Christmas Day Dinner at First Lutheran in Geneseo

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

   The congregation at First Lutheran Church in Geneseo again this year will present a Christmas gift to the community.

   Vicar Madelyn Knutson, left, pastoral intern at First Lutheran Church in Geneseo, and the Rev. Laura Kamprath, church pastor, will be helping at the 19th annual Community Christmas Day Dinner on Thursday, Dec. 25, at the church, 114 East Main St., Geneseo.  Photo by Claudia Loucks

   They are extending an invitation to the “greater community” to come to the 19th annual free Christmas dinner on Thursday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day.  Serving will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the invitation reads, “All are welcome to gather for a festive meal and joyful conversation, celebrating the true spirit of Christmas together.”

   The church is located at 114 East Main St., Geneseo, and the Christmas Day dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the church.  The menu includes turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, salads, rolls, and Christmas cookies.  There is no charge for the meal and no offering will be taken,

   Reservations are NOT required for dine-in guests, as the church invitation also reads: “Simply come as you are and celebrate the joy of Christmas with good food and good company.”

   In addition to serving a hot meal at the church, the dinner is available for delivery in the Geneseo, Atkinson and Cambridge areas.  Arrangements for delivery for those who are homebound can be made by calling the church office at 309-944-3196, by noon on Tuesday,
 Dec. 23.

   The event is designed especially for those who may find themselves alone on Christmas, or simply wish to share the day with others in fellowship.

   Guests will be treated to a traditional holiday meal served in a welcoming atmosphere.

   Vicar Madelyn Knutson, a pastoral intern at First Lutheran, stressed the importance of hospitality in the church and said, “Our faith calls us to love all people without limits.  The church hosting this meal is the perfect example of putting that call into action.”

   Church pastor Laura Kamprath said, “Our hope is to provide a place where everyone feels they belong.  Christmas is about community, kindness, and connection – and this dinner is our way of sharing the love of Christ with our neighbors.”

   The church is offering multiple Christmas worship services this year and the community is invited.

   Candlelight, Carols & Communion services are at 4 and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 24.  Both services are livestreamed from the church website, www.firstgeneseo.org.

   Carols & Communion is the service at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day, Thursday, Dec. 25.

DETAILS FOR CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER AT FIRST LUTHERAN:

  -Thursday, Dec. 25, serving from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 114 East Main St., Geneseo.  Delivery available by calling the church at 309-944-3196, by noon on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Food Pantry Meets Needs of Families for Thanksgiving

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current


Michael Sigwalt

 “What a great community to be part of!” were the words from Michael Sigwalt, director of the Geneseo-Atkinson Food Pantry, when asked how the current food shortage crisis and government shutdown has affected the pantry.

   Sigwalt added, “Geneseo is generous.”

  The GAFP served a record number of families in October of this year, (501 families in total), which Sigwalt said is a 17.6 percent increase over the previous record of 426 families, which was reached in Sept. 2025, and Sigwalt said the community stepped up to meet the increased need.

   “The 501 families served also is a 57.5 percent increase over the number of families served in October of 2024, which was 318. 

   “For all of fiscal year 2025, we’ve served an average of 371 families per month, which is a 60 percent increase over the families served in fiscal year 2024, which was 233.

  The included chart shows the progression of families served at the pantry since August of 2021.

   Sigwalt commented, “In response to the national news concerning Federal actions, or inactions, the people of the City of Geneseo have responded so incredibly favorably.  Because of their amazing generosity, we have not had our pantry shelves lacking of food!”

   Keeping the shelves stocked has also been the result of the pantry staff seeking new food sources and Sigwalt added, “We most certainly have been very busy exploring as many new food sources as possible.”

   He listed the sources:

  -Greater utilization of River Bend Food Bank and Midwest Food Bank resources.
  -An increase in purchased inventories.
  -Fabulous food drives throughout the community!
  -Incredible support form our area food retailers!

   “Because of the community’s incredible support, we have been able to provide some of our Thanksgiving food items for our guests, such as canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, corn bread mix, stuffing mix, and mashed potatoes.”

   The Thanksgiving food items did not include meat this year and Sigwalt said the reason being there were too many families and rising meat costs, and he added, ”Of course, if anyone would like to donate a ham or turkey, we would make it available for our friends,”

   Sigwalt answered my question of how the Geneseo -Atkinson Food Pantry been impacted by news reports with: ‘Yes, GAFP has most definitely been impacted by all the reports we’ve all heard in the news!  But the community’s response has been so phenomenal that we’ve been able to still provide needed for families in need.”

  He added that he does not know what to expect now that the government has opened – “We didn’t’ know what to expect when it was shut down!  But I’m certain, no matter what the current crisis might be, the citizens of Geneseo will help us help our neighbors!”

IN LOOKING AHEAD TO CHRISTMAS

   “For Christmas, we’ll be doing something very similar to Thanksgiving, including many of the same items,” Sigwalt said.

   Those items include pumpkin pie filling, cranberry sauce, corn, green beans, crispy fried onions, cream of mushroom soup, corn bread mix, pie crust mix, sweet potatoes/yams, dried mashed potatoes, aluminum roasting pan.

   Donations of any of those items would be helpful and Sigwalt said the pantry is “always in need of cereal (hot or cold), baking items (mixes, flour, oils, sugar, etc.), condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise), canned meats (tuna, chicken, etc.); Hygiene, cleaning and paper products, (napkins, paper towels, wax paper, cling wrap, etc.) always are welcome.  We go through those quickly and our guests cannot purchase them with their SNAP benefits.”

Interview with Grover Cleveland’s Grandson Nov. 18 at Geneseo Library

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

  Ever wonder if you may be related to an American President?  Anyone having ancestors who lived in Colonial New England could be.  More information is available at a 2 p.m. program on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the Geneseo Public Library when Geneseo native, Tim Pletkovich, will be interviewing George Cleveland, grandson of President Grover Cleveland.

   George Cleveland, grandson of the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, is a self-employed consultant living in rural Tamworth, N.H., and information from the Geneseo Library states, that “he bears an uncanny resemblance to his grandfather, who died in 1908.”

   Cleveland has spoken about the importance of a healthy history curriculum in middle and high schools around the country.  He is an advisor to the Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Foundation, and his passion for fundraising knows no bounds, having appeared in a calendar wearing only a hat.  (That calendar brought in $75,000 for nonprofits.) – According to information received from the library.

   Pletkovich grew up in Geneseo and spent more than 35 years as a secondary school teacher in New York and Illinois and worked as a baseball scout for the Chicago Cubs.  He recently returned to make Geneseo his home.

   He is the author of the book “Civil War Fathers:  Sons of the Civil War in World War II,” and is writing a book about presidential genealogy.  Pletkovich co-wrote “Nuns, Nazis, and Notre Dame:  Stores of the Great Depression, World War II and the Fighting Irish,” with Gerald A. O’Reilly.

   Grover Cleveland, a Democrat, served as president from 1885-1889.  The automobile and telephone were still new inventions when he occupied the White House, so the fact that he has a living grandson makes George a bit of a curiosity.  Grover lost the election to Benjamin Harrison in 1888, but was elected again, serving from 1893 to 1897.  He died in 1908.

   It wasn’t until the 1990’s that George Cleveland decided to dig deeper into his grandfather’s background and performed historical interpretation and character impersonations of his grandfather and other historical figures.

  Information from Pletkovich received by the library states: “It’s a matter of sex and math because Grover was almost 25 years older than my grandmother when they were married,” he (George Cleveland) said.  “It’s ridiculous to have somebody who’s still alive whose grandfather was born in 1837.  You know, my father was born in 1897.  And then he met and married my mother in 1943 when she was teaching his children from his first marriage.  So, we basically dropped two whole generations.”

   “He (Grover) believed that you shouldn’t benefit from public service,” said Cleveland of his grandfather. “And, as a result, when he got out of office, there were a lot of companies that wanted him to come on their boards…but he turned all those offers down because a public office is a public trust.”

Cleveland and Pletkovich will be speaking at a breakfast at The Central Schoolhouse Inn in Geneseo from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18.  Tickets are $60 per person and reservations are necessary.  For more information, or to make a reservation, call Pletkovich at 309-253-5377.

