Champaign County, IL 2012 CommunityLink by Tivoli Design + Media Group

Front Cover

What’s Inside

table of Contents

CommunityLink.com

1 800-455-5600

production vp of production operations Amanda White director of publication design Kelly Friederich managing editor Laura Wilcoxen

photography coordinator/ content consultant Jay Nehrkorn photography Benny Lapid lead design Kelly Friederich

copywriting David Ballard Jennifer Bull Nikolle Keeney Amanda Knoles Dana L. Mancuso Jay Nehrkorn Crystal Senesac Laura Wilcoxen Sean D. Williams Jeremy Youse, M.D.

website creation & support Josh Chandler director of media purchasing Diana Vaughn

business development director of business development George Prudhomme

marketing consultant Steve Graff

director of outside sales Debbie Moss

customer service director Kathy Risley

business development manager Bonnie Ebers

advertising

Welcome

Business Vignettes

ad research Mary Kopshever Mildred Walker

From the Chamber of Commerce..................... 2

A to Z Painting: Award-Winning Entrepreneur...................... 20

administrative support

Vibrant, Dynamic, Unexpected........................ 4 Chamber-Member Banks & Credit Unions.......... 7

Community CUVolunteer.org — Volunteering Made Easy...... 8 Chamber-Member Churches............................ 9

Education

Flightstar Corporation: The Sky’s Not the Limit............................... 21 Homer Soda Company: Bubble, Bubble Is NO Trouble.................... 22 Midwest Underground Technology: Power in the Wind.................................... 22

Technology EnterpriseWorks Energizes Tech Startups.......... 24

Public Parks & Recreation: Plenty of Places to Play.............................. 25

Provena Covenant: Innovation Guided by Compassion.............. 16

mailroom technician Melinda Bowlin

information technology publishing systems specialist Christopher Miller

chairman and founder Craig Williams

chief financial officer Rhonda Harsy

ABOUT This book is published by CommunityLink and

Commerce. For advertising information or

Chamber-Member Private Schools.................. 12

Carle Foundation Hospital Undertakes Campus Modernization Project.................... 14

account support Terri Ahner

human resources assistant Teresa Craig

distributed through the Champaign County Chamber of

Recreation & Tourism

Health Care

administrative support Kathy Hagene Carol Smith

executive leadership

Report Card: Public Schools.......................... 10 A Smooth Road to Success: Parkland Pathway to Illinois......................... 12

ad design Mindy Brock

Open to All: New Stephens Family YMCA...... 27 On The Green: Champaign County Golf Courses................ 28 Come Closer to Nature: Champaign County Forest Preserve District.... 29

questions or comments about this book, contact CommunityLink at 800-455-5600 or by e-mail at info@CommunityLink.com. FOR INFORMATION Champaign

County Chamber of Commerce, 303 West Kirby Avenue, Champaign, IL 61820, Telephone 217-359-1791, Fax 217-359-1809, www.champaigncounty.org © 2012 Craig Williams Creative, Inc., 4742 Holts Prairie Road, Post Office Box 306, Pinckneyville, IL 62274-0306, 618-357-8653. All rights reserved. No portion of this

Arts & Entertainment

book may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher.

Art Alfresco: Public Arts League Sponsors Outdoor Sculpture........................ 30

Visit Champaign online

Smile Healthy............................................. 17

Exhibits, Extra Large: SkyGallery.................... 31

https://communitylink.com/champaign-illinois/

Transportation

Restaurant & Hotel Guide

High-Speed Rail on Track in Illinois.................18

Dining & Lodging Selections.......................... 32

Workforce

Business Listings

Supporting Firefighters: Illinois Fire Service Institute.......................... 19

Sponsors.................................................... 35

Christie Clinic Offers State-of-the-Art Surgery for Skin Cancer............................. 17

www.champaigncounty.org

Relocation & Development

ad traffic Carol Smith

Welcome

From the Chamber of Commerce

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

ur rich sense of history, which influences Champaign County today, ensures that, as a community, we have always been destined for success. Since 1833, when Champaign County was founded, it has been a welcoming guidepost on the Illinois prairie. In the 1850s, it was a stopping point for a young lawyer named Abraham Lincoln, who frequently visited friends in Champaign and Urbana as he traveled the circuit from Springfield for the Eighth Judicial District. Throughout the years, Champaign County has continued to be both a destination and a stopping point. As home to the world-renowned University of Illinois, our community has attracted scientists and senators, teachers and tradespeople, Nobel Prize winners, and many other notables. Many stay for a lifetime, enriching the community; some receive or contribute to world-class teaching before moving on to influence different communities. Regardless of the amount of time people spend here, they help develop a unique relationship between this region and the rest of the world. While many of our residents will not receive world accolades, they are the fiber of our community and the primary reason Champaign County is a great place to call home. What is it that draws and keeps people in Champaign County? In a phrase, it’s “quality of life.” The 998 square miles of the county include the communities of Champaign, Urbana and Savoy, which make up the commercial hub of the county and its largest population center, with over 100,000 residents. In these tri-cities, homes for every family size, income level and lifestyle are available. Bolstered by outlying areas that claim some of the world’s richest farmland, the county offers unique opportunities in agriculture and related businesses. The rural communities have attracted specialty businesses and sole proprietorships, as well as significant new residential growth.

A vibrant business community encourages new commerce and industry. As the home of the University of Illinois National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), Champaign County is recognized as a center for computing and technology, attracting and retaining a diverse group of traditional and high-tech companies and becoming a leader in building the national and global information superhighway. An assortment of cultural resources and facilities abounds. From museums and performing arts centers to a planetarium and botanical gardens, the offerings are matched only by those in the nation’s largest metropolitan centers. Choices continue in education. Public, private and parochial schools strive for excellence in every aspect of staff, facilities, technology and curricula. Nationally and internationally recognized city and county park systems provide recreation for all ages. The spires of more than 100 churches rise above the Champaign County skyline, reflecting a variety of religious beliefs. Much of the area’s business growth is attributable to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Several high-tech firms are spin-offs of university research efforts. Even the area’s agricultural potential substantially benefits from the school’s ongoing crop experimentation, which includes cultivation of disease-resistant crop strains and development of precision farming methods and information systems. Recent building projects include the university’s South Research Park, the One Main building in downtown Champaign, the redevelopment of Lincoln Square Village in Urbana, the schools built by the Village of Tolono, the aquatic center in Urbana, and the new pork processing plant in Rantoul. These are all concrete examples of people and government working together to build for our future.

