MCHGS Receives Holocaust Pillar Award

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photo by Crystal Reed
Pam Wood, History Center Museum Director, holds the plaque that the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society received recently for hosting “The Auschwitz Experience in the Art of Prisoners” in May.

•December 20, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Moultrie County Historical Society recently received the Holocaust Pillar Award from the Holocaust Education Center and the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation. The award was presented to Pam Wood, History Center Museum Director, on behalf of the society. The award was in recognition of the special exhibit “The Auschwitz Experience in the Art of Prisoners” which was hosted by the History Center in May. Read More

Christmas in Latin America

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photo by Crystal Reed
Christmas in Latin America
Sullivan High School Spanish Club celebrated Christmas in Latin America on Friday, December 1 in the high school commons. Students were assigned a country in Latin America and brought a dish representing a recipe from that country they also decorated Christmas trees themed to their assigned country. There was also a Secret Santa exchange where students using hints they had received throughout the week guessed who was their gift giver was while speaking in Spanish.

Houser Agency Makes Donation to Sullivan Legion

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photo by Crystal Reed
Houser Agency Makes Donation to Sullivan Legion
Country Financial representatives Elizabeth and Kyler Houser have made a donation of $3,000 to the Sullivan American Legion as part of the Country Financial Operation Helping Heroes. The donation was made on Wednesday, November 29 at the Legion. They have given to the police department and fire department as well as teachers and healthcare workers in past years. The Legion will be using the funds for new flooring in the members area. Front row: Mike Black and Mike Keown. Back row: Mike Daily, Elizabeth Houser, Rick Read, Kyler Houser and Bob Sims.

SHS Spanish Club Service Day 2023

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photo by Crystal Reed
SHS Spanish Club Service Day
At left, the Sullivan High School Spanish Club had a service day on Friday, December 8. Students visited various places including a funeral home, the post office, the fire department, Sullivan Elementary and Courtyard Estates. At Courtyard Estates students played a variety of games with residents including a cheering competition, dancing competition and guessing the names of various songs. Students awarded prizes to residents. The Spanish Club also baked cookies and delivered them.

FCCLA Holds Breakfast with Santa 2023

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photo by Crystal Reed
FCCLA Holds Breakfast with Santa
Hallie Bertetto was one of many children that came to the Sullivan High School commons on Saturday, December 9 for the Sullivan High School FCCLA Breakfast with Santa.

photo by Crystal Reed
Photos with Santa
Carson Swaim, Little Miss Sullivan Brystol Wiltermood and Junior Miss Sullivan Miah Voegel visited with Santa during the Sullivan FCCLA Breakfast with Santa.

photo by Crystal Reed
Working on Crafts
Delilah and Charlotte Cannon work on crafts during Breakfast with Santa. Besides breakfast, attendees could made a variety of crafts, decorate cookies, visit with Santa and more.

Lovington Grade Students Decorate Courthouse

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photo by Crystal Reed
Lovington Grade Students Decorate Courthouse
Lovington Grade students visited the Moultrie County Courthouse on Wednesday, December 6 and decorated the Christmas tree in the rotunda. Students also were able to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

City Council Ordinance Amendment Allows Raising Chickens in City Limits

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•December 13, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Sullivan City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, December 11 at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library. All commissioners were in attendance with Commissioner Chuck Woodworth attending by phone. The meeting began with two public hearings. One was for a proposed federally funded Community Development Block Grant project for storm sewer system improvements and the other was for the tax levy. 

The public hearing on the CDBG grant was in regards to the city applying for a $650,000 community development block grant to help fund storm sewer improvements. The grant is funded by the federal government and administered by the state. The amount of CDBG funds proposed to be used for activities that will benefit low to moderate income persons is $371,540. This was approved later in the meeting under new business.  Read More

Marny’s Miniatures on Display at MC Historical Center

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photo by Crystal Reed
Marny Ennis Elliott and her son Charles hold a few of her framed needlepoint designs. She has a display of her dollhouse room boxes, handmade miniature furnishings and needlepoint on display until March 31, 2024 at the Moultrie County Historical Center.

•December 13, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Marny Ennis Elliott of Champaign, formerly of Lovington, has a special exhibit of dollhouse room boxes and their handmade miniature furnishings on display at the Moultrie County Historical Center until March 31, 2024. The exhibit is called “Marny’s Miniatures.” Elliott recalls receiving a metal dollhouse at age six from Santa in 1949. The walls and floors were printed with rugs and pictures and plastic furniture. She donated it to the less fortunate. Read More

Dolly Parton Imagination Library Launches in Moultrie County

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photo by Crystal Reed
Sullivan mayor Mike Mossman reads “The Gruffalo” to children as part of the launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Moultrie County at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library on Wednesday, December 6.

•December 13, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois in partnership with Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library had a kickoff event for the debut of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Moultrie County. Each child who attended the kickoff event of the debut of the program and signed up from the program received “The Little Engine That Could,” to start their collection.

Sullivan mayor Mike Mossman was in attendance at the event and read the story “The Gruffalo” to children and their parents. Following the story, children and their parents could do a craft related to the book and enjoy refreshments. Besides Moultrie County the following counties have access to the program currently: McLean, DeWitt, Macon, Piatt, Champaign, Vermillion, Edgar, Logan, Menard and Sangamon. Shelby County will launch this week on Wednesday. The goal with the state partnership is to have all the counties covered. Read More

Santa’s Little Helper Workshop 2023

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photo by Crystal Reed
Santa’s Little Helper Workshop
Calvin Lawler works on a craft during the Santa’s Little Helper Workshop activities held at the Masonic Temple in Sullivan. Activities included Christmas crafts, cookie decorating, writing letters to Santa and refreshments. The event was free and offered by Dove, Inc.

photo by Crystal Reed
Christmas Fun
Alexis Rosine and Han Warren enjoy the activities in Santa’s Little Helper Workshop.

photo by Crystal Reed
Santa Letter Writing
Employees at Moultrie County Counseling volunteered at Santa’s Little Helper Workshop offering children the opportunity to write letters to Santa and coloring pages. Pictured are Mary Stutzman, Alexa Matthies and Alejandra Huerta.

photo by Crystal Reed
Helping Out at Santa Workshop
Molly Tenuto with Dove and her daughter Maddy helped out in Santa’s Little Helper Workshop prior to the Sullivan Christmas parade the evening of Friday, December 1.

photo by Crystal Reed
Visiting with Santa
Sawyer and Patsy Woodworth visit with Santa during the Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development’s Christmas activities on Friday, December 1.