Festival of Lights (FOLEPI) -- November 18, 2010

On our last trip of the Fall season (and one week before the world-famous East Peoria Festival of Lights parade), OLLI had a rare opportunity to visit the "Folepi Construction Company" and its "employees:" a merry band of volunteers who design and build the parade's 40+ floats. During our tour of the building, constructed in 1994 to house activities for the already-burgeoning festival, we met a group of dedicated volunteers and employees who work year-round designing, welding, and maintaining the floats (and their 500,000 lights).

For more information about the Festival of Lights, please visit the City of East Peoria webpage.

Midland Davis Corporation -- November 17, 2010

Midland Davis Corporation can trace its roots back to 1892, when a 20-year-old immigrant named Louis Livingston began collecting pieces of discarded iron and steel to sell to local foundries and mills. During our tour of the Pekin business, we learned how the fifth-generation company has evolved into a full-service recycling provider that processes more than 168,000 pounds of cardboard, 42,000 pounds of newsprint, and 21,000 pounds each of paper and co-mingled plastics each week. We also had the opportunity to watch the entire scrap metal recycling process, from hopper sorting to semi-loading!

For more information about the services provided by Midland Davis, please visit the corporation's website.

Getz Fire Equipment Company -- November 16, 2010

The Getz family has been in the fire protection business for more than 52 years, and in November they opened the doors of their Adams Street facility to show OLLI how the business has grown and diversified into a multi-million dollar company. During our tour, we learned how the company's 100 specialists provide commerical, industrial, and residential fire alarm services, training, surveillance systems, and equipment development. Our visit to the 30,000 square-feet building also included a look at pressure test rooms, a wheeled unit room, and a fleet of service vehicles.

For more information about Getz Fire Equipment Company, please visit its website.

Advanced Technology Services -- November 11, 2011

On this trip, we learned how ATS, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, provides managed services for factory maintenance, industrial parts services, calibration, and innovative technology solutions. The local, privately owned company, formed in 1985 as a Caterpillar Inc. spinoff, has become the recognized leader in outsourced production equipment maintenance. During the tour of the company's headquarters, we discovered how top manufacturing companies use ATS to improve equipment reliability, increase uptime, and facilitate lean manufacturing.

For more information about ATS, visit the company's website.

New Orleans Ethnic Dinner -- November 10, 2010

The ethnic dinner has become another OLLI tradition. This fall, we “laissez le bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll) during our after-hours dinner at the Michel Student Center.

OLLI members celebrated the culture and cuisine of “The Big Easy” with a private evening of traditional New Orleans jazz music, a presentation by Carl Anderson, affiliate instructor of music business at Bradley University, and, of course, authentic New Orleans-style food.

Toraason Glass -- November 2, 2010

In early November, we experienced a behind-the-scenes look at local artist (and OLLI favorite) Hiram Toraason’s glass blowing studio in downtown Peoria. Hiram led a tour of his gallery and demonstrated the techniques of working with 2,000-degree molten glass to create a one-of-a-kind work of art. After our tour, Hiram took our group to Methodist Medical Center, where he talked about his wall sculpture of 240 pieces of hand-blown glass in the new Hamilton Boulevard entrance.

For more information about Toraason Glass, visit his website.

Historic Oregon -- October 28, 2010

In late October, OLLI traveled to Oregon, Illinois, located about two hours north of Peoria, where we spent a beautiful autumn day learning about the art, nature, and cultural attractions of the town.

Our stops included a tour of Art Casting of Illinois, where owner Karly Spell and her staff (which includes some Bradley graduates) provided a tour of the bronze foundry. Next, we visited the Chana School for a private tour of the historic one-room school. After the tour, local artist Jeff Adams hopped on our bus to provide commentary as we drove through the town’s Sculpture Trail. Following lunch at the White Pines Inn, we ended the day with a private tour and blacksmithing presentation on the grounds of the John Deere Historic Site in Grand De Tour.

For more information about the attractions in Oregon, please visit the town's website.

