McHenry County News FRE
E
11512 N. 2nd ST. • MACHESNEY PARK, IL 61115 • (815) 654-4850 • www.McHenrycountynewspaper.com Display Advertising & Classifieds: 815-654-4850 • Circulation: 815-654-4854 • E-mail:McHenrynews@rvpublishing.com
Volume 6 Issue 37
WOODSTOCK CAR WASH N O W O P E N
• 3 Heated Bays • Brand New Vacuums • Automatic Wash Now Open • 7’ High and Large Enough for Dually Pickup Trucks
218 Fair Street, Woodstock, IL (Behind McDonalds)
239731
SEPTEMBER 8, 2016
Sheriff welcomes visitors to open house By Anne Eickstadt, CORRESPONDENT
The day started out cloudy and rainy but the sun decided to shine on the Open House event thrown by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, August 27. This year marks the 175th year of county law enforcement in McHenry County. Police vehicles gleam with their doors standing wide open in an invitation that children quickly accept. They clamber all over the cars, wonder at the snowmobiles and try to hold the body shields by the S.W.A.T. truck. Deputies and volunteers are all on hand to answer questions. Daniel Garcia has been volunteering with the Sheriff’s department for several months. “I started through the Crystal Lake Police Department Volunteer program and I took it to the next level at the Sheriff’s office. We help with parades, National Night Out, the County Fair and events like today. It’s an excellent way to give back to the community,” he says. Inside the building, past security, is a room offering Child Identification service and Turning Point of McHenry County www.mchenrycountyturningpoint.org. “We ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO McHenry County News wanted to show community support for McHenry County Law EnforceBrooke Mikulski, age 6; Michael Pintor, age 8; and Adien Feezel-Mikulski, age 8, are delighted to be al- ment,” states Jane Farmer, executive lowed to climb all over the police vehicles on display at the Sheriff’s Open House. director for Turning Point. Laura
Crain of the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition says, “I think the county is working together with everyone from law enforcement to treatment providers and the general public to address drug related issues.” www.MCDrugFree.com From here, we are escorted down the hallway to visit one of the 18 courtrooms in the building. Each of these is assigned its own judge and 12 are set up for jury trials. Court security officers are assigned to the judges for the length of their term, monitor entryways and provide extra courtroom security at need. The Records Office handles daily reports. All reports are classified according to crime and compiled into statistical information. In 2015, the Sheriff’s office issued 4800 traffic citations, 134 DUIs and gave out 5400 warning tickets. They responded to 25,000 reports of crimes ranging from grass clippings on a neighbor’s lawn to burglary and murder. In the Civil Process office, they process and serve all the papers for lawsuits, subpoenas, orders of protection, evictions, foreclosures, notices, adoptions and more. Each office has a staff member on hand to answer questions while volunteers are stationed in the hallway
See VISIT, Page 2
Hosta In Memorium
By Anne Eickstadt, CORRESPONDENT
Rich and Susie Eyre have been holding ‘Hosta Happenings’ for 17 years. Rich’s mom, Margaret, loves leafy hostas so one day Rich bought some for her. Margaret passed away on January 13, at the age of 97. Today’s Hosta Happening is in honor of her, now more than ever. “We moved to Woodstock in 1970 and bought this land in 1983. We have 500 varieties of hosta on the grounds and 200 varieties at today’s event,” Rich says. Rich and Susie Eyre are the owners of Rich’s Foxwillow Pines Nursery on McConnell Road in Woodstock. Rich and Susie began planting slow-growing and unusual plants simply because they like them. After a time, they ran out of room and began selling the plants. Their customer base now runs from Brattleboro, Vermont to Aspen, Colorado. “We have 25 varieties of conifers, 1000 deciduous plants and over 700 varieties of perennials.” “At first Rich didn’t want to sell the hostas,” Susie tells me. “‘They’re mom’s’”, he would say. Then Margaret suggested, “why not give them to Heifer, International?’’ Heifer International is a non-profit organization working to end hunger and poverty. “We started holding ‘Hosta Happenings’ with help from a lot of people. We have raised over $500,000 for them over the last twenty years by selling hostas,” says Rich. “The whole idea of Heifer, Int. is to pass on the gift. They get a gift, then the recipient becomes the donor. Our idea of using hostas as a fundraiser is a natural. You can divide it and it keeps on growing more. It is a plant that keeps on giving.” “We find in our work a way to help those who have no voice. If we can help more people, that is what legacy is all about. We are here such a short amount of time, we want to give as much as we can. Susie says it is no sin to make money but what you do with it is something else.” “The bad guys work all the time, so the good guys have to work overtime. We are eternally grateful to everyone who has come to buy our hostas and trees and support us in every way. It’s been quite unbelievable.” “The American Conifer Society taught me my trade. We have even won awards for our dedication. The two of us are pretty synergistic – you put us on task and we get the job done. Susie and I have both been on the Board of Directors for Heifer, Int. She was chairman of the board.” “We went to a Peace Corps convention and heard about the Mano a Mano organization. They have built 150 hospitals and 70 schools.” Mano a Mano now attends Hosta Happenings with tables of items crafted in Bolivia in a fundraiser of their own. Mano a Mano builds roads, schools
ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO McHenry County News
Hosta Haven honors Rich Eyre’s mother, Margaret, who passed away in January.
and hospitals. Heifer, Int. gives people resources and training. The two groups work very well together in areas of deprivation. “We become better people by association with good people,” Rich continues. “We sold our first plants in 1988, and we have never looked back.”
Rich’s Foxwillow Pines Nursery is located at 11618 McConnell Road, Woodstock, Illinois, 60098. They can be found online at www. richsfoxwillowpines.com You can also visit their Facebook page at Rich’s Foxwillow Pines Nursery, Inc.