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Permit No. 440 Sterling, IL 61081 P.O. Box 498 Sterling, IL 61081
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Spring 2018
A Colorful Look at Life After 50
Kaleidoscope
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
GOOD HEALTH Starts With a
GOOD HEART
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Presented by Cardiologist, Dr. Monther El Bzour Thursday, February 22nd @ 3:30 pm | KSB Lovett Center (101 W. 1st Street)
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RSVP for these FREE events at www.ksbhospital.com or by calling (815) 284-5719
Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
Publisher: Don T. Bricker Editor: Jeff Rogers Advertising Director: Jennifer Heintzelman Advertising Sales: Luke Eisenberg Jill Reyna
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WHAT’S INSIDE MALTA: Dixon native looks back on service, trip...........................Pages 4-8 MONEY: Tips to help seniors get discounts.....................................Page 10 DIXON: Pizzeria’s matriarch still hard at work...........................Page 12-17 GARDENING: Illinois senior loves working on garden............. Pages 18-19 STERLING: 1980 Sterling High grad opens gaming cafe.......... Pages 20-21 DATING: Making new connections can be difficult................... Pages 22-23
Editors: Rusty Schrader Lucas Pauley Page Design: Lucas Pauley
Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media, P.O. Box 498, Sterling, IL 61081, 815-625-3600. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this guide is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
Dixon native Loren Wilson, 72, now of Malta, holds an album of photos from the Vietnam War, where he served 2 years as a combat engineer – like his father and uncle before him. (Michael Krabbenhoeft/ mkrabbenhoeft@ saukvalley.com)
A veteran remembers Dixon native Loren Wilson shares his story
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BY ANDREA MILLS For Kaleidoscope
hen Loren Wilson graduated from Dixon High School in 1963 and went to work for Daubert Chemical, his life seemed headed on an ordinary course. Then the Army, and Vietnam, decided to take him on a detour. Drafted in fall 1965, he had basic training at Fort Knox in Kentucky. While he was home on leave that December, reacquainting himself with Laurie McClannahan took him on another detour. Continued on page 6
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Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP), the professional summer theatre of northwestern Illinois, has the shows you will love: hot new shows just leaving Broadway, great American plays, everyone’s “old favorite” musicals, and the best in country, pop, and rock-n-roll revues in our “JukeBox Series.” Timber Lake Playhouse hires the best young theatrical talent from all over the United States, and we regularly bring back talented alumni who have gone on to stellar careers on Broadway, TV and Film. Noted past performers are Tony Winning Actress Jayne Houdyshell, Michael Gross (Family Ties), Jennifer Garner (and Saundra Santiago (Miami Vice, Guiding Light, The Sopranos, and Broadway’s Evita and more). Santiago last appeared at TLP in 2016 as Rose in Gypsy. Located just south of Mount Carroll, Illinois about 10 miles from the Mississippi River, TLP is a short drive from Fulton, Sterling and Rockford, Illinois. The current theatre building opened in 1975 with 371 seats. The building is fully air conditioned, and the nine-acre wooded campus is perfect for any other activity you and your guests desire. From picnicking on the deck overlooking beautiful Timber Lake to attending a pre-show activity in our newly acquired rustic barn, TLP is a great destination for a day of fun. Join us for Hot Dog Wednesdays, Tea with Mary Poppins, picnics in our Picnic Grove, or one of our many “deck” activities – Timber Lake Playhouse is truly a great day out with family or friends. Check out our website at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org for more information about our shows and other activities. Paid Advertisement
Saundra Santiago (Miami Vice, Guiding Light, The Sopranos, and Broadway’s Evita and more) returned to Timber Lake Playhouse this past summer as Mama Rose in Gypsy.
