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She came to Lincoln in July of 1967
with her husband, Robert, and 4-year-old daughter Constance. Darlene
and Robert had met in Rockford, where they both worked for the same
company. They married in 1953. Robert was already deeply involved in
the IOOF, and Darlene soon joined him in what turned out to be a
lifetime commitment to the organization.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows
is a service organization that was founded in England. It was the
first charitable organization founded by the middle class to help
others in the same station in life. That seems to be the origin of
the Odd in Odd Fellows, because until it was founded, charitable
organizations were the domain of the wealthy classes.
The IOOF came to the United States
in the second decade of the 19th century. The Lincoln branch was
started in the second half of the 19th century. Its original
building, now home to the Lincoln Art Institute, still stands next
to the post office. The three interlocking rings that are the IOOF
symbol are still visible at the top of the façade of the building.
Perhaps the Lincoln chapter is best
known for the children's home that was located on Wyatt Avenue. The
semicircular drive contained buildings for a gym, dormitories for
the children, a school and a home for the administrator.
Robert Wick was on the board of the
children's home while he and Darlene lived in Rockford. When the
position of administrator and matron opened, Darlene and Robert
decided to accept the position and moved with their daughter to
Lincoln on July 15, 1967.
The IOOF Children's Home was a
place of refuge for kids who had no parents and for children whose
parents were not able to care for them. The matron was the surrogate
mother.
"A matron was responsible for
working directly with the children," Darlene said.
She made sure they were properly
attired, looked after their hygiene and made sure they had the
necessary doctor visits. She also made sure that they all attended
school, and she monitored their progress. At one time, the children
were educated on-site, but during Darlene's tenure as matron, they
attended Lincoln public schools.
She also arranged for her charges
to become members of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and to attend
the church of their choice. The IOOF also helped those who wanted to
go to college after graduating from Lincoln High School.
One thing that Wick did while
matron was to take a photograph of each child. This proved to be a
marvelous idea. When her charges became adults, they often returned
to Lincoln with their own children to show their kids where they
grew up. Darlene would then give them a photo she had taken of them
when they lived at the home. Her former kids were always thrilled
with the memento of their childhood on Wyatt Avenue. And their
children were able to see where their parents had grown up and the
woman who had such a profound impact on their lives. The daughter of
one of the returning children was thrilled to receive a photo of her
dad as a child.
When asked about memories of the
children she cared for, Darlene Wick smiled and said, "I have a
few."
One child graduated from Lincoln
High, attended college and became the band director in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, for 26 years.
Darlene recalled that one
Thanksgiving, when she and Robert planned to travel back to Rockford
for the holiday, they noted that some of the children did not have a
family to spend the day with. She and Robert got busy and loaded all
of the kids on the Odd Fellows bus and made sure that each one had a
family to spend the holiday with. They contacted friends and friends
of friends along the way to Rockford and dropped the children off
with a family who volunteered to take them. At the end of the day,
they reversed course and picked up the kids on the way back to
Lincoln. Each child had a Thanksgiving family and a warm memory to
take with them forever.
On one occasion, one of the former
children at the home stopped by with his 7-year-old son. While he
was telling his son what a wonderful time he had with Darlene and
with the other children at the Odd Fellows home, Darlene nudged him
and quietly said: "But you ran away three times." He grinned at her
sheepishly and said, "Yes, but don't tell my son!"
One young man at the home told
Darlene that he was going to run away. She quickly replied that if
he did, "I'm going to call the authorities and they will bring you
back." He decided not to go. The next day he asked her if she really
would have called the authorities. She said, "No, you are 18 and can
make your own decisions now. I was just bluffing." He said "I'm glad
you did." He was thankful he had someone who cared about him.
Times change and the rise of foster
care reduced the need for the residential children's home. But the
elimination of the residential program certainly did not slow down
Darlene Wick's commitment to the IOOF. She had joined the Rebekahs
while still living in Rockford, and in fact is still a member of
that chapter. Rebekahs are the women's auxiliary to the Odd Fellows.
Back in the day, women could not join the Odd Fellows, like many
service organizations of long ago. That changed, and women and men
can now belong to both organizations.
The Rebekahs have always been a
charitable organization in their own right. They donate food to the
local food pantry and help raise money for Lincoln Youth Football.
They also plant trees. Darlene said their motto is "Plant a tree for
he who comes after me."
Wick has been involved with the Odd
Fellows Rebekah Scholarship, an Odd Fellows program that gives
scholarships to Illinois residents for postsecondary education. She
became secretary of the scholarship program in 1985 and still sits
on the committee that selects the recipients. Thirty-four
scholarships were distributed last year.
