LCM-03-01-2013

CAREER EDITION

March 2013

SUCCESS

times two!

Two Lake County Residents Thrive In Second Careers

De-Stress

3GET HIRED! Express Employment Professionals Can Help You Find The Right Job pg 28

How To Combat Anxiety In The Workplace pg 32

Family Focus

4th Generation Libertyville Business Stays Strong pg 18

INSIDE

The Career Edition

Home & Lifestyle 8

13

Home Design — Four-season rooms: Find out how to create a backyard retreat that brings the outdoors in with four-season rooms created

by Murphy Carpentry Inc. in Lake Bluff and Armcor Design and Build in Wauconda.

From The Vine To Townline: Gints Brencis of DiCarlo Fine Wine and Spirits in Mundelein discusses some of the traditions wine and religion share.

Family 14 17 18

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. What types of family-friendly activities are available in Lake County? Find out!

Write This Down: Stay-at-home mom Michelle Stien writes about the difficulties of keeping house with two little ones — and a husband — underfoot.

Success Lives Next Door: Only 12 percent of family-owned companies survive into the third generation. Meet the Polsons and the Vanderwerffs, two Lake County families who have reached that milestone and beyond.

Special Career Section 21

24

28

On The Cover: It’s not easy to start a second career. But The Rev. Rosemarie Green of North Shore Faith Community Church in Gurnee, who first worked — and still works — in the pharmaceutical industry, and Jenifer Green, who worked in finance before becoming a nurse practitioner and stroke coordinator for Highland Park Hospital, made the leap and found meaning in their second vocations.

Think you have an unusual job? Check out these local professionals who have found careers as a Rod Stewart impersonator, a voice actor and a sleep lab technician.

Cover Inset: Express Employment Professionals, with locations in Libertyville and Waukegan, is dedicated to helping Lake County residents — and companies — find the right fit when it comes to hiring solutions.

Health 3

‘‘

pg 32

Nancy Flaherty, counselor and co-founder of Gurnee Counseling Center

... Building stress hardiness is the key to handling stress in all areas of life.

35

Stressed at work? Social worker Susan White of The Lifeskills Center in Antioch, Nancy Flaherty, counselor and co-founder of Gurnee Counseling Center and Gurnee marriage and family therapist Dave Gates share tips for relaxing and cutting out stress.

Lowfat Recipe Of The Month: Chef Susan Maddox of Hawthorn Woods, who teaches cooking classes at Someone’s in the Kitchen in Libertyville, shares a low-fat fruit salad that’s perfect for an Easter brunch.

Fashion & Beauty 36

Put your best foot forward — literally — with tips from shoe experts from Libertyville’s Best Show Repair and Johnny’s Shoe Repair in Lake Zurich.

Out & About 38

40 43

Social Life: The GLMV Chamber of Commerce recently hosted its winter gala “Masquerade Ball” at Cuneo Mansion and Gardens in Vernon Hills. Relive the night through pictures.

Calendar: Find a special St. Patrick’s Day or Easter activity in our calendar of arts and events.

Artist Showcase: The pendants created by painter and jewelry maker Mary Mowry of Lake Forest feature her love of nature through organic textures.

from the editor

Whatever Works

W

hen you really stop and think about it, there are probably tens of thousands of different jobs that you could have

in your lifetime.

That may seem incredibly exciting to certain people — those who like constant change and challenges — and perhaps very scary to a high school student trying to figure out which of those jobs he or she should start to explore in college.

I happen to think that it’s a very interesting idea, and if I had my way, I would job-shadow for a living — kind of like what Mike Rowe used to do on Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs.” Watching what people do on a day-today basis would simply fascinate me.

I’ve seen first-hand the many different ways people handle their own careers. My grandfather was an entrepreneur who opened his own lumberyard and kept it running for years. My grandmother actually switched careers when she was in her 60s, leaving behind her job as an elementary school teacher to work in politics as a state representative.

My parents, meanwhile, happen to be members of the old guard. My father is working for the same company he started with when he was 18, albeit in a much more prominent role today, and my mother is coming up on 20 years at her job. I remember going into Dad’s work on Saturdays and thinking it was so cool to see all of the products his company made, stacked up in rows in the warehouse. And because my mother works in retail, it’s still fun to walk into her store and say hi — right in the middle of her work day.

However, while my parents have been fortunate enough to keep their respective careers for decades, many of my college friends are already on their second and third jobs — some by choice, others by necessity. It’s different from the way things used to be, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing.

There are just so many different career paths a person can take, and in our March “careers” issue, we take a look at those different paths and how our Lake County residents have found meaning in their jobs.

Like my grandmother, The Rev. Rosemarie Green and Jenifer Green have launched successful second careers that have provided personal meaning (page 21).

And, like my grandfather, the Polson and Vanderwerff families started their own businesses, but they’ve kept their companies afloat for decades. Polson’s Natural Foods in Antioch is now in its third generation, and Vanderwerff Construction Company in Libertyville is in its fourth generation (page 18).

We found three people who have some of the more interesting careers that I’ve ever heard of (page 24), and we talk to experts about how to ward off anxiety in the workplace (page 32).

For those still in search of the perfect career, Express Employment Professionals can help job seekers maneuver through the job hunt (page 28), and tips from local cobblers will ensure they look the part for an interview (page 36).

Plus, we pay tribute to two major holidays in March by supplying St. Patrick’s Day activities the entire family can enjoy (page 14) and a terrific, low-fat Easter recipe that’s great for brunch (page 35).

I’m lucky that I’ve found a career I enjoy, and I hope that you’re in a similar situation.

If you’re not, hopefully in the following pages you’ll find inspiration from your Lake County neighbors and land that dream job soon.

All in a day’s work!

— Stephanie N. Grimoldby Editor

Published by Shaw Media 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 Phone: 815-459-4040 Fax: 815-477-4960 www.LakeCountyMagazine.com General Manager Alese Campbell 847-223-8161 acampbell@shawmedia.com Niche Product Manager Kelly Buchanan 815-526-4445 kbuchanan@shawmedia.com Account Manager Stephanie Barrons 847-231-7504 sbarrons@shawmedia.com Editor Stephanie N. Grimoldby 815-526-4467 sgrimoldby@shawmedia.com Designer Allison McCaleb 815-526-4485 amccaleb@shawmedia.com Vice President/Niche Products J. Tom Shaw 630-232-9222 jtshaw@shawmedia.com Correspondents Elizabeth Harmon, Lee Nelson, Colleen Leonard, Lauren Lynch, Amanda Marrazzo, Jacky Runice, Lara Jackson Photographers Melissa Emory, Candace H. Johnson Lake County Magazine is available by subscription for $24 a year. If you would like each month’s edition mailed to your home, send payment information and address to Lake County Magazine, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or by email at subscriptions@shawmedia.com.

LakeCountyMagazine.com

SNEAK PEEK In our April “Home” issue, don’t miss:

On The Cover

The latest in recreational vehicles

Pictured on the cover is The Rev. Rosemarie Green, a bi-vocational minister at North Shore Faith Community Church in Gurnee who also works full-time in the pharmaceutical industry. To learn more about Green and others with second jobs, see our “Careers” section on page 21.

How to make your home safe

Photo by Melissa Emory

Gardening fashion

Hair and makeup by Aurora and Renee, respectively, of Mario Tricoci Hair Salons and Day Spas in Libertyville

Beautiful, historical homes in Lake County

Our Golf Guide

... and more!

The Completely Renovated

• Deluxe private suites and semi private suites complete with large flat screen cable TVs, in-room phones, and home like ambiance • 24 hr. acute and transitional care • Premier concierge services • Private dining room • Master Library w/cozy fireplace, and custom made computer workstations for our residents personal or work related needs.

CALL OUR ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR TO SCHEDULE A PERSONAL TOUR Or email infolak@thegroveatthelake.com

LakeCountyMagazine.com

847-746-8435 March 2013 • Lake County Magazine

7

home & lifestyle

Bringing The Outside, In I By COLLEEN LEONARD

F

I

or those looking to get away from it all, their retreat could be as close as their backyard.

It could be a place that brings the outdoors inside, and it could include a hot tub, sauna or weight room, says Bill Murphy, owner of Murphy Carpentry Inc. in Lake Bluff.

“The whole idea here is to create an environment that can be used during all seasons,” says Brad Merkle, who owns Armcor Design and Build in Wauconda.

They’re talking about a sunroom or four-season room, which can be designed as a solarium, greenhouse, patio room or man cave.

For instance, Murphy built a four-season room for a Highland Park client who wanted an outdoor feeling when he watched football games on television.

“He likes to watch the

football games out there … and he pretends he’s at the stadium,” says Murphy, chuckling.

Merkle describes a sunroom as a place to relax with a book or newspaper or eat meals while enjoying the outdoors.

Such a room allows a person to see “nature at its finest and not be hindered by the view or by a roof,” Merkle says. “You literally feel like you’re outside, but you’re protected by the glass.”

5 (At top) Interior of a Victorian conservatory featuring sliding glass windows with screens by Armcor Design and Build.

5 (Above) Conservatory sunroom built by Murphy Carpentry Inc. 3 (At left) Screened sunroom built by Murphy Carpentry Inc.

All photos provided

Besides bringing in the beauty of the outdoors, he says, low-emissivity glass — which Armcor uses — conserves energy by insulating the room in the winter and reflecting heat away in the summer.

4 Cathedral sunroom available from Armcor Design and Build.

The Cost

Armcor, a 25-year-old family-owned business, offers 15 models and styles from Four Seasons Sunrooms, ranging from a Victorian conservatory to a straighteave design for ranches and mission-style homes.

Examples of the sunrooms are displayed in the Armcor showroom, located at 951 N. Old Rand Road in Wauconda. outward — are other options.

Customers can choose aluminum, vinyl or wood as the main building material.

“Our wood-product sunrooms are going to be the most expensive, but are the most beautiful as well,” Merkle says.

A sunroom usually costs $30,000 to $55,000, he says, and a typical size is 15 feet by 14 feet.

