A new opportunity for youth leadership, learning, and outdoor fun has arrived in Delavan with the launch of Cub Scout Pack 61, now open to boys and girls in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Organizers say the new pack is built around the core values that have long defined Cub Scouting: adventure, character-building, hands on learning, and community service. Families can expect a wide range of activities, from camping and hiking to STEM projects, teamwork challenges, and service projects that help young Scouts connect with their community.

“Cub Scouts is all about fun, adventure, and building character,” the group shared in its announcement. “There’s something for every child to enjoy while learning valuable life skills.”

Pack 61 is currently welcoming new members as it begins its first year. Families interested in joining or learning more can reach the organizers by email at delavancubscouts@gmail.com or by sending a message through the pack’s social media page. Those ready to sign up can scan the QR code on the pack’s flyer to complete the application.

Leaders say they’re excited to see the pack grow and become part of Delavan’s strong tradition of youth programs.

“Let’s make memories, learn new skills, and grow together as a Pack,” the announcement reads.

The Delavan Dispatch will share updates as Pack 61 begins its activities and community involvement in the months ahead.

The Delavan CroKnits gathered this week at the Delavan Historical Society, ready to pick up their yarn and hooks for another year of community service. The volunteer group, known for its generosity and steady craftsmanship, had an impressive 2025: members created and donated 1,133 hats, 24 lap robes, 328 scarves, and 62 headbands—a remarkable 1,549 handmade items shared with those in need all over the Central Illinois region.

The CroKnits meet on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 10:00 a.m., weather permitting. Their mission is simple and heartfelt: keep creating, keep giving, and keep supporting neighbors near and far. With momentum from last year’s accomplishments, the group is already aiming to give away even more in the year ahead.

All of the CroKnits’ projects are made using donated yarn, and the group welcomes both new members and material contributions. Anyone interested in joining the effort or learning more is encouraged to contact the CroKnits organizer, Mary Ruth Lowry, at 309‑840‑1317.

The CroKnits continue to embody the spirit of Delavan—quiet dedication, community pride, and the belief that small acts of kindness can warm a whole town.

Delavan-area residents who qualify for Illinois’ Benefit Access Program can now begin preparing their 2026 applications, which provide a reduced cost license plate sticker and, for those living in communities with public transit, a Ride Free Transit Card.

The program allows eligible residents to purchase one vehicle’s license plate sticker for $10. Those who applied and were approved in 2024 should note that their approval covered 2024 and 2025 only. Renewal is required this year, and returning applicants must reapply within 90 days before the expiration date printed on their 2024 certificate.

Who Qualifies

New and returning applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be an Illinois resident
• Be 65 or older, or 16 or older with a qualifying disability
• Meet the income limits below: 
• $33,562 for a one person household
• $44,533 for a two person household
• $55,500 for a three person household

Local Assistance Available

To help residents navigate the application process, Mel Clauser, a volunteer with the Central Illinois Agency on Aging, will offer in person assistance at The Glenn Allen and Robert Culbertson, Jr. Community Hub, located at 212 Locust St., just south of Ayer Public Library.

Clauser will be available Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., by appointment only, beginning January 27.

Appointments may be scheduled by calling Ayer Public Library at 309-244-8236.

What to Bring

Applicants should bring documentation for themselves, their spouse, and any Qualified Additional Resident, including:

• Social Security number
• Birth date
• Current residential address
• Proof of disability (if applicable)
• 2024 federal income tax return, if filed
• All 2024 1099s and W 2s

Applications submitted before April 15, 2026, must use 2024 income information. Applications filed after April 15 must use 2025 income data.

This assistance is offered at no charge.

A flavorful new partnership is rising in Delavan next week. Beginning Monday, January 12, The Farmhouse will debut a collaboration with local baker Reka Brooks of Little Piggy Bakery, bringing her fresh baked sourdough bread to the restaurant’s popular lunch specials.

The Farmhouse announced the news with unmistakable enthusiasm, calling the bread “absolutely phenomenal” and encouraging diners not to miss the new addition. The partnership blends two well loved local businesses — The Farmhouse, known for its homestyle meals and community centered atmosphere, and Little Piggy Bakery, celebrated for artisan breads and small batch baked goods.

