Organizations,  Events,  Milestones,

Good Neighbors,  Fund-raisers,  A Day in the Life...,

Diaspora,  Reunions,  Reminiscence

December 2001

through Dec. 26
SPONSOR: Michelle's Home and Garden
WHO: Public, by admission
WHAT: Winter Wonderland Walk
WHERE: 1014 N. Kickapoo
WHEN: Monday-Saturday, 11 am-8 pm; Sundays 1-8 pm

Tuesday, Dec. 18
SPONSOR: American Red Cross
WHO: Public; by preregistration
WHAT: CPR and first aid class; first of two sessions
WHERE: 125 S. Kickapoo
WHEN: 6-10 pm

SPONSOR: Lincoln Public Library
WHO: Public
WHAT: "Herbal Holidays," with Tracy Kirby
WHERE: Lincoln Public Library, 725 Pekin St.
WHEN: 7 pm

SPONSOR: Lincoln Community High School
WHO: Public
WHAT: Christmas concert -- band and choir
WHERE: Lincoln Community High School auditorium
WHEN: 7 pm

Wednesday, Dec. 19
SPONSOR: Woody Jones Insurance Agency
WHO: Public
WHAT: Red Cross blood drive
WHERE: Lincoln Sports Complex
WHEN: Noon to 5 pm

Thursday, Dec. 20
SPONSOR: American Red Cross
WHO: Public; by preregistration
WHAT: CPR and first aid class; second of two sessions
WHERE: 125 S. Kickapoo
WHEN: 5-10 pm

SPONSOR: Main Street Lincoln and the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce
WHO: Public; ticket holders must be present to win
WHAT: Ho Ho Dough holiday cash giveaway
WHERE: North side of Logan County Courthouse
WHEN: 6 pm

Saturday, Dec. 22
SPONSOR: Lincoln Correctional Center employees
WHO: Public
WHAT: Christmas dinner for senior citizens and low-income families of our community; reservations required
WHERE: Eagles Lodge, 1621 N. Kickapoo
WHEN: 11 am - 2 pm

REGULAR POSTINGS FOR ORGANIZATIONS:  CIEDC,  Girl Scouts,  Heritage in Flight,  Oasis,  U of I Extension

The city of Lincoln’s landfill on Broadwell Drive returns to regular hours starting the week of Sunday, Dec. 2, according to Street Superintendent Donnie Osborne. The landfill had been open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for leaf and other yard trash disposal. Regular hours, which resume, are Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Checks should be made payable to Habitat for Humanity. All proceeds will be used to aid Habitat for Humanity of Logan County in building more homes for deserving families.

Holiday time. Thinking about what to get the kids for Christmas? How about something that will really wow them, and you can have fun too.

Lincoln held its first soapbox derby this past summer. If you came out and watched the downhill races on North Kickapoo Street during the Art and Balloon Fest, then you know it’s a family affair that provides lots of fun, camaraderie and thrills.

There is still time to order a kit from the national organization and have it delivered for Christmas. Orders must be received in Akron by the first week in December.

Order blanks are available from any of the five soapbox derby committee members listed below. They will assist you when filling out the order blank. For those who would like to design and build their own car, the committee can help with the technical things you will encounter.

So, if you have a son or daughter, including the physically handicapped, who will be 7 years old by race day, they will be able to experience the thrill of racing.

The Lincoln Downhillers 2002 race will be bigger and better than last year. We have learned from last year, and we are going to have a "rip-roarin’" time in 2002.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas from the committee:

Tom Kissel, Bill Martinie, Wayne Lolling, Duane Petty, Bob Steele

The Lincoln Public Library has one adult program remaining on the schedule for this year. The presentation is in the Pegram Community Room at the library, 725 Pekin St., and begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free. Seating is on a first-come basis.

•  Dec. 18 — "Herbal Holidays," with Tracy Kirby. Holiday cooking, decorating and making gifts with herbs.  [Note:  This program was rescheduled.]

