There’s lots of great things about Galesburg, IL, which has been a progressive ‘village’ since its inception; founded by high-minded abolitionist-folks from out East, who came to found & build Knox College. Galesburg grew to be a city, as it was always envisioned to be. I grew up in Galesburg, attended schools, worked here most of my life, raised my daughter & son here, graduated from Carl Sandburg College, then from WIU. Galesburg is building a grand, new library, which we ‘Galesburgians’ can hardly wait to visit. Our municipality operates under the Council-Manager form of govt, which has worked fairly well since the 1950s. The City Council consists of seven council members, elected by ward; our Mayor is elected by City resident voters. We currently have a wonderful, educated, progressive Mayor, Peter Schwartzman, who is committed to keeping residents informed, and urging their involvement in the affairs that affect ‘Our Town’. Everyone should educate themselves on what’s happening in the City, State, Country they reside in, and be involved; apathy & duplicity only helps those who want to operate in the shadows.
Galesburg has a wide range of social services for people in need, such as: Public Aid & DCFS: Dept. of Children & Family Services. Bridgeway Inc. has services for mental & behavioral health, for developmental & intellectual disabilities, and vocational training services for them; Community Day Services for Adults with such disabilities; DUI Assessment; and Psychiatry, Nursing & Medication management. Galesburg has Residential Care Home facilities for elderly, & several Group Homes for those with disabilities. There’s FISH food pantry. Besides an Amtrak Depot, we have the Galesburg Downtown Depot, located at 120 E. Main St, no ID needed, no questions asked, free food pantry, as well as donated clothing & hygiene goods, run by caring volunteers. We have a General Assistance Office; LIHEAP, utility assistance services for low-income folks, HUD, for low-income housing, and Knox County Health Dept. Google: City of Galesburg, Community Services to find more information.
In spite of all these kinds of services, it’s sad that Galesburg also has a growing population of homeless folks, many of which have mental-emotional difficulties, and some suffer from drug addiction; most are unemployable. They have fallen through the cracks. Many of us wish a larger-ranging plan could be implemented to help these people; though the City does have winter plans for overnight heating-centers for the homeless. The Rescue Mission serves some homeless.
Galesburg’s population: around 30,000, is comprised of around 75% White people, 13.5% Blacks, 4% Hispanic, the remainder: ‘Other’. One thing I didn’t know as I was growing up here, was how segregated ‘Our Town’ was; the schools weren’t segregated, but some places were, such as some businesses, and public places like Lake Storey. I didn’t know until I was an adult that there had been a section “For Blacks” across the lake. I never even thought about why Blacks didn’t swim at Lake Storey; like most of us don’t think much, if at all, about where minorities congregate. Out of sight, out of mind; I didn’t think about people I hardly ever saw. I’m European enough to pass for ‘White’. There are probably many Galesburg residents, who aren’t aware that we have a growing population of Congo people, resident in Galesburg. Where do they live, work & worship? There are over 50 listings for churches, synagogues & worship centers in Galesburg; that’s amazing! I visited a church recently in Galesburg, other than my own, to hear a talk hosted by First Lutheran Church. Rev. Kenneth W. Wheeler, author of “US, The Resurrection of American Terror”, awakens us with his memoir to the truth about the impact of the disease of white-supremacy; the structures & systems which closes minorities out of the opportunities open for Whites. On Amazon, Kindle, you can get a free sample, a few chapters of a book; get this one!
All humanity needs to learn to accept each other; to stop warring; to care for & love one another, as Jesus commanded us to do. Jesus said, “If you love me, love one another”. White-supremacy is a personal affront to Jesus, who didn’t mean to just love those of our own ‘race’, our own nation. It’s also a democracy-killer! We all want to be protected from violence, and ugliness; WE CAN halt hatred & discrimination. WE are called to this NOW! How do we get to know others? We must first mingle with them, be open to accepting them. Know that our Creator created them also, in His image and likeness.
“In Christ there is no east nor west, In Him no south or north, but One great fellowship of love, throughout the whole wide earth. Join hands then, brothers of the faith, Whate’er your race may be. Who serves my Father as a son, Is surely kin to me.” Lyrics of a hymn written in 1908 by John Oxenham (pen name: William Arthur Dunkerley).
