Safe rides, blood drive, talent show, Christian Village Memory Care Center, District 27 starting date, LCHS freshman orientation, 'Elephants in Lincoln,' 'Kung Fu Panda 2' tickets, LCHS registration, Dr. Freesmeier's class, Ashleigh Yarcho, Zion back-to-school info, Head Start recruitment

[Aug. 02, 2012]  Safe rides available for fair weekend

The Healthy Communities Partnership is encouraging those who celebrate a little too much at the Logan County Fair beer tent this weekend to call for a free and safe ride home.

On Friday and Saturday, Aug. 3 and 4, the Safe Ride program will be available in Lincoln to those who need it. Safe Ride is a free ride home, sponsored by the Healthy Behaviors Task Force, an initiative of the Healthy Communities Partnership.

"Safe Ride helps to keep our streets safer on nights when children and families are more likely to be celebrating away from home. Our hope is that the community will remember the service is available and use it when necessary," said Angela Stoltzenburg, marketing and community partnerships manager.

Safe Ride is also available during the art and balloon fest, Labor Day weekend, the night before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

To receive a free ride home within the city limits on any of these nights, call American Cab of Lincoln at 735-9696.

Healthy Communities Partnership is a collaborative organization comprised of several community agencies. It is supported by the Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation. For more information and updates, individuals should "like" Healthy Communities Partnership on Facebook or visit www.healthycommunitiespartnership.org.

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Lincoln Christian Church to sponsor blood drive at Lincoln Masonic Center

To help ensure an adequate blood supply for the region, Lincoln Christian Church is sponsoring a blood drive Monday, Aug. 6, at the Lincoln Masonic Center, 2022 N. Kickapoo. The hours of the blood drive are noon to 6 p.m.

For your convenience, call Alexis to sign up toll-free at 1-866-GIVE-BLD (1-866-448-3253), ext. 158, or schedule an appointment online at www.bloodcenterimpact.org, using sponsor code 60057 to earn points for rewards. Walk-ins are also welcome and truly appreciated.

Central Illinois Community Blood Center, a not-for-profit organization, is the provider of life-saving blood for 12 hospitals throughout central Illinois, including Memorial Medical Center and St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. CICBC is a division of the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, which collects more than 180,000 units of blood annually and serves 80 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.

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Talent show participants needed at Logan County Fair

If you are between the age 3 and 21, a Logan County resident, and have a talent, the Logan County Fair wants you. "Let's Celebrate" is the theme for this year's talent show. The event will be on Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. on the Lincoln Stage at the fairgrounds.

Cash prizes will be awarded in both the junior and senior divisions. The first-place winners in both divisions will represent Logan County at the state competition in Springfield in January 2013.

Entry blanks are available at the Logan County Fair office. The deadline for entries is Aug. 3 at 5 p.m.

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Christian Village will dedicate Memory Care Center Aug. 6

The ministry of Christian Homes and The Christian Village will dedicate the Memory Care Center at The Christian Village in memory of George Gahr on Aug. 6 at 10 a.m.

Mr. Gahr faithfully served this ministry from 1966 to 2001, first as administrator of The Christian Village and then as longtime president and CEO of Christian Homes. His faithfulness and passion in caring for older adults is an inspiration to those who follow in his footsteps and serve in this ministry.

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District 27 starts school year Aug. 17

Opening day for Lincoln Elementary School District 27 has been scheduled for Aug. 17.

Students in kindergarten through fifth grade are to report to their respective schools at 8:30 a.m. on opening day. Lincoln Junior High School students, grades six through eight, are to report at 8:15 a.m.

School will be dismissed on the first day at 10:30 a.m. for grades one through eight at all buildings in the district and at 10 a.m. for kindergartners.

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LCHS freshman orientation Aug. 9

Freshman orientation at Lincoln Community High School will be on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. until 11:30. At the orientation, incoming students will learn important information about the upcoming school year, tour the building, and locate their lockers and classrooms.

All students in the LCHS Class of 2016 are invited and encouraged to attend. Those attending are asked to bring their schedules and locker assignments for the coming year.

Note the time change on this event and the fact that lunch will no longer be provided.

