Everyday Heroes 2016

Celebrating the selfless efforts of McHenry County police, fire and rescue personnel

★★★ Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016

•

A Northwest Herald publication

Home State Bank applauds the dedication of our Everyday Heroes

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| Everyday Heroes

2

To Serve and Protect A model we ourselves emulate everyday in a different way, so we appreciate your collective efforts to make our community safe.

A sincere Thank You!

Crystal Lake Main Bank 40 Grant St.

Crystal Lake 5999 Northwest Hwy.

Lake In The Hills 50 W. Acorn

McHenry South 4401 Prime Pkwy.

McHenry North 3500 Diamond Dr.

Woodstock 124 Johnson St.

HomeStateOnline.com 815-459-2000 Member FDIC

WELCOME TO EVERYDAY HEROES

3

2016 Heroes

John Adams...................4

Linda Hooten............... 19

Mike Bennett................6

William Husfield........ 20

Ken Caudle....................8

Daniel Kreassig........... 21

Wesley Crain...............10

Jeremy Mortimer........22

David Eeg......................11

Jerry Schillaci..............23

Theresa Harper........... 13

Joe Teson.....................24

Mike Bennett

To see a photo gallery of this year’s Everyday Heroes honorees, visit NWHerald.com

This section was produced by Northwest Herald editors Jason Schaumburg, R. Scott Helmchen, H. Rick Bamman and Joan Oliver; reporters Emily K. Coleman, Katie Dahlstrom, Allison Goodrich, Hannah Prokop and Caitlin Swieca; correspondent Cynthia Wolf; and photographers Matthew Apgar and Sarah Nader.

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

Contributors

EVERYDAY HEROES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Come inside and meet the people making a difference in our lives as police, fire and EMT personnel

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| EVERYDAY HEROES

4

JOHN ADAMS

McHenry Police Department

By HANNAH PROKOP hprokop@shawmedia.com Between working the midnight shift at the McHenry Police Department and spending the day working with McHenry County Police Charities, teaching classes and spending time with his family, John Adams doesn’t get much sleep.

The McHenry police officer started with the department in 1999 after working with the Antioch Police Department. Adams’ father also was a police officer, and Adams knew that was always what he wanted to do, too.

Being a police officer is more than writing tickets for Adams, he said, it’s about the legacy he’ll leave behind.

“If I retire and leave my shiny stuff here, and I don’t leave a better legacy or better place than I walked into, then it’s not right for me,” Adams said.

The legacy he’s made in McHenry includes his dedication to the McHenry County Police Charities board, which helps fundraise for the community and develop relationships between cops and community members.

The program the group is most known for is Shop with a Cop, when law enforcement officers are paired with at-risk children.

Adams said he is the longest-serving member on the board and coordinates the Shop with a Cop program with the McHenry Police Department.

He also works with the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce, which fundraises for the event.

Wayne Seely is a chamber member who has worked with Adams on the Shop with a Cop program.

“His heart is always in the right place,” Seely said of Adams.

Seely said Adams always is thinking outside the box on how the organization can raise money to help children.

Adams is so passionate about it that he gets the whole family involved, Seely said.

Ellen Menas, Adams’ younger sister, said she has helped fundraise for the event and participated, too.

“It’s really tough to quantify and to put into words what the program means to him,” Menas said.

She said Adams is “self-sacrificing” and a great role model when it comes to helping children and showing them cops are human beings.

“He really lifts these kids up and empowers them,” Menas said.

The first year Adams participated in the event, he and his wife went shop-

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com

McHenry police officer John Adams has worked with volunteers to provide a Christmas for at-risk children through the Shop with a Cop program.

>> The Adams file Age: 48 Workplace: McHenry Police Department Lives in: Antioch Family: Wife, Kosette; daughters, Molly, 13, and Amy, 10 Quotable: “I always tell my family and friends that all the bad stuff you deal with through the year, that one day seeing the look on the kids’ faces and the experience you have and the interactions, it’s worth it.”

– John Adams ping with a brother and sister. Adams said he was amazed the two children only wanted to buy gifts for other people at the event.

“I always tell my family and friends that all the bad stuff you deal with

through the year, that one day seeing the look on the kids’ faces and the experience you have and the interactions it’s worth it,” Adams said. “We can make an impact there, and we hope we can have a positive impact on everyone that’s involved.”

Adams has seen the impact of the program on the community. Some children who were part of the program when they were younger now are donating their time or money to the program as adults, Adams said.

Aside from fundraising all year for the one day of shopping with children, Adams also teaches a junior achievement class once a week at St. Peter School in Antioch, where his 13-yearold daughter, Molly, and 10-year-old daughter, Amy, attend.

After getting off an overnight shift at 8 a.m., Adams said he was going home to make 50 chocolate covered strawberries to bring to the students for the lesson on how to run a hot

“I think that the community is extremely fortunate to have someone who’s so compassionate and passionate about the community he works in and giving back on an extraordinary level.”

Ellen Menas John Adams’ sister

dog stand, continuing his work in the community.

“I’m lucky to call him my brother,” Menas said. “And I think that the community is extremely fortunate to have someone who’s so compassionate and passionate about the community he works in and giving back on an extraordinary level.”

5

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Tired, Sleepless, & Uncomfortable on your 1-sided no flip mattress?

• At Verlo Mattress Factory, we build your mattress locally, with better quality materials & craftsmenship, so you’ll sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed!

Ray Westman Owner, Verlo Mattress

• Celebrating 30 Years in Crystal Lake & voted Best Mattress Store by NWH Best of the Fox readers pole.

• So get a VERLO and start SLEEPING Better!

For a Great Night’s Sleep!

Buy Direct from the Factory & Save!

Purchase a Verlo mattress direct from our factory, eliminate the middleman and pocket the savings!

Great selection of complete packages for

$499 or less!

Two Sided Twin, Full, and Queen Sets

8 choices of Queen comfort for Two Sided

$799 or less!

Ultra Premium Queen comfort for Two Sided

Made Just For You!TM

Celebrating 31 Years in Crystal Lake

Learn more at www.verlo.com

• FREE comfort guarantee*

Thank you McHenry County for continually voting us your #1 MATTRESS STORE

Crystal Lake 5150 Northwest Hwy. (815) 455–2570 McHenry 3710 W. Elm St. (Hwy 120) (815) 578-8375 Lake Geneva 2462 Hwy. 120 1/2 Mile North of Hwy. 12 (262) 249–0420

adno=0337651

• FREE - Financing*

$1299 or less!

FACTORY SAVINGS TWO SIDED Introductory Firm Twin Set ..................................................... $249 Full Set....................................................... $349 Queen Set ................................................. $399 TWO SIDED Euro Top Twin Set ..................................................... $299 Full Set....................................................... $449 Queen Set ................................................. $499 TWO SIDED Premium Firm Twin Set ..................................................... $649 Full Set....................................................... $869 Queen Set ................................................. $969 King Set ...................................................$1299 TWO SIDED Premium Euro Top Twin Set ..................................................... $969 Full Set.....................................................$1349 Queen Set ...............................................$1499 King Set ...................................................$1949

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

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

• At Verlo we still build 2 -sided mattress’s that you can Flip & Turn, so they wear more evenly and last longer

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| EVERYDAY HEROES

6

MIKE BENNETT

Crystal Lake Police Department

By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com Crystal Lake Police Sgt. Mike Bennett has shoveled driveways, changed tires and even stopped traffic on Route 31 to help a mother goose and her goslings get across the busy roadway.

Bennett sees it as part of the job, one that led to his decision to pursue a career as a police officer after working as a security officer in low-income housing, but one that doesn’t get as much attention as it should. “[Departments] don’t prioritize that,” Bennett said. “But you do hear about how many tickets you wrote the day before, how many tickets they want you to write, concentrating on different intersections for certain violations and stuff like that.”

The Crystal Lake Police Department, where Bennett has spent the past 21 years, has been supportive of the efforts, but the good deeds still aren’t quantifiable, he said.

Bennett’s emphasis on community policing is one of the reasons he was named to a new target response unit that will be focused on problem-solving within the community, getting to spend more time on quality-of-life issues such as neighbor disputes, kids who are running into trouble and issues related to drug addiction, said his supervisor, Cmdr. Ron Joseph.

“Mike is self-initiated, team-oriented, works to inspire his personnel to achieve a higher level of customer service,” Joseph said.

That’s why Joseph wasn’t surprised at all to hear that Bennett was raising money to buy a new dog for Laura Johnson, a developmentally disabled Crystal Lake resident who had been out walking her dog when she was hit by a car, leaving her dog, Scooby, dead and her with an injured foot and leg.

Johnson had been woken up by her dog around 2 a.m. Oct. 26, said her mother, Judy Johnson.

Laura Johnson doted on Scooby, a 3-year-old shelter dog that looked like a black poodle, and would take him out anytime of day or night, Judy Johnson said. They’d head out the front door and loop around the condominium complex they’ve lived in for the past 18 years.

That night, they didn’t make it farther than the sidewalk right outside their building when a car driven by Damian Dzitkowski jumped the curb and hit the two of them. Dzitkowski

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Crystal Lake Police Sgt. Mike Bennett was instrumental in raising funds to buy Laura Johnson a new puppy last year after her former puppy died after being hit by a car. yet. She was in such shock. Her foot hurt, but she didn’t even realize [that >> The Bennett file she had been hit].”

