A new Write Team begins today on The Times Opinion Page with several newcomers and some returning alums.

The Write Team is made up of local residents with a passion to write and share their views and experiences. Their columns will be in The Times for the next six months and then a new Write Team will be introduced.

Meet the new team, in the order you will see them in print:

ELEANOR (SANTUCCI) FLOWER is a retired registered nurse and teacher. She is new to the Write Team and her first column is on today's page (at right).

She keeps busy with five volunteer jobs. She and her husband, Donald, have been married 59 years and have three children (one deceased) and four grandchildren. She was born and raised in Naplate.

Eleanor has given to the community through prison ministry, teaching adults to read, teaching English to immigrants, visiting nursing homes, volunteering at the local hospital resale shop and by sharing her expertise in counseling, sociology and psychology.

She was recently featured in "ADVANCE," a nurses magazine, and was quoted: "I have enjoyed every day of my life and never had a routine day."

The Write Team will be her new challenge.

"I still feel the written word has such importance," she said.

THE REV. JOHN H. SCHMIDTKE is a newcomer to Streator where he now is senior pastor of First Baptist Church, 204 S. Monroe St.

"For a pastor, I've got a pretty broad range of hands-on life experiences," he said. 'I was a marketing/communications executive for over 30 years with working knowledge of politics, professional sports, health care, economic development, Christianity (of course, I'm a pastor!), race/ethnic relations, personal and professional planning, cultural trends, fishing and exercise.

"I tend to write in a practical but humorous way. I like to be assertive, while trying to remain inclusive and nonoffensive. That's not easy, but it's great when it works."

He hopes to convince readers Christianity is not dull.

"Christianity is exciting and freeing (not boring and restrictive) and church can be creative (after all, we worship the Creator!)."

BRIANNE HOUGAS works and resides in Ottawa. She is an account executive for ADventure Graphic Communications and president of the Ottawa Network of Young eXecs (ONYX).

A 2000 graduate of Serena High School and the University of St. Francis in 2003, Brianne holds a degree in mass communication. After spending a few years in the suburbs following graduation, she returned to The Times readership area in 2007. This is her second time as a member of the Write Team.

"I enjoyed my first experience so much that I welcome the challenge to come up with 12 new columns. My love for writing continues, and the positive feedback I received from my first six months has encouraged me to share my viewpoints with The Times readership once again.

"I"m also excited to have the winter months as new inspiration in contrast to my first summer segment. As a second-time Write Team member, I hope to generate some buzz and overall thought with my columns. I also hope to appeal to a wide audience with my self-proclaimed wit as I comment on society, pop culture and whatever current event strikes me."

MARK PIECHA of Streator is returning to the Write Team for his third "term." He has had good feedback from his previous two terms on the team.

Mark works for Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators. He and his wife, Lisa, have one daughter, Emily.

"I am still in the process of writing another book," he said, noting he occasionally writes for a national publication in the pest control industry.

"I am interested in many things, including: the mind, the brain, behavior, nature, insects, music and many more subjects."

WINIFRED HOFFMAN of Earlville is a returning to her sixth term on the Write Team.

"It has become part of my seasonal cycle, as I collect and reflect on ideas all through the busy summer on the farm, and spend time in fall and winter turning those ideas into columns to share with readers.

"I am encouraged by the many readers I meet who appreciate my writings — I guess my thoughts are of interest to others even though I just write about farm and family life. Sometimes I ask myself the relevance of my life to the readers, most of whose lives are quite different. But this is one of the benefits of the Write Team — exposing us to varying ideas and experiences through one another"s eyes.

"I am the youngest daughter of octogenarian physicians who live in a solar home in Wisconsin. Adventures growing up included mountain climbing and working/traveling in Asia. I am now a farm widow with five children on my husband"s family"s homestead near Earlville. We raise registered Dutch Belted and Milking Shorthorn dairy cattle, which are a genetic resource for sustainable, grass-based dairy producers around the country.

"My oldest son has been married a year and is a grad student at U of I in structural engineering, and continues to bless us on his time off, engineering and carrying out improvements on the farm buildings. The second son is recently married, lives next door and is student teaching high school math. The third son is a student at IVCC and helps at home when he can. I home school my two daughters, ages 12 and 9, who are my fellow herdsmen on the farm and very active in 4-H and other community activities.

"We also do some singing around the area at churches, jams and festivals with our musician friends, and have recorded two CDs."

RICHARD PUGH of Marseilles is a newcomer and says his interest in joining is "purely selfish."

"I wish to write. Being selected to join the Write Team will create that opportunity and the impetus to coalesce my musings to media.

"What I wish to accomplish is simple. I want to bring a perspective of newness and wonder to the everyday. I hold a normal job reconciling inventory. I currently attend classes at IVCC and have in the past and I will continue to do so in the future as long as it remains interesting or fun and I continue to learn.

"Nothing about any of that is very interesting and yet I am constantly fascinated by the things occurring around me every day. I am in awe again and again with that which I already know and yet see from a new perspective with age or a newly gained viewpoint."

