Candy Cane Lane fundraiser Sunday

By BRUCE A. FASOL

The group formed to support West Frankfort tourist attraction Candy Cane Lane, will hold their first fundraiser Sunday. Murphy’s Winter Jam will  be held at the West Frankfort Moose Club from noon until midnight.

There will be BBQ plates available, for $5 with sides included. Also, various bands will perform throughout the day and evening.

Bands included in the line up are: Mockingbird Hill, Oblivious, Ten Story, Blue Confusion, Taylor Made and others. Celestine and Chaz Ligon wil be special guests on Sunday.

Funds raised will go to help defray some of the costs of Candy Cane Lane including replacing stolen and damaged displays.

JALC Foundation plans Italian dinner fundraiser

By JOHN D. HOMAN, Logan Media Services

The John A. Logan College Foundation will host its 37th Annual Italian Dinner fundraiser from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 23 in the college cafeteria.

The dinner includes spaghetti, salad, garlic bread sticks, cookies and a soft drink at a cost of $8 for adults or $3 for children 10 and under. The price for JALC students is $5. Carryouts will be available. Advance tickets are also available at the Foundation office (B33) or by calling the college at 985-2828, X8355.

Monies raised from the dinner benefit the Foundation, which provides scholarships for students.

As an added bonus, the Logan women’s and men’s basketball teams will play host to Lewis & Clark College. As it is “Carterville Night,” the high school band, cheerleaders and poms are scheduled to perform.

“We are looking forward to this year’s dinner,” said JALC Foundation Executive Director Staci Bynum. “While it is a fundraiser for scholarships, it is also a great opportunity for our board of directors to meet with Foundation supporters. We really enjoy talking with people in the community who are as interested in seeing John A. Logan College students succeed.”

Bynum said about 400 meals are served each year at the fundraiser.

“And we hope to see that number grow,” she said. “We hope folks will dine in and then go upstairs to watch the games – make an evening of it.”

JALC President, Dr. Mike Dreith said he is looking forward to the dinner.

“I understand this is a wonderful tradition for the college,” he said. “My wife (Carol) will attest that I am a huge fan of Italian food and so can my waistline. The funds are important, but not as important as the camaraderie within the campus community and the communities we serve.”

Bynum said the fundraiser wouldn’t happen without the support of the college’s extended family, student ambassadors and Foundation board members.

“We really do have a great group of people supporting the Foundation and we are grateful for them all,” she said.

Community group formed to support Candy Cane Lane

By LEIGH M. CALDWELL

Following a fire at Candy Cane Lane founder Tim Murphy’s property Thursday morning that authorities are calling suspicious, a group of West Frankfort residents has formed to support Murphy and the famous Christmas display.

The cause of the fire, which burned a storage shed owned by Murphy, is still unknown. The building was used to house Candy Cane Lane displays as well as personal items owned by Murphy. Most display items were still out for the season, and were not damaged by the fire.

But numerous incidences of vandalism and theft have been reported at Candy Cane Lane this year, the most recent being on Christmas Eve, when vandals sliced holes in Murphy’s blow-up display items. They had been put in the shed to be repaired for next year and were burned up in the fire.

A small group of residents, including former and current Frankfort Community High School art students taught by Murphy, gathered at Candy Cane Lane Thursday night to collect donations, and then met at the West Frankfort McDonald’s to discuss how best to help.

“First and foremost, we have to make him (Murphy) feel like people are behind him and supporting him,” organizer Kerri Melvin said.

Group members said they want to raise enough money to make Candy Cane Lane more secure from vandals and thieves next year, possibly by installing camera surveillance, a fence behind Murphy’s property and/or hiring a security guard for the season.

The new group, which is being called “Friends of Candy Cane Lane,” collected $821 on Thursday night, from people driving through the neighborhood to show support.

They plan to set up an account at First Bank and begin accepting donations there after 1 p.m. today.

Update 12:55 p.m. 12/28/2012: The group has set up the account at Southern Illinois Bank. Donations can be sent to the Friends of Candy Cane Lane c/o Southern Illinois Bank, P.O. Box 128, West Frankfort, IL 62896.

The group discussed a number of fundraising ideas to be held throughout the year. Tentative plans call for an initial event in January that would feature a slate of bands and be called “Murph’s Winter Jam.” The group is searching for an appropriate venue for that event.

Other tentative events discussed for the year include a family-oriented mostaccioli dinner with a silent auction, and a poker run.

The group is looking for more volunteers and fundraising ideas. A second meeting is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 4 at La Fiesta restaurant in West Frankfort.

A Facebook page has been set up here to disseminate information, and you can e-mail friendsofcandycanelane@spielon.com for more information.

RLC Cheerleading team hosting spaghetti fund-raiser Dec. 1

The Rend Lake College Cheerleading team will hold a Spaghetti Supper Fund-raiser at 5 p.m., following the Warriors and Lady Warriors conference basketball home openers on Saturday, Dec. 1.

The event will last until 7:30 p.m. and will take place in the RLC Student Center. Tickets are $7 for spaghetti, breadstick, salad, dessert and a drink. They can be purchased from any member of the cheerleading team, or reserved by contacting Coach Nikki LaBuwi-Corollo at 618-513-1978, or by e-mail at nlabuwi@hotmail.com. Take-out is an option.

The Dec. 1 Lady Warriors home game tips off at 1 p.m., followed by the Warriors game at 3 p.m. Both teams are opening the conference season against Lincoln Trail.

Tickets on sale Saturday for Zeigler Fire Dept. fundraiser

Tickets go on sale Saturday, Nov. 10, for a December fundraiser officials hope will provide funds for a construction project at the Zeigler Fire Department. The Dec. 8 fundraiser called “Raise the Roof” aims to do just that, and provide covering for first responder’s vehicles at the fire station.

Tickets will be available starting today at Casey’s General Store and the Post Office in Zeigler.

The event starts at 6 p.m. on Dec. 8 at the Zeigler Eagles, with a meal of pulled pork sandwich, slaw and baked beans being served from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by music by Shakey Jake from 8 p.m. until midnight. Tickets will also be sold at the door on the night of the event.

For more information, contact any volunteer firefighter in Zeigler. “Raise the Roof” tickets are $15 for adults, and $7 for children ages 12 and under.

— Bruce A. Fasol

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News