SVM_Lake Lifestyle_January 2024

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When a Lake Carroll social club sets up camp each year at The Clubhouse, a local food pantry knows it’s time to make more room on its shelves.

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JANUARY 2024

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PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Lake Carroll Campground host Ellis Fitzgerald keeps an eye on a truckload of donations Nov. 11 during the annual Campground Social Club food drive.

Ellis organizes the annual drive, held during a weekend in November at the Lake Carroll Clubhouse parking lot, inviting members to donate food and supplies for the ShannonLanark Food Pantry. “This helps support our local community,” Fitzgerald said. “It gives satisfaction that you’re helping out.”

Story By Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media

undreds of people around Lake Carroll are getting a helping hand, thanks to the efforts of a local food pantry where volunteers are stocking the shelves and counting their blessings.

And one of the blessings they’re grateful for? The people of Lake Carroll.

Members of the lake’s Campground Social Club have made it their mission the past few years to help the Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry, encouraging people to head to their own pantries and linen closets, go to the grocery store, or donate money.

Leading the Campground Social Club’s donation efforts is its leader, Ellis Fitzgerald. He organizes an annual drive during a weekend in November at the Lake Carroll Clubhouse parking lot, where members’ trucks are filled with food, personal care items and sundries donated by the lake community and taken on a five-mile trip to the pantry in Shannon.

Fitzgerald proudly shares the photos of each year’s efforts with the Lake Carroll Campground’s Facebook group, and that’s helped inspire more people throughout the campground and community to build on those successes.

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“This helps support our local community,” Fitzgerald said. “It gives satisfaction that you’re helping out.”

Donations of food, personal care products and money are especially critical during the winter months, and the November donation drive helps keep the pantry stocked when heating bills put more pressure on people’s budgets. Lake Carroll’s population starts to go down as fall comes to a close, but Fitzgerald has kept the snowbirders in mind in recent PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM years by allowing them to drop off donations before the drive Putting the “drive” in “food at the Campground’s host site. drive” ... Organizers of the CampThis year, Fawn Ridge Real Estate ground Social Club Food Drive helped the food drive, allowing their made it easy for people to drop office near Lake Carroll’s main enoff donations. People could trance to be used as a drop-off site stop by The Clubhouse parkfrom Oct. 3 to Nov. 10. ing lot on Nov. 11 and unload “In past years, we had food pickup their goods, or if they were on the first Saturday of November for a in a hurry they could simply couple of hours out in the [Clubhouse] drive up and hand them off, parking lot,” Fitzgerald said. “This year, or if they couldn’t make on Fawn Ridge let people leave products the 11th, Fawnridge Realty at their office, which helped for people served as a drop-off location, who weren’t going to be out here for from Oct. 3-Nov. 10. Above: the weekend. We collected quite Jackie Graberak of Lake Carroll a bit from the people who accepts a donation from a donor. dropped things off there.”

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Making sure the annual Campground Social Club Food Drive is a success is a team effort between social club members and Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry volunteers. Pictured are (from left) Keith and Jackie Grabarek of Lake Carroll, campground host Ellis Fitzgerald, pantry co-chair Vicky Mathew, and pantry volunteers Jeri Taggs and Bruce Kidd.

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Terry Heflin of Lake Carroll drops off bags of food during the annual food drive Nov. 11 at the Clubhouse, as Campground Host Ellis Fitzgerald looks on.

PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM

This year’s drive was Nov. 11, with a pair of trucks transporting the haul that came in that day, as well as donations dropped of at Fawn Ridge. Several donors unloaded their items themselves from back seats and trunks, others drove up and handed donated goods and money to volunteers from their car windows.

Just a day before the drive, Fitzgerald found out that he was going to be short one truck, but thankfully, Vicky Mathew stepped up and brought her truck to help him out. Mathew is a co-chair of the Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry, along with Deb Foust.

Though it’s called a food pantry, other items are also needed, including soap, shampoo, toilet paper, razors and shaving cream, toothpaste, deodorant — items that people can’t buy with food stamps or SNAP assistance.

“We could always use toilet paper, that’s for sure,” Mathew said. “We give them out along with shampoos, soaps and dish soap, and all that kind of stuff.”

Mathew also runs a vegetable stand from her home at the east edge of Lake Carroll on Peace and Quiet Road, where proceeds from sales go toward the food pantry. She started it five years ago, and recently has seen plenty of activity from it: The stand took in $1,389 in donations in 2021, and when she added pumpkins and gourds into the mix, the donation total soared to $5,502 last year. The upward trend has continued, with about $6,300 raised from the veggies she grew.

Along with running the Food Pantry, Mathew and Foust also lead a Sunday school class at Bethel United Methodist Church in Shannon, and several of their students help stock the pantry.

Food isn’t the only things welcomed at the food drive. The pantry can also use personal care and household items.

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The pantry was organized in the mid-’80s and its service area covers the Eastland School District territory, which includes Lake Carroll, Lanark, Shannon, the smaller communities of Georgetown and Bolton, and rural areas in between.

The pantry serves around 75 families — roughly 200 people — in a typical month, numbers that have risen in recent years.

In order to qualify for help, pantry patrons have to reside within the Eastland School District (a tax statement can be used to provide proof).

According to the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2023 Report Card data, released in late October, 49.6 percent of students in the Eastland School District are classified as lowincome by the state, which encompasses those who are eligible to receive free or reduced-

price lunches at school, live in substitute care, or whose families receive public aid. That number is nearly 8 percent higher than what the average had been from 2018 to 2022.

This year’s drive collected two truckloads of food and hygiene products, along with $800 in cash.

Cash donations — big or small — are always welcome and go a long way in not only keeping the pantry stocked, but covering operating costs too. Cash helps keeps the lights on and fridges and freezers running, as well as paying pays for office supplies, shelving, and maintenance work.

“You may think $10 may not do much, but we can make $10 go a long way,” Mathew said.

