MY SUN DAY NEWS
Gloria Readus, Sun City resident, moved to Sun City with her husband, Joseph, after retiring from teaching. She remembers with fondness the early days of watching the lodge and nearby homes being built. For the past two decades, she has been keeping history alive at Sun City.
Gloria Readus, Sun City resident, moved to Sun City with her husband, Joseph, after retiring from teaching. She remembers with fondness the early days of watching the lodge and nearby homes being built.
For the past two decades, she has been keeping history alive at Sun City.
It’s early morning, and I’m wondering if I can get away with wearing a flannel shirt to work. Thankfully, my job is behind the scenes at a public library, so I don’t have to adhere to a very strict dress code, but still…a plaid flannel shirt feels a little casual. On the other hand, I’m freezing. Decision made. Flannel wins.
Winter in the Midwest, where I’ve lived most of my life, is an exercise in survival and fortitude. The familiar “winter burrow,” when my neck and shoulders begin to melt into the rest of my body in order to conserve heat, begins in November. That’s when cold winds strip the trees of the remaining leaves and the world seems to be all shades of browns and grays. In December, there is some relief because of all the festive holiday lights and decorations. January settles into a cold, desolate winterscape once again. The lights and tinsel and baubles have been packed away, but a fresh layer of snow can brighten things up.
I love watching Super Bowl commercials, but in every other way as a consumer, I am an advertiser’s nightmare.
When I read a magazine or newspaper, I flip past the ads without a glance. It’s even worse with TV commercials. By the time the endless list of potential side effects rolls across the screen, I have blanked out the name of that exciting new medicine that will cure me of… what was it again?
On January 7, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)released the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) with its revised visual model. This visual model upends the Food Pyramid in favor of meat and dairy. This has drawn strong criticism from experts and physician groups, saying the guidelines reflect agricultural and food industry lobbies rather than science. (Source: The 17,000 physician members of the Physician’ Committee for Responsible Medicine.)
On February 25 last year, the Sun City Board of Directors formalized a partnership between the Sun City Community Association and Huntley High School. This has initiative provided residents with a meaningful way to mentor local students and share their expertise. The collaboration was spearheaded by Dolores Fischer, a dedicated volunteer who recognized the potential for Sun City’s Charter clubs to support specific educational needs at the high school. One of the first active projects involves Nicholas Wedoff from the school’s Career and Technical Education Department and the Sun City Model Railroad Charter Club. The groups are currently collaborating on a model of the Huntley Square project for the club’s permanent display. Additionally, students are manufacturing custom components for train cars using high-tech tools.
On February 25 last year, the Sun City Board of Directors formalized a partnership between the Sun City Community Association and Huntley High School. This has initiative provided residents with a meaningful way to mentor local students and share their expertise. The collaboration was spearheaded by Dolores Fischer, a dedicated volunteer who recognized the potential for Sun City’s Charter clubs to support specific educational needs at the high school.
One of the first active projects involves Nicholas Wedoff from the school’s Career and Technical Education Department and the Sun City Model Railroad Charter Club. The groups are currently collaborating on a model of the Huntley Square project for the club’s permanent display. Additionally, students are manufacturing custom components for train cars using high-tech tools.
Julie Wade and Carolyn Sasse are honoring their mother, Karen Semancik, a recently deceased Sun City resident, with a showcase of her fabric art. It is now on display at the Huntley Area Public Library through the end of February. Semancik’s work reflects her vibrant personality and graceful spirit, offering insight into her famously calm demeanor. Her husband, J, described her as the family’s foundation, stating, “Karen was the one who handled the difficult situations. She had a calming way of dealing with anything that came her way.”
Julie Wade and Carolyn Sasse are honoring their mother, Karen Semancik, a recently deceased Sun City resident, with a showcase of her fabric art. It is now on display at the Huntley Area Public Library through the end of February.
Semancik’s work reflects her vibrant personality and graceful spirit, offering insight into her famously calm demeanor.
Her husband, J, described her as the family’s foundation, stating, “Karen was the one who handled the difficult situations. She had a calming way of dealing with anything that came her way.”
Sun City’s resident football expert, Mike North, a Chicago Bears fan since 1961, knows the turning point in the 2025 Bears’ season. “I think this season has been the most surprising, and I’ve been a fan since 1961,” North said. “It was the seven comeback wins, and the win in Week 11 over Philadelphia,” North said. “I thought going into the season, they would end up with seven wins.” The Bears came up with the stop of a “tush push” play by the Eagles in a 24-15 win.
