Free Tax Preparation with Catholic Charities
2026-03-19, 2026-03-24
Print

History of the Heart Theatre - Presentation
2026-03-19
Print
In collaboration with the Effingham County Museum, board members from The Heart Theatre Inc. non-profit will present “The Heart of Effingham – Looking Back on the History of the Theatre” as part of their ongoing preservation and historical documentation efforts. The public is invited to gather on the second floor of the Effingham County Museum to learn more about the rich background of the only surviving Art Moderne/Art Deco style building in Effingham and how it became a part of our town’s shared story.
There will be artifacts from the theatre on display and we encourage all interested visitors to bring their stories, photos and any other memorabilia to share with the audience.
All attendees will have a chance to win an opportunity to have their name displayed on the Heart marquee.
The presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 19. Doors will open at 6pm.
Our presentation is graciously hosted by the Effingham County Cultural Center and Museum Association, Inc., an organization devoted to the preservation of the fascinating history of the county. The public is encouraged to attend to learn more about local history.
There is no admission charge.

Red Cross Blood Drives in March
2026-03-19, 2026-03-20, 2026-03-23
PrintAmerican Red Cross Blood Drives in March:
3/3, Tuesday, Teutopolis Banquet Hall, 12:30 PM – 6:00 PM
3/3, Tuesday, First Baptist Church, Casey, Noon – 6:00 PM
3/9, Monday, Clay City High School Gym, Clay City, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
3/9, Monday, Noble Lions Club Building, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
3/15, Sunday, St Joseph Stringtown Community Club, 7:00 AM – 11:30 AM
3/19, Thursday, First Baptist Church Shelbyville, Noon – 5:00 PM
3/20, Friday, Cornerstone Church, Effingham, 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM
3/23, Monday, Holy Cross Church of Wendelin, 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM
3/30, Monday, Effingham Event Center, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Give in March for a $15 Gift Card by email & successful donations get A1C testing! More info at: rcblood.org/March
To make an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or download the Red Cross Donor App.

The Spongebob Musical at Effingham High School
2026-03-19, 2026-03-20, 2026-03-21, 2026-03-22

Thursday's Schedule
2026-03-19
PrintHIGH SCHOOL
Baseball
Effingham at Triad Metro East Kickoff, 4:15 p.m.
Altamont at Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond, 4:30 p.m.
Olney at Cumberland, 4:30 p.m.
Newton at Mascoutah, 4 p.m.
Dieterich at Paris, 4:30 p.m.
Softball
Cumberland at St. Elmo/Brownstown, 4:30 p.m.
Dieterich at Odin, 4:30 p.m.
Newton at Vandalia, 4:30 p.m.
Neoga at Hutsonville, 4:30 p.m.
Wayne City at North Clay, 4:30 p.m.
Paris at Teutopolis, 4:30 p.m.
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg at Flora, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Tennis
Robinson at Newton, 4:30 p.m.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Baseball
Teutopolis at St. Anthony, 4:30 p.m.
Newton at Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, 4:30 p.m.
Softball
Paris at Teutopolis, JV innings
FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE
Baseball
Teutopolis at St. Anthony, 4:30 p.m.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
All Times CST
(8) Ohio State vs. (9) TCU, 11:15 a.m.
(4) Nebraska vs. (13) Troy, 11:40 a.m.
(6) Louisville vs. (11) South Florida, 12:30 p.m.
(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) High Point, 12:50 p.m.
(1) Duke vs. (16) Siena, 1:50 p.m.
(5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) McNeese, 2:15 p.m.
(3) Michigan State vs. (14) North Dakota State, 3:05 p.m.
(4) Arkansas vs. (13) Hawai’i, 3:25 p.m.
(6) North Carolina vs. (11) VCU, 5:50 p.m.
(1) Michigan vs. Howard, 6:10 p.m.
(6) BYU vs. Texas, 6:25 p.m.
(7) Saint Mary’s vs. (10) Texas A&M, 6:35 p.m.
(3) Illinois vs. (14) Penn, 8:25 p.m.
(8) Georgia vs. (9) Saint Louis, 8:45 p.m.
(3) Gonzaga vs. (14) Kennesaw State, 9 p.m.
(2) Houston vs. (15) Idaho, 9:10 p.m.
NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
(First Four)
(16) Southern U. vs. (16) Samford, 6 p.m.
(10) Virginia vs. (10) Arizona State, 8 p.m.

