OrganizationsEventsMilestones,

Good NeighborsFund-raisersA Day in the Life...,

DiasporaFamily and Friends in the Armed Forces,  

ReunionsReminiscence

February 2002


Thursday, Feb. 28
SPONSOR: American Red Cross
WHO: By preregistration; call 732-2134 noon-4 pm weekdays or (217) 522-3357 at other times
WHAT: Class covering adult CPR, infant and child CPR, and first aid (second of two sessions)
WHERE: 125 S. Kickapoo St.
WHEN: 5-10 pm

 

March 2002


Sunday, March 3
WHO: Public
WHAT: Open house
WHERE: Logan County Courthouse and Dr. John Logan County Building
WHEN: 1-3 pm

Tuesday, March 5
SPONSOR: Lincoln Writers' Club
WHO:
Anyone interested in writing
WHAT: Monthly meeting
WHERE: Pegram Room at Lincoln Public Library, 725 Pekin St.
WHEN: 6 pm

SPONSOR: Habitat for Humanity of Logan County
WHO:
Public
WHAT: Harlem Ambassadors basketball team performance
WHERE: Gaston Arena at Lincoln Christian College
WHEN: 7 pm

Friday, March 8
SPONSOR: Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce Government/Education Committee
WHO: Public; RSVP to 735-2385
WHAT: "Meet the State Candidates Breakfast"
WHERE: Room 49, Restoration Hall, Lincoln Christian College and Seminary
WHEN: 7:30-9 am

Saturday, March 9
SPONSOR: St. John United Church of Christ
WHO:
Public
WHAT: Craft show

WHERE: 204 Seventh St.
WHEN: 8 am - 3 pm; lunch available 11 am - 1:30 pm

SPONSOR: Beta Sigma Phi
WHO:
Public
WHAT: "School Daze" benefit dance for school supply project for area children

WHERE: Moose Lodge, 521 N. Kickapoo
WHEN: 8-11 pm

Sunday, March 10
SPONSOR: Atlanta Fire Department
WHO:
Public
WHAT: Pancake and sausage breakfast

WHERE: Atlanta firehouse
WHEN: Beginning at 7 am

Tuesday, March 12
SPONSOR: U of I Extension
WHO: Public
WHAT: “Salads,” presented by Jananne Finck, nutrition and wellness educator, Springfield
WHERE: Extension office, 980 N. Postville Drive
WHEN: Noon - 1 pm

Thursday, March 14
SPONSOR: Logan County Arts Association
WHO:
Public
WHAT: Classic Film Night showing of "On the Waterfront"

WHERE: Lincoln Cinemas
WHEN: 7 pm

Saturday, March 23
WHAT: Children's Community Health Fair
WHERE: Lincoln Park District ballroom, 1400 Primm Road

Saturday, March 30
WHO: Public
WHAT: Annual Lake Fork Community Sale

WHERE: Lake Fork
WHEN: Breakfast starts at 7 am

SPONSOR: Lincoln Park District
WHO:
Public
WHAT: Easter egg hunt

WHERE: Lincoln Park District, 1400 Primm Road
WHEN: 10 am


SPECIAL EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Parrishes honored as Paul Harris Fellow recipientsLincoln court will rock in one weekLogan County Courthouse and Dr. John Logan County Building open house invitation, Beta Sigma Phi plans ‘School Daze’ benefit danceHOI scholarship program seeks applicants

REGULAR POSTINGS FOR ORGANIZATIONS:  Girl ScoutsLincoln Writers’ ClubOasisU of I ExtensionRotaryYMCA


SPECIAL EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lincoln court will rock in one week

The Harlem Ambassadors are being hosted in Lincoln by Habitat for Humanity of Logan County. The basketball team will be performing Tuesday, March 5, at 7 p.m. at the new Lincoln Christian College Gaston Arena.

Advance tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for senior citizens and $5 for children under 12. At the door, tickets at the door will be $12 for adults, $9 for senior citizens and $7 for children. Tickets can be purchased in Lincoln at the IGA, A.G. Edwards and Union Planters Bank.

For more information contact Habitat at P.O. Box 714 or phone (217) 732-6234.

[Click here for related article.]


Logan County Courthouse and Dr. John Logan County Building open house invitation

You are invited to attend an open house on Sunday, March 3, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Logan County Courthouse and at the Dr. John Logan County Building, 122 N. McLean St. in Lincoln.

