SVM_Sterling Rock Falls Living_Spring 2025 by Shaw Media

Bar & grill gives sports fans a Base to call their own

Rock Falls musician creates ‘art in a moment’

Local residents don’t have to go far to find healthy dog food

Tourism director has a simple message: My hometown Rocks!

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6 Ruff and ready for business

A local couple is breathing new life into a longtime campground, where the RV’s are unhitched, the tents are pitched, and guests can sit back, relax and enjoy being part of a community of happy campers.

16 She ’s Rock Falls

Tourism Director Melinda Jones has a simple message she wants people to hear: Our hometown rocks!

24 Art in the moment

When Todd Lorenc performs, he likes to strike a chord, not only with his instruments, but his audience.

32 A Base to call their own

Whether you’re a sports fan or someone just looking for a place to hang out and grab a bite, the family at JW’s Third Base thinks you’ll be fan of their ‘nice little neighborhood bar and grill’.

40 Eating out of House & hometown

Local residents don’t have to go far to find tail-wagging treats and all-natural dog food — they’re made right here in Sterling.

Crest Carribean

Shore Master

2024 Crestliner MX 19

Shore Station

hen it looked like there was a chance that a popular campground might be facing a rough road, Molly and Matthew Habben stepped in make things smoother. After all, the campground was more than just a part of their own family’s life, but countless other families too.

Ruffit Park has given the camping community a place to call a home away from home for more than 50 years, offering people a place for some R&R&RV’s. Located a few miles west of Rock Falls, where U.S. Route 30 crosses the Elkhorn Creek just north of Como, Molly’s great-aunt and uncle, Chuck and Maxine Gaumer, opened the campground in 1965 and ran it for decades.

But after Maxine died in December 2021, four years after Chuck, the business faced an uncertain future. Some saw a campground whose heyday had come and gone, but Molly and Matthew saw a mission: Keep the business part of the family, and start a whole new heyday.

Hearing people’s memories of Ruffit Park — “I lived out here growing up,” “I was out here all of the time with my grandparents,” “My kid learned to ride their bike out here,” “I learned to swim in the pool” — hit home with the Habbens, so in the summer of 2022, they decided to step up and take over the campground. This year marks their third full camping season since taking Ruffit’s reins — and it also marks a milestone: the campground’s 60th anniversary.

Since taking over, the Habbens have been hard at work updating the park, making improvements, and smoothing out the rough edges — but not the Ruff edges. Those are what gives the campground its charm.

“We had heard from a lot of people about how much they loved it here when it was in its heyday, and how it was a great place for the people of the Sauk Valley to come and get away from town and disconnect, and for the kids to run around and just be kids,” Molly said. “We thought it would be awesome if we could get it back to what it was.”

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The 26-acre campground can hold up to 50 seasonal campers, with nearly just as many spots available for weekend use. Electric hookups are available for both tent campers and RV’ers. Most of the seasonal dwellers have prime spots away from the highway and deep in the woods — “the down below section,” as Molly calls it — under plenty of shade and close to the creek. Along with campground events that the Habbens organize, the seasonal campers also organize some of their own private events for fellow campers, such as golf cart poker runs and kids activities, creating a community of like-minded outdoor lovers.

“When people drive by on the highway, they can’t see all of that back there, and they don’t realize how many campers are back there,” Molly said. “It’s a nice part of the park back there with the Elkhorn Creek that runs through. It’s very shady, and the noise of the road calms down a lot. It’s pretty down there … and there’s usually some wildlife. People like to be away from the road.”

When the Habbens took over Ruffit Park, they wanted to return the campground to its heyday, when friends and family would flock there to take a break from the daily grind. “It’s been a tradition to a lot of people in the Sauk Valley,” Molly said. The Habbens have hosted a number of events at the park, including ones for Halloween and Independence Day.

SUBMIT T ED PHOTOS

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The number of RV’s the park can accommodate has shrunk somewhat since the park first opened, as bigger campers have become more commonplace through the years — but when the first family set up camp there, there was more than enough room. Chuck and Maxine were the first people to camp on

their land. They had originally intended to build a onestory home on the property and live there with their four boys: Charles III, Max, Rex and Alex. Until the home was built though, they had to “rough it” and stay in an Airstream trailer on site until the house was finished — and that got them thinking.

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There’s more than meets the eye of passersby ... People just driving by the familiar log letter Ruffit Park sign may not realize how big the campground is. In addition to the dozens of spots for weekend campers just off the road, the 26-acre campground can hold up to 50 seasonal campers in the wooded area along Elkhorn Creek — or as Molly calls it, “the down below section.”

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Why not turn the property into a place where other people could rough it too? And that’s just what they did. As the park grew, a store was added, a pool was built, and Ruffit became a favorite spot for seasonal stays and weekend getaways for people who would settle in to get away from things for a while. Chuck passed away in 1997, and Maxine and their four children kept the park going. Chuck’s spirit lives on in a memorial tree at the campground, and Maxine’s lives on the memories she created for families through the years.

Maxine became popular with the youngest campers, and was known as “the Candy Lady” for the nickel and dime treats she’d sell from behind the store counter. Molly grew up in nearby Como, but still would visit on occasion.

“I would usually come over with my grandma to visit Maxine, and what I remember about being here is that it was very busy,” Molly said. “Maxine was always talking with the other kids that were running around, and the kids seemed to know her and really like her. There was a lot of people here and a lot of activity.”

