Grundy County Corn Festival 2008

Transcription

SEPTEMBER
24–27, 2008
OFFICIAL
GUIDE
Volume 10 No. 1
WELCOME TO THE 60TH ANNUAL Published by Nelson Publishing, Inc.
President’s welcome
Participates in Festivities
WCSJ FM 103.1 and WJDK FM 95.7 enjoy their contribution to
Corn Festival each year, with live reports throughout the week at
various events, including sponsoring and hosting the Talent Show
held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Kevin Schramm, radio host commented that the Talent Show
has been extremely popular and there are many acts vying for time
during the show each year.
The many activities that will be broadcast during Corn Festival
week are listed below from live remote broadcasts starting at noon
Wednesday through the Live Broadcast of the Corn Festival Parade
Sunday afternoon, your local radio personalities will be enjoying
the festivities with all of Grundy County. “Whatever Corn Festival
needs, we will be there to help them out,” said Schramm.
Listen in every day to WCSJ FM 103.1 and WJDK FM 95.7 for all
the fun of the 60th annual Grundy County Corn Festival.
On behalf of the Grundy
County Corn Festival Board
of Directors, staff and volunteers, I would like to welcome you to the 60th annual Grundy County Corn
Festival.
Sixty years ago, Corn
Festival started as a celebration of the paving of Liberty
Street and the lighting of
the new gas powered streetlights. We have built on this
foundation and grown to
what we believe is the best
festival in all of the Midwest. Every year we have
found something else to
make us proud of our communities and neighbors and
have done our best to share
this with all of you.
Building on this, our
theme this year is “Corn Festival Celebrates 60 Years of
Family, Friends, and Fun”.
We know that for many
years, you have considered
Corn Festival to be a homecoming, and that people
come from across the country to participate in and enjoy our event. It is our hope
that you will again share in
Continued on page 10
Children’s Water
Fights a blast for kids
Wednesday:
Noon –1:00 p.m. Live reports from Corn Festival activities in
downtown Morris
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Live reports from Corn Festival activities in
downtown Morris (including the First Midwest Bank Farm Fair
and Dinner).
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.: Live broadcast on WJDK of the WCSJ-WJDK
Talent Show at the Center Stage at Liberty and Jackson Streets.
Thursday:
Noon –1:00 p.m. Live reports from Corn Festival activities in
downtown Morris
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Live reports from Corn Festival activities in
downtown Morris
Friday:
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Special WCSJ-WJDK Grundy Bank Brown Bag
Friday at Grundy County Courthouse lawn
Noon –1:00 p.m. and 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Live reports from Corn Fest
activities in downtown Morris including a live report from the Corn
Festival Queen Coronation, following the parade at 7pm, at the
Reviewing Stand Stage, Liberty and Jackson Streets with master
of ceremonies, WCSJ morning personality Kevin Schramm.
Saturday:
8:00-9:00 a.m. - Live report from the Corn Festival Flea Market
and Morris Hospital 5K Run on WCSJ and WJDK
9:00 –10:00 a.m. - Live reports from the Kiddie Water fights on
WCSJ and WJDK
1:15 p.m. - Kiddie Parade winners announced by master of
ceremonies Kevin Schramm at Taste Tent at Main and Franklin
2:15 p.m. - Pie Eating Contest at the Taste of Corn Festival Tent,
with master of ceremonies Mike Williams from WCSJ
8:30 p.m. - Simulcast on WCSJ and WJDK of music
choreographed to the Fireworks Display at Stratton Park
Sunday:
2:00 - 4:30 p.m. - WJDK live broadcast of Corn Festival Parade
with Norm Duvall, Don Phillips, Mike Williams, Jay Capron,
Sheree Peters, Jack Daly and Joe Munsell. Kevin Schramm
will serve as master of ceremonies for the parade from the
Reviewing Stand Stage at Liberty and Jackson Streets.
Listen to WCSJ and WJDK each week after Corn Festival
for button number contest prize winners.
Pictures from top left: Jay Capron, WCSJ and
WJDK News Director and Mike Willams, WJDK
Morning Host and Sports enjoy fest food; WCSJ
on air talents Dick Steele and Don Phillips; Deb
Tripidi of Wilmington and Operation Mom’s
Cookies, Inc. with Capron.
Charles H.
“Pete” Muffler, president
Grundy County
Corn Festival
by Barb Nadeau
The children’s version of the water fights
are set for Saturday at 10 am, at Wauponsee
Street, in front of Morris Fire Station.
The contest sponsored by Morris and
Gardner Fire Departments is organized by
the Ladies Auxiliary of the Morris Fire De-
partment. Teams of two are delineated by
age and compete in a scaled down version
of the firefighter water fights held Thursday
evening.
Children aged five years old to 14 years
old can enter. The kids get a chance Thursday evening to watch the experts and learn
a few tricks of the trade before trying it out
themselves. Everyone will get wet in this
wacky contest, but the children are very serious about the competition.
Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the water fights start at 10 a.m. It is just $5 to enter, per team, that is just $2.50 a child. The
kids should remember to bring heir own
rain gear too. The Children’s Water fights
are an important fund raiser too, and educational. The children get to try out a skill,
get a chance to consider someday becoming a first responder for their community,
and they raise money to help the Children’s
Burn Camp.
Mayor’s welcome
Welcome to the 60th annual Grundy County Corn Festival. This
year’s theme is “Corn Festival Celebrates 60 Years of Family, Friends
and Fun”.
Throughout the 60-year history of this highly anticipated celebration, the Grundy County Corn Festival has drawn great numbers of visitors to Morris and the historic I & M Canal Corridor.
Each year the festival is enjoyed by thousands of persons young
and old alike. From the firefighter water fights, talent show and
various hobby and handicrafts shows to the crackerbox derby, pie
eating contest and kiddie parade, there is something for everyone. There are performers and bands playing on several stages at
various locations in town, the carnival runs throughout the week
along the riverfront, and don’t miss the spectacular fireworks disContinued on page 10
www.cornfestival.org
is where to get the latest
information on the Grundy
County Corn Festival.
The Official web site will see
some new changes in the future
with a more interactive Web site
planned for next year.
Go to www.cornfestival.org
to see the official festival
schedule, map and any last
minute additions or changes.
Richard Kopczick,
Mayor, city of Morris
Craft Show/Flea Market ............... 5
River Sweep Program ................... 6
Bucky Covington..........................
Covington.......................... 8
Guitar Hero ................................... 8
Handicapped Accessible Ramp .... 8
Moose Offers Shuttle Service ..... 11
5k Run/Walk .............................. 14
Kiddie Parade ............................. 14
Fireworks .................................... 16
Events.......................................... 19
Coloring Contest ........................ 21
2008
Grundy County
Corn Festival
Publisher Larry Nelson
General Manager Jack Daly
Managing Editor Barb Nadeau
Sales
Angela Braumeister
Editor Pam Nelson
Sales Manager Joe Munsell
Administrative Assistant Sheree Peters
Laura Shelton
Graphic Design and Layout Sharon White
This Grundy County Corn Festival publication is published annually by Nelson
Publishing, Inc.. Our corporate office is at One Broadcast Center, Plano, IL
60545-2100. All content is ©2008. All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
For more information regarding this publication call 630-552-1000 ext. 219,
or send an E-mail to: [email protected].
For information regarding the Grundy County Corn Festival, contact:
Grundy County Corn Festival, 909 N. Liberty Street, Morris, IL 60450
815-942-CORN (2676) • www.cornfestival.org • [email protected]
Representing
First Midwest Bank Farm Fair 2008 - Schedule of Events
Te n t l o c a t i o n – Wa s h i n g t o n a n d Wa u p o n s e e S t r e e t s
• WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24:
10 am–9 pm...............Taft’s “Mr. Rib Eye” Sandwiches .............east parking lot
10 am–9 pm...............Antique Tractor Show –
Grundy County Farm Bureau/
First Midwest Bank ................................. main parking lot
• THURSDAY, SEPT. 25:
10 am–9 pm...............Taft’s “Mr. Rib Eye” Sandwiches .............east parking lot
10 am–9 pm...............Antique Tractor Show –
Grundy County Farm Bureau/
4:30 pm–7:30 pm ......First Midwest Bank/FFA Chicken Dinner ..............tent
7 pm–9:30 pm ...........Donna Mueller’s School of
Dance Performance .......................................north parking lot
• FRIDAY, SEPT. 26:
9 am–8 pm.................Miller’s Petting Zoo, co-sponsored by
First Midwest Bank/Grundy
County Corn Festival ...............................main parking lot
9 am–8 pm.................Antique Tractor display –
Grundy County Farm Bureau /
9 am–noon.................White Elephant & Bake Sale..................... west parking lot
10 am–11 pm.............Taft’s “Mr. Rib Eye” Sandwiches .............east parking lot
10 am–11 pm.............Kendall County Pork Producers-food vendor ........ tent
4:30 pm–7:30 pm. .....First Midwest Bank / Grundy County
Hospice Pork Chop Dinner .............................................tent
• SATURDAY, SEPT. 27:
9 am–8 pm.................Miller’s Petting Zoo, co-sponsored by
County Corn Festival ............................. main parking lot
9 am ...........................Registration for Kiddie Tractor Pull
cosponsored by Grundy County Farm
Bureau/Big R Stores of Morris ...north parking lot
9 am–8 pm.................Antique Tractor Show – Grundy County Farm
Bureau/First Midwest Bank ................ main parking lot
Each depositor insured to $100,000
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
2
220 W. Main Street
Morris • 941-3717
2008 Grundy County Corn Festival
10 am .........................Kiddie Tractor Pull..........................................north parking lot
10 am–11 pm.............Kendall County Pork Producers-food vendor ......... tent
10 am–11 pm.............Taft’s “Mr. Rib Eye” Sandwiches .............east parking lot
12:30 pm–2:30 pm ....4-H Cut Meat Auction
Call 815-942-2725 with any questions .................................. tent
4:30 pm–7:30 pm ......First Midwest Bank/American Legion
Post #294 Pork Chop Dinner .................................. tent
• SUNDAY, SEPT. 28
9 am–5 pm.................Miller’s Petting Zoo, cosponsored by
County Corn Festival ............................ south parking lot
10 am–5 pm...............Taft’s “Mr. Rib Eye” Sandwiches ............................... tent
10 am–5 pm...............Kendall County Pork Producers-food vendor ......... tent
11 am–2 pm...............Morris Lion’s Club Chicken BBQ dinner .............tent
Farm Fair Benefits the Following Organizations:
Newark FFA
Seneca FFA
Grundy County Hospice
Grundy County Farm Bureau
American Legion Post #294
Grundy County 4-H
Morris Lions Club
Kendall County Pork Producers
Nelson Publishing, Inc.
Grundy County Corn Festival
Advertiser’s List
Become a STAR and Get Your Tickets FIRST!
For details call 815-726-7171 Ext. 206
102 N. Chicago Street • Joliet, Illinois
For ticket information
Call 815-726-6600
or visit: www.rialtosquare.com
Please support these businesses...it pays!
Advertiser ............................................................................................ page
Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry .............................................. 9
American Hairlines .............................................................. 12
Associated Orthodontists .................................................... 17
Baileys Carpet One ............................................................... 2
Bank of Dwight ..................................................................... 8
Bedford Sales ..................................................................... 12
Benson Insurance ............................................................... 12
Big Boyz Toyz ............................................................... 20, 23
Boz’s Hot Dogs ................................................................... 12
Bryan’s Auto World ............................................................. 12
Cal’s Printing ...................................................................... 12
Cardinal Recycling .............................................................. 17
Carpetile ............................................................................... 8
Centrue Bank ...................................................................... 14
Chicago Title Insurance ...................................................... 12
Citizen’s First National Bank .................................................. 9
Country Financial, Gilmoure, Hallmer ....................................... 9
CTC Wireless ..................................................................... 4-5
Excelon–Dresden Station .................................................... 15
Exceptional Dental Care ...................................................... 14
Feeney Package Liquors ....................................................... 8
First Midwest Bank................................................................ 2
Fossil Ridge Library ............................................................ 12
G&M Auto Service and Transmission .................................. 12
Group O................................................................................ 6
Grundy Bank ......................................................................... 6
Grundy Community Volunteer Hospice ................................ 12
Grundy County Chamber of Commerce ............................... 16
Grundy County Farm Bureau ............................................... 14
Grundy County Health Department ...................................... 11
Grundy County Sheriff, Terry Marketti ................................. 12
Heritage Manor ................................................................... 16
Homes By Holmes .............................................................. 12
Jackson Hewitt Tax Service ................................................ 14
Local #33 IUPAT ‘Painters’ .................................................. 11
LyondellBasell ..................................................................... 12
Mark Wills Pioneer Seeds ................................................... 13
Matteson Ace Hardware ...................................................... 15
McArdle Grain Commodities, Insurance and Real Estate ..... 13
McDonald’s of Morris .......................................................... 16
Midwest Auto Service ......................................................... 17
Minooka Collision .................................................................. 8
Morris Antique Emporium .................................................... 13
Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers .............................. 10
Northwestern Corporation ................................................... 10
Pam’s Academy of Dance ...................................................... 8
Paolucci Diamond Center ...................................................... 6
Personal Finance Company ................................................. 17
Provena Medical Group ....................................................... 18
Rialto Square Theatre ........................................................... 3
Rivershores Care Center ..................................................... 14
Ron Johnson Insurance....................................................... 13
Ron Tirapelli Ford ................................................... back page
Southwest Physical Therapy ............................................... 10
Spring Brook Marina ........................................................... 16
State Representative, Careen Gordon ................................. 13
Steve’s Tire and Auto Service Center .................................. 22
Talty Chevrolet-Buick-Cadillac ............................................. 21
Walnut Grove Retirement Community .................................. 13
Wills Automotive Service ..................................................... 14
Willy World Cycles ................................................................ 7
WCSJ FM 103.1 / WJDK FM 95.7 ....................................13, 22
For complete entertainment listing:
Thank you.
www.rialtosquare.com
3
Nelson
Publishing, Inc.
Gordon Lightfoot
Sunday, September 28 – 7pm
BB King
Friday, October 3 – 8pm
Indigo Girls
Sunday, October 5 – 6pm
Colin Mochrie and
Brad Sherwood
Friday, October 10 – 8pm
Irving Berlin’s
I Love A Piano
Sunday, October 26 – 3pm
Paul Rodriguez
Sunday, November 2 – 6pm
Drew Hastings
Friday, November 7 – 8pm
Vicki Lawrence
and Mama
A Two Woman Show
Saturday, November 15 – 8pm
Von Heidecke’s
Chicago Festival Ballet
The Nutcracker
Sunday, November 30 – 2pm
Oak Ridge Boys
Thursday, December 11 – 7pm
Nelson Publishing, Inc.3
So, you think you can dance, sing, juggle, tumble?
