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Quilts of Valor, Prayer in the Park, Senior Feast, Abraham Lincoln statue fundraising, blood drive, historic district hearing, LCGHS annual meeting, landfill hours and leaf pickup days

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[November 13, 2013]  Quilters honor veterans with special events at Castle Manor and St. Clara's

In celebration of Veterans Day on Monday, the Quilters at Heart Quilt Guild hosted two special events, one at Castle Manor and the other at St. Clara's Manor.

At Castle Manor, the group hosted a quilt show featuring Quilts of Valor. In the afternoon, a group then visited St. Clara's and presented lap quilts to the resident veterans.

At Castle Manor, Andrea Tibbs, Jennifer Helm and Sandy Wilkerson were happy to sit a spell in front of the fireplace in the great room and share their feelings about quilting.

The quilt guild this year celebrated 30 years as a local organization. According to Helm, in those 30 years the group has been consistently busy learning and practicing a craft they all love.

She noted that quilting is not one of the lost arts. Even though the process began in the days of pioneers and further back, it is as relevant today as it was then. She said what the guild really enjoys is seeing that there are still young people interested in the craft, and because of that, it is an art that will never die.

For those who may be unfamiliar with it, quilting began as a means to provide warm coverings in a cold climate by using scraps of material from other sewing projects. In the early days of our history, pioneer homemakers had to make everything count. Cutting scraps into small squares and stitching them together to form a large comforter was one of the ways they did this.

Over the years, quilts have evolved, just like many other things. They became a way of expressing love and appreciation. One of the most popular older quilt patterns is the wedding ring. Pieces were carefully stitched together to make a pattern of continually interlocking rings, usually with a white background, though other colors were also acceptable. These quilts, made with love by family members, were often given to the bride and groom as a wedding gift.

It is that same act of love that brought about the Quilts of Valor program. The program was started in 2003 by Catherine Roberts of Seaford, Del. She got the idea after her own son was deployed for a year to Iraq. The concept was to be able to provide veterans returning from deployment a gift that expressed love and appreciation for their service to their country.

Roberts began networking with various quilting clubs and guilds. She put together guidelines for the quilts, requiring that all quilts be made in red, white and blue colors, and that they be lap-sized quilts measuring at least 55 by 65 inches.

Locally, Tibbs said the Quilters at Heart got involved with the Quilts of Valor through Virginia Kendrick, who has participated in the program through a Bloomington club for the past several years.

Tibbs said the Lincoln guild does something every year for an organization. She said they have done quilts that were donated to the Pregnancy Resource Center in Lincoln, and this year they decided to do quilts for seniors.

She said several quilts have been given to area nursing homes and senior living facilities. The homes are free to do with the quilts whatever they choose. She said she knew some had put them away and on special occasions present them as gifts or prizes for their residents.

She said because the guild was donating to seniors this year, it seemed only fitting that they create quilts for the local veterans who are residents at nursing homes. They chose to make their donation this year at St. Clara's Manor.

Tibbs also noted that Quilts of Valor is a nationwide movement. Some organizations choose to make the quilts and send them to the national program, but the Quilters at Heart decided they wanted to first serve veterans locally.

On Monday afternoon, a group from the guild left Castle Manor and went to St. Clara's to present the quilts to veterans there.

St. Clara's hosted a special observance for the veterans, and several were in attendance in the main dining area for the special recognition.

Those in attendance were John Eimer, Clifford Hall, Frank Ladd and Charlie Sloan.

Other vets who were not able to attend but did receive quilts were Ron Auerbach, Gerald Fritz, Norman Knollenberg, Frank Krueger, Donald Shea and Bill Teaney.

In addition to the men who were recognized, the women who had waited for them to come home and served in auxiliaries were recognized, too.

St. Clara's activity director, Penny Tipton, led activities that began with patriotic songs, and many joined in singing.