Fitzgerald said he hopes he can get other social clubs or administration at Lake Carroll to become involved with the annual drive. Next year’s date will be announced in the fall, and it’s sure to be as busy, or busier, as this year’s successful drive, all thanks to the Lake Carroll community.

“We couldn’t do anything if it wasn’t for the community supporting us,” Mathew said. “With things like this, we wouldn’t be able to serve people. We all make a great team.”

Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

Distribution times at the Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry, 109 E. Bader St. in Shannon, are 2 to 4 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays and first Saturday of the month. To donate or volunteer, call Deb Foust at 815-266-1221 or Vicky Mathew at 815-821-2667.

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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Blaine and Cynthia Petersen, seen here with their cat Buttercup, have brought the popular escape room experience to Stockton, about a 20-minute drive from Lake Carroll. Let Us Out Escape Rooms changes themes seasonally to offer challenging problem-solving experiences for customers.

Here’s a puzzling question: What kind of owners want their customers to get out of their business as quickly as they can?

Need a clue? It’s a race against time and your job is to find the finish line.

Still stumped? Just head to Stockton, where Cynthia and Blaine Petersen will be happy to give you a hint.

The Petersens are a puzzleloving and business-savvy couple who’ve combined their love of headscratchers with their talent for turning a profit to create Let Us Out Escape Rooms, where people put their problemsolving skills to the test to unlock the answers that’ll help them piece together the puzzle.

Escape rooms, which have been growing in popularity in recent years, are an immersive adventure where teams are tasked with figuring out how to escape a room they’re locked in by uncovering clues, solving puzzles, and completing tasks. Previously, problem-solvers in northwest Illinois had to travel at least an hour to find one.

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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

The Petersens have brought their own take on the escape room experience to the area by making it more family friendly, and a little less daunting.

The Petersens opened Let Us Out Escape Rooms in September in a building they own downtown, and unlike other escape rooms, people aren’t under lock and key.

At Let Us Out, customers search for puzzle pieces hidden throughout the room by deciphering clues and finding keys to locked boxes and jars. Pieces can be hidden anywhere, and once they find them all and put together the puzzle, they’ve “escaped.”

Typical escape rooms have challengers locked inside for a certain period of time, escaping only when the tasks are completed or their time is up. The Petersens chose to make their escape room experience more familyfriendly and less of an issue to people who may be nervous about being confined to a room, even for fun: The room is accessible through an open archway.

“An escape room is basically a puzzle and scavenger hunt,” Cynthia said. “We have two options, and because we only have one room, it has to be at a difficult level. There are escape room businesses where there are several rooms — an easy one, a medium one and a really, really hard one — but we can’t do that because we only have one room. We have to have the difficult level otherwise we don’t attract the people who may have already done escape rooms.”

Clues can be anywhere in the escape room — on shelves, tucked away out of sight or in plain view, even in a seemingly unassuming photograph.

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But don’t worry: If you need help, the Petersens are more than happy to lend hand, or a hint.

In the four months it’s been open, the Petersens have seen people work together in ways they normally wouldn’t, which builds trust and confidence in one another, all while working toward a common goal: escaping.

“It’s a family-friendly environment,” Cynthia said. “We don’t have a door. A lot of kids, and even some adults, don’t want to go to an escape room because they lock you in — most of the doors really aren’t locked, but it’s that idea that worries people — so we’ve taken that away by doing it this way.”

To keep things fresh and bring customers coming back for more, themes rotate on a quarterly basis. Their first theme, “Main Street Haunting,” added an element of mystery to the clues. Seasonal themes, such as “Scrooge’s Treasure” for December, are offered for a limited time. The theme for January through March is “Secrets of the Reading Room,” with clues and questions based on a literature theme. Additional themes have already been planned.

“There are lots of ideas in the hopper right now,” Blaine said. “It’s a lot of fun.

It’s the kind of group activity that really brings people together.”

As with any new business, things have been a work in progress. When the business first opened, groups were having trouble finding even the first clue without the couple’s help, so they made some adjustments. The Petersens want things to be challenging, but not frustrating.

Groups in the 60-minute session get up to three hints from the Petersens, while groups in the 90-minute experience get four.

“You don’t want people to have to use up their first hint right away, so we had to change it,” Cynthia said. “When we did, the first group we had figured it out by just using the clue, and we didn’t have to give them a hint.”

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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

And there’s no losers and Let Me Out, either. Where some escape rooms use props for photo ops like “escaped” or “failed” signs, the Petersens opted for something more positive. Challengers come up with a name for their group and write it on a whiteboard; when they’re done with the challenge, the Petersens write their time on the board, and teams can pose for pictures with it.

The Petersens like to see their customers succeed, and sometimes will help nudge them closer to escaping. They can monitor groups’ progress via a hidden camera and lend a hand if need be.

“We want people to finish,” Cynthia said. “A lot of escape rooms don’t pay attention to that, either you finish or you don’t because you can come back and do the same one. People, likely, when they’re spending money on this, they’re not going to come every night. You can wait for the next scenario and spend money on the next scenario, so we like people to finish. We look at how they’re doing and see if they need a hint.”

As of mid-December, the record for completing the 60-minute session was 49 minutes, and 1 hour 5 seconds for the 90-minute session.

Participants aren’t the only ones who have fun figuring out clues; the Petersens enjoy it too, sharing in the satisfaction of teams’ success.

Among the many challenges escapees are tasked with is finding out combinations to locks that contain puzzle pieces — or other locked boxes with pieces in them.

Upon completing a puzzle, participants “escape” from the room.

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“It really seems to deepen people’s relationships,” Blaine said. “They’re in a space where they have to cooperate, work together and talk to each other.

Some people are better at the puzzles, and some people are better at the visual clues. It really does bring a sense of people getting closer to each other. This is really all about problem solving.”

Escape rooms can also be a good team-building exercise for employees, and the room is available for corporate retreats.

