Anthony Snape Concert

On Saturday August 25^th Aussie native Anthony Snape performed a private show at Neil’s home and the entire Crimson team was in attendance!

Neil and his wife, Jennine, advocated for Anthony to travel from Nashville to Illinois to perform a tent show in their backyard. They met Anthony late last year when he performed as Tommy Emmanuel’s opening act at a show they attended. Read Experiencing Artist Anthony Snape here.

Neil and Jennine were excited to share Anthony’s talent with their family and friends. Jennine said, “Music is a major part of our lives and we are thrilled when we stumble upon someone like Anthony who is this talented and kind-hearted. It would be a shame to not share him with our family and friends.”

Crimson employee Carolyn Bell agreed, “Anthony is extremely talented yet so down to earth. He shared the stories behind all of his songs, which really draws in the crowd. His passion for music was so evident.”

Anthony performed in Neil’s backyard under a large tent. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, warm and breezy. The crowd was energized by Anthony’s music; even Striker enjoyed the show!

Afterwards, Anthony signed autographs, took pictures and engaged with the guests – including Crimson employee, Jen Bodoh, who was eager to get a photo with Anthony.

Jen’s favorite song is, “The Instagram song! [actual title: Pictures] It makes me want to sign up for Instagram and share photos with Anthony!”

In addition to an afternoon of music, food and fun, Neil and Jennine used the opportunity to raise $150 for the Kendall County Food Pantry by collecting donations from guests.

If you’re interested in learning more about Anthony Snape visit his website. You can also follow him on Twitter @anthonysnape and on Instagram @snapeshots. Anthony is on Facebook, too. “Like” his page here and while you’re at it “Like” Crimson, too.

And be sure to check back – Jennine is “working her magic” again with hopes of bringing Anthony back for an even bigger show!

2012 Walk to End Alzheimer’s

On September 23^rd Jen will be walking in the 2012 Naperville Walk to End Alzheimer’s at North Central College. This will be Jen’s fourth year walking for Alzheimer’s research and recognition. In addition to walking, this is the first year that Jen has been a member of the Naperville Walk Committee.

Jen has enjoyed volunteering for the Naperville Walk Committee and has met many people this year. Some of the volunteers work for housing facilities, such as Naperville’s Sunrise Senior Living at 960 E. Chicago Ave., who has graciously allowed the Committee to hold monthly meetings in their conference room. Others, like Jen, have a family member who suffers from the heartbreaking disease.

This year’s walk will take place in a new location at North Central College. This location was chosen over the previously used Riverwalk location because of the Naperville-Area Walk’s growth in participation. The new location will allow more space for vendors, refreshments and the fabulous “promise garden”, an Alzheimer’s Association mission that began last year.

If you would like more information on the 2012 Naperville Walk to End Alzheimer’s please visit http://act.alz.org/naperville2012 or email Jen at jen@crimsondc.com.

8 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Commit To Remodeling Your Home

There is one question that comes up with almost every homeowner we work with – “Does it make sense to remodel, or should we move?”

It’s one of the first things you need to decide before going too far with your renovation design. There are many points to factor and there is no step-by-step guide to reach a decision. But to help you organize your thoughts on the subject here are 8 questions you can ask yourself:

What will the renovation of your current home cost?
You may not know what a renovation will cost, but most remodeling specialists can help you assemble a ball-park estimate for little or no cost to you. By having a number you can compare it to other options you might have for housing.

How long do you plan to live in your home?
If you plan to move in two years or even five years, remodeling might not be the best choice. The best loved remodeling projects happen when you remodel for you and not an unknown future owner.

Do you like your home’s location, neighbors or schools?
If you’re in love with your older neighborhood, local school or general location, remodeling could be your best option. It’s difficult to find newer amenities in an older neighborhood. And moving to a newer neighborhood with the amenities means losing your community.

What will a new home cost that has all of the things you are looking for?
Have you ever been shocked by the price of a new home? Yes, many new homes are advertised at very affordable prices. But by the time you add in all the extras and options that you want/need the price can be far higher than you thought.

Can you find your dream home in your current neighborhood?
Again, it’s hard to find a ‘newer’ home in an existing neighborhood. If you’re patient and do a lot of searching you may be able to find what you want just down the street. If you’re lucky you could skip the time required to renovate and move right in.

What other costs would be involved in a new home?
Remember to factor in all the expenses involved with moving to a new home. Realtor fees, closing costs, moving expenses, furniture and window treatments are all costs that need to be on your radar.