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
Continued from page 4
“We were in a square dance group when we were in grade school,” Laurie said. “ We didn’t start dating until Dec. 7, 1965. We married Dec. 2, 1967. We’ve known each other since we were kids.” After his leave, Pvt. Wilson was sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for advanced training as a crane operator. Then came a crucial point in his military career – the time to cut orders. He was told everyone was going to Japan or Germany, any place but Vietnam. “Everybody got orders for that, but me,” he said. “Me being ‘W,’ I was in the back of the group, so when it came to me, he yelled out, ‘Wilson, Vietnam.’ I was the only one out of that group of people.” His sergeant told him he’d been chosen for Vietnam because he’d gotten a 100 on his test, which was unheard of. “You’re the best of the best,” Wilson related, “so we’re going to send you over to Vietnam.” His father had died when Wilson was in high school and his mother didn’t want him to go, though, so she arranged for him to be classified a sole surviving son, which would rule out Vietnam, Wilson said. He wasn’t having any of it. “I’ve got news for you,” he told her. “I’m no different than any other guy. I’m going to Vietnam.” His plane landed on March 15, 1966. “As soon as they opened the door, the hot air was like a hammer,” he said. “Then we got off the plane and looked around. Everything around us was barbed wire. It was just amazing – my first realization I was actually in a war zone. And we were.” He was at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon, where he stayed for 2 to 3 days before he could go north to join the 168th Combat Engineers. He got his equipment, but had to wait for a truck. “They wouldn’t let me go that night because we didn’t travel on the roads at night in a vehicle,” he said. He met up with the 168th at Dian. “That was just a small village in the middle of the jungle,” he said. “We had to cut our base out of there and call that home. I was assigned to the equipment operators’ tents, and the guy that was operating the crane
Loren Wilson is shown beside a crane.
was still there. He was glad to see me because I was his replacement. He treated me pretty good.” He approached the work just like a job. He got up early, did the tasks that needed to be done and worked late into the night every day, all while being shot at, all the time. “We built roads, we built air strips, we built helicopter pads. I made specialist 4 not too long after I got over there. I had just turned 21.” His outfit was with the Big Red First Infantry. “We cleared land for them,” he said. “They would run a perimeter around us to keep people from shooting us and killing us. We got to know those guys very well. They liked to get behind our Caterpillars and use them for protection.” He spent his entire time in Vietnam with Red 1. “I was never assigned to another company or division,” Wilson said. “One thing they did when it got to be
30 days or less, they wouldn’t let you go into the field anymore. They were having too many people getting killed in the last 30 days. You stayed right around the base camp.” On March 13, 1967, he was back and had 30 days leave at home before returning to finish out his time at Fort Ord, on the California coast. “I thought, “This is going to be great’,” Wilson said. “I’m going to be close to the beach” Then he was assigned to a weapons detachment in the mountains near King City, “out in the middle of nowhere.” He tested weapons and did his best to avoid snakes. “We lived in the same kind of hooch like I did in Vietnam, but it had a metal roof. It was made out of the same kind of wood. It wasn’t like living in the Ritz.” They did get to go in to King City every now and then. Continued on page 8
Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
Continued from page 6
“There was a mission, a shopping place you could buy some goods – bread, milk – and that was all, except for rattlesnakes. There were rattlesnakes everywhere.” When changing the targets they used for testing the weapons, they had to open the lid of the “coffin” that held them. “It never failed,” Wilson said, “Open the lid, reach in and start taking the target off, and there would be a slew of rattlesnakes in there. I hate snakes, and I hate snakes that can kill you.” His Army days ended Sept. 22, 1967, but he got to relive them 50 years later. The 72-year-old, who worked for ComEd 36 years until retiring in April 2004, was among nearly 90 veterans who took the Nov. 1 Lee County Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. “It was one of the better times of my life,” he said. “Everything was worked out in advance and everything went just the way it was supposed to. It wasn’t the welcome we
got when we came home from ’Nam. “In the airports, people were not friendly to us,” he said. “They told us that we were murderers and such in Chicago and in California both. It was an unpopular war.” “That’s why the Honor Flight was so important,” Laurie said. “They were treated like royalty.” Still, it was a trip Wilson almost didn’t make. He and his friend, Larry Hagen, planned to take a flight together, but Hagen died before they had the chance. In the end, Wilson decided to continue with the plan. When the veterans landed at Dulles International Airport, they were greeted by 300 grade school children and their teachers standing on both sides of the hallway. “Everyone had a flag in their hands,” he said. “They were yelling and screaming. It was marvelous. They wanted to touch us and talk to us. There were some guys there that were very touched, and I was one of them. It was a moving experience.” They toured the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum,
www.cghmc.com
went by Congress, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “They were waiting for us,” Wilson said. “They weren’t going to do the changing of the guard until we arrived. They changed the guard and it was another moving time.” Among the other stops, was a special one for him. “We went to the Vietnam Wall and that was the one thing that I really wanted to see,” Wilson said. On it, he found the name of Patrick Dixon, a Dixon High classmate killed in Vietnam in 1969. “Pat Dixon’s name was up toward the top of this 10-foot wall, and I couldn’t even reach it,” he said. “I was looking up and there was a young man beside me.” The tall young man asked if he could help, then made three pencil rubbings of Dixon’s name for Wilson, earning a spot as one of the best memories of the trip. The veterans also were greeted by a throng of well-wishers when they returned to the Quad Cities.
