Organizations,  Events,  Milestones,

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

Diaspora,  Reunions,  Reminiscence

November 2001

Friday and Saturday, Nov. 16-17
SPONSOR: Clark's Greenhouse and Herbal Garden
WHO: Public
WHAT: Christmas open house and tour
WHERE: Clark's Greenhouse and Herbal Garden, San Jose

Saturday, Nov. 17
SPONSOR: Washington-Monroe School
WHO: Public
WHAT: Rummage and bake sale with Christmas gift ideas; door prizes given; proceeds go to the Angel Tree
WHERE: Washington-Monroe School gym, 1002 Pekin St.
WHEN: 7 am-noon

SPONSOR: Kiwanis
WHO: Public
WHAT: Spaghetti dinner
WHERE: American Legion Home, 1740 Fifth St.
WHEN: 4-7 pm

SPONSOR: Atlanta A-Team
WHO: Public
WHAT: Soup supper followed by Atlanta Community Band concert
WHERE: Atlanta Christian Church
WHEN: 5-7 pm

Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17-18
WHO: Public
WHAT: Christmas on Vinegar Hill
WHERE: Mount Pulaski
WHEN: 8 am - 5 pm Saturday; noon-4 pm Sunday 

Sunday, Nov. 18
SPONSOR: Lincoln Lady Railers basketball team
WHO: Public
WHAT: Pancake and sausage breakfast
WHERE: American Legion, 1740 Fifth St.
WHEN: 7 am - 1 pm

WHO: Public
WHAT: "Community of Thanks" concert
WHERE: Earl C Hargrove Chapel at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary
WHEN: 4 pm

Tuesday, Nov. 20
SPONSOR: Lincoln Public Library
WHO: Public
WHAT: "Herbal Seasons," with Tracy Kirby
WHERE: Lincoln Public Library, 725 Pekin St.
WHEN: 7 pm

Wednesday, Nov. 21
SPONSOR: Lincoln Elementary School District 27
WHO: Public
WHAT: Red Cross blood drive
WHERE: Lincoln Sports Complex
WHEN: noon - 6 pm

Friday, Nov. 23-Sunday, Dec. 2
PREMIER SPONSOR: Lincoln Land Communications; presented by Main Street Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation
WHO: Public
WHAT: Festival of Trees
WHERE: Logan County Courthouse
WHEN: Monday-Saturday, 9 am - 7 pm; Sunday, noon-6 pm; open till 8:30 pm Nov. 27 and 29

Saturday, Nov. 24-Wednesday, 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

Saturday, Nov. 24
SPONSOR: Lincoln Park District
WHO: Public
WHAT: Pride of the Prairie folk art and craft show
WHERE: 900 Primm Road
WHEN: 8 am - 4 pm

PREMIER SPONSOR: Lincoln Land Communications
WHO: Public; reservations required
WHAT: Festival of Trees Gala
WHERE: Knights of Columbus Hall

Tuesday, Nov. 27
SPONSOR: Local Looking for Lincoln committees
WHO: Public
WHAT: Candlelight courthouse tour
WHERE: Logan County Courthouse
WHEN: 6-8 pm

Thursday, Nov. 29
SPONSOR: OSF St. Joseph Medical Center
WHO: Public; preregistration required; call 1 (800) 407-4557
WHAT: Life Line Screening (stroke prevention and osteoporosis screening)
WHERE: Friendship Manor

SPONSOR: Oasis senior citizens center
WHO: Public; fee
WHAT: Chili supper and bake sale
WHERE: 501 Pulaski St.
WHEN: 4-7 pm

CO-SPONSORS: City of Lincoln and Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce
WHO: Public
WHAT: Christmas parade
WHERE: Courthouse square in downtown Lincoln
WHEN: 7 pm

SPONSOR: Lincoln Christian College
WHO: Public; tickets sold in advance only
WHAT: "Christmas in the Chapel"
WHERE: Lincoln Christian College chapel
WHEN: 7:30 pm

Friday, Nov. 30
SPONSOR: Lincoln Christian College
WHO: Public; tickets sold in advance only
WHAT: "Christmas in the Chapel"
WHERE: Lincoln Christian College chapel
WHEN: 7:30 pm

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

The Mason City Museum will be two years old Nov. 18. The grand opening, in 1999, featured an art exhibit of area sites. The displays were done in all media by numerous local artists.  The following year’s anniversary exhibit featured more home talent in works of fiber, textile, woods, metal, hunter art and more.

