NOVEMBER 2016
Love PROJECT
USES POWER OF THE LENS
VOLUNTEERISM
GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME | PAGE 26
ECO-FRIENDLY FUTURE
ORGANIC FARMER GROWS INTEREST IN SUSTAINABILITY | PAGE 8
WORLD RELIEF
A SANCTUARY FOR REFUGEES PAGE 24
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Editor's Note If I’m being honest with myself, I could be doing more – a lot more, frankly – to better the lives of others. ’Tis the season of giving, after all, and this time of year has a tendency to spur bouts of self-reflection.
it to exercise her humanitarian efforts abroad. In “The Art of LOVE,” the Laos native discusses how traveling to developing countries to teach photography has given a voice to children affected by poverty.
This is a good thing. While a daily dose of introspection may elicit feelings of inadequacy, it also can provide an opportunity to ask a very important question: Can I do just a little bit more?
With the belief that food brings people together, Geneva native Ellen Kamps is using organic farming to connect the community to food sustainability (“Greener Pastures,” on Page 8).
When it comes to getting involved, it’s not that some people don’t care about the plight of humanity, endangered species, climate change or any number of issues facing the world. They do. They just don’t know what TO DO.
In the midst of the refugee crisis debate, nonprofit organization World Relief DuPage/ Aurora continues to serve as a beacon for displaced families fleeing conflict in other parts of the world. Find out how to help, on Page 24.
When you look around, and all you see are problems, how do you know where to begin? There are so many important causes, so how do you choose to dedicate your time and energy to just one?
Hopefully, within these pages, you’ll find a cause that is close to your heart. Thanks for reading,
November is the charity and philanthropy issue, which means that it’s filled with stories about regular people, who are defining what “doing just a little bit more” means to them.
Kara Silva, Editor
Cover girl Samantha Oulavong, an Aurora middle school teacher, found a way to harness her love of photography and use
DIRECTOR OF NICHE PUBLISHING Laura Shaw 630-427-6213 lshaw@shawmedia.com EDITOR Kara Silva 630-427-6209 ksilva@shawmedia.com DESIGNER Carol Manderfield 630-427-6253 cmanderfield@shawmedia.com ACCOUNT MANAGERS Sandra Petti 630-313-0251 spetti@shawmedia.com
on the
COVER
Aurora middle school teacher Samantha Oulavong travels the world teaching photography to impoverished children in developing countries. The humanitarian discusses project LOVE, on Page 12.
4 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Published by Shaw Media 333 N. Randall Road, Suite 2 St. Charles, IL 60174 Phone: 630-845-5288 www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Tricia Walter 630-845-5272 twalter@shawmedia.com CORRESPONDENTS Melissa Riske, Kelsey O’Connor, Yvonne Benson, Allison Horne, Kevin Druley, Chris Walker, Tom Witom, Jonathan Bilyk PHOTOGRAPHERS Ron McKinney, Martin Pinnau, Kathy Green, Monique Jimenez
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INSIDE
CHARITY & PHILANTHROPY
8 GREENER PASTURES Organic farmer Ellen Kamps grows interest in sustainability
12 THE ART OF LOVE Through photography, Aurora teacher gives marginalized children a voice
16 EMPOWERING THE IMPOVERISHED Batavia resident Joanne Spitz does her part to CHIP IN
18 BRICK BY BRICK Habitat for Humanity volunteer rebuilds communities at home and abroad
22 ‘PARR-T’ OF THE COMMUNITY Volunteer Chuck Parr brings creativity to Downtown St. Charles Partnership
24 SEEKING REFUGE In midst of refugee crisis debate, World Relief continues to serve as a beacon for displaced families fleeing conflict
26 GIFT OF TIME Give back by getting involved
28 SUPPORTIVE CARE
30 CHARLESTON
ON THE RIVER Dishes up affordable, modern-American cuisine Photos by Kathy Green
Fox Valley Hands of Hope enhances quality of life before loss
DINING & ENTERTAINING
30 CHARLESTON ON THE RIVER
38 EDITOR’S CHOICE
This winter, transform your home into a cozy cabin
40 GROWING SEASON RECAP A year in review by Wasco Nursery
42 WINTER SOOTHE Benefits of a whole house humidifier
HEALTH & WELLNESS
44 HEART-CENTERED HOLIDAYS How to let go of the stress associated with the season
46 REJUVENATE Geneva’s Salternative Spa offers alternative form of self-care
BUSINESS & CIVIC 48 KEEP CALM AND SHOP STRESS FREE
At new Batavia shops Fawn Gifts and The Tea Tree in Batavia
53 SETTING THE STAGE At Playhouse 38, Lisa Pivaronas is the ‘heart and soul’
TRAVEL
55 CHRISTMAS IN ‘NUREMBERG’ Get in the holiday spirit at Osthoff Resort’s Old World Christmas Market in Wisconsin
OUT & ABOUT
56 FUR-EVER FRIENDS
Dishes up affordable, modernAmerican cuisine
Find forever tribute at St. Charles Park Foundation memorial
32 LET THE HOLIDAYS CATER TO YOU
59 SOCIAL LIFE
Do away with the stress of cooking for the family by sampling these tops spots for catering
34 THE GRANDSTANDER: A GASTROPUB Finery & Blacksmith Bar chef opens Geneva sports spot with a refined feel
36 SPICE UP THE HOLIDAYS With 3 recipes from Blue Goose Market in St. Charles
6 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
HOMES & LIFESTYLE
Wine-lovers sip for a cause at VNA Uncorked
60 ARTIST SHOWCASE Fine Line Creative Arts Center artist Kimberly Mullarkey shares carbon pencil drawing, entitled ‘Voyage to Osiris’
62 CALENDAR See what’s happening this month in Kane County!
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GREENER PASTURES
Organic farmer Ellen Kamps grows interest in sustainability By KELSEY O’CONNOR | Photos by MARTIN PINNAU Food brings people together. This has always been true for Ellen Kamps in both her life and her work. The Geneva native is dedicated to strengthening the local community’s connection to sustainable food through her newest venture, FoxTrot Organic Farm in St. Charles. “Today, there’s such a disconnect about where food comes from,” says Kamps. “We’re helping people build that connection and form that relationship. It’s so much more sustainable and environmentally friendly to eat locally.” Kamps runs FoxTrot Organic Farm with Jeff Hughes, her “partner in love and agriculture.” The pair grows more than
135 different varieties of produce and they began selling their crops this year, after spending three years preparing the land for organic certification. It is now one of two USDA-certified organic farms in Kane County. “Our goal from the start was that we wanted to produce really tasty heirloom vegetables in a customer-centric, responsible way while engaging our neighbors in the process,” says Kamps, who quit her marketing job to wholeheartedly jump into running the farm. “I believe that your business reveals who you are, and I like to think that our creativity and our hard work are evident.”
-Continued on page 10
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 9
“Today, there’s such a disconnect about where food comes from. We’re helping people build that connection and form that relationship. It’s so much more sustainable and environmentally friendly to eat locally.” – Ellen Kamps, FoxTrot Organic Farm in St. Charles
-Continued from page 9 Even when she was young, Kamps had a deep appreciation for all types of food. “I was born with a really developed palate; I was the 4-year-old eating escargot and liverwurst,” she says with a laugh. Kamps remembers exploring her grandmother’s garden and watching her mother pickle habanero peppers. “As far as growing food, I think it was hereditary.” Opening the farm felt like a natural move, says Kamps, and the community has already welcomed the fledgling business. Shares of the farm’s FoxBox – a subscription service based on a community-supported agriculture model – sold out in four days. And, in the morning, there is always a line for the farm’s weekly market at Primrose Farm in St. Charles. “Our Saturday morning market is my moment of Zen,” says Kamps. “We’re super grateful that our neighbors seem to embrace us so early on. It has become a hub for the community, and it has created a culture of kindness and communication.” Kamps continues to foster that culture through her volunteer work. She is a board member of Slow Food City’s Edge, a local branch of the grassroots movement Slow Food USA. Its mission is to cultivate the enjoyment of local food in order to encourage a more sustainable food system. “People really do embrace this sustainability lifestyle and this mindset,” Kamps says.
10 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
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She is the founder of the local chapter of CHILLINOIS Young Farmers Coalition. It is the first Illinois chapter of the national nonprofit dedicated to supporting young farmers. The group focuses on debt relief, farming as a public service and providing social and educational resources. Kamps recently received a scholarship to attend a meeting of chapter presidents in San Diego. Kamps also volunteers with Fox Valley Food for Health, which provides nutrient rich meals, nutrition education and personal caring support to people and families in need who are dealing with a serious illness. She also volunteers with the Chicago Market Co-op and Shared Harvest Co-op. Kamps says her favorite part of working with these organizations is connecting with community members who share her passion for sustainability and giving back. “That’s what I love and what drives me – being inspired by all these amazing people who are making a difference in the community,” she says. u For more information about FoxTrot Organic Farm, visit foxtrotorganicfarm.com.
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 11
The art
Photo provided
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“Here in the Midwest we’re comfortable living the life we live. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what it’s like outside of our country. I feel so spoiled. When I come back from these countries I find myself appreciating the most basic things.” – Samantha Oulavong, Aurora middle school teacher and founder of the nonprofit LOVE
of LOVE Through photography, Aurora teacher gives marginalized children a voice By TOM WITOM Humanitarianism has taken an Aurora middle school teacher to far-flung corners of the world, including Haiti, India, Cambodia, Thailand, Nicaragua and Uganda. Born in Laos, Samantha Oulavong came to the U.S. with her family at the age of 6.
An Ugandan boy of whom Samantha Oulavong took A photo during a trip to Africa last year.
Photo by Samantha Oulavong
“I’ve always wanted to do humanitarian work,” says Oulavong, the founder of LOVE (Lens of Vision & Expression), a nonprofit organization that works with marginalized children by giving them a voice through the art of photography. “I love to travel, especially through developing countries. I want to know what I can do to help children there who are born in such impoverished states. As an art teacher, I feel there’s nothing stronger than using something that’s visual, especially photography, to communicate your thoughts and emotions.” Her travels – during winter, spring and summer breaks – began in earnest when she started volunteering in 2007, after earning a master’s degree in art education. Oulavong, 42, was inspired to pursue humanitarian work when she learned about an art teacher who, following Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, journeyed to New Orleans and
initiated art activities as a form of therapy for children temporarily housed and sheltered at the domed stadium after the storm. Another significant influence was the film “Born Into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids,” which tells the story of a New York photographer, who, on a trip to India, stayed in the homes of prostitutes in order to document their lives and those of their children. Her proposal to integrate art into the classroom landed her a technology grant from Best Buy. It provided enough money to buy eight or nine point-and-shoot digital cameras and supplies to teach middle school students digital art. During spring break in 2009, Oulavong flew to Nicaragua and visited a landfill – La Chureca in Managua – where she encountered residents, including children, living atop garbage. The odor and stench was awful, she recalls. “I saw a couple boys – who would be my students – swimming in the pond with garbage floating everywhere,” she adds. Today, through government intervention, the landfill is a recycling center and residents can work there in a safe environment.