"Grand Staff" is the one day a year when all employees of Central Illinois Economic Development Corporation get together at the same place and time for a potluck lunch. The event recognizes fellow employees and reminds the staff of what they stand for. This year’s theme was United We Stand.

This year’s Employee of the Year is Mary Elston, who was honored with a plaque and standing ovation. Mary was selected by a committee of independent volunteers outside the agency from nominees suggested by co-workers. Twenty-five members submitted nomination forms for 10 employees.

Service Award pins were presented to the following staff for years of service: five years — Angie Fitzsimmons, Suzie Jockisch, Michelle Henry, Patsy Reedy, Charles Hamilton, Heather Youngren and Vickie Buss; 10 years — John Coleman and Peggy Brocaille; 15 years — Lisa Thompson; 20 years — Daisy Phillips.

This year’s meeting included karaoke and a mystery guest. Door prizes were given and there was a 50-50 drawing. Dee Altman won the drawing and quickly donated it back to Community Service for Community Action.

CIEDC serves DeWitt, Fulton, Logan, Mason, Menard and Piatt counties.

For more information about CIEDC and its programs, you may call your county’s local office listed under Community Action or CIEDC’s administrative offices at (217) 732-2159.

Girl Scouts announcements

• Girl Scout leader meetings:  the first Thursday of each month, at the usual time and place.

Websites with lots of ideas that Girl Scout leaders, families or kids can use:

makingfriends.com

crayola.com

elmers.com 

See the website for Girl Scouts, Land of Lincoln Council, at http://www.girlscoutsllc.org/.

You can send questions and suggestions to the council by clicking here: gsllc@girlscoutsllc.org.

Also, see the national Girl Scouts site at http://www.girlscouts.org/.

Oasis update

The Oasis, Logan County’s senior citizen center, at 501 Pulaski St. in Lincoln, is open weekdays (except holidays) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center also is open on Friday and Sunday nights for table games. Dominic Dalpoas is the executive director. Activities are open to all Logan County senior citizens,  regardless of membership.

Christmas gift shop

At the Oasis you may complete your shopping for those special items you just can’t seem to find in the malls. Our crafters have been very busy and are sure you will find just what you need for Christmas giving.

Game winners

The daytime pinochle winner for both Nov. 30 and Dec. 4 was Marie Spaits. The Friday night pinochle winner was Esther Will. Harley Heath won pool honors.

Newsletter

Friends of the Oasis members receive bimonthly newsletters by mail. For more information, people can call the Oasis at 732-6132 or 732-5844.

The local office of the University of Illinois Extension is hosting a series of educational presentations. Anyone and everyone is welcome. Programs will be at the Extension office at the northwest corner of the fairgrounds, 980 N. Postville Drive.

Milestones

Deadline is here and car is available for family in need

[DEC. 13, 2001]  Last year, LDN covered a human-interest story related to a car. Erv Guyett, owner of Collision Concepts, decided to give a much-needed Christmas present to one family in the community. He donated a 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier to be given to the person or people determined to be the most in need. He contacted the Department of Human Services and asked for the name of a family in need.

The family chosen was that of Frank Watts. Frank was a congestive heart failure patient, and he needed the car to get to and from the hospital for treatments. He and his wife, Michelle, were very grateful to Erv Guyett and said they wished more companies and organizations would follow his lead.

[Click here for the story in the LDN archives.]

[Click here for picture.]

Well, as far as we know, no other organizations have followed yet, but Erv Guyett continues to lead. This year he is donating a 1990 Buick Century to a family in need; and he has once again turned to the DHS for a name.

DHS has issued a call for any family who is in need of a vehicle to come and fill out a form for consideration. The deadline for these forms is today, Dec. 13. If you wish to be considered, contact DHS today. You can call for information at 735-2306.

[LDN]

Habitat workers keep skills honed

[DEC. 12, 2001]  Central Illinois Economic Development Corporation was contacted last month by the mother of a disabled child who resides in Lincoln. The child is wheelchair-bound, and the family had a hard time getting her up and down the steps of their home.

