On May 13, members from the Eureka Black Partridge Chapter NSDAR presented a certificate to Joe Knapp of Uftring Chevrolet for the proper use, correct display and patriotic presentation of The Flag of the United States of America. From left are Kenda Bond, Karen Schaal, Joe Knapp, Valerie Horton, Amy Blankenship and Nancy Bullard. (Photo courtesy of Black Partridge NSDAR)

BLOOMINGTON

 Car show festival for British auto enthusiasts

The Champagne British Car Festival Show will be held Sunday June 2 on the grounds of the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington, but there will be a full weekend of British car activities.  This will be the 28th anniversary of the festival.

The featured marque for 2019 is Lotus but there will be great examples of just about any British car.  Last year, there were more than 100 cars and motorcycles at the event and the organizers expect even more this year. The Premier Class, by invitation, is open to any of the 2018 class winners or other exceptional cars.

Weekend festivities kickoff with a Friday evening gathering at the host hotel.

On Saturday, the mansion will host a drive, lunch and visit to a collection of impressive cars.

The poplar banquet and entertainment will return on Saturday night.

Are you an early riser? The “Dawn Patrollers” will once again be doing a pre-show Rally on Sunday for Natter ‘n Noggin.

Check the website, http://www.cbcf-bloomington.com, occasionally to get updates with more details about the weekend.

EUREKA

City announces lineup of Memorial Day ceremonies

The Eureka Memorial Day Service will be held on Monday, May 27.  The day will begin with the parade, which will step-off at 10:30 a.m. from Eureka High School, 200 W Cruger Ave.,

and will end at Olio Cemetery, 1015 S. Main St.

 At 11 a.m., master of ceremonies Dan Harrod will oversee the program at the cemetery. The featured guest speaker will be World War II veteran Mike Sager.

In addition to the high school band, other participants will be American Legion Post 466 Commander Nathan Wertz, and the Eureka Post 466 Firing Squad. Senior Pastor Jennie Churchman from the Eureka Christian Church will deliver the invocation and benediction.

The Gettysburg Address will be delivered by Eureka High School senior Joshua Irvin. Eureka High School senior Jason Schwind will perform Taps and Eureka High School senior Wyatt Moser, will perform the echo.

Eureka College athletics to hold golf outing at WeaverRidge

For the second straight year, the Eureka College Department of Athletics will host its annual golf outing fundraiser at WeaverRidge Golf Club in Peoria on Friday, July 26.

The 2019 Eureka College Golf Outing is scheduled to begin with registration at 11 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m.with a 5 p.m. prime rib dinner that will include awards, raffles and a silent auction.

The $150 entry fee includes 18 holes of golf at WeaverRidge with a cart, driving range balls, unique tee gift, golf balls, prizes, lunch and dinner. Individual and team prizes will be available for the lowest team score, longest drive (men’s and women’s), closest to the pin (men’s and women’s) and longest putt (men’s and women’s). Foursomes are available for $550, a savings of $50.

Various raffles, games and auctions will be available throughout the day. Raffle and auction items include Eureka College Coach for a Day, an all-expenses-paid EC football experience. Non-golfers can join the reception and dinner for $30 beginning at 5 p.m.

Sponsorship opportunities for individuals or local businesses remain available and include tee signs, auction items, raffle items and golf packages. This year, sponsors also receive a one-of-a-kind sponsors gift.

Individuals interested in participating can contact Christi Taylor in the Eureka athletics office at 309-467-6828 or by email at athletics@eureka.edu.

The Metamora Park District enacted a new tobacco and smoking policy affecting all park properties on May 15. (Photo courtesy of Metamora Park Dist.)
 

 METAMORA

 Park District adopts new tobacco, smoking policy

Metamora Park District announced May 15 that Brighton park and the pool property are tobacco free areas. No vaping, no smoking, no chew tobacco is allowed on the premises.

The district has a Tobacco Policy also prohibits smoking, vaping or any use of a tobacco product in all district buildings and District vehicles.

REGIONAL

 Heart of Illinois Chorus at ICC seeks new members

The Heart of Illinois Chorus, in residence at Illinois Central College, will host a free open house for three consecutive Tuesdays starting May 21 at 6 p.m. in the ICC Performing Arts Center, located on the East Peoria Campus.

The event is being offered to area females interested in singing and learning more about the four-part barbershop style of harmony. The other sessions will take place May 28 and June 4. All begin at 6 p.m. and last until 9 p.m. Advance registration is not required. Interested females are encouraged to attend all three sessions but can attend fewer, if only able to do so.

The Heart of Illinois Chorus was founded in 1982 and is a member of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide non-profit organization dedicated to women’s a cappella four-part harmony arranged in a barbershop style.

The group has won regional championships four times, earning the right to compete internationally those four years.

For more information about this event or the organization, contact the Heart of Illinois Chorus through its web site, HOIChorus.com or by email at admin@hoichorus.com.

WOODFORD COUNTY

Learn to can your foods safely this summer

To ensure safety in the home canning process, pressure canner dial gauges should be tested annually. This canning season, University of Illinois Extension will provide free gauge testing at your local Extension office to ensure you are on track to can safely this summer.

University of Illinois Extension recommends annual testing because, over time, a dial gauge’s calibration can become inaccurate. If the pressure is lower than recommended, the internal temperature of the food will not be high enough to kill harmful bacteria.

At your convenience, you may drop off your lid or lids at your local Extension office. Once the lids are checked, you will be contacted again for pickup.

Offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Offices can be found at:

•         McLean County Extension Office, 1615 Commerce Pkwy., Bloomington – closed from 11:30 – 12:30 p.m. For questions, contact  at 309-663-8306.
•         Woodford County Extension Office, 109 East Eureka Ave., Eureka – closed from 12 – 1 p.m. For questions, contact 309-467-3789.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, call 309-663-8306.

Raised bed gardening program coming to library

Gretchen Staunch, a Woodford County Master Gardener, will teach Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening at the Eureka Public Library at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28. Eureka Library is located on 202 South Main Street in Eureka. To reserve a spot, please contact them at 309-467-2922.

“Raised beds make gardening vegetables and herbs easier. With a little spring preparation, the garden season can be more rewarding than ever,” says Kelly Allsup, horticulture educator with the University of Illinois Extension.

When gardeners choose to grow in raised beds, the soil warms up faster and stays warmer; this helps with the germination of seeds and allows some plants to be started earlier than recommended. Soil also stays looser and drains better in raised beds, making for happy roots. Happy roots mean happy shoots.

The above benefits combined with better air movement for disease prevention and fewer pest pressures raised bed gardening typically gives a higher yield of goodies during the growing season.

The following considerations should be addressed when planning your raised bed. Ensure that your bed gets six hours or more of sunlight in order to grow most vegetables and herbs.

Staunch will give more tips like these, as well as step-by-step directions on how to build a raised bed, and what to grow in them.

For more information on this program or additional Extension programming, contact your local Extension office. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, contact Kelly Allsup at 309-663-8306 or kallsup@illinois.edu.