August newsletter changed

The Express Track The Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce advocates for area business and member interests, while providing quality resources, services and leadership to its current and future members.

GALESBURG AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEWSLETTER

August 2014- Vol 2014, Issue 8

Friday, August 01Michael Acerra & Walter Arnold Exhibition (Thu. 3 Jul, 2014 6:00 pm - Sat. 2 Aug, 2014 6:00 pm)

An exhibition of paint-ings by Michael Acerra of Galesburg, IL and sculp-ture by Walter Arnold of Chicago, IL. An opening reception is scheduled for July 3rd from 6-8pm.

Saturday, August 02,Oneida Sweet Corn Festival 5K Walk/Run (-) Race starts and ends at Grieg Memorial Library 110 S. Joy St., Oneida, IL Registration is $15.00 before July 12 & $20.00 after July 12.

Packet Pick-up Race Day 7-7:45a.m. Free Kids 1 Block Race at 9:15a.m. All Proceeds go to the Friends of Grieg Memo-rial Library Go to www.oneidaillinois.com for a race form or stop by the Grieg Memorial Library.

Tuesday, August 05Each child that visits the Discovery Depot on Tuesday, August 5th, from 12-4:30 pm can choose a FREE BOOK thanks to the RIF Pro-gram!RIF: Reading is Funda-mental!Get in that last book of summer reading before school starts back up!

Wednesday, August 06Wed.. August 6th - 1:30 pm -3:30 pm Back to School Crafting in the

Blick Art Studio! Jazz up your back to school supplies with duct tape or modge podge! We’ll have three crafting stations in the Blick Art Studio:Cost: Each craft only $1 (we sup-ply all materials!)1) Make a Duct Tape Flower Pen!2) Make a Duct Tape Covered Mini Notebook!3) Make a Tissue Paper & Modge Podge Pen Holder!Thanks to our community partner, Blick Art Materials,for supplying the creative materials!

Friday, August 08Patriotic Outdoor Gospel Concert (Fri. 8 Aug, 2014 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm) Outdoor Gospel Concert!!! PA-TRIOTIC Outdoor Gospel Concert featuring Joyful Noyz with Almost Live & Pam Davidson as the open-ing acts. This concert is FREE with a free will offering with all pro-ceeds going to the Defenders of Freedom Veterans Home. Bring the family and lawn chairs or blan-kets. There will be a Live Auction, 50/50 drawing and DOOR PRIZES from local businesses. Being held at the First Church of Nazarene, 1501 Webster Street, Galesburg.

Fri. August 8th - 1:30 pm -3:30 pm Back to School Crafting in the Blick Art Studio! Jazz up your back to school supplies with duct tape or modge podge! We’ll have three crafting stations in the Blick Art Studio:Cost: Each craft only $1 (we sup-ply all materials!)1) Make a Duct Tape Flower Pen!2) Make a Duct Tape Covered Mini Notebook!3) Make a Tissue Paper & Modge Podge Pen Holder!Thanks to our community partner, Blick Art Materials,for supplying the creative materials!

Saturday, August 09Members & Friends Exhibition (Sat. 9 Aug, 2014 6:00 pm - Sat. 6 Sep, 2014 6:00 pm) The Gales-burg Civic Art Center’s annual members and Friends exhibition. This exhibit showcases work cre-ated by members of the Art Center or friends of the Art Center in a 50 mile radius. An open reception is scheduled for Saturday August 9th from 6-8pm. The exhibition will be on display through September 6th.

Friday, August 15Heritage Days (Fri. 15 Aug, 2014 7:00 am - Mon. 18 Aug, 2014 8:00 am) Galesburg Heritage Days is held annually on the third week end in August. Feel the excite-ment, experience the history of two time periods in America, featuring a Civil War Battle Reen-actments & Pre 1840’s Rendez-vous. A traveling circus, period food stands, demonstrations, pie auction, crafts, fishing contest for children, canoe races on the lake, President Lincoln & Benjamin Franklin, night firing of cannons, a military ball and much more. A great FREE event for the whole family, fun, educational and excit-ing.

