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Center for Youth & Family Solutions, Relay For Life, library grant, writing club, Illini Girls State, historic homes, Anne Sydney, 5K and downtown events June 8, Hartem Alumni Banquet, Route 66 weekend June 7-9

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[May 31, 2013]  Open house at Lincoln office of Center for Youth and Family Solutions

The Center for Youth and Family Solutions will host an open house at 2100 W. Fifth St. on Friday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Take a cruise through the Lincoln office to explore the services offered to Lincoln and the surrounding community.

Stop by to enjoy a free light lunch and interact with local staff to learn more about CYFS, their programs and how you can get involved. There's even a chance to win a prize when you get your passport stamped at each information booth.

For more information, call 217-732-3771.

The Center for Youth and Family Solutions is a not-for-profit social service agency providing strength-based, family-centered social services to youth and families in need throughout central Illinois. These services include foster care services, child abuse prevention, crisis response for runaways and their families, adoption services, intervention and education with at-risk youth, counseling services for individuals and families, mental health crisis response, and community advocacy programs. CYFS hosts 11 offices across the state of Illinois, annually partners with over 20,000 individuals and collaborates on over 7,000 cases in 37 counties.


Relay For Life master of ceremonies and honorary chairs announced

Relay For Life has announced that Steve Sauer will be this year's master of ceremonies. Mr. Sauer, recently retired from teaching at LCHS, will help keep all aware of the activities and events from 6 p.m. Friday, June 14, until the closing ceremony at 6 a.m. Saturday, June 15, with balloons released. His is a familiar voice as he has announced basketball games at LCHS for many years and also announces the couples at the grand march for the LCHS prom every spring.

One of the honorary chairs for 2013 is Bill Post, who has been instrumental in getting luminaria distributed and labeled. During the ceremony, he has been the voice honoring all of the over 1,000 names read each year. Also, survivor Robin Ingram along with her caregivers Duane, Holly and John Meteer are honorary chairs for this "Heroes" year.

In other activities related to the Relay For Life, Monday, June 3, will be Bank Night, starting at 5:30 at Illini Bank.

On Friday, June 7, beginning at 6:30 at the Lincoln Center on the Lincoln College campus, participants will "Paint the Town Purple" with purple ribbons.

On Wednesday, June 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., the public is encouraged to eat at Culver's for Relay For Life. Ten percent of all sales at Culver's that day will go to fight cancer in Logan County.

More information is posted on the Relay For Life website at www.relayforlife.org/loganil.

For more information, contact Tonita Reifsteck, 855-1645, or Nicole Lee, 828-1100.


Library receives $5,000 'Fix-It Lincoln' grant

The Lincoln Public Library District has received a $5,000 grant from the office of Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White. "Fix-It Lincoln" is a grant that will add and update maintenance and repair books in the library's collection.

Funding for this grant project was awarded from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library under the provisions of the Library Services & Technology Act.


Writing club to meet June 11

Lincoln Writer's Club will meet Tuesday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m. in the Alumni Room of the Lincoln College student center.

Suggested topics: a three-minute fiction piece, 600 words or less; fall chores; or describe the first time you began to appreciate the world around you.

All are welcome.

For more information, call 732-2723.


American Legion 17th District Auxiliary hosts Illini Girls State tea

FORREST -- The American Legion 17th District Auxiliary hosted their annual tea for Illini Girls State candidates on May 19 at the J.A. Fowell Post 174 in Forrest.

Beth Rieger, 17th District Illini Girls State chair, welcomed the Girls State candidates, parents and guests. She introduced two from the Illini Girls State board: Sara Wycoff, dean of education, and Carolee Smith, assistant director. They spoke to the girls on what Girls State is about and what to expect when attending.

