For Your Information Available

Here is the link to FYI number 8 for 2013: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/fyi/

One item of interest is the announcement of Marilyn Brengle's retirement on February 28th, 2014. All the best to you, Marilyn, as you begin to enjoy retirement. However, we know how hectic the next month will be as you try to get ready to leave!

Condolences for Hugh Wetzel

Those who get notices from Extension Partners have already received similar information.

In Memory: Hugh Wetzel

Hubert “Hugh” J. Wetzel, 88, of Urbana passed away on December 13, 2013.  There was no service or announcement. His wife, Dottie, suggests memorials may be made to the Illinois 4-H Foundation, 1401 Maryland Dr., Urbana, IL 61801.
 
Hugh was well known in 4-H and Illinois agriculture circles. For nearly 60 years Hugh provided leadership, as State Extension 4-H Youth Development Specialist and after retirement, to 4-H programs coordinated at the University of Illinois and in conjunction with the Cooperative Extension Service that positively influenced thousands of youth and families in the state of Illinois, the nation and the world.
 
His pinnacle achievement was as the founder, with the US Department of Agriculture, of the International 4-H Youth Exchange Program. As Chairman of 4-H International Programs he guided a learning, living and sharing experience for young people abroad. He facilitated a rewarding cultural exchange between 4-H members and the families they stayed with and whole communities both here and abroad. For this and other contributions, like the National 4-H Congress Program Chair, he was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame.  At the time of his induction in 2005, he was only the fifth inductee from the state of Illinois.
 
As a World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps, he served three years as a navigator based in France with the 439^th Troop Carrier Squadron in Chateaudun.
 
Hugh became a member of Alpha Chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho in 1943, seventy years ago. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1948 and soon after joined the Cooperative Extension staff in Whiteside County. He was a member of the Alpha Alumni Board for seventeen years serving as both Secretary and President. Later, he was instrumental in organizing reunion gatherings of the “older” AGR alums with over 40 year memberships. He was also a Decade Class Chair in the recent Capital Campaign and a regular participant in Homecoming and Founders Day events. The National Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity made him a “Brother of the Century” in honor of its 100th year for his contributions to the fraternity and career achievements.
 
Hugh was a wonderful man with a happy smile, a twinkle in his eye and a friendly greeting to all. He will be missed, but his life can be celebrated for the many contributions he made to his fellow man!

---

Southern Region Holiday Gathering

Southern Region IEAFCS Retirees met at the home of Lois Smith on Dec. 12th. Her home was beautifully decorated as always, and the food and fellowship was great! Thank you Lois for hosting.

If you are wondering what was going on here, the group was trying to play a tune on English Crackers.

Carol Schlitt tried her best to get some rhythm out of us, but it didn't turn out particularly well. She worked hard though, and we all got a good
laugh.
         
Those attending were Joy Richey, Martha Winter, Shirley Martin Prewitt, Lois Smith, Martha Speir, Carol Schlitt, and Janet Burnett--not pictured.

The big news of the day was Shirley's recent marriage to Bill Prewitt from Herrin on Nov. 3rd. Congratulations Shirley!

The meeting had been re-scheduled because of the blizzard conditions the week before, and a few others were unable to attend. The Southern Region would like to wish everyone A Very Merry Christmas and Happy New  Year.

 

From Garden Gates to Dinner Plates

 

Illinois Cottage Food Operation Information

A new website has been launched - From Garden Gates to Dinner Plates - Illinois Cottage Food Operation Information.

In Illinois, new laws have gone into effect overseeing foods that are prepared for sale by a business operated by a person at the Farmers' Market who produces food in their kitchen for direct sale by the owner or a family member. 

This website includes information about what foods can be sold, safe food handling practices, food labeling, and frequently asked questions.

The site was created by Druscilla Banks, Mary Liz Wright, and Jenna Smith all Extension Educators, Nutrition and Wellness.

