Enjoy Three Unique Tastes of Southern Illinois for the Holidays
FREE SHIPPING!
The SIU Alumni Association is proud to partner with our friends at Wichmann Vineyard, 17th Street BBQ, and Rendleman Orchards to bring Saluki alumni three unique holiday bundles, offering a taste of Southern Illinois.
Order any packages through December 14, 2024, and have them shipped directly for free. Shipments will arrive with a Saluki-themed item, and a portion of each sale will go to the Association in support of programs and student scholarships.
Meet Our Partners
Wichmann Vineyard
Woman-owned, locally grown and produced...
Hanna Wichmann, owner and winemaker, has been in the vineyard since she was a little girl. Her father, Ted Wichmann, is a 1976 SIU graduate and was one of the pioneers in grape growing and wine making in southern Illinois during the 1980s. Ted and his wife, Sarah Andrew (also a Saluki alumna), were creators of the Wine Trail along with two other winery owners. They wrote and submitted the Shawnee Hill’s American Viticulture Area proposal, which was approved by the federal government in 2006.
When Hanna decided she needed a change from her ten-year career as a social worker and licensed counselor, she could not think of anything she would rather do than return to the vineyard and start making her own wine. With the support of her husband and co-owner, Don Moberly, Hanna started wine production at Wichmann Vineyard in the fall of 2020. She has a passion from the land and vines to which she dedicates endless energy and care. She loves seeing the annual life cycle of the vineyard and participating in the journey the vines make every year to produce outstanding wine.
17th Street Barbecue
Smoke, sauce, and Magic Dust...
Amy Mills was raised on smoke, sauce, and Magic Dust®. Owner of the renowned barbecue destination, 17th Street Barbecue, she’s the industry’s go-to girl for all things barbecue. As the recipient of the Barbecue Heroine prize and consistently named a leader in her industry, it’s Amy’s mission to spread the gospel of barbecue.
Amy is considered a complete authority on barbecue and the business that surrounds it. She runs the only barbecue business consultancy in the world, OnCue Consulting, offering seminars and training focused on the culinary and business techniques behind great barbecue.
Her late father, Mike Mills, also known as "The Legend" in the world of barbecue, was an alumnus of SIU and a member of the first dental technology class.
17th Street Barbecue is headquartered in Murphysboro, Illinois. Influenced by her business, Murphysboro was proclaimed the “Barbecue Capital of Illinois” by the State Legislature in 2014.
Barbecue isn’t just a way to cook; it’s Mills’ and 17th Street Barbecue’s way of life. In the late Mike Mills’ own words, “Life’s too short for a half-rack.”
Rendleman Orchards
5th generation family farmers...
Wayne and Michelle Sirles are 5th generation family farmers at Rendleman Orchards. They are also the 3rd generation of double Saluki Alumnus/Saluki Sweethearts to own and operate their over 150 year old multigenerational family business.
Wayne graduated in 1989 with his B.S. in Horticulture and minors in Chemistry and Agribusiness. Michelle graduated with her B.A. in 1989, her degree being in Visual Communications.
Married 34 years, together they continue their family heritage as specialty crop growers in Alto Pass, Illinois, an area in Southern Illinois known for fruit growing.
The rolling hills just 20 miles south of SIU's Carbondale campus produces some of the best and most flavorful apples in the Midwest and we are excited to share them with you!
Rendleman Orchards raises 14 different varieties of apples. They sell their produce wholesale by truckload across the Midwest. In addition, they offer tree-ripened fruit in their Farm Market located at the orchard. Each fall and through the holidays Rendleman Orchards ships their hand-picked apple gift boxes farm-to-porch, now reaching fellow Salukis nationwide!