Illini Girls State is a simulation patterned after the state of Illinois; it follows Illinois governmental procedure as closely as possible. It is a practical application of Americanism and good citizenship that attempts to teach and inculcate in our youth a love of America and a sense of individual obligation to community, state and nation. It is a powerful, intense learning experience. Girls State this year will be held June 16-22 on the Eastern Illinois University campus, Charleston. Girls who have just finished their junior year in high school come from all over the state of Illinois for this program. They are sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary units.

Attending the afternoon tea were Jacquiline Martincic, sponsored by Logan Unit 263, Lincoln; Rachel Schoener and Brooke Tuftie, sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary 456, Flanagan; Jacqueline Walters and Ashlyn Gramm, sponsored by Carl S. Martin Auxiliary Unit 635, Normal; Kacey Short and Heidi Maier, sponsored by J.A. Fowell Unit 174, Forrest; Katelyn Feldkamp and Kadie King, sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary of Skinner Trost Unit 122 of Cullom; Cassidy Brucker, sponsored by Martin H. Sunthken Unit 244, Sibley; and Paige Schwarz and Karli Eastin, sponsored by Wagner-Dao's Auxiliary Unit 641, Roberts.


Relay For Life of Logan Co. approaches $1M goal

This is the 16th year of Relay For Life in Logan County, and 2013 will be a million-dollar milestone for the county as well. This year's participants will honor heroes past, present and future while on the Lincoln College campus track from 6 p.m. June 14 until 6 a.m. June 15. Cancer has created many heroes that participants will be remembering -- past survivors, present survivors and, until we find that cure, future survivors. Caregivers and those who give funds are also heroes.

By supporting Relay For Life of Logan County, volunteers are helping to save more lives faster -- another group of heroes. All Logan County residents are invited to join this year's Relay For Life in fighting for every birthday threatened by cancer.

It is not too late to join a team or start your own team: call Carolyn Motley, 732-8032. Co-chairs Amy Weidhuner, Tabatha Weidhuner and Nicole Lee invite anyone to join one of the 28 teams and help bring a cure to reality.

Currently the teams are Faith, Hope & Love, Walking Wonders, Jigglers, Walking for Robin, Railers Fighting Back, Purpose Driven People, St. Peter Lutheran, Brooklyn's Big Top, Northwest Wildcat Walkers, Lincoln Jaycees, Dellow Sisters, Dana's Team, St. John UCC Remembers, Friends Walking for a Cure, Lose for Others, Team Baptist, Bosom Buddies, Love*Live*Give, Team Walgreen, Angels All Around, Cadences Cancer Fighters, CEFCU, Ethel's Angels, Family Medical Center of Lincoln, Northern Lites, The Boomerangs and The Purple Dynamites.

Luminaria will again line the track at Lincoln College in honor of or in memory of the heroes being remembered. Team members have luminaria order forms, and Bill Post, 732-7564, will have the forms available before and during the event.

Invitations to the Survivor Dinner and details of the Relay For Life will be mailed to all survivors in early June.

New survivors are encouraged to register with Tonita Reifsteck, 732-9796 or 217-855-1645, so a survivor shirt and pin can be secured for them. Any survivor whose information or address has changed in the past year should also contact her.


Historic homes: Lincoln/Postville, Sears Roebuck and the Marbold Farmstead

The Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society presented two programs Monday evening, one concerning research into historic homes in Lincoln and the other about the long history of the Marbold Farmstead in Greenview.

Diane Osborn is currently researching a book about architecturally significant homes in Lincoln that also have had historic and social impacts on the community. She began this project last October and had hoped to complete it by the end of this year. However, she has found so much material in just the original Postville area of Lincoln that she said "the book will get done when it gets done."

Her research has started in Postville and will spread into the other areas of Lincoln, just as the city originally expanded. She noted that Postville ceased to exist as an independent town on Feb. 16, 1865.

Osborn is following on-street research with visits to City Hall, Lincoln Public Library, the Logan County Highway Department, and interviews with contractors and builders to find the historic homes.

