Smart Living Rockford - May 13, 2021

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Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • 95¢ • May 2021 • No. II

‘Tour of Duty’ Event:

How WW I Still Impacts Us Today See Page 16

What to Know About Carpet Cleaning How to Make Peace with Backyard Wildlife Now, More than Ever: Ramp Up Your Wellness

Best of Life Information for Our Region’s Residents & Visitors Proudly Serving the Needs of 326,000 Neighbors - For Your Home, Health & Fun!

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MADE IN THE USA

4FELDCO.COM 866-4FELDCO® 4322 Maray Drive, Rockford

Feldco’s 33% off promotion represents a 33% savings off the full retail price of windows, siding and/or doors only, as detailed in the Feldco retail price list and does not apply to discounts on installation, woodwork and/or other options/materials (Model #1655 Thermal Replacement Windows, minimum 4 windows). List prices may not necessarily be the price at which the product is sold in the trade area. Installations performed by factory trained independent contractors. Promotion cannot be combined with any other offer, coupons or promotions. Finance promotion is subject to credit approval and will require a 10% down payment on total purchase price. Interest accrues during a 12-month promotional period, but all interest is waived if the purchase amount is paid before the expiration of the promotional period. All sales, promotions and offers may Smart Living Live May 2021 • No. II To advertise call 815-316-2300 4 be discontinued at any time at the sole discretion of Feldco Factory Direct, LLC. Offer expires 05/31/2021.

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In This Issue

Right in Our Region .........................Cover & p. 16 ‘Tour of Duty’ at Midway Village Museum Your Home .......................................................... 11 How to Clean Carpets Right Inspiration & Worship ....................................... 12 Who was Jacob?

Outdoor Living ................................................... 15 Living Peacefully with Backyard Wildlife Your Health ........................................................ 23 Wellness Matters More than Ever

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia Graphics Director Samantha Behling Graphic Designer Ashley Smith Contributing Writers Peggy Werner General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Fort Wayne General Manager Sherri Cassedy Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Nita Lasky Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes Distribution Kelly Fairbairn Website www.SmartLivingWeekly.com Published by Hughes Media Corp.

222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104 (815) 316-2300, Fax: (815) 316-2301 lhughes@northwestquarterly.com

Smart Living.

Copyright 2021 by Hughes Media Corp., 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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Our Home Advantage

W

e just returned from an experimental 3-week car trip to Florida. (Experimental because we drove 2,800 miles with our clingy canines, Brody and Gracie. They did well!)

Fully vaccinated and newly sprung from pandemic prison, we were eager to see our grandchildren and the new home their family purchased this spring. It was listed at midnight and our son made an offer at 7:30 a.m. to get it. That’s not unusual these days, even in Rockford. My brother’s house here was purchased for $26,000 more than the list price, on the first day.

I arrived home to find an analysis of home prices in my inbox. Rockford comes in at a median square-foot price of about $82, up 2% since February 2020. Compare that to $725 in San Jose, $333 in Seattle, $234 in Denver, $253 in Reno, $176 in Nashville and $163 in Tampa.

We also compare favorably to other smaller metro areas. We rank about 19th cheapest among 199 listed in a report compiled by Inspection Support Network (INS) using data from the U.S. Census and Realtor.com.

INS says Rockford’s median price of $158,000 for an 1,850-square-foot home compares to Bozeman, Mont. at $650,000; Bellingham Wa. at $454,000; Flagstaff, Az. at $459,000; Grand Junction, Colo. at $409,000; Bloomington, Ind. at $334,000; Ames, Iowa at $268,000; and Eau Claire, Wis., at $241,000.

Home prices are never apples-to-apples, with variables like taxes and homeowner association fees making a big difference.

The pandemic has fueled relocation trends that may or may not continue, such as working from home all or part of the time. Our population is shifting southward, but most relocating families stay in their state and move further outside of city centers, where dollars stretch further. Find the report at inspectionsupport. net/resources/cities-with-the-highest-price-persquare-foot/.

In a different matter, I need your help. A sweet reader named Micky Miller sent me a beautifully embroidered postcard after I wrote an article about postcards. Unfortunately, the envelope it came in (with a return address) was lost and I have no way of sending my thank you. If anyone knows Micky’s mailing address, please send it to me.

