Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce

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  H elp  O ther  P eople  E xcel. 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.

 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.

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. Custome...

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 bab...

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 s...

The Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) hosted its 31 st 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: ...

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!  Did you Know? ·      1 in 5 children in central Illinois are at risk of hunger. ·      Each school year, 40 percent of public school students in our area are eligible for free or reduced school meals. ·      When students rely on school for a majority of their meals during the week, they struggle with hunger over the weekend. ...

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. Fees/Admission: $15 Box Lunch: Members/Non-Members $0 No Lunch Needed: Members/Non-Members Click here for more information and to RSVP: http://business.pekinchamber.com/events/details/graduated-income-tax-lunch-learn-16099

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 ...

                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 ...

Who:                    Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) 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 31 st 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:            ...

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

How to Use Public Speaking to Grow Your Business Learn why public speaking is an effective tool for small business owners, and how it can help you grow your brand and business. Read More The Secret Sauce to Success- The Entrepreneurial Mindset August 1 @ 1 p.m. ET  / 10 a.m. PT ...