What are the taxes of a new home versus where you live now?
If you are looking for a new home in the same community then taxes shouldn’t be too big a factor. But if you are looking outside your existing neighborhood then be sure to budget in a possible tax increase.

Do you have a sentimental attachment to your current home?
This is a tough question to answer because a home is a funny thing. On the one hand it’s just a building made of 2x4s and drywall. On the other it’s a collection of memories. Will you regret moving away and starting fresh?

Doing some research and soul-searching up front will reduce the chances of you suffering from buyer’s remorse later. If you need any help answering these questions Crimson Design & Construction is glad to help in any way we can. Contact us today for more assistance.

Crimson Sponsors St. Paddy’s Day 5k

Joel got up super early on St. Patrick’s Day to help run and organize the Naperville Rotary Club’s St. Paddy’s Day 5k. Here he is in all his Irish (or Swedish painted green)  glory.

Joel is a member of the Naperville Rotary Club and is a member of the race committee.

The event was a huge success this year as the weather did more than just cooperate. All 2200 spots were filled for the event with money going to several charities in Naperville.

Here is a news story about the event from NCtv17.

 

Katrina – Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Trip

It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since we set out for Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to help with post Katrina reconstruction. We met some great people while we were there that were doing some amazing work. Although we were only there a week we feel that we made an impact on a select number of lives.

On February 11, 2007 Neil & Joel traveled to Mississippi with about a dozen members of the Chicagoland NARI Chapter.  While there we worked with a religious organization, City Team, that responds to natural disasters around the world.  There were about fifty volunteers there that week all living in a tent city on a baseball diamond about four blocks from the Gulf.  We took cold showers, ate great food prepared by local volunteers and learned a lot about people.  How they come together from a tragedy and how they truly care and help each other.

Over the week we split up and worked on three different homes.  We met the homeowners that were still living in their FEMA trailers almost two years later.  The conditions even that far out were still a mess.  It was great to be able to finish three homes the week we were there and see the owners get their lives back.

To remember and reflect we wanted to share some of our photos from that trip.

Joel Is Mentioned In A Daily Herald Article

Joel got a nice mention in a recent article from the Daily Herald.  The story chronicles a charity project that the Chicago chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) took on earlier this year for a family in Elk Grove Village.  Find the complete article here.  Thanks to all of those at NARI that allowed us to be a part of this important project.

Casual for a Cause

Crimson participated in ‘Casual for a Cause’ on September 21, 2009, in honor of World Alzheimer’s Day.  Employees could purchase a sticker to don casual attire for a suggested donation of $5 – $10.  We are proud to announce that our entire team participated in this event!

Crimson was able to show our commitment to the fight against Alzheimer’s by dressing down in jeans and purple tees.  Our company donation helps provide funding for the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association.

35 million people worldwide have dementia.  Crimson is proud to have been a part of this wonderful cause.  For more information on Alzheimer’s Disease go to www.alz.org.

Remodeling The Oswego Landscape

My wife, Jennine, and I spent the morning renovating the landscape.  We, along with other volunteers of the Oswegoland Park District, spent the morning planting native prairie plants in the Waubonsie Wetlands.  This watershed connects the Waubonsie Creek to the Fox River.  Over decades of development the natural topsoil has been removed and replaced with clay, sand and gravel.  The park district is attempting to return this area to its natural environment.

We spent the morning in 80+ degrees weather digging holes in the rock-hard clay for new plants. The plants include: liatris, prairie dropseed grass, black-eyed susan and prairie geranium.

Dave Margolis, Oswegoland Park District’s Natural Resource Manager, was very pleased with the progress we made this morning.  We planted over 200 plants!  Not bad for a hot day.  Dave hopes that by next year the roots have taken hold and the plants are multiplying to fill the entire area.

Fox Valley Wildlife Center Dinner Auction

Saturday, February 7th, Jennine & Neil attended the Fox Valley Wildlife Center’s Fundraising dinner and silent auction. The dinner was in Geneva and was held to raise funds for the center in Elburn. The center takes care of injured and orphaned wildlife in and around the Fox Valley area.

The Great Horned Owl pictured here was found injured and brought to the center where they cared for it and returned it to the wild.

Jennine is actively involved with the center (she is a past president of the organization) and we attend the dinner each year. This year Crimson donated a Chimenea outdoor fireplace that was auctioned Saturday night. It’s a great organization of dedicated volunteers that care for more than 1300 animals each year.

Learn more about the Fox Valley Wildlife Center.