Events & Parties Highlight Busy Week Ahead

This Tuesday evening at The Peoria Civic Center Exhibit Hall, The Salvation Army will hold its annual Share the Spirit Party, in conjunction with the US Marine Corps Reserves. This party will provide gifts fore 1,000 children who previously signed up for the event during the sign-up period. From 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., kids and their parents will be treated to popcorn, pizza, and entertainment with Fun on the Run inflatables, Santa Claus and Ronald McDonald. “This is a great event, especially because the children get to pick out their own gift,” said Major Evie Diaz, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army. “We are very grateful to the Marine Corps for all their support- we couldn’t do this without them,” said Diaz.

Thursday at noon, it’s time for the Older Adults Christmas Party at the Four Points by Sheraton. Attendees will get a wonderful holiday meal, have holiday entertainment and receive a gift from The Salvation Army during the luncheon. Later that same evening, The Salvation Army will have another Culver’s fundraising night, this time at the Culvers across from the Shoppes at Grand Prairie. The Salvation Army Brass will be playing Christmas music, and Salvation Army staff & volunteers will be serving customers from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Finally, on Saturday, December 10, the Red Stocking Parties will take place at Manual High School at 10:00 a.m. and Parkside Junior High at 2:00 p.m. in conjunction with the Peoria Journal Star. People who signed up will attend one of the two parties and receive a backpack with toys and gifts, see Santa, and enjoy a Christmas program.

Yet to come is the annual Toy Shop at The Salvation Army Corps Community Center on Dec. 15 & 16, and the Christmas Food basket distribution on December 19. For more information, please contact Rich Draeger at 655-1348 or 253-9909.

Common Place holding book fair fundraiser at former Borders location

This December 9th, 10th and 11th Common Place is holding a Scholastic Book Fair at the former Borders location in the Shoppes at Grand Prairie. Common Place will receive 40% of the proceeds for the first $2,000 raised and 50% of the proceeds for anything above $2,000. The funds raised will provide books for students and adults who use Common Place’s tutoring and literacy programs.

The Scholastic Book Fair benefiting Common Place Family Learning Center will be held December 9, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; December 10 & 11, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m at the former Borders location at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie.

Fourth grader Kirsten Trans Donated Turkeys and More to Common Place

A simple school assignment turned into much more for one Banner Elementary student. Students were directed to read the newspaper and write about what they read, including how they felt about the subject. Trans chose an article about the shortages many food pantries, including the pantry at Common Place Family Learning Center, are facing. The paper earned top marks, however that wasn’t good enough for Trans. Her paper stated that she wished people were more giving and less selfish; it was a charge she took to heart. She convinced her grandma to take a trip to the local grocery store where they picked up a number of nonperishable food items. Trans and her grandmother also donated two turkeys that were a wonderful surprise for the fortunate that received them. The family dropped off a check and a promise of continued support for Common Place.

Common Place and many other food banks in the area are facing increased needs this holiday season. More are in need of assistance. Common Place is open from 8:00-5:00 daily. Please call: 309.674.3315 before dropping off donations.

Two favorite holiday movies might be familiar, but many film fans have never seen them on the big screen, so downtown Peoria’s non-profit Apollo Theater on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16 and 17 will show “A Christmas Carol” and “It’s Wonderful Life” to help celebrate the season.

“A Christmas Carol” is the critically acclaimed 1951 version of Charles Dickens’ memorable short story, starring Alastair Sim as greedy Ebenezer Scrooge, who after a ghostly experience changes from a miserly holiday hater to a man who appreciates Christmas and the rest of humanity – rich and poor alike.

The 86-minute British motion picture is considered one of the best renditions of the moving morality tale. It will be screened on Friday, Dec. 16.

The next night, “It’s A Wonderful Life” will not only show on the big screen – the Apollo is showing it twice, at 7:00 and 9:30 p.m.

Director Frank Capra’s warm feature from 1946 stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a nice guy in a small town who inadvertently becomes overwhelmed with burdens so severe he considered committing suicide so his family and struggling building & loan business can benefit. Then a modest “angel, 2nd class” named Clarence intervenes.

The 125-minute charmer has a terrific cast, ranging from Donna Reed, Henry Travers and Thomas Mitchell to Lionel Barrymore, Gloria Grahame and – as Bert & Ernie – Ward Bond and Frank Faylen.

Regular show times at the Apollo are 7:00 p.m. Donations are $5 and $4 for kids, students and seniors. For details call (309) 673-4343.

Kick Off Busy Few Weeks Leading To Christmas

The Salvation Army will hold its annual Bears vs. Packers Kettle Challenge today at Bass Pro Shops in East Peoria and HyVee in Peoria from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The daylong event, now in its 17th year, helps raise funds for the Tree of Lights Campaign in a fun fashion as fans of the Bears and Packers take turns ringing bells.

