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Youth group gives voice to Sterlings teens

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COVER • STORY

Sterling-Rock Falls

Local group improves GPA

MAGAZINE

Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman Editor Larry Lough

Area students group making an impact

Magazine Editor Rusty Schrader Page Design Robin Norburg Breanne Hunter Published by

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

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features 5 13 21 29

Discipline is foundation

CLS Thrift Shop deals

Learning about yourself along with self-defense

Volunteers keep the shelves stocked

Business begins to pop

Giving Power to Adolescents

More than 90,000 bags popped this year

Teens make impact on their community

Giving people a voice

Helpful smile, helping hand

Focus is wide variety of social problems

Hospital auxiliary elebrates 70 years

Seeing a lot of green

Rockin’ and rollin’ quietly

Rick Carillo – at work and play

Video gambling in relaxed setting

34 Secret to success at Cynthia’s Hair business still growing

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9 17 25 33

MARTIAL ARTS:

More than just a movie

BY LENIE ADOLPHSON | PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO | SPECIAL TO STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

Patrick Stramka, (left), and Dennis Breene demonstrate for younger students.

Students learn as much about themselves as they do self-defense

D

iscipline is the foundation that Patrick Stramka’s house is built on.

Inside that house is a man dedicated to what he says is more than just his livelihood; it’s “a calling.”

Twenty-five years ago, Stramka answered that calling when he began teaching martial arts. Today he owns Sauk Valley Martial Arts Studio in Sterling, where the certified Modern Arnis instructor, along with four other instructors, teaches students young and old alike the Filipino variation of karate.

Modern Arnis is more geared toward self-defense, as opposed to the more commonly taught tae kwon do, which is more of an athletic sport focused on competition. Most martial arts in the U.S is empty hand (the Japanese translation of “karate”) first and self-defense second.

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Stramka first became interested in martial arts when he was 12, after seeing Bruce Lee’s film, “Enter the Dragon.” And while he, along with other fans, got his kicks watching karate movies, he wants people to know there’s more to martial arts than just Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan.

Stramka said “martial arts is not just fighting and self-defense, but provides life skills such as discipline, order, and accountability.” It’s something he doesn’t forget, nor does he let his students. A sign on the wall of his studio reads “House of discipline.”

The first thing students learn in Stramka’s class is how to properly utilize a single stick by learning the 12 basic angles of attack, so basic principles will translate to any weapon, or an empty hand; and techniques are interchangeable, depending on the situation.

Continued on Page 7

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Adrian Lopez helps with the younger students.

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Continued from Page 5

Stramka said he enjoys Modern Arnis, and clearly, so do his students.

His classes are filled with smiling and attentive students as he creates a mixture of fun and discipline.

The atmosphere is jubilant, with children and adults in red-andblack karate attire clearly enthralled and excited before class. Laughs and shrieks of enthusiasm from children fill the room as they line up to practice their skills with sticks and techniques.

While children practice for an hour during classes, it is an intense session, with the younger students practicing moves with an adult student.

Stramka said younger children benefit from working with the older teens and adults.

The class begins with children using two sticks to practice coordination, and then a single stick to practice self-defense. There are variations of translating techniques, from stick vs. stick to empty hand vs. stick,

and finally empty hand to empty hand. A key area that Stramka emphasizes is the ability to defend oneself in all situations against an attacker, even when unarmed.

A major benefit of the class is the emphasis on self-defense and confidence-building skills, even mixing in a little fun with a game of dodge ball and other activities. Parents and grandparents in attendance praised the school and the positive benefits of martial arts.

Cameron Gonzalez is a long-time student in Stramka’s class. He began taking the class when he was 8, and Stramka said Cameron was “a little scared at first,” but now really enjoys the class.

Gonzalez said his time in the class has “given me a great deal of confidence,” adding that he’s more secure in his ability to defend himself.

His story is just one example of how Sauk Valley Martial Arts provides students a forum in which to develop not only their martial art skills, but develop themselves as well. It’s how Stramka helps students put their house in order: through discipline, confidence and self-defense. s

Left: Elliott Copling and Patrick Stramka work on moves at Sauk Valley Martial Arts. Right: Patrick Stramka blends classes to help the younger students along.

