MAY 2016
AMERICAN WOMAN A TRIBUTE TO HER STRENGTH, COURAGE AND DEDICATION
Outdoor Living iving
Perfected
Luxuryy ffor Less
www.chicagooutdoorliving.com design@chicagooutdoorliving.com 1.800.852.0323
facebook.com/chicagooutdoorliving twitter.com/chicagooutdoor instagram.com/chicagooutdoorliving
Special f inancing is available.
Visit our showroom in downtown Geneva!
728 W. State Street - 630.232.4964 www.carlsonsfloors.com C A R P E T
-
T I L E
-
H A R D W O O D
-
A R E A
R U G S
INSIDE
WOMEN & CAREERS
HOME & LIFESTYLE
8 POWERED BY WOMEN
42 TAKING THE LEAP TO HOMEOWNERSHIP
Interior design firm founder does it all with a little help from her friends
Three questions for first-time buyers to consider
11 LIFE’S A ZOO
44 SUMMER LOVIN’… HAPPENS SO FAST
Brookfield Zoo animal care specialist answers call of the wild
14 SAVING SOUTH SUDAN In aftermath of civil war, Wendi Dwyer joins ‘Lost Boys’ to create legacy for literacy
18 TURNING THE TABLES The Finery & Blacksmith Bar chef blossoms in male-dominated industry
22 GAME CHANGER Soccer coach uses sport to supplement humanitarian efforts at home and abroad
46
26 PUSHING BOUNDARIES IN MUSICAL THEATER Amber Mak named Paramount Theatre’s New Works Development director
EDITOR’S CHOICE: SPRING STYLE Spring-cleaning also includes your wardrobe! Update your look with a few trendy items found at five Geneva boutiques
30 STORYTELLER
Artemesia, Geneva
FASHION & BEAUTY 46 EDITOR’S CHOICE: SPRING STYLE Spring-cleaning also includes your wardrobe! Update your look with a few trendy items found at five Geneva boutiques
HEALTH & WELLNESS 48 RAISING THE BARRE ON LOCAL FITNESS Pure Barre is one of the latest workout trends to flourish in the chicago suburbs
DINING & ENTERTAINING
Mystery writer and mother of three finds success in Kelly Clark series
50 MCNALLY’S IRISH PUB BLENDS TRADITION WITH MODERN FLAIR
BUSINESS & CIVIC
The recently opened bar features a fresh menu, familiar vibe
37 FACING CHALLENGES FEARLESSLY
OUT & ABOUT
Debbie Leoni coaches others to overcome adversity
53 SOCIAL LIFE
38 KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Forty-year-old business evolves into Flourishing Finish
Festival of Color raises funds for mental health services
54 ARTIST SHOWCASE
40 CURB YOUR ANXIETY
Geneva impressionist oil pastel artist, Fran Stilwagner, shares a vibrant nature scene, entitled “Autumnal”
Holistic approaches to modern stressors
56 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
FAMILY IN FOCUS
4 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Wasco Nursery and Garden Center landscape designer offers ways to spruce up your summer garden
See what’s happening in Kane County this month
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Invest in Your Home…. Invest in Your Family... Update or Remodel for Your LIfestyle
630-584-2255 McDowellinc@sbcglobal.net 521 West Main Street St. Charles
Design Build Remodeling Kitchens Baths Additions Basements Siding Windows Doors Three Season Rooms Whole House Remodels
Key Elements of This Kitchen Transformation by McDowell Remodeling: Semi-Custom Cabinetry, Custom Trim, Crown Molding & Bookcases, Carrara Tile Backsplash, Custom Tile Design above Thermador Cooktop, Thermador Steam oven, Oven, Refrigerator, Kohler Sink Fixtures & Pot-filler, Multiple Lighting Enhancements , Furniture Design Island with Seating and Storage, Granite top for Workspace and Entertaining For more information on this Kitchen, or other projects, Contact Robin Liberatore, Designer, McDowell Remodeling
Editor's Note During the Women’s Power Luncheon series in March, an annual event hosted by our sister publication, Suburban Life Magazine, we were asked a question: Who are the women who helped shape your life? Naturally, my mother was the first person that came to mind. But then my mind was flooded with faces of women, some of whom I know well or call family, while others I may have only encountered briefly, but – somehow – they managed to make a lasting impression. I realized that we take bits and pieces from one another, all of the time; sometimes we don’t even realize we’re doing it. Every single woman with whom I surround myself has taught me something; has made me want to be better in some way. The answer to that question, for me, is too many to count. Undoubtedly, the group of ladies we’ve selected to profile in this month’s Women & Careers issue will not only motivate and inspire, but they also are a representation of what it means to be a modern American woman.
with a powerhouse team of smart and beautiful women who turn tired spaces into sophisticated settings. Other local ladies include a soccer coach, who uses the sport to supplement her humanitarian efforts overseas and on her home turf; an inventive chef who puts finesse into farm-to-table fine dining; a Brookfield Zoo animal care specialist who dedicates her life to the conservation of endangered species; a musical theater director who is helping to forge a path for the future of stage performance at Paramount Theatre; a humanitarian who dedicates her time to improving literacy in civil war-torn Southern Sudan; and a storyteller who, in the midst of raising three children, followed her dream of writing mystery novels. To all of the women out there, keep being courageous and dedicated, support each other and stay true to your convictions. Thanks for reading,
GENERAL MANAGER Laura Burke 630-427-6213 lburke@shawmedia.com DIRECTOR OF NICHE REVENUE Sherri Dauskurdas 630-427-6263 sdauskurdas@shawmedia.com EDITOR Kara Silva 630-427-6209 ksilva@shawmedia.com
Kara Silva, Editor
Cover girl Megan Paul, a certified sommelier and mother of three, is the founder of VARA Design, a swanky interior design firm staffed
on the
COVER
Megan Paul, founder of VARA design in Aurora, has a fierce team of women to help her execute innovative ideas in interior design. See how this busy mom of three manages to do it all, on Page 8. Photo by DETLEF KOERTGE OF EPIGRAM STUDIO
6 | MAY 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
DESIGNER Carol Manderfield 630-427-6253 cmanderfield@shawmedia.com ACCOUNT MANAGERS Sandra Petti 630-313-0251 spetti@shawmedia.com Tricia Walter 630-845-5272 twalter@shawmedia.com CORRESPONDENTS Stephanie Kohl-McCord, Chris Walker, Melissa Riske, Allison Horne, Elizabeth Harmon, Tom Witom, Kelsey O’Connor, Jay Schwab, Eric Schelkopf, Jonathan Bilyk PHOTOGRAPHERS Ron McKinney, Missy Donovan, Sandy Bressner, Joe Perez, Detlef Koertge
Kane County Magazine is available by subscription for $24 a year. If you would like each month’s edition mailed to your home, send payment information and address to Kane County Magazine, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or via email at subscriptions@shawmedia.com.
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
EXPERIENCE
the difference
We now offer Adult Day Care
Where our residents are respected, valued and nurtured by our senior care specialists. • Residential Townhomes • Assisted Living • Memory Loss Care • Respite and Short Term Stay • Adult Daycare Delnor Glen — where our experience is the difference. For more information or to schedule a tour call 630-443-8220 (TTY #630-933-4833) or visit delnorglen.com
Delnor Glen Senior Living a part of Northwestern Medicine
975 North Fifth Avenue, St. Charles, IL “When we moved (our Mother) to Delnor Glen she was quite frail. That she thrived in the atmosphere you have created for all of the residents is surely an understatement… There is no doubt in our minds that the atmosphere you provided had a lot to do with her longevity. Not only do you provide your residents with beautiful physical surroundings, but the level of care and the empathy of the staff shown to the resident is unparalleled.” -family of Alice
POWERED BY WOMEN INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM FOUNDER DOES IT ALL WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HER FRIENDS By STEPHANIE KOHL | Photos by DETLEF KOERTGE OF EPIGRAM STUDIO
Megan Paul is chief creative officer of VARA Design, a certified sommelier and a mother of three. How does the former St. Charles resident do it all? “I’m grateful to have a strong team at VARA which allows for shared responsibilities,” Paul says. “In addition, I have an incredibly supportive group of friends, family and colleagues that have helped me throughout the past few years. I’ve had to learn to lean on them over the years and not try to do it alone. They have helped me to succeed in innumerable ways.” -Contined on page 10
PHOTO STYLING: Debra Koertge of Artemisia in Geneva WARDROBE: Ann Everett of Ann Everett Designs MAKEUP: Tanya Gomberg of OS2 Salon in Geneva and Lauren Campanile of T Loren Studio in Woodridge HAIR: Jamie Lundin of OS2 Salon and Katie Rubicz of Shades Salon
-Contined from page 8 Paul, an Aurora resident, founded VARA Design, 15 W. Downer Place, Aurora, in 2013. She was joined soon after by her business partner Dana Lundin. “Since day one, I have worked in every position within our firm,” Paul says. “Accounting, purchasing, lead designer and project manager. After years of finding the right people to fill these positions, I am able to now focus on business development, brand management and the creative side of the design process.” As chief creative officer, no two days are the same for Paul, who attended St. Charles High School from 1997 to 2000. She jumps from business development to working with the design team to marketing, hosting events and more. She enjoys being able to create a happy and healthy work environment for the VARA team and says that each member of the team is like family to her. She gets great satisfaction in helping her team, which is predominantly female, achieve their goals. “Being a creative, I’m not one that works best boggled down in a routine,” Paul says. “I love that I have the flexibility to interact with various personalities throughout the week, seek inspiration when needed and collaborate with my team to develop fresh design concepts and see projects through to fruition.”
10 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Paul finds inspiration everywhere, but especially in travel. “Experiencing how people relate to their surroundings is one of the most refreshing aspects of visiting a new place,” Paul says. “I’ve also found that experiencing architecture firsthand is essential in understanding how history and culture influence current design and trends today.” In her 20s, Paul did some traveling to wine country. A visit to Burgundy solidified her desire to immerse herself in the world of wine and, in 2009, Paul received her sommelier certification. “[Being a sommelier] has also given me the credibility and background to consult with collectors – both public and private – to design and build wine cellars and restaurants,” Paul says. “In addition, it gives me a point of reference for many clients and individuals that I interact with on a daily basis.” Outside of work, as a mother of three, Paul has many commitments. From school volunteering and chaperoning to basketball games, Paul is always on the go with her family. “The most challenging part of my job is being a present and available mother of three, while developing and growing a small thriving business,” says Paul, who enjoys traveling and being outdoors in her free time. “I am blessed to have so much support.”
WOMEN & CAREERS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Life’s azoo ANIMAL CARE SPECIALIST ANSWERS CALL OF THE WILD By ELIZABETH HARMON | Photos by RON MCKINNEY
Her grandmother’s gift of a book about baby animals sparked a lifelong passion for Cassandra Kutilek. The book’s subject matter eventually led the St. Charles resident into a career as an animal care specialist for the Chicago Zoological Society. -Continued on page 12
-Continued from page 11 an animal’s favorite scents. In the case of Brookfield Zoo’s male rhino, that happens to be a pungent bouquet of cinnamon, peanut butter and female rhinoceros urine. The rhinos are the most dangerous animals Kutilek works Her job involves caring for and training animals with, but they can be trained to interact with humans under controlled circumstances. Other at Brookfield Zoo’s Pachyderm and Australia animals, such as kangaroos, are more sociable. Houses. The residents under her care include rhinoceroses, tapirs, pygmy hippopotamuses, “We get them moving and interact with them, kangaroos, wallabies and wombats. and get them used to taking food directly from A typical day includes checking on the animals, us voluntarily,” she says. “Most people go through different job options, but – for me – this was it,” says Kutilek, who has been in the field for 18 years. “I started in the field right out of high school and went to school while I was working.”
maintaining their habitats and providing them with mental stimulation and behavior enrichment. “We try to pull out their natural behaviors and get them to do the things they would be doing if they were in the wild. For example, a rhinoceros would be foraging, so we place things in their habitat for them to forage. We don’t just serve dinner on a plate, we make them work for their food,” she says. Mental stimulation can also mean providing
12 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
WOMEN & CAREERS
With an eye on a career working with animals, Kutilek took lots of science classes in high school, and managed two pet stores, which helped her gain experience working with reptiles, exotic birds and fish. After graduation she attended the College of DuPage and earned an associate’s degree in science, while also working as a senior keeper at Cosley Zoo in Wheaton. After 10 years at Cosley, she joined Lincoln Park Zoo as an animal care specialist, working with small mammals and reptiles. A move to the zoo’s Regenstein
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Your Local
Butcher
SUNDAY, MAY 8
Filet Mignons ~ Boneless Ribeye ~ Prime Rib
We dry age choice & prime cuts of American Beef and cut them to your specs!
