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Blood drive, United Way meeting, 'Predictions' exhibit, Lincoln Christmas tree pickup, writing club, HSLC board election, Pride & Progress nominations open, Atlanta 'Rt. 66 Reinterpreted' Art Project

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[January 07, 2013]  Blood drive Monday at Lincoln Masonic Center

To help ensure an adequate blood supply for the region, there will be a blood drive at the Lincoln Masonic Center, 2022 N. Kickapoo, on Monday from 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. 5158, or schedule an appointment online using sponsor code 60057 at www.bloodcenterimpact.org. Walk-ins are also welcome and truly appreciated.

Central Illinois Community Blood Center, a not-for-profit organization, is the provider of lifesaving blood for 14 hospitals throughout central Illinois, including Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln and Memorial Medical Center and St. John's Hospital in Springfield. CICBC is a division of the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, which collects over 180,000 units of blood annually and serves 87 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.


United Way of Logan County to hold annual meeting Jan. 9

The United Way of Logan County will have its annual meeting Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 5:30 p.m. Board members will elect new officers, and new members of the board will be approved.

The public is invited to attend, but to allow for space accommodations, please contact the office, 217-735-4499, by 4:30 p.m. Jan. 9.

The regular monthly meeting will follow the annual business activity.


"Predictions": Local artists' expressions of a future world

The art exhibit "Predictions" opened on a snowy and blustery evening to a steady stream of gallery visitors. "Predictions" is the premiere event for the Logan County Art Association. The show began Dec. 20 and runs until Jan. 12 at the Lincoln Art Institute.

"Predictions" was selected as the theme for the show to coincide with the end-of-world predictions mainly represented by the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar on the winter solstice. Nine artists from Logan County contributed to the exhibit, crafting their art to address their personal views on the future, whether the world ends or, if not, how we as a species move into and create the future.

Christopher Tice, professor of art at Lincoln College, created a multi-layered piece he calls "Utility," essentially his view of what the world would resemble after a fire consumed the planet. The piece is an amalgam of ordinary objects he placed on a container and finished off in his backyard forge. While the melted objects retain their shapes and seem random, Tice has created symmetry on the surface. He then mounted a video projector above the piece that shows a subtle movement, a cycle to time, in his words. "I am trying to create a visual effect on a physical surface," Tice explained.

For the exhibit, Lincoln High School teacher Jason Hoffman submitted three pieces that explore his current focus on the link between a museum exhibit and one for an art gallery. "My pieces explore a survival aspect, whether it is the end of the world or a new beginning, and how we as individuals respond to mortality," he said. To Hoffman, art is something he thinks about every day -- how what he sees can be translated into something that speaks about the issues we face in everyday life.

Moses Pinkerton, the host for the exhibit, also contributed several pieces. "If a piece of my art turns out right, people should be able to look at one of my works and tell what it is saying," he said. He is not a big fan of the abstract movement. His piece "Ripe," a hand holding an Earth burgeoning with possibilities, is a personal view about the potential available to all of the occupants of our planet.

Bonnie Mayo's two paintings strongly express her optimism, with themes showing the sun rising on a landscape still occupied and changed by people. For her, art is "a process of thinking about a subject for several weeks and then getting to a point where it is time to put paint on canvas," she said. "I wake up one day and know the time is right to create the actual painting." She is also careful to use a frame that accentuates the focus and colors of her art.

While the photos accompanying this article give a sense of what the artists want to convey, the exhibit definitely needs to be seen in person to appreciate the creativity.

The show "Predictions" is open at the Lincoln Art Institute, 112 S. McLean, until Jan.12. Pinkerton may be reached there at 217-651-8355 for more information.

[By CURT FOX]


City Christmas tree pickup program starts Jan. 7

The street department in Lincoln will pick up Christmas trees starting Jan. 7 for Ward 1, Jan. 8 for Ward 2, Jan. 9 for Ward 3, Jan. 10 for Ward 4 and Jan. 11 for Ward 5. Trees must be by the curb by 7 a.m. on the day of the scheduled pickup.

Trees must be free of all decorations and not in a bag. Wreathes will be picked up if they are free of wiring.


Lincoln Writer's Club will meet Jan. 8

Lincoln Writer's Club will meet Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m. in the Alumni Room of the Lincoln College dining hall.

Suggested topics: an era when you wish to have been born; a memorable Christmas gift; a person you have always admired; home remedies.

For more info, call 732-2723. All are welcome.


HSLC board election Jan. 30

A general membership meeting of the Humane Society of Logan County will be on Jan. 30 in the Steinfort Room at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, 200 Stahlhut Drive.

The annual election for three seats on the board of directors of the Humane Society of Logan County will be at this meeting.

Anyone who is current with their dues and has been a member for at least three months prior to the election may declare their intent to seek election to the board of directors. If you are interested in serving on the board, you may send a letter of intent to the board secretary, Wanda Stevens, at wstevens@ccaonline.com.


