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Deer Grove, Erie, Fenton, Lyndon, Morrison, Prophetstown, Tampico Spring/Summer

Tampico seed farm can help your garden grow

Morrison singer tastes early signs of success

Prophetstown downtown slowly recovers from fire

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friend to be made. A story to be told.

A Wisdom to be learned. Everyone is someone.

They are our mothers. Our fathers. Ourselves. People who have come to see life for the remarkable journey it has been and that is still to come. People who — better than anyone — can help us all find meaning and purpose.

As the nation’s largest not-for-profit provider of senior care and services, we believe everyone deserves to feel loved, valued and at peace, all while being treated with dignity.

To learn more about our community in Prophetstown, call (815) 537-5175.

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society provides housing and services to qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, or other protected statuses according to applicable federal, state or local laws. All faiths or beliefs are welcome. Copyright © 2012 The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. All rights reserved.

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COVER • STORY

Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Director Jennifer Baratta

Steady Recovery from Latest Downtown Fire New retail presence determined to keep downtown vibrant

Editor Larry Lough Magazine Editor Kathleen Schultz Page Design Robin Norburg Matt Lindstrom Published by

Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600

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Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Small Town 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.

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W

elcome to Small Town Living Sam R Fisher Publisher

Welcome to our first edition of Small Town Living, a magazine that celebrates the people, places and events that make rural Whiteside County unique – and that don’t always get the attention or publicity they deserve.

Formerly Morrison Living, the publication proved so popular with readers and advertisers alike that we at Sauk Valley Media decided to expand its reach to include the historic communities of Morrison, Prophetstown, Tampico, Erie, Lyndon, Deer Grove and Fenton.

As always, reader input is invaluable, so let us know what you think.

Sam R Fisher Publisher Sauk Valley Media sfisher@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5230

features Perrenial wonderland

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Genesis Nursery seed farm keeping prairie legacy alive

He’ll aways be an ‘Idol’ here Morrison singer’s family keeps him grounded as he seeks fame, fortune

Get back into shape New clinic offers A-pulse chiropractic treatment

Steady recovery from latest downtown fire 4

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These Snowbirds roost here for the winter When they’re not riding them, club members maintain 110 miles of trails

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The Hair Center and Tanning Hut Erie salon offers seven stylists, each with special skills

Morrison’s new chamber chief plants roots, reaches out Kim Ewoldsen looks for ideas, suggestions to better community

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New business determined to keep downtown vibrant

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Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Small Town Living Aaron Egan, Kathy Lubbs & Billie Jo Egan of Genesis Nursery.

Genesis Nursery seed farm keeping

BY DAVE FOX prairie legacy alive SPECIAL TO SMALL TOWN LIVING

I

t’s a farm with a mission. It’s a farm with a soul.

Genesis Nursery, tucked quietly away in a corner of southeast Whiteside County, uses native Midwest prairie seeds to grow plants from which more seeds are harvested and more plants are grown.

Its mission is restorative; its goal purity: Its seeds are sold to preserves, or large-end landscapers, and the propagation, the conservation, continues.

“What we have now has been here since the beginning of time, as far as seeds and plants,” says horticulturist Kathy Lubbs, who owns the seed farm with her husband, Dennis.

“All we do is local native genetics, things that have evolved locally over the last millennium. We don’t have any European or invasive species, either.”

The business began as Green River Seeds in 1975, “and it morphed into Genesis when we took it over in 1990,” Lubbs said.

Its 360 acres grow crops that are entirely perennials – “lots of flowers and lots of grasses,” – most planted as row crops started from seed in the company’s greenhouse. Lubbs said.

“Compared to most farms, we’re kind of small, but we’re row-cropping everything we can,” she said. “We use all the same equipment as other farmers; we just grow a different kind of crop. Because of the crop differences, some of our equipment is modified, especially our combine, which is extremely modified.”

It’s a poetic crop: Leadplant and swamp milkweed, heath and New England asters, prairie brome, bristly cattail sedge and false sunflower are just a few of the hundreds of species Genesis grows.

“We’re working with almost 300 different species in the green house as plants, and almost 500 different species of seed,” Lubbs said. “Some of it is on the very rare end of the spectrum, and some of it is very plentiful.

“Some of the seeds are so big they come maybe 12 to 15 per pound, while others are so tiny they may have a million or more to the pound.”

It’s a farm vastly different from a typical grain farm, with its own set of challenges.

Even though the plants are installed in rows, many spread and grow differently than corn or beans would, making it difficult to weed without damaging the plants.

