Also inside Volunteers bring a lot to the table at food pantry Phone broke? Sounds like a job fit for a King Merry memories at Lake Carroll Caterer is fired up over food Lake Carroll: Pure poetry
FAST. RELIABLE. ALWAYS ON. STAYED CONNECTED WITH JCWIFI.
As Northwest Illinois’ largest, locally-owned internet provider, JCWIFI is committed to providing dependable wireless internet from farm homes to lake homes across the region. We proactively manage the network to stay ahead of issues that may arise. Whether working from home or just relaxing, JCWIFI has you covered for a happy new year.
What you can expect: aNo lag, buffering or service loss during video calls, online gaming, streaming and system updates aThe use of multiple, in-home devices online at the same time without “stealing” each other’s bandwidth aA plan that fits your needs and budget
Fast. Reliable. Always on internet service in Stephenson, Jo Daviess and Carroll counties.
451 West South Street | Freeport, Illinois 61032 | 815.233.2641 | jcwifi.com
CONTACT US FOR YOUR FREE SITE INSPECTION!
With cutting-edge technology and major upgrades, JCWIFI ensures that ALL of our plans have the internet service that you need and expect. Call 815.233.2641 or visit jcwifi.com to get connected or to upgrade plans this season.
articles and advertisements 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.
f anyone wants to know why Lake Carroll is so great, they should go right to the source — and that’s just what we did.
Our team here at Lake Lifestyle thought it would be a nice way to help wrap up Lake Carroll’s year-long 50th an niversary celebration by publishing 50 things to love about Lake Carroll, so we posed a question on the Lake Carroll Homeowners Facebook group asking people what they like about Lake Carroll, and we couldn’t have been happier with the response. Dozens weighed in with what they loved about life on the lake, from flora and fauna to friends and family and even cows! We also took a trip down memory lane, and let our fingers do the walking through the pages of previous issues of Lake Lifestyle, to find some reasons to love the lake.
If a yearlong celebration of the commu nity’s success has said one thing about Lake Carroll, it’s that the people who live there whether permanent or part-time — are happy to call it home. And let’s face it, with out people, Lake Carroll would just be another blue blob on map. But the people — from those who dreamed of a lakeside community 50 years ago to those who are living their dreams at the lake today — are what’s made Lake Carroll “Northwest Illinois’ best kept se cret.” While the lake may be the community’s lifeblood, the people are its heartbeat. They’re the neighbors you know and the friends you’ve made.
We hope you enjoy reading what people love about life on the lake — and if you missed our Facebook post or forgot to send in a response, don’t worry; we’d still like to hear from you. Drop us an email at ccutter@saukvalley.com by Dec. 11 and we’ll include additional responses in January's Lake Lifestyle.
Now, on to your love letter to the lake — enjoy!
Lake Carroll will close out a memo rable year at the end of December.
Perhaps no other year had quite the excitement and celebration as this one — the 50th anniversary, the golden jubilee, of the opening of Lake Carroll.
Illinois’ largest private lake and the community around it has been abuzz with monthly celebrations, bringing many residents together, both long-timers and newcomer alike. Regard less how long they’ve called the lake home, they have one thing in common: They’re thankful that they have a won derful gem of a place to call a home.
Lake Carroll has been home to thou sands of people over the last half-centu ry, each moving there for many reasons — from people looking for a place to get
away from the hustle and bustle of a big city, to local folks who are drawn to the scenic community in the heart of the country — and they all love Lake Carroll. One of those people was the late Janice Wilhelms, and her feelings for her beloved community moved her to pen a piece of poetry. Prose had been a lifelong interest of hers when she wasn’t working in he marketing career at First State Bank of Shannon, Polo and Lake Carroll for 40 years. Wilhelms’ observations of the community and seeing it survive its early years and thrive in later years sparked a burst of inspiration and she took pen to paper — and she wrote from the heart, about the place she called home, in a poem she composes July 4, 2010.
The poem begins with a look at how
the community came to be, and how the lake acts as its centerpiece. References to the lake’s beauty and nearby flora and fauna take shape in the latter half of the poem, evoking an image that one can still see and reflect on today.
Janice and her husband, Omar, raised two children, Robin and Candy, whose families continue to live nearby. She wrote many poems about family, friends and her community throughout her life, before she died on June 19, 2020. The June 2020 Lake Carroll newsletter included her obituary and republished of her poem, “Legacy of a Lake.”
