Central Illinois Green Club

With only a few days left before Ride the River, there is still time to jump in here. We need sponsorships, riders and workers. I hope everyone has examined what they can do for the Club and feels the need to contribute. Recently we have added a ninth FFA Chapter in St. Anne, IL. We are now dividing by 9 all of the proceeds to the Chapters. It makes it that much more important to gather as many sponsors, riders and donations as possible.

On another note, I’m hoping everyone is having a great summer and has participated in some of the activities around us. Thanks to everyone who manned the Club trailer at Will County Thresherman’s and I am looking for whom ever may be taking it to Pontiac. The gathering of the Orange at Pontiac is a great opportunity for us to sell raffles and product there. Don’t forget that the 98th Herscher Parade is on September 3rd and you must send in an application. Some unfinished business of the Club will occur on Sept 2nd from 10 till 3 at the Herscher State Bank. The Wheels part of the Squeals and Wheels was rained out and our Club has agreed to help judge for them. No tractors this time as room may be an issue. Not long after the Labor Day has passed on September 8th we will be plowing at Rodney Schwark’s. Pray for rain and bring a plow and an appetite. I’m sure Rodney would appreciate some participation there. On September 9th is Ann’s tractor Ride in Beaverville and Pull in the Park in Chebanse starting at noon. I’m sure I have forgotten something but you all can remind me at the meeting August 15 in Bonfield. –– Craig

This is the busiest time of the year for tractor enthusiasts. Covered Bridge is up first for me and several other CIGC members. Right behind that is the Olde Time Farm Show featuring John Deere. It will feature members John Evans, Denny Jepson and not a member but still a good guy, Jim Hubly. John is bringing his numbered series. Some other Club members are trying to build the 20 Series and 30 Series for display. It should be fun. I will need some help on Saturday at 2 pm as CIGC has agreed to present the Tractor Games. It should also be fun. On the heals of OTFS, the Bonfield Fourth of July Celebration will occur including the Parade, tractor show and best of all, the tractor pull. Last year’s event was a really good time and a lot of members participated in many of the events. I’ll have some flyers. Historic Farm Days in Penfield will be 8 days later featuring Oliver National Summer Show. This event is always a good time and features harvesting, plowing and 2 nights of tractor pulling. On July 14th the Herscher Squeals and Wheels event happens in downtown Herscher. The features are a Car Show which CIGC helps judge, tractors and a barbeque cook off. All monies are donated to local area charities. Come join the fun. Just a week later is Will County Thresherman’s at the Spies farm in Wilton Center, IL. There will be the Show and demonstrations, tractor pull and the 6th Annual Peotone Educational Foundation and Peotone FFA Tractor Ride. That’s a mouth full. The ride benefits the FFA from Peotone Schools. The Peotone FFA Alumni will feature a ride of about 34 miles leaving from WCTA’s site and ending with a pork chop dinner. The cost is $65 including lunch (additional lunches available ($15). Call or email Jim Robbins at 815-592-8293 or jimrobbins@urbancom.net to reserve your spot. July 28th is the CIGC Ride to the Veteran’s. We will leave John Evan’s home in Bonfield and end at Manteno Veteran’s home. (I need someone to pull the trailer there). Come join us for lunch even if you don’t ride. Ride the River August 25th will frame our Summer. I still need volunteers to do odd jobs, nothing to strenuous just those pesky details. I need you guys and gals to step up a little on the Sponsors. Remember the reason we are doing this is to support our local FFAs. Smile for the camera and I’ll see you out there.  –– Craig

Summer finally arrived in a big way. I don’t know when I have seen so much corn planted in such a little time. Hopefully everyone will finish planting by the next meeting so we can have some Tractor fun. There will be shows, rides and parades all summer long. Come join the fun. On April 25th the CIGC Directors met at my home. We discussed the Greensheet newsletter after
Kathy’s passing. I spoke to Mr. Weber directly who assures me that Weber Printing will continue to be our printer and that other employees will be stepping up to make it happen. At the Directors meeting we also talked about the slow sales on the pedal tractor and hay wagon and that we need to step that up at the Shows in order to meet our goals. That topic brought out a discussion on the locations that the trailer will be for the summer. We are sure that the trailer will be at OTFS, WCTA, the Veteran’s home and Pontiac. We encourage anyone who would like to bring it to any of the other shows to let Craig know. Speaking of OTFS, we have agreed to provide the Tractor Games on Saturday, June 30th around 2 pm after the pedal tractor pull. We will need a few helpers to set up and run the games. We will again leave from John Evan’s Home for the Vet’s Ride, more will be said at our meeting on times. I also need someone to take the trailer. The remainder of the evening was spent identifying tasks and assigning duties for Ride the River. Many of the Directors will have several duties that Club Members can help with. We will talk more about that as we get closer to the Ride. Lastly, we talked about possibly having another swap meet at the Evans farm in the Spring of ‘19.  –– Craig