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THE THRIFT that keeps on giving

Help comes full circle at Christ Lutheran Thrift Store

BY LENIE ADOLPHSON | SPECIAL TO STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

T

he Bible says it’s more blessed to give than to receive, but a thrift store in Rock Falls has been equally blessed by doing both.

CLS Thrift Shop at 607 First Ave. opened in 1983 with a mission of helping support Christ Lutheran School, a mission it’s more than accomplished in its 30-plus years.

The store doesn’t take consignments; it’s donation-driven – donations from the community keep merchandise in the store, and donations of

volunteers’ time keep the shelves stocked. It carries a little bit of this – knick-knacks, clothes, dishes, records, lamps, household items – and even a little of that – rotary cutting mats for a sewing project or a fireplace-size candelabra, according to a recent post on the store’s Facebook page. Shoppers can also find small appliances, but due to the store’s size, it can’t accept donations of large furniture or bigger electronics, such as computers.

Continued on Page 11

Photos By Michael Krabbenhoeft/ Sterling-Rock Falls Living The Christ Lutheran School Thrift Shop in Rock Falls sells toys, books, clothing, coffee mugs and a variety of other items.

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Continued on Page 11

On any given day, the store is bustling with bargain-shoppers, with Saturday the busiest day. Approximately 30 volunteers work rotating shifts throughout the week – people like Michael Staley, who’s volunteered for 5 months every Saturday and during his free time. The shop is an “all-around good store,” he said and helps the community.

And while volunteers’ good deeds are a reward in and of themselves, parents who help at the store can augment the cost of tuition with booster credits for their time.

Volunteer Kris Williams, who is also an aide in the pre-K class at Christ Lutheran School, said she has supported the store from its beginning. Like Williams, many volunteers are family members of students at Christ Lutheran School, the main benefactor of the store’s goodwill and good deals.

The history of CLS Thrift Shop is a testament to the determination and dedication of the Lutheran Churches in the area to provide a Christian education to young people. Originally, the school was located in the basement of the Good Shepherd Church. But thanks in large part to the thrift store’s support, the school is now located at 2000 18th Ave. in Sterling, and the store continues to be vital to the school’s upkeep and funding. Likewise, the success of the thrift store has grown, as it’s become a fixture along First Avenue and a stop for a growing numbers of shoppers through the years.

Pam Wetzell has managed the store since 2013. Dedicated and

seemingly tireless, she also serves as the cook at Christ Lutheran School.

While donations keep the shelves stocked with inventory, she said it can sometimes be a challenge to keep the store stocked with volunteers, and she encourages anyone interested in helping to contact the store. To become a volunteer, people need to fill out an application and go through a brief interview.

While the store’s main goal is supporting the school, it’s also become a source of help for others in the community, donating clothes to people in crisis, and to the Caring Center in Sterling.

Volunteer Tiffany Martinez said the store is “like a circle of help.

I think that’s really worthwhile because the money is donated to the school but also helps the community.”

The community helps the store. The store helps the community. CLS Thrift Shop stands as an example of faith in action, and a blessing to the Sauk Valley. s

Pam Wetzell is manager at Christ Lutheran School Thrift Shop, which has been open since 1982. Store hours are 9a.m. until 4p.m. Monday through Saturday.

CLS THRIFT SHOP 607 First Ave., Rock Falls | 815-625-0517 Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday Online: Search for “CLS Thrift Shop” on Facebook

The Christ Lutheran School Thrift Shop in Rock Falls.

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Photos by Philip Marruffo/Sterling-Rock Falls Living Cheddar popcorn at Woody’s is made fresh daily with real melted cheese.

Things are really popping for a Sterling business that makes cheese & caramel corn

BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN SPECIAL TO STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

W

hat’s the secret to Woody’s caramel corn—the locally

based business in Chadwick. Larry Spaulding made and bagged caramel

well-known popcorn that lines the windows of area

corn out of a garage and schlepped all over the area, dropping boxes

concession stands and anchors the checkout lanes at

of popcorn at high school concession stands, convenience stores, and

some local grocery stores?

grocery stores.

Real ingredients: brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. That’s it.