As Lake Carroll closes out its 50th year, we here at Lake Lifestyle find it fit ting to close this volume of the magazine with Wilhelms’ poem. Thanks, Janice, for leaving behind such a lovely legacy of your love for Lake Carroll.
— Cody Cutter, Sauk ValleyMedia
Hidden in the hills where bittersweet grew and animals grazed
With sections of land where farm crops were raised, A small stream wandered here and there through the countryside For many years on this Carroll County land, families did abide.
One day from a helicopter was seen this desirable site, A potential area for a recreational community to delight.
A lake would develop from this tiny meandering stream, Purchase the land, sell lots, a profitable venture it would seem.
As the development of this new community hopefully came about, A large lake from this small stream all seemed to doubt. Constructing a dam created a 56- to 85-foot deep lake, they tell, The lake of 640 acres produced many property lots to sell.
In the new Lake Carroll Project homes were built on lots sold, The legacy of the lake ... a story of success began to unfold.
Small homes, million-dollar homes were being constructed each day From far and near came permanent and weekend residents to stay.
A new community built around the attraction of a lake, A lake that each season tells of activities, if desired, to participate. The glorious colors of the sunsets summer, spring, winter and fall, Reflect stunning beauty beyond any words could recall.
The birth of this community enhanced by many amenities too, A lodge, a clubhouse and an aquatic center very new. Golfers seek tee times on a course highly praised on this land, Organized clubs to join with many interesting activities planned.
The lake water’s story has many patterns to display, The surface of the water interestingly varies with each day. Strong storm winds cause glistening diamond-top waves to form, Calm serenity, over the lake, returns with the end of the storm.
Morning smoothness of the lake an amazing spell does cast, But knowing that this peaceful time will soon flee fast. Almost smiling the lake seems to realize and anticipate It’s the playground for many water sports — its happy fate.
When the bright sunlight unfolds with a demanding wake-up call The lake is ready and waiting for the activities one and all. Watching fascinating waves brings some excitement and fun to the day As water skiers, ski-dos and boaters run fast or just lazily play.
Not long after the darkness of night does fade and disappear, At the water’s edge gentle ripples began to occur. The Canada Geese for a morning bath by the water does stop Making more evident waves as their wings do a flip flop.
Sipping a little drink in shallow water stands a Mother Deer and Fawn, Causing a slight lake flutter in the early hours of dawn. Most of the coal-black Coots have raised their families and fled, Chipmunks scamper to find seeds where birds are fed.
Proud and graceful eagles soar with wide spread wings As the Jenny Wren scolds and in her sassy way sings. Wild turkey gather in their own designated areas each day, Turkey vultures continually watching to capture their next prey.
A small fishing boat appears with a fishing pole to use, Hopes are high that the tasty bait no fish will refuse! Fishermen sit silently for a disappearing bobber does wait, Frequently checking the minnow bucket to assure enough bait.
A black cloud storm gathers rapidly in the distant sky, As it nears the winds produce choppy waves very high. The lake they deserted fearing lightning, wind and rain, The storm subsides and the gentle lake wonders remain.
Rays of sunshine on this majestic lake reflects new anticipation, Of another day on the lake and the enjoyed year-round recreation. The Legacy of a Lake continues on farm land previously unknown, Where a diverse community of togetherness now has in previously grown.
hen was the last time you needed the services of a blacksmith? A cobbler? How about a stonemason? Chances are, you’ve never picked up the phone to call one. But it’s a safe bet that you’ve needed to pick up the phone to call someone when one of your electronic doodads has turned into a doo-dud — unless, of course, it’s your phone’s that wasn’t working.
Either way, Geraud Zinsou can help.
Zinsou is the man to call when you’ve got electronics on the blink or you need someone to squash some technical bugs, and he does it at his downtown Lanark repair shop, The Kings of Connections.
Cell phones, flat screen TVs, cam eras, tablets, gaming consoles, drones — all things electronic eventually play out at some point, and often at the most inopportune time. While many of us may just curse and grumble and look for the nearest electronics recycling bin to chuck our tech into, Zinsou says hold on: There may just be a fix to those faltering gadgets, and Zinsou might be the Mr. Fix-It you need to connect with.
