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Reagan project tells his life story with oral histories

Outdoor activities stress safety first at hunting clubs

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‘Comfortable and peaceful’

magazine Publisher Trevis Mayfield

Advertising Director Jennifer Baratta Editor Larry Lough

Renovated 1880 home provides magical escape from everyday life

Magazine Editor Marla Seidell Page Design Amanda Ellmaker Robin Norburg Matt Lindstrom Published by The Telegraph 113 S. Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 815-284-2224

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Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Dixon Living Magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

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features Find relief

‘Reagan, the person’ Oral history project focuses on president’s personal life, as well as presidency

 ‘To promote literacy and the love of reading’ Little Free Library springs up in Dixon

Local clubs have the cure for ‘hunter’s itch’

 ‘It’s pretty simple’ Massage by Joseph comes right to your door

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 Works of art

Scooping up memories

 Canterbury Concerts to celebrate 30 years in Dixon Anniversary Gala in October; Christmas concert in December

 Delving into the past Research leads teacher to Swissville

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Cobblestone Ice Cream offers more than 51 flavors, cakes

Chilean artist inspired by life, mythology

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Helping veterans ... and their families

‘It is not just a job, it is an art form’

VFW of Dixon offers solace through camaraderie

Photographer specializes in maternity, engagement shots

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REAGAN, THE PERSON

Michael Reagan talks about his father, Ronald Reagan, and introduces a video chronicling his accomplishments at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, on Sept. 1, 2004. (Photo by Irwin Thompson)

Oral history project focuses on president’s personal life, as well as presidency

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

T

he heritage and history of the city of Dixon influences those who live here today.

For many, the most important historical facet in Dixon’s history is the story of the rise of Ronald Reagan from small-town boy to president of the United States of America.

Two programs – the Ronald Reagan Oral History Project done by the Miller Center in Virginia, and the Northwest Territory Historic Center’s Ronald Reagan Oral History Project – strive to unearth the man, rather than just the president, that Ronald Reagan was.

Stephen Knott, the Miller director of the Reagan Oral History Project from 2001 through 2007 and professor at the U.S. Naval War College, is incredibly proud of the collection, which includes 46 interviews done between August 2001 and 2006.

The Reagan project echoes the small town values instilled in Reagan during his time in Dixon.

“Most oral histories tend to focus more on policy questions, very substantive questions about economics and politics,” Knott explained. “Our goal in the project was to get a hand on Reagan, the man, and Reagan, the person.

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“

There was also the famous wall between him and close friends. Once Nancy Reagan even said that she herself had had to deal with this wall. For us, we tried to focus on the mystery of who he was and why.

STEPHEN KNOTT

”

The Reagan project echoes the small town values instilled in Reagan during his time in Dixon.

“Most oral histories tend to focus more on policy questions, very substantive questions about economics and politics,” Knott explained. “Our goal in the project was to get a hand on Reagan, the man, and Reagan, the person.

“There was also the famous wall between him and close friends. Once Nancy Reagan even said that she herself had had to deal with this wall. For us, we tried to focus on the mystery of who he was and why.”

Because of that, the Reagan project includes interviews from people in positions not involved in other projects. These interviewees illustrate that the importance of fun, happiness, and friendliness, ever present within Dixon, were also present in the White House during Reagan’s administration.

“We made a point to try and interview secretaries and personal assistants and people who are oftentimes ignored because they did not have some major policy influence,” Knott said. “They were just all struck by what a kind and thoughtful, caring person Reagan was.

“Some people just talk about how fun it was work in this White House. This was interesting because some had worked for other presidents, and those were not fun times or experiences. His attitude permeated the White House and affected everyone in it.”

Continued on page 8

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The Northwest Territory Historic Center, formerly known as Dixon Historic Center, has also created a collection of local oral interviews.

Those interviews can be found on the website of the Northwest Territory Historic Center.

Many of those who had a personal connection with Reagan discuss his time in Dixon and his genuinely gentle personality.

Reagan’s personality was greatly influenced by Dixon, and Dixon has been influenced by Reagan. That influence continues today for those who worked with the project and visit Reagan’s Boyhood home in Dixon.

“I had gone into it admiring Reagan, but by the end, I admired him even more because of the kind of man he was,” Knott said. “There were some people around the president who mistook his gentleness and really doubted his ability to survive in the cut-throat world of Washington.

“In many ways, he was far more confident and insightful than those people. It is kind of rare that someone that decent to make it that far, to become the president of the United States. At the end, I admired him as more of a man.” s

Stephen Knott (Submitted from http://millercenter.org)

Dutch treat The Northwest Territory Historic Center’s Ronald Reagan Oral History project is on the website at www.northwestterritoryhistoriccenter.org./ronald_reagan_oral_ history_project/ronald_ reagan_oral_history_project.html The Ronald Reagan Oral Histories completed by the Miller Project of the University of Virginia can be found at http://millercenter.org/president/reagan/oralhistory

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TO PROMOTE LITERACY AND THE

LOVE OF READING

Little Free Library springs up in Dixon

BY LUCINDA HALL SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

L

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Dixon Living Grace Gates (left), 8, and Charlie Cole, 7, visit the little library at their neighbor Lynn Camery’s home at the end of Hill Street in Dixon.

ynn Camery has a friendly front yard. Tucked into a quiet residential Dixon neighborhood, her shaded lawn has an American flag, a hanging flower basket, a bird feeder, and a library.

Yes, a library. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And, it’s free.

