Shirley Smith, who has been the Village of West City’s Clerk since 1978, will be retiring on April 30th. (William McPherson, West Frankfort Gazette photo)
“West City’s Good Luck Charm” – Shirley Smith Set to Retire After Nearly Four Decades of Service
March 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment
50 Influencers of Rend Lake College: Pat Kern, setting the foundation
March 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Reece Rutland: Rend Lake College Media Services
INA, IL From nontraditional student to CEO of the Rend Lake College Foundation, Pat Kern is right at home on the list of RLC’s 50 Influencers. Her numerous successes and continued dedication to the college, the Foundation and the students have made her a key fixture both on the Ina campus and the district-at-large.
In the role she is best known for, Kern led the Foundation as CEO for nearly 15 years, hitting milestone after milestone during her time at the helm. Prior to leading, she was the second full-time Director of Resource Development for the foundation after years of cutting her teeth as an unofficial assistant.
At the time of her retirement in 2011, she had served the RLCF for almost 20 years total. But, her service didn’t stop there. Following retirement, she continues to participate in the RLCF today, acting as a Foundation board member, serving on subcommittees and volunteering time and resources to assist with events.
When she retired, her many friends with the RLCF made sure she would not be forgotten, naming the Student Center’s Pat Kern Private Dining Room in her honor and donating $20,000 to establish an endowed Patricia Kern Scholarship in December of 2011.
“The sign of a true leader is someone who brings people together from all walks of life, different ambitions, different goals and gets them all working the same way all together in one direction to make something good, and Pat has done that for 14 years,” said RLCF
RLCF Board Member Ed Cunningham presents Pat Kern with the commemorative plaque that hangs outside the Pat Kern Private Dining Room in the Rend Lake College Student Center. (RLC Media Services photo)
Board Member Ed Cunningham at the dedication ceremony. “Look at what the college has done and look at what the Foundation has done for the college … How many kids do you think this has touched? And how many do you think it will continue to touch for the future?”
A number of important projects the college completed were made possible through the Foundation, under Kern’s guidance. Those projects included: the campus Children’s Center, Aquatics Center, clock tower, Walls of Fame and Walls of Honor, countless equipment donations, and the satellite campus in Pinckneyville and its subsequent expansion.
Kern also has a legacy of getting the college district to buy into the RLCF’s vision of providing scholarships to worthy candidates. At the time of her retirement in 2011, scholarship giving had gone from $45,000 two decades before to more than $500,000 that year, for a total of more than $4 million throughout her years at the helm. Under her leadership, the Foundation’s net assets more than doubled in a decade and total donations since establishment reached $11.5 million in 2011.
The RLCF chief started her journey at RLC as a nontraditional student, earning her Associate in Science Degree in 1991. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and went on to receive the Fund-Raising Management Degree certification in 1999 through Indiana University’s Center of Philanthropy.
Two years later, she was recipient of a $500 scholarship from the Illinois Community College System Foundation to attend a summer course offering through I.U., “Planned Giving: Getting the Proper Start.” In the years that followed, she was a frequent attendee at sessions to upgrade her skills. She didn’t stop there. She served as a presenter (along with Vice President Lori Ragland) at the National Council for Resource Development Conference in Washington, D.C. (2002); Illinois Resource and Development State Conference (2002); Illinois Community College System State Conference in Springfield (2007), and leading a group discussion for peers at the Illinois Community College State Foundation Conference in Bloomington (2003).
The former student worker was originally hired full-time by Rend Lake College in January 1992 as a Data Entry Clerk as part of a federal Title III “Strengthening Institutions” Grant. She was promoted within the Student Services area to Registrar four years later, and was promoted again nine months later, to Director of Admissions, in October 1996.
“I want to thank the many people from the Foundation and college who entrusted me with the RLCF CEO position that proved to be more rewarding than I could ever imagine,” Kern said in her retirement letter.
RLCF Board Member Ed Cunningham presents Pat Kern with the commemorative plaque that hangs outside the Pat Kern Private Dining Room in the Rend Lake College Student Center. (RLC Meida Services photo)
FCHS Teacher Jay Welch and the Bird’s Nest Crew- WSIL’s Unsung Heroes
March 18, 2017 By Leave a Comment
They’ve been in school for 100 days; she’s almost 100 years old
March 15, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Louise Justhi was explaining life growing up to her great granddaughters kindergarten class in the Northern Illinois community of Peru for their 100th day of school celebration. (Lasalle News-Tribune photo.
Before he was a trooper, Anderton was a Warrior
March 14, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Reece Rutland- RLC Media Services
Trooper and member of the Christopher Unit #99 School Board, Joe Anderthon, (RLC Media Services)
Illinois State Police Trooper and Rend Lake College graduate Joe Anderton has the ability to offer a unique perspective to students in general as well as those looking to enter Criminal Justice fields.
