KCC_KC Magazine January 2025

Health & Wellness E DITION

JANUARY 2025

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

The benefirs of self-care with Elements Massage Page 7

HEALING THROUGH ENERGY

Holistic therapies and more at Serenity Forest Page 12

&

HANDMADE WHOLESOME

Utilizing natural ingredients for everyday cleaning with local soapmakers • Page 20

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JANUARY

2025

3

Editorʼs

NOTE Happy new year!

After the holidays, it is time to evaluate and start some positive habits. A little bit every day helps make a big impact over time, and we want you to remember to give yourself grace in 2025.

The Health & Wellness edition of Kane County Magazine is geared toward brand new adventures, self-care regimens and ideas. And boy, do we have a lot to talk about in this one. Are you looking to check out something different and engaging? Look into energy healing and more holistic services at Serenity Forest in Elgin (page 12). From skincare to more comprehensive body services (pages 14 and 10, respectively), take a look at a few local businesses and their stellar products.

your yard? Take a turn through the garden and plan for the next growing season with Wasco Nursery (more on page 40).

Health is not just about the body; it is equally important to nurture the mind. Check out our feature on teen mental health and get educated on various support programs around Kane County (page 18). For a more specific look at overall health, check in with our feature on supplements (page 24).

Don’t forget to give yourself the space and time to improve on and augment the healthiest habits in your life in 2025. Here at Shaw Media, we wish you the best in the new year and, as always, thank you for reading!

Perhaps you have thought about making your household practices more nature-based?

Turn to page 20 and learn more about a few local soapmakers and their products you’ll be sure to fall in love with.

Maybe you're ready to switch things up in

Kelley White, Editor

on the

COVER

Local suds extraordinaires and familyowned business, MION Artist Soap Co., talks natural and effective ingredients used in their products. Learn more on page 20 and hear from another local soapmaker. Photo by Cinder and Vinegar Photography.

Next month: Celebrate love and romance in the February issue of Kane County Magazine!

4 JANUARY 2025

PUBLISHER Kane County Chronicle & Northwest Herald Laura Shaw 630-709-4497 lshaw@shawmedia.com EDITOR Kelley White kwhite@shawmedia.com DESIGNER Julie Barichello 815-431-4072 jbarichello@shawmedia.com SENIOR MARKETING SPECIALIST Kane County Chronicle & Niche Publishing Tricia Walter 630-345-0066 twalter@shawmedia.com CORRESPONDENTS Jonathan Bilyk, Sarah Cerovac, Kevin Druley, Patricia MacMillan, Vicki Martinka Petersen, Melissa Rubalcaba Riske, Diane Krieger Spivak, Chris Walker and Al Watts This magazine is available by subscription for $24 a year. If you would like each month’s edition mailed to your home, send your request with payment information to Shaw Media, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or via email at subscriptions@shawmedia.com.

Published by Shaw Media 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014

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JANUARY

2025

5

INSIDE

Whatʼs

HEALTH & WELLNESS

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE

7 NEW YEAR, NEW YOU The benefits of prioritizing self-care with Elements Massage

28 THE TIME WE SPEND SHOVELING SNOW Minutes that feel wasted can have positive results

8 EMPOWERMENT THROUGH PILATES Improve muscle tone, stability and mental health 10 SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Peak Human Modern Wellness 12 HEALING THROUGH ENERGY Check out holistic therapies, retreats and workshops at Serenity Forest 14 LOVING YOUR SKIN Parkside Skincare balances health and beauty 15 TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH Keeping up with the latest trends for pain relief 16 A NEW BEGINNING Enter 2025 feeling rested & grounded at The Perch

32 THE FUNDING PROJECT Connecting families with financial resources 34 NATURE FOR ALL Learn more about the women who championed a forest preserve district

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 36 ARTIST OF THE MONTH Caitlin Palagi is shedding external expectations and focusing on her art 38 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Check out these local happenings in January

18 VALUING TEEN MENTAL HEALTH Check out these programs and resources available to youth in Kane County

39 GRAB A BOOKMARK Don’t miss these titles recommended by Geneva Public Library

20 HANDMADE CLEAN Soapmakers utilize natural ingredients for body soap, bath bombs, detergent and more

BUSINESS & CIVIC

24 SUPPLEMENTING YOUR GUT HEALTH A closer look at centering your body 26 A HEALTHY START Fresh, fun and active ways to kick off the new year at St. Charles Park District

6 JANUARY 2025

30 ON THE FAMILY FRONT Take pride in what your body can do

40 WINTER GARDEN DREAMS It’s the perfect time of year to plan for gardening season 42 YOUR 2025 SPENDING PLAN Plan for your yearly budget with My Advisor & Planner

New Year,

New You The benefits of prioritizing self-care

A

s the New Year rolls in, many of us find ourselves setting resolutions to become healthier, happier and more balanced.

While the focus is often on diet and exercise, an essential part of achieving these goals is often overlooked: self-care. Making self-care a priority can be transformative, allowing you to start the year refreshed, recharged and ready to tackle your goals.

WHAT IS SELF-CARE?

Self-care is about taking deliberate steps to nurture your physical, mental and emotional well-being. It’s not indulgent or selfish — it’s necessary. By setting aside time for yourself, you’re better equipped to manage life’s challenges, care for others, and maintain a positive outlook.

THE POWER OF MASSAGE THERAPY

Massage therapy is one of the simplest yet most impactful ways to incorporate self-care into your routine. Whether you’re dealing with stress, muscle tension or simply seeking relaxation, massage offers numerous benefits: 1. Reduces stress and anxiety Stress is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to control your life. Regular massage helps lower cortisol levels and increase serotonin and dopamine, leaving you calmer and more grounded.

2. Improves sleep quality If sleep isn’t a priority yet, it should be. Massage therapy promotes relaxation, helping you achieve deeper, more restorative sleep—critical for overall health.

3. Eases chronic pain and tension For those with chronic pain or muscle tension, massage offers targeted relief. Whether it’s due to long hours at a desk or an old injury, massage helps improve circulation and relieve discomfort.

4. Boosts immune function Feeling run-down during winter? Massage therapy stimulates lymphatic flow, enhancing your body’s ability to fight off colds and other illnesses.

5. Supports Mental Clarity and Focus Taking time for yourself clears mental clutter. After a session, many clients report improved focus and a sense of renewed energy.

CREATING A ROUTINE THAT STICKS

The key to benefiting from self-care is consistency. Here are some tips to make it a part of your daily life: • Schedule it: Block out time for self-care in your calendar—just as you would for a work meeting or appointment.

• Start small: Even just 1 hour of massage a month can make a difference.

• Commit to a routine: Joining a membership program, like the one at Elements Massage Geneva, helps ensure self-care becomes a habit.

• Be present: Use your self-care time to unplug and focus on your well-being.

SELF-CARE IS FOR EVERYONE

At Elements Massage Geneva, we’re passionate about helping our clients prioritize their wellness. Whether it’s a stress-busting session, relief from chronic pain, or simply some “me time,” our team is here to support your journey to a healthier, happier you.

This January, let’s move beyond resolutions and focus on self-care. Because when you take care of yourself, you’re better equipped to reach your goals and live your best life.

Remember: a healthier you starts with a single step—and we’re here to help you take it.

HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025

7

EMPOWERMENT through n

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Story and Photos By Patricia MacMillan

PILATES W

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hen Karlin Kosinski and Carly Sinclair talk about their shared interest, it’s as if time stops.

The two can—and have—spent hours discussing their passion for Pilates.

“It was an instant love,” said Kosinski, who owns the Geneva-based studio, X's & O's Pilates.

A low-impact exercise, Pilates incorporates movements that improve muscle tone, stability, range of motion and flexibility, among other key benefits.

“I suffered from anxiety, but when I took Pilates, I was just in my body,” Kosinski said. “I felt strength, physically and mentally.

Sinclair’s first experiences with the practice also brought about a certain mental clarity.

“After a class, I would feel alert, but calm,” said the studio’s head instructor. “I felt empowered. Pilates brings everything into balance.”

The environment at X’s & O’s Pilates is a serene one with delicate fairy lights, simple artwork, tucked-away plants and billowy white curtains to obscure the outside world.

Photo by Getty Images & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025 8 HEALTH

While Pilates can be done on a mat, Kosinski primarily offers classes that utilize a large-scale piece of equipment known as the reformer.

Housed in a large rectangular frame, the reformer features a sliding carriage on top of which sits a padded mat, straps and pulleys to work various muscle groups,

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and springs that allow for varying degrees of tension.

The studio’s teachings largely follow a classical approach, employing many of the movements put forth by the practice’s founder, Joseph Pilates, who established the first Pilates studio in 1926 in New York City.

“Because he worked a lot with dancers, people assumed Pilates was something just for women,” said Kosinski, adding that the belief persists to this day, though opinions are evolving.

Indeed, athletes of all stripes number among Pilates’ more recent crop of converts. Chief among the reasons why is that the practice improves the strength of the muscles, tendons and ligaments that surround the body’s joints, which allows athletes to better perform while also minimizing their risk of injury.

