Parent to Parent group cancelled for February

Due to the horrible weather conditions, the Parent to Parent support group at Sarah Bush that was scheduled for Tues. Feb. 1st has been cancelled. Stay safe everyone!

Bus trip to Indianapolis Children's museum

Charleston's Parks and Recreation Department is providing the opportunity for families to take a bus trip to the Indianapolis Children's Museum on Monday, February 21, 2011. (That's President's Day, so there is no school.) The bus will leave from the Rotary Pool parking lot at 8:00 a.m.  An adult must accompany children under the age of 14 but the trip is open to all ages.  The cost is $25.00. To register online, go to www.activenet.active.com/charlestonrecdept.

Also, check out the museum's website at www.childrensmuseum.org.

Teen MOPS seeking new members

Teen MOPS is a wonderful support group for young moms under 21. It meets every Thursday during the school year from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at First Baptist Church in Mattoon. They are trying to get the word out and to increase the number of moms in the group.

They are currently having a membership drive and are going to be offering giveaways at every meeting, starting tomorrow. There will also be special welcome packs for moms that are new to the group. If you bring a new mom to the group, you will both get ...extra MOPS bucks -- and an additional gift. 

If you know a young mom that would benefit from being a part of this awesome group, please pass on the information.

Dinosaur Kingdom

It's prehistoric fun for everyone!  Learn about the dinosaur kingdom through arts and crafts and creative learning.  Each week focuses on a different dinosaur.  This is for 4 - 6 year olds and it meets on Thursdays from 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. in the Charleston Parks and Recreation Department Conference Room on the second floor in City Hall.  The next scheduled class is to start on February 3rd and the cost is $24.00.

To register online, please click on the following link www.activenet.active.com/charlestonrecdept

(from Charleston Parks and Rec. website)

Opinion Outpost

At the bottom on the left side of the blog, I added a banner for Opinion Outpost. This is my affiliate link, so I will automatically earn a dollar for anyone who signs up through that link. This is a survey program that I have been a member of for over 3 years and I definitely recommend it. It is by no means a "get-rich-quick" scheme, but it is an extremely easy way to earn a few extra bucks by taking surveys in your spare time. Most of the surveys are very simple, and you only complete the ones that you want to, when you want to. It is very easy to reach payout. You can request payment once you reach $3, which is usually the equivalent of only a couple of surveys. I have cashed out many times through them. I would really appreciate it if you would sign up through my link if you are interested. Thanks!

Lincoln's Final Meal

Lincoln Log Cabin is hosting Lincoln's Final Meal on Saturday, Jan 29th. Reservations are required. Call 345-1845 to reserve your seat.

 

 

(info from Charleston Tourism Office)

Safe and Snug Car Seat Class/Clinic

7 - 9 p.m. Tuesday, January 25, 2011 in the Adams Room - Lumpkin Family Center for Health Education at Sarah Bush Lincoln.

While proper use of child safety seats help keep children safe, more than 80 percent of car seats in the United States are improperly used and/or installed. To help protect children, the Mattoon Police Department and Sarah Bush Lincoln are hosting "Safe and Snug," a car seat safety class and clinic, from 7 to 9 pm Tuesday, January 25, in the Lumpkin Family Center for Health Education.

Car seat safety information will be provided by Mattoon police officers who are also certified car seat technicians. A discussion and question and answer period will be included. Parents or expectant parents are asked to bring their vehicle with their child's car seat installed in it if possible. A car seat technician will assess it, ensuring that it is properly installed, and that it is the right seat for your child.

While most children harmed during motor vehicle accidents are unrestrained or improperly restrained, appropriate laws can help encourage parents to protect their children. The state of Illinois requires that all children from birth through eight years old must be properly restrained in an appropriate car seat, and it should be checked by a state-certified car seat check to ensure it is properly installed.

Sarah Bush Lincoln recommends that car seats be checked prior to an expectant mother's 36^th week of pregnancy when possible. However, new parents who would like to have their infant's car seat checked are encouraged to attend as well. The car seat clinic is free, but expectant and new parents must register. The class is limited to 16 car seats. To pre-register, call the Office of Perinatal Education at Sarah Bush Lincoln at (217) 258- or 348-BABY (2229) or page Pamela Hood, RN, at 1-800-702-0376 between 10 am and 7 pm.

Register for the Safe and Snug Car Seat Class

Little Pink Panthers Clinic scheduled Feb. 5 at EIU Student Rec. Center

Sessions are open to any child age 4-12 in grades pre-K through grade six who are interested in learning and performing a routine with the Pink Panthers during half-time Feb. 5 for either the 4 p.m. women's basketball game or the 6 p.m. men's basketball game.

Each group will perform a dance facing the west side of Lantz Gym.

The performance for pre-K through second grade (ages 4-7) will be at the women's 4 p.m. game. Clinic registration will be at 9:30 a.m. at the Lantz Gym Fourth Street entrance. The clinic will be held from 10 to 10:50 a.m. Pick-up time and location will be at 10:50 a.m. at the Student Rec Center.

Participants in session two for third-sixth grades will perform at the men's 6 p.m. game. Registration will be at 10:30 a.m., Lantz Gym Fourth Street entrance. Clinic time will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pick-up time will be at 12:30 p.m. at the Student Rec Center.

The fee for those who sign up on or before Wednesday is $15. After Wednesday, the fee will be $20. The fee includes a Pink Panther T-shirt, which must be worn for the performance; dance instruction; and free admission to the basketball game.

DVDs of the event will be available for purchase on game day.

Children should wear comfortable shoes and clothing, such as tennis shoes, stretch/jogging pants and T-shirt.

During the clinic, parents may wait for their child in the Student Rec Center lounge area. No adults will be allowed in the clinic rooms during dance sessions.

