The Peoria Park District 2014 Summer Playbook is now available.  The Playbook tells a complete story for the upcoming season—our wide range of programming includes everything from golf, gardening, swimming and athletics to ice skating, travel, nature walks and the zoo.  Here is the link to view the Playbook:  http://www.peoriaparks.org/playbook/

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, recently helped pass two measures to allow family members of service men and women to choose license plates honoring them.

“In our busy lives it is easy to take the safety and security we enjoy for granted,” Gordon-Booth said. “Men and women from across our communities put their lives in danger to protect us. While they are away defending our nation, we have a responsibility to help support family members in Illinois.”

Gordon-Booth is co-sponsoring House Bill 5872, which would create Blue Star Banner license plates. The Blue Star Banner was used during World War I and throughout history to identify the families who had children serving in the military. The bill would allow the immediate family to choose a Blue Star Banner license plate while their family member is serving during any period of war or hostility.

House Bill 5475 allows children of fallen military members to receive a Gold Star License Plate. Under current law, these license plates are only offered to the spouse, sibling or parents of those that died in service of our country.

“These license plates are a small way to recognize the families who have lost a loved one in service to our country or currently have someone in the military,” Gordon-Booth added. “I will continue to support legislation that honors our soldiers and their families.”

The legislation is now being considered by the state Senate. For more information, contact Gordon-Booth’s constituent service office at 309-681-1992 or by email at repjgordon@gmail.com.

Who:  Dress for Success Peoria and featured speaker Diane Cullinan Oberhelman

When:  Friday, April 25^th, 2014 from 11:30 am-12:30 pm; Doors open at 11:00 am; Lunch served at 11:30 am

Where: Par-A-Dice Hotel,  7 Blackjack Boulevard, East Peoria, IL 61611

Why:  The purses and suits provided by Dress for Success Peoria have a greater meaning beyond simply offering a self-esteem boost for a job interview.  For the women we serve, those purses and suits become powerful assets to remove the obstacles on their personal pursuit of happiness.

Dress for Success Peoria meets the needs of clients “where they are at”.  Dress for Success Peoria offers a wide range of programs and services to women as they begin and continue on their journey towards self-sufficiency.  The Suiting Program is one of many steps along a participant’s path towards self-sufficiency and the achievement of her professional goals. After obtaining employment, clients are invited to utilize additional employment retention programs and services.  Career development programs and services also include the Going Places Network by Walmart, Professional Women’s Group and the Financial Literacy Program.

Tickets to the luncheon are available online at www.dressforsuccess.org/peoria or by calling 309-671-5200.  All proceeds from the luncheon will benefit Dress for Success Peoria, a program of Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service.

About Dress for Success – Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to more than 120 cities in 15 countries. To date, Dress for Success has helped more than 650,000 women work towards self-sufficiency. Visit www.dressforsuccess.org to learn more.

Dress for Success Peoria was founded in 1999 as a program of the Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service. To date, Dress for Success Peoria has suited more than 2,200 women and currently has more than 40 active members of the Peoria Professional Women’s Group.

Visit www.dressforsuccess.org/peoria to learn more.

(Peoria, IL)- The second public forum for the Forrest Hill Project will be held on Wednesday, April 30th from 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm at the City of Peoria’s Public Works Building, Conference Room, 3505 N. Dries Lane. Public Works staff seeks further public input about the proposed design options for Forrest Hill Avenue, from Sheridan Road to Knoxville Avenue.

The Forrest Hill Avenue project is expected to begin construction this Summer. The scope of work will include replacing the roadway surface by milling off the top layer of asphalt, patching the concrete base, and laying a new asphalt surface. In addition, the project will install new sidewalks and replace deficient curb and gutter. Illinois American Water Company will be replacing the water main in conjunction with the City’s project, to lessen future roadway damages. These and other items are open to public discussion at this forum. Construction is expected to last no more than 4 months on this segment of roadway.