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Chamber recognizes excellence in our community

The Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce invites the public to help spotlight excellence in Logan County by making nominations for the chamber's Pride & Progress Awards. Nominations will be accepted until Jan. 7 to celebrate the achievements of chamber members in the continued development and improvement of Logan County..

The Pride & Progress Awards are designed to recognize outstanding achievement and promote positive awareness. The awards celebrate and acknowledge excellence, innovation, initiative, community involvement and are a thank-you to those who go the extra mile to make Logan County a great place to live, work and play.

Awards will be presented during the chamber annual dinner on Jan. 26 at the American Legion. All nominations are due by Jan. 7.

Awards are being given for:

  • Business of the Year, given to a business that contributes to the community, shows innovation and actively participates in events and projects within the community.

  • New Business of the Year, given to a business that has opened in the last 12 months and brings something new to the community, complementing and contributing to the growth of Logan County.

  • Mike Abbott Volunteer of the Year, given to a person who is involved, committed and goes the extra mile, is dedicated and selfless for the betterment of the community.

  • Beautification Award, given to a business that enhances, improves and transforms their corner of the community into a more attractive place.

  • Excellence in Service, given to a business that demonstrates a commitment to the community, its customers and its employees, giving 100 percent always.

To be eligible to receive one of the above awards, businesses or individuals must be members of the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce in good standing.

You can nominate yourself or another chamber business for any of the Pride & Progress Awards. Visit www.lincolnillinois.com for a link to make your online nominations and a complete chamber membership listing. The community is invited and encouraged to make nominations for these awards.

Pride & Progress winners from annual dinner this year were:

  • Business of the Year -- Graue Inc.

  • New Business of the Year -- Anytime Fitness.

  • Mike Abbott Volunteer of the Year -- Joe Fitzpatrick.

  • Beautification Award -- Lincoln Theater 4.

  • Excellence in Service Award -- NAPA Auto Parts.

  • Ambassador of the Year, Marcia Cook.

The chamber's annual dinner and the Pride & Progress Awards are part of the chamber's mission to advocate, support and unify local businesses of the prosperity of Logan County.


Atlanta Betterment Fund board introduces 'Rt. 66 Reinterpreted' Art Project

ATLANTA -- In celebration of Route 66 and all it stands for, Atlanta -- located on the Mother Road, midway between Chicago and St. Louis -- announces its first "Rt. 66 Reinterpreted" Art Project.

Modeled on Chicago's "Cows on Parade" exhibit, the Rt. 66 Reinterpreted project presents artists the opportunity to create their own take on one of the 20th century's most iconic and recognizable symbols: the U.S. Route 66 highway shield.

Participating artists will be provided a blank, 2-foot-by-2-foot wooden cutout of the Route 66 sign, painted white, which will then become their personal canvas. The only requirement in creating a reinterpreted shield is to incorporate the text "Illinois U.S. 66" somewhere on the face of the shield, in whatever size, shape or color the artist desires. Everything else about the design, style, background and color of the reinterpreted shield is left to each artist's imagination and creativity.

The project is open to anyone 16 years old and above. Up to 50 entries will be accepted in this year's project, as determined by the date applications are received. All 50 entries will be displayed outside along Route 66 in downtown Atlanta from May 1 to Aug. 31, 2013.

The board of directors of the Atlanta Betterment Fund will select 10 shields out of the 50 entries as finalists. Shields selected as finalists will be judged on originality of design, overall concept and quality of execution.

Voting will then take place May 1-Aug. 31 to select the top five shield designs as winners of the 2012 project. Anyone, anywhere may vote, either in person at selected Route 66 attractions in Atlanta or online via Atlanta's website at www.atlantaillinois.org. The top five vote-getters will be the winners of the year's Rt. 66 Reinterpreted project.

At the conclusion of the project, the five winning shields, along with the names of the artists who created them, will be displayed on a permanent basis in the Atlanta Route 66 Park. Entries selected as one of the top five winning designs will also be showcased at the International Mother Road Festival in Springfield Sept. 27-29, 2013.

Artists wishing to enter the Rt. 66 Reinterpreted Art Project must submit a completed application form, along with a $25 entry fee. Completed applications are due on or before Feb. 1. Applications received after Feb. 1 will not be accepted.

Completed Rt. 66 Reinterpreted shields should be carefully packaged and returned to: The Atlanta Betterment Fund, 114 SW Arch St., Atlanta, IL 61723. Shields should be submitted between March 1 and April 5, 2013. Shields received after April 5 will not be accepted.

The Atlanta Betterment Fund sponsors the Rt. 66 Reinterpreted Art Project.

All decisions regarding judging are final. Entries selected as finalists will be notified by April 30, 2013. Entries selected as one of the top five winning designs will be notified by Sept. 1, 2013.

Click on the "Route 66 Art Project" logo at www.atlantaillinois.org for more information, including project guidelines and an application form to enter the Rt. 66 Reinterpreted Art Project. Or contact:

William Thomas
Atlanta Betterment Fund
114 SW Arch St.
Atlanta, IL 61723

wthomas@teleologic.net

217-648-5077


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