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PALLIATIVE CARE IN THE SAUK VALLEY

Palliative care is a specialized medical care approach focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. Its primary goal is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and their family. This type of care is appropriate at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided alongside curative treatment.

Kim Gaffey MSN RN

The concept of palliative care has its roots in the hospice movement, which began in the 1960s with the work of Dame Cicely Saunders in the United Kingdom. Saunders founded St. Christopher’s Hospice in London in 1967, which combined medical, emotional, and spiritual support for patients in the final stages of terminal illness. This pioneering approach emphasized the importance of pain management, compassionate care, and the dignity of the patient. Gaffey Home Nursing & Hospice recognized an unmet need in the Sauk Valley with Dr. Mir Alikhan 5 years ago. Many cancer patients were having symptoms needing professional management, for example iv hydration, pain and nausea management during and following chemotherapy. Care that previously required an emergency room or hospital visit and could be provided in the home with professional nurses limiting exposure for these cancer patients while on chemotherapy. The goal of palliative care is help alleviate a person’s suffering, reduce symptoms, and improve their quality of life over time. Palliative care helps people live their best lives for as long as possible. Since then, palliative care has evolved and expanded beyond hospices to become an integral part of healthcare systems worldwide. It is now recognized as a critical component of comprehensive care for patients facing lifelimiting illnesses, ensuring they receive holistic support tailored to their individual needs.

Palliative care is for individuals who are suffering from serious illnesses that significantly impact their quality of life. To qualify for palliative care, a patient does not need to have a terminal diagnosis, but they must be experiencing distressing symptoms that require specialized management. Palliative care is interdisciplinary, which means that it involves multiple types of doctors and other care providers. These providers at Gaffey include physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual leaders, and other services as identified such as bathing services, physical therapy or occupational therapy, all focused on improving the quality of life while undergoing treatment for serious illness. Cancer is not the only diagnosis covered; any life limiting disease can be managed with palliative care. Palliative care differs from Hospice care. Palliative care can be provided while completing curative measures for the disease present. Hospice requires that life is limited to 6 months and no further curative treatment is offered. Palliative Care may lead to Hospice and Gaffey offers a transition program, so patients do not need to get all new staff, the nurses and caregivers are all cross trained to provide individualized care.

Various healthcare providers, including Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance companies, and sometimes even charitable organizations or hospices, may cover the costs associated with palliative care. In many cases, insurance plans will cover palliative care services if they are deemed medically necessary by a healthcare provider. Gaffey Home Nursing & Hospice utilizes Medicare and insurance for those covered. For those patients without coverage Gaffey offers care through the Gaffey Hospice Foundation, which pays for the care from donations and fund-raising efforts. No patient is turned away from Gaffey Home Nursing & Hospice.

For more information on Palliative care services, call Gaffey Home Nursing & Hospice Inc. 815-626-3467.

PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM & SUBMITTED

Dis cover s enior liv ing at Morning side of Sterling , w here e ver y day is more e xcept ional t han t he las t .

• • Award - w inning M e mor y C are You need it? They’ve got it ... The Habbens want guests to feel like Ruffit Park is their own little oasis from the rest of the world. Once they’ve settled in, they’ll find games, entertainment, Ruffit Park merchandise, candy and snacks, cool treats (courtesy of Kokomo’s Shaved Ice), and various sundries they might need while visiting. Need a camper? They’ve got that too — a travel trailer that can be rented.

These days, Molly has even met some of those kids — all grown up now — who tell their own children about the days when they could buy candy for pocket change, and watch Maxine smile as they told her about all the outdoor adventures there were having.

“Now I love when people come and I get to hear, ‘I grew up coming out here as a kid,’ and now they’re coming here and bringing their kids, or sometimes their grandkids, out here now,” Molly said. “It’s fun to see it come full circle with them coming here as parents or grandparents having their children run around here now.”

The pool had long been a popular hangout at the campground, but it closed in 2012. Since taking it over, the Habbens have tried to get the pool restored and reopened, and now look to have it back up and running again, and open to the public, by Memorial Day weekend. “We’re excited to bring that back, and have people who may not necessarily camp but could come out for the day and swim and spend the day outside,” Molly said.

Another public event has already brought people to the park. The Fall Fest public event in late September hosts local crafters, vendors, food trucks and kids activities, and helps wrap up the camping season, which officially ends Oct. 31. The event has also helped bring more business to Ruffit, with visitors becoming campers, and campers becoming vendors.

Ruffit Park also is home to a piece of local history, Como Cemetery (above, in this vintage map), which was established shortly after Como was founded in the early 1830s. Most of those buried are village pioneers, some of whom served during the Civil War. Henry B. Sampson, one of Como’s early pioneers, is buried there; he owned a hotel in the late 1830s which is still standing in Como at Front and State streets as a private residence. Before U.S. Route 30 was built, access to Como Cemetery was made from an extension of Pear Street, most of which has since reverted to farm land. The last known burial at the cemetery was in 1929. The cemetery is fenced off from the rest of the park. Go to https://tinyurl.com/dbvma7hs for a listing of burials.

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Come rough it with us ...

Ruffit Park is located at 24832 West Rock Falls Road/U.S. Route 30 in Sterling. Find it on Facebook, go to ruffitpark.com, email ruffitpark22@gmail.com or call 779-861-0339 for camping availability or for more information.

For those looking for some indoor fun, the campground has that as well: a pool and foosball table, domed hockey table and a couple of arcade games are inside the general store, and there are also weekend kids activities.

