On Saturday, July 16th Stanford and Allin Township came together to host Stanford Good Old Jubilee, a new installment of the old Stanford Good Old Days festival. This newly remodeled festival is different from the one of the past. For example, instead of occurring over three days the Stanford Good Old Jubilee festival occurred only on one day. Different activities were featured at the festival with things like the Quilt Show at the Church of God, a variety of entertainment at the pavilion, and activities at the Township Building such as TAPS. While there are many changes to the festival, things like the fireworks show, which is being put on by the same company hired in prior festivals, was similar to what attendees have seen in the past.

In-Person Story Hour at the H.A. Peine District Library for July is happening on Tuesday the 26th at 11:00 am. Like previous story times, those who want to attend should call the library at 309-392-3229 to register for a spot and bring a blanket to sit on while the stories are being read.

The farmer’s market in Hopedale opened on July 6th and will continue to occur on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. For those who want to sell their own items, there will be no table fee so you are free to bring your own produce, crafts, baked goods, and so on. There will be weekly advertising for the market; new vendors are welcome to join weekly. If you have any questions or want to learn more you can message Barb Lawson on Facebook who is in charge of the market.

The Minier Christian Church has opened up registration for their VBS event. Their VBS is for ages 3 up to those entering 6th grade. The event will run from July 18th to July 21st, Monday through Thursday, during the evening. In addition to this opportunity for kids, there is also an opportunity for those older to help out at the event and work as a helper. A background check is required to be a helper and supper is provided for helpers at the event. To both register and sign up to be a helper, you can visit the MCC Kids Facebook page and fill out the registration form linked on the page.

Registration for fall soccer at Bulldogs Futbol Club is now open to kids aged 4, or 3 year olds turning 4 on or before October 31, 2022, to 4th graders. Registration fees are $45 a player but if you have multiple players in the same household the fee will be discounted by $5 per player (2nd player is $40, 3rd is $35, etc). Game shirts are included in the fees as well. Practices for the season will be on Monday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 pm and will start on August 8th. Games will be on Saturday mornings at West Side Park in Minier and will begin on August 20th with the last game being scheduled for October 15th. More information and the link for registration can be found on the Bulldogs Futbol Club Facebook page and registration is due on July 27th.

Ron Wade, a lifelong resident of Stanford, has been dealing with severe health issues since early April. In an effort to help him and his family cover hospital bills and day-to-day expenses until he gets back to work there will be a fundraiser hosted at the Allin Township Community Building in Stanford. The fundraiser will host a silent auction, a bake sale, and a donation meal. This event is planned to occur on August 21st from 2:00 to 8:00 pm and more details on the event are to come.

Recently a new website for the Village of Danvers has been created offering a new place to learn more about the town and upcoming events. The new website opens up with a short description of the town, its population, and where it is located. Contact information is provided such as the Danvers Village Hall, the Danvers Water Emergency, Danvers Police Station, and Danvers Fire and Rescue contact info as well as many other important groups' contact info. Also provided under the contact info page is a map of the Village including links to local weather and village data info.

The farmer’s market in Hopedale opened on July 6th and will continue to occur on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. For those who want to sell their own items, there will be no table fee so you are free to bring your own produce, crafts, baked goods, and so on. There will be weekly advertising for the market; new vendors are welcome to join weekly. If you have any questions or want to learn more you can message Barb Lawson on Facebook who is in charge of the market.

The Danvers Township Library will host their July Story and Craft on Tuesday, July 12th. The Story and Craft will start at 10:00 am and will have a balloon theme. A couple of books about balloons will be read and then attendees will be able to make their own Balloon Buddies.

On Monday, July 11th at the Pizza Ranch in Morton the 2022 Hopedale Area Veterans Memorial fundraiser will be hosted from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. All tips and 10% of the profits will go towards the upkeep of the Hopedale Area Veterans Memorial. Make sure to arrive at 5:00 pm or later, not earlier, as the event will start exactly at 5:00 pm. This is a great opportunity to give back to the community and enjoy a delicious pizza buffet.