Classes, which are limited to six or seven people at a time, begin with breathwork and grounding exercises so participants can feel more fully anchored in their bodies and to the present moment. Kosinski also advocates for modifications in her classes so that all, regardless of experience, fitness level or age, can enjoy a challenging but accessible workout.

“We have a group of women who are all in their early 80s,” said Kosinski, adding how gratified she feels to see them gain strength and expand their range of motion with continued practice.

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PULL STRAP AND T - PRESS Lying face down on a long box, Kosinski and Sinclair press straps down and back until they are parallel with their bodies in this chest-opening movement that also works hamstrings, deltoids and the spine. (Shown at right) n

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TREE One foot each held by a strap, the instructors lie down on the short box and lift one leg straight in the air. Using core muscles, they lift their upper bodies and reach their arms toward their extended leg in order to “climb” it. (Shown at left) Tree promotes greater back and abdominal strength. Pilates as a whole also aids in proprioception, which is defined as the body’s ability to sense its own positioning and movements and is essential for balance and coordination.

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JUMPBOARD The reformer is also outfitted with a platform, known as a jumpboard, that allows for low impact yet effective cardio exercise. In this demonstration, the instructors jump on one leg only, working their hips and oblique muscles in the process. (Shown at right) n

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TOWER BRIDGE Attached to a bed, the Pilates tower features vertical springs and allows for a variety of different exercises.

On their backs with their feet on the push through bar, Kosinski and Sinclair raise their lower bodies off of the mats. Once in position, they alternate extending their legs upward with a flexed foot. (Shown at left) This exercise is great for releasing tension throughout the body, Kosinski said. n

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HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025

9

PEAK HUMAN

MODERN WELLNESS

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

& WELLNESS JANUARY 2025 10 HEALTH

ST. CHARLES FACILITY IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY FITNESS STUDIO

BY MELISSA RUBALCABA RISKE

T

he ability to help others reach their best health – that’s what inspired Gilda Valenzuela to leave behind the corporate world and take the leap into becoming a small business founder five years ago, launching her Peak Human Modern Wellness in St. Charles.

This is no ordinary fitness studio. Peak Human Modern Wellness features modalities that include cryotherapy, hyperbaric therapy, body contouring treatments and skin treatments to reduce acne, stretchmarks and even stimulate hair growth.

“When people look good, they feel good,” Valenzuela said. “Our main goal is to help people."

Since she first opened her doors, she welcomed those seeking to improve their health, as well as those who find the benefits of the therapies and services to improve ongoing health conditions, whether its recovering from athletic endeavors or managing chronic pain and finding relief in the therapeutic benefits.

With each of the modalities she houses there are numerous health benefits, including ways to improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation and even provide increased energy and promote relaxation and stress relief.

Valenzuela said she remembers the first time she tried cryotherapy, entering a chamber where the temperature is a negative 200 degrees.

“I tried it and I got the best sleep of my life. I felt super invigorated,” Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela had been working in medical device sales for over a decade when she was inspired to launch her own studio with the equipment. She saw a real need to provide people with more access to modalities and the opportunity for optimum health.

Valenzuela said often clients visit after reading or seeing a video touting the health benefits to the various services. She and her staff are happy to take clients through the education of each service and whether they are seeking the benefits of cryotherapy or an infra-red sauna.

“We want to empower people to make decisions about their health by giving them access to certain modalities,” Valenzuela said. “We’re very big on education for people. We’re super excited to help get the word out so more people can be empowered to make their own health decisions.”

She welcomes clients to come in and explore the services and benefits, whether they are looking to increase blood circulation and metabolism or find relief from stress and anxieties. For clients, a visit can be short and completed while on a lunch break, and other services can take longer to maximize benefits.

Another inspiration for the business is her own family, including her father a cancer survivor.

Valenzuela said this business has a very personal meaning to her as she wants to see her father and others like him, have access to services that will enable them to maintain well-being.

She built the business over the last five years and recently relocated the studio to a new, larger office space at 2422 W. Main St., adjacent to Judge Chiropractic.

“This is our opportunity to move and rebrand,” Valenzuela said.

In many ways, Peak Human Modern Wellness is like a fitness center, memberships are available providing clients access to services with frequency to achieve optimum health benefits.

“We can help curate the plan for people,” she said.

On more than one occasion she’s had clients offer her testimonials for how the modalities have helped them, providing relief to pain and enabling them to find comfort without pain medication or improving how their body feels after intense athletic competitions.

“This can be an added tool in your arsenal to help with pain management,” Valenzuela said. n Peak Human Modern Wellness 2422 W. Main St., #4C, St. Charles 630-549-0538 | www.peakhumanwellness.com HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025

11

Healing through

E NERGY

Discover holistic therapies, retreats and workshops at Serenity Forest

By Patricia MacMillan | Photos provided by Serenity Forest

enny Wagner has always sought to help people.

For more than two decades, Wagner saw to that purpose by working as a licensed clinical professional counselor and a certified alcohol and drug counselor.

But while she considered her work with clients important, she kept encountering the same roadblock time and time again.

“I was finding clients had so much trauma that their bodies were unsettled,” Wagner said. “They didn’t understand how to self-soothe, how to get back on track. I started looking into alternative therapies besides medication and talk therapy. I started down that road to help them.”

Wagner scoured health journals, reading everything she could about alternative practices such as energy healing, which can take on several different modalities, from reiki — healing touch meant to guide the flow of healthy energy through the body and promote inner harmony — to work with stones and crystals, among others.

Her research began in 2010. Today she is the owner and operator of Serenity Forest. Based in Elgin and surrounded by woodlands, the property is a space where people can come for holistic & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025 12 HEALTH

medicine therapies. Wagner also regularly hosts retreats and workshops for individuals as well as those in the therapeutic community who wish to learn more about alternative healing practices so that they may incorporate it into their own work.

“For 20 years, I worked in a healthcare setting, and I wanted to go out on my own and do things differently,” said Wagner of the environment she’s created. “I wanted to make sure Serenity Forest wasn’t a cold establishment. It was important for me to give it a vibe.”

Many times, clients seek Wagner out for energy healing to help them move past a trauma; to become, in simple terms, “unstuck.” Often unresolved emotional trauma can manifest as chronic pain, she added.

“I get people who tell me, ‘I’ve been looking for something like this for a really long time’ and then others who tell me that they’ve tried everything else, and they just want to feel better,” she said.

An energy healing session, which typically lasts about an hour to 90 minutes, starts with a consultation.

“I tell people to give themselves an extra 30 minutes at the beginning, during which I’ll ask what brought them here and what they’re hoping

to get out of the session,” Wagner said.

During a session, a client will lie down on a massage table, eyes closed, as Wagner employs reiki. Clients may also opt for intuitive messaging.

“I connect with my guides,” said Wagner, adding that the messages she receives help clients to understand what is holding them back from the lives they wish to live.

Sessions can also include stone medicine, in which Wagner uses specific stones—placed on or near a client’s body depending on everyone’s needs and comfort level—for a variety of purposes.

“I use a lot of lithium quartz as it amplifies good feelings,” she said. The same can be said of the golden healer quartz, so dubbed because of its golden hue.

Smoky quartz is known to pull energy out of the body. This can be particularly useful for people who identify as empaths and have a difficult time separating their own emotions from those around them, Wagner added.

Though the vibrational fields at play during a session can be difficult to substantiate, Wagner points to instances in which the unseen has made itself known.

“Most people report heat or a tingling sensation depending on how sensitive they are to energy,” she said. “Sometimes after a session, a stone feels incredibly hot as if someone was holding it.”

Sessions conclude with take-home work, including guidelines for incorporating meditation into daily life. Wagner also keeps a selection of small stones on hand and encourages people to take the type of stone that most resonated with them.

“People will usually feel calmer and more at peace following a session,” said Wagner who regularly receives follow-up calls from clients. “It’s about people understanding their own energies, how easily manipulated they can be, and how we can shift our vibrations to feel better.”

Wagner has always felt a strong connection to the energies that surround her, but she maintains the same can be true of anyone.

“We all get those whispers, but we shake them off,” she said. “I’ve learned to trust them.”

HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025

13

Loving Your

SKIN PARKSIDE SKINCARE BALANCES HEALTH & BEAUTY FOR CLIENTS

By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske • Photo provided by Parkside Skincare

W

hen clients step into Parkside Skincare in Batavia, owner and esthetician Vee Dumas said she believes in taking the time to really understand each client's concerns.

abstaining from smoking and using sunscreen even in the cold winter months are all important to healthy skin.

Vee said she’s proud to be able to work with all skin types and clients of all ethnicities, ages and genders including transgender and transitioning individuals.

She is welcoming of all and knowledgeable when it comes to the needs of different skin tones, as well as how aging, lifestyle and even medications can affect one’s skin.

“I need to see your skin. I can do an analysis at the intake,” she explained. “I often sit with a new client, give them a mirror and ask them to show me and tell me their concerns.”

Known to her clients as Vee, she has followed her passion and a career spent working for others and taken the leap to open her own business. She found space inside Batavia’s Challenge Windmill and Feed Company, where the landlord has extensively renovated the interior spaces while retaining the building’s original character.

“It’s a beautiful space with views of the river,” Vee said.

