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Sterling-Rock Falls

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PUBLICATION • FALL/WINTER 2019

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There’s more than just a little bit of this and a little bit of that at a Rock Falls shop; there’s a little bit of everything — including a beauty salon

ALSO INSIDE

Inside

Sterling-Rock Falls Ste rli ng -Ro ck Fa lls

A thrift store with style

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Publisher Don T. Bricker

ry

General Manager/Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman Magazine editors Rusty Schrader & Kathleen Schultz

There’s more than just a little bit of this and a little bit of that at a Rock Falls shop; there’s a little bit of everything — including a beauty salon

Page design Rusty Schrader Published by Sauk Valley Media 113 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon, IL 61021 815-284-2222 Do you have story ideas for Sterling-Rock Falls Living? Let us know.

Call 815-625-3600, ext. 5535, or e-mail us at news@saukvalley.com

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

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More inside

Back home

Rainbow connections Pride doesn’t always go before a fall, sometimes it comes when a person stands up to be counted – just ask a Sauk Valley group that’s taking its own stand to keep the PFLAG flying loud and proud

A Sterling woman’s journey took her across the country, around the world and back to where it all began.

Now she’s helping people find health and wellness at her new chiropractic clinic

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Still shining

A pair of churches have been helping people see the light since the communities they call home were still young.

Today, they continue their work as beacons of hope and faith for the people they serve

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All Crossroads lead to wellness

A salt-of-the-earth Gramma is the head of one big happy and healthy family of businesses that help customers recharge, repair, rejuvenate, and relax

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There’s more than just a little bit of this and a little bit of that at a Rock Falls shop; there’s a little bit of everything ... including a beauty salon

W

hether you’re looking for a new ’do, or new doodads, there’s a place in downtown Rock Falls that’s got you covered.

Thelma’s Unisex Salon and Jeff’s Juke Joint operate under the same roof at 217 W. Second St. Thelma’s can set you up with a haircut or style, and Jeff’s can set you up with just about everything else.

And while the two shops may not seem like Ste rli ng -Ro ck Fa lls the perfect match, they actually go hand in hand, just like their owners.

Jeff and Thelma Spangler are the husband-and-wife duo behind the quirky business that’s been around for more than a decade.

Thelma cuts, colors, and highlights hair for customers of all ages while Jeff stocks the store with merchandise for the same sorts of customers: folks of all ages.

“A lot of families come in and they all sit down and get haircuts,” Jeff, 66, said. While they wait, Jeff’s Juke Joint has tons of products to browse through, from the wigs and beauty products that the shop first started with to music, toys, books African clothing, decor and more – a lot more. How much more?

“A little bit of everything,” Jeff said.

The business’ name was inspired by the juke joint in the movie “The Color Purple” – and while you won’t find any dancing or drinking going on, you can pick up some coffee mugs and CDs.

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Photos on pages 7 & 8; Story continued on page 11

Jeff and Thelma Spangler are the husband-and-wife team behind Jeff’s Juke Joint and Thelma’s Unisex Salon.

STORY SHELBY KUEPKER PHOTOS ALEX T. PASCHAL | FOR STERLING-ROCK FLLAS LIVING

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The motto for Jeff’s Juke Joint is “Maybe I got one.” If you’re wondering, “One of what?” ownr Jeff Spangler (above) has as answer: “Well, what are you looking for? Maybe I got one.”

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Thelma opened Thelma’s Unisex Salon about 15 years ago in Sterling. As she and her husband began to sell more and more beauty products, they eventually bought a space next door for storage, which eventually turned into a shop where they sold beauty products, wigs, and extensions. Today, the shop shares space with Jeff’s Juke Joint in Rock Falls.

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We feed children. We teach parents how to be their child’s best first teacher. We pay for prescriptions. We provide emergency referrals. We give books to children. We provide funding to 34 Whiteside County social service agencies and community impact programs, impacting more than 56,000 individuals each year.

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Continued from page 5

“For a long time, we would play music all the time in the shop,” Jeff said.