Displays rotating every three months during the last two years have included "Historic Town Sites," "Mason City Establishments 1860s-1900s," Civil War, Gordon Buehrig, all area schools, "Salute to Veterans," "Town Talents," Easter, Christmas Parade of Trees and the present "Town Memorabilia."

On Sunday, Nov. 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. museum volunteers will greet the public for the current exhibit. Gala second anniversary celebrations will be in conjunction with the city’s Christmas celebrations on Sunday, Dec. 2. The official second anniversary celebration for the museum will feature Mason City Historical Society members in old-fashioned attire. The museum will be decorated for Christmas and feature an "Emily" tree. Lifetime member Emily Penewitt has donated her period Christmas decorations to the Mason City Historical Society since she will be moving to California.  The society will thank her with this tribute tree, which will be judged in the Parade of Trees competition.

The public as well as all museum guild members, lifetime members of the historical society and annual members are invited to attend the second anniversary celebration of the Mason City Museum, 120 N. Main St. The Dec. 2 event begins at 3 p.m.

The Kiwanis club will host a spaghetti dinner Saturday, Nov. 17. The meal, including drink, pie and salad, will be served from 4 to 7 p.m. at the American Legion Home, 1740 Fifth St. The proceeds will support youth projects. Donations are $5 each; there is no charge for children under age 6.

Larry K. Knowles, a former resident of Lincoln, now of Springfield, was appointed and installed Grand Sentential at the 127^th annual Grand Chapter Session of the Order of the Eastern Star at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield. The session was Oct. 2 and 3.

Larry is a graduate of Lincoln High School and the son of Kenneth Knowles and the late Clarice Knowles.

The public is invited to the "Community of Thanks" concert on Sunday, Nov. 18, at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary in Lincoln. The concert will be at 4 p.m. at the Earl C Hargrove Chapel. Lincoln area choirs and soloists will perform.

Festival of Trees needs tree sitters

The Festival of Trees in Lincoln is looking for individuals and organizations willing to volunteer at the festival site as tree sitters. The festival runs Nov. 23-Dec. 2. It will be open at the Logan County Courthouse 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For the candlelight courthouse tour on Tuesday, Nov. 27, and the Christmas parade on Thursday, Nov. 29, the Festival of Trees will be open until 8:30 p.m.

Tree sitters welcome visitors, assist with voting for a people’s choice award, sell tickets for the public raffle tree and keep watch over the trees. They generally work two-hour shifts.

People interested in tree sitting should contact Georgia Vinson at 732-9069.

The Festival of Trees is presented by Main Street Lincoln and the Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation. Lincoln Land Communications is the premier sponsor.

Logan County Christmas tree project

The 2001 Logan County Christmas tree project in the Logan County Courthouse rotunda is being sponsored by Logan County residents again this holiday season. The 18-foot tree is displayed annually from mid-November through the holiday season. All ornaments have been donated by area residents.

Churches, businesses, families, schools, service clubs, organizations and individuals are again encouraged to donate ornaments.

•  The ornament should not exceed 6 inches square or weigh more than 8 ounces.

•  All ornaments must be submitted in an appropriate size box for future storage.

•  All ornaments will be identified, labeled and recorded in a permanent register on display at the tree location.

