SVM-MAG_04212014

livingd ma g a z i n e

dixon

Spring 2014

Bulk RateU.S. Postage

P A I DPermit No. 440

Sterling, IL 61081

PRSRT STD

P.O. Box 498

*****ECRWSSEDDM*****Postal Customer

Century-old homegets a make-over

for family living

Burgers, sweets(and even martinis)are offered inside

Plan your summer!Petunia Fest at 50,many more events

d i x o n l i v i n g m a g a z i n e 3

1103 Palmyra Street, Dixonwww.eflowersetc.com

815-288-3335

Dee Dee Morgan, OwnerMake us your One Stop Shop!We also have Tuxes for him!

Brighten her day with a fresh bouquet.Come check out our new line of

!"

Exquisite woodworking, detail throughout

Homeowners renovate Queen Anneto balance tradition! functionality

Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Dixon Living Magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

PublisherTrevis Mayfield

Advertising DirectorJennifer Baratta

EditorLarry Lough

Magazine EditorMarla Seidell

Page DesignRobin NorburgMatt Lindstrom

Published by Sauk Valley Media

3200 E. LincolnwaySterling, IL 61081

815-625-3600

4 s p r i n g 1 4

featuresSwim lessons among summer offerings at the Y Programs keep kids outside ... and moving!!

Satisfy your sweet toothFolsom’s serves up cookies, crème horns, cinnamon rolls, turnovers, and more"#

And you can dance ...Centerstage offers tap, jazz, ballet,

tumbling, hip-hop, and more

$%

Treating clients like family is

second natureKristen Crawford honored as

local Realtor of the Year &%&%&%&%Where you’re a stranger only onceShamrock Pub offers award-winning food in friendly environment&"

Park district offers summer sports for all agesSports, leagues, lessons among the activities$'

Get a little martini at Tipsy

Bar in fifth year of offering friendly, relaxed environment $!

A nice variety of cute thingsPenny Lane vendors offer items from toys to teapots &'

Creating relaxing, enjoyable experienceStudio 404 teamwork focuses on customer comfort&!

An icon in this communityRalph Contreras has spent a lifetime serving$(

Celebrating 50 years

Petunia Festival to open with a different beat '%

Home’s History Shines Through

Whitcombes renovate century-old home for their family.

"&

&"

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"&

$'

! "#

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6 s p r i n g 1 4

Swim Lessons Among

SUMMER OFFERINGS AT THE “Y”

BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN

SPECIAL TO DIXON LIVING

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Families looking for summer fun need look no further than the Dixon Family YMCA, which

o!ers swimming lessons and day camp for kids and aquatic "tness classes in an outdoor pool for adults.

#e YMCA has swimming lessons for children as young as 6 months.

Lessons for children ages 6 and older are on weekday afternoons, weekday evenings and Saturday mornings from June 2 to July 12 or July 14 to Aug. 23. Lessons are o!ered at various skill levels.

Cost is $25 for members.Lessons also are available for 3- to

5-year-olds, and parent/child swim lessons are given for children 6 to 36 months old.

#e Y o!ers a “gym and swim” class for children in two age groups, 1 to 3 and 3 to 5. #e class has two components – 30 minutes of play time in the gym (during which kids work on tumbling skills and strength, $exibility and coordination) and 45 minutes of swimming lessons in the pool.

Amaya Contreras, 6, of Dixon lies back and floats while learning to swim at the Dixon YMCA. Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Dixon Living

Continued on Page 8

8 s p r i n g 1 4

!e class is weekday mornings. !e tot class (ages 1 to 3) is $24 for members, while the older class (ages 3 to 5) is $30 for members.

!e Y also has a summer swim team that practices weekday evenings and competes from May 19 to July 25. Cost is $70 for members.

It also o"ers a lifeguard training course for those 15 and older from May 13 to May 27; it does not meet every day. !e class is $180 for members.

!e YMCA has special summer programming at Timber Creek Golf Club, too, including swim lessons, a deep water swim class, and Zumba in the pool.

Registration for all aquatic o"erings starts the #rst week of May.!e YMCA also o"ers summer day camp for children ages 5 to 12.“!e kids are outside basically all day,” said Lindsey Kerley,

membership and child care director. “!ere’s no sitting in front of the TV, no playing video games. We’re going on hikes, playing games, and swimming, …”

Campers spend the majority of the day outside. !ey also take #eld trips, such as to Splash Landing Aquatic Center in Bettendorf or Sky High Sports trampoline park in Naperville, once a week.

Camp has a weekly theme and focuses not only on physical activity, but social skills and character development through games and activities.

Parents may choose to send their kids to camp part time or full time. Only three to #ve spots are left for the summer, though, Kerley said.

!e YMCA doesn’t o"er summer sports, but it has a speed, agility and quickness conditioning class to prepare youths for fall sports. !e

class is from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and !ursdays June 2 to July 11 or July 14 to Aug. 15.

!e class, geared toward children ages 8 to 16, covers linear and lateral speed drills to increase overall quickness, agility drills to improve directional mechanics and plyometric moves and conditioning workouts to increase power and #tness.

“It just keeps them moving,” said Christine Hoyle, sports and wellness director.

Cost is $40 for members.Summer is prime time for soccer registration, though; it runs from

June 1 to July 15.Players must be 4 by July 31 to participate on teams, which are

divided into U.S. Club Soccer age groups up to U-14.Games start the #rst week of school and are mostly on Saturdays,

although some are on Friday nights, all at !e Meadows. !e season lasts about 6 weeks.

Fees are based on age and start at $40 for members.!e Y is the only place in town that o"ers soccer, Hoyle said. Caption:Dixon YMCA day campers throw the ball around in the yard

outside of the building. !e kids have been cooped up the past couple days so when the weather looked tame, they took advantage of it. Games start the #rst week of school and are mostly on Saturdays, although some are on Friday nights, all at !e Meadows. !e season lasts about 6 weeks.

