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G Fall/Winter 2014

Park-like setting not your typical retirement home Oregon's founder subject of latest sculpture project Dogwood Inn serves it up Southern style

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COVER • STORY

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A Diverse Community In Itself

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Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Director Jennifer Baratta Editor Larry Lough Magazine Editor Marla Seidell Page Design Robin Norburg Matt Lindstrom Melanie Brooking 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 At Maestoso, dogs are tops

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Poodle breeders also board, groom canines

44 years and going strong

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Oregon’s Autumn on Parade offers plenty of fun for families

Berry View Farm offers 20 acres of healthy living Aronia berries have low sugar, high levels of antioxidants

Pinecrest its own diverse community Center provides care tailored to individual needs

Jack’s Landing a quiet pleasure

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Couple donate 11- acre wooded area to park district

Dogwood Inn serves hospitality

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From sausage gravy to soup, everything is homemade

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Beyond books comes imagination Library offers hauntingly good time

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Black Hawk getting facelift Statue repair team ready to go with state approval

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Visitors take a dive in Polo Outdoor pool attracts swimmers throughout area

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Kickoff to Christmas Candlelight Walk offers holiday shopping and more

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Maxson’s Riverside Restaurant back Eatery noted for fine cuisine, welcoming atmosphere

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New sculpture to be unveiled in 2015 Community committed to Creative Arts Legacy

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Poodle breeders also board, groom canines

Niko, a champion mini poodle clears agility jumps at Pat Sense-Able Training at Maestoso Kennels.

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t’s just our life.”

The hair. The barking. The messes.

The show ring. The wet, sloppy kisses.

These ladies wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mildred Bartlett, owner of the American Kennel Club-registered Maestoso Kennels, and Pat Mandernach, owner of Pat’s Sense-Able Training, are a dynamic duo.

Bartlett and her husband, Terry Tate, breed and show poodles, although they make their living grooming and boarding dogs of all breeds.

Mandernach and her husband, Jerry “Cheyenne” Immel, train dogs in obedience and agility, as well as to be therapy dogs.

The women pride themselves on their hands-on approach to their respective businesses, which are housed in an unassuming building that their husbands built, section by section, as needed, on the west side of Route 2, just south of Oregon.

Bartlett, 78, and Mandernach, 75, met each other at a dog show when they were teenagers in Chicago. They ran in the

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The entrance to Maestoso Kennels outside Oregon is filled with awards from 55 champion dogs.

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BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING same circles for years. Bartlett made her way west to Oregon more than 55 years ago. Mandernach followed about 20 years ago, after her first husband died, with the intention of working with her longtime friend.

Maestoso has produced 55 champion poodles, mostly miniature, although some standard, and 12 top producers, or dogs that have produced a number of champions.

“That’s good for the ego,” Bartlett snickered.

Bartlett and Tate take more pride, however, in their commitment to the breed. They have been on the leading edge of research into two inherited problems within the breed – progressive retinal atrophy and dwarfism.

“But that sits right here on both shoulders,” Bartlett said, softly. “We have a responsibility to the dog … and to the people. It’s ethics. It’s very serious.”

Bartlett and Tate used to breed four or five litters of poodle puppies each year, but now breed only one or two litters

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Tires Wheels Mount/Balance Vehicle Alignments Nerf Bars/Steps Replacement Bumpers Level kits Suspension Lift Kits LINEX and MUCH MUCH MORE !

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Continued from page 7

Niko runs up the ramp at Pat Sense-Able Training at Maestoso Kennels.

Below: The entrance to Maestoso Kennels is filled with awards from champion dogs.

a year. It simply got to be too time-consuming, too expensive and, as the years wore on, too labor intensive.

“If I didn’t have to work [as a groomer to make a living], … I’d be able to raise a few more litters a year because I enjoy it,” Bartlett said.

Bartlett and Tate are custom groomers – that is, they groom dogs to look like their breed or to look as their owners want them to look. They do a lot of the work by hand, the old-fashioned way – with scissors and a blow dryer.

“We have very few [customers] who want just a haircut,” Bartlett said. “We’re used to working with show dogs, so we want them to look really nice.”

Bartlett and Tate also board dogs, but only those who are groomed or trained on site. They do it for the convenience of their customers.

Mandernach has trained dogs since, at 8 years old, she trained the family dog to pull sleds and find lost friends. At 12, she took an obedience class to train her puppy, then turned around and trained the neighbors to train their dogs.

She since has trained police dogs, search-and-rescue dogs, and hunting dogs.

She has volunteered with 4-H, helping club members with their dog projects, for 35 years.

She now focuses much of her time on training therapy dogs – or taking her toy poodle, Cowboy, on visits to KSB Hospital or to the library, where children read to him.

“Ninety percent of the training I do is volunteer,” she said.

Mandernach offers training mostly on a one-on-one basis. She conducts in-home visits to assess behaviors and problem situations, then creates a training plan.

“Each situation has its own formula,” she said.

Mandernach also offers companion training and agility training through the Oregon Park District, which operates Wiggly Get groomed Field Dog Park Maestoso Kennels at Veterans Park 5102 State Route 2, Oregon in Oregon. s 815-732-2018

Niko runs through the tunnel at Pat Sense-Able Training.

Right: Mildred Bartlett of Maestoso Kennel grooms Arnold, a best in show dog, during the fifth annual Dog Days at Central Memorial Park in Sterling.

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44 YEARS AND GOING STRONG Oregon’s Autumn on Parade offers plenty of fun for families

BY EARLEEN HINTON SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

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rafts and collectibles, an Olde English Faire, a parade with marching bands and floats, strolling entertainers, and lots of good treats to eat.