“Any electronic that’s designed is meant to be fixed,” Zinsou said. “It’s a challenge, especially when I start working on something that doesn’t give me any rules to fix it” — but he’s up to the challenge. In fact, he thrives on it. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I can leave here today and go home and I’ll be thinking about it — then it would come up to me to try ‘this’ and it will work. Anything that can give me a little bit of challenge can help make my brain work, and make me happy.”
Geraud Zinsou, owner of The Kings of Connections, works on a computer at his downtown Lanark shop. Zinsou is the man to call when you’ve got elec tronics on the blink or
Zinsou’s desk is full of stacks of elec tronics and the special tools needed to fix them. There’s a mountain of mechanical madness elsewhere throughout the shop, too, some of which are tech fads that have long since faded; still though, there are some people who prefer the good old goodies — push-button Nokia cell phones, VCRs, Super Nintendos — and Zinsou can help breathe new life into them.
Zinsou understands that in today’s increas ingly disposable society, it can sometimes be cheaper to buy new than to repair — that’s up to each customer to weigh the pros and cons of fixing vs. buying — but he also knows that some people prefer to keep their classic tech. One customer of his from Lake Carroll, for example, prefers to have an older model cell phone.
“He told me, ‘I know my phone is old, but I love the phone and I’m used to the technology,’” Zinsou said. “He went to get a new battery and was told to get a new phone. He said, ‘I bought it and can’t use it because I don’t understand this kind of phone. This is confusing to me and the other one is so simple.’ I fixed the old one, and the new one that he bought, he got rid of it.”
Zinsou is a native of Benin, located in western Afri ca along the Atlantic Ocean, and grew up in Bordeaux in France, where “they make the most best wine in the world,” he said. After studying at the University of Bordeaux, he came to the United States 11 years ago and worked as an IT specialist for John Deere in the Quad Cities. He came to La nark in early 2018 to be closer to his fiancee, and co-worker, Victoria Polizzi, and opened his shop later that year.
In addition to repair work, King of Connections offers other services, too, such as unlocking a password-protected phone and computer virus removal. The shop also carries a small line of accessories to help protect your electronics. House calls for larger electronic repairs also can be arranged.
Need something fixed? The first step is to have Zinsou look at the device personally before committing to having it repaired. That way, he can tell what model it is and find the parts and tools needed for it. Any part that costs more than $50 requires prepayment.
“We need to see the device first to get the model number and to see if there are parts in stock,” Zinsou said. “If we have something in stock, it can be done the same day, or we can order something and have it here the next day. It’s up to the customer how fast they want it done. The other aspect of see ing the device is that you can take a model, such as a Samsung J3, and they have many models out. If you order a screen for a J3, and bring it in and it’s the wrong model, that one small discrepancy won’t make anything work.”
CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@ SAUKVALLEY.COM
It’s happened to a lot of us: One second the phone’s in your hand, the next second it took a nosedive and it’s face down on the ground — but just because the screen is busted doesn’t mean crack kills your phone; it can be fixed, and Zinsou is the guy to do it.
You’ve probably never seen your cell phone like this, but for Zinsou, it’s all parts and parcel — but that doesn’t mean it’s easy dissecting a phone and putting it back together, so it’s a good thing he doesn’t give up easily. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I can leave here today and go home and I’ll be thinking about it — then it would come up to me to try ‘this’ and it will work. Anything that can give me a little bit of challenge can help make my brain work, and make me happy.”
Electronic repair isn’t all Zinsou offers, he also provides vehicle title, registration, and sticker services. In addition, he’s also a notary public, and coor dinates UPS and FedEx package pickups and dropoffs, keeping him busy even when there’s a lull in electronic work.
While all those services may seem like an odd pairing, being a sort of Geraud-of-alltrades was a good fit for the small community.
“Living in Lanark, there’s nothing here to drop off a package, I had to go to Freeport or Sterling,” Zinsou said. “There was no FedEx, or anything. It’s something that I needed, but was not provided because it’s a small town and I have to drive farther away. At some point I was thinking, ‘Why hadn’t someone ever thought of putting something like that here?’”
It was the same with the vehicle services. One day, not too long after he opened his shop, he made his annual visit to the Illinois Secre tary of State’s office in Chadwick to take care of some vehicle business. While waiting, he began to think about a way to prevent all of that line lingering and bring some of those ser vices closer to home, and set out to find out what it would take to do just that.
“The main purpose [at the shop] was doing repair, but then I talked with the Secretary of State’s Office and the DMV staff about doing registrations and stick ers,” Zinsou said. “They can have everything they need here instead of having to drive to Freeport, Sterling, Rockford or the Quad Cities.”
