Melendez making return visit to St. Charles
Even when you've written literally thousands of stories in your career, a few always stand out - and you sense them well before your hands strike the computer keyboard.
I was fortunate last year to write a story about the motivating concert performed by Tony Melendez at the "Here I am Lord" conference at St. Patrick's Church on Crane Road in St. Charles.
Many excellent presentations and family entertainment options unfold at this conference, but the Melendez concert is something any person of faith would want to experience.
The conference, which helps young people learn about vocations, will be presented again March 6 to 8 at St. Patrick's, and Melendez will perform the evening of March 7 and a Spanish concert the afternoon of March 8.
Melendez was born without arms because his mother in Nicaragua was given thalidomide to calm her morning sickness during her pregnancy. His is an amazing story about overcoming this challenge to lead a normal life and learning to play the guitar with his feet. He performs concerts worldwide, singing of the strength of faith. His most famous moment came when Pope John Paul II kissed him after Melendez played his guitar for the visiting pope in Los Angeles.
Over in a flash: It was a lot like Christmas. You prepare for it for several weeks, and it is over in a flash. That sums up the four-month effort that everyone put into the "Dancing with the Geneva Stars" fundraiser held last Saturday.
Congratulations to Tom and Mary Rogers, who garnered the most donations through votes and captured the first-place trophies.
We had a blast participating and our thanks go out to the many volunteers, sponsors and State Street Dance Studio in making this happen.
Dollars for food: A dollar saved is a dollar earned, especially when eating at LeBerry Bistro at 227 S. Third St. in Geneva this month.
Owner Rich Huber is taking $1 off a diner's bill if they bring in a canned good for a food drive to aid local food pantries. You can get $3 off your bill by bringing three canned goods during lunch, brunch or dinner any day of the week.
To honor John: A video of the Geneva Vikings 2008 football state championship game against East St. Louis was hard to watch again because the hometown team lost.
It will be all the more difficult now for the family and friends of Geneva High School senior John McNeil, an offensive line hero on that team whose sudden and unexpected death last week shocked his school and community.
But that video and all of the other reminders of this young man's accomplishments should be cherished. It is in this way that he will never be forgotten.
Young people who were stars on the athletic field and in the classroom have earned the right to be honored and remembered in a public way if their maker calls on them at an early age.
And just like our sports heroes of yesteryear, we have John McNeil on video to remind us of what a special young man he was.