Those are just some of the attractions on the menu for the 44th Autumn on Parade festival in Oregon, Oct. 4-5.

This locally grown festival continues to be organized and run by an all-volunteer committee – 44 years after it was started with a handful of vendors selling bittersweet and apples.

The 2-day event has evolved into one of the most popular and largest festivals in northwestern Illinois – and most of its attractions are free.

“We’ve been very busy all year long planning the 2014 festival, “ said Marseyne Snow, Autumn on Parade president. “We are a family-oriented festival. All our committee members and all the volunteers donate their time and energy each year to make sure this popular festival continues.”

The theme for this year’s festival is “Autumn of Super Heroes.” Some of the free entertainment on Saturday will follow a Super Hero theme.

The heart of the festival is the Farmers Market and Craft Fair that features upward of 150 vendors who sell a variety of arts and crafts ranging from handmade wood items to homemade baked breads.

Booths are set up around the lawn of the this year includes The Jesse White Tumblers historic Ogle County Courthouse and surand South Shore Chicago Drill Team. Marchrounding streets on both Saturday and Sunday. ing bands, clowns, queens and local floats also Ornamental produce, locally produced participate in the parade. honey, jewelry, soaps, candles, antiques, seaOther Autumn on Parade events include: sonal items, and homemade pies are just a few Olde English Faire at Stronghold Castle of the hundreds of items that can be found Step back in time to see what life might throughout the show. have been like during the Renaissance.

Visitors to Autumn on Parade can also parThe Olde English Faire will open at 9 a.m. take of a variety of scrumptious treats in the Saturday and Sunday. The gates close at 4 p.m.

Food Court, where local not-for-profit organiEvents include tours of Stronghold Castle, zations prepare their specialties each year. where visitors can explore the Great Hall, the Apple fritters, pork chop and ribeye sandlibrary with a ceiling painted by Russian artist wiches, funnel cakes, bratwurst, kettle corn, Nicholas Kasaroff, the Rumpelstiltskin room and gyros are just some of the items offered. and, of course, a secret passageway, hidden in one The festival is one of the major fundraising of the rooms. events for most of the agencies and groups that Faire weekend is the only time that the Castle is are in the food court. open for tours without reservations.

On Saturday, themed There is an admission fee for this event. Shuttle performers will stroll the service is offered from downtown OrThe J courthouse lawn. egon on Saturday only. esse W delig On Sunday, Autumn on ht th hite Tum Continued on page 13 blers e cro Parade’s annual Harvest Phot acrobat wd with i o by Earle cs.

Time parade will march en H inton through the streets of Oregon. The annual event, which has about 125 entries each year, is known as one of the most entertaining parades in the region.

Entertainment

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For more information, call the Stronghold Conference Center, 815-732-6111 or visit: www.strongholdcenter.org.

Car, Truck, Motorcycle Show The Oregon Lions Club hosts this year’s 25th annual car, truck and motorcycle show, slated for Saturday at Oregon Park East.

The show will be held Saturday at Oregon Park East, just across River Road, east of Oregon.

Registration will be from 8-11:30 a.m. The first 250 entries will receive a commemorative gift.

The registration fee for each vehicle is $15.

Awards will be presented at 3 p.m.

For more information about the car, truck and motorcycle show, contact Doug Aken 815-440-3581dgaken@frontier.com or Rob Arneson 815-751-5857.

Tractor Classic The 22nd annual Autumn on Parade Antique Tractor Classic will also be held at Oregon Park East on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This event showcases the rich agriculture heritage in Ogle and other northern Illinois counties.

Max Armstrong’s antique Farmall tractors will be on exhibit at the show, as well as a gasoline engine exhibit on Saturday.

Visitors will see restored and, sometimes, unrestored farm tractors as well as gas engine exhibits. Owners are invited to register by 9 a.m.

Saturday.

Exhibits of lawn and garden tractors are also welcome.

For more information, call Stan Eden at 815-732-7746.

Chana School Museum Historic Chana School, also located in

Oregon Park East, will be open for tours on Saturday.

The two-room rural schoolhouse was built in nearby Chana in 1883 and moved to Oregon Park East, where it was restored by local volunteers.

The Chana School Museum opened in the fall of 2003. In December 2005, the school was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This unique V-shaped building is not your typical rural schoolhouse. Inside, visitors will find cloak rooms with curved walls, decorative pressed tin walls and ceilings, and fancy carved woodwork painted in Victorian colors.

Fun Zone Kids can bounce and giggle to their heart’s content on inflatables and other attractions.

This event is located in the Fifth Street parking lot, just north of the courthouse square.

Tickets required.

5k and Fun Run The Autumn on Parade 5k Run and 1-Mile Fun Run will

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be on Sunday morning. Runners will follow a certified course through Oregon Park West.

One-mile runners will start at 8 a.m., followed by 5K participants at 8:30 a.m.

Registration and fee required.

Duck Dash Three thousand ducks, each carrying its own number, are available for adoption at local businesses before the festival weekend.

Here’s how it works: Each duck has a number ascribed to his/her bottom. Adoptive parents fill out a form designating that duck based on his/her number. The duck is then placed in the Duck Dash race line-up.

The first 10 ducks that make it over the Rock River dam on the day of the race are the winners.

The ducks will be released down Franklin Street near the Oregon dam on Sunday afternoon, following the Harvest Time Parade.

For more information, visit www.autumnonparade.org or call 815-732-3465. out the weapons A knight talks ab in combat. that could be used hnson Photo by Chris Jo

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Berry View Farm Offers 20 Acres J Of Healthy Living

BY LONNIE MILLER SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Ogle County Living Aronia is high in anti-oxidants.

