Commentary | Be careful walking after dark, the police may be scary

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Recently, I was taking a late night walk in Owenton, Kentucky. Owenton is a little town of maybe six hundred people in rural north central Kentucky. I had just finished watching the sad Biden-Trump debate and decided that a walk and some ice cream sounded good.

I walked to our local convenience store which is about a half mile from where I was staying in Owenton. It was a beautiful summer night and I only saw two cars on the road in route to the store. I bought an ice cream bar and had it eaten within twenty steps of the store when the only car I saw on the way home pulled up beside me and someone asked, “Sir, are you alright?”

It was the local city police. I responded, “Yes sir, I’m doing fine.”

He asked, “Would you like a ride home?” To which I replied, “No sir, I’m just out for a walk.”

He then asked, “Have you been drinking?”

I replied, “No sir, just been eating a Snicker’s Ice Cream Bar.”

He continued, “Are you sure?”

“Yes sir, I’m sure.”

He then asked, “Where are you going?” I told him the street which was only about five more minutes of walking time.

I thought all was well as he and another policeman drove off but they made a U-turn and pulled right back up in front of me. The cop got out of the car and told me he wanted to do a breathalyzer test.

I’ve never had one in my life. I agreed to it. He was right in the middle of the street. I walked out to meet him and he told me to blow into the straw. I complied. He shook his head because, of course, the test was negative.

The officer told me his name and I responded by telling him mine and we shook hands. He told me to be safe walking home. He then wanted to know exactly where I lived and I gave him the street name and house number.

As I walked up the street and neared home, I looked up. Once again, he and the other officer passed by. I suppose they were checking to see if I went where I said I was going.

This was really dramatic and over the top. I was simply taking a walk.

I wasn’t falling into the street or staggering from one side to the other. I was walking. He had no cause to stop and embarrass me but called me out into the middle of the street for a breathalyzer. Fortunately, not one car drove by while he was doing that. It’s a small town and no one was out at 11:10 at night.

Almost no one gets out and walks in this town. If anybody has to go to the local convenience store, they drive their car even it’s just a block or two. Thus, maybe the police thought if someone was out walking then surely the person had to be up to no good or intoxicated.

I’m, very supportive of the police. I’m appreciative of all who work to keep us safe. We need good police officers protecting us. However, this was ridiculous.

Don’t harass people just because you are bored and have nothing else to do.

I feel sorry for the many people in this nation who have been racially profiled for years. They are often pulled over because they are Black or a different nationality. Sometimes people are pulled over if they are driving a red sports car or if they are someone who is an “outsider.”

Often small towns can be very cliquish. If they don’t know who you are or if you are not “one” of the community residents then you are immediately profiled as an outsider and outsiders are often disliked, shunned or just treated badly.

Freedom to move about the country is a wonderful privilege. Let us be appreciative of our freedom this fourth of July week.

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He is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Former SJO three-sport athlete Brandi Burnett inducted into Hall of Fame

ST. JOSEPH -- St. Joseph-Ogden High School will introduce four new inductees to the St. Joseph-Ogden Hall of Fame during the Spartan football team's Homecoming game against Nokomis. The distinquished group includes 1960 graduate Dee Evans, former three-sport athlete Brandi Carmien Burnett, veteran teacher Kermit Esarey, and The Gary Olson Family

Below is a short biography and highlights about Brandi Burnett provided by the high school.

Brandi Carmien Burnett

Brandi is a 1993 graduate of St. Joseph-Ogden High School. She was a three-sport athlete in volleyball, basketball and softball. She earned 11 total varsity letters during her high school career. In volleyball, her awards included ICC All Conference for two years and All-Area 2nd team for one year. In softball, her awards included ICC All-Conference for three years and All-Area 1st team for two years. Her basketball awards included ICC All-Conference MVP two years, All-Area 1st Team two years, IBCA All-State 3rd Team one year, All-State Special mention one year and Prairie State Games three years where two years she was MVP. She ended her high school career with 1456 points scored and 786 rebounds.

