SVM_Lake Lifestyle_October 2026 by Shaw Media

OCTOBER 2026

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What goes around comes around again at an area record store Husband-and-wife business owners are loving the Lake effect Restaurant serves up food for good thoughts Family invites you to have a Fields day at their farm store

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OCTOBER 2026

CONTACT INFO

PUBLISHER Jennifer Heintzelman EDITING & PAGE DESIGN Rusty Schrader PUBLISHED BY Sauk Valley Media, 113 S. Peoria Ave. , Dixon, IL 61021 STORY IDEA FOR LAKE LIFESTYLE? E-mail rschrader@saukvalley.com FOR ADVERTISING Contact Jill Reyna at 815-631-8774 or jreyna@ saukvalley.com ADDRESS CHANGE FOR LAKE LIFESTYLE? E-mail info@golakecarroll.com

Articles and advertisements in this publication are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of this 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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Net results A Lake Carroll college student has learned a lot during her time on the courts, now she’s setting her sites on teaching. The Lake effect Lake Carroll community has made quite an impact on a Shannon couple. What goes around comes around ... again Records are being resurrected from their vinyl resting place at a Freeport shop.

Food for good thoughts A

couple who put down roots in Mount Carroll is seeing their tree grow, thanks to their bistro-style business.

Come, all ye, to Faithful Fields A family invites you to stop by their store for pumpkins, canned goods, jams and jellies, and more.

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IA.COM CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMED

very volleyball point offers a small reset. The previous play is over, the next serve is coming, and there is another chance to make something happen. Olivia Klinefelter of Lake Carroll thrives on that immediacy, particularly the competitiveness and adrenaline that come with attacking the ball. Klinefelter, a sophomore at Highland Community College in Freeport, has been playing volleyball since fifth grade and has continued to make the sport a central part of her athletic life. She was a three-sport athlete throughout high school at Eastland, playing volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter and softball in the spring. She graduated from Eastland in 2025 after helping the volleyball team to an IHSA Class 1A regional championship as a freshman. Her volleyball experience also includes years with No Limits Volleyball, a Lanark-based club program coached by Kelsey Thurman and Jim Pierce. One of her standout club memories came at nationals in Florida, where her team went 13-1 and won the Silver Bracket. College volleyball has brought a faster Olivia pace and bigger challenges. Klinefelter, a Klinefelter Highland Community 5-foot-10 outside hitter and middle blocker, College student has had to develop a better understanding of the court, particularly when facing larger blocks and making quick decisions about where to attack. She has also continued playing basketball at Highland, where she competed during the 2025-26 season after initially arriving primarily through volleyball recruitment. The two sports have provided different challenges while complementing one another, including an unusual distinction: Klinefelter hits right-handed in volleyball while shooting left-handed in basketball. The Cougars went 28-14 overall and 6-4 in the Arrowhead Conference in volleyball last season, giving Klinefelter and her teammates a strong foundation to build upon. With Highland volleyball off to a 3-9 start this season as of mid-September, Klinefelter and the Cougars are looking to turn things around in time for the Region IV Tournament in early November. Their goals include reaching the National Tournament and winning at least 20 matches, while Klinefelter continues balancing athletics with her plans to pursue early childhood education. Lake Lifestyle caught up with Klinefelter early in the season to talk about her volleyball career, and how it also helps with also playing basketball. So turn the page to see what she had to say ...

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KLINEFELTER cont’d from page 5 Do you consider volleyball to be your primary sport? I have always thought it was. I do love basketball, especially in high school, when it was my favorite. I’ve always loved volleyball. I played in club for so many years, and decided to play it in college, and stay close to home. What were some of the best things you’ve learned from playing in high school? Every point is a new point. Momentum is big. You really have to have energy to win. If you don’t have energy, you’re not going to win. The team aspect is another really

important thing I learned. Do you have any favorite high school or club memories that stand out? My sophomore year of club volleyball, I played for No Limits, and we went 13-1 at Nationals in Florida and won in the Silver Bracket. We lost a crossover match, and we were going to go play on ESPN at Disneyworld if we won. My freshman year, we won regionals, and that was pretty fun. Riding on the firetrucks [back home]

was my favorite memory. Talk about choosing Highland, and what was your mindset about going there? I’m going into teaching, and I wanted to be in a good teaching program. I’m doing early childhood education, either preschool or kindergarten. I love littles. This has helped get my gen-eds. I also wasn’t ready to leave home. Highland was a great choice, and I still get to play sports. How different is playing at the college level different than playing in high school? For me, it’s the competitiveness. With my position, knowing how to work with the block because people are way bigger. You can’t really dread anything because everything is so fast-faced. I feel like I’ve gotten smarter at knowing what shots I can and can’t hit, tooling a block, going for high hands, and knowing what’s open on the court. I feel like my space awareness has really developed here. KLINEFELTER cont’d to page 8

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Olivia Klinefelter has played volleyball since fifth grade and competed in three sports throughout high school. At Highland, she is pursuing early childhood education alongside her athletics. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

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KLINEFELTER cont’d from page 6 What have you come to enjoy about being on this year’s Highland Cougars team? The team aspect. We’re all really close. We know how to have fun, but we also know how to try and win. What does it take to be a good outside hitter? Knowing what you can and can’t hit, and hitting certain shots. Have a powerful swing. If there’s a block in front of you, you can’t just hit it into the block, they’re going to stuff you. You have to know how to cross, line, roll, tip, and push. On defense, it’s about timing and watching the ball. Is there anything in volleyball that you personally consider yourself good at?

I feel like my serve is pretty good. When I first got into high school, I was just standing and serv-

ing, and now I jump serve. I feel like we serve so much that I feel like I’ve trained myself to do a float serve, so that the ball just floats and drops. Do you or your team look at any specific goals this year, or do you have any personally? We really want to make it to the National Tournament, that’s the main goal. That, and get a 20-plus-win season. We’ve had a rocky start, but we’re hoping we get better. In high school, you pretty much know who you’re playing, but is that different for you at the college level? I know some of the girls from being in club, like Sauk Valley’s team, I know a lot of them because I’ve played against them. You’re traveling more and you don’t know where you’re going, there are so many new schools; especially in basketball, where we’re in Chicago a lot. KLINEFELTER cont’d to page 10

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KLINEFELTER cont’d from page 8 What’s been the best volleyball advice given to you? Push hard, be the best teammate you can, and bring everything you can every night. You can’t show up one night and not show up the next, you need to be consistent. I feel all of my coaches have said this same thing, but have worded it different. What are some of the benefits that you’ve experienced going the junior college route, as opposed to NCAA or

NAIA — and did you ever think of going anywhere else? [Originally,] I told myself I wouldn’t go to a junior college. I wouldn’t do it. There were a lot of different offers that

were given. … [However], you can play here and still transfer to another college. They’re setting you up to be more successful. If you’re not ready, you can train harder and be better when you get there. You can get more playing time here than if you go elsewhere and sit on the bench. They also really help you with schooling, too, which is really important to me. You came here through volleyball first? Much of my recruitment was with volleyball, but I did have some basketball coaches talk to me. I thought I was so committed to play volleyball that I didn’t think about playing college basketball. … [But then] they started convincing me to play basketball. When last season ended, I wasn’t ready to give up basketball. I felt like I could do both. There was a lot of convincing that went into it. KLINEFELTER cont’d to page 11

