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Your best life. Our one purpose. At MercyOne, we care about getting you well and keeping you well. That’s why we offer a wide range of services to meet your health care needs. Whether you’re seeking treatment for an illness or looking for a medical home to manage your health, you can trust our dedicated medical professionals will be there for you and offer proactive solutions that fit your lifestyle.
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Acute Care Audiology Behavioral Health Birthing Cancer Care Cardiac Care Diabetes Care Dialysis Care Emergency Services Family Practice Gastroenterology
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Home Care & Hospice Home Medical Equipment Imaging Services Internal Medicine Laboratory Services Obstetrics & Gynecology Orthopedic Care Ostomy Care Pain Management Pediatrics Pharmacy
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To learn more about specific services available at MercyOne, visit mercyone.org/clinton or call 563-244-5555.
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Publisher Don T. Bricker
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General Manager/Ad Director Jennifer Heintzelman
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Magazine editor & Page design Rusty Schrader
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Published by Sauk Valley Media 113 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon, IL 61021 815-284-2222 Have a story idea for Ogle County Living? Let us know ... Call 815-632-2531 or e-mail news@saukvalley.com Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of River City Living may be reproducedwithoutthewrittenconsentofthepublisher. AdcontentisnottheresponsibilityofSaukValleyMedia. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot andwillnotbeheldliableforthequalityorperformance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.
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Residents at an assisted living facility can enjoy the great outdoors, thanks to a groundskeeper who helps make their piece of God’s green earth a little slice of heaven
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for a stroll in the fresh air, they’ve got some company: a pond full of fish, and Mother Nature. They have Paulette Walston to thank for that. The square outdoor courtyard at the Prairie Hills serves as both Walston’s easel and residents’ retreat. “This is their home,” she said. “I would like it to look as nice as it possibly can.” For the past 9 years, Prairie Hills’ groundskeeper has kept the facility near the junction of 13th Avenue North and the Mill Creek bypass, built in 2006 west of town, looking as good as new. Her job is a continuation of the outdoor work she enjoys doing close to her Fulton home; she also tended to the lawn at the Thomson Post Office for years. While Walston doesn’t consider herself a green thumb – “I just do the best I can and go from there,” she said – she’s pretty good at painting a picture with colors from nature’s palette, and the courtyard is her masterpiece. Hydrangea flowers fill the courtyard with snowballs of color, which turn pink and then tan as the year winds down. Hostas dot the landscape where birch and pine trees tower over the flora. When the Fourth of July arrives, Walston will hang foil stars from the trees to add more color. Continued on page 8
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“They like how the colors change all year long,” Walston said. “With the plants, something’s always changing by the season.” Residents also enjoy watching her mow the lawn on her John Deere garden tractor. When she’s not at the helm of the mower, she’s making sure all of the decorative mulch is in the right place, the fountain at the front entrance is working properly, and she brings life to many plants within and around the facility in the nearly 35 hours a week she spends at the facility. One resident has a corner of the courtyard dedicated to her own plants. Some residents have bird feeders outside of their windows. They pay for the seed, but can get help filling the feeders when needed. When Walston isn’t pulling weeds or putting down mulch or fertilizer, she’ll feed the large goldfish in the pond. The water bubbles up from a towering rock formation and cascades down and under a walking bridge to one corner of the courtyard, where many of the fish – and even some ducks – find a home. During a derecho in August, which whipped nearly 80-mile-per-hour winds around the facility, the flock of ducks took off and left a baby duckling behind. It won’t be alone for long; Walston thinks it will take off by the end of September. Continued on page 9
Prairie Hills groundskeeper Paulette Walston is in charge of keeping the courtyard full of life and color. “It depends on what God gives me to work with,” she said. “I like being outside. I like working outside, mowing, trimming plants.”
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“This was our place to come when our dad passed away ...” For some, the courtyard can be a place of healing. One family returned to the pond after their loved one, a Prairie Hills resident who enjoyed watching the fish, passed away.