Supplies and camping-specific foods also are sold, and coin-operated washers and dryers are available. The campground also is home to Kokomo’s Shaved Ice, which had been in Rock Falls on Route 30 until Molly and a friend, Kayla DeWald, bought it and moved the it to the campground in 2022.

Want to take in the camping experience, but don’t own a trailer? The campground has a rental trailer available for most weekends. With past renters, Molly has found that it also works well for traditional tent campers who are transitioning to trailers, she said.

In addition to reopening the pool, the Habbens also are thinking about building sand volleyball courts and expanding some of the campground spots in the future.. This year’s activities calendar is already in the works, and events will be promoted on Ruffit’s website and Facebook page.

“It’s been a tradition to a lot of people in the Sauk Valley,” Habben said. “The goal was to bring it back to what it was, and for it to be a destination for Sauk Valley residents to just get out of town, be outside, and do the things that you want your kids to be doing: not being on electronics, but running around and getting dirty and playing.”

In today’s hustle and bustle of life, Molly hopes Ruffit Park can be a place where people can disconnect and reconnect with each other, and make memories that will last a lifetime. It’s a goal not unlike Maxine and Chuck’s, who, Molly says “wanted kids to be kids, play outdoors, get dirty, and go to bed tired.”

“It’s the family stuff, that’s the whole goal of this place is to be a family environment,” Habben said. “It doesn’t matter what age you are; the parents can enjoy sitting around a fire, grilling their food and relaxing, and their kids can safely run around and play. That’s what this place is to me, and what I want it to be.” n

Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com

ome people’s career path begins with a stepping stone. Melinda Jones’ started with a Rock.

It was the height of the pandemic and Jones had just assumed the interim director job at the Rock Falls Tourism Department. Like others in her shoes in cities across the nation, she was looking for a way to safely bring people together for some sorely needed fun.

That’s when the department hit upon an idea that was music to people’s ears: Jammin’ on the Rock, a free live music show in the city’s RB&W District on the riverfront. The event was a success, and it helped set the stage for more events, reminding people that Rock Falls was much more than just one of the Twin City siblings — it’s a destination. Since then, Jones has shed the “interim” part of her temporary title and is the director of the Rock Falls Tourism Department.

It’s a role that she was born to play.

Growing up in Rock Falls, Jones was nurtured by what her hometown had to offer: friends, parks, places to hang out — they’re the fond memories she made as a child and that she’s brought to her job as the city’s chief cheerleader.

“I’ve always loved Rock Falls,” Jones said. “When people would cut down Rock Falls, even to this day, it’s really a thorn in my side, because we have great things to offer and all they’re doing is trying to find the negative. I’ve always had my heart into it.”

There’s not much in terms of things to do and places to go in Rock Falls that Jones hasn’t seen — businesses, community interests, tourism trends, people who come and go — and what’s she’s learned about her hometown has helped her in her mission to make Rock Falls a place that its residents want to stay in and visitors want to come to.

So far, she’s succeeded in both — but it took time and hard work, and the planning has paid off.

Just a decade ago, Rock Falls’ events calendar wasn’t peppered with events such as Flock to the Rock, a nature-related event each February featuring educational programs and eagle watching along the Rock River at Lawrence Park; or last September’s inaugural Taco Throwdown, where local food vendors showed off their twists on the Hispanic treat and taco lovers ate their way toward prizes; or Eats ‘N Beats in July, which brings music-lovers and food-lovers together for entertainment at the RB&W District park.

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Melinda Jones leads the Rock Falls Tourism Department as its director, planning and coordinating special events in town throughout the year and promoting the city’s unique destinations across the Midwest. “I get to come in and do something fun. The community loves it, and it just makes me feel good. I love my job, every day.

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Jones and her team at the Tourism Department came up with new ideas and improved on others. They’ve also highlighted the city’s history with events such as the Louie Bellson Music Fest, held each June to celebrate the life and music of the city’s famous drummer. It’s been a project that’s been close to Jones’ heart, who once marched to the beat of another drum when her alma matter’s Marching Rockets were hitting their stride: “I went to Rock Falls High School and was part of the marching band when it was really good,” she said.

Much of Jones’ job involves figuring what works and what doesn’t with each event, and ensuring that people come back for more. Some events, like the Bellson festival, are becoming signature events for the city.

“For some of these, we like them to be known as, ‘This is what Rock Falls is known for,’” Jones said. “’They’re known for the Bellson Music Fest,’ ‘They’re known for the Taco Throwdown,’ that’s what we want it to be, and see which ones work.”

Other annual events include Summer Splash in June, the Art In The Park Outdoor Art Gallery and

Sculpture Walk in August, the Holiday Light Display in November and December at Centennial Park, and both a Lumberjack Show and Beard Contest in October, coordinated with Selmi’s.

Another part of the job is getting people to mark their calendars for events, and that involves marking the Tourism Department’s calendar. Event listings are posted and updated regularly on calendars at visitrockfalls.com and on social media — and it’s not just Rock Falls events on the calendar: Other local events are there, too, such as ones from the Rock Falls and Sauk Valley chambers of commerce and Sterling Main Street.

Events aren’t the department’s only duty. Making Rock Falls a destination city means making sure people know about its destinations. Take the Hennepin Feeder Canal for example: It’s a place that Jones said too many people take for granted, but it really does have a lot to offer, whether you’re a nature lover, fitness enthusiast, or a history buff fascinated by early 20th century transportation. Informational displays on its function are located at bridges on East Second Street and First Avenue.

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Nothing to do? Says who?

