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G Spring/Summer 2015

85-year-old Betsy getting a facelift in Mount Morris

Greens give Oregon a Breakers for fun, food near the river o g l e

Enjoy trinkets, talk amid the ‘rustic relics’ at Byron feed store

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FEATURE • STORY

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Publisher Sam R Fisher

Otto is the Man

Oregon’s man of history: Otto Dick

Advertising Director Jennifer Baratta Editor Larry Lough Magazine Editor Kathleen Shultz Page Design Robin Norburg Matt Lindstrom 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 Ogle County 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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features Preserving the future

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Oregon couple devoted to making the world a better place

Oregon’s man of history: Otto Dick

Feed your love at Vintage Chicks

Take a break for fun, food

Customers ‘enjoy the trinkets and the talk’ at quaint shop

Celebrating 20 years of good times at Breakers

They’re not a typical gym

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Otto is the man

Nordmans spare no effort to maintain the fun

Betsy still has some spark

Sweet Sound of summer

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Couple get business rolling

Power Combat Fitness pushes limits, gets results

Mount Morris firefighters restoring original 1930 truck

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Summer concert series bringing in record donations

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the

Preserving Future: Oregon couple devoted to making the world a better place

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Ogle County Living The Vogls have two solar panels and a wind turbine on their Oregon property to power their farm.

Continued on Page 6

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Continued from Page 5 The house is heated by a wood burning furnace. The Vogls also have a propane tank as a supplimental unit.

Sonia Vogl carries a dish of greens to the barn with daughter Lynn to feed the chickens.

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f you look up “preservation” in the dictionary, don’t be surprised if you see a picture of Sonia and Bob Vogl.

The former Northern Illinois University professors have lived in the area for 50 years, raising their children, Lin and Tad, in Oregon.

Their other passions: renewable energy, prairie and natural habitat preservation, and educating people about the importance of clean water and a sustainable lifestyle, all topics likely to appear in their weekly column in the Rock River Times.

They also are the founders of the annual Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair and Friends of the Rock River.

The Vogls interest in preservation began years ago, when they discovered garlic mustard in the woods on their property.

“Garlic mustard thrives in areas with excess nitrogen,” Sonia said. “We want to reduce air pollution and the adverse reaction of pollution on animals and plants.”

They founded Friends of the Rock River after joining former Lt. Gov. Bob Kustra, an avid fisherman who was interested in water quality.

Sonia and Bob also were friends with Pat Reese, founder of Friends of the Fox River. With Kustra, Reese and other preservationists, Sonia and Bob helped to create a statewide effort to test for and monitor indicators of clean water.

When they launched the renewable energy and sustainable lifestyle fair, “there was nothing else really like it,” Sonia said. “People were skeptical. But, now, the fair has become a summer event. Attendees can look through vendor booths, listen to speakers, or attend workshops.”

Renewable energy was the topic in the beginning, but the information fair since has branched out to promoting other things, from raising chickens to building rain barrels. The diverse information “allows us to reach a wider audience and to introduce people to new things,” Sonia said.

More than 200 solar installations, including that on their farm, are the direct result of the fair, the Vogls said.

Sonia and Bob are also a driving force behind the Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County. The group bought 82 acres of prairie, some of which used to be the Sinnissippi Tree Farm.

The society’s mission is to preserve prairies while educating the public about their importance and encouraging prairie restoration and helping others to learn how to educate those around them about preservation.

“We bought a portion of the Sinnissippi Tree Farm to continue the tradition in Oregon. It is very rewarding dealing with the public and watching the pride on peoples’ faces when they pick, cut, and take home a tree that they picked,” Bob said.

Bob is also on the board of the Rock River Trail Initiative, which encourages cleanup of the Rock River and the creation of recreational trails.

The couple also teaches others how to protect the land. They hold workshops

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The Vogls raise a wide variety of livestock, including chickens and alpacas.

in their home on their farm, where they practice what they preach. In addition to the solar panels, the farm has an experimental greenhouse that uses LED lights, and a windmill.

“It can be taken down and put into pieces. We use it as a teaching tool,” Sonia said.

Their efforts don’t end there. The couple wrote a successful grant application that garnered $200,000 for Oregon High School to buy new equipment and update the science lab.

They have also helped other schools write grants to help with preservation and sustainability efforts, and have done field work with children and teachers.

The couple encourages others to get involved in preservation in any way they can.

“Take one step at a time,” Sonia says. “Give it try and plant a few flowers.

If you want to go further, you can convert your yard into prairie. When we first began, we grew our prairie out of sight so people did not think we were growing weeds, but at that point it just was not something people did.”

Their groups always are looking for volunteers, and many times the volunteering efforts turn into friendships.

It’s important work that never will be finished, Bob said.

“There are always ongoing pressures and changes. There are always new problems emerging. These issues require public support, or these important problems become invisible.” s

Attend the fair...

Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 24 Ogle County Fairgrounds, just off state Rout 64 west of Oregon Numerous workshops will be held throughout on topics ranging from going “green” to raising chickens and vegetables.

Nearly 50 booths will be featured offering a variety of products & info.

Admission; $5, or $7 for both days. Children: free Pets not allowed Food and entertainment from noon to 4 p.m. each day. www.illinoisrenew.org for more information

Get in touch...

