Community news briefs: Tampico First United Methodist to host ham supper

TAMPICO – Tampico First United Methodist Church, located two blocks west of Casey’s General Store, will have its annual ham supper from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 8 in the church basement.

This all-you-can-eat meal includes ham, potatoes, corn and beans, a roll, salad, a beverage and dessert for a donation.

A bake sale will be upstairs in the south Sunday school room. Carryouts will be available in the church basement.

The building is accessible to people with physical disabilities by parking in the back of the church and using the elevator.

This will be a Chapter 1570 Royal Neighbors of America matching fundraiser. All total donations up to $1,000 will be matched by RNA.

Tampico Area Historical Society and Museum Village Friendsgiving is Nov. 4

TAMPICO – The Tampico Area Historical Society and Museum Village Friendsgiving is from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 4 and will raise funds to repair the museum’s foundation.

There will be a chili cookoff contest (cook at home and bring it in), bake sale, dessert auction, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, games and fellowship.

Contact Jenee Blackert at 815-499-0343 or jeneeblackert@gmail.com if interested in entering chili. There are four awards: spiciest, best nontraditional, judges’ choice and village favorite.

The cost to enter is $15. Bring your chili in a 5-quart crockpot with a ladle and extension cord to the Reagan Community Center, which is the old grade school.

Entrants will serve their chili. Organizers will provide cups and spoons. If you need an assistant to serve, let organizers know.

Applications are due this weekend.

Another way to participate is to just show up to the door, pay the entry fee and hang out with those attending. Try all of the chilis, and use your entry ticket to place it in the bowl next to your favorite one. Whomever gets the most tickets wins the village favorite award.

Judges have been selected to vote on the other three categories.

This event is known as the “Admiral Reeves Chili Bull” after Tampico native Admiral Joseph Mason Reeves, who went off to the Navy Academy and played for the Navy Midshipmen. The doctor told him to take it easy (Bull Reeves had way too many head injuries), so he went to a local shoemaker and asked for something to protect his skull.

This became the modern football helmet.

Reeves would later serve in three wars and was honored with a cruise liner and airfield.

His brother, Harley Edson Reeves, attended the University of Illinois and was a football standout. He later became the lead civil engineer in charge of building the Hennepin Canal.

Their parents are buried in Tampico Memorial Cemetery.

United Way of Lee County announces annual Girlfriend Gala is back

DIXON – United Way of Lee County has announced that registration is now open to buy tickets for the Girlfriend Gala on Thursday, Nov. 16.

Join United Way of Lee County for a fun ladies night out while supporting the community. The evening features raffles, appetizers, drinks, an auction, vendors, desserts and more.

All proceeds from this event will be allocated to the 2023 United Way of Lee County campaign, which partners with 29 local nonprofit organizations to assist in funding various human service programs in the area.

All contributions will stay local.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Dixon Elks, 1279 Franklin Grove Road, Dixon. Tickets are $40 a person or $300 per table of eight. Tickets are limited, so register early.

To reserve a seat, register online at www.unitedwayofleecounty.org or call Ashley Richter at 815-284-3339.

Arcomusical performs Nov. 12 in Dixon

DIXON –The Arcomusical group from DeKalb will present a unique program of percussion music at Dixon’s Next Picture Show gallery Sunday, Nov. 12.

The concert at 2 p.m. is free to the public, and refreshments will be served. This concert is hosted by the Phidian Art Club in memory of longtime member Mary Ann Ferolo.

The ensemble will perform passages from the Lucumí “oro seco,” first on Afro-Cuban batá drums and then on Afro-Brazilian berimbau musical bows. The Lucumí religion, known as Regla de Ocha – Ifá, is a rich and deep nature-based practice with deep cultural roots in Yorubaland, Nigeria. Its liturgy involves drumming, singing and dancing.

In Arcomusical’s unique musical bow arrangement, a drumming language takes on harmonic sophistication as the berimbau strings are tuned to beautiful intervallic ratios informed by the ascribed numerology of each of the orichas represented.

Before each musical offering, Arcomusical Director Gregory Beyer will discuss and detail the names of each of the Orishas, what they represent in the natural world, and how to best listen to this uniquely beguiling and sophisticated music.

Performers will include Jean-Christophe Leroy, Christian Baugher, Jonah Payne and Beyer.

The Next Picture Show acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.