Brandi went on to play basketball at Kankakee Community College for two years. She was a dental assistant and office assistant for two dentists for seven years. She was a pharmacy technician for 12 years. Brandi is currently employed at Gifford State Bank in Gifford in the Risk Management department.

Brandi served on the SJO Fan Club for 8 years while her kids were in high school. She has been married to her husband, Chad for 23 years. Their three children, Abigail, Crayton and Kennedi are all SJO grads. Brandi is blessed to live on her grandparents' farm north of St. Joseph.

Congratulations once again to Brandi Burnett and her family for the induction into the St. Joseph-Ogden High School Hall of Fame.

St. Joseph native Dee Evans inducted into school Hall of Fame

Below is a short biography and highlights about Dee Evans provided by the high school.

Dee Evans

Dee Evans is a 1960 graduate of St. Joseph High School. That was before it was consolidated with Ogden. He was a three sport athlete in football, basketball and track, earning a varsity letter for three years in each sport.

In 1959 he was awarded the Little All-State Award for Football. His stats for Football included 22 solo tackles in a game against Young America School. His other academic honors include receiving the American Legion Award, Medallion and Ribbon in 1960. That award was voted on by the staff for honor and service.

Dee was offered a football scholarship at three different colleges. He chose Eastern Illinois University and played for one year. But because of financial concerns, he chose not to continue school and began working as a concrete finisher, which he made a career of. He was a Military Police and served in Vietnam in 1966. Dee is a member of the St. Joseph American Legion Post 634. His community service includes establishing the All Veterans Movement at Woodard Park. He and other fellow veterans designed and built the memorial.

Dee has also donated his time and concrete work to many projects in the community.

Dee has been married to his wife Wilma for 55 years. Wilma is a 1963 graduate of St. Joseph High School. They have three children, Neal, Helene and Sara. They are all SJO graduates. They have 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Congratulations once again to Dee Evans and his family for the induction into the St. Joseph-Ogden High School Hall of Fame.

Letter to the Editor: New postmaster honored to serve the community

Dear Editor,

It is a great honor to serve Tolono as your new Postmaster. In my years with the United States Postal Service, I have seen firsthand the role the Postal Service plays connecting neighbors and our community to the nation. Our Post Offices serve as a lifeline for our small businesses to reach customers no matter where they are.

Under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s leadership and Delivering For America, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan, we are maintaining universal six-day mail delivery and expanded seven-day package delivery, stabilizing our workforce, and spurring innovation to meet the needs of our modern customers.

Just as the Postal Service continues to provide a vital service for our nation, the staff of the Tolono Post Office will proudly continue that same public service in this community. On behalf of the 650,000 women and men of the United States Postal Service, I thank you for continuing to support the Postal Service. Providing reliable mail delivery while strengthening the future of this treasured institution is our commitment to you.

Sincerely,
Nicole Summar
Postmaster

Girl Scout cookies are coming and Troop 2945 is ready

TOLONO -- Friday, February 4th is the first day of nearly eight weeks of absolute cookie bliss. It is the first day that Girl Scouts around the country can officially start selling cookies to raise funds for their troop.

Tolono-based Troop 2945, with 13 members in grades 3 through 5, has just over 2,000 boxes ordered to sell this season.

Girl Scout Troop 2945

Photo courtesy Kristina Toney

"Girls who sell 250 boxes get their Girl Scout fee for the following year waived," Girl Scout leader Kristina Toney told The Sentinel via messenger. "Cookie sales help girls pay for summer camps and they learn a lot of fundamentals with selling cookies."

The annual cookie sale teaches Girl Scouts fundamental business skills by counting-out change, order fulfillment and delivery processes, and developing customer service skills. Local girl scout councils, prepared for a successful selling season, will be monitoring local data and public health mandates.

"Girl Scouts across the country will embark on a new adventure with the world's largest entrepreneurial program for girls: the 2022 Girl Scout Cookie Program," the Girl Scouts of America said in a release. "In prior years, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Girl Scouts quickly and cleverly adapted their selling methods to replace the iconic in-person cookie booths with new, innovative options.

