More than 350 persons, young and old, attended the Community Memorial Day service at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Oakwood Cemetery. Under the blue skies, the veterans, those currently serving in the armed forces, and members of the Auxiliaries from American Legion Post 300 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6791 stood proudly, while those attending honored both the deceased and living soldiers. Kevin Driscoll was the moderator. “This day conveys the price in the quest for freedom, 1,354,664 men and women since the Revolutionary War gave up their tomorrows for us to enjoy the sense of freedom… It is up to us to instill into others the true spirit of loyalty for the flag and our country.”
Julia Doggett, chaplain of the American Legion Post 300, gave the opening and closing prayers. Laying the patriotic wreath at the base of the monument was Kathy Hummel, president of the Legion Auxiliary, and Ethel Morehouse, chaplain of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6791 Auxiliary. Members of the Legion Auxiliary presented the colors. Don Smith of the VFW led the six members of the Legion and VFW in the execution of the 21-gun salute.
The West Chicago Community Band, under the direction of Steve Govertsen, played a medley of patriotic songs. Reverberating throughout out the cemetery were the poignant sounds of “Taps,” played by WCCHS trumpeters, Josh Bowen and Jeri Rethford. As a side note, Govertsen and the two students participated in their last Memorial Day Service as members of the high school. Govertsen resigned his position to teach at another school and the students are graduating from the high school.
In his speech Mayor Ruben Pineda stressed the true meaning of Memorial Day, honoring those who sacrificed their lives to ensure freedom for then, now and the future.
“Like all of you gathered here this morning, I am grateful for the chance to pay tribute to our fallen heroes and their families.
I also wish to thank the young people who are here and commend them for recognizing the importance of this day of remembrance. Thank you to the West Chicago Community High School Band, under the direction of Steve Govertsen, for the stirring medley of patriotic songs and the playing of Taps. I cannot tell you how much it means to all of us that you are here to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have given us the freedom we cherish through their ultimate sacrifice, the gift of their lives.
The very first Memorial Day, known as Decoration Day because of the strewing of flowers upon the graves of the dead, took place at Arlington National Cemetery in 1868. Then Ohio Congressman and veteran James A. Garfield delivered remarks in honor of the Civil War dead. He noted the solemnness of the occasion by beginning, “I am oppressed with a sense of the impropriety of uttering words on this occasion. If silence is ever golden, it must be here beside the graves of fifteen thousand men, whose lives were more significant than speech, and whose death was a poem, the music of which can never be sung.”
Garfield knew that words could never come close to conveying the deeds of the fallen and he clearly expressed his desire to distinguish this day as being first and foremost to honor those, who as he put it, “for love of country accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.”
I would also like to read a segment of the poem “The Fallen” by poet Laurence Binyon;
“They shall not grow old, as we that are left to grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”
The world has changed much since James Garfield & Laurence Binyon uttered those words and yet they seem as appropriate today as they did when first spoken. Since then, our country has withstood tremendous wartime casualties and our active military continues to serve us, defending our country and putting their lives at risk in dangerous parts of the world like the Middle East and elsewhere.
I am grateful to share with you that my nephew, Sergeant Edward Thomas Pineda, a graduate of West Chicago’s class of 2003, has completed 6 tours of service and has come home permanently to his family and community. Thank you for your support over the last 5 years mentioning him and the 12 years he served our country.
This year, our nation honors the 100th Anniversary of the United States entering WWI and all those who served, including those who never made it home.
Our own City Museum will memorialize some of the many West Chicago WWI veterans in its blog, A Sense of Place, as well as create programming about the historic war that changed humanity.
As we conclude our Observance here at our Soldiers and Sailors Monument in this historic Oakwood Cemetery and proceed to our cars, I ask you to reflect on the American flags waving softly, silently, in the breeze on the gravesites of veterans here, as well as Glen Oak, Calvary and St. John Cemetery, and in cemeteries all across this country. It’s the silence of this day, this moment, that most stirs our hearts, because of its finality.