“By having all perennials, there are a whole different set of problems,” Lubbs explained. “Unlike corn, where you can go in the field and disc out your weeds, you can’t do that with perennials.

“We do a lot of hand-wicking, and we have custom mowing equipment.

Besides all that, we do a lot of hoeing, just like you would do in your grandmother’s garden weeding tomatoes,” Lubbs said with a smile.

In fact, a lot of manual labor is required, so Genesis employs 17 people during its peak season.

Some problems are similar to their grain-farming brethren, though.

For instance, corn is always subject to fungus in the field, she said, “and we have a plant called silphium that is in the same genus as corn. We actually have four different varieties

of that, and it’s subject to the same fungus problems that have to be dealt with.”

Here’s a harvest problem unique to Genesis: Many of its seeds are similar to dandelions.

“In that sense, there’s a little bitty seed with a great big fluff to it,” Lubbs said. “We have to harvest those very wisely, because otherwise the wind will grab hold of the fluff, and if you don’t go out and get it, it’s all gone with the wind.”

And, in addition to standard flatland fields, Genesis has wetland crops.

It’s not like regular gardening – no one’s poking holes in the ground and dropping in seeds, a la Johnny Appleseed, or sprinkling them over turned earth like chicken feed.

All of the nursery’s hundreds of plant varieties start out as seeds in the greenhouses.

Then, sitting on a mechanized planter, workers drop 1-by-1-inch plant cells into holes in the ground, up to 120,000 plants a day.

“It’s quite high volume, but with the equipment, the men sit on the planter the whole time,” Lubbs said, “so it’s not like they’re out there bent over in the field all day.

It’s a very humane job.”

Perhaps surprisingly, harvesting is almost a year-round job.

“We start picking in early May and finish in December,” Lubbs said. “The heath aster was the last thing we harvested last year, and we were out combining it in the snow.

It doesn’t generally even start blooming until after we get a good frost.”

Alas, if you’re looking to plant your own patch of yard prairie, Genesis Nursery is not for you.

“We deal only with large-end wholesale distributors, and we do absolutely no retail business at all,” Lubbs said.

“Mainly, we sell to distributors, many of them in the Chicago area, as well as many end-use landowners like forest preserves and districts, and a few large-end landscape contractors.”

If you’re looking for ideas, though, its website is worth the visit, if only for the slide show of its melodic prairie plant offerings: pontederia cordata, pickerelweed; sagitarria latifolia, duck potato; saururus cernuus, lizard’s tail; justicia americana, water willow...

Other kinds of helpful information is there as well. For instance, you can find a copy of Norman C. Deno’s “Seed Germination Theory and Practice,” in which the professor notes that “to plant a seed is a noble deed.”

It’s plain to see the Lubbses agree.

They hope that their children, Tony and Bobbie Jo, who work with them now, someday will take over the nursery.

“It would be nice to keep it in the family,” Lubbs said.

“That’s what we’re working for now.” s Genesis Nursery 23200 Hurd Road, Tampico • 877-817-5325 www.genesisnurseryinc.com or find it on Facebook.

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He’ll always be an ‘Idol’ here

in part because of the love he felt from fans, new and old.

“My Facebook page kind of blew up,” he said. “I thought I had an idea of what it would be like, but even that’s not anywhere near where it’s been.”

Last month, he was heading to Los Angeles to shoot some videos with a connection he made thanks to the national exposure.

Music has undeniably been the catalyst for many great things in his life and seems to be what his entire world revolves around. During the day, you’ll find the 2013 Morrison High grad working at Baked

by Liz, a fantastic fresh-baked bakery/coffee shop in downtown Morrison owned by his mother, Liz Fischbach.

Alex knows almost all the customers by name. He serves up specialty coffee drinks (with artfully designed foam), cupcakes, and their famous cinnamon rolls, which he makes from an original family recipe dating back to when their ancestors lived in Ireland.

The bakery walls are adorned with musical instruments, and Alex’s acoustic guitar can be spotted leaning against Liz’s piano, which sits in the middle of the dining area. Forget canned music; lucky lingerers are often are treated to private performances by Alex during lulls in coffee traffic.

The bakery originally was slated to be a project for Liz and her mother, but when her mother was diagnosed with dementia, Liz decided to move forward with the bakery on her own.