River 2 River Car Cruise (Fri. 15 Aug, 2014 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm)This annual event is always held the third Friday in August. Hun-dreds of vintage cars, street rods, trucks, antiques, special interest vehicles with a cruise on Main Street Friday night. Registration is free and begins at 1:00 PM. Food, Entertainment, Vendors, Celebrity Drivers and collectors. The event is free. Fun for the whole family, come look these great vehicles over.

August

Community

Events

2 Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook 3

WELCOME NEW MEMBER! Thank you to the following businesses who

renewed their membership

We value your support and participation!

Galesburg Sign & Lighting, Inc.

Glass Specialty WLC, Inc

Knights of Columbus

May Storage

OmniSource Staffing

Royal Cleaning Services

Sugden Electric

Wayne Dennis Insurance Agency, Inc.

Daxon Construction Company(general contractor, construction manager, developer)

Steve McKelvie7930 42nd Street W., Suite A

Rock Island, IL 61201(309)283-7177 [email protected]

Soderstrom Skin Institute will pro-vide a Free Mole and Skin Cancer Screening

Saturday, August 9 from 8am-12pm at 60 S. Soangetaha Road

in Galesburg. No appointment is needed.

Call 309.344.5777 for details.

National Statistics:● More than 3.5 million skin cancers are diagnosed annually.● Around 76,000 will be Melanoma. Over 9,000 of these cases will be fatal. ● There is a 98% survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected before it spreads.● People under 30 years old that use tanning beds increase their risk of skin cancer by 75%. ● Skin cancer increased 800% in women 18-39 from 1970-2009.● State of Illinois banned anyone under 18 years old from being able to use tanning beds.● Melanoma has been linked to

tanning bed usage.

Soderstrom Skin Institute 2013 Facts: ● Free skin cancer screenings were provided throughout the spring and summer. ● 100’s of skin cancers were found including basal cell, squamous cell and pre-cancer actinic keratosis.● 192 patients were diagnosed with melanoma – the most deadly form of skin cancer.● 109 were men. 83 were women.● The oldest was 92 years old. The youngest was 29 years old.

Dr. Soderstrom recommends a monthly skin self exam. Remember the ABCDE’s of moles and spots: A) Asymmetry – One half not like the other. B) Borders Irregular – Poorly defined borders.

C) Color Varied – Difference shades of tan, brown, black, white, red or blue. D) Diameter – Larger than the width of a pencil eraser. E) Evolving – Changing in any way. Stinging, itching, burning, or bleeding.

“This is a disease that affects all ages and all backgrounds. The earlier melanoma is detected and removed, the better a patient’s chance for survival. You’ve got to spot it, to stop it,” Soderstrom says. Over the past 35 years, Soderstrom Skin Institute has provided this free skin cancer screening service to over 30,000 patients. To learn more, visit SoderstromSkinInstitute.com

As we exit July in to August, let me take this opportunity to thank all the tireless and dedicated volunteers who have planned and implemented the events of the summer of 2014. Their hard work and optimism help make Galesburg a wonderful place to live. I may be biased. But, I would put Galesburg on the top of a list of great places to live in America.

In July our wonderful events started with a bang and ended with a warm glow. From Big Bang Boom to the Great Balloon Race, Galesburg offered fun and excitement for all. July was packed with things to do and our hotels were packed with visitors. Attendance for all of our events was outstanding in a month of mild sunny days followed by cool and comfortable nights.

As all of you know, it was announced that Janko Properties would build a new Holiday Inn Express on East Main Street next to their existing hotel. This will add 82 to our depleted roster of 482 hotel rooms. With the Seminary Street hotel nearly ready to break ground that means we may have over 160 new hotel rooms by the end of 2015. All of this welcome information will help in our efforts to bring visitors to our community.