People who say there’s nothing to do in Rock Falls are a prickly subject for Melinda Jones: “When people would cut down Rock Falls, even to this day, it's really a thorn in my side, because we have great things to offer.” Pictured here are just a few of the many events the city hosts.

“You want them to learn things while they’re here, and learn why the canal was made,” Jones said. “It’s a historic state park. All of that wasn’t really promoted back 20, 25 years ago. I think people are more athletic and want to be outdoors more, and promoting those trails and outdoor things is a good way to get people here.”

Another big part of the job that helps bring in visitors is promotion. “We do a lot of advertising in the suburbs and in southern Wisconsin, parts of Indiana, the Quad Cities, the Bloomington area to get people to come here,” Jones said. “I don’t think people realize how much advertising we do to get people to come here.”

Even though Jones is leading Rock Falls’ tourism efforts, the department’s success is a team effort, from the people she serves with to the community she serves.

She says she enjoys it when community members pass along ideas and share their perspectives on what makes the city great and what kinds of things can bring residents together and attract visitors. One such idea came about a few years back from someone who told her about the traveling Vietnam Wall memorial, a scaleddown replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C, featuring the names of soldiers who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. She liked the idea, and thought it would be a good fit for Rock Falls.

“Someone came to me and asked if I ever thought about bringing the Vietnam Wall in,” Jones said. “It took me two years to get it figured out because there was a lot of research on how to make it happen with different companies and such,” but that day finally came in September 2023, and it turned out to be worth the effort. Large crowds came to the RB&W District to see the traveling exhibit. Jones also enlisted the help of local veterans organizations to make the visit happen, as well as coordinate presentations and ceremonies around it.

“I love when the community comes and asks me, ‘Have you ever thought about this?’” she said. “I have all of my ideas, but it’s about the community coming together, and I want them to come to me and say, ‘I think you should do this.’”

Another player in tourism’s team effort is the city. Each event takes planning and coordination, and Jones works with city officials to make sure everything happens without a hitch. The Tourism Department is a public entity and is operated by the city and its Tourism Committee, which is made up of city and elected officials and community members. The committee ultimately is the one that signs off on the tourism events; it meets at 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at City Hall, and like other city committee meetings is open to the public with opportunities to make public comments. The department’s basic functions, such as advertising and payroll, come from the city’s hotel-motel tax.

Feeder ... One part of raising awareness of Rock Falls is highlighting destinations like the Hennepin Feeder Canal. Local residents might tend to forget about this natural resource right in their backyard, but it has a few things to offer, whether you’re a nature lover, fitness enthusiast, or a history buff fascinated by early 20th century transportation. Above: The Yak-Yak Sisters take a leisurely trip down the canal. Right: Melinda Jones demonstrates the self-service kayak kiosk near the Route 40 Hennepin Canal launch in 2023, where kayaks can be rented. Go to visitrockfalls.com/rock-falls-kayak-rentals/ for more information.

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Above: Ron and Bernice Gerdts of Clinton, Iowa, check out the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall in Rock Falls on Aug. 31, 2023. Below: City workers help construct the wall. When sections are unloaded from the truck, the panels are to always face up and not touch the ground until installation.

It’s also up to Jones and her staff to attract sponsors to help pay for events.

There’s a lot of moving parts, and Jones has to make sure they’re all moving in the right direction, but she’s quick to point out that she’s just one member of the team.

“I never want to take credit for anything,” Jones said. “I always say it’s ‘we’ — we’re a team. I never want to say ‘I did this,’ or ‘I did that.’ It’s always a team. I’m real firm on that. We both come up with it, or the community tells us something.”

Before taking on her current role, Jones had spent 30 years as a medical transcriptionist. Her path to her tenure as tourism director began with the coordination of a craft show during the city’s sesquicentennial (its 150th anniversary) in 2017. The show wound up being more of a success than Jones anticipated, and when she decided to take a more active role in the community, it coincided with a vacancy in the Tourism Department’s assistant director position. Jones was hired as assistant director in 2019 and became interim director in July 2020 when the previous director left the position. It was a role she would serve in until April 2021, when she was named director. Jones assumed the interim director role during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, when stay-at-home mandates were taking a toll tourism everywhere. Getting people together again and making sure they were safe became on of Jones’ first missions. That’s when the idea hatched for Jammin’ on the Rock. Even though that event no longer takes place, it had a profound effect on the community, Jones said, and inspired a slew of additional events.

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JONES

“Toward the fall, I wanted to do an event because nobody could do anything and we were all stuck at home,” Jones said. “It was Jammin’ on the Rock, and it was having musicians come and play for free. It was a very safe environment and everybody was very spread out sitting outside at the RB&W District to enjoy music.”

Jones said she received many “thank yous” during the first Jammin’ on the Rock from people who were excited just to be outside and active.

Today, she’s still giving people things to be thankful for, and you’ll often find her at the events the department coordinates, at an informational booth where she spreads the word about what Rock Falls has to offer, hears feedback and suggestions, and meets and greets out-of-town visitors, seeing the city through their eyes, as a great destination.

When the job is all about fun, the job is fun, she said.

