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He received chemo every single day for three and a half years.

“As you can imagine, for someone who was really too young to understand what was happening there was a great a deal of fear and stress from constant port access and blood draws via needles,” said Will’s Mother, Angela Page.

After Will got his treatment he was able to pick from the hospitals Treasure Chest. The chest had toys inside for the children for showing bravery during their treatment.

“Having that little treat at the end gave us something positive to focus on,” Angela said.  “When you are in the thick of it, you grasp on to any bit of joy you can, even if it only redirects your attention momentarily while allowing you to breathe.”

Angela said that as she watched her son pick toys out of the Treasure Chest she realized those little toys would bring no comfort to teenagers who were going through the same thing Will was.

Angela decided to do something to bring some comfort to those teenagers. She decided to create chemo bags for kids 13 years old and older.

“I felt they were sometimes overlooked and I wanted to change that,” she said.

Angela is an Independent Director with Thirty-One Gifts so she had access to tote bags. She then decided to ask the community to sponsor a portion of the bag. She then covers the balance of the items for the bag, the contents, the tax and the shipping.

“It serves as a way for the community to give back and bless some deserving children/teenagers at the same time,” she said. “We are fortunate to live in such a giving community.”

She has been doing the project since 2015.

The bags feature items that help teens pass the time while they are getting chemo treatments.

Generally, each bag gets blankets, socks, hand sanitizer, snacks, a puzzle book, pens, nail polish and playing cards. Half the bags are designed with boys in mind and the other half with girls in mind. The contents also vary slightly by age group.

The bags, of which Angela hopes to donate 150, are donated to the oncology clinic at St. Louis Children’s’ Hospital because that is where Will was treated and continues to be treated.

Angela said she has nothing but wonderful things to say about the hospital and their support of her project.

Angela always asks that her bags be given to patients in the day clinic because she has found that patients who have to stay in the hospital are more prepared with items from home.

“But for outpatient chemo, what a nice surprise to be handed a tote that you can use for all of your return visits to the clinic,” she said.

The reaction to the project has inspired the Pages to keep the project going. Angela said she often has tears streaming down her face as the sponsorships come in. She said a lot of people donate because they followed Will’s journey on Caring Bridge and are happy to see him living a happy and healthy life, others donate because they know someone who has battled cancer.

“I think people feel empathy and can’t imagine their own child going through something they can’t even understand,” she said. “When your three-year-old asks the question ‘Am I ever going to sleep in my own bed again,’ you feel your heart hit the floor with a thunderous velocity.”

Angela said she always gives people the option to sponsor a tote in honor of someone, whether that be someone who’s currently battling cancer, a cancer survivor or even a loved one that has passed on.  She has had people donate in honor of grandparents, siblings and even Will. Others have donated in honor of their own healthy children to recognize the blessing of health. Each tote has a card bearing the donor’s name and if it is in honor of anyone.

Angela said Will has started to realize the impact that this project has on the kids who receive the bags.

“We try to implore the idea that this has such a ripple effect that expands beyond the patients,” she said.

Angela said the bags are a relief for the parents of the teens who are battling for their life and they make the jobs of nurses slightly easier since they put the children at ease.  She said they also effect the volunteers who help fill the bags. She said she hopes this sense of volunteerism rubs off on her son.

“It really is a chain of love and I have no doubt Will is going to grow up with a giving heart,” she said. “I hope he carries on with my mantra of PIFGIB.  Pay it Forward/Give it Back.”

Will has been in remission for nine and a half years, however with leukemia, even though you go into remission, patients have a three and a half year treatment plan.  If patients stop the treatment early it can cause a relapse. The Pages go to the Late Effects clinic and Will has blood work done annually. Sometimes there are delayed effects of long-term chemo and all of the spinal taps. This year Will will also have an EKG to check for heart damage. An EKG is required every five years.

Angela said it seems like yesterday that Will was diagnosed on other times it feels like another lifetime.

In reality, it has been 10 years.

She said she recently saw a picture of a pediatric hospital gown with the same ocean animal print Will had and she immediately felt that punch in the gut as my eyes welled up with tears.

“The waters may appear calm but it’s always just below the surface,” she said. “He was originally misdiagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma in his leg, which has a less favorable outcome.”

