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St. Elmo News

Announcements
Thursday, July 5
• St. Elmo Business Association, noon, Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• St. Elmo City Council, 6 p.m., city hall.
Friday, July 6
• Men’s Bible study, 6:30-7:30 a.m., St. Elmo Golf Course.
Saturday, July 7
• St. Elmo Public Library District Board, 10 a.m., St. Elmo Public Library.
Sunday, July 8
• Ragel Reunion, 12:30 p.m. potluck, St. Elmo Community Park Centennial Building.
• Tiffany Dunaway benefit, 3-6 p.m., Carriage House in Altamont.
Monday, July 9
• St. Elmo Lions Club, 6 p.m., Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
Tuesday, July 10
• Friends of the St. Elmo Community Park, 6 p.m., Park Centennial Building. Interested persons are encouraged to attend.
• St. Elmo Community Park Board, 7 p.m., Centennial Building. Anyone who would like to be considered a member of the board until April 2019 is urged to attend.
• American Legion Post 420, 7 p.m., Legion Home.
• Fayette County Board, 7 p.m., Fayette County Courthouse, Vandalia.
Wednesday, July 11
• Wright’s Corner HCE, 11 a.m., Vandalia Ponderosa.
Thursday, July 12
• Lunch Bunch, noon, Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• Effingham Chapter #110 Order of the Eastern Star, 7:30 p.m., Effingham Masonic Temple.
Alumni Reunion
Tickets for the St. Elmo High School Alumni Reunion, set for noon on Saturday, Aug.18, in the First Church of God S.H.E.D., have to be purchased no later than Tuesday, Aug. 14.
They cost $12 per person and are available at United Fidelity Bank in St. Elmo or by sending a check to Marcia Heckert at 1944 E 2075 Ave., St. Elmo, Ill. 62458. In addition to the check, this info has to be included: name(s) of alum(s) and guest(s); if alum, enter year graduated; connection to school – teacher, cook, janitor, etc. It is open to everyone remotely connected to St. Elmo schools, past and present.
Irene Reed’s 88th Birthday
June 20 was the 88th birthday for Irene Reed. It was celebrated June 23 in the St. Elmo Community Park Centennial Building, when about 30 family members and friends took potluck dishes for a noon meal.
Family members present were: sons, Larry Reed and Leslie Reed, both of St. Elmo; daughters, Linda Rider of Traverse City, Mich., and Nancy Arnold of Brownstown; granddaughters, Tina and Cindy, both of St. Louis; and two great-grandsons, a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old. White and chocolate birthday cakes were served.
HCE 70th Anniversary
The 70th annual meeting of the Fayette County Home and Community Education was held June 27 in the Brownstown Golden Years Club building, with 30 county HCE members and five guests attending.
The tables were decorated with red, white and blue hats filled with red, white and blue flowers and two flags.
It started with an 11:30 a.m. potluck luncheon, and Panzi Blackwell gave the meal blessing.
After the meal, President Flo Allen called the meeting to order and led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
A memorial service for members who died during the 2017-18 year was given by Panzi Blackwell and Ashley Davis from a table that held pictures and various memorial articles, with a white tablecloth, empty chair, upside-down glass, etc., and included a bell that was rung at the end of the ceremony.
Sefton Unit lost two members – Shirley Klitzing, a member since June of 2012, who died in December 2017, and Lucille Fisher, the oldest county member at the age of 104, who was a charter member of Home Bureau in 1948, dropped out, then rejoined in 1951. Blackwell told about each one and put a red rose in the clear vase on the table.
Bingham/Ramsey Unit lost one member – Goldie Beck who joined in December 2014 and died in December 2017. Donna Blair told about Beck and put a red rose in the vase.
Next on the agenda were reports – June 2017 annual meeting by secretary Joyce Mueller, Treasurer Connie Green’s report for April 2017 through March 2018 and Allen’s report on the auditing committee.
Green presented the proposed 2018-19 budget and it was approved.
Board reports were given by Debbie Segrest, Anna Jean Rhodes, Blair, Rebecca Graves, Davis and Blackwell.
Rhodes handed out membership certificates signed by the Illinois Association for Home and Community Education Second Vice Angela Hicks. They were awarded to: Martha O’Dell for 70 years; Anna Jean Rhodes for 69 years, Dorothy Harpster for 60 years; Sally Behrends for 58 years; Ruth Schnake for 56 years; Evelyn Probst for 55 years; Marilyn Magnus and Elizabeth Kasten for 54 years; to May Della Probst for 53 years; Carol Austin for 51 years; and Mary Smith for 25 years. O’Dell, Harpster, Schnake, Austin and Smith were not present.
New members during the 2017-18 year were Helen Reeter of the Sefton Unit and Dari Goldsboro of the St. Elmo Unit. Each received a flower and a card with “An Aim for the Home Maker” on it; neither was present.
