SVM_Shop Local_041523

PLAY TO WIN!!!

Four lucky readers will win a gift card valued at $25 to use at one of the participating advertisers in this section.

Simply tally up the number of Shop Local logos you find in the ads throughout this section. Fill in your information below and mail or drop it off at Sauk Valley Media, 113 S. Peoria Avenue, Dixon, IL 61021.

Name:___________________________Address:____________________________________

Phone:_______________________Email:_______________________________

Number of Shop Local logos found_________

Do not include logos located on the cover or on this page. Must be dropped off or post-marked by Friday, April 21, 2023.

join today.

MONTHLY RATES: $1700 - $6200

Military & Corporate Discounts Available

Our Total Fitness Pass provides you with access to everything you need to reach your fitness goals. Members have unlimited access to our fitness center at Westwood, as well as the following perks and access to areas during open/drop-in hours:

• Over 40,000 sq. ft. of equipment

• Functional training area & fitness turf

• BOA rail with moving bags

• Stretching areas & equipment

• 60-yard indoor turf field

• 200-meter indoor track

• Variety of aerobics classes

• Unicus Functional Fitness classes

• 2-NBA size wood basketball courts

• Childcare while you workout

• Westwood Smoothie Co. discounts

• Indoor aquatics center (Duis Center)

• Westwood Wellness access

WESTWOOD WELLNESS AMENITIES:

• Infrared Sauna*

• Salt & Red Light Therapy

• HydroMassage*

• Compression Therapy*

• Spray Tan

• Stand Up Tan*

• AlterG Treadmill

• Cryotherapy Chamber (Coming Later in 2023)

*Free services for Total Fitness pass members. Wellness drop-in fee of $15 for non-members (includes fitness & wood basketball court access).

LOCALShop

STERLING PARK DISTRICT / TOTAL FITNESS PASS MEMBERSHIP

Shopping Smart With Locally Owned Businesses

Keeping Dollars in the Local Economy

Compared to chain stores, locally owned businesses recycle a much larger share of their revenue back into the local economy, enriching the whole community.

Local Character and Prosperity

In an increasingly homogenized world, communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character have an economic advantage.

Community Well-Being

Locally owned businesses build strong communities by sustaining vibrant town centers, linking neighbors in a web of economic and social relationships, and contributing to local causes.

Local Decision-Making

Local ownership ensures that important decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions.

Thank

Environmental Sustainability

Local stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers-which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution.

Product Diversity

A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based, not on a national sales plan, but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product and service choices.

Public Benefits and Costs

Local stores in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure and make more efficient use of public services relative to big box stores and strip shopping malls.

you for supporting all of our local businesses.

Locally owned businesses help establish and sustain a sense of community. Locally owned businesses sponsor community teams, donate to benefits and support fundraisers

Locally owned businesses create diverse opportunities of employment.

This ad co-sponsored by the City of Dixon & Sauk Valley Media

What consumers can do to support local farmers

(Metro) - As the country faces uncertain econFarming has never been a vocation for individuals looking for easy work. Farmers typically work long hours, braving the elements regardless of how unpleasant the weather may be.

All that hard work ensures individuals who live in rural, urban and

suburban communities have constant, readily available access to healthy foods. Such devotion merits support, and thankfully there are many things consumers can do to show their appreciation for local farmers.

• Buy fresh foods at your local farmers market. Farmers markets are many foodies’ favorite places, but they

aren’t exclusive to individuals with a passion for food. Everyone needs to eat, so why not eat foods grown locally, which are generally more fresh and appetizing than imported fruits and vegetables sold at chain grocery stores? Even individuals who don’t typically eat fresh fruit and vegetables can find something delectable at a local farmers market, where anything from homemade tomato sauces to locally raised fresh beef and pork might be on sale.

• Order directly from local farms. Some farmers have embraced the e-commerce revolution and begun selling the foods they grow to consumers via their own websites. Research local farms and determine if it’s possible to buy directly from them. Farms may offer delivery or pick-up, and consumers can enjoy fresh foods even more knowing that they helped farmers earn higher profits by buying directly from them.

