TAILS HUMANE SOCIETY CELEBRATING 20 YEARS BARRY SCHRADER: A DEKALB COUNTY LIFE NEW RESTAURANT SURFS INTO TOWN
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INSIDE BARRY SCHRADER A DeKalb County Life........................................................ 6 MASKS ON, LIGHTS ON Initiative helps DeKalb County......................................10 NEW RESTAURANT SURFS INTO TOWN Offering a wide array of seafood, chicken, and soul food at Surf’s Up...............................................12 FERRARA AND FACEBOOK BUILDING IN DEKALB Expected to produce hundreds of jobs and millions in tax revenue ...................................................18 TAILS HUMANE SOCIETY Celebrating 20 years.......................................................21
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Project Manager: Lisa Angel Layout & Design: Allison LaPorta Photography: D.M. Herra, Stephen Haberkorn & Jessi Haish LaRue Writers: D.M. Herra, Stephen Haberkorn & Jessi Haish LaRue Articles and advertisements are property of Shaw Media. No portion of DC Magazine may be produced without written consent of the publisher.
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Barry Schrader A DEKALB COUNTY LIFE By: Stephen Haberkorn
O
n June 30, 2020, Barry Schrader’s extensive public and private service to the people of DeKalb County, Illinois came to an end at the age of 79. Schrader had a long career as a journalist, including a 3-year stint as the Editor of the Daily Chronicle. Growing up in both the southern and northern parts of DeKalb County, graduating from Northern Illinois University, and living out his last years in DeKalb at the Oak Crest Retirement Center, Schrader developed a deep love of local history and was committed to ensuring that the notable people, places and events of DeKalb County would be remembered by future generations. Schrader was also an activist, philanthropist and community service leader, who fought to improve the lives of women, racial minorities, and those with disabilities. He leaves behind a legacy of not just his published words, but lives he’s impacted and organizations he helped found or revive. JOURNALISM CAREER Barry Schrader said that his interest in history was first kindled during high school when he was hired to scour the back issues of his hometown weekly and prepare a collection of news from 25 and 50 years
before. Those efforts turned into a column called “Looking Back” that ran in the Genoa Republican. Upon graduating with a degree in Journalism from Northern Illinois University in 1963, Schrader edited three weekly newspapers: the Byron Tribune, Stillman Valley News, and Leaf River Register. He then purchased the Genoa Republican and the Kirkland weekly, which was named the DeKalb County Journal. After first starting another weekly publication, the Sycamore Sun, he helped form the DeKalb County Press and bought out the Sycamore True Republican and Sycamore Tribune. Robert Campbell of Genoa, who was a classmate of Schrader at Genoa-Kingston Middle School and High School, said that Barry did a lot of research into anything he took on and was very thorough. He remembers the Genoa Republican when Schrader was the publisher. “It was a great small town newspaper,” said Campbell. “It was all local stuff and things of interest to the town, not to the world.” In 1966, Schrader sold his interest in DeKalb County Press and moved to Southern California to work for the San Bernardino Sun. From 1967-1969, Schrader was the editor of the Livermore (CA) Herald. In 1969, he returned to DeKalb County, Illinois to become the editor of the Daily Chronicle, where he led the paper through their coverage of historic events, such as the Apollo moon landing and the NIU student riots after the Kent State shooting. During this time, Schrader wrote a
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weekly column in the Chronicle called “Barbed Wires.” In 1972, Schrader went back to California to serve as editor of the Valley Times (Dublin and Livermore area), and then became editor of the Livermore Herald again from 19731980. After that, he changed careers to become a public information officer and science writer at Sandia National Labs and later served as a community relations manager at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). He retired in 2006 after serving the last two years as oral historian for LLNL. Upon “retirement,” Barry and his wife, Kay, returned to DeKalb County to be nearer to family, and Barry began writing a weekly column called “DeKalb County Life” in the Daily Chronicle. In his first entry, on December 19, 2007 (“Columnist returns to his roots”), Schrader explained that the column had come about because of a lunchtime conversation with the editor, James A. Bowey. “I had been telling him about the coverage pattern of the Chronicle when I served as its editor from 1969-1972,” wrote Schrader. “We had 25 correspondents, representing all 19 townships in the county. The demographics were much more rural, and the paper felt a need to give attention to every corner of the county,
something more difficult now with the county’s 100,000-plus population. As we talked, the idea for a column about those ‘nooks and crannies’ of the county came to life.” In one of his early DeKalb County Life columns, Schrader wrote about the old country correspondents and argued that there should be a monument erected in their honor. “There were thousands of them across the country who filled the inside pages of many a weekly or small town daily with society news, births, weddings and anniversaries, the only way people would ever see their own or a neighbor’s name in the paper and be able to cut out that little clipping and preserve it for posterity in their family album,” wrote Schrader. Schrader said each week in his column he would explore the county to bring the many “people stories” to the readers. Many of those stories would be about his old acquaintances from the 1940s through the 1960s. He said his goal was to write about the people, places and events that make DeKalb County special. Schrader continued those columns weekly or bi-weekly with two breaks, from December of 2007 until February of 2020. All of those columns are available to read on his website: dekalbcountylife.com. He also published two collections of his favorite
Chronicle columns, titled “Hybrid Corn & Purebread People,” volumes 1 & 2. At the beginning of the first break he took from the column in September of 2012, Schrader wrote in what he thought would be his last installment, that the column had taken him to all 19 townships and “into countless homes, farms, businesses, and places [he] otherwise would never have visited.” He said that people shared “their life stories, their hobbies, and their family scrapbooks” with him. In effect, Schrader had assumed the role of the old country correspondents. CHRONICLING DEKALB COUNTY HISTORY Barry Schrader was about as deeply rooted in DeKalb County as anyone could be. His family went back five generations in the county. He was born on a dairy farm south of Waterman and attended grade schools in Somonauk, Waterman and Sycamore. His family then moved to Genoa, where he completed his middle school and high school education in the GenoaKingston school district. He graduated from Northern Illinois University before beginning his journalism career editing and publishing a number of weekly newspapers throughout Northern Illinois. On top of that, Barry’s wife, Kay, was a Wirsing from Sycamore who also had deep roots in the local farming community.
