Write Team marks 20th anniversary this fall

In the fall of 2001, The Daily Times opened access to the newspaper’s Opinions page by choosing a team of local residents to write regular columns for a few months.

Twenty years later, the Write Team is still going strong, with columns published in The Times and NewsTribune.

More than 100 people have been part of this Opinions feature, and we’re excited to announce the new team, which starts Tuesday and runs for six months.

Here’s a little background on the new team, whose columns can be found Monday through Thursday on the Opinions page.

KAREN ROTH

I am happy to return to the Write Team and look forward to sharing and reading stories for the next six months. Whether it’s a smile, a tear or just a thought or two, life is better when we reach out to each other.

I retired as the librarian at Lincoln School in 2018 and took over as facilitator in the Edgar J. Bundy Memorial School, aka The Little Red Schoolhouse.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we haven’t held lessons since December 2019, but current plans are in place to return in September.

This past year at home gave me plenty of time for sewing, gardening, reading and writing.

My husband and I have four grandchildren, and the entire family is excited to meet grand No. 5 in July.

This is my 20th year on the Write Team. I am as grateful as ever to connect with neighbors throughout the area.

JONATHAN FREEBURG

My family is starting our 26th year as Ottawa residents, and we feel more at home here than any previous locations. My wife and I are empty nesters, with both daughters establishing their own lives and homes in Chicago near Wrigleyville after getting their college degrees.

My vocation is insurance, managing underwriting and marketing teams for specialty lines of professional liability coverage on behalf of Lloyd’s of London. I often tell people you can look far and wide and not find something Lloyd’s doesn’t insure at some level. My law degree helps me navigate through the complexities of international insurance coverage and ascertain the best results for our clients.

When not working in insurance, I enjoy being a contributing staff announcer at WCMY and JackFM in Ottawa. Having spent nearly 20 years in Chicago radio as well as the ABC Radio Network, I now keep my hand in radio, via low-power FM by consulting for a number of radio stations around the country. We have developed a “greatest hits” format that easily can be plugged in to community radio stations.

I would describe my Write Team columns as an eclectic mix of observations and experiences. I love writing about people I’ve met over the years and hope to continue this adventure in the next six months.

CAROLE LEDBETTER

I am a lifelong Ottawan who enjoys reading, writing and public speaking. I am the author of two books, “Who Am I Now? Growing Through Life’s Changing Seasons,” and “Carole’s Columns,” a collection of columns written for The Times. My books are available at Prairie Fox Books, Amazon or from the publisher, Redemption Press. I am a speaker consultant for Stonecroft, Andover Park, Kansas.

I was privileged to be on the inaugural Write Team in 2001 and a number of times after that. I am excited to return. As someone who grew up and grew older in the same Midwestern town of Ottawa, I look forward to sharing from a “then and now” perspective.”

SHARI TVRDIK

I am director of special projects and communication at Cup of Cold Water Ministries.

Many of my stories are impacted by my life and work in Mongolia as I served as adviser to a shelter for street children and lived in a slum district working with the suffering poor.

Although I’ve been witness to a great deal of the world’s ugliness, I view the world with tremendous hope. I believe the mission to love and serve others is everywhere, in the dark places on the globe, as well as in your own living room.

I am married to Pastor Troy Tvrdik of Marseilles First Baptist Church, mother of four brave and stubborn children and grandma to five perfect people.

I aim to educate and inspire through my writing.

ZACK KRIZEL

I am originally from the metropolis of North Utica. I spent seven years in the U.S. Air Force, where I worked a variety of mission-sets, including nuclear security, law enforcement, contingency operations during the Syrian Civil War and presidential security. After leaving the military, I spent a few years working in the U.S. House of Representatives, where I was able to witness some of the recent political events, such as the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, impeachment of former President Donald Trump and other events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. I currently live in Washington, D.C., while completing law school, with an interest in practicing constitutional law.

WILLIAM PETERSON

I am a child of the city and the Chicago metro area. I married my high school sweetheart who recently retired from teaching physical education and we have four wonderful, healthy, beautiful, accomplished children and one grandson, who is as good as they get.

I was a hotel man for more than 40 years, mostly at four- and five-star properties. I worked every job imaginable in the business except executive chef, although I have a passion for good food and wine. I traveled the nation for 10 years as a regional manager and gained additional respect for this country and the people in it.

I am an Eagle Scout, as is my son. I went to the University of Illinois for five years, still working on that degree and I have recently retired (in Ottawa), so maybe I’ll have time to complete that goal.

My job for 40 years was managing people – individuals, small groups, executive groups, armies of people. Train the trainer and other such business fads. I came to miss it so that is why I write. So someone may benefit from my mistakes, my successes, my struggles, my faith and my experience. I don’t like the thought that it is over, so I write.

CHRISTINA ELNICKI

I am a mother of five and have been married for 26 years. I live in Oglesby and work in Spring Valley at a nursing home. I have on-and-off college education.

No matter what I was studying at the time, one thing always remained the same, I was always an honors English student. I did not choose to make a living with this talent, but it still is something I love to do. I enjoy reading and writing. I don’t purposely try to pick controversial approaches to my opinions, but they generally tend not to match the opinions of the majority.

It’s not just current events I want to write about, but the difference of the way things were as to how they are now.

BEN DONNER

I am a former teen columnist for The Times and I currently am enrolled in online classes at Illinois Valley Community College. I live in Streator and have my whole life.

I enjoyed writing about sports for my terms as a teen columnist, so much so that I thought I would apply for the Write Team and expand on my writing skills.