VERMILION COUNTY FARM BUREAU DANVILLE, ILLINOIS APRIL - MARCH 2010 IN THIS ISSUE ... Member Discount Spotlight .... page 3 Commodity Challenge ............ page 5 FFA Winners ......................... page 11 Leaders to DC ........................ page 4 Misleading HCFS Claims........ page 6 Access Illinois ....................... page 13 Cards-Cubs Bus Trip/Theme Park Tickets ................................ Back Cover
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VERMILION COUNTY FARM BUREAU
DANVILLE, ILLINOIS APRIL - MARCH 2010
IN THIS ISSUE ...Member Discount Spotlight ....page 3Commodity Challenge ............page 5FFA Winners .........................page 11
Leaders to DC ........................page 4Misleading HCFS Claims ........page 6Access Illinois .......................page 13
Cards-Cubs Bus Trip/Theme Park Tickets ................................Back Cover
BOOSTER2
FROM THE BACK PORCH
by David Sadler, PresidentVermilion County Farm Bureau
April 15th is here, which means tax time for millions. If you’re one of the lucky farmers and fishermen, you get to file your income tax return by March 1. Regardless of the date, most people will inevitably file at the last possible moment.
What is it about deadlines that make us bump up against them instead of completing our tasks early and getting it over with? Take this column, for instance. Please. Sorry, that’s an old Henny Youngman bit. I usually submit it the day it’s due, maybe the day before if the calendar falls right but never do I just offhandedly walk into the office and say, “Here’s next month’s column. Try not to lose it before you need it.” Hasn’t happened yet.
I suppose the same scenario holds true for items in the old job jar. That jar, whether physical or virtual, contains several types of tasks. Some are “would be nice
to do” - those that get revisited from time to time and likely put back for another time. Most are “should do” - the ones you choose so as to accomplish as many each day as possible. A few are “must do.” Those are the killers. Those have deadlines attached. Those are the ones you may forget about, conveniently, but still don’t go away.
My wife, the diligent one in the outfit, tackles more ‘shoulds’ per day than I ever could. “No ‘should’ gets left undone” is her motto. With that type of attitude, her ‘musts’ fall in line and get taken out like a weed whacker on steroids.
Mine, on the other hand, tend to languish, growing in intensity so much that the simplest of tasks now becomes an insurmountable obligation that can’t be satisfied even with the help of an army. No amount of intellectualizing will help me decide to tackle
On the Cover ... the last Booster cover generated several phone calls, but not a lot of information about the machine or lady shown in the photo. In a look through our files, we found this photo with a more complete view of the equipment – a Seaman Triple-tiller. Note the extra motor needed to operate the tiller. We still don’t have any information on the people shown in the photo. If you know who they might be, please contact the Vermilion County Farm Bureau office at 217-442-8713.
IL Fair Map Support – Several members helped collect signatures on petitions for the IL Fair Map Amendment during DACC Ag Day. Above, Vickie Miller of Indianola signs the petition as Executive Director Kerry Wienke and John Maudlin of Georgetown look on. Others helping collect signatures were David Sadler, Mike Marron, Bruce Darr, Steve Fourez and Katie Fourez.
the problem and no amount of planning will help me understand how I could possibly complete the project. Interestingly, when I get off the dime and actually start to do something, the job is never as formidable or foreboding as I had convinced myself it would be.
Case in point (you knew there’d be one, didn’t you)-Linda and I built our house right after we got married. We were both working for modest wages back in the early 70s. We didn’t have that much saved up but we were
tired of living in a small trailer. Dad said it was a bad idea, we were cash poor and couldn’t afford it, interest rates were too high, on and on. We did it anyway and successfully managed to do over 80 percent of the work ourselves.
The project took over eighteen months in between farming and other things. We worked weekends and days off when we could. Most things progressed reasonably well EXCEPT the plumbing work. That component took more time than any other aspect of the construction.
I ba lked , I pu t o ff , I procrastinated, I postponed, I set aside, I…well you get the picture. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do those things; I just didn’t know HOW to do them. Not like electrical work-I love to do that. Not like building walls or installing panel or putting up trim. All things I had a fairly high comfort level with. But not plumbing. That was my Achilles.