Thank you all for being here today to honor the heroes that gave their lives, to give us our freedom.
God bless the men and women who died for our country, God bless their families and all the people of West Chicago and God bless the United States of America. Thank you.” (www.merleburl.com)
AROUND AND ABOUT
West Chicago City Museum, 132 Main Street, and West Chicago Historical Society Kruse House Museum, 527 Main Street, are participants in the “Passport to Adventure” program, which runs now through Monday, September 4, 2017. The program is for children ages 4 through 12, who receive stamps at the participating locations, which includes more than 50 museums and nature centers in DuPage and Kane counties. Passports are available at both museums and the West Chicago Public Library District, 118 West Washington Street. The summer exhibit at the KHM is “The Cookie Caper.” The KHM hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturdays. The exhibits at the City Museum are “Made in West Chicago” and “Grains of Change.” City Museum hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursdays and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Beginning Thursday June 1, 2017, the West Chicago Park District hosts “A Walk in The Park.” Starting at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday through September 28, the Superintendent of Parks leads the way in seven neighborhood park of Cornerstone Lakes Park, Hampton Hills and Prince Crossing Parks, Kress Creek Farms, Pioneer Park, Preston Field Park and Reed-Keppler Park. He discusses the history and future of the grounds. To find the schedule for the various parks, visit the website www.we-goparks.com.
West Chicago Community High School Honors Night is at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Weyrauch Auditorium, 36 Joliet Street.
The Leman Middle School White Team eighth grade team is at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, June 1, 2017 in the cafetorium, 238 East Hazel Street.
There are two events from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, June 2, 2017 at West Chicago City Museum, 132 Main Street. One is the reception for the 17 winning artists in the 2017 City Banner Competition with the theme of “Rails and Trails.” The West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission sponsors the competition, which is in its 10th year and includes persons in West Chicago and the Chicagoland area. The independent juror was Glenn Hansen, Professor of Photography at College of DuPage. The banners are on light poles in the historic downtown district.
The artists are Joseph Weibler, Joan Trushin, Karolina Brandt, Andi Cooper, Kathy Steere, Jeff Lesnik, Natalia Toreeva, Sarah Bass and Phillip Weibler. Others are Gary School Dream, Pamela Keller, Sarah Schafer, Rebecca Hall, Harvey Hanig, Maggie Capettini, Judith Horsley and Lisa Stapella.
Persons can vote for their favorite banner for the People’s Choice award. Ballots are available at the City Museum, Gallery 200, 103 West Washington Street, and West Chicago Public Library District, 118 West Washington Street. (www.merleburl.com)
The other event is Drawing on History, where guests can draw artifacts in the new exhibit, “Grains of Change,” which features wooden statues carved by Johannes Kirchmayer, and explores change and transformation. The statues are part of the interior décor to be in the new church building to be constructed by St. Mary’s parish. Other parts of the exhibit show the change in the community since the establishment of West Chicago in 1849.
Also persons may register for the “Turner Junction Challenge: Get Active with History,” a healthy and historical activity. For each 15 minutes of activity, persons travel back in time one year, with the goal of making it back to 1849 by Sunday, September 10. The 2017 theme is “The History of Fires” and Turner Runners learn about fires in the community as they travel back in time. Additional bonus points are earned with a visit to the CB&Q Railroad depot. Participants receive a free water bottle at registration and receive prizes for reaching milestones in the history of West Chicago. Families can register as a group. Museum hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
“Botanicals and Nature” is the exhibit for the month of June at Gallery 200, 103 West Washington Street. The watercolor and oil artwork by Kathi Kuchler is on display. The artist’s reception is from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Friday, June 2, 2017. She is a certified watercolorist and Illustrator through Morton Arboretum. Her other work includes one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces in which she inserts miniature prints of her paintings and silk scarves with Nuna Felting. (www.merleburl.com,)
Starting Thursday, June 1, Gallery 200 has new hours. They are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursdays, noon to 8:00 p.m. Fridays, 10:00 a.m.to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4:00 p.m. Sundays.
