REMEMBER - Controversial comments and PRIVATE thoughts should be kept PRIVATE Subject: MY very own RECOLLECTIONS - 54/100 1. What are your personal opinions and thoughts about the Vietnam War, were you opposed/not and for what reason, now with age and experience, do you think this war was any different from or less necessary than other wars, in YOUR opinion what were Americans fighting for in Vietnam, what were your thoughts on the peace demonstrations, did you ever attend a demonstration, do you think most demonstrators were sincere, do you think that they were harmful or that they did some good, were you personally affected by the Vietnam War, do you know any who died in this war, what was this person like, how is it that you knew them, have you found his/her name on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D C, do you think that this person died in vain? 2. Why exactly, is it that you do genealogy research? 3. When did they first drive a car, OFFICIALLY and un officially, how much was gas then, did you pump gas yourself or was it pumped for you, your favorite brand, do you like that you can self serve? Remember...... Write as you speak.... Be yourself.... Write liberally...... Do not worry about technique.... It is the THOUGHT that counts - or thoughts! Write as if it might be the LAST time you can address the question... 208 0 0

REMEMBER - Controversial comments and PRIVATE thoughts should be kept PRIVATE Subject: MY very own RECOLLECTIONS - 53/100 1. What are your personal opinions and thoughts about pre-marital sex? 2. Have you, yourself, ever been in jail, was it justified, did you learn from the experience, how did you feel, do you think it changed how others see you, how others treat you, do most people in your circle know of this experience, has it affected you work life? 3. What was YOUR biggest accomplishment in life, outside of having children, why do you feel that this is your highest accomplishment? Remember...... Write as you speak.... Be yourself.... Write liberally...... Do not worry about technique.... It is the THOUGHT that counts - or thoughts! Write as if it might be the LAST time you can address the question... 103 0 0

REMEMBER - Controversial comments and PRIVATE thoughts should be kept PRIVATE Subject: MY very own RECOLLECTIONS - 52/100 1. What are your personal opinions and thoughts about Watergate, were you glad that Nixon resigned as a result of this, did you feel sorry for him, what do you remember of the mood at that time, do you think he was guilty of the crimes he was accused of, do you think he should have resigned, do you think he should have stood trial, perhaps even going to jail? What do you think about Gerald Ford, do you think he was right to pardon President Nixon? 2. Have you ever made a decision that you wish now you could change. One that you are constantly reminded of? How would you have made any changes? 3. Did they ever break an arm or leg? or finger? Tell about the instance, the recovery, the treatment, the problems you now have as a result of that accident, who was around you when it happened, who was with you during recovery? Remember...... Write as you speak.... Be yourself.... Write liberally...... Do not worry about technique.... It is the THOUGHT that counts - or thoughts! Write as if it might be the LAST time you can address the question... 209 0 0

THIS IS excellent!!!!!!! The 1909 street address number conversions for Chicago are now online at; http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/1909snc/start.pdf

Hi Sean can't help with the Doebke line...but do have the Greves back to the 1500's somehwere. I am the GGG Grandaughter of Johann Gerhard Greve.(and Catherine Marie Ottman)..good friend of Johann Sunderlage and brother of your Catherine Greve. So a distant cousin! :o) Did you know that Catherine Greve's parents are also buried in the family cemetery? I had sent an inventory to the list if you need that cemetery information. I am a MEYER OTTMAN GREVE the other families that came over from Badbergen and neighbors with your Sunderlages...1838. We were in visiting the Sunderlage home this past year. Just wanted to say HI. Write me at [email protected]! Laurie

