Inaugural "Lunch with the Best" event planned at Shawnee Community College - July 16th

6/22/09

The inaugural "Lunch with the Best" event is planned Thursday, July 16, at Shawnee Community College near Ullin. Reppert Publications, along with six area partners, is presenting "Lunch with the Best."

Partners in the program are Shawnee Community College, Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative, University of Illinois Extension, Electric Energy Inc., ADM and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Business and civic leaders from Union, Alexander, Johnson, Massac and Pulaski counties in Southern Illinois will be invited to attend the luncheon.

The forum is designed to give key players in the local economy an opportunity to meet, exchange views and work together to help the region grow.

Another luncheon is planned in November. Three luncheons are planned each year in the future.

There is no charge for the inaugural luncheon; however, reservations are required due to limited seating.

To make reservations, call 833-2158.

Area businesses which have been in operation for more than 100 years will be honored at the luncheon.

Family farms which have been in operation for a century or longer also will be honored.

The names of a number of area businesses and farms which have been operation for a century or longer already have been gathered by the Reppert Publications staff. Additional submissions are welcomed.

Dr. Larry Peterson and Jerry L. Reppert are co-chairpersons of the event.

Peterson is president of Shawnee Community College. Reppert is Reppert Publications' publisher.

The keynote speaker at the luncheon is scheduled to be David Blanchette.

Blanchette is communications director for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum in Springfield.

He also is spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Blanchette's promotion of Illinois' celebration of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth to a worldwide audience has been submitted for several national communications awards.

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