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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”

Front: Beverly Thompson, Ter-ry Thompson, Jan Martin, Di-rector Rear: Board members

Jane Piccatto, Marie Giordano, Kathy Martin, Patti Cinotte

Thompson’s Pharmacy Continues to Give Back to the Community

What do you do with a lifetime of memories and a pharmacy filled with product?

Pharmacist Terry Thompson and his wife Beverly of Spring Valley decid-ed to do something alittle bit Great. After so many wonderful years at their shop, they knew it would be best to help others and donate their

entire stock to the Hall Township Food Pantry, helping many needy members of the communi-

ty. Hall Township Food Pantry received over 2,000 items - a fortune indeed.

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“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the

Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”

Proverbs 19:17

“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and

the will to help others.” Albert Schweitzer

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others.

And if you can't help them, at least

don't hurt them.” Dalai Lama

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!”

Mary Galetti of Seatonville writes on the “Up Ravioli Alley” Facebook page, “Is “Up Ravioli Alley” newsletter only available on the Internet? My husband would love it but he doesn't do the computer. Is it in a hard copy? Or can I print it out somehow?” John the Barber replies, “Mary, just give us your email address and every month we will email you a PDF version that you can print out on your own. Send your email address to editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com. Thanks!

Lois Humpage of Peru writes, “I read with Great interest the interesting story of the Eiberger boys from Ladd who served and died in World War II. My husband Albert told the following story that I wanted to pass on. He told me that when he was fighting in the Philipians, he heard that two men from Ladd were on the other side of the island he was on. He took a jeep and went to see and visit with Leon-ard Eiberger and Ralph Grivetti both of Ladd. The next day Leonard was killed and Ralph was badly injured. Leonard had married a Tonozzi girl from Ladd. It was a real heart ache for Albert. I too would like to thank the Eiberger boys and all the “Ravioli Alley” men and women who served.”

Dalzell and “Up Ravioli Alley” Make a Great Team: Wanted to mention that URA received a ton of notes and letters from folks with ties to Dalzell. Interesting to see their loyalty and interest in their home town. This month, we received an inter-esting note from Ilene Shaw of Dalzell. She included a very interesting school re-port done by her daughter Kay, now Kay Forsen of Overland Park, KS. Kay had completed the report and model of the mine when in 8th grade at Dalzell Grade School. If you would like a copy of the report, please contact URA by email or mail and we will get you a copy. (Kay’s Dad was the late Bill Shaw).

Dick Snyder! There’s a Great One! Spring Creek Golf Course recently lost a good friend, Dick Snyder, but his memories and stories will carry on forever. Anyone golfing Spring Creek during the past 40 years has had the pleasure of meeting this gentle man. His jovial laugh was conta-gious; his antagonistic personality was certainly one of his most obvious attributes. Dick enjoyed the camaraderie of his golfing buddies during their Thursday after-noon, Sunday morning, and on-the-fly pickup games throughout the week. Dick was a fixture on and off the course.... seen mowing the course, working in the pro-shop, or carrying out bartending duties with a smile and a smirk. Dick may have never held a political office or discovered a planet, but he certainly has made a difference in the lives of all who were lucky to know him. On August 8, 2015 , Dick quietly passed away – his family and friends are not letting him leave without a bang! On Sunday, September 13, 2015 Spring Valley Golf Course, where Dick helped for over 30 years, held a GOLF GATHERING/TEXAS BBQ, remembering their friend and avid golfer. Lending a hand and helping others were some of Dick’s most well known qualities – and through these event Dick continues on! Proceeds from the Golf Gathering were directed to Hall Twp Food Pantry, where Dick was a valued volunteer. “Dick’s large presence had such a calming and welcoming effect upon our clients,” com-mented Director Jan Martin. “He will be missed, not only for all he did – but for whom he was – a kind, giant of a man who loved life and was pleased to share his God-given abilities.”

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“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

John Bunyan

“If you can't feed a hundred people,

then feed just one.” Mother Teresa

We NEED your stories about people from your town “doing

Great things”…either now or in the past.

Please email or mail to JTB.

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!

