PEORIA COUNTY

CASA to host $1 million hole-in-one challenge

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Peoria County will host a nine-hole, par-3 challenge and $1 millions hole-in-one shootout at County Club of Peoria on Oct. 4 with a shotgun start of 3:30 p.m. The cost for the fundraiser is $250 per person.

The top 10 foursomes will select a team member to participate in the “final shootout” for the $1 million contest. Finalists will take one shot each at sinking a hole-in-one. The first finalist to make it will win the contest grand prize of $1 million.

In addition to the hole-in-one and putting contest grand prizes, drawings and other prizes will be awarded at the event, including free tickets to CASAblanca Dancing with the Local Stars to be held Nov. 5. Free hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be set up in the club house. Guests may attend the hole-in-one party for $30 per person.

The presenting sponsor of the event is Connor Co. of Peoria with Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino in East Peoria, as this year’s putting sponsor. For more information, contact Jeff Doeden at (309) 453-3633 or jeffdoed@hotmail.com.

CASA is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that advocates for the legal interests of abused and neglected children.

PEORIA

Springfield transplant to open brewpub soon

A Springfield business success story plans to start a new chapter in Peoria. Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery & Eatery is expected to open Sept. 26 in the Cornerstone Building. While the whole vision of the Peoria venue won’t be complete at that date, the beer and food components of the brewpub are expected to be ready for customers.

General manager is Casey Conn.

The Obed & Isaac’s concept, fomented by Conn’s Hospitality Group out of Springfield, takes a historic home or building and restores it to the modern specifications of a brewpub. The Cornerstone Building, 321 NE Madison Ave., was built in 1889 and used as Second Presbyterian Church and Donmeyer Temple before being a reception venue in recent years. It has everything the Conn family wants in a new project — a landmark building in an architectural class of its own, a renovation project and enough room for a beer garden. The outdoor seating of the beer garden is expected to have two bocce ball courts, giant Jenga and Connect Four and, eventually, a sand volleyball court. Obed and Isaac’s will encourage customers to bring their pets to the beer garden.

Patti LaBelle

Patti LaBelle to speak, perform on MLK day

A legendary singer of rock and soul music will help Peoria celebrate Martin Luther King Day next year. Patti LaBelle will speak at the annual MLK luncheon in January and, later that day, she will perform.

The luncheon will be held Jan. 16, at the Peoria Civic Center, 201 SW Jefferson, Peoria. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and luncheon will begin at 10:45 a.m. Tickets are on sale: $50 per person and $500 for a table of 10. The luncheon ticket also is a ticket to LaBelle’s performance.

Tickets for the concert only are $25 and are on sale at the Toyota Box Office at the civic center,

Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Concert-only tickets are for upper bowl general admission. The concert is scheduled to begin approximately at 12:30 p.m. and end at 1:30 p.m. For more information, call Alma Brown at (309) 453-4070.

PEORIA HEIGHTS

Local school is participating in federal good eating program

The Illinois State Board of Education has named Peoria Heights Grade School as one of the schools to participate in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP).

The FFVP is a federally assisted program providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to students in participating elementary schools during the school day. The goal of the program is to improve children’s overall diet, combat childhood obesity and create healthier eating habits to impact their present and future health. One of the FFVP’s goal is to help schools create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices; expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience and increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.

The program introduces school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample. The Peoria Heights students will be among thousands of children across the state now able to snack on fresh fruits and veggies at school.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is sending more than $5 million to Illinois to fund the program.

STATE

Agency highlights how to prepare for disasters

What would you do if a disaster struck your house, your neighborhood, your community? The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) wants to help answer those questions. So the agency is joining with emergency management agencies throughout the state and across the U.S. to encourage people to spend a few moments on disaster preparedness this month during National Preparedness Month.

The campaign’s theme, “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today,” urges people to set aside time to discuss emergency plans with family members and develop a plan to stay safe when disaster strikes. The month-long preparedness drive will conclude Sept. 30 with American’s PrepareAthon, a national day of action.

IEMA Director James K. Joseph reminds the public that many severe weather and other disasters occur without much warning. Therefore, taking a few minutes to draw up an emergency plan could be a true life saver during an emergency.

Throughout September, IEMA will offer tips and information on how to develop a family emergency communication plan, assemble an emergency supply kit, as well as ways to receive critical emergency warnings.

IEMA offers disaster preparedness information on the Ready Illinois website (www.Ready.Illinois.gov), a one-stop resource for detailed information about what to do before, during and after disasters.

Also throughout September, IEMA is posting daily preparedness tips on the Ready Illinois Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ReadyIllinois) and Twitter (@ReadyIllinois).

During disasters, IEMA uses the Ready Illinois website, Facebook and Twitter to provide critical information about the incident, including shelter locations, road closures, safety information, photos and more.

–Peoria Area News Briefs–