MCM-10-01-12

October 2012

banking

BASICS 10

Amazing Leg-Toning Exercises! pg 30

How This Cary Family Fights Back Against Breast Cancer

BREAKFAST PERFECTION

pg 40

3

Richard Walker’s Pancake House Does It Right pg 20

3 McHenry County Financial Advisors Share Money ABCs

415 S. Main St., Crystal Lake, IL 60014

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INSIDE

Home & Lifestyle

8 Home Design: Organization is key in a home office, but having the right design in place can make it easier to get organized.

Designers from Interior Inspiration in Algonquin, Maureen Gries Designer in Hampshire and DF Designs in Crystal Lake and Cary share ideas to get your office into tip-top shape.

14 Artist Profile: Ditté Pettiti of Wonder Lake likes things that sparkle, and she repurposes items to make “Dusteliers” and other fun art pieces.

20 Cover Inset: Richard Walker’s Pancake House in Crystal Lake serves fresh, quality ingredients that have customers from all over returning time and time again for a cup of Hawaiian Kona Coffee blend or another Apple Pancake.

25 A Little Bird Told Me: Today’s winemakers are coming up with new creations to tempt the taste buds of winos. Try a few of these out of the box wines chosen by Cardinal Wine and Spirits in Crystal Lake.

27 Put A Fork In It: The Algonquin Sub Shop has a cult following of customers who dig awesome sandwiches and burgers. David Faccone of Crystal Lake Rib House gets in on the action and shares his thoughts on this local eatery.

Health

30 Work It Out: The second part of this three-part series takes a look at exercises that target a woman’s legs. Learn how to get sexy legs from Steven Schwab of CrossFit North Wall in Crystal Lake.

34 Local catering companies are following the green trend, finding ways to be more environmentally friendly by using local ingredients, reusable equipment and offering biodegradable options for throw-aways.

36 Vital Signs: Dr. Daniel Strelcheck of Strelcheck Chiropractic Clinic in Crystal Lake discuses different treatment options for those suffering from TMJ Disorder. If you have pain in your jaw, read on.

Family

‘‘

Guys are really starting to ... become more fashionable when it comes to jewelry.

Bret Dougherty, Studio 2015 in Woodstock

pg 84

40 Three women in Danielle Toski’s family have fought — or continue to fight — breast cancer. Find out why raising money for breast cancer research is so important to this Cary woman and her mother.

44 Does retirement sound too good to be true? Find out how Ron and Carole Frazzetto of Huntley managed to retire … and how much they’re enjoying it!

Money

48 Cover: Want to start investing but don’t know where to start?

Adam Tatroe, a financial advisor with BMO Harris Bank, and Noël Thelander and Steve Middaugh, financial advisors with Edward Jones, offer up the basics when it comes to planning for the future.

52 What is proper tipping etiquette? Find out how much you should leave your taxi driver, your waiter or your hairdresser — and whether it matters if she owns the salon.

57 Professional Profiles: Take a look at some of the leading professionals in McHenry County — including financial advisors, doctors and lawyers — and see what they have to offer!

Fashion & Beauty 3 What types of jewelry are fit for the man in your life? Studio 2015

in Woodstock and Steffan’s Jewelry in Crystal Lake have some ideas for manly accessories.

86 Ron Ferraro, owner of Fantasy Festival in Algonquin, shares tips on how to apply the best Halloween makeup to complete your costume this year.

Out & About

90 WOD: Before she retired, Lorraine Kopczynski spent 26 years at Pioneer Center for Human Services assisting those with developmental disabilities work toward their highest potential.

For her tireless work, she was awarded as a Woman of Distinction.

92 Get ready for fall … and Oktoberfests … and Halloween. We’ve got you covered with various events listed on our calendar page.

94 Our Town: Lake in the Hills. Did you know Lake in the Hills was one of the first planned development communities in the northwest suburbs?

from the editor

Common ‘Cents’ M oney makes the world go round … right?

It would make sense, then, that sometimes money can become a major worry in our lives.

Teenagers worry if they have enough money to put gas in their (parent’s) cars or to take their dates out to a movie.

College kids worry about the loans they’ll have once they graduate and if they’ll be able to find a job that pays enough to let them live comfortably … while they pay back those loans.

Our October issue is dedicated to helping you learn just a little bit more about your money and how it can work for you. Our cover story introduces the basics of saving and investing with helpful tips from Adam Tetroe, a financial advisor at BMO Harris Bank, and Steve Middaugh and Noël Thelander, financial advisors with Edward Jones (page 48).

Speaking of tips, do you sometimes wonder how much to tip your waitress? Your cab driver? Your hair stylist? We talk to area service providers — plus the president of CouponCabin.com — to figure out just how much to tip in different situations (page 52).

Newlyweds worry about saving enough money for a new house and how they’ll be able to afford mortgage payments.

We also share the success story of Carole and Ron Frazzetto of Huntley who — with the help of a financial advisor — were able to retire comfortably (page 44).

New parents worry about the cost of diapers and formula and wonder when they should start a college account for their baby so little Johnny or Julie doesn’t have the huge loans Mom and Dad still are paying off.

And we take a look at how money can do good things, like fund breast cancer research, which is an important issue for Danielle Toski of Cary and her family (page 40).

Older adults worry about retirement and whether they’ll have to work until they’re 75 … or if the money will ever run out.

While money can be a blessing, it sometimes can feel like a curse — especially for those who don’t know how to take advantage of opportunities to make their money grow.

Hopefully, these stories will help you understand more about the blessings of money and how to manage yours wisely.

Of course, October is full of fun Oktoberfest, Halloween and other fall-related activities, so make sure to look over the many events you can attend with your family on our calendar page (page 92), and learn Halloween makeup tips from the owner of Fantasy Festival, a costume and magic shop in Algonquin (page 86).

Plus, we’ve got great tips on how to organize your home office in our monthly Home Design series (page 8), and we continue our Working It Out series with a look at how to get strong, sexy legs (page 30).

No matter where you are in your financial journey, I hope you remember that money isn’t everything … but I also hope you find helpful tips in these pages to manage what you do have.

Thanks for reading!

— Stephanie N. Grimoldby Editor sgrimoldby@ shawmedia.com

Published by Shaw Media 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 Phone: 815-459-4040 Fax: 815-477-4960 www.McHenryCountyMagazine.com Publisher John Rung 815-459-4040 jrung@shawmedia.com Niche Product Manager Kelly Buchanan 815-526-4445 kbuchanan@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 Betsy Demitropoulos, Jami Kunzer, Lee Nelson, Amanda Marrazzo, Jacky Runice, Elizabeth Harmon, Pat Stemper Vojta, Romi Herron, Lauren Lynch Photographers Melissa Emory, Jeff Krage, Heather Nelson, Michele Idstein McHenry 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 McHenry County Magazine, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or via email at mcmagazine@shawsuburban.com.

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

SNEAK PeeK In our November “Entertainment” issue, don’t miss: The best venues for movies, live entertainment and more “The Nutcracker” — a preview of local performances What to wear to a movie opening Tips for wearing high heels

On The Cover Pictured on the cover is Noël Thelander, a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Woodstock. She and two other local financial advisors offer five rules of thumb for beginning investors. To find out what they are, turn to page 48.

Photo by Melissa Emory Hair and makeup by Jenna and Stephanie, respectively, of Mario Tricoci Hair Salons and Day Spas in Crystal Lake

Thanksgiving traditions Profile of a female hunter

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

7

home & lifestyle / HoMedesign

Office SPACE How To Create The Perfect Home Office I By LAUREN LYNCH

Controlling a home office can be overwhelming.

In just a matter of days, papers lose their fasteners, uncapped pens are thrown carelessly in a drawer and miniature paper towers made up of old car repair receipts and

I

factory appliance warranties overtake the desk completely, turning what should be an inspirational working area into a jungle that takes hours to sort through.

Three local designers offer suggestions on how to create the perfect home office – one that isn’t a breeding ground for clutter, but a productive environment set up in either an alcove of a room or a separate living space altogether.

6 Randi Goodman of Interior Inspiration designed her own home office.

3 The placement of the executive desk in a home office is very important, says Dennis Frankowski of DF Designs in Crystal Lake, who designed this space. (Photos provided)

Plan out the space Deciding on space allocations is the first step in configuring a home office.

“The most important thing is to figure out how much room you need for your home office,” Algonquin designer Randi Goodman says.

Goodman launched her business, Interior

Inspiration, in 2000, and she recommends her clients take a fresh step when she is called over to redesign their home offices.

“People tend to be locked into using rooms as they are called [for] on the floor plan,” she says.

Instead, she suggests throwing the blueprints aside and beginning anew.

“I imagine a lot of parents want to keep an eye on their kids on the computer, so they’ll carve out a room out of the kitchen,” she says.

“There’s no law anywhere that says you must use the living room as a living room.”

After selecting the space, the next step is to furnish it, which can oftentimes become a time-consuming task. Figuring out what works best for each client’s personality is the key.

“If a client wants the office to feel peaceful and relaxing, items should be brought in – area rugs, wall art, etc. — that generates that feeling, which will then help determine what color to paint the walls,” Goodman says.

She also is diligent about labeling everything from magazine holders to cabinet drawers.

“I’m a visual person,” she says.

Plan ahead Veteran designer Maureen Gries has been in the business for 29 years, and when it comes to home office design, she has a checklist she

asks her clients to think about.

“To set up your home office, decide exactly what functions you will be doing at your work station, how much equipment you will need, how much space that equipment will take up, if you need storage — or if it will store on your computer or occasional backup — and if you will need to see clients or vendors,” she says.

Gries doesn’t like to impose on her client’s taste. Instead, she acts as a director of the project by assisting her clients with finding particular furniture items and preventing them from making common mistakes.

“If you want a wall of workspace but don’t want the permanence of a built-in, office supply stores have all kinds of free-standing desk and file pieces,” she says. “It looks finished, but can be taken apart easily, and yet work and personal belongings co-exist and the space doesn’t look too business-like.”

Be sure to plan ahead, Gries advises, suggesting to stock up with more storage containers and shelving than expected so that a shortage down the road doesn’t leave the room looking mismatched with containers that are no longer available.

“Don’t buy home office furniture until you know where it will be used, or it may not fit,” she says. “If you plan ahead, you’ll enjoy your new work environment for years to come.”

As for organization, Gries believes in keeping everything personal separate from work items. She recommends color-coding personal storage and work storage if it’s in the same room so that nothing gets accidentally thrown into the wrong container, making it a headache to look for later.

Third Annual

White Oak INTERIORS

Trunk Show Thursday, October 4, 10 to 6 Friday, October 5, 10 to 7 Saturday, October 6, 10 to 4 14 Hand Picked Artisans, Vendors and Craftsmen will be on hand to share their unique and finely crafted items. Choose from Soft Home Furnishings like silk arrangements, pillows and throws; Handcrafted Designer Accessories like jewelry, hand knitted shawls, hats and clothes; Uniquely Re-purposed Furniture and accessories.

4 White Oak Court, Algonquin, IL • 847-854-8892 • WhiteOakInteriors.com

6 Labeling magazine holders, cabinet drawers and more helps keep a home office organized, Goodman says.

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Plan around the desk Residential designer Dennis Frankowski has worked on many home offices within the suburbs but, despite having two offices designated for himself and his wife in his home, he believes the demand for a separate workspace has decreased dramatically.

“It’s all about moving,” Frankowski says. “There used to be PCs in the home, and now people have total mobile devices like iPads and laptops.”

As the owner of DF Designs, which opened in 1991 and has offices in Crystal Lake, Barrington, Cary, Des Plaines and Lake Geneva, Frankowski has designed elaborate working spaces with fireplaces to modest rooms with just a desk.

“The mobility of the laptop and tablet has made it flexible to work in any room in the house,” Frankowski says.

While the idea of a home office might be disappearing, the designer does run across the occasional office renovation project these days.

“There are still those people out there, but everything is being downsized,” he says.

Frankowski offers a word of advice for anyone looking to remodel a home office.

“It’s all about the focal point of the executive desk,” he says.

“When you walk into a room, the desk should greet you immediately.” mc

3 Wall art should reflect a person’s personality, says Randi Goodman of Interior Inspiration.

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4001 Country Club Rd. Woodstock 6 If you want a wall of workspace but don’t want the permanence of a built-in, office supply stores have all kinds of free-standing desk and file pieces, says Maureen Gries, veteran designer. Randi Goodman used cabinets from Ikea and red fabric drawers from Target to organize this office.

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October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

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12 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

McHenry County Magazine

H OME resource guide Fixing up your home this year? Find contacts for top home professionals in interior design, kitchen design, construction, and many other home-related fields. Whether you are a new or established home owner, you will find places and products of interest in this monthly guide!

Floral Design THE DESIGNERIE Richmond, 773-505-2069 www.Designerieevents.com

Innovative, sophisticated floral design. Specializing in weddings, corporate and social events. A unique elegance all your own, call now to plan your next event

Home Buying/Selling JOLENE WHITE, REMAX PLAZA 4005 Kane Ave., Unit H, McHenry, IL 60050 815-363-2472 Office, 815-219-0414 cell www.beginyourstoryathome.com

With experience in marketing, banking and technology, Jolene uses her business savvy and life experience to successfully guide clients into the perfect home.

“My goal is to help clients improve their financial outlook. Owning a home is the best investment you can make, and right now, we’re seeing historically low interest rates and prices. It’s a great time to buy.

Flooring EXCEED FLOORING 5186 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake, 815-459-3113, www.exceedflooring.com

Exceed Flooring’s 40,000-sq.ft. showroom provides upscale materials for flooring and surface designs. Many unique options imported from around the world are available in tile, stone, wood, carpet, cork, and bamboo.

Exceed also offers a spectrum of complementary accessories—granite and quartz countertop slabs, eco fireplaces, plumbing fixtures, and custom cabinetry.

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We have everything from carpet to hardwood, ceramic, cork flooring and area rugs. Our installers work exclusively for us! They’re hand picked for their experience and professional looking installations. Stop by and see for yourself, we’re bigger than we look.

Interior Design WHITE OAK INTERIORS, Algonquin, 847-854-8892, www.whiteoakinteriors.com

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home & lifestyle / artist profile

6 “Reeds” by Ditté Petitti uses horsetail rush transferred to wood. Verdigris pendants lead to copper bells.

Photos provided

Multimedia

reCyCler

D

I By PAt StEMPER vOJtA I

itté Petitti uses her old jewelry and shops Internet sites and resale shops to find the perfect trinket to add to her artistic creations.

The Wonder Lake artist always is on the hunt for obscure materials to recycle and use in her pieces.

“I love repurposing things,” she says simply.

Petitti’s favorite trinkets to use in her creations are mirrors, beads and large globe crystals.

“When the light shines on them, they just dance around the room,” she says.

“The prisms make beautiful rainbows around the whole room.”

She fashions these items into what she amusingly calls Dusteliers, “because they’re like chandeliers that collect dust,” she says.

“I make pretty things that hang and collect household dust.”

“Pretty, sparkly things that hang are kind of mystical to me,” she adds.

CREAtivE outlets

Petitti, 59, creates Dusteliers by stringing strands of beads and intertwining twisted wire and hanging the strands from a circular wood frame.

Some of her other creations include “earring keeps,” which are comprised of a beaded wire suspended from a stand in a pendulum-like style for hanging earrings; “auto mobiles,” which are strings of glass beads designed to add bling to a rearview mirror; and wind chimes made with small bells.

About six months ago, Petitti was ready to learn a new craft, so she visited an online site to learn Kumihimo, a Japanese braiding technique which incorporates the use of silk thread. She uses this technique to create ornamental mobiles interwoven with feathers, beads, bells, natural stone and crystals.

Petitti also uses other techniques in her artwork. She was exposed to photography at age 10 by friends of her family

who were professional photographers.

She has been taking photos ever since and has more than 1,000 photos that she incorporates into her work. She uses either decoupage or papier-mâché techniques to adhere her photos, mostly pictures of flowers, to her pieces. She wraps the photos around dowel rods used in wind chimes and also to the circular wood frame used as the base to hang beads in Dusteliers. She also uses floral photos to decorate the bottom of wooden serving trays and uses scenic shots to cover electric outlet switch plates.

A new CAREER

Twelve years ago, Petitti experienced a dramatic change in her life that helped her creativity.

“Through medication, I finally got rid of a lifetime of migraines, and everything opened up for me,” she says. “I was able to concentrate.”

She decided to take her crafting a step further than just making gifts for family and friends and started selling her work at craft fairs.

“It took me seven years before I was ready to do a show,” Petitti says, noting she knew she had to decide on what kind of product to offer. “Everybody and their sister makes jewelry, and I wanted to do something different. I realized I needed different mediums. That’s when I started using papier-mâché.”

Most recently, in 2010, Petitti opened a business named Symmetric Tendencies Art and started a website called Unique Art Gifts.

3 Ditté Petitti enjoys using mirrors, beads and large globe crystals in her artistic creations.

Visit Aesthetics, a designer boutique and studio in Crystal Lake, where you can for shop one of a kind gifts and treasures.

Connie Perez’s boutique offers custom interior design work.

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815.355.7890 janicestyle.com October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

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“It’s a passion because creating for me has always been a necessity, and I like making something pretty for people to enjoy,” Petitti says. “Everything I have done in my life has led me to this point. I start making something, and then it takes on a life of its own. That’s the part that I like the most — seeing where my little hands take it.”

Her one-of-a-kind pieces can take her anywhere from two hours to six months to complete, and they range in price from $12 to $80.

“I’m fortunate enough to be able to have the time that I do now,” says Petitti, who became an empty nester just three months ago.

While her son, Joe, a 30-year-old electronics test engineer, is the “brainsy one” in the family, Petitti’s 22-year-old daughter Mia shares much of mother’s talent for art and has accompanied her mom to many craft fairs.

“I am extremely proud of her for taking all of her ideas that she’s had and putting herself out there,” says Mia Petitti, a personal trainer in Huntley. “It’s interesting to see her in this new environment.”

Petitti’s husband, Richard, also attends craft fairs, offering his brawn to carry his wife’s many boxes loaded with crafts to sell.

“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be able to do this because of the support he gives me,” Petitti says.

Petitti’s work can be seen at the upcoming 28th annual McHenry County College Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at 8900 U.S. Highway Route 14, in Crystal Lake.

Her work also is available for purchase from her website at www.uniqueartgifts.com.

For more information on Symmetric Tendencies Art, call 815-728-1244. mc 6 “Octagonal Trays” feature black lacquered trays with photo transfers of Petitti’s flowers.

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Featuring unique breakfast items and signature sandwiches.

Experience our All-You-Can-Eat Friday Fish Fry! M-Th: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm Fri: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm Sat & Sun: 7:00 am – 3:00 pm

11302 US Highway 12, Richmond, IL 60071

815-678-2500

Located inside the International House of Wine & Cheese

Saturday October 20th

All Day & into the Night � Shuttle Bus at 11 AM & 1 PM from Tammy’s

� Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Specials

Pizza & Pasta to Richardson’s Farm Corn Maze* *Discounted Admission $10 per person

� Children’s Pumpkin Painting Contest � Shop Owner’s Scarecrow Contest � Hay Wagon Rides* with Music Through Town *Free with food pantry donation or $2 per person � 5–10 PM - Beer Tent

Join the Chamber!

Sign up online at www.RSGChamber.com or call the chamber office at 815-678-7742

� Noon–5 PM - Howl at the Moon Psychic Fair � 2–5 PM - Wine Walk Wine Tasting $35 per person

3 Wines Each, Featured at 10 Locations

� 7–10 PM Street Dance

When you join the Richmond/Spring Grove Chamber of Commerce, you put the power of cooperation behind your personal efforts to succeed. You become part of a network of people who are building success and enhancing the growth and vitality of our communities.

For more information visit www.RSGChamber.com

Anderson’s Candy Shop has been handmaking gourmet chocolates for almost 100 years. Founded in Chicago in 1919, today a fourth-generation of Andersons creates the candies consistently rated among the best in North America.

Featuring: • chocolate bars • truffles & creams • fudges & caramels • wedding chocolates • corporate gifts 10301 N Main St., Richmond, IL 60071 • 888-214-7614

lete Line of Fine Antiques A CompLOOK FOR THE RED SHUTTERS! Furniture • Hardware Military Sewing Artifacts Tools • Chandeliers China • Silver Glass • Jewelry Linens Scientific Instruments Clocks

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Richmond, the Village of Yesteryear, was first settled in 1837 by William A. McConnell who staked his claim for land just west of the present village on what is now Broadway Street.

Now celebrating our

10 Year th

in business in Richmond.

Looking forward to many more years of providing the best in Celtic Jewelry, Gifts, Books & More!

Celtic Home & Hearth 5604 Broadway • Richmond, IL 60071 • 815.678.4774

Today you can discover treasures in our antique stores and shop for unique gifts, home decor items, textiles, candy and more in our specialty shops all centrally located in the downtown business area. There are annual festivals such as Richmond Days, Christmas of Yesteryear and weekly events including Classic Car Cruise Nights held throughout the summer months.

home & lifestyle

3 The Apple Pancake available at Richard Walker’s is made from fresh Granny Smith apples and Saigon cinnamon to balance out the tartness of the apples. (Photo provided)

FresH From The Kitchen Richard Walker’s Pancake House Prides Itself On Quality Ingredients

I By StEPHANiE N. GRiMOLDBY

Twice a year,

Bill Staat travels from his home in Arlington Heights to Crystal Lake to visit his eye doctor.

Each visit to the suburban city is quite similar. He meets his doctor, and he meets his daughter, Laurnell Krueger of Lake in the Hills, for a meal.

And it’s always at Richard Walker’s Pancake House on Route 14.

6 Richard Walker’s Pancake House is on Route 14 in Crystal Lake. Photo by Jeff Krage

I

“Originally, [it was their] potato pancakes,” Staat says. “That brought me in a number of times.”

But it has been the good food combined with good service that has brought him back year after year, he says — two traditions that owner Richard Walker is proud to continue in a long family history of restaurant management.

Walker’s father and uncle opened their first eatery — a high-end, gourmet snack shop — in 1948 in Evanston, Walker’s home town. Twelve years later, the two men opened Walker Bros. Pancake House in Wilmette, and Walker and his brother, Ray, eventually opened an additional restaurant in 1981.

It was 1989 when Walker branched out on his own and created Richard Walker’s Pancake House in Schaumburg.

In 1997, he

opened a second restaurant in Crystal Lake.

“I was just driving through Crystal Lake, and I thought, ‘That’s the best corner in this whole area,’” Walker says of the property he owns at 5680 Northwest Highway. “It’s been a very interesting time being there in Crystal Lake. There’s a very [real] cross section, more real American [feel here] — it’s a nice group to cater to.”

Over time, Richard Walker’s has become a destination eatery in the Crystal Lake area, and there are four pillars that make his restaurant a favorite among both locals and distant visitors, Walker says.

“There’s the food, there’s the service, environment and cleanliness of environment — those are the four legs that hold the table,” the 59-year-old says.

“And a fifth leg to stabilize it is the culture/attitude of the staff. If you’re a hard worker, you’re going to have a heck of a good time working at Richard Walker’s!”

The Food

There are many words that describe the food at Richard Walker’s: choicest, select, high-grade, distinctive, superb and matchless.

While all are true, Walker himself prefers one adjective above the rest: FRESH. That’s because that word applies to everything the restaurant serves.

That includes the freshly-squeezed orange juice and grapefruit juice that is served daily; the “over-the-top” salsa and the maple syrup, both of which are made fresh on the premises; the butter, which is whipped daily; the fresh fruit, including blueberries from Maine; and the fresh cheeses, which come directly from Wisconsin.

“We are 100 percent fresh in all our products,” agrees restaurant manager Ray Ovalle. “Each item we make here, whether it’s pancakes, crepes or waffles, it’s all from scratch. We whip everything by hand — it’s what sets us apart from other restaurants.”

Omelettes are a favorite at Richard Walker’s, and Walker explains why.

“We blend three eggs in a blender — we whip them up tremendously — and we roll them and bake them in the oven so they come out looking like a football,” he says.

“They’re really beautiful omelettes.”

