AWAY IN A MANGER magazine Living
ALSO:
THE UNIQUENESS OF BEETZ ME!
FASCINATING BUREAU COUNTY HISTORY
IMPROVE YOUR DIET WITH OAT RECIPES
Taking a moment to reflect
Another holiday season is almost here, and, for many of us, it can seem like life is especially frantic right now. We’re juggling work, holiday shopping, holiday travel plans, and extra expenses, in addition to whatever else we have going on in our lives.
Our relationships with others can either bring comfort or add another layer of stress during this time of the year. We may be looking forward to or dreading our holiday family parties, depending on what our family dynamics are. Those who have lost a loved one during the year may not feel the same holiday joy as they have in the past.
No matter what your situation is as the holidays approach, I hope you find a few minutes
to reflect and think about what you’d like to see this holiday season bring into your life. Whether you’re perfectly content with where your life is right now, or you’re barely hanging on, taking some time to reflect on your life, goals, and relationships can help you map out the road you should be taking.
If you want to repair some relationships in your life, reach out and start the process. If you’ve experienced a loss you’re still struggling to cope with, try to remember the good times and seek help if you need it. Those who feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish what needs to be done during this time of the year shouldn’t feel bad about
asking friends or family for some help or cutting corners to save time.
The holidays should be a joyous time filled with love, peace, and celebration. Practicing mindfulness, remembering what is truly important, and making a step toward the life you want will help transform the hectic holiday season into one you’ll enjoy and cherish.
Best wishes,
Shannon Serpette
Niche Editor
Living magazine
Bureau County Republican P.O. Box 340 Princeton, IL 61356-0340 815-220-6948
Beetz Me! 4
The home of what you didn’t know you needed.
O Come, All Ye Faithful 8
Walnut’s live nativity becomes a holiday tradition.
History Never Dies 11
Explore Bureau County’s important U.S. history.
Clean Up Your Diet with Oats 14
They’re inexpensive, easy to use, quick to make, and extremely versatile.
On the cover: Mary and Joseph are celebrating the birth of Jesus, nestled in a warm stable. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Do you have a story idea you’d love to read about in Illinois Valley Living magazine? Share your idea with the editor by emailing sserpette@shawmedia.com.
General Manager/ Advertising Director Jeanette Smith jmsmith@shawmedia.com
Niche Editor Shannon Serpette sserpette@shawmedia.com
Writers Brandon LaChance Katlyn Sanden Shannon Serpette
Photographer Katlyn Sanden
Designer Liz Klein Published by:
Beetz Me! is located in Princeton’s Art District.
The Home of What You Didn’t Know You Needed
Beetz Me! offers unique items
Story and photos by
Katlyn Sanden
Looking for that unique, one-of-a-kind holiday gift? Beetz Me! in Princeton may have just what you’re envisioning. Shop owner Laura Maxwell’s catchphrase is treasures that ‘You didn’t know you needed!’
Maxwell has been operating Beetz Me! for over 30 years, weathering the ups and downs of business ownership through it all. She originally started her career in interior design and store merchandising, where she helped businesses and homeowners create warm, inviting spaces. When life transplanted her into the Illinois Valley from Chicago in the early 1990s, she quickly tired of the commute.
“The store design, buying, and window dressing for other stores I really enjoyed,” Maxwell said. “I decided to open my own store. I had $20,000 and turned a small 400-squarefoot cottage on my property into my future shop called Beetz Me! Beetz was my last name. My initial goal was to provide the community with products it didn’t have and not borrow any money to open. So, paper goods it would be.”
Finding a niche, Maxwell settled on paper goods because there was nowhere else that sold different paper goods, including cards, at that time. It was something that would fit her budget to open and would fill the shelves at the same time. To this day, she still carries cards but adjusts to the ev-
er-changing market.
“Slowly, I evolved with merchandise that suited my customers and trends that were popular,” said Maxwell. “It was not always the merchandise I wanted to carry, but it enabled me to grow. Beanie Babies was an item I wanted nothing to do with, but they were in high demand. I weathered through that storm, and it enabled me to buy the building that Beetz Me has made its unique reputation since 1998.”
