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LC trips to Cubs vs. Cards, DeWitt-Logan retired teachers, Danielle Krabbe, Lincoln Community Gardens, HSLC garage sale donations, Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, Mount Pulaski postal services, public meeting on downtown plan, Jaycees host egg hunt, Pittsburgh Symphony cellist in Atlanta, Kathy Hopwood, Lincoln College trip to Gurnee Mills and 'South Pacific,' Holocaust program in Atlanta, Atlanta candidates, Community Health Fair, San Jose Methodist fish fry, library database change

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[March 21, 2013]  Lincoln College invites public to join 2 outings to Cubs-Cardinals games

Tickets are now available for Lincoln College's annual "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" event hosted by the LC Office of Alumni Relations and Special Events. This year there are two opportunities to watch the Chicago Cubs play the St. Louis Cardinals: at Wrigley Field (a rooftop experience) in Chicago on July 13 and at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Mo., on Aug. 10. Both are Saturday games scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m.

Tickets are available to all Lincoln College alumni, friends and the general public. Both events are all-inclusive; with motor coach transportation available. Ticket availability is limited, so make your reservations now.

The cost for each game is $150 per person and includes a game ticket, air-conditioned party room overlooking the outfield, a buffet meal, and unlimited soda and beer (and wine in Chicago). The St. Louis game will also include door prizes and a raffle of Cardinals and Cubs items.

The bus cost for the Chicago game is $40 per person, with pickups in Lincoln and Normal. For the St. Louis game, the bus is $30 per person, with pickups in Lincoln and Springfield.

To reserve your tickets or for more information, contact the college alumni office at 217-732-3155, ext. 217; call toll-free at 877-522-5867; or visit http://www.lincolncollege.edu/alumni/. Additional questions can be emailed to Kerri Taylor at ktaylor@lincolncollege.edu.


DeWitt-Logan retired teachers meet April 10

CLINTON -- The quarterly meeting of the DeWitt-Logan unit of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association will be on April 10 at 10:30 a.m. at Ted's Garage Restaurant in Clinton. The program will be presented by Pam Kogler, administrative services manager, and Lesley Booth, Medicare coordination of benefits supervisor. Both come from Central Management Systems and are specialists in the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program. They will present information on coordination of benefits with Medicare.

The Illinois Retired Teachers Association is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of retired educators. The association serves the needs and interests of its members through advocacy, education, cooperation and socialization in a flexible organizational structure. Membership is open to all retired and active teachers and their spouses.


Danielle Krabbe serving as Business Brigade volunteer in Panama

LITCHFIELD -- Danielle Krabbe, a junior at the University of Illinois, is participating in Global Business Brigades, the world's largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. She is currently spending seven days in a rural community in Panama to help provide solutions to the community's economic needs.

The beneficiaries typically have a low level of income, lack of collateral and low level of education.

Krabbe is conducting household visits in which she assesses the family's level of financial competency and entrepreneurial goals. She then provides educational and technical assistance in personal finance, basic accounting and business planning.

The Business Brigade volunteers invest in the community savings and loan by providing seed capital. The seed capital provides loans to small businesses and entrepreneurs to either expand current operations or pursue new business opportunities.

Krabbe is studying in the College of Business at the University of Illinois and majoring in marketing and management. She is a 2011 graduate of Litchfield High School.

Danielle is the daughter of Roger and Dana Krabbe of Litchfield and granddaughter of Dan and Marilyn Wheat of Lincoln.


Lincoln Community Gardens project kicks off Saturday

It's that time again! Time to get out there, turn the soil and really get in touch with nature and the joy of growing your own vegetables.

The Lincoln Community Gardens project is going to be active once again this year, with plenty of garden plots for the experienced and novice gardener.

To start off the season, the group will host a public information workshop on Saturday, March 23, at the Lincoln Public Library, in the Pegram Room downstairs. Those interested in obtaining a garden plot can sign up at the meeting. There will also be garden leaders on hand to answer gardening questions, and there will be a selection of gardening books on display that can be checked out from the library. There will also be a giveaway of two garden plots to use this season.

The event Saturday will begin at 10:30 a.m. and is expected to run until noon.

(See publicity.)