Each of the six units have one or more with perfect attendance for the 2017-18 year – 10 have one year, six have two years, four have three years, two have four years, one has five years, three have six years, one has seven years and three have more than 20 years.
Flo Allen and Anita Smith were presented certificates for 22 years of perfect attendance, and Kate Jennings received a certificate for 20 years of perfect attendance, but was not present.
President Allen then submitted the nominations report and asked if there were any nominations from the floor and there were none.

All the past officers were re-elected: Flo Allen, president; Debbie Segrest, first vice; Anna Jean Rhodes, second vice; Joyce Mueller, secretary; Connie Green, treasurer; Donna Blair, community outreach/family issues; Rebecca Graves, international; Ashley Davis, cultural enrichment; and Panzi Blackwell, public relations.
IAHCE District 7 Director Janel Kassing installed the officers and gave each one a bookmark. She also spoke on membership. The board presented her with a gift and flowers.
Rhodes then announced the Homemaker of the Year; there were two this year and each received a plaque
Joan Schaal has been a member of the St. Peter Unit since 1995, is first vice chairman of her unit  this year, has been a 4-H leader for many years, is a member of the Fayette County Extension Foundation and helps much with the fundraisers, is a member of the Fayette County Livestock Committee and served as secretary of the Fayette County Fair Board for 10 years.
Panzi Blackwell has been a member of the Sefton Unit since January 2007 and has served seven years as public relations on the county HCE Board. She told why she belongs to HCE – as a news reporter she was impressed with what the Sefton Unit did. “I decided when I retired from my full-time work in the Fayette County Hospital and Fayette County Health Department, I would join the Sefton Unit, which I did, and the reasons remain the same. I treasure the friendships we share. The HCE Collect and the ‘An Aim of the Home Maker’ are the same as my personal beliefs and goals in my life and behavior.”
The Unit of the Year were co-units this year. Vandalia Day scored highest on the first 15 questions, Sefton sponsored the most benefits (six) and Vandalia Day did a little more in community outreach. They both did very well in the recycle collections area; in the donation area Sefton has donated many cases and boxes of food to four organizations. Both units are tops so each received a Co-Unit of the Year certificate.
The other four units were very low in their scores, but each of them has collected various recycled items.
After announcements, Allen adjourned the meeting and introduced the program speaker, Karen Voss of Carlyle, an HCE member in Clinton County.
Her topic was “Nuts About Nuts.” They have a huge pecan orchard. She told much about how the trees are taken care of and how they are shook to get the pecans, etc. Orders are taken in the fall and the bagged pecans are ready right after Thanksgiving.
Each one present received a small cup with each of the four varieties they have for sale; one variety is cinnamon sugar. It is possible Fayette County HCE will use Voss pecans as a fundraiser this fall.
St. Elmo Unit did the registration, Sefton Unit did the setup and the decorations, St. Peter and Vandalia Day units arranged the food on the tables, and all the units helped clean-up.
A favor from Allen was at each place setting: A Teavana Perfectea Maker.
Guests present included: District 7 Director Janel Kassing of Red Bud and her guest, Debbie Opel; speaker Karen Voss and her guest, Carol Petermeyer, both of Carlyle; and Ashley Davis’s granddaughter, Addelynne.
Members present were Donna Blair, Evelyn Probst, May Della Probst, Joellen Scott and Veda Stout of the Bingham/Ramsey Unit (only one of their six members was absent); Flo Allen, Carol A. Bahrends, Sally Behrends, Panzi Blackwell, Ashley Davis, Dee Dee Diveley, Connie Green, Lois Jackson, Elizabeth Kasten, Lavonne Kramer, Betty Miller, Janice Stanford and Betty Williams of the Sefton Unit (more than half of their 22 members were present); Karen Denning and Anna Jean Rhodes of the St. Elmo Unit; Sandra Runge, Doris Rubin, Marian Rubin and Joan Schaal of the St. Peter Unit; Ruth Brackenbush, Rebecca Graves, Joyce Mueller, Debbie Segrest, Anita Smith and Kathleen Wright of the Vandalia Day Unit. Wright’s Corner Unit was not represented.
Board of Education Special Session
The St. Elmo Board of Education held a special session at 5 p.m. on June 27 for new business. The board unanimously approved a contract with Hutchinson Recreation and Design for the installation of pre-K playground equipment at the elementary building. The equipment is being purchased with grant funding.
Fayette County HCE
The board of the Fayette County Home and Community Education met the morning of June 25 in the Vandalia Extension office with all the officers present: Flo Allen, Panzi Blackwell and Connie Green of the Sefton Unit, Ashley Davis, Rebecca Graves, Joyce Mueller and Debbie Segrest of the Vandalia Day Unit, Donna Blair of the Bingham/Ramsey Unit and Anna Jean Rhodes of the St. Elmo Unit.
