Indian Creek Newsletter - June, 2008 on the web at frontiernet.net/~indiancreek compiled by Helen Mogill, hmogill@frontiernet.net, 728-2048
Duncan Manor Tours The opportunity to tour the historic house at 1002 Towanda-Barnes Road is available for the first time.  The two tour dates are Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8, 2008 (rain dates are June 21-22).  Tickets are being sold for the following four tour times:  Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m; 12:00 to 5:00 p.m; and on Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m; 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Cost is $10 for adults; free for children under 12.  Tickets may be purchased at the Towanda Library, the Towanda Community Building office between 8am-noon, M-F, Kicks Bar and Grill, or from TAHS members, including Helen Mogill, 728-2048, hmogill@frontiernet.net. There is NO parking available on the site; shuttle service will be provided from NCHS parking lot on the west side (front) of the school. There will be live music, food sales, and booths with experts in historic restoration, and vendors who are involved with the Duncan project available on the grounds.  Additionally, there will be an opportunity to meet the owners and talk with fellow Duncan Manor enthusiasts and historians.  See more at: http://www.duncanmanor.org/ and http://www.towandahistory.org/homepage/DuncanManorTour.pdf. LOTS of Volunteers are needed between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. both days!  Jobs include: 1) manning stations inside the house to help people navigate a self-guided tour. 2) stations outside the house to help direct people to various locations 3) assisting with directions and taking tickets at NCHS shuttle locations 4) set up and clean up before, during, and after the tours Specific information and training will be provided.  Please contact Gail Ann Briggs – as soon as possible - with the day(s) and time(s) and preferred job - 728.2187 or rgbriggs@frontiernet.net . The Towanda Area Historical Society is a partner in the work of the tour.  Proceeds from ticket sales will go the TAHS, the Old House Society, and the Duncan Manor Restoration Fund.
The next regular meeting of the Towanda Area Historical Society will be Tuesday, June 24, at the Community Building at 7:00 p.m.
Children at Play Reminder: please watch for children playing when driving through the neighborhood (especially on Candle Ridge Rd).
Towanda Library News (on the web at towandalibrary.org)
Farewell Reception An open house at the Towanda District Library on June 24, 2008, from 3:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m. honors Mary Pasek Williams for her eight and ½ years of dedicated service to the Towanda District Library. The public is invited to join the Towanda Board of Directors, the Towanda Historical Society, and the Friends of the Towanda Library in wishing her continued success in the future and to meet the new librarian. New Librarian The Towanda District Library Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that they selected Karen Stott Bersche, of Bloomington, Illinois, as the new director of the library - effective July 7, 2008. Ms. Bersche of Bloomington, Illinois, worked for the Alliance Library System for the past twelve years and is currently a member of their management team. She has an extensive background in library development and marketing, having previously been a library director for thirteen years in northern Illinois. Most recently, Bersche was Director of Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center, which provides library services to clients with low-vision, blindness, and physical challenges. She received the 2007 Illinois Library Association Skrzypek Award for Leadership in Service to the Blind/Physically Challenged. In 2005, Library Journal honored Ms. Bersche as one of "50 Movers and Shakers – The People Who Are Shaping the Future of America’s Libraries." Friends of the Library, Wednesday, June 4, at 7:00pm  The next meeting of the Friends of the Library will be Wed. June 4 at 6:00 at the library.  Towanda Reads, Wednesday, June 4, at 7:00pm  The next meeting of the Towanda Reads book club will be Wednesday, June 4, at 7:00pm at the library.  The book to be discussed will be Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See. 4th of July Book Sale The Friends of the Library will hold our annual book sale at the 4th of July Flea Market in Towanda.  We encourage donations of used books at the library the week before the sale.  We can only sell books that are in good condition and are relatively new.  Summer Reading Program Summer reading programs will be held at the library on Wednesdays from 11:00 - noon unless otherwise noted. · June 4:   Registration begins · June 11: Miller Park Zoo will present a "hands-on" program. · June 13 (FRIDAY, 5-7pm): Summertime Jamboree: bouncing, sliding, jousting, sno-cones, reading and a movie on the lawn at dusk. · June 18: Ecology Action Center: "Ready! Set! Compost! The Race is on!" · June 24: Music to feast your ears with Mary Williams and friends. · July 9:    Bring items and get autographs & photos and talk to your favorite sports hero from NCHS. · July 16:  The Pantagraph summer reading program on games, followed by our end of the Summer Reading Program PIZZA PARTY, sponsored by the FS FastStop, Towanda, IL.