Information came to Bennett in bits Age: 45 and pieces as the first officer respondWorkplace: Crystal Lake Police ed and then he arrived to conduct the Department investigation, get witness statements Lives in: Crystal Lake and, ultimately, make an arrest, he Family: Wife, Andrea; son, Tyler, said.

“After everything kind of died 25, and daughter, Erin, 23; stepdown and we talked to Laura a little daughter, Carissa, 13. bit – she didn’t say a whole lot – then Quotable: “I could write a we realized there was more to it than thousand tickets and actually feel a woman out with her dog,” Bennett guilty, but change one flat tire and said. “By the end of the shift, it kind that would make my day for the next of sank in. I think a lot of us felt pretty week.” – Mike Bennett bad.”

Bennett thought about putting out a jar with a note on it to raise money was charged with driving under the to help replace the Johnsons’ dog, but influence of alcohol and was sentenced then he decided to do something “a to a year of probation in December. little bit more modern.”

“She was down there screaming, A link to the crowdsourcing site ‘He killed my dog. He killed my dog,’” GoFundMe.com was sent around the Judy Johnson said. “She was sitting Crystal Lake Police Department and on the ground. She couldn’t stand up its dispatch center, Southeast Emer-

gency Communications or SEECOM, Bennett said. Within three days, they had raised $500, and by the end of the week, it was about $1,000.

The Johnsons used the money plus an additional $200 they had gotten from some of Judy Johnson’s former co-workers – she had retired from McHenry County College the year before – to buy a bichon-frise-and-shi-tzu mix puppy they named Abbie.

The donation gave Laura Johnson something to look forward to instead of just thinking about what had happened and the dog she lost, Judy Johnson said.

Actions like this help the police department build trust with the community and ensure the department can be successful, Joseph said.

“I thought it was very noble,” he said. “It was very empathetic and noble that he would lead the charge for trying to make restitution, but working with him for 21 years, that’s nothing that surprised me.”

7

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

adno=0338768

KEN CAUDLE

Huntley Fire Protection District

By CAITLIN SWIECA cswieca@shawmedia.com Twenty-seven years ago, Ken Caudle was fresh out of the U.S. Army Special Forces and seeking a career that could re-create some of the excitement the military provided. ​“I used to jump out of airplanes for a living,� Caudle said. “To come back to regular civilian life, it was like, ‘OK, now what do I do?’�

That line of thought brought Caudle into the firefighting service, a line of work that has suited him remarkably well. A self-described average high school student, Caudle excelled in his fire and EMT training.

Now 47, Caudle is in his fourth year as the chief of the Huntley Fire Protection District, an agency that serves 60,000 residents over 55 square miles.

Caudle started rising through the ranks of Huntley’s department quickly after he joined the agency 16 years ago. “I noticed we would give him Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Huntley Fire Protection District Chief Ken Caudle has been involved with firefighting for 27 years.

Continued on page 9

Congratulations To o All Our McHenry County Heroes!

First Responders who risk their lives to keep our lives safe.

adno=0338774

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| EVERYDAY HEROES

8

Continued from page 8

>> The Caudle file Age: 47 Workplace: Huntley Fire Protection District Lives in: Crystal Lake Family: Wife, Sharon; son, Aden, 4, and daughter, Melanie, 2 Quotable: “For us, every day we come to work is a different day.

There’s going to be certain things you have to do every day, which is part of operations. Just sitting here listening to the calls, every call is a different type of call, which is really neat.” – Ken Caudle

Jeffrey Macko

Cary Fire Protection District Chief

of the district, Caudle said he also occasionally joins his firefighters on calls, holding onto the part of the job that drew him to the fire service in the first place.

He also organizes meetings with residents of Sun City’s neighborhoods, arranges for firefighters to make appearances at block parties and other events, and works to make sure he stays connected with all the district’s firefighters.

Caudle has a lot on his plate, but those who have worked with him have no doubt about his ability to reach all his goals.

“Ken is a can-do guy,” Cary Fire Protection District Chief Jeffrey Macko said. “You’ve got a situation or a problem, he says, ‘I can get that done.’ And he does.”

Scot Forge Salutes its Employee Owners

the Real Everyday Heroes!

8001 Winn Road, Box 8, Spring Grove, IL 60081 sales@scotforge.com

847/587-1000 • 800/435-6621 • Fax 847/587-2000 www.scotforge.com adno=0332224

9

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

said. “He brought it out of me, and here I am sitting in this seat.”

As chief, Caudle is responsible for making sure the district’s service meets the standard even as Huntley continues to expand.

The goal, he said, is to stay one step ahead. Caudle analyzes new development and commissions studies to make sure the department is financially prepared to build a new station or get new equipment if that need arises.

“Ken is a can-do guy. You’ve got a situation or a problem, he says, ‘I can get that done.’ And he does.”

EVERYDAY HEROES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

smaller projects and he’d do well on it,” former Huntley Fire Chief Jim Saletta said. “We started giving him bigger projects. He demonstrated good organizational and leadership skills, good planning – things that are chief material.”

Along with that, Saletta said he saw a work ethic that could match the demands of the chief’s position. When the agency was working to get its accreditation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence, for example, Saletta often would wake up to email notifications that indicated Caudle had been working on the online application at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.

“He was working around the clock so we can have it done on time,” Saletta said.

Caudle went from firefighter to lieutenant to training safety director to captain to deputy chief before assuming his place as the district’s leader.

While working on the front lines, he honed his administrative skills, earning bachelor and master degrees in business management.

“Chief Saletta saw something in me I wasn’t really looking for,” Caudle

His quest to stay on the cutting edge leads to outside-the-box ideas.

Last year, he offered subsidized FitBit activity trackers to encourage firefighters to stay in shape.

When the department received a SAFER Grant, which are generally used to expand staffing, he decided to use the money to allow part-time workers to earn some benefits, which he hopes will help the department maintain them.

“He’s done so much for that department, getting equipment via grants or government programs that have given him equipment,” said Marengo Fire Protection District Chief Bob Bradbury, who works with Caudle on the McHenry County Fire Chief’s Association.

Saletta, who now serves as a representative of the taxpayers on the district’s board of trustees, has been pleased by his leadership.

“Year after year he’s under budget,” Saletta said. “He completes projects on time. We set goals and objectives in December every year for the following year. He pretty much gets 90 percent done, and the ones he doesn’t are because of outside influence more than anything else.”

While he carries out the vision

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| EVERYDAY HEROES

10

WESLEY CRAIN

Glenview Fire Department

By HANNAH PROKOP hprokop@shawmedia.com Wesley Crain tells his students the day they stop learning, they need to retire from the fire service.

Crain, fire science instructor at McHenry County College and a full-time Glenview Fire Department lieutenant, said he’s always wanted to be an instructor. For the past 25 years, he’s taught introductory fire science courses at MCC. “My love of teaching is to be able to watch students’ success and to watch careers develop for these students, knowing you had an impact,” Crain said.

The Woodstock native attended MCC before joining the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District, where he worked for 25 years. His father also was a Woodstock firefighter, Crain said.

Now at the Glenview Fire Department, Crain will work a 24-hour shift and leave thinking about going back to work at MCC. His love for the job is what keeps him going, Crain said.

“If I can help students progress in their careers and watch them grow, that makes me really happy,” Crain said.

The classes Crain teaches are an introduction to fire sciences, and for the past semester he also has been the interim department director, coordinating the lessons for all of the fire science classes.

Jim Falco, dean of education, career and technical education at MCC, said Crain is responsible for bringing experts into the classrooms.

“He’s very attentive to the students and really wants to makes sure the students understand the critical role they play in the fire services,” Falco said.

Coordinating with local fire departments to bring in their supplies is another part of Crain’s job, Falco said, and something that requires him to have a close relationship with all departments in the area.

Crain’s teaching doesn’t stop with MCC, however. He also teaches some classes for the University of Illinois’ Fire Service Institute, Crain said, and heads the training division at the Glenview Fire Department.

Glenview Fire Department Lt. Gary Schumacher said Crain has been with the department for 13 years, and Crain has taught Schumacher some of what he knows working in the fire service.

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

When he’s not working full time at the Glenview Fire Department, Wesley Cain is teaching students at McHenry County College.

>> The Crain file Age: 49 Workplace: McHenry County College and the Glenview Fire Department Lives in: Woodstock Family: Wife, Laurie; daughters, Katy, 24, Cara, 20, and Jeni, 18 Quotable: “If I can help students progress in their careers and watch them grow, that makes me really happy.” – Wesley Crain

“It’s a lot of work, and I know it’s a lot of off-hours he does to put all that stuff together,” Schumacher said.

Crain is able to get old firefighters and new ones excited about the fire service, Schumacher said, which is important for a career that can be

hard to get into.

“I think he just loves the fire service so much that he just wants to see it thrive and wants to see the right people get the job,” Schumacher said.

As a teacher, Crain said he looks at it as his responsibility to do everything in his ability to get students through their goals and give them extra help if they need it.

He also encourages working as a team in his class, following the fire department protocol of not leaving anybody behind.

“We make their worst day to be something, hopefully, better in the outcome in the end,” Crain said of any person who the fire department works with. “And it’s the same thing in the classroom. We got to all help each other.”