Sun City’s resident football expert, Mike North, a Chicago Bears fan since 1961, knows the turning point in the 2025 Bears’ season.
“I think this season has been the most surprising, and I’ve been a fan since 1961,” North said. “It was the seven comeback wins, and the win in Week 11 over Philadelphia,” North said. “I thought going into the season, they would end up with seven wins.” The Bears came up with the stop of a “tush push” play by the Eagles in a 24-15 win.
Cabin fever is at an all-time high this year. If it’s not the snow, it’s the bitter cold keeping us in. Even poor Rosie has learned to do her “business” outside in record time so as not to spot weld herself to the ground. In one of the rare breaks in the weather, we bundled up and high tailed it out to Woodstock to the Green Garden Chinese Restaurant for a nice Chinese meal.
I’m writing as a senior who feels a little heavier than usual with Valentine’s Day coming up. I lost my husband several years ago, and while the grief isn’t as sharp as it once was, this holiday still brings a quiet ache. Last year, I downsized and moved into a smaller apartment in a retirement community. It was the right decision, but it hasn’t been easy.
The New Year approached quickly, and with it, so has Valentine’s Day! Sometimes gift ideas can become hard to think of. Tried and true Valentine’s day gifts are never wrong, but this year let’s think outside the box. A cozy date night with a romantic movie and a homemade dinner sounds great, but so does the gift of a couples experience!
For over twenty years now, I have changed the 9v batteries in my smoke alarms in January of even numbered years. If you try to stretch them a little longer than two years you run the risk of triggering the bad battery alarm. This alarm is a very loud beep that always seems to sound about 3 a.m. To avoid the beep, mark your calendar in early January of each even year. Always use new batteries.
A certain prognosticator of seasonal change got wrenched out of his hovel and whispered into a Punxsutawnian’s ear: six more weeks. Whether you take stock in that or not, winter is here to stay for a while. But no matter, celebrations still abound. Valentine’s Day is coming up; Wuthering Heights anyone? And in one resort town in Utah, a little film fest just wrapped up its latest iteration there. You might have heard of it. The Sundance Institute, founded by the late Robert Redford, has been the place to see emerging talents and independent artists. The last few weeks of January into February have been carved out to showcase and laud few films, as well as shop them to distributors. This marks the final year the fest will be in Park City, transferring to Boulder in 2027. While most of this year’s selections aren’t available yet, some of last year’s are now on streaming.
A certain prognosticator of seasonal change got wrenched out of his hovel and whispered into a Punxsutawnian’s ear: six more weeks.
Whether you take stock in that or not, winter is here to stay for a while. But no matter, celebrations still abound. Valentine’s Day is coming up; Wuthering Heights anyone? And in one resort town in Utah, a little film fest just wrapped up its latest iteration there. You might have heard of it. The Sundance Institute, founded by the late Robert Redford, has been the place to see emerging talents and independent artists. The last few weeks of January into February have been carved out to showcase and laud few films, as well as shop them to distributors. This marks the final year the fest will be in Park City, transferring to Boulder in 2027. While most of this year’s selections aren’t available yet, some of last year’s are now on streaming.
Note: The views expressed in these political submissions do not reflect those of the Sun Day, its staff, or those associated to the Sun Day.
Whether he’s putting on a red nose or writing playful stories for children, Sun City resident Bill Dollear is known for his remarkable storytelling. For Dollear, the world is a stage, and sometimes that means wearing giant floppy shoes. He draws inspiration from the uplifting work of Dr. Patch Adams. Dollear said, “I participate in organized clowning trips all over the world. The clowning is a tool for emotional relief. The trips have taken me to Italy, Central Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, Guatemala, and other places. I usually do magic on these trips.”
Whether he’s putting on a red nose or writing playful stories for children, Sun City resident Bill Dollear is known for his remarkable storytelling.
For Dollear, the world is a stage, and sometimes that means wearing giant floppy shoes. He draws inspiration from the uplifting work of Dr. Patch Adams.
Dollear said, “I participate in organized clowning trips all over the world. The clowning is a tool for emotional relief. The trips have taken me to Italy, Central Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, Guatemala, and other places. I usually do magic on these trips.”
I was standing in line at the coffee shop the other day, staring at the glowing screen in my hand like everyone else, when it hit me: nobody waits anymore. Oh, we stand in lines, sure, but we don’t wait. We scroll, we swipe, we tap. We fill the silence with digital chatter, as if the universe might collapse under the weight of an unoccupied moment.
I was standing in line at the coffee shop the other day, staring at the glowing screen in my hand like everyone else, when it hit me: nobody waits anymore.