Fire Department The Towanda Fire Dept is starting a new Junior Firefighter Program for girls and boys age 15-17 starting August 11 2008. An informational open house will be July 27, 2008 at the fire station, 203 W Jackson. A packet of requirements and application will be available at this time. A parent is also asked to attend. Contacts for this program are Tom Wagner at 309-319-0130 or wagbo616@hotmail.com or James Crow at 309-825-2874 or jjspt5@mchsi.com. An EMT class will also start July 15 at the Towanda Fire Station. The class is 2 1/2 months long, meeting on Tuesday and Thursday nights and every other Saturday. Contact Gary Cornell for more information at 309-275-5303. Runs for May: Car accidents-2, Medical-7, car fire-2, barn fire-1, Investigation 3.
Yard Smart Garden Walk
						The Ecology Action Center is sponsoring a garden walk, on June 28, 8:00am -11:30am of ‘Yard Smart’ gardens, including the garden of our very own Sue Arnold. The event is free and open to everyone. If you are interested in joining the next tour, please call the Ecology Action Center at 309-454-3169. The Yard Smart program is a voluntary effort to help reduce synthetic pesticide use, conserve natural resources and make room for wildlife. See http://ecologyactioncenter.org/yard-smart/ for more information.
Blood Drive The Towanda Busy Bees 4-H Club is sponsoring the 15th Annual Red Cross Blood Drive on Tuesday, June 24 at the Towanda Community Building. If you donated blood on or before April 29, 2008, you are eligible to give blood again on June 24. A blood donation takes approximately 45-60 minutes. Every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood. There is fewer than ten percent of the eligible population actually donating each year. There are 10-12 pints in our bodies and a single pint can help save three lives. If only 1% more people gave a pint of their blood two or three times a year, there would always be enough blood on hand for usual times. Eligible donors must be in good health; feel well the day of the donation; weigh between 110-350 #; be at least 17 years old (16 year olds may donate in Illinois with the approved consent form signed by a parent.); have vital signs within criteria.  Remember to bring IDENTIFICATION or your Red Cross donor card so you can donate! The last eligible donation must have been on or before April 29, 2008. Donation appointments can be scheduled between 3:00 PM and 6:45 PM. To make an appointment call Marilyn Marquis, 728-2129 or Pat Pulokas, 728-2118. Walk-ins will be accepted. Be a “Holiday Hero” and give the gift of life.
Ecology Action Center Free For All Sat., June 7, 2008, White Oak Park, Bloomington, 10 am— 2 pm Bring your used, in good condition, unwanted items and take what others have brought. You do not have to bring things to take things and you do not have to take things to be allowed to bring things. This is all about keeping good stuff out of the landfill. No food, pets, firearms or large appliances. Keep it FREE, LEGAL, and APPROPRIATE for all ages. For more info: 309/454-3169 or http://www.ecologyactioncenter.org/.
Garlic Mustard There is garlic mustard growing in neighborhood yards.  This weed is very invasive and crowds out more desirable growth. There's still time to remove it before it drops seed.  Pull and bag the plants so that you don’t leave seeds behind. The photo on the left shows garlic mustard that is ready to go to seed. For more on garlic mustard see http://www.manisteecd.org/programs_invasive.html.
Corn Belt Energy Conservation Programs Switch and Save (http://www.cornbeltenergy.com/aircon.htm) provides a $9 credit per month for letting Corn Belt attach a switch to your A/C.  During weekday afternoons, the switch will control the A/C compressor, allowing it to run for about 8 minutes, and then shut off for about 7 minutes every quarter hour.   The Green Power program costs an extra 1/2 cent per KWH to have your electricity purchased from landfill-powered generators in Indiana.   The money will be used to fund local environmental projects.  (http://www.cornbeltenergy.com/CornBeltEnergy/MemberEnergyPrograms/GreenPower Program/tabid/66/Default.aspx)
Classifieds Wanted Marta Mason, 728-8008 · I am in need of grass clippings. I use them to mulch my gardens. If anyone bags their clippings I will gladly take them. You can drop them off at the house or I will come pick them up. Found Thomas Barger, 728-2142 Sometime during the March snows when Carole and I were in Florida, a blue wading pool somehow found its way onto our property at 13 Candle Ridge. Please call if it is yours.
				Tastee Freez in Hudson There is a new Tastee Freez in Hudson, located on Front Street which is on the far West side of town in the old downtown area by the tavern. They have some sandwiches and many different types of ice cream. You dine outside in front of the store. They are open most days from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
		Indian Creek Workday by Jim Russell There was a good turn out for the Indian Creek work day on May 24th.  Two major tasks were undertaken.  Tish and Gary Hamblen, Mark and Barb Ulbrich, Dave McCarty, Sue Arnold, Dennis Maze, Jim Russell, Brian Krause and sons picked up over a dozen bags of litter from Indian Creek's Adopt-A-Highway 2 mile stretch of county road 29 from I-55 to Hudson road.  Linda Garbe and Helen Mogill scrapped and primed the Indian Creek entrance sign in preparation for repainting it, and then completed the painting in the following week   Thanks to all who volunteered for the workday.