City Staff will present several refined options for a new design on Forrest Hill between Sheridan Road and Knoxville Avenue that include the following:
 Bicycle Lanes
 Green Infrastructure
 Sidewalk placement
 Parking
 Existing Tree Protection

For more information, contact Stephen Letsky, Project Manager at 494-8817. To view the Forrest Hill project and view the plans, comments and minutes to the meeting, go to Peoria Public Works’ main page at http://www.peoriagov.org/public-works.

Due to a water main break, southbound North University Street will be closed from West Shenandoah Drive to West Glen Ave.  Crews are working on making repairs now and street restoration will immediately follow.

The Hopedale Wellness Center (222 NW Grove St., Hopedale, IL 61747) is excited to announce a partnership with The Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness program. SilverSneakers can help you get fit your way.  As a member you will have access to more than 11,000 participating locations nationwide, which now includes the 34,000 square foot Hopedale Wellness Center.

Proper nutrition and physical activity play a critical role as we get older. Millions of older adults are taking stock of their health and hitting the gym to get the physical activity they need to help keep their muscles strong and prevent many health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and high blood pressure. The SilverSneakers program is a fun, energizing way to get the activ¬ity you need to help you stay healthy and independent. Whether you enjoy walking on the treadmill, riding the stationary bike or taking group exercise classes like those available through SilverSneakers, it’s important to keep moving.

Here are some helpful tips for staying active:

• Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, on five or more days.

• Include strength training exercises in your regular workouts at least twice a week to improve and maintain muscular strength and endurance.

• If you have difficulty with your mobility, perform moderate amounts of low-impact activities such as swimming, water exercises or stretching.

• Gentle forms of yoga and tai chi help to promote flexibility, improve balance and increase strength.

The Hopedale Medical Complex and Hopedale Wellness Center are committed to promoting outstanding healthcare, healthy lifestyles, health education, and wellness. Visit HopedaleMC.com to learn more about the services offered at Hopedale Medical Complex, which is just 10 miles south of Morton, off Interstate 155 (Exit 19.)

Please join us for the May 14 AFP Chapter meeting on The Dollars and “Sense” of Grant Writing presented by Julie Siebert, MA. 

WHEN: Wednesday, May 14, 11:30 am

WHERE: Barrack’s Cater Inn, 1224 W. Pioneer Parkway, Peoria

Contact Kimberly Weeks at 309-242-3960 or kimberlyweeks227@gmail.com for more information.

With many non-profits and community organizations writing increasingly competitive grant proposals, it seems more difficult than ever to secure the funding your programs need.  Join us for a discussion on the latest trends in grant writing, as well as common pitfalls.  Participating in this session will add depth to your professional skills and can make you a more valuable asset to your organization.  Come armed with your questions for Julie as we help one another develop strategies for submitting winning proposals!

About the Presenter – Julie Siebert has been employed at Children’s Home Association of Illinois for 15 years.  She has served as the agency’s grant writer for the past 7 years and in that time has successfully written for over $2.2 million in funding.  She is also an Affiliate Member of the graduate faculty at BradleyUniversity, teaching grant writing in the Department of Leadership in Education, Human Services and Counseling.  Julie graduated from BradleyUniversity in 2007 with a Master’s degree in Human Service Administration and from NorthernIllinoisUniversity in 2000 with a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Studies.

The cost for this program is $15 for Association of Fundraising Professionals members and $25 for guests.  Registration and lunch begin at 11:30 am, with the program starting promptly at noon.

About AFP – AFP, an association of professionals throughout the world, advances philanthropy by enabling people and organizations to practice ethical and effective fundraising. The core activities through which AFP fulfills this mission include education, training, mentoring, research, credentialing and advocacy.

As one of AFP’s 230 chapters worldwide, the Central Illinois Chapter members encompass a broad spectrum of professional experience and backgrounds and represent the areas of health, human services, education, religion, and the arts.  Our chapter is committed to professional education, the advancement of philanthropy and the fundraising profession, and ethical fundraising practices in Central Illinois. We are dedicated to providing quality learning opportunities for fundraising professionals of all experience levels.  

