December Programs at Dunlap Public Library

Thursday, December 5, 12, 19 – 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – “Downton Abbey” – Get ready for Season 4! Bring a friend (or two) to enjoy watching Season 3* of the British drama series. Tea sweet and tea provided. *One episode shown per week. Free.

Thursday, December 5 – 1:00 p.m. – Page Turners Book Club – We’ll be talking about “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” by Helen Simonson.

Monday, December 9 – 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. – Monday Morning Book Club – Have you been wanting to join a book club, but couldn’t because of a childcare dilemma? Well…we are going to bring out our story time toys for the kids to enjoy while we adults discuss our monthly book. We will be discussing “Skipping Christmas” by John Grisham.

Questions, please call the Dunlap Public Library at (309) 243-5716.

Peoria Residents Raise Funds for a Cure at the Annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis

The Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis will bring the Peoria community together on December 7, 2013 to raise funds to fight and cure arthritis, the nation’s leading cause of disability. This annual holiday-themed event will be held at RiverPlex and begins at 10:00 a.m. The Arthritis Foundation expects more than 1,700 participants to take part in the Jingle Bell Run/Walk this year.

Voted as one of the nation’s “Most Incredible Themed Races” in 2012, the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis is an important way to make a difference in the fight to end arthritis, a serious disease that affects 50 million Americans, roughly one out of five adults. Contrary to popular belief, arthritis is not an “old person’s” disease. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis that affect people of all ages. In fact, two-thirds of people with arthritis are under the age of 65, including 300,000 children. In Illinois, arthritis affects more than 2.5 million people.

“When people think of arthritis, they automatically think minor aches and pains, which is far from the truth. Various forms of arthritis can seriously affect joints, muscles, internal organs, eyes, and also claims the lives of nearly 10,000 people each year. This is why the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis is so important for this community to raise funds and fight to put an end to this serious disease,” said Meagan Fulmer, chief development officer of the Arthritis Foundation.

As the nation’s largest holiday race series, the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis offers a five kilometer timed fun run and a one-mile walk with other activities for the entire family. To learn more about the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis or to register your team today, visit www.arthritis.org/jbr.

Six Week Baseball Camp at Richwoods and Metamora High School on January 5th – Register Soon!

Richwoods High School is hosting a six week baseball camp starting January 5.

Richwoods head coach Doug Goessman will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy. Classes are available for players in grades 1-12 and are limited to six players per coach. Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and base-running. Space is limited. Registration is now under way. For more information, visit www.USBaseballAcademy.com, or call toll-free 866-622-4487.

Metamora High School is hosting a six week baseball camp starting January 5.

Metamora head coach Eric Stone will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy. Classes are available for players in grades 1-12 and are limited to six players per coach offered in advanced hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and base-running. Space is limited. Registration is now under way. For more information, visit: www.USBaseballAcademy.com, or call toll-free 866-622-4487.

SOMMER PARK TO PRESENT “CHRISTMAS ON THE GHOST FRONT” ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14

The Peoria Park District’s W. H. Sommer Park will present “Christmas on the Ghost Front” on Saturday, December 14, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Imagine it’s December 1944 and Christmas is coming. A detachment of American troops from the 106th Infantry Division have settled into a small Belgian farmhouse not far from the German border. The men of the 106th have replaced veteran combat divisions at a quiet sector of the line to await a spring offensive. Little do they know that the largest battle in U.S. military history is only a few short days away.

Come join World War II veterans, historians and re-enactors as the days leading up to the Battle of the Bulge are recreated at the Pioneer Homestead in Sommer Park.Demonstrations will include soldier life, military vehicles, POW interrogation and a first aid station.

Sommer Park‘s “Christmas on the Ghost Front” is open to the public and admission is just $5 per vehicle. Sommer Park is located at 6329 N. Koerner Road between Route 150 and Charter Oak Road, near the Shoppes at Grand Prairie. Call 691-8423 for details, or visit www.peoriaparks.org

Forest Park Nature Center Hosts Holiday Shop and Stroll — Four Nights in December

The Peoria Park District’s Forest Park Nature Center will host their annual Holiday Shop and Stroll evenings on December 6, 13, 14 and 20, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

This event is one of a kind and a holiday tradition for hundreds of individuals and families throughout central Illinois. Experience an evening stroll on a forest path with luminaries guiding your way. Enjoy live seasonal music by a variety of musicians…plus storytelling, caroling, hot wassail and homemade treats. View the artwork in the Nature,Art Show and Sale, and shop for nature-related and eco-friendly items in the Trailhead Nature Store.

