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(618)
from the
EDITOR
EDITOR Andrea Howe ahowe@mtcarmelregister.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Maegan Saalwaechter
CONTRIBUTORS
We support reading! PAGE 18
Hello, (618) Hometown friends! As we prepare this baby for delivery to your mailbox, I have some of the same feelings I had when I was pregnant with our son 22 years ago: A little awe mixed in with lots of preparation and a lot of leaving it in God’s hands for it to be something very special. You can’t be a decent writer without loving reading. Mom blessed me early and often by instilling the love of reading in me. This issue coincides with Read Across America (Dr. Seuss!) Month, and Corey Woolsey shares how parents nurture their children by reading early and often. Evan Merrill has an update on a professor’s ninth book that explores parental bonds and growing up in Southern Illinois through the game of basketball. Basketball...it’s such a deep part of the identity of our communities! Evan has a story about the youngest coach I’ve ever heard of, making plays in Mount Carmel. See our Athletes of the Month, Corey’s Four Horsemen story, and my humble witness to some great sports moments in our area. Of course, it’s the month of all things Irish. Mona Warrick and Kim Bayless present a foodie’s dream St. Patrick’s Day meal, sampled by Greg and Mary Ann McVey. Corey also gets some hilarious feedback from youngsters in Allendale about leprechauns. In our feature story, Mona offers tribute to Scots-Irish hero of our area, Mac McGarvey. She shares her process of bringing stories to you in a personal column. Each of these stories we share does include a little piece of us with it. Be sure to check out our monthly calendar of events in the area (submit your items, too!) And of course, don’t miss out on some of our area’s treasures featured in Senior Chat. Love and blessings — enjoy your reading!
Kim Bayless Evan Merrill Mona Warrick Corey Woolsey Erin Zinzilieta-Pennington
TO ADVERTISE Courtney Shuttle courtney@pdclarion.com 812-220-4861
CONNECT WITH US Find us on Facebook (618) Hometown Magazine P.O. Box 550 Mt. Carmel IL 62863 618-263-1005 Email: news@mtcarmelregister.com
ON THE COVER HOMETOWN
(618) MAGAZINE 20 MARCH 20
Andrea Howe Editor
Mona Warrick 2 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
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table of
CONTENTS
4
REMEMBERING MAC The humor and devotion of hometown hero Mike McGarvey
10 PASSION PLAY Hamm keeps the clipboard busy for Lady Rockets
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12 COOKING Kim Bayless puts a twist on traditional Irish fare, served to the McVeys 14 FROM THE KIDS So, you know what a leprechaun’s all about? Our young experts will school you
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MAC McGARVEY The favorite son
WRITER: MONA L. WARRICK Cold, bluster y, and windy, the day of Mac McGarvey’s funeral bore no likeness to the jungles of Vietnam. The jungles where, in 1969, Mac’s life was forever changed when he nearly lost his life. Michael McGar vey, or “Mac,” as ever yone called him, died Jan. 13 after a brief illness. Hundreds of mourners from around the United States journeyed to Illinois to pay their final respects to Mac, one of Grayville’s favorite sons. “At the funeral, I saw lots of grown men cry,” said Mac’s son, Bill. “They were heartbroken.” Every person at the funeral had a story about Mac. Some remembered him as a Vietnam War hero, some were his hometown friends, while others have stories about Mac that they will take to their graves. Bill, now 48, and his dad were best friends. Bill’s mom, the late Vicky Carr Moore and Mac divorced when Bill was ver y young, but they remained close until Vicky’s death in 2011. At Vicky’s funeral, Mac said, “I’ve lost the only woman I have ever loved.” Vicky and Mac co-parented Bill long before co-parenting was a catchphrase. “I remember my last spanking,” said Bill. “I was 17. I laughed the entire time, but I let Mom spank me.” The following day, “Mom told me to stick around because my dad was going to call.” Bill waited for the call. “I told Dad I got a whipping yesterday. Mom seemed so persistent, so I let her. Dad thanked me for taking it so he didn’t have to drive 700 miles just to spank me.” “Bill is definitely the best of both his parents,” said Bill’s wife, Jeannie. “They always loved each other and they both loved Bill so much.” PHOTOS BY: MONA WARRICK
4 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
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A young Bill McGarvey, center, with parents Mac and Vicky
Mac McGarvey, center, with daughter Michelle and son Bill L/R COURTESY OF THE MCGARVEY FAMILY | MIDDLE MONA WARRICK
Bill had no idea his dad was a war hero, until he met Jim Webb. “I was six or seven years old. I could tell by the admiration Jim had for my dad that dad must be someone really special. They were like brothers.” Bill remembers exactly when he met Jim. “He and his family were driving from St. Louis back to their home in Virginia. Jim saw the exit sign for Grayville. He immediately thought of Mac, and he remembered my Grandmother Jewel.”
fifth radio operator I had lost in three months. I had lured him to the job because I liked him. He was competent. He was a friend.” Jim sat next to Mac waiting for a medevac helicopter to carry Mac away. “He saw my tears, fixed me in a squinting stare and shook his head,” Jim wrote. “Knock that stuff off, Lieutenant. It’s only an arm.” “Within a week, McGarvey wrote the platoon a letter — left-handed. When he finally left the hospital, he went to a tattoo shop and had a
Jim drove around town until he found the post office,
ring of blue dashes inked around what remained of his
and as it happens, George McGarvey was working. Jim
arm. Just above it was inscribed CUT ALONG DOTTED
went into the post office and asked George if he knew where Jewel McGarvey lived. George asked, “Why?” Jim introduced himself and told George he served in Vietnam with Mac. George’s demeanor instantly changed, he shook Jim’s hand and told him, “I have a signed copy of your book at my house!” George told Jim that Mac was his cousin, after which he was eager to divulge Jewel’s address. When Jim pulled into the driveway, Bill was playing outside. “He asked if Grandma was home and I told him I’d go get her. Jim introduced himself to Grandma, they came in and stayed for dinner.” After dinner, Jim called Mac, who was living in Nashville, Tennessee, and asked, “Guess where I am?” The friendship between Mac and Jim spanned the decades following the Vietnam War. Mac served as Jim’s radio operator in Vietnam. As radio operator, Mac shadowed Jim’s every move. “Everywhere I walked, he was
HE SAW MY TEARS, FIXED ME IN A SQUINTING STARE AND SHOOK HIS HEAD. KNOCK THAT STUFF OFF, LIEUTENANT. IT’S ONLY AN ARM.
two steps behind,” Jim wrote in a 1982 Parade Magazine article.
LINE,” Jim wrote. Due to the severity of the injury, Mac wasn’t expected to survive. “He had a toe tag and they had already filled out the morgue sheet, which contained information necessar y for returning Mac’s remains to his family, said Bill. “They obviously didn’t know my dad.” Mac, who at 17 lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, returned home less than two years later. According to Bill, his dad didn’t talk much about Vietnam or “the war that no one won.” He did, however, talk about the good times, the times between battles. On occasion, if asked about his time in Vietnam, Mac would say, “I had one bad day, but it was a real bad day.” He was never bitter, in a 1991 article in The Tennessean, Mac said, “I was brought up in middle class America and was taught to defend America come hell or high water.” Mac never considered himself a hero, “I didn’t do anything outstanding, I was just there.”