Operation Christmas Child 2025 Packing Parties Nov. 14-15

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Shelly Emerick, Operation Christmas Child Church Relations Team Member, said there is still a need for additional shoeboxes to be filled, and A need for volunteers to help at the Shoebox Packing Parties planned for Nov. 14-15 at the South Campus of Kingswood Church.   Photo by Claudia Loucks

The Packing Party dates are set and the Shoebox Drop-Off dates are in place, but there are still many empty shoeboxes to be filled for the Operation Christmas Child outreach.

   Team members are aware that the Christmas season is drawing near and there is a concern of making sure the OCC shoeboxes get to disadvantaged children worldwide. 

   Empty shoeboxes are available from Shelly Emerick, OCC church-relations team member, by contacting her at 309-945-3700.   Anyone interested in filling a shoebox may also use an empty shoebox of their own. 

SHOEBOX PACKING PARTY TIMES:

   Shoebox packing parties will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, at Kingswood Church, south campus, 224 North State St., Geneseo.  Volunteers who help with packing can come and go as their schedules allow.

 

SHOEBOX DROP-OFF DATES AT GENESEO EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH, 914 NORTH CHICAGO ST., GENESEO

  -Monday, Nov. 17, Tuesday, Nov. 18, – 2 to 4 p.m.
  -Wednesday, Nov. 19, – 4 to 6 p.m.
  -Thursday, Nov. 20, and Friday, Nov. 21, - 2 to 4 p.m.
  -Saturday, Nov. 22, - 10 a.m. to noon.
  -Sunday, Nov. 23, - 2 to 4 p.m.
  -Monday, Nov. 24, - 9 to 11 a.m.

   For those not able to attend a packing party, but who still want to help, she said, “Packing a shoebox can be done by anyone and the first step is to decide to pack for a boy or a girl in age groups 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14.  It’s best to begin with a “wow” item such as a doll, stuffed animal, deflated soccer ball with a pump, toy cars or trucks.  It is important to include school supplies and hygiene items such as a washcloth, comb, brush, toothbrush - but toothpaste is not allowed.”

   Clothing or shoes also can be included in the shoebox as well as fun toys, but no food, candy, liquids or soap. 

   Each shoebox contains a copy of “The Greatest Gift” booklet, a storybook that shares the message of salvation, written in the language of the child receiving the shoebox.

   Items that cannot be included in the shoeboxes are anything glass, liquid, camouflage or war-related, or any type of food.

   Emerick said there also is still a need for monetary donations to help pay the $10 cost of shipping each shoebox.  Donations can be mailed or dropped off at the office of Emerick Pest Control, 361 JF Edwards Dr., Geneseo, IL 61254.   Donations also can be left or mailed to Kingswood Church, 302 North State St., Geneseo, IL 61254.

   Operation Christmas Child is an outreach of Samaritan Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization.   The non-profit organization specializes in meeting the critical needs of victims of war, poverty, disease and natural disaster, in order to demonstrate God’s love and share the Gospel.

   The ministry, which is in its 32nd year, uses the shoebox as a tool to open the door for the Gospel and make disciples of all tribes, tongues and nations.  OCC started in the United Kingdom in 1990 as an outreach to Romanian Orphans and OCC began in North America in 1993. 

Tony Simon Remembers His Honor Flight

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

 Those of us fortunate enough to know Roy (Tony) Simon know for certain that he is a dedicated patriotic guy.  As I thought about what sort of story to write in observance of 2025 Veterans Day, I realized how little I know about the Honor Flights that transport our military veterans on one-day trips to Washington, D.C. to visit their memorials, and I chose to interview Tony Simon to learn more.

  Lt. Col. Roy (Tony) Simon, Geneseo, is photographed at the Vietnam Memorial in Geneseo City Park, wearing the jacket and cap he received when he was a passenger on the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Photo byClaudia Loucks

   Lt. Col. Roy (Tony) Simon made a career of the Air Force and during his years of service, volunteered for special operations duty combat in Vietnam.

   He was aboard Honor Flight #52 that departed from the Quad City International Airport early in the morning of April 12, 2022, and landed at Reagan International Airport, Washington, D.C., with approximately 80 veterans and about the same number of guardians.

   (Guardians on Honor Flights are volunteer escorts, typically between 18 and 72 years old, who are physically able to assist veterans for the entire day's trip. Their role is to ensure the veteran's safety, comfort, and a memorable experience, which includes pushing wheelchairs, assisting with boarding, and helping with meals.

   Simon said several sources of media, including television radio, newspapers, etc., advertise early the dates of details of the upcoming Honor Flight, generally once per year.  Applications are made available to those wishing to participate.  There is no cost for the veteran, however, guardians must pay a fee.  The remainder of the cost is funded by local organizations, and “in our case, I believe an organization form Galva, the Back Roads Music Festival, funded Flight #52.”

   As a military pilot, Simon recalled landing at the D.C. Airport many years ago, in addition to many trips to the area made by automobile with his family.

   The veterans making up Honor Flight #52 spent the day visiting museums, memorials, monuments and the veterans’ cemetery.

   What made the trip even more special for Simon was that his son, Tony Jr., came from San Antonio, Texas, came to serve as his dad’s guardian….”We discovered there was one veteran in a wheel chair who did not have a guardian, Simon said.  “Since I did not require any special assistance and was able to maneuver on my own, my son volunteered to act as the disabled veteran’s guardian.  I was so proud of him for doing the right thing.”

   “We visited all the monuments and memorials, but were disappointed that we did not have the time to visit the Space Museum,” he said.  “We were late in departing Moline and were not able to visit everything as scheduled.”

   Simon commented that everything about the trip was “a highlight, but there are two things that really stood out.  There was a huge crowd as we departed and entered the airport at Reagan.  These people, more than likely, did not know a soul on our flight but showed up in droves to clap, cheer us on and sing songs.”

   He shared another highlight that he said “brought a tear to my eye was a rather large group of very young boys and girls belting out patriotic songs.  It was a sight to behold!  There was even a good size crowd of people as we departed on the bus to take up to the aircraft”

   Another highlight, he said, was the group’s arrival at the Quad City Airport in Moline at the end of the day.

  A book of photographs of her dad’s experience on the Honor Flight was put together by Simon’s daughter, Lori Rowe, and includes a photo of Simon and his son, Tony Jr., who was his dad’s guardian on the Honor Flight. Photo by Claudia Loucks

   “I couldn’t believe the crowd of people gathered there to welcome us home.  What made it even more unbelievable was the hour of the night.  Our approximate arrival time was 10:30 p.m., but I think it was closer to 11 p.m., if not later.  I’m told these crowds appear at every Honor Flight arrival.”

   He added, “I’m heartened by the support our veterans receive from the local folks.”

   One of the questions I asked Lt. Col. Simon was his feelings about freedom in the USA and the American flag.

   He responded, “As you know I’m a rather patriotic guy.  I love my country and the beautiful American flag that represents it.  I fly my flag on a pole outside my front door every day to remind me how lucky I am to be an American.  I wear my American flag pin when appropriate and I wear it proudly.  I volunteered for combat duty in Vietnam because I felt it my duty to do my part to protect my family, my loved ones, my fellow Americans and my country; I would do it again without question.  We would not be free Americans had it not been for the terrible sacrifice of our millions of veterans, living and dead.  We cannot and must not ever forget what many of them have suffered.”

   “I will never forget the experience of having participated in the Honor Flight,” he said.  “It continues to remind me that most Americans are thankful for what our veterans represent and are not shy when it comes to express those thanks and gratitude.  I highly recommend that any and all veterans participate in an Honor Flight in possible.” 

TONY SIMON AND THE MILITARY

   Before enlisting in the Air Force, Simon said he had never been in an airplane.

   It was while he was in basic training when Simon applied for, and was accepted into the Aviation Cadet program.  He completed basic and began pilot and officer training in the Air Force Aviation Cadet program.  He trained in small single aircraft as well as World War II B-25’s and B-29’s, and graduated from the program in January of 1956.

   He and his wife, Ginny, were married two days after Simon received his wings and 2nd Lieutenant Commission.  He was given a choice of assignments in either fighter aircraft or multi-engine transports.