She’s worked across the burbs, from south suburbs to western and northwestern suburbs but there’s a special connection to Batavia. Vee said she loves the library.

“I’m an avid reader and traveler and I love going to different places. I fell in love with the library,” she said, adding that she hopes to relocate to the area for a Batavia home address too.

Vee grew up in her family’s beauty salon that was in the front part of her home. Her father, Vernon, built out the walls of the salon, separating it from

the family’s dwelling. Her mother, Ann, ran the salon. Vee said she’s heard stories about how her playpen was located inside the salon and by the time she was a toddler she was sweeping the floors. She remembers how her mother taught about the importance of sanitation and taking care of clients.

Her family salon was named Parkside, and to honor the tradition she named her business Parkside Skincare.

In an age where there is no shortage of information from friends, social media and social media influencers, Vee said she listens to her clients and tries to offer a personal assessment and direction to help with concerns.

While her mother and grandmother preferred the role of beauticians, Vee gravitated to skin care.

“There’s so much misinformation,” Vee said. “And, just because something worked for your friend doesn’t mean it will work for you.”

“Everybody’s skin is so different,” Vee said. “I have a passion for skin and offering treatment plans that best fit each client.”

And working with skin and individual’s vulnerabilities, Vee said sometimes she needs to soothe one’s mind as well as their skin.

Vee said sometimes the issues are more than skin deep. Drinking enough water, staying hydrated,

“Sometimes I offer little pep talks, and I remind my clients, ‘Be comfortable in your own skin.’”

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When it comes to skincare, Vee said she focuses on care that is preventative, corrective as well as maintenance. She likes to focus on results, whether its reducing acne in adolescents or adults, addressing concerns about pigmentations and guiding clients about the needs of dry or oily skin.

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NATURAL APPROACH

Keeping up with the latest trends for pain relief

By Kevin Druley

H

erbal and natural pain relief hinges “on what we are trying to address.”

That’s the experience of Cheryl Cryer, a natural wellness expert and owner of Urban Apothecary at 104 First St. in Batavia.

Acupuncture, massage therapy or chiropractic services can sometimes provide an effective remedy. Others, it’s naturopathic medicine such as herbal ointments to the rescue.

“The crux,” Cryer said, “is for the person to be the center in driving their own wellness decisions is really what it’s about.

“I firmly believe that we know ourselves better than anybody and so we need to empower ourselves to make our decisions with expert input, if needed.”

Cryer offers that view amid an ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States. Opioids – or drugs prescribed by physicians for pain management – frequently are triggering cases of substance misuse and overdose.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that overdoses “are the leading injury-related cause of death in the United States and appear to have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Among the 107,941 drug-overdose deaths recorded in 2022, almost 76% involved opioids, CDC states.

better,” she said. “And so, I started to work with my doctors to reduce the number of meds I was on, and at the same time I was looking to herbal medicine to help with first-line issues like sleep and stress management.”

Sage Healing Collective, an alternative medicine clinic which also offers chiropractic services and a day spa, provides guests with varied opportunities to reduce pain and improve function and movement.

One discipline at the Collective, 525 S. Tyler Road, Suite S, St. Charles, is lifestyle medicine, which aims to heal the body from within. As the Collective writes, “many of the leading causes of aging and illness ... are closely linked to lifestyle choices.” Practitioners take a holistic approach to help patients remain healthy by “promoting the understanding that adopting healthy habits can be a powerful form of medicine.”

Cryer is licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to work with CBD and hemp for wellness products and has a certification in medicinal plants from Cornell University.

She makes four types of topical pain relievers, each with an all-natural base and varying strengths of hemp-derived CBD and other botanical extracts.

Cryer realizes some individuals who have tried CBD have experienced limited results. She’s eager to assist with a treatment plan that incorporates alternatives.

“We can navigate what they might need,” she said.

As before, natural pain relief is a matter of preference.

Cryer often refers clients to the Collective, for which she assists as an herbalist. In 2017, she began making small-batch, natural wellness products aimed at assisting with pain, stress and sleep, among other issues.

The National Safety Council, a nonprofit worker and community safety advocacy organization based in Itasca, cautions that taking opioids for too long or in large doses may increase the risk of developing an opioid use disorder.

Cryer can attest. Working through various health complications related to overprescription of pharmaceuticals steered her on a journey toward pursuing natural healing.

“I was looking for answers and going from specialist to specialist and not really feeling any HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025

15

A New Way to Do

JANUARY F Enter 2025 Feeling Rested & Grounded

ar too often we hustle through the holidays, overextend ourselves for New Year’s Eve, and then crawl into January completely exhausted. Then, of course, we push ourselves to make huge change in our lives with our New Year Resolutions — and we wonder why nearly all resolutions are dropped by Jan. 21.

This year, though, you can do things differently. Research suggests that the best way to experience change in our lives is to meet ourselves where we are, show ourselves compassion and take tiny steps toward our goals. With this in mind, here are several ideas for taking care of yourself this month.

1. Find gentle movement that feels good in your body. Taking a gentle yoga class can be a great place to start. Yoga offers mindful, meditative movement that helps you tune into yourself and meet yourself where you’re at. A great yoga teacher will help you feel comfortable and will provide clear instructions so you never feel lost.

If yoga isn’t your cup of tea, bundle up for a walk around the block or find a stretching video to try at home.

4. Try out meditation. Meditation can take so many different forms that you can find a method that works for you! Whether you listen to guided meditation (like from my podcast "Just Press Pause" or from an app like Insight Timer), repeat a mantra to yourself, sit in silence, envision yourself meeting your goals or create art in a meditative way, you can help your mind find some stillness and clarity.

2. Give into the cozy vibes. Our bodies naturally want to be cozy and warm this time of year. Make yourself a cup of tea and rest on the couch or take up a cozy craft like crocheting. Try getting some extra sleep by heading to bed a few minutes early and work on your sleep hygiene like turning off screens an hour before bedtime.

5. Spend time reflecting on the past year. January is the perfect time to look back and consider what you want to leave behind in the past year, and what you want to take with you into the new one. Spend time journaling your thoughts and set an intention for the New Year.

3. Enjoy nourishing foods. Think warm, seasoned and nourishing. Roast some veggies, stir together a soup or make some sourdough bread. Instead of trying to deprive yourself this time of year, focus on adding in more nutrient-dense foods that feel filling and comforting to you.

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VALUING TEEN MENTA

By Chris Walker

W

hether within Kane County community schools, libraries or other mental health facilities, you can find mental health resources and programs close to home that help provide social and emotional fulfillment for teens today.

“Positive mental health is building a social network to rely on when you’re going through hard times,” says Kim Peterson, director for community health for the Kane County Health Department. “They need that for when conflict arises. It helps them feel more confident. Participating in sports, playing music in the band and sharing interests around others is always positive for youth mental health. And the schools have had to cut some things like art and music so they’re implementing other ways after school to help kids organize.”

& WELLNESS JANUARY 2025 18 HEALTH

Maria Dripps-Paulson, executive director of the Kaneland Arts Initiative, says any art-related venue or medium is good for students to understand emotions.

“Art gives them a safe place to express themselves, whether it be art, band, choir, orchestra, dance, theater,” she says. “All of those are emotional entities, because in order to do them you have to pour in creativity and a little bit of yourself and feelings.”

The Aurora Public Library often partners with the National Alliance on Mental Illness for its programming.

“We’ve had them come out and do workshops,” says Flannery Crump, a teen library at the Aurora Public Library. “When we have mental health programming, we try to involve some kind of healthcare professional to make sure the information being provided is

accurate and coming from a reputable source.”

The Aurora Public Library has conducted teen programs focusing on meditation,

general wellness and yoga as well as organized chill hangout sessions and hosted tabletop role-playing games where teens can be creative and social, have fun and make friends.

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AL HEALTH “Some of these events provide an incidental benefit,” Crump says. “For example, gaming programs allow teens to learn those kinds of social skills with peers through coordination. We also have space where teens can socialize online that are monitored by our own Discord server and we do live programming through that program.”

The Aurora Public Library also has an outreach program where teens visit the ALIVE Center for teen-led tutoring and mentoring as well as learn life skills like stress management, healthy cooking and nutrition.

“We are happy to promote what we do because so much of what we do is available free of charge,” Crump says. “You don’t have to pay up front an admission fee to go to any of our programs and it’s always nice to get the word out about what we do.”

The Geneva Public Library has learned that it’s volunteer program for teens Volunteers - has proven to offer social and emotional fulfillment for its participants.

“Our volunteer program for sixth through 12th grade (students) teaches teens how to make a schedule, be on time and follow directions,” says Geneva Librarian (Teen Services) Kyle Peters. “I’ve seen some kids come in who started in 2015 and they’ve grown up a lot through that time, which is really cool.”

Some of Geneva’s offerings at the end of 2024 included learning how to make boba tea, an exam-cram hot cocoa session with stress-ball making craft, Dungeons and Dragons and more.

“School is so structured,” Peters says.

“Here there’s a great chance to mess around with the benefits coming from exploration and hanging out.”