"I have spent so much time in some neighborhoods, it is surprising the police have not stopped me," she said.

Some of the fascinating homes she has found so far are cabins that were moved to Lincoln to serve as homes, and she also found old Lincoln schools that were converted to homes.

Osborn has been surprised by the large number of Sears houses in Lincoln. In many cases, the currently owners have no idea of the unique history of their houses, all of which were offered in the Sears Roebuck catalog in the early 20th century.

One man even moved a remnant of the Illiopolis ammunition factory to Lincoln for his home.

Osborn has chosen the title "Neighborhoods, Lincoln, IL" for her book. It will be jointly published by the Lincoln Woman's Club and the Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society. She is asking Lincoln residents to contact her if they feel their home qualifies as historically significant and should be included in the book. Her email address is diane.osborn@comcast.net. She may also be contacted by phone as 217-605-0011.

The second program Monday evening was presented by Barbara Van Dyke-Brown from Greenview. She was assisted by Charlotte Wohler. They are representatives of the Historic Marbold Farmstead Association, whose mission is to preserve and restore the Marbold house that sits along Illinois Route 29 on the south side of Greenview. Anyone traveling through Greenview can see the very large and imposing house sitting along the highway, on the east side of the road.

The Marbold home was built in 1850 by John H. Marbold, whose family immigrated to the United States from Germany in the early 19th century. A member of the Marbold family lived in the house until 1929, when the banking crisis of the Great Depression forced the sale of the residence.

The Historic Marbold Farmstead Association started in 2004 with the intent to preserve and restore the house and create a living history farm. The association was able to buy the house and 10 acres in 2011 and has come close to paying off the mortgage. The group has raised funds through grants and a series of events on the Marbold grounds. The house is currently listed on the 2012 register of the "Ten Most Endangered Historic Places" in Illinois.

The Historic Marbold Farmstead Association has second Sunday events each month throughout the summer to raise money for their endeavors. They are also sponsoring an antique show at the site on June 22.

For more information on this summer's fundraising or to take a tour of the house and site, call 217-968-5805. The association website is www.historic-marbold-farmstead.org, which contains a wealth of information on the house and efforts to preserve and restore it.

The Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society meets the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at their office at 114 N. Chicago St. The phone number is 217-732-3200.

[By CURT FOX]


Anne Sydney named Nurse of the Year at ALMH

With more than three decades of caring for the sick and injured at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Anne Sydney was named the 2013 Nurse of the Year.

Sydney, of Lincoln, began her career at ALMH in July 1977 and has always worked in the emergency department.

She holds an R.N. from Decatur Memorial Hospital and a bachelor's degree in nursing from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She also holds a variety of certifications: Emergency Communication Registered Nurse, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, and Trauma Nurse Specialist.

"I love taking care of people. Making them feel better and maybe even helping them heal really brings me joy," Sydney said.

Sydney was chosen for the honor by her peers who voted on six candidates for the Nurse of the Year honor, including Nathan Buss, Amy Lawrence, Roger McCoy, Steffanie Richardson and Chelsey Seitz.

Jeanne Dennis, director of nursing, presented the award to Sydney at a recent tea to celebrate National Nurses Week.

"Anne exemplifies the criteria of the Nurse of the Year. She is a team player, she has a positive attitude in the workplace, and she is a very talented part of our nursing team. We are grateful to Anne and nurses like her who provide exceptional care and unwavering commitment to our patients," said Dennis.

Her nominators praised Anne for her genuine concern for patients and co-workers.

"She is always there to help. Her great attitude makes the ER a fun place to work," said her nominators.

ALMH is a 25-bed community hospital serving the people of Logan and eastern Mason counties. For more information, visit www.almh.org.


