The HOPE Chest
1106 Derby St.
Pekin, IL 61554
309-620-9043
Website
Dave Craig, Executive Director
The HOPE Chest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our mission is very simple. We exist to Help Other People Excel. We will do whatever it takes to be a thrift store that is family friendly, low cost, and provides many experiences for people to excel in life and become all that God has purposed for them.
Our Vision: To be the trusted partner for the Pekin business community. Our Mission: To foster and promote a vibrant business environment for the benefit of our members.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Resurfacing of Illinois 9 begins Sept. 3
The Illinois
Department of Transportation announces that resurfacing of Illinois 9 from just
east of the U.S. 24 junction to the McNaughton Bridge begins Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Lane closures will be necessary during this project, which is expected to be complete in November.
Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment.
For IDOT District 4 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict4 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Illinois American Water Pekin District Investing Approximately $1.1 Million to Improve Facility
Illinois American Water is remodeling its Pekin District office located on Broadway Street in Pekin. The approximately $1.1 million investment to upgrade the building originally built in the early 1970s will help improve operations and workforce training.
According to Cord Crisler, operations superintendent for the Pekin District, the building will be
upgraded to support employee development and local operations. Included in the project is the
construction of a formal training facility. Crisler said, “Our team is continuously learning and training to ensure safe operations and high customer satisfaction. A dedicated space to conduct critical training will help ensure our team works as efficiently and as safely as possible.”
The office will be closed to the public during construction. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2020. Customers needing assistance are instructed to call the customer service center at 800-
422-2782, Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 7 PM. Customers can also manage their account online at www.illinoisamwater.com.
About Illinois American Water - Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100
dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and
other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe,
clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing.
For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and
LinkedIn.
According to Cord Crisler, operations superintendent for the Pekin District, the building will be
upgraded to support employee development and local operations. Included in the project is the
construction of a formal training facility. Crisler said, “Our team is continuously learning and training to ensure safe operations and high customer satisfaction. A dedicated space to conduct critical training will help ensure our team works as efficiently and as safely as possible.”
The office will be closed to the public during construction. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2020. Customers needing assistance are instructed to call the customer service center at 800-
422-2782, Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 7 PM. Customers can also manage their account online at www.illinoisamwater.com.
About Illinois American Water - Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100
dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and
other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe,
clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing.
For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and
LinkedIn.
Illinois Central College’s “Between the Lines” Lecture Series Announces Fall Schedule
Illinois Central College’s “Between the Lines” program is a free, open to
the public lecture series presented by the faculty members of the ICC English,
Humanities and Language Studies Department. The goal of the series is to
offer literary presentations to interest students and people in the community,
as well as promote reading literacy and scholarly study.
This fall’s topics include the American obsession with zombies, popular
non‐fiction books, and Margaret Atwood's “The Handmaid's Tale,” now a TV
series.
On Tues., Sept. 3, Andrea Walton will present “The Handmaid's Tale:
What's Love Got To Do With It?” in Arbor Auditorium on the Peoria Campus from
7:00 to 8:00 p.m. This lecture will focus on authors’ ideas of female
characters oppression to a commitment of love and as service male
counterparts. Margaret Atwood extends this idea in her novel “The
Handmaid’s Tale”, by reducing her female characters’ value to their most basic
function, producing babies. Join us for a discussion that delves into
unveiling a completely different female character identity.
On Mon., Oct. 7, Melissa Grunow will present “Zombies 101: Cultural
Analysis of an American Obsession” in 210A on the East Peoria Campus from 2:30
to 3:30 p.m. For more than 80 years, zombies have infiltrated popular
culture in America. Unlike once‐popular horror tropes of werewolves,
vampires, and clowns, zombies have remained an American obsession. But
where did this obsession come from? Come learn the sociopolitical history
and evolution of zombies as we explore how the undead horror motif serves as a
metaphor for threats.
On Tues., Nov. 5, Amy Glass will present “Non‐Fiction That Reads Like
Fiction” in Arbor Auditorium on the Peoria Campus from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
This lecture will explore a variety of non-fiction genres and titles providing
the same thrills, scares, and laughs as fiction books, including Steven
Johnson’s “How We Got to Now.” Participants are invited to bring a list
of suggested non‐fiction for the group.
For more information, please contact Jim Sullivan at betweenthelines@icc.edu or (309)
694-5357.
