Springfield Trips

My travels last week took me back to Springfield, Illinois where I was born and later lived for 10 years with my wife and four kids. Since most of my trips were starting in Springfield, I stayed with longtime friends Jim and Linda Hill. I enjoyed having the chance to get caught up with them and to be back in familiar surroundings. Lutheran High School allowed me to park the bus there each evening. The week of beautiful weather made the short morning and evening strolls enjoyable walks. It was nice to reminisce about my kids' growing up years. Our oldest three children attended Lutheran High and took part in choirs, bands, track, dramas and many other activities.

During the week I was one of the shuttle drivers for Memorial Health System's "Great Patient Experience Retreat;" visited area markets with one of the UIS field trips; took students from the Illinois School for the Deaf home to drop off points between Litchfield and Marion, Illinois; and ended the week taking baseball fans from the Oak Terrace Resort in Pana to the Cards vs. Cubs game at Busch Stadium.

On the UIS trip we were guided by Dr. Deanna Glosser on a tour of the Sysco Plant in Lincoln; Veenstra's Vegetables and Heck's Harvest near Rochester; and the Farmer's Market at the State Fairgrounds in Springfield. The purpose of the tour was to show how local organic vegetables and fruit are being promoted through Sysco and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA's) Dr. Glosser related that one of the success stories was shared by a mother whose child had been on a potato dig during a school field trip. The next day she wanted to go to the farmer's market to buy some of the potatoes that she had helped to harvest. Her mother said it was the first time her daughter had ever eaten a potato in other than French fry form.

At the Farmer's Market I ran into one of the regular bus escorts for the Illinois School for the Deaf. Cheryl Brown and her daughter Lillie were helping a friend sell different varieties of Kettle Corn. I couldn't resist buying a bag of cheddar kettle corn. It took a lot of willpower to get half the bag home to my family. Just a few steps further down I met a friend, Terri Cameron, from our former congregation, Trinity Lutheran. She was helping an organization sell gourd ghosts. (They also double as bird houses during the off season.) I couldn't help buying such a useful item. With all of my purchases throughout the week I still returned home wealthier in experiences.

I was glad that I didn't have to drive the bus through this walking tunnel on the State Fairgrounds. It would not have been a good thing to "see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Two of the youngest passengers on the bus prove that it is never too late to get an early start on your education.