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December 19, 2014

Trout Valley News

Issue # 94

Happy Holidays!!

Last Chance to Purchase Luminaria

Sat. Dec. 20th from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Trout Valley barn.

$6.00 for a kit of 6 candles

A Trout Valley Holiday Tradition

There is a long standing tradition of lighting luminaria along our streets on the night of December 24th. We will be continuing this tradition this year. We hope to see all of our streets lined with luminaria this year!

Where to purchase the luminiaria sets and Trout Valley Calendars, at the barn:
Saturday, December 20, 2014 10:00 AM - 1 PM

Luminaria Sand
Bernie has deposited a pile of sand, for Luminaria bags, behind the barn along the barn access road. Please help yourselves.

Need help on Christmas Eve, setting up those candles?
We have Trout Valley kids for hire to set up luminaria, if you would like that service.
Set Up Form to Hire Help

Sponsored by Leona Farm Questers. If you have questions, please contact either Kristin Purtill - 847-639-1419 or Ann Somers - 847-639-1278.

"Straight from the Horse's Mouth"

Merrrrry Christmas from the "reindeer" of the TVRC! The TVRC wishes everyone a very happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year.

Did you know that horses love peppermints and candy canes? If you have any extra after the holiday season, feel free to drop them off at the barn or contact a club member to escort you through the barn to give a horse a sweet treat!

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Jingle

It's that time of year once more when we give a big "THANK YOU" to those who have helped us all year. Bernie and Tony (our maintenance crew) have done a fabulous job of keeping the Valley looking great and keeping the roads as free of ice and snow as they can. If you'd like to give them some Christmas cheer, you can either leave them a check in an envelope at the maintenance shed or drop it off at my home at 258 Stonegate Rd, and I'll make sure they get passed along. Just address the envelope to Bernie. If the shed is locked, drop it in the mailbox. Many thanks - and Merry Christmas to all!

(The shed mailbox as the brown mailbox next to the shed door.)

Thanks for remembering our wonderful maintenance staff this holiday season!

Wally Zimmerman

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River Road becomes one-way when it snows

Although we have only seen a dusting of snow thus far, it is good to remember the change to River Road that goes into effect.

When it snows, traffic on River Road becomes one-way (down hill) from Stonegate Road to Trout Valley Road (at the bridge). With River Road being so narrow and the incline so steep, going uphill puts you and those driving down River Road in danger. Once the weather improves and the roads are cleared, the restriction is lifted.

Deed Restriction of the Month

As the years go by and severe weather and storms take a toll on our landscaping, it is worthy to review the landscaping requirements that give Trout Valley a continuity of native, indigenous shrubs and trees. The original landscape planners for Trout Valley took into consideration the welcomed flowering fruit trees of spring, the shade trees of summer, the gorgeous fall foliage and the evergreens to contrast the gray and snowy days of winter. Please look at your trees and shrubs this winter and assess whether you need to replace or add plantings next spring when a reminder will be in the newsletter again.

In the Trout Valley Deed Restrictions, under the category "YARD LIGHT, MEMBERSHIP, LANDSCAPING, MOWING AND DISEASED TREE REMOVAL" it states,
21. That as to (Trout Valley):
(E) Within six months after completion of a residence on any lot in Trout Valley, each owner shall plant the following as minimum landscaping: 15 dwarf and/or low growing evergreens for foundation planting or landscaping accents such as Mugho Pine, Juniper Pine and Taxus (yew), five tall growing evergreens to be used as windbreaks, screens, landscaping accents and/or specimens and not as foundation planting, such as Scotch Pine, Austrian Pine, Douglas Fir and Colorado Spruce and one flowering Asiatic Crab tree (Malus) such as Hopa Bechtel and Ele)i. If there are no shade trees on said lot, each owner shall also plant 5 deciduous trees such as Maples, Lindens, Willow, Oak and Chinese Elm.

Trout Valley Association News

Changes to the Association's Board

Due to ever-increasing professional obligations, Jeff Greenwald has resigned his Board position; his resignation was effective October 20. At the October 20 meeting, the Board appointed Tom Lentz to complete the term of this seat, which ends in September 2015. Tom will take on the Social, Deed Restrictions and Insurance committees. Thanks, Tom, for stepping up to serve on the Association Board!

