2008 Woodie Awards
Mike Yager started an automotive business with a $500 loan in 1974. Yager's business has evolved into a multi-million dollar operation, Mid America Motorworks, located in Effingham. In addition to the auto work that Yager and his employees do at their garage, there is also a museum located on the premises, stocked with classic cars and automotive memorabilia.
A 198-foot tall, 113-foot wide cross stands towering between Interstate 57 and Interstate 70 in Effingham. The cross, which costs $1 million to build, is intended to serve as a symbol of hope, comfort and peace to the approximately 50,000 travelers who pass the site daily.