Cherry Boy Scouts Step Up to Help Needy Cherry Veteran JD Wills of Cherry, a disabled U.S. veteran, and his wife Julie have faced and over-come many challenges this past year. Thanks to a grant from the Tri-County Oppor-tunity community action agency, they were able to obtain some important repairs to their roof and plumbing. While dealing these important issues, several lawn and garden items had backed up on them. The Cherry Boy Scout Troup 1055 stepped in to do something a little big Great. Julie Wills says “there were probably twenty or more scouts, leaders and den mom’s working around our yard, trimming over-grown trees, shrubs, and weeds and hauling everything away. It was such a huge

relief for me, especially removing the dead branches that might have fallen on the new roof this coming winter. It's been so diffi-cult keeping up with everything and too expensive to hire land-scapers and tree trimmers so this means the world to us. Our yard and house looks so nice now!”

Hey! Don’t forget about your Godchildren! JTB encourages all Godmother’s and Godfather’s out there to make a special effort to reach out and do something alittle bit Great for your Godchild! With everything

going on in your life, it is some-times easy to forget about theirs! Please take the time to reach out to them today….say hello, send them a card, invite them to do something fun! Although they are well, their parents did en-trusted you to be an important part of their lives. Think about what age they must be, what grade they are now in, and make

sure that they are signed up for religious youth education and are preparing for special events in their life such as first communion , confirmation, etc. Holy Trinity Cherry/St. Thomas More Dalzell/St. Patrick’s Arlington Youth Education/CCD hold classes every other Sunday beginning at 8:45 a.m. Make sure they attend such classes, along with church services, head out to breakfast afterward, make a fun morning of it. Please contact Julie at juliehtc@outlook.com or 815.878.8205 to find out more!

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Don’t forget: Cherry Pie & Coffee

Social Hour, first Thursday

of each of month 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Cherry Church Hall.

Do something a

little bit Great and bring someone!

Invite others to meet you there!

Bring a friend!”

Here’s a few quick Rav-notes...

North Central Illinois ARTworks Entertains Cherry Pie & Coffee: Thanks to Chris Coughlin and Sue Johnson of NCI ARTworks for presenting to the Cherry Pie and Coffee group in September, describing what their group does and the potential benefits to the Illinois Valley in emphasizing art. All are currently discussing op-tions for the group to take a bus trip to view an upcoming play or show. Here’s a big shout out to Chris and Jim Coughlin who made a donation to sponsor the October Pie & Coffee event! They also make another donation to sponsor musi-cal entertainment at an upcoming Pie & Coffee event! Thanks Chris & Jim for do-ing a something a little bit Great to help area retirees and promote art in “Ravioli Alley.”

Barbara Swingel Memorials Helping Cherry Pie & Coffee Event: Diane Chandler, Bette Anne Malooley, and Sandra Quartucci sent in donations in the name of their mother Barb Swingel. Barb Greatly enjoyed that Cherry Pie & Coffee Social Hours and desired to do something to help ensure their future successes! Cherry Pie & Coffee Greatly appreciates the gift and we will remember Barb at the Octo-ber event!

Dalzell Kids Glad that Jim Is Doing Great Things: Hey Jim Turigliatti! Thanks for all your recent initiative and work to organize and coordinate volunteers to help install additional playground equip-ment at the ball park in Dalzell. Local kids have really taken notice and can be seen flocking to and from the park, enjoying themselves on the new equip-ment. Great work Jim and all the vol-unteers who helped!

Hundred Year Old Note Confirms Again the Greatness of John the Barber: JTB recently uncovered a century old positive reference to John the Barber. A post-card, sent from Little Rock, Iowa in 1916 to Miss Evy Bolton in Cedar Lake, IN was recently discovered. The front of the card shows the Cherry main street with the current “John the Barber Building” clearly marked. The back reads, “John Stenstrom is the barber in Cherry and I have stayed in the room at the back of his shop many times. He is a very devout bachelor and the back bone of the Cherry Congregational Church. The church is currently being ministered by Frank Breen who is also in charge of Seatonville and Bureau. “ The card is signed simply “Fred.” With so many references to his strong actions and charac-ter still appearing after all these years, clearly John was a very special person, someone that we can all aspire to be like today.

What does ¼ Ton of Food Look Like!

St. Bede Students Can Tell You! Jan Martin of Hall Township Food Pantry would like to send out a big thank you to St. Bede students for the donation of 512 pounds of food! Jan goes on to say, “know that every can or box of food you donate guarantees that neighbors in need have food on their table. You aren’t providing snacks…but meals! On behalf of those we serve – thank you!”

