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This year, for the first time, the contest took place during the
Logan County Fair. Organizers
Daris Knauer, founder of the Railsplitter event, now in its 43rd
year, was on hand and continues to help coordinate.
Each year, a re-enactment of Abraham Lincoln christening the city
of Lincoln is part of the activities. An important part of the local
heritage is that Lincoln was the first city named for Abraham
Lincoln before he became president. Knauer, looking dapper in his
suit, tie and hat of yesteryear -- about 1860 -- portrays Robert
Latham, a founding father of the city of Lincoln.
Daris Knauer's brother Dennis was also present to assist with the
activities. Another brother, Darrell, was unable to be in attendance
this year, and he was missed.
Competitors
For the Friedlein family, it is the actual log splitting that
runs deep.
On Sunday, the Friedlein family dominated the competition field,
with Chris Friedlein taking this year's championship, his 12th
title.
Chris comes from good stock, with his father, Oliver Friedlein,
taking one of the top three spots many times over the years. Today,
the amateur event that precedes the championship is named in
Oliver's memory.
In addition to several of his sons competing, Chris has a young
grandson who stepped onto the field after the competition on Sunday,
just to sink a few wedges into a trunk. He'll need a few years of
growing yet, but given his solid striking style, you can bet he's
going to be strong competition when he gets there.
Running the show
On the production side of the event were family members: Heidi
Mueller, Bob Rankin and Gwen Tibbs.
Mueller has been attending the Railsplitter since she was 12
years old. She now narrates the splitting competition, keeping fans
on top of who is doing what. In her acute understanding of the
intricacies of what each competitor might be experiencing as they
proceed, she keeps the audience interested. With 21 years under her
belt, the competition is in her blood.
By day, Heidi is a special education teacher in O'Fallon.
Heidi's dad, Bob Rankin, could be seen on the field, holding a
stopwatch and a scorecard, intently observing as a judge.
Bob's mom, Gwen Tibbs, was keeping records under the tent. Tibbs
is also the treasurer of the Logan Railsplitting Association.
Bob and Gwen couldn't be prouder of the great job Heidi does in
announcing the contest as it ensues.
The family travels out-of-state to at least two other log
splitting competitions each year: Lincoln Days, which takes place in
Hodgenville, Ky., Abraham Lincoln's birthplace, and the Ozark
Regional Timberfest in Doniphan, Mo.
As a family, they are all enthusiastic about promoting our
Abraham Lincoln heritage, community and splitting rails. They enjoy
all the camaraderie they have found and have made great friends
through the splitting events over the years.
These are just a few of the families for whom the National
Railsplitting Contest has become an important part of their lives.
[LDN]
 Monthly
electronics recycling collection Saturday
Habitat for Humanity of Logan County will have
its monthly electronics recycling collection on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9
a.m. to noon at the Habitat for Humanity warehouse, 915 Woodlawn Road. The
collection is offered free of charge to the public.
Habitat continues to collect
televisions for recycling. For a complete listing of acceptable
items, see below.
The following items will be accepted:
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Computer equipment, including
laptop and desktop personal computers, monitors, keyboards,
printers, scanners, cords and cables, hard drives, CD-ROM, DVD,
Zip and tape drives.
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Entertainment equipment, including
TVs, radios, stereo and game systems, game controls, VCR and DVD
players, and cameras.
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Small business equipment,
including phones, copiers, typewriters, fax machines and
calculators.
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Small
household and countertop appliances will also be accepted, as
well as aluminum, copper, brass and stainless steel items.
Electronic equipment is not to be
left at the site and is not accepted outside the hours of the
collection.
Information on the electronics
recycling program is available through Habitat for Humanity of Logan
County by contacting the office at 217-732-6412 or visiting the
agency website at
www.habitatlogan.org.
Monthly glass
recycling collection Saturday
The Logan County Joint Solid Waste
Agency, in collaboration with the Lincoln Woman's Club and Verallia
Saint-Gobain Containers, will handle the monthly glass collection on
Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Logan County Fairgrounds between 9 a.m.
and noon. People bringing in glass for recycling should use the Main
Gate entrance.
Participants are reminded that only
container glass will be accepted during the collection. Container
glass is any glass that originally held either a food or beverage
product. All colors of glass will be accepted. The glass recycling
program does not accept broken glass due to safety issues.
Participants are asked to
thoroughly rinse all containers and remove all plastic or metal
lids, sleeves and rings. Labels, either foil or paper, may be left
on the containers. Due to the large volume of glass being collected,
the glass recycling program reserves the right to refuse any glass
that does not meet the preparation guidelines.
The glass recycling program does
not accept light bulbs or fluorescent lights, window glass, mirrors,
ceramics, dishware, or CorningWare items. Participants are asked to
comply with the glass collection guidelines, as a single piece of
ceramic material or a light bulb can contaminate an entire load of
glass.
The collection will be canceled in
event of inclement weather or extreme heat. Glass is not to be left
at the site prior to the hours of the collection.