Aronia berries have low sugar, high levels of antioxidants

Jeff Warren checks on Aronia berry crop at his Mount Morris home.

Dudley, Warren’s sidekick, roams the crop on his 20 acres.

eff Warren and his girlfriend, Julie, with help from son Tod and daughter-in-law Courtney, have embarked on a healthy enterprise.

Berry View Farm is spread over 20 acres of scenic country land near Mount Morris.

The crops here were carefully considered and researched and include an especially healthy berry, the Aronia berry.

Warren has 1,600 plants and plans further expansion of the berry production. He also has 500 small apple trees and 20 pear trees, all of which are too young yet to bear fruit.

He plans to keep adding to his crops and to eventually be commercially viable.

Aronia berries look similar to blueberries but have a thicker skin and lower sugar content of 18 to 22, referred to as the Brix rate. Wine, jam, drinks, food supplements, candies, frozen sorbets and food colorings are all made from Aronia berries.

“They make a great companion fruit,” Jeff Warren explained. “Mix them with other fruits such as apples, rhubarb, raspberries and blueberries, all of which are just a few of the possibilities.”

He adds that the berries “freeze beautifully” and bring a deep purple color (as well as a high level of antioxidants) to any recipe.

On their own, Aronia berries have an astringent taste, leaving an after-taste much like that of a dry red wine. They have more antioxidants than elderberries, cranberries, currants, plums, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, currants, cherries, gooseberries or grapes, according to information from the Midwest Aronia Association.

Warren belongs to three such organizations Warren found during his research that the Continue on page 17

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berries grow native to North America, and often were originally sold as hedges.

Europeans were first to embrace the berries’ health benefits. They were first grown and developed into a more commercial food crop in Russia. Poland now grows and ships the largest amount of Aronia berries for commercial sales worldwide, but Jeff hopes to cash in on the crop here in the Midwest, too.

Aronias grow to be a tall as lilac bushes and are trimmed back when their branches reach a diameter of about 1.5 inches. The bushes grow clusters of pretty white blossoms, and the berries replace those clusters.

They are easy to pick by hand and by commercial picking machines Visit the website to find out about all the health benefits of the Aronia berry, http://aroniainamerica.blogspot. com/2011/03health-benefits-of-aroniaberries.html.

Recipes are available on the site, and also in a book, A is for Aronia: A Guide for Black Chokeberry Edibles and Sundries, by Cheryl Saker. The book is available through Amazon.com.

Warren plans to offer “pick-your-own” events and will also sell the berries already picked. They typically ripen around Labor Day in our area. He will advertise just ahead of the picking schedule so folks can enjoy a day in the country at his farm. s

Along with the berries, Jeff has a crop of apple, pear and other fruit trees.

Warren uses berries for jams, pies and wines

Pick A Peck Berry View Farm 7504 W. Midtown Road, Mount Morris • 815-440-5159 Hours: By appointment

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The Grove is the independent living facility at Pincrest. Gardens, a water fountain and maintenance free living are some of the luxuries in the duplex homes.

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Ogle County Living

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Center provides care tailored to individual needs

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

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ocated in Mount Morris, Pinecrest Community provides care for the people who live and receive rehabilitation there.

Pinecrest is a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community.

“Its mission is to provide excellent residential and health care services for seniors at all levels,” according to Pinecrest CEO Ferol Labash.

With about 200 residents and 200 staff members, Pinecrest, which is associated with the Church of the Brethren, provides different levels of care tailored to individual needs.

In the late 1950s, the church board saw the need for a nursing home.

“The nursing home was built with private rooms rather than double,” Labash explained. “The board did not want residents to give up their privacy when they had already given up so much.

“In the 1970s, we saw the need for couples to live without maintenance. The cottage homes were built, and were a new concept for the times. The board is always looking toward the future.”

Pinecrest Grove, which includes duplex homes, is suited to seniors who prefer to live independently without the hassle of everyday maintenance.

Apartments in Pinecrest Village are available in three different floor plans as well as a well-equipped kitchen, and housekeeping services among other amenities.

Pinecrest Manor provides skilled health care with a licensed nursing staff. Medicare and Medicaid certified, the Manor also provides short-term rehabilitation services for residents and the community.

Those residents have their own separate wing and dining room.

Pinecrest has been awarded the Pinnacle award based on patient surveys and is based on the care patients received during their short-term rehabilitation.

Pinecrest Terrace, a state-of-the-art facility with wide hallways, specializes in Alzheimer’s care.

Each room includes a memory box, which, according to Manager Amy Sikyta, “promotes memory function and allows families to leave special memories for each resident by leaving special pictures or items.”

Residents of Pinecrest Community are able to participate in planned activities, including shopping trips, plays, museums, and concerts.

Pinecrest is also pet friendly with resident bunnies and aviaries.

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Grounds have a serene, park-like setting with lots of flowers, grass and birdhouses.

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The theater in the community building can be rented for plays, musicals, weddings or other events.

Artwork from local residents line the hallways of the community building.

A workout area in the community building is open to all local residents for a small monthly free.

Arnold and Loela Meyers enjoy the garden at Pinecrest.

Staff, family, and volunteers are encouraged to bring pets as long as Pinecrest is provided with the proper immunization records.

Pinecrest is a five-star rated facility by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid. To achieve that distinction, CMS considers staffing levels, quality measures, and an annual health survey. CMS has rated the facility at this level for the past 3 years. This award is given to the top 10 percent of all nursing homes in Illinois.

Pinecrestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s caring environment reaches far beyond its doors.