Grilling Season Begins with our
COOKOUT FAVORITES! African Journey exhibit sparked her love for large animals, including black rhinos. Kutilek joined the staff of Brookfield Zoo two years ago. During her career, she’s seen a shift in the gender make-up of her field. “When I came in, it was male-dominated, but – over the course of time – I’ve seen a big influx of women. Now it seems like there are more women than men,” she says.
Homemade Italian or Polish Sausage • Brats • Aged Tender Steaks • BBQ Ribs • Jumbo Chops Signature Burgers for the Grill (12oz. each) • Tuscan • Blue Cheese • Bacon-Onion Cheddar • Jalapeno Jack • Gourmet Sliders A Summer Favorite! 20 Different Fresh Salads Daily and Our Own Homemade Potato Salad What’s a party without Josef’s potato salad?
Featuring a full Line of Boars Head Lunceheon Meats Engstrom Plaza 716 West State St., Geneva
Because the field is small, it can be difficult to break into. Kutilek advises taking lots of science classes, volunteering with an animal care organization and obtaining an internship during college.
(Entrance on 7th Street)
630-262-1878 www.josefsmeats.com
Passion for the work also is vital. “You’re constantly thinking about work, because the animals mean so much to you,” she says. “It’s not just a job, it’s more like a lifestyle.”
Hours:
Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM We are closed Mondays
CUSTOM CATERING FOR GRADUATION PARTIES SM-CL0348516
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Call early for choice dates!
WOMEN & CAREERS
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 13
SAVING SOUTH SUDAN
IN AFTERMATH OF CIVIL WAR, WENDI DWYER JOINS ‘LOST BOYS’ TO CREATE LEGACY FOR LITERACY By TOM WITOM
W
endi Dwyer has a long and impressive record of working with refugees, going back to her high school days. Since 2006, Dwyer has served as executive director of Lost Boys Rebuilding South Sudan, a St. Charles-based nonprofit organization. The organization’s primary objective is to help the developing African nation rebound in the aftermath of a bloody civil war that uprooted some 20,000 Sudanese children – the so-called “Lost Boys” – who fled the country. Nearly 4,000 of them have sought refuge in the U.S. South Sudan, which gained its independence in 2011, is still struggling with the lowest literacy rate in the world.
Wendi Dwyer (right) and Arkangelo (Emmanuel Ngong), both of Lost Boys Rebuilding Southern Sudan. Dwyer says Ngong has helped make sure another generation of children did not suffer like like the “Lost Boys.”
Raising that rate has become the focus of Dwyer’s group. Its vehicle is the Literacy at the Well program, which involves teachers gathering at wells where women from surrounding villages journey daily to replenish their family’s water supply. Many of these women became students eager to learn English – the official language of South Sudan.
“The Literacy at the Well program was conceived in my dining room in Geneva with our board, friends and collaborators,” says Dwyer. “It was culturally aligned and designed so that people in South Sudan could easily expand it.” And that’s what’s happening now. William Mou, one of the “Lost Boys” who was resettled in the Kane County area after fleeing the genocide, worked hard to get an education. He’s now back in his native country pursuing his goal of equipping South Sudan with literacy and language skills so it could become a peaceful nation. “My greatest accomplishment is helping to mentor and support William to carry out that mission,” Dwyer says. “This little program has become a lifeline to a lot of communities in South Sudan. It will be a legacy for literacy for many generations to come.” When you raise the literacy rate among men, they are less likely to teach their daughters to read and write, Dwyer notes. “But if you teach women, they will want their husbands, sons, daughters and sisters to learn, too.”
-Continued on page 16
WOMEN & CAREERS
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 15
NEW VEIN PROCEDURE Dr. Shao was the 1st in the Chicagoland Area to perform the VenaSeal, 2nd in all of Illinois.
Already the literacy rate has started to improve. One way to witness progress is by the signage. Signs in English – which there weren’t any to speak of in the past – give notice of upcoming meetings along with their time and location. The signs create organization within the community and help mobilize its residents.
The VenaSealTM closure system is the first and only treatment approved for use in the U.S. that uses an advanced medical adhesive to safely and effectively close the diseased vein segment as a result of chronic venous insufficiency. Tumescent anesthesia is not required.
Interestingly, LBRSS just entered an interim six-month contract with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to explore whether or not this is the program they want to use throughout the nation to raise the female literacy rate.
Unlike other varicose vein treatments, there is rapid return to normal activities.
SYMPTOMS OF VENOUS REFLUX DISEASE • Varicose veins • Leg pain, aching or cramping • Leg or ankle swelling
-Continued from page 15
• Leg heaviness and fatigue • Skin changes or rashes • Ulcers, open wounds or sores
Dwyer says everyone who has helped contribute to the success of Literacy at the Well has benefitted in some way – either getting a better sense of what it means to be an educated person or how it feels to be a part of a brand new nation. “I really want to thank the teachers, students, church members and neighbors who cared enough about the least-served people in the world to help support a program that they will never visit,” Dwyer says. “It’s so hard to get people to care about something they can’t see themselves.”
WHAT IS THE VENASEALTM CLOSURE SYSTEM? The VenaSealTM closure system is the only non-thermal, nontumescent, non-sclerosant procedure approved for use in the U.S. that uses an advanced formulated medical adhesive that closes the diseased vein.
WHAT DOES IT TREAT? The VenaSealTM closure system treats symptomatic venous reflux disease in the lower extremity superficial venous system, often the underlying cause of painful varicose veins.
FREE Vein Screenings on Mondays - Call to Schedule!
630.797.0895 472 Briargate Drive, Unit 107 South Elgin, Illinois SM-CL0348842
16 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
WOMEN & CAREERS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Ream’s Meat Market
Dwyer also is proud that the program was recognized last year with a Library of Congress award as a best practice for fraternal literacy and gender equity. Also providing a big boost to the rebuilding outreach in South Sudan was the Lion’s Club in Geneva, which counted Dwyer as a member. “Our club, in partnership with the Lion’s Club in Nairobi, Kenya, was co-founder of the first Lion’s Club International in Juba, South Sudan,” she says. “The club, which promotes leadership, organization and civic involvement, contributed funding for a soon-to-open Aweil Community Women’s Leadership Center.”
th n o M s i h t s g n i r e ath G r u o Y l l A r o F ADUATIONS
Currently, Dwyer works as communications manager for the Elks National Foundation in Chicago.
• GR Y A D S ’ R E H MOT DAY L A I R O M E M
• Literacy at the Well is recruiting board members with accounting, fundraising and social media. To apply, call 630513-0382. For more information, visit LiteracyAtTheWell.org. Donations to the organization provide more villages with a teacher and learning materials.
Treat Mom to Steak and Chicken Kabobs Celebrate the Graduation Our Own Italian Beef, Pork Bar-B-Que Potato Salad Meat and Cheese Trays
Memorial Day
National Grand Champion Bratwurst Beef Wieners and more Steaks Burgers
We mak eo
ver 100 v arietie s of Sm oked Meats a Sausa nd ges
SM-CL0348833
www.ReamsMeatMarket.com
Wendi Dwyer (center) and William Mou (sitting to the right of Dwyer) visit a Literacy at the Well site in Akuem, South Sudan. www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Fine Quality Meats & Sausages Fresh • Aged • Cured • Smoked 250 S. Main St. (Rt. 47) • Elburn South of the tracks • 630.365.6461 Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-6pm • Sat: 9am-4pm • Sun: 11am-4pm
Closed Memorial Day
A GREAT OLD FASHIONED FULL SERV SERVICE MEAT MARKET WOMEN & CAREERS
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 17
TURNING THE TABLES Finery & Blacksmith Bar chef blossoms in male-dominated industry By KELSEY O’CONNOR | Photos by MISSY DONOVAN
Juliette Reyes can hold her own in the kitchen.
cultivating a garden to supply the restaurant with fresh vegetables and herbs, an experience that would stay with her throughout her career.
The co-owner and chef of The Finery & Blacksmith Bar in St. Charles has spent more than a decade cooking her way through the top tiers of the culinary world, working in world-class restaurants throughout the country. The atmosphere in previous kitchens in which she worked would often be intense, and maledominated, but Reyes found that it helped her thrive. “I feel like women in the kitchen do have to prove themselves a little bit more,” she says. “There’s competition all around you, and – in order to move up in the ranks – you have to be better than the person next to you. It’s still a team effort, but that competition helps you be the best that you can be.” Reyes has been cooking for as long as she could hold a spatula. She started off in her grandmother’s kitchen and began cooking for friends and family as a teenager.
18 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Reyes eventually returned to Chicago where she worked in Michelin-star restaurants, such as Spiaggia and the now-closed RIA in the Waldorf Astoria. Last year, she and her husband, David, whom she met in culinary school and worked with in Louisiana, decided it was time to take a risk. “We both had jobs that we were comfortable in but we wanted a challenge,” she “It always kind of amazed me how much food says. “We both figured the time was right to unifies people and brings people together,” do something on our own.” she says. “I like that feeling of being part of Things started coming together when they peoples’ joy.” found the space at 305 W. Main Street in St. Reyes enrolled in the culinary program Charles. at Kendall College in Chicago and began “We just saw our dreams coming to fruition working in her first professional kitchen in the space that we were standing in,” Reyes at 17 years old. When she graduated, she moved to Louisiana to help open a restaurant says. outside of New Orleans. Part of her role was -Continued on page 20
WOMEN & CAREERS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
-Continued from page 18 Those dreams manifested themselves as The Finery & Blacksmith Bar. The ambitious, but approachable, spot has been generating buzz and positive reviews since it opened its doors in July. The menu pays homage to the diversity of the American table, with an emphasis on seasonality. “We realized that the U.S. is a melting pot from cultures around the world, and we can bring those flavors into our restaurant and still be able to use the local ingredients around us,” Reyes says. Much of the produce comes from her garden or from local farmers.
SM-CL0348844
Reyes routinely puts in 80-hour weeks at the restaurant, but the long hours are worth it, she says.
Crystal Lake...One of the Top 10 *Best Small Cities in the U.S.
“The most rewarding thing is being able to make delicious things without following someone else’s recipe – being able to create on my own,” she says. “And then seeing that play out in the joy and delight of my customers as they eat and have a great time at my restaurant. I really like being a part of people being happy.”
Best Place to ~ Shop, Play and Eat ~ Arts, Theater and Culture ~ Restaurants, Cafés and Coffee Shops
Fun Never Ends in Downtown Crystal Lake *2015 Wallet Hub
A Premier Illinois Main Street Community
Downtown Crystal Lake /Main Street SM-CL0341470
20 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Plan your day with a visit to our website: www.DowntownCL.org WOMEN & CAREERS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Visit our Garden Center
“I feel like women in the kitchen do have to prove themselves a little bit more. There’s competition all around you, and – in order to move up in the ranks – you have to be better than the person next to you.”
for your herbs, vegetables and beautiful flowering annuals
www.trellisfarm.com
– Chef Juliette Reyes of The Finery & Blacksmith Bar in St. Charles
NEW THIS SEASON ANTIQUE GARDEN BARN! Full of Antique’s and Collectables
2N492 Kirk Rd. • St. Charles SM-CL0350375 SM-CL0350375
630-584-2024
Open 7 Days a Week Mon - Fri 8-6 • Sat 8-5 • Sun 11-4
Keep it Cool While You Sip Chill your wine or favorite beverage to the perfect temperature
See our wide selection of wine accessories and gifts
Live Entertainment on Sundays Serving Wine by the glass or bottle ~ Featuring Wine Slushies ~ ~ Wine Tasting Bar Daily ~
GALENA CELLARS Vineyard & Winery 477 South Third, Suite 100 • Geneva • 630-232-9463 www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
WOMEN & CAREERS
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 21
GAME CHANGER SOCCER COACH USES SPORT TO SUPPLEMENT HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS By JAY SCHWAB
Anne Poulin aimed to fill her passport with stamps quickly. Through soccer – and her passion for reaching out to children across the globe – she succeeded in doing that and so much more. “The goal when I got out of college was I wanted to fill my passport before I turned 30,” Poulin says. “I didn’t realize soccer would have such a huge part of it, but that was my goal – to see as much, learn as much and be affected by other cultures and get out there.”