Helping people doesn’t stop when he’s outside of the department or the classroom. Crain said when he’s at home, neighbors will call him if they

“I think he just loves the fire service so much that he just wants to see it thrive and wants to see the right people get the job.”

Gary Schumacher Glenview Fire Department lieutenant

need help.

“You don’t have to wear the shirt, but they know who you are,” Crain said.

He said in class, he emphasizes firefighters are held to a higher standard than others.

With all the jobs Crain works – he also does construction work in the summer – he said his family supports him through the business.

“They’re actually my heroes for putting up with me,” Crain said.

11

EVERYDAY HEROES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

DAVID EEG

Huntley Fire Protection District

By CAITLIN SWIECA cswieca@shawmedia.com

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Huntley Fire Protection District Battalion Chief David Eeg has worked for the fire district since 1987 and has been the battalion chief for Red Shift for eight years.

“Dave is one of my guys that I can put my pillow on my head at night and go to sleep and not worry about a thing.”

Ken Caudle

Huntley Fire Protection District chief His faith leads to his leadership philosophy, which he describes with several references to Golden Rule.

“I have to enforce the rules, and I have to be the adult supervision and that kind of stuff,” Eeg said, “but I try to hold it all together with relationships and treat other people the way I’d like to be treated.”

That applies to his co-workers and the people he interacts with during emergencies, many of whom he knows are going through the worst day of their lives.

Eeg describes the basic function

of the fire department as “making calm out of chaos,” and his demeanor certainly contributes to the desired end state.

“Dave is one of my guys that I can put my pillow on my head at night and go to sleep and not worry about a thing,” Huntley Fire Protection District Chief Ken Caudle said. “He will take care of everything.”

Caudle said Eeg has become one of his go-to guys when he has a question or idea to bounce around because he knows the battalion chief will bring new ideas to the table and collaborate to achieve them.

The fire service may not have been Eeg’s original career plan, but he said he cherishes the work now. Unsurprisingly, he describes his job’s benefits through the lens of those around him.

“It provides for my family,” Eeg said. “It can be a nice, feel-good job.

You feel like you’re making people’s lives better and helping them out when they really need help.”

>> The Eeg file Age: 52 Workplace: Huntley Fire Protection District Lives in: Huntley Family: Wife, Kate; children, Alisa, 18; Danielle, 17; Russell, 15; Mary Catherine, 13; David Tiger, 11; and Hannah, 9 Quotable: “A lot of times, when we meet somebody, it’s on the worst day of their life. Trying to get stuff going the right way is a huge responsibility, and I appreciate that responsibility.

If there’s ways we could have done something better, we’ll certainly do that. I’ve got to say, our team does a pretty job the first time. We try to do the best we can, and if there’s something we could’ve done better, we’ll try to better last time.” – David Eeg

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

When David Eeg finishes his shifts as a battalion chief at the Huntley Fire Protection District, he goes home and helps run another crew: the six children he is raising with his wife, Kate.

The children ranging in age from 9 to 18 in his home may not have the maturity of his co-workers, but Eeg said there’s a lot of overlap in the necessary skill sets.

“There’s coaching, and there’s counseling, and there’s listening,” Eeg said. “I try to listen more than I talk.”

The members of Eeg’s Red Shift say their leader has mastered all those skills. Kelly Gitzke, a Huntley firefighter/paramedic who has known Eeg for 15 years, said his positive leadership has lent itself to a culture of enthusiasm and respect.

“He’s very approachable,” Gitzke said. “He would never yell. If there is a problem, he will put it in terms of, ‘What are the lessons learned? Let’s try to make this better.’”

Kate Eeg said while her husband is very skilled at leaving his job at work, he is very good at translating that demeanor to his parenting.

“I see that with the kids,” Kate Eeg said. “I’m the hothead, and he’s the one that keeps his cool and sees the silver lining in things and can pull the lesson out.”

Those who regularly interact with Eeg give him credit for bringing out the best in others, but Eeg is reluctant to take any of that credit himself.

He calls his wife “the hardest-working person I know,” and he heaps praise onto everyone at the district, from trustees to rookie firefighters, for their commitment to the department’s mission.

Kate Eeg said her husband’s selfless demeanor starts with his relationship with God. His faith, she said, has taught him how to value others.

That lends itself to an intense loyalty to his family, which is the No. 1 reason Eeg said he’s stayed in Huntley throughout his 29-year firefighting career, which began after his planned career in aerospace engineering was derailed after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Eeg is a graduate of Huntley High School and has lived in the village since he was 14. Nearly four decades later, he helps his 85-year-old father run the family concrete business during the summer.

THERESA HARPER

McHenry County Sheriff’s Office

By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com Six-year-old Hailey Downing wants to be a police officer one day, and it’s all thanks to her “Auntie Theresa.”

When a classroom assignment required students to choose someone they were thankful for, Hailey chose Theresa Harper, a 15-year deputy of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, said Hailey’s mom and Harper’s best friend, Jessica Downing. “[Theresa] is a fantastic role model for Hailey,” said Downing, who lives in McHenry. “Hailey actually wants to become a police officer when she grows up because of Auntie Theresa.

“She likes the idea of getting the bad guys, but primarily she wants to help people.”

That’s the example Harper sets for her daughter, Downing added.

From making deliveries of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to organizing a group of deputies for a photo shoot for a calendar fundraiser, Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Continued on page 13

McHenry County Sheriff Deputy Theresa Harper has been with the sheriff’s office for 15 years.

ALL OUR WORK IS 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!

THE HOTTEST Factory Authorized Dealer Fact

Heating & Cooling Systems Heat

Furnace Dealer in Town!

One of the most important resources any company has is its employees, those people who concentrate their efforts and abilities and strive to make their company successful. We are very fortunate to have many such employees at Aptar Cary and McHenry. Each year, through our Quality Improvement Process, Aptar seeks to recognize employees at each of our three McHenry County facilities for special effort, dedication, and achievements.

A great many employees are nominated throughout the year to be recognized for this special award and we are proud to have such dedicated talent and loyal employees on the Aptar team. This year, we are honoring three employees, one from each of our facilities, as Employee(s) of the Year!

FREE ESTIMATES

These employees, selected by their peers, are the Aptar recipients of this award for the extraordinary qualities they possess and have demonstrated over the year!

24 Hour Emergency Service All Makes and Models

Our congratulations to the EOY Winners for the year 2015!

We’ll service your furnace right the first time

GUARANTEED!

adno=0311501

11215 COMMERCIAL AVE RICHMOND, IL 815.678.3000 • 847.487.0468 www.DoweandWagner.com

adno=0332213 s r

r

TM

Our congratulations to the winners for the year 2015!

1160 N. Silver Lake Rd. • Cary, Illinois 60013

Sean Conrad Paul Sphatt Candice Gilhooly

adno=0332214

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| EVERYDAY HEROES

12

Continued from page 12

>> The Harper file Age: 37 Workplace: McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Lives in: Huntley Family: Son, Cody, 13; live-in boyfriend, Jack Scurty Quotable: “[Theresa] is a fantastic role model for Hailey. Hailey actually wants to become a police officer when she grows up because of Auntie Theresa.” – Jessica Downing

a title Harper said requires biannual certification. She’s been certified for nine years, since the time she spent working with the McHenry County Traffic Crash Investigation Unit.

“Basically, in an accident situation, if you’re in a child safety seat and if that seat is put in correctly, it’s the saf-

Did you know that of cancers affecting both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer? But this is one cancer you can prevent.

Screening tests help find polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.

So, if you’re 50 or older, get screened for colorectal cancer.

Screening really does save lives!

DO YOU QUALIFY? Ask Yourself...

• Do you live in a home that you own in McHenry County? (age not important) • Have you put an addition on your home in the past 4 years?

• Are you over age 65 and living in a home that you own?

• Are you a homeowner age 65+ with an income of less than $55,000?

• Are you a disabled Veteran or are otherwide disabled and a homeowner?

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

If you are any of these people, then you may qualify for property tax relief!

When you pay your real estate tax bill, you want to know that you are paying a fair and equitable portion for public services that you receive. We try hard to make that happen by striving for a correct assessment of your property. We also want to make sure you take advantage of the property tax relief that may be available to you. Check your tax bill.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

If you don’t think you are getting your exemptions, give us a call!

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) www.cdc.gov/screenforlife adno=0338767

Katie Couric, Co-Founder EIF’s National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance

McHENRY COUNTY ASSESSMENT’S OFFICE

★

Don’t Need It?

SELL IT!

815-334-4290

www.co.mchenry.il.us (Click Departments / Click Assessments)

★

NORTHWEST HERALD 815-455-4800

or

1-800-589-8237

13

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

Really?

events as she can handle.

Recalling work she’s done over the years for the Polar Plunge, the Law Enforcement Torch Run, Shop with a Cop, among others, there was really only one moment for which she reluctantly took some credit.

It was a couple of years back, and a woman in the community was looking for some help with a car seat. Harper found that the out-of-date seat needed to be replaced, but the woman couldn’t afford it, Harper said.

“At the time, we [the sheriff’s office] had a program, so I got her a new seat,” Harper said. “Then I actually put her on the list for a Christmas dinner that year.”

