Pumpkins in The Park. Herrin invites families and friends to this annual event Saturday, October 29, an afternoon soiree, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Food, fun, costume contest at 3 p.m. Enjoy a few hours in beautiful Herrin City Park.
Herrin, Carterville, Marion and Johnston City all have the same residential trick-or-treating hours, Monday, October 31. Hours for candy collections are 5 to 8 p.m. Drive slowly, watch out for children in costume, bags in hand.
6th ANNUAL MARION PD HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR comes our way Saturday, October 29 at Rent One Park, 5 to 8 p.m. Free admission, the park comes alive with treats no tricks, candy, entertainment, food, costumes. More than 4,000 guests are expected. If you’ve been before, you know not to miss this elaborate, kaleidoscope of events for families, children, young and old.
The Annual Marion Kiwanis Club's Pancake Day is this Saturday, Oct. 29 at the KC Hall, North Russell Street in Marion. Serving from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Tix in advance $8 for adults and $6 for children age 12 n under. All proceeds go the club’s mission, “Serving Children of the World."
TRUNK or TREAT Friday, October 28, OLMC Church parking lot in Herrin from 6 to 9 p.m. Costumes are encouraged. Ask children to bring treat buckets. Vendors, candy, treats for families, students and guests. Kent Ingersoll is community chair. Pastor is Father Mark Reyling.
CHEERS to Herrin Hometown Christmas Committee. Their work has begun behind the scenes to decorate our town. The men and women who devote countless hours throughout the year to make Herrin Merry deserve our abundant thanks and our donations to help with costs of doing what they do as they trim our streets and businesses. The season will be launched the weekend after Thanksgiving.
SIH NAMES NEW PRESIDENT and CEO: Current CEO and President Rex Budde retires at the end of this year. John Antes, St. Louis takes on the new position effective Dec. 12. He most recently has been President of Missouri Baptist Medical Center. Welcome aboard to Mr. Antes and thanks to Rex Budde for a 22-year SIH career where he served as CFO before his appointment as SIH CEO and President for the last l3 years.
CHILI LOVERS: It’s a tradition. The 13th Annual Southern Illinois Chili Cook off is set for Saturday, November 5 at 10 a.m. at the Marion Elks Club #800 just off Tower Square on South Market. Tasting runs till 3:30 p.m. 40 teams will do the cooking. Look for raffle tickets for great gifts, expect a crowd. Live music, Chili tastings, networking from all over the region. Two gal pals Cynde Bunch and Sue Ridgway never miss this one.
HFD CHILI DINNER: Firefighters in Herrin know their way around the kitchen when it comes to making chili. Their annual Chili Dinner is set for Saturday, November 12 at OLMC School gym (where it has been the last two years). It’s a drive- thru meal. Serving begins at 11 a.m. Buy tickets in advance at the fire station or as your drive through. Plans to return it to a fire house hopefully will happen when the new facility is built on South l3th.
A COLUMN: I hope all of you read the Grateful Editorial by our fearless leader, Bill Swinford, last week about Swinford Publications/Media being chosen, and the honor they received, as Grand Parade Marshalls for the Oct. 14 Marion High School Homecoming Parade. The man can write, his gratitude is boundless, and his staff is so proud they were chosen to ride in convertibles, wave, remember and relish that beautiful autumn day a week ago.
TURNING 100: One of Herrin’s finest, Wilma Miriani with a wall full of awards and congratulatory notes turns 100 November 7. A volunteer at OLMC Church, a long-time career volunteer with Herrin Hospital Auxiliary where she served as treasurer for twenty- plus years and Lifeline Coordinator. She was named HerrinFesta Grand Parade Marshal in 2009. Cards are welcome and her family hopes many of you will send one to their mother. Address is Liberty Village, 3116 Williamson County Parkway, Marion, IL 62959
THE ORGAN PLAYS: Halloween Extravaganza Saturday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. A free concert at Shryock Auditorium, SIU. It's a family and kid friendly evening of spooky music on the great Reuter pipe organ. Sponsored by SI Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Organists from the area will be perform. Remember it’s FREE. Audience members and performers are encouraged to come in Halloween costume.
SNAPSHOTS: Tons of fun throughout Marion for the Very Scary Marion event, that began Oct. 21 and runs through Oct. 31. Presented by The City of Marion and the Black Diamond Family of Businesses. Check it out at their web site MarionHalloween.com
Marion Senior Citizens open Monday- Friday, daily lunches 11a.m. to 12 Noon. Suggested donation $4.00. Check this paper for weekly menus. Good food, new and old friends and daily activities.
HALLOWEEN: I remember dressing my small girls in costumes for a Halloween evening of trekking up and down our neighborhood. There was no driving about, it was a witchy walk with ghosts and masked creatures of the night bumping along in front and back of us. Sometimes stiff winds, once even a dusting of snow accompanied us on our journey; and yet we went.
Their excitement was contagious. They loved saying ‘Trick or Treat” as loud as they could after the knock on the door. There were apples and oranges and candy, and occasionally, a quarter, and once a 50-cent piece for each of them from a generous house two blocks down.
We carried flashlights and brown paper bags. I think of those times as Halloween arrives. Wasn’t it just yesterday? It was a time of bliss, of youth, of everything in its place. And best of all, enough candy to last till Christmas. Let’s talk next week.
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Cheryl is a freelance columnist who writes about her native southern Illinois in the Swinford Media Publications Herrin Independent, Marion Star and Carterville Courier and an E-mail Edition on Fridays. Her first book, "Snapshots and Footnotes" is available at Barnes and Noble in Carbondale or on-line. Contact her at CRTheSouthern@aol.com