“Especially when it’s winter time, we have seniors who don’t want to drive and take the risk to go farther away just to get a small thing done,” he said. “I figured I would be here to help everybody.”
And for Zinsou, that’s what it’s all about: helping people. He has a passion for providing people with services they need at a price they can afford.
“I love to be able to help my community,” he said. “ I don’t care about the money, I always care about helping people.”
The Kings of Connec tions, 125 N. Broad St. in downtown Lanark, is open from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Monday though Friday; and Satur day by appointment. Find it on Facebook, email screenfix@thek ingsofconnections.com or call 815-493-3095 to arrange for a repair or for more information.
here there’s smoke, there’s Scott Heeren.
For nearly 30 years, Scott has been turning up the heat on meat, and in recent years he’s turned that tal ent into a business: Custom Catering and BBQ.
Grilled or smoked, pork, chicken or beef, each cut is like a blank canvas full of potential for Scott as he takes basting brush in hand and turns meat into masterpieces. The business caters to events big and small — weddings, gradua tions, cookouts, public or private events, and more — wherever his flair for flavors is needed.
Working out of a kitchen in a former elementary school, Scott shares his Custom kitchen with wife Chastity, who runs a meal prep business, Body by Drive, which whips up healthy macro-rich meals.
Meats, smoked or grilled, are the main course, but the menu also includes a number of signa ture sides, and the couple likes to mix things up, too.
The Heerens often find time to try something new, such as shrimp boils and shepherd’s pies. Some dishes have the couple’s own spin on them, such as the Q’ban sandwich — a Cuban sandwich with the emphasis on the Q — smoked pork and ham topped with mustard, pickles and cheese.
Scott Heeren of Custom Catering and BBQ tends to a recent order cooked up in his Old Hickory commercial meat smoker.Even though practice makes perfect — and this BBQ pitmaster has had plenty of practice — Scott still enjoys finding new ways to perfect his culinary craft.
“I don’t cook off recipes. I cook off what I like and play with it for the public,” he said. “Sometimes you got to tame stuff down a little bit, sometimes you got to kick stuff up. A lot of it is taking something that we think we do pretty good, and putting it together and seeing how it comes out.”
His partner in life, and business, is the same way: “I’ve always enjoyed food,” Chas tity said. “When I’m bored, that’s what I do; I’ll bake or play in the kitchen — thinking about what to make for dinner with what we have laying around. Sometimes it’s a stress reliever.”
As a young adult, Scott began smoking meats with a brother and uncle, and soon took their talents to a competitive stage in Kansas City BBQ Society competitions throughout Illinois. Several rib bons and a few state championships helped build Scott’s confidence, but competitive cooking didn’t come cheap, and that got Scott to thinking about cooking up a way to turn his hobby into a business.
Scott may be the pitmaster, but he’s quick to acknowledge that Custom Catering and BBQ is a team effort, with his wife, Chastity, show here putting together an order of pork chop sandwiches for a recent event. She and Scott opened the business in 2014. “It’s a two-fer,” he said. “I couldn’t do anything without her.”
Scott has had years of practice perfecting his recipes, — and he’s managed to pick up some awards along the way — but he still likes to mix things up, based on customers’ tastes. “I don’t cook off recipes. I cook off what I like and play with it for the public,” he said. “Sometimes you got to tame stuff down a little bit, sometimes you got to kick stuff up.”
“I was just looking for a different career, and I had catered and worked with food earlier,” Scott said. He found it in 2014, when he launched Custom Catering and BBQ, and the business has grown since then. “We started out of our garage with a little smoker, then we moved to a commercial kitchen in Mount Carroll which was rental space, and then got into this spot to keep everything under one roof, and it’s just grown from there.”
The meat they use comes from a variety of wholesalers. Smoked entrees include pork loin, pulled pork, baby back and St. Louis style ribs; pulled and whole chicken; and Angus beef brisket and Angus prime rib. From the grill, options include burgers, pork chop sandwiches, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, kabobs, burgers and steaks. Signature sides include pulled pork loaded baked potatoes, potato salad, cole slaw, “kickin” corn casserole and green beans with bacon. Dessert, anyone? Trifles and cobblers are among the sweet treats.
There’s a lot more, too: Go to customcateringandbbq.com for a full list of what they can cook up.