Several members of the Quilters at Heart Quilt Guild were present. The group had made many different lap quilts in patriotic fabric for the veterans. Several quilters were on hand to help hand out the quilts to the veterans.

Auxiliary members present were pinned with a unique, handmade bead flag.

Veterans were presented with handmade cards recognizing their sacrifice for our country as well.

Back at Castle Manor, 25 beautiful patriotic quilts were on display, and tours were given by Sandy Wilkerson, who talked about the quilts with visitors.

In addition to the Quilts of Valor, there was another very special quilt the group wanted to talk about.

In January last year, the guild lost a beloved member; Kathy Begolka. After Kathy's death, her husband, Chuck, brought to the guild a collection of blocks that Kathy had been preparing to piece together. The group decided they would piece the quilt and offer it as a fundraiser.

The quilt, aptly named "Kathy's Quilt" will be raffled, and will be on display at this year's Pride of the Prairie on Nov. 30.

Tibbs and Helm are avid quilters, and they say being a part of the guild is very important to them. The guild offers a variety of activities at their monthly meetings. The women say they enjoy getting together, talking about their projects and sharing new techniques they have learned in their craft. The meetings also include special guest speakers, and those are not limited to just talking about quilts.

In short, the women said the guild is about all things sewing, and they have enjoyed hearing from a variety of speakers, including those who talked about antique clothing and costume-making.

Inside the quilting world, there is one little bone of contention: Should a quilt be machine-sewn?

Tibbs and Helm, though both advocates of hand sewing, say there are benefits to both.

Machine sewing is obviously quicker and may produce a more durable quilt.

Hand sewing on the other hand, is more mobile. Helm said that when traveling; she often takes her quilt pieces with her, and she can sit and sew no matter where she is.

She also added that for herself, she feels that when she is stitching a quilt for a gift, it is a greater act of love to put it together one piece at a time by hand.

Regardless of how the quilts are stitched, the result is an extraordinary work of art that can be loved and appreciated for years to come.

The Quilters at Heart meet once a month. They currently have approximately 40 very active members, but they are always looking to welcome new people into their group. Anyone who is interested in joining can talk to any guild member and quickly become a part of this age-old tradition.

The ladies noted that new members need only have an interest in the craft to become a part of it. Those who do not quilt but would like to learn how are more than welcome; they are encouraged to come and benefit from the years of experience in the guild.

[By NILA SMITH and JAN YOUNGQUIST]


Prayer in the Park reminder

Prayer in the Park has been scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 13, at noon, at the bandstand in Latham Park. This will be a short time of prayer and thanksgiving.

In case of inclement weather, the meeting will be at the Coldwell Banker Cornerstone office on the second floor of the Regions bank building.


Lincoln Jaycees invite senior citizens to annual feast

The Lincoln Jaycees are now accepting reservations for their annual Senior Feast. The Jaycees are serving a free holiday-style meal with dessert on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Masonic Center, 2022 N. Kickapoo St. The meal is available to senior citizens age 65 and up.

To make a reservation or to inquire about delivery options (sorry, no takeouts), call Chrystal at 217-871-0441.

The Lincoln Jaycees are a not-for-profit organization serving Lincoln and the surrounding communities. The Lincoln Jaycees provide development opportunities that empower young people between the ages of 18-40 to create positive change through community service. Membership meetings are the third Friday of each month, 7:30 p.m., at the Lincoln Jaycees Center, 325 S. Chicago St., and are open to everyone.

 


Abraham Lincoln miniature collector statues, ornaments, postcards and children's art auction to aid statue fundraising

Tuesday evening, the Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society Statue Committee met for their monthly meeting and heard updates on various fundraising activities that are underway.

The committee consists of Paul Gleason as chair, Chuck Conzo, Bill Donath, JoAnne Marlin, Mary Ellen Martin, Roger Matson, Joe Mintjal, Wanda Lee Rohlfs and John Sutton.