“Dad was a storyteller,” said Bill. “He liked to exaggerate things.” Mac
The PRC-25 radio that Mac carried was the platoon’s link to the com-
often told people he’d lost his arm fighting with an alligator. But, Bill said,
pany. “The radio was a target on his back,” said Bill. “The enemy wanted
“Dad was always an open book with me. He was never one to sugarcoat
to take the radio operator out.” The enemy came close, when on July 1,
anything.”
1969, Mac was struck by shrapnel. He was 18.
His sense of humor was legendary. In the 1970s, Mac was pulled over
“Shrapnel ripped Mac’s arm away just below the shoulder,” wrote Jim.
by a police officer. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the officer noticed
A clean swipe, “it left Mac’s arm intact at his feet. I cried. Mac was the
that Mac had two pistols in his possession. Mac was arrested. When he
6 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
appeared in court to face his charges, the judge asked Mac why he had
Throughout Bill’s adult life, “Mac adamantly told Bill not to join the
two pistols. Mac pointed to his right shoulder and told the judge, “it’s
military or get married,” said Jeannie. “And, up until the minute I walked
hard to reload.”
down the aisle, Mac told Bill if he wanted to back out, he could. But, after
Mac drew people in with his charisma and kept them with his authen-
we married, Mac was always telling Bill that he was the luckiest man
ticity. “He was a charmer,” said Bill’s wife, Jeannie. “He really cared about
alive.” The couple finds this especially funny considering they married in
people. As my mom mentioned at the funeral, when Mac talked to you it
the beautiful gardens that Mac created surrounding his new home.
was like you were the only person in the room.”
Jeannie met a ver y special woman at Mac’s funeral: Patricia, the
No doubt Mac’s personality was one of many reasons Jim wanted Mac
widow of Kevin “Cannonball” Eddington. Kevin was one of the men who
at his side in Washington, D.C. In 2007, Jim, then a U.S. Senator, brought
loaded Mac onto the medevac helicopter all those years ago in Vietnam.
Mac on as his legislative assistant for veterans affairs. During Jim’s cam-
“I was thrilled to meet her,” Jeannie said. “I told her, ‘I’m so thankful
paign for Senate, Mac served as Jim’s driver. Jim joked on the David Let-
for your husband because if it wasn’t for your husband, I wouldn’t have
terman Show about having a one-armed chauffeur. Having retired from
mine.’ ”
Veterans Affairs, where he worked from 1983 until 2001, Mac brought his experience to Washington. Mac wanted to share his message with people “who don’t know what
Of all his accomplishments, Bill said his dad was most proud of “Michelle and me,” Michelle Doty is Mac’s daughter. “Dad loved his family more than anything.”
it’s like to be missing limbs, or living in wheelchairs,” said Bill. But, It
Mac was also proud to be of Scotch-Irish descent, even serving as an
didn’t take long for Mac to realize he wasn’t cut out to live under the
honorary parade marshal in a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston. “There’s
“magnifying glass” that is Washington, D.C. “He always had to be on
just not much he hasn’t done,” said Bill. From being the “impresario” at
guard. There are always people waiting for you to trip up. That wasn’t for
the world famous Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville, to returning to
him. Life was taxing”
Vietnam with Jim in 1992 on a humanitarian trip to deliver prosthetics to
“Mac was a free spirit,” said Jeannie. “He wanted to be himself, but not at the expense of Jim’s political career. Mac wanted to protect Jim, so he left and came home.” Mac returned to Grayville, built a home and was content. “He was a lover of life,” said Bill. “He was ready to slow down.”
those who lost limbs in the war, Mac lived a life in service to others. “My dad had a great outlook on life,” said Bill. “He was someone who never met a stranger, he loved people. He was spontaneous. If he had a chance to do something, that didn’t interfere with work, he did it. He never said no to living.”
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(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 7
Life-changing stories WRITER: MONA L. WARRICK Occasionally, if you write long enough, you are bless-
Mac, as did many others.
ed to write stories that forever change your outlook on
Of those who wrote about Mac, the late Patrick Seil
life. This issue includes one of those, my story on Mac
followed Mac’s adventures. A Grayville native, Patrick
McGarvey, a Vietnam War hero who died in January.
dedicated his life to his hometown. He was the last in a
As a writer, the hardest part of writing is nailing down
family of newspapermen dedicated to preserving Gray-
the lead ... the beginning paragraphs of a story. But, in
ville’s history in ink. Patrick was editor and publisher of
this case, the lead for Mac’s story wrote itself as I slept.
the Mercury-Independent, and its successor the Navi-
Since high school, I’ve kept a notebook on my night-
gator. Since Seil’s death in 2017, his widow, JoEllen, has
stand in case of an epiphany during my sleep. I’ve done
carried the torch.
this, for decades, at the suggestion of my high school
As I recall stories that have impacted my life, there
English teacher, Marilyn Bingman. She told me, “I have
were many. I’ve interviewed country music stars, includ-
some of my greatest ideas while I sleep.” Bingman knew
ing Randy Travis, Roy Clark, Garth Brooks, and Randy
I aspired to be a journalist or an English teacher. She
Owen, politicians, authors, teachers, and athletes.
was right, my best ideas come to me while dreaming.
I enjoyed those, but no one touched me like Tolly
Four days after Michael “Mac” McGarvey’s funeral, I
Ashby. A cub reporter in my early 20s, I was writing for
sat down with his son, Bill, and daughter-in-law, Jeannie,
The Daily Republican Register in Mount Carmel. Tolly
in their Carmi home. I took copious notes, wondering
was a local boy who had been in a decade-long fight with
how I would summate the life of this war hero in a few
leukemia. I featured Tolly in several stories. The hardest
column inches, praying the story would come together
to write was the one I wrote on Sept. 21, 1984. Tolly had
in my dreams.
died just hours before. Barely 24, I was so tender-heart-
Bill said his Dad didn’t talk much about the “war that
ed, and already weary of colleagues telling me I needed
no one won.” At least, Bill said, he never spoke of the
“thicker skin” to be a journalist. As I sat at my computer,
graphic events. “Dad would talk about the good times,”
tears falling from my face onto the keyboard, I wrote.
said Bill, “and there were some ... between battles.”
Tolly had many friends, among them, his teacher
Mac is legendar y, especially in his hometown of
Charlie Randolph. I’m proud to count Charlie among
Grayville. He lied about his age to join the United States
my friends. I talked to Charlie for the story, his words
Marine Corps, only to return home in less than two
have always stayed with me. “Tolly came through this
years, missing his right arm. He is remembered as a
so proudly. I admired his will to live and his love of life,”
family man, a stor y-teller; a “womanizer” (Bill’s word,
Randolph said. “I will remember that as a guide for my
not mine), and a “hell of a nice guy.” Mac had friends
life in my weaker moments. Tolly will always be a guide-
from every walk of life, and every one was important to
post, a benchmark for me. I can guide my life by remem-
him.
bering his will to live and his love for life.”
“As my mother said at Mac’s funeral,” Jeannie said,
Phil Gower, a longtime editor of The Register, was my
“If Mac was talking to you, it was like you were the only
chief and mentor during those years. To this day, Phil
person in the room.” Mac was that guy, as comfortable
remembers how emotional I was when I wrote stories
in the company of Pulitzer Prize-winning authors and
about tragedy or death. I won’t forget how hard it was to
senators, as he was drinking with childhood friends at
type with tear-soaked keys.
the Moose Lodge in Grayville.