HSLC now seeking donations for 2nd annual garage sale

The Humane Society of Logan County is seeking donations of goods for the second annual "Big Spring Garage Sale." Clean, gently used items for donation can be dropped off every Wednesday and Saturday, beginning April 3, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Logan County Fairgrounds. Use the south entrance.

For more information or to arrange pickup, call 732-1979 or 732-7853. Electronics cannot be accepted.

This year's sale will be May 10 and 11, a Friday and Saturday, at the Logan County Fairgrounds.

Items for sale will include home decor, toys, sporting goods, furniture, clothes, shoes, accessories, holiday items, outdoor goods, books, CDs, DVDs and much more. There will also be food, music and fun stuff just for kids.

With the support of the community, the HSLC was able to open a shelter in 2011. Since then, they have placed more than 200 cats and dogs in forever homes, and facilitated in more than 400 low-cost spay and neuters per year.


Land of Lincoln Honor Flight 'welcome home' event March 26

SPRINGFIELD -- Donations and efforts of many individuals, organizations and businesses have allowed Land of Lincoln Honor Flight to take 16 more World War II veterans, 68 more Korean veterans and one Vietnam veteran to Washington, D.C., next week to see the World War II Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, National Air and Space Museum, and other memorials. Seventy-seven guardians who are responsible for the veterans' comfort and safety will be on the 19th Land of Lincoln Honor Flight. This is the first flight for 2013.

The public is invited to a "welcome home" ceremony for these WWII, Korean era and Vietnam veterans when the plane arrives back at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. Wear red, white and blue to show your appreciation.

Veterans on this flight come from the Illinois towns of Alton, Auburn, Bartonville, Benson, Brimfield, Bunker Hill, Canton, Carlinville, Carrollton, Chatham, Chillicothe, Clinton, Dawson, Decatur, East Peoria, Elgin, Elmwood, Fairbury, Forrest, Greenview, Groveland, Jacksonville, Latham, Lincoln, Loami, Manchester, Mason City, Medora, Metamora, Morton, Mount Olive, Mount Pulaski, Normal, North Pekin, Odell, Pekin, Peoria, Petersburg, Pontiac, Roanoke, Rochester, Roodhouse, Rushville, San Jose, Saybrook, Sherman, Springfield, Taylorville, Tremont, Virden, Virginia, White Hall, Wood River and Yates City.

Applications from veterans are still being accepted for the following, but WWII veterans will be served first:

  • Veterans who enlisted by Dec. 31, 1946 (WWII -- 101 currently on the list)

  • Veterans who served Jan. 1, 1947, through Dec. 31, 1957 (Korean era -- 388 currently on the list)

  • Veterans who served Jan. 1, 1958, through May 7, 1975 (137 currently on the list)

Flights are also scheduled for April 23 (already full), May 21 (already full) and June 18 (being filled). If funds are available, there will be additional flights in September and October.

The Land of Lincoln Honor Flight board welcomes the chance to speak to organizations, businesses, churches, conventions or others groups about their mission, future flights, guardian duties, fundraising and donations.

For more information about this flight, how individuals and groups can help the mission, how to obtain applications, how to become a member, and to learn more about Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, go to the website, www.landoflincolnhonorflight.org, or contact Ray Wiedle: home, 314-427-2317; cell, 217-622-1473; email, arwiedle@sbcglobal.net.


Public meeting to discuss Mount Pulaski post office

MOUNT PULASKI -- The U.S. Postal Service will have a public meeting to answer questions and provide additional information about the Post Plan for Mount Pulaski.

  • Day, date: Wednesday, April 3

  • Time: 1 p.m.

  • Where: 114 S. Lafayette St.
    Family Life Center of Christian Church (across the street from the post office)

A survey was sent to citizens to help determine the best course of action for providing postal services to the Mount Pulaski community. When you receive the survey, please fill it out and return it in the envelope provided. The surveys, in addition to the public meeting, will enable the Postal Service to obtain all community input and opinions before making a final decision regarding the post office in Mount Pulaski.

Note: In the survey, the meeting was announced to be at the post office, 121 N. Lafayette, but the location has been changed to the Family Life Center across the street, as indicated above.


Public meeting for downtown revitalization and redevelopment planning slated for March 27

There will be a public meeting Wednesday, March 27, to present the preliminary Downtown Revitalization Plan to residents, local business owners and community leaders. The meeting will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Lincoln Park District Administrative Center, 1400 Primm Road.

