Indian Creek Newsletter

December, 2007

on the web at frontiernet.net/~indiancreek

compiled by Helen Mogill, hmogill@frontiernet.net, 728-2048

 

 

 

 

Indian Creek Broad Member Needed

Indian Creek is in need of a new member for the Homeowners’ Board.  The duties of the board members are listed at the Indian Creek web site bylaws page:  frontiernet.net/~indiancreek/bylaws.htm.   If you are interested in serving the community and your neighbors, please contact Brian Krause, briankrause@frontiernet.net, 728-5567.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calling all Veterans!

 

The Towanda Area Historical Society is participating with the Towanda District Library, WILL TV and the Alliance Library System in conjunction with the Library of Congress to capture our veterans’ stories.  At this time, TAHS is collecting names and contact information for area veterans and/or their families or others with war time experiences on the home front or in the war itself.  A form that can be filled out and submitted is available at http://towandahistory.org and at the Towanda District Library.  Please participate in one or more of the following ways:

 

·         Have your service information listed in the Towanda Area History book and website http://towanda.history.org

 

·         Be interviewed and have the recording of the interview archived and available to the public at one or more of the following:

 

·         Towanda Area History website:  http://towanda.history.org

·         WILL TV website:  http://will.atlas.uiuc.edu/index.php/WWII/stories

·         Illinois State Library: http://www.idaillinois.org

·         Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/vets

 

·         Help to organize, document, record, interview, or in any other way participate in this exciting project.

                                                                                                 

Plan to participate in an event on Tuesday, January 22, at the Towanda District Library, 7:00pm8:00pm, called “A SALUTE TO VETERANS: Honor Their Service, Preserve Their Stories.” Watch a multi-media presentation, play a trivia game, win prizes, and then decide if you would like to be paired with a veteran or participate as a veteran in a subsequent one-on-one interview to record the veteran’s stories using pre-prepared questions and simple software available at the library. This one-hour program, sponsored by the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center, is designed to foster learning between multiple generations and is suitable for the whole family.

Denise La Grassa, producer of WILL-TV’s Central Illinois World War II Stories, will also be present to preview a segment from her series and share her experience of collecting oral history from local WWII veterans.
Central Illinois World War II Stories will premiere as part of the Prairie Fire series in February.

 

 

 

Towanda Area Historical Society

 

The Towanda Area Historical Society will not meet in December and the regular meeting in January will be the “Salute to Veterans” program to held at the Library on Tuesday, January 22.

 

 

 

 

Christmas Party

 

The Holiday Committee is hosting the Annual Christmas Party on Wednesday, December 19th from 6:30-8:00. The party includes a craft, bingo, story time, and a visit from a special holiday visitor. All area children are invited to share in the excitement. All children must have at least one parent with them, and parents are encouraged to bring a camera to snap a picture of their child on Santa's lap. See you there.

 

 

 

Seniors Potluck

 

The Towanda Seniors will be meeting Wednesday, December 12th at Noon at the Community Building.  There will be a gift exchange for those who wish to participate.  Meat and drinks will be furnished.  Please bring your own table service and a dish to share.  Hostesses are Helen Guth, Rose Remschner and Beverly Meginnes.  The third grade students from Towanda Grade School will provide Christmas music for the program. 

 

Please contact Beverly Meginnes at 728-2769 if you have any questions.

 

 

Towanda PTO News

By Karen Showalter

 

Help a young student who has cancer:

Student Council is leading a fundraiser to help a student at Grove School named Haley Carter, who is battling cancer.  Haley is 9 years old and knows many of the Towanda Elementary School students.  Her mother teaches math at NCHS.  To find out more about Haley and her family and how you can help, visit her website by clicking on the Helping Haley link on the Towanda Elementary School homepage www.unit5.org/towanda 

 

Register to vote:

Would you like to register to vote?  Mrs. Edwards, Towanda Elementary Principal, is a voter registrar.  She has set-up a few open registration times at the school.  No need to call just stop in from 1-2 pm or 4-5 pm on Mon., Dec. 10.  Call the school with questions at 728-2278.

 

Vote to support your schools:

On the Feb. 5th primary ballot, there will be 2 referendum questions for Unit 5 schools.  We want you to know that should the first ballot question pass, Towanda Elementary will directly benefit.  Among the possible, but yet to be confirmed improvement are remodeling of the cafeteria, updating the classrooms and the purchase of more smart boards.  The addition of new elementary schools will help with what are now growing class sizes at Towanda Elementary.  You may find out more information about issues related to the referendum questions at www.ExpandedandExcel.org

 

 

      Might Your House Be For Sale?