Sheree Peters,
WCSJ and WJDK
Office Manager
by Sheree Peters
American Idol, Last Comic Standing,
Nashville Star, Making the Band and
Star Search. If these are your favorite
shows? Then, you’ll enjoy our annual WCSJ/WJDK Talent Showcase! We
kick start the Grundy County Corn
Festival with our show at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 24. You’ll enjoy the many talents of local adults
and kids. The Talent Showcase returns to the Reviewing Stand at the
corner of Liberty and Jackson Streets
in nostalgic downtown Morris.
Last year’s showcase was a huge
success! All 25 spots were filled with
dancers, solo and group vocalists,
bands, an acoustic guitarist, and
cheerleaders! The dance routines
were incredible, combining both artistic excellence and choreographic
innovations.
The WCSJ/WJDK Talent Showcase
is completely booked for this year, so
bring your lawn chairs and come on
down to the Reviewing Stand at the
corner of Liberty and Jackson Street.
The Morris Community High School
Cheerleaders will kick off our show
with a high-energy tumbling and
cheering act. Enjoy the excitement
first hand or you can listen to the
Talent Showcase live on WJDK FM
95.7.
Radio station personalities, Kevin
Schramm, your favorite WCSJ morning show host and Sheree Peters will
co-host the show again this year. Bob
McCullough from SOUNDDUDE 101
will provide the sensational sound
system.
The theme of the 60th Annual
Grundy County Corn Festival is
“Corn Festival Celebrates 60 Years of
Family, Friends, and Fun!” So, bring
your family and friends and come
on down to the WCSJ/WJDK Talent
Showcase on Wednesday, September
24 to the Reviewing Stand at the corner of Liberty and Jackson Streets or
listen to our live broadcast on WJDK
FM 95.7.
Photography Show changes with times
by Barb Nadeau
There have been many changes to the Photography Show
in recent years, most notably this year with the deletion of
the slide category due to the rapidly growing numbers of
prints exhibited.
“We have so many prints now,” said Barbara Wagner,
committee member, “that we can’t accommodate the
slides.” Almost 800 prints were exhibited in the 2007 Corn
Festival Photography Show. “There is no reason to use half
of our room for the slide show, and it takes a lot of time
and energy for our judges,” Margo McIntyre, committee
member said.
The Photography show can take up to six hours to
judge. There are so many entries that space is a consideration. Exhibitors come from area camera clubs and from
locales throughout and outside of Grundy County as well.
Judges are brought in from the regional Chicago land area
with no vested interest in contestants. The Morris Camera
Club members assist in the show, which has increased in-
terest in photography by area residents and increased membership for them as well.
The club currently has about 28 members and they meet on
the second Thursday of each month at 7:15 p.m. in the basement of City Hall.
Exhibitors may enter in 16 different categories. Four
additional categories are especially for youth. “We have
a good turnout of young exhibitors,” said McIntyre.
Last year there were about 70 to 85 prints exhibited by
the youth and it is growing,” she added. Any questions
about the rules listed in the Corn Festival booklet can be
addressed to Margo McIntyre at 815-942-9535.
Water fights...
a tradition
by Barb Nadeau
The water fights held Wednesday afternoon are a time-honored tradition of competition between first responders that
have been held since the beginnings of Corn Festival.
It can be cold especially if you get wet,” said Morris Fire
Chief Robert Coleman, but it is an integral part of this county’s 60-year-old festival that is not to be missed.
“They have fun, and it is a clean sport,” Coleman said.
The Water fights are sponsored by the Morris Firefighters
Association, which serves as the ruling body of the competition. The water fights are held on Washington Street
between Liberty and Wauponsee Street beginning at 6:30
p.m. Wednesday. The groups of three from many fire departments compete in the tournament. They chase a barrel
across a cable, pushing the barrel with a stream of water. It
is an experience described as looking up a waterfall. The tree
minute contests take all evening, as firefighters attempt to
move the barrel to the other side of the cable against the
wishes of the opposing team. Each team is guaranteed the
same water pressure and each hose weighs about 150 pounds
and deliver water at 100 pounds of pressure.
Trophies are earned in three places. The competition has
always been fierce, but these days the firefighters are eagerly
striving to improve their skills. Winning teams are awarded
a trophy with a statue of a firefighter with a nozzle. “It is just
a little award for their department, but it is a useful skill,”
Coleman said. “The more the team practices, the better they
become. Some departments have time to practice, others
don’t, and the winners change every year. It instills pride
and gets our firefighters going,“ Coleman added.
Skinners’ Amusements
returns with new hours
Skinners’
Amusements
Inc. offer carnival rides
and amusements at the
Canalport Plaza with new
hours throughout Corn
Festival weekend.
Ride specials for Skinners’ Amusements Inc.
rides are priced at $15
for unlimited rides. But
hours have changed with
ride specials available
Wednesday and Thursday
from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from
noon to 4 p.m. .
Skinners’ Amusements
proudly offers family fun
for all age groups, from
young children to teenagers, and adults to senior
citizens, and continually adds new rides and
attractions. In all, there
are more than 50 rides,
games, and food concessions for great family fun
4
in a safe, clean and organized Midway area located in Canalport Plaza.
Families are encouraged to ride safely and
follow all posted signs
observing age, height
and weight restrictions
and the instructions of
the ride operator. Keep
hands, arms, and legs inside the rides at all times.
Use the safety equipment
provided, such as seat
belts, shoulder harnesses,
lap chains or bars. Enjoy
the ride and stay in the
ride until it comes to a
complete stop. In this
way, patrons ensure that
Skinners’ Amusements,
Inc., which has offered
quality amusements since
1910, continues to offer
the best in family amusements and concessions
services.
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Enjoy giant craft show, flea market at fairgrounds
by Barb Nadeau
Enjoy the giant Craft Show and Flea Market
offered Saturday each year of the Grundy
County Corn Festival, at the Grundy County
Fairgrounds on Route 47 just one mile north
of Morris.
Each year, Corn Festival board member,
Jim Maskel, and committee member, Dick
Chapell, coordinate the Craft Show and Flea
Market, which has become well known regionally for the best crafters and most complete group of flea market vendors in the
area. A full parking lot and shuttle service
to your vehicle attests to the fine products
available at the fairgrounds, and visitors
know that throughout the day there will
be plenty to choose from throughout the
grounds. Additional vendor space is always
available and even last minute vendors are
accommodated, according to Chappell.
The Craft Show and Flea Market workers
sell more than 6,000 buttons each year and
know that crowds exceed that number, as
many visitors have bought their Corn Festi-
val buttons at another show or event during
Corn Festival week. “It takes just a $1 to enter and shop the event and supporting Corn
Festival is what its all about.
The Craft Show and Flea Market will be
open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The
parking is free and spaces are plentiful. Golf
carts are in use throughout the day with
drivers offering shuttle service to shoppers,
so it is easy to transport those heavy objects
to your vehicle. A full menu of refreshments
is on sale as well at the fairgrounds conces-
sion stand.
Whether you begin your Saturday at the
Craft Sale and Flea Market or end up at the
Grundy County fairgrounds late in the day,
whether you try to beat the crowds or wait
and make a leisurely pass through the exhibits, you will be glad you made the Craft
Show and Flea Market, part of your Corn
Festival experience. It is the best event of
its kind anywhere, and you can shop till
you drop, and still support 60 years of the
Grundy County Corn Festival.
Chris Stapleton to offer Krazy Karaoke at Brown Bag Friday
by Barb Nadeau
Chris Stapleton will offer Krazy Karaoke at the Taste of Corn
Festival Tent on Main and Franklin Streets Thursday night
and then return to downtown Morris to entertain crowds at
the Brown Bag Friday lunch on the Courthouse lawn.
This is Stapleton’s second year as the featured artist at the
Brown Bag Friday event and her first year to offer a Karaoke
service to the Taste Tent. “Corn Festival is Huge! This is a
big deal to perform here. I did not know what to expect at
first,” she said, referring to her Brown Bag Friday appearance
in 2007. “I do a bit of everything and it can be hard to appeal
to everyone, but this year I am really looking forward to it,”
she said.
As for her Karaoke service, Stapleton commented that it
is a nice stress reliever for many people. “People try Karaoke
to have some fun and for some it is hard to get the guts to
step up. But once the bug has bitten you, you just love to do
it. We have people who follow us around wherever we have
an appearance.” Stapleton offers thousands of songs. “We are
fair about everyone getting a turn too. Karaoke is meant to be
fun. We do not do contests as someone may get hurt feelings.
Karaoke is all about feeling good and having a good time.”
She added.
Look for Krazy Karaoke, beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Join Chris Stapleton, Friday at 11 a.m. at the Grundy
County Courthouse lawn for Brown Bag Friday.
Add lines
for the family.
Pictured at left: Chris Stapleton, Brown Bag Friday
entertainment; below Jack Daly, WCSJ and WJDK
General Manager, interviews Kevin Olson from Grundy
Bank at last year’s Brown Bag Friday.
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Nelson
Publishing, Inc.
by Barb Nadeau
Greenway Automotive of Morris has supported the Grundy
County Corn Festival for many years and supplied vehicles to
assist in the Sunday afternoon parade since they began their
association with the festival 41 years ago.
“We have been here for 41 of the 60 years of Corn Festival.
We started with Corn Festival in 1967 and have participated
in every Corn Festival ever since that time,” Chuck Greenway
stated.
The Greenway Automotive group includes Greenway Pontiac, Olds, GMC, Truck, Greenway Ford, Mercury and Greenway Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep.
In the early days of our association with Corn Festival, we
would allow our young high school aged employees to represent our dealership by driving new vehicles in the parade,”
Greenway stated. “New cars,
trucks and they
especially liked
to be seen in
convertibles.
People would
come back to
see us year after year,” he
added, and the
Corn Festival
became a homecoming for the dealership as well as for Corn
Festival. “Now 41 years later we have friends still coming back
and we are seeing grandchildren of some of those same teenage employees coming to our doors,” Greenway added.
Corn Festival’s family atmosphere and community involvement has seemed to compliment the business manner
of Greenway Automotive. A family owned and operated business. Three of Greenway’s children and their children work
for the company.
“I want to say thank you to them for always being supportive, for always offering a car for our parade and for always saying yes. They never say no,” said Colleen Donahue,
Corn Festival Board member. “They deserve the recognition
for their support,” she added. “They are really good to us.”
“They are very supportive,” Jack Daly of WJDK/WCSJ agreed,
adding that the company is very helpful in all community
endeavors.
In recent years Greenway has started to allow Corn Festival use of their vehicles for special purposes. As the parade became longer and longer, the Corn Festival committee still was
in need of vehicles for special participants, but the extensive
units lengthened the parade a bit too much, Greenway commented, “Now we offer vehicles for the disabled veterans, the
American Legion members, and other honored participants
including the Corn Festival Queen. It varies every year,” Greenway stated. “We are very active in community endeavors
and Corn Festival is a very nice community thing.”
Organizer, Howard, passionate about the River Sweep
by Barb Nadeau
Area organizer Mary Lee Howard is passionate about the
environment and about the River Sweep Program. Howard
good share of the cost, so we’re very grateful!” Howard said.
While this is the ninth annual River Sweep, this is the
first time Corn Festival volunteers have been involved. And
while River Sweep is not an official Corn Festival event, it
starts the Corn Festival week off in a good way. Last September, three girls from First Presbyterian Church volunteered to help at another River Sweep clean up and decided
to bring the event to Morris. Howard, as the Senior High
Youth Advisor at the church, encouraged her students to
enlist the help of others here to bring the environmental
movement home. So far two Boy Scout troops, the Church
Youth Group, and two clubs from Morris Community High
School, Interact and the Science Club, have already volunteered and others are following their example.
Annual Illinois River Clean-up Effort
Friends of the Illinois River Sweep
is happy to see interest in the River Sweep is growing as
area scout troops are joining in and volunteers, who are
busy with other local events, are finding time to participate in the River Sweep event. “The idea came from Delores Robinson, a member of our church, who teaches at
IVCC and heard about it from a co-worker. She suggested
it as a service project for the Senior High kids, so we took
them over to Peru to join in their Sweep last year. They had
a great time and really enjoyed doing it,” Howard said.
According to Howard the a group of women from her
church are concentrating on service work, and decided to
take the project on. Howard and Robinson are now the cochairs of the Morris River Sweep. “Delores has been handling a lion’s share of contacting people during the day
as she was able to be home this summer and I could not,”
Howard said. “We also have a Girl Scout who is working on
her bronze award helping with contacting the businesses
for contributions of products or funding,” she said. They
hope that area businesses will get involved and help with
refreshments for the workers the day of the River Sweep.
Friends of the Illinois River (FOIR) is providing garbage bags
and work gloves, all collected through corporate sponsorship. “And
Midwest Signworks is making a banner for us, and has donated a
Taste
of Corn
Festival
tent
features area food
producers and
entertainment
“Let’s kick off to clean the river before we party,” Howard said. “River Sweep is a wonderful start for the Corn
Festival! We’re hoping this is going to be an on-going event
that will be beneficial to our residents and the many visitors to the area,” Howard said. “Everyone is welcome and
we hope for 70 to 100 persons that day,” she added. “Three
Rivers Waste and Recycling have donated a dumpster and
dumping fees, as well as drop off and pick up, for the River
Sweep. Cal’s Printing has helped by printing brochures.”
Volunteers are asked to register between 7 a.m. and 9
a.m. September 20 at Stratton Park. “We hope to cover 1
mile each way along the banks of the River and wrap up
around 11:30 a.m.”, Howard said. More information is
available on the Web at www.friendsoftheIIllinoisRiver.org.
Friends of the Illinois River, an independent, non-profit
organization dedicated to conserving, enhancing and promoting the cultural and natural resources of the Illinois
River and its watershed is holding its annual Illinois River
Sweep September 20, 2008. The annual river sweep is an
event started nine years ago and has grown over the years
and attracts hundreds of volunteers all along the shores
of the river. They are happy to have become part of the
Grundy County Corn Festival events lineup, starting the
week off with an environmental effort.
Friends of the Illinois River (FOIR) are asking for volunteers to help clean a section of the river running through
Morris. The group is in special need of boaters and corporate
sponsors to ensure that the event will be a success. Anyone
willing to help can call Mary Lee Howard at 815-942-5478
or e-mail her at [email protected].
The purpose of the project is to enhance local awareness
of issues directly related to the Illinois River along with increasing public awareness of the historical, cultural, and nat-
by Barb Nadeau
The Grundy County Corn Festival
Committee offers the Taste of Corn
Festival Tent each year, located at the
intersection of Main and Franklin, featuring great foods from area food producers and entertaining family events,
making it a traditional destination for
many during Corn festival weekend.
This year the Taste of Corn Festival
tent features S&S BBQ with chicken
wings, ribs, rib tips and jambalaya;
Sage’s Meats with great hamburgers,
rib eye sandwiches, hot dogs, brats
and Italian beef; Chicago Spuds offering gourmet baked potatoes; Maui
Wowi with fresh fruit smoothies; and
PC Thai offering Thai food dishes such
as egg rolls, crab Rangoon, stir fried
rice, stir fried noodles, and other oriental entrees. “We try to mix it up a
bit and get different tastes,” Jewel Buttry, Corn Festival Board Member, said.
