International Thanksgiving Fellowship Program July 23 Ice Cream Social - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Andrea Hogue, left, and Margaret Hitzhusen, board members of the Geneseo International Thanksgiving Fellowship Program, are in charge of the July 23 Ice Cream Social at Geneseo City Park.
Desserts and ice cream will be served, beginning at 6 p.m., with music by the QC’s Big

River Brass Band beginning at 7 p.m.

Dessert donations are needed for the ice cream social and anyone interested in donating a baked item or in making a monetary donation is asked to contact Hogue at 309-945-2537

The 40-member BRBB plays in the style of European brass bands and draws literature from classic crass band repertoire, and classical, jazz and pop arrangements.

Since 1960 the Geneseo International Thanksgiving Fellowship Program has arranged home stays and professional educational appointments in the Geneseo and surrounding areas, including the Quad Cities, for short term international visitors and students. The GITFP board also works with International House in Chicago to arrange for interested guests and pairs them with hosts in our communities.

The Geneseo International Thanksgiving Fellowship Program returned last year with 10 guests, after a three-year hiatus as a result of the pandemic.

There is a need for host families for Nov. 27-Dec. 1 of this year. Questions and application information is available from Marcia Helke at 309-944-4486 or at gitfp60@gmail.com.

Andrea Hogue shared some comments about her family’s experience in hosting with the program and she said, “In our experience in the four times hosting, our family has made bonds that have lasted years with German, Chinese and Japanese students and young professionals. We hear from them regularly. It helped my kids understand the world is bigger than just us in our community.”

Margaret Hitzhusen added, “It gives us an opportunity to learn about other cultures and to showcase our wonderful community.”

Taylor Zvonic Receives Park District RESPECT Award - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Taylor Zvonic, Day Camp Manager for the Geneseo Park District, recently received the District’s RESPECT Award:

-R – Recreational, Health & Wellness Opportunities.

-E – Excellence.

-S – Safety.

-P-Positivity.

-Equitable – Creating an environment of inclusion for the whole community.

-C – Communication.

-T – Teamwork.

The letter of nomination for Zvonic, written by Nathaniel Hines, Recreation Program Manager for the Park District, states: “As the Day Camp Manager, Taylor has consistently demonstrated qualities that make her an outstanding leader and a true asset to our organization.”

“One of Taylor’s standout qualities is her ability to create a sense of community within the Day Camp. She goes above and beyond to create a welcoming environment where every camper feels valued. Taylor’s dedication to ensuring that each child’s experience is positive and enjoyable speaks to her commitment to the well-being of our campers. When looking at the Day Camp, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who cares about the institution more, or who has contributed more to it……The experiences that she leads in facilitating clearly have a lasting impact on our campers that will last a lifetime.”

Zvonic is a 2022 graduate of Geneseo High School and will be a junior at Bradley University in Peoria, where she is majoring in Kinesiology and Health Sciences.

Kent Lassman, GHS Graduate, Swims the English Channel - BY Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Nearly two and one-half years ago, Kent Lassman made a decision to try to swim the English Channel. His determination became a reality on June 11 when he joined the elite group of swimmers to successfully complete the 21-mile swim.

It took him 13 hours and 27 minutes to complete the long-distance challenge across the body of water located between England and France, a feat that less than 1,900 people have been able to accomplish in the last 150 years. The swim is not only a physical challenge, but also a mental challenge that requires positive thinking.

More than two years of preparation began in 2021 for Lassman, including signing a contract with a boat captain for June of 2024, the date he planned to swim the Channel.

“The captain sails those waters every day and he looks at weather reports, water currents and more,” Lassman said.

The weather was forecast to include a “little bit of rain and a little bit of bumpiness, but would calm down…The water would be great, according to the experts, but we were all wrong. If you are lucky, the current is behind you pushing you forward and I did not have that at all,” he said.

“We left from Shakespeare Cliff in Dover, England - the harbor we came out of. I got on the boat in Dover Harbor and was taken out of the harbor to below Shakespeare Cliff, about 100 yards out…I jumped off the side of the boat and swam to shore, climbed out of the water onto a rocky beach, turned around to face the boat and raised my arms in the air to signal the crew in the boat that I was clear of the water, not standing in the water. A handheld spotlight was shining on me to illuminate me as I swam to the shore. When I dropped my arms, the stop watch started. There was about one and one-half minutes of ceremony before the actual swim started.”

Lassman’s swim began at 2:07 a.m., England time, on Tuesday, June 11. The boat crew consisted of the captain, a first mate, one official observer, and two others who are Lassman’s friends.

“When I start swimming it is the boat crew’s job to navigate me,” he said. “They are in charge of everything but the swimming; they are in charge of safety and navigation. If there is ever an emergency I could swim to the boat or they could get to me.”

There are lights from the boar on Lassman while he is swimming in the dark, and he said, “I am trying to swim in a halo of light created by the boat. I am wearing goggles and there is also a light on the back of my head and on the back of my swim suit. That way, if I wander off from the boat, the crew can tell what direction I am going.”

