Kampsville News – December 21, 2022

By Editor | December 20, 2022 |

By Diane Brangenberg
618-535-5915

Sunday evening was our 29th annual Kampsville Kids Christmas Party. Due to so many little ones being sick, our crowd was down a little bit this year, but still plentiful. Thank you so much to Santa for spending the evening in Kampsville with us as well as the Grinch who stopped in to try to steal some of our Christmas Cheer. We had more raffle baskets than we have ever had, thanks to the generosity of so many individuals and businesses here in our town. Everyone loves the basket raffles.
This year, Green Huyndai donated coats to be handed out as part of the “Keep Kampsville Warm Project.” This was organized by Village Trustee Stephanie Angel with the help of Mayor Amanda Johnson.
Thank you to everyone who baked for the treat walk and for the bake sale on Saturday.
Sunday afternoon, the committee and myself spent the afternoon getting the gym ready. A big thank you to Quinlan Levell, Keaton Titus, and Ed Johnson for doing the heavy lifting for us. This event is headed up by Debby Klunk and myself. We have an amazing committee and we all work together to put this on. We also have lots of helpers to help our committee.
To finish up about the party, I would like to share a few things that are my favorite things about a party that has been going on for 29 years and continues to thrive. I am a firm believer that kids live by example. The little kids that used to come to this party and enjoy themselves playing the games, now come in and ask me “what game can I work Miss Diane?” That tells me we are raising them right. Another favorite thing is that this party involves all of our businesses in town as well as ones in Hardin that pitch in and all ages in town. Nobody is excluded.
My very favorite thing about the Kampsville Kids Christmas Party? It is completely FREE! A family can bring their children and spend no money. The only thing that they would need money for would be the basket raffles and that’s one of our main sources for buying the gifts to make sure every kid leaves with a very nice gift.
So that’s a wrap, it was a success and we look forward to doing this for many years to come.
The preparation leading up to the party is always hectic and fun, with lots of memories being made. Olivia Clowers and I baked for two days straight with lots of laughs and messes. We also put the finishing touches on our basket raffles. Debby Klunk and her grandsons, Max and Maverick; and my grandson, Hayden; and myself took advantage of the warm weather on Wednesday and unloaded the totes from the trailer. Poor Maverick took an elbow to the nose and I sliced my finger open, but Maverick felt better after receiving a small Batman for his pain and I received a couple of band aides and we got the job done.
On Thursday evening we gathered at the Legion to wrap presents. So many laughs as we worked and joked. Chuck Titus and the boys carried all the wrapped presents to the gym. Our Legion guys got the candy picked up and along with the Auxiliary put together the Santa Bags.
Saturday morning, Amy and Emily McBride and Teresa Ames headed up the Bake Sale and Raffles at the Landing during the Vendor Event. Thank you so much to the Sons of the Legion for their generous donation towards presents. We are so fortunate that our whole town gets involved to make the “magic” happen.
Saturday was definitely the social event of the season at the Kampsville Legion. To honor him for his birthday, one of the hardest working guys in Kampsville, Rob Parameter! His birthday isn’t actually till the 29th, but we had to fit his party in somewhere during the holidays. Rob truly is a jack of all trades and we are so glad that he retired from his job and became our go-to guy. I don’t know what we would do without him. Happy birthday Rob, we love you!
Calhoun Unit 40 dedicated the Mark Baalman Gymnasium on Monday, Dec. 12, to a packed gym. Mark was an amazing man who made an impact on everyone he met.
My grandson, Ren, and I attended the Stuff your Stocking at the Hardin Presbyterian Church last Thursday evening. It was absolutely wonderful. We enjoyed it so much. Thank you everyone who works so hard to put on such a wonderful event.
The Kindergarten at St. Norbert’s was very busy this past week making 78 Christmas Cards and delivering them to the residents at Calhoun Nursing and Rehab. They then joined their friends in first and second grades and sang carols for residents and staff.
Congratulations to Samantha Kaufman, daughter of Samual and Courtney Kaufman of Kampsville; and Scarlett Brangenberg, daughter of Lynn and Katrinna Brangenberg of Kampsville, on being designated as 2022-2023 Illinois State Scholars.
Congratulations to Sam Gilman who has signed with Lindenwood University and their Trap Team. Sam is the son of Charles and Anne Gilman of Kampsville.
Thank you so much Rob Parameter and Shawn Shewmake for all the work you’ve been doing at the Sewer plant. It is very much appreciated.
Huge shoutout to Bev Mosbarger at the Calhoun Senior Citizens she has helped over 200 Senior Citizens get enrolled for their Med D. The Seniors in this country are blessed to have Bev.
Congratulations to Landry Prough and Kassidy (Klocke) Prough who were married Saturday in an absolutely gorgeous wedding at St. Norbert’s with all the festivities held at Walnut Estates in Carrollton.
Sympathy to the family of Moe Garner on his passing this past Friday.
Please keep Georgia; his daughters, Barb and Marcia; and son, Dean, in your prayers as well as his grandchildren and continue prayers for Shelly Pohlman, Linda Herkert, Joyce Blumenberg, Darren Kress, Zel Blumenberg, Joe Gress, Raymond Sievers, Isabel McGlaughin, Kurt Roth, Jerry Crader, Kathryn Chapman, Bob Banghart, Bruce Williams, Justin Williams, Amy Roth, Angie Suhling, Whitney Gibson and Cassie Blackwell.