Many offices have switched locations within the courthouse, and some have moved to the Dr. John Logan County Building, one block away, across from the Lincoln Public Library. The offices will be open for viewing, and county officials are looking forward to greeting everyone.

Refreshments will be served.

For background information, see LDN posting from Dec. 27, 2001:  "County officials trade spaces." 

 


Beta Sigma Phi plans ‘School Daze’ benefit dance

Members of local chapters of Beta Sigma Phi have been preparing for their "School Daze" benefit to help cover expenses of the annual school bag project for Lincoln students.

Each year students are screened through CIEDC for eligibility for this program provided by Beta Sigma Phi. Students who meet the qualifications are provided with a school bag and all of their school supplies for the upcoming school year. The number of eligible students rises each year. For the 2001-2002 school year, bags and supplies were provided for over 80 children. All proceeds from Beta Sigma Phi yearly projects go toward this program.

The benefit dance is scheduled for Saturday, March 9, from 8 to 11 p.m., at the Moose Lodge in Lincoln. This will be an evening for adults, with dancing to the lively tunes of Music 4U DJ Service. There will be a cash bar, snacks, a 50/50 drawing, and door prizes that have been donated by local merchants.

When tickets are presented at the door, they will automatically be entered into the drawings for door prizes. Winners for the door prizes need not be present to win.

Tickets are being given away in advance from local members and at MKS Jewelers on the square. Complimentary tickets will also be available at the door. Donations are accepted and appreciated.

If you would like to obtain tickets or donate a door prize, please call the following Beta Sigma Phi officers: Janet Henrichsmeyer, president, 732-7146; Linda Sue Sheley, vice president and treasurer, 732-8610; or Tish Podunajec, secretary, 735-1085.

This is sure to be an evening enjoyed by all, and the children of Lincoln who will receive much-needed school supplies will certainly enjoy the benefits from the evening!

[Beta Sigma Phi of Lincoln]


HOI scholarship program seeks applicants

The 2002 Miss HOI Scholarship Pageant is set for the evening of Saturday, April 6, at the Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center of Morton. The program is sponsored by the Morton Area Players, the Morton Park District and Bearce Automall of Washington.

Entries are now being accepted from young ladies ages 17 to 24. Applicants have a chance to be the next winner of thousands of dollars in scholarships and to represent our area at the Miss Illinois Pageant in June.

Bethany Von Behren of Peoria, Miss HOI 2000, won more than $6,000 in scholarships through her competition at Miss HOI and Miss Illinois. Von Behren is a 2001 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington and was a top ten finalist at Miss Illinois. She was also a preliminary talent winner.

This year’s show, "Celebrate America," will feature award-winning twirler Alyssa Gunderson, the current Miss Heart of Illinois. Gunderson is a special education teacher in suburban Chicago and has been volunteering for mentoring programs for the past five years. She has worked closely with the Bloomington Housing Authority and has started mentoring programs in four states. Gunderson is a 2001 graduate of Illinois State University.

The Miss Heart of Illinois program was honored at the state level for the quality of its show on pageant night, winning the Best Production Award in 2001. In 1999 and 2001, it won the inaugural Outstanding Program Award from Miss Illinois. Since 1998, it has awarded approximately $26,000 in cash scholarships to central Illinois women, thanks to area sponsors. Scholarship funds are sent directly to the contestant’ s university to pay for tuition only.

For more information on entering, sponsoring or volunteering for Miss HOI, e-mail misshoi@hotmail.com or visit the official Miss Heart of Illinois website: misshoi.homestead.com.

[News release]


[Alyssa Gunderson, Miss HOI 2001,
is crowned by Bethany Von Behren, Miss HOI 2000,
and Jennifer Powers, Miss Illinois.]


REGULAR POSTINGS FOR ORGANIZATIONS

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/.


March meeting of Lincoln writers

The Lincoln Writers’ Club will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, in the Pegram Room of the Lincoln Public Library, 725 Pekin St. Anyone interested in writing is invited to attend. For further information, you may call Rebecca Johnson at 732-2723.


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.

AARP bingo games

The AARP organization will sponsor the weekly bingo games, starting at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28. You may bring your gently used "white elephant" items for prizes.

March 6 Think Tank

Join us Wednesday, March 6, at 9 a.m. for an informative meeting with Jim Griffin, who will discuss Logan County Board issues. Everyone is welcome.

