"We've always been good at
improvising," said Carol.
Several ALMH employees worked together with ALMH Chaplain Robert
Henderson to make the arrangements for the ceremony, providing
everything from a wedding cake to flowers for the couple. The brief
ceremony took place in the hospital chapel at 10:30 a.m. Thursday,
on their anniversary. Henderson presided over the ceremony,
reminding the couple of the importance of communication and
celebrating their love for one another each day.
Their daughter Lisa Wrage, of Emden,
was present for the occasion. They also have a daughter Mary, who
lives in Portugal, and a son, Dirk, who lives in DeKalb. The Happs
have six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, with another on
the way.
Lester and Carol Happ were married
in Milwaukee, Wis., on June 13, 1953. Lester is retired from a
toxicology lab, and Carol retired after 25 years of teaching
seventh-grade biology in Northbrook. They moved to Hartsburg in
2003.
Their interests are varied. After
60 years of marriage, they easily reflect upon all their great
experiences of traveling across the United States and
internationally. They have participated in many Road Scholar
education travel adventures and are also members of the Central
Illinois Banjo Club. Lester plays the banjo and Carol plays the
ukulele. As a family, the Happs also did a lot of camping.
"You know, they say that those who
camp together, stay together," said Carol.
The Happ family is planning a party
for this weekend in Hartsburg to celebrate the special anniversary.
"I am hopeful that I'll be home in
time for the party," said Lester. "I look forward to seeing our
family and friends."
Sedlacek
named June Employee of the Month at ALMH
Timothy Sedlacek, of Springfield, has been
named the June Employee of the Month at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in
Lincoln. Sedlacek has worked as a trauma nurse specialist in the emergency
department for the past nine years. Sedlacek was nominated for the honor
by co-worker Kathy Vogt for his willingness to go above and beyond.
Sedlacek was born and raised in
Milwaukee, Wis. A Gulf War veteran, Sedlacek served in the Navy from
1987-1991. After graduating from Lincoln Land Community College with
a nursing degree, he began his work in the emergency department at
ALMH in 2004. He is an instructor of advanced cardiovascular life
support and is currently working toward completing his Board
Certified Emergency Nurse credential.
"To be a trauma nurse you have to
have a sense of adventure and the ability to think under pressure,
think outside the box and know when to ask for help or offer it,"
said Sedlacek. "The greatest joy in my job is that you never know
what you are going to get. We deal with everything from concerned
parents with sick newborns to resuscitating a patient and getting
them back."
Sedlacek recommends nursing and has
advice for those interested in the field.
"I would tell someone getting into
nursing that it takes skill and an art of learning and caring. It is
a demanding and fulfilling career. But the most important thing is
to remember to stay humble. You might be working in the emergency
room today, but tomorrow you might be the one who needs help from
your fellow nurses."
Sedlacek is engaged to Nicole
Hamilton. They live in Springfield with their two dogs, Serenity and
Chewie. He enjoys working out, movies and training his Dutch
shepherd search and rescue dog, Serenity.
ALMH, at 200 Stahlhut Drive, is a
25-bed critical-access hospital affiliated with Memorial Health
System. The hospital employs more than 315 in a variety of roles.
For more information, visit
www.almh.org.
Illinois
Secretary of State Jesse White to join Logan County Democrats at
special summer event
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White will be
the headline speaker for the Logan County Democrats at their annual chicken
dinner on Friday, July 26. The event will be at the K of C, 217 N. Limit St.
in Lincoln.
Chicken with all the fixings will be
served from 5 until 7:30 p.m. Homemade desserts will also be
included. The speakers will begin at 6:30 p.m.
For entertainment, Matt and Jenn
Hobler of Champaign will provide acoustic music.
There will be a 50-50 drawing and
drawings for gift baskets. Tickets will also be available for the
Democrats' raffle for a 16 GB iPad. The drawing for the iPad will be
during the Logan County Fair.
Tickets for the chicken dinner are
$20, or $2.50 for children under 12, and are available from area
Democrats and at the door on July 26.
Organizers
gearing up for 6th annual Together for Lincoln
Together for Lincoln
Community Service Project Day will be on Sunday, Sept. 22, with a community
worship service that evening. Applications are currently being accepted for
community projects. Organizers are also asking volunteers to sign up early
so they can be placed in an area where they are best fit to serve.