   “I chose multi-engine primarily because I thought this would give me a better chance of seeing the world,” he said.  “We were transferred to our first permanent assignment in the state of Washington.”

   Simon said he flew C-124 Globemasters, the largest transport of its time, at assignments in Washington, Hawaii, Delaware and Oklahoma for the next 10 years.

   “As pilots, we were qualified to fly anywhere in the world at any time,” he said.  “In 1966, I was selected to instruct other pilots in a new jet transport, the C-141 Starlifter, at Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma.  At Altus, I was an instructor and flight examiner for three years in the C-141.”

   Simon recalled numerous memorable missions during his years in transports, including flights to northern Greenland, just 400 miles south of the North Pole; a mission through the restricted corridors in Germany to Berlin; missions to Africa, South America, Australia, Iceland, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, Canada, Alaska, numerous islands in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, “and more.”

   “I have experienced on-board fires, hydraulic leaks, oil leaks, fuel leaks, lightning strikes, multiple systems failures, landing gear failures, communications failures, minimum weather conditions, flights through thunderstorms, extreme icing conditions and, of course, engine failures,” he said.  “Single engine failures on a mission were common.  I very vividly remember a double engine failure, two engines on the same side of a four-engine aircraft.”

  “The ultimate heart-thumper was a nighttime bailout of my 13 crew members in the South China Sea.,” Simon said.

   In late 1971, Simon volunteered for Special Operations combat duty in Gunship aircraft in Vietnam. 

   “After stateside training in the gunship, a converted transport aircraft with six side-firing Vulcan rotating barrel 20 mm and 7.62 mm guns and carrying thousands of rounds of ammunition, I first attended an ocean survival course and a jungle survival course in the Philippines before arriving in Vietnam,” he said.  “For the next eight months, I flew 120-night combat missions in Vietnam and Laos, where nightly anti-aircraft fire and heat seeking missiles were a constant threat.  As the end of the war approached in 1972, since I was the Wing Chief Standardization and Flight Examiner Pilot for the gunship group, I was selected to remain at DaNang Air Base in South Vietnam to train the South Vietnamese Air Force pilots in the operation of the gunship.  All the gunships were ultimately transferred to the South Vietnamese Air Force.”

   After the Vietnam War, Simon was transferred to Kansas, then to North Carolina as Commander of Mobile Aerial Port Squadron, made up of about 300 officers and enlisted men, including a contingent of Air Force Combat Controllers. 

  “These were intensely trained and highly qualified special forces airborne troops whose sole purpose was to parachute into forward landing and drop zones to secure them and set up communications for follow-on Army Airborne troop drop missions,” he said. 

   Simon said because he enlisted in the Air Force before finishing his college education, he realized early in his career that he needed to continue his education.  He took night classes for the next several years and after a six-month residency, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Nebraska in 1970.  He continued his studies and earned a master’s degree in business management in 1977.  During this same time, Simon also completed Air Force courses at the Squadron Officers School, the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.

   After a short joint tour with the Army in New Jersey, Simon was transferred to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois near St. Louis as Chief of the Mobile Aerial Port Division at the Military Airlift Command Headquarters.

   He retired in 1978 as Lt. Colonel Simon with more than 10,000 flying hours.

   His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and the Joint Service Commendation Medal.

   He and his wife Ginny have a son, Tony Jr., who served as a medical technician in the Air Force for 24 years and before his retirement, he was a medical technician at a military hospital in San Antonio, Texas; one daughter, Lori Rowe, Davenport, and four granddaughters, two great-granddaughters and one great-grandson.

Seth Ernst Soccer Slam Tournament Registration Begins Nov. 1

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

   Seth Ernst loved playing soccer and his parents, Dave and Betty Ernst, were always on the sidelines at their son’s games.

   That was when he was on the playing field. Their son was a sophomore at Geneseo High School when he and two classmates died from injuries incurred in a car accident on Oct. 15, 2000.

Plans are in place for the 19th Annual Seth Ernst Memorial Soccer Slam at the Geneseo Foundation Athletic Center (GFAC).  Registration opens online Nov. 1.  Members of the Ernst family in the photograph are encouraging teams to participate in the Soccer Slam, and they are, in front, Noah Stralow, Seth Stralow, Cora Stralow, Luke Stralow, Drake VerStraete, Will VerStraete; in back, Nathan Stralow, Erica (Ernst) Stralow, Dave Ernst, Betty Ernst, Megan (Ernst) VerStraete and Shane VerS traete.  Registration for the tournament, beginning Nov. 1, is available at www.sethernstsoccerslam.org.  Anyone with questions is asked to email soccer@sethernstsoccerslam.org or call Jill DePauw, tournament director, at 309-945-2696.  The tournament benefits Geneseo High School Soccer Boosters, Geneseo Soccer Club and Geneseo Rec Soccer.  Contributed Photo

   Generous financial contributions were made to the Ernst family in memory of Seth, and the couple chose to seek an avenue to keep their son’s memory alive.
    The Seth Ernst Memorial Soccer Slam was organized in 2007 and continues today, with the 19th annual tournament set for Jan. 30-Feb. 1 for ages 11-14/15 Boys and Girls along with Geneseo High School students in grades 9-12.  U14/15 players may not be in high school. 

   The second weekend of the Tournament is Feb. 27-March 1 for ages 6/7 – 10 Boys and Girls and U2Old.  The U2Old Division is for Geneseo School District residents, alumni, and SEMSS coaches, along with one guest player.   

    Special guests from Socialization, Training, Rehabilitation, Independence, Vocation and Education (S.T.R.I.V.E.) Rehabilitation Center in Prophetstown, will play a scrimmage against local heroes at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 1.

   The Seth Ernst Memorial Soccer Slam has supported STRIVE for many years by donating money to purchase handicapped running carts, special rock-climbing equipment, basketball supplies and more to assist the valuable organization.

   A live and online auction, conducted by Stenzel Auction Service, will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, and again n Feb. 28 at the GFAC.  Anyone interested in donating a “unique” item for either of the Saturday auction dates, is asked to contact Betty Ernst at 309-714-1805.

   Representatives from Whimsy Pixie Paint will return for the ninth year to provide face painting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. 

   A new feature last year in the concession stand also will return – grilled chops, brats and hot dogs.

   Aside from financially supporting Geneseo Rec Soccer, Geneseo Soccer Club and Geneseo High School Soccer Boosters, at least four (4) $1,000 scholarships are given to two Geneseo High School senior boys and two senior girls who have played soccer for at least three years.  Applications for the scholarships are available on the Geneseo High School counseling page.  

   Dave and Betty Ernst came up with the idea of the soccer tournament in their son’s memory and Mr. Ernst said, “It took some time for us to come up with the tournament idea.  We wanted to have something that would be ongoing to keep Seth’s memory alive, and we wanted to have something that would benefit youth in Geneseo and the surrounding area.”

   The couple met with people from the Geneseo Soccer Club along with members of the Geneseo High School Soccer Boosters.

   “It was Greg Ogle who first suggested the tournament idea,” Mrs. Ernst said.  “The people who have helped with this tournament since its beginning have done a great job and they continue to help each year.”

   The tournament became so popular that today it encompasses numerous ages.

     “We added the U2Old Division and the UWay2Old Division, because we wanted Seth’s friends who are out of high school to be able to come home and play soccer,” Mr. Ernst said. 

     Last year there were 128 teams involved in the tournament.

   “Seth loved kids, loved to babysit and he loved to play soccer,” Mrs. Ernst said.  “He was in youth soccer when he was five.  I know Seth is proud of what the Geneseo soccer community has done.”

   “Without faith, you don’t get through a loss like this,” Mr. Ernst said.  “When we lost Seth, a friend said to us, ‘Isn’t it great to believe,’ and another said, ‘We’ll get to see him before we know it.’… We know where he is.”

   On the day of the accident Mr. Ernst recalled his church (Grace United Church) pastor, the late Rev. Ron Webb, being at the Ernst home and commenting, “We can’t do anything about what happened, but we sure can do a lot about the future.’…The loss of Seth has taught us to enjoy each day and the people around us.”  

   Mr. Ernst said he and his wife plan to continue presenting awards at the Seth Ernst Memorial Slam “even when we are 90.”

