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Emails for June 2008
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Still Bar & Grill announcement | Minonk 1902 | MDR Class of 83 reunion Aug. 23rd | Wishing you all the best | Gigi's Playhouse calendar | Thank you | Softball League sign up deadline June 20th | Immanuel Lutheran Car Wash and Bake Sale - Saturday | Thanks to all for your support | Thank you | Former Minonk resident's son baseball star | MinonkTalk | 789 Tournament needs volunteers | Thanks for your help | Minonk Talk gone...impossible! | Sorry to see MinonkTalk and the Bakery go | What Will I Do? | Still in denial | So Sad... | Will be missed | Just what is going on? | Class of 1978 Reunion | Sad to see you go | MinonkTalk will be missed | Saddened | More than Minonk's loss | Thank you | Hopes somebody steps up | Apologizes for dogs | Thank you! | Thanks | Great disappointment | Class of 1968 reunion | Thanks | How Sad... | Good luck in new pursuits | Thanks for MinonkTalk | Recent Visit to Minonk | Looking for information |

Minonk 1902

Dave, what a great history of Minonk in the early years. My first memories were much later in the 1930's. Jeri Lynn Oncken does such a nice research job and I personally hope she continues with her "memories". Thanks to both of you for giving an ex Minonkite lots of good stories.

Albie Johnson


Wishing you all the best

Dave,
I can't tell you how much enjoyment your website has brought me over the past few years. You've taught many people how to have a passion for one's hometown, and how to get involved to make communities stronger. I thank you for allowing me to submit my occasional ramblings, and I thank you for the dedication you have shown, not only to this website but for the entire Minonk community.

Cheers,
Rick Halberg


Thank you

Once again, a heartfelt thank you to all those who supported today's car wash and bake sale for Immanuel Lutheran's Youth Group. Through your extreme generosity, we raised $680 - an incredible total for one day. We sincerely appreciate everyone who helped make this such a successful event by giving their time, money or both. A special thanks goes to Julie Redenius, Lori Kapraun, Evan Kapraun, Terry Kalkwarf, Brianna Kalkwarf, Jaden Kalkwarf, Hannah Redenius, Patrick Luckey, Tracy Luckey, Timmy Luckey, Pastor Craig Swenson and Barb Kalkwarf.

Rich Luckey


Immanuel Lutheran Car Wash and Bake Sale - Saturday

The Immanuel Lutheran Youth are having another car wash this Saturday, June 21 from 10 am - 2 pm in downtown Minonk. We also are having a bake sale during the same time. Please come down to have your car washed and support our kids as they complete their plans for their trip to Sky Ranch in Colorado in early July.

Rich Luckey


Thank you

Dave,

I will miss the information you provided to each of us, that have their "roots" in Minonk. Your hard work too many times was taken for granted, but I for one will miss the web-site very much. It was always a very positive experience reading your articles, as well as others. Thank for your hard work and creativity! I wish you the best, know "Minonk Talks" will be extremely missed in my day-to-day route.

Respectfully,
Jack Finlen


MinonkTalk

Hi Dave,

I, too, am disappointed that Minonk Talk will no longer be the eyes, ears and "conscience" of the Minonk area. However, I do understand. Just like the old adage: "No good deed goes unpunished."

Unfortunately, people do not understand that managing a website is not only time consuming, but expensive. You carried the ball alone with no assistance from the city or others. Perhaps those who have benefited from your site will see the need to fund a future web site down the road. The benefits will far outweigh the costs.

Sincerely,
Michael Stagliano


Thanks for your help

Dave:
I can not tell you how saddened I am by your news, but I truly understand your desire to do different things. Your time and effort on behalf ot his community is unbelievable. I will miss the ability to know that I could at any time of the day or night log on and read the news of the community. This site kept all of us informed of City Council meetings, what was happening in the community, sports, news, school items and much, much more. I cannot imagine the amount of time that you took to cover all of these events and then to write up the news coverage as well.