Camery is one of thousands of people throughout the world who have been inspired by their passion for reading to join the Little Free Library movement by placing a free library in her yard at 801 Fifth Ave. in Dixon.

Founded in 2010 in Wisconsin, the LFL non-profit organization has a simple but compelling mission statement: “To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide. To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.�

Since then, more than 6,000 little libraries have sprung up internationally to offer free books in small house-like library boxes with a simple posted message. “Take a book. Read a book. Return a book. If possible, donate a book. Enjoy.�

After reading an article on LFL, Camery was hooked. “I knew this was something I could do,� she said. “It was such a great ‘pay it forward’ idea.�

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She took her enthusiasm and a library box plan to next-door neighbor Bob Wildman.

“He’s such a talented craftsman,” Camery explained.

Wildman, a retired civil engineer who now builds primitive-style Shaker and Nantucket furniture, collaborated with Camry to build a miniature reproduction of her home, completed with an asphalt roof and windows.

“Lynn is quite the reader and enjoys books,” Wildman said. “This was an opportunity to share with other people. The happiness that this gives Lynn, well, I’m just happy for her.”

The sturdy, weather-proof library has two book shelves. The top shelf contains fiction, and the bottom section has autobiographies, Do-It-Yourself, non-fiction, young adult, teen and children’s books. While Camery originally stocked the shelves with donated books from family and friends, she has been amazed by the diversity of additional books that have been donated.

“Somebody donated a book on how to coach hockey, another donated a French/English dictionary, and there are three cookbooks in case anyone needs an idea for supper!” she said. “It amazes me the scope and breadth that these readers share.”

Books range from modern fiction by Jonathan Kellerman and James Patterson to classics such as “Robinson Crusoe” and the “Adventures of Sherlock Homes.”

Lincoln, Twain and Edison are just a sampling of autobiographies that have appeared on the shelves.

Most rewarding has been the sense of community the library has encouraged.

“Kids stop by when they’re walking home from school, out riding their bikes or playing outside,” Camery said. “Families stop by on their daily walks. Parents stop by on their way home from work.

“I love it when I see kids sitting in my front yard, reading their books. They’re so excited they can’t wait until they get home.”

If she needed any convincing that it is worthwhile, one night there was a knock at her door. Standing there were a brother and younger sister, each holding a book. The boy asked, “Is this for real?”

Neighbor Charlie Cole, 7, has enjoyed selections from the little library.

The house has books for kids and adults.

“When I told them yes, they looked at each other, just beaming and smiling,” Camery said. “The little girl looked at me and said, ‘This is SO cool!’”

Camery encourages others to become involved so that more libraries can be added. She knew she would have the support of Wildman for building the library – and from family, friends and neighbors to donate books. It has been a small investment with gratifying results.

“Parents and kids need to realize that not everyone has access to a computer, Kindle, iPhone or whatever,” Camery said. “The LFL lets everyone experience the joy of reading for free.”

She exemplifies the LFL mission “I’d like to think that we all want to share our love and passion for reading,” she said. “Instead of books collecting dust in an attic or basement, with the LFL, they’re shared. It’s that ‘pay it forward,’ again and again.” s

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Book ’em To learn more about Little Free Library, visit www.littlefreelibrary.org

Neighbors Bob Wildman and Lynn Camery worked together to bring the little library to the neighborhood, Lynn with the idea and Bob building the little house.

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SCOOPING UP

MEMORIES

BY LONNIE MILLER SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

Cobblestone Ice Cream offers more than 51 flavors, cakes

H

ow long has it been since you took your favorite gal to an old-fashioned ice cream parlor? That nostalgic option is now available in Dixon. Grab the gal, or the family for that matter, and take a trip down memory lane at Cobblestone Ice Cream.

There’s a lot of fun happening in the bright pink building with a blue stripe at the southwest corner of Galena Avenue and Boyd Street. Patrons line up

at the ice cream counter to decide which of more than 50 flavors of handscooped ice cream to try.

Bring the whole family, because owner Josh Burkhalter offers non-dairy options; no-fat, no-sugar yogurts or ice cream; and at least four flavors of Italian Ice. The store features an old Hey Brothers recipe, orange pudding, which originated right in Dixon.

Continued on page 14

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If you feel daring, you could order up an Elvis Fluffer Nutter sundae, flurry or malt, or have a sundae, flurry or malt made from any of the 51 flavors of ice cream that fill the shiny glass cases.

Speaking of malts, the malt machine at Cobblestone was originally made near Dixon, the 450th machine, manufactured on Feb. 13, 1976, at the Prophetstown facility. It has been totally rebuilt by the manufacturer. Its previous stint was in a Prince Castle restaurant, where Josh found it and decided to give it new life in his Dixon Cobblestone store. It has earned its place already, having so far made more that 60 hand-made malts a day.

If you’d like to re-create those date-night moments from long ago, order a root beer float made with draft root beer, or have a Bloomer’s Old-fashioned Soda. The waffle cones are also a huge hit, and feature full 6-ounce scoops of your choice. No tiny little scoops here!

A single scoop will cost you $2.69 on a regular cone, and 99 cents more for that big waffle cone; two dips cost $3.79; and three are $4.89.

Create a rainbow of color on top of that cone, or ask for a madscientist version of a flurry. You’ve got options galore at this store.

Of course, if you’re a purist, there are delicious vanilla or chocolate choices, too.

Special occasions can be celebrated with a specialty flavor ice cream cake, made from one of Cobblestone premium flavor combos.