Alex had worked by his mother’s side before (he sang at tables when he was just 2 years old, when his mother worked at Bennigan’s, saving

Photos by Ashley Poskin/Sterling-Rock Falls Living Morrison native Alex Fischbach, 19, has been seeking a music career for years – he used to sing at his mother’s side when she waited tables at Bennigan's when he was just 2 years old

Morrison singer’s family keeps him grounded as he seeks fame, fortune

BY ASHLEY POSKIN SPECIAL TO SMALL TOWN LIVING Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, chances are you have an idea who Alex Fischbach is.

He’s a young Morrison singer-songwriter who appeared, but did not advance, on this season’s “American Idol.”

“It was a lot of fun,” Fischbach said after he appeared a few times on one episode of the show. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

It was his second run at Idol stardom: At 16, he made it to a private audition with the judges, who told him his voice needed to mature a bit.

If we stopped the story with his lost shot at Idol fame, though, we would miss out, because Alex Fischbach is more than that.

The loss did not dull his dreams, or his plans for the future,

Continued on page 9

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Continued from page 7

After working his shift at the bakery, Alex heads home to his girlfriend, Samantha Tenorio, and their 1-year-old daughter, Lennon.

his tips to buy action heroes) and was a very active high school student, involved in wrestling, baseball, football, and chorus.

But he wasn’t able to work at the shop when it first opened.

As the bakery became a central staple for the folks in Morrison, he found himself wanting to be there more; he started working there full time about 2 years ago. He says his job at the bakery helped him to shed his shyness and become more outgoing.

After working his shift, Alex heads home to his girlfriend, Samantha Tenorio, and their 1-year-old daughter, Lennon.

Samantha remembers wanting to meet Alex after watching a video of his performance online. She was wowed by his talent and wanted to meet him before he became famous.

Alex’s cousin introduced the two, who quickly became close friends. He was by Samantha’s side through the painful loss of her mother to pancreatic cancer in late 2012. He was her rock, she said; she couldn’t imagine going through the loss without him.

After her mother died, Samantha gave birth to Lennon (named after the famous John Lennon), who, Alex claims, is an even better singer than he. Alex spends his evenings with his family, catching up on the day and playing guitar.

Many responsibilities come with being a father, especially at such a young age, but age doesn’t seem to have much bearing on Alex – he is ages older and wiser than most 19-year-olds.

How has Lennon changed his life? “She gives me motivation, she makes me want to be better, and she makes me want to succeed so I can give her the best life I possibly can.” s

Q&A with Alex Before his appearance on “American Idol” aired Feb. 5, Alex Fischbach answered a few questions about his experience: “What’s the ‘American Idol’ audition process like? Would you go through it all again?”

Alex works at his day job at Baked by Liz.

“It’s a really cool experience, and it’s really exhilarating, honestly, so I would definitely go through it again.

It’s just – getting to meet all of these really talented people out there, just knowing the level of competition and talent that there is out there in the world is a really humbling experience, and it’s really cool to meet and sing with all these people.”

“And your parents – what do they think of it all?”

“They’re really, really proud of me. They’re happy that I went at it a second time to prove it to myself, but they’re supportive 100 percent.”

“What does it mean to you?”

“It’s just – it’s a chance. It’s a way to get my name out there. It’s a way to really express myself that I wouldn’t be able to normally. I just hope that I can make something out of this.”

Rockin’ online...

“So, what if you really make it?”

“I just want to be different. I just want to be my own person in the industry, and do what I’ve always loved, and make a living being happy. Not many people can say they do what they love, so, whether I make money doing it or not, I just want to do what I love.”

Go to facebook.com/AlexFischbachMusic for more information on the young singer, and to youtube.com/user/815alex to watch Fischbach’s videos.

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BY CINDY PRATT SPECIAL TO SMALL TOWN LIVING

New clinic offers ‘A-pulse’ chiropractic treatment

Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/Small Town Living Carrie Gaumer (left) is the receptionist at Gaumer Chiropractic where her husband, Dr. Eric Gaumer, has his practice. He uses PulStar system technology to give his clients comfortable and quick office visits.

M

ORRISON – Gaumer Chiropractic, one of Morrison’s newest businesses, is crushing the stereotype of a bone-crackin’ adjustment.

Chiropractor Eric Gaumer uses PulStar, the latest technology in chiropractic care.

A sensor is connected to a computer, and as the hand-held monitor is moved down the spine, that shows exactly where the problem areas are.

He then uses the wand to deliver pulses to the affected area, which reduces pain and realigns the spine without the twisting, crunching and popping normally associated with spinal adjustment – and without the sore muscles afterward. The results, he says, are nearly instantaneous.

“My goal is to get the patient better, not to see them over and over.”

