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DEER GROVE, ERIE, FENTON, LYNDON, MORRISON, PROPHETSTOWN, TAMPICO A

PUBLICATION • SPRING/SUMMER 2020

more inside ...

There’s plenty to smile about at an Erie bar: Heaping helpings of hospitality and home cooking, and even a bit of hometown history that makes the local watering hole a Legends in its own right

Talent comes naturally for local photographer

Albany shop owner breathes new life into an old building, and she hopes others will follow her lead

Instructor helps people find their moments of truth

Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP), the professional summer theatre of northwestern Illinois, has the shows you will love: hot new shows just leaving Broadway, great American plays, everyone’s “old favorite” musicals, and the best in country, pop, and rock ‘n roll with our new expanded “Concert Series”. Join us for “Christmas in July” with our World Premier of What a Wonderful World.

Timber Lake Playhouse hires the best young theatrical talent from all over the United States, and we regularly bring back talented alumni who have gone on to stellar careers on Broadway, TV and Film. Noted past performers are Tony Winning Actress Jayne Houdyshell, Michael Gross (Family Ties), Jennifer Garner and Saundra Santiago (Miami Vice, Guiding Light, The Sopranos, and Broadway's Evita and more).

Santiago last appeared at TLP in 2016 as Rose in Gypsy.

Located just south of Mount Carroll, Illinois about 10 miles from the Mississippi River, TLP is a short drive from Fulton, Sterling and Rockford, Illinois. The current theatre building opened in 1975 with 371 seats. The building is fully air conditioned, and the fifteen-acre wooded campus is perfect for any other activity you and your guests desire. From picnicking on the deck overlooking beautiful Timber Lake to attending a pre-show activity in our newly acquired rustic barn, TLP is a great destination for a day of fun.

Check out our website at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org for more information about our shows and other activities.

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Inside Contents continued on page 4

A Legends in its own right DEER GROVE, ERIE, FENTON, LYNDON, MORRISON, PROPHETSTOWN, TAMPICO

Publisher Don T. Bricker General Manager/Ad Director Jennifer Heintzelman Magazine Editors Kathleen Schultz & Rusty Schrader Page Design Rusty Schrader Published by Sauk Valley Media 113 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon, IL 61021 815-284-2222

costvoerry The brews aren’t the only draw at an Erie tavern; hospitality, heaping helpings of home cooking and even a bit of hometown history keep customers coming back for more

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

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More inside Contents continued from page 3

Rustoration project From news stories to new store … An Albany shop owner is breathing new life into an old building, and she hopes others will follow her lead and bring businesses to this river town

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Moments of truth

His aim is still true

People looking for a new direction have found it – they’re heading West, where an instructor has set her mind to helping people find peace and awareness through meditation

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A local photographer used to be a Wolf in hunter’s clothing; now, he dons different gear in his quest to keep his eye on the prize-winning shot – but the focus is still on nature

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J His IS STILL TRUE aim

ay Wolf had a choice to make after he fell out of a tree and broke his neck.

Would he have to stop spending time outdoors, keeping wildlife in his sights? It turns out he didn’t have to – but now, he’s doing it through a camera instead of a scope.

A 1976 graduate of Erie High School, Wolf, 62, has lived in the Albany area for more than 30 years and he’s long been an avid outdoorsman, guiding elk hunters across the U.S. for 35 years.

Continued on page 6

STORY PHILLIP HARTMAN PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY JWOLF WILD PHOTOGRAPHY | FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING

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But that changed in 2008.

“I fell out of a tree stand, and broke my neck. It really, really hurt me,” he said. “I can’t hardly hunt anymore. After I realized that, I knew I had to make a choice. I could either stay home and feel sorry for myself, or try to make the best of it.”

He chose the latter, focusing on the things he could still do by combining his understanding of nature with his enjoyment of photography and turning a hobby into a profession. He spent months learning about camera tech, buying gear, and teaching himself how to take photos.

The dedication paid off. Now, Wolf’s got a lot of experience under his belt as the eyes behind jwolf WILD Photography – and hundreds of thousands of photos to prove it.

It was a natural fit. As a hunter, Wolf could spend hours looking for game, waiting for the perfect shot. He still does the same thing, but now his efforts pay off with a “click” instead of a “bang!”