The goldfish, more than 200 in all, are a mix of white and red and orange, and keeping them fed takes some work. If the fish food isn’t moistened up and allowed to settle toward the bottom of the pond, the ducks will try to snatch it first, Walston said. When someone walks on the bridge, the school of fish head for the surface, thinking they’ll get some food. Residents enjoy looking at the fish, especially on a cool summer evening, Walston said, and when the fish have babies, the little swimmers are offered to staff when the pond gets too crowded. After the death of a resident a couple of years ago, his wife and daughter briefly coped with the tragedy by coming out to the courtyard and watching the fish in the pond. Walston was happy to show them around. “She stood on the bridge and said, ‘This was our place to come when our dad passed away,’” Walston said. “We could look out here, relax, and be calm. They told me that, and I felt so good about it.” Photos on pages 10-11. Story continued on page 12
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Prairie Hills groundskeeper Paulette Walston says she doesn’t have a green thumb, but residents might beg to differ – in fact they would probably give her handiwork two green thumbs up. “I like that, when I leave, I can kind of look back and think ‘I’d be proud to stay here,’” Walston said.
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Residents can walk along a winding path and make their way to the waterfall, where the sounds of water gently cascading into a fish pond provide the perfect spot for some relaxation and reflection.
Assisted Living • Memory Care • Respite Care “We love it here at Prairie Hills because everyone is so helpful. I love being able to get out and visit, and Mike loves the exercise programs. At home we weren’t eating Affordable healthy meals but now we get Senior Housing is Closer than everything we need and more!” you think!
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Not only are residents and their families in awe at what Walston does with the courtyard. Jim Wiebenga, Prairie Hills’ community relations coordinator, also is a fan of Walston’s work. “Paulette does a fantastic job of making this place look amazing for our residents,” he said. “We’re at the edge of town and we have sort of a country feel, and it’s beautiful property that we’re on and well-maintained.” The bridge can be lit up at night, and a new pumping system was recently installed which “helps tremendously” with circulating the water and keeping it clean, Walston said. A sidewalk meanders around the plants throughout the square, and a platform at one corner offers a place for residents to sit in a circle and chat with one another. Walston’s next big project is to turn the brick wall along the rear of the building into a garden. “It depends on what God gives me to work with,” she said. “I like being outside. I like working outside, mowing, trimming plants. “I like that, when I leave, I can kind of look back and think ‘I’d be proud to stay here.’” n
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STORY CODY CUTTER | FOR RIVER CITYLIVING
hen Jeremy Castro punches out for work, he’s not done punching. After he’s done with his day job – as a student services specialist for West Carroll Middle School – you can find him working out, or running his gym where he teaches kickboxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu and more. Or, sometimes, you’ll even find him locked in a cage, face to face with fists and feet. Pretty good for someone who’s smack dab in the middle of being middle aged. But Castro, of Clinton, doesn’t feel like all of 44 years old. The Savanna native can shoot, punch and kick as well as someone half his age, and the former high school wrestler doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon. Continued on page 16
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That skill for staying on his feet has helped hone his mental acuity, which comes in handy in his job at West Carroll Middle School, and his tough tenacity has helped him as a professional mixed martial arts fighter who has fought for 15 years on cards in seven different states. Perfecting his technique with age also is something that keeps Castro going, he said. “You got to have your wits out there,” he said. “You got to be thinking. If he does this, I’m doing this, and it’s five or six things down the line. With three 5-minute rounds, people don’t realize how much cardio it has.” As brutal as the sport can be, Castro says the biggest, and best, takeaway from his love of fighting is being victorious when facing a skilled opponent: Who’s tougher than who, who’s quicker than who, and who’s smarter than who. “I just love to compete,” Castro said. “I’m not one of those guys who wants to go beat someone’s face. There’s no better competition than one-on-one, being locked in the cage, and one guy wins. This is the ultimate competition.” His success as a high school and college wrestler led him to a pro career that began in 2006. He has 35 wins and 24 losses to his credit, and most recently MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT/MKRABBENHOEFT@SAUKVALLEY.COM fought at Pinnacle Combat 31 in Dubuque, Iowa, on Halle Schaefer throws a punch at Jeremy Castro during a beginning MMA class Sept. 28. The 155-pound lightweight made his oppoat Castro’s gym, Battlecat MMA, in Morrison. Castro opened the gym in March at nent – 18 years his junior – tap out with a keylock Leanne’s Dance Connection. He teaches kickboxing, wrestling, submission holds, submission hold in the first round. Photo on page 17. Story continued on page 18 and jiu-jitsu, and open sparring takes place each Saturday.
