Wauconda…in the News

By Mitchell Armentrout

DAILY HERALD

In an effort to attract new residents and businesses, Wauconda officials say they will hire a private firm to design and implement a new marketing strategy.

Contract negotiations are under way for Wauconda to bring in Robin Malpass & Associates, a Chicago-based marketing agency, to develop a new brand for the village.

“We wanted an outside professional to come in and look at our situation with a fresh eye,” Village Administrator David Geary said.

The new marketing plan is part of Wauconda’s set of strategic goals for 2011-12. Director of Economic and Community Development Linda Krajniak said village officials want to differentiate Wauconda from neighboring municipalities.

“It’s important for us to showcase Wauconda’s advantages,” Krajniak said. “When the economy was really suffering, we wanted to position the community to be a destination for when things turn around.”

The village board is expected to approve a contract by early May.

Representatives from Malpass & Associates have already presented a two-part action plan to board members. The firm will start by conducting a research analysis of the village’s current marketing initiatives to look at how Wauconda is perceived as a residential and commercial destination.

After presenting their findings to the board, the company will begin working on a new advertising campaign for Wauconda that will include new logos, taglines and brand colors. In addition, the firm will rethink the village’s print and social media strategies.

Village officials began seeking proposals from marketing companies last fall. They ultimately chose Malpass & Associates for their proximity in Chicago and past experience working with nearby communities such as Antioch, Long Grove and Gurnee.

“We heard great things from officials in other towns,” Krajniak said.

The re-branding project is expected to take around three months to complete and will cost the village $21,000 to $25,000, depending on final contract figures.

“Our village has a lot to offer and we want to spread the word more effectively,” Geary said.

By Mitchell Armentrout

DAILY HERALD

WAUCONDA, Ill. (WTW) — Tony Castelluccio has owned Tony’s Barber Shop in Wauconda since 1964. He will be retiring later this year after nearly 50 years of being a barber. “No complaints with barbering, it’s been very good to me,” he said. Tony started barbering with his uncle in 1963, when they opened the shop in its present location in November of 1964.

Looking around Tony’s shop you notice all kinds of mementos, pictures and souvenirs from a lifetime at the same job in the same location. A stock certificate issued by his beloved Green Bay Packers hangs prominently. A rickety stereo system sits in a corner featuring an old reel-to-reel tape deck, used for years because Tony got tired of listening to commercials on the radio all day long. And now, a seemingly out-of-place iPod loaded with 10,000 songs, mostly oldies, sits on top of the stereo.

In another part of the shop, framed next to a crack in the wall, is Barber Shop License Number One, issued in 1969 by the village of Wauconda “It cost two dollars for one year,” Castelluccio said. “Two dollars because we had two barber chairs in here. Only one year because the village said it cost more to print the license than the two bucks, so they kind of gave up on it.”

The customers are vintage as well. Milan Pokorny claims he’s been getting his hair cut there since 1963, first by Tony’s uncle, then by Tony himself. Even Milan’s wife would sometimes get her hair cut by Tony. Another longtime customer, Art Billen, says, “I can’t remember when I started coming here, my father-in-law brought me here, probably 1964.” As Art settles into a chair he waits for those three magic words Tony has probably asked a million times. “Same as usual?”

“Hard to believe that I’m working on, in some cases, four generations of families. I’ve done grandfathers, I mean, I go all the way back to some great-grandfathers, unbelievable,” Castelluccio said. “I never thought I’d still be here at 65 years old. That’s what happens when you’re in the same spot for almost 48 years. I think I’m gonna sign another lease just to go to 50!”

By Alex Schorr DAILY HERALD

A group of Future Business Leaders of America from Wauconda High School visited all District 118 schools within the last two weeks delivering practical lessons about personal finance, budgeting, and saving.

“We believe that budget, overall, can solve so many of our financial problems that we have today, so why not practice smart spending young?” said Alex Schorr, a senior at WHS who worked with team members Senior Mandy Rodio and Junior Andrea Lichterman. “Emphasizing the need to manage money with the young will hopefully help to prevent their own future financial crises.”

Members of FBLA’s American Enterprise Team sought to show the younger students smart money management through saving money and spending wisely. Fifth-graders at Cotton Creek, Robert Crown, and Wauconda Grade School were taught the difference between wants and needs, how to spend their allowance wisely, the importance of saving, and different methods to save. Eighth-graders from Wauconda and Matthews Middle School were prepared for financial obstacles they would incur in high school as well as educated on spending and saving skills at a more experienced level.

“This project not only helped the students we taught, but helped to reinforce our own money management habits,” Schorr stated.

“I definitely look at the way I spend money differently now,” explained Rodio. “Before I went through and taught these concepts, I had to make sure I was actually abiding by what I was teaching. We taught kids several methods of saving including the importance of paying yourself first and always setting aside a percentage of income for saving. I began to divvy any money that came my way and found that as soon as I stored away a portion of my income and stopped buying pointless things, I was able to save a substantial amount.”

The team received support from all District 118 schools, as well as area banks including Wauconda Community, Harris, PNC, and Fifth Third.

“Everyone we talked to was so willing to get involved,” Lichterman stated. “The banks we talked to were relieved to see a group such as ours addressing what has become an important issue for younger students and teenagers today. The schools and teachers were also very receptive to the idea and more than willing to have us involved in their classrooms.” FBLA hopes to continue this involvement in years to come.

“We know that emphasizing the need to manage money, save, and spend wisely while kids are young will be beneficial in the years to come,” Schorr said. “Numerous students and adults alike are in the midst of financial crises. We believe that if we can get kids rooted in sensible money financing now, they will be better prepared to handle the future and properly resolve their own financial issues.”

For the first time in history, the Wauconda CUSD 118 has earned the Bright Red Apple Award. This award, which has been given the last eighteen years, is bestowed based upon five areas:

1) academic performance; 2) pupil/teacher ratio; 3) expenditure per pupil; 4) educational level of teachers; 5) and average teacher salary

The Bright Red Apple Award is sponsored by SchoolSearch. Only 73 school districts out of 868 in the state of Illinois earned this recognition.

Other Lake County school districts earning the award were:

Elementary School Districts Aptakisic-Tripp District 102 Bannockburn District 106 Deerfield District 109 Hawthorn District 73 Kildeer Countryside District 96 Lake Bluff District 65 Lake Forest District 67 Lincolnshire-Prairieview District 103 North Shore District 112 Oak Grove District 68 Rondout District 72

High School Districts Adlai Stevenson District 125 Grayslake District 127 Highland Park/Deerfield District 113 Lake Forest District 115 Libertyville/Vernon Hills District 128

Unit School Districts Lake Zurich Unit School District 95