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A “John the Barber Foundation” Publication

“Nothing but good news ! And Good people doing Great things!

From Arlington, Cherry, Ladd, Seatonville/Hollowayville, Spring Valley,and Dalzell, Illinois”

St. Bede Students Annual Lenten Class Projects:

Doing Great things assisting those in need

Each Lent, St. Bede students come together to help people in need in “Ravioli Alley” and around the world. Each class selects a unique charity and collections are taken up during lunch periods on Mondays and at Len-ten Prayer Services/Masses on Thursdays. This year St. Bede classes are supporting the following charities:

Seniors: “Smile Train” which provides surgery for children born with cleft palates.

Juniors: Food for the Hungry of the Illinois Valley. Support for local food pantries.

Sophomores: “Heifer International” provides animals, such as sheep and cows, to families who promise to give the first born animal to others in need. Those receiving promise to do the same so the gift truly keeps on giving.

Freshmen: Kamakwie is a village in Sierra Leone. A St. Bede alumna, Kathleen Martin-James, has worked with the people of Kamakwie and published a book. The freshmen read this book in their reli-gion class. The village was hit by Ebola and 53 children are now orphans. This year the funds raised will help with school fees, uni-form, books, tuition. $78 per student covers the fees.

Father Ron Margherio is project sponsor. When asked for quote Father Ron quotes St. Augustine who said: "Don't believe that fasting is enough. Fasting punishes you, but it does not restore your brother or sister. How many poor people could be nourished by the food you did not eat to-day?" Father Ron goes on to say, “What I try to teach our kids is that the three hallmarks of Lent are essentially prayer, fasting and alms giving (charity). However, if we pray and fast but do not put our faith into ac-

tion, we are not truly living Lent.” Below is a Great shot of these sharp looking St. Bede students in the middle of their volunteer work.

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“Your greatest test is when

you are able to bless someone else while you

are going through your own storm.”

-unknown

“I have always found that mercy

(forgiveness) bears richer fruits than

strict justice.” -Abraham Lincoln, American president

The “John the Barber” Foundation

P.O. Box 88 Cherry, IL 61317

editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com

Here’s what people around the country are saying about “Up Ravioli Alley!”

Suzy Twardowski of LaSalle formerly of Dalzell writes, “Please send me a copy of book Volume 1 of “Up Ravioli Alley.” Also please add me to your e-mail mail-ing list. I am born and raised in Dalzell. Love your articles and pictures and have been receiving as “hand me downs” from friends. “

Michael Berlinger with Heritage Restoration of Peoria writes, "Up Ravioli Alley is a very nice E-publication! Well-designed full of easy to read articles and pic-tures."

Mike Crowley Sr. of Spring Valley says, “I really enjoy reading ‘Up Ravioli Alley.’ It is truly Great fun!”

St. Margaret’s Hospital Spring Valley “Portly Promenade” Fun New Event April 18, 2015

St. Margaret’s Hospital Spring Valley Foundation announces “The Portly Prome-nade,” an event to follow the Habit for Health 10K run on Saturday, April 18, 2015. The event hopes to attract runners and maybe some folks for whom eating is their favorite “sport.” This progressive lunch and card game will feature five Spring Val-ley area restaurants. Each host restaurant will offer guests a free small order of a menu item they want to promote. The “Promenaders” will have the opportunity at some locations to Portly-size their serving size for a nominal price. Foundation vol-unteers at each location will give each Portly participant a playing card. The best hand will win a cash prize. Portly Promenade participants will receive a Promenade T-Shirt, a gift bag, a fun lunch and a chance to win. Promenade contestants can run, walk, drive, bike or skip to the host restaurants. This is not a race, just a fun follow up to the 3rd Annual 10K that may better fit the training regimen of many in the community. Watch for the announcement of the Portly Host restaurants. More information and registration details will soon appear of the St. Margaret’s Health website www.aboutsmh.org. More information via Frank Kobilsek, Fund-raising Coordinator, 815.866.5757 Saw the front and back of this

postcard On Ebay.anyone know who this young sailor is?

Ladd 125th Chairman is truly giving his all! Please give him a hand today and buy

50/50 tickets to support the event!

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“If you want to achieve your goals, help others achieve

your goals.” - Zig Ziglar,

American author, motivational speaker

We NEED your stories about people from your town “doing

Great things”…either now or in the past.