The business’ meals on wheels, the Q Shack, is a food trailer that can set up to sell sandwiches and sides at factory lunch breaks and community events, such as the annual Lake Carroll Labor Day Bonfire and Lanark’s Old Settlers Days. The Heerens’ youngest son, Carsen, a senior at Eastland High School, helped his parents out a lot over the summer, driving the trailer to the factories and working in it as well as chipping in around the kitchen.
“It’s a lot of hours,” Scott said. “When we’re in heavy season; during the summertime, once we open the trailer, we’re 7 days a week – and a lot of times 12 or 14 hours a day. It all depends on what’s going on all of the time.”
While the bottom line is always important for any business, being part of the community is a top priority, too.
“For me, it’s just being independent and be ing able to do what we like doing, and support ourselves, and being a part of our com munity,” Scott said. “This is how we help out. When there are situations, accidents, or events that happen where people need food, we try to help out that way and donate our time to do whatever we can.”
They also like to stay busy, even during the down time, like when the Q Shack was parked for the winter a couple years ago.
The Heerens came up with a way to keep busy and try something new in the process: making pizza. The pizzas, made in a wood fire pizza oven, included specialty types such as pulled pork macaroni and cheese and chicken, bacon and ranch, as well as the typical sausage and pepperoni.
“The crazy part was that we had decided to try it out and set up one night to do pizzas, and we planned on being open for 2 hours, but we kicked out over 80 pizzas that night.” Heeren said. “It was crazy. It was unbelievable. I think people were just curious.”
The Heerens are already thinking inside the box to keep the business busy this winter. They’re offering meat boxes and individual serving meal sets, just in time for the holiday gatherings. One box includes 2
pounds each of hickory-smoked pulled pork, barbe cue pulled chicken and hickory smoked beef brisket, along with a pint of sauce. The second box has the same, but adds a rack of baby back ribs and two ar madillo eggs. The individual meal set includes two of each of the five meals: creamy chicken and biscuits, shepherd’s pie, cheesy ham and potatoes, a pulled pork loaded baked potato, and meatloaf with sweet potatoes. Ordering information is available on Custom Catering and BBQ’s Facebook page, with orders due by Dec. 12 and ready for pickup on Dec. 21.
The kitchen, at 200 S. School St., also is open for pickup of individual lunches; dates and times vary, check the Facebook page for updated informa tion.
The Heerens also plan to come out with packaged meals with their entrees soon, which would include briskets, chili, mostaccioli, pulled pork macaroni and cheese, to name a few. Chastity does this already for her Body by Drive line of food, and both she and Scott are finding out that there’s a growing demand for letting someone else do the cooking.
“We’re finding that a lot of people, especially the older generation, don’t want to cook,” Chastity said. “So we’re able to meet that need. We’re really all over the board with what we do. People seem to not want to cook anymore, and they’re all going in different direc tions. We’re just filling that void.”
While they may be all over with what they do, there’s one constant that keeps the business running, and it’s a two-for-one special.
“It’s a two-fer,” Scott said. “I couldn’t do any thing without her.”
Whether your family cel ebrates the 12 days of Christ mas, the 8 days of Hanukkah or the 7 days of Kwanzaa, December is a month filled with celebration and reflec tion of life’s blessings. Lights dance on the Christmas tree, candles flicker on menorahs and kinarahs, holiday music fills the air — it’s a bright and joyous time of year. It’s also a time of traditions, and each family has their own. Some have become holiday clas sics handed down through the years, while others are just beginning to find their way into family celebrations.
Moms and dad and grandpas and grammas, cousins and other kin come together to have some festive fun, enjoy a meal, and catch up on what they’re doing. Sure, the presents are nice, but the real gift of the yule tide season is the memories that we cherish for a lifetime.
Throughout the 50 years of Lake Carroll’s history, its residents have made memories of their own, some of which they’ve shared with readers in the pages of Lake Lifestyle this year; and this month, we’ve got a couple holiday memories, cour tesy of a pair of Lake Carroll families. We thank them for taking the time spread a little holiday cheer.
Whatever holiday you cel ebrate, we hope it’s a happy one for you and yours.
The Lake Carroll Chorus group once put on an an nual Christmas concert. The choral group disbanded years ago, but the memories of harmonies continue to resonate in the minds of many residents.
Mary Anderson and her husband, Richard, en joyed going to these concerts, and they delighted in more than just the holiday tunes.
