League tasks at hand for 15-0 girls hoops

HUNTLEY — Huntley American Legion Post 673, Rotary Club of Huntley, the village of Huntley, Boy Scout troops and residents braved the cold to attend Wreaths Across America’s annual event at Huntley Cemetery Dec. 14.

The local Wreaths Across America ceremony is one of about 4,600 across the U.S.”Live with Purpose” is its theme this year.

“We celebrate the mission to remember the fallen, honor those that serve and their families and teach the next generation the value of freedom,” Huntley Mayor Tim Hoeft said.

HUNTLEY — First Congregational Church (FCC) of Huntley’s two handbell choirs, the Genesis Bell Choir and Whitechapel Bell Choir, performed holiday songs for a concert during Very Merry Huntley fun.

“Just come and learn to play, anyone can learn handbells,” Genesis Handbell Choir director Trish Wascher said.

The Genesis group is for beginning handbell players while the Whutechapel Bell choir, directed by Joel Ahrendt, is for more experienced handbell players. The groups also were scheduled to give a concert at weekly church services Dec.

I’m handling my heart with kid gloves this season. I’m typically a newshound, but for the past month or so, I’m choosing my news carefully. TV news is completely off the table for now, and I’m being selective with print news, too. This won’t go on forever, but for right now, my heart is too raw, too tender to take on the pain and hurt of the entire world. I’m giving myself a break.

Last weekend I sat in the very last row of a darkened auditorium, weeping at the sound of a finale to a holiday concert.

With Christmas lurking just behind the next snowflake, I find myself waiting in breathless anticipation for The Arrival.

No, it’s not Santa’s arrival that I find my heart a-flutter for. It’s not the Star of Bethlehem or midnight madness sales or Bing Crosby film reruns. “It’s a Wonderful Life” would have been a good guess, but it’s not that either.

It’s The Arrival of The Letter that has me all goose-pimply.

See, every year about this time I find a holiday letter in the mailbox from friends I have known for many years.

HUNTLEY — Huntley sophomore bowler Noah Waters etched his name in program history as he began a dual match with Marengo by gaining a perfect 300 score.

Waters’ achievement took place Dec. 17 at Bowl-Hi Lanes and was the second perfect game for the Red Raiders in as many seasons. Nick Gaspari recorded a perfect game in a dual match last season.

Waters followed with 199 and 193 games for a 692 total. The total was good for third on the squad as seniors Matt Fishman contributed a 788 and Austin Tenglin had a 710.

HUNTLEY — The holiday season tradition of Huntley Community School District 158 (D-158) students’ donations to the Grafton Food Pantry is about 20 years old this year.

On Dec. 11, Huntley High School’s National Honor Society (NHS) brought carloads of supplies to the Grafton Food Pantry, 11481 Allison Court in Huntley.

Students were upbeat as they brought in boxes of items collected over the past two weeks. They were thrilled to assist in holiday spirit in their two hours on a frigid day.

HUNTLEY — A small group at Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce’s Ice Sculpture Cocoa Crawl raised their mugs of cocoa and took a sip at the Huntley Square’s Christmas tree.

“It’s the best way to get into the Christmas mood,” Sun City resident Kathleen Rezendes said. She was present with Irene and Emory Myers and Sheila Klaratas.

A total of 27 ice sculptures were placed around the Town Square Dec. 14. The event, themed Holiday Animation, took place on a windy and chilly day, but the hundreds attending did not seem to mind.

HUNTLEY  — Huntley’s girls bowling team continued to collect Kishwaukee River Conference-Fox Valley Conference (KRC-FVC) wins and also gained a tournament championship.

Four Red Raiders bowlers topped the 500 pins total as Huntley beat Jacobs, 1,548 pins to 1,335 at Bowl-Hi Lanes Dec. 10.

Katie Scaletta led the way with a 573 series while Prianca Waters and Ashlyn Tenglin were close behind contributing a 569 and 566, respectively. Tenglin’s match included a 224 team best game. Erica DeBello contributed a 563 series and Jana Boudreau added a 384 series.

HUNTLEY — In 2023, Lot 6 in the Huntley Crossings Phase I Subdivision was approved for the development of a multi-tenant commercial building, which included a 1,395 square-foot drive-through unit that was slated to be used by “The Human Bean,” a drive-through coffee/expresso café.

According to village staff, Ordinance (O)2023-06.28 provided the final PUD (Planned Unit Development) approval and a special use permit for the drive-through food service establishment. However, circumstances have changed as the lot’s owner, Amit Patel, is no longer moving forward with The Human Bean in that tenant space.

HUNTLEY — A cold mid-December wind was howling outside, but the holiday spirit flowed at Huntley Area Public Library for the Cocoa and Caroling event. Participants made holiday cards and crafts for Heritage Woods of Huntley Assisted Living residents. “I love Cocoa and Carling. It’s a great way to give back to the community,” HAPL Youth Services Director Michele Whisenhunt said. The event was held in three sessions on Dec. 12 and 14. Two of the families participating were: Chris, Kacie and Sawyer Faurot from Lake in the Hills, and Keri, Sam and Quinn Peters of Huntley.

I am fortunate to still have both my parents, who have been married for 66 years. Mom is 89 and Dad just turned 95.

Back in November, finishing up Dad’s birthday cake at my sister’s large dining room table, we reminisced about our childhoods. Many of my sister’s memories are from the years before I was even born, so listening to her stories is like hearing a story of a mythical land I’ve never visited. Because I was born when she was 12, I wasn’t around for one of her favorite stories about Dad: the time he heroically snuck back into their old house, which was being demolished, to retrieve a light fixture from her old bedroom.