Betty’s Column

LOCAL HISTORY

Museum was ver y busy during Tow n & Country Days

Sa t u r d a y w a s o p e n h o u s e a t Aplington House and the Polo History Museum. The occasion was Polo Town and Country Days.

Usually we have a few people drifting in and out and we end up visiting with one another. That was not the case this time.

As I pulled in, Tom Nelson was waiting across the street and we went in together. Remember Tom from the Peek Home and our last meeting?

He came back with booklets made on the Peek Home for anyone who wants one. We opened the museum and started to get things set up.

We had six of us at the Polo History Museum and Susan and Tim covered the Aplington House. The museum had no more than opened when people came from Lanark with unusual milk bottles from a Polo Creamery.

I knew them since the gal and I had traveled to Northern years ago to get our education. So we visited big time. Now here we are retired from teaching.

Then someone came in and wondered where Burman’s Hatchery had been. I hastened as fast as my walker would go to get the file on the hatchery. I said to Ted to get the big book that Ed Olsen had put together on the businesses and with all that information we managed to figure out where the hatchery had been.

Part of it on one side of the street and another part of it on the other side of the street.

Soon after that someone else came in with a match holder from Burman’s Hatchery. Now how often does that happen? At that point I started to write things down because I have now reached 90 and at some point my mind could start going. I might not remember who brought that part of our history as a donation.

Cathy Hendry came in and soon noticed that we did not have an important part of Central Stamping history. It was an ad made by Central when Cathy and her twin sister Chris were three years old.

They got to push a bowl of cereal on the floor so the high powered vac could clean the mess up. Cathy went home and came back with the ad for us. We visited for quite a while.

People were coming and going with all kinds of questions. Someone who had purchased a house wanted some history and I handed them the book on houses and a couple of files that tell when homes and businesses were built. They settled down at a table to search and found something we copied off.

Someone on a motorcycle was traveling by and we had a nice visit. He had originally been from Polo.

I found out the math teacher from the high school is my new neighbor and has moved in across the street recently. I did not even realize the old neighbors had left.

Soon several from the Terry family came in and it was nice showing them what has been done. I had Ethan Terry in first grade. Where have the years gone?

We were busy and it was nice to see all the young folks interested in what we have put together. It is fun showing off Polo’s history.

We now have milk bottles, a Burman’s Hatchery match holder and an ad for Central Stamping to put in place. First a little card needs to be made about each one. That I will do when all is quiet. It was a great day at the museum.

POLO HISTORY Betty Obendorf

• Betty Obendorfis a retired teacher and a volunteer for the Polo Historical Society.

Photo provided This advertisement from the 1970s was for Central Stamping in Polo. Pictured in the ad are Cathy and Chris Hendry, 3-year-old twins from Polo. They were to push the bowl of cereal off the table and the new Pow R Vac would clean up the mess. Cathy has donated the ad to the Polo Historical Society. She has never forgotten being part of the ad.

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Club hosts hill climb

It was dusty, hot and very sunny –the perfect recipe for the Rock River Riders Motorcycle Club’s Father’s Day hillclimb on Sunday.

Riders from across the region took their best shots at climbing “the hill” on their motorcycles in a variety of class divisions. Footage and the time spent to make it all the way to the top determined the winners of each division.

During intermission, spectators got a chance to climb the hill on their own two legs.

The club was founded in 1935 and is located across from the main entrance to White Pines State Park along Pines Road between Oregon and Polo.

The club was known for its hill climb event, held just to the west of what once was the Pines Drive-In Theater. When the theater closed, the club purchased the land it was on.

The club’s next hill climb will be the “State Championship Hill Climb” on Sunday, Aug. 21. The event starts at 11 a.m. and runs to 8 p.m.

For more information on the Rock River Riders Motorcycle Club and the upcoming event, visit www.rrrmc.org.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media ABOVE: Tommy “Buddy” Fortune, 19, of Sterling rides his motorcycle to the top of the hill during the Rock River Riders Motorcycle Club’s Father’s Day hill climb. TOP RIGHT: A youth rider at the hill climb loses control of his bike while trying to make it up the hill. BOTTOM RIGHT: A good crowd was on hand to watch the hill climb on Sunday.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media A contestant in the Rock River Riders Motorcycle Club’s Father’s Day hill climb loses control of his bike while trying to make it up the hill on Sunday.

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Mother Nature smiles big time on second Jamboree

By EARLEEN HINTON ehinton@oglecountynews.com

All it took was mild temperatures, a nice breeze and classic tunes to bring a large crowd out to the second installment of Mt. Morris’ Jamboree concert series Friday.

Generation played classic rock tunes from the Warren Reckmeyer Bandshell, located on the downtown campus.

“The weather is absolutely perfect,” said Larry Ubben, organizer. “What a great night.”

The free concert series continues each Friday night through the summer.

Next up is Grass Attack on June 24 at 7 p.m.

“Grass Attack plays a range of styles from folk and country to newgrass and bluegrass, regularly perf o r m i n g a t a v a r i e t y o f f e s t i v al s, county fairs, park concerts and wineries in northern Illinois and southern W i s c o n s i n , ” U b b e n s a i d . “ R a n dy Tacket plays lead guitar and banjo. Jeff and Liz Wagner play banjo and g u i t a r a n d m a n d o l i n a n d g u i t a r, respectively. All sing lead and harmony vocals. Bruce Rittschof plays bass and rhythm guitar.”

Concessions for the evening will be provided by Hector’s Cocina, serving Mexican food and drinks starting at 6 p.m.

“Please bring a chair or blanket or enjoy our benches and plan to join us on our beautiful and historic campus in the center of town for what promises to be a fantastic family friendly concert,” Ubben said.