In my opinion, connecting with your reader, on many
Sitting down to write, I was intimidated. How do you
levels including the emotional, is an essential quality for
write about a war hero? My resources were plentiful. I
a writer. My hope is that you are touched by the stories
was humbled as I held Mac’s copy of Boom! Voices of
I share. And, by the way, I have yet to grow that thicker
the Sixties in my hands. Yes, Tom Brokaw wrote about
skin.
MONA TAYLOR WARRICK, a native of Grayville, lives in Carmi with her husband and two furkids. An avid photographer, Warrick is rarely seen without her Nikon in hand. Warrick is obsessed with her eight-year-old nephew and has taken thousands of pictures of him. When he was two he learned to say “no more paparazzi!” 8 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
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(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 9
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAMM FAMILY
EVAN MERRILL is a 2016 graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he graduated with a bachelor of art degree in journalism. Evan’s from the Northern Kentucky area. He has worked as sports editor of The Mount Carmel Register since August 2018.
10 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
PLAY PASSION Pint-sized coach rocks the Lady Rockets clipboard WRITER: EVAN MERRILL
Sometimes it’s just fascinating how such an unlikely connection can flourish. One humid summer evening Amelia “Mil-
Millie’s passion and admiration soon fol-
Everyone’s just taken her under their wing.
lowed into basketball season – her favorite
It’s something she’s definitely brought home
sport.
and talks about. That, or she’s talking about
lie” Hamm accompanied her mother, Whitney
Knowing she’s too young, but so desper-
Hamm, to a St. Mary’s softball game. Hamm
ately wanted to be a member of the team,
her girls, like ‘my girl Kali Walker,’ she’s just
joked that in a small town like Mount Carmel,
Walker and his wife Jami, the athletic director
The Lady Rockets’ season ended Jan. 18
they pretty much go to every sporting event at
at St. Mary’s, found a jersey for Millie to don
with one last hoorah. They hosted and won
the school.
right into it with them.”
when she came to games, and anointed her a
the Diocesan Girls Basketball Tournament,
Being the first year for the program, it was
member of the coaching staff. Her passion to
highlighted by an action-packed 39-32 win
still a new experience for the girls on the team.
play remained, but now Millie was intent on
over Sts. Peter and Paul in the championship
They continued to improve as a unit through-
coaching one day, just like Walker.
game. Though Millie elected to remain in the
out the season, but Millie mar veled at the
As one of the coaches on the bench, Millie
crowd with her mother rather than her usual
constantly brainstormed plays to draw up on
spot on the bench for the contest in front of a
Being just six years old, Millie was still
Walker’s clipboard for the Lady Rockets to
capacity crowd at Allendale School, she cer-
too young to suit up and rock the St. Mary’s
execute. Walker vividly remembers one time
tainly shared in the postgame celebration with
blue as a Lady Rocket. But she knew what she
Millie had a breakthrough and proclaimed,
the girls.
wanted to do – play for Coach Cornelius Walk-
‘Coach Walker! Coach Walker! I have a play for
“My hear t was telling them they were
er some day.
Nora (Jones) to shoot!’ She designed her play
going to win,” Whitney recalled her daughter
for Jones on the clipboard, with arrows point-
commenting on the championship. “It’s so full
ing every which direction for cuts and such.
of joy.”
ladies on the diamond, along with their coach.
“After that it was, I’m going to be on Coach Walker’s team, I’m going to play for Coach Walker and that’s just where it started,” her mom recalled. When Walker, an assistant men’s basket-
By the end of it though, she articulately
That It was the end of the very first season
designed where Jones would be for the catch-
of the St. Mary’s/Allendale coalition for bas-
and-shoot situation.
ketball -- but for Millie, it’s just the beginning
ball coach at Wabash Valley College and head
“In that sense, you can tell she’s trying to
coach for St. Mary’s softball and basketball
learn and trying to understand,” Walker said.
She’ll begin Youth In Action basketball this
teams, caught word of it he was stunned to
“But at the same time, it’s pretty neat to see
year. Whitney said her daughter’s desire to
realize young people in the community look
the joy, laughter, kindness in her heart and on
improve in the sport has advanced even fur-
up to him. It was something he’ll never forget.
her face when she’s doing those things and
ther. She’s in their garage dribbling a basket-
with us.”
ball until she fails. Once she does, she tallies
“It’s pretty neat. I’m not going to lie there,
of her basketball tale.
it’s pretty neat,” said Walker. “That young
From a mother’s perspective, Whitney’s
lady’s pretty special, she always has a smile on
favorite part of the arrangement is how the
her face when she sees me, always running up
team has taken her daughter under their wing.
Walker’s inspiration may have been just
to me and giving me a hug. It’s special because
Whether it be Coach Walker and his bond
the push Millie needed to pursue it further,
I didn’t know her — for someone to seek me
with Millie, or the girls who’ve fully embraced
no matter how young she is. “She’s always
out like that — and now we have a really good
her presence in the huddle, they’ve been elat-
been the athlete, wants to play, in our garage
relationship, I think that’s pretty neat. I really
ed to have her around. The older girls even
dribbling a ball,” Hamm said. “He’s just fueled
do.”
call Millie coach, a symbol of respect they
it. He pulled her in and pushed her, you know
convey.
what I mean?”
From that day, Walker said Millie would
how high she reached, each time aspiring to set a new record-high.
dash in to greet him every day with her infec-
“They’re such a good influence, which is
Walker plans to continue coaching the St.
tious smile and a hug when he dropped off his
important in a small town for us,” Whitney
Mar y’s varsity softball and girls basketball
son Kam for school.
said of the team’s impact on Millie. “She’s
teams if he’s allotted the opportunity to con-
“Every time I see that girl she’s smiling at
excited, she’s joyful. She gets excited to see
tinue, giving Millie ample opportunity to con-
me, running up to me, giving me hugs,” Walk-
them win. At the game the other night she was
tinue to hone her coaching skills in the mean-
er said. “She’s full of energy and joy, she’s just
standing up, yelling, throwing her hands up in
time. Who knows, Millie might just be the
awesome to be around.”
the air, she’s just so excited to be a part of it.
next Pat Summitt.
PHOTO BY: MONA WARRICK
What’s cooking? All things Irish! Top o’ the morning to you! There are
rick’s Day meal? Here are options that can
many thoughts running through peoples’
be adapted for even the pickiest palate: Irish
minds as the month of March rolls in.
grilled cheese, traditional Colcannon and
Sports fans are thinking of basketball. Gar-
minty shamrock green shakes. Let’s dig in!
deners start thinking of tilling the garden
Enjoying the March menu were Greg
plot and sowing the first seeds of spring.
and Mar y Ann McVey, of Carmi. Self-pro-
Farmers are readying their machinery for
claimed foodies, they enjoyed the fresh
planting to begin.
takes on Irish cuisine.
March also brings to mind a pot of gold
The Irish grilled cheese recipe features
at the end of the rainbow; kissing the Blar-
freshly chopped herbs and an ingredient
ney Stone; four-leaf clovers. For foodies,
you might never associate with grilled
March means corned beef and cabbage,
cheese — bread and butter pickle slices!
Irish stew, Irish soda bread, green beer (or
Greg said, “I’m a pickle guy, and the pickles
anything green for that matter).
make this sandwich!” The sandwiches are
But, who says you have to stick with tradition when it comes to preparing a St. Pat-
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easy to make, they look great, and add a fun twist!