Customers also can order omelettes made with egg whites.

“We actually use fresh egg whites, not

6 Ray Ovalle, general manager of Richard Walker’s Pancake House, sits near the see-through fireplace. Photo

by Jeff Krage

egg beaters that add preservatives,” he says.

And of course, only fresh vegetables are used in the restaurant’s omelettes, including the Very Veggie with Cheese Omelette, the Fresh Spinach Omelette with Cheese and the Mushroom and Cheese Omelette.

One of Richard Walker’s most popular omelettes is the Mediterranean Omelette, which features Greek Kalamata olives — top-dollar olives, according to Walker — gourmet feta cheese, fresh spinach, tomatoes, onions Photo provided and fresh oregano, which makes for a very aromatic dish, he says.

Pancakes, made extremely light and airy, are another favorite menu item.

The Dutch Harvest is a big menu item pancake baked in the oven, Walker says. It looks like a little pizza with fresh broccoli, onion, tomato and mushrooms, topped with Harvarti cheese from Denmark.

The Swedish cakes are extremely thin and served with lingonberries from Sweden, while the chocolate chip flapjacks feature chocolate from Belgium.

The old-time favorite of Bill Staat, potato pancakes, are made to order on the grill in clarified butter — they’re never dropped in the fryer, Walker says.

Gluten-free and peanut-free pancakes are available, as well.

Then there’s the bacon, which stands alone as one reason so many people favor Richard Walker’s.

The bacon is cut extra thick so that Richard Walker chefs get nine pieces out of every pound of bacon instead of a traditional 26 pieces a pound, Walker says. The pieces are then scored so they don’t curl, and they’re cooked medium-well for full, high-end flavor.

“It’s got such a wonderful, smoky flavor,” Ray says.

Photo by Jeff Krag

e

Vegetable Benedict

s e p e r C y r r e b p s a R

German Pancake

Photo by Jeff Krage

phenomenal on the service area and you couldn’t meet a more friendly guy.”

Walker says it’s a testament to feeling at home that his staff has stayed on for so long.

And customers take notice.

Sherry Harris of Lakewood is a regular customer at Richard Walker’s, for multiple reasons.

“First of all, the bacon is amazing,” she says. “[But] it’s just so cozy. I love reading the paper [in the little alcove]. It’s very charming, and the food’s good. And everybody is really friendly.

The host is wonderful.”

Others come in just to sit, relax and drink a cup of Hawaiian Kona Coffee blend — the only coffee served at Richard Walker’s.

“Everyone compliments us for our coffee,” Ray says. “A lot of people come here just for the coffee.”

5 Ray Ovalle talks with customers. Pictured are Amanda Littig of Barrington and her daughter Gabriella, along with her parents Glen and Lorrie Albano of Dundee. Photo by Jeff Krage

The Culture

But by far, the restaurant’s signature item is its Apple Pancake.

Only Granny Smith apples — which are tremendously firm and tart — are used in this pancake, which is filled with Saigon cinnamon, the highest quality, smoothest cinnamon money can buy, to balance out the tart flavor and create the sweetest pancake imaginable, Walker says.

“They make your eyes just fall out of your head when they first come out,” he says.

And for those who want it a la mode, Richard Walker’s only serves America’s finest ice cream.

“I think there’s no compromise for quality,” he says. “In our family we’ve always said we’re going to go after quality.”

The Service

Richard Walker’s boasts an extensive regular clientele list, Ray says.

“We do have a lot of customers who have been coming in since day one,” he says.

“People move into town, they leave town … but one of the things I’ve noticed [about] here, they always come back. Whether it’s once a month or once a week, they always come back.”

Ray, who has been the restaurant’s general manager for the last two and a half years, says part of the restaurant’s following stems from the great service customers receive upon

entering.

“We want [our staff ] to be friendly and familiar with people, and if they can learn their names and call them by name, that’s the best thing you can do,” Ray says. “I’m a true believer [that] the sweetest music you can hear is your name. If you can learn people’s names, it changes everything … . People get surprised when [they] say, ‘Oh, you remember me?’

They like that, especially when we remember what they like to drink. By the time they get to the table, there’s often a drink on the table already.”

“Some people like [their] toast well-done, but no butter,” he continues. “Things like that, we like to remember.”

The Environment

If there are customers that have been dining at Richard’s Walker’s since day one, the same can be said about the restaurant’s staff.

Nearly all of the people who helped Walker open his restaurant in 1997 are still working for him today, he says, including Ray, who started working in the dish room at age 15.

“He is the nicest guy you’ve ever met in your life,” Walker says. “He’s been with me since he was 15 as a busboy, cook, manager — the guy is fantastic.

He’s on it, he watches the food, he’s

5680 Northwest Highway • Crystal Lake, IL 60014 1 Mile West of Rte. 31 on Northwest Highway 815-479-9000 Open Daily: 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

All items are available for carry out. Please phone ahead.

Walker works hard to make sure not a single ingredient or detail is overlooked in his restaurant.

“We painstakingly do a lot of little things,” he says. “We really do not cut any corners.

When I hear that something can be done better out there, I say, ‘Let’s do that.’ That’s the mentality of me and our family.”

That attitude of excellence trickles down to his staff, as well.

“I think if you work at Richard Walker’s and you like being a servant, you are in the right place,” Walker says. “I like being a servant myself; I like taking care of people.”

Walker says he’s proud of the culture Richard Walker’s staff has groomed for nearly two decades in Crystal Lake, and he hears praise for their efforts all the time.

“I think you’ll find they have the best attitudes of servers anywhere,” Walker adds.

“I get emails every week on all the stores on how appreciative the customers are with their experience with us.” mc

6 A Hawaiian Kona Coffee blend is the only coffee served at Richard Walker’s Pancake House. Photo by Jeff Krage

hhhhhh

Fresh Ingredients Incredible Taste From omelettes to pancakes to our lunch menu, our chefs prepare only the ďŹ nest food for your enjoyment.

VIEW OUR ONLINE MENU

5680 Northwest Hwy. | Crystal Lake | 815.479.9000 richardwalkers.com | Open Everyday 6:30 am - 2:30 pm

The Passionate Pursuit When you’ve got great Ribs Flaunt It!

of B ab

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It’s a Pork

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BEST RIBS AND BEST BBQ

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Receive a full slab FREE with purchase of one full slab dinner. Dine in only. Cannot be combined with any other offer, discount or AYCE special. One per table, group or family per day. Must present coupon.

Not Valid Holidays. Expires October 31, 2012.

home & lifestyle

Going BOLD! Now that this brutally hot and dry summer has wound down, we can finally start drinking those red wines that have been tempting us.

There’s no reason to start slow and work your way up — let’s just go full throttle and wake up those taste buds from their summer haze.

Since we were raised on chocolate bars and coke, we have a tendency to prefer bigger, bolder flavors in everything we consume.

Winemakers have taken note of this trend and have been creating wines that are much riper and more extracted than in the past.

Even pinot noirs, usually a more delicate grape, have seen ripeness levels rise.

Purists cry that the art of classic winemaking is being lost; we say just the opposite. Today’s winemakers are in a different arena now that there is a little thing called “competition” that constantly forces them to make better wine. The flavors are still the same, the sense of terrior is still there, it’s just being magnified. We want to drink what we like, not what we’re supposed to like.

Here are a few examples of winemakers that are painting outside the lines.

BOGLE — PHANTOM $18 This was one of the first wineries to step out of the box and create something unique.

What started out as just a side project for the winemaker has turned into a cult classic. This blend of zinfandel, mourvedre and petite sirah bursting with dark, rich fruit finishes with a haunting touch of cocoa-dusted pomegranate. Ready to drink now, this wine will get even better if you can wait – but who’s got that kind of patience?

VISTALBA — ‘CORTE C’ MALBEC / CABERNET SAUVIGNON $15 When we first tasted this wine, we figured the price to be more than $20 and a hard sell, but to our surprise, it comes in much less. Vibrant, vivacious and juicy in the mouth, this wine has a kiss of cherries and chocolate on the bold finish. It’s an

A Little Bird Told Me

with Cardinal Wine & Spirits • Bruce Garfield, president of Cardinal Wine & Spirits in Crystal Lake; Jeremy Brock, general manager of Cardinal Wine & Spirits; and Scot Stadalsky, the wine guy at Cardinal Wine & Spirits, offer more than 70 years of combined experience in the wine and liquor industry to McHenry County.

outstanding value that begs for a big, juicy hunk of red meat.

EARTH ZIN AND FIRE — ZINFANDEL $14 You can’t talk about bold wines without including a zinfandel. Definitely not for the timid, this one fills the mouth with loads of black cherry, plum, crème de cassis and melted dark chocolate. Looking for something to go with your slab of ribs tonight? This is it.

VOLVER — TEMPRANILLO $14 When looking for rich, intense wines that can stand up to the spiciest foods, we often find ourselves with a Spanish in hand. Stuffed with black currant and blackberries with hints of smoked meat and espresso, this glass-coating, teeth-staining quaff will have you coming back for more.

ROCKWALL — TANNAT $20 You won’t find many tannats on the shelves because the grape is mostly used as a blending grape to beef up a limp wine. That should tell you about the size off this wine. Blueberry, blackberry and cassis erupt in the mouth with a touch of dusty dark chocolate exposing itself on the long finish.

IF YOU SEE KAY $20 If you were looking for a big, rich wine, Italy wouldn’t normally be your first choice.

Leave it to Jayson Woodbridge, a wine industry “wild child,” to blast the doors off that myth. This blend of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and primitivo shovels loads of dark and brooding fruit with hints of

imminent danger into your mouth before surrendering to a long, seductive finish.

We don’t know what’s more intense, the wine or the label. Bottom line, “if you see kay,” pick her up! mc

McHenry County

Farm Markets, Garden Centers and Greenhouses

Von Bergen’s Country Market Homegrown Vegetables • Melons • Peppers Sweet Corn Picked Fresh Daily • Tomatoes Broccoli • Cauliflower • Zucchini Jams • Honey • Cut Flowers • Herbs

Open Daily 8:30 AM to 6 PM

Mid July thru October 31st

9805 Rt. 173 Hebron, IL 60034 815.648.2332 vonbergens.com Fresh From The Field Family Grown Produce

Red Barn Farm Market 3500 S. Rt. 47, Woodstock, IL Store Hours: 8:00-6:00 Daily

Musical Entertainment on the weekends

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val in Festtiiiv Pumpkin stt 31s ctt. 3 Oc u ru h hr t th h t th . 29

pt.

- pm Sept m-5 am 0a 0 10 1

dss d u the Wood • Hayrides thr -5) (Sat. & Sun. 10 • Spookhouse • Novelty Shop • Corn Maze of • Large Display cters Pumpkin Chara tatoes • Squash, Po

• Indian Corn en • Mom’s Kitch (Sat. & Sun.) • Taffy Apples rs • Apples, Cide ts • Apple Donu o • Petting Zo s!

• and Pumpkin

Fall Festival of Fun Oct. 1 – Oct. 31 FARM MARKET & GREENHOUSES

• Farm Animals • 7 Acre Corn Maze • Children’s Straw Maze & Playland Area with Tom’s Corny Cribb Box • Giant Inflated Pumpkin-Jumper & Choo Choo Train SPECIAL WEEKEND ACTIVITIES & COLUMBUS DAY

Pony Rides • Face Painting Barrel Rides

Saturday 10am–5pm • Sunday11am–5pm

• Loads of Pumpkins • Gourds, Fall Squash, Mums, Straw, Cornstalks • Fall Decorations • Fresh Apples • Apple Cider GIFT SHOP! BAKE SHOP & CAFE!

Homebaked Fresh Fruit & Pumpkin Pies, Homemade Apple Cider Donuts & Pumpkin Donuts, Pumpkin Breads & Muffins, Soups & Sandwiches.

Kid’s Craft Corner & Scarecrow Taffy Apples with our Make N’ Take

Homemade Caramel!

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Hours: M-F 9am-6:30pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9am-5pm • (847) 669-3421 • www.tomsfarmmarket.com

Bring your family & friends for an afternoon of fall fun!

Open Daily Oct. 1 - Oct. 31 9:00 am - 6:00 pm 4727 Crystal Lake Road McHenry Pumpkin Express Train Ride Petting Zoo • Jumpasaurus Fun House • Spook House Indian Village • Maze Farm Market • Book A Party

Put A Fork In It

home & lifestyle

with David Faccone • David Faccone is the owner/chef of Crystal Lake Rib House and brings 30 years of experience in the restaurant business to McHenry County.

Nothing sUB-Par About This Restaurant

With all the new franchises and formula restaurants we seem to get in this area, it is nice to know we still have some really awesome independent operators in our county.

The Algonquin Sub Shop is one such anomaly.

It is owned by Chef John Ryals, who learned his craft at the famous Yoshi’s Café in Chicago.

In 1993, he moved out here and decided he could make a better sandwich. He opened his doors with six sandwiches on the menu; now he has 24, and he is always adding through experimentation of his daily specials.

The armies of loyal groupies that frequent this place understand the cult following John has developed.

For those of you who don’t, you have to learn a few things.

First, the Algonquin Sub Shop does everything from scratch. The bread — although par baked and delivered to the restaurant daily — is John’s recipe, and his soups — four available each day — are

homemade fresh every day. At peak times, you may have to wait in line for your order, but it is well worth it — and the locals know it.

Although I have been here many times and usually get something to go, I made an official visit recently with fellow food expert The Rev. Jerome Koutnik of St. Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church in Crystal Lake — expert by the fact that he is the only man I know who can eat his caloric body weight daily.

We sat down and ordered a few sandwiches right after the sub shop opened, thinking we would beat the crowd. Well, we figured wrong, as the dining room filled up shortly after our soup and chili arrived. The chili topped with Bermuda red onion was great. Father Jerome loved his soup so much he ordered a second bowl (no lie). Three sandwiches arrived while Father inhaled his second bowl of homemade goodness: the “Al Capone,” an Italian combo; the “Gobbler,” which is turkey heaven; and the day’s special, which was “Taste of Tuscany.”

The first two are staples on John’s menu, and he sells tons of them — they are great. I love the way they slice that Bermuda onion and pickle on the sandwich. It’s delicious.

The Taste of Tuscany, however, was out of this world. It was full of Italian sausage and warm goat cheese with Nicoise olives.

We had all the sandwiches cut into three sections instead of the normal two so we could taste more and not fill up.

Wrong again. We emptied every basket.

I had my notebook out, and it soon became obvious to all those around us — by Father Jerome self-engaging with every other human being in the world — what I was there for. At that point, everyone in the dining room had to tell me how long he or she had been coming there, plus share his or her favorite sandwich.

I knew this was a family restaurant, but I thought the family was behind the counter — and they are — but John’s customers are as much a loyal family as any I know.

As we sat there, stuffed and listening, one particular customer who was waiting for a burger to go kept going on about how good the burgers are. I thought, well, we can make this a test. Can a sandwich shop with over-thetop sandwiches make an over-the-top burger as well?

The answer is yes! I was completely full — no, stuffed — when I tried one of the shop’s burgers, but it was like I hadn’t eaten all day, it was that good. Melted provolone and red onion on a half-pound burger — I’d stack it against any burger in the county.

John Ryals is doing it right. And this year, he is joining me in our weekly newspaper football contest in the Northwest Herald. He says he going to kick my (insert the first letter of each of the three words that comprise his business title here). Well, he can make a great sandwich, that’s for sure. Let’s see if he knows football.

The Algonquin Sub Shop is at 105 Filip St. in Algonquin, but everyone knows it’s on Route 31 next to the Clark gas station. Call John at 847-658-0680, and tell him I sent you. mc 6 The Algonquin Sub Shop opened in 1993 with six sandwiches on the menu. It now has 24 plus soups and hamburgers. Photos by Zach Walters

Sweet Peas � Birth to walking � $35/month Tutsi Rolls � Walking - 2 ½ years � $35/month TumbleBees � 2 ½ years - 4 years � $46/month Kinderoos � 4 - 6 years � $54/month Elite Kids is a bustling sports and activity center for children specializing in gymnastics, tumbling, dance and cheerleading. Learn about all of our programs and class openings at www.elitekidsusa or call (815) 451-9600

Active Kids Active Learning

Elite Kids 825 Munshaw Lane Crystal Lake

(815) 451-9600

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health / WorK it oUT

Getting A leG Up 10 Exercises To Tone Those Lower Appendages

By AMANDA MARRAZZO I Photos by MiCHELE iDStEiN

Ladies …

So, you say you want to wear cute short shorts and skirts, but your legs are not looking as svelte as you may like?

One area fitness expert offers a workout routine that, if done correctly and consistently, will get you toned up and strong.

But you’ve got to start out on the right foot.

“Before performing an exercise, you want to make sure that your muscles are nice and warm to prevent injury and to make sure that you are performing them using your full range of motion and are not limited by any stiffness,” says Steven Schwab, fitness trainer and owner of CrossFit North Wall in Crystal Lake.

Schwab offers six warm up exercises to complete before getting into the heart of your workout.

WARM upS:

These warm up exercises can be done using any distance. Schwab suggests picking two points in your yard to sprint to and from.

50-METER LAddERS/ SuicidES

Set up targets at 25 meters/yards and 50 meter/yards from a start point. When ready, start sprinting to the 25-meter/yards target and sprint back to the starting point. Once you return to the starting point, turn and sprint

30 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

5Chelsey Avila of Crystal Lake (left) and Maggie MacIntosh of Lakewood demonstrate reverse hyperextensions.

again to the 50-meter/yards marker and sprint back to the start.

the foot crossover.

25-METER BROAd JuMpS

While standing with your feet shoulderwidth apart, step forward with your right leg and lower your left knee so that it just “kisses” the floor. Both knees should be at 90-degree angles when at the bottom of the exercise.

Continue with the momentum and push up to

Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart, swing your arms and bend your knees slightly and, using that momentum, jump as far as you can. Repeat as many times as needed to cover a 25-meter/yard distance.

LATERAL ShuffLE

From a standing position, bend your knees slightly and shuffle your feet laterally from the start point to the end point. Do not cross your feet in this exercise. Make sure to keep your back straight.

OvER/uNdER ThE fENcE

While walking sideways, pretend to laterally high step over an imaginary high fence. Once both legs are “over” the fence, proceed to crawl under another imaginary fence sideways.

Repeat until you reach the goal.

GRApEviNE ShuffLE/ KARAOKE

From a standing position, bend your knees slightly and shuffle sideways in a four-step technique: take one side step with your right foot, then step across and in front of the lead foot with your left foot, then take another side step with your right foot, and then step behind your lead foot with your left foot.

Make sure to swivel your hips to help facilitate

WALKiNG LuNGES

the standing position, and then continue by leading with the left leg. Do this repeatedly, alternating legs.

After completing each of the warm ups — Schwab suggests working each leg equally 20 to 30 times, to and from your set points — it’s time to exercise.

Martial Arts & Fitness Studio Woodstock Square Mall

LEG ExERciSES

Each of the following exercises should be done in increments of three to five sets, three times a week, Schwab says. The number of repetitions within each set should be based on your physical ability in order to ensure proper form, prevent injuries and gain the best results. A good range lies between 8 to 12 repetitions per set.

“When doing bodyweight exercises, the amount of work that you do depends on your individual body type and strength,” Schwab says. “Telling someone to do four sets of 10 doesn’t work for everyone. Three to five sets to failure – [your] inability to do another rep with proper form – would work better.”

Now 2 Studios!

New 3,000 square foot studio now open Conveniently located in the lower level of the Woodstock Square Mall

Classes for all ages, fitness levels and interests Our New Fitness Studio now offers: • Group Fitness Classes • TRX Suspension Training • Self-Defense Seminars • Personal Training • Tai Chi

BOdyWEiGhT SquATS, ALONE OR WiTh A BOx

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly turned out at 30-degree angles. Reach your arms out in front of you. Hinge at your hips to shift your body weight to your heels and lower your posterior toward the floor until the crease in your hips is below the height of your bent knees, or until your toes start to lift from the floor. If you have trouble getting this low, open up the distance between your knees by pointing your toes outward more. Push up through your heels as you rise up to a standing position. Concentrate on sticking out your chest and keeping a straight back during the entire movement. If you have trouble lowering yourself that low, you can use a box or other piece of furniture

www.youngmastersfitness.com 5Once you are comfortable with jump squats, you can add a box and do box jumps instead.

behind you to use as a guide. Once you have touched the box, release your weight onto the box momentarily and then stand back up to the start position. When using a box, you can open up your stance much more.

Our Martial Arts Studio offers: • Karate / Tae Kwon Do • Personal Self-Defense • Ninjutsu • Judo • Little Ninjas

www.ymma.net

Classes taught by Certified Trainers and Master Instructors

JuMp SquATS/BOx JuMpS

While standing with your feet shoulderwidth apart, crouch down and then explode by jumping up, bringing your knees as high as they will go. Land on your feet in a standing position. Once you are comfortable with this movement, you can add a box or elevated platform to land on. Stand about 6 to 8 inches from a secure box or platform.

Jump from a standing position onto the box. Once you land on the box fully extend your hips and knees to stand in an upright position. Step backwards down to the floor and repeat.

piSTOL SquATS

3When doing bodyweight squats, keep a straight back throughout the entire movements.

Stand on one leg with the other slightly pointed out in front of you. While holding onto a post or secure rail, lower yourself into a squat position on the one leg while the other leg sticks out in front of you like a pistol. Then, push upward to the standing

Martial Arts & Fitness Studio 110 South Johnson Street Woostock Square Mall

815-206-2222

October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

31

NATURE’S CORNUCOPIA HEALTH FOODS

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4As you get stronger, you may not need to hold onto a post or rail while doing pistol squats, Steven Schwab says.

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“As you get stronger over time, you may not need the post or rail to hold onto to assist in helping pull yourself up with,” Schwab says.

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32 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

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REvERSE hypERExTENSiONS

Lie face down on an elevated platform, bench or bed so that your legs are hanging down at a 90-degree angle from your upper torso, where everything from your hips to your head, are flat horizontally.

You will need something to grasp onto to prevent your torso from lifting during the exercise. Contract your glutes and your lower back in order to raise your legs up to a horizontal position while keeping them stiff and straight. Then lower them again.

This three-part health series will enlist the expertise of sports performance trainers at CrossFit North Wall in Crystal Lake to help McHenry County women strengthen and tone their bodies. Each month will focus on exercises dedicated to one specific area of the body.

November: Stomach

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health

GreeN

Catering Choices I By ELiZABEtH HARMON I

W

hen Bernice Zubrzycki, owner of 31 North Banquet and Conference Center and Classic Events Catering in McHenry, renovated her 6,000-square-foot location in 2011, green became more than a paint color.

“I wanted to be energy efficient,” says Zubrzycki, a longtime recycler. “With all the changes happening in our environment, we need to do all we can to sustain our resources for future generations.”

Her 30-year-old building, formerly the Warsaw Inn, now has motion-controlled LED lighting, energy efficient windows and insulation. Restrooms are equipped with high-efficiency hand dryers and low-flow fixtures. In the kitchen, an energy efficient dishwasher saves water.

Though the initial cost was higher than it would have been for conventional items, “Once I decided to do it, I went full force,” Zubrzycki says.

A year later, she says her utility bills are lower.

“Over the years, I will see a substantial savings,” she says.

34 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

Pleasing the palate

Local caterers are finding ways to be more environmentally friendly, including using local ingredients, reusable equipment and offering biodegradable options for throw-aways.

“We get quite a few requests from clients to use area purveyors,” says Debra Mindham, pastry and catering chef for Tarts and Truffles

5 Flatlander Market in Marengo provides catering selections made using local ingredient such as the melon in this fruit tree.

Photo provided by Flatlander Market

Patisserie and Bon AppetEAT Catering in Hebron and Lake Geneva. “There’s been an increase in awareness, and more people are asking for it.”

Rocco Gailloreto and his wife, Sally, owners of the Flatlander Market in Marengo, use Prairie Pure artisan cheeses made from local milk both in their catering business’s cheese trays and as an ingredient. Local fruits and vegetables are used as well, and this past summer, the Flatlander’s eatery served a Marengo Corn Chowder made from local produce.