   The awards, too, are another unique aspect of the Soccer Slam. Sportsmanship pins are given to each coach at the start of every game.  They then present the pin to one player on the opposing team who best exemplified sportsmanship during that game. The main focus of this tourney has always been sportsmanship and again this year a special award will be presented to one team each day rated as the best team with overall sportsmanship.  The referees and scorekeepers rate each team, their coaches, and fans after every game.

    “Our tournament is unique in the fact that the biggest award a team can earn is not for first place, it’s for sportsmanship” Betty. Ernst said.

   “We’ve had amazing support from local businesses,” she added.  “The tournament utilizes a sound system for both weekends, thanks to Butch Bos.  In the concession stand, there is a 50-inch television for viewing GoPro video from games, double –sided scoreboards on pedestals for better viewing of the time and score.”

    Mr. Ernst said, “This tournament would not be possible without hundreds of sponsors, the support of the Geneseo School District, and all of the amazing volunteers from Geneseo Rec Soccer, Geneseo Soccer Club and Geneseo High School Soccer Boosters.”  

   Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor or a volunteer for the tournament, is asked email soccer@sethernstsoccerslam.org.  

   “Even though the tournament is a bittersweet time for our family, we know God has blessed us with this wonderful event,” Mrs. Ernst said. 

How the Green Machine Character Originated

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

   Diane Browning Photo by Claudia Loucks

   Nearly all Geneseo residents are familiar with the “Green Machine” character emblem that has been used on T-shirts, sweat shirts and more, and most recently on the T-shirts sold by the Junior Class at GHS. But, like myself, many do not know how the “mean-looking little guy” originated.

   Recently, I was informed about a lady living in Geneseo who knew the history of the caricature,

   Diane Browning and her grandmother, the late Eleanor Ross, are the artists who are responsible for original drawing. Browning is a 1976 graduate of J.D. Darnall High School, now Geneseo High School, and she estimated that the drawing was done more than 50 years ago.

   “My grandma and I drew it together,” Browning said.  ‘My grandparents were big football fans and my grandma was a very good artist. We didn’t copy it from any picture or pattern, just drew it free-lance.”

   She recalled they were in the basement of her grandparents’’ Geneseo home when they created the cartoon character on a large sheet of plastic…”We just started drawing and somehow the picture of the ‘Green Machine” character came about.  We painted him in green and gold because those are Geneseo colors.”

Browning has a photo of her grandparents, the late Eleanor and George Ross.  It was her grandmother who, with Browning, sketched the “Green Machine” character. Photo by Claudia Loucks

   At that same time, Browning’s parents, Loren Ross, and the late Drucilla Ross, of Geneseo, operated a ’76 Gas Station at the corner of Illinois Rt. 82 and Ogden Ave.

   “My Dad posted the cloth picture on a large board and put it up on display by his gas station,” Browning said.  ‘It was up there every football season for a few years until a storm came up and ripped it apart.”

   Browning said her dad estimated the year all that happened was near 1974-1975.

   She does not have any original papers of the drawing, “only the memories,” she said.  “I was about 16 years old then, and my grandma and I were very close and would often draw things together.”

   The “Green Machine” character has been used on shirts and hats, etc., in previous years as well as this year, and Browning’s sister, Lory Woolsey, purchased one of this year’s T-shirts and presented it to her sister.

   “Having the shirt means the world to me, and when I see the picture of the little Green Machine guy, it makes me think of my grandma,” Browning said.

   Kim Windisch, who teaches at GHS, and who also is one of the class sponsors of the GHS Class of 2027, shared how the caricature drawing was used again on this year’s football T-shirts.

   “I have a T-shirt with the ‘Green Machine’ character from the football season of my senior year (2001) at GHS, and for this year’s football season, we wanted a throwback to the ‘Green Machine’ guy,” she said.  “We think he is just an awesome image.”

   She contacted Breedlove’s Sporting Goods in Kewanee, and they had the pattern from use in previous years.  The shirts were ordered and sold by the Junior Class earlier in the current football season, and most likely, with the popularity of the “Green Machine” character, the design will be used on T-shirts in many more GHS football seasons.

Tim Atwell, Geneseo Graduate, Who Became Kewanee A.D., is Retiring

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Tim Atwell has been named an “Honorary Boilermaker,” at Kewanee High School.  Contributed Photo

  Tim Atwell recently was named an “Honorary Boilermaker” in appreciation of his 28 years of service in education at Kewanee High School.  The honor was presented in conjunction with his retirement announcement as Athletic Director at Kewanee High School, a position he has held for the last 15 years. 

   Atwell, the son of Kenney Atwell, Geneseo, and the late Genendal Atwell, graduated from Geneseo High School (formerly J.D. Darnall High School) in 1984.

   He spent six years farming with his father, raising corn, cattle, and hogs.  During that time, he volunteered with the Geneseo Junior High Wrestling Program, laying the foundation for a lifetime of service to young people.

   His last day of teaching in Kewanee will be June 30, 2026, after 28 years at Kewanee High School, where he started in 1998, teaching Driver’s education and coaching – head freshman football coach, head wrestling coach and head girls’ track and field coach.

   “When I step away, I can honestly say this has been a very ‘fast’ 28 years and it has been a very rewarding career with many fond memories.”

   He will retire with 34 ½ years in education and he explained the ½ year was spent substituting in the Geneseo School District when he graduated from college and he was freshman wrestling coach at Geneseo High School, working with Coach Larry Kanke.

   “I am very grateful to the Geneseo School District and to Mr. Ted McAvoy, who at that time was GHS principal, for allowing me to get my feet wet teaching and coaching that year.”

   His 28 years at Kewanee High School include serving as Kewanee High School Athletic Director for 15 years (2011-2026).  He served as Athletic Director in his first year of teaching at Paw Paw High School (1994-1995) and he also taught for three years at Cahokia High School. 

   Information received from Kewanee High School’s Jacob Dean, about Atwell receiving the “Honorary Boilermaker” recognition states: “It was Geneseo High School Wrestling Coach Larry Kanke (now retired) who encouraged (Tim Atwell) him to take classes at Black Hawk College to become a teacher and coach.  He transferred to Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, in the fall of 1990, where he joined the SIU-E Wrestling Team.  He worked closely with legendary coach Larry Kristoff, assisting with practices, wrestling meets, and team organization.  His leadership and dedication earned him a scholarship during his senior year, and he graduated in 1993.”

   After graduation, Atwell returned to farming while substitute teaching in Geneseo before taking positions at Paw Paw High School and Cahokia High School.

   In 1998 he joined the staff at Kewanee High School.

   Information from Jacob Dean includes, “In his time at KHS, he has taught driver education, coached football, wrestling, and track, served as athletic director, and captured countless memories through his photography at nearly every event.  His impact, however, cannot be measured by job titles or bullet points.”

   “If you earned your driver’s license, it’s probably because of him.  If you ever played a sport or attended an extracurricular event, it’s because of his commitment.  If you’ve seen an unforgettable picture on our walls, it was likely through his lens.”

  Jacob Dean’s tribute to Atwell continued, “Beyond his professional contributions, he has embodied the true spirit of a ‘Boilermaker,’ ---dressing in head-to-toe orange at assemblies, stocking candy for stressed-out teachers and students, sharing a good conversation with anyone who needs it, and always putting others before himself.  He has spent his career encouraging students, athletes, and colleagues to be their very best, never asking for anything in return…. Simply put, he has lived and breathed the Boilermaker tradition.  His retirement this year will leave a void we cannot fill, but his legacy will remain an enduring part of Kewanee High School.”

   When asked about his retirement plans, Atwell said, “As far as plans go, nothing has been set.  But I do need to catch up on laundry.”

Students Gather in City Park Prior to GHS 2025 Homecoming Dance

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

   Geneseo City Park and North City Park were a sea of young people and a sea of color when students gathered to socialize prior to the 2025 Geneseo High School Homecoming Dance. held Saturday night in the high school gym.  Parents and friends also were in the parks visiting and taking photos.   The 2025 GHS Homecoming festivities were held throughout the week of Oct. 6-11, with a theme of “Enchanted Forest.” Claudia Loucks Photos

Quinn Cherry, Jaxon Seals, Ian McShane and Addie McSparin.

