The Holiday Food Drive runs through Nov. 26, accepting non-perishable items at the Champaign office. Each donation supports pantries and households across the county. Even small contributions can make a big difference this season.
CHAMPAIGN - There’s something about the sound of a can dropping into a donation box - a small, metallic note that carries a quiet kind of hope. Each clang, each thud of a box of pasta or bag of rice, echoes louder this time of year when neighbors start thinking less about what’s on their own tables and more about how to fill someone else’s. That’s the spirit behind the University of Illinois Extension SNAP-Ed Holiday Food Drive, which is now underway to help stock pantry shelves across Champaign County before the holidays arrive.
Photo: Jacob McGowin/Unsplash
From Monday, November 10, through Wednesday, November 26, community members are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the Extension office at 801 North Country Fair Drive in Champaign. Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. All contributions - from a single can of soup to a full grocery sack - will go directly to local pantries and families who could use an extra helping hand this season.
“We know that the holidays can be a challenging time for many families,” said Tracy Bowden, University of Illinois SNAP-Ed educator. “Every food item donated helps ensure that our neighbors have nutritious meals to enjoy during the season.”
The most helpful items are shelf-stable staples: canned vegetables and fruit, pasta, rice, cereal, peanut butter, and other non-perishables. A few simple items from one household can easily turn into a warm meal for another.
For many in the community, the food drive isn’t just about generosity - it’s about connection. It’s about slowing down long enough to remember that even a small gesture can ripple outward. As grocery costs rise and pantry shelves grow thin, every donation becomes a message that says, you’re not forgotten.
If you’re able, take a moment this week to drop something off. It may not seem like much, but to the family unpacking that bag later this month, it will mean everything.
For more information about the Holiday Food Drive, contact Tracy Bowden at tbowden@illinois.edu.
In a month marked by remembrance and gratitude, we revisit stories that defined our region — honoring veterans, celebrating Thanksgiving, and spotlighting moments of unity, resilience, and spirited debate.
From local news, sports, and community events to politics, and Opinion-Editorial viewpoints, discover archived posts published on November 8 in previous years, offering a rich tapestry of life in Champaign County and the broader community, curated by The Sentinel. Here are the headlines from local news, sports, community events, and editorial viewpoints in and around Champaign-Urbana.
In a thrilling finish, senior Lucas Smith drilled a 43-yard field goal as time expired to lift St. Joseph-Ogden over previously undefeated Benton. Quarterback Kodey McKinney threw for 194 yards and a touchdown to lead SJO’s offense. The Spartans now head to Roxana for their second-round playoff game.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden kicker Lucas Smith kicks a PAT in the Spartans' road game against Bloomington Central Catholic back in October. The senior's 4th quarter heroics propelled SJO into a second-round playoff game at Roxana.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Lucas Smith watches his kick against Pontiac.
SNS - Before the bus even pulled out of St. Joseph last Saturday, there was a question hanging in the air — could the Spartans win a playoff game without a true field goal kicker? Turns out, the answer was waiting three hours south in Benton, on the right foot of senior Lucas Smith. With the score tied and the clock drained to its final second, Smith’s 43-yard field goal cut through the wind and through Benton’s perfect record, sending St. Joseph-Ogden home with a 17-14 upset over the third-seeded Rangers.
For three quarters, it looked like the Spartans had found their stride at exactly the right time. Senior quarterback Kodey McKinney led a crisp opening drive, finishing with a 46-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Kaden Wedig. Late in the second quarter, senior running back Wyatt Wertz muscled through the Benton defense for a three-yard score, giving SJO a 14-0 halftime lead. But Benton, who came in averaging over 40 points per game, wasn’t going to stay silent. Two fourth-quarter touchdowns evened the score and tightened the crowd’s pulse — setting up Smith’s defining moment.
The story of the game, though, may have been SJO’s defense. Benton’s offense, which had racked up 418 points during the regular season, was bottled up for most of the day. The Spartans allowed just 14 points and forced the Rangers to work for every yard on their 62 offensive plays. Logan Rosenthal and sophomore Logan Umbarger each finished with seven tackles, while Brayden Waller and Lane McKinney helped anchor a defense that collected five tackles for loss — a season high.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Landon Smith (right) is blocked by a Pontiac offensive lineman. Not afraid of contact, the senior's physicality and confidence has grown since the start of the season, making him a valuable asset on defense.
McKinney finished with a steady hand under pressure, completing 16 of 19 passes for 194 yards. Wedig was his top target, pulling in 10 catches for 169 yards, while Tim Blackburn-Kelley added three more receptions. On the ground, Wertz and McKinney each chipped in 36 rushing yards, helping chew the clock and keep the Benton defense guessing.
Now, the Spartans (7-3) head into the second round with momentum and belief. They’ll travel to Roxana (7-3) for a Saturday afternoon showdown at 2 p.m. The matchup is a reunion of sorts — the two programs last met in the postseason two years ago, a 48-47 shootout that ended with Roxana on top. The Shells rely on a deep backfield led by sophomore Mekhi Shorter, who has topped 100 yards three times this season, and wideout Sean Maberry, who has a knack for turning receptions into touchdowns.
But this Roxana team hasn’t faced the kind of gauntlet SJO just survived. Every team that beat the Spartans this year — Unity, Monticello, Bloomington Central Catholic and Seneca — is still alive in the playoffs. All four Illini Prairie Conference qualifiers won their openers, strengthening the argument that no one in Class 3A is more battle-tested than SJO.
If the Spartans can push past Roxana, they’ll earn a quarterfinal matchup against either Vandalia or Greenville — and, for the first time this postseason, a playoff game at Dick Duval Field.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO's Will Franklin plays defense for the Spartans in their road game at Bloomington Central Catholic.
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TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden football playoff win, Lucas Smith field goal, Roxana Shells vs Spartans, IHSA Class 3A playoffs, Illinois high school football news
In a month marked by remembrance and gratitude, we revisit stories that defined our region — honoring veterans, celebrating Thanksgiving, and spotlighting moments of unity, resilience, and spirited debate.
From local news, sports, and community events to politics, and Opinion-Editorial viewpoints, discover archived posts published on November 8 in previous years, offering a rich tapestry of life in Champaign County and the broader community, curated by The Sentinel. Here are the headlines from local news, sports, community events, and editorial viewpoints in and around Champaign-Urbana.