Recyclers are encouraged to "like"
Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency on Facebook for access to the
most current information, updates and cancellation notices. As
always, information on the county's recycling programs is available
by contacting the office at 217-732-9636 or by visiting the agency
website at www.co.logan.il.us
and selecting "Joint Solid Waste Agency."
Blood drive Saturday at Town and Country Bank
In partnership with the Central
Illinois Community Blood Center, Town and Country Bank in Lincoln
will host a blood drive Saturday, Aug. 10, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at
the bank, 303 Pulaski St.
Community members interested in
donating blood are highly encouraged to preregister by calling
217-241-7550.
All those who donate will be given
a free T-shirt from the blood center along with other giveaways
provided by Town and Country Bank. A light breakfast will be
provided by Peggy's Place, and there will be face painting for
children. The community is encouraged to stop by.
Donating blood is safe and easy.
Individuals must be at least 17 years old, or 16 with a signed
parental consent form (available on Central Illinois Blood Center's
website at www.cicbc.org); weigh
at least 110 pounds; and be in good health. Individuals can donate
whole blood every 56 days or double red cells every 112 days.
Donors are encouraged to eat and
drink before donating and must have their donor or photo ID card
with them.
For more information, call Town and
Country Bank at 217-787-3100 or the Central Illinois Blood Center at
217-241-7550.
Firefighters
to be honored during Oasis fundraiser Sept. 15
The Saturday after the
Oasis fire in downtown Lincoln, area merchants stood about talking of how
terrible the blaze was for the venerable old building. But they also
remarked how fortunate they felt that their businesses were not also
destroyed in the great conflagration.
Downtown business owner Mike Fak said
that storefront businesses on Pulaski Street were extremely thankful
for the efforts of the 15 fire departments as well as the first
responders who came on the scene to battle the late-afternoon blaze.
"We all talked about what an amazing
job those men and women did to prevent the flames from spreading,"
he said. "The entire block of 500 Pulaski has common walls, and if
the firefighters didn't contain that fire, there could have been
devastation to the square that could have taken years to recover
from."
From that day, talk of doing
something to say thank you to the firefighters began.
Discussions ensued with Lincoln
Mayor Keith Snyder, Alderwoman Jonie Tibbs, Main Street Lincoln
director Bill Hoagland, Logan County Board member Andy Anderson and
several businesses. The decision was to have a family picnic for all
15 departments, plus first responders and their families, with the
costs paid for by residents of Lincoln. It was also decided that
this was the perfect time to start a concerted donation drive to
help the Oasis rebuild.
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 The picnic day will be Sept. 15,
from 1 till 4 p.m., on the 500 block of Pulaski Street. There will
be a family-style picnic for all those involved with helping contain
the blaze and for their families.
The general public is invited to
attend.
A special showing of photographs of
the fire will be on display at the Lincoln Art Institute, on the
McLean Street side of the square. Prints will be available for
purchase, with all proceeds from their sale going to the Oasis. Some
prints will also be available to the firefighters at no cost.
The mayor made a point that donations
of time and effort are appreciated and that all cash donations that
go beyond paying for the costs of the event will be turned over to
the Oasis. Currently many of the items needed for the picnic are
being supplied by area businesses free of charge. Fak said the hope
is that there will be only a small cost for the picnic, if any, with
the great majority of funds collected going to the Oasis.
A special bank account under the
auspices of Main Street Lincoln has been set up at State Bank.
Checks should be made payable to "The Oasis Fire Fund." Checks or
cash donations can be dropped off at any State Bank location, or
checks can be mailed to State Bank of Lincoln, P.O. Box 529,
Lincoln, IL 62656.
People interested in helping with
the event can email mefak@msn.com.
The mayor recalled his emotions
during the blaze. "I went up and thanked one of the volunteer
firefighters for coming to Lincoln and helping us fight the blaze,"
Snyder said. "He said we would have done the same for him if it was
his town. But this time, it wasn't his town, it was ours, and we
look forward to thanking all who came with a special day."
Major
League Baseball Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog visits Mount Pulaski
MOUNT PULASKI -- Former St. Louis Cardinal
World Series champion skipper and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Whitey
Herzog was in Mount Pulaski over the weekend on a local fishing outing with
his son, Jim, and two grandchildren, while his wife, Mary Lou, and
daughter-in-law, Ann Hubbard Herzog, shopped at Saddie's Secret Place on the
west side of the Mount Pulaski square.
Afterward, they all were given a
cook's tour of the Mount Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site by
docent Phil Bertoni. Whitey was his usual studious self, asking
questions left and right, as did his grandsons and other family
members. Besides being in the actual courtroom where Mr. Lincoln
walked and worked, he appeared most impressed with the map on the
courtroom wall showing the 1850s Illinois 8th Judicial Circuit route
on which lawyer Abraham Lincoln spent so many months and years
riding his horse, then horse and buggy, over the 450-mile circuit
twice a year (1849-1860) following his two-year stint as an Illinois
representative in the United States Congress (1847-1848).
