GO Magazine - January 2014

Grundy County’s Own Magazine January 2014

Young achievers Family reading time will serve your children well the rest of their lives ALSO: 100 day fitness challenge • Toning your financial health

Unplanned Trip?

ImmedIaTe Care is here for injuries and illnesses…without the wait.

For our patients’convenience, riverside’s West Campus in Coal City is offering diagnostic services and immediate care seven days a week.

Immediate Care Services: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Strep throat (rapid strep test) Fever and flu Sprains and fractures Eye injuries and pink eye Sore throat and sinus infections Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea Allergies Bronchitis and pneumonia Ear infections Bladder infection Burns Rashes and poison ivy Colds and cough Cuts, punctures, bruises and other wounds

Immediate Care Information: (815) 634-0100

Walk-in diagnostic Services: ● ● ●

Lab Draws X-rays EKG

Scheduled diagnostic Services: ● ● ● ● ●

CT Scans MRI Digital Mammography Ultrasound Bone Density Scans

diagnostic Services Information: (815) 634-9800

Open 7 days a Week: Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Holidays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Closed Christmas Day

West Campus in Coal City Immediate Care & diagnostic Imaging Center 5775 E. Highway 113, Coal City (just west of Carbon Hill Road) Visit us online at www.riversidemC.net

Local History

School Days Morris High School in Morris, Illinois. (photo submitted by Betty Ferguson)

Inside this

month’s

January 2014

4 10

Get in the Olympic spirit with the 100 day challenge | Local physician

issues exercise challenge

6

Young achievers Family reading time will serve your children well the rest of their lives

MORRIS DAILY HERALD

Grundy County’s Own Magazine

MORRIS DAILY HERALD

A division of Shaw Media

815-942-3221

Toning your financial health | Local financial experts offer advice to those seeking to save more Photographer: Heidi Litchfield Ad Director: Rich Ponulak Art Direction and Design: Rob Szekely Ad Sales Representatives: Gina Ringer, Kelly Limbach and Denise Pankey

General Manager: Robert Wall Managing Editor: Christina Chapman-Van Yperen Shaw Media Correspondent: Jeanne Millsap

1804 N. Division St., Morris, Illinois 60450

www.morrisdailyherald.com

GO magazine is published four times a year by the Morris Daily Herald (A division of Shaw Media), 1804 N. Division St., Morris IL 60450. The entire contents may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or part, without written permission of the publisher. Advertisements appearing in GO magazine are not endorsements by the publisher. The publisher is not responsible or liable for errors or omissions in any advertisement beyond the paid piece of that advertisement. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission from the publisher. © 2014, Morris Publishing Company.

MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE • 3

Fitness

Get in the

Olympic spirit with the

100-day challenge

Local physician issues exercise challenge

Story by Jeanne Millsap | Shaw Media Correspondent 4 • MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE

The Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, begins in February, when the best and the most fit athletes in the world will demonstrate their mastery of their sports.

And we’ll be watching them lying on our couches, munching snacks and sipping sodas.

Seneca family physician Dr. Lianne Holloway has a challenge she’s issuing to the community to get up and get moving: Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day for 100 days. Any kind of intentional movement counts, she said, and it can be broken up into increments of 15 minutes twice a day or even 10 minutes three times a day.

“The Olympics are a great motivator to get people moving who aren’t moving now,” Holloway said. “Especially in the winter, there’s a lot of inactivity, and people don’t realize the cost to themselves. Inactivity is the fourth leading risk for mortality in the world.”

Holloway cited a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity, that says adults need at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic workouts each week, plus muscle-strengthening exercises on two or more days that work all major muscle groups.

She also cited the American Heart Association, which says exercising at least 30 minutes a day can cut the risk for heart disease. And for every one hour of walking, life expectancy lengthens by two hours. An activity as easy as walking can reduce high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Holloway has put her feet where her words are, as well, participating in the100-day program herself. There was a three-day period in early January when she got all the exercise she needed just by shoveling snow, she said, noting that one doesn’t have to go to a gym to reach the 30-minute daily goal.

And after the athletes have received the medals for their Olympic performances, Holloway said those doing the challenge will have their own “gold medal moments.” That’s when something is achieved that a person did not think they would be able to achieve.

One of her gold medal moments came when she first started running.

She completed the “Couch to 5K” program and ran her first 5K. “I was so thrilled,” she said. “I felt like I got a gold medal.”

