Monthly Senior Potluck

Pearce Community Center will host the monthly senior potluck at noon on Tuesday, March 24. All seniors are invited to bring a side dish and their own table service and join in the fun. Fried chicken and drinks are provided. This month, the Community Needs Agency will talk about their services.     

Certification Allows Members Ages 13 & 14 to Use Pearce Fitness Area

 Pearce Community Center is offering Junior Fit Certification on Friday, March 20, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.  After successfully completing the class and receiving certification, young members will be allowed access to the cardiovascular room and the Selectorized equipment area.

Participants will learn how to use the equipment in a safe, productive manner. Additionally, they will learn fitness etiquette, rules, and examples of workouts.

Pearce Foundation members pay only $7.50; members $10. Advance registration is required. 

School’s Out Day Camp Offered at Pearce

Pearce Community Center will host School’s Out Day Camp for students in grades K-6 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, March 19 and 20, when IVC School District #321 is not in session. Before camp care is also available beginning at 6:30 a.m.

Campers will spend the day enjoying a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, swimming in the pool, and local field trips. Bring a daily sack lunch that does not require refrigeration but can contain microwaveable items and a drink, swimsuit and towel, gym shoes, and a book. An afternoon snack will be provided.

Register in advance at Pearce. Foundation members pay only $27 per child per day; members $30; and non-members $45.

Free Diabetic Retinopathy Screening

A free diabetic retinopathy screening for persons with diabetes, or those at risk for diabetes, will be held on Wednesday, March 18 at Pearce Community Center in Chillicothe. The screening is coordinated by the Chillicothe Lion’s Club and the Lions of Illinois Foundation, and is made possible through your generous donations.

The quality of life for people with diabetic retinopathy and other retinal disorders, such as macular degeneration, is dramatically impacted. Since early detection of such disorders is critical, persons with diabetes or those 55 or older are encouraged to take advantage of this free screening.

Persons wishing to join the Lions in their fight against the effects of vision and hearing loss should contact the Chillicothe Lion’s Club President Mike Mahoney at (309) 274-5451.

Group Swim Lesson Registration Opens

Pearce Community Center will offer group swim lessons this spring to children ages six months and older. The eight-week session begins the week of March 17.

Lessons are available for three age groups. Parent/child lessons for children age six months to 35 months are offered on Tuesdays at 9:55 a.m.; preschool lessons for ages three and four years are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30; and youth lessons for children five years and older are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:15 p.m., 4:50 p.m., and 5:25 p.m. 

The cost of the class is $33.75 for Pearce Foundation members; $45 for members; and $65 for non-members. Register for swim lessons at Pearce.

For more information on swim lessons, or to learn how to become a member of Pearce Community Center, call (309) 274-4209 or visit Pearce at www.pearcecc.com.

Special Wine Tasting Event a Delightful Way to Celebrate Pearce's 25th Anniversary

Girl's night out!

Pearce staff members Jackie Teeling and Raquel Herron toasted to an evening celebrating Pearce.

Pearce staff members Jackie Teeling and Raquel Herron toasted to an evening celebrating Pearce.

Pearce Foundation Board President Andy Ruhland, along with friends, enjoyed the Sweet Catawba blush wine.

Pearce Foundation Board President Andy Ruhland, along with friends, enjoyed the Sweet Catawba blush wine.

Julie Hubbard, owner of Julie's Corner Store in Lacon, explains the origin of the grapes in Berlyn, a light, semi-dry red wine from August Hill Winery.

February Member of the Month

February Member of the Month Lou Ann Harms is a physical therapist assistant. Her participation at Pearce helps her stay in shape so that she can provide excellent treatment to her patients.

Lou Ann is a charter member, meaning she joined Pearce when the Center opened 25 years ago. She remembers spending many volunteer hours cleaning and repairing different areas around the Center.

The variety of activities and the friendships she has made are what she enjoys most about Pearce.  Lou Ann and her family have participated in Pearce Strong cross training, The Challenge Within, Spinning, many group exercise classes, swim lessons, and soccer and basketball youth sports leagues.

When she’s not at work, Lou Ann most enjoys working out at Pearce, and spending time with her children, and volunteering at their school.

When she needs a boost of motivation, Lou Ann remembers to “surround yourself with people who challenge, push, and motivate you.”

Lou Ann encourages everyone to take full advantage of what Pearce has to offer you and your family.

Governor-Elect Rauner Visits Pearce

Governor-elect Bruce Rauner visited Pearce on his way to his inauguration in Springfield. 

The Community Room was filled to capacity for the event. Chillicothe Mayor Doug Crew introduced Senator Darin Lahood who recommended the stop to Rauner. 

Lieutenant Governor-elect Evelyn Sanguinetti introduced Rauner to a roar of applause. Rauner stepped to the front of the room, approachable and unassuming in his manner. He spoke for about 10 minutes on his passionate desire to make Illinois one of the strongest states in America. Rauner called the financial crisis "stunning," but is committed to spending responsibly. "Borrowed money is not revenue," Rauner explained when describing the crisis. "We will no longer spend more than we take in."