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Elkhart Historical Society presents 'Elephants in Lincoln: A Mammoth Discovery'

ELKHART -- In a dinner lecture Aug. 17 at the Wild Hare Café in Elkhart, Dennis Campbell will present a "big game safari" in search of elephants in Lincoln. The evening event will begin at 5:30 and is sponsored by the Elkhart Historical Society.

In the past seven years a remarkable number of Ice Age fossils have been discovered in the creeks around Lincoln. Geology and biology students at Lincoln College have been involved with some spectacular finds -- including the discovery of a woolly mammoth, presently considered one of the largest and last woolly mammoths on the continent. The presentation in Elkhart will detail the discovery of Judd, the Lincoln College woolly mammoth, by Judd McCullum, a Lincoln College student. Since that discovery on Lincoln College property in 2005, local residents have revealed to the college and to scientists at the Illinois State Museum many new records of additional Pleistocene mammal species that lived in this area thousands of years ago.

Campbell, who holds a doctorate in zoology from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, has been a professor of biology and geology at Lincoln College in Lincoln for almost 20 years. He is currently engaged in the development of Creekside: an outdoor environmental education center at nearby Sugar Creek for use by the college and local community organizations. Although a native of Texas, he has worked as a biologist throughout the South Pacific, Mexico and the United States.

His lecture to the Elkhart Historical Society on bats last October was educational and entertaining. The mammoth presentation promises to be another excellent evening.

Call 217-947-2238 for reservations; then go to the Elkhart Historical Society website, www.elkharthistoricalsociety.org, to download a reservation form, or pick one up at Horsefeathers in Elkhart.

The Elkhart Historical Society is also accepting reservations for its September event, "An Enchanted Evening at the Cro'hurst Mansion." This is an evening of music, food and drink on the beautiful Elkhart Hill. The date is Sept. 9 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Those who attended the event last year enjoyed a memorable evening. It's a perfect way to say goodbye to summer.

Reservations are limited. For reservations, call 217-947-2238; then go to the Elkhart Historical Society website, www.elkharthistoricalsociety.org, to download a reservation form, or pick one up at Horsefeathers in Elkhart.

For additional information, contact Gillette Ransom at 217-947-2238 or Gini Bertoni at [e-mail].

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Free movie tickets available for 'Kung Fu Panda 2'

Brickey Printing & Photography is the sponsor of "Kung Fu Panda 2," the ninth and final feature in a series of free family movies this summer at Lincoln Theater 4.

Free tickets for the movie are now available at Brickey Printing & Photography, 511 Broadway St.

"Kung Fu Panda 2" will be shown Saturday, Aug. 4, at 10 a.m. and Tuesday, Aug. 7, at 10 a.m.

For more information, click here.

Lincoln Theater 4 is at 215 S. Kickapoo St. in downtown Lincoln.

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Registration dates for LCHS

The first official day of classes at Lincoln Community High School will be Aug. 20. Students are to report to their first-period classes at 8 a.m., and school will dismiss at 2 p.m. Buses will run their routes according to the 2 p.m. dismissal schedule.

Note: No student living within 1 1/2 miles of the high school will be provided with bus transportation.

All students are to register and pay their fees in the school cafeteria according to the following schedule:

Monday, Aug. 6

• Freshmen, 9 a.m.-noon

• Seniors, 1-3 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 7

• Juniors, 9 a.m.-noon

• Sophomores, 1-3 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 8

• Open registration, 1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m.

Notes: Students not able to register at their scheduled time are to register on Aug. 8 at 1-3 p.m. or 5-7 p.m.

The state of Illinois requires that all students have a copy of their birth certificate on file at Lincoln Community High School.

Typical registration fees for the 2012-2013 school year are as follows:

• Freshmen, $102.50

• Sophomores with driver education, $240.50

• Juniors, $90.50

• Seniors, $90.50

Band students must pay an $8 fee for uniform cleaning.

Health occupation students must pay an additional $80.

Driver education students must pay an additional $150.

Students may pay their fees by Visa or MasterCard.