Murphy, who created his contracting firm in 1989, says he is often asked to change a screened porch into a four-season room. A conversion to a glass room can be done for about $20,000, he says.

4 Straight-eave model featuring pine beams and wood casement windows with screens by Armcor Design and Build.

Although Armcor starts with a standard unit from Four Seasons, Merkle says, each room is custom-built for the client.

As a full-service contractor, Armcor provides architectural drawings, handles the permit process, lays a concrete foundation, creates heating and cooling for the room and builds the room.

“Whatever the imagination can dream up,” Merkle says, “we can do it with glass.”

Many of his customers choose sliding windows, which slide sideways, with screens.

But casement, double-hung and awning windows — in which the sashes swing

Building a sunroom from scratch typically doubles the cost, ranging from $40,000 to $50,000, he says.

The look

Like Armcor, Murphy Carpentry works with architects to design custom sunrooms.

Both contractors say the room should blend with the rest of the house. For instance, if the house is brick, Murphy says, some brick can be added to the knee wall of the exterior.

Ceramic tile is often installed on a concrete slab, Murphy says, or sometimes the room is built around an existing wooden deck.

He generally creates some form of heat in the room, whether it’s a gas-burning fireplace, electric heat or hot water heat in the floor. Although hot water heat costs more to install, he says, it’s cheaper to run than electric heat.

To cool a four-season room in the summer, Murphy has installed skylights that open automatically when the room reaches a certain temperature. The skylights are controlled by a thermostat or humidistat.

Once permits are granted, the contractors say, homeowners should allow up to two months for the room to be completed.

Both companies suggest getting references, seeing the builder’s remodeling work and checking for insurance. Look for general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage, Merkle says, and get a copy of the company’s insurance document for proof that it is up to date.

Also check out the company with the Better Business Bureau to see how it’s rated, he says.

Murphy suggests finding a contractor or carpenter who actually does the building, rather than a “paper contractor” who subcontracts the work.

“I think you have a little more control as a homeowner knowing that the person you’re hiring is doing the building,” Murphy says.

He also believes that homeowners are less likely to be preyed on when they work with a local contractor.

With proper planning to find a remodeler and determine the best design, the end result is a luxurious retreat that increases home value.

Homeowners should recoup more than 75 percent of their investment when the house is sold, Murphy says. lc

6 Greenhouse style available from Murphy Carpentry Inc.

10 Lake County Magazine • March 2013

LakeCountyMagazine.com

OUT to EAT Lake County Magazine’s REsTAURAnT GUidE Planning on dining out? We recommend that you try one of these fabulous restaurants! They are the best places to dine in the Lake County area.

TraTToria Pomigliano 602 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, 847-247-2208 Trattoria Pomigliano is located at the corner of Milwaukee Ave and School Street in Historic downtown Libertyville, with its casual attire atmosphere this is the restaurant to try for lunch or dinner. Our restaurant is children friendly with a complete childs menu. We offer sit-down, carryout, and catering service, a full bar as well as private parties. We are available for showers, weddings, birthdays, graduations, confirmation, rehearsal dinners and your other special events.

Come stop by and see out new bar....

New bar hours, new appetizers and new entertainment! Try one of our “main street Martinis” and check out the outside patio. Come and enjoy with us “Italian style”!

mamBo iTaliano riSToranTE, 748 S. Butterfield Rd., Mundelein, 847-281-9100 www.themamboitaliano.com The Mambo Italiano Ristorante is family owned

sCALLOPs en Croute

with a sweet basil lemon cream sauce with diced pancetta, just one of the many creations that Chef David creates at his wonderful restaurant!

David’s Bistro 883 Main Street Antioch Illinois www.davidsbistro.com 847-603-1196

and operated for the past 7 years, the restaurant strives to provide a taste of new world yet authentic Italian cuisine, enjoy friendly service and genuine Italian dishes. Mambo Italiano has a full bar & wine selection, offers nightly dinner specials, all homemade pastas, fresh fish daily, steaks, and many more dishes to choose from. They offer full catering for all of your special events and welcome private parties and has delivery service. With its friendly staff ready to wait on you and open 7 days a week Mambo Italiano is definitely the place to check out and enjoy your dining experience.

HiTz Pizza & SPorTS Bar 700 S. Butterfield Rd, Mundelein, 847-362-0505, www.Hitzpizza.com

Mambo Italiano Ristorante

Drop in to Hitz Pizza & Sports bar for our unforgettable food and great times with your family and friends. After all....We’re your neighborhood’s favorite restaurant.

We offer friendly and casual dining atmosphere you and your friends are sure to enjoy. Our menu offers an inspired array of delicious selections made with the freshest

ingredients for you to choose from.

In addition to our delicious menu we offer live entertainment to help make your night an experience you won’t forget. Breakfast buffet on Sundays from 9-11 and serving the BEST bloody Marys in Lake County..... and the BEST prices!!

Watch your favorite NFL game here on one of our 17 TV’s or let us cater your party with one of our many catering packages available. Stop on into Hitz Pizza & Sports Bar today and check it out...... Bring your friends!

DaviDS BiSTro 883 Main St., Antioch, 847-603-1196 www.davidsbistro.com After enjoying a stroll through Antioch’s downtown stop by David’s Bistro a contemporary American eatery to fill any appetite. Owner and Chef David Maish offers many spectacular dishes from his homemade soups, appetizers and wonderful entrees including daily specials. David’s Bistro opens at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday-Sunday and stays open until David kicks you out...nicely of course.

lakEHouSE lakE Bluff 525 Rockland Rd., Lake Bluff, 847-295-7140 www.lakehouselb.com Family dining with choices for everyone! The LakeHouse in Lake Bluff has a full menu with many choices from their famous rotisserie chicken to their Saturday night Prime Rib special! The bar offers many choices of craft beers, a huge selection of wines and martinis. Check out the website for daily specials, coupons, and up coming entertainment.

Check out the New LakeHouse in Lake Bluff and you will definitely not be disappointed!

From The Vine To Townline

home & lifestyle

WINE &

with Gints Brencis

RELIGION W

ine has become an important part of our dining culture, a drink to be enjoyed not just on special occasions.

However, when we think of special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, job promotions and the like come to mind. Yet wine has been rooted in religious special occasions, like Easter, Passover and others, for centuries.

With Passover and Easter celebrated at the end of this month, it’s fitting to remember the special significance wine enjoys in Judeo-Christian culture and ritual.

Having been raised in a Lutheran household, I was not intimately familiar with the rituals of other religions. I was familiar with wine’s role as part of Holy Communion, and that was about it.

Now that I work so closely with such a diverse clientele and the wine that they purchase, it has become my responsibility to understand wine’s role in other religions and cultures.

Wine’s symbolic significance is most evident in the Passover Seder, the ritual dinner observed in Jewish households around the world.

The Passover holiday begins this year on a Monday night (March 25). Each adult drinks four cups of wine during the Seder, which represents the redemption of the Israelites from slavery under the Egyptians. A fifth cup is reserved for the prophet Elijah in hopes he will visit during the celebration.

Representing future redemption, it is left unconsumed.

For observant Jews, the Passover wine must be kosher.

That means it must have been produced under the supervision of an observant rabbi to be acceptable for use in religious ceremonies. A wine’s kosher status is typically denoted on the wine bottle by the letter U or K in a circle, with a P in superscript. It doesn’t have any significance in the actual production of the wine.

• Gints Brencis is director of fine wines at DiCarlo Fine Wine and Spirits on Townline Road in Mundelein. He offers his expertise in the wine industry to the Lake County community.

Differences arise with “mevushal” wines, as they are flash-pasteurized.

This is done so that they can be handled by the non-observant public and still remain kosher.

Kosher wines are a very diverse bunch. They run the gamut from dry to sweet, crisp to full bodied. Manischewitz and Mogen David often come to mind when talking about kosher wines, as they are two of the largest kosher brands with a combined two centuries of commercial success.

However, there are thousands of other options at all price points.

If money is no object, even famed French chateaux such as Valandraud and LeovillePoyferre can accommodate, with three-liter bottles topping out at close to $3,000.

If you crave a little bubbly, top-notch producers such as Laurent Perrier and Drappier have kosher options for you. The Galil Cabernet Sauvignon from Galilee in Israel offers a lovely mouthful of black cherry fruit for only $14.99, while those who crave something sweeter should check out the Bartenura Moscato from Italy for $12.99.

Wine’s connection to Easter comes from the Last Supper, which may or may not have been a Seder, depending on which Gospel or historical authority you subscribe to. Wine’s significance is clear here, and represents the blood of Christ and therefore echoes the redemptive qualities of the Seder wines.

The Last Supper is furthermore observed in the Eucharist, or Holy Communion, on many different occasions and in many different subsets of Western Christianity throughout the year.

When it comes to Easter wines, there are no rules — anything goes!

If you’re planning on having ham, pair it with a pinot noir, zinfandel, gewurztraminer or chardonnay. If turkey is to be featured, consider pairing it with a riesling, pinot gris, pinot noir or a rosé.

One thing is certain, however — the best pairing is the trio of family, friends and a delicious holiday meal. lc

family

FU N I By LARA JACKSON

I

Usually associated with the wearin’ o’ the green and lots of parties, there’s a lot more to St. Patrick’s Day than beer and corned beef and cabbage.

Kids and families can enjoy a little bit of Irish fun at home.

A fun kid’s activity the whole family can participate in is the Leprechaun Trap.

“This is popular among 3- to 5-year-old children,” says Julie Herchenbach, preschool director at the Libertyville Park District, noting that the Leprechaun Trap sparks kids’ imagination. “First, you build a ‘trap’ of some sort — many kids just use shoeboxes, but I’ve seen more extravagant traps. You want to decorate the trap — leprechauns like anything shiny, so use lots of glitter and sparkle. Next, set the trap up with a dowel rod so when the leprechaun visits, the box will trap the leprechaun.”

The Leprechaun Trap also was a popular activity with the family of Cheri Rehor, co-director of the Rec Connection Before and After School Program at the Mundelein Park District.

