MCM-03-01-2013

The CAREER Edition: Generational Family Businesses • Second-Chance Occupations • And More

ounty

March 2013

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pg 28

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3 Meet The Gum Gal. She picks up what others spit out.

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Trust In Us

American Community Bank & Trust Celebrates 13 Years Of Banking pg 36 ART-O-MAT: A New Life For An Old Cigarette Dispenser pg 22

EASTER FARE: Enjoy This Low-Fat Frittata pg 55

DE-STRESS: Combat Anxiety On The Job pg 50

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Winner will be notified by telephone and announced on Facebook and other media. No purchase is necessary. Winner will be responsible for any income taxes associated with the prize. Employees of Shaw Newspapers, Dalzell & Co. and their immediate families are not eligible to enter. Entries must be delivered by April 27, 2013 at Dalzell Jewelers, 41 N.Williams St., Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Winner chosen on April 30, 2013. Questions call: (815) 455-3600

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INSIDE

The Career Edition

Home & Lifestyle 11

19 21 22

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

by Northwestern Sunrooms in Lake in the Hills and Outback Builders Inc., formerly of Algonquin.

A Little Bird Told Me: The guys at Cardinal Wine and Spirits in Crystal Lake find value in the vineyards and share ways to save money on great-tasting wines.

Put A Fork In It: David Faccone of Crystal Lake Rib House has found a new “cake boss” — Konrad Kochmanski of Konrad’s Bakery in Lake in the Hills.

Artist Profile: McHenry County College is home to an Art-o-mat — a former cigarette vending machineturned art vending machine.

Special Career Section 28

32

36

On The Cover: Think you have an unusual job? Check

out these local professionals who have found careers as a gum remover, Neil Diamond impersonator, paranormal researcher and lactation consultant.

It’s not easy to start a second career. But Martin Brunkalla of rural Marengo, a former engineer who now is a luthier, and Michelle Martin, a former executive who now is a middle school principal in Woodstock, made the leap and found meaning in their second vocations.

Cover Inset: American Community Bank & Trust, with locations in Woodstock, McHenry, Crystal Lake and Huntley, offers the same banking solutions as big banks, plus something more.

Family 41

45

‘‘

pg 50

Mary Beth Davis, licensed clinical social worker in Lake in the Hills

Nobody can do 50 million things at once.

Everyone can do one thing at once.

47

Success Lives Next Door: Only 30 percent of family-owned businesses survive into the second generation, and just 12 percent are still viable into the third generation. Learn more about the companies started by the Ahrens and Donleys, which have reached those generational milestones and beyond.

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

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

Health 3 55 57

Stressed at work? Licensed clinical social worker Mary Beth Davis and licensed clinical professional counselor Deborah Metroka, who both practice in Lake in the Hills, share tips for relaxing and working through conflict.

Low-fat Recipe Of The Month: Kristina Kubik, 25, of Crystal Lake, shares a low-fat spring vegetable frittata that’s perfect for an Easter brunch.

Weight-Loss Series: The final installment of this three-part series explores the sentiments of Carolyn Bathauer of McHenry and Howard Eady of Lake in the Hills as they look back on their journey toward healthier lifestyles.

Fashion & Beauty 60 63

Put your best foot forward — literally — with tips from shoe experts from Crystal Lake Shoe Repair and Barrington Shoe Services.

On the hunt for Easter outfits? Lands’ End has fashionable and practical solutions for every member of your family.

Out & About 68 71

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

Artist Showcase: Linda Marasco of McHenry shares her watercolor painting, “Burst of Spring.”

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oe Kainz is Barrington’s well-known proprietor of The Onion Pub. He became a patient of Illinois Vein Specialists in 2010 after his orthopedic surgeon became concerned that Joe’s knee replacement surgery was not healing properly and requested a consult. Joe could not move comfortably, required the aid of a walker and just was not recuperating from his knee surgery. This was not the plan.

Thinking back, Dr. Stephen Rivard, medical director of IVS, recalls: “Below the knee, his legs were 19 inches in circumference and so hard and taut I doubt a needle could have penetrated the skin. My initial diagnosis of hypertensive venous disease was immediately and definitively confirmed by our Doppler Sonography equipment. Joe was scheduled for endovenous laser closure of the severely incompetent veins in his legs and as his circulation improved he began walking again without the walker in less than a month.”

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Dr. Rivard pointed out some little known facts: “It is not generally understood that three-fourths of all circulatory problems relating to poor wound healing and ulcerations are problems with venous stasis and poor oxygenation from veins rather than with arteries. Nor is it understood that people have about 400% more venous capacity than is needed; that’s why we can eliminate those big, painful, ropey veins some patients suffer from without impairing circulation. Finally, vein disease and complications impact about 25% of the population and are not necessarily a function of age.”

PHLEBOLOGY: THE NEWEST MEDICAL SPECIALTY Phlebology is the name of the Board Certified Specialty that diagnoses and treats vein disease. Dr. Rivard, who began his career in Emergency Medicine and practiced at Good Shepherd Hospital, is among the very first group of physicians in the US to be Board Certified in Phlebology (and one of the few physicians so certified in IL). He’s also Certified in Vascular Ultrasonography, which is the essential diagnostic technology used in Phlebology. This combination serves as the foundation for everything that happens at IVS. Illinois Vein Specialists opened in 2009 and has a staff of a dozen—physicians, medical technicians, ultrasound specialists and administrative personnel. Since then they have helped well over a thousand Barrington-area patients. “One of the things I like the best about specializing in vein disease is the opportunity to meet wonderful people like Joe Kainz; being able to help them is the reason I get up in the morning.”

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from the editor

Whatever Works

W

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

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

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

Learning what people do for a living on a dayto-day basis would simply fascinate me.

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

My parents, meanwhile, happen to be members of the old guard. My father is working for the same company he started with when he was 18, albeit in a much more prominent role today, and my mother is coming up on 20 years at her job.

However, while my parents have been fortunate enough to keep their respective careers for decades, many of my college friends

are already on their second and third jobs — some by choice, others by necessity. It’s different than the way things used to be, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing.

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

Published by Shaw Media 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 Phone: 815-459-4040 Fax: 815-477-4960 www.McHenryCountyMagazine.com

Like my grandmother, Michelle Martin, a principal in Woodstock, and Martin Brunkalla, a luthier in Marengo, have launched successful second careers that have provided personal meaning (page 32).

Publisher John Rung 815-459-4040 jrung@shawmedia.com

And, like my grandfather, the Ahrens and Donley families started their own businesses, but they’ve kept their companies afloat for decades. Twin Garden Farms in Harvard is now in its fourth generation, and Donley’s Wild West Town in Union has two generations on board (page 41).

Niche Product Manager Kelly Buchanan 815-526-4445 kbuchanan@shawmedia.com

We found four people who have some of the more interesting careers I’ve ever heard of — including our cover model, The Gum Gal — and explored their fields (page 28), and we talked to experts about how to ward off stress in the workplace (page 50).

Additionally, we pay tribute to two major holidays in March by supplying St. Patrick’s Day activities the entire family can enjoy (page 47) and a low-fat Easter frittata recipe that looks terrific (page 55).

I think it would be amazing to see what each of you does for a living, so feel free to share your career stories with me. In the meantime, we offer these stories to you and hope you enjoy them.

All in a day’s work!

— Stephanie N. Grimoldby Editor

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, Elizabeth Harmon, Colleen Leonard, Lauren Lynch, Jacky Runice, Lara Jackson, Pat Stemper Vojta Photographers Melissa Emory, 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 subscriptions@shawmedia.com.

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

On The Cover

The latest in recreational vehicles

Pictured on the cover is Gina Kappler, 49, of McHenry, also known as The Gum Gal. The mother of two founded her own business, which specializes in removing gum from sidewalks, furniture and carpet. To learn more about Kappler and others with unconventional jobs, see our “Career” section on page 27.

How to make your home safe

Photo by Melissa Emory

Gardening fashion

Hair and makeup by Paige and Stephanie, respectively, of Mario Tricoci Hair Salons and Day Spas in Crystal Lake

Beautiful, historical homes in McHenry County

Our Golf Guide

... and more!

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March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

9

home & lifestyle / HOMEdesign

6 This sunroom in Palatine, designed by Northwestern Sunrooms, features the latest technology. All beams, posts and window frames are made from fiberglass. The structure does not warp and no metal support is needed. All photos provided

Bringing The Outside, In I By COLLEEN LEONARD

I

F

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

Local builders describe it as a place that allows people to be with nature without being exposed to the weather. And it can be compared to a mini vacation spot for solitude or recreation.

They’re talking about a sunroom or screened room, which can serve as a patio room, man cave or spa.

“It’s an area where you have the feeling of being outside and one with nature, yet you’re protected from the elements — wind, snow, rain — and protected from mosquitoes,” says Al Betz, owner of Northwestern Sunrooms, a family-owned business created nine years ago.

The basics

Customers can see styles of four-season and three-season rooms at Northwestern Sunrooms’ showroom in Lake in the Hills.

Low-emissivity glass or vinyl-glazed windows are typically used, depending on the type of room desired. While glass acts as an insulator for four-season rooms, Betz says, the vinyl-glazed windows for three-

season rooms provide more airflow than conventional windows because they have a large screened opening.

He also uses the vinyl window system to convert porches into sunrooms. Depending on the job size, he says, the conversion can cost $2,000 to $8,000.

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

Other options are casement, double-hung 6 This stucco-sided screened room with a rooftop deck was designed

by Outback Builders Inc.

and awning windows, in which the sashes swing outward. If more light is desired, skylights can be added.

Sunrooms come in a variety of styles to complement a home, such as a cathedral design, flat-roof studio and conservatory style.

Although the sunrooms are factory-built, Betz says, each one is tailor-made for the homeowner.

6 Finished interior done by Outback Builders Inc.

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The main construction material is precoated aluminum for three-season rooms and vinyl or fiberglass for fourseason rooms, he says.

Betz refers to vinyl as the most common technology because it provides good insulation. But he prefers fiberglass, the latest technology in sunrooms, because it doesn’t warp and doesn’t require aluminum reinforcement like the vinyl sunrooms do.

Because fiberglass is more durable, it comes with a bigger price tag. While a typical sunroom can run $35,000, Betz says, expect to pay about $10,000 more for a fiberglass room.

Ken Becker, owner of Outback Builders Inc., gets many requests for screened rooms because they are less expensive than 4 See SUNROOMS on page 14

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12 McHenry County Magazine • March 2013

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March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

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The Touch of Quality in Custom Woodwork

Phoenix Woodworking has a long history of quality workmanship.

We are here to help build our community.

Here are a few of our many local building projects: ▲

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14 McHenry County Magazine • March 2013

sunrooms, yet provide protection from bugs and weather.

A screened room can cost $12,000 to $25,000, depending on the size and preparation work, says Becker, who recently moved his 10-year-old business from Algonquin to Carpentersville.

He usually builds screened rooms out of cedar because his customers like the look and it has a natural resistance to decay, rot and bugs.

“Most of our customers have what we call exposed rafters,” Becker says. “They want to look up and see the rafters. They want it to look rustic.”

He designs custom rooms, which include gazebos, deck rooms and concrete patios, based on what customers want and

6 Studio-style room in Crystal Lake features a deck substructure with an insulated floor and fully insulated low-emissivity windows and doors. The small opening below the windows is a pet door. Provided by Northwestern Sunrooms.

Algonquin, IL McHenryCountyMagazine.com

5 Three-season room designed with windows and siding to match home by Outback Builders Inc.

how the addition will blend with the style of the home.

The planning During planning, the builders inform homeowners about local codes that need to be followed. For instance, regulations address what kinds of structures are allowed and whether a concrete or deck foundation is required.

Construction generally takes a few weeks or less, the builders say. But before construction, they often have to wait several weeks for a building permit. Betz also needs an additional six weeks for a factory to make the sunroom.

4 See SUNROOMS on page 16

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March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

15

6 This detached cedar screened room with cedar shaker shingles was designed by Outback Builders Inc.

To find a reputable company, they suggest getting references, seeing the builder’s remodeling work, getting everything in writing and checking for insurance, which includes liability and workers’ compensation coverage.

In certain cities, a contractor’s license is required to make sure that the contractor has insurance, Becker says.