The foundation supports the Blessings in a Backpack program in Aurora through which children on free or reduced school meal plans are provided a backpack’s worth of food so they don’t go hungry over the weekend. Other activities include camp opportunities, holiday gift-giving and academic mentors.
Poulin’s mission to make her mark began in earnest through Kids Play Int’l. Through the foundation, she visited genocide-torn Rwanda as an athlete ambassador. She also made separate trips to Malawi and South Africa. Poulin – a former St. Charles High School soccer Providing information about combating AIDS dynamo, who later played professionally – and promoting concepts, such as fair play and continues to use the sport as a springboard equal opportunities for girls, were among the to connect with children in Kane County and objectives of her trips. worldwide. She remains active with several In some areas of Africa, not only had local organizations intent on making a difference, residents never seen a white person before, but including her own Anne Poulin Youth Foundation. The foundation operates under the they were floored by the concept of a woman coaching or playing soccer. premise that all children should have access to quality education, health and nutrition, and it attracts youth volunteers to drive its “kids -Continued on page 24 helping kids” emphasis.
22 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
WOMEN & CAREERS
WANT TO HELP? Anne Poulin will be a guest bartender at McNally’s Irish Pub in St. Charles from 6 to 9 p.m. June 5. Proceeds from the night will help benefit the Anne Poulin Youth Foundation and Blessings in a Backpack.
Photo by Joe Perez
Live Healthy. Live Happy. Live Life. • One-On-One Personal Training
-Continued from page 22
• Private studio with the focus on you
Some of what she saw was harrowing, including people without limbs who had survived genocide in Rwanda. As difficult as it was, Poulin says she was heartened by the resiliency that she observed.
• Certified personal trainers with over 30 years experience • Clients ranging from 10–90 years old
“When you understand the history of genocide and segregation that started all that, you want to bring people together as much as possible and be part of their great spirit of giving their country a new reputation,” Poulin says.
• Customized programs based on your fitness levels and goals • FREE, No Obligation, Consultation
Wherever she traveled, soccer supplied a natural path to break down barriers.
• No hard sell, no gimmicks!
FREE First Session! 630-402-0359 genevapersonaltraining@gmail.com www.genevapersonaltraining.com SM-CL0348544
1797 W. State St., Suite B, Geneva
“I can go over and not speak a lick of French and all these different languages, but I can roll the ball out, and we can speak the same language for 90 minutes or for a camp session and bring the kids together to do something positive,” Poulin says. Poulin, a class of 2000 St. Charles graduate and Saints hall of famer, enjoyed an extraordinary high school soccer career. The Saints won IHSA state championships in all four of her years, including a pair of undefeated seasons. The center-midfielder/center-back played collegiately at Arizona State, where concussions and stress fractures threatened her soccer career. After taking a couple of years off, she played professionally with Nottingham Forest FC in the women’s English Premier League from 2006-08.
Wine and Canvas Studio
“Those years in England were a gift because coming out of [the injuries in college], I thought I’d never play again,” says Poulin, who resides in Batavia.
BIRTHDAYS BRIDAL SHOWERS GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT CORPORATE EVENTS FUNDRAISERS BACHELORETTE PARTIES TheChilledPalette.com 500 S. Third St, #117, Geneva IL 630-208-0276 24 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Her athletic inclination is par for the course in her family. She is the youngest of five siblings, including Ruth Vostal, who stepped down after a highly successful coaching tenure with St. Charles North’s girls soccer program, and Tom Poulin, who coaches boys basketball and softball at North. Tom Poulin says that Anne’s zeal for uplifting others was evident even during her youth. “I think you saw signs of it when she was a high school athlete,” Tom Poulin
WOMEN & CAREERS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
says. “She was a great teammate, and she cared about everyone on the team, not just a small clique. She was always looking out for teammates and friends, and then, as she got older, … she found her calling and saw it as an opportunity to do what she is good at and what she has a passion for as far as using her abilities to help others.” Anne Poulin’s soccer experience also includes coaching. She previously assisted Vostal at North and is currently an assistant coach at St. Francis in Wheaton, while also remaining heavily involved with the Strikers Fox Valley club program. Many of her Strikers players have volunteered over the years with Blessings in a Backpack, a prime example of how Poulin views soccer as a launching point for even more meaningful triumphs. Anne Poulin considers herself “super lucky” that her soccer career has allowed her to forge relationships with children across the globe. As a fringe benefit, Poulin reached her goal by filling her passport by the time she was 28.
Treat Mom to some Flowers this Mother’s Day THE PAPER MERCHANT 328 S THIRD STREET GENEVA ILLINOIS 60134
Sweeten Someone’s Day
“And I had to get more pages,” she says.
Find the perfect gifts for
Mother’s Day
Teacher Appreciation AND
Nurses Week
• Custom Gift Baskets • Chocolate Covered Strawberries • Fresh Fudge • Boxed Chocolates • Sugar Free Chocolates • Large Variety of Caramel Apples
Now Serving
ICE CREAM! Geneva Commons Located between Starbucks & Noodles & Co.
1308 Commons Dr • Geneva • 630.208.1484 SM-CL0348541
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
WOMEN & CAREERS
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 25
PUSHING BOUNDARIES in musical theater
Amber Mak named Paramount Theatre’s New Works Development director By ERIC SCHELKOPF Photos by SANDY BRESSNER
F
rom acting to directing, Amber Mak has worn many hats in the theater world.
Now, she is embarking on a new journey as the Paramount Theatre’s director of New Works Development, a job that will help forge a path for the future of stage performance at the historic Aurora theater. She took on the job shortly after directing and choreographing the theater’s critically acclaimed production of “Hairspray.” It’s a natural transition for Mak, as the founding artistic director of the FWD Theatre Project in Chicago. Through the FWD Theatre Project, Mak’s mission was to advance Chicago as a premiere destination for new musical theater.
Works Program, headed by Mak, will aim to partner and collaborate with writers to develop new plays. “They won’t alter their seasons at all, at least in the coming years, because it’s going to take us a little bit to develop a show period,” she says. “The average musical takes seven to eight years to create, from working through rewrites to workshopping. It doesn’t happen overnight.”
She doesn’t see the Paramount staging a new musical until 2018, at the earliest. The Paramount Theatre has been accepting submissions from writers who have ideas for new plays. Mak says she has been impressed with what has been submitted While the Paramount will continue to stage thus far. Broadway shows, the year-round New
26 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
WOMEN & CAREERS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
SM-CL0348843
One Stop Shop
The Kitchen Taylor (630)
653-5402
SPECIALIZING IN
• CUSTOM CABINETRY
The love of the stage has been in Amber Mak’s blood since she was a child. “I grew up going to the theater from the time I was in a playpen at an outdoor community theater in Kansas,” Mak says. “My brother was in the shows, and I watched.” In third grade, when Mak was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she replied, “a choreographer.”
• CABINET PAINTING/NEW DOORS
Taylor
• CABINET REFACING/NEW DOORS • CROWN MOLDING
NORTHWEST PODIATRY CENTER, LTD
adno=0301871
FREE
CONSULTATIONS ALWAYS AVAILABLE
Foot And Ankle Care
Realizing that men by and large still dominate the theater world, Mak says she hopes she can encourage other women looking to break into the field.
Aurora 630.585.8087
Helping Your Feet Last A Lifetime
DeKalb 815.756.9491 Huntley 847-802-4664
Dr. Gregory C. Bryniczka*
Dr. Adam W. Bryniczka*
Dr. Richard R. Leitzen
Niles 847.823.5510
Dr. Michal A. Piszczuk
South Elgin 847.608.9494
Personalized Care by Board Certified Surgeons of the Foot and Ankle
SERVING THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 38 YEARS *Diplomat, American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery *Fellow, American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
• Eric Schelkopf writes about the arts and entertainment scene in Chicago at thetotalscene.blogspot.com. He also is an employee of Shaw Media. SM-CL0348519
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
• CABINET REFINISHING
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1976 WWW.THEKITCHENTAYLOR.COM
“I became a serious, competitive figure skater and loved choreographing my routines,” Mak says, adding that she was a dance major in college. “I always approached choreography from a storytelling, characterdriven purpose. I love dance, but I only love it when it helps convey an emotional arc and truly serves the musical and characters.”
“In theatre and entertainment we are still behind the times when it comes to women in leadership positions, directing, writing, choreographing, etc.,” Mak says. “For so much of history, women’s value has often been found in their looks and so often objectified. It is changing and I hope that I can encourage other women to follow their instincts, have a voice and be creative leaders.”
• RECESSED LIGHTING
The Kitchen
• Ankle Pain • Bunions • Corns • Sprains • Heel Pain
• Warts • Fractures • Diabetic Foot Care • Sports Medicine • Hammertoes
WOMEN & CAREERS
• Fungus Toenails • Ingrown Toenails • Orthotics • Foot & Ankle Surgery
Streamwood 630.830.2155
adno=0348452
“We’re trying to find that new musical that has something different, that maybe pushes the boundaries of what we think of traditional musical theater in some way,” Mak says.
Wheaton 630.668.8277
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 27
Oscar Swan Presents
Voted One of the Best Bike Shops in Kane County!
The Best Bike Shop in the Fox Valley
Ready to Hit the Trails? Whether your bike needs a pre-season tune up, or you are looking to upgrade your current bike All Spoked Up should be your first stop. When you’re on the trail
Featuring Bikes from: Cannondale, GT, Santa Cruz, Orbea, Kona, Schwinn and more.
stop in for a cold drink or snack!
Weddings & Events Large or Small...
We also feature the finest in clothing, helmets, and other bike equipment and accessories. Our goal is to help you find the perfect ride that will match both your budget and the type of riding that you enjoy.
Come in and see for yourself why All Spoked Up is the best, service oriented, local bike shop in the Fox Valley area!! 3 Webster St. • Batavia, IL
...We do it all! • • • • •
Weddings Showers Rehearsal Dinners Anniversaries Reunions
• • • • •
Sunday Breakfast Pool Parties Tea Parties Murder Mysteries Memorial Events
(630) 326-9625 www.allspokedup.com
Mon. - Wed., Fri. - Sat. 10:00am - 6:00pm Thurs. 10:00am - 7:00pm Sun 11:00am - 3:00pm
Second Store Now Open in Downtown Aurora 14 W. Downer Street • Aurora, IL 630-801-9005
Experienced & friendly bicycle sales and BSE* certified service on all makes and models. www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
WOMEN & CAREERS
www.oscarswan.com A Historic Bed & Breakfast Accommodations for Group Lodging
GENEVA
GALENA
1800 West State Street Geneva, IL
3351 Elizabeth-Scales Mound Rd. Scales Mound, IL (Near Galena)
630-232-0173
563-590-8972
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 29
Storyteller
Mystery writer and mother of three finds success in Kelly Clark series By JONATHAN BILYK
Annie Hansen says she’s been invited to see the offices located behind the second floor windows of Graham’s Fine Chocolates & Ice Cream on Third Street in downtown Geneva. But the Batavia resident doubts she’ll ever take them up on the offer. After all, if Hansen were to see what’s actually there, it may just upend the vision of the upper floor apartment she sees in her mind’s eye when she looks up at the windows, flanked by red shutters – a setting that serves as the heart of Hansen’s popular and growing series of Kelly Clark Mystery novels. “It all started with Graham’s, as one day I thought, ‘What if there was an apartment up there?’” Hansen says. “Everything built from there.” Since 2009, Hansen has dedicated herself to fleshing out the idea. In 2013, she published her first novel, “Give Me Chocolate,” which was followed by “Bean in Love” in 2015. Both novels focus on the
30 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
WOMEN & CAREERS
life of main character Kelly Clark, who lives in an apartment above her sister’s chocolate shop in Geneva. The story begins in the third year following her return from California where her marriage had ended in a bizarre series of events, ultimately resulting in the imprisonment of her husband for plotting to kill his pregnant mistress, with whom he secretly had an affair. Each novel focuses on a separate mystery Clark and her sisters must solve, beginning with the death of a man found on the floor of the chocolate shop. “But the bigger mystery, through all of the stories, is her past,” Hansen says. The novels were not Hansen’s first stab at writing. Originally from Lombard, Hansen, a University of Illinois graduate, has written whenever she “had the chance,” even as she worked as a recruiter and she and her husband built a staffing company – Hansen Search Group – as well as when the couple started a family. In 2000, Hansen authored a mystery manuscript called “Frozen” but it was never published. The writer never abandoned her dream, and now she plans to release the third Kelly Clark Mystery novel, “Take the Donuts,” later this year. Hansen, 40, now a mother of three children, ages 1, 10 and 20, says she has always enjoyed strong support
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
“But the key, I’ve found, is you have to keep going. Never hold yourself back.” – Annie Hansen, Author from her husband and others around her for her literary endeavors. She credited authors like J.K. Rowling with blazing a path for other female fiction authors to follow. And she says she’s found further support, inspiration and aid from Sisters in Crime – a group of fellow female mystery authors. Hansen says the biggest challenges she has overcome are those faced by most female writers – and many writers, in general: The battle to maintain balance in life, and to fight isolation, while beating back the internal voice that attempts to limit a writer’s vision.