14 Lake County Magazine • March 2013

’O The Irish

“Lenny the Leprechaun would never be caught, but he would always drop chocolate gold coins trying to escape,” Rehor says. “He was very mischievous. Some of the things he would do include changing the milk and water in the toilets green and tip over chairs. He’d switch the kids’ comforters — one year he even carried one of our kids and put her in her sister’s bed. He’d always leave green footprints on the floors and counters that would lead to the door or window where he would escape.

My kids loved waking up in the morning to see all of this and what mischief the leprechaun had gotten into.”

Teach them history

If you’re looking for some activities that teach children about the heritage and roots of St. Patrick’s Day, Meghan Reimers, dance director at the Grayslake Park District, suggests reading the book “The Story of St. Patrick’s Day” by Patricia A. Pingry.

“This book explains the traditional symbols of the holiday such as leprechauns and shamrocks and then gives a short biography of St. Patrick,” Reimers says.

She has other suggestions as well.

“For more traditional fun, the kids can learn how to dance an Irish jig just by going on YouTube,” Reimers says. “Also, have the kids help cook traditional Irish foods such as soda bread or potato soup, or make Rice Krispy treats or a rainbow out of different colored fruits and place marshmallows and some gold Rolos at the end ... . Or, have a treasure hunt — [my husband and I] had a hunt for our kids last year where they found the gold coins and donated 3 Pictured is a rainbow made out of different colored fruit with marshmallows as the cloud and gold, foil-wrapped chocolates as the pot of gold. It is a fun and healthy St. Patrick’s Day activity. Photos provided

LakeCountyMagazine.com

them to two nonprofit organizations, so they learned it’s better to give than to receive.”

This charitable concept rings true with the original St. Patrick, says Paddy Barry, coowner of Paddy’s On The Square and the Irish Boutique, both in Long Grove, and a second Irish Boutique in Crystal Lake. “[St. Patrick] brought Christianity to Ireland in 432 … and encouraged the building of monasteries, which taught discipline, scholarship and learning,” Barry says. “Also, he used the shamrock, a three-leaf clover, to explain the Holy Trinity.”

“St. Patrick’s Day is a more solemn holiday in Ireland, and March 17 is actually the date of St. Patrick’s death, not his birth,” Barry adds.

Try these family-friendly events nearby Leaping Leprechauns (for kids ages 3 to 5) 6:15 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 15 Grayslake Recreation Center, 240 Commerce Dr., in Grayslake Kids will have a pizza party, make a craft, learn an Irish jig and go on a hunt for gold. Cost is $25 for residents and $30 for nonresidents. For more information, call 847223-7529.

LakeCountyMagazine.com

St. Patrick’s Day Fun-tivities Thursday, March 14 through Sunday, March 17 Keylime Cove Indoor Water Park, 1700 Nations Dr., in Gurnee This fun St. Patrick’s Day celebration will be full of treasures, fun-tivities, special rates and food specials. For more information, call 224-656-8685 or email slumi@keylimecove.com.

4 Meghan Reimers of the Grayslake Park District says there are many ways to share Irish heritage and culture with children.

Lake Villa’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Corned Beef Luncheon Noon Saturday, March 16 Line up for the St. Patrick’s Day parade generally begins at 11 a.m. at Peter J. Palombi School at 133 McKinley Avenue. The parade will begin at noon.

A corned beef dinner and entertainment will be available at the VFW following the parade. Tickets are available at the door. For more information, call 847356-6100 or visit www.lake-villa.org.

St. Patrick’s Day Festival Sunday, March 16 Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox St., in Chicago Following the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Irish American Heritage Center will host a festival, which will include

traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance, food and kid’s activities. Performers will include Tim O’Shea and Phillip Crickland — direct from Ireland — and more. For more information, call 773-2827035 or visit www.irish-american.org. lc

March 2013 • Lake County Magazine

15

family

To say cleaning my house is the bane of my existence is an understatement.

The fact that I have two small tornadoes living under my roof that leave paths of destruction wherever they go certainly doesn’t help matters any.

And I think it goes without saying that my husband can be considered my third child who requires just as much maintenance and cleaning-up-after as the children I actually birthed.

So, when my husband told me that instead of getting him a gift this past Christmas, he wanted me to hire a cleaning service, I was instantly overjoyed … though it seemed like that would be more of a present for me than him.

Then I got a little defensive. Am I not a good enough housewife? Is he that appalled at my level of cleanliness and organization that he would rather forego a Christmas present than continue to have me responsible for the upkeep of our home?

I finally decided to swallow my pride and accept his request.

I think what swayed his decision was when he chipped in a few weeks earlier to help me out with the cleaning and realized how much work goes into it. He didn’t even clean everything, and he was cashed.

On a consistent basis, however, after all the hard work done by either him or me, it is usually destroyed when the dog comes in

with muddy paws or one of the kids drags the most perplexing practice known to man out a bin of toys, eats a meal or pees on the — I cleaned before the cleaning ladies came. bathroom floor.

I have a bit of a complex about what people Most times, when my husband comes think of my house (see aforementioned home from work and I have cleaned the unfounded paranoia that my husband was house a few hours prior, you would never judging my house cleaning abilities). I could know it by the state of disaster when he just imagine the two women shaking their enters the house. heads, pointing fingers and commiserating I also have difficulty completing the entire about what slobs we were as they scrubbed cleaning process all in one fell swoop. I my toilets. usually have to do one room at a time and, Today, cleaning up before they come is a inevitably, once I move on to the next, the must. Otherwise they would never be able room I just cleaned is destroyed or another to clean under the copious amounts of Legos mess is created elsewhere in the house. and Barbies strewn about on a regular basis.

Additionally, I rarely have a prolonged While I feel a little guilty that I am a stayperiod of time when both kids are at school, at-home-mom with a cleaning service, I have so I constantly am interrupted by the need to to remind myself that I do work part time drive someone somewhere or pick someone now, and that leaves me with a little less time up. to spare and a little more income.

Regardless, the effort I will have to put I long for those magical moments when I forth to prepare for the cleaning lady we walk into a clean house from top to bottom. have hired to come sure beats having to do We used to have a cleaning service when the whole job myself. I will revel in that I worked, and we tried to keep it for a moment I walk in the door and my house is while after I decided to stay home with my sparkling clean all at the same time — even daughter, but eventually it seemed silly to if it is fleeting. lc shell out the extra money when we were down to one income and I was home all day.

I also realized that because my with Michelle Stien daughter and I had to vacate the • Michelle Stien is a stay-at-home mom premises, we’d usually go shopping or of two children, ages 3 and 5. Her out to breakfast. It became clear that my mother always told her to “write this cleaning service was costing me more down,” so she is sharing her experiences with Lake County moms to help them than what I paid the ladies. deal with the craziness of being “Mom.” Like many people, I also engaged in

Write This Down

home & lifestyle / success lives next door

I By Jacky Runice 6 Polson’s Natural Foods as it appeared in a 1936 photograph. Polson photos provided

Family Focused Local Businesses Are Passed Down Through Generations

M

ark Polson has fond memories of time spent with family when he was a boy.

“My brother and I had so much fun working with our grandfather and father on the farm,” Polson says.

Little did he know that that innocent childhood reverie would become a key component in an enduring family business.

Polson’s Natural Foods in Antioch has been a part of the fabric of Lake County for more than 80 years.

Polson’s grandfather, Alfred, was ahead of his time when he opened a health food store 4 An old that offered vitamin bottle of Polson’s supplements and Special Garlic. healthful foods in 1926.

“At that time, there weren’t any supplements or information about proper foods to eat to stay healthy,” Polson says. “You know, not just filling the belly, but supplying nutrients.”

The business grew from one store to three and

eventually added a health-oriented bakery and restaurant — common sights in the 21st century, but unusual for the 1930s and ’40s.

By age 13, Alfred Polson’s son, Ronald, began learning and spending time in the various businesses.

After World War II, it was time to reassess.

“My father bought a small farm in Antioch where they grew organic grains and fruits, and they sold items from the orchard in the farm store,” Mark Polson says. “I used to help him and Grandpa out in the garden and learned how to drive tractors.”

Polson, who dreamed of being a farmer, went on to study agriculture and came back to the store in 1978 to work with his father.

A family attitude

With his stepchildren grown and none interested in taking over the reins, Polson faces what the Family Business Institute calls “the toughest and most critical challenge” — planning for succession.

“Any parent hopes that the children develop the interest in the business and sooner or later becomes something of value to them,” Polson says.

He has his fingers crossed about his grandson.

“I have to get him through high school and college, so you never know.”

According to the Institute for Family Business, “Important attitudes towards work and the family business are formed during 4 Theodore childhood.”

(Ted) Vanderwerff, Polson and his father fit the formula of a grandfather to successful family business, now in its third Dale Vanderwerff, generation, but it was really a clan effort. president of Polson’s mom, Linnie Mae Polson, was the Vanderwerff store’s bookkeeper for 67 years; his brother Randy managed the Niles store and Randy’s Construction, used this transit during wife, Stephanie, helmed the one in Zion; excavation at a and Polson’s wife, Jeri, worked with him for a construction site number of years until she retired to help raise to keep everything a grandson. level. Photo by The Polsons eventually trimmed down to Candace H. the one store in Antioch that Mark Polson, Johnson 59, still runs.

I

5 Dale Vanderwerff and his nephew, Dale Villiard, both of Libertyville, co-owners of the Vanderwerff Construction Company, go over blueprints at their office in Libertyville.

Photo by Candace H. Johnson

Keeping the next generation interested in continuing the business was on Dale Vanderwerff’s to-do list as well.

The president of Libertyville’s Vanderwerff Construction Company has two children, neither of which was attracted to running the company.

“I have a nephew that was interested, and he’s been with me for 10 years now,” Vanderwerff says. “And as co-owner, Dale Villiard makes it a fourth generation business.”

The family-owned company with community roots since 1918 is winning according to the Family Business Institute: only 30 percent of family businesses survive into the second generation, 12 percent are still viable into the third generation and about 3 percent of all family businesses are humming along into the fourth generation or beyond.