When Jay Wolf broke his neck, he knew he “could either stay home and feel sorry for myself, or try to make the best of it.” He decided on the latter of the two, and today he’s a professional photographer.

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The eyes have it: Wolf captured this frog photo (top) at Lock and Dam 14. At left, a fox enjoys some fresh flakes near the Mississippi River in Albany. At right, a couple of otters check out their surroundings near Erie.

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Continued from page 6

He said he’ll sometimes spend 8 hours a day in a ditch, taking upwards of a thousand photos a day, to get just the right one.

His main subjects are wildlife and other nature topics – “The nature and wildlife part of it, I know what creates that. It gets me out the door and gets me exercise,” Wolf said – but that’s not all he does.

“I have done 3 PGA tournaments. I’ve done a Dustin Lynch concert. I have done an autism ball gala, and the Martini Shake-Off in the Quad-Cities. I’ve done some neat things,” Wolf said.

Wolf uses two Nikon D-500s, and has a lot of money invested in lenses. His work has led to a lot of recognition on Facebook, and some at the state government level. He said he’s entered only one photo contest, one held

by State Rep. Tony McCombie had, and he was the runner-up.

Wolf’s main subjects are wildlife and other nature topics but that’s not all he does. He snapped these high-flying photos at the Quad Cities Air Show in Davenport, Iowa.

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“One of my photos is supposedly hanging in the Capitol,” Wolf said.

While nature inspires him, family drives him. He said his four grandchildren – three granddaughters and a grandson – are a big part of why he does what he does.

“Amelia and Nora are the first two, and those little girls live GOT A JOB in by Chicago in a FOR JAY? metropolitan area.

Jay Wolf can They absolutely are be reached by crazy about nature emailing bigbullelk@frontier. and wildlife. They com or calling are what have really 309-781-6631, driven me to do this,” or messaging him through his Wolf said.

Facebook page Wolf’s already left at jwolf WILD his two children and photography. four grandchildren a legacy to remember him by. He said he has more than 300,000 photos on a hard drive in his safe, so his grandchildren will have those pictures.

“It humbles me to know that my kids will look at those photos and say, ‘Grandpa took those,’” Wolf said. n

Even when he’s winging it, Wolf is still an ace photographer. Above, Ace the eagle soars above Lock and Dam 14. The bit of baggage on the bird’s back is a transponder that Fish and Wildlife put on him to gather data on migration habits.

At right, a quintet of turkey trotters goes for a walk near Albany.

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The brews aren’t the only draw at an Erie

tavern; hospitality, heaping helpings of home cooking and even a bit of hometown history keeps customers coming back for more

I

f anyone in Erie needs to know what day it is, or even what time it is, they can stop by Legends Bar and Grill to see who’s behind the bar.

Is it lunch time yet? Well, if you see bar manager Dana Schnitzler, then it must be.

Schnitzler, 36, of Erie, has served drinks there for 5 years, and like the rest of Legends experienced staff, she’s a friendly, familiar face that’s been a big part of what keeps the longtime establishment hopping.

And they’re not the only familiar faces at Legends. A lot of customers are like members of the bar’s extended family – and just like any family, there’s no shortage of entertaining characters, from quiet to quirky to comical.

Schnitzler said she’s often amused by some of the folks she serves.

“We have some regular customers that are so off-the-wall and eccentric,” Schnitzler said. “Sometimes I think people come in here just to watch them, just to see what this person’s going to say today. Then we have some regulars who are really quiet, but the one-liners that come out of their mouth are hilarious.”

costvoerry

Continued on page 14

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That family atmosphere is what turns newcomers into regulars, Schnitzler said. “For as bad of a rep as bars get sometimes, we’re a family.”

And what would a family be without some home cooking?

Legends is the only bar in town that serves food, something that kitchen manager Michelle Evans, 44, of Erie is pretty proud of. She also takes a lot of pride in her community, especially the many seniors who live in this Whiteside County town of 1,100 residents.

When Illinois cut its funding for the Golden Meals program a few years ago, Evans decided to use her job to keep something similar going in town: a $5 senior meal: sloppy Joes, chips, baked beans, and pudding.