Try Peanut Butter Persuasion, Fluffer Nutter, Banana Split, Turtle Brownie, Chocolate Indulgence, Oreo, Java Crunch, StrawberryBanana Bliss, Mint Cookie Mix-up, or Celebration Sensation.

Cheesecake? So many flavors are available that it’s impossible to name them all here. If you don’t need a whole cake, Cobblestones offer sandwiches in various combos, too. Fall flavors include DeepDish Apple Pie, Cinnamon, and Pumpkin. New ideas are showing up every week at Cobblestone.

Josh planned to add a small food line to the store to provide Chicago-style dogs, gyros, Italian beef sandwiches, and

Josh Burkhalter opened Cobblestone 51 Flavors in Dixon in May. Burkhalter also owns Cobblestone Deli in Sterling.

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soup on the menu.

Dixon is the second Cobblestone store. Cobblestone Ice Cream and Deli is at Lincolnway and Freeport Road in Sterling, but Josh’s energies are focused on the Dixon operation.

“I just love Dixon,” Josh said. “It’s a wonderful town; people are so supportive, and family-oriented. It’s been very rewarding to open a store here.

“I see three generations coming in, grandparents bringing their whole families. Kids that have allergies can enjoy the store, too. I made sure we have something for everyone. The town has been so welcoming, I really appreciate that.”

If you’d like to offer employee appreciation treats, Cobblestone will bring a cart full of ice cream right to your workplace.

Parking and a drive-through are easy, just off Galena or Boyd. The store offers lots of memory-making fun for the whole family, or a sweet ending to a date night with your favorite gal. s

Something sweet Cobblestone Ice Cream 51 117 N. Galena Ave. 815-288-6666 Hours 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Sunday

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/ Dixon Living Cobblestone 51 Flavors in Dixon is located at 117 N. Galena Ave.

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CANTERBURY CONCERTS TO CELEBRATE 30 YEARS IN DIXON

Anniversary Gala in October; Christmas concert in December

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

F

or Dixon music lovers, few places offer a musical experience comparable to that of Canterbury Concerts.

Artistic director Tim Boles has been with Canterbury since 1984.

“The purpose of the Canterbury choir and our musical events is to provide an affordable theatrical experience for those in the Dixon area,” he said. “Our shows are performed by members of the same orchestras theatergoers pay hundreds of dollars to see in Chicago.”

This year, Canterbury has something special in store to celebrate 30 years of performing in the Dixon area. This milestone will be observed with the Canterbury Concert Series 30th Anniversary Gala at 5 p.m. Oct. 20.

The special performance at Historic Dixon Theater will feature the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra of Chicago, which will perform music from movies such as “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Geared toward families, first-timers, and faithful followers, this show is designed to thrill even the most seasoned crowds.

“The music is much more difficult than many would imagine just from watching the films featured in this event,” Boles said. “This show is designed to transport those in the audience to the places they remember in those movies they love so much.”

General admission for all Canterbury Choir events is $5. A family pack is

available for $12, which includes two adult tickets and children’s tickets.

“The wide variety and short pieces make this a great way to introduce children to the sounds of a live professional orchestra,” according information from the Canterbury Choir.

And the winner a special raffle will take home a Harry Potter wand that will be used by Tim Boles during the concert, as well as a poster signed by the performers and Boles.

For people more familiar with the choir and for lovers of the holidays, Canterbury Concerts will again perform the English Christmas Lessons and Carols on Dec. 22 at St. Luke Episcopal Church. Unlike at other events, the audience participates, singing with the choir.

Canterbury Concerts’ 30th anniversary events will be performed at a variety of venues.

“The connection between the orchestra and the conductor allows for incredible music to happen,” Boles said. “While rehearsals provide the opportunity to become acquainted with the members of the orchestra, the performances are special.

“For us, we feed off the energy of the audience, using their mood and the atmosphere created by those watching, to create an emotional response to the music. You never know what will happen, and for me, that is the most rewarding aspect of my job when I do conduct.” s

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CONCERT SCHEDULE OCT. 20 5 p.m., “Metropolis Symphony Goes to the Movies!� at Historic Dixon Theatre

NOV. 16

7 p.m., Scott Stevenson Jazz Quartet, The Next Picture Show

DEC. 22

4:30 p.m., “English Christmas Lessons & Carols� with The Canterbury Singers, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

JAN. 19

4:30 p.m., Metropolis Quartet: Oboe, Violin, Cello and Piano, Philander Hall

FEB. 22

7 p.m., “A Night on Broadway!� at The Next Picture Show

APRIL 2014

Canterbury Singers & Todd Gresick, organ, Spring Gala: “Rejoice in the Lamb� by Benjamin Britten

JUNE 2014

“A Little Night Music,� Philander Hall

Photos submitted Facing Page – This year, Canterbury has something special in store to celebrate 30 years of performing in the Dixon area. This milestone will be observed with the Canterbury Concert Series 30th Anniversary Gala at 5 p.m. Oct. 20. “The purpose of the Canterbury choir and our musical events is to provide an in the Dixon area,� Artistic Director Tim Boles said. “Our shows are performed by members of the same orchestras theatergoers pay hundreds of dollars to see in Chicago.�

Get your ticket For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.canterburyconcerts.com or www.vivadixonarts.org.

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HELPING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES VFW of Dixon offers solace through camaraderie

The Dixon VFW hosts weekly events like cruise night on Thursdays and a Friday night fish fry.