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
Continuum of Care Campus
An Assisted Living Community We know how very important it is for seniors to keep their identity and maintain their independence while still receiving the assistance they need. The Meadows is tailored for seniors desiring friendship and an active, vibrant and independent lifestyle. It features many of the amenities needed to maintain independence within a safe and secure community. Those residing at The Meadows are free from the burdens of home maintenance and there are no high-cost entry fees. 510 North State Street, Franklin Grove, IL 61031 Phone: 815.456.3000 • Fax: 815.456.2800 TheMeadowsofFranklinGrove.com
LIVING & REHABILITATION CENTER
Our compassionate and dedicated staff strives to provide superior, specialized care in a comfortable, home-like setting. Franklin Grove Living and Rehab Center is proud to present a wonderful healthcare unit staffed by highly skilled nurses, aides, therapists and consultants, many whom have longevity in the medical field.
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resident and incorporates their goals, physical capabilities, and lifestyle requirements. Express Rehab ensures that each patient, once at home, is on a recovery regimen designed to enhance their quality of life. 502 North State Street, Franklin Grove, IL 61031 Phone: 815.456.2374 | Fax: 815.456.2250 FranklinGroveLivingandRehab.com
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Ways for seniors – even those as young as 55 – to save money S
BY DEBBIE CARLSON Tribune News Service
enior citizens can make their golden years shine even more by taking advantage of the many discounts offered by retailers. For years, it was mainly restaurants that offered seniors discounts, whether early-bird dinner specials or a free beverage with a purchase, and many continue to give seniors some sort of cost-savings, said Jeanette Pavini, savings expert at Coupons.com. Now, though, other establishments are making it easier for seniors to save money, and many eateries offer older people discounts on food that don’t require eating so early that it feels like a late lunch rather than dinnertime. Age is just a number. Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping.com, said people don’t have to be 65 to get cut rates. Some places are offering discounts for people as young as 55, while others start at 60 or 62. Although these discounts aren’t hidden, they’re also not automatic. “A lot of seniors don’t realize that if you don’t ask for them, they’re not going to get them. They’re (the retailer) not going to say, ‘Oh, you’re over 55. We have a discount,” James said. Pavini said asking is important, as a retailer or a restaurant may offer discounts on your current purchases or have special days earmarked for seniors. Pavini and James said some establishments give seniors discounts if they show an ID, but other places tie the discount to having a card from AARP, a special-interest group for people 50 years and older that requires a paid membership. Some establishments also ask
Many retailers, even grocery stores, offer discounts for seniors. seniors to sign up for free loyalty programs. By doing so, they get access to special promotions and other discounts. Those may or may not be used in conjunction with senior specials. “I think a lot of it is goodwill. Many retailers realize seniors are living on a fixed income. And a lot of them, if they get a discount at a certain store, they’ll tell their friends and family members, so it’s great word of mouth advertising. The discounts aren’t huge, so it makes sense for retailers to offer them,” James said. Search the web. There are plenty of shopping websites that list senior discounts, so it’s worth it for anyone 55 and older to investigate what’s available. James said he’s found at least 60 types of specials geared to seniors in various retailer categories. Some places offer senior discounts,
and the establishment’s websites may offer printable coupons, making it possible to stack discounts. Most restaurants have steered away from early-bird dining to offering price reductions throughout the day. For example, Pavini and James said Applebee’s gives people 55 and older who ask for discounts 5 to 15 percent off their bill. James notes on his website that seniors can stack discounts at Boston Market, which has 10 percent off a meal for people over 65, plus printable coupons on its website. Denny’s offers 20 percent off to AARP members, but will still give seniors 10 percent off if they aren’t members, James said. A lot of retailers have discount days for seniors, James and Pavini said. On Wednesday, people over 60 can save 15 percent at Kohl’s, and Ross
Tribune News Service
earmarks Tuesday for seniors to get an extra 10 percent off. Check the website or ask an associate if there are any limitations, such as the discount not being applicable to giftcard purchases or the buyer has to purchase a full-priced item. More entertainment places are offering senior discounts, they said. Many museums and zoos have discounts for seniors, Pavini said, as do parks and recreation centers. Movie theater chains AMC and Regal have 30 percent off tickets for people over 55, James said. James said he was surprised to see a number of hotels are offering discounts for seniors, anywhere from 10 to 15 percent. Again, some require an AARP membership, but for others its proof of age. “You just have to ask for them,” he said.
Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
SM-ST14687-0209
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Led by Leda Dixon pizzeria’s 86-year-old matriarch works 3 days a week
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Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Leda Bartolomei, 86, works on one of her delicious pies at Al & Leda’s Pizzeria in Dixon.
BY AVALYNDA CASEY For Kaleidoscope
hen many folks in Dixon are in the mood for Italian, they turn to Al & Leda’s Pizzeria. This family-run business turned 57 on Dec. 3, with no sign of slowing down. Leda Bartolomei, 86, still works in the restaurant 3 days a week. She and her husband, Al, married in 1949 and were already parents of three girls when they opened their own restaurant. This wasn’t the first time they’d been a part of a family restaurant. Their love story of family and food began in Pariana, Italy, in 1896, with Al’s father, Ubaldo Bartolomei. He came to Sterling as a child with his parents, and grew up working long hours in his family’s store, The Naperville Candy Kitchen, which was open from 6 a.m. to midnight. Continued on page 14
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
Continued from page 12
Ubaldo returned to Italy to visit his hometown as a teen, and met and married his sweetheart, Celide, in 1921. Al, born and raised in Sterling, was their third of four children. Al and Leda lived in Rockford and visited his parents in Sterling as they raised their own family. In May of 1960, they met an elderly man, Ruffo Angelo, who owned a restaurant, and they jumped at the chance to own their own business. They purchased his store in December, and that night, they transferred ownership and opened as if nothing had skipped a beat. They rented a building for 10 years that used to stand at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Everett Street in Dixon. Leda had previously been working in Rockford at a Holiday Inn kitchen and The Red Coach Restaurant. They commuted for a while until they moved to Sterling. When the restaurant moved to its current location at 325 W. Everett St., they bought the building and made it their own. The menu changed a little, but they brought their neon sign with them, proudly illuminating the same letters since 1960. The restaurant added chef salad, lasagna and bigger pizzas.
A pizza, fresh out of the oven, at Al & Leda’s. “My husband saw me making a pizza, and he said, ‘We’ll call that Leda’s Special,’” Leda said. “It’s loaded with sausage, mushrooms, onion, green peppers, pepperoni and cheese.” Today, family photos line the walls – even from Al and Leda’s honeymoon in
COMPANION LIVING
At Liberty Court, we offer Companion Living, an option that provides amazing benefits for residents and their families.
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Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Italy. The original cow bell clangs on the door when customers enter. Their 3 girls were young when the restaurant opened, but worked as wait staff and helped make the bread. Continued on page 16
The Benef its
Companion Living benefits for the resident’s family include: • Peace of mind • Opportunity to stretch resources • Interactions with other family members Companion Living is one of Meridian’s successful Senior Living Solutions available at Liberty Court.