On behalf of the 4th of July Committee and all of the other activities that I have been a part of through the years your efforts have been truly appreciated, we will miss your assistance and coverage of our events. Thanks doesn't seem enough!

Cathy McKay


Sorry to see MinonkTalk and the Bakery go

I spent most of my childhood in Minonk. My last visit seemed unreal as the slag heap, a mountain when I was growing up, was gone.

Sorry to hear that you are dropping the dynamic nature of the web site. It has kept me somewhat up to speed with a town that proviedes so many memories.

I also had the privilege of working at the Bakery in 1968 and then again after the service in 71 & 72. What a great experience. I can still smell the garlic bread but it was the people that made it the experience it was.

Thanks for a job well done

John F. Schaab


Still in denial

Hi Dave,
I'm still in the denial stage of losing my favorite web site ~ and favorite webmaster! I know I need to get over it...and I guess in time I might...but I'll sure miss Minonktalk! When I first moved to Ohio 26 years ago, I received the Minonk News Dispatch in the mail once a week. Not only was it a once-weekly publication, but by the time I received it, it was REALLY old news!!! :)

For the past 7 1/2 years, though, I've felt very fortunate to have your web site to keep me updated on the latest happenings around Minonk, and in a very timely manner! I admit it...I took you and your site for granted!! Thanks for making me feel comfortable enough to do that! Over the years I've seen a lot of the good things you've done around our community, including (but definitely not limited to) your tree donations and the wonderful work of your committee at the West Side Park. The many many many many many hours you've contributed to this web site are too numerous to calculate and above and beyond what any one person would ever be expected to do! Yet, you've been attending meetings and community events with your notebook and camera in hand for all of these years so that we could all feel a little bit closer to the things we're not all able to experience first hand.

I'm sure I speak for the masses when I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the time, effort and love you have put into Minonktalk.

I wish you the best in all future endeavors!!

Denise


Will be missed

Dave,

I just wanted to thank you for all the hard work I know went in to making the "Minonk Talk" a great web site to visit. As a former "Mohawk", class of 66, I can tell you my family from Hawaii, Costa Rica, Wisconsin and Illinois would visit the site everyday and then our phone conversations always contained something we read about in the Minonk Talk, including my mother. Minonk is a great town and I always enjoyed reading about families I knew and events going on in Minonk.

Thanks again for your hard work, but I will sure miss the site.

Carl Morton


Class of 1978 Reunion

Class of 1978 to hold reunion, details yet to be determined. Save some cost on postage for the reunion by contacting Art Hillenburg at dadkhillenburg@verizon.net.

Thanks
Art Hillenburg
Tim Morton
Eric Meyer


MinonkTalk will be missed

Dave,

Thanks for all of the effort and time that you have put into MinonkTalk. We have enjoyed it from the beginning. We have enjoyed being kept up to date on things that are happening in our hometown. We have Minonk Talk as our homepage. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. Maybe someone will step up and keep MinonkTalk going.
Thanks again.

Steve and June Barth
Key Largo, FL


More than Minonk's loss

Dave:
First of all, thank you so much for Minonk Talk the past 7 years. I am not sure the city realizes how many former residents (and present ones) read your website with interest. In my opinion, it is not only a loss for the City of Minonk but also for former residents. It was a great electronic tool for information about the great town I grew up in. I have spoken to many former "Mohawks" that read your website. I hope the city fathers re-consider their decision.

Once again, thank you Dave for such a great contribution to Minonk. We enjoyed it...and will miss it!!!

Dick Shelby
Decatur, IL


Hopes somebody steps up

Too bad, I hope somebody steps up or the city does, I have been gone for 18 years ,the web site allowed me to keep up with Minonk ( even though it is not the Minonk I lived in ) but all things change and to not change would be for Minonk to become a dead town … for those of us who have left and live in of have lived in cities of 4-5 million people the appeal of a small town like Minonk is not lost.