It doesn’t hurt that Villiard, vice president of operations for the construction company, worked at his own parents’ family business beginning in elementary school.

“My parents ran Villiard’s Fruit Stand in Grayslake from 1970 to the early 2000s,” Villiard says. “My dad retired, but we still sell Christmas trees every year in same location.”

Four generations strong When Theodore (Ted) Vanderwerff arrived from Holland in 1908 and settled in Libertyville, he put his Old Country carpentry skills to use with a local builder, eventually buying the business in 1918.

That was the year World War I ended, the “Spanish flu” swept the planet and women could not yet vote.

Flash forward to 2013, and Dale Vanderwerff boasts a master’s degree in business administration and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation, while Dale Villiard is a metallurgical engineer by degree.

Rolling with technological changes is just one of the elements that has sustained the company that has been serving the area for nearly a century.

“When I started full time in 1974, I had one of the first cell phones,” Vanderwerff laughs. “It was so big that it was in a briefcase that stayed in my car. Today, you have to know a lot about sustainable building practices, using the right kinds of materials, dealing with trash from construction sites, making a building energy efficient and that’s why being a LEED accredited professional is so important.”

What has not changed are the challenges presented in a family-owned business.

“Anyone that owns their own business is pretty hard on themselves,” Vanderwerff says. “We’re demanding to get things done because it’s not like having a nine-to-five job.

I work on the job site in the daytime, and at night, I’m doing estimates and figuring out schedules to stay ahead of everything. In

5 Pictured from left are Ronald and Alfred Polson.

4 Pictured at right is Mark Polson.

some ways, it’s like being a teacher — they spend the day at school, then they’re grading papers and preparing for the next day.”

Villiard says that the lagging economy adds to the pressure.

“You have to have a ‘get it done’ attitude,” he says.

Whether it’s a family company called Heinz, L.L. Bean, Ford, Marriott, Polson’s Natural Foods or Vanderwerff Construction Company, surviving and thriving may rest on a clear-cut philosophy.

“I think that if you keep the focus on the people that you’re serving, you’ll be OK,” Polson says. “If you put them first, everything else falls in line. That’s what my grandfather and father always emphasized — you’re not there to sell anything, but simply to provide what they need.” lc 4 An old package of Polson’s Cracked Wheat Cereal.

20 Lake County Magazine • March 2013

LakeCountyMagazine.com

C A R Inside E E R S ca • reer: (k rir’) n. e

Definition:

An occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress.

Page 21:

Second-chance careers: Meet two women who have changed things up to provide a different kind of fulfillment in their lives.

Page 24:

Unconventional careers: Take a look at the unusual career paths taken by three local individuals.

Success ...

Times Two! I By ELIZABETH HARMON

I

A workplace trend with a catchy name — “recareering” — is becoming more commonplace.

Led by baby boomers moving toward a nontraditional “working retirement” or younger workers displaced from corporate America, more professionals are embracing “encore careers.”

A 2008 article in U.S. News and World Report cited a survey by the MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures, a San Francisco think tank, showing that as many as 8.4 million Americans between the ages of 44 and 70 have already launched second careers “in positions that combine income with personal meaning and social impact.”

Michael Bevis, director of academic affairs at University of Phoenix, sees students like this every day. Some want to enter the nonprofit sector. Others plan to open their own business. Still others are seeking to combine two careers simultaneously.

But most of them share a common trait.

“They’re seeking an education to pursue their passion,” Bevis says.

How do they do it? Two Lake Country residents who have launched successful second careers share their stories.

continued on next page

Page 28:

Find a career: Express Employment Professionals will work to help you find the perfect job ... or the perfect employee.

I Photos by MELISSA EMORY

I

careers / on the cover

Say Amen!

Since 1997, The Rev. Rosemarie Green has balanced two thriving — and on the surface, dramatically different — careers.

As director of clinical operations for a pharmaceutical company, Green leads projects that develop, test, obtain FDA approval and introduce new medications to the marketplace.

“These are being prescribed by doctors to help patients, which is very rewarding,” she says.

As an ordained minister and pastor of North Shore Faith Community Church in Gurnee, she delivers sermons, prepares lessons and empowers others in their faith.

“I provide spiritual medicine to God’s people,” she says.

Green says her careers aren’t that much different.

“They’re about helping people,” she says. “That’s the passion which undergirds both.”

A Georgia native, Green grew up in the church and was close to her granduncle, a preacher, whom she calls a kindred spirit.

While she believed she would always be active in the church, she never considered a career in the pulpit. She graduated from Purdue University School of Pharmacy, worked as a retail and hospital pharmacist and then moved into pharmaceutical research.

But as her professional responsibilities grew, so did her prayer life. While working with youth and leading Bible studies, Green says she became better attuned to God’s presence and began to feel a call toward a pastoral career.

“There’s a theologian that talks about being summoned by the hounds of heaven, and that’s how it was for me,” she says.

Green says God put people in her path to guide her, including members of her 6 Jenifer Green traded her job in finance for a new career in healthcare. Photo provided

5 (Above and previous page) The Rev. Rosemarie Green says her two careers — pharmaceutical research and pastoring — are both about helping people.

church, ministers and a supportive corporate manager who allowed her to take time off for a summer class to explore her new potential career.

In 1993, she entered Evanston’s Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, located on Northwestern University’s campus, but she continued her pharmaceutical career, completing class assignments while traveling the world on business.

She graduated in 1997 and served at an Evanston church, then founded North Shore Faith Community Church in 2009.

For financial reasons, as well as personal and professional fulfillment, Green has remained bi-vocational. She says the two rarely overlap and people in her office are aware of her ministry career.

“I get mixed reactions,” she says.

“Sometimes it’s funny. I also have people come and talk to me. I meet other Christians.

But I’m not here to be Rev. Green, just to do the best job I can.”

She also says her corporate skills help keep her ministry career running smoothly.

“Managing a team, following up, running meetings — these are all things I also do in ministry,” she says.

“I even had a [church] staff member comment once, ‘Why does everything have to be so corporate?’” she laughs.

A Healthy Change After graduating from Ferris State

University in Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Jenifer Green landed a dream job with the Franklin Templeton

Financial Group, now Franklin Templeton Investments, as a global investment manager.

“I had great mentors and training,” Green says. “It was fascinating and challenging. I loved my career.”

But in the late 1990s, life took an unexpected turn. Green went through a divorce and, not long after, found herself in the hospital facing knee surgery.

“I started to question who I was and if I was doing something to make a difference,” she says.

Her hospital stay offered an interesting answer when she realized the importance of an excellent nurse.

“I started to see how much of a difference one person could make,” she says.

The healthcare field wasn’t foreign territory.

Her father was a hospital administrator, and Green had served as a hospital volunteer in high school. As she considered a career change, she began to network with friends and associates in the healthcare field and took on volunteer work and job shadowing.

“Anything to get my foot in the door,” she says.

6 The Rev. Rosemarie Green founded North Shore Faith Community Church in 2009.

Yet, even after careful research, Green still felt some apprehension about making such a dramatic change. At the time, she was inspired by a quote.

“I read, ‘If you’re not taking risks, you are not really living,’” she says. “That gave me the nudge to go for it.”

She enrolled in a two-year nursing program at College of DuPage, which turned out to be more challenging than she expected.

“Even though I’d gone through college before, this time I had bigger responsibilities of a mortgage, a job and a life,” she says.

While in school, her social life and most other interests took a backseat, but she connected with a supportive group of fellow students, many of whom were transitioning from other careers.

“They understood the challenges I was going through and were my saving grace,” Green says.

She also had a supportive significant other, Fred Page.

“One of the things I told her was to take it one step at a time,” Page says. “Instead of thinking about the years it will take to finish, focus on the next test, the next assignment — otherwise it can be overwhelming.”

After graduating from COD in 2000, Green began her new career, but found one aspect frustrating.

“In business, I was used to having lots of responsibilities and making decisions,” she says. “In nursing, I had more of a subordinate role. But then I saw what nurse practitioners were doing, and decided that was where I needed to be.”

She enrolled in a three-year, full-time program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and continued to work part-time as a nurse at a Naperville hospital.

Green says her biggest challenges were financial and logistical.

“It took a lot of time to commute from Naperville to downtown classes at Rush, then to clinical sites throughout the area,” she says.

5 Today, Jenifer Green is a nurse practitioner and stroke coordinator for Highland Park Hospital, part of NorthShore University HealthSystem. Photo provided

Once again, a supportive network helped her weather the grueling schedule.

“People really need supportive family and friends, not just for emotional support, but to do little things that help them out, like running to the grocery store or taking their car in to get fixed,” Page says.

Today, as a nurse practitioner and stroke coordinator for Highland Park Hospital, part of NorthShore University HealthSystem, Green is part of a team that provides acute intervention to patients in the hospital and the emergency room who are experiencing stroke symptoms. Working with other departments, physicians and therapists, she reviews test results and makes sure that they follow guidelines from the American Heart Association.

“We assess whether they need intervention, then follow through with them,” she says. lc

Considering A Career Change?

Considering a career change of your own?

Michael Bevis, director of academic affairs at University of Phoenix, says it’s important to look beyond work experience and education and consider your skills, including those you’ve used outside the workplace.

It’s also vital to keep a positive attitude.

“People often believe they can’t do something new because they’ve spent so many years doing something else,” he says. “But they need to look at their talents and skills and how those can transfer into a different industry.”

All In A Day’s Work

careers

Lake County Residents Carve Out Unique Careers

Gurnee resident Cliff Tartaglia, front man for the band A Reason To Believe, has found a career niche portraying rocker Rod Stewart.

Finding a great career can mean more than scanning a few “hottest jobs” lists.

Creative thinking, talent, passion and networking have helped these Lake County professionals find success in careers that are slightly off the beaten path.

A Reason to Believe

Photo provided

Gurnee resident Cliff Tartaglia grew up loving the blues, but it’s his striking resemblance to a British rock legend that sparked a new career.

As front man for the band A Reason to Believe, Tartaglia struts his stuff in clubs throughout the Chicago area, portraying gravel-voiced rocker Rod Stewart.

