F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 5

A “John the Barber Foundation” Publication

“Nothing but good news and good people doing great things from the Arlington, Cherry, Ladd, Seatonville/Hollowayville, Spring Valley, and Dalzell area”

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Just have to say this……about the Hall High 2014 Illinois State Scholars

Did you happen to see the announcement of the 2014 Hall High State Scholars in December. “John the Barber” just had to say “wow, looked like a “Ravioli Alley Alumni Name Club”…..Bezely, Faletti, Golden, Hermann, Loehr, Scheri, Tonozzi! Looks like a page from the 1979 Hall yearbook (or 1959 or 1939)! Great job long time Ravioli Alley families and parents! You are doing a super job and we are all proud of you!

St. Thomas More Dalzell Promises Great Time and Fellowship

at February 14, 2014 Wine Tasting Fund Raiser

Get ready! Escape those late winter doldrums a the St. Thomas More Dalzell Wine Tasting fund raiser at the church hall Friday Feb 14, 2014 from 6:00 p.m. til 8:30 p.m. Let’s hear it for Rudy’s Liquor of LaSalle for sponsor-ing the event! Along with a great selection of wines there will be plenty of domestic beers to choose from to satisfy your taste buds. Get ready for a

wide array of appetizers and desserts including an awesome chocolate fountain! Tickets are $15 ahead / $20 at the door. Everyone is trying to win the grand prize raffle item, “Twelve Months of Dining out with your Sweet-heart.” Wow! That’s twelve nights out guaranteed throughout the year to restaurants all over the Illinois Valley! Other very cool raffle items include two 30-minute massages for him and her donated graciously by Butterfly

Landing. To order tickets ahead call Julie at 815.894.2006 (mornings Mon-day – Friday) or Dawn Patenburg at 815.228.4857. Stop in at Rudy’s Liquor in LaSalle and buy tickets there too! If anyone interested in donating raffle

items or appetizers/desserts for event...you may also call committee volun-teers. All proceeds help support St. Thomas More Dalzell parish.

Praying that other parishes and churches in the whole area show that John the Barber spirit and turn out BIG for St. Thomas More. Now is your chance to do something alittle bit “Great!” If you can’t make it, just send a

donation. They will really appreciate your help!

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Don’t Forget:

Cherry United Church of Christ/Holy Trinity Cherry Pie & Coffee

Social Hour, first Thursday

of each month. 1:30 – 3:30

at Cherry Church Hall. Bring a friend!”

Remember

”Legacy Girls” presented by the

Ladd 125th March 30, 2014

Wanted: Original copy of the booklet

put together for Ladd's 100th anniversary

twenty-five years ago. If you have a copy to sell or give

away, please contact John the Barber

Foundation. A couple of

"Ladd Alumni" would greatly

appreciate your help!

Hey parents and grandparents! Sign up the kids for St. Pat’s Arlington/Holy Trinity Cherry

2013-14 Religious Youth Education! You are doing a great job ensuring that your kids’ and grandkids’ “physical, social, and educational health” is in

good shape. Don’t forget their spiritual health! All faiths’ welcome. Classes on Sunday mornings. Please email or call Julie at JulieHTC@Outlook.com /815.894.2006 (mornings Tuesday – Friday) to register your child.

www.CherryHolyTrinity.org

Current Pope Francis is receiving international attention for his strategy to encourage people to act in a Christ-like way every day….helping the needy, elderly, and the under-privileged (sound familiar JTB members, URA readers?) A nationally rec-ognized writer commented on the Pope’s widely discussed strategy by saying “For this to become a reality, we must not be content with the status quo. We must embrace a missionary spirit – one that extends the limits of what we do in the service to our neighbor. We must be willing to go the frontiers and reach to those on the margins.” Ravioli Alley Translation: “Hey buddy, time to stop thinking that tossing a couple cans in the food drive or helping your friend shovel his drive is really cool. Do something 'on the edge'...'reach out to those on the margins...so that your friends will look at you a little weird.....apologize to your old rival! Respect that fella down the street that others do not! Shock YOURSELF and somehow find a needy person you don’t know in an adjunct town and send them an anonymous gift….the minister or priest there can point you.”