This is for the most part the same group who led the community through replacing the fallen Civil War soldier statue when the original was damaged beyond repair in a winter storm in 2008.

The new Civil War statue was dedicated in April of 2011. In 2012 the committee requested that the remains of the old statue be given a proper burial in Postville Park. It was shortly after that ceremony that the group decided they wanted to go forward with erecting another statue on the lawn of the Logan County Courthouse. This one would be a depiction of Abraham Lincoln giving his historic speech on the courthouse lawn in 1858 when he was a candidate for U.S. Senate.

At that speech, before Lincoln was president, he was coming off a round of public debates and campaigns against his running rival, Stephen Douglas. When the Logan County community heard that Lincoln was coming to Lincoln, more than 5,000 people gathered at the courthouse to hear him speak.

In 2008, the Main Street Lincoln organization commissioned a painting of the speech as a commemorative of the 150th anniversary of the gathering.

Early this year, the current committee unveiled the statue in miniature form, which was created using that painting as the model for Lincoln. Soon after, they announced that they would be selling bronze miniatures as part of their fundraising efforts.

 

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The miniatures, which stand a little over 20 inches tall, are being sold to collectors at a cost of $2,000 each. The first person to purchase a miniature statue was committee member Joe Mintjal, who is an avid collector of Lincoln memorabilia and art. The second statue was purchased by the State Bank of Lincoln.

The statues are numbered, and the committee has commissioned a total of 30 to be made, with the mold to be broken at the end of the commission.

Tuesday evening it was reported that to date, 11 statues have been purchased. Mintjal said that he and Bill Donath had gone to pick up statues in late October and placed their order for the next 10. He told the committee that it would be a good idea to go ahead and get the last 10 ordered in the near future. He said that when the agreement for the commission was made with the manufacturer, the price was guaranteed for one year. He said they wanted to be sure to have all 30 purchased before the year ran out and the price of the work changed.

Paul Gleason reported that he would be doing a one-hour class presentation on Wednesday at West Lincoln-Broadwell School, and Roger Matson discussed the fundraiser that the school will be doing for the committee.

The fundraiser is scheduled for Nov. 23 at the Lincoln Art Institute. Matson said Tony Newton is the history and art teacher at WLB. Newton will assist his classes in creating Abraham Lincoln art that will then be on display in a silent auction at the art institute.

In addition to the public being able to bid on and purchase the kids' artwork, the miniature bronze will be on display, and orders will be taken for that art as well.

The committee has also ordered postcards of the statue, and those should be available for purchase by then.

The show and auction at the art institute are tentatively scheduled to take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Saturday event will also include punch and cookies as refreshments.

Wanda Lee Rohlfs showed the group drawings of a new Christmas ornament showing the Lincoln statue. The ornament should be available by the first of December. It is being made by the same company and in the same style as the ornaments that used to be sold by the Main Street organization.

Rohlfs said a total of 200 ornaments will be made, and they will be numbered. The first 30 will be set aside and given to the 30 businesses or individuals who purchase the miniature bronzes.

Rohlfs said the ornaments will come in a hunter green box and will include a certificate. She said she still needed to work on what the certificate would say but will get that task completed in the near future.

Matson said he would like to see something at the fundraiser where people could order the ornament. He also noted that he had talked to someone already who has spoken for six of them.

The group discussed for several minutes how the ornaments should be priced. In the end, they decided to ask an even $20 per ornament. It was reported that the leftover Main Street ornaments from previous years are going for about that price. The committee felt that asking $20 for a fundraising ornament would not be too much of a stretch when the buyer realizes the money is going directly to the statue.

In other business, Rohlfs shared printouts of local media coverage of the Northwest School field day in October. That day, students from Ms Marla Williams' history classes toured the State Bank of Lincoln and visited the LCGHS.

Rohlfs also told the group that she had spoken with one of the Northwest students regarding their penny drive fundraiser. The student told her the school had collected over $300 for the statue committee. Rohlfs said this was not official information, as she has not yet spoken with Ms. Williams.

