Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death in the United States and the 3^rd leading cause of death in those aged 15 to 24.  The 11^th annual Whitney’s Walk for Life to raise money for suicide prevention efforts will be held on Saturday, July 26 at Jubilee College State Park near Brimfield.  There will be a 5K Run at 7:55 a.m. and a 5K Walk begins at 8 a.m.  Proceeds from Whitney’s Walk support the Hult Center for Healthy Living and their programs of mental health screenings, depression awareness and suicide prevention programs.

The registration fee for the Run or the Walk is $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 years and under.  Teams can be formed with a minimum of 5 walkers, runners or donors who together raise $250.  Registration for Whitney’s Walk can be made online at www.whitneyswalk.com through Thursday, July 24.  Registration can also be done on the day of the event from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. for runners and 7 to 7:45 a.m. for walkers.

Walkers and runners can pick up their WW t-shirts on Friday, July 18from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Brimfield Fire Department or Saturday, July 19 from 10 a.m. to noon at the center court of the Shoppes at Grand Prairie.  Participants can also register to walk or run at the t-shirt pick-up sites.  Everyone who registers by the t-shirt pick-up dates is guaranteed a Whitney’s Walk t-shirt.

The first Whitney’s Walk for Life was held in 2004 after the tragic suicide of Whitney Grotts of Brimfield.  Since then, Whitney’s Walk has raised over $800,000 for suicide prevention.  Thousands of people in central Illinois have benefited from the education and advocacy programs that Hult Center for Healthy Living now provides.

There are 100 suicides every day in the United States.  That translates into one suicide every 14 minutes.  People need to understand that recovery from depression and other mental illness is possible.  If people receive the help that they need, 70 to 90% can go on to lead healthy and productive lives.

For more information, call Whitney’s Walk Coordinator Jamie Sanders at 309-692-6650.

Peoria Public Library Main Library Gallery will host the Illinois Art League Member Exhibit from Tuesday, July 15 to Thursday, July 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday – Saturday with free admission.

The Illinois Art League, which formed in 1960 in Peoria, is currently comprised of 105 active members from Central Illinois.  Their work reflects a variety of mediums and their art has exhibited in many local and regional galleries and studios.  For more information, visit www.IllinoisArtLeague.com.  The public is invited to a gallery walk on Wednesday, July 23 at 2:00 p.m. & the closing reception on Saturday, July 26 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Peoria Public Library Main Library Gallery.  For more info, call (309) 497-2120.

Peoria Zoo, as well as zoos and aquariums across the nation, celebrate National Zoo Keeper Week July 18-24. The Zoo has 12 zoo keepers with seven working on any given day.  The keeper staff has a combination of more than 120 years of experience working at the Peoria Zoo and several keepers came with years of experience at other zoos.

Working 365 days a year in all types of weather, the keepers’ most visible role is to clean the exhibits and feed the animals.  Less obvious, but vital to providing the best care possible, are the keepers’ amazing skills in observing, training, enriching, and when needed, medicating the animals under their care.  Animals often do not show easily recognized symptoms of illness or injury (the lion goes after the limping zebra) so the keepers have to be alert to any small changes in behavior and appearance. Not only do keepers shovel animal waste, they also have to be able to notice any change in location, size, smell, color, and/or consistency.  Weighing the animals is one of the best ways to monitor their health so the keepers have to be able to safely weigh the 300+ pound tigers and the 4,500+ pound rhinoceros. This is done through training that requires not only skill but a lot of patience. To provide mental stimulation and physical exercise, the keepers constantly come up with new ways to enrich the animals:  a paper mache zebra allows the tigers to “hunt”, while putting fruit in a pile of hay makes the spider monkeys search for their food.

Yvonne Strode, Peoria Zoo director, said “I started my career as a keeper so I know firsthand the dedication needed to be a professional zoo keeper.  They work in the pouring rain and freezing cold; they work weekends and holidays and are willing to work 24/7 when needed; and they have to endure the transfers and deaths of animals they have known intimately for years.  Most days they go home bone tired but ready to come back and do it all over again the next day.”

In addition to taking care of the animals, the zoo keepers play a vital role in the Zoo’s mission of Creating Connections To Inspire An Appreciation For The Natural World. Not only do they have scheduled keeper chats throughout the day, they always make time to answer questions.

