You have to do some digging to find bargains at a thrift store like Goodwill. The inventory changes quickly, so go often. PHOTO BY JOSEPH COPLEY I wasn’t always a thrifter. As a status-conscious teenager growing up in suburban Chicago, I eschewed secondhand clothes in favor of the latest offerings from my favorite stores at […]
Special Issues
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How babies thrive despite us
Baby Meets World: Suck, Smile, Touch, Toddle – A Journey Through Infancy, by Nicholas Day. St. Martin’s Press, 2013. Baby Meets World by Nicholas Day is not your average baby manual. It’s a combination of scientific research and current and historical popular belief about infants. It’s a cross-cultural comparison of the many ways to raise […]
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‘Move more’ this winter
Blessed Sacrament students participating in genHkids’ Gotta Dance Move More program under the guidance of Tracey Sims Kopecky. PHOTO BY Virginia Ferguson Health experts recommend that children get 60 minutes of “moderate to vigorous” physical activity a day. That means any exercise that gets the heart beating fast and gets kids breathing hard. Recent studies […]
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Calendar for kids and parents
Alvin and The Chipmunks – The MusicalNov 19, 7pm Thu. Tickets: $25, $35, $45, $65. peoriaciviccenter.com. Peoria Civic Center, 201 SW Jefferson Ave., Peoria, 309-673-8900. Schoolhouse Rock Live! JRNov 20-22, 7pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun. Family-friendly revival of Emmy Award-winning 1970s Saturday morning educational cartoon. Featuring songs such as “Just A Bill,” “Interplanet Janet” and “Conjunction […]
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Pickleball takes Springfield
Springfield’s Iles Park has the largest dedicated outdoor pickleball facility in the Midwest. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Created one Sunday afternoon in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by then State Representative Joel Pritchard, pickleball is now played in all 50 states – and has nothing to do with pickles. Springfield resident Jack Handy loves to […]
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The many benefits of water aerobics
This water aerobics class meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the west location of the YMCA. PHOTOS BY DAVID HINE Gene Weiser could be the poster child for water exercise – or at least the poster adult. Weiser, a ballroom dancer and former Springfield resident now living at The Villages in Florida, maintains that regular […]
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Life is fine ‘Under The Oaks’
The front entrance to Seasons Under the Oaks. “I’ve heard people exclaim, ‘This is like a resort!’” says owner Steve Zaubi. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Steve Zaubi, owner of Seasons Under The Oaks, is standing in his facility’s common area. “This is the ‘great room,’” he explains. “It’s meant to be an extension of everybody’s […]
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Volunteering is good for you
PHOTO FROM METROCREATIVECONNECTION.COM Though many people characterize volunteer work as a way to give back to their community, research shows volunteering actually gives seniors vitality and a positive outlook in their last decades of life. Adjusting to retirement and a general downshift in responsibility and connection to others can be unexpectedly stressful. Volunteering provides multiple […]
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Paying for long-term care
PHOTO FROM METROCREATIVECONNECTION.COM Transitioning from your home to a long-term care facility is a decision no one wants to face. Recent data released by the National Center for Health Statistics, however, estimates more than two-thirds of Americans age 65 and older will need long-term care services during their lifetime. “It’s not a fun thing to […]
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Calendar of events – Fall 2015
Manheim Steamroller Christmas rolls into the Sangamon Auditorium Nov. 12. PHOTO COURTESY SANGAMON AUDITORIUM An Afternoon with GrouchoOct 25, 2pm Sun. 90 minutes of hilarity with award-winning actor/director/playwright Frank Ferrante as Groucho Marx. Accompanied by onstage pianist. $15-$30, $5 for school-age kids. eveningwithgroucho.com. Kirkland Fine Arts Center, 1184 W. Main St., 424-6318. 7th Annual […]
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Home and garden events calendar
Prairie GardenSep 17, 5:30pm Thu. Learn which prairie plants will make great additions to your garden. Hosted by University of Illinois Sangamon-Menard Extension. Free. 782-4617. University of Illinois Extension Sangamon-Menard Unit, 2501 N. Eighth St., Illinois State Fairgrounds, Bldg #30, Springfield. Bird Feeder WashSep 19, 10am-1pm Sat. Springfield Audubon Society members make your feeders clean […]
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What’s new in the kitchen?
Island with marble countertop. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY BURASKI BUILDERS Frank Buraski of Buraski Builders, who has been in the business of renovations and construction for 34 years, finds that kitchen trends are cyclical. He notes with interest that people are becoming more concerned with function than in past years. The trend toward commercial-looking kitchens exemplifies […]