Many of the staff members volunteer in the community throughout the year and participate in the Christmas on the Village Square in December.

According to Labash, Pinecrest, also partners with schools and camps to bring children in to volunteer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This creates intergenerational cooperation,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Pinecrest is also home to Mount Morris community garden.

Some produce from the garden goes to support the Loaves and Fish Food Pantry.

The Community Center, while a place for residents to enjoy, is also available to the Mount Morris community. Plays are held there throughout the year, and Pinecrest donates meeting space for community activities, craft fairs and classes.

The center is also home to a chiropractor, beauty shop, and cafe.

Most important, Pinecrest is dedicated to its residents and will never ask someone to leave because of finances. The Good Samaritan Fund donates $1.8 million a year to charitable care. According to Labash, about 40 percent of nursing home residents receive some kind of charitable care. s

The garden is full of flowers, plants and two waterfalls.

A coral aquarium is home to clown fish, shrimp, crabs and other sealife.

HUNDRED STRONG...

A common area makes a good place to read, socialize or just sit by the fireplace.

The "Spirit of Compassion" greets visitors and residents at Pinecrest in Mount Morris.

Pinecrest Community is home to six centenarians, among eight living in the Mount Morris community.

Of those, four live independently.

The U.S. Census indicates that the nation has 1.7 centenarians per 10,000 residents. Mount Morris has a population of about 3,000 residents.

Those community members were honored this year as honorary marshals at the July 4 parade.

For more info A large birdhouse is home to several pretty colored birds.

Pinecrest Community 414 S. Wesley Ave., Mount Morris 815-734-4103 The annual bowling event will be Oct. 11 at Town & Country Lanes in Mount Morris.

A coy pond makes for a quiet respite in the Pinecrest garden.

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JACK’S LANDING A Quiet Place

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Ogle County Living Other Park District properties have playgrounds and ball diamonds and shelters, but this land is undeveloped, and the plan for now is to leave it like it is.

Couple donate 11-acre wooded area to park district

BY JOHN KERMOTT SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

A

new property, given the name Jack’s Landing, has been added to the Oregon Park District this summer.

The 11-acre wooded area along the Rock River was donated to the district by Craig and Bette Williams. It is named after their son, Jack.

“The Oregon Park District made the donation easy, although I know it was a lot of work on their part, particularly for

Erin [Folk],” Mr. Williams said.

“Local attorney Dave Smith donated his time for all the legal work. And the neighbors were open to the idea, which is the best part. It makes us feel lucky to be part of the community.”

Folk, who is executive director of the Park District, is excited about the new addition.

“The land that has been donated is unique,” Folk said. “It’s very unlike any land we’ve had.”

Other Park District properties have playgrounds and ball diamonds and Continued to Page 25

Erin Folk, executive director of the Oregon Park District, is excited about the new addition to the district.

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Continued from page 23

shelters, but this land is undeveloped, and the plan, for now is to leave it like it is.

The hope is to keep the property like a nature preserve, Folk said, building only a canoe launch, to allow canoers to have another stop along the river, and a fishing pier.

“The land sits on the small bluff,” she said.

“So to get down to river access, it’s a steep walk, but it’s a beautiful, quiet and serene site.”

Williams echoes Folk’s description.

“It’s a quiet pleasure,” he said. “You can walk through the woods straight to the river’s edge in just a few minutes, or take a longer path through the tress. Either way, because it’s out of sight, it feels like a secret place.”

The only development so far has been for trails that were on the property at the time it was donated. The park district is maintaining those trails, which add up to about a half-mile in distance. Any further development is on hold until the Park District gets the green light from the Department of Natural Resources.

The site is southeast of Oregon, with the entrance at the corner of Second and Lafayette streets in Daysville.

“The location of this park will mean we have something available to our Daysville residents,” Folk said.

The Williams family, in fact, had the people

of Daysville in mind when they donated the land.

“We realized that far more people would get to enjoy the property than if houses were built on it,” Williams said. “Especially if you live in Daysville, now there’s a place where you can walk down to the river without crossing private property.”

What does Jack think about having a park named after him?

“Jack thinks it’s great, of course, but the real

reason is so that – even when he’s 80 years old – he will always have a connection to Oregon,” Williams said. “I’ve been coming here for 25 years and always felt welcome. We want him to experience the same thing.” s

KNOW JACK Nash Recreation Center 304 S. Fifth St., Oregon 815-732-3101 • www.oregonpark.org

“The land that has been donated is unique,” Folk said.

“It’s very unlike any land we’ve had.”

“You can walk through the woods straight to the river’s edge in just a few minutes, or take a longer path through the trees. Either way, because it’s out of sight, it feels like a secret place.”

The 11-acre wooded area along the Rock River was donated to the district by Craig and Bette Williams.

It is named after their son, Jack.

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Dogwood Inn Serves up Southern Hospitality

BY LONNIE MILLER SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

T

From sausage gravy to soup, everything is homemade

he Dogwood Inn is found at the intersection of two busy, twolane highways in rural Ogle County.

Just north of Polo on state Route 26, and south of the spot where Route 26 intersects with state Route 64, sits a cedar-sided building on the west side of 26. It has ample parking and welcoming flowerbeds.

Owner Bernice Ratledge and her husband serve up Southern-style cooking, including homemade country or sausage gravy; made-fromscratch soups such as ham and navy bean, beef barley and vegetable beef; and hand-dipped, made-from-fresh onion rings that are tender and tasty.

