A couple can’t turn wine into water, but they can turn grain into beer It’s Christmas time in the cities: Lanark and Savanna get ready to serve up some holiday happiness
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s the longest federal highway in the country, U.S. Route 20 stretches 3,365 miles from Boston, Massachusetts, to Newport, Oregon, with 234 of them in Illinois, from Chicago to East Dubuque.
It’s not uncommon to see churches along the way, but breweries? Not so much — and a brewery inside a former church? You’d have to look pretty hard to find one of those. In fact, one is all you’d find, but if you’re from around here you wouldn’t have to look far. Just head about a half hour northwest of Lake Carroll where you’ll find beer that you could say is heaven sent.
Highway 20 Brewing Company in Elizabeth brews a bevy of beers in a vintage 1875 Presbyterian church, where owners Brian and Karen Staron have been sharing their talents at the tap for nearly five years now.
Brian and Karen Staron own Highway 20 Brewing Company, located inside a former Presbyterian church built in 1875.
Their journey to becoming entrepreneurs whose business plan is “In suds we trust” began about 10 years ago, when they first became big fans of craft beer while living in Burbank, a mile north of where Route 20 (95th Street) goes through Oak Lawn in suburban Chicago. Today, the couple lives in Galena and has brewed nearly 50 different varieties of beer over the years at Highway 20, with four regular staples and a rotation of a few seasonal beers at any given time, on tap or in crowler cans or growlers to go.
Regulars on the menu are the brewery’s porter, hazy IPA, Irish red and Kölsch varieties, which are on tap year-round, save for a brief period in September when a couple are temporarily replaced by Oktoberfest blends.
“They are completely different styles,” Brian said. “The Kölsch is a super easy drink and a light crisp. The hazy IPA is more citrus dominant, but a little more bitter than your domestic beer with more fruit flavor and citrus notes. The Irish red is a red ale that’s a little more robust, with a little bit of chocolate and roasty notes in it. The porter is going to be pretty dark with a lot of chocolate,
The porter became a fast favorite of customers when the brewery opened. Named Midnight Mass, after customer suggestions, it’s robust with a mild chocolate and caramel flavor, with coconut notes — “some people pick up a little coconut and some people don’t,” Brian said — and even some whiskey barrel texture to it from experimental hops.
Prior to being a brewery, the building had been a small event venue after the church closed. Looking to either start a brewery or a restaurant, the Starons checked out places throughout Jo Daviess County, searching for just the right fit, and they found it in the old white church. They bought it in 2019 and were able to open in May 2020, despite hitting a snag when the coronavirus was upending businesses.
Having something new in town in the thick of a tough time proved to be part of its early success. Even while adhering to the social distancing restrictions at the time, “It was busy,” Brian said. “Everyone wanted to get out.”
What’s brewing at Highway 20 Brewing Co? Customers can see part of the process — the boil kettles, the first step in a three-barrel brewing process, on the brewery’s main floor (above). The remainder of the process is done in the basement (at left).
Highway 20 Brewing Company’s cup runneth over with history. It’s located in a former church built in 1875. Though it’s been decades since it served as a church, the stained glass windows remain — and with some of them depicting grains and drinking vessels, it’s almost as if they knew that they’d someday be lighting the way for a brewery, Elsewhere inside, the old sign from the church hangs on the wall (below). At bottom, the church is seen during the 1940s.
The Starons use a three-barrel process to make their beer, and customers can get a glimpse of the first steps of the process: the kettle boilers located near the bar counter. After that, fermenting and cellaring are finished up in the basement. Brian handles much of the brewing, and also acts as the litmus test: If he doesn’t like it, he won’t serve it.
Samples are available or you can try small flight of four. Fruity flavors are offered when the weather’s warmer, with darker blends offered in the fall.
“We often like to ask them what they like to drink,” Karen said. “Often you can take someone who doesn’t think they’re a beer drinker — maybe they like a sweet wine or a sour wine or a tart something — and let them at least taste the beers to see if they can open their mind to something they thought they didn’t like.”
But if beer definitely isn’t your thing, the brewery also carries wine from nearby wineries Galena Cellars and Massbach Ridge: select sweet, dry and semi-dry reds and whites. Apple cider from Orchard Landing in Hanover also is available during the fall.