Please email or mail to JTB.

Alex Rosenjack: Targeted for causing the Cherry Mine Disaster, Greatly Deserving of Forgiveness

For over one hundred years, Alex Rosenjack has been seen as the key figure in the start of the fire at the Cherry mine. In fact, he fled from Cherry immediately, not testifying and never being heard or seen again in Ravioli Alley. Like every good story, the Cherry Mine Disaster needed an antagonist/villain, and in Alex it looked like we all had a good candidate. So much of what was known was simply that somehow a fire had started, gotten out of control and over 250 fathers, sons, and brothers were dead. Someone had to take the blame and Alex was the perfect fit. As second vein assistant manager, especially one with a Scotch-English sounding name, it was envisioned that Alex was likely a highly experienced mine manager and most likely in his 40’s. He surely must have born in Scotland like so many other mine managers and had somehow carelessly and potentially even with harmful intent, let the fire get out of control. It is inter-esting how modern historical research and tools have now actually painted a much different picture of Alex. Ancestry.com and other tools now tell us that Alex was not born in Scotland! In fact, he was born in the United States and was not even Scotch! He was born in Loch Loman, PA and was Slavic! His family’s original name was Rosenyaek. His father and mother had come to America to work in the coal fields of PA. And Alex was not a middle-aged, experienced mine manager in 1909 but rather he was only 22! Only recently was it determined that Alex lived as a boarder in the home of a Slavic family in Cherry on south Steele Street, right next to a cluster of company houses all rented by Scotch miners and managers. Who, how, and why Alex was selected for such an important position is unknown, but he was placed in a life-changing position at 1:20 p.m. Saturday November 13, 1909. Small fires were not uncommon in the mine, but unfortunately for Alex a series of actions during the first twenty minutes of the fire created an impossible situation for him and everyone else in the mine. Unfortunately for everyone, Alex instructed trapper boys to run back and forth the “water sump” near the stables and bring water in their lunch pails to help fight the first near the air shaft. Blasts of air hit were drawn to the first each time the boys ran back and forth through the “air trap doors” thus feeding the fire. Few remember that Alex was actually a key player on

the first six trips of the “Heroes Cage,” nearly dying on the sixth trip trying to attach a hose that might have brought life-saving water to the fire fighters. Alex and Dr. Howe could not make the seventh and final il-fated trip that saw all 12 heroes killed. Be-low is a photo of Alex’s brother at a similar age that may show what Alex might have looked like, along with a photo of Alex later in life in Michigan. Family and friends confirm that Alex was very quiet and a nice person, ironically he worked and retired from a fire department. Now that the “rest of the story” is clear, after

over 100 years, let’s all of “Ravioli Alley” do something a bit Great and forgive Alex.

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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!”

“Never worry about numbers.

Just help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest to you.” -Mother Teresa

Here’s a few quick Rav-notes... Mary Rooney Memoriams Gives Cherry “Pie & Coffee Social Hour” a Great Fu-

ture: When Mary Rooney of Cherry passed away in November, friends and fami-ly were asked to donate to the “Cherry Monthly Pie & Coffee Retiree Social Hour” in lieu of flowers. Funds have been received that look to easily cover the monthly event throughout all of 2015! What a Great idea! Hope to see you all at the Thursday March 5, 2015 event 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. featuring “The Tem-pleton Family Band.”

Step Up and Do something Great this Spring at JFK Spring Valley, assisting with the Junior Achievement Program: Junior Achievement is looking for volunteers to present programs at John F. Kennedy Spring Valley School this Spring for Grades 4, 6, & 8. Outlines of each program can be found at the school web site. Junior Achievement provides training and all of the materials necessary along with easy-to-follow lessons plans. Volunteers present five-six lessons each lasting 45 minutes. Volunteers typically present one lesson a week but work di-rectly with the teacher to negotiate a schedule. Interested individuals can con-tact Monica Telschow, Junior Achievement of the Heartland, 309.277.3906

Project Success of Eastern Bureau County/Spring Valley Food Pantry “Easter Dinner Adopt a Family:” Here’s a quick chance to do something a little bit great for needy Ravioli Alley families this Easter: Project Success is sponsoring an “Easter Dinner Adopt-a-Family” effort. If you would like to help a local needy family have a Great Easter dinner this year, please send a check for $35 made out to Project Success to 500 N. Terry St. Spring Valley, IL 61362. Nothing like Easter ham to put smiles on hungry young faces huh?

