“Our Christmas surprise to the community will be a train layout set up under the tree on Friday, November 25. It will be a G-scale train layout, a project we’ve all been eagerly working on, Joe Vavra announced.

The project coordinators, Dale Svoboda and Mike Nicholson, planned this year’s display and the train’s return. 

“I was at work, and I always had on the radio. Over the airways came the news that the first tower was hit. I knew that this was no accident; no plane could accidentally fly into the building,” he said.

Kenny said, “I started in 2017, and when I retired, I devoted much time to it. It was like fitting puzzle pieces. I was cautious. You can’t trust everything. It gets complicated with marriages, but it’s satisfying when it’s right.”

President of HCPAAA, Pamela Cortez, said, “Our role is to create a safer community through enhanced communication and partnerships between the citizens and the police through education. All our members are required to take the Citizen Police Academy (CPA). Citizen’s Police Academy course offered by the Huntley Police Department.”

The renowned Sun City Prairie Singers, a large bass, tenor, alto, and soprano choral group with a membership of 85, will perform their holiday concert on December 14, at 1 p.m. at the Huntley High School auditorium. This is a rare opportunity to witness their biannual performance.

Ken Kalscheur, President of the Veterans Charter Club, shared his enthusiasm.

Jim Uszler, Sun City resident and member of the Rotary Club, said, “Just recently, we held a coat drive for the Grafton Food Pantry patrons who need coats.”

“I can’t resist Mary Engelbreit, a favorite for Halloween and other holidays,” Tracy said.

Mary Engelbreit is a famous artist and illustrator known for her whimsical drawings and inspirational quotes that have appeared on various products for over 40 years. Tracy is a supportive fan.

Ary said, “We needed 10-12 men or women for a two-day interview commitment to a new project at Heineman Middle School.”

Among the Sun City residents who generously shared their unique experiences were Jill McCarron, Todd Kate, Esther Skeggs, Alex Schank, Adrianne Kaplan, Kenn Ellis, Ken Such, Duane Fontana, Bob Olesen, and Nedra Reeves.

Bill Niemasz, Sun City Board President, said, “The Lifestyle Committee seems to have put together an action-packed event that is worth the twenty-five-year wait.”

Lakomek, a Sun City resident, is not just a cookbook collector, but a dedicated one.

“I have been cooking from my cookbooks since the 1980s, although the collection part didn’t start until 2003,” she said. “But once it did, there was no turning back.”

Busboom said, “My claim to fame is that out of the 350 castles in the United States, I have a working drawbridge. Disney has a drawbridge that was raised once, but has not been used since. My drawbridge is 10 1/2 feet tall, 5 feet wide, 4.5 inches thick, weighs 660 pounds, and is held together with 180 stainless steel bolts. The ‘portcullis’ is the counterweight and picks up 700 pounds of scrap iron when it reaches the halfway mark. A trumpet fanfare plays when the drawbridge is lowered.”

Nelson said, “Because our parish is relatively small, we used to join with a larger parish hosting the walk, but only 10 or 12 people from our parish would travel from Hampshire to walk with us.”

Pratt said, “I got involved when I met a record store owner in Batavia. Kiss the Sky record store owner Steve Warrenfeltz, the former President of the Fox Valley Music Foundation, got me interested, and that’s how it began.”

Meyers was one of three members of the IADA Class of 2024 Hall of Fame, along with Terry Dobbs who worked at Palatine and Greg King of Sterling, at the May IADA meeting. Meyers explained that due to his retirement as Johnsburg High School Athletic Director in 2003, he is one of the elder statesman so honored.

“I was nominated by the present Johnsburg High School Principal Kevin Shelton, and filled out an informational and career packet from IADA, including letters from colleagues (former tennis coach Rick Bailey), and that went to a committee,” Meyers, a long-tine Sun City resident, said.

The Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) invited each neighborhood to hold a community-wide Drinks on the Drive.  

They made a memorable entry in Sun City’s golf cart parade with their ROMEOs Breakfast Club cart, adorned in patriotic colors and a large sign. The club, consisting of ten current members, including Rich Gawlik, Tom Reichardt, Jim Saletta, Bob Sholiton, Mike Shehorn, Bob Wainscott, Gene Harrison, Steve Lindskoog, Clyde Sample, and Bill Berendt, is known for its weekly breakfast outings, marked by their distinctive shirts: “Team Breakfast.”

Kovar has worn many hats in his lifetime: a veteran of the U.S. Navy, an information management professional, a mentor to veterans searching for civilian employment; he is also a husband, father, and grandfather. Now retired and living in Sun City, Kovar has taken on yet another identity: author.

James Harper said, “At the picnic, we recognized all our residents who have been here since Sun City opened. The ‘originals’ began a tradition in 1999 when they moved in, lasting 25 years. They cared for each other, checking in on neighbors and being there for each other. They set the tone. We wouldn’t be the kind of neighborhood we are without them.”

Miller said, “In August, I will have lived in Sun City for 20 years. My next-door neighbor, Diane, moved in on the same day. We love gardening.”

“I like people. I like talking to them. They all have interesting stories,” he shared, a testament to his unwavering dedication to the community.