Peoria, IL (April 22, 2014) — Join the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce and other Chambers from around the region for an opportunity to talk directly with your elected leaders about issues that impact you and your community. This event is hosted by CIRCLE (Central Illinois Chambers Regional Legislative Effort). The Peoria Area Chamber, along with Chambers from Canton, East Peoria, Chillicothe, Morton, Pekin, Peoria, and Washington are hosting the event on Monday, April 28 from 5 – 7 pm at Embassy Suites in East Peoria. This is an opportunity for the business community to get up close and personal with legislators about the issues we hope they’ll tackle this legislative session.

 The following Legislators have been invited and are expected to attend:

Mike Unes, State Representative 91^st District

David Leitch, State Representative 73^rd District

Dave Koehler, State Senator 46^th District

Darin Lahood, State Senator 37^th District

Darrel Miller, Candidate 18^th Congressional District

Representation from Senator Dick Durbin’s office

Representation from Congressman Aaron Schock’s office, 18^th Congressional District

Representation from Congresswoman Cheri Busto’s office, 17^th Congressional District

Legislators invited but not confirmed:

Governor Pat Quinn

Jim Oberweis, State Senator 25^th District

Donald Moffitt, State Representative 74^th District

Jehan Gordon-Booth, State Representative 92^nd District

Bobby Schilling, Candidate 17^th Congressional District

Bill Brady, State Senator 44^th District

Keith Sommer, State Representative 106^th District

John Sullivan, State Senator 47^th District

Norine Hammond, State Representative 94^th District

Robyn Gabel, State Representative 18^th District

Appetizers will be provided and there will be a cash bar. The CIRCLE Legislative Reception is sponsored by: Hanson Professional Services and Komatsu. There is still time to register for the event at www.peoriachamber.org.

CIRCLE is also hosting a bus trip to Springfield on April 30 to enable the regional business community to meet with key members of the Illinois General Assembly to discuss a variety of issues. Details on the 2014 CIRCLE trip to Springfield are available online atwww.peoriachamber.org.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To better support pregnant employees, state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, co-sponsored and helped pass a measure that requires workplaces to make reasonable accommodations for an expectant mother.

“Pregnant women face unique challenges in the workplace,” Gordon-Booth said. “They aren’t able to lift as many heavy objects and may need to rest sooner than they would normally need to. While most workplaces offer assistance to these women, some do not and this needs to change.”

House Bill 8 adds pregnancy and conditions related to pregnancy to the list of protections guaranteed to employees. Companies would not be able to choose not to hire a pregnant woman and could not fire them for being pregnant. Companies would be asked to make accommodations, such as providing a private place to breastfeed, a stool to sit on or periodic rest for the mother. The employer does not have to provide for accommodations if the request is prohibitively expensive or disruptive in the workforce.

“As an expectant mother, I know how fortunate I am to have the flexibility to take care of myself and my child,” Gordon-Booth explained. “This legislation will help other women do the same, and I encourage the Senate to approve this legislation without delay.”

The legislation now rests in the state Senate for further consideration. For more information, contact Gordon-Booth’s constituent service office at 309-681-1992 or by email at repjgordon@gmail.com.

Peoria residents are invited to enroll in the Citizen Police Academy which will be held at the Peoria Police Department from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., June 4th through July 30th. The purpose of the academy is to give residents a better understanding of the operations of the Peoria Police Department and to provide a forum for police officers and residents to interact in an informal setting.

Academy presentation topics include: CrimeView Mapping; a tour of the Emergency Communications Center; Traffic & Patrol; Resident officers and a neighborhood tour; Preventing Scams; Crime Scene Investigation; Don’t Shoot Initiative; K9 Unit; and Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement.

An academy applicant must be at least 18 years of age and successfully pass a background check.

Applications will be accepted until 20 people have registered or May 30^th, whichever comes first.

An academy application and course schedule are available at the Police Department Web site at: http://www.peoriagov.org/peoria-police-department/neighborhood-programs/. An application can also be requested by contacting Steve Fairbanks at 494-8250.