The Illinois & Indiana Firefighters Association is holding a one-day motorcycle ride on Sept. 15 to remember the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacks. The 9/11 Memorial Ride is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. at the Village Mall, 2917 N. Vermilion St., Danville, and end around 4:45 p.m. at the Friendly Tavern, 216 E. South St., Danville. It is open to all vehicles. The ride will take participants through Vermilion County and parts of Champaign County and Ford County.
Lunch will be held in Paxton and provided by the Paxton Fire Department. Registration is from 8 to 10 a.m. at McDonald’s at the Village Mall, 3195 N. Vermilion St. A biker blessing will be held at 9:40 a.m. Organizers are asking for a $10 donation per person. All proceeds will go to the association’s Fallen Firefighter Fund.
Ride T-shirts will be on sale. There will also be a 50/50 raffle drawing. For more information, call Dan Hudson at 474-5177.

Republican candidates for Illinois governor will be available to meet the public during the Illinois GOP Governor Candidate Meet-N-Greet Breakfast, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at Railside Golf Club in Gibson City. The Ford County GOP has invited Republican gubernatorial candidates state Sen. Bill Brady, businessman Bruce Rauner, State Treasurer Dan Rutherford and state Sen. Kirk Dillard. “Get a chance to hear first hand their views on taxes, the state budget, pensions, Second Amendment rights, and their vision for a better Illinois,” a news release said. Free donuts, rolls, juice and coffee will be served.

Allenna Jo Dockham’s story: click here.

The Benefit Cruise will take place Saturday, August 3rd, 2013.
Meet at the Rural King parking lot located on Rt. 136 in Rantoul, IL.
Sign In Between 9:30 am & 11 am. The Donation/Fee: $10 per rider.
The cruise leaves, promptly at 11:15 am.
The Cruise Stops will be as follows:
Gifford 11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Rankin 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm
Paxton 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Gibson City 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Saybrook 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Last Stop will be Fisher, IL  for food, a silent auction, and to meet the Dockham family.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Dale Puls at 217-379-2388.

This automobile and motorcycle cruise is a benefit for a beautiful, baby girl born January 18, 2013 with extremely serious health issues.  This baby girl was diagnosed with Down Syndrome before birth. Though she was taken home January 20th 2013, it soon became necessary to readmit little Allenna Jo to the Children’s Hospital (OSF) in Peoria, IL for six days. While there she was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease  which required little Allenna Jo to have to go through surgery on her colon.

Allenna was, also, diagnosed with AVC Defect (Atrioventricular canal defect) which requires this lovely baby girl to have heart surgery between 4-6 months of age.

March 27th, Allenna Jo was taken to the doctor with a cough, and was admitted for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). This little baby was sedated,  intubated, and put on a paralytic. She has two PICC lines; one in her arm and one in her thigh. Allenna Jo has an IV for fluids and nurtrients in her arm; an arterial line in her thigh, and a feeding tube. She is on numerous medications: powerful anitbiotics, a blood thinner, low blood pressure, and heart medicines.
Allenna Jo will require physical therapy from being immobilized during her treatment.

Once Allenna Jo is released from the hospital for the RSV, she will have to wait 6-8 weeks for her heart surgery which will put her back in the hospital for another 2-3 weeks.

For further information or if you have questions, please contact: Dale Puls at 217-379-2388.