RaeAnne Lindsay was named Ms. Wheelchair USA and has been a strong advocate for inclusive playgrounds in Fisher Community Park (above) and at Fisher Grade School. RaeAnne Lindsay has never been one to shrink back from putting her face out there when she sees a need.
The 2008 Fisher High School graduate, who has been in a wheelchair all of her life, is a vocal advocate for handicapped-accessible playgrounds. Her actions have resulted in the construction of such playgrounds in the Fisher Community Park, Fisher Grade School, in LeRoy and “a couple of others that are in the works,” she said. Her efforts have been noticed.
She was recently crowned Ms. Wheelchair USA. “Fisher’s very proud of her,” Village President Mike Bayler said.
“I sent her congratulations like many other people did.” Lindsay used her advocacy of inclusive playgrounds as her platform. “Inclusive playgrounds are for everyone,” she said, noting she seeks out schools and other public bodies to add such playgrounds.
“I just get a feeling I need to reach out to a school, or if I know someone at the school. “Sometimes they come to me” for input, she said. “I’m more than happy to always talk about it.
” Her talk to the Fisher Village Board was her first on the subject. “I was super nervous on how they would react to it,” she said. “Luckily (grade school Principal Jake Palmer) was there at the town board meeting and that helped clear the way for the inclusive playground there.
” Bayler said the village board had an idea what it wanted to do in terms of designing the playground, and Lindsay “asked if we would consider making our new playground all-inclusive so everyone could enjoy it, regardless of their situation.” “She and our two board members on the park committee threw some ideas out, and RaeAnne gave us her input,” Bayler said. “It bloomed into a beautiful park where everybody’s welcome.
I think it’s one of the nicest playgrounds on the county.” “If not for her help, along with her parents, it probably wouldn’t be what it turned out to be.” Palmer said the grade school’s inclusive playground is in the process of being built.
He said Lindsay’s presentation to the board was influential in him recommending construction of an inclusive playground at the grade school. “We’ve had some students who were wheelchair-bound, so that was something we wanted to be sure to include with our new playground,” Palmer said. “It has a big ramp.
All of ours will be handicapped-accessible except for going down the slides.” Palmer said the grade school playground will have a rubber base just like the community park, replacing wood mulch that wasn’t conducive to wheelchair use. “RaeAnne definitely had an impact,” Palmer said.
“It wasn’t a hard sell for (the grade school board) because they saw the impact it had” at the community park. “No one is more deserving” of the Ms. Wheelchair USA title,” Palmer said.
“She’s an amazing human.” The week-long pageant held in Akron, Ohio, included a painting party on Monday at one of the pageant sponsors, the Giant Eagle grocery complex. Tuesday was spent writing autographs for a special magazine of which the CEO was a pageant judge.
The signed magazines were then auctioned off. Wednesday was a fashion show, and Thursday “was more like a practice day getting ready for competition,” Lindsay said. Judges interviewed the contestants on Friday followed by a roundtable interview.
The contestants also answered random questions. The number of contestants was cut down to three on Saturday, and they had to do a marketing speech and answered other random questions from the judges. In addition to being crowned Ms.
Wheelchair USA, Lindsay earned three other awards — Miss Congeniality, Continued Education and Social Media Award. Lindsay said she got to meet “a lot of great people.” “They have some ambassadors — ladies who have competed in the competition before.
” The contestants became like family. She also enjoyed meeting the judges and guest speakers. “There were different events we were part of like trainings, or we talked about different things around the nation,” Lindsay said.
Lindsay, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois, works virtually for Vanderbilt University in charge of a research study for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. “The end goal is develop an advocacy plan for training for families who want to learn more about 504 plans.” Lindsay said.
Lindsay acquired her disability when she became sick with a virus at 10 months old. “As far as I know I’m the youngest in known history to have it,” she said. Lindsay now has duties to fulfill as Ms.
Wheelchair USA. Her first event is scheduled in Kansas City. An open house to celebrate her crowning was held Sunday afternoon at the Fisher Community Building.