“If you have a work group, you can have the employers watch while their employees do the escape room,” Cynthia added. “They don’t have to be in there with their employees and can look at strengths and weaknesses by doing that.”

In addition to the escape room, the Petersens The global escape room MARKET own an Air BnB rental apartment on the top floor SIZE was valued at $7.9 BILLION of their building, and renters are offered a discount IN 2022, and is projected to for the escape room experience. They also own Artreach $31 BILLION BY 2032 ful Exchange in the same building, which sells local art, photographs and crafts. Cynthia’s law practice The SMALL THEME ROOM — she specializes in qualified domestic relations (2 to 4 people) segment order pension and retirement planning orders DOMINATED the market (QDROs) — also is in the same building. in 2022 accounting for As vice president of Stockton’s chamber of comnearly half of the market merce, Cynthia is always trying to find news ways share. MEDIUM-SIZE (5-8 to bring more people to town to help grow busipeople) was second, and BIG ness there — or get the ones just passing through (9-12 people) was third. to stop and see what Stockton has to offer — and CORPORATE GROUPS were the she hopes the escape room will be a good way to LARGEST USERS of escape do that. She often sees people zip through on U.S. rooms in 2022, accounting for Route 20 on the north side of town, but she benearly two-fifths of the market lieves a destination such as the escape room will share, a trends that’s expected help bring traffic onto state Route 78 downtown to continue, owing to the area. benefits of team-building “Stockton has a bowling alley, restaurants and activities. Friends were shops, but there really isn’t a lot for activity,” Cynthe second-largest users, thia said.

“We’re so close to the resort areas, and followed by individuals, one of the reasons we opened up was to bring peofamilies and couples. ple down the street, and bring them into [downSource: Allied Market Research, town] Stockton, because a lot of people just zoom alliedmarketresearch.com/escape-room-market-A85137 by on their way to Galena. There’s no other escape room within an hour from here, and a lot of the people we have coming in are traveling.”

There’s fun in fine-tuning problem-solving skills, and the Petersens have that figured out with their unique experience that they have brought to the area.

“I love our escape room,” Cynthia said. “It’s a lot of fun, and it’s so much fun watching people.”

Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

Let Us Out Escape Rooms, 126 S. Main St. in Stockton, is open from 2 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday, 2 to 10 p.m.

Friday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday. Reservations are required.

Find it on Facebook, go to letusoutescaperooms.com, email letusoutescaperooms@ gmail.com, or call 815-401-4700 to book a time or for more information.

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of

dam Awender hasn’t roamed the halls of Eastland Junior-Senior High School in Lanark for very long, but he’s making quite the impact on the Cougars’ basketball court.

Awender, 17, has taken a sport that he’s loved playing since he was a young boy and made it an integral part of his life as a high school junior. He started out being a king of the court on Freeport’s Aquin Central Catholic High School’s junior varsity team, where he led the Bulldogs to the best record among the large pack of Northwest Upstate Illini Conference JV teams two years ago.

The following year, Awender traded his Bulldog blue and gold for Cougar orange and blue, but going from canine to feline didn’t take him off the front line: He’s continued to be a leader on the court for Eastland both in play calling and on the stat sheet. The Cougars went 15-15 last year in Awender’s sophomore season, with a respectable 7-3 showing in NUIC South Division play behind Fulton and Milledgeville.

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As a junior this season with a year of varsity experience to his name, Awender is looking to lead the Cougars to a better record this season and a division championship as well. Three weeks into the season, he led the Cougars to a good 4-1 start with quality wins over River Ridge and Newman Central Catholic of Sterling. Now he’s looking to guide his team to a 20-win season, which was last achieved in 2022, and a regional and sectional championship, last accomplished by the Cougars in 2014.

Awender has also excelled on the turf, playing football for the Eastland-Pearl City Wildcatz — where his longest touchdown run this past season was an 82-yard kickoff return at Aurora Central Catholic — and on the track where he competes in short sprints and relays with the MilledgevilleEastland Missiles.

But it’s the sport on the court that remains his favorite.

Awender is the son of Erich and Carolyn Awender. The Awenders have lived in Lake Carroll since 2014 and became full-time residents in 2022. Lake Lifestyle recently caught up with Adam to talk to him about his time on the court ...

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Probably playing when I was in kindergarten, playing against all of my friends from school. It’s always been my favorite sport, ever since I can remember.

What’s your most memorable basketball memory, before high school?

One real good memory was being pulled up when I was in fifth grade to the sixth-grade level. I was super short at that time. It was hard, but it helped a lot.

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What makes basketball such a fun sport?

You can do it anywhere, really. All you need is a ball and a hoop, and you’re good to go. It’s pretty simple.

What does it take to be good at basketball?

You got to practice a lot. I would always go to trainers over in Winnebago and Rockford, and play on AAU teams. You just got to play the game a lot and love the game.

How about at the point guard position you play?

You got to be the leader on the court. You got to tell your teammates where to go and direct them everywhere.

You also have to be positive, always.

Do you have any goals for the team this season?

We definitely want to make it real far in the playoffs.

Supersectionals or State, that would be nice. We want to get more than 20 wins as well.

How about for yourself?

I would like to get 1,000 points for my career. I think I’m pretty close to that, so that would be nice.

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Right: Eastland’s Adam Awender (12) and teammate Trevor Janssen (11) defend Byron’s Jack Hiveley during the Cougars’ Dec. 2 home game with the Tigers.

Awender and Hiveley became friends growing up and playing basketball together in the Aquin Catholic Schools’ basketball feeder program in Freeport.

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What has been the biggest improvement in your basketball play since your freshman year?

Definitely my shooting. I’ve worked hard at that. I have a court at my house, and I’m always using that and going to trainers as well. First thing after practice, I’m always shooting extra.

What has been your most memorable high school basketball moment so far?

My favorite moment so far was my freshman year [at Aquin] when we went 27-2 and were all-conference champions. That was awesome.

