Sun City pen pals paired with local high school students

It might not be obvious what old-fashioned letter writing has to do with careers in the cutting-edge medical field, but Huntley High School Medical Academy teacher Renae St. Clair says the relevance is crucial.

Valor quilters and the McHenry County Historical Society team up to honor Huntley veterans

This community, like places all over the country, paused on Veterans Day to honor those who served. Veterans Day is always on November 11, the anniversary of the armistice ending World War I in 1918. But unlike past remembrances in the 102-year history of the holiday, no one is inviting crowds, hosting parades, but instead preferring to offer virtual ceremonies, or hosting in person events requiring masks and observing social distancing in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Bravery, compassion, humor

Avid readers of the Sun Day may very well be aware of former Sun City resident, Paul Souchek, whose colorful life has filled the Sun Day’s pages with tales of his time in 36th Infantry Division of the Army during WWII to his active involvement in various Sun City organizations such as the Scandinavian Club and other activities alongside his wife, Joan. Although today Souchek spends his days entertaining nurses and other staff with his humorous stories at the Alden of Huntley Senior Living facility, Souchek’s daughter, Linda Cook, explains that despite battling some medical setbacks, “[it] doesn’t slow him down.”

Sadly, Souchek’s wife passed away August 21 of this year after 73 years of marriage, but as Souchek recounts, was able to have one last touching moment with his beloved partner.

HOWL-O-Ween recap

Dogtoberfest is the ultimate fall festival, uniting pets, Halloween, Oktoberfest, and the community with a dog costume contest.

Residents brought out their pets to strut their stuff in costume on October 20.

2020 Thanksgiving plans as varied as the menus for Sun City residents

Things don’t always go according to plan on Thanksgiving Day. Entrees are forgotten in the fridge, new recipes don’t work out, and sometimes those turkeys take longer to cook. The food, the family, the travel, the emotion, and now 2020 has brought an additional element to feel stress and anxiety as Thanksgiving Day is nearing.

Thanksgiving is the day when we feel most grateful for the blessings in our lives. Some residents have not seen extended family for months. Thanksgiving conjures up pictures of big happy reunions but how safe is to make it a reality?

Contributions are a Turkey Day delight for families in need

On the morning of November 14, a truck will stop at the Grafton Food Pantry in Huntley and put the wheels in motion for hundreds of people who might otherwise not have a Thanksgiving. Forgive if you will the cliché because the wheels are key to the Grafton Food Pantry Thanksgiving Dinner giveaway, a two decades old tradition.

The truck driver will oversee the packing of 170 to 175 boxes of frozen turkeys into his truck at the Northern Illinois Food Bank. From there, the driver will deliver the turkeys and boxes of trimmings to Grafton Food Pantry where several dozen pantry volunteers will unload the boxes for the turkey giveaway.

No trick

In the past, Sun City’s Grandma, Grandpa, and Me (GG&ME) Charter club has hosted a very special Halloween event.

The Halloween Party is one of the club’s more popular events. The club would invite members and family to come in costume and enjoy the crafts, games, prizes, refreshments, and entertainment. Trick-or-treating in Sun City would begin right after the party. Grandkids would relish this opportunity since this would occur the week before traditional trick or treating in their own neighborhood; a second Halloween. This year, Covid-19 has impacted this tradition.

Storm surge

2020 has altered many vacation plans, graduations, weddings, and even birthdays.

Pam and Ed Richard, like many residents, have been following social-distancing guidelines since March to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. As with many families, the Richards were aching to see family. They decided to take advantage of everyone’s good health to visit family in Louisiana. In planning for the visit, they booked a hotel, creating a social bubble helping them feel comfortable interacting with Ed’s brother, his wife, and children.

WWII veteran shares battles, bobbles, and best memories

To be in the audience of Sun City resident and storyteller Bob Gordon is to be in the presence of a master. Turning one hundred on December 23, Gordon has tales that span both the decades and the globe, and he regales his vivid and often humorous anecdotes with near perfect recall.

A veteran of World War II in Guam, Gordon detailed his years in intelligence.

Doing it right at Valley Hi Nursing Home

Since the first COVID-19 cases were reported earlier this year in the U.S., Valley Hi Nursing Home in McHenry County has not had a single resident test positive for coronavirus.

The “resident centered” county-run long-term facility in Woodstock made news because Valley Hi stands out from other similar nursing homes across the country that have not been free of COVID cases. National statistics show 42 percent of COVID deaths have occurred in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.

“I wrote, ‘I think you are my brother. You look exactly like my Dad,’” remembers Rinaldi-Esta.

Parkside Pub describes the highs and lows of Covid-era restaurant life

“Could I have five more ketchup packets?”

A customer at Parkside Pub in Huntley was just served a burger and fries and caught the server’s attention. The customer figured two ketchup packets on her plate weren’t enough. The number of ketchup packets served to a customer won’t break a restaurant’s budget but it’s part of the complete picture of COVID related costs for restaurants and how restaurants struggle to stay on budget.