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KLINEFELTER cont’d from page 10 The transition from volleyball to basketball, was it seamless? No, it was harder than I expected. [College] basketball is a way different type of play, so it took me a little bit to adjust. Do you think you’ll adjust better this time? Yes, just because I know now. I feel like I know what I’m going into now. I’m telling myself I’m going to be a lot better. What’s next for you after Highland? I thought I was going to keep playing sports, but I think I’m done after this basketball season. I want to be in a teaching program. I’m thinking about Grand Canyon University online, just so I can student-teach around here. n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

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here a family lives isn’t the only place they call home. Where they’ve worked, where they’ve made memories, where they’ve grown — those can feel like home, too. They’re the places that become part of a family in ways that have little to do with ownership. For Dawn and Jarren Heckman, Lake Carroll has been that place. It’s even given their son something he’ll carry with him the rest of his life. Like many people, the Shannon couple have built their lives and businesses around personal interests and hard work — but they’ve also done it through a strong connection to Lake Carroll. Dawn owns Forever by Dawn Permanent and Western Jewelry, while Jarren operates Heckman Lawncare. Both businesses have grown with support from the Lake Carroll community, which has been part of the Heckmans’ lives for more than a decade. Dawn once worked at the lake in several capacities, including as a waitress in the Clubhouse, a security officer, and driving golf carts at the golf course, which is where she and Jarren met in 2015. “He was a golf pro and I was the cart girl,” Dawn said. “We met and became friends, and it eventually turned into love.” And they didn’t just fall in love with each other; they fell in love with Lake Carroll, too, so much so that they named their son after it — no, not “Carroll,” but “Lake.” T CU Y Today, Lake has grown into a budding young businessman himself. D CO The 7-year-old helps his dad with the landscaping business — in his own junior-sized Heckman Lawncare shirt — and has even earned his own title: Jarren and supervisor. The couple’s businesses have become a team efforts — Dawn also Dawn Heckman of lends a hand with landscaping, while Jarren and Lake sometimes help with Shannon are Lake Carroll her jewelry business. property owners, and each Recently, Lake Carroll has become even more tightly woven into the runs their own business: Jarren Heckmans’ lives. The couple recently bought a buildable lot, with plans runs Heckman Lawncare and Dawn to eventually have a large boat there. Dawn sees the decision as both a owns Forever by Dawn Permanent and reflection of their family’s connection to the lake and an expression of Western Jewelry. Dawn has a small store how much it means to them. at their home in Shannon, and Jarren’s “We love being out there so much,” Dawn said, adding that the lake “office” can be found in the yards he has been part of their lives as a couple for more than a decade, and her works on throughout the area, husband’s for even longer. “They’ve watched us and have been so including many in Lake supportive of my business and his business, and have really Carroll. helped our businesses take off. They’ve been so amazing and loyal.” HECKMANS cont’d to page 14

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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Dawn Heckman and her English bulldog, Ahsoka Tano.

In the world of jewelry, a jump ring is a small thing, the final connection between two ends of a chain — but for Dawn, that ring helped jump start a business that has grown far beyond what she originally imagined. Forever by Dawn Permanent and Western Jewelry is Dawn’s full-time business, and she has become increasingly successful as the years have gone on. She established the business with a partner in April 2023, then went solo after a year, before finally opening a small store outside her Shannon home in 2025, giving customers a place to shop her permanent jewelry, western jewelry and some western decor. The business began after Dawn noticed a permanent jewelry trend emerging on TikTok. “I got into it really quickly,” she said. “I just thought it looked like a really good idea, and was something that I could sell.” Permanent jewelry consists of chains fitted to a person’s wrist, ankle or neck and welded together, creating a seamless piece without a traditional clasp. Raised by entrepreneurs and having owned other businesses herself, she already had the foundation to turn a trend into a trade. She initially expected permanent jewelry to be a side gig for supplemental income, but it became much more. HECKMANS cont’d to page 15

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HECKMANS cont’d from page 14 took riding lessons and watered horses before and after school at a thoroughbred breeding ranch near her hometown of Erie. Expanding her business has “Little did I know, I had no idea that rekindled that interest, and Dawn now rides regularly at two different farms. it would change my life,” she said. “Now “Western jewelry has always been popular,” Dawn said, but the it supplies my whole life.” recent surge in interest comes on the heels of cowboy boots in The first year was a bit of a popular culture. learning curve, but gradually “It comes and goes with seasons,’ she said, “but we’re in that curve straightened a society right now where ‘Yellowstone’ is huge, and all of out. Forever by Dawn Permanent and these cowboy shows, and people such as Lainey Wilson “We went through a Western Jewelry sets up at events — it’s kind of taken off. Even if you’re not into western lot of changes, like any throughout northwest Illinois. Its jewelry, you’re into beautiful jewelry, and that’s what it other business,” Dawn store at 217 Arch St. in Shannon is open is.” said. “I started with the by appointment. Find it on Facebook Dawn’s collection also emphasizes the quality of current trends, but it and message Dawn for an up-tothe materials. She uses sterling silver, real stones, solid wasn’t ‘me.’ After about a date schedule of appearances, copper pieces and 14-karat gold, along with rare turquoise year, I slowly started turnto arrange an order, or for varieties such as blackjack and white water when she can ing the business into ‘me,’ so more information. find them. Navajo pearls became an especially important part my business really took off after of the business. Dawn originally bought pre-made strands in quanthat first year, and it has a lot to do tities of five or 10, only to have them sell before she could even receive with this being an extension of me. It’s them. She eventually began making them herself. not modeled around anyone else, it’s Keeping the jewelry affordable is another point of pride for Dawn. Her store very unique and very different.” also provides an experience that online shopping cannot. The connection to the western and

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HECKMANS cont’d from page 15 “With an appointment, you get a custom, personalized experience,” Dawn said. “We can have everything set up for you, you have your own private shopping experience, we can bring the bead tray out and you can handpick what you want. When you’re buying online, you’re seeing a picture, you’re not touching, feeling or trying it on your wrist or neck, and that’s what makes it different.” Dawn customizes permanent jewelry pieces specifically for her customers and recently designed her own permanent jewelry chain, revealed in September. She also travels to shows and events throughout northern Illinois, and has gone as far as Kentucky. She books roughly 10 months in advance, with her schedule generally filled from March through December. Appearances at the weekly Lake Carroll farmers market are among her regular stops. “When people are buying perma-

nent jewelry, they’re also paying for the experience,” Dawn said. “They love the experience on how different I am versus other people. I try to have something for everybody, but am definitely more western, and that’s what keeps me so busy.” Her store has continued to evolve. This spring, Dawn added a perfume bar called Snaffle, with about a dozen scents geared toward men and women, along with one designed for either. She also plans to launch a mobile trailer for the business next year. Dawn’s business has a community-minded side as well. She donates proceeds from some sales to organizations and collaborates with other woman-owned small businesses to bring attention to their work. She has supported Granny Rose Animal Shelter in Dixon and Heroes Last Hope, a veterans organization in Shannon. She has donated a young entrepreneurs scholarship to an Eastland High School senior and contributed to personal fundraising efforts. The more she does for others, the more she believes comes back to her. “It’s really important to help others. God has given me many gifts, and I want to help others along the way.” Her business has grown from a TikTok-inspired side gig into a full-time livelihood, with permanent jewelry, western pieces, equestrian influences and community involvement occupying different parts of the same identity. The jewelry may be small, but the world surrounding Forever by Dawn continues to grow. And much like Jarren’s approach to landscaping, Dawn’s business has become an expression of its owner — something personal that customers can see, experience and take with them. HECKMANS cont’d to page 18

