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Nothing but good news ! And Good people doing Great things!
From Arlington, Cherry, Ladd, Seatonville/Hollowayville, Spring Valley,and Dalzell, Illinois

A John the Barber Foundation Publication

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 8 M A Y 2 0 1 4

Dr. Lyston. D. Howe: Family history of heroism ran truly deep for this great man who was seconds away from being the thirteenth man sacrificed on the Cherry Mine Disaster rescue cage
Many often forget the great accomplishments of Dr. Lyston.D. Howe during the key critical early moments of the Cherry Mine Disaster. Howe was actually on the first six runs of the Heroes Rescue Cage, missing by seconds the seventh and final run that would see all twelve rescuers burned alive. The story of Howe and his family, all of Streator, is a very interesting in itself. His Father Lyston Howe Sr. was credited as the youngest veteran of the Union Army during the Civil War. Howes uncle Orion Howe is still the youngest recipient of the United States Medal of Honor! Like many experienced professionals from Streator, Howe was hired as the official company physician and came to Cherry to participate in what all believed would a tremendous opportunity. He lived in the center of town in a company house on Taylor Street just across the alley from todays Cherry Country Store. On the day of the disaster, the spirit of volunteerism and self sacrifice that ran deep within him clearly came through as he was one of the first to volunteer to be on the rescue cage. Just prior to the seventh and final trip, as Howe helped fellow rescuer Alex Rosenjack to the medical station, mine manager John Bundy stopped Howe from getting on the cage, instructing him to stay on top and help the injured. Twenty minutes later as the burning cage reached the surface, Howe would realize how close he had come to death. Howe returned to Streator and lived out his life as a man widely recognized for doing good for others. (Interesting how so many Great people existed in those days. John the Barber himself lived just a block or so south of Howe on Taylor..Alex Norberg also killed on the heroes rescue cage lived half way between them. Imagine all those great people living and working together in one place!) Notice Dr. Howes burned hand in the picture to the right.

Therefore said Jesus, if you bring your gifts to the alter and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there, go first and reconcile with your brother and then come back and offer your gifts. Ravioli Alley Translation: Hey pal, God thinks forgiving and apologizing are SO important he does not even want you worshiping or doing things for him until you clear things up! He definitely loves you and wants you to be with him, but he knows it wont be good until you get rid of that baggage you been carrying around.

Cherry United Church of Christ/Holy Trinity Cherry Celebrating Two Years With Their Monthly Pie and Coffee Social Hour for Retirees
For two years now the Cherry United Church of Christ and Holy Trinity Cherry have been successfully working together to bring just a little bit of fun and joy one afternoon every month. Held at the Cherry Church Hall the first Thursday of every month from 1:30 3:30, the event sees retirees enjoying some fun, games, laughs, door prizes, memories, fellowship plus some great pie and coffee! Alice Ring, Bonnie Templeton, Karen Cazimero, Dawn Patenburg, are just a few of the many volunteers who have helped make this happen. The group is always on the lookout for entertainment.singers, speakers, musicians, etc. who might be able to perform for just ten minutes. If you or someone you know might be able to help in that way, please do something Great and contact Alice at 815.303.7551 or Bonnie at 815.488.0425.

Hey Ravioli Alley alumni out there in the business world! We need your help!
If you have been away from the old Ravioli Alley stomping grounds for while, you may not be aware that that the twists and turns of the economy have not been particularly friendly to the folks and business up and down old Route 89. In fact, various local groups have been meeting formally and informally for the past few years discussing ideas for driving things back in a happy direction! Everyone knows a few things about Ravioli Alley alumni: They have a sincerely warm spot in their heart for home/Ravioli Alley Their Ravioli Alley upbringing made them the kind of folks who did well in their academic, business, and military careers out in the world They are the kind of folks who will help old friends Spring Valley boy, Greg Campbell (white shirt, center in picture), left Ravioli Alley for the military and a career with world-wide grain producer ADM. Greg returned to the area a few years ago and recently opened Illinois Valley Agri Systems/IVAS a dealer of high end grain bins and grain processing systems. IVAS has brought exciting new employment opportunities to Ravioli Alley. Thanks Greg for all you and your team are doing! Hey other Ravioli Alley alumni, if you have a solid idea for a business that could drive employment and growth here back home, please drop an email to JTB at editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com. We would love to hear from you! We have a group of interested parties with resources ready to engage.

Read this one closely.pretty much says it allPope Francis recently said, Oh how much I would like a church which is POOR and FOR the poor.

