The Perfect Gift... We`ve Got it Covered!

Transcription

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December 2014
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www.facebook.com/thebuzzmonthly
The Prairie Land Buzz
WaTch for our JaNuarY Issue avaILaBLe JaN 6-8
whERE CAN I FIND ThE BuZZ MAgAZINE?
Our Mission: to promote pride in
our region, its heritage and its people by
sharing their positive and uplifting
stories and to provide businesses a cost
effective means of advertising to a broad
area.
PUBlisHEr
studio T • 573-368-6639
1110 N. Jefferson, Litchfield, IL 62056
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ManaGinG EDiTOr/OWnEr
Tara L. Cale
PrinTEr
Breese Journal & Publishing Company
Breese, IL • 618-526-7211
COnTriBUTinG WriTErs
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Reproduction in whole or part without
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TO COnTaCT THE BUZZ
Phone: 573-368-6639
Email: thebuzzmonthly@yahoo.com
website: www.thebuzzmonthly.com
Advertising sales
Tara L. Cale • 573-368-6639
thebuzzmonthly@yahoo.com
John Michael Marty • 217-710-1258
johnmarty@gmail.com
ALTON: Alton Exchange Mall • Alton Sports Tap • Alton
Visitor’s Center • Big Lots • Corky’s Emporium • Farm &
Home • Halpin Music • K-Mart • Ken’s Coins • My Just
Desserts • National Tire & Battery • River Bender Commmunity Center • Something Simple, Something Grand Antiques
& More • Town and Club Bar & Grill • Woody’s Restaurant
Z Mattress Company AuBuRN: Rusty Star Antique Mall
BENLD: Benld Library • TJ’s ZX Convenience Stop
Randy’s Market • Toni’s Restaurant BEThALTO: Dairy
Queen • Eagles Nest Restaurant • El Mezcal Mexican
Restaurant • Homestead Flea Market • Imo’s Pizza • New
China • Roma’s Pizza • Round 2 Relics • Strykrz Sports Grill
The Mail Box Store BRIghTON: Spring Garden Restaurant
Reflections Antiques BuNkER hILL: Function Junction
Antiques & More • Jumpin’ Jimmys CARLINvILLE:
The Body Depot • Carlinville Hospital • Carlinville Library
Catholic Charities Thrift Shop • Cherry Tree Treasures and
Gifts • It Is What It Is Antiques & Collectibles • Karla’s
Jewelry • Lighthouse Antique Mall • Lisa’s Antiques &
Collectables • Magnolias Restaurant • Magnuson Grand Hotel
and Conference Center • Main Street Bridal • Michelle’s
Pharmacy • Refuge Coffee House • Remarkables Resale
Shoppe • Sievers Equipment
COFFEEN: Greenwoods
Grocery • Hair Designs COLLINsvILLE: Antiques &
Accents by Vadna • Collinsville Area Recreation District 10
Collinsville Public Library • Gateway RC • New China
Restaurant • Rural King • Shop-n-Save • Smoke Pit BBQ
Sizzor Shak Salon • Spirito’s Italian Store • Swing City Music
Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant COTTAgE hILLs: Frank’s
Restaurant • Red Apple Restaurant DIvERNON: Country
Place Antiques & New 2 U Boutique DONNELLsON:
JR’s Mini Mart • The Loose Caboose Antiques • Petroski
Windows, Doors & Floorcovering • Wayside Antiques & Collectibles DORsEY: Aljets Automotive EDwARDsvILLE:
All Natural Pet Center • Bill’s Montclaire Florals & Gifts
Edwardsville City Hall • Edwardsville Public Library
Edwardsvile Frozen Foods • Jerry’s Tire Sales • Laurie’s Place
Madison County Archival Library • Reality Salon and Spa
Sgt Peppers Cafe • Treasure Shack • US Bank • Wang Gang
Asian Eats FARMERsvILLE: The Silver Dollar Restaurant
gILLEsPIE: Chiefs II Grill • DeeDee’s Floral and Designs
Dollar General • Firehouse Salon • Furniture Rescue • Gillespie
Public Library • Kevin Polo Law Office • Michelle’s Pharmacy
Miner’s Restaurant • New Belongings Aquatic & Hobbie
Center • Randy’s Market • Sullivan’s Drug Store
Wimanoma’s Pride Antiques & Collectibles gIRARD:
Doc’s Soda Fountain • Kruse Automotive • Shell
gLEN CARBON: Glen Carbon Library • Goodwill Retail
Shop • Karma Clothing and Accessories • My Treasure House
Our Health Club Spa gODFREY: Chocolate Air • El Mezcal
Mexican Restaurant • Round Table Restaurant • Shang Hai
House gRANITE CITY: Apple Tree Restaurant • Central
Laundry • Gateway Medical Center Pharmacy • Great Wall
Chinese Buffet • Goodwill • K-Mart • Mama Mia’s Restaurant
Re.Viv.Al • Salvation Army Thrift Store • Tanglez Salon
Jerry’s Cafeteria gREENvILLE: Corner Cafe • Greenville
Chamber of Commerce/ Tourism Center • Greenville Resale
Store • Pepin’s Country Store • Ragged Threads Resale • State
& Ryder Furniture & Home Decor • Sweetest Things Bakery
& Cafe • Third Street Market hAMEL: Poor Boys Portable
Buildings and Amish Farmers Market • The Other Place on the
Hill • Weezy’s Bar & Grill hIghLAND: Broadway Bar &
Grill • Farmer’s Restaurant • The Chocolate Affair • The
Giving Tree • Highland Nutrition Center • Little Flower
Religious Store • Marx Brothers Lounge & Restaurant
Michael’s Restaurant • Peacock Bakery • Unique Designs &
Decor hILLsBORO: Books & Moore • Gianni’s Italian
Restaurant • Hillsboro Rental • Hillsboro Hospital • The
Dressing Room Consignment & Resale Shop • Red Rooster
Taylorville Community Credit Union hOLIDAY shOREs:
Behmes Market • Gilliganz Bar & Grill IRvINg: Grandma’s
Kitchen JERsEYvILLE: Beyond the Backyard Gate Home
Collectibles and Antique Mall • Jerseyville Library • Linn’s
Shoes • Lula Bells Gift Shop • Outrageous Outdoors
Ruby & Ellie’s Dollarama • State Street Antiques and
Collectibles • State Street Bar & Grill LITChFIELD: A&D
Electrical Supply • Briar Rose Resale Shop • Capri IGA
Casey’s on Union Ave • Denny’s Restaurant • Diamond
Trailer Sales • El Rancherito Mexican Restaurant • Fast Stop
Travel Center • The George Press • GLIK’S • Hair 51 Salon
& Tanning • Jubelt’s Bakery • Kamper Kompanion • Nelson
Audiology • Ooh La La Decor & More • Petro Mart • Route
66 Crafts and Collectibles • Sportsman’s Choice Sporting
Goods • St Francis Hospital Gift Shop • TCCU-Taylorville
Community Credit Union • Time Out & Relaxation • Tots 2
Teens
Upscale Resale • UJs Convenience Store
LIvINgsTON: Country Inn Cafe • Gasperoni’s Italian
Restaurant, Deli and Grocery • Pink Elephant Antiques
MARYvILLE: Grumpy Bob’s Emporium • Red Apple
Restaurant • Vintage 159 MEADOwBROOk: Homestead
Craft & Flea Market • Round 2 Relics MILLERsBuRg:
Millersburg General Store MITChELL: Hen House
Restaurant MT OLIvE: Crossroads Restaurant • From My
House to Yours • Nepute’s Market • Sunset Restaurant
NOkOMIs: Demi’s Diner • Nokomis City Hall
OLD RIPLEY: Sheila’s Resale ‘N Antiques PANAMA:
Nu-Way Deli
POCAhONTAs: Powhatan Restaurant
Nuby’s Steakhouse • Village Square Antiques PONTOON
BEACh: Uncle Linny’s Restaurant sChRAM CITY: Rita’s
Shed Used Furniture
shIPMAN: Cheney’s Market
sORENTO: Sorento Convenience Mart • Sorento Municipal
Center sTAuNTON: ALJETS Automotive • Animal Doctors
- Steinmeyer Veterinary Clinic • Bamboo Garden • Cavataio’s
Restaurant • Firnhaber Florist • Fritz Drug Store • First
National Bank • Glenwood Assisted Living • Heritage Health
Assisted Living • Itch’n to be Stitch’n • Jake’s Coffee • Mini
Mall Quilt Shop • R & B’s Restaurant • Russell Furniture
Schweppes River Fish Lounge • Staunton Hospital • Staunton
Medical Clinic • Staunton Public Library • Super 8 Motel
Vintage Station sT. JACOB: Hometel Communications
TROY: Alfonzo’s Pizzeria • Schuettes SuperValu • Troy
Family Restaurant • Wild Hair Family Hair Care vIRDEN:
Circle K Convenience Mart • Hendrick’s Furniture • Jamie’s The Diamond Mine • Silvernicks Unique Treasures • Sly Fox
Bookstore • This-n-That • Wildflower Patch wILLIAMsON:
Shale Lake Winery wITT: The Crimson Briar wOOD
RIvER: Cleary’s Shoes and Boots • Kumar’s Cafe • Mama
Mias Restaurant • Riverbend Resale • Hing Wah wORDEN:
Worden City Hall • Worden Public Library
Issues of The Prairie Land Buzz Magazine are
also online and archived for ONE YEAR at
www.thebuzzmonthly.com
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From the Editor...
ThE BuZZ MAgAZINE Is 5 YEARs
OLD! Maybe you got that message when
you saw the front cover this month. Statistics
show that if a business can make it through
the first 5 years, they have a good chance of
continuing for many more. And that is our
intent, to keep bringing you The Buzz Magazine for many more years to come, and when
it’s time to retire, sell it to someone that will
continue to run it as we have.
We’ve come a long way in five years, and
we’ve changed many things. But the core of
what we do and why we do it has always
remained the same, and we believe that is the
reason the magazine has grown so quickly in
such a short time.
The Buzz Magazine was the brain child of
my partner Tony Simmons. He didn’t imagine it entirely himself, but rather re-invented
an idea started by a friend of mine in Missouri who had a similar magazine years ago.
The economy was bad. Small businesses
were struggling, including my own marketing/advertising business, and we watched
some of our favorite locally owned businesses closing on a consistent basis.
Tony said, “What can we do to utilize the
knowledge and skills you have to not only
make it profitable for us, but to help these
small businesses that are struggling.”
The Buzz Magazine was born, and our
first issue, funded by money from our own
pockets, was published and distributed in
December of 2009.
The first issue was just 16 pages and the
ads we sold barely covered the printing
expenses. But it gave us a product to show
to prospective advertisers and each month the
magazine grew bigger, and better.
There were many businesses that took a
chance on us with that first issue, and some
of them are still advertising with us today.
Those are our charter advertisers. Let me
give a shout out to the ones that believed in
us from the beginning and have stood by us
for these past five years:
Animal Doctor Veterinary Clinic - Drs
John & Alysn Steinmeyer - Staunton
Lighthouse Antiques - Carlinville
Fritz Drug Store - Staunton
Magnolias Restaurant - Carlinville
El Rancherito Restaurant - Litchfield
Gerls Automotive - Litchfield
Silvernicks Unique Treasures - Virden
Books N Moore - Hillsboro
Halpin Music - Alton
Chocolate Affair - Highland
Mini Mall Quilt Shop - Staunton
Gasperonis Italian - Livingston
And there are many, many more that once
they started with us, they have never stopped.
But if I listed them, it would take this entire
page. If you want to know who they are,
pretty much you just have to look at the ads
within the pages of this issue. Our advertisers are loyal, but it’s not just loyalty that
keeps them in the pages of The Buzz. They
get results with us. And we owe that to you,
the reader. You, the reader, that picks up
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a copy every month without fail. You, the
reader that patronizes our advertisers and tell
them why you are there. We thank you, and
our advertisers thank you.
Some INTEREsTINg FACTs about the
last five years....
Since inception of The Buzz we have
changed printers only once. Originally Journal Publications in Hillsboro handled our
printing and we appreciate how well they
served us for the first year or so. But with
such rapid growth the magazine was getting
almost too large for them to handle and
someone who could print on a larger scale,
at a comparable cost, with a superior product
was ultimately found. We switched to Breese
Publishing and have remained with them
since.
You may have noticed the change immediately when we switched to Breese. With
Breese we can print clear to the edge of pages
which made a huge difference on the appeal
of the cover. Breese also offers “heat set”
printing. Now when you read The Buzz the
ink no longer smears off onto your hands,
and face and clothes. The Buzz is bigger and
better, without a doubt, but we could not
have gotten here without the services provided by John Galer and his crew at Journal
Publications - we will never forget that.
Originally every story in the magazine
was written by myself. I sold every ad.
I designed every ad. And I delivered every
issue myself as well.
Although we still don’t have a “staff” of
writers, we do have several contributing writers now. Some only submit something
occasionally but we do have poplar monthly
columns such as Golden Advice, written by
Jesse Gernigin, and Along Route 66 submitted each month by author Cheryl Eichar Jett.
Freelancer Nicole Plegge will cover anything
she is assigned and often comes up with
intriguing stories on her own as well.
And although the number of writers may
have changed, our commitment to providing
quality stories, written about people of the
area, has never changed. We don’t cover the
news, you won’t find any game scores or
police reports and there is no big, sensationalized stories. We write about the people you
know, the people you live by, the ones in
your own community, as well as provide useful and sometimes surprising information
that you can really use.
Another thing that has not changed is that
we limit the number of ads that run in The
Buzz Magazine. It’s a rather bold position to
take but we know the reason you read The
Buzz is for the stories. Of course, we can’t
bring those stories to you without the advertisers, but we will never have more ads than
stories. If we sell more than 50% of the
space in advertisements, we simply add more
pages.
Something else that is refreshing and unusual is that our advertising prices have not
changed since we began. Even though the
price of everything, including printing the
magazine, the gas needed to deliver it, etc.,
has increased, we have never raised our ad
prices. Now, don’t misunderstand and think
we won’t, because at some point we probably
will have to. It could be next month, it could
be next year... inevitably it will happen. But
we pride ourselves on providing an avenue
for small businesses to advertise to a broad
area at a reasonable price, and we will keep
that price as reasonable as we can, for as long
as we can.
As mentioned, for quite some time,
I delivered the magazine each month myself.
At first we only covered Montgomery and
Macoupin County. It was only a few months
after we started printing that we added Madison County. A year later we were in Bond
County. Now we have added Jerseyville as
well. We were thrilled about our accelerated
growth but it was hard for me to keep up.
So you can imagine when David Walters,
Walters Distributing based in Godfrey called
and made me a deal I couldn’t refuse to
deliver to the majority of all of our Madison
County locations how elated I was. David
took a huge load off of my shoulders and
continues to do a fabulous job for us each
month.
While we are on the subject of David, I’d
like to extend my gratitude to David Hopper
also. I was introduced to David Hopper by
his wife, who worked for an agency that
advertised with us. First she and David
expressed their love of the magazine and
volunteered to do some delivery for me,
which they said would help them explore the
area. They didn’t want payment, but
I always sent them a check anyway - gas is
too expensive to drive around for free! Soon
David’s wife let me know that he was interested in writing and asked if he could submit
some stories. David’s stories were great,
and he wanted to do it for free, just for the
experience. I let him send a few stories without receiving compensation, but soon
I insisted that I pay him what the other writers were getting. Not long after he started
writing for us, he also began as a commissioned sales person, on a small scale. I can’t
even remember how long ago that was, but
what I do know is that David has now moved
from Carlinville to Springfield and feels that
he does not have the time to service his advertisers well enough. So this month, the
story on Jamies-The Diamond Mine is the
last story you will see from David Hopper.
If he was calling on your for advertising,
I am your ad sales rep once again. We will
miss David, but wish him the best.
Now some uPCOMINg ChANgEs...
The Buzz Magazine has always been free
to you, the reader. You can thank the advertisers for that. Their support keeps this magazine coming to you free each month. And
it will always remain free, IF you pick it up
at one of our many distribution points. or
read it online. But... we have had so many
requests to mail issues out that we have finally decided make subscriptions available
to those who want it. We are not trying to
make any money on the subscriptions, but
just cover our cost to put it in an envelope
and mail it. A yearly subscription will be
$60/month, until postage prices increase.
You can buy a subscription for yourself, or
for a friend or family member. The subscription will start with the issue following receipt
of payment. $60 reflects a 3% cash discount.
If you choose to pay by credit or debit card
(online via our website) the price will be
$61.80. If you are interested in a subscription, look for the order form elsewhere in the
magazine or just email the info and send your
check. A subscription to The Buzz Magazine
would make a great Christmas present!
ThIs IssuE is a hodge-podge of so
many things. We tried to keep everything
holiday themed if we could help it.
And in celebration of our five years, we
went back to our first feature story and did
that story again. Our cover story in our first
issue, December 2009, was on Benld Adopta-Pet. Even that story has a holiday theme There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays. You will find that story on pages 1415, as well as a photo of the cover of our very
first magazine. You can see how far we’ve
come in cover design if nothing else!
Last but not least, let me remind you that we
love to hear from our readers. The best way
to reach us is via email at
thebuzzmonthly@yahoo.com. You can use
the contact page on our website also www.thebuzzmonthly.com. We are also on
Facebook at facebook.com/thebuzzmonthly.
Like us to keep updated on local events,
when the next issue comes out, any delivery
delays, etc.
ThE NExT 5 YEARs...
What does the next five years hold for
The Buzz Magazine? Will we expand to
other counties? Will we change the size or
format of the magazine? Who knows.
What we do know however is that we will
continue our mission of promoting pride in
our region, its heritage and its people by sharing positive and uplifting stories and to provide businesses a cost effective means of
advertising to a broad area. So basically
everything you love about us will stay the
same. Any changes will only make us better
Sorry this is so long! Thank you for reading The Buzz. We hope your Christmas is
happy, healthy and white (YES, I want snow
for Christmas), and that your new year is the
best ever!
~ Tara & Tony
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There’s no Place
like Home for the
Holidays
Even for Animals!
Written by Tara L. Cale
Herbie was adopted as a kitten from Adopt-a-Pet in 2012 but returned to the shelter when his family
had a new baby. Fortunately for Herbie, Kay O’Neal from Worden (who adopted a kitten from
Adopt-a-Pet 27 years ago that lived for 16 years) decided she had room for another feline friend.
You’ve seen the ads on television that
feature photos of abused, injured and neglected animals looking at the camera. They
are caged and shivering, probably more from
fright than from cold. A sad song plays softly
in the background while a well-known
celebrity pleads with you to send money to
help the suffering animals.
The dilemma is not exaggerated for
marketing purposes. It is very real.
Although there is no national organization monitoring the 13,600 community animal shelters to provide accurate numbers, the
American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates that
over 7.6 million companion animals enter
shelters each year nationwide. Approximately 1/3 of those are fortunately reunited
with their owners. Of the remainder, approximately half are adopted. The other half are
euthanized.
The emotions meant to be elicited during
such commercials were very real emotions
for Lorraine Jackson of Benld over 30 years
ago. She decided to do more than send a
$20/month donation and leave the work to
someone else. Instead, she and her husband
began taking in lost, stray and abandoned animals until permanent homes could be found
for them. But there were so many! They
couldn’t possibly keep and care for all of
them, but they also could not bear the
thought of them being euthanized.
So in 1983 the couple took their life savings and founded Benld Adopt-a-Pet
(BAAP). The original building, built on their
own property, now includes a grooming
room, feed room, 8 indoor/outdoor roofed
and heated runs and multiple outdoor pens
and exercise areas. There is also a cat room
with separate exercise areas, an insolation
room and a combination office/warehouse.
Animals arriving at the shelter receive
vaccinations, are wormed and receive a thorough examination. Dogs are checked for
heartworms and cats are screened for feline
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leukemia and FIV. All animals are also
spayed and neutered, which make the most
recent additional of the new surgery room,
even a greater blessing.
“The surgery room is state-of-the art.
We raised $50,000 to build it,” Jackson
beamed as she took me on the tour. “Local
veterinarians perform 20-30 surgeries every
2 weeks here so it was very needed. Now
after surgery the animals can recover in a
quiet, controlled atmosphere before going
back to the general population with the other
animals, where it is often noisy.”
In additional to routine care and examinations by licensed veterinarians, animals at
the shelter are fed top quality food, watered,
groomed and exercised.
“The dogs are turned out into large exercise areas three times daily to run and play
and socialize with other dogs at the shelter,”
Jackson explained. “We know which ones
get along together or enjoy the company of
the others.”
Unlike many independent shelters, the
animals at Adopt-a-Pet are also socialized
and trained as time permits, to increase their
chance for adoption. All pets have a health
guarantee.
And although there may be a rare case
when an animal arrives at the shelter with injuries so severe, or a disease so progressed
that euthanization is the most humane treatment... no animal is ever euthanized due to
not being claimed or adopted. Any pets not
adopted become permanent residents of the
shelter.
“Unless it’s an owner surrender, we do
not adopt animals out for at least 7 days after
arriving, in case they have someone out there
that is looking for them,” Jackson said.
“That’s why it is very important to get your
pet microchipped as early as possible. The
first thing we do is scan for a chip and try to
find out if the animal has a home and was
accidentally lost and separated from their
family.”
“But our ultimate goal is to get each
anmal adopted out as quickly as possible,”
she continued. “We also understand that
adoptions don’t always work out the way we
wish they would, for whatever reason, and in
that case, we ask that the animal be returned
to us.”
In addition to private adoptions at the
shelter, Jackson and her staff take large
groups of animals every weekend to various
mobile adoption sites including Petco in
Springfield, PetsMart in O’Fallon and Glen
Carbon, and Rural King and Tractor Supply
in Litchfield.
“For some reason we have had more
large dogs than usual coming in lately - Great
Danes, Greyhounds, a Mastiff, Standard Poodles - which have all be adopted,” Jackson
said, “But we still have a lot of large dogs
available for adoption right now.”
“We can find homes for more pets in one
day through mobile adoptions than we can in
a full week at the shelter,” she continued.
“Sometimes 20 or more a day are adopted
through the mobile process.
The rescue and shelter efforts of Adopta-Pet are noble enough, but it doesn’t end
there. Jackson and the animals travel to
schools to familiarize children with the atti-
tude of being kind to animals. Nursing home
visits with some of the pets encourage interaction with senior citizens. One of the local
nursing homes have adopted both a cat and
a dog from the shelter, with great success.