Other cities may require the installation crew, such as the roofer or electrician, to be licensed, Betz says.

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

Homeowners should recoup 75 percent or more of their investment when the house is sold, according to the builders. mc

5 Northwestern Sunrooms built this cathedral-style room in Crystal Lake. It is insulated for year-round use and was built on an existing deck.

5 Located in Huntley’s Sun City, this is an example of how Northwestern Sunrooms built a room as an integral part of the home’s architecture.

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16 McHenry County Magazine • March 2013

Expanded and Recently Remodeled Showroom McHenryCountyMagazine.com

H OME resource guide McHenry County Magazine

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!

Interior Design WHITE OAK INTERIORS, Algonquin, 847-854-8892, www.whiteoakinteriors.com From inspiration to installation you can have your space “Carmenized.” White Oak Interiors has the training and expertise to plan, schedule, execute and manage your project from start to finish. Creating attractive, affordable spaces designed specifically to meet your needs.

INTERIOR INSPIRATION, Algonquin, 847-854-2966, www.interiorinspiration.com For a home or workplace that is beautiful, functional and inspired, call Randi Goodman, IFDA, “designer extraordinaire.” Now is a great time to spruce up your space. Randi makes the best use of furnishings and accessories you already have. She can suggest additional pieces, or start from scratch. The choice is yours! Custom or ready made, she can do it all! Call today for a personal consultation.

Flooring ExcEEd FlOORINg 5186 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake, 815-459-3113, www.exceedflooring.com

Kitchen Design KITcHENS BY JUlIE, INc., 27-A Janus Rd., Cary, 847-516-2226, www.kitchensbyjulie.com Located in Downtown Cary, Kitchens by Julie is a family owned and operated organization that has extensive experience in all aspects of remodeling and construction. “Every successful project is a unique reflection of personal tastes, functions, lifestyle, budget and dreams,” says principal designer, Julie Loehner, CKD who operates Kitchens by Julie with her husband and project manager, Mark Loehner. Our goal is to create a wonderful experience designing and building your dream from conception to completion.

Marble & Granite Wholesale Carpets MARBlE & gRANITE TEcH, INc., 817 W. Northwest Hwy., Barrington, 847-382-1142, www.mgtstone.com Marble & Granite Tech remains an affordable stone fabricator while making all of our projects precise and unique by offering the most advanced digital vein matching in the industry. Our quality workmanship has expanded to include tile, cabinetry, and complete home remodeling, all under one roof! Stop by to see our new product lines and expanded showroom!

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.

Professional designers are on staff to assist. Dare to be Exceedingly different!

WHOlESAlE cARPETS, 502 Northwest Hwy, Fox River Grove, 847-639-1855, www.wholesalecarpets.net 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.

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NORTHWESTERN SUNROOMS Sunrooms, Porch Conversions, Gazebos, Awnings, Vinyl Glazing Repair, Blinds, Shades, Draperies.

Please call for an appointment.

9247 S. Rt. 31, Lake in the Hills 815-459-9078

To have your business included in this guide, contact Kelly Buchanan at 815-526-4445.

Remodeling & Repair HEARTH & HOME cONSTRUcTION, Orchard Lane, McHenry, 815-403-4008 www.HearthandHomeConstruction.com Hearth & Home Construction is committed to lasting quality.

For Daniel Wagler, owner of Hearth and Home Construction of McHenry, the best part of his job is seeing the reaction of his customers. “The thing I love most about construction is seeing the end result and how excited people get.”

Daniel has worked in construction for 26 years and Daniel is a journeyman stone and brick mason.

His current company for 14 years, Hearth and Home Construction, serves light commercial and residential customers, and specializes in general contracting, full service remodeling and home maintenance contracting.

With remodeling projects in much greater demand than new construction, Hearth and Home has expanded into interior and exterior maintenance schedules, energy compliant upgrades, as well as home beautification projects. Radiant floor heating, LED and flourescent lighting upgrades, Spa bathrooms and working kitchen designs are among the favorites!

MIcHAEl ScHUcH cONSTRUcTION, Woodstock, 815-690-0248 www.McHenryCountyBasements.com Michael Schuch and Sons Construction provides the highest levels of expertise and attention to detail to ensure your home repair or remodeling project is done right and on time, every time. A family-owned business with five generations of master craftsman. Call today for a free project evaluation. 815-690-0248.

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home & lifestyle

Vineyard Values

I

n today’s economy, we are all looking for ways to save a little money.

When it comes to wine, the biggest dilemma is how to save that money without sacrificing quality.

For wine lovers, these are great times. As the consumption of wine keeps increasing, so has the amount of wineries.

This in turn has increased the competition, which forces wineries to pay attention to quality while keeping prices attractive.

Toss in the fact that imported wines keep growing, and we have more juice than we can drink.

As consumers become more knowledgeable about wine, it becomes harder for wineries to skimp on quality.

Having said all that, there is still plenty of wine out there that fail to impress.

But we’ve put together just a small list of some of the better value wines we recently have discovered.

Pepperwood Grove — Merlot $6 When we tasted this, our first thought was, “How much?” Our next thought was, “How much can we get?” Loaded with plenty of rich, dark fruit, this merlot is

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.

sprinkled with a touch of vanilla on the surprisingly lengthy finish.

La Vielle Ferme — Rhone Red $8 This blend of grenache, syrah, carignan and cinsault has long been one of the best values out of France. Bursting with an abundance of crushed red fruit, it has a gentle kiss of spice leading to a smooth finish. It pairs well with fish and cheeses.

Tres Picos — Garancha $14 Value comes at every price level, and this might be one of the most remarkable values we’ve seen. There is no lack of fruit as blackberry, red licorice, sweet plum and cherries blossom in the mouth before surrendering to a finish massaged with cracked black pepper and bacon fat. It’s not heavy on the palate, but it’s big on the flavor. It pairs with everything!

McManis — Petite Sirah $10 There’s plenty to get excited about here with all the ripe, dark fruit bursting in your mouth revealing notes of blackberry, cassis, espresso and toasted oak laying the ground work for the big, generous finish. This would pair well with barbeque ribs, steaks and heartier dishes.

DeLoach — Chardonnay $10 The problem with cheap chardonnays is they taste manipulated. This DeLoach shows the perfect balance of ripe tropical fruit and toasted oak. Clean, yet rich on the palate, this is one of the best value chards we’ve tasted.

Black Ridge — Ridge Red Wine $9 Blends are the hot trend right now as winemakers are able to blend a little of this with a little of that and turn out extremely quaffable juice without charging a lot of scratch. This is a prime example as the ripe fruit lays a layer of blackberry, currants and chocolate-covered cherries on the palate. It’s a ridiculous value considering what’s stuffed in the bottle.

Varichon and Clerc — Blanc de Blanc $12 When it comes to value, it doesn’t get more ridiculous than this French sparkler.

A frothy mouthful of pear, tangerine and hazelnut dances effortlessly on the tongue.

We tasted this against other wines two to three times the cost that didn’t compare. We should be drinking more Champagne, and at this price, there is no excuse. mc

home & lifestyle

The Cake Boss

Put A Fork In It

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.

3 Chocolate Suicide is just one of the many delicious cakes made at Konrad’s Bakery in Lake in the Hills. Photos by Zach Walters

The

latest rage on the Food Network and other similar channels, as you may well know, is anything that has to do with baking or cupcakes, like “Cupcake Wars” or “Cake Boss.”

Well, I’m here to tell you we have a new cake boss. His name is Konrad Kochmanski, and he recently opened Konrad’s Bakery in Lake in the Hills.

I have been a fan of Konrad’s for years. He was classically trained in his native home in Meilec, Poland. He left there and worked in Chicago for 10 years before coming to the area in 2003. Here, he was the pastry chef at Around The Clock Restaurant (one of my favorites) on Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

But last November, he opened his new signature bakery on Ackman Road.

When you enter, you are greeted by the lovely and talented Klaudia — the daughter of Konrad’s partner, Ula Cwanek, who can be found in the back baking with Konrad.

You all know I am a huge fan of family

4 Konrad’s French Silk Pie.

operations, and this one is no exception. On the weekends you may even see Konrad’s son Adrian or wife, Beata, helping out.

The venue itself couldn’t be nicer. A basket on the counter offers delicious samples, and a cute table and chairs serve as the consultation area for nervous brides and customers to describe the creation in their head that Konrad brings to life.

Immaculate, shining showcases with gorgeous pastries, cakes and baked specialties are almost begging to jump in the box to go home with you. It’s reminiscent of the feeling you got as a little kid looking in the window at your favorite sweet shop.

In the showcases, you’ll find all your favorites that fly off the shelf: chocolatina, pastries, tiramisu, raspberry and chocolate chip cheesecake, kremowka (a Polish cream cake) and freshly-baked pies as big as a basketball.

Then, there are the cakes: carrot cake, “Chocolate Suicide” — my favorite Konrad’s cake — and, of course, red velvet, which on some days he makes available by the slice. Mine didn’t make it … it mysteriously disappeared on my way home.

Here’s a great idea if you want to be the most popular person in the office — stop in on your way to work or the night before and pick up one of his overthe-top coffee cakes or strudels.

Bring that to the office, and I guarantee you will be everyone’s favorite … including the boss.

When it comes to specialty cakes for weddings, birthdays or holidays, Konrad’s cakes are a work of art.

I have used them for everything from

birthdays to banquets. If you can dream it, Konrad can make it.

And unlike some of the creations we see on TV, Konrad’s cakes are as delicious as they are gorgeous. Go to www.konradsbakery.com and look at the cakes in the gallery section. You will be at Konrad’s within 24 hours, believe me.

Which brings me back to my favorite Konrad’s cake, his “Chocolate Suicide.” This is by far the best cake ever. It’s two vanilla and one chocolate cake layers with raspberry and custard on one level and chocolate mousse on the second level. Then, it’s covered with whipped cream frosting and chocolate ganache. Every time I serve it, I have to give out Konrad’s phone number to all my guests.

It’s just that good.

I’d like to think Konrad’s Bakery is on the corner of Delicious Street and Decadent Avenue, but it’s actually located at 9531 Ackman Road in Lake in the Hills, just past Lou Malnatti’s as you are heading west. Call Klaudia or Konrad at 815-526-3947.

This place is an awesome find, so check it out soon. mc 6 Konrad Kochmanski, owner of Konrad’s Bakery in Lake in the Hills, was classically trained in Poland.

home & lifestyle / ARTIST profile

New Use For Old Machine I By PAT STEMPER VOJTA

Cigarette vending machines are sporting a new look.

Once banned from public buildings, they are making a comeback in places like children’s hospitals, museums, libraries and colleges.

But now, they are not filled with cigarettes.

Instead, they are stocked with artwork.

5 (Above) The Art-o-mat is a repurposed cigarette vending machine that dispenses small works of art like the ones shown below.

Photos provided

I

A different kind of art display The idea of using a cigarette vending machine to dispense artwork came from artist Clark Whittington of Winston-Salem, N.C., who called it vend art.

In June 1997, Whittington had an art show scheduled at a local café and decided to use a different way to display his black and white photographs, according to Artomat.org. He shaped the pictures to fit the size of a cigarette carton, adhered each to a block of wood that same size and stacked the blocks in each slot of the vending machine.

Each block of his art sold for $1 as people inserted money into the machine and pulled the tab of the chosen slot. He called the machine the Art-o-mat. The café owner became enamored with it and asked to keep the machine as a permanent piece.

Whittington realized a lot of art would be needed to keep the machine filled. He worked with local artists and formed the group Artists in Cellophane. To date, there are about 400 artists in 10 countries that sell their art through this vending machine network.

Find an Art-o-mat near you

There are more than 74 art vending machines throughout the

U.S., and one of those machines can be found at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.

The vending machine is installed in Building A in the hallway across from room A-144, the art department office. The machine has been at the college since 2004, due in part to the efforts of Sandra Lang, curator of the art gallery at MCC for the past 18 years.

Lang first saw an article about the Art-o-mat in a Chicago newspaper in 2003. She went to the Chicago Cultural Center to see its Art-o-mat, the first in Chicago at the time. She made a few inquiries, and a year later, Whittington himself delivered a 1960-era machine to MCC. Other colleges then contacted Lang about the Art-o-mat. Kishwaukee College in Malta has since had one installed. Another can be found at the Oak Park Public Library.