Bureau County Republican doing Great things with it “Dear Soldier” Drive: Here’s a big “shout out” to BCR for its tremendous effort to put a smile on the faces of our soldiers overseas with its “Dear Soldier’s” campaign. BCR is work-ing in conjunction with the national organization Operation Gratitude who sends out 150,000 care packages annually that include these types of letters. Please do something a little bit Great today and write a personal letter of appreciation to our soldiers and put it into collections boxes at the following Ravioli Alley lo-cations: Dalzell Grade School, Depue School, Ladd Public Library, Ladd Grade School, St. Bede Academy, Spring Valley Elementary, and Hall High School.

Cherry United Church of Christ Doing Great Things for PADS: Cherry UCC members and friends are stepping up big for the Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS) in Peru, serving the meal for the needy folks there Saturday March 7, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. Here’s a big cheer to Bonnie Templeton and Eileen Pinter for driving the effort! If you too want to do something a little bit Great, you can do-nate to the cause by mailing a check before or after the event to Cherry United Church of Christ, Cherry, IL 61317.

DO SOMETHING GREAT! Have your family or business sponsor the printing of “Up Ravioli Alley”for one month! Email or mail John the Barber to learn how to do it!

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Cont...Rav-notes... St. Margaret’s Hospital Spring Valley Not Missing a Chance to do something Great!: St. Margaret’s is providing

monthly support group meetings for both Parkinson’s Disease and vision/sight issues patients, both to provide emotional support, socialization, and an opportunity to share information with others. Meeting details are:

Parkinson’s Support Meeting: First Monday of each month, 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. in St. Margaret’s First Floor Presentation Room. Free valet parking and wheelchairs are available. More information 815.664.5311.

Vision/sight Support Meeting: First and third Thursday of each month from 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. in St. Margaret’s First Floor Presentation Room. More information 815.664.1440.

Ladd 125th Time Capsule Efforts Needs Your Help!” Ladd's 125th Time Capsule committee is looking for items to be placed in the time capsule that will be presented at the opening ceremony July 9, 2015 at Ladd's 125th cel-ebration. This capsule will then be opened in 2040. The mission is to capture the strong sense of community in Ladd from the summer of 2014 up to the celebration in 2015. The committee is looking for items that include but are not limited to photographs, articles from events, and copies of important legislation pertinent to our area during this time. Please contact Amanda Coutts at 815.220.9010 or coutts02@yahoo.com with questions or sub-missions.

Ladd 125th Commemorative Book In the Works: A Commemorative Volume of Ladd’s 125th Anniversary is un-der way. Narrative, poems, and artwork contributions are being solicited from Ladd Citizens of all ages—including students at LCCS, Hall High School, and St. Bede, as well as from poets, photographers, artists, and community organizations. The narratives will focus on changes in Ladd since the 1990 Centennial. Suggestions, contributions, questions, and volunteers are welcomed and should be directed to Jim Piacenti (jimndebp@frontier.com) or Chuck Byvik (byvik@aol.com)

Ravioli Alley Winners of the “John Ourth Student Recognition” Truly Rock!” The John Ourth Student Recogni-tion Breakfast was held in Streator February 19, 2015 sponsored by the Starved Rock Region of the Illinois Princi-pals Association. Schools were asked to select students from their exiting grades to be recognized. “Ravioli Al-ley” winners include: John Potthoff and Hallie McGuire of Dalzell, Tyler Pullam of Cherry, Ethan Borelli and Ella Hollinger of Ladd, and John Fousekas and Anna Herrmann of Spring Valley.

The Ladd 125th Anniversary Quilt Show entry forms are due March 14, 2015 to Debbie Bickett Special Effect: PO Box 812 307 N. Main Street, Ladd, IL. 61329 or Sandy Grivetti: P.O. Box 643 216 S. Selby St. Ladd, IL. 61329 The Ladd 125th committee is looking for "Quilts from the past". They would appreciate hearing from anyone

from Ladd and the surrounding areas who had a family member who quilted. Quilts will be shown at the Ladd 125th Anniversary Celebration Quilt Show on July 9-12, 2015. Please contact Debbie Bickett at 815-894-2855 or 815-302-7891 or Sandy Grivetti at 815-884-3222 to make arrangements.