The familiar favorites like Thin Mints, Lemonades, Carmel Delight, Peanut Butter Patties aka Tagalongs, and Shortbread or Trefoils®, are back.

New this year! Adventurefuls.

Adventurefuls™ is the newest cookie to the Girl Scouts of the USA line-up. It is a brownie-inspired cookie topped with caramel flavored crème with just a hint of sea salt to make it a satisfying snack. Toffee-tastic®, another new option, is gluten-free and described as "rich, buttery cookies with sweet, crunchy toffee bits."

Troop 2945 will have booths set up to sell cookies, and a list of sale locations will be available after January 28.

"We haven't figured out any cookie booths yet around town as we can't officially start selling until the fourth," Toney said, "I have 13 girls in my troop, and we all love to deliver cookies."

She said anyone who wishes to place a pre-order or get a list of sale locations can contact by email at kristinatny@yahoo.com or via a phone call at (217) 722-7945. Follow Troop 2945 on Facebook here.

M.A.S.K. tips & resources can help parents' responsibilites raising their kids

Photo: SOFATUTOR/Unsplash

NewsUSA -- Parenting is hard, and the past year was especially challenging for parents of school-aged kids, as they struggled to juggle their children's virtual school and the loss of many activities and in-person contact with friends.

The goal of MASK (Mothers Awareness on School Age Kids) is to provide resources for parents, children, schools, and communities that address the challenges facing families and empower children to make safe and healthy choices. MASK is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007, and has evolved into a multimedia format that includes a website, a print magazine, an app, a digital learning platform, and a series of YouTube videos.

MASK tackles topics that include managing peer pressure, coping with trauma, and negotiating the peaks and valleys of social media, which can be especially challenging as families restore their networks and return to in-person school and activities.

"MASK programs teach children and their families how to handle the ever-changing landscape that our children are living in," says Kimberly Cabral, CEO, founder, and publisher of MASK.

Parents and their kids can engage with the MASK tools to build life skills and promote self-esteem through any or all of these options:

- MASKMatters app. Download the app on Apple or Google Play (also available in Spanish) for easy access to age-appropriate life skills resources that can be used by students, parents, and teachers.

- MASK Magazine. For those who like their information in print, MASK Magazine is a quarterly parenting manual and is also available through Zinio digital. Each issue focuses on a specific topic, such as Internet safety, with details on how it impacts children from preschool to college.

- MASK E3 Institute: The digital platform for MASK can be used by schools, community organizations, or families at home. The Institute is designed as a series of year-long comprehensive programs for different age groups: MASK Storytime for pre-K children, MASK Academy for kindergarten through sixth grade, MASK Prep for middle and high school students, and MASK Leadership for colleges students. Each of the age-appropriate programs teach kids social skills and educate them about topics such as bullying, drug and alcohol use, and staying safe online.

- MASK + Live: MASK offers a series of YouTube videos featuring feature medical doctors, clinical psychologists, professors, and other child health professionals who share their expertise on parenting and offer advice on physical health, mental health, and enhancing your relationship with your child.

Visit maskmatters.org for more information about the full range of MASK materials and programs.

Quote-of-the-Day:
"We know the sacrifices . . ."

MLK Day

Urbana Walk For Peace

"We know the sacrifices he and countless others made for the betterment of us as African-Americans and society itself....So often, our kids are misled by the wrong things. It will take us as adults in the room to lead them in a different direction to prosperity and to grow success."

~ Maurice Hayes

Executive Director
HV Neighborhood Transformations

GoFundMe campaign established for St. Joseph veteran who lost home to fire

ST. JOSEPH - Chris Wright lost his home, all of his belongings, and his trusted companion, his dog Bo, to a fire that started in his home sometime around 11pm on New Year's Eve.

The St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Protection District responded to the call and extinguished the blaze around 3am on Saturday.

Wright's neighbor, Kristin Jones, created a GoFundMe campaign to help him recover after the fire.

