Special events at War Museum
Two special events are coming up at the Vermilion County War Museum, located at 307 N Vermilion St. in Danville.
The first will be Armed Forces Day on Saturday May 16. Admission will be free, and guests can tour and visit with reenactors and living history presenters at this annual event.
For the War Museum’s First Saturday event on June 6, it will be another free admission day and an opportunity to see the actual Medal of Honor awarded to Danville’s General John Charles Black. General Black’s granddaughter Abby Marsh will also be in attendance. Other items tied in to the 37th Illinois Infantry will also be on display. Historians Tim Smith and Michael Eberhardt will answer questions about General Black and his brother William.
Both Black brothers were recipients of the Medal of Honor. The program will begin at 1 p.m. and a reception will follow the brief presentation.
The War Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon until 4 p.m.
Car show set for Covington Square
The Colton Wright Memorial Car Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Eastern) on Saturday, June 6, around the Covington Square in Covington.
Music, Angie’s Country Kitchen Food Truck, kid’s activities and shopping on (and around) the Courthouse Square will be part of the day.
A Covington High School Class of 2016 tent will also be set up for classmates to meet. Colton was a 2016 Covington High School graduate. Ice Cream will be served from The Sundae Shoppe from noon until 2 p.m. at the tent. All CHS 2016 alumni are invited to attend.
Cost to enter a car, truck, motorcycle, ATV or golf cart will be $10. Dash Plaques will be awarded to the first 50 participants. Awards will be announced at 1:30 pm.
All proceeds raised will go to the Colton John Wright Memorial Scholarship at Danville Area Community College.
For questions or more information please contact Amy Thompson at 765-585-5945.
Hoopeston Library holds plant swap
The Hoopeston Public Library, located at 110 N. Fourth St. in Hoopeston, is holding a spring plant swap.
Located in the upstairs main reading room, our Seed Library offers free flower, veggie and herb seeds to get your garden started. If you have extra/leftover seeds, you leave them to share with others in the community.
Additionally, if you have leftover seedlings or perennials that need thinned, and you would like to share them, there will be a cart near the Seed Library for those donations.
Outdoor or garden plants only, no house plants. Plants should be in individual water-resistant containers.
For more information, contact the Hoopeston Public Library at 217-283-6711.
Catlin Library hosts used book sale
The Catlin Public Library is holding a used book sale until June 6.
Hardbacks and paperbacks, non-fiction, fiction, children’s books are all available for purchase. The cost of the books is a monetary donation supporting our programs.
The Catlin Public Library is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
For more information, contact the Catlin Public Library at 217-427-2550. Additional details are available on our Catlin Public Library Facebook page.
Flag sales for Memorial Way
The Danville Rotary Club has lined Vermilion Street in Danville with American Flags to honor our heroes over Memorial Day Weekend for the last 25 years.
Each flag costs $5 and allows an individual to honor someone special to them with an American Flag and a card.
Flags can be purchased through the Rotary website https://rotaryflag.com/ until May 18.
The cards can note a branch of the military and any awards received (Purple Heart, Silver Star, etc.) While most flags honor past or present military service personnel, anyone can be recognized. If the name is blank, Rotary will select heroes chose by the War Museum to memorialize. Corporate sponsorships are also available.
Proceeds from the flag sales will support Rotary community service projects and scholarships for veterans and their families.
Noon Rotary meets at noon on the first Monday of every month at WorkSource Enterprises.
All are welcome and encouraged to join.
For more information, please contact, Stephanie Yates of the Danville Noon Rotary Club by email at yatess@danville118.org or by phone at 217-444-1038.
GRHS alumni banquet set
The Georgetown Ridge Farm Alumni Association and the Class of 1976 would like to invite you to attend the Alumni Banquet set for Saturday, May 23.
The banquet will be at the Beef House Banquet Center in Covington, Ind. Social hour starts at 5 p.m. (Central) with dinner at 6 p.m. and the program to follow.
We are honoring the Class of 1976 (hosting), the graduating class of 2026, and the Class of 2001.
Tickets are $35 for general admission, $40 at the door. Classes of 1976 and 2026 ticket price is $15 in advance or $20 at the door and can be purchased from Lori Starwalt, alumni chairman and picked up at “will call’ the day of the banquet. Call 217-799-6279, Venmo @Lori-Starwalt-1 or send a check, to 406 E. West Street, Georgetown, IL 61846. Please make out check to GRHS Alumni Association.
Questions can be emailed to lls48radteck@gmail.com
Westville Library holds book sale
The Westville Library, located at 233 S. State St. in Westville, is holding a book sale from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 29 and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. All items will be 25 cents or fill a bag for $1.
For more information, contact the Westville Library at 217-267-3170.
Foodmobile stops in Vermilion County
The Eastern Illinois Foodbank announces the “Foodmobile” will be distributing food to local families facing food insecurity in Vermilion County this month.
On Tuesday, May 26, the Foodmobile will make stops in Rossville and Ridge Farm.