Turns out DOING things is often far easier than DECIDING to do them. Paraphrasing Yogi Berra, “Ninety percent of overcoming deadlines is half mental.” You have to make a consc ious dec is ion to do something, then get off your duff and just do it.
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10% off Grainger Catalog PricesWhether you’re a farmer, business owner, or just someone who loves power tools and great savings, as an Illinois Farm Bureau member, you’ll receive 10% off Grainger Industrial Supplies:
• 10% on catalog prices• 55% on all Proto tools (off list price)• 50% on Stanley tools (off list price)• 35% on heavy-duty motors (off list price)• FREE SHIPPING with online purchases
Ordering is easy. Call toll free 1-866-217-3435, visit any of the 395 local Grainger branches, or order online. Be sure to mention your IFB discount number - #853007128.
BOOSTERPublished Bi-monthly by the
VERMILION COUNTY FARM BUREAUKerry Wienke, Editor
1905-C U.S. Route 150Danville, Illinois 61832Phone (217) 442-8713
OFFICE HOURSMonday–Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
OFFICERSPresident .............................David SadlerVice-President ......................Mark WillardSecretary ................................Bruce DarrTreasurer ............................. Dennis Smith
STAFFExecutive Director ..............Kerry WienkeDirector of Information ............ Tom FrickeOffice Secretary ............... Nancy DuncanAg Literacy Coordinator .......Staci Walker
DIRECTORS
District 1Garrett Douglass Jon FourezDavid Heckerson Rick JamesMark Willard
District 2Doug Cunningham Kevin KemnaGreg Cunningham Steve LaneJarrod Dice
District 3Alan Chesnut Bruce DarrBryan Darr Stewart SheetsDennis Smith
Periodical postage paid at Danville, IL Publication No. 061080
Postmaster - Send address changes to:Vermilion County Farm Bureau
1905-C U.S. Route 150Danville, IL 61832
Subscription Price, $2.00 per yearDisplay advertising - Apply for rates
Calendar of EventsApril 21 ...............................Administrative Professionals DayMay 4 .............................................................Farm Safety DayMay 20 ........................................................Board of DirectorsMay 31 ............................OFFICE CLOSED – Memorial DayJune 7-11 .......................................AITC Summer Ag InstituteJune 17 ........................................................Board of DirectorsJuly 6-10 .................................Vermilion County Fair & ExpoJuly 8-11 .....................I & I Tractor Club Historic Farm DaysJuly 16 ................................Danville Dans Farm Bureau NightJuly 29 ........................................Barn Door Open Golf OutingJuly 31 – Aug 7 ..............................................Georgetown FairAugust 13-22 ................................................ Illinois State FairAugust 15 ............................................Cards vs Cubs Bus Trip
For further information on any of these activities, contact the Vermilion County Farm Bureau office at (217) 442-8713 or visit us on the web at www.vcfb.info.
Young Leaders Kick Off Commodities Challenge – Doug Yoder, with Illinois Farm Bureau, was on hand to walk the Young Leaders Committee through the Vermilion County Farm Bureau’s Commodities Challenge. The Commodities Chal-lenge is an on-line, no-risk interactive trading game designed to help producers improve their marketing skills. See the ad on page 5 for details.
Vermilion County farmers who would like to run for a three-year term on the Illinois Corn Marketing Board can now start circulating nominating petitions.
Petitions are available at county Extension offices and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The deadline to complete and return them is May 15.
“The board funds check-off programs that promote consumption of our agricultural commodities,” Agriculture Director Tom Jennings said. “I encourage farmers who would like a voice in these important decisions to gather the required number of signatures on these petitions to get their name on the election ballot.”
Elections for the board will be held July 6. District 6 includes Vermilion, Ford, Iroquois and Champaign Counties.
For more information, call the Illinois Department of Agriculture at (217) 782-6675 or write to: Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Marketing and Promotion, P.O. Box 19281, State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill., 62794-9281.