Leila Bries, Hayden Schaaf and Reese Schaaf.

Reese Elmer, Mark Shoemaker, Maci Gorman, Suzie Neumann and Hannah Wildemuth.

Gavin Davis, Wyatt Mickley, Helo Castro and Gibson Minard.

Ayla Schulz

Daphne Bertelsen, Joei, Christopherson and Hannah Stone.

King and Queen of GHS 2025 Homecoming - Lizzie Rapps and Kye Weinzierl.

Memphis Ramsey, Lydia Carton and Alexandria Hull.

Mayson Lambin, Dawson Hull, Cole Clifton and Jaydn Shipman.

Josh Stahl, Carson Peters and Jayden Wexell.

Landry Possin, Katy Wilson, Elli Barickman and Jack Kreiss.

Jack Mickley, Katherine Barickman, Emma Sebastian and Evelyn DeBaene.

Claire Swanson, Claire DeGrave and Lily Roodhouse.

 

Angie Snook to Present Program on The Orphan Train Oct. 15 at Library

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current


Angie Snook

  Angie Snook, Geneseo Historian, who served as curator/director of the Geneseo Historical Museum for many years until her retirement last year, will present a program, The Orphan Train, at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Geneseo Public Library.

   In 1953, the Children’s Aid Society initiated a program to transport abandoned and orphaned children from crowed cities on the East Coast to foster homes in the Midwest.  By 1929, an estimated 200,000 children, ranging from infants to teens, were transported to new homes.

   At the library program on Oct. 15, Angie Snook will share her research, stories and photographs about The Orphan Train, a topic she refers to as “one of America’s best kept secrets.”…Of special interest, some local area and Geneseo families were involved in The Orphan Train program.

   She will present stories about the children, the families who took them in, and the descendants of the children alive today.

   Information received about the program states, “Some of the stories will warm your heart.  Others will break it.”

   The program is sponsored in part by the Illinois Humanities.

 

Cambridge Methodist Fall Review Oct. 11

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Judy Anderson, left, holds a homemade fruit pie, and Norma Werkheiser, is holding two of the decorated items that will be available to purchase at the Gourmet Shop which will be included at the 35th Annual Fall Review on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Cambridge United Methodist Church.  Contributed Photo

The Fall Review at the Cambridge United Methodist Church originated 35 years ago and continues to be the major fundraiser for the church.

   This year’s Review is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Cambridge Church, 120 West Exchange St., and in the Community Hall, adjacent to the church.

   For more information, call the church at 309-937-2018.

   The event will feature a country breakfast, served from 7 to 9 a.m. in the church.  Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and carryout orders are available at 11:30 a.m.   The lunch menu includes “Red Delicious Ham Loaf,” cheesy potatoes, almond green beans and dinner rolls.  The ala carte luncheon menu will feature all plate lunch items in addition to chicken salad served on rye bread or croissant, potato soup, pumpkin pie, double lemon cheesecake or Turtle Cake.

   This year more than 30 crafters have registered to take part in the Review, including people from the Quad Cities and surrounding areas and from as far away as Ft. Myers, FL.

   Committee members require original work only, no commercially produced items.

   The Review also features frozen foods, bakery and gourmet shops. 

   Visitors to the Gourmet Shop will find an assortment of jams and jellies, fudge, relishes, pickles, mustards and mixes.

   New items in the Gourmet Shop include Butterfly Jam, Carmel Apple Jam, Carrot Cake Jam, Cranberry Raspberry Jam, Gingerbread Jam, Elderberry Jelly, and Jalapeno Mustard.

   Homemade cinnamon rolls, fruit-filled pies, cookies, and specialty breads including the popular Swedish Rye will be available in the bakery shop.

   In the “Frozen Food Shop,” visitors will find the popular “Red Delicious Ham Loaf,” cheese tortellini soup, apple dumplings, lasagna for two, Swedish meatballs, and 10 varieties of fruit pies.  The two new fruit pies this year are Peach Blush and Butterfly.

   Anyone interested in purchasing items form the Frozen Food Shop should arrive early on Oct. 11 to buy coupons for frozen items, and they can pick up the items when they are ready to leave the Review.

 

  Linda Denison, a member of the Review committee, said, “Members grow, pick and prepare items.  They hand craft jar toppers, test recipes, decorate the buildings and meet in masse to make frozen food products.”

   The history of the Fall Review can be traced back to 1989 when the church held its first Review in the form of an all-church sponsored consignment craft show.  The event was such a success that it became a tradition and grew into the church’s top money-making event.  Last year’s Review raised about $20,000.

   Denison said the purpose of the Fall Review “is to raise much needed money for mission and ministry priorities of our church.  Profits from this year will be used for ministries within our church and community.”

   “Our church mission statement is ‘Loving God, Loving Others, Serving Both.’  Whatever we profit from the Review, we use to support our church programs, as well as the grade school program ‘Caring Hearts’ that helps families in need, our local food pantry and to Back Pack Blessings program for Cambridge students who receive weekend food packages.”

   “The Review not only is our major fundraiser, it has become a rewarding labor of love in serving others,” Denison said.  “Many church members work all year to prepare for it.  It’s a labor of love for the entire congregation.”

Documentary That Includes Filming at Food Pantry Airs Oct. 7 on PBS

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current


The new Frontline Documentary, “Born Poor,” will premiere Tuesday, Oct. 7, on PBS and includes partial filming at the Geneseo-Atkinson Food Pantry.

   Karen Doy, president of the Food Panty’s Board of Directors, was interviewed during the filming at the local food pantry, when one of the subjects of the film was shopping there. 

   “Born Poor” is a Frontline Documentary concerning poverty in America.  More than a decade ago, “Poor Kids” the PBS series Frontline explored poverty in America as it is seen through the eyes of children.  On Oct. 7, the “Born Poor” documentary tells the stories of the now-grown children at the heart of “Poor Kids.”

Karen Doy is president of the Geneseo-Atkinson Food Pantry Board of Directors. 

   Karen Doy said she was “intrigued” when she first learned that Jezza Neumann was filming a sequel to “Poor Kids,” which was filmed some time ago.

   “My experience at the Geneseo-Atkinson Food Pantry and on mission trips made me realize not everyone is born fortunate enough to have thee meals a day, a roof overhead, and adequate clothing.”

  Doy said she liked watching “Poor Kids,” because it showed life from the child’s perspective…”I was looking forward to ‘Born Poor’ to see if their perspective had changed.” 

   “As fortune would have it, I just so happened to be volunteering at the Pantry on the Friday afternoon when the Pantry is usually closed,” Doy explained.  “I was excited to be asked to participate, but even more excited to meet one of the stars of the documentary.”

   And that is when Doy was introduced to Brittany and her son, and Doy said, “We first shopped on the food side of the pantry.  I assisted as I do with other clients:  touring through the shelves as one would at a grocery store while helping Brittany select her allowed number of items.  I bagged them up while she selected free seeds for her garden.”

   “Brittany and her son then went into the clothing room where they looked for clothes and toys,” she added.  “I helped her son select a toy while she looked for shorts that would fit him.  Unfortunately, she did not find shorts for him, but she did find enough items to fill her bag.”

   Doy said she looking forward to seeing “how all three ‘Poor Kids’ are now living their lives as adults.  I enjoyed the short time I had to get to know and interact with Brittany and her son.”

“BORN POOR” PRESS RELEASE

 

Born Poor
 October 7, 2025
 7/6c: pbs.org/frontline, PBS App
 10/9c: PBS stations (check local listings), YouTube
 & the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel
 www.facebook.com/frontline
 Instagram: @frontlinepbs | YouTube: youtube.com/frontline

More than a decade ago, in the Emmy-nominated documentary Poor Kids, the acclaimed PBS series FRONTLINE explored poverty in America as it’s rarely seen: through the eyes of children.

This fall, FRONTLINE’s 90-minute season premiere tells the stories of the now-grown children at the heart of Poor Kids — chronicling their lives from childhood to the present day, and offering a powerful, personal and longitudinal look at the realities of growing up in poverty in the U.S.

Filmed across 14 years, Born Poor premieres Tuesday, October 7, at 10/9c on PBS stations (check local listings) and YouTube, and at 7/6c at PBS.org/frontline and in the PBS App. 

