JCHS holds Chocolate Fest as fundraiser

Chocolate in all its glorious forms is the centerpiece of the Jefferson County Historical Society's newest fundraiser.

Brownies, cake, candy, cookies, pie and other confections will be judged and sampled at the first JCHS Chocolate Festival Dec. 8 at the Mt. Vernon Elks Lodge.

The day will begin with a check-in for registered entries from 7 to 9 a.m. for judging from 9:30 to 10:45. Chocolate recipes submitted before Dec. 1 will be considered for each of the six categories and a $250 overall grand prize.

Winners will be announced at 11, after which attendees will be able to pay $5 and sample as many as desserts as they wish.

"Hopefully this will make money for the historical village so we can keep doing high quality programs," she said.

"I think it's going to be a fun event to be with people in the holiday spirit," she said. "Who doesn't love chocolate?"

For more information or to enter a recipe in the festival, contact Jamie Wheeler of the Jefferson County Historical Society at 246-0033, www.jchs.mvn.net or 1411 N. 27th St. Entry forms are also available at City Hall, the Mt. Vernon Tourism Department and www.mtvernon.com.     http://goo.gl/NyWW8

UMCH to offer new service

 A new service and an expanded one at a new location are broadening the reach of United Methodist Children's Home this fall.

"(Helping Hands) Home Improvement is an opportunity for our YouthBuild graduates while they're looking for full-time employment to continue to hone their skills and earn some income," said Kay Zibby, vice president of operations for UMCH. "I think of it as a bridge for these young adults in the community."

Residents of Jefferson and surrounding counties can now hire Helping Hands employees, usually former YouthBuild members, for construction projects of all kinds. Zibby said the service has, since its formation in late summer, helped construct an office building in Pinckneyville, built several garage additions and repaired a roof in Centralia.

"We've been doing some of this all along. It's really a formalizing of what's come out of YouthBuild," she said. "There are a lot of projects in the works."

Zibby said residents who hire Helping Hands will get a free estimate, fair price and quality work as well as helping troubled young adults, many of whom have families to support.

Zibby said no specific expansions of Community Connections have been finalized for the new location, the seventh opened by UMCH, but the extra breathing room could lead to big things.

"It gives our therapists a better environment to give this service to the community," she said. "We'll be able to expand similar types of services."   http://goo.gl/TF2ZE