Out & About
Opportunity House, Inc.
May 2021
In This Newsletter
Save the Date! | A Brighter Summer | Nurses Week
Employee Walk of Fame | Farewell Virginia |Out & About
Thank You Donors!
Save The Date!
Opportunity House will host the 12th annual
“Chip into Charity” Golf Outing on Friday, August
20th, at the Sycamore Golf Club. All are invited to
participate in the outing to have a good time and
support Opportunity House programs.
Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For
more information, contact Shaylee Hester at
815.895.5108 x 130.
A Brighter Summer
Bocce Is Back!
Recreation Resumes
Music Therapy
LFL Program
Bocce athletes were thrilled to return to play on April 26th.
It’s been a long 14 months dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone at OH is looking forward to enjoying a brighter summer this year and having fun with each other.
Left: OH athletes training. Right: Sarah playing
bocce.
The Rec department is getting out and about again! Recent activities include mini golf, shopping, and
having a picnic at the Rochelle Train Park.
Left to right: Connie showing her spring painting. Sam at Star Wars movie night.
Music therapy was held virtually over the past year. In person sessions resumed on April 27th.
Left: Hope playing the drums. Right: Bill playing the
Tambourine.
The LFL Program has also taken place virtually over the past year. In person classes resumed on
May 4th.
Nurses Week
Another talent of Tina’s is sewing. She is currently sewing a quilt for a baby shower.
Amongst her many hobbies, Tina’s favorite way to spend her free time is with her two
grandchildren.
a child. She enjoys going to Rock River
where she fishes for catfish. Tina also
maintains three gardens every year.
She grows tomatoes, bell peppers,
cucumbers, zucchini, green onion and
more. The Manor home residents like
to take trips to her gardens to pick
their favorite produce to take home.
Tina also uses the produce she grows
to makes jams, jellies, salsa, and
spaghetti sauce.
Employee Walk of Fame
Tina is a woman of many talents. When she was a child, she enjoyed
going fishing and camping with her dad. She eventually bought her
dad’s boat and has been fishing in the same boat ever since she was
Kevin making “chocolate covered thermometers” for the nurses. Allison & Tricia were surprised
with flowers. Nurse Allison cutting cake on
Nurses Appreciation Day.
Out & About
Josh & JP from CSP working out
at the YMCA.
Nurse Tricia & Sarah spending
the morning knitting.
Sam & Ed potting flowers with
the Community Day Services.
Our friends from CLF spending
the day at Shabbona Lake.
Farewell Virginia!
Give DeKalb County
Brad Manning Ford Dan & Mary Curran Ed & Vicki Eggers
Laing Family Charitable Fund Ronald G. Klein
Nancy & Ron Proesel Doug & Lynn Roberts Steve & Mary Ann Steinbis Jack & Ellen Cress
Nancy Hedberg
Abendroth Accounting & Tax Services, Inc.
John & Lolly Kroos Tom & Karen Matya Patty Poorten
Dr. Wayne & Janene Riesen Cheryl Ross
Steve & Lynette Swedberg Helen Traglia
Lou Jean Moyer Tim Conklin Steven Bullmer
Hank & Peggy DeSandre Kathleen Hott
Robert & Mary Keil Maureen Morrissey Kiwanis Club of Sycamore James & Karen Buck Floor to Ceiling
Larry & Stephanie Forsberg Randy & Christy Hayes Gil & Alice Larimer Karen Simmons Jerry & Sue Bemis Terrence Colopy James Dionisopoulos Tana Knetsch
Mary Kuhn Alice Mindrum
Roger & Cheryl Wiewel Joe & Robin Bothe Ken & Susan Doubler Gieda Afdal
Timberland Financial Group Katharina Barbe
Wendell Johnson
Charles & Janice Blickhan Kevin Buick
Mary L. Comeford Diane F. Conklin Jon & Emily Davault Aldo & Iris DeSandre Star Diedrich
Stephan Faivre Landon Faivre Mike Gahlbeck
Karen & Daniel Hamingson Dennis & Beverly Heaney Amanda Hedberg
Robert & Nancy Higdon Robert Hutchins
Jeanne Isabel William C. Johnson James Lockard
Joe & Christine Malecki Jenni Merkle
Elizabeth Mosher Jim & Mary Newhouse Chanette & Henry Oeser Mary Luan & Gregory Olson Jeff & Barb Parness
Carol Parsons
Thank You Donors!
