Community comes out to support mental health awareness
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Claire Moran speaks during the eighth annual mental health awareness and suicide walk. The community came together to support mental health awareness on Friday, Sept. 26, at Lehrter Park in Albers.
The eighth annual mental health awareness and suicide walk had a great crowd on a nice night for a mile walk through town. The event was organized by Shelley Kenow. Keynote speakers were Claire Moran and Coping 4 Life intern Nellie Paskavich. The event was started in 2018 after the loss of Albers teenager Sydney Irizarry to suicide. All the proceeds from the event went to the Swing for Sydney Foundation.
Kenow read a letter from her daughter, Violet Thuma, who was friends with Irizarry from prekindergarten through high school. The letter said on the day Irizarry committed suicide she missed school, but no one thought much of it. She had told her friends she had started taking an anti-anxiety medication, but they figured they would get through everything together. Irizarry didn’t let her friends know how bad things had truly gotten. The letter said Irizarry’s death shocked everyone.
Thuma said when her parents came after school in the middle of tech week for the spring musical, she knew something serious had happened. Her mom was panicked and Thuma’s stomach dropped and her head started buzzing because she knew something terrible had happened. Her mom said all of the family was fine, and she knew then there was something wrong with Irizarry. Thuma thought a car accident or a major injury, but never expected Irizarry to be dead.
Nellie Paskavich speaks during the eighth annual mental health awareness and suicide walk on Friday, Sept. 26, at Albers. Thuma and Kenow went straight from the high school to the Irizarry home, where they found a police car in their driveway. The next clear memory Thuma had was collapsing on the floor of their house where she broke down and was uncontrollably sobbing and muttering. In the next few days, Thuma was in shock and wasn’t functioning. She remembers hating every second of Irizarry’s funeral and thinking that her best friend should not fit in that little box.
Thuma said she will never get over Irizarry’s death, even though these days the grief is more manageable. She said she lost the only person who knew every version of her and loved each one. Thuma said life is bigger and harder now, but also more joyous. Thuma wishes Irizarry wouldn’t have let the hard days win so she could share her joys with her.
Kenow said she never wants another family to go through what the Irizarrys are going through every single day, which is why she organizes the event every year.
“This is a horrible feeling, but what I feel is nothing compared to what her parents feel,” Kenow said. “We have to end the stigma that needing help is bad or wrong or it makes you less capable. We have to continue to bring awareness that getting help is good and it shows strength.”
'Over The River and Through the Woods' opens this weekend in Breese
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Nick and his grandparents enjoy a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit during a rehearsal for the Clinton County Showcase upcoming production of "Over The River and Through the Woods." The 35th season of Clinton County Showcase will continue this weekend.
"Over The River and Through the Woods" will run Oct. 3-5 and Oct. 10-12 at The Avon Theatre in Breese.
Performances will be at 8 p.m. on Oct. 3, Oct. 4, Oct. 10 and Oct. 11; doors open at 7:30 p.m. The Oct. 5 and Oct. 12 performances will be at 2 p.m.; doors open at 1:30 p.m.
"Over The River and Through the Woods" is written by Joe DiPietro. Nick Cristano is a young, single, Italian-American living in New Jersey who cherishes his weekly Sunday dinners with his grandparents - Frank and Aida Gianelli and Nunzio and Emma Critano.
This tradition is upended when Nick announces he's been offered his dream job in Seattle, far from his family roots.
His grandparents, devastated by the news, launch a series of humorous and heartfelt schemes to keep him close. As the play unfolds, Nick wrestles with the pull between his personal ambitions and loyalty to his family.
Nick Cristano is played by Joshua Phipps. Melissa Mueller plays Caitlin O'Hare. Greg Streetman - Frank Gianelli, Angela Nuxoll - Aida Gianelli, Ron Peters - Nunzio Cristano, and Pam Boker plays Emma Cristano.
The play is directed by Chris Streetman and Steven Christ is the assistant director. Tara Peters is the stage manager. Stage and crew is Waverleigh and Katie Peters, Angela Nuxoll is costumer, Gary Wesselmann is set designer/builder, and Nick Mueth is lighting designer.
The show is sponsored by The Beat School of Dance.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at clintoncountyshowcase.com.
Cougars sweep Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division titles
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- Written by: Jeremy Chawgo - Breese Journal Sports Editor
Cahokia Conference champs — The Central High School boys golf team won the Cahokia Conference’s Mississippi Division title on Wednesday at Governors Run. They edged Columbia by one stroke to claim their fourth conference title ever. PHOTO BY JASON HEGGER For the fourth time in school history, the Central boys golf squad has claimed the Cahokia Conference’s Mississippi Division title after a one-stroke win on Wednesday at Governors Run in Carlyle.
