MY SUN DAY NEWS
Often when someone dies, we are left with one lingering question, “Why?” Sometimes the answer is painfully obvious; a terminal illness or a devasting accident. In other instances, though, the answer is illusive and never fully reveals itself. The question looms large “Why?” and the survivors may struggle with coping.
Letters for the week of May 21.
Sun City residents Dick Bosold and Claudia Millington recently joined a delegation of 25 travelers for a 10-night pilgrimage through Rome, Assisi, and Florence. Led by Father Julius of St. Mary’s in Huntley, the group’s itinerary featured a momentous highlight: a Papal audience with the first American-born pontiff, Pope Leo XIV.
Elected in May 2025, Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, holds a special place in the hearts of the Midwest travelers. Born at Mercy Hospital in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood on September 14, 1955, the Holy Father’s roots are firmly planted in Illinois. He grew up in the south suburb of Dolton and attended school at St. Mary of the Assumption on the far south side, making this international pilgrimage feel like a visit with a local hero.
A core value of mine is this: Everyone is just doing their best. I really do believe this, and it plays out during the day when there are minor infractions committed against me, like getting cut off in traffic, or seeing when someone hasn’t cleaned up after their dog in the neighborhood, or the cashier forgets to scan a coupon.
A core value of mine is this: Everyone is just doing their best.
I really do believe this, and it plays out during the day when there are minor infractions committed against me, like getting cut off in traffic, or seeing when someone hasn’t cleaned up after their dog in the neighborhood, or the cashier forgets to scan a coupon.
“Well, here we are,” said the frog, to nobody in particular. It just seemed like the right thing to say, given the situation he was in. And that situation, of course, was that he was in water — which should come as no surprise to anybody. Frogs love water, and this frog was no exception. Like all frogs, this frog could think of no place he would rather be than to be sitting in water, which he was.
“Well, here we are,” said the frog, to nobody in particular. It just seemed like the right thing to say, given the situation he was in.
And that situation, of course, was that he was in water — which should come as no surprise to anybody. Frogs love water, and this frog was no exception. Like all frogs, this frog could think of no place he would rather be than to be sitting in water, which he was.
Sun City’s John Schwan began his pickleball season on the sport’s biggest stage. Schwan competed in the age 75-59 bracket at the US Open Pickleball Tournament. He faced four players with a higher rating than his 4.0, and won three matches. He lost to Ed Klarman, of Naples, Fla., a 4.5 rated player, 16-14 for gold, on April 12. This year marked Schwan’s third time to qualify for the US Open, and he won his rating bracket’s gold medal the last two years.
Sun City’s John Schwan began his pickleball season on the sport’s biggest stage.
Schwan competed in the age 75-59 bracket at the US Open Pickleball Tournament. He faced four players with a higher rating than his 4.0, and won three matches. He lost to Ed Klarman, of Naples, Fla., a 4.5 rated player, 16-14 for gold, on April 12. This year marked Schwan’s third time to qualify for the US Open, and he won his rating bracket’s gold medal the last two years.
The Huntley Community School District D-158 Huntley Hurricanes Special Olympics teams have had success in several sports this season. Advisor Crystal Miguel explained some of the highlights for the participants, ages 8-22. “Many athletes do multiple events at once,” Miguel said. “Some were in soccer skills and participated in track-and-field, or on the soccer and track-and-field teams. Every year our program keeps growing. There are 22 athletes on the track-and-field team, 12 in soccer skills and 12 are on the high school soccer team.”
The Huntley Community School District D-158 Huntley Hurricanes Special Olympics teams have had success in several sports this season.
Advisor Crystal Miguel explained some of the highlights for the participants, ages 8-22.
“Many athletes do multiple events at once,” Miguel said. “Some were in soccer skills and participated in track-and-field, or on the soccer and track-and-field teams. Every year our program keeps growing. There are 22 athletes on the track-and-field team, 12 in soccer skills and 12 are on the high school soccer team.”
The ninth season of the Sun City Huntley Pickleball Club (SCHPC) officially kicked off with a social on May 2. Pickleball players of all ability levels will take to the 12 courts daily from now to Halloween. Officials said the club is about 600 members strong, with a steady growth from 164 members back in 2017.
The ninth season of the Sun City Huntley Pickleball Club (SCHPC) officially kicked off with a social on May 2. Pickleball players of all ability levels will take to the 12 courts daily from now to Halloween.
Officials said the club is about 600 members strong, with a steady growth from 164 members back in 2017.
