Gold Star Mission – Always Remember, Never Forget!

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Bicyclists supporting the 500 mile Gold Star ride stopped at the Sullivan American Legion for lunch then rode on to support the annual scholarship ride honoring Illinois National Guard members who lost their lives serving overseas.

Cyclists Visit Sullivan American Legion

•October 3, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Always remember! Never Forget!” was the shout out given by 34 Gold Star bicyclists as they left Sullivan Sept. 26 heading for Paris.
Following lunch served by Sullivan American Legion Post 68, the group gathered for the second 57 mile leg of the four day 500 mile endurance ride.
Gold Star ride coordinator Dave Helfrich announced that Sgt. Garrett Smith of Sullivan had given his life while serving in the lllinois National Guard. Smith is among 34 members of the Guard who lost their lives overseas and honored during the four day ride.
The Gold Star Mission ride raised $34,000 for scholarships which were presented to 34 students in the state last year. Read More

The Fish Wrap Celebrates First Anniversary

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•October 3, 2018•

By Rock Bass
for the News Progress

What the heck is The Fish Wrap?
One year ago this week Best Newspapers Inc., publishers of The Moultrie County News Progress, started printing The Fish Wrap which is mailed free of charge to 8500 households.
Why Fish Wrap?
For several months during the 1990s Bethany schools had been in negotiations with the Sullivan School District about possibly consolidating.
Hollis Dick, owner of HO Dick Transfer, had a history of involvement with the Bethany School District. His father had been a standout Mustang athlete and went on to serve as president of the school board in addition to starting a trucking business in 1957.
During that time Sullivan Supt. of Schools Richard Voltz was a weekly columnist in the News Progress and had written several articles promoting the consolidation of Bethany and Sullivan schools. Read More

Harvest To Home Comes to Illinois Amish Heritage Center

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Corn harvest with teams of horses is among the farming techniques demonstrated at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center.

•October 3, 2018•

A new special event, Harvest to Home, will be held at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center three miles east of Arthur on Friday and Saturday, October 19-20. The event will start at 9 a.m. each day and continue until 8 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday.
The fall harvest was the culmination of the farm year. Corn had to be picked, processed, and stored. It was often stacked into corn shocks in the field or picked by hand and thrown into a nearby wagon.
All of the steps of harvesting and processing corn will be demonstrated at the inaugural Harvest to Home event at the new Illinois Amish Heritage Center. Activities during the two-day event will include corn cutting and shocking, corn harvesting with corn pickers, shelling corn with small and large shellers, harvesting and shredding of corn stalks, and grinding corn into corn meal using an early grist mill. Read More

See You at the Pole

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Photo furnished See You at the Pole Over 80 community members gathered Wednesday morning, September 26 at the flagpole in front of Sullivan Middle School for the annual “See You at the Pole” event. At this national event students gather to pray for all of the schools in the nation. The Sullivan gathering was sponsored by the high school and middle school chapters of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes).

High School Art Students Create New Mural For Senior Center

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Art Club member Anna Mathias on ladder and SHS Art Instructor Melissa Nichols work on Senior Center mural.

•September 26, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

A beautiful new mural is taking shape on the east side of the Senior Center across from the post office. It was designed by the students of Melissa Nichols’ high school Art Club. Eight of the 25 members have volunteered their time this summer to paint the mural in exchange for class credits.
Nichols said “ I created the Art Club this year to undertake special projects for my art classes. The opportunity to create public art was especially appealing to the 25 students in the club.”
The students incorporated several themes which they felt best represented the Sullivan community. Because it is the Senior Center there is a silhouette of a senior couple sitting on a bench on the south side of the building. Around the corner on the east is a depiction of someone fishing in Wyman Lake as a nod to our parks and also fields to represent the agriculture so important to the community. Next is a stage with masks to illustrate the Little Theatre on the Square. Read More

Senior Leader is Sullivan High School’s Next Who’s Who Alumni

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
SHS Who’s Who Award winner Kathi Garvey

