$116,000 raised by Washington to Peoria St.

Jude run PAge A10

Mike ditka speaks at Five Points PAge B5

Around Town Birth announcements Tazewell County news

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These features youll find only in this weeks print edition of the Washington Times-Reporter. For details, see page A3.

WedNeSdAy, AUGUST 10, 2011

your Hometown News Since 1840

www.WashingtonTimesreporter.com

Vol. 171 No. 32

Fighting for life at the tender age of 3

By corrie dyke
TimesNewspapers

Isabel Montgomery will turn 4 in January. She loves to play with her siblings, her baby dolls and is usually on the move from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Isabel does everything a typical 3-year-old would do, except for weeks like these past few. Last week Isabel

underwent her third heart surgery in the past three-and-a-half years. She has spent countless days in and out of the hospital due to a congenital heart defect a birth defect Isabel was diagnosed with at 23 weeks old. (Children with heart defects) change your life, make you savor more and cause you to believe in miracles, said Isabels mother, Crystal.

Crystal and her husband, Aaron, said they have witnessed a miracle with their daughter who has overcome three open-heart surgeries, lung disease and 23 days on life support. First sign of trouble According to Crystal, CHD is the No. 1 birth defect babies are born with and kills more infants than all kid cancers combined. She

said that one out of every 100 babies are born with CHD, yet not a lot of people know about the defect. I had all the pregnancy books CHD wasnt on my radar, Crystal said. When Crystal and Aaron went to the doctor for a routine sonogram, there were problems seeing the
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isabel Montgomery pictured here following her most recent surgery last week. Montgomery was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect at birth.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

This is our niche; the crowd expects it Washington United

By BrANdoN ScHATSiek
TimesNewspapers

Fund finds new way to take donations

According to board president Jeff Alexander, the Washington United Fund may have found part of a solution to a battle weve been fighting for at least two years now. In response to Caterpillar Inc. no longer giving its employees the option through their paychecks to donate directly to the Washington fund, which serves Washington Recreation Association, the Northern Tazewell Recreation Association, Washington Helps Its People and Tough Love, Alexander and other board members are making it known residents have other options. All of the entities got together to talk about how we can educate the public, especially any employees of Cat that live in Washington, that they can still make that donation to Washington United Fund it just cant be taken directly out of (their) paycheck, Alexander said. The website www. Wa s h i n g t o n To w n shipUnitedFund. org went live last week and allows for anyone to log on and donate. It also allows for users to learn more about the different entities that the fund serves through donations. We exist for four reasons to support Tough Love, WRA, NTRA and WHIP, he said. We provide anywhere from 25-75 percent of the
See FuNd PAge A9

Above, members of the Washington community High School marching bands flute section practice a song from this years show Piano Man: The Music of Billy Joel Aug. 4. At left, Band director Jim Tallman speaks to the band and color guard members during a break from practice July 26. The annual WcHS band camp began July 25 culminating in the Parents Show Friday night at Babcook Field. For more photos from band camp including a description of this years show, see page A8. BRANDON SCHATSIEK/TIMESNEWSPAPERS

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ONLINE

Find video from this years WCHS band camp at www.WashingtonTimesReporter.com.

WCHS grad shines on Hollywood stage

By HoLLy ricHrATH
TimesNewspapers

Dance instructor high-steps into role at WPD

Thomas takes over Washington Park District program with excitement for dance by day, works as a correctional officer by night
By BrANdoN ScHATSiek
TimesNewspapers

From Washington Community High School to the bright lights of the big city, Richard Barris left his mark. The 1954 WCHS graduate turned actor, singer and writer, died May 6 after battling a fungus in his lungs for months. He was diagnosed with pneumonia in December, said long-time friend Kathrichard Barris leen Weber. It was something that they just couldnt get rid of. It just kept taking up room in his lungs so he didnt have enough room for air. Although he is gone, Barris memory lives on on the big screen. He was cast in such movies as The Manhattan Project, House of Dark Shadows, Nunzio and as Dustin
See BArriS PAge A9

Levi Thomas, far right, practices his dance moves with his students during one of his hip-hop dance classes July 26 at the Washington Park district. Thomas is already starting to sign people up for the 32 dance classes such as tap, ballet, street jazz and hip-hop all part of the park districts new dance program in the fall. BRANDON SCHATSIEK/
TIMESNEWSPAPERS

Levi Thomas squawks and flaps his arms like a bird as he shows one of his students the proper way to execute the next dance move in the hip-hop set. More arm movement arch your back, he said as he hits the play button on his iPod, signaling the restart of the routine his students snicker at his explanation of the move. He tries to hold back a laugh, but fails. Thomas, 36, took over the Washington Park Districts dance program in June after the WPDs dance instructor had to leave to take care of an ailing family member. Thomas left where he was working
See dANce PAge A3

INSIDE Around Town .......... A2 Police News ............ B3 Opinion ................... A4 Obituaries ..............B7 Sports .................. B1-2 Classifieds .........B9-10

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