-Continued on page 14 www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 13
-Continued from page 13 The youngest foreign student of hers was about 8 years old, but most are ages 13 to 15.
BEFORE
Because the sponsors who connect Oulavong with underprivileged children are squeezed financially, it’s up to the volunteers to cover their own expenses for travel and interpreters. Through various contacts Oulavong has made, she has been able to introduce a number of poor families to people in a position to provide assistance. “I feel like when I go to help other people, it’s mainly for myself and a selfish desire of wanting to make a difference. When I return after teaching these children, I get an appreciation of my current job,” says Oulavong. Oulavong cites dealing with language barriers as a challenge.
AFTER
“Due to the need to communicate through an interpreter in countries that I visit, a lot of things can get lost in translation,” she says. Thailand was the only place that she was able to work without having an interpreter, owing her comprehension to similarities between her native language, Lao, and that of Thailand. Having studied the Thai language for two years in college also helped. It made “a world of difference” in building a deeper relationship with students, she says.
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“Here in the Midwest we’re comfortable living the life we live,” Oulavong says while making an observation about what she’s learned from working with a diverse cross-section of students. “Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what it’s like outside of our country. I feel so spoiled. When I come back from these countries I find myself appreciating the most basic things.”
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 15
Empowering the impoverished Batavia resident Joanne Spitz does her part to CHIP IN By CHRIS WALKER
A
bout four years ago, Joanne Spitz heard about a homeless family that moved into Lazarus House in St. Charles, but the children in the family sometimes had the difficult and dangerous task of having to bicycle to school in Batavia.
visibility. How can the organization find out what students and families are in need if Spitz and her volunteers aren’t present in the schools?
CHIP IN has been able to overcome that obstacle with in-house point persons. Groups, such as Batavia Woman’s Club and Kiwanis, and individuals contact the CHIP IN representatives Upon hearing this, Spitz’s motherly instinct kicked in, spurring her to find out more about the as an individual student’s needs arise at school. For example, a teacher may notice that a family’s situation. particular student has worn the same pair of In doing so, Spitz, who was named the 2015 Batavia Citizen of the Year, was shocked to learn holey jeans to school all week or a student’s that there were more than 50 children who were shoes are falling apart. The teacher can share his or her concern with the in-house point person considered homeless attending Batavia public who can help the student get the assistance schools. required, while also preserving the student’s Serving as an active volunteer since Batavia dignity and anonymity. became home about 25 years ago, Spitz knew she needed to do something to help. So, in 2013, CHIP IN Batavia can help those suffering attain more than the basic needs, too. Spitz and co-founder Melinda Kintz started Community Helpers Impacting People In Need – While a child doesn’t need to play football, spend or CHIP IN Batavia. a summer day at the Quarry Beach or join the Cub Scouts to survive, CHIP IN Batavia also “We started asking around to see who was offers those opportunities to children. willing to help and everybody was interested,” Spitz says. “It really just snowballed because so many people wanted to help, and it’s continued that way.” The mission of CHIP IN Batavia is to ensure that Batavia Public School District 101 students, who are facing poverty and/or temporary housing, have the support they need to be successful in school. One of the obstacles that CHIP IN faces is
16 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
“I can go on and on about the wonderful things that we’ve been able to do,” Spitz says. “The football boosters now know who to ask when they need something for a kid, and we’ve had musical instruments donated which are worth hundreds of dollars. We even had a straight-A student who was donating free lessons.” What’s truly made CHIP IN Batavia stand out is its chameleon-like ability to adapt to the
CHARITY & PHILANTHROPY
Photo provided
unique needs of each person it helps, whether it’s purchasing new clothing, furnishing an apartment, assisting in the costs of extracurricular activities or helping a family get a car. “We have the unique ability to be somewhat spontaneous where other programs would require grant requests and deadlines. We can be pretty immediate and tend to address things within the first 24 hours,” Kintz says. “If we’ve got ‘Tommy’ wearing the same sweatshirt every day, and people are making fun of him, we can get him new clothes that will be delivered to the counselor or social worker, since we’re completely behind the scenes.” u For those looking to get help or would like to learn more about opportunities to help with CHIP IN Batavia, visit www.chipinbatavia.org.
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 17
Brick by brick Habitat for Humanity volunteer Rebuilds communities at home and abroad
By KEVIN DRULEY
A devastating earthquake ravaged Nepal more than 18 months ago, killing nearly 9,000 people while destroying more than 8,000 homes. Geneva resident James Vargo says that he read and watched reports on the aftermath of the earthquake, but, soon, he’ll see the south Asian country as he never has seen it before. This month, Vargo will travel to Nepal to continue his extensive volunteering mission with Habitat for Humanity. Vargo is a team leader with Habitat for Humanity, and the trip will mark his fourth visit to Nepal, and his first visit since the disaster. “In the past, Nepal needed housing just because it needed housing – it had people living in poverty,” Vargo says. “Now, it’s really trying to help rebuild the country.” In addition, Vargo will visit the site of the Our Dream Village project, which carries an especially unique personal connection for Vargo. The Kathmandu family behind the Our Dream Village organization has a daughter active in volunteering with the St. Vincent DePaul Society and its Déjà vu thrift shop in Geneva, where Vargo also is an active volunteer. Vargo beams about the coincidence. Like many volunteers, Vargo first started getting involved in order to make an impact locally. Consider his subsequent international volunteering projects with Habitat, and several 18 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
other organizations, then, to be the ultimate bonus. “I’ve led a very blessed life,” Vargo says. “I enjoy doing these activities that I’m doing now. It seems just like this is what I should do.” Vargo, 64, vividly recounts his initial exposure to Habitat for Humanity – and thus, volunteering at large. Already a success in the corporate world – after beginning work at age 15 – he reached a professional crossroads in the late 1990s. An employer was shifting Vargo’s executive operation from Atlanta to Los Angeles and offered him a position out west, but Vargo and his wife were conflicted. The couple already had endured multiple work relocations, and they felt reluctance toward subjecting their young daughter to another. Vargo ultimately decided against the move and was downsized. The downsize was a blessing in disguise, because it gave him more free time to explore other opportunities, which is when he was first introduced to Habitat for Humanity. “… I opened the newspaper, and there was a little, two-line blurb there that says ‘Habitat for Humanity, call this number.’ And I did,” Vargo says.
asked new acquaintances to recommend other charities and volunteer opportunities to pursue. Although still business-minded and active in consulting, he finds a welcome peace in what he calls a new career path in which he “can’t get fired.” Habitat for Humanity has taken Vargo to numerous U.S. states and various foreign countries through the years, but he remains quite visible in Geneva, namely with St. Vincent DePaul and Deja Vu. Vargo and his wife, Ann, who is retired, recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and have since assisted their daughter, Jamie, in her own business exploits. One of her endeavors, Vargo’s Dance in Geneva, opened in 2011. Although Jamie’s father finds time to tango, his passion for helping others habitually beckons. “I’ll probably always keep going as long as I can,” James Vargo says. His next adventure in volunteering is in Nepal, where, as he recalls, the natives naturally come equipped with the ideal volunteering mindset. “The people of Nepal, I think, are just … very, very calm and at ease with everybody,” Vargo says. “No raised voices or anything.”
Subsequent moves to Texas and Oklahoma before the family’s arrival in the Tri-Cities hardly deterred Vargo’s path. At each stop, he
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“In the past, Nepal needed housing just because it needed housing – it had people living in poverty. Now, it’s really trying to help rebuild the country.” – James Vargo, Geneva resident and Nepal mission team leader with Habitat for Humanity
Before the earthquake in Nepal.
After the earthquake in Nepal.
James Vargo (front, center) helps rebuild homes in Nepal through Habitat for Humanity. Photos provided www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 19
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 21
‘Parr-t’ of the community
Volunteer Chuck Parr brings creativity to Downtown St. Charles Partnership By CHRIS WALKER
Having spent a lot of time traveling as a businessman, St. Charles resident Chuck Parr never really had much time to get to know the city he lived in. Until now. Since he retired, Parr’s been able to get to know his hometown, and he also has done a lot to enhance his community, particularly through his work in unison with the Downtown St. Charles Partnership. “After spending a lot of years in business, and traveling a lot, I finally retired three years ago, and – when I did – I decided to go to a city council meeting to get to know more about St. Charles and where my tax dollars have been going,” he says. “I bumped into someone who was promoting the Downtown St. Charles Partnership and that’s how I got started.” Parr is the creative genius behind “Chair-ity,” a downtown St. Charles public art exhibition that took place during the summer the past two years and is scheduled to return in 2017.
Chuck Parr
22 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
After brainstorming with the Downtown St. Charles Partnership about possible ways to
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generate buzz in the downtown area, it was his professional career that gave him the idea for the “Chair-ity” event. After witnessing and appreciating, firsthand, the concept of the cow parade in Switzerland – or when “Cows on Parade” became a surprising phenomenon in Chicago – Parr thought it made sense to borrow from those ideas, but use Adirondack chairs instead of animals. “I’ve always been a visual person, even with working in business, and the idea was to promote something – some activity that would bring people downtown,” he says. “People take chairs, paint them and decorate them up, and then we put them around town and people have a lot of fun with them. Plus, we’ve raised a lot of money while doing it.” People come to downtown St. Charles to check out the chairs and, while they’re there, they might do some shopping, stop somewhere for lunch or grab a cocktail with friends. “People just love the chairs,” says Jenna Sawicki, executive director of Downtown St. Charles Partnership. “The neat thing is that it’s really an interactive thing. You don’t just sit – but you can www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
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– but you can look at all the chairs while also enjoying downtown.” Sawicki considers Parr’s volunteer efforts to be a blessing to her organization.
The most important factor that insures high quality is the tender loving care these birds get during the time they are on the farm. The same people handle these birds from day one, through all the process to the delivery of the dressed product. This fact encourages us to do the very best every day to produce a bird that we can sell with pride. Please Order Early • Pick-Up Tuesday or Wednesday
“He’s been wonderful to work with and has brought a lot to downtown and to the city in general,” she says. “He’s very talented; he’s creative; and he gets things done. It’s wonderful to have someone like that.”
