Front row L-R: Millie Hendry, Erin Woolridge, Sadie Meadows, River Polley, Claire Kursell, and Becky Lawson. Back row: Tina Bolsen, Sullivan American Legion Auxiliary President; Ruth Keown, and Mike Keown.
The Sullivan American Legion Auxiliary Unit #68 presented awards for its 2025 Veterans Day Art and Writing Contest at their Veterans Day Dinner on November 7th. Club Vice President Ruth Keown, Sgt. at Arms and contest coordinator Becky Lawson, and Sullivan American Legion Post 68 Board Member Mike Keown gave out trophies to junior Claire Kursell (1st place 11th/12th grade art and Best in Show); sophomore River Polley (1st place 9th/10th writing); and to three 5th graders who submitted art pieces: Sadie Meadows, first place; Erin Woolridge, second place; and Millie Hendry, third place.
Claire Kursell with her Best in Show and 1st place 11th/12th grade art piece.
Claire Kursell also received a monetary award for her Best in Show piece, and Polley was recognized for his piece, which honored Moultrie County veterans. Auxiliary President Tina Bolsen and Secretary/Treasurer Melanie Byers also assisted with the contest and the dinner.
Photo Submitted
Members of the Moultrie County Impact Giving Circle hold a check for $5,000, which was split evenly between two local organizations.
Submitted
The evening of November 13th marked the very first gathering of the Moultrie County Impact Giving Circle, where members broke bread at Sweet Vail Cafe before settling in for an evening centered on generosity, collaboration, and community.
One of the most meaningful parts of this giving circle is its member-driven spirit. Any member can nominate a nonprofit serving Moultrie County. After hearing the nominations, members voted for the organization they felt most called to support.
$5,000 was granted, shared by two local organizations. $2,500 was granted to the Sullivan Area Ministerial Association, quietly and faithfully offering emergency assistance, supporting local initiatives, and uniting clergy to care for the community with compassion.
Another $2,500 for the CEFS Outreach Moultrie County Food Pantry, providing groceries, personal care items, and hope to neighbors facing food insecurity.
To learn more about or to join the Impact Giving Circle, go to heartofillinois.org/moultrie-county-impact-giving-circle.
Last Saturday afternoon, November the 8th at Hydro-Gear in Sullivan, the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Office and Deputies, Dispatch, Sullivan Police Department, Sullivan Fire Protection District, Bethany Police Department, Bethany Fire Department, Lovington Police Department, local EMA CECOM, and Bethany EMS and Sullivan High School students as role-players, met in a training scenario of law enforcement, fire and EMS to coordinate a more unified response in an active shooter situation.
The Sullivan Lions Club recently donated a bench at Wyman Park. The bench can be enjoyed for years to come in various spots around the park, based on the season. Since 1941, Sullivan Lions Club, an affiliate of Lions International, has been committed to helping local residents with vision and hearing services, hunger, and youth needs. If you are interested in learning more about our organization, contact Brent Mansfield at (217) 248-6180.
Members in the photo include: Brent Mansfield, Jess Barker, Dick Martin, Dave Walker, Lynn Elder, Don Evans, Steve Mayberry, Connor Klingele, Ginger Voegel, Bill VanKeuren, and Richard Murphy.
Photo by DM Williamee
IMEC check presentation to Kevin Conlin.
Greatness comes from humble beginnings; it comes from grunt work.” (Ryan Holiday). Proof of that adage is Sullivan’s Mid-State Tank Company, which recently received a grant for $50,000 from the Made in Illinois Grant Program, administered by IMEC with funding from the Department of Economic Opportunity. The check presentation/award ceremony, tour of the facilities, and award speeches were held on Wednesday, October 22nd, at Mid-State Tank’s facilities. A jovial yet humble Kevin Conlin accepted the grant and, in his address to those present, made clearly apparent his appreciation for the grant, his entire team, and the support of the Sullivan community.
The 94th annual Bethany High School Alumni Banquet was held on October 11th at the Okaw Valley High School gymnasium, with nearly 90 in attendance. Diane Foster Waggoner, Class of 1983, welcomed the alumni and friends to the banquet, and Bart Spencer, Class of 1980, gave the opening prayer. Terry Muzzy, Class of 1966, gave a Military Recognition and talked about the Wall of Honor with pictures of Bethany School graduates who served in the military.
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Dave Overlot, speaker.