Gaumer said. “I love helping people, and I don’t like making them wait. I have had patients with sciatica cured in just one session.”

On its normal setting, the wand delivers a pulse similar to holding an electric shaver; it can be adjusted higher for deeper injuries and lower for children or older people with osteoporosis.

Gaumer also uses digital X-rays that appear on the computer in an instant. Since no film needs to be developed, it takes less time to diagnose a problem.

For patients with more severe injuries, he offers an additional treatment, in which pads are applied to the affected area and the muscles are stimulated with a variable frequency impulse that reduces pain.

The average adjustment takes 7 to 10 minutes, and the patient notices a reduction of pain and better posture immediately, he said.

Gaumer accepts Medicare, and is seeking Blue Cross/Blue Shield approval.

Gaumer, who was born and raised in Sterling, has a lot of family in the area.

He met Carrie, his wife and office manager, in 2002 at church; they married in 2003 and have three children: Kyle, 10, Christian, 7, and Kaleigh, 2. They live in Rock Falls, but plan to move closer to Morrison.

Gaumer, who graduated from Western Illinois University, was a meteorologist in Washington, east of Peoria, before changing careers and attending Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.

He graduated from Palmer in October, remodeled the building he bought for the clinic, and opened Dec. 15. s

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The PulStar system used at Gaumer Chiropractic allows for more comfortable adjustments and longer lasting results.

This system also only takes on average 7 to 10 minutes to make a difference.

Fine for spine Gaumer Chiropractic 125 E. Main St., Morrison Hours: 8:30 a.m.-noon and from 2-6 p.m. Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- noon Saturday Appointments encouraged; walk-ins are welcome Contatct: 772-8069, or on Facebook

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Steady Most of the dozens of rings, necklaces and earrings found in Girlfriends are made by Holly Borcich.

Recovery from Latest Downtown

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Small Town Living Blooms-a-Latte manager Kati Fetrow is excited about bringing fresh flowers back to downtown Prophetstown.

Fire

BY PAM EGGEMEIER SPECIAL TO SMALL TOWN LIVING

S

New retail businesses determined to keep downtown vibrant

ometimes a devastating loss can make people more appreciative of what they have. That seems to be the case in this small town of 2,100, a little more than a year and a half after a fire destroyed seven Main Street businesses and eight historic buildings.

After the blaze on July 15, 2013, the city united to clean up the area in just 6 weeks. Some of the lots remain empty at the fire site, but a renewed determination in the community has brought seven new businesses to the downtown since the fire.

Eight empty lots remained after the fire site was cleaned up. IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union took three lots and held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new branch to coincide with the 1-year anniversary of the fire. The bank had moved down the street from its previous location at 318 Washington St. The city owns the other lots and hopes other businesses will grab them for the $1 offering price. Mayor Steve Swanson is optimistic about a deal soon.

“We’re in preliminary talks with someone in the Quad Cities, and someone else locally,” Swanson said.

Because of the popularity of Cindy Jean’s restaurant, one of the businesses lost in the fire, the city hopes to bring another eatery into the downtown.

“We thought she might rebuild, but now it appears she won’t,” Swanson said, “so we’re still looking for a restaurant.”

The entire downtown is in a TIF district, and parts of it are also in the Enterprise Zone, which Swanson hopes will entice development. The local Main Street group has also made facade grants available.

The mayor is proud of how the community has responded in the face of adversity.

“If the businesses we lost had just moved out, I don’t think we would have had the same kind of response,” Swanson said. “The fire brought everyone together. A lot of these people were born and raised here, and they have a can-do attitude.”

Blooms-a-Latte Meredith Johnson opened Blooms-a-Latte at 319 Washington St. this past Nov. 29, the day of the town’s annual Lighted Christmas Parade on Main Street. Like many owners of Prophetstown’s small businesses,

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she has deep ties to the area. She grew up in Morrison, but has lived in Prophetstown for 30 years.

Johnson said the timing finally felt right to make the coffee, gift and floral shop a reality in the downtown.

“I had considered doing this before, but it wasn’t a good time personally,” Johnson said. “But when Beans N Burlap closed in the fall, after the losses from the fire I didn’t want to see another vacant building.”

So despite having to juggle the shop with her full-time job as a nurse practitioner at CGH Medical Center, Johnson bought the inventory and leased the historic building from Harold Erdmann.

“It’s a really neat building with old tin ceilings,” Johnson said. “There have been several businesses here – my dad remembers it as a soda fountain and candy store.”

