Village Home Stores Welcomes Former Owner of Appliances Unlimited Kewanee to Sales Team

As Appliances Unlimited in Kewanee Illinois closes doors, former owner Amanda Forrest joins the appliance sales team at another small business just a few miles away.

July 2024(Geneseo, IL) - In the Spring of 2024 it was announced that Appliances Unlimited in Kewanee, Illinois would be closing their doors. A member of the team at Village Home Stores reached out to the owner Amanda Forrest to see if she would have interest in working at an appliance dealer just a few miles down the road. Forrest, who purchased the Kewanee small business 19 years ago, met with the owners of Village Home Stores to discuss this transition. It was agreed that another small business would be a great fit for her and her customer base.

- Amanda can still source quality kitchen and laundry appliances for her Kewanee-area customers at a competitive price while offering a great customer experience.

- She will be able to help customers in-person in an award-winning showroom.

- Amanda will also be available for customers who prefer to shop from home online with added assistance via phone or the Village Home Stores website’s text/webchat feature.

- She will still be able to operate in a sales environment that cares for the purchaser long after the purchase with access to staff service technicians for warranty work and repairs.

“After spending some time at their business, I feel that they are the best option to replace the sales and service that we have offered. They have a beautiful showroom and are dedicated to the industry that I come from with their pricing standpoint, customer service dedication, and all around positive experience.” -Amanda Forrest

Amanda has decades of experience in the sales and service of home appliances. She will begin immersive product training for key Village brands: Maytag, Whirlpool, and KitchenAid mid-July as she visits the World of Whirlpool facilities in Chicago, Illinois and then begin on the Village Home Stores sales floor in Geneseo on August 1st.

Village Home Stores is a second generation small business that has served the region since 1984. They offer appliances, appliance service, cabinetry, countertops, lighting, window treatments, flooring, and wall surfaces as well as complete kitchen and bath remodels. You can see their portfolio of work online at houzz.com/pro/villagehomestores and watch their weekly TV show locally every Sunday morning at 10:30am on WQAD News Channel 8 or stream anytime at youtube.com/villagehomestores Village is open Mon-Fri 9a-5p and Saturdays from 9a-noon. Open online anytime at villagehomestores.com

Amanda Forrest. Photo Submitted

A Pig that Does Karate - By Dan Dauw

Fun time on the Fourth

It was a grand ‘ole time in the Geneseo Park on the 4th of July. It started off with the Geneseo Kiwanis “Pork in the Park” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. They served up pork chops, pork patties, etc. Hard to beat food from Fareway!

Of course, one has to save room for dessert and that was provided by the Geneseo Maple City Band volunteers (MCB). Lorna and I had the task of taking in the donations which averaged about $5.00 per person. However, a lot of folks bumped up their donations to $10.00 and more. I won’t mention names, but we received checks from $100.00 to, believe it or not, $500.00.
It was cute, there was one little girl who emptied her little purse full of coins.
Geneseo has always been known for its generosity and volunteerism. It sure showed it at the event. I think the Geneseo Kiwanis took in a lot of money as their lines were really long. The same goes for our MCB dessert tent.
Unfortunately, around 1:30 p.m. or so we ran out of pies, cakes, etc. and could only serve ice cream. Yes, Jane Kiser’s famous cherry pies went quickly. She had made 10 pies.

Dan and Lorna Dauw enjoyed taking donations at the "Maple City Band Dessert Tent" on the 4th of July event in the Geneseo Park.    Photo Submitted

The Geneseo Maple City Band, under the direction of Alan Kiser, and over 80 musicians, did an “awesome” job playing great patriotic music from 1 to 3 p.m. I always like it when the band plays the “Armed Forces Salute.” It’s nice when the last song played is the “The Stars & Stripes Forever” and the audience stands up and claps their hands.
I must not forget, at “halftime” Alan presented a nice award plaque to John Bean for his many years of playing his trumpet in the band. I’m sure I won’t see it, but I don’t think it will be too many more years until they reach 100 musicians. Of course, where they will all sit is another story!

In ending, a giant “THANK YOU” to all those many volunteers who made the “Fourth of July” event so successful.

Reminder Concert Fans

There are three more concerts in the park. They are: MCB on Tuesday, July 16th. The Big River Brass Band, Tuesday, July 23rd, and the Geneseo Big Band, Tuesday, July 30th. Also, there will desserts and ice cream served at the pavilion. Yay!!!!

Vintage Farm Equipment Show

It’s a few months away, but mark your calendar of this show in Atkinson on Saturday, September 14, 2024. It’s free to the public and lots to see.
It has easy access to the grounds, food & modern restrooms. From 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. I will present a program on Military Cutlery. I should also mention that Atkinson Heritage Days are Sept 12th – Sept 15th. Fun for the whole family.