"The firemen and women tried and did their best to put the fire out is quickly, efficiently, and tried to save everything including his dog, she wrote in the campaign message. "I’m here to ask, that while he continues to work, we raise money to help him in whatever he needs to get through this extremely hard time."

Anyone willing to make a contribution to help the army veteran who served both in Iraq and Afganistan can do so here - GoFundMe for Chris.

"Such a devastating loss for my brother," wrote his sister Kaleigh Clark on Facebook. "He lost his dog, who was his best friend, as well as his house, and all of his belongings in this fire."

Guest Commentary: Develop a plan for 2022

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Proverbs 29.18 "Where there is no vision the people perish. "Everyone needs a strategy. You may be 25 or 85 years in age. Who cares? Probably the only one who cares about your age is you. Your age either tells you that you are too young or too old. Remember, age is only a number. We have to put numbers aside and go with our hearts. If God is in it then don't worry about the number.

What do you want to do? One of the ways to know the will of God is to determine what we believe we would enjoy doing. The will of God is what we would determine to do if we just had enough sense. We will never rise above what we do not want to do. If we want to do something our chances of success are greater.

What is stopping you? Consider your life and where you want to be and determine the blockades. Sometimes the greatest blockade is the decision to move forward. Until we make that decision we aren't going anywhere. Once we know then we can assemble what is required to reach our destination.

Learn from the past and put it behind you. Past failures often eliminate us from life participation. We remember when we failed. A life that is fearful usually accomplishes far less than the life that has faith and confidence. Fear freezes us in our tracks.

Who are you today? Who you are and the direction you are going is far more important than where you have been. You can't change the past but you can steer your life in a new direction.

Develop a life action plan. Why not plan a strategy for the next six months and even the next year? You and God can determine where you will be. Start today!

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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Area COVID-19 Dashboard for December 23, 2021

Since The Sentinel's last update on December 21, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District reports three deaths attributed to Covid-19. This month, there have been nine deaths with victims ranging between 50 to 100 years old.

The county public health department also reports an increase of active cases over the past two days to 2,497. On December 21, there were 2,087 active cases.

Within The Sentinel's area of coverage, the county reports 304 residents have tested positive for the virus since Tuesday.

Active Champaign County Cases:

2,497

Net change in the county: 410

Current local cases 12/21/21

Number in parenthesis indicates change over previous report on 12/21/21

Ogden • 34 (3)
Royal • 2 (1)
St. Joseph • 94 (28)
Urbana • 761 (249)
Sidney • 34 (4)
Philo • 18 (5)
Tolono • 66 (11)
Sadorus • 10 (1)
Pesotum • 13 (2)

Total Active Local Cases:

1,032

Net change in local cases: 187

Total Local Confirmed Cases: 13,214

New cases: 304

The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

To the Editor:
I couldn't be more proud of these kids

Dear Editor,

My name is Amber Gumm and I'm the mom of #54 sophomore Tyler Gumm on Unity football. Unity played Byron in the state game and we took home second.

On our way home we stopped at Culver's in Rochelle. While in the ladies' room I got to talking to two ladies who were (from) Byron. When I told them I was (from) Unity....the oldest lady gave me the biggest hug and both said how impressed they were with how respectful our team was and how you could tell they were really great kids. They said their entire stands were impressed with the sportsmanship our boys showed. They praised them so high and said that we were the best team they have played. "It was an HONOR to play them"

Y'all, when I tell you I ugly cried, I'm not kidding.

Our kids may not have walked away with the trophy but they walked away with so much more.

The complete respect of not only the other team but the fans as well. Coach Hamilton and all the football coaches, please know we cannot thank you enough for what you instill in our kiddos. Football isn't just a sport, it's a family, it's a community.

I couldn't be more proud of these kids. Please let your players know that they didn't lose tonight, they won EXACTLY where it counts. On to next year!!!!!