“I take care of my seniors,” Evans said. “I still wanted to keep it going because it’s a good cause. We got all of these old people in town that may just open up a can of soup, and that just breaks my heart.

“They come here to eat, visit with friends and get a full belly.”

Continued on page 15

There’s always a friendly face ready to greet customers at Legends Bar, like bar manager Dana Schnitzler (left) and kitchen manager Michelle Evans. “The regulars, the employees, we’re just one huge family,” Schnitzler said.

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Appetizers, sandwiches, dinners and more, Legends patrons are sure to find something to tempt their tastebuds on the menu, like this chicken sandwich with cream cheese and raspberry chipotle sauce, served with a side of garlic fries.

Kirk Wellman, 66, of Erie enjoys the senior lunch, and washes it down with a can of nonalcoholic Barritt’s Bermuda Ginger Beer.

“I can’t go home and make a meal like this for $5,” Wellman said.

Family even figures in to the bar’s menu. Two of Legends’ signature sandwiches are named after bar owner Trish Norris’ granddaughters.

The Bella Burger is a half-pound patty with a fried egg and garlic aoli, and the Lyla Chicken Sandwich can be ordered grilled or fried and comes with bacon, pepperjack cheese and is slathered in cream cheese and raspberry chipolte.

Other menu favorites include chicken tenders, with the bar’s own blend of special sauce, prime rib, Chicken Alfredo, and beer-battered cod and catfish fillets on weekends.

Evans has been cooking for Legends for 12 years, and she’s kept the customers satisfied – and full – with delicious dishes, even when the kitchen is closed on Sundays.

Continued on page 16

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Customers can enjoy some fun and games at Legends, from trying their luck on the video gambling machines to trying their skill at pool, darts, video games or the claw machine.

Continued from page 15

Evans will cook up something not on the menu and offer it free to customers until it’s gone.

“We’ve had the same customers for years and years. They were coming in when I first came here, and they’re still coming in here today.”

The bar also books keeps its weekend calendar pretty full with things to do, such as karaoke, DJ’s, comedians, chili cook-offs, adult proms and even a “Redneck Party” that’s being planned for later in the year.

Customers also can try their luck on five gambling machines, or a claw machine to win a plush toy; or they can play Big Buck Hunter and Golden

Tee Golf games. Giant Jenga is another popular game, where boards are used instead of blocks.

“When it falls, run,” Evans said.

While Legends gives plenty to its customers, they get plenty in return – like loyalty and love.

Schnitzler had a bout with pancreatitis for 2 1/2 weeks in November, and when she returned to work she was greeted with a pretzel jar stuffed full of more than $500 in cash and coins to help pay her medical bills.

It was “super emotional,” she said.

Continued on page 17

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The Legends under Rich Ballard’s ownership, and he sold it to Norris, who also runs Purgatory’s Pub in her hometown of “I come back to work and there is this huge jar of money Bettendorf. sitting here for me that these guys collected the whole time I And if there’s anything you want to know about Erie and was gone,” she said. “That’s just the kind of community that its history, it is, and Schnitzler how tight knows it. everybody That nearby is around town triangle here.” for example?

KeepSchnitzler ing people said it was happy is a established talent that as a crossruns in roads with Schnitzler’s three sepafamily. Her rate Indian mother, trails.

Sherrie, Today, it’s bartended a crossroads at The Glass for local Rail, another commerce in Erie bar that the heart of has since Long before it was Legends it was Don’s Tap, which opened in 1964. Some of downtown, closed; and the business’ history can be found throughout the bar, like this bug deflector and Legends’ her uncle, with hand-painted lettering. crew and Kenny Vercustomers are Kruysee, ran part of the village’s heartbeat. one of Legend’s former incarnations, The Depot.

“The regular, the employees, we’re just one huge family,” The bar first opened as Don’s Tap in 1964, and the datestone remains above one of the doors. The name changed to Schnitzler said. “It’s a happy town.” n Continued from page 16

MORE INFO Legends Sports Bar and Grill, 921 Eighth Ave., is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Kitchen hours are Tuesday though Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Cash, credit cards and debit cards accepted.

Find it on Facebook or call 309-659-9293 for more information.