Call the Sheriff

If you are aware of a problem in the community, it's often best to call the McHenry County Sheriff to ensure they have a record of the problem. If your home is burglarized, you witness vandalism, you see people loitering down by the river or at other locations within the Valley, please inform the Sheriff. Maintaining a connection with the Sheriff's office helps to ensure the security of our community. The Sheriff's non-emergency number is (815) 338-2144.

Laurie Almeraz

Village of Trout Valley Board News:

Election packets now available for the

April 7, 2015 Consolidated Elections

for

Village President and Village Trustee positions

The Village of Trout Valley has the office of President and four Trustee positions to be elected in the April 7, 2015 Consolidated Elections. Three of the Trustee positions serve a four-year term and one has a two-year term.

The office of President serves a four-year term.

The Village board meets approximately seven times a year. The filing period is from December 15th through December 22nd, 2014. Residents are encouraged to apply. Please contact Tonia Gonzalez, Village Clerk at (847) 477-8170 for further details.

Fall and Winter Events in the Area

Things to do this week!

Craft Shows in Illinois

More Arts and Crafts Shows in Illinois

ED HALL'S CHRISTMAS GUITAR NIGHT

WHEN: 8 p.m. Dec. 23

WHERE: Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., Woodstock

COST & INFO: William Tell Productions presents four internationally acclaimed finger-picking guitar champions in this 19th annual event. Serving as both host and performer, Ed Hall of Harvard brings together Don Alder from Vancouver, Canada, Richard Smith from Nashville, Tennessee, and Phil Heywood from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to showcase the best in finger-picking in a holiday-themed concert. Tickets: $25 all seats. Tickets and information: 815-338-5300 or www.woodstockoperahouse.com.

"HALEY'S HOLIDAYS"

WHEN: 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 20

WHERE: Cary-Grove High School, 2208 Three Oaks Road, Cary

COST & INFO: Hosted by students, this holiday-themed fundraiser is for the family of Cary-Grove alumnus Haley Lichter, who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer about a year and a half ago. Event will feature children's crafts and games, live entertainment, raffle items, food and beverages and more. Free. Donations are encouraged. Information: Chad Neff at cneff@d155.org. An account in Lichter's name also has been set up at www.gofundme.com. With a goal of $50,000, the account had reached nearly $36,000 this week.

A PLACE TO SHINE MUSIC SONGWRITER SHOWCASE

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19

WHERE: Mixin Mingle, 124 Cass St., Woodstock

COST & INFO: Hosted by Cassandra Vohs-Demann of A Place To Shine Music in Woodstock, the showcase will feature local and regional songwriters sharing their music and the inspiration behind it. The "Holiday Edition" showcase will include original holiday songs and unique arrangements of traditional favorites. Light refreshments served. Event also will include a holiday art market hosted by Nancy Graham. Admission: $7. Information: 847-507-1352 or www.aplacetoshinemusic.com.

"WINTER'S WONDER"

WHEN: 10:45 a.m. Dec. 21
WHERE: Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road, McHenry

COST & INFO: The concert will feature the church's Adult Choir performing holiday music from the Christian and Jewish traditions, as well as a few secular favorites. A string quartet will join the choir for this year's performance. A free-will offering will be taken. Information: 815-322-2464 or www.treeoflifeuu.org.

JAZZ ON THE SQUARE HOLIDAY JAM SESSION

WHEN: 8 to 11 p.m. Dec. 19

WHERE: Stage Left Caf�, 125 W. Van Buren St., Woodstock

COST & INFO: Experienced and beginner musicians and vocalists are welcome to participate. The non-profit Jazz on the Square organization offers live jazz performance and education. A donation of $5 a person is requested at the jam session. Information: www.jazzonthesquare.com.

FLATLAND HARMONY EXPERIMENT

WHEN: 10 p.m. Dec. 20

WHERE: Duke's Alehouse and Kitchen, 110 N. Main St., Crystal Lake

COST & INFO: Hear the bluegrass sounds of Flatland Harmony Experiment, a non-traditional, vocally driven string band from Indianapolis, Indiana, featuring Scott Nelson, Kris Potts and Johnny Plott. The three-piece band uses a single large diaphragm microphone to share their music with audiences. Information: www.flatlandharmony.com and www.thedukeabides.com.

