MY SUN DAY NEWS
Most of his life, Braden Fox wrote poetry and prose as a way to figure the world out and explain it to himself. In April of 2025, Fox compiled nearly 60 years’ worth of his writing and published them in a collection called Relationships in Rhyme. Putting his writing together in a volume had been on his mind for nearly 20 years, but lack of confidence kept Fox from taking the final step to publishing. Three years ago, Fox moved into Sun City and discovered that his next-door neighbor, Herb Fuqua, was writing a book. Fox felt encouraged.
Most of his life, Braden Fox wrote poetry and prose as a way to figure the world out and explain it to himself. In April of 2025, Fox compiled nearly 60 years’ worth of his writing and published them in a collection called Relationships in Rhyme.
Putting his writing together in a volume had been on his mind for nearly 20 years, but lack of confidence kept Fox from taking the final step to publishing. Three years ago, Fox moved into Sun City and discovered that his next-door neighbor, Herb Fuqua, was writing a book. Fox felt encouraged.
The Rotary Club completed a very successful coat drive for the community this season.
Jim Ulszer, Sun City resident and member of the Rotary club, said, “The coat drive with Grafton Food Pantry grew out of our regular pickup from Grafton boxes at Heartland Bank, Brunch Cafe, Park District Cosman Center, Huntley Library, and BMO bank. It started about three years ago, after they had been providing coats to children for several years, but felt the need to support the parents as well.”
Every year, I tell myself I’ll be fine spending Christmas Day on my own, but this year feels especially hard. My children all have families of their own now, and while I understand they want to wake up at home with their kids on Christmas morning, I can’t help but feel left out.
Nancy has been having a taste for some crab legs. They seem to be getting harder and harder to find, and when you do find them, you have to get a home equity loan to pay for dinner. She remembers that back in our hometown of Hoffman Estates there was a seafood buffet that somehow was overlooked by us. So, with high hopes and empty tummies, we decided to finally try the Royal Sushi and Seafood Buffet.
Sun City resident Jack Barrett and his family enjoyed chatting with Santa Claus at the Huntley Area Public Library’s “Photos with Santa” day Dec. 4.
Winter has settled in at the Sun City Memorial Field off Sun City Blvd.
A group of Sun City residents accepted an invitation from Todd Ary, a Heineman Middle School teacher, to come and interact with eighth-grade students from his class and Justin Wolak’s class. Pat Bosi, Pat Cox, Kenn Ellis, Duane Fontana, Todd Kane, Adrianne Kaplan, Jill McCarron, Bill Niemasz, Bob Olesen, Nedra Reeves, Alex Schank, Rita Schank, Mike Shortridge, Gayle Smolinsky, and Ken Such volunteered their time and spent two days at the school, where students interviewed them.
A group of Sun City residents accepted an invitation from Todd Ary, a Heineman Middle School teacher, to come and interact with eighth-grade students from his class and Justin Wolak’s class.
Pat Bosi, Pat Cox, Kenn Ellis, Duane Fontana, Todd Kane, Adrianne Kaplan, Jill McCarron, Bill Niemasz, Bob Olesen, Nedra Reeves, Alex Schank, Rita Schank, Mike Shortridge, Gayle Smolinsky, and Ken Such volunteered their time and spent two days at the school, where students interviewed them.
When the server shows me to my table, I ask her in my signature apologetic way if I can be seated at a table with a closer view of the stage. I am related to two of the performers, I tell her. My husband, a trumpet player, will be playing live music at a music club with a jazz quartet and for one night only, my son, Ben, will sit in with the group on guitar. I settle in my chair and wait for the lights to go up.
On a warm afternoon in June, I entered a large barn in Harvard, Illinois. The scent of hay and horses was thick in the air, and the sunlight spilled through open doorways, casting golden ripples on the shadowed floor. Walking through the barn, I noticed the horse stalls were clean and organized. Several of the horses had their heads extended from their stalls, looking for attention. A fellow Veteran and volunteer, Mike, introduced himself as we continued walking by the stalls, which lined our path. Mike described the barn layout and talked about a few horses. A computer screen on the wall listed the scheduled riders for the day, their riding time slots, horses, and the type of riding equipment that was needed.
