GET BACK TO NATURE
• Theos Audiology dedicated to rural care
• Saving money at garage sales
• Nutritional ramen recipes
Cleaning the clutter
With my children both at college now, I’m finding that I have a lot of free time in the evenings, which used to be spent with them or at their activities. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love having a project or goal to work on, and the first thing I’ve decided to do with my new free time is declutter my house. Although I love my house because of the memories my family has made here, one thing I’ve always hated about it is its lack of closet space. The bedroom closets are small, and there are hardly any storage closets
throughout the whole house. As a result, my basement laundry room has become a storage area where I keep unused items in plastic bins.
Those plastic bins are now stacked pretty high and are beginning to take over the whole room. Every time I carry a basket of laundry into that room, I know the mess is getting out of control, and I need to do something about it.
Sorting through those bins and getting rid of what I don’t need or want will be my first goal as an empty nester. While I’m not looking forward
to it, I know I’ll be a lot happier when it’s done.
When you start having so many items and knick-knacks in your home that they’re stressing you out rather than bringing you joy, it’s time to reevaluate things.
Best wishes, Shannon Serpette Niche Editor
Your Pathway to Naturally Better Hearing
YOU DESERVE THE THEOS AUDIOLOGY EXPERIENCE:
· Comprehensive audiological evaluations and functional communication needs assessments
· Fitting and programming of digital hearing aids
· Tinnitus assessments and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
· Unbundled, transparent hearing aid prices
· Routine hearing aid maintenance
· Hearing aid repairs, batteries and supplies
Our Patients Say it Best
“Dr. Kendra, along with office manager, ������, ��� ������, ������������ ��� ���� personable. They make time to be available to ensure that their patients are informed and well cared for.” – Mary Jo F.
DID
“Kendra and her staff are great. Very professional, kind and competent. I’ve been working with them for 3 years now and couldn’t be happier. I highly recommend!!” – Katie W.
YOU KNOW… hearing loss relates to common medical conditions?
Illinois Valley Woman
426 Second Street
La Salle, Illinois 61301 (815) 223-3200 (800) 892-6452 www.newstrib.com
General Manager/
Advertising Director
Jeanette Smith jmsmith@shawmedia.com
Niche Editor
Shannon Serpette sserpette@shawmedia.com
Writers
Brandon LaChance
Katlyn Sanden
Shannon Serpette
Photographer Brandon LaChance
Katlyn Sanden
Designer Liz Klein
PHOTO BY KATLYN SANDEN
One-Stop
Theos Audiology is dedicated to providing rural hearing services
Story by Brandon LaChance
At Theos Audiology Solutions, Kendra Theodosopoulos and her team work to diagnose and improve hearing issues for their patients.
“An audiology clinic is a lot of hearing testing, diagnostic hearing testing, and hearing aids,” said Theodosopoulos, 35, of Magnolia. “We help individuals bring back those sounds they’re missing when they come in with concerns hearing family members, such as grandchildren. We try to address that and help them meet their communication goals. Our most populated demographic is older adults, but we’ll see anyone school-age and up.”
After graduating from Putnam County High School in 2008, Theodosopoulos obtained her doctoral
degree from Illinois State University in 2016, and took a job in the Chicagoland area at a non-profit that would travel to nursing homes in Chicago.
Realizing the position wasn’t for her two months later, she spent the next one and a half years in Aurora at Phonak, one of the top hearing aid manufacturers in the country.
Along with her husband, Bill, an engineer by trade who was an operations manager at Phonak, Theodosopoulos advanced quickly in her career.
“We both had the hearing aid background. I got tired of working in the manufacturing industry and wanted to go back to patient-facing care,” Theodosopoulos said. “We had moved from Naperville to Ottawa, and Peru had a Connect Hearing. They had an opening, and I started in 2018. Later in the
Theos Audiology replaced Connect Hearing in 2018 at 2200 Marquette Road in Peru. In 2023, the private practice celebrated five years in business.
Kendra Theodosopoulos (left) began her private practice, Theos Audiology, in 2018, just two years after obtaining her doctoral degree from Illinois State University. Along with Maricia Cocanour, a patient care coordinator, and husband Bill Theodosopoulos, who recently went back to ISU for his corporate MBA, the three do their best to improve patients’ hearing.
year, we found out Connect Hearing was divesting from a lot of their clinics. Ours was one of them as they were focusing on Chicago. We were told we could take the clinic and make it our own private practice or it was going to close.
“Our long-term goal was to have a private practice, but I had only been out of school for two years at the time. It was a little quicker than I expected. It was kind of a now-or-never. We hopped into private practice in October 2018 when it was made official Connect Hearing became Theos Audiology,” Theodosopoulos said.