Auction donations

The committee is now accepting your "gently used items" to be auctioned. Please bring the donations to the Oasis on Monday or Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thank you in advance for your support. The second annual auction will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 16. 

Advance notice for special birthdays

On Monday, March 18, at 1:30 p.m. ASTA Care Center will sponsor a celebration for all members who have March birthdays. Mark your calendars in advance to join us for games, prizes and birthday cake.

Game winners

The weekday pinochle winner for Feb. 15 was Easter Behrends. Eleanor Barton won on Feb. 19. Weekend game winners for Feb. 15 were Millie Hoffert for pinochle and Tom Garrison and Henry Warnisher for 5 in 1.

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.


Rotary news

Rotary supports Troop 102

The Lincoln Rotary Club recently presented a check for $400 to Boy Scout Troop 102 to assist with the purchase of a new engine for their troop bus.  Pictured from left to right are Assistant Scoutmaster Jim Meyrick, Lincoln Rotary Club Director of Vocational Service Joe Runyon, Scout Joe Gillen, and Troop 102 Scoutmaster Ken Aderman.

The Rotary contribution, along with donations of peripheral equipment from Graue Chevrolet and profits from a troop chili supper, will help Troop 102 finance the cost of the new engine.  Troop members will install the new engine on March 16. 

Profits from Rotary’s annual citrus sale are used to financially support special projects of several community organizations.  Lincoln Rotary also awards $3,000 in scholarships to LCHS graduating seniors each year and works directly with local youth in a number of activities.

The Lincoln Rotary Club, which is 65 members strong and growing, will coordinate a special literacy activity on Friday, March 1, at approximately 12:30.  Twenty Rotarians will read their favorite books in classrooms at Northwest and Jefferson Elementary School.  The club will also make a special presentation of books with patriotic themes for use in all District 27 school libraries.

[Marty Ahrends]


Parrishes honored as Paul Harris Fellow recipients

Lincoln Rotarian Robert Parrish and his wife, Wilma, were honored Feb. 20 with a second Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International.  Robert Parrish first earned recognition as a Paul Harris Fellow in June 1992.

Past District Governor Dan Thornburgh of Charleston awarded Wilma Parrish a Paul Harris Fellowship in appreciation of her husband’s three years of service as an assistant district governor in District 6490. 

Assistant district governors, or ADGs as they are more commonly known in Rotary lingo, provide direct guidance to a small group of Rotary clubs within each district, ensuring that clubs focus on programs and projects that are consistent with the goals of Rotary International.  Parrish’s group of clubs included Atlanta, Bloomington, Bloomington-Normal Sunrise & Sunset Clubs, Clinton and Lincoln.

Parrish has been very active in the Lincoln Rotary Club since joining in 1981 at the request of Fred Hoppin. He was club president in 1991-92 and currently serves on the District 6490 committees for group study exchange, leadership succession and development, and annual giving. 

The Paul Harris Fellows program recognizes Rotarians who have made gifts of $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation to support good-will projects around the world.  The Lincoln Rotary Club currently has 21 members who are Paul Harris Fellows out of a total membership of 65.

[Marty Ahrends]


Happenings at the U of I Extension office

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.

Reservations will be requested; programs will be cancelled if fewer than 10 people are registered. 

Call 732-8289 to make reservations. There will be no charge for any of the programs

Planned programs for the coming year through University of Illinois Extension:

•  Tuesday, March 12, 2002, over noon hour 12-1 p.m. — "Salads," Jananne Finck, nutrition and wellness educator, Springfield

•  Thursday, April 11, 2002, at 10 a.m. — "New Friends, But Keep the Old," Patti Faughn, youth and family educator, Springfield

•  Tuesday, May 15, 2002, at 10 a.m. — "Air Quality," John Fulton, Lincoln


YMCA news

Know they’re safe

Unsupervised teens do poorly in school, want after-school activities,
new survey finds

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new survey finds that unsupervised teens are four times more likely to be D students than teens supervised every day. The survey, "After School for America’s Teens," released by the YMCA of the USA, finds that 59 percent of teens are left unsupervised after school at least one day in a typical week. And those teens are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and engage in sexual activity, and are nearly three times as likely to skip classes at school. In fact, compared to teens who are supervised, they are also three times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs

YMCA Teen Action Agenda programs already are proven solutions to the clear need for structured supervision after school. Ten percent of America’s teens currently are involved in YMCA programs, and the YMCA is committed to doubling the number of teens it serves to one in five teens by 2005. YMCAs help teens develop character and build confidence through programs focusing on education, career and life skills; health, safety and well-being; and leadership and service learning,