Graduation for West Chicago Community High School is at 7:00 p.m. Friday, June 2, 2017 at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Boulevard. There are 427 graduates
Touch-A-Truck, organized by the West Chicago Police Department and West Chicago Park District, is from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 3, 2017 in the Turtle Splash Water Park parking lot at Reed-Keppler Park. Adults and children have the opportunity to sit in and view a variety of trucks and vehicles. Some of these are West Chicago CERT, West Chicago ESDA, City of West Chicago, DuPage Airport Authority, DuPage County SWAT, Gary Spielman Plumbing, Golf & Busse Towing, Groot Industries, Haggerty Ford, Kindercare, Kramer Tree Service, Rapid Transport Towing, Septran Student Services, West Chicago Fire Protection District, West Chicago Police Department and Winfield Township. Also on hand are Culver’s with ice cream and its mascot. There are giveaways, plus new this year is safety check for car seats conducted by safety seat technicians in the parking lot across from Turtle Splash.
As a side note, at the car seat inspection held Saturday, May 20, 2017, the car seat inspectors checked 39 car seats and issued 11 new ones through Northwest Medicine and Illinois department of Transportation. In addition to the Safety Seat Technicians from West Chicago Police Department, technicians from IDOT, Illinois State Police, Northwest Medicine, Round Lake Beach Police Department and Woodridge Police Department assisted.
West Chicago Environmental Commission hosts an on-site paper-shredding event from 9:00 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 3, 2017 in the parking lot at City Hall, 475 Main Street. The limit is ten boxes. Accurate Document Destruction, Inc. in Elk Grove Village provides the shredding service. Last year 13,660 pounds or 6.83 tons of paper was collected.
Wheaton Academy Baccalaureate service is at 7:00 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2017 in the Fine Arts Building, 900 North Prince Crossing Road. There are 172 graduates.
St. Michael’s United Church of Christ hosts a movie night at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, June 3, 2017 in the fellowship hall, 400 West Washington Street. The movie is “Inconvenient Truth,” a 2006 documentary about former Vice President Al Gore’s campaign against global warming. Popcorn and dessert are served.
Paul and Karen Brooks celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary Saturday, June 3, 2017.
Members of the West Chicago Police Department participate in the 31st annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois Sunday, June 4, 2017. Meeting at 7:45 a.m. the runners/walkers start from City Hall, 475 Main Street. The route proceeds over the A. Eugene Rennels Bridge to Conde Street, east to Joliet, south to Roosevelt Road, ending at the La Chiquita parking lot. Participants are asked to donate $10 and they receive a 2017 aw Enforcement Torch Run t-shirt, which is required to run with the torch. The theme is “Guardians of the Flame.” The Run has raised more than $43 million in 31 years.
More than 3,000 officers representing every branch of law enforcement carry the Flame of Hope nearly 1,600 miles, running through communities via 23 different routes to the final destination of the Opening Ceremonies at the Special Olympic Summer Games Thursday, June 9, in the Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University in Normal. Neither the athletes nor their families are charged for participation in the Special Olympics. However, without the support of individuals or organizations, many would not have the means to pay for the housing and transportation to compete. To contribute make checks payable to Law Enforcement Torch Run, and either drop it off or mail to West Chicago Police Department, 325 Spencer Street, West Chicago, IL 60185.
St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 155 North Prince Crossing Road, holds a Pentecostal Bilingual service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 4, 2017 followed by a potluck lunch.
Wheaton Academy Graduation is at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, June 4, 2017 at Wheaton Bible Church, 27W500 North Avenue.
Monthly brush pick up begins Monday, June 5, 2017.
Wayne/Winfield Area Youth/Family Services offers hour-long computer classes for senior citizens at
Wayne Township, 27W031 North Avenue. Not only do seniors learn basic skills, but also have the opportunity to socialize. The fee is $2. Reservations are required and may be made by calling (630) 231-7166.