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19

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& WELLNESS JANUARY 2025 20 HEALTH

SOAPMAKERS BRING NATURAL INGREDIENTS FOR BODY SOAP, BATH BOMBS, DETERGENT AND MORE

By Vicki Martinka Petersen Photos by Cinder and Vinegar, Vicka Swan Photography and Latrice Murphy Photography

A

new year is a great time to try new things, like using more soap products made with natural ingredients. Whether you want to purchase ready-made products or try your hand at making your own, here are some local places that can help meet your homemade soap needs for adults, kids, babies and even pets.

MAGNOLIA SOAP AND BATH CO.

For owner Mandy Buerster, purchasing a licensing agreement to open Magnolia Soap and Bath Co. in St. Charles began as an opportunity to operate what she likens as a small business. Magnolia is a national company that makes plant-based bath and soap products using essential oils rather than synthetic ingredients other beauty stores might use in their products.

“Since we make every product ourselves, we know exactly what goes into them,” says Buerster. “It’s an experience to see the soap poured or bath bombs being made in the store.”

The most popular items are their soap bars. These plant-based bar handcrafted soaps are infused with a mix of oils that gently clean skin without drying it out. People can choose from the variety of scents, including lavender, lemongrass and tea tree. There’s even a bar soap for pets, which uses the same base as soap with a touch of citronella to ward off bugs and mosquitos.

Another popular item is the laundry wash. This custom plant-based formulated detergent-free laundry wash gives clothes a deep clean without leaving behind detergent residue, which can rub off

on skin causing skin irritation. The large container can handle about 60 loads of laundry while the small container can do 30 loads.

“People are surprised how well these products clean and smell without using all those chemicals found in commercial soaps,” Buerster says.

Supporting the community is part of Magnolia Soap and Bath Co.’s mission. That is why 40% of the sales of Hope in Soap bars helps support a local organization.

Buerster says they’ve donated thousands of dollars back to the community. December purchases, for example, supported Big Hearts of Fox Valley. Other local non-profits supported by Hope in Soap include Lazarus House and Kendall's Kindness.

“It’s been a fun way to be connected to the community. I always say if I ever don’t own a store, I’d work for a nonprofit,” Buerster adds.

If you’re looking for a fun girl’s night out or date night activity, check out the store’s popular private parties. By appointment only, attendees can make their own soap, candles or shower steamer. For the soap party, people pick a color design and mix in a scent. People can bring in their own food and wine to the party room.

HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025

21

Many of the containers are reusable, and people can get a 10% discount when they bring it back for a refill. Most products can be used within six months to a year.

Magnolia Soap and Bath Co. – St. Charles is located at 1 W. Illinois St., Suite 110 in St. Charles. For more information or to book a private event, visit www.mymagnoliasoap.com/stcharles.

MION ARTISAN SOAP CO.

Olga Boldyreva, soap maker and owner of MION Artisan Soap Co., started out making her own soaps to help with her eczema.

“I was interested in natural skin care but it was either too hard to find or too expensive,” Boldyreva says.

This interest led Boldyreva to begin her own business almost 10 years ago and create soaps made with natural, organic, high-quality materials.

“The skin is our largest organ. The products we use on our skin makes an impact on our health,” Boldyreva says.

Keeping this mind, MION Artisan Soap Co. prides itself in making soap products using high quality ingredients free of preservatives, artificial colorings and perfumes commonly found in commercial products.

“We offer a clean, natural version of commercial products using a variety of herbs that are blended to maximize the effects of each ingredient,” Boldyreva says.

MION Artisan Soap Co.’s signature products are the artisan soaps made with avocado butter, shea butter, aloe butter, mango butter or cocoa butter. Through the years, the company expanded offerings to include bath products, a baby line of products, bath bombs and bath salts. They also added magnesium oil spray

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and chest spray based on customer requests.

“We like to listen to what people want us to create,” says Boldyreva.

They even offer products for dogs, including a paw balm and a dog soap infused with flaxseeds and oats.

If you’re looking to get a jump start on Valentine’s or Galentine's Day gifts, MION Artisan Soap Co. offers a variety of gift baskets perfect for showing the recipient some love. The Pamper Your Feet set is designed to indulge and revitalize tired feet with a bath soak, dead sea salt scrub, heel balm and pumice stone. There are also bath sets, home spa sets, and hand and lip balm sets.

MION Artisan Soap Co. is located at 78 S. First St. in St. Charles with additional locations in Wheaton and La Grange. For more information, visit www.mionartisansoap.com.

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23

Live Longer, Live Healthier

By Diane Krieger Spivak

Supplementing Your

GUT HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025 24 HEALTH

M

ost of us have heard of Blue Zones, areas of the world where people live the longest and healthiest.

Experts have concluded that a number of factors are involved, such as diet, lifestyle, social connections, adequate sleep, movement and more.

recommend obtaining what is called a gut microbiome test (also called a stool test), along with a micronutrient panel. A stool test reveals what is going on in your gut’s microbiome, including undergrowth or overgrowth of bacteria, yeast overgrowth, parasites, hormonal imbalance and more.

Maintaining health here in the U.S. isn’t always easy. Soil is depleted of nutrients, and our food is often full of chemicals, added hormones and microplastics. An overwhelming number of packaged foods are ultra processed, containing chemicals and pesticides and other additives.

Just look at the labels.

“You can throw probiotics at someone, and some supplements are enteric coated and can get through the acidity of the stomach and some are not, and that impacts whether it can get into the intestine where it needs to be,” says Anderson. “A stool sample can show if you’re not producing enough pancreatic enzymes and your body is not digesting carbs and fat, or there was an issue with the locations of the bacteria, if it was higher up in the digestive pathway and that was adding fuel to the fire, or you have an overgrowth of the strain you’re taking in, even though it might be a beneficial strain, it’s creating too much or not enough.”

Dietary specialists warn that going on a specific diet does not produce optimal health. “Dieting, or weight cycling, is one of the highest contributors to all causes of mortality," says Angela Wisdom Stastny, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Nutrition with Wisdom, who notes that while people are eating fewer calories today than years past, they are undernourished. “Dieting is toxic,” says Stastny “Just eat whole foods.”

Balanced blood sugar is also important for women, especially in the perimenopausal and menopausal phases, notes Stastny.

“Women are at a much higher risk for diabetes after they go through menopause. We also have an epidemic of hormonal diseases in young women, like endometriosis and polycystic ovaries, and these cause insulin resistance, as well.

“I think dietary supplements are also necessary because our soil is depleted,” adds Stastny. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, a large percentage of people take one or more, in the form of vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, enzymes and more. But how do we know what we need?

While there is no one size fits all, Stastny’s top three recommendations are a good multivitamin, fish oil and a probiotic. Stastny says it’s important to use pharmaceutical grade supplements that have been third party tested since the FDA does not regulate supplements in the U.S., and many off-the-shelf supplements have been found to be useless, even harmful.

Ashley Anderson, a functional registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Move Fully Nourished also only recommends pharmaceutical grade, third-party tested supplements to her clients. Her baseline recommendations include a probiotic, fish oil and vitamin D, “especially here in Illinois,” since the Midwest is lacking in the sunshine vitamin, says Anderson. Additionally, fish oil should be taken only on a doctor’s recommendation for patients on blood thinners.

Anderson also notes that a “test, don’t guess” approach is important when it comes to supplements. This can be done through a micronutrient panel – a blood test that investigates the cells, measuring levels of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Because no one size fits all, Stastney and Anderson both

In fact, the gut is often referred to as the “second brain.” There is a reason for the term “gut feeling.”

“Gut health is extremely important,” says Anderson. “The microbiome, the gut bacteria, is constantly communicating with the brain and the neurological system. There’s a lot to be mentioned on how gut health impacts our longevity and our immune system. The bacteria we have in our mouth, all the way down to our anus lines the entire system. When it’s out of whack, when we have an overgrowth of a certain strain, or when we have an undergrowth, it can change the way our hormones are made, our mood, our cravings, our capacity to heal, our immune system, our recovery after exercise, everything.”

And because our skin is our largest organ, gut issues can even cause skin problems like eczema and psoriasis, says Anderson.

A gut microbiome test is followed up with the 5R Protocol:

• Removing foods, medications, supplements that irritate the gut.

• Replacing enzymes, digestive acid, nutrients and foods that are good for the gut.

• Repopulating the good bacteria with pre- and probiotics.

• Repairing the gut lining.

• Rebalancing with healthy foods and habits.

Gut health is especially important to women due to the longevity of their hormone production, “especially as we go through different stages: cycling, perimenopause, menopause, and then through the years thereafter,” says Anderson. “It’s the most important piece that impacts our brain and our bone density, so when we look at hormones and the ability to produce estrogen, especially in the long term, it’s really going back to the quality of our digestive system. Is there overproduction of bad bacteria, underproduction of good bacteria, lack of production of digestive enzymes, or an issue with detoxification in the liver? It’s all going to affect hormone production.”

HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025

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A HEALTHY S Fresh, fun

and active ways to kick off the new year

By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske Photos provided by St. Charles Park District & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025 26 HEALTH

R

esolve to have more time for fun and good health with some help from the St. Charles Park District.

Start the new year off with an inspiring event at Toast to the New Year on Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Baker Community Center.

The all-new event will feature a light brunch while designing a personalized vision board to set the goals for the year.

