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HELP HABITAT
Thanks for the great article describing our local Habitat for Humanity chapter ("Habitat helps families, one homebuyer at a time," June 8). Habitat for Humanity – Sangamon County was started at First Presbyterian Church downtown in 1989, and our congregation has been deeply involved in building homes with (not for) awesome families ever since, including providing funding of between $5,000-$20,000 each year, preparing food for volunteers, providing construction volunteers and praying for the builds.
It was fun to read about homeowners like Dylan Prevost; I had the good fortune of serving as his Habitat nurturer and working on his home. Our church members are currently enjoying working with all three 2023 homeowners described in the article. I highly recommend joining us in helping deserving families become homeowners, as it will infuse considerable purpose and joy into your life.
Don Ecklund
Springfield
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DO SOMETHING
Thank you for using the blighted house at 213 Eastman Ave. as just one example of neglect by the city of Springfield ("Capital Area Realtors opposes registration for landlords," June 15). Empty for over 10 years now, this house was owned by Joyce Derry, a feisty and fun senior citizen who was one of the first neighbors to greet me when I moved to this neighborhood 20 years ago. She told me about putting her sprinkler out on Eastman Avenue for the Abe's Amble event and the runners' Monday night practices and about the hundreds of tourists from all over the world who travel through our neighborhood every week.
Joyce would sit out on her porch, smoking her ever-present cigarette, and greet the hundreds of runners who would enjoy her sprinkler. They thanked her. They loved her. And she loved them. After Joyce died all those years ago, I continued her sprinkler support for the runners until another neighbor, Dan French, put together an amazing sprinkler system by his house that grandly carries on Joyce's tradition.
Joyce kept her yard mowed and full of flowers for the runners and tourists. Look at it now – and it's been this way for too many years. It's time for the city to do something with houses like Joyce's and others. Council members, quit hiding behind studies that allow you to continue to do nothing.
Judy Donath
Springfield
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MISDIRECTION
Wayne 'Doc' Temple asks me to write for him that Peter Glatz's interesting article ("Food Preservation in the 1850s," June 22) had a misdirection. The town's only public well was at the southeast corner (not southwest) of the square, probably for the reason that Elijah Iles's American House hotel catty-corner from it was the largest – though not the only – hotel in town from 1840. We know this in part because Lincoln water-tested his invention (improved method for buoying vessels over shoals) in that trough in 1849, with two witnesses.
Most homes beyond the square had their own dug well in back, as did a few commercial buildings. The public well was mainly for travelers. The Town Branch creek that runs (underground now) northwest from near Ninth and Cook streets toward the Statehouse was still open in the early 1850s, for laundry, bathing, and yes, drinking.
James Cornelius, on behalf of Wayne 'Doc' Temple, age 99
Springfield
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DON'T WAIT
Good article; I feel we should not wait until the mandated dates to take action to be in compliance with the laws or upcoming changes in environmental laws ("Springfield needs an energy resource plan," by Emma Shafer, June 15). We need to be continuously and gradually making changes to transition away from coal and to clean energy.
Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams Jr.
Via illinoistimes.com
