Dave Corron to receive Campton Hills Outstanding Citizen Award

When the Corron Farm Preservation Society was created nearly a decade ago to help Campton Township take care of the historic farm on Corron Road, the work of the Corron family and friends made it happen.

The township had great intentions in 2002 when its first Open Space Program purchase secured the Corron Farm property in hopes of keeping it relevant for generations to come. It was important because the Corron Farm has been part of the local rural landscape since 1835, when Robert Corron built a log cabin there.

We've had the great pleasure of knowing the Corrons for many years, having spent numerous Labor Days and other holidays on the property for pig roasts, hay rides and bonfires.

Our friend Dave Corron was a great host for these sorts of things, so it came as no surprise that he was assigned as caretaker of the historic farm while his family did other aspects of the heavy lifting it would take to keep the site relevant to visitors and maintain what the township had done to restore and add to the grounds.

Thus, it also came as no surprise that the nomination and selection committee for the Campton Hills Outstanding Citizen Award named Dave Corron as recipient this year.

If Corron has worked as hard as caretaker of the farm as he did all of his life growing up on that farm, he deserved the award on that merit alone. But there was more to his being named the village's top citizen during a presentation at a recent village board meeting.

"They look at everything you do for the community, so it was a nice surprise for me," said Corron, who is vice president of the Corron Farm Preservation Society.

In addition to working for Campton Township, Corron volunteers for the National Night Out events that focus on anti-crime measures, as well as the township's Prairie Fest held on the farm site.

Mostly, his work as caretaker of the Corron Farm is a major benefit to the township.

"If someone wants to tour the house, or go on hay rides, or have family functions on the farm, I arrange those things," Corron said.

The Corron Farm has become increasingly popular, as more people find out about it, Corron added. "Mostly, we have people walking their dogs on the trails out here everyday," he said.

A kiosk on the farm property has a map of the trails for walkers looking for a quiet rural setting. It's about three miles to walk the perimeter of the farm.

Mostly, for Corron, the farm is still a working farm. This is a fellow who once showed me the barn where he milked the cows, and I asked him about what time he would be milking.

"About three in the morning," he said with his trademark grin. He was telling me this around 11 p.m. while one of his family parties was still going strong.

When the township essentially preserved the farm, it wasn't thinking in terms of keeping animals on the site.

"I have goats and chickens here," Corron said. "They said if you want to have animals here, you take care of them, because that's your deal.

"Campton doesn't want to be involved in that, but I can take care of the animals here."

Pretty much like he always has, and pretty much like he takes care of anyone who wants to visit the farm and relive its rich past.

For the flag:

Speaking of a farm setting, supporters of an effort to build a Flag Day monument in downtown Batavia are gathering Friday, March 1, for Flags & Flannel, a community barn dinner at Abbey Farms on Hart Road.

The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley has already donated $100,000 to the monument project designed by Batavia architect Steve Vasilion. The foundation has also pledged to match all funds raised by the dinner event, up to $25,000.

Planners are targeting a groundbreaking for the monument a year from now, with an unveiling of the project on Flag Day, June 14, 2020.

For information about the dinner, monument or legacy bricks and customized engraving, visit flagdaymonument.com.

That turkey tradition:

St. Patrick's Day in Elburn doesn't come and go without a community tradition unfolding the weekend prior to the day that honors the arrival of Christianity in Ireland through this fellow named St. Patrick.

For the 124th time, St. Gall Church will host its St. Patrick's Day Turkey Dinner; this year it takes place from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 10.

It's the second time it is taking place at the new St. Gall Church at Route 47 and Hughes Road, but the church counts on Lions Park to continue to play its important role as the main kitchen and carryout dinner site.

"It has worked out well at the new church because we have seasoned veterans who work on the dinner, like the third generation of families," said event chairman Bruce Aderman. "It has a rich history."

Even though the event has seen a slight decline in numbers as people's schedules get busier, dinner organizers expect to serve about 200 people at the church and another 300 to 350 purchasing takeout orders.

In the past, the church would hand out turkeys to parishioners and residents, who in turn would cook them and bring them back the day of the dinner. Now, the Lions Park kitchen takes on the task of preparing turkeys.

"The Lions have been great in letting us use the kitchen all weekend, as we are there from Friday night until the dinner, making things from scratch," Aderman said.

"Surprisingly, it works really well in terms of getting the food to the church and making sure there is enough at each location," he added. "The people in the kitchen just do an amazing job."

Cost for the all-you-can-eat family-style dinner is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors. Children 5 and younger get in free, while a ticket for those 6 to 10 years old is $5 and $8 for those ages 11 to 15.

The dragons return:

My first introduction to the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game experience came when we attended a play last year called "She Kills Monsters" at Elgin Community College.

It was an interesting story about a young woman trying to learn about what made her late sister so obsessed with this tabletop game.

So, naturally, the Playhouse 38 in Geneva caught my attention when announcing it would host "Improvised Dungeons and Dragons" at 7:30 p.m. March 7, 8 and 9 at the small theater setting, 32 Stevens St. in Geneva.

In a show not recommended for those younger than 16, the audience selects the adventurers to go on the game's quest through the guidance of a guest Dungeon Master. Yes, all of that is part of what has made this game so popular.

Tickets are $15 in advance at genevaparks.org and $20 at the door.

dheun@sbcglobal.net