It was predicted that the seas would be a little bumpy, but would calm down after 60 to 90 minutes and would be calm for about 15 hours, and there would be a light rain, a forecast that Lassman said was “completely wrong. There was no rain and the water became bumpier. In the morning there were waves, a current, a tide and a swell. The swell moves you up and down vertically and that was bad and made it so uncomfortable,” he said.

His food was prepared as a liquid, and Lassman described it as like “high end sugar water.”

He did feel sick from the turbulence of the water and he said he did not take the prepared liquid food, but was given some green tea with honey…’the crew is in charge and they knew what to give me.”

Of the 13 hours and 27 minutes that it took Lassman to swim the Channel, he said, "We had some pretty bad weather for about the first six hours….”I was expecting to do it in 14 hours so it was about what I expected, but I was prepared to go 30 hours if necessary, but I am glad I did not have to test the preparation. What happened was that we traveled about 33 miles and I only had to exert the effort of swimming for 21 miles because the current carried me some of the distance.”

When asked about the reward of swimming the Channel, Lassman shared, “It is the satisfaction and the feeling of accomplishment and I saw some amazing marine life, including one shark and different types of jellyfish. Sometimes you don’t need a specific reason to do something, you do it just because. The challenge and the opportunity to experience something amazing is reason enough.”

He didn’t just see the jellyfish, but admitted that he was stung by some and did not blame the jellyfish, but said, “As much as we prepare and take safety measures, I was in their (the jellyfish) home. The ocean is their home, I was the visitor and the jellyfish let me know I was the visitor.”

Lassman also was asked what his thoughts were while in the water, and he said, “You have no idea what is going to go through your head when you are in the water. It is a beautiful thing any day of your life to watch a sunrise, and it’s an especially beautiful thing to watch a sunrise over the water. It’s altogether different and remarkable to watch it from being in the water because the sun lifts over the horizon, over the thing you are in and it is really wonderful and the colors are breathtaking.”

“My mind wandered. I thought about my kids a lot, When you are doing something like that, your mind goes to the things you love the most, it might be scripture, family, favorite meal, favorite memory and what went through my mind was that I thought a lot about literature. These jellyfish are very pretty and it’s not like seeing them in a book. Also, light under water refracts, when overhead things look closer. Early in the day the light comes in the water form the side and you see creatures and they are tremendously beautiful. No photo in a book could do justice.”

“You have no idea what is going to go through your head when you are in the water, you are in the wild and you are part of the world of the wild.”

“I was also thinking about the jellyfish,” he said. “There are six species of jellyfish common to the English Channel, one species is the Compass Jellyfish and that made me remember my 10th grade Geometry class with Mrs. Hahn, (Jean Hahn, now retired from GHS). It has been 35 years since I was in that Geometry class but I thought about how she used big wooden tools, like a compass, protractor. She had the giant size that held pieces of chalk and each of the students had small ones on our desks. She was the expert; she could do it without looking. That lady loved what she was teaching and that came through in her teaching. When I saw the jellyfish I knew the name of the Compass Jellyfish and suddenly I remembered being a kid sitting in a classroom learning Geometry when I would rather have been outdoors.”

HOW THE IDEA TO SWIM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL CAME ABOUT:

The idea to swim the Channel was an idea of Lassman’s in his childhood, and he explained....”When I was 13, I went to a swimming camp at Indiana University (Bloomington, IN) where I was among hundreds of kids who swam every day. One evening all of us were in the university cafeteria watching a documentary about a man named James Edward “Doc” Counsilman, a famous Olympic swim coach and Big 10 coach who set out to become the oldest man to swim the English Channel in 1979. The documentary ended, the light came on and there he (Counsilman) was standing in the room and answered our questions. I thought ‘how awesome,’ and that was the first time I had the idea.”

Growing up in Geneseo, Lassman spent lots of time in the summer at the Geneseo pool and was a member of a summer swim team coached by Dr. Bruce Fehlman and Dr. Max McCaw…”I was eight or nine years old and that is how I started swimming competitively,” he said. “Our family also was part of a group of six families who owned a recreational area with a lake outside of Geneseo where I first started swimming.”

Lassman said swimming has always been a love of his and a refuge…”It is something that makes me happy, helps to keep me healthy and gets me outdoors, where I love to be.”

His swimming became competitive when he became part of the Moline Blue Marlins. He said, “Only a handful of local kids did that and I swam with the club team until high school and when I got to high school I started practicing with the United Township High School Swim Team (East Moline). Even though I was not a member of their team, I could swim with them. I worked out with the team before and after school.”

He credited former GHS Athletic Director, the late Del Nicklaus, and former GHS principal Ted McAvoy, for making it possible for him to compete in the Sectional Swim Meets and represent Geneseo High School. He competed at the Sectional level all of his four high school years.

