Southern Illinois News

State Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) is doing his part to make sure elderly people living in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in Southern Illinois have a care package during the holidays.

Fowler made a donation to help support the cause.

"Today I was able to donate over 200 grip socks and over 400 candy canes to a Southern Illinois Adopt a Grandparent program," Fowler wrote in a Nov. 18 Facebook post. 

The program puts together Christmas packages that will be delivered to residents in long-term care facilities. 

"Each donation will go towards a package that provides a Christmas card, socks, hand and foot cream and candy canes to our local long-term residents," Fowler wrote in the post. 

He credited Audra Cusic-Ratliff for starting the Adopt a Grandparent program during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for people in the community to help those living in nursing homes during a challenging and frightening time. 

"Last year she was able to sponsor 450 Grandparents," Fowler wrote on Facebook. "Thank you Audra for allowing me the opportunity to help out with this great cause."

Fowler recently traveled to Minnesota where he was one of 21 legislators in the Midwest who take part in the Council of State Governments' ELEVATE Academy, an online school with a mission to empower survivors of human trafficking. 

Over the summer he sponsored legislation which aimed to protect Illinois' first responders from distracted drivers by stiffening penalties for motorists who don't slow down or move over for emergency vehicles that have their lights flashing.

Seven months ago he also hosted a youth advisory council session which gives high school students the chance to learn about the state's government first-hand. The event is typically held in-person, but because of concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic it was held virtually this year.