Hi Sean... I am sending your post to the list and i suspect that there were be folks who will come to your rescue... PLEASE do subscribe to the list so that you can benefit from what they might post.... to do so, send a new email to [email protected] with the single word subscribe in both the subject and in the text area.... you will receive a welcome letter when you are successful.. then to write to the list send the post to [email protected] (notice no -request). all of the resulting information will be in the archives of the list which you can search. which is something i suggest that you do for all the surnames that are listed in your post. to do so, go to rootsweb.com home page... scroll to INTERACTIVE SEARCH and then enter in the official list name il-cook-schaumburg then enter in one by one the surnames of interest and click submit.. to open the results, click on FULL.... ----- Original Message ----- From: Sean Sunderlage To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 1:41 PM Subject: Doebke/Sunderlage Hi! I am writing to you in hope that you may be able to point me in the right direction concerning some genealogical work I am conducting! My name is Sean Sunderlage, and I am a GGGgrandson of Johan Sunderlage and Catharina Greve. I have been searching for information about the family of my GGgrandmother, Sophia/Sofie Doepke/Dopke/Dobke, and have had rather poor luck so far. My line from Johan & Catharina is: August Sunderlage & Sofie Doepke August Sunderlage & Lima Seibel William Sunderlage & Gloria Otto Terry Sunderlage & Kay Mansfield Sean (me) & Ann Wappelhorst I do know that Sofie's mother's name was also Sofie, but do not know her maiden name (she was from Hesse, Germany). Sofie had three children by her first husband, and I do not know this person's name nor what became of him. The children's names are: Sofie, Christian and Fredrick. Sofie was remarried in 1871 to a Henry/Heinrich Dehne (b. in Hesse), and together they had one child, Maria. No one else in my family seems to know about the Doepke family, and I have seen your name numerous times regarding the Schaumburg area, and thought you might be able to assist me! Thanks for your time, I greatly appreciate it!! Best regards, Sean Sunderlage

REMEMBER - Controversial comments and PRIVATE thoughts should be kept PRIVATE.... Subject: MY very own RECOLLECTIONS - 51/100 1. What are your personal opinions and thoughts about Richard Nixon? about Watergate? 2. Do you like to have your photo taken, or do you always say something about not taking a good photo, or do you try your hardest to get away from a camera, of all the photos that you may have had taken, WHICH ONE is your favorite, have you more than one copy of it, or have you scanned it? no? there is no time like the present! 3. WHO was the first in your family to travel outside of the state, outside of the country? Remember...... Write as you speak.... Be yourself.... Write liberally...... Do not worry about technique.... It is the THOUGHT that counts - or thoughts! Write as if it might be the LAST time you can address the question... 0 0 0

IF you do this today wednesday the 29th you can go to http://dailyherald.com/community/zone.asp?zone=sch scroll on left to homes and click which gets you to this: http://www.dailyherald.com/homes/index.asp any time after the 29th moves the article further down the list on stories.... kern-schmidt the first photo is of the westernmost room on the second floor, which was a sunroom/office, not a bath. the bath was immediately to the east of this room It was not a patio as mentioned; the patio was over the garage from the first floor..... then scroll to the bottom you will see the blue house as it now looks... the sloan-kotel home...