Retire on your terms. Since 1894, Ameriprise Financial has worked for our clients’ futures, helping millions of Americans retire on their terms. Doing what they want. When they want. Let’s talk about how you can begin to put a confident retirement more within reach, call me today at 630.762.6556. Steve Smith Financial Advisor Associate Vice President 3 N Second St, Ste 200 St. Charles, IL 60174 630.762.6556 steven.l.smith@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/steven.smith
Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2014 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. (7/14)
GENEVA’S MIDSOMMAR FESTIVAL JUNE 21 – 26
“It’s the voice that says, ‘Whoa, what are you doing? This story is too ‘out there,’ too scandalous,’” Hansen says. “But the key, I’ve found, is you have to keep going. Never hold yourself back.” It also never hurts to have a great location to serve as the backdrop for the story, such as a popular chocolate shop, which demands repeat research visits, she says. “I’m sure I’ve given them a lot of business just from me and my out-oftown guests,” Hansen says with a laugh. “And I hope my novels give them a ton more business. But I can never visit upstairs.” Hansen’s books are available at amazon. com and www.barnesandnoble.com. For more information, visit kellyclarkmystery. com.
How Swede it is! Come fest at one of the Best of the West – Swedish Days, Geneva’s Midsommar Festival! The whole family will enjoy fabulous food, carnival rides, live music & entertainment nightly, plus Sweden Väst, our tent that’s everything Swedish. Visit www.genevachamber.com for a complete event schedule, or call us at 630-232-6060. Summer fun doesn’t get any swëder than this!
A picture postcard .
™
630-232-6060 • visitgenevaillinois.com
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
WOMEN & CAREERS
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: • Circus on Third – Games & activities for kids • Craft Brew Tent • Swedish Days 5K Lopp – A certified 5K race • 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament • Grand Parade on Sunday
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 31
16Garden Party
2016 Garden Pa
2016 Garden Party Garden P TRI
CITY AUTO
• From Major Collision Damage to Minor & Scratch to benefitDent Fox Valley Hands of Hop Repair
A NON - PROFIT AGENCY PROVIDING COMPASSION
• Paintless Repair
CARE FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING LOSS .
• Lifetime Warranty
to benefit Fox Valley Hands of Hours: Hope • Luncheon
Monday–Friday 7:30–5:30pm
A NON - PROFIT AGENCY PROVIDING COMPASSIONATE • Spring Fashion Show Saturday 9:00–11:00am CARE FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING• Amazing LOSS .
Raffle Showcases • Extensive Silent and Live Auctions
166 Garden Party 2016 Garden P to benefit Fox Valley Hands• Luncheon of Hope
FridayFox May 20Valley • The Q Center, St. Charl to benefit Hands Show Doors open at 10 a.m.
A NON - PROFIT AGENCY PROVIDING COMPASSIONATE • Spring Fashion CARE FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING LOSS .
• Amazing Raffle Showcases A NON PROFIT AGENCY PROVIDING C Purchase tickets on-line (www.fvhh.net) • Extensive Silent and Live Auctions
-
630-584-5115
Randall Rd.
or via phone (630.232.2233) CARE FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING LOSS • Luncheon TriCity Auto, Inc. Friday May 20 • The Q Center, St.EST Charles Rt. 64 1972 • Spring Fashion Show * 110 N. Randall Rd. Doors open at 10 a.m. • Amazing Raffle Showcases St. Charles • Extensive Silent and Live Auctions tricityautoinc.com Purchase tickets on-line (www.fvhh.net) to benefit Fox Valley Hands of Hope phone (630.232.2233) Celebrating Our 11th Year in Geneva Friday May 20 • The Q Center,orSt.viaCharles
• Luncheon Special Show Tastings of our Products • Spring Fashion . Every Weekend • Amazing Raffle Showcases • Extensive Silent and Live Auctio SM-CL0348538
A NON - PROFIT AGENCY PROVIDING COMPASSIONATE
Doors open at 10 a.m. CARE FOR
THOSE EXPERIENCING LOSS
Purchase tickets on-line (www.fvhh.net) • Luncheon or via phone (630.232.2233)
• Spring Fashion Show • Amazing Raffle Showcases • Extensive Silent and Live Auctions
to benefit Fox Valley Han
A NON - PROFIT AGENCY PROVIDING Friday May 20 • The Q Center, CARE FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING L Doors open at 10 a.m.
Friday May 20 • The Q Center, St. Charles Doors open at 10 a.m. Purchase tickets on-line (www.fvhh.net) or via phone (630.232.2233)
Come taste 60 different extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars from all over the world. Unique Gift Baskets Available.
• Luncheon ~ See Us For Our Monthly Special ~ • Spring Fashion Show Purchase tickets on-line (www.fv • Amazing Raffle Showcases or via phone• Extensive (630.232.2233) Silent and Live Au
Friday May 20 • The Q Cent Store Hours Doors open at 10 a.m.
Mon-Fri 10am-6pm ~ Thurs 10am-8pm ~ Sat 10am-5:30pm ~ Sun 11am-4pm
315 James St. • Geneva, IL • (630) 262-0210 www.olivemillgeneva.com
32 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
WOMEN & CAREERS
Purchase tickets on-line (www www.kcchronicle.com/magazine or via phone (630.232.2233)
“
I assist individuals with achieving their personal goals in order for them to live a life that is personally fulfilling to them.
Natasha Schmitt-Robinson, MSW, LCSW
Psychotherapist and Yoga Instructor, Headspace, Inc.
A
Financial Corner
By Jeff Martin
Should You Invest Outside the US? From January 1, 2010 through February 29, 2016, the US stock market had an annualized return of 11.7%, while non-US stocks had an annualized return of 2.3% for the same period. Looking at this period, many people wonder if they should keep all of their stock investments in the US. Investing time horizons for retirement are measured in decades, so five-year periods can be misleading. From 2000 through 2009, the cumulative return of the S&P 500
s an experienced psychotherapist, Natasha Schmitt-Robinson places great value in the therapeutic relationship between herself and her clients.
was -9.1%, while the rest of the world
As founder of Headspace, Inc., Schmitt-Robinson strives to provide specialty services that support emotional, mental and physical well-being through psychotherapy and yoga.
From 1900 ending in 2010, the US
Schmitt-Robinson is a therapist in the Fox Valley area, and also received training as a yoga instructor through Lisle-based Prairie Yoga center. “Through my experience as a psychotherapist, and listening to my clients over the years, I have become more aware of this strong interdependent relationship between our physical health and our mental health,” she says. “I decided to obtain my yoga certification in an effort to expand on my skills and bring this unique perspective to my therapy.” Schmitt-Robinson currently assists individuals, ages 14 and older, who struggle with chronic health issues, cancer diagnoses, pain management, mood and anxiety disorders, PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, women-specific issues, relationship stress and transitional life issues (education, sexual orientation, gender identity, marriage, parenting, post-partum, divorce, retirement, etc.). She has specialized training in CBT-Insomnia to help those who are struggling with sleep deprivation and insomnia. She has a private practice specializing in cancer support for the cancer survivor and/or family members from the time of diagnosis, throughout treatment and into survivorship. Schmitt-Robinson frequently volunteers at LivingWell Cancer Resource Center in Geneva by offering workshops based on her expertise on various topics, including cancer survivorship, stress management and sleep management. Schmitt-Robinson provides psychotherapy at InStep Behavioral Health and yoga classes at Hart Chiropractic, both located in the Fox Valley area. She is currently in the process of codesigning and implementing a Trauma-Informed Yoga program to offer to PTSD survivors.
For more information, call 815-901-2199. For a schedule of upcoming workshops and yoga classes, visit Headspace-inc.com. Blog entries on the website cover a variety of topics and tips for leading a balanced and healthy life.
Headspace, Inc.
Natasha@headspace-inc.com 815-901-2199 Headspace-inc.com
saw a cumulative return of 17.5%. market outperformed the world market in five decades and under performed in six decades. I generally recommend investing 35% to 45% of your stock portfolio outside of the US. However, you will have to block out the noise in periods of US out performance. This is made much easier if you have a written plan designed based on your needs, investment time horizon and risk tolerance. Once the plan is in place, I have found that it is much easier to block out the noise and invest profitably!
sp
321 St Stevens Street, Suite 321 32 et Su Suit it RR
SM-CL0348839
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
BUSINESS & CIVIC
Geneva, IL 60134 630-232-9097 www.kdminvest.com
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 33
“
I keep waiting to wake up
“
from this dream.
Kerri Ann
Y
Artist and Owner of Kerri Ann Gallery ou never know where life will take you. To get to where she is today, Kerri Ann, an artist and owner of Kerri Ann Gallery in North Aurora, has been through a lot.
Kerri Ann was busy in the running and fitness industry, until she was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome at the age of 42. Symptoms of the disorder can include overly flexible tissue and joints that can dislocate and injure easily. She was participating in activities in which EDS patients shouldn’t participate, such as running marathons and hot yoga. After 10 minutes into a visit with her specialist, her whole life suddenly came together, she says. Questions were answered, such as why she had recurrent orthopedic injuries and why her twins were born very premature, causing them to have severe Cerebral Palsy. Kerri Ann’s doctor urged her to change her lifestyle so that she wouldn’t run the risk of more injuries.
What happened in 30 years? How does one get better at something with no practice? The Lord had taken away a love [of running] and returned a gift much more valuable.” Within a year, she shut down her training business and was painting full time. As time went on, she started to lean toward abstracts. “I felt abstract was my true expression … and people were connecting with my art,” Kerri Ann says. Things were taking off for the artist. She also was teaching “wine and canvas” painting party classes in restaurants and during private home parties. One day, an experiment with a new medium led her to a primary focus in art. Using what she calls “liquid metals,” Kerri Ann found her true expression.
“I could’ve just kept doing what I was, but I had two severely disabled children to help care for the rest of my life, as well as my two able-bodied kids,” Kerri Ann says. “Running myself into the ground risked their quality of life.”
Her liquid metal technique is done by using various metals, such as iron, copper or bronze. She then adds a chemical to oxidize the paint. Iron turns to rust and copper and bronze verdigris turn to variations of green and blue. Kerri Ann’s paintings are very organic looking with earthy color tones.
That’s when Kerri Ann remembered how much she enjoyed painting in high school. With only high school training, Kerri Ann began delving into oil portraits and realism.
In the last few years, the pieces she’s created as part of Kerri Ann Gallery have appeared in places she never thought possible.
“My ability surprised me,” she says. “I was an average painter in high school, but now my paintings resembled photographs.
“Life is good, and I am doing what I love. I am grateful for this gift,” she says. “I keep waiting to wake up from this dream.”
