Community comes out to support Love Recovery event
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Amanda Depew from Illinois Joining Forces speaks during the Love Recovery event on Friday, Feb. 6, at Carlyle VFW. Photo by Matt Wilson There were approximately 100 people who attended the Love Recovery 2026 event at VFW Post No. 2523 Auxiliary Hall in Carlyle on Friday, Feb. 6.
The event was hosted by Take Action Coalition of Clinton County and was a free, substance-free, family-friendly event celebrating connection, healing, and recovery in all its forms. It welcomed individuals in recovery, those supporting loved ones, people exploring what recovery means to them, and community members interested in learning about local resources in a stigma-free inclusive environment.
Community organizations hosted resource tables, offering information and support related to mental health, substance use, harm reduction, and overall community wellness.
“Thank you all for being here tonight and for helping make Love Recovery 2026 what it is,” event organizer Sheridan Jordan said. “It’s really special to see this room full of people showing up for community, connection, and support for one another.”
Guest speakers for the evening were Amanda Depew from Illinois Joining Forces and recovering addict Clayton Miller.
Depew is a veteran and a person in recovery. She said that everybody’s story is different, and everyone’s recovery journey is different. There is no single right way to get and stay in recovery.
“If you are in this room today, however, you arrived, and that matters,” Depew said.
Clayton Miller speaks during the Love Recovery event on Friday, Feb. 6. at the Carlyle VFW. Photos by Matt Wilson She has been through treatment programs and sat in the chairs those in the audience are sitting in. She said she is better for it. Before Depew became a social worker and did outreach throughout southern Illinois, she was just a person trying to survive her own life.
Depew is an Air Force veteran and was deployed to Afghanistan. She said, like a lot of people, she just learned how to push through, how to ignore pain, and how to keep going no matter the cost. Depew said what she didn’t learn was how to slow down, how to ask for help, or how to sit with what she was carrying. She said alcohol became a solution before it became a problem, and then quietly and relentlessly, it became a problem.
“Getting sober was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but not because I didn’t want a better life, but because alcohol became how I coped, was how I numbed, how I avoided,” Depew said. “So letting go of that meant facing things that I had spent years running from.”
Feeling the love — We 'donut' want to say goodbye Love notes fill windows at Berkemann's Baker’s Dozen
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- Written by: Kelly Jo Ross - Breese Journal Reporter
Valentine’s cards flood the storefront at Berkemann’s Baker’s Dozen in New Baden. Heartfelt messages, red and pink hearts, and decorated Valentines filled the windows and storefront at Berkemann's Baker's Dozen in New Baden this week, transforming the now quiet bakery into a show of love and support from the community.
Instead of customers lining up for doughnuts, fresh bread and pies, the storefront at Berkemann's is now covered in thank-you notes, drawings from elementary students and handwritten messages, which are reminders of how deeply loved the longtime bakery is.
Last month, owner Paul Berkemann made the difficult decision to sell Berkemann's Baker's Dozen as he focuses on caring for his wife, Janet, who is facing ongoing health challenges.
Under the current family circumstances, Paul is unable to provide the day-to-day attention required to both support his wife's needs and operate the bakery.
"It was a very difficult decision to make," Berkemann had said at the time. "But there is simply not enough hours in the day to run the bakery and also take care of my wife."
The bakery closed in early November and has not reopened. Berkemann's did open their doors briefly in December, offering baked and unbaked goods to the community at no cost — a reflection of Berkemann's love for the community.
And now that love is being returned.
Lady Cougars claim fifth State Cheer Championship
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- Written by: Jeremy Chawgo - Breese Journal Sports Editor
It was another brilliant and inspired cheer season for the Central Lady Cougars that ended with their fifth IHSA State Championship on the floor of Grossinger Motors Arena on Saturday, Feb. 7 in Bloomington.
The fifth title for the Cougars is tied for the third-most in IHSA history with Class 2A Lemont High School having eight State titles and an IHSA record of 21-straight finals appearances.
Their nine State final trophies are fifth all-time with Lemont having 16 total trophies. Central has qualified for the State Tournament 17 times, with six-straight trips that have piled up two State titles and two third-place efforts following the COVID season.
Head coach Julianne Jacob has led them to their final 16 state trips and all nine trophies. Under Jacob, the Lady Cougars have qualified for State all 16 seasons of her career.
The Lady Cougars embarked on their state run by winning the Class 1A Edwardsville Sectional title with a score of 91.53. Columbia was second with a 91.10.
They dominated Friday’s preliminary round on Friday in Bloomington with a routine that registered a 94.02. Columbia was again second with 91.90 points.
The finals saw one tumble for the Cougars, but their degree of difficulty prevailed as they scored 91.92 points with Pinckneyville in second place with a score of 90.68.
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