Label information sheets may be picked up at the security guard desk at the Logan County Courthouse, or people can contact Mrs. Ted (Judy) Awe, 123 Crestwood Drive, Lincoln, IL 62656-1360; phone (217) 732-4758.

Ornaments will be received at the security guard desk in the Logan County Courthouse beginning Nov. 1.

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

Schedule

Nov. 20 — "Herbal Seasons," with Tracy Kirby. How to grow, harvest and store herbs.

Dec. 11 — "Herbal Holidays," with Tracy Kirby. Holiday cooking, decorating and making gifts with herbs.

Girl Scouts announcements

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

• Girl Scout Jamboree Railsplitter event:  weekend of Logan County Railsplitter Festival; Janice Greer, event coordinator.

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.

We have been notified by the Legal Assistance Foundation that due to the ongoing high volume of cases the attorney will only draft wills, powers of attorney or living wills in cases involving potential financial exploitation or abuse of the senior. Advice will be offered on wills, powers of attorney or living wills, and blank forms will also be provided. If a senior wants a lawyer to draft the documents and there is not an exploitation or abuse issue, that person will have to retain a private attorney.

Election of board members is covered by the existing bylaws in the following manner: A nominating committee is charged with the responsibility of forming a slate of nominees. All names of candidates must be presented to the nominating committee in writing and be postmarked by Dec. 1. Anyone wishing to be considered or to nominate an individual to serve on the board must do so before the close of business at 4 p.m. on Dec. 1.

Glaucoma screening

On Friday, Nov. 16, a doctor will be at the Oasis from 9 a.m. to noon to provide screening for glaucoma. Please call for an appointment for this free service.

We have many seats available for the Nov. 17 trip to the Atlanta chili supper. For a cost of $6, you will have transportation and a meal. The group will leave the Oasis at 5 p.m. Call for a reservation.

We are sorry to inform you that the Nov. 18 trip for the Third Sunday Market Antiques in Bloomington has been canceled.

Join us Monday, Nov. 19, for a special topic presented by Mary Conklen, R.N., of the Logan-Mason County Mental Health, a division of MHCCI. Her topic is "Depression in the
Older Adult."

We still have several seats available for the trip to the state fairgrounds on Tuesday, Nov. 20, for the annual Festival of Trees. The cost is $8 for transportation. Lunch on your own will be at Arturo’s. The group will leave the Oasis at 9:30 a.m.

The special bingo drawing for lunch at McDonald’s was won by Joan Morgan.

The daytime pinochle winner for Nov. 2 was Mable Hoagland. Ruth Aper won on Nov. 6

Friday night’s pinochle winner was Esther Will. The Five in One winners were Ken McCray, Tom Garrision and Joann Eckert. Harley Heath and Alice Thornton tied for pool honors. Harley Heath won pool honors on Sunday night.

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 Illinos Extension will host a series of educational presentations from September through May. Anyone and everyone is welcome. Programs will be at the Extension office at the northwest corner of the fairgrounds, 980 N. Postville Drive.

Milestones

[OCT. 30, 2001]  Every year for 18 years now hundreds of people, some working all year long with a passion, have been giving of their time, money, talents and other gifts. Most of the work culminates on one particular Saturday in late October called the Harvest of Talents. Why do they do this? They all do it to help people who need help and can’t help themselves.

[Click here to view photos from the Harvest of Talents]

Disasters due to drought and famine, hurricane or typhoon, earthquake or flood leave millions suffering and hungry.

Proceeds from the Harvest of Talents sale and benefits all go to International Disaster Emergency Service, a reliable Christian relief organization that goes to the people and sees that they get the food and medical help they need.

The cumulative total from years past was $726,017.21 in Harvest of Talents. With this year’s total to date, $66,101.92, the overall total is $792,119.13. Another $3,000 is expected in from bags of Idaho potatoes that are donated and sold.

