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SHS Spanish Club Collects Food Twice for Families in Need

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Photos by Señora King
SHS Spanish Club members collected food and delivered Nov. 22.

•January 1, 2020•
By Seth Mayberry
for The News Progress

Twice over the past two months, the Spanish Club has collected food to be given to five different families in the surrounding Sullivan area.
Each member of the club was assigned a group and everyone signed up for one or more food items to be gathered and delivered on November 22 and again on December 12.
The seniors who are apart of Spanish Club went along with Amy Eller and Jodi Elzy to assist in delivering the food boxes to the families. Mrs. Eller and Mrs. Elzy work at Bright Start which is an organization that helps out families that are less fortunate.
A couple of those seniors who helped distribute the boxes had the following to say about their experiences: Read More

Correction

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•January 1, 2020•
In the December 18 News Progress front page story on Genny Sutton’s 102 birthday honor some names were unintentionally omitted. They included Jacob Moritz, great grandson; Jonathan Inman, grandson and Mary Lou Kidwell, sister.

Obituaries 1-1-2020: Nancy Miller

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Nancy Miller

Nancy E. Miller, 83, of Sullivan, passed away at 3:55 a.m. Tuesday December 24, 2019 in her residence.
Celebration of Life services were 11:00 a.m. Friday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Pastor Mark Bjornbak officiating. Visitation was from 10 a.m. until service time on Friday. Burial will be in the Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials are suggested to the Sullivan First Baptist Church. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net. Read More

Sullivan Spark’s Big Vision: A New Baseball Complex

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Spark is helping the community move forward with the ideas like a new sports complex. Austin Hunter has approached the city council along with Chamber Ameri Corp representative Kathleen Preissing.

•January 1, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the New Progress

Sullivan has always been a baseball kind of town. A men’s team has existed at least since 1901 and 102-year-old Genny Sutton coached the first girls’ team as early as 1939.
Wyman Park was built in 1945 and Park Recreation Board was appointed. In 1946 Frank Shack was hired as Recreation Director of the park summer program which included baseball on the newly built baseball field.
Now the Park and Recreation group of the community action group Spark is proposing a four-diamond baseball/softball complex with a concession stand for Sullivan.
Committee leader Austin Hunter explained the need and outlined the development of the plan.
Two years ago Hunter and seven other parent coaches formed the Sullivan Sizzle which is a traveling baseball team of 25 girls in the 12 years and under group. Another 25 are in the 14 and under age group.
The teams travel to places such as Olney, Mattoon, Arthur and as far as Santa Claus, Ind. to play in 12-16 tournaments during the summer months.
Some of the tournaments involve five games played over the entire weekend. Read More

Remember When? 1-1-2020

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25 Years Ago This Week

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team captured third place in the Clinton Tournament with a 77-71 victory over Addison Driscoll. The Redskins went 3-1 in the tournament losing along the way to eventual champion Clinton 71-63.
The Lovington Public Library Trustees honored Janette Nash Saturday, Jan. 7. Nash has served as librarian since 1984 and has been credited with building the library to its present impressive status following a devastating fire in February 1985. The fire completely destroyed the building and contents of the former library as well as the Masonic Hall, a variety store and a store front which was being remodeled to serve as the Kiwanis Hall.
“It’s fun to win again - it’s been a long time,” said Bethany coach Doug McCausland after the Fillies beat Shelbyville and Mt. Pulaski to win the consolation championship in the Filly Gold Tournament last week. Read More

Cunninghams Donate to SBL Mobile Miracles Campaign

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•January 1, 2020•
Dan and Jeanne Cunningham of Mattoon recently donated $15,000 to the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Foundation to benefit “Mobile Miracles,” a campaign to fund the purchase of a new dental bus. The bus will travel across the region providing preventive and restorative care and oral hygiene education to underserved children up to age 18. Read More

Moultrie Moment of the Week

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Pictured above is the Masonic Home dining room circa 1930’s. Please submit photos to the News Progress for future consideration. Originals will be saved for return or forwarded to Moultrie County Historical Society. If you have any other information, please contact the Moultrie County Historical Society at 217-728- 4085.