"The survey’s findings reinforce our belief that teens who are supervised are more successful — they get better grades in school and participating in after-school programs helps protect them from at-risk behaviors. That’s why we’ve made the commitment to double the number of teens we involve in YMCA programs to nearly five million," said Brock Leach, chair of the YMCA Teen Action Agenda and president and CEO of Tropicana Products, Inc,

Teens want after-school programs

The survey of 500 teens 14 to 17 years of age reveals a strong interest in community and neighborhood-based after-school programs. Even though many teenagers participate in after-school programs through their school, over half of all teens (52 percent) wish there were more community or neighborhood-based activities available. And, while more than 62 percent of teens left alone during the week say they would likely participate in after-school programs, the survey also found that two in three teens (67 percent) would be interested in programs after school that would help them get better grades, develop leadership skills and be more involved in the community.

Cornelius Abraham is a teen who says he’s the perfect example of how the YMCA programs can keep good kids from going bad. At a news conference on Capitol Hill, Abraham described how he came from a family broken apart by the violent death of his brother at the hands of his parents. "The YMCA was a haven for me in my childhood and teen years. Without the structure and support I found through the Y’s after-school programs, I would never have had the success I did in school and confidence to overcome the obstacles in my path." said Cornelius, a former Chicago YMCA teen and now a 20-year-old sophomore at Northern Illinois University.

Jessica Stone is another good example of how YMCA programs work. The 14-year-old from Seattle, Wash., comes from a strong, two-parent family. "Being involved in the girls’ leadership program has been a great experience. The mentors I’ve worked with have really helped me learn and think about my future, and now I’m able to help other kids as a mentor for them," said Stone.

Keeping teens out of the "danger zone"

Unsupervised teens are in the "danger zone" — the hours of 3 to 6 p.m. after school, when being unsupervised can lead to problems with alcohol, drugs, sexual activity and even crime. This danger cuts across race, income and family structure, as was found in the University of Minnesota’s National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the largest-ever survey conducted with adolescents in the United States. Teens who are failing school and "hanging out" with friends are more likely than other teens to engage in at-risk behaviors.

"If we choose not to invest in addressing the unstructured, unsupervised time of teens, it does not mean that we are saving money. We can pay at the front end or we can pay at the back... but we will pay," said Dr. Robert Blum, co-principal investigator of the University of Minnesota study.

The YMCA’s "After School" survey also revealed that teens who participate in after-school activities do better in school and are less likely to engage in activities that place them at risk. Teens who do not engage in activities after school are five times more likely to be D students than those who do. Furthermore, nearly eight in 10 teens (79 percent) who participate in after-school programs are A or B students, but only half (52 percent) of teens who do not participate earn such high marks.

Local YMCAs have committed to teens

To date, more than 1,000 YMCAs have signed on to support the YMCA Teen Action Agenda, In addition to doubling the number of teens they involve in programs, these local YMCAs pledge to offer more programs and support for teens. Meeting the campaign’s goals — building teens’ skills and values, developing assets in teens, providing teens with meaningful roles in their communities, and placing teens with adult role models — is crucial to teens’ success.

"YMCA teen programs provide teens the safe, structured after-school activities that help them avoid risky behaviors while preparing them academically and socially and building the character and skills teens need to succeed and thrive as young adults," said Kenneth Gladish, Ph.D., National Executive Director of YMCA of the USA.

In 2001, America’s YMCAs celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the first Y, in Boston, Mass. One out of three Americans reports being a YMCA member at some point in life. Together the 2,372 YMCAs are the nation’s largest not-for-profit community service organization.

Today, America’s YMCAs serve 17.5 million people, including nearly nine million children each year, through a broad range of programs, including mentoring, youth leadership and volunteerism. Collectively, YMCAs are also the nation’s largest provider of child care. YMCAs are for people of ail faiths, races, ages and incomes. Financial assistance is available for all YMCA programs and membership.

To learn more about the YMCA, visit the website at www.ymca.net.

The YMCA Teen Action Agenda is sponsored nationally by JCPenney Afterschool and PepsiCo, Inc.

Note: The survey results are based on telephone interviews with a national sample of 500 teenagers, 14 to 17 years of age, conducted in January 2001 by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates of Washington, D.C. The statistical significance of the results is plus or minus 4.4 percent at the 95th confidence interval level.