Plan time to catch your breath during the busy holiday season and attend an event that will definitely get you in the spirit! Holiday Shop and Stroll is open to all ages. A $2/ person donation is requested.

For more information about Shop and Stroll, call (309) 686-3360. Forest Park Nature Center is located at 5809 Forest Park Drive in Peoria Heights. Regular hours are Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Sundays 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. The trails are open daily dawn to dusk.

Annual Jinglin’ Jazz Event at Luthy Botanical Garden December 21

The Peoria Park District’s Luthy Botanical Garden will present “Jinglin’ Jazz,” an annual holiday celebration, on Saturday, December 21, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Come enjoy a festive evening of jazzy tunes by the Joe Metzka Trio, delicious hors d’oeuvres, specialty wines, and the opportunity to bid on an outstanding selection of auction items. This event benefits you, everyone on your Christmas list, and the Garden as well! The fun takes place in the beautiful Luthy Conservatory, all decked out in colorful poinsettias and uniquely decorated trees for the Garden’s traditional holiday events!

Tickets, for ages 21 and over only, are $20 per person in advance for members and $25 in advance for non-members. (Admission price includes hors d’oeuvres.) Last year was a sellout, so be sure to get your tickets early!

For more information or to reserve your tickets, call Luthy Botanical Garden, (309) 681-3506.

NEW! Lacrosse Open Gym at RiverPlex

Keep your skills up to par this winter at the Lacrosse Open Gym for ages 7-14 at the RiverPlex. It runs on Mondays through December 23, from 7:30-9:00 p.m. Cost is $3 per visit.

For more information, contact Matt Suellentrop, Athletics Manager, at 681-2866 or visit www.peoriaparks.org.

Proctor Hospital Activities in December

alonetogether Grief Support Group – Mondays – 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. alonetogether is a grief support group, open to the community, that meets Mondays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Group Room 4 of the Counseling Center at Proctor Hospital. If you are experiencing grief from loss of a loved one, divorce or separation, loss of a pet, or experiencing grief of any kind, please attend. For more info, contact Steve at 689-6018 or steve.wilson@proctor.org.

Kids Konnected – Thursday, December 5 and Monday, December 16 – 6:00 p.m. with refreshments provided. Compassion, support, friendship, and learning for kids, ages 5-18, whose lives are touched by a parent or caregiver with cancer. Made possible, in part, by a grant from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Peoria Memorial Affiliate. Hult Center for Healthy Living. Call (309) 692-6650

SW Kiwanis Cheese Sale – Tuesday, December 10 and Wednesday, December 11 – 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in the Lobby at Proctor Hospital. Sponsored by the Service Auxiliary.

Seniors on the Go – “Here’s to the Holidays” – Wednesday, December 18 – 10:30-11:45 a.m., Lunch provided. Hult Center for Healthy Living. An interactive program providing holiday hints and bringing holiday cheer! Music and surprises, too! Presented by Paulette Hartmann, Lutheran Social Services of IL Intouch Home Care. Reservations Required – call 692-6650.

IPMR became the first in Peoria and surrounding areas to earn the nationally recognized STAR Program® Certification (Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation). It is only 7 short months since this launch, and IPMR is already receiving national attention with connections to Harvard and a national physical therapy magazine.

“We are a unique adaptation since we are an outpatient facility.” said Sue Paul, a physical therapist and the IPMR therapy director. In October, Paul presented at a national rehabilitation conference to over 100 healthcare professionals who specialize in cancer. “There is clearly a significant deficit in cancer care when rehabilitation is not offered to those who will likely benefit from it,” said Dr. Silver, who led the conference.

Nine Women Entrepreneurs Received Local Awards!

Nine women entrepreneurs were recognized and honored with the 50 Women in Business Award on November 7th for creating new businesses in the local community.