More home, than mansion BY PAT GERLACH Daily Herald Correspondent Posted Monday, October 27, 2003 "It's not really a mansion. And it's not a museum. It's our home," Laura Nevel said. She was having "the talk" with her two school-age children who had just come home in a state of mass confusion. When the school bus deposited the children (then 7 and 9) at their new Schaumburg home, classmates called them the "kids that live in the big mansion." Perplexed, the Nevel youngsters ran to their mother with questions. "Where's the mansion? Why haven't you ever shown it to us?" they demanded. Laura had no alternative. She had to set her children straight. As responsible parents, the Nevels want their children to appreciate the rich heritage of their 73-year-old house but - bottom line - it is their home and as private as it is special. The 8,000-square-foot historic residence is atypical of Schaumburg's housing stock and the undisputed centerpiece of its upscale neighborhood. Unlike the ranches, ramblers, split-levels and other late-20th century dwellings that have sprung up throughout the village in the last four decades, the Nevels' house is a blend of classic architecture. Some of its elements are reminiscent of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello; others seem borrowed from Tara of "Gone With the Wind" fame. Neighbors call it the Kern-Schmidt mansion, a reflection of two previous owners. The Nevels call it home. Because they saw its potential as their ideal family home, the couple bought the derelict 8,000-square-foot house for $401,000 at a 1999 real estate auction. At the time, they lived in a 2,600-square foot house in Buffalo Grove and planned to buy or build on the North Shore. Those plans changed abruptly when, two weeks prior to the auction, Laura Nevel walked into the aging beauty for the first time and immediately fell prey to its spell. Her background in art and interior design provided her with the vision to draft a restoration/repair/decoration program that would revitalize the dilapidated structure and turn it into her family's dream home. Vacant for seven years and neglected long before that, the house was - to put it politely - a dump. None of its five bathrooms had a working toilet. Fire, damage, neglect and deterioration had reduced the kitchen walls to their studs. Thirty-three decrepit exit doors, 91 leaky windows and 80 no-longer-functioning radiators added up to a nightmare. Center of dispute Just south of Woodfield Shopping Center, its 1-acre lot provides ample space for informal outdoor sports and gardening. However, the exterior of the house presented a problem over which the Nevels and Schaumburg officials have locked horns for more than three years. The Nevels say a member of Schaumburg's planning department and independent environmental experts recommend vinyl siding be used to refurbish the house's lead-painted facade. The village issued a permit for the work, but later rescinded the order saying the use of the vinyl material was not compatible with the original materials and violated conditions of the town's ordinance granting the house landmark status. Fearing that the historically significant house would be demolished by a developer who owned the property for a short time, the village invoked its home rule powers and designated it a local landmark in 1997. While the house was described as historically significant, the Nevels contend they were not advised of its local landmark status until the village stopped the siding installation. (See the related story on the history of the house.) The siding issue has been in court - at the local, state and federal levels - ever since. A motion is pending in Cook County Court to force the Nevels to remove the vinyl siding that covers 85 percent of the house, says Christopher Huff, Schaumburg's director of planning. Village officials continue to say the rumpus is not about the siding, but having its laws upheld. A decorative interior Local landmark status makes it difficult, though not impossible, to destroy a historic structure and governs some matters concerning its exterior. However, the local law has no bearing on the interior. And that's where Marty and Laura Nevel have concentrated their efforts, creating a comfortable environment for their family of five (the Nevels have a younger third child). The home also is an appropriate backdrop for their many collections, which range from antique pianos to walking canes and men's starched shirt collars. Oversized mullioned doors of beveled glass make entering the house from its south portico seem like walking through a prism. A duplicate set of doors on the north side, coupled with chalk white walls and highly polished wood floors give the space a bright, sun-washed quality. The entry leads to a huge salon that spans the width of the house. The Nevels' call the space their music room. One of its focal points is a Steinway DuoArt piano in a Louis XV art-style case. Marty Nevel owns four more grand pianos - all in various stages of restoration. Twenty-five years ago, a friend played his Regina console music box for Marty who instantly "fell in love with the music" and has been hooked ever since. Neither he nor Laura play a musical instrument, though their older daughter has begun taking piano lessons. The light-filled room also holds a 1925 J.P. Seeburg Piano Nickelodeon with the sound of seven different musical instruments. Marty Nevel also collects the antique light bulbs that illuminate that machine and a 1915 Gabels Automatic Entertainer - the prototype for today's jukebox. At the other end of the room, couturier Coco Chanel's personal mannequin stands guard at the handsome fireplace, which, like the room's moldings, interior doors and glass knobs are original to the house. Marty bought the dress form (dated 1921 and signed by Chanel) for Laura at a Sotheby's auction. The room's four ceiling fans are operated by a low-voltage electronic system that Marty designed for the music room, which doubles as a dining room when the Nevels entertain family and friends. "Its proximity to the kitchen is certainly a plus, " says Laura, ushering a guest into the colorful, strictly contemporary (and slightly edgy) kitchen she designed. Deep purple wood cabinets with a high-gloss finish (imported from England) line both walls. Extensive counter space blends concrete, stainless steel and a laminate surface. A center island work space includes several refrigerated cubbies, which make it easy for the Nevel children to help themselves to snacks without opening the large built-in refrigerator/freezer. Antiques haven The Nevels' penchant for antiques resurfaces in a gleaming chrome and glass candy jar rack dating back to 1890, which includes 24 brightly filled canisters of goodies. The first floor's west wing includes the original library, which the Nevels painted yellow after its original mahogany paneled walls began crumbling. There's also a separate sun-room with more massive windows and a stone floor. The double staircase that leads from the music room to the second floor has a railing supported by 86 hand-carved metal balusters thought to have been installed in the '50s when the house was occupied by Otis Schmidt of Schmidt Iron Works. Marty revitalized the spindles with a nickel-plated finish when he restored the then-dilapidated balustrade. A cartouche on the wall above the staircase was also brought to life with a matching coat of silver. The second floor is devoted to five bedrooms, which include a circular walk-in closet. In another innovative move, the Nevels updated the huge master bath with 22 windows, which had been built over what was once a sun deck. To solve the privacy issue without resorting to window treatments, Marty devised another low-voltage electronic system that, when switched on, makes the windows opaque. A vintage claw foot bathtub adds retro charm, while a matched pair of shapeless stainless steel Phillipe Starck sinks bring the space into the 21st century. Basement space contains a large playroom for the children, Marty's office (he's an independent senior citizens estate planner) and Laura's well-appointed laundry room. Four years into their adventure, the Nevels are thrilled with being the responsible stewards of a historically significant old house. They've settled comfortably into the community where Marty is vice president of the Schaumburg Township Historical Society and a member of Schaumburg Township District 54's school board advisory committee. Laura is involved with the PTA at her children's school. Would they do it again? Go through the painful, expensive process of breathing life back into a dying dowager of a house? And withstand an on-going fracas with local government? "In a heart beat, " says Marty Nevel. Laura agrees, saying "This is our home. We love it and we're in it for the long haul.