Blooms-a-Latte has incorporated several touches that evoke memories from the past – two of them familiar faces in the downtown. She recently brought back former Flowerland designer Ginny Michley to do elaborate bouquets, complete with balloons.

The other familiar face is that of Dolores Francis, who lost her business, D’s Variety & Crafts, to the fire. Francis ran the business for 35 years and lived above the shop for more than a decade.

“Everyone just loved her hand-painted ornaments,” Johnson said, “so we’re giving her space to display her products here.”

Johnson also keeps a brick in her shop that came from one of the buildings destroyed by the fire. She said people have expressed their appreciation of her efforts to build her business.

“The town is trying to turn something terrible into a positive,” Johnson said. “People are grateful that a business stayed here, and everyone has been very supportive of each other in the downtown business community.”

Girlfriends Wisconsin native Holly Borcich and her husband moved to Prophetstown last spring after spending time in the Quad Cities. They were drawn here by a desire to be closer to family and friends, as well as a need for a slower lifestyle. When a friend, Cynthia Wildemuth, gave her the opportunity to buy the building at 338 Washington St., she decided to take a leap of faith.

Holly opened her store, Girlfriends, on the ground floor, and they live upstairs in the building, which dates back to 1902.

“We’re in the building that the fire stopped at,” Borcich said. “You can definitely still feel the effects of the fire. The businesses that were lost are sorely missed.”

Girlfriends is a store with a fun vibe that aims for a broad demographic. Made-in-the-USA clothing, purses, costume jewelry and a variety of unique gift items are available.

“I want this to be a fun place to shop, with lots of glitter,” Borcich said. “Some of my customers are 6 and others are in their 80s – there is something here for all ages.”

She feels business momentum building in the downtown, Borcich said, the camaraderie has made her experience even better than expected.

“Everyone has been so friendly and helpful here,” Borcich said. “I would tell people to brave it and start a business in Prophetstown. We still have a lot of open areas, and this is a great place to have a business.”

Victorian Grace Antiques & Accents Ann and Les Wilson have had a lifelong passion for antiques, and last June that love produced a business venture.

The Wilsons have lived in Prophetstown for 15 years, since their search for a house full of character ended there.

“We were looking for a Victorian house, and this is where we found one,” Ann said.

The Wilsons also owned the Victorian home next door, at 215 E. Third St. It became the home for Victorian Grace Antiques & Accents, which is open Wednesday through Saturday “The house next door was vacant, and we didn’t want to rent it out,” Ann said. “We had collected antiques for a long time, and we decided to open the business.”

The Wilsons get most of their items from individual owners and estate auctions. They have a variety of antiques available, including furniture, glassware, lamps, and porcelain items.

While many locals still talk about what was lost in the Main Street fire, the Wilsons are also concerned about another, more gradual type of loss.

“Our town has lost a lot of employment opportunities in the years we’ve been here,” Ann said. “I think it’s important that we work to keep our young people here.”

Heart’s Desire JoAnn Frederick is no stranger to the local business scene. She had a beauty shop in Prophetstown for more than 20 years and specialized in floral arrangements, but had left retail about 5 years ago. Another 2014 startup, Frederick is back with Heart’s Desire, a crafts shop at 310 Washington St. Frederick winters in Arizona and will be back April 1 to run the store and offer a variety of specialty classes. While she still does floral arrangements, her first love is now glass. She makes everything from suncatchers to dishes and jewelry. Mosaic tables fashioned from ceramic tiles are another of her signature items.

Frederick said she has been impressed by the unity that ensued in the fire’s aftermath.

“I think everyone has pulled together during some very difficult times,” Frederick said. “Many of the business people have strong family ties here, and they were determined to keep the downtown business district strong.”

Coffee and tea flavors rotate daily at Blooms-aLatte.

Although she was motivated by the town’s can-do spirit, the decision to re-enter retail was difficult.

“I was concerned at first, especially about the classes,” she said, “but they went over very well, and I’m happy about how things are going.”

There has been strong interest in her barn quilts, which can be bought at the store or made in her classes. She is also excited about teaching the finer points of refurbishing furniture.

Prophetstown Historical Society The historical society is the only casualty of the fire to relocate thus far. Beverly Peterson, the organization’s vice president, said she has vivid memories from the fire.

“They saved part of our building,” Peterson said. “... The fire chief said his main objective was to make sure the people were out, and the second goal was to save the historical society.”

The first floor was in fairly good shape, and many important items were saved. By 6 p.m. that day, several trucks were filled with items, and volunteers spent 3 weeks cleaning, drying and sorting the artifacts.