Fees are based on age and start at $40 for members.!e Y is the only place in town that o"ers soccer, Hoyle said. s

Dixon YMCA day campers throw a ball around in the yard outside the building. The kids had been cooped up the past couple of days, so

when the weather looked tame, they took advantage of it.

10 s p r i n g 1 4

BY KIMBERLY WATLEY


Kirsten Crawford honored as local Realtor of the Year

Treating Clients Like Familyis Second Nature

Kirsten Crawford, managing broker and co-owner of Crawford Realty, is the local Realtor of the Year, an honor awarded by the Sauk Valley Association of Realtors.

Nominated by Vicky Turner, a two-time recipient, Crawford was surprised and happy her peers chose her for the award.

“I was honored because you don’t expect that,” she said.Turner, of United Country Burke Realty, said Crawford’s dedication, serving as a member of

committees within the board of realtors, is one of many reasons she was a worthy candidate.

Kirsten Crawford, managing broker and co-owner of Crawford Realty, won Realtor of the Year, a top-honor in the real estate business. Honors were given by Sauk Valley Association of Realtors.

Angelo’s III285-0055

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For more information:

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“She does such a great job,” Turner said. “She is willing to put in the time and energy of a project. She’s thorough and does a great job overall. I just really admire her for her professionalism.”

She also said she feels Crawford is a great role model for her children and other working mothers.

“My children are older now, but it is pretty challenging when you have a young family, and she does,” Turner said.

Crawford and her husband, Tim, married for 15 years, opened their business in 2008. !e couple have three children: Kyle 13, Ashley 10, and Jordyn 8.

“My kids and family are my No. 1 priority,” Crawford said. “With sports and dance and other school activities, it’s kinda crazy, but fun.”

Previously, she worked in banking for 13 years, a background that she believes helped when she decided to join her husband, who had started selling real estate right out of college.

“He always loved it, and wanted to widen his career a bit, start his own business,” she said. “Working with my husband as a team with clients, we focus on our di"erent strengths.”

!ey both take pride in their commitment to

those they serve. “We are not the ‘sale is most important’ type of realtors,” she said. “We want the best decision for them possible. If we see what we feel is a wrong choice, we will guide them.”

For example, she said, it is vital to make sure #rst-time homebuyers do not get themselves “over their heads” in debt or overextend themselves.

“We have a strong family and carry that over into our business,” Crawford added. “Treating our clients like family is second nature because we know how important your home is.”

For the coming year, the Crawfords’ team of 10 expects a positive and busy season. Gearing up for spring, they have added a mobile app, increased their web presence, and continue to develop a broader, more user-friendly internet base to accommodate people and their busy lifestyles.s

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Where You’re Only a Stranger Once!Shamrock Pub o!ers award-winning food in friendly environment

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN


Shamrock Pub, which has been a favorite gathering place in Dixon since the 1980s, has seen changes in the 2 years since Elaine and Stew Bruns bought the business.

Elaine, who had worked at Shamrock for 9 years before buying it, is proud of the environment, creating the motto, “Where you’re only a stranger once.”

Great food and gaming machines can be enjoyed any day of the week – along with a unique frosty schooner, a cold draft beer served in glasses kept in the freezer.

!ere is a Bloody Mary bar available on Saturday or Sunday with all of the traditional garnishes for only $4; Smirno" or Absolute vodkas are $5.

Customers can also enjoy specials every night of the week.Monday is Taco night, with a beef taco for $1.75 or a chicken taco for $2.50.

Elaine Bruns and husband Stewart invite you to try their award-winning burgers.

Photos by Alex T. Paschal


Tuesday and Wednesday night are the Chef ’s Choice special.!e !ursday special is the chef ’s creation burger with fries. !e type of burger

varies from week to week but, according to Elaine Bruns, the jalapeño popper burger has become a customer favorite.

On Friday and Saturday nights, Shamrock has two specials: smoked prime rib with fries and slaw, price dependent on cut, or fried chicken for $6.95.

According to Bruns, the Friday and Saturday specials are a customer favorite. !e food, which is also available through take-out, has also been recognized in the local Readers Choice competition, winning second place for best burgers and third place for fries.

Shamrock has created a loyal following by taking the happiness of its customers seriously. !e Brunses, along with part-owners Ed and Nancy Miller, hold an annual customer appreciation night the night before !anksgiving to provide free appetizers and snacks to those who show up.

Doug Stem is a long-time fan of Shamrock.“I have never had a bad meal, poor service or a warm beer,” he said. “!is is a home

away from home, a mom-and-pop bar, the hometown bar the way it used to be. We come every Saturday for the good laughs, meet friends, and have great conversation.”

!e sentiment is echoed by Rick and Deb Hartley, who love the “Cheers-like” atmosphere.

“We love this place and come two or three times a week,” Rick said. “Everyone is always friendly, we have great service, and it is just a really nice, comfortable place to enjoy a beer, food, and see old friends.”

For Elaine Bruns, creating an environment enjoyed by her customers is most important.

“I love the social life that has been created at the Shamrock,” she said. “Anyone who comes will always meet new people. We have built friendships and an extended family that is very important to Stew and I. We hope that people will continue to enjoy the camaraderie that can be seen here every day.”

Order takeout: Shamrock Pub

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Penny Lane vendors o!er items from toys to teapots

BY KIMBERLY WATLEY


A nice variety of cute things

Where you come first.The First National Bank In Amboy


1254 N. Galena Avenue, DixonPhone: 815-288-4648

Making All The Right Moves For You!

Matt HermesManaging Broker815-288-4648

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Proudly Serving the Sauk Valley Since 1986

Treasure Trove... Penny Lane221 S. Peoria, directly across from St. Luke’s distinguished red door815-499-1292

Hours9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday-Tuesday, Thursday, FridayClosed Sunday, WednesdayFacebook: www.facebook.com/221SPeoria

Penny Lane takes shoppers through a stroll down Memory Lane as soon as they step foot inside.