Once a hardware store from the 1800s, the Beetz Me! location at 952 North Main Street in Princeton still
has all the original fixtures and tin ceiling with running ladders to reach the highest shelves.
“I knew it would be an ongoing task of repairs, drafty doors, slanted floors, and so much more,” Maxwell said. “But it had character and so much history. You couldn’t give me a brandnew building. I fell in love with it the first time I walked in through those old, narrow wooden doors and saw all its character and charm.”
Growing into a charming, historical building, Maxwell knew that would not be
Laura Maxwell, owner and founder of Beetz Me!, completes a custommade piggy bank. All her piggy banks come with the child’s name, birth date, height, weight, and time of birth. She said they make great baby gifts and have been extremely popular.
Beetz Me!
FROM PAGE 5
enough to stay open. She still had to find ways to thrive.
“Key ingredients are first and foremost customer service,” Maxwell said. “Whether it be knowledge or a service you offer. When I started at the very beginning, it was helium balloons, special orders of paper goods, and personalized piggy banks. As I grew, it was gift baskets of gourmet foods and gift wrapping on all gifts free of charge.”
As business continued to evolve, she opened a coffee bar in 1997, which then led to a specialty wine bar that is still a draw today.
“As we stumbled through the years, it was always finding the items that were unique,” Maxwell said. “In 2008, I thought I was going to turn into a wine shop that sold funny magnets. It’s what people wanted during that hard year – alcohol and laughter. So, I branched into many other things that have cheeky-snarky swear word phrases. Most people laughed all the way to the register with their purchase. Some clutched their pearls and rolled their eyes in disbelief, then brought said ‘unbelievable’ item to the counter for purchase.”
Seeing customers’ faces when they find something they didn’t know they needed keeps Maxwell inspired to continue to search for fun, new items. It’s a challenge she’s grown to love about her business, but with any venture comes difficulties.
“The biggest challenge, without a doubt, was being told I had to close during Covid,” said Maxwell. “I refused. I went in that first morning, walked around looking at the inventory that was displayed artfully on the shelves and said to myself, ‘Nope, I will figure this out.’ And I did. I posted non-stop on social media and answered people’s questions, shipped and delivered gifts in my car, ran out to the curb to the cars that pulled
in front waiting for their purchase. All the while keeping the heat as low as possible and lights off to keep the utilities down in the store. It saved my business.”
Weathering through Covid, and coming out strong on the other side, she was able to spend more time with her family. Through that special time with her grandson, that’s when her next business expansion hit her.
“We went to a paint-yourown-pottery store,” Maxwell said. “That’s when it hit me. People are always looking for an activity to do, either with family, friends, or alone. It’s art. Everyone needs art. It was a perfect addition to Beetz Me! since we already did sip and paint for years. I had the perfect artistic staff to help me launch this great idea.”
The Knack, an artist studio by Beetz Me!, opened in July 2023. Located at 906 North Main Street, a block away from the original Beetz Me!,
The Knack offers pottery for every age level and interest. With piggy banks, coffee mugs, bowls, serving platters, and so much more, there’s something for everyone to paint. Maxwell praises her incredible team for helping her enhance her business model to where it is today.
“No idea or venture into the great unknown is easy unless you’ve got the people behind you to cheer you on,” Maxwell said. “That has been a blessing throughout the many years in business. I am grateful for my employees, present and past.
Friends and family that have supported me throughout the 31 years in business. I have enjoyed the laughter, gratitude, and many smiles on people’s faces. When you walk in through those old doors that never fail to swing open, I hope it takes you away from your worries and woes, if not just for a little while, to relax, laugh, and find “what you didn’t know you needed.”
Beetz Me! has something for everyone, even the men. They have their own shelves to shop from, which include books, soap, cologne, candles, and so much more.
FARRELL CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Walnut’’s live nativity becomes a holiday tradition
Story by Katlyn Sanden
Walnut Community Bible Church will soon be transformed into the Bethlehem of yesteryear. There will be people dressed as angels suspended in the air, camels carrying people portraying wise men, shepherds keeping watch over real-life sheep, and Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in a stable surrounded
by real-life animals.