After graduating from GHS in 1992, when the school was named JD Darnall High School, Lassman moved to Washington DC and attended the Catholic University of America where he majored in philosophy and politics. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1996 and began working in Washington, DC.

A few years after graduating from college, Lassman completed The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim which he explained is a 4.4-mile swim near Annapolis in the Chesapeake Bay. He later became involved in triathlons in the area…”Eventually I was doing some big races that included swimming,” he said. That kept me in contact with the open water swimming community and as a result I did some ocean races near Ocean City, MD, and in 2016 I signed up to do the ‘Swim Around Key West,’ a 12 1/2 –mile swim. I just find myself doing the really interesting ocean swims.”

“Two and one-half years ago, in November of 2021, I decided I was going to try to swim the English Channel,” he said.

A month later he signed a contract with a boat captain to accompany him, and Lassman added, “I had two and one-half years to get ready for my swim.”

He became more focused on training, including traveling to California from Virginia to swim the Catalina Channel, a 21-mile swim, which Lassman said “is similar to swimming the English Channel.”

“I did the Catalina Channel swim to learn to swim at nighttime,” he explained. “There’s an ‘Oceans Seven,’ which is a list of seven challenging ocean swims around the world. Only about two dozen people in the world have done all seven. That is special in that each swim requires one skill set that makes it really difficult. That’s why I did the Catalina Channel swim to learn to swim at nighttime and to be really comfortable with that I had to learn to swim in cold water for hours on end, both requirements to swim the English Channel. Once I had that under my belt, I learned a few more skills.”

Lassman said the Catalina Swim and the English Channel are the most prestigious on the list of seven swims….”Both have the most history, like Mt. Everest, it takes a complete package of skills and luck, so if you get to do it, you are really happy about it.”

When Lassman was asked “What’s next?” he said, “Nothing is planned, but I will keep on swimming on a regular basis as it is part of my life. It’s my time, when I clear my head and I will be swimming as long as I am physically able.”

He and his wife, Dana Damico, live in Alexandria, VA, and the couple has two sons and two daughters.

Lassman is the son of Sheila Lassman, Geneseo, and the late Lee Lassman. He has a brother, Kurt Lassman, and two sisters, Kristine Hitzhusen, Geneseo, and Kelley Lassman, New York City.

Kent Lassman graduated from Geneseo High School in 1992 and currently is president of the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, a think tank where the staff analyzes and makes recommendations regarding economic regulation. Contributed Photo

First Methodist Has A New Worship Director - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Joel Simpson left a job in IT to become worship director at First Methodist Church in Geneseo.

He said just hours after posting his résumé online at the beginning of this year; he was contacted by the Rev. Chris Ritter, directing pastor at First Methodist.

“I had never even heard of Geneseo before, but things progressed through the interviewing and hiring process and a few short months and a big move later, here we are,” he said.

Joel Simpson is the worship director at Geneseo First Methodist Church. Photo Claudia Loucks

Simpson has been involved in music since his teen years and he explained. He was born and raised in a small town in northwestern Wisconsin and attended the local public high school where he was part of the jazz band program, and also played bass in his church’s youth worship band.

While a student at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, he played music for student organizations and at a local church where he said he was “challenged by the worship director to seriously think about a full-time career in music ministry.”

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at UW-Superior, Simpson attended Hillsong College, Sydney, Australia, to study the Bible and learn about music and church leadership.

He then returned to UW-Superior to complete a Master’s Degree while working part-time as a music associate at one church and took on the role of leading Saturday evening services at a second church in the area.

After graduating, Simpson returned to his home church in Wisconsin where he became worship director…”A year later, I followed my full-time career in IT to Madison, WI, where I also served as a volunteer musician for a new church plant,” he explained. “After five years in Madison, my employer relocated me to Rochester, MN, to work on projects with Mayo Clinic, where my wife, Clarissa, was a nurse.”

In addition to his fulltime IT job, he joined the staff of a church in Rochester as music director.

It was during those years in Rochester when Simpson said the responsibilities and travel requirements for his tech job continued to increase and he added, “These changes, along with a growing family, made it increasingly clear to us that it was time to move on.”

In addition to guitar, Simpson also plays bass and drums and added, “I also play saxophone, but that likely won’t make an appearance at church.”

As worship director, he is responsible to plan the flow of services, handle oversight of the AVL systems, schedule the music and teach teams, create digital media and often lead the congregation in singing…”I also bring quite a bit of graphics and IT experience and will be using those skills, as well,” he said.

He and his wife have two children and Simpson said, “We are happy to call Geneseo our home. We love Jesus, we love the Church, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be part of the First Methodist family. The congregation and community here have been incredibly welcoming and supportive. The New Testament points out that we should always continue to gather as the church, that we should sing to one another and from our hearts to the Lord, and that we should encourage one another as we follow Jesus in the way we live. As the worship director at First Methodist, my prayer is that we will see that kind of passionate worship and encouraging fellowship in our congregation and community, and the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit at work in each of us.”

