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Where is Chris Haddad at now?

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Chris Haddad

Chris Haddad is an interesting fellow with a very bright future full of loads of potential. The BenGil Post was able to catch up with Chris at the airport before he departed to the Caribbean, wow.. we can now claim we have interviewed one of the most successful entrepreneurs to come from the BenGil area.

After Chris graduated a semester early from Gillespie High School in 1994, he started life as a soldier. He did miss out on his final Prom and “a few other things” by graduating early, but he joined the Army National Guard after being influenced by Mr. Jack Burns, history teacher at Gillespie High School. Mr. Burns was Chris’s favorite teacher throughout high school as well as his football coach during his star football days and then later became his sergeant in the Army.

After basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia, Chris went away to start his college life at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. College was a fun time, but there was more on the horizon for Chris and he was edging to figure out what it was. He later graduated in December of 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in Science. A half of a year rolled by and Chris decided to pack of life and move to Florida. In Florida, Chris first lived in Orlando temporarily until he settled down in the Tampa Bay area. With income being a high priority at the time, he decided to start supporting himself like many other college graduates.. working in beach bars. The beach bar work was great, but after 6 months passed – he knew it was time for a change.

During his stay in Tampa Bay, he met a new friend from Australia who had always influenced him to expand my travels. Before the final goodbye, Chris packed up the Florida life and drove back to Gillespie to work for relatives at Broom’s Orchard in Carlinville. Broom’s Orchard lasted 2 months and once again, he was on the move – this time to Austria! Chris jumped on a plane and was off to Sydney, Australia  to celebrate the millinieum.

In Australia, Chris had to make a living so he acquired a one year working visa and supported himself once again in the hospitality business working in pubs and restaurants. After traveling all over Australia, Chris landed a job bartending at an outdoor 18 day party venue at Sussex Lane for the Sydney Olympics in 2000. According to Chris, “This one of the best experiences in my life at the time and I definitely starting to hear my calling.” Shortly after the Sussez Lane gig, one of his Aussie working peers asked him if he would like to set stake in Australia and open up their very own bar/restaurant. Chris said they both had very similar ideas and of course they were also filled with the same passion – so the first restaurant was in the works.

Chris's first import.

After finishing his travels in Australia, it was time for a change of pace. Chris headed to Southeast Asia (Thailand & Indonesia) for a short amount of time before his visa expired and then he was then back in the United States. Chris decided to set up fort in the States for about one year. During that year, Chris worked at many different styles of restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, hotels, and lounge bars – just trying to educate himself with a variety of different styles of hospitality establishment. After being in the United States for 14 months, he received a call from his new business partner saying it was time to come back to Oz. Chris and his business partner had set up their companies and registered their business name via emails, fax and phone since Chris was no longer an Australian resident. Chris’s partner requested his presence was needed within 2 weeks back in Austria for their business.

A little shy of 3 weeks, Chris was back. In February of 2002, Chris arrived in Cairns, Australia and then drove south six hours to a little place called Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and is up close to the Great Barrier Reef in North Queensland, Australia. In May of 2002, Chris and his partner had opened a small trendy lounge bar in this area called Armada. For five “amazing years”, they built up the business and operated the day-to-day operation. After those five years, they sold the establishment and became the “richest poor guys in town.”

Chris and his friend then headed 3 hours north to a city called Townsville and opened up another restaurant/bar in 2007 called Jamaica Joe’s. By that time, Chris had acquired permanent Australian residency at this stage. But later in 2008, Chris felt the need to become a true blue Aussie and he applied and later received his citizenship. Presently, his passport wallet included an American passport accompanied by an Australian passport.

Chris at the Carribbean participating in the Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago.

Jamaica Joe’s has been extremely successful after 4 years of hard work and dedication. In the time being, Chris opened up two other new restaurants for friends, but his main focus was always concentrating on his work in Townsville. Jamaica Joe’s has allowed him to still travel, since that is his number one passion. After feeling the need to have a good time, Chris just went to the Caribbean to participate in Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago.

Well, now we are in the year 2011 and Chris made his first visit to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) Vietnam for a 4 day business trip. Chris later came back to Australia in April and started the construction of a new bar/restaurant concept called  Hog’s Head Tavern & Wine Bar which is situated in the infamous Bitexco Financial Tower in Saigon. Presently, Chris is one week from the opening day of Hog’s Head and is involved in some intense staff training. This has been his biggest business challenge yet, he told us. However, Chris spoke highly of the citizens, “The people and the country are amazing.” As of now, Chris is between Australia and Vietnam at the moment balancing his businesses, but still visiting them to make sure operation is running smoothly.

