•July 8, 2026•

10th - Story time from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. Bring the little ones in for a story and a craft. Kids craft from 3-4 p.m. We will be making a garden-themed craft. 

13th - Craft Club will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Bring whatever project you are working on and join us for the fun.

14th, 21st, and 28th - Summer Reading from 10:00 to11:00 a.m.

15th - Crochet & Coffee from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Bring your crochet, and we will provide the coffee. 

17th - Teen craft time will be from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. 

•July 8, 2026•

The Moultrie-Douglas 4-H summer show season is officially underway. On June 13th, Moultrie-Douglas 4-H joined 4-H members from Coles County at the Coles County Fairgrounds for the Multi-County 4-H Dog Show, showcasing the hard work, dedication, and special bonds between youth and their canine companions. 

•July 1, 2026•

The newly formed Moultrie-Douglas 4-H Sewing Club has stitched together a successful first season, with 14 youth members participating in hands-on learning and creative project work. The club met for six sewing sessions at the Arthur United Methodist Church, where members developed new skills while creating items they will proudly exhibit at upcoming county fairs.

The Declaration of Sarah’s Cousin
•July 1, 2026•

by Janey Roney

One of our home movies from the 1970s captured our daughter squirting water from a hose into a growing puddle in the lane. When her big brother splashed through her puddle, she burst into tears and screamed, “He’s stepping in my stream!!!”

We all step in someone’s stream now and then, but for most of the last 250 years, we Americans have managed to live in peace with one another. Among notable exceptions, of course, are the Civil War, the black civil rights struggle, and that awful year, 1968, but unlike other parts of the world, we usually live in harmony. Why?

A lot of credit goes to a document written by the cousin (twice removed) of Sarah Waugh Farrar Vaughan Rankin. You’ve never heard of her? She and her husband Robert Rankin moved into Ash Grove Township in Shelby County in 1828, and you might be related. She left many descendants who still live in the Findlay and Bethany area. Her great grandmother was Judith Jefferson Farrar, the aunt of Thomas Jefferson. If you are one of her descendants, you share some of Thomas Jefferson’s DNA. So, on this special 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, let’s look again at what Jefferson (who is maybe your or your neighbor’s distant cousin) wrote.

•July 1, 2026•

In the rush of our daily routines, it is a rare gift to simply pause, take a deep breath, and let the quiet beauty of the world wash over us. Imagine sitting outdoors on a warm summer morning, the gentle scent of seasonal blooms drifting through the air, while the soft, melodic song of a backyard bird reminds us to be completely present in the moment.

It is in this spirit of peace, renewal, and gentle connection that Senior Education Ministries, Inc. invites local seniors, veterans, caregivers, and community members to a tranquil afternoon of fellowship. This special Dine with a Doc® gathering will take place on Tuesday, July 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Moultrie County Senior Center, located at 113 E. Jefferson St. in Sullivan.