Anderton began his time at RLC after graduating from Christopher High School in 1994. At Rend Lake College, Anderton wanted to focus on getting his general education requirements taken care of. He knew that he wanted to transfer on to a university, so getting his core classes completed took priority.
While studying at Rend Lake College, Anderton took advantage of one of the many student employment opportunities available, taking a position in the Admissions Office while he finished his associate degree.
Not content with that level of involvement, he went on to be elected as the student representative to the RLC Board of Trustees in 1995.
“I was the first one to actually have the advisory vote,” Anderton said. “We approved the construction for the pool. So, that was our big accomplishment.”
From RLC, Anderton transferred to Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Based on his previous experience as a student worker, RLC reached back out to Anderton during his time at SIU and offered him a full-time job in the Admissions Office while he pursued his undergraduate degree.
“It was a great opportunity to be a student worker. It’s a position where the college really went out of its way to work around my schedule to ensure that I could keep taking my classes. Even when they offered me the full-time Admissions position, RLC was really great about making sure I was able to continue my education,” he explained.
“One of the things I really got out of working in Admissions was getting to interact with so many different types of people. That’s something that comes into play almost every day in law enforcement. It was wonderful to already have some of that experience in a professional setting.”
The training he gleaned from his time with the Admissions Office wasn’t the only thing Anderton carried over later in life from his time at RLC. He used his experience as a student trustee to help guide the lives of young students in his hometown by being elected to the Christopher School Board.
He explained that both the work experience and his time as a student trustee helped to humble him by teaching him new things every day. Getting to see day-to-day activities and taking part in RLC board meetings offered Anderton a unique look at all the minutia that it takes to operate and institution.
“You got this really deep look at things like finances and grants. I got to see how federal and state laws and regulations influenced all kinds of things, from budgets to even how we had to interact with people. That was really an eye-opening experience,” he stated.
Anderton started his law enforcement career as an Illinois State Police patrol trooper based out of Peoria. In 2001, he transferred back to Southern Illinois, working midnights on patrol. He then applied for, and received, a position with the ISP’s Training Bureau.
“So, basically now I’m assigned to the Training Academy,” he said. “Our section oversees all the breathalyzer testing in the State of Illinois, all the chemical testing with breath, blood and urine, we certify all the labs, we certify all the breath-testing equipment in the state and take care of all the training as part of the ISP’s Alcohol and Substance Testing Section.”
In addition to all that, Anderton teaches new recruits control and arrest tactics, DUI law, medical marijuana law and serves as a TAC (teach, assess and correct) officer for new classes of recruits.
Being a TAC officer is fundamentally an analog to being a military drill instructor. Anderton described the academy as being a very military-like setting.
“The first couple weeks of the academy is really intense, lots of stress. We are really just trying to get them oriented into the academy lifestyle. So, I’m up there for a few weeks yelling at them and running them around,” Anderton said with a chuckle.
Anderton picked the Illinois State Police because his father was a trooper. With the heritage in law enforcement, he knew from a young age that that’s where he wanted to be when he grew up.
He expressed that the biggest advice he can offer aspiring law enforcement officers is staying out of trouble and keeping your grades up. He said that it is a demanding field that requires a significant amount of self-discipline and control. He also encouraged those interested in law enforcement at any level to be engaged in their community.
“Community relations are a big deal in law enforcement. You have to be able to bridge that gap between law enforcement and civilians. I just have to stress again though, you have to stay out of trouble. Use your head, and go and get that degree. You are going to need a degree if you want to advance.”
To that end, Anderton remains a firm advocate for a community college education.
“If anyone goes to a four-year institution and passes up a community college they are making a mistake in my opinion. Outside of just the financial reasons to do it, people coming out of high school don’t always understand the culture shock of going to college. It’s such a huge change. You go from being dictated what you are going to do for eight hours a day to a place where it’s all on you. Coming to a place like RLC and finding that self-motivation in a more comfortable setting is huge.”
And, for all those future officers who turn their noses up at general education requirements, Anderton says embrace everything you are taught. He says more of that is applicable to the job than you might think.
“You need to focus in that speech class. Think of how much of the job is communicating with people. Not only did speech help me be able to talk in front of a crowd, but public speaking is vital in court proceedings. Information must be relayed to the jury in a simple yet professional manner. Also, every class that requires writing projects and essay tests are some of the best prep classes for law enforcement. Everything we do is documented in a report. The ability to write clear and concise reports is a must.”