“Texting on Smart Phones” class is at 1:00 p.m. Monday, June 5, 2017. For classes that involve a technology device, persons need to bring their personal items with them.
Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual “Swing into Summer” Golf Outing Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at Prairie Landing Golf Course, 2325 Longest Drive. There are three golf packages; registration time is 7:30 a.m. for all. One is “18-Hole Best Ball Scrabble.” The cost is $150 per person. The second package is “Live to Golf Special,” playing nine holes, then 18 holes after the luncheon. The cost is $175 per person. Package number three is “No Time to Golf,” play nine holes and luncheon for the cost of $115. The Banquet Package cost is $45 for the 11:30 a.m. luncheon banquet only. Forms are available on the chamber website www.westerndupagechamber.com or at the chamber office, 306 Main Street. After Wednesday, May 31, there is a late registration fee. For information call the chamber office at (630) 231-3003.
West Chicago Public Library District offers a two-hour Microsoft Word computer class from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 6, 2017 in Study Room 3, 118 West Washington Street. Attendees learn the basics such as formatting text and documents, changing fonts, cut/copy/paste, using Spell Check and MS Word terminology. Persons must have basic computer skills. To make a reservation, call adult services department at (630) 231-1552, extension 4.
Educare West Chicago hosts a fundraiser, “Beers in the Basement,” from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at Lagunitas, 2607 West 17th Street in Chicago. The ticket price is $15, which includes food. The cost of beer is $6 with 10 percent going to Educare. To make a reservation, visit www.educarewestdupage.org/FUNraiser.
Winfield Farmers Market, organized by Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce, opens June 7, 2017 in the Prairie Trail Shopping Plaza, Geneva Road and County Farm Road. Hours are 7:00 a.m.to 1:00 p.m. Wednesdays through October 25. To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the birthday of Dean Martin, vendors play his music.
Lawn games take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesdays, starting June 7 and ending July 26, 2017 at West Chicago Public Library District, 118 West Washington Street.
West Chicago Park District monthly social gathering is at noon Thursday, June 8, 2017 at the ARC, 201 West National Street. While watching the movie, “The Age of Love,” guests enjoy a catered lunch. The menu is Mongolian beef, kung pao chicken, fried rice, egg rolls, crab rangoon and strawberry short cake. The charge is $10 for residents and $12 for non-residents. Reservations are due by Thursday, June 1 and may be made in person at the ARC or online at www.we-goparks.org.
Healthy West Chicago hosts “Walk to a Better Health,” a 5K Walk and Health Celebration, from 9:00 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 10, 2017. The 5K Walk with Mayor Ruben Pineda begins at 9:00 a.m. and the festival opens at 10:00 a.m. Activities include health and safety exhibitors, health screening of blood pressure weight, healthy cooking class, scavenger hunt and prizes. Exhibitors include Common Threads, Northern Illinois Food Bank, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Benedictine University Masters of Health Program and People Made Visible-gardens. A light brunch is served, plus free sugar-free beverages. Also there is Heartland Blood Center blood drive, which is from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Each donor receives a $5 gift card for Target. To make an appointment, call (630) 408-4030 or online at www.heartlandbc.org.
As part of the countywide Voices of DuPage, the West Chicago City Museum, 132 Main Street, hosts its third Town Hall Share at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 10, 2017. The topic is trains, highlighting West Chicago as the first community in Illinois created by a railroad junction. Persons attending are encouraged to bring photographs of trains in town and share memories about using the railroad, working for the railroad, family members who worked for the railroad or waiting for trains at crossings. Refreshments are served.
Voices of DuPage is a collection of cultural institutions that serve DuPage County residents that seek to preserve and promote our historical legacy. The members, primarily museums and libraries, focus on oral history programs.