Created by the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK, Inc.) National Zoo Keeper Week is celebrated each year beginning on the third Sunday in July. “This national celebration is in recognition of zoo keepers, aquarists, and the animal care professionals in our nation’s zoological parks and aquariums. Zoo keepers serve as animal care experts, frontline educators, and conservationists. We are proud to have zoo keepers recognized for the important work they do on behalf of wildlife and conservation” said Shane Good, AAZK President.

For questions, call the Peoria Zoo at (309) 681-3513 or check our website at www.peoriazoo.org.

Peoria, IL- The Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI) announces the appointment of John Disharoon, Reverend Elaine Gordon, Pablo Koziner, and Donald Shafer to its Board of Directors.

John T. Disharoon is a 26 year veteran of Caterpillar and currently serves as the director of Market Access for Caterpillar’s Remanufacturing, Components and Work Tools Division. Mr. Disharoon is responsible for increasing market access for Caterpillar’s Remanufacturing, Components and Work Tools products, worldwide. His broad global experience spans corporate and governmental affairs, marketing, industry relations and Sustainable Development. He’s held leadership positions in business organizations in Illinois, Washington, D.C., Brussels, Belgium and Geneva, Switzerland, and served on the Board of Directors of the World Coal Association, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, Wisconsin Mining Association, the National Mining Association and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois. He served on Advisory Boards to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Missouri University of Science and Technology, University of Arizona Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources and Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal School of Business.

Rev. Elaine P. Gordonis the Pastor of Ward Chapel AME, Peoria, IL where she is the first female pastor in the church’s 166 year history. She is currently a Managing Partner of B & W Consulting, LLC and serves as a Project Management Consultant for faith-based and community-based organizations. Throughout her career, Rev. Gordon has served as keynote speaker and presenter for the federal and state governments and other human service agencies in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Columbus, OH; Richmond, VA; Tulsa and Oklahoma City, OK and Honolulu, Hawaii.She is a member of the NAACP, Tri County Urban League, Center for Prevention of Abuse, Peoria Substance Abuse Coalition, Trainer for National African American Tobacco Education Network (NAATEN), Consultant for the Health Education Council, and a member of Nu Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  Rev. Gordon also serves the AME church in the capacity of Coordinator for Illinois Conference Women in Ministry, Chair of Illinois Conference Finance Committee. Rev. Gordon holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Services Administration and Master of Arts Degree in Urban Ministry from Martin University.

Pablo Koziner is a Caterpillar Inc. vice president with responsibility for the Americas Distribution Services Division (ADSD). This division is accountable for the company’s dealer development and enterprise sales in North and South America. Koziner joined Caterpillar’s Legal Services Division in 2001 as an attorney within the organization’s Latin American Commercial Division, based in Miami, Fla. He served as a senior attorney specializing in turnkey power projects and general commercial law until 2005. At that time, he assumed the position of Power Systems Regional Manager in Monterey, Mexico, with responsibility for Caterpillar’s Electric Power, Petroleum, Marine and Industrial engine businesses. In May 2008, Koziner was named district manager for Caterpillar’s Latin America Commercial Division, based in Santiago, Chile, with the responsibility of working with Caterpillar’s dealers in the distribution and support of Caterpillar products and services for the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. In 2011, he was promoted to the position of East Region Manager in the Americas Distribution Services Division, based in Peoria, Ill. In October 2013, the Board of Directors named Koziner vice president of Americas Distribution Services Division. Koziner graduated from Boston College in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Boston College Law School. (Bio courtesy of Caterpillar.com)

Donald L. Shafer currently serves as an Executive Vice President with Heartland Bank and Trust Company, an independently owned community bank with assets of $2.9 billion which serves 48 communities throughout Central and Western Illinois, and Suburban Chicago. A 1976 Economics graduate of Illinois State University, Don continues to give back to his alma mater and community through his service on the boards of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce and the Local Advisory Board for Greater Peoria LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), and as on the Advisory Board for the Illinois State University Economics Department.  He is also a member of Peoria Rotary North and is Treasurer of the CEO Council. Don was a 20 year member of the Illinois State University Alumni Association Board of Directors, and served as President, Vice President and Treasurer. In the past 37 years, Shafer has served on a variety of committees with the Peoria Area Chamber and on the board of other community organizations and volunteered for various charitable organizations in and around the greater Peoria area. He is a graduate of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership School and Political Action School.