Welcome

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce 303 West Kirby Avenue Champaign, IL 61820 Telephone 217-359-1791 Fax 217-359-1809

www.champaigncounty.org

Relocation & Development

Vibrant, Dynamic, Unexpected By Nikolle Keeney

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

itting at the core of America’s heartland, atop miles of scenic prairie and surrounded by some of the world’s richest farmland, lies something most unexpected. Home to the University of Illinois, Parkland College and two major regional medical centers (Carle Foundation Hospital and Provena Covenant Medical Center), Champaign County is a leader in technology, health care, education, business and agriculture. Incorporated in 1833, the county was built farmland-up on a foundation of excellence. The world-renowned University of Illinois has attracted great teachers and tradespeople, scientists and senators, Nobel Prize winners, and many other notables. Great thought, great diversity and great influence have all proven to build great community. While most residents work and live outside the university, its impact affects them all the same — from those who work at businesses that have spun off from the university to those who enjoy the world-class culture that seeps from Champaign-Urbana’s seams. Champaign County has experienced tremendous growth in the past 10 years. More than 20,000 new residents have flocked to the area since 2000; the county is currently home to more than 200,000. “Champaign County has everything — it has all the amenities of living in an urban setting, with a small-town, friendly setting,” said Jayne DeLuce, president and CEO of the Champaign County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “There’s nothing I need that I can’t get in a 10-minute drive — I can go take a hike in a forest preserve, go to a Big Ten basketball game, enjoy world-class entertainment. The opportunities are endless — the area is a great community for families.” On average, the national commute time is 45 minutes. The average in Champaign County? 14 minutes. Less traffic, quality roads and convenient location make the area one of the most accessible and commuter-friendly communities in the nation. Russian ballets, Broadway musicals, popular music artists and worldclass symphonies are often just a short car ride, walk or bicycle ride from anywhere in Champaign County. The area’s artistic offerings, from museums to art galleries, from botanical gardens to performing arts centers, are only matched by those in the nation’s best metropolitan areas. World food experiences ranging from Spanish tapas to Lithuanian, from Korean barbeque to down-home Cajun, are all within reach. Such cultural luxuries have become commonplace in Champaign County, perhaps unexpected for a community risen out of cornfields. More than just corn and soybeans, Champaign County is a great harvester of technology and business. Honored as the “2011 Outstanding Research Park” by the Association of University Research Parks, U of I’s technology venture has brought hundreds of new businesses to Champaign County, from Fortune 100 companies like John Deere, Caterpillar, State Farm and Yahoo to smaller companies in areas spanning biotechnology, chemical sciences, software development and sustainability. EnterpriseWorks, a technology incubator at the heart of Research Park, has launched over 127 startup companies since first opening in 2004. Of the businesses started, 65 percent have chosen to remain in Champaign County. Laura Frerichs, director of Research Park, said the park is sometimes referred to as “the Silicon Valley of the Midwest.” With that kind of reputation, Research Park continues to grow and thrive — attracting and growing high-profile, high-impact business in Champaign County.

Relocation & Development

Similarly, business in Champaign County continues to prosper. The area’s unemployment rate has remained consistently below Illinois’ average — before, during and after the recession. Residents and developers are drawn to the area’s booming business community just as much as they are attracted to the friendly Midwestern locale that hosts it. The area is home to several nationally recognized school systems as well as private and parochial schools. All have proven excellence across the board. The area is also home to an abundance of church communities, ranging across a wide spectrum of denominations. A community focused on children and family life, residents enjoy more than 100 parks and five forest preserves. Park districts throughout the area are highly active, providing a wide variety of recreation and activity for both children and adults.

Community Profiles Champaign

A city of 81,055 residents, Champaign is the most populous city in Champaign County. Downtown Champaign is considered to be among the area’s foremost cultural hubs. Home to an array of vibrant restaurants, bars and nightlife, the area attracts patrons ranging from casual coffeehouse-goers, to upscale diners, to those looking for a place to bust a move. Eclectic boutiques and specialty stores team up with art galleries and bakeries to line the streets and complete the area’s kitschy flavor. The Virginia Theatre, a historical landmark, sits just west of downtown Champaign, reminding residents of a more glamorous era when the stars and lights were as bright as they could be. Today, the theater hosts everything from classical musicians to Broadway shows to dollar movie nights. Champaign native Roger Ebert hosts his annual film festival at the Virginia each spring. Champaign is strategically poised at the intersection of three major interstates (I-57, which runs north-south, and I-72 and I-74, running east-west). Along with its sister city, Urbana, Champaign is internationally recognized as the home of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University of Illinois, Kraft Foods Inc., Plastipak and Christie Clinic are among Champaign’s top employers. Home to 38,725 residents, Urbana is internationally recognized along with Champaign as the home of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Historic downtown Urbana features a hip blend of restaurants, boutiques, organic markets, art galleries and specialty stores. Urbana’s “Market at the Square” is one of the largest and most diverse farmers markets in Illinois, offering everything from local goat cheese to hand-picked berries to pipinghot Belgian waffles. From May to November, the farmer’s market is open Saturday mornings from 7 a.m. to noon. Dedicated to sustainability, the city of Urbana offers free recycling service to all residents and launched a “Get Urbana Biking” incentive that aims to reduce the city’s impact on the environment. Urbana’s top employers include the University of Illinois, Carle Foundation Hospital, Provena Covenant Medical Center and Supervalu Distribution Center. Rantoul

A 15-minute drive from metropolitan Champaign-Urbana, Rantoul is a community on the rise. Home to 13,674 residents, the village is one of the major success stories to come out of the military base closures of the early 1990s. “We are working on some major economic development. There are some very exciting things coming to Rantoul in the next few years,” Mayor Neal Williams said. With one of the most active parks and recreation departments in the area, the village provides activities for more than 750 children annually. Rantoul

www.champaigncounty.org

Urbana

Relocation & Development

living with the city conveniences of Champaign just 10 miles away. Education has long been rated one of the strengths of this community, with the MahometSeymour schools consistently rated among the top 50 in Illinois. Popular attractions include the Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, the Hartwell C. Howard Golf Course, the Museum of the Grand Prairie and the antique shops on Main Street.