“This summer, it was great to be able to [go] out and hand-pick melons for our fruit trees, tomatoes, peppers and corn,” Gailloreto says.

The caterers also see more demand for menus tailored to specific diets.

“Every event seems to take vegetarians into account, and customers want to make sure everyone has something they can eat,” Mindham says. “I didn’t notice that so much five or six years ago, but now people are very concerned about it.”

Zubrzycki agrees.

“Gluten-free, vegetarian and nondairy are the most common, but everyone seems to want healthy choices, such as grilled meats rather than fried,” she says. “We don’t have anything deep-fried on the menu, though I’ll make it on request.

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

6Local caterers, such as 31 North Banquet and Conference Center and Classic Events Catering, are finding ways to be more environmentally friendly, including using local ingredients and reusable equipment.

Photo by Steve Neilson

Washing and restocking equipment is more labor-intensive and adds costs for water and detergent, but the caterers feel it’s worthwhile.

“We have more time and water to wash, but one way or another I think it’s better to just clean the dishes,” Mindham says.

“It becomes easier once you get into the habit,” notes Zubrzycki, who also has made small changes to how she serves certain items, such as using biodegradable wooden skewers for fruit rather than spooning it into disposable bowls. “It’s just a little thing, but it adds up.”

For times when disposable

utensils are necessary, biodegradable tableware and plates are available. Both Mindham and Zubrzycki offer them as an option, though so far, few customers have requested them.

“Customers in Chicago seem more receptive to it,” Mindham says.

Gailloreto uses some corn-based biodegradable plastics and is considering a switch to disposable tableware made from either bamboo or pressed wood. The shop also uses electronic media and texting for its promotions rather than printed flyers and coupons.

“It’s most important to provide quality food, but if we can use [biodegradable materials] and be more environmentally conscious, that’s a

3Restrooms at 31 North Banquet and Conference Center are equipped with highefficiency hand dryers and low-flow fixtures.

Photo by Steve Neilson

People still love our fried chicken.”

Striking a balance between nutrition and comfort food can be a challenge, but Gailloreto says incorporating flavorful, fresh produce creates healthy, good-tasting food.

“We serve a panini with grilled apples, onions and Gruyére cheese on 100 percent whole 4 The caterers at Flatlander Market in wheat,” he says. “It’s meatless but Marengo have seen more demand for menus tailored to specific diets. Photo still a warm, toasted sandwich.”

Pleasing the planet

Instead of disposable serving trays, plastic plates and tableware, the caterers say they encourage the use of reusable items.

“There’s a huge amount of waste that happens when you just drop off, so we encourage clients to bring the stuff back to us with a deposit, or we can come and get it,” Mindham says.

For some functions, such as box lunches, disposables are unavoidable, but Mindham says that approximately 75 percent of her catering business uses nondisposables.

“We do a lot of weddings, and customers want the nicer, reusable equipment,” she says.

provided by Flatlander Market

health

Do you hear clicking when you chew? Are you experiencing ringing in the ears or get frequent headaches?

If so, you may be suffering from TMJ Disorder.

More than 35 million people in the U.S. struggle with this disorder.

TMJ refers to the chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the jaw to the skull. There are two matching temporomandibular joints, one on each side of your head, located just in front of your ears.

The abbreviation “TMJ” literally refers to the jaw joint but is often used to mean any disorders or symptoms of this region.

It is surrounded by 68 pairs of muscles in front of the ear on each side of the head. They allow you to chew, yawn, speak and swallow and are in constant use.

SymptomS aNd CauSeS

Natural Relief For TMJ

Symptoms TMJ Disorder can start with a variety of symptoms that stem from prolonged physical stress on the structures around the jaw joint. Typical symptoms include: • Pain while talking, chewing or yawning • Pain in front of the ear that may radiate to the face or skull • Headaches or migraines • Ear pain, ringing in the ears or hearing loss • Clicking, grating or popping sounds as the joints move • Swelling of the face and mouth on the affected side • Limited jaw mobility • Misaligned bite • Difficulty swallowing causes A wide variety of stressors on the muscles, tendons and joints of the head and neck include teeth grinding, a misaligned bite and sleep positions as well as the use of smart phones, laptops and other devices that require the user to tilt the head down repeatedly or for extended periods.

Other possible causes of TMJ-related symptoms include fractures, trauma from a fall or auto accident, dislocations, arthritis or wearing away the surrounding cartilage, and structural problems present since birth. diagnosis and Treatment Because the disorder involves the teeth, the jaw joint, cervical spine and associated structures, you may need to consult with more than one medical specialist. This may include your primary care provider, dentist and chiropractor depending on your symptoms.

The tests that you can expect include: • A dental examination of the bite alignment • Dental X-rays • Palpation of the joint and muscles for inflammation or tenderness

• Pressing around the head to locate areas that are sensitive or painful • Examination of the jaw open and shut • X-rays or MRI of the jaw Each discipline offers treatment options based upon their philosophy.

The range of possible treatments ranges from conservative to surgical, including chiropractic adjustment of the jaw and/or the associated structures, physical therapy, botox injections, dental appliances, sinus drainage, removal of the wisdom teeth and others.

You may be wondering, “How can a chiropractor help a problem with my jaw?”

The answer is simple — as a chiropractor, I am trained to correct conditions caused by musculoskeletal disorders, which can affect the body’s muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments.

I approach TMJ symptoms by starting out with a complete exam and palpation of the affected areas, a posture evaluation and a discussion about medical and family history, lifestyle habits and daily routines. At that point, we may take X-rays. Collectively, this data gives me a greater understanding of the severity of the disorder, the amount of mobility and possible causes.

From there, a chiropractic treatment plan is set in motion with one goal in mind: to eliminate the physical stress on the jaw. By doing so, we eliminate the spasms and symptoms and gain range of motion by returning the jaw into its normal position.

Individually tailored plans vary, but generally speaking, that process may include gentle adjustments, exercises or stress-relieving therapies along with massage or the application of ice and ultrasound, as needed. mc

Vital Signs with Dr. Daniel Strelcheck Jr. • Dr. Daniel V. Strelcheck Jr. is the chief of staff at Strelcheck Chiropractic Clinic in Crystal Lake. Feel Great Again! Go to www.strelcheckchiro.com.

tMJ Disorder

can start with a variety of symptoms that stem from prolonged physical stress on the structures around the jaw joint.

McHenry County Conservation District

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Join the fun at this educational re-enactment of life in the Northwest Territory. ��� ������� � ������� ����� � �������� ���� � ����� ������� �������� ������� � ������������� � �������������� � ���� ������� ADMISSION:

Adults: $7

Seniors (60+) & Children 6-12: $3

5 and under: Free

Entrance Gates Close at 3 p.m. Note: Access to the event is a 1 mile hike over hilly terrain.

A shuttle is available for those who can’t make the walk-in/walk out. No pets, please!

������������������� � ������������ �

Follow us

������� ������ CONSERVATION DISTRICT SEASONAL OUTINGS

Harvest Gathering of 1858 November 4, 12 – 4 p.m.

s r o l o C Fa l l

Fall colors makes this season a beautiful time to get outside in your local Conservation Area.

Visit an oak and hickory savanna like those at Nippersink Canoe Base, Glacial Park, Stickney Run, Prairieview Education Center, or Pleasant Valley. Coral Woods also offers another option for beautiful color viewing as the sugar maple trees turn a magnificent orange color.

Catch nature’s color palette today.

Step back in time at the 1850s Powers-Walker House in Glacial Park at harvest time. Try your hand at corn shelling, grinding corn into flour, or making a corn husk doll. Learn how integral the use of corn and other natural fibers was to the everyday lives of early settlers. Tour the historic farmhouse and learn more about its restoration, or visit with a Cavalry sergeant and his horse as they demonstrate the weapons of the era used to protect the frontier lands.

Tellebration Celebration!!

Saturday, November 17 7-8:30 p.m.

Prairieview Education Center 2112 Behan Rd., Crystal Lake

Bring the family to an evening of storytelling held worldwide on this night. McHenry County Storytelling Guild & the Conservation District will share tales for all ages. FREE! Reserve your spot: MCCDistrict.org; (815) 479-5779.

��������������� � ������������

family / success lives next door

Raising Funds & HoPe

By ROMi HERRON Photos by HEAtHER NELSON

O

Cary mother, daughter Share Fundraising passion

n Danielle Toski’s family tree are three women who have fought — or are fighting — breast cancer.

With thoughts of her great-grandmother, grandmother and great-aunt’s experiences on her mind, Toski is passionate about raising money for breast cancer awareness and research.

“Knowing the chances that my mother and I and my little girls could get breast cancer is scary,” says Toski, whose great-grandmother Willie Richards died of the disease in 2009 after it spread through her body. “My great-aunt Regina Perrier [of Virginia] was diagnosed a few years ago, and she had

40 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

surgery and chemo and is in remission now.”

Meanwhile, her grandmother Judi Richards of Florida is facing breast cancer for the second time.

Toski wants to make sure her own daughters — Lila, 2, and newborn Scarlett — will never have to learn their mother has breast cancer.

Through events like the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides for Breast Cancer,” Toski’s mother, Connie Ames, is right by Toski’s side. Toski’s first go-round with Making Strides, a 5K run/walk, was last year, and the experience was inspirational and challenging for her and her mom.

“Last year it was great because ‘Strides’ was held in October, and it was really cool out,” Ames says. “This year, it was in August, and it was really hot. We were dragging, so it was quite an accomplishment for us.”

Having just given birth, Toski wasn’t sure she could cross the finish line. The event, which took place Aug. 4 at Ted Spella Park in

Algonquin, was a four-hour endeavor.

“I just had a baby … but when I got there, I was just so pumped, I was ready to go,” the Cary resident says. “There is a lot of unity.

To be among these women who are going through what my family has gone through is amazing.”

Feeling physically exhausted made the mom/daughter pair mindful of what breast cancer fighters endure as they fight for their lives, Ames adds.

“That’s why we couldn’t give up,” she says.

“We want more women surviving it.”

steppin’ It Up

In August, Ames and Toski doubled the money they raised their first year.

“I work with a lot of great people, in a great community,” Ames says of her role at ReMax in Barrington. “People there are very generous.”

With an email blast to her network of real estate agents, Ames says she raised more than

6 Toski says she wants to make the future better for her daughters, including Scarlet, 3 months.

3 Danielle Toski (right) and her mother, Connie Ames, sort through family photos, reflecting on how breast cancer has impacted their family, while Toski’s daughter, Lila, 2, sits on her mother’s lap.

6 Toski and Ames have walked together in two “Making Strides for Breast Cancer” walks sponsored by the American Cancer Society.

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41

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$400 in the first couple of days. An additional $100 came in later, and next year, she plans to bump up her collection even more.

For Toski, awareness is as critical as dollars.

She’s reaching out as often as possible online.

“Even if people don’t want to donate money, I tell them to read up on mammograms and early detection,” she says. “It’s a very real possibility it can happen to you and your family.”

The reality of her grandmother’s second diagnosis is constantly in her thoughts, Toski says. Opting to forego chemo, she’s focusing on a special diet as an alternative treatment. In her honor, Toski named her Making Strides team “Judi’s Angels.”

While Toski says her inaugural year as a fund raiser was approached with an attitude of, “Well, I’ll just do this and see what happens,” her devotion is stronger now.

“I decided I wanted to walk for [my grandmother],” Toski says. “Next year, I want to try all sorts of ways to gather money. Anything I can think of, I’m really going for it next year.”

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Beyond her goal to raise awareness and funds so a cure can be found, Ames also is expecting more from herself, physically. With two Making Strides walks behind her, Ames is striving to do a 10K fundraising event next year, encouraging her daughter to join her.

“It will be for breast cancer awareness and research because that’s the charity we’re passionate about,” Ames says.

She also hopes researchers will look at environment factors and their link to younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It’s happening to younger and younger women, and it’s terrifying,” Ames says. mc

MORE INFO

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer was founded 20 years ago. For more information about the cause, visit www.makingstrides.acsevents.org.

6 A photo of Danielle Toski and her greatgrandmother Willie Richards.

42 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

family

Living The GooD lIFe Financial advisors can be very helpful in the planning process.

By BEtSY DEMitROPOULOS

That last day of work, right before a person is about to retire, is a dreaded day for some.

But it’s a total delight for others.

Count Ron and Carole Frazzetto in that second category.

The Huntley couple met each other having fun at a local roller rink, and they’ve spent their retirement years having fun together as well.

“Even in retirement, the fun never stops,” Ron Frazzetto says.

Carole, 71, retired about four years ago as an accountant, ending her career at Tradeshows and Displays in Schaumburg.

Ron retired 12 years earlier than his wife after spending 45 years at two main jobs. He retired from Lucent Technologies after 33 years. Then, he worked for a second company – a screw machine job shop in Elk Grove – for 12 years before retiring for good.

The Frazzettos were both born and raised in Chicago. They have been married for 52 years and have two sons and 10 grandchildren.

Living the good life

The couple credits their conservative way of living throughout their marriage as the reason why they’ve been able to enjoy their

retirement years so much and do so many exciting things during their golden years.

The two are “snowbirds,” and this winter will be the fourth year the couple has spent time in their home in Ocala, Fla. They love going to Florida for the winter and have made many good friends down there.

“We have more friends in Florida than we do around here,” Ron jokes.

The Frazzettos do almost everything together. They enjoy shopping, going to the movies, gardening and maintaining their home. They also have a passion for traveling and have been to Jamaica, Hawaii, Italy, Greece, France, Spain and Turkey, plus they’ve been on five cruises.

But they also participate in individual activities. Ron likes to build and fly model airplanes and enjoys woodworking, and he just started going back to a shooting range.

Carole exercises five days a week and enjoys water aerobics.

How they did it

Several years before retiring, Carole started cutting down her hours to work part time to prepare herself for retirement. She didn’t want

to just jump in.

“For me, weaning into retirement was the best decision I ever made,” she says.

To financially ready themselves for retirement, the couple says they lived very conservatively along the way and were good savers.

Ron receives a monthly pension payment

from Lucent Technologies. He retired from that company in 1988. The Frazzettos also receive Social Security, and they have drawn from their personal investments to fund their retirement years.

Many people have concerns about when they should retire and if they will be able to maintain the same lifestyle when they do so.

The Frazzettos say they were definitely among those people. They thought, “Can I really do this? Can I really retire?”

The couple wanted to feel secure in their decision to enter their retirement years, so they sought out the help of a financial advisor to help answers these questions.

planning your retirement

Working with a financial advisor can be very helpful because he or she will bring an objective view to the table and help moderate any fear and/or grief a person might have due to impending retirement, says Paula DorionGray, president of Dorion-Gray Retirement Planning Inc. in Crystal Lake.

“It’s a very emotional step to retire because you aren’t going to get that check anymore,” Dorion-Gray says.

For most retirees, it’s not about how much money they have, but how well prepared they are for retirement that makes a big difference.

Having the right plan is critical, Dorian-Gray says. Not having the right plan can cause increased worry and poor decision-making.

“A carefully-prepared strategy for retirement success is the most important thing,” DorionGray says.

When Dorion-Gray advises clients on their future retirement, she first helps them understand their vision for retirement. She tells clients to ask themselves, “When I retire from my job or business, what will I do? Have I thought about relaxation, hobbies, travel, further study, or a second career?”

“These may be unclear notions or longheld ideas,” she says. “Here, we can help you define and clarify your vision for retirement.”

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6 When the Frazzettos play cards, they admit that they are competitive, keeping track of their games. Photo by Heather Nelson

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Helpful services arranged to make your days fulfilled and comfortable

Places to go, things to do, all with convenience in mind

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October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

45

If You Aren’t at Your Last Job, Why Is Your 401(k)?

Leaving a 401(k) with a previous employer could mean leaving it alone with no one to watch over it.

At Edward Jones, we can explain options for your 401(k) and help you select the one that’s best for you. If you’d like to roll it over to an Edward Jones Individual Retirement Account (IRA), we can help you do it without paying taxes or penalties. And you can feel confident that someone is looking out for you and your 401(k).

To find out why it makes sense to talk with Edward Jones about your 401(k) options, call or visit your local financial advisor today.

www.edwardjones.com

Member SIPC

Steve Middaugh Financial Advisor 500 West Coventry Lane Ste 160 Crystal Lake, IL 60014 815-356-5401

After a person understands his or her vision for retirement, it’s time to take inventory and look at the hard data for understanding his or her investments as an individual or family, Dorion-Gray says. This includes a complete review of his or her portfolio of assets, income sources, retirement assets, mortgages, personal possessions, debts, obligations, wills, insurance and income taxes.

With a clear retirement vision and a good idea concerning all income sources, people then need to ask themselves, “What stands between me and my vision?”

Dorian-Gray says every plan has unique risks and a few obstacles, and it’s wise to look ahead and consider any possible barriers between a person and their vision. people should ask themselves: • Will I be caring for a family member?

• Is there a health concern?

• Will my finances let me start that new business?

“The better the plan, the better you foresee the challenges ahead of you,” Dorion-Gray says.

From there, an investment advisor can create a unique financial strategy tailored to a client’s needs and retirement vision and safeguard his or her portfolio as the years go on.

planning is key

Noël Thelander Financial Advisor 211 Dean St Suite 2a Woodstock, IL 60098 815-338-2911

Take the next step at the Aurora University Woodstock Center.

Even as retirees, the Frazzettos still plan for the future. If they want to buy something that’s costly, they still budget and save for it. But, the couple realizes that they worked hard for many years and deserve to have some fun.

“We spent many years in the job force and preparing for the future,” Carole says. “Now we are reaping the harvest of it all.”

The Frazzettos made a lifelong commitment to retirement readiness, and it is those types of people who prepare early and use self-discipline that have the best chance of success, DorionGray says.

“Those who defer may find that catching up requires greater sacrifices later in life,” DorionGray says. “Retirement security is achieved long before the actual moment one leaves the workforce. It takes a working lifetime to build an adequate retirement nest egg.” mc

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46 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

5 Ron Frazzetto enjoys projects that are useful for his family, such as making cabinets for the couple’s home. Photo

by Heather Nelson

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

The Money Issue

Making Your Money Work

! u o y for

A special supplement to McHenry County Magazine

on the cover / money

Inve$ting ABCs

Knowing The Basics Can Help Build Your Nest Egg

By ELiZABEtH HARMON I Photos by MELiSSA EMORY

Like exercising and eating broccoli, investing is something we are all supposed to do.

But where to start?

Understanding a few ideas and common terms can make it easier to talk with a professional and begin.

The Ba$ICs

What is saving, and what is investing?

Both involve putting away money, but the difference is the amount of time involved.

Adam Tatroe, a financial advisor with BMO Harris Bank in Crystal Lake, McHenry and Marengo, defines savings as money set aside for specific, short-term goals — goals to be met between one and five years.

“These are situations where there’s a guarantee that on a certain date, the money is going to be there,” Tatroe says.

Common short-term goals are car purchases, weddings, vacations and home

48 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

purchase down payments.

Bank savings accounts, money market accounts, vacation or Christmas club accounts are tools to help reach short-term savings goals.

Tatroe suggests people open an account earmarked for a specific goal and then use automatic withdrawls from their checking account to fund it.

“This way, it systematically happens, and you don’t have to think about it,” he says.

A Certificate of Deposit, or CD, is another smart savings tool. A CD holds a specific sum on deposit for a designated length of time, usually about a year or two. At maturity, a CD returns the entire deposit, with a predetermined amount of interest.

“When it matures, you can go buy the house or

car or go on a vacation,” Tatroe says.

Investing, meanwhile, is done with an eye further to the future.

“Investing generally involves a longterm commitment,” says Steve Middaugh, financial advisor with Edward Jones in Crystal Lake. “You invest with a long-term

5 Noël Thelander and Steve Middaugh are financial advisors with Edward Jones.

5

Rules Of Thumb

For Beginning Investors

Adam Tatroe , Noël Thelander and Steve Middaugh have this advice:

$ pay yourself first. “Use automatic withdrawls to set aside funds over time,” Tatroe says. $ Earmark your money. “Call it what you’ll use it for — college, retirement or emergency fund — and save it in the right type of account,” Thelander says. $ Save at least 10 percent of your income. “If you can do that through your working life, you’ll be in good shape,” Middaugh says. $ Never put all your eggs in one basket. “Diversification is the 11th commandment,” Middaugh says. $ Stay committed. “Don’t let short-term market fluctuations scare you away from long-term investments,” Middaugh says.

perspective, and assets that are invested shouldn’t be as accessible as shorter term assets.”

$ToCKs and BoNDs

The two primary investment vehicles are stocks and bonds, also known as securities.

Stocks, or equities, are ownership in a company or a group of companies.

“As a part owner, you get to share in the good or bad fortune of that company,” Middaugh says.

Bonds, or fixed income instruments, allow investors to become creditors to a company or government entity.

“They are a way for individuals to loan money in exchange for being paid steady interest over the life of the bond, and [they] receive their principal back at maturity,” says Noël Thelander, financial advisor with Edward Jones in downtown Woodstock.

Stocks and bonds may be owned individually or through a mutual fund, which is a group of securities held in a single fund.

“Mutual funds are baskets of investments, and what you invest is spread across the basket,” Middaugh says.

“Instead of buying one stock,

your money is diversified across all of the fund’s stocks, or holdings. The mutual fund manager decides day to day where to buy one stock or another.”

Stocks and bonds may be in a brokerage account, which is taxable.

“Because of changes in tax laws, it’s a good idea to evaluate your situation to avoid paying more tax than you need to,” Thelander says. “If you haven’t heard the term ‘tax diversification,’ it’s important to get some professional guidance.”

Stocks and bonds also can be in a retirement account, which is protected from taxes.

“The types of investments in a retirement account can vary widely, from extremely conservative to very aggressive,” Middaugh says.

Retirement FUND$

Individual Retirement Accounts come in two types.

“In a traditional IRA, you can obtain a tax deduction for

your contributions, and the money grows tax deferred,” Middaugh says. “When it’s taken out, it’s taxed as income. In a Roth IRA, the money going in has already been taxed, so it’s tax free at retirement.”

A 401(k) is a retirement plan sponsored by a private employer, and it works similar to a traditional IRA. “It’s a crucial way for working people to invest, and the employer match can be the most valuable component,” Thelander says.

Other types of employer retirement plans include the 403(b) for teachers and employees of tax-exempt organizations, and the 457 for government employees.

“Often these account holders are counting on defined pension plans, but it’s a good idea to talk to a professional about the investments they’re allowed to control,” Thelander says.

Annuities are insurance products, which can offer a guaranteed income or growth.

“Fixed annuities are similar to CDs, offering a fixed rate of return until they mature,” Middaugh says. “Variable annuities work like a mutual fund with a variable rate of return.”

6 Professional guidance can be vital when planning for one’s financial future.

College $avINGs

Special accounts designated for college savings also are typically comprised of mutual funds and are designed to be tax deferred. Distributions are tax free as long as the funds are used for qualified expenses.

The Coverdell Education Savings Plan has a $2,000 contribution limit each year, but it has income limitations for contributors. The 529 College Savings Plan has no income requirements and higher annual and lifetime limits than the Coverdell, but it is flexible enough to allow small, steady contributions.

Thelander says starting early can make a big difference, even if money is tight.

“College saving is an important example of what can happen when you save over time,” she says. “Long-term investment growth, compounding interest and tax savings can stretch your dollars.” mc

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50 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

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McHenryCountyMagazine.com

“Throughout the thirty years of my career in the financial sector, I have found that the road block to women’s financial security is often times themselves.”

–Paula Dorion-Gray, CFP®

President, Dorion-Gray Retirement Planning, Inc.

SmartWoman

provides the tools, information, and understanding that women need to make sound financial decisions for their future.

Everyone has challenges in life the difference between a critical moment and a crisis is in the planning and preparation.

Are You Ready For Your Future?

Women are playing a role in the workforce like never before. In 1972, women made up 30% of the workforce, and today, that number is over 50 percent. In fact, the number of women earning over $100,000 per year has quadrupled in the past decade.

Yet, 90% of women report they feel financially insecure.

