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Tuesday, August 4, 2015
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Just in case ... Safety first when sending your children back to school By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Before we know it, the bell will be ringing, and class will be back in session. As parents prepare to send their children back to school or college, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies throughout Illinois are encouraging parents to include emergency preparedness in their back-toschool plans. It’s always a good idea to sit down with students and go over some of the simple safety precautions as they head back. Jim Hermes, superintendent of Spring Valley Elemen-
tary School District, said it’s best for parents to bring their students to the school to get familiar with the hallways and classrooms before school is back in session. He highly recommends it especially to families who are new to the district. Also, if students will be walking to school, Hermes said it’s best to walk the route with the students before they head to school to ensure they know the path, and it’s the safest way. Hermes said parents may even what to check bus stops with their students and have a talk with them about safety when they are out waiting for the bus. With school drills for fire, tornadoes, lock downs and
Emergency Page 4
Back-to-school planning tips • Know your child’s school or day care emergency plan. • Find out where children will be taken in the event of an evacuation during school hours. • Ensure your current emergency contact information is on file at your child’s school. • Pre-authorize a friend or relative to pick up your children in an emergency, and make sure the school knows who that designated person will be. • Teach children with cell phones about ‘“ext First, Talk Later.” Short, simple text messages, such as “R U OK?” and “I’m OK,” are more likely to get through than a phone call if phone service is disrupted following an emergency. As phone congestion eases, you can follow up with a phone call to relay more information.
Being a good buddy Buddy Bags fundraiser is Saturday By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Princeton Buddy Bags will be host its second annual drawdown event on Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Princeton Elks Lodge. There will be a dinner, a silent auction, several door prizes and music by the Generics. Tickets are $40 a couple and can be purchased at the door. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. The dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. with the drawdown to follow. This is Princeton Buddy
Bags main fundraiser to help feed hungry students throughout this next school year. The Buddy Bags program provides students with meals and snacks which may not be available to them during days they are not in school. Last year’s drawdown raised $5,000, and this year, the Princeton Buddy Bags volunteers are hoping to exceed that amount. During last school year, Princeton Buddy Bags spent $18,000 to serve 110 Princeton students. The program serves stu-
Buddy Page 4
‘I’m happy to share my story’ Abbie Cochran is keynote speaker for this year’s Bureau County Relay for Life By Terri Simon tsimon@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Jan. 9, 2014 ... It was a day that will forever live in the mind of Princeton resident Abbie Cochran. That was the day the then 31-year-old mother of two small children was diagnosed with Stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma ... plain and simple, breast cancer. “I won’t forget that day. There are certain dates that are ingrained,” Cochran said, adding she found a lump under her arm while shaving.
BCR photo//Dave Cook
Abbie Cochran “I wasn’t doing a self exam, I was actually shav-
Cochran Page 4
All hail to the Bureau County Fair Queen! The 2015 Miss Bureau County Fair Queen was crowned at Bureau Valley High School on Aug. 2. Grayse Cook (from left), 20, of Princeton, was awarded first runner-up; Megan Foes, 19, of Mineral, was named People’s Choice and crowned 2015 Miss Bureau County Fair Queen; and Morgan Knoblauch, 19, of Oglesby was named second runner-up. Not pictured are Emma Bryson, Miss Photogenic and Kayli Witzleb, Miss Congeniality.
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