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A home’s landscape is more than just retaining walls and rocks. It can say something about the person who lives there, a way to put a bit of their personality into the lay of their land. “They can have pride in their house,” Jarren said. “When people drive by and they see that it’s well-maintained, it’s just says that the person cares about their property.” Jarren sees a person’s property as an extension of who owns it, much like his wife sees the jewelry she creates. Jarren approaches lawns, landscaping and hardscaping with much the same appreciation for personal expression. Heckman Lawncare began five years ago, although Jarren brought more than two decades of experience with him from his father Larry’s business, Forest Green Trees Nursery and Landscaping near Lake Carroll. “I started small,” Jarren said. “I was just doing one, two or three, then when I started getting a good cash flow comJarren ing in, I thought it was kind of nice. It was a little something Heckman on the side, and she encouraged me to grow it.” As the customer base grew, so did the equipment. Jarren bought a mower from his dad, followed by a truck and trailer, gradually turning what began as a small side business into a bigger operation. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

HECKMANS cont’d to page 19

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He handles HECKMANS cont’d from page 18 landscaping He now has around 30 regular customers, many of them at Lake Carroll. His projects from new dework includes routine lawn maintenance, one-time calls and vacation maintesigns and plantings to nance for part-time residents. He generally works within a 25- to 30-mile radius continued maintenance. of Shannon. Hardscaping is another part His services include mowing, fertilizing and weed control, along with of the work Jarren particularly paver fixes, landscape plantings and tear-outs, and emenjoys. erald ash borer prevention. Some jobs fall into “I have a passion for hardscapsmaller niches, such as installing a flagpole ing as well, and can do anything for a customer before Memorial Day. with patios and small retaining walls,” “I’ve been taught those things Jarren said. “I love doing the smaller stuff when I was a kid,” Jarren said. because it’s so rewarding, knowing that you “I’ve worked with brick and busted your butt and you made something worked with mortar, so that is going to be there for a while, 20 to 30 years there’s a lot of trades hopefully.” that have been The longevity of that work can provide its own passed down to sense of satisfaction. Jarren and his father recently me through my finished redoing a project his father originally installed Jarren Heckman father, and all of sometime in the 1990s. The house had changed hands the years I spent three times since then, yet the work remained part of the with him.” property’s history. That background has “Part of who I am is because of Dad’s business,” Jarren given Jarren the confidence to take on said. “People know me and trust me. It’s quite fun and is very projects beyond routine lawn care. rewarding.” “Anything that the customer asks, I try HECKMANS cont’d to page 20 my best to make it happen,” he said.

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HECKMANS cont’d from page 19 Jarren hires additional help when business gets especially busy, though he’s hands-on with much of the work. Some projects demand long days and considerable physical effort. “It takes determination,” Jarren said. “Some of the stuff is hard. Laying out 2,500 feet of sod on a 95-degree day that feels like 108, Dawn helped me on that day. Just to push through that, and I worked a 15-hour day that day, it’s not for the weak-hearted, you have a have determination, will and pride in your work. That’s something that my dad has passed on to me, and something ingrained in me.” The same attention to detail that Jarren developed while growing up

has become one of the qualities he believes separates his work from others. “It’s something that’s made me thrive in my business because I’m very detailed in what I do,” he said. “People have asked me, ‘Jarren, how do you do this and make it look as good as you do? We’ve had other people do what you do and it doesn’t quite look as good as you’ve done it.’ I take pride in that.” His interest in hardscaping has even carried over to his own home in Shannon, where he has put his skills to work on his own projects. Dawn helps with the business side of Jarren’s operation, and the two have found ways to lend a hand with each other’s work.

Jarren and Dawn Heckman’s son — and Heckman Lawncare “supervisor” — Lake Heckman. PHOTO PROVIDED BY DAWN HECKMAN

HECKMANS cont’d to page 21

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landscaping and later during four years working at the golf course. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of members, and after working at the golf course for four years I got to know even more,” Jarren said. “It’s very awesome because some of those golfers that I got to know became customers for landscaping. They’re very, very loyal, and they spread the word around.” The same support has extended to Dawn’s business, particularly when she takes her jewelry to farmers markets. “Lake Carroll has given us the people,” Jarren said. “It’s the reason why we are who we are, with my family’s success and my success, and her success. She has extreme success when she goes out to their farmer’s markets. They support us, they know our name and the type of people that we are, and we bring that back to them.” The Heckmans now have a piece of Lake Carroll to call their own. The lot they bought will give them another way to spend time at the lake and eventually bring a boat there. They have spent years as familiar faces around Lake Carroll. Now, they are becoming members of the community in a new way. “There’s just something special about Lake Carroll, that it’s different than everywhere else,” Dawn said. n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

HECKMANS cont’d from page 21 The Heckmans’ connection to Lake Carroll has always been about more than the work they have done there or the customers they have gained through the community. “Lake Carroll’s given me my husband, my son, and has given me peace,” Dawn said. “I love being there. I don’t have that peace anywhere else — besides Hawaii.” Some of the Heckmans’ most meaningful connections have come through the people they have met there. One of those people was the late Kay Paradis, whose lawn Jarren mowed for years. When Paradis learned the Heckmans were expecting a baby, she came across Jarren while he was mowing and gave him a teddy bear for the child. Lake still has it. “His name is Mr. Bear, and he goes everywhere with Lake,” Dawn said. “He’s been on trips, and to Disney. She loved my husband and my father-in-law so much, and gave that to our little guy. It’s something we carry on, and is a testament to how amazing the people out there are.” Jarren’s relationship with Lake Carroll began even earlier through his family’s landscaping business. He has described himself as “born and bred at Lake Carroll,” having gotten to know members through

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ome music seems to have a way of finding its way back. Songs can come and go from the radio, current tunes age into classics, playlists change. Records and reel-to-reels, eight-tracks and cassettes, discs and downloads — through the years, people’s music collections have changed like the songs at the top of the charts. While tapes and LP’s and compact discs gather dust in forgotten boxes in the basement, the songs remain the same — but the way we listen to them hasn’t. In recent years, people have been dusting off at least one of those collections, and a whole new generation of music lovers has fallen in love with LP’s all over again. Records are back, turning the tables on people who thought they were past their prime, and the shops that sell them are a hit, too, including one in Freeport where customers get their music served to them on a vinyl platter. And their customers aren’t just the people who were around when records were the way to hear the hits. At their downtown shop, Re-Spun Records and Resale, Casey and Skyler Rettenmeier have learned that their clientele don’t always fit a particular mold. Neither does the music they seek. A teenager might arrive dressed like he stepped out of the 1980s and leave with a Conway Twitty album. A child might be searching for that one record missing from their collection by an artist who made it way before their time. Somewhere in the stacks of tracks, there is usually another story waiting to be discovered. RE-SPUN cont’d to page 24

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RE-SPUN cont’d from page 23 The Rettenmeiers’ store grew from their interest in collecting music into a business that carries records, cassette tapes, CDs, 8-tracks, VHS tapes and music-related gifts, along with collectibles ranging from books and band shirts to record players, Funko figures and animé toys. The resurgence of vinyl has helped fuel the format’s return to prominence; U.S. vinyl revenue reached $1 billion in 2025, marking the format’s 19th consecutive year of growth. “We started collecting personally, and had a grand idea to open a music store,” Casey said. “It took about 6 months to get all of our inventory before we opened (in October 2023), and since we’ve been open, we buy collections all of the time.” Fittingly enough for a medium that until recent years had languished in many people’s basements, the couples’ own business began in one, in a basement-level location elsewhere downtown. The move to their current street-level storefront gave the business more visibility and allowed its inventory to expand considerably. RE-SPUN cont’d to page 25 CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