The documentary is from an award-winning team led by director and producer Jezza Neumann and producer Lauren Mucciolo, who first began filming with Kaylie, Johnny and Brittany in 2011. Back then, these three kids from three families were living in the Quad Cities, a crossroads along the border of Iowa and Illinois on the Mississippi river that had been hit hard by the recession. 

“I’m just starving. We don’t get that three meals a day, like breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said 10-year-old Kaylie, who worried about missing so much school as a result of her family’s transient existence: “If I keep missing school then I see my future poor, on the streets, in a box,” she said from the motel room where she and her family were temporarily living.

It’s a worry that was all too familiar to 13-year-old Johnny, who had been living with his family at a homeless shelter since the recession hit his father’s business: “Grades is my only way out of here,” Johnny said.

Nine-year-old Brittany, whose father was laid off and whose family feared losing their home, also worried about what was to come: “Life is gonna be hard because there is hardly gonna be any jobs left in the future.”

In Born Poor, the filmmakers follow Kaylie, Johnny and Brittany across three chapters of their lives as they grow from kids to teenagers to adults, trying to pursue their dreams while dealing with an economy where they face more obstacles than opportunities — and trying to overcome the grinding poverty that shaped their childhoods.

“Changing the cycle that you were born into is very hard,” Kaylie observes.

Despite difficulty, loss and setbacks, Kaylie, Brittany and Johnny — now navigating parenthood themselves — refuse to give up on their pursuit of economic stability and an American dream that’s felt perpetually out of reach.

“Do I ever get tired of the struggle? Absolutely,” Johnny says. “But I feel like if you get another day to breathe and wake up and make something happen, you got to get off your butt and make it happen.” 

Amid headlines about economic uncertainty, inflation and the faltering U.S. job market, Born Poor is a must-watch documentary that gives an unforgettable perspective on the lasting impact of financial distress. 

“Once you get in the hole,” says Brittany, “it’s extremely hard to find your way out.” 

Born Poor will be available to watch at pbs.org/frontline and in the PBS App starting October 7, 2025, at 7/6c. It will premiere on PBS stations (check local listings) and on FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel that night at 10/9c and will also be available on the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel. Subscribe to FRONTLINE’s newsletter to get updates on events, podcast episodes and more related to Born Poor.

Credits
 Born Poor is a FRONTLINE production with True Vision Productions.  The director is Jezza Neumann. The producers are Jezza Neumann and Lauren Mucciolo. The senior producer is Frank Koughan. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath.

Elsie DeClercq to Be Honored Friday on 103rd Birthday

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Elsie DeClercq

   Friday, Oct. 3, is being referred to as a “double golden” birthday for Elsie DeClercq of Geneseo.  She was born on Oct. 3, 1922, turned three years old on Oct. 3, 1925 (10/3/1925), and this Friday, Oct. 3, she will mark her 103rd birthday – 10/3/2025.  

   Elsie DeClercq went for her first motorcycle ride on her 100th birthday in 2022, and said she may want to try kayaking next year on her 104th birthday. 

   This year, for her 103rd celebration, she chose to enjoy a family gathering at Allure of Geneseo, where she resides at 702 South Illinois St., Apt. 5 B, Geneseo, IL, 61254, in an Independent Living apartment. 

   She said she hopes to receive “103 cards for my 103rd birthday.”

   The motorcycle ride was a 100th birthday gift from her granddaughter, Julie Ghys-Williamson, who lives with her husband Ed, near Bloomington.

   DeClercq moved to Allure in 2009 and keeps busy saying her prayers every morning and watching “Wheel of Fortune” in the evening.  She also goes to the Bingo games held at Allure, and her granddaughter added, “She seems to always win.”

   Last year, at the age of 102, she gave up her driver’s license and until that time, had been driving to church on Sundays at St. Anthony’s in Atkinson.  Her daughter, Mary Ghys now takes her mother to Mass on Saturdays at St. Malachy Church in Geneseo.

   When asked what she attributed her long life to, DeClercq said, “I worked hard with some hard times, but I trusted God to get me through.”

   DeClercq was born in Cornwall Township to Theophil and Julia Cauwels and lived there until she married John DeClercq when she was 17 years old.  The wedding was held at St. Anthony’s in Atkinson.  The couple farmed together in Cornwall Township until retiring in 1982 when they moved to Hillcrest Drive in Geneseo.  Mr. DeClercq died in 1995.

   The couple had three daughters, Leona, who died shortly after birth; and Phyllis Henderson, who died in 2021.  There is one living daughter, Mary (Dick) Ghys, Geneseo; six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grand grandchildren.

 

Geneseo Animal Shelter Needs Your Help

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current



The more than 100 animals at the Henry County Humane Society – Geneseo Shelter, need your help!

Linda VanDerLeest, left; president of the Henry County Humane Society – Geneseo Shelter Board; Katie Irwin, co-chair of the upcoming “Paws for a Cause Gala,” and Cindy Hoste, Board treasurer, are hoping area residents will join them at the Oct. 18 Gala planned in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Geneseo Shelter and to raise funds for the many animals currently living at the Shelter.  Photo by Claudia Loucks

   In order to continue caring for the animals at the Henry County Humane society -Geneseo Shelter, the staff and volunteers need to raise $25,000 In funds by the conclusion of the Oct. 18 Gala.

  The group hopes area residents will reach out in support by attending the “Paws for a Cause Gala” planned in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Geneseo Shelter.

   The event, which includes dinner and drinks, live music entertainment and auction items, will be from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, at Lavender Crest, 5401 U.S. 6, Colona.  For more information, call 309-944-4868.  Ticket information is available by emailing  info@henrycountyhumanesociety.org, or visiting  https://www.henrycountyhumanesociety.org/news.html,  or by using the QR Code included in this story.

   Linda VanDerLeest, president of the Geneseo Shelter Board, said, “As we reflect on this journey of observing 50 years of caring and compassion for the shelter animals, we are deeply grateful for the people who have made it possible.  With your continued support, we will be able to provide food, medical care, safety, and most importantly -love to countless animals.”

   She added that she would “be truly honored if you would join us for our first-ever ‘Paws for the Cause Gala’ on Oct. 18 to celebrate this milestone together.  The evening will be filled with community, stories of impact, live and silent auctions, and of course, a celebration of the animals whose lives have been forever changed.”

Henry County Humane Society – Geneseo Shelter Board member Kim Park is shown with “Caliber,” one of the dogs at the Geneseo Shelter.  Contributed Photo

   “This celebration would not be possible without the people who have helped us reach this moment!” she said.  “We hope you can be part of this special evening as we honor the past 50 years and look ahead to the future.”

   Currently, the HCHS in Geneseo is operating at full capacity, as they have been for some time.  In 2024, they provided shelter, medical care and second chances to over 300 animals, finding loving homes for more than 250 of them.

   “But with rising veterinary costs, up over 20 percent, and a growing waiting list, the need for support has never been greater,” VanDerLeest said.

   The upcoming Gala on Oct. 18 is more than a celebration of 50 years, it’s being held in hopes of raising essential funds for the animals who are dependent on those people who care for them.

   Anyone unable to attend the “Paws for the Cause Gala,” and who would like to make a donation for continued care of the animals can mail contributions to 14606 Roos Hill Rd., Geneseo, IL 61254

LIVE AUCTION ITEMS INCLUDE:

  -Ultimate Kids Birthday Bash for 10.
  -Locked and Loaded with Generosity.
  -Evening Comedy Escape at Dragonfly Farms.
  -Up, Up and Away.
  -An Afternoon of Christmas Cheer.
  -Shopping and Spring Blooms.
  -Bear Down, Bundle Up.
  -Fall Home Glow-Up from Frank’s Pumpkin Farm.
  -The Tailgater’s Dream.

SPEICALITY BASKETS INCLUDE:

  -Pumpkin Time.
  -Cozy Winter Vibes.
  -Girls Will Be Girls
  -Golf Basket 

 

Chairman of Harold Neumann Project Flies in Mr. Mulligan

  Paula Neumann Chapa is chairman of the Harold Neumann Project, which showcases the accomplishments of Harold Neumann’s flying career.  Harold Neumann grew up in Geneseo.