Adopt-a-Pet is registered and inspected
by the State of Illinois, and recognized by the
Internal Revenue Service as a 502(c) (3)
charity, which means contributions are tax
deductible. The facility gets no state funding
and relies entirely on donations, memberships and fundraisers to keep it open. Just
paying the bills takes thousands of dollars
each week.
“Our vet bill is staggering plus we have
a light bill, heating and cooling costs, we
have food and medicine to buy, and we have
a paid staff of 10 that we also carry insurance
for ,” Jackson explained. “And the economy
and colder months always brings in more animals. Some people have to make a decision
on whether to feed their pet or put food on
their own table.”
If you are interested in adopting, an adoption form must be filled out, there are some
guidelines you must follow, and you will be
required to meet with your selected pet in
person. Jackson herself holds many of the
personal interviews with prospective pet
In referencing the new surgery room
at Adopt-a-Pet, founder Lorraine
Jackson said, “We can’t get any bigger,
but we are getting better!”
Top: Lorraine Jackson with two puppies that are currently available at
Adopt-a-Pet, featured on the cover this month, our 5th Anniversary issue.
Right: the cover of the very first Buzz Magazine - December 2009 which featured Lorraine with puppies available then.
owners to determine if they will be suitable
to adopt a pet.
“Sometimes it’s not a question of if the
person is suitable to own a pet, but rather if
they are suitable for the pet they are considering,” she elaborated. “We take the time to
talk to the person and evaluate their wants
and needs along with their lifestyle. For example, an active single person may be a great
owner for a large dog that requires exercise
on a daily basis, but the same dog would not
work so well in a home where both adults
work and there are small children.”
If you’re not in the market for a new pet,
there are many ways you can help. You can
donate dog or cat food, blankets and old
newspapers. You can volunteer to help walk
dogs or socialize the animals so they have
a better chance of being adopted.
BAAP also has a “Helpful Heart”
program that allows you to sponsor one of
the permanent residents of the shelter - usually an older animal, one with medical issues
or behavioral problems that prevent them
Dakota is a 4 year old Golden
Retriever/Pyrennes mix that
was turned in by her owners
because they were moving.
She also could not see due to
etropion eyelids (the lower lid
turns inward) that needed
treated immediately, but she is
healing and ready for a new
home. Dakota loves to be
outside, but not alone
and adores people.
from being adopted. You can consider them
YOUR pet, but they are still cared for at the
shelter. You will receive photos, updates and
condition reports, and can even visit the animal if you so desire. If that is not a viable
option, there are different levels of membership available and of course, cash donations
are always welcome.
The biggest fundraiser of the year for
Adopt-a-Pet is now in progress ... The Tree
of Hope. This Christmas tree is set up right
in front of the main building and each bulb
is lit in honor or memory of pets, either living
or deceased, or even in memory of a person
that loved pets.
“People thought we were crazy the first
year we did it,” Jackson laughed, “but it has
turned into our biggest fundraiser each year.
People send in donations ranging from $1.00
to $1,000.00 to have a bulb lit.”
Another fundraiser that is full of fun is
the annual Christmas photos with Santa. For
$9.95 you can get your pet’s photo taken
with Santa - you can even include yourself
or a child in the photo. The event will be
held at Petco in Springfield on Saturday, December 6th. Every penny of the $9.95 goes
to Benld Adopt-a-Pet.
Although Jackson doesn’t require awards
or recognition to let her know she is doing a
good thing, her hard work and dedication has
not gone unnoticed. She is proud of her
“Call to Service” award from former President Bush for her outstanding efforts and
length of service. Recently she received a
similar award from President Obama. Last
year she received a “Lifetime Achievement
Award” from the Rams which was presented
to her at one of their games for her dedication
in rescuing and finding homes for thousands
of abused and neglected animals.
“The awards are appreciated and we display them proudly in the shelter,” she responded modestly, “But I don’t do it all
myself. We have a wonderful staff and volunteers that keep us operating efficiently.”
“Just like us, all animals want and need
a home - not just for the holidays though.
The happy endings of finding forever homes
for the over 30,000 animals we have
processed since the shelter began is reward
enough for me.”
Benld Adopt-a-Pet is located at 807
Stewart Road in Benld. They are open from
1-5 daily, except for holidays. For more information about call 217-835-2538 or email
aap1@frontiernet.net. Visit them online at
www.benldadoptapet.org for a list of items
needed for the shelter and find them on Facebook.
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Harry Baumgartner.
Green Gables Tourist Camp.
Harry and Floy's daughter Ramona
Baumgartner and her husband
Norman Wahl in front of the
tourist camp. All photos courtesy
of Mandy (Baumgartner) Pedigo.
Harry Baumgartner's business card.
Along Route 66
Harry Baumgartner, Prohibition and
the Green Gables Tourist Camp
Written by Cheryl Eichar Jett
Harry Baumgartner opened the Green
Gables Tourist Camp north of Edwardsville
in 1931 with the intent of making it one of
the most popular lodgings between St. Louis
and Chicago. Unfortunately, just eight years
later, Harry's dream went up in flames.
Harry Bruce Jones was born in Springfield, Illinois, on June 24, 1888. Harry went
to live with his maternal grandmother Baumgartner at a young age and eventually took
the name as his own. He must have had
a pleasant childhood as descendants recalled
that his nickname was “Happy” from childhood on. Harry's mother and her two sisters
ran a boarding house in Springfield, and no
doubt Harry received an early introduction
to the hospitality business.
Harry enlisted in the U.S. Army at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, on July 5, 1913. He
signed up for four years, but while stationed
in Georgia, he met a pretty young woman
named Floy Clyde Conger. They soon
planned to be married, and Harry was discharged from the army on July 12, 1914,
with a character rating of “excellent.” They
settled in Madison County and Harry found
work as a miner.
With the advent of Prohibition in 19191920, Harry found a new career – special investigator and prohibitions enforcement
officer. He worked for Hargraves Detective
Agency of Chicago as well as hiring himself
out to numerous counties in Illinois. Often
working under an assumed name and carrying a concealed weapon, Harry earned a living “ridding your community of undesirable
persons and places.” In Rockford, Illinois, he
located over thirty whiskey stills for the
state's attorney. In Worden, he “helped put in
the City Treasury about two thousand dollars
and put the town on its feet.” In Crawford
County, he rounded up 15 bootleggers and
the county was “able to win all but one case.”
In the year 1927, Harry claimed that communities received more than $20,000 in fines
from cases he handled.
As Prohibition began to wind down,
Harry looked for another line of work. In
Floy Conger Baumgartner
1931, Harry and Floy opened the Green
Gables Tourist Camp, five miles northeast of
Edwardsville, Illinois. After the Prohibition
Era ended in 1933, Harry was able to advertise, “Sandwiches, beer, choice liquors, and
high balls.” Hamel Oil Company supplied
Conoco gasoline and Germ brand processed
motor oil. Display advertising throughout the
1930s identified Harry Baumgartner, Edwardsville; George Baumgartner, Worden;
Cassens Filling Station, Hamel; East End
Garage, Alhambra; and Bluff Garage, Glen
Carbon, as affiliates of Hamel Oil Company.
During the 1930s, Green Gables was the
scene of plenty of action along Route 66.
Family members remember the story of
“a bunch of men coming late in the evening”
carrying numerous violin cases. This stretch
of road was also the scene of heavy traffic
and numerous accidents, some with fatalities.
One of the worst occurred during a blinding
snowstorm. The Mick brothers' automobile
was involved in a collision with an automobile transport truck at Quercus Grove Road,
just west of Green Gables. Elmer Mick was
killed and Emil Mick was severely injured.
On a Friday morning in October 1939,
Harry built a fire in the yard for Floy to do
the laundry. The wood was wet and the fire
merely smoldered. Harry grabbed a nearby
can containing several gallons of coal oil and
threw it on the fire. It flashed up, spreading
to the oil can. The oil can exploded, sending
out shrapnel and burning Harry over most of
his body. Floy used sheets from the laundry
to smother the flames. Dr. J. A. Hirsch and
the Straube ambulance arrived on the scene.
Harry was taken to St. Francis Hospital in
Litchfield, where he died two days later, on
October 8. Everyone seemed to know Harry,
as six pages in the funeral guest book were
filled with the names of those who had sent
flowers. He was buried at Valley View
Cemetery in Edwardsville.
Ironically, Harry died on the opening day
of National Fire Prevention Week. The local
newspaper carried an article about it, saying,
“The tragic death of Harry Baumgartner...
should make a deep impression upon residents of Madison County...This terrible
tragedy, bringing sadness to Madison County
homes, serves again to show that while fire,
properly used, is a boon to mankind, it can
also be his worst enemy.”
Harry's wife Floy eventually sold the
Green Gables complex and moved into
Edwardsville. An April 1942 advertisement
in the local newspaper announced that Green
Gables was open under new management,
with 24-hour service, “Phillips gasoline at St.
Louis prices,” and newly redecorated cabins.
In 1946, Jack Rittenhouse included the lodging in his A Guide Book to Highway 66.
Proprietors of the Green Gables over the next
couple decades included Edward Sharpe
(who fell from a painting scaffold and broke
an arm and both ankles just after reopening
Green Gables), Bill and Marge O'Brien, and
Al and Marie Albrecht. An article in the
March 26, 1964, Edwardsville Intelligencer
carried a list of ten local motels who were
tardy in paying their $25 license fee. Two
motels were noted to be closed up, including
Green Gables.
Floy never remarried and lived out her
life in Edwardsville and died in 1972. By
2010, Harry and Floy's four children had also
all passed away. And by then, all the little
cabins of the former Green Gables were,
except in memory, gone as well.
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Buzzin’ Around the Kitchen
Cornbread stuffing
Written by Barbara Stuffington
Snowflakes are one
of nature’s most
fragile things, but
just look what they
can do when they
stick together!
- Vista M. Kelly
We had a bumper crop of corn this year
in the Midwest so let’s roll with that idea and
do a holiday cornbread stuffing as part of our
December celebration menu.
Corn bread stuffing is found more often
South of the Midwest but I’m all about
branching out and trying new things.
This one has gorgeous colors and textures, which are hard to distinguish in a black
and white photo, but that is how it fell this
time and there is nothing we can do. But this
colorful and delicious recipe is sure to grab
attention this holiday season.
And away we go…
Ingredients
2 lbs day old corn bread
2 cups pecans
7 leeks - about 1 lb
(white and pale green parts only)
3 celery stalks
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 pound Italian sausage (about 3 links)
2 cups cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed parsley leaves
2 cups chicken broth
While your oven is preheating to 325° F
cut corn bread into 1/2-inch cubes and in
2 large shallow baking pans bake just until
the bread is dry, around 20 minutes. Then
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transfer corn bread from 1 pan to a large
bowl and in pan toast pecans in oven until
insides are golden, around 10-15 minutes.
Next halve leeks lengthwise and then cut
crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. In a bowl of
cold water wash leeks well (sometimes there
is dirt between the layers of leeks) and lift
from water into a sieve to drain.
Chop celery and place in a sauté pan with
the drained leeks and cook in butter with salt
and pepper to taste over moderately low heat,
stirring, until leeks are tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove sausage from casing, break into
small pieces and add sausage to leek mixture
and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until sausage and veggies have some
brown color.
In a small heavy saucepan cook cranberries with sugar over moderately high heat,
stirring, 5 minutes, or until some begin to
burst. Then somewhere in there chop your
fresh parsley and set aside.
Last, put everything into the bowl of corn
bread: stock, leeks, sausage and celery, parsley and pecans and mix gently, maybe more
of a folding than a mixing and let the bread
soak up the stock. Then place in a prepared
baking dish and bake at 3500 F until the stuffing temperature is 1650 F and has a little
color on top.
This is a slight twist on the stuffing I grew
up with but it’s nice to step outta the box
once and take a new look at a classic dish.
Have fun cooking this holiday season!
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Plopper Homestead
Has stories to Tell
in litchfield
Written by Tom Emery
Sitting along Route 66 in Litchfield is a
homestead with plenty of history to tell - and
not all of it is legal.
The former Plopper Laboratories property, two blocks north of the intersection of
Route 66 and Illinois Route 16, was the center of a sweeping scandal in the early 1950s
involving pharmaceutical products with
questionable ingredients. The federal court
case that ensued generated front-page headlines across central Illinois and beyond.
The family patriarch, Herbert Plopper,
was born in Litchfield in 1900 and by the
1920s, was operating a family business at the
site. Many of the buildings still stand on the
property, which was the home of a hatchery
in the 1940s.
But poultry was not the only thing that the
Ploppers were hatching.
“The family started producing various
types of medicines,” said Ron Blom, a Litchfield entrepreneur who currently owns the
property. “One type was the EZX Pill, a sort
of cure-all that was sold in taverns and other
local businesses.”
Display ads in local papers of the era
trumpet the pills as “the new wonder
Display ads in local papers of the
era trumpet the pills as “the new wonder
medication” designed to help anything
from sinus problems to arthritis. The EZX
pill ad is easy to spot on the right hand side
on this page of the Alton Telegraph from 1955.
medication” designed to help anything from
sinus problems to arthritis. Customers could
buy six capsules for the sum of two dollars.
“Apparently, they sold these pills in
bulk,” remarked Blom. “I’ve found a number
of 50-gallon drums marked EZX, and I’ve
even found some of the actual pills.”
While the Ploppers pushed EZX into the
mainstream, another of their products was
much more shadowy. The “Plopper Pill”
was a mysterious concoction that was to fix
any ailment and could only be bought on site.
“Herbert wouldn’t sell the Plopper Pill
outside the property,” said Blom. “Customers
had to come to the laboratory, and buy them,
two at a time. But the people who took them
absolutely swore by them. The Plopper Pills
were supposed to have cured all sorts of
serious diseases, and those who took them
said they were good for days afterward.”
Family illness may have spurred Plopper
to design the infamous medication. His son
had fallen desperately ill by the early 1950s,
and the Plopper Pill apparently was a steady
revenue source to pay for his medical care.
What went into the Plopper Pill has
become a local legend in Litchfield. “The
Ploppers were very secretive about it,” said
Blom, who has extensively researched the
Plopper family and resulting scandal. “They
wouldn’t even tell most of their employees
what the ingredients were.”
Blom has learned that psychoactive
mushrooms were used, and has found rem-
This vintage medicine bottle for
Plopper’s EZX pills is for sale on eBay.
This small metal building with remnants of multiple power lines and transformers
is said to be where Herbert Plopper spent a lot of time working, though his employees
never really knew what he was doing in the building.
nants of artificial mushroom beds on his
property. He has also been told that various
forms of cocaine were used.
“They are said to have bought a lot of
their ingredients in Mexico,” commented
Blom. “Their suppliers would fly the products into Litchfield, land at the airport, and
stay in local motels while they did business
with the Ploppers.”
Adding to the mystery is a small metal
building that still stands adjacent to Blom’s
property that required an inordinate amount
of electrical power. “You can still see how
much power was going into that building,”
he said, pointing to the multiple lines, transformers, and other signs of electrical hookup
on the structure. “It’s a tremendous amount.
Employees said that Herbert did a lot of his
work in there, but they really never knew
exactly what he was doing.”
The bubble finally burst on the Ploppers
in March 1952, when Herbert was charged
with violations of state medical practices.
A pair of undercover investigators showed
up at the laboratory on Feb. 12, 1952, one
claiming to have stomach cancer and the
other arthritis. Plopper told them the capsules “would cure anything.”
A subsequent analysis revealed the pills
contained “the dust of a substance similar to
chick feed supplement.” Some have also said
the EZX pills were nothing more than
a placebo, though the Plopper family continued selling those well into the 1950s.
A lengthy court case ensued, and though
Herbert Plopper survived with his freedom,
his psyche apparently did not.
“It ruined him,” said Blom. “He was
virtually bankrupted, and he had lost his son
by then. He was kind of a broken man after
that.”
Herbert Plopper died on July 27, 1957.
A daughter continued operating businesses
from the property, including an archery shop.
Blom’s wife practiced dentistry in one of the
renovated buildings in recent years, while he
has run a frame shop and art gallery from
other buildings. A veterinary clinic has also
used a portion of the site for many years.
Blom is currently developing a massage
therapy and wellness spa on the site, while
he also hopes to include a small cultural arts
center. He is seeking investors to help him
advance the property into a tourist attraction
for the area.
“I want to focus on Litchfield history, and
local artists,” he remarked. “I want them to
have a place to display their work, and for
the public to come enjoy it. There are a lot
of stories to tell about the region, and a lot of
talented people in the area who deserve to be
noticed.”
In addition to the Plopper legend, there
are many other historical connections to the
property. In addition to its prime location on
Route 66, the site is also adjacent to some of
the rare remaining trackage from the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis
Railroad, the legendary “Big Four” whose
predecessor rail company, the Terre Haute
and Alton, helped found the city of Litchfield
in 1853.
“I’ve talked to a lot of railroad enthusiasts, and that trackage really excites them,”
said Blom. “I’ve been told that there is great
historical significance to that remaining
track.”
Decades later, however, the site is still
best known for the Plopper connection.
“People here still talk about it,” said Blom.
“Every little bit, I have someone come up to
me and ask about it. It’s a fascinating story,
there’s no doubt about it.”
Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Ill.
He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or
ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.
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www.facebook.com/the-
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i’ll Be Home
For Christmas
Hitz Memorial...Your Choice, Your Life, Your Home
Top: The Shelter House at Hitz is a pavilion where many activities for the residents are held.
It contains the only remains of the original Hitz Home - the roof and pillars.
Bottom: The original Hitz Home
A place to call home is important at any
time, but the holiday season just seems to
maximize this emotion. Unfortunately, there
are many people, especially the elderly in
nursing homes, that do not feel they have a
true “home.”
Hitz Memorial Home in Alhambra is
doing everything they can to change that for
their residents.
Hitz Home is a not-for-profit ministry of
the United Church of Christ and has been
providing healthcare services to the elderly
since 1952.
Recently I was invited to Hitz Memorial
Home for a tour and to be a testament to the
differences their philosophies make in the
lives of those that reside there.
In the Beginning
Hitz history began with the Hitz State
Bank that was organized in Alhambra in
1907. The President of the bank, Adolf Hitz,
took personal pride and responsibility in
being a custodian for his neighbors'
resources.
Mr. Hitz retired in 1947 and the bank
closed. Two years later he died. His wife,
Louise M. Hitz survived.
Louise harbored the same community
pride that her late husband did, so when the
Southern Illinois Synod voted to establish
regional homes for the aged, she continued
the family tradition of community concern
by giving the family home to the Synod for
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the purpose of providing a place for aging
citizens.
Renovations began, and in August of
1952 Hitz Memorial Home opened. Mrs.
Hitz herself was one of the first 25 residents.
Undoubtedly she appreciated being able to
see first-hand the benefit her family had provided for other people.
Culture Change - A Pioneer home
Traditional nursing homes, although
doing the best they can with their resources,
all too often have a lifeless environment, are
short-staffed, and have an institutional feel.
But a movement called "culture change"
has been pushing through the industry.
Culture change is more than just updating
the cosmetic appearance of a building. In a
Pioneer Home, such as Hitz, it is a leadership
philosophy change that affects every part of
the facility. The core principle of pioneer
homes is very simple: the residents are not
cases, or numbers... they are real human
beings and need to be treated as such.
This leads to a very different way of life
from the regimen of traditional nursing
homes in which there was a fixed time to
wake up, go to bed, eat, shower and so on.
Does anyone really want to live that way?
Hitz Home is a member of the Pioneer
Coalition that is helping to spread "culture
change" not just at their own facility, but
throughout the entire industry. The understanding and communication between care
givers and residents at Hitz Home has
brought about a significant change in the
quality of life experienced by their residents.
They truly believe that their most important
purpose is to help each resident live the
remainder of his/her life to the fullest extent
possible.
Examples of culture change at Hitz Home
include the fact that residents can sleep in if
they so desire. Food is available 24/7; if they
are hungry, they are allowed to eat. And at
meal time, they don’t have to eat the “meal
of the day.” They order from real menus.
When I visited Hitz Home it was lunch
time. Since there is no exact set time for
lunch, there was room for me at the table I
chose to sit at in the dining room. The residents that wanted lunch early gathered in the
seats around me, greeted me warmly, and
not realizing I was not there for lunch, they
gave me advice on ordering - what was the
best, what I should ask for. It was heartwarming to be welcomed so enthusiastically
by the residents.
I’ve had in-laws and other family members in nursing facilities before. My parents
both in the industry. So I am familiar with
what is standard. That said, it was very impressive to me that these residents were
treated with so much courtesy and respect like esteemed patrons at an upscale restaurant. The staff approached them just as
a waiter/waitress would, tablet in hand, pen
poised to take their order. Changes and sub-
stitutions were not a problem. The respect
and caring demonstrated by the Hitz staff
seriously almost had me in tears.
Residents at Hitz not only have a choice
of when and what to eat, but also how and
when they bathe. They can enjoy a traditional
shower, a relaxing whirlpool spa bath, or just
choose to have a sponge bath.
A newly renovated library, complete with
an internet enabled work station, allows residents to stay in touch with loved ones via
social media, or just surf the net.
Entertainment amenities like board
games, cards and puzzles are available for
residents in the library, activity room or sunroom. Residents are encouraged to be involved with the activity department to plan
scheduled and spontaneous activities on a
daily basis that will cater to the residents
preferences.
The Shelter House at Hitz is a covered
patio area outside amidst flower and butterfly
gardens. The pavilion, complete with a barbecue, allows residents to spend time outdoors reading, visiting with family members
or just spending time in the peaceful outdoor
setting. A quaint gazebo for quiet reflection
or smaller family gatherings also graces the
outdoor garden areas. The Shelter House
contains the only remains of the original Hitz
Home - the roof and pillars.
The Shelter House is the location for
many activities at Hitz, including their annual Apple Butter Days, where residents,
Above left: Residents make make apple butter in large copper kettles just like in the good ‘ole days during Hitz Home’s annual Apple Butter Days.
Above right: Staff members “dance’ with residents during ‘Shake Your Tail Feather’.
staff and visitors participate in making oldfashioned apple butter in the way it was long
ago... in large copper pots, stirred by hand...
the first weekend in October every year.
It was a beautiful fall day while I was at
Hitz, and the outdoor area was filled with
residents relaxing outside in the gardens, visiting with Sue Mosby, who has been Activity
Director at Hitz for 40 years.