Trish Forsyth Voss
Oct 1 2023
Praying to the same God
There’s lots of great things about Galesburg, IL, which has been a progressive ‘village’ since its inception; founded by high-minded abolitionist-folks from out East, who came to found & build Knox College. Galesburg grew to be a city, as it was always envisioned to be. I grew up in Galesburg, attended schools, worked here most of my life, raised my daughter & son here, graduated from Carl Sandburg College, then from WIU. Galesburg is building a grand, new library, which we ‘Galesburgians’ can hardly wait to visit. Our municipality operates under the Council-Manager form of govt, which has worked fairly well since the 1950s. The City Council consists of seven council members, elected by ward; our Mayor is elected by City resident voters. We currently have a wonderful, educated, progressive Mayor, Peter Schwartzman, who is committed to keeping residents informed, and urging their involvement in the affairs that affect ‘Our Town’. Everyone should educate themselves on what’s happening in the City, State, Country they reside in, and be involved; apathy & duplicity only helps those who want to operate in the shadows.
Galesburg has a wide range of social services for people in need, such as: Public Aid & DCFS: Dept. of Children & Family Services. Bridgeway Inc. has services for mental & behavioral health, for developmental & intellectual disabilities, and vocational training services for them; Community Day Services for Adults with such disabilities; DUI Assessment; and Psychiatry, Nursing & Medication management. Galesburg has Residential Care Home facilities for elderly, & several Group Homes for those with disabilities. There’s FISH food pantry. Besides an Amtrak Depot, we have the Galesburg Downtown Depot, located at 120 E. Main St, no ID needed, no questions asked, free food pantry, as well as donated clothing & hygiene goods, run by caring volunteers. We have a General Assistance Office; LIHEAP, utility assistance services for low-income folks, HUD, for low-income housing, and Knox County Health Dept. Google: City of Galesburg, Community Services to find more information.
In spite of all these kinds of services, it’s sad that Galesburg also has a growing population of homeless folks, many of which have mental-emotional difficulties, and some suffer from drug addiction; most are unemployable. They have fallen through the cracks. Many of us wish a larger-ranging plan could be implemented to help these people; though the City does have winter plans for overnight heating-centers for the homeless. The Rescue Mission serves some homeless.
Galesburg’s population: around 30,000, is comprised of around 75% White people, 13.5% Blacks, 4% Hispanic, the remainder: ‘Other’. One thing I didn’t know as I was growing up here, was how segregated ‘Our Town’ was; the schools weren’t segregated, but some places were, such as some businesses, and public places like Lake Storey. I didn’t know until I was an adult that there had been a section “For Blacks” across the lake. I never even thought about why Blacks didn’t swim at Lake Storey; like most of us don’t think much, if at all, about where minorities congregate. Out of sight, out of mind; I didn’t think about people I hardly ever saw. I’m European enough to pass for ‘White’. There are probably many Galesburg residents, who aren’t aware that we have a growing population of Congo people, resident in Galesburg. Where do they live, work & worship? There are over 50 listings for churches, synagogues & worship centers in Galesburg; that’s amazing! I visited a church recently in Galesburg, other than my own, to hear a talk hosted by First Lutheran Church. Rev. Kenneth W. Wheeler, author of “US, The Resurrection of American Terror”, awakens us with his memoir to the truth about the impact of the disease of white-supremacy; the structures & systems which closes minorities out of the opportunities open for Whites. On Amazon, Kindle, you can get a free sample, a few chapters of a book; get this one!
All humanity needs to learn to accept each other; to stop warring; to care for & love one another, as Jesus commanded us to do. Jesus said, “If you love me, love one another”. White-supremacy is a personal affront to Jesus, who didn’t mean to just love those of our own ‘race’, our own nation. It’s also a democracy-killer! We all want to be protected from violence, and ugliness; WE CAN halt hatred & discrimination. WE are called to this NOW! How do we get to know others? We must first mingle with them, be open to accepting them. Know that our Creator created them also, in His image and likeness.
“In Christ there is no east nor west, In Him no south or north, but One great fellowship of love, throughout the whole wide earth. Join hands then, brothers of the faith, Whate’er your race may be. Who serves my Father as a son, Is surely kin to me.” Lyrics of a hymn written in 1908 by John Oxenham (pen name: William Arthur Dunkerley).
Trish Forsyth Voss
By spiritspeak • Uncategorized 0