124 Liberty Court | Dixon, IL 61021 815.285.2000 | www.meridiansenior.com
Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
TAKE THE GREYHOUND CONNECT ROUTE Have questions about routes, station locations, ticketing? Call the Greyhound – Dixon Station at (815) 284-0755
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Al & Leda’s Pizzeria
Bea, who was 10, Rita, 9, and Linda, 5, all grew up in the restaurant, and continued to work in the business through school. The restaurant has long been a place for families – not just their own – to gather. “We couldn’t be where we are if we didn’t have customers who keep coming back,” Leda said. The family is so appreciative of their lifelong customers. “We have the regulars, and people who visit after moving away always come back to see us,” Leda said. But when Al passed away in 1988, Leda feared that she was done. “If it wouldn’t have been for my girls, I couldn’t have done it alone,” she said. Linda Napier, 61, came to work for her mom in 1984 after working at Sterling Kmart for 7 years. Her sister, Bea Brown, just retired from the restaurant in 2014, after working there since 1987. She now lives in Arizona. Rita Barnes, who went to college to become a pharmacist, worked during the summers and is retired in Indiana. Linda’s daughter, Tina Martinez, 42, continues the tradition, and has worked in the restaurant since 1998. Her hus-
325 W. Everett St. 815-284-3932 On Facebook Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Monday band, Baltizar “Junior” Martinez Jr., 44, delivers and prepares pizzas. “I think our pizza is the best, because I make every pizza with love,” Junior said. “The family is still here, working together after all these years.” Tina and Junior’s daughters round out the family bond with Jade Martinez, 20, spending her summers as a waitress while she attends Kirkwood College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Jazmin Martinez, a freshman at Sterling High School. They all know every part of the business, how to make everything, and they each have their specialty. “No employees make any of the food. ... It is all made by the family,” Linda said. Are there secret recipes? Not really, but the pizzeria have a unique spice blend, and the sauce and bread dough is made daily. The family has ordered its cheese from Avanti Foods in Walnut for 57 years.
The family does its best to give to the community, too. “We do support some benefits for people who need a helping hand, and the schools,” Linda said. “With the [PADS shelter for women and children] coming in down the block next year, we’ll be able to help them out occasionally, when we have extra food.” The Labor Union Hall has been ordering 10 to 12 pizzas every month for years. Other celebrations and family gatherings are always welcome. In October, 12 graduates of the Dixon High School Class of 1967 shared two tables, lots of tasty pizza, laughs and memories of their times in high school. Traveling from out of town, Bill Osmer said the group returned for the pizza. “We used to come to [the restaurant] after the games, school plays, musicals – really anything,” he said. “We all were best friends, and we are in town for the reunion over at the Dixon Theatre, but we had to come back here first.” Leda still takes her work very seriously, spending time making pizzas and the tangy French dressing. “I work hard, but I love it. I still come to work for the people,” she said. “We love our customers so much, and we are thankful for each one. We want to make them the best food.”
Welcome to a gracious affordable assisted lifestyle in your community Hi I’m Merle Wolfley and I am a member of the Community at Heritage Woods in Sterling. My wife, Lucille and I moved her about 2 ½ years ago. She recently passed away about 6 months ago. I’ve had to make a lot of decisions over the years and moving here was one of the best decisions I’ve made. There’s only one other place I’d like to stay and that is Heaven – I haven’t received that invitation yet. I highly recommend for anyone looking, to come and take a look here.
A financial assistance program is available to those who qualify, making the Heritage Woods lifestyle affordable to all.
2205 Oak Grove Ave, Sterling (3 blocks N. of W. LeFevre) 815-625-7045 • Managed by Gardant Management Solutions
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The most popular size is the 20-inch family pizza, a monster pizza that will feed the whole crew. Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Where do you need to go today?
You have plans for where you want to go. Let LOTS help you get there. We transport residents from Lee and Ogle Counties regardless of age, ability or disability. Give us a call to schedule a public transportation ride to where you need to go in the area. LOTS provides rides Monday-Friday from 6:00AM to 4:30PM. We kindly ask that in-town ride appointments be made at least 24 hours in advance. For out-of-town rides (outside your zip code) please give 48 hours notice. If you have questions talk with our friendly dispatch staff at (815) 288-2117. www.leeogletransportation.com.
LOTS - Moving Forward with You!
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
‘My garden is my life’ At 87, Illinois resident shows no signs of slowing down
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Tribune News Service
amily and friends sometimes marvel at the stamina longtime Norridge resident Pasquale Cesario displays, spending long hours tending to his three large gardens that overflow with an amazing variety of fruits and vegetables. “He does have great muscle tone for someone 87,” his daughter, Ivana Di Piero said. “He compares his muscles with my son, Rocco, all the time.”