Several pictures were taken of
Whitey's grandsons donning stovepipe hats, sitting in Judge David
Davis' chair and in the witness-stand chair alongside, with the U.S.
Stars and Stripes hanging above, showing its 1848 look of only 30
states.
Herzog enjoys telling the story of
trading his Redbird shortstop Garry Templeton for Ozzie Smith of the
San Diego Padres after the 1981 season, when Templeton made the
Cardinal fans and its management extremely upset due to an obscene
gesture to the home crowd.
Herzog recounts that Smith came to
St. Louis in the dead of winter to take a look at the surroundings
and for a final interview with the Cardinal management. Whitey was
"scared to death" that the snowstorm would deter Ozzie from agreeing
to the trade -- in fact, Ozzie showed up in a parka and boots as a
tease to Whitey, who was so excited about the possibility of landing
his services. As we know, Ozzie agreed, and "you know the rest of
the story."
Whitey's lovely and engaging wife,
Mary Lou (they were high school sweethearts), relates that he was
drafted by the Yankees at the same time Mickey Mantle surfaced --
1950. It wasn't too long before they noticed the superstar status in
Mantle, which relegated Whitey to the bench. But, not to be
discouraged, Mary Lou continued, Whitey took paper and pencil and
began taking notes on pitchers, hitters and managerial moves.
When an ear infection put an end to
his playing days a few years later, Herzog switched gears and went
into coaching, then managing. He had done some managing during his
stateside stint in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the
Korean War and enjoyed it immensely.
The folks in his hometown of New
Athens, Ill., know him as Dorrel Norman Elvert Herzog and call him "Relly,"
but the rest of us know him as "Whitey."
[By PHIL BERTONI]
Pink
Shutter buck-a-bag sale this week
The Pink Shutter is having a buck-a-bag event
this week. The thrift shop at 114 N. McLean St. has this event twice a year
in order to clean house from top to bottom and restock a new selection of
thrift store finds for the fall. Bags are available for purchase at the
store from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Wednesday and on Thursday
from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Small bags cost $1 and large bags are
available for $2. Shoppers are invited to fill their event bags with
as many Pink Shutter items as they can fit in.
The Pink Shutter offers home décor,
clothing, shoes, books, housewares and more. It opened on Nov. 22,
1961, and all proceeds still benefit the Abraham Lincoln Memorial
Hospital Auxiliary, which helps fund ALMH programs. The thrift shop
is operated in large part by volunteers and members of the ALMH
Auxiliary.
To learn more about the ALMH
Auxiliary and volunteer opportunities, contact Lynne Metz at
217-605-5701 or visit www.almh.org.
Atlanta
United Methodist Church ice cream social
ATLANTA -- The annual ice cream social at the
Atlanta United Methodist Church will be on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 4 to 7
p.m. Hot chicken sandwiches, ham sandwiches, chips, a variety of ice cream,
and homemade pies and cakes will be on the menu.
A freewill donation will be accepted.
The church is at the corner of Race
and Second streets in Atlanta and is handicapped-accessible.
Class
of 1988 reunion
The Lincoln Community High School Class of
1988 will have its 25th anniversary reunion Saturday, Aug. 24, at American
Legion Post 263. A social hour will begin at 6:15 p.m.,
followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m., a trivia event and music. There is
an open invitation to the classes of 1987 and 1989 to join the group
at 9 p.m.
The evening will
include a 50-50 drawing.
The cost is $30 per person plus $15
for an optional class photo to be taken between 5 and 6 p.m.
Make checks payable to Class of
1988 and send as soon as possible to Robin Cook, 2429 Rosswood Lane,
Arnold, MO 63010.
For more information, contact
robincook31@yahoo.com.
Upcoming
Logan County blood drives
To help ensure an adequate blood supply for
the region, the Central Illinois Community Blood Center is offering several
opportunities to donate blood in Logan County in early August.
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Monday, Aug 5, noon-6 p.m.
Lincoln Masonic Center
2022 N. Kickapoo, Lincoln
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Friday, Aug. 9, 9 a.m.-noon
Farmers Bank
130 S. Washington, Mount Pulaski
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Saturday,
Aug. 10, 8:30 a.m.-noon
Town and Country Bank
303 Pulaski, Lincoln
For your convenience, call Alexis
toll-free at 1-866-GIVE-BLD (1-866-448-3253), ext. 5158, to sign up
or schedule an appointment online at
www.bloodcenterimpact.org. Walk-ins are also welcome and truly
appreciated.
Central Illinois Community Blood
Center, a not-for-profit organization, is the provider of lifesaving
blood for 14 hospitals throughout central Illinois, including
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln and Memorial Medical
Center and St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. CICBC is a division
of the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, which collects over
180,000 units of blood annually and serves 87 hospitals in Illinois,
Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.
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