Thank you to all 183 donors who helped us surpass our $25,000 goal. Thanks to people
like you we were able to fundraise $32,053 to support vocational, residential,
recreational, and educational programs that help those with intellectual disabilities
succeed in life.
Anderson Funeral Home Lynne Roberts
Jim Ryan
Dan & Kathy Schewe Barney & Carol Schroeder Sally J. Scott
Russ & Kathy Sloniker David & Kathy Smith Michael & Cheri Stack Thomas Sullivan Ben & Lori Swedberg Janet L. Winters Veronica A. Casella Russell Rucinski Barbara Sanner Pat Barger
Marilyn & Frank Bazeli Don & Jan Benson Ben & Val Bingle Tom & Sandra Brotcke Hernan Carrizales Bill & Mary Colvin
Michael & Elizabeth Denius Tom & Gloria Dennison Donna & Eric Eggleson Angi Fabris
Laura Frankiewicz Lisa & Jerry Gorchels Shaylee Hester
Dan & Claudia Hueber Brian & Betsy Hull Lori Imes
Bob & Allison Klotz Sara Lewandowski Thomas & Mary Love Steve & Janet Miller Luke & Josh Miller Moria Nagy Nolan Family Tho Pham Richard Ryan Diane Sechrest Debra Sells Judy & Larry Sill Paul Sorensen John & Sarah Tobias Jane Freegard James & Ann Tucker Donna Turner Christine Welch Gwen Wiethorn Jerrold & Carol Zar Caroline Collins
Brent & Cynthia Hagemeyer Jerry & Diane Helland Heather & Doug Porter Lea Ann Brei
Sarah Brink
Jo Burke Deanna Cada Calligan Family Rhonda Cheney
Curt & Kathy Countryman Dave & Karen Diehl Crossroads Community Church Sycamore Kayte Hamel Mitrick Johns Alexander Johnson James & Mary Kalk Carl & Clare Kron Betty & David Larks Charles Walters Weisser Family Jim Winters Edelee Hester
Brandon & Rita Johnson Tracy Mobley
Nancy Mobley
Mark & Marilyn Hodges Kenneth & Mary Ellen Hickey Richard Nelson
C & H Plumbing, Inc. Betty Johnson
David & Norma Merkling Tamey Trier
In Honor of BJ. Berkheimer
Billy Berkheimer
In Honor of Lisa Steinbis
Anita Schaack
In Honor of Jason Lemay
Roberta Morgan
In Honor of Holly Smith
Patrick Aird
In Honor of Helen Stryker
Robb Shuldt
In Honor of Michael Gismondo &
Helen Stryker
Tracy Hengels
In Memory of Shane Bird
Cheryl Nicholson
In Memory of Lucinda Reifsteck
Doug & Carolyn Reifsteck Trust
In Memory of Ann Wallin
Michael & Karen Wallin
In Memory of Roger & Ron Hoffman
Renee Krabbe
In Memory of Shane Bird
Vicki Sliga
In Memory of Helen Diane Stryker
Ann Prestegaard
In Memory of Kurt D. Votaw
Barbara Votaw
In Memory of Marty Kuhn
Martin Miller
In Memory of Paul Mullis
Betty Mullis
Honorariums
Memorials
Thank You Northwestern Medicine for awarding Opportunity House with $5,000 to
enhance our Community Day Services. To facilitate skill development and provide a more
meaningful day, we are offering more community-based programming where individuals
attending CDS will spend more time engaged in activities occurring in generic community
settings (library, store, park, etc.) rather than the Center. Thank you, Northwestern
Upcoming Events
Memorial Day
Opportunity House Closed
Monday, May 31, 2021
Chip into Charity
Sycamore Golf Club
Friday, August 20th, 2021
Band Together
Blumen Gardens
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
About Us
OH is a not-for-profit 501 c 3 organization providing servicesto disabled adults since 1963.
Our mission is to help people with developmental disabilities
work, live in homes of their choice, and enjoy community life.
We offer a wide variety of services including residential,
day program, supported employment, recreation and
Special Olympics. For more information about our programs, check out our website at www.ohinc.org or contact us at
815-895-5108.
Board of Directors
Officers
Jim Dombek………….……...Chair Ben Swedberg………Vice Chair Helen Traglia………….…..Secretary Kevin Poorten…...…….…Past Chair Landon Faivre………Treasurer Directors Lorna Bemis Tim Conklin Lisa Crutcher Jennifer Darlinger Landon Faivre Jeanne Isabel Karen Kuppler Karen Simmons Kathy Sloniker Grant Stanojev Tom Weaver