The live nativity, hosted by Walnut Community Bible Church since 2008, has become a family tradition for many in the Illinois Valley. It’s obvious by the continuous line of vehicles driving through any given night.
“I feel like it’s gotten better each year,” Senior Pastor
Eldon Cook said. “The whole church has taken ownership of it now. There’s been so many neat ideas because of that.”
Cook, who had been sitting on this idea for a while and was a self-proclaimed bah humbug around the holidays, thought a live nativity would help bring the joy back into
Above: The angels get a special spot in the Walnut Community Bible Church live nativity while they watch all the action from above. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Eldon Cook, Senior Pastor of Walnut Community Bible Church, said there is something special seeing the entire live nativity played out at night. If you went to the church during the day, you wouldn’t see the full impact, but at night, that’s when the magic happens, he said.
the season for him personally.
“It’s made me look forward to Christmas,” said Cook. “It’s a lot of work. Every night, I’m in the background (if something needs to be done), but I’ll sit outside all two hours just watching and listening as the cars go by. It gives me an amazing sense of peace and joy. And I think it’s the same for a lot of people who help with it. They’ve been coming every year and are amazed at how it makes them feel and the reflection it brings to their hearts.”
One of the most recent changes is the addition of live carolers. Cook said they used to play Christmas music over a speaker as background music as guests made their way through the nativity story, but a Mennonite family got on board by providing live background music.
“It’s one of my favorite changes that has come along throughout the years,” Cook said. “We amplify them outside the church. It’s absolutely beautiful and has been very special to me.”
Cook said they work with other local churches and volunteers to make this event happen. One doesn’t have to
be a member of his church to get involved. He said another neat thing he’s noticed over the years is all the miraculous stories he hears about from this event, including training camels not to spook, wrangling runaway animals, and creating a safe space for the angels among the trees.
“There’s so many amazing God things,” Cook added. “Last year, the heifer that was brought to us was an extremely expensive show heifer. It escaped. Took off running and just disappeared. A cowboy just happened to pull through our nativity with his truck, trailer, and horse. People went running up to him asking how he got here so fast. Long story short, he caught the heifer. I was in tears like ‘Lord, you are so amazingly good that you can take care of us.’ Even in the hard things of our life, God has a plan for all those things. He orchestrated that timing just perfectly.”
Josie Kepner, who has been helping with the live nativity since she was a kid, looks forward to this event every season. She has played the roles of Mary and an angel over the years.
“I really like playing the angel because you get to see everyone’s faces as they drive by,” Kepner said. “It’s a good experience to watch the expressions as the nativity plays out. I feel like it’s a moment of realization for people to come in and see the birth story of Jesus – that it was a real thing that happened. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what it was like when reading, but to see it played out by real-life people makes it more realistic.”
“It’s very quiet,” Cook added. “Not the usual hustle and bustle around the holiday. It’s the peace that people are needing in this season when everything is so busy and rushed. We have fun doing it, and I think that comes through.”
This year’s live nativity will be at 6-8 p.m. December 20 to 22 at Walnut Community Bible Church, located at 125 Jackson St. in Walnut, and Cook wants to encourage guests not to miss the last scene of the nativity.
“I think a lot of people overlook the last scene, which is the three crosses at the very end. That’s what it’s all about,” he said.
History Never Dies
Story by Brandon LaChance
Explore Bureau County’s important U.S. history
hen the word history is brought up, what comes to mind? Some may say wars like the Civil War, World War I, or World War II. A few names of presidents, authors, actors and actresses, or industry pioneers may be mentioned. And events or tragedies such as the sinking of the Titanic will be discussed.
The Bureau County History Center and the Bureau County Historical Society in Princeton have interesting information about all of those subjects and more.
“There are ten other museums in the county. Our name happens to be Bureau County, but we all work together,” said the center and society executive director, Lex Poppens.
“Very few people know there was a man from Ohio, Illinois, that helped build the plane Charles Lindbergh flew. That’s in Bureau County. Labor laws changed because of the Cherry Mine disaster,” he said.
“There is a bell in front of the community hall in Buda that was forged from the USS Merrimack, an American Civil War battleship. It’s those things that have shaped our country, but also Bureau County. All of those colliding orbits of what’s happened in Princeton and Bureau County is marvelous.”