Bob and Sonia Vogl, 1230 E. Honey Creek Road in Oregon sonia.vogl@gmail.com or 815-732-7332 www.illinoisrenew.org for info. about the Illinois Renewable Energy & Sustainability Lifestyle Fair & the Illinois Renewable Energy Association www.ppsoc.net to learn about Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County

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Feed Your Love of Rustic at

Vintage Chicks Customers ‘enjoy the trinkets and the talk’ at quaint shop

BY LONNIE C. MILLER SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

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hicks definitely run this place.

Vicki Miller and daughter Amy Kirchner decided

to expand the family feed store that sits on Highway 72

between Leaf River and Byron.

Vintage Chicks and Feed, which opened in September, now offers not only all types of feed, from birds, rabbits and pets to horses, sheep and other farm animals, but also vintage home décor, old relics, hand-painted signs, hand-crafted soaps and other historic and primitive finds – things Vicki likes to call “rustic relics.”

It all started years ago, Amy said, when her father, Gene, started selling livestock feed from the store, which is just down the road and around the corner from the family farm, where they raise Hereford cattle.

She and Vicki wanted something fun for the gals who dropped in, and as a supportive friend, Janice Mancuso joined the effort.

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Ogle County Living

They love vintage – the history, the hunt, designing with – and also the people. Especially the people. “We meet the most wonderful people all the time,” Vicki said.

Mancuso agrees.

“People talk to you about all the memories that come to them as they browse through old things, they come to recharge, regroup, and poke around,” she said. “They enjoy the trinkets and the talk.”

Salvaged architectural piece such as shutters, barn boards, old doors and window frames, and glass knobs all are part of the inventory, as are children’s toys, mason jars, kitchen implements and linens Continued on Page 11

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Vicki Miller opened the store with her husband and daughter.

Continued from Page 9

– all kinds of things make fun décor for weddings, parties or just fixing up a home or yard.

Those are the things the chicks like to find. They also gather small pieces of furniture, such as a old Singer sewing machine and dressers.

Amy crafts several items that are sold in the quaint little shop, which also is filled with little placards with suggestions for repurposing the vintage items.

And, amid the feed and the repurposed items are hard-working Muck boots in styles for guys or gals. They are insulated, 100 percent waterproof, lined for comfort, and able to withstand everything the farm fields and animal lots demand. s

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WE’RE NOT A TYPICAL GYM Power Combat Fitness pushes limits, gets results

BY DAVE FOX SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

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e was 250 pounds and not expected to live through the night.

Now, 3 years later and 150 pounds lighter, a very healthy Matt Bouback is a professional physical fitness trainer.

After a septic infection set in after his knee surgery, “the doctors told me I wasn’t going to live,” the 40-year-old said.

“I ended up making it, ... and I vowed never to be like that again. Now, I’m walking like I’m talking, and I never take my health for granted anymore.”

Bouback opened his first fitness center, Power Combat Fitness, in Belvidere in May 2013.

With great success there, he opened a second location in Byron a year later, and now boasts more than 300 members and seven trainers between the two places.

“We’re not a typical gym,” Bouback said.

“We don’t have all the standard gym equipment. Instead, we do what’s called functional fitness, and all of our classes are in group format with one of our professional trainers.”

What exactly is functional fitness?

“We do a lot of [high-intensity interval training], as well as kick-boxing, strength training, cardio capacity training, and things like that,” he said.

Bouback, who’s also trained in mixed martial arts and cage fighting, employs a unique, hard-core training method.

“When we first get people in here, we try to break them and change their frame of reference,” he said. “It’s about meeting goals, but it’s also about changing your way of thinking. We have found that when people are challenged like this, they respond in ways they never thought possible.”

Getting people to perform up to their potential is what this type of fitness is about.

“People have different fitness levels, and their 100 percent might not be what my own

100 percent is,” Bouback said. “My Photos by Dave Fox/Ogle County Living job is just to get Matt Bouback, Michelle Butterfield, Mary McKnight them to their own and Jerry Oleson take a break between classes.

100 percent.”

Doing an individsaid. ual workout in a gym is different from coming “We don’t ever cancel anyone or refuse anyto CFT and using the team approach. one,” he said. “We don’t ever want anyone to “Working out on your own, you’ve got an stay away because they can’t afford it, because on-off switch and you decide when to stop,” we can work with them and help make it he said. “But if you come into a group setting happen for them. like this and you’re part of a team, you get “At the same time, when we help people pushed to your full potential, and we do it in a out, we will expect a commitment from them way that’s very motivating.” in return, that they will commit to coming in Setting physical goals, working out, and regularly and working out.” getting in shape is not limited to just young Bouback expects to have a couple of special adults here, either. Bouback has a wide range programs in place for the summer, including a of ages in his classes. football training camp for high-schoolers and “We’ve got kids as young as 8 years old, a high-intensity training camp that will target and our oldest is 71,” he said. “We’ve got a high school athletes of all types.

65-year-old grandma here who is doing all Bouback enjoys the ever-changing aspect of kinds of crazy stuff. It’s exciting.” his work.

Getting in top physical condition and “For me, that’s the challenge,” he said. “Evbuilding six-pack abs is not necessarily the ery day will be completely different. You never goal. People from all walks of life and all kinds know when you might meet someone whose of issues make up the class rosters. life you can change, or you might already be “When a lot of people come to us they’re working with someone whose life is being generally broken,” Bouback said. “They have changed for the better because of what you do. diabetes, high blood pressure, and other health “It keeps me well-grounded, to always be issues. Some are overweight or severely out of the best that I can be so that I can always help shape. others be the best that they can be.”s “We use a universal system; people aren’t pushed to out-do each other, but simply to perform up to their best.”