The distribution is part of the Foodbank’s Foodmobile Program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to rural or underserved areas.
The first stop on May 26 will be at Christman Park in Rossville from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. followed by a stop in Ward Park in Ridge Farm from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
For a full schedule, Foodmobile FAQ, and more, visit https://www.eifoodbank.org/help/mobile.html.
ICash Event at Westville Library
The Westville Library, located at 233 S. State St. in Westville, is hosting an ICash event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, May 29.
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ staff will be there to help reunite citizens with missing money property through the I-Cash program.
For more information, contact the Westville Library at 217-267-3170.
Coffee Talk at Hoopeston Library
Illinois Extension and OMNI 4 All will be hosting Coffee Talk at the Hoopeston Public Library, located at 110 N. Fourth St. in Hoopeston.
This series will teach participants on eating to support cognitive function, medication safety, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and general brain health education.
The final session, Brain Health, will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 4.
Coffee will be provided by the Hoopeston Public Library.
For more information, visit the Illinois Extension website at go.illinois.edu/coffeeHPL
CHS Alumni Banquet is set for June 6
The annual Covington High School Alumni Banquet is set for Saturday, June 6 at the Beef House Banquet Hall, located at 16501 IN-63, Covington, Ind.
Susan Orr Henderson and John M. Mills will be inducted into the CHS Wall of Fame. Activities get started at 4:30 p.m. (Eastern) with dinner being served at 6:15 p.m., and alumni meeting will be held at 7:45 p.m. with dancing and social time set for 8:30 to 11 p.m.
Tickets for the dinner and dance at $35. Tickets for the alumni meeting and dance $10.
Checks payable to CHS Alumni Association can be mailed to CHS Alumni Association, PO Box 36, Covington, IN 47932 or they can be dropped off at the Covington City Building.
For more information, checkout the Covington High School Alumni Association on Facebook @covingtoninhighschoolalumniassociation.
Catlin rummage sale set for June 6
The Catlin Historical Society is sponsoring a citywide rummage sale on Saturday, June 6. Forms for sign-up will be available at the museum, post office, village hall, Floral-n-Flair, and Catlin Library. To have your sale listed on the city map a $5 fee is to be paid at sign-up.
The Museum will accept donations to their sale with the proceeds going to the Catlin Historical Society. No building materials, mattresses or large items will be accepted, if questionable please call the museum. The deadline for sign-up forms and rummage donation is Wednesday, June 3. Maps will be available on sale at 7 a.m. on Saturday, June 6 at the museum.
For more information call 217-427-5766.
5K race set for BOV Festival
Balloons over Vermilion is going to kick off the 2026 Festival with the inaugural “Up & Away 5K” at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 6 at Kennekuk County Park.
Runners and walkers are invited to take part in the scenic course, and after the race, participants and others can enjoy a relaxing yoga session led by Merrit Spicer of Yoga on the Go. The one-hour session will being around 9 a.m.
Cost for the race is $45. Participants will receive an official race T-shirt, a race bib number, a medal and free admission to the post-race yoga session. Non-race participants can join the yoga session for $10.
Registration details and additional event information can be found at their website BalloonsOverVermilion.com/up-and-away-5k.
Illinois Extension and OSF offer diabetes support
Illinois Extension and OSF Healthcare have joined together for a monthly diabetes support group designed for individual living with diabetes and their caregivers.
These sessions will be held on the second Tuesday of every month from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Danville Public Library, located at 319 N. Vermilion St. in Danville. The next session is set for June 9 and the final session will be Dec. 8.
Each session will include a short educational component and open discussion, where participants may share their experiences, discuss their successes and challenges, and learn from one another. Topics are not preset and will be guided on participant interests and needs. Participants will receive a SmartMeals meal kit from OSF.
To learn more or to register, visit go.illinois.edu/diabetesDPL. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate or would like to register over the phone, contact Rachel Mannen at rmannen@illinois.edu or 217-333-7672.
Applications for Apple Fest accepted
Applications are now being accepted for the 35th annual Covington Apple Fest to be held on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Spaces are limited for this event so we are encouraging securing your booth placement early.
To obtain an application and form please email Amy Thompson at amyjothompson18@gmail.com.
Horizon Health sponsors cancer survivor celebration
In recognition of National Cancer Survivors Day, the Horizon Health Infusion Center will host its annual birthday luncheon for local cancer survivors on Friday, June 5. The event will take place from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Horizon Health main campus, 721 East Court Street, Conference Room A, in Paris.
“Super Survivor” is the theme of this year’s event, which is free for cancer survivors and their families. Everyone is encouraged to wear a superhero shirt or outfit.
Lunch, handouts, and door prizes will be available. All cancer survivors are welcome to attend and do not need to be a Horizon Health patient.
Each attendee may bring one guest. RSVP by Friday, May 29. Call Karmen Rowe at 217-466-4591 or email KRowe@MyHorizonHealth.org.