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‘Magnificent' gift enhances
Family Resiliency Program

[DEC. 11, 2002]  URBANA — Chancellor Nancy Cantor has announced an $11.5 million gift from Doris and Jay Christopher and The Pampered Chef Ltd. to support the Family Resiliency Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The gift provides funds for a new building, a maintenance endowment and an endowed chair.

"This magnificent gift reflects the Christophers' extraordinary vision and generosity in supporting a program of research and teaching directed so immediately at a critical societal need," said Cantor. "Healthy families are the basis for a healthy society."

The building constructed with the Christophers' gift, expected to be completed in early 2005, will be the culmination of a lifelong interest by Doris Christopher in family resiliency. It will become the base for innovative research, education and outreach initiatives designed to enrich the well-being of children, individuals and families.

"Today's families are challenged in so many ways," Doris Christopher said. "The goal of the new facility is to focus on learning more about what makes families strong and able to meet the challenges of the 21st century."

The Family Resiliency Program is located in the department of human and community development, part of the university's College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. The department focuses specifically on research and education programs directed at the lives of individuals, families and communities.

"We currently have the most talented group of emerging scholars in human development and family studies ever in the college's history," said Robert Easter, dean of the College of ACES. "And the Christophers' and The Pampered Chef gift is particularly timely, because it addresses a societal need in ways that will directly benefit our state and nation."

To further enhance the Family Resiliency Program, The Pampered Chef has established an endowed chair in human and community development. The chair holder will be an expert in some aspect of family resiliency, such as balancing work and life, family stress and coping, or community-family linkages.

"The recipient of the first endowed chair will have a wonderful opportunity to pursue scholarship in family resiliency, as well as to enhance the national and international visibility of the Family Resiliency Program," said Constance Shapiro, the head of the department of human and community development. "At a time in our nation's history when families face unique challenges and communities strive to marshal critical resources, the professor holding the endowed chair will be uniquely positioned to address these concerns with rigorous scholarship."

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Doris Christopher graduated from the University of Illinois in 1967 with a degree in home economics. Her first job was teaching high school home economics. She went on to work for the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service, teaching adults. That experience became the foundation for her business. One of The Pampered Chef's goals is to educate adults in the kitchen and make their time there efficient and enjoyable.

In 1980, Christopher started a home-based business because she wanted to keep a presence in the business world while maximizing time to raise her two daughters and make a home for her family. The business grew into The Pampered Chef, a direct-selling company that offers high-quality kitchen tools through home demonstrations.

The Pampered Chef is now a multimillion-dollar business occupying 780,000 square feet, employing more than 1,100 staff in the home office and supporting more than 71,000 Kitchen Consultants across Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The author of "Come to the Table" (Warner Books, 1999), Christopher consistently has been recognized by Working Woman magazine as one of the "Top 500 Women Business Owners." She has served as the chair of the board of directors of the Direct Selling Association in Washington, D.C. Her additional board memberships include America's Second Harvest, Dominican University School of Business Advisory Council, the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois, and the University of Illinois Foundation.

Christopher also is a member of Chicago Network, the Direct Selling Association and the Committee of 200.

For resources on family resiliency, visit http://www.familyresiliency.uiuc.edu/.

[U of I news release]

Tips for a bright, safe
holiday lighting season

[NOV. 27, 2002]  URBANA — Holiday lighting has always been an enjoyable way to celebrate the season and beautify your home. If you’re planning a holiday lighting display, the Safe Electricity public awareness program reminds you to avoid potential safety hazards as you place holiday lights.

"Lights on a tree or other places add so much to the festivity of the season, but they need to be checked and used properly," says Molly Hall, director of the Safe Electricity program. "We encourage everyone to take a few extra minutes to avoid the risk of electric shock or fire."

Keep these tips in mind when decorating with lights:
• Use only lights that have been safety tested and approved by Underwriters Laboratory. Look for the UL label on the box and on each string.

