The community is invited to participate in a family-friendly, drive-thru charity event aimed at keeping local students warm this winter. The “Warm Up Our Kids” drive-thru takes place on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Karmak Campus, located at 1 Karmak Plaza, Carlinville, IL and is sponsored by Karmak and Carlinville Area Hospital and Clinics.

Additional drop-off boxes will be available at the following locations to maximize participation and convenience:

• Sullivans in Carlinville, Gillespie, and Litchfield
• Pharmacy Plus in Girard
• Sav-Mor Pharmacy in Virden
• CAH&C Clinic sites in Gillespie, Girard, Carlinville, and Virden
• Briar Rose in Litchfield
• Brave Hazel in Carlinville
• Oh-So Cute Boutique in Virden

Drive through the event route and drop off much-needed supplies listed below. All donations will directly benefit students in the participating school districts, helping ensure every child has the warmth and essentials they need to face the winter season. Community support help bridge gaps and bring tangible, immediate relief to families in need.

Join us in spreading warmth and goodwill this December. The Ben Gil Post and community partners look forward to seeing you at the Karmak Campus drive-thru.

Believed to be First Work Solely Dedicated to Illinois in the Revolution

A new book on Illinois’ leaders and actions in the Revolutionary War helps celebrate America 250 with an array of little-known stories to inspire and excite readers.

Illinois in the Revolutionary War provides fast-moving, easy-to-read narrative on the events that took place in present-day Illinois during the American Revolution, forty years before statehood. Many of the stories in the book have been overlooked in the 250 years since they happened.

Written by acclaimed Carlinville author Tom Emery, the book is believed to be the first work solely devoted to the state in the Revolution.

“There was more to the war in Illinois than most people realize,” said Emery. “Revolutionary action took place in many parts of the state, and it was a struggle for all involved. It shows how hard many Americans worked for liberty.”

The book provides much narrative on the dominant figure in the war in Illinois, George Rogers Clark, and his daring capture of Kaskaskia. Clark’s march to the stronghold of Vincennes, which was sometimes through frigid, chest-deep water, is covered in detail.

Information on many of Clark’s lieutenants, including Capt. Joseph Bowman and others, is included, as is a balanced look at the state’s American Indians during the conflict.

Illinois in the Revolutionary War also discusses the 1780 expedition that carried all the way to the present-day Quad Cities, as well as clashes at St. Louis and present-day Michigan that affected Illinois.

The legacy of the war in Illinois, including the celebrated visit of the heroic Marquis de Lafayette to Illinois, the many place names for Revolutionary figures in the state, and the hundreds of Revolutionary veterans buried in Illinois, are also detailed.

Illinois in the Revolutionary War includes in-depth research and an array of artwork, as well as a full bibliography, complete footnotes with annotation, and index.

The book was reviewed by several leading scholars, including Taylor Pensoneau of New Berlin, a former Illinois statehouse reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch with extensive knowledge of Illinois history and politics. Dr. Samuel Wheeler of Springfield, a highly regarded historian and member of the Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission, also reviewed the work, as did Kevin Kaegy of Greenville, an authority on the pre-statehood history of southern Illinois.

Illinois in the Revolutionary War appeals to readers of all ages, both sexes, and any level of interest in history, including students, with a fresh look at a topic that has been sorely underwritten in the history of the state. The book also honors the ongoing 250th anniversary celebrations of the United States.

The book sells for $19.95 plus $4.86 postage and $1.19 tax ($26 total). Delivery is expected in mid-December, well in time for Christmas, and supplies will be limited.

Orders may be placed with PayPal (use the e-mail enjoyhistorytoday@gmail.com) or by mail by sending your name, address, phone, and check or money order to History in Print, 337 E. Second South, Carlinville, IL  62626. For more information, call 217-710-8392.

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Springfield, Ill- The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) reminds residents to test, inspect and replace any broken or expired smoke and CO alarms while they change their clocks this upcoming weekend as daylight saving time comes to an end. 

In 2024, there were 89 residential fire deaths in Illinois with a majority of these deaths occurring in homes without smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half (60 percent), while the majority of civilian home fire deaths continues to occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working alarms. Nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of the fatal injuries from fires in homes with smoke alarms occurred in properties with battery-only powered alarms. When present, hardwired smoke alarms operated in 94 percent of the fires considered large enough to trigger a smoke alarm. Missing or non-functional power sources, including missing or disconnected batteries, dead batteries, and disconnected hardwired alarms, were the most common factors when smoke alarms failed to operate.

“It’s simple, working smoke alarms save lives! As you change your clocks this weekend, take a few moments to press the test button on your smoke alarms and check their expiration dates. The few minutes you spend testing, inspecting, and replacing any broken or expired alarms are well worth the peace of mind that comes from knowing your family is protected,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow. “This is also the perfect time to review and practice your family’s fire escape plan to ensure everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency.”

Smoke alarms only have a life span of 10 years before they need to be replaced. If your alarm was manufactured before October of 2015, it’s time to replace that alarm with a 10-year sealed battery device. Materials used in modern home construction burn hotter and faster reducing the escape times to less than 3 minutes in most cases. Families need to review their fire escape plans and hold drills to ensure everyone in the house knows at least two ways out of every room and where to meet outside of the home in the event of a fire.

Here are some tips to help your family prepare or update their home fire escape plan:

• Get everyone in your household together and make a home escape plan. Walk through your home and look for two ways out of every room.
• Make sure escape routes are clear of debris and doors and windows open easily. Windows with security bars or grills should have an emergency release device.
• Plan an outside meeting place where everyone will meet once they have escaped. A good meeting place is something permanent, like a tree, light pole, or mailbox a safe distance in front of the home.
• If there are infants, older adults, family members with mobility limitations or children who do not wake to the sound of the smoke alarm, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in the event of an emergency.
• If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Respond quickly – get up and go, remember to know two ways out of every room, get yourself outside quickly, and go to your outside meeting place with your family.
• Once you’re out, stay out! Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.

As the temperatures begin to drop, many Illinois residents will start turning on their furnaces to keep warm. The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) reminds everyone that it’s important to have furnaces inspected and cleaned yearly by a licensed HVAC technician to ensure safe operation throughout the heating season.

Each year, hundreds of people across Illinois are treated in emergency rooms due to carbon monoxide (CO) exposure, and over the past decade, an average of 20 people per year have died from accidental CO poisoning. In 2024, Illinois fire departments responded to 9,860 CO related incidents. Carbon monoxide is often referred to as the “silent killer” because it is a colorless, odorless gas that can quickly become deadly if undetected. 

To help prevent accidental CO exposure or death in your home, the OSFM encourages everyone to follow these important safety precautions:

• Install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors in your home, especially outside sleeping areas.
• Have your furnace inspected annually by a qualified technician to ensure proper operation.
• Never use appliances indoors that are intended for outdoor use, such as barbecue grills, camp stoves, portable generators, or gas-powered tools. Do not use ovens to heat your home.
• Never leave a car or truck running in an attached garage, even with the garage door open. If operating an engine in a detached garage, keep the door open to allow for fresh air circulation.

More tips on fire escape planning can be found by visiting: https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Staying-safe/Preparedness/Escape-planning.