“Captain Sully” headlines 2016 Red Cross Evening of Stars event

Evening of Stars event co-chairs Steve and Christel Denault announce next year's headliner, Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. (Joe Ragusa/WJBC)
Evening of Stars event co-chairs Steve and Christel Denault announce next year’s headliner, Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. (Joe Ragusa/WJBC)

By Joe Ragusa

BLOOMINGTON – Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger will be next year’s American Red Cross Evening of Stars headliner.

Sullenberger saved the lives of 155 people when he guided his airplane into an emergency water landing in New York’s Hudson River in January 2009.

“His story is really inspirational. It’s motivational. It’s a story of hope and perseverance and really giving back to the community,” Evening of Stars co-chair Steve Denault said. “It fits very well with our personal lives and it fits very well with the service-hood mission of the Red Cross: helping people in their time of need.”

The event is April 21 at the Marriott in Uptown Normal. Tickets cost $150 and can be purchased by calling 309-662-0500 or by going to redcross.org/il/bloomington.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…