Holloway said the 100-day challenge can include such motivators as a couch-to-5K program, an exercise DVD, a cable television exercise program, exercise equipment, walking or running outside, swimming, or all of the above for variety.

Weight Watchers also has a good get-moving program, she said, and fitness expert Debra Mazda has a DVD she recommends for larger women called, “ShapelyGirl Fitness.”

“Just do something you like to do,” Holloway said. “Put on the Bee Gees in the basement and dance away. There’s no one there to laugh at you but your dog.”

Dr. Lianne Holloway challenges the community to exercise at least 30 minutes a day for 100 days (left).

Dr. Robin Trevison of Coal City can be found at Get Fit 24/7 (formerly Healthsmart Fitness Center) in Morris riding the stationary bicycle and participating in other fitness activities (opposite page, left).

Nora Colin of Morris can be found at Get Fit 24/7 (formerly Healthsmart Fitness Center) in Morris working out at least 30 minutes a day (opposite page, right).

For those who are relatively sedentary, Holloway said there are many obstacles that are probably getting in the way.

“When you confuse yourself with all the reasons why you can’t,” she said, “you miss all the reasons why you can.”

An example she cites is the fear of ridicule at a gym. Even gym-goers who are super-buff won’t look down on you, she said. They will admire you for taking that first step.

“Start slowly if you need to,” she said. “Just get up and begin. Overcome the self-defeating talk and have the courage to start. You’ll probably find something you love to do and will enjoy the experience.”

Holloway recommended remembering the pure joy you got as a child from some kind of physical activity.

“That joy is still inside you somewhere,” she said, “and it will be a great thrill when you find it.” n

Benefits of walking • Improves sleep • Boosts the mood • Lowers the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes • Tones muscles • Strengthens bones • Increases number of calories the body burns • Slows memory decline • Lowers Alzheimer’s risk • Gives you opportunities to actively socialize with friends and family Sources: www.arthritistoday.org and www.niddk.nih.gov

We’re Here to Make Grundy County Stronger!

Standard Bank’s goal is to help you become stronger financially this year, helping your business prosper... making your family’s dream become reality.

Contact me or any of our banks in the Grundy County market and we can begin helping you and your business become stronger financially and prepared to grow in 2014.

Serving the Grundy County market.

Safeguarding your family’s future.

Partnering with your business.

Serving Grundy & Will Counties Morris

1111 W. Rt. 6 1433 Lisbon St. 3525 N. Rt 47

Coal City

20 S. Kankakee St.

Minooka

515 W. Rt. 6

Gardner

128 Depot St.

South Wilmington 125 S. 3rd Ave.

Wilmington

1005 S. Water St.

815.942.5300 standardbanks.com

Kelly Beaty President, Southern Division

MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE • 5

Family

Danise Dryfhout reads to her children at night before bed.

Young achievers Family reading time will serve your children well the rest of their lives Story by Jeanne Millsap Shaw Media Correspondent

Many educators say that having family reading time is by far the best thing parents can do for their children’s academic success.

Reading helps a child’s intelligence skyrocket even before he or she begins school. They are better able to handle all classroom subjects if they are read to when young, and if they read on their own as they grow older.

“Being able to read well affects every area of their education, even math and science,” said Peggy Janosek, a reading specialist at Saratoga School. “As soon as they are born,

start reading to them.”

Reading to babies lets them hear the cadence and sounds of words, and gives them special bonding with the parent, sibling or other reader.

When the kids get older, Janosek said, reading to them builds their vocabulary, interests them in books and can be a calming activity before bedtime.

When children begin to learn to read, parents can alternate sentences or pages of the adult reading aloud, then the child reading aloud. Janosek advised that beginning

6 • MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE

about fourth grade, begin reading to them above their level.

“Their ability to understand is higher than their reading level,” she said.

But don’t give them books that are above their reading level to read themselves, or they may become frustrated and not enjoy reading anymore.

A rule of thumb, according to Janosek, is the five-finger rule: If there are five words they don’t know on one or two pages, that book is too much for them.

Once a child is older and reading aloud is

260 S. Main St., Seneca

(815)357-6858

www.RiversideChiro.com

Dr. Sean F. Gibbs, DC • Dr. Christa Velos, DC, DICCP

Where Fitness Meets Wellness FITNESS CLASSES FOR ALL LEVELS Monday • 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm Tuesday • 10:30 am, 5:15 pm, 6:15 pm Wednesday • 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm Thursday • 5:15 pm, 6:15 pm Friday • 10:30 am

All classes will be geared for general fitness and may include cardio, strengthening, core and balance!