“It should be nice this year.”
ural resources and available outdoor recreation opportunities
along the Illinois River. Some of the other purposes are to
protect and enhance native plant and animal communities
and to encourage economic development compatible with
the mission statement of the Friends of the Illinois River.
This event needs volunteers to make it a success. September 20, 2008 is not that far off and we need you to call
now and help. In addition to those who will be picking
up trash, boaters who are willing to drop off and pick up
volunteers along the banks of the river (and the trash they
collect) are needed for that day. All volunteers who register
before July 25 get a free commemorative T-shirt and protective gloves along with all other items needed to clean
the shores of our river. Sponsors are needed to provide the
supplies – bug spray, rope, and refreshments for the workers
and to help defray the cost of printing, etc.
If you can help, please call The Friends of the Illinois
River at 1-800-RIVERCLEAN or visit them on the Web at
wwwfriendsoftheillinoisriver.org.
In addition to tempting your taste
buds, the Taste of Corn Festival Tent
offers family entertainment throughout the weekend, with a Guitar Hero
Contest to be offered beginning at 6
p.m. Wednesday. “We asked the kids,
what do you want at Corn festival,
they said Guitar Hero, and now here it
is, it’s big!” Jim Maskel, Corn Festival
Board member, said.
Thursday, beginning at 6 p.m.,
Chris Stapleton will entertain with
Krazy Karaoke.
Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., the
Morris Theatre Guild will offer “Once
More With Fooling” an improvisational performance, which changes
each night depending on the wacky
ideas of the audience and the antics of
the performers.
The Taste of Corn Festival is a tradition
of this community festival that is not to
be missed. Come often to get your fill of
the fun and great food offered there.
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with GRUNDY BANK
Sign up for E-Statements at www.GrundyBank.com
or see a Personal Banker
MORRIS ATMs conveniently located:
• Plaza I, Drive-thru, Main & Franklin
• DJ’s South, Route 47 & Southmor
• DJ’s West, West Route 6 & Park Blvd.
• Morris Hospital, 150 W. High Street
WILMINGTON ATMs conveniently located:
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• Wilmington Super Valu, 700 W. Baltimore
• South Wilmington Super Valu, 125 3rd Ave.
• Main Bank, 120 S. Main
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Sept. 26 • 11am-2pm
Now in Our 36th Year
Featuring: Chris Stapleton
6
Board of directors grateful for participants
The Grundy County Corn Festival Board of Directors
thanks everyone who worked on and participated in
the 60th annual Grundy County Corn Festival.
Each year, we try to find the words to thank everyone who supports us. We could never thank you
all enough, but hope this shows just how much we
appreciate all you do.
To the business community: You were the start of
Corn Festival 60 years ago and you continue to be
the center of our event. There is so much you give us
in donations, time, and support that we could never
say thanks enough. We hope we showcase down-
town Morris in a way that makes
you proud.
To the many groups and organizations that work together to hold special events and activities: Every year
you prove to us that nothing is impossible. You continue to show your
love of this community by the time
and effort you put into your events.
We know we cannot do it alone and
that without you, there would be no Corn Festival board members pictured from left to right: Charles ‘Pete’ Muffler,
Corn Festival.
Colleen Donahue, Sue Morse, John Sparrow, Jewel Buttry and Jim Maskel.
We thank the city and
The 2008 Grundy County Corn Festival Board of Directors and
citizens of Morris, who
ris such a great place to live.
host the thousands of people who come to
Committees thank these sponsors for helping make the 60th
Finally, to our hundreds of volunteers: Thank you
Morris each year. From the time the food
annual Grundy County Corn Festival a success:
for believing in our event. In 60 years, you have nevvendors open Wednesday until the last unit
er let us down. We know the amount of time that is
Gold sponsor:
Bronze sponsors:
of the parade passes by Sunday, you show
given to us every year, and appreciate your help more
• Exelon
• Bailey Printing
that Morris is a great and welcoming city.
than you will ever know.
• Cardinal Fitness
We know that the days are long and parkWe look forward to our 60th year and know it
Silver sponsor:
• Greenway Automotive ing and traffic make the week difficult, but
will be the best Corn Festival we have ever planned.
• Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers • R Place
every year you allow us the opportunity to
Thank you all and we hope everyone has a safe and
show thousands of people what make Mor• WalMart
fun filled Corn Festival weekend.
!
u
o
y
k
n
tha
The 60th Grundy County Corn Festival Committees
Board of Directors
Communications
Charles “Pete” Muffler, president
John Sparrow, vice president
Sue Morse - secretary
Jewel Buttry - treasurer
Jim Maskel
Colleen Donahue
Grundy County Amateur
Radio Club
Office Staff
Kristin Wiekert – Office
Manager
Amie Hatcher – Office
Secretary
Jewel Buttry
Colleen Donahue
Jim Maskel
Bill Morse
Sue Morse
John Sparrow
City of Morris Department of
Public Works
Concessions
Jewel Buttry
Jim Maskel
Dave Smith
Jim Smith
Fireworks
Corn, Grain and
Flower Show
Jeff Shaw, Chair
Craft Show/Flea
Market
Jim Scaman, Co-Chair
Jeri Robinson, Co-Chair
Legal Counsel
Don Black
Mark Rigazio
Crackerbox Derby
Antique Tractor Show
Ron Hibler, Chair
Stan Motter, Chair
Boy Scout Troop 469
Corn Festival Book
Colleen Donahue
Art Show
Sherry Lewis Miller, Chair
Jill Behning, Co-Chair
Delta Phi Art Club
Twin Oaks Savings Bank
Baby Show
Tina Fonck, Chair
Dance Exhibition
Jim Maskel, Chair
Dick Chapell
Brian Newell
Dave Smith
Jack Stark
Phil Bertoglio
Morris Moose Lodge
Morris VFW Men’s Auxiliary
Farm Fair
Pam Simpson
Decorations
Corn donated by Bob Bols
Pete Butler
First Midwest Bank
Tom Tesdal
Tracy Fulton
Jim Zackavec
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Jim Maskel
Steve Matteson
Bill Morse
Sue Morse
Dick Peters
John Sparrow
Jim Watson
Sharon Donahue
Julian Houston
Brothers of Grundy
A.B.A.T.E.
Hobby and
Handicrafts Show
Jim Scaman, Chair
Jeri Robinson ,Chair
Information Booth
Gina Anderson, Chair
Kiddie Parade
Bev Swiggett
Della Rankin
Deanna Cook
Tanya Rankin
Corn Festival Committee
WCSJ/WJDK
Olson Auction Service
Jewel Buttry
Queen Coronation
Pam Gill, Chair
Mary Lee Howard
Safety and Traffic
Pie Eating Contest
Master of Ceremonies
Dick Olson
Kevin Schramm
Dick Steele
Mike Williams
Parade
Colleen Donahue, Chair
Tracy Stott, Co-Chair
Jewel Buttry
John Frederick
Leigh Anne Hall
Amie Hatcher
Fred Lestina
Sue Morse, Chair
Megan Borchers
Kathy Dougherty
Mike Farrell
Brenda Fellers
Sandy Goodlet
Peter Krowiak
Stephanie White
Morris Police Department
Grundy County Sheriff’s
Department
Morris Fire Department
Morris EMS/Kurtz
Ambulance
Special Thanks:
Photo Show
Tobey Nagel, Chair
Margo McIntyre, Chair
Barbara Wagner, Chair
Morris Camera Club
Public Address System
City of Morris, Department of Public
Works and Water Departments,
Ayers Electric, Greenway
Automotive, Grundy County
Chamber of Commerce, Knights
of Columbus, Morris Downtown
Development Partnership, Morris
Daily Herald, Morris Community
High School, Nelson Publishing,
Inc., WCSJ/WJDK, Grundy County
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Bucky Covington, ‘American Idol’, Friday night
Idol, will appear at the Grundy
County Corn Festival at 8 p.m.
Friday, September 26, at the
south Stage, at Wauponsee Street
and Illinois Avenue.
Covington’s long journey
to national attention began in
Rockingham, NC, where he and
his identical twin Rocky were
born. They were raised in Laurinburg after his parents’ divorce
and mother’s remarriage. Drawn
early to country music. The 29year-old Covington was a fan of
Tim McGraw, George Strait and
Travis Tritt, among others. He
and his brother began singing
to a Christmas present karaoke
machine, but even then CovingBucky Covington, fifth season finalist ton knew enough to keep it in
of the runaway hit TV show American perspective.
“I’m sure everybody who
sings a little bit thinks, ‘I’d love
to do that,’ but I always knew
the odds of it happening were
one in a million,” he says, “so
it’s not something you want to
go chasing.” “Like everyone else,
I’ve always sung in the shower
and the car,” he says. By day, he
worked in the family auto body
shop. “All I figured was: my dad
owns a body shop and that was
where I was going to work, and
then I’d own it,” he explains.
But Covington wanted something more. Bucky has sung
with local bands over the last decade and wanted to get a Nashville record deal, but he wasn’t
quite sure how to actualize his
dream. “I kept wondering: how
do people do that? It was kind of
like saying I wanted to be a fire
truck, almost impossible.”
“I was watching TV one
night and saw this Army commercial that said, ‘If someone
were to write a book on your life,
would anyone want to read it?’
That made a lot of sense and really inspired me.”
The following chain of events
almost didn’t happen. Covington was a star on the local club
circuit with a day job in his
father’s auto body shop when
he toyed with the idea of a 12hour drive to an Idol tryout in
Memphis. Then, Hurricane Katrina led to cancellation of the
event. “I just let it go after that,”
says the 6’2” singer, who carried
on with club dates and work
until his sister-in-law told him
of newly scheduled tryouts in
nearby Greensboro in October
of 2005.
Covington took what he’d
learned in all his club gigs to the
next level, and he has quickly become one of the most energetic
and compelling entertainers in
country music. The crowds he’s
faced since leaving Idol have
been over-the-top enthusiastic.
Now, with the release of his
debut single and album, America
will get to witness the next step
in Covington’s emergence as one
of country’s most genuine and exciting young performers. You can
watch this idol on the South Stage
at 8 p.m. Friday, September 26.
Guitar Hero newest addition to Fest Nick’s Kids Show, favorite, returns
With the use of a 42” plasma screen and two
artificial guitars, participants can find themselves carried away into a digital world with
Guitar Hero offered for the very first time as
a part of the featured entertainment at Corn
Festival, in the Taste of Grundy County
Taste Tent, located at located at East Main
Street behind Baum’s store in the Baum’s
parking lot.
Guitar Hero will perform Wednesday
evening beginning at 6 p.m. as a contest
format. Participants can emulate the entertainers of some of the more popular songs
in rock guitar history. Players will follow the
color indicators on the screen and match the
moves on their own guitar to score. It is colorful flashes of light and great musical entertainment. It is your chance to get involved
and try something brand new, or enjoy the
antics of seasoned players.
Guitar Hero is becoming all the rave at
block parties, festivals, picnics, park district events, colleges, and post-prom events
throughout the countryside, and the Corn
Festival is happy to bring this fun event to
the Taste Tent for the very first time this
year. Anyone from five years old and up will
enjoy Guitar Hero.
Nick’s Kids Show returns to Corn Festival
and will be featured at the Riverfront City
Park Wednesday through Sunday, offering
free entertainment for all ages.
Nick’s Kids Show has been a crowd favorite for many years and offers quality family
entertainment. The Corn festival Committee is proud to have Nick’s Kids Show return
one again to entertain families at this 60th
anniversary festival.
The show includes song and dance
numbers everyone is sure to love and children are invited to share the stage and join
into the singing and dancing. It is positive-
ly fun. It’s entertaining, and musical. From
“Splish Splash” to “Puff the Magic Dragon”
and camp songs like “If you’re Happy and
You Know it” to the old Rock n Roll “Locomotion” and educational songs such as a
rock n’ roll version of the ABC’s, everyone
is sure to enjoy Nick’s Kids Show.
You can see Nick’s Kids Show at Riverfront City Park beginning Wednesday
evening at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., Thursday
at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., Friday at 5, 7 and
8:30 p.m., Saturday at 3, 5, and 7:30 p.m.,
and on Sunday at 11 a.m. and again at 1
and 5 p.m.
Handicapped accessible ramp available to carnival area, rest of festival
by Barb Nadeau
A new, handicapped accessible ramp is now available for pedestrians traveling to Canalport Plaza, thanks to the Corn
festival volunteers.
The handicapped accessible ramp located at Liberty
Street south of Canalport Plaza is a useful addition to the
stairway that connects the carnival site to the rest of the
festival. Constructed by volunteers with the blessing and assistance of the city of Morris has been a year long process,
according to John Sparrow, Corn Festival board member.
“The city assisted with excavation of the area, while volunteers finished the project. This project was approved about
five weeks before Corn Festival 2007 and now we have been
able to accomplish it.”
“The river is a beautiful site for the carnival, and there
is no traffic to contend with, mayor Dick Kopczick stated.
“People walk down to the area over the pedestrian bridge.
The city has paid to have the ramp engineered and the project was submitted to the state last year. With the cooperation
of volunteers from various unions in the area, we will now
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have a ramp route for parents with strollers and those using wheelchairs as well as for senior citizens or anyone who
will feel more comfortable on a ramp,” he said. “It is a team
thing, once again. We have made a benefit to the state at no
cost to them, as this is Illinois and Michigan Canal property.
It is a benefit to the community as the people can use it and
it is a benefit to anyone visiting the I and M Canal.”
Mayor Dick Kopczick added, “We work together for the
benefit of all. We have enjoyed our lives together and still do
today. We are rich beyond belief.”
512 Twin Rail Drive
Suite 120
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209 W. WASHINGTON
Downtown Morris • 815-942-0035
Family Owned Since 1932
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Queen contest unique as Corn Festival
by Barb Nadeau
The contest to become queen of the
Grundy County Corn Festival is as unique
as the festival itself.
Corn Festival celebrates its 60 years of
success as a festival to celebrate successful
business and a booming economy and recognizes the collaboration between urban
and rural aspects of Grundy County. A look
back on this interesting history cannot be
complete without recognizing those elements that make it so unique and beloved.
New queen crowned Friday night
by Barb Nadeau
Rochelle Claire, daughter of Phil and Jayne
Claire of Morris, and a senior at Morris
Community High School, is the 2007 Corn
Festival Queen.
An incoming senior at Morris Community High school she plays several sports
including volleyball, basketball, and soccer.
Claire is involved in student activities, is
the secretary of student council, a National
Honor society member, and she plans to be
a member of the executive board this year.
She is a member of ski club, Spanish club,
and FCCLA (Family Career and Community Leaders of America) a group that does a
lot of home economics, fashion, foods and
volunteer work. “FCCLA is a lot of fun!” she
said. Claire is a member of M club, “That is
our varsity sports club,” she said. In addition to her busy schedule, Claire works at
Corleone’s Italian Restaurant in downtown
Morris, where she assists her parents, the
restaurant owners with customer orders
and preparing food.
Claire plans to attend a four-year college
after this school year, although she has not
yet decided where. “I an undecided as of
yet,” she said. “I want a big university and
I want to major in Public Relations. I want
to be an event coordinator someday.”