The Grand Opening of “The Shell,” located off of Arbor Avenue in Reed-Keppler Park, takes place at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 10, 2017. Following the ribbon cutting, there are three musical performances. Girl & the Gang perform at 1:15 p.m. and Mariachi Los Rayos de Leman performs at 1:30 p.m. On stage at 2:00 p.m. are Wayne Messmer and the Chicago Skyliner Big Band. Known as the Chicago Cubs National Anthem singer, he also sings the Great American Songbook covering such artists as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin with the backing of a powerhouse band.
The band shell is a performance venue partnership between the City of West Chicago and West Chicago Park District. The concert series are from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays and free entertainment for children takes place from 11:00 a.m. to noon Fridays. A variety of fitness classes are on various days and times days during the week. To view the schedule of events, visit the park district’s website www.we-goparks.org.
First United Methodist Church of West Chicago, 643 East Washington Street, hosts a Luau Dinner and Pie Auction at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, June 10, 2017. On the menu is fresh fruit appetizer, Chinese cabbage salad, roast pig, seasoned rice, maple baked sweet potatoes, rolls and pineapple upside down cake. Potts and Pans Steel band provide musical entertainment. The Pie Auction ends the evening. Ticket price is $12 and $6 for children ages three to ten. To order tickets call (630) 231-3344.
For the 2017 summer season, Hawthorne’s Backyard Bar & Grill, 1200 West Hawthorne Road, features live music on the patio. Reggae music takes place from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. Sundays, June 11 and 25, July 9 and 23, August 6 and 20, and September, 3 and 17. There is acoustic music every Friday evening.
2017 Railroad Days Parade is Sunday, July 9. The theme is “What Defines Your Art?” Grand Marshals are Fredericka Howard and Ron Benner. Businesses, groups, organizations or individuals wanting to participate can call the chamber at (630) 231-3003. The deadline is Monday, June 12.
West Chicago City Museum continues its Histiography program, a non-fiction book reading group. The discussion group meets at noon, Thursday, June 15, 2017 at the museum, 132 Main Street. Guests can bring a sack lunch; dessert and drinks are provided. The book under discussion is “Faith and Betrayal: A Pioneer Woman’s Passage in the American West” by Sally Denton. Copies of the book are available at the museum and library. Call the museum at (630) 231-3376 for further information.
Sincere sympathy is extended to the family of Terry Alan Wolff, who at the age of 71 passed away Friday, May 19, 2017.
Oops, I goofed. In the item about West Chicago Elementary School District 33 Retirement and Recognition Social, I had three individuals retiring. Actually, they were honored for 30 years of employment with District 33. The teachers are Kathryn McKee, Melanie Dixon and Shelly Heyer.
Educare of West DuPage received three awards of Excellence from Excelerate Illinois at the 2017 National Louis Leadership Connections conference. The awards are Family and Community Engagement, Preschool Teaching and Learning, and Infant and Toddler Services.
Luke Holwerda, a junior, at Wheaton Academy received the Distinguished Congressional Award in the 2017 Congressional Art Competition for the 14th District. The award is for his artwork, “L’Arc de Triomphe.” It will be on display for a year in Washington, D.C. Then it will be in the Campton Hills office of Randy Hultgren, the U.S. Representative for the district.
At its two fundraisers to raise the $4,000 to make necessary repairs to the 1934 Monarch General fire engine, the West Chicago Professional Firefighters Association 3970 raised $4,211.
Through the coordinated efforts of Mayor Ruben Pineda and West Chicago Elementary School District 33 Administration, every elementary school building has one water bottle filling station and the middle school has two. Brent Lautenbach Project Manager of the West Chicago branch of Ch2m donated all of the stations. Tom Loos, owner of Action Plumbing, Inc., of West Chicago and Guy Seemans of Associated Electrical Contractors, LLC of Woodstock made donations for the plumbing and electrical installation. Others instrumental to this effort were Maria Lenzi of Ch2m, Healthy West Chicago and the American Heart Association. (www.merleburl.com)
The three choirs at Leman Middle School, plus some students who performed in the LMS musical, sang the National Anthem at the opening ceremony of the professional women’s basketball team, Chicago Sky, Wednesday, May 24, 2017 in the Allstate Arena. Jim Rahtjen, LMS Choir Director, wrote the arrangement of the “Star Spangled Banner,” especially for middle school students. Their participation came about because of a misdirected email.