The Hardesty Company will be hosting, in partnership with Micki’s Farm to Table, Micki’s Hopedale Cruise on July 16th from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. This event has free admission and any toys are welcome with some examples being cars, trucks, boats, planes, bicycles, and motorcycles. There will be no judging or trophies at the event. In addition, the Willis Snowmobile Museum will be open for visitors at the event to view over 150 sleds in their 3-story building. Micki’s Farm to Table will be serving their regular menu at the event as well. If you have any questions or want to learn more you can do so by emailing Hardestycompany@gmail.com

Every Friday night, a game night will be hosted at the Hopedale Community Center at 6:00 pm. There will be many games to play and it is open for anyone who wants to join in on the fun. All you have to do is let Beau Baker know that you’ll be there in order to attend.

On Saturday, July 2nd the Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their annual Major Reid Nannen Memorial 5k. This 5k Run/Walk will honor U.S. Marine Major Reid B. Nannen, a Hopedale native, who gave his life in service while training at TOPGUN NAS in Fallon, Nevada on March 1st, 2014. Registration is available through either the Hopedale Wellness Center’s website or on their Facebook page. Volunteers for the race are also wanted and if you are interested there is a SignUp Genius link on the Hopedale Wellness Center Facebook page where you can learn more and sign up to help out.

The Lions Club will be hosting their Annual Car Show at the 4th of July Celebration in Hopedale. The show will be at Park Drive and you should enter off of Hittle Road. Registration for the show will be from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm and then voting will be from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. The cost to enter is $12 and will also include two 50/50 raffle tickets. The awards for the show will be Best of Show, Most Patriotic, Best Street Rod (Pre ’49), Best Street Machine (‘49 and newer), Fabulous 4 Door, Best Import, and Top Truck. Awards will be presented at around 3:30 pm.

The Irreverent Warriors Silkies Hike will take place on July 4th from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm during the Hopedale 4th of July Celebration. The hike is for veterans, active duty, national guard, and reservists only. The hike intends to bring veterans together using humor and camaraderie to improve mental health and prevent veteran suicide. To create this environment, civilians aren’t allowed on the hike. To get a ticket to this event you can visit the Irreverent Warriors Facebook page at Irreverent Warriors Hopedale, IL. Tickets are $5 plus a $1.94 fee for hikers if they wish to donate to the cause and free for those who don’t. Donations are open to the public so if anyone wishes to donate they can visit the same site to do so.

A farmer’s market in Hopedale will be opening up on July 6th and will occur on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. For those who want to sell their own items, there will be no table fee so you are free to bring your own produce, crafts, baked goods, and so on. There will be weekly advertising for the market and new vendors are welcome to join weekly. If you have any questions or want to learn more you can message Barb Lawson on Facebook who is in charge of the market.

Every Friday night, a game night will be hosted at the Hopedale Community Center at 6:00 pm. There will be many games to play and it is open for anyone who wants to join in on the fun. All you have to do is let Beau Baker know that you’ll be there in order to attend.

On Saturday, July 2nd the Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their annual Major Reid Nannen Memorial 5k. This 5k Run/Walk will honor U.S. Marine Major Reid B. Nannen, a Hopedale native, who gave his life in service while training at TOPGUN NAS in Fallon, Nevada on March 1st, 2014. Registration is available through either the Hopedale Wellness Center’s website or on their Facebook page. Volunteers for the race are also wanted and if you are interested there is a SignUp Genius link on the Hopedale Wellness Center Facebook page where you can learn more and sign up to help out.

On Tuesday, June 28th the Danvers Township Library will be having a Harriet Tubman character speaker at the Historical Society. While this event is a part of their Summer Reading Program, they are welcoming any member of the community to join. The event will start at 10:00 am and is a great opportunity for kids in and out of the Summer Reading Program to learn a little more about history.