“It doesn’t feel like a job, not at all,” Jones said. “I get to come in and do something fun. The community loves it, and it just makes me feel good. I love my job, every day. I don’t ever come in and go, ‘I don’t want to go to work today.’ I love to be able to promote Rock Falls. I love my community and I want what’s best for it.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

Find Visit Rock Falls on Facebook and Instagram, or go to visitrockfalls.com for an up-to-date calendar of events or for more information. Local tourism brochures can also be picked up at the Rock Falls Community Building, 603 W. 10th St. A copy of the city’s Visitor Guide can be viewed and downloaded at visitrockfalls.com/visitor-guide/

AN EXQUISITE JEWELRY SELECTION

When Todd Lorenc performs, he likes to chord, not only with his instruments, but his

to strike a his audience

odd Lorenc has come a long way from a whiffle ball bat

But not so far that he’s forgotten what makes them both

Growing up in Joliet, young Todd heard music all around him. His father Stanley played the saxophone in a local band, but it wasn’t the brass that his son fell in love with — it was the guitars that a couple of his dad’s bandmates played that instilled a passion for music and a desire to sing.

Now in his 50s and living in Rock Falls, Lorenc’s instrument of choice has evolved through the years, though he’s partial to the axes that were once the cutting edge in rock and roll’s earlier days. He’s let his fingers do the walking across the strings of an electric guitar, then bass, then the ukulele and now he’s come full circle, returning to the electric guitar, an Ephiphone Casino that he calls his “dream guitar.” He’s played in several local bands for nearly 20 years, and is currently showing his skills on a solo basis at bars, stores, community events and retirement communities.

Lorenc puts his own touch on classic hits from the 1950s to the 1970s, ranging from artists such as Elvis Presley to The Eagles, performing songs that not only entertain, but can take audiences on an emotional journey. Though it’s been said in song that “none of life’s strings can last,” the memories that strings pull from the corners of our mind never fade — a few chords on a guitar, a riff that we remember … they take us back through the years to a time when we first heard that certain song that still brings a smile to our face or a wistful memory to mind.

Music does the same for Lorenc, too.

Just like Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” sparked a love of rock music in a young John Lennon, the King of Rock’s “Hound Dog” did the same for a young Lorenc.

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Under: Todd Lorenc • Rockfalls ‘n’ Roll

“I was singing and playing guitar with a whiffle ball bat when I was five years old,” Lorenc said. “I liked singing ‘Hound Dog’ by Elvis. One guy in my dad’s band had an electric guitar and I was emulating what he was doing, and another guy was playing the guitar and singing. I thought, ‘That’s so cool. I [have] got to play the guitar.’”

Though he sprinkles in an original composition during performances from time to time, most of what Lorenc performs are covers, some of which he played a time or two with his father. The songs can be bittersweet memories — Stanley died seven years ago — but cherished ones nonetheless. Dealing with his dad’s loss helped Lorenc delve even deeper into his love for music, he said, and if you were to ask him to answer the brothers Gibb question: “How can you mend a broken heart?” he’d tell you the answer lies in song.

“Him and I had such a connection, not just as family, but as musicians because we used to play together all of the time. I just got into it even more. The way I deal with stuff, such as loss, is through music. It’s so therapeutic. That’s what Barry Gibb said when he lost Robin and Maurice from The Bee Gees; he never knew anything else but just kept going forward and doing it. I totally got what he meant after I lost my mom and dad, I just got to keep doing it.”

It’s not just his own memories that his music evokes. He likes to gauge his audience — which can be anywhere from a few people to a few thousand — to find songs that connect with people, to get toes tapping and faces smiling. He likes to introduce each song by name and artist, letting listeners get a jump start on those memories. Lorenc welcomes a tip of the hat from audiences, too, some change or dollars dropped in a hat for the poet and his one-man band.

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Hablo Español

Even if you haven’t seen Todd Lorenc on stage, you may have seen his artistic talent on display at The Precinct in Sterling, where his paintings of local residents can be seen on the bar and grill’s walls.

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When Lorenc performs at retirement homes, many times he picks songs from the ’50s and ’60s, which tap deep into residents’ memories and recall happy times, he said. Lorenc takes time to interact with the crowd between songs, and that’s when he gets to hear from people in the audience about the profound memories associated with a certain song.

“I see them smiling when they get into it. I love bringing memories back,” Lorenc said. “That’s the joy for me. I’ll do a lot of Frank Sinatra and Elvis stuff and it can bring those memories back. When I see them singing along, or kind of look up and listen, that makes my heart happy. I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘That song, I danced with my girlfriend for our first dance.’ It’s nice to get paid and get tips for doing a gig, but hearing all of that is worth it for me.”

Lorenc’s musical interests evolved as he grew up, including a fondness for music royalty, going from the King of Rock, Elvis, to the Kings of EMI, The Beatles, rich catalogs that gave him no shortage of songs to learn. Even with his deep dive into the musical mastery of John, Paul, George and Ringo, he continues to enjoy playing Elvis, and sometimes goes into full-on impersonation mode. In 1989, Lorenc visited Graceland, Elvis’ famous residence, and Sun Records, where Presley recorded his first hits. If he had to pick a No. 1, though, it’s The Beatles.

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He’s got the world on his strings ... Lorenc has played a lot of instruments through the years — guitar, bass, ukulele — but he recently returned to the guitar, and it’s one he’d been dreaming about getting for years: an Epiphone Ca- sino like the model featured in many classic Beatles songs.

“They were it for me, I still think they’re the greatest band,” Lorenc said of the Fab Four. “Elvis influenced me to sing and perform when I was a little kid, but when I got into the Beatles, that’s when I started learning the guitar and the bass and harmonizing stuff. They were almost kind of like my teachers, and they launched so many bands.”

