Minor celebrates 100th birthday!
Robert (Bob) Minor will be celebrating his 100th birthday with a celebration in the Four-Seasons Room at Cedarhurst of Jacksonville on Sunday, August 9 from 2-4 p.m. Family and friends are invited and welcome to attend. Bob requests no gifts, please.
Bob was born August 6, 1926 in Vandalia, Illinois and was married to the late Bonnie (Chernisky) Minor for almost 78 years before her passing. Bob has three daughters, Dianna (the late Bill) Baka of O’Fallon, Brenda (the late Roger) Stewart of Jacksonville, and Mary (David) Mang of Reno, Nevada.
Bob has been a member of Centenary United Methodist Church for 68 years, and has belonged to the local Masonic lodge for as many years.
Concord Fish Fry returns August 8
The Village of Concord invites the community to its annual Concord Fish Fry on Saturday, Aug. 8, for a full day of delicious food, family activities, entertainment, and small-town fun.
The festivities begin with the Concord Fish Fry Parade at 9:30 a.m., followed by food service from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Guests can enjoy a meal featuring fried catfish or buffalo fish, homemade potato chips, coleslaw, dessert and a drink. Whether you’re a longtime attendee or visiting for the first time, the Concord Fish Fry offers something for all ages.
Families can spend the afternoon in the Kids’ Area, open from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., featuring inflatables and activities for children. Live music will be provided by Two by Two from noon-2 p.m., and a beer tent will be open from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Concord Fish Fry has become a cherished annual tradition, bringing together residents, families, alumni, and visitors to celebrate community while supporting local efforts. Organizers encourage everyone to come hungry, enjoy the entertainment and spend the day making memories.
Those interested in participating can still sign up as a craft vendor, food vendor or parade entrant. Additional information and registration details are available on the “Concord Fish Fry” Facebook page.
For updates and event information, follow “Concord Fish Fry” on Facebook.
School Supply Drive for District 117 students coming up
The Jacksonville Lions are gearing up for the annual School Supply Collection to support students in Jacksonville School District 117 via the Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation.
The Jacksonville Lions Club will be collecting July 31-August 1 and again August 7-8 at Walmart in Jacksonville. The collection will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each of those four days.
“There are many different events now to support local families during back to school time and we are proud to still be a part of that! We don’t have the exact year that we started collecting school supplies but we believe we have the longest running collection,” shared the club.
All supplies donated over those two weekends are taken to the Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation for distribution through the schools. If individuals prefer to donate money, the Jacksonville Lions Club will use it to purchase supplies to add to the collection.
The Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation has identified the following items as most needed this year:
Glue
Scissors for older students
Pens
Colored Pencils
Highlighters
Markers
Folders
Dry Erase Markers
Kleenex
Hand Sanitizer
Dawdy celebrates 36 years with Westown Ford & Lincoln
“We are honored to recognize Jeff Dawdy’s 36-year anniversary with Westown Ford & Lincoln. After completing his education at Wyoming Tech, Jeff joined our team and quickly distinguished himself by achieving the prestigious Certified Senior Master Technician status — the highest level within Ford Motor Company. His expertise led him to serve as one of only 22 technicians on Ford’s National Technician Review Panel, a testament to his exceptional skill and dedication.
Having reached the pinnacle of technical service, Jeff transitioned to Used Car Manager and further took on the critical role of lead marketing for our dealership.
Currently, he is expanding his impact through dealership leadership management,” shared Westown Ford in Jacksonville through a post on their Facebook page.
The post continued, “Westown Ford & Lincoln is immensely proud of Jeff’s many accomplishments and deeply grateful for the dedication and hard work he has consistently demonstrated throughout his distinguished career. Here’s to celebrating Jeff’s legacy and many more years ahead!”
Pathway gives awards, updates at annual meeting
Pathway Services Unlimited, Inc. held its Annual Meeting of the Membership on Monday, June 22, at the 4-H Building on the Morgan County Fairgrounds. Both staff members and people supported were highlighted for years of service and accomplishments over the year.
The evening began with Pathway recognizing CCK Automations, Inc. as its 2026 Partner of the Year. CCK has provided Pathway with contract work over the years for its Community Day Services Program. Pathway then honored Fitness World as its 2026 Business of the Year. Fitness World provides a free exercise class every Tuesday for people supported by Pathway and other organizations in town.
The staff who work at Pathway were then recognized for their years of contribution, starting with five-year service award winners Jessica Brogdon, Amber
Crawford, Mason Knous, Mike Schneider and Faith Woollums. Pathway had four 10-year service award winners: Tabatha Davis, Kasie Frisbie, Bethany McGee and Floretta Morris. Pathway then honored 15-year service award winners Jena Barkley, Jennifer Lakamp and Marty Schoondyke. There were three 20-year award winners: Amanda Dawdy, Kristy Holsman and Karla Hopper. Finally, Lyndel Huff was recognized for his 40 years of service to Pathway.
The evening then focused on the individual award winners at Pathway. The first award given was the Endurance Award, which honors those who have had a tough year, but continue to endure. They continue to chug along, in spite of what might be happening to them medically or physically. There were seven such winners of the Endurance Award: Allison, Dallas, Mary, Larry, Dick, Ron and Bonnie.
The next award given out was the Pathway to Independence Award, which is given to those who accomplished a goal this year that has helped them become more independent in some way. They have improved the quality of their lives throughout the year. There were five winners of the Pathway to Independence Award: Cathy, Chris, Jeff, Vincent and Jesse.
The Pure Heart Award was given to someone who, no matter the circumstances, is always positive. These award winners project kindness and caring towards everyone they meet. Six winners were recognized for this award: Keeyoco, Tanner, Nancy, John, Bill and Pam.
The Up and Coming Award was then given to anyone new to Pathway’s Residential or Community Day Services program and are now a member of the Pathway family. Brianne, Caleb, Cody, Dakota, Elijah, Kate, Lauren and Rhonda were all recognized with the Up and Coming Award.
The final award of the evening was a new category for Pathway, the Moving Mountains Award. The Moving Mountains Award is given to those whose contributions and accomplishments typically go unnoticed, but they have made monumental steps in their own development deserving of recognition. There were three winners in this category: Todd, Roger and Shana.
Finally, incoming officers were sworn in, with Karen Werries serving as president, Jeremy Turner serving as vice president, Matt Melcher serving as treasurer and Jane Breen serving as secretary. New board members Rachael Borgman, Randy Fergurson, Phil Harrison, Jeff Sipes and Tom Tucker were also sworn in to the Pathway Board of Directors. Pathway finished the evening honoring Meredith Blevins and Jean Hembrough for their years of service on Pathway’s Board of Directors.
Festival of Lights moving downtown
Jacksonville Festival of Lights is moving downtown. It will continue to offer a festive holiday experience that will be free and open to the public, so displays will be seen by everyone that travels the area during its 6-week span of November 27-December 31.
The lights will begin shining following Santa’s arrival downtown on Nov. 27. Sponsorship opportunities are available including a lighted ornament with business logo or program booklet advertising.
Contact Sarah Shellhammer at 217-491-1377. Jacksonville Festival of Lights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
