Carter’s Confusion is a fun 4-player Peoria Park District Golf event held at Madison Golf Course on April 13. Golfers play six holes of team scramble, six holes of team best ball, and six holes of team alternate shot.
Entry deadline is Sunday, April 7. Cost is $30/team, plus green fees. Entry forms are available on-line at www.ppdgolf.org and at all PPD courses.
For more information on the Peoria Park District’s tournament program, call Golf Operations at (309) 689-3329.
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to Headline Annual Luncheon
PEORIA – The Peoria Salvation Army is marking the 25th anniversary of its Family Shelter and “Shelter from the Storm” will be the focus of The Salvation Army Annual Community Luncheon to be held at the Peoria Civic Center on Thursday, May 9.
Tickets are available now through May 1 by calling 655-1349. Tickets are $50 each or a table of 8 for $400. About 400 people are expected at the event, which recognizes community leaders and celebrates the work and mission of The Salvation Army in the Peoria Tri County area. Along with Secretary LaHood’s comments, there will be inspirational music and numerous award presentations.
The Peoria Tri County Salvation Army will honor several individuals and companies during the event:
The Spirit of the Army Award will be given to Brian Doolittle, who served as the Christmas Committee chairman for the past Tree of Lights Campaign
The Pinnacle of Achievement Award is awarded to the Customer Services Support Division at Caterpillar for their annual support of The Salvation Army through their Christmas Toy and Food Drive.
The Others Award will be presented to Debbie Knost, for her charitable work with The Salvation Army. Debbie is a past Honorary Co-Chair of the Tree of Lights Campaign and remains active with The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary.
Dunlap Middle School is winning the inaugural Young Leader s Award for their monthly volunteer service for The Salvation Army in Peoria.
Long-time Salvation Army Advisory Board member Allen Andrews is receiving the William Booth Award for his long service to the community and The Salvation Army. Andrews, the former Peoria Police Superintendent, has served for 38 years on the local Salvation Army Advisory Board.
The Women’s Auxiliary will also give out its Award of Excellence at the luncheon on May 11 at the Holiday Inn City Centre.
The luncheon event begins at 11:45 am.
PEORIA, IL – Council members Eric Turner and Chuck Weaver will be hosting the monthly Breakfast Chat at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 4th, in City Hall Room 404. Representatives from the City’s Information Systems Department will be showcasing the City’s new website at this month’s Breakfast Chat.
The monthly Breakfast Chat meetings were established in 2009 to give citizens an opportunity to sit down with Council Members and other City of Peoria Staff to discuss a variety of topics and concerns. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
During the Great American Clean Up, Keep Peoria Beautiful will be collecting old televisions, computers, monitors, printers, and various other old electronics for recycling. If it has a plug we’ll take it. This is one day only for three hours, so mark your calendar.
Where: Glen Oak Learning Center – 2100 N. Wisconsin Ave., Peoria, IL. 61603
When: Saturday, April 20, 2013
Time: 9:00 AM – NOON
The Peoria Chamber has rescheduled the “Understanding the Affordable Care Act” workshop (which was cancelled last week due to weather). There was such an overwhelming response that they are now offering two workshops on Tuesday, April 2nd from 11:45 – 1:00 pm and Monday, May 13th from 11:45 – 1:00 pm. Tickets are $15/$30 but space is limited and reservations must be made in advance.
Understanding the Affordable Care Act
There are many issues up in the air right now that will have a major impact on Illinois businesses. One such issue is the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Many employers and business leaders are concerned because the ACA is quite complex and confusing. There are many changes that will go into effect in 2014, so now is the time to plan and prepare.
The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce is offering a workshop luncheon to learn more about the ACA’s impact on your business and how to best prepare for the changes that are on the horizon. These changes are going to impact all industries and businesses of all sizes, so it’s important you understand how it affects you and your business today.
We have invited Laura Minzer from the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to host this workshop and help you decipher employer obligations & understand coverage options under the ACA. Laura is Associate Vice President, Government Affairs Executive Director and Healthcare Council at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
This event will be a great opportunity to learn a lot about the new law, to ask questions and get specific answers, and also to connect with other professionals and business owners to learn about how they plan to handle this upcoming transition. Find out about employer coverage requirements, the new penalty system and the state health insurance exchange.
There will be two workshops on Tuesday, April 2nd from 11:45 – 1:00 pm and Monday, May 13th from 11:45 – 1:00 pm. at the Kepple Team Real Estate office at Keller Williams (2426 W Cornerstone Ct, Peoria, IL 61614). The cost is $15 for Chamber members and $30 for future members and lunch will be provided. Call Jolene at 495-5923 or jcole@chamber.h-p.org to register or reserve a seat online at http://peoriachamber.org/event/affordable-care-act-aca.
The Affordable Care Act workshop is sponsored by Proctor Hospital.
The Center for Prevention of Abuse Brings Awareness to the Issues Child Abuse by hosting the 4th Annual Prevention Kick-Off Event
WHO: Community Agencies and Coalitions who work with children.
GUEST SPEAKER – Greg Williams, Educator and Child Advocate Co-Founder of Reagan’s Rescue, whose mission is to spread awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome and raise funds for families and children. This effort was in response to the death of his granddaughter.
WHAT: Kick-Off event to include a lunch and opportunities for discussion.
WHEN: Thursday April 4, 2013 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Center for Prevention of Abuse, 720 Joan Court, Peoria, Illinois 61614
WHY: To join together as a united community to raise awareness of the terrible tragedy of child abuse and neglect and to promote specific ways to join in the effort of prevention.