Kerri Ann Gallery
Batavia 630-677-2991 www.KerriAnn.gallery fb.com/KerriAnnGallery
34 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
BUSINESS & CIVIC
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
“ ” Geneva Cabinet Gallery, creating beautiful living spaces with style quality and value
Lynn Havlicek
Interior Designer and Owner, Geneva Cabinet Gallery
A
s a homeowner, having a beautiful kitchen often is a top priority. When it comes to planning a remodel of an existing room or designing a new room, Geneva Cabinet Gallery, 321 Stevens St., Geneva, is a good place to start. From kitchens to bathrooms or virtually any room in the home, the Geneva Cabinet Gallery staff can help customers design an ideal living space. The company combines functionality with quality materials to create a home environment that mirrors the personality of its inhabitants. Owner and interior designer Lynn Havlicek, and her creative team of designers, have decades of experience. Their expertise will simplify the process of designing any room, making sure the project flows seamlessly from the design phase through the finished product. After listening to a client’s wants, needs, expectations and budget requirements, Geneva Cabinet Gallery finds a balance between style, quality and value for the home. Geneva Cabinet Gallery offers a multitude of options, including a variety of manufacturers in cabinetry, countertops, appliances and plumbing fixtures, to work within any budget. Its cabinet product lines include Wood-Mode, Brookhaven, Décor and Koch cabinetry, which provide a range of choices to help clients obtain the look they want for the budget they have. No cabinet is complete without a countertop. Geneva Cabinet Gallery also offers an array of choices, including several quartz options. Making selections can be a daunting task, but with the help of the company’s creative team, Geneva Cabinet Gallery will guide clients through the entire process, from the first step to the last. For news, events or to browse images from the company’s online gallery, visit www.genevacabinetgallery.com. Also, those interested can sign up for emails of important new product offerings and events. To make an appointment with one of the designers, call 630-232-9500 or stop by the showroom.
Geneva Cabinet Gallery
321 Stevens Street, Geneva IL 630-232-9500 www.genevacabinetgallery.com
Renee Gust
Owner and Director of Kids Connection, Inc.
S
ince 2003, Renee Gust, owner and director of Kids Connection Inc. in St. Charles, has followed her passion to work with young children, especially those with special needs. Her vision of empowering children to build a solid foundation is the primary focus, which drives Gust and her staff every single day.
The 6,400-square-foot center offers early childhood education programs and programs for school-age children. The early childhood program uses play to incorporate important academic, fine and large motor skills and socialization to make sure all students are ready for elementary school. Finding child care centers willing to work with early intervention, local school districts and therapists, can be very difficult for parents that have students with varying needs. Gust takes great pride in her staff and their compassion when working with the challenges faced by children with special needs, such as Down syndrome and autism. Kids Connection offers full and extended-day programs. “This was something we felt necessary to do as more parents are not only working full time, but part-time, or working from home,” says Gust. “They might not need care five days a week, but need the flexibility of having care two days a week for longer periods. We try to offer various options for all of our families.” The staff utilizes the Illinois Early Learning Standards – which provides reasonable expectations for children’s growth, development, and learning in the preschool years – to make sure each student is prepared for kindergarten. “We incorporate the standards in our lessons every day, while balancing the very important aspect of play,” Gust says. Kids Connection offers a variety of services, including full-, part- and extended-day preschool programs for 15 months to “begindergarten.” Kids Connection is open year-round from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information about its programs, visit www.kidsconnection.info.
Kids Connection
2011 Dean St, St. Charles 630-587-9400 www.kidsconnection.info SM-CL0350374
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
BUSINESS & CIVIC
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 35
Christine Anderson
Lisa Dienst-Thomas
Therapist, Christine Anderson, Inc.
Jewelry Artist and Owner, Lisa’s Pieces
C
J
hristine Anderson is an experienced therapist who engages each client in the therapeutic process by developing treatment goals based on his or her individual needs.
A licensed clinical professional counselor, Anderson’s practice – Christine Anderson, Inc. – is located at 2455 Dean St., Unit 3G, in St. Charles. Anderson partners with clients to develop a plan that will utilize their support system, creativity, activity, mindfulness and positivity. Anderson enjoys engaging with people during the process by giving value to each client’s story and perspective through her client-centered approach. She has experience working with teens and adults. “My job as your counselor is to get you to a place where you don’t need me anymore,” she says. “Whatever your goals are and however long it may take, I’m here to empathize, listen, support and challenge you so you can meet your goals.”
Christine Anderson, Inc.
2455 Dean St., Unit 3G, St. Charles 630-262-2640 christineandersoninc.squarespace.com 36 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
ewelry artist Lisa Dienst-Thomas grew up tinkering, creating, knitting and sewing with her mother and grandmother’s encouragement. After taking a jewelry-making class, Dienst-Thomas found her true passion, which led the artist to start her own jewelry-making business, called Lisa’s Pieces. The artist specializes in eclectic contemporary metal and glass art jewelry, which is much sought after. An original resident artist, current board member and teacher at Water Street Studios in Batavia. Lisa instructs beginners and advanced students in metalsmithing, enameling, glass fusing and resins. Lisa is grateful to her students for driving her in new directions in teaching, as well as in her own jewelry-making.
Lisa’s jewelry is available for purchase from her studio at Water Street Studios in Batavia or online at LPJewelry.Etsy.com. To see examples from her classes, follow Lisa on Facebook at Facebook.com/LisasPiecesLPJewelry.
PAULINE SWENSON Massage Therapy
F
or more than 15 years, Pauline Swenson has practiced massage therapy in the Fox Valley area. The Illinois-licensed massage therapist works out of a warm, peaceful and soothing massage therapy suite in Geneva. After many years of working with a variety of clients with health, sports, stress-related and emotional issues, she has created a blend of effective techniques.
Swenson graduated in 2000 from the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard and is educated and knowledgeable in how the body works and functions. Her skills are coupled with a kind and intuitive heart. Her approach is technical, yet soothing, and she incorporates the needs of her clients in each individual session. “After meeting and listening to clients’ needs, I create a custom session that addresses specific work on the ‘hot spots,’” she says. “It is wrapped up in a well-blended session that combines touch therapies to soothe the mind, body and soul.” Many of Swenson’s clients find her bodywork helpful and beneficial, utilizing sessions as a regular part of their proactive plan for healthy living. For more information or to contact Swenson, call 630-605-7591, email pauline.massage@comcast.net or visit www.paulinemassage.com
For more information about Lisa’s Pieces, call 630-390-9086 or email her at benchloedylan@yahoo.com.
Lisa’s Pieces
160 S Water St, Batavia 630-390-9086 LPJewelry.Etsy.com BUSINESS & CIVIC
Pauline Swenson for Massage Therapy
630-605-7591 www.paulinemassage.com www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
FACING CHALLENGES FEARLESSLY
Debbie Leoni coaches others to overcome adversity By MELISSA RUBALCABA RISKE
L
ife has challenges, but for Debbie Leoni of Geneva, facing such challenges and helping others to do the same is her life mission. “My passion is to spread the message and to teach others how to live fearlessly,” Leoni said. Leoni says that in her life she’s faced negativity and adversities, such as divorce, family alienation and the death of a parent.
For the last 10 years, Leoni has worked as a life coach and speaker, sharing her stories and helping others to see past their obstacles and achieve their goals. “I help people identify what they’re afraid of and once they’re able to identify the fear, they can turn that fear into fearlessness and create the life they desire,” she says. She often brings her message in workshops. Friend Cynthia Funegard first met Leoni through a speaker series and later attended her workshops. “She’s a living testament to what she teaches,” Funegard says. “She has a sparkling personality and she’s very energetic.” Having previously worked as a personal trainer, and as an avid athlete, Leoni often incorporates elements of fitness and yoga in her workshops as a way to help people find their center. She also has a special program helping clients with weight loss, which combines traditional fitness methods with an effort to uncover the emotional components to eating.
To further spread her message, Leoni just completed her first book, “I Am Fearless: 12 Elements of Fearless Living,” which she self-published in April. Leoni says writing the book was a goal, but it also required her to overcome her own self-doubt. One thing of which Leoni isn’t fearful is public speaking. She says she enjoys leading workshops and speaking with groups.
Photo by Ron McKinney
“With any of those, I could have taken a different ending, but I moved from them and healed myself,” Leoni says.
“The result is people achieve their ideal weight and sustain it,” she says.
“I love the group energy,” Leoni says. “I love watching people transform right before my eyes.” She also enjoys leading meditation and helping people to utilize quiet introspection. Funegard says some of her favorite workshops have been the self-guided mediation programs. Funegard, a counselor who works with those recovering from addictions, says that Leoni’s workshops have helped her evolve in her career and her personal life as well. With the development of social media, Leoni has expanded her work by reaching out to clients through private Facebook pages. It has been a source of support for a group she developed, Alienated Grandparents Unite: No Expectations, Only Hope. The page provides information and support to grandparents who feel alienated or estranged from access to their grandchildren. Leoni says that social media is useful tool for reaching out to others facing this issue and to provide support.
Along with running her own business Leoni is dedicated to her community, volunteering her time and services to nonprofits in the Tri-Cities. She also is an active member with the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, where she serves as the vice president of the church board and is a facilitator for the women’s retreat. “I participate to give back and to be a part of the community,” Leoni says. “I love helping people find more happiness and fulfillment.”
“So many others are dealing with the same thing,” Leoni says.
HEALING SPACE 2075 Foxfield Road, Suite 102, St. Charles, IL 60174
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
BUSINESS & CIVIC
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 37
Forty-year-old family business grows into Flourishing Finish By CHRIS WALKER Photos by MISSY DONOVAN
Y
vette Cortes was born into the custom furniture business. She spent most of her life around it and now makes a living doing it. Cortes is the owner and operator of Flourishing Finish in Geneva, growing the custom upholstery business her parents, Isaac and Sylvia, started more than 40 years ago. As her parents have reached retirement, Cortes, who earned her interior design degree from Robert Morris College, has combined the expert offerings of Isaac’s Upholstering with her own expertise in interior design. Unique furnishings and home décor, drapery and bedding, interior design services, event design and furniture and décor rentals are available at Flourishing Finish. “I was literally raised in this environment, so I always see things differently,” she says. “My mom always had the decorative eye, and I’ve always loved putting things together in the house.”
The opportunity to combine the success of the upholstery business with her expertise and enthusiasm in interior design, as well as her love of furniture, appear to be a perfect fit, and one she looks forward to sharing with her clients. “It’s like a new birth and the two go hand-in-hand,” she says. “I have a great passion for what I do.” As an interior designer, Cortes assists with color selection, space and floor layout, furniture and accessory recommendations, and full-room design. Flourishing Finish offers custom upholstery services, which include slip clovers, cushions, pillows and bedding, as well as rrefinishing, custom painting and furniture repairs. With a large selection of fabrics and drapery hardware, Flourishing Finish also creates custom drapery and bedding for headboards, benches, throw pillows, cushions and bed skirts. As the business continues to grow, Cortes plans on offering distinctive décor and furniture items, including a line of custom furniture. “I take vintage furniture, design them, and then fix them up to sell in our showroom,” Cortes says, adding that the business also has a workshop on site. “They truly are one-ofa-kind pieces.”
Being around the business for such a long time has had a lasting impact on Cortes. “After I graduated from high school, I worked around the office for a while and saw what my mom and dad were doing,” she says. “It’s always been around me, which is why I have a love and passion for it. I realized I had en eye for it and that’s why I finally went to school for interior design.” 38 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
BUSINESS & CIVIC
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
SPRING INTO A GORGEOUS ADVENTURE.
Recognizing that there are some lifedefining moments that deserve special attention, Flourishing Finish also partners with clients by delivering home décor, furniture and décor settings to enhance an event. “When I started doing design work, I realized that there are so many things you can pour into events to make them special,” she says. “I can do different things for weddings and other celebrations, and we’ve got vintage furniture for rentals. I have church pews for outdoor wedding ceremonies and vintage doors and many other furnishings.” The designer also says that she can bring ideas on Pinterest to life for her clients. “There’s so many great ideas out there, but people don’t know where to begin,” she says. “We make it easy, handling everything from set up to take down. I’ll meet with people and find out what they’re trying to do and how they want it to look, and I’ll make that idea their own.” ¢ Flourishing Finish is located at 830 E. State St. in Geneva. The business is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and by appointment. For more information, call 630-208-9391 or visit www. flourishingfinish.com.
waxcenter.com
FIRST WAX FREE* *This fab offer expires 5/27/16
GENEVA / 630 208 4880 1056 Commons Drive
*May be redeemed only by first-time guests. Guests must reside in state where redeemed. Not valid for all services. Additional restrictions may apply. Visit waxcenter.com for complete terms and conditions. © 2015 EWC
SM-CL0348508
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
BUSINESS & CIVIC
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 39
CURB YOUR ANXIETY
HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO MODERN STRESSORS Stress and anxiety are probably the most prevalent issues I see in my practice. They seem to accompany us everywhere. While it is true that our modern life is full of stressors – such as work, family, traffic, finances, health, unexpected loss, disappointments and setbacks – it is the habitual responses to these stressors that color our individual life experiences.