Their full menu includes everything a Southern kitchen would be proud to feature. They are particularly known and appreciated for their Southern-fried chicken, pork tenderloin sandwiches, real meatloaf (not mystery meat), homemade pies (six or seven kinds daily), and her niece’s carrot cake recipe with real carrots, raisins and nuts, and generously iced with cream cheese frosting. The menu also offers a special children’s menu that averages $3.95 a meal, and a full breakfast menu that includes a variety of skillets, grits or oatmeal, strawberry-stuffed French toast, and a hungry-man’s breakfast. Customers can order eggs in any quantity, priced to include or exclude meat, potatoes or both.

Bernice came back to the restaurant business 6 years ago. Early in her adult life, she had worked in one with her sisters for a year while her children were small. She left that establishment to stay home with her children.

When the children got a little older, she worked in cosmetology for 25 years but kept hearing her heart calling her back to the food business.

She admits it’s hard and never-ending work, but still loves serving hearty, Photos by Alex T. Paschal Ogle County Living One of the house favorites is chicken fried steak.

Owner Bernice Ratledge opened the Dogwood Inn in 2008.

homemade meals to her customers. Her family has been supportive, and her crew makes the restaurant run smoothly.

The restaurant serves customers from all over the country, including regular guests from Polo, Forreston and Chicago, along with the weary travelers who frequent the two highways that intersect at its location.

The Dogwood Inn has two dining rooms, the the main dining room and one that can be rented as a banquet or meeting room. The banquet room can seat 60 guests comfortably, and the whole restaurant can seat 120. There is no extra charge for the banquet room rental when food is purchased from the restaurant for an event.

The Dogwood has an old painted cupboard in the banquet room, lovingly referred to as “Tommy’s cabinet” because it belonged to Bernice’s nephew, who passed away. It is filled with home-crafted items and is open to additional vendors who might like to sell their crafts at the restaurant.

Bernice and her staff serve a $10.95 buffet every Sunday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. that includes the restaurant’s famous fried chicken plus additional types of meat, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied sweet potatoes, several vegetables, and a complete salad bar. s

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Ex-Gov. Frank Lowden’s ghost roams the Oregon Public Library and Gallery after hours in the short film, “Have You Seen the Ghost?”

Beyond Books

Library offers hauntingly good time Check it out

BY KIMBERLY WATLEY SPECIAL TO OREGON LIVING

W

ith every step, the floor creaks beneath nervous feet. A centuryold library can leave some people feeling a little on edge.

Director Marsha Zaccone of Oregon Public Library used to unravel tales for middle school children who visited. Lowering the lights, she would feed off their certainty that the building was haunted.

The children’s minds would play tricks on them, and most were convinced the eyes of the gallery paintings were following their every move.

“When they walk into this 104-year-old building, kids say, ‘Ooh, the stairs creak; it must be haunted.’” Zaccone said.

Oregon Public Library District’s “More than Meets the Eye” was produced by Bob Coine at Heartland Studios. It plays off of the same concept.

A collaboration of the district’s art and publicity committees, the project commissioned local actor Ed Garrison to feed off a spooky tale as a creative way to show all the library has to offer.

On the district’s website there are two videos. The first, “Have You Seen the Ghost,” is a creative display, showing what might happen when the lights go out.

The ghost of former Illinois Gov. Frank Lowden (Garrison) climbs out of his portrait on the gallery wall. His shadow, shown through the windows outside the two-story building, moves slowly down the staircase, opens the door, and goes straight for music CDs. Who knew the governor was a fan of Dolly Parton? He then admires the vast selection of

Oregon Public Library and Gallery Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Saturday Online: www. oregon.lib.il.us Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Oregon-Public-Library/209283492469348

DVDs also available for rent. Heading toward the large print editions of books, he places a monocle in his eye.

In the creepy night glow, he reads “Drop Dead Healthy” until his silhouette looms about, showing the large assortment of magazines, where he chooses an issue of Time. It isn’t any edition; Lowden himself is featured on the cover.

The library also offers passport services, and apparently this ghost has places to go, as he is seen filling out an application.

A big smile crosses his face as the good governor finds himself online searching the site “singleghost.com.” The fictitious website’s slogan is, “You may be dead, but you can still live single!” In bold print it reads, “Ghosts, click here!”

The tongue-in-cheek video was filmed more than a year ago, and a second was produced soon afterward. It also depicted the ghostly governor, again played by Garrison. This time, however, he had a partner in the afterlife.

A painting of Eleanor O’Keefe-Kleis, by Leon Makielski, was donated by her daughter Kendall Kleis, who portrays her mother in the video.

In “Ghostly Love,” Lowden reaches for the apparition of O’Keefe-Kleis and leads her by the hand.

Together they dance, walk arm-in-arm, laugh and read. Holding hands they sit at computers, visiting the library’s Facebook page and a library ghost blog, “There is so much to do when spending an eternity in a library.”

The ghostly figures stroll into the Ogle County Genealogical Room, where Lowden

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works on his family tree.

As day breaks, the kindred spirits return to their places on the galley wall.

Although the shelves are lined with hauntingly good reads, as far as any actual spiritual accounts go, there are none. But because of the playful display, both videos have been very well received, Zaccone said.

“Word of mouth has been tremendous,” she said. “We’ve had tourists from out of town, and quite a large number from the Chicago area, here to see the art collection.”

Not seen in the films are other pertinent services the library offers the community, including wireless access, four personal computers, tax forms and school registration.

Because of the economy, Ann Goley, 22, uses the computers for her work as a Mark Kay consultant, placing orders online for her customers.

She is also registered in online classes, and often when a computer is available, completes and files her assignments.

Others like Colton Gawlik, 14 and Caleb Reinke, 12, come in a few times each week to play video games and chat online with friends.