When confident about their financial future, women are better investors, more successful investors.

Women have unique challenges to saving for retirement. We have competing factors in our life that can make if difficult to focus on

finances, we ask for raises far less often and we leave the workforce for life events and to care for children. This all leaves us with less money to save. Women retire with 2/3 less the assets of men - and we live longer.

Paula Dorion-Gray is here to change that.

After years of talking with women who are ill prepared for retirement and unaware of financial tools that can ease the process, Paula created the SMARTWOMAN series. A series designed for smart women who need advice on how to plan for their future.

Money means choice and choice means power.

For more information call or e-mail Paula

815.459.6800

www.doriongray.com paula@doriongray.com McHenryCountyRetirement.com 2602 IL Route 176 • Crystal Lake, IL 60014

CRYSTAL LAKE • LINCOLNSHIRE • SCOTTSDALE/CAVE CREEK, AZ Advisory services offered through Dorion-Gray Financial Services, Inc. doing business as Dorion-Gray Retirement Planning, Inc. Dorion-Gray Financial Services, Inc. is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm Securities offered through Securities America, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Dorion-Gray Financial Services, Inc. and Securities America, Inc. are separate entities.

RETIREMENT PLANNING, INC.

money

In the 21st century,

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etiquette has become as much an anachronism as cursive writing: people wear pajamas to the grocery store; written thank-you notes are a quaint relic; and personal information between a patient and doctor can now be the basis of a reality television show.

One thing that hasn’t changed is that service workers expect tips and rely on them to make a living. Customers can find themselves in a quandary because they are using more services that anticipate tipping, from the drive-through coffee person to a hotel concierge who told them which restaurant to try.

According to Jackie Warrick, president and chief savings officer of CouponCabin.com, customers should consider the type of service that is being provided before deciding what tip to give.

“For services that are more personal in nature or require more effort, like a wax or a pedicure, always tip on the higher side,” Warrick says.

Hair-splitting tips

Amy Corvillion of Crystal Lake, a hair stylist for a dozen years and a salon owner for nine, says that most of her clients tip between 12 and 20 percent. Then there are those who tip as little as 5 percent or nothing at all, despite the fact that she offers an individual, personal service, and her training and certifications are rigorous – 1,500 hours of schooling, passing a state exam and continuing education over the years.

“I think most people compare it to waiting tables, but it’s not at all,” the owner of Crystal Lake’s All About You Salon says of her job.

The south side salon services everyone from toddlers to seniors, and Corvillion says there are no common links among low or no tippers in terms of age or economic status.

“I have a client who has been coming in every few weeks for 11 years for herself or her kids, and she’ll leave $6 for a $115 service,” Corvillion says. “I know it’s not because she’s unhappy with the service, because she tipped the same amount when another stylist did her hair when I wasn’t available. It’s because they don’t know.

They might have learned it from their parents when times were very different.”

3 Brittany Smith (left), stylist, poses with Amy Corvillion, owner of All About You Salon in Crystal Lake. (Photos provided)

Just in case those low tippers think that a trifling amount is OK because Corvillion is the salon owner, that’s literally an old wives’ tale, she says.

“Not tipping the salon owner is a practice from the old days when people thought that the owner got commission from the other stylists,” Corvillion says. “I went to a salon owner for my own hair for 15 years and never once thought about tipping him less.”

out — maybe they don’t ever tip or maybe they don’t care,” she says. “I don’t think they realize that we make only $4.95 an hour, and we count on the tips to make a living and support our families.”

Regardless of economic conditions, restaurant staff members are the most likely to receive tips, according to a recent U.S. survey conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com.

When more than 2,000 adults ages 18 and older were asked which types of people or services they typically feel obligated to leave a tip, 87 percent said restaurant staff, including the wait staff, take-out coordinator and maitre d’.

Fare for food

When it’s time to belly up to the bar, Warrick suggests adding a $1 or $2 tip for each drink or, in the end, tipping 15 to 20 of the total bill. In a restaurant, Warrick says customers should pay attention to the service, but leaving at least 15 percent is the norm.

“In most urban areas, though, 20 percent is considered the minimum, with tippers going higher if they receive exceptional service,” she notes.

That rings true for Melissa Gazikas, who has been waiting tables at Crystal Lake’s Around the Clock Restaurant and Bakery for six years.

“I usually get 15 percent, but I think 20 percent should be the average,” she says. “I can get lower tips depending upon the customer’s ethnicity, and I think it’s because they just don’t know — it’s probably a cultural thing. People in the restaurant business, though, tend to tip

Additional tips

5 Melissa Gazikas is a waitress at Around the Clock Restaurant and Bakery in Crystal Lake.

higher because they understand how much work goes into it, and I can get some bigger tips around the holidays.”

Even though she once snagged a $50 tip on a $20 breakfast tab, other times Gazikas can provide outstanding service with lots of smiles and still get a middling tip.

“Honestly, sometimes you just can’t figure it

The Service League of Crystal Lake Presents

Designer Dreams

Our 38th Annual Housewalk

When traveling, CouponCabin.com’s president suggests customers aim for 15 to 20 percent the cost of the taxi fare, depending on how good the service is.

“If your cabbie goes out of his/her way to show you sights or spends a lot of time helping you find a specific destination, consider tipping a bit more,” Warrick says.

For hotel housekeeping, she notes that customers should tip $2 to $3 a night, up to $5, and more in high-end hotels.

“Leave the tip in a conspicuous place so the staff knows it’s for them and not left out by

Friday, October 12th, 2012 9am to 2pm & 5pm to 9pm Donation

$20 in advance $25 day of Housewalk Sponsored by:

The Shade Family Foundation Tickets available starting September 10th at the following Crystal Lake locations: Around the Clock ~ Countryside ~ Mueller Interiors 1776 ~ Twisted Stem ~ Wickham ~ Yours & Meyn Visit our website - www.slcrystallake.org for information on the Service League, Housewalk and our wonderful sponsors.

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

53

4 Malls - Over 300 Dealers In One Location!

3 Large Connecting Antique Malls, 250 of the Areas Finest Dealers Displaying Antiques and Collectibles, Furniture, Jewelry, Glassware, Coins, Pottery, Fenton, Tableware, Llardros and Lots more!

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accident,” she says.

CouponCabin’s survey also discovered that many U.S. adults who tip admitted that even when they couldn’t afford it, they tipped because they felt pressure to do so.

“Whether you’re at a restaurant or receiving services from other professionals, factor the tip into the overall cost,” says Warrick. “It’s easy to forget that the tip could push you over your budget, so plan accordingly. Take the time to add in the tip ahead of time, and if it exceeds your budget, seek out less expensive services or make alternative plans.”

To find out how to tip all of the other people who service customers these days, from the dog walker and nutritionist to the postal worker and house sitter, check out the extensive list at www.tipguide.org.

And for those who feel compelled to leave something extra, like some of Gazikas’ customers, just be sure to leave adequate coin, too.

“Sometimes people leave religious cards, kids draw smiley faces for me or they make origami birds out of the bills,” Gazikas says. mc

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Brand New, Well-Ventilated State-of-the-Art Facility

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Shooting range and tactical training center offering sportsmen and women a place to learn, train with, shoot and purchase firearms.

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CLASSES - FIREARM EDUCATION Beginning - 7 Years & Up Intermediate Advanced shooters

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MEMBERSHIPS & GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE 560 Beechcraft Lane | Crystal Lake North on Knaack Blvd. off Rte 176 815-477-2020 | www.ontargetsite.com 54 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

cHenry

ounty.

What is McHenry County without

?

How can you contribute?

You can make McHenry County Magazine all about the people of McHenry County.

We want to hear from you!

• Do you know an intriguing person who has won a recent award, accomplished a spectacular feat or simply volunteered his or her time in a unique way? Explain why that person is intriguing, and he or she may be featured in our December “10 Intriguing People” feature.

• Where — or how — do you volunteer your time during the holidays? Share information about your organization and you may see them listed in a future issue.

special

en in wom business section

May 2011

u the road to

Deadline fo submission r s friday, O : ct. 12

• Have you found the perfect gift for a hard-to-buy-for family member? What local shop helped you find your purchase. Let us know, and we may share that information in an upcoming story.

success

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home

March 2011

How to submit:

• Email your submission(s) to editor Stephanie N. Grimoldby: sgrimoldby@shawmedia.com.

• Mail your submission(s): McHenry County Magazine, c/o Editor, PO Box 250, Crystal Lake, IL 60039.

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

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January 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

49

Is In The Giving A non-profit feature

Hearthstone Communties Serving McHenry County for 126 years 1) What Makes Your Organization Unique?

Hearthstone Communities has several things that make us unique. We are one of the oldest organizations in McHenry County and we serve both seniors and children in a faith-based community.

Hearthstone is comprised of a continuing care retirement community that is home to almost 200 seniors and an early learning center for children serving nearly 90 students.

2) History and Starting of Agency?

Hearthstone started in Chicago as an orphanage called the Industrial Home for Children. The move to Woodstock occurred in 1886 and the name was changed to the Woodstock Children’s Home.

In 1903, the organization purchased some land adjacent to the Woodstock Children’s Home and became the site of the original “Old People’s Rest Home,” now Hearthstone Manor.

Both divisions of the organization were founded by ministers and we maintain that strong Christian faith today.

3) What types of Programs Do you Provide?

Services for seniors at Hearthstone Communities include several options for independent living, assisted living apartments, short-term rehabilitation services, skilled nursing care and memory care.

Hearthstone Early Learning Center offers care for children from age 6 weeks to 12 years with infant and toddler programs, preschool, before and after school programs, and fun vacation and summer programming.

4) Can you Share a Success Story?

Ruby came to Hearthstone in December of 2003 confined to a wheelchair. Afflicted with a debilitating illness, she was told by her doctors that she would never walk again. A joiner all her life, Ruby decided to join all the exercise classes that Hearthstone had to offer. Over the course of time she learned to use a walker, practiced negotiating stairs and eventually became independent of any assistive device and began to walk on her own once again.

Not willing to rest on her laurels, Ruby still attends every exercise class at Hearthstone. She has joined

Sponsored by

the Garden Club and maintains a number of the gardens around Hearthstone Village including the new Veterans Memorial dedicated to Carl and Evelyn Boe. She is a volunteer at Hearthstone serving at the annual Senior Fair, ice cream socials, Bingo and many more activities.

Ruby is a great success story for Hearthstone Communities. She has gained immeasurably since joining Hearthstone nine years ago but she has also given back for the great care and encouragement

she has received. Ruby is someone you should know!

5) If People are interested in Finding out more about your organization how can they reach you?

For more information about Hearthstone Communities visit our web site at Hearthstone Woodstock.org or call 815-338-2110.

P ro f e s s i o n a l

PROFILES Unique individuals who provide specialized services in McHenry County

Unique individuals who provide specialized services

P ro f e s s i o n a l

PROFILES

BMO Harris Bank Committed to McHenry County Business

Left to Right are: Ryan Dinelli, Jamie Maravich, Bob Tarnowski, Jeff Falconer, Maggie O’Brien, Richard Morton, Todd Jobes BMO Harris Bank is large enough to be your single business banking source, but takes an individual, community-focused approach.

“We don’t impose cookie-cutter service. We want to build relationships so we can provide customized solutions,” said Jamie Maravich, Market President.

Whether you’re a small business, with less than $3 million in revenue, or a large company with revenue over $3 million, BMO Harris takes an advisory approach.

“I’ll first meet with a new customer, take time to learn the history of the company, what they do, where they’ve been and where they’re going. Then, I develop a proposal that encompasses services they can utilize now, and other services that they can use as they grow ,” said Bob Tarnowski, Vice President Small Business Banking, who covers fourteen offices in Northern Lake and McHenry counties.

Maggie O’Brien, Regional Business Sales Manager, works with companies of revenues over $3 million. “We have the capabilities of a large bank, but we live and work in the communities we serve. We take a customized approach, like a small, community bank would – and our lending decisions are made locally.”

Business Banking Relationship Managers, like Ryan J. Dinelli, Vice President, are the key point of contact for business clients.

“We offer a very broad knowledge base, as well as specific knowledge of each customer. We analyze what the client currently has and develop customized solutions to meet their individual needs,” he said.

For companies that do business internationally—or would like to—BMO Harris offers services such as trade finance, commercial letters of credit for importing and exporting, and foreign currency. “We have relationships with banks throughout Europe, South America and Asia, plus branches in Canada and China. It’s nice for local customers negotiating waters they’re not familiar with, to have someone in their corner who knows the rules,” said Todd Jobes, Vice President and Senior Commercial Relationship Manager.

Commitment doesn’t end at the bank’s doors. “We’re very involved with local not-for-profits and the municipalities. Supporting these groups, with both time and money, is a

“We offer a very broad knowledge base, as well as specific knowledge of each customer” - Ryan J. Dinelli, Vice President significant part of what we do. Being a good corporate citizen is extremely important – it’s part of who we are,” said Richard Morton, Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager, Business Banking.

In his fourteen years with BMO Harris Bank, Jeff Falconer, Vice President, Business Banking, has watched many clients grow from small businesses into large companies. “We grow with our clients, and they’re also happy with us because we take the time to get to know them. We serve a wide variety of companies, and helping them succeed is very gratifying.”

BMO Harris Bank is located in communities throughout McHenry County and beyond. www.bmoharris.com

BMO Harris Bank

Convenient McHenry County locations in Algonquin, Cary, Crystal Lake, Fox River Grove, Huntley,Marengo, McHenry and Woodstock.

www.bmoharris.com

Unique individuals who provide specialized services

Prof essional

PROFILES

Peter Schmitz

Founder and Co-Owner of CL Nutrition

“It’s so much fun and we love helping our clients improve their health when they thought they couldn’t.”

CL Nutrition Promotes Personal, Professional Success Whether it’s a personal or professional goal, Peter Schmitz is committed to helping others succeed.

Peter and his wife Carol, founders and co-owners of CL Nutrition, are on a mission for nutrition. CL Nutrition is a nutrition club combining wellness coaching, health education, weekly classes and exclusive access to Herbalife’s line of high quality products.

Since opening in 2008, the Schmitzes have built a $1 million business, and with their team of coaches have helped thousands lose weight. Their Chicagoland Weight Loss Challenge program takes the nutrition club concept into the community, through civic groups, churches and 42 park districts.

“It’s so much fun and we love helping our clients improve their health when they thought they couldn’t,” says Carol.

Health and fitness have been a vital part of Peter’s life.

As a teen, he was a competitive swimmer, but at sixteen, lost his left hand in a tragic accident.

“My swim coach came to see me in the hospital. I said, ‘I guess I won’t be swimming anymore.’ His response was simple, ‘yes, you will. See you in the pool.’ At that moment, I decided to succeed when it seemed impossible, and using a special arm designed for swimming, I began competing again,” Peter recalls.

His coach influenced him another significant way. “He was in his early thirties and very overweight and I asked him why. He replied, ‘Just wait until you’re my age.’ That was a defining moment and I decided to stay fit and healthy for the rest of my life,” Peter says.

After college, he entered Corporate America. “Five

years ago, I realized I spent a third of my life in hotels and airports. I was stuck in the rat race and the rats were winning. I wanted my life back,” he said.

As he researched business opportunities, his interest in health led him to Herbalife. Not only did the products appeal to him, so did the company’s solid business model.

The Schmitzes are independent distributors, not franchisees. Herbalife’s network model allows them to earn residual income. “When you build a team, Herbalife continues to pay you royalties even when you’re no longer working. We have full and part-time associates who work around their families. Herbalife rewards them either way.

This company rewards my efforts and allows everyone to earn what they are worth,” he says.

The couple works well together, with Carol coaching clients, and Peter coaching their distributor team. “The initial investment is less than $100 and it’s very rewarding and exciting to help distributors achieve financial freedom,” he says.

CL Nutrition

6224 Northwest Highway Crystal Lake, IL 60014 • 815.444.0300 www.clnutrition.com

Unique individuals who provide specialized services

Professional

PROFILES

Jackie Nakamura

Owner, Haiku Health and Wellness

“My vision is for Haiku Health and Wellness to be the one place, people can come for natural, non-invasive alternative therapies, that use the body’s natural inclination to heal.”

Former Lyme Disease Sufferer Promotes Healing

Jackie Nakamura’s battle with a debilitating illness left her unable to work. After years of misdiagnosis and failed treatment, she discovered a treatment that brought immediate result.

The German developed Ondamed machine uses low level magnetic fields that induce the flow of micro-currents within a patient, allowing it to locate underlying dysfunction and provide treatment. “What it does is scan the body and runs various frequencies, because every organ, cell and tissue has its own unique frequency,” Nakamura said.

“The reaction of the pulse, which I’m taking as I scan the body, tells me what part of the body requires attention. I then program the machine to communicate with the body and send targeted frequencies,” she said.

Energy Medicine has been discussed on the Dr. Oz Show, and Ondamed has been featured in books by actress Suzanne Somers, a cancer survivor. Information about the machine is available at www.ondamed.net The device has been used in pain management, to treat inflammation, help with smoking cessation, weight loss and chronic illness. Nakamura also discovered its benefits in treating Lyme disease, which she contracted in 1996.

A Michigan native, Nakamura and her family have lived in McHenry County since 1999. Prior to becoming ill, she worked in the transportation and beauty industries. “After I got sick, I really couldn’t do much of anything,” she said.

When conventional treatments didn’t help, she began to investigate alternative therapies and discovered Ondamed. “I went for a couple of treatments and had immediate results,” she said.

As a volunteer with the Midwest Lyme Disease Foundation and various support groups, she knew others who suffered from

the disease, including several family members. She purchased an Ondamed machine, underwent training to become a certified practitioner, and also became licensed as a massage therapist.

This October, she opens Haiku Health and Wellness, which will also offer Reiki, Reflexology, Rain Drop Therapy, Restorative Yoga and Yoga Therapy.

Reiki is a traditional Japanese treatment that draws upon the body’s energy to heal. Reflexology is a full body therapy delivered through the feet. Rain Drop Therapy involves the application of light oil to the back, just over the spine. “It helps fight inflammation, chronic pain and Lyme disease,” said Nakamura.

Because she had to drive long distances to find Ondamed and some of the other treatments she offers at Haiku, Nakamura looks forward to providing these services in McHenry County.

“My vision is for Haiku Health and Wellness to be the one place, people can come for natural, non-invasive alternative therapies, that use the body’s natural inclination to heal.”

Jackie Nakamura Haiku Health and Wellness

5809 E. Hillside Rd., Crystal Lake, IL 815-477-8546 www.haikuhealth.com

Unique individuals who provide specialized services

Prof essional

PROFILES

Kevin Noonan, CFPR, AIF®, vice president, financial advisor American Community Wealth Management (left) Tom Quinn, CFPR, AIF®, vice president, financial advisor American Community Wealth Management (right)

“The rare level of personal attention we provide and our devotion to your best interest and financial care sets us apart and is the foundation on which we build lifetime, multigenerational relationships.”

Kevin Noonan You have one life to live.

How do you want to live it?

Kevin G. Noonan and Tom F. Quinn, American Community Wealth Management Certified Financial Planner™ Professionals, know that your answer to this question will be completely unique. It may encompass your goals for today, your vision for retirement, your desire to provide for others in the future, and even your hopes of leaving a legacy. Of course, the answer may include your life, business and investments because what is important to you cannot be measured in net worth alone, but also by the things in life that have a special value all their own.

Kevin and Tom talk with you about anything and everything that matters to you. Understanding how you want to live your life requires a deeper conversation – a conversation to which they bring integrity, transparency, and genuine insight. Using the details and vision you share, along with a comprehensive assessment of your entire personal financial situation, comfort for risk, goals, and objectives, they seamlessly integrate all aspects of your life into a personalized wealth management plan designed for the future you envision.

“A distinct advantage of the deep understanding we build of your unique circumstances is our ability to integrate the guidance you may have received over time from your lawyer and accountant into one strategic plan that encompasses the entire scope of your financial objectives,” Tom Quinn says.

As you make decisions about investments, tax planning, college tuition, insurance, retirement, estate planning, business succession, philanthropy and many other aspects of your financial life, you can depend on an advisor who knows you and is someone you can trust.

“The rare level of personal attention we provide and our devotion to your best interest and financial care sets us apart and is the foundation on which we build lifetime, multi-generational relationships,” Kevin Noonan says.

Tom and Kevin excel at serving the complex wealth manage-

ment needs of families, business owners and investors. With an overwhelming number of options for saving and investing, working with a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional will prove to be a strong resource that can help secure your financial wellbeing and give you peace of mind. CFP® is a well respected designation in the industry, held by a select few, which recognizes the completion of a rigorous educational curriculum and examination, experience and an ethical pledge.

As you plan ahead to provide for yourself, your family and future generations, the financial decisions you make today will have significant impact.

Everything Kevin and Tom do is focused on one powerful premise: our client must come first. Keeping your trust is at the heart of our work.

Securities are offered by and consultants are registered with Triad Advisors, a member of FINRA/SIPC. Investments are not FDIC insured, not bank guaranteed, not a bank deposit, not guaranteed by a government agency, and may lose value.

Advisory services are offered through American Community Wealth Management, LLC, which is not affiliated with Triad Advisors, Inc.

For a private consultation, please call

Kevin G. Noonan, CFP®, AIF®

(815) 338-2300

Thomas F. Quinn, CFP®, AIF® (815) 385-5556 Crystal Lake • Huntley • McHenry • Woodstock amcomwealth.com

Unique individuals who provide specialized services

Professional

PROFILES

Melissa A. Wick

Attorney at Law, Partner, Michling Hofmann Plaza & Wick, PC

“My goal is to provide my clients with the best advice so they don’t feel they have to go through this difficult period alone.”

Elder Law Attorney Provides Education and Peace of Mind When clients arrive at Melissa Wick’s office, they’re typically in crisis.

“The family usually has someone going into longterm care, maybe one parent has advanced dementia or a debilitating illness and the other can’t care for the spouse at home any longer. They don’t know how to afford care without losing everything,” said Wick, an attorney and partner at Michling Hofmann Plaza and Wick, PC in Woodstock.

Wick concentrates in elder law, working with families on estate planning, guardianship, Medicaid, Veterans benefits, and probate. “My work starts early when parents want to establish guardians for their children (in the event of an emergency), through estate planning, a possible intervening period of incompetency, and perhaps probate,” she said.

A 1994 graduate of DePaul University College of Law, Wick has been practicing in McHenry County for twelve years.

She became interested in elder law after watching her fatherin-law care for his wife, who suffered from dementia. “I saw how difficult it was for him and listened to his fears, assuming he would have to sell everything he owned just to pay for her care,” she said.

She also studied Medicaid law and assists families in applying legal provisions that allow a healthy spouse to retain assets to provide for the long term needs of both individuals.

“Families are very concerned about meeting the cost of long term care without going bankrupt,” she said.

Families are overwhelmed both financially and emotionally.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there and when you have people under stress because of the illness of their loved one, this often leads to poor decisions,” she said.

Wick’s goal is to educate families before crisis occurs.

“Planning is critical,” said Wick. She recommends all families review their estate plans and plan for potential long term care needs, then helps families negotiate the confusing requirements to qualify for Medicaid or VA benefits when necessary. “The most rewarding part of my profession is providing peace of mind. My goal is to provide my clients with the best advice so they don’t feel they have to go through this difficult period alone. People come in panicked, not knowing where to go for information. I guide them through the process and help them move forward.”

Melissa A. Wick Michling Hofmann Plaza & Wick, PC 101 N. Throop Street, Woodstock, IL 815-338-9600 woodstocklawpros.com

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Jim D. Carlson, DVM, CVA, CVT Veterinarian, Owner & Operator, Riverside Animal Clinic

“Seeing a certified practitioner who has been trained to work with animals is very important when choosing any alternative medicine or alternative medical product.”

Tender Holistic Care Now for Pets in McHenry When a young Dachshund named Bella came to Riverside Animal Clinic McHenry, her condition was grave.

“Bella was completely paralyzed in her hindquarters.