Brooks, who operates Little Piggy Bakery, has built a loyal following for her naturally leavened sourdough, crafted through a slow fermentation process that develops deep flavor and a signature crust. For The Farmhouse, incorporating her bread into rotating lunch specials offers a chance to elevate familiar favorites while supporting a local maker.

Restaurant staff say the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to quality and community. “This is such an awesome opportunity for our community,” the announcement read, noting that the partnership highlights the strength of Delavan’s small business network.

Diners can expect the sourdough to appear in a variety of lunch offerings, from sandwiches to seasonal features, with fresh loaves delivered daily.

With two hometown businesses joining forces, Monday’s launch promises to bring something special to the table — and early reactions suggest it’s something residents won’t want to miss.

Cheryl Lynn Schmidgall, 78, passed away peacefully in her family’s arms on January 04, 2026 after a courageous battle with a lung disease. 

Cheryl was born September 30,1947 to Dominic and Edith Perfetti.  Many of her childhood years were spent working with her parents and brother Jim at their family store in Green Valley, IL. 

She graduated high school in 1965 and went on to graduate from Methodist School of Nursing and had over 30 years as a Registered Nurse.  A significant portion of those years were spent in the ICU taking care of patients with the most loving care. 

She met her husband, David William Schmidgall while “cruising” with friends after a High School basketball game against Delavan.  They were married June 28, 1969 and haven’t left each other’s side in 56 years.

Cheryl is survived by her husband, David Schmidgall, her two children, Jeff (Libby) Schmidgall, Stacie Pleasants, and four grandchildren, Gabriel & Michael Pleasants, and Ryan & Emily Schmidgall.

Her passion for her grandchildren and the care she gave them every day of her life was unmatched and very evident as they all were by her side to the end.  She is also leaving behind her precious kitty, Chungus who loved to lay with her because of how spoiled he was by her. 

Cheryl was greeted in heaven by her parents, Dominic and Edith Perfetti, her brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Gloria Perfetti, and countless others that she loved.

Cheryl had a passion for creating the most beautiful quilts and would enjoy being able to give these works of art to her family and friends.  She enjoyed many trips with her quilting friends on quilting retreats and would always come back energized and ready for the next project.  She hosted many Christmas Craft shows with her friends and sister-in-law, Gloria and would spend countless hours preparing.  She was also the most wonderful cook. You could feel the love in each dish she prepared. We’d always try to replicate but never could.  It just didn’t taste the same as when mom made it.  Cheryl leaves behind so much love that will live on through all of our lives.  What a privilege it was to be loved and cared for by her. 

A private memorial service to honor Cheryl’s life and legacy will be held at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to TAPS No-kill Animal Shelter and St. Jude, a cause Cheryl held close to her heart. Her love and compassion for children and families going through difficult times, was something she was passionate about. 

You can’t grow up in Delavan without knowing that Abraham Lincoln visited the town in 1841, but what about the rest of the town’s history? Dive into Delavan’s days of yore here in Hometown History.

This town has more than just a presidential visit, many notable people were born right here. These people went on to shape art, serve under a future president,, and further scientific understandings. The first of which this column will explore is Harriet Baldwin Creighton.

Born on June 27, 1909 in Delavan, Illinois, was botanist and cytogeneticist Harriet Baldwin Creighton. At the age of 22, she alongside Barbara McClintock would go on to run an experiment and publish a scientific paper that confirmed “the mechanism by which X and Y chromosomes exchange genetic information during the formation of egg and sperm cells.” Have you noticed that you have the same eyes as your grandma, or that your baby has their dad’s nose? Before the work of Creighton and McClintock there was no known reason as to how that happened.

With what’s gone on to be described as a landmark experiment and paper, these two extraordinarily brilliant women examined maize (corn) chromosomes under a microscope. They began crossing these chromosomes and recognizing the traits that were present as they implemented specific sections of the chromosome. Throughout their experiment they were able to conclude that our chromosomes contain genes, “leading to today’s recognition that the genome is a graspable entity.” They also proved that genes were parts that were able to be studied individually away from the chromosome as a whole.

Later within the same year their experiment was replicated by a third party, solidifying the results. Creighton and McClintock built upon the knowledge from Mendel and his pea plants which proved the groundwork for knowing that a living entity must inherit its essence from its parent entity. It went further in showing genes are physical things which are responsible or this rather than just the chromosomes as a whole. Their work is the foundation to so many things we experience in everyday life.