CIEDC contacted George Dahmm, president of the Logan County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. George and his crew gladly agreed to build the wheelchair ramp for this family. CIEDC then contacted Mitchell-Newhouse Lumber Company. They were glad to donate all the material the crew needed to build the wheelchair ramp.

The ramp is now completed. CIEDC says "thanks" to George Dahmm and his crew at Habitat for Humanity and to Mitchell-Newhouse Lumber Company. It’s always nice to see people in the community join together to help someone in need.

[From Central Illinois Economic Development Corporation, C.A.P. Bulletin]

LCHS Toys for Tots

[DEC. 7, 2001]  The Christmas season is here once again. Due to the recent events that have engulfed our nation, this season will stand to be like none of the others. An outpouring of support and charitable contributions for those in need have been some of the positive outcomes of the Sept. 11 tragedies. People from all over the nation have really made an effort to give something back.

[Photo provided by LCHS]

At one point the consumer market had taken a direct blow, but as everyone’s favorite holiday approaches, it’s easy to see that people have gone back out to shop, and with a vengeance. It’s actually one of the small things you can do to help this country get back on track. Go out and spend a little bit more this year. But don’t forget to take note of the fact there are many people out there who don’t have the luxury of being able to spend to their heart’s desire on gifts for their loved ones.

A sad fact is that many people aren’t able to share in the full splendor of the season, due to their financial circumstances. What’s even worse is that many of those people are small children. That’s why the LCHS student government, in conjunction with the Central Illinois Economic Development Center, is once again sponsoring the annual Toys for Tots toy drive at LCHS.

[to top of second column in this article]

The student government reached their goal last year, and they’ll be working hard this year to achieve their goal of 500 toys and $1,500 in donations. This year’s drive is being headed by Jennifer Buffington, president of the student body.

From Dec. 5 through 15 people can leave their gifts under the Christmas tree located just outside the school’s main office. For those of you who would like to donate money, containers will be located in the cafeteria during lunch hours.

Anyone who has any questions may contact Jennifer Buffington at (217) 737-7363.

All donations will be greatly appreciated by the student government, but even more so by a special child within the community.

When asked what motivated her to help put together this year’s toy drive, Jennifer simply said, "I just hope we make a lot of kids smile this Christmas."

[Stacey Willis, LCHS public relations chairman]

Fund-raisers

What makes this mayor tick

[DEC. 13, 2001]  Instinctively she took the bad chair. …Perhaps we should examine why.

Was it because she is a humble leader, confident enough not to have to worry what someone might think had they entered the room to see her seated lower than everybody else? Yes. Was it due to a mother’s nature? A nature that will unconsciously cause one to instantly hand away the best to everybody else first? That too. Or could an excessive dissection of our mayor’s behavioral protocol be avoided by merely chalking it all up to one simple word…? Again, yes. And that word is heart.

"This is in no way a part-time job," Mayor Davis said, at first laughingly, then quickly sliding into a more serious demeanor when preparing to explain the overall hours involved. In order to maintain her natural humbleness, Davis prefers to veer away from specific details and how-tos of handling the office’s day-to-day workload, instead taking the "Speak softly — carry a big stick" approach to fielding questions. By the same token the mayor is an outright passionate person, making no attempt to hide that fact when addressing issues which are important to growing this community — the community she has been asked to lead.

Davis knows that her task cannot be done without the strong, team-oriented work force she has to support her. "I'm really proud of this staff," she says. "There is so much hard work done here by so many strong, positive thinkers, and they are the ones who are usually behind the scenes. This town is so blessed to have them. I'm blessed just to be working with them."

But make no mistake, Davis, although passing credit along to seemingly everyone but herself, is hands down, The Chief.

"I guess ‘peacemaker,’" she says, when asked to summarize her position in one word. "That’s probably the term I’d use to describe myself and this office because I spend so much time doing [just that]. But it’s also important to always do everything you can to bring out the best in people in the process."