The graduating classes of 1975 were honored for 50 years, and the graduating class of 2000 for 25 years. Alumni who passed away since the last banquet were recognized, and all alumni in attendance were invited to stand for the Roll Call of Classes. The featured speaker, Dave Overlot, Class of 1977, shared his memories of attending Bethany Schools and brought back fond memories for those attending. Door prizes were awarded to Harold Keown, Class of 1946, for being the oldest graduate, 80 years ago, and to Norma Tipsword Farris, Class of 1949, for serving the longest administrative term, with 24 years as high school secretary.
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Honored Class of 1975 for 50 years - Greg Allsop, Linda Webner Casteel, Stan Stables
The 50/50 drawing was won by Joyce Shipman Jenkins, Class of 1954, and a drawing for a whole hog, donated by Corrington Farms, was won by Libby Larkin Booker, Class of 1980. The meal was catered by Rhodes Catering from Effingham and desserts by Sweet Vail in Sullivan. The Okaw Valley FFA students and their sponsor, Wes Wise and his wife Megan, assisted with serving and other duties. Officers for the next year will continue with Diane Foster Waggoner, Class of 1983, as President; Rita Kesterson Seelow, Class of 1983, as Vice President; Libby Larkin Booker, Class of 1980, as Secretary; and Nancy Sowers Mueller, Class of 1974, as Treasurer. The evening wrapped up with alumni visiting and taking pictures. The 2026 reunion date will be set for late September or early October. All alumni and friends are invited to attend. [/s2If]
On Tuesday, October 1st, twenty-five Moultrie County retired teachers met at Flesor’s Candy Kitchen in Tuscola. Devon Flesor Story, the owner, welcomed the MCRTA with a history of her business and a tour of her kitchen. Story herself was a former teacher at EIU in Charleston.
Story’s grandfather, Gus Flesor, immigrated from Greece and began the American Dream working on the railroad. Through his efforts, Flesor brought over several family members and their favorite family recipes. By 1901, Gus and his brother Nick opened an iconic Greek confectionery and restaurant in Tuscola. Eventually, though, a family feud broke out and created business competitors. Customers had to sneak around the two brothers to do business with both.
Photo by DM Williamee
Pictured is Skylar Miller, who organized and led the Recovery Walk.
by DM Williamee
On Saturday, September 27th in Sullivan’s Wyman Park, ROSC held their “Step into Purple” recovery walk to celebrate National Recovery Month and to remember those who lost their battle with addiction, those still fighting for their recovery, and those celebrating their recovery, as well as the recovery of friends and loved ones.
Participants walked around the pond and bridges at the park while sharing their stories and their reasons for participation. The atmosphere overall was hopeful and upbeat, with many feeling rejuvenated in being able to share their stories with each other, from their successes and losses to their strategies for sobriety and the issues many still face once achieving sobriety. One area of great concern echoed by those on the Recovery Walk was the lack of substance use disorder treatment options in Moultrie County, with many having to travel 30 or more minutes to obtain access to necessary recovery tools and resources. Despite numerous barriers, many have found a path to recovery and continue on this arduous journey. The support and camaraderie shared on the Recovery Walk were both encouraging and inspirational.
On Thursday, September 25th, in two sessions, nearly two hundred local seniors met with vendors at the Mid-Illinois Senior Center for their annual ‘Senior Expo’. The event was held in their new location at 113 Jefferson Street, Sullivan. The purpose of this event was to both celebrate and empower seniors, which it accomplished.
The Expo was enjoyed by friends and neighbors, with local businesses providing an opportunity for all attending to learn new information, get questions answered, receive gifts, and enjoy a free lunch. Take-out only lunch was provided by Griffin’s BBQ and catering, as a result of the generosity of multiple donors.
Said one attendee, “I have had this on my calendar since I found out about it, and I told my friends, too. As a matter of fact, three of us rode together today to come here, and I’m glad I did. There’s so much I didn’t know about a bunch of things!”
Photo courtesy of Cami Badman
Front Row (L-R): Caleigh Dyer, Mya Dyer, Emerson Risley, Jennifer Lofland. Second Row (L-R): Adalyn Cruitt, Julia Moody, Cadence Schmohe, Ellie Lehman. Back Row (L-R): Claire Kursell, Austin Kelly, Brady Stollard, Grant Martin, Gavin Wade. Not Pictured: Synthea Doss and Kaylee Smith.
‘Letters to the Editor,’ written by Cami Badman‘s Honors English III students at Sullivan High School, explored controversial subjects with inquisitive minds and logic as well as emotion-based arguments. Badman opened the school year by challenging these 15 students to present well-rounded arguments for student-selected controversial subjects in the format of a ‘Letter to the Editor’.
