National Wildlife Federation To Provide 200 Trees to Plant

Thanks to a program through the National Wildlife Federation, youth from across the Heartland Division will be planting trees at Eagle Crest Camp this weekend. Saturday at 9am, there will be some basic instruction and at 10 am, kids will begin planting 150 trees.
“We are so excited to work with the National Wildlife Federation in this fashion,” said Captain Jeremy Stouder, Youth Secretary for The Salvation Army Heartland Division. “A big part of our summer camp experience is connecting our campers with nature, and this project fits in so many ways,” said Stouder. Kids from across the Heartland Division will be at Eagle Crest Camp near Washburn this Saturday as part of an annual camp cleanup day.

Kids will be encouraged to take what they have learned into the field where they can check out the trees where they live and the wildlife that call those trees home. For more information about the tree planting day, contact Rich Draeger at (309) 655-1348 or 253-9909. For more information about the National Wildlife Federation and its efforts, visit http://www.nwf.org.

Local heroes will be recognized at the Heartland Heroes Dinner on May 4, 2013.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS — The Red Cross understands how important it is to recognize people whose commitment and courage make a difference. That’s why, every year, the organization honors those who stand out in a crowd. The Central Illinois Chapter is proud to announce this year’s Heartland Heroes award recipients. These individuals exemplify the mission of the Red Cross and make our community a healthier and safer place to work and live.

• Lifesaving Hero/Certificate of Merit Winner – Charlie Cain of Peoria. At the conclusion of a Peoria Notre Dame swim team practice, seventeen-year-old Charlie, a Red Cross trained lifeguard, pulled his unconscious teammate from the bottom of the pool. Once on the pool deck, the boy thankfully began breathing on his own and was swimming again just two days after the incident.
• Michel A. McCord Good Citizen Hero – Michelle Sullivan of Manito. After losing her son in an automobile accident in 2005, Michelle uses the details of this tragedy to not only emphasize the dangers of impaired driving, but to address the painful reality of what life is like for family and friends after these deadly events. She speaks at numerous Victim Impact Panels in Tazewell County and at Red Cross Prom Night reenactment crashes each year.
• Youth Hero – Brett McMahon of East Peoria. When 6-year-old Brett McMahon brought home a flyer from school asking for donations for Operation Santa, he wasn’t quite sure what the organization did. Four years later, this determined young boy could just about serve as its spokesperson. Now 10 years old, Brett has collected almost 50,000 items over the years—everything from toothbrushes, shampoo and batteries, to gum, beef jerky and socks—that are used to fill Christmas stockings for soldiers serving overseas during the holidays.
• Lifesaving Heroes – Nate Lapsley of Green Valley, Dustin Martin of Peoria, Julie Rada of Peoria. Last August, Mike Beneventi was practicing sand shots from a bunker at the Golf Learning Center in Peoria. That’s about the last thing he remembers before waking up in the hospital. Mike was both stunned and grateful to learn the details of how good Samaritans Natt, Julie and Dustin worked together to save his life after Mike dropped to the sand in complete cardiac arrest.

The 2013 Heartland Heroes awards dinner is scheduled for Saturday, May 4 at the Embassy Suites in East Peoria. The event is the primary annual fundraiser for the Red Cross Central Illinois Chapter. The keynote speaker this year will be Apolo Anton Ohno. Recognized as the face of short track speedskating with his signature hairstyle and bandana, Apolo is the most decorated American Winter Olympian with eight medals spanning three Winter Olympic Games. Ohno maintains a healthy and active lifestyle and has graced covers of magazines including Men’s Journal, Sports Illustrated, Life, Time and Cosmo while also becoming the first Olympian to win ABC’s hit reality TV show “Dancing with the Stars.” Ohno credits his Japanese father as a major factor in his Olympic success, pushing him from a young age to pursue excellence on and off the ice.

For ticket or sponsorship information, please visit http://american.redcross.org/heartlandheroes or call 309-677-7272.