“Mam, here are some seats for you….I’ll just move down….” Several folks have mentioned a simple, but very nice little Great thing we all can do when presented with the oppor-

tunity. Have you ever noticed at the movies, when a couple makes their way into a crowded theater a few minutes before show time…dark, difficult to see, all the adjoining seats are taken, only a few “singles” left here and there? Awkwardly they try to decide where, how they are going to get a seat. Often they are forced to sit in the front row or in “singles” far apart from each other. Next time you see this happening, do something a little big Great and simply stand and say “Here are some seats for you…we’ll just move down.” Surprisingly rarely done, simple, obvious….but a little bit Great!

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“Ravioli Alley Non-For-Profit Organizations All Showing that ‘John The Barber’ Spirit This Winter”

Do “something a little bit Great” and… TAKE someone who doesn’t get a chance to get out too often.

BRING a carry out to someone new on your block. SEND in a donation if you can’t make it.

St. Patrick's Arlington Spring 2015 Sausage Making: Saturday March 7, 2015 at St. Patrick’s Hall in Arlington.

Sausage will be available for pickup on Saturday at the church hall between 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and on Sun-day, March 8, 2015, after the 10:30 a.m. mass. Orders may be placed by calling Lauren Koch at 815-638-2224 or Ann Hunter at 815-638-2691 by March 3, 2015. Members have made sausage to benefit the church in the months of March and December for over forty years using the famous Fonderoli family recipe. (The sausage will be served at St. Patrick's annual Pancake and Sausage Breakfast to be held on Sunday, March 22, 2015)

Vendor's Show/Uncle Stewy's Roadhouse: Saturday March 7, 2015, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 225 E. St. Paul St., Spring Valley. Proceeds to benefit Hall Twp. Food Pantry

Boobapalooza Helps Cops 4 Cancer 2015: Saturday March 7, 2015 4:00 p.m – midnight at “Celebrations 150” at 740 East US Highway 6, LaSalle, IL. This is the sixth annual, highly successful, widely publicized event. All funds raised during this drive will be dispersed through Cops 4 Cancer. Cops 4 Cancer (C4C) assists Illinois Valley area residents financially who are fighting cancer. Tickets available at Rudy’s Liquors in LaSalle. Event driven by “Ravioli Alley” alumna Betty Pape Glynn and her fantastic team.

Spring Valley Fire Department Third Annual Smoker: Saturday March 7, 2015, 6:00 p.m. Spring Valley Boat Club. Includes family style chicken, soda, beer & entertainment. Tickets are available from fire department members or the evening of the Smoker. Gun Raffle by “Mean Metal Guns” For additional information contact: chairman: Chris Insco 815.866.5638, Jim Parlier 815.343.6881 or the Spring Valley Fire Department 815.664.5160.

Seatonville Congregational Church, Independent Second Sunday Alternative Worship: Sunday March 8, 2015, 6:00 p.m. Second Sunday is an alternative worship gathering with an eclectic mix of ancient-future worship prac-tices and elements. People can expect a unique blend of psalms, spiritual songs, hymns, choruses, The Word, The Table, and more. All folks and families from the Illinois Valley and Bureau Valley region are invited to come and experience this unique alternative worship gathering. The Seatonville Church is located on Rt.6 in Sea-tonville. For further info call Pastor Bill Jacobsen at 815-228-6717 or on Facebook at secondsunday.seatonville

Ladd Public Library Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser: Thursday, March 12, 2015 4:30 p.m - 7:30 p.m at Lanuti’s in Ladd. Tickets $8 includes spaghetti dinner, salad, and bread. Cash bar. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Ladd village hall, North Central Bank, and Ladd Public Library. Tickets also available at the door. Door prizes, 50/50. Call Ami Bosi at Library for more info 815.894.3254.

St. Thomas More Dalzell St. Joseph’s Table Dinner: Thursday March 19, 2015 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the St. Thomas More Dalzell hall. St. Joseph table dinner is free and is for anyone who would like to attend. Donations for the poor in the community accepted. Menu includes soups, breads, finger sandwiches and dessert.