When it came time to celebrate her son’s birthday, the family received some duplicate gifts, which then were donated.

“She called me and told me that she gave back,” Harper said. “And it was all because we helped her out. That was really nice.”

EVERYDAY HEROES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Harper’s work for the sheriff’s office and for the community extends beyond her afternoon patrol shifts, Downing and other friends and family members said.

Harper, 37, is the “go-to” person when someone needs help with something – really, anything – said McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Aimee Knop, who has known Harper for years after Harper took her under her wing when Knop first moved to the area.

One service she’s particularly known for is going to check car seats for families throughout the county.

Sometimes it’s during her shifts, but oftentimes she goes after hours when it’s convenient for the person who’s requesting the service.

She’s one of very few people at the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office who is certified to install and check car seats as a car seat safety technician,

est place in the vehicle,” Harper said.

“If you go to a crash scene and you see a child safety seat that wasn’t put in correctly or wasn’t used at all, and there was a death involved, it’s going to hit you hard because it is something that could have been avoided if the seat was put in correctly and if the parents had been educated about it.”

Harper’s father, Mark Guerra of Cary, said her desire to serve stems from childhood, when she would sit and watch shows about police officers.

“She mostly loved watching people get rescued and watching people helping other people,” Guerra said.

In a field in which the daily duty could be anything from handling a fatal crash to responding to a domestic dispute, Harper said she’s always searching for the positives – little tasks or extra responsibilities that aim only to generate some good.

That’s what drives her to maintain her car-seat certification and her participation in as many charitable

14

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| Everyday Heroes

WHAT DOES YOUR RECORDER’S OFFICE DO FOR YOU? Every parcel, building, and piece of property within the county and throughout the country is represented in a recorded document that recorders’ offices identify, preserve and protect. The integrity of these records provides important data required for precise title, timely real estate closings and genealogy searches.

MCHENRY COUNTY RECORDER MISSION STATEMENT “TO RECORD,

Your property records are securely stored in our office and offsite with the assurance of continued service in the event of a disaster or other critical interruption. You can search 177 years of land records both in our office and offsite; information is viewable and printable within seconds.

Phyllis K. Walters, McHenry County Recorder

MAINTAIN AND RETRIEVE

The McHenry County Recorder’s Office is Pleased to Provide You Service:

ALL REAL ESTATE RECORDS,

PROPERTY FRAUD ALERT PROGRAM

DOCUMENTS

DEED NOTIFICATION PROGRAM

AND PLATS OF SUBDIVISION IN MCHENRY COUNTY, WHILE PROVIDING AN EFFICIENT OFFICE GIVING THE PUBLIC COURTEOUS, FAST AND CORRECT

VETERAN SERVICES-RECORDING DD-214’S SOCIAL SECURITY REDACTION LAND SURVEYOR INFORMATION OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICES COPY SERVICES

INFORMATION ON ANY

ONLINE ACCESS: SEARCH, VIEW & PRINT DOCUMENTS

OF THE 3.4 MILLION

ELECTRONIC RECORDING

DOCUMENTS RECORDED.”

Walk-In: McHenry County Administration Building 667 Ware Road, Room 109, Woodstock, IL 60098 Mail: McHenry County Recorder 2200 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815.334.4110

www.mchenryrecorder.org

adno=0338772

Phyllis K. Walters, McHenry County Recorder says, “The office is recognized as one of the BEST in the State…and in the Country. It has been a privilege and an honor to serve the citizens of McHenry County”.

In December 2016, after 32 years of service, Recorder Walters is retiring and a new leadership will begin.

Phyllis K. Walters McHenry County Recorder

Recorder Walters and her staff want you to know they have worked hard to develop and implement a state-of-the-art recording system for YOUR land records. The 177 years of recordings, along with a combined 163 years of staff knowledge and experience, will help to ensure continuation of the very BEST in services for you!

PHYLLIS K. WALTERS, McHENRY COUNTY RECORDER

32 YEARS 1984-2016 --1987 1 MILLIONTH DOCUMENT RECORDED 1ST COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR RECORDING --1995 PASSED LEGISLATION FOR RECORDING STANDARDIZATION --1999 1ST SCANNING OF RECORDED DOCUMENTS

Accurately and timely record, maintain, and retrieve all McHenry County real estate related documents dating back to 1839.

--2001 LAREDO (ONLINE SEARCH)

Serve as the “protector” of your most important resource- your property!

Identify, preserve, and safeguard EVERY page of EVERY recorded document that represent EVERY parcel, building and piece of property within the county.

--2002 2 MILLIONTH DOCUMENT RECORDED

Information is securely stored offsite with the assurance of continued service in the event of a disaster or other critical interruption.

From 1839 to August 1987, it took almost 150 years to record one million documents.

In 1987 the office implemented an automated indexing system. Until that time everything was done by hand – hand stamping, filming one page at a time and hand-posting and searching party names in large ledgers.

In 2002, 15 years later the 2 millionth document was recorded.

Now, over three million documents are recorded, scanned and indexed.

--2003 ***RECORD YEAR*** 173,421 DOCUMENTS RECORDED --2005 REDACTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS --2006 DEED NOTIFICATION PROGRAM & FREE WEB SEARCH --2007 PROPERTY FRAUD ALERT PROGRAM --2008 1ST ELECTRONIC RECORDING --2012 ALL DOCUMENTS SCANNED, IMAGED AND INDEXED – BACK TO 1839 --2015 STREAMLINED OFFICE SAVING TAX DOLLARS

Recorder Walters with hand-posted books.

Today – all documents on computer.

adno=0338770

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

Proud of the Value the Recorder’s Office Delivers to YOU!

“HERE ARE SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS I’M MOST PROUD OF.”

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

WHO IS BEHIND OUR SUCCESS?

15

17

Serving You Since 1837

Mary McClellan, Clerk Election Mission:

The County Clerk is the chief election authority administering elections throughout McHenry County. We offer election-related services to candidates, political parties, press, local units of government and the general public. These services include voting by mail programs, early voting, and securing voting sites. Other services include recruitment, training and scheduling election judges and election workers, as well as election night tabulation of results and conducting the official canvass of elections.

It is the mission of the County Clerk’s Office to conduct all elections in a fair, accurate, impartial and efficient manner.

Important Message to All Registered Voters: Tuesday, March 15th is the date of the Illinois General Primary Election. I feel it is very important that you exercise your Right To Vote! Candidates running in County, State and Federal elections have a significent impact on your tax amount and how your local property taxes are spent! To ensure faster processing at Election Sites and Election results, we now offer electronic poll books at all election sites. Registered voters throughout McHenry County will have the opportunity to cast ballots for several offices including: • Presidential • U.S. Senate • Congressional • Illinois House • McHenry County Board • McHenry County State’s Attorney • McHenry County Recorder • Judicial Court • McHenry County Chairman • Circuit Clerk • County Auditor • County Coroner • Precinct Committeemen • Several Referendums These candidates nominated on March 15th will set policy for issues and laws that effect you!

REMEMBER, YOUR VOTE MATTERS! For more information, contact

Mary E. McClellan

McHenry County Clerk’s Office McHenry County Administration Building 667 Ware Rd., Woodstock, IL 60098 • 815-334-4242 www.co.mchenry.il.us/countyclerk Email: countyclerk@co.mchenry.il.us

For answers to your election questions and any other function of the County Clerks Office do not hesitate to call the office at 815-334-4242.

A staff member will be happy to assist you or if you need to conduct business, in person, the office is located at the McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Rd., Room 107, Woodstock, Illinois.

WE WANT YOU TO VOTE IN 2016!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER: Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - General Primary Election Tuesday, November 8, 2016 - General Election Now thru Monday, March 14: Grace period registration & voting in the Clerk’s office thru Election Day Monday, February 29 - Monday, March 14: Early Voting period Thursday, March 10: Last day to apply for a ballot by mail Friday, March 11 - Monday, March 14: Nursing home voting period ELECTION UPDATE: Same day registration at precincts on Election day.

For your convenience early voting sites will be open Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, March 13th!

For the complete Election Calendar and Candidates guide, please visit our website: www.co.mchenry.il.us/countyclerk

Please VOTE!

It’s your right. It’s your responsibility.

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

McHenry County Clerk’s Office

Attention Registered Voters...

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

| Everyday Heroes

16

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| Everyday Heroes

18

PROTECT YOUR DEED! D! PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY! PROPERTY What Is Property Fraud?

It is when someone illegally uses your property for financial gain.

What Is Property Fraud Alert (PFA)?

Property Fraud Alert is a notification service that alerts subscribers each time a document is recorded with their name on it in the McHenry County Recorder’s Office.

It’s Easy…It’s Free...Sign Up Today!

Call our office:

815.334.4045

Visit our office: McHenry County Administration Building 667 Ware Road, Room #109 Woodstock, IL 60098 Online:

www.propertyfraudalert.com

Select McHenry County from the list of participating counties.

Agree to a disclaimer prior to entering your name or business name.

Elect one method of notification, either an email address or phone number.

Enter up to four personal and/or business names per one unique email. address, or up to three personal and/or business names per unique phone number.

