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Pictured is former Troop 39 scoutmaster Gerry Wood (left), recently promoted Eagle Scout Benjamin Berner (middle), and current scoutmaster Jeff White at the formal unveiling of Berner’s Eagle Scout project, a list of more than 2,000 Moultrie County veterans and current armed forces and a podium upon which the list will sit.

August 13, 2014

High honor now within grasp

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

“Congratulations, Eagle Scout.”

Three simple words that so many Boy Scouts hope to one day hear, they perhaps don’t completely encompass the years of merit badges attained nor the hours and hours of work on their Eagle Scout project.

But for two local scouts, Benjamin Berner and Sean Johnson, hearing these words recently were well worth the time, money, and work.

“The Eagle Scout project is the last major requirement before a boy becomes an Eagle Scout,” explained Troop 39 Scoutmaster Jeff White. “He must earn 21 merit badges, 13 of them are required (first aid, citizenship in the community, citizenship in the nation, citizenship in the world, communication, cooking, personal fitness, emergency preparedness (or lifesaving), environmental science, personal management, swimming, camping and family life), but the remaining eight merit badges are chosen by each scout according to his interests (there are over 100 in all).”

For the 16-year-old Berner, his project involved the collection of service records both for current and past Moultrie County citizens enlisted in the armed forces. Read More

August 6, 2014

Lovington-based outreach group to host public extravaganza

by Florence Hallford
Lovington Reporter

Sparrows Unlimited, a non-profit organization, will be celebrating 20 years of service to the Lovington community this Saturday, August 9 in downtown Lovington. The celebration will begin at noon and feature a car and bike show, inflatables for the kids, a DJ, hamburgers and hot dogs and a bags tournament with signups starting at 12:30 at Jerry’s East End. Read More

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Local hair stylist Candy Cox (left) and Ricky Punches (right), each hold up their recently cut locks of hair, which they plan to donate to Locks of Love.

July 30, 2014

Joined by local stylist in hair donation

by Christina Whitford
Sullivan Reporter

For most people the never ending task of getting your hair cut becomes routine. But for those who have lost their hair due to medical illness, the gift that one person’s hair cut can give them is extraordinary and priceless.

Through the non- profit organization Locks of Love, many people choose to give the locks they cut to help children, including Ricky Punches of Sullivan, who recently made his second donation in two years.

The organization provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada who are suffering from long-term medical hair loss from an assortment of diagnoses. Locks of Love goal is simply to restore self confidence to children in these situations.

Over the years, many local residents have generously made hair donations to help others in need. Recently making a return trip to the salon for another round of donation was Punches, who first donated in January 2013.

“After my first donation, I began growing it again to cut and donate,” explained Punches.

He made the donation after learning about the program from his mother and seeing her rally to help find people to donate their hair.  Read More

Photo by Florence Hallford
The Burcham Sisters, (from left to right) Julie Yantis, Carole Jacoby, and Sara Gale recently visited the newly completed and relocated horse shoe pits in Tom Conn Park, which they helped fund. Not pictured is Laura Stinson. Their father, the late Emmett Burcham was a reknown horseshoe thrower. The pits were officially reopened last Thursday.

July 23, 2014

Lovington’s horseshoe pits reinstalled at Tom Conn Park

by Florence Hallford
Lovington Reporter

The old horseshoe pits in Lovington’s Tom Conn Park held the memories of many residents as they watched or played horseshoes with friends and family. But last year the pits were removed to accommodate the new skate park. Yet, towards the end of the planning for the skate park project, Sara Gale approached the board to reinstall the horseshoe pits in a different location to keep alive the memory of her father Emmett Burcham, who was a champion thrower.

“During the discussion of the skate park, they talked about relocating the pits,” said Gale. “But they lacked the funds. Then I thought my sisters and I could help.” 

The sisters, known as the ‘Burcham Girls’, were not against the skate park being put in but were concerned with moving the original horseshoe pits. 

“It was the idea that Dad had used them, not necessarily where they were located,” added Gale. Nonetheless, the sisters are now more than satisfied since the pits were relocated last Thursday, though still in Tom Conn Park.

The horseshoe pits were built to regulation and include the pins from the original pits. The only thing missing is the clay, which board member Dennis Garmon is working to locate. 

Jeremy Doggett executed the project while Garmon designed the pits. 

“They turned out exactly like it was on paper,” explained Garmon, who was supportive of the project and was interim mayor during the final talks on the skate park project.  Read More