Please visit this site at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/cottage/ and share it with others.

This information is included in the latest issue of FYI. It can be accessed at:http://web.extension.illinois.edu/fyi/

Advantage Illinois Insurance Enrollment

Just a reminder that retirees who are eligible for Medicare must act by Friday, December 13th to continue state healthcare insurance after January 31, 2014. And--as I understand it--those not yet eligible need to respond as well if you received the packet of information.

As of Monday, November 25th there is a new hotline phone number to call for assistance. It is 1-800-610-2091. On the website: www.cms.illinois.gov/thetrail there is a 40 minute video presented by Janice Bonneville, Deputy Director of benefits for the State of Illinois. This can be viewed in lieu of attending a meeting.

Don't wait. Now is a good time to get this taken care of.

Member News--Joan Blaser

Joan Blaser told us at the 2013 Summer Reunion that she began work for Extension in 1957 and retired in 1997. She has worked at a local library since she retired until this year.

She has recently become involved with the local HCE organization, and is working to assist them in developing stronger leadership via some officer changes. She also mentioned that the University is offering some good lessons from campus.

Joan has four grandchildren and several great grandchildren. She is a good example for all of us retirees that there is still a lot of need and a lot we can do in our communities.

New Leadership for Extension

A Message from the Associate Dean

Over the last three weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet with Extension staff in small groups, at team programs, and at regional meetings. I have asked what is working well, what can be improved, and what are some new opportunities to consider. It has been exciting to learn about our many successful programs and new audiences being reached. State Conference offers another opportunity to come together as an organization to learn new skills, enhance collaborations, and celebrate 100 years of Extension. I look forward to seeing you all next week.

I also want to introduce a new colleague on campus with research, teaching, and Extension responsibilities. Jonathan Coppess recently joined the faculty as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Law and Policy in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. Previously, he served as Chief Counsel of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry for Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow. Prior to joining the Ag Committee, he was Administrator of the Farm Service Agency at USDA. Jonathan grew up on his family's corn and soybean farm in Western Ohio and practiced law in Chicago before moving to Washington to work on agriculture policy. He earned his Bachelor's from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and his Juris Doctor from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC. Please join me in welcoming Jonathon to Extension. 


Sincerely,
George F. Czapar, Associate Dean and Director
Office of Extension and Outreach

For those who would like to access the rest of FYI number 6 for 2013, here is the link: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/fyi/

Michigan Trip--days 4 & 5 (Noel Restaurant and Headed Home)

After leaving Castle Farms we traveled to Grandville where we spent the night. Dinner was at the NOEL Restaurant, which had previously been a Baptist Church..

Everyone enjoyed the meal, and we returned to the Holiday Inn Express for a good night's rest. The next morning we began the last leg of the journey and headed for home.

                   






 





We wanted to show our appreciation for all the work Carol had done in planning a "fabulous" trip.

Lois Smith was in charge of selecting an appropriate gift. She looked long and hard to find just the right pair of earrings for Carol. As you can see, she loved them!     

Actually the earrings were a joke, and we also presented her with some extra spending money. Thanks you again, Carol, for all your work.

The bus driver didn't waste any time, and pretty soon we said goodbye to a few people in Matteson and another group in Champaign. Lunch was at  Za's in Champaign, and then we were in Effingham. The last stop was Mt. Vernon.

                                                                 

Here is the photo of the group again--in the parlor at the Grand Hotel. Everyone seemed to have a great time!  We are now looking forward to the next trip.

                                                                 

Michigan Trip--Day 4 (Leaving Mackinac Island and Castle Farms)

Before leaving the Grand Hotel we had  a delicious breakfast and were able to enjoy the view from its famous porch. This is a fountain down in front of the hotel. And, we could see the bridge leading back to Mackinaw City. Most of us did not ride back on the top of the Ferry.

