Good News in Peoria!
July 2008
Common Place News
Common Place, a social service organization focusing on literacy, recently announced that two Peorians, Burnice Blair and John Fendrich, each received an award from Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White and the Illinois Press Association.
Burnice, a student at Common Place and recipient of the Spotlight on Achievement Award, was one of ten adult learners in the State of Illinois to receive this prestigious award for outstanding achievement in developing and improving her literacy skills. She received a $200 check from the Illinois Press Association Foundation, a plaque presented by Secretary White, a personalized Illinois Blue Book, and ten books donated by Delta Systems.
John was nominated by both Common Place and LVA/Project U.P.W.A.R.D., and was one of the ten in the State to be honored with the Spotlight on Service award for his contributions in helping adult literacy students reach their goals. He received a plaque and personalized Illinois Blue Book from Secretary White, and $200 from the Illinois Press Association Foundation to the literacy programs where he serves as a volunteer tutor.
Longtime community volunteer Sally Page was recognized with the Common Place Love in Action Award at an awards dinner at the Pere Marquette Hotel on June 17th. The Common Place Love in Action Award was created to honor a person or persons in the Peoria area whose efforts help the Common Place mission to strive to eliminate the root causes of poverty and social injustice. Mrs. Page for many years has been involved with Peoria Public School District 150, Lakeview Museum, South Side Mission, Human Service Center, Planned Parenthood, Common Place, and her church.
Keep Peoria Beautiful
Peoria City Beautiful has a new name: Keep Peoria Beautiful. The Great America Cleanup took place on April 19th. It was the 10th year of this event, which was held in collaboration with the Mayor’s Litter Committee, Dream Center Peoria, over 30 neighborhood associations, hundreds of volunteers, and sponsors. 83,300 pounds of garbage, litter and landscape waste, and over 600 discard tires were collected!
Open House at Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception
The Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Heading Avenue Franciscans, invite the public to an open house on Sunday, July 13, 2008 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at 2408 W. Heading Ave., West Peoria. For more information about the open house, contact Sister Paula, Sarah, or Holly at 309-674-6168. Information can be found online at: www.westpeoriasisters.org
Donate Life Flags Fly for Organ Donors
The next time you drive by the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, take a look at the Chapel on Glen Oak Avenue. You will see a small whit flag that reads: “Donate Life.” This flag flies just below the American flag.
Every time there is a deceased or living donor from OSF Saint Francis, they fly this flag to honor the donor. The living donors come through the transplant center because they are already matched up with recipients at the transplant center and the whole organ recovery and transplantation takes place at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. The deceased donors’ organs go immediately to individuals all over the country.
The flags are flown for 24 hours and then go to the families of the deceased donors, or in the case of living donors, to the living donors. This is to honor the donor side of donation. Living donors will be donating kidneys only.
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is the top organ donor hospital in Illinois. For more info, go to www.giftofhope.org.
Shrimp and Corn Boil for St. Jude
The annual Shrimp and Corn Boil for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will be July 20, 2008. It is brought to you by Dixon’s Seafood Shoppes. Go to the Itoo Hall on July 20th between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to enjoy a delicious meal of jumbo shrimp, corn on the cob, new potatoes, smoked sausage and iced tea for just $10 per plate. There will also be great Raffle Prizes and a 50/50 Drawing.
April
Good News in Peoria!
2008 NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS
- April 6 – from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Neighborhood Leaders’ Training – Floyd Nowlan Community Center. 1329 N. Broadway. RSVP by April 1st. Call 494-8603.
- April 19 – Great American Clean-Up – Contact Sue Dewey, Peoria City Beautiful. Call 672-6288.
- April 23 – Applications for Free Dawn to Dusk Alley Lights deadline. Program beings April 23.
City Programs Open All Year:
- Neighborhood Watch
- Neighborhood Tree Program
December 2007
Kids Konnected – a support program for children ages 5-18 whose parent or caregiver has any type of cancer. The children and adults meet under the leadership of professionals. The program meets the first and third Monday of each month at the Hult Health Education Center from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Call 692-6650 for more info. This is a free program due to a grant from The Peoria Memorial Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
United Presbyterian Church (2400 W. Northmoor Rd) announces a concert by the male A Cappella group Chapter 6 on Friday, December 21st at 7:00 p.m. Chapter 6 presents a mix of gospel, jazz, and contemporary styles, plus a Christian message. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 6-12. Children under 5 are free. Tickets are available at the church office. Call 693-2002 for info.
Peoria Ski Club is starting the 2007-2008 Ski Season with two trips in December which are open to non-members. December 7 – 9th is at Sundown in Dubuque, IA and Chestnut in Galena, IL. Contact Rod Sleeth at 692-3399 and rsleeth1@insightbb.com. Also, there is a December 29 – Jan 1st trip to Granite Peak in Wausau, WI. Conatact Dan Morse for that trip at 676-7155 or email at danman63@sbcglobal.net.
Journal Star Food Basket and Red Stocking Fund – Applications are being accepted through December 7th for the 5,085 holiday food baskets for underprivileged families in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, and Fulton counties. These food baskets are made possible by donations to the Journal Star Christmas Fund. Along with the food baskets, The Journal Star Red Stocking fund will distribute 1,700 backpacks of toys to Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, and Fulton county families in need. Thie goal this year is $182,000. Donations to the Christmas Fund may be sent to: Christmas Fund, P.O. Box 1549, Peoria, IL 61655.
The 60th Annual Journal Star Family Chirstmas Sing will be held on Monday, December 17, at Peoria County Courthouse Plaza. The prelude will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the actual singing of carols will begin at 7:00 p.m. Jim Maloof will be celebrating his 40th year as song leader. Both spiritual and popular carols will be included. As in the past, special projection equipment and a giant screen will display the words of the carols for all participants to see.The Journal Star Family Christmas Sing is a holiday tradition and has been attended by thousands of families from all over central Illinois. Admission is free.
