Community News
Gordon D. Jumper speaks to Area Rotary
Gordon D. Jumper of Jacksonville, Governor of Rotary International District 6460, urged members of the Benld Area Rotary Club to recruit new members and take on new projects during his official visit to the club on Tuesday afternoon.
“Everything begins with membership,” Jumper told the club. “New members is what makes clubs grow.” Rotary members often wish their clubs would be involved in even more local projects, he said, but they know more projects will mean more work and effort on the part of Rotary members. “The easiest way to solve that problem is to add more members,” he said. “Many hands make any job easier.”
According to Jumper, surveys show that current Rotarians are reluctant to ask their friends to join simply because they feel it is an imposition on their associates. “Why don’t you want to bring people into a club that you enjoy and to be involved in projects that enjoy?” he asked. Computer tycoon Bill Gates gave $355 million to Rotary International to combat polio, he said. Yet, when someone asked Gates why he himself was not a member, Gates replied: “No one ever asked me.” “All you have to do is ask,” he said.
Jumper also noted that retention of existing members is important to the vitality of the organization. One of the best ways to keep members, he said, is to make sure they are involved in Rotary projects and activities. When former members were asked why they left Rotary, the response was, “I never had anything to do except go to the meetings,” according to Jumper. “The best way to keep members in the club is to give them something to do,” he said.
A new Rotary initiative called New Generations consolidates a number of youth programs under one umbrella, and Jumper said Rotary International believes the new concept will help in attracting new members. “It gets young people involved in Rotary and gets them involved in community projects,” he noted. “Many of those young people are anxious to become new members.” Several local school administrators are members of the Benld Club, and Jumper said he was pleased to see the club so closely associated with the local school district. Starting this year, the club is awarding an annual scholarship to a graduating Gillespie High School Senior. The affiliation with local schools dovetails, he said, with Rotary’s emphasis on literacy and early childhood development. Rotary’s literacy program provides pictorial dictionaries to elementary school students, and encourages reading among students at all levels.
The program is funded at the district level with proceeds from a Cardinals-Cubs baseball game each summer in St. Louis. “We literally fill the ball park,” Jumper said.”And the money we raise comes back to the local clubs for literacy programs.” Jumper noted that Rotary International is near to its goal of eradicating polio worldwide. Polio has been virtually nonexistent in the United States for many years, Jumper noted, but it has remained a problem in other parts of the world. The danger, he said, is that someone unknowingly infected with polio may travel from a Third World country, putting other travelers at risk of infection.
Since Rotary began its campaign against polio, the number of new cases has dropped from 350,000 per year to fewer than 1,200 last year. For the first six months of 2011, only 200 new cases have been reported. “We are going to end polio,” Jumper said. “We made a promise to the children of the world and we are keeping that promise. You did that. You brought the world to the brink of polio eradication.”
Jumper also urged local members to be involved in the Rotary Foundation, the arm of Rotary involved in providing immunization, sanitation and clean water projects in Third World countries. During one Foundation project, he said, volunteers innoculated 47 million children in India in a single day. The Foundation also administers the Rotary Youth Exchange program and Group Study Exchange. The Group Study Exchange encourages trips by business professionals to other countries to learn about the culture, business practices and other aspects of life in the rest of the world. The cost of Foundation involvement, he said, is only $100 per year. “That’s less than the cost of a couple cups of coffee each week,” he said. “Plus, one half of what you give to the Foundation comes back to the district.”
Jumper encouraged local members to attend an upcoming District Conference in Jacksonville. He also noted that Rotary International is going to put a greater emphasis on informing the public about Rotary’s contributions to local communities and to the world. “We need to do more show and tell,” he said.”We need to tell our communities what Rotary does for them.”
Comments
FELONIES
Jamie L. Whitford, 49 of Alton, is charged with violation of an order of protection in connection with an August 17 incident.
Sarah J. Crays, 39 of Virden, is charged with aggravated fleeing/damage to property (>$300), aggravated fleeing police/21 mph over the limit, and driving on a suspended license in connection with an August 18 incident.
Eric J. Trump, 33 of Carlinville, is charged with aggravated battery/great bodily harm in connection with an August 17 incident.
Henry D. Wilson, 37 of Mt. Olive, is charged with possession of methamphetamine (<5 grams) in connection with an August 19 incident.
Nicholas A. Williams, 31 of Staunton, is charged with possession of methamphetamine (<5 grams) in connection with a May 19 incident.
Holly A. Messerly, 38 of Bunker Hill, is charged with possession of methamphetamine (<5 grams)in connection with a May 5 incident.
Garret A. Brown, 22 of Springfield, is charged with aggravated battery/peace officer, criminal damage to government property (<$500), possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence of alcohol, and canceled/revoked/suspended registration in connection with an August 19 incident.
Andrew K. Ridens, 36 of Staunton, is charged with possession of methamphetamine (<5 grams), driving on a revoked license, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with a July 21 incident.
MISDEMEANORS
Tarina S. Slaughter, 46 of Girard, is charged with resisting a peace officer/firefighter/corrections employee in connection with an August 17 incident.
Joseph W. Reiniesch, 40 of Gillespie, is charged with aggravated assault/public property in connection with an August 16 incident.
TRAFFIC
Dallis E. Houseman, 56 of Modesto, is charged with drivers license expired more than a year and failure to obey police officer in connection with an August 18 incident.
Jameson E. Anderson, 35 of Shipman, is charged with improper use of registration/title, unlicensed, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with an August 11 incident.
Jordan A. Abner, 18 of Godfrey, is charged with speeding 26-34 mph over the limit in connection with an August 13 incident.