Monday, August 26, 2019
Illinois Central College offers 12-Week Evening Course to Become a Pharmacy Technician
Illinois Central
College will soon start its fall session of the pharmacy technician
course. The 12-week long evening course is designed to accommodate
working students with evening class hours, and enable students to complete a
certificate in 12 weeks.
The pharmacy
technician course will be held on Mondays, beginning Sept. 9 through Nov. 25,
2019, from 6 to 10 p.m., at Hickory Hall on the ICC Peoria Campus, located at
5407 N. University St., Peoria. Cost of the course is $1,625, with
payment plans available. Cost includes tuition, Pharmacy Technician
textbook and workbook, a set of medication flashcards, and a set of medical
scrubs.
The course support
ICC’s effort to bridge the critical Peoria-area workforce gap. The end
goal of the course, and all ICC programs, is to place students into careers
with family-sustaining wages while giving them tools to succeed in the
process.
The course will
give students a solid foundation in the skills necessary for employment as a
pharmacy technician, and will prepare them for the Pharmacy Technician
Certification Board (PTCB) Exam. Students will receive training in the
origins and history of pharmacy, calculating doses, drug regulations and
controls, transcribing physician’s orders, correcting medication packaging, and
more.
Courses such as
these support ICC’s effort to bridge the critical Peoria-area workforce
gap. The end goal of all ICC programs is to place students into careers
with family-sustaining wages while giving them tools to succeed in the
process.
For more
information and to register, visit icc.edu/pdi/pharmtech. For questions
and payment plan options, contact ICC Dean of Corporate and Community Education
Julie Howar at (309) 690-6909.
Winners Revealed: 31st Annual Duck Race Raises $211,000 to Benefit the Center for Prevention of Abuse
The
Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) hosted its 31st Annual
Duck Race today, August 24, at EastSide Centre where 30,000 rubber ducks raced
down a 750-foot water slide. The event sold out of all 30,000 ducks and raised
more than $211,000 to benefit CFPA and its mission of helping all women, men, and
children live free from violence and abuse in Central Illinois.
Attendees enjoyed live music from Doghouse Daisy,
refreshments from local food trucks: Clink Mobile Bar, Nacho Mama’s Grilled
Cheese, Kamaela’s Kreamery, Mike’s Knot Just Ribs, Kona Ice, Peach’s Place, and
DeMarchi’s Espresso, additional music from Mix 106.9, as well as free
activities for kids, including bounce houses and face painting before the
race began at 6:00 p.m.
The owners of the first 31 ducks to cross the finish line
won prizes. The first duck to cross the finish line and win the grand prize of
$10,000 cash belonged to Donna Vogel of Tremont, Ill.
This year’s full list of winners includes:
•
Grand Prize $10,000 sponsored by Associated Bank – Donna Vogel of
Tremont, Ill.
•
$5,000 sponsored by Bob Lindsay Honda and Bob Lindsay Acura – Martha
Diebold of Mackinaw, Ill.
•
$2,500 Sherman’s Gift Card – Susan Varnes of Biloxi, Miss.
•
Microsoft Surface and Keyboard sponsored by Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino,
Menold Construction and Restoration, and Getz Fire Equipment – James Cota of
Dunlap, Ill.
•
Family Pack of Disney Tickets and $250 Visa Gift Card sponsored by
Hanson Professional Services Inc. – Marlene Peterson of Dunlap, Ill.
•
$500 Jones Bro. Jewelers Gift Card – Lynne Stewart of Hanna City,
Ill.
•
Espresso Machine sponsored by Farnsworth Group and Pure Bliss Hair
Study and Day Spa – John Dean
•
58” Roku Smart TV sponsored by Mike Murphy Ford and West Central
Illinois Building Trades Council – Amy O’Brien of Johnston, Iowa
•
Date Night Bundle (overnight stay for two at Stoney Creek Hotel, two
tickets to Peoria Players Theatre, $50 Two25 Gift Card) – Samantha Lafary of
Hanna City, Ill.
•
$300 Kroger Gift Card – Charlotte Cronin of Peoria, Ill.
•
Nintendo Switch sponsored by Ray Dennison Chevrolet – Paula Clark of
Pekin, Ill.
•
Gemstone Necklace sponsored by Nature Haven – JoAnne Smagacz of
Wheaton, Ill.
•
Apple Watch Series 3 sponsored by Kriegsman Warehouses – Rex Walden
of Dunlap, Ill.
•
Holiday Inn Express Bundle – Robin Boswell of Peoria, Ill.
•
$250 JC Penney Gift Card – Randy and Nancy Lienhart of Green Valley,
Ill.