Tribune News Service
At age 87, Norridge resident Pasquale Cesario remains a passionate gardener.
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018 His family would like him to take an occasional break – maybe sit and read a book, she said, but so far her father isn’t ready to heed the advice. “Believe it, my friend,” he said to a visitor, sitting with his daughter and his wife, Luigina Cesario, at a table in the couple’s kitchen at their Norridge home, “my garden is my life now. It’s my pleasure.” Indeed, he maintains three beautifully organized gardens in Norridge, one behind his home, and others behind his daughter’s home and her friend’s. “There’s basically no grass,” Di Piero said. “Every inch of soil is filled with fruits or flowers or some type of vegetable.” Snatching a ripe peach from a fruit tree, he led a visitor on a tour of one of his gardens, proudly pointing out some of the crops. They include tomatoes, onions, potatoes, zucchini, many kinds of peppers, spinach, rapini, a variety of beans, lettuce, eggplant, various herbs and spices such as parsley, basil, sage, oregano, rosemary. “He’s in the garden after his morning coffee, comes in to eat lunch, and then goes back in the garden until the sun goes down,” Di Piero said. “He starts his seeds in February and picks his last crop in early December. He takes care of each one of his plants as if they were
human life and loves to see them grow and produce their fruit. He treats them with love.” “I truly believe the gardens is why my dad is in such great health,” she said. Both her parents are immigrants of Calabria in southern Italy, where farming is a way of life, she said. Born the same day, the same year in the same town, they have known each other for their entire life, and have now been together for 64 years, Di Piero said. They moved to America at age 40 for better life opportunities, and found work in factories, raising a family of four. During their time in America, “we always had a garden,” said Di Piero, the youngest of four siblings. “I mean, honestly, other than meat and eggs and milk, they really don’t buy much because everything produced by the garden is canned for the winter, eaten fresh in the garden.” “We never buy bread,” she added. “He buys about 500 pounds of flour, which my mother goes through in a year. She makes bread; she makes homemade pasta. For the holidays, she also makes sweets – her oven is always on.” Friday was known as Pizza Day, with Luigina making up to 34 pizzas, feeding not only herself and Pasquale, but children and grandchildren.
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“So we all knew to pass by Friday night and pick up a pizza,” said Di Piero. Sunday was usually family day, with family members gathering after church for one of her mother’s sumptuous meals. “She said her favorite thing is when her whole family is together,” Di Piero said. “She loved to make dinner for her whole family.” It doesn’t stop there. In October, Pasquale turns to wine-making, producing about 130 gallons a year, which is stored in barrels in the family’s basement. In January, typically, he makes his own salami, getting the casings from a butcher friend in Alsip and filling them with sausage and Italian delicacies such as capocollo, soppressata and prosciutto, and then hanging them to cure. He makes about a thousand pounds of salami a year for his entire family. Pasquale and Luigina, born on the same day, in the same year, in the same town, work as a tandem, most of the time. “They fight a lot because he grows too much and then she has got too much work to do,” Di Piero said. But overall, the two demonstrate “what two 87-year-olds can do with their hard work and a whole lot of love,” she said.
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Michelle brings Ellie’s home New ‘gaming cafe’ owned by 1980 Sterling High graduate
Ellie’s Gaming Cafe and Spirits in Sterling offers gaming machines, a lounge area and a small bar. (Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/ mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com)
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
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BY LEICHAN STOERGER For Kaleidoscope
hometown girl has opened a business in the neighborhood in which she grew up. Michelle Martinez-Frank opened Ellie’s Gaming Cafe and Spirits on Sept. 6 at 1202 W. Fourth St., across the street from Dairy Queen, in Sterling’s West End. Martinez-Frank, 55, a 1980 Sterling High grad, said Ellie’s has a different atmosphere than other gaming cafes, with a calming environment more reminiscent of a coffee shop than a gaming parlor. Old photographs of Sterling buildings decorate the walls, including original pictures of the building that Ellie’s occupies, which most recently was a church. “Gaming is something fun for people,” she said. “I think customers enjoy the fact they don’t have to drive an hour to get a casino atmosphere. They can enjoy it in their own neighborhood.” In addition to a variety of games to play, Ellie’s has free Wi-Fi, and sells coffee, natural tea, and domestic and imported beers and wines. “We are offering something needed for older clientele who are not always comfortable in a full bar setting,” Martinez-Frank said. “We have had a really great response.
