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Family Reading Night at Marrowbone Public Library

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photo submitted by Marrowbone Public Library District
Family Reading Night at Marrowbone
Public Library
Heidi Vander Burgh reads the book “Up The Creek” during Marrowbone Public Library District’s Family Reading Night on November 17.

Photo submitted by Marrowbone Public Library District
Story Time
Kathy Doty shows the illustrations in the book she is reading during Family Reading Night in Bethany. All of the guest readers during the program are staff at Okaw Valley Elementary School.

Photo submitted by Marrowbone Public Library District
Reading to the Comfort Dog
Harley Johnson reads to Theo, a comfort dog from Paw Print Ministries. Theo and his owner Melissa McKee talked about all of the places that Paw Print Ministries takes their dogs into to provide comfort and support for the ill, grieving, aged and victims of accidents or trauma. Each dog has it’s own Facebook page and can be followed to see where they go.

Photo submitted by Marrowbone Public Library District
Showing the Book Illustrations
Angie Russell points out a branch on the tree in the story that she read during Family Reading Night at Marrowbone Public Library. This year’s theme was “Read Beyond the Beaten Path.” There were 44 people in attendance. There were refreshments and everyone went home with a door prize.

Turkeys Donated to Moultrie County Food Pantry

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Turkeys Donated to Moultrie County Food Pantry
Sullivan IGA meat department delivered 50 turkey breasts and 25 turkeys to the Moultrie County Food Pantry on Monday, November 21. Those who delivered the donation were (in no order): Mason Harner, Meat manager Seth Cobb, Blake Eller, Cameron Eccles, Timothy VanDeursen and Judy Sumner.

Coles County Barbershop Chorus Concerts

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•November 23, 2022•
For the 30th year, the Coles County Barbershop Chorus (CCC) will present two concerts on Sunday, December 4th. The first performance will start at 3 pm at Wesley United Methodist Church, 2206 4th Street in Charleston and the second concert starts at 7 pm at the United Christian Church, 200 E Lafayette in Mattoon. The 30 man chorus with three quartets and two ensembles will present the free one hour program with secular songs like Jingle Bells and spiritual songs such as Go Tell It On the Mountain, Carol of the Bells, Drummer Boy and O Holy Night. Several area men will join the chorus in singing a medley of Christmas favorites. Read More

SOV Football Team Awards Banquet Held

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•November 23, 2022•
The SOV Football Team recently held their awards banquet for the 2022 season. This year’s Team Award winners were:
Most Valuable Offensive Linemen: Wyatt Poyner
Most Valuable Defensive Linemen: Jace Rickey
Most Valuable Offensive Skill Position Player: Cooper Christensen
Most Valuable Defensive Skill Position Player: Aiden Ballinger Read More

Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest

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•November 23, 2022•
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is inviting fifth and sixth grade writers and artists from around Illinois to participate in this year’s Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The contest theme for the 2023 awards is “Environmental Justice: A Healthy Environment for All!” focusing on understanding environmental justice and how it relates to healthy communities.
In addition to the annual contest for fifth and sixth grade students, Illinois EPA has launched its first annual High School Poster, Poetry, and Essay Contest. The theme for the 2023 high school program is “Environmental Justice: A Healthy Community for All – Uplifting Community Voices!” focusing on understanding the need for environmental justice and why voices from overburdened communities are vital to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Read More

October Students of the Month

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October Students of the Month
Windsor Jr./Sr. High School is pleased to announce their October Students of the Month Jasmine Rodriguez and Grace Mast. Jazmin Rodriguez is the daughter of Adrian and Ali Rodriguez. She is currently a junior and is involved in Dance, Spanish Club, Art Club, and Drama Club. She is interested in becoming a high school counselor or going into Graphic Design.
Grace Mast is the daughter of Mose and Hana Mast. She is currently an 8th grade student and is involved in Eco Team, FFA, and Volleyball. She enjoys working with her animals and helping her dad on the farm. Pictured (left to right) are Jazmin Rodriguez and Grace Mast.

Facts for Families: Manage holiday stress

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•November 23, 2022•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator

With the anticipation of the holidays, there can also be that feeling of dread – how are you going to get everything done on an already busy schedule? For many people, the extensive preparations they engage in to pull off those picture-perfect holidays create so much stress, that they can’t even enjoy themselves. The “picture-perfect” part is where much of the stress originates from. Many of us want everything to be “just right” and try to pattern our holiday plans with visions of TV specials, Norman Rockwell prints, and Martha Stewart magazine pictorials in our heads. To easily prevent part of the stress is to forget about perfection and unrealistic expectations. Acknowledge that this time of year can get very hectic, and that in real life, things won’t be and don’t have to be perfect. Set realistic goals for what you can accomplish. This will include the practice of saying “no” to working on certain projects or activities, delegating tasks or allowing family members to volunteer their help, and reconsidering your holiday schedule to determine which activities or traditions should be continued. If an activity is more hassle than it is enjoyable, it may not be worth doing. Read More

Amish Barn Raising Preserves History from 1879

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Photo courtesy of Cass Concepts Marketing
An aerial view shows the scope of the effort to relocate a nearly 150-year-old barn from a Douglas County farm to the Illinois Amish Heritage Center campus in the heart of Amish country, between Arcola and Arthur.

•November 23, 2022•
By Daniel Grant
FarmWeek

The sight of a barn going up in the heart of Amish country in Douglas County is an exciting step for the future of the Illinois Amish Heritage Center (IAHC).
But the recent raising of the nearly 150-year-old structure also serves as a trip back in time for those involved in the project and anyone who visits the site.
“There’s a lot of educational opportunities. Yes, this is for the Illinois Amish Heritage Center but, for central Illinois, a lot of this is about agriculture, how it’s evolved and how it will continue to evolve,” said Cassie Yoder, of Cass Concepts Marketing in Decatur.
“We’re right in the heart of the prairie,” she said. “The barn just ties into all that.” Read More

Honor Drive Held for Shoni Anderson

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Honor Drive Held for Shoni Anderson
A blood drive was held on Tuesday, November 15 in honor of Shoni Anderson at the Sullivan American Legion. Organizer Jeri Davis said there were over 100 people that signed up and over 70 had already donated by 4 pm that day. Most were regular donors but a large number of first timers as well. Many were from Mt. Zion where Shoni lives. Pictured is Richard Johnson of Mt. Zion, who was a first time blood donor during the drive.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

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•November 23, 2022•
Lung cancer continues to be one of the most common cancers worldwide, claiming more lives yearly than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.
Many people consider lung cancer a “smoker’s disease” as well as assume it is mostly a cancer found in men. However, while it is true that smoking is the top cause of lung cancer by a large margin, approximately 15 to 20% of cases in the U.S. happen in people who have never smoked or have smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their life. Being exposed to secondhand smoke can play a part, as nonsmokers have a 20 to 30% greater chance of developing lung cancer if they are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work. Other factors may include radon, occupational exposures to carcinogens and outdoor air pollution. Read More