Have a great week! ❚ Janine Pumilia SLW Editor

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Your Home & Garden

Expert Carpet Cleaning Requires an Expert

By Janine Pumilia

B

rent Versendaal’s expertise in professional cleaning comes naturally.

He grew up in the carpet and upholstery cleaning business founded in 1972 by his father, Gerrit Versendaal.

After graduating college and working elsewhere, Versendaal purchased All Seasons Carpet Cleaning when his dad retired in 1997. He has since expanded services to include carpet repair, tile and grout cleaning, whole structure odor removal (such as post-fire or water damage) and expert area rug cleaning using off-site specialty equipment.

The business has grown to employ 10 people.

All Season uses hot water and powerful truck-mounted cleaning equipment.

“This is important because it leaves carpets as dry as possible,” Brent explains. “The longer they stay wet, the more problems can happen.”

He uses high-end cleaning agents that are Earth-friendly and gentle on our health. But it’s the quality of his well-trained staff that matters most, he says.

“The equipment wasn’t as good back in my dad’s day as we have now, so I had to learn to do it right even under more difficult conditions,” he says.

“Equipment is important but the person running the equipment is even more important. I feel that right now we have the best crew we’ve ever had. We’ve been blessed with a lot of good technicians.”

New employees are trained for two weeks and don’t go on a call without a mentor for their first three months. Ongoing one- and two-day training sessions are scheduled regularly.

How often does carpet need to be cleaned?

It depends on the household.

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“A retired couple with no pets might get away with cleaning the carpet once every 24 months,” he says. “But a household like mine, with four kids, two dogs and a cat, needs it every three months.”

Attracting, training and retaining good employees is the key to his business success, says Versendaal.

“We’re not the cheapest carpet cleaning company but you get what you pay for and I guarantee it will be done right,” he says. “That’s why we’re still in business after nearly 50 years.”

Learn more at allseasoncarpetcleaning.com or call (815) 399-8690. ❚

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Inspiration & Worship

Who Was Jacob?

Scriptures: Genesis chapters 25-49.

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early a quarter of the book of Genesis concerns Jacob (“deceiver”), who God renames Israel (“wrestles with God.”) The grandson of Abraham & Sarah, and the son of Isaac & Rebekah, Jacob fathers 12 sons whose offspring form the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel.

Jacob was a second-born twin, the brother of Esau. He is his mom’s favorite, but his dad favors Esau. Under Rebekah’s guidance, Jacob tricks his way into receiving Esau’s larger inheritance. It’s one of many times he either instigates or is the victim of deception.

Fearing Esau’s rage, Jacob flees to his Uncle Laben’s house at Haran. Along the way, God renews His promise of divine protection to Jacob during a dream.

After arriving at Laben’s home, Jacob falls deeply in love with his cousin Rachel. In exchange for the right to marry her, he works seven years for Laben, skillfully managing flocks. Those years “seemed but a few days because of the love he had for her.” (Gen. 29:20) At the wedding, however, Laben dupes Jacob by substituting his elder daughter Leah as the (veiled) bride. A week later, Jacob also weds Rachel, after agreeing to work seven more years for Uncle Laben.

Many years and 11 sons later, Jacob moves his large family and flocks back home to Hebron. Before making peace with Esau and settling back into life as a herdsman in his ancestral home, however, Jacob is engaged in a night-long struggle with an angel near the river Jabbok, after sending his party ahead to Hebron. He is transformed for the better by the encounter and says “I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.”

God changes Jacob’s name to “Israel,” which means “wrestles with God.” Much more happens to Jacob, including the rape of his daughter Dinah and the death of his beloved Rachel in childbirth, as her second son, Benjamin (Jacob’s 12th), is born.

Jacob is a flawed man who evolves to honor God sincerely. God keeps His promise to Jacob by continuing the lineage via Jacob’s sons that results in the birth of the Messiah, Jesus, many centu-- Janine Pumilia ries later. ❚

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Outdoor Living

How to Design a Wildlife-Friendly Landscape

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e love watching the bunnies hopping across the lawn until they dine on our favorite plants. Finding ways to coexist with wildlife is critical to their survival and our sense of wellbeing.