Several weeks ago, Rahtjen received a misdirected email from the Chicago Sky, inviting clubs from area schools to attend a game during the school day. The sender of the email mistakenly identified him as a STEM club sponsor, inviting him to bring his “club” to a game. Instead of disregarding the email and clicking delete, Rahtjen sent a reply email stating, “I’m not the STEM club sponsor but a choir director.” To his delight, he received an instant reply, stating that he was more than welcome to bring the students in the choir to the game. “There’s a little-known maxim that I live by, ‘you do not have because you do not ask.’ So I asked! “Who’s singing the National Anthem that day?” to which I received the reply, “If you bring 50 people to the game, we’d be happy to have you stand center-court before the game and sing the National Anthem,” Rahtjen said. And the rest of the story is history, definitely a memorable experience for the students.
Support our local businesses as they not only contribute to the community through taxes, but also generously contribute through monetary and in-kind donations to clubs, churches, organizations and schools.
Contributing to the Boy Scout Troop 33 and West Chicago Professional Firefighters Association 3970 Pancake Breakfast were Ward 7 Alderman Noreen Ligino-Kubinski, John B. Reynolds & Sons Memorials, Inc., Herman Gomez Tree Service & Landscaping, Inc., Extra Value Liquors, American Legion Post 300, Jewel Osco, Kramer Tree Service, Stan, the Paint Man, Inc., Hawthorne’s Backyard Bar & Grill, Rite-Way Automotive, Rita Butler, Main Street Family Dentistry, Frank Lenertz- West Chicago Park District President, Edward Jones-John F. Cahill, Scooby’s Red Hots, Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce, John S. Dusza, Winfield Township Highway Commissioner, Source One Staffing, FNBC Bank & Trust, Vanilla Sugar Bakery, Frank’s Auto, Buck Services, KAZ Art & Design, West Chicago Printing Company, Caliendo’s Restaurant & Bar, Winfield Knights of Columbus, Tony’s Steamers, Winfield Lions Club, West Chicago Lions Club, T. S. Specialties and Augustino’s Rock and Roll Deli. Sponsors were Murphy Ace Hardwar, McDonald’s and Glen Arbor Church. Table tents gave special recognition to Caliendo’s, Hawthorne’s Backyard, the West Chicago Lions Club, TS Specialties, Augustino’s and Scooby’s.
A photograph by West Chicago resident Jim Plueddemann was featured in the Photo Finish photography contest in the Neighbor section of “Daily Herald.” It was a photo of the monastery in Meteora, Greece.
The official grand opening, plus the ribbon cutting, organized by the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce, took place Friday, May 19, 2017 at Thorntons, 1330 South Neltnor Boulevard. It is quite spacious inside with a large convenience store, plus what is called a grab-and-go section. In this section, cooks are in the “real kitchen” with persons cooking and making sandwiches, such as egg, cheese and sausage on a biscuit and hamburgers, and burritos for the breakfast, lunch and dinner patrons. There are gluten free choices. After the cooks wrap the sandwiches, they put them out on display. If, after an hour and a half, any remaining sandwiches are removed; the goal is to serve everything as fresh as possible. Hot dogs and bratwurst cook on the roller grill. Hot rolls are in a special drawer. There is a nice variety of toppings, tomato, onions, relish and pico de gallo-all which have been diced and cut in the kitchen. Again everything is fresh. The bakery goods are delivered fresh every morning from a bakery in Chicago; all the sweets are large, good for sharing. There is a soft ice cream machine to make your own cones. For coffee lovers, there are about seven different types. There are five cash registers, all manned during the busy times. Since Thorntons is open 24 hours, there are 14 team members. Several of the employees are from West Chicago. Oh, by the way, gasoline also is sold here. (www.merleburl.com)
My email address is merleburl@earthlink.net.