She couldn’t move and her owners were sure they would have to euthanize her,” said Jim Carlson, DVM, CVA, CVT, veterinarian and owner of Riverside Animal Clinic. “It was a terrible choice to have to consider because she was such a young, happy dog. But conventional surgery was $5,000 with no guarantee that Bella would be able to walk again.

That is when we decided to use alternative medicine.” After a week’s stay at Riverside that included, acupuncture, herbal remedies, physical therapies and Tui Na, Bella walked out the door on all fours with her tail wagging.

Bella’s case is one of the many cases Dr. Carlson has healed through holistic therapy.“As a conventional veterinarian, I started to become interested in cases that were not getting better with traditional medicine. One in particular was a Golden retriever with a horrible staph infection that came up every autumn,” said Dr. Carlson.

“While studying Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine I learned to see things from a completely different perspective. And I learned a new way to work with that Golden who has been free from allergies for two autumn seasons.”

Riverside’s holistic offerings include: compounded Chinese herbal remedies, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, aquapuncture, vitamin and mineral therapy, homeopathy, Tui Na (a form of bodywork and joint adjustment) and natural food therapy. While holistic medicine has its place in

working miracles, Dr. Carlson feels it’s important to consider and include conventional medicine in conjunction with other alternative therapies. “Marrying the benefits of both styles of medicine is the most effective way to handle any case.

And seeing a certified practitioner who has been trained to work with animals is very important when choosing any alternative medicine or alternative medical product.”

Riverside also offers all forms of conventional treatments, orthopedic surgery and laser surgery.

Dr. Carlson’s gentle demeanor has been winning over pets for many years. He owned the Springfield Animal Hospital in Springfield, Ohio for eight years before relocating to McHenry County to be closer to the family farm on which he grew up in Iowa. Dr. Carlson now lives in Harvard with his wife, Cristen, and two children. They own an ever evolving group of rescued dogs, cats, ponies and horses.

Jim D. Carlson, DVM, CVA, CVT 2904 W IL Rte 120, McHenry, Illinois (815) 344-7716 www.riversideanimalclinic.net

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Dr. Vicky Smith

President, McHenry County College

“We’re putting programs in place for what’s needed by county employers, so people can live and work locally.”

Smith Sold on Community Colleges Growing up on a farm near Decatur Illinois, Dr. Vicky Smith, president of McHenry County College, learned the importance of hard work and teamwork. As a community college president, she’s learned the vital role these schools can play in building stronger communities.

“I’ve always been interested in looking at the future and the big picture. My career in higher education has been entirely at community colleges and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” she said.

That’s because a community college can impact a person’s life in a relatively short time. “We can turn on a dime and get that individual what they need, more quickly than a four-year school can,” she said.

She joined MCC in August 2010 after holding president’s posts at two colleges, in Kansas and Minnesota. During her time at Neosho County Community College, the school grew from the eighteenth largest community college in the state of Kansas to the twelfth largest. “It wasn’t just about growing enrollment, but about having more people in the area take advantage of higher education,” Smith said.

At the time of her arrival, MCC was dealing with challenges caused by administrative turnover, coupled with a dramatic increase in enrollment, due to the Promise program.

Though Promise ended after two years due to lack of funds, Smith said it achieved its goal of helping more students attain higher education. “Of the original one thousand Promise students, over seven hundred stayed in school, even after they left the program. I would call a program that resulted in seventy percent completing a degree a success,” she said.

The college is also successful in helping students complete their general studies and transfer to a four-year institution.

“Sixty-two percent of our students complete a certificate or

degree or transfer to a four-year school. That’s the highest in northern Illinois and fourth in the state,” she said.

But Smith and the MCC Board saw opportunity to better serve McHenry County’s largest economic sectors. “We identified key areas including manufacturing, health care, public safety and emerging technology and have added, or are in the process of adding, new programs to meet the labor demands for the area,” she said.

New or soon-to-be launched programs include a degree program in computer numerical control, programs in occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, physical therapy assistants, medical billing and coding, health information technology, and robotics.

“We’re putting programs in place for what’s needed by county employers, so people can live and work locally,” she said.

Dr. Vicky Smith 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake, IL 60012 815.455.3700 www.mchenry.edu

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Dr. Derek Cheng Cheng Orthodontics

“I often encounter smiles I have helped create and the patients’ show of appreciation makes me feel lucky to be in the field of orthodontics.”

Crystal Lake Orthodontist Loves Challenge of Creating Healthy Beautiful Smiles One of the things Dr. Derek Cheng enjoys most about his work as an orthodontist is the complex thinking behind it.

Dr. Cheng compares it to a chess game. “There are fourteen teeth on the top and fourteen teeth on the bottom, not counting wisdom teeth, and every one of them is unique. Since not everyone was born with the perfectly sized or shaped jaw, it’s a puzzle to come up with a strategy to make all the teeth fit. Not only does it have to be aesthetically attractive, but the teeth, jaw and joints need to work in good harmony to promote the best possible bite result.”

Dr.Cheng has been tackling tough puzzles—and succeeding—all of his life.

A native of Hong Kong, Dr. Cheng moved to the United States with his family and started as a high school senior. Despite struggling with English, he excelled academically, especially in science.

“It was difficult, because the language was so different and I had to look everything up in the dictionary. It took a lot longer, but by putting in the time and effort I was able to succeed “ he said.

After graduating from the University of Hawaii, he entered Temple University Dental School, where he graduated among the top five students in his class. He completed his orthodontic specialty residency program at Marquette University and started practicing in Crystal Lake. For the benefit of his patients, Dr. Cheng completed a two- year temporomandibular joint (TMJ) course which allows him to further analyze each patient’s

TMJ and bite function. This all contributes to the long term health and stability of the smile, which Dr. Cheng strives for with every patient.

He enjoys attending numerous continuing education meetings throughout the year and most enjoys supporting the sports and arts activities of his patients and community schools.

Cheng Orthodontics specializes in orthodontic treatment for children and adults. Dr. Cheng is an INVISALIGN Preferred Provider and offers clear and traditional braces.

His kid-friendly practice includes an incentive program to encourage patients to keep their braces wellbrushed, wear headgear, retainers and other appliances.

“They collect Cheng Bucks, and can choose a prize from our prize cabinet, or save them and exchange them for movie tickets or gift cards,” he said.

After practicing in McHenry County for over twelve years, Cheng loves running into previous patients. “I often encounter smiles I have helped create and the patients’ show of appreciation makes me feel lucky to be in the field of orthodontics,” he said.

Cheng Orthodontics 690 N. IL Route 31 Crystal Lake, IL 60012 815.459.6920 www.chengortho.com

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Rosecrance

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Focuses on lasting recovery

At Rosecrance, we understand the impact substance use and mental health disorders have on the lives of patients and their loved ones. Lasting recovery requires a practical approach. Our experienced staff provides evidence-based treatment in a healing environment. Caring professionals help patients learn the tools they will need to reclaim their lives.

“When you choose to enter treatment, you have taken the essential first step toward your recovery. We promise to strive for unparalleled service, all the time, in all our programs, and to never lose focus of the goal: lasting recovery,” says Rosecrance President and CEO Philip Eaton.

Rosecrance also operates nationally recognized long-term recovery homes for teenage boys and girls.

When you call, inquire about our specialized programs for adolescents, young adults and women, and ask how Rosecrance’s acclaimed Experiential Therapies Department promotes recovery.

Our comprehensive behavioral health programming includes prevention, intervention, outpatient services, partial hospitalization, inpatient services for co-occurring disorders, detoxification, inpatient services, family programming, recovery homes and veterans programming.

Rosecrance prepares patients and families for life beyond treatment — because life’s waiting.

Rosecrance McHenry County provides evidence-based outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment in an environment that fosters lasting recovery. Our programs are family-centered and focus on helping clients and their loved ones develop the tools needed to rebuild their lives and reclaim what has been lost. Services offered include adult and adolescent substance abuse intensive outpatient and individual treatment, adult substance abuse medication-assisted treatment, psychosocial rehabilitation for groups and individuals, case management services and more.

“When you choose to enter treatment, you have taken the essential first step toward your recovery. We promise to strive for unparalleled service, all the time, in all our programs, and to never lose focus of the goal: lasting recovery.”

Philip Eaton Rosecrance President and CEO

Rosecrance 4100 Veterans Parkway McHenry, IL 60050-8350 815.363.6132 • 888.9 AT LAST rosecrance.org

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Scott Beaugureau Head Golf Professional at McHenry County Club

“This is truly a golfer’s club, for people who love the game and are pretty serious about it.”

Scott Beaugureau, head golf professional at McHenry County Club, fondly remembers playing in the 1991 U.S. Open. These days, he is equally thrilled to help a new golfer succeed for the first time.

“It’s a hard game to master, but if a person has the fundamentals and they can have a little success, they’re hooked,” he said.

Beaugureau has been at the club for sixteen years and directs golf operations, runs the golf shop and provides lessons.

He took up golf at age eight, played at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights and received a golf scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After graduation, he spent three years playing pro golf, culminating in his appearance at U.S. Open. “I was young, it was kind of overwhelming, but all in all, a great experience,” he said.

After leaving tournament play, he worked for a time at a Barrington club, and in 1996, came to the McHenry County Club. What he enjoys most is that the club is “all about the golf.”

“This is truly a golfer’s club, for people who love the game and are pretty serious about it,” he said.

Of the club’s 225 golfing members, 75 carry a single digit handicap. “Most clubs have only ten to fifteen players who can do that. We have one of the highest percentages of single digit handicap players in the Chicago area. It’s rewarding to have worked with so many of our members, to them help improve

their games. It’s starting to show, with the number of great players we have here,” he said.

The private club offers a variety of programs, including a junior program for kids age five through eighteen. “We’ve had at least ten kids who’ve come through our program go on to play college golf,” he said.

There are also private lessons, ladies’ group lessons, and adult lessons.”We really try to touch our entire membership, including our social members, so we do a lot of beginners’ lessons. Once someone gets into the game, and finds they really enjoy it, they want to play more. Creating more players is the whole point of what we do,” he said. In the last twelve months, the club has welcomed over 100 new members.

And even after all his years as a golfer; Beaugureau still loves the challenge of the game.

“There is no perfect score, and no matter how well you play, there’s always room to improve. My time as a serious tournament player may have passed, but my focus on making others better hasn’t.” he said.

Scott Beaugureau

McHenry County Club, 820 N. John St., McHenry • 815.385.1072

ckranz@shawmedia.com

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Ray Westman Owner, Verlo Mattress

“Fortunately, our industry has done an excellent job of educating consumers on the importance of a good night’s sleep.”

People’s bodies change over time, but most of the time, their mattresses don’t. The result? Back and joint problems, poor sleep, stress and fatigue caused by lack of proper rest.

But Ray Westman, owner of the Verlo Mattress Factory Stores in Crystal Lake, McHenry and Lake Geneva, is committed to helping customers find healthy, restful sleep, not only when their Verlo Mattress is brand new, but also when it’s years old.

“Everyone changes and it’s not realistic to think you’re going to need exactly the same kind of mattress ten years from now that you need today. What we custom build for you now, can be adjusted or repaired to fit your needs in the future,” Westman said.

Specializing in custom-built sleep systems, Wisconsinbased Verlo Mattress was founded in 1958 and now has more than forty franchise locations.

Westman has been with Verlo Mattress since 1985, and purchased his first Verlo store in 1994. He now owns three showrooms, and a production facility in McHenry.

In a time when mattresses are sold at big box and discount stores, in addition to mattress retailers, Westman is proud to offer something more than the typical cookie-cutter approach. “Your body, your comfort needs and sleep habits all influence the kind of sleep set we build for you,” he said.

Your perfect sleep begins at the Verlo showroom, or online with the Verlo Virtual Craftsman. “We’ll discuss who is using the mattress, a single person or a couple, a child or a teen, your preferred sleeping position, back or neck issues, and firmness preference. Often, the craftsman who will build your mattress is the person helping you on the sales floor,” Westman said.

Using top quality materials, trained craftsmen construct your sleep system locally, the day before it is delivered.

Bucking the trend toward shorter-life no-flip mattresses, Verlo still builds two-sided mattresses, something informed, quality-conscious customers appreciate. “The people who buy from us understand the continuing value of a customdesigned locally built product,” Westman said.

In addition to innerspring mattresses, Verlo also carries Visco Foam, Gel Foam, VerloAIRE beds, sleep accessories to complete your custom sleep system, adjustable beds and futon sofa sleepers in a wide variety of styles.

In a tight economy, Westman understands that customers’ budgets are stretched tighter than ever before.

“Because customers have less disposable income, the reality means that we’re competing against other needs, ranging from a new refrigerator to car repair. Fortunately, our industry has done an excellent job of educating consumers on the importance of a good night’s sleep,” he said.

Ray Westman

Verlo Mattress Factory 3710 W. Elm Street, McHenry 815.578.8375 5150 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake 815.455.2570 www.verlo.com

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Janice R. Means President, EmbroidMe

“The former corporate information technology professional’s logical approach led her to a company that taps her creativity.”

EmbroidMe Owner wants to be Part of Fabric of the Community Janice R. Means, president of EmbroidMe in Crystal Lake, considers herself both logical and creative.

In her search for a new business opportunity, the former corporate information technology professional’s logical approach led her to a company that taps her creativity, including her long-time interest in embroidery.

EmbroidMe specializes in custom embroidered and screen-printed apparel and promotional items, ranging from shirts and hats to backpacks, calculators and more.

EmbroidMe’s goal is to be Your Promotional Marketing Partner.

The Crystal Lake location has been in business for seven years.

A graduate of Genoa-Kingston High School, Means worked her way through Blackburn College in Carlinville, majoring in math. Though she considered becoming an actuary, a computer programming class sparked interest that led to a career. “I loved the logic of it, and that doing things in a certain way would lead you to the right answer,” she said.

The 1980s were an exciting time to be working in technology. Means earned an MBA in 1990 from Governor’s State University, but years in Corporate America with long hours and travel, eventually took their toll. Three years ago, Means decided she was ready for a change, but wasn’t sure what direction to take.

“With the economy the way it was, the prospect of moving from one company to another was difficult and it would have just been more of the same,” she said.

So she took a logical approach, confident that following a process would lead her to the right answer.

She investigated franchises and other businesses, set criteria and subscribed to websites, which notified her of

businesses for sale that fit her criteria. When a Cook County EmbroidMe location came up for sale, she initiated her inquiry.

“It was a good fit, because years ago I did a lot of cross-stitch and even as a kid loved embroidering on my clothes. I was already familiar with hoops and stitches,” she said.

Though someone else purchased that store, the Crystal Lake store was available. Means was interested. “I went to see it and drove away making customer lists in my head,” she said.

As a soccer and band mom, Means knew there was a ready market for EmbroidMe’s products and looks forward to working with area schools and youth organizations, in addition to the business community.

Starting her own business has given her more control of her life. It’s also impressed her son, 22 and her 16-year-old daughter. “My daughter told her boyfriend, ‘my mom’s an entrepreneur.’ I thought that was pretty cool,” said Means.

Janice R. Means, EmbroidMe 6226 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake, IL

815-444-1081 www.embroidme-crystallake.com

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Vince Romano Real Estate Broker

“In fifteen years of marriage, my wife and I have had six different homes. We have four kids now and are staying put, so instead, I get to help other people.”

Real Estate Broker Romano Draws Upon Broad Knowledge.

“In fifteen years of marriage, my wife and I have had six different homes. We have four kids now and are staying put, so instead, I get to help other people,” he said.

A Real Estate Broker and owner of the Vince Romano Group from RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest, Romano says he entered the field, because after selling so many homes personally, he wanted to take that experience and help others. He received his license, and in January of 2006 started his business.

He covers all of McHenry County but works mostly in Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Huntley and Lake in the Hills. The agency specializes in residential real estate sales, short-sales, foreclosures, and also works with buyers and Real Estate investors. “These days, there are a lot of investors,” he said.

He also provides services to landlords who can’t sell. This includes helping locate quality tenants and running credit/ background checks. “When the time comes, I’ll still hope to sell that home “.

As lenders have tightened mortgage standards, Romano helps first-time buyers or clients with challenged credit. “They can go through a credit recovery plan, so even though they may not be able to purchase a home now, if they take the advice we give them, in 12 months or so, they will be able to,” he said.

It’s equally important when listing homes that you have a very specific marketing plan. “You want to work with your clients to sell their homes quickly, get them the most money possible, and also be sure homes are appraised correctly. It’s a matter of avoiding situations where the appraisal doesn’t match the contract price. You have to manage expectations so the deal won’t fall apart before it closes,” he said.

Romano says creativity and a broad knowledge base are his most important tools. “Before, many homes just sold for what they were listed for, and closed in 30 days. Everyone got a mortgage back in the day. Now, it’s not enough to just know about selling houses, but also the short sale, foreclosures, appraisals and much more.”

The post-recession market is where Romano learned his profession, and he’s been successful. “People love to talk about the good old days of easy sales, but I never knew those days. I came into the industry about the time the decline started, and my business has doubled each year. It’s a matter of knowing all the moving parts, putting out fires and when they do arise, knowing how to deal with them correctly,” he said.

The Vince Romano Group 2405 Harnish Dr., Algonquin 60102 847.458.5527 www.VinceRomano.com

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Nancy Effert

President, Effert Financial Solutions, Inc.

Meridith Hutchens

President, Crossroads Advisory Group

“Most people come to us with a random assortment of investments purchased over the years. Some are overwhelmed, but many are too busy to face the challenge of managing their investments.”

Power of Two - Two Women, Two Firms, One Focus Nancy Effert, Effert Financial Solutions and Meridith Hutchens, Crossroads Advisory Group, Inc. As founders of their respective firms, Hutchens and Effert joined forces in 2009 to focus on providing an advisory relationship that differs from traditional brokerage or wealth management services.

The success of their shared client relationships comes from the fact that each one focuses on what they do best: Financial management for Nancy and investment management for Meridith.

Nancy Effert Effert Financial Solutions, Inc. was founded in 2006 as an alternative to the “big box” financial conglomerates who embrace a “one-size fits all” investment theory. Her straight forward style provides a holistic methodology which includes wealth planning, risk management, business services, investment services and financial planning. Her clients benefit from her wide array of expertise and solution-based approach.

With over 20 years’ of corporate experience focusing on actuarial and management consulting, Effert brings her considerable knowledge of the financial services industry to her signature wealth management approach. Prior to her entry into this boutique practice, she rose through the ranks of leadership at a Fortune 500 company where she was vice president of information technology.

Meridith Hutchens Meridith Hutchens has created McHenry County’s first institutional money management firm with Crossroads Advisory Group, Inc.. Her boutique style has resulted in an excellent reputation among her clients, her professional network, and the top tier of investment experts. Hutchens formed the firm in 2008 after 17 years managing portfolios for

renowned Wall Street firms.

Her passion emerges from the desire to bring the best practices of the institutional world to others through the use of top tier private research and powerful diagnostic tools in a fully transparent fee structure. Hutchens believes this paradigm shift will champion in years to come. She is building her firm with experienced industry veterans.

Crossroads Advisory Group, Inc., named as one of the Five Star Wealth Managers in 2011 and 2012, is a boutique firm dedicated to helping you understand the dynamics of your financial situation and how to best select investments. They apply sophisticated analysis to present simple solutions that allow you to make informed decisions.

Crossroads Advisory Group, Inc. is a Registered Investment Advisor of the State of Illinois.

Nancy Effert is a Registered Investment Advisor of Crossroads Advisory Group, Inc.

Nancy Effert, Effert Financial Solutions, Inc. 104 Minnie Street, Crystal Lake, IL 815-444-9560, nancy@effertfinancialsolutions.com Meridith Hutchens, Crossroads Advisory Group 8600 US Hwy 14, Crystal Lake, IL 815-455-1777, mer@xroadsadvice.com

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Melissa Emory Emory Photography

“I’ve been interested in photography for as long as I can remember.”

Emory’s Work Captures Emotion and Authenticity Melissa Emory knew she was born to be a photographer—even before she owned a camera.

“I’ve been interested in photography for as long as I can remember. I didn’t even have a camera, so I don’t know why I thought that,” she says.

For the past six years, she has owned Emory Photography. Based in Algonquin, she serves the Chicagoland area, specializing in wedding and family photography, small business branding, magazine and performing artist photography.

Her website features an extensive portfolio of color and black and white photographs. “I especially like black and white because it lets you focus on the emotion rather than just the picture. There’s something very profound about it,” she says.

She began taking pictures seriously as a college student and knew immediately that she had the skills to make it her career. At Northern Illinois University, she was a photography major for a short time, but switched to concentrate on business.

“I realized it didn’t matter if I had a degree in photography as long as I was good enough. Even then, it was in the back of my mind that I’d eventually have my own photography business,” she says.

Her work displays an artistic quality that goes beyond the traditional head-and-shoulders portrait. “When I talk to the brides and grooms, I tell them I want them to look like they came from a magazine, classy, happy and in love.

I want them to be able to look back years later and feel the emotion they felt that day,” she says.

But she also strives to bring a sense of realism to her photography, providing a sense of who and what

the subjects are. A bride and groom laughing amidst a cluttered kitchen captures the authenticity of an at-home family wedding.

An engagement shot of another couple displays the groom’s tattooed arms. “It was a decision of how he wanted to look and it really lets you see who he is,” she says.

Photos of families range from playful to touching, such as a shot of a young father and a little girl holding hands as they walk away from the camera.

Her photos of dancers and musicians, captured both on and off stage, display a range of emotion. “I enjoy artist photography because they don’t always have to look happy,” she says.

Finding the right shot is more than a matter of seeing it.

“I evaluate a shot by whether I feel something when I look at it. If I can, then I shoot,” she says.

214 S. Main Street, Algonquin, IL 847.207.1446 Melissa@emoryphotography.com

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Mary Wolodkiewicz Sales Associate with Studio 2015

“Studio 2015 Associate Helps Dreams Come True. ”

Asking the right questions can lead to amazing results.

Mary Wolodkiewicz, a sales associate with Studio 2015 Jewelers in Woodstock, recalls a recent customer who was shopping for an engagement ring, and his fiancée’s very unusual career.

“The designer and I were talking with the client, and he told us that his fiance was an elephant trainer. He even joked about incorporating an elephant into the design of the ring. Our designer ran with it and created an elephant’s profile around the three stones,” said Wolodkiewicz.

When helping a customer select a piece, Wolodkiewicz asks about their design preferences and lifestyle. “Is it for special occasions or something they’ll wear everyday? If someone is hard on their jewelry, they want a piece that will stand up to that. It’s not just about selling them something,” she said.

Personal service and beautiful, artistic design are what sets family-owned Studio 2015 apart. In 1984, owners Tom and April Dougherty paired their college interests in art, leather and jewelry design with Tom’s experience in metal-working and welding to launch a full service jewelry business that combines retail, repair, manufacturing and custom design. Since 2009, Studio 2015 has been located at in a 6,500 square foot facility that houses its retail, repair, design and manufacturing operations.

Wolodkiewicz has been a sales associate for Studio 2015 Jewelry the past three years. After graduating from Gem City College in Quincy she began her career as a bench jewelry doing repairs, engraving and settings but soon realized her true calling was working with clients one on one. Being out front the last 30 years has provided Mary with a career that is not only rewarding creatively but also a constant learning environment.

During her career, Wolodkiewicz has worked in both chain and family-owned stores. She loves the relaxed ambiance at Studio 2015. “We’re able to spend time with our customers.

Every piece is so significant, so important. Whether it’s a purchase, custom or a repair, we’ll take as much time as they want, to make sure they’re pleased and want to come back,” she said.

She also enjoys helping customers discover new looks and ideas. On November 8 through the 10, Studio 2015 will be hosting a Trunk show featuring several cutting edge designers such as Suzy Landa, and Pamela Froman. “These designers offer a unique blend of new and contemporary styles, and I love it that we can expose people to designs they haven’t seen before,” she said.

Mary Wolodkiewicz l dki i 11701 Catalpa Lane, Woodstock 815.337.2012 www.studio2015.com

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Apple Creek Flowers Puts Feelings in Bloom Elizabeth Crisp, owner of Apple Creek Flowers in Woodstock likes to say that she doesn’t sell flowers, she sells emotions.