The meeting will be an open house format, meaning that people interested can arrive and leave at any point during the scheduled time, and no formal presentation will be given. Members of the study team will be present to explain exhibits and answer any questions.

The Downtown Revitalization Plan makes recommendations on specific physical improvements to downtown Lincoln, including streetscape improvements, a conceptual plan for the public parks and courthouse square, parking and traffic plans, historical façade improvements, and a historical preservation plan.

Information on the activities that have taken place leading up to this meeting can be viewed on the project website: http://explorelogancounty.com/
DowntownLincolnStudy/
.


Lincoln Jaycees host Easter egg hunt Saturday

The Lincoln Jaycees will host their annual egg hunt on Saturday, March 23. The fun begins at 1 p.m. at Latham Park in downtown Lincoln.

The free hunt is open to kids up to age 10. There will be four age groups: 1-3, 4-5, 6-7 and 8-10. Parents may help with the youngest age group.

Join the hippity-hoppity fun, including goodies and prizes. Harvey the Easter Bunny will make a visit, so bring cameras and baskets.

The rain date is March 30.

___

The Lincoln Jaycees are a not-for-profit organization serving Lincoln and the surrounding communities. The organization gives young people between the ages of 18 and 40 the tools they need to build the bridges of success for themselves in the areas of business development, management skills, individual training, community service and international connections. Membership meetings are the third Friday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Jaycees Center, 325 S. Chicago St., and are open to everyone.


Pittsburgh Symphony cellist featured in final Behind the Scenes program

ATLANTA -- Cellist Mikhail Istomin will be in Atlanta on Friday, April 5, for this year's final event in the Atlanta Public Library's Behind the Scenes program. The event will be at the North Greens Golf Course.

Those attending can hear the musician's story of growing up in the former Soviet Union and adapting to a new life in the U.S. He will answer questions, talk about how musicians are selected for premium jobs in major U.S. orchestras, and also perform for the group "up close and personal."

Born and educated in Russia, Mikhail Istomin, known as Misha, holds a master's degree in music from the St. Petersburg Conservatory. While still in school, he became principal cellist of the State Hermitage Orchestra and later joined the orchestra of the Kirov Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

In 1987, he became the cellist of the Leningrad Conservatory String Quartet, and in 1989 the group won the grand prize in the National Soviet Union Competition of String Quartets. Later that year, Misha defected during the quartet's U.S. tour and was granted political asylum in the United States, where he went on to establish an exceptional musical career, including establishing the acclaimed Pittsburgh Piano Trio.

Misha was appointed principal cellist of the Pittsburgh Opera and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater orchestras in 1991, and the following year, he joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Lorin Maazel.

In July 1998, Misha returned to St. Petersburg to perform in the Second World Cello Congress under the direction of the renowned conductor Mstislav Rostropovich.

The Atlanta event begins with a free reception at 6:30 p.m., and the program starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in advance at the library or at the door on April 5.

Behind the Scenes is sponsored by the Atlanta National Bank and the City of Atlanta.


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Kathy Hopwood is the March ALMH Employee of the Month

Kathy Hopwood of Lincoln has been named the March Employee of the Month at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln. She works as a nurse technician in Acute Care.

"Kathy looks out for patients' welfare and comfort," said the anonymous co-worker who nominated Hopwood for the honor. "She is always busy, whether assisting a patient, asking staff if they need help, or even straightening shelves in the storage area. She gives constant attention to our patients and the Acute Care staff."

Hopwood's association with ALMH began early as she was born at ALMH when it was located on Eighth Street. She started her career at ALMH in Acute Care.

Hopwood found the right calling in nursing as it provides her the opportunity to help people and meet a lot of people.

"I really enjoy interacting with everyone who comes through the doors of ALMH. I love spending time with patients and their visitors, working next to skilled employees, and providing a great experience," said Hopwood.

Hopwood is also grateful to ALMH for the educational opportunities she has had available to her from the beginning of her career.

"I've been lucky to work in health care for most of my life. After graduating from high school I took a career path that afforded me many on-the-job training opportunities. After completing my certified nursing assistant certification, I remain committed to higher education in my field. Part of the spirit of ALMH has always been providing the best care, and they give us the knowledge and skills to make that happen," said Hopwood.

