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.