A little history about this house Posted Monday, October 27, 2003 - Pat Gerlach Schaumburg officials often speculate that the house they call the Kern-Schmidt mansion may have been designed by prominent 20th century architect Paul Schweikher. Most likely it was not. For many reasons. Actually, there are no records documenting Schweikher's connection to the house built in 1930. And because Schweikher was a Modernist, it would have been unusual for him to have created a strictly neoclassic residence. According to early records, the 8,000-square-foot residence was built in 1930 for a man named M.A. Kern by Emil Sporleder, a well-known master carpenter who had gained acclaim for his hand-wrought moldings and cabinetry. At the time, Sporleder worked as a general contractor, employing two to three men. Sporleder later moved his business to Mount Prospect. Kern was an official at a Chicago insurance company and, with his brother, L.D. Kern, owned the Lexington Saddle Farm on property east of Meacham Road between Higgins and Schaumburg roads, which they purchased from dairy farmer John Kastning. The Kerns raised thoroughbred horses and raced them at Arlington Park. Reportedly neither of the Kerns ever used their common names - Maurice and Lowell - even in casual conversation. The huge Kern house was centered on the farm and the area was eventually developed as the Lexington Fields subdivision, which offered large lots for luxury custom-built country homes, none of which were ever attributed to Paul Schweikher. However, in 1938, Paul Schweikher built his own post-Prairie-style home and studio several miles south of the Kern property. A Colorado native, Schweikher came to Chicago in 1923 to study architecture and apprenticed with David Adler whom he credited with instilling his accurate sense of proportion and design. Schweikher died at the age of 94 in Phoenix, Ariz., in 1997. His local residence is Schaumburg's only building listed on the National Historic Record. Schweikher left the area in 1953 when he was named chairman of Yale University's school of architecture and later went on to head the architecture department at Carnegie Mellon University. It was about the same time that M.A. Kern died and his elegant home lay vacant for several years until it was purchased in the late '50s by Otis Schmidt, owner of nearby Schmidt Iron Works. The house remained in the hands of the Schmidt family until the early '90s when it and some of the surrounding property was purchased by a developer and lay vacant for seven years. In 1999, it was sold at auction to Marty and Laura Nevel - the third family to occupy the 73-year-old house. - Pat Gerlach

We are at a halfway point in the recollections. I hope that everyone has taken a stab at writing a bit about at least some of these questions. I know that this represents a lot of work. Did you expect it to be easy????? If it was easy, e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e would be doing it. Seldom tho, do people write to this extent and so the result for your family will be all the more treasured. If you think back on the first 49 questions, you will notice that MOST of the traditional questions that might have been asked and answered about close family members have been covered. The emphasis of the recollections that follow will be more along the lines of PERSONAL feelings and thoughts - those intangibles that would only come from your own words, never to be found on the internet or at a courthouse. They might remind you of a sort of private diary - a collection of oh-so-personal thoughts. This will be a wonderful time to write openly and I hope that you take advantage of the opportunity. HOWEVER..... please read the SPECIAL NOTE! SPECIAL NOTE: (PLEASE, do NOT send any of your very private "feelings" to ANY public mailing list - especially those questions which will follow that may be considered highly CONTROVERSIAL. Remember, these questions shown are for YOUR very close family group members (should you care to share them), NOT the.........world.) (In short, if you would not tell the very next stranger you meet, then....don't tell a list!) Subject: MY very own RECOLLECTIONS - 50/100 1. Were you ever in a war or military service, what was that like, HOW did you actually get enlisted, step by step, WHERE did you enlist, what did your parents think, what did they say, who was the FIRST person you told that you had enlisted and what was their reaction, list all of your military travels, and HOW you arrived there, what is your service number and did you take advantage of the education benefit upon your return? 2. Have you ever been a juror, do you think that everyone should be a juror at least one time, speak to the process you went through at your courthouse, if you can what was the case about and what was your stance during the process? 3. If you had an opportunity to have a different occupation, what would it have been, and why? Remember...... Write as you speak.... Be yourself.... Write liberally...... Do not worry about technique.... It is the THOUGHT that counts - or thoughts! Write as if it might be the LAST time you can address the question... 0 0 0

