http://will.atlas.uiuc.edu/prairiefire/pbCoreEpisode/pf2008-04-03 WILL, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Series Episode Host Alison Davis Wood talks to a Champaign percussionist and music teacher who encourages audiences to make music from things that are usually thrown away.Then Prairie Fire features a store that keeps gently used furniture out of the landfill. And producer Denise La Grassa talks to George Kitterman, who found friendship during combat in World War II. Abstract Segment Bloomington, History, Illinois Culture/History, World War II, WILL Custom Prairie Fire Subject Headings A friendship during World War II helped George Kitterman of Bloomington survive fierce conditions during the Battle of the Bulge. In this Prairie Fire story, Kitterman describes being pinned down in a foxhole with his friend Joe Spencer, covered with snow with only a bazooka and one shell between them. They wondered what they would do if a German tank came over the ridge. Producer Denise La Grassa begins with Kitterman learning about the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when he and his pals were finishing a game of touch football and turned on a car radio to hear the Chicago Bears score. “We follow him through much of his war experience, but the centerpiece is this friendship that was so important to him,” La Grassa said. Abstract Denise La Grassa Producer Eleanore Stasheff Editor Segment Business, Environment, Champaign, Housing and Urban Renewal, WILL Custom Prairie Fire Subject Headings The goal of Habitat for Humanity’s Champaign ReStore is to keep gently used furniture out of the landfill and also help people in need.  Abstract Virginia Steffen Producer Segment Arts/Culture, Champaign, Music, WILL Custom Prairie Fire Subject Headings By producer Alison Davis Wood I first met Chad Dunn when I was producing a story on another band that he plays with called Desifinado. After talking to him, I quickly realized that Chad should be his own story for Prairie Fire. His talents include hand crafting instruments that are used by Sting and members of Paul Simon’s band, and he teaches Brazilian percussion to young and old. But Chad is also a lover of trash. He looks at old bottles and paint drums and hears music. What also is incredible is that he inspires others to do the same. Chad’s musical mission of keeping things out of landfills led to him forming Recycled Rhythms. The band is unlike anything you’ve seen before. It is part musical group, part perfomance art, part environmental activism. But most of all the band is fun to watch. You can’t help but move to the beat and maybe even join the band on stage with a pair of “dancing hands” (empty boxes with scrap paper attached). Chad’s vision for the future of the band is that Recycled Rhythms will do extensive workshops within communities across the country. The group would help organize a community “clean-up” with a local school. Then Chad would work with school children to turn the items collected into musical instruments. They would teach the kids how to play tradtional Brazilian rhythms on the new instruments. All the work would result in a performance between the school children and Recycled Rhythms after which the instruments would be donated to the school. I hope this story inspires people check out a performance of Recycled Rhythms or possibly make their own instruments. Maybe you will think twice before you throw something away ... there could be music in that old cereal box or coffee can. You just have to let it out!  Abstract Alison Davis Wood Producer Julius Bolton, Brian Paris, Virginia Steffen Chief Camera - Segment WILL-TV, University of Illinois Copyright Holder Publisher ¬© 2008 University of Illinois 2008-04-03T20:30:00-06:00 2008-04-03T20:30:00-06:00 video/mp4 http://will.atlas.uiuc.edu/prairiefire/episode/pf2008-04-03 Moving Image MPEG video MPEG-4 107179434 00:28 eng http://willmedia.atlas.uiuc.edu/mpeg4/pf2008-04-03.mp4 WILL Public Media, University of Illinois 2008-04-03T20:30:00-06:00 2008-04-03T20:30:00-06:00 video/x-flv http://will.atlas.uiuc.edu/prairiefire/episode/pf2008-04-03 Moving Image Flash Video Flash Media 8 112941169 00:28 eng http://willmedia.atlas.uiuc.edu/flash/pf2008-04-03.flv WILL Public Media, University of Illinois 2008-04-03T20:30:00-06:00 2008-04-03T20:30:00-06:00 video/vnd.rn-realvideo http://willmedia.will.uiuc.edu/ramgen/pf2008-04-03.rv Moving Image 00:28:00