Katie Miller, assistant superintendent of recreation for the St. Charles Park District, has helped plan the event, based her own personal experiences with a similar program. The comfortable setting is a great opportunity to take a pause to visualize what one wants to achieve in the year.

“It’s about setting aside time to share your dreams for the year,” Miller explained. “I’ve looked back over ones I’ve created in the past and it’s so cool to see what’s come from it. I found the

process very valuable, inspiring and motivating.”

Miller said the park district staff will provide all the materials for making a vision board will be provided. She said it’s about setting intentions, whether its specific goals or making positive changes.

Miller said she’s done similar events with friends, and it’s also a great idea for siblings, adult child and parent or couples too. The park district will provide an array of juices and participants can bring their favorite champagne or tonic water to create mimosas. Attendees must be 21 and older to attend. Advance reservations required and tickets can be purchased on the park district website.

PARENT’S NIGHT OUT INVITES SWIFTIES TO UNITE It’s called Parents Night Out but for Swiftie fans it will be a blast. Make plans for the park district’s February Parent’s

Nights Out, Taylor’s Version, Friday, Feb. 28 at Pottawatomie Community Center. The park district staff is hosting a Swiftiethemed event for ages 5-10, complete with music, karaoke, dancing and friendship bracelets too. There’s an option Pizza Pre-Party from 5:30 to 6 p.m., for an additional cost. It’s the perfect excuse for parents to enjoy dining in downtown St. Charles so reserve event tickets and make a restaurant reservation too. The event is expected to fill quickly.

EXPLORE A NEW SPORT The new year is a great time to shake up workout routines and the St. Charles Park District is excited to launch Drop-In Rowing at Sportsplex. Rowing is a low impact, full-body workout where individuals can build strength, improve posture and boost cardiovascular health.

Rowing is versatile, with the ability to alter intensity, endurance and power movement. The repeated movement

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START can create a meditative feeling while concentrating on the motion. The Drop-In Rowing at the Sportsplex is available 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and is available to those ages 10 and older.

At the Norris Recreation Center, learn how to make the most with indoor row coaching available to members and non-members at the facility. Working with a row coach, learn how to maximize the benefits and create customized exercise plans. Check out the Indoor Rowing Clinic at the Norris Saturday, Jan. 11 for those ages 12 and older. Utilize a small group setting to review proper form and exercise techniques. Advance registration is required for the clinic.

Mark the calendars for Bring-A-Friend Weekend at the Norris Recreation Center, Jan. 18-20. It’s a great time to introduce a friend to the classes and services available the facility. Having a workout buddy to hold you accountable is a great way to meet those fitness goals.

Discover yoga and its benefits with the Mind over Mat(ter) workshop, an introductory yoga workshop over the course of multiple weeks at the Norris Recreation Center. The class meets at 7:45 p.m.

Thursdays, Jan. 16 through Feb. 20.

And yoga is truly an activity for everyone, and to make it more accessible the park staff has developed a new class, Broga, inviting men to give yoga a try in the company of fellow males. The class will be at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 and in addition to providing an overview of the moves, participants can learn how yoga helps to build strength, flexibility while reducing issues with the back, neck, shoulders and joints.

January’s Cutest Pet Contest begins January 9th! Enter your pet’s photo for a chance to win!

Be sure to check out the Thrive in ’25 campaign at the Norris Recreation Center where staff will be offering rewards, specials and activities throughout the year to encourage members to stick with their fitness plans.

HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 2025

27

n SUBURBAN SUPERDAD n

the time we spend

SHOVELING SNOW O n the way to this conversation, I was positively waylaid by what could be the most riveting demonstration explaining the inner workings of internal combustion ever.

Minutes that feel wasted can have positive results

And you could say it sparked a rumination on shoveling snow.

Well, that's not entirely true. What really happened was more like this: This year, my high school age daughter – words that still produce an involuntary wince each time I speak to them or type them – is taking chemistry. As near as her mother and I can tell, she appears to be doing quite well, locking down A's and B's through the school year, thus far.

But, while the young one's opinion on the next point may differ, one of the best parts of her coursework this year has been the discussions it has sparked. Of course, my daughter might also differ on the use of the term "discussions," perhaps preferring instead the descriptor of "long-winded tangents," or "Uh-oh, here he goes again."

While normally centered on topics more in my wheelhouse like English, law or history, she will also tell you these discussions/tangents/"Why is he still talking?" monologues can emerge suddenly from just about any question, as we play one of my favorite games: Connect the dots. Or, to be more precise, trace the connections between seemingly unconnected events or items.

I can only presume the monological content isn't as bad as the killer eyerolls flung sometimes at me make them out to be, because the questions just keep coming.

& LIFESTYLE JANUARY 2025 28 FAMILY

But at other times the "discussions" generate entirely from the paternal source, driven by any number of external stimulants: news articles (often), sights seen on the side of the road, a stray comment, and, of course, social media posts or random videos.

In this particular instance, I was actually searching for a different video, one I had previously viewed and which I thought I'd use to frame this "discussion," a column which originally had only a tangential connection to my daughter and no connection at all to internal combustion or any other topic related to chemistry or any other science – except, perhaps, meteorology or the transitive properties of water.

Or the slippery nature of time.

Easily, one of the more treacherous pitfalls of growing older is the danger of time wasted on ultimately pointless things.

That danger can certainly lurk at any age, and the tendency may be more present earlier in life. But as we age, that tendency becomes increasingly held in tension against a counterforce: The knowledge, gnawing at the back of the mind, that we are wasting finite time.

It's the sensation that clangs in our modern minds when we look up from our phones after far too lengthy periods of gaming (not my vice) or scrolling through

news and memes or sports highlights (I can neither confirm nor deny) and realize how much time has passed that we can never claw back.

Or when we finally close the laptop and say, "That's enough," only to realize another entire day has passed, only to do it all again tomorrow.

Of course, we also find ways at the time to justify it, telling ourselves these ultimately pointless activities are important and necessary. And in some ways they are, like shoveling snow.

In my experience, few daily activities are more pointless, yet more important than shoveling snow.

For certain, if given enough time, all snow will melt (or glaciate, as the case may be).

Yet, given our finite measure of time and the pressing needs of our lives, the luxury of waiting is usually not afforded us – not to mention, snowy and icy walkways and driveways are among the leading causes of slipand-fall injuries in our part of the world (and even if they're not, we like our Amazon and postal service workers.)

So, off we go, shovel and snowblower at the ready, to clear the driveway and the walkways around our homes, even though we know, in just a few days or weeks, the snow and ice will all be gone, and we will never get those minutes or hours back.

Similarly, as I scrolled looking for the other video, to discuss in this column, to set the frame for my column, I stumbled upon the amazing video from a British chemist brilliantly demonstrating the chemistry behind internal combustion.

As I clicked save, I rationalized this 10-minute distraction had been worth it, because now I had found another item to spark a discussion with my kid, getting to invest some of the fleeting minutes we have left together at this stage of our relationship advancing her knowledge and understanding of the world around her.

And not just spend that time shoveling snow.

n Jonathan Bilyk writes about the triumphs and travails of being a modernday dad who legitimately enjoys time with his family, while tolerating a dog that seems to adore him. He also doesn’t really like the moniker “Superdad” because it makes it sound like he wants to wear his undergarments on the outside of his pants. (Also,the cape remains on back order.)

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FAMILY & LIFESTYLE JANUARY 2025

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ON THE FAMILY FRONT

Taking Pride in What Your Body Can Do

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s we begin the new year, many of us will make New Year’s resolutions to aim for new fitness and health goals. I think that many people begin with good intentions but eventually fall out of their new good habits. My fitness goal this year isn’t about getting to a certain number on a scale, it’s about taking pride in what my body can do.

When I was a teenager, I didn’t play a high school sport, and I really didn’t get into fitness until I was in college.

Even then, it was sporadic, and I had the impatience of a young person who expected results overnight. I didn’t have the fortitude to push through discomfort and lack of motivation.

I didn’t find consistency until after I became a mother. In fact, I didn’t really get time management until I became a mother, either. I remember as a child, my mom would always spell out for me: “N-O-W! Get it done!” But when I became a mother myself, I finally grasped how I really had to manage my time because I had so little of it just for myself.

Throughout my adulthood I have tried to do cardio in various forms such as & LIFESTYLE JANUARY 2025 30 FAMILY

jogging, swimming and yoga, mostly with the goal of heart health in mind.

(According to the CDC, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States). However, I faced various setbacks: when jogging outdoors, I experienced awful knee pain from the concrete. When jogging on a treadmill, I experienced ankle and foot pain caused by flat feet that had gotten even more flat due to pregnancy. Swimming went out the window when we moved farther away from my previous gym with a pool.

However, the one workout I have been able to stick with for at least a decade is yoga. Many people have an idea of yoga as a relaxation and deep breathing exercise. On the contrary, yoga can be as difficult and strength-building as you want it to be.

The version I do involves several series of planks, push-ups and lunges in various poses, with some back and core strengthening at the end. I encourage anyone who’s unsure of where to start with their fitness to try yoga. Just getting everything stretched out and loosened up makes you feel healthier and helps you get in touch with your body. In fact, flexibility can

be an indicator of longevity.