Next we headed to Castle Farms near Charlevoix. The farm was built in 1918 by Albert Loeb, acting president of Sears, Roebuck, and Company. His goal was to showcase all the items Sears had to offer in their catalog. It was a model farm with prize winning livestock and the newest equipment available. The buildings were based on stone barns found in Normandy France.                                   

The stone work was very intricate and impressive. However, the farm fell on hard times through the years and was allowed to become very run down. The present owner has converted all the buildings to be used for weddings, but she has made a big effort to preserve the original architecture. The community is very thankful to her for once again bringing the farm to life.                                                                                               

There were six weddings planned for the Saturday evening that we were there!  And as you can see, Martha Winter got to pretend to be "Queen for a Day." We enjoyed lunch in their East Garden Room and headed south to Grandville.                                                                                

Michigan Trip--Day 3 (The Grand Hotel)

After we got out of the carriage, we were escorted to the Parlor. They don't call it a lobby.

We were given a special welcome and received our room keys. And, of course, they carried our luggage for us. Every room in the hotel is decorated differently--385 of them. This is one of the more conservative ones. Note the geraniums on the headboards.

Geraniums are a trademark of the Grand Hotel. It has been operating since 1887, and is listed as a "Distinctive Destination" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Over 130,000 guests stay there each season.

There was a little time to relax and dress for a five course dinner. Casual attire is not allowed in the dining room.

The photo of the group published on this blog earlier was taken in the Parlor as we prepared for dinner. This is Martha Speir with her brother, Steve Wiyatt and his wife Jean along with another relative, Linda Griffy.

Dinner was very enjoyable, and many of us had the Grand Pecan Balls, one of the famous deserts.  More than 50,000 of them are served every season!


This is a view of the porch after dark. There was another group using it earlier in the evening. It is 660 feet long, the longest front porch in the world. There are over 2500 geraniums in the 260 planter boxes on and around the porch. There are over 5200 geraniums in all the flower beds around the hotel!

After dinner there were a couple of bands playing. Some of us gathered in the ballroom, but not many were interested in dancing.

However, Joe and Kathy Harrison and Rick and Mona Diefenbach represented us well.    

There were some comments that individuals didn't know if they would be able to sleep because of the unique decor in their rooms, but all-in-all we had a very restful night--no traffic noise for sure.

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Michigan Trip--Day 3 (The Two Hour Tour)

After spending the morning on our own (shopping & eating) we boarded a horse drawn carriage for a tour of the rest of Mackinac Island. If you click on this photo and enlarge it, you will see from the map that most of it is a State Park. Only a small area along the shore is inhabited by people.





We saw many different animals and types of vegetation in the park. One of the most interesting sights was Arch Rock. It is a limestone arch that stands 146 feet over the Lake Huron shoreline. There was a great view of Lake Huron and Canada from there!             

It took three of the big Belgium Horses to pull the carriage that held about 20 of us. And they were allowed rest stops on the big hills.

As we prepared to leave Arch Rock we had to make sure Joe and Kathy didn't get left behind. Seems they had an issue with the camera.




As mentioned before, there are almost no motor driven vehicles on the island. Even the street sweeper was horse drawn. Looks like they were taking a break too!

There is a fort on the island, Fort Mackinac. It was built by the British during the American Revolution in 1780. Americans took control in 1796. During the war of 1812 the British re-captured the Fort. Americans tried unsuccessfully in 1814 to take it back. However, after the war ended it was given back to the Americans and stayed active until 1895. The fort played an important role in the history of Mackinac Island.

One of the newest buildings on the island is the stable. It is very evident that horses are a priority there! However, most of them leave in winter and snowmobiles are the preferred mode of transportation.


                                                                 

As we came to the end of the "two hour tour" we were taken to the Grand Hotel. This is our first view of it from the carriage. Watch for more next time on our evening at the Grand.

                                                                                                                     

Condolences to the Family of Vic Smith

News of Vic Smith's passing has been shared with some individuals, but here are the details for those who have not seen it yet.

