We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
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Ever have something pop up that immediately brings back memories? We got a press release in regarding the upcoming 4H Summer Camp, and while at first the headline “Change Your Child’s Life” hit me as a bit of an overstatement, the more memories of my childhood, and trips to summer camp each year, flooded my brain – the headline is spot on. When I was a kid, my parents would send my older brother, sister and I off for a week at Camp Tecumseh in Brookston, Indiana. They would separate everyon...
Happy New Year! The Greater Freeport Partnership is the place where people come together to advocate and work toward great things for Freeport and Stephenson County. Our talented team and great volunteers work in the areas of economic development, business and entrepreneur support, tourism, and events. Looking ahead, we want to share a short digest of projects and initiatives that are upcoming in 2024 and ways you can get involved. In January, we will launch the Business Academy for Small...
As I write this column it is Thursday, January 18 and it is 14 degrees out, which is much warmer than the beginning of the week. The beginning of the week brought canceled school, extracurriculars and office closures. The Farm Bureau continued our normal routine, but as I drove between Stephenson and Carroll Counties, I thought about our farmers who even though at times the temperature was negative 17 degrees, our dedicated farmers worked diligently to care for their livestock. Their commitment...
The following may or may not be a true story. There was a foursome at the golf course who walked on together for an afternoon of golf. None of them knew each other prior to this event. One was a senior Pastor and another was a somewhat cocky younger man. The other two men had retired from the work force and golf was part of their retirement regimen. At a short par 3, the Pastor asks the young man, “What club are you going to use on this hole? The young man replied, "An 8-iron, Pastor. How a...
When I was a junior in High school, we always did the traditional Madrigal Dinner – complete with a full meal where the Concert Choir made up the serving staff, the Orchestra provided the musical accompaniment, and the Swing Choir dressed up in medieval garb and performed classic carols throughout the dinner and afterwards. It was a huge fundraiser for the music department, and we had packed houses every night of the six or seven nights before Christmas that were performed. Anyway, the whole p...
On Friday, January 26 the Carroll County Farm Bureau Young Leaders will host their Annual Harvest For All Campaign. For those who may not be familiar with this program, Harvest for All is a program within the Young Leader Committees of Illinois Farm Bureau to combat food insecurity across the state. Each January the Carroll County Farm Bureau Young Leaders collect corn from local farmers, sell it and then donate the proceeds to Carroll County Food pantries. This year the event will take place...
For the last 18 months, Governor JB Pritzker has quietly issued consecutive 30-day disaster proclamations for the State of Illinois as it relates to the migrant crisis and the hordes of non-citizens making their way to Illinois from the U.S. southern border. These orders grant him massive power to bypass the Legislature, a co-equal branch of government, and move and spend budget dollars how he sees fit. Indeed, Governor Pritzker and I do not agree on much, but we agree that the flood of...
Last Saturday, a group of 19 of us returned from a 5-day trip to Clarksville, Tennessee where we went to help with disaster relief after tornadoes went through that area on December 9th. We were there because two members of our church have a disaster relief organization they have developed over the last 17 years called “No Excuses Disaster Relief.” They contacted the Fellowship of Christian Farmers International and they helped coordinate the relief event. It takes a lot of impromptu coordinatio...
If you know nothing about fantasy football, you might want to skip this week’s column. But for those who do … I got a good one. First, some background. I play in a fantasy league with my wife in a family league made up primarily of members of my daughter, Caitlin’s husband’s (Jake) and his family. Jake is the commissioner, and I took great pride in beating him in week one because he is a “loud” Packer fan, while I bleed purple. Anyway, the way Yahoo sports runs the leagues, whoever you pick fi...
More than $192,000 in scholarships are available for agriculture students through the IAA Foundation. “We are once again pleased to offer a scholarship program that encourages students to explore degrees in agriculture related fields,” said Jennifer Smith, IAA Foundation development manager. “It is imperative that the next generation of agriculture leaders receives the financial support they need to stay immersed in their education and build their career in agriculture.” Agriculture student...
Over the Christmas season, it is shown over and over on all prominent TV Channels. Every time I see the commercial, I become angrier!! (Silent Night plays softly in the background.) I’m referring to ASPCA – American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals. The photos break your heart, shivering, emaciated, chained up dogs next to empty water and food containers. The starving abused horses, the stumbling near blind kittens ... How can people be so cruel? A noted actress appeals to you...
So, this is it. Christmas is here. As a young man, before I was married, Christmas shopping meant that after we got the chores done in the morning on Christmas Eve, a bunch of us brothers piled into the car and went Christmas shopping. People made fun of us, especially the early birds who boasted of being done Christmas shopping in October at the latest. There were also those who chided us because Christmas shopping was supposed to be a year round event where each gift was to be carefully...
I don’t know about you, but one of the things I like the most about Christmas is truly surprising people. As a kid, I was excellent at finding out what I was going to get before Christmas morning. So, now, as an adult, I take great pride in giving the gifts people might want, but convincing them that I’m not. The best example of this – I’m not sure if I ever told this story, so if I did … sorry. But, back when our daughters were living with us, there was one Christmas when they all wanted ne...