Whittington revamps these machines to match the venue where it is installed. A children’s hospital received a machine that had an addition of flashing lights. MCC’s machine bears a nostalgic look of an old cigarette machine with red and wood-trimmed panels. The

5 The Art-o-mat at MCC holds more than 200 pieces of art.

slots are backlit from a light within the face of the machine.

“The Art-o-mat is created as a piece of art itself, but it also dispenses art,” Lang says. “It’s really considered a piece of sculpture in the college.”

Whittington leased the Art-o-mat to MCC for a one-time fee of $1,300 which was funded by the Friends of McHenry County College Foundation.

“We have a great relationship with the art department,” says Bill Brennan, executive director of the Friends of McHenry County College Foundation. “The Art-o-mat is in one of our main hallways, and it draws a lot of attention, I know that. I think it’s an interesting piece.”

How it works

The Art-o-mat at MCC holds more than 200 pieces of art in two rows of 11 slots. The bottom of each slot, which was the space usually reserved for the brand name of a cigarette, holds a 2-by-2 inch placard with the name of the artist and a brief description of his or her work.

Each artist has

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5 The cigarette box-sized pieces of art cost $5. Half of the money goes to the artist and another portion is donated to artrelated charities.

his or her own slot and is responsible for filling it with about 10 pieces of art.

Painters, photographers and printmakers mount their work on a cigarette-sized block of wood 2 1/2 inches x 3 1/4 inches x 7/8 inch, while three-dimensional artists place their pieces in cardstock boxes that they decorate on the outside. These boxes can contain a piece of jewelry, a keychain, a sculptured puzzle, a small fabric wall hanging or even poetry.

Boxes and wood blocks are finished by being covered in cellophane to resemble a cigarette box.

The art is stacked in the artist’s slot leaving no more than a peek at what might be inside.

A $5 token is placed in the slot on the front of the machine and the fun begins as customers decide which lever to pull.

“It’s supposed to be an experience,” Lang says.

Tokens can be purchased in the art department office during regular school hours, or they can be dispensed from the coin changer next to the machine by using $5 dollar bills only.

Of the $5, artists receive $2.50, and AIC donates a portion of profits to art-related charities.

“We don’t make money on this, it’s just fun,” Lang says. “The Art-o-mat is a way to get an artist noticed. It’s a unique way to advertise.”

Some artists include websites and contact information within their box in hope of securing additional sales.

“The turnover of art isn’t rapid, but it’s steady,” Lang says.

Once a year, Lang contacts Whittington for another shipment of art. As of yet, no MCC students or local artists have submitted artwork for the Art-o-mat, but Lang would like to encourage their submissions.

MCC has four small art galleries, a portrait and print collection in the library containing original works by artists such as Picasso, Matisse and Andy Warhol acquired from an anonymous donor, and artwork throughout the campus hallways.

But Lang says nothing compares to the Arto-mat.

For more information on the Art-o-mat, visit www.artomat.org. mc McHenryCountyMagazine.com

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C A R E E R ca • reer: (k rir’) n.

Definition: An occupation undertaken for a significant

period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress.

e

Inside Page 28: Unconventional careers: Take a look at the unusual career paths taken by four local individuals.

Page 32: Second-chance careers: Meet two people who have found “encore” careers that provide a different kind of fulfillment in their lives.

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Page 36: Careers with meaning: At American Community Bank & Trust, clients can expect to form personal relationships with financial veterans who have found meaning in their banking careers.

A special supplement to McHenry County Magazine March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine 27

careers / on the cover

Gina Kappler of McHenry strives to “greenly” remove chewing gum and other stains from sidewalks around businesses. Photo by Melissa Emory

All In A rk o W s ’ y a D

nal Jobs io t n e v n o c Un e County Around Th

I By ELIZABETH HARMON

McHenry County Residents Carve Out Unique Careers Finding a great career can mean more than scanning a few “hottest jobs” lists.

Creativity, talent and passion have helped these McHenry County professionals find success in careers that are slightly off the beaten path.

Sticking to it Many discover a new career while reaching for the skies, but Gina Kappler of McHenry found hers while looking down.

“I was coming out of an ice cream shop, and I noticed all these black spots on the sidewalk,” the 49-year-old says. “It just looked nasty. Before long, I started seeing them everywhere, and I thought, ‘Someone could make a business out of this.”

In 2012, Kappler did just that, launching The Gum Gal, which specializes in removing chewing gum from sidewalks, furniture and carpet; graffiti removal; and cleaning and sterilizing tile and grout.

She uses a dry vapor steam machine, which uses just eight gallons of water and no harsh chemicals.

“It’s completely non-toxic,” she says.

Kappler says she was drawn to the idea because of her interest in the environment.

“I’m very green, and I hate litter in any

Dennis Svehla of Harvard (center) performs as Denny Diamond and the Family Jewels — a band that recreates the music of Neil Diamond.

Pictured with him are his two sons, Lucas and Spenser.

(Photo provided)

I

form,” she says.

At the time of her ice-cream shop revelation, Kappler had a full-time sales job.

She suggested the business idea to a friend, and he scoffed at it, but Kappler couldn’t let it go. She went online, did research and talked to a number of people including

potential customers.

“Practically anyone I could get to stop and listen, I’d ask what they thought,” she says.

“It gave me lots of ideas.”

She discovered that chewing gum removal was a viable business and that there were similar companies in other parts of the country.

Unfortunately, Kappler was laid off from her sales job, but she used the opportunity to take the plunge and launched her business.

Since then, she’s been constantly networking, conducting demonstrations and handling marketing tasks like creating a website.

“I have a sign by my desk that says, ‘Don’t let fear control you,’” she says. “I’m very persistent, and if someone else can succeed at something, there’s no reason I can’t.”

Spirits All Around Like many professionals who serve homeowners, Tony Olszewski’s work typically begins with a phone call.

“I interview the person, determine the problem and sometimes we can resolve it over the phone, but usually it requires us to go out to the site,” he says. “Sometimes, we’re called in on emergencies, especially if there’s a child involved.”

As founder of McHenry County Paranormal Research, Olszewski specializes in helping residents and businesses resolve haunting issues in their buildings. A retired police officer, he founded the nonprofit business to help both clients and spirits.

“Spirits are everywhere, but a house is only haunted when they interact with people,” Olszewski says. “The average person would be shocked at how many spirits there are.”

Interactions can include apparitions, voices, objects moving on their own and physical contact.

Often, hauntings can be resolved by simply setting boundaries.

“It’s like a parent dealing with a child,” Olszewski says. “You have to set up rules, such as no noise at night, and designate areas where the spirit can go. It’s called co-existing.”

The shining light is what Tony Olszewski, founder of McHenry County Paranormal Research, calls “psychic blur”— an energy source that came between the lens of the camera and parts of the photo subject matter. (Photo provided) But if the spirit won’t listen or the homeowner isn’t interested in co-existing, Olszewksi and his team of mediums and empaths — those able to sense the emotions of others — make a house call. Using temperature gauges, various types of cameras and audio recording devices, they locate the spirit and cleanse the house.

He and his team answer about 25 cleansing calls a year, all of which have been successful.

His clients include homeowners, businesses and historical societies.

“We keep a low profile and don’t talk a lot about what we do,” he says. “If someone wants to debate it, I don’t engage them.

Skepticism is fine, we need it, but my mediums are just normal people who happen to have a gift.

“It’s a joy to help people because most of the time when they call us, they’re in doubt,” he continues. “But when we help a spirit cross over, it’s a wonderful experience.”

“It’s a new specialty that’s only been around about 25 years, and sometimes, people don’t know what it is,” she says. “They’ll call me a ‘lactose nurse’ or a ‘lactaid nurse.’ But women usually get it, especially if they had difficulty breastfeeding.

Then it’s more like, ‘Wow, I wish I could have had help.”

In cultures where breastfeeding is common, new mothers have plenty of experienced role models to turn to, but the current generation is the first in a long time to embrace breastfeeding, Swearington says.

For Good Health As a registered nurse, Linda Swearington discovered she had a knack for helping new mothers learn to breastfeed.

Six years ago, Swearington turned her knack into a profession when she became an international board certified lactation consultant.

This dry vapor steam machine is used by Gina Kappler to clean up gum and other pollutants from sidewalks. It uses just eight gallons of water and no harsh chemicals. Photo by Melissa Emory

“Most of our mothers used bottles and formulas, and even in this culture, we don’t do it in public,” she says. “Because we’re not around it, the moms don’t know how to hold the baby or how it’s supposed to feel.”

There’s also a misconception that because breastfeeding is natural, it should be effortless. While registered nurses usually show new mothers the basics, lactation consultants help in special circumstances such as multiple births, children with cleft palates,

“What’s rewarding for me is that small adjustments can make a huge difference in the comfort of the mom and her success feeding her baby,” Swearington says.

Diamond In The Rough

Though he looks more like comedian Tim Allen, Dennis Svehla of Harvard, also known as “Denny Diamond,” has transformed his vocal resemblance to Neil Diamond into a

This is a picture of the exterior of the church museum of the Lakes Region Historical Society in Antioch.

Paranormal investigator Tony Olszewski believes paranormal activity was caught on film.

(Photo provided)

As a student at St. Ignacious College Prep Academy in Chicago, Svehla began performing in musicals and trained with a Lyric Opera singer. At Triton College, he studied vocal music and data processing. In 1979, he began a career in information technology, but moonlighted as a wedding band lead vocalist, then as a singing karaoke disc jockey.

“That was when people started to tell me I sounded like Neil Diamond,” he says.

The manager of a local Frank Sinatra impersonator invited him to perform as Neil Diamond as an opening act, which led to solo gigs. A friend insisted he audition for a TV talent show, Dick Clark’s “Your Big Break,” and Svehla made the cut, performing the song “America.”

“They even brought in Neil Diamond’s hairdresser,” Svehla says.

The show brought national attention, as did a chance encounter with Nashville-based band Sixpence None the Richer, whose guitarist formed the base of Svehla’s back-up band, The Longfellows, for Nashville gigs.

In 2001, Svehla left IT to pursue music full time.

“I knew he was going to take off, which was exciting, but also hard work,” says Svehla’s wife, Janet, who handles band bookings, finances and also sells merchandise at performances. “This is a nice, family show, and there aren’t a lot of them around.” mc

HAVE A DREAM JOB? full-time career that also employs his wife and children with Down syndrome and pre-term two sons. babies.

“We treat the show as its own genre by Mothers may have issues, too, such as adding family,” says Svehla, describing Denny low milk supply and soreness. Swearington Diamond and the Family helps new mothers in Jewels, which includes his the hospital, conducts a sons Lucas, 24, on guitar, class for pregnant women and Spenser, 23, on bass who are considering and drums. beastfeeding and runs a Daughter Sarah, a weekly support group.

20-year-old culinary “Ongoing support is student, occasionally joins paramount because once in on back-up vocals. they’re home from the “We call her the hospital, a lot of questions Precious Gem,” Svehla come up,” she says. says.

The American Academy In addition to the of Pediatrics recommends music of Neil Diamond, breastfeeding, and while the band also performs many new moms start, songs by the Everly few reach the crucial sixBrothers, Johnny month and one-year milestones.

Linda Swearington became an international board Cash and others. certified lactation consultant. (Photo provided)

Dreaming of an unusual career, or have an idea for business?

Career counselors such as Patricia Zokal, chairman of McHenry County College’s counseling department can help.

Through brainstorming and research, Zokal says making contacts and defining an unusual dream job is easier than you think.

“You can go to the Encyclopedia of Associations and look up your profession,” she says. “There’s usually someone out there doing the job you want who you can get in touch with.”

Interest and skill assessments can be helpful as well, especially for clients who don’t know what kind of job they want.

“Those are the most fun because the person just holds up a white flag and says, ‘Help,’” Zokal says.

Sometimes the answer is to start a business, and resources like the Small Business Development Center through the Shah Center at McHenry County College can help budding entrepreneurs with classes that teach business basics such as marketing, accounting and more.

Many services are free to adults residing in the McHenry County College district.

For more information, visit www.mchenry.edu.

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Success ...

Times Two!

careers

I By ELIZABETH HARMON

I

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

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

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

Michael Bevis, director of academic affairs at University of Phoenix, sees students like this every day.