FRAUD ALERT PHYLLIS K. WALTERS McHENRY COUNTY RECORDER

FREE SUBSCRIPTION

QUICK, PERSONAL NOTIFICATION

OVER 5,200 SUBSCRIBERS

BE PROACTIVE

Tell your friends and family to sign-up for PFA today!

Keep this and pass it on.

SIGN UP TODAY!

19

EVERYDAY HEROES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

LINDA HOOTEN

Huntley Police Department

By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Huntley Police Sgt. Linda Hooten has been the department’s domestic violence coordinator since the position was created in 2009.

>> The Hooten file Age: 37 Workplace: Huntley Police Department Lives in: Woodstock Family: Single Quotable: “Her background and knowledge of domestic violence issues is unsurpassed in the county.”

– Bev Thomas

“I would rather endure it than seeing that child not be able to talk about it,” Hooten said. “It’s hard for them to process it. If it’s hard for an adult, imagine a child trying to process it.”

Hooten’s dedication to the job is clear to her boss, Deputy Chief of the Support Services Bureau Todd Fulton.

Working with survivors of domestic violence and child victims can be an

especially trying assignment, but he’s seen Hooten throw herself into the work.

“She was definitely the right person for this position,” Fulton said. “I think it’s something she took seriously and hit the ground running. She is very passionate.”

Hooten’s strengths are a combination of her wealth of knowledge about handling domestic violence and her big heart, said Bev Thomas, the coordinator for the 22nd Judicial Circuit’s Family Violence Coordinating Council, which Hooten has been part of for years.

“Her background and knowledge of domestic violence issues is unsurpassed in the county,” Thomas said.

“The way she deals with the most important life-affecting issues shows a real compassion and great understanding.”

There’s no other way for Hooten to be as a police officer, a job she’s wanted since sixth grade. While her job has

“It goes back to seeing somebody who thought they couldn’t get out of a situation or couldn’t overcome a situation that they were in. That I could be a part of that and help them move forward.”

Linda Hooten Huntley police sergeant

changed from school resource officer to domestic violence coordinator and supervising the investigations division, her motivation hasn’t.

“It goes back to seeing somebody who thought they couldn’t get out of a situation or couldn’t overcome a situation that they were in,” Hooten said.

“That I could be a part of that and help them move forward.”

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

A woman called Huntley Police Sgt. Linda Hooten after every court hearing to detail the steps she was taking to get away from the man she’d been stuck with in a domestic violence situation for years.

She said she was finally going to get him to stop, Hooten recalled.

“It was so great to see that,” Hooten said. “Because I also see the other side, where they’re not ready to leave and they keep going back. To hear the confidence in her voice, it was great. I was her cheerleader.”

For Hooten, her job as the domestic violence coordinator for the Huntley Police Department is filled with these small but powerful moments that remind her why she does what she does.

The reminder could come in the form of a phone call, an aside after a presentation or the realization a survivor has after 10 conversations with the police.

“It’s very rewarding and knowing they feel more empowered and they feel like there is a way out,” Hooten said. “... I know it takes them a long time to make the decision to leave.”

A member of the Huntley Police Department for 15 years, Hooten has been the domestic violence coordinator since the position was created in 2009 in response to a murder suicide that stemmed from an abusive relationship.

Her job entails monitoring and screening all the domestic violence reports and coordinating any necessary follow up.

Hooten said when she looks at the department now, she sees one that is better equipped to deal with domestic violence. For example, she said police reports that used to describe the victim as “sad” now will include details about the mascara streaming down the victim’s face.

Her work helped when county protocol relating to domestic violence was rewritten in 2012, and Huntley’s program has been a model for other agencies.

In 2015, Huntley had 268 domestic violence contacts compared to about 400 when her position was created in 2009.

Hooten also has worked with the Child Advocacy Center as a forensic interviewer since 2007, interviewing more than 100 children who have suffered some sort of abuse. She said her mom questioned her decision to put herself in a position that would involve hearing such troubling accounts.

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| EVERYDAY HEROES

20

WILLIAM HUSFIELD

Streamwood Police Department

By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com William Husfield mainly remembers thinking, “Please don’t die; come back.”

A 26-year veteran of the Streamwood Police Department, the 51-yearold corporal recalls thinking those words while performing CPR on a woman he had found unconscious during a response Aug. 2, 2015.

“I started doing CPR on her right away,” he said. “Her eyes came back forward, and I continued doing CPR until the paramedics came.”

The woman, whom Husfield described as middle-aged, had put a pain patch meant to be applied transdermally in her mouth to ease severe pain, he said. When she did that, the patch’s medicine was absorbed too quickly and it hit her hard, said Husfield, who lives in Crystal Lake.

“I just wanted to save her,” he said.

He did exactly that, and, a few months later, Husfield received a life-saving medal of commendation from the police department for his actions.

The significance of his actions didn’t set in until he heard other people talking about it, said Husfield’s wife, Alyssa.

“To him, that’s just his job,” she said, her voice thick while she described the night her husband was awarded the medal. “But at one point, he turned to me and said, ‘I really did something good didn’t I?’” Husfield and Alyssa have been married less than three years, but they grew up together in Streamwood.

Alyssa has known him since she was 8, and he was 10.

One of her fondest memories is of running around a creek with her now-husband and his friend playing cops and robbers. He was always the cop, she said.

“I set my mind to doing this ever since I was 5 years old,” Bill Husfield said.

Since, he has embodied what it means to serve and protect, his wife said, starting out after high school as a military police officer in the U.S. Army for three years of active duty.

From there, he had a quick stint serving as a police officer in Genoa before getting a job with his hometown department in Streamwood.

Streamwood Police Sgt. Dino Heckermann, who has known Husfield since 1989, described his colleague as

H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com

William Husfield of Crystal Lake is a 26-year veteran of the Streamwood Police Department and was honored in 2015 with a medal of commendation for saving the life of a Streamwood woman.

>> The Husfield file Age: 51 Workplace: Streamwood Police Department Lives in: Crystal Lake Family: Wife, Alyssa; 18-year-old son Quotable: “His heart is so about helping everybody and his passion for all of it – it’s absolutely amazing.

It’s the kind of passion that makes you want to be a better person, too.”

– Alyssa Husfield

always ready to do the job, no matter what that happens to entail on a given day.

“It can be a more insignificant nuanced operation or it could be a complicated problem-solving situation,” Heckermann said. “Bill is always

eager to serve.”

As a corporal, Husfield is responsible for filling in for the sergeant if need be, but he’s taken on extra, and some unofficial roles, in his 27 years.

He’s a field training officer, but he also has become something of a guru for technical assistance, Heckermann said. “[Outside of the trained IT employees], he’s one of the guys to go to for equipment, data entry and problem-solving with systems,” Heckermann said.

While he takes off his badge when he’s off-duty, he doesn’t often leave his “eager-to-serve” mindset at the department, friends and family said.

Eric Edgren of Bartlett has been an assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 26 with Husfield for years.

He, too, described his longtime friend to be dedicated in all his endeavors, including the troop.

“You can tell that he really cares about the kids in our group and kids

“I just wanted to save her.”

William Husfield Streamwood Police corporal

in general,” Edgren said, describing the time his own son joined and was further behind the others. “Bill took [my son] aside and showed him the ropes a little. He said, ‘Work with me for a bit, and we’ll get you to where you need to be.’”

From his time serving as a scoutmaster to the occasional charitable rides he takes as a member of the Blue Knights, a law enforcement motorcycle club, Husfield likes to stay active in activities that contribute to the community, Alyssa Husfield.

“His heart is so about helping everybody and his passion for all of it – it’s absolutely amazing,” Alyssa said.

“It’s the kind of passion that makes you want to be a better person, too.”

21

EVERYDAY HEROES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

DANIEL KREASSIG

McHenry Police Department

By CYNTHIA WOLF editorial@nwherald.com

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

McHenry Police Department Sgt. Daniel Kreassig has spent his 27-year career protecting and serving the city of McHenry as a patrol officer, school liaison officer, investigator and, most recently, as a sergeant.

>> The Kreassig file Age: 51 Workplace: McHenry Police Department Lives in: Johnsburg Family: Wife, Laura; sons, Bryce, 22, and Tanner, 18 Quote: “I hope I made a difference and people say, ‘Hey, he cared about his community and did his best to do the right thing.’ ” – Daniel Kreassig and the Lt. Joe Gliniewicz scandal in Fox Lake has made things more challenging.

“After 9/11, you walked proud,” Kreassig said. “But then, with recent developments … we have to make sure that people don’t perceive us to be like that. We all know everyone’s filming us every day at traffic stops. I try to encourage our officers to catch that excellence, stay positive and show that you’re one of McHenry’s finest.”

Sometimes, the little things can

turn the tide, Kreassig said. He recalled a day last summer when someone on Main Street reported that ducklings had fallen through a sewer grate. Without a more pressing concern at the time, Kreassig responded.

About a dozen people had gathered in front of a pet grooming business, from which Kreassig borrowed a fish net.

“I duct-taped the fish net to my lock-out tool,” he said. “Somebody got a bucket. [Rescuing the ducklings] kind of brought everyone together. I was amazed at how appreciative they were that I spent the time doing something like that.”

Among achievements of which Kreassig is most proud is an adopt-aschool program started two years ago with McHenry Elementary District 15. Day shift officers are assigned to a particular school. Each visits his or her assigned school weekly.

