What does 5,000 pounds of potatoes look like? LaMoille farmer Greg Fischer and the Cherry Boy Scouts know. No matter how you make them....

mashed, baked, au gratin, french fries.....that feeds a lot of people. This fall Greg donated his crop and the

Cherry scouts took care of the gathering, cleaning, and bagging. All ended up at local food

pantries and went on to feed deserving folks in the area. What an awesome example for others to follow! Thank you Greg for the great idea and

awesome gift!

Local Farmer, Cherry Scouts Team Up to Feed the Hungry

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 4

A “John the Barber Foundation” Publication

“Nothing but good news and good people doing great things from the Arlington, Cherry, Ladd, Seatonville/Hollowayville, Spring Valley, and Dalzell area”

“Choose being kind over being right, and you’ll be

right every time.”

“Olie Freeburg’s Story in ‘Up Ravioli Alley’ Inspires Reader to do something Great!”

We posted last month’s article from URA about unknown Cherry Mine Disaster hero Olie Freeberg onto the “Cherry Mine Disaster” Facebook page. We couldn’t help ourselves

and mentioned that it would be great if an organization of some kind would provide Olie with a nice marker (he lies unmarked in the Cherry cemetery). It was mentioned that Olie himself might appreciate if more if someone assisted the needy a bit during these

rough times. Obviously , that was a great idea! And can you believe this? Gary Gapen of Verona, WI, formerly of Peru stepped right up and made super donation that will get the

Holy Trinity Cherry Christmas Milk and Cookies Fund raiser over the top! So…it’s official….”In the name and spirit of Cherry mine hero Olie Freeburg this donation

is helping the needy TODAY!” Funny how God works isn’t it? Olie indirectly helping again! Great job Gary! Way to go Olie!

Follow 'The John The Barber

Foundation' on Facebook

If your non-for-profit organization or church needs ANYTHING, please let JTB know!

We are now in 2,000 Ravioli Alley mailboxes! We can get the word out about your events, need for volunteers, need for donations, etc.

P A G E 2

Don’t Forget:

Cherry United Church of Christ/Holy Trinity Cherry Pie & Coffee Social Hour,

first Thursday (January 2nd)

of each month. 1:30 – 3:30

at Cherry Church Hall. Bring a friend!”

Remember ”Legacy Girls”

presented by the Ladd 125th

March 30, 2014

Just a reminder, don’t miss the chance to see this great

act at the Ladd Grade School, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Saturday March 30, 2014. The “Legacy Girls” solute the

Andrews Sisters and other great artists from the

40’s – 60’s. For tickets and more info call

Sandy Galetti at 815.894.2954.

Hey parents and grandparents! Sign up the kids for St. Pat’s Arlington/Holy Trinity Cherry

2013-14 Religious Youth Education! You are doing a great job ensuring that your kids’ and grandkids’ “physical, social, and educational health” is in

good shape. Don’t forget their spiritual health! All faiths’ welcome. Classes on Sunday mornings. Please email or call Julie at JulieHTC@Outlook.com /815.894.2006 (mornings Tuesday – Friday) to register your child.

www.CherryHolyTrinity.org

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Him and said "Lord, how often shall my broth-er sin against me and I forgive him....up to seven times?" Jesus said "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!" "Ravioli Alley Translation:" “Hey pal, acting in a Christ-like way is not easy. He said that you have to forgive folks in your neighborhood from the day you go to kindergarten together till 80 years later when they bury you both. When you think about it though, normally you can forgive your parents and your kids forever in that way. Just think of that neighborhood fella as your high maintenance son!”

Ladd Grade School Library Renamed in honor of John Piccatto Sr.

A follow up on our article from a couple of months ago honoring long time Ladd School Board president and community leader John Piccatto Sr.. Following the lead of John himself, Ladd Grade School leaders have forever renamed their library after Mr. Piccatto. The very best leaders, like John, not only lead but mentor others to “lead on” after they are gone. Super job Ladd School Board!

In case you missed it, the CUCC and HTC monthly “Pie and Coffee Social Hour” fin-ished off its first calendar year with a big BANG! Over 30 guests attended the Christmas themed event including Santa himself! “Santa Kos” Keith Kostelecky of Lacon was a huge hit. Everyone got a chance to sit on Santa’s lap and he enter-tained the crowd with a beautiful reciting of “The Night Before Christmas.”