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sionals was just a short drive away, at Miletich Fighting Systems in Bettendorf, Iowa. If it wasn’t for a hot Nintendo game he yearned for as a child, Castro’s “A world-class gym like that an hour away, I thought I’d check it out,” he interests may have been quite different. said. Wrestling was popular in Savanna. The Indians’ high school program Less than 2 months later, Castro pulled away from the amateur ranks and won six state championships from 1973 to 1981, and solidified itself as became a professional. The road wasn’t easy, and he sometimes thought one of Illinois’ most premier small school powers. Many wrestlers from about waiting a little longer before becoming a pro. Nevertheless, he stuck there have been crowned state champions, and Castro’s father thought his with it and today he continues to find new ways to hone his technique. son could be just as good as them. But Jeremy wasn’t interested at first, “Those first 12 to 15 fights, that was pretty much just my wrestling: Take preferring his Nintendo over fighting. them down, pound them, not get submitted,” Castro said. “I’m pretty well “‘I’ll buy you a Nintendo game if you just try it,’” he recalled his father rounded now. Wrestling will take you a long way, just the mental side of it: telling him. “I went out, loved it, got my Nintendo game, and ended up cutting weight, learning how to getting a college scholarship out of grind, but the big thing is getting it, and a fight career.” used to being punched in the face.” Not very many students came He’s been the main event, or out for the sixth-grade team, but the co-main, for more than onethe allure of more video game third of his career. He’s fought for time helped Castro get a spot on championships at Pinnacle Comthe team. Just a few years later, he bat in Dubuque and the Midwest became more successful on the Cage Championships in Des mat than with a controller in his Moines, Iowa. After fighting in as hands. He was Class A runnermany as six bouts a year, family up at 125 pounds in 1992 and and professional life have settled earned another second-place finish in to reduce his schedule to two or at 130 pounds the following year. three matches a year. He then moved on to Northern One of his recent bouts was a Illinois University, where he won boxing match on July 18 in Davletters and wrestled for 4 years. enport; not quite his style, but he Fighting wasn’t in the cards for said it felt great to fight in a differCastro after college: He landed ent style. a teaching gig at the regional “Being able to hang around for alternative school in Savanna, and 15 years and fight 60 times, I’m even coached youth wrestling for pretty proud of that.” a while. MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT/MKRABBENHOEFT@SAUKVALLEY.COM Because of his experience, he’s Video games were a thing of the Jeremy Castro (center) works with students during an intermediate learned enough to teach others. past for him, but he was still getThat’s where the next phase of ting some screen time – only now MMA class at his gym, Battlecat MMA, in Morrison on Aug. 4. his pro career is starting to take he had his eyes on a TV, often shape: He’s trained aspiring fighters in many disciplines and opened a gym watching Ultimate Fighting Championship series on Spike TV. The UFC circuit was growing in popularity, and once he started watching it, it didn’t – Battlecat MMA – in March at Leanne’s Dance Connection in Morrison. Kickboxing is taught on Tuesdays; wrestling, submission holds and jiutake long for him to wonder how he would stack up to some of the fightjitsu are Thursday lessons, and open sparring takes place each Saturday. ers on TV. Classes have about 15 to 20 students a night, which Castro says is “pretty “There were really no rules,” Castro said. “When you start watching that, good” for just starting out. Women love it too: “They kick hard and have a you start thinking as a competitor, ‘Man, I think I can beat that guy,’ and lot of flexibility,” he said. ‘I think I can beat that guy.’” Continued on page 19 As it turned out, of the top feeder program for mixed martial arts profes-