The Spauldings wanted to sell the business, though, and approached

Owners Michelle Neubauer, 48, and Julie Scribner, 50, both of

Neubauer and Scribner, who also own Creative Cuisine catering.

Milledgeville have not changed the recipe for the classic caramel corn

“They thought it would be a good fit for us because of our facility,

since they acquired the popcorn business in 2011. What they have

and because we have the safety standards and food-handling certificates,”

changed, though, is their product line. They’ve added cheddar cheese

Scribner said.

corn and a caramel-cheddar mix to the lineup, and as a result, they’ve

“We thought it would help us during our slow times [in February,

grown the business.

March, and April],” Neubauer added.

“It’s huge now,” Neubauer said. “It’s getting out there.”

Woody’s has grown exponentially in the past year. The popcorn now

How huge? According the company’s Facebook page, Woody’s has

is available at several grocery stores, including County Market in Sterling

already sold more than 90,000 bags of its popped product this year.

and Dixon, Save-A-Lot in Rock Falls, and Hy-Vee in Clinton, and most

But before it was huge, Uncle Woody’s was a longtime small, home-

Shell stations in the Sauk Valley.

Continued on Page 15

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Continued from Page 13

The business employs two to three people, 40 hours a week. Neubauer and Scribner are the primary owners, but Lance Bryson and Melissa Wagenknecht, who handle the marketing and sales for the company, also have a share in the business.

Woody’s also just got a facelift: new heat-sealed bags with a streamlined, more modern look, including an updated logo (Bye-bye, cheesehead hat-wearing Uncle Woody! Hello, bowler hat-wearing Woody), as well as nutrition labels.

“We’ve had some interest from national distributors, and they told us what they wanted [for our product and its packaging],” Scribner said.

The caramel corn remains the best seller, although the caramel-cheddar mix is quite popular, too.

“The recipes make it what it is,” Scribner said.

Just as the caramel corn is made with real ingredients, the cheddar cheese corn is real cheddar cheese—not a finger-staining, orange, cheese-flavored powder.

Woody’s popcorn is available in individual bags, but also in large 10-gallon bags for weddings and parties. s

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Woody’s Popcorn Address: 1741 Industrial Drive No. 24, Sterling Online: www.woodyspopcorn.com and www. facebook.com/woodyspopcorn Phone: 815-626-7546 E-mail: woodyspopcorn@outlook.com Woody’s Popcorn is available at: County Market, 201 W. Blackhawk Drive, Byron; 1380 N. Galena Ave., Dixon; 210 W. Third St., Sterling Cypress House, 718 10th Ave., Rochelle Fareway, 540 Pritchard Drive, Geneseo Save-A-Lot, 928 First Ave., Rock Falls Broadway Express Liquors, 301 Broadway Ave., Sterling Hy-Vee, 901 S. Fourth St., Clinton Fareway, 1350 11st St. NW, Clinton Also, most Johnson Oil Shell stations in the Sauk Valley

Woody’s Original Handmade Popcorn is available throughout the Sauk Valley area and the company is planning on expanding.

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BY SHELBY KUEPKER SPECIAL TO STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

GPA

Photos By Philip Marruffo/Sterling-Rock Falls Living Taven Frank plays pool in the basement of GPA. The group's building gives teens a place to have fun in safe environment.

Twin City teens make impact on their community, thanks to local youth group

I

t’s a common complaint among teenagers who feel like they’ve fallen into a generation gap: They often feel like they don’t get the credit they deserve for their impact on society.

But some local teens aren’t a complaining about it; they’re doing something about it.

Giving Power to Adolescents is a group that lives up to its name.

Members of the Sterling-based youth organization not only make an impact on their community, they’re in charge of deciding how to do it.

Just ask them.

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When members say the group is run by teens, they mean it’s run by teens. Though the group gets guidance from a few adults and the Sterling Township, the teens plan agendas for their weekly meetings, discuss and plan community events, and pay their own bills.

GPA was started in 2010 by a group of area students who attended a leadership conference in Texas and felt the need for a positive place for local youth to come and have a voice.

