Last Wednesday at the Lovington school Lunch on the Lawn, Sparrows Unlimited held their yearly bike and gift card giveaway. All kids who attend Lovington grade school were entered to win a bike from Sparrows. The winners are as follows: Pre-K/K: Raiden Hutchcraft and Autumn Brown; 1st/2nd grades: Kane Comp, Carley Cummings; 3rd/4th grades: JW Shepard and Scarlett Franklin; and 5th/6th grade: Colton Harris (Pictured) and Sophie Utsler. The 7th/8th graders entered to win a $50 gift card, and the winners were Isaiah Shields and Jaselyn Helmuth.

Sparrows Unlimited is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Lovington, Illinois, that was established in 2016. The organization is dedicated to community outreach, assisting local families in need, and providing resources like children’s coats and holiday support.

•May 27, 2026•

Sarah Bush Lincoln will provide sports physicals to athletes from Sullivan schools and the Okaw Valley school district. Sports physical clinics will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed noon to 1:00 p.m.) on Wednesday, June 3rd, and on Wednesday, August 5th at the SBL Sullivan Clinic, 7 Hawthorne Lane, Sullivan.

“We’re proud to offer these sports physicals as a way to give back to our local schools and support student-athletes,” SBL Vice President of Practice Management Brooke Zerrusen said. “By donating the fee to the schools’ athletic booster clubs, we’re helping strengthen programs that mean so much to our communities.”

The cost is $20 per physical. All fees from the June 3rd clinic will be donated to the Sullivan Sports Boosters, and fees from the August 5th clinic will be donated to the Okaw Valley Sports Boosters. Appointments are required and can be made by calling (217) 728-8441. These physicals do not meet the kindergarten, sixth, or ninth grade physical requirement. For more information, visit https://www.sarahbush.org/sportsphysicals/.

•May 27, 2026•

Bethany’s annual ‘Bethany Celebration’ will be held on Friday, June 19th, and Saturday, June 20th. The exciting schedule of events is as follows:

Friday the 19th

•May 20, 2026•

The Village of Strasburg will hold their annual town wide rummage sales and flea market on Saturday, May 23, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Sale locations, featured items and sale times will be posted on these Facebook pages: “Strasburg Community Action Network – SCAN” and “Strasburg, IL: Right In The Middle of Everything!”. Check the list as some sales will be held both Friday and Saturday.

•May 20, 2026•

On Thursday, May 14th, at the Lovington First Church of God’s Family Life Center, the American Red Cross held a blood drive with a goal of acquiring thirty-three donations of blood and plasma. Their next blood drive will be held at the same location on July 9th, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. Blood program leader, Shelley Martina, shows how it is done with the assistance of friend and assistant Julie Jurgens. Pictured L-R: Kasey Flynn, Hailee Insley, Shelley Martina, Carmen Whitney, and Julie Jurgens.