Coming to Eastland from Aquin, what has the experi-

ence been like for you?

At first, it was definitely a little different. The coaching was different — but not in a bad way. I like it here. It wasn’t too hard to adapt, really. I feel I’m fitting in real well. It’s been super fun, and I like it a lot.

Is there any high school team you like playing against?

I like going up against Pecatonica and Byron. I have some friends from Byron. Pecatonica is always a good team, everyone’s always looking toward beating them.

How about one-on-one?

I don’t usually think about that. Whoever is the best.

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Is there anything in basketball that’s helped you in life off the court?

As a point guard, you definitely have to be vocal on the court. That’s definitely helped me outside of basketball, to help others be a leader and help others to do the right thing.

On defense, do you prefer man or zone?

Zone is definitely a lot easier on defense just because you don’t have to cover up a big area, but if you’re good

at man defense, it can be a big problem for their offense.

We usually always ran a zone at Aquin, and it’s all man at Eastland. It’s not bad.

What do you like about living in Lake Carroll?

They’re really super friendly there. Every time you’re out on the lake, there’s always people waving. Driving around, there’s always people waving. Everyone’s super friendly.

Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

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There’s a lot more to car care than elbow grease and oil changes these days, and that means mechanics have to keep their shoulder to the wheels when it comes to staying up-to-date on car tech. “There’s always a new challenge,” said Southside Service owner James Hazelbower, “and you always learn more new stuff about cars that you never thought was possible.”

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

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By Cody Cutter

ia Sauk Valley Med

hen it comes to your vehicle, there are about 30,000 reasons why it could end up in the shop — and a Lanark business owner makes it his job to know as many of those reasons as possible.

Owner James Hazelbower and his team at Southside Service make it their job to keep all the moving parts moving in your car (and there’s a lot of them: about 30,000 in the average car). The full-service mechanic shop tackles projects big and small on vehicles old and new.

Routine maintenance has been a big part of Southside’s business since it opened in 2001, but the shop can handle just about anything under the hood.

“When I opened this, it was just oil changes, tires, brakes — simple things. Parts changing, too,” Hazelbower said. “Through the years, there’s been a demand for needing to do more, and finding the right people to do it all.”

“There’s not a whole lot we don’t do anymore. We developed into needing to do more and more when there’s less people doing it in other places. That’s been working out with Andy and Steve both being great for me, and we’ll see how long that can continue.”

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Cars have come a long way in the last several decades, and today’s mechanics need a lot more tools at their fingertips to keep things running. High-tech horsepower has made ongoing education part of a mechanic’s job, and the team at Southside does it homework.

A lot of vehicles have rolled into Southside’s service bays through the years, from classics built during Detroit’s heyday to modern luxury imports. The gears have run the gamut in recent months, from a 1953 Chevrolet 210 to newer Mercedes-Benzes and BMWs. Growing up as a student at Lanark High School in the early 1980s, Hazelbower attended machine tool classes at Whiteside Area Vocational Center in Sterling and went on to work in the machinist industry for nearly 20 years at several locations throughout northern Illinois. He once owned a machinist parts shop in Sterling, Sauk Valley Tool Crib, in the mid-1990s, and received plenty of business from the large Northwestern Steel and Wire plant in town. When the mill declared bankruptcy in 2000, however, he found himself out of business as well and had to look for something different: He found it under the hood.

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Those dashboard lights keeping trying to tell you something? Hazelbower and his team at Southside Service will figure out what they’re saying, and get them turned back off. When the shop first opened, it stuck to the basics, but these days, “there’s not a whole lot we don’t do anymore.” he said.

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“I’ve always been mechanically inclined, working on my own cars like a backyard mechanic type of guy,” he said.

His previous career gave him a jump start in his new job. As a machinist, Hazelbower tended to be detail oriented in his approach to problem solving, and that proved to be a useful tool as a mechanic.

Having his own shop has also given him a home base.

“The way I’ve always been, when I was younger, I couldn’t stay at a factory job for very long,” Hazelbower said. “I learned it, and then I needed more. I always needed more challenges. In a couple of years, I would be bored with what I was doing. Since I’ve been here, I’ve never been bored.

There’s always a new challenge, there’s always something new, and you always learn more new stuff about cars that you never thought was possible.” page31 Hazelbower enjoys rising to the challenge.

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CODY CU

“With the BMWs and the Mercedes, I never really thought they would be something that I would work on,” Hazelbower said. “You change their oil, and start to see how things are put together on them, and it’s like, ‘You know, this looks easier to work on than some of the General Motors cars.’ I did a power steering pump on a Mercedes MK series. I looked at it and thought that was pretty simple, and it was.

German engineering can be pretty good.”

While today’s auto tech has helped everything from fluids to parts last longer, routine maintenance is still important.

Inspections, changing fluids — they’re the little things that can make a big differER ence in the life of @ SH a car. Take tires, AW ME for example.

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Any good mechanic will tell you an ounce (or quart) or prevention is worth a pound of cure, so if you need your oil changed, fluids topped off, or other preventative maintenance, Southside Service will be happy to help.

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CU “Once TT E you’re at 50 percent of tire life, it’s no good in the snow,” Hazelbower said. “A brand new tire works great in the snow because it’s new tread and you’re 10/32nds deep. When you get down to 5/32nds, which is about half of what the tire was to begin with, there’s not much there to get everything out of it to remove snow, muck, debris or whatever. As soon as you’re 50 percent into your tire, you’re going to notice that it’s not as good of a tire as it used to be.”

With many vehicles these days equipped with front-wheel drive, the right front tire does a lot of the work, something people tend not to think about, but they should. It’s a big reason why rotating tires is important.

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“A lot of people don’t rotate their tires like they should, and you’ll find that one tire wears out faster than the rest of them,” Hazelbower said. “If you don’t move your tires around from the front to the rear, you’ll see that the rear tires will wear in the inside, especially with a car that has [many] miles on it when the shocks and struts weaken and the tire starts to bow out.”

