Earlier this week, my team and I traveled across the 114th District and met with business owners, grade school students, food pantry volunteers, and constituents who attended my CUB event. We covered a lot of ground, had productive meetings, and really enjoyed the conversations we had with everyone! Here is a snapshot of our day!
First Stop– Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic School
Our first visit was to Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic School in Mascoutah. I took the time to speak with these bright grade school students and read them a fun book: “Daisy-A True Story of a Brave Duck”. The author of the book, Barbara Brueggemann, is a Freeburg native and it was illustrated by Erika Borowski. We donated the book to the classroom and gave each student a State of Illinois Activity book!
Second Stop: Betty Ann Market
The Betty Ann Market has deep roots and has been family owned and operated for four generations. In 1930, Ben Norrenberns opened the Norrenberns Meat Market in the small town of Albers, Illinois. Ben’s son, Tom, born in 1931, would later join the family business as a meat cutter at the small shop. Tom and his wife, Betty Ann, eventually became owners of Tom’s Supermarkets, with stores in multiple Southwestern Illinois towns, including Mascoutah. Known today as Betty Ann Market, they still carry the same values of faith and family to build a better community. They are currently working on store upgrades with the help from local unions workers. They are committed to enhancing the shopping experience in Mascoutah and provide customers with quality products and a variety of services including, catering, deer processing, floral and more. Learn more about the Betty Ann Market by vising their website.
Third Stop: Wisper ISP
We were thrilled to award Whisper ISP with a certificate to honor them as my “Business of The Month” in the 114th District! For over 20 years, this company has been providing customers with reliable internet. CEO & Founder Nathan Stooke, started Wisper out of his 1986 Honda Accord with a fold up ladder. 21 years and six states later, Wisper is still connecting those that need reliable, high-speed internet. From its humble beginnings in O’Fallon, IL, Wisper has expanded its services across southern Illinois, as well as Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Indiana, and Oklahoma. Today, Wisper employs more than 200 people and has grown to service more than 20,000 subscribers.
During our tour, Nathan presented a detailed PowerPoint that explained how his company operates and statistics from each state that show their locations and service area. We also saw what goes on behind the scenes in the warehouse, how technicians are trained, and the testing room for equipment. Whisper ISP is especially beneficial for rural customers! The tour was very informative and I would like to thank Nathan Stooke for his time and tour!
Whisper ISP – Business of The Month!
Fourth Stop: Mascoutah Food Pantry
The Mascoutah Food Pantry offers free food and personal hygiene items to those in need in the Mascoutah community. They continue to serve families in the community with the help from local volunteers to distribute donations. These ladies work hard to help families in need!
Food and household goods are a fundamental need for families in our communities. Whether you’re facing temporary hardship or ongoing challenges, there are resources available to help. I want to give a huge thank you to the Mascoutah Food Pantry and all the volunteers who help make a difference in the 114th District!
Hours of operation and “Wish Lists” can be found here.
Fifth Stop: Citizens Utility Board Event
I hosted a Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Event at the O’fallon Public Library so residents could meet with specialists to discuss ways to save money on utilities. A CUB specialist reviews your gas, electric and telecom bills to see if you’re signed up with an alternative supplier or if you’re paying for unnecessary products and services. They also analyze how your usage compares to other consumers, and tell you if you’re eligible for money-saving programs, including financial assistance, and guide you to free energy-efficiency products and services.
This event was a success and it’s very helpful to residents in the 114th District! Thank you all for stopping by and learning about how you save money on your utilities.
Contact my office with questions or concerns: repschmidt.com/contact/
Rep. Schmidt encourages individuals or organizations to nominate their favorite business in the 114th District to be recognized as the Business of the Month. Rep. Schmidt will recognize the small business on his social media, website, and with local media.