I’m writing because I’m worried about my mom and her ability to manage her finances. My dad always handled the bills and finances before he passed away about five years ago. Since then, I’ve stepped in to cover some of the bigger expenses, like paying utility bills online and other housing costs. My mom doesn’t really know what I’ve been doing, she trusts me completely, but I’m realizing that this arrangement isn’t sustainable.
Tuesday, December 23, 2025, our family gathered to celebrate a birthday. As the party was coming to a close, I looked at my phone and gasped. There were 18 unread texts all offering the same message: “Congratulations!” A two-year journey, that included reading a transcript of a Salem witch trial, learning that an ancestor was scalped by Native Americans in the War of 1812, and discovering that there are plaques throughout New York bearing the names of my ancestors, had come to a close.
According to the calendar (if not the weather), spring would be upon us. And at this time of year, we older folk have a saying about birds and bees. I don’t pretend to know everything about that, but I was surely stung by this latest film The Drama.
The Annual USPS STAMP OUT HUNGER effort is Saturday, May 9.
Jim has been bugging me to try a restaurant for months now that he repeatedly saw on a Facebook ad. He said it looked really good, and the owner owns a farm nearby and they offer farm to table ingredients. I wasn’t too excited about the restaurant, but I finally gave in since we had to make a stop at the DMV which was nearby. So, with high hopes we made our way to Isabel’s Family Restaurant in Woodstock.
You’ve got rhythm…and it’s based on light, not music! Since the 70s, scientists have been discovering how human bodies are designed to follow the rhythm of the sun, rising and setting every day. This is the body’s natural 24-hour clock, keeping you operating on a healthy wake-sleep cycle.
The Sun City Strutters return to the Drendel Ballroom on June 9 and 10 at 7:00 p.m. for their upcoming show, “Thank You for the Music.” Nancy Kutska said, “This year’s performance is special. The show is dedicated to the group’s founder, Jackie Cesarone, who passed away last July, and to Mary Wyatt, who passed on March 17. Mary was the Strutters’ Artistic Director and Ballet instructor for 14 years.”
The Sun City Strutters return to the Drendel Ballroom on June 9 and 10 at 7:00 p.m. for their upcoming show, “Thank You for the Music.”
Nancy Kutska said, “This year’s performance is special. The show is dedicated to the group’s founder, Jackie Cesarone, who passed away last July, and to Mary Wyatt, who passed on March 17. Mary was the Strutters’ Artistic Director and Ballet instructor for 14 years.”
During the cold months, I pass through our front porch longingly, lingering for a moment to run my hands over the backs of the comfy chairs that wait patiently. “We’ll be together again, I promise,” I whisper to them, while I go back and forth from the house to the driveway, from the driveway to the house, over and over. Once that first warm day hits, it instantly becomes Porch Season at our house. I defy rain, cold, or wind to keep me from my porch, no matter how heartbreaking midwest springs can be with their inconsistent mood swings. My front porch serves as a fort where I feel completely safe and cloistered without constraints.
During the cold months, I pass through our front porch longingly, lingering for a moment to run my hands over the backs of the comfy chairs that wait patiently. “We’ll be together again, I promise,” I whisper to them, while I go back and forth from the house to the driveway, from the driveway to the house, over and over.
Once that first warm day hits, it instantly becomes Porch Season at our house. I defy rain, cold, or wind to keep me from my porch, no matter how heartbreaking midwest springs can be with their inconsistent mood swings. My front porch serves as a fort where I feel completely safe and cloistered without constraints.
Yesterday I went digging through my “Random Stuff” kitchen drawer, looking for some obscure item so random and rarely used, I had to dig deep into the back of the drawer to find it. You probably have a drawer like that, although maybe you use a different word than “stuff” to describe what’s in there. So do I, but this is a family newspaper, so “stuff” it shall be.
Yesterday I went digging through my “Random Stuff” kitchen drawer, looking for some obscure item so random and rarely used, I had to dig deep into the back of the drawer to find it.
You probably have a drawer like that, although maybe you use a different word than “stuff” to describe what’s in there. So do I, but this is a family newspaper, so “stuff” it shall be.
As a relatively new owner of a home, I distinctly remember the overwhelming feeling that comes with the process of moving from one residence to the other. There are an inordinate number of decisions that need to be made as well as physical demands to be met. Navigating through a process can sometimes be daunting, especially if it is a process that is new or unfamiliar. When help is available, it can become infinitely easier. Thankfully, in our community, there are many resources and help is readily available.
