1. Art and Diseño

Vol. 109, No. 5
News from the Heart of Amish Country
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Serving Eastern Moultrie, Western Douglas, and Southern Piatt Counties
$
1.00
Arthur, Illinois 61911
News
Briefs
Junior high band
to offer baked
potatoes before
Feb. 13 game
Arthur
Lovington
Atwood Hammond Junior High Band will have
a Baked Potato Bar from
5 to 7 p.m. Friday, February 13, in the high
school cafeteria.
Come out and get
your baked potato loaded with your favorite
toppings before the basketball game and cheer
on the Knights to a victory over Arcola.
KNIGHTS WIN TOURNAMENT. Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond
Knights basketball team won the Little Okaw Valley Conference Tournament Championship Saturday in Arcola. The Knights defeated Southeast
Division champions Hutsonville-Palestine 69-51. The Knights advanced
to the title game by defeating Argenta-Oreana 68-38 and Decatur LSA
60-41 to win the Northwest Division tournament. This was the Knights’
second LOVC tournament title in a row after winning last year as ArthurLovington. Large numbers of Knights fans turned out for all three games
during the team’s championship run. Photo by Stephanie Wierman
Scout Sunday is February 8.
Arthur United Methodist Church, as the local
sponsoring organization
for Scouting in Arthur,
invites all current and
former Scouts and leaders to the 10 a.m. service
where they will be recognized.
Current Scouts will
also take part in the service.
A meal will be served
in the basement after
church. Everyone is invited and welcome to
stay and eat lunch.
Rockome Gardens will not open
this year; owner announces
plans to sell the theme park
By KENT A. STOCK
Staff Writer
Steve Maher, owner of
Rockome Gardens, has announced the park will not
open for the 2015 season.
He and wife Bev hope to
sell the theme park which
annually draws around
18,000 visitors each year
from May through October.
If a buyer is found for
the property, the option does
exist to be open this year.
The Mahers purchased
Rockome Gardens in 2011
with the intention of restoring the park buildings and
gardens to their original
beauty and purpose.
The country home Ar-
thur and Bess Martin began developing in the 1930’s
with flower gardens, pools,
and rock formations became
an area attraction open to
visitors in the late 1950’s under owners Elvan and Irene
Yoder.
Despite a fire that destroyed an unused but historic building in the park
and some tumultuous weather, much of the gardens and
buildings were distinctly improved during the past four
years.
Perhaps the biggest accomplishment was the restoration of the “Martin House”
which is the farmhouse located on the property. Other
historic preservation efforts
that have been on-going and
involving Rockome will continue.
Rockome Foods will continue to be open and operate
on their normal schedule.
The Rockome Restaurant
was closed late last year and
will remain so at this time.
Several events that were
scheduled to be hosted in the
park have been moved. The
Raggedy Ann and Andy Festival will be held in Arcola.
EMT chili supper
Saturday, Feb. 7
The Chet Kingery Memorial Bluegrass Jam has
been relocated to Arthur and
will take place as scheduled
on Saturday, May 16.
Alumni Association seeks
nominations for annual awards
By KENT A. STOCK
Staff Writer
Arthur Alumni Association is seeking nominations
for three awards to be given
out to individuals during the
Alumni Banquet which will
be held Saturday, October 3.
You may request nomination forms by calling
(217) 543-2375, emailing
arthuralums@consolidated.
net, or mailing your nomination to PO Box 21, Arthur,
IL 61911.
Forms are not required
but are useful guidelines to
indicate exactly what information the Awards Nominating Committee is looking
for to select the honorees.
The award categories
are Hall of Fame, Honorary Alumni, and the Gene
Haney Award.
The Hall of Fame Award,
established in 1992, is given
to AHS alumni who have
made a significant contribution to one or more of the
following: their alma mater,
the Arthur community, their
profession, society, the nation or the world.
Honorary
Alumni
Award, established in 1993,
is to honor non-alumni who
have made a significant
contribution to the Arthur
school system and/or the
youth of the Arthur community.
Gene Haney Memori­
al Award, established in
1993, is given to a person
who has made a significant
contribution to the Arthur
Alumni Association through
their time and efforts with
the yearly planning of each
year’s Homecoming celebration.
Nominations for the
awards will be accepted until Friday, May 8.
Arthur High School
Alumni Association is looking to celebrate a very special Homecoming this year.
This fall marks the follow-
ing: one hundred years of
high school football in Arthur, seventy-five years of
Homecoming; the fiftieth annual Alumni Banquet; and
the twenty-fifth year of the
start of what was the co-op
with Lovington.
One way to help celebrate will be to honor a deserving person(s) with a
nom­ination for one of these
awards.
Scout Sunday
February 8
at Methodist
Church
Colton Yeakley (54) lays the ball in around Hutsonville-Palestine defenders Justin Lowrance (12) and Landon Williams (23) in the title game of the LOVC Tournament. Hutsonville-Palestine kept it close through one half of play
before Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond pulled away
for a decisive 18-point victory. Photo by Stephanie Wierman
Arthur EMTs will
sponsor their 10th annual Chili Supper on Saturday, February 7, at the
firehouse on Route 133
West.
Serving begins at 4
p.m. and continues until
8. The evening includes a
live auction beginning at
5 p.m. It features items
donated by area merchants.
Menu includes all
you can eat chili, peanut
butter and cheese spread
sandwiches, drinks, and
homemade desserts.
Proceeds will be used
for training purposes to
allow the emergency responders to provide high
quality service to the
community.
Anyone having questions concerning the
chili supper and auction
should contact Stephani
Poe, event chairperson.
Woman’s Club
scholarships
GRAND OPENING. Arthur Mennonite Central Committee
Thrift Shop at 1065 East Columbia Street held its grand
opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday mornig.
City officials, economic development officers, store personnel, and regional MCC officers participated in the ceremony. Joy Yoder, regional coordinator of MCC Great
Lakes Shops, holds the sign as they prepare to cut the
ribbon. Nadine Miller, manager of the Arthur shop stands
on Joy’s left. MCC has 58 shops in the United States and
about that many in Canada. The shop occupies the former
Horizon Home Center and is located in Plank Plaza. They
accept contributions of clothing and other items. Contact
Miller for guidelines on the types of items the shop accepts. Photo by Roger W. Bonham
Arthur
Woman’s
Club will award educational scholarships for
Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond students.
Any interested graduating senior or continuing education student
may pick up an application at the high school
guidance counselor’s office. Applications must
be completed and returned to the counselor
no later than Wednesday, April 1, 2015.
Anyone with questions about the scholarship or application process should call Tish Farris at 543-2146 or Woman’s Club Scholarship
Committee chair Cheryl
Hilgenberg at 543-3272.
Scholarship winners
will be notified in May.