"The core of Together for Lincoln has
always been its volunteers," said Dustin Fulton, preaching minister
at Jefferson Street Christian Church and public relations
coordinator for Together for Lincoln. "This year we are committed to
creating a better environment for them," he said.
Fulton says that after trying Saturday
last year, they are moving the project day back to a Sunday because
it seems to fit the community better. Organizers are also investing
more efforts in communication and team building.
"A day with so much happening will
always have a certain amount of chaos, but we think we will cut it
down dramatically this year. Especially if we can get volunteers to
sign up early in order to place them in projects that will fit their
abilities and desires," Fulton said.
During last year's Together for
Lincoln, about 500 volunteers invested a total of approximately
2,500 working hours in the community. In addition, more than $22,000
in locally purchased products was put into the nearly 100 service
projects.
This year's TFL will include two
main types of projects -- general projects and weatherization
projects. The general projects involve helping around the community
with interior painting, gutter cleaning, window washing, etc. Fulton
says one of the best aspects of these projects is that families are
able to serve together.
"It is a great picture of
intergenerational blessings really flowing in our community," Fulton
said.
The second area of work will be
weatherization projects. This year, volunteers will focus on
replacing all windows in a few houses, rather than three to four
windows in several houses, like they did last year. The
weatherization projects are funded through donations that were
matched by a grant from the Woods Foundation of Lincoln and a grant
from the Energy Assistance Foundation of Decatur. Homeowners
applying for a weatherization project will go through an interview
process.
Applications for both types of
projects and volunteer applications are available at State Bank of
Lincoln's Wal-Mart branch, Oasis Senior Center and all partner
churches. The deadline to apply for weatherization projects is July
15. General project applications are due on Aug. 1. The volunteer
application deadline is Aug. 19.
Doris
Morris book signing at Oasis on Saturday
"Bugler
in the Mountains," a novel written by Doris Myrle Morris of Lincoln, has
been published through WestBow Press. A book signing is scheduled for
Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Oasis Senior Center, on the
corner of Pulaski and Kickapoo streets.
The book will be available there at
author's cost.
Light
refreshments will be served.
The book will appeal to those who
are interested in history at the turn of the century to the 1900s,
with the development of the telephone, telegraph and
transcontinental railroad. The reader might find of interest the
tools and insights people used to make what we might consider
primitive life as comfortable as possible in those days. Coupled
with that is the story of a conflicted young woman struggling to
make sense of her life, and how she learns, perseveres and
overcomes. Her new mentors and friends add much to the storyline as
she finds her way to joy.
Berean Christian Stores and Thomas
Nelson publishing are parent companies of WestBow Press. The book is
currently available in Berean Christian bookstores, online at
Amazon, Barnes & Noble and in Kindle eBooks.
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Youth
and families enjoy Turner/D.A.R.E. morning of fishing
ATLANTA -- On Saturday, the local D.A.R.E
program and the Lincoln Park District sponsored a special event: the third
annual Nathan Turner Fishing Derby. Children from ages 4 to 15 and their
families were invited to participate in the event at the Hickory Lane
Campground, Atlanta. Nathan Turner, a former city council
member in Lincoln, was known for his love of fishing. His family
established the fishing derby in his memory. He is survived by his
wife, Sarah; his son, Benjamin; and other members of his family.
A fishing clinic earlier in the week
helped to ensure the children understood proper safety measures.
The pond had been stocked just days
before the event.
Prizes were awarded for
participating and for three categories: smallest fish, biggest fish
and most fish caught.
Police Chief Ken Greenslate was
on-site, cooking hot dogs and providing sodas to those in
attendance.
The Turner family gives their thanks to
D.A.R.E and the park district for their continued sponsorship of the fishing
derby.
[By DEREK HURLEY]
ALMH
to host blood drive
To help ensure an adequate
blood supply for the region, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, 200 Stahlhut
Drive, is hosting a blood drive on Thursday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For your convenience, call Alexis
toll-free to sign up at 1-866-GIVE-BLD (1-866-448-3253), ext. 5158,
or schedule an appointment online using sponsor code 60177 at
www.bloodcenterimpact.org. Walk-ins are also welcome and truly
appreciated.
Central Illinois Community Blood
Center, a not-for-profit organization, is the provider of lifesaving
blood for 14 hospitals throughout central Illinois, including
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln and Memorial Medical
Center and St. John's Hospital in Springfield. CICBC is a division
of the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, which collects over
180,000 units of blood annually and serves 87 hospitals in Illinois,
Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.
