Sousa Archives -- May 24, 2012

Dr. David Vroman, Band Director and Music Department Chairperson at Bradley University, led our group during a visit to two historic gems at the University of Illinois.

First, we took a private tour of the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, which holds the worlds’ single largest archives or original music compositions and arrangements by John Philip Sousa.

After lunch, we headed to the Krannert Art Museum, home to the University’s collection of fine art, where we received a private highlights tour of its exhibits.

OLLI thanks Dr. Vroman for providing his expertise and wonderful insight throughout our last learning trip of Spring 2012.

Keystone Steel and Wire Co. -- May 23, 2012

Keystone Steel & Wire Company, founded in 1889 in a humble shed in Dillon, Illinois, became a Midwestern steel giant with the invention of a machine that wove steel wire fence to replace traditional timber fences. Today, the company’s Bartonville campus is one of the largest wire mills in the world with over 2 million square feet of manufacturing space that occupies nearly 1,400 acres of land.

On this tour, we got a first-hand look at the melt shop and rod mills and learned how Keystone's 900 employees produce over 650,000 tons of rod and wire products annually.

OLLI thanks Keystone and its staff for welcoming our group to the facility!

For more information, please visit www.keystonesteel.com

Local Garden Walks -- May 22, 2012

On this day-long adventure, we visited the Washington, Illinois garden of Ella Maxwell, a master gardener and horticulturalist at Hoerr Nursery.

After lunch, we headed to Illinois Central College in East Peoria for an in-depth tour of its Horticulture Program’s national award-winning All-America Selections Gardens, where we visited the ICC Arboretum, hosta gardens, greenhouses, and discussed various aspects of horticulture with local experts.

OLLI thanks Ella and Genny Gibbs from ICC for welcoming us into their gardens!

Kickapoo Creek Winery -- May 16, 2012

In mid-May, we took a private tour of Kickapoo Creek Winery in Edwards, led by owner (and OLLI member) Dr. David Conner. Our trip began with lunch in the winery's outdoor pavilion, followed by a tasting of five different wines, a presentation on the winemaking and bottling process, and a “grape train” tour of the vineyards.

OLLI thanks Dr. Conner and the winery staff for making us feel so welcome!

For more information about the winery, visit www.kickapoocreekwinery.com.

Midland Davis -- May 8, 2012

On our tour of Midland Davis Corporation in Pekin, 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.

Under the watchful eye of facility manager Tony Lamberson, we also got to watch the entire scrap metal recycling process, from hopper sorting to semi loading.

For more information about Midland Davis, visit www.midlanddavis.com.

Illinois American Water -- May 7, 2012

On our private tour of the Illinois American Water Company in Peoria, we learned about the company’s production and distribution methods and viewed laboratory equipment and historical architecture at the treatment plant, located just north of the McClugage Bridge. Our visit included a look at the observatory and fish hatchery, plus displays, instruments, and a replica of an early laboratory in a museum housed in the facility’s 119-year-old red sandstone pumping station.

Greater Peoria Sanitary District -- April 24, 2012

During our visit to the Greater Peoria Sanitary District (GPSD), we learned how wastewater is collected and treated to protect the environment in Peoria County, especially the creeks, streams, and Illinois River. Our private tour included a peek at some of the 650 miles of pipes used to collect the wastewater, details about how the plant treats an average of 25 million gallons from residential, commercial, and industrial customers, and a look at how the laboratory monitors the treatment process in order to meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency. For more information about the GPSD, please visit www.gpsd.dst.il.us

Lincoln Presidential Museum -- April 23, 2012

OLLI teamed with Anna Saxon of Methodist’s Encore! and her husband, frequent OLLI instructor and President Lincoln expert Randy Saxon, to retrace Lincoln’s life in Springfield. In the morning, we toured the Presidential Museum and Library. After lunch, we took a tour of Lincoln’s home and the surrounding neighborhood, where he served nearly 20 years as a lawyer and legislator and eventually departed for an uncertain future in Washington, D.C.

Peoria Fire Academy -- April 20, 2012

During this trip, we visited the 15-acre training facility utilized by local, state, and federal public safety agencies. Marty Baker, Division Chief of Training, provided an in-depth look at the Peoria Fire Department, led a walk-through of the facility’s five-story burn tower, and gave some lucky OLLI members a chance to put out a fire on their own! For more information about the Peoria Fire Academy, visit www.ci.peoria.il.us/fire-department

Peoria Area Churches -- April 19, 2012

During this trip, we got a closer look at the beliefs, architecture, and history of First Federated Church of Peoria, Peoria Seventh Day Adventist Church, Christ Lutheran Church, and St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church. Edward J. Barry, Jr., Senior Architectural Manager for Farnsworth Group, Inc., accompanied our group to discuss the architectural highlights, and church representatives discussed the congregational practices.