St. Patrick's Arlington Annual Pancake and Sausage Breakfast: Sunday, March 22, 2015, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m at the church hall. Menu include pancakes, "Nuco's" homemade sausage, eggs (made to order), toast and bever-age. Cost $6.00 for adults, $4.00 for children 6 to 10 years of age, free for children under 5. Carry-outs available.

Ladd Not-so-Junior-Women’s Club Luncheon to support the Ladd 125th: Wednesday March 25, 2015 at the Ladd Community Center. Menu includes items from the group’s very popular luncheons from year’s past. Please mark your calendars and keep your eyes open for further details.

Heritage Health Fair, Light Lunch & Bingo in Ladd: Thursday March 26, 2015 12:00/noon – 1:00 p.m. Ladd Com-munity Center. Physical therapist Adele Mendoza will be providing balancing testing, dietician Debbie Miller will give a presentation on eating healthy & portion size and providing food taste and recipes, and an RN will be do-ing blood pressure and diabetes checks. Bingo called at 1:15 p.m. Come join the fun!

“cont….Ravioli Alley Non-For-Profit Organizations All Showing that ‘John The Barber’ Spirit This Winter”

Fourth Annual Holy Trinity Cherry Fish Fry to Benefit the Utility Fund for the Needy: Friday March 27, 2015

4:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m Cherry Church Hall. For the fourth straight year, Holy Trinity Chery members will come to-gether to raise funds to help “Ravioli Alley’s” neediest families avoid loss of their heat/power this Spring. Fish, fried, cole slaw, rolls, drinks, dessert $7. Carry outs available.

CherryBooster Club Easter Celebration/Easter Bunny Breakfast/Easter Egg Hunt/Bake Sale: Saturday April 4, 2015 , Cherry Church Hall/Cherry City Park

Bake Sale (Cherry Church Hall) 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. homemade noodles, cinnamon rolls, cream puffs, pies, Easter cutout cookies,famous “Easter Ring Bread” and carrot cakes made by the Sister of St. Francis of Lacon, Illinois. Proceeds benefit Holy Trinity Cherry.

ATTENTION HOLY TRINITY MEMBERS: PLEASE BRING DONATED BAKED ITEMS

Easter Bunny Breakfast (Cherry Church Hall) 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Easter Egg Hunt (Cherry City Park) 10:30 a.m.

Bring your camera…take pictures of kids with Easter Bunny

Breakfast cooking provided by Heidi Templeton of Torri’s Ladd

Hall Twp Food Pantry Flapjack Fund Raiser: Sunday April 12, 2015 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. at Applebees, 1507 36th St., Peru, IL. Kill two birds with one stone…have a nice relaxing Sunday morn-ing breakfast while helping those in need!

Holy Trinity Cherry/Hyvee Third Wine/Beer Tasting Fund Raiser: Friday April 24, 2015 5:30 p.m – 8:30 p.m. Cherry Church Hall. Fellowship, food, fun! Tickets will go on sale at State Bank of Cherry. Call Holy Trinity for info 815.894.2006.

Check out the cool letter from Barb Kotte Fulara

in 1979….sending out letters when her students were

simply doing well!

We have received many compliments about the Great article on the life of Barb Kotte Fulara written and sub-

mitted by Libby Wertz and printed in the December 2014 issue of URA. Check out this letter Barb sent out

to the parents of a student back in 1979. Typical Barb….doing Great,

out-of-the-box things!

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St. Margaret’s Hospital receives grant from Colon Cancer Coalition St. Margaret’s’ Hospital is pleased to receive a $5,400 grant from the Colon Cancer Coalition resulting from the ‘Get your Rear in Gear’ race held in Ladd last summer. Linda Burt, VP of Marketing and Community Services said: “We especially appreciate Kathy Martin for her efforts on the ‘Get Your Rear in Gear’ race and her support in directing the grant to St. Margaret’s.” The grant will be used to purchase mobile display equipment that will be used to promote colon health issues. The St. Margaret’s Health Promotions Department as well as the Special Proce-dures staff will use this equipment at events at the hospital and in the community. The 2015 ‘Get Your Rear Race’ will be held Saturday May 23, 2015 in Ladd. Picture above is (L-R) Frank Kobilsek, Fundraising Coordinator, Kathy Martin, Tammy Pienta, OR Director and Karla Carboni, Special Pro-cedures Coordinator,