Amy’s girls Payton and Delaney have returned to school, sometimes in person and sometimes joining from home. They’re settling into the routine, getting used to our new normal, and are doing well in classes. Masks were an adjustment but they are doing the job and the girls have remained healthy.
We hope you are too!
Last night, we enjoyed the beautiful weather at Graystone at the Aldeen Golf Club. Open to the public with delicious food from the folks at Alchemy/Giovanni's, Graystone really is one of the Rockford Park District’s Crown Jewels.
Taneel Fraley, Director of Operations for Graystone gave a short presentation on Aldeen and the Pavilion. With the fire pit in place, we’re hoping the patio will be able to stay open well into the Autumn!
Casual for a Cause! Both Joan’s team and Lana’s donate $3 per person for our bi-weekly casual Fridays. Twice a year, the money collected is donated to local charities. Recently, our mid-year donation – a selection of small-amount gift cards for food and larger-amount gift cards for a department store – went to Miss Carly’s in Rockford.
Miss Carly and her staff will give the cards to some of the homeless people who turn to her for help, to allow them to be paying customers, use the restroom to clean up, and to get cool or to warm up. The department store cards allow families who are struggling to buy much needed supplies.
We are happy to be able to support Miss Carly’s make a difference in people’s lives in this way!
We are celebrating an incredible milestone! Lana became a financial advisor 40 years ago this week. When asked to reflect on her time as a financial advisor, Lana said that helping clients achieve their goals, retire well, and leave a legacy has been one of the great joys of her life.
Congratulations, Lana!
While in Utah for niece Brenda’s wedding to Jed, Lana and Rick played at the Wasatch Mountain Golf Course with their great nephews Davis & Beau, and with Lana’s brother Jim and his wife Judy. As you can see, the course is beautiful & the weather was terrific for golf!
Lana and Rick recently travelled to Utah for the marriage of Lana’s niece Brenda and her fiancé Jed. Brenda’s daughter’s dog was the ringbearer did a great job!
Joan Kelley has been a colleague of Lana’s for years, and Lana and Joan have shared office space for almost 35 years. Joan is actively involved with charitable giving, and recently made an unusual but welcome donation to the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
Here’s is what Joan said about the donation: “In the past, I’ve enjoyed taking staff and clients to volunteer for the National Day of Service. Earlier this summer, I learned the food bank was having a hard time finding sources of protein because it is donated by grocery stores and the availability was scarce.
One of my clients, a Black Angus rancher, and I were talking one day, and, long story short, I told them, ‘I will take a cow.’ After processing, I ended up with 770 pounds of packaged meat to donate to the food bank – and surprisingly it all fit in my SUV!
Hunger is a growing problem in America and I feel like there is no excuse for food insecurity in this country. I’m glad I found an opportunity like this.”
Join us in thanking Joan for taking such a tremendous step for Rockford!
Amy and her girls spent last weekend up in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. The weather was beautiful, and the vibrant color of the leaves changing was spectacular!
We’re enjoying a little warm up this week with our weather, but last weekend’s cold snap jump-started the leaves changing, and pumpkins are appearing on porches. Patrick’s pups Cooper and Toby enjoyed wearing their new coats on their walks.
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Patrick took a couple of days off last week for his birthday, and he and a friend went hiking the bluffs along the Mississippi River near McGregor, Iowa.
The weather was beautiful, and the views… well, just take a look!
Jim and Nikki’s children, Madi and Alex, had so much fun for Halloween! Madi found time to trick or treat while protecting the world for the Forces of Evil, and Alex was the most adorable Minion ever.
Hope you all had a safe, and fun Halloween!
Don’t forget to set your clocks back this weekend. What will you do with your extra hour?
Mums are hardy, cheerful flowers, and here are some amazing yellow ones welcoming you to our office.
Happy Autumn!
Jim, one of our paraplanners, started working for Lana five years ago today! He quickly became an integral part of the team, and his hard work and “can do!” attitude is greatly appreciated by all of us. He has even found time to start a family with his wife Nikki, and we all enjoy the photos he shares of their two little ones growing up way too fast.
Thanks Jim, and happy anniversary!
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The past year has been a challenging one for us all but, with vaccines being given now and delivery widening soon, the future looks hopeful. With that in mind, and because today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and we celebrate with this quote of his: “We must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future.”
When Lana hired Patrick two and a half years ago, he moved to town and into a rental place so he could get settled into the Rockford area. He recently purchased a house, and is pleased to be putting down roots. With the large trees on the lot, his dogs are happy with the increased number of squirrels they get to chase…
Jennifer and her family have a new addition! Meet Ava, a two year old bundle of joy mixed with a whole lot of energy. She came from Tails Humane Society in DeKalb, and the Harrises couldn’t be happier. You can see that Ava is pretty happy too!
This challenging year is coming to a close, and with vaccines being distributed, the new year is full of hope and possibilities. Our whole team wishes you good health and much happiness in 2021.
Best wishes for the New Year!
