Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Lilly Bennett donates to Genesis Rescue & Rehab.

•September 11, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

For her 11th birthday in September Lilly Bennett decided that she would rather help provide for rescue animals than receive presents. Specifically, she wanted to raise money for their care, food, bedding, toys and adoption.
“ I just love animals and I wanted to do something to help,” said Lilly.
The eleven-year-old wasted no time raising $470 on Facebook, $272 in cash and donated $60 worth of supplies which included a dog bed, toys, and cat food. She proudly presented a check for $802 to Genesis.
As it happened, Elizabeth Bennett, Lilly’s mother, is a co-worker with Taylor Rich, who is involved with Genesis Rescue and Rehab which provides foster homes for dogs, cats and kittens throughout central Illinois. Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Debbie Preston with the “Friendship” quilt she made for her husband.

•July 31, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Debbie Preston has made more than 300 quilts since 2005, and all of them have gone to charities such as Dove, the Fire and Police Departments, American Legion and the Health Department.
Some have traveled around the world to children in Africa and beyond but always only for charities.
It all began, she says, with her grandmother, “She made quilts, and I taught myself to knit and crochet. I began quilting seriously in 2005 and made a quilt for my mother-in-law, Thelma Preston,” Prestion recalled. “When she died, the quilt came back to us.”
She showed the lovely, time-worn quilt her grandmother made for her and continued, “I wrapped my young son in this when he was upset or afraid or sick and he told me it always made him feel better. I told him that was because Grammy sewed love into every stitch.”
Her grandmother’s quilt had the “wedding ring” pattern and reminded me of the treasured quilt I have from my grandmother who made it with such love even with crippled hands. Grandma’s pattern was called “flower garden” and was made from pieces of her chintz dresses. We then shared tearful memories of our grandmothers and their quilts. Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Buddy Holly’s glasses greeted guests.

You’ll Laugh, Cry and Swoon

•June 12, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

February 3, 1959 was a tragic day for rock-n-roll in America. A plane carrying Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens crashed in a snowstorm just outside Clear Lake, Iowa where they had performed at the Surf Ballroom.
It was the end of both their Winter Dance Party Tour, the age of innocence and, for some, the day the music died.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of that historic concert the Little Theatre has brought in the Rave-Ons, a phenomenally talented group, to recreate that last Surf Ballroom concert – this time in celebration of “The Night the Music Lived.”
And live it does! For two hours you will be transported back to the 50s and the music of many steamy sock hops as those of my era danced their hearts out to “Peggy Sue”, “Oh Donna”, “Chantilly Lace”, “Rave On” and 27 more memorable hits on this fantastic program.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll swoon, clap and sing along while Todd Meredith as Buddy Holly opens Act One with “Rock Around With Ollie Vee”, “Ready Teddy”, “Not Fade Away” and several other hits. Close your eyes, and it really is Buddy Holly, so perfect and nuanced is Meredith’s performance. Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Pictured is Tony Jones.

•June 5, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Tony Jones, owner of the Sullivan Pharmacy, is a 2019 Preceptor Award winner from his alma mater, the St. Louis College of Pharmacy
Preceptors, or mentors, are Illinois pharmacists who participate in mentoring programs for third and fourth-year pharmacy students at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
These students may nominate their mentors to receive the Preceptor of the Year Award.
Of the 109 Illinois participating pharmacies, 23

nominations were received by a student committee. An elite group of eight blinded nominees were then submitted to a student selection committee to select the winner. Jones was one of the eight finalists.
He didn’t know who nominated him, but part of the nomination stated that: Read More

•April 3, 2019•

Photo furnished
Sullivan Elementary School readers get prepared for trivia on The Chocolate Touch at last week’s school wide “Getting on the Same Page” assembly.

Photo furnished
Above Kindergarten teacher Sarah Dickens joins teachers and volunteers serving books to students.

Sullivan Elementary students and the community are “Getting on the Same Page” to excite young readers.
Through April 10 several members of the community are reading chapters of The Chocolate Touch daily on YouTube while the students and staff read along.
Third grade teacher Jennifer Hobbs explained several members of the school community recognized motivated readers were lacking in the elementary school so they started a plan to excite students into reading for fun.
“Many of us recognized that our students are not always spending time reading for pleasure both in and outside of school, and we wanted to develop a plan to make positive changes,” Hobbs explained, noting principal Dan Allen initiated a brainstorming session which led to the formation of the SES Reading Committee.
Based on the nationally recognized One Book, One School program the committee subsequently voted to host a one book read as a way to promote reading for fun.
Part of the fun was dividing students into groups answering trivia questions about the book for chocolate kiss treats. Enthusiasm ramped up with the amount of chocolate consumed by students as events progressed.
Books and candy were served the students by staff and volunteers with erase boards positioned throughout the gym for the trivia groups. Read More