Quote from Berklee Linnig, age 11, of Ladd when asked about giving to the needy said "If I had to give someone a gift that cost nothing, I would choose to go to the Veterans Home. I would volunteer to serve the food there, go see the veterans, and give them what they need. I would play my saxophone to entertain them and over all I would sit down and talk to them. I think our veterans deserve our respect and a gift of our time." Read this one over a few times! Hey Berklee...you rock! Quote from Olivia Ernat, age 11, Dimmick "I would give up my time to go to a nursing home and visit the elderly. I would gather up a small group of people and play card games or board games. Then I would fix them some lunch and tell jokes. Next I would play some music for them. I would bake treats for a nighttime snack. Finally I would say goodbye and leave with happiness." Hey Olivia...you are in big trouble for stealing this quote from Alice Ring, Bonnie Templeton and their team who put on the monthly Pie & Coffee Social Hour in Cherry! Don't worry, just volunteer to come one month and they will forgive you! Awesome quote about Pope Francis from east coast archbishop Tim Dolan “Pope Francis is reminding us of our Christian obligation to physically perform works of mercy. To take care of the poor, to visit the imprisoned, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to welcome the stranger, to tend to the sick. This is what pastors should do and what every parishioner should do to!” “Ravioli Alley Translation:” None needed….although we at JTB like to emphasize helping the elderly and under-employed too specifically. The “clothe the naked” part is a bit of stretch but if you see any naked folks walking about “Ravioli Alley,” go ahead and help them!

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Great comments received about “Up Ravioli Alley Connie Piano Nadolny of Dalzell says “Wonderful, wonderful….what a ‘brainstorm’….my sister Bev in Arizona just loves it….can you please send it to her? She really misses home and ‘Up Ravioli Alley’ makes her laugh and laugh. Thanks so much for all you are doing.” Diane Kellett Data from Oglesby now living in Peru said "Very inspiring newsletter! Thanks!" Michele Macocco originally from Cherry and now of Lake Forest, Illinois says "Over the last 29 years I have told so many people about Cherry and "Ravioli Alley" and what a special place it was/is for me, but I've never had anything to really prove it. "Up Ravioli Alley" really helps me finally get that done! No matter where I live or visit, it will always remain my favorite place in the world and my home." Johnnell Manfredini originally from Dalzell now of Chicago says "Just love "Up Ravioli Alley!" Touches on so many good memories of growing up in Dalzell." Debb Ladgenski of emailed URA to her friends and commented to them "I just received 'Up Ravioli Alley and it is described as a "Good News" publication and it definitely lives up to its reputation! I enjoyed the January issue and took the time to read the previous on-line editions. It is a great initiative and I encourage you to share your "good news" with them for future issues. Congrats to the John the Barber Foundation and their efforts at pro-moting our home towns and their positive qualities of life!" Dean Soldati of rural Arlington said "My brother Joey just forwarded by 'Up Ravioli Alley' and just loved reading it...brought back a lot of old memories. Thanks!"

Ladd 125th Anniversary Committee Fund Raising via Exciting 50/50 Ticket Sales

Total for 2015 Ladd 125th Anniversary 50/50 currently stands at $ 1,425.00 (winner gets $712.50) .

Tickets now available at North Central Bank, Special Effect Barber/Beauty Salon, Softtails Bar and Grill, Lanuti’s Restaurant, and the Ladd Village Clerks Office.

Winner will be drawn at the Ladd 124th anniversary this summer June 7, 2014. Proceeds will help make the event in 2015 a memorable one!

Remember…..”Legacy Girls” presented by the Ladd 125th March 30, 2014 Just a reminder, don’t miss the chance to see this great act at the

Ladd Grade School, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Sunday March 30, 2014. The “Legacy Girls” solute the Andrews Sisters and other great artists

from the 40’s – 60’s. For tickets and more info call Sandy Galetti at 815.894.2954.

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Ladd 125th Trivia Night Saturday February 22, 2014:

February is a month that needs some fun things to do like this huh?