[LDN]

[OCT. 22, 2001]  Whether it’s on the ground or in the air, aviation careers participant, mentor and aspiring pilot Ryan Wells loves aviation. The 16-year-old LCHS sophomore spends all of his free time working and volunteering out at the airport for Logan County and Heritage in Flight museum. His mother, Dawn, says, "Ryan never complains about going to work. He’s out there every weekend." How many high school kids do you know who never complain and love to go to work?

Wells has his driver’s license and is working toward getting his pilot’s license in two to three years. Wells says he really appreciates his flight instructor, Larry Whitbeck, who mentors and helps him in whatever way he can. It takes a lot of money and consistent effort to get a pilot’s license, but Wells is accumulating flight time, planning and saving for it. He hopes to have it when he enters college. With enthusiasm he says, "I’ll be one step ahead if I can do that!"

Then he’ll work on attaining more difficult affiliated licenses: ground instructor’s license, instrument rating, commercial rating... More licenses and higher ratings mean you can fly more, better and different airplanes. While in college he intends to join the Air National Guard and hopefully, following that, join the Air Force. Then he plans to go on to become a commercial pilot.

Wells recently received special recognition for his efforts restoring and presenting information about a historic modern-day military aircraft, the F-4 Phantom II fighter plane that is on display out at Heritage in Flight museum. Retired Air Force Lt. Col. John J. Harty from Brighton, Mo. presented an award to Wells, quipping, "Anybody who would actually want to work on and paint something that big and that ugly deserves something for it."

Wells listened closely as Harty, who worked on the plane primarily as an engineering supervisor for McDonnell-Douglas, shared some of his expertise on the aircraft. Harty told Wells that when he was first introduced to the F-4 he thought it was an ugly aircraft. He didn’t think they’d sell any. He pointed out that they were built tough and not for beauty, and they could fight a lot in battles. One of the problems they had was that in dogfights they couldn’t turn very well. Harty worked on ways to make them turn better, take more G’s and maneuver faster. "It is a strong craft, taking battle damage unlike other airplanes, [noted for] bringing pilots home safely," he said.

Harty once had opportunity to fly in an F-4 when he was invited on a trip to Washington, D.C. to discuss plans to incorporate the then "newly developed inch-thick, impact-resistant Plexiglas as a windshield for it."

Wells, Jack Burke and John Holmes worked on painting and fixing up the museum’s F-4 all summer. Originally a U.S. Navy airplane, it is now painted camouflage in the Air Force colors.

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With the painting and details nearly complete, Wells says, "We’re now looking ahead to painting and touching up other military planes and vehicles: the T-36, the A-7 and maybe even the firetruck."

Wells recognizes the importance keeping the displays looking good. He holds to the model set forth, "Nobody comes to see a junkyard. They come to see a museum." He and other members are always working to "touch stuff up, making it look better." The inside of the museum has also recently been repainted, and Wells helped move in some of the new display cases that have been reorganized with expanded displays.

One of Wells’ favorite experiences was this last summer when North American Top Gun came to town. He was given two hours of flight training in their SNJ World War II trainer (more commonly known as the T-6) for assisting them with loading passengers during their weekend program here. He was allowed to do the startup and taxi in this historic aircraft. In flight they did figure eights and aileron rolls. "That’s something that really excites me," he says.

Wells began working out at the airport in August 2000. He is paid by Logan County to work at the airport on weekends, mowing, doing office work and pumping fuel. He also volunteers regularly for Heritage in Flight, filling in wherever he is needed.

For the open house on Sunday, Oct. 8, he was out at the static displays explaining the A-7. He has gained much of his knowledge from pilots who have flown those aircraft. Visiting pilots share their personal experiences. He listens and takes notes. He also studies forms and manuals, learning all the instruments and gathering the details of each aircraft. He then makes it his task to relay that information with interest to his audience, recognizing, "Younger kids want to know what the levers and buttons do and where the weapons and their controls are located. So I explain the basics and try to keep them interested. You start getting too specific with them, you’ll lose them."

