A year ago in May, The Kewanee Voice news site went live, and over a hundred guests turned out to celebrate the nonprofit’s milestone on Friday, May 3 at the Kewanee Elks Club.

Among the guests were writers for the Voice that included journalist Dave Clarke, recipe columnist Kim Gehling, the newest columnists, Justin Raver and Greg Christakos, and Galva correspondent and columnist Diana Whitney. Board members who attended were TD Welch, Nichelle Morey, Jesse Humphrey, Van DeVilder and Jean Berlinski.

Guests were treated to a piece of birthday cake, punch and were offered raffle tickets to win gift baskets by volunteers from the Kewanee Key Club. Key Club members Sarah Reyes, Audrey Clucas, Summer Simmons and Charlotte Burkhart all assisted the board of directors with the party.

Above, Kewanee Key Club members, from left, Sarah Reyes, Audrey Clucas, Charlotte Burkhart and Summer Simmons, volunteered to help out with the party. Below, a raffle offered guests a choice of gift baskets and gift cards.

A slideshow presentation that included headlines and photos of 40 of the past year’s biggest news stories was created by Director Humphrey and displayed all evening on a projector screen, loaned to the Voice by Kewanee High School.

Paulie Dean, Kewanee’s Candy Man, turned out for the event and donated his proceeds, $50, to The Kewanee Voice.

A special guest that evening included Paulie Dean, who sold candy bars to the guests and then presented his profit for the day to help the Voice. Dean was featured a year ago on The Kewanee Voice when volunteers started a Go Fund Me to raise money for a new scooter.

Guests purchased raffle tickets for four gift baskets and an assortment of gift cards and close to $1,100 was raised for the non-profit.

The event probably won’t be an annual one, said Board Chair Welch, but the board felt that marking such a monumental occasion was important. Welch thanked everyone who came out to celebrate and support the anniversary.

“We’ve succeeded in doing something very few communities that lose their local news are able to do. We’ve returned local news to a community that needed it. I think that requires a celebration,” said Welch.