“Since the officer comes into the school regularly, the kids are accustomed to seeing an officer in the school,” Kreassig said. “It’s good to start children when they’re young to

see police as public servants, as someone who’s there to help.”

McHenry Mayor Sue Low said she’s witnessed firsthand the positive reaction the program has engendered from young students. “[Sgt. Kreassig] does his job with professionalism and continually looks for better and new ways,” she said. “I really admire that.”

A resident of Johnsburg, Kreassig is near retirement eligibility, but said he anticipates staying with the department at least another year. The officer already knows, though, how he wants to be remembered.

“I hope I made a difference and that people will say, ‘Hey, he cared about his community and did his best to do the right thing,’ ” Kreassig said.

His wife, Laura Kreassig, said she has no doubt he’ll get his wish.

“He puts people’s interests first. He truly cares about their situation,” she said. “And he tries to stress that with the younger officers, too. He’ll tell them, ‘People you run into who have problems, they’re people, too, and they need to be treated with respect.’”

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

Sgt. Daniel Kreassig is not one of those guys who started dreaming in boyhood of growing up to become a police officer.

“I wanted to be a high school teacher and coach football,” he said, reflecting recently on his 27th year with the McHenry Police Department.

“I was privileged, though, to be the department’s first high school resource officer.”

By all accounts, the privilege went both ways. Kreassig still hears from students he encountered during his years as the resource officer at McHenry High School East and West campuses between 1995 and 2002.

Kreassig also served as a firefighter and emergency medical technician from 1997 to 2002.

Throughout his long career with the McHenry Police Department, Kreassig has had numerous positions, Chief John Jones said. Along with school resource officer, these have included patrolman, investigator, field training officer, DARE officer, supervisor of the K-9 unit and now, as one of the department’s seven sergeants, a shift supervisor.

“He’s a guy who’s been here since 1989,” Jones said. “But there’s no lacking of enthusiasm in him. He still finds the job exciting, he’s still dedicated to the citizens of McHenry and the police department, and he’s a terrific example of a police officer.”

Jones said the work Kreassig performed during his tenure as school resource officer has left a lasting legacy.

“He has people coming up to him who are adults now who he definitely influenced when he was a school resource officer,” Jones said. “They were headed on a negative path and after interacting with him, they headed down a much better path.”

After a hiatus, McHenry recently reinstated the school resource officer program. Kreassig’s example still stands as a model, Jones said.

As a patrol sergeant, Kreassig said he strives to keep everyone motivated, in part by starting each shift with an inspirational message.

During Kreassig’s years as a police officer, the public’s respect level for the profession has waxed and waned.

Recently, everything from the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, to the ongoing investigations into alleged misconduct within the Chicago Police Department

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| EVERYDAY HEROES

22

JEREMY MORTIMER

Woodstock Police Department

By HANNAH PROKOP hprokop@shawmedia.com Jeremy Mortimer never thought he would be a police officer.

Mortimer joined the U.S. Army for three and a half years after high school before joining the National Guard for about a year, thinking he might become a paramedic. When he decided that wasn’t the route for him, he started studying criminal justice at McHenry County College and joined the Harvard Police Department in 2004.

He’s been in law enforcement ever since.

After a year with Harvard, Mortimer joined the Woodstock Police Department, working the midnight shift, and five years ago, he became a school resource officer for the high schools in Woodstock Community Unit School District 200.

Starting on the midnight shift with Woodstock caused him to be involved with many negative situations and bad people, Mortimer said. Working as a school resource officer, though, allows him to deal with “awesome” people.

“For me, it’s just a positive reminder that there are still good people in the world today,” Mortimer said.

Being a school resource officer includes everything from handling emergency situations at the school to interacting with students in the hall to teaching them about new trends on social media, Mortimer said.

“It takes a special type of person to be able to excel in that environment,” Woodstock Police Detective Sgt. Jeffrey Parsons said.

Parsons oversees Mortimer and said he has helped develop programs in the classroom to teach students about new trends, such as sexting and cyberbullying.

It’s the longevity of what Mortimer has done in his position as school resource officer for the past five years, Parsons said, that earned him the recognition of the Woodstock Police Department’s Police Officer of the Year award.

Mortimer said he loves his job because it’s different every day. He balances his time between Woodstock High School and Woodstock North High School throughout the week.

“The thing that I really enjoy doing, and I think one of the main purposes of this position, is getting out in the hallways, meeting with the kids, building that rapport, letting them know

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Jeremy Mortimer has been a Woodstock police officer since 2005. After serving five years in the patrol division, he was assigned as the school resource officer. He splits his time between Woodstock North High School and Woodstock High School.

>> The Mortimer file Age: 34 Workplace: Woodstock Police Department Lives in: Harvard Family: Wife, Hollie; daughter, Kylee, 15; and son, Kasen, 12 Quotable: “If I can maybe make a difference, even though it’s small, I think that’s a good thing.” – Jeremy Mortimer

that cops are humans, too,” Mortimer said.

And building those relationships with students has paid off.

Mortimer said a student once came back to his office to tell him Mortimer had saved his life by preventing him from killing himself.

“If I can maybe make a difference,

even though it’s small, I think that’s a good thing,” Mortimer said, later adding, “Building that rapport and actually witnessing them come to me and trust me as that figure is just so unique and positive and it’s really cool.”

Mortimer said the hardest part of his job is when a student he believed was making some headway getting on the right path falls back into their same problems.

Woodstock North Principal Brian McAdow said Mortimer understands the school’s mission of preparing students for the real world.

“It would be very easy to look at students who make a mistake, whether it be a parking or speeding ticket, in a black-and-white situation,” McAdow said. “But [Mortimer’s] ability to see gray and to work within in our system … that’s very, very beneficial because, again, we’re trying to help kids make the right decision.”

Mortimer’s personable and charis-

“The thing that I really enjoy doing, and I think one of the main purposes of this position, is getting out in the hallways, meeting with the kids, building that rapport, letting them know that cops are humans, too.”

Jeremy Mortimer

Woodstock police officer matic nature also is what makes him a good person for the job, McAdow said, adding it’s evident in how Mortimer works with the students that he has children of his own.

Mortimer said he’s also been involved with the Shop with a Cop program and helps with school dances and the teen dance at Woodstock’s Summer in the Park.

23

EVERYDAY HEROES | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

JERRY SCHILLACI

McHenry Township Fire Protection District

By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

Jerry Schillaci was working on the clinical hours he needed to be certified a paramedic when the organ donation case came up.

Despite having worked at what is now Centegra Hospital – McHenry since he was 16 years old, Schillaci knew basically nothing about organ donations.

Schillaci shadowed the coordinator from the Regional Organ Bank of Illinois, now Gift of Hope, as the kidneys and livers were extracted from the woman, who had suffered a massive stroke, and taken to other hospitals where the transplants would be completed.

“From that point on, after I saw the recovery and I saw all these different transplant centers coming in, recovering the organs, I knew I was taking a total left turn on what I wanted to do,” Schillaci said. “I knew this was my new calling.”

Schillaci had wanted to be a firefighter since he was a little kid, fascinated with the idea of “laying on the sirens and blaring the horns and making messes.”

Once he knew being a firefighter also meant being a paramedic, Schillaci threw himself into health care.

He earned his certified nursing assistant certification while at Johnsburg High School, entered the fire science program at the Lake County High Schools Technology Campus in Grayslake, where he got to do a ride-along with the Gurnee Fire Department, and worked as a patient care technician – first at Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry, and a year later at the Canterbury Care Center, now the Springs at Crystal Lake.

Schillaci joined the McHenry Township Fire Protection District in 2000.

He still works there as a firefighter and paramedic despite getting a full-time job with Gift of Hope eight years ago.

One of his favorite parts of the job is as an instructor for the Learn Not to Burn program for fourth-graders across McHenry, which he does on top of his scheduled 12-hour shifts.

McHenry’s version is one of the more involved public education programs, Schillaci said.

Kids actually get to call 911 and speak to a dispatcher, try on some of the gear, check out the ambulance and fire engine, learn how to use fire extinguishers and create a floor plan

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Jerry Schillaci, a McHenry Township Fire Protection District firefighter and paramedic, oversees eight people in a department that finds homes for organ donations at Gift of Hope.

>> The Schillaci file Age: 37 Workplace: Gift of Hope and McHenry Township Fire Protection District Lives in: McHenry Family: Wife, Audra; two sons, Evan, 10, and Anthony, 7 Quotable: “To me, the donor families – those are the guys in my mind that are the true heroes. They’re the ones that every day save lives.” – Jerry Schillaci

of their home showing the location of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, the primary and secondary exits and

their families’ meeting spots.

Schillaci rallied to make sure the program had enough instructors to keep going this year, said Rebecca Rosner, the district’s new public education coordinator, adding that Schillaci makes an impact on the first impression.

“I’ve never, ever seen him in a place where he’s not willing or complaining,” Rosner said.

At Gift of Hope, Schillaci serves as the supervisor of allocation and perfusion, which means he oversees eight people in the department that finds homes for all the organs, said Lisa Hinsdale, Gift of Hope’s manager of allocation and perfusion services and Schillaci’s direct supervisor.