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“It’s one thing learning it, having been around it for 15 years, but when you’re teaching it, you’re a little nervous. You wonder if you know what you’re doing enough to teach it, but it makes me feel good to see them have so much progress” he said. “It’s been a big thing throughout my career. It really helps me connect with my students. It’s been real good so far.” One of the people he’s taught has been a student of his twice, in the classroom and on the mat. Growing up, C.J. Schreiner of Shannon had struggled in school and was put in MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT/MKRABBENHOEFT@SAUKVALLEY.COM Castro’s alternative program. He eventually wised up, graduated from Eastland High Patrick SchaeSchool in 2014 and served in the Marines, where he learned about jiu-jitsu. fer trains with Feeling that he wanted to learn more, he reached out to his former teacher, reconnecting Jeremy Castro with Castro after military service nearly 2 years ago. Castro had sessions at the Iron Horse during a beginFitness Club in Savanna at that time, and Schreiner started going – and he hasn’t let up. ning MMA class “Jeremy’s always been very positive, and has been a very good role model,” Schreiner said. “I was in that class where people weren’t the greatest.” “It’s pretty awesome training with him, seeing him come full circle from a goofy little eighth-grader that couldn’t stay out of trouble,” Castro said. “I’m so proud of him.” Castro, too, has come full circle, going from student to teacher, from fighter to trainer, fed by his love of the sport and his passion for teaching it to others. “Most of those guys are 20 years younger than me, but I can go with all of them and it keeps me going,” he said. “I love that I can hang with them.” n
MORE INFO
Battlecat MMA offers lessons in strike fighting every Tuesday: kids classes are at 4:30 p.m., beginner and intermediate classes are at 5:30, and advanced sessions are at 6:30. Wrestling and grappling sessions are at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, and open sparring is from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Saturday. Those interested in lessons can stop by during classes, or find BattleCat MMA on Facebook. The gym is located inside LeAnne’s Dance Connection, 107 N. Sawyer Road in Morrison. Follow Castro on Instagram@jccastro_mma for fight pictures and more information.
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STORY CODY CUTTER PHOTOS MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT| FOR RIVER CITY LIVING
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However, it is Sue Arey’s home away from home. There are only a few telltale signs left that would help people remember the community named for a veteran of the Battle of the Alamo, Gen. Juan Almonte, who served in the Mexican Army. Almont’s former gas station still stands, but it s pumps went dry long ago. Elsewhere, a weather-beaten white sign
218 Main Avenue Clinton, Iowa 52732
563-242-1712
directs people on a dirt road to a cemetery over a big hill. But there is one place that keeps this Clinton County community on the map – at least with folks who stop by the local watering hole: The Almont Tap. Finding it isn’t too hard – not like finding a needle in a haystack. It’s more like finding a bar in a cornfield. Continued on page 22
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Sue Arey, owner of Almont Tap, serves up some of the bar and grill’s lip-smackin’ burgers. The bar’s Almont Burger is made from fresh, not frozen, beef, and its Jim’s Burner Burger spices things up. Each entree comes with chips or hand-cut western fries,
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About 6 miles north of Clinton, nestled in a cornfield on the side of a country road connecting U.S. Route 67 and the village of Andover, Arey serves up beer, big burgers and a friendly smile for plenty of passers-by. “I’m here to accommodate the farmers and some of the construction workers in the area, so they don’t have to go all the way to Clinton to get a meal,” Arey said. The bar’s clientele isn’t limited to locals. Straying not too far from Route 67, part of Iowa’s Great River Road, it also attracts plenty of motorcyclists who cruise the countryside, up and down the hills and valleys of eastern Iowa. Arey knows that road well. She and her late husband, Jim, also cruised the Great River Road on many occasions from their home just north of Clinton’s city limits. The bar had been around for nearly 50 years, and was originally built as a general store nearly 100 years
We invite you to stop by and enjoy a multi-level shopping experience
ago, but when the previous owners decided to sell, the Areys staked their claim there as a way to keep busy during their retirement. She worked mornings and Jim worked evenings, but, tragically, Jim only got to enjoy the job for 2 years before he died in a motorcycle accident in March of 2007. “My husband and I were looking for something that we could do together when we retired,” Arey said. “It’s not that far away from home, and it was convenient.” Before the Areys opened on July 5, 2005, they needed a unique draw to their menu, and it came from the Andover Locker just a few miles away: the tap’s signature menu item, Almont Burger. These aren’t just any patties, however; they’re three-quarters of a pound – a size that isn’t offered many places – and when the burgers make it to the grill, they start out about the size of a dinner plate. If that’s too much of a hearty helping, quarterpound burgers are available.