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Schrader’s high school classmate, Robert Campbell, said that Barry was always involved in organizing and starting things. In fact, the summer after they graduated, Schrader organized their first class reunion. They’ve had class reunions at least every five years since and Barry was always involved in planning those. Even when he was living in California, he would make it back for the reunions. Members of the 1958 Genoa-Kingston High School graduating class also continue to meet every other month for brunch. Barry would almost always bring something that he had unearthed to share with the group, such as old photos or high school dance programs. In February of 2020, after Schrader learned of his terminal pancreatic cancer, he had Campbell over to his house to give him a box of photos and memorabilia related to their class. He instructed Campbell to
give the materials to classmates at their next meeting and donate the rest to the Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Society Museum in Genoa. “He saved everything,” Campbell said. This desire to save and preserve memories was a passion for Schrader, and led him to participate in many local and national historical groups. He helped revive the DeKalb County Historical SocietyGenealogical Society, co-founded the Livermore Heritage Guild, and was a member of the Oral History Association and The Fossils, a national organization that preserves the history of amateur journalism. He also wrote a chapter on news media for the book, “Acres of Change, a history of DeKalb from 1963 through 2012,” and videotaped oral histories for the Joiner History Room in Sycamore. During his time in California, Schrader also wrote a book of local lore titled, “Will the Last Person Leaving Livermore Please Unscrew the Bulb in Fire Station One.” Steve Bigolin, a DeKalb County historian who works at the local history room at the DeKalb Public Library, collaborated on numerous projects with Schrader over the years, including installing historical markers to commemorate local stops on the Underground Railroad and researching all of the cemeteries in DeKalb County. “I miss him tremendously, because of his deep-seated historical interest,” said Bigolin. Bigolin first learned of Schrader after reading an “exhaustive” column Schrader wrote in 1972 about Paul A. Nehring’s collection of Abraham Lincoln memorabilia (which was later sold to pay property taxes). When Paul Nehring Jr. died in 1999, Bigolin and Schrader helped his widow, Shirley Hamilton Nehring, go through her husband’s collections at the house at First and Augusta, which is now part of the Ellwood House estate.
“Barry and I, from the moment we first met, really clicked,” said Bigolin. According to Bigolin, the first time Schrader visited his apartment, he couldn’t get over the fact that he possessed an antique wooden school desk. It turned out that the desk was from the old Somonauk Elementary School where Barry attended as a child and where Schrader’s mother taught. “Ever since he saw that desk, he told people that I have his old school desk,” Bigolin said. Bigolin has lost track of how many historical talks he gave that Schrader attended and how many that Schrader gave that he attended. “Every now and then he would give me a call and say, ‘Would you like to go with me here or there around the county?’” said Bigolin. When the local history room in the DeKalb Public Library first opened, Schrader wrote an article for his blog about what a great historical resource Bigolin was and how he could take him just about anywhere in the county—civic area, historic site, building—and he could rattle off names, dates and information about it that would boggle his mind. “[Barry Schrader] had a love of DeKalb County; he had a passion for history,” said DeKalb Mayor and longtime friend of Schrader’s, Jerry Smith. “The guy could just sit down at a typewriter and start pounding out short columns about everything...and he had a passion for attempting in his own small way to involve our young people so that they will have a sense of those who came before them.” Schrader was concerned that local heroes of the past were being forgotten, and advocated for erecting monuments to antislavery fighters like David West of Sycamore who helped smuggle slaves to freedom. “We need to honor the memory and deeds of these pioneers, and not just leave them
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Bedding Plants � Asparagus � Tomatoes � Homegrown Bi-Color Sweet Corn Cucumbers � Zucchini � Onions � Squash (fall & summer) � Muskmelons Gourds � Peppers � Pumpkins � More on library shelves,” Schrader wrote in his September 24, 2013 column. “Shouldn’t our children and future generations also have physical reminders of the daring abolitionists?” One of the ways Schrader had hoped to pass on knowledge of DeKalb County’s special history was though a “historymobile” that would visit local elementary schools. The idea came to him from the successful “museum on wheels” project that he helped initiate in Livermore, California 25 years prior. “I got the bright idea that DeKalb County children needed a history lesson since they weren’t getting taught much, if anything, about their local heritage in school,” Schrader wrote in a column (“Highs & lows in my golden years”) published July 9, 2013. He tried for five months to gather the support necessary to fund the venture, but the interest just wasn’t there, much to his disappointment. ACTIVISM & COMMUNITY SERVICE One of Jerry Smith’s first memories of Barry Schrader back in the early 1960s when they were both on the staff of the Northern Star, the student newspaper at Northern Illinois University, was when Schrader was leading a demonstration on the lawn of what is now Lowden Hall at NIU. The students were demanding, among other things, that women be allowed to wear long pants and that African-American students be able to get haircuts in DeKalb. “These are things that today would be maybe minor issues, but back then were really, really significant,” said Smith. Smith also remembers Schrader being the editor of an underground magazine at NIU called the Quarterback. Leslie Holmes,
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who was then the university president, threatened to expel Schrader if he didn’t stop editing the publication. Barry refused to stop, but was never kicked out of the university. “So he’s always been somewhat of a rabble rouser, a gadfly. I liked to jokingly call him a muckraker,” said Smith. “There were some people who got exasperated with Barry, because he wanted things to move relatively quickly. He wanted situations that he felt were unfair or unjust to be rectified.” Throughout his life, Schrader also advocated for those with mental illnesses. He cofounded the DeKalb County Citizens for Better Mental Health Care and received the McNish Advocacy Award from the National
Alliance on Mental Illness. In 2009, he fought (unsuccessfully) against Kishwaukee Hospital eliminating their inpatient Mental Health unit.
the Sycamore Pumpkin Fest parade, and the Soybean Adventure and Tractor Show at the Waterman Summer Fest.