Mosby makes sure there is always something going on at Hitz for residents that want
to participate. The activity taking place during my visit was “Shake Your Tail Feather.”
Even residents with limited mobility were
drawn into shaking their tail feathers, while
staff “danced” with them to the tunes of
popular music from their era, including Elvis
Presley.
On Wednesday, December 17th, Hitz
Home will be showcasing an ART SHOW &
BAKE SALE as well as a SILENT AUCTION, starting at 6 p.m. Please contact Xandra at 618-488-2355 if you would like to
make a donation for the silent auction or
bake sale. There is no charge to attend and
the public is welcome.
Another exclusive offering at Hitz Home
is a private room complete with kitchen area
for families to use with their loved ones for
gatherings.
For residents who are unable to bring
their beloved pets with them but still want to
connect with animals, Hitz has an indoor
aviary and a resident house cat.
Hitz is very adamant about their residents
having a voice in their care, so residents have
the ability to serve on committees in conjunction with staff members in order to voice
their needs, wants and desires to ensure that
their voice is heard. Committees currently
include: food committee, welcoming committee and death and dying committee.
Rehabilitation: Stroke victims, postoperative patients and fracture cases can ben-
efit from the highly skilled team of rehabilitation therapists at Hitz Home. Their team
works together to develop a care plan with
the goal of maximizing each resident's
potential to a speedy recovery and return
them home as soon as possible.
Hitz Home offers physical, speech and
occupational rehabilitation services 7 days
a week. Therapy services are offered to residents by a team of licensed, caring professionals who are skilled in adapting
treatments to fit the resident's needs. Rehab
Care offers Vital Stim, E-stim and ultrasound
as part of their therapy regimen.
skilled Nursing: High quality care and a
team approach are important to the skilled
nursing program at Hitz. Individual care
plans with agreed upon goals, are formulated
by the multidisciplinary staff, resident and
family. Their professional staff is dedicated
to the individual care of residents, carried out
in a manner of warmth, respect, and dignity.
Ongoing training is provided to all staff to
ensure and enhance the quality of care given
to all residents.
Hitz Home is resident centered, and not
task centered. Skilled nursing care is provided to the resident as ordered by the physician in the areas of wound care, IV therapy,
enteral feeding and other skilled nursing
interventions. Hitz welcomes residents who
are in need of short term stays, respite or
hospice care.
Rooms are cheery with large windows
and are decorated with residents' personal
belongings which makes the room feel more
like home.
Private suites: Citizens in their twilight
years often find that maintaining their current
home is just too difficult. In January of 2013
Hitz Home opened Independent Senior Living Apartments. The suites are very spacious
with 384 sq. ft. and include a private bathroom and kitchenette (refrigerator, no stove)
and cable television. Residents in the suites
can even bring their pet to live with them.
They are also surrounded by peers which can
help maintain close relationships during the
aging process. Apartments are designed for
seniors and offer convenience, safety, comfort, privacy and affordability. Hitz Home
does not provide medical care in the apartments but will provide resources to assist
with medical needs. Laundry and meal services are available and the residents are welcome to join in the activities in the nursing
home.
Independent apartments give residents a
sense of ownership and a place to call
HOME...at Christmastime, and any time.
In reading back through this story, I realize
it is a bit sterile, but let me assure that Hitz
Memorial Home is anything but that. Take a
tour and see for yourself. Admire the walls
with inspirational sayings stenciled into the
colorful paint. Bask in the warmth you will
feel when you see nurses, aides and other
staff members greeting each resident with
hugs and kisses as they make their way from
one area to the next. It’s not hard to see why
residents easily and affectionately call Hitz
home.
As with any such facility, volunteers and
funding is always in short supply. Hitz
Home has an established auxiliary that helps
organize and execute activities, as well as
raise money for them, but they are always in
need of more donations and volunteers.
If you would like to be part of this “culture
change” movement, contact Hitz Memorial
Home, 201 Belle Street, Alhambra, 618-4882355 or email info@hitzmemorial.com.
More information can be found at
www.hitzmemorial.com or find them on
Facebook!
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If you love do-it-yourself projects or repurposing, check out Picker’s Paradise
inside Silvernicks. It’s loaded with furniture that needs a little TLC, plus parts,
pieces and miscellaneous items that are often hard to find.
reinventing resale
Silvernick’s Unique Treasures
in Virden has found their niche
Small, locally owned retail stores seemed
to be a dying breed five years ago when we
started The Buzz Magazine. They still dotted
the landscape, but were not very prominent.
It appears to me now however that trend is
changing, and more are popping up every
day. Many of them are in the “resale” market
in one way, shape or form. And conveniently, they do not compete with each other,
because each is varied and unique in their
own way.
Silvernicks Unique Treasures in downtown Virden was one of the original resale
stores in the area. They started in the early
90s and despite enough obstacles and set
backs to make many want to throw in the
towel, they are still going strong.
The history of silvernicks
Silvernicks is owned by Tammy and Sterling
Nichols and the company name is actually a
play on family names. The name Silvernicks
was created by taking Sterling’s first name
(Silver) and combining it with a shortened
version of their last name, Nichols (Nick)...
Silvernicks.
Even before the business known as
Silvernicks came to be, Tammy Nichols was
already dabbling in the resale market. The
journey began for her in the early 90s with
her home based business in Girard, Little
Shop of Bargains, a resale shop featuring
clothing and gift items.
A few years later the family moved to
Thayer and she opened a new shop - Silvernicks Gifts and Wicks.
The store in Thayer did not stay open
(they moved to Virden), but the entrepreneur
bug had bitten the couple and the idea was
formed for Silvernicks Resale Shop.
Before opening the doors of such a retail
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establishment, the couple did their due
diligence by prospecting. They went to
garage sales and let the owners know that if
they had items left over after the sale that
they just wanted to get rid of, they would
happily take it off their hands. They could
even pick it up and haul it away.
“People spend so much time and effort
setting up a yard sale and it is a lot of work,”
commented Sterling. “Then when it’s over,
you have all this stuff left over and what are
you going to do? Pack it up, take it back
inside and store it until the next yard sale?
You could take it to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, but that takes a lot of work and
sometimes involves a bit of a drive. We gave
people another option.”
The Nichols began taking what had been
deemed unsellable or unwanted by others,
repairing it, repurposing it, and reselling it.
The concept was well received.
Silvernicks does not pay for what they
receive. from yard sales. Retrieval and
removal of the items is a service, and payment for that service is the goods received.
Items are taken back to the store and that is
where the real works begins.
“Before anything is available for purchase
by a consumer, we make sure it is cleaned
and repaired. We are very picky about what
goes on our shelves,” said Tammy. “We
don’t put out anything chipped, stained or
broken. Everything has to pass inspection
before being available for resale.”
The original Silvernicks Resale Shop was
located next to the Wildflower Patch on the
square in downtown Virden. There wasn’t
a lot of inventory, so they were only open
part time. But over the next two years, their
customer base grew, as did their inventory
and in 2007 Silvernicks moved to a larger
Since reopening in October in their new location, Silvernicks has added over 20 vendors
to widen their variety of products offered, including hand-made soaps shown above.
location, still on the Virden square, and
remained open full time. Growth continued
and it wasn’t long before they were moving
yet again to increase the size of their business.
This time it seemed that Silvernicks had
found a permanent home. Sterling and
Tammy put a lot of work into the new building on the corner and customized it to fit the
needs of their unique retail establishment.
They even considered purchasing the building.
But that was before the fire....
On Oct 1, 2013 an electrical fire consumed the back of the building that housed
their business. The building suffered extensive damage and the majority of their merchandise was heavily damaged as well.
Tammy and Sterling Nichols thought their
dreams had literally gone up in smoke.
Then something gave them hope.
“Sterling had made a custom bar that
involved a lot of time and materials. It was
in the back room where the fire started and
was most intense. We thought it would be
a total loss for sure,” Tammy told me.
“When we were finally able to get in that
back room we realized that everything
around the bar was destroyed - burned beyond repair or melted. But the bar, this huge
piece of furniture constructed of highly combustible wood was completely unharmed except for a layer of smoke and soot. We took
that as a sign from a higher power that things
would be fine and that we shouldn’t give up.”
So with the insurance company and
cleaning crews working on the building
around them, Sterling and Tammy Nichols
began the process of sorting out what could
be saved of their inventory. It was six long,
grueling weeks without any income before
the store could reopen.
And just when they thought they could
take a breath, the business took another blow
when the Nichols’ were informed by their
landlord that he was selling the building.
“We really wanted to buy the building.
We had put a lot of sweat and tears into it, it
was a great location and we were happy
there,” Sterling explained. “But lending
institutions do not consider small businesses
like ours as reliable sources of income. We
couldn’t get a loan to buy the building. Our
Sterling & Tammy Nichols
hearts were broken.”
Once again, Silvernicks was in search of
a new home. And almost one year exactly to
the day since the fire, Silvernicks moved into
their newest, and largest home so far, just
one block east of their last location.
“We’re not on the actual square anymore,
but we are just a hop, skip and jump away,”
Tammy said as she smiled.
what’s Inside
The newest move for Silvernicks Unique
Treasures has allowed them to expand in
more ways than they had imagined. During
the weeks of tearing walls down, putting others up, remodeling and renovating, Silvernicks was approached by many like-minded
individuals that inquired about having booth
space in their new store. Before, all the merchandise was the property of Silvernicks.
If it didn’t sell, they didn’t make any money.
But what if they added booths, and charged
for that space? That would provide a steady
flow of income that would at least pay the
basic bills. They didn’t have to think too hard
about the decision. Construction immediately took a turn to allow for outside vendors.
The philosophy that Silvernicks established in the beginning remains the same
today - reuse, recycle, repurpose and resell.
Sources for inventory still include but have
expanded beyond the neighborhood yard sale
Even the front end of an old tractor is
included in the welcome into Silvernicks.
Some of the items available in vendor booths
include handmade furniture and home decor.
and because of this, inventory changes daily.
“You never know what we will have.
Once we brought in a lot of 200 lamps all at
one time,” Sterling said. “Some didn’t work
at all, some had broken parts. I mixed and
matched pieces and made all the repairs until
we had a nice selection of lamps that looked
good and were in good working order, priced
cheap. They didn’t last long.”
Recently Silvernicks took on a lot of pet
supplies from a story that was closing. Most
of the items are related to fish and reptiles,
such as glass bowls and aquariums. When
the word gets out that this merchandise is
available, that inventory will sell quickly.
Silvernicks also took in a lot of brand new
exterior doors, some with retail values of up
to $1200, and not a single one was priced
over $100 at their store. It’s easy to imagine
why few of the doors remain.
And now, in addition to the huge inventory of resale items that literally scream
BARGAIN to consumers, there are also over
20 other vendors selling their wares from
within the walls of Silvernicks. Items you
can find in the vendor booths vary from one
end of the spectrum to the other and include
Watkins Products, hand-made soaps and
lotions, antiques and primitives, repurposed
furniture, old toys and tools, hand-crafted
scarves, jewelry and toys, home decor created by local artisans, and so much more.
Tammy is also an Avon dealer and
although she does not offer home delivery,
Avon fans love the service she provides.
Other items you may find at Silvernicks
include home decor, dishes, fabric, craft
items, old dolls, silk florals, office supplies,
collectibles, old signs, and items too numerous to mention. The store is literally
a plethora of unique treasures just waiting to
be discovered.
find there were parts and pieces I needed that
were hard to find. Then, amazingly, in a new
lot of merchandise that would come in, there
were all these odds and ends that I knew
would be perfect for my projects and the
projects of other repurposers,” explained
Sterling.
Picker’s Paradise is a special section at
Silvernicks that is a hodge-podge of parts,
pieces, hardware, accessories and items that
most people would normally throw away
without a second thought. But to those that
restore and repurpose, they are a gold mine.
Picker’s Paradise is loaded with furniture
that needs a little TLC, plus parts, pieces and
miscellaneous items that are often hard to
find. You can find old cabinet hardware,
table and chair legs, unusual screws and
nails, bolts, hinges, door knobs and more.
They even have a huge box of glass eyes.
“We get a lot of visitors and plenty of
phone calls from people looking for old
unusual pieces for their projects that we quite
often have,” added Tammy.
If you haven’t been to Silvernicks before,
or it is been awhile, the first Saturday in
December would be an excellent time to
make the trip. Virden is holding their annually Country Christmas on the square, and
several downtown businesses will be hosting
open houses or offering specials that day
(stop by This-N-That, Freckles Resale, Wildflower Patch, Hendrick’s Furniture, The Garden Gate, Jamie’s - The Diamond Mine and
Sly Fox Book Store), including Silvernicks.
Silvernicks will hold their Holiday Open
House on Saturday, December 6th from 9
a.m to 4 p.m. There will be refreshments
and door prizes and vendors will be in their
booths visiting with customers, answering
questions and taking special orders.
The success of independent small businesses depends partly on finding a niche and
Silvernicks has certainly found theirs. When
you visit Silvernicks, plan for plenty of time
to look around the store. It’s packed with
old, unusual, unique and rarely found items.
And if you see something you want, don’t
hesitate to buy it, thinking you can come
back and get it another time - chances are, it
Picker’s Paradise
Probably the most popular aspect of Silvernicks - now referred to as Silvernicks
Unique Treasures instead of Silvernicks
Resale Shop - is their Picker’s Paradise, the
brain child of Sterling.
“While repairing things I would often
Unique treasures are abundant at Silvernicks. Finds include everyting from antique tricycles
and repurposed and painted furniture to hand-made primitive home accents.
will be gone. The uniqueness of the business
draws customers from as far away as Jacksonville, Belleville, Fairview Heights and
even out of state.
“Word of mouth is great for any business,
but our consistent advertising efforts have
really made a difference on people knowing
about us,” Tammy said.
If you’ve never been to the Virden area,
you will want to make Silvernicks your first
stop anyway, as they are the official Welcome Center for Virden. They have a guest
book, pamphlets on local attractions and
pointes of interest, and can direct people if
they are looking for something in particular.
They also have some souvenirs for sale.
erest.
Silvernicks Unique Treasures is located
at 231 E. Jackson in Virden, just one block
east of the downtown square. They are open
Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until
5:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 9-2. For
more information call 217-891-6514 or find
them on Facebook.
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Polar Express
is Coming to
Hillsboro
The Hillsboro 2000 & Beyond committee
is asking local children to put on their PJ’s
and hop aboard the Hillsboro Polar Express
on Friday December 5 and Saturday December 6. Downtown Hillsboro will be transformed into a train themed winter
wonderland similar to the popular children’s
movie with a variety of family activities
planned for both days.
The event will kickoff Friday with a holiday punchcard promotion. Participants are
asked to visit all of the participating merchants to get their cards “punched.” Once
the cards are filled they will be returned to
the Journal-News for a chance to win a pair
of tickets to ride the real Polar Express train
in St. Louis. A first ever lighted parade will
take place on Friday night beginning at 6
p.m., followed by caroling by local children,
hot chocolate, visits with Santa, free train
rides, a holiday bazzar and more!
Saturday will begin with a breakfast with
Santa at the Hillsboro Moose Lodge down-
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stairs where children will receive special
gifts from Santa, children’s activities provided by the Hillsboro Area Hospital Junior
Board and a chili cookoff inside The Zone.
To end the celebration their will be two free
showings of The Polar Express movie at 11
a.m. and again at 1 p.m. at the Orpheum
Theater.
The committee is also hosting an iPad
raffle. Tickets are only $1 each or $5 for six
and can be purchased through Decembe 6th
at the Journal-News, City Hall and online at
www.hillsborochamber.net. Any proceeds
raised will be used for Hillsboro beautification projects and to help offset the cost of
free community events.
Those interested in participating in the
first ever lighted parade can download an
entry form online at www.hillsborochamber.net. Merchants wanting to participate in
the punchcard promotion can contact the
Chamber office at 532-3711. Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation to the committee to help offset the cost of the
celebration can send their payment to the
2000 & Beyond committee at 447 S. Main
Street, Hillsboro, IL 62049.
The Book Buzz
The Perfect Gift...
We’ve Got it Covered!
Written by Barbara Adams
The Season is upon us. The joy, and
stress, of the holidays. Finding the perfect
tree. And the decorations. And the cards. The
shopping. The hustle and bustle. And the unattainable goal of finding that perfect gift.
Wait! We've got that one covered. Just stop
at your local bookstore. It's the one place you
will find something for everyone!
For the Action/Mystery Lover in the
House - Two of the most popular action/mystery authors of the day have new releases just
in time for gift-giving. Put Harry Bosch
under the tree in The Burning Room by
Michael Connelly. The iconic, aging LAPD
detective is back, solving murders with his
young protege, Lucia Soto. Victim Orlando
Merced has just died, ten years after being
shot, and thus a new murder has an old trail.
Bosch digs into what leads he has and along
the way imparts his knowledge of detective
work to the young Soto. Always an entertaining character, Connelly delivers another
Bosch classic. And David Baldacci gives us
another John Puller action adventure with
The Escape. Puller, the military crimes
investigator of Zero Day and The Forgotten,
has his hands full in solving an escape from
the maximum security military prison at
Leavenworth. With a dead body left behind
in his cell, the escapee is now the nation's
most wanted criminal - and is Puller's own
brother. But soon John Puller learns that he
isn't the only one hunting him. He is, however, the only one who wants to capture him
alive. Baldacci is a superb storyteller and this
one is a very entertaining read.
For the Sports Fan - On the heels of his
well-orchestrated retirement this year, Derek
Jeter's photojournal biography, Jeter Unfiltered, by Derek Jeter and Christopher Anderson, may be the perfect gift for the sports fan
in your life. Any fan of the game will enjoy
the memories and the behind-the-scene photos chronicling the career of this great player.
Or, if loyalty to Cardinal Nation is a must,
try The Cardinals of Cooperstown by Greg
Marecek and Myron Holtzman. A visually
stunning history of the contribution Cardinal
teams have made to The Hall, this book will
be treasured by your favorite Cardinal fan.
For the Family Comedian - Part memoir,
and part advice column, laced with photos,
poetry and more, Amy Poehler's new book,
Yes Please, is ultimately a very inspiring
read. The quirky little blonde we loved on
Saturday Night Live and who entertains in
Parks and Recreation, dishes on co-stars,
tells of her childhood and her start in comedy, recounts her foray with drugs, and
emotes about her two wonderful children.
If you haven't realized yet that very funny
people are really very smart, this very smart
read will make you a believer.
For the Animal Lover - Everyone loves a
good dog story and Maria Goodavage, author of Soldier Dogs (2012), has followed up
with Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero
Lucca. Lucca, a highly specialized Search
Dog, along with her handlers, Chris Willingham and Juan Rodriguez, successfully completed a 400 mission career. Finding
explosives thus saving many lives, and surviving firefights, this books tells her story
and the story of her incredible bond with her
handlers. Like most true animal stories, this
one will have you laughing, and crying, but
most of all appreciating the amazing dedication and service of military dogs and the men
who
handle
them.
For the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer Sure, you can find a recipe for everything
imaginable online, but nothing is more satisfying than a good cookbook. And my, how
cookbooks have changed since the original
Joy of Cooking graced every kitchen in
America. The appeal of cookbooks now is
the spectacular photography. You know that
when you make it, it isn't going to look like
the picture in the book, but it's fun to dream.
The Tucci Table: Cooking With Family and
Friends by Stanley Tucci (yes, that Stanley
Tucci) and Felicity Blunt (his British wife),
is just one such visually stunning new cookbook. Primarily celebrating Tucci's Italian
heritage, infused with his wife's British
upbringing and then served up on an allAmerican platter, this book features recipes
that you can really make and that you actually want to try. A gorgeous celebration of
food and family and friends, this makes a
perfect gift.
For the Teen Gamer - If you don't know
what Minecraft is but you have a teen or a
gamer in the house, the perfect gift for him,
or her, is the four volume boxed set of the
Minecraft handbooks. This collection
includes The Essential Handbook, Redstone
Handbook, Combat Handbook and the Construction Handbook. The handbooks contain
valuable information for any Minecraft
player and are presented in a hard slipcase.
Don't pretend to understand any of it - just
ask if they're playing Minecraft and then put
this under the tree. You may not see your teen
for the rest of Christmas vacation, but hey,
that may not be such a bad thing!
For the Youngest Believers - No Christmas could be complete without a new addition to the libray of the Littlest Readers. To
encourage reading and teach the true meaning of the season, bring home God Gave Us
Christmas (Lisa Tawn Bergren) or
Humphrey's First Christmas (Carol Heyer).
For the even smaller ones, the delightful J is
for Jesus: The Sweetest Story Ever Told
(Crystal Bowman) explains in a hands-on
board book how the candy cane symbolizes
the birth of Christ. Also, this year marks the
50th anniversary of Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer (by Thea Feldman) and a commemorative edition of this Christmas classic
will delight young and old alike. You'll be
asked to read these over and over again this
holiday season.
Get organized, settle in for the demands
of the season and then enjoy your time with
family and friends. Think books for great
gifts and while you're at the bookstore, pick
out a gift for yourself - you deserve it!
Barbara Adams is an attorney and the
owner of Books & Moore in Hillsboro,
the only independent bookseller of new
books in Montgomery County.
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COLOR
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Make Your
Holiday sparkle
Virden Jewelry Store Offers
Unique Custom Designed Pieces
Written by David Hopper
Some of the most popular jewelry designs at Jamies-The Diamond Mine are their unique pendants and rings.
Jamie’s - The Diamond Mine is a locally
owned jewelry store in Virden, Illinois.
Owners Kelly and Cliff Hughes have dedicated their lives to ensuring their customers
have the best shopping experience possible.
Their motto is ‘ ‘If you don’t know your
jewelry, know your jeweler’.
Prior to the Hughes family taking ownership of the business, Jamie’s had existed at
its current location as a jewelry store since
1970. At one time, three Jamie’s jewelry
stores existed - in Virden, Girard, and Pana.
Owners of the stores consolidated to the Virden location in the 1980’s. In 1993, Cliff and
Kelly purchased the store and added ‘The
Diamond Mine’ to the name.
“Jamie’s was a very well respected and
successful jewelry store,” Cliff said, “We did
not want to change the name completely, so
we added to it, creating Jamie's - The
Diamond Mine.”
Kelly and Cliff each have extensive experience in the jewelry field. Kelly was introduced to the jewelry industry through a high
school cooperative education course and
Cliff got involved after high school. They
met in 1979 at Gem City College in Quincy.