In addition to service work, Southside is also a U-Haul dealer. Whether you need to rent a dolly to move an appliance or a truck to move to a new home, Southside can help. It’s best to call ahead to see what’s available on site before ordering, Hazelbower said.

Since his career took a new direction at Southside, Hazelbower has found his time under the hood to be rewarding, and he hopes to keep things running for years to come.

“Some of my oldest customers have come in and said, ‘We’re glad you’re still here,” Hazelbower said. “There’s less and less people doing this. Kids these days aren’t being trained for skill trades, which I think is unfortunate.

There’s always something new going on, there’s always a fire to put out, or a new project.”

Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

TER@SHAW CCUT ME ER/ DIA T T .C CU OM Y D O

Southside Service, 604 state Route 64 in Lanark, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. U-Haul trailer rental arrangements can be made from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or on Saturday by appointment.

Call 815-493-3016 to schedule an appointment or for more information.

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By CODY CUTTER Sauk Valley Media

34 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024

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t’s 2 a.m. — a good night’s sleep is suddenly interrupted by a coughing fit, or a burning feeling in the throat.

You walk to the medicine cabinet looking for some cough syrup, but the only thing looking back at you is your tired face in the mirror.

Now what? Or rather: Now where?

That tickle in the throat is no laughing matter when it takes a turn for the worse, especially in the middle of the night, when it’s not easy to find someplace to pick up some medicine.

While many part-timers at Lake Carroll come from metro areas where places to shop 24/7 are as common as rush-hour traffic, there aren’t as many near their home away from home. Many businesses scaled back their hours during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic and since then have opted not to put out the “Open all night” sign again.

But there are places to go if you need to make a late-night run, whether it’s for a bottle of medicine or a slice of pizza. They may not If it’s groceries you’re looking for, the nearest place to go is Cub in Freeport, at 1521 South West Ave., about a half-hour away. The grocery store, formerly known as Cub Foods, is the only one of its kind open 24 hours a day in northwest Illinois (and there’s not even a round-the-clock store in eastern Iowa). After Cub, Woodman’s in Rockford is the next closest 24-hour grocery store.

In addition to a full line of groceries, Cub also has a large pharmacy section with a wide range of health and personal care items — like a drug store in a grocery store.

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Cub has been the only grocery store in the area open all night since the pandemic, which pushed Walmart and Sullivan’s Foods — other grocers in the area — to scale back its overnight hours. Fewer people shop during overnight hours, too, which led companies to reassess whether its was profitable to stay open all night.

Up late and need to run to the store?

The Cub grocery store, 1521 South West Ave. in Freeport, is the closest one to Lake Carroll that’s open 24/7.

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If you find you need to make the trip to Freeport, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got enough gas. No problem; you can fill up is just a few miles away.

In Lanark, Fast Stop Express (505 state Route 64) is open overnight and has regular unleaded fuel, higheroctane unleaded “plus” fuel, E-85 and diesel. It’s the same at Pearl City, Amoco at 128 North St., except it doesn’t offer E-85. Both locations’ stores are closed overnight, but their pumps are left on, so it’s credit or debit only.

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36 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024

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The nearest manned gas stations during the overnight hours is the Mobil near Freeport High School (1111 South West Ave.), and Casey’s in Savanna (1604 Chicago Ave.) — both are about a onehour round trip from Lake Carroll.

Casey’s in Savanna, at 1604 Chicago Ave. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

If it’s a meal you’re looking for, that’s a little trickier. The days of an all-night, all-week sit-down restaurant in the area have passed for now, but you can still grab a snack.

The Casey’s in Savanna is the closest place from Lake Carroll to buy hot food between midnight and 4 a.m.

Pizza slices are available, and orders for whole pizzas can be called in or ordered through Casey’s phone app.

Casey’s also serves burgers, breadsticks, wings, cheesy tots, popcorn chicken, chicken tenders and pork tenderloins, available by pre-order.

Breakfast items are made starting at 4 a.m. daily, which include breakfast pizzas and burritos, hash browns and biscuits and gravy.

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If you want to pick up some beer, be sure to make it to the Casey’s in Savanna before 2 a.m. when alcohol sales there end; that’s the latest you can get it at after midnight in Carroll County.

Along with its Savanna location, Casey’s also operates 24-hour locations within an hour’s drive one-way from Lake Carroll in Byron, Dixon, Morrison, Oregon and Rock Falls. The Casey’s locations in Lanark and Shannon are the two closest to Lake Carroll; the Lanark location is open from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and Shannon is open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Need a caffeine fix? The nearest outdoor pop machines are in front of Lanark Food Center (113 N. Broad St.), cash and coin only.

Finding fast food overnight has become more of a challenge in a post-pandemic economy. Rising food costs and challenges in the labor marker have taken a toll on restaurants, complicating efforts to restore overnight services at places that once had them, and the ones where overnight service is available are drive-thru only. The McDonald’s in Freeport is one. It’s drive-through at 1710 South West Ave. is open around the clock.

Longtime 24-hour stalwarts such as Steak and Shake and Denny’s restaurants are no longer open overnight at several locations. Even the McDonald’s at the DeKalb Oasis on Interstate 88 closes at night, going against the original idea of the Illinois Tollway oases as being a round-the-clock rest stop. The McDonald’s at the Belvidere Oasis on Interstate 90, however, remains open overnight.

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Need a workout in the wee hours? On The Move Community Fitness Center, 125 W. Locust St. in Lanark, is open around the clock to its members.

Life for night owls has been challenging since the pandemic began, and the forecast for restoring or establishing 24-hour business is uncertain. It’ll all depend on demand, and whether it makes sense for the bottom line. The best hope to bring such opportunities closer to Lake Carroll lies with chain places close by that have other locations open all night.