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RE-SPUN cont’d from page 24 Re-Spun The former location had a small Records and Resale section of collectibles, Skyler said, in downtown Freeport “but it was nothing like what we carry sells vinyl records and music now. We had one little wall for it all.” in various mediums. The store But the records remain the center of the is owned by Casey (center) and experience. Skyler appreciates the physical conSkyler (right) Rettenmeier, and nection of holding an album rather than simply Skyler’s mother, Tammy selecting a song on a phone. Casey said there Hoeft, also helps at the is a quality to vinyl that digital formats canstore. not quite reproduce. “It’s about the sound quality,” Casey said. “It’s all of the nostalgia and the ‘pop’ while you’re listening. With digital and CDs, it’s just a clear basic sound. The original vinyl, nothing beats it.” Much of the store’s inventory comes from collections. The reasons people bring them in vary: relatives may have passed away, someone may be moving and unable to take a collection along, or a house may simply be getting cleaned out. Each collection receives the same careful examination. The Rettenmeiers ask customers to leave their name and phone number, then inspect the condition of every record and consult a guide before totaling the collection and making an offer. RE-SPUN cont’d to page 27

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RE-SPUN cont’d from page 25 “We try to be very fair with our Retpricing,” Casey said. “Usually when tenmeiers we look at scratches, if there’s hairlines, have learned it’s usually not so bad, it’s a thin scratch or a quickly that predictpaper scuff and a normal record player will play ing what will attract a custhrough that.” tomer can be nearly impossible. Condition can also tell part of a record’s story. “I have kids who come who are Records pressed before the early 1970s generally in their late teens and look like they’re used virgin vinyl and can play cleaner than some straight out of the ’80s, and they buy Frank Sinalater pressings. The oil crises of the 1970s drove up tra or Willie Nelson,” Skyler said. “There’s no rhyme or reason. They’ll come petrochemical costs and put pressure on record in wearing leather jackets and have their hair spiked up, and wind up buying manufacturers to reduce production expenses, Conway Twitty. Everyone has their own favorite music and style.” leading to lighter, thinner records and experiSome customers buy records for reasons beyond listening, using album covments such as RCA’s flexible Dynaflex discs. Some ers in mosaics or displaying records as part of floors, bar stools and other décor. pressing plants also incorporated reground vinyl, One of Casey’s favorite examples involved a 9-year-old girl who came contributing to the surface noise and reduced into the store looking for a Bob Seger album. clarity found on some pressings. “She needed one more Bob Seger album to have his whole col“A lot of the ones they mass produced, you lection,” Casey said. “We were like, ‘How old are you?’ Bob Seger get a hairline or two on them, and they just bewasn’t something that I would see a 9-year-old buy. It’s just so come garbage,” Skyler said. “That sucks berandom. It’s wild. That’s the thrill of owning this business, cause that’s what everyone looks for. They’re seeing what people are hunting for and to watch not always in the greatest shape.” them dig through.” Knowing what to look for comes RE-SPUN cont’d to page 28 with experience. The

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RE-SPUN cont’d from page 27 The missing album was Seger’s 1980 release “Against the Wind,” his 11th studio album. She already had the rest of the collection, from 1969’s “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” through his 2017 album “I Knew You When.” Other records create their own urgency. Phil Collins’ “Face Value,” released in 1981 and featuring “In The Air Tonight,” tends to disappear quickly when the Rettenmeiers get copies — and that’s not a pack of lies. Tuesdays are reserved for putting newly acquired albums into a designated section, and promoting them on the store’s Facebook page. The store also makes room for new music, and when the new tunes arrive, the Rettenmeiers sometimes hold release parties featuring the record, related merchandise, giveaways and a grand prize. Recent events have included Lamb of God’s “Into Oblivion” in March and Weezer’s “Gold Album” in August.

“Everybody gets to come in and we listen to the new album, have giveaways and a grand prize at the end,” Casey said. Concert tickets have been among the prizes. Perhaps the most unusual discoveries come from the records themselves. Skyler recalled finding a rare original pressing of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Street Survivors,” identifiable by its famous flame-themed cover. The album was released Oct. 17, 1977, just three days before the band’s touring plane crashed in Mississippi, killing lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines and others. The original cover depicted the band surrounded by flames; after the crash, the image took on an especially tragic meaning, and the artwork was withdrawn and replaced with a more subdued photograph of the band. Another unusual item in the store is a clear-vinyl pressing of Journey’s “Escape,” the band’s 1981 smash album.

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RE-SPUN cont’d from page 28 Such discoveries are part of the reason the store continues to evolve, they said. Music plays throughout the shop from a portable turntable, with one song potentially giving way to another from an entirely different era. Re-Spun’s record-buying experience is also a throwback to another time: before people bought things online. In a shop, customers can examine an album’s condition before buying it, browse without knowing exactly what they are looking for and discover something they didn’t even know about, and talk with people who understand why one particular pressing might matter. “When you buy from a brick and mortar store, you support local businesses,” Skyler said. “That’s a big push, even for a lot of my customers. Most of my customers who buy from us don’t purchase anything online. It helps the community and grows the community. When you walk through the door, it’s a whole different experience.” That’s part of what keeps records, and the shop, spinning: the chance that someone will walk through the door looking for one thing, discover something unexpected and leave carrying a piece of music that someone before them has enjoyed. The Rettenmeiers have watched that happen often enough to see the store as something larger than just shelves of albums. They have built a community around the search itself. n “We’ve built a family with our customers,” Casey said. Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@ shawmedia.com.

Re-Spun Records and Resale, 119 E. Stephenson St. in downtown Freeport, is open 2-6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Find it on Facebook, go to respunrecordsresale.square. site or call 815-275-4937 for more information.

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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Doug Sherf and Lorri Mostad, owners of Vessel on Market, Food has a way of making simple things feel important. A warm plate, fresh ingredients, pride themselves on what they something made with care — small decisions that can change the way a meal feels. bring to their cafe’s menu. “The In a small town, those choices can carry even more weight. Finding something fresh, quality of the food is where we thoughtful and a little unexpected can make breakfast or lunch feel like more than just get the biggest compliments,” another meal. It can make the familiar feel a little different. Mostad said. “They love the food. In downtown Mount Carroll, an old building, a scratch kitchen and a couple’s affecThey love the freshness. They tion for their town have converged into something with ambitions beyond the plate. love that everything is scratch.” The result is a place where food, history and community occupy the same space. Vessel on Market is a bistro-style cafe where Lorri Mostad and Doug Sherf have combined scratch cooking, specialty coffee and a carefully curated retail space into something they hope will draw people to Mount Carroll for more than a meal. Since opening in July 2025, the couple has built the restaurant around fresh ingredients, healthier choices and food prepared in-house, while also creating a space for local artists, musicians and community gatherings. The couple describes their restaurant as a “bistro concept and coffee shop,” with a menu that ranges from eggs, omelets, pancakes and French toast to breakfast burritos, paninis, wraps, salads and bowls. Coffee and espresso drinks share the menu with teas, smoothies, refreshers and other specialty beverages. Much of the food is made in-house, including dressings, jams and jellies, as well as the restaurant’s cured salmon. Smoothies are made with real fruit, and Mostad contributes vegetables from her own garden when possible. The couple also uses as much fresh, local produce as it can. VESSEL cont’d to page 32

