Sterling rock falls living summer 2017 by Shaw Media

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MAGAZINE

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Summer 2017

P.O. Box 498 Sterling, IL 61081

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Candelight Inn celebrates 50 years in food industry Rock Falls officials ready for sesquicentennial celebration

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P r o b l e m s.

The ones most people don’t have the stomach for. The ones they whisper about at parties. We go looking for them. No matter the obstacles. No matter the odds.

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Join OUR Fight! 815-625-7973 To live together we must LIVE UNITED®

United Way of Whiteside County uwwhiteside.org United Way of Whiteside County ﬁghts for the health, education, and ﬁnancial stability of every person in every community. We Assist: April House Children’s Advocacy Center • Big Brothers Big Sisters • Blackhawk Area Council Boy Scouts • Hospice of Rock River Valley • Sterling/Rock Falls YWCA • YMCA of Sauk Valley Area • Rock Falls Civic Fund • Whiteside County Senior Center • LSSI • American Red Cross • Home of Hope Cancer Wellness Center • White Oaks Therapeutic Equestrian Center • Morrison Community Day Care • Odell Public Library Summer Reading Program • Catholic Charities • Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois • Morrison Community Preschool • Woodlawn Arts Academy • Tri-County Head Start Program • Sterling Rock Falls Child Care Center United Way Programs: 2-1-1 • Pharmacy Assistance • Back to School • Let’s Feed Our Children • L.I.F.E. • Elder Scam Alert

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Sterling-Rock Falls

COVER • STORY

MAGAZINE

Publisher Don T. Bricker Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman Editor Jeff Rogers Magazine Editors Lucas Pauley Rusty Schrader Page Design Lucas Pauley Published by

Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Sterling-Rock Falls Living Magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

Restaurant celebrating half a century in business

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Contents 5 – Rock Falls Sesquicentennial

11 – Planet Fitness 15 – Sterling Main Street Music Fest 16 – 50 years at Candlelight Inn

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21 – Whiteside County Senior Center

27 – Tin Roof Tavern and Triple P BBQ 31 – Open Mic Nights in Rock Falls

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The city opened its sesquicentennial headquarters June 15 at 110 W. Second St.

See what’s in store for the sesquicentennial STORY BY PAM EGGEMEIER & PHOTOS BY ALEX T. PASCHAL FOR STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

Rock Falls ready for 150th anniversary celebration

fter months of planning by volunteers and officials, the city is ready to host its 150th anniversary celebration. While most of the jubilee activities will take place July 29 through Aug. 6, there are a few noteworthy events scheduled before the big events week. The most significant of the preliminary events will be the dedication of the RB&W District Park at 1:30 p.m. July 26. The city will meet its goal of having the amphitheater ready for use during the sesquicentennial. “We won’t have the roof over the stage or restrooms ready, but the entertainment venue will be used for several events,” City Clerk Eric Arduini said. The amphitheater will host part of the Miss

Sesquicentennial competition, a community worship service, the beard competition finals and live music. The city, with some help from the Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society, will open the time capsule that was buried 25 years ago. It is scheduled to be opened at 10 a.m. July 24 at Seward’s Riverside Park. “It’s buried just east of the park, near the flagpole and big rock on the east side of East Second Street,” Arduini said. Janell Loos, Rock Falls Tourism director, said a flurry of class reunions are scheduled to coincide with the 150th birthday bash. The city’s hotels are gearing up for an influx of visitors that those events are likely to bring. “In January, I called all of the hotels and

asked them to set up room blocks that could be reserved at special rates,” Loos said. Mayor Bill Wescott said the city will look much different to Rock Falls natives who haven’t been home in a while. “I’m anxious to talk to people coming back for the reunions,” Wescott said. “Many of them are going to be wondering where all of our old buildings went.” The mayor said the progress made on the cleanup of its brownfield sites and the ensuing demolition of buildings and redevelopment of the riverfront is one of the city’s biggest accomplishments since its 125th bash.