• Check labels before buying in local grocery stores. Packaging

labels will indicate where fruits and vegetables came from. When possible, choose items produced by local farmers. This may include fruits, vegetables, meat, pork, or even desserts like pies. Locally produced foods often taste more fresh than items sent from overseas or distant farms, and consumers will feel better knowing they helped to support local farmers.

• Spread the word. Get the word out after a satisfying experience with local farms and farmers. Whether it’s buying food from farms or taking advantage of family days that let kids enjoy a day on the farm, sharing positive experiences via social media or word-of-mouth can be a great way to inspire your neighbors to support local farmers as well.

Consumers can do much to support hardworking local farmers. In addition to feeling good about supporting their rural neighbors, consumers also might feel good when they sit down and enjoy a meal featuring locally grown, fresh foods.

Johnson Oil Company, founded in 1959, is a privately held family-operated business. The company currently operates convenience stores throughout northwestern Illinois and southeastern Iowa as well as distributes fuel to Shell and BP dealers. Three generations of family strive daily to deliver the experience customers have come to know and count on from Johnson Oil Company.

More in store at Clover Hills

Have a seat, catch some sleep, cook a meal, do some laundry, grill a burger — whatever you’re looking to do around the house, Clover Hills can help you do it

BY MELISSA RUBALCABA RISKE FOR SAUK VALLEY MEDIA

It happens two to three times a week at Clover Hills Appliance. A customer walks in needing to buy a major appliance and they’ve brought their own expert: mom.

“Moms know best,” said Wayne Walker, manager of the family-owned appliance business in Sterling.

For all those who may not be able to shop with their mom, Walker and his team will gladly offer guidance and answer questions to help customers find the right appliance for their home — from washing machines to dishwashers, refrigerators and ovens as well as mattresses and outdoor grills.

“We’ve been here so long people come in and say their grandparents shopped with us. It makes it a joy to come in and help people, to serve multiple generations,” Walker said.

Recliners are the newest items at Clover Hills, with a variety of styles, colors and sizes available, from basic to rockers, power lift and more. Clover

Hills carries the Best Home Furnishings brand of recliners that are made in Indiana. The solid wood construction provides a sturdy base, and select styles allow adjustable lumbar areas and head rests, and the electric lift provides additional assistance in rising and reclining.

In appliances, Clover Hills welcomed the Speed Queen brand to its lineup, and these durable machines come with multi-year manufacturer warranties and a reputation for durability and longevity.

“They’re known for being able to hold up and wash heavy-duty

items,” Walker said.

Like the Best Home recliners, the Speed Queen brand is American made, in Wisconsin. Walker said Clover Hills makes an effort to carry American-made products, which includes several of its GE appliances, which are made in Louisville.

For more than 40 years shoppers have turned to Clover Hills, and their formula for success has been simple: good service, a good shopping experience, and a dependable staff, from the sales to delivery to the installation teams.

Clover Hills has appliances in stock, ready for customers to take home that day, or they can select delivery and installation options. The delivery team can even haul away old appliances. Be sure to check out its line of mattresses, including some with the latest sleep technology, to improve your rest.

And with warm weather around the corner, check out the selection of grills — gas and charcoal, even portable grills perfect for an afternoon tailgating.

More info

2400 N. Locus St., Sterling 815-625-8529 and ...

1601 N. Second St. Clinton, Iowa 563-242-5200

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

Online: On Facebook and at cloverhillsappliance.com

Clover Hills provides repair services to the brands it carries as well as other national brands. With a knowledgeable crew, it can help customers keep appliances running and extend the life of the equipment, saving time and money.

Stop in the store to see what’s new — and while you’re there, check out the store’s remodeling, aimed at further improving the shopping experience.

Wayne

James

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Brian

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Store manager Wayne Walker and the Clover Hills crew.

Brandy