 

Mark and Barb Ulbrich know some people who are interested in buying a house in this area in the next  9-12 months. In addition to the homes with "for sale" signs, are there any others that any Indian Creekers may be interested in selling?  If so, please call the Ulbrich’s -- 728 2932.  Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Towanda Library News (on the web at http://towandalibrary.org)

 

Thur., Dec. 13, 7:00pm:  Towanda Reads China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power by Rob Gifford.

The book club’s annual Christmas party will be at Ruth Parson's home.   Bring an appetizer to share.

Movies at the library

Fri., Dec. 7 at 6:15pm: Double Feature family movies, with cookies & hot chocolate! Opus n’ Bill: A Wish for Wings that Work (30 min.) & Ziggy’s Gift (24 min.)

Thurs., Jan 3, at noon: Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (136 min.) (PG-13)

 

Wed., Jan 9, 7:00-8:00 pmIraq War Veteran Cindy Singley

Cindy Singley, longtime Towanda resident, who has recently returned from her second tour of duty in Iraq, will speak at the library about her wartime experiences at Camp Bucca near Basra, Iraq. Cindy is in the U.S. Army National Guard and was gone for 17 months during 2006 and 2007. Please join us to honor this dedicated veteran at her hometown library. No registration is necessary.

 

Jan. 22, 7:00-8:00 pm:  A SALUTE TO VETERANS: Honor Their Service, Preserve Their Stories

See page one of this newsletter for details.

 

 

 

 

            Towanda Fire Department News

Towanda Fire would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

November Fire Calls:

Car accidents – 1, Medical - 9, Mutual Aid - 3, Vehicle fire – 1, and 4 investigation of various types.

 

 

                                 Classifieds

For Sale

     Jim Russell, 728-8042

Snow thrower, Sears "Eager 1", 32" path, 10 hp, 110v starter, 4 forward gears and reverse, headlights, pneumatic tires with chains.  $500 or best offer.

 

 

 

 

 

HCE NEWS

by Pat Polukas

 

The Towanda Home and Community Education will be meeting for their Christmas Party on Monday, December 10, 6:30 pm at the home of Sylvia Gibson. Members and friends are to bring an appetizer or a salad dish to pass.  There will be a $10 gift exchange. Please RSVP by December 7 at 309 728 2484

 

If you’ve purchased your ticket, don’t forget to attend the “Brighten Your Holidays” program at the Extension office auditorium on December 4, 1:30-3:00 p.m.  Hospitality time starts at 1:00 p.m. 

 

The public is invited to participate in the 2008 Cultural Enrichment Contest, to be held on Monday, January 28, with entries to be brought to the Extension Office at 402 N. Hershey Road, Bloomington  between 8-8:45 a.m. Items made from kits will NOT be accepted. Items must also be the hand work of the exhibitor and finished within the past two years. Any items entered in previous HCE shows are not eligible.  Categories include: quilts; counted cross stitch; embroidery; crocheting, knitting etc; wearable art; art work; wood craft and nature; photography; handmade jewelry; scrap booking, 2-3 pages. You may enter more than one item in a category and enter more than one category.  Call Marjorie Martin, 452-5734 or Carmen Schnitker, 379-3141 for more specific details for each category or go on-line at www.mcleanhce.org.

 

 

 

 

         Bell Ringers

 

The Towanda Lions Club will be ringing the Salvation Army bells on Saturday, December 15th, at Krogers and Jewel Osco on College Avenue.  Please stop by and support the cause.

 

 

 

 

Quote of the Month

from Linda Garbe

 

Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary. -- Sir Cecil Beaton

 

 

 

 

 

Mice

 

It’s that time of the year again when mice are looking for a cozy place to spend the winter.  We know they are back when we start finding dog food in odd places.  Another clue, of course, is finding their small dark droppings.  From http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/mice.htm: “Mice  can eat about 10 to 15% of their body weight every day, the adults weighing about 5/8-1 oz. Mice also cache food as supply permits. Mice are active mostly at night, but they can be seen occasionally during daylight hours.

·         A house mouse can squeeze through openings slightly larger than 1/4 inch across; eliminate all openings through which they can enter a structure (stuff them with copper mesh).  Doors, windows and screens should fit tightly.

·         All food that is stored, processed or used should be made mouse-proof. Dried grain and meat products should be stored in glass jars, metal canisters or other resealable airtight containers. “