Interview Day Prep Workshop
2026-03-19
Print
Interviews don’t have to feel intimidating.
“How to Prep for the Perfect Interview” will help you prepare with confidence, answer tough questions, and present yourself professionally.
The Thursday, March 19 Workshop will be from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. and will be led by led by Shonna Kracinski, SHRM-SCP, from Midland States Bank.
You can join the session using the Zoom link in the QR Code above.
Meeting ID: 865 1207 9928
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Broadcast Communication Open House at Lake Land College
2026-03-20
PrintThe Lake Land College Broadcast Communication Department will host an open house on Friday, March 20, from noon – 2:00 p.m. The event will take place following Laker Visit Day, and lunch will be provided at noon.
The open house is an opportunity for prospective students to learn about Lake Land’s Broadcast Communication program. Attendees will get to ask questions, learn about career options in broadcast communication, meet with faculty and current students, enjoy hands-on activities with state-of-the-art audio and video equipment, and tour the College’s student-run FM radio station, WLKL 89.9, The Max Alternative.
Registration for the event is now open on the website: LakeLandCollege.edu/Visit.
“For anyone interested in a career in broadcast communication, this event is the perfect way to get an in-depth look into the field, but it also provides an opportunity for those looking to gain some multimedia skills,” said Greg Powers, Speech Communication/Broadcasting Instructor and Director of Broadcast Operations.
Students in the Lake Land Broadcast Communication program can earn an associate degree leading to either immediate employment or transfer to a four-year university. Students can also choose among three certificate programs.
The Broadcast Communication program includes a wide range of opportunities both on-screen and behind the camera. Students can gain experience broadcasting live on WLKL 89.9 The Max Alternative, anchoring a newscast, using equipment in the TV production control room and studio, creating a podcast, commentating on live sports events, using professional audio equipment, operating state-of-the-art camera and video equipment, and experimenting with industry-standard digital editing software.
For more information on the Broadcast Communication Open House or program, contact Powers at gpowers@lakelandcollege.edu or 217-234-5335.

Friday's Schedule
2026-03-20
PrintHIGH SCHOOL
Baseball
Effingham at Marion, 4:30 p.m.
Sullivan at Altamont HAS BEEN CANCELED
Hillsboro at Brownstown/St. Elmo, 4:30 p.m.
Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City at Newton, 4:30 p.m.
Cumberland at Shelbyville, 4:30 p.m.
Dieterich at Robinson, 4:30 p.m.
North Clay at Metro East Kickoff Classic vs. Pleasant Plains
Teutopolis vs Columbia at Metro Classic, O’Fallon Blazier Fiield,
Okaw Valley at Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, 4:30 p.m.
Softball
Central A&M at Altamont, 4:30 p.m.
Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City at Newton, 4:30 p.m.
Teutopolis at Dieterich, 4:30 p.m.
North Clay at Cumberland, 4:30 p.m.
Okaw Valley at South Central, 4:30 p.m.
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg at Sullivan, 4:30 p.m.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Softball
St. Anthony at Paris, 4:30 p.m.
Teutopolis at Dieterich, to follow varsity game
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Volleyball
Class 8-1A State Tournament
At Wenona Fieldcrest
Match 1 — Peoria St. Jude vs. LaSalle St. Acutis, 4:30 p.m.
Match 2 — Sigel St. Michael vs. Ottawa Marquette, 5:45 p.m.
Match 3 — Hartsburg-Emden vs. Carrollton St. John, 7 p.m.
Match 4 — Augusta Southeastern vs. Rantoul St. Malachy, 8:15 p.m.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Men’s NCAA Tournament
(First Round/Round of 64)
(7) Kentucky vs. (10) Santa Clara, 11:15 a.m.
(5) Texas Tech vs. (12) Akron, 11:40 a.m.
(1) Arizona vs. (16) Long Island University, 12:35 a.m.
(3) Virginia vs. (14) Wright State, 12:50 a.m.
(2) Iowa State vs. (15) Tennessee State, 1:50 p.m.
(4) Alabama vs. (13) Hofstra, 2:15 p.m.
(8) Villanova vs. (9) Utah State, 3:10 p.m.
(6) Tennessee vs. Miami of Ohio, 3:25 p.m.
(8) Clemson vs. (9) Iowa, 5:50 p.m.
(5) St. John’s vs. (12) UNI, 6:10 p.m.
(7) UCLA vs. (10) UCF, 6:25 p.m.
(2) Purdue vs. (15) Queens, 6:35 p.m.
(1) Florida vs. Prairie View A&M, 7:25 p.m.
(4) Kansas vs. (13) Cal Baptist, 8:45 p.m.
(2) UConn vs. (15) Furman, 9 p.m.
(7) Miami (Fla.) vs. (10) Missouri, 9:10 p.m.
Women’s NCAA Tournament
(3) Duke vs. (14) Col. of Charleston, 11:30 a.m.
(3) TCU vs. (14) UC San Diego, 12 p.m.
(8) Oregon vs. (9) Virginia Tech, 1:30 p.m.
6) Baylor vs. Nebraska, 2 p.m.
(6) Washington vs. (11) South Dakota State, 2:30 p.m.
(5) Maryland vs. (12) Murray Statem 3 p.m.
(5) Ole Miss vs. (12) Gonzaga, 3:30 p.m.
(1) Texas vs. Missouri State, 4 p.m.
(2) Michigan vs. (15) Holy Cross, 5:30 p.m.
(4) North Carolina vs. (13) Western Illinois, 5:30 p.m.
(2) LSU vs. (15) Jacksonville, 6 p.m.
(4) Minnesota vs. (13) Green Bay, 6 p.m.
(5) Michigan State vs. (12) Colorado State, 7:30 p.m.
(7) NC State vs. (10) Tennessee, 8 p.m.
(7) Texas Tech vs. (10) Villanova, 8:30 p.m.
(4) Oklahoma vs. (13) Idaho, 10 p.m.

