Community News
Bike MS: Gateway Getaway scheduled for September 9, 10
Each year we hold the Bike MS: Gateway Getaway in Godfrey to raise critical funds and create awareness around our movement. This year, on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10, over 1,100 riders plus more than a hundred volunteers and staff will converge on Lewis and Clark Community College’s Godfrey with a goal to raise $1.3 million to change the world for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis.
Riders will take off over a 2-hour window beginning at 7:30 a.m. Saturday and 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.
All participating cyclists, who must be at least 12 years of age and raise a minimum of $300 will have access to bike mechanics, support vehicles, rest stops, a finish line celebration and much more. You may see our riders who will tackle their choice of 25-, 50-, 75- and 100-mile routes both days, traveling along the limestone bluffs on the Great River Road and winding through Lewis and Clark district communities, including Godfrey, Alton, Fosterburg, Bethalto, Elsah, Otterville, Jerseyville, Brighton, Dorsey, Worden, Holiday Shores, Moro, Woodburn, Bunker Hill, Shipman, Staunton, Benld, Wilsonville and more.
Community members should drive cautiously through 6 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday when the routes close.
MS is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. Currently there is no cure. Symptoms vary from person to person and may include disabling fatigue, mobility challenges, cognitive changes and vision issues. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to minimize disability. Significant progress is being made to achieve a world free of MS.
The National MS Society, founded in 1946, is the global leader of a growing movement dedicated to creating a world free of MS. The Society provides global leadership and funds research for a cure, drives change through advocacy and provides programs and services to help people affected by MS live their best lives.
Our vision is a world free of MS. Our mission is to cure MS while empowering people affected by MS to live their best lives. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is a collective of passionate individuals who want to do something about multiple sclerosis (MS) now – to move together toward a world free of MS. Our local chapter serves nearly 9,000 individuals in this area who battle this often-devastating disease.
You can learn more about this event at www.bikems.org.
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Meet Professors and Current Students, Learn about Opportunities, Tour Campus, and Get Instant Admissions Decisions at the Events
CARLINVILLE, ILL. — Interested students and families will have two opportunities to learn more about Blackburn College this fall. The Admissions and Financial Aid teams will host Open House events on Monday, October 14, and Monday, November 11, beginning at 8:30 am. These events allow future first-time and transfer students to gather important information about the college application process.
Throughout their time on campus, prospective students and their families will explore and tour the beautiful 80-acre campus, make personal connections with current students and professors, and get to know what life is like as a Blackburn student. They will also see first-hand Blackburn’s unique approach to education—where students earn their degrees while building impactful skills and gaining real-world work experience–giving graduates a four-year head start to launch their future careers.
For Justin Norwood, Vice President for Inclusive Enrollment and a Blackburn graduate, these opportunities are valuable for prospective students and families because nothing is more important than finding a school that will be the best fit. “Finding the right college is more than just academics; it’s discovering a place where students feel supported and inspired to thrive,” Norwood said. “At Blackburn, our open house events provide an opportunity to experience what makes our community unique – the close mentoring relationships with peers and professors, the ability to build critical skills and gain real-world work experience, and a personalized financial aid approach that goes beyond affordability and is designed to meet the specific needs of every student.”
Blackburn’s Admissions and Financial Aid team will be available throughout the event to answer all your questions, including about opportunities like the Macoupin Promise – where qualified graduates of Macoupin County high schools can attend Blackburn tuition-free. For more information and to register for an event, go to blackburn.edu/visit or email admissions@blackburn.edu.
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Seven libraries in Macoupin County will welcome new visitors throughout October with a program sponsored by the region’s library system.
The 6th Annual Library Crawl invites patrons to explore new libraries throughout the Illinois Heartland Library System, which composes the southern half of the state. The Crawl also demonstrates the benefits of a library card, which allows users to check out materials from the libraries they visit.
Some 173 libraries across central and southern Illinois are taking part in the Crawl, including Gillespie, Staunton, Mount Olive, Carlinville, Brighton, Virden, and Benld. The event runs from October 1 through October 31.
The first Library Crawl was introduced in 2019 by the Bethalto Public Library, which continues to coordinate the event. The idea was designed to encourage library users to explore the resources of other libraries that are available to request and check out with a valid library card.
Twenty-eight libraries participated in that first year, a number that has now increased over six-fold.
Patrons may pick up a passport for the Crawl at any participating library, and try to visit at least five libraries during the event. A few enthusiastic individuals have actually visited every library on the Crawl in past years.
At each new library, visitors may stop at the main circulation desk to have their passports stamped. To complete the Crawl, patrons may simply return their passports to their home library.
Some libraries also offer special treats for visitors on the Crawl. After any visit to a participating library, patrons are invited to take pictures to post on social media, under the hashtag #IHLSLibraryCrawl2024.
Many libraries are closed in observance of Columbus Day on October 14, so anyone planning a visit should call ahead, to check on hours of operation.
For more information on the Crawl, visit www.illinoisheartland.org or call any of the participating libraries.
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Proceeds benefit St. Francis Cancer Center
LITCHFIELD, Ill. — The HSHS St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary will sponsor their sixth and final drive-thru dinner for 2024 on Monday, Oct. 14 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to support the hospital’s Cancer Center expansion project.
Dinners must be ordered by noon on Monday, Oct. 7. Online ordering will not be available for this final meal, but dinner may still be ordered in the hospital gift shop or by contacting Paula Endress at 217-324-8200.
The Oct. 14 drive-thru dinner pick up will take place in front of the main hospital entrance.
The meal will feature a grilled pork chop, loaded mashed potatoes, green beans, roll and a dessert. Cost per meal is $14.
For more information about HSHS St. Francis Hospital, visit stfrancis-litchfield.org.
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Bunker Hill hosting Fall Festival this Saturday, Sept. 14
Gillespie Council votes to buy building for police department
Gillespie Council establishes penalty of late lake lot lease payments, green lights programs to display banners honoring local veterans
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Community News3 weeks agoBunker Hill hosting Fall Festival this Saturday, Sept. 14
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Community News3 weeks agoGillespie Council votes to buy building for police department
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Community News3 weeks agoGillespie Council establishes penalty of late lake lot lease payments, green lights programs to display banners honoring local veterans
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Obituaries3 weeks agoDeath of Beverly J. Katich