Nominating Petitions Available For Illinois Corn Board
EGGciting NewsEggs are an economical source of high-quality protein
and fit right into an overall diet that focuses on moderate amounts of a wide variety of foods.
Celebrate National Egg Month this May by eating more eggs!
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Farm Bureau Leaders Visit DC
“With malice for none, with charity for all…” This was the third time, I had traveled to our nation’s capitol, the first with Il-linois Farm Bureau’s Leaders to Washington. Every time I am in D.C. I make a pilgrimage to the Lincoln Memorial to read those words along with the rest of The Second Inaugural Address. As I stared up at the marble statue of the Great Emancipator, I reflected on the previous three days. It was a lightning fast three days of walking, talking, and generally pleading our case to the Illinois Congressional delegation.
Our first stop in town was to AFBF to get our briefing on IFB’s legislative priorities, and then it was off to Capitol Hill. Once on the hill, we had a very informa-tive meeting with staff members from the Ag Committee, arranged by Bobby Frederick from Con-gressman Tim Johnson’s office. In this meeting we voiced our concerns and learned what to ex-pect if Congress revisits the Farm Bill next year in reconciliation.
Next we split up into teams and visited the staff of individual
members of the House. Our team met with the staff of Tim John-son, Luis Gutierrez, and Jesse Jackson Jr. We had the difficult task of lobbying one Congress-man that agrees with almost 100% of IFB’s agenda, and two others from Chicago who are opposed to most of the issues we raised. Nutrition programs in the Farm Bill were the only issues that seemed to resonate with the Chicago Lawmakers. If nothing else the nutrition and food stamp programs were issues we used as a building block to try and cultivate a relationship with these Congressmen.
Finally, we finished our day on the hill by visiting Senator Durbin in the ornate office that once belonged to Lyndon John-son when he was a Senator from Texas. Durbin was congenial and seemed somewhat responsive to some of the issues we brought up. He however, vehemently disagreed with us on cap and trade legislation. Despite our dif-ferences, I do feel like our group held their own and left a favorable impression on the Senator.
The next day we headed to the USDA to meet with several officials. Among those we met was Dave Lazarus, a senior advi-sor to Sec. Vilsack. He discussed Secretary Vilsack’s priorities. Most of the priorities for USDA revolved around rural develop-ment and food programs. Even though production ag was not mentioned much by Mr. Lazarus, he did specifically talk about ratification of the Colombia, Panama, and Korea Free Trade Agreements. That was certainly an encouraging sign.
Our trip culminated in a night tour of Washington. We drove around the national mall, and crossed the Potomac River. Once across the river we came upon the Iwo Jima memorial. This gigantic statue commemorates the Marine Corps and depicts the six heroes that raised Old Glory on the summit of Mt. Suraba-chi. Back across the river, we stopped to pay tribute to 58,000+ names etched on a granite wall, a sobering memorial to the men and women who gave their lives in Vietnam.
Next we saw the glittering fountains and the reflecting pool honoring those who fought Hit-ler, Tojo, and Mussolini. It was a fitting tribute to the men and women who saw America through to victory in the world’s most devastating war.
Editor’s note: Illinois Farm Bureau hosts three trips to Washing-ton D.C., taking members out to our nation’s capitol to meet with Congressmen and staff, as well as regulators. The trips allow those enacting and enforcing laws to hear from agriculture how those laws will impact food production in the heartland. Mike Marron and Kevin Green, from Fithian, participated in the Leaders to Washington trip March 9-11. The following was written by Mike Marron.
Leaders to Washington – Kevin Green (2nd row left) and Mike Marron (1st row right) joined 23 other Farm Bureau leaders from Illinois in Washington, D.C. for the IFB Leaders to Washington Trip in early March. The group visited with the Illinois Congressional staffs, met with Senator Durbin, and stopped by the USDA.
Finally, as an encore we made it to the memorial for our sixteenth President. As I fin-ished reading Lincoln’s words I thought about the troubles we face in America: an unresponsive government, a serious recession, and an out of control national debt. Then I thought about De-cember 1941, April 1861, and the Great Depression. I thought about how this nation has been through the fire before, and how we have endured.