Telling those fascinating local stories and showing how they relate to the bigger picture of our country is important.
“What people will see us doing in the upcoming months and years is revealing those stories and discovering new stories. One of the things that we’ll be talking about at the annual meeting is a future president rescuing a gentleman from Wyanet after a terrible collision with an enemy warship. The ship happened to be called PT-109 (patrol torpedo boat), and the gentleman who rescued the man from Wyanet was future president John F. Kennedy,” Poppens said. “These are the things we want to make sure people know, especially young people, so
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
The Bureau County History Center and Bureau County Historical Society host tours for groups of all ages.
they know where they’re from.”
Although there has been a Poppens in Princeton since 1920, most of the family left in 1978, including Lex. He had visited many times over the years, but he was traveling as he marketed for performing arts centers around the country.
“It’s fascinating. I did grow up here, but there are so many things I am learning about that I didn’t know about when I lived here. That part has been absolutely marvelous. Finding out we had Titanic survivors living in Princeton was very exciting. We have other exciting stories coming up that I think will reinvigorate people’s interest in local history. That’s my hope,” said Poppens.
Recently, the organization has presented programs widely viewed by the public.
Actress Leslie Goddard recently portrayed Eleanor Roosevelt since the former First Lady spoke at Princeton High School many years ago.
Jeanne Schultz Angel spoke a week before the November 5th election on women’s suffrage and how the entire movement of getting women the right to vote came to the forefront.
See HISTORY page 12
History
FROM PAGE 11
“We brought in Titanic historian Peter Cook, who enraptured the audience with information about the Titanic that he has discovered in his own work. The emphasis of bringing him here was the Becker family from Princeton, which was on the Titanic. They lived in the city from 1927-1945,” Poppens said.
“We also brought in paranormal experts for the program ‘Dearly Departed: The Voices of the Clark Norris Museum’ to investigate the creaks and the noises of the Clark Norris Museum. With tools, we found out there are presences at the main house. We don’t call them ghosts because they’re not bothering any of us,” Poppens said.
“The whole concept of what paranormal is was researched on our property. It was very interesting. We had a full house. The purpose of doing that was because there is an interest in the paranormal, and everyone learned about the (former) residents of the house, and artifacts in the house that people are still attached to. You left the event with the understanding of who the Clark and Norris families were, the meaning of the house, and the artifacts to them,” he said.
Now, it’s time to work on what may be the most complex project for Poppens at the Bureau County History Center and the Bureau County Historical Society.
After a large collection was found, it sparked all kinds of ideas for 2025 and 2026.
“We’re working on probably the largest
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
Left: Many historical figures have been to Bureau County, including Susan B. Anthony. Anthony visited Princeton twice during the 1800s to advocate for women’s rights. Right: Kathryn Hays, an actress who passed away in 2022, was born in Princeton and played Kim Hughes on the soap opera, “As the World Turns” from 1972-2010.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
The Bureau County History Center opened the Clark Norris Museum to paranormal experts during a program called “Dearly Departed: The Voices of the Clark Norris Museum.” Attendees learned there are presences in the museum who are attached to the building and its artifacts.
exhibit we’ve ever done, Henry Immke’s photography. These are glass-plate slides discovered in a barn in the mid-1970s. They were donated to the historical society. They were cleaned and put in storage. What we’re doing because of a generous donation from a former Princeton resident, we’re able to digitize the collection and hopefully make it available to the public by next fall,” Poppens said.
“As a prelude to the exhibit, the theme for 2025 is simply pictures. We went through all of the nooks and crannies of the house to find portraits of people from Bureau County. They’ll be displayed in three, six-month segments next fall to build anticipation for the Immke display,” he said.
Plans are also underway for the 250th birthday of the United States, and additional research is being done for some of the other museums in the county to expose as much Bureau County history as possible.
Clean Up Your Diet with Oats
By Shannon Serpette
We’ve all heard about the amazing benefits of fiber, an important nutrient for optimal health. Fiber lowers cholesterol, helps with weight loss, and promotes a healthy digestive system.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to add more fiber to your diet, oats are a great way to go. They’re inexpensive, easy to use, quick to make, and extremely versatile. Here are some recipes that use oats in a variety of ways, including some dessert options for your holiday baking so you don’t get bored with plain oatmeal.