Schrader wrote in his column titled “Remembering a life of activism,” published October 8, 2013: “That has been the story of my life, taking a strong stand on various issues, not always successfully, but at least I felt better for having made the effort.” Schrader wrote that he had a pin with the slogan, “I Chase Windmills,” because of his propensity to take up hopeless causes.
Another avenue Schrader used to try to improve his community was politics. He was elected to a community college district board in the San Francisco Bay Area by defeating a 20-year incumbent and then won re-election two more times, even serving as president of the board before retiring.
As another example of this, while in California Schrader protested (unsuccessfully) against one of his former employers no longer observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But Schrader was not content to just protest in order to make the world a better place; he was also heavily involved in community service through Rotary and other organizations. Barry was active in the Livermore Rotary for 33 years, then later with the Sycamore Rotary Club after moving back to Illinois in 2006. Since the Schraders were living at the Oak Crest Retirement Center, Schrader organized a new satellite Rotary Club at Oak Crest. Of the 35 current members of the Oak Crest Area Rotary Club, Schrader personally recruited 25-30 of them. One of those whom he persuaded to join was John Peterson of Sycamore, who later served as President of the Oak Crest Rotary group. “I followed Barry’s lead,” said Peterson. “It was completely his initiative and his efforts that brought that about.” Projects that Schrader helped with, either by serving or fundraising, through the Oak Crest Rotary Club included Feed My Starving Children, DeKalb County Community Gardens, Hope Haven, Boy Scout Troop 33,
In 2016, Schrader helped his old friend, Jerry Smith, get elected mayor of the City of DeKalb. “He was very, very tenacious,” said Smith. “He insisted that we walk this neighborhood and walk that neighborhood. He designed all my campaign material.” BARRY SCHRADER’S LEGACY Barry Schrader spent a good part of his life chronicling the history of DeKalb County and now he, himself, has become a significant part of that history. Besides leaving behind all of his “DeKalb County Life” columns, which are a virtual treasure trove of local history and nostalgia, Schrader helped to start or revive numerous organizations that continue on. Back in 2013, Ney Grange #1845, which was the only surviving Grange society in DeKalb County, was in danger of collapsing because it had lost so many members. DeKalb County at one time had nine granges. Barry took it upon himself to single-handedly recruit people to keep the Ney Grange in operation, and he became Grange Master (president). The Grange, a fraternal organization that encourages families to band together to promote the economic and political wellbeing of agricultural communities, dates back to the 1860s and was a precursor to the farm bureau. The Ney Grange is based in Genoa.
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The Oak Crest Rotary Club, which Schrader started, named their Rotarian of the Year Award in Barry Schrader’s honor. They also planted a red maple tree on the Oak Crest property in honor of Schrader. During the tree planting ceremony, Pat Shafer, current President of the Sycamore Rotary Club said, “If a man is measured by his family, friends and contributions, then Barry Schrader is truly worthy...of our recognition of the many known and unknown contributions that Barry has made to make his and our world a better place.” Barry Schrader’s life will continue to leave other tangible marks on the area. His memorial fund is going to be used to place more historical markers around DeKalb County. It was something near and dear to his heart. For instance, Schrader wanted to replace the marker acknowledging the site of the first train station in DeKalb, that had been stolen around 2001. The DeKalb County Historical Society had decided not to create any more historical markers, which had irked Barry. But apparently that decision has now been reversed, at least temporarily, because of the memorial fund in his name. Schrader also helped found several other organizations that will continue to advance his passions, including the DeKalb County Historical-Genealogical Society, the Livermore Heritage Guild, the Tri-Valley Exchange Club, and the American Amateur Press Association. In addition, he was co-founder and first president of the Friends of Vineyards, a viticultural preservation group that sought to save land for agricultural use in the Livermore Valley. Perhaps the greatest legacy Schrader leaves behind is the impact he had on other
journalists and historians. After working for the Northern Star and graduating from NIU, Barry later served as president of the Northern Star Alumni Board and was inducted into the Northern Star Hall of Fame. Mike Korcek, legendary former NIU Sports Information Director, called Schrader “the epitome of community journalism” in the Northern Star article announcing his death. Korcek said that Schrader always supported and encouraged future journalists. One such beneficiary of Schrader’s continued support of the Northern Star was Jessi Haish LaRue, who wrote a tribute to Barry that was republished in the Daily Chronicle. LaRue said that Schrader was “an eccentric, unique character that frequented the office” and “a legend to us kids.” After working briefly for the Daily Chronicle, LaRue later wrote columns for Schrader’s local history blog. She said that Barry became her mentor and regularly sent her encouraging emails. Schrader also recommended his young protege join the DeKalb County Historical-Genealogical Society and she is now a member of that group’s board.
occur when a person has been away from his or her hometown for many years, may not have any close living relatives, and the clergy conducting the service never had an opportunity to meet the person and can only read the obituary from the pulpit as a remembrance. How can one’s life be summarized in 200 words?” For Barry Schrader, who returned to his DeKalb County roots at the end of his life, that was certainly not the case. Schrader lined up the eulogists for his memorial service— Marilyn Stromberg, Ron Klein, and Jerry Smith—six months in advance. These were the people he felt knew him best. In addition to the oral and written tributes that these folks and others gave to Barry Schrader upon his death, Jessi Haish LaRue, Steve Bigolin, and Jerry Smith continue to carry on his work in journalism, local history, and government— areas of public service that Schrader was most passionate about.
After informing LaRue of his pancreatic cancer, Schrader summoned her to his office and sent her home with four boxes of books and a giant DeKalb County map to aid her in her future local history writing. “I swore that I’d always make him proud,” LaRue said. “Barry’s enthusiasm for life, and his unwavering pursuit of the story, will be my inspiration for years to come.” In 2014, Schrader wrote a column titled, “Funerals offer chance for reflection,” in which he lamented: “The saddest occasions for me
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Masks On, Lights On! Initiative Helps DeKalb County
Small actions can make a big impact By: Jessi Haish LaRue
W
By wearing masks consistently, we can help hen times are tough in made up of members from NIU, local DeKalb County, small Chambers of Commerce, small businesses, businesses keep their doors open and lights on. actions can make a big bankers, accountants and more. Their impact.
biggest goal with ‘Masks On Lights On’ is education.