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Main Street invites everyone to the 'Cruise into Main Street 5K & Health Expo'

The Main Street Lincoln organization is inviting everyone to make their way downtown to the courthouse square for a day of good, healthy fun on Saturday, June 8. The event is dubbed as the "Cruise into Main Street 5K and Health Expo," and there will be a lot of interesting and fun activities going on the entire day. So whether you choose to participate in the 5K or not, it may still be worth your time to come check it out.

According to Main Street board member and 5K committee chair Tracy Welch, the day will begin with the 5K, but there will also be other activities, such as vendors for a community health fair, and hours and hours of live entertainment on the square.

Welch said some may think the event got its name from the downtown car cruise-ins, but in fact this event is about an entirely different kind of cruise.

And there will be two big giveaways: a week at the Biggest Loser Resort in Chicago and an ocean cruise.

Anyone age 18 and older who registers to participate in the 5K will be eligible to win the cruise, listed as a $500 value.

Anyone age 14 and older in attendance at the event will be eligible to win a week's stay at the resort. Welch said the week at the resort is a buy-one, get-one-free promotion for a new resort in Chicago. For those who are fans of the television show "Biggest Loser," you will know that there is a Biggest Loser Resort on the West Coast. The company that owns it is expanding to Chicago, and the week's stay is a $2,500 value, or 50 percent off the cost of a stay for two.

When asked how the committee managed to get the resort stay, he said, "You'll be surprised what can happen when you send an email." Welch said he and his wife, Annette, are big fans of "The Biggest Loser" television show. On the show, the contestants participate at the Biggest Loser Resort in California. Welch said he'd learned that another resort was going to open in Chicago, so he sent an email and asked them to donate to the Lincoln event. They responded that they were not able to give away a free trip, but they would give a buy-one, get-one-free.

In addition to the prizes and the run, there will also be vendors on hand to discuss their products and your health. Welch said he is still trying to work out the details right now on who will be there, but he is optimistic that there will be several when the big day arrives.

The downtown portion of the city will be blocked off for the daylong party that will take place during and after the race. Welch said the Railsplitter Auto Club has been invited to come for a special cruise-in, and there will be live music the entire day.

Among those on the stage will be Erin Eskra Vargo and Mike Vargo. Some will remember Erin as part of a sister duo who have performed at events in Lincoln in the past. Welch said both sisters were not available, but Erin said she would come with husband Mike, who is also a professional musician. The Vargos now live in Nashville and are developing their careers in the music profession.

Julia Kay Rhodes is another powerful songstress who will grace the downtown stage. From the Chicago area, Rhodes has been on several nationally televised shows, such as "Nashville Spotlight," "Seven on Ridge" with Michael Essany, "Today's Talent Network" and "American Kids Nationals."

Others who are scheduled to entertain are musicians Joe Borbely and Greg Gemberling, and of course in Lincoln, you can't have a party without a little bluegrass. The Blue Grass Pickers who entertained at last year's Railsplitter Festival will be on hand to offer some of their best stylings.

In addition to all this, there will be a special guest in attendance. Joe Briseno will address the audience. Briseno is a 5K runner who recently found himself in Boston during that very tragic event.

Main Street is also encouraging local retailers to have special sales that day and to set up sidewalk sales to draw attendees toward their stores.

Welch also said that of all the things visitors will find on the downtown square, food vendors are the one thing they won't find.

For the runners there will be food at the Oasis Senior Center, but he hopes that everyone who attends will take the time to visit the local restaurants on the downtown square. There are several eateries on the square and just off the square, including Guzzardo's, Hallie's, Mama's Arcade, Sorrento's and Vintage Fare.

Welch also explained that for the serious runners, the committee has made arrangements for "chips" for their shoes. These chips accurately measure the time of the run. Welch said this is important because serious runners are always working to improve their time, and this record helps them see their progress.

The committee is also offering some special incentives for school groups to participate. With the help of wife Annette, Welch said they have sent out special registration forms to the area schools. Kids are encouraged to register for the 5K, and if they do so on the special form for their school, the school will receive $5 for each entry.