Now, her vibrant child is a beast on the soccer field and whenever the coach calls for him to take a kick because of a strong leg, Angela said she “sweeps.”

“That’s a phrase I coined during the darker days,” she said.  “It’s a cross between a smile and a weep. You know that feeling when you start to cry but then a smile breaks through right in the middle of it?  That’s a sweep. Like a rainbow breaking through the rain. Will is a considerate, funny and strong-willed 13 year old. We are so proud of him.”

The cost to sponsor a tote is $20.  Those wanting to sponsor a tote can email angelastotes@gmail.com or call 217-493-8688.

Donations can also be sent via PayPal to angelastotes@gmail.com or by mailing a check payable to Angela Page to 1715 Magnolia Dr., Saint Joseph, IL 61873. Include information if you would like the tote in honor of someone.

Deadline is December 30th.

The post Chemo totes provide lift for teenage cancer patients first appeared on SJO Daily.

That is where the St. Joseph Food Pantry comes in.

Years ago, the ministers from all the churches in St. Joseph met and decided the churches needed to work together on a food pantry rather than have separate ones, said Chris Cox, the director of the Food Pantry.

The Church of Christ already housed a food pantry so they decided it would stay here, Cox said.

“It’s important to know that this is a community Food Pantry that is just housed in our building,” Cox said, “but all of the churches support it.”

The pantry is located on the lower level of the St. Joseph Church of Christ at 226 E. Sherman.

Cox said around 50 families use the pantry monthly. The families aren’t just from St. Joseph but also from the small towns surrounding St. Joseph, like Mayview, Ogden, Royal and Homer.

Cox said the pantry is important to the area because there are people that need additional help.

“People living paycheck to paycheck that may have had an unexpected car repair and can’t make ends meet this month but can next month,” Cox said. “We also have people that, for whatever reason, cannot not receive added help, so we are here to support them as an addition to their normal groceries. “

Cox said they have even had people who normally donate to the food pantry come in and use the pantry when they were laid off or been off work temporarily and just need a little additional help to take care of their families.

“We tend to be the place that helps the working poor (or) those that don’t qualify for help because they are not poor enough,” Cox said.

St. Joseph resident Jill Robbins has been volunteering with the pantry for four years. She joined a service group in St. Joseph — Iota Sigma. This philanthropic sorority makes monetary donations on a regular basis to the food pantry. Robbins said at the first meeting she attended, it was announced the food pantry was nearly empty and needed donations.

She and her husband, Kent, sprang into action.

“My husband and I visited the food pantry to see how we could help,” she said.

Jill, Kent and Cox decided that more donation containers around town were needed and someone needed to assure that the donations were picked up and brought to the food pantry.

“My husband and I took on that responsibility,” Jill said. “We try to notify people of what is needed, we pick up from all the donation bins and deliver to the food pantry, and we meet with groups who donated to the food pantry.”

Donations bins are located at the three local banks, local churches, St. Joseph Auto and Diesel, AJ’s Station and the St. Joseph Township Swearingen Memorial Library.

“We encourage donations from our community with the idea that we help one another,” Jill said. “Our donations come from our citizens, from church groups, from school groups, from neighbors, from businesses, from scout and 4H groups, and from clubs.”

In order to use the pantry, a person needs to call the St. Joseph Church of Christ at 217-469-2207.

Those using the pantry need to have a state-issued ID and a copy of a piece of mail to prove a current address.

Cox said a power bill, water bill or current insurance information will work.

Jill said that the food pantry is just another example of the community taking care of one another.

“The St. Joseph community has always supported one another,” she said. “As a retired teacher, I feel that adults should model values we want our children to strive for. I have met so many wonderful coaches, sponsors, teachers, scout leaders, 4H leaders, club members, ministers, business owners and community members who are helping children to become good community members by encouraging them to help others. “

The food pantry accepts non-perishable foods, personal hygiene products, cleaning supplies, first aid supplies and paper products.

Cox said the pantry is always in need of laundry detergent, paper products, hygiene products and cleaning supplies.

“These cannot be purchased with a link card, if they have one,” she said.