She is also the editor of the
award-winning newsletter of Illinois Odd Fellows.
She is responsible for rescuing all
of the records of the Odd Fellows residential children's program
dating from the 19th century. Those records have been an invaluable
source of information to families doing genealogical research.
The Independent Order of Odd
Fellows has an insignia of three interlocking rings with the letters
F, L and T emblazoned within the rings. The letters stand for
friendship, love and truth. Darlene Wick has lived this Odd Fellows
motto for over 60 years and has touched the lives of countless
people. She still has a passionate commitment to the IOOF, and when
she speaks of the IOOF, her dedication becomes apparent.
She resides at Friendship Manor,
whose construction might arguably be Robert Wick's crowning
achievement in Lincoln. The thought of her late husband providing
for her brought a smile, and a moment of quiet reflection.
[By CURT FOX]
 Lincoln
Writer's Club will meet May 14
Lincoln Writer's Club will
meet Tuesday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m. in the Alumni Room of the student center
at Lincoln College. Suggested topics:
-
Write a poem on a page of
newspaper. Incorporate what you see into your poem.
-
How could a coconut, a mask and a
dictionary help you off a desert island?
-
More home
remedies.
For more information, call
732-2723.
All are welcome.
Upcoming
blood drives in Logan County
To help ensure an adequate blood supply for
the region, the Central Illinois Community Blood Center is providing
opportunities to donate blood in Lincoln in early May. Blood drives:
-
Monday, May 6,
noon-6 p.m.
Lincoln Masonic Center
2022 N. Kickapoo
-
Tuesday, May 7, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Lincoln Christian University
Laughlin Center lobby
100 Campus View Drive
For your convenience, call Alexis toll-free at 1-866-GIVE-BLD
(1-866-448-3253), ext. 5158, to sign up, or schedule an appointment
online 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.
Logan
County Arts presents 'Functional and Fine Art: Lincoln Community High School
Textiles, Woods, Metals and Fine Art'
An exhibit of works by Lincoln Community High
School students in textiles, woods, metals and fine art will be on view at
the Lincoln Art Institute in downtown Lincoln from May 9 through May 26. The
show opens Thursday, May 9, at 5 p.m. and is free and open to the public. This event will feature various works by current students attending
Lincoln Community High School and includes works that are both
functional and creative in a variety of media.
Refreshments will
be served at the opening, in addition to a bake sale with the
proceeds going to support Logan County Arts, which serves artists
and the community throughout Logan County.
The Lincoln Art Institute hosts Logan County Arts with the goal
of expanding awareness of arts with a focus on Logan County.
___
Lincoln Art Institute
Address: 112 S. McLean, Lincoln, IL 62656
Contact: Toby Prange, curator,
contact@logancountyarts.org
Phone: 217-651-8355
Website:
www.logancountyarts.org
Hours: Saturdays 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
or by appointment
Lincoln Dialysis gives $1,000 to Community Action Partnership
of Central Illinois
DaVita, the kidney care division of DaVita HealthCare Partners
Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services,
announced a $1,000 contribution to Community Action Partnership of
Central Illinois. Earlier this year, DaVita Lincoln Dialysis presented the Community
Action Partnership of Central Illinois with a $1,000 check as part
of the "DaVita Way of Giving," the company's local charitable giving
initiative, which is distributing more than $1 million to help
nonprofit organizations throughout the United States grow and
thrive.Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois is a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that strives to address issues of
poverty in the community and provide resources for those in need --
like creating Logan Mason Public Transportation after recognizing a
need for public transportation within the counties.
DaVita Lincoln Dialysis chose to donate to Community Action
Partnership of Central Illinois because of the organization's
dedication to transporting residents who might not be able to travel
otherwise.
DaVita, a leading provider of kidney care services, is committed to
improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic
kidney disease and is dedicated to spreading ripples of citizen
leadership through its "Trilogy of Care" -- caring for its patients,
caring for each other and caring for the world. For more information
on DaVita, visit
http://www.davita.com/.
Hartsburg-Emden High School Alumni Banquet will be June 8
HARTSBURG-EMDEN -- The 86th annual Hartsburg-Emden High School Alumni
Banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in
Lincoln. Invitations to the banquet will be sent out the first week of May.
Anyone who did not receive an invitation but would like to attend
the banquet may send a request via email to Ron Spencer at
coach_spencer@hotmail.com,
or you may reach him on his cellphone at 309-838-0360.
Anniversary classes being honored this year are 1933, 1938, 1943,
1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998,
2003, 2008 and the senior Class of 2013.