The membership fee is a flat $60 a month, Power up which entitles members to attend any class or combination of classes. Trainers lead every Power Combat Fitness class.

1350 Kysor Drive in Byron 6545 Joan Drive in Belvidere All members must fill out a health form Phone: 815-505-5827 when they first come in, then meet with Online: www.powercombatfitness.com Bouback to determine the best starting point Find it on Facebook and program.

The fee is never a problem, either, Bouback

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Betsy Still Has Some Spark

BY VINDE WELLS SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING Photos by Vinde Wells/Ogle County Living Engine #2, also known as "Old Betsy," was on display Sept. 21, 2014, in downtown Mount Morris for the 125th anniversary of the Mount Morris Fire Department.

Mount Morris firefighters restoring department’s original 1930 truck

Hand-painted intricate designs decorate the side of Engine #2, a 1930 fire engine.

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t 85, Old Betsy has come home. But her’s will not be an idle retirement.

The Mount Morris Firemen’s Association paid $6,000 in June to bring the 1930 fire engine, officially known as Mount Morris Community Engine Company No. 2, home from Leaf River, where she had lived since 1947.

Plans are to restore the old truck, body, motor and soul, Mount Morris Fire Chief Rob Hough said. In fact, the motor is being rebuilt now, and Betsy should be purring again within a month, he said.

“It’s a far cry from being done, but at least she’ll be running under her own power,” he said.

The restoration is being paid for with donations and fundraisers.

“I want to emphasize that no tax money is being used,” he said. “The work will be paid for through fundraisers and firemen’s association funds.”

Once Betsy is running and bright and shiny again, the department will use her for parades and during Fire Prevention Week programs, Hough said.

“We’ll drive it in parades and to the preschools,” he said.

In addition to the engine work – it was missing the head – Betsy has lost her two 40-gallon chemical tanks. But her body’s in good shape for her age, and much of the original equipment, including hoses, an ax and two flashlights, remain.

Betsy has a Chevrolet chassis with an Apparatus body, completed by Obenchain-Boyer Co. of Logansport, Ind. She’s what is known as a triple combination engine, and she has a 250-gallon-per-minute front-mount pump.

The Mount Morris Fire Department bought her new in 1929.

Continued on Page 17

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Continued from Page 15

“Before that, Engine Company No. 1, along with the hose carts from the central and north end firehouses, did an exemplary job of providing fire protection to the village,” Hough said. “By 1929 the rural residents around Mount Morris felt they were in need of fire protection as well.”

At the time, a new way of providing fire protection to the rural residents of Illinois was gaining a foothold. Widely supported and promoted by the the Farm Bureau, “community” fire protection was a way to provide protection to rural residents. Those living outside the boundaries of a city or village paid a subscription fee, and the money was used to buy equipment and provide fire protection.

In Mount Morris, Engine 1 responded only to alarms in the village and rarely ventured outside those boundaries. It was Engine 2 that responded to all calls, in the village and the surrounding area.

In 1947, the village saw the need to upgrade its fire protection and bought a new state-of-the-art International.

The firehouse had only two stalls, though, so with no room to store it, at the tender age of 17, Engine 2 was sold to Leaf River for $1,000. It was that village’s first motorized fire engine.

The engine’s first call in Leaf River was a house fire on Blaine Street, just around the corner from the present fire station. With the help of their recently acquired engine, Leaf River firefighters saved the house, which is still standing.

Once retired from service in Leaf River, Old Betsy frequently was used in parades and even brought Santa to town, until she no longer was operational.

Continued on Page 19

Mount Morris firefighter Justin Stewart and Fire Chief Rob Hough pose with Engine #2, also known as "Old Betsy," a 1930 firetruck.

These are just some of the antique firefighting equipment that the Mount Morris Fire Department had on display during an event in Mount Morris in 2014.

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Continued from Page 17

Leaf River Chief Steve Shelton said his department always planned to restore her, but it just didn’t happen.

“We put a lot of work into it over the years, but it wasn’t coming like we wanted it to,” Shelton said. “Since it came from Mount Morris, we decided they should have the first chance at it.”

It was a chance Mount Morris welcomed.

“We had been trying to buy it back for a long time,” Hough said. “After an almost 67-year absence, Engine No. 2 was proudly backed into Mount Morris’ Firehouse on the evening of June 12.”s

Two flashlights are part of the original equipment on Engine 2.

What’s Betsy’s history?

These hand-painted instructions on the side of Engine #2 tell firefighters how to operate the truck's chemical tanks.

The Mount Morris Fire Department, which last year celebrated its 125th anniversary, would like to learn more about the truck’s history.

Anyone with old photographs or more information is asked to call the fire station at 815-734-4322.

Donations are also being accepted for the truck’s restoration.

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216 Sunset Ln., Mt. Morris, IL 815-734-4839

Ogle Co. Fairgrounds, 1919 N. Limekiln Rd., Oregon illinoisrenew.org

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815-732-7332

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Otto is the Man Oregon’s man of history: Otto Dick

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

O

regon has so much history to be proud of, and Otto Dick, who has spent much of his life working to help the community and those who live in it, now spends

much of his time uncovering, publishing and celebrating that history.

A mechanical and computer drafting teacher at Dixon High School for 24 years and a Dixon building inspector for 9, Dick, now retired, continues to work every day as one of the most active members of the Ogle County Historical Society.