Spring Into Downtown Effingham + CEO Pop-Up
2026-03-20, 2026-03-21

N.G. Cowen Scholarship for Trade/Vocational School
2026-03-20

A.Y.C.E. Fish Dinner in Edgewood
2026-03-20

Easter Egg Hunt and Soup Luncheon in Watson
2026-03-21

GloBingo to Benefit Central Illinois Truck Convoy
2026-03-21

Music Bingo for Catholic Charities
2026-03-21
Print
Benefitting the programs at Effingham Catholic Charities
Tickets:
$25 if purchased before March 20 at 4:30 PM (Online or at the office)
$30 if purchased at the door
Ways to purchase tickets:
– Online at cc.dio.org (click on Music Bingo in the banner)
– Stop by the office at Catholic Charities
– Purchase at the event
When purchased online – You will not receive a ticket, but your name will be added to the list of tickets purchased in advance
When purchased in the office – You will receive a paper ticket that you must bring to the event
Catholic Charities Info: 1502 East Fayette Avenue, Teutopolis, IL 62467, phone 217-857-1458
Office is open Monday – Friday, 8 :30 AM – 4 :30 PM

Dinner and Bingo Fundraiser for Discovery Christian School
2026-03-21

Meat Shoot at Edgewood Legion Lake
2026-03-21

Saturday's Schedule
2026-03-21
PrintHIGH SCHOOL
Baseball
St. Anthony at Metro East Kickoff, TBA
Carlyle at Altamont, 10 a.m.
Dieterich, Armstrong at Oblong Round Robin Tournament, TBA
Cerro Gordo/Bement at Neoga (DH), 10:a.m.
Newton in Metro East Kickoff Classic at Edwardsville, 10 a.m.
North Clay vs. LaSalle-Peru Christian School, vs. Bethalto Civic Memorial at Metro East Kickoff Classic, 12:15 p.m.
Softball
Carterville at Effingham (DH), 10 a.m.
St. Anthony at Casey-Westfield Round Robin, TBA
Dieterich at Arcola, DH, 10 a.m.
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg at Robinson, 11 a.m.
Boys Tennis
St. Anthony, Teutopolis at Triad Tennis Invitational, 9 a.m.
Boys Track
Effingham at Mount Zion Mini meet, 9 a.m.
Cumberland, Newton, St. Elmo/Brownstown, Teutopolis at Gene Armer Indoor Meet at University of Illinois, 11:30 a.m.
Girls Track
Effingham at Mount Zion Mini meet, 9 a.m.
North Clay at Urbana, 11 a.m.
Newton, St. Elmo/Brownstown, Teutopolis at Gene Armer Meet at University of Illinois, 11:30 a.m.
JUNIOR VARSITY
BASEBALL
St. Anthony at Breese Mater Dei, 11 a.m.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Volleyball
Class 8-1A State Tournament
At Wenona Fieldcrest
Match 5 — Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 11 a.m.
Match 6 — Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 12:15 p.m.
Match 7 — Loser Match 5 vs. Loser Match 6, 2 p.m. (third place)
Match 8 — Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6, 3:15 p.m. (championship)
COLLEGE
Men’s Basketball
NCAA Tournament
Second Round
Saint Louis vs. Michigan, 11:10 a.m.
Louisville vs. Michigan State, 1:45 p.m.
TCU vs. Duke, 4:15 p.m.
Texas A&M vs. Houston, 5:10 p.m.
Texas vs. Gonzaga, 6:10 p.m.
VCU vs. Illinois, 6:50 p.m.
Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska, 7:45 p.m.
High Point vs. Arkansas, 8:45 p.m.
Dayton vs. UNC Wilmington, 6 p.m.
Liberty vs. Nevada, 8 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
3) Ohio State vs. (14) Howard, 10:30 a.m.
(3) Louisville vs. (14) Vermont, 11 a.m.
(1) South Carolina vs. Southern, noon
(7) Georgia vs. Virginia, 12:30 p.m.
(6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Fairfield, 1 p.m.
(6) Alabama vs. (11) Rhode Island, 1:30 p.m.
(5) Kentucky vs. (12) James Madison, 1:30 p.m.
(1) UConn vs. (16) UTSA, 2 p.m.
(8) Clemson vs. (9) Southern California, 2:30 p.m.
(2) Iowa vs. (15) FDU, 3 p.m.
(4) West Virginia vs. (13) Miami (Ohio), 4 p.m.
(8) Iowa State vs. (9) Syracuse, 4:30 p.m.
(2) Vanderbilt vs. (15) High Point, 6 p.m.
(8) Oklahoma State vs. (9) Princeton, 6:30 p.m.
(7) Illinois vs. (10) Colorado, 8:30 p.m.
(1) UCLA vs. (16) California Baptist, 9 p.m.
NASCAR
Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway, 4 p.m.

Ham Bingo at Teutopolis
2026-03-22

ImpactLife Blood Drive at Sacred Heart Church
2026-03-22

Sunday's Schedule
2026-03-22
PrintCOLLEGE
MEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT
East Region
Illinois State at Wake Forest, 3:30 p.m.
Seattle at Auburn, 5:30 p.m.
UNLV at Tulsa, 6 p.m.
George Washington at New Mexico, 7 p.m.
Wichita State at Oklahoma State, 7:30 p.m.
Saint Joseph’s at California, 8 p.m.
West Region
TBD
WOMEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT
Wisconsin at Miami, 11 a.m.
Eastern Kentucky at Harvard, 1 p.m.
Columbia at North Dakota, 1 p.m.
McNeese at San Diego State, 4 p.m.
Quinnipiac at Stanford, 4 p.m.
Rice at Kansas, 5:30 p.m.
California at Rice, 6 p.m.
NASCAR
Goodyear 400, 1 p.m.