Rather than an impersonator, Tartaglia considers himself a singing actor.

“Onstage, I’m acting, portraying Mr. Stewart,” he says. “Our goal is to give the audience a total Rod Stewart experience.”

A Chicago native, and the stepson of blues legend Willie Dixon, Tartaglia took up drums at age 6 and guitar a few years later. He is a singer and songwriter, performing with bands in renowned Chicago blues clubs such as Buddy Guy’s Legends.

During a stint with a cover band two years ago, Tartaglia and his bandmates added a Rod Stewart song to their set list.

“I knocked it out of the park,” he says.

I By ELIZABETH HARMON

I

Sinthasath “Coco” Tiaokhiao, sleep technologist, demonstrates the most common nasal mask used to help people with sleep disorders at the Sleep Disorders Center at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

describes his character as a “rude and kind of shy 15-year-old boy.”

Dolphin got his voiceover start while living in southern California when a friend asked him to help on a corporate video.

“I have a regular-sounding voice without an accent, which is what companies like,” he says.

His career experience as a fitness industry corporate spokesperson helped him hone his speaking skills, and more voiceover work kept coming. When he relocated to the Midwest and opened his own business, he installed a home studio, which allowed him to continue his second career.

“Technology allows me to do this from my home,” he says. “The client sends me a

A former teacher recognized voice actor Jhan Dolphin’s talent years before he did.

Photo by Candace H. Johnson

That song led to more, and fans picked up on the remarkable resemblance between Tartaglia and Stewart. This gave Tartaglia an idea … and a new musical direction.

Working with a new band recruited specifically for the project, Tartaglia watched videos and learned Stewart’s repertoire.

Interpreting Stewart comes naturally because of their shared blues influence, Tartaglia says.

A Reason to Believe covers all phases of Stewart’s lengthy career, from his early work with Faces, ’70s rock classics such as “Maggie May,” 1980s blue-eyed soul and his recent interpretation of pop standards.

One of Tartaglia’s biggest thrills is seeing his audience’s connection to Stewart and his music.

Another great thrill would be to meet the man in person.

“I’m grateful for all the work he’s done for us, and I love to imagine that I’m onstage singing, then he comes out and says, ‘Let me do it,’” Tartaglia says. “That would be incredible.”

LakeCountyMagazine.com

Spoken Beautifully When voice actor Jhan Dolphin returned to speak at his southern Wisconsin high school, he ran into a former teacher who recognized his talent years before he did.

“In sixth grade, my homeroom teacher took me aside and said, ‘You crack me up. You’re very funny and someday, I expect to see you onstage with a microphone, but right now I need you to settle down,’” Dolphin says.

“When I saw her again, we laughed about it. I couldn’t ever have foreseen this, but she had an idea I might do something like this.”

Dolphin, president of marketing and public relations firm j. robert consulting, has been a voice actor for 15 years. He’s voiced radio and television commercials, corporate videos, phone systems and video games, and he recently was selected as the voice for a new cable television animated series that will air next year.

Though he can’t divulge the series’ name, he

Photo provided

script, and it’s done in 15 or 20 minutes. It’s fantastic.”

Technology helps him find work, too. His website, www.chicagovoiceactor.com, includes samples of his work for potential clients to hear.

“If they like my style, I get a call,” he says, adding that he also works with talent agents in Chicago and Denver.

One area that isn’t ripe for voice-over work is his marketing client list.

“Though one helps the other, when marketing clients find out about the voice work, that’s what they want to talk about and it’s hard to keep the focus on the marketing,” he says. “So, for now, the two will remain very separate.”

March 2013 • Lake County Magazine

25

The Night Shift Sinthasath “Coco” Tiaokhiao, a Chicago native, was an economics major at the University of Illinois in Chicago when he learned about sleep medicine through a college friend who was interested in a career as a doctor.

“The university has a sleep research center,” he says. “I got involved with that, and 18 years later, here I am.”

As a sleep lab technician at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Tiaokhiao handles the clinical and technical aspects of sleep studies, helping Lake County residents find relief from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, Seasonal Affective Disorder, shift-work syndrome and other problems.

“I train the technicians, update the sleep system and protocols so that everything is compliant with the guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and document results from the sleep studies so the doctors can treat the patients,” Tiaokhiao says.

The Condell sleep center runs a fourbed facility in Libertyville and a two-bed facility in Gurnee where patients come for overnight monitoring to diagnose sleeprelated health problems. Though the lab is quiet and the patient is sleeping, the technicians stay busy.

“During the study, there are always things to do, lots of paperwork and there are things we have to document every 30 minutes,” said Tiaokhiao.

Tiaokhiao is no longer on the nightshift, but earlier in his career, he regularly worked overnight.

Even now, he occasionally is called in to cover a shift. He says it doesn’t interfere with his sleep.

“I keep my room dark and cool, and that helps, but I don’t have a problem,” he says.

“I can sleep day or night.” lc

26 Lake County Magazine • March 2013

LakeCountyMagazine.com

XPLORE! 2013 Summer Camps The College of Lake County offers a variety of summer youth camp options (Grades 1-12)

One-Week Camps Half days Mornings 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or afternoons 1-4 p.m.

(No camps July 1-4) Campus locations vary Art Film Making LEGO速 Living History Music NASA Space Science & Astronomy

XP L Wh ORE! ere Kid Go s T o Col leg e!

Summer Classes Evenings and Saturdays Times and locations vary by class ACT Test Prep Guitar iMovie/GarageBand

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Star Wars Stop Action Animation TenMarks Visual Algebra Visual Fraction Web Design

College of Lake County Center for Personal Enrichment For more information, visit www.clcillinois.edu/youth Email CPEInfo@clcillinois.edu or call (847) 543-2759.

on

ti Academic Inspira One-Week Camps

A+

.

Monday-Friday. afternoons 1-4 p.m m. to 12:30 p.m. or Mornings 9:30 a.

June 10-21 in Wauconda Frassati Academy Creative Writing Math Theatre Arts

www.clcillinois.edu/youth

(847) 543-2022

Like us on Facebook College of Lake County Center for Personal Enrichment

College of Lake County

careers

Making It Work Express Employment Professionals Helps People With Their Employment Needs

After

12 years as supervisor of distribution administration with the same company, Penny Peterson, 47, parted ways with her employer when her distribution center moved to southern Illinois.

5 Melissa Bowman, commercial staffing consultant, is an Express professional available to talk with potential job candidates at the Libertyville franchise.

Because of the distance, Peterson, who lives in Hainesville, opted not to move with her company.

Luckily, her employer had utilized Express Employment Professionals to staff its warehouse and office, and the staffing agency again was used when Peterson’s company consolidated, helping Peterson and other former employees transition to new jobs.

Peterson started applying for jobs on her own, but she also went online and filled out the necessary forms to have Express assist her in her job search, and she was provided with a career counselor to help prepare her resume.

Express sent her on just two interviews. While she was not offered a position after the first interview, she did receive an offer — and accepted it — after her second interview.

She now is a domestic sales assistant working as an evaluation (a temporaryto-permanent) hire at an international firm marketing food ingredients and dairy products in Lake Forest.

“In the world that we live in now, everything is Web-based, and it’s really hard to get your foot in the door,” Peterson says. “It was nice with Express because they’ve already set the groundwork with these employers, and they’re just matching you up. You have

5 Pictured are Steve and Daina Bowman, owners, (back left) and staff at Express Employment Professionals in Libertyville.

Photos by Candace H. Johnson

personal contact with these [Express] people; they pump you up and they try to make a really good match for you.”

“In two months, I can’t tell you how many resumes I put out … and I did not get one call back. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t had Express.”

What Express Can Do

Express Employment Professionals — which has two Lake County locations, one in Libertyville and one in Waukegan — is the third largest commercial staffing company in the country (eighth overall), having put 480,000 people to work in 2012 alone.

The company helps both individuals and businesses with their employment needs by providing three different options: 1) Assisting staffing companies that need temporary employees for a project 2) Providing companies with evaluation hire services 3) Conducting professional searches for direct hires The first option is great for both employers and employees for multiple reasons, says Steve Bowman, owner of the Libertyville branch, and Lucy Torres, owner of the Waukegan branch.

Express hires its own associates, who have various backgrounds and skill levels, and after finding the right match, sends those associates to businesses looking for flexible and permanent staffing solutions.

Employees like it because the temporary positions fit into many people’s schedule

6 Pictured (from left) is the Express Waukegan Team: Lucy Torres, owner; Yuri Ruiz, staffing consultant; Carol Ibarra, front office coordinator; and Laura Leal, staffing consultant. Photo by kassel studio & design

or lifestyle choice, such as one female associate who had three children, Bowman says. She took on 31 different assignments over a nine-year span through Express and was perfectly happy with the short-term projects.

Employees also appreciate the fact that they receive benefits, vacation pay and holiday pay directly from Express, Torres says.

“We have one of the best benefit packages for workers in the staffing industry,” she says.

The employers, meanwhile, enjoy the arrangement because they only pay the variable cost of hourly work versus having to pay for placing employees on their full-time payroll with all of the embedded employer costs of health, holiday and vacation benefits, Bowman says.

The second option Express provides — evaluation hire services, or temporaryto-hire services — makes up about 70 percent of Express’ business, Bowman says.

“We offer a service that allows both the employer and associate to see if this will be a good fit over time,” he says.

Employees have the chance to work with a new company for a short period of time to see how their skill sets may transfer to another industry, while employers have the advantage of knowing that if an associate is no longer needed on assignment, he or she is released back to Express, Bowman says. If, however, the client wants to hire the associate, that option is always available, and many clients exercise that option.

“It’s a very popular service,” Torres adds, noting that employees appreciate the opportunity to “try out” a new company before committing to a full-

time job. “It gives [the associate] the opportunity to see the culture, see how they fit in.”

It’s also the very scenario in which Penny Peterson currently finds herself. “[This] is a career change because it is a completely different market I’m in, but it’s an exciting change,” Peterson says of her new role. “It’s hard to think [it’s exciting] when you leave a job; it’s hard to see the flip side, the sweet part. It’s just kind of bitter because you’re like, ‘Oh man, I had 12 years there.’ [But] so far, it’s a great fit.”

