Jacob Postula

Dentist, Ludford and Postula Family Dentistry

Taking care of the community through dentistry

When Jacob Postula graduated from St. Bede Academy, he didn’t know what he wanted to do for a career. Then as the classrooms came and went, he latched on to dentistry and graduated from Loyola University Chicago and Marquette University, getting his D.D.S. degree in May 2022.

“My grandfather, Franklin Jasiek, was also a general dentist in LaSalle. He retired 20 years ago, but I knew growing up dentistry was something that seemed familiar to me,” Postula said. “When I was in high school and early on in college, I always wanted to try medicine, but dentistry was the first thing in the back of my head when I tried to hone in on the career path I wanted to take.”

“All throughout my studious years, I’ve had a thought of returning to the Illinois Valley to have the opportunity to help my community. Since returning to LaSalle, I have been so thankful for the reinforcing support from all people of the Illinois Valley that I now get to call patients,” he said.

Postula, 27, didn’t waste any time after graduating to have his name attached to a practice. Dr. Steven Ludford brought Postula on as an associate, and the Ludford Dentistry became the Ludford and Postula Family Dentistry.

“Considering I am less than one year into my professional career, I believe my level of specialization at my age offers me a great opportunity to make a significant impact on the community,” Postula said. “Dentistry affords the ability to meet many people on a daily basis. The best part of my days are the connections made, laughs shared, and camaraderie built with local people that I continue to see both at and away from work.”

Jenilyn Roether Director, Illinois Valley Community College Choir and Illinois Valley Youth Choir

Singing comes full circle

When Jenilyn Roether was in second grade, she joined the Illinois Valley Youth Choir. She continued to sing through grade school, middle school, and high school. She stuck with singing in college and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education from Illinois Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in music from Northern Illinois University.

With her life wrapped in music, it only made sense for her to apply for and accept the role as director of the Illinois Valley Youth Choir. Now, she also directs the Illinois Valley Community College Choir.

“I jumped at the opportunity to direct the youth choir. I had been in the choir for a number of years, and so had my siblings,” said Roether, 39, a musician and teacher, who has lived in Peru her entire life except when she attended school. “My children are in the choir now also. It’s been really cool to come back and go full circle from first singing with the choir to directing the choir.”

“Both choirs are community groups, and we serve a wide range of social and economic backgrounds. I try and use music to improve people’s physical and mental well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic has been really hard on all of us, and singing together is a scientifically proven way to release stress and feel a sense of community with others,” she said.

Roether also teaches private voice lesion at IVCC and at a music studio in Peru. She was invited to be a guest conductor at the Bureau Valley Music Conference and volunteers to sing the national anthem and other songs at many events.

“My future success would be to grow each of my choirs a little larger so I could reach more people with music,” Roether said. “I have always wanted to offer a kindergarten through 2nd choir so that younger students could join.”