“My favorite part of this business is making flowers personal,” says Crisp, who purchased the 28-year-old floral retail shop in 2006.

Whether it’s a sweet, lively design to welcome a new baby, or a specialized arrangement for a funeral that incorporates a design or memorabilia honoring the deceased, Crisp loves it all.

Crisp had worked in retail previously, but developed an interest in horticulture while she and her family lived in New Jersey, and earned her Master Gardeners certificate through Rutgers University. After relocating to Illinois in 1999, she took classes at McHenry County College and in 2006, became certified as a Floral Designer.

She describes her favorite design style as classical contemporary. “I love to take traditional garden flowers, such as hydrangeas, and give them a modern twist, something unexpected,” she says.

Apple Creek Flowers’ clients include customers with specific ideas of what they want and those who prefer to rely on the creativity of Crisp and her staff. The shop also provides arrangements for a number of community groups and events, including the Mozart Festival and the Woodstock Fine Arts Association. “I believe that life comes full circle and what you give will always come back,” Crisp says.

Elizabeth Crisp • Apple Creek Flowers • 207 Throop Street, Woodstock, IL 815-338-2255 • www.applecreekflowers.com

Builder Loves Variety and Challenge For Kamil Suran, co-owner of Suran Built Contracting Services in Crystal Lake, variety truly is the spice of life.

His company has been in business since 2000 and specializes in general carpentry, remodeling, window replacement, small repairs, additions and complete custom homes. “There’s a wide range to what we do,” he said.

A former CPA, Suran found the daily routine of his accounting career dull. “I loved to work with numbers, but I was also stuck in an office in front of a computer. I prefer to work with people and have different challenges each day,” he said.

He left his career and spent several years traveling and working.

During that time, he visited most of the fifty states and worked for a time as a fisherman in Alaska. In Seattle, he took a job with a custom builder and found his dream career.

“I learned a lot and found I really enjoyed it. It was challenging, I loved working with the clients and there was something different everyday, rather than sitting at a desk,” he said.

The most rewarding part of his job is when customers call him back.

“When we build a custom home, our clients continue to call us for maintenance and small repairs. Other times, we hear that someone has referred us to family or friends. That tells us we’re doing the job right.”

Kamil Suran • Suran Built Contracting Services • 30 N. Williams Street, Unit J Crystal Lake, IL • 815.444.1293 • www.suranbuilt.com

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Dr. Daniel Summerkamp Wants to be Your Trusted Partner in Health Specializing in Chiropractic Care, Functional Rehabilitation, and Active Release Techniques (ART), Summerkamp Spine & Joint Center is ready to serve the healthcare needs of you and your family.

Dr. Summerkamp combines these three primary treatment tools with advice and patient education. Not only does this allow patients to see results as quickly as possible, but more importantly, maintain those gains to achieve their health and performance goals.

Chiropractic Manipulation, also known as an adjustment, can restore proper joint motion and function. Dr. Summerkamp uses traditional hands on techniques, as well as Flexion-Distraction for disc injuries, and instrument assisted adjustments, for patients preferring a lighter touch.

Active Release Techniques is a new approach to diagnose and treat soft tissues, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves. “Medical research has shown ART as the most effective technique for treating soft tissue conditions.

It’s considered the gold standard and the treatment of choice for college, professional, and Olympic athletes,” Summerkamp said.

Our functional rehab program is designed to retrain your body how to move properly in order to fully address the majority of conditions and injuries. “While restoring strength and mobility is important, restoring proper muscle balance, coordination, and control is even more important,” he said.

Dr. Summerkamp holds a Doctorate of Chiropractic, from Logan College of Chiropractic, and is certified in ART-Spine, TMJ Dysfunction and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization.

Dr. Daniel Summerkamp • Summerkamp Spine & Joint Center • 4614 W. Algonquin Rd. Lake in the Hills, IL • 224.858.4996 • www.summerkampsjc.com

Fox Frame Shop Offers Outstanding Service and Selection Alana O’Connor’s passion for design has come home in the business she and her husband purchased five years ago.

The Fox Frame Shop in Woodstock offers full-service framing to showcase art, photos, needlework and more. The shop also creates custom collectable cases, does repairs, onsite consultations, and installation. “If a picture has fallen off the wall and broken, we can replace the glass. We really do it all,” she says.

Alana and her husband Don were friends with the frame shop’s previous owners, and after purchasing the business, the O’Connors added a computerized mat cutter, a vacuum assist dry mount machine, and all equipment needed to make the shop second to none.

“Design has always been what I’ve loved, so it’s turned out to be the perfect business. My only regret is that I didn’t do it thirty years ago,” she says.

Both she and Don handcraft the frames, but divide other responsibilities.

Don is primarily responsible for marketing, accounting and administrative aspects of the business, while Alana handles customer service and design.

The shop’s wide selection of high quality frames and outstanding customer service sets it apart from big-box competitors. “When customers come in, they can see hundreds of frames, and mat combinations, so whatever they’re looking for, we probably have it. And I’ll spend as much time as needed to make sure they’re happy with their choice,” she says.

Alana O’Connor • Fox Frame Shop • 226 West Judd Street, Woodstock, IL 815.338.5867 • www.foxframeshop.com

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Kitchens Reflect Clients Dreams “Creating the room of your dreams is my ultimate design goal,” said Julie Loehner, Certified Kitchen Designer and owner of Kitchens by Julie, Inc. In business since 2005, Kitchens by Julie specializes in customized kitchen and bath design. Loehner’s Cary showroom also carries designer accessories and furniture. “Our specialty is turn-key service. We can handle your project from start to finish, beginning with design, providing the products and full installation,” she said.

Loehner handles design and assisting clients as they choose the right products for their needs and budget. Her husband Mark handles the installation. “He’s very hands on and does a lot of the work himself,” she said.

She began her career as a Kitchen Designer 28 years ago, after graduating from college with a degree in Interior Design. “I love the challenge presented by each project. Every kitchen or bath is unique and so is every client. It’s so rewarding to help them pull it all together.”

Not only does a renovated kitchen or bath add to a home’s value, it also improves a homeowner’s quality of life. “This is a place you use every day. So many clients come in with rooms that were poorly designed, or have bad ethics and we can make them user-friendly and beautiful.”

It’s not just about following the latest trends, Loehner said. “It’s about creating a timeless room, because the kitchen is the heart of the home.”

Julie Loehner • Kitchens by Julie • 27-A Jandus Road, Cary, IL 847-516-2226 • www.kitchensbyjulie.com

Fitness Studio Owner Promotes Fun and Fitness Linda Costoff, owner and instructor of Intrigue Fitness , opened her women-only studio believing that fitness should be fun. “It’s a small, friendly studio created with the idea that women would enjoy coming here,” said Costoff.

Intrigue Fitness offers a variety of classes including three types of yoga, mat pilates, Zumba®, Turbo Kick®, Hula Hoop and Pole Dancing.

A former corporate branch manager, Costoff was a stay at home mom when she decided to liven up a stale fitness routine by taking a pole-dancing class. “All my friends kept asking me to teach them, so I decided to open my own business,” she said.

She describes pole dance as challenging and empowering. “It’s challenging because it’s very fitness oriented and really strengthens the core and upper body. It’s empowering because it puts women in touch with their sensuous side and helps them realize they can do things they didn’t think they could,” she said.

Hula hoop dancing not only tones the waist but works other parts of the body. “It works your arms, there are lifts, you move up and down. It’s fun and it burns a ton of calories,” she said.

The studio also offers private and group personal training. “Our trainers use equipment you can buy in a store, like kettlebells and resistance bands, so women can continue a fitness routine at home,” she said.

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Intrigue FitnessTM • 9115 Trinity Drive, Lake in the Hills, IL 60156 • 224.678.9943. www.intrigue-fitness.com

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McHenry Hair Dresser Has Lasting Impact When clients visit Kathy Devyak’s McHenry salon for the first time, they’re coping with more than a bad hair day. Devyak’s customers have lost or are losing their hair, as a result of hair thinning, illness or chemotherapy.

“I provide women with custom fitted and styled cranial prosthetics and hair systems that look natural, so they can look and feel good about themselves again,” said Devyak, owner of Kathleen’s Creative Experssions.

Because hair loss can be emotionally devastating for a woman, Devyak says her new clients are often frightened and upset. “Often, they’ve stopped going out, seeting friends. They don’t feel like anything can be done. But by the time we’re done, they have their self-esteem back and their life back,” she said.

Devyak grew up in the beauty industry. “My mom was a hair dresser and I became licensed when I was 19. I worked in a salon, but after about ten years, I realized I wanted to help others. That drew me into this,” she said.

She is also a volunteer at the SAGE cancer center each month, helping to measure women patients for wigs provided by the American Cancer Society.

Kathleen Devyak • Kathleen’s Creative Expressions • 665 Ridgeview Drive McHenry IL 815.759.0329 • www.kcexpressions.net

Lakewood Dentist “Leix” Bringing Back Smiles When patients visit Leix Dental, teeth aren’t the only thing that is checked. Dr. Leix and her staff also provide a thorough evaluation that includes taking patients blood pressure. “Many studies have shown a link between your dental health and your overall physical health.” We have been able to help patients through these findings by having them follow up and be treated by their physician,” said Leix.

In practice for a decade, she specializes in family and cosmetic dentistry. “Most of our patients live in the neighborhood and I like that.

This is a calm, welcoming office,” she said.

Through school, Leix knew she wanted to enter medicine, but wasn’t sure which area. “At first, I thought I’d like to be a pediatrician, but also knew I wanted to have the flexibility of having a family. Dentistry seemed like the right fit. Dentistry combines both science and art which I enjoy both,” she said.

Some patients want their smile restored picture-perfect, others prefer it just as it was. “Our goal is not only to please the patient but to restore their dental health,” Leix said.

Leix Dental • Dr. Leix • 8505 Redtail Drive, Suite J Lakewood, IL 60014 815.455.8186 • www.leixdental.com

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Mary Opfer, Broker, ASP® Staging Realtor RE/MAX Hall of Fame & Platinum Club Member Mary Opfer started her Real Estate Career in 1986 and has worked in the Northwest Suburbs for over 25 years. She is recognized as one of the Top 4 Realtors in McHenry County by the Heartland Realtors Association.

She has received numerous awards within the RE/MAX Organization having closed over 400 Million Dollars in Career Sales Volume. Her status as a Top Producer was also noted by Chicago Agent Magazine .

“I pride myself on excellent customer service and am very dedicated to my profession. I am committed to keeping up with the latest trends and technology. I realized early on in my career that it is crucial to be informed and educated on what’s happening in our industry and local marketplace as it effects every decision my client will have to make. A good portion of my business is based on referrals from past clients, business associates and friends. My reputation and integrity are very important to me and I work very hard to earn peoples trust. Real Estate isn’t just about buying and selling houses, we have a big responsibility to be a good resource for our clients.

Mary Opfer • RE/MAX Unlimited NW, LLC • CaryGrove/Crystal Lake 847-308-3724 • mopfer@mc.net • www.maryopfer.com Marzano’s Brings Authentic Italian Pizza to McHenry Named for one of the world’s most flavorful tomatoes, Marzano’s Wood fired Italian brings authentic Italian cuisine to McHenry County.

“The Marzano tomato is grown only in the San Marzano region of Italy.

It’s sweet, juicy, very red and the best tomato for making sauces, said Peter Kalantzis, the restaurant’s owner.

The tomatoes are just one of the authentic Italian ingredients used to create flavorful pasta dishes, appetizers, meat, seafood and vegetarian entrees, sandwiches and the restaurant’s signature dish, certified Neapolitan pizza.

Kalantzis received over 100 hours of rigorous training to become certified as a Neapolitan pizza maker. Made according to the strictest recipes and traditions, authentic Neapolitan pizza dough contains only flour, yeast, salt and water and is baked in a wood-fired oven imported from Italy. “The oven heats to about 1,000 degrees and the pizzas cook in about ninety seconds,” said Kalantzis.

The result is a flavorful, thin crust pizza with a chewy, rather than crisp crust. “It’s similar to New York style pizza, but not greasy, and made with fresh ingredients,” he said.

The pizzas are topped with creamy mozzarella cheese made at the restaurant.

Marzano’s is open for lunch, dinner and private parties.

Marzano’s Wood Fired Italian • 1501 South Route 31, McHenry, IL • 815.578.2000 www.marzanositalian.com

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Home State Bank Officer Brings Peace of Mind As a Vice President and Trust Officer with Home State Bank, one of Thomas Baranko’s responsibilities is guiding families through one of life’s most challenging times, the death of a loved one. He brings 18 years experience to this unique area of banking.

“We bring a sense of order to a disorderly time. People can be in a highly emotional state and rely on us for clear-headed administration of the numerous details connected with the estate. Having a third party administer one’s estate can diffuse emotional conflicts between family members. That’s often why we are appointed,” he said.

Trust departments willing to administer smaller estates have become something of a rarity. “As a community bank, we don’t turn away anyone who comes to us for fiduciary services,” he said.

Home State Bank’s Trust & Asset Management Group offers trustee services, estate administration, and can serve as the estate guardian for minors and disabled adults. Baranko also advises individuals and families on the transfer of wealth to future generations, and related services, such as investment management, retirement planning and land trusts. “As a trust officer, I wear several different hats,” he said.

Baranko became interested in estate planning during law school.

“Though I’m not practicing law, I can help clients understand estate plans, and parse through legalese to explain what the document actually says.”

Thomas Baranko • Home State Bank Trust & Asset Management Group • 611 S. Main Street, Crystal Lake, IL • 815.459.2000 • www.homestateonline.com

Creativity on Display at Chapel Hill Florist Linda Mahoney, owner of Chapel Hill Florist in McHenry loves when customers watch her at work. Her worktable is out in the open, not hidden in back, so customers can experience their bouquets and arrangements coming to life. “When kids come in, I like to give them a flower. It’s little things like this that makes this a friendly welcoming place,“ she said.

Celebrating our 20th anniversary, Chapel Hill is a full-service florist specializing in bridal flowers, funeral arrangements, special occasion flowers and gifts, tied bouquets and ready made arrangements.

Linda got her start in the floral business in her teens, working in Chicago. She loves the constant surprise of new products and changing styles, integrating classic favorites with bold new looks.

“We’re using a lot of purple, red, green and brown, very deep, rich colors for fall. Popular flowers are hydrangeas, dahlias, orchids and garden roses,” she said.

She continues her education in the floral industry, and enjoys her daily interactions with customers and using her creativity to brighten someone’s day.

“We thank our customers for their support of our local business these past 20 years and we’ll continue to create new ideas for years to come,” said Linda.

Linda Mahoney • Chapel Hill Florist • 2913 W. Route 120, McHenry, IL 815-344-0290 • www.chapelhillfloristil.com

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Abiding Spirit Center: Healthy body. Healthy mind. Inner peace.

Abiding Spirit Center promotes well-being and personal development through a variety of offerings.

Co-owners Lisa Tomoleoni and Michelle Tate are board certified and licensed acupuncturists and also Aikido instructors. “Through our clinic, Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, and martial arts school, Aikido Shimboku Dojo, we saw the need for a place where people could be empowered, develop and heal,” said Tomoleoni.

The Center draws on Traditional Chinese Medicine, Aikido, meditation and creativity. Classes focus on developing the whole person- physically, mentally and spiritually.

“Aikido is self-defense, which teaches us to be present in our own space, but not attached to it. It helps us realize the power of fluid flexibility, as well as gain insight to the strength of peacefulness,” said Tate.

The Center houses a Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic, for those who want to improve their health and quality of life.

A Tibetan-style meditation program, from Chicago’s Shambhala Center, teaches the basic goodness in every human being, which can be cultivated to radiate outward.

Tate and Tomoleoni are dedicated to helping people achieve physical wellness and emotional well-being, encouraging them to pursue new interests, including creative ones.

Tate is the author of the recently-published, “healing happens.” “The book is about the business of healing and the strength of personal empowerment,” she said.

“Everything we do emphasizes a mind-body-spirit connection and the relationships between ourselves and our world,” said Tate.

Abiding Spirit Center • 9225 Trinity Drive, Lake in the Hills, IL 60156 • 847.458.9309 www.abidingspiritcenter.org

Maynard Committed to Pioneer Center’s Future In a time of growing client needs and tight funds, social service organizations like McHenry County’s Pioneer Center for Human Services, face greater challenges than ever.

Pioneer Center serves approximately 3,000 clients, including individuals with disabilities, mental health challenges, and the homeless.

As President and CEO, Patrick Maynard PhD., wants that to continue.

He came to the Center in January, after thirty years in the not-for-profit sector. “My expertise is organizational turn-around and growth,” he said.

Like many not-for-profits, Pioneer Center faced serious challenges.

“The state owed us about $4 million and we had a significant deficit. We felt as though we had no control over our destiny.”

Maynard’s first six months at the Center were devoted to reorganization. “We negotiated with the state to get back about half of what they owed. Our reorganization unfortunately required some layoffs, but we were able to save all of our programs.”

In the midst of restructuring, Pioneer Center needed to step in to help clients who were displaced when Family Service closed. “We assumed about 70 percent of what Family Service had. I’m proud that we could do that,” he said.

With a budget now in the black, Maynard and Pioneer Center staff are moving forward, starting with an upcoming retreat and visioning. “We’ve regained control of our destiny; now we’re designing it.”

Patrick Maynard, PhD • Pioneer Center for Human Services 4001 W. Dayton, McHenry, IL • 815.344.1230 • www.pioneercenter.org

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Tackle Shop Owner Dave Kranz Lives His Dream Dave Kranz, owner of Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy in Crystal Lake is proud to say, “I have the best job in the world.”

In business since 1989, his store carries a wide selection of hunting gear, tackle, and bait. “I’ve got 2,000 square feet, packed with toys. It’s also my job to teach people to use their equipment, so they get the expertise of me and my staff. Everyone here has a passion for the outdoors,” he said.

Kranz is an accomplished bow hunter, and a competitive fisherman, participating in bass tournaments throughout Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.

Owning a bait and tackle shop is the fulfillment of a dream that began on a family fishing trip when Kranz was in fifth grade. “We went into this old cedar building, just crammed full of tackle, decoys, bait and an old yellow lab. I was in heaven and I knew I wanted to own something just like it, right down to the dog.” His red lab Diesel makes the picture complete.

Kranz’s weekly hunting and fishing report appears in the Northwest Herald. He’s also a frequent guest on Steve Sarley’s Outdoor Experience podcasts and WIND 560AM radio show.

He’s a popular speaker, too. In January 2013, he’ll appear at the New Chicagoland Fishing and Outdoor Expo, in Schaumburg. In February, 2013, catch him at the Great Outdoor Expo in Woodstock.

Dave Kranz • Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy 4419 Route 176, Crystal Lake, IL • 815-455-2040

County Clerk Wears Many Hats When Katherine Schultz, McHenry County Clerk, began her career in county government, property taxes were calculated by hand.

“This was before computers. We had calculators. That was it,” said Schultz, who joined the County Clerk’s office as a staff member in 1959 and was elected McHenry County Clerk for the first time in 1990.

Not only has Schultz calculated property tax levies, she’s worked in voter registration, programmed punch card voting systems, and handled numerous other tasks. “I can’t think of anything in our office I haven’t done,” she said.

The Clerk’s office has the most diverse responsibilities in county government, she said. “In addition to overseeing everything to do with the elections, and extending taxes, we’re also responsible for vital records that include births, deaths, marriages and civil unions, we record and register all notaries in the county, keep records of all the bills paid by the county and take minutes for the County Board,” Schultz said.

Of her many duties, Schultz said her favorites are those pertaining to elections. “I find the election process fascinating and always feel a real sense of accomplishment. There’s also the fact that everyone has a right to vote, even though they may not use it,” she said.

Office of the County Clerk, McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock, IL Room 107, 815.334.4242. www.co.mchenry. il.us/departments/countyclerk

Katherine Schultz • McHenry County Clerk • 667 Ware Road, Woodstock, IL Room 107 815.334.4242 • www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/countyclerk

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State Farm Representative Puts People First “People first” is the focus and philosophy of Don Devine State Farm.

Doing what is best for the client is priority number one.

With over 23 years of caring for his clients, Don Devine has developed a systematic approach to taking care of each individual and family he represents. Caring for their coverage needs—home, auto, business, health—and making sure they are protected properly is what is really important to him.

“We sit down together and discuss their needs and their goals. I ask them questions, they ask me questions and from there, we create a customized plan,” he said.

Don leads his team by example, modeling his unique method of listening, understanding and responding to people, with counseling, advice and direction to resolve their needs.

“It’s all built on trust and relationships. We’ve grown by referrals, more than anything else. When I learn that someone has referred a friend to me, that makes me feel good,” he said.

To Don Devine, staff members are people too. Each member of his team is mentored and guided to realize their personal and professional goals. Demonstrating real care and a custom approach to insurance needs, the professionals at Don Devine’s office really are your good neighbors.

Don Devine State Farm Insurance • 6207 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake, IL 60014-7932 (815) 455-7111 • www.don.devine.cisk@statefarm.com

Steffan’s Suzanne Cannon Considers Customers Friends Suzanne Cannon was the rare teen that knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. She even wrote it in her yearbook.

These days, she’s doing just what she hoped, as president and owner of Steffan’s Jewelers, Inc. in McHenry. Her grandparents, Harold and Theresa Steffan, started the business in 1946. Cannon bought it in 1992. “I’m the third generation to own it.”

Cannon isn’t the only family member behind the counter. Her sister Kathy has worked there thirty years, Cannon’s son Max and niece Karly, represent the fourth generation in the business. “It kind of gets in your blood.”

Steffan’s Jewelers carries high quality loose diamonds and gemstones, offers custom design, appraisal and repairs for fine jewelry and watches.

A graduate gemologist, Cannon is vigilant about the quality and authenticity of the gems she sells. “I make sure our designers use reputable sources that are respectful to the environment,” she said.

An influx of convincing synthetic stones can be problematic for inexperienced shoppers, who may not realize what they are buying. She says that constant watch for quality, and a dedicated, knowledgeable staff, are among the advantages her store offers.

“I see what comes in and what goes out. Since I live here in the community, I’m selling to friends and it’s very important they get the best products, which are what they’re supposed to be,” she said.

Suzanne Cannon • Steffan’s Jewelers, Inc. • 325 N. Front St. (Rte 31), McHenry, Illinois 815-385-6070 • www.steffansjewelers.com

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DeAnna Kell

You don’t have to look your age – you can look younger and healthier.

That’s the message DeAnna Kell wanted to share when she opened Elite Laser and Skin Spa in Algonquin in 2009. As a medical spa that specializes in prolonging the appearance and life of an individual’s skin through state-ofthe-art skin and laser procedures, Elite Laser and Skin Spa helps its clients incorporate an effective skin care rejuvenation regimen into their lifestyle that can greatly enhance the age of their skin. “The skin’s natural ability to keep itself looking youthful and in good shape diminishes over time,” DeAnna says. “We assist men and women by providing personalized and non-surgical approaches to anti-aging skin.”

DeAnna works with a highly-trained professional team of licensed estheticians, certified laser technicians, a registered nurse and a boardcertified plastic surgeon. Clients receive treatments in an environment that is as comfortable as their own home, and they have peace of mind knowing their privacy will be respected. “We realize you have a choice of med spas, and we believe you will find what you are looking for at Elite,” Deanna says.

DeAnna gained valuable experience in the Gold Coast of Chicago, working at a medical spa and a high-end plastic surgeon’s office off of Michigan Avenue. Today, she is highly-trained to assist men and women of all skin types. She has performed skin care treatments for Playboy models local celebrities, and reality TV Stars. She looks forward to meeting and helping you retain your skin’s natural beauty.

Elite Laser and Skin Spa | 1482 Merchant Drive Algonquin, IL 60102 | 847-658-5858 www.elitelaserandskinspa.com

Writer Puts Words to Work for Business Writer Elizabeth Harmon of Crystal Lake considers herself a story-teller.

Even when what she writes is factual.

“When i interview someone, they’ll often say, ‘oh, I’m not very interesting,’ but that simply isn’t true. Everyone has a story to tell,” Harmon said.