The John the Barber Foundation Box 88 Cherry, IL 61317

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Heres what people around the country are saying about Up Ravioli Alley!

Ladd 125th Needs Your Help!

Be on the look-out for a kick-off meeting in the next couple of months to begin to drive the All Ladd Grad grade school reunion that will be held in conjunction with the 2015 Ladd 125th anniversary celebration. The kick-off meeting will begin all the efforts needed to pull off a successful reunion. In the mean time, if you have contact information for any Ladd Grads please email it to Dave Margherio at dmargherio1@hotmail.com. By the waythe dates for the 125 th Anniversary are set! Mark your calendars now. July 9 12, 2015!

Tari Sangston, Secretary of Spring Valley United Church of Christ says, Thanks so much for posting our notice. We love your publication! Lorie Scarpaci of Dalzell formerly from Ladd says, Here is the email address of Bill Wolf originally from Spring Valley now living in Seattle. I am sure he would love to read this wonderful paper. Thank you! Signed, Lorie Scarpaci, a loyal reader and Up Ravioli Alley supporter. Chuck Byvik, now of Alexandria, VA formerly of Ladd comments, Great publication! I like the ONLY THE GOOD NEWS! Chuck spent his first 22 years in Ladd with his parents owning Byviks grocery store. He went to St. Bede and then on to be a researcher at NASA for twenty -five years and later on to the Secretary of Defense where he remained until retiring last year. Bill Liesse of Dalzell comments, I love the Up Ravioli Alley newsletter. Great idea! Keep up the good work! Larry Fundell formerly of RR Princeton now of La Crosse, WI says "Just a note to say how much I enjoy 'Up Ravioli Alley.' I like the connection with home even though I am far away." Ken and Barb Lund formerly of Ladd and now of Tucson, AZ write, "Thanks to my sister Gayle Corsolini, in Ladd I have received your publication. It is simply great! Our parents Arthur and Catherine Lund lived in Cherry for many years. We ate the best ravioli since our mother was of Italian ancestry. Barb and I have lived in Tucson for eighteen years, but still love to return to the area for the fried chicken and spaghetti. Please add us to the on line publication. Besides the updated news it brings back memories. Thank you!" Judge Don Bernardi of Normal formerly of Ladd said: My parents do not have e -mail but saw the publication and loved it! My mother is Celia Gualandri and her parents owned Gualandris store in Ladd and my father Donald Bernardi lived on main street in Ladd on the south end of town where his dad operated a service station across from the park. They would very much like to receive the publication, please add them to your US mailing list!

"Always go the extra mile It's never crowded

Holy Trinity Cherry Youth Ed Comes Through for annual Rice Bowl Campaign
Students at Holy Trinity Cherry youth education came through in a big way to help less privileged children in other countries. The students replaced what they gave up for lent with coins and cash totaling $202.60. The money was sent to help needy children in countries like Kenya, Guatemala, and the Philippines. The children could not believe that children in other countries have to have jobs rather than going to school. The children were very excited that they could help get food and school desks to them! JTB says great job students! Good kids doing Great things.

Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. A quote from Margaret Meed. (Borrowed from a recent Project Success of Eastern Bureau County mailing). JTB says: Never be discouraged when just 2-3 of you think you have a good idea and are working to make a difference.most Great things begin exactly like that! Keep driving.dont give up.be tenacious.others will see what you are doing eventually and join you!

JTB needs good info from your home town for Up Ravioli Alley
Hey Ravioli Alley folks, JTB needs your stories, photos, announcements and bits of news for Up Ravioli Alley. We are looking for stories about Good people doing Great things both now and in the past, both in Ravioli Alley and in other parts of the country. We could really use your help! Please email us at editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com or write to the John The Barber Foundation, Box 88, Cherry, IL 61317

Ravs/Ravioli vs. Tortellini: How did Ravioli Alley folks come to switch them around?
Wow! So many Ravioli Alley folks want to touch bases with JTB on this subject! Most life-long Ravioli Alley folks have heard the question posed to them before. Folks from outside Ravioli Alley are obviously the ones posing question! Pretty obvious huh? So, here we go with the first little piece of the debate and analysis as to how this came to be. Lets start with the facts as really there is likely some good stuff in there. Wikipedia comes right out and says that tortellini were from the north-central part of Italy..the region of Emilia specifically near the towns of Bologna and Modena. That is exactly where many folks from Ravioli Alley are from, especially from Ladd which still has a working relationship with these folks in Italy even today! That is important.it means that early local folks brought the tortellini shape to Ravioli Alley from the old country. Now then where are raviolis technically from Italy? That is a bit harder to say as ravioli have been around a long time Wikipedia says. There are clear early reverences to it in the Tuscan region which is more central, south of Emilia. So then, why did our ancestors who brought tortellini here to Ravioli Alley start to call it ravioli? Future articles will zero in on that question and hopefully solve the mystery! Check out somebodys Rav Monster grandson to the right!