“Rich and I moved to Lake Carroll in late November 2005. We went to the Christmas concert at the lodge that December. We did not know anyone that day.
“Fast forward to the last concert before the chorus dis banded. I’m sorry I don’t remember the year, but what I do remember is that we knew everyone at the concert that day.
“That will continue to be one of my favorite memories.”
“We live full-time at Lake Carroll and Christmas at the Lake has always been special.
When we moved in, we had two grand children, and now we are up to 12. So, you know, Christmas at our house is always exciting and fun.
We always have a real tree from Dollinger’s Christmas tree farm — and they have some beauties. We always say we need to go smaller, but they keep ending up at 12-plus-feet tall and very big around. Fortunately, we have a large great room to put it in.
The day after Thanksgiving is tradition ally the day we go with the kids and get a tree. Everyone piles in, picks out the tree and then we pile what we can into the truck! The kids just love it. Our biggest tree has to be the one we surrounded with 12 snowmen. Yes, the snowman consisted of three boxes and each box held a gift. The kids have never been so excited!
Now all we hear is, “What is the theme for Christmas this year, Grandma?” Well, I am working on that.
Merry Christmas to all.”
— CYNDY & JIM GRIFFINJim and Cyndy Griffin’s grandchildren get ready for Christmas at Grandma’s house, with a tree from Dollinger Tree Farm, just outside of Lake Carroll. The Griffins’ have 12 grandchildren, nine of whom are pictured below: Conner Kendall, Aiden Griffin, Colin Griffin, Cooper Kendall, Brady Griffin, Samantha Kendall, Mary Kendall, Grace Kendall and Riley Griffin.
Christmas is a special time of year for The Griffin family, and their month-long living room lights are a grand display. Last Christ mas, each of her 12 grandchildren were represented by “snowmen” around the tree.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Volunteers at the Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry gather for a photo earlier this year. They include (front row, from left) Deb Meyer, Vicky Mathew, Rebecca Kempel and Michele Horner; and (back) Doyle Morris, Steve Fry, Dolores Fry, Linda Stevens and Deb Foust.
By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media
ot everyone is lucky enough to have a pantry full of food. Rising food costs and other financial challenges have forced many rural fami lies to tighten their budgets, and belts, and that’s made it a challenge to keep food on the table.
That’s where a dedicated group of volunteers comes in. They’re the people behind the Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry, and they’ve made it their mission to keep hunger from having a seat at the table.
Vicky Mathew co-chairs the pantry along with Deb Foust. They also lead a Sunday school class at the Bethel United Methodist Church in Shannon, and several students also take part in help ing stock the pantry. Through their service, they’ve come to know many people in the community, their needs, and the stories behind the struggles.
Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry volunteer Doyle Morris gathers items from a patron’s list to be given out during a recent distri bution day.
“It’s a blessing for us,” Mathew said. “You get to know the people, you get to know their story, and we get to learn some of the likes of some of the people, and develop special relations. It’s been quite an adventure.”
The pantry began in the late 1980s at Bethel United, not long after the Lanark and Shannon school districts consoli dated to form Eastland. Most volunteers come from the church’s adult Sunday school class; some haul products, some package items, some handle paperwork, and others simply are “prayer warriors,” who support the pantry in spirit, Mathew said. Other churches within the Eastland Council of Churches have also pitched in at times.
Michele Horner of Shannon has been a longtime volunteer at the pantry, and is one of those who’s seen the difference their work can make in people’s lives.
“It’s been a big eye-opener,” Horner said. “It has been a real blessing, because you get to know people in both of the communities, and you see the needs behind the scenes.”
The pantry serves the territory covered by the Eastland School District, which includes Lake Carroll, Lanark, Shannon, the smaller communities of Georgetown and Bolton, and rural areas in between. In a typical month, the pantry serves around 70 families, or about 180 to 200 people, a number that’s risen in recent years.
In order to be qualify for help, pantry patrons have to reside within the Eastland School District (a tax statement can be used to provide proof). That’s it. In Illinois, it’s illegal for pantries to ask patrons for their income or to set income requirements.
Distribution times are from 2 to 4 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays and the first Saturday of the month. Mathew said the Saturday hours only recently started because, not everyone could get there due to their work sched ules. During most distribution days, Mathew can be seen directing traf fic that comes to the pantry, some in cars, some by foot, and even some who come by on lawn mowers and golf carts. Each is given a number — first come first serve — and they’re invited into the pantry to choose from items volunteers have gathered; other needed items, picked by staff, are also available.