Leaders from throughout DeKalb County and Northern Illinois University are working as “DeKalb County UNITES,” a task force focused on helping small businesses during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. DeKalb County University and Neighbors Investing Together for Economic Success, or DeKalb County UNITES, has created marketing materials, hosted webinars and conducted surveys to help local businesses. Now it’s asking for consumers to help. Their current initiative, “Masks On, Lights On,” encourages people to wear masks so that businesses can stay open and thrive. The organization also encourages people to direct their purchasing power to small, local businesses, now more than ever.
“We heard from several small businesses that they were struggling to have their customers and clients follow mask wearing guidelines ordered by the state,” Strohacker said. “Establishments that allow outdoor dining were noticing customers not wearing masks at all. We wanted to help them get their messaging out to the public. None of our businesses want to close because of a COVID case and while they are keeping their staff masked up they wanted to make sure their customers were as well.”
Rena Cotsones, co-chair of DeKalb County UNITES and Chief Engagement Officer at NIU, said the group was formed in the very early days of the pandemic. Cotsones co-chairs the group with Cohen Barnes, owner of Sundog and president of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation.
to remain open,” Cotsones said. “The local business owners aren’t making the rules, they must follow them in order to keep their doors open. So ‘Masks On, Lights On’ means that if you wear your mask while you are supporting local businesses, you are ensuring that they are able to keep their with lights onInsoPartnership they are there to serve you in the future.”
“We thought it was important to connect the dots between people’s individual behavior and the ability of local businesses
Cortney Strohacker, executive director of the DeKalb County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said DeKalb County UNITES is
Cotsones said everyone has a part to play in ensuring that the community succeeds through the pandemic. “The first step is to direct our purchasing power to local businesses whenever possible,” Cotsones said. “Then, when you go to a restaurant, wear a mask when you are walking to and from your table. When you go into a shop, wear a mask as you are browsing. It’s unfair to hassle the local business owners about a policy they didn’t invent but must enforce in order to keep operating.” The group is continuing to work on a
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DeKalba place Public Library for everyone number of initiatives to help the county’s businesses. “One of the things that became very obvious during the shutdown was the importance of small business websites, e-commerce and social media,” Cotsones said. “We are working with university and community partners on a project called 40TUDE that will provide support to small businesses in this area, using the talent of NIU students under the mentorship of NIU faculty and local marketing experts. We have expanded this concept to include small nonprofits who need help with data analysis, fundraising and volunteer support.” Resources currently available include fliers and marketing materials are available for business owners to download directly from dekalbcountyunites.com. The group has also helped businesses ease themselves through pandemic business practices. From the beginning, UNITES has worked to aggregate and amplify communications to business owners, including free webinars, and local consumer research. They also
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“DeKalb County UNITES has helped several businesses navigate their way through the PPP and EIDL,” Strohacker said. “The collaborative efforts of all the organizations involved has been a true testament of our County’s strength and support. They have been instrumental in reaching out to large industry to help support our small businesses.”
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Cotsones emphasized the importance of helping others during this trying time. “In many ways, small businesses are the heart of the community,” Cotsones said. “These are our friends, neighbors and family members who not only provide a product or service but sponsor baseball teams and advertise in play programs. They help make up the character and quality of life of the community.”
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SURFS New Restaurant
Into Town By: Stephen Haberdorn
he only thing that has ever come easy to Untavious “Tavy” Davenport is cooking. Before opening his Surf’s Up restaurant in DeKalb, the 37-year-old entrepreneur grew up poor on the west side of Chicago, spent time in prison, and hustled to build a myriad of businesses before arriving where he is now. Surf’s Up is a restaurant franchise that began in 2012 in Hillside, Illinois, and currently has about a dozen locations, mainly in the Chicago area. They feature a wide array of seafood, chicken, and soul food at affordable prices. Davenport worked with the founder of the franchise at their Oak Park location and has added many of his personal recipes to the menu. Despite a rave reception to the food at Surf’s Up and a growing following, starting a business in a new city during a pandemic has been a challenge.
They opened their restaurant at 850 Pappas Drive, Suite C in March of 2020 and voluntarily shut down for two weeks when the coronavirus epidemic hit the United States. They reopened in April and have been open since. Surf’s Up offers everything from a fivedollar sandwich to a $68-dollar beach feast. Items on their menu include tender fried lobster tails and crab legs, Cajun -seasoned shrimp, po’boy sandwiches, catfish, tilapia, fish and shrimp tacos, chicken wings, turkey greens, dirty rice, and fried green tomatoes. The only dessert on their menu is fried biscuits, which is a sweet specialty of theirs. “The menu fits whatever your appetite is, and whatever your pocketbook is,” said Davenport. He said that he and his staff are willing to walk you through the menu in order to help you make a selection.
