Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Governor’s Volunteer Service Award Winner Genny Sutton.

•May 3, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

On Thursday. April 27 at the Senior Center, 99 year old Genevieve “Genny” Sutton was surrounded by adoring family and legions of friends as she received the prestigious 2017 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award from Norma Piper. Sutton was one of six recipients in the Senior Awardees category and was selected from over 200 nominees statewide.

Piper, RSVP coordinator for Moultrie County, had nominated Sutton and traveled to Springfield to accept the award on Sutton’s behalf. While there, she was in the same elevator as one of the judges who told her, “When I read Genny’s biography, I knew she had to win.”

For more than 70 years Sutton has devoted 20-30 hours a month volunteering in Sullivan. Known for founding and coaching a women’s softball league as well as bowling leagues - they are the two activities she enjoyed the most. She was voted Bowler of the Year and elected to the Sullivan Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame and in her spare time also played in a kitchen band. Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Ty Phillips and Lathen Hoyer pitch in to clean up Main Street in Findlay.

•April 26, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Spring is in the air and that usually means spring cleaning, but the Shelby County Economic Development Agency has upped the ante and taken to the streets with its ambitious new program “Main Street Makeover”.

In partnership with Shelby County Partners, the program coordinates volunteers and businesses to work together in giving towns, cities and villages in Shelby County the tender, loving care of a good sprucing up - beginning with main streets.

Jody McCormick, the Findlay coordinator, organized more than 40 middle and high school volunteers into teams with supervisors at the Community Center April 21. She held up pictures of the buildings selected for a makeover and described the tasks to be done - sanding and scraping old paint, scrubbing concrete, washing windows, painting, and cleaning up the community gardens. In the corner of the room were the tools of the day: paint brushes, rollers, sanders, scrapers, paint pans and liners, buckets, drop cloths, ladders and buckets of paint - all donated by local residents and businesses.

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Mason Point Choir seated from left: Norma Standerfer, Jackie Grace; back row: Leanna Stickles, Jean Dulik, Marc Hall, Weldon and Judy Brown, Eva Ethington and Evelyn Lane.

•April 26, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

In their Easter bonnets with all the frills upon them, the nine-member Mason Point choir strolled through the audience in the Knights building singing “Easter Parade”, and for the next hour entertained with a program of oldies but goodies for the Mason Point Easter party April 21.

The 13 vocal selections included Over the Rainbow, Sunny Side of the Street, a duet of 16 Tons by Marc Hall and Weldon Brown, It Had to Be You, Side By Side and ending with Take Me Out to the Ballgame with the audience rooting for the Cardinals or Cubbies. Cookies, snacks and fruit punch were served.

Jean Dulik organized the choir and made all the Easter hats for the group. Other members are Eva Ethington, Norma Standerfer, Evelyn Lane, Judy and Weldon Brown, Marc Hall, Jackie Grace and Leanna Stickles. Read More