My family moved to this town for an economic opportunity but more important a smaller town atmosphere … the pancake suppers at the church , the incredible turn out at bingo nights at the grade school and yes everyone does know everyone even in a town of 20k plus . Again thanks for all the time you put in and best of luck .

Dennis Pearman
District sales Manager -Metallic Building Company
Forest Grove,Or 97116


Thank you!

Dave,
I am so sorry to see the end of this website! Many members of my family visit regularly to catch up on happenings in our old home town. You have provided a wonderful service for more people than you can imagine. Thanks for the many years of enjoyment you have given us all and good luck to you!

Teresa (Hinkle) McKenzie
Charlotte, NC


Great disappointment

As I was reading through Minonk Talk, I am very upset that your Web Site will no longer be updated. I tried to read your information daily and I always enjoyed sending in my recipes. I would get calls and tell me how good the recipes turned out for them and how much they enjoyed them but now that will all come to an end. I have always enjoyed all of the pictures, school events, people writing in and letting us know how they are doing during the winter months while they are enjoying the warm weather, and now it will be hard to keep in touch with people that we haven't seen or talked to for a long time. You were great at serving our community and surrounding towns. Thank you for the service you have done and your Minonk Talk Web Site will be greatly missed.

Barb Petri

Editor's comment: Barb, recipes will still be accepted on the web site.


Thanks

THANKS DAVE
You have been willing to share the professional talent that you have with all of us for many years. An unselfish desire to provide to all of us something that many small communities only dreamed they could have. The Minonk Business Assoc. as well as the many organizations will miss the service you provided to them over the many years. Your willingness to promote all activities in the community showed your desire to promote Minonk not only to their people but the many surrounding communities. There are few people who would spend their time and money to provide the service you have.
Kudos to you!! Again, thanks so much.

Jack Jochums


Good luck in new pursuits

Dave-

I will truly miss all the information included in your website. I could always go there to see what was going on around town.

Good luck in your new pursuits!
Rhonda White


Recent Visit to Minonk

I just wanted to thank all of the people, that we met, while on a visit over Memorial weekend. Two of my sisters and I decided to fulfill a wish of our mother. She wanted to revisit her hometown, where she was born and raised, and she wanted to locate her parents (our grandparents) grave sites. Thanks to several people, we were able to contact the man that cares for the cemetery, and he met us at the cemetery and showed us right where they are buried. I can't tell him just how much that meant for all of us!! While in Minonk, we tried to visit as many establishments as time allowed. We had a lot of fun doing so. I had not been there since I was an infant, so it was all new to me. One of my sisters and I also made use of the wonderful track, every morning, for our walk. It was so wonderful to meet our mom's childhood friend, Lucy Cummings, Lucy's brother, Jerry, father Luke, and many other people, whom I can't remember their names. They all made us feel very welcomed and made our trip so much easier. We actually hated to leave, on Monday, but we had to return to our families, and jobs. I really hope to bring my four boys to your wonderful town so they, too, can experience it. THANK YOU to the people of MINONK!!

Mrs. Sharon Hopkins Jenison, MI


Still Bar & Grill announcement

Hi Dave,

Just a short note to let you know that The Still Bar & Grill will be having a couple of bands coming up in the month of July and would like to invite people out to here them. On July 12th "Whisker Buscuits" will be there from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am and on July 19th, " 3 Jack Vodoo" will be there from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am.

We also have a few new things added to our menu. On Fridays we have a Walleye dinner, salad and potato for $10.99 and on Saturday, 10 oz Prime Rib, salad and potato for $12.99, or 14 oz Prime Rib, salad and potato for $16.99.

We still have our "wings" on Tuesday's!!!!!

Thanks to everyone for all their support and business!!! We love you all.

Paula


MDR Class of 83 reunion Aug. 23rd

The M-D-R Class of 1983 will be holding its 25th year reunion on Saturday Aug. 23, 2008 @ Tall Oaks C.C. More details to follow.