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The bucks stop here ... There’s a lot of dough hanging around, but no doe. From a festive deer to wall-towall cash, the Almont Tap has a cozy and quirky character all its own, and that’s just how loyal patrons like it. “They just come in and we have a real good time. We’re a local place where people can gather,” says owner Sue Arey.
ones are a little faded now. “When we first opened, we had well-wishers that wished us good luck “Most places are frozen, and they range anywhere from a quarter- to a halfand they put a dollar up,” Arey said. “The next thing I know, it just pound,” Arey said. “That’s where we’re unique with the 3/4-pound grew.” burger.” While there are plenty of George Washingtons on the For those who like a little bang for their beef bucks, Jim’s wall, Ulysses S. Grant does make one appearance, and Burner Burger – formerly called the Ass Burner – comes that $50 bill holds a special place for the Areys. It was with bits of jalapeño peppers stuffed inside. left by Phillip Heine, who Sue knew for nearly her MORE INFORMATION “That way the entire jalapeno flavor goes through entire life, until Heine died in 2010. The Almont Tap, 4581 140th the entire burger instead of having it just sit on the Other bills are worth more than face value, too, Street, north of Clinton, is top,” Arey said. “You get a jalapeno with every bite with the names of customers who have since passed open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. instead of some.” Friday, Saturday and Sunday. written on the bills – a way for their memory to live Wanna spice things up some more? Have them Cash, credit or debit cards are on. add some Slap ‘Ya Mama cajun seasoning. accepted. Call 563-682-7381 The bar also has a game room with a pool table Each entree comes with chips or hand-cut western for more information. and a couple of arcade games, as well as a private dinfries, which are sliced into bite-sized chunks. ing area for groups. Karaoke and music used to be an The bar accepts cash, credit and debit cards, and tips can occasional event, but now “We’re a restaurant that serves be left at the table, the counter – or on the wall. beer,” Arey said. Like many small business owners, the Areys framed their first While the tap’s home is in its name, it has a Clinton address, a dollar and hung it on the wall. It wasn’t long after that when some of Miles phone number, and isn’t that far from Andover. their first customers added their own greenbacks to the wall. Since then, more “We’re just sitting in the middle of No Man’s Land,” Arey said. “They bucks have found their way onto the walls, and some have even been put on just come in and we have a real good time. We’re a local place where the ceiling. Almost all of them have names written on them, but the earliest people can gather.” n Continued from page 22
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Darrell Meinsma, owner of Indian Hills Orchard in Fulton, stands next to a 1931 Ford Model A pickup his father restored. “I wanted to plant a couple of fruit trees in the backyard,” Meinsma said. “I enjoyed that, growing the fruit and taking care of the trees. I don’t like to sit around. I like to be outside.”