While the former church hasn’t been a place of worship in decades, signs of its former glory remain in the stained glass windows that bath the brewery in a colorful light on a sunny day. It’s open five days a week in the summer, with limited hours during the other seasons, depending on sales and traffic.
Highway 20 Brewing Company’s patio area provides a cozy place to enjoy a brew and some conversation outdoors. “The best compliment we’ve ever gotten is that it feels like you're at your best friend’s back yard,” Karen Staron said.
Seating is available at tables and a counter inside as well as outside in a fenced-in area out back. Pretzels and other light snacks are offered, and the Starons keep menus on hand from local restaurants and snack bars for customers who want to pick something up and bring it back, or have it delivered to the brewery to munch on with a beer. Food trucks are set up on site on select weekends as well.
The Starons like to bring in local talent to entertain their customers, Karen said, and Highway 20 hosts live music during the summer weekends, with occasional weekend performances during other seasons, too.
The patio area out back offers picnic tables and beer barrels to sit at. It’s not a huge space — the church sits on the corner of a residential area, sitting alongside homes near the heart of the village’s downtown — but that makes for a cozy and quaint atmosphere that customers enjoy, Karen said.
“The best compliment we’ve ever gotten is that it feels like you’re at your best friend’s back yard,” Karen said. “We were drawn to creating the patio space to be family friendly and dog friendly. Looking at it, we were able to put on a good-sized patio.”
That friendly vibe extends inside too. Don’t expect any big screens blaring the game at Highway 20, just the sounds of friends chatting, glasses clinking, and the occasional live music.
“Sometimes we take a little slack sometimes for not having the football games on TVs, but the reality is, it makes you talk to people and stay off your phone,” Karen said.
The brewery’s largest event is its annual Oktoberfest, which was Sept. 21 this year and featured a street party just outside the brewery, live music and releases of some of its new varieties. It was the biggest one yet, Karen said, and they’re looking to take build on that momentum next year.
“I like looking around and seeing the community; we gave back to it in a way that didn’t exist before, so we tried to create an environment that was family friendly,” Karen said. “It’s a safe and clean environment.”
Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Highway 20 Brewing Company is located at 113 S. Main St. in Elizabeth. Find it on Facebook or call 815-277-9206 for the most upto-date business hours or for more information.
he Lake Carroll Car Show and Lake Carroll Car Cruise are picking up speed.
The annual events that bring car enthusiasts from near and far to the lake during the final weekend of September saw more people participate this year than last year, and that’s got organizers looking forward to the road ahead.
The car show on Sept. 29 attracted nearly 75 vehicle owners from Lake Carroll and the surrounding area, some from as far as Iowa and Wisconsin, who pulled in to the Lake Carroll Clubhouse so people could check out their rides. Whether they wanted to stroll down memory lane or dream of flying down the highway, people found what they were looking for at the show. The cars ranged in age from a year old to nearly a 100. Savanna’s Don Nowviock brought his 1931 Ford Model A, and Lake Carroll’s Rich Anderson pulled up in a 2024 Corvette.
The previous day, a couple dozen drivers cruised in style throughout northwest Illinois, traveling a looped route from Lake Carroll to Freeport, Lena, Stockton and Loran.
Brian Caldwell of Lake Carroll helps organize both events with fellow Lake Carroll resident Bud Crase, who is president of the Freeport Hot Rods auto club, and Lake Carroll recreation and events coordinator Christina Barron. Caldwell said he was pleased to see the growing success of both events, not only for the Lake Carroll community but regional car enthusiasts as well.
“People really enjoy the variety of cars and the different areas that cars came from,” Caldwell said. “It was nice to see a wide variety of different vehicles. I think we have a great foundation to build upon — something that, year after year, people can kind of count on it being one of the last car shows of the season.”
This year’s car show brought 72 vehicles, with some owners bringing more than one. The vehicles were as small as a red and white 1959 NSU Sport Prinz from Alan Wagner of Sterling, to as big as a the one-of-a-kind “Peterboat,” a custom-designed pontoon boot incorporating a Peterbilt semi-truck cab, owned by Ed and Lisa Grillo of Lake Carroll (read all about their boat in September’s Lake Lifestyle). Owners were asked to make a donation to local food pantries as part of their registration, which garnered about $500 between groceries and cash.
Bud Crase
Brian Caldwell and Lake Carroll recreation and events coordinator Christina Barron helped organize the car parade and car show on Sept. 28-29.
CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
Owners also earned awards: Best-Of’s voted on by visitors — including People’s Choice and Best Import — Best of Show decided by an expert judge, and Lake Carroll Board Choice, chosen by Lake Carroll’s board of directors. Top 20 plaques also were given out, with 21 actually presented due to a tie for the final spot. 3D Sound of Dixon, who cranked out tunes from the ’50s to the ’70s, coordinated the awards. Best of Show went to Wayne Crackenberger of Pearl City and his 1969 burgundy Ford Mustang. Jason Meyer of Springville, Iowa, took People’s Choice with his 1968 Ford Country Sedan, and the Lake Carroll Board award went to the 1963 Studebaker GT Hawk owned by Jim Leverington of Freeport. The Best Import award was new this year, and was given to
Wagner’s Sport Prinz — a model made in West Germany. (Turn to page 17 to see a list of award recipients).
This year marks the third year for the show, after being brought back as part of Lake Carroll’s 50th Anniversary events in 2022 after an absence of a few years. Some of this year’s entries have been in all three shows, but others were firsttimers.
Keith Graberek of Lake Carroll brought his restored 1968 Ford GT 390 Fastback, inspired by the 1968 film “Bullitt,” which starred Steve McQueen, who drives a similar car in the movie. The iconic faster-than-a-speeding-Bullitt car chase in the crime/action thriller got Graberek hooked on the Highland Green car.
“’Bullitt’ has the greatest car chase of all time, and I always wanted to have one like it,” Graberek said. “It’s historic, and it’s the father of them all, so I always wanted to do a ‘Bullitt’ car from the Steve McQueen movie with the car chase.”
Graberek’s car is missing identifying marks such as the name and logo – but that’s by design: they aren’t on the movie version, either. He bought it 15 years ago when it was painted blue, and it took him 10 years to restore and transform it to look like the film’s Fastback. His car earned a Top 20 award among voters.
“You get to meet many people, and it’s a very good crowd,” Graberek said. “You meet new people, get to show your car and just enjoy the day.”
Crase brought two cars: a white 1962 Ford Galaxie with a bigblock Ford engine, and a red 1965 Ford Mustang. The Galaxie also earned a Top 20 award. Like Caldwell, Crase said he was happy to see the larger turnout this year.
“The different style of cars makes for a real wide variety here,” Crase said. “You get new, you get old, you have your typical hot rods and your rat rods, a little bit of everything shows up here.”
Car shows are also a good opportunity to promote car clubs — like the Freeport Hot Rods (find it on Facebook) — and owners also enjoy sharing stories about their rides, like the tale behind Crase’s Mustang, which was restored by auto mechanic students at Highland Community College in Freeport in 1986.
“Me and my dad sent it there to have the college kids work on it,” Crase said. “I’m very big on liking kids to learn, and any time you get to teach a kid something, or get them into something, you may change a life.”
Whether it’s just checking out the vehicles, learning about their journey, or getting on with fellow gear-heads, the car show’s return is proving to be a hit, with both owners and people who come along for the rides.
“The idea behind this was to create an event that not only Lake Carroll members can be a part of, but also one that outside communities can partake in,” Caldwell said. “Being the third year, I think we finally found the right weekend where there wasn’t a lot of other shows in the area. Our goal is to have about 100 to 125 cars, and how this year’s went I think is going to help us get there.”
The show also benefitted from earlier promotion than in past years, something Barron looked at as key to getting more cars to come this year, she said.
“Promoting it early in the year was huge for us along with posting the event to many of the local car pages,” Barron said. “I do think that the biggest advantage came from teaming up with Freeport Hot Rods and 3D Sound Company. They are well known in the car community and that went along way toward getting the word out and coaxing people to come and try it out.”
The third annual Lake Carroll Car Cruise is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. A route will be announced in the couple of months leading up to the event. The car show will be Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Lake Carroll Clubhouse, with times to be announced at a later date. Contact Lake Carroll recreation and events coordinator Christina Barron at christina@golakecarroll. com or 815-493-2552, ext. 316, for more information.