Congratulations, Miss Tuscola Ayla DeLeva was crowned Miss Tuscola last weekend. Also pictured are Little Miss Tuscola Lula Hallett, front left, and Junior Miss Tuscola Sofia Reifsteck, behind Hallett. Ayla DeLeva was crowned Miss Tuscola last weekend.
Also pictured are Little Miss Tuscola Lula Hallett, front left, and Junior Miss Tuscola Sofia Reifsteck, behind Hallett. Shown at the presentation of a $30,000 grant check to Flesor’s Candy Kitchen by Peoples Community Bank are, from left, Flesor’s employees Cam Scott and Sarah Lemke, Angela Quinn of the bank, Flesor’s owner Devon Flesor Story, Flesor’s employee Halle Kearns, Bank President Dale Boyer and Flesor’s employee Sam Kearney. Flesor Family Confectionery (Flesor’s Candy Kitchen) has been presented a $30,000 grant from Peoples State Bank and Trust in partnership with the Federal Home Loan Bank.
The funds will be used to assist with the extensive renovations of the business’ historic building in downtown Tuscola. The grant was made possible through the Community First Accelerate Grant Program from FHLB. Flesor’s Candy Kitchen is a downtown Tuscola landmark and nationally known.
The business has been in operation for more than 100 years. The multigenerational small business provides full-time employment to members of the community and delivers food service to Tuscola and Douglas County. Peoples Bank and Trust officials said helping Flesor’s preserve their (Coca-Cola) storefront will continue to provide much-needed tourism traffic to the community.
” Said majority owner Devon Flesor Story: “We are very thankful that Peoples Bank and Trust chose us for this grant to provide additional resources for our business. We have received numerous donations from customers and supporters of the project. “The proceeds from this grant will assist us with the building project, ensuring continued employment of our staff and continuing with our business for the next generation.
” Army Futures Command Commander Gen. James Rainey swears in Gibson City native Shane Upton, right, as Army brigadier general. Shane Upton with his family, from left, daughter Langley, mother Judy, wife Jennifer and son Rylan.
Gibson City native Shane Upton now wears a star. With Upton’s family on hand, he was inducted into the general officer ranks as a brigadier general by Army Futures Command Commander Gen. James Rainey.
SHANE UPTON The induction took place at a promotion ceremony Aug. 2 at The Summit at Redstone, Huntsville, Ala. Upton reminisced about the different eras of his military career: from ROTC in school to his ordnance ammunition officer course at Redstone in 1997 to three tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.
It was during one of the deployments in Iraq that he met Rainey, who then was a colonel. “It means the world to me to have someone I’ve served in combat with to do this,” Upton said of Rainey. Stressing the importance of having family support, Upton thanked his mother, Judy, and late father, Michael.
“Everything I learned on ethics was from you and dad,” he said. He also recognized his son, Rylan; daughter, Langley, and wife, Jennifer. “To my best friend, partner and confidant, I am so thankful you are on this journey with me,” he said.
JAPANESE ROTARY AMBASSADOR ARRIVES Nae Shimizu, Champaign Rotary Club goodwill ambassador from Yanai, Japan, arrived in Champaign Aug. 5. She will spend a month with members of the Rotary club.
Japanese rotary ambassador arrives Nae Shimizu, Champaign Rotary Club goodwill ambassador from Yanai, Japan, arrived in Champaign Aug. 5. She will spend a month with members of the Rotary club.
Spenser Eversole of Villa Grove is one of four students in the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences who recently were selected for Osteopathic Manual Medicine Fellowships. SPENSER EVERSOLE Students complete the one-year OMM Fellowship program in addition to the four-year osteopathic medicine curriculum. They are chosen to participate in the program based on their knowledge and skill in osteopathic manual medicine, used to treat structural and functional issues in the bones, joints, tissues and muscles of the body.
Fellows provide care to patients with musculoskeletal disorders, teaching first- and second-year osteopathic medical students and research osteopathic manual medicine. They receive a waiver of a portion of their tuition and a monthly stipend while participating in the program. Eversole earned a bachelor of science degree in biology at North Central College in Naperville.
He is a son of DeDe and Jason Eversole..