Which brings it back to an aspect of that one simple word, heart. The heart to care about "every single person’s perspective and even their agenda, whether or not it’s right in line with yours," she says.

But a mere caring heart is one thing. The stronger side of that word is having enough of it to continue carrying out each person’s ideas, in accordance, of course, with what’s best for the city. It’s something she’s had to do with what she says are "the broad shoulders of a mother," digging into her leadership skills as the head of a household to become exactly that for this community. With two very active children, early on she realized that not much, if anything at all, "will get accomplished with a ‘me-me’ attitude."

[to top of second column in this article]

And although she is by her own admission, "here to help" (a phrase she says, when asked, that she wouldn’t mind having posted on her desk in contrast to Truman’s famous 'The Buck Stops Here" mantle), Mayor Davis has absolutely no problem having final say, even if those she wants to help don’t feel she’s doing that with her decisions.

"I’d rather make a decision than not," Davis continues, "I’ve worked 23 years for the state, and I’m a mother. I’ve learned not to waste my, or other peoples,’ valuable time by not being strong enough to handle a tough decision. You have to be focused, but you have to be ready to make the call. Usually, it’s the final call."

Davis says she doesn’t try to hide the fact that she always looks to God first for peace of mind and for the ability to make those tough calls. "God is what gets me through," she says, "I go to Him first."

When looking to a more physical icon, the mayor tries to follow the same authoritative patterns of her own personal hero, Abraham Lincoln. "He (Lincoln) came from humble beginnings," recalls Davis reflectively, taking a moment to lean back and smile at just the thought of the former president. "He was always thinking outside of the box, and just the fact that that great man was right here, working in this town… I just love that. What history."

History indeed. Armed with a phenomenally extensive knowledge of the past, Mayor Davis uses that to keep herself, and her staff, better prepared for the future. "It keeps you humble," Davis says of being well-studied on history’s biggest successes and errors. "If nothing else, it definitely keeps you humble."

Humble enough that when three people, at a table with three chairs, one of them low to the ground and all but broken, prepare to take a seat, Mayor Davis instantly, perhaps instinctively, chooses that which no one else would care to sit in, or for that matter, be seen in. A genuine sign of not just humbleness but also a strong dose of that one word that is best used to describe her — heart.

[Colin Bird]

People all across this country and, in fact, around the world, claim roots in Logan County. They have very interesting stories to tell, and some of them like to connect with those of us who stayed at home. Logan County Diaspora publishes the stories of former Logan County residents. With their permission, we also include their e-mail addresses so that old friends might be reunited.  If you wish to be part of the Logan County Diaspora, e-mail ldneditor@lincolndailynews.com.  

Diaspora correspondents

Click on names to see letters and stories.

v Indicates LDN sponsors

• Wanda Whitson Aue

• Brad Boss

• Charles Brainard

• James 'Doc' Chandler

• Brad Dye

• Wayne and Nancy (Hatfield) Eichelberger

• Wayne Franz

• Philip Gehlbach

• Leigh Henson  v

• Bill Horn  v

• Dale A. Lowe

• George A. McKinney

• Len and Rita Remmert

• Tom Renner

• Tom Rippon

• Traycee Ritchhart-Pirkle

• Greg Schriber

• Stan Stringer

• Donald Weindorf  v

• Denise Radcliffe Wood

• Tom and Kristy (Smith) Yarcho

Reunions

Ongoing class reunion in cyberspace for 1960 graduates of LCHS

http://www.geocities.com/lincolnhigh1960/

Reminiscence

• "Lincoln Lakes beach," by Stan Stringer, posted July 10, 2001, in LDN

• "Stan Stringer tells story of Mark Holland’s buzzing of Lincoln," posted May 11, 2001

• "Leigh Henson, now a college teacher in Missouri, remembers Miss Jones, Jefferson School principal," posted March 29, 2001

• "Foreign Service officer recalls infamous Valentine's Day '79 in Tehran," by George McKinney, posted Feb. 15, 2001

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