I turned and looked out across the mall. You could see the Wash-ington Monument and the Capitol Dome shinning in the night. I thought about what it meant to come here and participate in our representative republic. I thought about what it means to be an American. With a lump in my throat and a watery eye, I had to crack a smile.
Participating in the legisla-tive process through lobbying is something everyone should experience. For far too long we have been satisfied with educat-ing ourselves and voting. This constitutes the bare minimum of our civic duties. I encourage anyone who is interested to apply for IFB’s next Leaders to Wash-ington trip. It is an excellent way to look out for the interest of ag-riculture, and it is an experience you won’t forget.
Viewpoint Discussion Held Adam Nielsen, direc-tor to National Leg-islation & Policy De-velopment for Illinois Farm Bureau was the guest at the Ver-milion County Farm Bureau Viewpoint Meeting in March. Nielsen discussed
current issues in Washington like health care, cap-and-trade, and extension of the estate tax exemption. Listening to Adam are Steve Fourez (l) and Kevin Johnson, ag aide for Congress-man Tim Johnson. The meeting concluded with a discussion of local issues.
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Legislative Committee Discusses School Funding Issues Vermilion County Farm Bu-reau Legislative & Local Affairs Committee met in February with Bill Mulvaney, Superintendent of Arm-strong Schools, to discuss the current funding situa-tion for schools and how the state’s lack of payments impacts local budgets. This issue is becoming more of a concern to all school districts as state payments continue to be delayed or not paid. Jamaica Superintendent Mark Janesky has proposed the idea of a four-day school week. Legislation introduced by State Representative Bill Black would allow local school boards to vote on utilizing a four-day a week calendar, allowing districts to save on bussing and utility costs. The bill passed the House 81-21, and now awaits action in the Senate, where State Senator Mike Frerichs has signed on as co-sponsor.
The Commodity Challenge is an online, interactivecommodity game, using current market prices that allow
participants to test their knowledge and practice their marketing skills. Through the exercise, participants
can trade corn, soybeans and wheat on the cash, futures and options markets to help them learn about the
ins and outs of today’s commodity markets.
An infestation of emerald ash borer (EAB) was found just north of Loda at a highway rest area along Interstate 57, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA).
State and federal EAB field workers made the discovery. They observed about a dozen distressed ash trees near the rest area on the southbound side of the interstate. Larvae collected from the trees were confirmed as EAB by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
“Ash trees on the other side of the highway also show signs of infestation. We’d like to see them all removed and chipped before adult beetles begin to emerge later this spring and have a chance to spread,” said Warren Goetsch, with IDOA.
“Plans are to place surveillance traps throughout not only Iroquois County, but also neighboring Ford, Champaign and Vermilion counties to determine whether this infestation is isolated.”
The emerald ash borer is difficult to detect, especially in newly-infested trees. You should watch for metallic-green beetles about half the diameter of a penny on or near ash trees that are showing signs of disease or stress. Other signs of infestation in ash trees include D-shaped holes in the bark of the trunk or branches and shoots growing from its base. While the beetle does not pose any direct risk to public health, it does threaten the tree population.
Since the emerald ash borer was first confirmed in the Midwest in the summer of 2002, it has killed more than 25 million ash trees.
For more information, visit www.IllinoisEAB.com on the internet.
Emerald Ash Borer Found in Iroquois County
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More and more food labels are touting the “No HFCS” or “No High Fructose Corn Syrup” claim. Just like the “lite” and “all natural” claims food makers have splashed on their product packaging to appeal to health-conscious consumers, the “No HFCS” declaration has little-to-nothing to do with eating healthfully.
The body handles high fructose corn syrup the same as sugar. It has the same number of calories as sugar.
Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association, which represents makers of corn sweeteners and other corn-based products, says consumers are being misled by food makers’ “marketing gimmicks.” Bowing to consumer demand, however, food makers are trying to give their products an aura of being more natural, with fewer, simpler ingredients. Food companies like Haagen-Dazs, Heinz, Hunt’s, Nabisco and Pepsi are rolling out new formulations that exclude HFCS.