The following new business owners were:

Queen Bees of Clean by Audrey Brown
Developing Effective Managers by Denise McWhorter
Hollye Green Creative by Hollye McManis
The Scooper Heroes by Kelley Steger
Hire a Housewife by Kindall Nelson
Stonewell Recruiting, LLC by Leah Olsen
Leg Up Services by Liz Pollack
Mekatto Gyros & Subs by Nancy Castiblanco
Burleson Back Office by Shelby Burleson.

Doris Symonds, owner of Teaching And Learning for Knowledge (T.A.L.K.) presented the awards at Sazani’s Steak and Pasta House.The sold out event was-well attended for the support of new women business owners.

December Book Clubs at Peoria Public Library

Join a book club at Peoria Public Library this month. New members are always welcome!

Book ‘Em Mystery Book Club will meet on Sunday, December 15 at 2:00 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle.

The Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Club meets on Monday, December 9 at Lakeview Branch at 6:30 p.m. to discuss Blue Remembered Earth by Alistair Reynolds.

Bibliophiles (formerly The We Love to Read! Book Club) will meet on Wednesday, December 11 at 1:30 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen. For more info, call Carol May at (309) 692-1020 or email cmay1223@comcast.net.

The Read On Book Club is on winter break and will meet again in January.

The Biography and Non-Fiction Book Club will meet on Sunday, December 8 at 3:00 p.m. at North Branch to discuss Siberian Odyssey: A Voyage Into the Russian Soul by Frederick Kempe. For more info call 309-497-2186.

Intercontinental Readers will continue to meet to discuss novels by American and Irish authors via Skype at Main Library LL 1 at 1:00 p.m. once every three months with readers in Ireland. Call 309-497-2143 for more information.

Club Read is on vacation until January.

YA for Adults Book Club will meet on Tuesday, December 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Lakeview Branch to discuss Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell.

The Peoria Sports Center Complex Coming in November 2014

Peoria will soon be the home to an exciting world class sports complex featuring outstanding facilities for baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse. Planned to capture the growing youth travel sports phenomenon, the Peoria Sports Center will be the destination of choice for training and competition of amateur athletes. To be located on 50 acres of land north of the Shoppes at Grand Prairie, the state of the art complex will offer the flexibility of indoor and outdoor athletic fields and operate throughout the year.

The favorable economic impact on the City of Peoria adds robust momentum to Peoria’s growth and quality of life. Over $20 million of strong economic impact will be generated during construction beginning early in 2014. Once fully operational in 2015, the Peoria Sports Center will generate an annual positive economic wallop of over $30 million!

The Peoria Sports Center will be unique in the Midwest with all indoor and outdoor fields sporting the latest technology in all-weather synthetic turf. A spectacular 125,000 square foot dome will house indoor fields for multiple athletic events. This will be the largest dome of its kind under private operation and ownership.

With the ability to host over 11,000 competitive events each year the Peoria Sports Center will draw an estimated 325,000 visitors annually to participate in and watch the face-paced action. Hospitality venues, including a planned 120 room Holiday Inn and Suites located adjacent to the Center on Orange Prairie Road, and retail establishments in the area will experience heightened demand and business.

After several years of intense study, 24 Corp, LLC is ready to move forward with the project and will work with the City on an innovative economic development approach. Initial opening of the dome is slated for November 2014 with outdoor events and competition beginning in the spring of 2015.

For further information contact Andy Paulson, 24 Corp, LLC at 309-360-3862.

Luthy Botanical Garden Poinsettia Show/ Candlelight Walks/Kwanzaa Display Begin November 22

The Peoria Park District’s Luthy Botanical Garden will present its annual Poinsettia Show from November 22 through December 31, 2013.

Hundreds of beautiful poinsettias will transform the Conservatory into a spectacular holiday wonder-land that has become a tradition for hundreds of area families. The brightly-colored poinsettias blend with the Garden’s tropical collection and a myriad of beautifully-decorated trees, each with a unique theme, to create an experience unlike anything in Peoria.

The Garden is open Tues. through Thurs.10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., plus 6:0 to 9:00 p.m. for Candlelight Walks in November and December (thru December 20) and Sundays noon to 5:00 p.m. The Garden will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Experience the beauty of our Poinsettia Show at night under the warm glow of hundreds of candles. No admission charge. Candlelight Walks will be held on the

following dates in November & December, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., with live appearances and/or holiday musical entertainment: November 22, 23, 29, 30 and December 6, 7, 13, 14 and 20.