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Princeton Native Larry Fundell Comments on Ladd 125th, Lori Guerrini, Great things

(Larry Fundell, originally from rural Princeton, returned to the area for the Ladd 125th.

JTB spoke to Larry about efforts to complete this story for URA. Sadly, Larry passed away suddenly October 26th in LaCross, WI

where he had lived for several years. Such a blessing he was able to return the area,

enjoy seeing his family and friends, and completing this Great article!) The Ladd 125th Festival was a wonderful celebration of a tiny town with a gigantic heart. Main Street became the Midway, home to stands selling trinkets and face painting, filled with alluring aromas, bubbling with the sounds of carnival - laughter, thrilling rides and the delighted screaming of excited children. Entertainment and beverage tents at the north end attracted a gathering of somewhat older “children” of Ladd, most now grown and gently touched by time, making a fond return to their home town. One of the returning native sons of Ladd, Dan Carruthers, singer and songwriter, performed on stage for the pleas-ure of a crowd mixed with family, friends, old acquaintances and passersby. In the middle of his set, something powerful occurred. Dan sang a ballad that he had composed for Lori Guerrini, our mutual cousin and a woman well known, and much loved, by many in the community. Lori died of ovarian cancer on a fall day last year. Lori was a humble soul, generous and loving but tough. Charitable fund raising was her passion. She motivated others to great achievements, and graced those in her life with sincerity, dedication and humility. She lived a wonderful, fulfilling life, adding her own style of Greatness to that life, each day, day by day. Though her time was short, her life was overflowing with all that really matters. She is missed and Dan’s heartfelt song was welcomed by friends and family, although Lori would never have sought such attention. Those who loved Lori felt her presence filling the tent; we listened to her song, and we wept. Lori’s favorite charities were Special Olympics and the LaSalle-Peru to Peoria St. Jude Run, among many others. (Family members chuckled that I naively attempted limiting the list to just a couple of the prominent ones.) Lori’s lesson for me is simple - our main purpose on earth is to help others. If we could keep that foremost in our own lives, what a wonderful world it would be. More recently a bench dedicated to Lori’s memory was installed in Kirby Park in Spring Valley. In her role as Day Care Mom to decades of children, she loved to take her little ones to the park. It became one of her favorite places in the world. When her time grew short, many of the young people whom she had cared for determined to install a park bench in her favorite spot, as a memorial to her. The seat would serve as a place where those who spent much of their childhood with her could return, connecting and communing with her, feeling her presence there, contem-plating the mysteries and triumphs of their own lives, and recalling the pleasant, fleeting, moments of childhood with the woman who had shared her days with them. It is such a charming idea. I have never been to Kirby Park, but when I return to the area on my next visit, I will make a point of seeking out that bench, and spending a few minutes enjoying the park and remembering the lesson of Lori’s life. If a group of youngsters should come along, and look bemused that a stranger is sitting on their bench, I would quickly offer my seat to them. Very likely they need to speak with a loved one, one who is always there, at the park, always there, in their fond memories of her.

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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 > BRING a carry out to someone new on your block

> SEND in a donation if you can’t make it

Hall Twp Food Pantry Young Parents “Earn While You Learn”: Every Thursdays 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Classes are being offered to area “soon to be moms” and new parents. Classes help prepare “soon to be moms” and their families through a series of educational videos. Classes include important instruction on subjects including new-born care, finding quality child care, delivering emergency care, and knowing exactly when to phone a doctor. After the lesson you earn "mommy/daddy bucks" which can be used to purchase diapers, wipes, and other much needed items for baby. For more information contact: Joanne at 1-815-481-2955.

Spring Valley United Church of Christ Christmas Cookie Walk: Saturday December 5, 2015, SVUCC Fellowship Hall, 227 E. Erie St, Spring Valley. 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon. (or as long as cookies last). For more information please contact the church at (815) 663-1951 or call Billie Jean at (815) 664-2509. Peanut brittle is available for sale any time as of 10/20/15. Please use the alley entrance when attending the COOKIE WALK.

