Throngs of people stood, clapped and cheered to welcome home and thank 92 veterans and their guardians when the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight returned to Springfield’s Capitol Airport around 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 1. After a long and hot day in Washington, D.C., the veterans walked the length of the airport with people standing […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
Rich Solomon receives Trailblazer Award
The Abraham Lincoln Council, Scouting America presented its prestigious Trailblazer Award to Rich Solomon, chair of the board and CEO of Solomon Colors, at a Sept. 8 dinner at Erin’s Pavilion at Southwind Park. The Trailblazer Award was established in 2010 to honor a member of the central Illinois community who exemplifies the attributes the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Big Ten blood drive competition
If you have Big Ten school ties, you can donate blood while also helping your favorite institution. The Abbott Big Ten Blood Drive competition runs through Dec. 5, the end of its regular football season. For Illini fans, this is the opportunity to receive an orange Illinois T-shirt in exchange for their donation. Impact Life […]
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The Way begins with you: Join us in building a stronger community
Our purpose at United Way of Central Illinois is to improve lives by mobilizing our community. We invest in solutions, convene partners and develop innovative strategies that create opportunities for every person to succeed. Our work is grounded in the belief that strong communities are built when people have the opportunity to learn, earn and […]
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Welcoming a new year with prayer, penitence and charity
This coming Friday evening we will mark the beginning of the Jewish holiday season known as the Days of Awe. Rosh Hashanah, observed this year from Sept. 11 through sunset on Sunday, Sept. 13, is the Jewish New Year. For religious purposes, Jews use a lunar calendar, and the appearance of a new moon marks […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Career Connections
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce is looking for area professionals to join its new Career Connections program to work with high school students exploring their future opportunities. Career Connections is a database hosted on the Chamber’s website where area students and counselors can find a local professional to interview about their career and educational path. Students will be able […]
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle
Returning home: Finding purpose in Springfield
Springfield, Illinois – the place she once said she would never return to – would eventually become the place where she rediscovered purpose, community, and a renewed sense of belonging. Growing up surrounded by community engagement was nothing new for Azaliah Isaiah-Davenport. What was new was the challenge of leaving behind what was familiar, experiencing […]
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Loving care and harmony during the Season of Creation
The choir has arrived. It is dawn. A red glow hovers to the north, at the tree line, just past my window this late summer day. Today they arrived without my attention, though many days I watch for them. When I do finally look up, I see a few dozen “choristers” – small black birds, […]
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A summer “staycation” can open our listening hearts
“Every scribe who becomes a disciple of the Kingdom of Heaven is like a householder who brings out of the storeroom things both new and old.” Mt. 13:52 If I ran downstairs right now to check my “storeroom” aka the pantry, I’m pretty sure I’d find a fresh box or two of pasta, some crackers […]
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A new academic year brings new opportunities at UIS
The University of Illinois Springfield begins a new academic year today, marking the 56th first day of classes since our university welcomed its first students in 1970. A lot has changed since then, but our commitment remains the same: providing an excellent educational experience, both in and out of the classroom, for every learner. I […]
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The value of getting involved
Starting college, whether for the first time or after years away from the classroom, is an exciting milestone that should be celebrated! Students have new opportunities and experiences to look forward to while also navigating an unfamiliar environment and learning how to balance those new opportunities with existing responsibilities. As the director of student engagement […]
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Revisiting reverence
Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place – and I did not know it.” – Genesis 28:16 The fall of 2001, I found myself driving alone from St. Louis to Chicago to be with my mother who was to undergo lung surgery. I was feeling a mixture […]