The Hopedale 4th of July Carnival is coming up soon and tickets for the event are now available. The tickets are $10 for a strip of five with one ticket being required per ride. The tickets can be found and purchased at the Hopedale Bank, the Hopedale Agri Center, and the Village Flower in Minier. Once the event starts tickets will be $3 each so make sure to purchase tickets now to get the best deal.

The H.A. Peine District Library will be hosting its last Summer Reading Program of the year on June, 29th. The theme of this program will be a fun day and will be hosted at West Park in Minier unless it rains which will mean the program will be moved inside to the Faith Fellowship Hall. Just like the other programs throughout the summer this program will be from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.

Founded in 1957 the Stanford Sportsman Club consists of two fishing lakes that have almost 5 acres of fishable space. Bill Haynes represents the Club as President, Gary Hawkins as acting Secretary/Treasurer, and Johnny Greathouse, Brain Park, Dave Able, and Jo Beth Smith as Board Members. While the club offers the lake properties for members to fish it also offers camping and picnicking for the whole family to have fun.

Father’s Day is a day to celebrate fatherhood and honor fathers and father influences many have had in their lives. Despite the day’s long history globally, albeit in different forms and names, the United States' first celebration was on June 19th, 1910 in the state of Washington. While this was the first day it was celebrated in the country the holiday wouldn’t become a nationwide holiday until 1972, some 58 years after Mother’s day had become a national holiday.

On Wednesday, June 22 at 7:00 pm the Danvers Township Library will be hosting an evening with chef Kwame Owuachi. Chef Kwame is a James Beard Award-winning chef born on Long Island and raised in New York City, Nigeria, and Louisiana. He was trained at the Culinary Institute of America and opened five restaurants before turning thirty. Chef Kwame has also been named “Food and Wine’s” Best New Chef 2019 and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both “Zagat” and Forbes”. The evening will consist of chef Kwame speaking about his cookbook “My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef” and the importance of the connections between cuisine, place, and culture.

On Saturday, July 2nd the Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their annual Major Reid Nannen Memorial 5k. This 5k Run/Walk will honor U.S. Marine Major Reid B. Nannen, a Hopedale native, who gave his life in service while training at TOPGUN NAS in Fallon, Nevada on March 1, 2014. For a limited time registration for the race is only $30 so sign up as soon as you can before the deal is gone. You can do this through either the Hopedale Wellness Center’s website or on their Facebook page. You must be registered by June 12th to be guaranteed your shirt size and after this date, it will be first come first serve based on availability.

Run Like a Girl at the Hopedale Wellness Center is back! This is a great opportunity for girls in 6th to 8th grade to learn more about running and get to speak and learn from experienced runners. The event will be on June 28th, 29th, and 30th from 10:00 to 11:30 am. It will begin with a warm-up session, then attendees will go through drills and activities that focus on skill and technique, and at the end, they will go through a proper cool down and stretching routine with time for a Q&A. Registration is due by June 24th to secure your spot and you can do so either at the Wellness Center front desk or by calling the Wellness Center at 309-449-4500

The Danvers Township Library has been hosting its summer reading program over the past couple of weeks and now another session is coming up on June 24th. This session is hosting Absolute Science which will be setting up butterfly tents in the park for kids to learn, explore, and get up close to various species of butterflies. The session will begin at 10:00 am and be held at the Danvers park. This is a fun and interactive event that all kids are sure to enjoy so make sure to stop by.

The Hopedale Mennonite Church will be hosting a live music event on June 24th from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. The music will be playing outside of the church on the front driveway and will feature blues, country, folk, oldies, bluegrass, and gospel mix played by the “Hopedale Road” trio. This will be a fun event for all and if you are interested bring a chair, invite some friends to come with you, and bring some food and drinks to enjoy the show.