Lorenc moved to the Sauk Valley to live with his wife at the time, and his artistry evolved even further to where he took an interest in painting and drawing. He taught classes at The Next Picture Show art gallery in Dixon for a time, and one of his most visible works of art — paintings of faces of people around town — can be seen on the walls of The Precinct bar and grill in Sterling.

These days though, he prefers to paint pictures with his music. He said he doesn’t touch the pencils and paints these days. “When you’re an artist, you start on a canvas or a drawing from Point A to Point B and it’s a long process,” he said. “With music, you’re creating art in a moment.”

Lorenc’s knack for necks has changed through the years. After his earliest days with the electric guitar, the bass became his next instrument of choice for 20 years. Around the mid-2010s, Lorenc was playing in four different bands at the same time — and that was all on top of his day job at Crest Foods in Ashton, where he continues to work.

It was during his time with one of his bands when he learned about the interesting sounds of the ukulele, which became his

main focus for eight years. Though you don’t tend to see a lot of ukulele players making the rounds, the instrument has a devoted following, including the late George Harrison. One of the largest yearly stops on Lorenc’s schedule, on top of many local ones, was the Aurora Ukulele Festival, where he played for six years.

Lorenc’s interest in theukulele came at a time when he was considering going solo, and the jolly little instrument helped him seal the deal.

“I wanted to do a solo act, and I was thinking about getting a guitar and start doing that again, but everybody else does that and then I wanted to do something different,” Lorenc said. “I was in a band where a guy had a ukulele, and I said to him, ‘Show me a couple of chords on that thing.’ He did, and I just fell in love with it.”

But even as he took up the ukulele, he still had his eye on bigger things: getting his hands on an Epiphone Casino. After 35 years, he finally saved enough money to buy the thinline hollow-bodied guitar in October. It’s the same model John Lennon used on many Beatles songs, from “Rubber Soul” in 1965 to the “Let It Be” sessions before he left the band in 1969. Fellow Beatle Paul McCartney acquired one around the same time, and still uses it today, calling it one of his favorite guitars.

Trading the ukulele for the Casino also led to more gigs, including a few this past fall in the Rockford area.

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(815) 626-2988

“Once I got that, it just lit the fire in me,” Lorenc said. “It brought me back to the first love,” Lorenc said. “There’s so much more you can do on guitar. I’ve heard from people who have heard me play the ukulele for a number of years who have said, ‘I like you much better on guitar, and it’s more enjoyable.’ After a while, it came full circle.”

Recently, Lorenc has played at The Rusty Fox in Sterling and Lost Nation Golf Course clubhouse in rural Dixon in March, and on May 10 he’s scheduled to appear at The Mercantile in Sterling.

Can’t make it to one of his shows? Lorenc records some and shares them on his Instagram page (@toddlorencmusic) or YouTube channel, and he also has some instrumental compositions available to listen to on both platforms, including a couple of tunes on a Martin Backpacker, a smaller travel guitar with its own unique sound.

“I’ve met a lot of good people and have played at a lot of good venues, and made friendships,” Lorenc said. “I like the hometown thing, because I’m from a bigger city in Joliet and I’ve come to like the slower pace over here.” — and is audiences have come to like what Lorenc brings to the stage.

“Being influenced by all of these artists, I want to keep it alive,” Lorenc said. “My biggest thing is that if I can bring a memory back, or a smile on them, I’ve done my job.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

Listen to the music

Find Todd Lorenc on Facebook and Todd Lorenc Music on YouTube and (@toddlorencmusic)Instagram to hear clips of his music and for more information on upcoming appearances.

SUBMITTED

PHOTO

hat started as a post-game ritual became a game-changer for Justin and Seandra Westfall.

When their kids were growing up and playing sports, the Westfalls would often find themselves looking for a place to eat after the game to celebrate a job well done. These days, they’re the ones giving families a place to go, inspired by the meals and memories they shared with their own kids.

The Westfalls are the W in JW’s Third Base, a downtown Rock Falls bar and grill that’s celebrating 20 years this year, come March. From the business name to the menu, sports are a big part of the Westfall team. Dad Justin — the J in JW’s — was a youth baseball coach, son Braeden played baseball, daughter Jennivee played softball, and the family are die-hard Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans, a team pride that they wear on their sleeves, and JW’s walls.

JW’s name is a nod to sports families’ familiar routine of grabbing a bite to eat before heading home after the game, their last stop at third base before heading home — but the bar isn’t just for sports fans.

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Above: Justin Westfall opened JW’s Third Base in 2005 with his wife Seandra, and will celebrate 20 years in business in March. CODY CUTTER/ CCUTTER@ SHAWMEDIA.COM

The Westfalls’ son Braeden is JW’s general manager “I would say that what I like most about working here is working alongside my parents every day,” Braeden said. “It allows me to stay present in their lives.”

“It’s a nice little neighborhood bar and grill with the best wings you’ll ever have,” Justin said. “We have a full menu with pizzas, salads and sandwiches. It’s a nice place for everybody to come and get together with their families, or come after sports events, and sit down and have a good time. We’re not only a restaurant, we’re a sports bar also, and we’ll have different games on TV.”

Sports keeps the place lively, and it’s an atmosphere Justin enjoys seeing each night. Games on TV often become fodder for discussions or debates while customers enjoy pizza, sandwiches, salads, drinks, and those “world famous” chicken wings, as Justin likes to call them and promote on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

What makes the wings, both bone-in and boneless and made with Justin’s own combination of sauces, “world famous?” He’s met customers from China, Australia, Japan and England who were visiting or passing through and stopped by just to have them, he said. They’re available as a separate entree of 10 or in orders of 20 or 50 to share, and in any count on Mondays when they’re on special. Along with traditional wing sauces, other flavors include teriyaki pineapple, ragin’ Asian, mango habanero, and the newest addition, Daytona sauce, “a sweet, mustardy southern style barbecue,” Justin said.