Now, the group is going strong and planning numerous events and projects each year. They even have their own meeting place, The Center of Youth, at 312 E. Fourth St. Since September 2011, the township has housed GPA in the former Abiding Word Church building, which it bought for $190,000. GPA, in turn, has paid the utilities – about $400 to $500 a month – from its general fund. Until 2013, that fund was fed about $350 a month in profits from a thrift store GPA operated on the building’s second floor.

GPA, which has about 20-30 active members, runs its decisions through an eight-member elected board, which consists of two co-presidents, two co-vice-presidents, two secretaries, and Continued on Page 18

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Chloe Gladhill, (left), and Leah Clardie of Sterling decorate signs for the Fiesta Day Parade at GPA.

GPA members break into groups to discuss plans for an upcoming commercial they intend to shoot.

Victoria Dingman of Sterling decorates a sign for the Giving Power to Adolescents float in the Fiesta Day Parade. The members of GPA are striving for a larger footprint in the community.

two treasurers. The members serve 1-year terms; One of this year’s co-presidents is Raven Valdivia, 17, a senior at Rock Falls High School. This is her second year in GPA, and she’s one of the many teens who are passionate about giving young people a voice in their community.

The newly elected board members are sent to a youth conference every year for training, and this year’s was in St. Louis. Valdivia said, “it was really fun and we learned a lot” at the conference.

GPA’s meetings are run using Roberts Rules of Order, the way ConContinued from Page 17

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Sierra Cassidy, 16, of Sterling, paints the face of Kymon Blackmon, 4, during GPA's Youth Day at Centennial Park in Rock Falls.

gress runs meetings. The group comes up with ideas and puts them into action to help the community. Members say they love holding community events to get everyone involved to bring the people closer together.

One of the events GPA hosts is an annual Youth Day, where local children can enjoy fun games and other activities for free. Future events include helping with a 5K and contributing to Rock Falls’ annual Hometown Holidays.

Valdivia is excited to invite kids in the community to meet the full-blooded Indian the group is bringing in to teach about tribal dances

The Sterling Township Giving Power to Adolescents held an open house at their Center for Youth Tuesday.

The leadership team of GPA reads minutes from the last meeting.

The group has a weekly meeting Monday and uses a city councilstyle team to approve the group’s plans moving forward.

The group hopes the commercial will expand its membership and foothold in the community.

GIVING POWER TO ADOLSCENTS Meeting time: 5 p.m. Mondays Where: Center of Student Life, 312 E. Fourth St. Contact info: Raven Valdivia, 815-718-2798 Online: sterlingtownship.com/gpasr.htm, or facebook.com/SterlingTownshipGPA

Victoria Dingman speaks about plans for the Fiesta Parade at a GPA meeting.

and fascinating culture.

To fund their projects, GPA rents out parts of the Center for Youth to other organizations, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Tri-County Opportunity Council, as well as renting it out for other gatherings, such as birthday parties and events. The group also hosts a summer program to teach kids about assets, Valdivia said.

GPA was originally targeted to only high school students, “but then a Junior GPA was started for middle school students, and we eventually combined into one,” Valdivia said. Today, anyone from middle school to

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high school is welcome to join.

The group meets at the Center for Youth at 5 p.m. every Monday. If anyone is interested in joining, they’re welcome to visit one of the meetings. The only requirement? You must have a passion for getting involved in the community.

Valdivia says GPA allows teens “a chance to have a voice, the opportunity to be viewed as an adult, and the power to be whoever you want to be.” s

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BY LENIE ADOLPHSON SPECIAL TO STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

Photos By Philip Marruffo/ Sterling-Rock Falls Living Larry Meyer, of Rock Falls, waves as people show their support for protesters at Grandon Civic Center.

Rock River Open Forum members help give people a voice

T

he Rock River Open Forum is a good old-fashioned example of American democracy in action, a grassroots movement that’s grown from being a voice for peace to one that’s become a voice for many issues.

Those roots were planted in the 1990s when the group formed, at first focusing on nuclear proliferation and other pivotal topics. A galvanizing event for the group was the 2003 Iraq war. Disenchanted with policies and the course of the war, the group rallied locally, and decided to take their concerns to the streets of the Sauk Valley.

Today, they’re still taking it to the streets – but they’re also taking it to meeting rooms, where they gather and discuss issues near and far, be it social justice or community gardens.