Neither has Internet available to them at home, and both say they are thankful they are able to access it at the library.

And for those who want to read but are unable to make it to the library, a plethora of ebooks can be accessed from the website.

Patrons with a library card can download right from the site at no cost. Rules for checking out bound books are the same as ebooks.

Like the good governor, they will disappear if not renewed. s

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BLACK HAWK STATUE

GETTING A FACELIFT

BY VINDE WELLS SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

I

Statue repair team turns to stone

t's full steam ahead for repairs to Ogle County's best-loved landmark.

The Black Hawk Statue repair plan has the necessary approval from two state agencies for a team of experts to go to work.

Frank Rausa, Sterling, said last month that both the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Historic Preservation Agency had given the plan their blessings.

"Now all that's left to do is issuing contracts," he said. "We're making progress."

The work was to begin in mid-August.

Rausa is a member of the Friends of the Black Hawk Statue, the organization spear-heading restoration efforts and fundraising for the project.

Created by sculptor Lorado Taft in 1910 as a tribute to all Native Americans, the statue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Thousands of visitors each year come to see the statue, which overlooks the Rock River from atop a 125-foot bluff northeast of Oregon.

At a press conference in late June, engineer Amy Lamb Woods said recent testing and evaluations had shown some areas of the statue to be in dire need of repairs.

"Three areas of the statue show significant deterioration," she said.

Woods is an engineer with Thornton Tomasetti, Chicago, an architectural firm that provides engineering design, investigation, and analysis services to clients worldwide.

The critical areas, Woods said, were the folded arms of the statue, especially the elbows and underneath the arms; the middle of the robe; and the vertical fold in the robe from armpit to toe.

The areas were spalled, meaning chunks of concrete had already fallen out, and delineated, meaning areas of concrete were loose and ready to fall.

Woods is a member of the team of experts who measured, cored, and poked the statue last fall and again this spring to find out the exact toll taken by the ravages of time and weather.

"The damage is way more than we expected," she said.

In fact, the statue had deteriorated significantly since close-up photos were taken in 2008. Last winter's cold and snow further hastened the aging process.

Despite that, she said, some parts of the statue remained in good shape.

"The head is actually in very good condition," Woods said. "The back side of the statue is in relatively good condition."

The core of the statue was also sound. Steel reinforcement rods, inside several inches of concrete under the outer layers, showed no corrosion, Woods said.

Except for the damaged outer layers, "We have a pretty stable structure," she said.

Getting the work done was urgent, Woods said, before the statue's surface deteriorated even more.

Woods' presentation included photos of damaged areas, as well as illustrations of how the statue was built, and a plan for how to restore it.

Approval from IDNR was required because the statue, which stands on a high bluff at Lowden State Park, is under that agency's jurisdiction.

The statue has landmark status, so approval from IHPA also was needed. Black Hawk has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2009.

Preparatory work for repairs had already been done. Bushes and limestone blocks around the base of the statue had been removed, and a construction fence had been put in place around the site.

Once the plan was approved, the repair crew put up scaffolding to begin removing the damaged areas.

After that, experts planned to create forms that exactly duplicated the lines and curves of the statue. The arms and other damaged areas were to be remolded using a mixture of materials that matches the current concrete as closely as possible.

The process will be slow and painstaking, Woods said, and probably will not be completed this year. The statue will be covered with a tent over the winter to protect it from even more damage.

Woods said the statue had been patched and repaired numerous times over the years. Ironically, epoxy injections done in the early 1990s to repair cracks actually made the damage worse, she said.

"Epoxy is plastic," Woods said. "It actually traps water and causes even more freeze-thaw damage."

The epoxy was to be removed from cracks and the cracks repaired, she said.

"It is a huge honor to work on this project," Woods said. "We understand the significance of a Lorado Taft statue."

Rausa said fundraising efforts would continue. Although nearly threequarters of a million dollars has been raised, an additional $75,000 to $100,000 is needed "We have a year to raise it," he said. "We're confident we'll get it."

Nearly half the money already raised for the project came from a $350,000 grant the IDNR received from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

The rest came from donations, as well as funds raised during the annual Oregon Trail Days festival held at Lowden Park since 2010.

A large contributor was the Jeffris Family Foundation, Janesville, Wis., which gave a $150,000 matching grant.

The Chicago Black Hawks hockey team is also a large contributor, Rausa said.

To donate, make checks to the Illinois Conservation Foundation and mark them for the Black Hawk Statue.

Donations can be mailed to Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL 62702. s

Christopher Ciaston watched as Robert Zarycki and Leszek Zarebski of Conservation of Sculpture & Objects Studio Inc., Forest Park, began to remove stones from the base of the 103-year-old Black Hawk Statue.

Restoration work will continue throughout the summer.

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Visitors Take A Dive in Polo Outdoor pool attracts swimmers throughout area

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

O

gle County has a unique attraction not available in nearby towns.

The outdoor Ogle County pool has been a staple of the community since 1968.

The pool, which was created by a committee of Jaycees beginning in 1963, sees visitors from Polo, Dixon, Sterling, and several other communities throughout the season, according to Manager Terry Jenkins.

With the pool for the past 38 years, Jenkins understands the impact it has throughout the summer and has created an atmosphere that fosters a fun, yet safe environment.

The pool opens after the Polo School District closes for the summer and stays open until Labor Day, seeing an average 11,000 swimmers each season.

Surrounded by a park, the pool is open from 1 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For a family of two to five members, a season pass to the heated pool costs $55. A family of six or

more can enjoy season swimming for $60.

Pool parties are also a great way to celebrate.

A 2-hour party costs $45, which includes lifeguards.