The two jewelry experts married in 1980 and
spent their first 13 years together working in
Chicago before purchasing the original
Jamie’s business and moving to Virden.
The couple share the responsibility of the
business. Cliff is in charge of operations and
sales and Kelly is the goldsmith and
designer.
“Kelly creates, builds, assembles, repairs
and restores most of the jewelry right on the
premises. It is crucial to our success to have
her in the store,” Cliff explained.
Jamie’s - The Diamond Mine strives to
provide exemplary jewelry services to each
customer and they specialize in providing
custom services to meet their specific
requests.
They offer comprehensive jewelry shopping services, including loose diamonds, engagement rings, wedding bands, diamond
pendants & earrings, custom design, on site
jewelry repair and restoration, watch repair
and restoration, and bead and pearl re-stringing. Jamie’s - The Diamond Mine also offers
layaway options, appraisals, insurance
replacement, and complimentary gift wrapping with every purchase.
“Our most popular items are our unique
design rings, pendants, and bracelets,” Cliff
said.
“We love this profession and what we do
for our customers on a daily basis,” he added.
“They come to us for everything from new
and exciting one-of-a kind creations for engagements, anniversaries and other special
occasions to advice on heirloom pieces that
have been in their families for years.
Customers often bring in several ‘old’ pieces
including broken chains, rings with stones
missing, or dated pieces. We can custom d
esign something new and current while using
the old metal and stones. Sometimes customers are overwhelmed with the new piece.
It is very rewarding to take granddads or
grandmas old jewelry that was in a box or in
a drawer and create a new current piece that
can be worn again.”
Jamie’s - The Diamond Mine also carries
products through several industry leading
vendors, including Allison-Kaufman Company, Breuning, Danish Design, Debbie
Brooks (New York), Simply Engaging,
Under the Crown, and HL.
“We have had a business relationship with
most vendors for over 20 years,” commented
Cliff, “In this business, ‘your word’ is the key
to longevity and your integrity is crucial to
the staying power of that relationship.”
In addition to longstanding collaborations, Kelly and Cliff are constantly considering new vendors for the jewelry store.
“We go to jewelry shows every year. We
try to find unique, well made merchandise
that is manufactured in the USA,” Cliff
explained. “But due to manufacturing costs,
many items are now made overseas so it is
getting harder to find products made in the
USA. Each year we go to the Smart Jewelry
Show at Navy Pier in Chicago and spend two
days. Shows are really exhausting, but the
hard work is worth it.”
Jamie’s – The Diamond Mine has been recently recognized through the 15 Under Fifteen Small Business Awards as one of the
best small businesses within and surrounding
Springfield. The 15 Under Fifteen Small
Business Awards is a recognition program
through United Community Bank and the
Springfield Business Journal. Each year, the
top 15 small businesses, who meet eligibility
requirements, are chosen from many nominations.
To be eligible for recognition, the business must employ fewer than 15 employees
and have been in business for more than two
years. The award was established ‘to recognize, celebrate, and reward excellence in
small business, community leadership, and
the entrepreneurial spirit vital to Springfield's
business community’.
“We have worked hard to create a business that is a reflection of us, both artistically
and creatively. Our strong nucleus of
customers, young and old who support us,
come from surrounding towns and up to a
200 mile radius,” Cliff said, “So to be recognized with this award is a great honor.”
Jamie’s - The Diamond Mine has earned
praise for the excellence in customer service
even before their recognition as a 15 Under
Fifteen Small Business Award recipient however.
“In 2012, we were recognized by
INSTORE Magazine, a respected industry
magazine, as one of Americas’ ’COOL
STORES’, Cliff added.
INSTORE conducts an annual contest
through which they honor jewelry stores
throughout the nation, with respect to all
facets of their organization. This includes advertising, merchandising, store appearance,
location, etc. Jamies-The Diamond Mine
received Honorable Mention.
Although jewelry is purchased year
‘round, Cliff explained that there are some
predetermined times when they are busier.
“Valentine’s Day, birthdays and anniversaries are all times when customers will be
purchasing jewelry but Christmas time is the
busiest. Many of our customers start their
Christmas gift planning in October. They
provide us with their ideas for custom jewelry early since they know that it can take
4-6 weeks to assemble their one-of-a-kind
pieces.”
Even if you didn’t get a custom order in
early to Jamie’s they can still help make your
holiday sparkle, with an extensive inventory
of jewelry for the last minute shopper.
“We have 14 showcases full of wonderful
pieces that need a good home,” Cliff smiled.
Rings, watches and necklaces are mere
objects until they are hand selected, customized and given to their intended recipients. At that time they become cherished
keepsakes. Kelly and Cliff can help you find
that special gift for the loved one in your life
this holiday season.
Jamie’s - The Diamond Mine is making it
easier to get that perfect gift for your loved
one this holiday season. They will be holding
their annual Christmas Open House on
December 5th and 6th and offering store
wide sales of 20% off through Christmas.
Some select items are up to 50% off of retail
price.
Jamie’s – The Diamond Mine is located
on the north side of the square in downtown
Virden. They can also be found online at
www.jamiestdm.com. Through their website,
customers can get to know their jewelers passion for their craft and their intent to serve
the needs of their customers in their own
words. Customers can browse pictures of
custom jewelry to better plan for their own
jewelry needs, check for upcoming events,
review recent news, and provide their own
testimony regarding their experiences. Customers can also keep up with Jamie’s – The
Diamond Mine through its Facebook page or
can call the store at 217-965-4542.
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Golden Advice
The Top Ten Gifts
for Coin Collectors
Written by Jesse Gernigin
Happy holidays readers!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and shared some special time with
friends and family.
I am writing this column during one of
the largest drops in gold’s value. As of writing, gold has dropped below $1250.00 an
ounce (down from a little under $1800.00 an
ounce more than a year ago).
Later in the article I will talk about the
costs you’ll pay when investing in gold.
If gold is still low when you read this, consider investing and take advantage of its
historic low. In the last article I mentioned
that I would talk about the top ten gifts for
the holiday season so I’ll start with that.
A big seller right now is Kennedy and
Lincoln assassination coincidence frames.
These are coin frames with one Kennedy half
dollar and one Lincoln penny set into a backing that explains the many weird coincidences between the two men, their offices
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December 2014
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and assassinations. These are very popular
this year as it is the fifty year anniversary of
Kennedy’s death.
Three affordable pieces customers love
this time of year are painted silver eagles.
These are one ounce silver coins, minted in
America, and colorized.
Lucite coin cases are popular this time of
year. They are cheap ways to display
mediocre coins and make them look amazing.
Collectors will also be buying Dansco
books to help people display their collections. If you are interested in resale to make
some holiday cash without investing a large
amount I suggest trying to sell the blue
Dansco books or Lucite block holders. They
have a low wholesale cost and are easy to
move.
Four mid-cost pieces that sell well are
coin lots for costlier coins. Four different
coin lots that sell during the holidays are
Indian Head Pennies (1900 dates sell best),
Liberty Nickels, Washington State Quarters
and rolls of Buffalo Nickels. Collectors love
piecing through coin lots to find key dates or
switch out pieces to their collections. Buying
coin lots are popular but a lot of collectors
will only be comfortable buying from coin
shops. If you want to try to resell coin lots,
make sure you have customers.
The last two pieces that sell well are 1/10
ounce American Gold Eagles or Silver Premier coin sets. Both pieces are expensive and
make great gifts for that special coin collector in your life. With that said, my advice is
to avoid investing in these last two products
for resale as they have large up-front costs,
require a specific market to sell to and have
a very small profit margin.
Back to gold...it’s at a historic low right
now. If you have been looking for a low hurdle to get into the market, now is the time.
Understand that just because the market is
low doesn’t mean it can’t go lower. Gold is
a volatile market and can produce large gains
as well as large losses. Right now the
premium for getting into the market is small.
Let me explain what a premium is. Good
gold and coin shops buy gold or silver at a
slight loss to the market (ie-if silver is at $20
an ounce they might pay $19 dollars an
ounce) and then resell at a percentage above
the fee, usually twenty to thirty percent.
You can get gold or silver at a smaller
premium if you build a relationship with
a coin and gold shop. If the shop knows they
can call you to lock you in to a price and that
you can pay cash, the premium you pay can
drop up to 20%. This deal will only be
offered to customers shops knows well and
have come to trust. If you are interested in
this, understand that this chance won’t be offered right away.
The best entry into the gold market with
the easiest to manage premium is 1/10 oz
gold coins. They have a manageable
premium and a low precious metal value.
You can buy gold as low as a ½ gram of .999
purity, but these bars (along with 1 gram
bars) are very popular right now and carry
higher premiums with little resale return on
your premium.
If you are considering investing in gold,
another plus to consider is that gold usually
bumps up after the holidays. Gold tends to
rise in value to back the post holiday slump
in consumer purchasing. Hiring also drops
for a short period post holiday season and
there have been occasions where hiring
slumps have boosted the precious metals
market (although not always). So keep your
eyes open and be sure to have a happy holiday!
Downtown Gillespie
Celebrates the season
with annual Holiday
sparkle
The Coal Country Chamber of Commerce maintains tradition with their “Holiday Sparkle,” and activities are planned for
Friday, December 5, and Saturday, December 6.
Holiday Sparkle Open House will run
from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, December
5, and from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday.
All during this time, downtown eateries will
have special discounts and participating businesses will have special offers. too.
During the Holiday Sparkle Open House
hours, downtown businesses will be conducting sales and in-store promotions on both
days. Downtown Gillespie businesses are
going to showcase Holiday Sparkle with
colorful displays of Christmas themes and
enticing specials of the season while the Coal
Country Chamber of Commerce Choo Choo
chugs up and down the streets. Holiday
shoppers and visitors can ride the Choo Choo
FREE and stop in the retail shops to enjoy
the warmth and the bargains.
The chamber’s Sixteenth Annual Snack
with Santa at the Illinois Valley Center at 217
E. Walnut (next to the Gillespie Police station) will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30
a.m. on Saturday, December 6. Santa will arrive at 8:30 at the Illinois Valley Center for
Snack with Santa. He will stay until 11:30
to visit with each of the children attending
and hear their special requests for Christmas.
During the Snack with Santa, a digital
picture of the child with Santa will be taken
in front of a Christmas background. Clients
and staff of the Illinois Valley Center will do
their usual beautiful decorating of the background. Each child will receive a snack of
Prairie Farms milk or juice and a treat from
Casey’s General Store served by the VFW
Ladies Auxiliary 4547 of Gillespie.
There is a donation of $5 for Snack with
Santa which includes the digital photo, the
snack, a ticket to ride the Choo Choo, a
goodie bag, and a letter mailed to him or her
from Santa.
Across the street from Snack with Santa
is the Illinois Valley Barn in the Garden Gift
Shop where delightful crafts which are handmade by clients of Illinois Valley are displayed and offered at special prices for this
event. The shop will be open for business on
December 6 from 9 a.m. until noon.
An Exotic Petting Zoo will be stationed
in the parking lot of UCB Bank. Besides the
Alaskan Reindeer, full grown hump-backed
camels, zebu, and water buffalo can be petted
and fed by the children from 9 a.m. until
noon on Saturday.
Coal Country Chamber businesses who
have sponsored this Snack with Santa and
the Petting Zoo are 1st BancFinancial, Greg
Craine, Agent; Amore’ Restaurant; Country
Financial/Tina Olroyd, Agent; Dairy Queen
of Gillespie; Dee-Dee’s Designs; Drew Ford;
Farmers Insurance, Adam Tallman, Agent;
FNB/Benld Banking Center; Louann Brown,
Friends of the Gillespie Library; Furniture
Rescue; Gina Gucciardo, CPA; Hampton
Inn; Hebenstreit Apartments; Hick’s Maytag
Appliance Center; Michelle’s Pharmacy of
Gillespie; New Belongings Aquatic and
Hobby Center; Reid’s Service; Stan’s Barber
Shop; State Farm/Jessica Ely, Agent; Sullivan Drug, Inc., UCB/Gillespie Banking
Center.
Businesses offering special holiday savings include, but are not limited to, DeeDees
Florals and Designs, Michelle’s Pharmacy,
Phyllbena’s, New Belongings Aquatic Center, Furniture Rescue, Castles Treasurs Resale Shop and Chiefs II Grill.
Prairie Farms is donating the beverage for
Snack with Santa and VFW Auxiliary ladies
as well as Illinois Valley and Chamber
volunteers make the opportunities for chil-
Snack with Santa in Gillespie includes a digital photo with St. Nick, a ticket to ride the Coal Country
Chamber of Commerce Choo Choo, a goodie bag and a letter mailed to the child from Santa.
dren possible.
Holiday Sparkle, Snack with Santa, the
CCCC Choo Choo, and the Exotic Petting
Zoo will provide an opportunity for consumers to “Shop Local, Buy Local”, and for
celebration in enjoying the holiday season in
downtown Gillespie.
More information on Snack with Santa,
the Choo Choo and other activities of the
Coal Country Chamber of Commerce can be
found on the web site: www.coalcountrychamber.com and the Coal Country Facebook page. Please leave a message at
217-710-5218 if you wish to contact the
Chamber
or
email
at
mrer@madisontelco.com.
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The Prairie Land Gardener
Groom Your
Poinsettia
to Bloom again
Written by Abby Dillon
Throughout the holiday season, many
homes are brightened by the cheery poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima. This tropical
plant is native to Mexico, where it can grow
to be 10-15’ tall. A lovely Christmas tradition, more than 70 million plants are sold
nationwide each year. Poinsettias range in
color among many shades of red, pink, burgundy, orange and white. The richly colored
part of the plant is not a flower, but a modified leaf, called a bract. Its color persists
through the winter and with moderate care,
this houseplant can be groomed to bloom
again.
When selecting a poinsettia, be sure to
choose a healthy plant with dark green
leaves. Yellow leaves and those that drop off
the plant entirely can be an indication of poor
handling or lack of sufficient water and/or
fertilizer. These plants are grown in a greenhouse, with temperatures kept between 60
and 70 degrees F, therefore they should be
carefully wrapped to limit exposure to the
frigid outside temperatures.
Once you’ve reached home, place the
plant in the sunniest location your home can
provide. If that happens to be in a windowsill, it is best that the plant doesn’t touch
the pane. Water the plant when the soil feels
dry to the touch and the plant seems light
when lifted. Provide enough water that
excess drips from the drainage holes at the
bottom of the pot. I like to place my houseplants in the bathtub or sink so that the water
can drain out and any soil can easily be
wiped up. Insufficient watering will result in
leaves that wilt and drop, whereas too much
water will result in leaves that yellow and
drop. If your poinsettia is placed near a vent,
you can expect it will dry out quickly. Fertilizing monthly will help keep the plant
healthy throughout the season.
The plant can be moved outside when the
night temperatures remain above 50 degrees
F. In our area, that usually occurs mid-May,
after Mother’s Day. At this time, prune each
shoot down 4-6”. Transplant it into a larger
pot, using a good quality potting soil. Water
it in thoroughly and continue to fertilize
every two weeks. A somewhat shaded spot
will do fine at this point.
In July, remove about an inch off each
stem. This is called a “pinch”. You are
removing the growing tip of the branch,
encouraging growth along the stem. Again in
late August, pinch each stem. Failure to
pinch will result in a tall, leggy plant. You
want your poinsettia to be a thick, bush, full
of bracts.
By mid-September, the night temperatures will begin to fall below the comfort
level for a tropical poinsettia. Bring your
plant in to maintain that 65 degree F comfort
zone. Continue fertilization every two weeks.
At the beginning of October, a critical
step must be taken in order to get a poinsettia
to the flowering stage in time for the Christmas season. A poinsettia requires ten weeks
of short days in order to flower. This means
that the plant needs to be in complete darkness from the hours of 5pm to 8am. To
achieve this you can place some sort of
opaque box over the plant, but it must be
thick and heavy enough that no light can get
in. Another way to provide darkness is to
move the plant to a closet or basement where
no light is provided. Opening doors or leaving on overhead light will delay the blooming of the poinsettia.
The short-day regimen can be discontinued in early December, when color begins to
appear on the bracts. At this point, stop
fertilizing and enjoy the glory of another sea-
son of Christmas cheer!
Although poinsettias have a reputation for
being poisonous, studies have proven that
there is no toxicity to the plant at all. If
a good deal of the plant is consumed by a
human or a pet, a stomach ache is a possibility, but such is the case with all houseplants.
There is a milky sap that oozes out from
a broken branch, found in all plants in the euphorbia family, like milkweed and ‘Diamond
Frost’. Some sensitive skin types can experience an itchy dermatitis from the sap.
Carefully handle the plant, avoid rubbing
your eyes, and wash your hands thoroughly
afterward.
Abby Dillon is the owner of La Bella Fiori
Greenhouse and Garden Center in Staunton.
217-313-1001 • www.labellafiori.com. La Bella
Fiori is closed for the season but will re-open in
May.
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Heifer international
and Barb’s Journey
Written by Cindy Ladage
Barb Oakes is an Area Volunteer Coordinator for Heifer International and has been
part of this group since 2002. Traveling to
Poland, the Republic of Czech, the Philippine Islands, Honduras and Armenia as well
as all over the US, Oakes has been a part of
several study tours which Heifer International has completed over the years. These
study tours offered her a chance to see how
the projects worked first hand. It has been a
rewarding experience that has changed
Oakes life and the lives of those she has
worked with.
In 2001 Barb received a catalog for
Heifer International. After reading she found
that the core to Heifer’s International is what
they refer to as “Passing on the Gift”.
Families are provided with livestock that
will serve as a way for them to make a living.
They then share the training they receive,
and pass on the first female offspring of their
livestock whether it be a cow, water buffalo,
chicken, etc. to another family. The website
explains, “This extends the impact of the
original gift, allowing a once impoverished
family to become donors and full participants
in improving their communities.”
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In 2002, Barb retired from her job as
a social worker for the Illinois Department
of Children and Family Services. In 2006
she moved from Springfield to Girard.
Barb said, “I had served people all my life
and knew that people don’t want hand outs,
they need a hand up. I could see how this
could work.”
When she saw the purpose of every
Heifer project is to help families achieve
self-reliance, Barb was hooked.
She
contacted the regional office in Goshen,
Indiana and soon was serving in an educational role talking to churches, schools etc.
about Heifer International.
The Heifer projects provide the recipients
with the tools they need to sustain themselves.
Barb recalls one Polish woman that
received honey bees as her project and she
provided homemade bread and honey for the
school lunches until she could pass on a new
hive.
“We help a lot of orphanages, pass alongs
can also be to provide them with milk,” Barb
said.
Heifer International has its roots in North-
ern Indiana.
“The founder, Dan West lived near
Goshen, Indiana. He was an educator and a
member of the Church of the Brethren who
were conscientious objectors.”
West served as a relief worker in Spain
during their Civil War.
“Dan was originally sent in 1937 to Spain
and returned in 1939. The Brethren would go
to take care of refugees and they insisted on
helping those on both sides of the War,” Barb
explained.
The program he worked with offered
hungry men, women and children powdered
milk.
“This bothered Dan, seeing parents so
down-hearted because they couldn’t take
care of their family. They always ran out of
powdered milk before they were done and
they told him that they were going to start
weighing babies and those that were too
small they couldn’t serve anymore. This
bothered him; he had children of his own.
He said, ‘What these children need is a cow
not a cup.’ “
When West arrived back home he
presented the idea of taking real cows to
those in need to his neighbors and church and
this led to the formation of the Heifers for
Relief Committee in 1939. The charity
became incorporated in 1944. Heifers
International sent their first shipment of 17
heifers to Puerto Rico. On their website
http://www.heifer.org they state, “That
“teach a man to fish” philosophy is what
drove West to found Heifer Project International.”
Shipments were sent to Europe and
Greece and other places after the war. Peggy
Reif Miller gathered information about the
men and ships that delivered the livestock to
war torn countries after the close of World
War II. She states, “… the Brethren Service
Committee had a dilemma: the Heifer Project had over 1,000 heifers ready to ship, but
no ships. The United Nations Relief and
Rehabilitation (UNRRA), created by 44
nations in November 1943 to provide postwar relief, also had a dilemma. They had
ships, but no cattle tenders for the 200,000
head of livestock they planned to ship to devastated countries. UNRRA knew about the
Brethren shipment to Puerto Rico and the
interest of the Brethren in sending heifers to
Europe, and a partnership was born. The
Brethren Service Committee would recruit
the livestock attendants for UNRRA’s shipments, and UNRRA would ship the Brethren
heifers free of charge.”
The men that worked with the livestock
were dubbed Seagoing Cowboys and
between June 24, 1945 and mid-1947, over
7,000 men and boys from all across the
United States and Canada volunteered to
serve. The stories of these men served as
fodder for a book.
Log onto
http://www.seagoingcowboys.com/index.ht
ml for more information.
Since the 1980’s animals are picked from
the countries where the program is underway
rather than shipped from the US.
“We have been in the countries long
enough that they can get the animals there,”
Barb said, “I was in Poland in 2005 and we
bought animals from a famrer that we helped
years ago. We can trace animals back to the
first shipment.”
In Perryville, Arkansas the Heifer Ranch
Tthe Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansa is where the animals were kept
before sending out a shipment. The ranch is an educational place where groups can
come and learn about world hunger and sustainability.
is where the animals were kept before sending out a shipment. Today the ranch is an
educational place where groups can come
and learn about world hunger and sustainability. “This project really shows what one
person can do,” Barb said.
Heifer International has been in 124
countries over the history of the organization,
and today they are currently are active in 30.
Since 2011 volunteers study tours are on
hold. Now they rely on staff and project
partners native to the country where the project is being implemented to kick start the
programs. But while she was able, Barb
Oakes enjoyed the opportunity to assist in
international projects.
She passed along how life is so different
from place to place. “I visited one area in the
Philippines where the tribal people until the
1990’s still fought battles with spears and
wooden shields. They were like street gangs
in West Side story.”
Working with both sides of groups has
paid off. “There is a lot of peace projects for
widows and young children designed to
bring together people from both sides,” Barb
explained.
“There are so many places where women
can’t own anything or even go out,” Barb
said, adding that the program has changed ,
that in some areas where men have to leave
the rural areas to find work leaving the
woman behind to fend for the family. The
projects allow her ownership and an income
to feed her children while the man is away.