By concentrating on a wide assortment of social problems, the group avoids becoming a single-issue body, and those discussions can go in different directions, too – left and right, or somewhere in between.

“We do lean liberal and progressive,” said forum member Fred Turk. “However, there are conservatives and moderates who are involved in the group too, because they deeply care about many similar

topics.” For example, Tony Valentino, a conservative, has attended several meetings because he finds the group “authentic and genuine.”

There are no formal membership requirements or procedures to become involved with the group. People of political ideologies are welcome to attend meetings, which are held monthly at the Sterling or Rock Falls libraries.

The group has invited guest speakers, local leaders and politicians to help create an energetic and spirited opportunity for discussion and activism. Members have hosted Sterling and Rock Falls mayors, Rock Falls’ former director of economic development, Betty Steinert, Democratic State Rep. Mike Smiddy, Former Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride, and Whiteside County States Attorney Trish Joyce.

The group has also presented documentaries on different topics.

Group members say that people benefit from the forum’s meetings, especially when local leaders or politicians attend. They can hear what other people have to say, offer their opinions, ask a question or two, and share their concerns. It also gives leaders a chance to talk to people and hear what’s important to them.

Continued on Page 23

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Protesters wave to vehicles as they honk.

Lower Left: Fred Turk encourages people to get involved as he protests at Grandon Civic Center. Lower Right: Signs line Fourth Avenue along Grandon Civic Center.

Continued from Page 21

Even if people don’t attend the meetings, they can learn what’s on group members’ minds. The group gathers from 4-5 p.m. on Fridays, weather permitting, at Grandon Civic Center in downtown Sterling to promote or protest topics, and plenty of drivers give the group a honk or two, and an occasional thumbs up.

Getting their message out to the public is an important part of the group’s mission. Even though most of the motorists passing by might not attend the group’s meetings, they’re touched in some ways by issues the group is talking about – wage inequality, for example.

Forum member Dawn Jones said that “in 1983, I made $12 an hour. Today, I make minimum wage. This issue of low wages is a

major problem.”

Another group member, former teacher Jim Duffy, said he’s involved in the group because of his concerns about the educational system.

Whether the issue is local, national, or both, the group provides a forum where people can have a voice, be it a honking horn or a probing question.

It may be called free speech, but it’s one of the valuable tools there is when it comes to building a democracy, and it’s also a tool that members of the Rock River Open Forum use to build their very own soapbox, giving them – and local residents – a place to take a stand. s

ROCK RIVER OPEN FORUM Call 625-4657 for more information, or search for “Rock River Forum” on Facebook Mission from the Rock River Forum’s Facebook page: “In simple words our goal is to see, judge, and act. In more detail it consists in the following: understand the issues that surround us, decide upon the ones which are most vital, identify possible actions, select the most appropriate, implement them and evaluate our efforts.”

Some issues that are of concern to the group include income discrepancy, that state of America’s democracy, national debt, ways to influence the government, economic development, Wall Street practices, poverty, global warming, conflict resolution.

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A helpful smile.

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CGH Auxiliary has been a valuable asset for nearly 70 years

BY JIM FAIVRE SPECIAL TO STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

T

hey might have given you a patient’s room number, or helped you get where you’re going in the hospital. They might have even helped you find something in the gift shop.

The women wear pink and the men, blue.

They are the CGH Auxiliary volunteers at CGH Medical Center – and they are some of the most valuable assets the hospital has.

The volunteers dedicate their time and service to the hospital, just like the many who came before them since the program began in 1946.

Auxiliary Coordinator Deb Keaschall said about 135 volunteers donate their time in any given month, and there are more than enough things to do to keep every one of them busy. They greet people in the lobby, man the reception desk, staff the gift shop, serve in surgical waiting, work on the floor or in the Emergency Department, provide pet therapy, act as host at the clinic, chip in at the chaplain, and help out as health coaches. Keaschall said that while there’s a common misconception that it’s primarily senior citizens who dedicate themselves to volunteering, the CGH Auxiliary dispels that myth, with members ranging in age from 21 to 91. In fact, many college-age volunteers gain valuable experience as a volunteer, and learn much about working in a medical facility.

