SPOTLIGHT
PAST: GOLDEN ERA OF J&R HERRA
Did you know October marks Fire Prevention Month? Fire safety has always been a top priority in the Herra family as many Herras have served as Elburn firefighters over the years. In fact, special acknowledgment must be made to our founders, Jack and Rich, for over thirty years of local, volunteer service. J&R Herra owner and president, Brian Herra, grew up around the station and even served a short term as a volunteer member in the late 90s and early 2000s. When the old station (top image) was put on the market, Brian was eager to grow J&R Herra at this nostalgic location (bottom image). The walls still echo with reminders of Jack, Rich, and all the other fine folk who brought safety to our community for decades. We are honored to care for this property as it carries a special significance to Elburn and our family…past, present, and future.
PRESENT: MEET MIKE R.
There are not enough words to describe our October Staff Spotlight, Mike R. His plumbing expertise leaves us humbled regularly as he can troubleshoot commercial and residential plumbing service with ease and confidence. Mike is not only a reliable and steadfast plumber, but he is an incredible team member too. You can spot Mike and his family walking in every Elburn Day’s Parade, marching instep with his fellow J&R Herra team. He is loyal, fun to be around, and just an all-round fantastic guy. When Mike is not hard at work he is hanging with his family. In fact, one of his favorite pastimes is serving as head coach of his son’s little league team. Outside of plugging in locally, Mike very much enjoys traveling and memory-making with his family. Each year Mike and about 20 extend family members head up north to fish, boat and grill out in Hackensack, MN. They love spending time together in the great outdoors. Mike was also excited to mention this year’s family trip to Disney. Clearly Mike’s crew has an expertise in making valuable memories each and every year. If you seen Mike around, give him a wave. You will surely get a kind word and a giant smile.
FUTURE: MOMENTS WITH MOLLY
Ever since I was little, I have loved Dolly Parton. I have always looked up to her and am amazed by her generosity. She is always helping others and filling their hearts (and ears) with genuine music, advise, and life mantras. She is especially inspiring when you consider where she is now compared to where she started. She went from having a rough childhood to becoming one of the world’s most famous country music icons. When I was in 3rd grade, we did a walking museum and I chose to dress up/write about her. Then in fourth grade, I was able to go to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It was so much fun riding the rides at Dollywood and driving through the winding hills, just like she used to. This summer, I was lucky enough to go to Nashville and see all the amazing sights. My favorite ones were the Dolly Parton murals and standing on the Grand Ole Opry stage, where she has performed countless times. Additionally, I received a record player for my birthday and I got a Dolly Parton record to go with it. That record is always on repeat in my room and fills the house with the sweet sound of her music. Overall, Dolly is an amazing, inspiring role model and I want to be just like her when I am older. From music… to her servant’s heart… to her keen business sense, she showcases the type of leader and person I want to become.
GOOD TO KNOW
PREP YOUR PIPES
With fall just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to make sure your plumbing system is in top condition. Freezing temperatures are notorious for causing pipes to burst, leading to significant damage and stress. Rather than risk the hassle of plumbing issues, contact the professionals at J&R Herra for a comprehensive plumbing inspection—before the cold sets in.
It’s smart to get your plumbing system ready before the temperature drops. Homeowners are well aware of how harsh Chicagoland winters can be, so take the extra step to ensure your family stays safe and comfortable during the colder months. Prevent potential issues by ticking off these items on your fall plumbing maintenance checklist.
DIYlicious DESIGN
CUSTOMIZE. CREATE. INSPIRE.
Please join us for October’s Workshop Wednesday, “AUTUMN AIR.” Experts from J&R Herra and Fiber King will discuss ways to clean/maintain the air quality of your home. From furnace filters to air scrubbers, participants will learn how to keep their properties dust and allergen free. In addition to HVAC tips and tricks, participants will create/take home fall simmer pots as a healthy and natural way to add fragrance to a space. Light refreshments and drinks will be provided. Additionally, this is a BYOB event. Feel free bringing your favorite bottle, spirit or libation to sip as we learn to better “love where we live.” We care about the comfort and safety of you and your family. Are you curious if your property’s air quality is meeting your needs? Do you want to learn how to live dust and allergen free? Workshops are scheduled for October 2nd or 9th from 7-9 PM. Check out our workshop page at HerraHomeStudi.com for this signup and more.
RECIPE
Our October evenings are busy! Molly and Owen have us hustling and bustling all over the place with their fall extra-curriculars. That being said, I am always looking for an easy, slow cooker meal to help facilitate family dinners. If you are anything like me, I am often on the hunt for an easy recipe, with stuff on hand, that tastes great (and is kid-approved)! This Creamy Crockpot Tortellini from Spend with Pennies hits the mark!
Creamy Crockpot Tortellini
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- ½ small onion diced
- 3 ounces frozen spinach
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice, 1 can
- 8 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 19 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Directions
- Brown sausage and onion until no pink remains. Drain fat.
- Place all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cook 2.5-3.5 hours on low. Once cooked through, stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Top with parmesan cheese if desired and serve with some garlic bread and a crisp green salad.
Pro tip: Slow Cookers can vary. This recipe takes just about 3 hours in my slow cooker, check your tortellini at 2 1/2 hours to ensure it doesn’t overcook. If you’d like more of a soup, add more broth.
TESTIMONIAL
Thankyou Lynnly and the First Congregation Church of Geneva for trusting us with your HVAC project. We were honored to be trusted with the safety and comfort of your church and your church family.
“We had no money to replace our furnaces and AC units until this year. I had a couple different HVAC companies come in to work on our stuff over the years, until the two units for the north end of the building just gave up the ghost. The most recent company I had been working with just threw their hands up and said they couldn’t fix it, that we needed new units. Well, as I mentioned, we are a pretty small church, and just didn’t have the money for new units. SO I asked everyone in the congregation to give me the names of companies they had worked with that they liked, and I eliminated the ones I had already tried, and Herra came up twice, so I gave you a call. Your guys came out and didn’t throw their hands up. They figured out what was wrong, and solved the problem. It involved them having to shut down one of the two furnaces that were chained together, so that the one that died would stop trying to control the one that was still a little bit alive. We limped along with that system through the winter of 2022. In 2023 the one that was still alive had a heart attack and was in critical condition, so I called Herra up again. You guys knew we didn’t have the money to replace those units still, so you figured out how to revive the still living furnace by taking a part that still worked from the dead guy and installing it on the living guy. A heart transplant if you will. It kept us limping along another year. This year, all the units in both buildings started to fail. By the grace of God (literally), we were the beneficiary of some trust money that someone had left many, many years ago when they died, and we were able to finally replace all our failing units, but we were under a really tight time crunch because of weddings that had been booked last year. Brain did what he had to do to get us up and running on time, and even went beyond that. When his original plan for the units throughout the building didn’t seem like the right fit once everything started to get installed, he called me and we talked through a better way to service the air needs of the whole church building. He didn’t just say to himself, “it’s not my problem, and they’ll never know there might be a better way to do all this.” In the end the solution required some additional equipment that we hadn’t discussed before, but it was SO much better a solution to our weirdly constructed ventilation system from the 1950s, and it really solved all our problems. Without a doubt, Herra is not just a repair or replace company, but an all-around solutions company. I would recommend them to anyone.”
LB
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 facilitate a day program for The Rising Lights Project, where participants and volunteers painted rocks to brighten our local community and bring The Kindness Rocks Project to Elburn. We were also able to support and participate in The St. Charles Scarecrow Fest. Come check out our booth activity, see our business scarecrow entry, and enjoy this iconic Kane County event. Mark your calendars & see you there!