Here are some ideas.

• Create circular or square garden beds that have more interior space and less border space. Long linear beds with more edges allow easier dining access.

• Work with neighbors to create large corridors of habitat for wildlife.

• Protect key gardens and plants with fending. Make sure it’s high enough, tight to the ground, and gates are secure.

• If you use repellents, select products labeled for the animals you’re trying to manage. Look for a product like organic, bird- and pollinator-friendly Plantskydd (plantskydd.com), that’s rainresistant, requiring fewer applications.

• Cultivate a natural balance in your landscape. Invite hawks, owls and foxes to your backyard. Grow tall grasses and plants that provide cover. Include trees with good perches to attract raptors.

• Start with a plan. Sketch your existing landscape and identify plants and wildlife-friendly habitats. Note the natural habitats and any supplemental food, water and shelter you provide. Review and update it throughout the year. Now decide what you want to accomplish.

What wildlife do you want to attract and have space to support? Perhaps you want to attract more songbirds, or animals like toads, which help to manage pests. Make sure your landscape provides the habitat features needed to attract and sustain these welcome residents.

• Utilize resources such as National Wildlife Federation, Audubon, Natural Resources Conservation Services, DNR

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(MelindaMyers.com photo)

By Melinda Myers

Include habitat features in your garden and landscape that are needed to attract and sustain the wildlife you are trying to attract.

and University Extension websites.

Be patient and evaluate the results of your efforts after a year, then make any needed changes. Developing a landscape you enjoy takes time and is an exciting adventure! ❚ Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books and hosts TV, radio and Great Courses programs about gardening. Learn more at MelindaMyers. com.

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Right in Our Region

Learn How WW I Still Impacts Us Today

By Janine Pumilia

W

orld War I reshaped the 20th century and still impacts our lives.

Midway Village Museum will help us to understand the transformative years between 1914 and 1918 during its “Tour of Duty: World War I Re-enactment Weekend” on May 22 and 23. Advanced registration is required.

“Without World War I, there would not have been a World War II, and without it, Europe would look completely different today,” says Caitlin Treece, educator at Midway Village. “It really is true that if we don’t know our history, we will repeat it – and we really don’t want to repeat it. We can’t know where we’re going if we don’t know where we came from.”

Due to COVID-19, this event is formatted differently from the museum’s usual spring Great War: World War I event. Visitors will be led in groups of 20 or fewer people, mostly staying outdoors,

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with each tour culminating in an exciting trench warfare battle. Authentic and replica vehicles, artifact exhibits and presentations by more than 100 World War I reenactors will be part of the two-hour tour.

It’s an enjoyable way for people of all generations to learn together, says Treece, and there’s nothing gory that would scare children.

“Our re-enactors are really good at answering questions and talking with kids in terms they can understand,” she says. “In past years, we’ve found that many kids don’t even know that World War I happened.”

Young people are shocked to learn the war was partly powered by animals like horses, which dragged newly invented tanks onto battlefields.

“The clash of old and modern warfare is one of the unique things about World War I,” notes Treece. “People

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didn’t have penicillin, yet they had poisonous gas to use as a weapon.”

The rise of industrialization made World War I more deadly than any previous war. Along with poison gas, new technologies used by militaries included tanks, airplanes, submarines, machine guns, modern artillery and flamethrowers. More than 20 million people died; about half were displaced civilians who suffered injury, sickness and starvation.

Midway Village Museum is a favorite location for World War I re-enactors from across the Midwest. The museum not only has 13 sprawling acres for staging re-enactments, but also a permanent trench system built to illustrate how soldiers lived and fought in World War I. “Especially when it rains and the trenches are a muddy mess, visitors realize how miserable it was for soldiers who lived in trenches for years at a time,” says

Right in Our Region Treece. Rodent and lice infestations made it even more unbearable.

Another unique aspect of World War I was the coinciding 1918 “Spanish” flu pandemic (the flu didn’t originate in Spain) made worse by troop travel and crowded ships, trenches and training camps such as Rockford’s Camp Grant.