It o!ers trinkets both vintage and antiques; toys; small implements; Hollywood memorabilia; and several handcrafted pieces, including purses, gifts and accessories.

"e store is made possible by the 24 vendors who partner with owner Penny Williams-Slusser. She gives credit to them for the quick success since the Jan. 16 opening.

Customers say they enjoy the welcoming ways of “Penny Lane.”

“It’s not really my name,” Williams-Slusser said with a laugh, “but I answer to it.”

While assisting Karen and Ron Scanlan of Ashton, Williams-Slusser points out items of interest. Each has their own collection.

For him, it’s vintage toys like G.I. Joe memorabilia, Hot Wheels and Marx Playsets, while she is in search of Hall Teapots.

"ree rooms are #lled with various goods, from handmade hair accessories, home décor and jewelry, to antiques and vintage pieces, o!ering a little something for everyone, she said.

Dealers and their wide assortment of merchandise come from as far away as Amarillo, Texas, and as close to home as Dixon. Others are from Harmon, Forreston, Polo, LaSalle, Sterling and Rock Falls.

O!ering them space to sell their wares, Williams-Slusser does not charge vendors a percentage of their proceeds or a commission fee unless there is a credit card transaction. "at requires a 5 percent processing fee.

“Each pays a $at rental price,” she said. “It is based on how much space they need and ranges from $20 per month to $100.”

While shopping with a couple of friends, Kay Rude

of Sterling said she was a frequent $ier at Penny Lane because it has “a nice variety of cute things, and they are very well priced.”

“"at is what I like to hear,” Williams-Slusser said, smiling.A!ordability is important to her, though she always allows

dealers to price their own products. Before opening the store, she bought and sold items from swap meets, rummage sales, and the Internet.

“"is place just fell into my lap,” she said. “And it worked, and it’s been great.”

"e Scanlans browsed the store, joking with her as she shared information about coming events.

“In May, I’m planning to host a mother-daughter tea with an American Girl Doll theme,” she said.

She was inspired by one of the dealers who handcrafts wooden furniture and makes clothing for the popular dolls.

Serving the community is important to Williams-Slusser. She hopes to create more events of special interest to “give people something fun to look forward to.”

Taking part in Second Saturdays and Shop Small Saturdays are a couple of events she holds near and dear, keeping later store hours during those times. s

Creating a relaxing, enjoyable experience

Studio 404 teamwork focuses on customer comfort



Trendy Studio 404, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is the perfect place for those looking to refresh their

own style or create a new look throughout the year – or even just to relax with a facial or massage.

!e business owned by Sally Montavon and her husband, Bill, was named one of Salon Today Magazine’s Top 200 Fastest Growing Salons. !e salon prides itself on creating a

relaxing and enjoyable experience for anyone who walks through the door.

Studio 404 is also a teaching salon. Each stylist is required to pass the 41-week training program as well as a written and practical exam – after passing the required state schooling.

For Montavon, 47, the program is essential.“I, along with other stylists, realized that

after we were done with schooling, that we lacked real world experience and knowledge,”

Sally Montavon, owner of Studio 404.Photos by Alex T. Paschal / Dixon Living Sally Montavon, owner of Studio 404.Photos by Alex T. Paschal / Dixon Living

Continued on page 18

16 s p r i n g 1 4

she said. “Our training program creates consistency by giving all stylists a standard set of abilities.”!e training, which equates to 5 years of experience, also teaches each stylist the principal cutting technique used in the salon, which takes into account the shape and surface of the scalp when hair is being cut.Stylist Stacia Staples is among the 15 employees.“We really work together as a team,” she said. “We want to focus on the experience of the customer as soon as they walk in the salon.”A team can better serve a guest than only one person, Montavon says, and a group e"ort is what makes Stu-dio 404 a relaxing experience.Staples, along with stylists April Strong and Audrey Brooks, has been with the salon for the past 25 years. During March and April, guests are welcome to try a new service, such as a pedicure or Mirabella makeup application, or new product line, for 25 percent o". Listening is one of the most important parts of a hair appointment.By following “!e Art of Consultation,” each stylist at Studio 404 creates an extensive pro#le of each client. !e pro#le takes into account hair structure as well as lifestyle.“By listening to each client and better understanding their lives, we set each person up for great hair every day between appointments,” Montavon says.!at includes keeping up with present trends that might not yet be popular in the Sauk Valley area. One such trend is the use of splash lights, a band of lighter color blended into darker hair to re-create the look of natural light hitting hair, which can help to elongate a round or square face or enhance facial features.!e salon, which features Pureology and Redken hair products, has also seen romantic hairstyles similar to the Gatsby-era rise in popularity. !ose styles can in-clude feathers or other hair accessories similar to those seen in the 1920s and 1940s.Volume reminiscent of the 1980s, but with more $ow and natural movement, is a frequent request from clients.While the salon focuses on its clients, it has also succeeded in positively impacting the community through events, such as the 10K Hairy Buzz Run held in October.Wedding parties can also enjoy the relaxation of the salon, where the stylists stage an event before the big event, many times including a continental breakfast.!e will to create con#dence has also encouraged Montavon to o"er a $500 scholarship to a high school student planning to attend one of the three local cos-metology schools.“Every visit is particularly meaningful to the client, an experience to learn something new or get a refresher,” Montavon explained. “We want to create a visit that serves our clients’ lives. !ese programs help to reward our clients while helping them to feel better about themselves.” s

Hair today...

Studio 404112 E. Fellows St.815-284-4247

Call for appointments.www.studio404salon.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/404salon

Angie Chavera takes a call from a client at Studio 404.

Derri Bowers of Dixon has her hair styled by Audrey Brooks of Studio 404 in Dixon.

18 s p r i n g 1 4


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Homeowners renovate Queen Anne to balance tradition, functionality

Exquisite Woodworking, Detail

Throughout

Paul Whitcombe had a childhood dream, and 2 years ago that dream came true when he bought the Queen Anne home on South Hennepin Avenue.

