Briefly Carbondale: Senior fair coming, Superhero 5K in October, and more ...
<b>Senior fair coming to Carbondale Civic Center on Aug. 24</b>
A senior health fair is planned for 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24 at the Carbondale Civic Center. State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, State Rep. Paul Jacobs, State Sen. Terri Bryant and State Sen. Dale Fowler are hosting several senior service agencies to provide literature and other resources from a variety of state, county, and local agencies. General Assembly staff members will be on-hand to assist constituents with their concerns regarding state government. Those who attend are encouraged to sign up for a chance to win a door prize. The fair is free of charge.
<b>Grants to help local efforts to combat eviction</b>
The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF) has awarded more than $3 million in state grants to 10 nonprofit programs that offer free legal assistance and mediation services to people facing eviction. Two organizations serving southern Illinois communities received grants. Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, which has an office in Carbondale, received a $1 million grant to provide legal assistance, information and advice to residents in 65 counties in central and southern Illinois. In addition, the Dispute Resolution Institute, based in Carbondale, received a $400,000 grant to provide courthouse-based mediation services to tenants and landlords in the 1st Judicial Circuit, which includes Jackson County), as well as the 6th and 20th circuits. People can access "Eviction Help Illinois" in one of three ways: call 855-631-0811; text "Eviction" to 85622; or talk to a virtual assistant at evictionhelpillinois.org.
<b>Registration open for Superhero 5K</b>
The 12th For Kids' Sake Superhero 5K will be held Saturday, Oct. 8 in Carbondale. The annual fundraiser benefits orphans and students in Bangladesh. Registration is open at forkidssake.net. Local participants will take off at 9 a.m. from the starting line at Turley Park, while virtual participants will complete their 5K run/walk anywhere. In-person racers will run and walk along a certified 5K route with chip timing by So iLL Racing. The event will also have vendors, a live DJ, and an award ceremony with cash prizes for the fastest overall runners and top fundraisers. Virtual participants can complete their 5K run/walk anywhere from Sept. 24 through Oct. 8 and upload their results to the official race website. Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for kids 17 and under.
<b>SILIR announces four fall classes</b>
Southern Illinois Learning in Retirement will offer four classes during its fall term beginning Sept. 12. Beth Lordan will teach "Film from Short Stories," Kay Carr will teach "A Brief History of Colonial America (to 1763)," Dick Matthews will teach "The History of the English Language," and Walter Metz will teach "World Geography and International Cinema." Classes will be held at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Carbondale. They will meet two hours weekly for five weeks with the exception of "The History of the English Language," which will meet for four weeks. Course descriptions and schedule details are available at conferenceservices.siu.edu/silir. Enrollment requires SILIR membership, open to anyone 50 or older. Annual dues are $25. To join and register for activities, contact Jackie Welch at 618-536-7751, or e-mail silir@siu.edu.
<b>Carbondale planning solar tour for Sept. 24</b>
The city of Carbondale has partnered with the Illinois Solar Education Association (ISEA) to arrange host sites in Carbondale for the 2022 Illinois Solar Tour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Residents, businesses or not-for-profits using solar technology that are willing to share their knowledge and experience are encouraged to sign up to be a host on the tour. The first stop on the tour will be the Carbondale Civic Center, where community members will learn about city solar sites and recent code text amendments pertaining to local solar. Participants will also learn about the logistics of solar energy and solar incentives. For more information, contact the city's sustainability coordinator, Lauren Becker, at lbecker@explorecarbondale.com.
<b>Perry to speak at next SILIR meeting</b>
Erin Perry will discuss "The Management of Working Dog Hygiene in the Field" at the Southern Illinois Learning in Retirement meeting starting at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Perry is an associate professor of agriculture at SIU Carbondale. She has more than 19 years of experience with working canines with and health issues related to deployment of canines in emergencies. She works with Missouri Task Force One and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). She and canine partners have deployed to numerous disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, Joplin Tornado, Colorado Flooding, and Hurricane Harvey. The meeting, free and open to the public, will be held at Grace United Methodist Church, located at 220 N. Tower Rd. in Carbondale. Social distancing will be observed; masks are optional. A social hour will begin at 9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Jackie Welch at 618-536-7751 or silir@siu.edu.
<b>River-to-River Trail monument to be dedicated</b>
The River-to-River Trail Society and the Saline County Tourism Board are inviting the public to the unveiling and dedication of a monument to John O'Dell and the River-to-River Trail. The event will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. A brief ceremony will be held on the grounds of Herod Springs Baptist Church, located on Rt. 34 in Herod. The River-to-River trail was only a dream until the 1990s, when O'Dell set out on foot to blaze a trail from the Ohio River to the Mississippi River. O'Dell enlisted the aid of the U.S. Forest Service, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and many private citizens. Today the trail stretches 159 miles from Elizabethtown and Battery Rock on the Ohio River to Grand Tower on the Mississippi. Questions can be directed to Society President Bill Gilmour at 270-331-1553.
<b>Lineup set for Cobden Peach Festival</b>
The annual Peach Festival will be celebrated Friday and Saturday, Aug. 12 and 13 at Cobden Community Park on Locust Street. Most of the activities begin at 5 p.m. both days. The festival will feature a carnival, games, a queen contest, food including peach cobbler, bingo, a raffle, and a "spin and win" for peaches. The musical entertainment for Friday will be Party Express Karaoke, and on Saturday it will be Diamond Dog. The event is sponsored by the Cobden Lions Club. Proceeds go to community and charitable projects. The Cobden Runner's/Walker's Club will sponsor its annual Cobden Peach Festival 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run starting at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. The event will begin at Cobden Community Park. The Peach Festival Parade is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. The parade route will be through downtown Cobden. Entries are currently being accepted at 618-893-2425. The Union County Museum, 117 S. Appleknocker, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information contact the village of Cobden at 618-893-2425.
<b>Elks to hold children's orthopedic clinic</b>
The South District Elks Lodges in cooperation with the Illinois Elks Children's Care Corporation will sponsor a free children's orthopedic assessment clinic from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 at Marshall Browning Hospital, 900 N. Washington St. in Du Quoin. The clinic is by appointment only. Dr. Alan Froehling from Mt. Vernon will be the clinician. To make an appointment, call the Illinois Elks Children's Care office at 800-272-0074. There are no charges for any services at the clinic. No medical referral is necessary for the clinic, but physicians are welcome to refer patients for a specific reason or second opinion. School nurses are welcome to refer children and families to the clinic.
<b>Registration open for Southern Illinois Made Expo</b>
Registration is now available for interested businesses and employers to sign up to become a vendor for the Southern Illinois Made Expo. The Southern Illinois Made Expo was created to highlight businesses and destinations operating throughout the region. This year's event is set to take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 15 and 16 at the Marion Pavilion. Businesses based in southern Illinois can visit simade.org to learn more. The deadline to register is Sept. 14.