The Express Track
The Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce advocates for area business and member interests, while providing quality resources, services and leadership to its current and future members.
December 2014- Vol 2014, Issue 12
GALESBURG AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEWSLETTER
D e c e m b e r C o m m u n i t y E v e n t s 2
Mon. 1 Dec, 2014 Jared Lacy & B. Thomas Lytle Exhibition (Fri. 21 Nov, 2014 6:00 pm - Wed. 31 Dec, 2014 5:30 pm) An exhibition of mixed media work by Jared Lacy and sculpture by B. Thomas Lytle both of Knoxville, IL. The exhibition will be on display November 21 - December 31, 2014. An opening reception is planned for November 21 from 6-8pm. Thu. 4 Dec, 2014 Discovery Depot Festival of Trees (Thu. 4 Dec, 2014 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm) An adult only enchanted holiday evening complete with Christmas trees, wreathes, swags, center pieces and more. Food and beverages included in the evening. Live and Silent Auctions with many festive items, collectibles and gifts available. For more information: discoverydepot.org Fri. 5 Dec, 2014 Choral Dynamics presents Carols for Christmas (Fri. 5 Dec, 2014 7:30 pm) Choral Dynamics will present “Carols for Christmas” on Dec. 5th and 6th and Dec. 7th at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Galesburg. Singing, dancing, comedy, and beautiful scenery will put the audience in the Christmas spirit with songs like “Silent Night,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Galesburg Sunrise Rotary is the beneficiary of this show. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7.50
for ages 13-18. Children 12 and under are free with a paid adult. For tickets call 309342-2299 or visit www.TheOrpheum.org. This production is made possible by grants from the Galesburg Community Foundation and the City of Galesburg. Sat. 6 Dec, 2014 Holiday House Walk (Sat. 6 Dec, 2014 11:00 am - 4:00 pm) This annual Galesburg Civic Art Center event features local homes all dressed up for the holidays. Tickets and home information will be available in November 2014. Sat. 13 Dec, 2014 Galesburg Community Chorus: The Seven Joys of Christmas (Sat. 13 Dec, 2014 7:30 pm) Featuring music for choir and a very accomplished string quartet, the program will include classical as well as festive holiday works. Some highlights include Francesco Durante’s Magnificat, Pachelbel’s Nun danket alle Gott, and Kirke Mechem’s The Seven Joys of Christmas, a set of beautifully arranged Christmas carols. Venue: First Presbyterian Church, Galesburg. Sponsored by Blick Art Materials. Tickets: $12/adults; $10/seniors; free for students.
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Thank you to the following businesses who renewed their membership We value your support and participation!
Kohl's Diamond Gallery Inc
Casey's General Stores, Inc.
Fields Church
TimbukTech, Inc
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Depot Hobby Shop (model & R/C retailer) Mr. Keirvan Davidson 1150 W. Carl Sandburg Dr., Galesburg, IL (309)265-3110, depothobbyshop@outlook.com
Hair Cuttery Ms. Michelle Bullard 1197 N. Henderson, Galesburg, IL (309)678-1615, mbullard@ratnerco.com www.haircuttery.com
Heat and Control, Inc. Ms. Denise Leo or Mr. Cory Silber 1721 US Hwy 164, Galesburg, IL (309)342-5518, DeniseL@heatandcontrol.com www.heatandcontrol.com
Hein Construction Co., Inc. Mr. Dave Marshall 56 N. Cedar, Galesburg, IL (309)343-5124, dave@heinconstruction.com www.heinconstruction.com
Jockey Person to Person Vivian Force Galesburg, IL (309)912-4059, Vivian.force@rocketmail.com Myjockyp2p.com/vforce
O’Reilly Auto Parts Ms. Julie Clayton 624 N. Henderson St., Galesburg, IL (309)344-5768, c/o: jprice@oreillyauto.com
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The commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth in Illinois In October I attended the Illinois Council for Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (ICCVB) fall conference in Lyle. This is a quarterly meeting that allows me to stay connected with my colleagues in tourism throughout the State of Illinois. Much of our focus is in the areas of Tour Illinois, Meet in Illinois and Sports Illinois. As these organizations suggest, they are each focused on separate disciplines in travel and tourism in Illinois. We receive a lot of data on these disciplines including conventions where we can find bus groups, convention requests for proposals (rfp) info and sporting events to lure to our area. When we visit the hosting communities for our quarterly meetings, our hosts will introduce us to venues and events that demonstrate the best of a community. We meet people that inform and inspire us to return home with ideas for improvement. Sometimes we are educated about serious issues that affect every community in Illinois. On this occasion in October, we learned about the Salvation Army’s PROMISE Program. The Salvation Army developed the PROMISE model (Partnership to Rescue our Minors from Sexual Exploitation) to combat the sexual trafficking of children. In January of 2005, the PROMISE model was launched in Chicago. This model includes the formation of a task force which engages in initiatives that address the four main provisions of PROMISE: Awareness, Prevention, Intervention, and Service Delivery. To insure a holistic approach, specific strategies for implementing these provisions are developed by PROMISE members who represent the social service, education, legal, judicial, healthcare, law enforcement and other sectors of our community.
