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Gary Davis benefit/silent auction

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•May 28, 2025•

On July 19th from 6:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Lovington Firehouse, the Gary Davis pancake breakfast and silent auction will be held. This event is open to all friends and family of Gary, as well as the public.

Gary went to Springfield Memorial Hospital on March 31st for a video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) to remove a carcinoma asbestos cell on his right lung. The surgeon was unable to complete the VATS procedure and had to use the traditional thoracotomy surgery, a much larger, open incision, to remove the cancerous cell and entire lobe of the lung. During recovery, Gary developed hospital-acquired pneumonia and required a ventilator to breathe. He has remained at Springfield Memorial Hospital since March 31st and is still requiring ventilator support.

Moving forward, Gary will need to be placed in a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH), which specializes in weaning ventilator-dependent patients off a ventilator in hopes of resuming a normal life. His daughter, Nikki Trower, is his primary caregiver and lives 30 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and two small children. For this reason, the family would like to move Gary to Regional One LTACH in Memphis to ensure he has family support while working towards breathing on his own again. In addition to family support, this facility has a 97% success rate in weaning patients from ventilators, with the national average only 52.8%. Insurance will not cover transportation from Springfield to Memphis.

All proceeds will be used to cover the transportation costs as well as the medical bills incurred during his lengthy hospital stay. To donate silent auction items, contact Nikki Trower at (217) 521-7267, Kelly Creek at (217) 521-7422, or Pam Anklam at (217) 201-0662. Money can also be sent by PayPal at www.sparrows-unlimited.com, and put “Davis benefit” in the description field.

“Bivouac of the Dead”

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In honor of all who served and lost their lives

•May 21, 2025•

by Theodore O’Hara

“The muffled drum’s sad roll has beat, The soldier’s last tattoo; No more on life’s parade shall meet, That brave and fallen few. On Fame’s eternal camping-ground, Their silent tents are spread, And Glory guards, with solemn round, The bivouac of the dead. No rumor of the foe’s advance, Now swells upon the wind; Nor troubled thought at midnight haunts, Of loved ones left behind; No vision of the morrow’s strife, The warrior’s dream alarms; No braying horn nor screaming fife, At dawn shall call to arms. Their shriveled swords are red with rust, Their plumed heads are bowed, Their haughty banner, trailed in dust, Is now their martial shroud. And plenteous funeral tears have washed, The red stains from each brow, And the proud forms, by battle gashed, Are free from anguish now. The neighing troop, the flashing blade, The bugle’s stirring blast, The charge, the dreadful cannonade, The din and shout, are past;

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Chair of Honor placement at Sullivan VFW; Jim Davis recognition

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•May 21, 2025•

On Saturday, May 17th at the Sullivan VFW Post No. 6410, Rolling Thunder Inc., Illinois Chapter 3, in a solemn and emotional ceremony, placed a Chair of Honor outside of the entrance. Chapter President Tony Schmidt spoke before the placement and unveiling, formally reading off the names of local Sullivan servicemen and women who were listed as POW/MIAs. 

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School records fall at St. Teresa Invitational

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The SHS boys track team finished in 5th place out of 26 teams at the St. Teresa Invitational last Friday night. The big highlight was Johnny Iacobazzi setting a new school record in the 1600m with a time of 4:21.28. His time beat the previous record of 4:23.1 set in 1986 by Derik Eaton. Another highlight was Mason Booker resetting his own school records in the 110m Hurdles with a time of 14.76 and in the 300m Hurdles with a time of 39.98. 

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Six earn trip to state for Lady Redskins

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•May 21, 2025•

SHS Girls Track had a fantastic night on the track last Thursday (May 15) at the 17 team Tuscola Sectional. The Lady Redskins finished 4th as a team with 61 points and are sending six individuals in four events onto the Class 1A State Finals in Charleston next Thursday at EIU. 

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SES Preschool carnival a hit

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On Thursday, May 15th SES and PTO sponsored a Preschool Carnival that included lunch, face painting, bounce houses, snow cone truck, playground activities, and games set up by sponsoring attendees. Pictured is Jasper Rhodes, age 5, who actively enjoyed everything on offer, including chasing bubbles.

OVHS baseball senior night

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Okaw Valley held baseball senior night on May 15.  Seniors honored were Dalton Vanausdoll, Alex Ravellette, Ulrich Harshman, Seth Forlines and Rase Bennett.

Remembering who we are………..59

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Crossing the River

•May 21, 2025•

by Janet Roney

I had always wanted to hike the old Charleston Road that cut across my family farm where I grew up, and that my ancestor had followed into Moultrie County when he first came here from Kentucky in 1853. It was also the trail that Abraham Lincoln had traveled often as he practiced law. Abe had even waved at my great-grandmother when she was a child playing in their yard when he passed by. So, one hot July evening in 1982, we began our adventure…our hike to Mattoon on the Charleston Road. 

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SSD CUSD #300 Board meeting

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End of year scramble while looking to the bright future

•May 21, 2025•

by DM Williamee

Per the minutes and reports of the Sullivan School District’s May 12th school board meeting, it has been an industrious and joyous ending to another successful year for the Sullivan School District. The amount of hard work and excellence put in by teachers, students, families, volunteers, organizations, and staff, as exemplified by the programs and achievements highlighted, reflects a community that cares and puts students first. After the caps are tossed, prom nights end, and children race towards summer, the work begins again for the next year, the new and progressing students, and the infrastructure that holds it all together.

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