Some want to enter the nonprofit sector. Others plan to open their own business. Still others are seeking to combine two careers simultaneously.

But most of them share a common trait.

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

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

Crafting Music

3 The neck of a Martin Brunkalla guitar. It takes Brunkalla about 140 hours to make a guitar. Photos by Michele Idstein

Martin Brunkalla of rural Marengo was 12 the first time he tried to fix a guitar.

“I wanted to learn to play, and the only guitar I could get my hands on was in terrible shape,” he says. “I started thinking about what I could do to make it playable.”

He repaired that guitar, sold it and used the money to purchase a better instrument.

The experience jumpstarted a lifelong hobby that now has become his career.

A Medinah native, Brunkalla went to work after high school as a machinist in his father’s business, then entered the engineering field, eventually becoming the director of engineering for a manufacturing company. When the

company went out of business, a tightening manufacturing job market coupled with Brunkalla’s lack of an engineering degree made it difficult to find a new job.

describes as the Olympics of bluegrass.

“The hardest thing was getting my name out there,” he says.

That’s less necessary these days, he says, because he has enough steady clients and name recognition to earn a living.

“I’m always looking for more work, but it seems to always come along when I need it,” he says.

His clients are from the U.S., Canada, Belgium and India and include well-known bluegrass musicians Sarah Watkins of Nickel Creek and Rhonda Vincent.

A Brunkalla guitar requires about 140 hours to make and starts at about $4,100.

A violin takes an average of 160 hours. Brunkalla’s violins 3 A Brunkalla violin takes start at $6,000 and top out at an average of 160 hours to around $15,000. Mandolins make and starts at $6,000. are the most complicated and take about 240 hours.

But even after 13 years in Faced with the prospect of a low-paying business, the work is still rewarding. service or retail job, he decided to turn “What I love is hearing fantastic music his skill for repairing instruments into a played by a good musician on something I business. As a weekend folk and countrymade,” Brunkalla says. rock musician, he already had a potential client base. For the next three years, he studied everything he could on instrument construction and then made his first guitar, which he still has.

Today, as a luthier, Brunkalla constructs and repairs stringed instruments including From the time she was a little girl, guitars, violins, violas, cellos, bass violins, Michelle Martin, assistant principal at mandolins and even unusual instruments Creekside Middle School in Woodstock, such as an Irish bouzouki. knew she wanted to teach.

When he first started, Brunkalla joined “In the summer, I was the nerdy kid who professional organizations, began to network with other luthiers and attended bluegrass wanted to play school,” says the Melrose festivals to exhibit his instruments, including Park native. the International Bluegrass Festival, which he She entered college with that goal in mind but found the prospects of low pay and a tight job market discouraging.

3 Martin Brunkalla repaired “I was the first in my family his first guitar at age 12, to go to college, and they which led to a hobby and thought just one year was finally a career as a luthier. great,” she says. “There was zero expectation for me to finish, so I dropped out.”

Martin took a secretarial job, which led to her first job in sales and the start of a successful 16-year career that eventually had Martin training other sales reps.

The experience rekindled her passion for teaching, but then she was promoted into a job without a training role.

“When they took it away, I was miserable,” she says.

Within three months of her promotion, Martin was researching college teaching

6 Michelle Martin wanted to be a teacher ever since she was a little girl. She didn’t pursue that dream, however, until she was nearly 40.

Classroom Calling

programs, but at 36, a potential 10-year path to her dream career looked daunting.

“My mom said I had two choices,” she says. “I could do it, or not do it and kick myself in 10 years for not going ahead. I knew she was right and that I had to buckle down and do it now.”

She began by taking general college courses on Saturdays at a local community college, and then she switched to night classes. She also left her executive level position for a sales position requiring no travel.

After completing her associate’s degree, she transferred to Concordia University in River Forest to earn her Bachelor of Arts in education. In a little more than four years — not 10 — Martin finished her degree.

“It was insane. I’d leave work at 4 p.m., race home, throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave, grab a bottle of water and head off to class,” recalls Martin, who was single and childless at the time.

After a year as a full-time substitute, Martin was hired as a social studies teacher

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at Woodstock High School. Though she’d done her best to prepare financially, adjusting to an entry-level paycheck was difficult.

“I was 41 years old, with a 41-year-old’s bills, earning a 22-year-old’s salary,” she says.

The desire to earn more money so she could afford to adopt a child fueled her decision to earn a master’s degree and administrative certification a few years later.

But even today, as an educator, Martin is still selling.

“One of the hardest sells is convincing high school freshmen they need to understand history that’s 3,000 years old,” she says. “I’m always negotiating, getting kids to agree to something but have them think it’s their idea.”

Considering A Career Change?

Considering a career change of your own?

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

It’s also vital to keep a positive attitude.

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

34 McHenry County Magazine • March 2013

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March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

35

careers

By STEPHANIE N. GRIMOLDBY Photos by MICHELE IDSTEIN

In Community They Trust Thirteen years ago this March, three McHenry County senior financial professionals came together to start their own community bank, convinced they had a better business model to meet the needs of businesses and families in the area.

Today, after being named one of America’s fastest growing companies

by Entrepreneur magazine, American Community Bank & Trust has more than $500 million in assets, four locations —

in Woodstock, McHenry, Crystal Lake and Huntley — and its leaders feel it is accomplishing its goal of becoming the premier bank in the county.

“We had visions of growing into McHenry County’s community bank … and that’s [what we’re doing],” says Rick Francois, executive vice president.

3 Karyn Pratt

is executive administrative assistant at American Community Bank & Trust as well as a Woodstock resident.

A different type of bank

Francois, Chief Executive Officer Charie Zanck and President Andy Hartlieb have a combined 70 years of experience in banking, and they have surrounded themselves with other elite financial veterans who understand the industry, making American Community a hub for sound financial decisions and information.

But American Community wasn’t created as just another financial institution. In a world where big banks claim to have all the answers to individuals’ banking needs, American Community stands apart and offers the

same solutions, plus something more — personal relationships with its clients.

“Banking has become increasingly nonlocal, and when that happens, things change regularly,” Hartlieb says. “They change people, they change policies, they change signs on you. We wanted the ability to deliver consistent services and consistent people.”

American Community offers three consistent banking solutions to community members: 1) Wealth management 2) Business banking 3) Retail banking And in all three areas, providing the best personalized service is key.

First, American Community has two certified financial planners on staff to help clients maneuver through wealth creation and preservation. That means clients have expert advice on hand regarding estate planning, employee benefit plans, retirement options and more.

“Our Wealth Management Group has realized an impressive growth rate, which is

3 (Facing page) Pictured is the reception area of American Bank & Trust in Woodstock.

the direct result of the quality of our advisors and the genuine care and advice they provide,” Zanck says, noting that American Community employees are continual learners. “The quality of our bankers and advisors is what differentiates us.”

American Community Wealth Management has an open architecture investment platform and doesn’t push proprietary products, allowing clients to select products from any service provider and the best money managers available.

“We help clients and families create, manage and preserve their wealth,” Zanck says.

Second, when it comes to business banking, nothing is more important at American Community than the relationship established between the business and its banker.

“Every client is assigned a relationship manager who is responsible for taking care of that relationship,” Hartlieb says, adding that business owners can be assured they will work with the same team of bankers each time they come to the bank.

Plus, the same senior management team will be making decisions based on the best interests of the company.

One business owner who was unhappy with another bank came to American Community with a loan request, Hartlieb says. The loan closed a week and a half later, and the customer said he hadn’t thought it was possible for a bank to be that responsive.

It was clear that American Community

Rick Francois, executive vice president

is focused on growing the bank by developing new relationships in the community and that it is ready and willing to lend and eager to meet to discuss new opportunities.

“In our service model, you walk in the door and you’re going to find senior people who can make decisions,” Francois says. “You can walk into another model, and decisions are made off-site. They gather information, and say, ‘We’ll get back to you.’”

“A lot of our business owners of a certain size don’t hire a chief financial officer, don’t have a treasurer or staff,” Francois continues.

“They look to us for advice and solutions.

We want them to be successful because their success contributes to the bank’s success, and as they grow, we grow. Their expansion creates other opportunities for us to serve them.”

Providing a personal touch

Personal banking is the final banking solution offered at American Community, and the bank makes it a priority to create a

charie zanck, CEO

5 Inside the lobby of the Woodstock bank, which was built in 2002.

pleasant experience for clients.

While considered a mid- to large-sized community bank, American Community’s access to technology allows it to compete “with the big boys,” Francois says, but it hasn’t lost its personal touch.

“Retail banking has evolved into … a more non-personal environment, but we try to provide the best of both worlds,” he says.

“We have online banking, [but our] team members are always available. When you call the bank, someone answers the phone.”

“It’s just a completely different service model.”

American Community bankers also are coached to advise clients, not sell products.

Bankers are not paid for each new account they bring in, so they don’t push clients to add unnecessary credit cards, checking accounts or debit cards.

Andy Hartlieb, President

American Community Bank & Trust Core Values 1. We have an Attitude of Urgency in everything we do.

2. We are Committed to Confidentiality.

3. We deliver the talents of the Best People in the financial industry.

4. We believe in Trust and Integrity and it is reflected in every decision we make.

“We work to try to understand your needs and then work to try to find solutions for you, not us,” Francois says.

Should a problem arise, however, American Community bankers respond swiftly, Zanck says.

“A relationship is tested when there’s a problem,” she says. “When you have a problem with a check or debit card … we have the people here who can talk to you, who can help you.”

Word is spreading about the quality of banking found at American Community, Zanck says. Clients have brought their elderly parents and married children to the bank because they trust the service they receive.

“We have many long-term relationships where we are working with the second generation,” she says. “People introduce their families and friends with great confidence because they know we’ll take care of them.”

The three executives agree that underlying everything is a sound business model, both on paper and in practice, and that their strong balance sheet and capital should provide a sense of comfort for customers.

“We are committed to doing the right thing for our clients so the relationship lasts for a long time,” Hartlieb says.

‘Give Where You Live’ Zanck, Francois and Hartlieb don’t just believe in community banking and the economic impact American Community has on McHenry County. They also believe in community service and the benefits that abound when people work together.

Take a close look at the letters U and N in “community” in American Community’s logo, and you’ll find that they share a stem, Zanck says. The unification of the letters was intentional and it represents how American Community is dedicated to giving its time, talents and treasures back to McHenry County.

“Our bankers are involved in more than 40 different community organizations,” she says, “and they are often sought after for their leadership roles in our community. It’s expected; it’s a part of our culture — it’s who we are.”

“We look for people who want to give back and get involved.”

Bankers serve on boards and committees, they belong to local chambers of commerce, they volunteer countless hours to organizations and they do it all in an effort to enhance the quality of life where they live and work, Zanck says.

American Community bankers have good examples to follow, however. Zanck - who has served on the boards of nearly a dozen organizations - has been on the board of Centegra Health System for many years and has helped raise $1 million through its annual Mad Hatters luncheon.

Hartlieb is a founder and board member of the Gavers Community Cancer Foundation, which has raised more than $4.5 million since 2000 for cancer screening and research.

And Francois has served as the fundraiser of Veteran’s Salute since 2007, putting together the annual event that provides free golf and entertainment to area veterans.

“It’s a behavior; giving back is a trait of our bankers,” Francois says simply. “It’s who we are.” mc

LOCATIONS To learn more about American Community Bank & Trust, visit amcombank.com.

Crystal Lake 381 S. Main St. 815-479-8600 Huntley 10101 Route 47 847-669-0777

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family / success lives next door

Family Focused

Local Businesses Are Passed Down Through Generations

I By Jacky Runice

I

Gary Pack is proud of his alma mater.

3 By the 1990s, Donley’s Wild West Town in Union had become so popular, the family took a banquet hall and turned it into a restaurant. Photo by Michele Idstein

In 1968, Pack’s mom and dad moved 6 Grandma Ruth and Grandpa George to Harvard, and the young man’s fate Ahrens started Twin Garden Farms in was happily sealed.

Harvard. Photo provided “For me, I enjoyed farming and “Yep, I graduated from Harvard,” Pack loved being with my grandparents and admits with a sly grin. parents,” he says, “and I never really But anyone who is familiar with the thirdthought about doing anything else.” generation owner of Twin Garden Farms in According to the Institute for Family Harvard knows that he’s referring to Harvard Business, Pack fits into the formula of a High School in McHenry County, not the successful succession. venerated university in Cambridge, Mass.