As a nurse technician, Hopwood spends the majority of her days working directly with patients. She also coordinates with the nursing staff to provide medical and personal care to all the ALMH patients.

Hopwood would recommend a career in nursing and offered this advice to those interested in the field:

"CNAs are vital to a hospital and are always needed. Earn your CNA certification and look into nursing school," she said. "If you love being a CNA, like I do, then stick with the job and take advantage of educational opportunities. Helping people is a great career choice, and I would seriously encourage anyone interested to fully explore all of the great things about becoming a CNA. Also, I would tell them to invest in a pair of really comfortable shoes!" said Hopwood.

ALMH, at 200 Stahlhut Drive in Lincoln, is a 25-bed critical-access hospital affiliated with Memorial Health System. The hospital employs 315 in a variety of roles. For more information, visit www.almh.org.


Lincoln College hosts a day trip to Gurnee Mills & 'South Pacific'

Tickets are available now through March 25 for a spring Lincoln College shopping and theater event April 13, hosted by the LC Office of Alumni Relations and Special Events. Guests will enjoy approximately four hours for lunch and shopping at Gurnee Mills outlet mall before heading to the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire to see one of the best musicals of all time, "South Pacific," featuring LC alumnus and Broadway star Stephen Buntrock (LC Class of 1988).

Tickets are available to all Lincoln College alumni, friends and the general public.

The motor coach will make pickups in Lincoln and Normal. Guests will leave Lincoln around 7:30 a.m. and return around 11:30 p.m.

The cost is $75 and includes deluxe motor coach transportation, snacks on the bus, theater ticket and a brief opportunity to meet Buntrock after the show.

To reserve tickets or for more information, contact the alumni office at 217-732-3155, ext. 217; call toll-free at 877-522-5867; or visit http://www.lincolncollege.edu/alumni/. Additional questions may be emailed to Kerri Taylor at ktaylor@lincolncollege.edu.

Tickets will not be available after March 25.


Atlanta Public Library & Museum present a visit with Michael Rothberg March 25

ATLANTA -- On March 25, the Atlanta Public Library's Worldviews Book Group -- which has been studying the Holocaust this year -- will present a special evening with Michael Rothberg, founder and director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Memory Studies Initiative at the University of Illinois. Rothberg will discuss the importance of preserving memories of the Holocaust and answer questions about the role genocide continues to play in the world today.

The program will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the North Greens Golf Course in Atlanta. It is free.

A professor at the University of Illinois, Rothberg is a well-known teacher and writer, and this program is a rare opportunity for members of the public to meet informally with an expert whose insights into one of the world's most significant events promise to be informative and thought-provoking.


Atlanta Public Library hosts local city and township candidates

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Public Library invites the public to attend two public meetings where they can ask questions of candidates running for city and township offices. On March 18, candidates for city council, the library board and the parks board will be available for questions. Township candidates will attend on April 1. Both meetings will be at the North Greens Golf Course from 7 to 8 p.m. The events are free.

On March 18, members of the library board will also be in attendance to answer questions about the library's ballot referendum. Representatives of the rescue squad will attend on April 1 and answer questions about the Logan County Paramedic Association referendum.

While candidates' attendance depends on their availability, the library expects most to participate and encourages the public to take advantage of this important opportunity to learn about candidates' plans for Atlanta in advance of the election on April 9.

Candidates for city offices are Fred Fincham for mayor; Billie Cheek, Matt Clemmons and Bill Moore for city council; Ken Martin for city clerk; and Vickie Martin for city treasurer.

Library board candidates are Randy Brooks, Anne Hieronymus, Karen Horn and Susan Kuhlmyer.

Park board candidates are Doug Thompson and Greg Tucker.

Township candidates are Staci Hieronymus Kong and Jack Renfrow for supervisor; Melanie Blankenship and Julie Tabor for clerk; Daniel Osborn for highway commissioner; and Joe Daugherty, Wesley Green, Alex Hoblit, Julie Osborn, Betty Renfrow and Greg Tucker for trustee.

The public meetings are part of the library's Civic Connections program, which is sponsored by the A-Team.


Logan County Community Health Fair coming March 23

The Logan County Community Health Fair continues to promote and educate area residents on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle through screenings, information and programs offered by health and social service organizations at the local, state and regional level. This year's health fair will be on Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lincoln Park District Sports Center. All activities, programs and collections will be on-site unless otherwise noted.