Berry Oatmeal Bake
INGREDIENTS
1 and 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Kosher salt
1 and 2/3 cups plain unsweetened almond milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping Ingredients
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 and 1/2 cups frozen berries, any kind
6 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (optional)
DIRECTIONS
For the oatmeal, grease an 8-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Stir the oats, brown sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt together in a big bowl. Whisk together the almond milk, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the oat mixture and stir until well combined.
For the topping, stir the almonds, oats, brown sugar, butter, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until mixed well. Pour the oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish. Arrange the berries over the oatmeal and sprinkle with topping. Bake until lightly browned, about 50 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm with a small amount of yogurt on top, if desired.
Oat Fruit Smoothie
INGREDIENTS
1 and 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 banana, sliced and frozen 1/2 cup strawberries frozen
DIRECTIONS
Peel the banana, slice it, and freeze it for a few hours before using. Add all the ingredients to your blender and blend for 60 to 90 seconds.
Oatmeal Pancakes
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup almond milk unsweetened
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 banana
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Blend almond milk, eggs, egg white, mashed banana, maple syrup, vanilla, rolled oats, baking powder, and salt in a blender until smooth. Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter in small circles in a skillet. Cook until done on each side.
Banana Vanilla Overnight Oats
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon honey
One banana, sliced
Handful of pecans
DIRECTIONS
Stir together the Greek yogurt, rolled oats, almond milk, vanilla extract, salt, and honey in a bowl or jar, cover with a lid, and place in the refrigerator overnight. Once you remove it from the refrigerator, you can microwave it for a minute if you want to eat it warm. Slice the banana and place the banana slices and pecans on top.
Apple Oat Bake
INGREDIENTS
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 cups unsweetened almond milk or regular milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 apples (Honey Crisp works well), peeled and cut into small chunks
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, 1/2 cup of pecans, dried cranberries, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In a different bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and vanilla until well combined. Add the milk mixture to the oat mixture, along with the butter, and stir well.
Place the apples on the bottom of the prepared baking dish in a single layer. Pour the oatmeal mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the rest of the pecans on top. Bake for 40 minutes, until the oats are set and the top is golden.
Oatmeal Cookies
INGREDIENTS
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, combine the eggs, raisins, and vanilla. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. In a separate bowl, stir the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture and stir thoroughly. Then stir in the egg mixture, and finally, stir in the rolled oats and pecans. The dough will be stiff. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 to 11 minutes in the oven until the edges are golden. Let cookies cool for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack.
How oatmeal helps individuals overcome stomach bugs
Thanks to impressive nutritional content, oatmeal is the unsung hero of the pantry. While it might not garner the glory of cold-busting chicken soup or sore throat-conquering tea with honey, oatmeal can help people overcome common illnesses like stomach bugs. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that women consume between 21 and 25 grams of fiber each day and advises men to consume between 30 and 38 grams of fiber each day. A single one-cup serving provides four grams of dietary fiber, and that doesn’t even include the additional fiber many people get when they add fruits and berries to their morning bowl of oatmeal. But it’s the fiber in the oats themselves that can be especially valuable for individuals who have digestive disorders or those want to prevent them. For example, experts with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health note that the insoluble fiber found in oats has been linked to a 40 percent lower risk for diverticular disease. Individuals confronting constipation should know that the fiber in oatmeal can help to soften stool, which can allow food to pass through the digestive system more quickly. Livestrong.com also notes that the fiber in oatmeal can help people overcome diarrhea by absorbing water and adding bulk and volume to stool. TF221639
Illinois’ longest operating lumberyard continues to thrive along Peru’s historic riverfront. Maze Lumber has been providing top quality building materials to Illinois Valley contractors and homeowners for over 176 years, still owned by the founding fathers (Maze).
Located in a 15,000-square foot showroom and office, we offer building materials for the modern home as well as a full line of the traditional lumber items used in home building, commercial construction, and industrial applications. Our experienced sales staff takes pride in their ability to provide knowledgeable assistance along with prompt delivery at reasonable prices.