Steve Scherer Was Grand Marshal of Music Festival Parade - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Steve Scherer is retired as the Geneseo High School band director, but in no way is he retired from the world of music.

He recently served as grand marshal of the 2024 Geneseo Music Festival Parade held on Father’s Day, a fitting role as music continues to be a major part of his life.

Zack Sullivan, executive director of the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce and event organizer for the Geneseo Music Festival, commented about the selection of Scherer as grand marshal and said, “Steve retired a few years ago as band director at Geneseo High School after decades of inspiring band students and sharing his gift of music with so many.”

  “Steve's retirement and contributions to the community marks a well-deserved honor, which is fitting to take place during the Geneseo Music Festival as Grand Marshal of the annual Father’s Day Parade in Geneseo,” Sullivan added.

After retirement as GHS band director, Scherer took a nine-month piano technician course and is certified to tune and repair pianos. He also is part of the music team (praise band) at Grace United Methodist Church in Geneseo.

Grandchildren also are a big part in Scherer’s life and at 7:30 on Monday though Friday mornings, he can be found at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Allison and Bronson Good, where he entertains grandsons, Adler, 4, and Rowan, 2, and their 10-week-old sister Leonora, while their parents get ready for work.

In addition, Scherer and his wife, Jane Scherer, have a son, Jack, Chicago; and a daughter, Diana, who lives in Cardiff by the Sea, located outside of San Diego.

Steve Scherer(left) as Grand Marchal of the 2024 Geneseo Music Festival Parade.

He also spends time with his parents, taking them to all of their scheduled appointments. His father, Dick Scherer, is a resident in an apartment at Allure of Geneseo; and his mother, Annette Scherer, lives in the nursing home at Allure.

In 2021, after 34 years as a band director, Scherer stepped down as a band director. He was drawn to music in his childhood and said when he and his brother each received a Panasonic tape recorder for Christmas, he was fascinated with the technology and started recording all kinds of sounds for fun…”The next year we received a portable record player and two 45rpm records each. I would listen and marvel at how realistic the tones of each instrument sounded. At the end of fifth grade, when we could try out instruments for band starting the next school year, I knew I wanted to play one. I chose drums and percussion and I never stopped playing and still play today.”

He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Western Illinois University, Macomb, and a Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois in 2001. His first teaching job was in Bedford, IN.

He then took an adventurous break from teaching and moved to Austin, TX, to play and tour professionally in a rock band. Nine years later he and his family moved to Geneseo to raise their family.

That move was 30 years ago and Scherer first taught beginning band in Pleasant Valley, IA, for a year, before becoming the Director of Bands at Rock Island High School.

In 2002, his predecessor in Geneseo, Victor Bianchetta, retired, and Scherer applied for the position and was hired.

Catching Up With the 2023 Geneseo Music Festival Queen - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Hanna Stroud entered the Geneseo Music Festival Queen Pageant to carry on a family tradition.

She was crowned queen of the 2023 pageant held last June in City Park, a title her mother, Sara (Terronez) Stroud, also won when she graduated from GHS in 1995.

The pageant is sponsored each year by Geneseo Rotary Club and is open to graduating GHS senior girls.

Hanna Stroud, daughter of Brian and Sara Stroud, was crowned queen of the 2023 Geneseo Music Festival Queen Pageant. This year’s pageant is at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 14, in Geneseo City Park. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Hanna said her initial reason for entering the pageant last year was “because my mother did it when she was in high school and won. I wanted to keep the tradition of at least participating in the pageant and I ended up winning which was pretty special.”

Another reason she shared was because “it seemed like a fun opportunity to possibly get some money for college and a great way to become involved in the community.”

She admitted that prior to pageant night, she was a bit hesitant…”I am an introvert and had never done a pageant before. I was convinced to do the pageant last year and I am so thankful. It not only made me realize that I should do things outside of my comfort zone, but also that I don’t have to have had experience or be super outgoing to participate. Everyone was super supportive of all of the girls and the whole weekend was so exciting!”

When asked about her thoughts and memories of last year’s event, Stroud said, “The experience as a whole was amazing. It sparked connections with people that I hadn’t talked to in a while and I even met new people.”

She shared memories of pageant night and said she was “full of emotions. There was nervousness, excitement, and happiness all at the same time. When we walked out on stage for the first time and I saw everyone watching, it felt surreal. I knew that everyone was there to support me, but it can be hard to get up in front of people and be vulnerable about yourself, but it was totally worth it.”

She said she “loved every second of it and the emotions are what makes it even more fun. It also is good practice for other scenarios in life like job interviews or presenting at a press conference. It relates to other aspects of the life and that is another bonus!”

The queen and court make appearances at other events during the Music Festival weekend spending time with people in the community and visiting with them…”The City Park was filled with vendors, pop-up tents and so much to see,” Stroud recalled.

