Community organizations to host child abuse prevention walk April 10
Community members, local organizations, and partners across Clinton County are invited to come together on Friday, April 10, for a child abuse prevention walk around the courthouse in Carlyle in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
This event aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of child abuse and neglect while promoting prevention efforts and community support for children and families. April 10 also is recognized statewide as "Wear Blue Day," and participants are encouraged to wear blue to show their commitment to protecting children and strengthening families.
The walk will take place at the Clinton County Courthouse and will include a special proclamation reading by the mayor of Carlyle, formally recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the community.
This is a time for partners to come together and stand united in their commitment to prevention, share resources, support families, and strengthen the network of care that keeps children safe and thriving in Clinton County.
Community members, families, and organizations are encouraged to attend, participate in the walk, and show their support by wearing blue.
For more information, contact Sheridan Jordan, smjordan @chestnut.org, 618-789-3711.
About Child Abuse Prevention Month: Child Abuse Prevention Month is observed each April to highlight the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. Through education, awareness, and collaboration, communities can create safe, supportive environments for all children.
Organizations receive $1,000 checks from Carlyle Lions Club
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
The Carlyle FFA received a $1,000 check from the Carlyle Lions Club. Pictured are, FROM LEFT, Lions Club member Terry Stilt, FFA advisor Emily Millburg, FFA student Alannah Sarclette and Lions Club member Shelby Guthrie. The Carlyle Lions Club handed out five $1,000 checks to local organizations during its meeting on Tuesday, March 24.
Those organizations receiving the $1,000 checks were the Scouts, Carlyle FFA, Matthew 25, Amy Center and Sexual Assault and Family Emergencies (SAFE).
Rob Persing represented the Scouts at the meeting.
"Our organization has really come a long way over the years," Persing said. "It's the help and support that we get from organizations like the Lions Club that really helps us out. We appreciate your support."
Emily Millburg and Alannah Sarclette represented the Carlyle FFA.
Millburg is one of the three FFA advisors and teachers at Carlyle High School. It is her second year with the program and she is the Ag-Mech teacher. Millburg said they have a strong program, and a lot of that is due to the community support.
FFA is part of their agriculture classes and it is an organization that gives students the opportunity to take the hands on concept from class and put them into use in different situations. One of the big pieces for the Carlyle FFA is community service.
They do different service projects throughout the year including helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the Christmas tree drop.
Sarclette is a senior at Carlyle and is a reporter for the FFA chapter. She competes in various activities.
"One of my favorite things about the organization is that we are very involved with community service," Sarclette said. "I love giving back to our community and showing that even though we are just high school kids we can make a difference and help our community in a positive way."
Sarclette said FFA has been a rewarding experience not just for herself, but for the impact she sees on others.
SAFE received a $1,000 check from the Carlyle Lions Club. Pictured are, FROM LEFT, Lions Club member Kim Holtgrave, Melissa Kelly from SAFE, Jamie Fields from SAFE and Lions Club member Shelby Guthrie.
Joe Timmermann represented Matthew 25.
"I want to thank the Lions Club for their donation to Matthew 25," Timmermann said.
Matthew 25 food pantry hands out food every Wednesday and people can come once a month. Some stuff they get from the St. Louis food pantry, and other stuff the Matthew 25 staff gets from local stores.
Executive director Michaela Wharton represented the Amy Center. The Amy Center is a child advocacy center. The Amy Center covers seven counties, including Clinton County. Along with advocacy, they also do prevention education in the schools. They have two prevention educations — one for pre-K through fourth grade and one for fifth through 12th grade.
"They are all learning about healthy boundaries for their bodies, for their relationships, and for their online activity," Wharton said.
They meet monthly with their Clinton County multi-disciplinary team. That involves individuals from DCFS and fellow agencies they work with.
"This is an organization that you don't really know about until you need it," Wharton said. "
The Amy Center started in 1990 and was founded by Dennis Schultz. In 1987, Schultz's daughter Amy was walking down her lane in Kell about dusk and the next time she was seen she was no longer alive. Someone was driving down the lane and should not have been in the area, saw her, and picked her up, and murdered her. Her body was found the next day in Dix.
"In light of that tragedy, Dennis found out there were virtually no resources for a parent going through this," Wharton said. "He put a center in Jefferson County and we have been able to help thousands of children since then."
Wharton said it is very important that they continue to work in Amy's legacy and they are thankful for the funding from civic groups and organizations because that is what keeps them going.
Melissa Kelly and Jamie Friend represented SAFE. SAFE provides free, confidential services for survivors of sexual assault and abuse and other impacted individuals. Those services include advocacy, counseling, and prevention programs.
They offer a 24-hour hotline that anyone can call. They offer referrals for people who are looking for housing and utility assistance. This is SAFE's 40th year in service.
"We are very thankful for your donation," Kelly said. "We are state and federally funded, so that requires us to match a portion of our funding through private donations."
Spihlmann and Wilken honored at Ducks Unlimited banquet
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
April Wilken received the Burel Goodin scholarship during the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter banquet. Pictured with Wilken is chapter chairman Joe Wilkerson. Photo by Matt Wilson Two special presentations were handed out during the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter banquet on Saturday, March 28, at the KC Hall in Carlyle.
Steve Spihlmann was recognized for being an outstanding mentor.
Central Community High School senior April Wilken won the $1,000 Burel Goodin Scholarship.
Goodin was a great friend of Ducks Unlimited who passed away in 2017. His son, Burel Jr., wanted to preserve his dad's memory by establishing a scholarship in his name.
With the help of the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter, a $1,000 scholarship was created.
There were eight applicants this year, which is the most they have ever had. Wilken had a lot of competition this year. The names were blacked out and a scoring rubric was made to make sure they selected the best applicant.
"April is an excellent student and is involved in many extra curricular activities," Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter chairman Joe Wilkerson said.
Steve Spihlmann, LEFT, was recognized as being an outstanding mentor during the Ducks Unlimited Carlyle Lake chapter banquet. Pictured with Spihlmann is Ben Huels and Nick Sphilmann. Photo by Matt Wilson
"She was a greenwing in her youth and her and her family have been coming to these banquets for many years."
Ben Huels gave a speech and presented a plaque to Spihlmann.
Huels said Spihlmann has had a huge impact on his life and on the lives of a lot of young hunters over the years.
Spihlmann has been hunting Carlyle Lake since the mid 1970s and for nearly five decades he's been doing what great mentors do best — showing up. Huels said Spihlmann would normally wake up before 3 a.m., in the cold, and with a boat full of kids who may or may not remember to bring gloves.
Spihlmann has taken about 50 youth duck hunting, and that does not include his own kids or grandkids.
"All of his sons friends ended up hunting," Huels said. "If you were around long enough, you got handed a pair of waders, a handful of shells, and a seat in the boat. Some of those kids are now grown adults bringing their own kids out to the blind, including me, which means what started as a simple morning hunt has turned into something truly multigenerational."
Huels said what makes Spihlmann special is that he isn't just taking kids hunting, he teaches them everything that comes with it. He teaches the important things like how to call ducks, how to build a blind, and the very important rule of keeping your head down when the birds are working. But he also teaches the things only learned from someone who has spent a lifetime chasing sunrises at Carlyle Lake.
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