Subject: MY very own RECOLLECTIONS - 49/100 1. What are your p-e-r-s-o-n-a-l opinions and thoughts about Chinese Communist Revolution? If you had elders who were caught up in this revolution, take the time now to write in as much detail as possible of their past lives, their travels through the country and their immigration from China. Record as many stories as you possibly can that were told to you. If possible, ask your elders to write their Chinese name and place of birth in Chinese and record under their name, your translation for the information...immediately. If there is someone in your family who can write in the native language, ask them to write, again in Chinese, the full names of those who have passed, and their specific place of birth if known. If you know little about it, do say that and talk about those other world activities that you are not in tuned with but of which you are aware. Not everyone is fully aware of all that happens in the whole world and some folks in fact, pay more attention to what is only happening in their own neighborhoods. Speak to this so that others might know of your own feelings on the subject. (Please, some of this might not be LIST material) 2. Tell about a project around the house that you completed that YOU are surprised that YOU completed. 3. WHO was the first in your family to graduate from college, what did you think of that effort, what do you know of the area of education this person received, did they use the education in their professional field or did they go in another direction, what are you personal thoughts regarding college, what did your parents think of college? Remember...... Write as you speak.... Be yourself.... Write liberally...... Do not worry about technique.... It is the THOUGHT that counts - or thoughts! Write as if it might be the LAST time you can address the question... 0 0 0

Subject: MY very own RECOLLECTIONS - 48/100 1. What are your p-e-r-s-o-n-a-l opinions and thoughts about the Korean War? (keep these PRIVATE and off list please). 2. Tell a story about ...........lightening bugs. 3. When did you get your first video camera, did you check them out for a long time before you made the purchase, do you now think that you make the right decision on the product, do you have many video tapes of your family, have you graduated to digital? Remember...... Write as you speak.... Be yourself.... Write liberally...... Do not worry about technique.... It is the THOUGHT that counts - or thoughts! Write as if it might be the LAST time you can address the question... 0 0 0

"Highlight anything in the attachment field in the top of the email and use control key/F3 simultaneously, go to message source and read as a continuous document." it has always bugged me that rootsweb sends attachment.TXT to some digest users... some get these opened in a string and it looks like an end to end list of emails.... others have to click each one open... and there is no subject sometimes to tell what is in the email.... so perhaps the above info may be of some help to you all......

wayne king was an early owner... dont have before that... the church did not buy it from king i had reached a man who did own it, but he has since died, and no information has been forthcoming from the family. perhaps another on list will advise.... ----- Original Message ----- From: grace w gathman To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 2:18 PM Subject: Re: [ILckSCH] Houses - Barns.... Wayne King Mennonite Thanks for the exciting news about the barn raising. Does anyone know who originally owned the farm this barn is on? Thanks Val, you've done it again. Grace ----- Original Message ----- From: grace w gathman To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 2:18 PM Subject: Re: [ILckSCH] Houses - Barns.... Wayne King Mennonite Thanks for the exciting news about the barn raising. Does anyone know who originally owned the farm this barn is on? Thanks Val, you've done it again. Grace ==== IL-COOK-SCHAUMBURG Mailing List ==== To post: [email protected] To Search: http://listSEARCHES.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listSEARCH.pl?list=il-cook-schaumburg Note: YOU will need to add RG to SCHAUMBU in the Query box and Enter.... ARCHIVES: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/il-cook-schaumburg Unsubscribe at [email protected] or -D If there is a system problem and you cannot get to valentine, go here....http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/help.cgi look for info about LIST2 lists. We are a list2 list....SEE ALSO: il-cook-elkgrove il-cook-palatine ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