Many small businesses owners also are in the park offering food items and there is live music. Stroud said,”Seeing people gathering at the different activities was refreshing when we know how busy life can get. The Music Festival weekend is now one of my favorites in Geneseo!”

Stroud was a student at the University of Iowa in the last school year and she said, "I loved it! I joined a couple of clubs and made new friends. I love Iowa City itself and definitely will be visiting there next year.”

She is transferring to Black Hawk College to study nursing and she said, “I could not be more excited for this year and I can’t wait to see what God has in store.”

Geneseo Music Festival Queen Pageant Is June 14 - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Ten Geneseo High School graduating senior girls have entered the 2024 Geneseo Music Festival Rotary Queen Pageant.
They are Jillian Beneke, Kelsey Dillie, Addison Dykstra, Kylie Maertens, Molly Neumann, Madison Ochs, Leah Roemer, Madison Thompson, Ella Toom and Amelia Vandemore. The pageant will be at 7 p.m. Friday, June 14, in City Park when the queen and court will be crowned.
The pageant is sponsored by the Geneseo Rotary Club, and club members will be serving desserts and beverages beginning at 5:30 during the festivities in the park on June 14.
The queen and members of the court will receive cash awards and those candidates not in the court will receive Geneseo Chamber of Commerce gift certificates, all provided by the Rotary Club

Jillian Beneke

Kelsey Dillie

Addison Dykstra

Kylie Maertens

Molly Neumann

Madison Ochs

Leah Roemer

Madison Thompson

Ella Toom

Amelia Vandemore

Cooper Schaad Receives Aviation Scholarship - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Cooper Schaad, a 2024 graduate of Geneseo High School, has received a full scholarship opportunity for flight training from the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 410 of Geneseo, and the Ray Aviation Scholarship Program administered by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, WI.

He is the son of Jason and Gwen Schaad, Geneseo.

Cooper Schaad, third from left, is the recent recipient of a full scholarship for flight training to obtain his private pilot license from the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Ray Aviation Scholarship program. With Schaad are his father, Jason Schaad, at left; Nathan Dunker, Geneseo, who received the 2023 Experimental Aircraft Association Scholarship, presenting the 2024 Scholarship check to Schaad, and Schaad’s mother, Gwen Schaad, at far right. Contributed Photo

The Ray Aviation Scholarship program provides up to $11,000 scholarships to young people who are seeking to learn to fly. The Ray Foundation has provided $1.8 million to fund the scholarship program, which seeks to improve the flight training success rate from the current industry standards of 20 percent to 80 percent for program participants.

Local EAA chapters are responsible for identifying youth for the Ray Aviation Scholarship program and mentoring them through flight training. The Ray Foundation is furthering the legacy of James C. Ray, an EAA lifetime member who was dedicated to aviation and youth education.

Schaad’s scholarship is the second scholarship the Geneseo Chapter has awarded and administered on behalf of the Ray Aviation Foundation and the EAA of Oshkosh, WI.

Nathan Dunker, also a 2024 graduate of GHS, received the 2023 scholarship.

Since its introduction in 2019, the EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship program has allowed over 350 youths to complete their flight training and receive their pilot licenses. The program has been consistently meeting and exceeding its expected 80 % success rate each year.

Schaad will be training at Quad-City Aero, based at the Quad-City airport in Moline. The scholarship is designed to support a flight student through both written and practical segments of flight training that are part of successful FAA pilot certification.

EAA chapters play a significant role in the success of the Ray Aviation Scholarship program. Chapters interested in participating are prequalified by EAA through an application process. If selected, they mentor and support the scholarship recipient throughout their flight training journey. Once selected as a Ray Aviation Scholarship recipient, candidates also commit to volunteer service with the local EAA chapter.
EAA Chapter 410 of Geneseo is one of 900 local chapters of EAA, the world’s largest organization for recreational flying. It meets at the Gen-Air Airport in Geneseo on the first Saturday of each month. More information about the EAA Chapter is available at https://chapters.eaa.org/eaa410 or on Facebook.

GHS Building Trades House Complete and For Sale - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

The one-story ranch home, constructed by students in Building Trades Classes at Geneseo High School, is complete and is offered for sale by Jay Pettit of Hazelwood Homes.

Six students in the building trades classes completed the construction with help from Travis Mackey, Career and Technical Education Center Director for the Geneseo School District; Bryan Stone, GHS Vocational Instructor; and with help from employees of Hazelwood Homes, Inc., Today’s Builders, Durian Builders, Wirth Plumbing and VanOpdorp Electric.

The three-bedroom home features two full bathrooms; a walk-in closet in the master suite and custom tile shower in the Master bathroom; open concept kitchen with quartz countertops, dining room and great room with vaulted ceilings and a gas fireplace with stone face and custom mantel in the great room; 16’ x 12’ covered rear porch and large covered front porch with stonework on the walls.

There is a crawl space with full-sized door for access and poured concrete floor; low maintenance Pella vinyl windows; three-car garage with zero-step accessible entry and insulated overhead doors with openers and door opening into back yard.