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Anna Coates, Membership Manager for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, originally found Surf’s Up on Facebook and reached out to them. She said that Davenport has been great to talk to and she loves their food. “I’m excited to hear they’re doing well,” said Coates. “They’re staying steady. That’s what we want to see in new businesses in the community, especially during this time. I’m looking forward to seeing them grow and thrive.” Coates tried the biggest-selling item at Surf’s Up, “Tha Bomb” sandwich, and thought it was delicious. The signature sandwich is made with a ½ pound fried lobster tail, ¼ pound of shrimp, lettuce, tomato, pickles and their specialty Henny sauce on a brioche bun. “I think they have a different take on some of the seafood things that we don’t have in the area [like crab legs],” said Coates. “They have their specific sauce that they put on their sandwiches which is a very unique flavor—a little bit of kick to it, but tangy.” Fried lobster is something that a lot of people have probably never tried. The main difference between the fried lobster and a traditional grilled lobster is the breading, which adds a whole new taste. Besides “Tha Bomb” sandwich, Davenport’s favorite menu item to make is the fried shrimp po’boy. “We have our own style. I put my own mix to every dish,” Davenport said. “That’s what separates me from other stores. What you get here, you might not get nowhere else.” The restaurant is really a fusion of many things: New Orleans creole-style seafood, Boston-style po’boy sandwiches, Chicagostyle chicken, and traditional soul food. Davenport believes that Chicago-style food is the best in the world. “The mild sauce is something you only get in Chicago. You can’t get that nowhere else,” said Davenport. “Everywhere I go, I taste their chicken and it’s not like Chicago-style chicken. When you go into the inner city, that’s what you’re always looking for: who’s got the best chicken? Honestly, I think we’ve got the best chicken in Chicago.” He said he thinks that at expensive “fine dining” restaurants you’re just paying for the name. “I know that what I produce is better than some of the [restaurants] that are more upscale,” said Davenport. Surf’s Up does catering, but that is not a big part of their business, yet. You can order from them through Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Tavy Davenport grew up on the west side of Chicago in the Lawndale area, and later in Maywood, IL. His father was always working odd jobs and tried his hand at business
multiple times. “We didn’t have very much money,” said Davenport. “My father was an entrepreneur—by any means he made a way. I kind of took that from him.” Davenport was also inspired by his uncle’s work ethic. He would see him get up at 5 a.m. every day to maintain the building and grounds of his business. The first business Tavy did with his father was picking up and recycling aluminum cans and scrap metal. “I was never afraid to get dirty to do what the next person wouldn’t,” said Davenport. “I learned then, if you want more you’ve got to do more.” He got his first job at ten years old pumping gas and filling pop machines at a gas station. He also sold tee shirts, candy, cars—anything he could think of to make money. He even owned a record label called Captivity Records in the early 2000s. “I’ve been trying my hand at business my whole life. Nonstop. Something had to work someday,” Davenport said. After attending Proviso East High School, but not graduating, Davenport was in and out of trouble with the law. He moved to DuPage County in 2002, where he had his first child. He worked mediocre jobs and got in some more trouble before moving to Elgin and then Carol Stream and settling down somewhat. Eventually, things started to turn around for Davenport. In 2017, he got some capital by winning $25,000 in a casino slot machine, and also got some money from his mother’s life insurance when she died. He used that money to buy into QB Sports Bar & Grill in Addison, which he owned and ran for a while. After he sold QB’s, he used that money to buy a music studio called Sound House Music Inc. and had a lot of success putting on shows. They sold out shows around the country in places like Knoxville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia and Dallas, Texas. Davenport said that’s when he really started to realize he had a knack for business. He then took the money he made from the music and bought two 18-wheel semi-trailer trucks, which he eventually sold to start the Surf’s Up restaurant in DeKalb. “That’s literally how all this came about,” explained Davenport. “We just went from one thing, to the next, to the next. But cooking has always been my passion.” Even when he was involved in other businesses, Davenport worked on his cooking; he used to test out dishes by giving them to people in his music studio for feedback. Davenport learned how to cook early on in his life. “Cooking is just something I’ve always liked to do. I always knew how to cook,” said Davenport. When he went to other people’s barbecues and tasted their food he always thought he could do better. He would even sell plates of food he cooked at his home. “I’ll be honest with you, I always had a
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dream to work at Burger King,” Davenport said. “That’s something I haven’t told too many people.” He did end up applying at Burger King so he could cook burgers for a living, but after interviewing for the job he didn’t get hired. When he was 18 years old, Davenport’s mother had a soul food restaurant in Broadview, Illinois called “Mama Jo’s Soul Food.” He literally built the restaurant with his own hands, cooked and helped run it. He dreamed of taking it over when he got older and making it bigger, but that dream was cut short when the restaurant burned down in a grease fire and they couldn’t afford to rebuild it. “My parents put everything into that restaurant,” said Davenport. The thing that was appealing to Davenport about Surf’s Up is that it’s a smaller brand that he could bring something to. He was a partner with the brand founder at the Oak Park location and still owns a small percentage of that restaurant. But he loves having control over his own franchise. “Anything that happens here, I’ve got to take the blame and the credit for,” said Davenport. Davenport has been expanding the Surf’s Up menu from his personal recipe collection. He said he created the five dollar menu, the junior tenders, the jerk chicken and loaded fries. In addition, he added his personal “Henny” sauce, which is a mild barbecue sauce that they put on lots of things. The Henny wings is one of their biggest-selling items. He also added his mother’s collard greens recipe to the menu. Davenport dreams of making Surf’s Up into more than just a small fish in the restaurant franchise pond. “My vision is to see this brand become a global brand. I dream big. I don’t think small. I think one day we could be as big as every other franchise there is,” said Davenport. If anyone scoffs at that dream, all they need to do is look at the restaurant next door to Surf’s Up in DeKalb—Jimmy John’s— which began in a garage in Charleston, Illinois
and now has thousands of restaurants around the country.
also big on his list of attractive things about DeKalb.
WHY DEKALB? Tavy Davenport chose DeKalb as the location for his Surf’s Up restaurant for several reasons, including being in the town with one of the biggest universities in Illinois, his daughter being there, and the welcoming environment of the city.
“What we’ve noticed is a good vibe and a good time. I just feel like I need to be here,” Davenport said.