Many members also raise funds through various activities to help the board buy items for the hospital that can light up a patient’s day – like Christmas lighting – or help further students’ education, like scholarships that are paid for with proceeds from the gift shop. Ten $1,000 scholarships are given out each year.

Whatever needs done, volunteers do it, and they’re trained in how to get it done.

But training isn’t needed for everything; some of what volunteers do just comes naturally, such Continued on Page 27

Photos By Philip Marruffo/Sterling-Rock Falls Living Dotty helps direct patients at clinic to offices they need to go to. The volunteer program at the hospital has recently expanded to the clinic.

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Continued from Page 25

as offering a much-needed warm voice on the other end of a phone when someone calls the hospital.

Take Ethel Broderick: She’s been a volunteer for nearly 20 years, and Keaschall said she “answers the phone with a smile,” a much-needed greeting that can help with those sometimes nerve-wracking calls from concerned friends and family.

Recently, Ethel and fellow volunteer Gladys Thomas, who’s volunteered since 2004, were staffing the front reception desk, just one of several ways they help out at the hospital. Like other volunteers, their duties go well beyond just desk duty in the sprawling medical facility. Ethel also works in the gift shop, the Emergency Department, and X-ray (diagnostic imaging). Gladys is vice-president of the service board, interviews volunteer applicants, and makes out schedules. Both women also participate in fundraising activities.

Ethel and Gladys said they enjoy getting out of the house and working with, and helping, the people they meet at CGH. Another perk, Ethel said?

“Seeing all the pretty flowers that are delivered.”

Rosann Kuletka-Johnson has volunteered at the hospital for 15 years and was the first CGH Main Clinic host, part of a program that started in May. She and other volunteers work in the lobby area of the clinic Monday through Thursday. Rosann said she’s also worked in the Diagnostic Imaging Department, where she digitized hard copies of X-rays. With a laugh, she said that in her position as host, she can “get away with telling people where to go” – but joking aside, when asked what she likes most about volunteering, she said, “It makes a difference to people, so it makes a difference to me.”

Pat Rosengren has volunteered for 25 years, having started in the gift shop. Today she serves as the president of the Auxiliary board, where she’s also served in other positions, including a previous term as president. Pat said the group’s goal is to work toward the mission of the hospital – to make people feel comfortable – and help the staff. She said she finds the work very rewarding, and she feels like this is her “niche.”

It’s a niche that volunteers young and old have found for more than 60 years, and one that helps patients, doctors and nurses, and other staff members. And while volunteers give much, they get much in return.

Pat summed it up by saying that volunteering is very rewarding and “you get more than you give.” s Want to Help?

CGH Auxiliary always welcomes new members. Anyone who wants to become a volunteer must complete an Auxiliary application, provide two references, interview with the Auxiliary Board and agree to a background check. Applicants also comply with immunizations and TB testing, attend mandatory orientation sessions, train in specific areas of interest and commit to working at least two shifts a month, with each shift ranging from 2-4 hours.

Top: Ethel Broderick has over 9,000 hours and has volunteered in four departments at CGH Medical Center. The volunteer and auxiliary program at CGH helps patents and visitors find their way through the hospital and clinic in Sterling.

Bottom: Lore Dedey has over 1,300 hours as a volunteer at CGH Medical Center.

Anyone interested can call Deb Keaschall at 815-625-0400, ext. 5727 Online: cghmc.com/about-us/volunteers-auxiliary/

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POOLING HIS

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Photos Submitted Rick Carrillo; “52”; of Sterling; has spent a lifetime honing his skills on the pool table. All that work paid off recently; when he competed against some of the best in the world in Las Vegas.

Carrillo takes his lifelong hobby to the next level

BY ADAM FEINER SPECIAL TO STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

G

reen must be Rick Carillo’s color. He sees a lot of it – at work and at play.

Carrillo, 52, of Sterling, owns Carillo Lawn Service; and when he doesn’t have a rake in his hand, he’s got a pool cue – and they’ve both served him well. The former provides his livelihood and the latter has racked

up an impressive number of trophies – at least 100 so far.