The 1,568 square foot- home, at 851 East St. in Geneseo, is being offered for sale at $382,000, and anyone interested in more information is asked to contact Jay Pettit at 309-441-5184. Pettit said any profit made from the sale of the house will be returned to the Building Trades Program at GHS.

Mackey said he is pleased with the interest in the program and plans are to build another home next year…”We already have 12 students signed up for the program.”

He explained that the building trades program was at one time “a staple in the Career and Technical curriculum, but was then removed for several years…”We are very excited to have it back,” he added. ‘The students and instructor Bryan Stone worked very hard on the project this year.”

Stone was hired in 2016 to teach a building trades program that did not have much participation or support, he said…”For two years we did odd jobs in the community and the program was shut down in 2018. We have been working hard to revamp the program to get it back, and with the help of several local businesses and contractors, a nearly-all-new school board, Mr. Travis Mackey’s and Bob Pettit’s dedication to the program, it happened!”

Stone added, “The program is so much bigger and better than I think any of us thought it would be. The community took notice that we needed this program and with the help of everybody, it’s more than back!”

With the help of Hazelwood Homes, Durian Builders and Today’s Builders, Mackey said, “We were able to stay on track and finish the house before the end of the school year. A special thank you goes to Damon Willaert who helped with the project on a regular basis and worked closely with Mr. Stone and the students.”

Completion of the house also was possible with donations of materials, labor, and furnishings from Chicago St. Decorating, Village Home Stores, Fireplaces Plus, Sullivan Door Co., Connor Co., Comfort Concepts, Anchor Lumber, Crossroads Supply, Edwards Ready Mix, Riverstone Group, J.L. Hardscape, Elite Concrete, Elite Siding & Gutters, River City Pella, Premier Plaster and Drywall, Eller Construction, Advent Painting, Vern’s Home Improvement, VanOpdorp Electric, Steve’s Mirror & Glass, Wirth Plumbing & Heating and Lona Dekezel.

An open house for school district staff was held recently at the Geneseo School District building trades home located at 851 East St. in Geneseo. Posing for a photo in the kitchen area of the home are, from left, Travis Mackey, Career and Technical Education Center Director; Bryan Stone, GHS Vocational Instructor; Alexis Clementz, Alex Davis, Kade VanOpdorp, William Hamerlinck and Luke Abrahamsen-Collins, students in the GHS Building Trades Program. Karson Bannister also is in the school building trades program, but was absent for the photo. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Meet Lucy, Assistant Art Instructor at GMS - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Meet Lucy, the therapy dog who accompanies Geneseo Middle School art instructor Logan Hamilton to classes every school day.

Hamilton shared how Lucy came to be part of his teaching routine and he said, “I frequently need to adjust my curriculum to meet my students evolving emotional needs, which requires the constant designing and scrapping of ineffective methods.”

It was that frustration that led him to create a more unconventional social-emotional learning instruction method that incorporates his other passion: his therapy dog Lucy.

“I began developing this idea,” he explained. I wondered how I could use a therapeutic approach, beyond sensory experiences and reading support, to enhance social-emotional learning (SEL) every day.”

“The first day Lucy was in my room, I quickly discovered that everyone talks dog,” he said. “Whether they own a dog or have a friend who owns a dog, everyone seems to have some sort of connection, which makes this the perfect icebreaker to get the SEL conversation rolling. Even students who aren’t fond of dogs can participate in the class discussion by sharing their reasons.”

Hamilton said the connection was an inspiration for him,”forcing me to analyze more purposely the ways our discipline is inherently SEL-based. In fact, it is near impossible to avoid SEL when teaching art. I focused on tapping into this relationship by designing SEL lessons that followed a framework using Lucy as the lesson starter, sandwiching the core SEL content in the middle, and finishing with art-making SEL connections.”

Lucy is part of Hamilton’s daily instruction by way of meditations and brain breaks and he said some days are set aside for specific social-emotional learning lessons…”My most successful lesson to date is focused on relationship skills connected to tone of voice.”

He begins by defining tone of voice and then asks his students if they have unintentionally found themselves in a situation where a friend or adult told them, “I don’t like your tone.”

“Almost everyone has a grievance to share which sets the stage for this lesson,” added. “I transition to dog training connections with Lucy as a model. We discuss how tone of voice impacts how Lucy interprets her commands. As we transition to the middle of the lesson, I focus on the way tone relates to peer and adult conversations. We begin by watching a short video that shows modeled interactions with misperceived tones, including explanations.”

Hamilton said the best way for students to get the hang of tone and to discuss its implications is by role-playing…”Each student is challenged with reading sample statements such as ‘What happened to you?’ in a neutral tone. As a class we discuss how the tone changes the meaning of the statement.”

As they finish the lesson, Hamilton said they discuss how tone and mood is portrayed in art.

He said while the importance of tone represents only one of many ways Lucy is integrated into his art lessons, he has begun to experience the positive impacts…”By the end of the year, students began to self-correct when communicating with their classmates and parents.”