Barb has immersed herself in the program
and has had fun over the last 12 years trying
to purchase every animal in the catalog.
Instead of a Christmas Barb Oakes has an Ark. When she buys an animal for
Heifers International she adds that animal to her ark and puts it out at Christmas time.
She has chosen this rather than purchasing Christmas presents.
Instead of a Christmas tree she has an Ark.
When she buys an animal for Heifers she
adds that animal to her ark and puts it out at
Christmas time. She has chosen this rather
than purchasing Christmas presents.
Barb Oakes provides presentations and
works with projects all over the US. She has
received several awards. In 2005 she was the
Volunteer of the Year for Heifer’s Midwest
Region of the US. In 2007, Blackburn College in Carlinville recognized her with the
Alumni Humanitarian of the Year Award for
her work with Heifer International and
several other social service ventures here in
central Illinois.
Barb Oakes is available to speak to
groups, present information tables for educational events and church conventions, and to
assist groups with fund raising projects for
Heifer International.
Barb
can
be
contacted
at
barb470218@gmail.com or 217.341.8448 to
request more information, or to request a
speaker for an event.
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sweet
angel
Benefit
Community Holding Fundraiser for
Family that Lost 4 in Train Collision
Unless you are an absolute recluse, and
you can’t be if you are reading The Buzz,
then you know about the mother and three
children that were killed by a train in Vandalia on their way to a Halloween parade.
Maybe that is all that you know, that it
happened. And maybe that is enough to
know. But I’m going to tell you more, so
maybe you can understand the depth of this
tragedy just a bit more, and be inspired to
help the family that remains.
Cystal (Anna) Bone of Greenville, and
four of her children, were on their way to the
Vandalia Halloween parade on Thursday,
October 30th. In researching various news
stories there are some slight variations in the
reports, and some speculation as to why this
tragedy happened.
Some say Crystal drove around safety
gates and into the path of the freight train that
hit them. As a mother, I can’t comprehend
that a mother would knowingly jeopardize
her childrens’ lives in that manner. So I tend
to agree with the ones that say it was just a
senseless accident. The railroad crossing
intersection is very unique. It could be confusing to someone from a different town that
is not familiar with it. The crossing has two
tracks and a city street also parallels the
tracks. It was dark and raining that night,
with lots of traffic because of the Halloween
parade that was about to start.
Fayette Coroner Bruce Bowen and Illi-
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December 2014
I
nois State Police Master Sgt. Shad Payne
said it appeared that Anna, going south,
drove past flashing signals and a crossing
gate and was struck about 6:48 p.m. by an
eastbound CSX train, which pushed the
vehicle off the tracks.
It was raining at the time and traffic in the
area was congested, Bowen said, “But the
way it is set up, she still should have been
able to see the train. I think she possibly was
just trying to beat the train to get to the
parade on time.”
However, Desiree Fischer, of Vandalia,
who said she witnessed the crash, insisted
that the van did not pass the gates but instead
was trapped at the crossing before the train
arrived.
“She had been sitting for a few minutes
off the tracks,” Fischer said. “The cars
moved ahead of her. She pulled up to go over
the tracks, and the car in front of her stopped.
That’s when the lights started flashing and
then boom, the train hit them.”
But Vandalia Police Chief Jeff Ray, who
reviewed a recording from a camera on the
locomotive, said the vehicle “appeared to be
moving across the tracks at a normal rate of
speed when it was struck.” He acknowledged
that the black-and-white images were grainy,
but said, “It looked to me like the driver was
completely unaware that a train was bearing
down. She definitely wasn’t stuck in traffic.”
Regardless of why it happened, the fact
Back row from left to right: Drake, Dalton and Alyssa.
Front row: Dylan and Abbie.
Only the two boys in the center survive.
remains that when the train finally was able
to stop about 1/2 mile north of the crossing
where the collision occurred, that 18-yearold Alyssa and 10-year-old Abbie were found
dead inside the van. Their brother, 13-year
old Drake was found on the tracks and at first
believed to be a pedestrian killed by flying
debris. It was later determined he was
thrown from the vehicle. He too was
pronounced dead at the scene. The driver,
and mother of the children, 35-year old Crystal, was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital and
died from her injuries the next day. A fourth
sibling in the SUV, 9-year old Dylan was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital also.
Dylan survived and returned home to his
father, Scott Wisnasky, and another brother,
Dalton, who were not in the vehicle at the
time of the accident. A funeral was held for
the other four members of the family on Friday, November 7th and the two boys and
their father now struggle to cope with
a depth of sorrow and pain that most of us
cannot even fathom.
In addition to the emotional turmoil that
their lives have been thrown into, there is
also a financial toll. A cost for one funeral is
overwhelming in itself - imagine paying for
four at one time.
The communities of Greenville, Vandalia
and Highland have rallied support for the
family. Students that attended school with
the children that were killed have organized
fundraisers to help pay for headstones.
And now the community is rallying once
again and asking for your help.
A benefit named “Sweet Angel” will be
held on Saturday, December 20th at the
Greenville VFW (2043 S. 4th Street). The
evening begins at 6 p.m. and lasts until midnight. The event features a live auction,
silent auction, 50/50 raffle, door prizes, food
by Wes Pourchot and DJ Joel Lewis. Tickets
are $15/person or $25/couple. There is no
admission charge for anyone under 18 years
old.
All money raised will go to provide the
two surviving boys the merriest Christmas
possible while they mourn the loss of their
mother and siblings, and establish an education fund for them as well.
Everyone understands that this event is
really close to Christmas. You are already
busy, stressed out and have little extra
money, if any. But perhaps you can take this
time to reflect not on what you don’t have,
but what you do. Imagine if you can what
has been stripped from the lives of these
young boys, and perhaps you can find it in
your heart to participate in this fundraiser in
some form, whether it be donating to the
auction, attending and bidding on the items,
or making a monetary donation, no matter
how small. If everyone does just a little, it
will add up to something big for Dalton and
Dylan.
Imagine this....we print 6,000 copies of
The Buzz Magazine each month. We already
know that the magazine is passed on to family and friends so the readership is higher
than that. People also read it online. But for
the sake of argument, let’s assume that there
are 6,000 readers. If each of those readers
gave just one $1.00... that’s $6,000 for the
family. Now... let’s assume that each reader
donated $5. That would be $30,000 raised.
That is why I said if everyone does just a little, it will add up to something big for Dalton
and Dylan. Consider that a challenge.
To make a donation or for more information, contact Jackie Green at 618-339-8132,
Steffany Bone at 618-708-0168 or Ragged
Graphics in Greenville at 618-7915172.
Follow My Fitness
some recipes
Just Don’t
Cut it
Each month it amazes me that this column is so popular... since I started it over a
year ago and have not made much progress.
Then again, it does NOT amaze me, because
it illustrates what the majority of people go
through in their struggle to get and stay
healthy.
So quickly, let me tell you that I did NOT
meet my goals posted from last month. I did
not lose another 10 lbs and I did not get back
in the gym on a REGULAR basis.
I do plan on starting back at the gym
Monday morning, December 1st though.
There are many personal reasons for this,
besides the fact that I am at an unhealthy
weight at this point and I just am going to
DO IT!
Now... let’s get to recipes... that is one of
the most popular features of this column.
Readers are consistently telling me that they
try the recipes I publish, and most of them
love those recipes... like we do.
So this past month we tried quite a few
new low carb recipes that we were hoping to
share with you. Unfortunately, with the
exception of one new recipe that a reader
shared with us, the new recipes we tried here
left MUCH to be desired.
The first one we tried was Chocolate
Mousse Caramel Pecan Cheesecake.
I almost opted not to try this one because the
number of steps were many, as were the ingredients, but it looked and sounded so
yummy. I mean think about it... the crust is
pecans ground in a food processor mixed
with melted butter, with a bit of sweeterner
added. The filling contains cream cheese,
sour cream and cocoa. A homemade caramel
sauce which is basically heavey cream, butter and sweetener gets drizzled over the top.
Decadent right? Not so much. Tony took
one bite and said no thanks. I tried to eat it
because frankly I hated to throw away all
those ingredients, but I just couldn’t get past
the chemical-like after taste, which I am
assuming was from the artificial sweetener.
So it got tossed.
The next recipe we tried was Turkey
Crusted Crockpot Breakfast Casserole.
Okay... turkey... it’s healthy. We have used
ground turkey in recipes before with great
success. And a breakfast you cook in the
crock pot overnight ... what’s not to love
about that? The photo of the dish looked
amazing too.
I woke up the next morning to the smell
of it and it smelled delicious. Bubbly melted
cheese was brown on top of a mixture of
egges, onion, red peppers and cottage cheese
in the ground turkey shell.
Low Carb Breakfast Casserole
1 lb ground sausage, browned and drained
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 small onion, diced
1/4 small green pepper, diced
6 well beaten eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend
cheese
Our finished product looked just as amazing as the professional photo that accompanied the recipe, but... the only thing amazing
about it WAS how it looked. It really just
was not edible. The flavor and texture both
were very offensive. I felt guilty tossing it
out, but I don’t think the dogs would have
even eaten it.
I tried making pepperoni chips and homemade low carb cheez-it style crackers. Now
both of these turned out okay but you do
NOT want to overcook the pepperoni. But
you DO want to cook the cheese longer than
you think... and use less salt than they call
for. As I said, they were both acceptable, we
ate it all eventually but it was not the “oh my
gosh” this is so good feeling that I was
hoping to find in a low carb snack. And I’m
not sure it was worth all the effort either.
Heat oven to 3500 F. Spray 8-9” square inch
pan with non-stock coating. Press sausage
into bottom of pan. Cut cream cheese into
pieces and distribute evenly over sausage.
Sprinkle with onions and peppers. Pour eggs
over mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheese on
top. Bake 20 minutes or until eggs are set.
Cool 5 minutes before serving.
If I decide to try those recipes again and they
turn out better... I will share.
Fortunately, the next recipe we tried,
submitted by reader Marilan Weber, was just
as delicious as she promised it would be. So
for this month, I bring you Low Carb Breakfast Casserole.
And tomorrow morning, I start back at
the gym, I will be there at 6 am, 5 days a
week. I will keep my weight loss goal of just
10 lbs between now and the next issue, but
I’m hoping for more. I’m going to work
really hard on it. Join me here next month,
and in the meantime, try this recipe. Low
carbing isn’t just for people that want to lose
weight you know, it’s an excellent, healthy
way for everyone to eat!
Sorry the photo is not in color, I just
couldn’t make it fit on a color page....
Mail this form to: The Buzz Magazine • 1110 N. Jefferson st • Litchfield, IL 62056
I December 2014
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December 2014
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Delivered right to
Your Mailbox!
see page 33 for
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I December 2014
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35
Part iV - The Final installment of:
My recollection of White City History
For the last 75 years and before
Written by Roger Kratochvil
Many Sundays White City would have
trouble getting 9 guys to play baseball because there was only so many to choose
from. One of those Sundays was in 1953
when we played the league leader, Millersburg. We only had 9 players and our catcher
was sick. Every couple of innings he would
stop the game to go to the fence and get rid
of his breakfast. Needless to say, we got beat
badly. Because the team was so competitive,
we came back in September and beat them
for the division championship and than Gillespie for the 3M Championship. Our star
pitcher, Ted Tomso got injured and was
replaced by aged Al ”Birdie” Brabec and his
finger and a half curve ball. He pitched
brilliantly and we won the championship
over Gillespie. I remember we all got
jackets with White City on it. I was only 15,
but what a thrill!
When I talk to different people and ask
them to name excellent players that they
knew, they mention the following names.
Whenever you list names you risk leaving
some out but I will risk it. Nick Vuckovich
told me that George Schultz was one of the
best hitters he has ever seen. This list will
come from people who have seen many of
these players that I have not. This incomplete list of great ballplayers from White City
are: Malateks (Jay, Doc, and Bill), Kaganichs
(Itch, Nick, Boob, Kurt, Paul), Tuns (Joe,
Henry and Jerry), Zupsichs (Tom, Joe,
Bones, and Mike), Bellovich (George, Belly,
and Tony), Lipinski (Paul), Lantermo (Pete),
King (Art), Radonavich (John), Busonic
(Steve), Kratochvil (Louis, Frank, Jerry, Joe,
Don, Roger), Spurney (Joe), Mihelcic (Bill),
Wimberlys ( Joe), Gruendahl (Omar and
Norman), Zippays (Mike and Alan) and
Plain(Corky).
I cannot talk about White City sports
without discussing woman’s softball. The
Woman’s Miner Auxiliary softball team
competed on the field just east of the hardball
field. A number of years the team was managed by Tony Lipinski. Woman such as:
Dorothy and Helen Brachman, Caroline Zippay, Ann Ratzman, Anna Popovich, Gertrude
Lichtenthaler, Lorraine Viehweg, Norma
Gruendahl, Lillian Sleboda, Martha Kunz,
and Katie Kaganich are names mentioned to
me as playing for White City. Later there
were other teams that played on a diamond
just north of the grade school and diagonally
across from Popovich Grocery. A number of
other woman like Ann Yanez and Ann Zupsich Morris, played in Litchfield when they
could get there.
One of the most important buildings in
the village was the school. White City actually had three schools during its history, but
not at the same time. One of the schools was
located in the northwest section of town near
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December 2014
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the Beehive. Another one was located also
on the north side, just south of route 138 in
that open area. That building was basically
in the very middle of that block facing the
east and it served later as the village hall.
The building that served as our school
from about 1926 to 1957 was located where
the village hall is today. The sidewalk from
the west went right up to the front door of the
school. The school, after it closed, served as
the village hall. It burned down later and
arson was suspected.
I am told that classes ranged from a number of 16 down to about 3. My class, for
instance, consisted of four students. Bob
Tun, Agnes Kilduff, Bob Kilduff, and myself.
Students in town often walked home for
lunch. I can remember when I was in about
3rd grade walking home with Larry ”Shots”
Scheller. We always had to stop on the sidewalk by Paula Schneider’s house to play with
the ants on the sidewalk by putting broken
glass over their hills and watching them
through the glass. In the spring, we would
stop at Tony Suchy’s house for the delicious
sugar pears. I don’t guess he ever had to pick
up any off the ground because I think we got
them before they fell. By the way, Mr. Suchy
was the school janitor for many years.
There were many teachers at the school
and most of them were just an extension of
our parents. Remember, many of the students were from hard nose parents and were
hardnosed themselves. Some of the teachers
would be taxied to the school by Walt’s Taxi
or Mike Koval’s taxi. The teachers were
excellent teachers and great disciplinarians.
One of the earliest teachers at the 1926 building was Alma Lueker. Other teachers were:
Sarah Poos, Jim Pechar, Florence Heidinger,
Laraine Keiser, Hannah Meyer, Vi Hagerman, Anna Popovich, Mrs. Hoesler, and Mrs.
Ackebauer.
When I got to school, there were four
classes to the room. In the southeastern
room, classes first to fourth grade conducted
studies with one class per row. The room to
the west and in the middle of the building
was classes 5th through 8th. There were several other rooms that served as a gym and
a music room. There was a huge bell on the
roof to be rung to get the pupils to school.
Later when school lunches were delivered to
the school, one room was set up for that and
one was the music room. The music room
was fun even for a guy like me who loves all
styles of music, but has the musical talent of
a rock. All of us had to sing a solo and boy,
was that a challenge. I had to sing the Two
Fat Polka. I still know the words as they
were burned into my memory by practice and
fear of standing up in front of the class.
Once a month, a man came to visit us and
brought movies to show us. We always
looked forward to that as it was a real treat.
All sports consisted of playing at recess
and we always played the game that was in
season. When we were in 8th grade, someone decided that we should play a couple of
games with other towns. We played two
against Mt. Olive grade school and 21
against Sawyerville grade school. Our starting 9 consisted of every possible boy we
could muster or coerce into playing. We had
a lefthanded catcher and a centerfielder who
played with shorts on, sunglasses, and
a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
Remember, these games were played on
a Saturday without school supervision. We
won most of our games and our transportation usually consisted of Mr. Heinemeier’s
pickup truck. It honestly was a lot of fun.
The end of the school year was always
a big treat for us as we would have our allschool picnic. We would sell garden seeds
from the Hygrade Seed Company to pay for
the picnic. The box of seeds, as I recall, was
in a green box and the whole box cost $1.00.
I think I was lucky to sell one box to my
mom. There were games, soda, and lots of
ice cream at these picnics. There was always
a big softball game during the picnic.
I remember those games vividly as I remember running into one of those trees while
chasing a fly ball. That did not stop me
though from enjoying the picnic with all of
our friends and neighbors.
For the 8th graders, it was our last time in
grade school. 8th grade graduation was a
joyous affair and the ceremony was held at
the Club Tavern hall. A lot of flowers, reading awards handed out for the number of
books read, diplomas presented, and then,
we were off to high school.
The school building was also used as
a meeting place at times for the citizens. In
the early part of the century, the government
would set up an office in the school to present to the villagers their citizenship papers.
One interesting story I have heard was that
when the families would show up for these
meetings, the men with their pipes and spit
cups for the chewers, would show up with
their disgusting habits. There was a story
about one old timer who smoked a pipe and
burned what was available. Today he would
burn tobacco, and tomorrow he might burn
grape leaves. Chewing tobacco was a necessary evil of many miners. If they had a chew
in their mouth, they could not inhale coal
dust by way of their mouth. Gagging from
the tobacco juice going down the wrong pipe
was a sound you did not want to hear. Many
smoked cigars and some smoked the crooked
cigars called Stogies.
From stories I heard, high school could be
a scary experience. I remember during the
summer I went to my cousin Janice’s house
to talk to her and her best friend, Rena
Slapak about what to expect from the seniors.
Remember, initiation or right of passage, was
a practice at that time, and I don’t think they
made me feel better with their stories.
Up until the 1948-49 school year, all
White City kids had to walk to high school
in Mt. Olive. That was the year that bus
transportation was started. I have heard that
the girls walking to school were usually on
time and the boys were generally late. Once
in a while, Mike Koval’s taxi, after taking
one of the grade school teachers to work or
someone to work in the mine, would pick up
the kids and take them to school on his return
trip to Mt. Olive. Any of us who played
sports at the high school learned to walk that
2 miles every night. Once in a while, Jasper
Wenzel, a lawyer, would pick us up when we
hitchhiked, but most of the time we walked.
Bob Tun’s dad, Henry, would also pick us up
when his mine shift worked made him available. But, most of all, we were young and
we walked. My dad worked the afternoon
mine shift, so you know how many times he
picked us up from school.
When I started this love story about the
people of White City, I mentioned that the
strength of the town was its personalities and
character. There were definitely a few characters that we grew up with and a lot of
lovable personalities.
I will always remember Wyoming Jack
O’Brien. His real name was Jack Bryant and
he was the foreman of the Paradise Ranch in
Wyoming. He made regular trips home
wearing his ten gallon hat, carrying his six
shooter, and actually looked like Buffalo
Bill. He was a great story teller. One time
he brought with him an Indian from
Wyoming, and when someone asked who he
was, he said Chief Holy-chek.
Wyoming Jack was a national celebrity
appearing often on the old Jack Paar television program. He also was the celebrity chef
at the annual Carlinville Chamber of Commerce barbecue every year. People told me
that he would invite local guys to visit him
in Wyoming and that those who accepted his
invitation found out that he was a great host.
One of the interesting stories about him
involved the sign over Chapman Cemetery.
The sign read, Chapman Cemetery donated
by Wyoming Jack. Most people thought he
donated the land for the beautiful cemetery,
but in truth, he only donated the sign. By the
way, that cemetery is the site many early area
settlers including the two Chapman brothers.
“Shorty” Zumwalt lived in a small cave
west of the north end of White City. He
actually had a hole dug into a side of a hill
with a small building in front, and he lived
there with his dog. Everyone knew him and
liked him. He walked to the store carrying a
knapsack for his groceries.
One of my favorite personalities that
I got to know in town was Eugene Holachek.
Eugene was nearly blind but he would get
around just find. Actually my brother and
I helped dig the overflow of his pond. At one
time he was a watchman at the mine.
I remember him as a good storyteller and
nice to talk to.
There were many bartenders for the number of taverns in town. One of the best
known was “Handlebar Hank.” His real
name was George Boreta and he wore a big
handlebar mustache and worked the Club
Tavern. His many friends put that name on
him.
As you probably realized, many of White
City’s citizens had nicknames. A few years
ago, Ann Zupsich Morris put together a small
book recalling the many nicknames of citizens. I always got a kick out of father and
sons having nicknames along the same line.
For instance, you had father “Shootum”
Tioni and son “Bang Bang” Tioni.
One of my favorite taverns to go to when
I got old enough was Puda’s Tavern, which
replaced Doughbellies. It always was a fun
place to go where everyone was a friend
when you entered the place and there are numerous funny stories that came out of there.
Several brothers had nicknames like
“Black Bacon” and “Pick in the Butt (translated).” I can only imagine how he got that
name.
My dad was ‘porkchop” and my brother
was “satch”, but I got out of town without a
nickname. I remember Poison, Shoestring,
Duke, Shoemaker, Owls, Fish, Yaddie,
Bones, Boob, Plachke, Subs, Tamper, Juice,
Jedda, Yakamo, Sleeping Jesus, Batto, and
probably a hundred more.
Many woman had nicknames too, but
I will not dwell on that. I am limited by
space so that is how far I can go on that topic.
When the baseball team played, they always had a collector to support the team.
John “Ki” Bellovich was the first collector
that I can remember and he had a great disposition for getting people to give money.
Well known Mt. Olive resident, Ed Becker
Sr., was a big fan of the baseball team and
when he had a funeral conflict, he used to
make a special trip to White City to make
sure that he gave money to the team. That
was before my time but I remember Judge
Koval always being a big financial supporter
of the team in my time.
Bill Altfeld, was one of my favorite people. He lived like a hermit in a little shack
on the creek in front of Kings Lake road. He
was like an Uncle Remus to us. He would
sit down with us smoking his curved down
pipe and told us wonderful stories.
He walked everywhere and unfortunately, on
one of his walking trips, he was hit by a car
and died. We missed him.
This story would not be complete without
mentioning the lakes and ponds around
White City. Would you believe I cannot
swim? Sportmans Lake was built by the
Mississsippi Ramblers for fishing and it is
located in the area where Lavern Rosenthal
lives.
They actually issued fishing licenses for
the privilege to fish there. Kings Reservoir
was the favorite swimming area for all of
White City. The rezzie, as we called it, provided all the water to run the mine power
plant. A lot of guys learned to swim there by
being thrown into the lake by older guys.
