Two activists, a coach, a counselor and an educator are among the newest honorees of the McLean County Museum of History’s recognition for residents with outstanding contributions to McLean County.
Art and Camille Taylor, Melinda Fischer, Feli Sebastian and John McIntyre will be honored at the museum’s June 17 gala as the newest History Makers.
Former board president of the museum Carolyn Yockey said the decision making to whittle down the 20 total nominations to 5 was not strenuous. She said some names just rise to the top.
“They’re people that the whole community is going to go, ‘Well, of course, why wouldn’t they choose those people?’” said Yockey. “They are well known, they have done a lot of things in the community. Everyone will recognize their name.”
This year marks the 14th History Makers Gala. Yockey said the event, which serves as the annual meeting of the museum’s board, is still exciting year after year.
One thing that helps is the variety of the History Makers selected.
“I think our dinner has become the kind of event that everybody wants to go there and see who else is there, and connect with their friends and honor these people in our community,” she said.
ISU Softball’s Melinda Fischer
Melinda Fischer is the all-time winningest coach in Illinois State University and Missouri Valley Conference history. Her athletic career has spanned her own days in high school and college at ISU and went on to a 39-year coaching career.
“It just is overwhelming, quite honestly. Very exciting, very special, very grateful,” she said. “All those words come to mind.”
Among her other recognitions is ISU’s successful campaign to name the field at Marian Kneer stadium for her.
After her extensive career, including 1,118 career victories with the Redbirds, Fischer said it was hard to leave that all behind when she retired in 2022, but she has stayed active in athletics from the sidelines.
“I tried my best the very first year I retired, and boy, I was anxious all the time. I just wanted to be there watching,” she said. “And since then, I’ve kind of settled into a little bit more of this retirement gig.
“I give my advice or my opinion when it’s asked and sometimes when it’s not, but I still support Redbird athletics through and through. I know this is just my home.”
Fischer is following ISU Basketball, where both the men’s and women’s teams are still playing in the postseason.
The men have advanced to the NIT Final Four for the first time in school history. The Redbird women are in the Fab 4 for the second consecutive year.
Former County Board Chair John McIntyre
John McIntyre retired from the McLean County Board in 2023, marking just one of many public service hats he has worn during his life.
Known by many as “Coach Mac,” the previous educator and principal is also enjoying retirement while still keeping active.
“I tell the story, I used to leave early in the morning and need to go to practice or to school, or I’d tell my wife, to a committee meeting” he said. “Now, when I leave and say I’m going to a committee meeting, she just says, ‘Which coffee group are you going to be at?’”
McIntyre said his awards have been humbling.
“There’s many great people in this community and people that I’ve worked with…no one does something by himself,” said McIntyre. “I always have a lot of supporters and assistants and friends, and it’s a real joy. I feel really blessed to have been here and done what I’ve done.”
McIntyre still volunteers around the county, and he’s also enjoyed traveling to see family since leaving the board.
Author and counselor Feli Sebastian
Feli Sebastian was born in the Philippines and later moved to the United States with her sister. Her journey from her home country and practicing counseling and teaching were guided at the same time by her Catholic faith.
She also kept a Bible verse close to her for guidance, Jeremiah 29:11.
“It has been my go-to verse whenever I am on a crossroad in my life, and it was given to me by one of the sisters from the Franciscan Sisters’ convent in Sylvania, [Ohio],” she said. “And so that spiritual verse really kept me grounded and even with all the other organizations you know that I founded, it has really helped me.”
Sebastian founded Labyrinth House, a transitional housing service for formerly incarcerated women. She said it, along with her other work, has made her life rewarding.
“…because the people trust you with their lives and often, they will tell me, ‘Feli, I have not told anyone, even my husband’ about this specific incident that happened to them,” she said.
Sebastian also published a memoir in 2020 titled Broken and Beloved: A Memoir of Grit, Perseverance, and an Unstoppable Faith, which she said stands for a legacy that all are beloved by the Lord, regardless of one’s mistakes.
Advocates and activists Camille and Art Taylor
Art and Camille Taylor said ever since their marriage in 1994, they have always been a team for community activism and leadership. However, their respective histories of advocacy predate their marriage.
Art served as the first chair of the Public Safety and Community Relations Board, overseeing police activity. He is also active as an elder at First Christian Church and Bloomington’s Not In Our Town chapter, where Camille is co-chair.
Together, Art said they have been drawn to each other’s interests and passions.
“…for being a voice for people who, one, need to hear a positive message, one that may not always be represented throughout the community, but a voice nonetheless for truth. And we’ve always been truth tellers,” he said.
Camille said the first thought she had when she learned they were selected was “Boy, we’re old.”
Other than the fact that nominees must be at least 70 years old, she said they don’t often consider their age in activism.
“So, to me, the award is like a cumulative thing of things that people have done over many, many years. And while you’re doing things, you don’t really count the years while you’re doing them,” she said. “So, to have this recognition makes me think, wow. It makes you think more about your life.”
Camille also serves on the board of directors of the YWCA of McLean County and at the League of Women Voters. Additionally, she is a co-chair of the Documentation Project collecting the totality of Trump Administration cuts on McLean County.
