Rotary Club of Jacksonville awards scholarships to JHS students Kollman, Howell and Slocum:
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville recently recognized the accomplishments of three Jacksonville High School students by providing them with college scholarships.
The awards were made as part of the Rotary Club’s scholarship program, which provided one $1,000 college scholarship in memory of Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert, and two $2,000 Club of Jacksonville Scholarships. In order to receive the scholarships, the recipients must be outstanding students who engage in community service and leadership positions. The Rotary scholarships are open to all students who live within the boundaries of Jacksonville School District 117, regardless of the school they attend. The Weikert scholarship is awarded in honor of SSG Matthew Weikert of Jacksonville, who died in 2010 while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.
Rotary Club President Jenna Tucker said, “Our goal for these scholarships is to assist future leaders as they take the next step towards achieving their academic goals. Our scholarship recipients are very accomplished young people, and we look forward to seeing what they achieve in the future.”
Jacob Kollman, son of Jason and Cathy Kollman, was selected for the $1,000 SSG Matthew Weikert Scholarship. Kollman was involved in JHS football, basketball and track. He is also active in the community; those activities include supporting veterans, spreading awareness of Parkinson’s Disease, advocating for kids with dyslexia, tutoring, community service and working as a counselor at the YMCA for the kiddie camp. He is a successful entrepreneur through the CEO program. He plans to attend Illinois College, majoring in special education.
Jersey Howell, daughter of Ashley Howell, was selected for the $2,000 Rotary Club of Jacksonville Scholarship and also has an extensive record of service and leadership. She was Interact Club president as well as secretary for National English Honor Society. She participated in JHS Theater and the Jacksonville Drumline Institute. She is a volunteer for Jacksonville Youth For Change and the Humble-Beeginnings family, and attends City Church on a regular basis. She earned honor roll in all four years in high school, and was inducted into National English Honor Society and National Society of High School Scholars. She plans to attend Illinois College to major in criminal justice and minor in theater. She will continue participating in Jacksonville Drumline, and will join the IC drumline and IC band.
Kennedi Slocum, daughter of Denise Nichols, was also selected for the $2,000 Rotary Club of Jacksonville Scholarship due to her extensive resumé of community service and leadership. Slocum earned a CNA from Lincoln Land Community College last spring and has been employed at Memorial Hospital since then. She was inducted into National Honor Society and was a co-captain for the JHS girls’ tennis team. She volunteers for multiple local organizations, especially those serving youth. Slocum will attend Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the Honors Nursing Program with a focus in pediatrics and a minor in Spanish.
More information about this topic can be obtained by contacting Scholarship Chair Susan Weikert at 217-370-9595.
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/.
Rotary Club of Jacksonville Fourth of July parade will take place on Thursday, July 4:
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville invites the community to attend and participate in its Fourth of July Parade, which will take place at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 4.
Parade chairwoman Joan McQuillan said, “The theme of this year’s parade is ‘Building Community Magic.’ The Rotary Club is celebrating those who play a vital role in preserving, promoting and enhancing our rich cultural heritage while building community identity. Their contributions encourage us to be curious, challenge our thinking, ask questions, and inspire us to imagine our place in the world.”
Jacksonville Area Museum Manager McKenna Servis, and Rotarians Alberta Robinson and Steven Varble will serve as parade marshals. The Rotary Club of Jacksonville is proud to celebrate Servis, Robinson and Varble, and the impact of their service above self.
The parade route will again originate on Grand Avenue (Morgan County Fairgrounds gate) headed east on West State Street to Central Park, turning right and proceeding counter clockwise around Central Park Plaza, then turning right onto North Main Street.
On the morning of the parade, registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and runs until 9:45 a.m.Registration entry point is on Westgate and Horsebarn Road at the Southwest Gate of the Morgan County Fairgrounds. Parade lineup numbers will be assigned the day of the parade. The order of the parade line up is determined by the order in which entrants check in with registration staff; the first checked in will be the first placed. Lineup will be along Grandstand Road on the fairgrounds. Floats and long vehicles must arrive by 9 a.m. One person with each entry is required to check in to receive a parade number and last minute information. For entries with multiple vehicles, all vehicles must check in together.
Anyone who hasn’t pre-registered for the parade cannot be guaranteed a place in the parade, but may be offered an opportunity to form up at the end of the parade.
The deadline for pre-registering is 5 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2024. Parade entrants can find registration forms to download at http://jacksonvillerotary.org/independence-day-parade/.
The Morgan County Fair Concert Tickets On Sale For Headliner Grandstand Entertainment by Mitchell Tenpenny and Brantley Gilbert:
Concert tickets are now available. The concerts take place at Morgan County Fairgrounds Grandstand on Friday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m.
- Tickets available for sale now
- Mitchell Tenpenny concert Friday, July 12 with special guest Sara Evans
- Brantley Gilbert concert Saturday, July 13 with special guest Matt Schuster
- Gates open at 6 p.m.
- General admission tickets on Friday, $40 plus fees and Saturday General admission, $50 plus fees and includes standing room only on the track and seating in the grandstand
- Big Tickets on Friday, $55 plus fees and Saturday Big Tickets, $65 plus fees include special gated area right in front of the stage. Limited tickets are available for the Big Ticket
- Tickets for both concerts can be purchased online at www.themorgancountyfair.com, the Morgan County Fair Office or on WJVO website