St. Pat’s Arlington Famous Sausage Making Event, Saturday March 1st, 2014

Wow, time sure flies! St. Pat’s Arlington will again be making sausage and selling as part of a parish fundraiser this coming Saturday March 1, 2014. This is a semi-annual money making project to benefit the church. Orders may be placed by calling Lauren Koch 815.638.2224 or Ann Hunter 815.638.2691 by February 26, 2014. Sausage will be available for pickup on Saturday March 1, 2014 at the church hall between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and on Sunday March 2, 2014 after 10:30 a.m. mass. The sausage will be served at the annual St. Patrick’s Arlington Pancake and Sausage Breakfast to be held on Saturday March 16, 2014 at Bishop Franz Hall in Arlington. Be a good John the Barber follower and buy twenty pounds for your family and twenty pounds to give away to the elderly and needy in your neighborhood! Drop a card in the mail or send email to “John the Barber Foundation” listing Nuco Fonderoli’s real/given first name and be registered in a drawing to win twenty points of sausage!

Please send on this to former 'Ravioli Alley'

folks who have left the area. Get us their email

address and we will email to them every month!

An URA reader writes “They asked my

daughter’s first grade class to write what their

goals were for 2014 and my daughter wrote ‘I want to learn to swing better.” Not sure what

how that relates to “Good people doing Great

things” but we just had to print it anyway!

It's TRIVIA TIME in Ladd! Think you know a lot? Time to prove it! Do YOU have what it takes? Round up your brightest friends and head to the Ladd Moose on Saturday, February 22, 2014 to take part in Ladd's 125th Celebration Committee's TRIVIA NIGHT. (No devices, just brains allowed!) Have fun with friends and family as you test your knowledge, logic and wit! Tables of ten compete against one another in general trivia categories during ten timed rounds of ten questions each. Fee is $10 per person. Max of ten participants per table - individual players will be grouped to create teams. (You need not have a complete team to attend.) To reserve a table, call Mike or Nina Urbanowski at (815) 894-3337. Reservations are recommended as space is limited. Doors open at 5:30 pm and quiz begins promptly at 7:00 pm. Roast Beef sandwiches and chips will be available before the contest begins. Cash bar throughout the even-ing. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the top 3 winning teams. (50/50 draw-ing and raffles throughout the evening.) Come on all you “Ravioli Alley” folks from outside of Ladd….do something “alittle Great” and show Ladd your support! The Ladd folks are doing a great job supporting church and town efforts in other towns! Let’s return the blessing!

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Corrections The Ladd 125th Committee's "Legacy Girls" show is Sunday March 30, 2014.

Previous issues of URA has incorrectly listed it as Saturday. One thing that we definitely got right is that it is going to be an AWESOME time! BE THERE!

Here’s a few quick Rav-notes...

Hey Hall High School Senior Ashley Keegan! Awesome job! As you probably read, Ashley won first place in the local VFW Voice of Democracy audio essay competition and then went on to win the District 9 regional competi-tion! This year’s theme was/is “why I am optimistic about our nation’s future.” Congrats to Ann Maller, Hall High English IV instructor for her awesome efforts with Ashley and all her students! Ashley is the daughter of Kelly and Tom Keegan of Ladd.

The village of Ladd in partnership with the Illinois Municipal Utilities Association has four $500 college scholarship opportunity for any high school senior child whose parents or legal guardians are residential customers of the Ladd Municipal utility system. Deadline to turn in applications is March 7, 2014. To find out more and get an application call IMUA at 217.789.4632. Great job Ladd leaders! Thanks for driving this effort!

Time to get off to a great health start in 2014! Heritage Health Therapy and Senior Care will hold a FREE health check program Thursday February 27, 2014 at the Ladd Community Center from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The pro-gram will include blood pressure and diabetes checks by licensed nurses. Presentations will be given including “Balance Testing and Exercises for Balance” by physical therapist Adel Mendoze and “Eating Healthy” by dietician Debbie Miller. A free lunch will be served and following the event the social gathering of Ladd seniors will meet for Bunco and dessert.