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Dixon Living Kim Crawford, manager of the Dixon VFW, serves up burgers, brats and dogs during the weekly Thursday cruise night at the club.

Paul Sullivan has some dinner while showing off his ‘64 Chevy Nova.

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BY JOHN KERMOTT SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

A

At the VFW, he sits alongside others from each of the military branches. soldier returning from a war overseas often feels that those who re“We have veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq, WWII and Vietnam, ...� he mained at home can’t relate to him, or what he has experienced. The said. “We’ve got everything covered, just about.� soldier often find solace through the camaraderie of other veterans of Dixon’s VFW, to better serve veterans and the community, is making a foreign wars. point to connect more strongly with the public. You can find the VFW hall at The VFW of Dixon, as well as across the country, provides those necessary 1560 Franklin Grove Road, near the airport. relationships for the men and women who have so nobly served our nation.

You might want to check out the fun from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays, for the The organization also helps to meet some of the very practical needs of Veterweekly fish – and chicken – fry. You also can try your hand, or your voice, ans and their spouses, says Kim Crawford, manager of the Dixon VFW. at karaoke on those nights. Or you might want to head over on a Monday, “We’re a non-profit organization that helps our veterans and their families which is now taco night at the VFW. Tacos are served until 8 p.m. by providing such things as funeral dinners, headstones, and helping them The VFW puts on other special events throughout the year. pay bills,� she said. “We also do cruise nights, where we’ll have a 50/50 raffle and all the proAccording to the VFW website, www.VFW.org, members are also able to ceeds go to the local vets and veteran support groups,� Langele said. s access additional resources for combat veterans, as well as “assistance securing the benefits and compensation you’ve earned, and discounts on numerous insurance, travel services, health care plans, computers and more.�

Chuck Langele has been a life member of They want you the VFW since serving two tours of duty in Vietnam as an aviation mechanic. He was The VFW hopes to connect with younger veterans who have served overseas. aboard the USS Midway during the evacuaYou’re eligible to become a member of the VFW if you: tion. s !RE A 5 3 CITIZEN WHO HAS SERVED HONORABLY IN AN OVERSEAS CONFLICT s 2ECEIVED A CAMPAIGN MEDAL FOR OVERSEAS SERVICE s 3ERVED CONSECUTIVE OR NON CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN +OREA s 2ECEIVED HOSTILE FIRE OR IMMINENT DANGER PAY -EMBERSHIP CAN BE OBTAINED FOR AS LITTLE AS A YEAR &OR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT +IM #RAWFORD OR OR GO TO 6&7 ORG

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Comfortable Peaceful

&

Renovated 1880 home provides magical escape from everyday life

BY LUCINDA HALL SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

I

t is a romance that started more than 30 years ago when John and Debbie Thompson first saw their Timber Creek Road home.

Charmingly situated high on 2.5 acres, the home is cocooned by mature white oaks, shag bark hickory, Douglas fir and cedar trees.

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“We fell in love with the yard,” Debbie said. “It was so comfortable and peaceful.”

But the home was another story. Originally built in 1880, the one-and-a-half-story farmhouse, added on to in stages for more than a century, was in dire need of repair.

“It was a real Ma and Pa Kettle house, and it was really bad!” Debbie said with a laugh. “Our families tried to discourage us from buying it, but we knew it had good bones, a good location – and it was affordable! We liked it, and we were going for it.”

So began their adventure as John, a self-proclaimed “mischievous craftsman,” undertook the renewing and redoing of the home.

“It’s been my house and my hobby,” said John, president of the Dixon Area Chamber of Com-

merce for the past 26 years.

Debbie is quick to add, “John did it all!”

“Yes,” John says, “but she had the harder job keeping two kids out from under foot.”

Up a curving driveway sits the white Colonialstyle home, replete with two-story columns and a second-story veranda. The veranda was just one of John’s many additions. The covered balcony was inspired by their daughter, Erin, on a family tour of garden district homes in New Orleans. “Dad,” they remember her saying, “We could do that to our house.”

With the help of Debbie’s brother, Michael O’Malley, rod iron was ordered from Italy. John then forged the iron for the balcony railing, and the couple had it powder coated by the Quad Cities company that paints John Deere equipment.

“We only had a choice of John Deere green or John Deere yellow,” Debbie recalled. “Or black.

The choice was obvious!”

Their son, Chris, helped lay the wood deck flooring for what has become one of their favorite spots. “It is glorious to sit out there with candlelight during a gentle rain,” Debbie said.

One of the first projects tackled was the kitchen, which still has the original exposed ceiling beams.

John pushed out a kitchen wall to extend the living area and built a wall of windows to take advantage of the lawn and light.

The expansion was to become a studio of sorts for Debbie, who taught art for 34 years in Dixon and Amboy schools. Her artwork can be seen in every room of the home. John proudly refers to her now as a “full-time volunteer.”

Continued on page 22

The Thompson’s have truly made this house their home. Decades of hard work and unique perspectives have transformed this house into a warm, personal living space. Each room has its own feel, from the spacious kitchen, to the magazine cover wallpaper bathroom, to the comfortable study John and Debbie have made this a wonderful living space.

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Debbie takes great pleasure in the space.

“The room has great light,” she says. “I like to set up my easel, paint and just live with it and see how it plays with the light throughout the day.”