Personal Training Available by Appointment Instructor & Personal Trainer: Adam Longbons, B.A. Full time massage therapists on staff

Friendly, Comfortable Healthcare at Convenient Hours Close to Home.

GENERAL CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Family • Sports • Pediatrics & Pregnancy

WOW! Switching isn’t hard when you use our EZ-Switch Kit!

Contact Sheryl Annen today!

Find Us On Facebook

WOW!

REWARDS CHECKING

2.50%

apy*

balances up to $15,000

UP TO $10 FOREIGN ATM REFUNDS 211 E. Jefferson Street • Morris, IL 60450 (815) 942-3232 www.morrisbl.com

*Annual percentage yield are subject to change and are accurate as of January 2, 2014. **a minimum of $100 is required to open a WOW Checking account. To receive stated annual percentage yield and up to $10 in ATM withdrawal fee refunds nationwide, you must meet the following qualifications each monthly statement cycle: 1. Make 15 signature-based (non-PIN) point of sale (POS) purchases that post to your account during the monthly statement cycle with your MBL MasterCard Check Card,. 2. Receive a minimum of one direct deposit to your account during the monthly statement cycle. If these qualifications are met during the monthly statement cycle and your daily balance is $15,000 or less, the interest rate of 2.47% with an APY of 2.50% will apply. An interest rate of .05% will be paid only for that portion of your daily balance that is greater than $15,000.00. The APY for accounts with a balance greater than $15,000 will range from 2.50% to .05%, depending on the balance in the account. If you do not meet the qualifications during the monthly statement cycle, your account will still function as a basic checking account with an interest rate of .05% and an APY of .05% on all balances and you will not receive ATM refunds for that statement cycle. Fees may reduce earnings. Qualifying transactions must post and clear to the account during the monthly statement cycle.

MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE • 7

Saratoga School reading specialist Peggy Janosek encourages students to read on the computer as well as traditional books (above).

Ten year old Kaitlyn Fowlie of Minooka enjoys picking out books at the library to take home and read (above, right).

not an option, Janosek still recommends family reading time, where the TV is turned off and the time is devoted to every family member reading.

“Tell them, ‘Turn the TV off and let’s enjoy the quiet time and let our brains go crazy,’” she said.

Danise Dryfhout, of Morris, has seven children and has read to each of them. The little ones will jump in bed with her at night and get their reading time there. The older ones have their e-readers or books.

Dryfhout said she has always enjoyed reading and hopes she can convey that love to her children.

“It was something that I cherished growing up,” she said, “and I wanted them to have that as well. It’s imagination, it’s learning and it makes them smarter.”

Her family has good memories of reading time. She said she read the entire “Harry Potter” series out loud until she was hoarse when her oldest children were young.

Once a child reaches high school, spending reading time with their parents may be the last thing they want to do.

Morris Community High School Media Director Gail Janz said there are still ways to keep reading at the forefront in your home.

“It is important to keep the kids reading,” she said. “It’s been shown that reading really does support high test scores. ... Reading

pushes your brain and expands your knowledge. ... It’s also a good way to stay close to your kids at that age.”

Students at MCHS have required reading lists each year, with selections varying depending on which English classes they are taking. The books for their classes are listed on the school’s website, Janz said, under the English department tab.

Parents can read those books at the same time their children do, Janz suggested, then discuss them daily.

“It’s better than asking them, ‘How was your day?’” she said. “You can talk about the characters. ... The more they can discuss and understand those books, the better their knowledge of those books come test time.”

Another idea Janz suggested was to have a bit of a competition going between the parents and the kids. Put a chart up on the wall listing how many books the kids versus the adults have read that year, or how many Abraham Lincoln Readers’ Choice Award-winning books. This master list of books is recommended by teachers and librarians for high school-age students, then voted on by student readers.

Janz said that even with kids who don’t normally like to read, finding the right book for the right kid can lead to a love of reading and books and lifelong learning. n

8 • MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE

Ways to encourage reading at home

Cooking - While cooking have your kids read recipes aloud to you while you’re cooking dinner.

Eating - While your family is eating together, discuss what your favorite characters would have for dinner – Harry Potter might like pumpkin juice and chocolate frogs, while Geronomo Silton could crave some cheese.

Put some drama in your evenings Choose a story your family knows well – like a well-read book or fairytale -- and act out the beginning, middle and end of the story.

