Check out this week’s McH THRIVE… There is a lot happening in our county!

McH THRIVE Update!

Resume McHenry County becomes McH THRIVE!

With the end of the state and federal COVID-19 states of emergency, it’s time to stop talking about resuming life as normal and dedicate it to moving ahead, together, better than before.

We deserve the opportunity that lies before us… our manufacturers and small businesses, our workforce, our tourism industry, our agriculture and agritourism sectors and our economic development agencies and chambers of commerce… all of us deserve the opportunity to THRIVE!

Thank you for reading and subscribing to the new McH THRIVE! You can help us continue to grow by forwarding this email to people who you think would enjoy it. They can subscribe by visiting McHenryCountyIL.gov/social.com or on social media.

McHenry Riverwalk business incubator opening Friday

The McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce will cut the ribbon this Friday on the new McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes business incubator!

Ten small businesses will occupy the tiny stores at Miller Point Park through fall, providing them a physical retail experience to expose them to the challenges of operating in a brick-and-mortar location.

The ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. July 21 at the park at 1202 Riverside Drive – and after that ribbon is cut, please stay to stop and help support these up-and-coming entrepreneurs! Click here to learn more about the event and the first round of businesses, and click here to learn more about the chamber’s Riverwalk Shoppes project.

Incubators help small businesses find success – 87% of incubated businesses are still open after five years, and 84% stay in the area where they started, according to the National Association of Business Incubators.

Sunflower fields are in full bloom in McHenry County

If you’re looking to walk in a sea of sunflowers, or take that perfect Instagram sunflower selfie, McHenry County has you covered.

The 30 acres of sunflowers at Von Bergen’s Country Market are in full bloom, and the you-pick sunflower patch at Stade’s Farm Market will be opening soon. The sunflower fields at Tom’s Farm Market opened for business last week. And Richardson Adventure Farm will join in with 13 trail-filled sunflower acres in September.

Visit their websites to purchase tickets, and check out this blog post from Naturally McHenry County highlighting three of them.

Regional Office of Education opens PearsonVue testing lab

McHenry County residents who need to take high-school equivalency exams, or professional and licensing exams, can now do so much closer to home.

The McHenry County Regional Office of Education has opened a PearsonVue testing lab at its office at 408 S. Route 31, in McHenry. The lab offers High School Equivalency Diploma (GED) tests, as well as hundreds of licensing and certification exams.

You can find a list of available tests and information on how to schedule an appointment, by clicking here.

Leaders gather to cut ribbon on new Mercyhealth Crystal Lake hospital

Local leaders and Mercyhealth executives and physicians gathered Thursday afternoon to cut the ribbon on the new Mercyhealth Hospital and Physician Clinic.

McHenry County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, and McHenry County Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Jim McConoughey, were among the officials who were invited to speak regarding how the new hospital at Route 31 and Three Oaks Road in Crystal Lake will benefit McHenry County’s economy and quality of life.

The public was invited to tour the new hospital at an open house last Saturday, and Mercyhealth will officially open its doors this Friday.

Ground broke on the $105 million hospital at Route 31 and Three Oaks Road in June 2021. Services will include a 24/7 emergency room, 13 private inpatient suites, intensive care and surgery suites, and diagnostic services. Medical center services will include family medicine, orthopedics, sports medicine, cardiology, cancer care, chronic pain and other services.

Workforce Network can help you develop your LinkedIn profile

If you’re looking for a new job, and you’re not on LinkedIn, you’re behind the curve – a lot of companies use it to recruit talent.

If updating a LinkedIn page or searching out connections seems daunting, fear not – the McHenry County Workforce Network is here to help you.

The network regularly offers virtual workshops on how to successfully develop your profile, build your connection network, and market yourself to employers. And best of all, it’s free!

Visit their website at www.mchenrycountyworkforce.com to check out upcoming sessions for help with LinkedIn, as well as one-on-one help with resume critiques, mock job interviews, and all sorts of other free assistance to help you land that dream job.

Algonquin Founders’ Days begins Thursday

Late July means the return of Algonquin Founders’ Days!

The annual festival, which kicks off the day after tomorrow in Spella Park, is a four-day extravaganza of live music, food and drink, family-friendly games and events, and of course, the famous Founders’ Days Parade on Saturday morning and the Sunday evening fireworks display.

Visit their website at algonquinfoundersdays.com and follow them on Facebook for a complete list of events.