•
Tundra 45 Yeti Cooler sponsored by C.T. Gabbert Remodeling and
Construction – Jessie Lascelles of Saint David, Ill.
•
$200 Summer Savings Bundle ($100 Casey’s Gift Card, $50 Red Carpet
Car Wash Gift Card, Beachler’s Oil Change Certificate) – Debra Newton of
Chillicothe, Ill.
•
Peoria Salt Cave Package – Mike Sheader of Dunlap, Ill.
•
Mackinaw Valley Vineyard Package – Patti Polk of Peoria, Ill.
•
Panera Bread for a Year – Mike Keough of Morton, Ill.
•
“There’s More to Explore” Peoria Park District Package – Gene Lyons
of East Peoria, Ill.
•
$100 Jeffrey Alans Gift Card – Becky Frakes of Peoria, Ill.
•
$100 Curvology Gift Card– Jessie McMeen of Bartonville, Ill.
•
Art Experiences in Peoria sponsored by Canvas Connections and Fired
Up – Norma J Just of Peoria, Ill.
•
Presleys Outdoors Fishing Package – Kimberly Lister of East Peoria,
Ill.
•
Gone in 60 Escape Game Package – Sam Schonert of Washington, Ill.
•
Gone Axe Throwing Package – Jeanann McCoy of Las Vegas, Nev.
•
Ring Doorbell Security Camera sponsored by American Pest Control,
Inc. – Jackie Fouts of Canton, Ill.
•
CxT Roasting Company Basket – Corinne Jones of Peoria, Ill.
•
Massage Envy Gift Card – Lisa Ullenius of Peoria, Ill.
•
Gold’s Gym Two-Month Membership – Roger Cunningham of Peoria, Ill.
Winners should call CFPA at 309-691-0551 to claim their
prize.
After the race, kids in attendance helped in the annual
“Kid’s Cleanup Crew!” and assisted in cleaning up and packaging the
ducks.
“We would like to thank every single person who sponsored a
duck, those came out to celebrate with us on Race Day, and our incredibly
generous sponsors who helped us put on a wonderful Duck Race,” said Carol
Merna, Chief Executive Officer at the Center for Prevention of Abuse. “We
couldn’t have done it without Mayor John Kahl, Doug McCarty of EastSide Centre,
Rick Swan of the East Peoria Chamber of Commerce, and the East Peoria Fire
Department. We are thankful for all the support that we receive so that we may
continue providing free and confidential services to survivors of abuse and
work toward building a safe and peaceful community.”
All funds raised through the Duck Race go directly to client
services at CFPA, helping all women, men, and children live free from violence
and abuse.
Friday, August 23, 2019
UnityPoint Health Ribbon Cutting
A large turnout of employees, community leaders and guests were in attendance as the ribbon was cut for the new hospital lobby at UnityPoint Health Pekin. Before the ribbon cutting Dr. Keith Knepp, the Regional CEO for UnityPoint Health, provided details of the extensive renovation project and thanked and recognized all of those involved. Dan Pfeifer, President of the Board of Directors of the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce, read a chamber proclamation recognizing the economic contributions of UnityPoint Health to the community, and naming today UnityPoint Health Day in the city of Pekin. You can seem more pictures from this event at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GHiyTsRN4oYWjB5d8
CASA of the Tenth Judicial Circuit is participating in the Heart of Illinois United Way's Food Drive!
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Thursday, August 22, 2019
Graduated Income Tax Lunch & Learn
Join the Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch and Illinois Chamber Tax Institute Executive Director Keith Staats on September 12th for a Lunch and Learn on the Graduated Income Tax Amendment. Maisch and Staats will discuss the tax and political ramifications of this proposal and provide the business insights you need to know before voting on this amendment in the November 2020 election.
This event will be held at the Peoria Public Library North Branch, 3001 West Grand Parkway on Thursday September 12, 2019 from 11:30AM-1:00PM.
This event will be held at the Peoria Public Library North Branch, 3001 West Grand Parkway on Thursday September 12, 2019 from 11:30AM-1:00PM.
Fees/Admission:
$15 Box Lunch: Members/Non-Members
$0 No Lunch Needed: Members/Non-Members
Click here for more information and to RSVP:
The Big Table
The public is invited to attend The Big Table: Greater Peoria. You may have heard regional organizations talking about the plans for this event. Now, we need your help in spreading the word. And, registration is now open at: www.BigTableGP.com.