Michelle Martinez-Frank is the owner of Ellie’s Gaming Cafe in Sterling.
Stop on in Ellie’s Gaming Cafe and Spirits, 1202 W. Fourth St. in Sterling, is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Call 815-632-3521or find it on Facebook for more information. A lot of people want to see what has been done to the building and a lot of people in the neighborhood have come through.” She remembers when the small building used to house a laundromat. “I have always remembered the building and have always been drawn to it for some reason. ... The most gratifying
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thing is I took an old building that I have known of my whole life and turned it into something else. People are really enjoying it.” People are surprised by how different the building looks. “I really wanted a classy atmosphere and for it to be comfortable, and several people have said that is how they feel.”
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Kaleidoscope Spring 2018
Challenges and rewards of dating as a Boomer
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Entering the dating pool after years of being coupled can be daunting. (Submitted)
BY COURTNEY MCLAUGHLIN Tribune News Service
ooking for love and you’re 55 and older? Michelle Renée Smith, president of East Coast Match and professional matchmaker, offers this advice. “You’ve got to get out there,” she said. “It’s not going to happen staying home with your dog or cat.” Smith has worked with hundreds of singles, many 55 and older, and says there is a difference when it comes to older clients looking for love. “Many of us in this age range actually want to have things in common with our dates, including core values and interests,” she said.
Sense of urgency Figuring out how and where to meet someone
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is challenging at any age, but entering the dating pool after years of being coupled up can be daunting. Rhonda, 65 and Jay, 69, met through a MeetUp.com group – an online community that brings people together for weekly or monthly activities centered around common interests. Prior to meeting Jay, Rhonda tried online dating and admits she met some really nice people and some not so nice people. She eventually joined a 55 and older MeetUp.com group and met Jay at a dinner event. “We started a conversation and found we had a lot of things in common,” Rhonda said. After their initial meeting, they didn’t see each other for a while. After a few weeks, Jay sent Rhonda an instant message asking if she wanted to get together. “We met for coffee and that was it – we haven’t been apart since,” she said.
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They dated for a year and this past September celebrated their 1-year wedding anniversary. A sense of urgency is one of the biggest differences that come with dating later in life, they say. “At this stage of life, when we knew something was right, it was right. We don’t have as much time,” Rhonda said. They agree they were lucky to finally meet the right person. “I’m so happy I can’t tell you,” Jay added.
Too picky? Another relationship obstacle boomers face is finding a love interest at the same stage of life. One person might still be working while the other is retired, or health issues could hinder travel or other plans. Jim, 70, has been dating on and off since 1999. He is retired and financially secure and admits he has become picky in his older age. “You become much more selective in terms of education, values – even in respect to what part of the country they are from.” Jim happily reports that after 17 years of on again, off again dating, he has met a wonderful woman.
“We have found something uniquely special,” he said. Jim said it’s MAGIC (Mature, Adults, Grateful for Imagination and Creativity).
Taking time for yourself Whether due to break-up, divorce or death, many Boomers can find themselves with an unexpected single status. Before getting back into the dating game, Smith advises her clients to take time for themselves. “People who are suddenly single can find their self esteem is shot,” she said. “People should not get out there and start dating until they have that in check.” Debra, 60, took the me-time advice when she contemplated dating after 22 years of marriage. “I took the necessary time to heal instead of jumping in,” she said. “Dating again was uneasy. I joined a couple of MeetUp.com groups to meet and make friends and get myself back in the world.” One of the biggest advantages of dating later in life is
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Before getting back into dating, experts advise Boomers to take the time for themselves. (Submitted)
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knowing yourself, Sherri, 55, said. “You know who you are and what you do and don’t want in a mate. Stick to your guns, don’t ignore the red flags and trust your gut instinct.” Taking time for yourself and thinking about what you want out of a relationship is important at any age, but as Smith reminds her clients, “If you’re not in the game, you can’t win.”
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