child exploitation-related crimes in Illinois, other data sources provide a more in-depth picture of the problem. Commercial sexual exploitation of children, which includes prostitution and pornography, is occurring in Illinois, but because of its hidden nature and the large amount of resources and training required to address it, many child exploitation cases remain undiscovered. Two focus groups were held with adults who shared their experiences in the sex trade as juveniles under the age of 18. One focus group was held with 19 female participants and one focus group was held with 5 transgender participants. The average age of entry into prostitution for females was age 12 and age 16 for transgender participants. The focus groups highlighted reasons for involvement by girls in prostitution. Basic survival needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter, were cited. These needs often arose after running away, often from family dysfunction and/or abuse. Many ran away from home and many were wards of the state. (The commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth in Illinois – prepared by Jessica Ashley, Senior Research Analyst with Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, January 2008) The lecture we received was How to Recognize Human Trafficking, presented by Frank Massolini. For over six years, Frank Massolini has served as a full-time volunteer with The Salvation Army in Chicago. Often putting 40 or more hours weekly, Frank has secured funding and directed programming to address issues related to youth criminal activity or victimization. PROMISE: Partnership to Rescue Our Minors from Sexual Exploitation was begun by Frank in January 2005.
In 2008 Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority commissioned a report about the commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth in Illinois. This 70 page report details information gathered with two focus groups. This research study examined the problem and offered a qualitative look through focus groups and interviews in the Chicago area. Although arrest statistics were low for most
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Bill Morris Executive Director, Galesburg Area Convention & Visitors Bureau bmorris@visitgalesburg.com
PROMISE resonates with travel and tourism because many of the criminal sex acts associated with sexual exploitation occur in hotel rooms across the state. Working with Salvation Army leadership in the Chicago area, Frank created PROMISE to identify ways in which society has failed to protect exploited children, to raise awareness of the causes and extent of the problem, and to promote a collaborative response on the part of private citizens, government agencies, social service organizations, and social institutions. Frank has created a training program for communities that bring together hotel workers, law enforcement and local government for Human Trafficking workshop. Frank briefly shared with us tips to identify individuals and situations that are red flags for prostitution. As an example, “pimps” choose hotels that are near highway access. Someone using Craig List may purchase a session with a “prostitute” in Galesburg. If there are enough appointments generated in an area the pimp will find a suitable hotel and book one or more rooms. There are some things hotel staff can be trained to look for to combat this problem. Such as: • A regular customer that asks for a room nearest a fire exit or elevator. • Rooms (near the exit or elevator) that are left ajar. • A man with a child that looks out of place or drugged. • Frequent short visits to a guest or room. • A hotel employee that may be working with the pimp. • A man that is sitting in a car in the parking lot for an extended amount of time. (He may be coordinating appointments for the “escort”.)
return to a normal life with the proper care. In Chicago, there is an institution sponsored by the Salvation Army called Anne’s House. It is Illinois’ first long term trauma based residential program for young women and girls who have been impacted by sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Go to Anne’s House to learn more about this organization. Many people think that slavery is a thing of the past. According to The Salvation Army’s PROMISE program, there are more slaves today than during African slavery 400 years ago. There are approximately 27,000,000 slaves in our world today. Most of these slaves are women and children exploited by the billion dollar sex trade. By educating our hotel workers and law enforcement in Galesburg we can combat this growing problem. This program is available through the Salvation Army. Go to salarmychicago. org/promise to learn more. Watch this short video created by the Salvation Army. Together, we can make a difference in the human trafficking industry in Illinois. No woman or child should be subjected to a lifetime of sexual slavery. Those individuals that exploit children must be brought to justice.
