HOLIDAY SHORES — Ashley and Connor Maedge, a newlywed couple from Holiday Shores, exchanged vows on Dec. 14, 2024, at Pere Marquette in Grafton in a ceremony that emphasized giving back to the community. Rather than traditional wedding gifts, they asked guests to bring toys for children that were donated to The Salvation Army in Alton. The couple, both veterans — Ashley served in the Navy and Connor in the Army — met after their military service while taking an introductory law class at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. They now reside in Madison County, where Ashley works as a data warehouse analyst for U.S. Bank, and Connor serves as a police officer in Fairview Heights. Ashley and Connor are definite Difference Makers in their community. Cassy Grey, of the Salvation Army in Alton, expressed her admiration for the couple's philanthropic gesture. “In all my years of officership, I have never experienced anything quite like this,” Grey said.
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