New/Developing Residential Areas Champaign

is home to the University of Illinois football preseason training camp, the Rantoul Aviation Center and the Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum. Savoy

Since its incorporation in 1956, Savoy has experienced steady growth. Today, there are 7,280 residents, and the village has more than doubled its size in the last decade. Savoy maintains the high quality of life typically associated with small Midwestern towns, including municipal tax rates far below that of Champaign or Urbana; acres of prime undeveloped land; a low crime rate; quiet, uncongested neighborhoods; and a responsive government. Savoy is south of Champaign and north of Willard Airport, making it a prime location as the south entrance corridor to Champaign. Mahomet

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

The oldest community in the county, Mahomet was established along the bank of the Sangamon River in 1836. A rural residency community of 7,258, where the zip code is larger than the community, brings the true population of Mahomet closer to 13,300 residents. Mahomet appeals to those in search of an atmosphere of suburban

Windsor West: Conveniently located in rapidly growing Southwest Champaign, Windsor West is the only geothermal apartment community in the area. Features include a 5-acre lake, a swimming pool and quick access to the new YMCA facility. Trails at Abbey Fields: Developed by Hallbeck Homes, upscale single-family lots and home sites are available from $300,000 to well over $1 million. Trails at Abbey Fields is located in West Champaign, with a waterfall entrance and a mature and attractive landscape. Trails at Chestnut Grove: Chestnut Grove boasts 145 homesites and is maturing into another prestigious subdivision in West Champaign. Homes start at $300,000 and range past $1 million. Savoy

Fieldstone Subdivision: Fieldstone’s 160-acre subdivision continues the southward expansion of residential development in Savoy, beyond Airport Road east of Route 45. It offers single-family lots with convenient access to retail, restaurants, Willard Airport and the University of Illinois. Mahomet

Conway Farm: This development features single-family homes and condo lots with mature

trees, lakeviews and common landscaped areas. It’s adjacent to a 17-acre park and shopping. Thornewood and Thornewood North: Located in North Mahomet, Thornewood and Thornewood North subdivisions provide an idyllic bedroom community for Champaign-Urbana. With acres of mature trees, streets and lots were designed to roll with the hills and maximize the view of the natural landscape. Less than a mile south, families can enjoy the Champaign County Forest Preserve’s Lake of the Woods park, which provides miles of walking and bike paths, a museum, botanical gardens, and a golf course.

Commercial Developments

The Gates at Applewood Valley, Champaign

Developed by Hallbeck Homes, The Gates at Applewood Valley is a premier office and retail development located in Southwest Champaign, at the intersection of Curtis Road and Mattis Avenue. Across the street from the new Carle Clinic medical facility, this area is projected to experience rapid growth in the next 10 years. City Place, Savoy

Thompson Land Company is continuing the development of City Center in Savoy with the addition of City Place. The new development is a two-building retail and office space located at 111-117 Calvin Dr. in Savoy. The first 3,000-squarefoot building is completed and has been leased, half to Goodwill Donation Express and half to Yu Wok, a new Asian-style grill. The second identical building, adjacent to the first, is complete and ready for tenants. The Pines, Urbana

The Pines is a newly developed retail center in Southwest Urbana, located at the intersection of Philo and Windsor roads. Amenities include ample free parking, upscale interior and exterior finishes, and a beautifully landscaped common plaza. Retail space and lots are available for sale or build-to-suit opportunities; space is available from 1,482 square feet.

Chamber-Member Banks & Credit Unions bankchampaign, n.a. www.bankchampaign.com 2101 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................351-2870 301 N. Neil Street, Suite 105, Champaign.............351-2877 #5 Convenience Center Road, Champaign.............351-2876 busey bank www.busey.com 100 W. University Avenue, Champaign..................351-6500 614 S. Sixth Street, Champaign.............................365-4552 909 W. Kirby Avenue, Champaign..........................384-3400 907 W. Marketview Drive, Suite 1, Champaign.....355-1580 2011 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign..............351-2854 3002 W. Windsor Road, Champaign......................351-2820 312 E. Main Street, Mahomet................................586-4981 1231 E. Grove Street, Rantoul................................892-4121 108 Arbours Drive, Savoy.......................................384-3424 104 N. Main Street, St. Joseph.............................469-7631 128 E. Holden Street, Tolono..................................485-6021 2710 S. Philo Road, Urbana....................................365-4930 201 W. Main Street, Urbana..................................365-4500 central illinois bank www.centralillinoisbank.com 2913 W. Kirby Avenue, Champaign........................355-0900 302 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign................366-4535 219 S. David Street, Sidney....................................688-2301 1514 N. Cunningham Avenue, Urbana...................328-7000 commerce bank www.commercebank.com 1015 W. Windsor Road, Champaign......................359-9790 community plus federal credit union www.cplusfcu.org 1005 Bloomington Road, Champaign.....................693-3440 526 E. Champaign Avenue, Rantoul.......................893-8201 first bank www.firstbanktrust.com 114 W. Church Street, Champaign.........................398-0067 1500 E. Grove Street, Rantoul................................893-8100 1251 Woodfield Drive, Savoy.................................351-3526 first financial bank www.first-online.com 1205 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................352-6700 1611 S. Prospect Avenue, Champaign...................351-6620 631 E. Green Street, Champaign............................351-6688 202A Eastwood Center, Mahomet.........................586-5322 410 N. Broadway Avenue, Urbana.........................351-2701 2510 S. Philo Road, Urbana....................................344-1300 first mid-illinois bank & trust www.firstmid.com 2229 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................359-9837

913 W. Marketview Drive, Champaign..................378-8023 502 E. Oak Street, Mahomet..................................586-3450 601 S. Vine Street, Urbana.....................................367-8451

first midwest bank www.firstmidwest.com 812 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign................378-7629 first state bank www.fsbcorp.com 101 Windsor Road, Champaign..............................239-3000 heartland bank & trust co. www.hbtbank.com 2101 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign..............359-5555 1101 W. Windsor Road, Champaign......................359-5555 1812 S. Philo Road, Urbana....................................359-5555 602 S. Vine Street, Urbana.....................................359-5555 hickory point bank & trust, fsb www.hickorypointbank.com 701 Devonshire Drive, Champaign.........................351-7100 marine bank www.ibankmarine.com 2434 Village Green Place, Champaign...................239-0100 1001 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................356-7601 midland states bank www.midlandstatesbank.com 1608 Broadmoor Drive, Champaign........................398-3800 Philo Exchange Bank www.philobank.com 102 W. Washington Street, Philo...........................684-2600 200 S. Lincoln Street, Broadlands..........................834-3023 401 N. Lincoln Street, Philo....................................684-5500 prairie state bank & trust www.psbank.net 1902 Fox Drive, Champaign....................................239-7617 prospect bank www.theprospectbank.com 1601 S. Prospect Avenue, Champaign...................352-0077 regions bank www.regions.com 111 S. State Street, Champaign.............................352-9440 scb bank www.soybank.com 2009 Fox Drive, Suite D, Champaign......................356-6789 u of i employees credit union www.uiecu.org 2201 S. First Street, Champaign.............................278-7700 1401 W. Green Street, Urbana...............................278-7700 206 E. University Avenue, Urbana..........................278-7700

www.champaigncounty.org

Area code is 217.