On March 25, the Sun City Board approved placing McHenry County’s “Operation Dropbox” at the Meadow View and Prairie Lodges for the month of May. Residents are invited to donate essential items to support the McHenry County Veterans Assistance Commission. Dino Micheli, Communications Secretary, shared that the Sun City Veterans Club has supported Veterans Path to Hope since its founding in August 2022.
On March 25, the Sun City Board approved placing McHenry County’s “Operation Dropbox” at the Meadow View and Prairie Lodges for the month of May. Residents are invited to donate essential items to support the McHenry County Veterans Assistance Commission.
Dino Micheli, Communications Secretary, shared that the Sun City Veterans Club has supported Veterans Path to Hope since its founding in August 2022.
Over the past couple of weeks, Veterans Memorial Park has come out of its winter rest, as Sun City Softball Club’s practices are underway. About 200 players on 14 teams will take to the diamond in 16-inch A.M., 16-inch P.M., and a 12-inch softball leagues. May 11 is opening night with the Adjusters and Coyotes of the 16-inch PM league going at it in a contest starting at 5:30 p.m. “We have more players than last year, due to advertising and more exposure,” Sun City Softball Club President Chuck Hund said. “We have a stand-by list. The ages of the players are still from the 60s to 80s.”
Over the past couple of weeks, Veterans Memorial Park has come out of its winter rest, as Sun City Softball Club’s practices are underway.
About 200 players on 14 teams will take to the diamond in 16-inch A.M., 16-inch P.M., and a 12-inch softball leagues. May 11 is opening night with the Adjusters and Coyotes of the 16-inch PM league going at it in a contest starting at 5:30 p.m.
“We have more players than last year, due to advertising and more exposure,” Sun City Softball Club President Chuck Hund said. “We have a stand-by list. The ages of the players are still from the 60s to 80s.”
April is National Volunteer Month in the United States, a tradition established in the early 1990s to celebrate individual volunteerism. President George H.W. Bush’s 1989 inaugural speech, with his “1,000 Points of Light” vision, inspired this nationwide recognition of community service, encouraging millions each April to serve. In 2001, two Sun City residents started a plan that has encouraged hundreds of Sun City residents to volunteer and share their skills and knowledge with the students in School District 158.
April is National Volunteer Month in the United States, a tradition established in the early 1990s to celebrate individual volunteerism. President George H.W. Bush’s 1989 inaugural speech, with his “1,000 Points of Light” vision, inspired this nationwide recognition of community service, encouraging millions each April to serve.
In 2001, two Sun City residents started a plan that has encouraged hundreds of Sun City residents to volunteer and share their skills and knowledge with the students in School District 158.
It was time for the early arriving Cubs fans to settle in and get used to the 20-degree wind chill temperatures at Wrigley Field. It was April Fool’s Day, my group’s first 2026 game, but there wasn’t anything funny about the howling wind right off Lake Michigan. A family of five walked up the concourse, wearing New York Yankees gear. They soon had their “First game at Wrigley Field” cards.
It was time for the early arriving Cubs fans to settle in and get used to the 20-degree wind chill temperatures at Wrigley Field. It was April Fool’s Day, my group’s first 2026 game, but there wasn’t anything funny about the howling wind right off Lake Michigan.
A family of five walked up the concourse, wearing New York Yankees gear. They soon had their “First game at Wrigley Field” cards.
Letters of kindness found in the Sun City Community.
If you’re living in Del Webb and reading this, you’ll probably remember TV westerns from the 1950s to the early 1960s. There were such classics as Have Gun Will Travel, Bonanza, and the most iconic western of all, Gunsmoke. As it turns out, Jim and I are gradually turning into the characters on that show. We are constantly talking to a “Doc,” Jim is walking more and more like “Chester,” and every day I am looking more like “Miss Kitty.” In keeping with the TV western theme, we decided to hitch up the 189 “horse”-power mini-mobile and gallop off to Texas Roadhouse in Crystal Lake.
I’m a few months away from retiring after more than three decades in the classroom. Teaching has been more than a job; it’s been a calling. I’ve spent my adult life investing in young people, watching them grow, and (I hope) leaving a small but meaningful mark. As I get closer to this next chapter, I find myself both grateful and uneasy.
I’m a few months away from retiring after more than three decades in the classroom. Teaching has been more than a job; it’s been a calling. I’ve spent my adult life investing in young people, watching them grow, and (I hope) leaving a small but meaningful mark.