If you have any questions, or would like to make sure I have a current address please email me @:
mdrmohawks@yahoo.com


Thank You,
Janis Megow


Gigi's Playhouse calendar

Hi Dave!

The Jarvis twins (grandsons to John and Bonnie Durre) are in the 2009 Gigi's Playhouse calendar! I'd like to pass on the pre-order form for this beautiful calendar. This form is valid until October 1st and offers the calendars at a discount of $2. Also offered is a special package deal of one wall calendar and one pocket calendar for $5 off! Check out www.gigisplayhouse.com for more information about Gigi's Playhouse or to view the current calendar. To view the pre-order form click here.

I also want to thank you for all you have done with this site for the last 7 years. I have enjoyed keeping in touch with Minonk via your site. Good Luck with your new ventures!

Sincerely,
Wendy (Durre) Jarvis


Softball League sign up deadline June 20th

The Minonk Parks and Recreation Slow-Pitch Softball League will accept team registrations until 5 pm on Friday, June 20th.

If you have a team and wish to sign them up, please contact Stephanie Fuchs at 309-432-2615.

Thank you!
Stephanie Fuchs


Thanks to all for your support

On May 31, Immanuel Lutheran Youth held a car wash and I had intended to thank everyone who generously supported this event. Unfortunately, our computer crashed and we just recently got it going again. Regardless, we sincerely appreciate the support from all who visited our car wash. We were fortunate to raise just over $400 which will help tremendously in covering transportation expenses. Once again, a big THANK YOU to all who support our car wash.

Rich Luckey


Former Minonk resident's son baseball star

Just a note to let you from Minonk know that Nick McCully the son of Gary, grandson of Donald and great grandson of Dean McCully just completed his second year at Coastal Carolina University. He is there on a baseball scholarship and had a fantastic freshman and sophomore year! He was named to the Ping Freshman-All-American team last year and pitched a "gem" in the college regionals this year against Columbia University! He got the start for game 2 against North Carolina in this year's super regionals and was on ESPN June 8th. Our run ended that day to an incredibly talented University of North Carolina team but we had a wonderful run for a school of 8,000! He is now pitching for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod league.

Still miss you Dad and Red,

Gary McCully


789 Tournament needs volunteers

Dave,

Just wondering if you could put a notice on Minonk Talk about the 7,8,9 baseball tournament on June 21st & 22nd. We are in need of some parents or volunteers to work the concession stand from 10-4 on Sat and 12-6 on Sun. If they could please contact me at 309-432-2492 to sign up it would greatly be appreciated. The information is also on League Lineup.

Thank You

Jaime Ruestman


Minonk Talk gone...impossible!

Dave, you have been such a trooper!!
And, we've all enjoyed the fruits of your labor of love.
Keeping in touch with the hometown, etc.

If it's true, and all good things must come to an end, well, then ...
As it should be!

But, we will miss the site, you, and the connection.
There are so many of us out here who -- like Carl said -- go the site almost daily!
We'll be a little lost ...
Perhaps a yahoogroups can form?

Best wishes, Dave ... and THANK YOU!!

Lynn Tweedt-Rabinowe
MDR Class of 1970
Citrine Kennels at Big Meadow Farm
Deer Island, Oregon


What Will I Do?

Dave,
I'm sorry to hear that MinonkTalk will be going away. I live in Miami, FL and I like to keep up to date with what's going on "back home". It's always been a great way for me to keep in touch with stuff going on in Minonk. I know you put a lot of work into it, and I want to thank you for that. I have been webmaster for a few websites and I know how difficult it is to keep it updated.
You have done an awesome job. You will be missed.

I wish you could find someone to take over for you so that MinonkTalk can live on.

Thanks again for everything you have done. I really appreciate it.

Gary Marshall


So Sad...

I live in the Chicago area and check in on Minonktalk.com regularly. It has been a wonderful escape for me. You did a wonderful thing by doing this. Bless you for all of your hard work. You gave people much enjoyment.