From listening to comments from his students, Hamilton said, “These comments give me validation that this therapy dog-centered approach to SEL and art is creating a more supportive classroom environment while connecting students it the art-making process and their peers.”

When Hamilton was asked how Lucy came into his life, he explained that after Covid, the Geneseo School District scheduled a Professional Development Day and a local therapy dog group, QCCAN (Quad Cities Canine Assistance Network) took a team of dogs to the high school as one of the distress sessions.

“I was really inspired by the work the handlers did and I had no idea that therapy not-for-profit existed,” he said.

That led him to begin researching what it takes to train a therapy dog…’I looked into all the local therapy dog organizations, and I investigated what dog breeds were best for the work,” he said. “I spent the better half of a year locating a breeder and going through the selection process of choosing a dog that had the right temperament for the work.”

He chose Lucy, a mini-American Shepherd.

Geneseo Middle School seventh grade students photographed with Lucy are, in front from left, Lilly Marshall, Faith Schaver, Emma Minnaert, Katrina Nerud, Peyton Brodie; in back, Kellan Miller, Boston Brewer, Hunter Brooks, Maysen York, Jeff Znamenacek, Molly Wannemacher, Tori Finegan, Landen Burk and Ean Tank. Photo by Claudia Loucks

During his research, Hamilton said he also found himself wondering what other ways therapy dogs could be integrated into a classroom setting beyond sensory experiences.

He reached out to several resources he found online that included a middle school art teacher in Geneseo, NY; a museum director in Canada, and a magazine editor, all of which had experience implementing dogs into instruction.

It was then that Hamilton began to design his own unique ways of using the dog as an instructional tool as well as a means to relieve stress for his students.

He attends monthly classes with the Quad Cities Canine Assistance Network…”This is a local not-for-profit that volunteers across the QC area,” he said. “I also am a mentor for the group and I work with a committee of other trainers who also have facility dogs in the surrounding schools. Together, we help design training instruction for other area handlers who want to use their therapy dogs in their classroom or office.”

Molly Wannemacher, left; Logan Hamilton, Geneseo Middle School art teacher; and Emma Minnaert pose for a photo with Lucy, the therapy dog who assists Hamilton in his art classes.

Greg Mullin Honored With Valor Award

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Greg Mullin is a Senior Federal Wildlife Officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stationed at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City, Utah, and is the recent recipient of the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award.  (Contributed Photo)

Greg Mullin, formerly of Geneseo, recently was awarded the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award at the Department of Interior’s 77th Honor Awards Convocation Ceremony on May 7 in Washington, D.C.   

   A 1987 graduate of the former JD Darnall High School, (now Geneseo High School), Officer Mullin is a Senior Federal Wildlife Officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, stationed at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City, Utah.  He is the son of Dr. Randy and Linda Mullin, Geneseo; and the late Fran Mullin.

   The Valor Award is presented to Department of the Interior employees for acts of heroism involving a high degree of personal risk in the face of danger and Mullin received the Valor Award for his rescue of two waterfowl hunters by airboat on Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge during a severe winter storm last December.  He was assisted by Officer Connor Curtis from the Perry City, Utah Police Department, who was honored with the Department of Interior Citizen’s Award for Bravery.

Contributed Photo

   In our conversation, Officer Mullin was asked to comment about receiving the award and he said, “I am incredibly grateful and honored to receive the Department of the interior’s Valor Award. I am proud to serve as a Senior Federal Wildlife Officer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

   It was early evening on Dec. 1 of last year and Greg Mullin was pulling into the driveway of his home after finishing his shift at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City, Utah, when he received a call from a hunter who was in distress.

   The call was forwarded to Officer Mullin’s cell phone from the main office phone system at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge….”Therefore, my caller ID showed the main Refuge telephone number and not the hunter’s,” Mullin explained.

   The hunter told Officer Mullin that his boat would not start and it was his impression that the hunter was having difficulty walking out of the hunting unit.

 “The call disconnected mid-conversation, likely due to poor cell coverage and weather conditions,” Mullin said and added that the area was experiencing freezing conditions, high winds and snow. 

   Due to concern for the hunter’s safety, including increased risk of hypothermia, Officer Mullin returned to the Refuge, navigating miles of icy and snow-covered roads to search by airboat.

   When he reached the Refuge boat ramp where the hunter had likely launched from, the local emergency services dispatcher (911) gave Officer Mullin additional information to help him find the hunter, including his cell phone number.

   “It’s my understanding that the hunter called 911 while I was driving back to the Refuge so the dispatcher was able to get a call-back number.  Because of a severe winter storm, it took me over an hour to reach the Refuge and retrieve an airboat.”

   Officer Mullin asked Perry City Police Officer Connor Curtis, who had just gone off duty, for assistance.

   He contacted the hunter’s cell phone and the hunter told him he had a respiratory issue and felt very ill. He texted his location on a GPS map screenshot before the cell connection was lost.