Amber Gumm

Cast your bucket where you are

by Rick Jones
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

The Co-Moderators of the 224th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) say churches need to step out of their comfort zones to bridge the divide in race relations across the country. Ruling Elder Elona Street-Stewart and the Rev. Gregory Bentley participated in a Zoom webinar initiated and co-sponsored by Westminster Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia but attended by many more congregations. Participants represented 33 different churches, many Presbyterian, but also Baptist, Methodist, and Catholic.

There’s an inverse relationship between charity and justice.

Ruling Elder Kenna Payne and member Noah Morgan moderated the online event reading questions from participating members on the role of the church in their communities and how to build community relationships. The Co-Moderators say it’s hard work, but churches don’t always have to start from scratch.

"Cast your bucket where you are. If you look around your community, you will find an organization or an institution that is livng into the Matthew 25 vision," said Bentley. "We don’t have to re-invent; just look at what’s already going on and move alongside and make it all it can be."

Street-Stewart says Westminster is in a community steeped in history and she suggests the congregation consider that as they seek equity.

"You are in a place where you can lead conversations about memorials or street names," she said. "You can bring honor to persons buried in cemeteries that are segregated or don’t have headstones. These conversations can touch your community in deep ways."

The Co-Moderators told Westminster members that the needs are all around them.

"There’s an inverse relationship between charity and justice. If you need a lot of charity, there’s a lot of injustice. At some point, you’ve got to deal with the cause," said Bentley. "That’s when we put our hands to the work of justice. We have to ask the tough questions. Why do we have so many hungry people when we live in a land of plenty?"

One Westminster member asked how churches and individuals can get connected with other groups without stepping on toes.

"You have people that are part of charter organizations that have been around for generations. Start talking with members of those organizations,” Street-Stewart said. “Find out wha the opportunities are to learn or participate.”

Some of the discussion centered on how the church can be more connected to the community. Bentley said, "You gotta just do it."

"I’m more concerned about being hospitable than being welcoming and polite. Hospitality is inviting someone into your life, creating a safe space to work and build together," he said. "That means you have to risk discomfort, risk going outside where you may feel you have some type of expertise. It means taking the risk of being misunderstood, ridiculed or even severing relationships we’ve had in the past that have been holding us back from where God wants us to be."

Street-Stewart adds that it means more than just opening the doors of the church to the community.

"The need is to be there to participate in community activities, such as supporting someone else’s child in a sports program or arts project," she said. "What does the artwork or pictures in your building represent? Are they white or do they represent the full diversity in your community? What type of music is played at church? Do the books in your church library represent you community?"

Street-Stewart adds that churches need to provide multiple language support and ensure that their building is accessible with numerous ways to participate.

Both Street-Stewart and Bentley told the church members that starting this kind of work can be scary and overwhelming, giving members a sense of vulnerability.

"It’s like starting an exercise program. Everything hurts. You must change what you’re doing in order to change your thinking. If you do it long enough, your thinking will change," said Bentley. "You have to work through all of the resistance or excuses like ‘We’ve never done that before.’ Change your behavior and do it because it’s right."

To change thinking regarding white supremacy, Bentley suggested the six Rs: Remembrance, Remorse, Repentance, Repair, Reconciliation and Resurrection.

"There is a lot of mythology about ourselves that suggests we are the greatest and well-intentioned," he said. "We have to look at ourselves as we are. We don’t have to lie about America in order to love America. For it to become all it can be, we have to tell the truth, even if it makes us uncomfortable."

Subway manager starts GoFundMe campaign to help employee

Last Thursday while at work April Patton didn't feel well. Despite the pain and discomfort, she finished her shift and continued to work several more days at the Subway located on 220 East Warren in St. Joseph before seeking medical attention. According to store manager Adam Porter, it was then she was informed that she had suffered a stroke on December 17.

With Christmas just around the corner and learning that she would not be able to return to work until the doctors find out why the nine-year veteran at the sandwich shop suffered the medical episode, Porter started an effort to help the mother of three financially.