His life began in Indiana, where his mother was an English teacher and his father a superintendent. He and his siblings – two brothers and a sister – all were musically inclined. The family had three pianos in the living room, including a Schiller, which was made in Conover Square, in Oregon.

The family moved to Oregon in 1946, when he was a sixth-grader.

“My mother always said that we were bringing our piano back home,” Dick said.

The landscape was completely different from what he was used to.

“Where we lived in Indiana, the land was flat. Oregon had cliffs, hills, and parks.

We used to go to White Pines for

All Photos by Earleen Hinton/Ogle County Living Otto Dick stands at the ticket window at the Oregon Depot.

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Otto Dick sits at the Central Traffic Control desk at the Oregon Depot.

Otto Dick takes a phone call while sitting at the telegraph desk at the Oregon Depot.

Dick stands by the model of Zephyr train that is on display in one of the rooms at the Oregon Depot (below).

our birthdays. We just loved it.”

In high school, he excelled in basketball, football, and track. Afterward, he served in the armed forces as a Morse code operator, and became a section leader for his battalion.

Dick went to college in his 30s, and earned his master’s in education. He and his wife, Marilyn, raised three children here: David, Lisa, and Lori.

His love for Oregon has only deepened in the past 45 years. His interest in the history of the town and its citizens began when he became president of the cemetery.

“While moving the cemetery lawn, this young boy would come over. He would ask, ‘Who is this person? What did they do?’ I never knew the answer. So, I began researching.”

That interest lead Dick to become a major repository of the historical knowledge about Ogle County.

He’s a member of the Ogle County Historical Society – was its president for 4 years – and remains cemetery president.

He also writes a weekly historical column for Ogle County newspapers. He started writing about local homes, and branched out to address historical topics ranging from the railroad, the river valley, and historical figures.

His big love these days, though, is the ongoing restoration of The Depot Museum, as a member of an informal group of like-minded volunteers known as The Depot Gang.

The building is more than 100 years old, and is the last remaining of the original 29 Ogle County depots. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places.

He’s also writing a history of the county’s small towns.

His work has not gone unnoticed. For his efforts, Dick was named Oregon’s 2014 Citizen of the Year.

“This is a man quiet in nature, mild in manner, working silently behind many scenes, whose actions speak loudly of the pride and commitment he carries when he walks throughout our community,” Debbie Dickson, executive director of the Oregon Chamber of Commerce, said when when announcing Dick’s award.

“I love Oregon, “ Dick said in his acceptance speech. “It’s a great place; I’m just so happy to be here. I’d choose no place else to live. We have a great history here. Let’s be positive about our town.” s Continued on Page 23

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the

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(Rt. 64)

GospelFest (July 9) • 5K Run Bags Tournament Beer Gardens • Parade ByronFest Beast Challenge Carnival • Car Show Magician • Quilt Show Softball Tournament

JULY 10, 11 & 12 Downtown Byron 1 Block North of Rt. 2

Contact the Byron Chamber of Commerce with questions at (815) 234-5500 or visit the ByronFest Facebook page at www.facebook.com/byronfest

Visit the depot The Oregon Depot Museum, 518 N. Fourth St. in Oregon Hours: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday Go to www.oregondepot.org for virtual tour, or more information, phone: 815-757-9715.

Oregon historian Otto Dick is seeking old Western Union messages sent from the depot.

If you have one you’re willing share, call him at 815-440 -0639 to make arrangements to have it copied and returned to you.

Oregon’s strengths: its people Following are excerpts from an Otto Dick column published by Ogle County Newspapers after he received the Oregon Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award in August: When receiving the Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, I mentioned the following.

I love Oregon. It’s a great place; I’d choose no place else to live. We have a great history here. Let’s be positive about our town.”

I appreciate and am proud of the following: the beauty of the Rock River Valley, Blackhawk, our three state parks, Taft Campus, Oregon our county seat, Oregon Park District, Oregon school system, Village of Progress, Serenity House, Oregon Nursing Home, Chana School, Ogle County Historical Society, our churches, service organizations, Rock River Center, volunteer fire department, City of Oregon employees, Blackhawk Center, Oregon Police Department keeping this a safe community, and most importantly the people...

In Oregon, almost everyone you pass will smile and say hello. Almost always they will hold the door open or say thanks if I hold the door for them.

Many times people mention how they enjoy reading about Oregon history.

When people talk to me about Oregon, they invariably mention they feel secure and safe.

The people of Oregon make up the city of Oregon. Without them, Oregon does not exist.

Showing respect for those who live in Oregon helps community spirit and pride.

Yes, people and their contributions to this community overshadow everything else ...

Our service clubs, churches, VFW, American Legion, Oregon School students, etc., all contribute to this community ... Our volunteers of this community far outnumber those who prefer to tell others what they should do or criticize those who volunteer their time and effort for this community ...

We should be thankful for what we have and help make this a better place to live in any way we can.

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Member Owned and Operated

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• Awarded four-star recognition by Golf Digest • New electric carts with GPS technology • Fifteen-acre practice and game improvement center • Bent-grass layout with dramatic bunkering • Acclaimed junior and beginner programs • Prairie Grass Pub for casual dining and drinks.

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German Church Road • Byron, IL 61010

Continued on Page 27

TAKE A BREAK

BY LONNIE C. MILLER SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Ogle County Living Jenna Cleveland serves up a pint of beer to a customer at Breakers Saloon in Oregon.