Jeff and Thelma, 56, have regular customers who come in every few months to get a haircut or buy a new wig, some who occasionally stop by during their travels, and some new customers who just pop in to see what’s hoppin’ at Jeff ’s Juke Joint.

Jeff orders from wholesale companies all over. He enjoys “getting a new catalog every few months and seeing what new things people have to offer.”

“That’s probably the most fun part of this,” he said.

The business is a one-man – and one-woman – operation. Jeff and Thelma are the shops’ owners, and their only employees.

Thelma opened Thelma’s Unisex Salon about 15 years ago in Sterling. As the couple began to break into the business of selling more and more beauty products, they eventually bought a space next door for storage. Soon enough, that storage space turned into a shop where they sold beauty products, wigs, hair pieces, and other odds and ends that appealed to Thelma’s customers.

Around 2007, the Spanglers bought their current space in Rock Falls.

Jeff ’s experience in remodeling and fixing up rental properties in the area came in handy as the new building required a lot of renovations.

The place had been empty for a while and “we had to put sprinkler heads in, put thicker drywall in the ceiling, and get things up to meet the current codes,” Jeff said. “It took us a couple years to get through the approval process.”

The couple operated their two businesses in both Sterling and Rock Falls for a while, but decided to put everything under one roof in Rock Falls – “it was kind of silly paying rent for two places,” Jeff said – and

JEFF’S JUKE JOINT & THELMA’S UNISEX SALON 217 W. Second St., Rock Falls Hours: noon to 6 p.m.

Tuesday - Saturday; 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday

that’s where they’ve been for the past 12 years.

Thelma grew up in Sterling, and Jeff grew up in Dixon. After some years of exploration, the couple decided the Twin Cities is where they wanted to land for good.

“I guess this is where my heart is at,” Jeff said. “I grew up here, my family and friends are here. Maybe I stayed for the Rock River. I love the Rock River.”

When Jeff isn’t at the shop, he works as a full-time engineer and spends time fixing up the couple’s rental properties.

The motto for Jeff ’s shop is “Maybe I got one.” If you’re wondering, “one of what?” Jeff has as answer: “Well what are you looking for? Maybe I got one.” n

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s n o t c e n n co all, f a e r o f e b o g s s d y n a a w t l s a n t o ’ s n r s e e Prideimdeos it comes when sak pa Sauk Valley somet e counted – just a wn stand to keep up to bp that’s taking its nog loud and proud grou he PFLAG flyi t

L| SCHA X T. PA E L A OS PHOT ING EPKER U K Y LLS LIV SHELB CK FA Y O R R O G ST TERLIN FOR S

W

ith apologies to the Queen of Soul, there’s more than one way to spell “respect.”

Sure, you could spell it r-e-s-p-e-c-t. But if you’re a member of the Sauk Valley chapter of a national organization, you spell it P-F-L-A-G. PFLAG Sauk Valley is an organization that, according to chapter President Sarah Schlegel, seeks to “support one another, to educate ourselves and our community, and to advocate so that all hearts and minds respect, value, and affirm LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex) people.”

The chapter has been seeking to support the LGBTQI community of the Sauk Valley for more than 13 years, fulfilling its mission through frequent meetings, informal support sessions, informative community outreach events, and social gatherings.

Continued on page 13

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While the group is geared toward a relatively small portion of the population, its mission is to reach as many people as it can.

“Slightly less than 5% of the U.S. population identifies as gay or lesbian. Less than half a percent identifies as transgender, and about one in every 1,700 babies are born intersex (people with sex characteristics that do not fit typical notions of male or female bodies). I think these numbers are really important to keep in mind because, like any minority group, people who identify as LGBTQI rely on strong ally support to maintain a healthy and positive balance within their communities,” Schlegel said.

PFLAG Sauk Valley has 40 members consisting of family or friends of LGBTQI people and those who identify as LGBTQI, Schlegel said. Additionally, she said, “another 50 allies support the organization, either through volunteerism, financial support, or social-emotional support.”