"We, as a team, decided to donate all of our tips to her from this pay period, which ended up being around $250 for her," Porter said, who learned during the interview that Patton won’t be able to work for over a month according to her doctors. "She’s really great to work with because she is super hard working, she does everything perfectly and puts effort into all aspects of the job. She’s such a caring person who wants the best for everyone and always has a positive attitude."

Porter, who started managing the St. Joseph location five months ago, has known Patton for three years. He said she and two of her children, who also work at Subway, are like family to him.

Realizing his star employee will be overwhelmed with medical expenses, he decided to create a GoFundMe campaign to help Patton and her family.

"I started this campaign because I know she is going to miss a lot of work and I wanted to try to relieve some of the stress financially," Porter said. "I hope that we are able to help reduce some of her stress and help out her family."

In his campaign pitch he wrote: "She is a great employee and deserves the world and every little donation helps. The doctors are still running more tests to try to figure out what exactly happened. She can’t work while she is in the hospital, and I wish she can focus on her recovery rather than financial issues since she will be out of work for a period of time that is not yet known."

In less than 24 hours the campaign has received $360 of the $3,000 goal. Residents and customers who would like to contribute to the fund or would like more information can follow this like to the GoFundMe campaign.

Letter: Hats off to SJO staff, students, and the community

To the editor,

Hats off to SJO staff, students, and the community that supports them for keeping it possible for the kids to go to school this first semester. Special recognition goes to the students who have shown great maturity through challenging times and the loss of a dear classmate. High school is a treasured time and you have handled all of this change with cooperation and grace. We all look forward to you being able to be kids again soon and watching your games, meets, and performances once more.

Thank you, also, to the staffs of the grade school and middle school. You had a great job in creating both a safe learning environment and parent-friendly technology for remote learning. I never felt like I was putting my kids in harm’s way by sending them to school. There is no greater gift to a mama than peace of mind about her children’s safety.

Our kids have been well taught and cared for despite teaching under the threat of your own health and in ways that required more from you than we can imagine. Teachers, you have been the spine keeping all of this operational and we cannot thank you enough. Hope you enjoy this well earned break.

Cheers to a peaceful and healthy 2021!

Sue Santiago
St. Joseph

Have something to say? Send us your letter to the editor to editor@oursentinel.com.

Who's making a difference in your town? Let us know

The Sentinel is searching for regular folks who are making a difference in the lives of others in the communities we cover. Among the 11,000 people among us are angels and we want to share their stories.

We are talking about your friends and neighbors who you know that quietly work small miracles for those around them. They make small ripples that become swells making your community stronger.

The Sentinel wants to find such people, the heroes and heroines, to highlight their acts of kindness and compassion as we approach the holidays. If you know such a person, let The Sentinel know. Email us at editor@oursentinel.com with the person's name and contact info (email or phone number).

Please limit suggestions to people who have strong ties to the six villages we serve. If they grew up here, work here or live here, we want to recognize their efforts in making our lives just a little bit better.

St. Joseph resident to send care packages to US troops abroad

Sarah Czerwinski, from St. Joseph, has a heart of gold.

A close friend, Alyssa Artola, deployed with the Urbana-based Illinois National Guard's 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team to the Ukraine in June. Artola and her unit of approximately 165 soldiers are part of a Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine deployed to support U.S. European Command operations.

Their mission is part of ongoing efforts by the U.S. to contribute to Ukraine’s long-term military reform and is provided at the request of the Ukrainian government. Observing a "train-the-trainer" approach, the Urbana based unit along with NATO allies and partners, are in-country to advise and mentor the Armed Forces of Ukraine Observer Controller / Trainers at the Combat Training Center located near Yavoriv.

They will not be involved in conflict operations.

Raised in a military family, Czerwinski, whose father retired at major after 20 years of service in the Army, wanted to send her friend a care package several weeks ago. In a conversation with Artola she learned that troopers "get excited when they get mail", no matter what it is.

"I thought it was sad that people don't get mail," said Czerwinski, who decided not only to send her friend a care package, but one to every trooper in the brigade. "I thought it would be nice, something for them to look forward to."