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      

              

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Continued from page 5

“For a city twice our size to twice be recognized nationally by the EPA for our brownfields work speaks volumes,” Wescott said. Demolition work on the Limestone Building is scheduled to begin July 10, so the west side of the riverfront will take on a different look for visitors and residents. When asked, however, what he deemed the city’s most significant achievement in the past 25 years, the mayor chose the opening of the new sewer plant in July 2011. “There were so many problems with the old plant and lift station at that time,” Wescott said. “They were putting millions of dollars into the old one, trying to meet EPA regulations, and it had reached a point where they were never going to meet the new standards.” The EPA turned matters over to the state, and fines were assessed. The city had run out of options. “Part of the settlement was to start the process of getting a new plant, and things were ready to go when new money became available through the federal EPA,” Wescott said. The mayor said many improvements have been made to the city-run utilities that play such an important role in the city’s finances. “Upgrades to the hydro plant, a new substation, and the water tower work have been important enterprise activities, and the new broadband services will open a technology door that sets us up well for the future,” Wescott said. Alderman Glen Kuhlemier, also a two-time mayor, was one of the executive committee chairs for the 125th jubilee. He remembers the involvement of several other towns in the celebration. “Everyone had such a great time in their costumes, and we had many other communities support the activities,” Kuhlemier said. Droves of volunteers helped plan and execute the 125th celebration. There were corporate officers and scores of committees with very specific duties.

Items, including these discs, are available at the sesquicentennial headquarters. Find a complete schedule of events on PAGE 9.

As is the case with most volunteer endeavors these days, it’s tougher to recruit help. “There were a lot more volunteers at that time, and many just assigned themselves a variety of tasks,” Kuhlemier said. “Many of the churches were involved, and we also had quite a few student assistants from the high school.” While fewer people were tasked with pulling this celebration together, they did have some money to use at the beginning of the process. “For the last one, we started with no money at all,” Kuhlemier said. “We decided to set aside a little seed money this time and the city budgeted $3,000.” Rock Falls Tourism contributed $20,000 to the sesquicentennial efforts. The final day of the celebration, Aug. 5, will be a big one for the downtown business district. There will be tours at Firehouse of God Museum, an arts and crafts show in the Love Light Tree parking lot, a parade, children’s events and a street dance on West Second Street. Fireworks over the river will make sure the jubilee literally ends with a bang. Loos is also excited about the beard competition and the Sesquicentennial Ball. The gala

will be held July 29, and will include dinner, entertainment, and the Miss Sesquicentennial finals. Six contestants are vying for the top prize of $500 and the privilege of reigning over the city’s festivities. While the sesquicentennial committee started meeting March 14, some of the special projects started long before. Committee members Becky Wilkinson and Marie Hoagland started working on the commemorative cookbooks last year, and the end product came back from the printers last month. “We were happy with how they turned out,” Hoagland said. “We have 356 recipes in there, and it’s really a little bit of everything.” The city opened its sesquicentennial headquarters June 15 at 110 W. Second St., and an array of commemorative merchandise, including the cookbooks, will be available there 3 days a week until the end of the celebration in August. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and Saturdays, and 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Proceeds from the merchandise, which includes everything from clothing to blankets and umbrellas, will be used to help pay for the celebration. s

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Schedule of events

PRELIMINARY EVENTS

Monday, July 17 • Miss Sesquicentennial semifinals 6 p.m., RB&W District amphitheater Monday, July 24 • Time capsule opening - 10 a.m., Seward’s Riverside Park Wednesday, July 26 • Dedication of RB&W District Park 1:30 p.m. Friday, July 28 • Beard competition preliminaries 7 p.m., conference room at Day’s Inn

The 150th book wasn’t quite ready at print time, but the store sells the book from the 125th celebration plus a book of recipes from local residents.

CELEBRATION WEEK

Saturday, July 29 • Air Celebration - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Whiteside County Airport • Sesquicentennial Ball - doors open at 5 p.m., Miss Sesquicentennial finals at 5:30 p.m., dinner/entertainment at 6:30 p.m., Dance to Class Act II from 7:30 to 9 p.m., Rock Falls High School gymnasium Sunday, July 30 • Beard competition finals - 1 p.m., RB&W amphitheater • Peace pole dedication - 3 p.m., RB&W District Park • Family bike ride - 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Hennepin Canal Parkway entrance • Heritage Sunday Community Worship Service - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., RB&W amphitheater Monday, July 31 • Rock Falls Rotary corn boil - 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Community Building • Historical displays/Living in the 1800s 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Rock Falls High School • Open house for city utilities facilities - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Farmers market - 8 to 11 a.m., Firehouse Museum parking lot • Historic Hennepin Canal presentation by Frank Yaklich - 6:30 to 8 p.m., Merrill School cafeteria