For more information about the clinic and registration, call Lisa Dallas at 581-3716 or lmdallas@eiu.edu.

(Info from www.jg-tc.com).

Registration for spring classes at Tarble Arts Center (ages 4-adult)

The spring session of art classes and workshops for ages 4 through adult will be offered through the Tarble Arts Center, Eastern Illinois University, beginning the week of Feb. 21.

All courses are open to both Tarble Arts Center members and non-members, with most workshop fees including both instruction and supplies. Tarble members receive a 20-percent discount on course fees. Of special note to teachers, adult and multi-age workshops may be taken for Continuing Education Units for teacher recertification.

Registration deadlines begin Feb. 18; registration may be taken in the Tarble Arts Center Office, by mail, or online at http://www.eiu.edu/~tarble/.

To receive a brochure, interested persons may contact the Tarble Arts Center at 581-ARTS (2787) or tarble@eiu.edu. A PDF of the brochure is available on the Tarble Arts Center website listed above.
Offerings for children include "Elements of Art" for ages 4-5, "Paper Creations" for ages 6-8, and "Functional Art" for 9- to 14-year-olds.

Adult classes, for ages 15 and over, include "Creating Textures in Watercolor & Ink," "Glass Bead Making," "Artists' Journals" and a shirt workshop co-sponsored with the EIU School of Continuing Education, "Basic Basket Weaving."

In addition, a multi-age clay workshop, "Theme Boxes," is being offered for ages 12 and over.
The Tarble Arts Center offers year-round community art instruction for both children and adults. Through its collection, changing exhibitions, qualified instructors and other resources, Tarble courses offer a unique opportunity to study art.

The Tarble Arts Center, a division of the College of Arts & Humanities, is partially supported by the Tarble Arts Center Endowment/EIU Foundation and membership contributions. The Tarble is located on south Ninth Street at Cleveland Avenue, on Eastern Illinois University's campus in Charleston.





(From http://www.jg-tc.com/)

Salvation Army Character Building Programs

From their website:


Character Building Programs

Have your child spend a SAFE and FUN afternoon after school in our Character Building Programs!
Similar to scouting, our Sunbeam (girls ages 5-11) and Adventure Corps (boys ages 5-11) kids earn badges
and learn life skills all while having a lot of fun! For more information please read brochure enclosed in
your child’s backpack. The programs are FREE and we provide transportation from school to our gym.

We also provide a Supper Club and King’s Kids Devotions following Sunbeams and Adventure Corps.
We will have supper and learn about God and how to build His kingdom!

See schedule for times below:

3:30-4:00 - Help with Homework
4:00 -5:00 - Sunbeams and Adventure Corps
5:00-5:30 - Supper Club
5:30-6:15 – King’s Kids Devotions

If your child is interested in joining us please give us a call to let us know so we can be sure to pick them up
at school. It is also very important that you let your child’s teacher know they will be riding with us on
WEDNESDAYS.

Programs going on NOW!

Princess ball at Salvation Army

Here is the invitation from their website:




Prince Charming requests the presence of Ladies of all ages: sisters, mothers, daughters, and friends to attend this FREE event
being held at the Salvation Army Palace
1300 Richmond Ave.
On the 28^th day of January
In the year of our Lord 2011
At 6:00pm.
formal attire is requested and some will be
provided for those who RSVP by the 21^st day of January.
Appointments can be made for the services of the handmaidens of hair
and beauty by calling Lady Erin at 234-3915 Ex. 223

Ben Franklin's Birthday Party/Story time at Booth Library

Happy 305th Birthday, Benjamin!

Saturday, January 22,
10 o' clock, Ballenger Teachers Center

The Ballenger Teachers Center will celebrate Benjamin Franklin's birthday through a variety of crafts and stories. The celebration is expected to last about one hour. Find out the "Ben"efits of being Benjamin Franklin! Children ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult, are invited.

Additional story times for Spring 2011 are: Saturdays, January  29; February 5, 12, 19, and 26; and March 5. All story times begin at 10 a.m. and last about an hour. Please contact Ann Brownson at aebrownson@eiu.edu or 581-8442 for further information.

Teen movie night

Mattoon Library hosts a monthly teen movie night. The next one is February 8th at 5:30 pm. Call  (217) 234-2621 for more details.

Charleston Carnegie Public Library

The Charleston Library offers a few different family story times geared toward children ages 2-7. They also have other events that would be fun to check out, such as a make-and-take craft day. You can view their events here.

It's fun to play at the...YMCA!

The Mattoon Area YMCA offers a lot of things for people of all ages to do. They also offer membership and program scholarships that are based on income. Check out their program listings here. http://www.mattoonymca.org/progg.asp

LifeSpan...not just for old people

You can find a listing of all of the events that they offer here. http://www.colescouncilonaging.org/lifespanevents.html. Most do require prior registration, but they offer a lot of different things that are family-friendly. Call 639-5150 to reserve a spot.

Charleston Recreation Department Programs-UPDATED

The City of Charleston offers a variety of recreation programs for people of all ages. Check them out here, where the programs are categorized by age/interest: http://activenet5.active.com/charlestonrecdept/

Douglas-Hart Nature Center programs

Douglas-Hart Nature center offers a wide variety of activities throughout the year for people of all ages. Here is where you can find upcoming programs, classes, and events:  http://www.dhnature.org/ProgramsandClasses.htm

New blog with improved accessibility to events

I have decided to supplement the Facebook group with a blog. Here you will find a monthly calendar (always found near the bottom of the page) that I will do my best to keep updated. I will also share other things that I believe could be of use to the group's members. Feel free to support my efforts by making a donation with the PayPal link in the sidebar or by browsing and clicking on the AdSense links that are provided by Google. Please help me keep this site up and running. Thanks for all of your support!