A message from the Publisher
Dear Reader,
“We’re all in this together”. This phrase has become somewhat of a cliché. It rolls off the tongue easily when faced with challenges, and I wonder how much thought is given to the truth found in these five simple words. For some, the mere thought of being bound to and dependent on others is at the very least disturbing. I suspect we have all, at times, been wounded by others and would have preferred to just go it alone, but autonomy is an even tougher rode than dependence. Like it or not, we are connected and our actions and decisions affect the people around us.
I, for one, am thankful for the people in my life that help carry my burdens and celebrate with me in times of joy. I pray that each of you have people like that in your lives. I am also grateful that as a community we are made up of generous hearts that directly and indirectly benefit the greater good. Whether you serve on a board, take cookies to your child’s class, visit with the elderly, or donate money or time to one of the many worthy organizations in town you are part of what makes this town tick.
I think Pete Alfano summed my thoughts up very well in a conversation we had a few weeks ago. He said, “If we aren’t here to help each other, then what is the point?”
We are all blessed to be part of a service-oriented community that consistently puts the needs of others, both locally and abroad, at the forefront of our actions. I applaud the generosity of our local businesses and their willingness to sponsor a variety of organizations and events. I appreciate the individuals that champion community-wide projects making Rochelle a better place to live. I also stand in awe of those who strive to make the world a better place by traveling to other states and countries to improve the lives of others.
This issue of InVironments strives once again to bring your focus to the many exciting and uplifting people, organizations and events that collectively make our corner of the world a pretty awesome place to be. Since we are all in this together, InVironments’ mission is to shine a spotlight on as many of these things as we possibly can. We appreciate you taking your time and spending it with us. We hope the pages that follow will bring a smile to your face and brighten your day.
With you “In” mind,
Joe and Dana Meyers, Publishers/Advertising
meyers@invironmentsmag.com
P.O. Box 4, Sycamore, IL 60178
A message from the Editor
Dear Reader,
It is 80 degrees in March. Since when does summer begin on St. Patrick’s Day? I’m not complaining, mind you, just wondering what the summer weather will hold when the early spring weather is so nice.
Of course, I’m sitting here with my laptop while I look out at the promise that summer is coming. I see flowers popping up outside my window. I take a quick break to clean off some flower beds so the tender new shoots can reach out to the warm sun.
In this issue, we are looking ahead to the glory of summer as well. The Rochelle Garden Club is already making plans for the Bikes in Bloom contest. I can’t wait to see all the displays. I hear that the club’s meetings are lots of fun so let me encourage all of you closet gardeners to visit a meeting one day.
The Rochelle Free Summer Lunch program is gearing up and looking for volunteers to help serve food to children who might not otherwise get lunch this summer. Last April, I encouraged everyone to think about how they can give back to their community. Here is an excellent opportunity to give back with a only a small time commitment.
The Hospital Hustle is also coming up in June. I participated in this event a couple of years ago as part of my personal trainer’s program for me. What a fun event! Everyone was so upbeat and encouraging. My only goal was to walk the 5K faster than someone (anyone!) and I ended up running part of the race. For me, it was a real accomplishment since I couldn’t walk around the block six months earlier. With the great weather we’ve been having, get on out there, get walking, and sign up for this fun and worthwhile event.
Speaking of summer fun, I want to call upon you to share your summer vacations. We would love to run a photo spread of Rochelle residents’ summer trips (we’ll take any trip taken in 2012). Be it near or far, send us a high resolution file of your favorite vacation photo and a little description of your trip. If we get enough contributors, we’ll run them in our October issue. Deadline for submission is August 20. Send them to renee@invironmentsmag.com; all submissions are subject to editing
Finding “In”spiration in you,
Renee Page, Editor
P.O. Box 4, Sycamore, IL 60178
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