As their final act of business for the night, the committee decided to forgo a December meeting due to the holidays, but they said that if a special meeting was needed, one could be called.

[By NILA SMITH] 


Upcoming Red Cross blood drive at Lincoln Park District

PEORIA -- The holiday season is a time for people to reflect on what makes them grateful. Family, friends and good health come to mind for many.

Countless patients like Ethan Hoffart, however, strive for good health during the holidays, oftentimes in a hospital room, away from family and friends. Blood donations can bring them hope.

When Ethan was 10 years old, he spent most of the holiday season being treated for aplastic anemia, a disease in which the body's bone marrow doesn't make enough new blood cells. For four months Ethan was dependent on blood transfusions every seven days and platelet transfusions every three days.

"I probably wouldn't even be here if no one gave blood," he said. "The transfusions pretty much saved me."

Thanks in part to volunteer donors, Ethan's disease is under control, and he will be at home with his family for the holidays this year.

All blood types are needed, especially O-negative, A-negative and B-negative.

Appointments to donate with the American Red Cross and bring hope to patients in need can be made at www.redcrossblood.org or 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunity in Logan County:

  • Nov. 20, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Lincoln Park District Sports Complex, 1400 Primm Road

How to donate blood

Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.


Historic Preservation Commission public meeting notice

The Lincoln Historic Preservation Commission will conduct a public hearing Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall on establishing a downtown historic district.

(Copy of meeting notice)

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
T0 THE PEOPLE OF
THE CITY OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013 AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, 700 BROADWAY ST., LINCOLN, IL

SUSAN K. GEHLBACH
CITY CLERK


LCGHS annual meeting Nov. 18

The Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society's annual meeting and program will be on Monday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Blue Dog Inn, 111 S. Sangamon.

The presenter will be Stewart Reeve, director of the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield. Reeve is a retired brigadier general from the Illinois Army National Guard.

The Illinois National Guard has a history going back 376 years. The museum houses items of interest reflecting that long history and tells of Illinoisans who have served the state and the country since the early 1700's.

The meeting and program are free and open to the public, but diners will be responsible for their meal. Those attending are asked to call the LCGHS office, 732-3200, or Marla Blair, program coordinator, 217-732-9875, to leave your name and the number in your group. 


City of Lincoln fall cleanup schedules: landfill hours and leaf pickup days

For the convenience of Lincoln residents, the city landfill will be open six days a week beginning Tuesday, Oct. 29. Landfill hours will be Tuesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3:50 p.m., and closed on Mondays.

The landfill is specifically for landscape waste. Trash dumping will not be permitted there.

With the new city agreement for commercial mulching, products brought to the landfill by residents should be separated into two categories: wood products and lawn waste, such as plant material and leaves.

Wood waste for mulching is defined as logs, limbs or brush. All wood materials for recycling must be free of all metal or foreign debris, excluding nails and bolts three-eighths inch or smaller. Logs and limbs should be cut to a maximum length of 4 feet.

The landfill will maintain a six-day-a-week schedule through Tuesday, Nov. 26. Afterward the schedule will go back to open hours Saturday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.

The city of Lincoln will also do free leaf pickup inside the city limits. Pickup dates will be scheduled by ward and are as follows:

Ward 1:

  • Monday, Oct. 28

  • Thursday, Nov. 7

  • Wednesday, Nov. 20

Ward 2:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 30

  • Tuesday, Nov. 12

  • Friday, Nov. 22

Ward 3:

  • Friday, Nov. 1

  • Thursday, Nov. 14

  • Monday, Nov. 25

Ward 4:

  • Tuesday, Nov. 5

  • Monday, Nov. 18

  • Monday, Dec. 2

Leaves are to be placed in biodegradable bags at the curb by 7 a.m. the day of the scheduled pickup for your ward.


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