The expansion also made room for the family’s heirloom table. The sturdy, oak table was originally used by lawyers in the then-Lee County Court House, where John’s great-great-grandfather was the county clerk in the early 1900s. Now, more than a century and seven generations later, the table is perfectly in tune with the surroundings.

Hanging over the rustic table is a crystal chandelier that Debbie fell in love with. She traded some of her artwork to get it.

Another legacy lighting treasure hangs over the kitchen’s expansive center island. The brass, hexagon primitive art deco shade came from the estate of Frank Lowden, governor of Illinois in 19171921 governor.

The couple do a lot of entertaining, and guests tend to congregate in the kitchen, which is perfectly appointed for casual gatherings. “Food and wine are always a popular attraction,” John said with a smile.

“I don’t know why I clean the rest of the house,” Debbie joked.

As for the decorating style, the couple agree that they have “no particular style.” But it is a style very much in harmony with the home, incorporating both indoors and out, history and modern, art and convenience.

The living room again takes advantage of natural light and views of the yard. It, too, with its original pine floors, shares space with treasures from family travels and Debbie’s art. The furnishings are comfortable, calming and inviting. A bountiful jade plant thrives in the natural light.

The main floor media room was another of John’s undertakings. Adding a fireplace and dentilmolded wainscoting added character and comfort to the room. A bronze relief of Abraham Lincoln is built into the wood paneling, and colorful paintings of Illinois native fish that Debbie used in her art classes adorn the wainscoting ledge.

The couple have considered making the media room into a first-floor master suite. With that in mind, John also added a full bathroom that was painted by artist Michael Gerry for the Thomp-

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sons. Gerry wrapped the room in sky and clouds, beginning with a gathering of storm clouds and ending with wispy clouds floating in a sunny, blue sky. John finished the room in powder blue Italian marble.

The second story is just as interesting. Much of it was added in 1915 as a boarding house for workers building the Dixon Developmental Center, now the Dixon Correctional Center. The generously sized landing is yet another light-filled space large enough to accommodate a writing desk and seating. It is also where Debbie chose to hang her oil paintings of their children.

Off the landing are their children’s childhood bedrooms, both with doors out to the veranda.

The master suite, another of John’s undertakings, is bathed in light from a stained glass window salvaged by his parents from a church in Canada. The window works as a serene canopy for the master bed, casting curling lines of color throughout the room.

John and Debbie have been avid readers of The New Yorker magazine for decades and chose to wallpaper the master bath with covers from magazines. John refers to it as a history room as each cover includes the date with an illustration of a prominent story from that issue.

1 3

“All you need is a paper cutter and a lot of patience,” John said.

Perhaps the most daunting undertaking was the garage added in 2005, or as Debbie says, “The project that got away from us.”

Situated off the back patio paved with bricks manufactured at a local brick kiln more than a hundred years ago, it began as a routine two-car garage. It was to evolve into a charming and inviting second-story guesthouse with pastoral treetop views to the north, another creative space for Debbie and a welcome retreat for guests and families.

The Thompsons love to share the space that has even hosted two honeymooning couples.

It is truly a retreat, secreted away with the feeling of a magical escape from everyday life. The fully appointed guesthouse has a complete kitchen, sitting area, and full bath separated from the living space with another stained glassed window.

The guesthouse dining table, crafted by John, was lovingly painted with a script reading, “This is the table that John built for friends and family to meet and enjoy life.”

Kittens snooze in the patio sunlight, and Adirondack chairs sit nestled under a trio of fragrant pines. Deer, fox and wild turkeys are frequent visitors to the casually landscaped yard that first stole John and Debbie’s hearts ... and their romance with the home continues. s

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FIND RELIEF

Local clubs have the cure for ‘hunter’s itch’

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Dixon Living The lodge at Rogers Hunting Club in Ohio.

BY JOHN KERMOTT SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

T

he “hunter’s itch” rarely waits until hunting season before it starts afflicting its victims. Area hunting clubs provide a way for local hunters to scratch where it itches.

Both the Briar Knoll Hunting and Fishing Club and the Rogers Hunting Club offer hunters an opportunity to hunt on their grounds with extended seasons for game birds such as chukar, quail, pheasant and Hungarian partridge.

Briar Knoll’s season runs from the third Saturday in October through the third weekend in March. Similarly, the Rogers season runs from Oct. 15 through March 31.

Both clubs were started in the 1950s, and both offer trap shooting and other amenities. Both offer a dog and handler for the hunt if needed. Both offer special event dinners during the year, and both emphasize that they operate under the motto “Safety first.”

Roy Rogers is the current owner of the Rogers Hunting Club, which was founded by his parents in 1957. Roy bought the club from them in 1975, and, since then has made some additions and improvements to the lodge, including a full kitchen that is effectively utilized.

“We offer breakfast before the hunt and lunch after,” Rogers said. “I get a 20-pound slab of bacon and cut thick strips for breakfast.”

He also serves whole hog sausage, an 8-ounce ham slice, and eggs and pancakes. For lunch he grills up 8-ounce cheeseburgers alongside his homemade soups.

Rogers Hunt Club offers a special package for a father/child hunt.

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“We have a saying around here, ‘Take your son or daughter hunting and fishing today and you won’t be hunting for them tomorrow,’” he said, alluding to the relational bonding that takes place in the field during a hunt. Even nonmembers can take part in a daily hunt package of five birds for $150 The Rogers Hunt Club property is spread over 1,100 acres near Ohio, in Bureau County. It has about 140 members and can take up to 150.