“Important attitudes towards work Pack might not claim a sheepskin from the and the family business are formed school that graduated famous family names during childhood,” the institute website like Bush, Kennedy and Rockefeller, but he says. does have a doctorate in the school of hard “We were taught to work hard, knocks and family farming that George and our family was based on and Ruth Ahrens founded in 1954. faith and the hope and belief that if you work A family attitUDE hard, you can make business,” he says. “The continuous flow of Pack grew up in Des Plaines, but he your dreams come true,” new policies and procedures and no-fault spent summers in Harvard between Pack says. atmosphere that we live in, it’s not easy. But, the ages of 4 and 16 working at Whereas George you get up in the morning, look in the mirror Twin Garden Farms, named so and Ruth came and you don’t quit — you just deal with it all. “ because Grandpa George and home tired from Twin Garden Farms is a clan effort with Grandma Ruth first bought all of the physical Pack, his brother-in-law Mark Hayes and his 200 acres, then an adjacent labor demanded cousin-in-law Cliff Ingersoll making up the 200. in running a triumvirate. farm, Pack finds The men face what the Family Business himself mentally Institute calls “the toughest and most critical debilitated at the challenge” — planning for succession. end of the day.

Of Ingersoll’s four children, Pack’s two “My grandparents daughters — who went into the medical 5 Donley’s Wild West Town started in the were farmers, but industry — and Hayes’ four sons, only Hayes’ 1970s as an antique music box and phonograph I also have to be an son Joel has come into the fold as a partner in show and sale. Today, the family business has accountant, lawyer and the sales department of the national arm of the a restaurant, banquet halls, a museum and insurance expert about company, Twin Garden Sales.

Wild West attractions, and it runs auctions and the requirements “All four of my sons worked here at one liquidates antique collections on and off site. of running a time and got a taste of the business,” Hayes Photo by Michele Idstein

skyrocketing, [and] there are so many things you can’t control. Customers can only pay so much and afford the luxury of dining out.

“So, we started to see people my father’s age wanting to liquidate their collections, and we really shine in liquidating entire collections.”

Randy, 58, attended the World Wide College of Auctioneers, passed the state exam and now is a certified auctioneer. Brother Mike, 60, handles all of the video and computer work as hundreds of bidders from all over the world are linked in electronically to an auction occurring in Union.

Randy recently got a call from someone who had a wooden airplane collection, and a woman in Georgia 4 (From left) Randy Donley and his fiance, Susan Hagerty, stand with Randy’s father, Larry; his brother, Mike; and mother, Helene. Photo

by Michele Idstein

says. “Three are more creative types and they excel in that way, and now Joel is our fourth generation in the business, buying and selling, importing and exporting 52 weeks a year.”

The family farm, known worldwide for its Mirai sweet corn, is now adding many other vegetables and fruits through the integrated sales arm of the business.

“We’re completely reinventing ourselves every 10 years, responding to challenges and adapting,” Hayes says.

In an industry that teeters upon so many variables like weather, transportation and government regulations, evolving is the only way to keep the family business together.

“Each generation sees what their parents went through — the commitment of working seven days a week and never taking family summer vacations, and the pressure you’re under in dealing with a perishable commodity,” Hayes says. “It gets less and less attractive. This way my son can work with his dad. He does a good job, likes what he does and some day he’ll take over the reins.”

Joel has three of his own children and a fourth on the way, so the corn silk could be swinging in the breeze for years to come, which would be a tremendous accomplishment. According to the Family Business Institute, only 30 percent of family businesses survive into the second generation, 12 percent are still viable into the third generation and about 3 percent of all family businesses are humming along into the fourth generation or beyond.”

A Wild West Town

No one had to press Randy and Mike Donley into joining their family business.

What began as their dad’s antique collection in the 1970s swelled to a restaurant and banquet halls, theme park, museum and auction business in the 21st century.

“Mike was into architectural drafting, and I was studying accounting in the ’70s, and finally, this became our college,” Randy says.

6 A buffalo is featured in the Donley’s restaurant today. Photo by Michele Idstein

The brothers helped construct buildings for the family’s growing business in Union during summers in between semesters.

“One summer became two, and all of a sudden, it’s 40 years later,” Randy says.

Randy’s mother, Helene Donley, was an IBM programmer and his father, Larry, was an auto mechanic who owned a local gas station and spent his leisure time collecting antiques, especially mechanical items like music boxes and phonographs. had 300 phonographs to liquidate.

When Larry acquired a large enough “I absolutely love auctions, and I’ve been collection, he wanted to open a museum, and buying and selling antiques for practically the first building donned a wild west theme. my whole life, so it became natural for us to “Then, we started an antique music box and become auctioneers,” Randy says. phonograph show and sale that got so busy, What about the next generation? Randy’s my dad built another building for that, which son is just about to graduate from college, and could also be rented out as a banquet room,” his daughter is a stunt woman for films and Randy says. “That became so popular that we television shows, a career path that may have built another banquet hall, and by the ’90s, come from her years in the cast at Wild West Donley’s Wild West Town gained popularity Town. with tourists, so [we] took a banquet hall and “My son gives me business tips, and my turned it into a restaurant.” daughter is extremely computer literate Randy’s various concerns — the banquet hall, restaurant, antique trading and the Wild West attraction — have survived decades of change because it seems the family is able to reinvent and add onto the business.

“Even now, the food industry is 4 (From left) Cliff Ingersoll, Gary Pack, [a] very tough Mark Hayes and Ted Ahrens, a son of business,” Randy George and Ruth Ahrens and uncle to Gary Pack, are partners in Twin Garden says. “The cost Farms in Harvard. The family business of produce is is in its fourth generation of ownership.

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Neither Gary Pack nor Randy Donley are wistful about where their respective family businesses have taken them.

“We … have the pressure of running a business in today’s environment, and the third generation guys have different financial and work styles, but I wouldn‘t change my choices,” Pack says. “I didn’t have to travel 300 miles three times year to see my parents, and I got to work with my dad every day before he passed away.”

Randy has found it downright fun working with the family.

“I enjoy the fact that I can see my parents every day,” he says. “This has been a fun ride, and if I could blink and become 19 again and go down a different path, I don’t think that I would.” mc

www.hw-mchenry-slf.com

Cynthia Brown Komarek, CRPC® First Vice President – Investments

▼

helping with websites and video in the auction area of the business,” Randy says. “I want both kids to make their own decisions about their lives, but if they want this operation some day, they’re welcome to it.”

For now, the family is pumped about the expansion into the auction business, and no one mentions the “R” word — retirement.

“My parents are here every day,” Randy says.

“My dad is always doing some kind of repairs on antiques, and he’s planning a new ride for Wild West Town for next season. My mother takes an active role in bookkeeping. They love the business.”

In addition, the family is proud of its stake in the community, having hosted weddings, social and sporting events and other affairs vital to the narrative of Union for the last four decades.

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

March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

43

Festival of the SugarMaples Two Weekends

March 2 & 3 and 9 & 10 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Coral Woods Conservation Area 7400 Somerset, Marengo • Hear how maple syrup was made hundreds of years ago…

• Discover how maple trees produce sap each spring…

• Learn how sap is collected from maple trees…

• See how maple syrup is made at the evaporator house!

Tours leave every 15 minutes and involve a half-mile hike over uneven terrain. Final tour leaves at 3:00 p.m.

Call (815) 479-5779 for more information. — No pets.

Stop by before or after the event…

The Lion's Club annual

Pancake Breakfast $3 per child/$6 per Adult Sunday March 3 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Marengo United Methodist Church 119 E. Washington, Marengo.

Sunday, March 10 7 a.m. – Noon

Donnelly's, 8512 South Union Rd., Union.

MCCDistrict.org • 815.338.6223

family

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Write This Down

family

FU N I By LARA JACKSON

I

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

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

Renee Torrez, program coordinator for the Woodstock Recreation Department, suggests searching Pinterest.com when looking for ideas for holiday activities and events for kids.

“A fun, inexpensive activity for kids for St. Patrick’s Day is to have a rainbow toy hunt,” Torrez says.

“All you need is a sheet of butcher paper. And then draw a rainbow on the butcher paper. Then, you have to find a toy of the different colors of the rainbow. When you’ve found that toy, you then place them on the appropriate color of the rainbow.”

Teach them history

For something educational, yet fun, Sonja Hunter, a mother from Crystal Lake, suggests doing a bit of light

O’ The Irish

research.

“Read a story to kids [that] explains St. Patrick and the significance of St. Patrick’s Day,” Hunter says. “I find a lot of background information on Google or from books from the library.”

Crafts are another fun activity children of all ages can do.

“I usually have the kids make shamrocks and then have them put lots of glitter on them or make leprechaun faces,” Hunter says.

A quick lesson in the kitchen can focus on Irish heritage, too.

“Soda bread is traditional food associated with the Irish and St. Patrick’s Day. It’s easy to make, so kids can help bake the bread,” says Huntley resident Ann Cramton, who is of Irish heritage. “Also, the Rebecca McCarthy School of Dance [in Algonquin] has an annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Huntley where kids can learn some basic Irish dance steps.”

For more information, visit rebeccamccarthyschoolofdance.com.

Charitable concepts ring true with the original St. Patrick, says Paddy Barry, coowner of the Irish Boutique in Crystal Lake and Long Grove as well as Paddy’s On The Square in Long 6 Bill Casey gets his head shaved at a Grove. previous St. Margaret Mary Shamrock Shave event. Photo provided “[St. Patrick] brought Christianity to Ireland in 432 … and encouraged the building of monasteries, which taught discipline, scholarship and learning,” Barry says. “Also, he used the shamrock, a three-leaf clover, to explain the Holy Trinity.”

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

© 2013 Ku m o n N o r t h A m e r i ca . A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d .

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St. Paddy’s Day Bash at Park Place 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 16 Park Place, 406 W. Woodstock St., in Crystal Lake This annual event for the whole family will feature a traditional Irish buffet, entertainment by the McNulty Irish Dancers, music, dancing and a cash bar featuring Harp and Guinness beer.

Tickets are $20 an adult and $10 a child younger than 12. For more information, call 815-477-5871 or contact Lauren Thibodeau at lthibodeau@crystallakeparks. org.

Shamrock Shave 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16 St. Margaret Mary School Gymnasium, 111 S. Hubbard St., in Algonquin This fundraiser combines fun and good will all in the name of St. Patrick’s Day. The fifth annual Shamrock Shave will begin with a traditional Irish dinner at 5:30 p.m. Then, at 6:45, the “mane” festivities will begin with head shavings staggered throughout the evening, along with performances of traditional and contemporary Irish music. One hundred percent of the event’s proceeds and pledges will be donated to the St. Vincent DePaul Society to support community families in need and Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Tickets are $2 at the door for adults and $1 for children. For more information, contact Chris Cimaglio at 847-514-9028 or shamrockshave@ saintmargaretmary.org.

St. Patrick’s Day Festival Saturday, March 16 Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox St., in Chicago Following Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Irish American Heritage Center will host a festival, which will include traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance, food and kid’s activities. Come back for more fun with the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Sunday, March 17. The day-long celebration in the pub will include music, dance and face painting for children.

Performers will include Tim O’Shea and Phillip Crickland — direct from Ireland — and more.

For more information, call 773-2827035 or visit www.irish-american.org. mc

www.aaanderson.com 48 McHenry County Magazine • March 2013

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March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

49

health

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

I By AMANDA MARRAZZO I

Divide And Conquer

Just because you have to go to work doesn’t mean it has to be stressful.

Area experts say setting boundaries, prioritizing tasks, deep breathing exercises and positive self talk can make a stressful workplace more bearable.

Mary Beth Davis, a licensed clinical social worker who practices in Lake in the Hills, says she often sees clients who say they endure much stress at work and are in need of practical ways to battle it.

“I’ve had one person ... in the last five years that likes their company and likes their job,” she says. “Today, people are just under extraordinarily high levels of stress at work because corporations are expecting them to perform and produce more. They have reduced work forces, and so people have had to add additional positions’ work [loads] onto their own load. Probably a majority

50 McHenry County Magazine • March 2013

of people would change jobs if it were different.”