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“Apples are one of the good things that have plenty of antioxidants in them. They have natural sugar and vitamins, all of those good things that you typically want.” Meinsma’s daughter, Jackie, does her part for the business, too. She’s a teacher, but instead of the students bringing apples to her, she brings the students to the apples. A third-grade teacher at Fulton Elementary School, she’ll take her kids to the orchard on field trips to learn the different types of apples, how trees grow and how apples are picked. Throughout the year, Meinsma and his family pick the apples from the trees, and there’s a certain way it is supposed to be done: the “eye to the sky” technique helps assure the tree’s future health. The eye of an apple is its bottom, and “when you pick an apple, you take the eye to the sky and pop it off the stem,” he said. “When you pop the stem off, you can save the More info bud for next year for another Indian Hills Orchard, 18405 Frog apple. You have to be careful Pond Road, east of Fulton, began when you’re picking.” its business season Aug. 29, and is open Friday, Saturday and Apples can be purchased indiSunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. vidually, or in bushels, which is until Nov. 1. Cash and checks roughly 40 pounds. They make are accepted. it to the storefront after going Go to indianhillsorchard. through a conveyor washer and com, find it on Facebook, or call 563-241-2706 to after storage in a cooler. place orders or for more In years past, the orchard had a cotinformation. ton candy day (including, of course, apple-flavored cotton candy), which Meinsma hopes to have again next year. Another important day is one where all of the proceeds for that day are donated to the Fulton-Thomson Food Pantry. Harlan Weibenga, a pantry volunteer,appreciates Darrell’s efforts. “People that come to the food pantry don’t buy produce or anything like that, so [Darrell] really takes care of us,” Weibenga said. The Fulton-Thomson Food Pantry takes care of about 160 families a month.
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From tree to tray ... Red Delicious apples ripen in August on some of the three acres of trees at Indian Hills Orchard. The orchard produces 14 varieties of apples. Once the apples are picked, they’re run through an apple washer and stored in a cooler before making their to the shop floor.
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“At this time of the year, they need apples,” Weibenga added. Meinsma also has added peaches to his orchard in recent years and new this year: cantaloupe and butternut squash. Running an orchard sometimes has its uncontrollable obstacles: an August derecho’s 80-mile-per-hour winds toppled nearly 15 trees, and the winter of 2018’s bite took out nearly half of the peach trees – but as long as he has trees, the family will have a business, and Meinsma will happily have his hands full. “I wanted to plant a couple of fruit trees in the backyard,” Meinsma said. “I enjoyed that, growing the fruit and taking care of the trees. I don’t like to sit around. I like to be outside. I started the test plot next to the house, we’ve expanded it a little bit at a time, and here we are.” n
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alking through Triple Play bowling alley is like a stroll down memory lane for Rick Petersen. He grew up bowling with his parents there, knocking down pins, picking up spares, throwing a mean hook. Today, he still enjoys spending time at the alley, but now he’s doing it as the owner. And he can still throw a mean hook. He’s also still spending time with family at the lane, but now it’s with his children. Just as Rick rolled his first strikes and spares with Mom and Dad at the former Fulton Recreation Lanes, he taught his children how to bowl there – but on synthetic lanes instead of wood – and the family continues to set aside time every week for family fun. They’re hoping others can experience the same fun and competitive atmosphere that kept the family bond going for years. “It’s our one night a week, and we just have a good time,” Rick said. “If we bowl good, great. If we don’t, oh well. We have a good time doing it. It’s just a fun night out.” Nathan Petersen helps his dad in the bowling alley when he isn’t keeping Morrison safe working on the city’s police force. His brother Justin also helps out. Nathan is also giving his dad a run for his money on the lanes, keeping that goodnatured competitive spirit alive and well. “You play sports in high school, and maybe you go to college and play; but you can bowl pretty much your entire life,” Nathan said. “You still have that, and you still have that team aspect. If you still have that drive for competition and want to play a sport of some kind, bowling fulfills that.” Operating a small-town bowling alley of 10 lanes hasn’t been easy in recent years, made even more challenging during the coronavirus pandemic. League participation is down from its peak, but the alley still has men’s leagues on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, women’s leagues on Monday evenings and Tuesday afternoons, a mixed league Tuesday evenings, and junior leagues on Saturday mornings. In addition, Scotch doubles, where a duo alternates shots for a single score, are Friday nights. Most leagues run 32 weeks. Continued on page 30
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Bowling has been a part of Rick Petersen’s (center) family for as long as he can remember. Long before Petersen owned Triple Play bowling alley in Fulton, he played there with his parents, when it was still Fulton Recreation Lanes. Today, family is still a big part of his business: whether it’s watching families who come through his doors create their own memories, or it’s working alongside his sons, Justin (left) and Nathan, at the business.