The Community Health Fair will offer numerous health screenings, including blood pressure, oral cancer screenings and body mass indexes, which are free to the public. Cholesterol and hemoglobin screenings will be offered at a nominal cost. Well water testing, child fingerprinting will also be offered. The American Red Cross will sponsor a blood drive. Additionally, the health fair will again offer residents the opportunity to recycle a variety of different items in an environmentally friendly and responsible manner.

The State Bank of Lincoln will sponsor shredding of confidential papers and destruction of hard drives as part of the Community Health Fair. The shredding and hard drive destruction program offers residents the opportunity to have items such as financial records, old tax returns and other sensitive household records shredded and destroyed in a secure and confidential manner. Proper disposal of these sensitive items may prevent individuals from becoming victims of identity theft. The paper shredding and hard drive destruction will be available from 9 a.m. to noon in the front parking lot of Lincoln Community High School.

There will also a glass recycling collection in the front parking lot of LCHS from 9 a.m. to noon. The recycling program accepts only container glass, meaning it originally contained either a food or beverage product. Participants will need to remove all plastic and metal caps and rings from the container. All colors of glass are accepted and do not have to be sorted. The glass recycling program does not accept ceramics, dishware, light bulbs, window glass or mirrors. Glass recycling will be canceled in event of inclement weather.

Expired or unwanted medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, will be collected through an unwanted medication collection, co-sponsored by the Healthy Communities Partnership and the Kroger pharmacy. Medications must be in the original container with label and with the name blacked out to ensure privacy. The Lincoln Police Department will be on-site to oversee the collection process. Residents are reminded that it is no longer acceptable to dispose of any medication by flushing it down the toilet, as chemical compounds are now being detected in groundwater samples.

Eyeglasses and hearing aids will be collected by the Lions Club for distribution to visually and hearing impaired individuals in the U.S. and around the world. New, used, damaged or broken eyeglasses and hearing aids will be accepted.

Cellphones, both working and non-working, will be collected for donation to Sojourn Woman's Center. The cellphones will be reprogrammed and provided to victims of domestic violence for their use in emergency situations.

Laser and ink-jet printer cartridges will be collected by Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois. Proceeds from recycling the printer cartridges will be used to supplement ongoing programs for low-income individuals, household, children and seniors.

Tabs from aluminum cans will be collected for donation to the area's Ronald McDonald House.

Containers will be provided at the health fair for the collection of plastic grocery bags.

As always, this year's Logan County Community Health Fair offers something for everyone, whether your goal is maintain or improve your health or to complete some spring cleaning and dispose of items in an environmentally friendly way.

For additional information on health screenings, contact Mallory Ramos of the Logan County Department of Public Health at 735-2317. With recycling questions, contact Mitzi Rohlfs, Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency coordinator, at 732-9636.


'Fish Fry for Missions' March 22

SAN JOSE -- The San Jose United Methodist Women and the men of the church are presenting their annual Fish Fry for Missions on Friday, March 22. Serving will be from 4 until 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Whole catfish are fried on the premises during the fish fry. Other items on the menu are hash brown casserole, coleslaw, baked beans, homemade desserts and drinks. Chicken strips are also on the menu for children or adults who do not eat fish.

Proceeds benefit children and youth ministries such as camping scholarships, the Bible Zone after-school ministry and meal, and Vacation Bible School.

Tickets will be sold in advance by church members or at the door. Guests may dine in or carry out for the same price. Tickets are $9 for adults, $4 for children 4-12 and free for children under 4 years with paid adult. For tickets or more information, you may call the church at 309-247-3232 or Jim Eeten at 309-247-3485.

San Jose is on U.S. 136 about 10 miles west of Interstate 155. The San Jose United Methodist Church is at 601 S. First St., at the corner of Linden and First, about six blocks south of U.S. 136.


Library prepares for new online system

The Lincoln Public Library District will convert to a new online computer database this spring. The library will join 426 other member libraries in the Illinois Heartland Library System and become a member of the new Polaris online database.

The current library database will no longer be available after March 29, and the new database is expected to become operational on April 9.

Patrons who maintain holds or reading lists in the old database are asked to contact the library by March 15 to have that information transferred to the new database.

For more information, contact April Jensen, circulation manager, at 732-8878 or visit the library at 725 Pekin St.


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