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Heres a few quick Rav-notes...

Dick Janko Doing Great things and helping Up Ravioli Alley: JTB would like to thank Dick Janko in Peru for all his promotional efforts for Up Ravioli Alley. Over the course of the past three years Dick has assembled an impressive group of Illinois Valley business people who are planning and promoting economic development ideas. Dicks assistance has enabled URA to be seen in areas outside of Ravioli Alley and has others thinking we need an Up Ravioli Alley type newsletter for our own town! Not enough room here for everyone to say as many thank yous to Dick as he deserves..lets just start out with one good one..THANKS!! Good people doing Great things. St. Bedes Partnership with High Schools In China is Big Deal for Ravioli Alley: All in and around Ravioli Alley are highly impressed with St. Bedes exciting new international partnership with Kinglee High School in China. This tremendously interesting initiative will see exchanges of students, families, teachers, and ideas between St. Bede Academy on the edge of Ravioli Alley and the Chinese on the other side of the world. Talk about Good News! Wow! Congrats to Abbott Philip and all of St. Bede! Manito Illinois getting brand new church!: Great news coming out of Manito, Illinois south of Peoria. With a population of just 1,500, Manitos citizens have raised money to build a brand new church! The new Immaculate Conception Manito should be ready to move in early 2015. The new church complex will include a hall, gathering places, youth education classrooms, well equipped kitchen and state of the art audio/video systems. Great to see such growth! Good Manito citizens doing Great things! Holy Trinity Stewardship Committee Brings Filipino Mass to Ravioli Alley: The Holy Trinity Stewardship Committee, coming through on efforts to reach out to strangers is sponsoring a complete Filipino Mass Sunday May 18, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church in Cherry. Filipino Priest Father Anthony of Bernas of the Diocese of Peoria will be putting on the mass with authentic Filipino missals, music, and practices. A traditional Filipino pot-luck supper will follow at the Cherry Church Hall complete with Lechon pork feast. This event is open to Catholic and non-Catholic Filipino people from all over Ravioli Alley and the Illinois Valley. Contact Stewardship Chairman Bridgett Potthoff at 815.228.3387 /mapotthoff@yahoo.com or Thess Griengo Hewitt at 413.358.3519/thess39@yahoo.com or Malou Perra at 916.478.1248/ maloumandal@yahoo.com for more information. JTB could use your help for Summer Spirit Camp effort: John the Barber could use your help. We are looking for someone who has some experience putting on summer bible study, church camps. JTB would like to do something like this this summermaybe in Juneand we need some good volunteers to help us.especially anyone who had attended such a camp before. Please email or write JTB if you or someone you know might be ready to do something just a little Great! Hey Cherry Grade School History experts! Congrats to you too! In addition to the Dalzell students congratulated last month for advancing to the State of Illinois History Expo in Springfield May 8, 2014, the following Comets are going too! (Fifth Grade) Kaitlynn Donovan and Taytum Hahn, (Seventh Grade) Payton Kerper, and (Eighth Grade) Madison Soldati. Everyone from home in Ravioli Alley is rooting for you! Ravioli Alley Alumni on the Mend: Ravioli Alley alumnus and Up Ravioli Alley fan Michele Macocco is back at her home in Lake Forest, Illinois after a stay in the hospital and is doing Great! Ravioli Alley alumni always like it when folks back home are thinking of them sooooo think of Michele right now!!! Hi Michele!

Bless Our Babies Baby Needs Collection St. Patricks Arlington, Holy Trinity Cherry, St. Thomas More Dalzell, Sunday May 11, 2014 Sunday May 25, 2014
For the second year in a row, the partnered Ravioli Alley Catholic parishes of St. Patricks Arlington, Holy Trinity Cherry, and St. Thomas More Dalzell will be collecting needed baby items for distribution via the Hall Township Food Pantry. The wish list of items includes: Pull-ups, baby shampoo, baby body wash, diapers sizes 4, 5 & 6, lotions, wipes, dry formula, and dry cereal. Here's a chance to be a Great example to your kids and grandkids.....pick up a few needed items and make the trip with them to drop off. Needy babies and Moms all over Hall Township will think you are Great! Drop-off times and places include: St. Patricks Arlington 8:00 a.m. 12:00 noon Sunday Holy Trinity Cherry 7:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. Tuesday- Sunday St. Thomas More Dalzell 6:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Daily

A wonderful short story submitted by an URA reader: How Can We Be Happy?