• Wayne Crackenberger, Pearl City, 1969 Ford Mustang
• Jason Meyer, Springville, Iowa, 1968 Ford Country Sedan
• Alan Wagner, Sterling, 1959 NSU Sport Prinz Lake Carroll Board Choice
• Jim Leverington, Freeport, 1963 Studebaker GT Hawk
(21 awarded)
• Lorne and Laura Koser, Lanark, 1975 Plymouth Duster
• Laurie Bass, Fulton, 1965 Rambler Classic 770
• Dave and Cindy Veil, Ridott, 1964 Chevy Nova
• Len Saunders, Lanark, 1972 Chevy C20 truck
• Doug Wagner, Amboy, 1966 Ford Thunderbird
• Sam Spahic, Lake Carroll, 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle
• Rich Anderson, Lake Carroll, 1965 Chevrolet C10
• Mickey Fritz, Shannon, 2004 Chevrolet Super Sport Roadster
• Linda Crackenberger, Pearl City, 1966 Ford Mustang
• Dave Homan, Cedarville, 1965 Chevrolet Malibu SS
• Mike and Bev Campbell, Shannon, 1967 Chevrolet Camaro
• Keith Graberek, Lake Carroll, 1968 Ford “Bullitt” GT 390 Fastback
• Davie Meile, Baileyville, 1958 Edsel Pacer
• Bud Crase, Lake Carroll, 1962 Ford Galaxie
• Frank Schlumpf, Blanchardville, Wisc,, 1955 Chevrolet J DR wagon
• John Starks, Rockton, 1956 Ford Parklane
• Gary and Lou Rieske, Jackson, Wise., 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
• Doug Bass, Fulton, 1968 Chevrolet Caprice wagon
• Michael Bonczyk, Shannon, 1983 GMC 4-x-4
• Curtis Barthel, Lena, 1986 Chevrolet Camaro x28
• Rod Brashaw, Mount Carroll, 2010 Ford Shelby GT
From top: Bud Crase of Lake Carroll and his 1965 Ford Mustang and 1962 Ford Galaxie; Ed and Lisa Grillo’s Peterboat pontoon boat; Lake Carroll’s Keith Graberek and his 1968 Ford GT 390 Fastback. CODY CUTTER/ CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
The previous day’s car cruise — the second since 2022 — took drivers on a shorter route than last year’s, cruising around western Stephenson County, eastern Jo Daviess County and back to the top of Carroll County to Lake Carroll.
Among the destinations along the way were the picturesque Krape Park in Freeport, and a route that used to carry coaches and horses instead of coupes and horsepower, a nearly three-hour that journey provided plenty of hills, curves and sweeping scenic views.
The route was laid out to have interesting features in mind, as was the case for last year’s loop that went as far north as Dubuque. That cruise allowed drivers get a glimpse of Galena, cross the massive Julien Dubuque Bridge over the Mississippi River, and in Iowa, see the historic Luxembourg village of St. Donatus and the island city of Sabula.
The shorter loop this year, with Warren at its apex, was designed to encourage more people to participate, said Caldwell, who led the way in his white 1982 Chevy Corvette C2, along with his wife Donna.
“We wanted to make it so that people could jump in and jump out, and not have to make an entire day out of the cruise,” Caldwell said. “I think every time we’ll do the cruises, we’ll learn a little more about what the people want, and that’s what really guided us [this year]: the feedback from the people who attended.”
After Freeport, the caravan took U.S. Route 20 west to Lena, where it broke up for a little while to stop for lunch at local establishments. Then from there, it made its way northwest from Lena to Warren along the winding Stagecoach Trail, a surviving segment of a former Chicago-to-Galena trail established in the late 1830s. Along the trail, the caravan drove through Waddams Grove, the site of a Black Hawk War battle in 1832; and Nora, home to the locally famous Nora Bar, which was once known for closing at 4 a.m. on weekends.
“You can drive on the concrete jungle every day of your life, but it’s when you get on the back roads is when you see the history and the beauty of northwest Illinois,” Caldwell said. “It’s very full of history.”
Crase took part in the cruise for the first time with his Corvette.
“We put 85 miles on the cars, went through a lot of little towns and had a great time,” Crase said. “I’d always like to see more cars there, and have a nice line of 40, 50 or 60 cars going through these small towns where all of a sudden people are looking and going, ‘Whoa! What’s going on?’ Everybody likes to see the old cars.”
Caldwell agreed, and is eager to see next year’s turnout.
“We’re excited about what 2025 will bring,” Caldwell said. “We look forward to the people who were there telling their friends that they need to be here next year.”
Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
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Stockings aren’t the only thing hung with care at Christmastime.