Mission: The Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI) is a philanthropic resource committed to Connecting People Who Care with Causes That Matter.

About CFCI:  CFCI was established in 1985 by a group of community-minded citizens to meet a wide variety of social, cultural, educational, and other charitable needs throughout central Illinois.  CFCI carries out its mission by working with donors to establish permanent endowment funds to be used as charitable capital for enhancing the quality of life in the central Illinois community. CFCI maintains high professional standards in the investment and management of the funds entrusted to the Foundation, and promotes effective and efficient grant making to serve current and future needs of central Illinois. For more information, please visit www.communityfoundationci.org.

Peoria IL, July 8, 2014 – The twelfth annual India Fest, co-sponsored by the Indo-American Society of Peoria (IASP) and the Peoria Park District, comes to the Peoria Riverfront on Saturday, August 2^nd.  People of all ages and backgrounds will enjoy Indian food, music, dance, crafts, henna, and informative sessions on Indian culture.  The event runs from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

India Fest is a celebration of the diverse traditions that showcase India’s heritage and vibrant culture.  The Indo-American Society of Peoria (IASP) is committed to bringing greater awareness of Indian culture to the larger community of Peoria and Central Illinois.

The Peoria Park District promotes the diversity inherent in Peoria by partnering with community organizations in hosting events that raise awareness of Peoria’s multicultural heritage.

India Fest 2014 represents an excellent opportunity to discover more about Indian culture.  Visitors can enjoy authentic culinary delights, shop for ethnic dresses and curios, browse traditional arts and crafts displays, face painting, or get a henna design painted on their hand.  Visitors can get their picture taken in a traditional Indian costume. India Parade will be held to celebrate India’s Independence Day.

The 2014 India Fest will also feature a number of games, prizes, and inflatables for children to enjoy from 2:00-5:00pm in the NEW KIDS AREA. Youth Committee members will present an array of topics on Indian culture.

Experience AUTHENTIC Indian cuisine!  Traditional dishes including Tandoori (clay-oven) chicken, Hyderabadi biryani, vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries, clay oven Nans, Pulav & other rice preparations, Samosa, spicy Chaat, vegetarian, and vegan meals will all be part of the featured culinary delights from North, East, West and South India. Enjoy a cup of  “Masala tea” or savor the delights of ice cream.

Non-stop entertainment continues into the evening with popular dances, songs and pulsating music that will keep you on your feet. Featuring the best talent from Peoria, Bloomington and the Central Illinois region with kids and adult performances including traditional dances from various regions of India, fusion dances and Bollywood style DJ! India Fest 2014 promises to be an exciting event for all.

Darin LaHood, Illinois State Senator will be the guest of honor who will address the gathering.

Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in Indian Culture that will be fun for the whole family.

Admission: Adults $5 each (2-5PM); $7 each (after 5 PM); FREE for children under 10. $1 per ticket sale will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Get your tickets in advance at discounted prices at Indian restaurants and grocery stores in Peoria.

For advance tickets, advertising and entertainment program participation, contact: Amit Kumar (248-227-2088, amitsunila@yahoo.com)

 For more information, visit Indo-American Society of Peoria website at www.indoam.org or email admin@indoam.org and The Peoria Park District’s RiverFront Division online at: www.facebook.com/riverfrontevents or by calling 309-689-3019.

Peoria, IL—July 8, 2014. The Peoria Park District is excited to announce this year’s Fiesta en el Rio Hispanic cultural festival, to take place on the Peoria RiverFront on Saturday, July 26. Gates will open at 4:00pm, with entertainment and activities to begin at 5:00 and continue throughout the evening. Admission for Fiesta en el Rio is $10 per person and $30 per family living in the same household.

Peoria Latin Vibe will be demonstrating salsa dancing and giving free salsa lessons to those interested in learning more about the traditional Hispanic dance. Mariachi México Vivo, a well-known regional mariachi band will also be performing on the CEFCU Center Stage from 5:00-700PM. Headlining the entertainment for the 2014 Fiesta en el Rio is Banda Aires del Sur, who will be taking over the CEFCU Center Stage for two sets of high-energy  Latino music.