He also cleans, inspects and tests donated kidneys, something that, if done incorrectly, could mean a

damaged organ that cannot be used, Hinsdale said, adding that he’s one of a very small number of people in the country that know how to do that and do it well.

That expertise meant Schillaci was even called when he was supposed to be on vacation with his wife, Audra, and their two young boys, Hinsdale said.

The nonprofit was having trouble with new software and needed Schillaci’s help, otherwise the donated organs might have been lost.

But that’s what makes it worth it to Schillaci.

“The thing I love about Gift of Hope is I’m part of something where when I leave, we saved a life, many times saved multiple lives at the end of the day,” he said. “It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe. It’s pretty cool.”

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| EVERYDAY HEROES

24

JOE TESON

Algonquin-LITH Fire Protection District

By CYNTHIA WOLF editorial@nwherald.com Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District Chief Peter Van Dorpe summed it up this way in his Everyday Heroes nomination of Joe Teson: “There are heroic acts. And then there are heroic lives.”

Capt. Joe, as he is known throughout his community and the fire service, clearly deserves the honor, the chief went on, noting not only Teson’s decades of service to the Algonquin-LITH Fire Protection District, but also his dedication to numerous community causes.

Teson was an active member of the Jaycees, the Algonquin Leadership Program, the Booster Club at Jacobs and Dundee-Crown high schools, a builder of Angel Town Playground, among the organizers and participants in the Shamrock Shave, a Movember participant and Muscular Dystrophy Association supporter.

He also is a founder of the Bear Necessities Run, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and was the precursor of the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Van Dorpe and others said.

Teson raised a family, hosted Great Lakes recruits at Thanksgiving time, cleared driveways and walks for seniors and others in need, and, through his business, Teson Automotive, helped allow people to drive to work, redardless of whether they could afford to pay him for their repairs right away.

Instructor for the McHenry County College Fire Academy. Salvation Army bell ringer. The list goes on.

Were it not for a massive stroke he suffered two years ago this month, Teson still might be on the job, said his son, Lt. Dan Teson, also of the Algonquin-LITH department. Instead, he retired in April 2015 with 33 years of service.

“One of the coolest memories I have about my dad is when he was recognized for having worked for 30 years at the department,” Dan Teson said.

“People in the fire service often say they have first and second families, as in my first family is my wife and kids, and my second family is my brothers and sisters at the fire department.

“During his thank you speech, he said he doesn’t have two families, just one big family.”

That family was put to the test when Capt. Joe suffered his stroke, Dan Teson said.

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Joe Teson is a former captain with the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District. He retired because of a stroke after 33 years of service.

>> The Teson file Age: 62 Workplace: Algonquin-LITH Fire Protection District (retired) Lives in: Algonquin Family: Wife, Kathy; sons, Tim, 42; Dan, 36; and Christopher, 30; daughter, Melissa, 27 Quote: “When you went to a call, you were thrown into unknowns.

You had to sort it out and make fast decisions. ... I’d say I was successful.

Nobody got hurt on my shift. Everyone went home every day.” – Joe Teson

“It was 26 minutes from the 911 call to his first CAT scan at Good Shepherd Hospital,” he said. “And it wasn’t special treatment. That’s the level of service our guys provide. [Capt. Joe] was the training officer for a long time.

“We were lucky we had the Algonquin fire department the day he had his stroke.”

Capt. Joe has been defying medical odds ever since, his son and others said.

The stroke was severe and could have proved lethal. Today, however, Teson is talking, taking some steps and determined to recover.

Capt. Joe said he grew up on Main Street in Algonquin, just a couple of blocks from the fire station. His mother, Frances Teson, participated in the volunteer ambulance service. He and his brothers often rode their bikes to fire scenes, where they’d watch the crews work.

So it was only natural that in the early 1980s, when the department published an ad seeking new members, he applied.

“My brother Charlie joined at the same time,” he said.

Teson became one of four captains, and earned a reputation as a great instructor at McHenry County College.

“I really liked being involved with it all,” Teson said. “I liked working with the new members and training them.”

Fire Prevention Bureau Director Mike Murphy, also with the Algonquin-LITH department, called Capt.

Joe “an old-school firefighter” and allaround great guy.

“He’s there for his family, for the fire service and for the community,” Murphy said. “He just gives and gives and gives and never asks for anything in return.”

The family, Teson’s wife, Kathy, said, is grateful for the community’s support during the past couple of years – support she knows will continue as long as it’s needed.

“The guys came over and cleaned my gutters,” she said. “They came over one morning and gutted the bathroom to make it handicapped accessible.

They met him in town when he came back from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago with the fire trucks and escorted him home.

“It is a brotherhood.”

25

Business Heritage 2016 1871

1921

1934

Sharing God’s Love & Hope, Spreading His Word since 1871

50 N. Main St. • Crystal Lake

TLC Preschool

1938

A Ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church Since 1993

REGISTER NOW! Christian Preschool (ages 3-5) DCFS Licensed Family Discounts Available!

1902

77T

H

1923

Cary Country ❈ Club Personal Service and Community Involvement Since 1902

2400 GROVE LANE, CARY, IL 60013

2400 Huntington Drive No�h • 221 S. Main St. • 800 E. Algonquin Rd.

“93 YEARS”

Phone 847-658-4535 www.algonquinstatebank.com

18 Hole Golf Course Open to Public 847-639-3161 Complete Banquet Facilities 847-639-9494

Farm and Lawn Equipment Solutions Family Owned and Operated since 1938

WE SPECIALIZE IN PARTS, SALES, AND SERVICE Kubota - Cub Cadet - Grasshopper Exmark - STIHL - Gehl - Woods - Bear Cat

20508 Oak Grove Rd, Harvard (2 miles north of Harvard on Hwy 14 & Oak Grove Rd)

815-943-5454

adno=0336643

11008 N. Church St. Huntley, IL (847) 669-5780 Church Website www.TrinityHuntley.org TLC Preschool Website http://tlc.trinityhuntley.org

adno=0302664

Call to schedule a tour today! Find us on Facebook!

www.aaanderson.com

1938 Orson Welles radio presentation of “War of the Worlds”.

Welles lived in Woodstock from 1926-1934.

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

815-459-4566

Regular Worship Times Saturday @ 5:30 pm; Sunday @ 8 & 10:30 am Sunday Education Hour @ 9:15 am / 10:30 am

adno=0326237

ORMSBY MOTORS

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

McHenry County’s rich heritage of local businesses contribute to our great communities everyday!

Business Heritage 2016 1946

St. Paul Ev. Lutheran (WELS) Church 420 Greenwood Dr., Round Lake Park, IL 60073 Phone: (847) 546-4685 • www.stpaulwels.org Rev. Robert H. Meiselwitz

1948

Benoy Motor Sales, Inc.

Coilcraft Inc.

Family Owned and Operated Since 1948

Corporate headquarters

Sunday Services - 9:00am

847-639-6400 info@coilcraft.com fax 847-639-1469

Wednesday Eve Services Thru Holy Week March 2, 9 & 16

815-338-5100 www.benoymotors.com

1790 S. Eastwood Drive Woodstock, IL

adno=0336641

1940

1951

Maundy Thursday & Good Friday Services - 7:00pm Easter Sunrise - 6:45am, Breakfast 8:00am Easter Song Service - 9:00am

1102 Silver Lake Road Cary, IL 60013 USA

www.coilcraft.com

ALL WELCOME! adno=0332439

1940 Burton-Richmond Fire District established.

1946 The Cary Lions formed.

Sales Hours: Mon-Thr 9am-7pm Fri 9am-6pm Sat 9am-5pm Service Hours: Mon-Fri 6-5 Sat 8-4

adno=0337674

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| Everyday Heroes

26

2145 S. Eastwood Dr. (Rte. 47) Woodstock, IL 60098 • (815) 338-2780 adno=0326238

1958

When people endure their worst first responders put forth their best

~ Thank you ~ Visit us in McHenry 815-385-4640

See us in Huntley 847-961-5409

Business Heritage 2016 1971

877 - RRVBC - 99 | www.rrvbc.org Harvard Rotary Community Blood Drive Wednesday, March 9th, 2016 12:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

RRVBC mobile set-up inside First United Methodist Church of Harvard, 1100 North Division in Harvard

First time donors, please bring a photo I.D. Walk-ins are welcome & be sure to have plenty to eat and drink before you donate!

1964 Stop in our Chamber Offices for local information!

• Serving Business and Community • Visit our Business Resource Center at 445 Park Avenue • Display Your Business Cards • Use Our Conference Room for Free

Growing With McHenry County for 45 Years!

TOTAL TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS

(800)892-8903 WWW.JAFRATE.COM

For a list of full Chamber Member benefits Call 847-639-2800 or visit www.carygrovechamber.com adno=0337679 email: info@carygrovechamber.com

1952 Hebron Green Giants win the Illinois High School State Basketball Championship.

1964 Algonquin Jaycees organized.

1971 100th Anniversary of German Evangelical Lutheran Church being organized in Huntley - now called Trinity Lutheran.

Ground was broken for new county courthouse on Route 47 in Woodstock.