Humor of Lance & Dan D.

  1. What do you call a pig that does karate? Ans: A pork chop.

  2. Why did the bike fall over? Ans: It was too tired!

  3. Why did Geneseo golfer, Bob Sellman, bring two pairs of pants? Ans: In case he got a hole in one.

  4. What has four wheels and flies? Ans: A garbage truck.

  5. To keep in good shape, Vern Mariman does twenty jumping jacks every morning. Well, for half of those he just claps!

  6. Todd Sieben also tries to stay in shape. He doesn’t care for a treadmill. He said his pillow keeps getting stuck in the conveyor belt.

  7. Linda Vanderleest was involved in a nine-car pileup. It’s not as bad as it sounds. It was at four different intersections.

Quote of the Week

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”
- William Jennings Bryan

Foster children, parents and volunteers of "Foster Hope" enjoyed the day kayaking, fishing, etc. at the "Ikes Park."  Photo Submitted

Lola Rahn, Director (front, center right), is with a few of the children and volunteers. The Geneseo Izaak Walton League volunteers also helped with the kids fishing.  Submitted Photo


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

Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois Demonstrates Commitment to Community Service with Impactful Year

Zack Sullivan, President
Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois
JUly 2, 2024

Geneseo, Illinois – The Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois reaffirms its dedication to the ethos of "Service Above Self" as it reflects on a year of significant achievements and contributions to the community. Rooted in the principles of the Four-Way Test—Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? - the club has made substantial strides in enhancing the local area.

Throughout the past year, the Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois has demonstrated its commitment to fostering future leaders and supporting education by awarding over $12,000 in local scholarships. Addressing food insecurity, the club donated over one ton of food - 2,118.6 pounds to be exact - to the Geneseo-Atkinson Food Pantry, directly impacting those in need within the community.

Photo Submitted

Further illustrating its dedication to community enhancement for youth, the Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois spearheaded infrastructure improvements at Cole Cabin and reinstated the Geneseo Middle School Student of the Month program, revitalizing initiatives crucial to community cohesion and support.

Photo Submitted

In addition to these efforts, the club has provided essential grants to local non-profits including the Geneseo Mural Project, Geneseo Soccer Boosters, Geneseo Public Library, and Quad City Arts. These contributions underscore the club's commitment to supporting cultural enrichment, education, and recreational activities within Geneseo.

Beyond its charitable endeavors, the Geneseo Rotary Club continues to unite the community through engaging events such as the Geneseo Music Festival Queen Pageant and Ice Cream Social, and the Maple City 4 Run, fostering camaraderie and a shared sense of purpose among residents.

"The Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois is dedicated to making a meaningful impact within our community," said Zack Sullivan, President of the Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois. "We invite individuals who share our passion for

For those interested in learning more about the Geneseo Rotary Club or getting involved in its community initiatives, please visit facebook.com/geneseorotaryclub or contact Zack Sullivan at 309-944-2686.

About Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois:

The Rotary Club of Geneseo, Illinois, established on the principles of "Service Above Self," is committed to making a positive impact within the Geneseo community through service projects, scholarships, and support for local organizations. With a focus on fostering goodwill and better friendships, the club aims to enhance the quality of life for all residents.

Habaneros Mexican Grill & Cantina to Open in Geneseo

Jim Kelly
Henry County Economic Development Director
RRLF Loan Administrator
July 2, 2024

Habaneros Mexican Grill & Cantina in Moline will open a new location in Geneseo, Henry County, Illinois, in the Oakwood Avenue strip mall. The expected opening date is October, 2024. Josue Sanchez, member/manager of Cruz Enterprises, LLC, which owns Habaneros, has been operating his restaurant in Moline, Illinois at the South Park Mall since 2015. He identified a perfect location to expand his business to Geneseo, leased the space, and started the build-out for the new restaurant. This includes framing the electrical room, framing the office and bar, a complete floor installation throughout the space, plumbing work, new restaurant-grade equipment, and a complete kitchen build-out. Josue has run the South Park restaurant since 2017 and has excellent experience in the service industry. The Henry County Board has partnered with BankORION and Henry County RRLF, teaming up to finance the new restaurant. Henry County recently approved a $50,000.00 loan from its Rural Revolving Loan Fund, with the project creating five full-time and six part-time jobs on the site, as well as an on-site local Manager.

The Henry County Rural Revolving Loan Fund Program (RRLF) operates two separate funds and has made 95 loans totaling $6.1 million on our legacy fund, and 38 loans totaling $1.4 million from our economic development fund, which have in return created and retained a combined 1,515 jobs in the Henry County, Illinois work force. The RRLF monies are available to any new or existing business within Henry County. For more information on the Henry County

RRLF Programs contact Jim Kelly, Henry County Economic Development Director and RRLF Loan Administrator, at the Henry County Courthouse, (309) 937-3410

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.