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VESSEL cont’d from page 31 “The quality of the food is where we get the biggest compliments,” Mostad said. “They love the food. They love the freshness. They love that everything is scratch.” A waterbed headboard in the back of the restaurant has even found a second life as shelving for jars of vegetables undergoing lacto-fermentation. The jars are tapped CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM regularly to prevent air pockets The dining area at Vessel on Market combines the restaurant’s cafe from forming. The kitchen’s atmosphere with the character of the historic downtown building approach gives cook Grant restored by owners Doug Sherf and Lorri Mostad. Juracek room to continually adjust the menu around the seasons and availally for 20 years and studied at Kendall College in Chicago, able ingredients. with training in French, Italian and Japanese vegan cook“Everything’s as natural as I can possibly ing. “I’m constantly evolving the menu and try to keep evmake it,” said Juracek, who’s cooked professionerything as seasonal as possible. I try to keep things on the healthier side, and not use a lot of deep-fried anything.” VESSEL cont’d to page 33

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VESSEL cont’d from page 32 He also pays close attention to presentation. “I’ve worked with a lot of very experienced chefs in and out of college, and have worked at places that cater to extremely high-end clientele,” Juracek said. “I try to bring that touch here. I’ve been accused of making a plate too pretty to eat. I try to keep an aesthetic quality to it.” Other popular items include the French toast panini, homemade soups, pancakes, breakfast burritos and biscuits and gravy with house-made gravy. The bakery case has its own following, with blueberry scones and pecan pie brownies among the popular sellers. Juracek also keeps the quiches lighter by using less cream. The quinoa bowls provide another option for customers looking for something healthier, fitting the restaurant’s effort to offer lighter choices alongside its broader menu.

“We try to offer more of those things as we can,” Mostad said. “When you’re a small town and have limited customers, there’s a limit. But we have lots of vegetarian options. There’s always something a vegetarian or a vegan can eat. That’s tough to find in a small town. You don’t have to go to Sterling or Dixon or Freeport.” The bagel and salmon plate has become another distinctive offering. “We had a gal come in here who’s from Chicago, and is Jewish,” Mostad said. “That’s their soul food. She’s said ours was the best she’s had in her entire life. We’ve had really great reviews of it.” Mostad and Sherff always enjoy hearing feedback like that — and it can also help shape their menu. After Juracek temporarily removed the chicken pesto panini from the menu, customers kept asking when it would return: “I had

to take it off the menu for a while, and people kept asking us: ‘When are you going to bring it back?’ It’s back on now.” Something else is back, too: the building the shop calls home, brought back to life when it became a restaurant. Already part of the Sherf family story long before Vessel on Mark, his parents, Glen and Bette, operated a Coast-to-Coast hardware store there from 1967 to 1984. It later became an antique mall, and by that time, years of wear had taken their toll. Despite that, Mostad had an appreciation for the building, and wanted to honor its history. “I loved the building right away, and I already knew its history,” Mostad said. “It broke my heart to see that, every time I’d look, I just saw the building getting worse and worse. We knew with a history of rehabbing historical buildings that once the roof goes, you’ve only got a matter of a couple of years or so.” VESSEL cont’d to page 36

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Owners Lorri Mostad and Doug Sherf describes their restaurant as a “bistro concept and coffee shop,” with much of the food made in-house, with as many locally sourced ingredients as they can. “Everything’s as natural as I can possibly make it,” said Vessel on Market cook Grant Juracek (above).

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VESSEL cont’d from page 33 By 2023, the building needed serious attention. The couple bought it and spent roughly two years restoring it, removing a drop ceiling to reveal the original tin ceiling and building a kitchen capable of supporting the type of food Mostad envisioned. The restoration produced two businesses under one roof. Nuuva Amelia, the adjoining retail shop, opened in March 2025, with Mostad curating its new, used, upcycled, vintage and antique merchandise. Vessel on Market followed in July, with customers entering the restaurant through the store. The space also has hosted work by local illustrator Kelley Starai and sculptor Jack Kromer, part of Sherf’s larger vision for the building. “We had hoped to create a destination, hoping that people can come to Mount Carroll for an afternoon or morning,” Sherf said. “They can have breakfast or coffee, and then do some shopping and see the rest of town. That’s the concept of what we have.” VESSEL cont’d to page 37

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VESSEL cont’d from page 36 The word “Vessel” carries its own meaning, Mostad said. The restaurant’s logo features hands holding a vase with a growing tree, with words such as kindness, hope, generosity, love, empathy, joy and integrity appearing on the leaves. “We as a person are a vessel, and out of us should come those qualities — whether it’s love, gratitude, empathy, integrity, kindness,” she said. “Really, it’s about being a vessel and filling yourself up with those good qualities. It’s about making a better world, and being kind to your fellow man. Be a good person. Be a good human.” Local customers remain important to that growth, even as visitors from farther away discover the restaurant. “We have a following of local people who are very committed in coming, and we’re still growing,” Mostad said. “We need customers and we need local customers, too. We’ve had people come in from Chicago, and they’re blown away, saying they love the food and everything about it.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

Vessel on Market, 107 W. Market St. in downtown Mount Carroll, is open 8 a.m.2 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Facebook, go to vesselonmarket.com or call 815-906-2017 for orders or more information.

Custom Shades/ Blinds/Shutters

Vanderheyden Furniture, 9105 US Highway 20 W Lena, IL 61048 (815) 369-2224 | www.vhomeinteriors.com A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026 | 37

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RUSTY SCHRADER/SVM PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

38 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026

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By Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media

There is a particular sound Elise Lawfer has learned to listen for at her farm. “Mom! Come look at this one!”

It is the voice of her 3-year-old daughter, Ellie, calling from the family’s pumpkin patch — where children can wander among the vines and discover a pumpkin that wasn’t there the last time they looked. When it’s time for Lawfer to pick and sell those pumpkins at their farm, the same sounds from the littlest customers bring just as much joy. Elise and her husband John own Faithful Fields, located a couple of miles west of Kent. The Lawfers not only grow pumpkins, but also sell jams, jellies, sauces and even a few baked goods from their self-service store on the farm. Though people may not think about it at first, pumpkins have something in common with kids —“They grow so darn quick,” as Elise says — so she hopes families will take the time to bring their little ones to Faithful Fields to pick out the perfect pumpkin, pick up some homegrown and homemade goods, and enjoy special family time together. And now is the perfect time to do it. Pumpkin-picking season comes pretty quickly. “One day you’ll look at them and then the next day, they’re huge. They are quick growers. You never know what’s out there until you go out and pick them. It’s like a surprise, like a scavenger hunt every time we go and pick.” The Lawfers’ farm has grown considerably since they planted their first pumpkins in 2022. What began with around 30 pumpkins has become a one-acre pumpkin patch, a garden, fruit trees and grapevines, and their store filled with canned goods, baked goods and other homemade products. They open their farm each September and it remains open through Christmas. Pumpkins dominate the early fall before the store takes on a Christmas motif in November. FIELDS cont’d to page 40

ED BY FAIT ROVID HFU OP L FIE OT PH LD

Elise and John Lawfer, seen here with daughter Ellie, own Faithful Fields, near Kent, where the couple grows pumpkins and produce on their farm, with some of the fruits and veggies used to make jellies, jams and other canned products that they sell at their seasonal shop. The couple recently welcomed a son, Jonah, on Aug. 24. S

A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026 | 39

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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

FIELDS cont’d from page 39 The inventory is broad enough to make browsing along its shelves part of the experience. Jams and jellies include familiar strawberry, raspberry and blackberry varieties, along with rhubarb orange, strawberry-rhubarb and a “Kitchen

goods, and one of her newest, is Cowboy Candy, a barbecue sauce made from candied jalapeños in a sweet-and-spicy sauce. The store also carries cranberry salsa, peach chili salsa and several versions of tomato salsa. Behind the variety is a process Elise knows well, from growing and harvesting ingredients to canning them on site in small batches and A finding other ways to use what view the farm produces. from the Aside from the joy she gets farm ... from being able to share her talents with people, Elise is also a fan of natural foods: “I enjoy making Sink” jam made from strawberries, things and I enjoy sharing things with blackberries, peaches and raspberries. people,” she said. “I enjoy sharing Then come more adventurous wholesome food,” and that means no combinations: a peach hot sauce dyes, no preservatives, just creativity made with habanero, plum soy sauce, and hard work. and pickled plums and rhubarb grilling sauce. Another of Elise’s canned FIELDS cont’d to page 42

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www.hometownmotorsautorepair.com 40 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | May 2026

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John Lawfer talks about the pumpkins he and his wife grow on their family farm. “Some of ... the ones that bring me the most joy, are the little ones,” he said. “Kids can actually pick them up ... and they feel good about spending a dollar and picking out a pumpkin that they can actually pick.”