Oh, we stand in lines, sure, but we don’t wait. We scroll, we swipe, we tap. We fill the silence with digital chatter, as if the universe might collapse under the weight of an unoccupied moment.
Whenever we walk into an Apple Store and belly up to the “Genius Bar,” I half expect all the Geniuses to greet us by name. Over the years, we’ve spent a lot of our hard-earned money over the years on Mac computers, iPads, and iPhones. This time, I approached the Genius Bar with trepidation: I had been given the daunting task of picking out a computer to replace the old desktop my parents used for the past two decades; it was so old that it was no longer able to be updated; the keyboard and mouse were, on a good day, slightly functional at best. Despite their best efforts to keep it going, it was finally time to find a replacement.
Whenever we walk into an Apple Store and belly up to the “Genius Bar,” I half expect all the Geniuses to greet us by name. Over the years, we’ve spent a lot of our hard-earned money over the years on Mac computers, iPads, and iPhones.
This time, I approached the Genius Bar with trepidation: I had been given the daunting task of picking out a computer to replace the old desktop my parents used for the past two decades; it was so old that it was no longer able to be updated; the keyboard and mouse were, on a good day, slightly functional at best. Despite their best efforts to keep it going, it was finally time to find a replacement.
Bill Dollear lives in Del Webb but travels extensively. This is from his last trip when he was in Costa Rica.
Susan Viravec of Sun City has received the State Outstanding Master Gardener Award, an honor given to only the top 1–2% of Illinois volunteers. She earned this award through her strong leadership and dedication, completing more than 120 volunteer hours and 10 hours of continuing education. Viravec has shared research-based gardening knowledge with the public and gone above and beyond the usual service requirements. But Viravec hasn’t always known about her green thumb.
Susan Viravec of Sun City has received the State Outstanding Master Gardener Award, an honor given to only the top 1–2% of Illinois volunteers. She earned this award through her strong leadership and dedication, completing more than 120 volunteer hours and 10 hours of continuing education. Viravec has shared research-based gardening knowledge with the public and gone above and beyond the usual service requirements.
But Viravec hasn’t always known about her green thumb.
Kim Fischer, a Sun City resident, recently concluded his tenures as a Neighborhood 4 Representative and a member of the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) Executive Committee. He became a neighborhood representative in 2005, and he has served on the NAC Executive Committee since 2012. His Sun City story starts in 2003.
Kim Fischer, a Sun City resident, recently concluded his tenures as a Neighborhood 4 Representative and a member of the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) Executive Committee. He became a neighborhood representative in 2005, and he has served on the NAC Executive Committee since 2012.
His Sun City story starts in 2003.
Jim grew up on the northwest side of Chicago. It was an Italian/Polish neighborhood and his family was the token Germans they allowed in. As a result of this ethnic rich neighborhood, he grew up with the best food in the world. He didn’t have to look far to find a great pizza joint. Then he met me, a suburban girl, and he had to share with me Chicago’s culinary delights. One of my favorite places was Leona’s on Irving Park Road. We were surprised when we found out that there was a Leona’s pizzeria in McHenry. We decided to fire up the “Way Back Machine” and go back in time for a good Chicago pizza.
Jim grew up on the northwest side of Chicago. It was an Italian/Polish neighborhood and his family was the token Germans they allowed in. As a result of this ethnic rich neighborhood, he grew up with the best food in the world. He didn’t have to look far to find a great pizza joint. Then he met me, a suburban girl, and he had to share with me Chicago’s culinary delights. One of my favorite places was Leona’s on Irving Park Road.
We were surprised when we found out that there was a Leona’s pizzeria in McHenry. We decided to fire up the “Way Back Machine” and go back in time for a good Chicago pizza.
Quick PSA: I am not claiming that one country is better or more worthy than another is terms of creative output. We Americans have been putting together fine work for even the last few decades. “Mad Men,” “Six Feet Under,” “American Horror Story” (at least the first few seasons. These are just a smattering of some that I have witnessed. Surely there are angry readers yelling “Breaking Bad” into their newspapers now. But sometimes we get it wrong. A show isn’t given enough time or axed due to some outside pressure. And now it is time to jump on Netflix with their cancellation of “Boots.”
In our December 18 column, Now you Know partially responded to a query sent in by Annette of Neighborhood 16 about the Huntley Fire Protection District. We addressed their structure, staffing, professionalism, and training that supports their excellent ability to respond to the community’s 911 calls and need for help. Here is Part II of NYK’s investigation.