Tuesday, Aug. 1 • Historical displays/Living in the 1800s - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Rock Falls High School • Open house for Rock Falls wastewater facilities - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Farmers market - 8 to 11 a.m., Firehouse Museum parking lot • Historical presentation (1867-1917) by Russ Siefken - 6:30 to 8 p.m., Merrill School cafeteria Wednesday, Aug. 2 • Farmers market - 8 to 11 a.m., Firehouse Museum parking lot • Open house for Rock Falls police and fire departments - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Historical displays/Living in the 1800s - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Rock Falls High School • Family bike ride - 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Hennepin Canal Parkway entrance • Historical presentation (1918-1967) by City Clerk Eric Arduini - 6:30 to 8 p.m., Merrill School cafeteria Thursday, Aug. 3 • Farmers market - 8 to 11 a.m., Firehouse Museum parking lot • Historical displays/Living in the

1800s - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Rock Falls High School • Open house for city street department - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Historical presentation (1968-2017) by Mayor Bill Wescott - 6:30 to 8 p.m., Merrill School cafeteria Friday, Aug. 4 • Farmers market - 8 to 11 a.m., Firehouse Museum parking lot • Open house for city water department - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Music on the Riverfront, barbershoppers, Rock Falls High School Alumni Band, drum line, bluegrass - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., RB&W amphitheater Saturday, Aug. 5 • Firehouse of God Museum tours 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Arts and crafts show - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Love Light Tree parking lot • Parade - 10:30 a.m. • Children’s events - West Second Street • Street Dance - 3 to 8:45 p.m. - West Second Street • Fireworks over the Rock River 9:15 p.m.

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Candie Crow (right) runs with coworker Kandice Denning. Crow has been working out at Planet Fitness in Sterling since it opened in December.

A healthy atmosphere

Planet Fitness offers place to work out without judgment STORY BY PHILLIP HARTMAN & PHOTOS BY ALEX T. PASCHAL FOR STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

or Dixon Correctional Center registered nurse Candie Crow, the hours at Planet Fitness are convenient – but that’s not the only reason she’s a member. “I want to be healthy. There’s a lot of disease in the family,” said Crow, 43. The 13,200-square-foot exercise center opened in December at Northland Mall, moving into spaces formerly occupied by Pet Supplies Plus and Kunes Country Auto Group of Sterling. Planet Fitness’s trademark “Judgment Free Zone” slogan is splashed across one wall, beckoning members to work out without intimidation. A row of 16 TVs lines another wall, giving members a way to pass the time

during their workouts. If you’re wondering what the “24/5” on the front door refers to, it’s club’s hours. During the week, it opens at 5 a.m. Monday and stays open until 9 p.m. Friday. Saturday and Sunday’s hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Crow knows other nurses from the prison who value the flexibility Planet Fitness provides. “Nurses who get off work at 9 [p.m.] can come here and work out,” she said. Crow started working out in January at Planet Fitness, and sometimes exercises there with her oldestdaughter, who’s 29. Crow uses a mix of calisthenics for cardiovascular work, and lifts weights. Continued on page 13

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Planet Fitness

Address: 2900 E. Lincolnway, Sterling Phone: 815-6254253 Online: planetﬁtness.com/gyms/ sterling-il-1215 or facebook.com/Planet.Fitness.Sterling.IL Memberships start $10 per month.

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Planet Fitness has tanning booths, massage chairs and the Total Body Enhancement booth, shown here by manager Priscilla Russell. The booth is a relaxing way to work muscle groups.

Continued from page 11

“I’ll do three or four repetitions on the weights. Some days I’ll go heavy, and some days I’ll go light. I warm up, stretch, and work out,” she said. More than 2,000 members come from across the Sauk Valley, manager Priscilla Russell said. “We have people from Tampico, Milledgeville, Sterling, Rock Falls, Morrison, and Dixon,” Russell said. Members both young and old work at the facility. “I see ... people in their 80s and 90s,” Crow said. “They’re working at their own pace, but at least they’re working out.” People as young as 13 can work out at Planet Fitness, but 13- to 15-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult, Russell said. The business offers tanning and massage options, too. There are massage chairs and HydroMassage machines. Private shower facilities are available. A variety of different food promotion days are offered, too. The first Monday of every month is pizza. The second Tuesday is a bagel breakfast. “We have customer appreciation once every 3

Planet Fitness has two HydroMassage machines that can be used with the purchase of the Black Card.

weeks,” Russell said. Planet Fitness offers other perks, too. The cardio machines have USB ports that let customers connect record their workout data on their cell phones or tablets, and audio theater boxes to let them listen to the TVs. The strengthening machines have diagrams

on how to use them, Russell said. Customers can move at their own pace on the treadmills and weights, or use equipment in the 30-minute workout circuit when they’re pressed for time. Brian Diaz, the facility’s fitness instructor, will work with customers individually and in groups of up to five people. s

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Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts will return to Sterling Main Street Music Fest on July 22, hoping for better weather, after the group’s performance got cut short by rain at last year’s festival.