Play “Who Am I?” - Choose one of your children’s favorite book characters, then describe his or her personality traits, problems, and physical descriptions until they guess the character’s identity.

Book nooks - Create “book nooks” with your child - comfy places to sit and read. They should have good lighting and containers filled with sticky notes, pens, pencils and a small dictionary.

Craft bookmarks - Making bookmarks together is a great family reading activity. Just cut bookmark-sized cardboard from cereal or shoe boxes, then get crafty. Use markers to write titles, authors, and favorite quotes. Younger readers can draw or cut and paste pictures from old magazines.

Source: www.scholastic.com.

Columnist

The Bookworm Terri Schlichenmeyer

Just one spark Knickelbine recounts a little known tragedy in post-civil war history from the view of a young boy (this story is meant for kids ages 7 - 10 or young historians).

Don’t play with matches!

Even before you entered first grade, that was a lesson you learned from your parents, grandparents, teachers, and neighbors. Matches were cool but they burned hot, and not only could they destroy things with the fire they make, but they could also hurt you very, very badly.

You know all about the things that fire can do - but did you know that it can cause a tornado? Read about that and one of the biggest disasters in history, in “The Great Peshtigo Fire” by Scott Knickelbine.

In 1871, America was still a young country but it was growing very fast.

People were coming from all over the world to live here, and they all needed homes and furniture. Because much of our country was covered with huge forests, wood was plentiful and cheap and was often used to make those things.

In Northern Wisconsin, logging was a big industry: thousands of people worked to cut down tens of thousands of

trees every year to meet the immigrants’ demands. When loggers cut down the trees, they left behind dead branches and shrubs, which they called “slash.” Dried slash was dangerous because it caught fire easily, especially when mixed with the piles of sawdust that came from making wooden boards.

Trains, of course, were needed to bring the lumber out of the logging camps. The locomotives were run by steam, and the fire from the engines threw off sparks. It wasn’t unusual for one of those sparks to meet dry slash and cause a disaster.

On Sunday, October 8, 1871, a disaster is exactly what happened.

It had been dry that summer, and people were already used to a lot of fires and smokefilled air. At about 10 o’clock that night, everyone heard a soft roar that grew and grew.

“Suddenly, big sheets of flame blew out of the forest,” says Knickelbine. Everyone

ran toward the safety of the Peshtigo River, but the fire was faster.

When it was over, the town was little more than ash. Nobody knows exactly how many people died in the flames; Knickelbine says, “… even today, we don’t know all their names.”

So why isn’t this conflagration the first topic when it comes to firefighting?

Your child will learn the reason in this well-written, well-illustrated book.

Those illustrations, in fact, are a big part of “The Great Peshtigo Fire.” Yes, author Scott Knickelbine gives kids a thorough overview of life in the Upper Midwest, post-Civil War, and he explains how this disaster came to be, personalizing it a bit by including a young boy as part of the story. But Knickelbine also includes vast amounts of artwork, real photographs, and weather maps to fully explain the significance – and the horror – of the deadliest firestorm in American history.

Meant for kids ages 7-to-10, I also think an older child would get a lot out of this book. For young historians, future firefighters, or kids with wide and varied interests, “The Great Peshtigo Fire” is a good match. n

“The Bookworm” is written by Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with her two dogs and 11,000 books.

MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE • 9

Kevin Olson with Grundy Bank discusses ways to increase your savings and pay down your debt (left).

It is never too early to start saving (below).

Money

paycheck-to-paycheck can be dangerous, even if things seem to be going well at the time. Financial emergencies can arise, he said, and it’s important to have resources that can be quickly and easily accessed.

“The one thing that most people fail to do is pay themselves first,” he said.

One of the simplest ways, Roolf said, is if your paycheck is direct deposited in your bank’s checking account, sign up to have a portion of those deposits immediately put into a savings account.

“You can take $50, $100, $150 out of your check each pay period,” he said,“so that you don’t even see it. It’s automatically deposited into a savings account.”

It’s like making a New Year’s resolution, to commit to begin taking care of your financial health, just as you take care of your physical health, he said.

For those who have smart phones, Roolf said

Toning your fiancial health

Story by Jeanne Millsap | Shaw Media Correspondent

These cold winter months are the perfect time to sit down and take account of the condition of your finances.

With the sun dipping down early and the long evenings indoors, try spending some time looking at the big picture of your dollars that come in and where they go out.

