December 2012
Behind The
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Curtain The Paramount Theatre in Aurora strives to become one of the biggest names in the industry
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Festive Activities For December pg 52
Find The Right Gift
For The Environmentalist, Athlete Or Mother-In-Law pg 46
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DIAMOND TRENDS
Explore What’s Hot In Diamond Jewelry With 2 Kane County Jewelers pg 43
INSIDE
Home & Lifestyle 3
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Home Design — Lighting: Different lights can set the tone of a room. Find out how to properly light your home from experts at Sunshine Lighting in St. Charles and Lighting Options in Geneva. Plus, don’t miss these suggestions for holiday lighting from County Wide Landscaping in Elburn! Wine Niche: Learn three important pointers that can help you narrow down your wine selection for your big holiday meal from Vince Balistreri at Niche Restaurant in Geneva. Artist Profile: Need something to do with the kids over the holiday break? Head to Tony and Friends Art Studio in St. Charles so they can learn the basics of painting and drawing. While you’re there, sign up yourself for a class, too. On the Cover: The Paramount Theatre in Aurora is in the middle of its second season of its Broadway Series, and its performance of “Annie” is gearing up to be one of the best shows ever, says Executive Director Tim Rater.
Family
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Write This Down: Michelle Stien, a stay-at-home mother of two, wonders how soon is too soon before she can bring out her Elf on the Shelf. Success Lives Next Door: Paula Jensen of Geneva found a great way to give back to the community after she retired – she helps Lazarus House in St. Charles, especially around the holidays. Find out how you can give back to various Kane County nonprofits. The furry friend you have at home needs holiday presents, too, right? Representatives from Wet Nose in Geneva and Critters Pet Shop in St. Charles offer ideas for stocking stuffers for your pets.
10 Intriguing People 31
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Meet some of the interesting people who work and reside in Kane County as part of our annual 10 Intriguing People feature. Say hello to Pat Schiller, a 2007 Geneva High School graduate and NIU football standout who is on the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons. You’ll also meet Donald Cummings, known to many in Geneva as being the most interesting man they know — for a variety of reasons. Jamie Saam is an incredibly active — and young — resident of Batavia striving to make a difference in her community. And Steve Spear of St. Charles is planning to run from Los Angeles to New York to raise money for children around the globe in need of clean water, food and education. Tom Lichtenheld, who has written a New York Times best seller, calls Geneva home. Then there’s Katie Flannery, a former Riverdance performer, who recently opened her own Irish dance studio in St. Charles. Tim Vetang, a recent winner of a prestigious Geneva Chamber of Commerce award, never stops working to make his community a better place to live. Meanwhile, Margaret Humphrey is teaching her Batavia High School students — and the community — the importance of protecting the environment. St. Charles North High School recently was named as one of the top 1,000 public high schools in the country, and Principal Kim Zupec shares her thoughts on why her school is doing so well. And finally, 91-year-old Jamie Daniel of Geneva recalls stories of the town she has come to love.
Health 36
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Putting lighting in a room is like putting icing on the cake. Sandie Vlach, co-owner of Sunshine Lighting, a lighting retailer located in St. Charles
How many jumping jacks would it take to burn off a glass of wine? Find out! Seasonal affective disorder is a mood disorder or form of depression that usually begins in early winter. Learn more about SAD and how to combat symptoms.
Holidays / Fashion & Beauty 43
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Diamonds are forever, and they’re always a popular holiday gift. Explore the latest trends in these sparkling stones with experts at JP Jewelers in St. Charles and State Street Jewelers in Geneva. Find the right gifts for the athlete in your family, the environmentalist — even the mother-in-law — with these suggestions from Kane County shops. We’ve got a calendar event for every single day of December to help keep you full of festive spirit! WOD: Meet Joan Arteberry Zavitz, whose commitment to several St. Charles organizations over the years has made her an inaugural Women of Distinction award winner.
from the editor
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Happy Holidays!
ne of the reasons I love my job so much is that I get to meet — either directly or indirectly — so many interesting people in our county.
As a reporter, I often found myself wanting to find an adult league to play in after writing a high school game review, or shop at a new store after covering a ribbon-cutting ceremony or even volunteer at a different organization after meeting its founders. As an editor, even if I’m not reporting on the scene first-hand, I’m still finding and reading about people who are doing amazing things. Our December issue of Kane County Magazine is dedicated in part to some of the interesting people in our community — 10, to be exact. One is planning to run from Los Angeles to New York in the spring to raise money for a charity. Another is a best-selling author who has published more than a dozen books. Still another is living his dream of playing in the NFL as a member of the Atlanta Falcons practice squad. I’ve talked with many of our 10 intriguing people, and their passion for their hobby, job or philanthropic event is nothing short of inspiring. Each has such an interesting view on life, and I can’t wait for you to read all about them (page 31).
Along with meeting your interesting neighbors, we’d also like you to meet those who can help you out this holiday season, whether
it’s learning how to properly light your home — inside and out (page 8) — or finding the right gift. We talk to experts about diamonds for that special someone (page 43), pet boutiques for the furry friends in your home (page 28) and local businesses for the people in your life who may be hard to shop for (page 46). In the midst of this holiday season, when many of us are frantically trying to tick off items on our list of things to do, we also take a moment to remember that this is a wonderful time to give back to others. You’ll find examples of people with good hearts within our 10 intriguing people feature, and you’ll also read how Paula Jensen of Geneva is making time to help those at risk by volunteering at Lazarus House in St. Charles (page 24). Take the time to look at a list of charities offered to which you can donate time or money. Perhaps one might pull at your heartstrings. And stay tuned for next month, when we’ll unveil a new monthly feature to showcase the beautiful and engaging works of our local artists. Let’s just say we’re excited to display their talents, and we can’t wait to share this new idea with you. The stories we run in Kane County Magazine every month inspire me to want to be a better athlete; better wife; better homeowner; better philanthropist; and better person overall. The people at the center of each story are by no means perfect, but they do have a story to tell, and we enjoy sharing those with you. We hope you enjoy them as well. I pray you have a blessed holiday! — Stephanie N. Grimoldby Editor
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Kane County Magazine M Published by Shaw Media 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 Phone: 815-459-4040 Fax: 815-477-4960 www.KaneCountyMagazine.com
Publisher J. Tom Shaw 630-232-9222 jtshaw@shawmedia.com Advertising Director Laura Pass 630-845-5228 lpass@shawmedia.com Editor Stephanie N. Grimoldby 815-526-4467 sgrimoldby@shawmedia.com Designer Allison McCaleb 815-526-4485 amccaleb@shawmedia.com Account Manager Sandra Petti 630-313-0251 spetti@shawmedia.com Correspondents Jami Kunzer, Lee Nelson, Elizabeth Harmon, Romi Herron, Lauren Lynch, Betsy Demitropoulos, Jacky Runice, Colleen Leonard, Pat Stemper Vojta Photographers Jeff Krage, Melissa Emory, Heather Nelson, Megan Kelly Kane County Magazine is available by subscription for $24 a year. If you would like each month’s edition mailed to your home, send payment information and address to Kane County Magazine, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or via email at subscriptions@ shawmedia.com.
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