First of all, he said he wanted to open a restaurant near a college campus for branding purposes. “Most major food chains start off in a college town,” said Davenport. “This is where students come before they go into adulthood, so everything they learn here, they’re going to take with them as they transition in life. If they start to love it now, they are going to go on in life saying, ‘This is my favorite spot; I like to go here.’” Secondly, Davenport has visited DeKalb many times over the years and always had the impression that it was an open and welcoming place. In fact, he almost bought a house here about ten years ago. “Not too many places are welcoming,” said Davenport. “I feel like DeKalb is a good place to get myself known at.” Finally, the restaurant owner has many connections to Northern Illinois University. A few of his cousins and several of his friends attended the school and his daughter will be starting at NIU in the Fall of 2020. She’s the oldest of his three children. Davenport said that he was always coming up to DeKalb for some reason or another over the years. He even produced a concert at the NIU Convocation Center which his uncle headlined. “I’ve always found DeKalb interesting,” said Davenport. “It sits in the middle of nowhere, but in the middle of somewhere. It’s far enough away [from Chicago], but close enough to go back easily.” Davenport also knew that there is a large minority population in DeKalb and not a lot of minority-owned businesses. That was
When Davenport came up to DeKalb to scope out possible locations for his restaurant, the spot in the small strip mall on Annie Glidden Road had just opened up two days before. He was not dissuaded by the fact that other restaurants had failed in that location; he wanted to take a shot. “The worst that could happen would be I lose everything again…[but] if you’re afraid to lose, you’re not going to make it,” said Davenport. “You’ve got to overcome those fears.” People also warned him that it was a “black-dominated area” and nobody else came down there. But since opening, he hasn’t found that to be the case. “People from all races and ethnicities and economic backgrounds come down here now,” Davenport said. “I like that we can bring that to the community.” He said their patrons range from the person with five dollars to the person with a million dollars. “I get dudes who pull up here in Toyotas and I’ve got guys who come in here with Teslas.” Part of what creates that welcoming environment is Davenport’s staff. Pierre Washington, one of the cooks at Surf’s Up, said they have a great group of guys in the restaurant who make everyone feel comfortable when they come in by addressing them individually. “I probably almost know each of the repeat customers,” said Washington. Washington is also from the west side of Chicago, from the K-Town area. He’s known Untavious Davenport since Washington was around twelve years old (he’s 35 now). He said that when his father went to jail, Tavy took him under his wing and he’s been with him ever since. Washington was driving trucks, but quit that
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to come work in the restaurant. “It’s been great. I love to drive trucks, but what I always wanted to do was be a cook,” said Washington. “So [Davenport] gave me a chance to do that.” Like Davenport, Washington has also been in kitchens his whole life. His favorite thing to make at home is shrimp-fried rice, but his favorite item to make on the Surf’s Up menu is the Catfish Po’Boy. Washington said he has friends that he played basketball and wrestled with that come from as far as Beloit, Wisconsin, Lombard and Villa Park to eat at Surf’s Up. “They all love it,” said Washington. He’s also trying to convince Davenport to get a food truck so they can take their food to people all over. “I bring it up to him every other day,” said Washington. “Put a big shrimp with a surfboard right on top so everybody can see us.” INTERESTING TIMING The timing of Surf’s Up’s opening was a mixed bag, between the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. They opened in March, but voluntarily shut down for two weeks at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic for safety reasons. What has made things even more difficult is the students from NIU not being around since the campus got shut down.
The restaurant hasn’t received any government assistance during the pandemic, but Davenport kept his business open and his employees working. “I pride myself on that. Can’t nobody take that from me. I’ve survived it because I put in work, day in and day out,” said Davenport. He figures if they can survive during the pandemic, which has been the worst time for restaurants, then they can make it through anything. On the flipside, he said he’s gotten a good amount of business because of the Black Lives Matter movement and their emphasis on supporting black-owned businesses. “It helps out,” said Davenport. But he said that making their customers feel welcome and providing great food is more important to their success. Davenport has done what he could to support other local businesses and the community at large. “I’ve made my rounds to support every black business that I know of in DeKalb, but I’ve also made my rounds to support *every* business in DeKalb,” said Davenport. He has also been involved in the community by donating money to the school system, offering free food to children in the neighborhood to help out during the pandemic, and providing discounts to first responders and members of the military. “I’m not about self. That’s the number one thing,” Davenport said.
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Ferrara and Facebook Building in DeKalb
Expected to produce hundreds of jobs and millions in tax revenue By: D.M. Herra
A
s the US economy reels from the impact of COVID-19, hope for the future shines bright on the south side of DeKalb.
On a thousand-acre parcel of land near Interstate 88, construction workers build and dig. When they are finished, the biggest industries to come to DeKalb in years will move in, bringing around 600 jobs with them. Candy manufacturer Ferrara – creator of such iconic candies as Lemonheads and SweeTarts – will occupy 106 acres in the middle of the Chicago West Business Center. The Ferrara project includes a packaging center and a distribution center. The company is investing about $100 million in the site and expects to employ about 500 people at varying levels by the second quarter of 2021. Within the company’s first two years in DeKalb,
it is expected to employ as many as 1,000. The other project under construction in the business center is a 900,000-square-foot data center for social media giant Facebook. Facebook is investing around $800 million to build its twelfth US data center. When the center begins operations next year, it is expected to employ around 100 people in hightech, high-skilled positions. “We feel good about the momentum that we’ve established,” DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith said. “We’re not finished with economic development. There’s more land out there.” DIVERSIFYING THE ECONOMY The jobs the new businesses will create may boost the economy in more ways than one, DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas said. Not only
will Ferrara and Facebook employ many people, but they will have roles to fill at all skill levels. Nicklas said DeKalb’s population is mostly made up of people 25 and younger and people 55 and older. In between, during the prime careerbuilding and child-raising years, people tend to leave the city. Nicklas hopes the availability of diverse opportunities will reverse that trend. “We need jobs that become careers,” he said. “That is what will provide the kind of demand that keeps restaurants busy and retail clicking.” Northern Illinois University and Kishwaukee College played a role in enticing Ferrara and Facebook, DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) Executive Director Paul Borek said. They demonstrate the area’s ability to
