•December 27, 2023•

Don’t let your Christmas tree go to waste this year after the holidays. Extend your tree’s life by donating it for Fish Habitat Improvement Day at Lake Shelbyville. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance and Illinois Department of Natural Resources will place the discarded trees into Lake Shelbyville to enhance the fisheries for years to come. Donated Christmas trees are bundled together in small groups and submerged in the lake at select locations. These structures provide fish with breeding areas and escape cover, proving invaluable to not only the fisheries, but to anglers as well.

Trees will be collected in Shelbyville and Sullivan again this year. The designated collection site in Sullivan is at Sullivan 66 Gas Station south of Sullivan on route 32. Trees can be dropped off inside the snow fence area on the north side of the building. (Please, do not place trees on the parking lot). 

In Shelbyville, the designated collection site is at the Johnstowne Mall on the west side of Shelbyville. Please place trees inside snow fence area on the grass at the northwest corner of the parking area (Please, do not place trees on the parking lot). Trees will be collected at both sites through February 9, 2024. Before delivering your tree to either of the designated collection sites please remove the stand, tinsel and any ornaments. If you have placed a plastic bag on your tree, remove it before leaving the tree. Please do not leave any other kind of tree trimmings, wreaths, flowers or yard waste at the sites.

For more information on this fish habitat project, contact Natural Resource Specialist Cory Donnel at (217) 774-3951, Ext 7001.

•December 27, 2023•

The Charleston Elks #623 will be hosting their annual National Hoop Shoot on Saturday, January 13 at the Charleston High School gym, located at Route 130 and Lincoln Avenue. Registration will begin at 12:30 pm with competition starting at 1:00 pm. The National contest in it’s 52nd year is a free throw competition for age groups 8-13 years of age. There are three girls divisions and three boys divisions. They will shoot 25 free throws for the best score. Winners will advance to District in Champaign and possibly on to state, Iowa Regionals and the Chicago National Finals in April. Competing age groups are 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, girls and boys each. Ages will be based on how old they are on April 1, 2024. The Charleston Elks area includes boys and girls from Oakland, Mattoon, Ashmore, Kansas, Casey, Greenup, Toledo, Sullivan, Windsor-Gays, Arcola, Arthur, Tuscola, Charleston, Newman and Hume. The event is free and any travel expenses past local shoot will be covered by The Elks National Foundation. In 2023, over 240,000 girls and boys participated in the National Hoop Shoot. For further information contact Rod Franklin at 217-549-6376.