COUSINS VOL. 1, NO 32 To/For Descendants of Silas Kyle Sims 07/15/2014 Howdy. My, my, to where does the time fly? It is hard to realize that the middle of July is here already. Seems only yesterday that we were battling drifts of snow! This issue of COUSINS is later than I had planned. Hopefully you will have more than enough time to sell raffle tickets to benefit the Silas Kyle Sims Scholarship Program explained later in this issue. Please email me if you are still receiving the COUSINS via U.S. Mail. rjkemp@consolidated.net My email address is 77th CONSECUTIVE SIMS REUNION This year s annual Sims Reunion will be held Sunday, August 10, 2014 in the Brick Pavilion at Fox Ridge State Park on Route 130, south of Charleston, IL. We were again able to secure the reservation for the 2 nd Sunday in August! We look forward to seeing you all again! Reunion President Kevin Hickman, Charleston IL will be assisted by Vice-President Carol Rohr, Janesville WI and Secretary/Treasurer Lisa Sims, Springfield IL. Pack your picnic basket because EATING BEGINS AT 12:30 P.M. Group photographs by family branches will be taken DIRECTLY after the meal, followed by a short business meeting and the gift card raffle drawings. Note: The annual meeting and election of SKS trustees and directors is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., August 10 prior to the Sims Reunion s gregarious 12:30 p.m. meal. RECEPIENTS OF THE SILAS KYLE SIMS 2014-2015 ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS JESSICA LAUREN SCHONEGG, daughter of Ronald and Sandra Louise (Sims) Schonegg received one of the $750.00 Scholarship Awards. Jessica graduated from Cascade High School in Clayton IN. She plans to obtain a zoology degree from texas Tech University. Her career goal is to work in a zoo or in a wildlife reserve. Jessica is the granddaughter of Howard and Ruth Sims, with remaining Sims lineage Edward Kyle Sims > William Howard Sims > Silas Kyle Sims. ALEXANDER H. ROHR, son of David and Nadine Rohr received one of the $750.00 Scholarship Awards. Alex graduated from Craig High School in Janesville WI. He plans to attend the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences. His greatest career goal is to be a respected and acknowledged audio engineer in the music industry. Alex is the grandson of Oscar and Carol (Sims) Rohr > Raymond Sims > Hamilton Sims > Silas Kyle Sims.
SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE SILAS KYLE SIMS SCHOLARSHIP After the April 1 application deadline, the Scholarship Screening Committee reviews the applications and submitted documentation, and ranks the applicants. The scholarships are academic scholarships and not need-based scholarships. Each applicant is ranked on a scale of 1 low to 5 high as to worthiness to receive a scholarship in the categories of academic achievement, career goals, school and community activities, personal and family financial background. The Screening Committee submits a report of their rankings to the Silas Kyle Sims Board of Directors. The Board of Directors vote to accept the Screening Committee s rankings as submitted. The applicant with the highest ranking by the Screening Committee will be awarded a SKS Scholarship. The applicant receiving the second highest ranking by the Screening Committee will also be awarded an SKS Scholarship. The Scholarship Screening Committee is comprised of retired University professionals and all are unrelated to the Sims Clan. CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE SKS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Members of the SKS Board of Directors are Jack Sweeney-President, Michael Sweeney-Vice President, Kirk Brackenoff-Secretary, Kevin Hickman-Assistant Secretary, Judy Kemp-Treasurer, Donald Stewart, Chris Sims, Rosealee Myers, Kevin Myers. The Board meets 2 or 3 times a year. The meetings are held in the Charleston IL area. CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE SKS BOARD OF TRUSTEES Current members of the SKS Board of Trustees are Teri Matthews-Chairperson, Joy Castle-Vice Chairperson, Sarah McKinney, Lisa Sims, Myra Beachy, Rob Kemp, Lorelei Sims, Barbara G. Sims, Frank Sims, Karen Blade, John Sims, Michael Ryder, Delbert Rexrode Jr, Kent Botkin, Kenneth Sims, David, Rohr, Michael Sims, Jessie Hasken, Carol Rohr, Jacqie Sims, Jerry Sims, Kayla Rohr, William Harrison Currently there is one vacancy on the Board of Trustees. If any of you are interested in serving a 3-year term on this Board, please contact Chairperson Teri Matthews by phone 417-250-0051 or e-mail terihebarbarian@excite.com or Vice-Chair Joy Castle-Vice Chair by phone 217-967-5936 or e-mail jcastle23@hotmail.com The Board of Trustees meet annually in August on the same day as the Sims Reunion at Fox Ridge State Park. We welcome and need your help with information for the Newsletter. Write an article (a remembrance of your childhood, your grand or great grandparents or??), send us a suggestion for a story, send us new or old family photos (they will be returned), and please send us the latest news about your family. Send your contributions to Judy Kemp, 5221 N County Road 2100E, Charleston, IL 61920, or email rjkemp@consolidated.net