Wells speaks with enthusiasm about the new aviation careers program at Heritage in Flight. As part of his volunteer work he goes to schools and speaks to the subject-related mathematics and science teachers, recruiting for the program.

Fifth-grade through high school youth interested in aviation are invited to participate in the program. It meets the first Sunday of every month from 2 to 4 p.m. at the airport. Advanced registration is all that is required. Many members of the HIF help support the program, producing charts, flyers, teaching about gravity, thrust, lift, drag and aviation career opportunities.

A special one-week aviation careers program is planned for this summer, when there will be workshops providing more in-depth exposure to the aviation field, including field trips to other airports and museums. This program will be limited in enrollment, with qualification and selection based on aviation knowledge or past attendance at sessions offered during the school year.

Although Wells is the first official cadet in the aviation careers program hosted by Heritage in Flight, he follows in the footsteps of many predecessors. In recent years Nick Fleshman, Aaron Gray and Brad Boss have been mentored and are currently participating full-time in aviation.

Twice coated with 10-year paint, the F-4 will need a new Ryan Wells to care for her in the future, someone who will go on teaching others about aeronautics and history with his same enthusiasm and commitment.

[Jan Youngquist]

Fund-raisers

[NOV. 3, 2001]  Reaching the age of 100 is, by today’s standards, a milestone all its own. Reaching that age without ever receiving so much as a single traffic ticket is pushing miracle status. Or as Harold Woodhull, Lincoln’s 100-year-young and still-driving resident, would put it, basic "luck."

Despite being now one full century in age, Woodhull, a widower, has never spent a day in the hospital. As a younger man, he did spend some time working as a mechanic while enlisted with Great Lakes Aviation out of Chicago. And he spent time in New York and in Boston as the captain of a 45-foot yacht, until, citing reasons unknown, "The Navy confiscated them, and we had to use the smaller boats." To which he says, "I didn’t like them as much; they weren’t long enough."

In the living room of his well-set one bedroom home, Woodhull keeps many sizable, framed pictures that he says have the look of the ships he once helmed. Between them, another portrait, a vast, cultivated farming region, is reminiscent, he says, of "a large plantation I worked on in Charleston, S.C." In addition, Woodhull keeps on an end table a set of stoic black-and-white pictures of his only daughter, Grace (Houchin), who also is a resident of Lincoln.

Though by his own assertion "old," Woodhull appears by no means to be slowing down. He says he began driving in 1913, making him at the time just over the age of 12. He hasn’t stopped since. Having renewed his driver’s license a few weeks ago, he shows it off proudly to anyone who asks. A spokesperson for the Lincoln driver’s license examining office says they "had no problem passing Woodhull [on his driver’s test]" and that faced with the choice of riding on an extended trip with either Mr. Woodhull or a fresh-faced, 16-year-old rookie in the driver’s seat, Woodhull would be the choice, "hands down."

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"I spent three years in the Coast Guard and four years in the Navy," said Woodhull. "I’d go help [the military] fight today if they needed me. But I think I'm too old now."

It is perhaps this type of spirit that keeps him going so strong behind the wheel. But don’t confuse strong with fast. "Nah, I don’t speed," says Woodhull, his claim backed by the aforementioned perfect driving record. "When you’re young, that’s the first thing you do," he continued. "You get in the car and right away you see how fast you can go. But when you’re older, your attitude changes."

Asked if he thought he might ever get a ticket, he responded with a large smile, "I hope not!

"I’ve only been in one wreck my entire life, 10 years ago, and that wasn’t even my fault," he said. "Her insurance paid for everything. She was sick, though, so she shouldn’t have been driving."

You can spot Woodhull sporting about, cautiously, in his 1978 Pontiac on his way down the street to his daughter’s or off grocery shopping, both of which he says he does often. "I don’t get out as much as I’d like to anymore, but I guess I do drive about once a day," he says. "But you have to be careful. There’s a lot of bad drivers, you know?"

[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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