SPOTLIGHT
PAST: GOLDEN ERA OF J&R HERRA
The “entrepreneurial bug “bit the Herra family long before our J&R Herra Plumbing/HVAC shop was born. It actually all started when George and Mary (Brian’s grandparents) opened the Herra Meat Market & Grocery, at 106 N. Main Street, Elburn, Illinois. In fact, you may have seen this exact same photograph hanging in the entry of that downtown Elburn building, in what is now Paisano’s Pizza & Grill. George Herra, hard at work, stands in the rear of his market. Where he is the only individual pictured, George Herra’s entire family (wife and 7 kids) worked tirelessly to make this family-owned and operated business thrive. They stocked shelves, butchered meat, prepared ready-made meals, managed the books, and ordered inventory to feed and serve this small, rural community. We are quite proud of our “family-owned and operated” roots. For nearly a century our family businesses have prioritized trust, loyalty, and long-term sustainability. Like ours, family-owned and operated businesses have a unique culture and sense of identity that stems from esteemed values and traditions. George and Mary used this business to foster a sense of community service as well as the mission of building/maintaining relationships with customers and employees. We are delighted to pay tribute to this era of J&R Herra. This small-town market set the wheels in motion for who we are and what we represent today.
PRESENT: MEET JOHN K.
John, an Elburn native, has essentially grown up in our shop. We have proudly watched him transition and grow through a myriad of roles in our HVAC department. In addition to being one of our valued service technicians, he also lends his expertise and vast experience to our outside sales force. Beyond his heating and cooling work life, J.K. has a passion for music. He can play both the electric and acoustic guitars. He dabbles along the genre spectrum, including but not limited to classical, funk and metal music. On nice days, John is fond of kayaking on the Fox River. His favorite stretch is between St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia. He jokingly boasts that one day we may catch him playing his guitar while cruising the Fox via kayak! John prides himself on being a well-cultured and traveled soul. He adores touring the United States as well as planning the occasional international trip. Each of John’s excursions is filled with diverse people, restorative environments, and exciting foods. He mentioned his current favorite was sampling a Connecticut style lobster roll! We are beyond grateful to call this well-rounded and good-humored guy part of our J&R Herra family.
FUTURE: MOMENTS WITH MOLLY
A few weeks ago, my 4H club planned a service event at Feed My Starving Children in Aurora, Illinois. Here’s a picture of me on the line scooping soy, dried vegetables, rice and powdered nutrients/vitamins into the meal bags destined for underprivileged and food-deprived children around the world. We packed 177 boxes, provided 38,232 meals, and fed 105 children for a year during this two-hour session. How cool is that?!? Mom and I also decided it would be a good idea for J&R Herra to specifically sponsor a child and pay the costs for his/her meals for a year. Serving others just feels so good. We all have plenty of time, talents and treasure to share with our local community and beyond. If you are looking for something to do with your family, or even by yourself, consider signing up for a volunteer slot with Feed My Starving Children. If you can’t find the time in your busy spring schedule, maybe consider donating instead. In the words of Gandi, “The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Thank you, and happy helping!
GOOD TO KNOW
Are you ready for CICADAGEDDON?!? We know cicadas are coming and will be in full force this year. In fact, this is the LARGEST cicada emergence since 1803. That’s a lot of bugs! I am sure you have seen folks preparing their landscaping for the cicada debut, but did you know you also need to be mindful of your outdoor mechanical equipment as well? We are talking about your air conditioners! These little critters pose quite a threat to exterior cooling towers, air handling units, intake louvers, and condenser coils. Cicadas will be attracted to the sound of your property’s mechanical units. They can then be sucked in, clog the equipment, block air flow, swarm motors/compressors and affect the operation, performance, and efficiency of your air conditioner this summer. Whether a commercial rooftop unit or a residential AC system, PLEASE protect your exterior equipment from being overwhelmed with this inevitable surge in bug debris. Once they emerge, they will be a problem for several weeks. That means you need to be ready to keep them clear of your mechanicals in order to avoid serious maintence concerns. The good news is that these pesky (and noisy) insects are harmless to humans. We recommend the daily removal of all debris as well as intake filter screens. These screens not only protect against cicadas, but they also block the clutter of cottonwood seeds, leaf build-up, and other insects’ build-up. Don’t hesitate reaching out to J&R Herra if you want to check your current mechanical system or if you need any cicada air flow solutions. We are the experts in keeping your HVAC system clean and worry-free this season, and every season.