One industry that’s bucked the trend of scaling back overnight hours is fitness centers, due largely to their self-serve nature. There’s no product to produce or stock to worry about — just offer a safe and secure place where members can work out on their own schedule.

On The Move Community Fitness Center in Lanark (125 W. Locust St.) has equipment, weights and training spaces. Usage is done through a membership system, and 24-hour access is reserved for members. Nonmembers must arrange sessions with management at 815-493-8213.

Business trends during the overnight hours can shift though, and customer demand can always change the way businesses operate, but with the advent of online commerce and the relatively small number of people shopping in the overnight hours, it’s unlikely Lake Carroll shoppers will find many more “open” signs nearby in the overnight hours anytime soon.

Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

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A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024 | 39

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From left: JoAnne Zielinski, Felicia Finley & Paul Stancato.

featured in the performance.

If “Backwoods” sounds familiar, that’s because Finley and Zielinski brought the show to Lake Carroll on Oct. 7 in front of a sold-out audience at Candlelight Inn at the Clubhouse.

This isn’t Finley’s first time treading the boards on Broadway. She has several Broadway credits to her name, as well as a music album, “Great Mood for a Tuesday.” She is the wife of Paul Stancato, who has directed and choreographed musical performances world wide and is a past artistic director at Timber Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll. Go to feliciafinley.com to learn more about her career.

Zielinski, a professor emeritus at DePaul University, has several producing and directing credits, and also has been a casting director and actress in a wide range of media. Go to imdb.com/name/nm3275610 to learn more about her career.

Go to http://tinyurl.com/yck4uhfz to watch a sizzle reel of the performance, and watch for a feature on these Lake Carroll talents in an upcoming issue of Lake Lifestyle.

—Cody Cutter for Sauk Valley Media

SUBMITTED PHOTO

NEW YORK — A pair of Lake Carroll residents are giving more than just their regards to Broadway — they’re giving a performance.

Felicia Finley and JoAnne Zielinski will take their talents to the famed New York theater district in January for an audacious cabaret, “Backwoods to Broadway: Patsy & Fe,” starring Finley and directed by JoAnne Zielinski, both of Lake Carroll.

The show will have two performances, on Jan. 12 and 13, in The Green Room 42 at Yotel Times Square in New York City. Founded in 2017, The Green Room 42 is one of Broadway’s newest cabaret clubs.

Can’t swing a trip to New York to see the show?

No problem. You can watch it from the comfort of home. The Green Room 42 offers live stream tickets.

Show times are 6 p.m. local time on Jan. 12 and noon on Jan. 13. Streaming tickets are $21.75; go to thegreenroom42. venuetix.com to purchase tickets and watch the shows.

In “Backwoods,” Finley shares her story about growing up in the backwoods of North Carolina and Louisiana, and her journey to a successful Broadway career. The music of country music star Patsy Cline was an inspiration of Finley’s, and her renditions of some of her songs are

40 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024

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A Guide To

Lake Carroll Real Estate

Are you looking to enjoy the Lake Lifestyle?

The following pages will show you the properties available to you right now!

A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024 | 41

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12/19/2023 8:20:03 AM

KAYLA BLOCK

Broker/Owner 815-475-8060

FAR FROM URBAN, CLOSE TO HOME

HOME

SCAN FOR OUR EXCLUSIVE LISTINGS: COMPREHENSIVE REAL ESTATE SERVICES

OUR HISTORY

Founded in 1992 when Patten Corporation. left Lake Carroll, Fawn Ridge was dedicated to serving the community. As time passed, listings grew to include nearby towns, businesses and acreages.

Lake Carroll Specialists Second Home Experts

OUR STORY

Residential

The company is dedicated to assisting clients in achieving their lifestyle objectives through real estate transactions. We prioritize deep local market knowledge, strong communication, professionalism, and providing expert care to build strong relationships with clients.

Land Commercial

WHY CHOOSE FAWN RIDGE?

Carroll, Stephenson, Jo Daviess Counties

With a prominent office in Lake Carroll, our brokers are members of the community and extremely knowledgeable about the area.

We utilize the latest technology to market properties for sellers and connect buyers with their ideal home.

CONTACT US www.fawnridgerealty.com

• 104 N. Ma • 5-176 Hea • 1-5 & 6 Gr • 16-34 Elm • 3-376 Car • 19-12 Tim • 24-12 Hid • 17-104 Hid • 4-64 Beac • 25-11 Hom • 19-32 Hid • 2A7 Hidden • 17-69 Lak • 1-24 Old W • 28-70 Lak • 16-200R B • 109 Coun • 3-538 Faw • 1-85 Farra • 23-221 Br • 25-18 Cou • 12260 Lor • 21-3 Timb • 9925 Seve • 16-213 Sto • 5-106 Top • 23-32 Ber • 25-81 Lak • 5-100 Top

815.493.2829

3-203 Association Dr Lake Carroll, IL 61046

42 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024

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EX JO

rporation. dedicated e passed, y towns,

assisting objectives ons. We nowledge, alism, and d strong

DGE?

arroll, our unity and the area. o market ct buyers

KAYLA BLOCK

NICK BLOCK

CYNDY GRIFFIN

BARB HILL

Broker/Owner 815-475-8060

Broker/Owner 815-906-1701

Broker 815-238-7597

Broker 815-766-2758

Managing Broker Designated 815-238-4541 Managing Broker 815-238-4368

JANE O’BRIEN

DAVID FREDERICK

Broker 630-632-2427 NW ILLINOIS

Broker 239-300-1974 NW ILLINOIS

78 UNITS SOLD

$444,412

97.0%

25

AVG SALES PRICE (Homes Listed)

SALE PRICE / LIST PRICE (Homes Listed)

AVG DAYS ON MARKET (Homes Listed)

LAKE CARROLL RECAP 2023 189 UNITS SOLD

$421,260

96.4%

59

AVG SALES PRICE (Homes Sold)