   Chapa was invited recently to fly in Mr. Mulligan in Clear Lake, Iowa, and shared this information with me:  “Doug Rozendaal is the proprietor and it was something for me to be able to do with the history of Harold Neumann and this plane.”

   Information received previously from Paula Neumann Chapa, states, “During Harold Neumann’s flying career of 70 years, he accomplished much more than that farm boy from Geneseo, ever imagined he could.  In 1935, Harold Neumann won the Greve Trophy, the Thompson Trophy (With Mr. Mulligan in 1935) along with the award of America’s #1 Pilot by the National Aeronautical Association.  He is acknowledged in the Smithsonian; he was a barnstormer, skywriter, and a Captain for TWA for 30 years.  From Jenny’s to Jets, this man was not just a pilot, he was a genius.” 

PAULA NEUMAN CHAPA’S STORY OF FLIGHT IN MR. MULLIGAN

HOWARD DGA-6

“MR. MULLIGAN” 

Harold Neumann and Benny Howard in Mr. Mulligan 1935

   “As we taxi down the runway, I am feeling a great deal of wonder as I am not sure if I am going to be able to enjoy the flight or sit with my eyes closed the whole time. Dramamine -check, something to throw up in – check, reminding myself to breath…. Before I knew it, the wheels had left the runway, and we were flying! What a rush! A smooth as silk climb into the sky. My first ever flight in a non-commercial plane, let alone a racer.

   Doug Rozendaal, proprietor of Mr. Mulligan, Clear Lake, Iowa, gave me the Harold Neumann flight as if I were actually in the Thompson Race myself - 235 miles an hour and turning the plane as if actually rounding the pylon. How they flew so close together, racing in and out of each other is beyond me.

   These are large planes maneuvering around a tower, not knowing where the other planes were in the race. It takes a person with focus and patients to be able to do that feat, and Harold obviously was that sort of pilot. As Jimmy Doolittle once said, “I was successful with racing only because I was good at focusing on one thing. I could focus on the race and only the race.”

Paula Neumann Chapa looking out the same window of Mr. Mulligan on her recent flight.

   Being able to look out of Mr. Mulligan and see as far as the eye can see, was like nothing I had experienced before. Fields, lakes, water ways and cities. Another rush I was not expecting. I am reminded of Harold’s first flight in his Jenny. How he felt seeing things from above for the first time. No wonder pilots are drawn to the sky. It is wonderful! Calming and exciting at the same time. Just to fly along without a care in the world. My kind of medicine.

   As we flew, I was also reminded about stories in Harold’s 1939 book about fixing the planes midflight. If something was not right, especially if flying Mike or Ike, Harold would work on the plane…. DID I MENTION WHILE FLYING! It amazes me that someone can think that fast. Multitasking to say the least!

We came around to land and just as smoothly as we took off from the runway, we landed. The kind of smoothness only men like Doug and Harold could provide. I was glad to be on the ground and yet, I was disappointed that what I had been excited for was over.  Just another reason to come back and do it again, Doug said.  And you can bet I will if the opportunity is there.

   It was the night of Doug & Kim’s 3rd Thursday fly in. I was able to meet some wonderful people that just like to fly together and talk with other pilots about planes. The potluck was great as were the people. I brought the Greve and Thompson Trophies from the Geneseo Historical Museum as well as some pictures and old newspaper clippings to share. That was a hit, and it was fun to answer questions about some of the aviation pioneers that I have uncovered through years of looking through Harold’s clippings and notes.

   As they pulled Doug & Kim’s additional planes back into the hangar, I was reminded about the comradery of these aviators that have become friends through the years. I was reminded of stories Harold told of how often a problem would occur and how they all worked together for a solution. The wonderful stories and laughter that occurred as we ate together was something that I will look forward to experiencing more of in the future.

   I may not be a pilot, but I still feel like a big part of this thing called aviation. It has certainly touched my soul as I can only imagine it did Harold’s.” 

Paula Neumann Chapa, Chair, Harold Neumann Project (My Grandfather and Harold were first cousins.) geneseoaviationpioneer.com – webpage

haroldneumannrace – facebook

geneseoaviationpioneer@gmail.com - email

 

 

Klavine Motor Co. (Museum) to Mark 100th Anniversary at Geneseo Location - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Dan Klavine in his shop. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Klavine Motor Co. has been in the family for 107 years, and on Oct. 1 will mark a milestone of being located in the same place for the last 100 years.

   Dan Klavine, the third generation Klavine who now owns and operates the business said no special celebration is planned. 

   The company remains in its original location, at 119 South Center St.  where it moved in 1925, although it has grown from its location at the back of the building to now occupying the front as well.   Dan Klavine estimates “seven rooms,” on the first and second floors, not counting the basement and attic.

Dan Klavine holds an antique wrench which is one of the many antique tools at Klavine Motor Co.  The large clock on the wall is from the former Northside Elementary School building on Russell Ave., in Geneseo.  Photo by Claudia Loucks

 

   The business is so much more than a “Motor Co., showcasing countless cases of memorabilia, old tools, motors, engines, and “everything in-between,” Klavine said.  

   Dan has been involved in the family business since childhood, although the official year of him starting work is 1977.  He recalls being at the shop when he was in grade school, and he also was involved in the family business when he was a “coop” student at J.D. Darnall High School (now Geneseo High “School.”)  

  He shared a memory of he and his dad, Roy “Joe” Klavine building a go-kart together.

Dan Klavine, owner and operator of Klavine Motor Co. in Geneseo, is photographed in front of the building at 119 South Center St.  Photo by Claudia Loucks

   Both Dan’s grandfather, Joe A., and his dad, Roy Joe, have passed away, his grandfather died in 1981, and his dad in 2019, and he isn’t sure what will happen to the business when he decides to retire.

   “My son, Brandon, is not interested in working in the business,” he said.

   Klavine Motor Co. was the first such in Henry County to offer refrigeration and repair service and the second to fix car air conditioners in Geneseo.

   Joe A. Klavine, who was born in 1899 and grew up on a farm in Edford Twp., was the founder of the business in 1918. 

   After tiring of farming, he went to work for the railroad and later became interested in car repair, opening his own shop in 1918 in Osco, near the family farm.

   It was one of his customers who encouraged him to open a shop in Geneseo, which he did in 1925 in the location where it remains today.

   At one time the building was a buggy factory and some of the bows and seats remain there, although now the upstairs is used primarily to store old parts and some family antiques, “and junk,” Dan added. 

Klavine is standing by the antique horse-driven road cart housed at the shop.  Photo by Claudia Loucks

  In the front of the shop are numerous glass cases, filled with memorabilia, ranging from toy tractors, to items from Geneseo stores and yet another case holds memorabilia from the Klavine business.  On a wall in the building at the front hangs a pendulum clock which at one time was located in the original Northside School building.

   During World War II, Klavine Motor Co. serviced an area that reached from the Quad cities to New Boston, Knoxville, Princeton, Rockford and Clinton, Iowa.  The company covered commercial refrigeration repair throughout northwest Illinois.

   “Most of my customers now bring their work to the shop,” Dan said.

   Klavine Motor Co. sells welding supplies which Dan said keeps the farmers visiting the shop, and they also recharge paint ball guns.

   When asked how much longer he plans to operate the business, Dan answered, “Until I know it’s time to leave.”

 

Women’s Health Series Luncheons Begin Sept. 25

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

   Knowledge can lead to many benefits, according to members of the Community Benefits Committee at Hammond-Henry Hospital in Geneseo.

   Jan Sellman, left, and Linda Storm, representing the Women’s Health Committee at Hammond-Henry Hospital, invite area residents to the Thursday, Sept. 25, program of the Women’s Health Series, sponsored by Hammond-Henry Foundation Community Benefits Committee.  The program, “Pre-Diabetes,” will be presented by Chad Martens, MD, of Hammond-Henry Hospital Geneseo Medical Group in the Geneseo Community Center, Activity Rom.    Photo by Claudia Loucks

    The Women’s Health Series is sponsored by the committee which is an extension of the Hammond-Henry Hospital Foundation.  Jan Sellman and Linda Storm serve as co-chairpersons of the committee.

