Evergreen Cemetery Comes Alive to feature new characters

<span>CHESTER -- There may be a couple new characters for this year's Evergreen Cemetery Comes Alive tour, scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 18 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.</span>

<span>Tentative new characters are Charles Cole of Cole Milling Company, Veronica and Daniel Lybarger, Jean-Baptiste Montreuil (Revolutionary War scout) and Bud Cohen. The new characters were announced during Wednesday's meeting of the Chester Tourism Commision.</span>

<span>"The Daughters of the American Revolution may get involved, but I'm not 100 percent sure of what capacity," said commission member Lauren Rinne, who is also the event's coordinator. "They could potentially volunteer as tour guides to take some of the burden off of us, which would be fantastic."</span>

<span>Now in its second year, the event will also include returning characters Col. Richard B. Servant (Chester's first mayor), Jane Thomas Smith (woman who named Chester), William B. Allen (Civil War soldier), Rev. Nathaniel Cleveland (Methodist circuit rider), William Hartzell (U.S. Congressman), Rev. Sigmund Butterman (first pastor of St. John), Shadrach Bond (first governor of Illinois), Elias Kent Kane (Illinois' first secretary of state), J. William "Wimpy" Schuchert (model for Popeye character "Wimpy"), Dora "Olive" Paskel (model for Olive Oyl) and commission Chairwoman Sandra Starr will again portray her grandmother, Luella McBride.</span>

<span>"We will allow people to purchase memorial signs at the front of the cemetery so people can read them," said Rinne, adding that balloons will be attached to grave markers to indicate the corresponding memorial.</span>

<span>Rinne said organizers are trying to maintain roughly the same number of characters - the 2014 version had 13 - to keep the length of the tour to one hour.</span>

<span>The last tour will leave at 5 p.m. The commission discussed including lanterns with the actors during that tour for added effect.</span>

<span>The commission also discussed the proposed "Wine Down" event at Benson's Wine Bar that was tentatively scheduled for the Sunday of Popeye Picnic weekend.</span>

<span>"We're concerned that this won't happen on time," Starr said.</span>

<span>The commission stated that there were "so many unanswered questions" in regard to the event that it was best to regroup and focus on doing something around the holidays.</span>

<span>"We don't want to do something and fail," said commission member Linda Sympson. "Better safe than sorry and we feel it is best to regroup."</span>

<span>After a brief discussion of the riverboat tours, during which Chester Recreation Director Patti Carter said the American Queen has slightly changed its tours in that all of riverboat's associated buses will be going to Ste. Genevieve at the end of their Chester tour, the commission moved on to the Christmas Walk.</span>

<span>Carter said talks are in progress in moving the event to Cole Memorial Park, where a Santa's cottage could be built. A possible collaboration with the Chester Beautification Commission and the Tourism Commission was also mentioned.</span>

<span>"We're kinda working on if there's electric out there," said Carter, who later added organizers are asking people to sponsor lighted displays.</span>

<span> Carter said the event's parade, which was canceled last year due to weather, is being moved to Saturday evening.</span>

<span>The next meeting of the Chester Tourism Commission is scheduled for Aug. 19 at 10:30 a.m. at Chester City Hall. It is open to the public.</span>

Roundup

<span>Sympson said Team Red, White and Blue's Old Glory Coast-to-Coast Relay, an Olympic Torch-style relay in carrying the American flag from coast to coast, will return to Chester this fall.</span>

<span>"We're going to try and make it a big event," Sympson said.</span>

<span>The date of the Chester leg of the relay is Oct. 24. The relay covers 3,800 miles in 60 days starting on Sept. 11 and ending on Nov. 18.</span>

<span>Commission member Norma Baughman said Prairie du Rocher is starting preparations for its 300th anniversary in 2022. A meeting will be held on Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. at Lisa's to discuss the topic.</span>

<span>Starr reported that renovations are continuing at the Stone Cottage. Larry Smith, of the Carpenter Shop, has completed the transoms for the right side room doors and double-tempered glass has been installed in the front door.</span>

<span> </span>