HOLIDAY BENEFIT CONCERT

WHEN: 7 p.m. Dec. 20

WHERE: JustGoods, 201 7th St., Rockford

COST & INFO: Featuring acoustic musicians Erick Lambert, Pat Otto, Jake Cullen, The Song Sisters, Lee Murdock, as well as local favorites. Free admission. Free-will donations accepted for the Rockford Urban Ministries and Shelter Care. Light refreshments available. Doors open 6 p.m. Information: 8156-965-8903 or www.justgoods.info.

CHRISTMAS BEDTIME STORIES

WHEN: 7 to 8 p.m. Dec. 19

WHERE: Colonel Palmer House, 660 E. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake.

COST & INFO: Cozy up in the front parlor as Mrs. Claus reads stories to children ages 2 to 7. Children should wear their pajamas and bring their favorite blankets and stuffed animals. Juice, milk and cookies will be served with a surprise by jolly St. Nick. Cost: $15 residents, $20 nonresidents. Registration and information: 815-459-0680 or www.crystallakeparks.org.

McHENRY B&B SQUARE DANCE CLUB DANCE

WHEN: 8 p.m. Dec. 19

WHERE: Johnsburg Community Club, 2315 W. Church St., Johnsburg

COST & INFO: Holiday potluck dinner dance. Calling squares and rounds will be Bob Asp and Jerry Buckmaster. Rounds at 8 p.m. Squares at 8:30 p.m. Square dance attire. Cost: $6 members, $7 visitors. Information: 815-353-5346.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

WHEN: 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and noon Dec. 20-21

WHERE: Lambs Farm, 14245 W. Rockland Road, Libertyville
COST & INFO: Santa is making his annual trek to Lambs Farm. Enjoy brunch, pictures with Santa and holiday activities. Cost: $16.95, $7.95 children younger than 23 months. Reservations and information: 847-362-5050 or www.lambsfarm.org.

"THE NUTCRACKER BALLET"

WHEN: Dec. 13-21

WHERE: Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., Woodstock

COST & INFO: Presented by the Judith Svalander Dance Theatre. Tchaikovsky's world-renowned music is brought to life through the talent and grace of the ballet company. Schedule: 2 & 7 p.m. Dec. 13; 2 & 6 p.m. Dec. 14; 8 p.m. Dec. 19; 2 & 8 p.m. Dec. 20; 2 p.m. Dec. 21. Tickets: $23 adults, $16 students. Tickets and information: 815-338-5300 or www.woodstockoperahouse.com.

Recycling

The Village of Cary has partnered with Elgin Recycling to implement a Holiday Lights Recycling Program. Collection bins have been placed at Village Hall, Cary Fire Stations #1 & #2 and the Senior Center.

Holiday lights that WILL BE ACCEPTED include:

Mini lights

C7 lights

C9 lights

Rope lights

LED lights

Extension cords

Please remove any garland, live greens and wreaths from the lights as these items will NOT be accepted. For more information, please contact Village Hall at (847) 639-0003 or at villagehall@caryillinois.com.

SUN CITY HUNTLEY MODEL RAILROAD CLUB HOLIDAY DISPLAY

WHEN: Through Dec. 28

WHERE: Prairie Lodge, 12880 Del Webb Blvd., Huntley

COST & INFO: The club will be running model trains during the holiday season for public viewing. Three model train sets will be raffled Dec. 23. Weekday running times will be 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekend running times will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prairie Lodge will be closed Thanksgiving, open 10 a.m. to noon Christmas Eve and closed Christmas Day. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free. Information: 847-669-2392 or www.sccah.com.

Rotary Club of Cary-Grove Winter Farmers' Market

In support of local farmers and vendors, the Rotary Club of Cary-Grove will be holding a winter farmers' market on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month through early spring. The next farmers' market will be Sunday, November 2nd and will be held at the Algonquin Township Offices at 3702 US Highway 14 (Building #6) in Crystal Lake from 9:00am to Noon. Click here to view the Farmers' Market flyer.

Planit 10: Things to do this weekend...

Trout Valley Website

I am seeking current information to post on the website. If you are in charge of a TV club or group, could you please send me your information for updating? Are there any new groups that are not listed on the website (listed under Activities tab)?