He’s built his business from the ground up – literally; his pool game? Well, that goes a bit deeper than the ground up. It all started in a basement.

When Carrillo was 12, he started playing pool on the family table in the basement. He’d spend hours with his father, two brothers and his uncles. By the time he was in high school, he’d already become a proficient player – and while many of his peers took up football or basketball, Rick stuck to pool.

“I just enjoyed it so much as a kid that I didn’t pursue anything else,” he said. “I played quite a bit through the high school years, and that’s how I came to be pretty good.”

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Once he felt ready, he took his talents to Sauk Valley pool leagues, including ones in Sterling, Rock Falls, and Dixon.

“The first year that I got into the league, they asked me to play with the Latin American Club in Sterling, and I ended up playing with one of my friends, Tony Morales,” he said. “He picked me up, and we got first place that year.

That’s what sparked me to think that ‘Hey, I’m not bad. I’m a pretty good player. I want to continue this.’”

Continue it he did, honing his skills along the way until he became an in-demand commodity for area teams. His talents helped take the teams to the top.

“I was winning all the time,” Carrillo said.

Continued on Page 31

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But there was more to life than just winning pool games. Rick had a family he needed to be with, especially his daughter, Rita.

“She looks up to her dad,” he said. “She believes [I’m] the best no matter what. She pushes me.”

He took time off the game and worked factory jobs to provide for his family. In 1997, he started the lawn service. At the same time, he picked up pool again. It was like riding a bike. His skills were still sharp and the trophies began to pile up.

“I’ve got at least 100 trophies,” Carrillo said.

“They’re not all first place, but a majority of them are.”

The next step was to see how good he was compared to the best in the U.S. and the world. For the past 9 years, he’s played in both singles and team competitions in Las Vegas.

He’s gone with local legends, Jim LaFavre, Keith Helfrich, Kenny French, Jeff Hawks, Wayne Wright, and the man who got him started in the leagues, Tony Morales.

“I’ve gone out with a couple different teams

and won the hard-luck division three times,” he said. “We got knocked out in the open division, but came back and won the redemption division. It’s hard enough to win one. The ones out in Vegas were pretty special because it’s international competition. Those mean the most to me.”

In 2008, he placed 13th out of 600 players in the singles competition. He says that performance has elevated him to another level.

“I’ve just been advancing ever since,” he said.

The trick to winning isn’t a shot; it’s confidence. “You have to have confidence,” he said, “and I do have that.”

His mindset is helping him in what has been a great 2015 thus far. Two weeks prior to competing in Las Vegas, he won a miniature Stanley Cup lookalike trophy at a tournament in LaSalle-Peru. Once he arrived in Vegas, his skills were immediately put to the test.

Carrillo faced off against the best from Australia. After a bad start of five consecutive wins in the Aussies’s favor, he came back as the underdog, defeating his opponent in a second

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match to win the Men’s Classic 9-ball singles championship.

Immediately following his 9-ball match, without a moment to soak up his win, Carrillo was thrown into a head-to-head match with the 8-ball champion to compete for second place.

He placed third, bringing home the bronze medal out of 66 players in the international 8-ball championships.

His two trophies from Las Vegas this year have Carillo optimistic about the future, and a busy future it will be.

He has three teams in Sterling, Rock Falls, and Dixon that he’s competing in this fall. He also does what he can to try to hold tournaments at the area taverns. In between it all, he finds time to help aspiring pool players.

“A lot of people come up to me while I’m playing, and ask me how I did a certain shot,” he said. “I tell them that after I’m done, I’ll show them some things to work on. A lot of people tell me that it was a pleasure watching me play. To me that’s something else.” s

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QU IET Rockin’ Slots is heavy on the sights, light on the sounds of Vegas

BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN SPECIAL TO STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

T

hings are rockin’ and rollin’ at Rockin’ Slots, the newest video gambling facility in the Sauk Valley.

Rockin’ Slots, 411 W. First St., opened in mid-June. The 800-square-foot space, which is housed in a 4,800-square-foot building Snow had previously used as an auction house, offers five video gaming machines, each with as many as 15 games, including a variety of slot-style games, as well as poker, in a relaxed environment.

