Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce

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Game time at 7:05 Friday (and 7:05 Saturday, if needed)  

Goodwill offers free computer classes in Computer Skills, Office Online, Spreadsheets and Word Processing. Use our computers or bring your own. Courses last two or three weeks. For more information call (309) 573-7186 or email PekinLC @goodwillpeo.org.

As the weather warms up, Illinois American Water joins federal, state and local transportation officials in drawing attention to the safety needs of people working and traveling in and near Illinois roadways.  This week, March 23 through 27, marks National Work Zone Awareness Week, an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones.   Illinois American Water serves customers in 128 Illinois communities.  Our employees work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure reliable, quality water service.  Illinois American Water employees maintain approximately 29,000 fire hydrants, plus thousands of miles of water main including critical valves and meters – much of this infrastructure is located in or right next to streets and highways. Illinois American Water crews also fix and repair water main breaks which often put them in situations where road lane closures are necessary.   All of these task...

We are so excited about First Fridays! CLICK HERE TO JOIN! We are planning the 2nd Annual Diversity Festival!  Mark your calendars. Its sure to be a blast! Did you know? 1.  Arts promote true prosperity. The arts are fundamental to our humanity. They ennoble and inspire us-fostering creativity, goodness, and beauty. The arts help us express our values, build bridges between cultures, and bring us together regardless of ethnicity, religion, or age. When times are tough, art is salve for the ache. 2.  Arts improve academic performance. Students with an education rich in the arts have higher GPAs and standardized test scores, and lower drop-out rates-benefits reaped by students regardless of socio-economic status. Students with 4 years of arts or music in high school average 100 points higher on the verbal a...

The 18-foot Mobile Education Center uses science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related concepts and provides hands-on water testing and learning experiences.  While the MEC travels across the state to educate Illinois school children about water quality, water treatment and the value of water service, the MEC can be seen at numerous community events to educate water users of all ages.                    The MEC provides an opportunity to complete various lab tests, interactive learning with animated videos and a Q & A session with Illinois American Water’s water quality experts.  The MEC is equipped with similar tools to an American Water lab to allow students to experience the water utility industry and consider it as a profession.   This week, on Thursday, March 26, Illinois American Water’s water quality team will accept the ISAWWA’s Outreach Award for the work accomplished with the ...

The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce held a banquet on March 26 to celebrate the graduation of twenty current and future leaders from the R. David Tebben Community Leadership Academy.  This was the 17th consecutive year the chamber coordinated a leadership academy.  A total of 360 local business and community leaders have graduated from the program.  You can see more pictures from this event at http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber State Senator Darin LaHood was the keynote speaker.  He encouraged the graduates to take their academy experiences and put them into action in the community. Other banquet speakers included the Chamber’s Executive Director Bill Fleming and Events Manager Renna Hadsall, as well as the Chamber’s immediate past president, Tom Hornstein from Excalibur Seasoning.  Class members Adrienne Southerland from Pekin Hospital and Mike Eeten from the City of Pekin shared their thoughts and experiences of the program. The 10-week academy in...

The YWCA is accepting nominations for outstanding leadership and achievement awards to be presented at its 34 th Annual Women’s Recognition Day luncheon on Friday, May 8 th at the Pekin Country Club.   The event will begin with a social from 11:30 a.m. to noon, followed immediately by the luncheon program. Nominations to honor outstanding accomplishments and contributions of women in their careers and community service are being accepted at the YWCA office through April 22 nd .   To qualify, nominated women must have residence or employment in Tazewell County and meet specific criteria for the nominating category.   Women may be nominated as outstanding employee or for contributions to the arts, business, professions, sports, or community service. The arts award is given to a woman displaying skill in drama, dance, music, painting, literature, sculpting, the graphic arts, or other artistic endeavors.   An accomplished banker, realtor, agent or other busine...

Pekin Rotary Club will be hosting a special event:  "Rotary Friends Social"  at 6 pm on Tuesday April 21st at Mashie's Pub and Grill.  This cocktail social is an opportunity to learn more about Pekin Rotary and the benefits of membership.  They invite business professionals who are willing to put "service above self"; people who desire a better community; and individuals looking to build lasting friendships. There will be light hors d'oeuvres and a short program on the club's fund raising activities and the impact it has on the community. 

The Illinois Department of Transportation announces that the right two lanes of eastbound I-74 between I-474 and I-155 will be closed from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 28 th . All eastbound I-474 traffic will be required to merge into one lane of I-74 traffic. Significant travel delays are possible on both eastbound I-74 and eastbound I-474 during this time. Motorists should plan accordingly. The lane closures are necessary for striping work to be completed in preparation for the upcoming construction season. The overall project is the complete reconstruction of I-74 from Pleasant Hill Road to Morton Avenue in Tazewell County. Please slow down and use extreme caution while driving through all work zones. For more information on this project, visit http://www.idot.illinois.gov/projects/i-74-and-i-155-improvement-project

Illinois Central College will host an open house on Wednesday, April 22, from 4 to 6 pm, at the ICC Pekin Campus, located at Riverway Business Park, 225 Hanna Dr., Pekin. Visitors may tour the nursing and welding labs, as well as view all classrooms located at the facility. Refreshments will be provided. ICC Pekin offers core general education courses on a four-semester rotating basis for the convenience of Pekin residents and surrounding communities, as well as courses in non-credit Adult Community Programs. Students attending the ICC Pekin location benefit from smaller class sizes, “smart” classrooms with state-of-the-art technology, free academic placement testing, and convenient, free parking. Enrollment services and student accounting services also are available at the Pekin campus. Courses for the summer 2015 term include communication, English composition, nursing assistant (CNA prep), and math, all of which have sections offered during the day. Fall 2015 courses include E...