Finding The RIGHT Hiring Solution The last hiring option Express provides is professional searches for direct hires.

“Many companies come to us because they’re looking for an expert or specialist for something and searching to find that particular skill set — engineering, IT [and more] …” Torres says. “And those searches can take a lot of time but we

know how to do it quickly and efficiently.”

Express has databases for different industries that narrow down resumes based on experience, business-to-business sales and more, Bowman says.

And Express specializes in networking with “passive” employees — those who are currently employed and not necessarily looking for a new job, but who possess the exact skills a new employer is looking for.

That’s exactly how Tim Clark, 51, of Carpentersville, was matched to a job as inventory control manager for a company in Wauconda.

In 2011, Clark had been laid off from his employer in Wheeling, and he found a job he thought had a good future. But after realizing he wasn’t going to be transferred from a temporary to a full-time employee, he left.

In the midst of those changes, Clark was contacted by Express staffing consultant Phil Janik, who was searching for a particular skill set for the Wauconda business.

“My resume was out online, and [Phil] found it,” Clark says. “My skills matched the job I have currently [in Wauconda].

It’s a completely different industry, but very similar. I’ve been an inventory control manager for a quarter century.”

Janik orchestrated an interview with the Wauconda company and negotiated Clark’s contract, and Clark was hired in October 2012.

“I like the company a lot,” Clark says.

“They seem very cooperative; I really like the manager, and everything’s going on schedule. With the opportunity presented, it really has a lot of potential, and I’m looking forward to a good future with

6Yuri Ruiz, a staffing consultant at the Waukegan franchise, speaks with Troy, an Express associate. Photo provided

time and effort to screen and test for the right match,” Bowman says.

Bowman and Torres both stand behind their recruiting efforts by offering a 100-day guarantee on all direct hire placements.

4 Steve Bowman, owner of the Libertyville branch.

Photo provided

A family business

them.”

Clark says he doesn’t think he would have found his current job without the help of Express. “[My company] went specifically through Express, [and] they were looking for six months,” Clark says. “I wish I had known — I would have gotten there a long time ago.”

The same process used to find the match between Clark and his employer was used in November 2012 to fill 185 job openings for a sports apparel distribution center in a mere three days, Bowman says, noting that such results are a daily routine for Express.

The professional/direct hire recruiting market is heating up as the economy starts to improve, Bowman says, and one of the unique benefits to employers that utilize Express’s services is the service guarantee provided.

“Once we completely understand the hard and soft skills required of the position we are asked to fill, we invest significant

While Express has the advantages that come with being a national employment agency — including the support of 300 human resource associates just a phone call away at its headquarters in Oklahoma City — the Lake County franchises are committed to working one-on-one with local job seekers.or business leaders needing staffing assistance.

When people walk into an Express office, they can expect to meet with a professional who will immediately take strides to find them a job to leverage their skills and experience, Torres says.

They will fill out an application, be tested for skills and speak directly to a staffing consultant person as they explain what type of job they’re looking for, their minimum salary requirements, their availability and more.

“Before you leave, we hope to have something set up for you,” Torres says, noting that those who fill out the application online and make an appointment can save time when they come in, though walk-ins are welcome.

Both Torres and Bowman have extensive backgrounds in recruiting and human resources, and they’re committed to their respective communities.

Bowman’s franchise, which he bought six years ago, celebrates 25 years in Libertyville this year.

“We have placed literally thousands of associates in companies in Lake County, and sometimes in jobs that weren’t publicized,” Bowman says. “If you’re a

REFRESH LEADERSHIP LIVE SIMULCAST Express Employment Professionals is proud to present an exciting opportunity to join business leaders from throughout our community for a special event featuring speakers who have proven they not only understand the principles of great leadership — they live them.

Join Express for a networking and learning event you and your management team won’t want to miss.

WHO: Business Owners, Managers, HR Managers and Supervisors in Lake County companies When: 7:30 to 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, April 17 Where: Holiday Inn Gurnee Convention Center, 6161 W. Grand Ave., in Gurnee Cost: Free. A light breakfast will be provided

3 Lucy Torres, owner of the Waukegan branch. Photo provided

superstar, we’re going to market you to companies to find out if those hidden job gems are out there.”

And Torres, who is the first owner of the Waukegan branch, celebrated her first year in business in January and attained several Express records during her inaugural year.

She also set up an Associate of the Month program to keep her associates motivated, and she notes that all associates also receive newsletters, emails with interview tips and techniques and other correspondence from Express.

“Just knowing they were helping me along the way was very comforting,” Penny Peterson says. “And it doesn’t stop with setting up the interview. [Express tells] you what your qualities are so you can sell yourself, and then they want to know how it went. They’re always interested in how it’s going and following up, and it’s really nice.

It’s a family business … and you feel like family. They’re great people.”

— By Lake County Magazine

Register: refreshleadership.com/live Special presentations by: Guy Kawasaki, founder of Alltop.com, best-selling author and former chief evangelist of Apple; Terry Bradshaw, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Pro Football Hall of Fame member and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday; and Amanda Gore, professional speaker, author and workplace communication and performance expert. lc

Lake County Locations Libertyville: Owner Steve Bowman 836 S. Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville 847-816-8422 libertyvilleil.expresspros.com

Waukegan: Owner Lucy Torres 2037 N. Green Bay Road, Waukegan 847-782-7268 waukeganil.expresspros.com

health

Take A Load Off! How you can reduce stress at work

I By AMANDA MARRAZZO I

Mean bosses, too many assignments, office gossip — it’s enough to make a person quit a job or take on a heavy drinking habit.

But area experts say setting boundaries, being assertive, placing responsibility where it belongs, forgetting about perfectionism and staying out of the gossip tornado can help a stressful workplace become a little more bearable.

32 Lake County Magazine • March 2013

Set Boundaries And Stay Calm When trying to lessen stress in the workplace, Susan White, a licensed clinical social worker at The Lifeskills Center in Antioch, says the first thing she thinks is that people need to take responsibility.

“That might sound odd in terms of stress and relieving stress, but so often people will approach us and try to make their problem our problem,” White says.

Employees must set limits and boundaries, especially when a co-worker approaches them and decides to interrupt their work to vent about a situation in his or her personal or professional life, she says.

“Very often, you will be in the workplace and somebody will come ... and vent or dump their stuff on us,” White says. “Either we don’t set limits or boundaries and say, ‘I can’t listen to this right now because I am working on a deadline,’ or we get distracted and forget about our own stuff.”

She also says when dealing with condescending bosses, negative co-workers or outright bullies, remember that what they are doing, how they are acting and the way they are speaking “is all about who they are, and not about you.”

“It’s not that you won’t get angry and you won’t get irritated, but you must acknowledge that they are being who they are and you [must] filter through that,” White says.

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Try not to interact or engage in similar bad behavior, stay calm, focus on deep breathing and go to an inner place, she says.

“That doesn’t mean we are going to accept bad behavior or someone swearing at us or bullying us,” White says.

White offers a few specific tips to battle work-related stress: • Leave your desk — remove yourself from the situation/the source of the stress.

• Breathe — take deep, slow breaths, focus on your breathing and find your center.

• Close your eyes — “Go into your heart and ask your heart to calm down,” she says.

“If I stay focused on how much you are irritating me, I’m opening the door to more irritation,” White says. “If I go inside to acknowledge my irritation ... I can manage my source.”

Nancy Flaherty, counselor and co-founder of Gurnee Counseling Center, says her strategy for managing stress in all areas of life, including the workplace, is to build “stress hardiness,” which includes deep breathing, frequent meditation and calming exercises like yoga.

“When we get stressed, our blood pressure increases, heart rate increases, muscle tension increases [and] adrenalin and cortisol start to flow,” Flaherty says. “All of our energy is going to our core, and our oxygen doesn’t flow to the brain like it normally does. We are physiologically unable to think as calmly and rationally as usual, so our thinking can become distorted and we can tend to say and do things we wouldn’t otherwise.”

Flaherty refers to the teachings of Buddhist monks who discovered that through meditation, one could lower blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, etc., and induce a “relaxation response.”

“Essentially, [that means getting] back to a state of calm where they can again think calmly and rationally and, of course, their physical selves [are back] in a healthier state,” Flaherty says.

Monks also found that people who meditated frequently actually increased their reservoir of calm, which in turn meant it took more stressors to cause them distress, she says.

“I think building stress hardiness is the key to handling stress in all areas of life,” she says.

... People who meditated frequently actually increased their reservoir of calm, which in turn meant it took more stressors to cause them distress.

— Nancy Flaherty, counselor and co-founder of Gurnee Counseling Center

Learn To Cope

Dave Gates, a marriage and family therapist with offices in Gurnee and Des Plaines, says people in the workplace, today more than ever, must learn coping skills.

“With the economy tightening up, people are being asked to do much more,” says Gates, adding that because of higher demands, employees tend to commit to more than they can actually handle or complete by deadlines.

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March 2013 • Lake County Magazine

33

A boss may continually place higher demands on an employee, and in today’s world in which people barely are hanging on to their jobs, they will commit to doing more even when they know they are overloading themselves.

He says employees must set boundaries and be assertive, so if a boss requires that more be done by a certain deadline and the employee knows it is not possible, he or she must speak up and Susan White say so.

Setting boundaries and being assertive will help keep work-related stress and anxiety at bay, he says.

Gates says not all managers are good managers, and coworkers can be difficult to deal with. In his practice, Gates has heard horror stories of Nancy Flaherty harassment, teasing, belittling and bullying in the workplace.

To deal with these difficult work situations, he suggests trying to stay objective and have a strategy.

Do not be passive, and keep documentation of any and all episodes of mistreatment.

David Gates “You don’t want to just suck it up ... this will add to anxiety, and you’ll have trouble sleeping, be irritable at home and snap at the dogs and the kids ...” he says.

And do not bring work stress home, Gates says, noting that it is important to transition between work and home.

