St. Elmo News
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thursday, April 28
• Exxon Mobil Annuitants, noon, Vandalia Ponderosa.
Saturday, April 30
• Boy Scout Troop 444 annual garage sale and bake sale, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., St. Elmo Christian Church. All money earned stays with Boy Scout Troop 444.
Sunday, May 1
• Detour youth, 6 p.m., First Church of God S.H.E.D.
• Amp’d high school youth, 6 p.m., St. Elmo Christian Church.
Tuesday, May 3
• Friendly Neighbors, noon, Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• Council of Catholic Women Mother/Daughter potluck, 6:30 p.m., St. Mary’s Catholic Church Parish Hall.
Wednesday, May 4
• Wright’s Corner Unit of Home and Community Education, 1 p.m., Loudon Town House.
• St. Elmo City Council, 7 p.m., St. Elmo City Hall.
Thursday, May 5
• St. Elmo Business Association, noon, Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• Wheatland Unit of Home and Community Education, 1:30 p.m., Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• St. Elmo Women’s Civic Club, 6 p.m., Ryan’s Steak House, Effingham. Those attending will meet at 5:30 p.m. in St. Mary’s Catholic Church parking lot to share rides. The 2016-17 club year officers will be installed and dues of $15 will be collected.
RNA
Royal Neighbors of America #5784 met the afternoon of April 16 in the Phillips Building. Guests were invited to the special meeting to hear a program on health.
Registered nurse Marsha Lilly-Wright gave a talk on blood pressure, telling how it works in the body. She then took everyone’s blood pressure.
RNA voted to help a family in need – the man has stage four cancer and needs several things and kinds of help; the family has no refrigerator and the washing machine will not spin. The RNA and the Luther Savage family will take care of the refrigerator for them at this time. Anyone who would like to help can call 829-3394.
Cookies, coffee, iced tea and milk were served to Jean Brown, Barbara Durbin, Nancy Durbin, Anna Ruth Lilly, Marjorie Sarver, David Stewart, Della Stewart, Jill Stewart, Leona Wright, Marsha Lilly-Wright and Oliver and Edna Wright.
The next RNA meeting will be at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, in the Phillips Building, and visitors are welcome to attend.
Historical Vandalia Inc.
The Fayette County Museum desperately needs an elevator, so visitors can see items displayed in the restored upstairs and attend the art shows.
An elevator fund is being started for an elevator/vertical chair lift that can be bought for the “ballpark” cost of $25,000. It is large enough for a wheelchair with a person in it and someone standing behind it, and is much cheaper than the elevator cost estimated last year.
Elevator donations will be much appreciated. The donations are tax-free. Donations can be mailed to: Historical Vandalia Inc. at 301 W. Main St., Vandalia, Ill. 62471, in care of the treasurer, Mary Truitt.
At the board meeting held the evening of April 18 in the Fayette County Museum, much discussion was on several fundraisers. Decisions will be made at the May board meeting.
Present were President Steve Durbin, Donna Blair, Joyce Mueller and Mary Truitt of Vandalia, Marilyn Beyes of Smithboro, Jim Brewer of Ramsey and Anna Jean Rhodes of St. Elmo.
The museum had 307 visitors in March. On March 29, there were 33 walk-ins, and on March 31, there were 72 Nashville fourth-grade students.
Items the museum has received recently include 1915-16 undertaker funeral requests, leather bag key holder, brass colored incense burner, 1960’s film projector and case, and set of spark plug gauges.
Volunteer Spotlight – Mindy Healy
In the Lighthouse Pregnancy and Health Issues spring/summer newsletter was a Volunteer Spotlight article that follows:
Mindy Healy of St. Elmo is celebrating her first anniversary as a volunteer counselor at Lighthouse Pregnancy and Health Services. She joined Lighthouse in April 2015. Her own personal life challenges, experiences as a mother of three children and her heart and compassion for those facing difficulties in life have made her an outstanding asset not only to Lighthouse, but to her community and church as well.
She is one of those women that teens and young adults seek out when faced with challenges. She has been on several mission trips with youth groups and this past year, as a part of a medical team that went overseas. She’s one busy gal as she helps run the family farm and seed business, serves on the St. Elmo School Board and attends to her beloved chickens, goats and pigs. Thank you, Mindy, for all you do here at Lighthouse!
Methodist Confirmations
During the First United Methodist Church morning worship on April 24, Pastor Dan Laack confirmed four youths: Caleb Lamar and mother Kara Lamar; Katelyn Maxey and parents Jeffrey and Summer Maxey; Cassidy Moss and parents Ted and Shannon Moss; and Hannah Mickiewicz and foster mother Judy Fasnacht. After the prayer, Joann Maxey presented them with certificates.
For several weeks during the Sunday school hour, the youth met with Laack in preparation for the confirmation service.
The service opened with a prelude, with Richard Tucker at the organ and Joann Maxey at the piano.
Following the service, the youth and parents were at the west door for greetings from the congregation.
To celebrate those who were confirmed, a dinner was held in the Fellowship Hall. Those present included many family members and church attendees.
Colorful cloths were on the round tables that had candles or spinning wheels as centerpieces and colorful wrapped mints. In addition to fried chicken, ham and all the trimmings, the dessert table served cake and cross-shaped iced cookies.
Graduation Sunday will be May 1 at the First United Methodist Church 10:35 a.m. worship service.