“The Corn Festival is the greatest time
of the year,” she said, acknowledging that
she is at an awkward age, not an adult and
no longer a kid. Claire said she enjoys going to see all the bands play and the fireworks, which are “definitely the best!” In
her earlier years she enjoyed all the kids
activities. The carnival is fun, but the best
part is the food everywhere! And it is still
fun to be downtown with everyone… and
the parade is fun too,” she said.
Claire’s favorite memory of Corn Festival, without a doubt though, has to be
Friday night 2007, when she was crowned
Queen of the Grundy County Corn Festival.
“I never thought of entering a pageant,”
she said. “I am much more of an athlete.
Providing protection for
what is important to you
and financial security when
you need it most
Terri Gilmoure,
But we were picked
to do this at school,
and I got the most
votes for my class.
I want to put this
on my resume,
because it is really
more than being a
pageant queen.”
Claire
recollected her past year
as Queen. “I got
crowned on Friday Rochelle Claire
night, and then
Saturday I did so many things. My chauffeur took me everywhere at Corn Festival,
the flea market, the derby races, the pie
eating contest, I was even in magic show.
It was so much fun. Then there were the
kiddies water fights. I had to go to the taste
tent and try different foods. I waved to everyone. It was fun!” she exclaimed.
During the weeks and months since,
Claire has been kept busy too. “I went the
very next week to Coal City. I was part of
the Veteran’s Day parade, the Christmas
parade, the Carbon Hill Homecoming,
Wilmington Catfish Days parade, Memorial Day Parade in Morris and Dwight
Harvest Days, which is the last big parade
before Corn Festival. Then on Friday night
I crown the new queen,” she said, officially
ending her reign as Queen of the Grundy
County Corn Festival.
For Claire, what began as a vote of confidence from her peers at Morris Community
High School and then a chance drawing of
her name from a hat, the position of Queen
of the Corn Festival has given her a new
appreciation of her community and the festival she has loved since her childhood. “It
was completely random, it just happened,
it has been so much fun,” she said.
As a child her favorite memory was of the
pumpkin-decorating contest that was once
held at the Farm Fair Tent. As a child her favorite memory was being crowned Queen.
One of those aspects is the contest that determines
the queen of the Grundy County Corn Festival.
Corn Festival was born at a time in America when
a pageant for queen of the festival was just natural. In
the early days of Corn Festival, women would compete
for the honor by competing with their fresh baked
bread. Meanwhile, a corn king honor was awarded for
the farmer who grew the largest ear of corn. That criterion was used to determine festival royalty from 1949
through 1954. Then in 1955, the contest for queen
changed with the queen chosen because she had sold
the most corn festival buttons. Changes to the contest
continued through the years and for a period of time
the queen and her attendants were chosen by popular
vote. In 1957 the Corn Festival queens were chosen
from the area high schools and five queens would
reign together over the festivities.
The current contest is unique. Area high school
students have voted for their attendants in a secret
ballot. It is a true ballot of peers. Candidates for the
honor of queen or her court must be current junior
class students. The candidates gather to represent
their student bodies Friday evening for the queen
coronation parade. The 2007 queen, Rochelle Claire,
will be in attendance as well. The names of all current
candidates will be placed in a hat and then one name
drawn. In that way it is a jury of peers who choose
role models they have and can look up to. All of the
communities of the county are represented, with
a chance draw from the hat to determine the lucky
winner who will then be called upon to represent her
county throughout the year at various events.
For Mary Lee Howard, a member of the queen
committee, this is the most elegant part of Corn Festival and the most fun to watch. The queen committee, consisting of Howard and Pam McCabe, get
everything ready for the crowning of a new Corn Festival queen including preparing the sashes and flowers, and assisting the current queen in the crowning
of the new queen.
“I go around town with the new queen to many
of the events, and it is so much fun to see Corn Festival through new eyes,” Howard said. What impresses
Howard the most is that this contest begins with a
jury of peers from are high schools and then ends
with the traditional draw from a hat. There is no favoritism, and all the crowned Corn Festival queens
are high school juniors, to ensure that the queen
is available and able to carry on her many duties
throughout the year.
Claire will place the crown on the head of the new
queen, who will reign over this year’s events. From
the contest to the parade, to the events of the weekend, to the opportunity to celebrate with all the citizens of the county throughout the year, this contest is
special in many ways. It celebrates the history of Corn
Festival and the successes of today’s youth. The title
of Corn Festival queen brings a smile of pride to the
faces of every lucky recipient, as she remembers her
days representing the communities she loves.
Queen float gets new look
by Barb Nadeau
The Queen Float has taken on a whole new look
with the creative abilities of Jim Scaman, Corn Festival Committee member. “We are ready to rock and
roll!” Scaman exclaimed about the new project. The
Queen Float has been used for several years and was
recently seen lighted in the 2007 Christmas Parade.
Committee members decided it was time to spruce
the old float up and make some adjustments.
Enter the committee of Jim Scaman and Colleen
Donahue, with the assistance of several other willing volunteers. “We have tossed around a few ideas
and we know we want to use permanent lighting
as part of the design,” Scaman said. The committee
has been researching other parade floats for inspiration through the summer months.
Scaman began working at Corn Festival during
the country show that was held years ago and then
was asked to chair the Corn, Grain and Flower
show. Soon he had added the Hobby and Handicraft Show to his list of duties for Corn Festival.
Scaman, who retired from Caterpillar, has made
a name for himself because of his creativity with
lighting. “I love decorating and I love Christmas, it
has gotten me involved in other creative ventures
as a result,” he said. His artistry in creating lighted
displays caught the attention of the Corn Festival
Committee, the city of Morris and others. Scaman
uses light, color and three-dimensional design to
create his illusions. “Art is in the eye of the beholder, in the eye of the person looking at it. Everyone’s
idea of what is art is different,” he humbly joked. “I
like to create illusions with light. It is creative and
artistic and the three-dimensional look is good in
light,” he added.
Scaman offered no hints, so the crowds will just
have to wait and see the float on parade night. “It will
be a little more comfortable for the queen and her attendants,” he said. “We will give it a whole new look,
with a color scheme that reflects fall. We will make it
all new and fresh,” he added. With that, Scaman concluded, leaving a little mystery to the imagination.
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Salutes the
CORN FEST VAL
on its 60th year!
Antique Tractor Display has become full Farm Machinery Show
by Barb Nadeau
The Antique Tractor Display has grown and become more popular each year as
Corn festival Crowds celebrate the history of agriculture in Grundy County, this
year becoming a full farm machinery show.
Coordinated by cochairmen Randy Carroll and Ron Hibler, the Antique Farm
Machinery Show will be held this year at Chapin Park Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Farm tractors, vehicles and smaller engines and machinery will be displayed
around the perimeter of Chapin Park offering a beautiful display to be enjoyed in
a spacious shaded setting. “Hopefully the fellas will bring a piece of equipment
that can safely travel down the parade route too,” Randy Carroll said. “In 2007,
there were about 35 pieces that were on display and paraded through Morris with
an additional 10 to 20 pieces of farm equipment on display throughout the weekend. We hope for 60 exhibitors this year and we think we will get them here, there
are a lot of people who are into restoring these antiques,” he added.
“Yes,” Ron Hibler agreed, “60th anniversary and 60 tractors is what we are hoping for. We should see some trucks, plows and small engines on display.”
New dated plaques are being made for this 60th anniversary year too as a special
gift to exhibitors in the show. Souvenirs are available for sale at the park.
Souvenirs, information available
by Barb Nadeau
Corn Festival souvenirs such as the
traditional bandannas and sweatshirts, T-shirts and baseball caps
available throughout the year at the
Corn Festival office can be found in
the Information Booth during Corn
Festival weekend.
The Corn Festival office is located
in the Chamber of Commerce building on North Liberty Street. During
Corn Festival weekend the Information Booth–at Liberty and Main
Streets. Volunteers are on-hand with
festival schedules and information
about all the events taking place
throughout Corn Festival weekend,
as well as information about the city
of Morris and the various vendors
and entertainers to be enjoyed.
Many people just stop to visit and
most want to take home a souvenir.
Among items available are new
2008 T-shirts featuring the image of
the historic corn farmer, starting at
$12 and children’s sizes at $8. Plain
Corn Festival T-shirts start at $12.
Long Sleeve T-shirts start at $15.
Children’s T-shirts are just $8..
Hooded sweatshirts are a favorite item starting at $25. Sweatshirts
begin at $20. Children’s sweatshirts
are $15. Hats are popular. Mesh caps
sell for $6 and fabric caps are $10.
Belt buckles sell for $7.
Other items include the “150
Year of Progress”, a historical book
by Ken Sereno, which sells for $10,
and coloring books are just $1. Can
coolers are popular items at $2
each, and Corn Festival Balloons
are just $1.
Volunteers decorate community
by Barb Nadeau
The streets of Morris reflect the excitement to come this week, thanks to
the efforts of a group of dedicated volunteers. These individuals gather corn
stalks and create bundles of harvested corn to decorate the streets of downtown Morris.
Bob Bols donates the corn stalks and delivers it to town on his flat bed truck,
after which the committee takes over. John Sparrow, Jewel Buttry, Ken Chismarick, Sue Morse, Bill Morse, and others decorate the entire parade route as well as
Washington Street, Route 47, Illinois Avenue and Liberty Street. The corn bundles are tied to light poles across town, and it is a long tedious process. Employees of Morris Public Works then hang green banners heralding the festival.
“We can always use more help,” commented Colleen Sklut, board member.
“It is not hard, it just takes long time.” Sue Morse, board member agrees. Many
hands make light work, and volunteers can get involved in Corn Festival in an
easy and fun way, by volunteering to assist the decorating committee as they
spruce up the town in anticipation of the Grundy County Corn Festival.
President ...... continued from page 1
this year’s events with your family and
friends.
As always, your neighbors have volunteered to provide a weekend full of
fun events for the whole family. Please
read about these people and the work
they do to make Corn Festival successful, not just this year, but every year.
Look through the schedule of events
and plan your weekend. We hope that
you will enjoy our 60th year.
Sincerely, Charles “Pete” Muffler
Grundy County Corn Festival President
Mayor ................ continued from page 1
play Saturday night. And if that’s not
enough to keep you busy, don’t forget
about Sunday’s parade; this year we
have approximately 160 entries.
Please join me in making the 60th
annual Grundy County Corn Festival
one of the best yet!
Call Today for a FREE Injury Screening.
815-941-7777
111 W. Jackson St.
Morris, IL 60450
www.southwestpt.com
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Pie Eating Contest continues in its popularity
by Barb Nadeau
The Pie Eating Contest goes on as usual
this Corn Festival weekend. It is one
of the most successful, old fashioned,
and fun events held during the Corn
Festival week. Kids and parents eagerly
await the chance to get a spot at the
table and to gobble down, or just as delicious an option, a chance to photograph the evidence left after this wacky
and fun event.
The Pie Eating Contest is held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Gazebo in Chapin
Park. “It will be great to have all the
people there at the park for the Pie Eating Contest,” Sue Morse, board mem-
ber said. “The antique tractors displayed in the Antique Farm Machinery
Show will be circling the park. It will
be great for the parents and children to
see,” she said.
The Pie Eating
Contest is so popular
that the Corn Festival
committee members
hope that those interested in participating
will sign up ahead of
time, if at all possible. Four age groups
participate each years
with children divid-
ed from five and six years old, seven
and eight years old, and 10, 11 and 12
years old. There is a limit of 30 contestants in each age range, and cash prizes
are awarded for the first three places in
each age group. The Pie-Eating Contest
is held Saturday right after the conclusion of the Kiddie Parade. It is old-fashioned sloppy fun, bring your cameras,
the photos will be priceless.
Moose offers parade
day shuttle service
IN MEMORIAM
Chuck Hammond
by Barb Nadeau
Chuck Hammond, longtime friend, supporter and participant in the
Grundy County Corn Festival passed away in May of 2008, leaving a
legacy of service to Corn Festival. Hammond had served on the parade
committee for many years, before that he was a band judge for the Sunday parade. He assisted in contracting band judges for the parade. Before
that, Hammond was a band director who brought his students to compete in the parade each year.
“He was great! We are going to miss him. I really don’t know what we will
do without him,” Colleen Donahue, parade chairperson said. Hammond
did a little bit of everything, helping Corn Festival in any way that he could
his widow, Diana Hammond, stated. “He enjoyed it. He enjoyed his community, and band was his big thing,” Diana Hammond said. “Chuck liked
to see the bands come and perform at the parade and he liked to see good
judging done,” she added. Hammond was a band director for Shabbona
District #54 and taught at Shabbona School for 27 years. He taught at Lisbon Grade School and Immaculate Conception School in Morris.
In addition to teaching, Hammond had a band instrument repair service.
He sometimes offered his services free of charge to his students. “He just liked to see the kids have an instrument and to have it working correctly,” Diana Hammond stated.
The father of four children and grandfather of two, Hammond loved to talk and visit wherever he
went. “He was always laughing and smiling, ‘ his wife said. “It is not hard to talk about him at all,” she
said. “We had many good years and many good times. I know we will be together again. I can put aside
my sorrow because he is happy now,” she added. Hammond’s involvement with Corn Festival, assisting in some way or another, lasted more than 40 years. Hammond passed away from cancer in May of
2008, after almost 43 year of marriage and upon his return from a family vacation in Mexico. His wife,
Diana Hammond and his four children, Christina, Peter, Beth, and Jessica and his two granddaughters
Natalia and Claudia survive him.
by Barb Nadeau
The Morris Moose Lodge will
offer shuttle service on Sunday, Parade Day, according
to Moose member and Corn
Festival committee member
Dick Chappelle. This is a new
opportunity for those Corn
festival visitors who wish to
avoid the parking dilemma in
downtown Morris the morning of the parade.
Rides will cost just $1.00 per
person. The buses are handicapped accessible. The Moose
is collaborating with the Morris Hospital and Health Care
Centers. Plentiful parking is
available at the Moose Lodge
property on Route 47 south of
Morris and the hospital has offered use of their buses for the
day.
“We will start to drive in
to the downtown area and
will drop off passengers and
then pick them up after the
parade,” Chapelle said. “The
hospital has four handicapped
accessible buses available for
use that day. We thought we
would give it a try an alleviate
some of the downtown traffic.
The cost of $1 per person
will just be used to cover our
fuel costs,” he added. The
Moose Lodge is located on
Route 47, south of the Illinois
River Bridge.
Chappelle stressed that
buses will be running throughout the morning hours beginning at about 10 a.m. and
continuing until everyone has
returned to their automobile.
Eight to 10 passengers will be
able to ride at a time.
“If you don’t want to fight
traffic we are available and it
will be a pretty nice ride for
everyone,“ Chappelle said. “It
will be good for everyone.
The buses are running, the
exposure is good for the hospital as it offers free advertising for them, and most importantly, people get the help
they need.”
Grundy County Health Department
Have pride in your
community!