How to Help the Lost and Unconnected Among Us

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•January 1, 2020•
By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

In this season of joy, I am reminded, as we all are, fleetingly, that not all share our joy.
Several years ago, for example, the circus came to my rural town. A friend and I decided to ensure that all kids could have the very few bucks needed for tickets and some cotton candy. Fifteen single-parent families were quickly identified by a local church group as needing such help.
My first delivery was to a run-down small frame home. The young mother came to the screen door. The living room behind her was a mess; a stereotypical, louche boyfriend (I assume) was lounging on the sofa, watching TV; two kids were fussing in the background. What struck me was how grateful the mother, a bit disheveled, was for the tickets (at $6 each) and the 10 bucks for treats. What a miserable life, I thought. Read More

Recent Obituaries: Nancy Miller

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Nancy Miller

Nancy E. Miller, 83, of Sullivan, passed away at 3:55 a.m. Tuesday December 24, 2019 in her residence.
Celebration of Life services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Pastor Mark Bjornbak officiating. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time on Friday. Burial will be in the Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials are suggested to the Sullivan First Baptist Church. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.
Nancy was born October 3, 1936 in Windsor, the daughter of Edward King and Ethel Harris King Colbert. She had worked at the First National Bank, the Ace Hardware and had been a bookkeeper for Wood and Mayberry Law Office in Sullivan. She was a member of the Sullivan First Baptist Church for over 50 years where she had served as a Deaconess, Treasurer and Sunday school teacher. Nancy had served as a Girl Scout Leader, a 4-H Leader and was very supportive of her children and grandchildren in all of their activities. She enjoyed sewing, doing hand work which included making beanies and sock monkeys for family and neighborhood children. She also enjoyed working in her flower garden. Nancy was a very courageous woman and an inspiration to all her entire life , particularly the last four years during her battle with cancer. Nancy married Billy Joe Miller on January 14, 1956 in Sullivan.
Surviving are her husband Billy Joe ‘B.J.’ Miller of Sullivan; son Michael Ray (Dawn) Miller of Arcola; daughters Rhonda (Tony) Cook of Rochester and Yvonne Miller-Lux (Russell Lux) of Notingham, PA; brothers Robert King of Mesa, AZ and Eddie (Teri) King of Windsor; sister Debra (Steve) Bland of Clinton; step mother Lottie King (John) of Windsor; grandchildren Elizabeth (Bill) Sanchez, Daniel Janssen, Eric (Caitlyn) Miller and, John Miller (Anneka); great grandchildren Reese Miller, Jackson Clark, Susana, Ross and Brandon Sanchez, Ross Henry Miller and Jude Miller; sisters -in-law Wilma (Everett) Austin of Clinton, MO and Hazel (J.C.) Shoemeyer of Monroe City, MO.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Steven King; sister Gloria Beabout and sister-in-law Donna King.

Recent Obituaries: Richard Casteel, Jr.

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Richard Casteel, Jr.

Richard “Rick” Casteel, Jr., 69, of Lovington got his angel wings at 5:21 p.m. December 23, 2019 at home.
Minister Steve Ingram will be doing the Celebration of Life services at 12:00 p.m. Saturday, December 28th, 2019, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan; visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home in Sullivan. Burial will follow at Keller Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials may be made to SIU Alumni Association or Cancer Care Specialist of Decatur; 210 W. McKinley Ave Suite 1, Decatur, IL 62526.
Rick was born May 19, 1950, son of Richard T. and Ruenell Casteel. He married Connie Patrick, his high school sweetheart, on July 23, 1970. He loved his LHS Class of ’68 and graduated from SIUC in ’72. He worked at Firestone over 27 years and farmed all of his life with his Dad; when his Dad retired, he took over the farm. He was a member of the Hammond Church of Christ and a faithful attendee over 7.5 years at South Shore Christian Church. He loved God, family, country, and SIU Salukis Athletics and school.
He is survived by his wife Connie; children, Tonya (Ed) Irvin of Ellsworth, Carrie (Jason) Maretti of Pawnee, and Shaun Casteel of Lafayette; sisters, Nina Casteel of Lovington, Carolyn Casteel of Westerville, OH, and Nancy (Doug) Wildman of Sullivan; grandchildren, Lauren (Kip) Reckard, Jonathan Irvin, Haley and Emily Maretti, Elaina, Maya and his namesake Dean Richard Casteel; honorary grandson, Ranger 2 Lt. Reid Sealby.
Rick was preceded in death by his parents.
His family would like to thank Dr. Tarter, Dr. Yoon and his caring staff, Dr. Wade, DMH 5th floor staff and DMH Hospice.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com