Colorful bulbs and baubles, shining stars and twinkling lights, festive finials and jingling bells, they’re all hung with care on Christmas trees at The Savanna Museum and Cultural Center, in the hopes that visitors soon will be there — and they will be.
The community is once again inviting people to go from a taste of Thanksgiving to a taste of Christmas and enjoy a festive forest of holiday cheer during the annual Festival of Trees, a celebration of Christmas creativity featuring trees and tree-inspired pieces with all the trimmings.
This year’s Festival of Trees opens the day after Thanksgiving, at 4 p.m. Nov. 29, and concludes Dec. 15, with entries set up throughout three rooms across the first and second floors of the Center’s downtown building. Not only does each entry compete for visitors’ attentions, but also for their votes, to see who can earn top honors in three categories: full-sized, tabletop and creative design varieties.
Admission is free and opening night coincides with the Mississippi River town’s annual Christmas Walk put on by the town’s chamber of commerce, with festivities starting at 4:30 p.m. throughout downtown.
Event coordinator Juliene McCormick and her team of volunteers not only enjoy seeing all the different ideas people come up with, but meeting the people who come up with them, and then seeing all the visitors delight in the sights.
“There’s always something new, and we don’t get repetitions,” McCormick said. “We’re always like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’ve never thought of this before!’ We’ve heard from people about it being so wonderful, because it’s not just one tree after another. We get the beautiful ones, but we also get extremely creative ones.”
Most of the entries come from local residents — families, businesses, service organizations, school clubs, public entities such as the library and fire department, and church groups and some come from surrounding towns such as Mount Carroll and Sabula.
“What’s fun now is that we have people calling us and asking if they can be in our Festival of Trees,” McCormick said. “I always tell them we’ll never turn them away.”
The event is a long-running staple of the Center, beginning in 2011 when the museum opened. There were 25 trees then, but this year organizers expect 50-60 entries. Trees are placed throughout each room, but not all in a row. They’re arranged more randomly, like walking through a forest.
“It’s not so linear, and that’s something people enjoy,” McCormick said. “They’re moving in and around all of the trees, and it’s very stunning.”
Some of the non-traditional styles on display in recent years include a tree made from books from the Savanna Public Library, and others made with tires, wine bottles, meats and cheeses on a tray, one in the shape of a dinosaur, and even an upside-down design.
Committee member Julane Bowman likes to see visitors eyes light up when they see the inspired designs.
“What I like about it is that we’re lighting up this place and giving a gift to the community,” Bowman said. “We see many people come and walk through the room and go ‘Wow!’ at all of the trees; the people really love it.”
The event also includes a silent auction and drawings for gifts, with winners announced on the final day. The committee also hosts a party after the festival for those who display a tree, not only thanking them for their entries, but thanking the committee and volunteers for all their hard work organizing the event, which begins in early October with recruiting entrants.
McCormick enjoys talking to newcomers in town, whether it’s a resident or a business, about how the Festival of Trees has become part of Savanna’s holiday tradition.
“We wanted to do something that connected us to the community,” McCormick said. “The community has been very supportive of this since we started. What makes it fun is talking to the people in the community. I believe in shopping locally, and maybe there’s a new business and I haven’t met the owners yet, so it’s so fun to have them come in and I can say, ‘Welcome to Savanna!’”
Rather than line up all the trees in a row, they’re placed more randomly throughout the museum, to give guests the feeling of walking through a festive forest.
As for the facility itself, the Savanna Museum and Cultural Center has three floors of permanent and rotating displays of exhibits on the city and its history, as well as artifacts from Savanna’s prominent residents. Collections of instruments and other music materials from “Waltz King” Wayne King are displayed, as well as medical supplies and tools from the collection of local World War I nurse Helen Scott Hay. Civil War history also is on display with a collection of mannequins wearing uniforms collected by local historian Gene Wright. Each display tells a unique story about soldiers who fought in the war. Savanna’s railroad history is here, too, displayed through artifacts and a 1,000-square-foot HO-scale railroad track.
The museum will be open for tours during the festival’s opening night from 4 to 7 p.m.; otherwise, it’s open from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from the first weekend in May to the last weekend in October.
In the nearly 15 years since the first festival, it’s become a big part of the Savanna community, for both locals and visitors.