I wish you all the best.

Patricia Hynes


Just what is going on?

Just because the City of Minonk is establishing their own web site, should you take a back seat? Who will speak for the residents of Minonk, and give alternative views? There still needs to be an other voices, and you may or may not be comfortable in that role, but it is a role that must be filled.

Ed Malinoski


Sad to see you go

Dave,
You will be greatly missed by your droves of readers like myself. I usually check in daily for news and gossip (!). The articles submitted by readers and your editorials were always very stimulating.
Best wishes in your future endeavors.

Gary Cinnamon
MDR '62
U of I '66
Sacramento, CA


Saddened

Hi Dave, I am saddened to hear there will be no more MinonkTalk. Maybe the City will do one, but I doubt it between you and I. I can only somewhat imagine how hard it has been for you. I think you did an excellent job. I wish you all the things you hope for in your pursuits. Take it easy now and enjoy things...hey maybe some travel with Judy. God Bless.

Sincerely, Wanda Patterson


Thank you

Dave,

I would like to thank you for the time and effort you spent creating and maintaining the Minonk Talk website. It gave me the opportunity to keep up with Minonk happenings, look at pictures from the past and learn historical information about our area that I didn't know or had forgotten. I will miss Minonk Talk – went on the website almost daily – would get my cup of coffee, sit at my computer in California, and check what was going on in Minonk.

Ed (Duke) Elliott


Apologizes for dogs

I'm guilty of letting my dogs loose in my yard when I'm out there with them. I have 2 large dogs and I know one looks very intimidating. I apologize to anyone that has been frightened or has stopped walking by my house (619 Locust) because of this. From now on my dogs will be in the house or in the fence as they should be.

Again, I apologize-
Rhonda White


Thanks

Dave, the end of the era of MinonkTalk is coming soon. Thank YOU for providing the service that has kept many of us, both near and far, in contact with the happenings in a community that has been and continues to be so important in our lives. Best wishes on your next challenges!

Gerry Schmidt


Class of 1968 reunion

Class of 1968 to hold reunion, Capponis Toluca Aug 2.
time from 4-? dinner at 6:30 cost $16/person RSVP

Anyone from the classes of '67 and '69 invited.

contact CB at cbs.1968@yahoo.com


How Sad...

Dave, I was deeply saddened to read your editorial that MinonkTalk will no longer be updated, however, I respect your decision. I know for my family members who 'winter' elsewhere and those that no longer live here, it was a weekly - if not daily - website they checked to keep in touch. For those in Minonk and the Fieldcrest district, it was our source of info -- with and without controversy. I've heard from many that the Minonk history that can be accessed with the click of a mouse is amazing, and it's true. Having a grandfather (John L Ketchmark) who was Mayor and a father (Tom Ketchmark Sr) who was active in Minonk City Government for over 35 years, I feel as if Minonk is more than just a town where I was born & raised -- it's a part of me....and MinonkTalk let others 'feel' part of it too. I hate the old saying "all good things must come to an end", but in this situation it is just that. Thank you for your hours and hours and hours of contributions that will last forever in cyberspace. And, lastly, best of luck to you!

Colleen Weber


Thanks for MinonkTalk

Dave,
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for bringing us "Minonk Talk" for the last 7 1/2 years. It's funny how we take things for granted, and don't really realize how great something was until it's gone. I also want to thank you for our link for Pops Sweet Shop. You set up the website for us FREE OF CHARGE, and you were very patient with me by walking me through updating the web page. I am one of those people who has limited knowledge of computers, so I appreciate you patience with me. Thank you again for providing the service for Minonk, and best of luck on your next project.

Shelly Butler


Looking for information

Tom Havener - if you read this I am trying to get an address or e-mail address for Dewey. Our 40th class reuinon is coming up. He can e-mail me or Chuck Saurs at C B Sauer [cbs.1968@yahoo.com]

Thanks!

Gloria (Brown) Arrington