"Out of the Night, a Hero Emerges" Parade magazine of Chicago Tribune 10-26-03 Includes photo Parade's 2003 Police Officer of the Year.... Honorable Mentions Officer John Nebl Schaumburg, Illinois Officer John Nebl, 40, initiated a program four years ago that instructs tenants and owners on how to keep their property drug- and crime - free. Since then, there has been a significant decline in calls for police at Schaumburg's 18 major apartment properties. He also helped get similar programs started in seven other Illinois communities. "

Thanks for the exciting news about the barn raising. Does anyone know who originally owned the farm this barn is on? Thanks Val, you've done it again. Grace

Donations gain ground BY JEREMIAH HALL The Christian Science Monitor Posted Friday, October 24, 2003 Giving real estate to charities also benefits donors SAN FRANCISCO - It's the season of swanky gala fundraisers and opening-night art events, but these days forward-thinking charities might not ask for your checks. Instead, they might ask for your house keys. Stock-market seesawing has shifted a greater share of many Americans' net worth to real estate, and charities have taken notice. Tapping that wealth has led some nonprofits to unveil new options for potential donors. The nonprofits' first goal: Make the real estate donation process attractive by offering donors - often elderly homeowners - ways to avoid taxes, pay off their mortgages and even earn a stipend for life. Real estate donations come in many forms and individuals should research all of the options before signing over any property to a charity, experts say. They also recommend comparing donation programs from multiple nonprofits. Some options are simple "bargain sales," where a donor sells a home to a charity at a substantially reduced price. The charity then resells the house and pockets the difference. Donors get a tax deduction and avoid capital-gains taxes, says Ray Ferrara, a certified financial planner in Clearwater, Fla. His firm, ProVise Management Group, has helped many individuals donate real estate. Take a $500,000 home with a $100,000 mortgage. A charity may purchase the home for $100,000, allowing the donor to pay off the mortgage. The tax deduction, Ferrara says, is calculated by taking the donor's net equity in the home minus the purchase price. In this case, the donor had $400,000 in equity and received $100,000 from the charity. The deduction is valued at $300,000. That spells significant tax savings to most donors. Ferrara advises his clients to look out for a common pitfall: "Get a good appraisal to make sure you're getting the right charitable contribution," he says. "The IRS will look to make sure the property was appropriately valued. If it wasn't, they may revoke the deduction." Some real estate giving proposals not only offer tax breaks and mortgage payoffs, but "charitable gift annuities" and "life estate contracts." Such deals let the donor reside in the donated property until his or her death. The annuity provides a lifetime income in exchange for the donation. Annuity rates are based primarily on age. A 65-year-old should receive an annuity valued at 6.3 percent of the donation, Ferrara says, while an 80-year-old should receive 8.3 percent. Before donating real estate, Ferrara warns clients to choose a charity with a strong balance sheet. "If a charity goes under, so does your annuity," he says. Would-be donors can expect to see more nonprofits making these real estate options available as charities notice its advantages. An automobile donation, for example, can cost as much as 80 cents on the dollar for a charity to process. An opening night arts gala might return 50 cents. But less than 20 cents on the dollar goes to funding real estate donations, says Chase Magnuson, president of Real Estate for Charities in Carlsbad, Calif. "Nonprofits are missing the boat by not tapping into this fund-raising source," he says. Marsha Lubick, vice president of philanthropy for Sharp Healthcare Foundation of San Diego, a southern California hospital group, says her organization has seen a big increase in real estate giving. "We send out dozens of proposals each month to donors interested in giving their property. It's important to give people options. We try and put together a package that will allow them to keep their home and give them monthly income," Lubick says. Still, charities need to use caution when accepting a donated property. "Real estate fund raising isn't for the faint-hearted. Charities need to watch out for bad property or else they'll be stuck footing the bill," says Leo Arnoult, chairman of the Trust for Philanthropy and a fund-raising consultant in Memphis, Tenn. "Most donors have good intentions, but some charlatans might be looking for clever ways to off-load bad properties." A lack of resources and know-how has kept most of the 1.2 million charities in the U.S. from adding real estate to their fund-raising portfolio. Only 2 percent of the $240 billion Americans gave in 2002 was real estate, according to the AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy in Indianapolis. The foundation indicates real estate donations are primarily directed to academic institutions. So don't expect your community's soup kitchen to accept a major real estate donation. According to Arnoult, only medium to large nonprofits - think AARP and the United Way - are capable of handling these complex transactions. Most small nonprofits lack the financial and expert resources necessary, he says. Yet Magnuson says the number of real estate donations stands to rise dramatically as more nonprofits diversify their fund-raising activities in a tight economy. "Most organizations are reluctant to accept (real estate) donations because they're afraid it will be too difficult and it will take too long to benefit," he says. "That (reluctance) will change." Michael Hudson is happy his church received a Schaumburg house and barn in the village's historic district three years ago. His family lives on the second floor the house, which was built as early as 1910 in what is now a village historic district. The small congregation of The Victorious Church of Jesus Christ meets on the first floor. A lot of work has been done on the house, but Hudson said he learned that turning the barn into a church would be too expensive. Current plans are to build a new church on the half-acre lot and refurbish the barn for community services like an after-school program. The donor of the property received a tax deduction, Hudson said. For potential real estate donors, Magnuson says having the right intention is critical. "Make sure you understand the many intricacies of planned giving, but understand that this is about giving to a charity. This should benefit everyone." Many potential donors are often torn between willing their property to their children and donating it to charity, Lubick says. Such decisions, she says, take about a year, on average, for a donor to decide. "This is never an easy decision. Many homes have a lifetime of memories and that's hard for some people to give up," Lubick says. To help with the decision, Lubick says the key is a slow approach that involves the family and time to reflect on the advantages of donating a home. "It's a way for a donor to have a lasting legacy and get some immediate benefits from it," she says.