‘Unsinkable Freedom’ Movie at ALPLM
2026-03-23
Print
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum caps off its celebration of Black History Month by introducing a new short film recounting the exciting story of Robert Smalls, who used his wits and seamanship to lead 15 people on a daring escape from slavery.
“Unsinkable Freedom” begins running at the museum on February 27, a day after its world premiere at a special event. It will run every 15 minutes throughout the museum’s day for the next three months.
Smalls was an enslaved man in Charleston, SC, when the Civil War began. He was forced to work aboard the Confederate ship Planter in Charleston Harbor and nearby coastal waters. On May 12, 1862, Smalls and the other enslaved men were left aboard ship by white officers. Seizing the opportunity, they launched a long-simmering plan to sneak their families aboard and sail to freedom.
“Unsinkable Freedom” dramatizes that dangerous trip. The 11-minute film shows how Smalls got the families aboard, impersonated the ship’s captain, sailed past Confederate checkpoints and finally reached U.S. Navy ships and freedom.
“Very few stories can match the escape of Robert Smalls for both drama and inspiration,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “He risked everything to win freedom for his friends and loved ones. And after their escape, he served with the U.S. Navy and was later elected to Congress. We at the ALPLM are proud to tell part of his amazing story.”
“Unsinkable Freedom” was written and directed by Kameron Gates, an artist and animator based in Petersburg, Illinois. It stars ALPLM actor Reggie Guyton as Smalls.
The film was created using a hybrid of production techniques from animation, VFX and video games. It has a hyper-wide aspect ratio to take advantage of the three screens surrounding audiences in the museum’s Mr. Lincoln Theater. It also features 5.1 surround sound.
The actors’ faces and body performances were recorded using motion capture. Additional animation was created using classic keyframe techniques. The historic Charleston Harbor was built and rendered inside Unreal Engine a tool created for video games that has expanded into visual effects for TV and film.
The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and share with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.
For more information, visit www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov. You can follow the ALPLM on Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.

Monday's Schedule
2026-03-23
PrintHIGH SCHOOL
Baseball
Effingham at Newton, 4:30 p.m.
Richland County at St. Anthony, 4:30 p.m.
Brownstown/St. Elmo at Lebanon, 4:30 p.m.
Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City at Pana, 4:30 p.m.
Teutopolis at Cumberland, 4:30 p.m.
Shelbyville at Dieterich, 4:30 p.m.
North Clay at Neoga, 4:30 p.m.
South Central at Fairfield, 4:30 p.m.
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg at Sullivan, 4:30 p.m.
Softball
St. Anthony at Neoga, 4:30 p.m.
Fairfield at Altamont, 4:30 p.m.
Dieterich at St. Elmo/Brownstown, 4:30 p.m.
Cumberland at Robinson, 4:30 p.m.
Newton at Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond, 4:30 p.m.
Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran at North Clay, 4:30 p.m.
South Central at Mulberry Grove, 4:30 p.m.
Teutopolis at Salem, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Track
Patoka/South Central at Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City, 4 p.m.
Girls Track
Cumberland at Casey-Westfield, 4:15 p.m.
Patoka/South Central at Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City, 4 p.m.
JUNIOR VARSITY
BASEBALL
St. Anthony at Richland County, Olney, 4:30 p.m.
Newton at Shelbyville, 4:30 p.m.
Softball
Teutopolis at Salem, JV innings
COLLEGE
NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
No games scheduled
NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament
Missouri at BYU, 8 p.m.
Alabama at Louisville, 11 a.m.
Virginia at Iowa, 1 p.m.
Notre Dame at Ohio State, 3 p.m.
Kentucky at West Virginia, 4 p.m.
Syracuse at UConn, 5 p.m.
Illinois at Vanderbilt, 6 p.m.
USC at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
Oklahoma State at UCLA, 9 p.m.
UMBC at Marshall, 5 p.m.
Binghamton at La Salle, 5 p.m.
Loyola Chicago at Florida Gulf Coast, 6 p.m.
Monmouth at Cleveland State, 6 p.m.
George Washington at Southern Indiana, 6p.m.
St. Bonaventure at Middle Tennessee, 6:30 p.m.
Radford at Arkansas State, 7 p.m.

Cooking Across Continents Program
2026-03-24
Print
You can register for one session or any number of them. This program will run on the dates linked below:

September 30, 2025: go.illinois.edu/HomeSchoolCooking93025
October 28, 2025: go.illinois.edu/HomeSchoolCooking102825
January 27, 2026: go.illinois.edu/HomeSchoolCooking012725
February 24, 2026: go.illinois.edu/HomeSchoolCooking022426
March 24, 2026: go.illinois.edu/HomeSchoolCooking032826
April 28, 2026: go.illinois.edu/HomeSchoolCooking042826
May 19, 2026: go.illinois.edu/HomeSchoolCooking051926