Miles and Royal Bliss – you ready for this? Main Street Music Fest ready to rock in Sterling STORY & PHOTOS BY SAUK VALLEY MEDIA STAFF FOR STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

oyal Bliss will headline the sixth annual Sterling Main Street Music Fest on July 22 at Grandon Civic Center in Central Memorial Park. The band is recording its next album, and has been touring for many years. Its influences include Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin and everything in between. Since forming in 1997 in Salt Lake City, the country rock band has evolved, overcome rough stretches, and survived the ever-changing trends of the music industry. “We don’t have a backup plan,” frontman Neal Middleton said in a June 2016 interview. “Music is our life.” Middleton formed the band with Jake Smith (drums) and Taylor Richards (guitar) while they were in high school. Back then, the band sounded a bit different. “When we started, we were almost a reggae band. … We listened to 311 and Sublime,” Middleton said. Through the years, the band’s music drifted more toward hard rock, and eventually added a country flavor. Dwayne Crawford (bass guitar) has been

For more information

Go to sterlingmainstreet.org, or find Sterling Main Street or Sterling Main Street Music Fest on Facebook for more information. More information on bands: • Royal Bliss: facebook.com/royalbliss • Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts: facebook.com/milesnielsenmusic • Jaime Rojo: facebook.com/jaimerojochicago • 3 On The Tree: facebook.com/3onthetreerocks • Pete’s Sake: facebook.com/WePetesSake with the band since 2010, and Sean “Memphis” Hennesy (guitar) since 2014. Hennesy also plays mandolin and slide guitar. Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts will return, hoping for better weather, after the group’s performance got rained out at last year’s festival. After spending much of May and June touring in Europe, the performance will be a homecoming for the Rockford band. The group’s style is Western-influenced rock ’n’ roll and classic ‘60s soul. Three regional bands, Pete’s Sake, 3 On The Tree, and Jamie Rojo, will round out the lineup for this year’s festival. Pete’s Sake hails from Ogle County and combines the styles of bluegrass, Americana, jam band, and rock ’n’ roll.

Clinton, Iowa, band 3 On The Tree will play rockabilly music. Chicago-based Jaime Rojo draws inspiration from traditional Cuban music and Afrobeat. Tickets are $10 for ages 13 and older, and free for kids 12 and younger with a parent or guardian. They are available at sterlingmainstreet.org, at the Sterling Main Street office, 318 First Ave., or Scholl Insurance, 112 N. Franklin Ave., Polo. Tickets also will be available at the gate. Dairy Mart Taco Express, Tom Lewis BBQ, The Cheese Market and Kokomo’s will serve food. Beverages will include Anheuser-Busch products and a variety of craft beers from G&M Distributors. s

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STORY BY DANA FRANCIS & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT FOR STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

n the unstable reality that is the restaurant business, certain elements are essential for prolonged success: good food at a fair price, a connection with customers and community, and a willingness to evolve while still maintaining the core of what got you there. The Candlelight Inn has mastered all of these, which explains why, after 50 years, the restaurant continues to flourish. The original Candlelight Inn opened in June 1967 on West Third in Sterling, under the ownership of Chuck Sisson, Lyman Prescott and Bob Prescott. Before long, Chuck and Lyman left the business. In 1989, the restaurant moved to its current location on North Locust Street. In those early days, Bob Prescott, along with his wife, Jan, demonstrated another critical component of success: hard work. It’s something they passed along to their son, Matt. Bob would often finish work around 2 a.m., and in those days, because the Candlelight Inn served breakfast, be back at it at 5 a.m. to prepare for the morning’s customers. “[They were] very present and very hands-on,” said Melissa Ryan, the restaurant’s marketing and community engagement director, of the Prescotts. “They were at the restaurant day in and day out.” Tom Frump, general manager of the Rock Falls restaurant, said Jan, who passed away in 2016, “was always the hardest working person in the business.” According to a recent newsletter, “Employees always stood a little straighter, moved a little faster and made sure they were always at their best when Jan was on the floor. It was not because she demanded it, but because everyone knew she deserved respect.”