Day-care and other groups enjoy the pool each year.

Swimming lessons are also available to teach children the basics of swimming.

A children’s pool is available for children under 7 to swim and play in.

Blue chairs are available for lounging, and two diving boards stand over the deep end, which is 10-feet deep. Life jackets are available for beginning swimmers, as well as floats, a favorite toy of pool visitors.

The original builders of the pool created an aluminum pool that, according to Jenkins, “could last indefinitely.” It has a life expectancy of 80 to 120 years.

However, updates have been made by the city of Polo to ensure that the pool will last.

Town and Country Days was originally created to raise funds to help support the pool, but in recent years that has changed.

The pool is owned by the city, which has continued efforts to update the pool filter systems.

The newest project the pool will undergo will be a new lockerroom and bath house.

This project, according to Jenkins, will require the pool to close just before Labor Day.

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Ogle County Living Polo Public Pool lifeguard Taylor Woodin, 17, shields herself from a big splash but admits, “It feels great.”

When temps approached “sweltering,” the pool offered comfort to the overheated.

Swimmers plunge off diving boards at Polo’s Public Pool under a blazing sun and bright blue sky.

“The old building, which is original to the pool, will be torn down,” he said. “The new building will be all handicap accessible.”

A lifeguard at the pool when he was 16, Jenkins is proud of the legacy the pool has created throughout generations.

“Polo is very fortunate to have an outdoor pool and supports it very well,” he said. “The plan is to update the pool and make it last for another 50 years. I love being here, talking to people and watching people just enjoy the water.

“All of the life guards are Polo kids. Anytime that someone from out of town visits, it is good for Polo.” s

Pool Prices In Polo School District Infants: 50 cents Children (includes eighth-graders): $1.50 High school: $2 Seniors (55 and older): $1.50 Out of Polo School District Children: $2 High School: $2.50 Adults: $3

Dennis Christen holds onto Maddie Chednek, 5, and Lexi Christen, his 8-month-old granddaughter, as they swim with Alissa Marschang, 6.

Polo has one of the last public outdoor pools in the area.

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Proudly Serving Our Patients at

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Locations Ashton Family Health Center

Family HealthCare Center Jason Popp, M.D. 822 N. Second St. Rochelle 815-562-3784

320 N. First St. Ashton 815-453-2681

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Rochelle Medical Group, LLC

900 Petro Drive Rochelle 815-561-1283

Diana Alanis, M.D. Sushmita Prathipati, M.D. 510 Lincoln Highway Rochelle 815-561-8335

FastCare Inside Walmart 311 East Hwy 38 Rochelle 815-561-3100

Urgent Care 900 N. Second St. Rochelle 815-562-2181 ext. 3002

Advanced Technology on a Personal Level 900 N. Second St. • Rochelle • 815-562-2181 • www.rochellehospital.com

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Kickoff

to Christmas

Candlelight Walk offers holiday shopping and more

BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

N

othing signals Christmas better than horsedrawn carriage rides through a downtown aglow with twinkling lights and atwitter with holiday shoppers, Jolly Old St. Nicholas and his reindeer.

The Candlelight Walk in Oregon – this year slated from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 – is the quintessential small-town holiday celebration.

“It gives us the opportunity … to show people the spirit of our small town and kick off the holidays for locals and visitors alike,” said Debbie Leffelman, event coordinator for the Oregon Park District.

The event started more than 25 years ago among the retailers in Conover Square. It expanded about 5 years ago to include downtown businesses. The event now is the official kickoff to the holiday season in Oregon.

Candlelight Walk features, of course, holiday shopping. Many retailers offer sales and other special offers for the event and, in some cases, through the weekend.

Crafters and other vendors offer handmade items, gift items and baked goods at the holiday gift fair.

The event also features horse-drawn carriage rides through the downtown; Santa and Mrs. Claus, who are available for visits and photos with children; live reindeer; strolling musicians; and children’s activities, such as the winter quarter carnival.

There’s a Hysterical Holiday Hunt, too, in which visitors collect clues from designated retailers for a chance to win fun prizes donated by local businesses.

Candlelight Walk stretches from the Coliseum, at the corner of Fourth and Franklin streets, to Conover Square, 201 N. Third St. Visitors can stroll down a festively decorated Candy Cane Lane from one end of the festivities to the other, past food vendors and strolling entertainers.

“All of this is free,” Leffelman said. “You get the holiday lights and the town Christmas tree, food, oldfashioned fun. … It’s just a great opportunity to get people in the spirit.”s

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

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In addition to primary care, our clinics offer other convenient services, like on-site lab and X-ray, as well as Saturday hours. Our new Rochelle clinic also offers OB/GYN care, and more specialties will be added in the future.

To learn about how we can meet your needs, or to schedule an appointment, please call one of our three Ogle County clinics today.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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Arthur Breck, MD

Gurpreet Boparai, MD

Emily Rogers, MD

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Tim Flynn, MD

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Luc Tchapnda, MD

Tim Durkee, MD, PhD, FACOG

Maxson’s

A bank of large windows offers diners a panoramic view of the picturesque landscape and abundant and varied wildlife.

Customers can get an even better look by taking a dinner cruise on the Pride of Oregon, a paddle wheeler that docks right next to the restaurant.

Banquet facilities are also featured.

The Oregon icon closed its doors – though only temporarily – last Oct. 31 when owner Rich Wiesner retired. Wiesner had been looking for a buyer for quite some time.

Frank and Nancy Semmerling, Riverwoods, entered the pictured at just the right time, buying both the restaurant and riverboat.

After some remodeling on the building, they went into business with their daughter and son-in-law, Christie and Daniel Wiegman, both professional chefs, as managers.