As for Math and Science, Anderton says there is a lot more of that on the force than you might think. Knowing and understanding how technology like radar and breathalyzers work are a key piece of doing the job. He cited crash scene reconstruction as an example of how officers utilize physics on a daily basis.
50 Influencers of Rend Lake College: Sam Mateer
March 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Reece Rutland- Rend Lake College Media Services
INA, IL – There is no better example of the adage “putting your money where your mouth is” than when Sam Mateer was tasked with the most ambitious capital campaign in the history of Rend Lake College and the RLC Foundation.
Sam Mateer – (RLC Media services photo)
The “Generations of Excellence” was a tall task, but the former President and Chairman of the Board for Bank of Illinois in Mt. Vernon and former Chairman of the Mt. Vernon Economic Development Commission was up to the task, kicking off his part of the campaign by having Bank of Illinois put up $100,000. It wasn’t long before others started following suit.
“To have someone of Sam’s stature to head our efforts is exciting, to say the least,” former RLC President Mark S. Kern said when he announced Mateer’s appointment. “I can’t think of anyone better at getting things done than Sam Mateer. His willingness to step forward and lend his support means a great deal to the ultimate success of our efforts.”
Kern was right. Success quickly followed in Mateer’s wake. He was one of the driving forces behind fundraising which brought the college from $120,000 in endowed funds and $70,000 in cash assets to an announced total of $1,788,000 in donations and pledges in just two years.
By stepping forward with one of the first major contributions, coupled with his ability to inspire others to do likewise, Mateer is credited as being one of the major reasons why Rend Lake College officials:
• Received $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Education in a matching, 2-for-1 “Endowment Challenge Grant” after the college had raised $250,000 cash-in-hand, thanks largely to major contributions from Continental A.G., General Tire, Inc. and GTY Tire Company; Jimmy Fulks and Mariah Boats, Inc., of Benton; Bank of Illinois; Farrar Oil Company, and Peoples National Bank of Mt. Vernon and McLeansboro.
• Within a couple of months of his acceptance, announced at the Annual Dinner, contributions totaling $1.25 million in gifts and pledges already had been received toward a five-year, $3-$4 million fundraising effort.
• Pledged $400,000 toward the RLC Aquatics Center.
Kern called Mateer a “shrewd, hard-nosed business man” who long ago discovered a secret. “What benefits Mt. Vernon benefits him. What benefits Rend Lake College benefits Mt. Vernon. Rend Lake College cannot say enough about the leadership Sam Mateer.”
Mateer, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, served in combat as a platoon leader from 1966-67. He received two Bronze Star medals, a Purple Heart and the Vietnamese Silver Star.
A business graduate from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, he has been with the Bank of Illinois since 1976. RLC’s capital campaign volunteer leader is a past member of the Governor‘s Small Business Advisory Council and one of the founders of the Mt. Vernon Downtown Development Corporation.
He also has served as a member of the Greater Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and the Mt. Vernon Convention and Visitors Bureau, having served previously as President of the former and on the Board of the latter. He was named Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce “Man of the Year” in 1989
Mateer also continued a family legacy of impacting both RLC and the Foundation. His father,Coyn Mateer, along with Marjorie Farrar, was a driving force behind the development of the Rend Lake College Foundation Children’s Center, a staple facility on the Ina campus.
Coyn put $100,000 towards the construction of the facility to ensure students and workers had a top-of-the-line facility to educate the youngest members of the community.
The elder Mateer was recognized by the RLCF with an honorary memorial scholarship endowment. At his passing, a local newspaper editor described Coyn as “a man who succeeded in the face of the Great Depression to become a patriarch of the community.” In addition to his $100,000 donation to the children’s center, it came to light that Coyn made several other large, anonymous gifts to the Foundation to further the educational goals of RLC students.
Sam carried on the legacy well. Kern honored the younger Mateer for his particular contributions by presenting him with a “Presidential Award” at the RLC Foundation Annual Dinner in 1997. At the time, he was only the sixth person to receive the honor.
“I believe very much in Rend Lake College,” Mateer said at the time he accepted the plea to become campaign chair. “It is an opportunity for many of our students to be able to go to college.” He emphasized the college’s value to the region in its efforts to attract industry to Southern Illinois.
Mateer was asked to join the RLCF Board of Directors in 1999 and was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Dennis McEnaney on the RLC Board of Trustees, but opted not to run when an election was held to fill the remainder of the unexpired term in 2001.