Tonight , meanwhile, at the Peoria Rivermen game, The Salvation Army will hold its annual Coats for Kids Night. Salvation Army officers, staff and volunteers will be manning barrels before the 7 pm game, collecting coats to give to area children in need. There will also be a Teddy bear toss in one of the intermissions, with those items being collected for children served by The Salvation Army. The first 500 fans who donate coats ro a bear will receive vouchers for tickets to an upcoming Rivermen game.

Next week, The Salvation Army will have its annual Share the Spirit Party for 1,000 children at the Peoria Civic Center on Tuesday evening, and its Older Adults Party at the Four Points by Sheraton on Thursday at noonn.

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

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, Proctor Hospital, and Pekin Hospital are four of twenty regional hospitals that are publicly reporting the percentage of employees who have been immunized for the seasonal flu as part of a flu reporting project developed by Quality Quest for Health of Illinois that started in 2009. In observance of National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 4 to 10), Quality Quest has its first Flu Shot Percentage Report for the 2011-2012 flu season available at www.qualityquest.org for residents to view. The report starts with October 2011 percentages and will be updated monthly through March 2012. The report will include a trend graph for each hospital.

Higher percentages are expected this year as several hospitals have implemented universal employee vaccination policies. Exceptions to these policies include individuals who have a medical or religious reason not to participate. Those who do not get vaccinated must wear a mask.

The following hospitals are participating in the flu reporting project for 2011-2012: Decatur Memorial Hospital*; Fairfield Memorial Hospital; Genesis Medical Center, Silvis; Hoopeston Regional Health Center; Illini Community Hospital (Blessing Health System), Pittsfield; Massac Memorial Hospital, Metropolis; Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, Peoria; OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rockford*; OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria*; OSF Saint James – John W. Albrecht Medical Center, Pontiac*; OSF Saint Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington*; OSF Saint Mary Medical Center, Galesburg*; Ottawa Regional Hospital and Healthcare Center; Pana Community Hospital; Pekin Hospital; Proctor Hospital, Peoria*; St. John’s Hospital, Springfield; St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur*; Union County Hospital, Anna; Washington County Hospital, Nashville.

(*Indicates hospital has a universal vaccination policy.)

How does public reporting help?

Flu immunization among healthcare workers is important for the continued safety and care of patients. Approximately 36,000 deaths in the U.S. each year are caused by the seasonal flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“OSF had been working on (improving employee flu vaccination rates) for many years using all the best strategies ─ education, incentives, requiring declination forms and reasons ─ and we still weren’t seeing the performance we should be achieving to protect patients,” said Dr. Ralph Velazquez, Senior Vice President of Care Management at OSF Healthcare System.

Velazquez recommended Quest develop an employee vaccination rate report and data collection began in 2009 with participating hospitals. Each season since, the percentage of vaccinated employees for each hospital has been plotted along a thermometer, with the higher performing hospitals showing at the top.

“No one wanted to be at the bottom of that bulb,” said Tim Stone, Chief Operating Officer at Decatur Memorial Hospital. The thermometer graph circulated through each organization. Some posted it on bulletin boards or in elevators.
For the first time, providers saw how they compared to others, knowing that this information was publicly reported on the Quality Quest website. The data externalized the issue, changing the discussion to one regarding the organization’s reputation, according to Dr. Gail Amundson, Quest President and CEO.

“Public reporting has consistently been shown to be a significant driver for change. It shines a light on healthcare, creating transparency, which then creates provider competition based on quality,” she said. “What gets measured, gets managed. We all strive to be the best. Public reporting makes gaps visible so that we can improve. If we didn’t time our race, we’d all think we were the fastest people in the world.”

“The emergence of consumer-driven healthcare has brought about the need for greater transparency and public reporting in order to provide vital information to the public so that informed healthcare decisions can be made,” Stone added.
The Joint Commission challenges hospitals to meet the gold standard vaccination rate of 95 percent for healthcare workers. During the 2010-2011 influenza season, coverage for influenza vaccination among healthcare workers was estimated at 63.5 percent, according to the CDC. The average rate for the participating hospitals in the Quest region during the 2009/2010 season was 76 percent. The rate jumped to 81 percent during the 2010/2011 flu season.

“We expect even higher numbers of vaccinated hospital employees during this flu season,” Amundson said.

In the spirit of the season, McDaniels Marketing is launching a sock drive in conjunction with its holiday greeting. Socks will be collected at the agency – 11 Olt Avenue in Pekin – from Monday, December 6, 2011 through Friday, January 6, 2012. The sock drive is being coordinated with The Care Package Project™ sponsored by Marine Parents.

“This year, we wanted to do something more meaningful,” Randall McDaniels, president of the full-service marketing communications agency, said. “When we learned that deployed Marines need socks, we decided to coordinate efforts with Marine Parents and develop our holiday greeting centered on that theme.”

