Collinsville educator gets another chance to conduct
Published in the 9/14/10 issue of the Suburban Journals
Collinsville educator gets another chance to conduct
Retired music teacher to lead band in November
Bruce Hawkins said he got the best going away present imaginable for a music teacher when he retired from Collinsville schools last year: A published piece of music dedicated to his years of service.
“It is one of the most thrilling, memorable things anyone has done for me, and I’ve had a lot of thrilling moments in my 35 years,” said Hawkins, who led the middle school band for two decades. Continue reading
Family Donates in Memory of Life Cut Short
Published in the 7/9/10 issue of the Suburban Journals
Fairview Heights family donates in memory of life cut short
New playground equipment added to center
Family and friends say Lauren Glueck was a child at heart. Children flocked to her when she baby-sat and played on the playground at the Elks Lodge in Fairview Heights.
So after Glueck died suddenly from cardiac arrest in November 2008 at 23, it only seemed fitting that her loved ones would honor her memory by helping build a new playground. Continue reading
Celebrating Neighbors: A Caring Group of Fire Fighters
Published in the 9/16/09 issue of the Suburban Journals
Part of the “Celebrate Your Neighbor” Award Series
A Caring Group of Fire Fighters
They volunteer to risk their lives to save others. They spring out of bed in the middle of the night to fight fires. They host fundraisers and assist the neighboring areas of Columbia. The selfless acts of the Columbia Volunteer Fire Department are what prompted Gloria Jahr to nominate the entire team of fire fighters for the Suburban Journals Celebrate Your Neighbor Award. Continue reading
Finding a good cause in unwanted luggage
Published in the 9/20/09 issue of the Suburban Journals/Collinsville Herald
Finding a good cause in unwanted luggage
Community group collects suitcases for foster kids
When people see him coming up the driveway at local garage sales, they usually send George Schneider away packing.
Schneider, president of the Collinsville Noon Lion’s Club, spends his Friday and Saturday mornings at area yard and rummage sales collecting suitcases for foster children. Continue reading
City manager cooks up plans and food
Published in the 8/30/09 issue of the Suburban Journals/Collinsville Herald
After a long day managing city departments, implementing a strategic plan and fussing with budgets, it only takes a little food to relax Collinsville City Manager Robert Knabel.
Knabel, 58, is an amateur gourmet chef, a hobby few who interact with him at City Hall know about.
“I’ve always been interested in cooking. It’s therapeutic for me,” Knabel said recently. “It allows me to focus on something different.” Continue reading
About Me
Three words to describe me? Passionate. Motivated. Curious. These traits help me as a college media adviser and professor, freelance writer, author and mom. From student journalism and higher education to parenting and freelance writing, this site, focused on writing, reflecting and teaching, offers a mix of blogs with a hint of humor, sarcasm, and inspiration, as well as my published stories on just about every possible topic.
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Shannon Philpott-Sanders 