2016 sees small uptick in Franklin County meth arrests; even a small uptick affects many, officials say
March 11, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Items confiscated in a recent Meth bust. (Illinois State Police file photo)
BENTON – (Isaac Smith – The Southern Illioisan) Please click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt.) A familiar face has been coming around Franklin County more often: Methamphetamine is making an unwelcome comeback, officials say. Franklin County Sheriff Donald Jones said in the past year, he has seen meth cases come across his desk more often than in recent years. In one 13-month period from, January 2016 to February 2017, he made 40 meth-related arrests. This is up from 26 in 2015. In fact, on Feb. 8, the 100-person occupancy jail in Franklin County held 25 inmates on meth related charges, three of who were charged with Class X felonies. Jones said he sees this as the third wave of meth in the region, with the first coming in the 1990’s.
50 Influencers of Rend Lake College: Coach James “Hummer” Waugh
March 9, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Reece Rutland – Rend Lake College Media Services
While Rend Lake College has a long and storied athletic heritage, and many positive leaders have helmed various teams around campus, no one embodies the legacy of “coach” for Warrior athletics more than James E. “Hummer” Waugh.
Long time RLC coach James Hummer Waugh
With nearly 50 combined athletic seasons under his belt, Waugh had a hand in almost every sport offered at the fledgling RLC. From baseball to cheerleader sponsor, volleyball to hardwood, Hummer’s impact and legacy were far-reaching and his wins were many, but most importantly, the “gentle giant” is remembered for his positive impact on the lives of those around him.
Dr. Harry J. Braun, former RLC President, once commented, “Jim Waugh is one of my favorite people. He’s the kind of person with whom I would like to have my kids associate with.”
Another former president, Mark Kern remarked, “Jim was a positive influence on every person he met.”
Waugh, a native of Terre Haute, Ind., and former star at Indiana State University in his hometown, came to the area in 1966 as basketball and baseball coach at Mt. Vernon Community College. Rend Lake College became a reality the following year.
In total, Hummer won 501 basketball games, including the first seven seasons in the prep ranks, 15 as coach of the Warrior men from 1966-81 and 14 with the Lady Warriors from 1981-95. As a result, he earned induction into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995. He also spent 17 of those years at RLC as Athletic Director. His Lady Warriors averaged 18 wins per season and made him GRAC “Coach of the Year” in 1987; they posted 22-, 26- and 25-win campaigns from 1985-88.
The men won two SICC titles and were 20-6 in 1972-73 and 21-12 in 1979-80. Twelve softball seasons (216-150) produced a third-place Region XXIV showing in 1991-92. He received the 1991 “Faculty Excellence Award” and was NJCAA Region XXIV Women’s Director when he retired. The Terre Haute, IN, native played three sports at Indiana State University. He was inducted into the RLC Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2001/2002.
Picture of Coach Waugh in the early days of RLC
Hummer occupies three of the top-ten slots for longest serving coach in RLC history for his stints leading men’s and women’s basketball and the RLC softball team. In total, Waugh coached for a combined 47 seasons with the various Warrior teams and 29 years of service to RLC.
In addition to the IBCA HoF honors, Waugh was named to the Rend Lake College Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Outside of athletics, Hummer was a noteworthy educator as well.
In 1991, he was named recipient of the RLC Foundation “Faculty Excellence” Award. In addition, he co-chaired the RLC Foundation’s “Generations of Excellence” Family Capital Campaign.
Waugh’s letter of recommendation for the “Faculty Excellence Award” was signed by 14 peers. In part, it read: “Jim Waugh has stood for scholars/athletes, not the other way around … To know Rend Lake College is to know Coach Waugh. He is more than ‘Hummer,’ he is Heart. Just the other day, a student who has been in his classes and on his team commented, “His heart is as big as a house. You can always go to Hummer (for help).”
At one time or another, Waugh taught almost every course available through the Health and Physical Education Department. He is credited with developing the Basic First Aid course and the Substance Use and Abuse course, as well as many of the P.E. activity courses.
But, now the question everyone is waiting for. Where did the nickname Hummer come from?
Former Baseball Coach Mike McClure insists Waugh was constantly chattering to his pitchers from the dugout, “Hum, baby, hum,” and McClure hung the name on him.
Hummer will always be part of the fabric of RLC and the area. In addition to more than 35 of his former scholars/athletes being in the coaching ranks today, the college’s gymnasium was dedicated to him in a naming ceremony on Nov. 3, 1995, officially becoming the James “Hummer” Waugh Gymnasium.
His long-time friend and fellow RLC athletic staple Wayne Arnold summed up Waugh as “a gentleman on and off the court” and cited his devotion to family. “He’s a big teddy bear,” Arnold expressed.
A tradition of sportsmanship: Remembering Robert Blondi
March 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Dandy Gyms: Max Morris Gymnasium, West Frankfort
March 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment
West Frankfort’s Max Morris gym, given the name “The Supreme Court” by the late Redbird broadcaster Bruce A. Fasol. (Quad City Times Photo)