Monetary Donations should be mailed to:
Food Pantry Director
Attention:  Chris.
226 E. Sherman, St. Joseph, IL 61873

The post Food pantry lends a helping hand to those in need first appeared on SJO Daily.

The amount they owed the village was higher than they initially anticipated.

For the December bill, St. Joseph residents were billed for three months worth of sewer service instead of their usual two months.

The bills covered the months of August, September and October.

The village made the decision to bill for three months because they were behind in sewer billing after a former village employee, Laura Boyd, was charged with stealing from the village in June. The village’s auditor wanted the billing caught up before the end of the year.

Boyd was in charge of collecting sewer payments. She allegedly did not deposit cash payments for the sewer bills. The computer records showed the bills were paid in full. She was fired in October 2017.

After the firing, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Department found that between 2011 and 2017, approximately $77,600 could not be accounted for. Boyd has denied any wrongdoing and the court case is ongoing.

Residents had expressed frustration that the village decided to bill for three months around Christmas. The amount they were billed seemed to be more than they would expect to be billed for three months.

Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges said that the village apologized for the confusion.

“We know with the Christmas holiday it is a little bit of a hardship to have the extra month added onto their bill,” she said, “so we are going to extend the due date on the current bill to January 19th.”

Fruhling-Voges said if people have questions regarding their sewer bills, they should call the village office with their name and address. Village office workers can pull their information and schedule a time for the resident to come in so the village can explain their bill to them

“If there are any questions, we highly recommend you bring your bill into the office and we will work through it with you to make sure the proper units were used to figure it,” Fruhling-Voges said.

The village will reschedule the automatic payments to come out of resident’s accounts on Jan. 19.

The village also heard from a property owner at its December board meeting who was told that his tenant did not pay their sewer bills and he was now responsible for the balance.

James Moore said he had lived in St. Joseph for 10 years and recently relocated to Alabama. He rented his home on Winston Drive last year, and he was recently informed there was a large amount on the home’s sewer bill because the tenant did not pay their bill.

Moore asked why he was responsible for the bill.

“No one called for a whole year to tell me,” Moore said.

Clerk Tiffany McElroy-Smetzer said that when a property owner rents their home, it is their responsibility to let the village know.

Moore said he thought the village should take a deposit when someone they do not know comes in to set up their sewer account.

McElroy-Smetzer said it is in the village’s ordinances that they do not take deposits.

Moore argued that the village should tell landlords they are responsible for the sewer bills of their tenants if they are not paid.

McElroy-Smetzer said that the former employee who was in charge of the sewer accounts should have notified Moore.

The village said they would look into the situation.

The village ordinance regarding payment liability states that “the owner of the premises and the occupant thereof and the user of sewerage service, shall be jointly and severally liable to pay for the service on said premises, and the service is furnished to the premises by the village only upon the condition that the owner of the premises, occupant and user of the service, are jointly and severally liable therefor to the village. Bills shall be rendered to the user at the end of each two (2) month period and shall be payable within thirty (30) days after the date of the original bill. For any bills not paid by said due date, a penalty of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the charges for current services shall be added and become due.”

The post St. Joseph to change date on current sewer bills first appeared on SJO Daily.

“The process is like an addiction,” she said.  “Once I get started I can’t stop.”

Langendorf is known for taking old, primitive or vintage items and repurposing them.

She said part of the fun is looking at an item and trying to figure out what she can use it to create.

She buys supplies and items she likes often without having a set plan.

“I just start putting them together,” she said. “Sometimes I get an idea and sketch it out, but mostly I wing it.”

Winging it has led to some of her most unique pieces and creating multiples of something with a plan bores her.

“I have wholesaled my handmaids to shops all over the USA in the past,” she said. “Making multiples is boring and you lose the creative process.”

Langendorf said she loves to go junking, finding tossed out, worn out and almost destroyed pieces and giving them a new life.

“I get a little thrill when customers rave on something I made,” she said. “That is important to me—that something I made is in someone’s home and maybe cherished for years.”

Langendorf has sold her one of a kind items in her store named after her four-year-old Vizsla, Ginger, has been a downtown St. Joseph mainstay for three years.

As of this weekend, it will be no more.