YMCA art program reaches out to youth

The YMCA Art Outreach program is designed to reach youth of junior and senior high ages, giving them a positive outlet to express themselves and to keep them off the streets during the hours when they seem to get into the most trouble — after school.

The YMCA accepts referrals from schools, churches and the court system for any at-risk youth that might benefit from the organization’s programs. The Y sets up contracts with area youth, addressing where they are having problems. The youth must maintain the contracts in order to continue in the program at no charge.

Five AmeriCorps volunteers who are experienced in several areas of the arts have helped with the program this year and have been great assets.

Regular classes have been offered since last September. The program began with a six-week mosaic tile class. At first the class met in Mrs. Sisk’s art room at Lincoln Junior High School, which was convenient for the junior high youth to attend right after school, but it wasn’t long before the program outgrew the art room.

The group needed a place for classes and space for studio work — a place to call their own. The YMCA found that place at the old Odd Fellows Gym. At first the group used the girls’ dressing room upstairs at the entrance of the gym. The walls were lined with shelves to the ceiling in order to hold art supplies that have been bought, donated and pulled out of the trash. (Yes, trash beside the road or in a dumpster is picked up if it might have potential for being turned into artwork.) So the class outgrew the new space rapidly and soon started occupying the boys’ dressing room.

Now the program has one room for storage of all the supplies and a small work area, potentially to house a small printmaking press for etching and a mat cutter. The youth will be taught how to mat and frame their own artwork. The other room is used as a working studio.

Since September, the art program has offered five other classes: cartoon animation, painting, mixed media, papermaking and photography. Prospective spring classes are on ceramics and printmaking.

A photography class is on hold until a program sponsor and a darkroom can be found so that the class can move on to the next level. The YMCA would be grateful to anyone who has any old 35 mm SLR cameras, tripods, filters or lenses to donate to the program.

The program is always looking for any useful donations — the possibilities are endless. Even though you think it might be trash, you might want to think again and call Shanda at the YMCA, 735-3915. It just might be a treasure to the art program.

And if you see a woman in a blue van pulling things out of the trash, just remember it is for a good cause.

[Provided by the YMCA]


YMCA has Fun Days when school is out

"School’s Out Fun Days," offered by the local YMCA, are just the right answer for both parents and their children ages kindergarten through sixth grade. Parents can preregister their children to attend these special days and go to work knowing that the children will be kept busy and safe on days when school is not in session.

Kids especially enjoy their day off from school, as they have lots of opportunity to socialize and play games with their school friends. Youngsters will also enjoy the benefits of a variety of planned special activities and lessons at each Fun Day. Some of the special activities are singing fun songs, enjoying story time, experiencing science lessons, art activities and lots of fun large-motor play. Various guest speakers visit from time to time to share healthy nutrition programs and other interesting information with the children.

All of the School’s Out Fun Days are at the YMCA activity center, 721 Wyatt Ave.

Here are the Fun Day themes for the rest of the school year (along with the elementary districts where school is out on those days):

Monday, March 4 — "Creatures That Crawl" (C-EL, WL-B)

Friday, March 15 — "Creatures That Climb" (WL-B)

Monday, March 25 — "Creatures That Fly" (District 27)

Tuesday, March 26 — "Colors of Spring" (District 27)

Wednesday, March 27 — "Geometric Shapes" (District 27, C-EL, WL-B)

Thursday, March 28 — "Crazy About Fractions" (District 27, C-EL, WL-B)

Friday, March 29 — "Easter Fun" (District 27, C-EL, WL-B)

Monday, April 1 — "April Fool’s Fun" (C-EL, WL-B)

Friday, April 12 — "Flower Power" (District 27)

Wednesday, May 29 — "Sports Fun" (C-EL)

Thursday, May 30 — "Community Helpers" (District 27, C-EL, WL-B)

Friday, May 31 — "Summertime Fun" (District 27, C-EL, WL-B)


Milestones

Announcement forms are now available online! Print out yours, fill it out, and bring it or send it in to Lincoln Daily News. We welcome your pictures, black and white as well as color. This free service is extended to all of our readers. Your announcement will be posted online. Anyone, anywhere can read it! Now Aunt Betty in Florida, Uncle Bob in Alaska, and Cousin Frank in Fiji can log in and read your announcement on Lincoln Daily News!