The upper floor of the museum didn’t fare as well.

“World War I uniforms and a lot of vintage clothing that had been donated were destroyed,” Peterson said. “Some old county and City Hall records, and Indian mannequins in the meeting room were also ruined.”

Some of the paper records were salvageable because they were sealed away. Volunteers are still trying to fix damage done to a treasured Eclipse Lawnmower banner. The company, which in 1937 manufactured the first power mower for home use, was an important part of the town’s history.

Luckily, a volunteer had been making electronic copies of many records, and the computer was not damaged. Copies of old street scene photographs were also saved in the computer. Old history books that were damaged are being replaced with better copies.

Items were in storage until spring 2014, when the move was made to the new building at 302-306 Washington St. The process went much faster thanks to the generosity of the Oetzel family, which donated the new building to the historical society.

“Anita Oetzel had owned both buildings we’re now in, and she had always hoped to open an art gallery there,” Peterson said. “When she died, the heirs lived out of state and just decided to donate the buildings.”

Many volunteers stepped up for painting and some other renovation work. Showcases were donated by the Springfield Military Museum.

Peterson said the number of visitors has also been on the rise.

“It does seem like more people have been in since the fire,” Peterson said. “When you almost lose something, I think it tends to make people appreciate it more.”

Getting everything out of storage is still a work in progress. The museum also decided to reopen on the Nov. 29 parade day. The silver lining for the museum is that it now has more space for growth.

“We’re real comfortable there now,” Peterson said. “There’s more room here, and lots of storage space upstairs.”

No one understands the lasting impact of a fire of this magnitude better than history buffs. Main Street has seen several fires over the years, Peterson said.

“People certainly aren’t going to forget this anytime soon,” she said.

“They still talk about the theater fire that happened in the 1960s.”

The Town Theater, at 212 Washington St., was built in the late 1930s and destroyed by fire in 1967. Another blaze, in 1936, claimed several downtown business district buildings. s

These lanternstyle candle holders are very popular at Blooms-a-Latte in downtown Prophetstown.

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When they’re not riding them, club members maintain 110 miles of trails

M

BY DAVE FOX SPECIAL TO SMALL TOWN LIVING

ost people think snowbirds are elderly retirees who migrate south for the winter.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Whiteside County Snowbirds, a group that actually embraces cold weather and snow – the more, the better, in fact.

The Whiteside County Snowbirds snowmobile club consists of about 40 members whose purpose is to maintain trails, to promote safety tand respect for the land, and above all, to have fun playing in the snow.

Club President Jeff Laleman spoke with excitement about the club during a recent interview at his home south of Rock Falls.

“The club started in the early ’70s, and there was basically just a trail somewhere around Morrison that ended up somewhere over around Fulton at that time,” he said.

“We [Laleman and his wife, Sandy] joined around 2004, when the club was just about done. There had been some rough years with no snow, and membership was really down, but there were a couple

st He

r o f re

r e t n i W e th

of original members who really wanted to keep it going.

“We started working on trails, getting more of them, and more members.” Things are much much better now, he said with a smile.

The couple are veteran riders. Laleman has enjoyed the sport since1983, while Sandy, a native of the Chicago area, has been riding since the ’70s.

“It’s fun to go snowmobiling, just because it’s fun to get on and ride,” Laleman said.

“There’s the camaraderie and the friendships that develop, and you get to go all kinds of places and see all kinds of things that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see. It’s just a great way to get outdoors in the winter months and have a lot of fun.”

Locally, the club has brought the sport a long way.

“The main trail in this area at one point was the Hennepin Canal,” he said. “I lived in Geneseo way back, and the big thing back then was to ride the canal to Tampico to eat at the Dutch Diner. The feeder canal was actually a state-designated trail.”

Tampico “used to really be a hot spot for snowmobilers back then,” he said. “Everyone would gather there. There even used to be a couple of dealers there at the time.”

At one point, Laleman suggested the club connect the canal trail to an older Snowbirds trail that went through Sterling and up around the village of Emerson.

“They appointed us to do that, so that became our project,” he said with a grin.

Continued on page 17

Whiteside County Snowbirds (from left) Aaron Hanrahan, Max Jones, Sam Jones and Kaitlin Hanrahan, all of Prophetstown, stop for a scenic photo on the Hennepin Canal tow path at state Route 92 on Feb. 2.

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Continued from page 15

Photos submitted by Travis Hanrahan, secretary of the Whiteside County Snowbirds Riding along the the Hennepin Canal, shown here at Lock 22 outside Mineral.