A Day in Galesburg -- October 21, 2010

On an all-day trip to nearby Galesburg, we were delighted to have architects, theatre professionals, authors, and professors as our guides when we learned all about the historic city. Dr. R. Lance Factor, Knox philosophy professor and author of Chapel in the Sky, and Owen Muelder, director of the Underground Railroad Freedom Center, gave private presentations and a tour of Old Main, a national historic landmark on the campus. We will took private tours of the Central Congregational Church, Orpheum Theatre, and enjoyed lunch at the always-popular Packing House.

For more information about Galesburg, please visit its Convention and Visitors Bureau website.

The Lion King -- October 20, 2010

Forty OLLI members enjoyed a day of musical theatre and insight when we traveled to Chicago for a performance of Disney’s The Lion King. Jim Ludwig, retired faculty member of Bradley University’s theatre department (and current OLLI member) joined us for insightful commentary during the trip, which included a pre-performance tour of the Cadillac Palace Theatre and a post-show talkback with members of the cast.

Fitness Nature Hike -- October 12, 2010

OLLI's first-ever fitness hike was led by Blair Gorsuch, Exercise Physiologist and Director of Proctor Hospital’s Burkland Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, at Fox Ridge State Park in Charleston. Blair helped our group navigate the park’s miles of scenic trails and talked about how hiking can benefit a healthy lifestyle.

Energy Knowledge Cafe -- September 22, 2010

As one of OLLI's original Study Groups, the Energy Knowledge Cafe meets monthly to discuss a variety of issues related to energy. In September, Jim Moroz, a research director at Caterpillar Inc., made a presentation to the group concerning the current technologies in photovoltaics. This presentation had a twist, however; OLLI members were joined by two undergraduate Bradley University classes for an intergenerational discussion.

For more information about OLLI's Study Groups, please visit our website.

Kickapoo Creek Winery -- September 28, 2010

In late September, a group of 30 OLLI members joined us for a tour of Kickapoo Creek Winery in Edwards (with owner and OLLI member Dr. David Conner).

Our trip included an incredible "Grape Train" tour of the vineyards, a plated lunch in the pavilion, a tasting of five different wines, and a presentation on the winemaking and bottling process.

OLLI thanks Dr. Conner and his staff at the winery for providing another great learning adventure!

For more information about the winery, visit Kickapoo Creek Winery's website.

Wright in Wisconsin, Day 5 -- October 4, 2010

Wright in Wisconsin, Day 4 -- October 3, 2010

Wright in Wisconsin, Day Three -- October 2, 2010

Wright in Wisconsin, Day One and Two -- September 30 & October 1, 2010

Spoon River Anthology -- September 23, 2010

In another OLLI exclusive, participants took a trip through Fulton County as immortalized by Edgar Lee Mastesr in his 1915 Spoon River Anthology. Joan Johnson, retired English teacher and Masters expert, joined us to present historical commentary about how the book is still relevant, nearly 100 years after its original serialization.

Stops during the day included the Rasmussen Blacksmith Shop and Museum in Lewistown, Ipava Pioneer Museum with Camp Ellis memorabilia, restored Freeman School, Harold Lee Welch Art Studio, a chicken and noodles luncheon at Smithfield Red Brick School, the Canton railroad depot, and historic downtown buildings.

The day culminated in a fascinating reading from Spoon River Anthology amongst the tombstones used by Masters to glean names and stories for his poems.

Peoria's Religious Art and Architecture -- September 22, 2010

In this first-ever local trip, OLLI members visited five downtown Peoria churches to discuss the architecture, stained glass, organ, building history, congregation history, and religious beliefs of each church. Local architect Les Kenyon also accompanied the group to enrich our understanding of the architectural aspects of the places of worship.

Mark Twain's Hannibal -- September 16, 2010

In mid-September, OLLI enjoyed a beautiful day of exploration and education in Hannibal, Missouri.

During our visit, we learned all about the hometown of Mark Twain as Hannibal celebrates the 175th anniversary of Twain’s birth, the 125th anniversary of the publication of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the 100th anniversary of Twain’s death.

For more information about Hannibal, please visit www.visithannibal.com.

Peoria Production Shop -- September 14, 2010

On our tour of Peoria Production Shop, we discovered how the non-profit agency, initially founded in 1941 to provide employment for recovering tuberculosis patients, has evolved into a comprehensive packaging, manufacturing, assembly, and custom labor business that employs individuals with all types of disabilities.

For more information about Peoria Production Shop, please visit www.peoriapros.com.