Lately I have been pursuing a new goal: to build muscle. I have been reading various statistics about how to maintain strength and longevity as women age, and that premenopausal symptoms like losing muscle mass can occur as early as age 40, according to the Mayo Clinic, National Institute of Health.

I have been lifting weights for a few months now, but my old adolescent impatience is rearing its head again.

I am annoyed I’m not seeing more muscle mass when I look in the mirror.

However, I have decided I need to shift

my focus to being proud of what my body can do. I’m just too old to worry about what I look like anymore!

I am finding pride in the little moments when my strength shows itself: I can carry two of my kids at once without having to take a break (maybe one day I’ll be able to carry all three of them!); I can pick up my giant breed Rottweiler to get him in the car if I need to; I can keep up with my kids when they’re running all around our new neighborhood park. While I’d love to see my strength in the mirror, there is a certain joy in being able to do the things I want to do without strain or pain.

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Harry Lee Stout By exercising consistently, I have also found I sleep much better, which helps me get through the day without having to deal with the short fuse a lack of sleep often brings.

With three kids, it’s hard to find time to work out every day. However, it’s only one hour – anyone can find one hour! I have to confess I do experience a lot of mom guilt about working out.

Generally I exercise when my youngest naps, and I let the older two watch TV or play video games for an hour. With so much research about how horrible screen time is, it’s hard not to feel guilty about it.

However, I try to let go of the guilt because ultimately, my kids are getting a better mom who will be able to keep up with them for years to come. They’re also seeing that I’m taking my health seriously, and I hope that they do too when they grow up. n Sarah Cerovac is a high school Spanish teacher and mother of three wonderful boys.

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FAMILY & LIFESTYLE JANUARY 2025

31

The Funding Project's current campaign is working to get its free book, "The NICU Funding Guide" by Tammy Simmons, into neonatal intensive care units at local hospitals.

Connecting

FAMILIES with FINANCIAL RESOURCES

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o you know anybody who’s had an infant requiring care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)? What about anybody with a child with a disability or whose child has been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum or with cancer?

If you do, you probably know the stress and emotional impact are made worse by the huge financial toll these situations take. Even families with good health insurance can expect to see bills ranging from tens of thousands to as much as a million dollars. Many families end up forced into medical bankruptcy as a result.

That’s where The Funding Project comes in.

The Funding Project is a St. Charles-based nonprofit started by Tammy Simmons. You may have heard of Simmons or know her personally – she’s one of the owners of the Bike Rack in St. Charles, a family-run business that’s been a pillar of the community for five decades. Years ago, she co-founded Project Mobility, a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities access adaptive biking. Today, that organization is 20 years strong, garners tremendous community support and has helped hundreds of children and adults, including wounded veterans.

& LIFESTYLE JANUARY 2025 32 FAMILY

Through that experience, Simmons learned the ins and outs of getting funding from charities, foundations, government agencies and others to help pay for unreimbursed expenses.

Recognizing the need for this information, Simmons wrote a guidebook. Many people expressed appreciation for the book, so she expanded her efforts and wrote a series of books specific to different children’s needs, teaching people exactly how to get funding and giving them the confidence to help themselves. Her books include extensive lists of funders to which families can apply for help, as well as realworld success stories to inspire them. That effort has grown into The Funding Project.

With a mission of providing guidance, inspiration and education about fundraising for those with infants in the NICU, children with disabilities, autism or cancer, The Funding Project’s current

campaign is working to get its free book, “The NICU Funding Guide” – contained within a comprehensive fundraising care package – into hospital NICU units for distribution to parents of children needing neonatal intensive care.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE FUNDING PROJECT

Running a nonprofit is hard work, and starting one is even harder. The Funding Project is just getting off the ground – it got started back in 2019, but then the pandemic hit, and its launch was derailed for a while. Now that it’s starting up again, it needs support from the community in the form of individual donations and corporate sponsorships, as well as through its ongoing fundraiser, a Let’s Find the Queen Progressive 50/50 Raffle that’s already put thousands of dollars into a lucky raffle participant’s hands.

Ryder Gates (middle) is the first winner of the Let's Find the Queen raffle. Presenting the award is Event Director Katherine Reda (left) and Presenting Sponsor Bob Karas (right).

Nonprofits run on donations, but it’s a chicken and egg situation. Nonprofits need money to operate, but to raise that money, they first have to apply for nonprofit status, and that costs money, especially attorneys’ fees. In most cases, the founder has to invest their own money. It can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

Nonprofits cannot raise money until they have their 501(c)3 status, which takes time – sometimes as long as a year. Most foundations and corporations won’t support a nonprofit, no matter how worthy the cause, until they have documentation proving they are a legitimate charity. Even with the 501(c)3 letter in hand, it’s still not easy. Most people and organizations prefer to give to well-established nonprofits, and getting people to attend events hosted by charities they’ve never heard of is hard. There are few things scarier than hosting the first event when you have no idea how many people are going to show up.

More than anything, a nonprofit needs people to help it grow. With no following on social media, no staff to help get the word out or run things, the truth is they’re starting with a belief in what they are doing and in their ability to do it, and not much more.

The most important thing to a nonprofit’s success is community. No nonprofit – no matter how worthy the cause – will survive without support from individual donors and corporate sponsors. Whether it’s individuals reaching directly into their pockets, attending events and spreading the news on social media or corporations stepping up to be sponsors, the people in the community who trust and believe in what the nonprofit is doing are the lifeblood of every charitable organization.

And, of course, that extends beyond money.

Nonprofits need volunteers, too. They’re the backbone of every charity.

The Funding Project needs your help today!

The Funding Project invites the community to learn more about its mission by visiting its website, www.thefundingproject.org. There are several options for corporate sponsorship that can get company names and logos associated with the work that’s being done, and people in the community are invited to get involved in the Let’s Find the Queen 50/50 Progressive Raffle – drawings are being held weekly at one of the Karas Group Restaurant locations.

For the most current drawing location, visit website, www.thefundingproject or scan the QR code in the advertisement below.

The Funding Project is going to place 25 of these specially prepared backpacks into each of the following hospitals:

The Funding Project is working to help 100 families by providing each of the following local hospitals with its NICU Fundraising Care Pack to distribute to families as they enter NICU care. Each backpack contains a copy of "The NICU Funding Guide," as well as a host of other supplies that will help them as they learn to help themselves.

• Northwestern Delnor Hospital • Northwestern Central Dupage Hospital • Rush Copley Medical Center Hospital • Endeavor Health Edward Hospital To help the program achieve its goal, visit www.thefundingproject.org to make a tax-deductible donation.

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE JANUARY 2025

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cond from left

Bertha George, se

NATURE FOR ALL How the women of Kane County championed a forest preserve district Part I of the history of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, 1925-2025

By Al Watts | Photos provided by Al Watts

& LIFESTYLE JANUARY 2025 34 FAMILY

Building the Elburn shelter in 1935

B

ertha George and Grace Bliss were alarmed. Land along the Fox River was being snatched up for private development. Farms and forests were being bulldozed for industry and housing.

Traffic and air pollution was growing. Open spaces were shrinking. Where were kids going to find safe places to play? Would there be clean air left to breathe? How far would a family need to travel for a pleasant Sunday picnic?

The year was 1922.

George, of Geneva, and Bliss, of Aurora, were two of many civically minded women in Kane County in the 1920s working to improve education, health care and the environment through dozens of womenled organizations. Among the most influential of these organizations were local women’s clubs. Both George and Bliss served in leadership roles of these organizations.

In October 1922, the Geneva Republican reported on a meeting of the Kane County Federation of Women’s Club that there was “an urgent plea for a forest preserve along the beautiful Fox river before the land is entirely taken over by campers and for summer resorts…” George, president of the club at the time, appointed a committee of 11 women including herself and Bliss to investigate the establishment of a forest preserve district for Kane County.

The Illinois Forest Preserve District Act of 1913 required at least 500 signatures to put the establishment of a county forest preserve district on the ballot.

Over 600 signatures on 15 petitions gathered by 11 women were submitted to the Kane County Circuit Court on Sept. 16, 1924. By a nearly two-to-one margin, voters approved the establishment of the third forest preserve district in Illinois on April 7, 1925.

There was no question women were responsible for the favorable result.

"The women of Kane County Federation of Women's clubs," the St. Charles Chronicle explained, "sponsored the move which has made possible forest preserves for this county.”

All elected representatives of the Kane County Board served as Forest Preserve Commissioners, as they still do today, and Emil Fehrman of Elgin was elected its first president on June 8, 1925. An executive committee was appointed and inspected 30 tracts of land by that September. By the end of 1930, the Commission had acquired five tracts of land totaling 310 acres for its first four forest preserves: Johnson’s Mound, Bliss Woods, Tyler Creek and Elburn.