“When I was a little boy, I played in the grade school marching band,” said Whitcombe, 47. “We marched from South Central School, past this home. I had always said that someday I wanted this house, and I had never even seen the inside.”

Paul, his wife, Reni, and their four children have been renovating the home with the goal of restoring it to its initial glory, but with the modern functionality needed for the family.

Built around 1905, the construction followed designs created by George F. Barber, a popular architect in the late 1800s and early 1900s. !e house was converted to a nursing home during World War II.


22 s p r i n g 1 4

“My favorite part of the home, the grand staircase, is unique to this home; there is

not one like it anywhere else because it was designed for this home.”

PAUL WHITCOMBE “

“

Original stained glass windows cast highlights on the ornate

wood staircase.

A piano is the centerpiece of the music room.Photos by Alex T. Paschal

Intricate woodwork and pocket doors can be found through out the home.

A nook in the living room is where the children keep and play games.

The spacious kitchen has

plenty of room for the whole

family to pitch in.


“!e president of the Dixon Power and Light Company bought the plans and then customized them to better "t his own likes,” Whitcombe said. “It was then sold to the president of Dixon College.

“My favorite part of the home, the grand staircase, is unique to this home; there is not one like it anywhere else because it was designed for this home.”

!e staircase, made of quarter-cut oak like most of the #ooring in the home, is original as is the exquisite woodworking and detail throughout. Stained glass windows bring light and character into the home.

With "ve bedrooms, two bathrooms and servants quarters, the Whitcombe family has plenty of space to create precious memories to last

a lifetime.“!e home exudes a relaxing atmosphere,” Whitcombe said. “It is

quiet and beautiful with characteristics that cannot be re-created in a newer home. My favorite moments are when I am able to sit in the parlor, watching the "re, with my children in the pocket nook playing board games.”

!e family has greater plans for the home, 521 S. Hennepin Ave. !e spacious attic will one day become a master bedroom retreat. !e carriage house, which has already seen beautiful renovations, will become a space for their college-age son, with the ground #oor being used as a garage.

The entertainment area has a niche that the children sit and play games in.

A large, carved, wooden dining room table is big enough to sit eight.


24 s p r i n g 1 4

TIPSLet the fun begin... 221 S. Peoria, Dixon ~ 815.499.1292 Exp. 5/31/14.499.129215~ 8DixonPeoria,S.221 1/145/3Exp.

Unique gifts for every season and occasionoccasionandeasony severforgiftsUniquePenny LaneTAKE A TRIP DOWN

!e Whitcombes built a new driveway to replace the original, which was made for the model T so popular when the home was built. !ey also replaced all of the concrete sidewalks around the home.

However, the family realized that renovating the Queen Anne style home has its issues.

While the house features many arched windows that include beautiful woodwork, it has become di"cult for the family to #nd a carpenter who is able to #x or imitate the ornate designs so prominent in the Queen Anne era.

For the family, the memories they are creating far outweigh any issues they encounter.

Paul loves his home and the potential he sees within it.“It has so much character, and we have already created so many

memories in the short 2 years that we have lived here,” he said. “It is phenomenal to decorate for the holidays, when the home’s history really shines through.”s

A carriage house sits above the garage.

Nearly every inch of wall space is full pf photographs, most

taken by Paul himself.

A spiderweb- like fleur-de-lis window looks out from the the top floor.


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SATISFY YOUR SWEET TOOTH

Folsom’s serves up cookies, crème horns, cinnamon rolls, turnovers, and more



Folsom’s Bakery and Cafe, which opened 5 months ago, has continued the same great traditions that lovers of the Rock Falls store have enjoyed for the past 14 years –

while creating some new traditions in Dixon.Located on North Galena Avenue since Oct. 28, the trendy

shop is owned by Jim Helle, 43, who is striving to create a new gathering spot for Dixon locals.

In addition to selling the popular Folsom’s cookies. which are well loved in this area, the new bakery and cafe bakes crème horns, cinnamon rolls, turnovers, and pecan rolls, among many other items.

Folsom’s also serves frappés and Java Mania Co!ee brought from Loves Park. Kymin Hussung and Michelle Zeisler, who work at the bakery and cafe, have seen a few items become quick customer favorites.

“"e bakery can go through 10 dozen doughnut holes a day,” Hussung explained. “We also sell out of chocolate cream-#lled long johns almost every day. But my favorite item, and another customer favorite, are the Danishes. "ey come in cream cheese, cherry, apricot, lemon, and apple, among several $avors.”

Everything is always baked fresh, Helle said, urging customers to watch for new items.

Folsom’s Bakery and Cafe in Dixon offers fresh baked goods.Photos by Philip Marruffo

Customers pick up their baked goods at Folsom’s Bakery and

Cafe in Dixon.


28 s p r i n g 1 4

“Sometimes the doughnuts can sell out by 10 a.m.,” he said. “Our doughnut specials have become popular. A dozen doughnuts are $7.50, or 12 rolls are $8.50. Customers can also buy six donuts and six rolls for $8.

“!ere are also a lot of things we do up here in Dixon that we do not o"er in Rock Falls. We o"er our co"ee to go, which #ts up to two pots of co"ee for $14.99.”

Dena Knight and her mother, Diana Owens, have become regulars at Folsom’s new store.

“We have created a family club, and we meet here once, sometimes twice a week,” Dena said. “My sister Stephanie loves the bagels and soup, and our friend Ron McDonald also joins us.”

Her mother agrees.“!e sta" is always friendly, and the co"ee is exceptional,” she said. “We try

something di"erent every time, whether it be the bagels, the co"ee cake, or the soup.”

!e shop also has daily specials. Each day of the week, a di"erent soup is featured, such as the stu"ed green pepper or chicken dumpling. !e soups can also be served in a bread bowl, creating a great lunch for any hungry customer who stops by.