“There are a lot of ‘gamers,’ so to speak, who don’t want to go to a big casino or a loud bar; they want to come to a quiet place,” said owner Brian Snow, who also Snow’s Cabinetry & Millwork in Sterling. “They can relax. They are served very well. And they are paid attention to. … That means a lot to people.”

Rockin’ Slots is a Vegas-themed joint, with loud-patterned carpet underfoot and rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia on the walls. It has a full-service bar, with beer, wine, and liquor, but it does not have a kitchen.

“Everybody who comes in calls it their new getaway, their hideout,” Snow said.

The city allows a maximum of five gaming machines per liquor license, although Snow wishes the law allowed for more.

“I would I could have 25 [machines]; they would be filled,” he said. “There are probably 5 or 6 hours every day when all give machines receive constant play. There is sometimes a brief ‘intermission,’ and then there is another wave of play.”

Snow plans to expand (he has a 4,800-square-foot building to work with) and upgrade as his shoestring budget allows.

An empty back room could become a kitchen, although most people are not coming for food, he said. The gravel parking lot will be paved, and some of the green space will become a smoking area.

The façade will be made to look like a Las Vegas landmark.

Other parts of the building could become different themed gaming places – one an 1800s saloon with hardwood floors and a Western flair, another one a more slick, modern site.

“I want to create a gaming mall,” Snow said.

Snow strives to create a relaxed environment with good ol’ fashioned customer service.

“They call me the cheerleader because I encourage ‘em, try to cheer ‘em on,” he said. “People will come in and say, ‘Where’s Brian?’ I try to give them that special attention, because without them, I don’t have a business.” s

Sure bet Rockin’ Slots Address: 411 W. First St., Rock Falls Hours: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; noon-10 p.m. Sunday

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What’s the secret to Cynthia’s success? I enjoy everything!

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ith so many places in the Sterling/Rock Falls area available for getting that fresh cut, color, or perm, it can be difficult to decide which one will do the best job.

For the customers at Cynthia’s Hair Studio, the choice is easy.

Owner Cynthia Ries, 56, hung out the “open” sign almost 15 years ago, and just like the hair that’s become her livelihood, her business is still growing. She’s built up a regular clientele, and she recently added nails and tanning to her business. Today, she’s looking forward to the next 14 years of business – and beyond.

Ries said she’s “always loved messin’ with hair” and decided to attend beauty school right out of high school. After sharing her talents with

salons such as the French Room and Cut and Curl, she knew she “really wanted to open up my own place.”

Ries has been in the hair business for a while, and she’s seen a lot of different styles come, go, and transform right before her eyes. She reminisces about the fact that “hair changes all the time, but it’s funny how old styles keep getting modernized. The styles that were popular when I was a kid keep coming back”.

She says she attributes her studio’s success to her wonderful customers.

“The people have been really good to me,” she said. She has many dedicated regulars, but she also loves to meet and get to know new clients, too.

Choose your favorite color and dazzle those nails.

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CYNTHIA’S HAIR STUDIO Address: 18 E. Third St. Sterling | Phone: 815-625-1810 | Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday

Walking into Cynthia’s Hair Studio, you will usually see Ries with her two other stylists, one of which is her sister. Ries recently added Nails By Diep, and tanning to her salon. Now, you can stop by her shop for a fresh cut, color, tan, and a manicure or pedicure.

Customers can make an appointment, or walk-ins are welcomed.

It’s been a fun 14 years for Cynthia, and she’s hard-pressed to pin down her favorite part of the profession. She said she loves the “the colors, the highlights, the lowlights, the perms, and the cuts.”

“Oh gosh, I enjoy everything!” s Top: Cynthia's carries many Redken products for both men and women.

Left: Cynthia’s Hair Studio is located at 18 E. Third St. in Sterling.

Right: Diep Hunter will put the style back to your nails.

Sandy Fritz T R U ST E D

Independent Future Executive Sr. Sales Director 815-625-5413 303-466-8605 www.marykay.com/sfritz

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RELIABLE • AFFORDABLE • PROFESSIONAL Kim Thome, 3rd Generation Owner, Since 1937

2812 Pine Street • Rock Falls, Illinois

I CCMC 87113

815-625-1282

IL CC 1594MC

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