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Fifty years of family, friends and famous fried chicken A plate of fresh Chicken George sits on a table with some Jan Sauce, a side of French fries and an iced tea at Candlelight Inn (also shown below).

Candlelight Inn

The three Candlelight Inn locations are 2907 N. Locust St., Sterling; 2200 First Ave., Rock Falls; and 511 Riverview Drive, Clinton, Iowa. Call 815-625-2600 in Sterling or 815-626-1897 in Rock Falls. Visit candlelightinnrestaurant.com for more information, including: the company overview and history, menu and pricing, information about its charitable programs, photos, and catering and banquet information for each location.

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Matt (left) and Bob Prescott sit inside Mister P’s Lounge at the Rock Falls Candlelight Inn. The business is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The modeling of that hard work ethos, along with their continual proximity to others, engendered within the Prescotts a love not only for their customers, but for their employees. Jan was described in her obituary as having a compassion for other people that was second to none. With Frump, Ryan, Matt’s assistant Laura Hoyle, and Sharon Kanellis, a 40-year employee and manager in Rock Falls, one senses the deep reverence all have for the Prescotts. Though Frump and the others are quick to point out that neither Bob or Matt – who has taken over ownership duties – ever seek any recognition for their “good deeds,” such kindness deserves mention. “Sometimes, a person would come off the street looking for free food,” Frump said. “‘Do I know him?’ Bob would ask Sharon. And Sharon would reply, ‘Well, yes, he’s been here before.’ So Bob would tell her, ‘OK, give him a bowl of soup and some crackers and a cup of coffee.’ And she would.” Ryan said the Prescotts will do anything to help other people. According to the restaurant’s website, more than $125,000 has been donated to the community.

Laura Hoyle, Tom Frump, Sharon Kanellis and Gaston Gragert stand in front of Candlelight Inn in Sterling.

Continued on page 19

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Continued from page 17

What undoubtedly launched Candlelight’s financial success more than anything else was its signature dish, Chicken George, made by a cook, George, in the early 1970s. Jan’s Sauce came later. Like many fortunate “inventions,” it was created on a whim. It was made to satisfy a customer, Roger Young, who was looking for something different to eat, something not on the menu. George had been making the chicken for himself for some time, and when he made it for Young, well, the rest is history. “People had heard about it and were ordering it before it was even on the menu,” Hoyle said. These days, the three restaurants serve more than 6,000 pounds of Chicken George a week. But it’s just fried chicken, right? Not so fast. “What makes it special is the chicken’s freshness,” he said. “The fact that we use the tenderloin of the chicken breast, the tenderest part, and the batter is consistent.” It gained notoriety before chicken tenders became the now ubiquitous menu item of restaurants and bars and fast food joints everywhere. Other menu items have impressive followings, too. “I tell people that we have the best prime rib in the area,” Frump said. “And if they disagree that it’s not the best they’ve ever had, I’ll buy their dinner for them.” In the years since Frump has made this claim, he’s only had to buy someone’s dinner once Candlelight’s sandwiches and salmon dishes and gourmet salads, such as the relatively new Kale and Quinoa Power Salad, are also popular. These menu items’ very existence is evidence of a restaurant’s need to appeal to a wider demographic, including more health-conscious individuals. In 2004, Matt Prescott expanded the Candlelight Inn by opening a Rock Falls location, on First Avenue, and again in 2010, on Riverview Drive in Clinton, Iowa. All three sites provide banquet facilities and space for parties and

Jan and Bob Prescott stand in front of the Sterling Candlelight Inn in a newspaper article on the restaurant’s 30th anniversary.

formal occasions. They also cater events. The restaurant has catered weddings as small as 20 people and as large as 300, and has gone as far as Galena. Need a drink for a special toast at one of those events? The Candlelight Inn now boasts two wines of its own making, both created to honor the restaurant’s central employers: Queen P, a white wine that pays homage

to Jan Prescott, and Sunshine, a red wine to honor Bob Prescott, who calls all his female employees “Sunshine.” Though, according to the restaurant’s newsletter, when Bob first called an employee Sunshine she likely felt like she belonged and that her job was secure, one of the managers offers a different perspective, perhaps only slightly tongue-in-cheek: “It could be that with all of those female employees,