Both the pandemic and Camp Grant will be topics of focus during “Tour of Duty” and the museum will showcase artifacts newly acquired from the former Camp Grant Museum. The camp once stood where Rockford Airport is today.

It doubled our region’s population for a time, handing the city an economic boon but worsening the pandemic here.

Suffragist re-enactors from Wisconsin will explain how their state became the first to ratify the 19th Amendment in 1919 and what role the war played.

Re-enactors also will portray Red Cross workers and explain their vital contributions to humanity during war.

The extensive use of government

propaganda to garner war support and the controversial passage of the Sedition Act of 1918 – which made it a crime for Americans to “willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous or abusive language about the form of the Government of the United States” – is another unique aspect of World War I. It has relevance today as our society grapples to weigh free speech against the great harm done by disinformation campaigns.

On Sunday only, there’ll be a presentation on the use of animals during war.

Other topics of re-enactor focus will include a French Schneider Tank replica; a World War I model airplane display; the U.S. Army Signal Battalion; the 20th century Marine; 353rd German Infantry, British Army and Russian Armed Forces encampments; Austro-Hungarian, Royal Serbian, Turkish and Italian armies; the Women’s Battalion of Death (Russian); and the German Soldatenheim Club (Soldiers Club).

The museum is located at 6799 Guilford Road. Purchase tickets at midwayvillage.com; call the front desk at (815) 3979112; visit the Museum Gift Store during regular hours; or email store@midwayvillage.com with your name, phone number and desired ticket quantity.

Tickets are non-refundable for the rain or shine event. Social distancing protocols and masks are required.

Ticket cost is $14 for adults, $8 for children ages 3-17 and free to infants and museum members. Parking is free.

Questions? Call (815) 397-9112. ❚

Garden fair Weekend

Saturday, June 5 | 9 am - 5 pm Sunday, June 6 | 9 am - 4 pm

sponsored by:

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.klehm.org/garden-fair-weekend

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Memorial Day Sale MONDAY, MAY 31, 2021 | 10AM-4PM

20% off Storewide Excludes Greenlite light bulbs & Vintage items

Regular Store Hours: Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Donation Hours: Tues-Fri, 10am-4pm & Sat 10am-3pm We offer FREE Donation Pickups. Call 815-580-1205 to schedule a pickup.

7141 Harrison Ave, Rockford IL | 815-713-3184 | rockfordhabitat.org @restorerockford

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Your Health

Pandemic Lesson: Get Healthy & Stay Healthy

By Peggy Werner

C

ircle of Wellness has left the pandemic behind and is once again open for all services, with an eye toward a brighter future and more offerings for clients.

“Our focus is on health and wellness and how we all are going to live healthier from this point on,” says owner and founder Leila MacQueen. “Everyone will be thinking about living happier and healthier and how to do that and stay that way, rather than having the mindset of how to live through a pandemic.”

She plans to expand her Med Spa to include medical aesthetics such as noninvasive face lift, skin correction and cosmetics soon. The spa already offers facials, skin care products and waxing.

People need a healthy body, mind and spirit now more than ever, says McQueen.

“Many people have gained weight during the pandemic as a result of lack of activity, stress eating, feeling depressed and taking medicines that make you gain weight,” she says. “This leads to other health problems including joint pain and inflammation.”

She believes the pandemic has taken a great toll on mental health.

“I think it will take time to undo the damage, but if there’s ever another virus, we’ll be more prepared. Overall, though, I think people will be more health-conscious and businesses will capitalize on the trend by marketing goods and services to improve life in all ways.”

Known for its chiropractic and mas-

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sage services, since opening in 2008, Circle of Wellness promotes wellness through weight loss, nutrition, acupuncture, breathing training, reflexology, lab tests and more.

Learn more by calling (779) 423-1700 or visit circleofwellnessrockford.com. ❚

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779 423 0354 24

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CABINETRY AND FLOORING

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Your Fun

Entertainment & Events

Editor’s Note: Please call or check website for any updates before attending events due to fluctuating COVID-19 restrictions.