And finally, Welch said they are hoping for some serious public participation at the end of the run. As a runner himself, Welch said it is really encouraging to see a crowd of people cheering the runners at the end of the race.

The organization also has plans for several future events, some of them familiar from the past, some new and some restructured.

The Art of Wine this year at the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival is going to be revamped and will be the Art of Wine and Brew. Welch said they will have more details on that later, as well as on a new event in October that is right now being called "Lincoln in Lincoln -- 1858." Trick or Treat with the Mayor is scheduled for Oct. 26 this year.

And there is going to be an annual Christmas parade. Welch said that Main Street director Bill Hoagland is hoping to breathe a little new life into the parade, and we should all look forward to hearing more about that later. Also, there will still be Saturdays with Santa in December.

5K route

The city has agreed to allow for North Kickapoo to be closed to traffic when the runners get there. Welch said he would love to see both sides of the street from Lincoln Avenue to Broadway lined with spectators cheering on their favorite runners, or all the runners in general.

The race will begin near the intersection of Kickapoo and Pulaski streets and head south on Kickapoo. At Frorer Avenue runners will turn left. At Bryant Avenue they will turn right and take the curve onto Comet. From Comet they will proceed to Home Avenue and take a left. Shortly afterward will be their first checkpoint.

Runners will then proceed northward on Home to Wyatt and take another right turn onto Wyatt. They will pass the Odd Fellows home, where the Y and Christian Child Care are located, and run onto South Ladue, where they will turn left. They will take South Ladue all the way to Pekin Street and turn left onto Pekin. They will then proceed onto North Elliott Street, where they will find their second checkpoint. They will then take North Elliott northward to Tremont Street, where they will turn left. They will stay on Tremont to South Sherman and then make another right turn.

When they reach Lincoln Avenue, they will turn left again and proceed to North Kickapoo Street. They will turn left on Kickapoo and proceed southward toward the downtown square. The third checkpoint will be at the southwest corner of Latham Park. From there everyone will run or walk the home stretch to the finish line, just beyond the Kickapoo and Broadway intersection.

This is the first year that the Main Street organization has done a 5K, and Welch said their only real goal here is to raise the traffic level in the downtown area. The purpose of the Main Street organization is to bring shoppers to the city's historic downtown area, to help keep the downtown a living and vital part of the community.

___

Main Street now has a separate website for its Lincoln events. You can access the website to read more about the 5K, as well as other events as they progress. You can visit that website at http://www.mainstreetlincolnevents.com/.

[By NILA SMITH]


Hartsburg-Emden High School Alumni Banquet will be June 8

HARTSBURG-EMDEN -- The 86th annual Hartsburg-Emden High School Alumni Banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Lincoln.

Invitations to the banquet will be sent out the first week of May. Anyone who did not receive an invitation but would like to attend the banquet may send a request via email to Ron Spencer at coach_spencer@hotmail.com, or you may reach him on his cellphone at 309-838-0360.

Anniversary classes being honored this year are 1933, 1938, 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and the senior Class of 2013.

The winner of the "Wall of Fame" award will be selected and announced at the banquet. This year's award will be represented in the category of "Athletics/Sports."

Please mail nomination letters to Ron Spencer, 8923 Blooming Grove Road, Bloomington, IL 61705.

Due to the rising costs of the banquet, the alumni association will accept donations to help out with the cost of the event and to continue funding the Alumni Scholarship. Donations are payable to the Hartem Alumni Association and may be sent to Greg Phillips, 208 Market St., Emden, IL 62635.

Officers of the alumni association for 2013 are Chris Boerma, president; Ron Spencer, vice president; Loretta Hellman, secretary; Greg Phillips, treasurer; and Kay Mullins and Verna Lessen, corresponding secretaries.


Route 66 will anchor weekend of activities in Logan County

Route 66 will be the centerpiece for a diverse series of activities taking place in Logan County on the weekend of June 7-9, Friday-Sunday.