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he just forgot their names.” Tom Frump notes the basic component of Candlelight Inn’s success this way: “Bob told me that as long as you make people happier when they leave than they were when they arrived, you’ll always be a success.” At its core, this could be why Candlelight Inn has been firmly rooted in the Sauk Valley for 50 years. And why it endures still to this day. s

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Serving seniors and then some Whiteside County Senior Center offers activities for all people of all ages Story By Ashley Cady & Photos By Alex T. Paschal For Sterling-Rock Falls Living

he employees of the Whiteside County Senior Center think the designation “hidden gem” definitely applies to them. The organization has been around since 1979 and moved into its current location at 1207 W. Ninth St. in Sterling just 6 years later. “Our number one goal is to have a place for seniors to go if they need help or if they need socialization, they need lunch or they need a reason to get out of the house,” Assistant Director Beth Sterk said. They are open 5 days a week, and offer a variety of programs not just for seniors but for the whole community. People start coming to the center around 9:30 a.m. and participate in a variety of activities in large and small groups, including card games, playing pool, and crocheting, said Doug Vandersee, executive director. Lunch is served every weekday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for a suggested $5 donation. Between 11,000 to 12,000 meals are served each year to more than 600 different people. Wednesdays are always their most popular meals; the center usually serves some type of meat with mashed potatoes and gravy. Meal portions are generous enough that most people have leftovers to take home for dinner. Bingo draws a big crowd of about 40 people after Wednesday lunches.

ABOVE: Jim Capp bags up produce for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program at the Whiteside County Senior Center. RIGHT: Sylvia Snow puts out donated food. BELOW: Seniors enjoy a game of cards.

Continued on page 23

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Whiteside County Senior Center

Address: 1207 W. Ninth St., Sterling Phone: 815-622-9230 Online: whitesidecsc.org and Facebook Continued from page 21

The center offers classes and brings in speakers on topics such as Medicare, taxes, and financial assistance. Case workers can meet with people to fill their specific needs. Even if someone just wants to sort through a large pile of mail with a case worker to decipher what is junk mail and what isn’t, that’s something the center can offer, Vandersee said. A small computer lab in the lobby offers people a place to check their email or get help filling out online applications for state assistance. The lobby area also houses offices for Whiteside County Public Transportation, which started in 1981 and is available to community members of all ages. A large part of the center’s programming revolves around trips. Local trips often last 4 to 5 days. Trips across the country can be up to 9 or 10 days. Groups have been to New York City, New Orleans, Washington D.C. and Niagara Falls. Trips also include cruises, baseball games and concerts. Space is also available if a group needs a place to meet or host an event. The center participates in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program through Feeding America. Organizers work with the Lee County Council on Aging, and towns including Mount Carroll, Fulton and Erie to bring their services and events to a wider audience. Continued on page 21

Emporium Thrift Center

The Emporium Thrift Center, located at 115 W. 3rd St., has supported the operations and programs of the Whiteside County Senior Center for 11 years. You can shop for or donate things such as gently used clothes, small household appliances, tools and seasonal items. “A lot of people forget about the Emporium Thrift Center,” Beth Sterk, assistant director, said. “It’s all staffed by volunteers. ... It’s a great opportunity for people to kind of give back to the community and donate there.” Cash or checks are accepted. There are no returns, exchanges or layaway. They store is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Call 815-535-0368 or find Emporium Thrift Sterling Illinois on Facebook for more information.

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Bingo players eye their cards at the Whiteside County Senior Center. The game is played after lunch on Wednesdays.

Continued from page 23

“It’s fun because people are really appreciative of anything you can do to help them, and they don’t know where to turn,” Vandersee said of clients that become like family. “Our goal is just to continue to build the programs and to grow the numbers and the

amount of people that are using this fabulous center,” Sterk said. “I think it’s a hidden gem and I think that there are a lot of seniors that don’t know that it exists and that it is OK to come as a single person. You don’t have to come as a couple. It’s a great way to meet people and to stay engaged because it helps with their overall health.”

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Vandersee hopes to be able to expand not just the programming but the property as well. He wants to have a much larger building with a handicapped-accessible kitchen and be able to share ideas with other local nonprofit organizations. Sterk echoed those aspirations. “We love our seniors and we want things to grow and expand and be good for people.” s

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Benefit of Barbecue

Tin Roof Tavern and Triple P BBQ thriving together

Story By Ali Braboy & Photos By Alex T. Paschal For Sterling-Rock Falls Living

in Roof Tavern and Triple P BBQ are both tickled pork-belly pink about how business is going so far. Triple P BBQ owner Shane Porter, 41, of Polo, said business has been going well since they started serving food 7 days a week.