Time to Daydream It would be fun to pretend that I found a genie lamp to rub and three wishes to spend on attractions for our community. So, please indulge me. My first wish would be for an indoor/outdoor water park for 365 days of water fun. A possible location would be along I-74 near the East Main Street exit. This park would definitely spark construction along this gateway into Galesburg. I can see more hotels, restaurants, gas stations and even retail stores as a side effect of the park.My second wish would be for a museum adjacent to the Carl Sandburg Birthplace. The State historic site is a celebration of poor Swedish

immigrants who settled in Galesburg as it is. The south side of Galesburg, where the birthplace is located, is where many immigrants made their homes. If we had a museum dedicated to all Galesburg’s immigrants that would be something. I’d like to see exhibits to Mexican immigrants with a boxcar village display and exhibits celebrating the Croatian, Irish, African-American, Jewish and Asian immigrants. We could truly showcase our community and our pride in its people. I could see this museum being very popular. “The people yes the people will live on.” – Carl Sandburg

For my last wish, I have several options to choose from. I could wish for a Put-Putt golf course.

If I did wished for a course, I’d make it a celebration of history in Galesburg. I’d pair it with a restaurant. In Coal Valley, they have a Put-Putt that is paired with a Happy Joes/Rudy’s Tacos.With this scenario, there is no need for a Put-Putt staff (the restaurant staff would suffice). You just need a grounds keeper.

Or, I could wish for a Minor League baseball team and stadium. (OK, this is Steve Brody’s wish) If this was my wish, I’d build a new stadium and equip it with full concessions including beer & wine. This is the only way to make it profitable. Galesburg has a rich history in minor league and collegiate league baseball. In fact, our High School team has a legacy of winning. This would be a great use of my last wish.

However, I have one pet project in mind. Many people have alluded to it. Are you ready to find out? Drum roll, please! For my final wish…I would love to see a Ferris wheel museum. This attraction would have Ferris wheels of all sizes and kinds. They would be in operating condition and open to the public. If this

museum was along I-74, the lights alone could attract visitors off the highway. We could celebrate our local son George Washington Gale Ferris and the history of this wonderful attraction at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893.With the addition of the National Railroad Hall of Fame, Galesburg could become a preferred destination for many travelers. We could become Museum Town, USA. All of this planning for the future would have a positive impact on the economy in the region. With the addition of single family home subdivisions our community could grow and create a future for our young people. So far, this is just daydreaming. When I find a genie lamp, I’ll let you know.

Back to Reality Galesburg was selected by the Illinois Office of Tourism as a stop on the Illinois Road Show.

This State-wide tour was from July 28-August 1. Jen Hoelzle, Director of Travel at IOT, and the “Enjoy Illinois” crew came to in Galesburg on July 31 to celebrate the third consecutive year of record breaking travel numbers in Illinois. In addition, I nominated the Discovery Depot board of directors for a Lincoln Award for their efforts in renovating the Children’s Museum. Discovery Depot has already made a major impact on visitors to Galesburg. The visit began with lunch at Iron Spike Brew Pub followed by a presentation at the Discovery Depot.

continued next page


Bill MorrisExecutive Director,Galesburg Area Convention & Visitors [email protected]

“Learning is not a spectator sport.” D. Blocher

Calendar

Aug 5, 12, 19, 26 Human Resource Fundamentals SeriesThis popular series provides an intensive overview of the key elements of the contemporary human resource function. Aug 7 Behavioral Interviewing WorkshopGather more in-depth knowledge about candidates, make more informed hiring decisions and select better candidates for open positions. Aug 8 Conquering FMLA--An Advanced Class This class will help you and your organization overcome compliance and employee leave challenges whilebecoming more proficient in FMLA administration. Aug 13 Winning the Talent WarsLearn more about the upcoming “Talent Wars” and the strategies you can take to win them! Attend via Webinar or at the Peoria AAIM Office.

Aug 13 Managing Employee Morale in Tough Economic Times WebinarIn this webinar you will learn strategies to retain employees by increasing productivity and engagement of your workforce. Aug 20 Three Stages of Grief: Retaining Documents, De-stroying Documents and Living With the Consequences This session focuses on Document Retention and is part of the 2014 Employment Law Series. Sep 17 It Could Happen to You! Employee Fraud and Theft Webinar In this webinar you will learn methods for both detection and prevention as well as guidelines for what to do when you discover it. Annual Employment Law Update - Choose from three locationsThis annual four-hour program is an invaluable tool to keep you up-to-date on the latest employment law developments.Sep 18 East PeoriaSep 24 RockfordSep 25 Carterville


continued from previous page

Jen Hoelzle received a proclamation from Mayor John Pritchard making July 31 “Illinois Road Show Day” in Galesburg. Jen presented the record breaking numbers and awarded the Discovery Depot board with the Lincoln Award. Every indication is for continued growth in tourism for 2014.