WRITER: KIM BAYLESS AND MONA L. WARRICK IRISH GRILLED CHEESE (makes four) Combine 4 Tablespoons of softened butter with 2 Tablespoons each of fresh chopped parsley, scallions (green onions), and chives. Spread the butter/herb mixture on four slices of hearty bread. Top each slice of bread with two slices of cheddar cheese (mild, medium or sharp, your preference). Place bread and butter pickle slices on top of the cheese. Top the sandwiches with four more slices of bread. Spread plain butter on the tops of these slices. Brown each side of the sandwiches until golden. If desired, spread the remaining butter/herb mixture on the warm sandwiches. Slice sandwiches in half and press cut sides in the green herb mixture.
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COLCANNON is a delicious dish that can be used as a side or a main dish, combining traditional Irish ingredients potatoes and cabbage.
Traditional Irish Soda Bread is a staple. If you want to enjoy Colcannon with a side of bread, here’s a recipe for something fun!
You will need 3 pounds of red or yellow potatoes; ½ cup cream; ¼ cup butter; 1 medium onion, diced; ½ head of green cabbage; 3 T melted butter; 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled. As a time-saver, you may substitute bagged, slaw mix and pre-cooked bacon.
IRISH SODA BREAD MUFFINS you will need 3 cups of flour; 1 cup of raisins; ½ cup white sugar, plus 2 Tablespoons of white sugar; 1 Tablespoon of caraway seeds; 1 Tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; 1-¾ cups buttermilk; 1 egg; ¼ cup melted butter.
Peel and quarter three pounds of red or yellow potatoes, and boil until potatoes are soft, 12-15 minutes, until fork-tender. Cook bacon until crisp. Set aside and reserve bacon drippings in the pan. Add 1 T butter to the bacon drippings. Cook onion and cabbage in bacon drippings until tender. Mash boiled potatoes with cream and butter. Season to taste, with salt and pepper. Gently fold together the mashed potatoes, cabbage mixture and bacon. Your dish is ready to serve!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients, including raisins. Whisk milk and egg together. Add to dry ingredients.
SHAMROCK GREEN SHAKES are easy and delicious, you need three ingredients and a blender. Place four large scoops of vanilla ice cream, 1-½ cups milk, ¼ tablespoon green food coloring, and ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract in the blender. Blend until smooth, pour into glasses and serve. What could be simpler?
Fold in melted butter. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
KIM BAYLESS, a native of Carmi, is a paraprofessional at Carmi-White County High School. She has a son and daughter-in-law, Seth and Ally Owen, and she’s looking forward to the birth of her first grandchild in May.
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(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 13
N U A H C LEPERXEP E R T S “They look like foxes. They hunt, snort, and roar!”
We asked some big thinkers to give us some ideas of what a leprechaun looks like, and what he might do. We got some of the best answers ever from Allendale preschool, kindergarten and first grade students!
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“He has brown fur and sharp teeth. He’s like a wild thing. Leprechauns attack people.” Easton Garrett, Allendale 1st Grade
“They are wild and dangerous. They are big and fast. They wear fur because they are furry. They hunt other animals. They can’t hunt rhinos though. They like to eat humans.” Sam Smith, Allendale Kindergarten
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“He has a green hat with a green leaf and he has a lot of money. He can attack people. They get their money from rainbows.” Chandler Bray, Allendale 1st Grade
“They wear a big green hat, black boots, green shirt, and no hair. They give money to people.” William Jackman, Allendale Preschool
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“Green hat, green clover that he has in his hand, and green clothes. He has coins at the end of the rainbow in a bucket. He tricks people! He makes them go to the edge of the rainbow and tells them to go back home. Because that’s a great trick!”
“They are at the end of rainbows guarding all the good stuff. He has a red beard, green stuff on, and a black hat. He is small. He just guards good stuff.” Wesley Weir, Allendale Kindergarten
Braxton Culp, Allendale 1st Grade “He’s green and wears a hat. He leaves a mess! He brings chocolate coins!”
“He would have a hat and green suit. He would have a tie. He would have brown shoes and green pants. Leprechauns go past rainbows to get gold. They try to trick people to get gold but he goes past all their traps!”
Kynzleigh Neely, Allendale Preschool
“I think he looks ugly. Probably has a hat. He has green hair and he’s big. He likes to get coins and gold. He tricks you to get gold.”
Vivian Doerr, Allendale 1st Grade
Casey Burton, Allendale 1st Grade
“A leprechaun looks tiny with green hats. They guard their buckets of gold. They trick people by pretending to give people gold.”
“I saw one in space! It looked like a rainbow! They bring princesses.” Emma Harms, Allendale Preschool
Emily Foster, Allendale Kindergarten
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When basketball’s more than the score… WRITER: EVAN MERRILL As the old phrase goes, you save the best for last. And in Dr. Randy Mills’ case, that’s certainly applicable.
mitting suicide due to such depression in his high school playing days. Although the overlying theme focuses on his relationship with his
Author of nine novels and a professor at Oakland City University, Mills
father, Mills recounts his high school basketball playing days at Bluford
feels his latest depiction, “An Almost Perfect Season: A Father and Son and
High School, progressing from the struggles Bluford endured in Mills’
a Golden Age of Small-Town High School Basketball” is his favorite, one
underclassmen years, to their strong campaigns his junior and senior
which may be his slimmest, but possibly most concise.
seasons, including their, ‘almost perfect season’ in his
Mills said the novel came together when he was
senior campaign.
posting memoirs of some of Southern Illinois high
Mills’ application of vivid details from these games,
school basketball games on his writer’s blog on Face-
combined with recounts from sports writers inter-
book. The feedback Mills received was tremendous,
twines their perspectives to show the impact of local
everyone loved it. He received more than 2,000 hits
newspapers on these small town communities back in
of interest, one coming from Dave Schellhase, an
the 1960s and makes for a unique tale.
All-American at Purdue University and the 10th overall
“Everyone came to the games because you didn’t
pick in the 1966 NBA Draft.
have social media and it was the community,” he said.
With such avid feedback, Mills started to wonder,
“It was ritualized by the community, athletes, it was
is this something that could generate enough interest
initiation. People bragged about it, people bet about
to be converted into a novel?
it, people fought about it, people talked about it, it
“I thought, wow, there’s a book here, there’s inter-
brought the community together. People talked. Peo-
est,” Mills recalled. “So I took those chapters out of my
ple don’t talk nowadays. They’re on their cellphones
memoir and looked up all of the box scores -- you can
and things. But people talked about that, and it was
find all of the box scores online now in newspapers –
just a wonderful thing to have, to have the community
to jog my memory, then of course I had my dad’s box
together.
scores, but I wanted to see what some other people had to say, what he may have missed. So I started seeing all the sports editors and how rich that story was.”