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keep a pipeline of educated workers filled for years to come. “The Ferrara project will include a wide variety of jobs beyond logistics and packaging,” Borek said. “Facebook is a game changer in terms of the scale of investment and tax revenue generation, but perhaps even more importantly, in terms of attracting sophisticated technology professionals.” Sarah Kittel, head of corporate affairs for Ferrara, said the company chose DeKalb “for its commitment to thoughtful business incentives, utility infrastructure and workforce, and its proximity to Interstate 88 and two higher learning institutions.” “As our business continues to grow and our portfolio expands, we need to ensure we have production and storage capacity to accommodate that growth,” Kittel said. “When the time comes, we will be hiring in DeKalb to staff the distribution complex.” Future partnerships with the industries could help to attract students to NIU and Kishwaukee, Borek said. Career potential could entice those students to remain in the county after graduation. Matt Sexton, community development manager at Facebook, said the company seeks out areas with a strong talent pool for its operations. It also prefers to build in communities with a good quality of life. “We want to locate in places where it is easy for our employees to live, work, and raise their families locally,” he said. Sexton said a study conducted several years ago found that every job at a Facebook data center supports five additional jobs elsewhere in the community and every million dollars the company invests in data centers supports 15 jobs in the community. “In DeKalb, we’re looking at an $800 million project expected to ultimately support 100plus jobs,” he said. Smith said Facebook’s 11 other US data centers have been catalysts for growth in their communities. Once the data center is established, he said, officials expect other high-tech industries to follow. Nicklas said
several other large companies have inquired about locating in DeKalb, though none have made official commitments. “We have unlocked the door,” Nicklas said. “People know that we are here and that we are friendly to large investments.” AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS 14 YEARS IN THE MAKING Krusinski Construction Company began creating the Chicago West site in 2006. They worked on several industrial properties around DeKalb during a building boom of the early 2000s. CEO Jerry Krusinski saw the Chicago West area was ideally suited to industrial development, so the company bought three adjacent parcels totaling 343 acres. THEN THE RECESSION HIT “The intent was to create a nice business park providing space for industrial and commercial users such as warehousing, manufacturing and light assembly,” Krusinski said. “We completed the annexation in 2006, then the economy really changed.” Krusinski was patient. The company quietly performed all the preliminary work required for development, such as zoning changes and environmental studies. The economy was bound to turn around eventually, and the site – called the DeKalb Business Center at the time – would be ready. “We continued to market the site, but there was not a lot of activity,” Krusinski said. “We knew we had a quality piece of land with very strong resources – great power, great water, great connectivity, tollway access. We didn’t start building roads and utilities immediately; we didn’t want to carve out a piece and then find someone to fill the footprint. Our intent was to find the first large user and build around them.” As he marketed the business park, Krusinski found himself frequently answering the question, “Where is DeKalb?” To emphasize that the park was not far from one of the Midwest’s largest cities, Krusinski Construction changed its name to Chicago West. Krusinski saw the site’s potential to support data centers, so Krusinski Construction and the DeKalb County Economic Development
Corporation joined technology trade associations and attended conferences to promote the site, Borek said. It was a finalist for several large projects, but time and again, lost investments to states with better technology incentives or more business-friendly tax structures. Smith said local leaders used the lessons learned from those near-misses to craft a playbook for future proposals. “We learned so much so that when Ferrara and Facebook contacted us we were pretty much ready,” he said. “We felt like we had our ducks in a row.” Last year, the dominoes that had been carefully lined up began to fall. Because the groundwork for development had been patiently laid years before, Borek said, when the companies were ready so was the site. “Without such forward momentum, who knows what COVID-19 might have done to these projects,” he said. “The foresight and due diligence of the land owner and the willingness of the taxing bodies to step up for tax abatement programs and infrastructure – having all those building blocks in place was so important in supporting the timetables of the companies.” GROUP EFFORT Though both Ferrara and Facebook are building their facilities in the city of DeKalb, putting together the incentive packages to attract them took a group effort. Both packages required the buy-in from nine other taxing bodies – all of which unanimously agreed to the proposed incentives. Borek said the DeKalb Enterprise Zone, which includes six municipalities and the county, was also instrumental in making the site attractive to industry. Enterprise zones are defined areas where businesses can enjoy state and local tax incentives and regulatory relief. The zones are designed to stimulate economic growth; the DeKalb County zone was approved in 2015. “This was a significant undertaking involving quite a number of taxing bodies,” Borek said. “They all played a role, they all voted yes, and they were essential to securing these projects.”
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Sexton said that kind of cooperation was very attractive to Facebook. “We’re looking to build long-term partnerships and relationships,” he said. “Data centers are very difficult to pick up and move once they’re built, so we understand going into these projects that we are going to be longterm partners. In DeKalb, we found great partnerships at the state, county and local level.” Nicklas said he pondered why, of all of the sites available, the industries chose DeKalb. The answer, he said, is a matter of cooperation and attitude. “There are many other communities that have the essential economic pieces,” he said. “Part of it had to do with the work force potential, but that could apply to 50 other places. So why us? I think one piece of it is that we make an effort to find ways to be business friendly. The incentive package is part of it, but another piece just as important in the long haul is being responsive and positive.” Borek said he isn’t sure if the development would have happened without the enterprise zone, which first became active in 2016. “To site selectors, an enterprise zone means so much,” he said. “It means that a number of taxing bodies have already agreed to work together, and it leverages state tax incentives. …To the credit of everyone involved, we rallied to make this possible. It’s exciting and it’s of a scale we didn’t anticipate.” BUILDING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT While Krusinski and the DCEDC continued to market the site for high-tech uses, other states were snapping up opportunities. Borek said 30 other states preceded Illinois in passing data center incentive legislation, and it showed. While data center investment was growing by double-digit rates in states like Georgia and Arizona, it grew only 7 percent in Illinois. If Illinois was going to compete, Borek said, the legislation had to change. Krusinski and the DCEDC became founding members of the Illinois Data Center Incentive Coalition, an assembly of government and business leaders that lobbied for data center legislation. Eventually, the Illinois Chamber of
Commerce embraced the cause, laying the groundwork for legislation that was eventually passed.
TIMELINE
With state and local incentives in place, Krusinski said, Facebook was ready to talk. By that time, Ferrara was already committing to locating its facility in the Chicago West park. Krusinski acquired another 500 acres to the south to accommodate the Facebook facility.
