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Veteran’s Caravan Approaching

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Sponsored by Build Benld

The U.S. House and Senate have by resolutions recognized March 30th as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” annually.

“In support of their dedication and sacrifices, we feel it very important to recognize and honor those who served in Vietnam and in all conflicts past and present, for their amazing service,” said Cathy Petrak of the Build Benld Action Team, “by hosting a Veterans’ Caravan and Reception with entertainment.”

Veterans with their cars will meet in Mt. Olive at 9:45 am at Prange Street and Mt. Olive High School to join with the Sheriff’s cars, Mt. Olive Police and Fire Department, along with Patriot Guard Motorcycle group, Paul Scott’s “American Flag” Corvette and the Staunton Police and Fire Department, VFW and Veterans.   From there the caravan will proceed to the Veterans’ Memorial at the VFW and place a flag.   The caravan will move on to Central Avenue and Route 138 where the Benld entourage will join them and proceed into Benld to Benld Veterans’ Memorial Park where a flag will be placed.  Gillespie Veterans and VFW, along with their emergency vehicles, will join the caravan at Quality Motors in Gillespie and proceed to the Gillespie Civic Center where a flag will be placed at that memorial.  The caravan will then continue out to Route 16 to the Dorchester Road and on into Dorchester to place a flag and be joined by the Dorchester Fire Department.

The caravan will travel to Wilsonville to place a flag and then down Sawyerville Hills to Staunton where a flag again will be placed.  At this time the caravan will return to Benld with a stop in Sawyerville to place the final flag at that Veterans’ Memorial.  The caravan will return to Benld for a reception at the Benld Civic Center with entertainment to close the event.

We encourage all veterans from all conflicts, past and present,” Petrak said, “but especially those who served in Vietnam, to join us for this event thanking them for their dedication and service.”

“Grandparents, mom and dad and kids, please join us on the main streets of your town on Saturday, March 31st  in recognizing all the brave men and women and the sacrifices they have made for our country.”

If you have questions or require additional information about the Veterans’ Caravan, please contact Cathy Petrak at 217-835-2768.

 

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Blackburn College sets fall admisson open house events

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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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Gillespie, Benld among county libraries participating in library crawl

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Gillespie Public Library (Photo by Gillespie Public Library)

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.

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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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St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary sponsors final drive-thru dinner

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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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