They may have even touched your family. Because of the work of Creighton and McClintock things such as IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) can exist making it possible for so many families to have children who struggled with it before. They showed the world how physical traits are observable and how those traits can be crossed. Their work was fundamental in understanding life. Because of them, scientists are able to gene edit which directly affects the quality of the food on your table.

Harriet Baldwin Creighton went on to become the president of the Botanical Society of America in 1956, a position she held for a year. Though she went a long ways from Delavan, it’s undeniable that she is a town legend and hero.

Creighton and McClintock laid the framework for so much, we learn about these biological facts of life primarily between 5th and 9th grade and while Mendel’s experiment is highlighted multiple times throughout those years, the history and science textbooks seem to have forgotten about this Delavan woman and her lab partner. These scientists were ahead of their time and for that they’ve gone unappreciated. Show some love and gratitude to these transformative geneticists and their discovery of “Jumping Genes” today with Hometown History!

The Delavan City Council voted unanimously at its most recent meeting to adopt the Economic Development Strategic Action Plan, a five year roadmap prepared by Hometown Consulting to guide the city’s growth, business recruitment, and downtown revitalization efforts.

Hometown Consulting was hired by the city earlier this year to develop and implement a comprehensive economic development strategy. The firm’s vice president, Matt Fick—who previously served as Delavan’s City Administrator—presented the plan to the council. Fick’s familiarity with Delavan’s operations, priorities, and recent progress was repeatedly noted as a strength during the discussion.

The plan outlines several major goals aimed at positioning Delavan for long term success. Among its top priorities:

Strengthening Delavan’s regional competitiveness to attract employers, new businesses, and development related grants.

Revitalizing the downtown district, with a focus on transforming Locust Street into a vibrant hub of culture, commerce, and community activity.

Filling critical gaps in the local marketplace, including targeted recruitment of a small format grocery operator and expanded pharmacy or health service options.

Alderman Douglas Bury, representing the 3rd Ward, praised both the plan and Fick’s continued impact on the community. “Much of what has already been accomplished in the renewal of downtown can be attributed to Matt Fick,” Bury said, noting that Fick’s institutional knowledge and prior leadership helped lay the groundwork for Delavan’s recent momentum.

Alderman Linda Slabaugh, also of the 3rd Ward, expressed one point of disagreement with the plan’s assessment that Delavan could not attract interest from national chain brands due to its size. Slabaugh said she believes the city’s size need not be a limiting factor. Even so, she voiced strong overall support for the plan’s objectives and direction.

With the council’s approval, Hometown Consulting will begin moving the plan into its implementation phase. City officials emphasized that the strategy is designed to be both actionable and adaptable, allowing Delavan to respond to opportunities as they arise over the next five years.

The plan is expected to guide policy decisions, grant applications, business recruitment efforts, and downtown development initiatives beginning in early 2026.

 The Delavan community gathered on December 20, 2025, to celebrate the remarkable career and enduring influence of longtime educator and coach John T. Wiser, who was formally inducted into the Delavan Wall of Fame during a special ceremony at Poppenga Gym. The recognition took place at halftime of the varsity basketball game, drawing friends, family, former athletes, colleagues, and community members eager to honor Wiser’s decades of service.

Wiser devoted more than 40 years to the Delavan school district, serving as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and school bus driver. He began his career in 1973 and retired from teaching in 2006, yet continued driving a school bus until the fall of 2025. Known for his energy, integrity, and unwavering commitment to students, Wiser left a profound impact both in the classroom and in athletics.

Reflecting on those early years, his wife Norma Wiser described the experience as nothing short of magical. “It was Camelot, such a great experience for two people in their twenties,” she said. “The school and the parents were all so supportive.”

When Wiser was first hired to launch the wrestling program in 1973, the idea was met with a mix of curiosity and cautious optimism. During the school board meeting that approved his hiring, one board member remarked that the program would be “nice for kids who can’t play basketball.” Wiser laughed as he recalled that moment—and smiled even wider remembering what it felt like to walk back into that same boardroom just four years later carrying a state trophy.