• If you use a fresh-cut tree, frequently water it and place it away from heat sources, such as heat registers, fireplaces, radiators and televisions.

• Before plugging in the lights, check each string for broken sockets, frayed cords or faulty plugs. Replace damaged strings.

•Make sure extension cords are in good condition. Use only UL-approved cords that are rated to carry the electrical load you will connect to them.

•Keep electric cords away of high-traffic areas. Don’t stretch them across a room where people can trip over them; likewise, don’t hide them under rugs or carpets.

•Always unplug lights before going to bed or leaving your home.

•When decorating outdoors, use only lights and cords rated for outdoor use. Do not lay cords across sidewalks, decks or other walkways. Cords should be plugged into outlets equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters — GFCIs. Use a portable GFCI if your outdoor outlets don’t have them.

•Do not attach cords or lights to metal objects.

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"Checking the condition of electrical cords is very important. A frayed or cracked cord could cause a shock or fire," said Hall. "Likewise, an overloaded extension cord poses a fire hazard."

Whether decorating for the holidays or using extension cords in general, read the label on both the cord and the appliances that are plugged into it to make sure the cord can handle the load. If it can’t, change to a higher-rated cord or unplug some appliances.

While some people may use an extension cord to free outlet space over the holidays, remember that extension cords are meant for temporary, not permanent, use.

Safe Electricity is a statewide electrical safety public awareness program. The program was created by a coalition of nearly three dozen organizations, including the University of Illinois, rural electric cooperatives, and investor-owned electric utilities from throughout the state. All are members of the Illinois Electric Council, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting electric safety and efficiency.

Everyone is urged to heed the safety tips presented in Safe Electricity public service announcements and to visit www.SafeElectricity.org to learn more about being safe around electricity and related equipment.

[U of I news release]

Animals for Adoption

From the Department of Natural Resources

Illinois outdoor news

[NOV. 23, 2002]  Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 1,489 wild turkeys during the 2002 fall firearm turkey season, Oct. 19-27. Among counties with the top county harvest totals were Jo Daviess (157), Pope (73), Marion (70), Union (62) and Fulton (57). The fall firearm turkey harvest this year compared with a statewide harvest total of 1,415 in 2001. A total of 43 counties were open for firearm turkey hunting during the 2002 fall season.

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Illinois recently reported its first confirmed case of chronic wasting disease, when a tissue sample taken from an adult female deer in Winnebago County tested positive for CWD. Hunters and others looking for what they need to know if they are hunting in Illinois or out of state, for general information about the disease, and for new information as it becomes available should check http://dnr.state.il.us/pubaffairs/2002/CWD.htm.

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The Carlyle Lake Waterfowlers Association was honored recently as recipient of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Canvasback Award for its efforts on behalf of the Carlyle Lake Wildlife Management Area in Fayette County. Owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the 9,486-acre complex of bottomland wetlands, timber and crop lands provides valuable habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Due to a major levee failure, management of vegetation and water levels was difficult at the CLWMA’s Subimpoundment 3. The Carlyle Lake Waterfowlers Association provided heavy equipment and more than 1,000 hours of manpower to repair broken levees, allowing the IDNR to again regulate water levels at the 312-acre unit, benefiting local and migratory wildlife and waterfowl while enhancing hunting opportunities.

The IDNR nominated the association for the Canvasback Award, which was presented by the USFWS and the Service’s Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture Management Board.

The Carlyle Lake Waterfowlers Association has been active in issues concerning the Carlyle Lake Wildlife Management Area since the early 1980s.

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Avery Outdoors presents the 7th annual Avery International Goose Calling Invitational and Waterfowl Hunt in Marion on Jan. 3-5. It includes the world’s biggest calling event with the sport’s richest prize purse — $12,500 — on Saturday night, Jan. 4. The contest and hunt, coordinated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Conservation Foundation and the Williamson County Tourism Bureau, will feature world-class goose callers, including Kelley Powers, Brandon Fletcher, Troy Dishner, Sean Mann, Kevin Popo, Allan Stanley, Mark Carey, Richie McKnight and John Pasoni.