Victor N. Smith, 90, of Champaign passed away on Oct. 11, 2013, at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.

Victor was born Oct. 9, 1923, on a farm near Burnt Prairie to parents,
Silas and Emma (Stahl) Smith. He graduated from Fairfield High School and attended Brown Business School in Salem, after which he worked as a bookkeeper for an oil company in Salem.

With the money saved from this job, he enrolled at Southern Illinois University. It was here that he met Betty Marie Russell on a blind date. They were later married on Sept. 9, 1944, while he was serving in the United States Army Air Corps. To this union was born Russell N. Smith, Vicki Lynn Smith Snyder and Linda Sue Smith Snyder.

Victor served in the United States Army Air Corps. He served as bombardier on a B-17 bomber. He was stationed in Foggia, Italy, and took part in 17 missions. On one mission, his plane was shot down over enemy territory, and he was assisted back to his home base by partisans living in that area. He was awarded two flying medals for his missions.

After World War II, Victor and his family lived on a farm in Franklin County. They worshipped at Rend City Baptist Church. He was employed by The University of Illinois Agriculture Extension Service as a youth adviser in Perry County, Extension adviser in Williamson County and livestock specialist in the western Illinois area.

He was junior livestock director at the Illinois State Fair for several years. He also served as a livestock judge in many areas of Illinois.While serving in these various positions, he lived in Macomb. Upon retirement, he moved to Champaign to be closer to his family.

Victor and Betty enjoyed dancing and playing cards. Later in life, Victor enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, specifically their sports activities.

Victor was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Vicki Lynn Smith Snyder; and his sister, Eva Curd. Surviving is his wife, Betty Marie; his son, Russell Smith, of Champaign, and his daughter, Linda Terry) Sue Smith Snyder, of Suwanee, Ga. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Melissa (Jeff) Snyder, Cynthia (Tom) Adamek, Erin (Christian) Romeiser and Brent (Allison) Snyder, and eight great- grandchildren.

Graveside service and burial will be held at the Masonic and Odd Fellows Cemetery, Benton, on Monday, Oct. 14, at 11 a.m. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, the family would appreciate contributions to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4600 Park Road, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28209.

Morgan Memorial Home, Savoy, is handling arrangements.

Michigan Trip--Day 3 (Arriving at Mackinac Island)

After a continental breakfast buffet in the home of the couple that owned the Bay Inn, we made the short trip to Mackinaw City. There we took the ferry to Mackinac Island. As you can see, those who chose to ride on the top of the ferry had a cold and windy trip. Look closely and you can see how hard Janet and Jody's hair is whipping in the wind as we crossed under the bridge to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Friday was the coolest day of the entire trip, and it was cold on the water that morning!  It is about five miles from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island. 
 





This was our first view of the houses along the coast of the island. They say it is shaped like a turtle--low on the edges and more rounded up toward the middle. The differences in spelling of Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island are because one is English and one is French.

Here is the view of the street as we walked off the Ferry. There are no cars, of course, just bicycles and horse drawn carriages.





We had a few hours to explore the downtown area and  shop. I believe most of us found some of the world famous fudge to take home. There were lots of other temptations as well. As you can see, this was the carriage for the Grand Hotel. More on that later.         
     
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Most of the horses were large work horses. They told us they were Belgiums, and added an interesting note that Clydesdale horses weren't big and strong enough to pull the loaded carriages up the steep hills. However, there were other fancy, high stepping horses that pulled smaller carriages as well. Perhaps these beautiful blacks belonged to one of the individuals who live on the island. We did learn that the only motorized vehicles on the island are emergency vehicles--ambulance, fire truck, etc.

Update on Dependent Verification for Insurance

Made a phone call today to hms Employer Solutions concerning the dependent eligibility verification process.