Google Neighborhood Events Calendar – The City’s Neighborhood Division is developing a Google Neighborhood Events Calendar. The calendar will be available for viewing by the public. However, logging on to the calendar to enter events is limited only to neighborhood associations and neighborhood watch groups. To gain access, send an email to: sfairbanks@ci.peoria.il.us.
2007 Neighborhood Review:
In 2007, three neighborhood associations and nine neighborhood watch groups were organized. There are now over 90 neighborhood associations and 31 watch groups. Also, don’t forget the Peoria Police Department, the guardian Angels, and the Waste Management’s new Waste Watch program.
In April of 2007, The Great American Cleanup netted over 130,000 pounds of garbage. Additionally, 27 neighborhood associations held dumpster clean ups from May through November.
The Mayor’s Litter Committee sponsored clean ups held in all City Council Districts. Volunteers devoted time on Saturday mornings to walk streets and alley to clean up the “human generated” litter.
The 11th Annual Neighborhood Leadership Awards Banquet was held October 25th with honors going to Nancy & Mitch Mitchell, Amanda White, Sharon Draper, Nancy Fleming, Susan Schlupp, Dave Schaab, and Steve Pierz.
November 2007
The City of Peoria & Waste Management Unite to Prevent Crime
The City of Peoria has launched the Silver & Gold Star Program. In collaboration with the Silver & God Star Program, Waste Management has launched Waste Watch.
The foundation of Waste Watch is training for garbage truck drivers to help them accurately record and report unusual and suspicious behavior of crime. The Silver & Gold Star neighborhood Watch Program and Waste Watch will bolster efforts by the police to address neighborhood nuisance, vandalism, and other types of crime. Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard has offered police assistance during the Waste Watch training. For more info about the Waste Watch program, call Dave Schaab at 694-6247.
Neighborhood Watch Groups interested in the Silver and God Star Program, and citizens interested in starting a watch group should contact Steve Fairbanks at 494-8603. Neighborhood Watch applications are also available at the City’s website www.ci.peoria.il.us.
The City of Peoria Announces Construction of Five Pocket Parks
Construction of the parks will be a joint effort of the City of Peoria Department of Economic Development, neighborhood associations and 501 @ 3 organizations. These five pocket parks in the heart of Peoria will be located at:
On Monroe Avenue from Spring Street to Wayne – Old Towne North plants approximately $5,000 in trees along Monroe Avenue
The Western Greenway project will add another parcel of land to the growing park located on Western Avenue with the help of the Western Avenue Greenway Association.
Hale Plaza will see revitalization when the Goose Lake Neighborhood Association in cooperation with Carver Center, renovates the vacant lots that surround the area.
The triangle of Brotherson, Millman and MacArthur will have an innovative and charming appearance with the help of the New Town Neighborhood Watch and the Tri County Urban League. Spring Grove Homeowner’s Association will invest their time and energy into turning a vacant lot into a beautiful park area.
These projects will be completed by May 2008. For more info, call 494-8646.
Peoria Post Office’s “Passport Day” Event at North University Station
Saturday, November 3 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
No appointment is necessary to apply for a passport and the event is open to the public. Walk-ins are welcome. This is for First-Time passport applicants or for those with passports that have been expired for five years or more. You must bring in the required documentation, including “proof of citizenship,” “proof of identity,” and two official passport photos. During the November 3rd event, the Post Office will provide official passport photos for a cost of $15. The cost of an adult passport is $67, children under 16 years is $52. Make checks payable to the “US Department of State,” There is a $30 processing fee payable to the “US Postal Service.” Each passport application must be paid by its own check. One check may be used for all USPS fees. Passport forms will be available at the event or can be printed off the website at www.travel.state.gov.
Current and upcoming changes in Homeland Security requires a valid passport for travel outside of the U.S. For general passport info, call 1-877-487-2778.
10th Judicial Circuit’s Family violence Coordinating Council, Partners to Host Conference Focused on Changing the World for Victims of Abuse
On November 2nd, nationally-renowned victims’ rights attorney Casey Gwinn for a day-long training focused on changing the way our community responds to those living with violence. The training will be held at the Holiday Inn City Centre from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Cost to attend is $50 per person ($40 for entities sending three or more participants). Spots for training are still available and may be reserved by calling The Center for Prevention of Abuse at 691-0551.
It’s Time to Start Jingling!
Imagine the sound of thousands of jingle bells ringing throughout the streets of Peoria as people run and walk in the Jungle Bell run/Walk for Arthritis. This 20th Annual Event will be held at the RiverPlex, on Peoria’s Riverfront, on Saturday, December 1st. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. Photos (teams & individual) and Costume Competition is at 9:00 a.m. Stretch at 9:30 a.m. and the Event starts at 10:00 a.m.
The Jingle Bell Run/Walk is one of the largest run/walk events in the country! This unique holiday event offers something for everyone: a 5K Run, 5K Walk, and Fun Walk. The post party features refreshments, local entertainment, door prizes and the awards presentation.
Complete info on registration and easy fundraising is available at www.arthritis.org or by call 682-6600. Team packets are available.
Stop Child Abuse! Event Raises over $63,000!
The Pediatric Resource Center (PRC), a community program of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, raised $63,595 at its annual fundraiser. The Pediatric Resource Center of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria is a medical and social services program serving the needs of abused and neglected children in central Illinois. Affiliated with the Children’s Hospital of Illinois at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, the Center offers child-friendly medical exams and consults and social services for children reported to be abused and neglected. The Center serves 40 counties throughout Illinois.
