Geneva Public Library Update

What things are most important to you and your family? If I were to ask ten people, I would get all kinds of answers. But for many, I bet their answer would focus on their job or their children. This month, I want to focus on these two areas because the library has so many valuable resources on these topics that can be an aid to you and your family.

Occupational help is available in many forms, whether one is looking for a job or thinking about career choices. Our Internet and Microsoft Word equipped computers allow one to search for a job, write a résumé or submit an online job application. For those trying to determine what kind of job they might like, we offer the electronic resources “Career Library” and “Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center”. These tools lead the user through assessments and job descriptions with the goal of matching up interests and skills to a particular occupation.

Do your kids have homework questions you can’t answer? Point them to Tutor.com. This is accessed though the “Kid Homework Help” page of the Geneva Public Library Web site. From 4 to 10 p.m., live tutors can interact with students to guide them through a subject answer, not just give them the answer. Other sites are available to help students with their research.

In these and other ways, the library lends assistance in the areas that are important to you.

Matt Teske is the director of the Geneva Public Library District.

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Geneva Park District News

It’s a new year; and we all pledge to lose weight, eat healthier, work out or learn a new skill. Sticking to resolutions tends to be difficult, especially when results are not immediate. The Geneva Park District makes it easier by providing a variety of affordable fitness options, including two fitness centers as well as several programs aimed at burning calories, having fun and lowering your stress level.

Whether you choose Sunset Racquetball & Fitness Center, located within the Geneva Community Center at 710 Western Avenue, or the new Stephen D. Persinger Recreation Center, located at 3507 Kaneville Road, we offer a variety of options that make obtaining your goals easier. From personal trainers on staff to the “Move it to Lose it Fitness Challenge”, we make sticking to your resolutions fun and motivating.

Not into a fitness membership? No problem! How about trying one of over 80 innovative and fun fitness classes, an athletic league, open gym time, a dance class or perhaps a healthy cooking class? These programs are a fun way to boost your energy level, relieve stress and most importantly live a healthier life.

So now is the time to get in shape again in 2010. Choose Geneva Park District today and get on the road to a healthier you.

Traci Wicks is the marketing and public relations coordinator for the Geneva Park District.

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

The 2009 Wood Community Service Award

I think maybe we got lucky this year with a two for the price of one deal.  While the Wood Award usually goes to an individual, occasionally it does go to a couple.  What makes this year’s couple a little different is that either end of this husband and wife team was a worthy recipient in their own right.

The Wood Community Service award, its official name, is presented yearly to an individual or a couple who has made significant community contributions. The award is named in honor of Bill & Elise Wood and Nell & Burton Wood who contributed to the growth and health
of Geneva.

Sam and Carolyn Hill, the 2009 recipients, learned of this honor at the Geneva Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner and Awards Night. Each year family members are asked to secretly ensure that the winner attends. This year it appeared that the couple would miss the event because they were babysitting their grandchildren. It was necessary for the chamber to tell Carolyn that Sam was receiving the award to guarantee both attended. The Hills were equally surprised when it was announced they both had won.

Sam and Carolyn met at the University of Illinois, and this past August they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Sam received his BS and MS degrees in municipal parks and recreation. His first job was Superintendent of Recreation in Lincoln, Illinois, where he ran a center for teenagers. The Hills moved to Geneva in 1977 with their two children, Jennifer and Jeff, who
went to school in Geneva. Sam and Carolyn were great supporters of the school system, and both of them enjoyed watching their children participate in sports.

Sam is an Alderman and was on the Park District Board, the Geneva Planning Commission, the Beautification Committee, the Park District Foundation, Mid Valley Neighborhood Improvement

System and the Geneva Jaycees. He is the liaison between the city and the Chamber of Commerce. Sam is proud of the work he did to help get the acquisition of Peck Farm for the Park District. He drove in freezing rain to Springfield to present the idea to the state committee
in charge of parks and recreation. Because of his efforts a Peck Farm baseball field was named after him.