On a warm afternoon in June, I entered a large barn in Harvard, Illinois. The scent of hay and horses was thick in the air, and the sunlight spilled through open doorways, casting golden ripples on the shadowed floor. Walking through the barn, I noticed the horse stalls were clean and organized. Several of the horses had their heads extended from their stalls, looking for attention.
A fellow Veteran and volunteer, Mike, introduced himself as we continued walking by the stalls, which lined our path. Mike described the barn layout and talked about a few horses. A computer screen on the wall listed the scheduled riders for the day, their riding time slots, horses, and the type of riding equipment that was needed.
You probably have plenty of pet peeves about the way that other people speak, right? You know what I mean — that teenager who can’t keep his mouth from saying “You know” after every six or eight words. Or his sister who spews “Like” before every sentence when she recounts a conversation she had. Or your brother-in-law who says “Literally” like literally a million times, you know?
You probably have plenty of pet peeves about the way that other people speak, right?
You know what I mean — that teenager who can’t keep his mouth from saying “You know” after every six or eight words.
Or his sister who spews “Like” before every sentence when she recounts a conversation she had.
Or your brother-in-law who says “Literally” like literally a million times, you know?
Char Hughes, a Sun City resident, applied for and secured a job in the sales department at Dell Webb in Huntley in 1999. Hughes said, “The sales office was located at the Outlet Mall in 1999. I had been living in Rockford for 35 years, and I was considering moving to a retirement community. My sister had moved to Palm Desert, but I had misgivings about moving there. Then a friend told me about an ad for a job in Huntley in the Chicago Tribune.”
Char Hughes, a Sun City resident, applied for and secured a job in the sales department at Dell Webb in Huntley in 1999.
Hughes said, “The sales office was located at the Outlet Mall in 1999. I had been living in Rockford for 35 years, and I was considering moving to a retirement community. My sister had moved to Palm Desert, but I had misgivings about moving there. Then a friend told me about an ad for a job in Huntley in the Chicago Tribune.”
Members of the Waller High School Class of 1962 gathered on Saturday, September 29, to celebrate the 63 years since they graduated. The celebrated at Sun City resident John Martinez’s home. Waller High School, located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, is recognized for its college preparatory and vocational programs. The school eventually became Lincoln Park High School. The graduating class of 1962 had 165 students.
Members of the Waller High School Class of 1962 gathered on Saturday, September 29, to celebrate the 63 years since they graduated. The celebrated at Sun City resident John Martinez’s home.
Waller High School, located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, is recognized for its college preparatory and vocational programs. The school eventually became Lincoln Park High School. The graduating class of 1962 had 165 students.
Some Sun City residents are expressing opposition to the manner of implementation of the latest Sun City Community Association of Huntley’s waiver process. Joe Quinn, a 22-year Sun City resident, has taken up that cause of waiver concern. “I understand the reasons for it, trying to lower the cost of insurance premiums, but my concern is the heavy-handed implementation of forcing residents to sign the waiver agreement. I am opposed to being threatened to sign something under duress,” Quinn told My Sun Day News. “I question how it will be maintained.”
Some Sun City residents are expressing opposition to the manner of implementation of the latest Sun City Community Association of Huntley’s waiver process.
Joe Quinn, a 22-year Sun City resident, has taken up that cause of waiver concern.
“I understand the reasons for it, trying to lower the cost of insurance premiums, but my concern is the heavy-handed implementation of forcing residents to sign the waiver agreement. I am opposed to being threatened to sign something under duress,” Quinn told My Sun Day News. “I question how it will be maintained.”
What makes for a good adaptation from the written word to a visual medium? This is a question that has launched many a film review in the past. Also, it has plagued filmmakers for over a century now. Most fall into two camps. Either you stay so completely faithful as to be a direct copy, think No Country for Old Men. Or you take the Baz Luhrmann approach, tossing every strange anachronism at the screen a la his Romeo + Juliet. Recent internet discourse has surrounded next year’s reinvention of Wuthering Heights. Although after watching the music video featuring Charli XCX with The Velvet Underground’s John Cale titled house, the Goth rock aesthetic has me intrigued in the soundtrack at least. As one commenter put it, Count Brat-cula indeed.