The majority of the group’s members are from Sterling, Rock Falls, Dixon, and Polo, “because most of our events are held in Sterling or Dixon,” Schlegel said. However, “We do have participants from Fulton, Morrison, Oregon, and other area communities periodically.”

“What ties the groups together is the need for greater understanding and acceptance by the larger population. That’s why organizations like [us] exist,” she said.

“PFLAG meetings and social gatherings provide an opportunity to learn about relevant services in the area, discuss local and national trends, and share personal experiences. All are welcome.”

The group holds many informative events in the area for both

members and the community. “In June, PFLAG partnered with the YWCA to provide a movie and discussion revolving around the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, which marked a major turning point in the modern gay civil rights movement in the United States 50 years ago,” Schlegel said.

“Upcoming events include a picnic, a fundraiser dinner, an ask-a-minister event, and an LGBTQI-friendly business workshop.”

PFLAG’s second ask-a-minister event of the year, set for Nov. 17 at St. Paul Lutheran in Dixon, will feature “a panel of Christian ministers from several Protestant denominations who will answer questions and about the church and sexuality and gender.

While PFLAG is a non-religiously affiliated organization, Schlegel said, local minister deserve a special “shout-out of thanks [for] … participating in PFLAG events and working with their congregations to provide open and affirming spaces for people of faith.”

“Such inclusivity has been, literally, life-altering,” she said.

The Whiteside and Lee county health departments have also been particularly helpful, she said. “They have provided speakers at PFLAG events, and have worked to revise paperwork and programs to be LGBTQI inclusive, showing genuine concern for both the physical and emotional welfare of others.”

Natalie Andrews is from Ogle County and has been a member of PFLAG for around 10 years, convinced to join by founder Barb Schwamberger. During that time, she’s served on the PFLAG board.

Photo on page 14. Stoery continued on page 15

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PFLAG Sauk Valley is an organization that, according to chapter President Sarah Schlegel (second from right), seeks to “support one another, to educate ourselves and our community, and to advocate so that all hearts and minds respect, value, and affirm LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex) people.�

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MORE INFORMATION

Joe Strabala-Bright (right), shown here with husband Keegan, serves on the PFLAG board.

The Sterling couple have been married for about 3 months.

Call 815-408-0604 to learn more about the group.

Online: pflagsaukvalley.org or find PFLAG Sauk Valley on Facebook From 5 to 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month, PFLAG offers informal support for individuals or families. Call 815-408-0604 for location and additional information or questions.

Want to join?

Mail your name, contact information, and dues ($25 for individual membership or $35 for household membership) to: PFLAG Sauk Valley, c/o 1st Presbyterian Church, 410 Second Ave., Sterling, IL 61081

Continued from page 13

Now in her mid-60s, Andrews said, “I was raised in the ‘50s, and I came out late in life. What PFLAG offered for me was finding people like me, being accepted, and having open and honest conversations with people that were non-judgmental.”

“It really provides a safe place and allowed me to grow within the organization,” she said, adding that PFLAG is “a support system and education tool for those who are a part of this population.”

PFLAG National is a non-profit of more than 400 chapters across the country. According to its website, “The idea for PFLAG began in 1972 when Jeanne Manford marched with her son, Morty, in New York’s Christopher Street Liberation Day March, the precursor to today’s Pride parade. After many gay and lesbian people ran up to Jeanne during the parade and begged her to talk to their parents, she decided to begin a support group.”

PFLAG originally stood for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and was later broadened to Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, but today, it’s simply PFLAG, sans the acronym, after members voted to officially change the name to reflect a more inclusive mission.

PLAY

The group had “outgrown the acronym as society accepted scientific research that shed new light on gender, including new awareness of what it means to be transgender and intersex,” Schlegel said.

Sauk Valley’s chapter was founded in 2006 by Barb and George Schwamberger and Jane Biddle. “They wanted to provide a source of support and advocacy for the Schwamberger’s lesbian daughter and the gay and lesbian community as a whole,” Schlegel said.

