Category: Gardner

Dec 6 Dwight vs Streator JV and Varsity Lady Trojans both came away with a win over Streator this past Saturday. Dwight JV 32 Streator JV 15 Dwight Varsity 46 Streator Varsity 28 First conference home game tonight (12/8) against…

Congratulations to the following four Juniors who represented GSW High School at the Grundy County Corn Festival Queen Ceremony.  Pictured left to right:  Olivia Siano, Abby Galass, Abigail Olsen and Tessa Rankovich.  Tessa Rankovich won Queen for GSW and was…

Sept 17 – Regional Championship @ Joliet St. Raymond Joliet St. Raymond 4 vs GSWB 1 Playing in their 5th straight regional title, the Lions had a tough opponent in St. Ray’s.  With 2 outs in the 1st, St. Ray’s…

Kevin E. Fogarty, 67,  of Gardner, passed away peacefully on August 3, 2025, at his home in Gardner, following a series of recent medical issues. A memorial visitation will be held from 2:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M. on Friday, August…

Gardner Area Band Wins Big at Music in the Parks Competition The Gardner Area Band recently traveled to Beach Park, Illinois, to compete in the prestigious Music In The Parks Concert Band competition and returned home with top honors. The…

Congratulations to GSW High School Salutatorian Ryleigh Dvorak and Valedictorian Kendall Huston.   Gardner-South Wilmington High School held their Class of 2025 Graduation Ceremony on Sunday, May 18 at 12 noon.  Salutatorian was Ryleigh Dvorak, daughter of Nicole Dvorak of Gardner…

Discover the Wonders of Agriculture at the GAVC Ag Open House   On Wednesday, May 21st from 1 – 5 p.m., join the Grundy Area Vocational Center (GAVC) Ag students for an immersive agricultural experience at their Open House event! …

GSW STUDENTS OF THE MONTH! Patrick Phillips, Sophomore in the GSW was nominated by three staff members who recognized how his acts of service and kindness impacted out school in a positive way! He enjoys fishing, bowling, interested in fitness,…

Daniel Bell, 87, of Gardner, Illinois, completed his life’s journey here on earth on his birthday, March 4, in Joliet. Born March 4, 1938, in Eureka, Illinois, Daniel was the son of Basil E. and Ruth Corrinne (Diehl) Bell. He…

Gardner Area Band Invited to Perform at National Festival of the States in New Orleans, 2026 The Gardner Area Band, under the direction of Mr. Michael Leone, is proud to announce an exciting opportunity for its students to perform at…

On February 2nd, Gardner Grade School hosted its annual Dodgeball Tournament.  With 32 teams competing, there were 225+ players represented from Braceville, Coal City, Dwight, Gardner, and South Wilmington.  Players ranged in grades 2nd-8th grade with three different divisions.  All…

Kurt L. Mathes, 81 of Gardner, Illinois, formerly of Tuscola, Illinois, died Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at Morris Hospital. Born December 14, 1943 in Cleveland, Ohio, Kurt was the son of Walter Mathes, Jr. and Gladys (Nicholl) Mathes. He was…

Helen Louise Hileman, 78, a lifelong resident of Gardner, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at Lightways Hospice Home in Joliet, Illinois, surrounded by her loving family. Born on August 21, 1946, in Morris, Illinois, Helen was…

Date: Dec. 19, 2024 The following students have been named to the Honors List at Kankakee Community College for the Fall 2024 term. To be named to the Honors List, a student must maintain a grade point average between 3.25…

Kevin J. Kociss, 69 of Gardner, Illinois, died Tuesday, November 19, 2024 in Morris, Illinois. Born January 9, 1955 in Morris, Kevin John was a son of John and Marilyn (Hansen) Kociss. He was raised and educated in Gardner and…

The Dwight GSW varsity football team hosted Elmwood Brimfield for the 2nd round of the IHSA 2A football playoffs on Saturday, November 9. It was a defensive battle with neither side giving up much, but the Trojans were able to…

Dixie Lee Renner age 86, of Godley, IL passed away on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at the ARC of Dwight.  Born on September 10, 1938 in Joliet Township, IL to John C. and Evelyn Eldora (nee Dickson) Renner.  She graduated…