Langendorf made the decision to close her store, which focused on handmade and repurposed primitive and vintage goods not only made by her but by other vendors because of life changes.

Langendorf’s day job as a registered nurse at OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center is requiring her to go full time for benefits.  Langendorf said the decision was difficult because she feels so strongly about what Ginger’s stood for—being different.

“I don’t follow the in thing because that’s what everyone does,” she said. “Success is standing out from the rest.”

It was a difficult decision to close the store she loves but as any store owner can attest there are hours and hours of work behind the scenes beyond the hours the shop is open, especially when the items are all handmade.

“Gingers was unique in that we didn’t buy from a wholesaler and most things were made by hand or recreated,” she said. “It’s hours and hours of creating, not pulling out of a box and adding a price tag.”

Her favorite part of owning Ginger’s, beyond creating items for it, was meeting interesting people.

“I gained new friends with my customers and vendors,” she said. “It warmed my heart when regulars came in week after week to see what was new.”

Some people came in just to see Ginger, who took third place at the 2016 AKC Rally Nationals, with her owner’s help. Others thought Langendorf was Ginger. Yet others walked in and were astounded by the amount of handmade unique items.

“They would walk in and say, ‘Wow, I love this store. It’s so different,’” Langendorf said.

She also built relationships with the other people who sold handmade items in the store, including her shop partner, Diane Lahne of the Potting Shed in Allerton, which also sells handmade items.

Langendorf said she and Lahne had similar ideas on what a shop should be and both had a creative passion.

“With her guidance I was able to take Gingers to a new level and we went from being open once a month to every week,” Langendorf said.

Langendorf said she was thankful that so many people had supported her business and her dream.

When she posted the news on social media of the store closing followers lamented what a great addition the store was to downtown and how much they loved the store. Langendorf urged those people not to be too sad yet. She has a new path she is going to follow and hopes her customers and friends will follow her.

In January, she will open two more booths at  Mercantile Antiques located on Northgate Drive in Saint Joseph.

“Its a fabulous antique shop,” Langendorf said.

The booths will feature Langendorf’s handmade and repurposed items and some of her vendors will also be opening booths there, too.

Langendorf said she will miss the interaction with her customers and helping new vendors get their business going while sharing her knowledge of junking and repurposing, but she is looking to the future.  

“The door on Lincoln may be closing but Ginger’s will continue to grow—just down a different path,” she said. “Never give up on your dreams in three short years we evolved from a studio to a monthly market to a real shop. That was beyond my wildest dreams.”

The post Langendorf looks to the future first appeared on SJO Daily.

The SJO Toyota of Danville Classic, formerly called the Leader Classic, has been held every December for the past 30 years at the high school.

When Duval was younger, his father, Hall of Fame football coach Dick Duval, would announce for the tournament or work at the scorer’s table. Kiel sat with him, taking in the action and soaking up the festive atmosphere of small-school basketball.

“I got to see the great coaches in this tournament close up, which as a kid, was awesome,” he said. “Those are memories I will never forget.”

This year, Kiel will form some new memories. He enters his first year as the head boys’ basketball coach at SJO, taking over for Brian Brooks, who stepped aside after coaching the Spartans the last 15 seasons.

“To me, it is an unbelievable opportunity to be a part of this tournament as a head coach,” Kiel said. “I grew up loving this tournament.”

Kiel graduated from SJO in 2005 and served as an assistant coach under Brooks for nine seasons.
Brooks was hired as coach during Kiel’s junior year of high school, and Kiel said he changed the mindset of the team.

“It was no longer good enough to get second or third in our own tournament,” he said. “We played extremely well both years and finished first.”

Kiel said that coaching under Brooks in the Classic created lasting memories for him of great games and great teams.

“It seems like when you get down to that final night, the games had a postseason feel,” he said. “There were some phenomenal games we were a part of.”

Kiel said he thinks the players like playing in a tournament during the season and the Classic allows them to add a short-term goal — winning their own tournament — to their long-term goals.

“I think they like that,” he said.

Kiel said the setup of the tournament tests players early in the season.

“They have to prepare in different ways. They may have to work on short rest. They have to look at one scouting report for a morning game and a different scouting report for an evening game, which makes it difficult,” Kiel said.