JOHNSON'S MOUND

A 98-acre heavily-wooded land, about three miles southeast of Elburn, quickly rose to the top of the list of land to acquire, according to the True Republican in Sycamore. The “mound" was a kame created from gravel deposits of glaciers as they moved across Kane County over 10,000 years ago, and was one of the highest points in the county, rising rapidly 131 feet above the prairie below. Below this peak was a thick forest of sugar maples, white ash, slippery elm, basswood and white and bur oak trees. The land was at nearly the center of the county and had long been a popular recreation spot for many, as 17-year-old Abba Durant, who grew up in the 1843 Durant-Peterson House, now a museum in the LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles, described in her diary back in 1871: “Last Thursday [Aug. 23, 1871] we went out to Johnson’s Mound and had a picnic. We had a splendid time the mound is one hundred sixty (?) feet high trees all around the side, but the top is perfectly clear and gave us a good view of the surrounding country…”

BLISS WOODS FOREST PRESERVE

The second tract of land purchased by the Forest Preserve Commission was a much less popular choice.

The Geneva Republican noted that the commissioners' meeting on June 11, 1928 became a "stormy session" when discussion began about purchasing 64.33 acres of woods in Sugar Grove, about eight miles south of Johnson’s Mound. Forty-five residents in and near Sugar Grove worried that this potential forest preserve would attract "a class of undesirables to the vicinity."

Percy F. Fullmer, spokesman for the objectors, pointed to "the trouble experienced by Cook county authorities in ridding Cook county preserves of bootleggers, 'love nests' and other types of undesirables," according to a report in the Elgin Courier-News.

By a slim margin of 22-17, the Forest Preserve Commission approved the purchase. Interestingly, two years later in 1930, Fullmer sold his 10 acres bordering the north of this new preserve for a handsome $10,000, expanding the preserve to 74.76 acres.

recounting that "The entire acreage is heavily wooded, and the rough topography of the land makes it ideal for preserve purposes.”

ELBURN FOREST PRESERVE

The final forest preserve acquired in this initial period was about 87 acres of "virgin timber, natural flowing springs, and flora and fauna in their natural state," according to a report in the Aurora Beacon-News.

Elburn Forest Preserve is about one mile west of Elburn on the Lincoln Highway (now Illinois Route 38).

The "Guide to Elburn Forest Preserve" described the rolling terrain of this tract as "the result of the gigantic ice pushing from the east out of what is now Lake Michigan" from the Wisconsin Glaciation.

John Warne settled the land in 1844 and it had remained in his family until wealthy real estate broker and former Geneva mayor Henry B. Fargo bought the land in June 1928, with plans to build a campsite there for tourists traveling by on the newly established Lincoln Highway, according to the Aurora BeaconNews. When the Commission approached Fargo with interest in purchasing the land three months later, Fargo sold it for just under $100/acre, far less that it was probably worth.

In less than 10 years, Kane County had created a Forest Preserve District and acquired over 300 acres of land. The foresight and influence of women in the county and the diligent work of forest preserve commissioners created a legacy of concern for the natural environment and protection of places for the enjoyment of everyone. Today, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County maintains nearly 23,000 acres at over 70 forest preserves.

TYLER CREEK FOREST PRESERVE

Later at that same June 28, 1928, meeting, the commission easily passed a resolution to purchase 50 acres in the northern part of the county for a whopping $700 per acre. This third preserve was located along Tyler Creek, about one mile north of downtown Elgin.

The Elgin Courier-News applauded the decision,

n AL WATTS is the historical consultant for the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. See the February issue of Kane County Magazine for Part II of this series on the history of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, "1925-2025: The Fabulous Fabyan Forest Preserve."

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE JANUARY 2025

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Artist OF THE MONTH

Caitlin Palagi The Tri-Cities are booming with arts and artists — perhaps nowhere more vibrantly than Batavia’s Water Street Studios, which hosts events, galleries and up to 25 artists in residence. Each month, Kane County Magazine and Water Street Studios are partnering to highlight artists and their work.

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rtist Caitlin Palagi joined Water Street School of Art as an instructor this past summer in July, facilitating sensory-based process and nature classes for children as well as Intuitive Art Courses for adults. In December of 2024, Palagi became a resident artist at the studio.

“I found myself drawn to Water Street when I reignited my passion for art after nearly [a] decade hiatus,” says Palagi. “I had been creating art on my own for some time and even opened an LLC; however, I felt overwhelmed and unsure with how to connect with others in creative spaces and the artistic community.”

Community became the foundation of Palagi’s journey as an artist in the area. “I was drawn to Batavia, in general, for its highly active arts district,” she says. “I began showing in their Community

& ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2025 36 ARTS

Galleries, attending classes and events; and before I knew it, my own little community formed and opened my eyes to people, opportunities, and creations that were blossoming all around me.”

Burgeoning from the strength of her connection to the community, an opportunity arose to collaborate with a local business owner. “I worked on a series of commissioned pieces for a local and well-loved business establishment,” says Palagi. “These pieces were more than just a business transaction or wall fillers for the owner. He was just as invested in the artwork as I was. The work held great emotional value, which was key in translating the ideas from brush to canvas. The emotional experience one enjoys with art is what keeps people coming back time and time again to relive the moments that are captured within its space. And as individuals, we all have our

own unique understanding of what that looks and feels like; so, aligning that with another person’s is always the most challenging task. However, once that essence is truly captured and aligned, that’s where the ultimate reward lies – for both the maker and the receiver.”

In the next year, Palagi will home in on her art and strive to block out the noise of external distractions. “…my challenge will be a shift in focus,” she says.

“To regain my focus on my art process by putting aside notions of outside expectations, deadlines, and a general sense of push and pull. Those things will always be there. So, instead, the art will come first.

That is not to say I will not honor my commitments and general business practices; however, when it comes to creation as an artist, I intend let the process take the lead, instead of the calendar.”

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DETAILS OF caitlin palagi's WORK To view more of Caitlin Palagi's artwork, visit her website at www.caitlinpalagicreations.com.

u Trust v Anticipation w Dichotomy x Flux y Flow

About the artist Caitlin Palagi is an independent artist at Caitlin Palagi Creations.

She believes in the process of intuitive art – in finding our creative voices by trusting in our minds and bodies. Caitlin grew up Irish dancing, painting, crafting, sewing and teaching those around her, spreading her joy for the arts.

Caitlin holds a B.S. in Psychology and previously worked in research and software sales.

z Blowing a Gale

For more information on the artist of the month, head to waterstreetstudios. org or the organization’s social media pages.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2025

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calendar

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One of the last chances to see "Frozen The Broadway Musical" at the Paramount Aurora at 7 p.m.

*Free event

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Martin Luther King Junior Day Open Mic Night at the Comedy Vault in Batavia from 7:30 11 p.m.

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Check out a unique craft at Pinot's Palette in St. Charles and create a sowy scene in a wine bottle.

The Wilson River Band performs at Water Street Studios in Batavia from 7 - 10 p.m.

*Registration required

Home and Garden Show at Kane County Fairgrounds

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*Ticketed event

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31 All Canada Show at the Kane County Fairgrounds at 5 p.m.

& ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2025 38 ARTS

18 Take part in a "nature-based arcade experience" at Creek bend Nature Center in St. Charles from noon - 3 p.m.

*Registration is recommended

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Happy Static Electricity Day perfect holiday for winter!

Fourth Wing Fan Fest (Adults and Teens) from 6:30pm - 7:30pm at the Geneva Public Library District

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Sign up at your local family gym and check out classes, youth program opportunities and more

New Year's Day - have a great trip around the sun in 2025!

Open Mic Mondays at Preservation in Geneva from 6 - 9 p.m.

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THU

Grab a Looking for a New Year's resolution? Consider setting a 2025 reading goal! Here are two recommendations to kick off your January reading list, courtesy of the librarians at Geneva Public Library.

 FOR ADULTS AND TEENS: “The Starless Sea” by Erin Morgenstern

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in New England and isn’t anything out of the ordinary. One day, he discovers a mysterious book in the university library.

Enraptured by the mysterious stories of a subterranean land of books, hidden doors and collectors of keys, he is compelled to keep reading. To his surprise, Zachary finds within the book an anecdote from his own childhood – which he has never shared with another soul. Determined to find out how his story has been included in the anthology, he begins to delve deeper into the mysterious book, unaware that others have been hunting it down. Soon, he finds himself caught up in a life-and-death world of intrigue, including pirates, lost loves, cats, time travel and spies, all tied together by a mysterious underground library beside the Starless Sea. Beautifully written with a cast of authentic and complex characters, this book is a love letter to stories. For anyone looking for a little bit of magic and a celebration of the written word, this is a perfect selection.

– Lauren Maxwell, Information and Reader Services Coordinator

 FOR ADULTS AND TEENS: "Happiness for Beginners" by Katherine Center

After a recent divorce, Helen Carpenter is ready for a fresh start. Instead of learning Italian or decluttering her home, she has decided to go all in by signing up for a wilderness survival course. What could possibly go wrong? It turns out, nearly everything. The idea of a grand adventure lifts Helen’s spirits, until she learns that her little brother’s annoyingly flirty best friend, Jake, will also be going. Though he does have a warmth and magnetism about him, she plans to ignore him so she can focus on her self-improvement goals. But between blistered feet, freezing temperatures and an assortment of quirky travel companions, Helen feels like she may not survive the three-week trip.

Yet, she soon discovers the traveling companions who annoy her have a lot to teach her about starting her life anew. This is a story about resilience, personal growth, learning to love your flaws and opening your heart to others. A perfect book to start the new year.