Relocation & Development

Community

CUVolunteer.org — Volunteering Made Easy By Amanda Knoles

Champaign County Chamber of of Commerce Commerce County Chamber

any people think about volunteering, but they aren’t sure where their efforts could have the most impact, and the search to find the right opportunity can be time-consuming. Nonprofit organizations have an ongoing demand for volunteers, but budget and staff limits may prevent them from publicizing all of their volunteer needs. Making a connection between the agencies and potential volunteers became the goal of Sarah Zehr, assistant dean of career services at the University of Illinois College of Engineering, who conceived the idea for a website where local volunteers could easily connect with organizations seeking help. A native of Champaign, Zehr graduated from the University of Illinois and received an MBA from Northwestern University. The idea for the volunteer website came about due to a frustrating personal experience. In Chicago she had engaged in numerous volunteer projects she found through the Chicago Cares organization, but when she moved back to Champaign and wanted to do volunteer work before starting her new job, it wasn’t easy to find an outlet for her energy. “In two weeks I wasn’t able to get anything set up because it was too hard to get in touch with people, get things scheduled, etcetera,” she said. “I figured that was probably keeping a lot of people from volunteering.” Zehr enlisted the assistance of other U of I departments and the United Way of Champaign County to restructure an existing website that was used to match U of I students with volunteer opportunities. She worked with a group of senior

design students from a U of I computer science class to redesign the website, while the university’s Office of Public Engagement took on the role of maintaining the site long-term. The revised site, www.CUVolunteer.org, launched in July 2011 with a new communitywide focus. “The response has been phenomenal!” Zehr exclaimed. “We had more than 150 people at the launch party last July. We have more than 120 organizations registered and more than 1,000 volunteers. Plus, several organizations are encouraging their volunteers to use the site to sign up for events and programs.” Sue Grey, United Way’s vice president of community impact, says the website has been a big help to local organizations that don’t have a volunteer budget. “United Way has been involved from the ground floor,” she said. “We were very excited about the idea of expanding the reach of the existing site, because we knew there were a lot of agencies needing volunteers of all ages and skills who weren’t engaging with the people in the community who might be able to help. We are so thrilled the site has made it so easy for organizations and volunteers to connect.” The website features an easy-to-read calendar with daily and upcoming volunteer opportunities. Potential volunteers can see a brief description of the type of help needed and click on the listing for more details and contact information. Listings are also searchable by topic and organization. Both short-term and ongoing volunteer positions

are available. Participating organizations include nursing homes, libraries, animal shelters, parks, food banks, churches, youth programs, museums, crisis lines and health care providers, as well as many others. At an April 2012 kickoff party for National Volunteer Week at Busey in Urbana, CUVolunteer. org partnered with local Interact high school clubs to promote Austin’s Day, a day of volunteering in honor of Austin Cloyd, who was killed in the Virginia Tech shootings. The Champaign native was dedicated to serving the community. The website is a partnership among United Way of Champaign County and University of Illinois departments, including the Office of Public Engagement; the Office for Math, Science, and Technology Education; and the Office of Volunteer Programs. Sponsors include Busey and ChampaignUrbana MTD.

Community

Where You Can Help

Chamber-

Following are just a few organizations and facilities looking for volunteers:

Big Brothers Big Sisters

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and youth through professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships with caring adults in the local community.

Member Churches

Carle Foundation Hospital

Volunteers at Carle assist in over 50 departments and business units. The Carle Auxiliary, College and Community Volunteer Programs contribute over 114,000 hours annually to the organization in both clinical and clerical settings.

Champaign County Forest Preserve District

Diverse volunteer opportunities at the district will allow you to work outdoors and learn about natural area management. The CCFPD has volunteer opportunities for both individuals and groups. The staff can custom-fit a project for school, corporate, or civic and scout groups, either one-time or ongoing.

Area code is 217.

Champaign County Humane Society

www.fcctoday.org

Faith Community Crusaders Church

Adult volunteers are needed as kennel assistants, adoption counselors, animal trainers, cat and dog socializers, fostering, for special events, and more. Training is provided.

2111 N. Willow Road, Urbana.............................................. 344-5540

ECI SCORE (East Central Illinois)

www.champaignfaith.org

Visit www.CUVolunteer.org for more information

1719 S. Prospect Avenue, Champaign..................................... 359-3631

First Christian Church www.fcc-online.org 3601 S. Staley Road, Champaign........................................... 356-1649

First Presbyterian Church www.firstchurchchampaign.org 302 W. Church Street, Champaign......................................... 356-7238

Holy Cross Catholic Church www.holycrosschampaign.org 405 W. Clark Street, Champaign............................................ 352-8748

Lutheran Church of Mahomet www.lcofm.org 410 E. Andover Drive, Mahomet............................................. 586-4786

New Horizon United Methodist Church www.newhorizonchurch.org 3002 W. Bloomington Road, Champaign................................ 359-8909

St. John Lutheran Church www.stjohn-lcms.org 509 S. Mattis Avenue, Champaign.......................................... 359-1123

St. Matthew Catholic Church www.stmatt.net 1303 Lincolnshire Drive, Champaign........................................ 359-4224

The Vineyard Church www.thevineyardchurch.us 1500 N. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana............................................ 384-3070

www.champaigncounty.org

SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow and succeed. Local experienced business owners and managers counsel and mentor clients and help presemt low-cost workshops.

Faith United Methodist Church

Education

Report Card: Public Schools By Jennifer Bull

Champaign Unit 4 Magnet Schools: Interests Attract www.champaignschools.org

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

tudents who attend the Champaign Unit 4 schools receive a quality education in a safe and enlightened atmosphere. The district strives for excellence, and recently three of their elementary schools have developed magnet programs that greatly enrich the learning experiences of students in grades kindergar-

ten through five. The magnet schools are made possible through a federal grant that stresses that programs be available to all students. The Booker T. Washington magnet program focuses on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math). The school is in a brand-new facility that was developed with STEM in mind. Cheryl Camacho, the district’s director of magnet schools, says that instruction is focused on hands-on learning. “For example, they have gardens where children can go and learn about insects and learn about plants — real, hands-on life learning,” she said. “There is a STEM lab in the center of the building where all children have the opportunity to receive specialized instruction in science, technology, engineering and math from a STEM teaching facilitator.” For those interested in international affairs, Garden Hills Elementary focuses on teaching children a second language as well as helping them broaden their gaze from their nation to the world at large. “At Garden Hills we have a very international population,” Camacho said. “Garden Hills’ focus is an International Baccalaureate, primary years program. International Baccalaureate is an internationally recognized, very rigorous program of study focused on connecting all children through something they call ‘international mindedness.’ It’s really about helping all children form connections with the rest of the world and find their place in it.” The school offers a transitional bilingual program, as well as Mandarin Chinese for all students from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Stratton Elementary promotes leadership skills and community mindedness. “Their focus is leadership in a microsociety,” Camacho explained. “That is a really new kind of magnet focus nationally. It’s about helping children learn leadership skills so that they can become engaged in the country and beyond.” The magnet program at Stratton includes micro-society time, during which all the children are engaged in creatively exploring community ventures. “Students can come up with nonprofits and business ventures, and they embed their academics into these ventures so that all that they are learning is applied in a real-life context,” Camacho said. The magnet schools are a great source of pride for the district. “We’ll stack our magnet programs — really any of our elementary schools — against any world-class elementary school,” said Lynn Peisker, former community relations coordinator for Champaign Unit 4. “We are on the brink of something very exciting here. They will be ready for careers and 21st-century college experience, and technology will be second nature to them based on their experiences in elementary school. “What we are seeing in these magnet schools is all children coming together and learning,” Peisker continued. “We have children in our schools who were born in 78 different countries around the world. It’s a very diverse community culturally. To be in those classrooms and to see children from all corners of the world coming together in unique ways is a really significant educational opportunity here.” For more information about the magnet programs at Champaign Unit 4, visit http://unit4magnets.org.