2008
Grundy County
Corn Festival
Our forefathers established a country that
stands for Freedom, Independence and
Justice for All. They made a difference and
so can you!
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815-941-3116 or email
[email protected]
11
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• All Hazards Emergency
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Fax: 729-1022
Glenn Frederick,
IUPAT Business Representative
11
Corn Festival Celebrates 60 Years of Family, Friends and Fun
Grundy County Corn Festival began as celebration of good fortune, hard work
by Barb Nadeau
In 1949 the city fathers and businessmen determined
that they should celebrate the addition of new electric
lighting in the downtown Morris area. It seemed a simple idea back then, the city of Morris has become recognized as the largest inland grain port in the world, no
small achievement. The community of Morris was successful only because of the success of the farming communities surrounding it and the farmers themselves.
New city street lights and street blacktopping in 1949
gave the Morris Business Men’s Association a good reason to celebrate and they certainly wanted everyone to
join into the celebration.
Why not thank the farming communities of the
county and hold a party in their honor. There was a corn
king and corn queen to be announced and farmers competed with their biggest ear of corn, their wives bringing in their baked corn bread. A parade was planned for
Liberty Street and the Morris School band was featured
in that first parade. The crowds enjoyed apple cider and
everything was free. The night was recorded as offering
ideal weather and the crowd swelled upwards towards
11,000. Then at 7:30 p.m. the new streetlights were lit.
The populous were not ready for the change they saw.
Women were startled to see how pale their husbands appeared, husbands noticed a change in color in their wives
lipstick and makeup, and everyone wondered if they
could get used to this new addition to their home town.
The street and lighting project cost $114,619.84. After the dedication the crowd enjoyed a street dance and a
variety of entertainers and groups as they celebrated under the new lights till midnight. It was a huge success.
The following year the farmers were allowed to reign
over the city with a ‘Korny Kouncil’ which ordered all festival visitors to don farmer clothing. That started a long
history of bandanas and overalls. Contests expanded to
represent useful and fun corn related skills such as corn
husking contests hog calling contests and water fights.
At the third year of the festival a flying ear of corn with a
lucky number made its debut.
Patrons could purchase these flying corncobs each
containing a number and a name of an area merchant.
These flying ears of corn eventually evolved into the corn
festival button of today. The Corn Festival grew to three
days of fun contests, good food, and live entertainment.
Today it is hard to contain all the events and contests in
a full week of activity, and the city of Morris sees visitors
from several states gathering to reminisce and enjoy a
homecoming unlike any other.
The Grundy County Corn Festival began as a celebration of good fortune and hard work. It continues today
as a testament to the diligence and pride in accomplishment of the Grundy County residents.
It is a homecoming. It is a family reunion. It is a
thank you to the people of Grundy County. It is a celebration not to be missed.
Charles “Pete” Muffler, Sue Morse, to share honors as Corn Festival parade grand marshals
Charles “Pete” Muffler
Muffler has been a member of the Corn Festival committee since
its beginnings in 1949. He has never stopped working for the Corn
festival and his community. Throughout the years Muffler has been
searching for the perfect embodiment of a
parade marshal, always searching for the
person or persons who would serve as a
role model to all, someone chosen by their
community as a leader, a person to emulate,
and someone who has shown courage and
dedication. Muffler throughout the years
has dedicated this festival to the heroes of
September 11, 2001 to the first responders,
the police and fire fighters, to the mayors
of the communities, and to the military service men and women.
“I want the parade marshal to be the
unsung hero,” he said. “I want that person to be someone who does things behind
the scenes but gets no recognition,” Muffler said. Little did he know, as he searched
Charles ‘Pete’ Muffler
Grundy County communities and talked to
community leaders this year, that he had already been chosen as paand Sue Morse
rade marshal by his peers, the Grundy County Corn Festival Board
of Directors.
Muffler recalled, “I was 21 years old and was a member of the
parade committee that first year. My Dad was part of the original
group and I did the work. “My great father said, ‘you do it until you
get it right.’ I don’t know if I got it right yet,” he added.
“The parade wasn’t nothing in those days. We had a blue law
then and you could not get a parade band on a Saturday. When
the city council gave the go ahead, we changed the parade to
Sunday,” he recalled. “We wanted to make it the biggest and the
best, and we want to make it the biggest and the best this year,”
he said. “We had so many ideas through the years, some were
good, and some were not so good. I just do what I have to do
every year,” he added humbly.
Muffler, a traveling salesman has made many contacts throughout his business dealings throughout the years and he has made
many friends. A member of the Morris Fire Department for more
than 50 years, he is now a member of the fire department board of
trustees. Muffler spent 41 years as a baseball scout for the Pirates
and was active in the Lions Club, starting a scholarship program for
handicapped individuals as just one of his accomplishments.
As he communicated his desires for the communities of Grundy
County to come together in greater unity for past Corn Festivals,
fire chiefs, mayors and police chiefs responded. Community leaders
assisted Muffler in reaching for his goals, and thanked him again
and again for his efforts for his community.
The most important part of Corn Festival for Muffler is the community spirit “It is the best weekend festival in Northern Illinois,”
he stated emphatically. “She, the Corn Festival, is the Queen among
Button shows Corn Festival nostalgia
by Barb Nadeau
As Corn Festival is celebrating its past
and its future this year, in the 60th
anniversary edition, it is celebrating
60 years of Family, Friends and Fun.
Corn Festival memorabilia collectors
will recognize the corny little farmer
featured on the new Corn Festival
button this year.
His image was used in advertisements for the second annual and third
annual festivals, and he has returned
to invite all to join in the fun of this
year’s festival. His image will be featured on T-shirts available at the Corn
Festival office and the Information
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155 S. Broadway
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Have A Great Corn Festival!
Booth open in the downtown area during Corn festival weekend, the corn
farmer wears a wide brimmed hat, a
corncob shirt, and striped trousers. He
puffs on his corncob pipe with a smiling face, at his town, his crops, and
his achievements. First seen in 1950,
he is featured this year in the new button artwork.
He is the grandfather of Corn
Festival. “I don’t remember where
we came up with that picture,” said
Charles “Pete” Muffler, Corn Festival
president and member of the Corn
Festival committee since its inception. “He’s nostalgic!” exclaimed Col-
leen Donahue, Corn Festival board
member.
The button is a different shape this
year too, a rounded rectangular shape
that shows just the upper torso of the
corn farmer of days gone by. But the
button, that very important little button still contains your lucky number.
Remember to buy your commemorative button and wear it proudly, and
don’t forget to look for your lucky
number for the six weeks following,
as prizes will be published and winners awarded valuable gift certificates
throughout the busy shopping season
ahead.
Queens,” he added.
Morris mayor, Dick Kopczick, stated that Pete Muffler was the
perfect choice for parade marshal. “Pete is a staple of this community. His family owned a dry goods store and he grew up downtown.
Pete is a jewel of this community. He is a blessing and even those
who do not know him know all he has done, and they have benefited from him and what he has done,” Kopczick said, adding, “This
community is extremely blessed with a lot of people who volunteer.
People who have moved in have said they have never seen anything
like it. Pete is a driving force in our community for 60 years.”
Sue Morse
Sue Morse was a young girl during the first Corn Festival in 1949.
She marched in the very first parade never knowing then what an
impact Corn Festival would be throughout her life.
“I was in shock,” she said, of learning that she was chosen to join
Muffler as parade marshal this year. “I did not know what to say. I
always like to work behind the scenes and help in any way I can. I
have been working on Corn Festival for a long, long time. I don’t
remember how long I have been on the board. I don’t check milestones like that. I just take a job and do it,” she said.
Morse, now retired, was the administrator of the Grundy County
Home for 35 years. She has been retired for the past six years. Morse
is the Grundy County Corn Festival Board Secretary.
“They ask people who have volunteered, and I was co-chair of the
Hobby and Handicraft Show for years and years. The Corn Festival
board offered a position to me. Morse worked on the pie eating contest for several years, and she is part of the decorating committee.
She said her time on the board has involved a lot of listening
through the years. “We all work independently and then we come
to learn and to listen. We trust each other too, like John Sparrow
who is working to complete the ramp and Jewel Buttry who is filling
the Taste of Corn Festival Tent with vendors. For me, Corn Festival
is the interaction of the people and the cooperation of the businesses and the strangers who come into our community,” she said.
“Corn Festival was always that little vacation time, that ‘stay-cation’ where we can have fun for a whole week. That has always been
special to me,” she said.
The vote to make both Muffler and Morse dual parade marshals
was unanimous and the decision was made surreptitiously, on an
evening when both were unexpectedly absent.
“We all decided it was what we wanted to do,” Jewel Buttry said.
“Will you please do it for us?’ Colleen Donahue, board member
asked. “I like Sue,” Muffler said humbly. “I will do it with Pete,”
Morse added.
“I want to say the honor belongs to Pete alone, and I am humbled by it, that is for sure,” she added. “I guess it’s got to be the both
of us,” she said. “You deserve it!” the board replied to the two in
unison.
Together Muffler and Morse represent 120 years of service to their
community and to Corn Festival, who better to exemplify what
Muffler always wished for Parade Marshal, “the unsung hero.”
Mayor Dick Kopczick reminisces............................................
by Barb Nadeau
Mayor Dick Kopczick, mayor of the city of Morris
since 2001, is a lifelong resident of Grundy County
and the City of Morris. A blue jeans and T-shirt kind
of guy, the mayor just wants to be a good neighbor. “I have a job that comes with a title, I take the
job seriously, not the title,” he said. “I don’t want a
rift between the mayor’s office and the people.”
Kopczick is now in his eight year as mayor and a third
generation native of Morris and Grundy County. “I
take each ribbon cutting event I attend seriously, every business is important to the community.” Kopczick
sees his job a similar to others. “Whether your job is being a student, a teacher, a priest, or a cop, some days are
fantastic and some days are the pits; every job has ups
and downs,” he said. “Well, Corn Festival is a lot of fun
if you are not mayor,” he laughed. “Tens of thousands
of people come here during Corn Festival, and I never
thought about it. I just enjoyed the camaraderie of seeing old friends. All of a sudden I became the father of
20,000 kids!” “I enjoy it though,” he added. “People
come to visit and it can take three hours to walk a half
a block, everyone has something to say.”
Mayor Kopczick said that before becoming mayor
of the city of Morris, his favorite memory was of walking down to the parade after Sunday Mass. As an older
youth he remembered riding downtown on his bike for
fun, and as an older person his favorite memories have
been seeing friends that you might not see often. “This
is the homecoming for the alumni of the city. It is a
class reunion for everyone,” he added.
Mayor Kopczick said Corn Festival is doing something right. The Corn Festival committee is a group of
people with a great hometown spirit. They give to the
community of their time and effort…and heartache,
but they reap extreme satisfaction. Corn Festival has
the ability to continually draft good people of like
mind, idea, drive and foresight,” Kopczick said. “These
are great qualities that they all hold,” he added.
“Corn Festival has improved Morris in many ways.
Our Police and Fire Departments and Public Works [Department] have become a ‘well oiled machine’. They
are fast and well organized. Even the garbage collection,
which includes the assistance of the scouts of the area,
is fast and well organized,
according to Kopczick.
What once was a celebration of Morris; as the largest
inland grain producing area
in the world has become a
venue for concerts, cruise
nights, Brown Bag Fridays
and other events. Corn Festival has helped shopping
and has given Morris an
identity,” Kopczick said.
“We were once an island in a sea of agriculture, and
we survived very well. We act as neighbors here. We know
when our neighbors are on vacation and they know when
you are. Too many people theses days forget these things.
I don’t want Morris to forget it. We know each other well.
Growth happens,” The mayor continued. “It happens at
a rate that we can control, though. You are welcome to
join us, but not change us,” he concluded, as the identity
the people of Morris and Grundy County have created is
one that is well beloved and cherished.
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LYONDELLBASELL
8805 N. Tabler Road
Morris, 815-942-7800
Saluting Our Ag Community
STATE REPRESENTATIVE, CAREEN GORDON
760 E. Division Street
Coal City, 815-634-3096
[email protected]
CAL’S PRINTING
123 W. Illinois Avenue
Morris, 815-942-6556
See Us for All Your Printing Needs
GRUNDY COUNTY SHERIFF, TERRY MARKETTI
Morris, 815-942-0336
Saluting Agriculture–Our State’s Largest Industry
McARDLE GRAIN AND COMMODITIES
9080 S. State Route 47
Dwight, 815-584-2155
www.macfutures.com
WALNUT GROVE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
1095 Twilight Drive
Morris, 815-942-5108
For All of Your Assisted, Independent, Skilled and Retirement
Community Living Needs
CHICAGO TITLE INSURANCE
124 E. Jefferson Street
Morris, 815-942-3678
FOSSIL RIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
386 W. Kennedy Road
Braidwood, 815-458-2187
www.fossilridge.org
GRUNDY COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER HOSPICE
Executive director, Joan Sereno
1802 N. Division Street, Suite 222
Morris, 815-942-8525
People Helping People in Their Time of Need
HOMES BY HOLMES
10605 N. Tabler Road, Morris, 815-467-5788
General Contracting, Remodeling and Room Additions
Serving Our Community for Over 40 Years
MORRIS ANTIQUE EMPORIUM
Still open with an eclectic selection at good prices!
Call for hours: 815-941-0200
RON JOHNSON INSURANCE COMPANY
5565 Barrington Road
Morris, 815-942-3555
Cell: 815-347-2938
MARK WILLS PIONEER SEED
1720 S. Carbon Hill Road
Coal City, 815-634-8872
Cell: 815-482-6935
“Technology That Yields”
WCSJ FM 103.1, WJDK FM 95.7 and WCSJ AM 1550
219 W. Washington Street
Morris, 815-941-1000
5K Run/Walk has new start, end points
by Barb Nadeau
Morris Hospital and Health Care Centers sponsor the 5K Run/Walk each year, held Saturday
morning. This year the 5K Run/Walk features a new route with a start and finish at the White
Oak School.
The hospital has changed their name recently, reflecting a new change in focus as well.
The Morris Hospital is now known as the Morris Hospital and Health Care Centers, according to Leigh Anne Hall, Wellness Coordinator. Hall has served as the race director for the 5K
Run/Walk past four years. Hall stated, “The hospital’s new name shows that it is going beyond
being a hospital, and it also alludes to the many centers located in Minooka, Channahon,
Newark, Marseilles and Wilmington.”
About 350 people participated in the 5K Run and Wellness Walk in 2007. There were
225 runners, 120 walkers and children participating. Once held at the Illinois and Michigan
Canal Tow Path, the organizers soon discovered that the path was too narrow for the number of participants attending each year. This year they moved the event to the White Oaks
F.M.B. presents Farm Fair
First Midwest Bank offers
their 2008 version of Farm
Fair as they celebrate 60
years of family, friends and
fun with the Grundy County Corn Festival.
Each year Farm Fair offers a venue for community groups to earn some
money by hosting heir
fund raisers during Corn
Festival weekend under the
Farm Fair tent.