Now the Snowbirds maintain about 110 miles of trails in what’s known as Region Six, which makes up the northwest corner of the state.

“Within the last 3 or 4 years, a group from Prophetstown put in another 28-mile loop to connect them with Tampico and Lyndon,” he said. “It just keeps getting bigger.”

Trail maintenance is done in the summer and fall, “so sometimes [snowmobiling] seems like a year-round activity.”

The club owns a 12-foot wide Rotera, similar to a roto-tiller, which is attached to a tractor. In the fall, after fields have been harvested and chisel-plowed, the device is run over the trails to help keep them smooth and level.

Then, there are the signs.

Orange “blazers” keep the trails marked, and stop signs are placed appropriately for the safety of the sledders and other traffic. “Reminder” signs keep sledders mindful of staying on the designated trails and off private property.

“We also have to maintain bridges for the snowmobiles, because there are a lot of creeks along our trails,” Laleman said.

“Maintaining the signs can be a chore. People run over them once in a while, and we have to replace them at an average cost of $8 each. There are between 1,500 and 2,000 signs along our trails just in Whiteside County alone.”

Landowners who allow access to their property for the trails get a lot of appreciation and respect from snowmobilers, he said.

“Without the landowners, we’re in deep trouble. State law allows us to ride along roadways, but that’s no fun. Who wants to do that?

“When our trails go over private land, we have to get permission from the landowner to do that. Once we get permission, we add them to our own liability insurance policy,” he said.

“We keep in touch with landowners to see if there are any problems we might not be aware of,” he said. “It’s really important for all sledders to stick to the designated trails, so we don’t impose on the landowners and lose our privileges.”

Thanks to the system of trails developed and maintained in this part of the state, snowmobilers now can ride from the Quad Cities to the Wisconsin border and beyond, and even connect with Wisconsin trails to go farther north if they want.

“Respecting the landowners and staying on the trails is one of our biggest things,” Laleman said. “If people don’t respect the land, we could end up losing lots of trail space and end up with lots of problems.” s

Let’s Ride!

The Whiteside County Snowbirds meet at 7p.m. the third Tuesday of the month, September through April, at Longshot, 3312 W. Rock Falls Road (U.S. Route 30) in Rock Falls.

Membership is open to anyone, and the club is always looking for new members.

In addition to having access to miles of trails, the club has monthly meetings, a number of get-togethers and parties, and two fundraisers a year – a swap meet and a poker run, which help raise money for trail maintenance.

Dues are $30 a year, and include club membership, access to trails, the Illinois Association of Snowmobile Clubs magazine and other perks. Because the club is a member of the IASC, its members get special deals on equipment and services, as well as networking opportunities with other clubs.

Those interested can call club President Jeff Laleman at 309-314-3625 or attend a meeting to learn more.

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Photos By Alex T. Paschal/Small Town Living Owner/operator of the Hair Center Mary Davis sits surrounded by stylists (from left) Amber Zaagman, Angela Jacobs and Sara Anderson.

BY CINDY PRATT SPECIAL TO SMALL TOWN LIVING

RIE – In 1991, after 2 years clipping there for someone else, Mary late January, she was seven games away from a milestone 500 victories.

Davis bought The Hair Center and Tanning Hut and made it her In December January and February, she assists the Erie volleyball team own. and recruits for Blackhawk.

She’s since grown her stable of stylists from three to seven.

Mary and her husband, Bob, live outside Erie with their daughter, Each has her own clientele and area of expertise. Each pays “chair rent” Emma, Buddy the dog and Mittens the cat. Bob works in IT for the and is in charge of setting her own hours and fees, and each works an Burwood Group. evening or two a week for clients who cannot get there during the day.

“I love to golf, and in the summer, we all like to hang out at the pool,” Three tanning beds and a massage room are upstairs, and a room for she said. manicures and pedicures.

Emma also keeps mom on her toes: The 11-year-old is on a traveling Angela Jacobs is a former Redken educator who now specializes in the softball team, a traveling soccer team, and a traveling volleyball team, and Brazilian blowout, a process that helps to repair the cuticle of the hair, has band, choir and piano lessons. s making it smoother and repairing split ends.

In a blowout, the hair is washed, product is applied, then the hair is blown dry and straightened with a straightening iron, to bind the product to the strands. You can stop there, or the hair can be rewashed and styled as usual. The whole process takes 2 to 3 hours, depending on hair length.

