The Community Word

The West Peoria Residents’ Association is hosting their annual Christmas gathering on December 2, 2007 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Franciscan Center. Join them for an evening of Christmas music, hot chocolate, cookies, hay rack rides, and a coloring contest. Santa will be there as a special guest. The 2007 annual West Peoria Holiday Lighting Contest is sponsored by Haddad’s Market and the Medicine Shoppe of West Peoria. Judging will run from December 10th - 19th. Anyone who enters needs to have their outside displays lighted during those evenings. Nomination forms can be picked up at Haddads starting the first week of December; residents can nominate either their own displays or someone else’s. Only houses within West Peoria’s city limits are eligible. Categories are: Religious, overall religious theme; Simplicity, short and sweet; Vegas Style, over the top; Holiday, who’s got the spirit? and Judges’ Overall Favorite, the can’t miss house of the year. Winners will be posted in Haddads. Winners will receive a $5.00 gift certificate from Haddad’s Market and a large plate of Christmas cookies.

Landscape waste pickup for this year ends Friday, December 28. Also, please have lids on your garbage cans as required by City ordinance. And remember, if it poops, you scoop! Please be courteous to your fellow residents and pick up your dog’s waste.

The Code Enforcement Office would like to remind residents they are responsible for cleaning and maintaining their alleyways and disposing of all garbage and debris. The Code Enforcement Officer will send out violations and fines to all who fail to comply with city ordinances in a timely fashion. Most fines start at $50.00; legal action will be taken against violators who fail to pay the fine.

With winter approaching, the City would like to remind all residents in the case of snow storms, the snow removal policy is CURB-TO-CURB PLOWING, as there is a need to clear streets so that Fire & Rescue vehicles can travel safely, and for the availability of on-street parking. Priorities are to ensure that Swords hill and the main thoroughfares in the community are cleared for emergency vehicles. Emergency snow routes in West Peoria are: Heading, Rohmann, Ayres, Callender, and Waverly Avenues. As those routes are cleared, the City will focus attention on clearing secondary routes and side streets. Thank you for your ongoing patience and understanding. When a snow fall is imminent, you can help the City by parking your vehicles in your garage or driveway, and by shoveling the sidewalks in front of your residence. Please assist by shoveling out fire hydrants wherever you may see them. Thanks again and please drive safely this winter season.

The City of West Peoria has an interest in pursuing a beautiful, clean and safe community. Community leaders continually strive to make West Peoria a better place to live and hope this is a goal shared by all community members. Thus, an initiative to improve the quality of life for residents has begun by focusing on one target area at a time. The code enforcement officer, community police officer and animal control specialist will be inspecting your neighborhood in the future. This team will survey the neighborhood, provide resources, issue violations if they deem necessary, and will be available to answer any questions. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact West Peoria City Hall at 309.674.1993.

The Jamboree Race is back and we want YOU! In order to give the race a running start, volunteers are needed to help coordinate and organize the event. If you would like to be a part of next year’s success, please contact Krystiana Bronny at 309.674-1993.

The City of West Peoria and the Greater Illinois Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation are working together to create an exercise program for West Peoria residents. This program will use gentle activities to help increase joint flexibility and range of motion, to maintain muscle strength, and to reduce pain and fatigue. The Arthritis Foundation will provide training for anybody interested in leading this exercise program. For those interested in helping initiate this program, leading the exercise classes or becoming a participant, please contact Krystiana Bronny at West Peoria City Hall 674-1993 or Heidi Koll at the Arthritis Foundation 682-6600.

You can help make a difference in your community! West Peoria’s Americorps VISTA, Krystiana Bronny, is starting a volunteer program to assist the elderly, disabled or otherwise incapacitated. This program would help the elderly and disabled with outdoor tasks they may find difficult or impossible. Volunteers will be needed on a minimal basis to perform services such as raking leaves or shoveling driveways. If you would like assistance from this program or to volunteer for this program, please call Krystiana Bronny at (309).674.1993. Your minimal commitment can have a huge impact.

Neither the West Peoria Neighborhood Watch nor the Residents’ Association will meet in December. Their next meetings will be January 17, 2008 at 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. in City Hall. The public is invited.

Welcome packets for new residents are available at West Peoria City Hall.

Instead of a regular meeting in December, the West Peoria Garden Club will have their annual holiday party at the home of Hazel Thomas. 2008 dues remain $10/individual and $18/families. If you are interested in joining please mail a check to Pat Sharp, 609 N Swords Ave, West Peoria, IL 61604. Plans for next year include building containers, learning about raised bed gardening and touring local gardens.

West Peoria Township thanks the following individuals for their help in making West Peoria Litter Clean-Up Day a big success: Krystiana Bronny, Sharon Kennedy, Maggie Moore’s Neighborhood Watch Group, students from Mrs. Monk’s Calvin Coolidge Middle School class and Boy Scout Troop 11.

Your West Peoria Lions Club continues their efforts to help the visually and hearing impaired, plus many other things through the community. Christmas is just around the corner and the West Peoria Lions Club has some Christmas gift ideas for you. They have Peoria Dining Tour Books for sale through Christmas. These books offer a gift that will give all year round. At a low cost of just $30 per book. If interested, call Lion Emil at 693-1191.

West Peoria Lions are also selling soy candles, soy air fresheners, and soy soaps. Soy candles burn cleaner, longer, and the scent lasts through the whole candle. If you would like some soy products please call Lion Carolyn at 673-6207 for more information.

The Club is also giving back to the community and will have Christmas food baskets for families or individuals who could use some extra help around the holiday season. If you know someone in the West Peoria, Bellevue, or Norwood area, please contact Lion Linda by December 6th, at 673-6409.

The Lions also have a recycling program for a variety of different items that are greatly needed and include everything from used glasses, hearing aids, keys, ink cartridges, and cell phones. If you would like to donate any of these items to the West Peoria Lions Club, please contact Lion Jim at 673-6207.

Did you know that the Lions Club is the largest service organization in the world, so come join the fun and rewarding club, and become a part of a family. The Club meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m., in the basement of the United Disciples Church, at 2018 W. Kellogg. Please contact Lion Linda for more information and about coming to a meeting or joining the West Peoria Lions Club at 673-6409.

This writer wishes you all a safe, healthy and happy holiday season. Let us count among our blessings the dedication of the people in West Peoria who give many hours of work and effort to continually be improving our community.