As a chamber member you can enjoy exclusive savings on all of your office supplies.  Just visit the Staples Advantage registration page and start your savings!

C.T. Gabbert Remodeling & Construction 1323 SW Adams St. Peoria, IL 61602 309-637-2110 Chuck Gabbert,  President www.ctgabbert.com  C.T. Gabbert Remodeling and Construction Inc. of Central Illinois is a professional home remodeling and home building firm based in Peoria and servicing all of Central IL. They have been a full service remodeling company since 1978.

Pekin Community High School Wednesday, April 29, 2015 – 6:00 - 7:30pm   Bringing Pekin area businesses together to meet with students and their parents to explore career options and connect the pieces to educational opportunities for success. Sponsored by Pekin Community High School Dragon Pride Committee Pekin Community High School invites area businesses to participate in the 2 nd Annual PCHS Career Fair, held in conjunction with our Dragon Pride event, on Wednesday, April 29, 2015 from 6:00 to 7:30pm.  The Career Fair will be held in the area around Dawdy-Hawkins gymnasium at Pekin High School with Pekin area businesses invited to participate.  The Dragon Pride event, including student-based classroom projects displays, will be held within Dawdy-Hawkins gym. The event is designed to showcase area businesses and provide information about all career opportunities in each respective business.  Students will gain valuable insight on college and career o...

Grants from the Kiwanis Club of Pekin are given for direct services and programs that align with our 3-year mission: “Help Improve the Wellness of Children”. Each year has a different focus and the grants will be given out based on that years focus. o Year 1 (2015): Focus on children’s physical health o Year 2 (2016): Focus on children’s mental health o Year 3 (2017): Focus on maintaining wellness throughout the life of the child and building a healthy family environment. Grants amounts generally range from $100 to $1000. This year's grant applications must be received by the executive board on or before July 31, 2015. Grant applications must be emailed to the Kiwanis Club of Pekin ( pekinkiwanis1@gmail.com ) and the subject line needs to read "2015 Kiwanis Club of Pekin Grant Application" to insure it is identified properly. The application is available at: http://www.pekinchamber.com/2015/KiwanisGrantApplication15.pdf

Savant Capital Management, a nationally recognized fee-only wealth management firm is pleased to announce the addition of Derek Kreps as a financial advisor in the Peoria office. In his new role, Kreps will be responsible for managing all aspects of the financial planning and investment process for Savant’s clients. He will work with clients, advisors, portfolio managers and planners to determine and coordinate effective planning, investment and tax strategies. Prior to joining Savant, Derek worked as an investment consultant. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Monmouth College and is currently enrolled in the Master of Science program in finance at Webster University. About Savant Capital Management Savant Capital Management offers investment management, financial planning, and family office services to financially established individuals, trust funds, retirement plans and non-profit organizations. For more information on Savant Capital Ma...

Bill Shock, an owner of James Unland & Co., Inc., in Pekin, Ill., has been named Pekin Life Insurance Company’s Life Agent of the Month for February 2015. He earned this honor by going Beyond the expected ® in the field of life insurance sales to make sure his clients are protected. Pekin Life Insurance Company is proud to be celebrating 50 years of providing financial protection and peace of mind for its policyholders. With assets of over $2 billion, the company offers a variety of life and health insurance products in 16 states through its network of over 1,500 independent agencies and 8,000 independent agents. For more information, visit www.pekininsurance.com .

We are excited to announce First Fridays in Downtown Pekin. Come mingle with creative people at The Speakeasy Art Center. Featured artists at The Speakeasy Art Center  Susan Carson-Multi Media Jamie Lovell-Multi Media Danny Rohr- Sculpture Vin Luong- Exhibit on 2nd Floor  Pekin Community High School Student Art Broodmoor Jr High School Student Art Edison Jr High Student Art Wilson Intermediate School Student Art Washington Intermediate School Student Art Patt Schnieder-Belly Dancing Demos Jay Zentko-Magic Mural Painting-Darren Cox Velvet Crush - Music 5:30-7:30 Taste of TCRC-Coffee & Refreshments Nacho Mamas Grilled Cheese The Smokers Blues-8:00PM Rhythm & Blues-Alcohol Sales Big City Shuffle to shuttle from Peoria to Pekin throughout the evening for donations from 5:30-9:30. $5 Cover charge for Entertainment after 8PM

Illinois American Water has partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promote the seventh annual Fix a Leak Week , which runs from March 16-22. The national campaign, part of the EPA’s WaterSense program, is designed to raise awareness about small leaks and other water waste that may be occurring within homes. Considering there are more than 110 million households in this country, a seemingly minor leaky faucet or running toilet collectively results in a tremendous amount of wasted water -- more than a trillion gallons of water are lost annually nationwide through leaks occurring within our homes, with the average residence losing 11,000 gallons a year this way. However, through initiatives like Fix a Leak Week, local companies like Illinois American Water, are hoping to significantly reduce that amount. “If you can picture a hole the size of the period in this sentence, it may not seem like much, but in your water system, it can waste more than 4,000 gallons a...