Pebbles painted with positivity popping up around Sun City streets

Painted rocks? The idea is simple: get a rock, paint it, hide it, and then leave a hint on Facebook so others can find it. It’s a trend that is popping up all across the country.

In Huntley, Sun City residents post their treasure finds on The Facebook Page Wildflower Lake Neighbors in Huntley. Who is responsible for all those painted rocks hidden all over Sun City?

Sewing hope for the community

Dozens of sewing champions in Sun City have dusted off their sewing machines to make thousands of surgical masks this year. Marilyn McIntyre said, “Even though formal charter club activities have been suspended during the pandemic, members of the Sew ‘n Sews club have been working independently sewing, quilting, and knitting. It is estimated that a number of women made over 5,000 masks during the spring from the fabric they had on hand.

Not your parents’ pumpkin patch

Fall festivals are favorites for many families, but along with the pumpkins and hayrides is a harvest of new restrictions thanks to COVID-19.

“We cannot have our bouncies, like our pumpkin jumper or inflatable train,” said Liz Halat from Tom’s Farm Market in Huntley.

You can’t have your cake and read it, too

Jo Kinyon Geary has fans all over Sun City, her workplace, and among friends and family. Geary creates cakes that are works of art.

For the interview, Geary was prepared with a visual presentation of her creativity. The cake was a replica of the last edition of the Sun Day newspaper. Geary said, “The yellow cake is filled with custard. The Sun Day article was printed with edible ink on rice paper.”

‘Dill’ with it

You might have noticed the announcements by Sun City announcing the Perk-N-Pickle at Pavilion Circle Drive every Friday or seen the Food Truck parked there.

Justin and Alicia, the owners, keep busy. They have been serving up food at a constant rate from 11 to 7 p.m.

Labor Day weekend provides economic checkpoint

With the emergence of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Labor Day observance may be subdued nationwide, but creativity, adaptability, and resilience in places such as the Village of Huntley will keep the focus on honoring worker contributions. Yet, continued reports of positive cases of COVID-19 in Illinois have given us so many reasons for pessimism for an economic recovery and job picture. That’s why any victories with the economy give us a ray of optimism for a rebounding job market.

The funny bones

Indeed, like most traits, our sense of humor is influenced not only by genetics but also by environmental factors like upbringing, culture, and social circle.

Sun City resident Jacque Stashwick is a woman who loves to get a laugh, loves to tell a story, and loves to have fun talking to you.

Introducing My Huntley News

I’d like to introduce you to our new endeavor My Huntley News (or myhuntleynews.com), a fully digital news publication dedicated to covering the Village of Huntley on a hyper-local level.

Amidst pandemic, local farms open with bumper crop of precautions

Indulging in freshly picked produce from the farm stand is a summer rite of passage. But as with many seasonal traditions during the pandemic, new rules have taken root to keep this summer ritual safe.

‘Nun’ too predictable

You might not know her name, but if you have attended any concerts in Sun City, outdoor or indoor, you might have seen Juliana Krupka encourage residents to get up and dance to the music.

“We have music in our hearts,” Krupka said.

COVID-free…at last

After more than two months of fighting the COVID-19 virus, an Elgin family of four is thankful to be reunited after three of them contracted COVID-19.

Olivia Morales, 22, looks back on March 2020 with bemusement. “When everything was in lockdown and none of us were sick, we thought we were bored,” she said. “But that was nothing compared to this. We would rather be bored than have anyone experience anything like this.”

The butterfly effect

You may know Janet Graf from her stunning performances in the Sun City’s theatre productions. Outside of the theatre, Graf raises Monarchs. This year she has released around 95 butterflies.

“I find the eggs on a milkweed leaf, I break the leaf off and I put them in a glass container on my counter,” Graf said.

Ex-selling at beauty

Darlene Rutledge, a Sun City Resident, has worked at the same job for 47 years and continues to work at that job.

“I joined as a Mary Kay Consultant in Springfield area on April 1, 1973, to get out of the house a couple of times a week as a break from my 1 & 4-year-old with a big goal of making $30 profit a week, and I expected to quit. I was the first consultant and director in my hometown of Springfield, Illinois,” Rutledge said.

Happy Zoomversary!

Joan and Larry Davis celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with nearly 50 friends and relatives, in a special hybrid version of an anniversary party, suitable for this most unusual year.

Rain nor Shine nor Coronavirus

Over 45 vehicles lined up, social distancing for Sun City’s Golf Cart Parade at Prairie Lodge Parking Lot. Participants were advised to stay in their cart or keep the current 6-foot social distancing requirement. Spectators who were lining up on the route were also advised to stay in your yard or keep their distances.

Because I’m ‘Happy’

This past month, Sun City received a challenge to a dance-off by a neighboring community. Kathy O’ Toole, Sun City Fitness Manager, responded to that challenge stating, “And we want to show them our moves.”

The email blast went out to residents. Clubs contacted their members, and neighborhood captains encouraged their neighbors and individuals got their plans together.

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