The theme of this Our City, Our Story : LIVE storytelling night was “Happiness” and Megan Hastings chose to talk about how love brought her happiness. Megan, a self-proclaimed “play-it-safer” took a chance. She asked a question that changed her life.
Seasons
Ivy, the Dumpster Puppy
In 2014, Patrick Karceski found puppies that were thrown away in a dumpster. He brought them to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, Inc. Rockford IL and they rescued them. One of those puppies, Ivy, was adopted by Jennifer Walker, who brought her to training. At training, the trainer said that Ivy has the temperament to be a great therapy dog. She proudly helps out at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center.
Ivy was thrown away, and now helps people who need help, brightening their day.
Special thank you to Patrick Karceski for providing photographs. Additional footage graciously provided by WIFR TV
Produced by Pablo Korona
Music by Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye of Mirari Productions
Bo Chaney – The Adventures of Rob & Rocky
Robert Bo Chaney is dedicated to the cause of helping kids find a path to attainable well-paying jobs, but also bringing diversity to public service for the betterment of the community. After sitting with Bo, and hearing him talk about his vision, we couldn’t help but be inspired to work our hardest to craft his story. Greg Cormier has been helping us out over these past couple months, and this was brought to life by him.
Please take a look at the piece, congratulate Greg on a job well done, and help us share the passion of someone aiming to change our community and other communities across the country.
Produced by Pablo Korona
Shot and edited by Greg Cormier
Music by the inimitable SFC: Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey and Jason Kaye
Resident Officer Community Keeper
Resident Officer Community Keeper is his official title, and this accurately describes what Eric does. The R.O.C.K. program is an initiative where a police officer is designated to a high crime area and is the point person for them. Not only are they a familiar face in dealing with that segment of the city, they also live in the area they are serving. As Eric puts it “Their problems are my problems because I live here.”
See Rockford Police Resident Officer Thurmond as he interacts with the community, and as he tells what he does.
Produced by Pablo Korona
Drone & Second Shooting: Jordan Hardy of FlyGuy Films
Additional Shooting: Greg Cormier
Music by the inimitable SFC: Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye.
Dairyhaus Family
This little cobblestone building on a hot summer day typically has a line streaming out from it. Dairyhäus creates some of the tastiest ice cream around. Obviously, as you can see here, it is made with love.
Produced by Pablo Korona
Second Camera: Greg Cormier
Edited by: Greg Cormier
Music by the inimitable SFC : @Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye
“Instead of a Quinceañera, I had a baby.”
Guadalupe Sena turned 15 on March 10th, the next day her daughter Carina was born. This is a look into the day both Guadalupe and her husband Ricardo have been looking forward to “since day one”. Come along and see what a Quinceńera looks like.
Produced by Pablo Korona
Camera Assistant & Macro Photo shooter: Greg Cormier
Music: Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye of the intimidable SFC
Broke, Not Broken.
Jarrett Ballard got a taste of his dreams coming true. When it all came crashing down, he wanted to succeed for his daughter. This is what happened after the crash.
Mother of them all. Coach Misty Opat.
It is in Coach Opat’s nature to inherently be Mother of them all. Leader. Coach. Mother. and more…
Not many people know the many challenges Coach Misty Opat has chosen to engage in her life. Difficult, selfless and life-changing decisions teach us about Misty’s character.
The Trail of Betsy’s Beads
Rockford artist Betsy Youngquist (BYART) travels to sell the art she makes at her home in Rockford. When the art fairs she was selling in didn’t bring the income she needed to survive as an artist, she chose a different way to sell her art. This connected to her to New Orleans, Louisiana and perhaps one of the oldest continuous African-American folk art traditions in the country.
Produced by Pablo Korona
Drone : FlyGuy Films
Music : The always stellar SFC : Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye.
Thanks to : Gallery Two, Red Truck Gallery Antieau Gallery, The Craig Tracy Gallery, and HAUNT NOLA.
Crust & Crumbles
When Jojo G. needed a job, she took a chance to call the Rockford City Market to pitch a booth. She bluffed her way into a path that has now become her career. See how this passionate mother and entrepreneur has become a model for what happens when you create opportunity.