Education

www.usd116.org

rbana High School is recognized for providing a top-quality education for its students not only locally, but on a national level. The district has been listed on both editions of the annual AP Honor Roll. “This particular award is from the College Board, the people who are responsible for the Advanced Placement program,” said Dr. Laura Taylor, former principal of Urbana High School. “They just started doing it two years ago, so we’ve made the list the first year and the second year.” Taylor explains that the recognition came both from the district’s work to increase opportunities for students to take AP courses and from the continued success of district students. “We got a place on the national AP achievement list for opening AP classroom doors to a significantly broader pool of students while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher,” she said. That broader pool includes students of all profiles, including low-income students and minorities. “We frame a lot of our school improvement issues from a social justice lens, so many of the things that we have done have served to open doors to students who traditionally haven’t had the doors open to them,” Taylor noted. “We created a video a few years back — students created the video, actually — to encourage minority students to take our Honors-level courses.” However, just making the classes available is not enough. Support and encouragement is crucial for helping children learn and excel. Taylor says that the district’s success in increasing AP students and scores comes not only from making a very specific effort to reach out to more students, but also from giving them the support that they need. “It is really important that we give them support during the day so that they can be successful. You can’t just put them in higher-level classes and then all of a sudden assume they are going to be successful. You have to be able to give them the support.” Some of that support is even financial, as the testing does cost money. “If kids cannot afford it, we try to pay for it if we can. It shouldn’t be money that keeps someone from being able to achieve,” Taylor said. To further increase opportunity and appeal, the district has also expanded the number of AP classes available over the years.

www.ccchamber.org www.champaigncounty.org

Urbana School District: On an Honor Roll

“We had three AP courses about eight or nine years ago, and now we are over 13,” Taylor said. The Annual AP Honor Roll is just one of the many ways that the schools in the Urbana School District excel. To find out more about the Urbana School District, visit www.usd116.org.

Education

Chamber-Member A Smooth Road to Success: Parkland Pathway to Illinois Private Schools By Jennifer Bull

Countryside School

www.countrysideschool.org • Celebrating 20th anniversary in 2012 • New gym and performing arts center opens Fall 2012 • Grades kindergarten through eight •C ombined-grade classrooms: K/1, 2/3, 4/5 and middle school (multiple homerooms) • Project-based, hands-on curriculum • F oreign-language choice (Chinese, Spanish and Latin) and instruction at all levels • Competitive no-cut sports for grades four through eight

The High School of St. Thomas More www.hs-stm.org

• Opened in August 2000 • Co-ed, four-year high school with college preparatory emphasis •N inety-nine percent of graduates have attended post-secondary college or university • Average ACT score in 2011: 26 • Honors and Advanced Placement classes • Variety of competitive sports and student organizations

Judah Christian www.judah.org

• E ducating students in a Christ-centered, academically excellent environment • Serving students age 3 through grade 12 • Challenging college-preparatory curriculum • Visual arts, instrumental music, chorus and theater •A thletics include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, soccer, track and field, and volleyball

Next Generation School

www.nextgenerationschool.com • Independent private school serving age 6 weeks through grade eight • Each student receives individualized learning opportunities • Music, art and foreign languages

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

• Community engagement programs

• After-school care; summer camp program • SMART Boards and laptops in classrooms

St. John Lutheran School www.stjohnls.com

• Serving grades kindergarten through eight • Little Lamb preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds • Daily instruction in religion •A thletics for grades five through eight include soccer, volleyball, basketball, and track and field • Art, music and drama • Community service programs

n innovative new program called Parkland Pathway to Illinois guarantees high school students who start off their higher education careers at Parkland Community College admission to the University of Illinois. “It’s a program designed for students who are looking to attend Parkland for the first two years and then transferring to U of I to finish their four-year degree,” said Kristin Smigielski, coordinator of transfer recruitment at the University of Illinois. Students must apply during their senior year in high school, before they start college. If they are selected and enroll in the program, the road to admission at U of I is straightforward after their two years at Parkland. “As long as you take the prerequisites necessary for your major and earn the GPA needed for your major, we guarantee admission after the two years at Parkland,” Smigielski said. There are other perks to the Parkland Pathway program that focus on helping students gradually acclimate to their upcoming university life. These include opportunities to take a class or join clubs at the University of Illinois while still at Parkland, as well as student housing options. It’s a

Education

www.champaigncounty.org

unique opportunity to not only get a head start on the university experience, but also to save some money. “Along with guaranteed admission, students can also choose to live in universityowned housing — so they can actually live on U of I’s campus, but their home institution will be Parkland College,” Smigielski said. “They can also join any one of the U of I clubs and take at least one U of I class. They pay the Parkland tuition rate, they are Parkland students, and they have an advisor at Parkland, but they also have an advisor at the U of I who helps facilitate a successful transfer,” Smigielski said. High school students are advised to do their homework before applying for the Parkland Pathway, as not every major is included in the program. However, Smigielski stresses that even if the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program is not an option, starting a college career at Parkland can still be a smart idea. “I often stress to students that if your major participates in the program, it is a great option, but if you’re thinking of a major that does not participate, you can still go to Parkland and easily transfer over as well,” she said. “This is only one, not the only, avenue for transfer admission coming from Parkland or any other community college or four-year school.” The Parkland Pathway to the University of Illinois graduated its first class in May 2012. Those interested should look at the University of Illinois’ online admission pages for the list of available majors in the Parkland Pathway to Illinois program. Visit http:// admissions.illinois.edu/parklandpathway/ majors.html.