Schlegel, a Polo Middle School English/language arts teacher, quickly became attached to the organization after her eldest son came out as gay in eighth grade.

She first served as a general board member, then secretary, and now president. As she and her husband, Tim, “helped [their] son navigate adolescence as a gay teen,” they were looking for support in regards to “addressing family members’ inquiries and comments.”

Despite her own son’s “positive coming-out experience,” Schlegel is struck by “how many people are still living marginalized lives, or even in outright fear from their own family members.”

While Schlegel continues to help those people feel less like they’re in the margins, she also hopes the rest of society will get on the same page, accepting people for who they are. For her, and other members of PFLAG, that hope is a treasure at the end of a rainbow. n

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Back

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A Sterling woman’s journey took her across the country, around the world and back to where it all began. Now she’s helping people find health and wellness at her new chiropractic clinic

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STORY LINDSEY SALVATELLI PHOTOS ALEX T. PASCHAL | FOR STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

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Lauren Wills – shown here with daughters Vilde, 5, and Charlie, 1 – also is the regional director of Birthfit Sauk Valley, a chapter of a national movement that provides support and resources for expectant and postpartum mothers to help them take a more proactive approach to child birth and recovery.

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ituals Chiropractic & Wellness is new to Sterling, but owner Lauren Wills is no stranger to the Sauk Valley.

It’s been 3 years since Wills returned to Sterling to be closer to family. Now that she’s back, she’s sharing her passion for healthy living, and she hopes her new chiropractic practice at 18573 Pennington Road, just past Oak Knoll Cemetery in a former radio station building, will serve as a place where the community can come together and help themselves and help each other.

Rituals focuses on helping people find better health without using medication.

It offers chiropractic care; Graston myofascial release (which helps with rehabilitation and healing after an injury or surgery); dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (which helps with motor control to assess and restore dysfunction to the locomotor system); dry needling (which uses needles to treat pain and movement impairments).

Continued on page 18

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The clinic also sells CBD oils, hosts seminars and classes, and beginning in October began offering space for groups to hold meetings, providing people a welcoming, comfortable, and safe space to share and find the help that they need with issues in their life.

Wills’ winding road to Rituals began on an oval track. As a student at Sterling High School, Wills competed in track and field and cross country, and was captain of both teams. By the time she graduated in 1998, she had undergone two knee surgeries.

The doctor who performed her operations was amazing, Wills said, but she still suffered from pain.

Sometime later, she job shadowed her mother’s chiropractor, Trista Pitman of Pitman Chiropractic, in Dixon.

Wills said she had her doubts about chiropractors because of her upbringing.

“To be honest, I fought it real hard,” Wills said. “I grew up in a very medical model home just because my dad worked at CGH.” But that visit to Pitman’s office helped change her mind, and her course in life.

Continued on page 19

Lauren Wills’ son, Charlie, 1, peeks around one of the adjustment tables at her mom’s new chiropractic clinic.

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Continued from page 18

Lauren’s daughter, Vilde, 5, hangs out in a tipi at her mom’s new business.

Lauren specializes in care for moms and moms-to-be at her chiropractic clinic.

While at the office, a mother brought her baby to see Pitman for an adjustment, Wills said. The baby was having issues with bowel movements.

About a half hour after the appointment ended, the mother called to tell Pitman the baby had finally had a movement.

“My mind was blown,” Wills said.

She decided to apply for a spot at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. While there, she had adjustments to her knees and spine and was able to run her first pain-free race in 12 years, she said.

After graduating from Palmer, Willis went on to open a practice in Boulder, Colorado, organized triathlons when she lived in Voss, Norway, and eventually turned to helping expectant mothers prepare for their births through her position in the Birthfit, a movement that provides support and resources for expectant and postpartum mothers to help them take a more proactive approach to child birth and recovery. It’s based upon the four pillars of fitness, nutrition, chiropractic care, and a healthy mindset.