In our December 18 column, Now you Know partially responded to a query sent in by Annette of Neighborhood 16 about the Huntley Fire Protection District. We addressed their structure, staffing, professionalism, and training that supports their excellent ability to respond to the community’s 911 calls and need for help.
Here is Part II of NYK’s investigation.
I’m writing as an adult daughter who’s feeling torn between love, frustration, and worry. My mom has mild dementia and struggles with incontinence. My dad is still her primary caregiver, and he’s fiercely protective of her, which I admire. However, he refuses to let her wear Depends. He insists they’re unnecessary and embarrassing, and that she can “manage just fine.” The truth is, she can’t anymore.
At locations near and far, those interested in birds joined in the annual Rutland Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which included Huntley and Sun City sites. The area for the ninth annual Rutland CBC, held Dec. 27, stretched to Pingree Grove in the south, Burlington-Hampshire in the west and east to Carpentersville.
At locations near and far, those interested in birds joined in the annual Rutland Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which included Huntley and Sun City sites.
The area for the ninth annual Rutland CBC, held Dec. 27, stretched to Pingree Grove in the south, Burlington-Hampshire in the west and east to Carpentersville.
I just returned from a trip to New Orleans, where my husband and I took in the local scenery, fabulous music, and of course…food. We ate our way through the city, gorging ourselves on all the fresh flavors of catfish, oysters, shrimp, jambalaya, red beans & rice, and gumbo. “Oh, you must go to Cafe du Monde and have beignets!” said one person after another, almost word for word, which had me suspecting they were part of a mass marketing campaign aimed solely at me.
I just returned from a trip to New Orleans, where my husband and I took in the local scenery, fabulous music, and of course…food. We ate our way through the city, gorging ourselves on all the fresh flavors of catfish, oysters, shrimp, jambalaya, red beans & rice, and gumbo.
“Oh, you must go to Cafe du Monde and have beignets!” said one person after another, almost word for word, which had me suspecting they were part of a mass marketing campaign aimed solely at me.
It’s getting hard to decide which global disaster is most likely to lay us low, you know? Just when scientists had gotten me warmed up to the idea that global warming and Gulf oil leaks are bad for us, now they tell me that the latest doom we have to worry about is—well, they don’t have a name for it yet, but I suppose it would be called “global snickerdoodling”.
It’s getting hard to decide which global disaster is most likely to lay us low, you know?
Just when scientists had gotten me warmed up to the idea that global warming and Gulf oil leaks are bad for us, now they tell me that the latest doom we have to worry about is—well, they don’t have a name for it yet, but I suppose it would be called “global snickerdoodling”.
Lucy Tracy, a proud Sun City resident, can trace her ancestry back to the esteemed founder of Cornell University. She is the eleventh generation of the illustrious Cornell family tree. She recently received a published book that contains the genealogy of the Cornell family.
Lucy Tracy, a proud Sun City resident, can trace her ancestry back to the esteemed founder of Cornell University.
She is the eleventh generation of the illustrious Cornell family tree. She recently received a published book that contains the genealogy of the Cornell family.
John Summaria, a Sun City resident, wanted to live long enough to celebrate his 100th birthday. Marie Prester, also a Sun City resident and Summaria’s sister, believes it everything Summaria wished. “He did have many wonderful celebrations for his milestone birthday. Both his Bridge and Pinochle Charter Club card groups celebrated his birthday. There was a celebration at the VFW and another at a family gathering. He enjoyed them all tremendously. Summaria was born on December 5, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the third of six children.”
John Summaria, a Sun City resident, wanted to live long enough to celebrate his 100th birthday. Marie Prester, also a Sun City resident and Summaria’s sister, believes it everything Summaria wished.
“He did have many wonderful celebrations for his milestone birthday. Both his Bridge and Pinochle Charter Club card groups celebrated his birthday. There was a celebration at the VFW and another at a family gathering. He enjoyed them all tremendously. Summaria was born on December 5, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the third of six children.”
Increasing prices and inflation have forced many families to make difficult choices between essential needs such as groceries, rent, and medicine. The Grafton Food Pantry, similar to many organizations, is currently serving a record number of individuals. The Sun City Theatre company decided to play a role.
Increasing prices and inflation have forced many families to make difficult choices between essential needs such as groceries, rent, and medicine. The Grafton Food Pantry, similar to many organizations, is currently serving a record number of individuals.
The Sun City Theatre company decided to play a role.
A recent issue of AARP magazine included an article asking if you can improve your wellbeing by wearing “Your Heart on Your Sleeve.” Noting that the digital revolution has “now reached our bodies,” this article and many others in the news recently, focused on wearable health and fitness devices.