BIRTHS Hudson Paul Sweeney was born March 30, 2014 to Nathaniel and Leah Sweeney. Sims lineage: Hudson > Nathan Sweeney > Jack Sweeney > Mary (Sims) Sweeney > Hamilton Sims > Silas Kyle Sims. Sadie Marie Bell was born March 20, 2013. Sims lineage: Sadie Marie > Carmen (Jolly) Bell > Cheryl (Canull) Jolly > Barbara (Stewart) Canull > Alberta (Sims) Stewart > Silas Albert Sims > Silas Kyle Sims. Heidi Elizabeth Hobbs was born March 27, 2013. Sims lineage: Heidi Elizabeth > Kristen (Jolly) Hobbs > Cheryl (Canull) Jolly > Barbara (Stewart) Canull > Alberta (Sims) Stewart > Silas Albert Sims > Silas Kyle Sims. Alexander Reid Jolly was born Febuary 8, 2014. Sims lineage: Aleander Reid > Kyle Jolly > Cheryl (Canull) Jolly > Barbara (Stewart) Canull > Alberta (Sims) Stewart > Silas Albert Sims > Silas Kyle Sims. MARRIAGES Hannah Elizabeth Stites and Christopher Wayne Graves were married June 28, 2014. Sims lineage: Hannah > Charles (Chuck) Stites > Judy (Sweeney) Stites Kemp > Mary (Sims) Sweeney > Hamilton Sims > Silas Kyle Sims. KUDOS Our own cousin, Bret Pfeiffer, is to compete for the United States in the Pan American Sports Festival weightlifting at Mexico City! Bret is the son of Troy and Amy Pfeiffer of Charleston IL. USA Weightlifting, the national governing body for the Olympic sport of Weightlifting, is sending only two (15-year old Bret and a 27-year old lifter from California) to represent the United States (with expenses paid by the Pan American Sports Federation)!! CONGRATULATIONS BRET!!! Sims lineage: Bret > Troy Pfeiffer > Charlotte (Ryder) Pfeiffer > Kathryn (Sims) Ryder > Hamilton Sims > Silas Kyle Sims. MEMORIAL DONATIONS RECEIVED Your treasurer is pleased to report that during the first six months of 2014, $300.00 has been received by the Silas Kyle Sims Foundation from donors to honor love ones birthdays and fathers day. TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR 2014 FUND RAISING RAFFLE The SKS Scholarship Foundation is selling raffle tickets to raise funds for its annual scholarship program. This year, the Foundation is raffling two $300.00 Gift Cards. The drawings will be held at the Sims Reunion August 10, 2014. You do not need to be present to win. The first drawing will be for a $300.00 Best Buy Gift Card. The second drawing will be for a $300.00 Walmart Gift Card. Both Gift Cards cannot be won by the same individual. All ticket donations will be used to fund the Silas Kyle Sims Foundation Scholarships. A sheet of raffle tickets is included with this newsletter (the last page). Please print or xerox copies (many copies) of that sheet and sell, sell, sell!!!! You can mail the completed tickets and money to me, Judy Kemp, 5221 N County Road 2100E, Charleston IL or hand them to me at the Sims Reunion.
RURAL PEARLS Time is like a river. You cannot touch the water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Encouragement is like a peanut butter sandwich, the more you spread it around the better things stick together. If people were not meant to have a midnight snack, why did they put lights in refrigerators? An age-old truth: Eggs cannot be unscrambled. Please forward notices of births, marriages, deaths and changes of address to: COUSINS c/o Bill Harrison, 916 Seventeenth Street, Charleston, IL 61920 or via e-mail to: mrbil1@juno.com Bill maintains the genealogy records showing our ancestry. His records begin with James Sims, who was Silas Kyle Sims grandfather and include meticulously recorded entries for births, marriages and deaths of Silas Kyle and Virginia Sims descendants. By supplying Bill with new information, you will be helping maintain records of our family history. Hope to see you all August 10 at the Sims Reunion!!!
Filled out tickets and money to be sent to Judy Kemp, 5221 N County Road 2100E, Charleston IL or hand delivered to the Sims Reunion. Money to be used to fund SKS Scholarships for High School Graduating Seniors.
2 chances for a $300 Gift Card. The first drawing will be for a $300 Best Buy Gift Card. The second drawing will be for a $300 Walmart Gift Card. Both Gift Cards cannot be won by the same individual. All ticket donations will be used to fund The Silas Kyle Sims Scholarship Foundation.
C O U S I N S In this issue of C O U S I N S you will find Information About the August 10 upcoming 77 th Annual Sims Reunion SKS Scholarship Application Information News about family members 2014-15 SKS Scholarship Recipients Sheet of tickets for Gift Card Raffle THE SILAS KYLE SIMS FOUNDATION 5221 N COUNTY ROAD 2100 E CHARLESTON, IL 61920