Peoria County Courthouse Voting Schedule
Monday – Friday
3/25/2013 – 4/5/2013 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Peoria County Clerks’ Office, 324 Main St., Room 101, Peoria
Saturday
3/30/2013 – 4/6/2013 from 9:00 a.m. – noon
Peoria County Clerk’s Office, 324 Main St., Room 101, Peoria
Sunday
3/31/2013 from 9:00 a.m. – noon
Peoria County Clerk’s Office, 324 Main St., Room 101, Peoria
A government or college issued photo ID is required to vote early. If you have any questions about an Early Voting site outside the City of Peoria, please call 672-6070.
PEORIA WOMEN’S CLUB CELEBRATES 120 YEARS
The Peoria Women’s Club will present a special Anniversary Program: Building the Peoria Women’s Club: 120 Years at 301 NE Madison Avenue, a short film produced by author and historian, Channy Lyons, and photographer Dave Wood , on Thursday, March 24, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. with a celebratory luncheon to follow at Noon at the Peoria Women’s Club, 301 NE Madison Ave., Peoria, Il. The public is invited. Program is free, luncheon $12.00 and reservations requested at 309-676-5762
The Peoria Women’s Club was founded 127 years ago on January 20, 1886 and the Peoria Women’s Club building will be 120 years old in 2013. The Peoria Women’s Club holds the distinction of being one of the oldest existing active women’s clubs in the United States, and unique in its ownership of its own building. The Women’s Club has long been dedicated to historic preservation and education in the city of Peoria.
Get Ready For the Season with Indoor Golf Lessons
The Peoria Park District’s Golf Learning Center has adult indoor lessons beginning in March. These four 1-hour lessons cover grip, stance and swing motion. Lessons are designed to accommodate various skill levels. Cost is $55/residents, $60/non-residents. Dates and time are below:
Tu: 3/5-3/26 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Th: 3/7-3/28 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Sa: 3/9-3/30 9:99 -10:00 a.m.
Sa: 3/9-3/30 10:15-11:15 a.m.
For more information call the Golf Learning Center at (309) 690-7162.
Luthy’s Botanical Garden’s Annual Lily Show March 8 – March 31
The Peoria Park District’s Luthy Botanical Garden’s annual Lily Show will be March 8 through March 31 in the Garden Conservatory. This year’s theme is “A Celebration of Spring.”
The Lily Show always makes an impressive presentation for families and friends during the spring and Easter season. For a special treat, stop in on Palm Sunday, March 24, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., when the Lily Show experience will be enhanced by the melodic sounds of the Glen Oak Christian Church Hand Bell Choir. Admission to the Lily Show is $2.50 for adults. Children 12 and under and Garden members are FREE. For more info on the Lily Show or how to become a Garden member, call (309) 681-3506.
Controversies and Critical Decisions in Health Screenings:
What’s a Patient to Do?
Should all men get routine PSA tests to screen for prostate cancer? Should women be screened for aortic aneurysms? Why is there so much controversy? The answers may surprise you.
What: Gain the information you need to decide whether to have common screening tests.
When: Tuesday, March 12. Health Screenings from 6:00 -6:30 p.m. (Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar and BMI) and presentation from 6:30- 8:00 p.m.
Where: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, One Illini Drive (Just one block off Main Street and Kumpf Boulevard)
Also: For more information, contact Kim at 680-8613 or by email at:
kdeets@uicomp.uic.edu.
Hosted by the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP), Dr. Sara Rusch, UICOMP’s Regional Dean, will provide visitors with an understanding of screening tests, including colonoscopy for colon cancer, PSA screening, aortic aneurysm, “routine” blood work and CT for lung cancer.
The free event is open to the public and includes the following free health screenings: blood pressure, blood sugar and BMI.
Living Healthy is presented as part of the Swain Endowed Lectureship and sponsored by UICOMP and the UIC Library of the Health Sciences. The annual event is aimed at promoting wellness, safety and preventive healthcare in central Illinois.
Make & Fly a Kite at Forest Park Nature Center on March 23rd
Make a kite at the Peoria Park District’s Forest Park Nature Center, then fly it nearby, on Sat., March 23, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Participants provide the creativity, and we provide the materials. Kites will be constructed at the Nature Center and flown at nearby Detweiller Park. Kite flyers will caravan/carpool to the site.
This event is open to adults and to children 5+. Fee: $5 per kite, $4 for CORE members. Preregistration required. Register at www.peoriaparks.org or call t686-3360 for more info.