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Parr, who also is an avid biker and gardener, is involved with the American Bloom Committee and Fine Art Committee, and he plans to continue contributing locally to the arts. “When you have something that’s in your blood – your DNA – you should do it,” Parr says. “I enjoy being active. It’s a neat thing to get involved with the partnership. A lot of people retire and finally have a chance to do some of those things that they have a passion for but they didn’t have the time to do previously.”
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CHARITY & PHILANTHROPY
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 23
When Jenny Kabemba arrived at her new home last year, it was the first time she had ever set foot in the country. She and her family were refugees who had fled from the violent conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kabemba had never been to the U.S., never held a job and never seen snow. But from the minute she stepped off the plane, World Relief volunteers were there to help.
Photos provided
In the last fiscal year, World Relief DuPage/Aurora served 652 refugees from A volunteer picked the family up at all over the world. The organization’s the airport and brought them to their initial resettlement services help create house in Aurora. The nonprofit provided stability for incoming refugee families donated furniture and the first three and sets them up to succeed in the months of rent. They helped Kabemba community, which can include helping and her siblings find a job, taught them them find an apartment, helping them about American office culture and secure employment and assisting with provided English language classes for their mother. Today, Kabemba works with the cultural transition. the World Relief resettlement program World Relief also provides immigration to help refugees like her adjust to their legal services to help refugees receive new home. green cards and citizenship. It also offers English language classes for adults and The branch that she works with, World children. These services are available Relief DuPage/Aurora, is a local chapter of the national organization. The mission to the broader population of local immigrants, regardless of refugee status. of World Relief is to empower local churches to serve the most vulnerable. In Kane County, the most vulnerable people are often refugees fleeing from other countries, says Tim Kustusch, partnership manager with World Relief DuPage/Aurora. “We are having the worst refugee crisis in history,” he says. “When you look at the numbers, it’s overwhelming. These families have suffered so much. The opportunity to provide them with some stability, it really changes their lives.”
24 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
World Relief works with refugees who have been placed in Kane County through the United Nation’s third country resettlement program. This intense process of background checks and health screenings takes an average of two years, but can take up to a decade. Of all of the refugees in the world, less than one percent will go through this process.
CHARITY & PHILANTHROPY
To help provide these services, World Relief works with local religious organizations to provide volunteer and donation opportunities, and it educates members on the refugee crisis. These churches often become a social support network for incoming refugees. But community members don’t have to be part of a church to volunteer their time. u For more information on World Relief DuPage/Aurora – at 73 S. LaSalle St. Aurora – visit worldreliefdupage.org. www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
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CHARITY & PHILANTHROPY
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 25
Gift of time
GIVE BACK BY GETTING INVOLVED By YVONNE BENSON Volunteering time is very important to many organizations. Some places, such as Lazarus House in St. Charles, rely on volunteers around the clock. Most organizations are incredibly grateful for any time and talents offered by community members. However, it’s crucial to carefully consider your own interests, availability and boundaries in order to avoid burn out. Before volunteering, think about what causes are close to your heart and then reach out to organizations that are aligned with them. Just as much as you want to find a good volunteer opportunity for yourself, the organization wants a good volunteer. They might have a screening process or training. You’ll want to respect them with some sort of commitment if they’re willing to invest in vetting and preparing you. Volunteering is not only important to the community around you, it’s also important for you. You could learn a new skill to add to your resume, make new friends and feel personally enriched. Lastly, volunteering can help you feel more impactful to the causes that are significant to you.
Here is a list of local volunteer opportunities to help you get started: ¢ BATAVIA PARK DISTRICT www.bataviaparks.org/volunteering Batavia Park District volunteers can coach sports, create classes, work in parks or help with childcare. Applications are available online. Contact Katie Drum at katied@bataviaparks.org or 630-879-5235 for more information. ¢ FERMILAB NATURAL AREAS Wilson Street and Kirk Road, Batavia www.fermilabnaturalareas.org A local, eco-friendly volunteer opportunity is caring for a particular natural area of Fermilab or dedicating a couple of hours to clean up the land. There also is a need to monitor wildlife and plants. Volunteer applications are available on the Fermilab website. For more information, email fermilabnaturalareas@gmail.com.
¢ SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICES OF AMERICA 528 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia www.spsamerica.org
¢ FOX VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY 250 S. Highland, Suite No. 2, Aurora www.chicagolandhabitat.org
Volunteer opportunities include being a hotline paraprofessional and more. For more information, email info@spsamerica.org.
Groups and individuals are welcome to volunteer. Besides construction, opportunities include video production, recruiters, fundraisers, event coordinators, church liaisons, grant writers, marketing professionals and article writers.
¢ COVENANT CARE HOSPICE The Holmstad, 700 W. Fabyan Parkway, Batavia www.covenantcareathome.org Covenant Care Hospice doesn’t require a schedule or long-term commitment. Volunteer activities include playing music, massage therapy, haircuts, manicures, pet therapy and office help. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and go through free training, drug testing and a background check. To get involved, contact Rachel Lazich, volunteer manager, at 877-7087689. ¢ ASSOCIATION FOR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT 8 S. Lincoln St., Batavia www.the-association.org/volunteer.html The Association for Individual Development benefits people with developmental, physical or mental disabilities. Volunteer opportunities include IT support, clerical work, pet therapy, becoming an arts and crafts leader, community integration buddy, computer coach, cooking coach, an exercise or fitness coach, game day helpers, a gardener, a sign-language trainer, Special Olympics helper and storyteller or reader. For more information, contact Maureen Spradlin at mspradlin@the-association.org. ¢ PAWS AND PURRS HUMANE SOCIETY Randall Road and Fabyan Parkway, Geneva www.pawsandpurrs.org/volunteer.html Volunteer activities include fostering cats until they’re adopted, fundraising for veterinary care, preparing for adoption events, creative writing for brochures and helping with the website. For more information, visit call 630-897-8738 or visit pawsandpurrs@prodigy.net.
¢ SNUG HUGS FOR KIDS Merlin’s in St. Charles, Batavia, Elgin, and other towns www.merlins.com/snughugs Snug Hugs for Kids collects clothing for children in need. The organization has two subprograms: Crochet & Knit-A-Thon and Kids Helping Kids. The Knit-A-Thon is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 2567 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora. Volunteers can also choose to collect clothing on their own and bring it to their local Merlin auto mechanic shop. ¢ LITERACY VOLUNTEERS FOX VALLEY 1 S. Sixth Ave., St. Charles www.lvfv.org/volunteers/tutoralias Volunteers need to complete training and then can work as tutors to children and adults learning English. For more information, call 630584-2811. ¢ FOX VALLEY HANDS OF HOPE 200 Whitfield Drive, Geneva fvhh.net/volunteers Fox Valley Hands of Hope helps people experiencing grief or life-threatening illnesses. Volunteer opportunities draw from the talents and interests of those offering their time. Some activities include children’s programming, helping with bereavement, clerical, event planning, gardening, fix-it projects, sewing, language translation, baking, crafts, fundraising and more. Contact Adriana Torres at 630-2322233, ext. 227, or email atorres@fvhh.net.
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¢ FOX VALLEY SCORE 1444 N Farnsworth, Aurora foxvalley.score.org This organization connects mentors with people who are interested in either starting a new business or making their small business achieve new levels of success. Call 630-692-1162 for more information. ¢ MUTUAL GROUND 418 Oak Avenue, Aurora Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and complete 60 hours of training before having direct contact with clients. Opportunities include hospital advocacy, hotline advocacy, child care and administrative help. For more information, contact Julie Judd at jjudd@mutualground.org. ¢ NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK 273 Dearborn Court, Geneva solvehungertoday.org
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Volunteers can sort and pack food. There also are opportunities for teens and skillbased volunteers to complete other tasks, such as IT, finance and human recourses. ¢ MARKLUND 1 S. 450 Wyatt Drive, Geneva marklund.org/getting-involved/volunteer Marklund volunteer opportunities benefit infants, children, teens and adults with serious and profound developmental disabilities. Volunteer opportunities are endless, but include playing baseball, doing arts and crafts, decorating for the holidays, event planning, taking photos, serving on boards, office work, painting, gardening, cooking and shoveling snow. For more information, contact Cathy Nikrandt at cnikrandt@marklund.org or 630-593-5468. ¢ FOX VALLEY ANIMAL WELFARE LEAGUE 11 John St., North Aurora Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Volunteer opportunities include assisting with surgeries, monitoring animals as they recover from surgery, sterilizing surgical equipment, administration and facilities maintenance. For more information, call 630-800-2254 or email info@fvawl.org.
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CHARITY & PHILANTHROPY
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 27
SUPPORTIVE CARE Fox Valley Hands of Hope enhances quality of life before loss By JONATHAN BILYK
Some people may think what Bill Johnson chooses to do with so much of his time might be draining. After spending weekdays working with high school students at his day job as a teacher and campus minister at Marmion Academy, in his off hours, Johnson works as one of more than 250 volunteers with Fox Valley Hands of Hope – a nonprofit organization that works to enhance the quality of life to those experiencing grief or life-threatening illnesses in Kane, Kendall and parts of DuPage county.
he’d rather be to replenish his soul. Now marking its 35th year, Hands of Hope has grown through the years to now specialize in a range of support services for those going through the death and dying process, those who are grieving the passing of a loved one or those who have experienced other kinds of deep, personal loss. Launched as Fox Valley Hospice in 1981, the organization rebranded itself a year ago to reflect its evolution and expansion of services, says Hands of Hope’s executive director Greg Weider.
Each week, the St. Charles resident dedicates time to visiting and – hopefully – bringing “We do a lot of work with families, youth, with some solace to those whose life circumstances anyone dealing with any kind of life loss; it might appear to be less than bright. can be death, a loved one’s incarceration or deportation,” says Weider. “Even as end of As Johnson sees it, there are few other places 28 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
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NOW OPEN, EXPANDED & REMODELED
life supportive care remains an essential, core element of what we do, our name now mirrors all of our programs.” Weider, who has been with Hands of Hope for nine years, said the mission of helping such people is what drew him to the organization. He noted both his father and father-in-law received hospice services, leaving him very receptive to aiding “that kind of work.” “This work is very near and dear to my heart,” Weider says. “We exist to help people find new hope. While the pain of death never completely goes away, we help those grieving adjust, and help put the power and control over their lives back in their hands.” While Hands of Hope has added to its range of services through the decades, the organization, which boasts only seven paid staff members, continues to rely heavily on the support of volunteers and the community for personnel and financial support.