As I get closer to this next chapter, I find myself both grateful and uneasy.
March 31, Orion Samuelson’s birthday, was always a special day for Sun City resident Jo Geary, a family friend. “I would bake cupcakes for his birthday every year,” Geary said. “One year, he wanted to surprise his wife Gloria on her birthday and asked if I would make centerpieces and I said, ‘yes.’” Samuelson, who first became an agriculture reporter for WGN Radio in 1960, died at age 91 March 16 at his Sun City home. Funeral services were held April 9 and April 10, at DeFiore Funeral and Cremation April 9 for public visitation and the funeral service at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church.
March 31, Orion Samuelson’s birthday, was always a special day for Sun City resident Jo Geary, a family friend.
“I would bake cupcakes for his birthday every year,” Geary said. “One year, he wanted to surprise his wife Gloria on her birthday and asked if I would make centerpieces and I said, ‘yes.’”
Samuelson, who first became an agriculture reporter for WGN Radio in 1960, died at age 91 March 16 at his Sun City home. Funeral services were held April 9 and April 10, at DeFiore Funeral and Cremation April 9 for public visitation and the funeral service at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church.
For the past four days, I’ve been on a coach bus with high school band students as a chaperone on a trip to Colorado. The crick in my neck insists the trip was longer than that, but (checks calendar) it was really only four days. This trip was a bit of a homegoing for me, since I lived in Colorado a long time ago, when I was a newlywed and my husband was studying for a master’s degree. Now, my husband is a high school band director in Illinois. Colorado has become part of the rotation of band trips, which also includes Disney World, New Orleans, and Memphis.
For the past four days, I’ve been on a coach bus with high school band students as a chaperone on a trip to Colorado. The crick in my neck insists the trip was longer than that, but (checks calendar) it was really only four days.
This trip was a bit of a homegoing for me, since I lived in Colorado a long time ago, when I was a newlywed and my husband was studying for a master’s degree. Now, my husband is a high school band director in Illinois. Colorado has become part of the rotation of band trips, which also includes Disney World, New Orleans, and Memphis.
You can’t walk through the world without leaving a few footprints behind, and some of them last a lot longer than those snow-prints that finally melted away. My words in this column are footprints like that. It’s always fun to meet someone who still remembers words I stomped into a story long ago.
You can’t walk through the world without leaving a few footprints behind, and some of them last a lot longer than those snow-prints that finally melted away.
My words in this column are footprints like that. It’s always fun to meet someone who still remembers words I stomped into a story long ago.
Perhaps you’ve seen headlines about a promising new study in national and local newspapers: “Walking may reduce Alzheimer’s risk” and wondered about the science of this claim. While the link between exercise and dementia is well-established, the recent headlines referred to a new study in the journal Nature Medicine. The new research focused on walking and cognition and has been heralded as groundbreaking. As Kirk Erickson, chair of neuroscience at the Adventist Health Research Institute, explained, this new study “is really quite important and quite unique,” identifying how walking might be influencing some of the proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s.
Perhaps you’ve seen headlines about a promising new study in national and local newspapers: “Walking may reduce Alzheimer’s risk” and wondered about the science of this claim. While the link between exercise and dementia is well-established, the recent headlines referred to a new study in the journal Nature Medicine.
The new research focused on walking and cognition and has been heralded as groundbreaking. As Kirk Erickson, chair of neuroscience at the Adventist Health Research Institute, explained, this new study “is really quite important and quite unique,” identifying how walking might be influencing some of the proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s.
Following a massively successful event last year, the annual Charter Club Crawl is returning, promising to be bigger, better, and more festive than ever before. Scheduled for April 28, from 4-6 p.m., this year’s event is embracing a lively Cinco de Mayo theme, offering residents the perfect opportunity to socialize, enjoy themed treats, and discover the diverse Charter Clubs available in Sun City. Organizers have listened to feedback from last year’s packed house and are re-arranging the space to ensure more room for everyone to move, mingle, and meet new neighbors.
Following a massively successful event last year, the annual Charter Club Crawl is returning, promising to be bigger, better, and more festive than ever before. Scheduled for April 28, from 4-6 p.m., this year’s event is embracing a lively Cinco de Mayo theme, offering residents the perfect opportunity to socialize, enjoy themed treats, and discover the diverse Charter Clubs available in Sun City.
Organizers have listened to feedback from last year’s packed house and are re-arranging the space to ensure more room for everyone to move, mingle, and meet new neighbors.