An Almost Perfect Season By Randy Mills
Mills’ book influence reaches a variety of audiences, whether it be Baby Boomers looking to relive these glory days, or young student-athletes. He tack-
As Mills scoured through the old newspaper clip-
les subjects such as young love, depression and blaz-
pings to reminisce on his old playing days, memories
ing your own path for college, among others which
continued to flow and realization soon followed. He concluded that the story wasn’t about his high school basketball playing days, it was about his relationship with his father, Keith Mills, who died in 1978 at the age of 53 amidst the blizzard of 1978. “It was a way to revisit him because the times that I played basketball, we were very close,” Mills said. “So I got to go back in time with him and remember some things and that got to shaping the story. That became fun, interesting and difficult, because I had to start facing some of my own issues I had during that time, which I hadn’t really thought about — specifically, depression.” In the process, Mills accepted that he was depressed for much of his childhood, and he quickly realized how prevalent the issue was among his peers
EVERYONE CAME TO THE GAMES BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA ... IT BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
and even his father, a cheeky, extrovert car salesman who dwelled on some past regrets and battled through moods.
can be applicable. If readers take away anything, Mills wants them to appreciate the novel for what it is, a depiction of his life, his relationship with his dad and a variety of topics which, at that time, would go unnoticed or not spoken about. He hopes such a read can help make someone wiser, possibly a better person. “I hope they enjoy it,” Mills said. “I hope they read it and say ‘damn, that’s good.’ “I was reading some of the responses and a guy said he was mad. He said he was mad when he got to the end of it, he wanted more. I like to read, I assume you like to read, you’ve read books where – I hope my book’s like this – a good book makes you an inch taller, it makes you an inch better, it makes you an ounce better. It does something to you that lifts you up and gives you something that you didn’t know that makes
you a better person.”
Mills suspects that depression was even more prevalent back then than
You can purchase the novel at http://rosedogbookstore.com/an-al-
it is now, but the awareness and attention depression is (rightfully) given
most-perfect-season/, or on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, or Books-A-Mil-
nowadays has vastly improved. In those days, as Mills describes, you just
lion. Each book costs $15. If you’re interested in purchasing a signed copy
had to live with it and not show it. He mentions in the book of one kid com-
of the novel, contact Mills at randrmillsauthors@gmail.com.
(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 17
March 2 is designated as National Read Across America Day/ Dr. Seuss Day. But Every day is a day for reading readiness.
dergarten, it wasn’t a big shock to them,”
foot with reading is a crucial part of early
she said. “They were used to having a rou-
childhood education, but are all parents
tine. They were used to what was expected
doing enough to set their child on a suc-
of them. So, it was like everything was a
cessful path?
review. When a child goes into kindergar-
A recent study by Ohio State University
ten without, not necessarily pre-school,
found that young children who are read
but not having that structure or not being
to by parents hear 1.4 million more words
read to, not only are they starting to learn
than kids who were never read to.
that routine, but ever ything is going to
The study says even kids who are 290,000 more words by age five than those who do not have a regular reading time.
good age for the staff to attack the issue,
reading with their young children.
and inform the parents what they needed
They said they read with their children at least once a night. PHOTO BY: COREY WOOLSEY
18 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
She added that there were some kids that would come into the pre-school that needed more reading work, but it was a
them while they were in the womb.”
WRITER: COREY WOOLSEY
difference.”
Mount Carmel parents Jeremy and Cas-
born,” Cassie said. “Jeremy would read to
OFTEN
be foreign to them. It makes a really big
sie Grimes make it a point to be involved in “We star ted as soon as they were
EARLY AND
“Whenever I was teaching, we tried to get it to where whenever they went to kin-
Getting your children off on the right
read just one book a day will hear around
READ
Kindergarten.
to be doing at home. For those parents who don’t go the preschool route, Cassie said that those kids can still be prepared. “Having a routine is something I
As their children continue to read, the
strongly suggest,” she said. “Getting up at
Grimeses let their kids be a part of the pro-
7:30 or 8 a.m., that is going to be a hard
cess, which they say helps them progress
adjustment for them.”
into more challenging texts.
Cassie added that she thinks that all-
“We let them pick out what they want,
day kindergarten is tough for kids of that
but we have it available to them,” Cassie
age, so that structure is important for them
said. “(It helps) especially if it is something
to have.
they are interested in. (Rayden) loves
Many parents have time constraints
trains so we will read about actual locomo-
that limit opportunities to read with chil-
tives versus a silly story.”
dren, but Cassie says you just have to
One type of book that they like to start
make the time.
their children with are books that are
“The other thing I suggest is to get in
repetitive, which help the learning process.
your child’s mind,” she said. “If a child is
“I like to use books that are a little bit
stressed out and it doesn’t seem like much
shorter, but have the repetition in there,”
of a deal to the adult, it really may be huge
Cassie said. “I was at a summer program
to that child. Their situations are different
with younger kids and we had a nap time,
to our situations.”
so I talked to a girl’s father and told him to
Another area to be mindful of is any
bring in a book for her. While she is on her
learning disabilities. Cassie and Jeremy
cot, if she doesn’t sleep she could look at
say that there are many resources to help
a book. He told me that she couldn’t read.
a family in need of assistance for a child
She was only four at the time, so we didn’t
as well.
expect her to read. But she got a hold of “If
Cassie has a unique approach to the
You Give a Pig a Pancake” and we read it
aspect of childhood reading. She is a chil-
to her every single day she was there. By
dren’s author as well.
the end, she was reading to book to us.” Cassie said that the young girl began to associate what she was saying to the words on the page.
She said that she has to be mindful of how she writes a book, based on the age range she is targeting. “I have to sometime go back and look
As a former pre-school teacher, Cas-
at it myself to see if I think it is an easy con-
sie worked to help kids prepare for the
cept to get,” Cassie said. “Sometime the
reading levels necessar y to succeed in
story may not be age appropriate at all.”
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HORSEMEN Remembering the 1998-99 Carmi Bulldogs WRITER: COREY WOOLSEY
PHOTO COURTESY OF: THE CARMI TIMES
THE FOUR
From left: Eric Walker, Matt Hines, Dusty Aude and Nathan Hamilton gained the nickname of “The Four Horsemen” during the 1998-99 basketball season.
In November 1998, Lauryn Hill was topping
added. “We started the year out 2-3. We lost at
Lee had faith in the intelligence of his play-
the Billboard charts, A Bug’s Life was raking in
Lawrenceville by two points in the second game
ers and his risk was rewarded with a 51-39 win
cash at the box office and the Carmi Bulldogs
of the year and lost in a shootout in Massac
that really turned the season around.
were preparing to start their basketball season.
County to a team from Cincinnati. We also lost
Coming of f two years with 20-plus wins, Head Coach Brad Lee was anticipating another strong season and a potentially deep playoff run.
to Red Hill, and actually, we lost to Red Hill twice that year.” Red Hill would go on and win the North Egypt Conference that year.
At the end of the previous season, the Bull-
Lee said that the team was not defending
dogs fell in heartbreak fashion, losing on a last
like he thought they could early in the season,
second shot in the regional tourney to Edwards
and a trip to Flora was concerning to him.
County.
“We were going to Flora and I didn’t know
“From that point on, we won 16 in a row until we lost to Red Hill again,” Lee said. In the regional, Carmi played both Mount Carmel and Fairfield each for the fourth time in the same season. “To beat somebody four times, regardless of how good they are is a difficult task,” Lee said. In the sectional, Carmi faced Casey-Westfield and Effingham St. Anthony, two ranked
“We thought that was a pretty good team,”
if we could guard them,” he said. “99.9 percent
Lee said. “The juniors that started on that team
of the time we played man-to-man. That is all I
teams. “We won both of those games and I think
were coming back so we knew we had the
knew, and Tom Welch was the coach at Flora,
that was maybe the fourth sectional champion-
potential to be decent.”
and he ran a shuffle-type of motion offense. I
ship in Carmi history,” Lee said.
Lee with assistant coach Todd Rice and
leaned over to my assistant and said I didn’t
A super sectional meeting with number-one-
freshman coach Larr y Gariepy prepared the
think we could guard them, and we were going
ranked and undefeated Hillsboro was next up
team, but the season was in question early on.
to play a zone. He said ‘you haven’t even prac-
for the Bulldogs.