Both HFCS and sugar contain about the same ratio of glucose to fructose – the component that tastes the sweetest. Even the American Dietetic Association and some consumer advocates say that the body can’t tell one sweetener from the other.
“The bottom line is there isn’t a shred of evidence that high fructose corn syrup is nutritionally any different from sugar,” said Michael Jacobsen, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest in a March 2 USA Today article.
The American Medical Association in 2008 looked into claims that HFCS was making Americans fat, and it concluded that “high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute more to obesity than other caloric sweeteners….”
That hasn’t stopped the consumer trend or the onslaught of accusations that HFCS and U.S. farm subsidies are contributing to America’s weight problems
“The agriculture and food industry is under baseless attack,” Erickson said. She said all farmers must help consumers understand where food comes from and why certain products are used. Otherwise, farm policy opponents will effectively use the issue to attack the farm bill.
Consumers also could pay the price, she said, by “losing some products they have come to love.” Food makers invest
‘No HFCS’ Marketing Claim Misleads Consumers a lot of time and money into formulating their products for the best mouth-feel, taste, appearance and shelf-life. They often use HFCS as much for how it affects a food’s texture or character as for any other reason.
HFCS critics point to the presence of the sweetener on a label for something like bread as evidence that it’s in too many foods. However, as any home
baker knows, all breads have some sweetener in them. The sugar aids the yeast and helps the dough rise, and it aids in browning and, of course, taste. Using HFCS may be the food maker’s choice because it helps keep the bread soft for a longer time.
Erickson reiterated that this isn’t a competition between the sweeteners.
The AMA concluded that “high fructose corn syrup does not appear
to contribute more to obesity than other
caloric sweeteners….”
Farm Bureau Marks Food Check-Out Week – Members of the Vermilion County Farm Bu-reau Board bagged groceries at the Danville County Markets to mark Food Check-Out Week. The event is an opportunity for producers to talk to consumers and discuss the many factors that go into food prices, and that the U.S. enjoys the safest, most abundant and affordable food in the world. In the left photo, Mark Willard (center right) and Steve Lane (right) visit with a couple of customers at the Village Mall County Market. The right photo shows Rick James bagging groceries for another shopper. Others participating in Food Check-Out Day included David Sadler, Stewart Sheets, Garrett Douglass, and Bruce Darr.
“There truly are cases where the food maker would prefer to use one and not the other,” she said. “Sugar is better for dry mixes, breakfast cereals and other things that we’ll never be in. This is not a conflict between sugar and HFCS. It’s to deliver the most appealing product to the consumer.”
Despite the increase in HFCS-free marketing claims, only 3.6 percent of consumers in a consumer research study done last year reported having concerns about HFCS. That’s actually down from 8.3 percent in 2008. About 44 percent of the consumers surveyed said they have heard or read about food products marketed as HFCS-free.
However, when consumers are given facts about HFCS, they often view food companies that market products as HFCS-free more negatively, with nearly half of consumers surveyed saying they felt misled by the claims. CRA is encouraged by the findings and is placing radio and television ads to try to get the message out that HFCS is a safe product that, like all sweeteners, is fine to eat in moderation.
PROCEDURE TO OBTAIN DISCOUNT:Simply show your paid up Vermilion County Farm Bureau Membership card at each visit at the time payment is required. Vermilion County Farm Bureau does not intend this as an endorsement of any of the professionals, busi-nesses or products on which discounts have been obtained for our members and the Vermilion County Farm Bureau does not assume any liability for services rendered under this service.
VERMILION COUNTY FARM BUREAU WILL CONSIDER REQUESTS FROM OTHER PROFESSIONALSAND BUSINESSES WHO MIGHT WISH TO PROVIDE DISCOUNTS TO OUR MEMBERS.
FOR DETAILS PLEASE CALL 442-8713.