		Recycle by Jim Russell Did you know that Towanda has a recycle bin at the west end of Washington Street?  There is a bin for containers (plastic #1 through #7, steel including empty aerosol cans, glass and aluminum - no lids, caps or plastic bags) and a bin for paper (newsprint, paperboard, magazines, junk mail, other clean paper - no cardboard or plastic bags).  Cardboard is accepted in the recycle bins in Normal.  Two close locations are Wal-Mart and Kroger parking lots.  Many grocery stores including Wal-Mart and Cub have drop off bins for plastic shopping bags. Go to www.ecologyactioncenter.org for information about where to recycle electronics, hazardous household waste and plastic plant pots and trays.
V.F.W. POST 462 Towanda V.F.W. POST 462 will be having our 4th of July food tent at the North park, we will be selling Pork chop on a handle, hot dogs, chips and soda. Also we will be displaying a U.S. ARMY BLACK HAWK helicopter (weather permitting). The Vietnam moving wall will be here from June 26th to the 29th between Eastview Christian Church and NCHS East. If you have never seen the moving wall, it is a must to see. And it will give you an opportunity to pay your respects to these brave men and women who did not come home.
Bloomington Farmers Market http://www.downtownbloomington.org/~farmers/index.htm
			The Bloomington Farmers Market is in full swing every Saturday Morning through October. It runs from 7:30 am to 12:00pm on the Square in downtown Bloomington.
	Towanda Lions sponsored Steve Liebenow Memorial Scholarship. The Towanda Lions Club is sponsoring a $500.00 scholarship for a 2008 High School college bound senior and/or currently enrolled college student attending classes full time from the Towanda area.  This is a one-time scholarship, not open to renewal. Applicants for this scholarship must meet the following criteria: 1. The applicant must have a Towanda mailing/residence address. 2. Average grade of at least a C, verified by a high school transcript. 3. In 250 words or less, submit a letter of application containing a brief biographical profile which includes your college plans, school activities, community service activities, and work history. Indicate your plans for using the scholarship money and why you are deserving of the award. 4. Submit two letters of recommendation: one from a teacher, counselor, or administrator, and one from a non-relative in the Towanda area. 5. Submit a copy of your fall 2008 class schedule of the college/university you will be attending. 6. Letter of application, recommendation, transcript, and class schedule must be received by the Scholarship Committee Chairman by September 15, 2008.  Mail to: Steve Liebenow Memorial Scholarship c/o Robert Hancock 7 Bent Tree Lane Towanda, Illinois 61776 The Towanda Lions Club committee will review all applications and select one scholarship winner.  All applicants will be notified by mail of the committee's choice.
		4^th of July Festivities Flyer: http://www.frontiernet.net/~icnewsletter/2008-4thFlyer.pdf
					Volunteers are needed to help with parade line-up and to carry the American Flag in the parade.  Please consider being a part of the 40th Annual Celebration and contact Gail Ann Briggs 728.2187 or rgbriggs@frontiernet.net to sign up. Next planning meeting:  Monday, June 23, at the Community Building at 7:00 p.m.
		Thursday, July 3, 2008      4:30–7:00pm    Community Building Spaghetti Dinner 6:00 pm South Park Pet Contest (for Youth) 7:45pm South Park Miss / Master and Theme Winners 8:00–12:00pm South Park Community Dance     Music by DJ Friday, July 4, 2008 All Day North & South Parks Flea Market All Day Community Bldg & Parks Food Concessions 8:45-9:30am School                                Parade Lineup                     10:00am Parade Begins Evening    School                               ‘Olde Tyme’ Games begin           Dusk Fireworks
		Towanda 4th of July – 2008 Miss and Master Contest
		The Contest is for girls and boys 5-8 years old. Previous Misses or Masters are ineligible. Complete the Entry Form and turn it in at the Library by Thursday, June 26 (NO PHOTOS). Winners will be notified by Thursday, June 28. Winners will be introduced before the dance (7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 3) and ride in the Parade on Wednesday, July 4 (lineup is at 9:30 a.m. in front of the school).  Questions? Call Heather Lueschen 728-2840
		Towanda Seniors Pot-Luck The Towanda Seniors will be meeting Wednesday, June 11 at noon for a Potluck at the Community Building.  Meat and drinks will be provided.  Please bring your own table service.  If you have any questions call Beverly Meginnes at 728-2769.
		THCE News by Pat Pulokas, 728-2118; palp@mchsi.com Tickets for the July 8, 90^th Annual Meeting of the McLean County HCE (8:30-3:30) will are now available to purchase. ($20 for this day long event.) You won’t want to miss this wonderful celebration complete with a business meeting; style show; booths of household equipment over the years; vendors; historical books of the units and McLean HCE; and too many other displays to mention. Just come and see for yourself. Annual Meeting tickets are available from Cindy Kelley, 663-4796 or Pat Pulokas, 728-2118 up until June 20.