“We’ve had people come in and have their annual family Christmas photo taken in front of the trees,” McCormick said. “Especially on the opening night, there are a lot of families who come in that haven’t been here before; and some of them have said that this is now their Thanksgiving tradition, to come here the day after Thanksgiving. That’s what I hope people will feel.”
With a lot going on in the world today, McCormick said, “it gives people, in our complicated world, a taste of Christmas.” Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.]
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The Festival of Trees at the Savanna Museum and Cultural Center, 406 Main St. in downtown Savanna, takes place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 15; open from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The museum also is open for tours during festival hours. Find the museum on Facebook, go to savannamuseum.org or call 815-275-1958 for more information.
As the final Thursday of November brings plenty of food and thankfulness, the day after marks the symbolic start of thinking about all things Christmas.
As Thanksgiving winds down, Lanark’s Christmas events start to wind up. The city celebrates the holiday kickoff each year at the town park, with a parade of vehicles decked out in all sorts of Christmas lights, followed by the lighting of a Christmas tree at the park, located at North Boyd and West Claremont streets.
The parade’s lights come on when the sun’s light shuts off, at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, and winds around streets on the west side of town. The parade was added to Lanark’s Christmas fun in 2019 and was originally called the Lighted Tractor Parade, as a way to encourage the local farm community to show off their farm vehicles. Other vehicles became involved over time and “Christmas” replaced “Tractor” in the parade’s name.
Children can send Santa their Christmas list via the “North Pole Express,” from this mailbox in downtown Lanark.
The box will be set up from Dec. 2-13, and kids who send a letter will get a personaizedl postcard from jolly St. Nick and his Christmas crew.
Chili from the town’s Old Settlers Day Committee and cookies and hot chocolate from the Park Committee will be served at the park after the parade, all in time for the city Christmas tree lights to be switched on and a few Christmas carols to be sung by those in attendance.
Small Business Saturday falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year, and Celebrate Lanark is committed to observing that day by helping support local businesses and their owners with the Jingle Fest craft show.
This year’s show is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Eastland High School competition gym, featuring local artisans and their crafty creations, local businesses and their products, and school clubs promoting their activities. There were 47 vendors last year, and Krysiak, who is Celebrate Lanark’s vendor coordinator, said she expects to have just as many, or more, this year.
Many vendors have Christmas-related items to help get your home, yard or even office in the holiday spirit — and no re-gifting here: Most of the merch they bring each year
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S. Park Crest Drive Freeport, IL 61032 815-235-3277
is new and different from prior years. The event provides a perfect chance to pick up Christmas gifts for family and friends while supporting local vendors and businesses.
“One of the things I look forward to every year is seeing all of the things that people have created,” Krysiak said. “We have an awful lot of very creative people around here. Every year, more than one person brings something new in that we’ve never seen before.”
There are items for all ages, but for the kids who don’t get a kick out of shopping, plenty of fun activities and tasty holiday treats are available for them in the school’s adjoining cafeteria, where a special guest will let kids make their case for whether they were naughty or nice, and tell him what they want for Christmas (hint: he’s got a round little belly like a bowl full of jelly and likes to wear red).
Jingle Fest has come a long way since its first show in 2015; it previously was downtown at the Lanark Heritage Center, but outgrew it before moving to the high school in 2021 — held inside one of the largest small-town gymnasiums in the area. Previously a four-hour event, it has extended to five this year.
“Our organization is mostly focused on supporting local businesses of all kinds, and trying to attract people to the community to shop, as well as to move here,” Krysiak said. “We’re also trying to build businesses and support businesses. What we were trying to do is, knowing we have a lot of people who make things, they have to go out of town to go to different shows in the area. We thought, ‘Why don’t we offer them a show?’”
Can’t make it to see Santa at Jingle Fest? Kids can drop him a letter from Dec. 2-13 in a special red mailbox at the town’s information booth downtown next to City Hall.
Each letter is personally responded to by Celebrate Lanark committee members, who drop the kids a post card from Santa, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph or other Christmas characters.
Letters will be picked up every other day at 6 p.m. by a Christmas courier — a costumed holiday or cartoon character. In recent years, collections have been picked up by Bluey, the Minions from “Despicable Me,” The Grinch, Olaf the snowman from “Frozen,” Mickey Mouse, Poppy from “The Trolls” movie series, as well as Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves. The Easter Bunny and the Eastland High School’s Cougar mascot have also been part of the fun. Nearly 140 letters were dropped off last year. The pick-ups give kids a chance to see their favorite characters, even meet and greet them and take a photo with them. “Downtown is lined with cars and kids are all over the parking lot next to City Hall waiting to see who is going to come and pick up the letters,” Krysiak said.