Princess
Tea planned for June 29
This
year's theme: 'Over the Rainbow'
"Over
the Rainbow" has been chosen for the theme of this year's Princess Tea,
sponsored by the Harvest of Talents for World Hunger. The tea is planned for
Saturday, June 29, in the Fellowship Center of Lincoln Christian Church.
Doors to the tea will open at 10:45 a.m., with tea served at 11:30 a.m.
The Princess Tea is a very special
event for the sweet young ladies of our community and their guests.
If you have a special young lady in your life -- perhaps a daughter,
granddaughter, niece or a young friend -- this is the perfect event
for you to attend. You will be provided an opportunity to spend some
quality time together in a lovely setting, and your young ladies
will be the center of attention.
Young ladies -- princesses for the day
-- are invited to dress in their Sunday best or perhaps a princess
costume. They will be served refreshments from glass plates and tea
cups at a brightly decorated tea table. Each tea table will be
decorated by and presided over by a table hostess. Tasty food and
beverages will be served with the tastes of young ladies in mind.
The event will feature fun, food and favors.
Young ladies ages 3 to 12 are
invited to attend and must be accompanied by at least one adult
guest.
Tickets are $10 each and are
available in the church office. The tickets must be purchased in
advance, with ticket sales to close on June 26. Seating is limited,
so you are urged to pick up your tickets as soon as possible.
Questions may be directed to July
King at 314-9413. If you would like to be a hostess for a tea table,
she can provide you with the particulars.
She points out that those attending
will have a most enjoyable time, with the event serving the dual
purpose of providing food for "special" children around the world
who are experiencing hunger needs.
"Pretty little ladies, we will look
forward to seeing you and your guests at this event which is planned
especially for each of you," Ms. King says.
All funds raised at "Over the
Rainbow" will become a part of the 30th annual Harvest of Talents
for World Hunger on Saturday, Oct. 26. Every penny raised at the
Princess Tea will be used to meet hunger needs worldwide.
Runners
will be 'Glowin' for Michael' at Mount Pulaski Street Festival
MOUNT PULASKI -- The Mount Pulaski Street Festival this year is scheduled
for Friday, June 28, on the courthouse square.
Among the many attractions of the
evening, a new event is being added: a 5K run and walk with proceeds
to benefit 7-year-old Michael Stauffer.
Michael is the son of David and
Cynthia Stauffer of Mount Pulaski. He has a brother, Thomas, and a
sister, Alyssa. He is a student at Zion Lutheran School in Mount
Pulaski.
Late last year he was diagnosed
with T-cell lymphoma and has been undergoing treatment ever since.
The proceeds of the race will go to assist the family with their
financial concerns.
The race will begin at 8 p.m. in
front of the Mount Pulaski Courthouse, on the town square. Along the
route there will be luminaries and live street guides to assist with
the twists and turns of the route. The race will be self-timed.
Registrants have a choice of price
levels for the race. The $25 registration will include a "glow
shirt" and glow gear so runners will stand out during the race. If
runners aren't interested in the glow gear, they can pay the basic
registration fee of $15.
Registration packets can be picked
up at the Farmers Bank between noon and 5 p.m. on the day of the
race.
In addition to the 5K, the street
fair will offer a wide variety of entertainment options, and the
Mount Pulaski Courthouse will be open for tours. The Hair Cut Actual
Band will perform live on stage, and Audra's Studio of Dance will
have cloggers performing. There will also be an Abe Lincoln
impersonator.
The "Balloon Lady" will be on hand,
face painting by Chauntea Mason and plenty of children's games with
prizes.
Hilltop Caterers will serve brats,
hot dogs and soda for a donation, and the American Legion will have
a beer station.
For those who need a cool spot to
rest a spell, the air-conditioned VFW, the historical museum and the
courthouse will all be open and cool.
Anyone who would like to
preregister for the race can do so by visiting the Mount Pulaski
website at
http://www.mtpulaskiil.com/. Questions about the event can be
directed to Angie Cyrulik at 217-962-1055.
All proceeds from the race will go
to assist the Stauffer family. Proceeds from other street fair
activities will go to the Mount Pulaski Courthouse Foundation for
the upkeep of the historical courthouse.
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