The Christian Life Academy in Hopedale has officially started construction for the new addition to the school. This building will serve as a high school classroom building for CLA and will open up more opportunities for their students in the years to come. The goal for the construction is to get the exterior and a portion of the interior finished over the summer so high school students can use the new space for the 2022-2023 school year.

On Wednesday, June 22 at 7:00 pm the Danvers Township Library will be hosting an evening with chef Kwame Owuachi. Chef Kwame is a James Beard Award-winning chef born on Long Island and raised in New York City, Nigeria, and Louisiana. He was trained at the Culinary Institute of America and opened five restaurants before turning thirty. Chef Kwame has also been named “Food and Wine’s” Best New Chef 2019 and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both “Zagat” and Forbes”. The evening will consist of chef Kwame speaking about his cookbook “My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef” and the importance of the connections between cuisine, place, and culture.

On Saturday, July 2nd the Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their annual Major Reid Nannen Memorial 5k. This 5k Run/Walk will honor U.S. Marine Major Reid B. Nannen, a Hopedale native, who gave his life in service while training at TOPGUN NAS in Fallon, Nevada on March 1, 2014. For a limited time registration for the race is only $30 so sign up as soon as you can before the deal is gone. You can do this through either the Hopedale Wellness Center’s website or on their Facebook page. You must be registered by June 12th to be guaranteed your shirt size and after this date, it will be first come first serve based on availability.

The Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting a 4-week soccer skills clinic through June and July. The clinic will focus on dribbling, passing, shooting, and ball control. The goal is by the end of the clinic attendees will have improved their soccer skills and feel confident in their abilities. There will be three sessions to attend based on skill level; advanced, intermediate, and beginner. The advanced sessions will begin Monday, June 13th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, the intermediate on Wednesday, June 15th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, and the beginner session on Saturday, June 18th from 9:00 to 10:00 am. To register either visit the Wellness Center front desk or call them at 309-449-4500.

Run Like a Girl at the Hopedale Wellness Center is back! This is a great opportunity for girls in 6th to 8th grade to learn more about running and get to speak and learn from experienced runners. The event will be on June 28th, 29th, and 30th from 10:00 to 11:30 am. It will begin with a warm-up session, then attendees will go through drills and activities that focus on skill and technique, and at the end, they will go through a proper cool down and stretching routine with time for a Q&A. Registration is due by June 24th to secure your spot and you can do so either at the Wellness Center front desk or by calling the Wellness Center at 309-449-4500

The Hopedale’s 4th of July Celebration in Hopedale is getting closer and in order to have a successful festival, they are looking for volunteers to help with carnival ticket sales. The Celebration is on July 2nd and 3rd from 5:00 to 9:00 pm and on July 4th from 12:00 to 9:00 pm. If you can volunteer a couple of hours of your time it would be greatly appreciated and help the festival stay up and running successfully. If you have any questions contact Amber Myers.

Summer festivals and celebrations are around the corner and there are many you don’t want to miss out on in the community. Tremont’s 56th annual Turkey Festival begins Sunday, June 5th with the Miss Tremont Pageant at the Tremont High School Gym. Then, on Thursday, June 9th there will be Merchants’ Day activities and a Carnival. On June 10th, 11th, and 12th there are a variety of activities and events to attend including the carnival, a car show, a parade, tournaments, and shows. All entertainment is free and this is a fun festival for all ages to have fun. To learn more visit the festival’s website at turkeyfestival.com.

Student-athletes who want to continue training throughout the summer have an opportunity at the Hopedale Wellness Center. The Wellness Center is offering the purchase of a No Season punch card for $120 for 12 sessions with a certified trainer. These sessions will consist of weight lifting programs designed for each participant based on age, abilities, and goals. The sessions will be group training with individual programs and each training session is 60 minutes and will be supervised by athletic trainer, Josh Grant. Training times will be Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. If you are interested stop by the Wellness Center front desk or call 309-449-4500 to get more info and register.