Breast Bartending Event Hosted In Ladd August 8, 2015 On August 8, 2015 eight Illinois Valley families who have been affected by breast cancer, with the help of Dick’s and North Central Bank in Ladd, hosted a Breast Bartending Event. The four hour event was full of support, fun, love, and laughter, while offering education and awareness. Participating individuals included: Alison Victor Bryant, Survivor Nadine Lower, Survivor Cindy Giachetto Dalzot, Survivor Jill Gillan Lusietto, Survivor Rosemary Carrico, Survivor The Heitmann Family The Carolyn Brandner Family Geri Manning Miller, Survivor Together they raised $17,600.00. Each “family” chose a cancer charity as a beneficiary of 1/8th of the proceeds. The following charities were recipients: American Cancer Society Research, Cops 4 Cancer, Northwestern Universi-ty Cancer Research. The “families” involved would like to thank the Illinois Valley Community area for their gener-osity and support.

Left to Right: Jill Gillan Lusietto, Alison Victor Bryant, Nadine Lower, Trica Jones, Glen Brandner, Shelly Merkel, Tom Heittman, Elizabeth Zemanek, Rosemary Carrico, Cindy Giachetto Dalzot, and Geri Manning Miller

“Meet John Doe:” Frank Capra Movie Sends Important Message to Us Today!

Everyone of course knows and loves Frank Capra’s holiday season movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Replayed over and over again, most would think it obviously had to be Capra’s favorite picture….but it was not. Capra regularly stated that “Meet John Doe” starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck was actually the movie that delivered an even Greater, more powerful message. Although you would have to watch the entire movie of course to hear that message fully, Gary Cooper’s (Joe Doe’s) radio speech early in the movie sends a tremendously powerful message to all of us even today!!! “Well, people like the Governor and those other fella’s there can stop worrying. I'm not gonna talk about them. I'm gonna talk about us, the average guys, the John Does. If anybody should ask you what the average John Doe is like, you couldn't tell him because he's a million and one things. He's Mr. Big and Mr. Small. He's simple and he's wise. He's inherently honest, but he's got a streak of larceny in his heart. He seldom walks up to a public telephone without shoving his finger into the slot to see if somebody left a nickel there. He's the man the ads are written for. He's the fella everybody sells things to. He's the world's greatest stooge and the world's greatest strength. Yes, sir, we're a great family, the John Does. We are the meek who are supposed to inherit the earth. You'll find us everywhere. We raise the crops; we dig the mines, work the factories, keep the books, fly the planes and drive the busses. And when a cop yells: "Stand back there, you!" He means us, the John Does! We have existed since time began. We built the pyramids. We saw Christ crucified, pulled the oars for Roman emperors, sailed the boats for Columbus, retreated from Moscow with Napoleon and froze with Washington at Valley Forge. Yes, sir. We've been in there dodging left hooks since before history began to walk. In our struggle for freedom we've hit the canvas many a time, but we always bounced back! Because we're the people -- and we're tough! They've started a lot of talk about free people going soft -- that we can't take it. That's a lot of hooeyl A free peo-ple can beat the world at anything, from war to tiddle-de-winks, if we all pull in the same direction! I know a lot of you are saying "What can I do? I'm just a little punk. I don't count." Well, you're dead wrong! The little punks have always counted because in the long run the character of a country is the sum total of the character of its little punks! But, we've all got to get in there and pitch. We can't win the old ballgame unless we have teamwork. And that's where every John Doe comes in. It's up to him to get together with his teammates. And your teammate, my friend, is the guy next door to you. Your neighbor -- he's a terribly important guy that guy next door. You're gonna need him and he's gonna need you, so look him up. If he's sick, call on him. If he's hungry, feed him. If he's out of a job, find him one. To most of you, your neighbor is a stranger, a guy with a barkin' dog and high fence around him. Now, you can't be a stranger to any guy that's on your own team. So tear down the fence that separates you. Tear down the fence and you'll tear down a lot of hates and prejudices. Tear down all the fences in the country and you'll really have teamwork! I know a lot of you are saying to yourselves, "He's askin' for a mira-cle to happen. He's expectin' people to change all of a sudden. Well, you're wrong. It's no miracle. It's no miracle because I see it happen once every year. And and so do you -- at Christmas time. There's somethin' swell about the spirit of Christmas, to see what it does to people, all kinds of people. Now, why can't that spirit, that same, warm Christmas spirit last the whole year around? Gosh, if it ever did, if each and every John Doe would make that spirit last 365 days out of the year, we'd develop such strength, we'd create such a tidal wave of good will that no human force could stand against it. Yes sir, my friends, the meek can only inherit the earth when the John Doe's start lovin' their neighbors. You better start right now. Don't wait till the game is called on account of darkness. Wake up, John Doe. You're the hope of the world!”