The Focus House landscape class worked throughout the summer’s record breaking heat. It was labor intensive, dirty work that Linnae Anderson, Brooks Learning Center (BLC) teacher, said her students “did without complaint. There is something very satisfying about sitting back at the end of a workday and actually seeing the progress you’ve made.”

After the new path was opened, students went to work in the Focus House workshop crafting engraved trail markers with the Victory Steps logo. The name ”Victory Steps” is name of the new trail and it is the beginning of a Focus House connection.

Becky Rogers, wife of BLC Staffer Michael Rogers, and her friends, Joyce Klein Munch and Elizabeth Strong, were planning a team flag for a 3-day cancer walk. Turning the well-known pink ribbon of breast cancer awareness upside-down was a stranger’s idea. By inverting the ribbon a V-shape is created on top, representing Victory over the disease. The ribbon loop becomes a teardrop shape representing all who have lost their battle with breast cancer. Their team flag joined the Victory Ribbon and the name Victory Steps. 

Michael recalls his conversation with John Dobbs, Rochelle Park District Commissioner and a Rochelle Township High School cross country coach. “We discussed how many of the trails needed a good clearing. They were overgrown and some were blocked by downed trees,” Rogers said. It was fate that the proposed trail took on the rough shape of the Victory Ribbon.

Linnae (Anderson) and Mike Dale, Director of Focus House created the Summer Landscape Class to address some of the needs of Skare Park. Focus House staff asked the Park District for permission to clear trails and create a new path dedicated to those who battle breast cancer. We were impressed with and grateful for the professional and courteous assistance of the Rochelle Park District staff and administrators. 

“The path starts at Norm Skare Museum and continues through the woods, eventually opening into the restored Kiwanis Prairie and ending at Skare Court.” Linnae Anderson said, “The path continues along the pines and cornfield, turning westward and looping through a stand of whistling pines and on to Deer Creek. The Skare Park Museum is located north of Flagg Road on Skare Road.