The Farm Fair atmosphere
has been a successful compliment for organizations such
as Newark FFA, Seneca FFA,
Grundy County Hospice,
Grundy County Farm Bureau, American Legion Post
#294, Grundy County 4-H,
Morris Lions Club and the
Kendall County Pork
Producers.
While there are some
commercial
vendors
who offer food products at Farm Fair, the
community really rallies to support the 4-H
youth in the Cut Meat
Auction held Saturday
at 12:30 p.m. and the
dance troop of Muellers School of Dance
who perform in recital
there Thursday at 7:00 p.m..
Other groups benefit as well
including the Newark and
Seneca FFA chapters who
provide the Chicken Dinner
held in the Farm Fair tent
from 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday. Grundy County
Hospice hosts a Pork Chop
Dinner in the Farm Fair Tent
Friday, from 4:30 p.m.- 7:30
p.m.. The American Legion
Post #294 Pork Chop Dinner
will be held Saturday from
4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at the
Farm Fair Tent. Sunday, from
11 a.m. until 2 p.m., the
Morris Lion’s Club will hold
their BBQ Chicken Dinner
in the Farm Fair Tent.
In addition, Taft’s “Mr.
1010 W. US Route 6, Morris
Rib Eye” Sandwiches and
the Kendall County Pork
Producers are both available
with concessions, and an
antique tractor show sponsored by the Grundy County Farm Bureau and the First
Midwest Bank will be on display every day of Farm Fair.
Miller’s Petting Zoo arrives
Friday, thanks to co-sponsors
First Midwest Bank and the
Grundy County Corn Festival. And the White Elephant
and Bake Sale will be held
at the west parking lot until
noon Friday. Registration for
the Kiddie Tractor Pull Saturday will be held at Farm Fair
too. The Grundy County
Farm Bureau and the Big R
Stores of Morris sponsor the
Kiddie Tractor Pull.
First Midwest Bank sponsors FARM FAIR. It is offered
to the community as a benefit for the following organizations, Newark FFA, Seneca
FFA, Grundy County Hospice, Grundy County Farm
Bureau, American Legion
Post #294, Grundy County
4-H, Morris Lions Club and
the Kendall County Pork
Producers.
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Kiddie Parade, Saturday
by Barb Nadeau
Sentimentality and community pride reigns
supreme when the children of Grundy
County prepare for their very own parade,
the Kiddie Parade, held Saturday afternoon
at Corn Festival.
Costumes and pint sized floats, a chance
to play dress up in the midst of a busy world,
these children take their parade quite seriously and offer festival crowds a chance to
step back into time and enjoy childhood
once again.
Downtown Morris is fortunate to be able
to host such a fine parade each year during
Corn festival week, and the children enjoy
a fleeting experience that
has been lost
from so many
communities
in the United
States.
The children
dress
as the kings
and queens of
Corn Festival celebrating their communities
past traditions as well as the yearly theme of
the Corn Festival week.
Sarah Vilt has served as the chairman of
the kiddie parade committee for many years.
Grundy County Farm Bureau
Terry Dingbaum, DDS
4000 North Division Street • Morris • 815-942-6400
Est. 1978
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216 E. Illinois Avenue
Morris • 815.942.5444
108 E. Jefferson Street, Morris • 815-416-0630
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Proud sponsor
of this years
Corn Festival
• Medicare Certified Nursing Home
• Physical Therapy
• Respite Care
• IV Therapy and Wound Care
• Speech Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Private Medical Suites
Returning
Coal City
660 S. Broadway
815-634-2131
Diamond
1275 E. Division St.
815-634-4415
Includes: Cable TV and DVD
player, private line phones,
daily newspaper, comfortable
space for family and friends.
Dwight
578 W. Commercial Street • Marseilles • 815-795-5121
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the Grundy Bank parking lot.
Prizes will be awarded to every child
participating in several categories including
best king and queen, best theme, most original, and best tractor or wagon.
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She encourages children to participate, hoping each year for more decorated bikes,
wagons and toy tractors. She enjoys seeing
the creativity of the kids and the parents as
they are challenged each year by the various
themes. This year, the theme, “Corn Festival
celebrates 60 years of Family, Friends, and
Fun” leaves the imagination room to go wild
with ideas about what Corn Festival means
to these children and their families
The Kiddie Parade is set to start at 1 p.m.
and travels down Liberty Street. Line up will
begin at 12:30 p.m. at Chapin Park. Participants will walk, ride, or be carted from
Chapin Park to Liberty Street, and down to
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School. The 3.1-mile course includes a Tot Trot for children eight years old and under–they
are invited to run in the 5K if they so choose. Walkers and runner will travel the roadways in
the area and the route will be clearly mapped and identified with signs along the roadway.
Hall stated she was thankful for the assistance of Steve Huetteman of the Morris Police in
the planning for this year’s race. “There is a nice area to finish at the bus lanes at White Oaks
School, and the school is working with us to prepare for this year’s race,” she said. “It is a
good thing for the community and for the school too. There are bathrooms available and
more parking,” she said, adding, “Hopefully having the event at White Oaks will take care
of everyone’s concerns.”
302 W. Mazon Ave.
815-584-1890
www.centrue.com
800-452-6045
Eutychus Falling FRIDAY • 7:30 P.M.
Eutychus Falling will perform on Friday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Center Stage, at Liberty
and Jackson streets.
Eutychus Falling is a four-man band playing
straight ahead rock with some blues-rock influences. They play a wide range of covers from
bands such as 3 Doors Down, Live, Train, Stevie
Ray Vaughn, Joe Walsh, CCR, and Nickelback.
They write and play some of their own music
live. Depending on the song, their sound is reminiscent of bands like 3 Doors Down, Pearl Jam,
Live and the Black Crowes. While at times you
can hear these influences the band has managed
to create their own unique sound of heartland
rock covering a wide range of dynamics in their
music from in your face hard rock to emotional
acoustic ballads. True to their Midwestern upbringing in the small towns of Illinois, Eutychus
Falling entertains their fans by simply playing
down-to-earth quality rock music. Their music is
authentic, passionate, true rock.
Eutychus Falling has been writing music and
playing clubs, bars and festivals throughout Illinois since 2001. They love to play live and crowds
respond well to their music as is evident in their
fast growing local following. The band released
a six-song demo in February 2004 and released
their first full length CD, ‘These Three Remain’,
in April 2005.
The members of Eutychus Falling have been
playing music most of their lives. Josh Campbell (lead guitar) and Brian Weber (lead vocals,
guitar) serve as the songwriters in the band and
have been collaborating on music for more than
10 years. Campbell and Weber write the majority of Eutychus Falling’s original songs together.
Josh Jahn (bass, vocals) and Brian Walker (drums)
round out the rhythm section and complete the
cinergy needed in any successful band. They
have most recently played in the bands Seed and
Inaccurate Conception respectively.
Junkyard Dawgs FRIDAY • 8 P.M.
The Junkyard Dawgs are scheduled to play
Friday, September 26 at 8 p.m., at the North
Stage, on Liberty Street north of Benton, in
downtown Morris.
Junkyard Dawgs have been playing in the
Joliet area for the last 15 years. The band includes Larry Brown of Joliet, on guitar, and vocals; Tim Costa of Channahon on guitar, keyboards, and vocals; Tony Girot of Diamond on
the harmonica and vocals; Ray Rowe of Shore-
wood on bass and Phil Stofko of Rockdale on
the drums, and vocals.
The Junkyard Dawgs will take you on a
rock ‘n’ roll journey from 1960s rock groups
such as Shadows of Night, The Doors, and Jimi
Hendrix, to the 1970s with rock songs of the
Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Pink Floyd and Santana. They plan to include even more modern
groups such as Los Lonely Boys, and Green
Day in their Corn Festival appearance. The
Junkyard Dawgs venture into a Southern Rock
sound with the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd and
Marshall Tucker.
The Junkyard Dawgs gave been featured
musicians at several area festivals including
the Joliet Fest, the Joliet Pumpkin Fest, and
the Joliet Car Show as well as the Shorewood
Fest, and Channahon Fest. Enjoy the sounds of
Classic Rock and more as Junkyard Dawgs take
the North stage, 8 p.m. Friday.
Dueling Pianos SATURDAY • 8 P.M.
Dueling Pianos have been around as long as there have been
pianos. Beethoven wrote for four hands. There are accounts
of piano duets and duels between Chopin and Liszt, Count
Basie and Oscar Peterson, all the way up to Billy Joel and
Elton John.
As a nightclub phenomenon, Deuling Pianos started at
the still existing Pat O’Brian’s in New Orleans in 1938. The
act began changing from a risqué jazz/blues act to a rockoriented show in the mid 1980s and branched out to several
clubs in Texas, with the first Dueling Pianos club north of
the Mason-Dixon line opening in 1989 at the legendary Baja
Beach Club at North Pier in Chicago, and that’s when Mick
Archer comes into the picture.
A pro musician since the age of 13, Mick Archer trained at
The American Conservatory in Chicago and The University
of Illinois, where he earned his degree. The Chicago Tribune
said, ”Mick Archer is…an impressive master of ceremonies.
Whether it’s putting hecklers in their place or singing an
original, the Southside native is a natural showman.” Archer
was leading jazz trios, playing the blues clubs, and fronting
his own original rock bands as a guitarist as well as a singing
keyboardist when Dueling Pianos arrived in Chicago. Out of
a field of more than 100 candidates, he was hired on the spot
and began his dueling career, partnering with some of the
finest rocking pianists in the country, many with whom he
still works with today.
After more than a decade in the clubs, Mick Archer
cleaned up the act and took it outside of the nightclub setting and presented the act to colleges, corporate, private and
civic events and even seniors groups.
Mick Archer has made many TV, radio, and recording
appearances as featured act, sideman and jingle performer.
He has shared a stage with
such legends as The Drifters, The Platters, The Dells,
The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Ted Nugent, Styx,
Ray Charles, Jay Leno, Tito
Puente and many of the
finest of Chicago’s blues
and jazz greats. He has appeared nationwide and in
eight countries, including three months as resident pianist
at the Westin Tokyo.
Saturday, September 27, Archer brings this amazing performance to Corn Festival with a concert beginning at 7 p.m.
at the Center Stage. Don’t miss it.
New Invaders SATURDAY • 8 P.M.
The ‘New Invaders’ are coming to Corn Festival with a performance scheduled for Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. at the South Stage,
at Wauponsee Street and Illinois Avenue.
The ‘New Invaders’ perform a wide variety of hits from the 1964 British Invasion
including the American bands of the era
through the Woodstock era of 1969. Their
song list includes a wide variety of hits by
British bands such as The Kinks, The Hollies,
The Dave Clark Five, The Who, and Ameri-
can bands such as The Monkees, The Turtles,
Steppenwolf, and more. The ‘New Invaders’ play the music of the later Psychedelic
(Haight-Ashbury) and Mod (Carnaby Street)
eras as well as some of the familiar one hit
wonders of the 1960s. It’s truly a magical
musical journey back to a ‘groovy’ time
when great music was important.
Using vintage instruments and attire, The
‘New Invaders’ become the musical acts they
tribute with sight and sound authenticity
that is incredible. Both fans growing up listening to this music and all the teen generations that followed cannot resist grooving to
the infectious beat and mesmerizing lyrics of
these great songs of the 1960s as performed
by The New Invaders.
Corn Festival crowds will be grooving
Saturday night. Don’t Miss the fun, join the
New Invaders at the South Stage, at 8:00
p.m.
Slippery When Wet SATURDAY • 8 P.M.
Two solid rock bands will perform at the
North Stage, at Liberty Street North of Benton Avenue, Saturday night. The fun begins
at 7 p.m. when “Wick Duo” will be in concert offering the hard rock sounds of Stone
Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Sublime and the
mellower sounds of John Mellencamp. Afterwards, “Slippery When Wet” will take the
stage, performing at 8 p.m..
“Slippery When Wet” launched in February of 2003 as a “Bon Jovi” tribute band with
a rock solid sound. “Slippery When Wet”. The
band’s project designer and drummer Steve
Dunne, along with original band member,
Matt Miller on keyboards and vocals, have
come a long way from where they started. The
band has broken down and passed through
many obstacles on their way. After weathering many storms and changes through the
years, they feel content that the appropriate
elements have finally come together to create
their quality sound.
With the addition of rock solid bassist
Wayne Kruzinski and guitarist Mike Krupo-
wicz, a professional in all musical aspects,
and finally the front man power rock vocalist
T.J. RoXX, the band leaves nothing to be desired, fulfilling their fans rock and roll needs
always.
The band continues to grow stronger and
their fan base grows at every concert. Many
bands pay tribute to Bon Jovi and the famous
‘hair bands’ of the 80´s, but few capture and
portray the sound, energy, and spirit like
“Slippery When Wet.”
Heavy Vinyl SATURDAY • 9 P.M.
Heavy Vinyl makes its first Corn Festival Appearance on
Saturday night at 9 p.m. at the Center Stage, at Liberty and
Jackson Streets.
Heavy Vinyl has a heavy metal sound and plays cover
bands including Aerosmith, Hinder, Pink Floyd, Ratt, Bon
Jovi, Van Halen, UFO, Def Leppard, 3 Doors Down, Creed,
Velvet Revolver, Ozzy, Night Ranger, Judas Priest, Tom Petty,
Cheap Trick, ZZ Top, Metallica, Kiss and more.
Heavy Vinyl feature Led Vocalist and Z Rock Records’ recording artist Joe Dokken, known as one of the Chicago area’s top vocalists. Lead guitarist and background vocalist, Pat
Cassidy, from the Chicago land band of Shadoz Edge, adds
the edge to the band’s guitar work with a solid command and
performance. Lead guitarist, Mike Walsh formerly of Festes
Rage is a perfect compliment to the Heavy Vinyl guitar section. Drummer and percussionist, Scott Gebel, formerly of
Force Ten, brings his technical power and finesse to the stage.
Bass guitarist and background vocalist Phil Jurca, formerly
of Fluid Motion, plays backbone style bass with groove and
technical ability.
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Festival parade biggest, best parade in Midwest
by Barb Nadeau
The grand Corn Festival Parade held Sunday
afternoon each year, has boasted to be the
biggest and the best in the Midwest for many
years. Why? Because of the spirit of community that abounds from it, swirls around it,
and continues to drive it.
The two and a half hour long parade features bands, community groups, fancy floats
and some quite simple floats too. It features
miniature vehicles and fancy driving, youngsters displaying pride in their American Flag,
politicians and supporters handing out surprises and placards, bands in all shapes and sizes,
riders on horseback and more, it features all
the elements that make up any good parade.
But the Grundy County Corn Festival parade began 60 years ago, in an effort to cel-
ebrate the accomplishments of all the members of the community. It was not ever meant
to be better than any other parade, or to
show of one element of the community over
another. It was never meant to feature one
team, one business, or one event. Instead,
this parade was started to celebrate community, industriousness, intelligence, neighborliness, working together, and everything that
helped to promote the achievement of the
American Dream for the people who live in
Grundy County.
So, no one can enter the city of Morris
Sunday of Corn Festival week, and not get
caught up in an indescribable feeling of joy
over the success of this county, and the love
they share for their home and their life here.