Rauner has already met with about 75% of the general assembly, currently held by Democrats, in his determination to work together to solve the State's problems and create a bi-partisan culture. 

Governor Rauner will live in rental property in Springfield while he raises private funds to restore the Governor's mansion. He will not accept a salary or a pension and will remodel and repair the mansion with his private funds. 

If you missed his visit, he'll be back. Look for him duck hunting on the river or riding his Harley along the scenic routes that wind through central Illinois. 

Safe Sitter® Course in March

Pearce is one of 850 Safe Sitter® teaching sites throughout the United States. Safe Sitter® was founded in 1980 by Indianapolis pediatrician Patricia A. Keener, M.D. after a colleague's 18-month-old choked to death while under an adult sitter's care. Dr. Keener developed Safe Sitter® as a medically accurate instructional program designed for teens no younger than 11, the age when many begin to stay home alone or watch younger siblings.

In general, inadequate emphasis is placed on the magnitude of the responsibility a young teen accepts when caring for themselves and others. Most young teens lack the knowledge of first aid, rescue skills, behavior management techniques, and life experiences necessary for handling medical, behavioral, or household emergencies which might occur.

The course develops knowledge of first aid, rescue skills, and behavior management techniques and provides the experience to handle medical, behavioral, or household emergencies. Participants will also learn how to feed and diaper small children and create their own personalized toolkit of activities, crafts, and games to take with them to babysitting jobs.

 

Pearce offers SafeSitter® as a 6-week babysitting course to teens age 11 to 17. The spring session will be held on Thursdays, March 5 through April 9 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The cost for Foundation members is $30; members $40; and non-members $50.

Staying On Track in 2015

By Anthony Bischler, BS, CSCS, Certified Personal Trainer

Along your fitness journey, it is inevitable that you will encounter setbacks and obstacles. There are a few techniques that can be done on a daily basis to keep your motivation high, enabling you to complete your goals.

When making goals, think realistically. Write them on paper and place them in places you will see every day. This technique will help serve as small reminders to go to the gym. It will keep your goals fresh in your mind, and serve as a constant reminder as to why you chose to start your fitness journey. Sometimes a motivating picture or quote can be used in a similar fashion. These small reminders can help motivate you to exercise on the days you lack motivation or time. Find what motivates you and make an effort to constantly remind yourself of that.

A common obstacle people encounter is a lack of time. People have busy lives and several obligations. For some, time restrictions are a true issue. However, there are alternative ways to arrange your time to include a daily workout. Another obstacle that impacts your time is children or grandchildren. Many facilities offer child care services at a reasonable rate. An additional obstacle is the lack of energy people experience. After work, most people look forward to going home to eat dinner and relax while watching their favorite TV show. While watching TV can be enjoyable, taking 30 minutes to an hour of that time to exercise instead can go a long way to helping you achieve your fitness goals. Many people have time during the week to exercise, however their time is not prioritized around it. When exercising becomes a priority, it becomes a habit causing many excuses to fade away.

Another way to stay on track with your fitness goals is to find someone to workout with. Whether that person is a friend, colleague or even a trainer, someone holding you accountable is crucial, especially for someone who needs motivation to stay on track. Even if you are usually motivated to exercise most of the time, occasionally, there may be that day where you just don't feel like working out. On those days, having someone else counting on you to show up is helpful.

If you find yourself straying from your goals or finding it hard to stay motivated, give these ideas a try and keep yourself on track towards your fitness goals!  

New Board Member Elected at Pearce

The Pearce Community Center Board of Directors swore in newly elected Board member Gwen Hemstreet at its November meeting after she accepted Board President Ty Fennell's request to serve.  

Gwen is a Chillicothe resident and former math teacher and girls' sports coach at IVC High School. She and her husband Scott are the new owners of Meister Shane and the parents of Brennan, three, and Elyse, one.

As the great-niece of Barb Truitt, founder of Pearce, and the daughter of former Pearce director Betty Truitt, Gwen's passion for the Center is in her blood. "Pearce is a true community center," said Gwen. "Beyond fitness, Pearce offers so much for the community including the Senior Room, tutoring, Spooktacular, and the day and summer camps."

As a new board member, Gwen will champion Pearce's connection to education as well as programming for young children and stay-at-home moms. As she becomes settled in her role, she wants to lead Pearce to continuously seek ways to fill the community, recreation, and fitness needs. Gwen would also like to leverage her degree in finance and her experience in human resources to benefit the Center. 

Babysitting Class Offered at Pearce

Pearce Community Center is offering the Safe Sitter® program, a six-week babysitting class, beginning Thursday, March 5, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for ages 11 to 17.

The class will develop knowledge of first aid, rescue skills, and behavior management techniques as well as provide the experience to handle medical, behavioral, or household emergencies. Participants will also learn how to feed and diaper small children and create their own personalized toolkit of activities, crafts, and games to take with them to babysitting jobs. The class will conclude with hands-on experience babysitting at Pearce during Parent’s Night Out on Friday, April 10, mentored by trained staff.

The cost of the class is $30 for Foundation members; $40 for members; and $50 for non-members. Register for the Safe Sitter® program at Pearce. 

Play 'N Learn Begins February 25