“We are truly a grassroots organization,” says Weider. To locate clients to assist, Weider said Hands of Hope relies on partnerships with various health providers, including Presence St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin and Dreyer Clinic in Aurora, and other community organizations. Others are referred to Hands of Hope by word of mouth from those who have received assistance or know those who have. Weider says the constant need is met by a constant flow of new and veteran volunteers who are willing to participate in Hands of Hope’s intensive volunteer training.
“I am truly honored to get to do this. There’s really nothing greater that I do.”
Weider says that the funds raised at such events go entirely to programs and services, thanks to “modest endowment” to pay for bare administrative costs. The organization collects no funds from the state or federal government.
BREAKFAST & LUNCH
Johnson says the need to partake in the hours of training was the main obstacle that prevented him from volunteering for Hands of Hope sooner. But once he worked his schedule to the point where he could – thanks in no small part to an understanding employer – Johnson says he has never looked back, savoring so many of the moments he gets to share with so many who have lived richly, and continue to wish to do so, even in the face of major illness or even approaching death.
The annual budget – Bill Johnson, comes from a mix Fox Valley Hands of Hope of donations from volunteer individuals, public and private grants and money raised from special fundraising events Johnson and Weider both noted hospice and at various times, including its annual spring other care provided by Hands of Hope may not “Garden Party,” which regularly draws in more be a good fit for some. But Johnson says many than 800 people at the Q Center in St. Charles. people will find the work to be rewarding. On Nov. 11, Hands of Hope will host its “Wine, Wings & Wheels” fundraiser at the Valley Air Service hangar at DuPage Airport in West Chicago, which will feature an assortment of wines, aircraft and high-end and antique automobiles.
DELICIOUSLY DIFFERENT
“When you get to be with them during the week, you see what a gift it is just to be with another person, you get an appreciation of your own life. Some days are better than others, but they all have stories, and so many of them are so funny,” Johnson says. “The time I get to spend with them, I get more out of being with them than they could possibly get from me.”
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 29
CHARLESTON ON THE RIVER dishes up affordable, modern-American cuisine
By CHRIS WALKER | Photos by KATHY GREEN
T
hose looking to enjoy American fare or a cocktail after work, should consider visiting Charleston on the River, one of the newest restaurants to arrive in downtown St. Charles. Having just opened its doors nine months ago, apparently everyone is excited about the new riverside dining destination, which serves modern cuisine at an affordable price. “The key to our success has been that we are serving a market that is much needed in the dining scene downtown St. Charles,” owner Marwan Taib says, adding that the restaurant is a mix between an everyday casual bar ambiance and a fine-dining charm. “The guests are thrilled they finally can indulge [in] some great cuisine without spending too much money.” Taib admits that one of the biggest challenges in the restaurant’s first year has been getting the word out that Charleston on the River is a great place to dine, primarily because its waterfront location makes the establishment a hidden gem. “The challenge we have to combat is the lack of visibility for the location,” he says. “As someone mentioned to us once, ‘out of sight, out of mind’; therefore, we have launched our fall daily food and drink specials that have
30 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Sauteed Mango Mahi
proven to cement the value at Charleston and have brought in so many regulars during the weekdays.” The menu offers something for everyone. “The menu has a great variety,” Taib says. “And it offers a great value, from burgers, salads, wraps to the entrees.” Some of the burgers, which range in price from $9.95 to $11.95, include the Chorizo Cheese burger – chorizo sausage, grilled red onion, Chihuahua cheese, lettuce, tomato and chipotle aioli on a toasted bun – and the Charleston Salmon – Jail Island salmon, arugula, tomato and the chef’s secret mustard sauce on a pretzel bun. The restaurant also serves big salads, sandwiches and an array of entrees, such as Cajun Pasta, Kansas City Strip Steak, Tinga Tacos and Mango Mahi-Mahi.
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reasonable price and the charm of exposed brick and custom chandeliers, along with the unique river front patio were key ingredients to a successful start in a location where many restaurants have failed. “You can enjoy the scenery that makes you feel like you are on a vacation,” Taib says. “Our patio has a capacity of 100 people with an outside bar of 20 seats overlooking the Fox River. This has given us an absolute advantage over other restaurants in the area.” Taib says that he hopes to remain at the Island Square location for a long time, something that has proven to be a challenge for other restaurants – Top Table, Sage Bistro and Erik and Me – that once had occupied the space.
“Our model is rooted in our involvement in the community and becoming a viable part of the downtown new revitalization project. We are all about value and creating memories for our Featuring an extensive wine and cocktail list, as guests every visit.” well as draft and craft beers (12 beers on tap), The fact that Erik and Me was a local staple for the restaurant also has 12 high-definition TVs, making it a suitable place to grab a drink with many years will hopefully help the restaurant to continue to attract more diners, Taib says. friends after work or on the weekend. “Locals seems to associate us with Erik and Guests can enjoy river views while sipping Me,” he says. “Which is a great sign so far and on a creative cocktail or glass of wine on the we will build on that to establish a name for restaurant’s expansive back patio. ourselves.” The combination of modern cuisine at a DINING & ENTERTAINING
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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 31
Let the holidays cater to you By ALLISON HORNE
T
he holidays can be summed up by shopping, family, stress, cooking and even more stress. But local caterers can help with that. Several local businesses have earned a Kane County Chronicle “Best of the Fox” nod for best catering, and can take off some of the pressure and stress of the holidays by whipping up creative and delicious meals for families and parties of all sizes.
Here are some of the top spots for holiday catering: ¢ NICK’S PIZZA AND PUB 990 S. Randall Road, Elgin nickspizzapub.com/elgin 847-531-5550 Nick’s Pizza and Pub is so much more than just a local pizza place. Known for being a familyfriendly restaurant with a great vibe and food, Nick’s also offers catering. “When you think of Nick’s, you don’t think catering,” general manager Monica Garapolo says. “But we actually have really good food on our catering menu.” Nick’s catering has been receiving more attention lately, and for good reason. The restaurant offers homemade bruschetta and salad dressings, pasta, mostaccioli, penne Alfredo, sandwiches, Italian beef, sausages, wraps, meatballs, wings and much more. Nick’s Pizza and Pub was named “One of the Best” catering businesses in the Best of the Fox contest. It also was named “One of the Best” banquet facilities, kid-friendly restaurants and received a nod for its thin crust pizzas. “To even be put on there is awesome,” Garapolo says. “It’s an honor. It also shows there is more awareness of our catering. We’re not just the restaurant. We’re more than that.”
¢ MOVEABLE FEAST 321 Franklin St., Suite D, Geneva moveablefeastgeneva.com 630-845-3287 Moveable Feast owners Ashley and Matthew Marquez’s lives have been intertwined with the catering company for years. Ashley Marquez had previously worked for the original owners more than 12 years ago, and Moveable Feast catered all of the Marquez’s life events, from their wedding to their baby shower.
“Moveable Feast’s mission is to ‘celebrate life through the joy of entertaining,’ and we wanted to restore that while putting our own aesthetic into it,” Ashley Marquez says. “Moveable Feast has been etched into our lives in so many ways.” When the duo bought the company in 2013, they changed the name to Moveable Feast & Co. with a bigger picture in mind. The name change and expanded business plan will be coming to fruition in the summer of 2017 in the form of Company 251 – a private, luxury venue space located in a building from 1908 in the historic district of downtown Aurora. “Company 251 and Moveable Feast & Co. personally craft a luxury experience that celebrates life and the joy of entertaining,” Ashley Marquez says. Moveable Feast & Co. has an ever-changing seasonal menu that can be personalized, and, for the holidays this year, the company has several specialized menus for pickup orders. Moveable Feast earned recognition as “One of the Best” catering options in the Kane County area for its dedication to making dishes from scratch daily, in addition to using the freshest ingredients from “like-minded artisans” who share the same values. “We are so thankful for our community that supports us to be able to do what we love,” Ashley Marquez says.
¢ TARRAGON CATERING 1544 Fleetwood Drive, Elgin tarragoncatering.vpweb.com 630-624-4272 With more than 25 years of high-end experience under his belt, executive chef Douglas Yeomans has been creating meals for everyone, including celebrities and local residents’ weddings and dinner parties. Tarragon also offers in-house culinary classes, intimate anniversary dinners and much more.
When the couple had the chance to buy the business, they jumped at the opportunity. 32 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
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¢ CUISINE AMERICA 407 Bluff City Blvd., Elgin cuisineamericacatering.com 847-888-2288
From simple appetizers to gourmet feasts, Cuisine America has been serving the Kane County area for more than 20 years. Run by Mary Catherine and Jim Walsh, they provide everything from large wedding parties to an extensive list of hors d’ouvres and snacks.
¢ PAISANO’S PIZZA AND GRILL 106 N. Main St., Elburn paisanospizzagrill.com 630-365-9477 Whether you’re catering a party, the holidays or some other special event, Paisano’s Pizza and Grill boasts some of the best garlic bread in Elburn, in addition to bruschetta, pastas, pizza and sandwiches. Paisano’s also will be opening a second location for additional service at 98 Main St. in Sugar Grove.
¢ ENTICING CUISINE 12 S. Water St., Batavia enticingcuisine.com 630-761-0399 Named “Best Caterer” by “Best of the Fox,” Enticing Cuisine boasts a menu and service to back it up. Chef Jason Stoffels opened the catering service in 2007, after his personal chef service grew and customers began requesting catering. He offers everything from breakfast and lunches to entire wedding packages and family parties.