Customers can also order items from the bakery such as cupcakes and regular cakes for events like weddings and birthdays.

Helle has also started baking gluten-free cakes to ful#ll a need in the community.

He has continued some family traditions and has started to share them with the community.

“Our new Normandy Co"ee Cake is a family recipe that my grandpa used to make,” he said. “We want to bring back some old-fashioned items into the community. It feels great to have customers enjoying Folsom’s Bakery and Cafe, and giving the community a place to meet and have good conversations.”

Diana Owens gets coffee at the new

Folsom’s Bakery and

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Kymin Hussung helps customers at the Dixon Folsom’s Bakery and Cafe.

Customers to Folsom’s in Dixon look over the baked goods.

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For those who love to dance, Centerstage Dance Studio provides an opportunity to enhance the artist in everyone.

!e studio, which has seven teachers and seven assistant teach-ers, has been o"ering classes to students of all ages, from 2-1/2 to those who are young at heart.

Students can choose from tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling, hip-hop, contemporary, and adult classes for the past 26 years.

Owners Cheryl and Matt Moeller are proud of the atmosphere that has come to embody what is important at Centerstage.

“!e younger children show such great enthusiasm and excitement,” she said. “It is promising to see how excited they are to learn to dance.

When I watch the older students, I’m in awe when I watch their technique and see the passion come through when they dance.”

Dancers have an opportunity to showcase their passion for dance at the annual recital at Sterling High School. “I Love Dance!” will be staged April 25 and 27 this year.

!e studio recently performed in Hollywood Convention and Competition, where competitors attended dance sessions through-out the day and competed at night. Twenty-seven of Centerstage Dance Studio’s students won prizes, such as the opportunity to take classes at Millennium Dance Studio, free Hollywood makeover and professional headshots, music video performances, and auditions with the Laker girls, all located in Los Angeles, for one week over the summer.

While about one is #ve of the students is a competitive dancer, Centerstage focuses on opportunities for dancers to grow as individuals and create lasting memories.

Logan Moeller, Cheryl and Matt’s son, has been taking tap and hip-hop classes at the studio since he was 3.

Centerstage o!ers tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling, hip-hop, and more



AND YOU CAN DANCE...AND YOU CAN DANCE...Photos by Alex T.

Paschal/Dixon Living

Beginning class members Hannah

Bass, Cecila Reglin, Madolynn Kirby and Kaylee Dodson work

on their routine at Centerstage.



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Get your groove on ... Centerstage Dance Studio1701 Eyelet Road815-284-6489www.centerstagedixon.com

Birthday parties with custom themes availableAnnual recital times: 7 p.m. April 25, 1 and 4 p.m. April 27

Logan most enjoys dancing with friends and learning new techniques. Jazz and lyrical dancer Eve Hvarre has been dancing since she was 2.

Eve says she loves “to see the di!erent dances and routines from other studios during competitions.”

Both students’ attitudes re"ect the importance of sportsmanship at Centerstage.

“For many dancers, Centerstage is their second home, and I like to think my sta! is good role models and have great advice for these kids,” Cheryl said. “We stress the importance of good sportsmanship and being supportive of each other and dancers from other studios.”

Centerstage also has a larger impact on the community.Moeller will start a #ne arts preschool in the fall to focus

on a core education curriculum with the opportunity to take additional classes such as art, dance, and acting. $e school, the #rst in the area, will run from 9 to 11 a.m.

$ose who have seen the movie “Teen Beach Party” will appreciate the studio’s own Teen Beach Party from 10 a.m. to noon April 5, when those who attend can learn to hula hoop, dance, play games and tumble.

An American Girl Tea party is planned for May.Dancers also participate in charitable events such as Operation

Christmas Child, Quartermania, and the Minute to Win It event at Grace United Methodist Church. $e studio will also perform with a Whitney Huston Impersonator at a fundraiser this spring.

Moeller is also dedicated to supporting those who wish to pursue a career in the #ne arts. Beginning this fall, Centerstage will accept applications for a $500 scholarship to a high school senior pursing a #ne arts degree.

For Moeller, 48, the lasting impact of students’ experiences at Centerstage is what matters most.

“$ese kids inspire me because they have learned to juggle school, activities, family, sports, and dance,” she said. “It takes a special kid, or one that’s committed, to be able to organize their day-to-day lives to do that. We are now having many students from the past who are now bringing their children to the studio. It is wonderful to see some second- and third-generation families at Centerstage.” s

Sesily Gaffey rehearses for an upcoming recital.

Intermediate class members work on a routine at Centerstage.

Left: Jozi Dever, dancer in the advanced class, rehearse at Centerstage in Dixon.


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Years!

The summer brings with it not only sunshine, but also softball, tennis and golf – sports leagues and lessons for all ages through the Dixon Park District.

Here’s what’s on the docket:Softball: Girls’ slow-pitch softball kicks o! in early June; the deadline to register

is April 30. Leagues are divided by age and open to those in kindergarten through eighth grade. Games are Tuesday nights and last 6 to 8 weeks.

Girls’ fast-pitch softball starts in late May; the deadline to register is May 14. Two leagues are available, one for those age 12 and younger and another for those 14 and younger. Games are Tuesday and Wednesday nights from May to July.

"e park district also o!ers a softball fundamentals camp for girls in kindergarten through fourth grade from 9 to 11 a.m. June 10-12. "e deadline to register is May 14.