In the case of rain, the event moves to Pinecrest Grove Community Center at 500 Evergreen Lane at the same times.

StingRays on July 1

Chicago’s oldies rock and roll band, The StingRays, will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. July 1.

“Everyone fortunate enough to see previous shows by this exciting and engaging act will fondly remember the dynamic stage presence of this wonderful band and will attest to the do not miss grade level of their show,” Ubben said. “The StingRays play the greatest music ever written and play it with the energy, passion and authenticity of the artists whose music they love.”

U b b e n s a i d t h e S t i n g R a y s l o v e interacting with audiences through trivia, dance contests and even joining people in the audience.

“The StingRay s always get the c r o w d d a n c i n g a n d s i n g i n g t o songs from Rockabilly – tons of ’60s to the 70s,” he said.

Concessions for the evening will be provided by the Ogle County Beef Producers and Hector’s Corn Roaster.

The Let Freedom Ring Committee will be serving root beer floats from 6 to 8 p.m.

It’s also opening night of the fourday Let Freedom Ring Festival.

The Jonas Fultz Memorial Car Show will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. o n t h e n o r t h e n d o f t h e c a m p u s. Sign-up is at 4 p.m.

There will be a ’50s and ’60s costume contest with winners announced at 8 p.m.

The craft fair will be at the north end of the campus from 5 to 9 p.m.

“Please bring a blanket or chair or enjoy the new benches and join the fun on our beautiful historic campus in the center of Mt. Morris, two blocks south of Route 64 on Wesley Avenue and enjoy the free rock ’n’ roll concert,” Ubben said.

“In the event of rain, the whole show moves to the Pinecrest Grove Community Center, located at 500 Evergreen Lane., seven blocks south of Route 64 on McKendrie Street at the same times.”

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media Jayce Slusser, 5, of Mt. Morris dances with friends to the music of Generation.

Attention gardeners! Garden club’s f lower show is back

By JUDY SCHMIDT Polo Woman’s Garden Club

Hey, gardeners, it’s finally happening again and you won’t want to miss it. All you need is your green thumb, maybe a trowel or a little pruning shear and time in the sunshine to actively participate in an upcoming flower show sponsored by the Polo Woman’s Garden Club.

This year’s theme is “BEE-UTIFUL BLOOMS.” The show will be on Saturday, Aug. 6, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Polo Area Senior Center, 101 E. Mason Street, in Polo.

If you attended the flower shows the club organized in past years, you should remember what successful and fun events they were. More than 80 entries were submitted in different classes of flowers and/or vegetables at the first show.

Gardeners exhibited a variety of their favorite home-grown plants, e a r n i n g r e c o g n i t i o n a n d r i b b o n s awarded by area judges. In addition, more than 200 spectators attended to view the “fruits,” actually flowers or veggies, of someone else’s labor.

Now, once again, happy gardeners are invited to “sign up” to display their plantings for their own enjoyment and for any onlookers out for a pleasant afternoon.

Categories that people may enter include “cut flowers,” “wildflower arrangements,” “outdoor container plantings,” “not house plants,” “floral bouquets,” “single specimen of flower” and a “horticulture category for vegetables.”

There is a special class for children under 12 to enter that includes some of the adult categories plus one called “ditch display,” which means “any plant growing in a ditch” so probably NOT grown by choice.

All children entering will receive a participation ribbon and other recognition.

There is no entry fee for either adults or children exhibiting items and all may enter as many categories as they would like.

First-, second- and third-place ribbons will be awarded in each adult class plus a “People’s Choice” award will be given. Judging will be done between 10 a.m. and noon by three area judges experienced in gardening and/or working as professionals in the field.

Exhibitors need to set up between 8 and 10 a.m. the morning of the show.

Entries must remain on display until the end of the show at 4 p.m. that day.

No exhibitors will be allowed in the building during the judging.

In addition to the main exhibits, there will be other demonstrations and presentations going on during the afternoon.

Master Gardener Leah Patapack from Oregon will be giving a talk called “Buzz on Pollinators” with handouts on the importance of pollinators and how to attract them.

Gardener Pat Kuhn from Polo will be showing the “Many things you can do with dried and preserved flowers.”

B r i K u h n , a l s o f r o m P o l o , w i l l demonstrate and explain about creating “Fresh Floral Designs.”

There will be drawings for door prizes, donated through the generosity of businesses within the city of Polo and surrounding towns. Those contributing to the flower show from Polo are Country Floral, Fresh Foods Grocery Store, Polo Pharmacy and Knie’s Appliance Store.

Door prizes from Dixon are being donated from Flowers Etc. and Britni Dvorak, owner of the Hallmark Store. D o o r p r i z e s f r o m O r e g o n w i l l b e donated by Merlin’s Greenhouse and Floral and also from A.M. Floral Co. flower shop in downtown Oregon.

There will be a drawing to win a Garden Club gift basket or a special “Bear, Bee and Butterfly” gift basket (very cute) for children under 12 who participate or attend the flower show with an adult.

To exhibit the day of the flower show, official entry forms must be obtained and returned by mail or in person by July 15 to the contact person listed on the form.

Forms are availabl e in Polo at Knie’s Appliance, Country Floral, Polo C i t y H a l l , P o l o P h a r m a c y , P o l o Library, Polo Senior Center or from Polo Woman’s Garden Club members.

Forms are available in Oregon at Merlin’s Green House and A.M. Floral Co., flower shop.

Forms available in Dixon can be obtained at the Hallmark Store and at Flowers, Etc.

Admission to attend the show is $1 per adult. Children under 12 are free.

The show opens to the public at noon.

Come and smell the flowers!