it, though, is the first step toward a more comfortable living situation. It’s a conversation Sullivan and his team at Sullivan Home Improvement Solutions has almost daily. The Rockford area’s only Certified Age in Place Specialist (CAPS) contracting company remodels homes so a person can successfully live there well into their golden years.

Modifying the home into a CAPS-

friendly space usually begins in the bathroom, where 80% of falls take place, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Sullivan Home Improvement Solutions offers a number of preventive measures, including walkin bathtubs or safety showers with grab bars, seating and handheld showerheads.

Stairs anywhere represent a serious fall hazard, which Sullivan can address in a number of ways.

“A lot of people have a laundry room downstairs,” says Sullivan. “We can eliminate that challenge by moving the laundry room upstairs.” Another solution is a stair lift, which safely carries individuals up and down a staircase.

A typical Sullivan Home Improvement Solutions project usually takes between three and five days. The remodel also includes a thorough inspection.

Sullivan knows he’s making a difference, one home at a time.

“When I’m at a home show, people will look at my stair lift and say, ‘I don’t need that yet,’” he says. “Nobody wants to feel like they’re getting old, but according to the AARP, 85% of people over 65 want to remain in their homes. That’s what we’re focused on. It’s not just business. It’s personal.” ❚

America’s New Favorite Sport

By Randy Ruef

Tell Bill Cote that pickleball is just tennis for old people, and he shakes his head and chuckles.

“I have a group of 55 people I play with,” says Cote, the general manager for Victory Pickleball, 7003 N. Alpine Road, in Loves Park, Ill. “I call them my family because we not only play pickleball, but we also hang out outside the game. And there is a 16-year-old and a 70-year-old in that group.”

In 2023, pickleball – a hybrid of tennis, badminton and table tennis – was named America’s fastest-growing sport for the third straight year, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s Topline Participation Report. That same report says that 36.5 million people have played pickleball at least once in the past year.

That growth inspired Tim Ancona,

the former tennis coach at Rockford Christian High School, to purchase the former Victory Tennis Center and convert it into a pickleball-only facility. Victory Pickleball opened last September, and with 16 courts, it’s now the largest venue in the state.

“It’s a low-impact sport,” says Tiffany Miller, Victory’s marketing manager. “You’re rarely going to get hurt.”

For those who are just dipping their toe into the sport, Cote recommends starting out with an intro to pickleball class.

“We’ll give you a 90-minute class for $10,” he says. “Not only do you get great instruction from a pro, but we’ll also give you a tour of the facility and explain all of the amenities.”

Victory offers two types of memberships: Bronze, which is free, and Gold, which has monthly fees for individuals,

couples and families that include discounts and perks. Both Bronze and Gold members can reserve a court online and through Victory’s smartphone app.

“That way, you can just walk in and play,” says Miller. Victory has equipment you can rent for $5 per day, but of course you can always bring your own.

Victory isn’t limited only to pickleball. There are dedicated places to play bags, table tennis and darts. The Kitchen Tap Wall and Grill on site offers good eats and a variety of brews.

“We want people to look at this as their third place,” Cote says. “Your first place is home, your second place is work, and your third place is hopefully here.” ❚

Discovery Town Exhibit

Through May 19, during museum hours. Kids are in charge of this city. Fly a plane, put out a fire, do a checkup on a pet, perform in the theater, deliver the mail and make a pizza. Free with price of admission. Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 963-6769, discoverycentermuseum.org.

Watercolor Painting

March 23, 10-11:30 a.m. Enjoy watercolor painting with local artist Jenny Mathews, as she walks participants through the basics and helps hone painting skills. The artist specializes in everything from tiny watercolor illustrations to big acrylic murals. All supplies provided. Severson Dells Nature Center, 8786 Montague Road, Rockford, (815) 335-2471, seversondells.com.

John Mellencamp

March 27, 8 p.m. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer brings a fresh lineup of new hits and old favorites. Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org.

Tommy James & The Shondells with Special Guest The Buckinghams

April 6, 7:30 p.m. With more than 100 million

records sold worldwide, a hit autobiography and his own satellite radio show, Shondell continues producing new hits. Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 9680595, coronadopac.org.

Solar Eclipse Party

April 6, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Celebrate the upcoming total solar eclipse with a day full of hands-on space-themed activities, planetarium shows, live demonstrations and a special project in the Makerspace. Learn how to safely view this rare celestial phenomenon happening on April 8. Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 963-6769, discoverycentermuseum.org.

Pretty Woman, The Musical

April 12, 8 p.m. The beloved Hollywood romance comes to the stage with a Tony Awardwinning director and choreography, an original score by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, and a script adapted by the legendary Garry Marshall. Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org.

‘Ordinary People’

April 12-20, Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m. After the death of his brother, Conrad watches as his family unravels. As he re-evaluates his rela-

Entertainment & Events

tionships, Conrad discovers the surprising truth about seemingly ordinary people. Winneshiek Players Theatre, 28 W. Clark St., Freeport, (815) 232-7023, winneshiekplayers.org.

Rockford Peaches Playdate

May 11, noon-4 p.m. See reenactors playing an exhibit baseball game dressed like the Rockford Peaches. Wear your own 1940s gear and complete this trip through time. Game tickets include access to the indoor museum. Midway Village Museum, 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford, (815) 397-9112, midwayvillage.com.

Don your own Rockford Peaches gear on May 11 for a reenactment of a 1940s baseball game.

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