He suggests going to the gym after work before going home; taking a longer way home to have time to unwind and leave the workday behind; listening to a book on tape/CD on the way home to help shift gears; or taking a drive through a forest preserve “and tell[ing] the squirrels what kind of day you had.”

“Talk to the birds,” he says. lc

34 Lake County Magazine • March 2013

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health / lowfat recipe of the month

By Lee Nelson Photos by CANDACE H. JOHNSON

Fruit For Thought Harmonizing sweet with savory adds flair to low-fat fruit salad LOW-FAT RECIPE OF THE MONTH

When you need a quick but impressive fruit salad for Easter brunch, chef Susan Maddox of Hawthorn Woods has the answer.

Her pineapple, honeydew and mango salad with ginger and fresh herbs will be a show-stopper with its bright colors and interesting flavors blended together.

Besides its visual appeal, the dish is healthy and low in fat with fresh ingredients and only two tablespoons of honey.

“It looks so pretty in a martini glass, or you can make it into shooters,” Maddox says. “When you set up a brunch buffet, put some in little shot glasses.

I don’t want all my fruit juice mixing into my other food on my plate. So, the shooter cups are adorable and keep the juices from going all over.”

The fruit dish is simple, clean and gives everyone something sweet but unexpected. The pickled ginger and small amount of minced red bell pepper give it a unique blend of flavors. And if you make it a day ahead, the flavors will meld even more, Maddox says.

If you are preparing the dish for a lunch or late brunch, use the cilantro, she says. For breakfast time, add the mint instead.

“It’s a very versatile salad,” Maddox says. “You should always use sturdy fruit though, so it doesn’t

This three-month health series will enlist the expertise of chefs who teach classes at Someone’s in the Kitchen in Libertyville. Each month, they will provide a low-fat recipe for Lake County residents to try at home.

get all mushy. If you want to substitute cantaloupe for the honeydew, that works. Or, you can add peaches or apricots for the mango. Some of my customers have added grilled shrimp to it for a complete meal. Just have fun with it.”

Black sesame seeds can add a different color

palette, while roasted sesame seeds can be used as well.

Maddox and her husband, Michael, had owned and cooked at the former Le Titi de Paris restaurant in Arlington Heights until selling the building last summer. They now host cooking classes at Someone’s in the Kitchen in Libertyville and both teach at the College of DuPage.

Pineapple, Honeydew and Mango with Ginger and Fresh Herbs Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients: 2 cups fresh pineapple (diced, peeled) 1 cup honeydew melon (diced, seeded, peeled) 1 cup mango (diced, peeled, pitted) 2 tablespoons fresh basil (thinly-sliced) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro or mint (thinly-sliced) 1 tablespoon pickled ginger (minced) 1 tablespoon red bell pepper (minced) 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 5 Chef Susan Maddox of Hawthorn Woods makes a colorful pineapple, honeydew and mango salad.

Procedure: Mix all ingredients except sesame seeds in large bowl.

Let stand 10 minutes for flavors to blend.

Divide fruit mixture among wine glasses and sprinkle with sesame seeds. lc

fashion & beauty

By LAUREN LYNCH Photos by CANDACE H. JOHNSON

A Shoer Thing Lake County Cobblers Offer Advice On Shoe Care And Repair

W

ith spring around the corner, there doesn’t seem to be any reason not to have an extra bounce in each step — especially if it involves wearing revamped shoes that were unrecognizable just a few months ago.

“Unfortunately, there’s not a temporary fix for worn down shoes,” says Victor Garcia, owner of Libertyville’s Best Shoe Repair.

Garcia says that the challenge lies in finding material that will support body weight.

“The best thing is just to bring them in,” he says.

Garcia rebuilds the soles of men’s shoes and women’s heels often in his shop. While the process can be laborious, sometimes it takes

just a little polishing to make a pair of shoes look as good as new.

Bottom’s Up

Garcia isn’t the only one adamant about keeping shoes looking their best.

As an adjunct faculty member at the College of Lake County, Barbara Chandler teaches courses that review the fundamentals of public speaking and interviewing practices to students looking to polish their skills.

According to Chandler, it starts right at the feet.

“Scuffed or unpolished shoes can send a negative nonverbal message about your attention to detail,” she says. “How you look is a very important part of the communication process. It’s part of your nonverbal message, and when you look sloppy, even if you say you’re very organized, the listener will be more likely to believe what they see than what they hear.”

Kay Dewane, an employment specialist at the Lake County Job Center, also stresses the importance of maintaining a “polished” appearance when applying for a job.

Dewane says one should wear the appropriate footwear and steer clear of open-

toed shoes, sneakers, very high heels, flashy shoes and worn shoes.

Tips For Your Toes

cleaning regimen is important and can help a pair of shoes last for years.

“I recommend polishing shoes twice a month,” Garcia says. “Look at the soles and heels once in a while.”

To keep shoes looking polished, it’s all about keeping them in good condition throughout the harsh winter months, says Johnny Bafaloukos, owner of Johnny’s Shoe Repair in Lake Zurich.

Not only will clean shoes last longer, so will “It depends how you really want them to the impressions they leave on employers. look,” he says.

Chandler says the key in dressing for success Bafaloukos, who has operated his shop for lies in wearing something that won’t cause an more than 30 years, tells his customers to interviewer to look twice. clean shoes immediately after they have come “You don’t want the interviewer to be into contact with salt. The salt, he warns, distracted by your clothing,” she says. burns leather if it’s left to sit.

“Wearing a suit and sandals is not a good “Suede is the worst,” he says, adding that match.” it’s best to avoid the delicate leather as much as possible during the 6 Garcia trims the heel of winter. a woman’s shoe with a shoe To keep shoes looking finisher at Best Shoe Repair in their best, Bafaloukos Libertyville. uses Tarrago Shoe Cream.

Garcia, meanwhile, uses a cream called Meltonian, noting that it not only shines a shoe, but also conditions the leather as well.

Garcia says maintaining a shoe-

Staying Polished From Head To Toe

Keeping all details in check, Dewane says both men and women should keep themselves groomed from head to toe.

“Women’s professional polish includes tasteful accessories, manicured nails, [a] darker colored pantsuit or suit pressed neatly and an updated hairstyle,” he says. “Whereas a man’s polished look is based on clean nails, shined shoes, tucked in and pressed shirts along with pants, and cleanly shaven and manicured facial hair.”

What people wear, Chandler says, should send nonverbal messages that support what they are saying about themselves.

“If you want to send a message of creativity, do it with examples of your work, not a funky outfit.” lc

5 (Facing page top) Victor Garcia fixes a shoe at his shop, Best Shoe Repair in Libertyville.

3 (Far left) Pictured are different tools Garcia uses to fix shoes at Best Shoe Repair.

He repairs between 40 and 60 pairs of shoes a day.

3 (At left) Garcia has been fixing shoes since he was 16.

March 2013 • Lake County Magazine

37

social life GLMV Gala

5 In masks, gown Commerce 2013 W s and black tie attire, guests mix an d The gala featured inter Gala “Masquerade Ball” held mingle at the GLMV Chamber of at a and awards, live en cocktail reception, 2013 board of Cuneo Mansion and Gardens rece direc ntly. te best mask and ra rtainment, a silent auction for GLM tors introduction, member recogn ffles. Photos prov V ition Do lla rs for Scholars, cont ided ests for the

at the GLMV gala. ent their communities res rep ns ee qu ty un Co 5 Lake

5 GLMV board members and guests enjoy

38 Lake County Magazine • March 2013

the festivities at the GLMV winter gala. lc

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out & about

March Events In Lake County

ARTS

Through March 24 — “Now and Forever: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber,” at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, in Lincolnshire This premiere presentation assembles a cast of incredible singers and dancers to bring highlights from “Evita,” “CATS,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Starlight Express” and “Sunset Boulevard,” as well as “Love Never Dies,” and its predecessor, “Phantom of the Opera.” For tickets or more information, call 847-634-0200 or visit www. marriotttheatre.com.

Through March 10 — “God of Carnage,” 8 p.m.

Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays at the Citadel Theatre Company, 300 S. Waukegan Road, in Lake Forest This 75-minute thrill ride takes the audience into the most dangerous place on earth: parenthood. A civilized discussion over a playground fight becomes a fingerpointing, fur-flying, hilarious brawl between two couples in this savagely caustic comedy. The 2009 Tony Awardwinning best play. For tickets or more information, call 847735-8554 or visit www.citadeltheatre.org.

March 1 though 9 — “Proof,” at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at the College of Lake County, 19351 Washington St., in Grayslake Catherine spent years caring for her mentally unstable father, once a brilliant mathematician. Now, she must deal not only with his death, but also with the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire, and with the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s who hopes to find valuable

40 Lake County Magazine • March 2013

work in the 103 cryptic notebooks her father left behind.

As Catherine struggles with a burgeoning romance and the discovery of a particularly mysterious notebook, she is forced to confront the most difficult question of all: How much of her father’s genius — or madness — has she inherited? Tickets are $9 each. For tickets, show times or more information, visit jlc.clcillinois.edu.

March 2 — Mr. Blotto, 8:30 p.m. at Viper Alley, 275 Parkway Drive, Suite 325, in Lincolnshire Mr. Blotto takes the jam band aesthetic into areas unfamiliar to the standard jam scene. They have been known to cover entire albums by Led Zeppelin and The Who as well as perform entire shows of country and reggae. For tickets or more information, call 866-777-8932 or visit www. viper-alley.com.

March 9 — “Scooby Doo Live Musical Mysteries,” noon and 3 p.m. at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., in Waukegan The much-loved Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang take center stage in an all-new family musical. Featuring everyone’s favorite characters from one of television’s longest-running animated series, the show is set to thrill audiences. For tickets or more information, visit www. geneseetheatre.com.

March 10 — Wind Ensemble Spring Concert, 4 p.m. at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at the College of Lake County, 19351 Washington St., in Grayslake Experience a wide variety of musical styles performed by the 65-member wind ensemble, which is composed of talented CLC students and Lake County community members. The cost is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors.

