Geneseo Garden Club to Meet July 15 in Orion

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

The Geneseo Garden Club July outing will be a trip to visit the gardens of Janelle Gibson in Orion. Members and guests are asked to be there at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 15. After the garden tour, the group will visit the Charged Coffee and Cocoa Shop at 303 10th Ave., Orion, for a beverage and snack.

Community Choir 2024 Concert Benefits Community Chest

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Pam Edwards, left, Community Choir Director; and Rich McClimon, at right, Community Choir Treasurer, presented a $750 check to Jackie Despain, Community Chest Treasurer. Edwards said one of the missions of the Community Choir is to give financial support to the Community Chest through the performance of an intergenerational ensemble. The Community Choir performance was June 26 in the Geneseo High School Concert Hall.

Film Photography Class at RutabagA Studio & Gallery

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Joseph Pustejovsky, a member of the RutabagA Art Studio & Gallery, will teach a class in Film Photography at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 20, at the Gallery, located at 108 North State St. in downtown Geneseo. The class is for those people wanting to get into film photography, covering items such as how to adjust setting, ASA, shutter speed, aperture, focus, tips and tricks, double exposures, how to use accessories such as flash, shutter cables, lens filters and more. Those planning to attend should take their own camera. Cost is $10 for each person and registration can be made by calling RutabagA at 309-944-4994. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Accessibility Swim Tuesday at John & Carla Edwards Aquatic Center

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

There will be a special Accessibility Swim from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the John & Carla Edwards Aquatic Center. The reserved time is for swimmers with disabilities or sensory issues. Special accessibility swimmers are welcome to bring their immediate family members to join them.
The swim is free for Geneseo Park District and Aquatic Center members. There will be a $5 per person or $20 per family charge for non-members.

Blood Drive July 2 at Geneseo First Methodist

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive on Tuesday, July 2, at the South Annex (back entrance of the Geneseo First Methodist Church (south campus) of the church. The drive will begin at 12 noon and continue until 6 p.m. Donuts donated by Geneseo Donut Shop will be available.

With the extreme heat the area has been experiencing, the Red Cross suggests that those people planning to donate should drink an extra 16 ounces of water or non-alcoholic drink prior to their donation.

It is also recommended that donors increase Vitamin C in their diet by eating fruits and leafy green vegetables, such as strawberries, tomatoes, spinach and Brussels sprouts.

Donors are asked to make reservations by calling 1-800-733-2767 (1-800-RED Cross). Walk-ins will be accepted in as timely a manner as possible with appointments taking priority. Those planning to give blood will be asked to present their Red Cross ID card (or a valid driver’s license) and will be asked to read the list of medications that might exclude their donation from being used or do a “Rapid Pass” before their donation.

For ease in donating, the Red Cross Donor app can be downloaded from the App Store to make Rapid Pass quick and easy.

Anyone with questions about donating, getting a Red Cross ID card or who would like more information, is asked to call 1-800-733-2767 (1-800-RED CROSS).

Family Honors Norma Lodge in 2024 Kiwanis Club Doo-Dah Parade

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Norma Lodge(left) being driven by Brynn Wildemuth(right).

The Kiwanis Club Doo-Dah Parade is an annual activity in the Geneseo Music Festival weekend. This year it also became a family birthday celebration for Norma Lodge, who will be 99 years old on July 20.

Lodge’s family members of all ages, from children and grandchildren to great-grandchildren, walked in this year’s Doo-Dah Parade held Friday, June 14, in downtown Geneseo. They wore T-shirts that read “Norma’s 99.”

The “birthday girl” can be seen riding in a gator, being driven by her great-granddaughter, Brynn Wildemuth, and the band members providing the birthday music are Lodge’s great-grandchildren.

Families who took part in the event included Lodge’s daughter and son-in-law, Steve and Lynette Wildemuth and their son Dirk Wildemuth and his wife, Megan, and their children; Wildemuth’s daughter Heidi Fleming and her husband, Adam Fleming and their children; and Lodge’s daughter Mary Gorman and her daughter Chrissy Weir and her children, and the children of Gorman’s son, Tom Gorman.

Nearly 25 members of the Lodge family took part in the parade to celebrate the milestone birthday of Norma Lodge.

Community Choir Concert and Children’s Choir Concert June 26

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

The 116-voice adult Geneseo Community Choir and the 26-voice Children’s Choir will celebrate their 16th annual concert entitled “Does It Matter?” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, in the Geneseo High School Concert Hall, located at the south end of Geneseo High School, 700 North State St.

Repertoire includes “Do You Hear the People Sing,” “Memory,” and “Bridge over Troubled Waters.”

The Geneseo Children’s Choir will sing “Play for Me a Simple Melody” and a “Mary Poppins Medley.”

Combined choirs will sing “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “Earth Song,” and “God Bless the USA.”

Special performances will be presented by Addison Dykstra (2024 GHS graduate), and Isabella Haney (2024 GHS graduate and recipient of the Community Choir Scholarship).

Brass ensembles, a hand bell choir, guitarists, percussionists and dancers will be featured at the program.

Tickets are $5 for K-12th grades, $7 for 18 years of age and older; and children under five years old are free.