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Three members of the Oak-wood FFA Chapter were re-cently selected as District 4 FFA Proficiency Award winners. The District 4 Proficiency Awards were held March 17 at Charles-ton High School.
The Agricultural Proficiency Awards program helps students set goals and learn practical skills. The program rewards FFA members for exceptional ac-complishments and excellence in a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program, through which students learn to apply the concepts and prin-ciples taught in their agriculture classes to real-world problems and scenarios.
First-place winners from the Oakwood FFA Chapter include Darren Cundiff, Aaron Dunbar, and Rachel Mulcahey. Cundiff won the Ag Processing Award Area, and is employed at Lei-dings Meats. Dunbar competed in the Forest Management Award Area, and works on his family’s Christmas tree farm. Mulcahey owns two horses, and travels to
many horse shows to compete in barrels, poles and Western classes. She competed in the Equine Production Placement Award Area. Also participating was Eli Davis. He competed in Beef Production Placement and earned second place.
The FFA members were se-lected in competition with 5 FFA members from District 4. District 4 is comprised of 5 ag-riculture sections in East Central Illinois including 62 schools in 20 counties. Winning District 4 Proficiency Awards makes the members eligible to compete in the State FFA Awards Contest in Urbana in early April.
FFA is a youth organization designed to develop leader-ship and agriscience skills. FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by devel-oping premier leadership, per-sonal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Darcy Nekolny is the agriculture education teacher and FFA Ad-visor at Oakwood High School.
Oakwood FFA Members Win Proficiency Awards
Oakwood FFA Proficiency participants included (l to r): Eli Davis (Beef Production – Fithian), Darren Cundiff (Ag Processing – Danville), Aaron Dunbar (Forest Management – Oakwood), and Rachel Mulcahey (Equine Production – Oakwood).
Executive Director Reaches Service Milestone – Kerry Wienke (center), of Oakwood, celebrated 20 years as Executive Director of the Vermilion County Farm Bureau on April 1. He was honored at a surprise Open House, with current and past board members, affiliated companies and ag community officials. Wienke grew up on the family farm in Vermilion County southeast of Homer. He earned his BS and EMBA degrees from the University of Illinois. He’s shown above with Alan Puzey (left), Farm Bureau president when Kerry was hired in 1990, and David Sadler (right), current president.
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FB Board Meets with Hospital CEO – Mike Brown, Provena United Samaritans Medical Center CEO (left in photo), recently gave a presentation to the Vermilion County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. He’s shown above with (left to right) Jim Anderson of Provena and Farm Bureau board members Rick James and Dennis Smith. Brown talked about some of the accomplishments and investments the hospital has made over the last four years - $18.5 million in capital upgrades, 5-star rating for treatment of heart attacks, and over 217,114 outpatient visits per year. He also discussed the challenges facing Provena – over 39,000 ER visits every year, 58% of patients are on Medicare, and keeping physicians and surgeons (average age of current physician staff is 60).
Mike Brown, President/CEOProvena United Samaritans
Medical Center, Danville
The last few years have seen many changes at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center, and I’m pleased to have this oppor-tunity to share our news with our Vermilion County community. Many of our changes include specific developments we’ve made in order to provide the best care for our entire community.
Breast cancer touches every-one. Whether it’s a family mem-ber or friend, chances are you know someone who has been affected by this disease.
Over the past several years, Provena United Samaritans has invested in new technologies for early detection of breast cancer including digital mammogra-phy, two minimally invasive breast biopsy systems, a ste-reotactic breast biopsy system, and an MRI with the breast coil necessary to perform diagnostic testing and breast biopsy.
Gone are the days where, after a suspicious mammogram (on actual film rather than a screen) meant rescheduling to come back for an ultrasound or MRI or breast biopsy – all of this can now be done in one visit when needed, which offers con-venience and peace of mind
In 2010, we also acquired a full-body bone densitometry system for providing the latest in bone health assessment, as well as two state-of-the-art ul-trasound machines to offer even a wider variety of diagnostic ser-vices for men and women.
