Organizations,  Events,  Milestones,

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

Diaspora,  Family and Friends in the Armed Forces,  

Reunions,  Reminiscence

March 2002

Friday, March 22
SPONSOR: Logan County Health Department and Lincoln Park District
WHO: Logan County fifth-graders
WHAT: Children's Health Fair
WHERE: Lincoln Sports Complex, 1400 Primm Road
WHEN: 8:45 am to 2:30 pm

Saturday, March 23
SPONSOR: Logan County Health Department and Lincoln Park District
WHO: Public
WHAT: Community Health Fair
WHERE: Lincoln Sports Complex, 1400 Primm Road
WHEN: 9 am to 2 pm

SPONSOR: American Red Cross
WHO: Public
WHAT: Blood drive
WHERE: Lincoln Sports Complex, 1400 Primm Road
WHEN: 9 am to 2 pm

SPONSOR: Lincoln Public Library
WHO: Public, high school age through adult
WHAT: Board Games Rodeo
WHERE: Lincoln Public Library, Pegram Community Room
WHEN: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Monday, March 25
SPONSOR: Domestic Abuse and Violence Task Force of Logan County
WHO: Public
WHAT: Monthly meeting
WHERE: Logan County Health Department, 109 Third St.
WHEN: 8 am

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

Thursday, April 11
SPONSOR: U of I Extension
WHO: Public
WHAT: “New Friends, But Keep the Old,” presented by Patti Faughn, youth and family educator, Springfield
WHERE: Extension office, 980 N. Postville Drive
WHEN: 10 am

SPONSOR: Logan County Arts Association
WHO: Public
WHAT: Classic Film Night showing of "The Ten Commandments"
WHERE: Lincoln Cinemas
WHEN: 7 pm

Sunday, April 14
WHO: Public
WHAT: Annual spaghetti dinner to benefit the J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum
WHERE: Atlanta firehouse
WHEN: 11 am - 1 pm

SPONSOR: Multiple Sclerosis Society
WHO: Public; teams needed; phone 732-2339 for details
WHAT: MS Walk
WHERE: Kickapoo Creek Park
WHEN: 1:30 pm

Friday and Saturday, April 19-20
SPONSOR: Logan County Unit of American Cancer Society
WHO: Public (Teams needed; call 732-3349 or 732-9372.)
WHAT: Relay for Life 
WHERE: Lincoln Park District Indoor Sports Complex
WHEN: 8 pm Friday through 1 pm closing ceremony on Saturday

Wednesday, April 24
WHAT: "Salute to the Office Professionals" luncheon; tickets required
WHERE: Knights of Columbus, 217 N. Limit
WHEN: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm

Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28
SPONSOR: Clark's Greenhouse Herbal & Country Garden
WHO: Public
WHAT: Spring Thyme Plant Fair
WHERE: 1 mile east of San Jose on Route 136, 1/4 mile south on the New Holland blacktop

SPECIAL EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Lincoln Area YMCA 2002 summer day camps,  Domestic Abuse and Violence Task Force of Logan County meeting,  Teams needed for Relay For Life,  Easter coloring contest winners,  Teams needed for April 14 MS Walk,  CIEDC annual dinner invitation,  HOI scholarship program seeks applicants

REGULAR POSTINGS FOR ORGANIZATIONS:  Girl Scouts,  Oasis,  U of I Extension,  Rotary,  YMCA

Domestic Abuse and Violence
Task Force of Logan County meeting

The Domestic Abuse and Violence Task Force of Logan County will have its next monthly meeting at 8 a.m. Monday, March 25. The task force will meet in Conference Room B of the Logan County Health Department, 109 Third St. in Lincoln. The public is invited to attend.

For more information contact Debby Cook, DAV task force chairperson, at (217) 735-2317.

The Lincoln Junior Woman’s Club thanks all the children who participated in the club’s Easter coloring contest and announces the first-place winners. The kindergarten to second-grade prize was awarded to Kaitlyn Musick, the third- and fourth-grade prize to Brandon Goodman, and the fifth- and sixth-grade prize to Jesika Skelton. Each first-place winner received a certificate of merit and a bag of art supplies donated by club members.

All contest entries are being displayed this week in the Franz Express store window on Broadway Street across from the Logan County Courthouse.

Teams needed for MS Walk

The MS Walk is a great way for teams and communities to come together for a fun-filled event while making a tremendous difference in the lives of those with multiple sclerosis.  This year, the MS Walk is April 14 at 1:30 p.m. at Kickapoo Creek Park in Lincoln.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling, disease of the central nervous system. The brain and spinal cord are affected. The symptoms of MS vary greatly and may be mild or severe. Some symptoms are numbness in the limbs, paralysis or loss of vision.  Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, but the unpredictable physical and emotional effects can be lifelong.

Dollars raised by the MS Walk support research efforts and local programs.

The event takes place rain or shine.  Lace up your walking shoes, grab your contributions and join us! Contact Nancy Ireland, 732-2339, or e-mail sunglow@abelink.com for details.

[Nancy Ireland]

The corporate board of Central Illinois Economic Development Corporation, the local Community Action Agency, will have its annual meeting and dinner on Thursday, March 21.

CIEDC is a private not-for-profit organization whose mission is "to work towards the reduction and eventual elimination of the causes and effects of poverty." CIEDC was established in 1966 and provides a variety of programs to the low-income and elderly of its service area, including Logan, Mason, Piatt, DeWitt, Menard and Fulton counties.

The CIEDC corporate board is a tripartite board of 36 members drawn from its service area. Membership on the board is evenly divided between three areas of representation: governmental, client and private sectors. CIEDC’s corporate board meets monthly at their administrative office in Lincoln.