ISU Farm & Twin Groves Wind Farm -- April 12, 2012

It was another full day of learning when OLLI traveled to McLean County to visit two types of farms.

In the morning, we saw students from Illinois State University’s Farm in Lexington at work and learned about the farm’s enterprises of corn, soybeans, alfalfa, swine, beef, and sheep. After lunch, we visited the Twin Groves Wind Farm in Ellsworth and got the inside scoop on the 240 Vesta turbines that produce enough energy to power nearly 118,000 Illinois homes annually.

Farmdale Reservoir -- April 9, 2012

OLLI spent a beautiful spring day exploring the Farmdale Reservoir in unincorporated Tazewell County near East Peoria, Illinois.

During this tour, we learned how the reservoir is an integral part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Farm Creek Flood Control Project. Todd Ernenputsch, a Corps park ranger, led our group and explained how the reservoir is designed to capture excess water in a 200+ acre lake, and showed us how the property is used for biking, hiking, and horseback riding.

ICC Cat Dealer Service Tech Training Facility -- March 28, 2012

In late March, OLLI visited the Illinois Central College Caterpillar Dealer Service Technician Training Facility in East Peoria.

We toured the facility on ICC’s East Peoria campus and learned how the program combines classroom and real-world experience to teach engine fundamentals, machine hydraulics, Caterpillar fuel systems, transmissions and torque converters, undercarriage/final drives, and more.

For more information about the program, please visit www.icc.edu/ait

Parsec Enterprises -- March 27, 2012

On this trip, OLLI had a behind-the-scenes look at Parsec Enterprises, the largest independent watch repair facility in the United States. During our tour and visit with Marc Young, owner, we learned how the company is helping to develop many of the test procedures that have become standard practice for today’s service industry.

For more information about Parsec Enterprises, visit www.parsecent.com

Chicago Gangster Tour -- March 21, 2012

In mid-March, nearly 40 OLLI members traveled to downtown Chicago to learn more about the Windy City's gangster past.

Upon our arrival downtown, “Big Julie,” our private step-on tour guide, boarded the bus and took us by old gangster sites and explained the exploits of Capone, Moran, and Dillinger. After the step-on tour, we headed to Tommy Gun’s Garage, Chicago’s only speakeasy dinner theatre, for lunch and an audience interactive show.

Peoria Lock & Dam -- March 19, 2012

During our tour of the Peoria Lock and Dam, we saw first-hand how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains the nine-foot navigational channel on the Illinois River to ensure that inland traffic can pass through 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Todd Ernenputsch, a ranger with the Corps, was our guide as we viewed the dam and learned how it is only one of four wicket dams used for navigational purposes in the nation.

UICOMP -- March 16, 2012

On national match day for students, OLLI was privileged to tour the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria.

As part of the nation's largest public medical school, UICOMP offers a balance of classroom education and clinical experience. During our visit, we learned how the school aims to improve healthcare in our community via education, research, and patient care.

OLLI thanks Dr. Gandhi and Dr. Rusch for taking time out of their busy schedules to make us feel welcome on campus.

Spring Kickoff Luncheon -- March 14, 2012

The Spring season of OLLI kicked off with our biggest luncheon to date -- nearly 350 members, instructors, and volunteers were in attendance!

More than 414 individuals have registered to attend OLLI classes this season, setting another record for participation.

OLLI thanks Dr. Jackie Hogan of Bradley University for her entertaining and informative presentation on Lincoln, Inc.: Selling the Sixteenth President in Contemporary America.

WEEK-TV -- March 12, 2012

On this trip to the WEEK-TV 25 studios, we learned how news is gathered, viewed editing bays and the control room, and had an opportunity to see reporters and anchors at work.

In addition, our tour included a behind-the-scenes viewing of the midday news broadcast and a question-and-answer session with the anchors, Garry Moore and Sandy Gallant.

For more information about WEEK-TV, visit http://www.centralillinoisnewscenter.com

Peoria International Airport -- March 9, 2012

On March 9, OLLI traveled to the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport for a private tour with Airport Director Gene Olson.

We enjoyed an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at ticket counters, inbound baggage facilities, passenger screening rooms, waiting areas, and jet bridges. We also learned how the new 125,000 square-foot terminal places ticket counters, baggage claim and rental car desks on one floor in the main concourse, serving around 1 million travelers through 12 gates annually.

For more information about the airport, please visit www.flypia.com