2006 Krusinski Construction Company purchases three parcels of land to create the DeKalb Business Center, later rebranded Chicago West Business Center
“I guess when it rains it pours,” Krusinski quipped. “Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was patience. But we were able to set up the site so it provides great resources and fits within their master plans. …We envisioned about 50 acres to build a park within the park targeting data centers. I was only off by a zero – instead of 50 acres, we needed 500.” WHAT COMES NEXT The projects have already boosted local employment through construction jobs. Once they are complete, about 600 people will be hired into permanent positions between the two facilities. The impact will be felt beyond employment rates, Borek said. Every phase of the Facebook project alone is projected to generate as much tax revenue as the five biggest businesses in DeKalb’s existing industrial tax base – Target, 3M, Nestle, Panduit and Goodyear. “Expansion of industrial tax revenue will distribute the tax burden among a much larger tax base,” Borek said. “We also believe these projects will stimulate other companies to consider DeKalb County for operations. The developments are sparking infrastructure improvements in that area, which makes more land available for industrial and technology development south of I-88.” To the casual observer, Borek said, DeKalb County may look purely agricultural. But large businesses like 3M and Target continue to staff and expand facilities. Ferrara and Facebook are shining a light on the area’s potential for other kinds of commercial growth. DeKalb County has its own work force, Borek said, and is an easy commute from Rockford and the western suburbs. With increased opportunities for employment, he hopes more people will come from outside the area and decide to stay.
2015 The state of Illinois approves DeKalb County’s enterprise zone 2019 Illinois passes the Illinois Data Center Investment Act 2019 Ferrara commits to building a 1.6 million-square-foot facility 2020 Facebook commits to building a 900,000-square-foot facility 2021 Both Ferrara and Facebook Phase I buildouts projected to be complete
“Pappas Development is already seeing interest from professionals in apartments at the new Isaac Executive Suites project, which isn’t even built yet,” Borek said. “We have the capacity and we have the capability to attract and retain workers.” Krusinski said his company continues to market the remaining parcels in the Chicago West Business Center. The investment being made by Ferrara and Facebook is expected to give other industries confidence in locating to DeKalb. “Everyone in the county, the city, the townships, everyone has worked so hard,” he said. “That’s why we were successful. Everyone here is very cooperative and helpful in finding solutions. My hat is off to everyone in the community.”
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TAILS HUMANE SOCIETY
Celebrates 20 Years By: Jessi Haish LaRue
A
djust and pivot,” is one way Michelle Groeper describes 2020 plans at Tails Humane Society.
The challenges surrounding COVID-19 have not wavered the shelter’s attempts to enjoy its 20th anniversary, although one of their annual fundraising events was canceled. Instead, they’ve been pleasantly surprised. “Last year was a record year [for adoptions],” said Groeper, the executive director of Tails. “Even with COVID, and doing adoptions by appointment for two months, we’re neck and neck with last year.” Tails Humane Society, 2250 Barber Greene Road in DeKalb, was created in 1999 because the founders believed the county was in need of a comprehensive,
progressive shelter, Groeper said. Tails received its 501(c)3 charitable organization status in 2000, which they celebrate the 20th anniversary of this year.
Tails takes care of approximately 3,200 animals each year in its managed admission shelter. Each animal, which are mostly dogs and cats, but also include birds and small critters such as rabbits, receives needed time and medical care before being available for adoption. Their mission is simple: to build a compassionate community through the care of companion animals. They do this while being 100% service and donor funded. “Most people think animal shelters are all the same, and dark and gloomy,” said Jenni Lesorgen, Tails director of operations. “I think they should come
visit and put those expectations out the window. Come in, see the animals. It can be hard to see animals in cages, but if they come in and visit and see the cats in our colony rooms, it improves that cat’s day.” Tails offers a variety of services to not only serve the community but to support the nonprofit itself. Besides rescues and adoptions, Tails also offers community
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outreach programs, low-cost spay and neuter services, and dog training courses. Since COVID-19 restrictions caused the cancelation of in-person training classes, Tails’ virtual classes have been very popular. “It’s kind of a silver lining,” said Groeper, who mentioned that virtual classes often work better for most adopter’s schedules. “We look forward to continuing online classes.” Other lesser-known programs include the “Working Cat Program,” which helps feral or semi-feral, often unadoptable cats, find a home by placing them at farms, barns, warehouses and similar places to work. The adopter provides food, shelter and vet care as needed, and the cat works as a mouser. Tails also works with Voluntary Action Center’s Meals on Wheels program in order to provide and deliver food and supplies to the pets of Meals on Wheels clients. Transportation for vet visits is also coordinated through this program. Tails is a large community of employees, volunteers, fosters, adopters and more. “All you have to do is wear a Tails shirt to a grocery store, or to Menards, and someone will tell you they’ve gotten their pet there, and they couldn’t imagine their life without their pet,” said Tails business manager Patti Sauber. A large part of Tails’ success is credited to its team of loving foster families. About half of Tails’ admitted animals will spend time in a foster home. Not only does it leave more physical space at the shelter for other animals, but foster homes provide pets a chance to grow, develop, and learn commands and behaviors that will serve them well in their future home. Lesorgen has fostered pets for 14 years, and finds the work very rewarding. “For me, it’s seeing where the animal started when they came to us, and then where they end up after adoption,”
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Lesorgen said. “They might be underweight, or pregnant, or injured or whatever it is, and then we can then get them through that process, and get them to that point where they’re adoptable. And then seeing them in their new home, where they’re sleeping on a couch or in bed with their new owners. They have other animal friends, maybe there’s kids in the home. Seeing that transformation, is what keeps me here.” Pregnant animals, or bottle-fed animals receive round-the-clock care in a foster home. Groeper said they are always looking for people who are interested in donating their time either as a foster or volunteer, and they can apply by visiting the Tails website. Most recently, Tails received a call from a fellow humane society in Mississippi asking for help regarding a hoarding situation. Volunteers answered the call and helped rescue over 70 dogs. Once they were brought to Illinois, they received vaccinations and baths. Some dogs have already been adopted, while others will need to be spayed/neutered or receive heartworm treatments first. It’s an expensive process, so Tails appreciates monetary donations of all sizes. Although the Mississippi rescue was heroic, Groeper said it’s not a common situation that the shelter finds itself in. More often than not, the shelter is dealing with finding homes for animals from the local area, including pets from owners who can no longer keep them and people who have found homeless pets. Tails then works to get these animals their needed medical care and an eventual permanent home. The team at Tails looks forward to the next 20 years and beyond. “We just want to continue to be a good shelter,” Groeper said. “I love it when a long-term pet finally finds their forever home and we get a follow up, and they send us pictures, and we just know it’s the right fit.”
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