The annual meeting on Thursday, March 21, will begin at 5 p.m. at CIEDC’s central office, 1800 Fifth St., Lincoln

The dinner, which begins at 6:30 p.m., will be at Lincoln Moose Lodge, 521 N. Kickapoo St. in Lincoln. A brief program will follow the dinner. The guest speaker will be Vince Clark, the executive director of the Kankakee County Community Service office.

The dinner is open to the public, at a cost of $12.50 per person for the meal. To make dinner reservations, call CIEDC’s administrative office at (217) 732-2159 and ask for the fiscal office. Reservations may be made up to 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 14.

For more information on the annual meeting and dinner or any of CIEDC’s programs, contact your local CIEDC Community Action office.

[Dee Altman of CIEDC]

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.

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.

Bingo games

Join us Thursday, March 21, at 1 p.m. for "nutrition bingo," sponsored by the U of I Extension Service. Good nutritious foods will be provided as prizes.

Memories class

There is class space available for students to learn writing skills in order to save favorite memories for their families and friends. Join this special group this Friday, March 22, at 3:45 p.m.

SHARE food distribution

Remember to pick up your order this Friday between 4 and 5:30 p.m. This special program sponsored by the Diocese of Peoria is open to all, with a basic food package available for $15. You may also place your order on Friday.

Health fair

We look forward to seeing you at the Rec Center this Saturday. Up-to-date information about all the services and special events available at The Oasis will be on hand. If you are not yet an Oasis member, please see us for membership benefits.

Think Tank

On Wednesday, March 27, at 9 a.m. a special program entitled "Depression" will be presented by Nancy Nichols, LMMH. Reservations are not necessary.

Game winners

The weekday pinochle winner for March 8 was Henry Warnisher, and for March 12 Florence Wolf won. The weekend pinochle winner for March 8 was Marjorie Reiners; 5 in 1 winners were Louise Weibers and Tom Garrison. The special monthly luncheon drawing, for First Wok, was won by Eva Mae Dixon.

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 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]

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.

Remaining programs on the schedule for this spring:

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

YMCA golf clinic for kids

In April the YMCA will have a Saturday golf clinic for children ages 4-14. Golf is a fun sport that teaches the children patience, etiquette and dedication.

Adam Walsh, golf pro at the Lincoln Elks Club, will be instructing the children. Participants will meet in various age groups, and Adam will customize lessons to the development of your child.

If you have any questions about this program, please feel free to contact the YMCA at 735-3915 or 1 (800) 282-3520. Come be part of building stronger kids, stronger families and a strong community for the Y.

[Lincoln Area YMCA]

YMCA summer day camp is the right choice to make when looking for fun and adventure for kids throughout the summer months. Mom and Dad can simply go to work each day knowing that their children will share hours of fun with their friends in a safe environment. Kids will fill their time at the Y this summer by enjoying lots of field trip fun, including swimming, ice skating, roller skating, hiking in area parks, a try at fishing, climbing on the YMCA low ropes course, archery, and visits to a water park, the Decatur Children’s Museum and the golf range at Lincoln Park District.

Children will enjoy the qualified and fun-loving YMCA staff as they play games and guide the children in various educational activities. Activities planned include singing camp songs, experiencing outdoor activities such as hikes in area parks, learning to tie knots, making special snacks, enjoying visits from guest speakers, playing various sports, and having special contest fun with entertaining "kid" games such as jacks, marbles, yo-yos, hula hoops, hacky sacks, Slinkies, spinning tops and much more. Children will also enjoy group arts and crafts, reading activities, storytelling fun, creative drama activities, skits, and will swim most days that weather permits.

Summer day camp will be offered at the following locations this year:

•  Children entering kindergarten to second grade — YMCA facility and outdoor grounds on Wyatt Avenue

•  Third through sixth grade — Immanuel Lutheran Church outdoor picnic grounds (1409 Pulaski St.)

•  Kindergarten through sixth-grade program for Atlanta — Atlanta Grade School

The children enrolled in the local YMCA before- and after-school programs have been working together with the YMCA staff to help raise funds for programs that will soon be offered to active older adults. These kids simply feel that they have been recipients of fun programs offered by the YMCA for many years, and now they think that it is time for active older adults, such as their grandparents, to have some fun too!

The children and YMCA staff have been donating bags of chocolate chips, baking candies and other baking ingredients to assemble into jars of "cookie mixes." Once the jars are assembled with the ingredients and decorated, they will be sold for $6. The proceeds will be used to put together various programs that active older adults will enjoy.

If you are interested in learning more about this new programming for older adults, please call the Lincoln Area YMCA at 735-3915.

[YMCA news release]

Milestones

[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]

[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 to create the  "Ritchhart Family Cookbook," with the help of her sister, Janice Sielaff, and her mother, Norma Jean Berglin, 

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.

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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 happened 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 copy of the "Rattlesnake and Beans" recipe from the new "Ritchhart Family & Friends Cookbook."

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

• 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

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).

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

U.S. Army-1AD-HHC

Weisbaden, Germany

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

West Point, N.Y.

Lackland Air Force Base, Texas

Korea

U.S. Navy

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

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

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Airman Chad M. Maxheimer
U.S. Air Force

Hurlburt Field, Fla.

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

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

Illinois Air National Guard, 183rd Fighter Wing

Frankfurt, Germany

Postal address: Erika Slayton

16ESS/FM

PSC 5 Box 1000

APO AE 09050

E-mail address: 16ess.fm@rheinmain.af.mil 

Daughter of Lloyd (Ed) and Bridget Slayton

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

• The Postville Courthouse revisited, by Stan Stringer, posted Feb. 12, 2002, in LDN

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

• 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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