¢ BBQ ON WHEELS 1620 Gilpin Ave., Elgin bbqonwheels.com 847-741-6374 If pig roasts and copious amounts of meats are a desired menu item for your family or holiday event, BBQ on Wheels is the way to go. For more than 30 years, they have been cooking orders on site, ranging from boneless prime rib, polish sausage, spare ribs and bratwursts. www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
ILLINOIS RAILWAY MUSEUM America’s Largest Railway Museum UNION, IL
Visit the website www.irm.org to reserve your tickets DINING & ENTERTAINING
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 33
The Grandstander: a gastropub Finery & Blacksmith Bar chef opens Geneva sports spot with a refined feel By KEVIN DRULEY
Restaurateur and chef David Reyes added another entrant to downtown Geneva’s competitive dining scene upon opening The Grandstander in late September. Although time – and patrons’ palates – will tell, Reyes believes that his spot at 507 S. Third St. offers the equivalent of a culinary trick play. Don’t worry; he conceived of it that way. “Is this a dinner spot? Is this a sports spot? It looks like a sports bar, but the menu doesn’t look like a sports bar menu,” Reyes says of The Grandstander. “And I guess that’s what we’re doing, is creating this hybrid.” Reyes, who owns and works the kitchen with his wife, Juliette, at The Finery & Blacksmith Bar in downtown St. Charles, boasts a worldly background that includes a stop at a twoMichelin-star-rated restaurant in France. Days off can be few and far between in restaurant life, and Reyes often tends to spend his idle hours watching sports. Typical snacks and fried fare may have sufficed when he grew up in Chicago, but Reyes ultimately sought a 34 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Still, the restaurant’s name conjures images of a boisterous yet intimate setting, where fans join together to watch their favorite teams at the “You want that atmosphere, but looking for stadium. Naturally, The Grandstander’s moniker something a little more … refined typically was so inspired, but it also incorporates another wasn’t the same place, you know,” Reyes says. definition of the word: A person who speaks “You had to go to dinner or go to a sports bar, and my intention was to combine the two. So far, ostentatiously to gain impression or approval. I think there’s a lot of people that appreciate it.” In addition, Reyes says that a “grandstander” also was popular ballpark fare in the early 20th The Grandstander offers burgers, to be sure, Century. but Reyes is confident its handmade pastas, place where burgers and fried food weren’t the only accompaniment to the big game.
handmade sausages, fish plates and appetizers will help set it apart from “your average bar” by using fresh, organic ingredients. Wings are brined, smoked, grilled and offered in five different sauces. Bratwursts are served with goat cheese mustard. The bar will feature 18 beers on tap, as well as wine, cocktails, whiskey and bourbon, with seasonal rotating options. Reyes admits The Grandstander is a “tiny spot” – including the bar, it offers just 60 seats – and he realizes that “we’re not going to be the place for everyone.” DINING & ENTERTAINING
The Grandstander’s dining and bar area are arranged with respect to a stadium seating area. Perimeter seats, including those along the front window, are higher, while seats at the center of the restaurant are lower. This allows for clear sight lines to each television, no matter where diners are seated. The restaurant’s hours are 11 a.m. to midnight daily. Saturday and Sunday brunch plans are in the works, Reyes says. Reyes partnered with Robert Brescia, owner of the Rocket Fizz candy store in downtown St. Charles, which neighbors The Finery. Their www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Photos provided
strong rapport helped accelerate The Grandstander’s opening. “We hit it off as a friendship, and we found that we view business very similarly,” Reyes says. “We’re both very family-oriented and like developing teams just through support and continued education.” u For more information on The Grandstander, visit facebook.com/ grandstandergeneva or call 331-248-0919.
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
DINING & ENTERTAINING
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 35
SPICE UP THE HOLIDAYS with 3 recipes from Blue Goose Market
Pears Poached in Cabernet Sauvignon ¢ INGREDIENTS: 1 bottle fruity cabernet sauvignon 1 cup sugar 1 vanilla bean 1 tablespoon mulling spices 4 ripe pears, you want them to give slightly when pressed 1/3 cup mascarpone 1 tablespoon honey Fresh mint for garnish
¢ DIRECTIONS: 1. Pour the wine into a heavy saucepan. Add sugar and spices. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds. Add both the seeds and the pod to the pan. There is a good demonstration of this technique here: www.youtube. com/watch?v=bICPn7Ifrh8 2. Place the sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. 3. Reduce heat and simmer until all of the sugar is dissolved. 4. Reduce the heat to low and bring the poaching liquid to 180 degrees. You can use a meat thermometer to take the temperature of the liquid. Just make sure that you aren’t touching the pan and that the stem is submerged up to the divot. 5. While the liquid is cooking, core and peel the pears. Add the pears to the pan once the wine mixture has reached 180 degrees.
6. Poach for 60 minutes or until the pears are soft and easily pierced with a sharp knife. Test the pears along the bottom so that you don’t see the mark when you go to plate your dessert. 7. While the pears are poaching, stir together the mascarpone and the honey. Refrigerate covered. 8. When they are done, remove the pears to a plate with a slotted spoon. Let cool completely. Turn the heat to medium-high and reduce the poaching liquid by half. Refrigerated until completely cool. 9. Fill the pears with the mascarpone mixture using a pastry bag or a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. Refrigerate covered until ready to use. 10. To serve, ladle a small amount of the reduced poaching liquid on to the plate. Place the pear in the center of the sauce. If desired, garnish the pear with a mint leaf that is tucked into the top of the pear where the mascarpone is showing.
Braised Brussels Sprouts ¢ INGREDIENTS:
¢ DIRECTIONS:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved 1 cup chicken broth Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. In a large skillet that has a fitted lid, melt butter over medium-high heat. 2. Place the sprouts in the pan – cut-side down – and brown. 3. Season with salt and pepper and add chicken broth. 4. Bring the broth to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. 5. Cook 20-30 minutes or until the sprouts are tender, not mushy. 6. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
36 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
DINING & ENTERTAINING
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Sautéed Butternut Squash with Dates ¢ INGREDIENTS: 1 butternut squash, ends trimmed, cut in half, seeds removed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup pitted dates 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted Salt and freshly ground pepper
¢ DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Brush the cut-side of the squash with oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. 3. Place squash cut-side up on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. 4. Roast for 30 minutes or until easily pierced with a paring knife. Set aside to cool. 5. When the squash is cool, peel and dice into bite-sized cubes. 6. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat and add squash. 7. Sauté until browned. Add dates. Sauté another couple of minutes, until the dates are heated through. 8. Drizzle the molasses over the squash mixture and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the molasses is bubbling. 9. Garnish with almonds, and serve immediately. u All of the above ingredients can be found at Blue Goose Market, 300 S. 2nd St., St. Charles. For more information about Blue Goose Market, visit www.bluegoosemarket. com.
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
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630.377.8400 KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 37
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HOME & LIFESTYLE
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 39
Growing season recap: A year in review with MEAGAN PROVENCHER
Rain has been a big factor in the garden this year – both positive and negative. Of course, as gardeners, our plants live and die by water, but – this year – the amount of water we got seemed to be a little more excessive than normal. This year was one of the wettest springs and summers on record, and now we have the diseases to prove it. Wet weather wreaks havoc on plants that are susceptible to fungal diseases. It causes plants to get lusher than normal, which can backfire in times of drought. It also gives gardeners a false sense of security that they don’t have to irrigate by hand, which leads to drought stress later in the season.
40 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Here are a few observations we’ve the diseased leaves, and do not compost them. noticed about the garden this year: Fungal issues can overwinter on wet leaves. ¢ EXCESSIVE GROWTH ¢ FUNGAL DISEASES If you’ve noticed black spots, fuzzy white spots or just about any other colored “spots” on your plant leaves, it’s fungal. This can be prevented by a timed spraying of fungicides, but often that window of time passes before any of us realize that we have a fungal issue. You can mark your calendar in early spring to start a spraying regimen for any of your plants that were affected this year by fungal diseases. Traditionally, it’s the crabapple that we hear the most about, but dogwood, lilac and a few other shrubs are affected too. The process is a bit lengthy to describe, but, if you’ve experienced any fungal issues this year, garden center staff members should be able to get you on the right track for next year. There are many new varieties of plants that are more resistant to disease so it may be time to consider replacing plants that have problems year after year. Also, make sure to practice good sanitation by raking up all of HOME & LIFESTYLE
Excessive growth is not necessarily a “problem,” but with such a great spring and mild summer with regular rainfall many plants got a bit larger than normal. That can sometimes mean more trimming. Make sure you trim your plants at the correct time. It’s too late in the season to trim flowering shrubs. For example, lilacs and viburnums set their flower buds in July for next year. If you trim them now, you are cutting off next year’s flowers. Leave any trimming of flowering shrubs until after they bloom in June (remember “prune in June”). Do not trim evergreens this late either. The new growth that evergreens put out after trimming can easily be damaged during a hard winter.
¢ CRITTER DAMAGE Rabbits are my nemesis. I will win the battle against these eating machines. The amount of rabbit damage I have seen this year in the garden is unprecedented. They have eaten plants that I have been using for years that they have never touched in the past. My best defense against them is threefold: First, protect young, tender plants with a small ring of chicken wire secured in the ground. (It doesn’t look as bad www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Get Ready for the Holidays at Wasco Nursery & Garden Center
Your Holiday Decorating Headquarters
Find a huge assortment of Christmas greens, branches, berries and more at Wasco Nursery, plus a large selection of containers to inspire your holiday decorating creations. We have all the materials to help you create your holiday décor whether you want a natural look with cones, seed pods and vines or a brighter look with painted stems, glittered balls and metallic accents.
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as it sounds!) This is especially important in the winter on shrubs and trees around the trunks. Secondly, use repellent sprays, such as Plantskydd. Apply it frequently and as soon as you see damage. Most plants will recover from rabbit damage if left alone for a bit. Lastly, species that rabbits tend to avoid include plants with fuzzy leaves, fragrance, woody stems, etc.
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This was a fantastic growing season. We have enjoyed watching plants and their owners thrive in the garden. The season is far from over so take advantage of beautiful weather and keep planting. You can safely plant larger plants, such as shrubs, trees and evergreens, until the ground is frozen. So when your family comes in for Thanksgiving, put them to work planting that new Maple you said you wanted! Meagan Provencher is the Sr. Landscape Designer for Wasco Nursery & Garden Center in St. Charles. She can be reached at 630584-4424 or Meagan@ wasconursery.com. She also is the 2016 Illinois Certified Nursery Professional of the Year.
The perfect gift for anyone on your list is a Wasco Nursery Gift Certificate, always available in any amount.
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HOME & LIFESTYLE
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 41
Winter soothe
BENEFITS OF A WHOLE HOUSE HUMIDIFIER As the days grow colder in the Chicago area, the air also gets drier – and so does your skin. When trying to heat your home this time of year, people often can become desperate to replace the moisture that is lost to winter’s cold air.
A humidity level below 30 percent can bring with it a host of issues, such as: • Respiratory irritation • Uncomfortably dry nasal passages • Nosebleeds • Chapped and itchy skin • Worsened allergy and asthma conditions • Splitting and cracking wood, which includes hardwood floors, furniture, moldings, musical instruments and other woodwork Instead of enduring that consistent itchiness that often drives you to buy stock in a lotion company, invest in a whole house humidifier. There are two types of home humidifiers.
