Geneva grad joins family tradition of service

Krys Castner is "more proud than scared … right now."

But the Geneva mother has been down the road of having a loved one in the military service before.

This time, it is her son Matt, a 2007 graduate of Geneva High School and former member of the Vikings' football team, who has joined the Army and reported to Fort Benning, Ga., last week.

"Matt was going to Waubonsee Community College and just decided he wasn't fulfilled with school," said Krys. "This didn't surprise me since he had an uncle in the Navy Seals and his father (Sgt. Rick Castner) is with the Geneva Police Department."

Matt, who is a 2nd Class Private, hopes to get involved with an airborne division or the Rangers, his mother said.

"His father protects the local area and now Matt protects the country," Krys added.

Matt's brother Nick, a 2005 Geneva graduate, donned the Vikings' football gear first, playing fullback for a team that reached the state semifinals.

Nick has overcome an injured knee to play football again at Carthage College, but this time he's in the trenches as a defensive tackle.

He's a physical therapy major and he hopes to help special education youths in the future.

"We're just very proud of both of the boys," Krys said.

Good job, Ozzie: I've worked many years with my service club to contribute money for prevention of child abuse programs, so it is pleasing to hear of other programs that help youngsters in any fashion. The Kane County Cougars' annual winter banquet this weekend in Geneva is a good example.

A major part of that banquet is to raise money for Ozzie's Outreach, the team's charitable foundation that contributes more than $20,000 each year to causes such as Juvenile Diabetes, the American Cancer Society and others.

Dishpan politics: Politics is in the forefront with our upcoming primary election, but I'll bring up something extremely political in our homes: The politics of dish washing.

I don't want to throw down the gauntlet against a fellow Daily Herald columnist, especially because I enjoy reading Marnie Mamminga's columns and usually agree with her insights, but she recently wrote about the dishwasher in her home going kaput, and the fact that it won't be replaced -- mainly because it is better for the environment to do dishes by hand, and her husband, who she says has always washed the dishes or loaded the dishwasher, is OK with doing them by hand.

This topic strikes a nerve in our household. My wife and I have often "debated" the use of the dishwasher.

I think it should be used with some regularity; she claims to enjoy cleaning dishes by hand.

I hate washing dishes, and rarely do it. I would be more than happy to help load the dishwasher. I don't care if it takes a week or longer to fill it up. But I can't see doing them by hand when an empty dishwasher is staring me in the face.

Marnie's husband must be a wonderful chap, but he's got something I'll never worry about: dishpan hands.

dheun@sbcglobal.net