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A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026 | 41

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FIELDS cont’d from page 40 Much of the produce that goes into those products comes from the Lawfers’ own garden. When something can’t be grown there, they try to source it from local farms. Customers can therefore find products on the shelves whose ingredients, in many cases, began growing within 30 feet of the Lawfers’ front door. Elise’s enthusiasm for canning can make a batch of salsa sound like an afternoon well spent. “I really like to can, but I have a problem of not knowing when to stop,” she said with a laugh. “To me, making 50 jars of salsa on a random afternoon is fun. I don’t like to sit idle.” She learned to can from friends while she was in college, starting mainly with sliced peaches. After she and John married, canning became something more, eventually expanding into the assortment they have now. Elise meticulously keeps track of what

sells, using that information to help determine how much she should grow and preserve. She also looks for ways to make the most of what the farm produces, using as much of the produce as possible rather than allowing usable portions to go to waste — for example, using the nutrient-rich skins from apples as part of her apple juice, which has a pinkish tint to it. The baked goods provide another outlet. Apple butter goes into the cinnamon rolls, while the selection also includes apple cider snickerdoodles, brown butter espresso brownies, chocolate chip cookies, frosted sugar cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip treats, pumpkin coffee cake and pumpkin cream pies. Cookie decorating kits add another seasonal option. People pay using the honor system — via cash, check of Venmo — which allows the store the flexibility to

accommodate a wider range of customers’ schedules, from early morning to evening. “I know that people’s schedules can get so crazy, and with small businesses, hours can be so small,” Elise said. “There are more hours that we can be open,” and the self-serve set-up allows people “to come before work, after work, before school or after school … I want to make sure people have a chance to come out.” John, whose family owns the property and also operates a nearby dairy farm, helps manage the growing operation. Pumpkins remain the biggest part of the farm, and are planted in two groups to reduce the risk of insects or disease wiping out the entire crop, with the timing planned around the store’s September opening. The Lawfers have also tried to keep the experience affordable, knowing pumpkins are seasonal decorations that eventually end up in the compost. FIELDS cont’d to page 44

Serving the Area Since 1988 We are Well Known Reliable & Fully Insured Rely on Word-of-Mouth Advertising Excellent Referrals • Family Owned • Interior & Exterior Painting • Power Washing

Our Services

Winter Creations

815-745-3329

42 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026

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From the field, and the kitchen

What’s behind the barn door? The Lawfers manage to pack a lot in their little red barn. “I really like to can,” says Elise — but there’s just one hitch: “I have a problem of not knowing when to stop,” she said with a laugh. “To me, making 50 jars of salsa on a random afternoon is fun.” CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Apple butter Blueberry butter Maraschino cherry Peach butter Peach habanero hot sauce Peachy heat BBQ Plum soy sauce Rhubarb grilling

Berry cherry Blackberry Peach Raspberry Rhubarb orange Strawberry Strawberry rhubarb Kitchen Sink (mixture of strawberries, blackberries, peaches and raspberries)

Apple Cinnamon anise Cranberry cider Elderberry Grape Peach Raspberry Strawberry

Cranberry Salsa (hot, mild, medium)

Peach Chili (hot, mild, medium) Tomato (hot, mild, medium)

sauce (hot, medium) Rum kissed zesty peach Smokey orchard BBQ Strawberry butter Sweet cherry topping Zesty plum sauce Cowboy BBQ sauce

Apple cinnamon Elderberry Peach Peach lemonade Strawberry Strawberry lemonade Reduced sugar strawberry Watermelon lemonade Cherry limeade concentrate

Apple butter cinnamon rolls Apple cider snickerdoodles Brown butter espresso brownies Chocolate chip cookies

Dill chip Dill spear Garlic dill spear Pickled plums Garlic dill pickle chip Jalapeno dill chip Bread & butter chip Garlic jalapeno dill spear Jalapeno dill spear

Frosted sugar cookies Pumpkin chocolate chip Pumpkin coffee cake Pumpkin cream pie Sprinkled sugar cookies

Cowboy candy Cowboy candy marinade Dill relish Banana peppers Dilly bean Banana pepper mustard

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A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026 | 43

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FIELDS cont’d from page 42 “Some of the best ones, and the ones that bring me the most joy, are the little ones,” John said. “Kids can actually pick them up, and sometimes we just charge two of those for a dollar, and they feel good about spending a dollar and picking out a pumpkin that they can actually pick.” A child’s wonder is one of the biggest joys he gets from being part of the farm — watching their faces light up and imagining them taking them home and picking out the perfect spot for the pumpkin. Elise hopes eventually to add a pickyour-own raspberry patch and grow more blueberries, continuing the same process that brought Faithful Fields from a handful of pumpkins to a store full of products. For her, it’s all about learning and growing — and she’s already starting to pass those lessons on to Ellie. “She likes to help,” Elise said. “I think kids miss that kind of stuff. I want her to know that her food doesn’t come from a

grocery store, and I want her to know about what it takes to have hard work pay off. I want her to have that work ethic. She has the option to do it later, but I want her to have those good foundations.” The Lawfers have built a business around growing things, yet they measure its success in more than what comes out of the soil. The farm has given them something to learn together, something to share with their customers and a way to connect with people through the things they grow and make. “Everything we do, we try to do for the glory of God, too, and be able to connect to people and say that we can’t do it without Him,” John said. “He’s blessed us with what we got, so we like to share that. All of the people that you get to meet, it’s been a blessing. It’s been a real joy.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

Building Your Future With Us

Faithful Fields, 14847 E. Kent School Road in Kent, is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily from mid-September to mid-November, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily mid-November to Dec. 26. Cash, check or Venmo are accepted for payment. Find it on Facebook, email eliselawfer@gmail.com or call or text 815291-3054 for more information.