“This is good for the guys in the long run.”

SJO Toyota of Danville Classic Schedule
Thursday, Dec. 13
Game 1: Cissna Park vs. Armstrong-Potomac, 6 p.m.
Game 2: Schlarman vs. Oakwood, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 14
Game 3: St. Joseph-Ogden vs. Chicago CICS Longwood, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 15
Game 4: Armstrong-Potomac vs. Chicago CICS Longwood, 10 a.m.
Game 5: Cissn Park vs. Schlarman, 11:30 a.m.
Game 6: St. Joseph-Ogden vs. Oakwood, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Chicago CICS Longwood vs. Cissna Park, 4 p.m.
Game 8: Oakwood vs. Armstrong-Potomac, 5:30 p.m.
Game 9: Schlarman vs. St. Joseph-Ogden, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 18
Game 10: Cissna Park vs. Oakwood, 5 p.m.
Game 11: Schlarman vs. Chicago CICS Longwood, 6:30 p.m.
Game 12: St. Joseph-Ogden vs. Armstrong-Potomac, 8 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 21
Game 13: Armstrong-Potomac vs. Schlarman, 5 p.m.
Game 14: Chicago CICS Longwood vs. Oakwood, 6:30 p.m.
Game 15: St. Joseph-Ogden vs. Cissna Park, 8 p.m.

The post Duval part of something special first appeared on SJO Daily.

And help the St. Joseph Community they do.

Currently, the club is sponsoring the St. Joseph Angel Tree at the St. Joseph Apothecary.

“I love the Angel Tree,” said club member Angela Page.

The tree is decorated with ornaments listing various items to be purchased for several families in the community.

Those wanting to help remove an ornament listing items families have requested, buy the items then drop them off with the ornament and gift receipt at the Apothecary on Dec.15 by 1 p.m.

Members of the Church of Christ and Women’s Club will wrap the gifts and provide the gifts and a meal to the families.

The Club purchases any items not chosen.

“I think it’s such a great family tradition,” Page said. “Take your child and let them choose the ornament from the tree and go shopping. Just another way to promote the spirit of giving  in children so it will carry into adulthood.”

Club member Amy Lewis said the Angel Tree is the most rewarding project the group undertakes.

She said she also enjoys Fall Family Movie Night and the Mutt Show.

In addition to movie night and the Mutt Show, the group supports the food pantry and sponsors Bedtime Stories with Santa.

Bedtime Stories with Santa is a free event will take place Thursday at the Church of Christ located at 226 E. Sherman St. in St. Joseph. The event starts at 6 p.m and goes until 8 p.m.

Children, ages fourth grade and younger, will be able to visit Santa, listen to stories, participate in crafts and eat cookies and milk.

Children are encouraged to wear pajamas.

The Club will be collecting donations for the St. Joseph Community Food Pantry.

“I love Women’s Club because the focus is on giving back to our local community,” said club member Aly Stephenson.

Stephenson joined the club in order to be involved with the fun ladies in the community, but she also joined to focus on supporting individuals in the community as well as other groups that would benefit from the club’s assistance.

“Sometimes that help comes financially such as giving to the food pantry, while other times we are a means of donating time and resources to a great cause or event, such as Relay for Life,” Stephenson said.

Lewis said she joined the club after being invited by a friend.

“I was looking to get involved in the community,” she said. “I grew up in St. Joe and my mom had been a member so it seemed like a good fit.”

The club meets the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at Village Hall.

“We’d love to have new members,” Lewis said. “In addition to our community involvement, we have been increasing our social activities within the group and would invite anyone who is curious about the club to come meet us.”

The post St. Joseph Women’s Club provides holiday opportunities first appeared on SJO Daily.

Case in point: she was always one of the first people to try and make a new student feel welcome in St. Joseph.

“When I first moved to St. Joseph in 2013, we didn’t know each other,” said Rachel Mullen, a 2015 St. Joseph-Ogden High School graduate. “I was a stranger to her, but I don’t think stranger was a word in her vocabulary.”

Christina Gherna remembers Plotner doing the same thing with her daughter, Lauren.