If you don’t already have one, creating a budget is a great place to begin. Start by writing down everything you spend money on for a one-month period. The results of this financial review may surprise you. Many don’t realize just how much goes to fast food restaurants, entertainment, and even their vehicles.

“You’ll see where your money is going,” said Kevin Olson, Grundy Bank President and CEO. “Then ask yourself if you are really happy with where it’s going, and if not, figure out what you can do to change that.”

Then prepare your budget, which is a list of exactly what you want to spend your money on each month. Include categories such as rent or mortgage, electricity, gas, car payment, food and toiletries, eating out, entertainment, etc. Then stick with it.

“A budget is an excellent idea,” Olson said.

“Write down your obligations, such as insurance, car payment, food, clothing, school expenses, and medical expenses, and don’t forget to pay yourself in the form of savings so that you do have money set aside for a rainy day.”

Think long-term when planning a budget, he added. Having a budget allows you to plan for some long-term goals – things you know you want or will need.

Another way to tone your financial health is to start or modify your savings. Jim Roolf, of First Midwest Bank, said that living

10 • MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE

First Midwest has banking apps that also make it easy to transfer money from your checking to your savings account. When you accrue enough in your savings account, it may be time to talk with a personal banker about how to begin a more profitable savings plan.

“The challenge is to have that money working for you,” he added. “Ask yourself what is the return you will be getting and what is the risk you will assume.”

“The one thing that most people fail to do is pay themselves first” Kevin Olson - Grundy Bank

Ways to tone your financial health Develop a budget

Think of a budget as how you want to spend your money.

A spending plan.

Increase your savings

Pay “yourself” first when money comes in. Put money in savings or a retirement account. Set a goal, such as a vacation, a down payment on a new home, or an emergency fund to cover the unexpected. Then establish a timeline for accomplishing the goal and outline a strategy for reaching it.

Pay down your debt Make a plan to pay off debts that have the highest interest rates first. Try to pay more than the minimum payment each month, even if it’s just $25 more. You’ll pay off your debt faster and save more on interest in the long run.

Review your credit report

Also look at paying off the debt you have. Begin with the debt that has the highest interest rate, and pay it off first. Olson said debt can be a good tool to achieve a goal, such as buying a house, or it can be harmful to you.

“If you’re using it to help pay the grocery bill,” he said, “then that means you’re spending more than you’re taking in, and that’s not what you want to be doing.”

Olson also said you can’t start saving too early for your retirement or your child’s college expenses.

“The hardest part is just to start,” he said.

“Once you start, make it a habit. Like running, the hardest part is that first step.” n

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. To order one, visit www.annualcreditreport.com.

Protect your identity

Review your monthly statements for any suspicious activity. Avoid using your social security number whenever possible. Be sure that you are on a secure website — the URL will begin with https — before you submit personal information online. Be wary of opening suspicious emails — and don’t click on any attachments.

Start a college fund Further your financial knowledge Sources: Kevin Olson of Grundy Bank, Jim Roolf of First Midwest Bank and www.commonwealth.com.

Your Hometown Advantage No one knows what tomorrow holds. Call today to schedule an Insurance and Financial Review to get prepared for your future.

815-942-9266

w hoice A

• Gre at

terri.gilmoure@ countryfinancial.com

We also have locations at: • Drive Up Facility - Main & Franklin • In Store Branch in Jewel/Osco • Wilmington Branch - 120 S. Main

er s’ C

•

www.grundybank.com

d

401 N Liberty St Morris, IL 60450

nty

Terri Gilmoure

a Re

201 Liberty Street Morris, IL 60450 (815) 942-0130

G r un d y C

ou

er

ds

Mobile Banking is now available at Grundy Bank.

Stop by and see a personal banker today!

Tomorrow is that day of the week when anything could happen

ar

At Grundy Bank, we are here for all of your personal and business banking needs.

012014-01103AC

MORRIS DAILY HERALD • GO MAGAZINE • 11

“RESPECT” Introducing Morris Hospital Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialists.

Serving women of all ages. Now in 3 Locations!

Dr. Victoria Ochoa Dr. Douglas Toussaint Dr. Leticia Setrini-Best Board-certified OB/GYNs specializing in the care of women including: reproduction, pregnancy & childbirth, preventive care, hormonal disorders, contraception, menopause and gynecological problems. Now accepting new and transfer patients.

237 W. Waverly, Morris (next to Morris Hospital) 815-941-0441 27240 W. Saxony Drive, Channahon (Morris Hospital Ridge Road Campus) 815-521-4600