“We hope for a good parade and great
weather every year, “Colleen Donahue, parade chairman said humbly. “We know we
will have plenty of help,” she added.
In fact the Corn Festival Parade committee is assisted by an army of volunteers from
Donahue and her assistant Fred Lestina, to
the members of the Grundy County Corn
Festival Board of Directors, to the members of
Brothers of Grundy A.B.A.T.E.
The community too, contributes, through
their considerate and polite attitudes, and cooperation in setting up and removing chairs,
and helping to keep their community clean
before during and after parade day.
All work together to create a living breathing testament to community, embodies symbolically in the biggest and best parade you’ll
ever find anywhere in the Midwest!
Lestina assists bands, judges, parade committee
by Barb Nadeau
Fred Lestina, member of the parade committee, is a retired band director from Minooka
Elementary School, assists the judges who
will award bands on their contributions to
the parade.
Lestina farms in Wilmington and performs
in the Wilmington Community Band and the
Wilmington Concert Band. He helps Donahue in contacting and contracting bands to
perform at the parade each year. “We hope to
get a couple of new bands this year,” he said.
“But it is a very busy time for high school
bands. There are many competitions at the
same time and a busy sports schedule.” The
parade usually hosts about 13 bands from
junior and senior high schools. Professional
judges are brought in to judge the bands, and
that competition is one of the reasons the
bands want to come out. “The judges are professional trained judges,” Lestina said. “The
bands are judged on specific standards and
the band directors are looking for the verbal comments that will help them improve
their program.” Lestina directed bands for 32
consecutive years of marching. “We had our
share of success and as I was a band director, I
was very grateful, to the Corn Festival people.
That is why I came back to help.”
Our three judges are looking for different
aspects. There is a marching and maneuvering judge, who is looking to see if the band
is in step, with lines straight and with good
posture. The musical judge is determining if
the band is playing the song correctly and
is looking for the dynamics, the expression
and the tempo. The general effects judge is
looking at the overall appearance of the band
and the music and movement they provide
in their performance. “It is quite a process to
judge these bands. It is more than just lining
up and walking down the street, if you have a
quality band,” he said.
“The Corn Festival parade has built a tradition of being a very competitive parade. It
brings out the best in our area,” Lestina said.
The level of competition is very high in all
categories whether it is for junior or senior
high schools. An award from the Corn Festival parade is a mark of excellence.
Awards will be presented in three places for
four classes for high schools and three classes
for junior high schools. Additionally awarded
will be the Best High School band, the Best
Junior High School band and the Best Drum
Line, Best Auxiliary, Best Horn Line and Best
Drum Major.
Corn Festival fireworks Entertainment lineup
103.1 and WJDK FM 95.7. The show starts
promptly at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Boaters are welcome to watch the fireworks from their boats if they are anchored
close to shore on the north side of the river.
The city of Morris Fire Department will be
providing security on the water. Once the
introductions begin at 8:25 p.m., boaters
must not move into the secured area.
Special thanks are offered once again to
Exelon – Dresden Generating Station for
sponsoring the fireworks display; the Grundy
County Corn Festival, John Sparrow, Corn
Festival board member; Eric Binder, PowerWerks DJ & Karaoke Service; Kevin Schramm
and Jack Daly - WCSJ/WJDK; Rolf Helland,
Illinois Truck and Equipment; Steve Shannon, Ayers Electric; Greg Brandt - Brandt
Excavating; John Shaw - Central Limestone;
Morris Police Department; Morris Fire Dept;
Morris Public Works Department; IDNR
– Stratton Park; Rob Leasure, and Jeff Shaw.
Don’t miss the show, Saturday, 8:30 p.m.
at Stratton Park.
A big highlight of every Corn Festival is the
Fireworks display held each year on Saturday night at Stratton Park. “The anniversary
show will be significantly more impressive
than the previous year, which is pretty exciting,” said Jeff Shaw, chairperson of the fireworks display. Exelon – Dresden Generating
Station has sponsored the fireworks display
for many years, each time offering a bigger
and better display. “We’re looking to bring
back the strobes... the unique shells and to
spread out the effects onto a bigger canvas
above the water’s edge,” Shaw said. Viewers
will really want to get up close and watch
this year’s performance reflecting off the water. “Those peaking through the buildings
will only get a fraction of the effect,” Shaw
added, so if Corn Festival crowds want to see
a great show, come down to Stratton Park,
“Host a fireworks party at the park this year,
on a boat, or on the shore, because it’s going
to be huge,” Shaw said.
The show is accentuated each year by
a musical simulcast provided by WCSJ FM
A full musical entertainment lineup
awaits you as you enter Morris to celebrate the 60th anniversary celebration
of the Grundy County Corn Festival.
Wednesday is set to begin with the
Talent Show sponsored by WJDK/WCSJ
at 6:30 p.m. on the Center Stage.
The Guitar Hero contest will be held
from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Taste of
Grundy County Tent.
Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
the Center Stage will host the dance
exhibition. Krazy Karaoke will be held
beginning at 6 p.m. at the Taste of
Grundy County Tent.
Friday offers an incredible lineup of
talent beginning with Eutichus Falling
from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on the
Center Stage. Visitors have their pick of
two great musical options from Junkyard Dawgs on the North Stage; and
County-wide organization
providing programs to
businesses of every size
and services to residents.
Pre-owned Boats 18’ to 65’
Brokerage service
Marine accessories and parts
Service for I/O and Inboard engines
SALES & FULL SERVICE MARINA SINCE 1961
623 West River Drive, Seneca • 815-357-8666 • www.SpringBrookMarina.com
ALL ROADS LEAD TO HERITAGE MANOR-DWIGHT!
Morris
If you are looking for experienced, high-quality
nursing home care your destination is
HERITAGE MANOR-DWIGHT.
Call us today for more information,
or stop in for a tour.
(815) 584-1240 Pontiac
16
909 Liberty St. * Morris
660 S. Broadway * Coal City
www.grundychamber.com
x Community Information
x Chamber Gift Certificates
x Relocation Information
x Business Referrals
x Maps / Phonebooks
Wine Tasting
& Auction
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5
4 - 7 pm
701 Liberty Street • Morris
* A variety
of wines from all over the world!
* Gourmet Appetizers
this year—Beer Tasting on the Patio
* Auction benefits the Chamber Scholarship Fund
* New
ADVANCED TICKETS REQUIRED—JUST $30 EACH
CALL 815-942-0113
McDonald’s of Morris
welcomes you to this year’s
Grundy County Corn Festival
Wilmington
Coal City
We are less than 30 minutes away from Morris,
Herscher, Coal City, Wilmington & Pontiac.
Our distinguished care is worth the drive.
We offer a variety of nursing services,
including therapy and short-stay
rehabilitation services.
Bucky Covington in a country concert
at the South Stage—both performances
are from 8 p.m. until midnight.
Saturday night, enjoy the Dueling
Pianos on the Center Stage at 7 p.m.,
and at 9 p.m. Heavy Vinyl is set to
follow. Wick Duo starts the musical
entertainment at the North Stage at 7
p.m. opening for Slippery When Wet
who take the stage at 8 p.m., together
they offer a rock solid evening of entertainment. The New Invaders will
perform at 8 p.m. in a 1960’s show at
the South Stage.
The North Stage is at Liberty Street
north of Benton, the Center Stage is
at Liberty and Jackson Streets, the
South Stage is at Wauponsee Street
and Illinois Avenue and the Taste
of Grundy County Tent is on Main
and Franklin Streets.
47
DWIGHT
Route 47
Morris
55
17
Herscher
55
300 E. Mazon Avenue, Dwight
www.HeritageOfCare.com/dwight
Celebrating together.
Baby Show and Photo Contest, registration deadline Sept. 17
by Barb Nadeau
“Oh what a beautiful baby” no wait, babies, babies, babies!
It must be time for the Grundy County Corn Festival Baby
Show! The Baby Show features more beautiful babies year
after year, in what has to be one of the most popular events
of the week long festival.
Tina Fonck, has coordinated the Baby Show for the past
13 years, and continues to enjoy visiting with the beautiful
babies who have, through the years, grown up. Some even
help out now at the show as new parents show off their own
beautiful babies. “I look forward to the Baby Show every
year,” she said. “It is fun to see a baby who is now a high
school graduate on their way to college. I see moms and kids
out shopping and I will be struck to think, this is one of the
babies from my show.”
The Baby Show is held the Sunday before Corn Festival
week at the Morris Community High School Auditorium, featuring children aged six months to five years old. Boys and
girls are judged separately, with prizes awarded in three places
for the age appropriate contests. Babies are judged for
personality, disposition and overall appearance. Fonck
reminds parents that all the babies are cute. But the
little ones will only have a moment or two to impress
the judges. There is a twins’ category, too.
The Baby Photo Contest features photographs submitted in advance and judged before the Baby Show.
Ribbons and trophies will be awarded on the day of
the Baby Show. Each year there is no way to tell how many
children’s photographs will be submitted for the photo contest. The Baby Show, however, has a registration limit of 20 in
each age group and category, so pre-registration is required.
The Photo Show allows parents to enter a 5x7 or 8x10 professional photograph, and more than 100 babies and children
participate in the Photo Show each year. Complete details are
listed in the 2008 official Corn Festival booklet.
Strict deadline for registration has been employed for
several years because of the popularity of this show, and all
criteria is listed in the official Corn
Festival booklet. Entry forms can be
picked up at the Corn Festival Office
or printed from the official Corn Festival Web site. www.cornfestival.org.
No entries are taken over the phone
or by mail or fax machine. The deadline is Wednesday, September 17,
2008, and entries must be hand de-
livered to the Corn Festival office. On the day of the show,
babies and their parents must check in 30 minutes before
their child’s competition, and times are listed in the booklet.
The official Corn Festival button is the necessary admission
price for the Baby Show.
Parents need not worry too much about buying expensive clothing for their babies, the babies should just look
nice, neat and clean as a happy and friendly baby is the best
contestant. However, many parents enjoy showing off their
children’s interests and talents through coordinating outfits.
Twin Oaks Savings Bank employees assist Art Show
by Barb Nadeau
The Art Show held a the Morris Public Library is co-chaired by Jill Behning, of Twin
Oaks Savings Bank, and Sherry Lewis Miller,
and staffed by bank employees, library staff
and patrons.
Now held upstairs at the Morris Public Library, the show is seeing more visitors than
ever before. “We had lots of help in 2007 too
and this year’s art show should be good,”
Miller said.
The art show is held during library hours
Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Corn Festival week. The show is a collaborative effort of
library staff, employees at Twin Oaks Savings
Bank, the Morris Water Color Guild and the
Delta Phi Art Club from Morris Community
High School. Hundreds attend each year to
see the exhibits from artists in the area. “The
lighting upstairs is much better and we have
a much nicer space now, Miller stated, referring to the past when the show was held in
the lower level of the library. The library
staff seems to like the change as well.
Behning has been visiting and helping
out at the Corn Festival for several years,
but is now in her first year as the co-chair
of the Art Show. “My job really just consists of staffing the art show with workers,
who will assist visitors and collect voting
slips,” Behning said, adding that there are
many other volunteers who help to set up
the show. Twin Oaks Savings Bank has been
involved for some time in the Art Show.
“We supply everyone we can, and there
are library patrons and employees at the li-
brary who help too.” Everyone employed at
Twin Oaks Savings Bank gets involved, said
Behning, as they are a small staff. “We are a
small staff of just four employees,” she said.
“It is very nice here.” Behning has been
involved through past employers in working Corn Festival events such as the tractor races and the chicken dinner. “I don’t
mind helping whatsoever,” she said. “Twin
Oaks Savings Bank, as well as myself, support Corn Festival 100%! It is a great family
event. It is a big appreciation party for the
town, and it is wonderful,” she said. “The
parade, in particular, is amazing to me,” she
added. Behning thanked the employees for
their efforts for Corn Festival, stressing the
amount of hours everyone spends to help
out. They include, Candyce Connor, Caitlen
Redmond, Jessica Lea, and Matt Knott.
Art Show exhibitors can expect to see
ribbons awarded for best of show, adult 2D
and 3D design, high school 2D and 3D design, best of show youth, ribbons are awarded in all categories for youth as well. The
show boasts several hundred entries each
year and the chairpersons point out that
involvement from the watercolor guild and
other very talented members of the community help to make the show a success.
“School aged kids are encouraged to enter
and it must be working, Miller said, regarding the increased number of entries in recent Art Shows. The Art Show will be held
during regular business hours at the Morris
Public Library, Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Corn Festival week.
Crackerbox Derby Day, Saturday, at Goold Park
by Barb Nadeau
Do you want to see a real blast from the
past? Do you want to enjoy a historic and
fun filled family event and challenge your
children to experience success in a unique
way? Then bring them down to the Crackerbox Derby held Saturday morning at Goold
Park. The races begin at 9 a.m. and are offered through the volunteer service of Boy
Scouts and leaders from Boy Scout Troop
469 of Morris with assistance of National
Honor Society members from Morris Community High School.
Stan Motter, Scoutmaster of Troop 469
says his troop has grown 300% this year and
while older boys have grown up and gradu-
t
s
e
w
d
i
MTO SERVICE
AU
ated out of the troop. Younger boys have
joined the scouts, in part because of the fun
activities and service projects the troop participates in. “The kids are excited and the
Crackerbox Derby is a nice fund raiser for
us, the funds we raise through our concessions at the Crackerbox Derby will become
our treasury for the year,” Motter said.
The Crackerbox Derby is open for children aged first through eighth grade and a
Corn Festival button is mandatory for each
driver competing. All cars must have three
wheels and dimensions and specifications
are listed in the Corn Festival booklet. Derby cars in each category will compete on a
sloped track and the crowds gather to cheer
drivers as they descend the track in a very
precise timed event.
Motter said the troop is trying to introduce a kit car category and have dropped the
pro class this year. Demonstration runs will
be done with the kit car and the new car will
become part of the competition next year.
Every car in that category will have the same
wheels and the trick to winning will be who
can drive the straightest, who can maneuver
the track the best, and who used the force of
gravity to their best advantage. “At a thousands of a second in two runs, skill has to be
a deciding issue,“ Motter said.
So it is plain to see that Grundy County
youth take racing these derby cars very seri-
ously. Anywhere from 95 to 105 cars compete on average each year in the Crackerbox Derby. Cars are often recycled through
families and can always be found in the late
fall on the Swap shop radio program. The
new kit car class may change that in the future however, with youngsters challenging
themselves to create their own new cars, and
compete to the best of their ability in the
new kit car class.
“Driver skill is a good thing,” Motter said.
The judge’s ruling is final and a spirit of fair
play and an emphasis on safety is of utmost
importance, as the Corn festival offers this
time-honored tradition of Crackerbox derby
races Saturday at Goold Park.
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815-94
We won’t say you need it, unless you really need it.
We Buy:
• Scrap Metals
• Copper
• Aluminum
• Brass
“I’m so glad that car
repairs don’t cause
me any stress.”