The Theos Audiology Solutions location in Peru is where the couple learned how to operate a private practice and roll with the changes that came their way.
“When Connect Hearing told us they were divesting from the Peru clinic in July 2018, we set our five-year plan,”
she said. “Bill and I said we were not going to have any children yet and focus on getting this clinic up and running. No later than two weeks after we signed the papers, we found out I was pregnant. Jack was born in April 2019.
“We were trying to figure out how to run a private practice while learning how to be parents for the first time. Then COVID-19 hit in 2020. We kind of had it all handed to us at the same time,” she added.
Thankfully, the couple has a strong support system. Family has helped with Jack, and Kendra and Bill built a house next to her parents in Magnolia. In the office, Maricia Cocanour from Mendota, who worked with them at Connect Hearing, has stayed on as a patient care coordinator.
“Maricia has been such a great employee for us. She’s kind of been
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through it all,” Theodosopoulos said. “Without her, we wouldn’t be where we’re at with certain things.”
Since the Peru clinic remained successful, not just afloat, and Jack was a healthy, loved baby, career expansion took place with Theos Audiology opening clinics in Galesburg in 2021 and Streator in 2023.
Another provider was hired in 2023 to help maintain all three offices, but Theodosopoulos has been back to solo duties since December 2024.
Theos Audiology is encountering some of the cons of being a rural clinic.
“Most medical places are experiencing they can’t find providers to come to the rural areas. The Illinois Valley used to have three or four ENTs (otolaryngologists – doctors specializing in ears, nose, throat, head, neck). Now we have none. The same could be said for dentists. It’s been super hard to find an audiologist. Young people from the area want to go to the suburbs. If they’re not from the area, they don’t want to go somewhere rural,” she said.
“Having grown up in
the area, we understand the needs. As bigger corporations buy the smaller ones, they’re losing the knowledge of the area and what people want. The clients want to know their provider on a more personal level. They want to know the provider really cares about them and they’re not just a number,” she added.
“With our clinic, we want to know our clients. We want to know their family. We want to know their true communication goals. I don’t just want to put hearing aids on someone and be done. We want to know that you’re successful with them. If you wanted
to hear your grandchild perform at a recital, we’re going to make sure we see you enough and you feel good enough to hear the recital,” Theodosopoulos said.
Theodosopoulos is handling many roles right now – seeing clients, handling the marketing, finishing payroll, and completing the bookwork, but help is on the way.
Cocanour started training to become a hearing instrument specialist in April. Bill went back to ISU for his corporate MBA with the plan of coming back to Theos Audiology. In June, he joined Cocanour in class.
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Hickory Grove Campground, a camping destination
Story & Photos by Katlyn Sanden
Looking for a way to unplug with the family that doesn’t break the bank? Consider Hickory Grove Campground in Sheffield.
Hickory Grove Campground offers spacious campsites with numerous amenities nearby.
“This is a place where kids can still catch lightning bugs,” owner and founder Joan May said. “It’s just beautiful and so spacious. People aren’t camping on top of each other.”
Hickory Grove Campground is located on the border of the Hennepin Canal and Hennepin Canal State Park, about 2 miles north of Interstate 80. The campground has a boat launch, ramp, and dock on the canal and sits right next to the Great American Rail-Trail for biking and hiking.
It offers 103 campsites and can accommodate up to 80foot RVs for overnight or seasonal stays. They also have cabins available, brand new shower facilities, and a pool.
May says the Hennepin Canal and the National Bike Trail are big draws for their guests.
“People come here just to ride the bike trail,” said May. “There’s a 100-mile race the first weekend of October. It’s
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If staying in an RV isn’t your thing, Hickory Grove Campground also offers cabin rentals, which typically can accommodate a family.
Joan May, owner and founder of Hickory Grove Campground, checks in a new guest.
Gary and Laurie Smith say the addition of the pool (which was just completed this year) is a big draw for them. There are also brand new shower/bathroom facilities and a laundry room in the white building behind them.
New shower/bathroom facilities are available to campers at Hickory Grove Campground.
May says her skills as a retired operational engineer have helped her create this camping sanctuary. All their ‘roads’ are asphalt grindings, which cut down on dust.
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pretty neat to see their lights bobbing up and down when they’re going through.”
May says biking isn’t the only draw, though. The Psycho Silo Saloon is just 5 minutes away and is built in an old corn crib and has grown over the years. They host many family-friendly events throughout the year, including a tractor pull, rodeo, car show, and live music on the weekends. If that’s not your cup of tea, May says the surrounding towns are spectacular.