“Ravioli Alley” salutes the LaMoille High School Pinterest Club for making eighty sets of Christmas mittens for the kids at Van Orin Elementary School. The Special Education life skills class designed the gift tags too! Several of the twenty students involved in the club had never touched a sewing machine before. LaMoille Lions rock!

Ladd American Legion Auxiliary Continues to Receive Applauds for Awesome Holiday Season Efforts

Geri Devert and her team at the Ladd American Legion Auxiliary went way above and beyond the call of duty this past Christmas season delivering on a number of efforts to benefit the community. Their escapades were covered in the January 2014 issue of “Up Ravioli Alley.” Hoping they are all resting up and catching their breath here in the early weeks of the new year. The best way to say THANKS to Geri and her gang is simply “help them when they need help.” Another great way is simply to JOIN them and get your hands dirty. Best way to join is to call Geri at 815-894-2269 or Marilyn Pavinato at 815-894-2047.

Mr. St. Bede Academy” “Mr. SBA” Evening of Entertainment Heading Your way March 1, 2014

The annual “Mr. SBA” fund raiser to benefit St. Bede Academy is on track again this year, targeting March 1, 2014, 6:00 p.m. at Celebrations in Lasalle as the date, time, and place of this exciting show. If you have never seen this

spectacular event you need to get it on your 2014 “Ravioli Alley Bucket List!” Contestants put their heart and soul into their own awesome unique performances. 2014 contestants include Matt Cessna, Dave Hancock ’77, Brother George Matsuoka, Mike Brown ’73, Mr. SBA 2013 Gary Yaklich, Father Ronald Margherio ’68, Deacon Tom Jagiella

& Randy Martinaitis ’90 and Mike Rosploch ’87. Father Ron Margherio is from a long time Ladd family so that “Ravioli Alley” blood definitely flows through his veins.

Contact Bonnie at 815.250.0342 or bprokup@st-bede.com for tables and individual tickets.

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Good People Doing Great Things” in the military Talk about true guts! The story of Dalzell WWII hero James Faletti is one that you will repeat to others. Born in Dalzell in 1917, he joined army in February, 1942. His Father Joseph had been born in Italy so it must have been emotional to be fighting there in the terrible cold February, 1944. He was a member of the famed 135th Regiment of the U.S. 34th division. The scene was the infamous Battle of Monte Cassino (also known as The Battle of Rome) and US and British forces were attempting to crack the famous German “Gustave Line.” The performance of 34th Divi-sion in the mountains is considered to rank as one of the finest feats of arms carried out by any soldiers during the war. In return they sustained unheard of losses of about 80% in the infantry battalions, some 2,200 casualties! James himself was killed February 17. Remember to say a prayer, light a candle for James and thank him for all he did for us back in “Ravioli Alley!”

Misc. items regarding James: Carlo Olivero of Dalzell relates “James owned a gas station exactly where Gloria

Orlandi’s home presently stands.” Ancestory.com research reveals that James’ mother Hannah was Scotch, with her

maiden name being Donaldson and the 1900 census showing her as being from a large family from Spring Valley.

James military records show one year of high school. Carlo says he thinks he went to Hall. Hall of course has the famous line of 24 trees to memorize the students who went to Hall who were killed in WWII. Could this be number 25!?

"Kindness is the language the blind can see and the deaf

can hear" Mark Twain

“If you want to feel rich just count all the

things you have that money can’t buy.”

“Ravioli Alley” Alum Driving Ahead With her Fifth Annual Boob-A-Palooza Benefit for

Breast Cancer Research Betty Pape Glynn, originally from Cherry and now of LaSalle is widely

recognized across the Illinois Valley and increasingly all over north central Illinois and beyond for annual Boob-a-Palooza Fundraiser to

benefit breast cancer research. This year’s event is Saturday March 15, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. at

“Celebrations 150” near Utica, Illinois. Tickets are $15 ahead/ $20 at the door and are available, along with t-shirts and other

apparel at Rudy’s Liquors in LaSalle. Entertainment is unbelievable and includes bands such as The Craigs, 303,

Stage 2 Clingers, Joe Majors, The Barflys, Mark Dudek. Betty, Betty, Betty man!!!