Al Pottinger gave an awesome accordion performance of favorite Christmas tunes. Hat’s off and THANKS to Keith and Al for the great show! Cheers to Alice, Bonnie, Karen, Dawn, and anyone we have for-gotten for making this monthly event such a great and GROWING success. If you would like to attend and would like for us to coordinate a ride, please call Alice at 815.303.7551.

Cherry United Church of Christ/Holy Trinity Cherry “First Thursday Pie & Coffee Social Hour” Hits High Water Mark

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Great comments received about “Up Ravioli Alley Beth Templeton Ruble commented on the “John the Barber Facebook” page “I love this little paper!”

Joan Koyak Pacifico “Ravioli Alley Alum” from Spring Valley now of Stewartsville, NJ said

“ Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed reading this very much!! Have to have my mom go buy some of the Ravs in Dalzell so when I come home I can enjoy!!!

Julia Mautino Messina of Spring Valley says about “Up Ravioli Alley:”

“Charming, upbeat and informative. Bravo!”

Hummingbird cake…….. A URA reader writes, “I was a bit down as I tried to make conversation with my teenage daughter Friday evening. She was really giving me a hard time as I tried to make a bit of conversation. When I asked what she might want for Christmas I was given a dirty look and a sarchastic response. Again trying to make conversation I joked,” I love baked goods, I wish someone would make me a Hummingbird cake for Christmas.” Again I received that same look and similar comment in return. The entire weekend was filled with similar little exchanges. By Sunday night I was truly down. “I must really be a bad parent,” I thought. “I’ve tried hard but I have just not done a

good job with her,” I continued. I prayed that the coming week would be better somehow. Late at night after she had gone to bed, I began to clean up the kitchen table where she had been doing her homework. There sitting open in the book, like a book marker, was a handwritten card. She had been on the Internet looking up something….it was a recipe for a Hummingbird cake!”

Ladd Grade School Library Renamed in honor of John Piccatto Sr.

Here is a super easy way to help your Ravioli Alley town

…..just wave! Folks that move away from Ravioli Alley and now live in big cities in various parts of the country will often warmly and affectionately describe how great it was to grow up here. Among the many great memories they have is the fact that people in Ravioli Alley will wave all the time….to those they know, those they think they know, those they don’t know! They often wave while walking or driving down the street. Other times via an open hand raised up from a steering wheel. A simply “Great” thing you can do to help your Ravioli Alley town today is to keep this tradition alive and simply WAVE. It is the quickest, easiest, and least complicated way to “reach to strangers” ( a John the Barber daily goal). Following is a quote from au-thor Jackie Lee Sommers: “I grew up in a town of 700, Kimball, MN. We wave alot. A lot of farmers do the cool thing and raise just one finger from the steering wheel. If I am in any small town, you can see me wav-ing at all the people as I drive by. People will wave back too. It warms my heart.”

P A G E 4

Eileen Pinter Makes for a Great “BCR First Person”

St. Thomas More Dalzell Promises Great Time and Fellowship at February 14, 2014 Wine Tasting Fundraiser Get ready! Escape those late winter doldrums a the St. Thomas More Dalzell Wine Tasting fundraiser at the church hall Friday Feb 14, 2014 from 6:00 p.m. til 8:30 p.m. Let’s hear it for Rudy’s Liquor of LaSalle for sponsoring the event! A great selection of wines and domestic beers will be featured along with a wide array of appetizers and desserts. Tickets are $15/$20 at the door. Enjoy the mu-sic of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and other stars who will be there IN PERSON! (“Bless me Father for I have sinned…..we stretched it a bit at the end of that IN PERSON part”) To order tickets ahead call St. Thomas More secretary Kathy at 815.663.6201, Holy Trinity secretary Julie:815.878.8205, committee volunteers Nicole Molina 815.579.2431 or Dawn Patenburg: 815.228.4857. If anyone inter-ested in donating raffle items or appetizers/desserts for event...you may also call committee volunteers. Please send on this to

former 'Ravioli Alley' folks who have left the

area. Get us their email address and we will

email to them every month!

