Opening the Long Term Recovery Center is another step in the ongoing effort to rebuild from the Nov. 17 tornadoes. Along with its Grand Opening celebration, Tri-County Long Term Recovery will hold a press conference and update at 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 18, at the new central location, 18 Washington Sunnyland Plaza.

Speakers include LTR chairman Jim Fassino, Salvation Army Captain Katherine Clausell, Community Foundation of Central Illinois CEO Mark Roberts and elected officials from the affected areas. There will be an announcement about a major addition to resources available for recovery efforts.

5K mud run and obstacle course to benefit the 20,000 individuals in Illinois affected by MS         

July 14, 2014 — MuckFest MS will take place in Illinois for the first time on Saturday, August 23. The Greater Illinois Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will present its inaugural 5k mud run at Legacy Paintball & Airsoft Park (2807 Canal St.) in Lockport, Illinois. Participants will slip, slide, slosh, climb, crawl and jump their way through over 15 muck and fun-filled obstacles to raise funds for critical MS research, programs and services. 

The Illinois event, one of 10 MuckFests nationwide, will send runners of varying athletic ability on a messy, obstacle packed 5k jaunt designed specifically to cover them in mud and keep them laughing from start to finish.  

“MuckFest MS is an awesome opportunity to get dirty and have fun raising awareness for a disease that can be messy at times,” said Angelena Colon of Antioch, Illinois, who participated in MuckFest MS in Indianapolis last year and will revel in the fun and mud again this year at the Chicago area event.  

On its surface MuckFest MS is a hilarious romp through outrageous obstacles, but beneath the mud and laughs lies an even greater purpose: 100 percent of the funds raised by participants will directly benefit the National MS Society and its mission to bring an end to MS.  

“As a person living with MS, it is truly inspirational to see so many people come together to support the efforts of the National MS Society,” said Colon. “The entire day was filled with gratitude and support from people I knew as well as complete strangers who cheered me on through every obstacle. I left the event knowing that I wanted to come back again because my heart was touched by the efforts of everyone involved.” 

Participants will be rewarded with a free T-shirt, a refreshing beer (or soda) and a tasty snack in the MuckFestival area, where they can relive all the spills and thrills of the day. Even kids can get in on the action in the Lil’ Muckers play area. People of all ages and athletic abilities are encouraged to participate.

“I think that the running or ‘race’ aspects of MuckFest may intimidate some people, but I urge everyone to set those fears aside,” said Jessie LaFree, Chicago resident and previous MuckFest MS Indianapolis participant. “You’re going to feel great, and you’re going to be surrounded by lots of light-hearted, fun-loving people covered in mud and working for a common cause. In the end, everyone has done something great and leaves with an everlasting sense of accomplishment.” 

MuckFest MS starts at 8:00 a.m., with participants entering the course in pre-assigned waves. Teams are not mandatory but are the best way to experience MuckFest MS in all its filthy glory. For the National MS Society, it is “the more, the muckier,” so spectators are welcome free of charge. 

For more information, or to form a team, register as an individual, volunteer, or donate online, contact Charlie Blazevich at 312.423.1144 or at charles.blazevich@nmss.org, or visit muckfestMS.com.  Participants are encouraged to fundraise to create a world free of MS. 

Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease that interrupts the flow of information in the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve. The Greater Illinois Chapter mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of more than 20,000 individuals in Illinois and 2.3 million worldwide affected by MS. For more information about the Chapter, visit MSIllinois.org.

PEORIA, Illinois—July 14, 2014— Please join the Moonlight Coalition for Adult Learning (“Moonlight”) and the Peoria Park District Foundation as they celebrate twelve Moonlight students who have earned their GED certificates this year.

The graduation ceremony will take place in the auditorium of the Bonnie W. Noble Center for Park District Administration on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 6:00 pm. The Honorable Darin LaHood will deliver a commencement address to the graduates, their families, and friends.

“I am honored to have helped these students as they worked so hard to earn this achievement,” said Hedy Elliott-Gardner, who serves as Moonlight’s Coordinator.  “I am so pleased to be able to help them celebrate this occasion as other graduates do.”

The Moonlight Coalition for Adult Learning was originally established in 1994 to provide organized activities to young members of the community as a positive alternative to juvenile delinquency and crime.  Organized sports like basketball were combined with GED instruction as a way to break down barriers for those who thought formal education wasn’t accessible or “cool”.