“We’ve been here for 57 years and never had an accident,” Rogers said proudly, reiterating the emphasis on safety.

The Briar Knoll club sits on a little more than 450 acres near Amboy, with 305 acres reserved for game bird hunting and an additional 150 across the road from the clubhouse for sporting clays and deer hunting.

Willie Harney, the manager at Briar Knoll, worked in the family business, Harney’s TV, in Dixon before coming on at the club.

“My dad passed in 2005, and I ran the business for 5 years myself,” he said.

“I had been a member of the club for 12 years, and when this job came up I jumped at the chance.”

Briar Knoll also offers two lakes for fishing, and it has a couple of rooms available for an overnight if needed.

Each of the members of the Briar Knoll club buys in as a shareholder and make an investment as part-owner.

“The club has a 117-member ceiling, and we’re pretty much full every year,” Haney said. “Right now, we happen to have two openings.”

So if the cooler fall mornings, and the flap-flap-flap of a bird taking flight, gives you “Hunter’s Itch,” you’ve got some local options available for relief. s

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Briar Knoll will bring the pheasants and keep them in these pheasant runs.

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’TIS THE SEASONS ...

• Youth waterfowl hunting season (south central zone) – Nov. 2-3 • Dove hunting season – Nov. 2-14 • Youth waterfowl hunting season (south zone) – Nov. 16-17 • Canada goose hunting season (central zone, first segment) – Through Nov. 17 • First firearm deer season – Nov. 22-24 • Second firearm deer season – Dec. 5-8 • First muzzleloader deer season – Dec. 5-8 • Second muzzleloader deer season – Dec. 13-15 • Duck, coot and merganser hunting season (north zone) – Through Dec. 17 • Duck, coot and merganser hunting season (central zone) – Through Dec. 24 • First late-winter antlerless deer season -– Dec. 26-29 • First late-winter/CWD deer season – Dec. 26-29 • Duck, coot and merganser hunting season (south central zone) – Nov. 9-Jan. 7 • Snow/blue and ross’ goose and brant hunting season (north zone) Through Jan. 16 • White-fronted goose hunting season (north zone) – Nov. 4-Jan. 16 • Second late-winter/CWD deer season – Jan. 17-19 • Archery deer season – Through Jan. 19 • Second late-winter antlerless deer season _ Jan. 17-19 • Fall turkey season (archery) – Through Jan. 19 • Duck, coot and merganser hunting season (south zone) – Nov. 28-Jan. 26 • Snow/blue and ross’ goose and brant hunting season (central zone) – Through Jan. 31 • Snow/blue and ross’ goose and brant hunting season (south central zone) – Nov. 9-Jan. 31 • Snow/blue and ross’ goose and brant hunting season (south zone) Nov. 28-Jan. 31 • White-fronted goose hunting season (south central zone) – Nov. 19-Jan. 31 • White-fronted goose hunting season (south zone) – Nov. 28-Jan. 31 • Canada goose hunting season (central zone, second segment) – Nov. 26-Jan. 31 • Canada goose hunting season (south central zone) Nov. 9-Jan. 31 • Canada goose hunting season (south zone) – Nov. 28-Jan. 31 • Conservation order light goose (snow/blue and ross’) season (north zone) – Jan.17-March 31 • Conservation order light goose (snow/blue and ross’) season (central, south central and south zones) – Feb. 1-March 31 Source: Illinois DNR website, www.dnr.illinois.gov

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Join the club Briar Knoll Hunting and Fishing Club 1502 Briar Knoll Road, Amboy Contact: Willie Haney 815-857-2320 or www.briarknoll.org Membership Pricing Membership shares are priced at $3,250.00 which can be paid in full or amortized over 3 years. The share price is fixed and is an equity position. The share cannot be sold to a third party. There is a first year, one time initiation fee of $700.

Annual Dues are currently $800, which includes the availability to harvest 20 pheasants.

Birds are counted only when harvested, not when put into the field.

Rogers Hunting Club 727 Maytown Road, Ohio Contact: Roy Rogers 815-379-2427 or www.rogershuntclub.com Membership Pricing Corporate Membership: The minimum number of members in a corporation is six men or women, and the cost is $200 a person, or $1,200 for the group. Members can bring a guest for $25.

Family Memberships: Family membership costs $400 and includes two free guests.

Individual Membership: Individual membership costs $350, and guests are allowed at $25 each.

Additional information can be found at www.rogershuntclub.com Briar Knoll Hunting Club in Amboy is a private club but does have membership spots available.

Briar Knoll has open clay shooting range for the public on Friday night and Sunday mornings.

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Photos by Kimberly Watley/Dixon Living Traveling Massage Therapist Joseph Helfrich works Sue Willett Hohlenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lower back as she sits in his portable massage chair in her office.

immediate Sauk Valley area, but he said, “If I have someone really in need, I go the extra distance.”

Offering traditional massage, stretching and deep tissue manipulation, Helfrich said his techniques set him apart – along with his willingness to travel.

Some customers literally jump up and down when he walks through their door.

“I often work with people with special needs,” he said. “It doesn’t matter whether they have mental or physical disabilities, they need to relax the same as anyone else. And it is by far the most rewarding thing I do.”

For some, he said, massage is part of their therapy; for others, a form of recreation, something they enjoy.

“Everyone’s wellness plan should include forms of relaxation” Helfrich said.

“How do we repair mentally and physically otherwise?”

The health benefits to relaxation are countless, according to Helfrich.