Tennis: Tennis lessons run in three sessions from early June through mid-August. Lessons are o!ered in four categories:

Tiny Tot, for 3- to 6-year-olds. Lessons are Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Junior, for 7- to 18-year-olds. Lessons at four skill levels are 5 days a week.Early Bird, for those 16 and older. Lessons are Tuesday and "ursday mornings.Evening, for working adults or children of working parents. Lessons are

Monday and Wednesday nights.Golf: Golf lessons for boys and girls ages 9 to 13 run in two sessions,

June 17-19 and June 24-26. Classes are limited to three students."e park district, in partnership with the Dixon High School golf team, also

Park district o!ers summer sports for all ages

BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN


Friends Roberta Royer of Woosung and Mark Loham of the Quad Cities enjoy a picnic lunch along the Rock River in Lowell Park.Photo by Alex T. Paschal/Dixon Living


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o!ers a free golf camp for boys and girls ages 9 to 13 from 10-11:30 a.m. July 8-11. "e deadline to register is April 30, and 10 participants will be drawn May 1.

Pickleball: Pickleball, a racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis and ping-pong, starts in early June. Play is open to those 10 to 18 years old.

For adults: Softball leagues open in May; men’s league begins May 19, women’s league begins May 22, and co-ed league begins May 23. "e deadline to register is May 7, or when teams are full.

"e park district also o!ers fall softball leagues. "e deadline to register is Aug. 11, or when teams full.

"e district also o!ers #ag football in July.For more information, including prices, or to register for summer o!erings,

contact the Dixon Park District at 815-284-3306 or go to www.dixonparkdistrict.recdesk.com."e Y is the only place in town that o!ers soccer, Hoyle said. s

Dean Geiger, 4, of Dixon, laughs as water hits his face at the Splash Pad at Dixon’s Vaile Park.Photo by Philip Marruffo/Dixon Living

Cila Freitas, 11, gives a big spin to Theo Matos-Carlson, 5, and Sophie Carlson, 11, on the merry-go-round at Lowell Park in

DIxon. The group was down from Madison, Wis., visiting grandparents in Dixon.

Photo by Alex T. Paschal/Dixon Living

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Bar in !fth year of o"ering friendly, relaxed environment

Get a Little Martini at Tipsy

Tipsy has been a downtown staple since 2009, when Linda and Scott Burkitt opened their bar.

!eir daughter, Caroline, has been instrumental in its suc-cess, the couple said.

Known as the "rst martini bar in the area, Tipsy still o#ers more varieties than most.

!ree Olives is the vodka of choice, and Tipsy carries 32 $avors and other brands, Linda said, making the options seemingly endless.

!e dirty cosmo and lemon drop martini selections are the top picks among patrons. Dessert assortments like chocolate are also very popular.

“We’ll make any drink, and if we don’t know how to make it, we will look it up,” Linda said. “Manhattans are coming back; bourbons, whis-keys, both served on the rocks; basically, what’s old is new again.”

Caroline manages the sta# as well as making sure there are plenty of varieties of beer available. A dozen assortments are always on tap. Sea-sonal and crafts, many from local breweries, are periodically switched out to give customers a continuous assortment.

“Enter as strangers, leave as friends” is the motto at Tipsy.

A dozen beer varieties are always on tap at Tipsy. With new lines that were recently installed, it offers the coldest beer around, said co-owner Scott Burkitt. Seasonal and crafts, many from local breweries, are periodically switched out to give customers a continuous assortment. Three Olives is the vodka of choice for martinis at Tipsy, where a seemingly infinite number of flavors is available.Photos by Kimberly Watley

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“We installed new lines that make it the coldest beer around, too,” Scott said.

“Caroline gets all the credit for our beer selections,” Linda said. “I do bookkeeping and taste testing the drinks,” she added with a laugh.

Each person has a role, Scott said, calling himself the “plumber today, electrician tomorrow.”

!ey o"er nightly drink specials, including Tuesday $2 margaritas, Wednesday $1 domestic drafts, !ursday $5 martinis, Friday $5 long islands, and Sunday the loaded bloody Mary with cheese, beef stick, pickles, olives, and additional garnishes upon request. “It’s our brunch in a glass,” Linda said.

Patrons like the relaxed atmosphere. Four arm chairs surround a table in front of one of the windows looking out on the downtown. Several high tables and chairs, as well as ample seating around the bar, o"er places to relax.

Tables and chairs on the deck expand good-weather seating, and a two-car-sized garage door is kept open during nice weather, o"ering an even more open feeling.

!e walls are adorned with paintings of many famous faces. Most customers can guess all of them, from Humphrey Bogart to Marilyn Monroe. But one small pro#le stumps everyone.

Linda’s sister, Brenda Humphrey, the artist, painted the mystery por-trait: their mother, Caroline.

“It’s a diverse bar,” Linda added. “We get people of all ages. It is re-markable how the demographics have changed since we opened.”

Sipping a strawberry lemonade martini, customer Emily Mills said it was the #rst martini she had ever had.

“It’s really good,” she said. “I like it here. It’s a nice, clean place, nice open $oor plan, with a lot of space, and the people are just really super friendly.”

!e Tipsy motto is written on a mirror behind the bar: Enter as strangers, leave as friends.

“We really try to follow that,” Linda said. “We like having a relaxing, quiet bar where you can come in after work and have a seat, talk to friends, not have to scream over music.”

“We even have these plug-ins so when you’re out and you need to charge your phone, you can,” said Scott, showing an outlet next to purse hooks under the bar’s edge.

Tipsy’s also has #ve gambling machines, three dart-boards, and the only shu%eboard in town.

“It’s a fun place to gather for after work, wind-ing down or for a party or celebration type of thing,” Linda said.

“Everyone asks how the economy has a"ected us, and I say, ‘Everyone is either crying in their beer or celebrating, and we give them a spot to do both.’”

Tipsy Bar

79 S. Hennepin Ave.815-288-1119Hours1 p.m.-1 a.m. weekdays11 a.m.-1 a.m. Saturday11 a.m.-11 p.m. SundayFind Tipsy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tipsy.bar.9?fref=ts.

Cutting up with customers, Tipsy

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There are two kinds of people in the world: those who serve, and those who consume. Ralph Contreras, 89, has been a server all his life.