Under his leadership, the Panthers quickly became a force in Central Illinois, highlighted by an extraordinary streak of 47 consecutive dual wins from 1975 to 1978. Over his coaching career, Wiser amassed a record of 181-52-3, guiding 16 state qualifiers, eight state place winners, and one state champion—Guy Allen during the 1976–77 season.

Allen, who attended the celebration, shared one of the stories that has lived on in Panther wrestling lore. After Allen won a tournament early in his career, his father, Ralph Allen, made good on a friendly bet by buying Coach Wiser a purple cowboy hat—a bold, unforgettable accessory that quickly became part of Wiser’s legend. The hat made a triumphant return at the post-induction celebration at the Farmhouse, where it was proudly displayed for guests to enjoy.

Wiser’s commitment to the sport extended beyond his athletes and into his own family. His son, Travis Wiser, shared an emotional memory from his senior year at Delavan, a season that began without a wrestling coach. At a moment when John Wiser was advancing steadily as a respected official, he chose to pause that progress and return to the mat—this time to coach his own son. Travis recalled a tournament where he won a match neither he nor his father expected. After the final whistle, Coach Wiser looked at him with unmistakable pride and said, “This moment made it all worth it.”

The celebration also brought together a wide circle of former wrestlers and wrestling cheerleaders from Wiser’s heyday—many of whom are now grandparents. They filled both the induction ceremony and the gathering at the Farmhouse, swapping stories, sharing laughs, and reflecting on the years when Delavan wrestling was a powerhouse built on Wiser’s energy and belief in his athletes.

Wiser’s achievements earned him the title of Central Illinois Class A Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1977, but his influence extended far beyond Delavan. As a certified official for both the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA), he spent 22 years officiating wrestling meets across the state, including numerous state finals. His professionalism and deep knowledge of the sport earned him a nomination for IWCOA Official of the Year in 2003. In 2004, he was inducted into the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (IWCOA) Hall of Fame, recognizing his outstanding contributions to Illinois wrestling.

Following the induction ceremony, community members joined Wiser and his family for a post-event celebration at the Farmhouse Banquet and Event Center on East 5th Street. Guests shared stories, photos, and memories, reflecting on the many lives Wiser has shaped throughout his career.

The Delavan community proudly celebrates John T. Wiser for his decades of service, his leadership in education and athletics, and the enduring legacy he leaves with generations of students and athletes.

Long before modern innovators promised to rewrite the rules of industry, Delavan had its own visionary who dared to chase the impossible. Dexter Davis Hardy—born in 1834 in Providence, Rhode Island, and later a resident of Delavan—stands as one of the most intriguing figures in the city’s inventive past.

Hardy organized the Delavan Orbit Engine Manufacturing Company, a bold venture that set its sights on one of engineering’s most elusive ambitions: perpetual motion. As recorded in the Delavan Centennial, prepared by the Federal Writers’ Project, the company succeeded in building a single prototype. “Perpetual motion, long a dream of inventors, was sought by the Delavan Orbit Engine Manufacturing Company, organized by Dexter Davis Hardy. One engine was completed. On tests at the factory it is thought to have functioned, but when installed at the Hawley Coal Mine, south of Pekin, it failed to pull a load.”

The engine’s performance may not have transformed the coal industry, but Hardy’s effort reflected something deeper—a restless creativity that has defined Delavan since its earliest days. Even after the Orbit Engine’s shortcomings, Hardy did not abandon invention. Instead, he continued refining mechanical ideas, eventually partnering with Augustine West to secure U.S. Patent No. 126,203 in November 1876 for an improvement in rotary engines. It was a significant step forward for a man who refused to let one setback define his career.

Hardy died in Chicago in 1901, but his legacy remains woven into Delavan’s story. His work—ambitious, unconventional, and ahead of its time—embodies the spirit of a community that has always valued imagination as much as practicality.

From early agricultural innovations to the civic leadership that built schools, businesses, and cultural institutions, Delavan has long been a place where big ideas take root. Hardy’s pursuit of perpetual motion, and his later success in securing a federal patent, remind us that progress often begins with a willingness to try something no one else has dared.

Today, as Delavan continues shaping its future, the tale of the Orbit Engine stands as more than a historical curiosity. It is a testament to the courage of local dreamers—and a reminder that even when an invention fails to pull a load, it can still pull a community forward.