Children 12 and younger are free. For more information, call

847-543-2366 or visit jlcenter.clcillinois.edu.

March 14 through May 18 — “Alice in Wonderland,” at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, in Lincolnshire Don’t miss the classic tale, live on stage. This is a special one-hour presentation of children of all ages. For show times, tickets or more information, call 847-634-0200 or visit www.marriotttheatre.com.

March 15 — The Ides of March, 9 p.m. at Viper Alley, 275 Parkway Drive, Suite 325, in Lincolnshire This band’s trademark combination of horns and harmony and Peterik’s growling vocals always bring the audience to their feet. For tickets or more information, call 847-499-5047 or visit www.viper-alley.com.

EVENTS

March 1 — First Fridays on MainStreet, at various locations in downtown Libertyville Head to downtown Libertyville every first Friday of the month from March through December for live music, wine tastings, dinner or a promotional event. During the month of March, First Friday will showcase Libertyville’s Art Month.

For more information, visit www.mainstreetlibertyville.org.

March 2 — Lambs Farm Famous Farmyard, 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. weekends, at 14245 W. Rockland Road, in Libertyville Lambs Farm Farmyard will be open on weekends March through November and daily April through October. Meet Mrs. Wiggles, the 450-pound pig with an affinity for Bavarian crème donuts and Oreo cookies. Climb into the petting zoo with goats, sheep and lambs and then check out the llamas, alpacas, cows, horses, ducks and more. Ride an old-fashioned carousel or the train or challenge family and friends to a round of mini golf. Cost is $8 for adults and $12 for children ages 2 through 12. For more information, visit www.lambsfarm.org.

March 2 and 3 — Ice Meltin’ Blues, at various locations in downtown Long Grove Beat the winter doldrums! This fun events features two days of blues, folk, jazz, Americana and country music in downtown Long Grove. Shop, dine, drink and enjoy the great entertainment. For more information, visit www. visitlonggrove.com.

March 2 through 17 — Maple Syrup Hike, various times Saturdays and Sundays at Ryerson Woods Conservation Area, between Half Day Road and Deerfield Road, in Riverwoods March is maple syrup time. The Lake County Forest Preserve District will host maple syrup hikes at Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods. On these one-hour hikes, participants will learn how trees work and about the sweet sap of sugar maples. Everyone will get a taste. Hikes will begin every half hour. Dress for the weather, as this program is outdoors. Cost is $6 a person. Registration in advance is required. To register or for more information, visit www. lcfpd.org.

March 9 — Gardening 101, 10 a.m. at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, 450 W. Highway 22, in Barrington Always wanted a garden, but didn’t know where to start? This class will start at the beginning and explain which veggies do best in this area and which are best for you. Then it will cover at what time in the season each type should be planted and how to do so, including basic seed starting, transplanting and harvesting. There is no charge for this class, but donations are much appreciated. For more information, visit smartfarms.org.

March 9 — Snowed In, 7 p.m. at Hunt Club Park Community Center, 920 N. Hunt Club Road, in Gurnee

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Beat the winter blues with free fun the entire family will enjoy. Before the movie, enjoy free rock wall climbing and games in the family activity room. Don’t forget to bring a chair or blanket for the movie. Popcorn and juice will be served. For more information, visit www.gurneeparkdistrict.com.

March 10 — Reptile Rampage 2013, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the city of Lake Forest’s Recreation Center, 400 Hastings Road, in Lake Forest Spend the day getting up close and personal with some unique reptiles. For $8 an adult and $5 a child, visitors can meet more than 150 animals including “Bubba,” the famous American alligator, the Wildlife Discovery Center’s celebrated rattlesnake collection, lizards, snakes of all shapes and sizes, turtles, crocodilians, tortoises, frogs and much more. In addition, there will be children’s activities, face painting, a Scout Patch challenge ($5 extra for the patch), a silent auction, pizza and refreshments and much more. For more information, visit www.cityoflakeforest.com.

March 15, 16 and 17 — Third Annual Barrington Celtic Fest, at McGonigal’s Pub, at 105 S. Cook Street in Barrington The large heated party tent will accommodate the celebration with food vendors, bands and entertainment.

New this year will be the pub’s latest expansion, The Annex, to allow more music and entertainment, more food options, more local and retail merchants and familyfriendly events during the day-time hours. A portion of ticket proceeds will go to benefit The American Cancer Society Relay for Life. For more information, visit www. mcgonigalspub.com.

March 15 — Mom and Son Date Night, 6:30 p.m. at the Wauconda Park District Community Center, 600 N. Main St., in Wauconda Boys, it’s your turn to take your special girl — mom, grandma, aunt or a friend — out for the night. The theme is a surprise. Socialize, play games, make a craft and participate in some great group activities. After these activities, kick back and enjoy a pizza party. Each couple will receive a special treat before leaving for the evening. This event is for boys in preschool through sixth grade. For more information, visit www.waucondaparks. org.

March 16 — St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Luncheon, noon in downtown Lake Villa, starting on McKinley Avenue Enjoy a parade that will start at Palombi School on McKinley Avenue and end at the Lake Villa train station.

Then head over to the VFW Hall for the annual corned beef and cabbage luncheon immediately after the parade. For more information, call 847-356-8446.

March 16 — Kite-Making Children’s Activity, 1 p.m. at the Great Lakes Naval Museum, 610 Farragut Avenue, in Great Lakes This event is free and open to the public. Children are encouraged to come and take advantage of the March winds and learn about the science behind lift, drag and flight. Participants also will learn to make a simple, durable kite out of household items. All craft supplies will be provided. For more information, call 847-688-3154 or visit www.history.navy.mil/GLNM. March 16 — The 14th Annual Spring Ice Show, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. at Rink Side Family Entertainment Center at Gurnee Mills, 6152 W. Grand Avenue, in Gurnee Come see a fantastic indoor ice show performed to favorite Broadway hits by skaters ages 2 and older with appearances from national level competitors. Tickets go on sale starting Feb. 27. For more information, visit www. rinksidesports.com.

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March 19 — Cooking Class with Chef David, 6:35 p.m. at David’s Bistro, 883 Main St., in Antioch Come out and enjoy a cooking demo live with chef David Maish. At each class, David will prepare three courses of fun food that everyone can make at home.

A $45 class includes a full dinner of the three items made, white and red wine to complement the dishes and easy-to-read recipes. This class will feature Asian almond mandarin orange salad, London broil with ancho chili sauce, and Creme brule with chocolate.

For more information, call 847-603-1196 or visit www. davidsbistro.com.

March 21 — Gravity Attacks! 7:30 p.m. at the James Lumber Center for Performing Arts at the College of Lake County, 19351 Washington St., in Grayslake Jon and Owen, jugglers, put gravity in its place.

Objects fly through the air, like chainsaws, torches and knives. The audience will even see three people from the audience floating through space, orbiting planets and narrowly escaping dangerous collisions. For tickets or more information, call 847-543-2300 or visit jlcenter. clcillinois.edu.

March 22 — Nitelight Egg Hunt, 7:45 p.m. at Viking Park, 4374 Old Grand Avenue, in Gurnee Grab flashlights for the Nitelight Egg Hunt. Hunt for eggs and collect points to get prizes in this fun game of Hide-n-Glow seek. Find a golden egg and win big!

Pizza and beverages will be provided. This hunt is for kids ages 7 to 12. Cost is $8 for residents and $10 for nonresidents. To register or for more information, visit www.gurneeparkdistrict.com.

March 23 — Lunch with the Easter Bunny, 10:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at Viking Park Dance Hall, on Old Grand Avenue, in Gurnee Join the Easter Bunny and a lunch of hot dogs, chips, beverage and a dessert. Everyone will have the opportunity to visit with the Easter Bunny. Children younger than 12 months are free. Following lunch, there will be an Easter egg hunt outdoors, so dress accordingly. Preregister by Friday, March 15. Cost is $7 each for residents and $9 each for nonresidents. All children must be accompanied by a paying adult. To register or for more information, call 847-623-7788 or visit www.gurneeparkdistrict.com.

March 23 through June 16 — “Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America,” at the Grayslake Heritage Center, 164 Hawley St., in Grayslake The Grayslake Heritage Center will become one of only 11 places in the nation to host this traveling exhibition about Abraham Lincoln that features high quality reproductions of items ranging from Lincoln’s surveying instruments to the kid gloves he wore on the night he was assassinated at Ford’s Theater. The Heritage Center will be open six days a week with evening hours added to increase accessibility. There is no admission fee, but donations are welcomed. For more information, visit www.villageofgrayslake.com/index. aspx?nid=408.

March 30 — Antioch’s Annual Easter Parade, 10:30 a.m. on Main Street, in downtown Antioch Enjoy the parade, Easter egg hunt and games. For more information, visit www.antioch.il.gov.

March 31 — Rocky’s Easter Egg Hunt Eggstravaganza, noon to 2 p.m. at The People’s Choice Family Fun Center, 2411 Grand Avenue, in Waukegan Two separate Easter egg hunts will take place at Rocky’s Fun House Miniature Golf, one for 2- to 5-year-olds and one for 6- to 12-year-olds. Rocky’s Fun House will be decorated for the season and the eggs will be filled with prizes, candy and games. For more information, visit www.funwithrocky.com. lc

March 2013 • Lake County Magazine

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artist showcase

MARY MOWRY, Lake Forest

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• "Trees of Life"

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Long-time painter and jewelry-maker Mary Mowry combines her love of nature’s beauty and power with the use of organic textures.

Her wide-ranging work includes her signature, one-of-a-kind 22k gold and pure silver pendants, called Trees of Life. Each piece is hand-crafted and unique. A piece of recycled 18k gold is applied by heat to a piece of depleted silver using a small torch. Tiny calibrated 22k gold balls are applied to the prepared precious metal “canvas” and fused together.

To submit an entry to Artist Showcase, email artwork, title of piece, name and village of residence of artist, and a two- to three-sentence description of the piece to LakeCountyMagazine@shawmedia.com, subject head “Local Artist Submission.”