Summer Concert Series

By Elizabeth Hulsbrink
Geneseo Current

Take a stroll through downtown Geneseo on a summer Saturday night and you will hear the sweet sounds of music everywhere! The Central Bank Pavilion 2024 Summer Concert Series is well under way and this past Saturday, June 29, Mo’s Garage took center stage. The band’s motto, “…. assaulting your ears and heart one butchered song at a time!” was beyond fabulous! With three guitars, one bass, drums and mixed vocals, this band rocked the night away. Their covers included songs from Bay City Rollers to The Cranberries, and Mötley Crüe to Lady Gaga. There was definitely a song for everyone. Huge applause to the female lead for tackling some seriously tough songs; she nailed them with her stylistic perfection.

Since the city of Geneseo blocked off a portion of State Street from north of Orange Street to Exchange Street, people were able to dance in the streets or bring lawn chairs to just sit and enjoy. Also, La Roma’s Pizza, Leman’s, and Raelyn’s were all serving up specials of one kind or another.

But if dancing in the streets wasn’t your thing, just around the corner at Geneseo Brewing Company (GBC) Frankie Joe & Kinfolk played outside. As per their website, Kinfolk “is a little string band with big roots, honest American roots.” The majority of their lineup for the evening were original songs, written primarily by Frankie Joe Willderman. Their sound was a mixture of country-meets-rock-meets-bluegrass folk, which they proudly call “a Midwest blend with Ozark Mountain accent.” This easy-listening band kept the audience entertained with it’s acoustic guitar, mandolin, modified upright bass, drums, and a slew of percussion instruments, including a rubber chicken. Yes, you read that right! “We feel a kinship to create music together and a sense of duty to keep it alive for out clan,” (from website).

If you would like to check out either of these two great bands, Mo’s Garage will be playing at Orion Fireworks Festival on Wednesday, July 3, starting at 5:30, while Frankie Joe & Kinfolk will be at Geneseo’s Central Bank Pavilion, Wednesday, July 3 from 7-9pm. For more details, both bands have their own Facebook pages.

Off Center - By Dan Dauw

By Dan Dauw
Geneseo Current

Geneseo MCB and Concert Bands

The rest of the 2024 Geneseo Summer Concert Schedule are as follows:

July 4th – Maple City Band

July 9th – Maple City German Band

July 16th – Maple City Band

July 23rd - Big River Brass Band

July 30th - Geneseo Big Band

All concerts are in the band shell at the Geneseo Park. Make sure to support the organizations at the Ice Cream Social Pavilion.

Debate

Now this is just me, but having recently turned 82, I sure can see my mind is more “off center” then yesteryear. Ugh!!!

Thank You

To you friends for the Happy Birthday wishes. I have to say, for the most part, I’ve had a pretty good run for all the years. A big share of goodness and love is from Lorna and our two kids, DeeDee and Lance.

Books

Not long ago, friend “DC” gave me a 762 page book entitled, “Abraham Lincoln” by Carl Sandburg. I only read a few pages at night before “sawing logs.”
Lincoln was a really unusual person. He was very intelligent, subject to mood swings, a great story teller, served in the Black Hawk War although never fired a musket, and had numerous jobs growing up. He was an excellent lawyer, and a good husband and father to their boys. His 6’3” appearance was never the best as he cared little of his appearance. Many times he was laughed at by the press. So far in the book it tells of his many cases as a lawyer. Very interesting!

Unusual Knowledge

Our son, Lance, gave me a really neat book for my birthday entitled, “The Book of Unusual Knowledge.” I just started reading it, and it contains a lot of strange and interesting facts about this planet we live on.
Remember a few weeks ago two vandals spray painted on Stonehenge? On the cover of the book it shows a photo of Stonehenge with the words, “It took about 30 million hours for Stone Age workers to build Stonehenge.”

Catch A Better Life

Okay, one more new book to mention from friend, Lori Palmgren, and then I’ll shut up! This is an unusual book that combines fishing and religion. Each page, January 1 to December 31, gives a religious message plus a fishing tip. Wrongly, I’m sure I’ve used the word, “God” plus another word when I lost a big fish.
Anyway, Catch A Better Life, is by author, Jimmy Houston, and looks to be a good read.

Humor

  1. How are trumpet players, John Bean and Jim Cassens, like pirates? Answer: They’re both murder on the high Cs.

  2. How do you know if a Swedish car is sad? Answer: You’ll see it saab-ing.

  3. My face is wrinkled now, in fact, it’s rather ruddy, Revlon and Loreal won’t do, I need a can of puddy!

  4. I never wanted to believe my dad was stealing from his job as a highway worker, but when I got home, all the signs were there!