The smiles on the faces — both kids and parents — make all the hard work of planning the holiday events worth it.
“All of those things seem to help to bring the spirit alive in a small town like ours,” said Celebrate Lanark volunteer Rosemary Flikkema. “The community spirit comes alive when people are coming. It’s really rewarding to see the joy on children’s faces when they see all of the costumed characters when they drop off their letters to Santa, and we’ve also had parents who’ve told us how much joy the children get from receiving a letter back that we write up.”
with Old Settlers Days children activities. But it’s Christmastime when things really start to get busy for the group, with a weekend jam-packed with joy, a mailbox stuffed with letters, and a community getting into the holiday spirit of things — just like the song says: “City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style. In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas …”
Celebrate Lanark’s mission is to promote the town and its residents, businesses and organizations. It was established in 2014 as a successor to the town’s Transformers Team, and organizes festivals, downtown beautification and whatever else it takes to celebrate the town. The organization is in charge of the information booth, a summer fun fair for kids, the town’s Easter egg hunt, and assists
“When we started doing this, the people in our organization remembered all of this, and were all talking about it and said: ‘What can we do to bring some of this back?’” Krysiak said. “That’s how we started all of these activities.”
As busy as Christmas is for the organization, its members don’t mind the work; for them, it’s their gift to the people of Lanark, to remind them just how special their community is.
Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-6322532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
NOVEMBER 16 DECEMBER 6-15
When given a chance and plenty of support and guidance, nothing is impossible. Turning disabilities into abilities has been the bedrock goal of a Lanark-based service organization for 50 years come 2025, one which aims to make sure that no one feels limited by their limitations.
Rolling Hills Progress Center provides individuals with disabilities — intellectual, developmental and physical — a sheltered workshop where they can learn trade skills, either in preparation for traditional jobs or for work in a setting that fits their skill levels. Its clients can find a sense of self-worth and purpose through not only the work it offers them, courtesy of local businesses that use its services, but also social interaction and friendships. Executive Director Todd Fransen and his staff enlist the power of positive thinking to help empower their clients. The message is simple, but it speaks volumes: “You can do it!”
“Our clients are just like us,” Fransen said. “They want to do things, and this gives them a sense of purpose. They’re making a wage. They’re required to do tasks, and they get that paycheck at the end of the day.”
The traditional working world may not be conducive to some of its clients, but Rolling Hills gives them the chance to sharpen their mental and motor skills through a variety of assembly line work, including sticker placement, product connecting, equipment cleaning and teardowns of defective or errant products.
For clients, working at Rolling Hills is more than just a job, it’s a source of pride, a place where they feel like a valued member of a team. They’re able to work among their peers and make new friends, while focusing on the tasks at hand.
It can also be therapeutic.
Clients and staff at Rolling Hill Progress Center, in front of their new greenhouse, which is slated for completion in the spring. CODY CUTTER/ CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
Rolling Hills Progress Center’s administrative staff, from left: Kim Williams, Eric Heisler, Jenny Sharron, executive director Todd Fransen, Emily Watkins and Jenn Reagan.
“With the social aspect, we also help with coping skills,” Program Director Jenny Sharron said. “They have an idea of how something is supposed to work out in their head, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. We’re here to help coach them that, this is how to respond to this, or this is how we can respond differently next time.”
Sharron’s job is to help clients feel comfortable at work, and help them find opportunities for fun and social interaction with their fellow workers. Events such as holiday parties and field trips play a role in motivating them to hone their work skills. Recent trips have included Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley (near Moline), DeMeester’s Greenhouse and Appleland Orchard in Freeport, Clinton LumberKings summer league baseball games and performance arts events.
In August, several clients took part in a fishing outing at Lake Carroll, hosted by its Fishing and Yacht clubs (read about their visit in October’s Lake Lifestyle). Its annual golf outing at Lake Carroll also has been well-attended in recent years, Fransen said.
But it’s not just fun and games: First and foremost is the clients’ well-being. Decisions made at Rolling Hills must answer one question: Does it help the clients?