The Kids Area will be open from 5:00-8:00pm and will feature piñatas, crafts, face painting, balloon artists, a Dora the Explorer inflatable and a special appearance from the Peoria Zoo.

In addition to the entertainment and activities, authentic Hispanic food and drinks will be available from Los Jimadores, St. Mary Cathedral, Panaderia Ortiz and Las Delicias Helados y Paletas. Proceeds from soda and water sales will go directly to the Peoria Friendship House.

“Come see an exhibit so incredible you won’t believe it’s real and magic so incredible you won’t believe it’s not,” says veteran magician Michael Baker about the Science of Ripley’s Believe it or Not! and “Magic at the Museum” – a stage magic show that he and two fellow PMA members will bring to Peoria Riverfront Museum, Sat., Jul. 19, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

The show, presented by the Peoria Magicians Assembly, focuses on the art of performing magic up close. It will be held in the Museum’s Giant Screen Theater where the audience can easily see all angles of the magicians’ performances. In addition, a camera will be focused on the performers so that viewers may also see any sleight of hand enlarged on the high-definition, five-story screen.

Baker will be joined by fellow magicians, Rodney Nordstrom, PMA president, and Kyle “Gambit” Bassett. They will each be demonstrating their own distinct techniques.

Performing a show in the Giant Screen Theater is a real challenge for magicians, says Baker, who has been a magician for more than 50 years (20 of those performing close-up magic). There is no backstage area; there are no curtains. With the camera, there will be no hidden views either.

It’s the type of situation where a magician’s performance art is critical to creating the illusion.

“We really have to know what we’re doing and how to perform it so that it’s not only palatable to the audience, but also so that the results are professional and believable,” says Baker, a Galesburg, Ill. native. “We have to adapt our art to any environment.”

As with any artist, a magician must learn how to connect with an audience, developing a unique technique, over years, that lures and entrances viewers, keeping them intimately involved with and enjoying the magic show.

Baker’s approach is direct and traditional, performing a variety of sleight-of-hand tricks. Nordstrom performs mental magic – ‘reading’ the minds of audience members. Bassett is a theatrical performer with an eclectic performance that’s full of surprises.

Magic at the Museum is open to the public. Families and viewers of all ages are welcome. Admission is $5 per person; children 5 and under get in free.

Peoria Magicians Assembly – The Peoria Magicians Assembly is a non-profit organization with affiliations to several national and international magic organizations, including the Society of American Magicians (SAM), and the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM). Members and guests meet locally each month to study, promote, and enjoy the art of magic. For more information visit: www.peoriamagicians.com.

Peoria Riverfront Museum – The Peoria Riverfront Museum is the collaborative effort of eight organizations, with nearly 500 years of combined experience educating, entertaining, and supporting our diverse Peoria-area culture. Our mission is to inspire lifelong learning for all – connecting art, history, science, and achievement through collections, exhibitions, and programs.

For further information about the Museum also visit peoriariverfrontmuseum.org.

PEORIA, ILLINOIS…July 8, 2014…Emma Vandeveer, Vice President Marketing and Sales at South Side Trust and Savings Bank in Peoria, IL, recently was reappointed to the Illinois Bankers Association (IBA) 2014-2015 Communications and Marketing Committee by IBA President and CEO Linda Koch.

As a member of the Committee, Vandeveer will review IBA communication vehicles such as the Illinois Banker magazine, e-newsletters and the website; and makes recommendations for the enhancements and improvements, while providing feedback on IBA communications practices.  The Committee also reviews the IBA’s public relations efforts and suggests ways for the IBA to better sever as a resource to its members.

The Illinois Bankers Association is a full-service trade association dedicated to creating a positive business climate that benefits the entire banking industry and the communities they serve.  Founded in 1891, the IBA brings together state and national banks and savings banks of all sizes in Illinois.  Collectively, the IBA represents nearly 90 percent of the assets of the Illinois banking industry, which employs more than 100,000 men and women in over 5,000 offices across the state.

South Side Trust & Savings Bank, a locally owned financial institution since 1922, has $665 million in assets and serves the tri-county area with 12 full service locations in Peoria, East Peoria, West Peoria, Bartonville, Chillicothe, Washington, and Pekin. South Side Bank owns Mid Illinois Insurance Services, Inc. located at 1524 W. Glen Avenue in Peoria.