Geneseo Women’s Club Hosts Salad Supper for 2024 Queen Candidates and Guests

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Mariah Hutchinson, left, co-emcee for the Geneseo Music Festival Queen Pageant; Kelsey Dillie and Addison Dykstra, Music Festival 2024 queen candidates, visit with Tiffany Stees, vice president of the Geneseo Women’s Club, at the salad supper held Thursday, June 13, in Central Schoolhouse Inn. Each year the Geneseo Women’s Club hosts the salad supper event for queen candidates, their mothers or guests and members of the pageant committee. The Queen Pageant is sponsored by Geneseo Rotary Club. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Hanna Stroud, left, 2023 Geneseo Music Festival Queen, visits with Cathy Rothschild, Geneseo Rotary Club pageant chairman, at the recent salad supper hosted by the Geneseo Women’s club and held in the Central Schoolhouse Inn. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Guests at the Geneseo Women’s Club recent salad supper included Sara Stroud, front left, who was crowned queen of the Geneseo Music Festival in 1995; Hanna Stroud, daughter of Sara Stroud, and who was crowned Geneseo Music Festival queen in 2023; and in back, Rhonda Peterson and her daughter, Jillian Beneke, who was named a runner-up in the 2024 queen pageant held Friday, June 14, in Geneseo City Park. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Music Festival Queen and Court and Music Festival Little Princess

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Addison Dykstra, center, daughter of Curt and Sara Dykstra, was crowned queen at the 2024 Geneseo Music Festival Queen Pageant held Friday, June 14, in Geneseo City Park. Members of the court are, from left, Molly Neumann, second runner-up, daughter of Landon and Sharon Neumann; Kylie Maertens, first runner-up, daughter of Brice and Angela Maertens; the queen; Jillian Beneke, third runner-up, daughter of Jason Beneke and Rhonda Peterson; Madison Thompson, fourth runner-up, daughter of TJ and Marisa Thompson. The pageant is sponsored by the Geneseo Rotary Club and the queen receives a $500 scholarship. Each runner-up also receives a scholarship from the Rotary Club. Contestants not in the court are each given a $25 gift certificate from Geneseo Rotary. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Shae Robertson, center, was crowned princess at the first Geneseo Little Miss Music Festival Pageant held Friday, June 14, in Geneseo City Park, prior to the Queen Pageant. Members of the Little Miss court are, from left, Irie Boone, second runner-up; Breckyn Granell, first runner-up; the princess; Lillian Rowold, third runner-up; and Eden Ebert, fourth runner-up. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Music Festival Queen Pageant Night

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Prior to Pageant(above)

Geneseo Music Festival Queen Pageant committee members Madeline Possin, back left, and Jean Pritchard, back right, provide some last minute help with hair styles to pageant candidates, Madison Ochs, front left, and Amelia Vandemore. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Music at Pageant

Geneseo High School vocalists, under the direction of Pam Edwards, left, provided piano accompaniment for the high school vocalists who sang at intermission of the Queen Pageant held June 14 in City Park. The vocalists are, at left from Pam Edwards, Cody Hensley, Tyler Holtzen, Cy Sammons, Paxton Sherbeyn, Perry Farley and Landry Possin. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Escorts visit with candidates

Music Festival queen candidates Madison Thompson, at left, and Kylie Maertens, visit with pageant escorts Hayden Moore, second from left, and Sam Mosbarger. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Emcees with Ashley’s daughter Tille

Music Festival Pageant co- emcees Ashley Moore, left, and Mariah Hutchinson pose for a photo with Moore’s daughter, Tille Moore, prior to the pageant festivities June 14 in City Park. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Geneseo Garden Club to Meet June 17

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Members and guests of the Geneseo Garden Club will meet at 1 p.m. at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 17, at Hornbaker Gardens, 22937 1140 North Ave., Princeton.
Hornbaker Gardens was established in 1987 as a destination center tucked among 40 acres of peaceful property. Through the years, it has developed into botanical gardens, an arboretum, selling hundreds of plants along with containers and other garden items. Visitors can spend their time walking through the gardens and viewing the large variety of hostas, daylilies, fairy gardens and more. Contributed Photo

Winners in RutabagA’s Second Fine Arts Exhibit

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Winners in the Youth Excellence division of the second annual Geneseo Fine Arts Exhibit sponsored by RutabagA Studio and Gallery in downtown Geneseo are, from left, Pauline Pustejovsky, third place with her watercolor “Song in Bloom;” Madison Reade, first place with her acrylic of “Le Plat Naturel;” and Christine Pustejovsky with her Chinese Ink “A Smug Kitten.”

Sharon Michaelsen, at right, was awarded Best of Show with her pastel titled “Kyle;” Marcia Fox won second place with her carved and painted wood titled “Red Fox in Fall Colors:” and Gloria Burlingame, center, won third place with her oil pastel, “The Farmer’s Wife.” The exhibit will be on display during regular RutabagA gallery hours, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, and during open hours at The Cellar, 5 to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, through Sunday, July 7. Unless a piece is market NFS (Not For Sale), all are for sale and all sales go directly to the artist. RutabagA retains no commission.

The Pustejovsky family took three awards at RutabagA’s Second Fine Arts Exhibit judging which was held Sunday, June 9, at The Cellar, and the Pustejovsky family includes, from left, Pauline Pustejovsky, Joseph Pustejovsky won Honorable Mention for his photo of “Water in the Desert;” and Christine Pustejovsky. The exhibit was open to all area artists, high school age and older. The judge for the event is Annette Lezotte, who teaches art at Black Hawk College, Moline.

Lexi Gordon is photographed with her winning 3-D entry, “Atomic Sculpture.”

Pat Halverson, left, received Honorable Mention 2 in the Fine Arts Exhibit for her oil painting, “A Quiet Pond;” and Kathy Williams is shown with her winning photography entry “Daddy/Daughter Dance,” Maharah Jones received Honorable Mention 3 for her acrylic entry, “Red Tulips,” but was not present for the photo.