42 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
HOME & LIFESTYLE
Most people are familiar with the small, inconvenient, portable type, but the other type an “install-it-and-forget-it” whole house humidifier. It’s not portable; it’s installed directly into your cooling and heating system and integrated into the blower system on your furnace. It provides humidity, in the form of water vapor, into your heating ducts. The level of humidity it provides is monitored and controlled by your thermostat. (This is where the “install-it-and-forget-it” part comes in. Nice, huh?) A whole house humidifier can protect your home, and what’s in it, from the damaging effects of dry winter air.
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Low-humidity or very dry environments encourage adverse effects. For example, viruses are encouraged to grow (think flu, colds and other such illnesses) and you are more prone to infection. Another notable characteristic of having a whole house humidifier is that you will feel warmer at lower temperatures. By turning your thermostat down, you’ll save energy and money, as three degrees can reduce an annual heating bill by around 4 percent. Whether you have a new or existing heating and cooling system, radiant heat or baseboard heat, you still can benefit from an installed whole house humidifier.
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HOME & LIFESTYLE
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 43
Heart-centered holidays
HOW TO LET GO OF THE STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SEASON Once again, we are about to celebrate the holidays. It’s a time of year when we spend more time with family and loved ones, but it also tends to be a time of increased stress. Most of us place a great deal of pressure on ourselves during the holidays, and we often feel that we come up short.
Here are some challenges that we all face during the holidays and how to deal with them:
just close your eyes for 20 minutes, it makes a difference.
¢ TIME
When you get pressured or feel stressed, simply stop where you are. Go no further. Take a breath and ask yourself what would serve you best in this moment? And then do that. This is simple and requires a commitment to managing yourself, instead of suffering through or surviving the circumstances. We choose to allow stress. We forget that we have the choice. Don’t allow it. Watch out for expectations. We have many expectations of ourselves and others. TV and the radio are rampant with
Most of us feel like we don’t have enough time. We feel busy, overwhelmed, harried, nervous and stressed, and taking time for Perhaps, this year, we can take the time ourselves may make us feel selfish. Stop to consider the approach in advance by and consider ways to manage your time and paying attention to both the challenges and think about how you spend it. Are you are over-scheduling? It’s OK to ask for help and opportunities the holidays present. That support from those around you. If you are way, we’ll keep in mind what the holidays getting tired, stop and rest. If you are feeling are really about – an opportunity for love and relationship-building with friends, family overwhelmed, say so, then stop and rest. and the community. Delegate. Take naps. Meditate. Even if you 44 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
HEALTH & WELLNESS
¢ PRESSURE AND STRESS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Marilyn Mitchell, M.D. Named one of America’s “groundbreaking doctors” by Chicago Magazine, Board Certified Physician and Healing Practitioner Marilyn Mitchell, M.D. is an educator, speaker and health visionary. For over 30 years, Dr. Mitchell has grown a unique medical practice that integrates Energy Healing and holistic practices with traditional medicine. She has treated over 30,000 women in the Chicagoland area, who are thriving with this approach. She sees patients at her Medical Center in St. Charles, IL and, with her team, serves people around the globe. expectations, as are the catalogs that clog our mailboxes. Be mindful about what YOU really want and let go of the rest.
¢ HEALTH
Every year we eat too much and feel bad about ourselves. Or we starve ourselves in the face of the abundance food. What about having a balanced and sustainable relationship to food during the holidays? It is worth practicing. Take what you need. Eat till you are full. Be gentle, kind and slow in this area. So many of us are hungry for something and trying to get those needs met through food and drink.
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 45
REJUVENATE SALTERNATIVE SPA OFFERS ALTERNATIVE FORM OF SELF-CARE By YVONNE BENSON Leah Jenski discovered salt therapies a few years ago when she was diagnosed with Lyme disease.
Personally, Jenski’s go-to therapy is floating in a sensory deprivation chamber.
As a mother of five – including a nursing baby – Jenski’s life was stressful. So, when she was diagnosed with Lyme disease, Jenski sought help through alternative medicine.
“Floating takes away all of my neck and back pain from carrying all of those babies,” she says. “We have a high rate of floating, but the salt room is probably just as popular. The salt room is very approachable, but floating is very beneficial.”
“I found out that there are ways to relax and make your body work the way it’s supposed to,” she says. “I did float therapy and meditation in a salt room.” The results were astounding, according to Jenski, and her newfound appreciation for alternative healing led her spouse to open Salternative Spa in Geneva. Jenski explained that the therapies offered by Salternative Spa often include a lifestyle change that counters the “fight or flight” response. Many people live in heightened states of stress that result in vulnerabilities to unhappiness and illness, says Jenski. “We create dangers in our mind all the time,” says Jenski, adding that Salternative Spa works to alleviate stress by promoting healing, happiness and peace. Jenski chose an out-of-the way location for her spa because she wanted it to be a place of peace – a retreat. When you walk into the building, “There is greenery growing on the walls, calming music, flowing water – it’s a peaceful spa environment,” she says. The spa has many different offerings that can be catered to each client’s particular needs. She’s seeing noticeable results in her regular clients, she says, now that Salternative Spa has been open for more than a year. Some clients come to the spa for pampering while others might want help with chronic back pain. Some guests want help with weight loss or a sense of community in meditation, gong and yoga classes. There are even mindfulness classes for children to help them learn to be calm. 46 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
The spa’s salt room is a place where salt walls and a salt floor surround guests, and medical grade fine salt flows through the air. Clients recline peacefully in the room for 45-minute sessions and have reported improved sinus function, better breathing, improved skin health and a sense of relaxation and focus, according to Jenski. Jenski also values meditation, which takes place at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday at the spa. Meditation sessions are free to attend. “It’s a really cool energy that we get,” she says. Salternative Spa is an approachable form of alternative medicine. Most people are familiar with massages and reflexology, but the less familiar options offered by the spa are worth exploring, too. Staff members can guide clients through the menu of services and make recommendations for clients, as well.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 47
Keep calm and shop stress free at Fawn Gifts and The Tea Tree in Batavia By ALLISON HORNE
The holidays can be stressful and often the most important person – you – gets lost in the never-ending shuffle of gift-buying, cooking and taking care of family. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Two new Batavia shops, The Tea Tree and Fawn Gifts recently opened with the goal of promoting self-care, as well as local, sustainable goods.
THE TEA TREE
48 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
BUSINESS & CIVIC
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¢ THE TEA TREE
29 N. River St. | Batavia 630-425-3340 Missi Hartmann always knew she wanted her own brick-and-mortar tea shop, but it all became a reality in August when The Tea Tree opened after about five years in the making. It took several years of nonchalantly looking for a location before rigorously looking over the last year. The Tea Tree doesn’t just sell teas, but also oil and vinegar, spices, essential oils, honey, soaps and other assorted gifts. “I really wanted to incorporate all of the things I had been using in my own home,” Hartmann says. “A lot of places do spices in one store, teas in another store, and vinegars and oil in another. I never found one that incorporated them all.” After being a stay-at-home mom for 10 years, Hartmann decided to do just that. She always had a passion for tea, and says – due to her Irish heritage – that she has practically been drinking it since she was born. “There are a ton of health benefits,” Hartmann says. “It has antioxidants; it’s good for skin and helps metabolism.” Hartmann stands fully behind every single product sold in her shop, noting that she has put more than three years of research into everything she sells. “If it’s not good enough to give to my children, it wasn’t good enough to bring into the shop,” Hartmann says. “Everything in here is quality.” In addition to the retail aspect of the shop, Hartmann also sells tea by the cup. There are 50 different varieties to choose from, and there is a seating area that includes a four-person table and six comfy chairs. Customers can usually spot Hartmann or her husband, Joe, there, or even their three children and family friends. Although opening her own business was difficult, Hartmann wouldn’t have it any other way. “I actually walked into this telling myself it was going to be a fun adventure, and I would have no regrets,” Hartmann says. “I didn’t want to go through life thinking about how I wanted to do it, but didn’t do it.”
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¢ FAWN GIFTS
2 E. Wilson St. | Batavia www.fawngifts.com 630-326-9146 Just over a year ago, Fawn Gifts owner Brea Hayes was living in Chicago, working a completely different job and living a completely different life. But she got burnt out. “I was trying to decide what my new life path was and what I was going to do,” she says. That’s when she got support from various friends and family, who sent gifts and other words of encouragement to help Hayes get back on her feet. “I got stuff in the mail out of the blue,” Hayes says. “That’s really where the inspiration [for the shop] came from.” She launched Fawn Gifts with her friend, Stefin Steberl, and officially opened on Sept. 1. The shop focuses on self-care and supporting others while featuring local artists and creative minds from the Batavia and Fox Valley area. “We like the idea of staying local,” Hayes says. “We’re an independent business. We want people to shop locally and buy from shops in the area.” The shop was initially set in motion when Hayes moved to Batavia with her fiancé and found a spot in the Thomle building, which the city owns and offers subsidized rent to help get businesses off the ground.
Photos provided
FAWN GIFTS
“You can come in and find a birthday gift or “The chamber and community members have holiday gift, but our focus is really about selfreached out and really supported me practically,” care and supporting others,” Hayes says. Hayes says. “We feel really welcome.” One of the things that Hayes really loves about Hayes defines herself as a feminist and says it’s the space is the community room upstairs, very important to her to be able say the shop is which is available to host meetings, gatherings woman-run with feminist values. and other special events for up to 30 people. “I think it’s important to empower other people,” The shop also will host special events upstairs, Hayes says. “In my opinion, feminism is the including a “Bookless Book Club” event from 6 to empowerment of women who do everything that 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26; a self-care 101 class men can do, as well.” from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10; and a holiday Hayes tries to include books and other items that share values from various different backgrounds and perspectives, which includes spiritual books from across all faiths.
BUSINESS & CIVIC
market that will be open from Friday, Nov. 18, through Saturday, Dec. 24. The holiday market will feature an expanded inventory, holiday cards and gift guides, free gift-wrapping services and free beverages.
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 49
AMERICA'S TREASURES
America’s Treasures Antiques, Furniture and Gifts is a 5,800-square-foot space and has more than 30 dealers. Items available for purchase include furniture, shabby chic, traditional antiques, lighting and home décor. The shop also offers Vintage Market & Design paint, Miss Mustard Seed Milk paint and Fusion Mineral paint. A local delivery service is available for large or heavy items. Follow America’s Treasures on Facebook to see all of the shop’s new items. 10 N. THIRD ST. | GENEVA | 630-208-1003 WWW.AMERICASTREASURESGENEVA.COM OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. MONDAY - FRIDAY; 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M. SATURDAY; AND 11 A.M. TO 5 P.M. SUNDAY
BEE-ATTITUDES ANTIQUES Located in a beautiful Victorian home on the corner of Batavia Ave. and Wilson St.,Bee-Attitudes Antiques has eight dealers in our shop at the moment, so there is sure to be something for everyone. Items carried include glassware, artwork, lighting fixtures, oriental decor, jewelry, mirrors and silverware. In
furniture, the shop carries various styles, including French, Victorian and cottage chic. A Christmas Open House will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 27. The event will feature coffee and lots of Christmas spirit. Visit BeeAttitudes for some fun.