Illnesses including high blood pressure, heart issues, ulcers, migraines and insomnia are some of the many things he has seen caused by stress.

Varga said Helfrich has been helping him work out his kinks for quite some time.

“He does a very thorough massage,” Varga said. “I’m a big guy, 300 pounds. He really takes care of my back, helps me in flexing, working those muscles in my legs and hips, making sure they are stretched so I’m not hobbling around, which makes a really big difference.”

Helfrich is among a handful of massage therapists on hand during the Reagan Run 5K. “Joseph has done end-of-race massage for the runners a couple of years now,” Varga said .”He gets them limbered up so they don’t have cramps and so forth. It is a free service he gives. He does a good job there, and people always ask for him.”

Continued on page 30 Massage Therapist Joseph Helfrich stretches Sue Willett Hohlen’s shoulders and upper back.

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Sue Hohlen called upon Helfrich before beginning her work day. After a strenuous workout of early-morning kettle bell, he arrived at her office to work her shoulders, back and neck.

Hohlen, sitting on a portable chair he brought, said the stretching helped as much as the massage itself.

Working with human resource departments for local corporations, he offers group specials, coming in during in-service meetings, health fairs, and lunch breaks.

Helfrich, the father of 10-year-old Jonah, has a bachelor’s degree in communication. But because he wasn’t content in his career, he went back to school for massage therapy.

“Doing something that makes someone so happy makes a world of difference,” Helfrich said. “I never really took pride in what I did. This was a new feeling to take pride in, and is what I strive to be known for doing well.” s

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Massage Therapist Joseph Helfrich, owner of Massage by Joe, makes a house call with his portable massage table. He will work in any setting his clients request, including homes, offices and outside.

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Krissie Cooper and her daughter Laila Maples of Lindenwood pose as Kitto sketches their likenesses during KSB Hospital’s Family Fun Day in Dixon

Preston-Schilling Funeral Home, Ltd. Serving Dixon & The Sauk Valley Area Since 1904

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Kaytlin Evans Funeral Director “Campo Rock River,” painted

by Kitto, hangs in the gallery at The Next Picture Show in Dixon.

He received an honorable mention during the ninth return of Farms & Barns.

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Making fun of himself and the “gringo” accent he has acquired, Kitto said he doesn’t take himself too seriously.

But his art, that’s a different story.

He began young, at 3, with the persuasion of his grandmother. It wasn’t until high school, however, that Kitto really grew a passion for illustration.

“I started with a magazine we made, and it was all before computers,” he said. “James Bond was popular, so I came out with my own secret agent, Dick Balloon. I drew, and a friend wrote the stories.”

Kitto left home for college on a scholarship in the field of psychology, which he said was “the beginning of everything.”

“I went to school for architecture, learned traditional art,” he said, “But I got that scholarship. I always wanted to be an artist. I saw an opportunity to come to America and I was willing to study and work in whatever to fulfill my dream as an artist here.”

Continued on page 35

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Illustrator Kitto sketches guests at KSBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Family Fun Day. He drew about 100 portraits.

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f a l l / w i n t e r

For your viewing pleasure To see more of Kittoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, visit his site at www.kittoartista.com and on The Next Picture Showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at http://www.thenextpictureshow.com/douglas-kitto.html.

1 3

Now, still passionate enough to paint every day, Kitto said he is semiretired.

“I’m retired from painting, from being an artist. Instead of working for corporations, I can work for me, and do my crazy artwork,” he said with a laugh.

While living in Chicago, he worked on several mural teams, doing work for Sony, McDonald’s, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Rainforest Café, and on his own, at Joe’s Crab Shack His credo, he said, is simplicity and tranquility, which is what brought him to Dixon.

“That rat race over there … was too much,” he said.

Taking something serene in life and adding a hint of chaos to it is one of the things that distinguishes Kitto’s work. He begins with a situation, a landscape, a face, he sketches – often by memory, then he paints a scene.

He then adds his piece of “crazy,” typically a creature or character reserved for mythology and fantasy, both of which inspired him as a child.

“I read a lot of mythology and science fiction; that is why the characters, mermaids, dragons, unicorns

stay with me,” Kitto said. “When I was a kid I read the books and copied the drawings. Odin, Thor, those guys made such an impression on me, that it has a lot to do with my artwork.

Kind of escapism – stop this world and let me off.”

Kitto said he could be called “out of the box, different.”

“Someone sees a tree, and I see a tree with a hole and a creature is popping their head out,” he said. “We didn’t get a TV in our house until I was 12, and I think that is where my imagination comes from.”

Sandy Schuler, owner of Dezine99, where some of his work is for sale, agrees, saying his paintings fall more on a fun and whimsical side than traditional artists.

“Kitto, I think, is a fun artist,” Schuler said, “He has an unusual twist, a different take on things.”

Though he draws every day, he loves working with acrylics as much as adding his imagination to each piece.

“I’m just an artist,” Kitto added. “I feed my heart more than my pocket.

I never thought of retirement, I am still happy doing what I do. I’ll be painting until I die – right on the easel.” s

“

I read a lot of mythology and science fiction; that is why the characters, mermaids, dragons, unicorns stay with me .... When I was a kid I read the books and copied the drawings. Odin, Thor, those guys made such an impression on me, that it has a lot to do with my artwork.

Kind of escapism – stop this world and let me off.”