40 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Even though we may not be aware of it, we have a constant stream of internal dialogue that can go on all day, narrating our experience, causing worry and constantly analyzing the current situation.
• Difficulty sleeping • Irritability • Edginess • Digestive issues
The “voice in your head” is where anxiety and stress live, and when it has all of your attention, you are held hostage, unable to experience peaceful moments. This pattern of thinking can have physical symptoms.
The first step is to become aware of your own self-talk. This allows you to connect with the peaceful “witness” inside of you. Then, you can adopt an holistic approach.
So, what is there to do to make some space in these life-long thought habits?
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY: • Muscle tension • Shallow breathing • Fatigue • Restlessness
FAMILY in FOCUS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS: ¢ MEDITATION This is a direct way to quiet and expand your mind. ¢ RELAXATION TECHNIQUES These help to release frenetic energy in the head, and bring vital energy back to the physical body. These techniques include abdominal breathing, relaxation and stress reduction techniques. ¢ EXERCISE Regular exercise has a direct impact on several physiological conditions that underlie anxiety. Exercise reduces skeletal muscle tension and discharges pent-up frustration and anger. ¢ DIET AND NUTRITION Diet can influence mood in several ways. Stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine can aggravate anxiety. Sugar, certain food additives and food sensitivities can make some people feel anxious. Additionally, weight loss in obese or overweight individuals improves mood. ¢ ENERGY HEALING Energy healing is extremely effective in alleviating anxiety in that it helps individuals to reconnect with their feelings and their inner voice. Because it works on such a high vibrational level, energy healing can shift the way people react to negative feelings and situations, and can work to dissolve fear and suffering. It provides a great boost to the other techniques, helping to anchor them. ¢ PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY Cognitive therapy seeks to help people change their thought patterns. ¢ MEDICATION There are times when medication can be helpful to alleviate anxiety. These work best when combined with the other techniques.
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.
Our specialty is treating patients with common and complex medical conditions that are not readily helped by traditional treatments alone. We succeed by using an integrated approach to guide all our patients to complete healing and wellness.
HealingSpace Medical Center ✥ Integrated Medicine
✥ Men & Women's Health Services ✥ Permanent Weight Loss ✥ Holistic Gynecology ✥ Integrated Cancer Care
& Survivorship ✥ Breast Health/Thermography ✥ Energy Medicine ✥ Homeopathy
Board-certified Physician Marilyn Mitchell, M.D. is the founder of HealingSpace Medical Center, an organization promoting and encouraging an integrative approach to medicine. www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
✥ Nutritional Counseling ✥ Therapeutic Massage ✥ Manual Lymph Drainage ✥ Lab Services ✥ Educational Workshops ✥ Insurance/Payment
Options Available
✥ CareCredit
2075 Foxfield Road, Suite 102, St. Charles, IL 60174
847.304.5526 www.healingspacellc.com FAMILY in FOCUS
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 41
TAKING THE LEAP TO
HOMEOWNERSHIP
Three questions for first-time buyers to consider By NAPS
I
f you or someone you care about is like many renters, you may be wondering if the time to buy a home is now.
According to the experts at the National Association of Realtors, the answer may be “yes.” Interest rates remain low and job growth is holding steady, leading to the strongest year of existing-home sales since 2007. While renting is a short-term decision and usually involves signing a yearlong lease, homeowners typically stay in their home around eight to 10 years before selling. That’s why, when determining what you want in your first home, it’s important to think about how your life may be different at least five years from now.
3. WOULD YOU PREFER SHINY CONSIDER THESE THREE QUESTIONS IF YOU’RE TAKING THE AND CUSTOMIZED OR A RESALE WITH MORE CHARACTER? LEAP TO HOMEOWNERSHIP: Buying new or used may come down to your 1. WHAT CAN YOU AFFORD? wallet. The most recent median price for Analyze your financial situation. Have all newly built homes was $292,700, compared current debt obligations – credit cards, student loans – been repaid on time? Find out to $228,700 for existing homes, according to NAR. A new home comes with such perks what you’re qualified to borrow by visiting a as being move-in ready and giving you the lender and getting a preapproval. option of customizing the interior. On the 2. DO YOU WANT A WALKABLE other hand, an existing home may have COMMUNITY OR LEAFY SUBURB? architectural charm and original hardwood A recent survey by NAR and Portland flooring but you may have to compromise on State University found that 79 percent of some features when buying a resale. participants place importance on being within Once you’ve made your decision, to ensure a easy walking distance of places. Having smoother buying experience, find a Realtor lots of dining and shopping options outside with expertise working with clients in your your door is popular but often comes with desired area. You’ll get invaluable insight on trade-offs. Consider this: If kids are in your local market conditions and have a guiding short-term future, you might prefer a large hand through the complex process of closing single-family home with a yard to a similarly on your first home. priced but smaller townhouse or condo.
u To find a Realtor, enter the zip code of the area in which you want to live, at www.realtor.com/realestateagents. 42 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
HOME & LIFESTYLE
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
10%
I.B. QUALITY CABINETS INC.
Complete Comple Com plete ple te Ser Servic Service vicee in vic in Cabi C Cabinets, abinet abi nets, net s, Cou Counte Countertops nterto nte rtops rto ps - Fami Family ly Owned Owned & O Operated ted • 4th 4th Ge Generation tion
See us for your next Cabinetry Project
off
Your next flooring project Save up to $1000
Bring us your estimates from the Big boxes or TV guys
We beat them every time! See more at
SM-CL0348838
Sale Ends05/31/16*See Storefor Details
612 S. First Street, Geneva, IL 630.262.9133 • www.ibqualitycabinets.com
Distinctive Hardwood
Hamilton House
Comfortable Carpet
DENTISTRY
Trust
you will receive exceptional oral care SERVICES
• Cosmetic & General Dentistry • Dentures & Repairs • Extractions & Implant
Beautiful Area Rugs & Easy Care Laminate
Elegant Tile
Shannon Samuels Farmer D.D.S.
• Second Opinions Given • Sleep Apnea Solutions • Tooth Whitening! • Kids Welcome
SM-CL0348526
309 Hamilton St., Suite C Geneva 630-232-1111 View our Special Offers at www.HamiltonHouseDental.com
(847) 6952211
SM-CL0348835
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
HOME & LIFESTYLE
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 43
Remember Mom Treat your Mom to beautiful flowers and unique gift items this
Mother’s Day
• Beautiful Planters and Hanging Baskets • Colorful Annuals and Perennials • Excellent Easy Care Roses • Reliable Trees, Shrubs and Evergreens • Glazed, Cast Stone and Terra Cotta Pottery • Decorative Fountains and Statuary • Garden Ironwork and Cedar Arbors • Unique Birdhouses, Terrariums, and more
91 Years – A Growing Legacy
91 “Meeting your growing needs since 1925.” 41W781 Route 64 | St. Charles | 630-584-4424 | wasconursery.com 44 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
HOME & LIFESTYLE
SUMMER LOVIN’… happens so fast With MEAGAN PROVENCHER
It has been an interesting spring, and – now – we are heading into the summer months, ready for more color. But, how can we extend the season to get more color? Plant more plants, of course. We have had many folks ask us if it’s too late to plant. Of course not. You can plant from March until December and the plants are none the wiser. The best time to visit a garden center is in the summer. Here are some ways to add to the garden for summer: ¢ If you are an impulse buyer, shop about every two weeks. That way, you’ll be bringing something home that is in bloom, thus easily staggering the bloom time in your garden. Need something flowering in July? Shop in July and buy what is blooming. ¢ Look at more than just the flowers a tree or shrub might have. Does it have colored stems, peeling bark, good fall color, unusual seed pods or fruit which will extend its season? ¢ Plant up containers – you don’t have to have all your containers match. Have a hodgepodge of random containers full of great new annuals. There are so many new annuals that are excellent performers, self-cleaning and all-season bloomers. Our greenhouse is bursting with color, and we are happy to help
you pick out plants and tell you more about them – especially our tropical plants. Ever try growing a banana tree? It has awesome dramatic foliage, and you can keep it from year to year. ¢ Check out some of the new dwarf forms of plants. Many of our old favorites are appearing as dwarf, smaller and slower growing forms. Lots of trees and evergreens are now dwarf forms – perfect for smaller yards.
start a raised bed, which makes veggie gardening even easier. ¢ Ask the staff. Often you may be frustrated with a spot in your garden, but if you give it to a garden center employee to look at it with fresh eyes, he or she should be able to solve most problems. Summer is a time to enjoy the outdoors, so create a space that can be destination for the family.
¢ New introductions that you may be missing out on. Check out Limoncello Barberry, Sapphire Surf Caryopteris, Hawaii Rose of Sharon, Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea and more. Many don’t bloom until summer. ¢ Start a vegetable garden. It’s not too late. In fact, it’s early. Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers like hot weather, so get them started now, and they will take off when it’s warm. Garden center staff can help you
HOME & LIFESTYLE
Meagan Provencher is the Sr. Landscape Designer for Wasco Nursery & Garden Center. She was recently chose as the 2016 Illinois Certified Nursery Professional of the Year. She can be reached at 630-584-4424 or design@wasconursery.com
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 45
EDITOR’S CHOICE: SPRING STYLE
A NEW SEASON IS UPON US, AND YOUR CLOSET COULD PROBABLY USE A LITTLE SPRING-CLEANING. UPDATE YOUR OVERALL LOOK WITH TRENDY ITEMS FOUND AT THESE GENEVA BOUTIQUES AND FASHION ENCLAVES.
¢ EVERNIA | GENEVA
¢ ODALISQUE BEAUTY APOTHECARY | GENEVA
¢ IVY LOVE BOUTIQUE | GENEVA
46 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
FASHION & BEAUTY
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
We are a Women’s Fashion Boutique located in downtown Geneva.
We have outfits for any Spring or Summer Occasion. 630 457 5445 ~ 219 W. STATE ST, GENEVA
WWW.EVERNIA219.COM Patio Open
¢ ARTEMISIA | GENEVA
THURSDAY
nner .99 BBQ Ribs Di LF SLAB 13 17.99 • HA FULL SLAB s’ menu) (From our kid ! EE FR t entree Kids Ea al per adult free kids’ me Includes 1 purchased. ms d Mushroo 75¢ Stuffe une) yle or Nept (Chicago St
Dine-in only. cepted. s ac No coupon quired. rchase is re Beverage pu
MONDAY eatloaf 11.99
FRIDAY
M Homemade Pizza Half Price Wings lo 75¢ Buffa
TUESDAY
ff 13.99 n Strogano Filet Migno ers rg Bu ice Half Pr r menu! burger on ou Half off any rs ge Fin 75¢ Chicken
AY WEDNESD s Sandwich Gyro Half Price Saganaki Half Price n Filet Migno k 13.99 Pepper Stea
.99 Fry N PERCH 11 Friday Fish N EAT OCEA D) 12.99 ALL YOU CA ATTERED CO (B IPS CH FISH & d The Juicy Kin 14oz 24.99 Prime Rib • • 12oz 22.99 10oz 19.99
SATURDAYJuicy Kind
The Prime Rib • 14oz 24.99 • 12oz 22.99 10oz 19.99
MONDAY
Miller Lite (25oz) 4.00 Zombies 6.99
TUESDAY
Sauza Margaritas 5.00 Corona & Corona Light 4.00
WEDNESDAY
Martinis 5.50 Coors Light 3.00 Daiquiris 5.00 Strawberry, Banana, Raspberry or Mango
Guinness 5.00 Rum Barrel 6.99 Half Price Bottles of Wine Can’t finish? Take it home!
FRIDAY Long Island Iced Tea 5.50
SATURDAY
Squire Mai Tai 6.99
SUNDAY
Absolut Bloody Mary 5.50 Mimosa 5.50 Half Price Bottles of Wine Can’t finish? Take it home!
SUNDAY
-Eat All-You-Can gers 11.99 Chicken Fin d The Juicy Kin Prime Rib • 14oz 24.99 • 12oz 22.99 10oz 19.99
THURSDAY
LIVE
ENTERTAINMENT THURS. thru SAT.
¢ DENISE’S ADORNMENTS GENEVA
Kitchen Open Late SM-CL0348528
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
www.thevillag esquire.com
““Great place to be!”