  5. I just did 15 minutes of strength training. I opened a bag of potato chips.

Quote of the week

“It is much easier to be critical than to be correct!” - Disraeli

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.

Farm Bureau to Host “Safety Starts with YOU”

Katie Laleman, FBCM, Manager
Henry County Farm Bureau®
July 2, 2024

Have you thought about safety for you and your family? Do you want to see demonstrations and receive free giveaways and information? Looking for a great, free event for the whole family to attend?

The Henry County Farm Bureau Health and Safety Committee will hold a FREE community event focused on areas of safety, health, and wellness. Join us on Wednesday, July 10, 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Central Bank Pavilion, 218 North State Street, Geneseo, IL. Following the event will be the Central Bank Concert Series featuring “3 On The Tree”, from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

The event will feature exhibitors that will highlight Grain Bin Safety & Rescue, CPR and “Stop the Bleed” Demonstrations, Mental Health, Ag Equipment Driving Simulator, “Touch a Tractor” and Overall Health & Wellness. Plan to enjoy food vendors along with safety demonstrations, kids’ activities, giveaways and much more!

Exhibitors will include Gold Star FS, Wyffels Hybrids, Henry County Sheriff’s Department, Henry County Health Department, Henry County Mental Health Alliance, Geneseo Fire Department, Bishop Hill Fire Department, Geneseo Police Department, Cintas, Prairie State Tractor, Operation Lifesaver Illinois and Henry County Farm Bureau.

Join us for this FREE community event focused on safety and open to the public. Enjoy great information, handouts and giveaways. An event for the whole family! For more information contact the Henry County Farm Bureau at (309) 937-2411 or email manager@henrycofarmbureau.org.

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

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.”

Geneseo Community Choir Concert - By Elizabeth Hulsbrink

By Elizabeth Hulsbrink
Geneseo Current

Close your eyes for a moment. Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, listen to all the sounds around you… sounds of birds singing, the breeze in the trees, a gentle wind chime playing a tune. Perhaps you hear the sounds of a busy street, cars buzzing by, people talking. Or maybe, you are sitting in an office, 90s soft rock playing on the speaker, computers humming, phones ringing. Does it matter?

Does any of it matter?

On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, the Geneseo Community Choir performed it’s 16th annual concert at the Geneseo High School Concert Hall, featuring local vocalists and instrumentalists, under the direction of Pam Edwards with accompaniment by Lynne Haars. This year’s theme, “Does It Matter” was selected in “hopes to open the audience’s minds to a renewed level of awareness of the many aspects of “Does it Matter”” replied Pam Edwards. She also shared that the theme selected would encompass “Gray Matter, mental health matters, care for the earth matters, music matters, YOU matter, justice, healing, peace, and democracy matters.”

The song selections were dedicated to bringing all these “matters” to attention. From Beethoven’s “Hymn to Joy”, Shaw’s “With a Voice of Singing”,Webber’s “Memory” from Cats, to Lojeski’s “Do You Hear the People Sing” from Les Miserables and even Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song”, the combined voices and instruments lifted the audience and roused a sense of awareness of what we can do with all this “matter”. The children’s choir sang, danced, and giggled their way through Schubert’s “To Music”, Berlin’s “Play for Me a Simple Melody”, and Huff’s “Mary Poppins Medley”, all of which were under the direction of Amy Croft, accompanied by Miss Edwards, and assisted by Denise Eiker and HannaWiyrick.

Two very special soloists were Isabella Haney and Addison Dykstra. Both are 2024 graduates of Geneseo High School. Haney’s clarinet solo, “Excerpt from Clarinet Concerto No. 2 Mvt. 3- Alla Polacca” by VonWeber, and Dykstra’s “Never Enough” from the musical The Greatest Showman by Pasek and Paul, left the audience reaching for more. Both were performed with absolute perfection.

For a grand finale, all the combined voices of the adult choir, children’s choir, brass section, percussion, string bass, guitar, and even dancers wowed the crowd with the jazz/swing classic, “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Prima (arranged by Kern), “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon (arranged by Shaw), and “God Bless the USA” by Greenwood (arranged by Brymer). Some audience members found themselves humming along and dancing in their seats. Not a dry eye in the house! Standing ovations and cheers filled the hall.

Spectacular work in just 4 short rehearsals with the adults, and 5 rehearsals with the children. The 114 members of this year’s Community Choir range from incoming 8th graders to great grandparents, and come from all walks of life. The 25 members of the Children’s Choir are incoming 4th – 7th graders. All these musicians participate simply for the love of music.

This year’s performance also included the First Lutheran Church Handbell Choir lead by Melinda Wildermuth, with audio provided by Larry Lord, and videographers Lucas Kaiser and Carter Eastburn. The concert will be played on Geneseo’s Channel 50 at a future date.