Events will range from garage sales, auto racing and an electric car show to art exhibits and the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame Banquet.

Festivities will begin with the annual Route 66 Garage Sale, which will take place from 7 a.m. until dusk Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Lincoln.

This year, vendors can rent indoor or outdoor space at the VFW, 915 Fifth St., or flea market space at The Mill, 738 S. Washington St. For reservations at the VFW, or general information about the garage sales, call Andrea Dykman at 217-735-0294. The Logan County Tourism Bureau at 217-732-8687 is taking reservations for spaces at The Mill.

For the first time, Logan County Outreach, a community betterment organization, and Lincoln Printers will host the Route 66 Garage Sale.

Private garage sales will also take place throughout the community. Those planners are urged to use traditional news and social media outlets to advertise their sales.

On Friday night, race fans can watch the POWRi competition at Lincoln Speedway on the Logan County Fairgrounds. Gates open at 3 p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.

The Mill 2nd Saturday Flea Market on June 8 is the premiere event for a series of flea markets there on the second Saturday of each month through October. The flea market will run from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The Lincoln Art Institute gallery at 112 S. McLean St. in downtown Lincoln will be open on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Main Street Lincoln will sponsor a PLUS 5K run and health fair in downtown Lincoln on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, an Electric Vehicle Cruise-In will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. along the original Mother Road in historic downtown Atlanta. The free public cruise-in is sponsored by the Atlanta Betterment Fund.

After it was commissioned in 1926, Route 66 was responsible for a huge increase in automobile traffic that led to the need for businesses to serve the traveling public. Among these new businesses were service stations.

Now, Route 66 is poised to help create the next big transportation infrastructure -- charging stations for electric vehicles. Atlanta is interested in helping other Route 66 communities discover how to better serve the traveling public that will be searching for an electric plug-in instead of a gas pump.

The June 8 Electric Vehicle Cruise-in, Illinois' first, will display some cool EV cars and offer a chance to learn more about how the Mother Road is working to give birth to a new travel infrastructure.

All electric and hybrid cars are invited to participate in the cruise-in. The event will also feature vintage music, great food, a 50-50 drawing and hourly drawings.

Atlanta offers two Level 2 Eaton charging stations, available by advance reservation at no fee. There are also 16 Level 1 charging stations available at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about the cruise-in, or to make reservations to use the Level 2 charger, contact Bill Thomas of the Atlanta Betterment Fund at 217-648-5077 or wthomas@teleologic.net.

Atlanta will also exhibit the results of its first Rt. 66 Reinterpreted Art Project from May 1 through Aug. 13.

Modeled on Chicago's "Cows on Parade" exhibit, the Rt. 66 Reinterpreted Art Project presented artists the opportunity to create their own take on one of the 20th century's most iconic and recognizable symbols, the U.S. Route 66 highway shield.

Artists were provided a blank 2-by-2-foot wooden cutout of the Route 66 highway shield, painted white, which then became their personal canvas. Each shield was required to incorporate the text "U.S. 66," but otherwise the design was left to each artist's imagination.

The Atlanta Betterment Fund, sponsor of the project, selected 10 shields as finalists. Visitors can vote on their favorites, and those with the most votes will be named winners of the contest. At the conclusion of the project, the five winning shields, along with the names of the artists who created them, will be displayed on a permanent basis in the Atlanta Rt. 66 Park. For more information, contact Bill Thomas at the telephone number or email address above.

The annual Route 66 Association of Illinois Motor Tour will pass through Logan County on Saturday, June 8. Many of the participants will stay overnight Saturday before continuing the tour on Sunday.

The Route 66 Association Hall of Fame Banquet will take place Saturday evening at Lincoln College. Advance reservations are required for the banquet. For more information about either the banquet or the motor tour, visit the Route 66 Association of Illinois at il66assoc.org.


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