Peoria County Sheriff's Department and County Jail -- Thursday, April 1, 2010

Peoria Sheriff Mike McCoy led OLLI members on a behind-the-scenes tour of his department and attached jail earlier this spring.

During the tour, we learned how highly qualified officers handle criminal investigations and protect County residents. Our visit included administrative offices, briefing rooms, and the crime lab. In addition, we walked through the lockup portion of the facility and experienced the jail's new technological advances, including the closed-circuit bonding system, computerized mug shot and booking system, and the live scan fingerprint processing system.

OLLI thanks Sheriff McCoy and his staff for making us feel welcome during our visit.

For more information about the Peoria County Sheriff's Department, please visit its website.

OSF Milestone Project -- Wednesday, April 28, 2010

OLLI members had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Peoria's largest construction project during a tour of the OSF St. Francis Medical Center's Milestone Project.

Slated for an August 2010 opening, the 456,000 square-foot building has nine floors for an emergency department, surgery and cardiovascular procedures, neonatal intensive care, pediatric critical care, St. Jude Midwest Affiliate, adult heart unit, general pediatrics, and helipad.

Our private, hard hat tour was given by one of the two managers of the $280 million project that began in July 2007. Of special interest was the interior design of each floor, which was based on a prayer composed by St. Francis of Assisi in 1224. The Canticle of the Sun praises God with His creatures: the sun, moon, wind, water, fire and earth.

As we toured the new expansion, OLLI members saw special symbols on each floor, each one a reference to the prayer. The symbols and color palette are designed to be soothing and reassuring for patients, and provide an easy way to identify each particular floor. The Emergency Department's decor is "All Creatures," the Surgery Floor is "Earth," the 2nd floor is "Fire and Light," the neonatal ICU is "Wind and Air," the Pediatric Critical Care floor is "Water," the adult heart unit is "Sun," and the general pediatrics floor is "Moon and Stars."

OLLI thanks Rebecca Heisler of OSF for coordinating this incredible tour. For more information about the Milestone Project, please visit its website.

United States District Courthouse -- Thursday, March 25, 2010

Federal courts are established under the U.S. Constitution by Congress to decide disputes involving the Constitution and laws passed by Congress. During this trip, OLLI learned about the legal process during a visit to the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

We received a private tour of the facility from Holly Kallister, Division Manager of the Federal Court Clerk's Office, viewed a trial in session, and visited with Magistrate John A. Gorman, who answered our questions about the court.

For more information about the District Court, please visit its website.

Rock Island Arsenal and John Deere Experience -- Friday, March 19

Our trip to the Quad Cities began with a guided tour of the Rock Island Arsenal, an active U.S. Army facility located on a 946-acre island on the Mississippi River. A step-on docent highlighted more than a dozen sites at the National Historic Landmark, including the Confederate Cemetery, Colonel Davenport House, Fort Armstrong, and the Government Bridge. Before we left the island, we had a chance to visit the Arsenal Museum, renowned for its premier firearms collection.

After lunch, we toured the John Deere Harvester Works and Seeding Factory, the largest, most modern combine manufacturing facility in the world. OLLI members rode on moving carts during the tour of the 200-acre plant and experienced the main production line from start to finish.

After a brief stop at Country Manor Chocolates, where OLLI members had the opportunity to create edible cups, we ended the day at the John Deere Pavilion, Illinois' most popular and comprehensive agriculture exhibit.

For more information about the sites we visited, please visit these websites:

The Rock Island Arsenal

John Deere Attractions

Country Manor Chocolates