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44 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026

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A Guide To

Lake Carroll Real Estate

Are you looking to enjoy the Lake Lifestyle? The following pages will show you the properties available to you right now! A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026 | 45

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$3,100,000 26-62 BLACKWOOD CT

PRICE IMPROVED

5 BATH

4 BDRM

5706 SQFT

$349,000

$669,000

5-216 H

LAKE CARROLL AREA PROPERTIES FOR SALE $674,000

$320,000

NEW LISTING

PRICE IMPROVED

NEW LISTING

COUNTRY VIEWS

LAKE VIEWS

WOODED

26-1 LAKE CARROLL

4-142R BEACHCOMBER

3-540 FAWN RIDGE

3 BA

23-37 BROADVIEW DR 4 BA

5 BDRM 4300 SQFT

2.5 BA

3 BDRM 2135 SQFT

3 BDRM 2738 SQFT

23-99

3 BDRM 2292 SQFT

2 Story Home | Large Yard Open Concept | 3 Car Garage Primary BR on Main | 1.68 A

Open Concept | Custom Home Built In 2024 | 4 Car Tandem Garage | 1.72 A

3-Seasons Room | Eat-In Kitchen | Ample Storage 2.5 Car Garage | 0.81 A

Open Concept | Upper & Lower Composite Decks Well Maintained | 0.31 A

$319,900

$279,900

$259,900

$650,000

Deeded Slip

Deeded Slip Deeded Slip

Deeded Slip

*S NEW LISTING

PRICE IMPROVED

NEW LISTING

FREEPORT

DEEDED SLIP

COUNTRY VIEWS

GOLF COURSE

WOODED ESTATE

5-68 DUSKY CT

4-23R GRANDVIEW DR

2 BDRM 1558 SQFT

2 BA 2 BDRM 1319 SQFT

4 BA 4 BDRM 5788 SQFT

Well Maintained | Scenic Furnished | Open Floorplan 2 Car Garage | 0.28 A

15th Hole of Course Expansive Deck | Furnished 1 Car Garage | 0.83 A

Full Brick Ranch | 3-Season Porch | Large Detached Garage | Expansive 15.33 A

31-66 WAKONDA DR 3 BA

2 BDRM 1800 SQFT

Country Views & Large Yard Open Concept | 2 Car Gar Unfinished Bsmt | 1.21 A

Lake Carroll Office: 3-203 Association Dr. Lake Carroll, IL 61046

2 BA

2856 W FOREST RD

info@fawnridgerealty.com

815-475

www.fawnridgerealty.com

$30

815-493-2829

46 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026

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KAYLA B

DESIGNATED M BROKER |

9/24/2026 12:46:42 PM

CT $875,000

GOLF COURSE

WATERFRONT

5-216 HEATHCLIFF DR

16-228 STONEHEDGE

3-369 LAKE CARROLL

25-65 COTTAGE HILL CT

LAKE CARROLL MARKET SUMMARY

$635,000

$1,000,000

97.3%

Sold Homes YTD

Avg Sale Price as % of Ask

WATERFRONT

23-99 BRIGHTON CT

27-53 RIDGEVIEW DR

(Jan 1 - Sep 23, 2026)

# Active Homes

WATERFRONT

Months of Inventory

Avg DOM - Sold Homes

Avg. Sale Price/Sq.Ft.

$188

Homes Pending

Avg Sale Price

$616,513

Balanced Market

Source: NorthWest IL Alliance of REALTORS

RIDGE

DEEDED SLIP LOTS

292 SQFT

WATERFRONT

Upper & te Decks d | 0.31 A

EN D

D EN P

WATERFRONT

ING

IN G

G IN D EN P

SQFT

n 2021 ne Cellar hen Pool | 1.60 A

$1,312,500

$425,000

$1,099,000

LAKE & COUNTRY VIEW LOTS

Deeded Slip*

26-2 Lake Carroll Blvd

1.97 A $15,500

20-31 & 32 Fox Run

0.53 A

$10

12-124R Briarwood

0.77 A

Deeded Slip

23-9 Lake Carroll Blvd

1.09 A $16,300

3-499 Shady Ln

0.30 A

$10

5-15 Berkshire Ct

0.97 A

$9,995

0.57 A

$10

4-168R Beachcomber 0.76 A

$10,000 $21,900

Deeded Slip

22-2 Lakewood Ct

1.08 A $18,000

12-251R Spring Crk

Deeded Slip

23-122 Lake Carroll Blvd

1.11 A

18-2 Lake Carroll Blv 1.12 A $2,500 17-200R Lake Carroll 1.16A 1.55 A 26-43 Norwood Dr 2.17 A $2,500 25-69 Cottage Hill

$20,000

Deeded Slip*

31-26 Cog Hill Ct

1.03 A $20,000

Deeded Slip*

31-28 Cog HIll Ct

1.00 A $20,000

Deeded Slip* Deeded Slip

31-29 Cog Hill Ct 24-22 Lake Carroll Blvd

1.10 A $20,000 3.55 A $24,900

Deeded Slip

27-65 Ridgeview Dr

2.96 A $36,000

1.46 A $5,000 25-26 Lake Carroll 13-73R Lakeview Ct 0.57 A $5,000 23-5 Lake Carroll 5-53R Chadbourne 0.57 A $5,500 25-43 Old Mill 18-17 Lake Carroll

$6,900

$14,400

1.95 A

$24,900

1.49 A

$29,000

1.97 A

$30,000

23-21 Broadview Dr 1.20 A $6,000

* Slip Available For 2026 Season!

STATE

EST RD

788 SQFT

3-Season etached ve 15.33 A

KAYLA BLOCK

NICK BLOCK

DESIGNATED MANAGING MANAGING BROKER OWNER BROKER | OWNER

815-475-8060

815-906-1701

CYNDY GRIFFIN BROKER 815-238-7597

BARB HILL BROKER

815-766-2758

JOANNE KUTZ

TOM MILLER

GARY SHELLHAUSE

815-858-4845

815-297-4968

815-238-4368

BROKER

MANAGING BROKER

$30 Million In Lake Carroll Properties Sold In 2025! A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026 | 47

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KNOWS LAKE CARROLL MAKE LAKE CARROLL YOUR SANCTUARY Call us to Buy or Sell NEW LISTING

Town Lake & Country

815-493-SOLD

NEW LISTING

E P SAL

24-92 Hidden Valley Ct

24-80 Saddlewood Lane

Stunning Waterfront Estate with 187 Feet of Serene Shoreline. Ranch home with walk out to the water has attached 3 car garage PLUS 35X46 Finished Outbuilding

SPECTACULAR CLASSIC WATERFRONT HOME ON 3.57 ACRES WITH OVER 228’ OF SHORELINE. A magnificent home with attached 3 car garage. First time to the market.

5 BEDROOMS - 3 BATHS -3541 SQ FT.

5 BEDROOM - 3 BATHS - 5000 SQ FT

HAS A BOATHOUSE AT THE WATER

SOLD BY RE/MAX

$1,699,000

$1,499,000

SOL

24-83 Ranchwood

Experience exceptional waterfront living in this one-of-a-kind custom post-and-beam estate, offering 84 feet of pristine shoreline, two private docks, and outstanding swimming waters. Has a boathouse and a 36X40 Extra Building

5 BEDROOMS - 3.5 BATHS - 4660 SQ FT

NEW PRICE $999,000

Cal

21-78 LAKE CARROLL BLVD • LAKE CARROLL, IL

26-24 Westwood SPECTACULAR WATERFRONT LOT

1.66 ACRES

$730,000 Listed by Fawnridge Real Estate Company

TOWN L A KE & COUNTRY

END

ING

27-43 Ridgeview

24-72

SPECTACULAR WATERFRONT LOT Stunning lakefront home with 188’ of Glorious shoreline. Hardscaping and landscaping all new in 2026. Gorgeous home in immaculate condition.

WATERFRO on 2.3 ac outstand

5 BEDROO

5 BEDROOMS - 3.5 BATHS - 4100 SQ FT

$1,499,000

95 FEET OF SHORELINE

E P SAL

END

ING

24-1

21-51 Marina Ct.