While most pantries simply offer pre-packed packages of as sorted items, the Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry is set up so that patrons can choose from a list of what’s available.
“We felt right from the beginning that it’s not fair just to pack stuff in a box and give it to them,” Mathew said. “You don’t even know if they’re going to need it, or are going to like it, and then it’s a waste. This gives them a choice. It’s like they’re shopping.”
According to the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2022 Report Card data, released in late October, 41.4 percent of students in the Eastland School District are classified as low-income by the state, which encompasses those who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches, live in substitute care, or whose families receive public aid. The percentage has remained steady, around 39 to 41 percent in the last 5 years. The low-income statistics are even greater in the western part of Carroll County: 50.7 percent of students in the West Carroll School District are classified as low-income, which is about average in the past 5 years, after a peak of 53.4 percent in 2017.
Volunteers at the Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry gather in prayer before starting their distribution day. On every first and third Tuesday and third Saturday, the pantry opens its doors to those in need. Snacks, soup, cereal, canned goods, fresh produce and more ... people who pop by the pantry have a wide selection of goods to choose from.
CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@ SAUKVALLEY.COM
Horner used to work as a teaching aid at the elementary school, and has come to know many families in that capacity.
“We try to reach out to families with a lot of kids,” Horner said. “Basically we get a lot of elderly people, and that’s fine, but what I would like to see more of is with the families that have a lot of kids that could use help. We don’t advertise, and a lot of this is word of mouth.”
Donated food comes from people throughout the area, including farmers who donate produce and meat. The pantry also gets help from the River Bend Food Bank of Davenport, Iowa, which is a larger pantry that serves smaller ones throughout the Midwest.
Lake Carroll residents have done their part to help the pantry through the years. During each meeting of the Lake Carroll Women’s Club, from September to June, a basket sits outside the meeting room at Plumtree Lodge for members to drop off donations. Most have donated items that beneficiaries wouldn’t be able to buy with food assistance (WIC) benefits, such as toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Lake Carroll’s Campground Social Club organizes an annual food drive each fall at the Clubhouse parking lot. This year’s drop-off was Nov. 12. Suggested donations for the drop-off were jars or cans of gravy for Thanksgiving baskets, frosting and cake mixes, pancake mix and syrup; personal hygiene products, dish soap, toilet cleaner, toothpaste and shampoo; as well as cooking oil, laundry soap and fabric softener.
Other organizations throughout Carroll County have similar donation pro grams, and some residents do their part on their own time as well to help the pantry out. Mathew utilizes parts of her own home to benefit the pantry: She raises vegetables such as cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins and zucchini to sell from a table in front of her home at Peace and Quiet Road, just outside of the Lake Carroll com munity boundary. Mathew opened the stand 4 years ago, and it took in $1,389 in donations in 2021. This year, the donations exploded, with the inclusion of pumpkins and gourds helping increase the year’s tally to $5,502.
“It just blew us away,” Mathew said.
Jackie Brown of rural Lanark is a regular patron, so much that she makes sure to bring a batch of cookies for the volunteers to enjoy while they’re working. She’s “very happy and very satisfied” something like this is around.
Megan Irvin of Lanark picks out some items from the ShannonLanark Food Pantry during a recent visit. Irvin visits the pantry for a client she takes care of through Addus HomeCare. “It helps her get by," she said. "It's amazing to have it here, and it's really nice with the prices constantly going up on everything.”
The “Peace and Quiet Road food stand,” as many folks in Lake Carroll call it, is run by Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry Cochairperson Vicky Mathew. Sales from the table of fresh pro duce go to support the pantry.
“It can’t be beat,” Brown said. “The help is just wonder ful, and the way they have it organized is so good. It’s a big variety. I can’t complain one single bit.”
Megan Irvin of Lanark comes often to get food for the client she takes care of through Addus HomeCare.
“I come here for my client and it helps her get by,” Irvin said. “It’s amazing to have it here, and it’s really nice with the prices constantly going up on everything, so it’s nice for her to have this.”
“We’ve been very blessed and well-supported, we really are,” Mathew said. “We’re blessed to be able to keep it this full.”
Distribution times at the food pantry are 2 to 4 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays and the first Saturday of the month. To donate or volunteer, call Deb Foust at 815-266-1221 of Vicky Mathew at 815-821-2667.