DAV MSO Will be at Veterans Outreach Center April 19 & 23

PEORIA – The Salvation Army Veterans Outreach Center, in operation since November of 2011 providing counseling and referrals for veterans and their families, will host the Disabled American Veterans Mobile Service Office(MSO) twice in the next two weeks. The DAV MSO program provides veterans a chance to meet face to face with a National Servive Officer to review benefit eligibility and help you through the process.

“This is exactly the type of opportunity we envisioned when this program began almost two years ago,” said Major Evie Diaz, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army. “Our Veterans Center staff and the wonderful veteran volunteers who are there each day want to help their fellow veterans and their families, and hosting the DAV Mobile Service Office is a great way to express that service,” said Diaz.

The DAV Mobile Service Office will be at the Veterans Outreach Center from 9am to 4 pm this Friday, April 19 and again on Tuesday, April 23. The DAV MSO service is free, and all veterans need to bring along is a claim number, social security number, and any other pertinent documentation. You do not need to be a DAV member to utilize this service.

For more information, contact Dennis Ward at the Veterans Outreach Center at (309) 655-7272, or call Rich Draeger at 655-1348/253-9909.

Peoria – The Peoria County Board’s Minority Business Ad-hoc Committee is hosting the first of a series of free quarterly meetings sponsored by PNC Bank for minority, women, and disadvantaged business owners and entrepreneurs (collectively, MBEs). The public meeting will be from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 18 at Thrive Capital Partners, Inc., 919 S. Matthew Street, Peoria (formerly, Blaine-Sumner School). The meeting will feature two panels: one of small business service providers and a second panel comprised of local small business owners who will offer advice and answer questions of those present. MBEs are encouraged to attend.

The Minority Business Ad-hoc Committee meets regularly at 4:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month in Room 402 of the Peoria County Courthouse, 324 Main Street. Committee meetings are open to the public. For more information on the Committee or its quarterly public meetings, please contact Mark Rothert, Assistant County Administrator for Economic Development, at (309) 672-6056.

Peoria, Illinois (April 15, 2013)–Methodist Medical Center has added Lisa Plantamura as Employee Development and Engagement Manager.

Joy Ledbetter, Vice President of Human Resources and Customer Service said Plantamura began work April 8th after serving as a trainer for AAIM Employers’ Association for 13 years and a Manager for the last nine years. She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a degree in Marketing and an MBA with an emphasis in Human Resources from Dominican University.

Ledbetter said, “We’re delighted to have Lisa as a part of the Methodist team. She brings extensive experience in facilitating groups, developing and teaching curriculum in the disciplines of customer service, supervisory skills, leadership, business etiquette, professionalism and time/stress management.”

In her new position she will be responsible for leadership development, talent management, succession planning, Methodist Corporate University, retention and recognition activities/programs, employee surveys and internal communication.

The art and craft of weaving has inspired Jennie Hawkey for over 30 years, both as an artist and teacher.

Jennie is the owner of Hopewell Creations and teaches weaving to beginning and advanced weavers. Jennie has a passion for teaching and has presented at weaving workshops and festivals in addition to teaching students at her home. This summer she will be teaching several classes at the Midwest Weavers Conference, in Emporia, Kansas—a lifelong dream!

Working from her home studio located in Hopewell, Illinois, she produces hand-woven creations using four and eight harness looms. Though she specializes in hand weaving, Jennie is also adept at leatherwork and embroidery, often combining her skills to create intricately detailed pieces. She has studied leather craft with Kathryn Brenne, founder of the Academy of Fine Sewing and Design in North Bay, Ontario and has used the skills she acquired at the academy to develop a line of purses and accessories.

Jennie is an active member of the Illinois arts community. She is a long-time member of the Handweavers’ Guild, a founding member of the Three Sisters Folk Art School, and a member of Prairie Fiber Arts Guild.

Jennie will host an interactive Weave-It Loom demonstration at the Folk, Fiber & Friends Weekend 2013 Marketplace at Three Sisters Park Pavilion, 17189 N. Rt. 29, Chillicothe, Illinois 61523, Saturday, April 20, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Marketplace is open to the public with free admission and parking. We are pleased to present Midwestern vendors representing a wide variety of fiber arts media. There will be fiber arts demonstrations by local Guilds throughout the day and a fundraiser for Paws Giving Independence.