It was also a favorite fishing spot for both
fishing and “hogging.” Those were the favorite ponds and lakes where we had a lot of
fun.
Finally, the railroad was a very big part of
the town. The mine and the railroads worked
together to make a profit. I am very fascinated by trains, and often the teacher in
school would have to scold me for watching
the trains when I should have been paying
attention to her. Seems like I remember a
swat for that one time.
I use to marvel at the stories told to me by
cousin “Buddy” when he was an engineer on
the railroad. I always thought that would be
an exciting career. He and Lou Hannig
started on the railroad while they were in
high school on a part time basis. During the
early part of the mine existence, the mine
would once in a while bring in a boxcar of
fruit for the citizens. Bananas was the most
popular fruit, especially when it was free.
I also remember picking up the discarded
flares sitting along side the tracks. When you
got a long flare that could still be used, it was
perfect for the 4th of July fireworks. Once
in a while the slack pile would catch fire and
smolder. The smell was putrid as it could not
be put out. It would burn itself out eventually, but with the wind usually blowing from
the west, I am sure the Mt. Olive area
remembers that smell very well.
Omar Gruendahl has to go down as one
of the bravest citizens. He once climbed the
240 foot smokestack at the mine and then
proceeded to walk the rim of the opening.
We don’t know why he did it but the
witnesses told me it was quite a site. Parts
of the ladder that he had to climb on were
rusty and worn, but he succeeded in this feat.
Finally, the end of this labor is coming to
an end. I hope most of you enjoyed my
effort in telling the story of White City.
I appreciate the many calls and kind words.
When you name names, you risk getting criticized for naming names and sometimes for
not naming somebody. I know one thing for
sure, and that is, that this was a labor of love.
Most every name I mentioned, I tried to mention them in a positive way and with love and
respect for all villagers. I remember talking
a couple of years ago to Joey James, a well
known band leader who often played in
White City. He told me how much fun it
was, and for some reason, he remembered
the name, Anton Srp, my neighbor. He
wanted to know if he was still alive and I told
him that if he was, he would be over 100
years old.
I will end this with a tremendous respect
for the people whose path I crossed, and
I thank those who volunteered information
to me. Ever since 1965, when I served as the
committee chairman of the history of
Mt. Olive for the centennial, I have been sort
of the historian of the community. This effort
was very time consuming, but it was fun.
It was very rewarding. Most of us have
moved on in our lives, but I have always
believed that, “how can you tell where you
are going, if you do not remember where you
came from.”
Roger Kratochvil was born and raised in White
City. He has a Masters Degree in Secondary
Education, History and Educational Administration. A social studies teacher, high school football
coach, basketball and baseball coach for the
Mt. Olive High School. for 34 years, Roger
is now a speaker specializing in sports, labor
history, education and local history. He has authored numerous newspaper columns, like White
City History, For the Love of Trains, Pride of a
Coal Miner, Remembering the Class of 1956 and
others. Roger also served as a St. Louis Cardinal
Scout for over 20 years. You can contact Roger
via email at kratz@madisontelco.com.
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December 2014
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I December 2014
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39
The cLassIfIeDs
heLP WaNTeD aND
BusINesses oPPorTuNITIes
APPLICATIONs/REsuMEs now being
accepted for all positions (cook, hostess/server,
dishwasher) to accomodate upcoming expansion.
Bring your resume by in person or mail to Gasperoni’s Italian Restaurant, Grocery and Deli, 416
Livingston Ave, Livingston, IL.
NEEDED IMMEDIATELY - local contractor
looking for EXPERIENCED workers to start immediately. Call or text 217-556-8471.
hoMes/aPTs for saLe/reNT
ExCELLENT LOCATION - this business been
operating profitabley as a resale shop with summer icee drink stand for 18 years but the location
would make it perfect for ANY business. Sits on
high traffic count Route 127 right on main route
through Greenville. Sale includes business, fixtures, building and land. For more information
contact Lester at Bond County Realtors, 618-6644232 or visit www.bondcountyrealtors.com.
PROFITABLE BusINEss FOR sALE Lighthouse Antique Mall which has been operating
profitably for the past 7 years is now for sale. 55
booths, currently all rented. High visibility to
Interstate 55 with easy access. For information
call 217-324-6111.
DO YOu hAvE ThE DREAM? Historic
Restaurant, built circa 1875, in Highland, IL for
sale. Turn-key business with friendly ghosts included in price is less than 5 miles from I-70.
Serious buyers only can call for more information:
618-277-4400. Ask for Michael Pierceall, BARBERMurphy Group.
PROPERTY FOR sALE - industrial or residential site with city utilities. Various plots to choose
from. Two hay crops a year. Virden, IL. Call
217-965-3551. (ufn)
ROOM FOR RENT - with private bath.
$250/month, includes utilities. Near SIUE in Edwardsville. Female preferred. Call 618-671-0150
for more information. (ufn)
hOusE FOR sALE IN whITE CITY 3 BR
with 1 remodeled bath, very nice kitchen cabinets,
unfinished basement. Roof 2 years old, newer siding and windows, central air, nice cedar front
porch, 2 car garage on 1 acre m/l lot. Asking $49,
500, call 618-830-8099. (UFN)
NICE hOusE FOR A NICE PRICE - Well
built 2/3 BR, 2 BA brick ranch. Hardwood floors,
remodeled bathroom, 1958 sq ft. 112 Midway
Ave, Cottage Hills, IL. Good value for $86,900.
Call for appointment. 618-604-9723. (ufn)
2 BR APARTMENT for rent with washer/dryer
hookups. Includes water/heat/trash. Security deposit and 1 year lease required. $600/month.
Staunton, 618-444-7222. (UFN)
auToMoTIve
wANTED TO BuY: antique pie safe, jelly
cupboard, flat and stepback cupboards, dental
cabinet and unique antiques. Even if in poor condition. 618-377-0432 (UFN)
2011 harley Factory Trike, 16,xxx miles, call
618-610-4798. (UFN)
wANTED TO BuY... old postcards, photographs, stereoviews, posters, WWII and before
military items, old toys and trains, glass lantern
slides, advertising items, documents, letterheads
and billheads, most any vintage paper items and
ephemera, collections and accumulations okay. If
it is unusual and old I am interested in looking at
it! Please call Mike Finley, 314-524-9400 or 314341-2389, or email: paper-boy@charter.net.
1968 Ford galaxy xLT with new upholstery and
top, 139,xxx miles. Call 618-407-2869 (UFN).
2001 Dodge Ram 6cyl 116,000 miles
new brakes, ball joints, bedliner, remote stereo
radio. $2500.00. Call 217-324-5943 leave message.
Chevy 409 Engine, complete rebuilt, all new,
Muncie 4-speed, $6,000. Call 618-567-6060.
1985 Chevy silverado 4wD, new built 350
engine with less than 3,000 miles on it! Also features power windows/locks, AM/FM stereo,
tilt/cruise and includes camper shell! Ideal for
farm, daily driving or mudding! Asking $5,000,
call 314-346-0516 or 314-524-9400.
1999 Corvette, Automatic- Magnetic Red,
61,000 Miles, $17,500, 314-604-2768.
Antique walnut Dresser , with lamp shelves and
glove drawers. Antique China Cabinet, tall,
4 doors and 2 small drawers, Both in excellent
condition. Reasonably priced. Call 217-324-4811
for information. (UFN).
2003 handicap Dodge grand Caravan, 56,xxx
miles, $18,500 or best offer. 217-259-6948.
wANTINg TO BuY WWII, WWI, Korea, and
Vietnam military relics. Cash paid by collector for
uniforms, helmets, medals, swords, leather flight
jackets, scrapbooks, etc. 217 851-3177. (UFN)
1992 Chevy sports van, 111,xxx miles, $3500
OBO, 217-259-6948. (UFN).
2005 Dodge Magnum sxT, black with gray
leather, styled wheels, original tires, 34,000 miles.
This is a beautiful automobile. Hurry, it will sell
fast. $13,500 cash. 618-406-1806.
furNITure
Large Lift and Recline Chair purchased atShort
Furniture in Litchfield. In very good condition.
Asking $800 OBO. Call 217-851-5487 for
details.
Rotating Carousel Coffee Table with glass top,
Call 618-377-0452 (12/14).
wANTINg TO BuY old comic books, magazines and books. Call 314-351-1302. (UFN)
wANTINg TO BuY old records, blues, rock,
jazz. Call 314-821-7466. (UFN)
wANTINg TO BuY OLD Boats, OLD boat
motors, 1900’s to 1960’s, wood or aluminum runabouts, any unusual boats, motors, outboard racing. Cash paid. Call Mark 314-602-5368. (UFN)
wANTED license plate 1911 Illinois, or ... what
do you have? 618-931-7527.
wANTINg TO BuY Sheet music and records 33
lps, 45 rpm, 78 rpm, must be in very good shape.
Call Jim at 618-304-7188 or 618-654-3049. (ufn)
Amish Made Dresser with mirror. Cedar Lined.
shelves. Call 618-377-0452 (12/14).
wANTINg TO BuY OLD postcards, Civil War
photos and vintage paper items. Always paying
cash. Call Jerry for details at 618-410-6879, (ufn)
FOR sALE: Small blue/green swivel rocker,
Modern burgundy club chair. Call 217-324-4811
for information. (UFN).
wANTINg TO BuY Sheet music and records 33
lps, 45 rpm, 78 rpm, must be in very good shape.
Call Jim at 618-304-7188 or 618-654-3049. (ufn)
king wood headboard with mirror, 2 years old,
excellent condition. Benld 217-710-3387.
Antique ‘ExCELLO’ Brand Mower 1956 reel
mower with 2 HP Briggs motor. Pull start/self
propelled, as is, $275. Call 217-324-3869.
AMIsh MADE walnut wall-mount drop lid
desk 24” x 31” x 7” in Sorento. $200 OBO. 217272-4481.
Leave message if no answer.
I
Antique Child’s Roll Top Desk with matching
swivel chair. Excellent condition. Call 217-3244160 for information. (UFN)
East Lake style Antique, upholstered sofa - nice.
Dark wood. $625. East Lake round marble top
table $325.
Call 217-324-3869. (UFN)
1 BR APARTMENT for rent. Water/heat/trash
included for $450/month. Security deposit and
1 year lease required. Staunton, 618-444-7222.
December 2014
wE BuY EsTATEs , full or partial houses,
sheds, barns, etc. Call Village Square Antiques
for more information, 618-669-2825, www.antiquesvillagesquare.com.
2005 honda 750 shadow, approx. 8000 miles.
With windshield, light cluster bars, rider seat and
back rest, leather saddle bags, whole bike cover.
In good condition. Only $3400. Please call 217710-7957 after 7PM.
Dining Room Table with 6 chairs, 1 leaf and
china hutch. $450 OBO. 618-791-8109 or 618791-2025.
I
aNTIQues/coLLecTIBLes
50 MILEs PER gALLON! 1985 VW Golf
Diesel, 5 speed. in fair condition. All recoreds,
owned sinced 1992. NADA guides pricing $2200.
Serious inquiries only please 217-324-3869.
hOusE FOR sALE - Updated and move-in
ready! All new 2 1/2 ton central air, new BR carpet, new windows, new kitchen cabinets, countertops, sink, vinyl floor. New weatherhead (elec
service). Newly finished basement family room,
2nd BR and storage room. Water heater, furnace
& roof not 5 years old. One car garage with workroom, bench & cabinets. Granite City. $56,450
OBO.
618-656-8571 or 618-250-9632.
40
OAk TREsTLE TABLE with 4 straight and 2
captain chairs, plus 2 leaves to expand to 83”. All
sturdy and solid. Asking $700. 618-656-9388.
MIsc for saLe
TIME shARE FOR sALE - 3 BR in Kissimmee, Florida just 5 minutes from Disneyworld.
Call 618-610-4798 (UFN).
FOR sALE: Downsizing and selling Antique
1920’s Jenny Lind twin bed, can fold up like a
day bed, complete with springs, mattress and chenille bed spread $225. Large green corner TV
cabinet $75, large old cabinet, $200, antique
Northern Pacific railroad preco car heater $75, recently remodeled bathroom and have medicine
cabinet, sink and vaity in good condition, $30, two
like new high quality used 1 year 100% synthetic
Olefn polypropyline decolan pile ancient garden
style rugs, made in Belgium: one is 5’ 3” x 7’ 7”
retail $350, asking $150, 2nd one 9’ 2” x 12’,
retail $1350, asking $450 - both are red and ivory.
Call 618-377-9797 or email bill9797@aol.com.
(UFN)
1967 Massey Ferguson 36” Riding Mower to restore - no motor. Deck and transmission okay,
$175. Call 217-324-3869.
Raleigh sprite Men’s Bicycle, English made, 10
speed, very good condition. New tubes and tires.
$195, 217-324-3869.
NEw 32’ Aluminum Peligro ladder. Used once.
$275. Call 217-965-3551 (UFN)
Lawn Boy Mower, 2 cycle, self-propelled, aluminum deck. Parting out $75, 217-324-3869.
Tractors for sale: Farmall 1945 B Tractor, new
pain, motor overhaul, good tires $1900 OBO.
Farmall 1948 H Tractor, runs good, good tires.
$1500 OBO. Call 217-532-3444 or 618-977-1792.
Hillsboro area.
42" Front Blade for John Deere LX Series Lawn
Tractor. All brackets, Very good condition.
$200.00 217-324-3994.
NATuRAL BEEF FOR sALE, sides, split quarters, and 91% lean hamburger patties. No antibiotics or added hormones, pasture/hay fed. Order
at www.backyardbeef.com or 618-973-7699.
Direct Tv Plus Digital satellite Receiver
(Model HDVP2), including remote control, complete with Satellite Dish Antenna, stand and cables. Great for RV application. Includes access
card and owners manual. $150 OBO. Call 618692-6082.
Jerry James 22 ft. utility trailer with all steel
floor and electric brakes. Excellent tires. Each
axle rated for 7000 lbs. Loading ramps included.
Asking $2100 OBO. Call 618-692-6082.
selmer Alto saxophone, made in USA, with
pearl keys and Bundy case. $500. Leave message
if no answer. 618-659-2061. (UFN)
Thane h2O steam Cleaner, for floors or carpets.
Very reasonable. Also 3 large red linen tablecloths, Red Hat hats, memorabilia, door wreath
and t-shirts (size M) - like new. 618-635-2477.
sears & Roebuck Rug Loom - 2 harness loom.
$500 OBO. Located in Bunker Hill. Call 217556-9428. (UFN)
Custom Teddy Bears hand made from your old
fur coats, other articles of clothing, neckties, baby
clothes, quilts, blankets, etc. Perfect for remembering family members, or as gifts. Bears are 5way jointed, glass eyes, hand sewn noses, stuffed
with polyester filling. Sizes and prices vary according to your choices. Samples and pictures on
hand. 25 years experience in bear making.
Located in Alton 618-462-8326.
NEw RED ADuLT TRICYCLE (3-wheel) built
special by Workman Cycles of New York, all steel
construction, heavy duty, wide tires. Has large
basket, chrome fenders, mirror, special large seat
and safety flag. Selling because I am unable to
ride. Paid $1200, including assembly and shipping, must have $900 firm. Call 217-532-6298.
If no answer, leave message. (UFN)
LIkE NEw large, white porcelain bathroom
pedestal & basin, very nice, $100 cash. 618-4655240. (UFN)
JAZZY-sELECT POwER ChAIR, new batteries, new controller, 217-324-3592 (UFN).
MOvIE POsTERs, cardboard stand-ups and
more for sale. Cleaning out video store! Item and
price list available by emailing: costalotless@ hotmail.com.
Cemetery Plots, Roselawn Cemetery, Bethalto.
Complete pkg: 2 lots, opening/closing, vaults,
marker. Asking $10,000. Call 618-830-8187.
MANY NEw hARLEY DAvIDsON items, still
in box. $150 for everything. Call for details.
217-324-3869.
1951 Farmall Cub Tractor has cultivators, snow
plow, 42” belly mower, disc, one bottom plow,
cycle bar mower, wheel weights and tire chains.
$5000 for all. Call 618-362-6468.
stud service: Long haired German Shepherd,
registered, level-headed and proven. Mt. Olive
636-399-1300.
gETTINg MARRIED? Consider our historic
country chapel for your wedding or even just your
reception. This quaint church sits on 1.87 acres
close to Lake Carlyle and is available for rental
year ‘round. Call 618-654-4711 for more information/reservations.
german Translation service by experience
speaker/translator. Genealogical documents,
church records, letters, diaries, journals, etc. Reasonable rates. Email: zwickau32@yahoo.com.
(UFN)
WaNTeD To BuY
Diabetic Test strips wanted Unexpired, any
type, any brand. Will pay up to $10/box. Call
Ron @217-556-3398. Please leave call back
number. (ufn).
LOOkINg FOR A vERY sPECIFIC DOg Small, young, long-legged black and white with
stand-up ears. Can’t be more than 14” high at the
shoulder when full grown. Will take male or female but cannot be spayed or neutered. Will provide loving farm home with fenced yard but dog
would be inside house at night. Will pay reasonable amount. Call Jack at 217-324-6635 (after
dark) or leave message at 314-680-3886.
Classifieds for individuals are FREE.
Businesses may advertise in the classifieds
for 50¢ per word, 10 word minimum, and
must be paid in advance unless account is
already established. One exception is Help
Wanted ads - these are free to businesses.
Display ads that run in the classifieds are
placed at the same rate as display ads placed
anywhere within the magazine. Email
to:thebuzzmonthly@yahoo.com.
ARTIsTs wANTED to sell their art, especially
looking for stained glass, oils and acrylics. Also
looking for antiques and upscale resale items.
Visit Unique Designs & Decor, 207 Suppinger
#200, Highland (behind McDonalds) or call 6186
9
9
1
8
0
2
.
IN NEED OF CAsh? Expert private collector
paying cash for antiques, musical instruments,
GOLD & SILVER jewelry, costume jewelry, old
coins, pocketwatches. Paying top $$$ in CASH.
Just paid one person over $2,000 for old unwanted
broken jewelry. Will travel to you! Call Anthony
at 740-808-4878.
vENDORs BOOTh sPACE available at Wayside Antique Mall, Highway 127 between Hillsboro and Greenville. Call 217-537-3900 for more
information.
wANTED TO BuY: antique pie safe, jelly cupboard, flat and stepback cupboards, dental cabinet and unique antiques. Even if in poor
condition. 618-377-0432 (UFN)
wANTED good used semi box trailer 45’-50’ or
shorter at reasonable price for storage. Call 217324-3869.
MIsc aDs
MENDINg & MINOR ALTERATIONs done
by Marilan in Staunton. Call 618-635-2102
(UFN)
Discover how to get FREE Pampered Chef
Products call Pam Schaefer, Independent Consultant for The Pampered Chef, at 217-556-9390
or email pschaef4@yahoo.com. (UFN)
I December 2014
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all We Want for Christmas is a Fur-Ever Home
JOhNNY
is an 11 year old Yorkie that
has has been passed over because of his
age. He is a very sweet little guy with a lot
of love to give to some lucky person. He
would really like to spend the rest of his
years in someone’s lap or snuggled up next
to you on the couch on those cold winter
nights ahead. Won’t you open your heart
and home and welcome him in? Visit
Johnny and our many other adoptable animals at Benld Adopt-A-Pet, 807 Stewart,
Benld, Open from 1-5 pm daily for adoptions,
www.benldadoptapet.org.
INDIgO
is guessed to be a cattle dog
mix about 2 years old. She had been
adopted but was brought back after 1
month because does NOT do well with
cats. Indigo would love to have a family for
Christmas. She is a very active girl and
could benefit from some basic training. She
is crate trained and loves to play. If you are
interested in Indigo please fill out an online
application www.partnersforpetsil.org. Her
adoption fee is is $145.00. We hold adoptions at the O'Fallon IL Petsmart every Saturday and the Glen Carbon Petsmart the
first Saturday of the month and every Sunday from 11:00-3:30 at both locations.
Find us - Partners for Pets - on Facebook
or visit www.partnersforpetsil.org.
kALIA
gORDON
was recently returned to us because of his family no longer
having time for him. Heis a 3 year old Great Dane mix and this boy is
HUGE! Since this picture wastaken, Gordon has put on a few extra pounds
and his tail has been docked. He is very sweet, house trained and walks well
on a leash. Help our gorgeous eyed giant find his true forever family!
Metro East Humane Society • 618-656-4405
8495 State Rt143 • Edwardsville
OPEN: Mon-Sat • 11:30-5 & Sun • 11:30-3
is a super sweet girl and is
only around 9 months old, currently living in a foster home. She loves to go for
walks and is just a total joy. Right now
she is only about 25 pounds and will
most likely remain a smaller dog. If you
are interested in Kalia, fill out an application at: www.mcpawscare.org/adopt.
Visit: mcpawscare.org. to view other
adoptable animals. Like us on Facebook
and keep up with our success stories and
current and upcoming events. PlEasE sPaY & nEUTEr YOUr PETs
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calendar of events
Monday, December 1
Story Time every Monday and Tuesday at 10 am,
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. Glen Carbon Library,
198 S. Main, www.glencarbonlibrary.org.
Itch'n to be Stitch'n Quilt Club Meetings on the
first Monday of each month at 10 am and 6:30 pm.
Held at the Staunton VFW Hall on Henry Street.
Meetings will be tips and techniques, quilting
info, show and tell, projects to make and project
door prizes, and a free block of the month. Refreshments and fellowship following the meeting!
For more information contact Tamara at itchntobestitchn@hotmail.com or 618-635-2429.
Jazzercise Classes every Monday and Wednesday,
5:30 pm and every Saturday, 8:30 am. Main Street
Community Center, 1003 N. Main, Edwardsville.
See instructor for fees. Call 618-656-0300 for
more information or email info@mainstcc.org.
Bingo every Monday - doors open at 5:30, bingo
starts at 7 pm. Food and drink available. VFW
Post 3912, 215 W. Ryder, Litchfield.
Tales for Tails every Monday night from 6-7 pm.
Students in grades K-5 can practice reading to
a furry friend. At the Niedringhaus School, corner
of 29th and State. For more information call
618-452-6238 or visit www.smrld.org.