   Officers Mullin and Curtis launched the airboat in steady snow with sustained winds that pushed snow horizontally, making visibility less than 10 feet. Using the GPS screenshot, Officer Mullin piloted the airboat in hazardous whiteout conditions for approximately one mile to the stranded hunters. The hunters were extremely cold and wet after having been on the water for more than five hours. The officers brought the hunters onto the airboat and towed their boat back to the ramp. On shore, they warmed and provided supportive care to the hunters. When the hunters felt capable of leaving and were in good cognitive condition, Officer Mullin escorted them safely off the refuge.

   He said, “Without Officer Connor Curtis’ help, I would not have been able to navigate to the stranded hunter in the severe weather conditions.”
   Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is approximately 76,000 acres; he explained and added, “The hunter’s location was within a large management unit open to hunting, so we were searching in a big, open water area with no landmarks.”

   After graduating from high school in Geneseo, Officer Mullin graduated from Asbury College, Wilmore, KY, in 1991. He has worked in law enforcement for 28 years for the Federal Government. His career began as a Park Ranger for the National Park Service, and for the last 18 years as a Federal Wildlife Officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

   He lives in Utah with his wife, Lisa Mullin, and their daughter Caroline Mullin. His adult children are John Mullin and Christine Mullin, both living in Illinois.

Hammond-Henry Foundation To Offer Program To Combat Dementia

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Katie Orwig, left, Hammond-Henry Hospital Foundation Manager; and Dr. Hamid Sagha, invite area residents to a program on information about preventing Dementia.  The program will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 3(doors open at 5:30), in the Performing Arts Center at Geneseo High School, 700 North State St. (Contributed Photo)

Katie Orwig, left, Hammond-Henry Hospital Foundation Manager; and Dr. Hamid Sagha, invite area residents to a program on information about preventing Dementia.  The program will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 3, with doors opening at 5:30 at the Performing Arts Center at Geneseo High School, 700 North State St.

   Dr. Sagha is the author of the book, “Dementia Action Plan.”  He will discuss the importance of nutrition, sleep, stress reeducation as well as other factors that contribute to arming oneself against the memory stealing disease.

   Hammond-Henry CEO David Smith will give the introduction for Dr. Sagha. Reservations are requested for the program to ensure sufficient materials, however there is no charge to attend the program.  Reservations may be made by visiting www.hammondhenry.com/dap.

Richmond Hill Players Staging a Mystery - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Players continue their 2024 season with the classic mystery “Laura,” by Vera Caspary & George Sklar, based on Caspary’s novel. The show will be presented Thursdays through Sundays, May 30 – June 9, at the Barn Theatre in Richmond Hill, Geneseo.

John Donald O’Shea, Moline, directs the show.

When Laura Hunt is shot-gunned to death at the door of her upscale New York apartment, Detective Mark McPherson is assigned to investigate the case. In the process, he meets the three men in her life, peruses her personal effects and letters, and falls in love with Laura, or, at least, with her portrait which hangs above her mantel. Then, when Laura appears at the door of her apartment, McPherson realizes the victim has obviously been mistakenly identified.

So, who was the woman killed at the apartment door? What was she doing there ? And who killed her?

Suspicion falls on Laura’s friend and mentor Waldo Lydecker, on her fiancé Shelby Carpenter, on Danny Dorgan, a brilliant young pianist and friend of Laura, on Danny’s mother, who believes Laura is a corrupting influence on Danny, or perhaps, even upon Laura herself.

The cast features Dana Skiles, Perry Farley, Tricia Fox, and Jonathan Friedhoff, all of Geneseo; Tom Akers, Cambridge; Alexandra Champagne, Colona; Eric Friedman, East Moline; and Jim Strauss, Davenport.

The staff includes stage manager Mike Skiles, Geneseo, and Patrick Kelley, Kewanee; assistant stage manager Jim Strauss; set builder Jim Skiles, Colona; costumer Suzanne Rakestraw; light and sound designer Jennifer Kingry, both of Geneseo; and light and sound operator Mimi Switzer, Lyndon.

On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sunday shows are 3 p.m. matinees with the doors opening at 2 p.m.

Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Richmond Hill box office at 309-944-2244 or by visiting the website at rhplayers.com.

Late seating is not permitted; no one will be admitted to the theater after the show has started.

Admission to all performances is $12.

An audio description performance will be held Friday, June 2. Richmond Hill also offers Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs), which can be requested at the time reservations are made.

Tom Akers, left, Cambridge; and Eric Friedman, East Moline, rehearse a scene from “Laura,” which opens May 30. Contributed Photo

Tricia Fox and Dana Skiles, both of Geneseo, are photographed in a scene from “Laura.” Contributed Photo

Dana Skiles, left, and Alexandra Champagne, Colona, are among the cast members of the Richmond Hill Players production of “Laura,” which opens May 30, at the Barn Theatre. Contributed Photo