The winner of the "Wall of Fame" award will be selected and
announced at the banquet. This year's award will be represented in
the category of "Athletics/Sports."
Please mail nomination letters to Ron Spencer, 8923 Blooming
Grove Road, Bloomington, IL 61705.
Due to the rising costs of the banquet, the alumni association
will accept donations to help out with the cost of the event and to
continue funding the Alumni Scholarship. Donations are payable to
the Hartem Alumni Association and may be sent to Greg Phillips, 208
Market St., Emden, IL 62635.
Officers of the alumni association for 2013 are Chris Boerma,
president; Ron Spencer, vice president; Loretta Hellman, secretary;
Greg Phillips, treasurer; and Kay Mullins and Verna Lessen,
corresponding secretaries.
Lincoln
Woman's Club members attend annual convention in Fairbury
Four members of the Lincoln Woman's Club
recently attended the GFWC Illinois 17th District convention in Fairbury.
Representing the Lincoln club were Ruth Sloot, Sue Beaver, Sandy Johnson and
Mary Cooper. The Lincoln club was honored to
receive seven first-place awards at the convention. The awards were
in the areas of public issues, conservation, legislation,
fundraising, international outreach, education, and domestic
violence.
Recognition as best overall was given to the areas of
fundraising and international outreach.
District officers were installed by Patricia Heitman, GFWC
Illinois president, with Donna Cross, district president,
officiating. Fourteen clubs participated in the annual district
convention.
Logan
County Relay to celebrate American Cancer Society's 100th year
The Logan County Relay For Life is joining all
of America in celebrating 100 years of saving lives and creating more
birthdays through the efforts and research of the American Cancer Society,
begun in 1913. Formerly the word cancer was not spoken, so almost all
patients with this dreadful disease were lost. On Saturday, May 18, the Logan County
Relay For Life teams will sell $10 luminaria bags at Lincoln IGA
from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The luminaria will also be available at the
annual Relay For Life Breakfast at Lincoln College on Sunday, May
19, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. On Wednesday, May 22, these luminaria
will draw attention to the 100th anniversary, as all of those
purchased will be placed on the front porch of each participating
home and lit at sundown to show support in helping to stamp out this
disease in this century.
The luminaria purchased for this celebration will not be relit at
the Relay For Life event June 14-15 at Lincoln College.
For more information, contact Bill Post, 732-7564; Tonita
Reifsteck, 855-1645; or Nicole Lee, 828-1100.
[to top of second
column] |
Brenda
McCabe named Office Professional of the Year
On Thursday, the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber
of Commerce celebrated office professionals in the community with a luncheon
at the Knights of Columbus. For the Office Professionals Luncheon this year,
170 individuals came together to celebrate excellence in the workplace. The event provided a break in the day
with a catered luncheon by Guzzardo's Italian Villa and words of
wisdom from John Blackburn, retired CEO of Country Financial and
21st president of Lincoln College.
At the luncheon, the Office
Professional of the Year nominees were recognized and the 2013
winner was announced.
Nminees and their employers were Candy Brown, Graue Inc.; Judy
Busby, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital; Kim Coers, Lincoln
Christian University; Angie Ford, Integrity Data; Susan Gehlbach,
city of Lincoln, clerk's office; Annetta Green, Frontier Mutual
Insurance; Cheryl Hedrick, Logan County Emergency Management Agency;
Becky Heyen, The Courier; Brenda McCabe, Lincoln Police Department;
Angie Mahler, The Christian Village; and Alice Turner, Abraham
Lincoln Memorial Hospital.
Brenda McCabe, who has worked for the city of Lincoln for 33
years, was chosen as the 2013 Office Professional of the Year. The
award is given for outstanding work, dedication to the job, giving
110 percent and always going that extra mile.
Police Chief Ken Greenslate nominated McCabe. He said:
"Brenda McCabe has a positive spirit that has a contagious effect
on the entire department. She has worked for the city of Lincoln for
33 years and for the last two years has held the role of
administrative assistant at the Lincoln Police Department.
"She prepares all reports for the state's attorney and the city
attorney; assists the administration, detective bureau and the
patrol division with all of their records management; as well as
entering and maintaining many other vital records. Brenda also
digitally stored 30 years' worth of case files and evidence records
in just two short years.
"Most recently, Brenda performed all of the payroll, budget
projections and accounts payable for the city clerk office and for
the police department during a two-month period when the city clerk
office was shorthanded.
"Whenever she is asked to do something, she happily accepts the
new challenge. Not only is she the definition of a hard worker, but
she also treats everyone from the chief to the newest officer with
the same level of respect and regard."