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

adno=0326241

To schedule a time to donate, please call Wanda at (815) 560-2111

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

1952

27

Business Heritage 2016 1975

1981

WAR SOUVENIRS WANTED

American Family Mutual Insurance Company and its Subsidiaries American Family Insurance Company

847-438-3191

1993

Michael H Lindsey Agency (847) 639-1350 Mlindsey@amfam,com www.mikelindseyagency.com

Home Office - Madison, WI 53783 LG-219947 - 1/11

GERMAN, JAPANESE & U.S.

adno=0337676

1984

www.warsouvenirs.com

All Types, Including Samurai Swords Private Collector • Top Cash & Will Pick-up

Register FREE for Government Surplus Auctions

ALSO BUYING LARGE QUANTITIES OF ALL OLD ITEMS & ESTATES

• Police Cars • Seized Vehicles • Pickup Trucks

adno=0336645

VISIT OUR OUTDOOR BEER GARDEN

HOURS: Mon-Thur: 11am-12am Fri & Sat: 11am-2am Sun: 11am-10pm

Obenauf Auction Service, Inc. Illinois License #444.000105

BEST ITALIAN FOOD IN MCHENRY COUNTY

847-516-3663

• Dump Trucks • Computers • Office Equipment

www.ObenaufAuctionsOnLine.com

1976

Dine in • Carry out • Catering

800 Feinberg Court,Cary

847-587-2098

adno=0336642

1985

adno=0336640

...enriching the lives of people with disabilities through meaningful recreation experiences.

815-459-0737 or visit our website at www.nisra.org

adno=0326239

Celebrating 40 years!

1977

1989

Northern Illinois’ Full Service John Deere Dealer.

Now with 4 locations to serve you.

HAMPSHIRE

14N937 Highway 20 847-683-4400

LIBERTYVILLE 1080 E. Park Ave. 847-367-4100

1993 100th Anniversary of incorporation of Marengo as a city.

HARVARD

1810 North Division 815-943-4461

WAUCONDA

29626 N. US Hwy. 12 847-487-4900

Visit us online at: www.BuckBrosInc.com

The movie “Groundhog Day” filmed in Woodstock was released.

adno=0336644

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| Everyday Heroes

28

adno=0332437

Business Heritage 2016 1995

Cary-Grove Foot & Ankle Center

SNOWPLOW GOT YOU DOWN? Call THE MAILBOX POST MAN for all your mailbox post repair and replacement needs.

Dr. Patrick A. McEneaney Dr. John P. Gerhard

*

1998

815-653-7095

Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Board Certified American Board of Podiatric Surgery

*

mailboxpostman.com

CARING FOR THE CARY / FOX RIVER GROVE COMMUNITIES FOR OVER 21 YEARS

For every facet of your home, 24 hours a day.

Treatment of Bunions, Hammertoes, Heel Spurs, Warts & Ingrown Nails Specializing in Sports Medicine & Diabetic Care State of the Art Treatments for Heel Pain & Flat Feet

X-Ray on Site Hospital Affiliations: Advocate Good Shepherd & Centegra McHenry abla Se H ñol Espa

113 West Main Street (Downtown) Cary

1994

Enduring Quality ❖ Expert Craftsmanship ❖ Superior Customer Service

1996

(866) 418-3136

BlackDiamondToday.com 1999

Amana = Lower Hea�ng Bills + Nicor Rebate!

IT’S COLD OUTSIDE! There’s never been a be� er �me to purchase your Amana 96% High-Efficiency furnace, and save even more with Nicor’s Energy Smart Rebate*!

Call NOW for your FREE es�mate.

www.phoenixwoodworking.com

Call for informa�on about the Amana® brand highefficiency Gas Furnace Life�me Unit Replacement Limited Warranty. *See www.nicorgasrebates.com /your-home/rebates-for-home for details on rebates.

IL Lic #055-012579

www.airmanservices.com

adno=0326242

CRYSTAL LAKE

We don’t use 815.477.4500 subcontractors our employees HEATING COOLING PLUMBING install all HUMIDIFIERS AIR CLEANERS equipment!

Debra Junkins, DVM

2000 Duncan Place Woodstock, IL

We pride ourselves in being able to meet special requirements and exceeding customer expectations. Whether you’re searching for the right woodwork supplier for your bank, resturaunt, country club, board room, or living room, you’ll find quality, craftsmanship and capability at Phoenix Woodworking. adno=0336639

11901 North Street Huntley, IL 60142 (847) 669-6635 www.petvetac.com

We Make House Calls!

HUNTLEY & SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

Mon & Fri: 8am-6pm Tues, Wed, Thurs: 8am-7pm Sat: 8am-12pm adno=0337017

1993 Chicago Bulls won the NBA Championship 4 games to 2 over the Phoenix Suns.

1995 Record heat wave in Chicago led to over 700 heat-related deaths over 5 days.

1998 Chicago Bulls won their 6th NBA Championship, this time over the Utah Jazz in 6 games.

1994 Construction of Motorola plant begins in Harvard

1996 Bill Clinton defeats Bob Dole in the Presidential election.

1999 50th Anniversary of Pioneer Center.

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

847-639-5800 www.carygrovefootandankle.com

adno=0326243

Distributors of Medicare Approved Diabetic Footwear

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

1993

29

Business Heritage 2016 2000

2004

2008

Live Life, We’ll Clean!

Specializing In: Tax Planning/Preparation | Financial/Estate Planning Accounting/Auditing | Business Valuation & Litigation Support Accounting Software Consultation & Implementation Authorized QuickBooks Pro Advisors | Sage Business Works Peachtree Software John Verchota, CPA, MST

Mary Miller, CPA/ABV, CVA

Jeff Seda, Staff Accountant

Jamie Seda, Enrolled Agent

Erica Talley, Staff Accountant

Jared Talley, Staff Accountant

john@millerverchota.com jeff@millerverchota.com

erica@millerverchota.com

mary@millerverchota.com

jamie@millerverchota.com jared@millerverchota.com

www.millerverchota.com 444 N. IL Route 31 Suite 104, Crystal Lake, IL 60012 p. 815.477.8000 f. 815.477.7170

adno=0337675

230 W. Virginia St. On Rt. 14

Crystal Lake, IL

(fax) 815-477-7584

The Cleaning Authority has diligently cleaned Cary homes for many years with our proven Detail-Clean Rotation System. We would love to clean your home as well.

OR

NF

OPE

• We’re reliable, thorough, and affordable.

• Our employees are bonded and insured.

• Our cleaner training is in-depth & we inspect our crews routinely.

CH

LUN

(Next to Pablo’s & Krystal Thai) GLUTEN FREE MENU AVAILABLE! www.ThePizzaPlaceandMore.com

THE PIZZA PLACE & MORE’S mission is to serve fresh, healthy & delicious food to all.

Proud supporters of

NEW NON-GMO PIZZA FLOUR

CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

847-516-4132 Cary.TheCleaningAuthority.com

Greet everyone with a smile, and a cheerful hello.

To give our customers a feeling that they are part of this family.

Pam & Thea

PICK-UP OR DELIVERY ONLY

adno=0336647

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| Everyday Heroes

30

Mon, Wed, Thurs: 11:00am – 8:00pm • Closed on Tuesday Fri–Sat: 11:00am-9:00pm • Sun: 3:00pm–7:00pm

2002

adno=0336646

2000 George Bush wins over Al Gore in one of the closest Presidential elections in American history.

2004 George Bush defeats John Kerry in the Presidential election & wins a 2nd term as President.

100th Anniversary of Big Brothers Big Sisters founding.

Summer Olympics take place in Athens, Greece.

Major tsunami occurs on December 26.

2002 100th Anniversary of incorporation of Spring Grove.

US population tops 294 million.

2008 Barack Obama of Illinois defeats John McCain in the Presidential election.

Tornado in January hits McHenry County.

US population is now over 302 million Summer Olympics are in Beijing, China Notable deaths include William F. Buckley, George Carlin, Charlton Heston & Paul Newman

31

Quality, Commitment & Customer Service is why Hogan Exteriors is on TOP!

Residential & Commercial

• Professional Crews • Dependable • Efficient • Complete Clean-Up

adn =033 adno adno=0337661 =0337661 7661

815.477.2589 • www.hoganexteriors.com • 820 McArdle Drive • Crystal Lake

• Saturday, February 27, 2016

Tear-Off’s | Repairs | Cedar Shakes | Single Ply Systems Aluminum Soffit & Fascia | Gutters | Siding | Re-Roofs Architectural Shingles | Flat Roofs

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE Serving Northern Illinois

We Salue & Support All Of Our First Responders To Emergencies • Police Officers •Firefighters • Paramedics • EMTs

2015 BEST OF THE FOX WINNER One of the Best Plumbers of McHenry County!

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 27, 2016

| Everyday Heroes

32

Customer Appreciation Coupon

$

40

00

off

Any Service Call Expires 12/31/16

• Residential & Commercial • Faucets & Toilet Repairs • Sump Pumps & Ejector Pumps • Battery Back Up Pumps • Water Heaters (includes tankless)

• Sewer & Drain Rodding • Sewer Camera Televising & Locating • Kitchen & Bath Remodeling • Faucet & Toilet Repairs & Replacement

PLUMBING, INC

RESIDENTIAL

COMMERCIAL

If water flows through it, We do it!

Locally & family owned & operated Fully licensed, bonded & insured 30+ Years Experience

FOR SERVICE CALL 815-578-9597 ALLPROPLUMBINGINC.COM