Posted by Katrina J.E. Milton, The Daily Chronicle on Nov 11, 2020
SYCAMORE – This Veterans Day, Sycamore Mayor Curt Lang is celebrating outdoors. Lang spearheaded the founding of Sycamore Grove, A Tribute to Veterans. The grove is located adjacent to the Sycamore Middle School along Route 23 and the N. Main St. Trail. The grove of trees is a living and growing tribute to veterans, honoring their memories and recognizing their sacrifices.
On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, families of veterans dedicated a tree in the grove by placing a tag that lists the veteran’s name, branch of service, rank, type of tree and the dedication date.
“When I was first elected mayor, I attended a Veterans Day ceremony,” Lang said. “It occurred to me that there was no memorial for veterans in Sycamore. It became my personal goal to recognize the veterans, including my father, who have given so much for our country.”
Lang’s father, Eldon Lang, who served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, is one of the veterans honored in the grove. Lang’s wife’s family has a tree in the grove that honors her parents, John and Leila Ronning who served during World War II, and her grandfather, Magnus Ronning, who served during World War I.
The grove will have 50 trees of six different varieties and is funded by veteran families and corporate donors. Tree types include maple, elm, oak, coffee, hackberry and bald cypress.
Forty-three trees were planted in October. Seven additional trees will be planted in the spring, dedicated by corporate donors, to honor soldiers that served in the following conflicts: the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf Wars.
“The trees we planted are saplings, and as the trees grow to maturity, generations of the veterans’ families will be able to enjoy the tree,” Lang said. “The tree is symbolic in many ways, representing strength, roots, branches, size and family growth.”
Each veteran’s photograph and biography, prepared by their family, will be listed online at the grove’s website, www.sycamoreveteransgrove.com.
More trees are planned to be added to the grove annually. Families can inquire about adding trees on the grove’s website.
“I hope that as people walk along the trail, they take the time to look at the trees and remember all that veterans have done,” Lang said. “I hope that students from the middle school learn more about the veterans’ lives and experiences. I look forward to the trees growing and offering beautification of Sycamore as they flower, grow leaves and become tall and majestic.”
An exuberant Jeanine Holcomb gave a virtual unveiling of the recently updated Egyptian Theatre during this week’s Rotary meeting. Holcomb, the Theatre’s Marketing and Communications Director, explained how a $6.5 million dollar expansion will dramatically enhance the theatre-goers experience. Originally built in 1929, the approximately 1,400 seat theatre is an elaborately designed building with an Egyptian motif similar to what was used by up to one-hundred theatres at the time due to interest from the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. Only half-a-dozen survive today and the DeKalb Egyptian is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Holcomb said the renovations and expansion focused on improving patron amenities by adding air conditioning, upgrading and expanding rest rooms, and increasing the number of concession stations. The air conditioning is a first for the building and will enhance revenue by allowing year-round programming (previously the theatre was closed for three months during the summer). Limited washroom facilities were always a source of complaint according to Holcomb. As an example of the improvements made, she noted the first-floor women’s rest room has gone from three stalls and two sinks to 14 stalls and eight sinks. Holcomb added that significant effort was made to match the décor of the upgraded restrooms to the original theatre design. It will also be easier to obtain refreshments with the number of concession stations going from two to four on the main floor and two stations being added to the mezzanine level for the first time.
To accommodate all the upgrades, a 4,200 square foot two-story addition was added to the south side of the theatre. Ground for the addition was broken on May 1, 2019, 90-years to the date after the original theatre groundbreaking. However, just as the original theatre owners ended up having to deal with the stock market crash of 1929, the current Egyptian Theatre non-profit group must contend with the Covid-19 pandemic. Holcomb said they eagerly look forward to the time when regular show attendance can be resumed. In the meantime, you may visit their website at www.egyptiantheatre.org for updates or to make a contribution.
Our speaker this week will be Michelle Toczafrom the Barbed Wire Betties,DeKalb's very own roller derby team to share more about this unique local sports team.
Following is our schedule of upcoming speakers/presentations:
Wednesday, April 28 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): DeKalb Roller Derby (Michelle Tocza)
Wednesday, May 5 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): High Speed Rail Alliance (Rick Harnish)
Wednesday, May 12 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): Barn on Baseline
Wednesday, May 19 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Sycamore Veterans Club, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): Sycamore Food Pantry (Joe Maurer)
Wednesday, May 26 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): Kishwaukee Valley Wanderers Club (Brian Wallace)
Wednesday, June 2 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): RAMP (Justine Whitehouse)
Wednesday, June 9 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): Rotary Foundation (Paul Stromborg)
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November 8, 1656 – Astronomer and mathematician Edmund Halley is born in London. He discovers his namesake comet in 1682 and calculates its next appearance in 1758. Reappearing about every 76 years, it should next be visible in 2061.
November 10, 1483 – German Theologian and Reformation founder Martin Luther is born. He begins a religious movement after posting his 95 Thesis originally meant to reform the Catholic Church.
November 12, 1929 – Grace Kelly, award-winning actress who left Hollywood to marry Prince Ranier of Monaco, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
November 13, 1850 – Famed Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson is born in Edinburgh.
November 8, 1895 – X-rays are discovered by William Roentgen at the University of Würzburg in Germany.
November 9, 1965 – At 5:16 PM, the Great Blackout of the Northeast began caused by a circuit breaker malfunction at a power plant on the Niagara River. The blackout affects more than 30-million people living along the East Coast and Canada.
November 10, 1871 – Explorer Henry M. Stanley found missionary David Livingston at Ujiri, Africa. Livingston had been missing for two years.
November 11, 1918 – The Armistice ending World War I takes affect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in Germany.
