Community News
Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders seeking volunteers
Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders (LLABB) is looking for new volunteers to assist with our bird banding operations. A volunteer orientation session will be offered on Wednesday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Trutter Center on the Lincoln Land Community College Campus in Springfield.
LLABB is a group of dedicated and licensed banders and trained volunteers who love birds and want to further the science of our native birds.
While the actual banding of birds for scientific data requires a USGS Federal permit, we have a variety of other positions that will broaden your knowledge of the avian species.
Our informational session will provide instruction on training for assistance at the banding station or our outreach events. Certified bird extraction from mist nets first requires hours of observation while learning the proper technique for extractions. Hands-on practice then begins with easy to extract birds working up to more difficult species. Hands-on observation instructs how to identify species, sex, age and obtain critical data such as measurements and weight and gives an up-close view of the bird. A licensed bander will apply a lightweight uniquely numbered aluminum band to the leg while a scribe records all the important data.
If a bird in your hand is not appealing, we have several other indirect opportunities to assist all the while learning details and viewing the bird. Scribing the data, unfurling or furling mist nets or helping with our educational children’s program, Be a Bander, where young participants learn how to identify species using plush birds would be some of these opportunities.
We have needs for all skill levels so all are welcome and no experience is needed. LLABB operates a banding station during the spring and fall migration season on the Lincoln Land Community College campus as well as weekly migratory banding at the Jubilee Farm location just west of Springfield.
Several offsite banding programs occur during the year at Jubilee Farm, Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary in Loami and the H & B Bremer Wildlife Sanctuary in Hillsboro, and many others. Hummingbird bandings and events are plentiful during the summer months and you can keep informed by following our Facebook page at Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders.
We are a 501c3 organization that provides educational outreach in the form of lectures and banding demonstrations throughout central Illinois. LLABB is based in Springfield with a mailing address of P. O. Box 13442, Springfield, IL 62791.
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2:18 Missions, a nonprofit focused on home repair projects in the Gillespie area and humanitarian efforts at Henderson Settlement in Frakes, Kentucky, has launched a spring food drive to support families served by the Henderson Settlement Food Pantry. The pantry assists low-income families across five counties in the Appalachian region, where a steady supply of nourishing food is essential.
The organization emphasizes that no donation is too small or too large. Right now, all contributions received from now through the first week of April will directly fund food for families in need. It costs roughly $35 to provide food for a family of four for an entire month, a goal that this drive aims to meet for as many families as possible.
Donations can be made in several convenient ways. Checks or cash may be given to any 2:18 Missions team member. For those who prefer digital options, donations are accepted via Venmo or PayPal at 2:18 Missions Nfp. Community members are also encouraged to follow and engage with updates on the 2:18 Missions Facebook page.
2:18 Missions stresses that every contribution, regardless of size, makes a tangible difference in the lives of families working to make ends meet in the mountains of Kentucky and the residents of Gillespie who support their neighbors in need. The organization invites the public to join in this effort and to help spread the word through social media and word of mouth.
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The Gillespie Public Library invites the community to its 13th annual Night of Trivia and Games, a popular evening of competition, camaraderie, and cash prizes. The event is set for Saturday, March 28, 2025, with doors opening at 6:15 p.m. and play beginning at 7 p.m. at the Gillespie Civic Center.
Attendees can expect a safe, social night out as organizers have arranged tables to accommodate social distancing, ensuring guests can enjoy the fun in a comfortable setting. The evening features prizes for first, second, and third place, along with a 50-50 drawing and other assorted cash games and prizes.
In keeping with the event’s lighthearted spirit, there will be no silent auction. Organizers emphasize that the goal is “Only laughs and fun,” with a chance to win money while enjoying a friendly competition format.
Entry is a $100 team fee, with a maximum of 10 players per team. Participants are encouraged to pre-register by March 25 to guarantee a table. Registration options include mailing a form to Gillespie Public Library, 201 W Chestnut, Gillespie, IL 62033; calling the library at 217-839-3614; or contacting Steve Joyce at 217-839-2839.
For those interested in joining or learning more, team captains should designate a contact person and provide a reachable phone number during registration.
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The estate of the late Lindell and Jean Loveless, longtime Macoupin County pork producers, has made generous equal gifts to The Partnership for Educational Excellence in Gillespie CUSD #7 and to the Carlinville CUSD #1 Education Foundation. The gifts come from the remainder of a family trust established to ensure high-quality end-of-life care and were divided upon Jean Loveless’s passing, with equal shares allocated to the education foundations in each district.
Tim Loveless, local businessman and son of Lindell and Jean, emphasized the family’s enduring commitment to education and practical life skills. “It was my parents’ desire to use these remaining funds to support and enhance career and technical education programs in our schools,” Loveless said. He recalled his family’s deep roots in hard work and the value of life skills, noting that “the spirit of this gift is to prepare students for life in general, and to prepare them to earn a living by learning a trade.”
“The bottom half of the class,” Tim continued, “needs financial education and practical skills. A person can learn and earn their way to success.” He described his parents’, grandparents’, and great-grandparents’ diverse ventures—from farming and cattle to turkey production, nursing homes, meat processing, swine production, and subdivisions—and underscored that high formal education is not the sole path to success, but motivation and skill are crucial. He expressed hope that the gift will help school districts boost opportunities for students who may doubt their ability to succeed.
John Fassero, Jr., president of The Partnership for Educational Excellence in CUSD7, welcomed the gift as a strong alignment with the Partnership’s mission. “This Loveless family gift is a perfect fit for the established goals and policies of The Partnership,” Fassero said.
Since its founding in 1992, The Partnership has awarded nearly 600 scholarships based on goals and hard work rather than GPA or class rank. Fassero noted that the organization has several scholarships targeted to the trades, and that nearly 20 scholars have pursued trade school education in the past four years alone. “In addition, two-thirds of The Partnership’s giving is directed to curriculum enhancement across all three schools and in all specialties, including shop and FFA,” Fassero added.