[Click here to see and print the wedding announcement form]

[Click here to see and print the anniversary announcement form]

[Click here to see and print the engagement announcement form]


A new century, a new generation
and new recipes

[FEB. 28, 2002]  Just over 10 years ago, in 1991, Judy Awe decided her family needed a way to remember its heritage.

Judy Awe is a member of the Ritchhart family, a family known all over central Illlinois. The Ritchhart family includes two men who fought in the Civil War (one of whom died in that war) and one man who fought in the Spanish-American War.

Judy is the oldest grandchild of Harold Raymond Ritchhart and Wilma Amaryllis Shay, both of whom were born in Logan County. Harold owned Ritchhart’s Grocery for 48 years. Judy has fond memories of working in the store learning to count change. Her grandparents really defined the Ritchhart sense of community awareness. And she wanted to create something in their honor.

So, in 1991, she decided, with the help of her sister, Janice Sielaff, and her mother, Norma Jean Berglin, to create a Ritchhart family cookbook.

 

 

With an extensive family of eight children and 29 grandchildren, not to mention cousins, the Ritchharts had many, many recipes to share. Some had stories or meanings behind them, some were just family favorites.

The ones collected from "Gran" (Wilma) Ritchhart were the hardest, according to Judy. With other members of the family, they simply had to copy the recipe down onto a form and mail it back. Gran, however, cooked the old-fashioned way — "some flour, a lump of butter, a little bit of baking powder." So Judy and her sister had to measure the ingredients and write them down as she put them in. Her recipe for dumplings turned into "2 C. flour, 2 tsp. baking powder with little salt, 1 heaping T. Crisco."

In addition to recipes, Judy collected stories from her mother and others. These were used as filler material at the bottoms of the pages. A reader can get great enjoyment by just scanning the bottom of each page for anecdotes.

Some have to do with food and recipes:  "How many ways can you cook an egg? Ask the kids at Jellystone Campground."

Some make you almost wish you knew the story behind them:  "Is Judge John’s blood still on the porch at [the house] at 123 [College]?"

And some just make you laugh:  "Dad was a volunteer fireman for several years. One night, the boys pushed the car out of the garage and down the alley without Dad’s permission and went cruising. When they saw the fire they knew Dad would be called, but they had his car, so they went home to pick him up…sleepy eyed, Dad didn’t realize it was his car that was delivering him to his destination – until later."

So they collected all of these recipes from relatives and sent them off to be published.

Since that time, there have been many reprints of the cookbook. More and more members of the Ritchhart family want their family’s recipes, and many members of the community also want to be a part of the history. Eventually, over 4,000 copies of the book were sold.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

The money from the first book was given to Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Auxiliary in Lincoln. It was used to purchase Lifeline units.

But, as with all compilations, many recipes were left out. Some had merely been forgotten or overlooked. Others came along later as the over 30 great-grandchildren began to grow up.

On the 10th anniversary of the first Ritchhart cookbook, Judy decided it was time for a second one. "A new century, a new generation and new recipes!" she proclaimed. And she went back to work.

The Ritchhart family really had grown. It included almost everyone needed for a modern community, from doctors to firemen to a school administrator. Everything but a lawyer, according to Judy.

So her table became covered with new recipes, old recipes, forgotten recipes. She collected new sayings and stories. She arranged and rearranged them all. And finally, at the beginning of September 2001, the book was ready to be sent off.

 

 

You can guess what happens next.

She writes in the introduction to this cookbook, "Final touches were being made on Cookbook 2001 – September 11, 2001, when our nation was devastated by terrorists attacking the New York World Trade Center."

But even the terrorists could not hold back the Ritchhart cookbook. Judy called the publishing company and asked if they had a patriotic cookbook theme. The sales representative laughed and told her that one was being prepared as they spoke. The American flag and eagle design was sent to Judy as soon as it was printed. She chose it immediately, and her book was the first one published in that style.

 

 

The back of the book reads, "This cover and divider set was designed to honor the victims of the September 11 tragedies. For every set sold, G&R Publishing has made a donation to the New York Fire Fighters 9-11 Fund."

In addition, Judy will once again donate the proceeds of this book to a charity or need somewhere in this area.

If you would like to purchase one or both of these cookbooks, you can contact Judy Awe at (217) 732-4758 or e-mail her at tjawe@abelink.com.

Books are $10 each plus $4 if you want them shipped to you.