SOUTH ELGIN • 847-931-0400 • 480 Randall Road WEST DUNDEE • 847-428-4483 • 125 Washington Street
FASHION & BEAUTY
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 47
RAISING THE BARRE ON LOCAL FITNESS
By ALLISON HORNE
F
itness fads come and go, but one of the latest workout trends to flourish in the Chicago area is Pure Barre.
¢ WHAT IS PURE BARRE?
Pure Barre utilizes the ballet barre for a low-impact, total body workout, focusing on small, isometric movements that burn fat and create long and lean muscles. It was founded by fitness guru Carrie Rezabek Dorr in the basement of a Michigan office building in 2001. After taking off, Pure Barre began franchising in 2009 and finally reached the Chicago suburbs in 2013.
Pure Barre is a 55-minute workout that utilizes the ballet barre to work all parts of the body with a focus on areas that women usually have problems with, such as the butt, thighs, abs and arms.
After Emma Pollert took a class, she knew she had to bring Pure Barre to Chicago. Backed by an investor, she currently is the president of Pure September L.L.C., and has opened seven Pure Barre locations across the suburban market. “I was really inspired to bring Pure Barre to Chicago and the people [here],” Pollert says. “I knew it would be a workout that would fit in well.” The same thing happened for Geneva Pure Barre owner, Brynn Hanson. She took a class in Missouri in 2012 and knew that she had to open a location in the suburbs.
Despite the utilization of the barre, there is actually no ballet in the Pure Barre workout. “You definitely do not need to have any dancing or ballet background whatsoever,” Pollert says. “I don’t. I played college volleyball, and I wasn’t even that flexible when I started.”
“We call it ‘intelligent exercise’ because every single class we work certain muscle groups to the point of exhaustion,” Hanson says. “We know when clients get to that point. It works so quickly and you see results fast.” The class focuses on small movements, which in turn make it a very low impact workout that can be done seven days a week. “We say if you can hold onto a ballet barre, you can do it,” Hanson says. “We have people that have done marathons but find our class challenging, but it’s also challenging for people that haven’t worked out in years.” In addition to the regular class, for the first time ever, Pure Barre has launched a cardio inspired class, Pure Barre Platform, that kicked off in March.
Now there are more than 370 Pure Barre studios nationwide, including eight suburban locations, with two more opening soon.
48 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
HEALTH & WELLNESS
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
F R E S H
B O T A N I C
+
S K I N
17 S. Third Street
B O D Y
Geneva, IL 60134
630-423-7140
¢ WHY TRY IT?
Hanson and Pollert both note that a Pure Barre class becomes a closely-knit group, which is great for motivation. “There are great teachers, clients, and a great community,” Hanson says. “When you feel like you’re part of a community you’re so much more likely to take class than if you were to go to the gym and run on the treadmill.” Classes max out at around 22 people, so most are small and very client-focused, with the teachers walking around and making sure everyone is doing it right and making sure the form is perfect. “When I’m teaching, I’m helping everyone – walking around and making sure everyone is getting the most out of their work,” Hanson says. “That’s another thing that makes us stand out. The personalized approach.”
SM-CL0349055
CALL TODAY AND
SAVE
Wh en i t’s tim e
e to paint... It’s Prim
Ti
!! me
630-920-3300
Classes are $21 per session, although firsttimers can get unlimited access for $99 for the first month. “We provide a positive and welcoming environment,” Pollert says. “It’s a happy place for people and they look forward to coming.”
Exterior Trim Repaint
2599
Exterior Whole House Repaint
2149
Interior 1st Floor Repaint
3249
Interior Whole House Repaint
Includes washing, sanding, scraping & caulking Prime Time Painting • 630-920-3300 Must present offer. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Prices effective for most houses. Offer expires 6/30/16
+ Paint
$
We Paint inets Kitchen Cab m Vanities oo hr at B &
INTERIOR
Includes washing, sanding, scraping & caulking Prime Time Painting • 630-920-3300 Must present offer. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Prices effective for most houses. Offer expires 6/30/16
+ Paint
• Drywall and plaster repair • Accent Walls • Wallpaper Removal • Custom Colors • Striping • 2-Story Foyers and Family Rooms • Trim installation (baseboards, moldings and chair rail) staining and varnishing
EXTERIOR
• Power Washing • Carpentry Repair • Front Door Refinishing • Deck, fence and playset reconditioning and staining • Aluminum or vinyl siding painting. Window sill repair and replacement
www.primetimepaintinginc.com
SM-CL0348523
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
1249
$
HEALTH & WELLNESS
$
Includes 4 rooms plus foyer, hall and stairs Prime Time Painting • 630-920-3300 Must present offer. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Prices effective for most houses. Offer expires 6/30/16.
+ Paint
$
Includes 8 rooms plus foyer, hall and stairs Prime Time Painting • 630-920-3300 Must present offer. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Prices effective for most houses. Offer expires 6/30/16.
+ Paint
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 49
MCNALLY’S IRISH PUB
blends tradition with modern flair The recently reopened bar features a fresh menu, familiar vibe By KELSEY O’CONNOR | Photos by JOE PEREZ
W
hen you walk into the latest incarnation of McNally’s Irish Pub in St. Charles, the first thing you might notice is what hasn’t changed. McNally’s, which was briefly replaced by Valley Lodge Tavern last spring, opened its doors again in February to the delight of the many regulars the bar has accrued over the years. The changes are subtle, but significant. “Most people who were here two years ago wouldn’t even notice some of the differences,” says general manager Shay Clarke. “We restored it to what it was a couple years ago. And, in the process, we took advantage of this time to improve.”
IF YOU GO WHAT: McNally’s Irish Pub WHERE: 109 W. Main St. | St. Charles INFO: 630-513-6300 or mcnallyspub.com
50 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
Most of these improvements can be seen on the menu. The updated options blend classic comfort foods with more daring dishes. Chef Kevin Gillespie, formerly of The Patten House Restaurant in Geneva, is now at the helm in McNally’s kitchen. Clarke says that Gillespie has helped build a new focus on modern Irish cuisine. “We knew that we were going to go in with a totally new menu,” says Clarke. “We were playing with food and menus until we knew we were getting the right cross between the Irish fare we wanted and some of the DINING & ENTERTAINING
more adventurous things that [Gillespie] has introduced.” Top-selling items include the classic options that were on McNally’s original menu, such as fish and chips, shepherd’s pie and the Reuben sandwich. But many new dishes are catching on. The new small plates have been popular, such as crispy Brussels sprouts with bacon or the Jameson-glazed pork belly. An expanded entrees menu includes more new choices like a Guinness-battered eggplant Napoleon. Much of the inspiration for the revamped menu came straight from the source. “We went back to Ireland in October to have a look at what was popular in the best of Irish pubs in the cities of Ireland,” says Clarke. In the past, traditional Irish pubs didn’t offer an extensive menu. But the trends are changing today. “Most of them had made this huge leap toward being more cuisine-oriented,” he says. Other improvements have been made with the restaurant’s interior. The downstairs resembles a traditional Irish pub, adorned with décor dedicated to Irish sports, like rugby, hurling and Gaelic football.
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
The upstairs has a softer look, thanks to drapes and stained glass, and pays homage to famous Irish artists, poets and playwrights. The spotlight on the arts continues with live music. McNally’s features a variety of musical acts throughout the weekend. Friday and Saturday shows include an eclectic mix of singers and songwriters. Irish music (from 4 to 7 p.m.) on Sundays has been a tradition that has spanned 15 years. “We’re alternating the music between upstairs and downstairs, just experimenting really,” says Clarke. “But it’s been really great; we’ve got some great talent in the area.” The Guinness Drinkers Club is another addition. Members will have access to events, food specials, parties and promotions. Future events will include pint glass engraving and lessons on pouring the perfect glass of Guinness.
– Come See Our New Location! –
Fine Italian Dining and Catering
PRIVATE CHEF CATERING SHOWERS CORPORATE EVENTS In Your Home or Facility of Your Choice
Old World recipes made to order Homemade pasta & breads fresh everyday Open for Lunch & Dinner Monday - Saturday
“People come from a long way around to drink the Guinness we have here,” says Clarke. “It’s perfect or as near perfect as you can find in the United States.” u For more information about McNally’s Irish Pub, visit mcnallyspub.com.
131 S. First Street | St. Charles, IL
(630) 444-0202 • www.isaccokitchen.com SM-CL0348518
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
DINING & ENTERTAINING
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 51
1 8 TH A N N U A L
St. Charles Fine Art Show
Organized by
Presented by:
May 28 & 29 th
th
Memorial Day Weekend Sponsored by:
Saturday 10am-6pm Sunday 10am-5pm
Riverside Ave. & Main St. (Rt. 64) in Downtown St. Charles FREE Admission & Parking Rain or Shine
more info @ www.StCharlesFineArtShow.com
SOCIAL
Life
FESTIVAL OF COLOR
raises funds for mental health services Photos by JOE PEREZ On April 16, TriCity Family Services hosted its 27th annual Gala – Festival of Color. About 440 people attended the gala, which took place at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. The event raised more than $200,000 to provide mental health services to all ages and income levels within the community. Ramblin’ Ray of country music radio station US99.5 was the emcee for the evening. Diane Gibson, a long-time volunteer and supporter of TCFS, gave a speech about her family’s struggles during her daughter’s battle with anorexia and how the Family Based Treatment for Eating Disorders program was able to help. Jeffery Austin, a Season 9 finalist of “The Voice,” attended the event and performed three songs to close out the evening. In 2017, TriCity Family Services, 1120 Randall Court, Geneva, will celebrate its 50th anniversary. For more information, visit www. tricityfamilyservices.org.
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
OUT & ABOUT
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 53
Artist SHOWCASE
Nature is the source of inspiration for much of the artwork created by Fran Stilwagner. The artist works primarily in oil pastel and oil stick, but has also worked in oil paint, charcoal and acrylics. The rich color, texture and dimensionality of the oil pastel and oil stick technique she uses in her work allow for a wide range of expression.
FRAN STILWAGNER GENEVA OIL PASTEL “I can readily create subtle tones or bold vibrant “AUTUMNAL” hues,” she says. “I love the tactile experience of
these media in my hands and as they are applied to
board, paper or canvas. I apply layers, and may rub and scrape the surface. I develop dimensions, as a sculptor might.” The Geneva resident, who works out of her home studio, says she loves to “experiment and try new media all the time.” Both the media being used and the subject influence the direction the piece will take. “When I start, I am open to the process,” she says. “One might call me an impressionistic painter, because my paintings result from my engagement
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.” 54 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
OUT & ABOUT
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
with the media, the subject matter, and my own intentions and responses.” The award-winning artist recently had her work on display at the Wasco Nursery and Garden Center A Gallery of Nature exhibit, “Passionate About Pastels,” and currently has work displayed at Allen+Pepa Architects in Aurora. u For more information or to view more of Stilwagner’s work, visit www. franstilwagner.com.
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
OUT & ABOUT
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 55
CALENDAR
MAY 2016
ALAN PARSONS ‘GREATEST HITS TOUR 2016’
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, May 7 WHERE: Arcada Theatre | 105 E. Main St. | St. Charles Alan Parsons will return to the Arcada Theatre for another show. Known as one of the world’s most iconic prog-rock musicians, Parsons has been captivating audiences since the mid-’70s. The show will contain a collection of showmanship, stunning lights and memorable classics. Tickets start at $59. For tickets, visit www.arcadalive.com.
DUPAGE VETERANS FOUNDATION’S FUNDRAISER FOR HONOR FLIGHT WHEN: 11 a.m. Saturday, May 7 WHERE: DuPage Airport 2700 International Dr. | West Chicago
The DuPage Veterans Foundation will host its fifth annual fundraiser for Honor Flight Chicago. Attendees will join World War II and Korean War veterans for lunch while also enjoying a posting of colors, bagpipes and more. Music of the era will be performed by the “Legacy Girls” and the Naperville Big Band. On the tarmac, vintage war aircraft, military vehicles and other military equipment will be available for viewing. If weather permits, the pilots will take flight for a mini air show. There will be displays of memorabilia, uniforms and maps. The event also will feature a silent auction and split-the-pot raffle. All of the proceeds will benefit Honor Flight Chicago – a charitable organization that flies WWII Veterans from Midway Airport to Washington D.C. for a day of reflection at the War Memorials. The cost to attend is $30 for adults ($40 at the door), $20 per child, and free to WWII and Korean War veterans, and Active Duty (with ID).