August in Galesburg does not slow down. We barely have enough time to catch our breath before we make our way downtown on Friday August 15

for River2River Cruise. At the same time, Heritage Days will be occupying Lake Storey Park with an 1840’s Rendezvous and Civil War Reenactment. This event has hundreds of participants and volunteers and attracts thousands.

September brings many more events to Galesburg. The signature event is the National Stearman Fly-in from Sept 1-7. Hundreds of Stearman WW II trainers will fill the skies above Western Illinois. It is quite a sight to witness. The 28th Annual Art in the

Park will take place in Standish Park on Sept. 6. On Sept. 7 head to Lake Storey Park for the Annual Rubber Duck Race. There will be a Cardboard Boat Regatta competition as well be-fore the Duck Race.

Stop in at the Welcome Center at 2163 E. Main Street for a Visitors Guide or get a digital version of the guide at visitgalesburg.com. Our website is a great place to learn about other community events, restaurants, lodging and so much more.

DO ANY OF YOUR MOLES OR SPOTS LOOK LIKE THIS?

SATURDAYAUGUST 9th

NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY

8am-12pm · GalesburgCoffee & Doughnuts Provided

A. ASYMMETRY One half unlike the other

B. BORDERS IRREGULAR Scalloped or poorly defined borders

C. COLOR VARIED One area to another: shades of tan,

brown, black, white, red or blue

D. DIAMETER Diameter larger than 6 mm as a rule

(width of pencil eraser)

E. EVOLVING Changing in any way including

stinging, itching, burning or bleeding

3.5 MILLION NEW CASES OF SKIN CANCER ESTIMATED THIS YEAR

76,000 9,000CASES WILL BE MELANOMA OF THESE CASES–THE DEADLIEST FORM WILL BE FATAL

DON’T RISK YOUR LIFE. GET CHECKED!

6 mm

IF YOU CAN SPOT IT, YOU CAN STOP IT!

FREESKIN CANCERSCREENING

2013FACTSAmerican Academy of Dermatology, American Cancer Society, Mayo Clinic

60 S. Soangetaha Road, Galesburg309.344.5777

SODERSTROMSKININSTITUTE.COM

KNOX COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICECAROL HALLAM200 S CHERRY STREET GALESBURG IL 61401Telephone: (309) 345-3818 Fax: (309) 345-3842Email: [email protected] Angie Meline - Deputy Kathy Shipley – Chief Deputy Deb Turner – Deputy

Knox County Business Owners

Dear Sirs and Madams,

The Knox Recorder’s Office is excited to offer a service for our Veterans, known as Honor Rewards. With Honor Rewards, Veterans can sign-up at our office or online to receive an Honor Rewards card, which qualifies them for discounts and incentives at participating businesses in our community.

I would like to offer you the opportunity to become a participating business with Honor Rewards and show your thanks and appreciation to our Veterans. What your business offers is up to you, whether it’s percentage off discount, specific dollar amount or some other incentive.

By participating, your business name will be listed on the Honor Rewards website for Knox County and will also be regularly mentioned in email blasts to current Honor Rewards members. In addition, pro-motional materials will be provided to you, such as door stickers and flyers to promote you as an Honor Rewards business member.

Our goal is for the program to begin August 1, 2014. To become a business member, please fill out the attached form and mail to the address above. You can also sign-up online at www.honorrewards.com by clicking the Business Sign-Up link.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Carol Hallam

Toot Your Own Horn!


Xanadu Women’s Fashions has moved to 78 S Seminary Street

Stopover and see the new place!


Watch for moreinformation about

Chamber of Commerce Week

September 8 – 14, 2014.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/38347911069/

Knoxville/Galesburg Thursday, August 7th

5-9pm @ Iron Spike, Galesburg

Avon/Abingdon Friday, August 8th

6-10pm @ Skeeters, Abingdon

MEMBER FDIC