We need you and many others to take a seat at the Big Table and be a part of the regional discussion! Here’s how you can help and take part in the event:
- If you are on social media, please like The Big Table GP Facebook page to stay up to date on the event.
- Sign up to participate at a table or to volunteer as a table facilitator at www.BigTableGP.com.
- Share this event with your friends, communities, and networks. The success of this event depends on many voices from around our region taking a seat at the table. This is a FREE PUBLIC EVENT!
WHAT: The Big Table is a day of regional community building through conversations designed to strengthen and connect communities. Through open, thoughtful conversations that focus on how we can strengthen our region, we will spark new relationships and new ways for working together by deepening our understanding of each other and what our region needs.
DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15 at the PEORIA CIVIC CENTER
8:30am -10am Workforce Development & Education
10:15am-11:45am Quality of Life & Place
11:45am-1:15pm Lunch Break (ON YOUR OWN)
1:15pm-2:45pm Innovation & Entrepreneurship
3:00pm-4:30pm Diversity & Inclusion
4:30pm-6:30pm Regional After Hours Recap Community Vision and Celebration
Contact the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce if you have any questions.
Illinois Central College to Host Agriculture, Diesel, and Horticulture Showcase
Illinois Central College will host a special Agriculture, Diesel, and
Horticulture Showcase for potential students to learn about in-demand
careers. The showcase, sponsored by Compeer Financial, provides attendees
an opportunity to speak with ICC faculty, local employers and vendors, and
industry specialists from a range of career and technically based programs in
agriculture, diesel, and horticulture.
The event will
take place on Friday, September 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the ICC East Peoria
Campus at the Agricultural and Industrial Technologies Building. The free
showcase features a student panel Q&A session, industry speakers, and lunch.
Representatives from 20+ local businesses will be on hand to demonstrate the sophisticated technology used to provide goods and
services to farmers, producers and other agricultural businesses. Tours
of the Agricultural and Industrial Technologies Building, the Horticulture
Center, and live demonstrations of diesel equipment, construction equipment,
and highway trucks will be available.
“There are many jobs available in the agriculture,
horticulture, and diesel industries, but only a limited number of employable
applicants trained in the emerging technologies,” said ICC Agricultural
and Industrial Technology Professor Grant Grebner. “That’s why ICC has partnered with local businesses in these fields to
successfully train students with the desired high-tech skills.”
Attendees will
have access to information regarding degrees, certificates, and “Earn and
Learn” opportunities in these fields. ICC Enrollment Services also will
be on hand to answer questions regarding applying to the College and specific
program admittance requirements.
To register and
for more information, visit icc.edu/ag-diesel-hort
or call ICC at (309) 694-5200.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
The Center for Prevention of Abuse Prepares 30,000 Rubber Ducks for 31st Annual Duck Race at Duck Tagging Event, 8/21
Who: Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA)
Interviews: Carol Merna, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Prevention of Abuse
Interviews: Carol Merna, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Prevention of Abuse
What: The
Center for Prevention of Abuse will prepare for its signature fundraiser, the 31st Annual Duck Race, by
hosting a “duck tagging” event where nearly 100 community volunteers replace
the stickers on the bottom of each rubber duck with this year’s numbers.
The Duck Race raises funds to
provide free and confidential services to help all women, men, and children
live free from violence and abuse in Central Illinois, and will take place on
Saturday, August 24, 2019 from 4-6 p.m. at EastSide Centre in East Peoria.
When:
Wednesday,
August 21, 2019
5:30-8:30 p.m.
5:30-8:30 p.m.
Where:
EastSide
Centre
1 Eastside Drive
East Peoria, IL 61611
1 Eastside Drive
East Peoria, IL 61611
Why:
The
Center for Prevention of Abuse Duck Race is the longest running duck race in
the country. Thanks to generous sponsors, 100% of the proceeds go to support
all of the programs and services offered at CFPA to help all women, men, and
children live free from violence and abuse.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Salvation Army Ribbon Cutting
The Salvation Army of Pekin held an open house to celebrate the completion of the renovation of their worship center. The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce was on hand to join in the celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Lt. Brandon and Capt. Megan Lewis were joined by staff and board members and Chamber Ambassadors for the ceremony. Prior to the ribbon cutting Chamber Executive Director Bill Fleming read a proclamation signed by Chamber Board President Dan Pfeifer congratulating the Salvation Army and naming August 15, 2019 as Salvation Army Day in the City of Pekin. You can see one more picture of this event at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/v4jr4TASF2NUoXqX7
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
SCORE: August News
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