Wills – a mom of two, Vilde and Charlie – is the regional director of Birthfit Sauk Valley.

Continued on page 20

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She’s completed more than 600 hours of continuing education and training in chiropractic medicine, advanced adjusting techniques, physiotherapy, neurology, TMJ (temporomandibular joint) and extremity treatments, sports performance, soft-tissue techniques and nutrition.

Whether its a mental or physical goal, Wills said she wants to help women figure out their next steps after a delivery.

“Pregnancy’s a whole body situation,” Wills said.

She said her new office is the MORE INFORMATION “natural progression” for the type 18573 Pennington Road, Sterling of work she’s been performing.

Contact info: 815When she opened her Boulder 625-8229 or drlaupractice, most of her clients were ren@ritualschiropractic.com athletes – and while she still sees Online: ritualschiropractic. athletes,she’s focused mostly on com and on Facebook. Go to helping pregnant and postpartum saukvalley.birthfit.com for more on Birthfit. Rituals Fitness & women.

Wellness is a family-orientated Taking her knowledge of sports business that offers one-on-one care and putting it to practice on services and group classes. The office offers a children’s play pregnant and postpartum women room with a teepee and a prihas been “very rewarding,” she said. vate Nursing Nook for mothers.

For Wills, it’s all part of her approach to healthier and happier clients that can be found not in pills, but in the palm of her hands – and if her business continues to grow, she should have her hands full for a long time to come. n

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Nationally recognized Municipal Electric Agency One of only Three Communities in Illinois

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Still

hining A pair of Twin Cities churches have been helping people see the light since the communities they call home were still young.

Today, they continue their work as beacons of hope and faith for the people they serve STORY BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE

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STORY CODY CUTTER PHOTOS ALEX T. PASCHAL & MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT | FOR STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

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very Sunday, residents from Sterling, Rock Falls and beyond gather to celebrate life and faith through worship.

This year, parishioners from a pair of Twin Cities churches have something extra to celebrate: their churches’ anniversaries.

The First Presbyterian Church of Sterling is celebrating 175 years of serving its congregation and its community.

First Presbyterian Church in Sterling has been around for 175 years, and Rock Falls United Methodist Church turned 150. Both have lifespans that nearly mirror their own communities.

The Rev. Christine Berry, pastor of First Presbyterian, describes a church’s function in a community to being a source of light for those who are looking for hope.

“There are lot of pieces in the Bible that tell how God created light and separated the night from the day,” Berry said. “Jesus said, ‘I’m the light of the world,’ and he also told us to let our light shine. I think a good way to talk about our history is that our church has been a beacon of hope for people from the very time that Presbyterians first came to the Sauk Valley.”

Both churches engage in plenty of community service work.

First Presbyterian members have volunteered in many local organizations, such as Loaves and Fishes, FISH Food Pantry, Good Neighbors, and various mission networks.

United Methodist Church in Rock Falls is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. The current church was built in 1922, just 9 months after its previous home was destroyed in a fire Jan. 22, 1922.

Continued on page 23

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The sanctuaries at First Presbyterian Church in Sterling (left) and United Methodist Church in Rock Falls.

Continued from page 22

Rock Falls Methodist members have given back to their community through various grass roots endeavors, such as providing personal care and household items for anywhere from 150 to 280 needy families every month – an endeavor that was recognized by the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce with its prestigious Shoulder to the Wheel Award in 2017.

The Rev. Solomon Sudhakar, United Meth-

odist’s pastor since 2016, takes pride in its history, and those elsewhere in the community.

“We have a proud, rich heritage of not only being a witness of this area, but of sharing God’s love out of the walls of the church into the community,” Sudhakar said. “We share the good news in several other ways, not just preaching, but meeting people’s needs and lending a shoulder for them to lean on.”

Despite the churches being different

denominations, both are connected in lineage.

They have ties to First Methodist Church in Sterling, which is the Twin Cities’ oldest church community. That church – Broadway First Methodist – was established in 1838, 6 years after Hezekiah Brink founded Harrisburg, at the east end of present-day Sterling.