Greenslate added that "her contribution to the Lincoln Police
Department has greatly improved our efficiency while at the same
time, improved our work environment. Brenda is a true treasure as
both an employee and as a person."
The chamber of commerce thanks the many sponsors who helped make
the event possible and all who attended the luncheon, along with the
bosses and supervisors who gave their staff the afternoon break to
celebrate their special day. The chamber also thanks the Lincoln
Knights of Columbus for the use of their facility and their
preparations.
The Office Professionals Luncheon is an important part of the
chamber's mission to advocate, support and unify local businesses
for the prosperity of Logan County.
Route
66 will anchor weekend of activities in Logan County
Route 66 will be the centerpiece for a diverse series of activities taking
place in Logan County on the weekend of June 7-9, Friday-Sunday.
Events will range from garage sales, auto racing and an electric
car show to art exhibits and the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame
Banquet.
Festivities will begin with the annual Route 66 Garage Sale,
which will take place from 7 a.m. until dusk Friday, Saturday and
Sunday in Lincoln.
This year, vendors can rent indoor or outdoor space at the VFW,
915 Fifth St., or flea market space at The Mill, 738 S. Washington
St. For reservations at the VFW, or general information about the
garage sales, call Andrea Dykman at 217-735-0294. The Logan County
Tourism Bureau at 217-732-8687 is taking reservations for spaces at
The Mill.
For the first time, Logan County Outreach, a community betterment
organization, and Lincoln Printers will host the Route 66 Garage
Sale.
Private garage sales will also take place throughout the
community. Those planners are urged to use traditional news and
social media outlets to advertise their sales.
On Friday night, race fans can watch the POWRi competition at
Lincoln Speedway on the Logan County Fairgrounds. Gates open at 3
p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.
The Mill 2nd Saturday Flea Market on June 8 is the premiere event
for a series of flea markets there on the second Saturday of each
month through October. The flea market will run from 10 a.m. until 5
p.m.
The Lincoln Art Institute gallery at 112 S. McLean St. in
downtown Lincoln will be open on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Main Street Lincoln will sponsor a PLUS 5K run and health fair in
downtown Lincoln on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, an Electric Vehicle Cruise-In will take place
from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. along the original Mother Road in historic
downtown Atlanta. The free public cruise-in is sponsored by the
Atlanta Betterment Fund.
After it was commissioned in 1926, Route 66 was responsible for a
huge increase in automobile traffic that led to the need for
businesses to serve the traveling public. Among these new businesses
were service stations.
Now, Route 66 is poised to help create the next big
transportation infrastructure -- charging stations for electric
vehicles. Atlanta is interested in helping other Route 66
communities discover how to better serve the traveling public that
will be searching for an electric plug-in instead of a gas pump.
The June 8 Electric Vehicle Cruise-in, Illinois' first, will
display some cool EV cars and offer a chance to learn more about how
the Mother Road is working to give birth to a new travel
infrastructure.
All electric and hybrid cars are invited to participate in the
cruise-in. The event will also feature vintage music, great food, a
50-50 drawing and hourly drawings.
Atlanta offers two Level 2 Eaton charging stations, available by
advance reservation at no fee. There are also 16 Level 1 charging
stations available at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information about the cruise-in, or to make reservations
to use the Level 2 charger, contact Bill Thomas of the Atlanta
Betterment Fund at 217-648-5077 or
wthomas@teleologic.net.
Atlanta will also exhibit the results of its first Rt. 66
Reinterpreted Art Project from May 1 through Aug. 13.
Modeled on Chicago's "Cows on Parade" exhibit, the Rt. 66
Reinterpreted Art Project presented artists the opportunity to
create their own take on one of the 20th century's most iconic and
recognizable symbols, the U.S. Route 66 highway shield.
Artists were provided a blank 2-by-2-foot wooden cutout of the
Route 66 highway shield, painted white, which then became their
personal canvas. Each shield was required to incorporate the text
"U.S. 66," but otherwise the design was left to each artist's
imagination.
The Atlanta Betterment Fund, sponsor of the project, selected 10
shields as finalists. Visitors can vote on their favorites, and
those with the most votes will be named winners of the contest. At
the conclusion of the project, the five winning shields, along with
the names of the artists who created them, will be displayed on a
permanent basis in the Atlanta Rt. 66 Park. For more information,
contact Bill Thomas at the telephone number or email address above.
The annual Route 66 Association of Illinois Motor Tour will pass
through Logan County on Saturday, June 8. Many of the participants
will stay overnight Saturday before continuing the tour on Sunday.