Note from a Dalzell reader: “I'd also like to

thank the John the Barber foundation for donating gifts to the children stay-ing at pads! I just learned that the 14 yr old girl and her mother were given a home to move into this morning!!! Thank you Jesus! She will still get her gifts for Christmas.

I'm so excited for them!“

Ladd American Legion Impresses with Busy and Thoughtful Holiday Efforts

Wow, Jim Dunseth and his team at the Ladd American Legion didn’t relax this Christmas season. After completing a successful blanket, socks, gloves, and hats drive to benefit the Operations Warm Troops campaign, the American Legion gang headed to the LaSalle Veterans Home to provide the residents with bags of personal items that they required. Before they left the Ladies Auxilary assembled beautiful Christmas centerpiece for the dinning. Not done yet, the auxiliary also purchased pocket flags for the deployed troops and lead students at Ladd, Dalzell, and Cherry in assembling them. If you see an of the Legion or Auxilary members here this month, make sure to give them a pat on that back! “Good people doing Great things man!”

What an awesome interview and set of answers Eileen Pinter of Cherry gave when she was honored as Bureau County Republican’s “First Person” this week! Among her many excellent comments and answers, when asked what she would do if someone handed her a million dollars to spend, in true “John the Barber” spirit she answered “….and the rest would go to the Cherry United Church of Christ, the Holy Trinity Church, the fire department and the library.” Hat’s off and THANKS to Eileen for all her great service to the community especially all her tremendous efforts at the Cherry library over the past many years. Next time you see Eileen make sure to give her a big thanks for all she has done! “Good people doing Great things!”

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 4

Here’s a few quick Rav-notes... Second year in a row for the overflow crowd at Holy Trinity Cherry 4:00 Christmas eve mass to take in a complete

LIVE virtual mass at the church hall. Awesome mass complete with music, communion, collection, wow! When you see Mike Klein from Cherry, make sure to thank him for installing the huge screen that made it all possible. Thanks Mike!

The “John the Barber Foundation” would like to thank Marty Klein of Cherry for saving and providing us with some original antique door and window crowns that we will need for the upcoming restoration of the Walter Waite home. Thanks Marty!

The Cherry Booster Club again this year donated several Christmas dinner baskets to folks in the area who would appreciate these tough days. The Booster Club has done so much for so many! “Good people doing Great things!”

In case you missed it, WOW, the JFK Spring Valley School service day honoring President John F. Kennedy was a tremendously impressive effort huh? “Ask not what your community can do for you. Ask what you can do for your community.” Each class K-8 took on unique community volunteer efforts from raking leaves throughout town to creating Christmas decorations for the Spring Valley Nursing Home. Teaching our children the tremen-dous importance and benefits of helping others is likely the most valuable lesson we can give them. John F. Ken-nedy also said “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” Kind of one of those obvious but very important statements. JFK school is hearing it and acting on it loud and clear!

Am sure everyone read about the Project Success Santa Workshop Toy Store Benefit. What a tremendous regular event that is! This year 200 families and 450 children from all over the area benefited from Christmas gifts of toys, coat, bicycles and other items that will make their holiday season SUPER bright! Dozens of for profit and non-for-profit entities collected items and made donations to make the event a huge success. The event was held at Ladd Grade School. Thanks to Project Success and Ladd Grade School and all the entities and individuals who helped out and donated!

Cool idea by Dakota Street Insurance in Spring Valley! Throughout the year employees are allowed to wear jeans every friday and a $2 donation goes into a fund. At the end of the year, Dakota Street Insurance matches the to-tal and it all goes to Project Success for their holiday diners. Way to go Dakota Street Insurance! What a great idea for other local businesses to copy!

Missed this one last month…..congrats to Nathan Tonozzi and his folks Don and Lori of Spring Valley for Nathan being named the recipient of the Hall High School Daughter of the American Revolution Good Citizen Aware and Scholarship. Nathan has a long list of accomplishment and activities and, even more important, and even longer list of folks that confirm what a sharp young fella he is! Go get’m Nathan!