His !rst job was in the service industry, washing dishes at Dixon’s Ford Hopkins Drug Store and soda fountain. He wasn’t old enough to begin working legally, but he wanted the job so badly that he fudged the truth about his age. He got the job not long after he graduated from grade school in 1939.

Two years later, Pearl Harbor was attacked. Contreras, again, was itching to serve, so he tried to join the Marine Corps.

“I wasn’t heavy enough, so I went back to work at the Drug Store, and tried to fatten myself up with banana splits,” he said with a smile. "e day before he turned 17, he left to serve his country as a Marine.

"e story of his service in Guam and Japan has been recorded for posterity, and can be heard online from the Oral History Collection on the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum website, http://www2.illinois.gov/alplm/library/collections/oralhistory/VeteransRemember/worldwarII/Pages/ContrerasRalph.aspx.

“A guy from the library came up and interviewed me here,” Contreras said.

Contreras recalled a time when his platoon was pinned down by machine gunners that they couldn’t spot. Someone had to run across a rice paddy to draw !re. “Contreras! Evans! Get across there,” he recalls hearing.

“"ere wasn’t time to think,” he said. “We just got up and ran across. I heard the bullets zinging past my head.

“It’s good if you can hear them. It’s the one you don’t hear that you worry about,” he said, with a smile.

Ironically, Contreras and Evans were the only guys from his platoon who made it through the war without being killed or injured.

After the war, he returned to work at Ford Hopkins.“When I started out as a dishwasher, I worked a 60-hour week for

$10, but I moved up to janitor, then moved up to clerk, then moved up to assistant manager,” Contreras said. He later became manager of the store until it closed, as did many others of its kind, in the early ’70s.

"e Dixon Developmental Center had a plan to expand its facilities, and Contreras was again called to serve.

“A friend of mine out there called and said they were going to put in a new building with a barber shop, a beauty shop, a bank and a new commissary,” Contreras recalled. “He said he wanted me to come out and oversee the building and be commissary supervisor.”

He took the job. “I think it was the best decision I ever made.”Contreras was serving about 5,000 patients at the center.“I was working at the drug store when it closed, and I was working at

the commissary when it closed,” he said, referring to the closing of the center in 1985 and the opening of the Dixon Correctional Center on that site. “I !gured it was time to retire.”

But Contreras was a server, and he continued to serve throughout his retirement.

“I’ve done a lot with sports,” he said in a bit of an understatement.Contreras !rst developed a church softball league, then he put

together the Dixon city softball league. Interest continued to grow, so Contreras developed a “25 and older” league to go along with the 14-to-25-year-old league.

He was then asked to sit on the board of directors that would build the YMCA. “When I saw they didn’t have a gym in the plans, I said, ‘What’s a Y without a gym?’” So he started a fund drive to helped in raising the money to include a gymnasium.

He served the community, again, as park district board commissioner for 12 years, during which time the land for Borden !eld was sold to the district for $1 by the Borden family, and the !eld itself was created.

For 60 years he has served with the Good Fellows organization, working for a time alongside Mrs. Leydig.

“She was a nice lady,” he said, remembering the woman who had done so much for the people of Dixon, and who had made a di#erence in his life. “When we were kids, we could go to her and she would give us a slip of paper so we could get a new pair of shoes. I learned later that it was Ronald Reagan’s father who had !tted me for my shoes.”

Contreras has recently concluded productive service in Dixon city government.

“I !gured 20 years as street commissioner was enough,” he said.

Contreras feels good about what he was able to accomplish, especially now, in light of the revelations of Rita Crundwell siphoning o#

millions of dollars from city co#ers.“You have to hand it to the commissioners that we made it through

that time and didn’t !re people,” he said. “It’s a wonder we functioned.”Contreras remembers Crundwell sitting in a budget meeting.“She sat there with a straight face and told us we didn’t have any

money, the day before she bought a motor home,” he lamented.He also has served in the Golden Kiwanis, the Knights of Columbus,

"e Marine Corp Club, the Moose Club, and the Al Morrison Club. You begin to see the pattern that reveals the heart of one who serves as compared to one who only receives services; one who produces over one who merely consumes.

Ralph Contreras’ life of service has made a di#erence in the lives of those around him.

“He’s just an outstanding friend who would do anything for anybody,” said Dick Dir, owner of Bill and Dick’s Barber Shop in Dixon. “He’s a part of this barber shop. I mean, he’s family! It should be Bill and Dick’s and Ralph’s!

“I can’t tell you enough of the good he’s done,” Dir said, clearly reaching for the words to express the strength of feeling he has for Ralph Contreras.

“Everybody knows him, and everybody speaks well of him,” Dir said. “I would call Ralph an icon in this community.”

Ralph Contreras has spent a lifetime servingBY JOHN KERMOTT


AN ICON IN THIS COMMUNITY

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Ralph Contreras sits in his Dixon home surrounded by items of his life.Photo by Alex T. Paschal


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CELEBRATING 50 YEARSPetunia Festival to open

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The signature event of the summer – this year celebrating its 50th anniversary – kicks o! with a fun, funky punch.

"e world-beat-infused rock of jam band Rusted Root will roar into town to open Petunia Festival on July 2. "e Pittsburgh-based band, famous for its unique fusion of acoustic, rock and world music, will headline four nights of entertainment on two stages at the annual summer party.

Petunia Festival will run July 2 to July 6 in downtown Dixon.

Other headliners include:— On July 3, Parmalee, a family band that burst

onto the country scene with its smash hit “Carolina.”— On July 4, Miles Nielsen and the Rusted

Hearts, a rock band led by Rockford native Miles Nielsen, son of Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen.

– Also on July 4, Gina Venier and the Gentlemen, a local band that wowed festival-goers last year and also played the Troy, Ohio, stopover on the Munford & Sons Gentlemen of the Road tour in 2013.

— On July 5, "e Wood Brothers, an Americana and blues group from Colorado.

— Also on July 5, Apache Relay, folk rockers from Nashville, who played the Dixon stopover of the Gentlemen of the Road tour in 2012.