PEORIA – Dr. Patrick Elwood, “the central Illinois father of neurosurgery,” was named to be the honorary chair at the 2014 Mark Linder Walk for the Mind.

Dr. Elwood, a Peoria native whose career has spanned more than 50 years, was the driving force in the developing and advancing neurological services in the Peoria area, including establishing the neurosurgery residency in Peoria. He’s a prominent neurosurgeon, scholar, mentor, and known by many patients as a lifesaver.

The 12^th Annual Mark Linder Walk for the Mind is scheduled for September 27, 2014, at the Peoria RiverPlex.

Named for Mark Linder, a Peoria native who was in his twenties when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, Mark’s goal was to create a place where brain tumor survivors and those still fighting the battle could support one another. In 2003, Mark founded the Walk for the Mind to help raise money for brain tumor research in hopes of finding a cure. While Mark died in 2005, at age 31, the walk lives on and since then has raised more than $380,000 for brain tumor research. The Walk has grown from 150 participants in 2003, to 750 people last year.

“Many will remember Dr. Elwood for having done the surgery on their friend or family member” said the Walk’s organizer, Peggy Flannigan, who noted Dr. Elwood likely has performed the most brain tumor surgeries than any other surgeon historically in the Peoria area. “Having Dr. Elwood as the honorary chair will have a personal meaning to a lot of people.”

To register for the Walk or for more information, go to: www.marklinderwalkforthemind.org.

This is the third year all net proceeds will be donated to the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria for brain cancer research. Last year’s Walk generated a record $50,000 for research.

For more information:  Dave Pittman,  309/676-5237 or cell: 309/573-2354; e-mail: DvdPttmn@aol.com

Friends of Rocky Glen is sponsoring an all-day celebration to highlight our newest local park, Rocky Glen, and raise funds for a parking lot, trails and interpretive signage. On Saturday, July 19, Friends of Rocky Glen will be at Jimmy’s Bar, 2801 West Farmington Road in West Peoria from 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM for hikes, breakfast, lunch and live music.

The event celebrates Rocky Glen, a box canyon with 80-foot sandstone walls covered with carvings, seasonal waterfalls, rare plant communities and a rich history of coal mining, labor organizing and outdoor recreation.

The first hike into Rocky Glen will leave at 9:00 AM, with additional hikes throughout the day. Hikers will travel to the glen by shuttle van and make a round-trip hike of approximately 1.5 miles over rough terrain. Guides will provide details on Rocky Glen’s geology, ecology and human history. Long pants and hiking footwear recommended. No pets please. The last hike into the glen will leave Jimmy’s at 4:00 PM.

At Jimmy’s, a pancake and sausage breakfast will run from 10:00-11:00AM, followed by a hot dog lunch and ice cream.

Live music will begin at 4 pm with TnT & Friends followed by Two Feet That Way at 6 PM, ending at 8:00 PM.

Thanks to the generosity of Jimmy’s Bar, Raber Meat Packing, The Spotted Cow, Left Hand Brewing Company, Friends of Rocky Glen board members, the bands TnT & Friends and Two Feet That Way, all proceeds from the event will go directly toward the parking lot, trails and signage. Friends of Rocky Glen is also proud to announce that funds raised at the event will be matched by Forest Park Foundation as part of a $25,000 challenge grant. The first $5,000 has already been raised, so Friends of Rocky Glen is hoping to bring that total to $10,000 this July.

New tie-dyed t-shirts, the book Horseshoe Bottoms, and Friends of Rocky Glen memberships will be available. In addition, there will be a 50-50 raffle at $1 per ticket, 6 tickets for $5, and 15 tickets for $10. One winner will be drawn at 8 PM for half the total collected, with the winner not required to be present to win.

Rocky Glen came into public ownership in December 2012 when it was purchased using previously set aside natural areas funding. The property was transferred to the Peoria Park District in December 2013. Currently Rocky Glen is only accessible on Friends of Rocky Glen monthly hikes and during other approved events. Friends of Rocky Glen is a non-profit group dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Rocky Glen.

More information is available on the Facebook page for the event at: https://www.facebook.com/events/381942218608559/