Health Care

Carle Foundation Hospital

Undertakes Campus Modernization Project By Sean D. Williams, Carle Public Relations

arle Foundation Hospital is midway through construction of a nine-story, 390,000-square-foot tower that will house hospital services and Carle Heart and Vascular Institute. The $220 million structure, slated for completion in fall 2013, will include

space for advanced technology, improved facilities for direct patient care, and most importantly, a modern, comfortable environment for patients and families. This new tower is Carle’s continued commitment to quality care, building on its recent

ranking as a Top 100 Hospital and as No. 1 in Illinois for cardiology services by Healthgrades. “The facility will allow for continued enhancements to care,” said James C. Leonard, M.D., president and chief executive officer of The Carle Foundation. “Current rooms have been renovated as much as space will allow, but with advancing technology and changing patient needs, we must be committed to improvements for patients today and for those we will serve in the future.” The building will be the most advanced facility ever built on Carle’s campus. With this center, Carle’s team will have leading-edge resources to enhance detection and treatment. Combined with excellent services and nationally ranked outcomes, Carle will have improved ability to recruit and retain physicians and other health care providers. Project highlights include:

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

• All private patient rooms. • Outpatient and inpatient cardiovascular services, including eight catheterization labs, cardiac intensive care, stepdown and medical beds.

Health Care

Also this year, Carle upgraded its da Vinci® Surgical System. This system provides an alternative to traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy, putting a surgeon’s hands at the controls of a state-of-the-art robotic platform. The da Vinci® System enables surgeons to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with unmatched precision. Compared to standard surgical procedures, robotassisted surgeries provide several benefits to patients, including significantly less pain, less blood loss, reduced risk of complications, less scarring, and shorter hospital stays and recovery time. Carle first introduced the da Vinci® system in 2008 and has been a leader in the area for using the system to provide a wide array of urological and gynecological procedures. As of April 2012, 14 doctors on Carle’s staff are trained to use da Vinci® and have performed nearly 700 surgeries using the system. Robotic-assisted procedures offered at Carle: • Urology: prostatectomy; nephrectomy, total and partial; adrenalectomy; pyeloplasty. • Gynecology: abdominal hysterectomy; vaginal hysterectomy; myomectomy; radical hysterectomy (oncology related); sacral colpopexy; staging for uterine cancer.

Doctor Duo Now Providing Specialized Care for Women

hen Ronald Kimball, M.D., and Marta Spain, M.D., joined Carle last fall, the husband and wife team brought more than

20 years’ experience treating patients, with very specialized expertise in gynecologic care. Dr. Kimball brings a very specific medical specialty to Carle as the only board-certified gynecological oncologist in east central Illinois and one of only 700 in the United States. Doctors Kimball and Spain partner to offer gynecologic surgical procedures previously not available to patients locally. The doctors jointly perform up to four surgeries every week for cervical, ovarian, vulvar, uterine and vaginal cancers; cancer staging (using the da Vinci® Surgical System); as well as for gestational trophoblastic tumors, uterine fibroid tumors and radical hysterectomy. Call 217-383-3273 for more information or to make an appointment.

www.champaigncounty.org

• Enhanced intensive care facilities, serving adults and children. • The latest equipment and technology, fostering an environment for Carle Foundation Hospital and the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign to better conduct translational research. • Advancements in surgery.

Health Care

Provena Covenant:

Innovation Guided by Compassion By Crystal Senesac, Marketing and Public Relations, Provena Covenant Medical Center

diagnostic procedures to advanced surgery, are recognized by Thomson-Reuters and the Society of Chest Pain Centers. They are also home to the largest inpatient rehabilitation unit in central Illinois and the only rehabilitation unit in central Illinois with a dual specialty accreditation in stroke and amputation. Provena Covenant’s orthopedic services include prevention; assessment; treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries, including joint replacement and emergency fracture care; sports medicine; and a free injury evaluation clinic, available Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 to 10 a.m.

Sophisticated Technology

rovena Covenant is a 210-bed, Catholicfaith based, not-for-profit hospital with a staff of over 250 physicians and a wide range of medical specialties. They are a member of the Provena Health system, which recently merged with the Resurrection Health System in Chicago, making them the largest Catholic health care system in Illinois.

Services

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

Provena Covenant provides a full scope of inpatient and outpatient care. Their comprehensive cardiac services, ranging from simple

Provena Covenant Medical Center is committed to achieving the best possible patient outcomes by providing the community access to the latest advancements in minimally invasive surgery. With the most advanced da Vinci® Si HD robotic-assisted surgical technology, Provena Covenant gives patients who need surgical procedures access to a treatment option that allows them to experience less pain and much smaller incisions and benefit from recovery times measured in days instead of weeks. Provena Covenant currently uses da Vinci® robotic-assisted surgical technology to perform procedures in the areas of urology and gynecology. The use of robotics at Provena Covenant Medical Center is not new. Since early 2011, Provena Covenant is the only hospital in Illinois

outside of Chicago using state-of-the-art robotic technology for atrial fibrillation.

Modern Facilities The brand new Blessed Beginnings Birthing Center opened in May 2012 and includes six labor/delivery rooms, 14 postpartum rooms, two operating rooms, a classroom, a nursery and a special-care nursery. The new birthing center features spacious, spa-inspired rooms; luxurious amenities; and the most advanced technology. The Blessed Beginnings Birthing Center maintains a Level II Plus Neonatal Intensive Care designation. This means Provena Covenant has specially trained neonatologists and nurses to care for infants with birth weights as low as 1,000 grams and as early as 28 weeks’ gestation.

Awards/Accreditations Provena Covenant Medical Center has received numerous awards and accreditations. They are ranked as one of the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals in the United States by ThomsonReuters, making them the only hospital in the area and one of only three hospitals in Illinois to receive this honor. They also received a dual accreditation as both a Chest Pain Center and an Acute Heart Failure Facility by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Additionally, Provena Covenant is an Advanced Primary Stroke Center. For more information about Provena Covenant Medical Center, visit www.provena.org/covenant or call 217-337-2000.

Health Care

Christie Clinic Offers State-of-the-Art Surgery for Skin Cancer By Jeremy Youse, M.D., Board Certified Dermatologist, Christie Clinic

“Y

ou have skin cancer,” is never a phrase that people want to hear from their doctor. Yet, as the rates of skin cancer continue to increase at an alarming pace, it is a phrase that doctors are uttering more and more often. As the only fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon and newest board-certified dermatologist in the Champaign-Urbana region, I diagnose and treat patients with aggressive non-melanoma skin cancers every day. When the skin cancers are small and detected early, treatment may be as simple as scraping away the abnormal skin or applying a topical chemotherapy cream. When the skin cancers are more advanced, large in size, recurrent or previously treated, or in sensitive areas, such as the face, the treatment of choice is often Mohs micrographic surgery. Mohs is a specialized technique of skin cancer treatment that is performed for patients with higher-risk non-melanoma skin cancers, particularly when the skin cancers arise on cosmetically sensitive areas of the face, lips, ears, eyelids or hands. Traditional excision surgery treatments for these skin cancers can lead to unacceptably high recurrence rates and unnecessary scarring and disfigurement. The Mohs surgery technique is performed in the office using local numbing medicine. No general anesthesia is required.