— And #nally, on July 5, Sun Stereo, the one-of-a-kind group from Urbana that blends electronic soundscapes, vocal harmonies and a funky horn section; the six-piece band played the downtown stage during the Gentlemen of the

Road stopover in 2012.Festival entertainment organizers wanted to take

advantage of the amphitheater area along the riverfront, said Josh Albrecht, executive director of Dixon Main Street and a festival board member. "ey added a second stage to keep musical performances constant, he said.

“One of the things we wanted to get away from was dead air, if you will, when acts are changing over on the main stage,” he said. “"is will provide sort of a continuous stream of entertainment through out the night.”

Petunia Festival will remain in its new location downtown; food and entertainment again will be at Heritage Crossing along the riverfront, and the carnival again will be near the high school.

Festival organizers called the move last year “an overwhelming success” in spite of their nervousness about the change, said Dave Johnson, the festival’s vice president of operations.

“And that was something we didn’t take lightly, and something we were all sort of eagerly anticipating how well it would be received,” he said. “And it was a phenomenal success. All we heard last year was how great the people liked it down there and what a nice venue it was.”

"e golden anniversary of the festival promises a gold-star celebration.

"e big party will o$cially open July 2 with a luau, featuring hula dancers, a pig roast and other Hawaiian-themed o!erings along the riverfront.

"e festival will close July 6 with a drum corps show, a past festival favorite, on the high school football #eld. Six top drum corps will put on a one-of-a-kind show. Tickets will cost $12 and $20, and will be available at the Dixon Main Street o$ce or online at www.dci.org.

"e closing also will include the annual parade – this year with the theme “50 Years of Festival Magic” – and #reworks. "e parade will have a slightly di!erent route because of the city streetscape project.

"roughout Petunia Festival, an exhibit, “50 Years of Festival Memories,” will be on display at Loveland Community Building.

Festival staples, including the carnival, pancake breakfast, municipal band concert, sports tournaments and craft show, will round out the o!erings.

"e Taste Trail, a series of food courts stretched across River Road, will feature past festival favorites as well as local vendors. s

Mark your calendar: The 50th annual Petunia Festival will be July 2-6 in downtown Dixon. Go to www.petuniafestival.org, find it on Facebook, or call Dixon Main Street at 815-288-2308 for more information.

Admission will cost $5 a day, or $15 for the whole festival; carnival admission is free, and the only cost is for rides.

42 s p r i n g 1 4

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Other upcoming events: Fridays from May 2 - Sept. 26Musical Fridays; Heritage Crossing, Dixon; Dixon Main Street, www.dixonmainstreet.com or 815-288-2308; noon-1 p.m.

Saturdays from May 10 - Oct. 11 Second Saturdays; downtown Dixon; businesses host artists and musicians; www.second-saturdays.com or Facebook; 6-8 p.m.

May 31Shop Small Saturday; merchants in Dixon, Sterling and Rock Falls; merchants o!er promotions through-out the day and specials for shoppers who wear a Sauk Valley Shop Small button; www.saukvalleyshopsmall.com, Facebook or [email protected].

June 6 -7Cabela’s King Kat Tournament; Rock River, Dixon; an-glers compete for cash, prizes and a chance to advance to national tournament in October; www.kingkatusa.com, www.discoverdixon.org or 815-284-3496; "shing 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m., weigh-in at 4 p.m. in Page Park.

June 20-22World War II re-enactment; Elks Page Park, 7883 S. Lowell Park Road, Dixon; re-enactment with display of camps and equipment, mock battles with armored vehicles and machine guns; admission is $5, kids under 10 are free; www.WWII-recreated-dixon.weebly.com or 815-284-1965; sneak peak Friday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.

June 21-22Bloomin’ on the Rock; Heritage Crossing, Dixon; garden walk, #ower pot auction, vendors, music and food sponsored by the Rock River Garden Club; Dixon Tourism, 815-284-3496.

June 28Dixon Beer Festival; Heritage Crossing, Dixon; samples of beer, wine and spirits; food available for purchase; tickets are $20 in advance at Trein’s Jewelry, $e Crystal Cork and Dixon Main Street and get the buyer a complimentary tasting glass and extra tasting tickets; Dixon Main Street, www.dixonmainstreet.com or 815-288-2308; 6-9 p.m.

Pinky Petunia Kirsten Pitman throws out beads along the parade route during the 49 th annual Petunia Parade in Dixon.


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July 5Reagan Run 5K; Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home, 816 S. Hennepin Ave., Dixon; register by mail, in person at the Dixon Family YMCA, 110 N. Galena Ave., Dixon, or at www.getmeregistered.com; registration is $20 before June 15, $25 June 15-July 4 or $30 on race day and includes a T-shirt; www.reaganrun.com or 815-288-2308; 8 a.m., kids’ fun run at 7:30 a.m.

July 5Nuts About Art; John Dixon Park, 515 N. Galena Ave., Dixon; juried art show, music by Kraig Kenning; !e Next Picture Show, 815-285-4924; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Aug 6-9Reagan Trail Days; Dixon; beer and wine tasting, ice cream social, community picnic, art sale, rubber duck races, bags tournament, historic trolley rides, activities at the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home, kids activities, live music, sidewalk sales and more; Dixon Main Street, 815-288-2308, or Facebook.

Aug. 16Gardenstock Art and Music Festival; Distinc-tive Gardens, 2020 Lowell Park Road, Dixon; art, music and food; bene"ts Sinnissippi Center’s youth gardening program; admission is by donation; www.diggersdelight.com or Distinctive Gardens, 815-285-0014; 11 a.m.

Aug. 23-24Dixon Family Carp Derby; Rock River, Dixon; families compete for prizes; Dixon Tourism, 815-284-3496; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-noon Sunday.

Riders are freakin’ out

on the Freak Out at Petunia Festival in

Dixon.

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