An act of courage

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Cylus Booker (front) and buddies Nolan Hower (l), Sawyer Booker and Marshall Robison with the poster Cylus made.

•September 27, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM) and this month nine-year-old Cylus Booker learned that he is now five years clear of the cancer that attacked him when he was four years old.  His journey has been a profile in courage, faith and love.

His family had just moved from Sullivan to Princeton, Kentucky where his father was employed by Hydro-Gear, and his mother was just starting her teaching career. Cylus began complaining of pain and became incontinent. On September 14, 2012, he was diagnosed with a severe form of leukemia.

He had no white blood cells and, therefore, no immunity, and was airlifted to a children’s hospital. His mother remembers being so frantic she couldn’t find her car in the parking lot and that their pastor Brother Dwayne was standing there, and she believes that was an omen. Read More

Learns of OVHS/Corp Coop

•September 20, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

The Moultrie County Board received a report on the Okaw Valley School/Corp of Engineers coop from OVHS agriculture teacher Wes Wise at the regular meeting Sept. 14.

Wise explained the national recognized coop with the Lake Shelbyville Corp of Engineers demonstrated student involvement throughout the district was the key to success. The OVHS coop program has 21 acres that include corn crops, plus bee pollination stations plus hundreds of volunteer hours from students to help prepare campgrounds for the limited Corp staff.  Read More

•September 20, 2017•

Moultrie County, as Trustee, has completed their tax deed proceedings on real estate properties that were delinquent for 2013 and prior real estate taxes.

The County, as Trustee, will now offer for sale the real estate obtained to the public. They will offer approximately four items through a sealed bid auction sale. All sealed bids must be in the Moultrie County treasurer’s office located in the Moultrie County Courthouse, 10 S. Main Street — Suite 10 in Sullivan, Illinois 61951 no later than the close of business on October 6, 2017.  Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
“Flowers of the Forest” a traditional Scottish Highland bagpipes song, is played for first responders who passed away on 9/11/2011 by Oakland piper Paul Hinson at the Patriots Day observation held at Sullivan schools Monday, Sept. 11.

•September 20, 2017•

Monday, September 11 was Patriots Day and the 16th anniversary of the Twin Towers terrorist attack. A day that changed America forever.

Sixteen years later a generation of students who weren’t as yet born at that time wrestle with understanding what 9/11/2011 was all about.

Rebecca Lawson’s Mirror Images class at Sullivan High School has established a Patriot’s Day observance tradition that keeps the memory of that day alive.

For the past several years Mirror Image students have put together combined high school and middle school assemblies honoring local first responders and the memory of the 2997 people who died that day.  Read More

Photo by Jeri Davis
Above a healthier looking 18-month-old River Helmuth sits on father Troy’s lap as he gives blood during the Sept. 16 Honor Blood Drive held on her behalf.

•September 20, 2017•

Sullivan blood donors turned out in force at the American Legion in Sullivan Saturday, Sept. 16 as the Sullivan Church of God partnered with Red Cross for an honor drive benefiting River Helmuth with 96 units collected.

River is the 18-month-old daughter of Tony and Stephanie Helmuth of Sullivan. She was born with medical issues requiring several transfusions to survive.

“River’s parents contacted me about doing an honor drive in River’s name,” Red Cross coordinator Jeri Davis began. “I spent about four months total planning and coordinating this first honor drive I have hosted in my four years of being a Red Cross volunteer.”

More than 100 people attempted to donate Saturday, with 96 units collected. Every unit collected can help up to three separate people so it is possible 288 people may have been saved with the 96 units.     Read More