Rotary Club of Jacksonville announces scholarship competition:
Applications are now being accepted for Scholarships funded by the Rotary Club of Jacksonville.
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville offers two scholarship programs. Category 1 is the Rotary Club of Jacksonville scholarship for college-bound students. This scholarship is a one-time award of $2,000. To be eligible, an applicant must be a resident of the legally defined boundaries of Jacksonville School District 117, and must be a senior student expecting to graduate in May-June of 2023 with plans to attend a four year institution of higher learning.
Category 2 is the SSG Matthew Weikert Scholarship. Staff Sergeant Weikert was a graduate of Jacksonville High School (JHS). He was known for his leadership and his attitude of service above self. He served several tours of duty in Afghanistan, where he gave his life for his country and our freedom. This one-time, $1000 scholarship is awarded in his honor. JHS seniors and adults who graduated from JHS (and are Illinois residents) are eligible to apply for scholarship support to attend vocational school, technical school, or 2-year or 4-year college programs.
Both scholarships will be paid directly to the student’s selected school of higher learning on behalf of the student. The scholarship may be used toward tuition and/or school supplies, including books.
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville encourages all eligible students to apply to help support their academic careers. More information and application forms can be found on the website: http://jacksonvillerotary.org/scholarships/.
Applications are due by March 31, 2023. Children of current Rotary members are not eligible for these scholarships.
Questions may be directed to Rotary Scholarship contact Steve Holt at 479-619-7358.
Rotary unites people from all continents, cultures and occupations. Rotarians are leaders in their fields and communities. Rotarians’ diverse perspectives help them to identify and solve problems in communities throughout the world. For more information about the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, its service initiatives and how to become a member, visit http://jacksonvillerotary.org/.
Local woman earns highest real estate appraisal license in Illinois:
Cynthia Staake of Worrell Land Services, LLC has earned the State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser license, the highest rank of appraisal licensing in the state of Illinois. This licensing marks the culmination of over two grueling years of extensive education and testing as mandated and heavily regulated by the state.

Said Allan Worrell, founder of Worrell Land Services and appraiser sponsor for Staake, “The demand for land appraisals is exceptionally high. We recognize the great need for qualified land appraisers in this region of Illinois, and are therefore committed to training up the next generation of land appraisers.”
Allan Worrell has worked in agribusiness since 1977 and earned his State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser license in 2014. “The criteria for earning this licensing is so high that few are brave enough to undertake the process, which has resulted in a supply and demand issue in the industry. Cynthia and I are honored to provide this much-needed skill to the agricultural communities we serve.”
Staake, originally from Meredosia, graduated summa cum laude from Illinois College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in agribusiness management and a minor in economics. She was recognized as the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Agribusiness Management. Additionally, Staake has been selected for the Illinois Farm Bureau’s 2023 Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow program.
About Worrell Land Services, LLC
Worrell Land Services, LLC serves Central and West Central Illinois in the areas of professional farm management, farm and recreational land brokerage, auctions, licensed land appraisals, home real estate brokerage and land investment consulting. For more information, visit www.worrell-landservices.com or call 217-245-1618.
Rotary Club of Jacksonville online fundraiser open to public:
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville invites the public to participate in its Fabulous February Fun-raiser. The event will include daily Facebook auctions on the club’s Facebook page, “Rotary Club of Jacksonville #3227.”
Auctions will begin on February 1 and likely continue into March.
The fundraiser committee chair, Rotarian Samantha Boston, said, “Please ‘Like’ our club page on Facebook so you can receive alerts about each daily auction. Anyone can bid on these auctions by commenting with the dollar amount of their bid. Auctions will conclude each day at 5:00 p.m. Please be generous with your bids so our club can continue to support the Jacksonville community.”
The 2022 Fabulous February Fun-raiser netted more than $9,000. The proceeds of the 2023 auctions will support the Rotary Club of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Rotary Club Foundation in their community donations, including college scholarships, youth exchange, Rotaract and Interact programs, Ferris wheel operation, RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) and contributions in support of South Elementary School teachers and students, as well as donations to Prairieland United Way and many other community service organizations.
Rotary unites people from all continents, cultures and occupations. Rotarians are leaders in their fields and communities. Rotarians’ diverse perspectives help them to identify and solve problems in communities throughout the world. For more information about the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, its service initiatives and how to become a member, visit http://jacksonvillerotary.org/.