Pizzas — from 10 to 16 inches — come with choices of toppings, with specialty varieties available: macaroni and cheese, chicken Alfredo, chicken club and taco, to name a few. Each specialty pizza is named for a major league baseball team, such as the Cubs All-American Meat, Brewers BLT, and Giants Veggie Style. Buffalo chicken or hot honey drizzle can be added to any pizza for a small price. The Westfalls like to bat around new ideas for pizzas, and added flatbread and Detroit styles this past summer.

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Champagne Toast Flower Combo

Even the selection of salads have their own sports names, honoring local high schools: the Rock Falls Rocket club salad, Sterling Golden Warrior chicken Caesar and Newman Comet classic chicken salad among them.

Other baseball-related names on the menu include the “Field of Dreams” appetizer combo basket, a “T-ballers” menu for kids and seniors with lighter fares, and “Hall of Fame” sandwiches which include a Philly style with choice of roast beef or grilled chicken, Italian beef, club, Cordon bleu, and a cheeseburger with two patties side-by-side between hoagie buns.

Local delivery is available with a $15 minimum order throughout most business hours. Justin likes to have a menu with offerings that people will talk about, and come back for more.

“We want to be unique so that people will remember when they were here — ‘That’s the place that had the pizzas named after the baseball teams,’” he said. “We’ve had people come in for 20 years and get their regular things and are like, ‘I didn’t know you had a Cordon bleu; we always just get wings or pizza.’”

The menu selection comes from Justin’s many years in the restaurant business, beginning when he bussed tables and washed dishes when he was 14. Justin grew up in Rock Falls and his family moved to Sycamore after fourth grade. After serving in the Air Force, he and Seandra lived in Florida, where their children were born, and moved to Rock Falls about 25 years ago. The Westfalls owned a Papa John’s franchise in Rock Falls for a few years before going out on their own with JW’s. Braeden and Jennivee have helped out at JW’s as they grew up and into adulthood. Braeden is JW’s general manager and has taken over some of the jobs his parents had done for years. When Braeden isn’t running the restaurant, he’s tending to his clothing design business, Authentic Vibes Only, taking a page from his parents’ book as business owners, inspired by their own success.

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“I would say that what I like most about working here is working alongside my parents every day,” Braeden said. “It allows me to stay present in their lives even as an adult. And being able to watch how hard they worked to see their dreams really come to fruition and say we did it: It’s allowed me to see how possible it is to chase your dreams and achieve them when you put your mind to it.”

One memorable moment involving father and son at the restaurant was when their beloved Bucs, led by quarterback Tom Brady and linebacker Devin White, won Super Bowl LV in 2021 in Tampa over the Kansas City Chiefs. They had hoped to see the game in person, but with the Super Bowl being such a big day for JW’s, they had to settle for watching it on TV at the business.

Nevertheless, the Westfalls were happy with whipping up around 4,000 wings for dine-in and carryout that day while cheering their team to the big win. Super Bowl Sunday is the busiest day of the year, Justin said.

“It was very nice because I got to watch it with my son because he grew up as a Bucs fan,” Justin said. “For me and him to watch together and them to win the Super Bowl was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. We tried to go down there, but I had to be here; Super Bowl Sunday is our busiest day of the year, so it’s kind of hard to take that off.”

The Westfalls plan to have specials and giveaways to honor 20 years in business come March, celebrating a winning combination of sports, food, fellowship and fun.

Once someone stops by the place, Justin said, he’s confident they’ll get hooked.

“When people go out, they’re usually going to places for the atmosphere,” Justin said. “They’re not going somewhere just to sit there and not say anything, so when you socialize and kind of joke around with them, and become friends with them, it’s what they want. I want them to walk out going, ‘This place was really neat.’” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

One

stop closer to home

JW’s Third Base, 207 W. Second St. in Rock Falls, is open 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Delivery hours are from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Facebook or call 815-6322070 to place orders or for more information.

ohn Williamson and Andrew Knapp are mindful of the food they eat.

The same goes for what they feed their dogs. They’ve seen how diets heavy on kibble can sap some of the pep from a pup, compared to dogs with better food in their bowls. If you ask them, a healthier dog is a happier dog — and if you ask their customers, they’ll tell you the same thing.

But it’s not always easy to find healthier dog food in aisles packed with processed products. So they decided to put their money where their dogs’ mouth is and invest in starting a business of their own, and in the process they created their own Bully pulpit: a business where they can tell people all about the benefits of all-natu ral dog food.

Williamson and Knapp are the business partners behind Bully House Raw, a Sterling-based business that packages and sells all-natural raw meat and treats with essential nutrients for dogs — no chemicals, no filler, just flavor.

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

John Williamson (left) and Andrew Knapp own Bully House Raw in Sterling, which sells meat and treats for dogs.

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Williamson and Knapp keep are big believers in the benefits of all-natural dog food and treats, and tout them on the product’s packages.

MOC.AIDEMWAHS

The meat they use is 100% food grade and USDA approved. With beef-andchicken meat blends, as well as treats such as dried anchovies, chicken feet, pig ears and smoked and dehydrated beef knuckles, the pair are doing their part to help dog owners be more mindful of what their pets eat.