Emotions Anonymous meets every Monday night
at 8 pm at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 504
North 7th St, New Douglas. Free and open to
anyone in need of emotional support for any reason. Contact Larry Madorin, madorin@frontiernet.net or 217-272 -4560.
Mon, Dec 1-sunday, Dec 28
Christmas Wonderland drive-thru Christmas light
display, 6-9 pm nightly, Rock Spring Park, 2100
College Avenue, Alton. More than 2.5 million
lights adorn trees and displays throughout the
park. Carriage rides will be available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays on a first-come, first served
available basis (weather permitting). The cost is
$30 for the first person; $5 each additional person,
regardless of age. Reservations can be made for
other evenings with advanced reservations (based
on availability) by phoning Black Tie Carriage
Company and Kris Mooney at 217-242-1104.
General admission for Christmas Wonderland is
$7 for cars and small vans, or $1 per person for
vehicles holding more than 10 people. For more
information, call 800-258-6645 or 618-465-6676,
www.visitalton.com.
Mon, Dec 1-wed, Dec 31
Holiday Package Scavenger Hunt at Jerseyville
Library, 105 N. Liberty St. A wrapped package
will be hidden in the library on Monday, Dec 1st
and moved every Monday through Dec 22nd.
Teens (grades 6-12) turning in completed forms
will be place in a drawing to be held Christmas
Eve at 9 pm. For more information call the library
at 618-498-9514 or email laurie@jerseyville
library.org.
Tuesday, December 2
Stretch And Move Exercise Class, 8-9 am every
Tue, Thur and Fri at Main Street Community Center, 1003 N. Main Edwardsville. – Tue, Thu & Fri,
8:00-9:00, $1 suggested Center donation. For
questions on the classes, contact the Community
Center:
618656-0300
or
email
info@mainstcc.org.
Quilting, 9-11 am, every Tuesday at Jarvis Township Senior Citizens Center, 410 Wickliffe St.,
Troy. Quilting for all, beginners through seasoned,
www.troymaryvillecoc.com.
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I
Meals of Love served every Tuesday at Grave
Baptist Church, 2600 Edward Street, Granite City.
Sit down for a free, hot meal and cold drink at
4:30 pm. For more information call 618-8776672.
Sew and Show Stitchers meet the first Tuesday of
every month at 6 pm at St. Paul's Lutheran
Church, 103 N. Main, Hillsboro.
Craft Beer Night, the first Tuesday of every
month, 6 pm, at Milo’s Cigars and More, Hwy
159 Maryville, 618-288-1343, www.milostr.com.
Emotions Anonymous meets every Tuesday at
6 pm at the Louis Latzer Library, 1001 9th Street,
Highland (Contact Jackie at 618-654-9351 or
email: 16bjschu@email) and at 6 pm at the Locust
Street Resource Center in Carlinville (Contact
Larry Madorin, madorin@frontiernet.net or 217272 -4560). Free and open to anyone in need of
emotional support for any reason.
Grief Support Group, 6:30 pm, No fee and no registration needed. Topics include how to better understand the grieving process, developing coping
skills, improving communication and stress management. For anyone that has experienced a loss
of any kind. Meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday
of every month at the First Baptist Church of
Litchfield, Harrison Street entrance. For more
information, call Joyce Weatherford, RN/Case
Manager at St . Francis Hospital, head of the support group, at 217-324-8544.
Amvets Monthly Meeting, 7 pm, the first 1st
Tuesday of every month at. Amvets Auxiliary 204,
1711 Kennedy Dr. Madison, IL. Interested in becoming a member? Please contact Carolyn at 618444-5069 or by email at cjg3028@charter.net or
Dixie at 972-9892 or bigmom47@att.net,
www.granitecity.illinois.gov.
Quilt Club meets the (1st Tuesday of the month at
7 pm and) the 1st Wednesday of the month at 10
am). $1 cost to attend this educational show-andtell group event. Main Street Mini Mall Quilt
Shop, 124 East Main, Staunton, 618-635-5509,
email: minimallquiltshop@yahoo.com.
wednesday, December 3
Quilt Club meets the (1st Tuesday of the month at
7 pm and) the 1st Wednesday of the month at 10
am). $1 cost to attend this educational show-andtell group event. Main Street Mini Mall Quilt
Shop, 124 East Main, Staunton, 618-635-5509,
email: minimallquiltshop@yahoo.com.
Dance Fitness Exercise Class, every Wednesday,
1-2 pm. $5/session (First visit FREE) Main
Street Community Center, 1003 N. Main,
Edwardsville. 618-656-0300, or by email at
info@mainstcc.org.
Story Time every Wednesday at 6:3o pm plus
every Monday and Tuesday at 10 am. Glen
Carbon Library, 198 S. Main,
www.glencarbonlibrary.org.
Lions Club Bingo, 7 pm, every Wednesday at
Trimor Bingo Hall 3701 Nameoki Rd, 618-8777771. We play 27 games including 3-$500 bingo
games, 2-$500 raffle games, and 4-$1000 raffle
games. Our mission is to assist folks in Pontoon
Beach, Mitchell, Granite City, Madison and
Venice who have sight & hearing problems,
www. granitecity.illinois.gov.
Starzz Karaoke every Wednesday night, 8-midnight, Chapps Bar, 119 W. Edwards, Litchfield.
Thursday, December 4
Center:
618656-0300
or
email
info@mainstcc.org.
Bible Study each Thursday 9am @ the home of
Teresa Abert. Ladies in the area are welcome to
come for bible study, prayer time and fellowship.
Teresa Abert, 208 N.Duncan Street, Marine.
Email teresaabert@gmail.com or call 618-5312746 for more information, facebook.com/teresakayabert.
Write Your Own Story class, 10 am (for 1 hour)
every Thursday through November 15. You can
start any time and attend as many classes as you
like ($1/class) but the more you attend, the more
content you will have for your book. At the end
of the classes the books will be compiled for duplication and binding. The books will make special holiday gifts. Please bring a spiral-bound
notebook and a pen/pencil - or a laptop computer.
Duplication and binding will be voluntary. Main
Street Community Center, 1003 N. Main St,
Edwardsville. Email: info@mainstcc.org or call
618-656-0300 for more info. www.mainstcc.org.
Craft Beer Night, the 1st Thursday of each month,
6 pm, Milo’s Cigars & More, 2921 N. Center St
(Route 159), Maryville, 618-288-1343,
www.milostr.com.
Police Bingo, every Thursday night, starts at 7 pm.
No games under $110. Paper cards & mates, full
snack bar, bing supplies, no smoking, plenty of
parking. Proceeds benefit the programs supported
by the Granite City Police Dept including youth
athletics.
Knights of Columbus Hall,
25 Old Alton Road, Granite City.
Open Play at Riverbend Community Center, 200
W. 3rd St, Alton, every Thurs & Fri Night from
6-10 pm. Open to members and non-members.
Just $5 a person or $15 a family. Members get in
Free on Thursdays! Come for dinner at Prinvicalli's Cafe located on the second floor of the community center and then watch a movie or play
games all night! All ages welcome. For more information contact John at 618-465-9850, email
communitycenter@riverbender.com or visit
www.riverbender.com/communitycenter.
Junior Friends Of The Glen Carbon Library, 6:30
pm. the first Thursday of the month. Visit the
Youth Services Department to sign up. Glen
Carbon Library, 198 S. Main, Glen Carbon,
www.glencarbonlibrary.org
FREE SQUARE DANCE LESSON, 7-9 pm with
Hoedowners Square Dance Club. Wood River
Roundhouse, 633 N. Wood River Ave, Wood
River (Roundhouse entrance and parking lot are
located on Whitelaw Ave near Aquatic Center).
Held every Thursday, starting 2nd week classes
will be just $5/person. Contact Bo or Agnes
Smith for more info, 618-288-9838, email:
fsemith@aol.com. www.hoedowners.com.
Emotions Anonymous 12 Steps for Christians
meets every Thursday at 7 pm at the St. Paul
Lutheran Church on the frontage road 2 miles
north of Hamel. Free and open to anyone in need
of emotional support for any reason. Contact
Larry Madorin,madorin@frontiernet.net or
217-272-4560.
Lions Club Bingo, 7 pm. Trimor Bingo Hall, 3701
Nameoki Rd, Granite City. We play 27 games including 3-$500 bingo games, 2-$500 raffle games,
and 4-$1000 raffle games. Our mission is to assist
folks in Pontoon Beach, Mitchell, Granite City,
Madison and Venice who have sight & hearing
problems. www.granitecity.illinois.gov.
LIVE COMEDY SHOW featuring Pete George,
8 pm at State Street Bar & Grill, 118 S. State
Street, Jerseyville. Tickets $8/person in advance,
$10/person at the door,
www.statestreetjerseyville.com.
Thurs, Dec 4-sun, Dec 7
Alton Little Theater presents Always...Patsy
Cline. Call 618-462-6562 for more information
or visit www.altonlittlethater.org.
Friday, December 5
Tri-Township Public Library Book Sale, 9-1, TriTownship Public Library, 208 S. Main St, Troy,
FREE LUNCH FRIDAY at Immanuel United
Methodist Church, 800 N Main, Edwardsville
(across from Madison County Museum), 11 am 1 pm. Everyone is welcome to enjoy a homemade
meal made by the women of the church, regardless of race, age or denomination, For more information, 618-656-4648,
www.immanuelonmain.org.
Christmas Tasting Bee, 1 pm at Hitz Memorial
Home, 201 Belle St, Alhambra. Join us for an afternoon of fellowship while tasting Christmas
goodies and enjoying a wonderful program.
Includes bake sale. $6 donation. For more information
call
618-488-2355
or
email
info@hitzmemorial.com,
www.hitzmemorial.com.
Bingo every Tuesday and Friday, 1-3 pm, Main
Street Community Center, 1003 N. Main St.
Edwardsville, www.edglenfamilies.org.
Fish Fry every Friday - 5-7 pm, 9 oz catfish filet,
fries, slaw, and dessert/$7.00, fish sandwich/
$4.00. Carryouts available for 25¢ extra. VFW
Fish Fry, 4-8 pm, Choice of Fried Cod, Catfish,
Jack Salmon and Baked Salmon or Tilapia, Cod
cut ups, Shrimp and Chicken Strips. Dinners include 2 sides: choice of cole slaw, potato salad,
french fries, macaroni and cheese, baked beans,
hushpuppies, mushrooms and onion rings. Eat in
or carryout. 618-667-8387. Troy VFW, Troy,
Friday Night Fish Fry, 5-8 pm, every Friday at
V.F.W. Post 1300, 3401 Century Dr, Granite City.
Kitchen open to the public- Eat in, call in and
carry out. Cod, fried shrimp, jack salmon &
chicken strips. Plate includes 2 sides for $7.50,
Sandwiches are $5. Catfish fillets plates include
2 sides for $8, Sandwiches are $5.50,
10th annual Snowflake Festival, 6 - 8 pm at
Glazebrook Park, 1401 Stamper Lane, Godfrey.
Get your picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus,
meet Anna, Elsa and Olaf, and pet a reindeer at
the park, www.godfreyil.org.
(continued on page 47)
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Home, American Girl doll clothes, hand painted
ornaments, vintage Christmas vintage items and
so much more PLUS spinning wheel demonstration all day. Nepute’s will be selling their delicious Italian Beef and homemade soup. For more
information call Nepute’s at 217-999-3354.
Kid's Night Out, 6-8 pm. Parents, take the night
off while your child spends a fun-filled evening
with the student-athletes of SIUE. The night’s activities include games, movies, crafts, kickball,
volleyball, and basketball! Snacks will be provided. $15 per child. $5 for each additional child
in the same family. RSVP to Kelly Traynor at 618650-5257 or ktrayno@siue.edu. Location: SIUE
Vadalabene Center, 1 Hairpin Dr, Edwardsville,
www.edglenchamber.com.
Holiday Bazaar featuring unique shopping, 9 am3 pm, Free Methodist Churh, 1367 E. State Route
140, Greenville, www.greenvilleusa.org.
Eagles Bingo, 7 pm, every Friday and Saturday
at Tri-mor Bingo Center, 3701 Nameoki Rd,
Granite City. Great Prizes and great fun!
Holiday Open House, 9-4 at Silvernicks Unique
Treasures, 231 E. Jackson, Virden. Vendors,
refreshments, door prizes. For more information
call 217-891-6514 or find them on Facebook.
Free on Thursdays! Come for dinner at Prinvicalli's Cafe located on the second floor of the
community center and then watch a movie or play
Children’s Ornament Exchange, 10-noon, at Jerseyville Library, 105 N. Liberty St. Bring a
wrapped ornament and play a game. Make
2 more ornaments to take home. For more information call the library at 618-498-9514 or email
laurie@jerseyvillelibrary.org.
Fri, Dec 5-sat, Dec 6
Holiday Open House at Phyllbenas, 320 S. Macoupin St, Gillespie. Stop in for special in-store
sales and see what we are all about. For more
information call 217-851-1822.
Holiday Sparkle in Gillespie. Friday, 4-7 pm,
Saturday, 8:30-11:30, Snack with Santa at Illinois
Valley Rehab Building, 212 E. Walnut, next to police station, 8:30-12:30, Petting Zoo at UCB Parking Lot, 9-1, Holiday Sparkle downtown,
www.coalcountrychamber.com.
Fri, Dec 5-sun, Dec 7
Holiday Open House at Lighthouse Antique Mall,
19130 W. Frontage Road, Raymond (Carlinville
Exit 60 off Interstate 55). Refreshments and specials throughout the mall each day. Call 217-3246111 for more information.
“If Only I Could Dream” The Macoupin County
Historical Society’s 3rd Annual Christmas Show
and Open House. Fri, 1-9, Sat, 9-8, Sun, 11-3.
Mansion tours $3/adults, $1/children. No admission charge for the Christmas store featuring
handmade Christmas decor and gifts. Delicous
food available on site including beef stew,
cranberry salad, hot wasail and homeade pies.
The Anderson Mansion, 920 Brechenridge St,
Carlinville.
Holiday and Toy Sale at Gateway Conference
Center, 1 Gateway Drive, Collinsville. Saturday,
noon-8 pm, Sunday, 10-3. For more information
visit www.sorkladysale.com.
The Nutcracker, performed by Turning Pointe
Academy of Dance, Fri, 7:30 pm, Sat, 2 pm and
7:30 pm, Sun, 2 pm, The Wildey Theatre, 252 N.
Main, Edwardsville, www.wildeytheatre, com.
saturday, December 6
Jingle Bell Jog, 8:30-11 am, starting at STate and
Ryder in Litchfield. $30/person registration fee
includes hooded sweatshirt. For more information visit www.litchfieldchamber.com.
Breakast with Santa, 9-11, The Fountains of Troy,
39 Dorothy Dr Troy. FREE EVENT and EVERY
child will receive a gift! Meal includes pancakes,
sausage, eggs, and juice,
Christmas Extravaganza, 9-2 at Nepute’s Market,
107 E. Main, Mt. Olive. Numerous vendors including Pampered Chef, Miche, Celebrating
Women United in Christ Christmas Benefit
Luncheon, 10 am-1 pm. at Julia's Banquet Center,
101 Eastgate Plaza, East Alton. Ladies only
event. Bring a friend to enjoy great music, food,
prizes, surprises, fun, Christmas shopping, and
more. $20/person includes lunch, dessert, and
beverage. Purchase by calling 618-803-9078 or
by mailing a check to Women's Ministry Center,
PO
BOX
1136, Alton,
IL 62002.
For more information: Linda Chetta 618-8039078, wuic@charter.net or visit
www.womensministrycenter.org.
Snack with Santa, 10-2, Zion Lutheran School,
220 West Henry Street, Staunton, Face painting,
photos with santa, snacks and the giant slide will
be the main attractions. Professional Photographer Mike Dinnius will be taking photos on
Santa’s Lap free of charge. The excitement then
continues with an old fashioned trolley ride hosted
by Don the Chimney Sweep informing the riders
a little bit about the history of Staunton and the
stops downtown for additional kids’ activities.
The trolley will be running from 10:00 - 2:00.
Free of charge. Anyone wishing to donate a
canned good item or an unwrapped toy for the
Staunton Food Pantry can do so at the door. For
more information on Snack with Santa contact
Dave Cisler at 618-781-1745 or Cisler & Associates Real Estate at 618-635-2244,
www.stautonil.com.
Lunch with Mrs. Santa Claus, 10-1, Jarvis Township Senior Citizens at the Wiesemeyer Center,
410 Wickliffe St. (Tri-Township Park-Wiesemeyer Center). Decorate your own gingerbread
man and gingerbread house, listen to Christmas
stories, make reindeer food, make crafts, watch
Christmas movies, win prices, get your face
painted, your picture takend and much more! Call
618-667-2022 for reservations. $10 for 1 adult
and 1 child. Each additional child $2,
Saturday Story Time, every Saturday at 10:30 am.
Interactive program of stories, crafts, songs and
fun for all ages. No registration required.
Maryville Community Library, 8 Schiber Court,
Maryville, www.maryville.lib.il.us.
Holiday Open House, 11-4 at Vintage Station, 225
Phillips, Staunton. For more information call 618779-2956 or find them on Facebook.
Holiday House Tour, 2-8 pm, Collinsville. Experience some of Collinsville's finest festively decorated homes.Tour begins at the Blum House
located at 414 W. Main Street. Self-guided tour.
Tickets are $10 and are available at Ashmann's
Pharmacy, Antiques and Accents by Vadna, the
Collinsville Chamber of Commerce, the Flower
Basket and the Counter Top Shop. Proceeds benefit the Collinsville High School Student Council,
CHS Pep Club and Friends of the D. D. Collins
House, www.discovercollinsville.com.
Troy VFW Steak Fry, 5-8 pm, every second Saturday of the month. Menu includes a 12 oz. New
York Strip or Ribeye Steak ($12), 8 pc. Butterfly
Shrimp ($8), 6 pc. Chicken Strips ($7). Entree includes hand-cut fries, baked potato or onion rings
and salad with ranch or italian dressing.
VFW Hall , 123 W. Market St, Troy,
Granite City APA Animal Shlter Annual Holiday
Trivia Night, 7 pm at Granite City Elks Lodge,
4801 Maryville Road, Granite City. Prize money
awarded for winners,
www.granitecitygossip.com.
MOONLIGHT HIKE, 6 pm, Watershed Nature
Center, 1591 Tower Ave, Edwardsville. Advance
registration requested, Free for members, $5 fee
for non-members, watershednaturecenter.com.
MOONLIGHT HIKE, 7 pm, Talahi Lodge at the
Olin Nature Preserve - The Nature Institute, 2213
South Levis Lane. Take a leisurely moonlit hike
through the Mississippi Sanctuary, a 37-acre area
of grand vistas and spectacular scenery, including
waterfalls and wildlife. Terrain is light to moderate and the hike is about an hour long. Free For
more information call 618-466-9930 or visit
www.thenatureintsitute.org.
LIVE MUSIC: Lowder & Manning, 6 pm, The
Winery at Shale Lake, 1499 Washington Ave,
Williamson, www.shalewine.com.
Southern Gospel Christmas Concert, featuring the
Sky Line Boys from Purcellville, VA, Bethalto
Church of God, 800 E. Bethalto Drive, starting at
7 pm. Everyone is welcome! A free will offering
will be taken. The cafe will be open from 5-6:30
pm to raie money for the Senior Adults. For more
information visit www.southerngospel4u.org.
sat, Dec 6-sun, Dec 7
Take a Bow Showcase presents “A Taste of
Christmas” a Yuletide Madrigal Feast at Gateway
Center, 1 Gateway Drive, Collinsville. Choose
from 2 performances, Saturday or Sunday. Doors
open at 6, dinner/show starts at 7 pm. For more
information visit www.takeabowshowcase.com.
sunday, December 7
Breakfast with Santa, 8-1:30, Highland Masonic
Lodge #583, 721 9th Street. All you can eat buffet: eggs, sausage, pancakes, biscuits, gravy, juice,
coffee and milk. Also, free photo with
Santa...Come join the fun,
www.highlandillinois.com.
JSC Holiday House Tour, noon-4:30 pm. Six gracious homeowners from Edwardsville and Glen
Carbon will open their homes for the self-guided
tours. This year’s tour also includes an exciting
wreath raffle and a food and gift collection for the
Glen Ed Pantry. Advanced tickets and raffle tickets can be purchased at Miss Bailey's Poppy
Patch, YMCA, Metro Eye Care, Gingham Buffalo, White Birch, Holiday Cleaners, Ooh La La
Spa and Bin 51. For more information contact
Kelly Viehl at 636-538-0262.Advance Tickets
$20, www.edglenjuniorservice.org/holiday-house
tour.html.
Sewing Circle, 1-3 p.m. Free (meets each month
on the second and fourth Sunday.) Bring any period sewing or needlecraft project to share and/or
work on in a relaxed setting. Period sewing instruction and help are available to those wanting
to advance their skills in the production of period
garments. Both ladies and gentlemen are welcome to participate. The sewing circle will meet
second and fourth Sundays (schedule may change
due to holidays or special events). This is an informal gathering to share skills, ideas, and new
information. The Colonel Benjamin Stephenson
House, 409 S. Buchanan, Edwardsville,
www.stephensonhouse.org.
Christmas at Willoughby, 631 Willoughby Lane,
Collinsville, 1 pm-midnight. Visitors will sip hot
cider or hot chocolate and nibble on holiday sweet
treats while visiting with Santa Claus in the farm
house. Remember to bring your camera to snap a
photo of Santa with your little one. Gather in the
Bank Barn for a holiday sing-a-long while guests
make ornaments to take home,
Handel’s Messiah - live performance at 4 pm,
Whilock Center, 318 E. College Ave, Greenville,
www.greenvilleusa.org.
Old Country and Bluegrass Music Jam, every
Sunday, 5-9 pm. All artists welcome, all audiences welcome. Millersburg General Store,
613 Route 143, Millersburg (E. Pierron).
618-669-2155.
Louis Latzer Memorial Public Library Holiday
Dinner, 5:30 pm. Net proceeds will be used to
provide ongoing maintenance and improvements
to the library building and grounds. RSVP to
618-654-5066, www.highlandillinois.com.
Monday, December 8
Students in grades K-5 can practice reading to a
furry friend. At the Niedringhaus School, corner
S.T.A.R.S. With Dogs, 6-7 pm. Read your favorite
stories to CHAMP therapy dogs the second Monday of every month. This event pairs dogs with
both emerging readers and readers who love to
read to dogs. Registration is required and available online. Glen Carbon Library, 198 S. Main,
Adult Cookie Exchange, 6:30 pm, at Jerseyville
Library, 105 N. Liberty St. Bring 3 dozen of your
est cookies or candy along with a copy of the
recipe. Sample each and vote for your favorite.