On Saturday, July 2nd the Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their annual Major Reid Nannen Memorial 5k. This 5k Run/Walk will honor U.S. Marine Major Reid B. Nannen, a Hopedale native, who gave his life in service while training at TOPGUN NAS in Fallon, Nevada on March 1, 2014. For a limited time registration for the race is only $30 so sign up as soon as you can before the deal is gone. You can do this through either the Hopedale Wellness Center’s website or on their Facebook page. You must be registered by June 12th to be guaranteed your shirt size and after this date, it will be first come first serve based on availability.

On Wednesday, June 22 at 7:00 pm the Danvers Township Library will be hosting an evening with chef Kwame Owuachi. Chef Kwame is a James Beard Award-winning chef born on Long Island and raised in New York City, Nigeria, and Louisiana. He was trained at the Culinary Institute of America and opened five restaurants before turning thirty. Chef Kwame has also been named “Food and Wine’s” Best New Chef 2019 and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both “Zagat” and Forbes”. The evening will consist of chef Kwame speaking about his cookbook “My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef” and the importance of the connections between cuisine, place, and culture.

The Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting a 4-week soccer skills clinic through June and July. The clinic will focus on dribbling, passing, shooting, and ball control. The goal is by the end of the clinic attendees will have improved their soccer skills and feel confident in their abilities. There will be three sessions to attend based on skill level; advanced, intermediate, and beginner. The advanced sessions will begin Monday, June 13th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, the intermediate on Wednesday, June 15th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, and the beginner session on Saturday, June 18th from 9:00 to 10:00 am. To register either visit the Wellness Center front desk or call them at 309-449-4500.

Run Like a Girl at the Hopedale Wellness Center is back! This is a great opportunity for girls in 6th to 8th grade to learn more about running and get to speak and learn from experienced runners. The event will be on June 28th, 29th, and 30th from 10:00 to 11:30 am. It will begin with a warm-up session, then attendees will go through drills and activities that focus on skill and technique, and at the end, they will go through a proper cool down and stretching routine with time for a Q&A. Registration is due by June 24th to secure your spot and you can do so either at the Wellness Center front desk or by calling the Wellness Center at 309-449-4500

As school ends and summer starts, reading programs at local libraries begin. The program at H.A. Peine District Library in Minier has already started and reading logs can be picked up. The library will host weekly programs every Wednesday in June from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. The first program will be on June 1st featuring the Forest Park Nature Center. Each of the programs will take place at St. John’s UCC Faith Fellowship Hall except for the final program which will be hosted at the West Park in Minier.
    
The Danvers Township Library will also be hosting a summer reading program which will begin on May 31st and will be for ages up to 17. There will be two programs per week but those signed up for the program only have to attend one each week. The programs are either on Tuesdays or Fridays with the first one on June 7th at 10:00 am at the Historical Society featuring the Wild Times Exotic Animals. Then, on June 10th at 10:00 am at the park in Davers the second program will be hosted featuring Swords and Roses.

On Saturday, July 2nd the Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their annual Major Reid Nannen Memorial 5k. This 5k Run/Walk will honor U.S. Marine Major Reid B. Nannen, a Hopedale native, who gave his life in service while training at TOPGUN NAS in Fallon, Nevada on March 1, 2014. For a limited time registration for the race is only $30 so sign up as soon as you can before the deal is gone. You can do this through either the Hopedale Wellness Center’s website or on their Facebook page. You must be registered by June 12th to be guaranteed your shirt size and after this date, it will be first come first serve based on availability.

Student-athletes who want to continue training throughout the summer have an opportunity at the Hopedale Wellness Center. The Wellness Center is offering the purchase of a No Season punch card for $120 for 12 sessions with a certified trainer. These sessions will consist of weight lifting programs designed for each participant based on age, abilities, and goals. The sessions will be group training with individual programs and each training session is 60 minutes and will be supervised by athletic trainer, Josh Grant. Training times will be Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. If you are interested stop by the Wellness Center front desk or call 309-449-4500 to get more info and register.

The Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their 2022 Murph Challenge on May 30th from 7:00 to 10:00 am. The Challenge will consist of a mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 air squats, and a one-mile run. “Murph” is a classic CrossFit workout known as a Hero Workout of the Day which is made by CrossFit to honor the men and women that have fallen in the line of duty. The Murph Challenge at the Wellness Center is specifically to honor Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005. The Challenge is for all fitness levels and modifications are offered for those who need it. The Wellness Center will also be accepting donations for St. Jude at this event. It is a great way to support the community and have fun. No registration is required, all you have to do is show up within the time frame and get your workout in.

On Wednesday, June 22 at 7:00 pm the Danvers Township Library will be hosting an evening with chef Kwame Owuachi. Chef Kwame is a James Beard Award-winning chef born on Long Island and raised in New York City, Nigeria, and Louisiana. He was trained at the Culinary Institute of America and opened five restaurants before turning thirty. Chef Kwame has also been named “Food and Wine’s” Best New Chef 2019 and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both “Zagat” and Forbes”. The evening will consist of chef Kwame speaking about his cookbook “My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef” and the importance of the connections between cuisine, place, and culture.

Yoga at the Hopedale Wellness Center is back and they are offering a free preview class on Wednesday, June 1st from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Here attendees will be introduced to the yoga instructor, Christa Staley. The class is for all levels and will focus on deep, easy stretching and relaxation. Pose descriptions and examples are part of the instruction and modifications will be provided. Yoga mats will be available to those that need them. You can sign up for this class through a link provided on their Facebook page at Hopedale Wellness Center.

Missy Gaither who runs Missy’s Cupcakes, Cookies, and More is opening up her own bakery storefront in Atlanta at the old Palm’s Grill Cafe venue. Missy got the lease on May 1st  and the bakery will be open for business come the beginning of June. Missy has run Missy’s Cupcakes, Cookies, and More for 10 years and up until she acquired the lease in Atlanta, she has run the business out of her home. Missy used her Facebook page to take orders and would then deliver the orders to her clients or have them pick them up. Now that she will have her own storefront she won’t have to run around delivering orders which will save her a lot of time. There will also be a wider variety of flavors of cupcakes and cookies with the opening of the storefront and she will offer a Route 66 cookie as well.

On Saturday, July 2nd the Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their annual Major Reid Nannen Memorial 5k. This 5k Run/Walk will honor U.S. Marine Major Reid B. Nannen, a Hopedale native, who gave his life in service while training at TOPGUN NAS in Fallon, Nevada on March 1, 2014. For a limited time registration for the race is only $30 so sign up as soon as you can before the deal is gone. You can do this through either the Hopedale Wellness Center’s website or on their Facebook page. You must be registered by June 12th to be guaranteed your shirt size and after this date, it will be first come first serve based on availability.

The Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting their 2022 Murph Challenge on May 30th from 7:00 to 10:00 am. The Challenge will consist of a mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 air squats, and a one-mile run. “Murph” is a classic CrossFit workout known as a Hero Workout of the Day which is made by CrossFit to honor the men and women that have fallen in the line of duty. The Murph Challenge at the Wellness Center is specifically to honor Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005. The Challenge is for all fitness levels and modifications are offered for those who need it. The Wellness Center will also be accepting donations for St. Jude at this event. It is a great way to support the community and have fun. No registration is required, all you have to do is show up within the time frame and get your workout in.

Registration for the Danvers Township Library’s Summer Reading Program begins on May 31st. The Program is for ages 0-17 and there will be an event one day per week for an hour. The first will happen on June 7th at 10:00 am at the Historical Society and will host Wild Times Exotic Animals, an exotic animal program based in Springfield. The Program will continue throughout June and until July 1st. Only books that are borrowed from the library will be counted towards the weekly reading goal and when your time goal is met for the week you will receive 1 prize bag for that week. This is a fun and exciting event for kids of all ages so make sure to register to join in on the fun.