WATERFRONT HOME WITH A DEEDED SLIP IN THE EAST MARINA (B18) - BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION - READY FOR OCCUPANCY IN MAY 2026! Five bedrooms and three bathrooms make this a very spacious home.

Complete fully furnishe blends m

5 BEDROOMS - 3 BATHS - 3520 SQ FT

4 BEDROO

Julie Wenzel

Patti Kloep

815-541-1001

815-266-4

NEW PRICE $699,000

www.buylakecarroll.com • email us at: BuyLakeCarroll@yahoo.com

Managing Broker juliewenzel@remax.net

Broker Asso

48 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026

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9/25/2026 9:25:41 AM

pattik@remax

CALL US TO LIST YOUR LAKE CARROLL PROPERTY

untry

ARROLL, IL

OLD

Call us for a FREE, NO OBLIGATION VALUE ESTIMATE FOR YOUR PROPERTY

NEW LISTING

E P SAL

NT LOT h 188’ of ping and 2026. e condition.

END

ING

23-48 Barrington Ct.

WATERFRONT DREAM HOME! Log home on 2.3 acre mature lot and 174 feet of outstanding shoreline and deep water.

MAGNIFICENT WATERFRONT HOME. Perched along a pristine stretch of shoreline, this ideal lake house blends scale, comfort, and effortless connection to the water.

$1,499,000 NEW LISTING

ELINE

SOL

P IN THE EAST CTION - READY edrooms and cious home.

520 SQ FT

$1,390,000 NEW LISTING

28-70 Lake Carroll Blvd

EQUESTRIAN PROPERTY WITH 2.56 ACRES AND 2 HORSE BARNS. Working horse property at Lake Carroll! Charming ranch home with 2 finished levels.

$549,000

NEW PRICE $475,000

4 BEDROOMS - 3 BATHS - 3200 SQ FT

e Wenzel

Patti Kloepping

Tracey DeCrane

David Peterson

Jess Schumacher

-541-1001

815-266-4020

815-677-2164

815-238-2269

608-347-3659

aging Broker

Broker Associate

nzel@remax.net

pattik@remax.net

Broker Associate

traceydecrane@gmail.com

Broker Associate

dcpeterson@remax.net

25-78 Lake Carroll Blvd.

WATERFRONT HOME ON 2 ACRE LOT WITH 233 FT. OF GLORIOUS SHORELINE. OVER 4700 FINISHED SQ FT., 4 BEDROOMS, 3.5 BATHS AND NICE FINISH AT THE WATER.

$1,390,000 Listed by KW Inspire

2.92 ACRE LOT WITH WATERVIEW

SOL

Completely rebuilt in 2024, this exquisite, fully furnished, 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home blends modern luxury with serene lake community living.

4 BEDROOMS - 3.5 BATHS - 3780 SQ FT

000

5 BEDROOMS - 4.5 BATHS - 5675 SQ FT

24-123 Wagon Wheel

SOLD BY RE/MAX

SOL

24-72 Saddlewood Lane

5 BEDROOMS - 4 BATHS - 3643 SQ FT

4100 SQ FT

WATERFRONT ESTATE

28-12 Lake Carroll Blvd.

EXCITING NEW PROPERTY! Completely REBUILT contemporary beauty on 2.92 private lot with gorgeous open play area. Fabulous views. MUST SEE INSIDE.

3 BEDROOMS - 3.5 BATHS - 3800 SQ FT

$459,000

Broker/Owner

jess.schumacher@remax.net

PHILANTHROPIC SPONSOR

A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026 | 49

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REAL R EA AL ES ESTATE STATEE M MADE AD A D M MOD MODERN ODEERN RN R N

123 N Galena Avenue, Freeport, IL

Text/Call:

815.541.5557

Kimberly Taylor Broker/Owner

www.nexthomeﬁrstclass.com

Residential · Commercial · Land · Farms - Closed over $48M in 2025

SOLD: 204 W Pearl St $189,500

23633 Carroll Road $295,000

5-124 Sunrise Ct $765,000

24-100 Shenandoah

309 S Linn Street

520 N Burns St $140,000

10489 Maple Grove Rd $225,000

$435,000

$175,000

Access Lot Access Lot

Access Lot

26-4 Wynwood Ct

27-20 Norwood Dr $2,500

$5,000

FOR SALE:

Agent Owned

5-143 Chadbourne Dr $1

24-134 Hidden Ranch Dr

13-145

$338,500

$10

Horse Property

Newberry Ct

5 Acres Full Basement 2 Garages

-Licensed d over 20 Y Years ears - Lake Carroll H Home ome Owner Each E ach office off o ffffiice ce is independently independen pend denttly ly owned ow and nd operated. operate

50 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | October 2026

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Amy Barnes Designated Managing Broker 815-238-8360

www.BarnesRealtyInc.com

866-493-2300

SOLD

PENDING

31-5 MEDINAH DRIVE, LAKE CARROLL

21-9 TIMBER SHORE DRIVE, LAKE CARROLL

19-28 HIDDEN VALLEY DRIVE, LAKE CARROLL

3 Bedroom | 2 Baths | Call Amy Barnes 1.03 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | $339,000

3 Bedrooms | 2 Full/2 Half Baths | Agent Owned 1.07 Acre Lot | 3 Car Garage | $449,000

PRIVACY, NATURE, & DEED BOAT SLIP!

LARGE LOT, OPEN FLOOR PLAN, BASEMENT FINISH!

NEAR CLUBHOUSE & GOLF COURSE

3 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms | Call Amy Barnes 2.93 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | $229,000

VACANT LOTS

SOLD 3-532 FAWN RIDGE DRIVE, LAKE CARROLL INVITING HOME TUCKED IN THE WOODS 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | Call Amy Barnes 0.52 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | $239,900

SOLD

12-211 ROSEWOOD LANE, LAKE CARROLL RANCH STYLE ON 1+ ACRE CORNER LOT 3 Bedrooms | 3 Baths | Call Amy Barnes 1.23 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | $285,000

Doug Moll Managing Broker 815-238-3626

SOLD 17-90 WHITEWATER DRIVE, LAKE CARROLL WARMTH, FUNCTIONALITY, & ATTENTION TO DETAIL

SOLD 25-14 COUNTRY HILL COURT, LAKE CARROLL EXPOSED RANCH WITH DEEDED BOAT SLIP 4 Bedrooms | 3 Baths | Call Margaret 1.72 Acre Lot | 3 Car Garage | $495,000

Aime Heldt Broker 815-291-8256

Trish Oppold Broker 815-541-7138

Margaret Rominski Broker 815-291-5269

4 Bedroom | 3 Baths | Call Amy Barnes 0.53 Acre Lot | 3 Car Garage | $499,000

960 WOODSIDE TERRACE, FREEPORT BEAUTIFULLY APPOINTED COLONIAL

Gary Ludwig Broker 815-541-5959

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HUGE SALE ON IN-STOCK PONTOONS & FISHING BOATS! Professional Fall Services Let us winterize your Outboards

Crest Caribbean 230 SLS

Inboards Stern Drives PWC’s Ballast Tanks/Boat Heaters

Falcon F20 Predator

Shoreline Dock & Lift Removal Boat Bottom Cleaning Detailing Pickup & Delivery Storage

Monday-Friday 7am-4pm Saturday 7am-Noon

www.millersport.com

Crestliner 1750 Pro Tiller

Bait & Tackle in stock

7,000 sq. ft. Showroom Competitive Prices • Dedicated Staff Largest Accessory Dept. in the Area Quality Service from Factory Trained Technicians On Water Service • Indoor Storage • Dock & Lift

SM-ST2351151

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