Commercial Recycling of All Commodities Available
C. Andrjesky
2600 Beyer Road, Morris www.cardinalrecycling.com
Main Office: 815.416.1500
“Thank you for
your kindness.”
erience.
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C. Walters, Minooka, Ill.
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Our Tech
Nelson
Publishing, Inc.
17
Fax: 815.416.1501
Monday - Friday 8am-4:30pm • Saturday 8am-noon
This Project Partially Funded by a Grant From
Drive in... ed...
Get Weigh
Get Paid!
17
Have you heard?
There’s a new doctor’s office
in our community!
McEvilly RD
5
McEvilly RD
55
N Bell RD
To
80
S Ridge RD
McLindon RD
Yellow Pine DR
6
CARDINAL FITNESS
6
6
W Eames ST
55
S Yellow Pine DR
HIGH SCHOOL
E Hansel RD
N Ridge RD
DOLLINGER’S FARM
27025 W. Eames Street, Channahon, IL 60410
We have great news. Two new family practice
doctors have just opened their office on Route
6. Now everyone in your family—from babies
to older adults—can be seen in the same convenient office location.
Jan Mohan, MD and Prashant Mistry, MD are pleased
to be accepting new patients into their family practice office.
The doctors will be providing comprehensive
medical care which will include healthcare for men,
women and children; annual physicals, sports physicals
and check-ups; immunizations for the entire family; and
work-related injuries.
Over the next few weeks, the doctors will be introducing
themselves to our community.
To schedule an appointment, or for more information, call (815) 467-1988.
The doctors accept most insurance plans, including Medicare.
Doctors offices opening
in September.
Convenient evening and weekend
appointments available. Call (815) 467-1988.
18
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 ___________________________________________________________________
Noon ................................... Baby Show – Morris High School Auditorium
2:00 – 5:00 pm .................... Photo Show Entries Accepted – Bethlehem Lutheran Church
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 __________________________________________________________________
4:00 – 6:00 pm .................... Art Show Entries Accepted – Morris Area Library
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 ______________________________________________________________
PROGRAM OF EVENTS
10:00 am – 9:00 pm ............ Farm Fair - Wauponsee and Washington Streets
11:00 am – 9:00 pm ............ Taste of Corn Festival – Liberty and Main Streets
4:30 pm – 7:30 pm .............. Chili Supper – First Presbyterian Church
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm .............. Skinner’s Amusements Carnival – Wristbands $15
5:30 pm ............................... Nick’s Kids Show – free entertainment for all ages – Riverfront City Park, south of I&M Canal
6:30 pm ............................... Talent Show – sponsored by WCSJ/WJDK – Center Stage, Liberty and Jackson Streets
7:30 pm ............................... “Guitar Hero” Contest – Taste of Corn Festival Tent, Main and Franklin Streets
60th
Annual
Grundy
County
Corn
Festival
Nelson
Publishing, Inc.
19
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 ________________________________________________________________
9:00 am – 9:00 pm .............. Farm Fair - Wauponsee and Washington Streets
10:00 am – 8:00 pm ............ Art Show – Morris Area Library
11:00 am – 9:00 pm ............ Taste of Corn Festival – Main and Franklin Streets
5:00 pm ............................... Spotlight on Grundy County Dancers – Center Stage, Liberty and Jackson Streets
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm .............. Skinner’s Amusements Carnival – Wristbands $15
5:30 pm ............................... Nick’s Kids Show – free entertainment for all ages - Riverfront City Park, south of I&M Canal
6:00 pm ............................... Krazy Karaoke – Taste of Corn Festival Tent, Main and Franklin Streets
7:00 pm ............................... High School Bands perform – Center Stage, Liberty and Jackson Streets
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 ____________________________________________________________________
8:30 am – 11:00 pm ............ Farm Fair- Wauponsee and Washington Streets
10:00 am - 5:00 pm............. Log Home Festival – 4380 W. Southmor Road
11:00 am – 2:00 pm ............ Brown Bag Friday Concert – Grundy County Courthouse Lawn,
sponsored by WCSJ/WJDK and Grundy Bank
11:00 am – 7:00 pm ............ Ham and Bean Dinner – First United Methodist Church
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm .............. Corn Grain and Flower Show – Grain Entries Accepted – First Presbyterian Church
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm .............. Hobby and Handicraft Show Entries Accepted – First Presbyterian Church
5:00 pm – 10:00 pm ............ Skinner’s Amusements Carnival
7:00 pm ............................... Queen Coronation Parade with Coronation immediately following at Center Stage –
Liberty and Jackson Streets
7:30 pm ............................... “Eutychus Falling” – Center Stage, Liberty and Jackson Streets
8:00 pm ............................... “Junkyard Dawgs” – North Stage, Liberty Street, north of Benton Street
8:00 pm ............................... Bucky Covington – South Stage, Wauponsee Street and Illinois Avenue
8:00 pm ............................... “Doug’s Dancers” – 200 block Liberty Street
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 ________________________________________________________________
8:00 am – 4:00 pm .............. Craft Show/Flea Market – Grundy County Fairgrounds
8:00 am – 10:00 am ............ Corn Grain and Flower Show – Flower Arrangement entries accepted – First Presbyterian Church
8:00 am – 5:00 pm .............. Log Home Festival – 4380 W. Southmor Road
9:00 am -11:00 pm .............. Farm Fair – Wauponsee and Washington Streets
9:00 am – 5:00 pm .............. Antique Farm Machinery Show – Chapin Park
9:00 am ............................... Crackerbox Derby – Goold Park
9:00 am ............................... Morris Hospital 5k Run – Start/Finish at White Oak Grade School
10:00 am ............................. Kiddie Water Fights – Wauponsee Street, in front of Morris Fire Station,
sponsored by Morris and Gardner Fire Departments
10:00 am – 8:00 pm ............ Photography Show – Bethlehem Lutheran Church
10:00 am – 10:00 pm .......... Skinner’s Amusements Carnival – Wristbands $15 from Noon – 4:00 pm ONLY
Noon – 7:00 pm .................. Hobby and Handicrafts Exhibit – First Presbyterian Church
Noon – 7:00 pm .................. Corn Grain and Flower Show – First Presbyterian Church
12:30 pm ............................. Lineup and Judging for Kiddie Parade – south side of Chapin Park
1:00 pm ............................... Kiddie Parade
2:00 pm ............................... Pie Eating Contest – Chapin Park Gazebo
5:00 pm ............................... Nick’s Kids Show – free entertainment for all age – Riverfront City Park, south of I&M Canal
6:00 pm ............................... Outdoor Worship Service – First United Methodist Church
7:00 pm ............................... Dueling Pianos – Center Stage, Liberty and Jackson Streets
7:00 pm ............................... Wick Duo – North Stage, Liberty Street, north of Benton Street
7:30 pm ............................... TT Nelson Orchestra – Morris Fire Station #1
8:00 pm ............................... Slippery When Wet - North Stage, Liberty Street north of Benton Street
8:00 pm ............................... “New Invaders” – South Stage, Wauponsee Street and Illinois Avenue
8:30 pm ............................... Fireworks – sponsored by Exelon – Stratton Park
9:00 pm ............................... Heavy Vinyl - North Stage, Liberty Street north of Benton Street
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 ___________________________________________________________________
Attend the church of your choice
9:00 am – 1:00 pm .............. Antique Farm Machinery Show – Chapin Park
11:00 am.............................. Nick’s Kids Show – free entertainment for all ages – Riverfront City Park, south of I&M Canal
11:00 am.............................. Dance Schools perform – 300 block Liberty and 100 block West Washington
11:00 am.............................. Pork Burgers – First United Methodist Church
11:00 am.............................. Lions Club Chicken Dinner – Farm Fair, Wauponsee and Washington Streets
11:00 am – 2:00 pm ............ Corn Grain and Flower Show – First Presbyterian Church
11:00 am – 2:00 pm ............ Hobby and Handicraft Exhibit – First Presbyterian Church
Noon ................................... Kiwanis Big Wheel Race – 200 block Liberty Street
Noon – 1:45 pm .................. Photography Show – Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Noon – 4:00 pm .................. Skinner’s Amusements Carnival – Wristbands $15
Noon ................................... Delight’s Swingin’ Dixlieland Band – Reviewing Stand – sponsored by City of Morris and Musicians Local 37
12:30 pm ............................. Jesse White Tumblers and On Broadway Dancers – 400 block Liberty Street,
sponsored by Broadway Dance Center and Shantel’s
2:00 pm ............................... Grundy County Corn Festival parade
19
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Chevy • Buick • Cadillac
Coloring
2008 Contest
Your One-Stop Super-Shop
1850 North Division Street, Morris
815.942.0030
www.taltyautos.com
2 Lucky Winners will each
Win an
Apple iPod!
Categories are:
Boys and Girls 4-6
Boys and Girls 7-10
2 ways to be eligible
1) Drop off entry at showroom
and receive a $19.95 oil
change coupon
2) Mail to dealership:
Talty Chevy Buick Cadillac
1850 North Division Street
Morris IL 60450
Winners to be announced
September 28, 2008 on
name: _________________________________________________________
address: _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
age: _______ phone: _____________________________________________
Nelson
Publishing, Inc.
21
CONTEST RULES: Contest is open to boys and girls aged 4-10. There will be two age categories, 4-6, 7-10, and
one winner will be chosen from each category. Paint, crayons, felt tip pens or pencils may be used. All entries
must be received by noon Saturday September 27, 2008. The decision of the judges will be final.
21
Get your Corn Festival Button—just $1
by Barb Nadeau
At just $100 per button, the Grundy County Corn Festival has offered a superb
festival for 60 years.
From hobby and handicrafts and fruits and grains, to big name entertainers
and local area bands, from homemade goodies to the best in festival foods, it is all
available at the Grundy County Corn Festival. Family memories are made from
the water fights to the ‘Biggest and Best Parade in the Midwest’, all through sales
of little $1.00 buttons. If that is not enough of a reason to buy a handful to give to
family and friends, each button carries a number and a chance that it may be drawn
from a hat for one of several are gift certificates.
The Grundy County Corn Festival, a celebration of business success in Grundy
County offers the Corn Festival button owner the chance to shop at a downtown
location with gift money with thanks for the support of the festival.
Winning numbers are drawn each week following the Corn Festival. To be
eligible to win, you must own a 2008 Corn Festival Button. The following button
prizes will be awarded:
1st - $500 Gift Certificate from Grundy County Chamber of Commerce
2nd - $400 Gift Certificate from Grundy County Chamber of Commerce
3rd - $300 Gift Certificate from Grundy County Chamber of Commerce
4th - $200 Gift Certificate from Grundy County Chamber of Commerce
5th - $100 Gift Certificate from Grundy County Chamber of Commerce
6th - $50 Gift Certificate from Chapin’s
7th - $50 Gift Certificate from D.J.’s BP Gas Station
8th - $50 Gift Certificate from D.J.’s BP Gas Station
Winning button numbers are announced each Monday following Corn Festival.
Information on button winners is available through the Corn Festival Office at
815-942-2676, on the Corn Festival Web site, www.cornfestival.org, announced
weekly on WCSJ FM 103.1 and WJDK 95.7, and published in local newspapers.
Haylee Barry, Immaculate Conception student, button box artist
by Barb Nadeau
Congratulations to Haylee Barry, the featured artist on the
Button Boxes for the 60th Anniversary Corn Festival.
Barry is a student at Immaculate Conception School
in Morris. She is the daughter of Tom Barry and Adrienne
Brady, both of Morris, and the student of Mrs. Rhonda
Johnson and art teacher, Mr. Joe Corsello of Immaculate
Conception School.
Barry featured a whimsical corncob figure on her button box sign artwork, with a black top hat, wearing the
Corn Festival button on his breast. The top hat proclaims
“corn rocks”, and the Price tag for the buttons is clearly
marked in corncobs too.
Barry’s creative artwork won over the popular vote
during the 2007 Grundy County Corn Festival and allowed her artwork to be featured this year throughout the
county at various locations wherever Corn Festival Buttons are sold.
“Haylee is a real sweetheart, her principal, Mr. Kim
DesLauriers commented. “She was so excited when I told
her that she had won this contest,” he added. Barry was
a fifth grader when she received her
award from Corn Festival board members, Pete Muffler, Jim Maskel and Colleen Donahue. She was presented with
a $100.00 bond for her efforts.
DesLauriers commented that ICS is
very interested in participating in the
community. “Mr. Corsello has had students enter this contest, and others like
it, for years because he is very community minded.” DesLauriers added, “We,
here at ICS, try to cooperate with the
community and Corn Festival is big.”
Becoming active through types of contests is one way to teach the students
about the broader community that
they are a part of, and it is a valuable
part of their lives, DesLauriers said.
Corsello, Barry’s art teacher, has
been teaching for 50 years. Before coming to ICS, he taught at Morris Com-
munity High School for 33 years.
He has seen many other students
win the button box contest in
the past. “I think it is good for
the kids that someone other than
myself compliments them. This
offers another view of their artwork,” Corsello said. “We have
had good luck in the past with
this contest,” he added. Many of
his students have continued on
in their pursuit of art as a career
as teachers and professionals.
Corsello commented that, “Haylee is a very contentious student.
She is a perfectionist in her work.
She really wants to please her
teachers and her parents and she
is academically pretty smart too.”
I am so happy that she won, “ he
added. “It is really great!”
Area residents show off Corn, Grain, Flowers and Hobby and Handicrafts
by Barb Nadeau
“I am hoping for a good show full of
flowers after all the rain we experienced
earlier this year,” said Jim Scaman,
chairman of the Corn Grain and Flower
show.
The show is held each year during
Corn Festival week at the First Presbyterian Church. New categories have been
added recently, and Scaman hopes that
everyone is working on their entries.
“Hopefully the warm weather and rain
will continue to help those gardeners
who want to enter the show,” he said.
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Scaman hopes to see more soybeans and corn
entries. “It is harvest time! Bring in a peck! That
is only about a handful,” he said. “We have a giant category too for pumpkins and corn stalks.
Two year ago an iris came in and I was amazed.
I asked how they were able to bring in an iris,
and I learned they had a re-blooming variety.
All the new varieties are welcome, “ Scaman
said.
Scaman enjoys seeing the ingenuity and creativity of the exhibitors. “Last year an all green
arrangement was brought in, every flower and
plant was a shade of green, I was so shocked
to see what the exhibitor did, it was something
new,” he said. “We are seeing bigger and bigger
entries too.”
Scaman chairs the Hobby and Handicrafts
Show and is amazed by the entries that come
in each year. Visitors will see stenciling, scrap
booking, doll houses, furniture, jewelry and
card making as some of the new things that
have been appeared of late in the Hobby and
Handicrafts show. Woodcarving and birdhouses
are quite popular. “We try to keep up with the
times and keep categories open for old standby’s too,” Scaman said. “We always try to offer
a chance for exhibitors to show the new trends.
And we try to offer those things the younger
people are doing. Anything that the kids do,
they are welcome to bring in,” he added. “We
always encourage the youth to bring in their
artwork and gardening entries. They are the future of Corn Festival.”
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Grundy County Corn Festival 2008

Transcription

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