It’s also the only event of its kind that combines a championship goose calling contest with an actual hunt, all designed to raise money for future youth waterfowl hunting events in Illinois. For only $750, hunters get private accommodations for two nights, breakfast Saturday and Sunday, a Friday night dinner and pairings party, two days of waterfowl hunting (including pit fees and Hevi-Shot ammo) with participating goose callers, and a commemorative gift. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Illinois Conservation Foundation, an IRS 501 (c)(3) approved organization, which earmarks the money to support youth waterfowl hunting opportunities and youth education programs in southern Illinois. A portion of the cost of each participant’s hunt is deductible for federal income tax purposes.

Each hunter’s registration is an important investment in the future of outdoor recreation and youth education. For more information, call the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Special Events, (217) 785-8955, or send an e-mail note to events@dnrmail.state.il.us.

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Would your students like to grow plants and raise insects in your classroom? Would they like to become part of a statewide biological control program to control the invasive purple loosestrife? If so, take part in a workshop, "Biodiversity, Wetlands and Biological Control — Purple Loosestrife: A Case Study," sponsored by the Illinois Natural History Survey and IDNR/ENTICE. Two workshops are being offered for the year 2003: Jan. 25 at Sand Ridge Nature Center in South Holland (Cook County) and Feb. 1 at Volo Bog State Natural Area near McHenry. The workshops are free, CPUDs are offered, and you receive all the items you need to complete the project in the classroom. To register and for more information, contact Susan Post at Illinois Natural History Survey at (217) 333-4322 or spost@mail.inhs.uiuc.edu.

The purple loosestrife study program developed by the Illinois Natural History Survey’s Dr. Michael R. Jeffords and Dr. Robert N. Wiedenmann has received national recognition with its selection for a 2002 Celebration of Excellence award by the University Continuing Education Association. The national UCEA award, designed to encourage innovation and distinction in continuing education, was presented at the organization’s annual conference in Minneapolis last month. The purple loosestrife program presents teachers and other interested parties with options for combating invasive species, utilizing natural controls. An online course, available to middle and high school teachers, is a collaboration of the University of Illinois and the Champaign-based Illinois Natural History Survey, a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. For more information on the program, contact the INHS at (217) 333-6830.

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Reminder: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will conduct blaster licensure and certification examinations on Feb. 21, 2003, and Oct. 23, 2003, at Ramada Limited, 3281 Northfield Drive, Springfield. Training will be provided at the testing location prior to each exam. All individuals whose duties include the direct supervision of blasting operations at surface coal and non-coal mining operations are required to be licensed or certified. Applications must be received before examination. For an application form or to schedule a training class, contact IDNR’s Blasting and Explosives Division, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271. Individuals in need of training modifications to enable their participation should notify the Blasting and Explosives Division at (217) 782-9976 or TTY (217) 524-4626.

***

Applications are being accepted for the Small Project Program of the Wildlife Preservation Fund, administered through the IDNR Office of Resource Conservation, Division of Resource Protection and Stewardship. This program is funded through a voluntary checkoff designation to the Wildlife Preservation Fund on the state income tax form.

Small Project Program proposals may address many types of projects, including management, site inventories or education. Examples of past projects include wildlife habitat improvement, species enhancement, education and research projects throughout the state, focusing on species ranging from birds to turtles, and habitat ranging from forests to prairies. Individual proposals are eligible for up to $1,000 from the Wildlife Preservation Fund. The grants would be effective July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004.

The Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund Small Project Program packet for 2004 includes a program explanation, instructions for completing the application form and an application form. The packet is available on request; phone (217) 785-8774 or e-mail SpecialFunds@dnrmail.state.il.us. You will need to provide the following information: name, affiliation, address and telephone number. Applications will be accepted through April 15, 2003.

[Illinois Department of Natural Resources
press release]

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