As a service, LCHS will have student accident insurance information available. Parents will enroll their student electronically. The website to enroll in student accident insurance is http://markel.sevencorners.com/. The toll-free number for further information is 877-444-5014. Student athletes are reminded that they must have medical insurance coverage or fill out a proof of insurance waiver form prior to beginning practice.

Student lunch prices for the 2012-2013 school year will be $2.20. Lunches will be served beginning on Aug. 20. Breakfast will also be served every day for $1.30. Parents are encouraged to deposit money to cafeteria accounts by the month.

Seniors who met or exceeded specified levels on the Prairie State Achievement Examinations taken during the spring of their junior year will have their $25 parking fee waived. All other freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors will pay $25 to park in the LCHS parking lot.

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Dr. Freesmeier's health class for August canceled

There will not be a health issues class at Faith Lutheran Church on the first Monday night of August. Dr. Dan Freesmeier's next class will be the first Monday night in September.

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Ashleigh Yarcho is named Lincoln College cheer coach

Lincoln College has announced Ashleigh Yarcho as the new cheer and dance coach for Lincoln College.

Yarcho is a graduate of Lincoln College and Illinois State University. She was a member of the cheer team while attending Lincoln College and had coaching experience later.

"Ashleigh brings experience and a lot of energy to the program," said Dave Klemm, Lincoln College athletic director. "We are excited to have her in our department."

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Zion Lutheran announces registration dates and other events

Below is a list of upcoming events for students, parents and faculty of Zion Lutheran School in Lincoln. Note that school registration day is Aug. 7. There will also be a community open house at the school that evening.

• Baseball practice and tryouts will begin on July 30 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Rec Center. All boys from fifth to eighth grade are eligible to play.

• ZLS will host a community volleyball camp July 30-Aug. 3 for any girls entering fourth to eighth grade.

• Faculty meetings will be held Aug. 6-7.

• A community open house at the school will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 7.

• Registration for the 2012-2013 school year will be from noon to 7 p.m. Aug. 7 and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 8-9.

• There will be a $250 activity fee for each student from kindergarten to eighth grade.

• Families should be prepared to purchase lunches, milk, assignment books, Bibles, pay early arrival fees and rent PE locks at final registration.

• Hot lunches, including milk, will be $3. Extra milk is 40 cents.

• Families are reminded to bring the following items to final registration: current sports physical; current vaccinations and eye exam for students in kindergarten, second and sixth grade; and current dental exam and birth certificate if those are not on file.

• Families are to purchase all requested supplies prior to Aug. 20. A supply list is available at www.zlslinc.org.

• The teacher rededication service will be at Zion Lutheran Church on Aug. 19.

• Classes for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade will begin on Aug. 20. The Parent Teacher League will host a reception for all ZLS families.

• Preschool classes will start on Aug. 21.

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Community Action Head Start Logan County recruitment

Community Action Head Start, a free program for income eligible-families with children from birth to age 5, is recruiting in Logan County for the 2012-2013 program year.

Head Start is a federally funded preschool program that serves income-eligible families and children between the ages of 3 and 5 years. Logan County Head Start provides center-based preschool services and runs during the school year, beginning Aug. 27.

Early Head Start is a child development program that serves income-eligible children and families including pregnant mothers, infants and toddlers up to age 3. Early Head Start provides home-based services throughout Logan County and runs the full calendar year, beginning Aug. 27.

Children do not have to have a disability to qualify. The program welcomes all eligible children. Additional services, including screenings and access to medical, dental, vision services are what set Head Start apart from other child development and preschool programs. Transportation is available to children and families to participate and receive full benefit of the program.

To apply for Head Start or Early Head Start, contact Brittany Feese or Cathy McIntosh, family partnership specialists, at 217-732-3448, or Leticia Cook or Amber Wright, family partnership specialists, at 217-732-2159.

The following documentation is required to complete the application:

• Completed 2011 tax forms or W-2

• Copy of child's birth certificate or medical card

• Proof of Social Security, TANF and cash assistance (if you receive it)

Logan County Community Action Head Start is sponsored by the Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois, which serves the low-income and senior populations of six Illinois counties. For more information, visit www.capcil.org or facebook.com/capcil.

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