Snow brings out bumper crop of good Samaritans in Huntley

It seems that every time I cover an event at Huntley High School, I get lost on the way back to Elgin.

Sunday was no exception.

I turned the wrong way on Harmony Road, ending up in a rural area.

I realized my mistake and made a U-turn right in the middle of the road -- and as I turned around, ran right into a snow bank.

No big deal, I thought, I'll just turn on the gas and be on the Northwest Tollway in a matter of minutes.

Wrong!

I was stuck. I was stuck bad. And it was COLD!

I put my foot on the gas and my car was like, "Are you kidding?"

A nice man passing by saw me in distress, hopped out and tried digging me out. But I was stuck in there so deep that it hardly did any good.

He offered to give me a ride back to work, but I really wouldn't feel right leaving my car or going anywhere with a perfect stranger.

I thanked him for helping anyway and a few moments later, another man came by in a truck, saying he'd go home to retrieve a hook.

While I waited for him to come back, I shoveled as much as I could so I could get pulled out easily.

Another man, this one named Ken, pulled up in a Hummer and said he had a hook right there.

So to make a long story short, the nice man from Huntley rescued me from the snow and the cold, sending me on my way back to World Headquarters in Elgin.

I tell this story to highlight the caliber of wonderful people in this community -- something I never experienced when living in Chicago.

So thank you, Ken. and all of you other guys for helping me out when I could barely help myself.

And I'll have to remind myself never to make U-turns when there's snow on the ground.

Martinis, anyone? Martini's, at 8 S. Main St. in Algonquin, is offering 10-ounce martinis for $5 on Wednesdays. For all you last-minute types out there (and I'm one of them), you won't need a reservation. Just show up.

For more information, you can drop the eatery an e-mail at friends@martinisonmain. com or call (847) 658-2600.

And for all you non-martini drinkers, there are lots of other libations to choose from.

Tax help for seniors: People who are at least 60 years old, disabled and are have a low to-moderate income, qualify for free electronic filings of their state and federal tax forms.

The service is available Friday through April 14 as part of the AARP Tax Aide for the Elderly program.

To be a part of this program, please call the Lake in the Hills Parks and Recreation Department at (847) 960-7460.

A Victorian state of mind: The Algonquin Public Library will be looking into the darker side of life in 1850s London in a program next week.

Some of the activities mentioned include opium dens and freak shows, as well as circuses and wax museums.

The presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the library. For more information, call the library at (847) 458-6060.

• Lenore Adkins covers Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, McHenry County College and weekend events all over McHenry County. To reach her, send an e-mail to ladkins@dailyherald.com or call her at (847) 608-2725.