St. Bede Cheerleaders hosted a “Breakfast with Santa” for children from around the area recently. Kids and par-ents enjoyed food, fun, and friendship and a great time was had by all. Charles Tieman gave everyone a ride in his street-capable vehicle that looks just like an early Santa Fe railroad locomotive. Great job St. Bede Cheerleaders! Great job Charles! We appreciate what you are doing!

Here’s a big cheer for Hall High School students and their leaders including Joe Panzica for the tremendous job they do purchasing and assembling bicycles that make their way through Project Success to deserving kids around the area. And we aren’t talking 2-3 bikes….we are talking 62 bikes! Can you imagine? Although you young folks are helping those in need, you are also indirectly helping adults all over. It does their hearts and minds great good to know there are GREAT young people out there like you! “Good people doing Great things!”

Hey Spring Valley Knight of Columbus Chapter! Way to be “Good people doing Great things!” The K of C chapter donated the $3,000 from this year’s tootsie roll drive to the Spring Valley, Dalzell, Ladd, and Depue schools. Awe-some effort guys! Key players that lead the the K of C team were Pete Moreno, Tom and Francis Piano, and John Micheli. Next time you see a K of C member make sure to say “we appreciate what you did for our schools!”

The John the Barber Foundation helped out at the Christmas in Ladd event recently, managing a bake sale that was needed and raising $150 that will be used by the Ladd 125th Committee. If your organization might need some assistance, make sure to ask John the Barber for help!

P A G E 6

Good People Doing Great Things” in the military The next time you are afraid and concerned there is something you can’t overcome, think of Lester Pinter of Ladd. In early 1945, this sharp looking young man from Ladd leaped out of a plane over the tremendously important and dangerous island of Correg-idor in the Phillippines. Corporal Pinter, a medic, fearlessly crawled through enemy fire to treat and retrieve wounded sol-diers. For this act he was awarded one of the military’s highest medals, the Silver Star. Later in the battle, he volunteered to go on patrol to continue to assist in the effort to recapture this stra-tegically important island and was killed in action. Always reas-suring to know that the same blood that flowed through this

brave “Ravioli Alley” hero’s veins is the same that flows through your veins today. Look up now and thank Lester for all he has done for us! And tomorrow when some-thing daunting is before you, remember him and GO FOR IT!

We need your input for “Up Ravioli Alley! Folks from all over “Ravioli Alley” are saying “we want more!”

Well….you can help us! Please send us your stories on “good people doing great things.”

Also send us information on upcoming events your non-for-profit group is having. Don’t be bashful….now is also your chance to ask for help….

what does your organization need? Please drop in the US mail or email to editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com.

In a recent interview when

asked to describe himself, Pope

Francis simply said “I am a sinner.

I am a sinner whom the Lord has

looked upon.”

Little birdie told us a good hearted

“Ravioli Alley” person recently secured a

Christmas tree with lights and took it to a deserving family with

kids…..really made their Christmas!

“Good people doing Great things!’

Ladd 125th Anniversary Committee Fund Raising via Exciting 50/50 Ticket Sales

Total for 2015 Ladd 125th Anniversary 50/50 currently stands at $1,130 (winner gets $565). Tickets now available at North Central Bank, Special Effect Barber/Beauty Salon, A Vintage Venue, Softtails Bar and Grill, Lanuti’s Restaurant, and the Ladd Village Clerks Office. Winner will be drawn at the Ladd 124th anniversary this summer June 7, 2014. Proceeds will help make the event in 2015 a memorable one!

Holy Trinity Cherry Needs Greeters for Saturday 4:00 p.m. mass NOW through Spring:

“HTC needs a couple of “pre” and “post-mass” greeters to welcome mass attendants NOW through early Spring. Regular greeters are off for some “go-south” winter

vacation time! Hoping you can do a little something Great! Contact Julie at julieHTC@Outlook.com or call weekday mornings 815.894.2006”

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 4

Corrections So sorry….Mary Jean Goodrick of Dalzell on misspelling her last name. Wow, not even close! Sorry!

Hats off to you and your crew for all you are doing for St. Thomas More!

Dalzell Tortellini Volunteer Among many “Good people doing Great things.”