Once a group of fifty people was attending a seminar. Suddenly the speaker stopped and decided to do a group activity. He started giving each one a balloon. Each person was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room. Then these delegates were let into that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written on it. Everyone was frantically searching for their name, colliding with each other, pushing around others and there was utter chaos. At the end of five minutes NO ONE could find their own balloon. Then each person was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within one minute everyone had their own balloon!! Ravioli Alley Translation: Culture pretty much sees us all working all day everyday trying to get a little bit ahead, get our own work down, accomplish a small goal, get over a little problem. If you look at it honestly, we all actually only get a tiny bit ahead every day. Next thing you know years have gone by and each of us really only accomplish about the same. Imagine what the world would be like if every day we ALL only concentrated on helping each other. Surprisingly, magically, powerfully we would ALL would get tremendously ahead!

St. Pats Arlington, Holy Trinity Cherry, St. Thomas More Dalzell First Communion Sunday May 18, 2014
A beautiful class of students will received their first communion Sunday May 18, 2014 with mass in Cherry for Cherry/Dalzell children at 8:30 a.m. and Arlington at 10:30 a.m. Lets hope for a beautiful Spring day! Pictured here are Florence and Loretta McDonald First Communion St. Patricks Arlington 1912.

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Up Ravioli Alley appreciates all local post offices have done to make our first months a Great success!
The John the Barber Foundation would like to thank all the Ravioli Alley post offices and postal carriers for their help in making Up Ravioli Alley such a Great success! In the spirit of John the Barber we are also apologizing to them for now moving/testing this months new distribution channel through the LaSalle News Tribune. JTB is a big fan of the post office for sure! Still it has become obvious that a mini-newspaper like Up Ravioli Alley is a natural to simply be piggy-backed and distributed through a large newspaper. We will be able to double our circulation to 4,000 + all for a cost that is 1/10 of anything else available! God has a way of doing things so that the real issues can become clear maybe in this case to make everyone fully aware of the challenges facing our post offices. Our postmasters agree that everyone in Ravioli Alley needs to do what they can to strengthen and retain their home town post offices. Here are some Great little things you can do to support and protect your town post office while at the same time do some Great Christ-like activities to help others: JTB still uses the post office: Remember, for non-News Tribune subscribers, URA is being distributed via the News Tribune Shopper which is distributed via post offices and mail carriers! JTB will continue to send all copies to its out-of-area, out-of-state subscribers via US mail. We will also commit to continually promoting the post office to all Up Ravioli Ally readers! Helping the needy: Remember in the world of JTB, the needy are not just people of financial need, they are people we know that are in need of attention, respect, stimulus, etc. The US mail is a great way to do something a little bit Great for them! Drop your Aunt in Rockford a card to say hi and ask how she is. Send your nephew at ISU a note with a few bucks for pizza and wish him well on his final exams. Surprise an old high school pal with a copy of an old picture and a funny note. Reaching out to strangers: If you read in the paper about someone you dont know in Spring Valley who is doing something good for their community, drop them a card in the mail and say thanks! If someone new moves in up the street and you are nervous about introducing yourself, drop them a card in the mail and break the ice. If you hear of a student in Dalzell who just made the Deans List mail them a letter and say congrats! Forgiving and Saying Youre Sorry: Now.here is a chance to do something a little bit Great for sure! A nice card in the mail is a great way to tell your daughter that you accept her apology and say you are sorry too. Its a great way to make the first move with an old friend and clear the air about a little disagreement you had years ago. A sincere letter in the mail is a super way to tell you brother that you wished you had done things differently in the past and that you would very much appreciate getting off to a new fresh start! If everyone of the people in Ravioli Alley had a goal to send one of these out every season of the year. spring, summer, fall, winter..imagine how Great that would be! Imagine how much happier everyone would be! Imagine how many stamps your postmaster would sell! Go do it man!