We just returned from ten wonderful days in Aruba, which, if you don’t know, is a Dutch island in the southern Caribbean. The weather was gorgeous and believe it or not, they have some of the best restaurants we have ever been to. When we came home, we were still in a Dutch state of mind and thought of a Dutch pancake that Jim makes for me at home. To give him a day off, we remembered that Richard Walkers Pancake House in Crystal Lake offers the same thing and off we went.
M&T of Neighborhood 26 asks: “We moved here in August and love the summer and fall plantings around the entrance to Sun City from Rt.47, together with those around the lodge. Will Sun City be putting up a Christmas tree? If so, where will it be and will it be lit?”
Holidays are filled with traditions, celebrating with family and the giving of gifts. This year, our family is altering the tradition of giving store-bought gifts. We are giving each other homemade gifts. Thankfully, there are some very creative and talented members of my family. I, unfortunately, am not one of them.
Local businesses and crafters show off talents, skills, services.
American Legion Post 673 Commander Robert Stojak spoke of the importance of support for veterans.
Two members of the Sun City Woodchucks, Donna Bordsen and Howard Hoyt, had an idea to reserve a table at the annual Sun City Artisan Fair with all of the proceeds contributed to the Grafton Food Pantry. All of the items sold at our table were hand crafted by our members. Twenty-one members donated their time, talent and treasures to the cause, and almost every item donated was sold.
My young children, ages 6 and 8, will be visiting their great-grandmother this holiday season. She has dementia, and I’m concerned about how my kids will react if she seems confused, forgetful, or behaves unpredictably. It’s been about a year since they’ve seen her, and I know that over the past year, her dementia has progressed. I want their visit to be warm and positive, especially since we don’t get to see her very often.
Herb Fuqua, Sun City resident, grew up in several small towns in Illinois and went to high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fuqua’s parents were both officers in the Salvation Army. During the summers, Fuqua would work at the Salvation Army Camp in Camp Lake, Wisconsin. He worked alongside the girl he would marry. “Her stunning beauty took me aback. I saw her for the first time at a Salvation Army worship meeting in Chicago playing the tambourine. Her name was Yaneth, and I thought of her often.” Fuqua said, “I was an average student. I could have done better scholastically. However, my focus was on sports. I was captain of the team in cross-country, wrestling and baseball.”
Herb Fuqua, Sun City resident, grew up in several small towns in Illinois and went to high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fuqua’s parents were both officers in the Salvation Army. During the summers, Fuqua would work at the Salvation Army Camp in Camp Lake, Wisconsin. He worked alongside the girl he would marry.
“Her stunning beauty took me aback. I saw her for the first time at a Salvation Army worship meeting in Chicago playing the tambourine. Her name was Yaneth, and I thought of her often.”
Fuqua said, “I was an average student. I could have done better scholastically. However, my focus was on sports. I was captain of the team in cross-country, wrestling and baseball.”
We stood in line for nearly an hour at the Cook County Courthouse across from the Daley Center. It made for excellent people watching — an assembly line of brides and grooms, gripping their marriage licenses in sweaty palms, slowly advancing through the line one by one, as each couple went into the small room where they took their vows in front of a judge. There were brides of all shapes and sizes, wearing short dresses, long dresses, full makeup and eyelashes or just a modest white dress. There, as if illuminated by a spotlight, I saw my oldest son, Clark, and his beautiful bride Lizzy, waiting patiently for their turn to get married.
Georgette and Frank Hein are not typically people who shine a light on what they do. But in honor of their 50th anniversary, they’ve decided to celebrate in a way that spreads their vision of community service in hopes that others may be inspired to join them. On November 9, the Heins are inviting the Del Webb community to participate in a service project at Fountainview Lodge, where community members will create comfort items that will be donated to local hospitals, senior centers, and nursing homes. Attendees are asked to pay an “entrance fee” of a monetary donation to Grafton Food Pantry, which serves Grafton Township, all of Huntley, and portions of the surrounding area.
Georgette and Frank Hein are not typically people who shine a light on what they do. But in honor of their 50th anniversary, they’ve decided to celebrate in a way that spreads their vision of community service in hopes that others may be inspired to join them.
On November 9, the Heins are inviting the Del Webb community to participate in a service project at Fountainview Lodge, where community members will create comfort items that will be donated to local hospitals, senior centers, and nursing homes. Attendees are asked to pay an “entrance fee” of a monetary donation to Grafton Food Pantry, which serves Grafton Township, all of Huntley, and portions of the surrounding area.