“The City of Princeton is adorable,” May said. “I love sending people into Princeton. Sheffield has cute stuff, also. They have a coffee shop, grocery store, Red’s Bar & Grill. People see that advertised and want to see what the area is. We have people come off the interstate and say it’s so pretty, they’re going to add a couple of days. They aren’t bothered by all the craziness that can happen at some RV parks because it’s so spacious.”
Because of that, May says she
sees a lot of repeat customers throughout the season.
“We’ve been coming here for 7 years now and have been permanent campers for the last 3 years,” said Gary Smith. “The big thing is, you’re not parked side by side. The campground is wide open with lots of trees. Of course, the addition of the pool keeps us coming back.”
Smith travels for nearly two hours with his wife, Laurie, to camp at Hickory Grove.
“We like to kayak the Hennepin Canal, go to the Psycho Silo Saloon when they have live music, and the wildlife park in Buda,” Smith said. “There’s a little bit of everything.”
With almost a decade in business, May looks forward to adding more campsites and making improvements to keep the regulars coming back.
“We’re thankful,” May said. “For nine years, the business just keeps growing. We have a 32 percent increase this year, and every year just seems a bit better. I don’t know why. Maybe camping is affordable for families still. This is a nice, safe place to experience camping with your kids. People come here for the peace and quiet.”
FIND A GARAGE SALE find a deal
Story & Photos by Brandon LaChance
When Diane Reppin was growing up in Paw Paw, she knew what she was doing for at least one weekend during summer vacation – garage sales. Whether it was selling herself or riding around town with her mother, Connie Schlesinger, she knew she was shopping.
“We had garage sales at a family
friend’s house every summer when I was a kid. I remember selling treats,” said 38-year-old Reppin, who has lived in Mendota with husband Michael Reppin since 2012. “I made Rice Krispies treats, brownies, and cookies. We had our own little picnic table to sit at
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Garage sale season seems to be year-round, except for the cold winter months in Illinois. Garage sale signs can often be seen in all communities at busy intersections.
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and sell our treats while our parents were selling their items at the garage sale.
“My mom is a big bargain shopper, and she loved going to garage sales, so since I was very young, I remember going to garage sales. We went to Earlville every year when they had the town-wide garage sales because it was always so big. We went to all of the sales. I remember people’s houses and all of the good stuff they had to sell.
“When I got older and had a son, Connor, now I did the same thing. I remember which houses and families have a son older than mine,” Reppin said. “I go back to their sale every year because I know they have good, used clothes my son will wear.”
Reppin’s top memory as a child garage sale shopper is finding the jackpot of Barbies and all the accessories. When Reppin, who runs a day care out of her home, sold the collection within the last year, she almost shed a tear.
“I wasn’t blessed with a daughter to pass the
Barbie stuff to, so I used it for the day care and then sold some of it in my garage sale,” Reppin said. “When a neighbor kid bought the Barbie accessory collection, it made me happy. I knew it was being passed down to somebody we kind of know. It’s still close to home. If I need to see the Barbie, she’s not too far.”
Over the years, Reppin has hosted many of her own garage sales. Since moving to the current Reppin family home in 2020, she has had sales at different times of the year.
However, as a tip for others contemplating
a garage sale, she suggests holding it in the spring and recommends doing so during townwide sales to increase the number of shoppers stopping by.
“I didn’t do a sale the first year because of COVID-19, but I’ve had sales over the past four years. That’s how people remember me now,” Reppin said. “Connor, who is 10 and is going to Holy Cross, they remember I’m the lady with Holy Cross clothes. I’m super organized, so they remember the sale itself. I usually do mine with the Mendota town-wide garage sales. They remember me and come back every year.
“I tried having a sale in the fall, and it didn’t go as well for me, but it could be because of a busy fall schedule, which makes putting time and attention into the sale difficult. I’ve had a few outside of the town-wide sale and I had less people, and they were all from Mendota,” Reppin said. “To get a larger customer base and to have them come from my community and outside of my community, I wait for the town-wide.”
When garage sales are not going on, especially in the winter, Reppin turns to thrift store shopping. The No. 1 reason is because of lower prices.
“I started thrifting more after we had Connor because kids grow out of clothes so fast. I’d buy him a pair of pants at the
store, he’d wear them four times and then he’d outgrow them,” Reppin said. “Those pants cost me $10, while a pair at a thrift store might cost $2 and a pair at a garage sale may cost 50 cents. It’s more cost-efficient knowing the pair of pants will only be worn a few times.
“When kids get older, they want the name brands. They’re usually better quality, which is nice, so I look for Nike, Under Armour, and those brands at thrift stores and garage sales. The shirts are still in great condition and look almost brand new. I’m paying half the amount I’d have to pay in a store, just for him to grow out of them,” Reppin said.