Ravioli Alley Non-For-Profit Organizations All Showing that John The Barber Spirit This Spring

St. Thomas More Dalzell Vendor Fair: Saturday April 26th, 2014, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at St. Thomas More Dalzell church hall. Over 30 vendors. Will be selling tortellini, homemade sausage and cookies (Zuccarines and pizzelles). For more info contact Kathy at 815-343-9403 or see Mary Jean Goodrick after mass. To benefit the future of St. Thomas More. JTB needs your help with this one. We did not have this notice in the April issue and likely the fair will be held before most folks receive the May issue. Please help St. Thomas More Dalzell.if you miss the event please mail a donation to St. Thomas More Dalzell, Dalzell, IL 61320. John the Barber ourselves will kick-off this mail-in campaign and drop a check for $25 in the mail to St. Thomas More ourselves. We encourage others out in Ravioli Alley and St. Thomas More Dalzell alumni to make a donation too! It is a Great cause! Heritage Health FREE Health Fair in Cherry: Thursday, May 1, 2014, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Cherry Church Hall (prior to Monthly Retiree Pie & Coffee). Blood checks for diabetes, blood pressure by our licensed nurses. Physical therapist Adel Mendoza will give a presentation "Preventing Falls." Lessons will be given on portion control eating. A light lunch will be served. More information Lu Ann Hewitt CRC 815.488.2029. "Convoy Against Cancer" Big Truck Show: Saturday, May 3 ,2014, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. main street in Ladd. What a fantastic, fun, special event for all to help find a cure for cancer! Main street in Ladd will be re -routed to provide a great location and experience. Trucks of all kinds, sizes, makes, models, ages, and purposes will be there from all over North Central Illinois. Music by DJ Gary Swanson, door prizes, 50/50 drawings, bake sale. Food by Torri's and Softails. For more info 815.488.8245, 815.894.2092, bigtruckshow@hotmail.com. Thanks again Phil and Mary Ann Hockings and their awesome team! "Good people doing Great things! (and driving big bad trucks!)" Seatonville Congregational Church, Independent Banquet Honoring Mothers &Daughters: Saturday, May 17, 2014, dinner at 5:30 P.M. and program at 6:30 P.M. Program features the Praise & Shine Quartet! Call 815 -2286717 for a reservation (needed for dinner only). This event is for the whole family, Mom, Dad, Grandparents, and Children. Arlington Park Fund Committee Chicken Dinner and Bake Sale: Tuesday, May 20th, 2014, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Brunos in Cherry. $7 includes chicken, coleslaw, fries, soda. Walk-Ins welcome & carry out available. Call 815.894.2200 for more info. Proceeds will be used towards the proposed construction of a park shelter. Holy Trinity Cherry Wind/Beer Tasting: Friday, June 13, 2014, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tickets $15. Hors d'oeuvres, door prizes, raffles, music again by the awesome Steve Sharpe. To benefit Holy Trinity Cherry Church and Hall Improvement Fund. More details coming next issue but mark your calendar for this great, fun event! Jim Pozzi and his team promise to top last years super successful event! This is a super opportunity to do something a little bit Great....bring someone who has a bit down on their luck of late as your guest, use it as an opportunity to approach a new person who has moved onto your block, use it as an opportunity to do something with an old friend you have not spoken to in awhile! Seatonville Congregational Church SUNDAE SUNDAY: Sunday, June 29, 2014 5:30 - 7:30 PM. We offer FREE sundae's and banana splits to the community. For the whole community to come and enjoy some ice cream and fellowship with each other. Call Pastor Bill at 815-228-6717 for more info. St. Pats Arlington Cook Book Coming! In celebration of the sesquicentennial of St. Patrick's Arlington in 2014, the Altar and Rosary Society is compiling a cookbook of over 600 recipes from past and present parishioners, families and friends. Over 100 years of eastern Bureau County goodness! The cookbook sales will begin at St. Patrick's annual chicken dinner in July. Ladd 125th 50/50: Total for 2015 Ladd 125th Anniversary 50/50 currently stands at over $ 2,000.00 (winner gets $1,000.00+). Tickets now available at North Central Bank, Special Effect Barber/Beauty Salon, Softtails Bar and Grill, Lanutis Restaurant, and the Ladd Village Clerks Office. Winner will be drawn at the Ladd 124 th anniversary this summer June 7, 2014. Proceeds will help make the event in 2015 a memorable one!

THIS MONTHS ISSUE BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Dave Pellegrini of D&M Landscaping of Spring Valley Expert Lawn Care, Landscaping, and Excavating 815.664.2571 Dave is making it possible for approximately 5,000 Ravioli Alley residents and alumni to enjoy Up Ravioli Alley this month! Wow! Next time you see Dave, tell him thanks! for doing such a Great thing! (If you would like to do something Great and sponsor Up Ravioli Alley one month, please email editor@JohnTheBarberFoundation.com)