Carolyn began working in real estate in the 70s. Carolyn has served as a commissioner on the Cultural Arts Commission; and as a board member, she was the head of the successful Dancing With the Geneva Stars fund-raiser.  Carolyn presented the awards to the emerging artists at
the annual Geneva Arts Fair in July and serves on several church committees. She is a former president of the Geneva PTO Council, a past president of the high school music boosters, president of the Community Chest, past board member of the Geneva Academic Foundation
and member of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.  Professionally she is a member of the Fox Valley Board of Realtors, Illinois Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Carolyn has achieved the G.R.I., Graduate of Realtor Institute, designation.

Sam and Carolyn were taught to give back to the community, and they reared their children with the same values. Their son Jeff said, “They have a passion for the town of Geneva, they have a passion for the arts and for their church.”

I’ve been friends with both Sam and Carolyn for a number of years, and it would be tough to choose between the two for this recognition. I think it’s appropriate and well deserved that they received it as a couple.

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Area Happenings for Geneva in January

With Christmas decorations packed neatly away and a list of New Year’s resolutions fresh in your mind, why not take some time to explore Geneva this January? Throughout the month, various events will provide participants with an escape from icy temps and a chance to flaunt community pride.

On Saturday, January 2, the Geneva High School Girls Varsity basketball team kicks off 2010 with a game against Batavia. Fans are encouraged to pack the Bulldogs’ gymnasium with a sea of Viking blue and white.

Reservations and voting for “Dancing with the Geneva Stars” will be available beginning Monday, January 4. The event will take place on Saturday, February 6, at the Eagle Brook Country Club. Tickets are $35 per person, and all proceeds benefit the Geneva Academic Foundation and Geneva Cultural Arts Commission. Remember to view the city’s Web site for the profile of your favorite local celebrity couple. Contestants this year include: Geneva High School alumni, prominent merchants and other community supporters.

From Wednesday, January 20, through Sunday, January 24, stop by the Geneva Commons to witness professional and student sculptors carve elaborate figures from snow. Perhaps you will be encouraged to go home and create your very own masterpiece on your lawn this winter.

On Friday, January 29, members of the Geneva History Center can preview the Scouting Exhibit, which is open to the public on Saturday, January 30. Aside from highlighting one troop’s intricately carved totem pole, the display provides visitors with an opportunity to recall their own days spent selling Thin Mints and sewing on patches. Specific questions regarding Geneva’s Scouting History can be answered by Jessica McTague at a Brown Bag Lunch on Tuesday, January 12.

Another engaging event hosted by the History Center occurs on Monday, January 18. Geneva’s youth can spend their day off listening to Pamela Welcome and her portrayal of the courageous Sojourner Truth. So whether your resolution is to become more involved in the community or you wish to fight off the winter blues, remember to take advantage of all Geneva has to offer this New Year.

Meaghan Kilroy is a senior at GHS who has served as news editor for the Viking View and plans on pursuing a career in journalism.

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Gen Hoe Restaurant Review

Gen Hoe is an iconic restaurant in Geneva that specializes in authentic Chinese food. This year Gen Hoe celebrates its 40th anniversary. How has it been successful for 40 years? It all starts with lifetime owners, Tony and Jenny Lee.

Anyone that comes into the restaurant will surely recognize Mrs. Lee. She has been serving customers from the beginning when Gen Hoe was a takeout only shop across the street from their current restaurant. Today she can be seen talking to customers in the dining room or helping them with their takeout orders.

Mr. Lee continues to be the head cook enjoying every minute in the kitchen preparing his customers’ favorite dishes. He prides himself on cooking authentic Chinese cuisine with the freshest ingredients.