Today, Moonlight focuses on providing easy access to GED education for those seeking to earn their high school diploma.  In direct contrast to other programs that only take new students at the beginning of each semester and that are located outside of our local community, Moonlight focuses on providing accessible open education opportunities, reaching those in need of support in the communities where they live and work.

Staying true to its origins, Moonlight also works to ensure accessibility to quality recreational facilities for all members of the community, especially youth and the underserved.

Moonlight was a recipient of a recent LISC Early Action grant that will help the program as it seeks to offer more GED and recreational programming at Proctor and other neighborhood facilities throughout Peoria.  It continues to fundraise in support of its mission.    Updates on Moonlight’s programming and student achievement may be found at its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MoonlightPeoria.

Pioneers Return to the Prairie

HANNA CITY, IL – Wildlife Prairie Park will celebrate the lives of early settlers in Illinois on July 26, 2014 with the Kid’s Pioneer Day event. The event will encompass the early lifestyle of pioneers while embracing the heritage of these early settlers. A variety of activities will take place including butter churning, corn grinding, learning how settlers plowed the prairie so it could be farmed, and activities with animals that the settlers brought with them!

Kid’s Pioneer Day is a free event to all Wildlife Prairie Park members, and guests can attend by paying the Park’s General Admission price. Park admission costs and further event information can be found online at www.wildlifeprairiepark.org. The event will run through the operating hours of Wildlife Prairie Park from 9:00am to 6:30pm on July 26, 2014. Schedule of activities and demonstration times will be available for guests online prior to the event and will be handed out the day of the event. Please see the attached logos for further event promotion.

For more information, please contact Wildlife Prairie Park at (309)676-0998 or visit us at www.wildlifeprairiepark.org.

Wildlife Prairie Park is a 501c3 not for profit 2,000 acre zoological park located just 10 miles west of Peoria, IL in Hanna City. The Park’s mission encompasses conservation, education, and recreation development in this unique habitat in the Midwest.

(Peoria)- Beginning Tuesday morning, July 15, Southwest Jefferson Avenue, from Latrobe Street to Sanger Street, will be closed to through traffic for construction associated with the repair of a sewer. A detour will be posted.

Construction is expected to last approximately one week, weather depending.

Please use caution when driving through construction zones. For more information, contact Scott Reeise, City Engineer at (309) 494-8800.

Aug. 10, 2014

The Italian-American Society of Peoria will host its 85th annual Summer Festa picnic from noon to 7:00 p.m. at Hickory Grove Park, located off Illinois Route 40 north of Peoria. Fund-raiser for scholarship programs. The Vince Chiarelli Band returns.  Italian food, beverages, gift booths, car show, childrens activities, spaghetti-eating contest, bocce ball. $3 admission for adults, free for children under 12. Parking free.

The Peoria Park District’s Youth Soccer League for Mighty Mites (age 4), Pee Wees (age 5 or K) and Kickers (grades 1-2) runs August 11-September 27. Weekday practices and Saturday games take place at Mossville Soccer Complex. Registration deadline is July 28. Cost is $43/residents, $48/non-residents.

More information is in the current Playbook and online at www.peoriaparks.org/soccer, or call (309) 688-3667 with questions.

 The Peoria Park District is offering a Rugby Camp at Peoria Stadium July 22-28 from 9-10:30 a.m. for those in grades 4-8. Cost is $40.

This Rugby Level 2 camp is non-contact based and intended to give those who have never been exposed to the sport, or those who have participated in Rugby Level 1 in physical education classes, a chance to learn the sport in a manner that will promote enthusiasm, interest, and good sportsmanship.

A complete description and registration information is available in the summer Playbook and online at www.peoriaparks.org, or call (309) 688-3667 with questions.

 The Peoria Legends Superskills Soccer Camp will be held July 28-31 at Mossville Soccer Complex. Grades K-3 play at 5:30 p.m. and grades 4-8 play at 6:30 p.m. The program is designed to make participants tremendous goal scorers. Player’s will improve deceptive dribbling ability on the ball through demonstration, repetition, correction, reinforcement and experimentation. Cost is $45/resident, $50/non-residents.

Complete descriptions and times are in the current Playbook and online at: www.peoriaparks.org/soccer, or call (309) 681-2866 with questions.

Grand View is hosting an educational seminar Thursday, July 24^th at 2:30 pm.

 

Based on Jolene Brackey’s teachings, our guest speaker from Unity Point Healthcare will present how to visit and react in these situations.

 

Refreshments will be served as well as tours of the care center after the presentation. 

 

To reserve a seat please call 309.692.2484.