Davis says when it comes to completing a heavy workload on deadline, prioritize tasks and finish the highest priority task first by breaking the assignment into smaller, achievable tasks. This will help an individual from becoming overwhelmed.

“Nobody can do 50 million things at once,” Davis says. “Everyone can do one thing at once.”

Employees feeling overwhelmed with work demands also should be assertive and have a conversation with their boss. Find out what it is the boss expects from his or her employees, ask what his or her priorities are McHenryCountyMagazine.com

and learn what the corporate goals are.

If the boss is unapproachable, talk to a trusted co-worker or another supervisor.

If a busy day is expected, arrive a bit earlier to get a better handle on the work for the day, and organize each assignment, Davis says. That way, the day will flow much easier.

If praise is what you need for a job well

that have been bullying,” she says. “And you really need to look at getting out and finding another job because no job is worth your life — it’s just a job.”

Deborah Metroka, a licensed clinical professional counselor who also practices in Lake in the Hills, says 30 percent of her clients are dealing with work-related issues,

When having a conversation with the “difficult person,” focus on the solutions, not the problem or the way things feel.

“Focus on what ... the next step is to see if I can improve things from my end,” Metroka says, adding that another solution could be bringing in a third party such as another trusted co-worker or someone from human resources.

“Start with a humble attitude, that we are all a difficult person for someone else ... [that helps put] it in perspective.”

She tells clients — Deborah Metroka, licensed clinical professional counselor to figure out what their part in the done and the boss isn’t giving it, learn to including difficult bosses and co-workers. conflict is in order to try and resolve it. praise yourself.

“First thing to remember is that we To reduce stress, Metroka also “I tell clients to reward themselves, are a difficult person for someone else recommends taking a gratefulness inventory like buy a favorite coffee,” Davis says. “If sometimes,” Metroka says. “Realizing this about work and life as a whole. something’s been really difficult, take a one fact can take the edge off of things.

“Sometimes we need to just remind minute and say, ‘I have this done, and I’m “You also need to reflect on what exactly [ourselves] of what we can be grateful for,” so relieved it turned out well.’ Our thoughts feels difficult for you between another Metroka says. “The fact that we have a job; are the precedents for our emotions and our co-worker and a boss,” she continues. the fact that people are confident we can behaviors. So, if we are thinking we did well, “Whenever we have a conflict or there is an do the work we are being given; our health. we are going to feel so much better about it.” issue, the first thing is to identify it and go Just doing that can switch your mind from Davis also suggests relaxation techniques to that person directly and privately, versus a stressed place to a more soothed and calm that can be done at work such as deep going to others around you or gossiping.” place.” mc breathing, going to a happier time and place and even exercising.

Walking around the office or outside at lunch, or simply walking up and down the stairs can relieve anxiety, refresh thoughts and get an employee back to the task at hand.

Sometimes we need to just remind [ourselves] of what we can be grateful for.

The fact that we have a job; the fact that people are confident we can do the work we are being given; our health.

How To Work Through Conflict A disturbing behavior has moved beyond the high school hallways into the office, Davis says.

“Bullying at work is so prevalent these days,” she says. “People think they can get ahead by bullying someone else. I personally have experienced that myself.”

To deal with bullying, Davis suggests saving emails and any other documentation of the bullying.

“Keep a running log of things that have been said McHenryCountyMagazine.com

March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

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health / low-fat recipe of the month

A Lotta Frittata!

By Lee Nelson Photos by HEATHER NELSON

W

ith spring approaching, Crystal Lake cook Kristina Kubik decided to include some green vegetables to add color, depth and flavor to her spring vegetable frittata that easily can be served for an Easter brunch.

“It would be a perfect dish for anyone, including vegetarians,” she says. “It’s very lowfat because all you use is one tablespoon of olive oil and only half a cup of crumbled goat cheese, which is one of the lowest fat cheeses. Eggs are the easiest to make healthy.”

With this frittata, she also reduces the fat by using six whole eggs and adding in six egg whites.

Asparagus, baby spinach and green onion usually are readily available in the spring, but they’re not necessarily the only things to choose for this 4 Kristina frittata.

Kubik displays “You can use any vegetable a serving of that is in season,” Kubik says. her Spring “Just add two cups of your Vegetable favorite chopped vegetables.”

Frittata dish.

Make sure you use a big enough skillet for all the ingredients and one that can go under the broiler. By placing the dish under a broiler for a few minutes at the end, it adds a nice crunch and browning effect, Kubik says. The eggs puff up a little more, and the cheese melts all over the frittata.

If your family doesn’t like goat cheese, you can

substitute a favorite such as cheddar. By using a 2 percent cheese, you can reduce the fat content even more.

Kubik’s recipe yields eight servings with only 131 calories, 7 grams fat and 11 grams of protein each.

Kubik, 25, started her healthy baking blog, Whippedbaking.com, more than a year ago. She became interested in healthy cooking while a student at the University of Illinois.

Spring Vegetable Frittata Yields: 8 servings Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil 4 ounces asparagus, chopped into 1-inch chunks 5 ounces small golden potatoes, halved and thinly sliced 3 cups packed baby spinach 6 whole eggs 6 egg whites 1/3 cup skim milk 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion (about 4 onions) 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Turn on your broiler to its lowest setting.

2. Heat olive oil in a large

12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and potatoes and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until the potatoes are cooked through and lightly brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Turn off heat and scrape half the mixture into a bowl to reserve for later.

3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, egg whites, skim milk, thyme, green onion, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined.

4. Return the skillet to medium-low heat. Pour in egg mixture and cook until the eggs are just set and there isn’t a lot of liquid in the pan, about 5 minutes.

To help the eggs cook evenly, run a rubber spatula underneath the perimeter of the frittata and tilt the pan so that the uncooked eggs run toward the edges.

Once the eggs are almost set, sprinkle the reserved vegetable mixture and remaining goat cheese over the top.

5. Place under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the top of the frittata is puffed up and set. Serve warm or at room temperature. mc Nutrition Information per serving: Calories: 131, Fat: 7 grams, Protein: 11 grams. (Calculated from MyFitnessPal. com)

LOW-FAT RECIPE OF THE MONTH This three-month health series will enlist the expertise of WhippedBaking.com blogger Kristina Kubik of Crystal Lake. She will provide a low-fat recipe for McHenry County residents to try at home.

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health / WEIGHT-LOSS series

3 Howard Eady continues on his weight-loss journey with the support of his son, Justin Eady. Howard and Justin encourage each other as they weight lift and utilize various cardio machines.

A New ATTITUDE Final Month’s Fitness Progress Report For Two McHenry County Residents

By Betsy Demitropoulos Photos by HEATHER NELSON

This is the final installment of a three-month series that has followed two McHenry County residents, Carolyn Bathauer and Howard Eady, as they have continued their journey toward a healthy and fit life.

Carolyn Bathauer, 31, McHenry

After more than a year of committing to a lifestyle reset, Carolyn Bathauer feels great.

Since last summer, the 31-year-old has dropped 40 pounds and more than 30 inches by attending classes at Body and Mind Pilates Plus in Crystal Lake.

Bathauer is set on losing 100 pounds overall, so she has 60 pounds to go. Her current weight is 215 pounds.

“I feel like I celebrate every win, that I’m more realistic about not only the work that it will take to lose the remaining 60 pounds to my goal, but the time as well,” she says.

“Everything’s changed. I am looking to be healthy, not skinny. And that’s made a world of difference!”

Bathauer says the expression “slow and steady wins the race” really resonates with her, as she’s given herself two years to lose the weight.

She lost another five pounds, five inches, one pant size and a shirt size last month.

But losing pounds and inches isn’t what it’s all about to McHenryCountyMagazine.com

Bathauer. It’s about altering her way of life.

“Being able to really push through those winter months that are usually the hardest feels like I’ve shifted from the ‘losing weight’ to a real lifestyle change,” she says. “I’m leaner, stronger and enjoy my routine!”

Bathauer says she’ll never diet again, though she has had to change her relationship with food and the types and quantity of food she eats. Paying attention and finding the link to the “why” behind her bad habits has helped 6 When it comes to dietary changes, Bathauer has increased her leafy greens, veggies, nuts and healthy sources of fats, further balancing her system.

Bathauer recognize what pushed her toward them in the first place — and how to make better choices now.

“I made small changes, mastered the change, forgave myself if I slipped and focused on what I’d change the next day,” she says. “I will always give myself the gift of preparing my own meals. Knowing what is going into them feeds not just my body, but my soul a little bit, too.”

Bathauer’s newest journey toward a healthy and fit life has been different than all the others she’s embarked on because this time, she’s surrounded herself with people that support her, hold her accountable and make her envision how her life will be different.

Bathauer has huge advocates at Body and Mind, including owner Julie Williams, who says during the last three months, Bathauer has done exactly what she set out to do: change her lifestyle.

“Carolyn has tried the quick fix, and it didn’t work for her, but this has,” Williams says. “She hasn’t approached this as a diet. It’s a new way of life.

Carolyn wants to be a healthy person and adapt to a healthy lifestyle, and she is doing a great job.”

Bathauer continues to go to Body and Mind about three or four times a week, and nothing’s going to change that, she says. She’s hooked. On days she cannot make it to Body and Mind, she works out at a March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

57

INSIDEView Editor’s note: McHenry County Magazine’s own niche product manager, Kelly Buchanan, 57, of Huntley, has embarked on her own weight-loss journey and will reflect one last time about how she has moved toward a healthier lifestyle.

After 12 weeks of thoughtfully and deliberately changing how she eats, Kelly Buchanan of Huntley says she’s in a good place.

“I’m feeling really good because I’ve made some realistic changes and good life choices,” says Buchanan, noting that she has never considered herself on a diet. “In the first eight weeks, it was a real effort to find things to eat, and now, it’s much easier to make those good choices.”

In the past month, specifically, Buchanan has moved more toward organic products, shopping at local specialty food stores. She also has started taking fish oil supplements and eating more nuts and seeds.

“I’m finding with the natural foods — fruits and vegetables, proteins, nuts — that it’s more satisfying than grabbing something that’s quick,” she says.

While she hasn’t completely met her goal of losing 12 pounds — she’s lost eight so far — she’s happy with her progress and says she will continue working to lose those last four pounds.

“My goal is based on my age,” the 57-year-old says. “I’m really aware that I really need to make good choices for myself in the future because I want to have a healthy, active lifestyle, and I want to be able to do it freely.”

Buchanan has been exercising three times a week after work and says the endorphins released from her workouts fuel her to make healthier choices when she gets home to make dinner.

“I don’t want to un-do the good I’ve just done,” she says. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

Through her weight-loss journey, Buchanan has utilized the expertise and support of Carol Schmitz of CL Nutrition, who has armed Buchanan with maintenance tips — daily habits to keep in mind — as she continues to try to live a healthy lifestyle. Schmitz shares those tips below: 1. Know your pounds of lean body mass. Bioimpedance machines … give you your personal lean body mass amount. If [you] know how much lean body mass you have, you can eat

58 McHenry County Magazine • March 2013

the appropriate amount of protein to sustain that and prevent yourself from gaining unwanted fat.

2. Water consumed daily should be no less than 60 ounces per day — minimally! You are 70 percent water … you can easily misread thirst for hunger and eat more calories than your body can burn, and that’s going to be stored as fat.

3. Keep up an exercise routine.

The more you move, the more calories you burn; the more [likely you are] to stay active; the better you will sleep at night; [and] the better your body will be able to eliminate solid waste, just to name a few things.

4. Pinpoint your trigger foods.

Those [are the] foods that set you off on the wrong path and you just can’t stop eating. Get healthy versions or change recipes. More importantly, when you really change your lifestyle and eating habits, you won’t be a slave to trigger foods.

5. Continuously explore new and healthy foods. Your taste palette changes … try a new vegetable or fruit or protein source periodically.

6. Use your clothing as a guide.

Spandex is your enemy — it expands!

If you have clothes that do not stretch and fit you when you are at your desired weight/shape, you can use them to let you know you need to get back on the wagon. Wearing yoga pants and sweat clothes only allow you to expand. Don’t go out and get bigger clothes — that allows you to make excuses. Excuses move us into more denial, and we end up where we started before maintenance. Once you lose your undesired weight and clothes are too big, donate them — don’t store them for “just in case.”