Go Public Gardens Days Thru May 14, daily 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The week’s activities include a spring smartphone tour and scavenger hunt, an educational webinar “Mini Meadows” on Monday and a Botanica presentation and workshop on Wednesday.

Free admission. Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 2715 S. Main St., Rockford, (815) 965-8146, klehm.org.

Janesville Renaissance Faire May 15-16, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Take a trip into an Old World experience, watching and interacting with the many performers; many vendor offerings. Please bring non-perishable food item. Proceeds support local community groups and scholarships. Traxler Park, 600 N. Main St., Janesville, (608) 289-0699, janesvillecvb.com.

Blue Man Group May 18-19, 7:30 p.m. A joyful evening of signature drumming, colorful moments of creativity and quirky comedy, along with

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surprise audience interaction. Coronado Performing Arts Center (Coronado PAC), 314 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org.

Civil War Living History Days May 21-23, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Featuring virtual and in-person events with activities for all ages. Milton House Museum & North Goodrich Park, 18 S. Janesville St., Milton, Wis. (608) 868-7772, miltonhouse.org.

Rockford City Market May 21-Sept. 24, Fri. 3:30-8:30 p.m. through Labor Day; to 7:30 p.m. after Labor Day. Enjoy craft beer and local musicians as you shop for vegetables, fruit, eggs, meat, cheeses, flowers, baked goods, wine and more. Rockford City Market, Water & State Street, (815) 9775124, rockfordcitymarket.com.

Rock River Wine Walk May 22, noon-5 p.m. Walk and shop while sipping. Downtown Janesville, 15 S. Jackson, (608) 728-3322, Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, 20 S. Main St., Janesville, (800) 487-2757, janesvillecvb.com.

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Rockford City downtown.

Market

opens

May

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Scared Scriptless May 28, 7 p.m. “Whose Line is it Anyway?” stars Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood entertain with their live improv show, taking audience suggestions and welcoming audience participation. Coronado PAC, Rockford, (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org.

Simply Spring: The Butterfly Exhibit Through May 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. A magical world of butterflies at Nicholas Conservatory, 1354 N. 2nd St., (815) 987-8858, rockfordparkdistrict.org/ncg. ❚

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TV has evolved. So has DISH.

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Offer for new and qualifying former customers only. Important Terms and Conditions: Qualification: Advertised price requires credit qualification and 24-month commitment. Upfront activation and/or receiver upgrade fees may apply based on credit qualification. Offer ends 7/14/21. 2-year commitment: Early termination fee of $20/mo. remaining applies if you cancel early. Included in 2-year price guarantee at $64.99 advertised price: America’s Top 120 programming package, local channels, HD service fees, and Hopper Duo Smart DVR for 1 TV. Included in 2-year price guarantee for additional cost: Programming package upgrades ($79.99 for AT120+, $89.99 for AT200, $99.99 for AT250), monthly fees for upgraded or additional receivers ($5-$7 per additional TV, receivers with additional functionality may be $10-$15). Regional Sports: RSN surcharge up to $3/mo. applies to AT120+ and higher packages and varies based on location. NOT included in 2-year price guarantee or advertised price (and subject to change): Taxes & surcharges, add-on programming (including premium channels), DISH Protect, and transactional fees. Premium Channels: 3 Mos. Free: After 3 mos., you will be billed $30/mo. for Showtime, Starz, and DISH Movie Pack unless you call or go online to cancel. Remote: The DISH Voice Remote with Google Assistant requires internet-connected Hopper, Joey, or Wally device. Customer must press Voice Remote button to activate feature. Google Assistant Smart Home features require Google account and compatible devices. Google is a trademark of Google LLC. Other: All packages, programming, features, and functionality and all prices and fees not included in price guarantee are subject to change without notice. After 6 mos., if selected, you will be billed $9.99/mo. for DISH Protect Silver unless you call to cancel. After 2 years, then-current everyday prices for all services apply. For business customers, additional monthly fees may apply. Free standard professional installation only. Some features, including mobile alerts, remote control, video streaming, video recording, remote control and custom schedules, require the Nest app, working internet and Wi-Fi, and Nest Connect or Nest Guard. Google and Google Nest Hello are registered trademarks of Google LLC. BDRIVE_26551

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