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Dorrie Manon, owner of Rusty Silo in Albany, hopes her business will inspire others to open in the village.

rom news stories to new store ‌

An Albany shop owner is breathing new life into an old building, and she hopes others will follow her lead and bring businesses to this river town STORY CODY CUTTER PHOTOS MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT | FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING

W

hen George S. McCartney set out to establish a new business in Albany in 1899, little did he know that his Albany Review and two-story brick building it was housed in would survive as long as they did, especially with four other failed newspapers before it.

More than 120 years later, what Dorrie Manon has established in the same building is something she hopes also remains for many years to come.

Manon, 52, of Fenton, opened Rusty Silo Home Decor and Gifts at 203 S. Main St. in November, and hopes to make an impact on the Whiteside County riverfront town of 900 residents.

The one-room shop may be small, but it has a wide selection of affordable farm chic Americana, wooden inspirational signs and other decor made from rustic materials.

She rents out the upstairs apartment, and space on the main floor soon will be renovated and named The Lusk Room, which will be available for baby and bridal showers, craft shows and other events.

Continued on page 19

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Continued from page 18

Don’t confuse the two-story brick structure for the C.F. Lusk and Sons Dry Goods store – that was one of the tenants over its 120 years, and its painted logo still is visible along the front of the building.

Manon grew up in Albany and loved the old store long before setting up shop there.

“I always wanted to have that building, and I thought it was very interesting,” she said. “I always wanted to have my own craft store.”

Most of the wood she uses is old barnwood, or comes from chicken coops and wooden buildings that were a part of the local scenery for generations. She also sells old feed sacks, homemade dish cloths, and lawn and garden ornaments, which will move out to the front once the weather gets nice.

Select vendors also sell products there. Handcrafted soaps from Designer Bubbles of Morrison, run by twin sisters Deb Maxson and Dawn Dewey, have been a big seller.

Scents such as hot buttered rum and pumpkin spice “sell like hotcakes,” Manon said. “When you walk in, the store smells so good.”

“People don’t know what it is until they try it,” Maxson said. “It takes one bar to become addicted to it.”

Manon also is helping other small entrepreneurs in the area thrive. She and Dewey worked

Rusty Silo, a new store in a historic Albany building, offers rustic, Americana-style home decor and more. When it was first built in 1899, it housed the village’s newspaper. Among the other businesses to call it home the past 120 years: a dry goods store, a barber shop and a flower store.

for Damhoff Auctions in Morrison, and it didn’t take long for the sisters to find space to sell their soaps once Manon opened shop.

“She’s really helped a lot tremendously with putting it out there on her storefront,” Maxson said. “It helps us reach out to the community and let them know what we have.”

MORRISON

Manon hopes Rusty Silo becomes a herald of more to come in Albany. The village has been without a chamber of commerce for a few years, and recently lost two Main Street restaurants: Julie’s Cafe and Mississippi River Cafe.

Continued on page 21

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Select vendors also sell products at Rusty Silo, including handcrafted soaps from Designer Bubbles of Morrison, run by twin sisters Deb Maxson and Dawn Dewey. “She’s really helped a lot tremendously with putting it out there on her storefront,” Maxson said. “It helps us reach out to the community and let them know what we have.”

From the quaint to the quirky, customers will find country decor and more, like this mallard duck made from a piece of PVC pipe.

Continued from page 19

MORE INFO Rusty Silo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday and Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Find Rusty Silo on Facebook or call 309-4285518 for more information.

“A chamber is supposed to help bring new businesses into town,” Manon said. “I just wish they could get more things in town here.”

The Review’s datestone remains on the front of the building – it moved out in 1925 and today is operated by Shaw Media. The C.F. Lusk logo was put on the building after that, and it will be repainted soon.

Over the years, the building has been a barber shop and a flower store, and customers delight in sharing their memories.