B Beautiful Be

Celebrating 20 years of good times at Breakers

Let us help make your yard • Trees • Shrubs • Perennials • Annuals • Display Gardens • Landscape Design & Installation

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Sunday - Noon-6pm Closed Mondays

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Merlin’s Greenhouse & Flowers & The Other Side Boutique Invites you to join them for their

Annual Spri ng Ope n House Friday, April 24th & Saturday, April 25th - 9AM - 5PM Storewide Discounts • Home Decor • Giftware • Jewelry • Candles Custom Silk Arrangements • Purses • Clothing •Scarves • Gourmet Food Samples • New Large Line of Melissa & Doug • Door Prizes 300 Mix Street • Oregon, IL • 815-732-2969

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I

t seemed only natural. After all, they met in a bar.

Jan and Victor Green opened Breakers Saloon and Eatery 20 years ago, on Feb. 1, 1995.

They came from the St. Charles and Geneva area, where they had met. She had experience in several facets of business management, from bartending and serving to helping in the kitchen. He ran a printing company.

Jan learned that the business on the southwest corner of Second Street and state Route 64 was for sale, and, as they say, “the rest is history.”

She laughs when she recall’s Vic’s initial role: bouncer.

Manager Stacy Orengo, lead cook Kevin Soper, and “quarterback” James Stuckey have teamed with the Greens to create a lively eatery and bar, one that features daily specials, awesome food, and an energetic atmosphere.

Whether the place has five patrons or 50, you can feel the good vibes in the air. Every member of this team is appreciated, and that shows in the pride each takes in his or her contribution to the family-friendly establishment.

There is lots of laughter and teasing among the staff, and Jan and Vic don’t hesitate to sit with customers to share good conversation and some fun.

Families are encouraged to bring the kids in on Wednesday, when children eat for a buck if dining with an adult. It’s also a patron-popular day, thanks to the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. taco bar.

Lots of variety on the menu includes a portobello burger with a side of sweet fries.

The bar features lots of space for dinner and gaming machines to try your luck.

Continued on Page 29

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For you and your next generation.

A wealth of resources.

www.fsbshannon-polo.com Shannon • 1 S. Linn St. • Ph. (815) 864-2111 Polo • 211 S. Division Ave. • Ph. (815) 946-2777 Lake Carroll • 24494 Payne Rd. • Ph. (815) 864-2125

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Let our longevity, strength, stability, expertise and experience go to work for your wealth management and investment needs. Call us today: 866-864-2111

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Rely upon us to offer you competitively priced interest rates and terms.

• Since our beginning 85 years ago, we have served the commercial and farm businesses in our communities. We would like to be a part of your business operation whether it is a small project or a large expansion.

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Securities offered through LPL Financial member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance products offered through LPL Financial or its licensed affiliates. First State Bank – Shannon Polo is not a registered broker/dealer and is not affiliated with LPL Financial.

LPL Financial Representatives offer access to Trust Services through The Private Trust Company N.A., an affiliate of LPL Financial.

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600 Gale Street • Oregon, IL 61061 • 815-732-3004

MEMBER FDIC

Breakers Saloon is located near the Rock River and has a lively deck for nice weather sitting.

Continued from Page 27

A life-like dog statue keeps watch over the place.

Sunday is buy-one-get-one-half-price burger day, and Friday is the all-day-long fish fry.

In addition to the daily drink and food specials, and the usual tasty menu fare of burgers, steaks, seafood and desserts, Soper – a self-described “Food TV addict” – also makes Boca burgers, grilled mushrooms, salad, and other vegetarian offerings.

Lunch and dinner items range in price from appetizers for $2.95 to full, tummy-pleasing meals for around $12.95.

Video gaming, live music and a well-stocked jukebox add to the Grab a bite fun. Celebrations of all types are held at Breakers, from birthday Breakers Saloon and Eatery parties to anniversaries to girls 100 S. Second Ave., Oregon night out and sports nights. And Hours: 11 to 1:00 a.m. Monday-Saturday, when the weather’s nice, the 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday Greens open the patio, which Phone: 815-732-3319 seats up to 30.

Find it on Facebook Breakers supports local sports s clubs, too.

ricker c e n i C af e

P

The Pinecricker Cafe and Dad’s Bar & Grill Pinecricker Banquets and Pinecricker Catering

13 years happily serving Polo and surrounding communities

Kitchen Hours: Tuesday through Thursday 11am - 9pm Friday 11am - 10pm Saturday 7am - 10pm Sunday 7am - 2pm

• Breakfast Served Saturday and Sunday Morning 7-11am • Prime Rib Every Saturday Night • Mexican Favorites Every Tuesday

BANQUET ROOM HOLDS 75 PEOPLE Full Service Bar/Video Gaming • 6 Craft Beers on Draught Served Ice Cold Family Friendly, Cozy Atmosphere • Specializing in Made from Scratch, Whole Processed Foods • Handcut Steaks and Chops • Homemade Pies and Desserts • Full Service Catering, Carryout or Served at your Venue

Event Experts • Catering Questions Contact Kathy 815-440-0476

124 E Mason Street, Polo • 815-946-3321

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Comprehensive Hospice Services, Offering:

Serving the Community Since 1984 Free Standing Not-For-Profit Hospice Serving Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago Counties

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• Professional Nursing Care (Registered Nurses On Call 24/7/365) • Home Health Aide/ Homemaker visits • Staff Physician Board Certified in Palliative Medicine *

• Care in Private Residences and in Area Nursing Facilities

• Social Services Certified in Grief Counseling • Bereavement Care

• General Inpatient Care, Respite Care, and Residential Care provided in Serenity Home

• Medications from Pharmacists Specializing in Pain Control

• Auxiliary Services/Trained Volunteers

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We invite you to stop by and enjoy a multi-level shopping experience

307 First Ave.,Sterling 815-564-9376 Mon.-Fri. 9 - 6p.m.

Sat. 9 - 5p.m.; Sun. 10 - 4p.m.