   The 2025-2026 program series begins its season on Thursday, Sept. 25, with a program, “Pre-Diabetes,” to be presented by Chad Martens, MD, of Hammond-Henry Hospital Geneseo Medical Group. 

   The monthly health series luncheon meetings are from 12 to 1 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month, from September through May, with the exception of December, at the Geneseo Community Center Activity Room, 541 East North St., Geneseo.  Cost is $12 per person, payable at the meeting.

   Reservations are due by Thursday, Sept. 18, and may be made by calling the Hospital Foundation office, 309-944-9112, or by email at hhhfound@hammondhenry.com.  As a caterer is being used, walk-ins are not guaranteed a meal and reservations are required to secure a meal.  Guests are welcome to arrive at the luncheon events any time after 11:15 a.m.

   The series of programs began in 2003 in an effort to help educate the community, according to Katie Orwig, Hammond-Henry Hospital Foundation manager.  Program topics are selected by members of the Community Benefits Committee. 

   “At that time, the sessions were for both men and women, and men are still welcome, but it seems that we focus more on women’s topics because they are the primary caretakers of the family,” she said.

   The women’s sessions led to establishing a men’s health series in 2013 where health topics for men are presented four times each year at 7 a.m. in the hospital conference room.

   In addition to the programs being educational, Orwig said they are also a social time.  “Beyond what they learn, they also view the time as a social outing and look forward to visiting with other people who attend,” she said.

   “The programs are a means for us to let people know about services offered at Hammond-Henry,” Orwig said.  “I have often heard remarks such as, ‘I had no idea that was offered at the hospital.’…I also think the people who attend the programs are in a more comfortable setting to ask questions of the presenters.”

   “It is a fun way to learn,” she added.

   Orwig said feedback is gathered at the programs, asking those in attendance to submit ideas.  These ideas are reviewed by the committee and a list of topics is chosen for the upcoming year…”We have never run out of topics,” she said.

   The 2025-2026 programs:

  -Sept. 25 – Pre-Diabetes.
  -Oct 23 – Swallowing/Speech Therapy.
  -Nov 19– (THIRD WEDNESDAY) – Chiropractic Care/Dry Needling.
  -Dec – No Program
  -Jan 22, 2026 – Balance and Vertigo.
  -Feb 26 – Incontinence.
  -March 26 – Bemer.
  -Apr 23 – Orthopedic Surgeon.
  -May 28 – Infusion.

Antique Engine & Tractor Working Farm Show Opens Friday and Runs Through Sunday

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

   James Krieger, president of the Antique Engine & Tractor Association, stands by a Russell tractor this is reported to be the “only one known in existence.”  The tractor will be displayed in the Timber Frame Barn at the 64th Annual Working Farm show which begins Friday, Sept. 12, and continues through Sunday, Sept. 14. 

Every year the Antique Engine & Tractor Association show features a different brand of antique engine and/or tractor. This year the group will showcase “The Lesser Known” for the group’s 64th Annual Working Farm Show, which will be held Friday, Sept. 12, through Sunday, Sept. 14, at the show grounds, north of Geneseo on Illinois 92, three miles east of Interstate 88, or about one mile west of Illinois Rt. 92.

   The Working Farm Show is a popular attraction for residents and visitors of all ages, and is a family event with lots of activities for children, including train rides around the show grounds.  Admission to the show is $10 per day or $20 for the weekend.  Children 12 and younger are admitted free.

  On Friday, Sept. 12, admission is $5 for veterans.

   In addition to “The Lesser Known” tractors and implements, this year’s show will feature gas engines, crawlers and power units, providing they are not homemade.

   Other features include AE&TA members harvesting corn and beans with mid-1900’s equipment, showing the use of horses for working a field, threshing oats or wheat, running a saw mill, plowing, baling, and demonstrating gas engines as they were used in the early 1900’s.

   The annual show gets bigger each year with over 400 tractors, over 100 garden tractors and hundreds of gas engines, plus other agricultural memorabilia on the grounds.

   The Vendor Fair at the Show will feature a variety of crafts, rug weaving, broom making, and other demonstrations.  This year there will be a Hocking Valley Apple Press operating, located next to the Mercantile Building.  The press was donated to the AE&TA by the Rob and Jeanne Ohlsen family of Geneseo.

   The entire show is handicap accessible.  Pets are not allowed, with an exception for service dogs.

   In 2010, the AE&TA moved to its current location after many years in different locations.  The 40 acres of land was donated to the Association by Bill and June Cole of Hillsdale.  AE&TA purchased an additional 10 acres to connect the grounds to Illinois 92, which allowed for a driveway from the highway to the show grounds.

   They also rent additional acreage from Orville and Maxine McCord.

   Handicap transportation is available and the “people mover” also is a convenient means to transport people around the show grounds.

   The AE&TA grounds showcase the timber frame barn that appears to have been built decades ago.  The building was constructed using age-old techniques.  Trillium Dell Timberworks, along with help from the Timber Framers Guild, assembled and raised the large building.

  About 95 per cent of the barn was constructed with timber from Illinois forests.  Even though the AE&TA barn was built with new lumber, it appears to have been part of the Henry County countryside for years.

   A food building also was added to provide seating for visitors to the show.

   The Jordan Mercantile Building was donated to the club in 2013 from Phil and Karen Jordan.  

   A train building was constructed in 2015, with labor and materials donated by the late Larry Colo, Geneseo, and Bill Cole, Hillsdale 

   A special addition is the completion of the enclosed walkway connecting the timber frame barn to the Feature Building.

   Last year, a learning center was added, which was constructed in the Feature Building and is attached to the main barn. The goal of AE&TA members is to promote and educate all facets of agriculture through audio visual training, hands-on experience and guest speakers. Funds for the Center came from grants from the Geneseo Foundation and the Miller Foundation.

   AE&TA members share a belief in preserving the historic value of antique, power-driven farm equipment, from early horse-drawn plows to gasoline and steam tractors to equipment from the 1900’s to the 1960’s.

   The Association also believes in keeping the machines running by putting them to work and that makes the group’s show unique as they use the equipment on display in demonstrations. 

   For more information about the “Lesser Known,” contact Paul Searl at 309-781-2896 or Rollo Searl at 309-781-9012.  For general information about the show, contact Chad Jacobs, 309-314-0783 or Jeff Laleman, 309-314-3625.   

  Additional information also is available by visiting www.ae-ta.com.

   The daily schedule of events – Sept. 12-14: 

FRIDAY, SEPT. 12: 

  -6 a.m. – Gates open for exhibitors.
  -7 a.m. – gates open for visitors.
  -8 a.m. – 4 p.m. – engine and tractor display.
  -8:30 a.m. – Raising of flag by AE&TA veterans.
  -9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and post parade. – 5 p.m. – children’s activities and train rides – with the exception of Sunday, Sept. 14, when children’s activities and train rides will conclude at 4 p.m.
  -9 a.m. to noon and post parade – 4 p.m. – demonstrations including blacksmith demonstrations, sawmill, threshing, wood carvers, cane press, horse farming and field demonstrations.
-10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – food stands open.
-1 p.m. – parade on show grounds, line up at feature tractor area.
-4 p.m. – lowering of flag – AE&TA veterans.
-5 p.m. – gates close.
-5 – 7 p.m.- Ice Cream Social Celebrating “The Lesser Knowns,” sponsored by West Jersey Express, West Jersey, IL.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 13:

 - same as activities on Sept. 12 with the addition of:
-9 A.M. – Raising of flag by Durant American Legion Post 430.
- 9 a.m. – noon and post parade until 5 p.m.– children’s activities and train rides.
-After the 1 p.m. parade, there will be a Kids’ Tractor Pull in the Food Building.
-3 p.m. – auction of donated items with pie auction to follow.
-4 p.m. – Lowering of Flag – Durant American Legion.
-5 p.m. gates close.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 14 – Same as Sept. 12 and Sept. 13 with these changes:

- 9 a.m. – noon and post parade until 4 p.m.– children’s activities and train rides.
-8 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Demonstrations.
- 8:30 a.m. – raising of flag – Cordova American Legion. 
 -9 – 10 a.m. – church services in Food Building.
 -4 p.m. lowering of flag, Cordova American Legion, and show closes.