DIYlicious DESIGN
CUSTOMIZE. CREATE. INSPIRE.
As much as many of us are irritated by (or a tad bit anxious about) 2024’s cicada emergence, we all have to admit they are actually pretty cool bugs! Have you seen one of them up close? Are you looking forward to checking out a cicada’s anatomy? Let’s tap into our inner child and budding entomology curiosities with this month’s DIY critter catcher by blogger, Sarah Halstead.
UPCYCLED CRITTER CATCHER
Supplies Needed:
- Empty Juicy Juice Bottle
- Screen
- Electrical Tape
- Nature Items
- Bugs
- Box Cutter
Instructions:
- Using the box cutter, cut a rectangle in the side of the bottle.
- Fill the bottle with leaves, sticks, rocks, grass, anything bugs like to crawl on
- Tape on a small piece of screen to cover the opening. For our bug catcher I used electrical tape because it seemed to stick the best.
- Next open the top and catch bugs. While the bugs are inside your container talk about them with your kids. What kind of bug do your kids think they are?
- Once you are all done, let the bugs go back to their natural habitat.
RECIPE
We thought a funny, bug-themed recipe would be an appropriate addition to the cicada issue of Herra Herald this month. Michelle from Sugar Swings has the perfect cupcake recipe. Don’t worry…no real cicadas in these sweet treats. She uses dates instead! They are cute, tasty, and a fun way to celebrate our local, 2024 cicada invasion. Thank you Michelle, for this clever, thematic dessert.
CICADA CUPCAKES
Author: Michele from Sugar Swings
Ingredients:
- 1 box cake mix (we like chocolate because it looks like dirt)
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Cupcake pan & liners
- Green frosting (or add green food coloring to vanilla frosting)
- Dates (pitted)
- Chocolate candy melt (for dipping)
- Red (round) sprinkles
- Sliced Almond Flakes or Sugar for Wings
Instructions:
- Bake cupcakes according to box instructions.
- Allow to cool before icing. Spread with knife or pipe with a textured tip
- Dip date into chocolate candy melt and add two round, red sprinkles for eyes
- Add almond flakes or sugar candy wings. To make sugar candy wings, melt sugar in sauce pan on high heat until thick. Then drip sugar with a spoon on some foil in a wing shape. Let harden and attach each wing with candy melt.
- Place one date “cicada” in the center of each cupcake.
TESTIMONIAL
Thank you, Sandra for the kind words and for partnering with us for all of your household needs. We look forward to keeping you informed, safe and comfortable in your home for years to come.
“I can’t speak highly enough of J & R Herra and their employees; from my first phone call with office staff to the men who came to my home to do the work, I experienced professionalism, courtesy and kindness. I primarily was having laundry changed from the basement to the first floor but also had some minor electrical work done. As they ran into a couple of concerns, these were explained to me thoroughly and I was given choices of how to proceed. They also came across some things my home inspector had presented as concerns when I purchased my home which I had not told them about. They found the same things and explained the same concerns, giving me the option whether or not to fix them. Everything was completed with excellence and at considerably less $ than a well-respected competitor. I am so glad my daughter recommended them to me. I will continue to use them for many of my home needs and cannot recommend them highly enough.”
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Philanthropy is a cornerstone of J&R Herra. We work tirelessly to support the community that supports us. In addition to the sponsorships and seasonal donations, 10% of all Herra Home Shield profits are donated back into our community. Thanks to you, this month we were able to sponsor and feed a child for a year through the Feed My Starving Children outreach project as well as donate an additional Family Game Night raffle basket to the Rising Lights fundraising gala.