[Gina Sennett]

 

Click here for a "Rattlesnake and Beans" recipe from the "Ritchhart Family & Friends Cookbook."

 

 


A recipe from the ‘Ritchhart Family & Friends Cookbook’ 

Rattlesnake and Beans

Jeramy "Norman" Berglin

1 lb. ground chuck, browned and drained

1/2 lb. rattlesnake in bite size 1 large red onion, cut into large pieces pieces, browned and drained

3 lbs. dry kidney beans, cooked

30 oz. stewed tomatoes, undrained

4 oz. can diced jalapenos

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

Put cooked beans into slow cooker; add tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, salt, garlic, cooked ground chuck and rattlesnake meat. Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Serve with corn bread.

[From page 61 of  the
"Ritchhart Family & Friends Cookbook"]

 


Fund-raisers



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


Family and Friends in the Armed Forces

Friends and relatives serving in the armed forces are listed here so we might all hold them in our thoughts, prayers and well wishes. If you know of other friends and relatives serving (they need not be from Logan County), please send the information to ldneditor@lincolndailynews.com. Along with the name, you are invited to include the branch of service, current location of service, postal address, e-mail address and relationship to the person providing the information (optional).


Jerome A. Allen

U.S. Air Force

At Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

Postal address: 5805 Mountain Home St.

Unit J-13

Nellis AFB, NV 89191

E-mail: ja_af_82@hotmail.com

Class of ’00

 

SST Kenneth Allen
and wife Susan Allen (Elza)

U.S. Army-1AD-HHC

Weisbaden, Germany

E-mail: spot2sweetpea@yahoo.com or susan12652000@yahoo.com

Jon Barton

West Point, N.Y.

Jon Bowers

Lackland Air Force Base, Texas

Josh Campbell

Korea

Justin Clott

U.S. Navy

Will be deployed in mid-January

(Address not available yet)

E-mail: imjustin@hotmail.com

CDR Jim Cravens

(Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Lincoln)

U.S. Navy

At Atlantic Fleet Headquarters, Norfolk, Va.

Postal address: CDR James O. Cravens, N02GR

1562 Mitscher Ave., Suite 250

Norfolk, VA, 23551-2487-2487

E-mail: cravensjo@clf.navy.mil  or

chcusnr@ccaonline.com 

Staff Sgt. Evan Jay Downey, Karen and Ethan

U.S. Air Force

Mildenhall Air Force Base, England

1988 graduate of LCHS

Son of Lucky Eichner

Ben Estes

Fort Benning, Ga.

Charles Lindstrom Jr.

U.S. Air Force

At Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana

Postal address: 8525 Chalmette Drive

Shreveport, LA 71115

E-mail: charles.lindstrom@barksdale.af.mil

1981 graduate of LCHS

 

[to top of second column in this section]

Airman Chad M. Maxheimer
U.S. Air Force

Postal address: 9AEW JSOAC-S

Unit 10

APO AE 09351

E-mail: spring_loaded@yahoo.com

Son of Mike and Suzie Maxheimer of Chestnut and Michelle Lowe of Mount Pulaski

2000 graduate of Mount Pulaski High School

Kevin McGinnis

Egypt

Philip Nodine

Army National Guard

Fort Jackson, S.C.

In basic training

Michelle K. Ramlow

Navy

At Pentagon

Postal address: 5409-B Steeplechase Drive

Fredericksburg, VA 22407

E-mail: ramlow.michelle@hq.navy.mil 

Maj. James E. Reineke,
Deborah, Nathan, Emily

Air Force

Misawa Air Base, Japan

E-mail: REIN4RUN@aol.com 

Pvt. Christian B. Skelton

U.S. Army

Scheduled to graduate from AIT in late March.

He and his wife will go to Germany in April.

Postal address: A CO 1-19th INF ITB

4th Platoon

Fort Benning, GA 31905-5630

E-mail: skelton820@hotmail.com

2001 graduate of LCHS

Husband of Nahani Lynn Skelton

Robby, Ami-Jo and Angela Spickard

National Guard medical support

Tech. Sgt. Thomas Yarcho

U.S. Air Force

At Ramstein Air Base, Germany

E-mail: thomas.yarcho@ramstein.af.mil

Class of 82


Reunions

Ongoing class reunion in cyberspace for 1960 graduates of LCHS

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


Reminiscence


Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries

Community | Perspectives | Law & Courts | Leisure Time | Spiritual Life | Health & Fitness | Letters to the Editor