“We didn’t get off to a real good start,” Lee
20 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
ticed a zone.’”
“We defeated them 49-42,” Lee said. We
made it to the Elite Eight for the first time in
ed to be coached. Lee said that although they
don’t think anyone played us within 12 points,”
school history and unfortunately lost in over-
played three sports, basketball was likely their
Lee said. “We won the Carmi Tournament and I
time to Plano on a last second shot.”
favorite sport.
don’t think we had any close games in it.”
Plano was led by 6’9” forward Brad Korn,
“What they did lack athletically, they made
For a town like Carmi, a run like the Bull-
who went on to play at Southern Illinois and
up in chemistry,” he said. “We didn’t have any
dogs made takes on a legendary status over the
is now an assistant to Bruce Weber at Kansas
Division I players on our team, but they were
years.
State.
hard working individuals who played in games
“We had a great year and it was an enjoyable bunch of kids to coach,” Lee said.
the way they practiced.” Lee said the team had a good field of young-
When it comes to the team, Lee said each individual member of the team was successful because of their upbringing. “They came from good parents,” he said.
“I think it all started with the 1996-97 team,” Lee said. “That kind of got the ball rolling.
er kids as well to fill out the team.
These four kids were sophomores and they were battling in practice every day and making
Making their way to the Elite Eight without
the older kids better. Carmi has had a rich
winning the NEC shows how competitive Car-
tradition in basketball whether it was Coach
mi’s conference was at the time.
(Randy) Goin who coached before me or Coach
“They were smart in the classroom. Those four
“The NEC was tough every night you went
(Tom) Mears who coached before him and
seniors (Eric Walker, Matt Hines, Dusty Aud
out,” Lee said. “It didn’t matter whether it was
Coach (Harold) Poore all the way back to the
and Nathan Hamilton) all scored between a
Lawrenceville, Red Hill, Flora, Fairfield, Salem,
Coach (John) McDougal days. These kids
28 and a 33 on their ACT. They were all three-
Olney.”
bought in to what we were doing, and it really
sport athletes and were tough kids physically and mentally.”
Carmi was able to sustain success through the winter tournaments as well.
The seniors were very competitive but want-
drew the community together. There was great support for the team, and it was a pretty neat
“We won the Eldorado Tournament and I
ride.”
COREY WOOLSEY has covered news and sports across Southern Illinois and Indiana for the past 11 years, winning multiple awards for photojournalism. Follow Corey on Twitter@coreywoolsey
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Is the Irish chain quilt really Irish? WRITER: ERIN ZINZILIETA-PENNINGTON Like most countries, Ireland has a rich quilt history. Popular two-color quilts, typically green and white,
name ‘Mosaic’ or ‘American Chain.’ ” (www.women folk.com/quilt_pattern_history/irishchain.htm) Before this quilt was documented, it was stated that
pattern associated with Ireland is “The Irish Chain”
“Barbara Brackman, quilt historian, believed that 1814
quilt, but did this pattern originate in Ireland?
was the earliest known date for this pattern. The quilt
Originally, it was thought that the quilt was named such, because Irish thread was used to quilt it. How-
PHOTO BY: ERIN ZINZILIETA-PENNINGTON
or red and white were significant. The most popular
continued to grow in popularity throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.” (see website above)
ever, with more research and documentation, “there
The modern version of the Irish Chain may offer
is now evidence that the seeds of the pattern orig-
a single row or double row of blocks. The open areas
inated in Ireland. One of the first known examples
are often hand quilted, machine quilted, or an applique
originated in 1805 “and was stitched with linen thread
design may be inserted. Modern quilts are now strip
typical of thread used in Ireland.” “It was brought to
pieced and rotary cut, rather than thousands of 1 or 2
West Virginia from Ireland when the maker, Margaret
inch squares being cut and sewn by hand. No matter
Kee, emigrated here in 1807. We find this pattern has
where this quilt pattern originated from, it remains a
been used more recently in Ireland sometimes by the
favorite among quilters.
Grandson Zeppelin James Jones has a picnic on the Irish chain quilt made by his grandmother
ERIN ZINZILIETA-PENNINGTON is a 2010 graduate of McKendree University and a 1994 graduate of Eastern Illinois University. She possesses a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education English. She has been an educator since 1994.
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Best seat in the house — the hardwood WRITER: ANDREA HOWE I doubt I’ve seen more basketball games than many of you, but I have
I never played team basketball, myself. Fouling out in the first period of
had the privilege to watch nearly all of the hundreds I’ve seen through the
“Babe” Hillyard’s freshman gym class basketball showed me I wasn’t cut
lens of a camera, under the hoop or nearby.
out for it! But, I suppose, being willing to mix it up on the floor was good
In our (618) neighborhood, we have plenty to be proud of. The IHSA basketball record books bear witness to it.
preparation for some of the knocks, bumps and near-misses a journalist gets now and then on the floor.
Mount Carmel’s Tyra Buss is a Hometown Legend if ever there was
Some of my best memories are sitting cross-legged on the floor near
one. (We even made a magazine about her hometown accomplishments.)
the basket, my long-time colleague and friendly newspaper rival Patrick
She inked seven IHSA individual records in her career with the Lady
Seil nearby with his hat on backward, doing a much better job than I did at
Golden Aces before blowing the socks off Indiana
that point in my career. As the years went on and
University’s women’s basketball program. Their names are only in the IHSA record books once, but long before Tyra, came the
I became better at the craft, I missed shooting the breeze with him, and the good-natured hand-up
COMME M O R AT I EDITIO N OF T VE HE M
R egisteR OUNT C ARME
L
Pat gave me if my feet went to sleep.
1987-88 Class A state champion Lady Foxes of
Many a player nearly crashed into me, but the
McLeansboro.
most memorable collisions weren’t with players.
Girls sports weren’t recognized until 1973
Covering a sectional tourney at Red Hill early
(although girls teams played before that), and
in my reporting career, I walked to the other
the state finals series didn’t begin until midway
end of the gym during intermission for the sec-
through my high school career in 1977.
ond half, fiddling with the dials on my brand-
Boys’ basketball is well-documented by IHSA for generations. Mount Carmel’s first and only boys’ basketball state title came in the 1926-27 school year. The Golden Aces were ecstatic to make history again in the 2016-17 school year when Coach Tyler Buss and team placed second
new 35mm camera purchased with my income
TYRA BUSS H O M E T O w N
l E g E N D
in Class 2A finals. In our neck of the (618) neighborhood and nearby we can all remember the Lawrenceville Indians’ state Class A titles of 1972, 1974, 1982 and 1983. Bob Dallas and his Ridgway Eagles won the 1973 Class A title. (Bob lied to me every year in the 1980s, always falsely predicting that his team
tax refund. The next thing I knew, I was flailing toward the floor, trying to keep my camera from harm. While I was fiddling with the dials, a frontrow spectator stuck his leg out for a stretch, and that sent me flying. He seemed oblivious to my condition, and I was worked up enough to
confront him about his rudeness. Then a group of kids came swarming not toward me to provide assistance, but toward him for an autograph. That leg was the first and only contact I’ve had with coach Bobby Knight, who was there to scout Marty Simmons.
wouldn’t amount to anything. They were always competitive.) David Lee’s
I followed the Indians to U of I’s Assembly Hall that season and photo-
McLeansboro Foxes won the 1984 Class A state title. (Lee first coached in
graphed them winning a state title. TV viewers may have seen Simmons
Carmi. That champion team included Lee’s son and the son of Lee’s high
stuff a basket and noticed the ball popped back up in the air. From the
school friend and NBA legend Jerry Sloan.)
floor, viewers saw it go through the hoop and bounce right off the top of my
White County native Doug Evans took his Seneca team to a second-place finish in 1991 and claimed the state title in 2006. (I grew up with the Evans kids!)
head. I got roughed up at the Super-Sectional covering David Lee’s Foxes. Not by the team or the coaches, but by a tournament worker who didn’t see my
Dave Gray’s Norris City-Omaha-Enfield Cardinals placed third in the
credentials. As I was headed to the court with all the other photographers
state tournament in 1990. (What a homecoming that was for the Cardinals!)
to get a victory photo, he grabbed my arm and pulled me backward. When
IHSA’s boys’ basketball record books feature the names of Eldorado
he saw the credential, he apologized and let me go.
