COVER STORY Love at first sight: stories of adoption........... 10 Three Illinois families found love at first sight when they met their adopted children. Here are their stories. Published by Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives www.icl.org John Lowrey........................................................Editor Nancy R. Nixon Catrina McCulley, & Michelle McNeal....................Associate Editors Sandy Wolske.................Advertising Coordinator Erin Weller, Kara Henning & Kathy Feraris...................... Graphic Designers Derek Squires........ Graphic Technician/Designer Connie Newenham....... Circulation Coordinator

ILLINOIS™ COUNTRY LIVING October 2003 .......Volume 61 ....... Number 7 DEPARTMENTS ILLINOIS COMMENTARY............................ 4 Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan urges us to help stop the spread of meth in rural Illinois. ILLINOIS CURRENTS.................................... 6 Learn more about Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, and find out how to get a Child ID kit from Touchstone EnergyR co-ops. SAFETY AND HEALTH...................................14 Protect your groundwater quality by sealing abandoned wells. YOUR YARD AND GARDEN ........................16 Find out the best way to deal with frosted and frozen fall foliage. TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY AND YOU.............18 Stop flushing your money away, find out how.

Illinois Country Living is a monthly publication serving the communications needs of 21 locally owned, not-for-profit Illinois electric cooperatives. More than 160,000 families receive the magazine as part of their electric cooperative membership. Monthly columns and stories provide information about topics and issues that affect the quality of their lives. Illinois Country Living (ISSN number 1086-8062) is published monthly and is the official publication of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, 6460 South Sixth Frontage Road, Springfield, IL 62707. The cost is $2.40 plus postage per year for members of subscribing cooperatives and $5 per year for all others. Periodical postage paid at Springfield, Illinois, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, Illinois 62708. CO-OP MEMBERS: When requesting an address change, please include the name of your cooperative. Telephone: (217) 529-5561 Advertising and editorial inquiries should be directed to Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787. Springfield. Illinois 62708. National advertising representative: The Weiss Group, 9414 San Salvadore Dr., #226. Scottsdale. AZ 85258 (480) 860-5394 Fax: (480) 860-5396 Toll Free: 1-877 -WEISSGP. Acceptance of advertising by ICL does not imply endorsement by the publisher or the electric cooperatives of Illiinois of the product or service advertised. Advertisers are screened by the publisher and every effort is made to protect the subscriber, but ICL is not responsible for the performance of the product or service advertised. EDITORS: Articles appearing in Illinois Country Living may be reprinted upon consent of the editor. For permission phone (217) 529-5561 or write to John Lowrey, editor, Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Touchstone Energy R www.touchstoneenergy.com

November 2003 www.aiec.coop 3