DOUGLAS KITTO

”

Photos by Kimberly Watley/Dixon Living “Kitto” (foreground), as he prefers to be called, works on shading details on a 3-D chalk ground mural. The design made by Kris Meyers, Philip Atilano, Tristan Young and Kitto was completed in 2 days during this year’s Petunia Festival in Dixon. It depicted a huge crack in the center of Hennepin Avenue, showing what lies beneath, including a broken water pipe.

All of us have to have a place we go back to...

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Delving into the Past Research leads teacher to Swissville

Photo by Alex T. Paschal/Dixon Living Edward Glasser displays the passport photo of his family when he was a child. Glasser has strong Swiss roots and is researching the Swiss in Dixonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swissville.

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BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

M

any people in Dixon probably don’t realize the great impact that the Swiss have had on the landscape and economy of the city.

Even fewer recognize the cultural impact of the area between Anglo and Swiss streets that was once known as Swissville.

In the late 1800s and into the 20th century, the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Factory, owned by George Page, brought many immigrants to the Dixon area to look for better wages and plentiful opportunities.

Dana Fellows, whose great-grandfather’s first cousin was George Page, realizes the impact that the Swiss have had on the city of Dixon.

A 49-year-old teacher at the Whiteside Area Career Center and Dixon resident, Fellows has done in-depth research regarding not only his family but the four original Swiss families that made their home in the area in the mid-1800s.

With an interest in local history and 25 years researching George Page, Fellows realizes that “the chances that they took were numerous, going overseas, starting a company, and the way they expanded so rapidly during this time period, has been the most interesting.”

He also acknowledges the relationships between Page, other immigrants and the community.

“They [the Page family] brought their success back to Dixon to share with their friends and other immigrants,” Fellows said. “They also gave back to the community by donating the land that is now Page Park. They could have chosen to take their money to somewhere like New York, but they chose to stay here. It says something about them and their relationship with the Dixon community.”

Today, few people in the area recognize the name Swissville or realize the significance of the building that now houses Bay Valley Foods.

The expansion of Swissville continued after the death of George Page and the sale of Anglo-Swiss to another Swiss company, Borden, in 1902. Swissville

g n i v i l d dixon

magazine

remained an integral part of Dixon until the 1950s, and at one point, Swissville was home to more than 300 employees and their families.

According to retired banker and journalist Edward Gasser, many of those who immigrated were young men, as young as 15 or 16. Those boys “heard about the milk factory that Page had began in Cham and knew from advertisements that he was planning to build a new factory in America. There was no opportunity there.”

That was why Gasser’s own father came to Dixon, creating a direct connection to Swissville for the journalist.

But the Swiss generally didn’t marry American girls.

“They would return to Switzerland to find mates and then return to the Dixon area to raise families,” Gasser said. “Here they could afford better lives, buying cars and houses, something not possible back in Switzerland.”

Gasser’s childhood experiences have led him to gather oral histories from those who lived in Swissville, or remember their own experiences in the Swiss community.

“I found the connections amazing, that this rural boy George Page went to Switzerland, built this empire and came back to Dixon,” Gasser said. “That is why the first generation of Swiss came here. I had no idea that my father came to Dixon because of the legacy of this Dixon boy, born right down the road from me in Palmyra.

“Not everyone lived in Swissville, but they all knew each other. They held dances, weddings, and celebrated holidays together. But, the second generation moved away from the Swiss identity, as is common in America.”

Regardless, the memory of Swissville and the people who lived there survives with those whose interest lies in family history and the role of heritage in their lives.

Through them, the legacy of the Swiss in Dixon survives. s

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It is

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Art Form

Photographer specializes in maternity, engagement shots

Professional Landscaping for a

Picturesque View

BY KIMBERLY WATLEY SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

W

ith a camera bag slung over one shoulder and a diaper bag over the other, photographer and new mom Lacee Kagay is happy to have her hands full.

The 27-year-old started her own business, Thieving Hearts Photography, last year before her son, Waylon Royer, made his entrance into the world.

Specializing in maternity and engagement shoots, Kagay said she feels a connection to people going through what she has experienced over the past year, making those her favorite types of jobs.

She also offers many other portrait options, including high school senior pictures.

Kagay, working with Abby Ellis of Sublette, provided two sessions recently: boudoir and engagement. Ellis said she was made comfortable and loved the way her photos turned out with the use of an outdoor country setting.

“She is very open and just has ideas, not your typical same photography poses,” Ellis said. “She is pretty reasonably priced and very creative. If you want something different, she is open to anything.”

With a traveling business, Kagay said her work takes her as far as the Quad Cities. Being on location offers her the freedom to hone her artistic side, she said.

“Photography for me is more about my art,” she said. “I love being able to express different things through it. My favorite things to shoot are maternity, because I think it is beautiful to see the changes a woman goes through.”

A participant of the Real Women of the Quad Cities, she said another of her favorite jobs is taking pictures of mainstream women in settings and poses of professional models without photo editing.

“The project was started by my mentor, Edward Meyer, who has taken me under his wing. I went to the school of hard knocks for photography,” she said with a laugh.

Ellis said she would use Kagay again.

“She is a great person,” Ellis said. “If you don’t like something, she doesn’t get offended; she will try something else. You can tell she loves what she does.”

And she does.

“It is not just a job,” Kagay said. “it is an art form. I want them to have beautiful quality photos to capture their memories.”s

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Right – Charles and Abby Ellis.

(Photo submitted)

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Facing Page - Lacee Kagay, photographer and owner of Thieving Hearts Photography.

Photo by Kimberly Watley/Dixon Living

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