Learn the significance of Mishumaa Saba and Zawadi at the Garden’s Kwanzaa display. Kwanzaa is an African American holiday that celebrates family, community and culture.

For more information about the shows call the Luthy Botanical Garden, (309) 681-3506.

Neighborhood House Holiday Outreach

You can hear Jingle Bells and smell cinnamon apple spice at Neighborhood House, where it’s already Christmas-time. Registrations for the long-running Toy Shop and Santa for Seniors programs are underway.

“It’s going to be bigger and better this year,” said Executive Director Becky Rossman, “We are reaching out to new business, as well as relying on the ones who have helped us year-after-year.”

The Toy Shop shelves are stocked with donations to toy boxes that are placed at over 165 local businesses, schools and churches. Now in its 78th year, the Toy Shop is available to parents throughout the Peoria-area who are currently employed, but making low wages. It is also open to current students with children and those who recently lost jobs and are receiving unemployment benefits. In addition to the Toy Shop for children, Neighborhood House hosts a multitude of senior programs during the holidays, most notably the Santa for Seniors program. “We accept referrals from various agencies of seniors who are lonely, isolated, or grieving and we deliver Christmas gifts to them,” Rossman said.

Rossman said none of the projects at Neighborhood House would be successful without a dedicated army of volunteers. “There are some people who start calling us in September wanting to know when we need them to come in and start wrapping presents,” Rossman said. “We are blessed.” For more information on making a donation or volunteering at Neighborhood House, contact Community Outreach Director Roberta English Simpson 309-674-1131. Neighborhood House is located at 1020 Matthew Street, off Garden Road

.Neighborhood House December 2013 Holiday Outreach

Dates

December 8th Santa for Seniors Deliveries

Volunteers are needed 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to help deliver gifts throughout the Peoria-area. R.S.V.P. to Director of Community Outreach, Roberta English Simpson, 309-674-1131

December 10th Senior Christmas Party

Noon, cost $5.00, R.S.V.P. to Director of Senior Services, Linda Johnston, 309-674-1131.

December 12th and 13th Toy Shop

Volunteers are needed to work in the Toy Shop, sorting gifts, restocking the shelves and helping parents shop. R.S.V.P. to Director of Community Outreach, Roberta English Simpson, 309-674-1131.

The Salvation Army Food Supplies Diminished – Increased

Numbers Mean Pantry Becoming Depleted

With the economy still struggling to right itself and grow, The Salvation Army is seeing dramatic increases in its feeding programs. The economic struggles are especially troubling for lower-income families, resulting in difficult choices for many households, including the elderly and others living on fixed incomes.

The Salvation Army offers several feeding programs that benefit many in Peoria. These programs are all dependent on generous donations from our many friends and supporters. These programs include:

Lunch With Love: Our primary feeding program, which is served daily from 11:30 to 1 p.m. out of our Sylvia Fites Family Service Center. So far in 2013, we have served over 33,176 meals in this program, and delivered an additional 16,340 for an average of more than 288 per day.

Food Pantry: We also operate a food pantry out of our food warehouse and distribute it through our Family Services. Families and individuals can come in and get a food parcel that typically provides about three days of food for a family of four. In the first 9 months of 2013, we processed 2,179 orders representing 4,318 people and over 50,364 meals.

Shelter Residents: Residents in our Family Shelter get meals each day – all of which are served in the shelter lunchroom. In the first nine months of this year, we served over 14,422 meals to shelter residents

Child Care Center: Children that are in our Child Care Center get a snack and a daily lunch provided while they are in our care. In the past year, that number included 8,960 snacks and 18,473 meals.

Safety Net Shelter: The Salvation Army operates its Safety Net Shelter in the Sylvia Fites Family Service Center on a year-round basis. This program for homeless men provides a warm place to sleep and soup and sandwiches for the men. Since January of this year, we provided 21,152 meals to the men who stayed in our Safety Net Shelter.

For more information, please contact Rich Draeger at The Salvation Army at 655- 1348 or 253-9909.