Winner receives prize and games will be played.
For more information call the library at 618-4989514 or email laurie@jerseyvillelibrary.org.
anyone in need of emotional support for any reason. Contact Larry Madorin, madorin@frontiernet.net or 217-272-4560.
Sierra Club Speaker Series -Panama: A Trip to a
Diversity Hotspot by Jon Clark, who is a Piasa
Palisades Group Executive Committee member
and currently works in the Department of
I December 2014
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47
Biological Sciences at Lewis and Clark Community College as well as at Southern Ilinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) where he is a graduate
student/teaching assistant. Jon will discuss the
natural history of Panama, its current ecological
importance, and will share the photographic journey of his experiences this past summer. Further
detail on his exploration is available in the current
issue of the Piasa Palisades Newsletter at
http://www.sierraclubppg.org/media/pdf/december_newsletter_2014_final.pdf. The speaker series is free and open to all. This month’s
presentation will be at 7:30 PM in the community
room of the First Unitarian Church 110 E. 3rd Strreet (3rd and Alby) in Alton. All are welcome to
join the speaker for dinner at 5:45 at Mac’s Time
Out, 315 Belle Street in Alton. For any questions
please contact the Sierra Club office at 618-4626802.
Tuesday, December 9
Collinsville Women’s Connection, noon-2 pm.
$13 ticket includes meal, beverages, program and
gratuity. Reservations required. Call Barbara at
618-344-7967 or Mavis at 618-346-1331. All
women are invited to attend. Collinsville
Women’s Connection, www.stonecroft.org.
Adult Movie Time, 1 pm, at Jerseyville Library,
105 N. Liberty St. Watch the classic White Christmas and enjoy refreshments. For more information call the library at 618-498-9514 or email
laurie@jerseyvillelibrary.org.
Bingo, every Tuesday and Friday, 1-3 pm. The
third Tuesday each month is color bingo. Main
Edwardsville, 618-656-0300
www.mainstcc.org.
Alzheimer’s Support Group, 1:30-3:00 pm, St.
John’s Community Care located at 222 Goethe
Street in Collinsville. Join others dealing with
dementia and memory loss. Sessions are held the
2nd Tuesday of each month. Complimentary care
for loved ones available with reservation. Call
618-344-5008, www.edglenfamilies.org.
4:30 pm. Call 618-877-6672.
Emotions Anonymous meets every Tuesday at 6
pm at the Louis Latzer Library, 1001 9th Street,
.
Book Club For Adults, held 2nd Tuesday of every
month, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm: Night Road by Kristin
Hannah. Join the book club on the second Tuesday
of each month. New members are always welcome, and it is not necessary to attend every meeting. Books are provided at the Help Desk, so stop
in for the next selection! Glen Carbon Library,
198 S. Main St, Glen Carbon,
Knee-High Naturalist @ The Nature Institute,
2213 S. Levis Lane, Godfrey. Morning session,
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December 2014
I
10-11 am, Afternoon Seesion, 1-2 pm. A nature
program just for the little ones, 3-5 years old. The
group meets the second Wednesday of every
month (Sept-Nov & Jan-April) at Talahi Lodge.
Young naturalists go on an interpretive hike (as
weather permits), enjoy a craft and snack, and get
to take home a book at the end of the day. Parents
must register by phone no later than the Friday before the Wednesday sessions. The cost is $5 per
child, which can be paid when you arrive. Walkins cannot be accommodated. Older siblings are
welcome to attend, but may not be able to participate in all activities. To register, or for questions,
please call 618- 466-9930 or email info@ The
NatureInstitute.org, www.thenatureinstitute.org.
info@mainstcc.org.
Family Caregiver Support Group, 5:30 -7:00 pm,
St. John’s Community Care located at 222 Goethe
Street in Collinsville. This support group is intended for family caregivers caring for loved ones
with any type of disability. Light complimentary
dinner. Session held the 2nd Wednesday of every
month. Complimentary care for loved ones is
available with a reservation. Call 618-344-5008,
www.edglenfamilies.org.
Center: 618-656-0300 or email
info@mainstcc.org.
Email teresaabert@gmail.com or call 618-5312746 for more information, facebook.com/
teresakayabert.
W. 3rd St, Alton, every Thurs & Fri Night from 610 pm. Open to members and non-members. Just
$5 a person or $15 a family. Members get in Free
on Thursdays! Come for dinner at Prinvicalli's
Cafe located on the second floor of the community
center and then watch a movie or play games all
night! All ages welcome. For more information
contact John at 618-465-9850, email communitycenter@riverbender.com or visit riverbender.com/
communitycenter.
Free on Thursdays! Come for dinner at Prinvicalli's Cafe located on the second floor of the community center and then watch a movie or play
Police Bingo, every Thursday night, starts at
7 pm. No games under $110. Paper cards &
mates, full snack bar, bing supplies, no smoking,
plenty of parking. Proceeds benefit the programs
supported by the Granite City Police Dept including youth athletics. Knights of Columbus Hall,
Winter Concert Series featuring Lucky Old Sons
with food by Cunetto’s Corner Cucina, 6 pm, The
Wildey Theatre, 252 N. Main, Edwardsville,
www.wildeytheatre.com.
Larry Madorin,madorin@frontiernet.net or 217272-4560.
problems. www.granitecity.illinois.gov.
Friday, December 12
Eagles Bingo, 7 pm, every
Friday, at
Tri-mor Bingo Center, 3701 Nameoki Rd, Granite
City.
Great
Prizes
and
great
fun!
Fri, December 12-sat, December 13
5th Annual Gifts with Purpose Fair Trade Holiday
Shop, Fri, 4-9, Sat 10-4. Unique gifts from several countries including jewelry, scarves, purses,
dolls, baskets and more. Every purchase makes a
difference! Roots-n-Streams, 1350 Irongate Trail,
Greenville.
Cal 847-691-8005 or email
kim@roots-n-streams.com,
www.roots-n-streams.com.
Fri, Dec 12-sun, Dec 14
Journey to Bethlehem, 6-9 pm, First Baptist
Maryville, 7110 State Route 162 Maryville, Free.
Walk the road and experience the story of Jesus'
birth at Journey to Bethlehem (JTB), a free, family-friendly, outdoor reenactment of the Christmas
story with live animals, cozy fires to warm the
way, and complimentary refreshments. Tours start
at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 12 and 5 p.m. on
Saturday & Sunday, December 13 & 14. Each
tour will last approximately one hour. No reservations needed. First-come, first-served. Guests
need to be able to travel outdoors over uneven
ground without the assistance of wheelchairs,
walkers, or strollers for 1/2 mile. This event is
subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.
Please check http://fbmaryville.org/jtb for cancellation notices and weather updates. For more info,
contact the church office (618.667.8221) or visit
http://fbmaryville.org.
The Christmas Carol, 7:30 - 9:30 PM, Troy United
Methodist Church, 407 Edwardsville Road, Troy.
Friday, 7:30 pm and Sunday, 6:00 pm. Both
evenings will be followed by a reception with
light finger foods. Tickets $10 (children under 12
- $2). For more information contact Deb Inman
(deb@troyumc.org) or call 618-667-6241. Tickets
may be purchased in the church office,
Dickens' A Christmas Carol, 7:30- 9:00 PM
Troy UMC, 407 Edwardsville Road, Troy, A new
play based on Charles Dickens' classic adapted by
Gary Peterson. Tickets are $10 for adults and
$2 for children under 12. Light refreshments will
be served after the performance,
Breakfast with Santa, 8-11 am, KC Hall, 1713
Stamper Lane, Godfrey. Admission is by advanced registration only. Registrations must be received by December 5th. Admission includes a
buffet breakfast catered by the KC Men’s Group,
a picture with Santa and entertainment including
live music, balloon animals, a magician, and a
special visit from Anna and Elsa. Santa will arrive
at 8:45 am. Breakfast will be served until 10:00
am. Admission cost is: Free for children 5 &
under, $6 for children ages 6 - 12, and
$12 for ages 13 & older, www.godfreyil.org.
I December 2014
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49
Habitat Restoration Day, 8-noon Watershed Nature Center, 1591 Tower Ave, Edwardsville. Focus
is removing invasive species, replanting when
possible & trail maintenance. Long pants, sturdy
shoes required, and long sleeves recommended.
Bring gloves & loppers if you have them. Anyone
under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and all
minors under 18 must have a waiver signed by a
parent/guardian. Call 618-692-7578 with any
questions, www.watershednaturecenter.com.
CUSTOMER APPRECIATON OPEN HOUSE at
Corky’s Emporium, 4754 Humbert Road, Alton.
Refreshments, door prizes, in-store specials. Find
us on Facebook!
Breakfast with Santa, 9-noon, 26 Collinsport
Drive, Collinsville. Open to all Ages. Hot Breakfast Buffet, Photo With Santa, $11 for non-resident child, $10 for resident child , $9 for adults.
Register online at collinsvillerec.com, call 618346-7529 or visit the CARD office at 10 Gateway
Drive, Collinsville, www.troymaryvillecoc.com.
Mrs Claus’ Kitchen, 10-noon, at Jerseyville
Library, 105 N. Liberty St. Children will make
and decorate a variety of holiday goodies. For
more information call the library at 618-498-9514
or email laurie@jerseyvillelibrary.org.
Christmas Gifts & More, 11am-2pm, First
Methodist Church, 109 E. 2nd North Street Mt
Olive next to the old water tower. Home made
cookies & candies. gifts and crafts small inexpensive gifts for youngsters to purchase for the adults
in their life; stocking stuffers, etc.
Lego Club, 1-3 pm the 2nd Saturday of every
month at the Glen Carbon Library, 198 S. Main,
RiverBender.com Community Center Kids
Night Out, the 2nd Saturday of every month, 200
W. 3rd Street, Alton, 6-9 pm. The program will
give parents the opportunity to take the night off
with their 2nd-5th graders and concentrate for
those hours on themselves. With all the amenities
of the facility the children are sure to have a great
time. Admission is $10.00 per child, if registered
in advance, or $15.00 at the door. Larger families
(3 or more children) may call in advance for special rates. Price includes dinner, movie, and various age appropriate activities. Additional
concessions will be available for purchase. For additional information call 618-465-9850 ext. 212,
email communitycenter@riverbender.com or visit
www.riverbender.com/ communitycenter and follow the “events” tab.
50
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December 2014
I
LIVE MUSIC: Bud Summers, 6 pm, The Winery
at Shale Lake, 1499 Washington Ave, Williamson,
www.shalewine.com.
sat, Dec 13-sun, Dec 14
ARRIVAL AT CAMP RIVER DUBOIS, 10-4
both days, Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, 1
Lewis and Clark Trail. Witness the arrival of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition as reenactors arrive
at the mouth of the River Dubois to establish their
1803-04 Winter Encampment. Join the members
of the Corps in a military demonstration of 1803
U.S. Army Expedition. Visitors can experience
camp life in early Frontier Illinois, and watch
demonstrations of period crafts and skills. Free,
618-251-5811, www.greatriverroad.com.
sunday, December 14
Christmas Concert, 10:30-noon, The Pentecostals
of Troy, 8965 Rt. 162, Troy. A variety of Christmas songs performed by the music ministry of the
church. The public is welcome to attend and there
is no admission charge. For more information,
please visit our online church at www.pentecostalsoftroy.org, call 618-667-6054, or email us at
revbb63@aol.com.
Santa's Village, 12:30 - 3:00 PM. Come visit
Santa at the Tri-Township Park in Troy,
Christmas Cookie Sale, 12:30 pm, The Pentecostals, 8965 Rt 162, Troy. A variety of homemade sweet goods will be available to purchase.
Phone orders will not be accepted, please no early
sales as well. For more information, please visit
our online church at www.pentecostalsoftroy.org,
call 667-6054, or email us at revbb63@aol.com.
Marshall the Miracle Dog, 1 pm & 4 pm. Filmed
in and around Edwardsville, Marshall the Miracle
Dog is a film about a brave dog that endures horrendous conditions at the hands of an animal
hoarder and is rescued by an equally brave
twelve-year-old boy named Finn, The Wildey
Theatre, 252 N. Main, Edwardsville,
www.wildeytheatre, com.
618-669-2155.
sun, Dec 14-sun Dec 21
Santa's Village, 5-7:30 pm, Tri-Township Park,
Troy, www.troymaryvillecoc.com.
I December 2014
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52
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I
Monday, December 15
anyone in need of emotional support for any
reason. Contact Larry Madorin, madorin@
frontiernet.net or 217-272-4560.
Tuesday, December 16
Wilderness Walk every 3rd Tuesday of the month
at 9:30, Watershed Nature Center, 1591 Tower
Ave, Edwardsville. Bring your curiosity, questions, and keen eye for observation as we enjoy
the wetland, prairie and forest habitats. All ages
welcome, advance registration requested, 618692-7578, www.watershednaturecenter.com.
Adult Movie time, 1 pm, at Jerseyville Library,
105 N. Liberty St. Watch the new releas Christmas Candle, featuring music by Susan Boyle.
Refreshments served. For more information call
the library at 618-498-9514 or email laurie@
jerseyvillelibrary.org.
Bingo, 1-3 pm, every Tuesday and Friday, Main
Street Community Center, 1033 N. Main, Edwardsville. www.mainstreetcc.org.
Grief Support Group, 6:30 pm, No fee and no registration needed. Topics include how to better understand the grieving process, developing coping
skills, improving communication and stress management. For anyone that has experienced a loss
of any kind. Meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday
of every month at the First Baptist Church of
Litchfield, Harrison Street entrance. For more
information, call Joyce Weatherford, RN/Case
Manager at St . Francis Hospital, head of the support group, at 217-324-8544.
The Marine Unit H.C.E. will meet @ the Marine
Senior Citizen's Center @ 6:30pm. Please bring
a white elephant gift , 1 gift for a prize, and 1 can
of cans of food for the food pantry . A charge of
$10.00 will be for the dinner , which is provided
by The Parkview Cafe of either turkey or roast
pork. Please do let us know which one of the
choices for either turkey or roast pork. Dues of
$12 are due for 2015 by the 1st of January. For
more information contact Teresa Abert @ 618531-2746 or Lou Strickland@ 618-789-6571 ,
or Wilma Tabor @ 618-887-4461.
Emotions Anonymous meets every Tuesday at
6 pm at the Louis Latzer Library, 1001 9th Street,
Street Community Center, 1003 N. Main, Edwardsville. 618-656-0300, or by email at
info@mainstcc.org.
Making Ornaments at the Library, 6-8 pm,
Collinsville Library, 408 W. Main St. Fir adults
and teens. Learn how to turn plain, clear ornaments into personalized decorations. All supplies
are provided, but you are welcome to bring your
own decorative trinkets and doodads. This is a
free program, although advance registration is required. Please call the library at 618-344-1112 or
visit the main desk to sign up,
www.discovercollinsville.
Story Time every Wednesday at 6:30 pm plus
Christmas Concert, 7-9 pm, Troy United
Methodist Church, 407 Edwardsville Road in
Troy. A beautiful evening of music at the Christmas Concert involving the Chancel Choir, the
Praise Ringers, the TUMC Orchestra and the
TUMC Youth and Children's Choirs. A free-will
offering will be taken. For more information call
618.667.6241, www.troymaryvillecoc.com.
Center:
618656-0300
or
email
info@mainstcc.org.
Email teresaabert@gmail.com or call 618-5312746 for more information, facebook.com/
teresakayabert.
Cahokia Archaeological Society Meeting, 7 pm.
Holiday potluck dinner and gift exchange.
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, 30 Ramey
St, Collinsville, www.cahokiamounds.org.
Police Bingo, every Thursday night, starts at
7 pm. No games under $110. Paper cards &
mates, full snack bar, bing supplies, no smoking,
plenty of parking. Proceeds benefit the programs
supported by the Granite City Police Dept including youth athletics. Knights of Columbus Hall,
Larry Madorin, madorin@frontiernet.net or 217272-4560.
problems, www.granitecity.illinois.gov.
ASTRONOMY ASSOCIATION MEETING,
7 pm, Talahi Lodge at the Olin Nature Preserve The Nature Institute, 2213 South Levis Lane,
Godfrey, every third Thursday of the month. Participants will navigate the preserve with naturalist
Eddie Agha to observe and record constellations.
No telescopes are needed. Guests will also receive
short, instructional lessons about activities and
workshops associated with the program, and find
out how to join the TNI Astronomy Association.
Free, but reservations are required. Reservations
and information: 618-467-2521 or email
pbrown@TheNatureInstitute.org.
Friday, December 19
FoW & Hudson Jewelers present White Christmas, 7 pm. The Wildey Theatre, 252 N. Main,
Edwardsville, www.wildeytheatre.com.
Nia Dance for Kids, 10 am the third Saturday of
every month, Glen Carbon Library, 198 S. Main,
Movie Day for Kids, 10-noon, at Jerseyville
Library, 105 N. Liberty St. Watch Rise of the
Guardians while you enjoy popcorn and other
snacks. For more information call the library at
618-498-9514 or email laurie@jerseyville
library.org.
Starzz Karaoke the third Saturday of every month,
8-midnight, at The Magnuson Grand Hotel and
Conference Center, Insterstate 55 to Exit 60,
www..magnusongrandhotel.com.
LIVE MUSIC: Butch Moore, 6 pm, The Winery
at Shale Lake, 1499 Washington Ave, Williamson,
www.shalewine.com.
Wet Willie in concert, 8 pm, The Wildey Theatre,
252
N.
Main
Street,
Edwardsville,
I December 2014
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53
sunday, December 21
Winter Solstice Sunrise Observance Cahokia
Mounds State Historic Site, 30 Ramey St,
Collinsville. Meet at the reconstructed Woodhenge. Arrive by 7 am to hear an explanation of
the disvoery, form and function of this ancietn
post circle monument used as a calendar by the
Mississippians.
No ceremoneis will be
conducted. Free, www.cahokiamounds.org.
Sewing Circle, 1-3 p.m. Free (meets each month
on the second and fourth Sunday.) Bring any period sewing or needlecraft project to share and/or
work on in a relaxed setting. Period sewing
instruction and help are available to those wanting
to advance their skills in the production of period
garments. Both ladies and gentlemen are welcome to participate. The sewing circle will meet
second and fourth Sundays (schedule may change
due to holidays or special events). This is an informal gathering to share skills, ideas, and new information. The Colonel Benjamin Stephenson
House, 409 S. Buchanan, Edwardsville,
www.stephensonhouse.org.
613 Route 143, Millersburg (E. Pierron). 618669-2155.
Monday, December 22
National Association of Retired Fedearl Employees (NARFE) Alton Chapter 575 meets at the
Alton Senior Services Plus Center at 2603
Rodgers Ave. Lunch in the School Room Grill at
11 am, and business meeting in the conference
room at noon. Call 618-377-1242 for more information.
Edwardsville, 618-656-0300,
www.mainstcc.org.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services, 2 pm, 4 pm,
6 pm and 11 pm at Troy United Methodist Church,
407 Edwardsville Road, Troy. Experience beautiful music, a meaningful Christmas message, and
a candelight singing of Silent Night. A brief
Christmas Eve Communion Service will be offered at 5:15 pm in the Sanctuary. For more information
call
618.667.6241
or
visit
www.troyumc.org/christmas.
Christams Candle Light Service, 7 pm, The Pentecostals of Troy, 8965 Rt. 162, Troy Additionally,
New Years Eve service will be held on December
31 at 7 PM. For more information, please visit our
online church at www.pentecostalsoftroy.org, call
667-6054, or email us at revbb63@aol.com.
American Girl Club, 1-3 pm, the 4th Saturday of
every month at the Glen Carbon Library, 198 S.
Main, www.glencarblonlibrary.org.
SH-BOOM (The Last Dance), 7 pm - the final
area concert by this popular band, The Wildey
sunday, December 28
618-669-2155.
Monday, December 29
Friday, December 26
2 sides for $8, Sandwiches are $5.50, www.granitecity.illinois.gov.
W. 3rd St, Alton, every Thurs & Fri Night from 610 pm. Open to members and non-members. Just
$5 a person or $15 a family. Members get in Free
on Thursdays! Come for dinner at Prinvicalli's
Cafe located on the second floor of the community
center and then watch a movie or play games all
night! All ages welcome. For more information
contact John at 618-465-9850, email communitycenter@riverbender.com or visit
Edwardsville , 618-656-0300,
www.mainstcc.org.
Meals of Love served every Tuesday at Grace
Street Community Center, 1003 N. Main,
info@mainstcc.org.
Bicentennial Blast Off, 7 pm to midnight at American Heritage Farm Museum in Greenville.
Family friendly kick-off for Greenville’s bicentennial year, www.greenvilleusa.org.
NEW YEAR’S EVE PACKAGE at State Street
Bar & Grill, 118 S. State Street, Jerseyville.
$69.99/couple includes dinner for 2, comedy
show tickets featuring 2 comedians, bottle of
champagne, party favors and DJ until 1 am. Space
is limited and reservations are required. Call 618639-3663, www.statestreetjerseyville.com.
New Year’s Eve Bash at the Magnuson Grand
Hotel, Exit 60 off Interstate 55, Carlinville.
$250/couple includes dinner buffet for 2, music
by popular local band 10-55 for your dancing and
listening pleasure, hors-doeuvres, open bar, champagne toast at midnight, room for two and breakfast for two the next morning. Reservations
required, call 2217-324-2100,
www.magnusongrandhotel.com.
Friends of the Wildey Rockin’ New Year’s Eve
Bash featuring the Robert Perry Band with the
Original Mojos. Food, champagned toast,
auction, cash bar. $40/person. The Wildey
Southern Gospel New Year’s Eve Concert at
Bethalto Church of God, 800 E. Bethalto Drive, 7
pm-midnite. Features The Wanda Mountain
Boys, The Hoskins Family, Earl & Theresa Yougn
and Bethalto Church of God’s very own Bary
Bourland. The cafe will be open from 5-6:30 pm
to raise money for the Senior Adults. Everyone is
welcome. A free-will offering will be taken.
For more information visit www.southern
gospel4U.org.
see You Next Year!
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The Perfect Gift... We`ve Got it Covered!

Transcription

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