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COUPLE GET BUSINESS ROLLING

BY DAVE FOX SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

S

Nordmans spare no effort to maintain the fun

Continued on Page 33

Photos by Dave Fox/Ogle County Living

Transform Your Home this SPRING!

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trikes are a good thing. If you’re a bowler, that is.

And one Mount Morris couple have scored two strikes in two attempts while giving area people a place to socialize and have fun.

Alan and Sandy Nordman were working for Dawson Subscription Service in Mount Morris when it was sold.

“We ... saw the writing on the wall,” he said, “and we both got out of it.”

Sandy always loved bowling, so when Town and Country Lanes closed 15 years ago, buying the business seemed like a natural thing to do.

“We bought it in July, 2000,” Alan said.

“It had been closed since April that year and was in bankruptcy, and the building was just a disaster.

“Before we could do anything, we added new roof trusses and shingles, rebuilt the bathrooms, and did a lot of other renovation work. At the end of the first season, we put in new lanes and new pinsetters as well.”

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1922 IL Rt 2 N Oregon, IL 61061

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Ogle County

We’ve Got You Covered

When you need to see a doctor, your family deserves the very

In addition to primary care, our clinics offer other convenient

best. SwedishAmerican is pleased to offer three clinics in Ogle

services, like on-site lab and X-ray, as well as Saturday hours.

County to care for you, with locations in Byron, Davis Junction

Our Rochelle clinic also offers OB/GYN and pulmonology care.

and Rochelle. No matter which location you choose, you’ll be connected to great doctors and nurse practitioners who are

To learn how we can meet your needs, or to schedule an

part of the northern Illinois health system that has won the

appointment, please call one of our three Ogle County clinics

most awards for quality and excellence.

today. We look forward to hearing from you.

Arthur Breck, MD Byron

Tim Durkee, MD, PhD Rochelle

Tim Flynn, MD Davis Junction

Maggie O’Malley, APN Arvind Ponnambalam, MD Davis Junction Rochelle

Daniel Retzer, MD Davis Junction

Byron Clinic

Davis Junction Clinic

Rochelle Clinic

220 West Blackhawk Drive (779) 696-1300

5665 North Junction Way (779) 696-9200

380 IL Rte 38 East (779) 696-9050

Emily Rogers, MD Byron

Christina Soriano, MD Byron & Davis Junction

Luc Tchapnda, MD Rochelle

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Continued from Page 31

In addition to the renovations – “the only thing we haven’t replaced is the cinder block exterior,” Sandy said with a laugh – a new bar and banquet room has been added, which can accommodate hungry bowlers, people looking for a quick snack, and bowling teams at the end of league season.

“It’s basically been completely rebuilt,” Alan said.

Having enjoyed success there, the couple then bought Plum Hollow Family Center in Dixon in 2004.

“It had not had the upkeep it needed, either,” Alan said, “so we went at remodeling again at that place, but it was well worth it.”

Revitalizing Town and Country was a labor of love for Sandy, Alan said.

“She’s a lifelong resident of Mount Morris,” he said. “Her dad was mayor there for a while. She’d always been a bowler, and had always wanted to run the center as she was growing up.”

Sandy hung out a the bowling alley a lot in her younger years.

Continued on Page 35

Oregon Soap Shoppe

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Rochelle Community Hospital is pleased to

The new Walk-In Clinic at Rochelle Medical

announce that compassionate, quality care at Rochelle Medical Group’s new Walk-In Clinic is only

Group opens February 2, bringing together skilled providers under one roof with:

a step away. Our skilled family nurse practitioners treat minor injuries and illnesses without an

• Quality care, no appointment necessary • Healthcare for children & adults

appointment – so scheduling is never a problem when it comes to sick days, sprained ankles or

• Treatment of minor injuries & illnesses • Immunizations, labs & other services

kids with fever.

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“Groundbreaking New Treatment Reduces or Possible Elimates Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms - Without Drugs or Surgery!”

(Would you like to end the numbness, burning, tingling , and sharp pain in your feet, toes, calves, and legs? If so, read on...)

Rochelle, IL - My name is Dr. Stacy Wills. I fyou have idiopathic Neuropathy or Diabetic Neuropathy, you may be asking yourself any or all of these questions: • Why do I have pain in my legs, feet, or toes?

• What causes the tingling sensation or numbness in my legs and feet?

• Am I at risk for infection or amputation—even if I’m not a diabetic?

• Why do my feet feel like they’re on fire?

If any of these problems or concerns are creating a situation where the quality of your life is being compromised, then you need to pay close attention to what we’re telling you in this article. Isn’t it sad to otherwise feel so alive and full of vigor, but not be able to fully participate in life because the pain, tingling, and numbness is so pervasive, so intruding – and so unfair?

Don’t you sometimes feel downright angry that these symptoms have appeared – and won’t go away? If you do, it’s only normal.

After all, who wants to be burdened with carrying a load of pain, and live life through an all-encompassing fog of discomfort?

Pain that’s always there, always reminding you of its presence.