‘MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL’ SCREENING
WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday, May 9 (doors open at 6:15 p.m.) WHERE: Paramount Theatre 22 E. Galena Blvd. | Aurora “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” will be screened at Paramount Theatre as part of its classic Movies Mondays film series. The definition of a cult classic, “Monty Python” is one of the most popular comedies of all time. It’s 10th century England, and God just sent King Arthur (and his eclectic Knights of the Round Table) on a quest to find the Holy Grail. On the way, they encounter some interesting personalities. Tickets cost $1, and are available for purchase at the door. Concessions are available for purchase. For more information, visit paramountaurora.com/series/moviemondays.
WILDFLOWERS BY EVENING
WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 12 WHERE: Dick Young Forest Preserve 39W115 Main St. | Batavia During the Forest Preserve District of Kane County’s evening wildflower walk, attendees will learn tips for identifying wildflowers and about the ecology of the woods where they grow. The event is free. To register, call 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest. com.
56 | MAY 2016 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE
WINE DINNER FEATURING FIDDLEHEAD WINEMAKER
FERMILAB LECTURE SERIES: PLUTO REVEALED
Atwater’s in The Herrington Inn & Spa will host a wine dinner, which will feature a five-course meal paired with selections from Fiddlehead Cellars. Kathy Joseph, proprietor and winemaker of Fiddlehead, will be the guest speaker at the upcoming dinner. Seating is limited and advance reservations are required. The wine dinner costs $95 a person. For more information, contact Ricco Lepez by calling 630-208-8920 or by emailing ricco_lepez@herringtoninn.com.
In 2015, Pluto emerged from the depths of the outer solar system and joined the family of planets and moons that spacecraft have visited, surveyed and studied. During the lecture, Dr. David Weintraub of Vanderbilt University will describe what has been learned about Pluto, and he will discuss how our new knowledge about Pluto impacts our understanding of Pluto, of planets more generally, and of our solar system. Tickets cost $7. For tickets, visit www.fnal. gov/culture.
WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 12 WHERE: Atwater’s at the Herrington Inn 15 S. River Lane | Geneva
‘WHEN NOT THAT GOOD’ STAGED AT STEEL BEAM THEATRE
WHEN: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and 3 p.m. Sundays; running May 13 through June 5 WHERE: Steel Beam Theatre 111 W. Main St. | St. Charles “When Not That Good,” a world-premiere comedy, was written by Richard Culliton, an Emmy Award-winning author on “Days of our Lives.” Every July, the Scanlons come together at their Cape Cod home to celebrate being a family, but – this year – it’s even worse than usual. Tickets cost $28 for general admission; $25 for seniors; and $23 for students. For tickets, visit www. steelbeamtheatre.com.
ILLINOIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WHEN: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 15 WHERE: Prisco Community Center 150 W. Illinois Ave. | Aurora
Support new film producers and original films from around the world during the Illinois International Film Festival. After purchasing a daily ticket, audience members can come and go all day. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Tickets cost $13 each day and are available at seatyourself.biz/ foxvalleyparkdistrict.
TOM VENDAFREDDO AND MARYA GRANDY CABARET-STYLE CONCERT WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday, May 15 WHERE: Norris Cultural Arts Center 1040 Dunham Rd. | St. Charles
Tom Vendafreddo and Marya Grandy will bring their cabaret-style concert to the Norris Cultural Arts Center’s “Music in the Gallery” series. The duo will perform show tunes and standards. Vendafreddo, a Jefferson Award nominee, is a powerhouse performer combining Broadway-caliber talents in singing and acting. Marya Grandy is familiar to Chicago area musical theater patrons for her portrayals of dozens of character in productions throughout the Chicago area. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for children under the age of 12. For tickets or more information, visit norrisculturalarts.com.
BACKYARD BARBECUE
WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday, May 20 WHERE: Mill Creek Golf Club 39W525 Herrington Dr. | Geneva Fox Valley Food for Health will host its 4th annual Backyard Barbecue, an evening of eats, entertainment, raffles and prizes. The organization utilizes volunteer chefs to train teenagers to prepare meals for seriously ill community members and their families. The cost is $75, and participants must be at least 21 years old. For information, visit www.foxvalleyfoodforhealth.org. OUT & ABOUT
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, May 20 WHERE: Fermilab Wilson St. and Kirk Rd. | Batavia
BUTTERFLY RELEASE PARTY
WHEN: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 21 WHERE: Peck Farm Park 4038 Kaneville Rd. | Geneva The Geneva Park District will host a Butterfly Release Party. Participants will be able to release a live butterfly inside the Peck Farm Park Butterfly House. Each participant will receive official adoption papers and a butterfly passport to earn stamps in a scavenger hunt throughout Peck Farm Park and Hawks Hollow Nature Playground. Advance registration is recommended, since space is limited. The cost is $10 a person. Participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 630-232-4542 or visit www.genevaparks.org.
18TH ANNUAL FINE ART SHOW
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 28, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 29 WHERE: Downtown St. Charles Riverside Ave. | St. Charles The award-winning, highly regarded St. Charles Fine Art Show will feature the work of more than 100 juried artists in various mediums, including watercolor, oil, sculpture, photography, jewelry, ceramics, fiber, wood and glass. The event also will feature live music, free trolley tours and hand-on activities. The event is free to attend. For more information, visit www. downtownstcharles.org.
p COFFEE BREWING CLASS
WHEN: 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, May 28 WHERE: FreshGround Roasting 321 Stevens St., Suite N | Geneva FreshGround Roasting in Geneva will host a Coffee Brewing Class. Each coffee brewing class covers the basics of brewing coffee in one of several brewing methods. The methods vary but, typically, cold brew coffee in a Toddy coffee brewer, pour over coffee methods and immersion methods, like the French press, are included. Space is limited for these classes. Tickets cost $10 a person, which includes, a “How to Brew Great Coffee at Home” booklet, a 1-pound bag of the coffee that is brewed that day and a 15-percent off coupon. For tickets or more information, visit freshgroundroast.com. www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
Become
a f an!
Don’t Let Painful Varicose Veins Interrupt Your Life. If you have leg pain, aching or cramping, swollen leg veins, burning or itching legs, you may have venous progressive medical condition. That’s why you should see Dr. Rimas Gilvydis, one of the Midwest’s leading vein specialists.
Follow the Kane County Magazine at facebook.com/KaneCountyMagazine.
Unlike other vein practices, Gilvydis Vein Clinic: • Focuses exclusively on superior vein care. • Uses state-of-the-art ultrasound to diagnose your vein problem.
Skyline Tree Service was established in 1988 and is family owned and operated. After 26 years of service, we still hold strong to our original commitment to excellence to provide our customers with quality tree care services
• Accepts insurance for most varicose vein procedures.
815-517-9449 *No doctor referral required.Treatment is covered by most insurance plans. Free screening consists of a short examination and a discussion of possible next steps for treatment. Excludes a full medical history review or an ultrasound diagnostic.
Good time to trim trees while they’re dormant!
Call to see if you qualify for a FREE Vein Screening!*
Technology. Commitment. Experience.
Removal • Lawn Service Emergency Services • Tree Trimming Stump Removal • Landscaping
Results.
2127 Midlands Court, Suite 102 Sycamore, IL 60178 815-517-9449 www.GilvydisVein.com
ŠHS 2016
Time for Spring Clean-Up
• Has completed more than
laser vein treatments.
630-584-2221 | WWW.SKYLINETREESVC.COM
Residential, Commercial and Municipal
SM-CL0348524
www.kcchronicle.com/magazine
OUT & ABOUT
KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | MAY 2016 | 57
floral creations for life’s special events Mother’s Day May 8th
towncountrygardens.com Elgin · 219 Douglas Ave. · 60120 · 847.724.1135 Geneva · 216 W. State St. · 60134 · 630.232.6685 Bartlett · 855 IL Rte. 59 · 60103 · 630.289.2111 Algonquin · 1310 E. Algonquin Rd. · 60102 · 847.658.3181 Schaumburg · 1419 W. Schaumburg Rd. · 60194 · 847.895.9559
ANIMAL WELFARE CAREERS OFFER CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
By Anderson Animal Shelter Featured Sponsor DePaw University Canine Campus
Beth Drake’s passion for animals was sparked at an early age when her family in rural Oregon cared for injured or orphaned wild creatures, including raccoons, skunks, coyotes and owls.
homes for our pets which allows us to trade interrogation for conversation,” Drake says. “This type of adoption experience is more pleasant for our adopters and adoption staff. Staff are no longer gate keepers. They’re matchmakers.”
“Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around animals,” says Drake, executive director of Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin. “As I grew older, I never lost my passion for helping animals, especially those negatively impacted by people.”
Shelters are also being transformed for the animals. “An important focus at Anderson is to reduce stress in our shelter animals to keep them physically and emotionally healthy,” Drake says.
Drake’s animal welfare career path started in Hawaii, researching diseases in endangered birds after she earned a bachelor and master’s degree in biology. She preferred hands-on work with animals, and in 2000, she became director of operations at Anderson. Three years later, she was hired as executive director of TAILS Humane Society in DeKalb. In 2014, she returned to Anderson to help the now 50-year-old organization realize its life-saving potential.
While more communities nationwide are becoming “no kill” by saving more animals, the dog overpopulation in the south remains a big issue with too many dogs and not enough adopters. That’s why shelters like Anderson partner with animal welfare organizations in the south, transporting dogs and puppies to Illinois where loving, adoptive families await them. Anderson staff make a monthly, 12-hour trip to Oklahoma to help its partners by taking as many dogs and puppies as shelter and foster space allow. The average length of stay once these lucky dogs become available for adoption is only five days for adults and three days for puppies.
“What excites me most about my job is saving lives and doing what I can to fulfill the professional aspirations of my staff,” Drake says. “I can’t imagine a career that is more rewarding than animal welfare.” Her two biological daughters and two foster daughters are equally passionate about animals. “No matter what career my girls choose, I wish them the same level of fulfillment I have been blessed with,” she says. “To know you make a difference every day is a truly wonderful feeling.”
! u o y hT ank
Shelters are providing positive environments for adopters, too. “We recognize our adopters are well intentioned, knowledgeable and capable of providing appropriate 630-232-8663
Geneva, IL
N U IVE W A P Trainer andUNPet One of the Best Pet Groomer! IV DePAW University, Canine Campus
For voting us the Best Pet InKennel & is supports Women Business and proudly woman owned!
ER
,I N C.
INC.
S IT Y
DE
Come in for a tour and see why we are the first choice for your pet in the area!
TY
Dayca
CANI
CANI
$8.00 OFFg, or din Training, Boar 630-232-8663 e clients! re for first tim
PAW
RS I
DE
SM-CL0348829
For those considering similar careers, Drake says there’s never been a better time or greater need to further the significant advancements in animal sheltering. Over the past 20 years, Drake points to positive animal welfare trends, including “no-kill communities” and more people- and pet-friendly adoption experiences, all of which are in play at Anderson.
Two years ago, an extensive shelter renovation created more animal-friendly spaces and reduced the number of animals at the shelter. For example, the pre-renovation population of cats was nearly 200. Post-renovation, Anderson cares for about 60 cats, allowing staff and volunteers to provide more individualized care that keeps them healthier. For dogs, the problem wasn’t overpopulation but under stimulation. Pre-renovation, Anderson’s kennels were small and dogs were primarily walked on leash, with no interaction with other dogs. Post-renovation, Anderson introduced dog playgroups in fenced areas, allowing dogs to get more exercise and have positive experiences with other canines. The result: Anderson’s adoption numbers have skyrocketed – from 673 adoptions in 2013 to a record 2,067 adoptions in 2015.
N
EC E S, A M PC UA M P U S N
DePAW owner Stephannie with Cesar Millan
DePAW Owner Stephannie Caliendo with Cesar Millan
TRAINING
•
BOARDING
•
DAYCARE
•
GROOMING
•
EDUCATION
Perfect Gifts for all of your Family Occasions, From Graduation through Mother’s Day!
Diamond Earrings Starting at $250
230 West State Street | Geneva, Illinois | 630.232.2085 www.statestreetjewelers.com M-F 10-6; TH 10-8; Sat 10-5; Sun 11-4