– Katie Lentz, Library Associate ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2025

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Winter Garden

DRE AMS It's the perfect time of year to plan ahead for garden season

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s hard as it is to imagine, now is the time to start thinking about your spring planting plans. While winters in our area are long, cold, and dark, spring happens fast and next thing we know, it will be planting time! But how on earth can we think about planting when the ground is frozen solid and the landscape is in a deep sleep? Easy – we dream about the plants we want, the new plants being introduced and all the other plants we’ve forgotten about!

& CIVIC JANUARY 2025 40 BUSINES

l PLANTS WE WANT

Natives! Native is the new buzzword in the planting world. There is a huge movement toward introducing more native plants into our landscapes as well as removing manicured lawns in favor of native, pollinator and perennial plants. We are 1,000% behind this movement and have tons of favorite natives to recommend.

My personal favorite that is easy to grow, tough and beautiful is prairie dropseed.

This native grass has fine foliage and plumes of fragrant flowers in the fall and soft golden fall colors. Another favorite is showy blackeyed Susan. This plant needs a little room to spread but it is a nice, more compact form that blooms for most of the summer and is a favorite of many types of pollinators. I also like popping a few Liatras (prairie blazingstar) here and there as they are not only great for butterflies, but also they make a great cut flower and serve as an “exclamation point” in the landscape – especially when dotted among grasses or other shorter clusters of plants. A relatively unknown native is Pycnanthemum muticum, or clustered mountain mint. This gorgeous plant is also the perennial of the year for 2025 and a very tough plant that is great for pollinators and is dense enough to keep weeds at bay. Give it a bit of room to spread, but it’s not invasive like other mints because it’s not a true mint. Its silvery foliage is resistant to deer and rabbits.

l NEW FOR 2025

I’m most excited about "Sgt. Pepper" redtwig dogwood. It has gorgeous pink color on leaves that are variegated and has the same great red stems of other dogwoods.

Another unique plant that has caught my eye is "Kintzley’s Ghost" honeysuckle.

This non-invasive honeysuckle, which pollinators love, looks like eucalyptus and is a soft gray color with saucer-like leaves. You know I love perennial hibiscus, and the new Summerific "Cookies & Cream" hibiscus is a winner with pure white flowers and deep burgundy foliage on a compact plant. There are many new yarrows, coreopsis, dianthus, phlox and veronicas, too. I love this trend of new introductions of old-fashioned, favorite perennials! These are some of my favorites because of long bloomtimes, they’re great for cutting, pollinator friendly and even fragrant. I will be adding many to my gardens this year as I have loved cutting flowers this past season.

l FORGOTTON FAVES

In the fall, I didn’t have much time to plant like I usually do. I passed by many plants that I really wanted to plant, so I made a wish list for spring. I loved the fall colors on the "Legend of the Small" Fothergilla. It’s a cute little plant that tolerates some shade and has little white bottlebrush flowers in early spring. Its fuzzy green leaves are pretty quiet until BAM – amazing fall color! Red, burgundy, yellow, orange – all of the colors of fall on a teeny little plant that makes a statement in the garden. I also had my eye on "Opening Day" viburnum. Baseball-sized white flowers in spring (right about the time the Cubs start losing) on a compact, mid-sized shrub. It’s an excellent specimen plant and also has dark red fall color. Great if you need a 6- to 8-foot-tall shrub on a corner or as an accent in the border. I really wanted to plant one more tree last year, but we sold out too quickly. I fell in love with a gorgeous red oak that would be perfect for my front yard to cast some shade on the hot south side of our yard. The red oak has large, lobed leaves and grows fairly quickly in a stately form. It has a deep scarlet red fall color and holds its leaves a bit late. The spot is saved in the yard, so I’ll pick a nice one out of our fields for spring planting.

Keep dreaming of the garden while we weather this winter, and just know that spring is around the corner and we’ll be here ready and waiting with tons of plants. I get so excited each season to see what the spring will bring, and I can’t wait to dig in the dirt. I think that’s why I love working in horticulture – it’s different every year, and we never know what plants we will fall in love with next!

Meagan is the Senior Landscape Designer for Wasco Nursery & Garden Center in St. Charles.

She can be reached at 630-584-4424 or design@wasconursery.com

BUSINESS & CIVIC JANUARY 2025

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Your 2025 Spending Plan Steps to

manage your household

income & expenses

I

t’s that time of the year again when many of us contemplate resolutions for the new year.

Many of us have great intentions to get in better physical and fiscal shape, but as the year progresses we find ourselves not going to the gym and losing our budgeting discipline.

My wife, Gina, and I often banter back and forth with a common phrase starting with “Starting Monday (insert good intention here).” It’s not that we don’t know what we should be doing, but it sure is easy to get distracted. If you find yourself falling into a similar scenario, here are some thoughts that might be helpful.

Start by creating a written plan. Whether you are an old-school paper person or using an online portal to budgeting software, taking the time to put your plan in writing forces you to think through and

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differentiate your wants from your needs and to reconcile both against your available income. Think of it as a roadmap that unites your spending and saving on the way to meeting your overall financial goals. A spending plan is a way to make your spending purposeful and keep your priorities at the top of mind.

PIECES OF THE PLAN

Let’s start by sorting out your expenses as follows: n Necessary expenses: The bills and payments you must make in order to survive and avoid legal trouble. These expenses fall into three categories: • Fixed expenses: Bills that are the same each month. Examples: mortgage or rent, minimum debt payments, phone bill.

• Irregular expenses: Bills that don’t recur monthly. Examples: car insurance, medical expenses, subscriptions.

• Variable expenses: Bills that fluctuate from month to month. Examples: energy bill, groceries, gas. n Discretionary spending: Purchases and spending that are not necessary for survival, such as clothing, restaurant food and entertainment. n Savings: Money you save to reach long-term goals, such as buying a house, paying for college or taking a vacation. n Income: The money you earn each month, which can come from your paycheck, your partner’s paycheck, investment interest, etc.

Be conservative in estimating bonuses and other incentives. Budget for 50% of what you anticipate.

MAKING & FOLLOWING YOUR PLAN

If you are using an electronic budgeting tool, your next steps simply require your input. Monitoring on an ongoing basis can often be done by synching with your bank and investment management accounts. For those who prefer to use paper, your financial advisor and/or accountant should be able to provide you a template. You can also visit our website should you like a template.

Once you have a plan made, you can keep yourself accountable and use the plan as a guide for your monthly spending. Two key areas to stay on top of are: 1. Redirecting excess: Each month, you’ll want to reconcile your budgeted vs. your actual flows. If this number is positive at the end of the month, consider delegating more to your savings or discretionary spending.

2. Recovering from overspending: If the difference is negative, that means you spent more than you planned to. In this case, it is a good idea to readjust your discretionary spending budget until the number is zero.

If you can’t pay: If you’ve gone over budget on both necessary expenses and discretionary expenses, you’ll have to cut into your savings to pay the bills. It’s good to have an emergency fund for this purpose so you’re not dipping into a vacation fund when your car needs a new transmission. If

this happens repeatedly, you are living beyond your means. Comb through your budget to weed out any “wants” masquerading as “needs.” Find ways to spend less, earn more and reprioritize so your budget is in balance.

Art aficionados.

Real estate developers.

Urban revitalizers.

Readjust budgets: You may have to readjust the plan monthly, or even weekly, especially at first. If you acquire new expenses (e.g. having a child) or get rid of others (e.g. paying off your car loan), you’ll have to adjust your plan and reallocate your income to accommodate.

Variable and unexpected income: Bonuses, commissions and gifts are best not to be counted on too heavily as income, as mentioned previously.

Ideally, you should allocate this money toward savings goals when it comes in.

BUDGET BUSTERS

Common threats to success include: • Impulse purchases • Restaurants and fast food • Aspirational spending • Emergencies • Gifts and donations • Retail therapy • Irregular bills The main purpose of a spending plan is to put you in control of your own finances. You may not want to examine how you’ve been spending money, but once you create a spending plan you’ll realize that it really is about purposeful spending, not deprivation.

You can choose to spend your money on anything you’d like, but you can’t spend it on everything you’d like.

Your unique life, planned.

Understanding what people are passionate about is how we help them plan for what’s most important. Backed by sophisticated resources, a Raymond James financial advisor gets to know you and everything that makes your life uniquely complex. That’s Life Well Planned.

This material is intended for informational purposes only, does not constitute a recommendation and should not be construed as investment, legal or tax advice and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified attorney, tax advisor, or plan provider. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Tom McCartney and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Expressions of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any website's users and/or members.

Tom McCartney is the Founding Principal of My Advisor & Planner and a Wealth Manager, RJFS. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. My Advisor & Planner is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

Tom and his team are located at 107 S. 2nd St., Geneva, IL 60134 and can be reached at info@mapyourfuture.net, at 630-4574068, or you can visit them at www.mapyourfuture.net.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/ SIPC. © 2024 Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. 24-BDMKT-6351 KS 2/24 SM-CL2212181

BUSINESS & CIVIC JANUARY 2025

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Resolve to Live Your BestLife in 2025!

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