COVER STORY

Getting Involved in Your Local School............................. 10
On the cover: Richard Nicholson and Connie Bequette of Carlinville Middle School are involved in a mentoring program called LINK. It was started to help get community members involved with kids who can use extra adult attention.

Published by Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives www.aiec.org

John Lowrey........................................................Editor

Jack D. Halstead ...................................Senior Editor

Nancy R. Nixon Catrina McCulley Young ,
&Michelle McNeal......................Associate Editors

Sandy Wolske ...................Advertising Coordinator

Erin Weller, Kara Henning
&Kathy Feraris..................... Graphic Designers

Derek Squires...... Graphic Technician/Designer

Connie Newenham..... Circulation Coordinator

Illinois Country Living is a monthly publication serving the communications needs of 21 locally owned, not-for-profit Illinois electric cooperatives. More than 160,000 families receive the magazine as part of their electric cooperative membership. Monthly columns and stories provide information about topics and issues that affect the quality of their lives.

Illinois Country Living (ISSN number 1086-8062) is published monthly and is the official publication of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, 6460 South Sixth Frontage Road, Springfield, IL 62707. The cost is $2.40 plus postage per year for members of subscribing cooperatives and $5 per year for all others. Periodical postage paid at Springfield, Illinois, and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, Illinois 62708.

COOP MEMBERS: When requesting an address change, please include the name of your cooperative. Telephone: (217) 529-5561

Advertising and editorial inquiries should be directed to Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787. Springfield, Illinois 62708. National advertising representative; The Weiss Group, 14826 North 54th Place. Suite 101, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 (602) 482-8844. Acceptance of advertising by ICL does not imply endorsement by the publisher or the electric co-operatives of Illinois of the product or service advertised. Advertisers are screened by the publisher and every effort is made to protect the subscriber, but ICL is not responsible for the performance of the product or service advertised.

EDITORS: Articles appearing in Illinois Country Living may be reprinted upon consent of the editor. For permission phone (217) 529-5561 or write to John Lowrey, editor, Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708.

ILLINOIS^™ COUNTRY LIVING

DEPARTMENTS

ILLINOIS COMMENTARY....................................... 4 Illinois State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency, William Graff explains how the Illinois Farm Service Agency helps Illinois farm families.

ILLINOIS CURRENTS............................................. 6
USDA loan guarantees reliable power for southern Illinois co-op members.

SAFETY AND HEALTH.......................................... 14
Nutrition and wellness educator, Jananne Finck gives tips on staying heart healthy.

YOUR YARD AND GARDEN .................16
Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY AND YOU................ 18
Stop wasting energy, get an energy-efficient garage door.

ILLINOIS' FINEST COOKING ..............................22

This Valentine's Day, surprise your sweetie with One-Dish Chicken and Stuffing from the recipe collection of the Boyd's Grove United Methodist Church of Bradford. And top off your romantic evening with Chocolate Eclairs from the recipe collection of Giant City School of Carbondale.