When the Ghernas moved to St. Joseph in 2009,  Plotner and Lauren were both about to start fifth grade.

“Murelle immediately befriended Lauren and made her transition to St. Joe so much easier,” Gherna said. “Murelle was such a positive, happy person, and she sure brightened our home anytime she came over.”

Mullen said she still remembers the first day she met Plotner and how her bright, happy personality shown through then as well.

“Laughing and joking around with people and really just putting a smile on everyone’s faces,” Mullen said.

That’s what Plotner, 19, did best — putting a smile on everyone’s face.

Plotner, who passed away Saturday at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, was a big part of the SJO community, said Superintendent Brian Brooks.

“I used to say that when she was at SJO that no matter what kind of day I was having, she always put a smile on my face when I’d see her walking down the hall,” Brooks said. “Sometimes it was due to a clever comment she might make to me and other times it was just due to her smile and bubbly personality. I knew that whatever I was dealing with that day paled in comparison to what she was dealing with, so if she could put a smile on her face and enjoy the day the least I could do was do the same.”

Despite her numerous health tribulations, Plotner never lost those positive attributes.

In eighth grade, Plotner was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

The syndrome is caused by poorly formed blood cells or ones that don’t work properly. The syndrome results from something not working correctly in bone marrow.

It was a disease that her mother, Chantell had overcome in 2002 with a bone-marrow transplant.

Murelle was put on a waiting list for a bone-marrow donation and seemed to get better until she developed graft versus host disease where her immune system began attacking her knees, joints and lungs.

In 2016, it was determined she needed a double lung transplant.

Three months after being placed on the waiting list, Plotner received her new lungs.

Brooks said that through it all, Plotner maintained her positive demeanor.

“You rarely would have known she was dealing with very severe illnesses unless you were already aware of her condition because she was way too tough to show you how much she was probably hurting and struggling,” he said.

When she came home to St. Joseph with her new lungs, she began to work at the IGA and took classes at Parkland College.

Then, in February 2018, Plotner’s bone marrow counts began to deteriorate, and then she received numerous bone marrow transplants throughout the year.

“This will be my fifth transplant,” she wrote in a Facebook post on Oct. 26. “I am anxious, nervous and scared. But I still have a smile on my face and a positive attitude. Please pray and hug your loved ones a little tighter because life is short. Smile and hold your head up high. For this is only the beginning of a beautiful, successful journey.”

SJO girls track and field coach Kelly Steffen said Plotner’s never-ending positivity was just part of who she was.

“It truly takes a special person to be able to let the joy of life outshine and overpower a situation like Murelle’s,” Steffen said. “On social media, I posted a picture of Murelle and I on Halloween at school a few years ago. I think my caption sums up what Murelle did for me over these past few years: ‘Thank you for teaching me way more that I could ever teach you.’”

Former SJO Superintendent Jim Acklin said he would remember Plotner’s kinda spirit. He said that he hadn’t know Plotner long before she said ‘I love you!’ at the end of the conversation they were before going their separate ways one day.

“To be honest, it kind of took me by surprise and I have to admit I didn’t respond in kind,” Acklin said. “It didn’t take long before I realized this was just her way. “

Acklin’s standard response soon became ‘Love you too kiddo.’

“Looking back, it was apparently that Murelle was wise beyond her years,” Acklin said. “It took me a lifetime to learn to tell people how I felt about them—and some people unfortunately passed on before I ever got the chance, and here a teenager had it all figured out already.”

Plotner, who loved running,  competed in the 60-meter dash at an indoor meet in 2015 and set a personal record of 19.62 seconds. Whether she was competing or cheering the team along, Mullen said Plotner was very special to the SJO running community.

“I knew this girl was so special to our cross-country and track team,” Mullen said, “but what I didn’t know was how much of a lasting impression this girl I met my junior year was going to have on me.”

Brooks said the SJO community is hurting with the loss of Plotner.

“Those of us that were fortunate enough to know Murelle are better people because of it,” he said. “She taught us more about life than we could ever teach her.”

Plotner was born June 9, 1999 to Corey and Chantell Wells Plotner.