Of course, not every instance is child exploitation or prostitution. But, a well trained staff can learn to identify a situation and alert authorities. This may be the only way to save a child’s life. If an arrest is made, a pimp may be put out of business. The child will have a fighting chance to
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SOLUTION #1 COMMUNICATION
AN OPEN FORUM ON GALESBURG POLICE INTERACTION BIAS, RACIAL PROFILING, BRUTALITY Thursday, 12/18/14 @ 6pm 424 Depot Street We’ve been told by GPD that based on their not receiving enough complaints regarding police bias, racial profiling, or police brutality, they don’t believe Galesburg has problems in that area. Solution #1 will collect and provide data for our GPD to let them know that just because there isn’t enough of their own data doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t exist.
We Need You To Be A Part Of The Solution Share Your Experience or One For A Loved One # No Mike Brown’s in Galesburg Sponsored by Galesburg’s NAACP
Our December 18th General Meeting will be held at the Boys and Girls Club, 424 Depot St, Galesburg @ 6pm. We will have the specific purpose at this meeting of collecting information on persons who have had less than positive experiences with Galesburg's Police Department. We are asking you to pass the word to your circles and let people know we are collecting this data for our police department. A flier is attached for your convenience and sharing. Realizing that sometimes people are fearful of speaking, we are also providing for the anonymous collection of data. Emails and letters can be sent anonymously to NAACP, PO Box 248, Galesburg, IL 61402 or naacpgalesburg@gmail.com. Additionally, we are still collecting gifts for local teens and veterans. See the attached list for specific items. The last day/time for us to collect these gifts is December 18th at our meeting. We appreciate your donating to these members of our community who would not normally receive a gift. Thanks and have a wonderful holiday season! The Center for Youth and Family Solutions (CYFS) Christmas wish list. CYFS provides foster care and intact family services to youth and families affected by child abuse and neglect. 1. Boy (14) – Science, anything related to Rocks/Geology, clothes 2. Girl (13) – clothes, books, music 3. Girl (18) – clothes 4. Boy (12) – clothes, shoes 5. Girl (16) – clothes 6. Boy (13) – Chicago Bears, remote control cars, Legos, John Deere tractors, semi-trucks 7. Boy (13) – food, anything related to learning about Presidents, clothes 8. Girl (16) – clothes, music 9. Boy (14) – St. Louis Cardinals, clothes 10. Boy (12) – clothes 11. Boy. (14) – Art supplies 12. Girl (18) – clothes, art supplies 13. Girl (16) – clothes, art supplies 14. Boy (15) – video games, skateboarding, clothes The agency is suggesting gift cards for those youth who only have “clothes” listed.
Christmas wish list for the Defenders of Freedom Home. The Defenders of Freedom Home provides housing and services to homeless veterans. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Laundry Soap Dish Soap Toothpaste Shampoo and Conditioner Socks Twin Sheets (three sets) Underwear size 36-38
FUN FOR KIDS FREE TIME FOR PARENTS LEARN & PLAY THE Y WAY Saturday, December 20, 2014 2pm-4pm KNOX COUNTY YMCA Parents, leave your kids with us while you get some last minute Christmas shopping done. Boys and girls ages 4 and up will LEARN AND PLAY THE Y WAY with different activities including: a Mini Chef Kitchen of Holiday Treats, Craft Making, and a variety of Festive Activities.
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, December 17th A $10 late fee will be assessed after this date Fee: $15 Members
$20 Activity Members
Knox County YMCA 1324 W. Carl Sandburg Dr. Galesburg, IL 61401 309-344-1324 www.knoxymca.org Like us on Facebook!