Armed with the best tech-nology, we’ve now created a physical environment that is patient-centered, relaxing, and “high-touch,” that gives the women the confidence and com-fort they need to seek early de-
tection. Thanks in part to many generous donations, the Provena United Samaritans Women’s Health Center became a reality this past January.
As soon as you step off the elevator to our “Ground Rear” floor, you’re welcomed with a beautiful reception area, a relax-ing setting for the working pro-fessional, and a child-friendly area for patients that need to bring their children with them. With a designated waiting area, private changing rooms, and a dedicated entrance and exit, women receiving care here have the utmost in privacy.
In addition to the physical space, the Women’s Health Cen-ter also features the addition of a breast health coordinator/nurse navigator to the staff. Kathy Leach, RN, a long-time em-ployee and experienced nurse, and cancer survivor herself, will help guide patients on the jour-ney through the continuum of care, ensuring timely treatment and follow-up.
Jim Savage, MD, experi-enced general surgeon leads the charge of physicians who per-form breast biopsies in our new center, and our hopes are to work with many other physicians and continue to add services to this premier women’s facility in East Central Illinois.
Together, with the support of the people in our community, the Women’s Health Center is just one way Provena United Samaritans continues to advance the healthcare available in our community, for now and for the future, through our investments in people, medicine, and tech-nology.
For more info on the Wom-en’s Health Center at Provena United Samaritans, visit www.provena.org/usmc/women.
Quality Healthcare in Our Own Backyard
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Members Attend IFB Conference – Ten Vermilion County Farm Bureau members were in Springfield in February for the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference. This year’s theme was “Build the Most Reliable Network in Agriculture.” Members attended work-shops to help them build this network through contact with state legislators, working on public issues and building coalitions with groups that have similar interests. The highlight of the conference is a reception with members of the IL General Assembly. Members like President David Sadler (top photo) called our elected officials to invite them to the reception. In the photo below, Senator Mike Frerichs (r) visits with Alan Chesnut (l) and Mike Marron (c) about issues facing the state. Also attending were Senator Dan Rutherford and Representative Shane Cultra.
Access Illinois Outdoors is a program in which outdoor enthusiasts are matched with private landowners for whitetail deer hunting, turkey hunting, and other outdoor recreational experiences such as hiking, bird watching, fishing, camping, trail riding, biking, photography, etc. The program was started in 1994 and is managed by the Two Rivers Resource, Conservation and Development, Inc.
Illinois landowners wishing to enroll their land complete an application that outlines what their land has available.
Landowners Opportunity Through Access Illinois Outdoors
There is no fee for landowners to enroll in the program. People wanting to hunt, hike, camp, bird watch, take pictures, fish or pursue other outdoor activities complete an application and send it to Access Illinois Outdoors along with a $25 membership fee. The Access Coordinator matches the applicants with the appropriate landowners. Landowners typically charge an access fee or trespass fee to access their property.
Currently more landowners are needed in Vermilion County to satisfy the current demand.
If as a landowner you would be interested in supplementing your income with little additional expense, please contact the Access Illinois Outdoors office or visit their website for a landowner application.
Since the program’s inception in 1994, over 570 landowners have joined, representing 250,000 acres in 52 counties throughout Illinois. Over 3,300 visitors, from 39 states, Canada and Germany, have enrolled in the program. Landowners in the program earned over $1,000,000 last year by charging visitors for access. The program has generated a multi-million dollar economic impact to many areas.
B r e n d a M i d d e n d o r f , Coordinator for the Access Illinois Outdoors Program, recently commented, “This has been a great economic tool for
our landowners. Land values have increased exponentially in the past 15 years with the increased recreational value of private land. Illinois is 95% privately owned, so opening up this private land to public use has really helped the local landowners, many of whom are farmers trying to create added income from wooded property. It has also provided areas for public recreation at no additional cost to the state.
The local economy also greatly benefits from visitors coming to town. The visitors need lodging, food, gas and hunting supplies. The state benefits by the extra hunting permits and fees that are collected. To our knowledge, no other state has a program like ours.”
To learn more about the program, visit www.accessil.org