If you’re not the competitive type, that’s OK; bowling is a great way to exercise and stay in shape, Rick said. “It’s amazing how many muscles you can use bowling. Even if you are someone who lifts weights and works out all of the time, you go bowling and you’ll be sore the next day.” Bowling doesn’t involve a lot of cardio, but the steps, motions and maneuvering a more-than-10-pound bowling ball with a grip can awaken muscles that aren’t used often. Even folks in their mid-80s are knocking down pins during league play. “They enjoy it,” Rick added. “It gives them exercise, and nobody’s pushing them to do anything. It’s just what they can do. You could do it forever.” The junior leagues have children as young as 5 with bumpers on alternate lanes that prevent balls from rolling into the gutter; that way, they don’t get used to using bumpers all of the time but still can round up some sort of score on those lanes. “Then they realize they have to try to keep it in the middle,” Nathan said. Last summer, the alley was part of the Kids Bowl Free program, where kids could sign up and bowl two free games a day from Tuesday to Sunday. Nearly 300 kids signed up last year, Rick said. “We’re slow in the summer, and you try to get people through the door and hope they buy a pop or candy bar, or something. It gets people in here to see what we offer. If the kids find out they enjoy it, they can join a league.” One way Rick gets people in the doors on weekends is with Cosmic bowling, which is done with dimmed colorful lights and music, on Friday and Saturday nights. Continued on page 31
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Fulton High School gym classes have used the lanes for 4-week lessons, and home schooled students have used them for gym as well. The high school had a bowling club in recent years, and has produced top-notch bowlers who have gone on to play at college. One of them, Seth Sikkema, was a multiple-time state qualifier in the Illinois High School Association state meet, and currently is bowling for St. Ambrose University in Davenport. Getting children involved in the game early can help them attain not just success, but scholarship money for college as well. The Petersens use that as a big draw to get more people involved in the sport. Nathan and his bowling buddies left the junior league, having attained thousands of dollars in scholarships just by knocking pins down and competing in tournaments around the Midwest. “When you talk about college and how you’re going to pay for it, at the junior level there are tournaments and scholarship funds for all of that,” Nathan said. “There are families who travel throughout the Midwest for baseball and softball, but if your child is fortunate enough to be one of ones who is elite enough to have a college [bowling] scholarship and funding, it’s great.” Before it closed a couple of years ago, Ashford University in Clinton had a college bowling team. Other regional MORE INFORMATION colleges with programs are Triple Play, 1601 Ninth Ave. in Fulton, has 10 lanes of bowling, Highland Community Cola spacious banquet area and two lege in Freeport, Rock Valley pool tables and six gambling College in Rockford and Judmachines in its bar. son College in Elgin. Hours: Open daily from noon to 2 a.m.; bowling opens at 2 p.m. “It’s amazTuesday through Sunday. ing how Find it on Facebook, or call 815many of the 589-3215 for open bowling times small colleges or for more information. have bowling teams, and the scholarships that are available out there is amazing,” Rick said. “People don’t know about it.” If you prefer aiming for pockets instead of pins, Triple Play has a pair of pool tables that are home to a fourteam league on Wednesday nights in its bar, which also has six video gambling machines. Food also is served at the bar. The banquet room, which was added along with the bar more than 20 years ago, can hold up to 250 people. It recently had karaoke for special needs individuals every Wednesday that drew up to 100 people. While there is more to Triple Play than bowling, knocking down pins and the quest to get that 300 game, or dreaming big for a 900 series, is what keeps people coming back for more. “It’s an individual sport,” Rick said. “You don’t have to be big, you don’t have to be fast. Anybody can bowl. You can be any size and be a good bowler.” n
PHOTOS, FROM TOP ... Triple Play offers a 10-lane bowling alley with electronic scoring and comfortable seating for bowlers. The bar area features an L-shaped bar, pool tables and video gambling machines, along with plenty of seating for patrons. The banquet room has space for up to 250 people and can be rented out for events. The bar and bowling alley are just steps away from the banquet room.
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