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Gillespie will always be home to Chris, but Australia has taken him “in like an adopted son. I do feel a bit more Aussie these days, but I will always have a bit of of the red, white and blue still running through the veins.” Chris expects to return to Gillespie within 2 years for a visit, he misses his family and close friends the most. His motivation to travel and see the world has led him to where he is now and he would not trade it for the world. In 5 years, Chris sees himself possibly still is Austria, but the Caribbean is in his eye for the future. His next stop: the little beach bar in the Caribbean with the dive shack and the beach volleyball net set up at the front.

We, The BenGil Post, give Chris a huge thank-you for being halfway around the world and responding to our questions in 6 hours!

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CUSD 7 News

Miners girls basketball clinch SCC championship

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In a nail-biting showdown that will be remembered for years to come, the Gillespie Miners girls basketball team captured the South Central Conference title with a hard-fought 55-52 victory over the Pana Panthers on Thursday night, February 13. This marks Gillespie’s first conference championship since their back-to-back titles in 2001-02, when they shared the honors with Southwestern both finishing with a 9-1 conference record.

The game held at Pana High School was anything but straightforward. After a tumultuous 13-minute delay due to injuries and a technical foul controversy, the Miners rallied their spirits to secure the win. Amari Vickery led the charge with a stellar performance, scoring 21 points, while Mia Brawner added 11, Maggie Heyen contributed 10, Delaney Taylor posted 5, Sadie Sholtis scored 4, and Lainey Edwards and Corrine Fellin each had 2 points.

From the opening tip, it was clear that Pana was not going to roll over easily. The Panthers held leads at the end of the first two quarters, 15-14 and 28-26, showcasing their tenacity. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Pana had edged ahead 44-42, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

However, the game took a chaotic turn in the fourth quarter when a collision between Vickery and teammate Sloane Brawner resulted in both players going down with injuries. Sloane was not able to return the game but Vickery did. The Miners also lost both Delaney Taylor and Sadie Sholtis to fouls and Gillespie was assessed a technical foul under controversial circumstances which tied the game at 49. But Heyen carried the weight through the fourth quarter recording 6 of her 10 points in the final quarter of play.

Despite the setbacks, the Miners displayed remarkable teamwork resilience under the leadership of Nikki and Matt Brawner. With the SCC championship secured and the regular season concluded with a 22-8 overall record and 9-0 conference record, the Miners now shift their focus to the upcoming regional which is being hosted in Gillespie.

Gillespie hosts Alton Marquette on Monday, Feb. 17 for the regional semi-finals after Alton Marquette knocked East-Alton Wood River, 36-29, to face the Miners. The winner advances to the regional championship that will be played on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in Gillespie versus the winner of Staunton/Roxana.

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Community News

Macoupin County residential fire claims multiple victims on Saturday

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Tragedy struck in the early hours of Saturday morning in Macoupin County as a residential structure fire broke out in the 200 block of West Dean Street, Virden, resulting in the death of a male victim, the Macoupin County Coroner Anthony Kravanya announced.

The individual was pronounced deceased at 10:06 AM but the identity of the deceased has not yet been released, as authorities await the results of an autopsy scheduled for Monday, February 17, 2025. The coroner’s office indicated that a press release will be issued following the autopsy and the positive identification of the victim.

WAND reported a second victim died after being transported to Springfield Memorial Hospital according to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon who confirmed a 13-year-old boy and a 34-year-old male were the victims.

The fire reportedly started around 9:30 a.m. and the home was fully engulfed when first responders arrived. Two people were reportedly rescued and life flight was requested but were not available due to the foggy weather conditions. 

An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway, involving multiple agencies including the Macoupin County Coroner’s Office, the Virden Police Department, the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

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Missions group to host trivia fundraiser on March 30

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Come and join us for an exciting afternoon of trivia as we support our local 2:18 Missions! Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 30 from 2 to 5 PM for an event that promises fun, camaraderie, and a chance to make a difference in our community. The event will be held at DeStefane Community Center in Benld, 201 East Central Avenue.

Teams of up to 10 people can participate for just $100 per table. Whether you want to reserve your table in advance or simply show up on the day of the event to pay at the door, we welcome all trivia enthusiasts to join in the competition!

Feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy during the game—just please remember, no alcohol is allowed. For your convenience, we will have bottles of water available for purchase.

The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce! The first-place team will take home a prize of $150. Plus, bring some dollar bills to participate in “Heads and Tails” games during breaks and to buy mulligans for your team.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to support a great cause while enjoying a lively trivia challenge. To reserve your table or for more information, contact Kristin at 217-691-7469.

Let’s make this a memorable event for our community and the 2:18 Missions!

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