Smile Healthy By Laura Wilcoxen

ealthy teeth and gums are a vital foundation for overall good health. SmileHealthy is dedicated to ensuring that low-income and underserved Champaign County residents — particularly kids — have access to the dental care they need. While the program may be best known for its mobile dental clinics, SmileHealthy is working to make sure that, for those in need, services don’t end with a cleaning and exam. Nancy Greenwalt is the executive director of SmileHealthy. She says that, since its founding, SmileHealthy has steadily been expanding services. She credits the program’s success to a community that has stepped to the plate to respond. “SmileHealthy’s success is due to its many great collaborators, from area dentists, to our local hospitals, to Head Start, to county schools and more,” she said. Since incorporation in 2003, SmileHealthy has expanded services to include its mobile program for children, Head Start Dental Clinic, care for adults, education programs, coordination of the Frances Nelson Dental Center, and a restorative program for children with extreme dental needs, performed under general anesthesia. This expansion in services is good news, since demand has definitely been on the rise — for a number of reasons. “It’s due partly to the economy, but also to the growing awareness of our programs,” Greenwalt said. “While we have been able to grow the number of patients we see to over 2,000 a year, plus coordinating the new Frances Nelson Dental Center, all of our programs have waiting lists.” The need is great; but fortunately, there’s plenty of ways for both dental professionals and the general public to support SmileHealthy.

Dr. Youse completed his dermatology residency and Mohs micrographic surgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic.

Greenwalt has found that the patients aren’t the only ones to walk away with a big smile. “I find matching community interest and support with those able to deliver dental treatments to those who might have otherwise gone without care very rewarding,” she said. “I enjoy bringing people together to reach a common goal like taking care of our community.” SmileHealthy mobile dental clinics for adults and children can come to any site within greater Champaign County, as long as there are 20 or more patients with completed consent forms to be served. Mobile clinics include cleanings, fluoride treatments and dental sealants from hygienists as well as screenings and exams from dentists. For information on SmileHealthy or to schedule a mobile dental clinic, call 217-359-7404. Those interested in donating materials or dental professionals who’d like to volunteer can e-mail Greenwalt at ngreenwalt@smilehealthy.org.

www.champaigncounty.org

Mohs micrographic surgery allows the Mohs surgeon to evaluate the entire peripheral and deep margin of the removed skin. This allows the Mohs surgeon to remove a very narrow margin of skin around the skin cancer and check the edge under a microscope for residual “roots” of skin cancer that extend to the margin. The skin cancer roots are then precisely mapped, and small additional amounts of skin are removed only in the affected areas. This allows for higher cure rates, preservation of normal healthy skin and smaller defects. Once the skin cancer has been cleared with Mohs surgery, the Mohs surgeon will determine the best way to help repair the skin to its normal appearance and function, often repairing the treated area with stitches the same day. Mohs micrographic surgery offers the highest cure rates for most skin cancers, preservation of normal skin, and smaller scars. Christie Clinic is proud to bring this treatment option to patients with skin cancer in the ChampaignUrbana region.

“SmileHealthy works with both staff and volunteer dental professionals, and we can always use more help.” Greenwalt noted. “Most dental disease can be prevented, so one of the greatest things the community can do is to invest in education — invite SmileHealthy to speak to your church group, club or classroom. Additionally, donations of resealable quart-sized ziplock bags, ADA-approved toothpaste or new soft toothbrushes will be put to good use.”

Transportation

High-Speed Rail on Track in Illinois

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

ig enough to create 40,000 new jobs during the Great Recession … green enough to reduce CO2 emissions by 200 million pounds annually … faster than a speeding car … capable of transporting riders, by land, from Chicago to St. Louis, in less than two hours. Is it Superman? No, it’s super travel — via highspeed rail. And local leaders and economic developers are working to bring it to Illinois. In September 2010, construction began on a $98 million project to improve Union Pacific tracks between Alton and Lincoln — the first step in bringing high-speed rail service from Chicago to St. Louis. The improvements will bring rail speeds on the line — which passes through Bloomington/ Normal — up to 110 mph from St. Louis to the Chicago hub at Dwight. Illinois has requested $8.2 million in federal funds to design the bullet train linking Chicago to St. Louis. But if regional high-speed rail proponents have their way, that’s only half the battle. They note that the Midwest, as a region, would gain particular benefit from a high-speed rail system. Major cities in the Midwest are more distant from each other than East Coast cities, making transportation costs higher and decreasing the region’s ability to compete in a global marketplace. Supporters say a 220 mph bullet train network would transform the Midwest into a single, highly productive economic unit centered in Chicago. Further — and of importance to everyone — with concerns about the financial, environmental and national security costs of the continued use of fossil fuels and an ever-increasing population, relatively low energy consumption is a tremendous benefit of high-speed rail. “The most energy-intensive way of moving people is by car,” noted Rick Harnish of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association (MHSRA). “By converting trips from car to train, we will dramatically decrease the amount of energy consumed.” Champaign is slated to play a major role in bringing high-speed rail to

the state. MHSRA has cited the wide and straight Champaign to Chicago railroad right-of-way as an ideal segment for a demonstration section of the 220 mph track. Travel times between Champaign and Chicago would be slashed from 2.3 hours by car to just 43 minutes by bullet train. Additionally, the Champaign County region has another significant stake in the project. “If high-speed rail went through Champaign, it would essentially extend the University of Illinois to Chicago, making it possible to attract the kind of staff Champaign needs to be a major player,” said Harnish. The U.S. Conference of Mayors agreed, stating in a June 2010 report, “In Chicago, high-speed rail will enhance linkages between local research centers focusing on clean energy, physics and biotechnology as well as other R&D centers in Madison, Champaign-Urbana and Peoria.” MHSRA and Get On Board Illinois cite a number of other great reasons to get on board highspeed rail: • Financial Benefits: The estimated value of annual energy savings is $53.6 million. In terms of value of commute time saved, annual benefits could add up to as much as $35 million. It’s estimated that high-speed rail construction would create 677,000 permanent jobs and 316,000 construction jobs. Further, the U.S. Conference of Mayors report says high-speed rail could add $50 million to the economy and generate up to 18,000 jobs in downtown Chicago. • Increased Safety: High-speed rail is much safer than other modes of transportation — particularly automobiles. According to the “Chicago to St. Louis High Speed Rail Alternative Corridor Study,” conducted by Tran Systems, other highspeed rail lines, like the French TGV, Spanish AVE and Japanese Shinkansen, have been operating very high-density services,