BUILD RECYCLED BIRDFEEDER MARCH 30
et ready for spring! Create & decorate your own birdfeeder using recycled materials at the Peoria Park District’s Forest Park Nature Center on Sat., March 30, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Have fun & get a little messy. The program is for ages 5 through 11. Fee: $6, w/a $1 discount for CORE members. Pre-registration required. Register at www.peoriaparks.org or call 309-686-3360.
SENIORS ON THE GO HEALTH FAIR
The Hult Center for Healthy Living and Proctor Hospital is pleased to host the annual Seniors on the Go Health Fair scheduled Thursday, March 21st from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Hult Center for Healthy Living. Through a partnership with Humana, the Health Fair is free admission and includes over 30 exhibitors, health screenings for 55+, health and wellness seminars and door prizes.
The Seniors on the Go Health Fair is an opportunity for the young at heart to gather information on ways to stay active in the community and talk with representatives about services that are available to them. Health screenings require no appointment; seniors may sign up at the Health Fair for the following:
Venipuncture Blood Screenings: Provided by Proctor Hospital
Fasting Blood Chemistry Profile* 30 channel – $30 ($240 value) – This screening includes a lipid profile (cholesterol breakdown), CBC (complete blood count), blood sugar, electrolytes, kidney & liver function screens. * Water, black decaf coffee, & decaf tea allowed.
PSA Blood Test – $30 ($80 Value)
Thyroid Blood Test – $15 ($50 Value)
Health Screenings
Body Composition Analysis – No Charge – Provided by Professional Therapy Services.
Grip Strength Testing – No Charge – Provided by Professional Therapy Services
Balance Testing – No Charge – Provided by Professional Therapy Services
Glaucoma Screening – No Charge – Provided by Illinois Eye Center
Pneumonia Shots – $45** – Provided by Proctor Home Care *** Medicare B will pay for pneumonia shots.
Blood Pressure Screening – No Charge – Provided by Proctor Home Care
The seminar schedule is as follows:
8:15 a.m. “Get Inspired, Get Active”
9:15 a.m. “Peoria Radio: Past & Present”
10:15 a.m. “Happy from the Inside Out”
The Seniors on the Go program offers free health education seminars throughout the year to provide knowledge to middle age and senior adults to assist them in taking an active role in achieving and maintaining their optimal health. For more information, please contact the Kelsey Wright at 309.692.6650 or kwright@hult-health.org.
Government Purchasing Diversity Event
Peoria County joins the City of Peoria and other local agencies in sponsoring the annual Government Purchasing Diversity Event to be held on Wednesday, March 13 from 9:00 a.m. – noon at the Gateway Building; registration begins at 8:30 a.m. This free event provides local small and minority, women, and disadvantaged business owners an opportunity to learn how to do business or become a vendor with the City and County, as well as with the Peoria Housing Authority, Peoria Park District, CityLink, and others.
Following a welcome by Assistant County Administrator for Economic Development Mark Rothert and brief presentations by representatives from the State Comptroller’s Office and the Illinois Department of Insurance, attending business owners will have ample opportunity to openly network with sponsoring agencies and small business service providers. Rachael Parker, County Board Member and Chair of Peoria County’s Minority Business Ad-Hoc Committee, joins the County’s EEO and Purchasing staff to help answer questions business owners and potential government vendors may have regarding doing business with Peoria County.
While walk-ins are welcome, registration is recommended to accommodate seating and materials. To register, interested business owners and entrepreneurs may contact one of the following by March 8:
Virginia Pearl – County of Peoria – vpearl@peoriacounty.org – phone: 309-672-6056
David Watkins – City of Peoria – dwatkins@peoriagov.org – phone: 309-494-8528
Questions regarding this event may be directed to Chris Switzer with the City of Peoria: cswitzer@peoriagov.org or call 309-494-8507.
Retraction/Correction of Information Contained on page 10 of the February issue of the Community Word – about Ever Green Home Energy Business
The presence of carbon monoxide in homes and buildings can cause illnesses such as nausea, fatigue, and can even be fatal in high concentrations. CO is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that can only be identified through equipment such as a carbon monoxide detector that can be purchased in stores. Throughout the United States, carbon monoxide poisoning problems have been found in all varieties of homes and buildings. CO is formed as part of burning gas as a fuel in appliances such as furnaces boilers, water heaters, space heaters, and automobile exhaust. These appliances require regular maintenance to burn fuel cleanly and must be properly vented to the outdoors.
BRING THE KIDS TO MOTHER NATURE’S STORY CORNER AT FOREST PARK NATURE CENTER
The Peoria Park District’s Forest Park Nature Center will host Mother Nature’s Story Corner on March 9th at 10:00 a.m. Drop by with the kids and enjoy a rhyme or two – best for ages 3 to 7. There is no fee, but donations are appreciated. For more info, call (309) 686-3360.