To make a reservation or learn more about child abuse prevention contact Sara Dillefeld at 309-691-0551
Welcome Spring with an old-fashioned barn dance, Saturday, April 6 at the Washington Middle School in Washington, IL. Lively music by Giesel Power will get those toes tapping and those heels stomping.
Callers Jim Hicks and Gail Hintze teach all the dances so beginners are welcome. The fun begins at 7:00 p.m. Come fifteen minutes early for an introduction to barn dance basics.
Admission is $5, with a $20 maximum for families. You are invited to bring a snack to share.
For more information and directions, call 274-5358 or 274-2228.
Contact person: Gail Hintze 309-274-5358 or 868-7163
Funding to assist long-term care providers with connectivity to health information exchange
(PEORIA, March 29, 2013) — The Central Illinois Health Information Exchange (CIHIE) is the recipient of a $349,000 “White Space Grant” from the Illinois Office of Health Information Technology (OHIT) to accelerate connectivity of long-term care providers to exchange technology. Federal health officials refer to “White Space” healthcare providers as those who are practicing in areas that are currently underserved by health information technology infrastructure. CIHIE serves approximately 1.3 million people in 20 counties in the Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, and Decatur areas.
The program is a key component of Governor Pat Quinn’s commitment to improve the health of the people of Illinois.
“This grant to the Central Illinois Health Information Exchange in Peoria represents a step forward in our efforts to upgrade our health information technology network across the state,” Governor Quinn said. “Through this grant we will be improving communication among long-term care providers in central Illinois and empowering them to participate in the transformation of our healthcare system into one that focuses on wellness and keeping people healthy through better preventive care.”
Funding for the grant is made possible through the $18.8 million in federal funding awarded to Illinois in 2010 under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act as part of the HIE Cooperative Agreement Program. Illinois is using the funding to implement the Illinois Health Information Exchange (ILHIE), a network for the secure sharing of clinical and administrative data among healthcare providers across the state.
“This is an opportunity to leverage our federal funding in a way that promotes connectivity and improves healthcare quality and care coordination among long-term care providers,” said OHIT Director Laura Zaremba. “Through this project, we are providing help in communities that need our assistance the most.”
During 2013, the grant funds will allow CIHIE to offer:
· Education, technical assistance and support for long-term care organizations, as they work to ready their staff and systems for participation in the exchange;
· Secure messaging services to replace faxing and mailing paper records between healthcare providers; and
· Instant, real-time access to CIHIE’s aggregate community health record – which provides clinicians with a single place to access patient records from multiple sources.
Six regional organizations have partnered with CIHIE to anchor the work, serving as early long-term care adopters for the technology. These partners include BMA Management, Ltd., Christian Homes, Inc., HCR ManorCare, Heritage Enterprises, NuCare/Symphony Healthcare, and Kindred Hospital.
“Long-term care providers have not had access to recent financial incentive programs that helped hospitals and physician practices make the transition from paper to electronic health records. This grant will help CIHIE break down the technological and financial barriers that stand in the way for some long-term care providers,” said Joy Duling, CIHIE Executive Director.
CIHIE is the first regional health information exchange to be operational in the State of Illinois. Patient data first became available through the exchange in June 2012.
The CIHIE service area currently covers a population of approximately 1.3 million people and includes 27 hospitals, 20 health departments, 2,800 physicians, 280 pharmacies, 12 labs and imaging centers and numerous ancillary healthcare providers such as rehabilitation centers, behavioral healthcare, long-term care facilities and nursing homes. Member organizations include: Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Normal; Community Health Improvement Center, Decatur; Decatur Memorial Hospital; Dr. John Warner Hospital, Clinton; Easter Seals – Peoria, Bloomington-Normal & Decatur; Heartland Community Health Clinic, Peoria; Heritage Behavioral Health, Decatur; Human Service Center, Peoria; Illinois Gastroenterology Institute, Peoria; Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Peoria; Macon County Health Department, Decatur; Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, Peoria; OSF HealthCare System, Peoria; Proctor Hospital, Peoria; St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur; St. Mary’s Hospital, Streator; and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria.
The Peoria Park District’s Luthy Botanical Garden will celebrate National Public Gardens Day with free admission and Garden tours on Friday, May 10.
Tours of Luthy Botanical Garden are scheduled for 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on May 10.
National Public Gardens Day is a national day of celebration that invites communities to explore the beauty of their local green spaces while raising awareness of the important role public gardens play in promoting conservation, education and environmental preservation. Annually scheduled on the Friday preceding Mother’s Day weekend, schools, families, garden enthusiasts and visitors are invited to visit public gardens in their local community for special events and activities. A partnership between the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and irrigation product and service provider Rain Bird, the 2012 event will showcase the contributions of public gardens with special events at many of the more than 500 North American public gardens.
For additional information about National Public Gardens Day, visit www.nationalpublicgardensday.org . For more information about how Luthy Botanical Garden will commemorate the occasion, contact Bob Streitmatter, Garden manager, at (309) 681-3506.
PEORIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
André Watts plays Beethoven
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Peoria Civic Center Theater
Concert – 8:00 p.m.
Pre-concert lecture 7:00 p.m.
André Watts, piano
Beethoven
Symphony No. 5
Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor”
Tickets: Adults: $36, $46, $61, $76
Students: $21
by phone – 309.671.1096
online at www.peoriasymphony.org
at the PSO Box office 101 State Street, Peoria, IL 61602
9am – 4pm M-F (Closed Friday, March 29)
noon – 3pm day of the concert
Civic Center Theater box office 7:00 pm the night of the concert