Always raising its ugly head, no matter how hard you try to ignore it. It’s always there – sitting in your recliner. Going to the store. Playing golf with friends, or just trying to get some muchneeded sleep and rest at night. Anything you do is accompanied by the sharp pain, tingling, and the numbness.

Here’s What Makes Peripheral Neuropathy So Dangerous:

See, PN is so bad because it sort of sneaks up on you. Quietly like a thief in the night. Like the angry spouse in the detective stories who slowly poisons the other spouse with arsenic...PN is a condition that slowly eats away at you. It doesn’t happen in an instant like breaking a leg. No, it’s just like a poison (especially with diabetes), doing its damage to nerves slowly. So slowly, that at first, when it’s already done some damage, you won’t even notice it.

There May Be Hope For You With A New Technology For Treating Peripheral Neuropathy Called NeuroAnalgesia

Neuro-Analgesia, sometimes referred to as Electronic Signal Treatment or Electroanalgesia, is a new, innovative treatment modality that utilizes a modulated and attenuated pulsed electronic signal (current) that can substantially reduce or even possibly eliminate – the burning, sharp pain and associated numbness and tingling of PN! This newly-emerging technology (pioneered in Germany) is now available in the United States.

What Do You Experience During A Treatment?

Patients remain fully clothed, and you may sit in a chair, lay down on a table, or better yet – “kick back” in a recliner! During every phase of the treatment you will be very comfortable and relaxed.

You’ll experience a soothing sense of electrical stimulation in your feet and legs. Some patients read or watch TV throughout the procedure; others close their eyes and take a nap!

What About Your Future: Are You Worried About Your Job –Your Life?

Unfortunately, there are people who have been forced to quit their jobs or give up their social life because of PN symptoms. So what do you do? What choices do you have? If you’re like most people, the outcome of your visits to the MD have resulted in taking cortisone injections, Motrin, prescriptions for Neurontin, and you’ve experienced the drowsiness it causes – only giving you a brief relief from the pain – or none at all. Only to have it return as soon as the tranquilizing, nerve-deadening effect wears off. What good is that??

So, Back To The Question:

What are YOU going to do if you’re stuck between the tingling, prickling, hot fire-like burning sensation in your feet or continuing to take mind-numbing Lyrica and Neurontin?

Finally – some good news! A new, extremely effective noninvasive diabetic and peripheral neuropathy treatment is now available, for the first time ever, in Rochelle, IL. If your feet feel like you’re walking on thumbtacks or are “on fire”, or if they tingle unbearably, or they feel as cold as a frozen Popsicle you owe it to yourself to check out this new technology.

What Patients Are Saying About Peripheral Neuropathy Therapy

I can’t begin to tell you how much your Peripheral Neuropathy Therapy program has done for me. I used to have constant leg pain, burning, numbness and stinging sensations in the feet. I could barely stand to brush my teeth or walk through the grocery store. I had been to see just about every kind of doctor there is, and I just kept getting worse and worse. I had virtually quit all of the things I used to enjoy doing-golf, bowling, square-dancing, going to football games-just about everything. My improvement has been continuous and steady-pain levels and discomforts have dropped to a fraction of what they used to be, and I’m now able to do most of the things I used to do!

-A.H. Folks need to know that Peripheral Neuropathy Therapy is a miracle! At least it has been for me! Used to be, I couldn’t get through a day without Lortabs and muscle relaxers, and I still couldn’t really do much, except sit around on the couch and watch TV. Now, I play with my grand kids, walk with my husband after dinner, and can sit comfortably playing bridge with friends. I’m not perfect, but compared to where I am now

with before getting Neuropathy Therapy, I’ll take that any day!

-D.M. When I first came I had intense pain, tingling, and numbness in both feet. I was suffering for 20 years. I went to so many doctors to try to get help. After 6 visits I am pain-free. It’s amazing now I can stand on my toes, drive my car better (cause I can feel the pedal better). Being pain free gives me the capability to do some many more things, even walking around the mall.

-B.E.

Who Should Call For A Qualifying Assessment?

If you’ve had severe peripheral neuropathy (diabetic or otherwise) for at least six months, and nothing has helped.

Now, What’s the Next Step You Should Take?

We will only be able to accept 15 new patients, so you must call as soon as possible to schedule your complimentary (free) Qualifying Assessment.

THE FREE 4-POINT QUALIFYING ASSESSMENT NO CHARGE at all and you don’t need to buy anything.

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“I’ve been at this bowling center probably most of my life,” she said with a smile. “We used to come and my parents would play pool, while my grandmother, my sister, and I would bowl.”

Why two bowling centers?

“We couldn’t survive just on the one small-town business, because it’s simply not big enough,” Sandy said. “Plus, we both love bowling.”

“I spend most of my time [at Plum Hollow],” Alan added. “Sandy runs the daily physical operations [at Town and Country], and I run the business of business at both places.

“She is there every hour that Town and Country is open,” Alan said. “She is really committed to be there, to be active and to make it work and make it survive.”

Bowling has always been a popular sport and leisure activity, largely because it’s played indoors and anyone can become good at it.

“It’s definitely not a declining interest, but we are certainly tied to the economy,” Alan said. “When the economy gets bad, discretionary spending changes.”

Bowling also competes with a wide variety of activities that tend to keep people at home, such as the Internet and video games.

“That always makes it a challenge, but that’s why we have new lanes and we’re always looking for new gadgets to add,” Alan said.

