Welcome to a New Sponsor: Geneva Family Dental

I am so pleased to announce that Go West Young Mom has a new sponsor, and it’s one that I have a wonderful personal history with: My own dentist!

Dr. Melissa Jentz-Cote owns Geneva Family Dental, which is located on Williamsburg Avenue, between Delnor Hospital and Geneva Commons.

Dr. Melissa Jentz-CoteShe decided she wanted to be a dentist when she watched her mom get a filling. She was just 5 years old.

“I thought it was so cool and told my dentist that that was what I wanted to do when I grew up,” she says. “Then I was a dental assistant in high school and college and then it sealed the deal.  I loved working with patients and working in the mouth.  It was so rewarding helping patients perfect their smiles!”

Jentz-Cote grew up in Buffalo Grove, received a BS in biology from Indiana University and then graduated in 2001 from the College of Dentistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago. For 10 years she taught dentistry at UIC, and she also became an associate at a large, busy practice in Lake Zurich, but she wanted to have a deeper connection to the community.

She considered opening up her own practice in Long Grove, but her husband – who grew up in Glen Ellyn – convinced her to take a look at Geneva, which he said had a similar small-town feel to Long Grove.

“He brought me out here, and I fell in love with the downtown and the people,” Jentz-Cote says. “He was right that the Fox Valley area has this small-town charm to it, along with being a pretty large community.  I love that people around here like to help small businesses and really enjoy being a part of the area.”

She says starting a practice is a lot of work, but also liberating and “so fulfilling.”

“I love to get to know all of my patients personally, along with their mouths too.  I love taking care of their dental needs along with seeing them out at Jewel and catching up on their family life too,” she says. “It all gives me such a sense of pride!”

Geneva Family Dental aims to be a true family practice. She sees patients as young as 18 months – although 2 years old is usually a good time to make the first appointment for your toddler.

“I stress the importance of taking care of the whole family and not isolating out certain ages,” she says. “We all want to feel special and welcome and our motto is ‘Our family wants to take care of your family.’”

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Go West Welcomes a New Sponsor: Trim Craft

I am so pleased to announce a new sponsor, and it happens to be an authentic mom-and-pop business, my very favorite kind!

An iron baluster installed by Trim Craft.John and Donna Brazill of Geneva are the owners of Trim Craft, Inc., which installs crown moulding, mantels, faux wainscoting, iron balusters, ceiling treatments, window seats and more in homes both new and old. 

John Brazill has been a carpenter for 25 years -- he started working in the field to pay his way through college. In 1998, he opened his own business, Trim Craft, which is an incorporated and insured carpentry company. His wife Donna helps him with the business side of things, and their daughters Kylie and Camryn look forward to going out with dad on errands or to pick up materials.

John says he really enjoys how adding just a bit of trim to a room can change it so dramatically. If you’re looking to add character and beauty to your home, John says “crown moulding is the best place to start -- rooms are changed for the better by crown alone.”

But he adds that “chair rail and shadow boxes can really make foyers and staircases make a grand impression.” (Shadow boxes are also known as faux wainscoting and are typically installed below a chair rail.)

The Brazills are very proud of the quality of their work, and that John is an expert craftsman and specialist in his field. 

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Welcome to a New Sponsor: Peerless Fence

Please join me in welcoming a new sponsor to Go West Young Mom: Peerless Fence, a family-owned and operated business that offers one of the largest selection of fence types and styles in Illinois.

An example of Peerless Fence's work. Don't you wish this was your yard? Photo provided.Peerless Fence is marking a big milestone this year – celebrating 50 years in business. It was founded by brothers Robert and Art White, and Robert’s sons Dean and Marty are now two of the owners. Some members of the third generation are working at Peerless Fence, too.

Dean White says he started helping out at Peerless when he was just 12 years old.

“I was proud then of how positively people spoke about our company, and I'm proud now that we've upheld that,” he says. “We're probably 10 times as big now as we were then, so I'm proud of our growth, too."

Peerless Fence, which is based in West Chicago, serves commercial, industrial and residential customers and backs all of its fences with a written warranty. It’s become one of the largest fence companies in the Midwest and stresses its quick, efficient service.

“We have follow-up postcards that we send out after a job is completed, and it's great to see when someone is really pleased and writes to us about it,” Dean White says. “It's because of good work and putting the customer first."

If you visit the company’s showroom – located on Route 38, just east of Kirk Road – you can take a look the outdoor display area for inspiration. There, you’ll get a great idea of all the heights, styles and types of fences Peerless can install for you – from classic wood to new innovations in aluminum and vinyl to elegant wrought iron and utilitarian chain link.

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Welcome to Our New Sponsor: Delnor Express Care of Batavia and South Elgin

I am so pleased to announce a new sponsor has joined the Go West Young Mom family. It’s Delnor Express Care, which has drop-in locations on Randall Road in both Batavia and South Elgin. They’re wonderful options for busy families looking for quality healthcare for minor illnesses and injuries that need immediate attention but are not life threatening.

The Batavia location of Delnor Express Care.No appointment is necessary to be seen at Delnor Express Care. It has extended weekday and weekend hours plus on-site capabilities for lab tests and x-ray testing. Each patient is seen by a board-certified physician experienced in immediate care medicine. Plus, it is managed and staffed by the same physicians who manage and staff the ER at Delnor Hospital.

That means if your visit requires more than a routine exam or procedure, the physician providing your treatment will have direct contacts with specialized care providers. To guarantee continuity of care, Delnor Express Care will gladly share information about your express care visit with your primary care provider at your request.

Nearly all of the physicians at Delnor Express Care have lived in the Fox Valley for years now and have children, too, so they understand how hectic the lives of young families can be.

Delnor Express Care also offers spring and fall sports physicals and some vaccinations. Most major insurance plans are accepted.

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Welcome to a New Sponsor: Kids Play World of St. Charles

I’m very pleased to announce a new sponsor of Go West Young Mom. It’s Kids Play World in St. Charles, a business we brought you a popular “sneek peek” of this summer right before it opened.

Kids Play World is a bit hard to explain unless you’ve seen it. It’s an indoor play area for young children with a variety of themed areas, such as a princess castle, a barn and a construction room. Kids can put on costumes, play with all sorts of toys – or they can just go dance their hearts out in the room that houses a dance floor, light show and stereo. (The latter is my daughter’s favorite!)

Kids Play World is located at the corner of Route 64 and Peck Road, right behind a Walgreens and next to the Charlie Fox’s Pizza. It holds “open play sessions” every day but Sunday. And while the children entertain themselves (and they really do entertain themselves), parents can relax or work (free Wi-Fi!) in the lounge area.

You can also host a birthday party at Kids Play World. There are a number of options, but they all include use of a private party room for two hours.

And here’s the freshest news: Starting in January, Kids Play World will be offering educational classes taught by degreed teachers who have experience teaching in both Montessori and Reggio Emilia-inspired schools. Classes for 2- and 3-year-olds will be held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Classes for 4- and 5- year-olds will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with an option for either the morning or afternoon session.

The curriculum will be based on the children’s interests and ideas, using the “project approach” and Reggio Emilia philosophy.

If you are interested in learning more about the classes, Kids Play World will be holding an Open House on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. You can meet the teachers, learn more about the curriculum and tour the facility. If you want more info, or want to attend the open house, please contact owner Stephanie Hawkinson at stephaniehawkinson@gmail.com or call 630-444-1734.

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