Whether it’s business writing such as advertorials, brochures or webstie content; or features for newspapers or magazines, Harmon strives to highlight what makes her subject unique and accessible.

“My marketing background enables me to focus on key selling points, and the things which make a business stand out. It’s also rewarding to help those outside a particular industry get beyone the jargon and understand that industry better,” she said.

A graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign, Harmon has worked as an advertising copywriter, market planner and account executive. Since 1995, she has been a freelance journalist and business writer. Her work has appeared in major local and regional publications and online.

She’s covered topics ranging from tourism, parenting, personal and business finance, education, heavy manufacturing, the trucking industry and more. She is also an occasional blogger, and the author of two novels.

“I love what I do because it gives me a chance to tel so many wonderful stories,” Harmon said.

Elizabeth Harmon Communications • 208 Rosedale, Crystal Lake, IL • 815-356-8564 www.elizabethharmononline.com • www.allgoodthingsmchenrycounty.com

fashion & beauty

MANLY 4 Heavy black rubber and silver necklaces are fashionable for men right now.

jewelry?

For decades, men wore watches … and maybe a wedding band. That was it for jewelry except, on rare occasion, cufflinks when they dressed up.

However, with the explosion of new metals and designers making a splash in the men’s jewelry arena, things are changing quickly. Choices are becoming abundant with masculine pendants, rings, bracelets and more.

6 Pictured are the Titanium Hardwood Ring and the Titanium Aluminum Camo. These may appeal to the man who is looking for something other than mainstream material and design.

Men’s jewelry can be found to enhance and accessorize a man’s casual look or a sophisticated style. Combinations of metals with leather or rubber also are hot commodities that have an inexpensive price tag, says Bret Dougherty of Studio 2015 in Woodstock.

“Guys are really starting to step out a little more and become more fashionable when it comes to jewelry,” he says. “They are wearing silver, silver with leather or just straight up leather bracelets. These are some things that separate them out from everyone else.”

BrAceLets, wAtches MAke A coMeBAck

Inside Studio 2015’s cases, a vast selection of men’s bracelets of all different styles and

materials are selling quite quickly.

“You can buy braided ones or a very popular brand called From Soldier to Soldier,” Dougherty says. “They are made of paracord — a thin cord used a lot on military uniforms. The bracelets are $100 each, and the company donates $20 to the Disabled Veterans Fund for each bracelet sold.”

Sterling silver is predominantly the material used in higherend men’s bracelets, and stainless steel for the lower end, he says.

Sculptor David Heston has become a popular designer in the men’s jewelry line, especially with his masculine bracelets.

“Some celebrities wear his pieces,” Dougherty says. “[Ken] Griffey Jr. never takes his bracelet off. Heston’s success is because he also does a lady’s line, which is much more dainty. Women see what he offers them and then

By LEE NELSON Photos by HEAtHER NELSON

taken at Studio 2015 in Woodstock

look at his men’s items and say, ‘I think I will get this for my husband.’”

It is definitely becoming acceptable for men to wear bracelets today, Dougherty says.

“Everybody wants to ride a Harley, and that [has] really been the big eye opening for men’s jewelry,” he says.

“Harley guys always wore the big, chunky style with skulls engraved in the jewelry. They had barbed wire-looking tattoos and wore leather vests.”

Designers are toning that sort of look down, but they are combining metals with leather or rubber and putting manly touches on bracelets and other pieces.

Watches have made a big comeback at Steffan’s Jewelry in McHenry.

“The guys like the oversized watches,” says Steffan’s owner, Suzanne Cannon.

“We had a whole generation of younger kids who didn’t use watches because they used their phones to tell time. But the last few years, watch buying has come back with a vengeance.”

Guys are going for the more sporty and chunky looks with mostly black dials or normal colored dials, not the bright white or flashy colors that women tend to opt for, she says.

Dougherty, meanwhile, says that technology is making its way to watches.

The Citizen brand will be adding Bluetooth to its watches soon, which will allow people to sync them with their smartphone.

hot New MetALs

Within the last few years, tungsten has become a big metal seller along with cobalt and titanium, especially in wedding bands, Cannon says.

“They are less expensive,” she says. “They weren’t able to set stones in tungsten, but now they can. They can be beautiful.”

Her store still does a majority of its business in platinum, which currently is priced below gold per ounce. However, platinum is much heavier than gold, which means the same ring made of platinum could cost more than the one of gold because of its weight.

5 Money clips have remained a top seller, especially as gifts for graduations, anniversaries and other life events.

“With the rise in gold prices, it is different for men to buy a nice gold band because men’s rings are wider and heavier and more expensive than a woman’s,” Dougherty says.

A basic titanium ring typically runs $100 to $150, he says. A gold band would start at $1,800.

“Tungsten and titanium are extremely durable,” Dougherty says. “They both have their pluses and minuses. Both can never be sized, but the lines we carry have a lifetime exchange. You pay a small fee — like $25 — and we send the ring back to the company and they send a brand new one in a new size.”

other optioNs

When it comes to accessorizing the neck, men usually select heavier chains and hang their dog tags or some other important piece of jewelry from it.

Crosses are still the most popular choice among men, Cannon says.

“Crosses are still very big — I think they always will be,” she says.

Money clips also have remained a top seller, especially

as gifts for graduations, anniversaries and other life events, Dougherty says.

Every once in a while, a man will come in and buy a nice masculine ring or pendant with a gem in it, he adds, or a watch with a diamond or two on the dial.

Who typically purchases men’s jewelry?

Dougherty says he sees a 50-50 split between women buying jewelry for the men in their lives and men buying it for themselves. mc 3(Center) Men’s bracelets of all different styles and materials are selling quite quickly.

6 (Below) Oversized watches are making a comeback.

fashion & beauty

5 Ron Ferraro applies Halloween makeup to the face of Amy Heinzinger of Wauconda.

Get In The SPirit

What’s the best way to apply Halloween makeup?

Slowly, say fans of the holiday and all it entails.

“I’m talking an hour and a half if need be,” says Ron Ferraro, owner of Fantasy Festival in Algonquin, who has done more than his share of dressing up.

Ferraro remembers dressing up as a man from outer space in 1951, donning makeup and covering his eyes with his mother’s torn nylon stockings. Spirit gum, an adhesive popular for Halloween costumes, kept the top of a flashlight mounted to the middle of his forehead.

Wires through his hair and down his back connected to batteries so he could flash light into the eyes of those who answered the door. A vacuum cleaner hose rounded out the costume as his breathing apparatus.

“I’ve been into makeup for a long time,”

By JAMi KUNZER Photos by JEFF KRAGE

he says.

In the costume business for 29 years, Ferraro predicts zombies and vampires will be big again this year when it comes to costumes that require makeup.

“There have been a number of zombie movies,” he says. “A zombie gets to act stupid, so it’s an excuse. All you have to do is stumble around going, ‘Brains, brains.’”

However, he

does note a few good tips that should elicit a good reaction from the crowd.

Use spirit gum to glue plastic fishing worms and candy gummy worms to your face, Ferraro says, because after all, you’ve

been in a grave awhile.

Then every once in awhile, pluck off a gummy worm and toss it in your mouth, he says. People will love it.

Ferraro offers up additional tips — especially for those using makeup — to really show off this Halloween.

• When using spirit gum, paint it on your face or body and splash off the solvent until your finger starts to stick. Then put the piece in place, whether it be a fake mustache or a gummy worm. The alcohol in the product pulls moisture from your skin and you’ll end up with mud if you don’t splash it off, he says. “And you get the old comedy routine of the mustache falling down,” he adds.

• For other adhesives, corn syrup and flour can work and will wash off with soap and water, but it will sweat off. Remember, with any liquid latex, it will pull hair when peeled off. Even girls must take note, Ferraro says. They might not think they have hair on their face, but even the very fine hair hurts when pulled off, he says. And always test liquid latex to make sure you don’t have an allergy by trying it on a wrist first.

• To remove the adhesive, use spirit gum remover or even rubbing alcohol if you’re having trouble, he says.

• Powder-based makeup works best, whether it’s water- or grease-based, he says. “That allows you to scratch if you have an itch,” he says. Plus, you can put a second color over it without the two blending. Press the makeup in place using a powder puff or even an old sweat sock, but don’t brush it.

• Use non-transparent makeup that covers a face easily. “Street makeup is not good for Halloween,” he says. “For theatrical use and Halloween, you want something to cover, like using paint.”

• A mistake people frequently make is using too much makeup, Ferraro says. A face only requires a spot of good, quality makeup on a forehead, each cheek and a chin. “The pigment is so heavy, it will cover without putting on a real thick coat,” he says.

• To remove cream makeup, use soap and water. For pancake makeup or hard-pressed makeup, use a wet sponge and water. A more grease-based makeup might require baby oil to remove. “If you’re in a real pinch, you can use margarine,” he says.

• As for wigs, wear a wig cap underneath to keep your hair in place, unless, of course, you’re bald. And put the wig on front to back as opposed to the other way around.

• Colored hair sprays are handy, but don’t use them if you’ve had your hair bleached recently. “The more recent the bleach job, the more you’re asking for problems,” Ferraro says. An example would be a recently bleached blond spraying her hair red. Her hair likely would turn orange once washed, he says.

Otherwise, the sprays wash out with shampoo. And the heavier the spray, the better, he notes. If you spray it in your hand and it runs off, it might not work well.

• To make your hair stand on end, most gels and hair sprays work. “I have a product that is a gel that you mix when you’re using it, and it glows in the dark,” he says. mc

3 Starting on the opposite page, Amy Heinzinger of Wauconda gets transformed into a zombie by Ron Ferraro during a Halloween makeup session at Fantasy Festival.

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

87

Real Estate is the Hottest New Investment lf you’ve ever thought about investing in real estate, this could be the perfect time.

With low interest rates,plus a strong buyers market due to foreclosures and short sales, there are plenty of great properties available at great prices. There are more renters in the market looking for good homes, resulting from housing loss as well as tighter lending standards.

What’s more, buying the right properties offers opportunities for tax savings, as well as creating a great source of additional income and positive cash flow.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, real estate value increased steadily between 1940 and 2006. Though it fluctuated between 2008 and 2010, in some areas it is slowly rebounding at a steady pace.

But buying investment property as a rental differs a little from buying a residence. First, get pre-qualified through a lender to learn what you can afford, especially if you own another home. Then contact a local Realtor, familiar with the rental and investmentpropertymarket.Choose a property in a desirable location.

The best rentals are usually close to town, public transportation,

schools, shopping and restaurants.

Consideringacondoortownhouse? Review the association’s declarations and bylaws prior to purchasing, to make sure rentals are allowed. Also, know the expectations for owners and tenants.

Once you’ve found the right property, consider repairs and maintenance, then budget accordingly. Will you or your tenants cut the grass? Who pays utilities, association dues, etc.? Are you handy enough to tackle plumbing and electrical fixes, or will you need to budget for a professional? If you are a long-distance landlord, consider hiring a professional manager to work with tenants and contractors. Check with your insurance company,

as this might be a requirement.

Since there are fees involved, be sure to budget for them.

Good tenants can mean the difference between a steady, positive cash flow, or dealing with late rent, evictions and expensive repairs. Before extending a lease, run background and credit checks, including talking with previous landlords or tenants’ references.

If you prefer not to be a landlord, but have a talent for home improvement, consider “flipping.”Seek reasonably priced or distressed properties in desirable areas that will attract buyers once improvements are made.

Again, budgeting is crucial. The cost of the home, plus planned

improvements, should equal a reasonable profit. Include your own labor costs, as no one wants to work for nothing. Your Realtor can help determine the “as is” value at purchase, and the projected market price after improvements.

Not every property is a great investment, so do your homework before signing on the dotted line.

As with any investment, there’s no guarantee of profit, but the best place to start is with a RealEstateprofessional.Aknowledgeable agent can connect you with other real estate investors, construction professionals, property inspectors and attorneys. A good team, solid knowledge and the right property can create an investment that builds wealth for years to come.

Mary Opfer

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women of distinction

of WOMEN distinction

Inaugural Winner:

Lorraine Kopczynski

In May, seven local women were named McHenry County Magazine’s inaugural Women of Distinction for being representative role models as leaders in their fields and communities. Each month through December, we will feature one Woman of Distinction and share her story.

Lorraine Kopczynski

Champion went back to school to further her own education. She has completed her associate’s degree and is working on a bachelor’s degree now.

“I think most people feel the way I do,” Champion says. “She was a good role model.”

For her dedication to serving the needy in the McHenry County area through Pioneer Center, Kopczynski was chosen as the recipient of one of seven inaugural McHenry County Magazine Women of Distinction Awards. She was awarded with her fellow winners at a luncheon May 15 at McHenry Country Club, where more than 200 people supported their fellow community leaders.

City of residence: McHenry Organization/company/corporation: Recently retired from Pioneer Center for Human Services Title: President/CEO wenty-six years to the day that Lorraine Kopczynski started as a caseworker at Pioneer Center for Human Services in McHenry, she retired as the organization’s president and CEO. It was just this past March when she left, but her impact will be felt for a long time, says Tracy Champion, Kopczynski’s executive assistant of six years.

“I think it would have a very different look to it if she hadn’t been here,” Champion says of the center. “She’s really left a good footprint in the county.”

Pioneer Center is a nonprofit aimed at working with children and adults with developmental disabilities to help them explore opportunities for personal accomplishment through education, vocational and community participation. It provides direct services to more than 2,700 individuals.

T

Working her way up

In 1986, Kopczynski started as a caseworker with Pioneer Center.

“I had just moved up here, and I had answered an ad for working with [those with] developmental disabilities,” she says. “I went over to apply, [and there was] an opening for a caseworker for mental health … . I just loved being able to help people and loved being able to see that with a little bit of help, they could do real well.”

She worked her way up to program manager, and after earning a master’s degree in business management in 1992 – all while raising three children with her husband, Joe – Kopczynski became a program director at Pioneer Center, eventually becoming associate director in the late ’90s and finally CEO. Champion notes that during Kopczynski’s tenure, the former CEO was able to maintain the financial stability of the center – and help grow – even in the midst of• August economic crisis.

66 itMcHenry 90 County Magazine October 2012 2012

Success story

The opening of Sweet Repeats Thrift Shoppe in Huntley, for example, has provided additional consistent revenue to the center.

Kopczynski also helped merge several programs with Pioneer Center, including: • Public Action to Deliver Shelter, or PADS, in 2006 – the largest provider of shelter and services to McHenry County’s men, women and children who have become homeless, with seven emergency church shelters and a year-around shelter located at the Day Services Center on Kishwaukee Valley Road in Woodstock • VOICE Sexual Assault Program in 2007 – the county’s only certified sexual assault services program • Children’s Center for Autism – also known as Sage House, which is a therapeutic group home for children ages 6 to 22 • Youth Service Bureau in 2010 – a division of Pioneer Center that provides counseling services among other programming for children and their parents All of these programs have increased the services Pioneer Center has been able to offer those in McHenry County, Champion says.

But Kopczynski also helped people grow individually at Pioneer Center, a trait that was not lost on those around her.

“She saw people’s strengths and weaknesses and really encouraged them to do what they were best at,” Champion says. “She saw them blossom, but helped them along the way.”

In fact, it was at Kopczynski’s urging that

Kopczynski says she worked at Pioneer Center long enough to understand what its services have done for McHenry County residents, and she has dozens of feel-good stories that warm her heart.

But a few stand out.

“I think one of my favorite stories is watching a girl who was severely mentally ill go out into [the work force],” Kopczynski says. “She got a job in a community pet store, and she was able to become such a good worker, she was worker of the month.”

That wasn’t all, she adds. The girl worked so hard, she became worker of the year and was awarded a trip to Disney World for her efforts.

“I don’t think people realized her potential,” Kopczysnki says. “Just by having a job coach help her ... I think that was outstanding.”

She’s quick to point out that such success stories have only been possible because of the people who volunteer and work at Pioneer Center.

“I have to say that I think Pioneer Center has always had the most remarkable staff ever,” Kopczynski says. “They are so dedicated … they care about enriching people’s lives and helping them out however they can. It’s one thing to be CEO, but you can only be as good as the staff you have you behind you, and I have always admired the staff we have.”

“And now it’s time for someone else to move the organization,” she says. “I am certainly enjoying my retirement.” mc

— McHenryCountyMagazine.com

By Stephanie N. Grimoldby

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McHenryCountyMagazine.com

October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

91

October Arts & Events In McHenry County ARTS

Oct. 5 through 27 — “Crazy For You,” 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., in Woodstock This musical tells the tale of Bobby Child, a well-to-do 1930s playboy, who has only one dream in life: to dance.

And despite the serious efforts of his mother and soonto-be-ex-fiancée, Bobby pursues his dream all the way to Deadrock, Nev., and meets the girl of his dreams. Tickets are $23 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. For tickets and more information, visit www.woodstockoperahouse. com.

Oct. 5 — First Friday Concert: Potts and Pans, 7 p.m. at the Lost Valley Visitor Center in Glacial Park, 6316 Harts Road, in Ringwood Potts and Pans Steelband is based out of Woodstock and comprised of Northern Illinois University graduates that were a part of the NIU Steelband. The repertoire of the steelband is extensive, from jazz and calypso to popular tunes and original works. For more information, visit www. mccdistrict.org.

Oct. 5 — Nashville Backstage: A Country Cabaret Series, 8 p.m. at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., in Crystal Lake This cabaret-style series originally started in partnership with Blue Bird Cafe under the guidance of Michael Bush, modeled after the Grand Ole Opry, featuring some of the hottest acts to come out of Tennessee today. Nashville Backstage features A-list songwriters representing the very best in America. For tickets or more information, call 815356-9212 or visit rauecenter.org.

Oct 12 — Happy Wanderers German Band, 8 p.m.

Join Us for Ladies Night Out

at the Barrington Area Library, 505 N. Northwest Highway, in Barrington Celebrate Oktoberfest Second Friday’s style at the Barrington Area Library! The Happy Wanderers are a traditional German band playing your favorites. Registration is required. To register or for more information, call 847-3821300 or visit www.barringtonarealibrary.org.

Oct. 13 through 21 — “Into the Woods,” 7 p.m.

Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays at the Cosman Theatre, 12015 Mill St., in Huntley “Into the Woods” features main characters from the classic fairytales “Cinderella,” “Rapunzel,” “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Little Red Riding Hood,” and are tied together by a more original story involving a baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family. While everyone is familiar with the traditional fairytale ending of happily ever after, this musical follows these stories even further to explore the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. Tickets are $23 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. For tickets or more information, call 847-931-4233 or visit www.greenroomtheater.com.

Oct. 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27 — “The Rocky Horror Show,” 8 p.m. at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., in Crystal Lake This is the musical that launched a worldwide cult following, so dig out your fishnets, sharpen your stilettos and let’s do the “Time Warp” again at Raue Center! For tickets and more information, visit www.rauecenter.org.

Oct. 25 — Atlantic Harp Duo, 7 p.m. at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., in Woodstock Experience the unique combination of two harps in an evening of music infused with Latin flair. Tickets are $20 for

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92 McHenry County Magazine • October 2012

adults and $18 for seniors and students. For tickets or more information, visit www.woodstockoperahouse.com.

Oct. 28 — “Dracula,” 2 p.m. at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., in Woodstock Renowned storyteller Jim May and Nippersink Stories Inc. presents “Dracula,” perfect for a little fright before Halloween. Experience the emotional thrill of Bram Stoker’s gothic masterpiece in this elegantly horrific one-woman show by Megan Wells. Tickets are $23 for adults, $18 for seniors and $12 for students. For tickets or more information, visit www.woodstockoperahouse.com.

EVENTS

Oct. 1 through 31 — Lost Valley Ventures: Migrations, 2 p.m. Saturdays (no program Oct. 20) at the Lost Valley Visitor Center in Glacial Park, 6316 Harts Road, in Ringwood This program includes a nature lesson, game and a hike.

Programs take place primarily outdoors, so dress for the weather and walking. No registration is required. All ages are welcome. For more information, visit www.mccdistrict. org.

Oct. 4 through 8 — Marengo Settlers Days, at various locations in Marengo Attractions will include a parade, carnival, band competition, craft show, food, music and many other entertainment venues. For a full schedule or for more information, visit www.settlersdays.com.

Oct. 6 — Iron Invasion, 8 a.m. at the McHenry County Fairgrounds, 1050 Country Club Road, in Woodstock Get ready! The Iron Invasion hits the McHenry County Fairgrounds. This is a traditional hot rod custom and cycle show featuring pre-1965 hot rods and customs and pre-1975 motorcycles (choppers and bobbers). There also will be live music, a swap meet, a pin-up contest and more. For a full schedule or more information, visit www.ironinvasion.com.

Oct. 6 — Oktoberfest, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Lakefront Park, 71 Nippersink Blvd., in Fox Lake Don’t miss Fox Lake’s Oktoberfest celebration, featuring live entertainment, kids activities and a food and beer tent.

For more information, visit www.foxlake.org.

Oct. 7 — Fall Bass Derby, 6 a.m. at Wonder Center Beach, at E. Lake Shore Drive and McCullom Lake Road, in Wonder Lake The entry fee $30 a boat, with two people a team. There is an optional big bass competition for a $5 additional fee.

Winning participants will receive 70 percent of the entry fees and the remaining 30 percent will go toward restocking the lake. One teammate must be a resident of Wonder Lake.

For more information, visit wonderlakesportsmansclub.org.

Oct. 7 — Cider Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the McHenry County Historical Museum, 6422 Main St., in Union This festival will feature musical entertainment by Charlie B and Friends between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. along with displays and demonstrations of old tools, courtesy of independent collectors and from members of the Midwest Tool Collectors Association. Visitors also can watch a barn raising beginning at 12:30 p.m. Throughout the day, there will be harvest demonstrations, including broom making and old fashioned cider making. An apple goodies bakery, kettle corn, book, antique clothing and white elephant sale and food will be available. For more information, visit www.mchsonline.org.

Oct. 7 — Harvest Tea, 12:30 p.m. at Colonel Palmer House, 660 E. Terra Cotta Road, in Crystal Lake Enjoy a sumptuous luncheon tea, a presentation on the “Art of Tea” by Vern DuPlain and an exhibit of hats from an era gone by. Palmer family and Palmer House history will

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

be presented by Sandy Price. Register online in advance at www.crystallakeparks.org.

Oct. 10 — Ladies Night Out, 5 p.m. at Park Place, 406 W. Woodstock St., in Crystal Lake The Crystal Lake Park District has put together a fun collection of everything a girl wants — drink specials, raffles, purses, jewelry, chocolate and more. For more information, visit www.crystallakeparks.org.

Oct. 13 — Truck or Treat, 10 a.m. at Crystal Lake Main Beach, 300 Lake Shore Drive, in Crystal Lake Kids can come dressed in their Halloween costumes and see all kinds of big trucks and vehicles. They are invited to climb aboard and see how they work. Bring a treat bag as there will be goodies by each truck. This is a great photo opportunity! For more information, visit www. crystallakeparks.org.

Oct. 14 — Run and Role for the Dole, 7 a.m. at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park, 401 Country Club Road, in Crystal Lake Bring out the entire family, friends and neighbors to participate in the fourth annual Run and Roll at the Dole!

With two options for participation, now everyone can enjoy the beautiful neighborhood surrounding the Dole Mansion while supporting a great community organization. Register as an individual or as a team. Teams consist of one runner and one cyclist. The teams can be all male, all female or co-ed. Racers must be 14 or older. To register or for more information, visit www.imathlete.com/events/EventDetails. aspx?fEID=12593.

Oct. 14 — Barrington Area Crop Walk, 12:30 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Atonement, 909 E. Main St., in Barrington In honor of the 30 years friends and neighbors have walked to raise awareness about hunger, the committee has set a goal of a 30 percent increase above last year’s total of $39,000. For more information, call 630-212-5816 or email cropwalk55@yahoo.com.

Oct. 17 — Historic Halloween, 7 p.m. at the McHenry County Historical Museum, 6422 Main St., in Union What better place than the darkened spaces of the McHenry County Historical Society Museum to learn about the paranormal? Join the founder and lead investigator of the McHenry County Paranormal Research Group, Tony Olszewski, as he talks “Ghosts and Spirits — What’s the Difference?” He’ll also take the audience into the world of paranormal field research. For more information, visit www. mchsonline.org.