Christmas is right around the corner, and once the hectic pace of the holidays subsides, Illinoisans will reflect and also look forward with hope as they make resolutions for the new year. Everyone’s slate is clean on January 1. New stories can be written based on decisions people make each day. If you could place Illinois on a better path, what changes would you resolve to make? I dream of an Illinois where people can afford to support their families without the continuous worry of higher t...
Good morning Dan. I don't know if you've heard as much as I have about the Panthers losing Friday as I have, but it makes me sick and embarrassed. Nobody feels worse about it than the coaches and players do. Hopefully people now appreciate what we have and realize how truly blessed we are as a town. Show as much dignity and respect in losing as you do in winning. I ran across a poem that maybe you could post for the ingrates. Thank you and enjoy your day! Dan Brown Please don’t curse the child down there. That is my child you see. They’re onl...
In 1945, WWII was winding down and Hitler’s concentration camps were exposed. What was seen became known as the Holocaust. The world could not believe the atrocities committed against Jews and anyone Hitler declared “undesirables.” Supreme commander of all Allied Forces, General Dwight Eisenhower, ordered photographic evidence be created of these unbelievable atrocities as he knew, as time went on, there would be unbelievers who would say it never happened. 6 million Jews and 5 million undes...
An elderly widow decided it was too much trouble to get all of her kids and grandkids’ Christmas presents, so she decided to send them a check with a card. A few days after she mailed all the cards, she discovered she forgot to include the checks in the cards. Imagine all those kids opening a card from grandma with a note inside that says, “Buy your own presents.” I have a friend who vacations in Jamaica at Christmas time. One year he told the Jamaicans it was 20 below back in Wisconsin. Their r...
If you’re anything like my wife and I, you get angry when Halloween hasn’t even arrived yet, and there are already Christmas ads on television. Apparently, in our modern world, November no longer exists as advertisers and retail stores throughout the country quickly change from ghosts and goblins decorating their store to Santa Claus and the Grinch. Admittedly, that aggravation, I admit exists, but I can deal with it. The problem is, that it has spawned several attacks on the Christmas hol...
Over the weekend of December 2-5 one of my favorite Farm Bureau events happened. It was the 2023 Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. I’ve always enjoyed this event even when I was just a kid watching older cousins participate in Discussion Meet. This year was no different. Members from both Carroll and Stephenson Counties traveled to the Palmer House in Chicago for this year’s event. Those who attended the conference participated in micro talks, general sessions, Young Leader awards program and...
At MCC we love to celebrate the birth of our Savior - the Light of the world - with lights! The Christmas tree is up and decorated. I have heard through the grapevine that many of you have had your homes decorated since long before Thanksgiving. That’s ok with me if it’s ok with you. But at our house, we do not take our fall decorations down until Thanksgiving is over - at which time our Christmas decorations go up. (This year, there was snow on the pumpkins). Here are some fun facts about the...
I think my wife is losing it. While we both love my cousin and his wife dearly, sharing your home with anyone – especially for long periods of time – can be trying. And while I have no problem releasing whatever tension might be there with a good old fashioned cussing out of my cousin, my wife would never do that. So, her frustrations need to find some other way of letting themselves … out. Now, replacing the Christmas Tree we always used to have in the front room with the “Leg Lamp” from the...
It all started in a conversation I had with a random group of people sitting around a table over Thanksgiving. Not being sure of what the conversation was about, I took a seat and said, “What are you guys talking about?” Someone asked: “Do you believe we actually went to the moon?” I said, yes, of course I do. And they wanted to know why? Well, I have lots of reasons why, but none the least of which, is why not? Why would the government go to great extremes to create a hoax then try to perpetu...
I was sitting in the corner of the Scales Mound gym, waiting for the next game to start, while listening to Terry spout off about something I had little interest in, when all of a sudden, I see Corey Stuckey walking right over towards me. We almost recognized each other at the same instant … “Holy cow, Stevens, I haven’t seen you in forever.” Corey was there because his nephew was Austin Stuckey, a starter for the Dakota basketball team – and a solid player – so Corey had brought his son – w...
Dan; Loved your article about does crime pay. If you want to find some good examples of what their policies are doing, look up Jackie Smith and Abe Haas on judici.com. Then do the same for Wisconsin. Gun charges, abduction, drug charges dismissed. Repeat offenders let walk with zero days in jail for multiple felonies. Ignoring documents from other states and ignoring dcfs. They were rewarded for ignoring their court dates multiple times, then showing up and having red handed charges dismissed. Many caught on video or admitted to. Appreciate...
“The Spice of Life” This Thanksgiving, along with so much, I am thankful for the extra characters God has brought into my life and blessed me with. Everyone has a story to tell. I could tell you her name, but that might give it away. Several years ago her daughter and son-in-law came to me for marriage counseling. I gave them the best advice I could at the time and sent them on their way along with a homework assignment. The daughter went home and told her mom what my advice was (which by now...