TV Website

If anyone sees other errors on the website - please let me know so that I can fix them.

All residents have access to the website by creating a log in.

Thanks, Vernie troutvalleynews@gmail.com

Trout Valley Website - Did You Know?

http://www.troutvalleycommunity.com/outside_home.asp

If this is your first visit, you can request a log in and I will get back to you the next time I am at a computer

You can add a family photo to the TV website

address book, if you like. I never noticed this option, so it may be part of a recent software upgrade.

Steps:

*Go to the website, click on the "Resources" tab and then choose "Address Book."

*Search for your name

*Click "Edit this person" at the bottom of the page

*Edit or add any information you would like, including the photo section

*Below the address section, there is a section called "Resident Photo 1"

*Click "Choose File" and upload a photo from your computer. If you are having trouble getting it to load, it may be because the photo is too large. You can re-size your picture using software on your computer, or by using a website like picmonkey.com to make your picture smaller.

*Save changes on the bottom of the page, before you exit.

Vernie Vadnais

More Information:

Future Neighborhood Directory

The 2015 Directory is going to print soon

If you wish to submit a correction, throughout the next year, for the 2016 Directory or you are a new resident, please email the following information to Vernie at troutvalleynews@gmail.com:

Last Name

First Names of adults (please indicate if there is a different last name)

Street Address

Home (or main) Phone

Cell phone(s) optional

Email - optional

Kids names - optional

Thank you - we try hard to keep our information up to date.

New Residents

If you are new to the neighborhood (in the past 2 years) and would like to be featured in this newsletter, please send your information to Vernie Vadnais at troutvalleynews@gmail.com

Thank you,

Vernie

Welcome Lady!

There's a new Welcome Lady in town!! Terry Parrilli has graciously offered to bring back our old tradition of visiting the homes of new neighbors to bring them neighborhood greetings and information. She will be able to answer your questions about our village and association, the many wonderful amenities, and the clubs and activities that are available, etc.

She has already started contacting some of our new neighbors, but if you moved in recently and would like a visit - please feel free to contact Terry.

terryparrilli@ameritech.net 847-516-6414

Maintenance

If you have any new work requests for Bernie, please contact either Steve Gerard (grd55@aol.com- 847-791-6745) or Wally Zimmerman (zimmerw1@sbcglobal.net -847-682-8500) so we can prioritize this work appropriately.

Did you miss a previous issue of the

Trout Valley News
or a Trout Valley Blast?

Click on the Archive button at the bottom of the page. The Archive page is the best place to print the newsletter, if you need a paper copy.

Need to rent the barn or lodge?

Anyone who is interested in renting the Lodge, Barn or tables and chairs should visit the link below and complete the form. Laura will respond to the request within 24 hours to let you know if the space is available and send along the paperwork, instructions, etc. Please check the Events Calendar (link is below) for availability before submitting requests.

Click here to get started - Lodge and Barn Rental Request

Questions about rentals - please email Laura Whalen at

tvlodgebarnrental@gmail.com

Need the barn or lodge for a TV club or government event?

If you are reserving dates for a TV club or government event that does

not have to pay to rent the facilities, Vernie Vadnais can add you to the calendar and a form does not need to be submitted. Please check the Events Calendar

for availability before submitting your request.

Email Vernie at troutvalleynews@gmail.com.

Events Calendar

Send newsletter submissions

to Vernie Vadnais at

troutvalleynews@gmail.com

Submissions are due by Wednesday for the upcoming newsletter. We welcome your assistance in getting out the Valley's news! See the option in the footer below to update your email address.

Send blast submissions

to Bob Baker at

troutvalleyblasts@gmail.com

Blast versus Newsletter?

We've recently had questions and requests for sending out email blasts to Trout Valley residents. These have included blasts for charitable donations and open houses. Most community information can be circulated in the weekly newsletter. The blasts are reserved for important and time-sensitive information. We want residents to know that when they receive a blast, they should read it as soon as they can, as it is something of concern for the community.

When we reject a blast request, we are trying to balance the need to communicate effectively and quickly with Trout Valley against the rights of the residents not to be overwhelmed with local messages. If we don't send out a lot of blasts, we hope those we do send get your attention. We appreciate your consideration.

Thanks, Bob Baker

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