Garage sales and thrift stores aren’t just for particular items. Each room in the Reppin home has something purchased outside of a retail store.
“I like to thrift for anything. Most of my furniture I’ve purchased from my house, besides my couch, I either got at a thrift store or a garage sale,” Reppin said. “I will purchase anything we want or need at a sale – it doesn’t have to be just clothes or shoes. I’ve bought furniture, house décor, and decorations.
“I re-did our front porch this summer because it has been five years since we’ve changed anything. Most of what I re-did came from Goodwill. I went three times and found
different odds and ends pieces. It’s all done, and I didn’t have to pay anything full price,” Reppin said. “You never know what you’re going to find when you go to a garage sale or a thrift store.”
The most memorable garage or thrift purchase Reppin remembers is the bedroom set she bought for their home. The bedroom frame with a large headboard, dressers underneath the bed, two towers, and separate dressers would have retailed for approximately $6,000 in 2012 when she purchased it. It cost her $825.
This was one of the first buys to change Michael’s mind about garage sales and thrift shopping.
“At first, Michael hated garage sale and thrift store shopping. He would say it was dirty and went reluctantly,” Reppin said. “I told him we wash everything when we get home, which made it a little better for him. We went to Florida four years ago to visit my aunt, who enjoys shopping, too. We went thrift shopping with her and Michael was ecstatic because he was finding name-brand golf shorts for $5.
“When we went back to Florida two years ago, it was Michael’s idea to drive around to three different thrift stores. He has definitely gotten into it. He’s the one asking me to go to garage sales and thrift shops now,” Reppin said.
Taking Ramen
to the
NEXT LEVEL
By Shannon Serpette
There’s something about ramen that people just seem to love. Maybe it’s how quick and affordable it is. Maybe it’s the fact that you need absolutely no cooking skills to make ramen – literally anyone can do it.
Whatever the appeal is, it’s a food that is universally loved. My kids both requested a fairly big stash of ramen packets when they went away to college recently. But as a mom, I’m constantly worried about the nutritional content of the foods they eat.
Here are some recipes to try when you want to eat ramen while also getting more vitamins and minerals in your diet.
Sesame Ramen Noodles
Tuna & Cheese Ramen
INGREDIENTS
2 packages of ramen
10 and ¾ ounce can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
2 cans of drained tuna
2 cups of peas
2 cups shredded cheese, any kind
DIRECTIONS
Cook the ramen noodles according to the directions on the package and drain. Add the cream of mushroom soup, milk, tuna, and peas and simmer for about five minutes. Add cheese on top and stir gently to mix before eating.
INGREDIENTS
Three 3-ounce packages of ramen noodles (discard the flavor packets)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sriracha
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
5 green onions, sliced thin
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
In a big pot of boiling water, cook ramen according to package and drain. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster or hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sriracha, and water.
Heat sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir in garlic and ginger for about one minute. Pour in the sauce from the bowl and simmer for four minutes. Stir in the cooked noodles, stir, and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Chicken Ramen
INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable or sesame oil
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup green onions
2 packs of dried Ramen noodles
DIRECTIONS
Cook the chicken seasoned with salt and pepper in the oven and cut it into chunks when it’s done. In the meantime, boil the eggs in another pan filled with water. Once the eggs are boiled, let them cool before peeling and cut them into quarters.
Put a large pot on the stove to make the broth. Heat the oil until it’s hot. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for one minute.
Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar and stir until combined. Add the chicken stock, mushrooms, and sea salt and bring to a simmer.
Add the ramen noodles to the broth and cook about two minutes. Divide into two large bowls, and add the chicken, eggs, and scallions to the top of each bowl.
Asian Ramen Salad
INGREDIENTS
1 three-ounce package ramen noodles
2/3 cups sliced almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 bag coleslaw mix (16 ounces)
1 and 1/2 cups shelled frozen edamame, thawed
1 cup shredded carrots
4 green onions, sliced 1/2 cup canned mandarin orange segments (rinsed and drained)
Ingredients for the dressing
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and crumble the ramen noodles on a baking sheet and spread them in a single layer with the sliced almonds. Bake for 5 minutes and then remove from the oven. Add the sesame seeds to the pan, toss, and then bake for one or two more minutes. Keep them off to the side for later use.
In a small bowl, stir together all the dressing ingredients – rice vinegar, olive oil, honey, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
In a bowl, gently stir together the coleslaw, edamame, carrots, green onions, toasted ramen, almonds, and sesame seeds. Drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss to combine. Put the oranges on top and refrigerate until ready to use. If eating this the next day, you can store the ramen topping in a separate container and add just before eating so it retains its crispiness.