10-26-03 Daily Herald.... >From barn to place of worship Daily Herald staff report Posted Sunday, October 26, 2003 Tucked behind busy Roselle Road in Schaumburg and within five miles of Woodfield Shopping Center, a rare sight for the Northwest suburbs took place Saturday: a barn raising. Members of the Christ Community Mennonite Church in Schaumburg joined with Mennonites from Iowa who came in to help renovate the barn on their 2-acre property into a worship space and religious education center. On Saturday, church members worked to secure sturdy wooden beams to anchor the new glass-enclosed, two-story entrance of the barn, which they hope will draw worshippers to the unique worship space. They already worked to install all new floor trusses, with 3,500 square feet of radiant heating coils, all hand tied by church members. "In some churches it would be expected for members to raise funds to hire people to do this," said Doug Wiseman of Roselle. "We consider it a blessing to be able to do this ourselves, to work with our own hands." They plan to use the lower level for offices and classrooms, as well as a community day-care during the week. The second floor, with its 19th century trusses exposed, will serve as their dramatic sanctuary. "The character of the barn space is almost cathedral-like," says LeRoy Kennel, founding pastor. "It's a wonderful worship space." The building project is part of a yearlong plan to convert the 150-year old barn, members said. They have worked with the Village of Schaumburg and have obtained their final permit to complete the final phase. Members are working under the direction of Lee Lehman of Albany, Ore., a former professional building contractor and Habitat for Humanity volunteer, who is serving as construction manager of the project. Members believe the barn is one of only two remaining in Schaumburg. Consequently, it serves to preserve the farming roots in the community and reinforces the rural roots of the Mennonites, members said. Historically, the Mennonites date back to the 16th century in Europe, when they were founded by a Catholic priest from Holland, Menno Simons, who challenged the reforms of Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation. The Amish later broke off from the Mennonites. Though both continue to share common beliefs and often are confused with one another, they are separate denominations. "One of the tenets of the Mennonite faith is simplicity," Wiseman said. "We still aspire to a simpler life, without all the trappings and clutter of everyday life. We feel our spiritual life is enhanced if we're able to keep it simple, but we don't restrict ourselves." Instead members work to help others in the community, and reach out with service and justice where they are needed, Kennel said. The Schaumburg congregation is one of 20 Mennonite churches in the Chicago area.

Subject: MY very own RECOLLECTIONS - 47/100 1. What are your personal opinions and thoughts about the Iranian War? 2. Do you enjoy watching storms, when is it that you become concerned about a storm? 3. Do you have a CD player or cassette player or 8 track, did you ever have an 8 track player, have you any tapes? Remember...... Write as you speak.... Be yourself.... Write liberally...... Do not worry about technique.... It is the THOUGHT that counts - or thoughts! Write as if it might be the LAST time you can address the question... 0 0 0