“Good people doing Great Great things!”

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Seatonville Early Resident, A Cherry Mine Disaster Hero

Dominic Formento is a very well known character of the Cherry Mine Disaster story as he was one of the twelve brave men to die on the “Heroes Cage.” He stood out in that he was not even a miner but was a grocer, renting the south side of the “John the Barber” building from John Stenstrom himself. What few know is that Dominic moved to Cherry from Seatonville where he married Julia Arnold, the daughter of a French/Belgium Leo and Mary Ar-nold. Dom’s brother-in-law (his sister Catterina’s husband), Antonio Chiavario, was also there on that day and testi-fied that although he too volunteered, Dom told him to stay above and not go, that he was to stay and take care of the family. Dom and the rest of the heroes made six successful trips down before they were all killed on the fateful seventh trip. It is believed that Dom, Julia and their two young children Mary and John lived in the living space at the backend of the building (where the kitchen of the Cherry Supper Club was located beginning in 1970). Antonio and Catterina Chiavario might have stayed on to help Julia and the kids run the store for some amount of time. The Donna family having moved over the Braidwood took over the store at some point prior to 1916 it is be-lieved. Cherry of course is named after James Cherry who was the well known, long standing superintendent of mines out of Seatonville. “Good people doing Great things!”things.”

Dalzell Resident Says “Thanks Elsie!” Mike Muzzarelli wrote a very kind note to URA regarding the Elsie Kolb article in the January issue of URA. Mike says “I was one of her ‘Cassidy Salesmen’ in the 70’s. She was a kind, considerate, caring friend of the children

and people of Cherry.” “She always had an order for me and she would pay me with the change from her candy and cigarettes sales,” Mike goes on to say. In summary Mike says “I sometimes get lunch and sit at the north end of the park in Cherry and stop by Elsie’s monument and say a thank you prayer, to the kind little old lady

who always thought about others and was like everyone’s “favorite aunt. Bless you Elsie and thanks for all you have done. Respectfully, Muzzy ‘Your former Cassidy Salesman”

"Ravioli Alley" Alumni Brad Koster Elected to St. Bede Sports Hall of Fame

Holy Trinity Cherry alumni and rural route Arlington product Brad Koster was elected to the St. Bede sports hall of fame in recent months. Koster's pitching and hitting lead the Bruins to their infamous 1988 baseball state championship. Brad and his family now live in Oswego, Illinois. Not to be outdone, Brad's big brother Tim was an awesome hitter, first baseman, and three year starter for the Bruins in the early 80’s. Congrat’s Brad!

Wow! Had to make a up an article so we could print this picture!

You will hear more about Bud Manahan from Cherry next month in the “Good people doing Great things in the military” column, but for now, take a look at this awesome shot from around 1940. Bud is the handsome fella on the left and that is his cool motorcycle. The sharp young guy on the right is Edward Nickel also of Cherry. They were best friends. Many locals will really chuckle when they hear who the cute young boy is in the middle…….Charles David “Charlie” Temple-ton! Wow that is a cool one! Again, more to come on Bud and what he did for us next month. (Picture provided by Mark Nickel)

The “John the Barber” Foundation Box 88 Cherry, IL 61317

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAID CHERRY, IL

61317 PERMIT NO. 23

Keep that “Ravioli Alley Alumni “contact information coming!

Wow! Thanks to everyone for sending contact info for “Ravioli Alley Alumni” (people who are originally from “Ravioli Alley” who are living somewhere else). We are getting a steady flow of this kind of information coming in via our email address. We are already mailing coast to coast! New Jersey to California! We are finding that there are many people all over the US with a warm spot in their hearts for “Ravioli Alley.” Please continue to send their email and/or U.S. mailing addresses. Please email that contact info to editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com or via U.S. mail at JTB Foundation, Box 88, Cherry, IL 61317.

Hey Spring Valley ‘Rav Alley’ Folks! How many people do your recognize from this 1950 Grant School Photo?

(Compliments of Ruth Pommier, St. Pat’s Arlington)