SALE PRICE / LIST PRICE (Homes Sold)

AVG DAYS ON MARKET (Homes Sold)

DATA FROM NWIAR MLS as of 12/15/23

FAWN RIDGE RECAP 2023

HOMES SOLD 2023 • 104 N. Main (MC) | $68,900 • 5-176 Heathcliff | $230,000 • 1-5 & 6 Grandview | $240,000 • 16-34 Elmhurst | $242,000 • 3-376 Caribou | $261,000 • 19-12 Timber Ridge | $262,500 • 24-12 Hidden Ranch | $282,000 • 17-104 Hidden Cove | $285,000 • 4-64 Beachcomber | $300,000 • 25-11 Homewood | $305,000 • 19-32 Hidden Valley | $307,500 • 2A7 Hidden Spring Lane (ACL) | $315,000 • 17-69 Lakeview | $329,000 • 1-24 Old Wharf | $335,000 • 28-70 Lake Carroll | $355,000 • 16-200R Boxwood | $370,500 • 109 Countryside (S) | $385,000 • 3-538 Fawn Ridge | $395,000 • 1-85 Farragut | $396,000 • 23-221 Brandywine | $399,000 • 25-18 Country Hill | $430,000 • 12260 Loran Rd (PC) | $435,000 • 21-3 Timber Shore | $488,000 • 9925 Seven Hill (MC) | $545,000 • 16-213 Stonehedge | $570,000 • 5-106 Topsail | $705,000 • 23-32 Berkshire | $756,500 • 25-81 Lake Carroll | $980,000 • 5-100 Topsail | $995,000

GARY SHELLHAUSE WAYNE WILHELM

LOTS SOLD 2023 • 1-53 Captains | $1 • 16-39 Lake Carroll | $1 • 13-173 Spring Creek | $1 • 16-133R Stonehedge | $10 • 13-26 & 27 Spring Creek | $10 • 16-84 Canterberry | $10 • 3-440R Elk | $10 • 5-151 & 152 Heathcliff | $10 • 2-308R Holiday | $10 • 13-114 Quail Hollow | $200 • 2-242R Westcrest | $1,000 • 16-144 Stonehedge | $1,000 • 5-229 Heathcliff | $1,000 • 26-14 Wynwood | $1,000 • 4-57R Beachcomber | $1,500 • 28-65 Lake Carroll | $2,000

• 31-31 Medinah | $7,500 • 23-6 Lake Carroll | $8,000 • 24-98 Saddlwood | $9,999 • 28-58 Southview | $10,000 • 19-20 Timber Ridge | $13,500 • 19-16 Timber Ridge | $16,500 • 23-4 Lake Carroll | $18,000 • 23-114 Lake Carroll | $20,000 • 25-73 Cottage Hill | $21,000 • 24-32 Lake Carroll | $21,000 • 24-101 Shenandoah | $21,000 • 24-95 Hidden Valley | $21,500 • 1-187 Old Wharf | $21,500 • 16-95R Canterberry | $28,000 • 21-52 Old Wharf | $30,000 • 17-54 Lakeview | $99,000

EXPERT GUIDANCE, PERSONALIZED SERVICE JOIN THE BEST SELLER’S LIST @FAWN RIDGE Fawn Ridge Real Estate Co. 3-203 Association Dr. Lake Carroll, IL 61046

Complete Real Estate Services

info@fawnridgerealty.com

on Dr 61046

A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024 | 43

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PROPERTIES SOLD BY RE/MAX TOWN LAKE & COUNTRY IN 2023

CLOSED AUGUST 2023 LD SO

CLOSED AUGUST 2023 LD SO

CLOSED OCTOBER 2023 LD SO

CLOSED SEPTEMBER 2023 LD SO

23-32 Berkshire Ct. List Price $799,000

25-57 Cottage Hill Dr List Price $689,999

1-64 Captains Dr. List Price $629,000

23-115R Lake Carroll Blvd.

List Price $535,000

SO

CLOSED MAY 2023 LD

CLOSED SEPTEMBER 2023 LD SO

SO

CLOSED JULY 2023 LD

CLOSED AUGUST 2023 LD SO

19-76 Timber Ridge Dr List Price $499,000

2-242R Westcrest Ct. List Price $401,900

28-52 Southview Dr List Price $399,900

23-221 Brandywine List Price $399,900

CLOSED AUGUST 2023 LD SO

CLOSED AUGUST 2023 LD SO

SO

CLOSED MAY 2023 LD

SO

CLOSED JUNE 2023 LD

16-200R Boxwood Ct. List Price $389,700

31-85 Country Club Ct List Price $360,000

19-32 Hidden Valley Dr. List Price $329,000

17-104 Hidden Cove List Price $299,000

CLOSED AUGUST 2023 LD SO

19-32 Hidden Valley List Price $299,000

CLOSED JUNE 2023 LD

CLOSED AUGUST 2023 LD SO

3-376 Caribou Ct List Price $274,900

24-123 WagonWheel Dr. List Price $225,000

SO

MA YO Call

LA

TOW N L A K E & C O U N T RY w w w. b u y l a ke c a r r o l l . c o m

Julie Wenzel

Patti Kloepping

815-541-1001

815-266-4020

Managing Broker juliewenzel@remax.net

Broker Associate pattik@remax.net

Tom Grimes

David Peterson

815-590-7237

815-238-2269

Broker Associate

thomasgrimes@remax.net

Broker Associate

dcpeterson@remax.net

44 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024

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12/20/2023 11:31:55 AM

www

KNOWS LAKE CARROLL

RY

MAKE LAKE CARROLL YOUR SANCTUARY Call us to Buy or Sell

BER 2023

ST 2023

dywine 399,900

E 2023

d Peterson

ker Associate

-238-2269

rson@remax.net

21-78 LAKE CARROLL BLVD • LAKE CARROLL, IL

815-493-SOLD

THANK YOU LAKE CARROLL FOR ANOTHER GREAT YEAR!

arroll Blvd.