I was told that we have all been given an extension until Dec. 6th to get this paperwork submitted. If you call and listen to the message it says send in everything else, if you don't have the tax return transcript, by October 25th. However, the individual I talked to said that wasn't necessary. The Dec. 6th deadline applies to everything.

She also said she knew of individuals who had received their transcript in spite of the government shutdown--unless maybe they were ordered before Oct. 1st.

This is Important: Do It Now!

Do not put off action on the letter you received about verification of your dependents who are covered under the State Employee Group Insurance Plan. As I read it, the required documents must be received by HMS Employer Solutions by October 25th.

Also note that you cannot just copy the front page of your 2012 tax return. The Federal Tax Return Transcript is something that has to come from IRS. Read question #13 for instructions. I did not try the phone number, but  the web site request worked. However, it will take 7-10 days at best to get the form back to you.

If you feel that you cannot get the paperwork submitted in time, there is an opportunity to request an extension. Depending on whether these particular IRS employees are working and how fast they can get these forms to us, we may all need to request an extension--see question #10.

So don't delay!
 

Michigan Trip--Day 2

After leaving Kalamazoo, we headed for the Music House Museum in Acme, Michigan. The collection of instruments they have is amazing.

In this photo our tour guide is explaining how an old-time piano works. It is hard to understand how all that paper keeps from getting tangled up!




Lunch was at Friske Orchards, a third generation family farming venture. Sadly, they said they lost the cherry crop this year, but they had plenty of items for sale. Lois, Pat, and Jody were doing some shopping before getting back on the bus.




Then we were off to Charlevoix where we had a guided tour of the famous "Mushroom Houses" designed by renowned local architect, Earl Young. Unbelievable what he could do with a pile of rocks! The tour of the rest of the town was interesting too.  Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix were very scenic.

We had the entire hotel to ourselves at the Bay Inn of Petoskey for the evening.  Dinner was at Stafford's Bay View Inn, and it was wonderful! Stafford's is located in a Methodist Chautauqua community founded in 1875. Two individuals in our group happened to be celebrating birthdays on Sept. 12, Rusti Grogan, and Glennon Schlitt. They were surprised by two beautiful birthday cakes--which we all got to enjoy.

                                               

Happy Birthday Rusti & Glennon! What better way to celebrate?

                 

IEAFCS Michigan Bus Trip--Day 1

After traveling the length of Illinois to pick everyone up--Mt. Vernon, Effingham, Champaign, and Matteson-- a bus loaded with 29 IEAFCS members and friends headed further north.

Lunch was at Cracker Barrel in Hammond, Indiana, and dinner was at the W. K. Kellogg Manor House Estate near Kalamazoo, MI. This "summer home" was built by W. K. Kellogg and his wife in 1925. From 1944-1950 it was used as a rehabilitation center for the Percy Jones Army Hospital, and was eventually donated by the Kellog Foundation to Michigan State University. It has been developed into the Kellogg Gull Lake Biological Station. We learned lots of other interesting information about the Kellogg family, and enjoyed a delicious meal--one of the best of the trip!

                                                                                  

After dinner, the group headed to the Western Michigan Art Glass Center. This mural on the outside wall caught the attention of some of
our former Nutrition & Wellness Educators. The wording on the large jar is: "I could have watched her hands all day, peeling the tomatoes, squeezing them to extract the last drop of summer from each one. She shuffles around the hot kitchen, trying to find the jars her mother gave her, swinging her hips with the same motion, the same full anticipation, as a ripe tomato on the vine, skin pulled tight, against the hope of preservation, the peeling down of generations, the same glass jars for each one." Meredith Adams.

Instructors at the Art Glass Center then helped everyone design a coaster or sun catcher made of pieces of glass. Some toiled very diligently on their individual works of art.

          

Others spent some of their time learning to play a Kazoo. Remember we were in Kalamazoo!

However, in the end there were many beautiful designs that were left to be fired in the kiln and mailed later. Then it was back to the hotel for a good night's rest.