Eagle Mike Duff, Lawrenceville’s Jay and Dennis Shidler, Marty Simmons,
While I’ve enjoyed covering the action on the floor, some of my favorite
Doug Novsek, Rich Leighty, Ridgway’s Roger Suttner and Mount Carmel’s
basketball moments are the hometown welcomes communities give their
Levi Laws.
teams for a season to be proud of.
As a footnote, there’s the 1975 state champion Venice Red Devils.
They weren’t all state championships, but they were all memorable.
I mention Venice because anyone who bleeds Bulldog maroon remem-
I learned early, from my friend and long-time sportswriting icon Pete
bers or has been told of the heartbreaker last-second triple-overtime one-
Swanson (he still writes for me, though he’s twice-retired), that sports is
point loss to Venice in super-sectional action. We all still believe that shot
not just about sports.
was made out of bounds. An eighth-grader at the time, I listened to the game on the radio. There was a lot of stomping going on at our old farmhouse in Emma Township.
Sports = people, says Pete. And he’s right. I’ve been humbly privileged to watch many genuinely good leaders who are role models for young men and women to follow.
(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 23
MARCH CALENDAR
Community Events
GET ON THE CALENDAR Send community events for the April issue of (618) Hometown Magazine by Feb. 26. It’s a great way to spread the word, free of charge, to readers in Edwards, Wabash and White counties. Email us at: news@mtcarmelregister.com
MARCH 1 LENTEN SERVICE
Noon – 1 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church 512 N Mulberry St, Mt Carmel, IL Harvest leading worship for Lenten service at Trinity in Mt. Carmel Sunday evening, March 1. Everyone is welcome. For more information, email tumoffice512@gmail.com.
* Event listings are on a first-come, first-served basis
UNDER THE BEAMS
7:30 – 9 p.m. at New Harmony Theatre 419 Tavern St, New Harmony, IN Under the Beams concert series presents “Kinobe Quartet”
MARCH 8 GUNS N HOSES BASKETBALL
10 a.m. at Jefferson Union 1311 Chestnut St, Vincennes, IN A day of FREE musical entertainment at the Annual Old Post Bluegrass Jam beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT) Sunday, March 1.
12:30 – 3:30 p.m. at Mount Carmel Grade School 1520 Poplar Street 16th annual Guns ’N Hoses basketball games hosted by Wabash County Retail Merchants Committee. $5 admission, concessions available. Proceeds benefit Merchants Park. Raffle tickets available for a chance to win RMC Gift Checks.
DR. “UMFUNDISL” GUEST SPEAKER
MARCH 10
OLD POST BLUEGRASS JAM
10:30 AM at Grace Fellowship Wesleyan Church 527 E Illinois St, Princeton, IN Fellowship Church in Princeton hosts Dr. “Umfundisi” Jim Lo as a special guest teacher/preacher.
MARCH 3 BETTER BREATHERS CLUB
1 – 2 p.m. at Carle Richland Memorial Hospital Orthopaedic Clinic; 800 E Locust St, Olney, IL Living with a chronic lung disease can be easier. Better Breathers Clubs are welcoming support groups for individuals with chronic lung disease and their caregivers.
MARCH 7 DODGE BALL TOURNEY
9:30 a.m. at Mount Carmel High School Gymnasium MCHA FBLA Club’s 2020 dodgeball tourney for ages Pre-K-8th grade, ages 9-13, 14-18 and 19 and up. Pre-registration $50 for 6-10 person team, $30 for PreK through 8th grade team. Register day of event for extra $10. Admission $1.
MARCH 7 BENEFIT SHOW
7 p.m. at Morello’s Restaurant & Catering 217 E Poplar St, Harrisburg, IL Benefit show for Lindsay Pennell $5 donation to enter. Artists performing: Matt Hayes, Skylor Knight, Sieger Giroux, Rebecca Githens, Jarell James W/ Aaron Karcher, Bill Ozee W/ Bryant Brooks.
JANE DOE AT THE EAGLES
8 p.m. at Fraternal Order of Eagles 215 N Fair St, Olney, IL Jane Doe rocks the Eagles Club. Jane doe is a Mattoon-based rock, country, pop, big hair, mod. rock band. 24 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
OVERCOMING ANXIETY SUPPORT GROUP
7:30 – 8 p.m. at First Christian Church 803 N Market St, Mt Carmel, IL Free Overcoming Anxiety Support Group meeting at First Christian Church, 8th & Market Streets
MARCH 13 TACO NIGHT
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Olney VFW #4226 205 N Walnut St, Olney, IL
MARCH 14 BELGIAN BOOKBINDING SESSION
1 – 4 p.m. at New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art 506 Main St, New Harmony, IN Participants will learn and practice the art of secret Belgian bookbinding to create a personalized sketchbook.
SUN DIAL TEA ROOM
3 – 5 p.m. at Community House No. 2 410 Main St, New Harmony, IN Wear your fanciest hat and experience a recreation of the Sun Dial Tea Room – back for one day only. Enjoy original 1930s recipes and delicious tea in Community House #2.
ANNUAL ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL AUCTION-DINNER-DANCE
5 p.m. at St. Joseph School; 427 S Stormont St, Princeton, IN Annual Auction- dinner, dessert and dance. Our largest school fundraiser and fun time of the year. We will have lots of hand crafted items, desserts and fun things up for grabs.
MARCH 21
MARCH 22
ROTARY RUN
RGRG SPRING FLING CRAFT AND VENDOR FAIR
8 a.m. at East Side Grade School McLeansboro Hamilton County Rotary Run 0k Run, 5K Run/Walk and Kid’s Half Mile Fun Run. Registration behind East Side Grade School. Ample parking available on-site. The race will be electronically timed by the River to River Runners. The 10K course will start in the general vicinity and will run the course two times.