A Fun Greeting Card, with a Charitable Message
The agency’s greeting card features all of the employees wearing wacky socks, with copy that reads, “A heartfelt message with a lot of sole.” An explanation regarding the sock drive is noted as part of the greeting.

“It’s one small way we can show our gratitude to the troops and celebrate the giving spirit of the season,” McDaniels said. “We are all on board with the idea, from the copywriting and designing of the card, to the organization and promotion of the effort. It’s our goal to ship hundreds of socks to Marine Parents in time for their January 21 shipment to the troops in Afghanistan.” Employees hope to enlist the aid of area residents and businesses to ensure a large shipment of socks.

Socks should be 100% cotton and be:
· New, in packaging
· Olive green (first choice), white or black
· Boot/crew socks – must go halfway up the calf

For additional details on the sock drive, check http://www.mcdanielsinteractive.com/socks or call McDaniels Marketing at (309) 346-4230.

Local Chapter helps with workplace learning

ASTD (American Society for Training & Development) is the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals. ASTD’s members come from more than 100 countries and connect locally in more than 125 U.S. chapters and with more than 20 international partners. Members work in thousands of organizations of all sizes, in government, as independent consultants, and suppliers.

The local chapter of ASTD, Heart of Illinois American Society for Training and Development is announcing the date for their annual event Employee Learning Showcase which will be December 8th at the ICC North Campus, 5407 N University(Hickory Hall), in Peoria, IL. Dave Goranson, current ASTD-HOI Chapter President, says, “This will probably be the most comprehensive event for business professionals. Our theme this year is Becoming a Performance Partner, which will offer a wide range of topics from performance management to performance coaching. We are really excited about the speakers who we have lined up for the event. We hope this will be the best attended event for us so far.”

Last year’s event featured social media topics as well as employee engagement and motivation for employees. This year’s keynote speaker will be Marvis Meyers, VP of Organizational Development for the Peoria Area Employer’s Association. To quote Dave, “She has presented at one of our chapter meetings and our members talked about it for weeks. Her presentation was fun and compelling. She is a very talented and knowledgeable presenter.”
Early bird registration is now available for $40 for members and $35 for non-members for the entire day of presentations. Lunch is included in the registration fee. Anyone interested in taking advantage of this learning experience should contact HOI-ASTD by calling (309) 253-3947 or visit their website at www.ASTDHOI.org to register online.

Fans ring bells for favorite team, raise money for Tree of Lights Campaign

The Salvation Army’s annual Bear- Packer Kettle Challenge is back again for its 17th consecutive year. The annual ringing competition takes place Saturday, December 3 at the new Bass Pro Shop and HyVee in Sheridan Village. The kettles will be set up in order for Bear and Packer fans to work on bragging rights while collecting money for The Salvation Army and our Tree of Lights Campaign. This is a serious but fun Bear/Packer Challenge, so don your favorite teams colors and show your support!

This year, despite possible iffy weather, the annual event is again expected to be hotly contested, as each side battles to raise the most funds for The Salvation Army. The Packer fans won last year’s challenge, and now Packers fans have claimed 9 titles to the Bears fans 7 titles in the annual challenge. Over the past 5 years, the day has brought in an average of $1,068 each year.

The Hyvee location will feature a special “goalpost” display to add to the football feel of the friendly competition, and there may even be some brats available, while at Bass Pro, some Salvation Army brass will be on hand to play from 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. The competition gets started at 9:00 a.m., and the day of friendly competition will run through 4:30 p.m. If you would like more information, call Rich Draeger at 253-9909.

WHAT: 17th annual Bear-Packer Kettle Challenge
WHEN: Saturday, December 3 (9am-4:30pm)
WHERE: Bass Pro Shop & HyVee
WHO: Sam Amick- “Founder” of challenge(3-4:30 Bass Pro)
Rich Draeger (9-11am at Bass Pro)
Salvation Army brass- 11-1 at Bass Pro

This holiday season the Peoria Park District’s E.L.I.T.E. Youth Holiday Choir will play to 15 locations throughout Central Illinois on five different dates, spreading the spirit of the holiday season to supportive businesses, community organizations, and public institutions. This year’s holiday tour is made possible by Peoria Charter Coach and Methodist. The diverse group of carolers, which is made up of students from Peoria High School, Manual High School, Richwoods High School, Trewyn “ELITE Style” School and Roosevelt Magnet School, will not only unify their melodic voices in songs of praise, but they will interact and learn about each other’s diverse backgrounds, and life experiences. This holiday season the E.L.I.T.E. Holiday Choir is proud to be accompanied by the ELITE Ensemble and the Holiday Praise Dance troupe.

We are also excited to announce a fundraiser sponsored by the Hy-Vee Supermarket and 11 local McDonald’s locations. During the month of December, they will ask customers after each and every transaction if they would like to donate a dollar to the ELITE Youth program. Their assistance helps to raise money and gives a chance at meaningful, part-time employment throughout the year.