Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center -- January 30, 2013

Jump Trading Simulation and Education Center is a collaborative effort between OSF HealthCare and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. Through the facility, both organizations now jointly plan and conduct multi-disciplinary, collaborative research.

During our tour of the construction site, we saw the framework for the first floor, second floor, and conference center spaces. The Conference Center encompasses an auditorium, lecture hall, conference room, debriefing theatre, and several smaller meeting spaces. The first floor contains the Anatomical Training Lab, Innovation Lab, Regional Transport Center, Virtual Reality Lab, and Skills Lab. The second floor houses the Virtual Patient Care Units, Virtual Intensive Care Unit, Virtual Operating Theatre, and four debriefing rooms.

We also had an opportunity to see some of the simulation babies and adults in operation.

OLLI thanks the staff at the Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center for providing an in-depth and engaging tour!

For more information about the facility, please visit www.jumpsimulation.org.

Caterpillar Visitors Center -- January 23, 2013

During this VIP tour, OLLI members had two hours to explore the new Caterpillar Visitors Center and its interactive displays and exhibits.

Some of the highlights included climbing into the seat of a massive two-story Cat 797 mining truck and taking a virtual ride into a customer's mine site down a haul road, seeing what the Holt steam track-type tractor prototype from 1905 looked like, and sitting in the seat of an antique Cat D8 tractor to feel what it was like to operate the machine in the 1930s.

For more information about the Caterpillar Visitors Center, please visit www.cat.com.

Peoria County Sheriff's Department -- January 18, 2013

Ten OLLI members spent an entire morning at the Peoria County Jail and toured the facility with Sheriff Mike McCoy.

The Sheriff and his Jail Superintendent, Brian Asbell, led a private tour of the jail and administrative offices, discussed booking procedures, and even assisted as we each took a turn in the indoor interactive training room, where everyone had an opportunity to be a law enforcement officer in a heart-pounding, knuckle-whitening re-enactment scenario.

OLLI thanks Sheriff Mike McCoy for spending an incredible day of learning with our group.

For more information about the Peoria County Sheriff's Office, please visit www.peoriacounty.org.

An Evening with the Heartland Festival Orchestra -- January 4, 2013

OLLI had wonderful seats and an insider's peek at the Heartland Festival Orchestra's New Year's Greeting performance in Washington, Illinois.

Before the performance, Maestro David Commanday spoke to the group and discussed the details of the show, from rehearsals to opening night. In addition, Broadway stars Doug LaBreque and Christiane Noll visited with OLLI members prior to the performance and discussed their careers as soloists.

OLLI thanks Maestro Commanday and the Heartland Festival Orchestra for an incredible evening of music and learning.

For more information about the orchestra, please visit www.heartlandfestivalorchestra.org.

Maui Jim -- January 4, 2013

On our first trip of the year, OLLI visited the Peoria headquarters of Maui Jim, now the fastest growing premium polarized sunglass maker in the world.

During our tour, we saw first-hand how the company engineers its PolarizedPlus lenses, which combat the sun's intense glare and harmful ultraviolet rays.

Frannie Heine, human resources specialist and native Peorian, also discussed the company's "Aloha Spirit" philosophy, its move from Hawaii to Peoria, and how its "ohana" (family) has steadily built a cult following for its products.

OLLI thanks Maui Jim and Frannie for a wonderful morning of learning. To find out more about the company, please visit www.mauijim.com.