She is survived by her parents, brother R.J., sister Jillian, maternal grandparents Ray and Pam Wells, paternal grandmother Paula Plotner, maternal great-grandmother Catherine Wells and Aunts Danielle (Matt) Cler and Amanda Plotner.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 14 at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph. Burial will be in Patterson Cemetery, St. Joseph. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions can be made to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

If anyone is interested in becoming a bone marrow donor they can visit https://bethematch.org.

The SJO community is raising funds to help the Plotner family pay for funeral expenses.

Donations can be given directly at the Gifford State bank for the Murelle Plotner’s Funeral Expense fund or checks can be given directly to  Freese Funeral home with Murelle Plotner in the memo. Donations can also be made online at: https://www.gofundme.com/batmanisfree.

The post Plotner remembered for kind spirit, positivity first appeared on SJO Daily.

He enjoyed it so much that he was working as a long-term substitute for the Heritage School District teaching Spanish even though he was retired.

“He was like a walking education history book,” Heritage Superintendent Tom Davis said. “He was passionate about Spanish and teaching and he was an excellent administrator.”

John, 75, his wife Shirley, 77, and their friend Kristine Trudeau, 66, were involved in a car accident on Friday afternoon. John and Trudeau died. Shirley is in the hospital.

Their vehicle ran into the back of a skid-steer that was cleaning debris off the highway. The accident happened at 4:45 p.m. on County Road 1450.

The accident has left the Heritage community reeling.

John became the district’s long-term sub after the original teacher left for a position at a larger school up north. John had subbed for multiple schools in the area, including St. Thomas More and Bement.

“He saw our opening and I was so happy to get him,” Davis said. “He was great last year. The kids loved him.”

Davis said John was beloved by the staff as well.

“It will be rough on our staff,” he said. “They all loved him.”

Davis said one of his favorite memories of both Shirley and John came from the Heritage Prom last year. John was in a full tuxedo and Shirley was in a formal gown.

“They looked amazing,” he said. “The kids and staff loved it.”

Davis said even though the district advertised a full-time Spanish teaching job this summer, no applicants came forward.

But that was OK.

“Honestly, it was the best day when he walked in the office door at Broadlands to say he would do it again this year,” Davis said. “I was ecstatic.”

Davis said he was alerted to the accident on Friday night by Mary Kay Anderson, Heritage’s special education teacher and Shirley’s sister.

Davis said he then contacted Jennifer Armstrong at the Rural Champaign County Special Education Cooperative, who helps schools put together counseling teams for crisis situations.  Heritage staff, nurse DiAnne Boyd, counselor Patti Knott, along with deans Jason Conn and Corey White, will assist the social workers or counselors from the RCCSEC.

Today, the Heritage High School family will be gathering together during a morning assembly.  Davis will talk about John and what comes next for the district and his students.

“He would want kids to keep learning,” Davis said.

Today, Heritage teachers will be covering his classes so the students will have familiar faces in the classroom. If students would rather gather in the library or gym, Davis said that will be allowed.

Davis said he plans on getting to John’s classroom early today.

Davis said in some situations, educators are told to let the students lead the conversation and actions surrounding a crisis. The district will also preserve the room until the family tells them what personal items they want.

Davis said that while today may be tough, he knows the Heritage student body will overcome this tragedy.

“Kids are resilient,” Davis said.

Davis said that he has not been told about any service plans, but once he is, the district will decide how to handle teachers and students who may want to attend the service.

As for the future, Davis said the district has had people apply for the Spanish position that they have left posted since April 2018.

“If someone accepts we will fill it next semester or try to find another long term sub,” he said.

John wasn’t just beloved by the Heritage Community.

He was actively involved in Masonic Organizations.

That is how Greg Knott, a St. Joseph resident and Mason, got to know him.

“He truly lived by the principles taught,” he said.

Knott said John helped him on numerous occasions and helped him learn new things with patience.

“He was a man of the highest integrity and moral conviction,” he said. “I will miss him greatly.”

St. Joseph-Township Librarian Susan McKinney also knew John through his work with the Masons.

McKinney described John as a loving, kind man.

“You saw the love he had for his wife the minute you saw the two of them together,” she said.  “His love and care for her was evident in their interactions.”

McKinney said that Jones cared deeply for his friends and family, as well as the organizations to which he and his wife gave their time.