RT. 31 & WILSON ST. | BATAVIA | 630-761-0813 OPEN 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. MONDAY-SATURDAY AND NOON TO 5 P.M. SUNDAY
GALENA CELLARS VINEYARD & WINERY A tradition of Galena Cellars Nouveau Festival is the limited printing of its collectible Nouveau poster, mirroring the artwork chosen for the current year’s Nouveau wine label. This year’s artwork was created by Mick Victor. Galena Cellars’ Nouveau wine is available for sampling and purchase at three
locations: Downtown Galena (515 S. Main St.), Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery (4826 N. Ford Road - 2 miles from the Galena Territory) and at Galena Cellars in Geneva (477 S. Third St., Dodson Place). Also available online.
477 S. 3RD ST. | GENEVA 630-232-9463 WWW.GALENACELLARS.COM
‘Tis the Season
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TRI CITY HEALTH PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES QUALITY MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICES FOR FREE
T
he FREE medical and dental clinic, Tri City Health Partnership (TCHP) has been serving central Kane County with quality medical and dental care to those in the community who are low-income, uninsured and underinsured for sixteen years! Over 4,200 local residents have received care at the clinic that continues to provide services to lowincome individuals.
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SETTING THE STAGE At Playhouse 38, Lisa Pivaronas is the theater’s ‘heart and soul’ By MELISSA RUBALCABA RISKE | Photo by RON MCKINNEY
A
s the curtain rises on the fourth season for the Geneva Park District’s Playhouse 38, there is plenty for which to be excited. Each season, as the Playhouse’s cultural arts coordinator, Lisa Pivaronas continues to find ways to include more people in the young theater’s productions and classes. “We have continued to grow, and I would love it to grow even more,” Pivaronas says. The theater company moved into a new, larger space this summer and among its improvements is the ability to have a pit orchestra for musical productions, which has Pivaronas considering some exciting possibilities for future shows. “We’ve just increased the number of classes, and I’m looking at future productions,” she says. “There’s a lot of interest for the musicals.” The theater company may be young, but it has quickly attracted the attention of budding and experienced actors, as well as those working behind the scenes in lighting, music and costume design. Costume designer Jamie Kendall of Geneva is marking her fourth year with Playhouse 38 and says that Pivaronas has the ability to connect with the cast and crew, which brings together everyone who is working on a production. “She is really the heart and soul of it,” Kendall says. Before taking the helm at Playhouse 38, Pivaronas had several years of theater production experience, but her path to the stage isn’t what most would consider traditional. Her first production experience came while working backstage at Willow Creek Church in South Barrington. Pivaronas, a long time member of the church, began as a volunteer and helped
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backstage with styling hair and doing makeup for the actors who participated in the church’s weekly dramas and outreach productions. “I was watching the director and assistant director and absorbing a lot of information,” Pivaronas says. “I learned a ton at Willow Creek.” She was learning along the way, and soon took her knowledge to helping with her daughters’ school theater productions and in the community theater productions in Bartlett. When Geneva Park District officials began talking about a theater company, Pivaronas says that she was ready to step up into the leadership role. “This is just increasing the arts in our community, and it has been so well received by residents of Geneva,” Pivaronas says. Playhouse 38 is more than a place for stage productions. Pivaronas is working hard to provide an array of workshops and classes for children and adults. The workshops can be a great way for budding actors to hone skills. It also offers a chance to build confidence and work on overall communication skills, which can be useful outside of the theater, Pivaronas says. “When a child that has shyness is able to overcome it, or the same with adults, it is such a positive atmosphere,” Pivaronas says. In college Pivaronas studied photography and enjoyed an early career as a commercial photographer, snapping shots for catalogues and brochures. She says her love of photography came from her father. “My dad was an avid photographer and he built a dark room for me in my basement,” she says. “I think my photography background and arts helped me get to where I am.”
BUSINESS & CIVIC
“This is just increasing the arts in our community, and it has been so well received by residents of Geneva.” - Lisa Pivaronas, Playhouse 38 cultural arts coordinator
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 53
Christmas in ‘Nüremberg’
CHRISTMAS MARKET CALENDAR
GET IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT AT OSTHOFF RESORT’S OLD WORLD CHRISTMAS MARKET By YVONNE BENSON Abbey Heise remembers going to the Old World “I love the wood carvings that come from Germany,” Christmas Market at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Heise says. “Another one of my favorites are the Czech, Wisconsin, when she was growing up. blown-glass ornaments, and I buy many of them every year as collectables and other people do, as well.” “It’s such a neat experience,” she says. “You can’t go to one of these and not be in the holiday spirit. It can be a really special day to come and walk around, have something to eat [and] drink, buy a little gift and meet Father Christmas, get in the holiday spirit and spend some family time together.”
German Christmas music is played during the 10-day event and Heise says that her favorite “is a disk that has little kids singing.”
Now Heise works at the Ostoff Resort as its special events manager, which includes being in charge of the Old World Christmas Market, which is inspired by the centuries-old Christkindlmarkt in Nüremberg, Germany.
If the music doesn’t immerse you into the holiday season, Father Christmas might. He can be spotted giving out candy canes and taking pictures with guests.
This year’s market will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Osthoff Resort, 101 Osthoff Ave., Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. “This is our 19th year,” says Heise. “Our general manager, Lola Roeh, was in Germany for a short period and, when she came back, she had the idea to start a Christkindlmarkt.” The Osthoff Resort makes a visit to its Old World Christmas Market easy. People can visit for a daylong excursion or stay overnight at the hotel. There are sleigh rides, ornament-making classes, cookiedecorating activities and breakfast events with Santa Claus. Christmas shopping is a major draw for visitors. Russian nesting dolls and painted Santas, German hand-carved nutcrackers, handmade amber and silver jewelry, Turkish pashmina scarves and shawls, stainedglass art, wreaths, kissing balls and centerpieces, Estonia woolens, fine chocolates, Plauen lace and fine woodwork are some of the specialty items offered by regional and international artisans.
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“How can you not be in the Christmas spirit when you hear that?” she adds.
NOV. 17-20: Best Christkindlmarket Milwaukee www.bestplacemilwaukee.com NOV. 19 - DEC. 10 (select dates): Holiday Kerstmarkt Holland, Michigan kerstmarkt.wordpress.com NOV. 25 - DEC. 17: Belleville Christkindlmarkt bellevillechristkindlmarkt.com NOV. 25 - DEC. 24: Christkindlmarket Naperville christkindlmarket.com/naperville NOV. 18 - DEC. 24: Christkindlmarket Chicago christkindlmarket.com DEC. 9-11: Chicago’s Irish Christmas Market irishxmasmarket.com
However, it’s the scents wafting through the event’s heated, football-field-sized tent that often put Heise in the holiday spirit. “The first thing I smell when I walk in is fresh greens. There are close to 70 live Christmas trees [and] every booth is draped with live garlands,” she says. “Then you smell the food. You can definitely smell the roasted nuts. … You can smell the Nuremburg sausages frying and the foods coming from the schnitzel house.” Heise looks forward to sampling the food, especially the schnitzel pancakes, but libations also are available for purchase. “There’re a lot of people who come to get different kinds of wine. We have two vendors who bring the hot, mulled wine, and guests can buy it bottled to serve at their own Christmas parties,” she says. “Other people just come to eat and have some beer and enjoy the atmosphere.”
Photos provided
¢ OLD WORLD CHRISTMAS MARKET AT THE OSTHOFF RESORT WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 11 WHERE: Osthoff Resort, 101 Osthoff Ave., Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin ADMISSION: $6 for adults and free for children ages 14 and younger INFO: 877-517-4596 or www.christmasmarketatosthoff.com TRAVEL
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 55
Fur-ever friends
Find forever tribute at St. Charles Park Foundation memorial
A
nyone who has ever experienced the loss of a pet knows the pervasive sense of grief that never fully goes away.
“Dogs are not our whole life; but they make our lives whole.”
While pets that have died may leave a hole in our hearts, they no longer have to leave a hole in our lives. A new Dog Memorial Sculpture Project is being developed by the St. Charles Park Foundation and the St. Charles Park District as a way for pet lovers to honor those animals who have brought them so much joy.
– Roger Caras, Wildlife preservationist and TV personality
constantly be changing. Tags are not limited to dogs; any pet – from cats to ferrets – can be honored with a tag on the Dog Memorial, says Bell-LaSota.
It was the loss of their own pets that inspired fellow Park Foundation trustees Julie MillerLongo and Vanessa Bell-LaSota to develop the idea for the Dog Memorial Sculpture Project. “I was already aware of the love locks that people had placed on the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris when I read about a group of pet lovers who had formed an impromptu kind of pet memorial by hanging pet tags on a tree in the Mayslake [Forest Preserve] Dog Park in Oak [Brook],” says Park Foundation president MillerLongo. “I had just lost my beloved American Brittany, Lily, and thought, ‘why couldn’t we do that?’ My vision was to commission a sculpture of a dog upon which members of the community could hang their dog’s tags to memorialize these loyal companions and cope with their grief. The sculpture would also have artistic merit, as it would organically grow in beauty with each tag that would be added.” Miller-Longo shared her vision with other Park Foundation trustees, quickly finding kindred spirit in secretary Craig Knight, trustee Jim Denison and treasurer Vanessa Bell-LaSota, who had also recently suffered the loss of her English springer spaniel, Mike. With her background in the arts and connections 56 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
with the St. Charles Arts Council, Bell-LaSota knew that she wanted a St. Charles artist to participate in the project. Douglas Eageny, a selftrained sculptor who has had numerous works accepted in the Park Foundation’s “Sculpture in the Park” annual exhibitions, was a natural fit. “I thought it was a very unique idea,” says Eageny. “I thought of families and small children who have lost pets and wanted to give them some place to visit where they could remember their happier days, perhaps even having walked their dog through this very park.” “Timeless Tags,” a larger-than-life-size steel sculpture created by Eageny, will grace the Dog Memorial. Inspired by Eageny’s own labrador retriever, Molly, the sculpture is festooned with welded steel loops of various sizes and depths where pet tags can be attached. A deep Scottish terrier gray at the outset, “Timeless Tags” will weather over time to an Irish setter brown. Over time, thousands of colored tags of various shapes and sizes will be added by community members, which means that the sculpture will OUT & ABOUT
The sculpture will stand on a substantial concrete pedestal, upon which durable cast bronze plaques of various sizes can be mounted. The plaques provide name recognition for sponsors at various levels – from individuals and families to corporations and businesses – making it a perfect way for veterinarians, groomers, trainers, animal shelters, pet sitters and pet stores to show their support for the tribute to family pets. There are various levels of sponsorships available, which include a plaque and other perks, such as name recognition on promotional materials and commemorative photos at the official dedication ceremony, which is tentatively slated for summer 2018. “This will be the St. Charles Park Foundation’s largest fundraiser in 10 years,” says Erika Young, public relations and marketing manager. “The park district’s three dog parks offer a valuable amenity for our residents, and this is our way of honoring our four-footed friends.” u For more information on the Dog Memorial initiative and sponsorship opportunities, contact Erika Young at 630-513-4319.