As of May 1, Triple P BBQ started serving food at the bar from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day. “We’re very pleased where we’re at,” he said, adding the relationship between the two businesses has been good. Triple P BBQ started off as a food truck in

the summer of 2016. The business will continue to use the truck for main events in the area. The business continues to cater as well. Kayla Porter, Shane’s wife, is the co-owner of Triple P BBQ. Continued on page 29

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Jessica Nelson dishes up the drinks from behind the bar

Tin Roof Tavern

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Porter said he used to be a full-time truck driver, but with the demand of food at Tin Roof Tavern and the catering business going well, he couldn’t do both jobs. “We took a gamble, and it worked out well,” Porter said. Tin Roof Tavern owner Cam Plotner, 26, of Sterling, said since Triple P BBQ started serving all week, business has been better than he anticipated. He said Tin Roof Tavern’s weekly revenue probably tripled. Plotner owns the bar with fellow Sterling resident Matt Wells, 29. Cam’s wife, Courtney, helps with the business, too. In June, Tin Roof Tavern started Throwback Thursday, which will continue every Thursday, when the bar will play music from the early 1990s-2000s. Plotner said the bar has been at maximum capacity on recent Fridays and Saturdays, with close to 250 to 280 people in the bar. The bar’s back room has a pool table, skeeball, shuffleboard, Pac-Man, and Galaga, as well as dartboards and an interactive beer pong game. The venue, long known as an ideal site for benefits and fundraisers, still fills that role for the community. Customers just need a $50 deposit, which gets returned once the space is cleaned up. The owners are looking to add a second volleyball court, with hopes of serving alcohol outside alongside the courts. During June, Tin Roof Tavern brought in gambling machines as well. The bar recently added three more craft beers on draft and a walk-in cooler. In an interview with Sauk Valley Media shortly after the bar opened, Plotner said the establishment was going to be his “baby.” Since then, he’s raised the Roof into a full-grown bar, and judging by the past few months, that baby will keep on growing. s

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The stage is yours

George Garza (left) his daughter, Kiara Olinger, 12 (center) and Mari Tabares, 13, sing during a performance by G and the Jammers.

G and the Jammers encourage people to attend Friday open mics in Rock Falls

STORY BY ALI BRABOY & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT FOR STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

o matter who you are, where you’re from, or how old you are – there’s a stage in Rock Falls that’s all yours. Sterling musician George Garza, 47, encourages people of all ages to attend Open Mic Night at Veterans Memorial Park Rock Falls. The event started in 2014. Today, there’s more than just music each weekend. Organizers are showing movies as part of the activities on the last Friday of each month. They start around 7:30 p.m. Also on the last Friday of each month, there are potlucks. Garza brings the food, but he said other people can bring some, too. Members of G and the Jammers perform during the event, but anyone interested is encouraged to perform for the open mic as well. G and the Jammers include George Garza (guitar/vocals), his daughter, Kiara Olinger (trombone), Issac Bernell (trombone), Haley Bernell (drummer), Joe Lugo Sr. (bass), and Madi Tabreas (violin). The event started after Garza attended a talent competition with Kiara, 12, of Sterling a couple of years ago. He didn’t like that not everyone got to win. He was performing music during the weekends, and he wanted Olinger to attend as well. The open

Haley Bernal, 16, plays the drums with the group.

For more information

The open mics are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday through September, weather permitting, at Veterans Memorial Park at Fifth Avenue and Fifth Street in Rock Falls. Find Open Mic Friday Night on Facebook for more information. mic night allows him to play music with her. “She absolutely enjoys it,” he said. “She plays just about all the instruments,” he said, such as the piano, bass guitar, drums, trombone, as well as others. “Music has helped me open up to other people, and I think it can help other people,” Kiara said. She enjoys that the event lets her spend time with her father along with letting people listen to and perform music. They plan on having a performer come every Friday as well as a magician who will come before the season is over. People of all ages and musical backgrounds attend the open mic night. Garza said there are many different genres of music played every weekend, such as country, rock, blues, gospel, as well as others. The open mic night continues to grow, offering a place for everyone to share their talents. s

Issac Bernal, 12, plays the trombone at an open mic.

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