They started the business two years ago, after putting their own dogs on a healthier diet and seeing how it helped them. So far, the response has been good. Word of mouth — and wagging tails — have helped get the business off the ground and their products in more locations, with their treats available at local gas stations and convenience stores and their raw meat at area meat markets. Their dogs still play a part in their business, as Bully House’s tastetesters and quality control inspectors. Before they roll out a Raw Blend or try out a new treat, they test them on their own dogs first.

The two enjoy hearing from customers about the changes they see in their dogs after adding Bully House’s products to their diet.

“I can’t believe that something we did just for our own dogs, putting it out there for someone else, and everybody’s like, ‘Man, I love it,’” Williamson said. “[They’ll say] their dog had a sensitive stomach but now it doesn’t have any more issues, or had hair problems and now have no more issues. Those are great reviews, hearing stuff like that. At the end of the day we just want everybody to have an option for their dog to have a better life.”

“I like that people like our product, and it lets us know that we’re doing the right thing with our product and it’s working,” Knapp said. “That’s what I like about it, when people like what we’re doing, and it makes me feel good.” BULLY

Knapp also enjoys seeing the impact their products have had on dogs and their owners.

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BULLY

The meat used in Bully House Raw’s food is 100% food grade and USDA approved, and their products are made right here in Sterling. “If you create something and you get someone who comes up to you and asks, ‘You’re the person who makes these?’ It’s great, and I like to hear what they have to say about it,” said John Williamson, who runs the business with Andrew Knapp

Williamson and Knapp are firm believers in keeping dogs off the kibble — the ground-up meats and vegetables that are processed and pressed into pellets in dry dog food. Many pet owners don’t pay as much attention as they should to what’s in the bags they lug into their shopping carts. It may be easy to keep a big bag around to fill up the dog bowl, but the fats in the food aren’t always the healthiest, and shelf life can be an issue, too.

Before he and Knapp started their business, Williamson, who also breeds dogs, heard about a fellow dog owner who didn’t know his bag of dog food had mold growing in it.

“I had a customer buy a bag of dog food not knowing that it had mold; all of the dogs got sick and one dog died,” Williamson said. “That’s what started to push us toward wanting to show people a better way to feed their dogs. It’s an all-around healthier way to feed your dog and have them live a long, happier healthy life, versus kibble.”

Another benefit is the dog’s bathroom habits. Williamson said he’s heard from customers that their dogs tend to relieve themselves less, and when they do, they leave less of a mess because the all-natural food allows dogs to retain more of the nutrients and proteins, and not just pass it through their system.

Williamson and Knapp started off selling raw meat, then added their line of treats. The raw meat comes from Eickman’s Processing Co. in Seward in Winnebago County. The working dog blend is made up of 70% chicken and 30% beef, and the carnivore blend is 60% beef and 40% chicken; they’re sold in two-pound rolls and their serving size is 2-3% of a dog’s body weight. The carnivore blend caters to dogs who are underweight and recovering from pregnancy.

“We’ve sold to those who have dogs that have had litters,” Williamson said. “A lot of times, puppies will take nutrients and proteins from their mother, whose body weight drops drastically. When you put them on the carnivore blend, their body comes back very quickly.”

Williamson and Knapp are considering selling a turkey blend of raw meat in the future, as well as finding an economical and safe way to sell their meat products via mail order. Healthier food typically comes at a higher price, but they aim to buck that trend: “A lot of people want to transition over to raw,” Williamson said. “The biggest hurdle for people is thinking that raw is so expensive. We charge $3 a pound for both of our blends.”

The dried anchovies are rich in omega-3 and is among their best sellers — and they aren’t just for dogs. Williamson said he’s had customers buy them for their cats as well.

“With anchovies, their bones are pretty much like a piece of your hair; if I pull a piece of your hair, especially after being dehydrated, it’s like pulling a bone from an anchovy,” Williamson said. “When it comes to treats, you can’t use a long fish because of the amount of mercury that builds in the fish’s body, so you have to use a small fish, or one that has a real small lifespan.”

Bully House products are available at a number of local and area businesses. For a list of locations, see the highlighted paragraph on the next page.

BULLY HOUSE

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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Locally, their treats are sold at Sterling’s Shell Expresslane gas stations on North Locust Street and East Lincolnway, as well as the one on U.S. Route 30 in Rock Falls. Other Shell Expresslane locations with their treats include those in Dixon, Fulton, Grand Detour, Oregon and Port Byron; they also can be found at the 301 North convenience store in Dixon, Fulton Meat Market and Eickman’s — the latter three locations also carry Bully House Raw’s raw food. Williamson and Knapp are looking to add more locations to sell their treats, and will post them on their Facebook page. Treats also are sold on Amazon. Williamson and Knapp also set up at area pop-up markets, which are good places to not only introduce people to their products, but help them determine which of their products would be a good fit for their dog. One thing they’ve found at the markets is that people are surprised to find out their products come from right in their neck of the woods.

“Nobody really knew we were from Sterling, they thought we were from out of state just coming for the event,” Williamson said. “If you create something and you get someone who comes up to you and asks, ‘You’re the person who makes these?’ It’s great, and I like to hear what they have to say about it.”

“A lot of companies that sell this type of product outsource their product and have it already packaged for them, but that’s not what we do,” Knapp added. “We let them know that.”

Williamson said he’s proud of how their product has performed, and make a difference in customers’ dogs.

“You want to feel success with what you do,” Williamson said. “It makes you want to keep going it and love it more.” n

Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com