EUREKA – The 2009 Olio Cemetery Walk, sponsored by the Woodford County Historical Society, Eureka College’s Theater Department, Eureka Christian Church and the EC Circle K service club drew hundreds to the sunlit, breezy cemetery last Sunday.

Despite a change in dates, the number of people touring the six locations within the Cemetery was nearly twice the attendance at last year’s program, judging from materials handed out and voluntary donations made by the public, reported Karen Fyke, Historical Society secretary.
EC Theater students volunteered to portray six persons buried at Olio Cemetery who were active in Eureka community life in times past. They researched the selected persons’ backgrounds, wrote a script for presentation and designed and arranged period clothing to match the person portrayed.
Jerry Riley, son of Margaret Riley, told the sponsors that the portrayal of his mother was very well done and several of Margaret’s friends were effusive in their praise for the students and the program generally.
Pamela Harding played the part of nurse Margaret Riley; Scott Herman played B-24 gunner S/Sgt. Samuel R. Adams; Jeremy Grieder portrayed railroad man John E. Fish; Benjamin Redshaw was Eureka founder John Darst and Kathleen Huizinga played the role of Library benefactress Annie Ewing Davidson.
Holly Rocke, of the Theater Department faculty, Karen Fyke of the Historical Society, and Jan Holliger, of the Olio Township Cemetery staff, coordinated the event.
They have already begun plans for the 2010 program, which will honor another group of persons who were part of the history and heritage of Eureka and Woodford County.

Sources: Eureka College; Website: http://www.eureka.edu/home.htm  and Woodford County Historical Society; Website: http://www.eureka.lib.il.us/community/wchs/