President Allen opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. After the approval of the May minutes and the acceptance of the treasurer’s report, it was announced that the 2017-18 year ended with 98 members in the county. The 2018-19 dues have to be paid by the end of June.
Plans were finalized for the 70th annual meeting set for June 27 in the Brownstown Golden Years Club building.
The District 6 workshop is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 9, at the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Effingham. The fee of $20 has to be paid by July 26. Any HCE member can attend.
After the meeting, Allen, Green, Mueller, Rhodes, Graves and daughter Megan and mother Kathy Wright ate lunch at McDonalds in Vandalia,
St. Elmo HCE
St. Elmo Unit of Home and Community Education met at 1:30 p.m. on June 26 in the St. Elmo Public Library. After Chairman Karen Wegscheid opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call, “What is your favorite cheese?,” was answered by Sarah Beasley, Karen Denning, Mary Jane Mattix, Anna Jean Rhodes, Sharon Shelton and Wegscheid.
Minutes of the May meeting were approved and a report on the June 25 HCE Board was given. Dues were collected;they have to be sent to the county HCE by June 30.
Wegscheid gave the June special feature, “Fairy Gardens.” She showed several pictures and some were from the library book, “Fairy Gardening,” by Julia Bawden-Dani and Beverly Thurnu.
Mattix gave the major lesson, “Senior Bullying,” and there was discussion.
Mattix also serve refreshments of cherry pie and apple pie.
The unit possibly may go to Greenville in July to take a tour of the DeMoulin Museum; the date will have to be decided.
St. Elmo Community Park Board
The June 12 meeting of the St. Elmo Community Park Board in the Centennial Building had the following directors present: Kim Baron, Daryl Calvert, Leann Gottman, Danny Tish and Karen Wegscheid.
Visitor Terri Gillespie was welcomed. She represented a newly formed group, Friends of the St. Elmo Community Park, and has been busy working on a variety of projects to assist the park in the goal of the park – being several facets of a showplace and fun for the community.
Gillespie has been working on filling out paperwork to get a 501c3 non-profit status for the new group, which will allow for the application of grants to assist with covering the cost pertaining to the goals for the park. Tasks were divided between the board members to make this a reality.
If anyone would like to join the Friends of the St. Elmo Community Park, go to Facebook, click “Like” and join forces with people of hope and creativity and/or message Terri Gillespie at Meghan Deters regarding your interest.
The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, in the Centennial Building in the park, just before the regularly scheduled park board meeting scheduled for 7 p.m.
Gillespie also gave a report on the connection and progress made on the application for a grant for playground equipment with the KABOOM Co. Minutes of the May 8 meeting were approved. The treasurer’s report was accepted to file for audit.
It is noted that the board is short one member due to the resignation of Ricke Gillespie. Interest has been expressed by a few people to be on the board, but none were at the June meeting to express their ideas or to ask questions, so the issue was tabled
 If anyone who is a registered voter in Avena Township would like to present themselves for consideration for serving on the board for the remainder of Ricke Gillespie’s appointment that will end April 2019, attend the next meeting, on Tuesday, July 10 in the Centennial Building.
The board members toured the park and discussed the recent electrical work, pending electrical needs, landscaping and additional handicapped access to the Centennial Building. The purchase of trash cans was discussed and approved, plus an extra five trash cans that will be needed for the Labor Day celebration.
Signage of park rules was discussed again and hopefully will be completed soon.
There are many considerations for the Labor Day celebration, and not least is the sound system for all the festivities. The board members are open to advice and assistance in this matter.
The current month’s bills were revealed and discussed before paid. Calvert brought up the need to get the AFR report done for the 2017 year. This issue was tabled until the next meeting.
Lions Club Installation
Installation of officers for the 2018-19 club year that starts July 1 was the evening of June 25 at Mary Ann’s Restaurant. President Dave Maxey opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance, and Dan Laack gave the prayer.
After the meal, Maxey told the St. Elmo Lions Club was organized 78 years ago, in June 1940, and there are now 22 members, who have 334 years of service.
A former president, Lloyd Stanley installed the following: president, Maxey; first vice, Stanley; second vice, Bob Wells; third vice, Roger Fulk; secretary/treasurer, Don Crawford; tail twister, Max Hollinshead; lion tamer, Randy Wolf; reporters, Dee Newberry and LeMar Marchman; directors for one year, Bob Lowe and Pee Wee Denton; director for two years, Mark Lash and Al Nevergall, and nominating committee chairman, Holly Huffer, Skip Heaton and Dan Laack. Denton and Newberry were not present.
 A former member, Sherrill Blankenship of the state of Washington, was a guest. Others present were Richard Lowe and guest Rosemary Owen, Rex Reeder and guest Monica, Fulk’s guest Jeannine, and club members wives Mona Stanley, Joann Maxey, Ellie Wells, Susan Hollinahead, Linda Wolf, Pat Laack, Henrietta Heaton, Billie Jo Marchman and Tammy Lash.

 

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