It’s always a bit strange when a famous person dies, and you realize that you have a unique personal connection to him. I thought of that recently when “Ace” (Paul Daniel) Frehley died on October 16. Frehley was the lead guitarist for the iconic rock band Kiss — and I once owned an electric guitar that he once almost owned. OK, that’s going to take some explaining. Let’s go back about 25 years, to the day I went into a music shop, hoping to sell a black Les Paul electric guitar that I owned.
It’s always a bit strange when a famous person dies, and you realize that you have a unique personal connection to him. I thought of that recently when “Ace” (Paul Daniel) Frehley died on October 16. Frehley was the lead guitarist for the iconic rock band Kiss — and I once owned an electric guitar that he once almost owned.
OK, that’s going to take some explaining.
Let’s go back about 25 years, to the day I went into a music shop, hoping to sell a black Les Paul electric guitar that I owned.
Sun City resident Mariluz Welvers is a woman of many talents: she paints, and also speaks four languages. Welvers was born in Mexico City, where she began to paint. Welvers said, “My father was a painter. I began my studies in Mexico City. It has been my focus my entire life. I have painted everywhere I live. In my work, I seek to vividly examine questions related to the human condition by pursuing the tensions between realism and impressionism. As an artist, I examine universal truths by using the canvas as a conduit for interpreting personal experiences and reflection.” Welvers continued her studies in art when she moved from Mexico to Germany, where she lived for 20 years. Then she moved to New Jersey and then to Illinois. But her love of art continued.
Sun City resident Mariluz Welvers is a woman of many talents: she paints, and also speaks four languages. Welvers was born in Mexico City, where she began to paint.
Welvers said, “My father was a painter. I began my studies in Mexico City. It has been my focus my entire life. I have painted everywhere I live. In my work, I seek to vividly examine questions related to the human condition by pursuing the tensions between realism and impressionism. As an artist, I examine universal truths by using the canvas as a conduit for interpreting personal experiences and reflection.”
Welvers continued her studies in art when she moved from Mexico to Germany, where she lived for 20 years. Then she moved to New Jersey and then to Illinois. But her love of art continued.
Recently, the Gazebo Valor Quilters celebrated their fourteenth anniversary with a valor quilt presentation. Beverly Kenny, Coordinator of the program, welcomed quilters, veterans, and their friends, family, and guests. Sun City Marines started the event with the presentation of colors. Something to note is that the Gazebo Valor Quilters Guild is distinct from the National Quilts of Valor organization. The Huntley-area quilters were once affiliated with the national group, but they split off in 2014 because they wanted their quilts to be distributed locally.
Recently, the Gazebo Valor Quilters celebrated their fourteenth anniversary with a valor quilt presentation.
Beverly Kenny, Coordinator of the program, welcomed quilters, veterans, and their friends, family, and guests. Sun City Marines started the event with the presentation of colors. Something to note is that the Gazebo Valor Quilters Guild is distinct from the National Quilts of Valor organization. The Huntley-area quilters were once affiliated with the national group, but they split off in 2014 because they wanted their quilts to be distributed locally.
Q101’s The Brian & Kenzie Morning Show Hosts Brian Haddad and Kenzie K, along with Executive Producer Case Lowe, have launched the 5th Annual “God Bless the Gravy” Virtual Food Drive to benefit Chicagoans living with food insecurity.
Each evening, I spend about 10 minutes preparing for the next morning. It is a habit started a few years ago that makes my mornings less busy. I choose and set out my clothes, put water in the tea kettle, and make my overnight oats. I also set out the dishes and utensils needed for breakfast, set out my dog’s food and review what I need to do the next day. Evenings are generally less busy, and by doing things the night before, it gives me a head start on the next day. It makes the next day more pleasant and productive.
A senior citizen’s sleeping habits are very strange indeed. You wake up at the butt crack of dawn and fall asleep right after Wheel of Fortune. Even when you are sleeping, your bladder decides to wake you up, or your brain suddenly remembers something you were trying to think of two days ago. Such was the case when Jim woke up screaming the name of a restaurant that we haven’t been to in over 25 years. The name in this sudden epiphany was Tony Spavone’s Ristorante in Bloomingdale, so off we went for a late lunch.