Amanda R. Bianco, 44 of Staunton, is charged with speeding 26-34 mph over the limit in connection with an August 7 incident.
Hunter J. Kapp, 18 of Highland, is charged with speeding 35+ mph over the limit in connection with an August 15 incident.
Adam L. Bray, 43 of Carlinville, is charged with driving on a revoked license, canceled/revoked/suspended registration, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with an August 16 incident.
Kaelan N. Ramos, 34 of Shiloh, is charged with speeding 35+ mph over the limit and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with an August 15 incident.
DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE FILED
- Justin Robert Bickel versus Melissa Ann Bickel
- Jennifer Miller versus Matthew Miller
- Ryan T. Bloomfield versus Cheyenne M. Bloomfield
- Angela K. Greenwalt versus Jay A. Greenwalt
- Val Leffers versus Karen Leffers
MARRIAGE LICENSES
- Jeremy Wayne Pride and Brandi Marie Hatzel, both of Shipman
- Jacob Patrick Millard and Jenna Frances Wernsing, both of Carlinville
- Dustin Eugene Bauman and Miriam Susan Jenkins, both of Virden
- Jeremy Dale Canoy and Samantha Elaine Goyke, both of Girard
- Bryan Edward Woodward and Jake Marie Cain, both of Shipman
- Glen Alexander Mcelyea and Candice Dawn Herin, both of Shipman
Comments
FELONIES
Jacob R. Morgan, 38 of Staunton, is charged with burglary and theft/control/intent ($500<10k) in connection with a July 28 incident.
TRAFFIC
Justin C. Grider, 41 of Carlinville, is charged with driving on a suspended license in connection with an August 14 incident.
Chynasyl B. Chynybaev, 38 of Kent, WA, is charged with CDL not obtained and no fee paid/over registration weight in connection with an August 20 incident.
Clinton D. Coleman, 34 of Springfield, is charged with driving on a suspended license and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with an August 22 incident.
Gary L. Cunningham, 61 of Staunton, is charged with driving on a suspended license in connection with an August 23 incident.
Christopher J. Moreland, 38 of Staunton, is charged with DL expired more than a year, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and driving/operating a non-highway vehicle.
Matthew W. Stoops, 32 of Bunker Hill, is charged with DL expired more than a year and no valid registration in connection with an August 19 incident.
Jordan T. Trimm, 33 of Benld, is charged with improper use of registration/title, unlicensed, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
Cole Y. Waugh, 41 of Gillespie, is charged with driving on a suspended license in connection with an August 16 incident.
Jessie J. Waugh, 44 of Gillespie, is charged with driving on a suspended license in connection with an August 15 incident.
Austin D. Guiliacci, 25 of Staunton, is charged with canceled/revoked/suspended registration in connection with an August 20 incident.
Matthew D. Knick, 20 of Mount Olive, is charged with driving on a suspended license and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with an August 25 incident.
Kirstain S. Harris, 29 of Memphis, TN, is charged with driving on a suspended license and speeding 26-34 mph over the limit in connection with an August 24 incident.
Devin Berry, 36 of Blue Island, is charged with driving on a suspended license and driving 15-20 mph above the limit in connection with an August 24 incident.
Rudolph H. Jackson, 60 of Gillespie, is charged with driving on a revoked license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and no valid registration in connection with an August 24 incident.
Sean M. Rogerson, 50 of Palmyra, is charged with driving on a revoked license in connection with an August 27 incident.
DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE FILED
- Peggy Wells versus Jason E. Wells
- Cheri Woodson versus Alan Woodson
Comments
Community News
Football, parade, and GHS Athletic Hall of Fame induction highlight Gillespie homecoming
A football game pitting the Gillespie Miners against the Staunton Bulldogs, a parade and the second annual induction ceremony for newly named members of the Gillespie High School Athletic Hall of Fame will highlight Homecoming next month.
The theme of this year’s celebration is The Roaring Twenties.
The parade will kick off on South Macoupin Street at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 25. The parade will march to the high school where a pep rally is scheduled for 7 p.m., followed by the coronation of the Homecoming King and Queen at 7:15 p.m. There will be a Powder Puff Game/Cheer Section competition at 7:30 p.m., also on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
There will be a meet and greet with newly named members of the Athletic Hall of Fame at 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 27, followed by the Homecoming football game at 7 p.m. Hall of Fame inductees include Mike Viano, Jack Genet, Dennis Best, Barbella Magus, Sam Stewart, William & Florence Schmidt and Family, and Deb Olson and the ’93, ’94 and ’95 GHS softball teams. New members will be inducted during a 2 p.m. reception on Sunday, Sept. 29, in the high school gym.
The annual Homecoming dance is set for 7-9 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28 at the high school gym.
For GHS students, Homecoming activities will start well in advance of the Homecoming weekend festivities. Students from all four high school classes will work on building parade floats from 6-9 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 19, Monday, Sept. 23, and Tuesday, Sept. 24. Students will decorate hallways for Homecoming from 3-5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 20, and 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturday, Sept 21.
Monday, Sept. 23 will kick off a week of “dress-up” days for students. For Monday, the theme is Boas and Bowties. Tuesday, Sept. 24 will feature Glitz and Glitter. Wednesday, Sept. 25 is Rhyme Without Reason Day, and Thursday, Sept. 26, will feature Gangsters vs. Flappers. The dress-up theme for Friday, Sept. 27 will be School Spirit.
In addition to Wednesday’s pep rally following the parade, there will be a game-day pep rally at 1:15 p.m., Friday, Sept. 27.