Oct. 18 — Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, 7 p.m. at the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn, 800 S. Route 31, in Crystal Lake Grab your girlfriends and join the Cary Grove Area Chamber of Commerce. With a $20 ticket bought in advance, enjoy a performance by Jim and Justin of Modern Day Romeos, one drink ticket, appetizers, a wine tasting, shopping with 50 vendors and door prizes all night! For more information, contact the chamber at 847-639-2800 or visit www.carygrovechamber.com.

Oct. 19, 20 and 21 — Autumn Drive, 9 a.m. each day, starting at 16105 Garden Valley Road, in Woodstock This year, 13 neighbors will open their barns and studios to the public on and around Garden Valley Road in rural Woodstock and Marengo. This annual festival offers treasures and fun for the whole family. Antiques, arts, crafts and food of all kinds will be on sale. The farmers will have apples, pumpkins, squash and other fall produce available.

For more information, call 815-923-2529 or visit www. autumndrive.net.

Oct. 19 and 20 — Dearly Departed, 6 p.m. at Colonel Palmer House, 660 E. Terra Cotta Road, in Crystal Lake This major mystery in the 1920s gave the local townspeople plenty to speculate about. A body was found floating in our lake? How did it get there? Who was the victim? Was a crime committed? It was during this time McHenryCountyMagazine.com

or email info@stpaulsucccl.org or visit the website www. stpaulsucccl.org.

Oct. 21 — Care4 Breast Cancer 5k Run/Walk, 7 a.m. at Woodstock North High School, at 3000 Raffel Road, in Woodstock Take part in this great event, benefitting The Family Health Partnership Breast Cancer Fund. To register or for more information, call 815-334-8987, ext. 25, or visit www. hpclinic.org.

Oct. 21 — Hound Town Halloween Bash, 2 p.m. at Lippold Park, on Route 176 in Crystal Lake Dress your dog in Halloween fashion and come out for an afternoon of fun and doggy trick or treating. Pet owners are welcome to bring treats to share. This is a free event, and you do not have to be a member of Hound Town to participate. For more information, visit www. crystallakeparks.org.

Oct. 25 — Pumpkin Carving with Dad, 7 p.m. at Grand Oaks Child Care, 1401 W. Route 176, in Crystal Lake Dad and kids will love carving their pumpkin, and moms will love not having to clean up the mess! This is open to kids ages 3 to 5 and their dads. It is $5 each dad/child combo. To register or for more information, visit www. crystallakeparks.org.

Oct. 26 — CASA Cup: A Night at the Races 2012, 7 p.m. at Turnberry Country Club, 9600 Turnberry Trail, in Lakewood The night includes exciting broomstick horse racing, casino games, beer tasting, raffles and more! Tickets are $50. This fundraiser benefits CASA of McHenry County, a non-profit advocating for safe, permanent homes for abused and neglected children in McHenry County. For more information, visit www.casamchenrycounty.org. mc

of prohibition that the underworld, corruption and sale of bootleg alcohol became part of our residents’ lives — even in McHenry County. Become part of the story as you move through the historic home and meet with early 20th century residents as they reveal the facts of the matter. For tickets or more information, call 815-455-1151 or visit www.cl-hs. org.

Oct. 20 and 21 — Trail of History, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Glacial Park, 6316 Harts Road, in Ringwood Interpreters from across the country portray and demonstrate life as it was from 1670 to 1850 in the former Northwest Territory, which encompasses present day Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and portions of eastern Minnesota. The event’s focus is to show the interrelationship between nature, man and cultural development. Tickets are available in advance for $5 for adults and $2 for seniors and children ages 6 to 12. For more information, visit www.mccdistrict.org.

Oct. 20 — Book Sale by Friends of the Barrington Library, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. at the Barrington Area Library, 505 N. Northwest Highway, in Barrington Stop by the Friends of the Library’s Book Sale and find great values for all ages. For more information, call 847-3821300 or visit www.barringtonarealibrary.org.

Oct. 20 — Country Craft Fair, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Paul’s UCC Church, 485 Woodstock St., in Crystal Lake There will be approximately 50 area crafters at this 39th annual craft fair, a drawing for a hand-sewn vintage (1940s) Dresden Plate quilt, a handcrafted walnut quilt rack, tickets to a production at Raue Center, a portrait package from Inspire Photography and a Christmas-themed gift basket. There also will be a silent auction, with more than 150 items on which to bid. There will be food available. The event is free and the church is handicapped accessible. For more information, contact the church at 815-459-5096

for additional calendar events and updated details, visit www. planitnorthwest.com.

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October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine

93

oUr town: LAKE IN THE HILLS

lITH: Where Joyful Living Awaits You Lake in the Hills officially incorporated as a village in 1952, but its history stems back to the 1800s. Bob and Arden Spooner, president and treasurer of the Lake in the Hills Historical Society, respectively, recently sat down with McHenry County Magazine Editor Stephanie N. Grimoldby to talk about the first important settlers to the area and how it became the village it is today.

MC: Are there any significant properties in Lake in the Hills today?

Bob Spooner: The Labahn-Hain House is [on the north side of Woods Creek] Lake, and it’s from the Labahn farmstead in the 1870s … and that farmstead … is a significant place to the village because it’s one of the original farms that was in this area, and it was built on the stream. This was just a creek back here [before it became Woods Creek Lake].

That Labahn-Hain House [also] is significant because we restored it, and it’s now a public building with an 800-square-foot community room, with a walking porch 25 feet from the water, [and a] 30-place parking lot with a boat ramp right over there on the lake. [It’s] a two-story farmhouse restored exactly as it was in 1870. And then the meeting room we replicated somewhat.

The village condemned the property in the 1980s, and in ‘95-96, the village was planning to burn it down [for a fire training], and Arden and a group of others, original residents, said no, no, no, you can’t burn it down. There’s a silo over there and people remember the barn being there.

MC: What happened to the property over the years?

Bob Spooner: Judge [Walter J.] LaBuy, for whatever reason, he discovered the area, because it was not Lake in the Hills [yet] … . He was a federal judge in the city of Chicago in 1925 looking for land out here and was able to buy that farmland AND the land to the south of the lake — 473 acres.

In 1925, when he bought it, he was buying it as a family compound, as a retreat, as a hunting lodge — that [Labahn-Hain] farmhouse we believe was used as a hunting lodge ...

It’s sketchy, because what he did with it for that 20

5 Woods Creek Lake in 1985 is overgrown due to dam work.

years is a little up in the air. There’s some indication he might have thought about developing it and putting in a golf course there … but for sure, we know he put the two stone gates up. One stone gate is at Woodland [Drive] and Crystal Lake Road, and it’s still there. It’s about eight feet high and it’s kept in place. The other one used to be on the other side of the creek.

We don’t even know how often he came out, but in 1926, he started working on damming the creek, Woods Creek. We don’t have any records of that creek being named anything different... . The lake was only about 40 acres … so, for 20 years, he had his own lake, and he built five houses on Woodland Drive from the gates, so it was his own private area.

Arden Spooner: And he’s responsible for planting many of the trees.

MC: What happened to the property next?

Bob Spooner: In WWII, 1945, Judge LaBuy was approached by four gentlemen to buy all of his land. And they called it the Lake in the Hills Land

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Development Corporation. Up until that point, we have no records of that [Lake in the Hills] name being used. It was just Judge LaBuy’s estate, his grounds... so it simply went from farmland to Judge LaBuy to Lake in the Hills Land Development Corporation … and we have some of that literature: come to Lake in the Hills and experience the good life — your own personal lake, etc.

But in 1946, the actual division of the land into lots — 60 feet wide, 130 feet long — throughout all of this 473 aces was done by the Lake in the Hills Land Development Corporation. We’re not all surprised today by developments — [like the Lake in the Hills] Bell Chase development where they’ll put in 200 homes and put the streets in, etc. In the 1940s, this was a big deal out here for someone to do that, to come in and divide it all up and sell. And along with that, they sold houses. You can buy your own house for $600, have your own square box house. And some of those little square box houses are still around...

So, that development was really the beginning of Lake in the Hills as a community.

MC: Was this one of the first times a development this large came to McHenry County?

Bob Spooner: Yes. There’s no doubt about it. Up until then, the farmers did their farming and as they got older, they moved into houses along the river where there was commerce and they would build streets — Algonquin’s exactly that way, Geneva, St. Charles, all of them along the river. There were smaller farm communities out on major gravel roads to Belvidere, to Harvard, to Huntley. All of those were there because the railroad went through …

But I will say this: [Lake in the Hills] was one of the first planned development communities, certainly the first in McHenry County, but one of the first in the northwest suburbs. [It was] pretty creative. And what happened was, it sold fast. The homes on the lake were a big deal, and expensive. This is after WWII … that was the booming time. mc

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Find Us Here!

Algonquin

AG Family Chiropractic, 2535 Algonquin Rd. Algonquin Dental & Orthodontic, 1700 E. Algonquin Rd. Algonquin Pediatrics, 2537 Algonquin Rd. Algonquin Village Hall, 2200 Harnish Drive Diamond Physical Therapy, 1406 E. Algonquin Rd. Harris Bank, 225 S. Randall Rd. Martini’s On Main, 1000 N. Main St. Niequist Chiropractic Clinic, 1000 N Main St. Pediatric Medicine, 2575 W. Algonquin Rd. Port Edward Restaurant, 20 W. Algonquin Rd. Sherman Family Health Care, 600 Randall Rd. Snap Fitness, 1042 E Algonquin Rd. Vitamin Shoppe, 1496 S. Randall Rd.

CAry

Aussie Pet Mobile, 7207 Horseshoe Ct. Buddha Bean Coffee Shop, 77 W. Main St. Cary Chamber of Commerce, 445 Park Ave. Cary-Grove Performing Arts, 21 Jandus Rd. Cary Nails, 712 NW Hwy. Cary Restaurant, 350 NW Hwy. Cary Train Station Coffee Station, 100 W. Main St Charter Fitness, 3106 Three Oaks Rd. Chris’ Coach House, 6414 Hilly City Nails, 664 NW Hwy. Dental Associates, 726 NW Hwy. Great Clips, 720 NW Hwy. Nail Story, 3106 Three Oaks Rd. OM Stretch Yoga, 271 Country Commons Dr., Ste. 1 Orchard Prime Meats & Wine Shop, 133 W. Main St. Osco Pharmacy, 692 NW Hwy. The Car Bath, 820 NW Hwy. Walgreens, 500 NW Hwy.

CrystAl lAke

1776 Restaurant, 397 W. Virginia Advocate Good Shepherd, 525 E. Congress Pkwy.

Advocate Home Health Service, 500 Coventry Lane Althoff Industries, 8001 S. IL Route 31 American Mattress, 7109 Pingree Baxter Credit Union, 415 W. Main St. Benedict’s La Strata, 40 N. Williams St. Blush Salon & Spa, 53 Brink St. Body Balancing Pilates, 81 N Williams St. Cardinal Liquor, 305 W. Virginia Caribou Coffee, 5899 NW Hwy. Centegra Health Bridge, 200 E. Congress Pkwy.

Centegra Health Systems, 500 Coventry Ln. Centegra Imaging Center, 360 Dakota Chiropractic & Acupuncture Center Ltd., 741 McHenry Ave., Ste. C Chiropractic Wellness Center, 435 Angela Ln. #19 Clip Joynt, 25 N. Williams St. Clothes Gallery, 51 N. Williams St. Comfort Inn, 595 Tracy Trail Conscious Cup, 5005 NW Hwy. Country Inn & Suites, 600 Tracy Trail Countryside Flower Shop, 5301 E. Terra Cotta Coventry Eye Care Associates, 457 Coventry Ln., Ste. 118 Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce, 427 W. Virginia Crystal Lake City Office, 100 W. Woodstock St. Crystal Lake Gymnastics and Tumbling, 387 Congress Pkwy.

Crystal Lake Holiday Inn, 800 S. IL Route 31 Crystal Lake Library, 126 Paddock St. Crystal Lake Orthopedic, 750 E. Terra Cotta Crystal Lake Rib House, 5111 E. Terra Cotta Cute n Cuddle Dog Grooming, 42 N. Brink St. Dalzell Jewelers, 41 N. Williams St. Davis Speed Center, 975 Nimco Dr. #M Delight in Living, LTD, 411 E. Congress Pkwy.

Dental Works, 1145 S. IL Route 31 Dobbe Marketing, 104 Minnie St. Dorion Gray, 2602 Route 176 McHenryCountyMagazine.com Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen, 110 N. Main St. Dynamic Health & Wellness, 7105 Virginia Rd.

Exclusively Napa, 35 N. Williams St. Faith In Action Of McHenry County, 7105 Virginia Rd., Ste. 25 Fast Eddie’s Car Wash, 485 Pingree Rd. The Flag Store, 69 N. Williams St. Fox Valley Internal Medicine, 650 Dakota Gulgrens Appliance, 424 W. Terra Cotta Ave. Harris Bank, 5545 NW Hwy. Harris Bank, 1105 S. IL Route 31 Heartland Blood Center, 6296 NW Hwy. Home State Bank, 5999 NW Hwy. Howell’s Gifts and More, 57 N. Williams St. Infinity Day Spa, 435 Angela Ln. #8 International Hairways, 8 N. Williams St. La Bellissima, 10 N. Williams St. Lakeside Legacy/Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Rd. Lasting Impression Salon, 40 W. Terra Cotta Ave. Lifetime Vision, 300 Memorial Dr. Lloyd’s Paint & Paper, 73 N. Williams St. London Club, 394 W. Virginia St. LuLu’s Wiggin’ Out, 63 N. Williams St. Marble Tech, 150 E. Dartmoor Mario Tricoci Salon, 625 Cog Circle, Suite A Material Girl, 21 N. Williams St. McHenry County Association of Realtors, 405 E. Congress Pkwy.

McHenry County College, 8900 NW Hwy. McHenry County College Fitness Center, 8900 NW Hwy. McHenry County Strength, 835 Virginia McInerny & Wenzon Dental, 400 Memorial Medical Center Building, 750 E. Terra Cotta Mercy Medical Centers, 390 E. Congress Pkwy.

Miss Bossy Boots, 24 N. Williams St. Nail Envy, 435 Angela Lane #16 Nature’s Balance Acupuncture, 260 E. Congress Pkwy.

Nelson’s Jewelry, 1 Crystal Lake Plaza, #B2 New Balance, 1 Crystal Lake Plaza, #AW Olympic Cafe, 90 N. Williams St. Out of the Box, 71 N. Williams St. Pauly Toyota, 1035 S. IL Route 31 Pediatric Dentistry, 260 E. Congress Pkwy.

Querhammer & Flag Funeral Home, 500 W. Terra Cotta Ave. R/K Autobody, 266 E. Prairie St. Raue Center for the Arts, 19 N. Williams St. Reflections Hair Studio, 62 N. Williams St. Richard Walker’s Pancake House, 5680 NW Hwy. Running Depot, 30 N. Williams St. Sage YMCA, 701 Manor Rd. Sears Vision, 5300-A NW Hwy. Snap Fitness, 540 E. Terra Cotta Sports Physical Therapy & Rehab Spec., 781 McHenry Ave. Strelcheck Chiropractic, 10 N. Virginia St. Sweet Pea Cakes, 40 N. Williams St. Timm & Garfinkle, LLC, 407 E. Congress Pkwy.

Trax Depot, 70 E. Woodstock St. Tri-County Pregnancy & Parenting Service, 610-1 Crystal Point Dr. Twice Told Tales, 61 N. Williams St. Village of Lakewood, 2500 Lake Ave. Village Squire, 4818 NW Hwy. Vitamin Shoppe, 815 Cog Circle #4 Welcome Stitchery, 48 Brink St. Whispering Hills, 8401 S. IL Route 31 Wickham Interiors, 67 N. Williams St. Williams Street Salon, 79 N. Williams St. Women’s Physical Therapy Institute, 407-B E. Congress Pkwy.

Woman to Woman, 260 Congress Pkwy., Ste. C Yours & Meyn, 37 N. Williams St.

HArvArd

Harvard Chamber of Commerce, 62 N. Ayer St., Ste. B Harvard Physical Therapy, 100 Admiral Heritage Inn, 1701 S. Division St. Linda’s Java, 2 N. Ayer St. Ste. B Memorial Hospital, 901 Grant St. Nailtique, 5420 NW Hwy. Prudential Real Estate, 5415 NW Hwy. South Mercy Medical, 348 S. Division

Sullivan’s Foods, 1001 S. Division St.

Huntley

Armanetti’s Liquors, 9714 N. Route 47 Centegra Health Bridge, 10452 Algonquin Rd. Famous Red Hots, 9713 N. Route 47 Harris Bank, 10604 N. Route 47 Harris Bank, 12920 S. Route 47 Huntley Chamber of Commerce, 11704 Coral St. Huntley Gymnastics, 10991 Ruth Rd. Osco Pharmacy, 13200 Village Green Paradise Nutrition, 10436 N. Route 47 Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating, 11187 Dundee Rd. Walgreens Pharmacy, 12000 Princeton Dr. Walgreens Pharmacy, 9950 N. Route 47

JoHnsburg

CC Salon, 2419 Johnsburg Rd. Firehouse Gym, 2506 Hiller Ridge Rd. Northern McHenry Chiropractic, 2604 Johnsburg Rd. Novotny Sales, 5615 Wilmot Rd.

lAke in tHe Hills

S. IL Route 31 Harris Bank, 1712 N. Richmond Rd. Harris Bank, 4101 W. Shamrock Ln. Heritage Woods, 4609 W. Crystal Lake Rd. Home State Bank, 4401 Prime Pkwy.

Kunkel Healthcare, 5018 W. Elm St. La’A Coffee, 1237 N. Green St. Larch Tree Wellness, 1308 S. Crystal Lake Ave. MCC Shah Center, 410 W. Shamrock Ln. McHenry Chamber of Commerce, 1257 N. Green St. McHenry Public Library, 809 Front St. McHenry Savings, 353 Bank Dr. Mercy Clinic, 633 Ridgeview Dr. Nature’s Cornucopia, 1717 N. Richmond Rd. Natural Therapy Wellness Ctr, 1307 Court St. NIMC, 5403 Bull Valley Rd. Nova Care Rehabilitation, 370 Bank Dr. Osco Pharmacy, 4222 W. Elm St. Ortho Go Sports Physical Therapy, 4151 W. Orleans St. Plum Garden, 3917 Main St. Salon Unique, 3731 W. Elm St. Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating, 4509 Elm St. Shamrock Health and Fitness, 908 Front St. Snap Fitness, 380 Bank Dr. United Way of Greater McHenry County, 4508 Prime Pkwy.

Verlo, 3710 W. Elm St. Village Squire, 4512 W. Elm St. Walgreens Pharmacy, 3925 W. Elm St.

Advanced Eye Care, 45 W. Acorn Aikido Shimboku Dojo, 9225 Trinity Dr. Althetico Rehabilitation, 280 N. Randall Rd. Dominick’s Pharmacy, 10 N. Randall Rd. Flat Squirrel Scooters, 421 N. Randall Rd. GNC, 91 N. Randall Rd. LITH/Algonquin Chamber of Commerce, 2114 W. Algonquin Rd. Mystic Nail Spa, 290 N. Randall Rd. Northwest Women’s Group, 47 W. Acorn Nova Care Rehabilitation, 411 N. Randall Rd., Unit F Player’s Choice Academy, 9210 Trinity Dr. Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating, 2120 W. Algonquin Rd. Trinity Academy of Gymnastics, 9162 Trinity Dr. Water Tower Family Dental, 2250 W. Algonquin Rd.

riCHMond

MArengo

WoodstoCk

Brandt’s Pharmacy, 101 N. State St. Flatlander Café, 125 S. State St. Florence Nursing Home, 546 E Grant Hwy. The Fold, 3316 Millstream Rd. Glo Bowl, 20014 E. Grant Hwy. Growing Scene, 17015 Harmony Rd. Lindow’s Appliances, 20014 E. Grant Hwy. Louder Than Words Studio, 21003 River Rd. Marengo Chamber of Commerce, 116 S. State St. Marengo Physical Therapy, 212 Lindow, Ste. M Paveloc Industries, 8302 S. IL Route 23 RE/Max, 402 E. Grant Hwy. Subway, 101 E. Grant Hwy. Union Funeral Home, 505 E. Grant Hwy.

MCHenry

Anderson Candy, 10301 N. Main St. The Antique Store, 9908 N. Main St. Cubby Hole, 10713 N. Main St. Genesis Hair, 10302 N. Main St. Howl at the Moon, 5268 Broadway International House of Wine & Cheese, 11302 US Hwy. 12 Mercy Richmond Medical, 9715 Prairie Ridge Red Head, 10318 N. Main St. Richmond Chamber of Commerce, 10906 N. Main St. Snap Fitness, 10007 Mian St. Subway, 5600 Kenosha St., C Szechwan Palace, 5600 Kenosha St., A Tammy’s Pizza, 10004 N. Main St. Van’s Supermarket, 9914 N. Main St. Village Hall, 5600 Hunter Dr. All Seasons Orchard, 14510 Route 176 Blue Ribbon Millwork, 1401 S. Eastwood Dr. B-Tan, 561 S. Eastwood Dr. Cardinal Fitness, 11621 Catalpa Ln. Country Financial, 118 E. Calhoun St. Elli Emmons, DDS, 223 Main St. Family Health & Partnership, 13707 Kishwaukee Valley Rd. Great Clips, 11607 Catalpa Ln. Harley Davidson, 2050 S. Eastwood Dr. Harris Bank, 101 S. Benton St. Harris Bank, 225 W. Jackson Headquarters Salon & Spa, 970 Martha Ln. Java Planet, 2400 Lake Shore Dr., Ste. A Lloyd’s Paint & Paper, 114 N. Benton Medical Offices, 3703 Doty Rd. Medical Offices, 3707 Doty Rd. Memorial Medical, 3701 Doty Rd. Memorial Medical, 527 South St. Mercy Urgent Care, 200 Lake Ave. Osco Pharmacy, 145 S. Eastwood Dr. Pioneer Youth Service, 101 S Jefferson St. Shamrock Health & Fitness, 411 Leah Ln. Snap Fitness, 1400 N. Seminary Starbucks, 129 E. Van Buren, #1 Studio 21, 205 E. South St. Swiss Maid Bakery, 122 N. Benton St. Trax Depot, 90 Church St. Walgreens Pharmacy, 305 S. Eastwood Dr. Wisted’s Foods, 330 N. Eastwood Dr. Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, 136 Cass St. Woodstock Recreation Dept., 820 Lake Ave. Young Masters Martial Arts, 110 Johnson St.

31 North Banquet & Conference Center, 217 N. Front St. Angelo’s Fresh Market, 4400 W. Elm St. Athletico, 1783 N. Richmond Rd. Bimbo’s, 1318 N. Riverside Dr. Bjorkman’s Ace Hardware, 4520 W. Crystal Lake Rd. Cardinal Fitness, 2192 IL Route 120 Centegra Health System, 4201 Medical Center Conroy Physical Therapy, 319 N. Front St. Cost Cutters, 2026 N. Richmond Rd. Curves, 3735 W. Elm St. Dr. Ricardo Nabong, 4318 W. Crystal Lake Rd. EZ Tan, 4334 W. Elm St. Family Service, 4100 Veterans Pkwy.

Fashion Nails, 4326 W. Elm St. Frontier Chiropractic, 3729 W. Elm St. General Dentist, 2026 N. Richmond Rd. HOME. HEALTH. LIFESTYLE Great Clips, 1778 N. Richmond Rd. Get the best of HoMe, style, Hair Cuttery, 1721 HeAltH and liFestyle CoverAge N. Richmond Rd. from McHenry County’s premier local Hairport, 4005 W. magazine ... all delivered to your home for Kane Ave. only $2 per month.

October 2012 • McHenry County Magazine 95 Hampton Inn, 1555 Call 1-800-589-9363 to subscribe.