Today is National Girls and Women in Sports Day. It first began in 1987 with a purpose to express an appreciation for the presence of womanhood in athletics. It was originally established by President Ronald Reagan. In its creation, National Girls and Women in Sports Day initially honored female Olympian and equality advocate Flo Hyman. However, as time progressed, this national holiday began to emphasize the significance of all female roles within sports.

The Olympics is one of the most viewed athletic events in the world. In 1900, women made their first debut at the Paris games. Over a century later, we have had a multitude of women making appearances and winning momentous titles. The following eight women have Illinois ties and major sports achievements:

Lauren Doyle – Springfield-born and Boody-raised rugby player for Team USA, Doyle is a two-time Olympian. She also received fourth place in the 2018 World Championship. She has participated on several teams, including Eastern Illinois University, Chicago Lions, and the Women’s Sevens Residency Program.

Nefeli Papadakis – An Illinois native who began practicing judo at the age of four with her father is now a member of Team USA with aspirations to take the Olympian world by storm. By the age of 17, Papadakis took fifth place at the 2015 Cadet World Championships. She holds consecutive World Championship titles from 2013 to 2019. She has already traveled to 25 countries to compete and train. She continues to pursue judo and expand her fighting capabilities.

Pedrya Seymour – This Olympic hurdler expanded her athletic career while attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Although she has a plethora of achievements and records, she holds the second fastest indoor 60m hurdle time in Illinois history (7.97) and the second-fastest 100m hurdles time in Illinois history (12.64). Seymour is also a three-time All-American and broke the O’Brien facility record twice.

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Groundhog Day was born from a weather lore that originated in Germany. The animal that Germans typically looked for weather predictions was the badger, but the United States and Canada decided on the groundhog. One of the largest celebrations of this Dutch tradition occurs every year in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is the location in which the plot of the critically-acclaimed film, Groundhog Day, is set. The film focuses on the life of one man, Phil Connors who is played by Bill Murray. He is a television weatherman who seems irritated with his occupational duties. While working on a project in Punxsutawney to highlight the Groundhog Day festivities, Connors realizes that he is living in a continuous loop of the same day – Feb. 2. Throughout the film, he is portrayed as egocentric, but after a long time period, the viewer will observe Connors immense change in character. Rather than being a selfish brute, he begins to commit acts of kindness and service. In addition, Connors sincerely and benevolently reports on Punxsutawney’s celebration of Groundhog Day while catching the eye of his television producer. The following morning, he awakens to realize he has finally escaped the loop.

An exciting fact about this film is that a majority of it was shot here in Illinois. Four Illinois’ locations played a role in successfully capturing the ideal environment the director envisioned. These included Woodstock, Cary, McHenry and Nimtz Quarry in Loves Park.

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Black history month is a great opportunity to highlight the influence that many African Americans have on not just the world – but also right here in Illinois. To celebrate this Black History Month, we are highlighting Illinois-born Black figures that have made an impact throughout history.

Lorraine Hansberry (May 19, 1930- Jan. 12, 1965) was the first African American women to have a play performed on Broadway. Chicago-born Hansberry’s play “A Raisin in the Sun” opened on Broadway in 1959. This play won New York Drama Critics' Circle best play of 1959, making her the first Black woman to win.

Ramsey Lewis is a jazz composer and pianist from Chicago born May 27, 1935. Lewis has won three Grammys, seven Gold Records, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and many other awards for his notable work in jazz.  In 1957, Lewis formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This trio included Isaac "Redd" Holt as the drummer and Eldee Young as the bassist. Some of his popular songs are “The in Crowd” “Wade in the water” and “Hang on Sloopy”.

Oscar Micheaux (Jan. 2, 1884 – March 25, 1951) was a filmmaker from Metropolis who produced and directed over 44 films throughout his career. Micheaux became the first African American to produce a feature-length film. Micheaux used his films to portray Black people in a positive light and to display the struggles that they face. He was one of very few African American independent film makers to survive the sound era.

Katherine Dunham (June 22, 1909 – May 21, 2006) was a dancer and choreographer from Glen Ellyn. Dunham was one of the first African American women to attend University of Chicago and earn her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in anthropology. Dunham’s interest for dance began while studying at the University of Chicago.  Dunham used her dances and choreography to express Black culture. Her dance company, the Katherine Dunham Company, performed on Broadway and in major American cities.

Albert Raby (Feb. 20, 1933 to Nov. 23, 1988) was an activist from Chicago who worked hard alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to bring the civil rights movement to Chicago. Dr. King had chosen to come to Chicago because he was impressed by Raby’s sincerity of is commitment. In 1962, Raby helped create the Coordinating Council of Community Organizations, which worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to launch the Chicago Freedom Movement.

On Oct. 23, 2020, Centralia became the home of an establishment that has adopted a new take on dining. Rather than dishing a single style of food, the Varela family has made a remarkable stride in incorporating Mexican and Chinese cuisine into a single location. The reason for this was to create a friendly atmosphere in which families, couples, and friends could all dine together while enjoying the best of both worlds.

“Chelbran’s is the only place in which you don’t have to bicker with your family about eating Mexican or Chinese for dinner because you’ll find both here. Your cravings will be satisfied.” Varela said. “Families can come together and as simple as it might sound, they can enjoy great food and conversation.”

The Varela family prides themselves on serving fresh Mexican and Chinese dishes. Everything is prepared daily, either upon request or in the mornings as the front doors are opening to welcome customers.

When traveling through Centralia, also recognized as Orphan Nation for their school’s mascot, one may come across this family restaurant’s distinctive, attention-getting emblem planted to the left of its cozy white brick building. The emblem consists of a large shield with the restaurant’s name surrounded by flames placed before two strong centaurs. Although centaurs are often perceived as controversial creatures throughout Greek mythology, it is certain that they are warriors. Centaurs are idealists who fight for what they believe in even if it does not fit within Greek standards.

Overall, the restaurant’s emblem represents an underlying familial message. The Varela parents, Salvador and Maria L. Serrano, have always emphasized the importance of perseverance to their children. They believe that regardless of the difficulty level of the obstacles one must overcome, it is important to keep pushing forward.

“Somos luchadores (We are fighters),” Maria Serrano said. “We wanted to demonstrate our determination and ability to prevail by creating this place. It is intended to encourage our children to dream big but also other people who are in need of a reminder that they too are capable.”

There are over 40 options on Chelbran’s vast menu. Special requests can also be made to the food manager, such as egg drop soup or huevos con chorizo. The services provided are bilingual in English and Spanish.

Bring your family and check out this sensational Illinoisan family restaurant!