“If these walls could talk. It’s been an antique store, and before an apartment it was a beauty store. It’s just fascinating to hear everything.” n

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Check out our menu on Facebook 105 W Main • (815) 772-8022 Mon-Thurs 4pm-10pm | Fri 4pm-2am 4pm | Sat 11am-2am | Sun 12pm-10pm • Tee Shirts • Sweatshirts • Custom Design • Screen Printing • Provide your own design

Mon-Thurs 8am-7pm Fri 8am-6pm 123 W. Main St., Morrison Sat 8am-noon 815-772-4653

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Handcrafted Jewelry, Scarves, Home Decor, Original Art 123 W. Main St., Morrison 815-772-4653

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815.772.4653 • www.morrisonspecialtyshop.com Mon-Thurs 8am-7pm, Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 8am-12pm

STORY PHILLIP HARTMAN PHOTO MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT | FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING

FACING PAGE: Becky West leads a mindfulness meditation group at the Morrison Meditation Center, 635 E. Lincolnway. “I like to always point out when we use the word ‘meditation,’ it’s like the word ‘exercise.’ There’s many, many forms that meditation can take.

Mindfulness meditation is a particular type of meditation,” she said.

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bum knee led Becky West to help others live more in the present.

West, 66, leads a mindfulness meditation group from 6:45 to 8 p.m. Mondays at the Morrison Meditation Center, 635 E. Lincolnway. This marks about the seventh year for the course.

“I like to always point out when we use the word ‘meditation,’ it’s like the word ‘exercise.’ There’s many, many forms that meditation can take. Mindfulness meditation is a particular type of meditation,” West said.

West retired about a year ago as a nurse practitioner after working at Morrison Family Health Clinic for 25 years. During her time there, she also taught yoga.

“That’s also kind of a mind-body activity; some people might refer to yoga as a moving meditation. I had to have surgery on my knee, and found myself sitting around. Yoga is an ancient practice that was developed to allow the body to sit for hours in meditation. I kind of explored it at that time,” West said.

On her allthingsmindful.com web page, West offers a definition of mindfulness meditation from Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer of the practice who’s most often credited with putting a spotlight on mindfulness in the Western world.

“Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally,” Kabat-Zinn was quoted as saying.

One thing that mindfulness meditation lets people do is develop the ability to focus on the moment, instead of the past or the future. They also can become more aware of their behav-

ior habits, and to make more of a conscious choice about the actions they take.

“It allows you to have a little space. For example, ‘Do I really want to get on that bus right now?’ It allows you to catch yourself and step back instead of being so reactive, so you can be responsive,” West said.

Exploring the mind-body connection isn’t new for West. She started out reading books about yoga while she was still a nurse practitioner and she saw how stressed some patients were.

“I was looking for something to offer patients in terms of stress reduction and stress management. I went to professional training with a week of training in mind-body medicine at Harvard University in 1998,” West said.

She later attended a conference in Washington, D.C., that the Dalai Lama also attended. That led West to apply to the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing Ph.D program.

“My dissertation was on mindfulness meditation among low socioeconomic workers,” West said.

The weekly sessions are preceded by 15 minutes of mindful moving and breathing at the center, which is optional for participants.

“When the weather’s nice, we do walking meditation, which is usually very entertaining for the people at Dairy Queen. At 6:45 p.m., we start meditation,” West said.

Sessions usually draw between 10 and 20 people.

“It’s generally more than 10. I’ve had people from Clinton, Iowa, Prophetstown, Sterling, and Dixon,” West said.

Donations are accepted. Go to allthingsmindful.com or call West at 815-718-3699 for more information. n

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You can’t predict when you will need us. But we’re here when you do.

Accepting New Patients

Dr. George Georgiev Family Practice with Dermatology

Dr. Nicky Eustace Family Practice Physician

Cindy Johnson APN

Karen Daniels NP

Jessica Raasch PA

Dr. Mathew C. Mathew Urologist

Dr. James Olney.

General Surgery Specialist

Dr. Amrit Anand Rheumatologist

Dr. Osmaan Khawaja General Surgeon

Dr. Priyanka Gauravi Endocrinologist

Dr. David Yeager Podiatric Surgeon

Dr. David Lopez Psychiatry

Dr. Waseem Ahmad Neurologist

Dr Mudappa Kalaiah Rheumatologist

Dr. Faraz Manazir Cardiologist

Hours: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Open 361 days a year for your convenience!

815-772-5511 or 815-772-5590

Family Practice Clinic/Specialty Clinic

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