Michael Harry Wollgast, 43, of Sanford, North Carolina passed away peacefully at home on September 10, 2024. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 17 from 9-11 am, with Mass following, at  St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 165 E. Rice Road,…

Raymond Louis Serena, 85, passed away on July 2, 2024, in Joliet, IL. Born on September 7th, 1938, in South Wilmington, IL, he was a member of Saint Lawrence Catholic Church. Ray is survived by his wife Mary Lou, children;…

Duane M. Lewis, age 80, of Gardner, IL passed away Wednesday, July 3, 2024 at Lightways Hospice Home in Joliet, IL.  Born on February 12, 1944 to Henry and Lorretta (nee Coss) Lewis.  On June 1, 1963 he married Donna…

Dwight baseball coach Jerry McDowell picked up win number 600 after the Dwight Trojans defeated Streator Woodland  8–5 .  McDowell is pictured here with longtime friend / coach Brett Lardi. Jerry McDowell (right) and Brett Lardi.

Unetta Jirus Age 96 of East Brooklyn, Illinois passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at The ARC of Dwight. Born on March 23, 1928, Unetta Marie was a daughter of Richard and Marie (Wood) Golding. She spent her…

Photo by Shayla Loring Photography

  Photo by Shayla Loring Photography.

Gardner Village Board Recap – January 22, 2024 by Don Phillips Gardner Village Board met in regular session Monday evening and opened with the approval of the minutes of the January 8, 2024 meeting and payment of the bills.  During…

Congratulations to the Gardner – South Wilmington High School 2024 Homecoming King and Queen: Sam Tramutolo & Ava Brassard.  Sam is the son of Steve and Andrea Tramutolo of South Wilmington and Ava is the daughter of Mike and Alicia Brassard…

Barbara Jean (Hillman) Brooks, age 82 of Gardner, Illinois, passed away peacefully on January 3, 2024 in Dwight, Illinois. Born on September 3, 1941, Barbara was a daughter of Eugene and Maxine (Christensen) Hillman. Barbara was raised in rural Gardner….

Floyd “David” Leenerman, age 78 of Gardner, Illinois died Wednesday, January 03, 2024, at the ARC of Streator. Born January 19, 1945 in Fairbury, Illinois Floyd David was a son of Floyd Rudolph and Mary (Billingsley) Leenerman. He was raised…

Grundy County Veterans Assistance Commission – Veterans Day 2023   November 7, 2023 World War I began in 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and lasted until 1918. Thanks to new military technologies and the horrors of trench…

Barbara Jean Bryant, 83, of Gardner, IL, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 27, 2023 at Desert Hills Memory Care Center in Hemet, CA. She was the daughter of the late Harold and Ethel Yenson born on September…

Congratulations TESS BROOKS as she was crowned the GSW Queen and also was named the 2023 Grundy County Corn Festival Queen!  All four Junior reps for Gardner-South Wilmington High School (Tess Brooks, Kendall Huston, Maya Cacello and Grace Olsen) will be in…

On Saturday, September 9th, the Gardner Area Band and Pantherette Spirit Line performed with the Marching Huskie and Silverettes on the field at halftime of the Northern Illinois University football .  The Gardner Area Band is under the direction of Mr….

Congratulations to the following GSW High School Juniors – (pictured left to right) Maya Cacello, Grace Olsen, Tess Brooks and Kendall Huston.  They were chosen by their Junior Class to represent GSW as the Grundy County Corn Festival Queen Candidates. There will…

Marjorie Ann (Meredith) Clark, age 85 of Braceville Township, Illinois died Sunday, August 6, 2023 at her home surrounded by her loving family. Born March 18, 1938 in Braceville, Illinois, Marjorie was a daughter of Shannon and Vergie (Downs) Meredith….

William Lewis Schaulin It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of William Lewis Schaulin of Colleyville, Texas. He was born in Gardner, Illinois, on July 4, 1938. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 25,…

The Gardner Area Band competed in the Music In The Parks Concert Band competition in Grayslake, IL on May 27.  The band won 1st place in the Class AA Division.  The Gardner Area Band competed against bands from Tennessee, Ohio,…

The GSWB Tiger Track team took part in their sectional track meet in Morris on Saturday, May 6th.  In the 13-team meet the Tigers crushed it, winning the 8th grade Boys Sectional Champion title.  They also took the  runner-up spot  for 7th grade boys,…