7. Love yourself enough both for you and for your family! It’s your one and only body — keep it healthy so you are able to participate in your life and not just be a spectator. Nothing worth having is free and easy. So, think of yourself as priceless and intricate — because you are awesome!

— Stephanie N. Grimoldby

4 Carolyn Bathauer continues on her weight loss and healthy living journey at Body and Mind Pilates Plus in Crystal Lake. In addition to regular pilates, Bathauer has been mixing it up with core and balance strengthening, and flexibilityenhancing yoga classes.

studio around the corner from her work, hitting class at lunch or after work before she heads home.

“It’s convenient when I get stuck at work, but I still miss my Body and Mind,” she says.

Self-awareness has been the most critical thing to Bathauer’s success. She says finding the time for herself has made her a better person.

And patience really is key.

“The progress I’ve made over time is motivating [me] to continue,” she says. “I’ve ensured I have a wide supporting cast — they care about me, my success and are sharing their knowledge and experiences.”

Howard Eady, 63, Lake in the Hills

After three months of stepping up his workouts and committing to them, Howard Eady feels fantastic.

He knows he can’t stay young forever, but the 63-yearold says he can try to grow old in a healthy way.

“When I exercise, I don’t feel like I’m getting older,” Eady says. “Exercising has become a big part of my daily life, and I feel so good doing it. Why would I stop?”

Eady retired after 41 years as a Metra train conductor last summer. Getting healthy and fit again was something he wanted to undertake during his retirement. He has kept at it since joining Centegra Health Bridge in Huntley in August 2012.

His weight hovers around the 161 to 164 range. Eady has lost some weight since starting a fitness plan, but weight loss isn’t one of his main goals … though he admits he’d like to lose about five pounds and wear a size 34 pant size comfortably.

His goals are to lead a healthy life, build definition, get stronger and have more energy.

Six months into his commitment to lead a healthy and fit life, Eady says he’s feeling all of these things.

“After an hour workout, a dip in the pool and a few minutes in the steam room, I just feel so good,” he says.

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

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Senior Fitness Group

“It’s a great feeling. You always want to go back to the gym.”

Eady has more definition in his arms and, overall, he’s feeling stronger.

“It’s great to be able to see the reward of your hard work,” he says.

Eady can’t say enough about the benefits of being active during his retirement years. He has more energy and increased strength to carry out daily tasks. He says a healthy and fit lifestyle can really help a person enjoy their golden years.

Eady’s family health history is another factor that keeps him returning to Health Bridge. Bad hearts run in the family, and four of his brothers have died of heart attacks.

Eady wants to do whatever he can to keep his heart healthy, so he goes to Health Bridge with his teenage son, Justin, at least three times a week.

Throughout his journey, one thing Eady says he will never do again is a yoga class.

While he knows yoga is beneficial, he found it to be boring and not his thing. However, he loves Health Bridge’s dance-aerobics class called Sh’Bam and likes to take that class along with some BodyJam, BodyPump and BodyStep.

“Sh’Bam helps keep my dancing legs strong,” he says.

Although Eady has been working out consistently since last August, he says he’s still learning.

“There’s so much to learn,” he says. “[But] the trainers at Health Bridge are very helpful, and there’s always someone to help me and provide information.” mc

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March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

59

fashion & beauty

By LAUREN LYNCH Photos by HEATHER N. NELSON

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

W

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

According to Flecia Thomas, appearing polished from head to toe plays an important role in determining a candidate’s overall stature during a job interview.

Thomas acts as the dean of student development at McHenry County College, and she oversees a variety of departments 4 Alexander Platok has owned Crystal Lake Shoe Repair for about 15 years

including career services, which offers job preparation, workshops and seminars.

“Shoes compliment you as a person,” she says. “The condition of your shoes is important.”

6 This pair of shoes was customized to meet the needs of a customer with podiatric issues by featuring heavy, multi-grip Vibram soles with two different types of gripping for extra tread in the winter.

Bottom’s Up To keep shoes looking their best, there is one thing that must be done.

“You must polish a shoe properly,” says Leonid “Leon” Gokhberg.

Gokhberg, who has owned his Barrington Shoe Services shop for 12 years, says the key to making shoes shine is to clean them every time after trudging through harsh elements like snow and salt.

“I use Meltonian,” he says, noting that the shoe cream acts as a quick and reliable fix to weathered and dull footwear.

Natalya Durik works the counter at Crystal Lake Shoe Repair and advises customers to bring in their shoes for a quick touch-up to keep footwear looking its best.

“We work on every kind of shoe,” Durik says.

Shop owner Alexander Platok has owned the business for approximately 15 years, maintaining his client’s loyalty by offering warranties and removing tough salt stains in addition to his numerous services.

“We use Maltonian, KIWI polish and Lincoln Wax,” Durik says, adding that the brands are high quality and act as a conditioner as well as polish.

When asked whether there’s a quick fix

3 Fashion footwear, such as this pair of heels by Etienne Aigner, pictured on facing page, make their way into Crystal Lake Shoe Repair frequently.

6 Crystal Lake Shoe Repair uses fine products, including leather from some of the best names in Italy.

6 Crystal Lake Shoe Repair employee Natalya Durik advises customers to bring in their shoes for a quick touch-up to keep footwear looking its best.

to repairing a broken heel or damaged sole, Durik says there is no alternative — customers should bring it right to his counter.

How To Dress For An Interview

Thomas, who holds a doctorate in counseling, has guided many people

can go to a thrift shop or just re-dye and polish them,” she says.

If, by chance, a cobbler is far from reach and a heel breaks on the way to an interview, Thomas advises interviewees to be prepared with what she refers to as “Plan B.” “If it’s snowing outside, take boots into the bathroom and remove the salt marks or shine up shoes before the interview.”

By keeping extra hosiery and polish in a purse or pocket, job candidates can feel at ease no matter what gets in their way before they

sit down.

“How you present yourself is an asset that helps move you along closer to a desired outcome,” she says. mc

DRESS FOR SUCCESS throughout her life toward the jobs they want.

She advises interviewees to wear mild fragrances, dress appropriately without wearing anything too distracting and to do plenty of research prior to walking through the front door.

Aside from keeping tattoos hidden — “unless you’re interviewing at a tattoo parlor,” she says — hair colors and nail polish should be modest, Thomas says.

And wearing comfortable shoes is key.

“You never know if they are going to take you on a tour of the building,” she says.

Thomas warns interviewees not to debut new shoes at an interview either.

“You don’t want to be taking them off by the end of the interview,” she says, laughing.

Interviewees shouldn’t feel the pressure to have to buy a new pair of shoes right away that could stretch their budget, she adds.

“If you can’t afford brand new shoes, you

Flecia Thomas of McHenry County College invites students and members of the community to attend the college’s fashion show from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 3 in the Commons. The show will feature appropriate interview attire from companies such as Sears.

“It’ll allow people to get a sense as to how to dress for interviews,” she says.

She also recommends students and community members check out the college’s job fair — hosted in partnership with the McHenry County Workforce Network — which will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 5 in the multi-purpose room at the college.

“How you look, feel and interact is important …”

Thomas says. “You want to go the extra mile.”

6 Platok has used his shoe and leather repair tools for years. Some have origins in Russia; others he has designed himself.

“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.

fashion & beauty

Outfitting For Easter Girls

By JAMI KUNZER

Want to impress the bunny this Easter?

Lands’ End offers tips for the entire family to stay both fashionable and practical this spring.

Children

When it comes to choosing Easter outfits for kids, select clothing that can be dressed up or dressed down, says Michele Casper, senior director of public relations for Lands’ End. “This gives parents an added value knowing the pieces will be cycled through the wardrobe and worn more than once or twice,” she says.

Trends this year include color blocking — or the use of bold opposites on the color wheel — dip dye and colorful prints and patterns, she says.

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

•

boys, either paired as a suit or worn separately with sweaters and polos or jeans, chinos and navy pants.”

Don’t forgo the polo, she says, as it’s the ultimate anchor piece. It can be worn numerous ways for numerous occasions.

“This season, we’ve updated the classic polo in our kids collection by offering fresh • Skirts colors as well as a dip dye Dresses and Oxford cloth stripe • Girly polos,” she • Fun says.

Girls Boys

For special occasions like Easter, make sure to have the basics for boys: suits and jackets, chinos in a variety of colors, polos and woven shirts, Casper says.

“Spring is synonymous with seersucker suits,” she says. “It’s a great Easter option for

Skirts and dresses continue to be the Easter staple for girls, Casper says.

“The Lands’ End collection features girly, fun and twirl-ready pieces that are not too over the top, so they can be worn again for other occasions,” she says.

March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

63

WOMEN Seasonal accessories such as tights, scarves, headbands and glittery ballet flats are a great way to infuse personality, sparkle and shine into an outfit, Casper says.

Women

“This spring, it’s all about fresh blooms in vibrant colors — essentially a modern garden party,” she says.

Another spring trend is mixing prints and patterns. Try mixing two to three prints and patterns in one outfit, whether it’s your scarf, your top, your cardigan or your pants, she suggests.

“At Lands’ End, we love pairing our florals with classic stripes, such • Fresh as a floral crop pant topped with a Blooms classic, two-color stripe boat neck tee,” she says.

• Vibrant New this spring is cropped Colors floral chinos, bejeweled cardigans and “optimistic color” in everything including the cotton Drifter cable crewneck sweater, the iconic cotton/modal wrap dress and the pretty chic polos, she says.

MEN

Men

“For Easter, men can’t go wrong with a traditional, lightblue shirt,” Casper says.

She recommends the Lands’ End no iron pinpoint Supima dress shirt. It comes in three different collar choices, including button down, straight and spread.

Men who would like to add a little more color to their Easter outfit can go with a seasonal pink or • Floral green dress shirt.

Chinos “Pairing any of these dress shirts with a great • Cardigans Silk Repp necktie or a seasonable fabric like a linen Oxford necktie will give any man a fashionable • Crewneck Easter look,” Casper says. mc

Sweaters

• Traditional Shirts • Seasonal Pink • Green

A LOCATION NEAR YOU Lands’ End is located inside Sears at 104 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake.

For more style choices from Lands’ End, visit www.landsend.com.

• Seersucke r Suits • Jackets • Polos

THE CLOTHES GALLERY Downtown Crystal Lake Brighton • Chamilia • Clothing • Accessories

THE CLOTHES GALLERY

51 N Williams Street Crystal Lake 815.455.3307 Hours: Tues-Fri 10-5:30, Sat 10-5

BOYS WOMEN

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

65

Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 Time: 11:30 - 1:30 pm

WOMEN’S daring to

live

& lead

Location: Crystal Lake Country Club

on purpose

Price: $35

SAVE THE DATE

Call today to reserve your ticket or table.

Limited seating available.

luncheon

POWER s e r i e s

Please join McHenry County women in business for the McHenry County Magazine Women’s Power Luncheon, featuring guest speaker Alice Byrne, field senior vice president for the Midwest Region of Allstate Insurance Company.

Be purposeful about your future to discover and/or develop your professional and personal leadership skills. Local speakers will inspire you to take on the challenge of leadership and use your best assets to lead others. Panelists will include: Sen. Pamela J. Althoff; Kathleen Caldwell, president, Caldwell Consulting Group, LLC & founder, WHEE Institute (Wealthy, Healthy, Energetic Edge); Appellate Judge, Mary Seminara-Schostok; Dr. Rebecca L. Sherrick, president of Aurora University; and Charie Zanck, chief executive officer and vice chairman of American Community Bank.

The McHenry County Magazine Power Luncheon Series has been designed to inform, inspire and engage McHenry County area business decision makers and leaders on contemporary business topics.

Women’s Power Luncheon Series Reservation Order Form Complete, clip out and mail this registration form by Thursday, March 21, 2013 along with a check made payable to the McHenry County Magazine. Absolutely NO REFUNDS will be issued.

Name _________________________________________________________________ Address________________________________________________________________ City ________________________________ State ______ Zip ____________________ Phone _________________________________________________________________ E-mail _________________________________________________________________ Number of Tickets ____________

Total $ Amount Enclosed __________________

Mail form and payment to: Women’s Power Luncheon, Northwest Herald, P.O. Box 250, Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0250 Tickets also can be purchased at the Northwest Herald office, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or with a credit card over the phone at 815-459-4040. Questions? Call 815-526-4445.