Received an interesting article and letter from a Dalzell reader discussing a number of up-beat subjects. To receive a copy of the letter in its entirety please email editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com or write to Box 88, Cherry, IL 61317 and we will send you one. We hope to publish it in its entirety in the near future. This month want to touch on one piece of that letter. In discussing St. Thomas More Dalzell’s current tortellini fund raising effort the author writes of just one volunteer, “ Darlene Klukaczynski is one that commits herself to a greater personal involve-ment in meeting the needs of others.” Later again they write, “Every time we have a day set aside for making tor-tellini she comes always with another friend, Gerry Vacini , in helping making the many pounds we are produc-ing.” “Darlene was born, raised, and married in Dalzell and still has a warm place in her heart for the people and the church which was hers for a long time before she moved to Dimmick. Please thank Darlene and Gerry for all they are doing in Dalzell! Next month: cute story about Darlene herself experiencing “Good people doing Great things.”

Remember Elsie Kolb on her birthday January 24th! We have received numerous suggestions to run an article on Elsie Kolb of Cherry. We plan to do in a few months when we have had the time to put a good article together. As those of you from Cherry and other part of Ravioli Alley know, Elsie was likely one of the most well known “Good people doing Great things” espe-cially for children that anyone has ever known. Her gas station, lunch stand, can-dy store in Cherry was the home away from home for many kids in the 1950’s – 1970’s. Look for an article about her in the near future. She passed away in 1990. Her birthday is January 24 so remember this month to say a prayer for Elsie and say THANKS Elsie for all you have done! Following is a very cool and rare shot of Elsie with Maureen Baldini.

“Big Truck” Shout-out to the Hockings family of Ladd!

If one were to take a “Good people doing Great things” poll in Ladd, Mary Ann and Phil Hockings would be names mentioned by many. What an awesome late afternoon Christmas scene at the Ladd Christmas Walk this past Satur-day December 7! Mary Ann and Phil were among the very key drivers of this wonderful event. YES, this is the same Hockings team that has been driving Relay for Life efforts for many years , primarily revolving around what was this year’s Tenth Annual “Convoy Against Cancer Big Truck Show.” This event is awesome and is getting attention well beyond the Ravioli Alley and the Illinois Valley. “John the Barber” tips its hat big time to Mary Ann and Phil! Please go out of your way to say thanks for Mary Ann and Phil for all they do! “Good people doing Great things!” In this case, let’s go with “Great, Great, Great!”

The “John the Barber” Foundation Box 88 Cherry, IL 61317

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAID CHERRY, IL

61317 PERMIT NO. 23

Keep that “Ravioli Alley Alumni “contact information coming!

Wow! Thanks to everyone for sending contact info for “Ravioli Alley Alumni” (people who are originally from “Ravioli Alley” who are living somewhere else).

Please continue to send their email address and/or U.S. mailing address. One reader wrote “I mailed on the last issue to my out-of-state friends and they loved it.

Please email that contact info to editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com or via U.S. mail JTB Foundation, Box 88, Cherry, IL 61317.

Holy Trinity Cherry “Virtual Overflow” Mass Leading Edge but still recalls efforts and successes of earlier days

As you may have heard, Holy Trinity Cherry for the second year in a row creatively addressed the “overflow” problem of their 4:00 Christmas eve mass by holding a “virtual internet mass” concurrently at the Cherry church hall just two blocks up the street. Approximately 130 mass attendees watched and participated in the mass LIVE over the internet including singing, communion, etc! Although “leading edge” and highly “techie” this effort actually is reminicant of earlier times. When Cherry was first incorporated and prior to the first Catholic church being built, mass was held in the upstairs area of Ryan’s Dry Goods Store which was located on the east side of main street across from what is now Illinois Valley Agri Systems (former Bill Waite’s Ser-vice). In 1919, after the wood framed Catholic church on the west side burned down, mass was held upstairs of Raben’s store which was on the east side of main street from what is now Dimond Brothers Insurance (former CBW Insurance). Hat’s off to Father Pat Fixsen for this creative effort! Also, here’s a big shout out to the many folks from Ladd who were in attendance at the hall! St. Benedicts Ladd drove Holy Trinity’s earliest efforts with HTC being a mission out-post of St. Benedicts for many years. Awesome to see 100+ years of community fellowship on display! Wow!