Gen Hoe and Mr. and Mrs. Lee have many loyal customers that turn into friends. Recently they held an anniversary party to celebrate their forty years in business.
The dining room was overflowing with happy guests as they were treated to some of Gen Hoe’s most popular dishes. There were trays of Sweet and Sour Chicken, Egg
Foo Yung, Chicken Fried Rice and everyone’s favorite, Egg Rolls. Other favorites served were Lemon Chicken, Gen Hoe Delight and Crab Rangoons. The buffet provided a chance to find a new favorite.

You can enjoy Gen Hoe’s hospitality too: inside or out. If you are dining in you will be treated to dinner in abeautiful dining room with great service. The waiters have all been at Gen Hoe for years. They can suggest a dish or drink that would compliment your meal. The service is wonderful and the portions are generous. Gen Hoe also offers takeout service with the same food quality as served in the dining room. And it is quick!

Dawn Vogelsberg is married to a lifelong Gen Hoe fan and former employee and is raising three children that either work at Gen Hoe or hope to.

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Dancing with the Geneva Stars Returns

February 6, 2010

7:00 pm

A year ago I said that Dancing with the Geneva Stars was the most entertaining and innovative event I’ve ever attended in Geneva. And I believe my comments didn’t do it justice. Besides my resounding “WOW”, the 2009 fund-raiser received rave reviews from those attending the sold-out event. Fabulous, amazing and impressive were only a few of the adjectives used to
describe the evening where 12 brave performers, dressed in costumes appropriate for their dance,
entertained the over 360 enthusiastic people attending the standing-room-only contest.

Now here’s your chance to decide for yourself. This successful event, modeled after the popular TV show “Dancing with the Stars”, returns on Saturday, February 6, 2010, with a new cast of dancers. These local celebrity teams are already in rehearsal preparing their dances in hopes of
generating enough votes to become the 2010 Dancing with the Geneva Stars champion.

The 2010 line-up includes David and Shawn Ginsberg doing the Cha-Cha, Weldon Johnson and Joanne Buckley doing the Quickstep, Matt and Kimberly Lennert doing the Tango, Tim and Barb Moran doing the Waltz, Harry and Marcia Smith doing the Swing and Jim and Susan VanderVeen doing the Salsa. If you know any of these soon to be amazing dancers, lend them your support.

Ticket reservations and voting for the event (every dollar contributed is equal to one vote), which benefits the Geneva Academic Foundation and Geneva Cultural Arts, will begin on January 4,
2010. The committee anticipates another sold-out event.

More info on Dancing with the Geneva Stars. You absolutely, positively do
not want to miss it!

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Geneva Giving

Geneva is fortunate to have so many activities to choose from during the holiday season. There
are outings and celebrations held throughout the city during the months of November and December that many of us participated in. There is no doubt about it; we are a city steeped in holiday traditions.

I tried to determine which one activity would most aptly define Geneva. Then it occurred to me that it wasn’t an activity at all but the charitable goodness of our residents.  Giving is all around us. While oftentimes it seems that everyone is soliciting money and donations this time of
year, Geneva still seems to be willing to rally around people in need. When as a community we put others before ourselves, we are working towards making Geneva a more beautiful place to live.

So please give yourself a pat on the back for the extra Christmas presents you bought just so your children could give them to charity, to all the ones and fives you slid into the kettles and to all the checks you wrote to your favorite charities. Geneva is truly a giving community.

P.S. How serendipitous is it that one of the most inflectional people in the creation of Geneva was Charity Herrington!

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Le Berry Bistro Restaurant Review

Perched atop the second floor of the Berry House in our historic downtown, Le Berry Bistro is yet another example of a long-established Geneva restaurant. Dining al-fresco with a view of Franklin and Third Streets has been a traditional treat for local restaurant goers for years.

With “Mom” out of town, my daughter Kate and I enjoyed dinner on an evening out. We began with appetizers of white bean and rosemary bruschetta and a seasoned olive oil goat cheese accompanied by a toasted baguette.