McKinney said that her family first met John and Shirley when McKinney’s son, Michael, was young.

“They immediately took to Michael, encouraging him as he grow up to pursue his dreams and career,” she said. “Michael always considered John to be one of his mentors on how a man should behave in the world. He will be greatly missed by both Michael and myself.”

Arrangements are pending at the Joines Funeral Home in Villa Grove.

The post Jones remembered as a caring educator first appeared on SJO Daily.

Mullen, who graduated from SJO in 2015, said those injuries made her realize the importance of teamwork.

“I know what it is like to have to step into the role of being a supportive teammate and helping where I am needed,” she said.

Those skills are coming in handy in Mullen’s new role.

The University of Illinois senior is now a manager for the Illinois volleyball team.

The Illini, led by second-year coach Chris Tamas, has had a hugely successful season this year, taking a 30-3 record into an NCAA tournament Sweet 16 match against Marquette at 11 a.m. on Friday at Huff Hall in Champaign.

This is the team’s second trip to this stage of the NCAA tournament under Tamas.

Last year, they defeated Hawaii and Washington but lost to Michigan State in four sets during the regional semifinal appearance.

This year, Illinois sailed passed Eastern Michigan in three sets last Friday night during its first-round NCAA tournament match and defeated Louisville in four sets last Saturday night during its second-round NCAA tournament match to reach the Sweet 16. 

The Illini defeated Marquette 25-19, 25-16 at Huff Hall Friday afternoon to advance to the Elite 8 where they will face Wisconsin on at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Illini and Badgers split matches during the 2018 season.

Mullen said no matter what happens, she feels inspired by how much success this team has achieved.

“I get to see every day how much work is put in in practice every day,” she said, “and how humbly the girls hold their heads around campus and even on the court.”

Mullen became a manager by meeting the Illini’s director of operations, Andy Wenstrand, through one of the other current managers with the program.

Mullen went to a spring practice to meet the coaches and players.

“They welcomed me with open arms this fall,” she said.

Mullen’s typical day starts at 8 a.m. She gets ready for classes and is working on her coursework from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

She then goes to volleyball practice around 3 p.m.

At practice, she arrives 30 to 45 minutes before the players to help get everything set up.

She then helps run practice, whether it is throwing in free balls or tossing balls for coaches to hit.

“Wherever a hand is needed, I help,” she said.

She then helps tear down practice afterwards.

She is usually home after 6 p.m. where she eats dinner and does her homework.

Then she repeats her schedule the next day.

Mullen’s schedule may be grueling, but for her, it is worth it.

“The best part about being a manager is being a part of a team that genuinely cares for each other,” Mullen said.

Mullen said she also values learning from coaches who are eager to teach and improve the skills of the players, but also work to improve their minds and the way they think.

Being around the team so much, Mullen has gained insight into what makes them so successful — and it is not just their athleticism.

“I believe work ethic and chemistry is a big part of what makes this team so successful,” she said. “They come into practice every day and give 110 percent and push one another so hard.”

Mullen said she doesn’t think the average person realizes that volleyball is one of the hardest team sports out there. Mullen said in basketball, which she also played at SJO, the team can rely on one person to make half its points while the other players may not contribute as many points to win the game. The same can’t be said for volleyball.

“In volleyball, if one person is not doing their job then the team will not succeed,” said Mullen, who started her college career by playing volleyball at Lake Land Community College in Mattoon. “That is what is so great about this group of girls. Everyone puts in so much effort and everyone exceeds at their position.”

Mullen said she is looking forward to watching the team’s hard work pay off this weekend. Two more wins this weekend, and the Illini would advance to next week’s Final Four in Minneapolis. The national semifinals are set for next Thursday evening at the Target Center, with the national championship match set for 8 p.m. next Saturday.

“They have worked their tails off for this,” Mullen said. “After making the Sweet 16 last year, I knew the team had potential to make another postseason run this year because there were so many returning players. After seeing all the hard work the girls put in during the pre-season and having a 14-0 start, I just had a feeling this team was going to do big things this year.”

The post Mullen helps Illinois Volleyball during successful season first appeared on SJO Daily.