RGRG SPRING FLING CRAFT AND VENDOR FAIR 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Antique Emporium in New Harmony
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Antique Emporium in New Harmony
MARCH 23 ST. LOUIS BRASS
7:30 – 9 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church 5330 E Frontage Rd, Olney, IL Southeastern Illinois Concert Association presents St Louis Brass at Trinity Lutheran
MARCH 27-28, MARCH 29, APRIL 3-4
CAMP WILDWOOD FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER
2 – 5 p.m. at Lasata Wines 8880 Lasata Lane, Lawrenceville, IL The adult options-Mason jar, flower, or truck are $35 each. Kid options-dinosaur or mermaid tail $20 each
MARCH 21-22
THE OUTSIDERS
Princeton Theatre and Community Center 301 West Broadway, Princeton IN Stage adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s novel, The Outsiders March 27-28 @ 7:00 pm March 29 @ 2:00 pm April 3-4 @ 7:00 pm
MARCH 28
GREAT WAR EVENT
Saturday 8 a.m. – Sunday 4 p.m. at Indiana Military Museum 715 S 6th St, Vincennes, IN Pre-Registration for re-enactors only for the Great War Event at the Indiana Military Museum, March 21-22. Re-enactors can set up Friday, March 20. (812) 882-1941
SI SPRING CLASSIC
8 a.m. at Parkside Elementary School 1900 Cedar St, Lawrenceville, IL Registration and packet pickup is 6:30-7:45 a.m. Half Marathon, 5K run/walk begin at 8 a.m. and Kid’s Half Marathon begins at 9 a.m.
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(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 25
SUBMIT YOUR ATHLETE
spotlight:
High school athletic directors in Edwards County, Wabash County and White County are invited to feature an athlete every month in this ongoing (618) Hometown Magazine feature. Send us an email at:
ATHLETES
emerrill@mtcarmelregister.com * Compiled by Evan Merrill
EDWARDS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR CAELYN NELSON
MOUNT CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR KASSIDY DRONE
Caelyn Nelson is a senior at Edwards County High School. She plays volleyball, basketball, and softball and has done so each of her four high school years. She was selected to the All South Team in volleyball earlier this year, was named to the All-Conference team and was a varsity letter winner. In softball, she received varsity letters all four years. In basketball, Nelson received varsity letters all four years and is the Edwards County career-record holder for 3-point shots. She will be attending Wabash Valley College next year and playing volleyball. She plans to study Marketing/Ag Business.
Kassidy was a four-year starter at setter for Mount Carmel’s volleyball team and was a key component in guiding the Lady Aces to their winningest season in over a decade. Kassidy’s volleyball accomplishments include being named to the 2018 Tri County All-Area Volleyball Team, a 2019 Edwards County All-Tournament team selection and recording 1,494 assists. On the basketball team, Kassidy was named Rookie of the Year as a freshman, Most Improved her sophomore year, given the Sharpshooter award for her junior season and was named to the 2019 Robinson All-Tournament team and the 2019 Fairfield AllTournament team. In the classroom, she’s a member of National Honor Society and Illinois State Scholars, who rank in the top ten percent of graduates among Illinois high schools and are annually selected based on their ACT and SAT exam scorers and class rank. Kassidy will be continuing her athletic career at Wabash Valley College as a member of their volleyball team.
CARMI-WHITE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SYDNEY LUCAS Sydney is a senior at CWCHS. Sydney was selected to the All-Tournament member at the Harrisburg Lady Bulldog Preview Tournament in November and was selected to the All-Tournament team at the Lady Eagle Winter Classic in Eldorado. Sydney became a member of the Carmi 1,000 point club in the Lady Bulldogs’ 41-38 overtime victory over Gallatin County. Sydney was an All-Conference and All-South selection in volleyball this past fall and also runs girls’ Ttack in the spring. Sydney has a 4.0 GPA and is on pace to be one of CWCHS’ valedictorians this spring.
CORRECTION: The photo captions for the (618) Hometown Magazine Athletes of the Month featured in the February edition were inadvertently transposed. The Mount Carmel athlete of the month of February was Aden Gill, and the Edwards County athlete of the month was Camden Cowger. Our apologies for the error.
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Pictured left to right in the four-seasons room at The Villas of Hollybrook: Bernadine Goodson, Emil Tyler, Alberta Burton and Lynne Harkleroad Finding the work they were suited for, and doing it with a happy heart is the common factor for four of my new friends I met at The Villas of
that her hairdo is the benefit of her son’s salon, Brad’s Hair Designs in Mount Carmel.
Hollybrook in Mount Carmel.
•••
Lynne Harkleroad, Alberta Burton, Emil Tyler and Vernadine Good-
Tyler, 89, joined the U.S. Navy when he was 17 and served for five
son gathered in the four-seasons room at the center on Mount Carmel’s
years before beginning an electrician apprenticeship with the railroad,
west side, all smiles when they started talking about their careers prior
where he worked for 11 years.
to retirement.
He worked during the steam engine era, and when the diesels came
Turns out, Harkleroad and Goodson are members of Tyler’s Sunday
in, he continued working in the electric shop.
School class they attend at Mount Carmel’s Free Methodist Church on
His commercial electric skills kept him working, eventually forming
Poplar Street. Burton is a 15-year member of Heartland Worship Center.
his own commercial electric business, during the oil boom and for other
All four agree they worship in different buildings, but they’re part of the
industries.
same body of Christ.
“I never did lack for work. I never regretted it!” he said. •••
•••
If you want to be picky, you can’t say that Burton, age 90, is fully
Goodson, 95, was born west of Albion but raised in Wabash County.
retired. She still wraps silverware at The Villas. “You name it, I’ve done
She raised sons Baisel Jr., Bill and Ron, and is grandmother to nine,
it,” she smiled. She worked for about 15 years as a certified nurse’s aide
great-grandmother to nine and great-great-grandmother to one.
before working as a greeter for six and a half years at Hogg Heaven in Mount Carmel.
The farm was her way of life, planting a big garden, tending flowers, caring for three children, tending chickens and cattle.
“I love people,” she said.
“We had all of our own stuff,” she said. Fresh milk and home-churned
“Everybody knows Birdie,” Harkleroad agreed.
butter, included. The only grocery shopping to speak of was a trip to get
She’s the mother of, Larr y, Tom, Steve, John and Brenda, grand-
sugar and coffee, she remembers of a self-sufficient farming way of life.
mother to eight and great-grandmother to five.
Before electricity and freezers, Goodson was busy home canning all
•••
the garden could produce to carry the family through to the next grow-
Harkleroad, 84, served 38 years as the postmaster of Mount Carmel. How much did she love her work?
Farm life included big meals, sometimes delivered to the field during
“I would go back in a minute!” she says.
harvest season.
She’s the mother of Brad Wood of Mount Carmel and Bruce Wood of St. Louis, grandmother to five and great-grandmother to five.
Acorn Estates
Acorn Estates empowers you to live more independently, on your terms. We are a community in Mt. Carmel, IL that welcomes the use of Medicaid should financial resources become low. Let our highly trained staff see to the housekeeping, maintenance, and cooking. Our residents enjoy the confidence of having nursing services and discreet personal assistance available whenever needed.
28 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
Goodson also had her share of driving grain trucks to the elevator (after the horse and mule days). “I had those three little boys in the truck
Looking smart in purple with a crown of silver hair, Harkleroad noted
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Acorn Estates empowers you to live more independently, on your terms. We are a community in Mt. Carmel, IL that welcomes the use of Medicaid should financial resources become low. Let our highly trained staff see to the housekeeping, maintenance, and cooking. Our residents enjoy the confidence of having nursing services and discreet personal assistance available whenever needed.
Oakview Nursing and Rehabilitation is a Medicare/Medicaid certified facility in Mt. Carmel, IL. The facility is warm, inviting, and homelike. Families and visitors will notice how the residents spend time playing bingo, participating in activities and attending social events held in our large dining hall. Oakview has several private rooms and is as comfortable as it is friendly.
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