MIDSTATE COLLEGE HOSTS 2nd ANNUAL HEALTH FAIR MARCH 12th
Midstate College will host, for the second time in history, a wellness fair to educate and promote the importance of sustaining a healthy lifestyle. The Midstate College Health Fair will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., located in the R. Dale Bunch Student Center at Midstate College, 411 West Northmoor Road, Peoria, Illinois. This event is open to anyone in the community that is interested in learning more about healthy living and is free to attend.
Highlights include: American Red Cross Blood Drive; Methodist Wellmobile w/Free blood glucose/cholesterol, blood pressure and spirometry screenings; Susan G. Koman Foundation -: Sign up for the Race for the Cure. (May 11); Arthritis Foundation’s Arthritis Walk & Dog Walk (June 1); Women’s Pregnancy Center; Wellness & Health Initiative Program (WHIP)at Midstate College Wellness program; Tececig: Smoking Cessation program; Holistic Health Coach with Lori Irving; Balance and Harmony: Reflexology by Becky Cobb; Preckshot Professional Pharmacy; Center for Prevention of Abuse; College of Medicine HIV Clinic; and Landmark Recreation Center.
Methodist Mobile Mammography Schedule for March
The following is the schedule for the Methodist Medical Center Mobile Mammography Van for the month of March, 2013. Methodist features all digital mammography equipment providing improved, faster and more comfortable exams.
March 5 – Methodist at Morton, 1909 N. Morton
March 7 – County Market 1090 E. Fort St., Farmington
March 12 -Cherry Tree Shopping Center, Washington
March 13 -Methodist Medical Group at Lacon, 1112 E. Fifth
March 19- Methodist at Morton, 1909 N. Morton
March 20- Wal-Mart, 2071 N. Main, Canton
March 26 -Methodist Medical Group @ Chillicothe, 525 Sweetbriar
March 27 -Methodist at Pekin, 800 Broadway, Pekin
There is no need for a doctor’s order for a screening mammogram if you’re 40 or over. If you are uninsured or underinsured, tell us when you call for an appointment. You may qualify for a free mammogram. Call for an appointment at 671-8282.
LEAFLESS TREE I.D. CLASSES AT FOREST PARK NATURE CENTER ON MARCH 3
The Forest Park Nature Center will host “Leafless Tree I.D.” classes on March 3, at 1:30 p.m. Winter tree identification should not “leaf” you stumped. Winter tree finders and several field guides from the Trailhead Nature Store will aid in easy identification of native trees in the winter. The program is open to ages 12 and over. There is no fee, but donations are requested. For additional information, call Forest Park Nature Center, 309-686-3360.
PEORIA READS! Chooses The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot for 2013 One-City One-Book Program
Peoria Reads! is now in its 12th year and has chosen The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot for Peorians to read in 2013.
The program, which is a joint partnership lead by Common Place and Peoria Public Library, features a community-wide effort to get everyone to read the same book and discuss it. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is the story of a woman whose cancer cells, known as HeLa cells, were taken without her permission and became the first human cells that could be kept alive in a lab, giving rise to many medical breakthroughs as well as enormous profits, yet her family lived in poverty.
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew. It’s a story inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we’re made of,” according to the author’s website at www.rebeccaskloot.com.
This year’s partners include: Bradley University, Common Place, Delta Kappa Gamma, Illinois Central College, and Peoria Public Library. The program is supported in part by Friends of Peoria Public Library and The Community Foundation of Central Illinois. Jim Ardis, Mayor of Peoria, has declared March a month dedicated to Peoria Reads: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. More information about the program is available at www.peoriareads.com.
A series of events will provide opportunities to think about and explore the themes, many of which are relevant to Peoria, in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks:
Film Showing: The Way of All Flesh – Sat., March 2:00 -2:30 p.m. at the Peoria Public Library North Branch
Book Discussion: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – on Tues., March 5 at 1:30 p.m. at the Peoria Public Library Lakeview Branch
Bioethics and Literature: The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks – ICC Between the Lines program – Tues., March 5 – 7:00 p.m. at ICC North Arbor Auditorium
Film Showing: Contact – Sun., March 10 – 2:30 p.m. – Peoria Public Library North Branch
Book Discussion- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – Mon., March 11- 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Bradley University, Bradley Hall, Room 225
Film Showing: The Saint – Sat., March 16 – 7:00 p.m. -Apollo Theater
Film Showing: Gorillas in the Mist – Thurs., March 28 – 5:30 p.m. – Peoria Public Library North Branch –