The Route 66 Association Hall of Fame Banquet will take place
Saturday evening at Lincoln College. Advance reservations are
required for the banquet. For more information about either the
banquet or the motor tour, visit the Route 66 Association of
Illinois at il66assoc.org.
Park
district to offer square dance lessons in May
Lincoln Park District will provide a unique opportunity to learn
to square dance this spring. Classes will be on Tuesday evenings,
6:30-8:30, for four weeks, beginning May 7. This activity is for all
ages, teenagers through senior citizens.
Instructors will be Ron and Jan Betzelberger of Lincoln. They have
been square dancing since 1976. Ron started calling and teaching in
1980. When not teaching in Lincoln, they share their talents with
the residents of Rio Grande Valley, where they winter.If you
enjoy meeting new people, moving to good music and having fun,
you're invited to come and give this a try.
The class cost is $30 per couple in district.
Square dancing is generally offered on the first and third
Saturday evenings in the ballroom at the park district.
Atlanta Rt. 66 Cruise-In May 11
ATLANTA -- Mark your calendar now and plan to attend the Atlanta Rt. 66
Cruise-In on Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy classic cars,
vintage music, great food, a 50-50 drawing, hourly drawings and more -- all
along an original alignment of the Mother Road itself in downtown Atlanta.
All area car club members and anyone with a great old car they want
to display are invited to attend. Stop by the registration table to
be included in the hourly drawings. The first 50 registrants will
receive a free Atlanta Rt. 66 Cruise-In dash plaque.
While in
town, visitors can step into the Palms Grill Café for a piece of
blue-ribbon homemade pie, tour the J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum,
get their pictures taken with the Bunyon Giant, pick up souvenirs at
the Gunnar Mast Trading Post or handcrafted items at the Arch Street
Artisans shop, have a cheeseburger at Chubby's, visit the Atlanta
Museum, enjoy a cold one at Phanny's or the Korner, then stroll
around and enjoy the assembled cruise-in cars.
The Atlanta Rt. 66 Cruise-In is sponsored by the Atlanta
Betterment Fund.
For more information, phone 217-648-5077 or email
wthomas@teleologic.net.
The next cruise-in will take place on Saturday, June 8, and will be
Illinois' first Electric Vehicle Cruise-In. Visitors will definitely want to
come to downtown Atlanta that day to see the variety of electric and
electric hybrid cars that will be on hand.
Meeting
postponed
Pleasant
Valley Cemetery Association annual meeting
MIDDLETOWN -- The annual
meeting of the Pleasant Valley Cemetery Association will be on Monday, May
6, at 7 p.m. at the Knapp-Chesnut-Becker Library in Middletown. All lot
owners are welcome to attend.
April 23 special note: This meeting has been postponed to a later date. A new notice
of date and time will be posted when it is announced by the cemetery
association board.
Walk
MS event at Kickapoo Creek Park on May 5
Plans are nearing completion for the 14th
annual Walk MS event at Kickapoo Creek Park in Lincoln on Sunday, May 5.
According to Nancy Ireland, coordinator for the event, "all we need now is a
beautiful day and lots of walkers."
Check-in begins at noon, team pictures
will be taken at 1 p.m., and the walk starts at 1:30. The walk route
is 100 percent accessible, and participants have the option of
walking 1.5 or three miles. There will be assistance for anyone who
is unable to complete the route.
All activities begin at the north
shelter in the park. The day's events include music provided by Greg
& Joe Hackett Music 4U DJ Service, as well as face painting and a
silent auction.
A "bags" tournament will take place
at 11:30 a.m. Team check-in is at 11. Cost is $10 per team, and
there's prize money for the top two teams. Bring boards and bags.
Participants must register by May 1 by calling 732-2339.
It's not easy to pinpoint the cause
of multiple sclerosis, and so far, the cure rests on continuing
research. Every hour, another person is diagnosed with MS. For
20,000 people in Illinois and some 400,000 nationwide, that hour has
already arrived. Money raised by Walk MS helps to support research
along with much-needed programs and services that enhance the
quality of life for people living with multiple sclerosis.
People may register for the walk by calling
732-2339 or
online at www.lincolnms.com.
Donations may be sent to Lincoln MS Walk, 23 Tulip Drive, Lincoln, IL 62656.
New
springtime hours at Lincoln city landfill
Now through May 5 the city
landscape waste facility in Lincoln will be open every day except Monday
from 8 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. Beginning May 8 the facility will go
back to normal hours of operation, which are Wednesday and Saturday
only from 8 a.m. to 3.50 p.m.
The public is reminded that the city
landfill accepts only landscape waste.
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.
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