The event is sponsored by The Fiber Universe.
You may contact Jennie Hawkey directly at www.HopewellCreations.com or info@hopewellcreations.com.

BACK TO WORSHIP
“Come Join Us In An Evening of Praise & Worship with an Atmosphere of Heaven”
FEATURING SPECIAL MUSICAL GUESTS & PSALMISTS
Saturday, April 20
5:30 PM
EVENT HOSTS: PRAISE TEAM MINISTRY, PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST, 401 ELM STREET PEORIA, IL 61605 (309) 674.1924 OFFICE
DISTRICT ELDER HENRY BOLDEN II. SENIOR PASTOR
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: ELDER DALE JONES

COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA MINISTRY
“Your Church Media News Source” – Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ – 401 Elm Street Peoria, IL 61605; Office: 309/674.1924 Fax: 309/674.1950
Website: www.pcjconline.net
http://www.google.com/profiles/PCJCNews
http://www.youtube.com/user/PCJCNEWS
Reaching Souls Teaching Saints and Taking the Message Around the World.

Save the Dates:
4/13 Running with the Pastor -Tri State Council Davenport, Iowa
4/14 Children’s Church 11:45 AM
4/20 Mother’s Board Symposium All Women & Daughters Meeting 10AM
Marriage Enrichment Fellowship 1 PM
“Back to Worship” 5:30 PM
4/25-27 Region 5 CE Trg Chgo, IL

FRESH RAIN Conference & Annual Women’s Day – “Conditioned to Win: Spiritual Weight Training” on May 18 & 19

BOOTCAMP: Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Prayerobics, Abs of Faith, Motion & Devotion, Disciple-Shape

Annual Women’s Day: Sunday 11:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – *Family Dinner Will Be Served*
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT TRAINERS: Elder Donelle Bouie & Evangelist Virginia Bouie
Joilet, Illinois

Work has begun on Northmoor Road between Sheridan and University. Last fall utility
relocation work began, and the fence on the south side was replaced with a temporary fence. A decorative concrete fence/retaining wall was selected for the south side, and it has been the contractor’s intention to install this next. Some work has begun but problems have arisen with the manufacture of the wall panels. The staff, consulting engineer, IDOT, and the general contractor are working with the wall manufacturer to assure that the wall is being built in compliance with the thickness specifications. Hopefully, these problems will be worked out in the near future, but for the time being much of the project is on hold. The contractor will begin work on widening the road on the north side as this is independent of the wall construction on the south.

April 12, 2013 – Morton, IL – Today, the Morton Economic Development Council announced that Paul Grethey Jr., new owner of Johnson’s Floral, is the fourth recipient of the Morton MicroGrant. “We couldn’t be happier for Paul,” said Jennifer Daly, CEO for the Morton EDC. “The extensive remodeling, technology improvements, and staff expansion he is undertaking at Johnson’s Floral is impressive.”

Paul Grethey Jr. recently purchased Johnson’s Floral from his father, Paul Grethey, and Uncle David Grethey. His plans for expansion are now underway. “I have seen how they evolved the business and I think there is still so much potential to grow it further,” said Grethey Junior. “We are going to do some exterior and interior renovations and add some new technologies including a point of sale system and some updates to our website and social media sites.”

The Morton MicroGrant of $5,000 will help Grethey Jr. with the interior renovation costs at Johnson’s Floral including new floors, lighting, dry wall, and new ceilings. “It is our hope that the newly renovated interior will promote more business traffic and allow us to add new services and merchandise to our business,” said Grethey Jr. “Our goal is to expand our indoor and outdoor design services thus the creation of new jobs in those fields.” Grethey Jr. anticipates the business will add at least four new full time jobs over the next year.

The Morton MicroGrant is a special fund created by the Morton Economic Development Council to encourage small business development and job creation for Morton. The Morton MicroGrant fund is made possible through a contribution by Morton Community Bank.