Harrisburg merged with Chatham, Sterling’s west end, in 1854.

Continued on page 24

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Continued from page 23

Methodist services took place in a schoolhouse on present-day Broadway Boulevard.

Dissatisfied with the only Methodist services of his day, John Galt took his candle from the altar one day in 1844 and went home. He established First Presbyterian Church later that year. The church’s first building was built in 1849 on the corner of East Fourth Street and Fifth Avenue. The stone structure cost $6,052 and was the Twin Cities’ first permanent church structure. The Rev. George B. Stebbins was its first pastor.

Another split at First Methodist occurred in 1867, prompted by a dispute over the sale of pew space, and about 30 members began Fourth Street Methodist Church at West Fourth Street and Avenue A in Sterling.

Rock Falls was founded that same year, and the Rev. J. H. Alling of Fourth Street Methodist Church came to the other side of the Rock River in 1869 to hold services, where he established Rock Falls United Methodist Church while continuing to serve at Fourth Street. The Rev. John A. Stayt was the church’s first pastor.

Lineage isn’t the only connection the churches share.

Jan. 22, 1922, was a very cold day in the Twin Cities, causing many furnaces to over-

heat and fire to break out not only in many homes, but some houses of worship. Both First Presbyterian and Rock Falls Methodist were casualties of that cold winter.

The bible used for services at the Presbyterian Church, which by that time had moved to the corner of West Fifth Street and Avenue A, was saved and the church was rebuilt at East Fifth Street and Second Avenue where it remains today, and that bible is on display inside a glass case in the church’s narthex.

Almon A. Wheeler had donated a sterling silver communion set to Rock Falls Methodist in 1875; it, and a second set, donated

by W.B. Emmons in 1906, were salvaged.

Today, modern sets are used, but Sudhakar recently used a stein from the 1875 set for a baptismal.

Being stewards to their communities is something both churches take pride in.

“Everyone in this congregation is willing to turn around and take that out the doors, and extend that same kind of love, hospitality and care to their neighbors, people far away and people they don’t know,” Berry said.

“That, to me, is what we’re supposed to do.”

“It’s good to see so many families in need come and really appreciate what we are doing,” Sudhakar said. “That gives us a sense of joy and completeness.” n

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Rock Falls United Methodist Church Services: 9 a.m. every Sunday, 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday Find Rock Falls United Methodist Church on Facebook, go to rockfallsumc.org or call 815-625-0114 for more information.

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ABOVE: The Rev. Christine Berry plays a song on the First Presbyterian Church’s piano.

RIGHT: Pastor Solomon Sudhakar stands at the front of the sanctuary at United Methodist Church in Rock Falls. Sudhakar is in his fourth year serving United Methodist and is the church’s 42nd pastor.

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oly History

First Presbyterian Church was among the casualties of the winter of 1922, when homes and buildings throughout the Twin Cities caught fire. Today, the bible that was recovered from the fire (top), and the church’s cornerstone (bottom) are on display at the First Presbyterian’s current home.

These models show United Methodist Church as it looked in 1871 (top) and how it looks today.

The top model was made by Harry Dryer and the bottom one by Robert Van Horne; both are on display at the church.

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STORY CODY CUTTER PHOTO MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT | FOR STERLING-ROCK FALLS LIVING

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When we were kids, it seemed like gramma always had a homespun cure for what ailed us – and she still does, even for grown-ups.

Whether you’re tensed up or feeling down, Gramma’s has you covered, and she’s got plenty of help from her neighbors, who can lend some helping hands.

“Gramma” is Kenne Hampton – who, with her husband, Steve – owns Gramma’s Crossroads, 1510 Prophetstown Road in Rock Falls, where Behrens Country Village used to be. She and Steve also own an adjacent farmhouse, as well 77 local rental properties.

Gramma’s Crossroads can be found on both sides at the end of the driveway, behind the their house. It’s home to seven small busi-

nesses as well as the office for H & H Rental Properties.