SOUTHARD'S CAR WASH HOLIDAY DISCOUNT
Are you looking for that "oh so special" unique gift for family, friends, coworkers or employees? What about the person who has everything? Need stocking stuffers? We have the answer. .... Southard's car wash tokens. Our tokens work in both the automatic and self-serve bays. We are offering a discount on all tokens purchased through January 15th. The following discounts will apply: 12 tokens for $10.00 24 tokens for $20.00 30 tokens for $25.00 36 tokens for $30.00 125 tokens for $100.00 650 tokens for $500.00 We are locally owned and operated at the following location: 1819 N Henderson St 1720 E Main St - Galesburg, IL 1345 N Seminary St - office location - 309-343-7618
SERVICES AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYERS AND LAID OFF WORKERS While layoffs are never pleasant, the Workforce Investment Office of Western Illinois provides services designed to guide employers and displaced workers through the process. Employers are encouraged to contact the Workforce Investment Office as a first step. If faced with workforce reductions employers should determine if their reductions will require filing a WARN notice by accessing the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity website for details and resources regarding the WARN ACT at: https://www.illinois.gov/dceo or by contacting the Workforce Investment Office. The Workforce Investment Office tailors services to meet the needs of each event. Special meetings may be arranged to bring speakers to your site or another location of choice to explain services and benefits available to displaced workers. Services include an explanation of unemployment benefits, where and how to conduct a job search, resume preparation, career exploration if a career change is required, retraining opportunities at no cost to the employer or displaced worker, labor market information to help workers determine the best career path to pursue. There is also a website, Illinois workNet, dedicated to providing current information to Businesses and job seekers, check it out at www.illinoisworknet.com. Contact Blanche Shoup at the Workforce Investment Office of Western Illinois 344-1575 for questions or additional information.
! n r o H n w O r u Toot Yo Daxon Construction Company is excited to become a member of the Galesburg Chamber of Commerce. We are a full service Commercial Building Contractor and Construction Management Company serving Illinois and Iowa. From concept to completion, Daxon Construction provides exceptional leadership and service to guide you through the complexities of a project using a collaborative approach to meet your specific needs and goals. We can offer a “turnkey� approach designed specifically for your project handling all aspects from land acquisition to land development, design development, construction and commissioning, or we can work with your design team to construct a quality project within budget. Our company is centered on the fundamental values of professionalism, quality, honesty and integrity. Let us help you with your next construction project. Contact Steve Daxon or Steve McKelvie at 309-283-7177.
Esters joins Klingner & Associates GALESBURG- Klingner & Associates, PC, Engineers-Architects-Surveyors 49 N. Prairie St., has announced that LeAnn I. Esters has joined the Galesburg staff. She will be assuming the position of Office Coordinator for the Galesburg office. Esters, a grad of Galva High School, graduated from Black Hawk College in Moline with an associate's degree in fashion merchandising, and a minor in business. She has previous experience with marketing, human resources, accounting, management and staffing. She will be responsible for general administrative duties and administrative coordination between branch offices in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa.
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Representative Hammond Named Legislator of the Year by LeadingAge Illinois SPRINGFIELD, IL (November 13, 2014) –LeadingAge Illinois has announced that State Representative Norine Hammond has been named a 2014 LeadingAge Illinois Legislator of the Year. Representative Hammond has been chosen for her commitment to the advancement of quality older adult services in Illinois. LeadingAge Illinois’ membership of over 540 older adult service providers spans to complete continuum of care for older adult services. “We are grateful for the leadership displayed by Representative Hammond and her support of seniors in her community and throughout the state,” said Kirk
Riva, Vice President of Public Policy for LeadingAge Illinois. “We look forward to continuing to work with her on advancing quality in older adult services in Illinois.” For over 80 years, LeadingAge Illinois, a statewide association, has represented the leading providers of the complete continuum of services for older adults, including nursing care, supportive and assisted living, senior housing and home and community based services. With a diverse membership now numbering over 540 providers, LeadingAge Illinois is the largest eldercare association in Illinois.
leadership and expertise on issues related to long term care and senior housing and services. Committed to the advancement of quality and innovation in older adult services, LeadingAge Illinois is also the state affiliate of the LeadingAge and the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) in Washington, D.C.
As one of the largest and most respected trade associations of its type in the country, LeadingAge Illinois is nationally recognized for its innovative programs,
Williamsfield Schools has embarked on a new STEM Learning initiative as part of Illinois Pathways. They are recruiting individuals with the following subject matter expertise to be a mentor for upper level high school students: • Computer Science (Security/Networking & Web/App Development) • Health & Life Sciences • Energy & Ecological Studies • Business/Finance • Ag/Foods/Construction The project is designed to so that each student(s) will be led by a teacher and will initiate a project with a strong research question. The mentor will simply use their professional expertise to nudge/inspire the students to successfully complete their project. For more information contact Williamsfield Schools Superintendent Tim Farquer at tim.farquer@billtown.org.
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