The entrée menu consists of the restaurant’s staples such as a pork tenderloin and a varied seafood selection as well as specials such as the Kobe burger. Kate chose the grilled shrimp and polenta with seasonal vegetables; and I had the swordfish with a roasted tomato basil viniagrette topping, roasted herb potatoes and seasonal vegetables. An appropriate wine selection complemented the meal. As we expected from a restaurant in Geneva, the food was creative and exceptional.

Whether you’re looking for a break in shopping in Geneva or an evening out, Le Berry Bistro offers good food, comfortable surroundings and a friendly staff.

Stephen Burnham is a Geneva resident and owner of the Paper Merchant in downtown Geneva.

This article first appeared in the November 2009 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Author Among Us

If there were such a designation at St. Charles High School, David Algrim would have been voted the “Least Likely to Write a Children’s Book”.

Yet, that is exactly what he did. With the recent release of Oops-a-Daisy, he has three published books and counting … with the wheels already turning for the next creation. Algrim didn’t exactly tell me he’d have to kill me if I knew, but he wasn’t all that revealing which just heightens my curiosity as I anxiously await the next masterpiece. He did drop a hint, however; and the season we are in right now might have something to do with the setting of his next book.

“I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece,” said Algrim. “I just have lots of ideas, mostly ones that are born out of my experience raising kids.” Maxwell, 9, Connor, 6, and Meagan who is 4 provide plenty of material for his writing career. In fact Maxwell is the co-author of the story Wake Up, Papa Bear!, a book that was based on a bedtime ritual they used to play when Maxwell, then 4, would help create the different scenarios described in the story. Algrim also finds his role as a soccer coach and involvement with the Cub Scouts additional fuel for his writing passion.

By the time you read this, Algrim would have been to the Mill Creek Elementary School for a classroom visit, armed with 35 signed copies of his book, making good on a package he donated for the Mother’s Club of Geneva.

“I love sharing stories with the young kids, even middle school-aged kids. I like to let them know anyone can publish a book.” Inspiring people is considered great fun for Algrim. “That is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do,” he explained.

Future David Algrim sightings include the Mother’s Club of Geneva Holiday Craft Show on Saturday, November 14, at Geneva High School. Algrim was there last year, and the cramps he had from the book signing was proof it was a huge success!

Algrim ends with a compliment to our town. “Geneva is a great place to raise a family between the schools and parks. We love it here; it’s a great place to live.”

David Algrim, I am sure most will agree, people like you are what helps make Geneva a great place to live!

This article first appeared in the November 2009 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Color Can Change Your Home

Using color in home design is about much more than trends. It’s about creating a mood, directing attention, expressing personality and bringing life to interiors. Colors, whether neutral or bold, can provide visual interest and reflect the homeowner’s personality.

To help frame the atmosphere of your home, choose a neutral color scheme. Too many “look-at-me” colors can make a space and the people in it anxious. Grays, creams and browns are easy to live with and will allow you the flexibility to change your look if and when you get tired of them. Plus, a neutral palette allows works of art involving bold colors to take center stage.

Use subtle textures in the same hues to create a luxurious room. The use of linen, raised patterns in rugs, curvy pillows and light fixtures provide visual interest and classic luxury. Layering patterns is pleasing to the eye and can add drama to the flow of the room.

Add detail by creating areas of interest with a well-placed light fixture and a few modern pieces. Curvy pieces keep modern spaces from feeling too boxy and will make the space feel more comfortable and welcoming. Choose your accessories to add your personality to a room and perhaps bring in the “it” color of the season. Jewel tones are the key to the coming season and will work beautifully with your neutral palettes. Choose colors like plum and red to add a little holiday flair. Repeat the chosen color or some version of it at least three times in one room.

Most importantly buy the things you love; it will help you pull it all together.

Heideh Fardi is the owner of Simitree Fine Home Furnishings in Geneva.

This article first appeared in the November 2009 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

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