The well-known business got its start in 1952 as Maxson’s Manor when John Maxson and his family opened it. They operated it until 1978, when they sold it to John and Peter Tsioles.

Rose Jones purchased the restaurant from the Tsioles brothers in 1985.

She added the riverboat, originally called the Rose of the Rock, four years later.

The paddle wheeler was built in Palatka, Florida. It was launched on the St. John’s River and sailed into the Gulf of Mexico, to Mobile, Ala., on its month-long journey to Oregon.

Its route took it up the Mobile River to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, then on the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, and finally up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to Ottawa, where it was dismantled

BY VINDE WELLS and bought overland by flatbed semitrailers to Oregon.

SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING The northbound lane of Interstate 39 was closed to traffic to allow the riverboat to be transported to state Route 64, which was closed while fter 6 months of being shuttered, an Oregon landmark restaurant is the semis made their way to the boat launch on the east side of the river again back in business. on River Road.

An estimated 800 people turned out March 22 and 23 for the Once at Oregon, the vessel was reassembled and made its maiden voyage grand reopening at Maxson’s Riverside Restaurant on state Route 2 just north on the Rock River on Sept. 9, 1989. of Oregon.

Wiesner purchased Maxson’s from the heirs of Jones in September 1992.

With its commanding view of the scenic Rock River and the Black Hawk A fire destroyed the original restaurant building on March 27, 1993, but it Statue, the restaurant has been a popular spot with diners for more than 60 was rebuilt and reopened in the summer of 1994. years.

The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The eatery is noted for its fine cuisine, its elegant-but-welcoming and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. atmosphere, and especially its signature orange rolls, served before each meal.

For more information call 815-732-6761. s

RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT

Back in Business Eatery noted for fine cuisine, welcoming atmosphere, signature orange rolls

A

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More than 30 FHN Primary Care Providers live and serve throughout northwest Illinois, so no matter where you live, we’re close to home.

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Call the FHN Family Healthcare Center – Forreston at 1-8776000 FHN (1-877-600-0346) ext. 917 for an appointment or visit www.fhn.org to reach your healthcare provider, or find one. Take comfort in our care at 803 First Avenue, Forreston.

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New Sculpture to be Unveiled in 2015

BY JOHN KERMOTT SPECIAL TO OGLE COUNTY LIVING

A

Community committed to Creative Arts Legacy Legacy of art For more information or to make a contribution to the Creative Arts Legacy, call 815-732-2385.

For more information on sculptor Steven Carpenter, and to see pictures of his work, including the Phelps statue, visit www. stevenaldencarpenter.com.

A map of the Oregon “Trail of Sculptures,” including information on all ten CAL sculptures, can be found on line at www.discoveroregonillinois.com.

For more information on Jeff Adams, visit www.inbronze.com.

Donations can be sent to Community Arts Legacy, P.O. Box 444, Oregon, IL 6106.

new sculpture by Steven Carpenter will be unveiled in Oregon in 2015.

The latest of a series of 10 sculptures, which have been commissioned through the Creative Arts Legacy, will feature John Phelps, the city’s founder, stepping out of his canoe onto the land that would come to be known as Oregon.

Oregonians are heirs to a rich heritage of the arts, and sculptures in particular. Carpenter’s piece will join 15 other sculptures that grace the town.

More than 100 years ago, Eagles Nest Art Colony was formed in Oregon, by some of the most gifted artists in the country. Those artists, writers and musicians, mostly from the Chicago Art Institute, would gather on the bluff overlooking the Rock River for a time of rest, inspiration and collaboration.

Lorado Taft, one of the best known of the artists, left his mark on the Oregon community by sculpting The Eternal Indian, better known as Blackhawk Statue, in 1911. The sheer size and majesty of the piece, and the fame of the sculptor, are enough to put Oregon on the artistic map, but the town also has two others creations from the artist.

Two bronze pieces by Oregon native Jeff Adams have added to the town’s significance as a sculpture-haven. One, depicting the convergence of the lives of Abe Lincoln and Chief Blackhawk, is prominently displayed in Mix Park; the other, of John the Baptist, is found at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries.

The sculpture of John Phelps will continue the legacy for the community.

Created by Steven Carpenter, also born in Oregon, the piece will find its home next year on the grounds of the Coliseum. Carpenter, while always having artis-

tic talents, hadn’t begun sculpting until the past several years.

“I’ve been doing landscaping with stone walls for a living. Working with stone really struck a chord with me,” Carpenter said. “Because of the stone work I kept thinking, ‘I’ve never really tried sculpting,’ and I really do pay attention to how light hits the stone and the textures of the stone.”

He decided to enroll in classes at a nearby school for sculpting, and his skill quickly developed.

Carpenter said that he felt honored to be commissioned by his hometown for the project.

“It’s just very close to home and a very heartfelt thing,” he said. “It just brought back my childhood, and has had a kind of full-circle effect on me.”

Betty Adams is part of the Creative Arts Legacy committee that has overseen the goal of bringing 10 commissioned statues to Oregon over the past 10 years.

“It’s the community, in and around Oregon, that has raised the money to make the Legacy happen,” Adams said. “We’ve asked people to either give a donation, or to pledge funds each year, and people have been faithful throughout these 9 years, proudly, of the community that’s continuing its commitment to the arts.”

Adams said that the first hurdle has been crossed to make the 10th sculpture a reality – to schedule the funding to pay the artist – but two hurdles remain.

“We’re in the process of raising the money for casting,” she said, “and then the third hurdle will be to fund a granite-surround for the foundation of the sculpture.” s

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