Presenting Sponsor

Keynote Sponsor

Noel Thelander Major Sponsors

Luncheon Sponsor

social life Blooms & Rooms

UPDATE

YOUR LOOK 5 From left, Donn Marciniak of Ringwa Lohse of McHenry, Phyllis and Liz Waddingt ood, Denise Gaskell of McHenry on at Blooms and Ro of McHenry take in the scenery om store recently host s Design Studio in McHenry. The for women that inced a “Love and Gratitude” event luded home deco r inspiration, shopping, food an d wine. Photos by Jill Kaman, JSK Advertising Desig n

and Boost Your Career!

Putting our best face forward is not just about the way we look but also reflects how we feel about ourselves on the inside. Updating your look can boost your self-confidence and make others take notice!

Some great tips for easy, time-saving makeup updates: Foundation adjustment: Re-evaluate your foundation to make sure it is keeping your skintone even and looking natural.

Camouflage: Try using a concealer to hide imperfections that foundation can’t cover. Blot concealer onto area after foundation is applied, then blend with finger or foundation brush.

Eyeliner: Use a blackened shade instead of pure black (blackened blue, green or purple are best). Apply to top of lid only. Then apply similar eye shadow shade under eye with thin angle brush. This will open and lighten up the eyes.

rduccio, Liz e Gaskell, Lisa Na 5 From left, Denis yce Konstantinow celebrate at Jo Waddington and Blooms & Rooms.

Mascara: Try a lash lengthening mascara. Apply 2 fine coats and comb through with metal lash brush in-between coats for maximum length without a heavy look.

Blush: Choose a medium matte shade. Apply to the apple of the cheek.

Clean brush and brush over cheek to blend.

Lips: Step away from gloss and try a lipstick! Choose a deep peach or pink matte. Apply, blot, dust powder over, apply again, and blot. Should stay on all day!

Powder: Apply a finishing powder one shade darker than your skin tone.

Dust lightly over face to set makeup.The deeper shade will give a natural bronzing effect on “winter” skin.

Need some help getting started?

Contact us for a complimentary Update Consultation 5 Denise Gaskell (fa products to Joyce r left) demonstrates Shaklee Ko at Blooms & Room nstantinow and Liz Waddington s. mc

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

www.lovemyresults.com (815) 347-4446

March 2013 • McHenry County Magazine

67

out & about

March Events In McHenry County

ARTS

March 1 — Nashville Backstage: A Country Cabaret, 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 and, modeled after the Grand Ole Opry, features some of the hottest acts to come out of Tennessee today. It will showcase Sherrie Austin, Tony Haselden and Will Rambeaux. For more information, call 815-356-9212 or visit rauecenter.org.

March 2 — Clay Jenkinson: Rushmore Speaks,

7:30 p.m. at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., in Crystal Lake Clay Jenkinson will perform as the faces of Mount Rushmore just in time for President’s Day in a special 10th anniversary show. Tickets are $45 or $55. For more information, call 815-356-9212 or visit rauecenter.org.

March 8 — Lucy’s Comedy Café, 8:30 p.m. at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., in Crystal Lake Stop in and enjoy a night of hilarious, top-notch comedy featuring local comedic greats on an intimate stage that won’t break the bank. This night will feature comedians Michael Issac and Vince Maranto, with special host Mike

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!

Mall Gift Cards Available

"An Antiquer's Heaven"

Dealer Space Available

Mercantile Mall - 50 Dealers Displaying Beautiful Home Decor, Autographed Memorabilia, Gifts, Crafts, Bikes & Accessories, Vintage Video Games & Systems, Die-Cast Car Shop, Tiffany Style Lamps, On-site Art Framing, Antiques & Collectibles, and More!

At the Volo Auto Museum - Near Rts 12 & 120 In HistoricVolo, IL. Open Every Day 10 - 5 815-344-6062 Or VOLOSHOPPING.COM

baskets, boxes, fondues, so much to choose from... f Easter Baskets

Special Occasions

Celebrate every special occasion with chocolate!

Holidays, weddings, birthdays, awards.

ue a Fond Have

Party

We are the leader in creating and hosting memorable chocolate parties.

• neighborhood gatherings • corporate events • girl’s night out • birthday parties

Customize your gift Cu Cust if by selecting from our large collection of specialty chocolates.

2755 W. Algonquin Road Algonquin • 847.458.8585 We ship anywhere in the US. www.morkeschocolates.com

68 McHenry County Magazine • March 2013

Preston. For more information, call 815-356-9212 or visit rauecenter.org.

March 8 through 24 — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., in Woodstock Craving a fun musical comedy to sweep you up in the action and keep you laughing all the way home? Then this Tony Award-winning story of six quirky competitors and three oddball adults in search of spelling bee glory is the show for you. Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. Tickets are $23 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. For more information, call 815-338-5300 or visit www.woodstockoperahouse.com.

March 9 — Nothin’ Up My Sleeve, 7 p.m. at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., in Crystal Lake This special performance will feature the Midwest’s finest magicians and entertainers. Children and adults alike will be mystified, dazzled and bamboozled by tricks, illusions and more. Tickets start at $17. For more information, call 815-356-9212 or visit rauecenter.org.

March 16 — 28 Days, 8 p.m. at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., in Crystal Lake The band 28 Days provides audiences with an unparalleled “live” cover band experience that electrifies the senses. Students 17 and younger are $6; 18 and older are $10. For more information, call 815-356-9212 or visit rauecenter.org.

March 21 — Creative Living Series: Joseph Epstein, 10 a.m. at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., in Woodstock The creative living series continues with “Gossip: The Untrivial Pursuit” with Joseph Epstein, author and essayist. Single showing tickets are $24. For tickets or more information, call 815-338-5300 or visit www. woodstockoperahouse.com.

March 30 — Muriel Anderson, 7 p.m. at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., in Woodstock One of the world’s foremost fingerstyle guitarists and harp-guitarists, Muriel Anderson is the first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship.

Her unique approach to the instrument virtually transforms the guitar into a lyrical choir, then a marching band, then a Japanese koto, then a Bluegrass band, one minute launching into a Beatles tune and the next, Chopin’s “Minute Waltz.” Tickets are $25. For tickets or more information, call 815-3385300 or visit

4

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, 9 a.m., March 23 at Park Place, 406 W. Woodstock St., in Crystal Lake

McHenryCountyMagazine.com

www.woodstockoperahouse.com.

EVENTS

March 9 — “Think Spring” Gala Dinner and Silent Auction, 5:30 p.m. at the Crystal Lake Country Club, 721 Country Club Road, in Crystal Lake Join Faith in Action for this fundraiser dinner. There will be a cash bar, entertainment and fantastic silent auction items. Tickets are $45 and the proceeds will benefit area seniors in need. For more information, call 815-455-3120 or visit www.fiamchenrycounty.org.

March 9 — Picasso Drawing Workshop, 1:30 p.m. at the Johnsburg Public Library, 3000 N. Johnsburg Road, in Johnsburg Adults and teens can learn about Pablo Picasso’s amazing life and work. Then, they can choose one of his paintings to copy in colored pencil. Presented by professional artist Christine Thornton; all materials will be provided.

For more information, call 815-344-0077 or visit www. johnsburglibrary.org.

March 9 — My Sister’s Dress Sale, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14, in Crystal Lake Prom dresses will be affordable for all during the sixth annual My Sister’s Dress sale, presented by Star 105.5 FM. Gently used dresses cost $25; accessories cost $5.

All proceeds will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County. All unsold dresses will be donated to Home of the Sparrow to be sold at Sparrow’s Nest stores.

For more information, visit www.mysistersdress.blogspot. com.

March 13 — Teen Job Fair, 4 p.m. at Park Place, 406 W. Woodstock St., in Crystal Lake Are you a struggling teen looking for a good job? Then let the Crystal Lake Park District help you find a job at the 22nd annual teen job fair! Area businesses will be available to meet with you and discuss their current job opportunities.

Dress for success in case potential employers conduct onsite interviews. For more information, call 815-459-0680, ext. 213.

March 16 — St. Paddy’s Day Bash, 6 p.m. at Park Place, 406 W. Woodstock St., in Crystal Lake Enjoy the McNulty Irish Dancers as they will perform two traditional Irish step dance performances. The deejay will entertain you with a selection of Irish music accompanied by a traditional Irish buffet. Bring your family or friends and celebrate! For more information, call 815-459-0680.

March 20 — Living in Germany During WWII, 2 p.m. at Hearthstone Communities, 840 N. Seminary Avenue, in Woodstock Egon Langhammer, a Marengo resident, will share his experience growing up in Germany during World War II. Using his memories, maps and photos, Langhammer will give his perspective on what it was like to live under the dictatorship of Adolph Hitler. For more information, call 815-321-4078 or visit hearthstonewoodstock.org.

March 20 — Gardening 101, 7 p.m. at Algonquin Historic Village Hall, 2 S. Main St., in Algonquin Learn the basic essentials to

gardening such as the proper way to set up raised gardens, how to pick, where to position, when to put a plant in the garden and how to determine the right soil content. For more information, visit www.lith.org.

March 23 — Easter Egg Hunt, 8 a.m. at Sunset Park, 5200 Miller Road, in Lake in the Hills Kids, bring your baskets to fill up with plastic eggs — it’s time for the annual Egg Hunt! This free event will take place rain or shine. For more information, visit www.lith.org.

March 23 — Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, 9 a.m. at Park Place, 406 W. Woodstock St., in Crystal Lake Relax and enjoy a traditional Easter breakfast for you and your family. Goody bags for children and a visit from the Easter Bunny will be included. There is no assigned seating. Children younger than 1 are free. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, call 815-477-5871 or visit www.crystallakeparks.org.

March 25 through 29 — FuntastiCAMP Spring Break Camp, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate, in Lake in the Hills Need a fun, safe, activity-filled place to go during school breaks? Check out this fun spring break camp! Meet up with your favorite summer camp counselors at Village Hall to catch up and have fun. Play games and challenging sports, make arts and crafts and go on some short, local field trips. The fee includes all activities and trips; participants bring their own snacks, drinks and lunch daily.

For more information, visit www.lith.org.

March 30 — Lunch with the Bunny, 11 a.m. at Old Towne Hall, 54 Brink St., in Crystal Lake The event will feature a hot buffet lunch, a free photo with the Bunny, a gift for each child, entertainment, music, games and prize drawings. Tickets go on sale March 1. For more information, visit www.downtowncl.org. mc

Reminds you... It’s IRA Season!

Don’t wait until the last minute; make your contributions early!

Sound advice may save you hundreds!

Lunch with the Bunny Saturday, March 30th at 11AM Old Towne Hall

Mark Your Calendars!

Lunch with the Bunny Saturday, March 30th

Ladies Night Out Thursday, April 11th Tickets $12 - available starting March 1st Dalzell Jewelers, 41 N. Williams Online at: www.downtowncl.org

Follow us on

Downtown Crystal Lake/Main Street

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of WOMEN distinction AWARDS LUNCHEON SAVE THE DATE Date:

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Time:

11:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: Crystal Lake County Club Tickets:

$35

You are cordially invited to attend the second annual Women of Distinction Awards luncheon on May 8, 2013. The Women of Distinction Award is given to women who have made a difference in McHenry County and who are representative role models as leaders in their ďŹ elds and communities.

A welcome reception will provide networking opportunities that will precede lunch and the awards ceremony. The awards ceremony will honor Women of Distinction and provide honorees with an opportunity to share their stories.

Presenting Sponsor

Major Sponsors

Speaker Sponsor

Luncheon Sponsors

e

e

artist showcase

LINDA C. MARASCO, McHenry

f

• “Burst of Spring”

f

My watercolor painting, Burst of Spring, was inspired by the daffodils growing in my yard. The morning sun created interesting shadows and a fresh luminosity on the petals that just conveyed the beginning of spring. “Burst of Spring” has been accepted into the 2013 Women’s Works Exhibit in Woodstock from March 7 through April 28. mc To submit an entry to Artist Showcase, email artwork, title of piece, name and village of residence of artist, and a two- to three-sentence description of the piece to McHenryCountyMagazine@shawmedia.com, subject head “Local Artist Submission.”