•September 26, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Homecoming will be very special for Kathi Garvey this year. Not only will she receive the Alumni Who’s Who Award but it is the 25th anniversary of her class (1993) graduation so a lot of her classmates will be on hand to share the celebration with her.
“My aunt nominated me, but I never imagined I would receive this honor,” Garvey said. “Seems like it should go to an older person.”
The award is given to the high school graduate who has remained in the community and made a significant contribution to Sullivan.
Garvey is presently the executive director of the Mid-Illinois Senior Services, a position she has had for the past three years. After graduation, she briefly attended Lake Land College but had to leave to care for her mother. Fourteen years ago, she began working at the Thrifty Boutique, which is owned by Senior Services, and worked her way up the ladder to executive director. Read More

Scot England is Master of Ceremonies of SHS Alumni Reunion

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•September 26, 2018•

Scot England, an accomplished book author, TV Anchor, radio and TV reporter and a friend to many country music stars, will be returning to Sullivan this October 6 to act as Master of Ceremonies at the Sullivan Alumni Banquet/Reunion.
The occasion is the annual gathering of alumni of Sullivan High School and Scot will be at the podium to bring his experiences, wit and personality to the event.
England graduated from Sullivan High School in 1983 and went on to do in person interviews with more than 300 celebrities ranging from the entire cast of the Brady Bunch to Weird Al Yankovic and was one of the first ever to interview Garth Brooks.
He was also one of the last to interview movie legend Tony Curtis. Read More

SHS Homecoming Candidates

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SHS Homecoming Candidates
Sullivan Homecoming Senior King and Queen Candidates front row from left: Ally Elzy, Alaya Bolin, Josie Orris, and Irie Dulin. Back row: Gabe McGregor, Brodie Goss, Caden Ellis, and Tim Lawyer. Homecoming Spirit week activites begin with American Monday on Oct. 1-dress patriotically; Tuesday is Generations: Day dress as class generation-freshmen: Babies ; sophomores: Tweens; juniors: Middle aged family and seniors: Elderly. Wednesday, Oct 3 is Tacky Tourist day, dressing as stereotypical tourists; Thursday is Redskin Rowdy Wear featuring red and black,; morning is day of service throughout Sullivan, afternoon pep assembly. Friday, October 5 is no school with float building wrap up from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Parade line up is 3:00 p.m. and it begins at 4:00 p.m. Football game is at 7:00 p.m. Saturday marks the completion of Homecoming week activities with the 7:00 p.m. Homecoming Coronation and dance from 7:00 - 10:00. p.m.

Local Candidates Express Views at SCED Hosted Forum

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•September 26, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Local candidates were featured at the Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development hosted forum held in the First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall Sept. 20.
Amanda Standerfer of Sullivan was the forum monitor with each candidate asked previously submitted questions and given two minutes to answer.
Although the attending crowd was small, the News Progress Live FaceBook feed attracted more than thousand viewers.
Two Republican and two Democrat candidates vying for four county board four year seats attended the forum. They included incumbent Republicans Arlene Aschermann and David McCabe, incumbent Democrat Gary Smith and past Democrat county board chairman Steve Mayberry.
Neil Bryan was appointed to serve the remainder of Ron White’s county board seat and is running unopposed for a two year term.
Each county board candidate expressed a commitment to expanding tourism in an effort to grow the county economy as well as supporting development of a long range comprehensive plan for the future. Read More

Lynn Lowder is an SHS Alumni Lifetime Achiever

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•September 26, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

When Lynn Lowder was a young man, he asked his mother what he should do with his life. She advised, “Son, just help people.”
Retired Marine Corps Major Lynn Lowder has been doing just that, especially for veterans, his entire life.
On Oct. 6 he will receive the SHS Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award.
A 1964 graduate of Sullivan High School, he always knew he wanted to be a Marine so he dropped out of college his junior year at Northern Illinois University after an injury ended his football aspirations.
Lowder joined the Marines, and his drill instructor encouraged him to apply to Officer Training School to which he was selected.
In Vietnam he was assigned to the First Force Reconnaissance Company which penetrated deep into enemy territory. An operation that prompted his award of the Silver Star for valor.
After Vietnam, he returned to finish his undergraduate degree at Northern, obtain a law degree from DePaul and serve as a JAG officer for some 16 years. Read More