Sharing Southern Illinois flavor

During a holiday visit to Japan, local West Side Elementary second grade teacher Geneil Stearns presented a Christmas gift to one of her several hosts in that country.

She and her husband, Sam, are visiting their daughter, Sada Stearns, and son-in-law, David Gladish, who are both English teachers in Japan.

They have visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Little Amsterdam and various other points of interest on this holiday trip.

In Kagoshima, they stayed with family friend Ichiro Kamiya and his family. Stearns presented Kamiya and his dog, Pop, with a bottle of what she considers to be one of Southern Illinois' finest local products, Johnson's Barbeque Sauce. Stearns says the gift was very much appreciated by the Japanese.