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SOCIAL
Life
Wine-lovers sip for a cause at VNA Uncorked
On Sept. 30, the VNA Uncorked fundraiser in Aurora paired wine and cheese tastings to support the Aurora Community Heart Clinic at VNA and the VNA wellness programs, which provide affordable health care for all those in need. To kick things off, sommelier Rob Lehner led guests through a 20-minute wine tasting introduction. The event featured a “wines-around-the- world� theme, and guests sampled tastings from France, South Africa and Chile. Rob Lehner presented the French tastings; Greg Mialkowski from Wine Styles in Naperville presented the Chile tastings; and Janice Burdette from Nothing But Winers in Aurora presented the South Africa tastings. Photos by Monique Jimenez, Cloud Foto
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OUT & ABOUT
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 59
Artist SHOWCASE
KIMBERLY MULLARKEY | AURORA CARBON PENCIL ON GESSOED CANVAS “VOYAGE TO OSIRIS” SERIES
It all started with a green finger-painting that Kimberly Mullarkey did in kindergarten.
– she lived in France, where she studied early Northern Renaissance painting.
“After that I was hooked,” she says.
“My work reflects the need to articulate the importance of the natural world,” she says. “It is Mullarkey, who currently teaches at Fine Line my offering, my meditation. I know that nature Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, studied art can transform us; we only have to be there – at various institutions, including University of California - Santa Cruz, where she earned a bach- eyes wide open – gulping it in. The importance of nature, individually and as a planet, is significant elor’s degree; and Northern Illinois University, to us. Not only are we a part of it but we depend where she earned a master’s degree in fine art. on it for our survival.” The Aurora resident also has taken workshops to “Voyage to Osiris” is part of a series that was further develop her skills, and – for six months inspired by the spine of a deer. 60 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
OUT & ABOUT
“In nature, the death of one species becomes the life [or] food source for another. I see beauty in this transformation – the process of life to death and then life again,” she says. “A process that goes on for infinity and that we experience daily.” Mullarkey teaches botanical art at The Morton Arboretum and drawing and design classes at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. She was a graphic artist for eight years and worked on a variety of projects, from billboards to storyboards. She works in various media, including oil www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
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and acrylic paint, colored pencil, charcoal and graphite. She also is the president of the Chicago chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America.
To submit an entry to Artist Showcase, email artwork, title of piece, name and village of residence of artist, a two- to three - sentence description of the piece, short bio and artist photo to KaneCountyMagazine@ shawmedia.com, subject head “Local Artist Submission.”
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Photo: Paolo Cascio
8478884000 8 478 8884 4000 OUT & ABOUT
EElginSymphony.Org lginSymphony.O Org KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016 | 61
NOVEMBER 2016
CALENDAR
ALBRIGHT THEATRE TO STAGE ‘THE OTHER PLACE’ WHEN: Weekends running through Saturday, Nov. 12 WHERE: The Albright Theatre Company 100 N. Island Ave. (third floor of the Batavia Government Building), Batavia The Albright Theatre in Batavia will stage “The Other Place,” an insightful drama about love, loss, memory and perception. In this wellwritten play, fact, fiction, past and present collide to slowly reveal the truth. The play is rated PG-13. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. Reservations are recommended. For tickets, call 630406-8838. For more information, visit www. albrighttheatre.com. DIONNE WARWICK CONCERT WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4 WHERE: Arcada Theatre 105 E. Main St., St. Charles Dionne Warwick sang in a gospel trio before recording her first hit songs, including “Walk on By” and “I Say a Little Prayer.” Tickets start at $69. For tickets or more information, visit www.arcadalive.com. CELEBRATING VETERANS THROUGH ART WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 5, through Saturday, Nov. 12 WHERE: Various Locations in St. Charles The second annual event will include concerts at St. Charles North High School on Nov. 11; a film screened at the Arcada Theatre on Nov. 9 and a veterans’ reception Nov. 9 and more. For more information, call 630-443-3794 or visit www.stcharlesartscouncilorg. BATAVIA WOMAN’S CLUB FASHION SHOW WHEN: 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 WHERE: The Q Center 1405 N. 5th Ave., St. Charles The show and luncheon will feature fashion from the local Fox Valley designers. The philanthropic Batavia Woman’s Club will host the show, “Kicking Up Its Heels and Falling into Fashion,” to raise awareness and funds for the Elder Day Care Center in Batavia, which provides services to older adults with cognitive impairments. Geneva fashion boutiques will include Evernia, Flair On 3rd and C. Rinella Designs. Tickets cost $50. To purchase tickets, visit www. BataviaWomansClub.org or text or call Diane Anderson at 630-373-1793.
62 | NOVEMBER 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
ARTISAN CRAFT AND FOOD FAIR WHEN: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 WHERE: Heritage Prairie Farm 2N308 Brundige Road, Elburn The eighth annual Artisan Craft and Food Fair will feature handcrafted gift ideas, bakery items and locally-made goods. The fair will take place in three locations around the farm: a heated event tent, the newly-renovated barn and the greenhouse. For more information, visit www.heritageprairiefarm.com. VOICE BOX STORIES AT EVENFLOW WHEN: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 WHERE: EvenFlow Music and Spirits 302 W. State St., Geneva For the past three years, rock star Cathy Richardson of Jefferson Starship and TV actress Maureen Muldoon have been weaving stories and songs to sold-out houses at Fitzgerald’s. This September, they are rolling out another night of musings and music, known as Voice Box Stories. Toward the end of the show, audience members are invited to share a two-minute story. AMERICA AT ARCADA WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18 WHERE: Arcada Theatre 105 E. Main St. St. Charles America will perform hits, such as “I Need You,” “Ventura Highway,” “Don’t Cross The River,” “Tin Man,” “Lonely People” and “Sister Golden Hair” at Arcada Theatre. Tickets start at $59. For tickets visit www.arcadalive.com. HOLIDAY HOMECOMING WHEN: Friday, Nov. 25, and Saturday, Nov. 26 WHERE: Along Main Street, between 6th Street and 4th Avenue, in downtown St. Charles Holiday Homecoming is a two-day event in downtown St. Charles that kicks off with a lighting of the lights Friday evening. The following day will feature a holiday movie at the Arcada Theatre, a Santa visit at Santa’s house on First Street Plaza, horse-drawn sleigh rides through historic downtown and an evening electric parade. For more information, visit downtownstcharles.org.
OUT & ABOUT
ELBURN CHAMBER CHRISTMAS STROLL WHEN: 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 WHERE: Downtown Elburn The annual Christmas Stroll will feature holiday music, lights, hot chocolate, local merchants, hayrides, balloon creations, a puppet show, a Santa Claus visit and more. For more information, visit www.elburn.com. CHRISTMAS ON THE FOX ART AND CRAFT SHOW WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 27 WHERE: Prairie Event Center at Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles The Christmas on the Fox Art and Craft Show will feature handmade arts and crafts, such as jewelry, photography, paper crafts, apparel and accessories, folk art with holiday themes, soup and dip mixes, soaps, wood signs and knitting pieces and holiday greens. Lighted trees, Christmas music and an antique sleigh will help create a festive ambiance. For more information, visit www.artoftheheartland.com. CELEBRATION OF LIGHTS WHEN: 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27 WHERE: The Peg Bond Center 151 Island Ave., Batavia The event will feature hayrides, a holiday craft market, roasted chestnuts, a family photo opportunity, hot dogs and hot chocolate, a community sing-a-long, a Santa meet-andgreet, ceremonial tree lighting, a story hour and Christmas Tree Lane – 25 decorated holiday trees. For more information, contact the Batavia Park District office at 630-8795235.
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Celebrate the Season with a caring donation to
Anderson Animal Shelter’s
Giving Tree
To care for the animals served by Anderson annually, the shelter needs many supplies. Please consider making a donation this holiday season or organizing a collection drive. The supplies are used to keep our animals fed, comfortable and entertained and the items listed below arealways in demand. Every month, the shelter uses 4500 pounds of dry food, 1020 pounds of canned food and 4000 pounds of kitty litter! You, your family, school, youth group, troop or company can organize a collection drive and/or make a donation of any wish list item(s) and bring them to the shelter. Monetary donations are also always welcome and will be put to good use. All donations can be dropped off during regular shelter hours.
Giving Tree Wish List:
Thank you!
• Pedigree edigree dry puppy food • Canned cat food (especially Friskies turkey and giblets flavor) • Feliway spray or diffusers and refills • Adaptil • Training treats • KMR (kitten replacement milk), feeding bottles & other kitten supplies • Canned spray cheese • Canned tuna • Dog toys • Cat toys • Thundershirts, small, medium and large (available at Petco, Petsmart and Amazon online) • Kongs (available at Petco, Petsmart and Amazon online) • Freedom Harness • Baskerville Muzzle • Catnip • Gift cards to Petco, PetSmart, Pet Supplies Plus, Staples, Costco • Hot dogs • Rotisserie chicken • Zip lock bags (all sizes) • Stretch and Scratch (www.stretchandscratch.com) • Stainless steel pet bowls • Gently used towels and blankets-no bed sheets, pillows or curtains please • Paper towels
MONETARY DONATIONS ALSO ACCEPTED.
Happy Holidays! 1000 S. LaFox • South Elgin, IL 60177 • (847) 697-2880 x 25 • andersonanimalshelter.org email: development@andersonanimalshelter.org Featured Sponsor DePaw University Canine Campus
DePAW is proud to support local shelters, national organizations, community park districts, Chambers of Commerce, local youth programs, and schools! 630-232-8663
Geneva, IL
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