35,000

en Cove 299,000

Town Lake & Country

CALL US TO LIST YOUR LAKE CARROLL PROPERTY We need properties for sale for 2024.

It’s not too early to call. www.buylakecarroll.com • email us at: BuyLakeCarroll@yahoo.com A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024 | 45

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12/20/2023 11:31:52 AM

TOM MILLER

MANAGING BROKER Cell: 815-297-4968

LakeCarrollTom@aeroinc.net www.MyLakeCarrollRealty.com OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Here is a list of 2023 Home Sales we participated in

LAKE VIEW

SOLD

G N I D PEN

SOLD

1-5 & 6 GRANDVIEW DR

SOLD

31-60 WACONDA DR.

25-57 COTTAGE HILL DR.

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

4-79 BEACHCOMBER LANE

19-33 HIDDEN VALLEY DR.

17-199 LAKE CARROLL BLVD.

28-60 SOUTHVIEW DR. $299,000 • 3 bedroom • 3 Baths • 2042 Sq Ft

• Built 2003 • 1.72 acres • Zoned HVAC • NiCor converted

SOLD

SOLD

4-117 BEACHCOMBER LANE

SOLD

5-100 TOPSAIL CT.

21-3 TIMBER SHORE DR.

LOT SALES WE PARTICIPATED IN

31-39 Waconda Dr 31-80 Country Club Ct. 24-95 Hidden Valley Dr. 23-4 Lake Carroll Blvd.

16-57 & 58 Meadowview Ct. 24-32 Lake Carroll Blvd.

23-114 Lake Carroll Blvd.

19-7 Timber Ridge Rd. 19-6 Timber Ridge Rd. 16-136 Stonehedge Dr. 28-5 Colonial Ct. 31-79 Country Club Ct. 28-58 Southview Dr.

SOLD

SOLD

17-150 EDGEWATER DR.

16262 CARTER ROAD

LOTS FOR SALE

3-532 BUCK LANE $10 17-22 WHITEWATER CT. $1,000 (SOLD)

We have buyers and are in need of listings, let us add YOUR home to our list of “SOLDs”!

Please give us a call for a market analysis of your home.

by For Sale lty rroll Rea Lake Ca

TOM MILLER

46 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024

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12/19/2023 8:20:08 AM

Amy Barnes Designated Managing Broker 815-238-8360

www.BarnesRealtyInc.com

866-493-2300

SOLD 19-67 EDGEWOOD COURT, LAKE CARROLL WOODED CUL-DE-SAC LOCATION! 3 Bedrooms | 3.5 Baths | 3911 Sq. Ft. | Call Margaret 1.70 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | 378 Sq. Ft. Bonus Room | $455,000

SOLD 25-11 HOMEWOOD DRIVE, LAKE CARROLL NICELY UPDATED! 3 Bedrooms | 3 Baths | 2478 Sq. Ft. | Call Margaret 1.80 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | Move In Ready | $290,000

SOLD 3-406 WHITE TAIL CIRCLE, LAKE CARROLL SCREENED GAZEBOO! 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 1344 Sq. Ft. | Call Margaret 0.78 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | Cathedral Ceiling| $240,000

VACANT LOTS County View | 16-170 Stonehedge Dr. | $1 Country View | 12-166 Rosewood Ln. | $5 Country View | 3-650 & 651 Fawn Ridge Dr | $10 PRICE REDUCED 5517 DAGGERT ROAD, MT. CARROLL RURAL LOCATION! 4 Bedroom | 2.5 Baths | Call Amy 0.68 Acre Lot | 3 Car Garage | $229,900

Country View | 12-219 Spring Creek Dr | $1,000 Wooded | 13-102 Quail Hollow Dr. | $2,000 Wooded | 12-245 Birchbark Ct. | $3,900

PRICE REDUCED 17-11 WHITEWATER DRIVE, LAKE CARROLL UPDATED WITH FINISHED WALK OUT!

Deeded Slip | 31-76 Country Club Ct. | $24,900

3 BEDROOM | 3 BATHS | 3000 SQ. FT. | CALL AMY 0.58 ACRE LOT | 2 CAR GARAGE | CUL-DE-SAC | $342,900

4041 ILLINOIS ROUTE 84, THOMSON MOVE IN READY!

1208 N MAIN STREET, SAVANNA GREAT LOCATION WITH RIVERVIEW!

PRICE REDUCED 1901 CHICAGO AVENUE, SAVANNA BEAUTIFUL BRICK BUNGALOW! 3 Bedroom | 2 Baths | Call Amy 0.99 Acre Lot | 4 Car Garage | $164,900

Doug Moll Managing Broker 815-238-3626

SM-ST2129956

3 Bedroom | 1.5 Baths | Call Aime 0.44 Acre Lot | 1 Car Garage | $119,900

Aime Heldt Broker 815-291-8256

Trish Oppold Broker 815-541-7138

Margaret Rominski Broker 815-291-5269

3 Bedrooms | 1.5 Baths | Call Aime H 0.29 Acre Lot | Enclosed Porch | $118,000

Gary Ludwig Broker 815-541-5959

24490 Payne Rd, Shannon, IL A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024 | 47

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12/19/2023 10:28:40 AM

Picture Yourself in the Boat You’ve Always Wanted!

24565 Zier Rd, Lanark (815) 493-6401 millerssport.com

t Classic 2024 Cres 40 Platnium 2

Monday-Friday 8am-2pm Weekends by Appointment Only 7,000 sq. ft. Showroom Competitive Prices • Dedicated Staff Largest Accessory Dept. in the Area Quality Service from Factory Trained Technicians On Water Service • Indoor Storage • Dock & Lift

2024 Crest Carribean 230 RS

Factory Authorized Repair Center

2024 Cres

tliner MX

19

SM-ST2129838

48 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2024

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