Kenne’s pride and joy is Gramma’s Saltz and More, which is at one end of the main building.

She established the business 2 years ago in Sterling and soon wanted to expand. She bought the former Behrens Country Village, a western-style cluster of businesses with a downtown motif and settled in.

She didn’t come alone. One of the buildings has suites with other health and massage businesses; the Hamptons plan to renovate the other building.

“We had our hearts set in on making this a wellness place,” she said.

Continued on page 30

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Gramma’s Saltz and More sells an array of salts that cater to the improvement of the senses as well as jewelry, healing crystals and rocks, teas, and cannabidiol (CBD) products. Cards are placed inside trays for each product to explain what it does and how it helps heal various issues.

One of the primary features of the shop is its salt room, a spacious, homey space with chairs placed on a salt-covered floor – similar to sand on a beach – where customers looking to ease their pain can sink their bare feet into piles of salt and feel, and even smell, the tingle of grains to the tune of relaxing music in a

room bathed in low light.

It’s great for lung issues, ear infections, sinuses, allergies, stress, anxiety, eczema and psoriasis, Hampton said. She was fascinated by a late 1800s studies by European doctors who looked at the respiratory health of coal and salt miners.

“Guys who worked in the coal mines had bad lungs,” she said.

“People who worked in the regular salt mines never were affected. He did an experiment and sent the guys from the coal mine to the salt mine, and found out their lungs got better in the salt mines.”

Continued on page 31

Gramma’s Crossroads is at 1510 Prophetstown Road in Rock Falls, where Behrens Country Village used to be.

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Continued from page 30

Gramma’s Saltz and More is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Find it on Facebook or call 815-213-1974 for more information.

Gramma isn’t the only one who has some help for what ails you.

There’s a whole family of businesses at Gramma’s Crossroads …

• Allison M. Hoehn Wellness Massage – Hoehn is a licensed massage therapist who works in deep tissue massage, pregnancy massage, sports massage, Swedish massage, trigger point therapy, craniosacral therapy, and structural integration. Call 815-718-5599 to schedule an appointment or for more information.

• Margaret De La Fuente Reiki – Reiki, a Japanese alternative healing technique, channels energy into clients to encourage a natural healing process by restoring physical and emotional well-being. Reiki practitioners say it helps with pain relief, injuries, releasing emotions, and aiding the body’s return to harmony and balance. De La Fuente also does Shamanic cleanings and crystal bowl healing sessions. Call 815-994-1892.

• Massage By Carol – Herbalist and massage therapist Carol Camper grows her own plants and concocts her own heated minerals to share her Shamanic journey with others in need of relaxation. She also practices Reiki, Access Consciousness Bars therapy, and emotional freedom technique tapping, which some say can relieve pain and emotional distress using psychological acupressure.. Cannabidiol (CBD) massage also is available. Call 815-718-3331.

• Positive Changes Acupuncture and Skin Solutions – For more than 20 years, acupuncturist Patrick Stramka has helped patients deal with fibromyalgia, migraines, and neck and back pain. Call 815-499-5426.

• Beach Gal Travel Services – Tedi Ridle plans vacations with a personal connection, using traveller’s interests to provide resort options,

custom orders and true concierge service. Find it on Facebook, go to beachgaltravels.com, email tedi@beachgaltravels.com or call 815-7168722 for appointments or more information. And if you’re wondering how a travel agent fits in with the rest of the family – “Even Beach Gal Travel is wellness,” Hampton said, “because who doesn’t want to go on vacation to feel better?”

• Kathie Whalen Reiki and Massage – Whalen is a licensed massage therapist, master-level Reiki practitioner, and a practitioner of sound healing, which uses vibrations from sounds to help people relax. She said her goal it to make sure clients feel better through natural therapies that are relaxing, gentle, safe and comforting. Open or closed massages come with sound healing and range from gentle glide; face, neck and scalp; hand and forearm; and hot stone. Call 815-735-2069. n

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