This is our last meeting of the winter months. I have a guest speaker scheduled who has spoken in front of CIGC before. His name is Alan Baker and he is the owner of Kankakee Starter and Alternator Service, 1035 S. Schulyer Ave., Kankakee, IL 60901 815-939-3590. Alan and I discussed that he spoke to our Club more than 10 years ago! Alan will be bringing some new information about modern batteries, conversions to from 6 volts to 12 and the availability of parts for our tractors. He spoke recently and the Slow Boys and I heard it was a very informative evening.

Moving on to Kids Day at the Farm, the program will be Wednesday, March 21 and Thursday, March 22 at the Kankakee County Fairgrounds. Setup on Wednesday, March 21 will begin at 8 am. The students are at the program from 10 am to 2 pm. The cleanup begins around 2 pm on Thursday, March 22 and help is appreciated. Contact Chad at ankfb@sbcglobal.com or 815-932-7471. If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know ahead of time. I will have a signup sheet at the meeting. Your time is valuable to the project and what better way to support
our mission. I will see you there.

I have begun the process to convert our Club to a 501C3. I have received the paperwork and have decided to pair up with Anthony Settle who will be performing the same service for Olde Time Farm Show.

Brad Eike and I will be at the Seneca FFA High School toy show with our pedal tractor on March 24 from 9am till end if anyone cares to join with us. It’s a nice show with some tractors on display just in case you have a little Spring Fever. We have a new member, Calvin Bisping from the New Lenox area. Please welcome him aboard.

–– Craig

Most of the members know that I have been aligning some of our positions with Chad Miller and the Kankakee County Farm Bureau. The reason is very simple. Chad and the Farm Bureau have been looking out for our interest in this very troubling time on the farm. Topics such as land acquisitions by the government and or utilities, water shed, chemical retention and relations with our government officials are very important. But the other side of the Bureau is that they support great ideas that we have in common with our Club. Part of our mission statement states that we will educate people to preserve our way of life. Since 2002 we have been working toward those mission goals with scholarships though KCC, donations to local FFA’s and donations to other Clubs who we have common goals with. I want to remind everyone that scholarship applications being taken currently to the Kankakee County Farm Bureau Foundation offering financial support to those furthering their education in an agriculturally related field of study. Last year, nine $1000 scholarships were awarded to Kankakee County students . If you have a son, daughter, grand child or just know a senior who has needs, you can contact Chad at kankfb@sbcglobal.com or 815-932-7471.

All that being said, The Club has supported Kids Day at the Farm since Eldon Chapman brought the idea to the Club. We have contributed $250 again this year to help promote the event. This year Chad has asked the Club if there are some volunteers at the Club who could help them manage some 1500 students that will pass through on the two-day event. Here are his needs.

The program will be Wednesday, March 21 and Thursday, March 22 at the Kankakee County fairgrounds. Setup on Wednesday, March 21 will begin at 8 am and we will need help with that. The students are at the program from 10 am to 2 pm and we will need assistance with a variety of things during that time frame as well. The cleanup begins around 2 pm on Thursday, March 22 and help is appreciated with that too.

Here is a breakdown of the volunteer roles we need to fill:

1. Setup tables and chairs, and other materials on Weds, March 21 at 8 am to 10 am. Also, ssistance with putting together animal pens for the animal building. There are five animal exhibits.

2. Assist with getting students off the school buses as they arrive. Both Weds, March 21 and Thurs, March 22 at around 9 am to 10 am. Each classroom will have a large box filled with their
lunches. That large box will have to be taken from the bus and brought into the main building.

3. Keeping time in the animal building. An instruction sheet will be provided. This would be from 10 am to 2 pm on both Weds and Thurs.

4. Tearing down the tables, chairs, sweeping, and general cleaning up after the program is done at 2 pm on Thursday. Depending on how many FFA students we have helping, it may be that we need a few additional volunteers to guide the classrooms around from presentation to presentation. That would be both days (Weds and Thurs). If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know ahead of time. I will have a signup sheet at the February meeting. Your time is valuable to the project and what better way to support our mission.   –– Craig