The Cougars edged Columbia with 308 shots while the Eagles had 309 shots. Freeburg was third with 313 shots followed by Salem (328), Roxana and Wood River.
They landed two golfers on the All Conference list with Ryker Hegger and Jack Gerstner.
Columbia senior Kyle Chudd won the event with a 73 and he won via extra holes over Roxana junior Will Stevens who also had a 73.
Hegger was third overall with a 75 where he carded birdies on holes two, three and 13 while netting nine pars.
Up next for the Cougars was Gerstner in fifth place with a 76. The south paw had a birdie on hole three and two more on 10 and 11. He netted par on eight holes.
Sophomore Brant Horstmann was 10th overall with a 78 while fellow sophomore Jake Zurliene was 12th with a 79 which proved to be the difference for the Cougars.
Central sophomore Griffen Korte was 16th with an 82. CHS junior Carson Jansen was 25th with a 90.
On the Illinois Division side, Red Bud won the event with 305 shots while Carlyle was second with 338 and Wesclin was third with 346.
Red Bud senior Kruz Koester won the event with a 75. Bryce Haar paced Wesclin with a 76 in third place. Haar had a birdie on hole three before heating up on the back nine with birdies on holes 11 and 16.
Eli Gray was tops for Carlyle as he was ninth overall with an 84. Sophomore teammate Colin Rahm was also in ninth with an 84.
Jax Johnson and Gannon Meyer each carded 85 for the Tribe while Austin Johnson had a 94.
After Haar for Wesclin, the Warriors got an 86 from junior Lucas Harriss and an 88 from junior Kody Jarvis. Junior Eli Yukna carded a 96 while Eli Wellen hit a 97.
The Cougars were also in action on Saturday in the Cardinal Creek Classic.
They finished in 10th place in the 12-team field. Mater Dei won the event with a 292.
Brant Horstmann paced the Cougars in seventh place with a 74 that included birdies on holes one, two, three, five and 15.
Griffen Korte was in 32nd with an 80 while Jack Gerstner and Jake Zurliene each carded 83s.
Cahokia Conference champs — The Central High School girls golf team won the Cahokia Conference’s Mississippi Division title on Thursday at Roland Barkau Memorial Golf Course. They carded a round of 310 to beat out Columbia by 22 shots. PHOTO BY STEVE ELLIS The Central girls golf team was able to defend its Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division championship in record-setting fashion.
The Cougars shot a program-low 310 to lead them to the championship on Thursday, Sept. 25 at Roland Barkau Memorial Golf Course in Okawville.
Columbia was second with a 332, Salem was third with a 366, Freeburg was fourth with a 417 and Roxana was fifth with a 429.
Five Cougars were named all conference.
Junior Maya Kampwerth was named all conference for the second straight year after taking second place with a 75. She birdied the par-4, No. 1 hole and had 11 pars.
Senior Lucah Lyons was named all conference for the third straight year after taking third place with a 77. She birdied the par-5, No. 7 hole; the par-4, No. 12 hole; and the par-4, No. 18 hole. She had eight pars. She had a 40 on the front nine and a 1-over-par 37 on the back nine.
Senior Sophie Markus was named all conference for the first time after taking fourth place with a 78. She birdied the par-5, No. 16 hole. She had a 40 on the front nine and a 2-over-par 38 on the back nine. She had five pars and one birdie on the back nine.
Senior Lily Lappe was named all conference for the second straight year after taking sixth place with an 80. She birdied the par-4, No. 17 hole and had seven pars.
Senior Riley Schulz was named all conference after taking eighth place with an 83. She birdied the par-5, No. 15 hole and had six pars.
Sophomore Mallory Shubert was 13th with a 94.
Carlyle took third place in the Illinois/Kaskaskia division with a team score of 364. Okawville won with a 342 and Steeleville was second with a 360.
Carlyle junior Ava Meyer was medalist with a 73 and was named all conference for the third straight year. She birdied the par-5, No. 7 hole; par-3, No. 10 hole; and the par-4, No. 17 hole. She also had 10 pars. She had a 37 on the front nine and an even-par 36 on the back nine.
Senior Abby Steinkamp was named all conference for the fourth straight year after taking fourth place with an 82. She birdied the par-5, No. 7 hole and had eight pars.
Sophomore Kailee Gregg was 14th with a 93. She birdied the par-4, No. 4 hole and had four pars.
Central and Mater Dei competed in the regional at The Legacy Golf Course in Granite City on Tuesday. Carlyle competed in the regional at Colonial Golf Club in Sandoval on Tuesday.
The sectional is Monday at The Links Golf Course in Jacksonville.
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