“Angela is not just my stylist,” client Karen Vroman said. “She is as excited by the transformation as I am.”

Amber Zaagman is an esthetician, specializing in microdermabrasion, facials, waxing and makeup. Facials take about an hour and include a skin analysis, cleansing, exfoliating, shoulder/back/face massage and a mask.

While the mask is on, the client gets a hand and scalp massage.

The diamond tip microdermabrasion helps remove dull, dry flaky skin The Hair Center in Erie has two tanning and reduces wrinkles; it takes about 30 minutes. beds at its downtown location.

Deb Jackson is the salon’s licensed massage therapist.

Rounding out the seven are Chrissi Stubbs, Sara Anderson, The Hair Center Carry Meyer, and Davis, who estimates that they have well over 100 years of experience among them. Erica Eng is her receptionThe Hair Center and Tanning Hut, 908 Albany St. in Erie, is open from 9 a.m. until about 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and evenings by appointment. ist.

Sometimes it closes a bit earlier if there are no late-afternoon appointments, “Sara does an awesome job,” client Pam Wirth said. “I’ve been owner Mary Davis says, so walk-ins might want to call first. with her for 12 years.”

Otherwise, find The Hair Center on Facebook or In addition to the hours she spends at the Hair Center, Mary call 309-659-2520 for an appointment or more information. has been head volleyball coach at Blackhawk College since 1991.

The team plays four or five games a week during the season; in

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Morrison’s New Chamber Chief Plants Roots,

Ewoldsen looks for ideas, suggestions to better community

Reaches Out

K

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO SMALL TOWN LIVING

imberly Ewoldsen has put her love for the community of Morrison to work.

As the new executive director of the Morrison Chamber of Commerce and the Morrison Area Development Corp., Ewoldsen understands that her goals for the community will help Morrison to grow and be a place in which businesses want to put down roots.

Ewoldsen’s roots also are firmly planted in the area. She and her husband, Matt, and their children Owen, 4, and Kelsey, 4 months, fell in love with Morrison and moved to the area 5 years ago.

“I went to school in Prophetstown, but went to church in Morrison,” she said. “My husband and I loved the school district, and even more, the town reminded him of where he grew up in Indiana.”

Her family also owns a business in the area, giving her a good perspective of what business owners and community members might need.

And being the former executive director of the Sauk Valley Chamber of Commerce can’t hurt, either.

For Ewoldsen, the shift from the Sterling-based chamber to Morrison’s

was a natural move.

“It is a community we believe in, and we want to see it grow,” she said.

“I am so excited for this opportunity to work with community leaders to make Morrison even stronger.”

While still new to her position, Ewoldsen is focusing on implementing feedback from previous events and getting current members as active as possible.

She will do that the old-fashioned way.

“I will be pounding the streets, meeting with members of the chamber and the Morrison Area Development Corp., getting an idea of where they think we should be heading,” she explained. “We have spots to fill downtown, a spot in the industrial park, and a lot of opportunities for recreation.”

She also hopes to create more community events, similar to Movie Nights in the Park in Sterling, and to expand current Morrison events, such as Paint The Town. The chamber also will provide support to and promote programs of the Morrison Historical Society.

Continued on page 23

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Continued on page 23

Her goals for the Morrison chamber and the development agency are, well, developing, and she welcomes ideas and comments.

Her first goal is to provide more value for the dues that chamber members pay.

“We plan to offer no-cost seminars, whether it is on marketing, social media or working with the state to bring in seminars for our members,” she said.

Ewoldsen also promises members an open-door policy, “to try to be as responsive as possible and to provide as many tools as possible at a reasonable price.”

“We will also be considering which benefits members think they feel would be a useful tool,” she said. “I will listen. I want them to know that this office works for them, and it is just another tool in their tool box to help their business.”

In her quest to better Morrison, though, she will look beyond her traditional role: Ewoldsen wants to meet with community members and gather their suggestions. To that end, she plans to hold “office hours” at local businesses to make herself available to all residents, not just the business community.

That way, “I can learn from the community where they think we should be moving toward.

“This is a great learning opportunity for not only me, but the community,” she said, “and I am really hopeful that people will take advantage of that.” s Door always open The Morrison Chamber of Commerce and Morrison Area Development Corp. are at 221 W. Main St. in Morrison. Call Executive Director Kim Ewoldsen at 815-772-3757 or drop by to share thoughts and ideas.

Go to morrisonchamber.com or morrisonareadevelopment.com for more information on the agencies, or to be added to the chamber mailing list.

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