Actors Hannah Fiste, Megan Buzzard and Sarah Anderson rehearse a scene from “Kindertransport” which opens Friday and runs through Nov. 28 at the Grace Performing Arts Center in Princeton. Festival 56 presents this historic drama depicting the final months of 1939 when nearly 10,000 unaccompanied Jewish children escaped from Germany on trains headed for the freedom of Britain. This play is based on the autobiographical accounts of the children who lived through this event known as the “kindertransport,” 70 years ago. Tickets are available at the box office, 316 S. Main St. in Princeton or by calling (815) 879-5656 or toll free at (866) 806-5656.

Blood drive

PRINCETON — The Adamson-Polson family reunion was held July 12 at Zearing Park in Princeton with 43 people in attendance.

Performances start today and run through Sunday

The drawing for the Bureau County Republican Women’s annual fall raffle was held Oct. 21. The theme for this year’s raffle was “All About Clean”. Mary Lynn May of Princeton was the first-place winner of a cleaning session from All About Clean. The second-place winner, Mary Ann Cernovich of Sheffield, won a gift certificate from Flowers by Julia. The third-place prize, a car wash bucket with tokens, went to Marshann Entwhistle.

PRINCETON — The Early Beginnings Play Group will meet at Princeton Public Library at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Also, an After School Craft Day will meet from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and focus on Native American Crafts. The Book Club will meet at 7 p.m.

Ginger Freeberg holds a six-inch file she’s collected on her research into her family, which includes newfound siblings. Raised as an only child, the Princeton woman learned four years ago that she actually has brothers and sisters who were given up at birth for adoption.

Jaycees meeting

PRINCETON — A new feature of Princeton’s annual Christmas Open House on Saturday will be a German Kristkindl Markt from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Open Prairie United Church of Christ, 25 E. Marion St. (behind the Apollo Theater).

Al Brown, president of Wyanet’s Library Friends, will read “Caps for Sale,” written by Esphyr Slobodkina during a Family Reading Night event at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Raymond A. Sapp Memorial Library in Wyanet. In keeping with the theme of the story, Brown, along with Linda Kurth, director of the Wyanet Raymond A. Sapp Township Library, has invited everyone to bring their favorite cap to wear during the reading.

Cast members Abigail Bickett, Mike Gusman, Emelie Geuther, Sabrina Bickett, Alberto Baldonado and Brianna Legner rehearse for “A Winterhaven Christmas,” the Prairie Arts Center’s children’s Christmas program. The red cast will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 3 p.m. Saturday. The green cast will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. This year’s production is written by local children’s playwright Rachel Gorenz, who co-directs along with her father, David. Tickets for the production may be ordered by calling (815) 876-1106. Tickets will also be available at the door.

SPRING VALLEY — Attorney Jacob J. Frost has joined Wimbiscus Law Firm in Spring Valley.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Air Force Airman Ryan R. Clary graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

CHICAGO — Kim Bettasso, AFA, has joined the practice of Richard A. Pollock of Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., as an associate financial advisor. Her office is located at Dearborn Station, in Chicago.

PRINCETON — Pete Mangold of Princeton was recently elected president of the board of directors of Easter Seals of LaSalle and Bureau Counties. Mangold, who is vice president of Parr Insurance, has served on the board of directors since September 2007.

On Wednesday, the Heritage Corridor Community Associates (HCCA) members will have the opportunity to celebrate the 200th birthday of President Lincoln with a visit to his home in Springfield.

Open house

PRINCETON — The Princeton-Illinois Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution met Sept. 4 with Kent Parrish presenting a program of Abraham Lincoln quiz questions and the reading of his poem “To Abraham Lincoln, The Legend Within.” He also presented the Chapter with a White House birthday cake in commemoration of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

PRINCETON — The Prairie Arts Center Children’s Community Theater will present its Christmas musical, “A Winterhaven Christmas.”

PRINCETON — The Princeton High School Music Department announces the theme of the 2009 Madrigal Dinner will be “Make We Mirth”, to be presented at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5 and 1 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Bureau County Metro Center, 837 Park Ave. West, Princeton. Ticket reservation forms are available online at

Marilyn Burkman brought in a $1,500 check from the Leepertown Township to support student programs. Superintendent Amber Harper sent out a request to local business and government officials requesting assistance with programs that directly impact children. The Leepertown Township check will be directed toward swimming lessons in April and May. Bureau Junction is surrounded by water and each year the district provides two weeks of Red Cross swimming lessons at the Hennepin Park Pool at a cost of about $1,500.

PRINCETON — American Legion Auxiliary Unit 125 of Princeton holds monthly veterans workshops at the post home.

Liberty Village of Princeton had a food basket bingo on Oct. 18. Residents played bingo as normal but were able to win food items which they in turn donated to the area food pantry. They not only had a good time playing bingo but it was their way of giving back and helping others.

PRINCETON — Again this year, the Princeton Elks Children’s Care Corporation will be bringing Santa Claus back to the Princeton area.

WYANET — Walter and Rose Nelson of Wyanet just returned from a weekend long visit to Omaha, Neb., where they celebrated with César Molano his naturalization as a U.S. citizen.

Wine tasting

Dale Williams of Walnut (front, center) holds his great-great-granddaughter, Nora Rogers of Mesa, Ariz., for this five-generation photo. Also pictured is Dale’s daughter, Sherry Jensen (back) of Sheffield; Dale’s grandson, Brant Rogers (front, left), of Mesa, Ariz.; and Dale’s great-grandson, Sean Rogers (front, right) of Mesa, Ariz.

Rep. Debbie Halvorson takes time to visit In-Home Care VNA patient Donna McQueen and her husband, Mac. Halvorson was in town recently to meet with members of the Illinois Home Care Council, discuss health care reform and go on a visit with In-Home Care VNA. November is National Home Health Month, which focuses on area agencies providing in-home care for patients.

SHEFFIELD — Friends of the Canal will hold its monthly Hike the Canal outing on Sunday.

Church Women United held its World Community Day Friday at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Princeton. Organizers holding a quilt were Joann Johnson (front row, from left), June Larson, Mandy Robinson and Betty Ann Losey; and (back row) Barb Ollila, Mary Lou Sanders, Jean Gewin and Barb Miller.