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Enhance your home with
Rolling Hills’ recent outings include field trips to Sloan Implement in Lanark (left), the National Straw Sculpting Competition in Mount
(center), and a day of fishing at Lake Carroll (featured in the October issue of Lake Lifestyle, inset at left). Below: Amanda gets her nails done by Rolling
CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
“A hard and fast rule around here is that everything we do is about the clients,” Fransen said. “It’s not about us. It’s about them. If you want to be here, that’s the No. 1 rule. Before you make a decision, how is it going to affect the clients? As long as it’s positive, we’re good to go.”
Rolling Hills was established in 1975 after two years of being a satellite location for the Oregon-based Village of Progress, another disability service organization. It’s governed by an eight-person board of directors. The operation grew to include multiple buildings in Lanark, but when Fransen became executive director two years ago, he
Assembly line work at Rolling Hills allows clients to learn trade skills, helps improve their sense of self worth, and develop social skills make friends.
consolidated operations into one building on the east side of town on state Route 64. The new setup brought its clients closer together, Fransen said.
“The social aspect is a big part of it,” Fransen said. “This is a place where our clients can come in and socialize with their friends. We have people who have been here 40 years, and this is what they know and this is their routine. What we’ve found out is that they are very routine oriented. Just coming in and being with their friends is a huge part of what we do.”
In fact, when their day is done, some of them don’t want to go home.
Through the years, Rolling Hills has helped a variety of businesses, from the private sector to the public sector. It’s helped Lanark businesses such as Elkay, which manufactures water equipment products, as well as Forster Products, which makes gunsmithing equipment. Wahl Clipper in Sterling, which manufacturers electric hair and grooming care products, also has called upon Rolling Hills for tasks from time to time. The federal government also contracts it for assembly work on a consistent basis.
Rolling Hills Progress Center’s mission is to provide vocational and activity services to individuals with development. It is located at 201 state Route 64 in Lanark. Find it on Facebook, email fransen@rhpcinc.com or call 815-493-2321 to learn more about its programs and services.
Fransen and his staff are thankful for the opportunities local businesses have given Rolling Hills, and are always in the market for more work.
In addition to working with businesses, Rolling Hills can also help with community-based projects, such as planting and removing flags from the town cemetery, or helping out with flood prevention, as it did when the Mississippi River rose above Savanna’s riverfront streets a couple of years ago.
“We appreciate our community,” Fransen said. “Being in a small community, it can be tough because of the lack of work that’s available very locally, but communities like Lanark, Shannon, Savanna and Mount Carroll, they all step up; generally if we ask for something, someone steps up and says, ‘We got you.’ Our
community is wonderful.”
The newest addition to Rolling Hills’ facility is a greenhouse, which is slated for completion in the spring; it will compliment an existing garden that grows tomatoes, zucchini and other vegetables that it sells at an onsite produce stand an endeavor that not only helps make some extra money, but raise awareness of Rolling Hills and what it does. Appointments can also be made for tours of the facility; the staff at Rolling Hills is always more than happy to share what it can do and it can do a lot.
From the outside, it looks like your basic factory — a nondescript brown metal building with a pair of loading docks, a lunch shelter, vehicles in the lot — but inside?
Now that’s a different story. Busy hands and smiling faces, clients committed to their job and a staff committed to their clients, all working toward a common goal: Getting the job done. It’s a story of hard work, a story of progress.
“Before I started working here, I drove by all of the time and I never really knew what was happening in here,” Fransen said. “Then I came here and I thought, ‘Wow!’ It’s amazing what comes out of this place.”
Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Lake Carroll said so long to September and raised a glass to October during its annual Oktoberfest celebration on Sept. 28. The community celebration at The Clubhouse attracted hundreds who enjoyed fun, food and drink from late afternoon into the night. Among the offerings: beer from local and regional brewers, events such as axe throwing, barrel rolling, stein holding, a stein relay, pumpkin painting and yard games for kids. Hawk’s Mill Winery of Browntown, Wisconsin, hosted a wine tasting, and the Carroll County Farm Bureau brought farm animals and tractors. Polka music from Northside Brass of Geneva entertained the crowd in the afternoon, followed by the rock and country tunes of Brushville from Bloomington. Lake Carroll’s Maryann and Larry Buettner shared some pictures of the event with Lake Lifestyle — said Maryann: “Fun had by all!” Thanks, Maryann and Larry, for sharing your photos of Life on the Lake!
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