She hatched a plan to gather as many items and boxes as she could through the month of October and then ship them out in time for to be received on Veteran’s Day.

"I wasn't really sure where to start," Czerwinski admitted. She posted a couple of messages on Facebook asking for donations and was pleasantly surprised by the response. "It's been a wonderful experience so far. The number of people willing to donate has been touching."

A member from the high school student council reached out and after receiving approval from the school administration, boxes will available at St. Joseph-Ogden High School starting this week to collect donated items.

There is also a box at Chris Booth State Farm, where she works, on the corner of Fox and State in Champaign, for donations. Czerwinski has also had people drop off items at her home.

Suggested items include:

Snack bars
Ramen
Seasoning salt
Hot sauces
Flavor packets for water
Energy bars
Beef jerky
Instant rice/Mac-n-cheese
Tea
Coffee
Small toiletries
Shower items
Board games
Playing cards
Pens
Paper

If residents have any extra holiday decorations or working lights lying around, she would love to ship them to the American men and women serving our country.

"They may not have a tree, but the decor and lights would be great," she said.

The cost of shipping a box weighing up to 10 pounds is $20. Czerwinski is also accepting monetary donations to help cover the postal fee. She plans to deliver all the boxes and parcels she can to the post office in St. Joseph on October 30.

For more information on you can help, residents can contact Czerwinski via Facebook or send an email to sendingwithsarah@gmail.com

"I really appreciate all the support from people."

Photo of the Day - October 4, 2020

Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden coaching staff are decked out in pink during their team's home game against Carlyle on October 17, 2009. (From right to left) Marshall Schacht, Brady Smith, head coach Dick Duval, Ben Gorman and Bob Glazier wore pink hats and t-shirts to honor the spouse of athletic trainer Casey Hug, who who recently underwent surgery for breast cancer. Donations taken at the gate and proceeds from the 50/50 drawing were earmarked for the Hugs to help cover treatment cost. Posting their 6th win of the season with a 41-7 win over visiting Indians. The victory, which guaranteed SJO's 19th straight playoff appearance, was also dedicated to Kathy.
(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Want to see more photos from the 2009 sports season? Buy us a coffee!

Graduation Day: The photo gallery

Last month on May 19, 118 seniors became SJO alums. While we wanted to publish this page and memorable photos sooner, we haven't quite acquired all the resource we need yet. Without further adieu, here are l2 photos from that milestone day.

John Ward and Jack Cook enter the main runway during the processional at the St. Joseph-Ogden 2019 Commencement Exercise on Sunday. Photo by Clark Brooks

Principal Gary Page III makes his opening remarks at the beginning of St. Joseph-Ogden's 2019 Commencement Exercise. Photo by Clark Brooks

Parents, siblings, family and friends packed the St. Joseph-Ogden gymnasium to watch the Class of 2019 commencement exercise. The audience listens as Principal Gary Page III extols on the academic achievement displayed by this year's senior class. Photo by Clark Brooks

Dwight Colvin, a three-sport athlete who while continue both his education and athletic career at McKendree College, receives his diploma and warm handshake from St. Joseph-Ogden Board of Education president James Rein. Photo by Clark Brooks

All smiles with diploma in hand as walks across the stage, Keely McCorkle prepares to shake hands with superintendent Brian Brooks. Photo by Clark Brooks

One of many messages displayed on mortar boards at the 2019 St. Joseph-Ogden Commencement Exercise. Photo by Clark Brooks

Joel Orcutt smiles with his diploma in hand

Freshly minted SJO grad and two-sport athlete Joel Orcutt grins for a photo after receiving his diploma at graduation. Photo by Clark Brooks

A couple of parents eagerly photographs as students walk down the steps to the stage at graduation. Photo by Clark Brooks

Seniors Sully Alwes, Gage Atwood and Cassidy Bagby mug for the camera during their commencement ceremony at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. In the final quarter of their high careeer, Atwood and Bagby earned a 3.75 GPA to be named to the High Honor Roll list. Alwes also earned honor roll recognition with a GPA greater than 3.25. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)