A huge craft fair, flea market and coffee and cars will be held on Saturday, October 14 at Gillespie United Methodist Church starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m.

It’s not too early to think Christmas. Don’t miss the opportunity to buy those unique gifts and decorations to make your holidays special. The event will be held in the Fellowship Hall at 900 West Broadway, Gillespie, IL, rain or shine.

One-of-a-kind purses by local artist, beautiful woodwork, Primitive decor, fresh Georgia pecans for baking and gifting, local honey, Tastefully Simple, Norwex, and more will be available.

Sandwiches and desserts will also be for sale inside while cool rides will be on display at “Coffee and Cars!” in the parking lot of the church. Owners of the cars will receive a coupon for free coffee and donut upon arrival.

A gun battle took place on October 12, 1898, in Virden, Illinois, and this year is the 125th anniversary of that event; October 8, in Union Miners Cemetery, located at 5585 Mt Olive Rd, Mt Olive, a commemoration of the battle will be held at noon.

John Alexander will be the keynote speaker. Additional speakers include IL AFL-CIO President Tim Drea, Mother Jones, and General Alexander Bradley. Bradley was present at the gun battle and wrote in a telegram asking the Mt. Olive miners not to send more men but to send doctors instead. 

The Macoupin County Illinois Board, on September 11, unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the importance of an October 12, 1898, gun battle in Virden to the county’s history. Eight miners lost their lives that day when gunfire broke out between locked-out UMWA members and company guards as a trainload of replacement workers arrived.  

This incident is why Union Miners’ Cemetery on the outskirts of Mt. Olive was created. Three of the miners killed that day are buried there. It remains the only union-owned cemetery in the USA and is where the legendary Irish firebrand Mother Jones is buried. In 1923, Jones requested to be buried there with “…those brave boys” who died in the gun battle. 

Jones is an international figure and the only labor figure of note who has a festival in her name in the country of her birth, Cork, Ireland, and at her final resting place. 

With the resolution, the board recognized Virden historian John Alexander for his diligent research into this incident and for making it widely available. 

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Bunker Hill will play host to the Life Chain on Sunday, October 1 at 2 pm for the 30th consecutive year. On occasion, over 60 local citizens have participated.  We encourage any ProLife-Minded person to attend. 

It involves 1 hour of sitting or standing along Washington Street with a Prolife sign.  Silence is required during that time.  You need to bring a lawn chair if you want to sit.  Children are welcome and encouraged to participate.

The prolife signs from which you can select say:  “Abortion hurts Women”, “ Abortion Kills,” “ Lord Forgive Our Nation “, “Jesus Saves and Forgives”, and others.  Please come by 1:45 to have time to select your sign.  Prayer is said before the event and after. 

Any questions or concerns call 618-973-2666.