LORI NOWAK of Ottawa is a newcomer to the Write Team and is looking forward to having a voice in the community.

Lori enjoys worshiping and serving in her church, and likes to do crafts and bake.

"I am in the process of writing a book that I want to publish someday. I meet with others who are previous/current Write Team members. In the writers meeting (as we call it), we encourage and give each other great information on writing.

"I am looking to expand my portfolio along with the great experience this opportunity would provide."

HOLLI CLARK of Ottawa wanted to join the Write Team last year but couldn"t find the time.

"I am a mother of four, which means what may be crazy and off the wall to some people is my everyday normal. My kids are 2,4, 5 and 7, so we rarely have an event without drama or tears. I usually have to buy four of everything and not four of the same thing — that would be to easy. One wants a pack of gum, one wants a gum ball, one wants a Blow-Pop with gum in it and the other just wants something gummy, not necessarily gum.

"You get the picture. Kids would be a great first topic.

"I have lived in Ottawa about three years and before that I lived in Orlando, Fla. I love to write anything from letters to short stories, poems and essays. I have worked at the YMCA for three years and have led several different classes for young children, including preschool. I enjoy my job because the community involvement the Y has and the difference it makes in the lives of many families. There is a heart there and it brings families together that may have nothing else.

"I have been married for eight years to my husband, Adam, and we have four beautiful children and a black lab named Derby. This is our first family dog.

"I love to write, which I hope gets me a shot with the Write Team and the chance someday to advance with a column of my own. I enjoy volunteering and fundraising. I love a challenge or the opportunity to meet a goal. I enjoy fishing and biking and just hanging out with my family. My husband and my kids are the best."

ROBERT KERSMARKI of Streator is new to the team, bringing more than 40 years of experience in radio broadcasting. For the past two years he's been working for Classic Rock WMKB 102.9 in Mendota.

"My background of being a radio news anchor and reporter back in the 1970s gave me a love of writing. Now, as a Baby Boomer at age 58, I would like to share some of my experiences and urge other seniors to stop acting their age and share their talents with the community.

"Just because you are an AARP member doesn't mean you have to drop out of life."

In fact, Bob will be sharing stories about how he found and convinced four others in their 50s and 60s to get back on stage in a classic rock and blues band.

"I'm also a gentleman farmer, learning to raise all kinds of poultry after being a city boy for 43 years. My wife and I have had a lot of fun on our little farmstead just west of Streator. A lot of funny situations develop when you're learning something new on the farm.

"I'd like to share those stories and happy endings as well."

DAVE NEPS has been a Write Team member several times. He is a husband, father, teacher and avid outdoorsman. He and his wife, Mary, have lived on the North Side of Ottawa for more than 20 years. They have one son, Gabe, who lives in Florida. Dave is a literature and social studies teacher at Shepherd Middle School.

Dave loves to tell stories and most of them are based on his own experiences.

"I told my wife the other day that I"m really a lucky guy because life seems to give me so much good material.

"She responded with a raised eyebrow because she know that she provides some of that great material for my stories.

"I"m at that point in my life where I"m starting to think about retirement and a new career. I"ve been a teacher for almost 30 years and it is exciting thinking about doing something else — something totally different.

"This summer I took the IVCC truck driving course. I thought having a commercial drivers license would be a good thing for a retired guy. The class turned out to be one of the best experiences I ever had and great material for future stories."

HEIDI HENRY, after taking a few years off, is returning to the Write Team. She has been a professional horse trainer since 1982 and is a certified riding instructor and horse show judge in multiple associations. She also works for Blythe Flowers as a floral designer.

Heidi runs a horsemanship day camp and has owned horses since 1967 and has an associates degree in horticulture and business management from College of Du Page.

She and her husband, Stan, have two children.

"We moved to Marseilles in 1990 from our farms in the far west suburbs. We feel very blessed to live in Marseilles; it is such a beautiful area. I grew up in Glen Ellyn."

Heidi loves political and social discourse.

"I am outspoken when a subject is dear to me. I used to do some motivational speaking. Through that I found that if you can find a way to get people to think, to engage their incredible brains, then real change can happen. Sometimes it means stirring the pot a bit."

JONATHAN FREEBURG is returning to the team. While not a native, he considers Ottawa home, having recently celebrated 15 years in the same house.

"This is the longest I have lived anywhere so this is officially home," he said.

Jonathan was one of the original members of the Write Team when it formed in 2002. In addition to the Write Team, he is a regular host on WCMY 1430 AM Radio and this year started a low-power community radio station, dubbed "103.9 FM The Attic," as it emanates from his attic. He also writes a regular blog column for SportingNews.com titled "A Football Fan's Perspective on Baseball."

His real job is in insurance, working for Lloyd's of London as a practice leader for both claims and underwriting. He received his bachelor's degree from Elmhurst College and his law degree from the University of California.

Jonathan is married with two children.

"As much as possible, I love to write about Ottawa and the surrounding area. The Illinois Valley has such a rich tapestry of people and stories that it just makes it it easy to chronicle those experiences. I can't wait to get to it."