Continued on Page 37

Below: Sandy Nordman checks in a customer at Town and Country Bowling Center. "A lot of times the front desk is my office," she said with a laugh.

Continued on Page 37

Dr. Thomas D Th King, Vascular Ki V l Surgeon S Dr. Thomas King uses minimally invasive procedures to correct diseases of the vascular system, from aortic aneurysms and chronic ischemia, to varicose veins. And for those patients with health problems prohibiting them from surgeries with large incisions or long recovery times, Vascular Surgery is a viable option. He’s also qualified to perform many special procedures including Radio Frequency Ablations and Venefit™ Targeted Endovenous Therapy for those suffering from chronic venous insufficiency.

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“The atmosphere at a bowling center makes you forget about your problems for a while. We’re seeing a lot of positive turns toward bowling activities now,” he added. “It’s all about social interaction. Kids can stay at home and play on the computer, but there’s a lot less face-to-face interaction with peers and others.

“With movies and other sports, you’re basically a spectator. But with bowling, there’s all the personal interaction with other people, plus you’re an active participant. How could anyone complain if they’re here having this kind of fun?”

The couple also run bowling leagues, from high school through senior citizens.

With all the hard work and long hours, what are the rewards of running a small-town bowling center?

“For one thing, “Sandy said, “we’ve got a lot of regulars, not only with open bowling but during leagues as well, and it’s fun getting to know these people and seeing them year after year.”

Besides, bowling is something everyone, regardless of age or size, can excel at, and it tends to stay with people throughout their lives, she added.

“We have people as young as 3 or 4 coming in and bowling with their families, and that’s really good because it is such a family activity,” Sandy added. “The entire family can come and bowl a game or two and sit and talk and socialize as well.

“The social part of it is really important. We had one man who found his ball stored in a closet. He hadn’t bowled in 15 years, but he got his ball out and came in and had so much fun, and found that he still enjoyed getting out and being around other people.

“It’s just one of those things. ... the fun, the camaraderie, the competitiveness, and the socialization all mix together to make bowling something for everyone.”s

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weet ound of umme

Photos Submitted By Larry Ubben Wisconsin's award-winning blues band The Jimmys performs during last summer's Friday Night Summer Concert Series. The band is returning this summer, on July 3.

Summer concert series bringing in record donations

BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

A

t only 3 years old, it’s a rockin’ success. More than 3,000 people attended the free 9-week Friday Night Summer Concert Series at the Mount Morris band shell in 2014, bringing in record donations.

It’s a trend that Larry Ubben, the driving force behind the popular summer event, is working hard to sustain, and expand.

Right now, various bands play music of all genres from 7 to 9 p.m.

Fridays at the historic band shell, two blocks south of state Route 64 on Wesley Avenue.

Community organizations take turns selling concessions, and now the Farmers Market is part of the evening. It runs from 3 to 7 p.m. in the nearby Union Savings Bank parking lot at 2 W. Main St. Ubben would like to increase the number of concerts and lengthen the season. He’s also hoping for more Farmers Market vendors.

“I would like to see this grow further,” Ubben told the village board at a recent meeting. “My goal is to make the Mount Morris band shell a premiere music venue in northern Illinois.”

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It seems an attainable goal.

“Last year was really outstanding,” Ubben said. “We about doubled our donations. We’re coming very close to being self-sustaining.”

Concertgoers plopped $3,500 into the donation cans last year, and the last concert of the season drew 650 people, a record number.

It’s a remarkable accomplishment for the series, which Ubben launched in 2012 in this village of about 3,000.

Much of his operating fund comes from grants from the Rockford Area Arts Council and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.

The arts council gave $1,300 in 2013 and 2014. The foundation grant was $2,500 in 2013, $3,400 last year, but only $500 this year.

Donations and sponsorships help offset the drop in grant money.

This year’s season will see a few changes.

For one, the first concert isn’t on a Friday. The series kicks off with a memorial concert for the late Paul Mastny of Mount Morris, by Chicago jazz/blues band Lance Brown and Friends, at 2 p.m. May 31.

The rest of the summer returns to the regular Friday night schedule, June 5 through at least Aug. 7, or a little longer if budget allows, Ubben said.

Bands still are being signed up, but so far, The Jimmys, Wisconsin’s premier blues band, will return July 3; bluegrass band Illinois Rail performs June 19; and Rockford Irish band Gaelic Fury plays July 10. Country band Lyle Grobe and the Rhythm Ramblers also will return at some point, Ubben said.

As they are firmed up, concert details will appear in the calendar listings in Thursday’s editions of the Telegraph and Daily Gazette, and in the Mount Morris Times. s

To donate...

Don’t forget Wednesdays...

Find “Mount Morris Jamboree” on Facebook, check out the village website at www.mtmorrisil.net at or call Larry Ubben at 815-973-6786 for updates on scheduled concerts.

Donations can be mailed to Ubben at 113 N, Hannah Ave., Mount Morris, IL 61054.

Concert details also will appear in the calendar listings in Thursday’s Plan!t section in the Telegraph & Daily Gazette, & in the Mount Morris Times.

The Friday Night Summer Concert Series is just the new kid on the block.

The Kable Concert Band also performs free concerts, from 8 to 9 p.m.

Wednesdays in the band shell, starting June 3 and ending July 29.

Along with the music, and various community organizations sponsor ice cream socials, popcorn and other treats.

“This band sets the standard for our program, as they’ve been playing for something on the order of 120 years,” Larry Ubben said.

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