By David Ballard & Laura Wilcoxen

some for over 40 years, without a single passenger fatality. One model suggests that by building high-speed rail from Chicago to St. Louis, “1,380,000 former auto drivers will incur an annual average of 157 fewer non-fatal accidents and statistically 2.6 fewer fatal accidents, as a result of riding a ‘fail safe’ HSL train vs. driving.” • Enhanced Leisure and Productivity: Riders can enjoy the benefits of either increased productivity, as they are able to work while on the train, or increased leisure and relaxation, if they prefer. • Rural Prosperity: Rural connections would allow residents of the Midwest’s many smaller communities to work in the region’s larger metros, while also encouraging more businesses to locate in the smaller communities themselves. • Modernizing Aging Infrastructure: Proponents of the high-speed rail system point out that the aging highway system is providing diminishing condition and returns. Right now there is a prime opportunity to supplement that system with a network of high-speed railways that will enormously strengthen and improve transportation efficiency, cost and safety. Already, Spain, France, England, Japan, Russia, China and other nations have built or are building high-speed railways. “Our economy is changing very quickly,” Harnish said. “So we need to adapt very quickly. We see lowering the cost of travel as a way of making it easier to adapt. We are finding the only way to make travel easier, more productive and less fuel-consumptive is by building electrified trains.” Building high-speed rail though use of private investments provides an opportune way to make the Champaign County region more competitive and relational, tying region to region, state to state, community to community, person to person and — Champaign to Chicago.

For More Information Get On Board Illinois http://getonboardillinois.com Midwest High Speed Rail Association www.midwesthsr.org

Workforce

Supporting Firefighters: Illinois Fire Service Institute school each June for youth who are part of the Fire Explorer and Fire Cadet programs operated by local fire departments IFSI is a founding member of the governor’s Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) and co-chairs the ITTF Training Committee. IFSI has developed and offers 17 courses that have been adopted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as national technical rescue, HAZMAT and incident management courses. IFSI recently dedicated a new Emergency Operations Training Center designed to provide scalable incident management training on the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Using the most advanced technologies for simulating actual emergencies and Emergency Operations Command (EOC), the center helps Illinois communities train their staffs and test emergency plans and response capabilities. Last year IFSI provided Homeland Security courses to 15,292 first responders. IFSI also operates the 28-acre Fire Academy Training Site, featuring a working fire station, hightech classrooms, dedicated training buildings and hands-on training props to help firefighters learn, under operational conditions, to handle any situation they may encounter. The site includes three live burn buildings; an auto extrication area; an agricultural training site; fire investigation burn buildings; a streetscape simulating fire and other emergencies in stores, offices, apartments, hallways, stairways and storage rooms; technical rescue training props for rope, confined space and trench rescue; and a “Rescue City,” where first responders can perform search and rescue training in simulated collapsed buildings. The institute celebrated the opening of its stateof-the art Learning Resource and Research (LRRC) facility in January 2011. The 21,000-square-foot

site includes the IFSI Library, Research Center, Emergency Operations Training Center, Firefighter Memorial Hall and Memorial Plaza. IFSI operates the state’s only library dedicated to fire and emergency services and collaborates with the nationally recognized University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) to provide reference and library services to firefighters and communities throughout Illinois. In 2011, IFSI hosted the international fire service library (inFIRE) Conference with participants from the United States, Canada, China and Sweden. IFSI has a strong commitment to research efforts aimed at protecting firefighters and improving the technologies available to them. Collaborating with Skidmore College and U of I’s colleges of Applied Health Science, Engineering and Medicine, IFSI operates a national Firefighter Life Safety Research Laboratory with significant research funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation. The lab conducts studies in firefighter health and wellness, incident management, and equipment technologies. Institute researchers collaborate with University of Illinois departments on studies including the cardiovascular effect of fire fighting, psychological and cognitive effects of heat stress, and the effects of alternate breathing apparatus designs. Firefighter Memorial Hall is open to the public and honors fallen firefighters. Memorial Plaza features bricks engraved with messages to support the institute’s work and to honor firefighters, friends or family members. Visit www.fsi.illinois.edu for more information on all of the institute’s facilities.

www.champaigncounty.org

he Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) in Champaign, the statutory State Fire Academy for Illinois, operates as a continuing-education and public-service activity of the University of Illinois. IFSI provides training, education, information and research services to fire departments, public and private safety organizations, and communities throughout Illinois, across the United States and for foreign students from Asia and Europe. In addition, IFSI maintains a full-time training presence at the Chicago Fire Academy and delivers some 450 courses to over 8,200 first responders in the Chicago metro area annually. Last year IFSI trained over 49,000 students from 1,000 Illinois fire departments and 136 other response organizations. Featuring more than 300 classes in over 10 categories, IFSI also offers online courses and special events that concentrate training over several days. Members of the IFSI faculty and field staff include many activeduty firefighters and officers sharing their practical experience and expertise. To provide essential training to Illinois’ nearly 30,000 volunteer firefighters, IFSI’s Cornerstone Program provides hands-on training in fundamental skills at no cost to firefighters or their departments. Courses are offered throughout the state in local fire department facilities and at IFSI regional training centers and fire schools. IFSI has hosted the national oldest contiguous fire school since 1925. The annual Fire College is a four-day event held in June and attended by nearly 800 firefighters, featuring hands-on training with the newest props and technologies. Winter Fire School, held over a weekend in January, focuses on the training needs of small and volunteer fire departments. IFSI also conducts a four-day fire

By Amanda Knoles

Business Vignettes

A to Z Painting: Award-Winning Entrepreneur

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

rowing up in Mattoon, Ill., Carol ZuHone never dreamed the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce would someday honor her as owner of the 2011 Small Business of the Year. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Eastern Illinois University in 1983 and held a variety of jobs over the years — disc jockey, drafter, tennis instructor and even golf course groundskeeper at the University of Illinois. From 1986 to 1994 she owned a Baskin Robbins franchise in Champaign, but when she decided to pursue a master’s degree at Governors State University, she sold the franchise to pursue a job that offered more flexible hours. “I learned a lot from running the Baskin Robbins store, but I realized I would be happier starting up my own business,” ZuHone said. She took classes at Parkland College while learning the ropes of the painting business from Ross Merkle at K&R Painting. And in 1994 she launched A to Z Painting in Savoy and began a new chapter in her life. Her classes in business management and marketing at Parkland College armed her with the knowledge she needed to get things rolling and advertise her new business.

“Joining the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations was one of the smartest things I did to help promote my business and start building a network of valuable contacts,” she said. A to Z Painting specializes in residential interior and exterior painting jobs, but ZuHone and her team also have experience painting offices and apartments. “We offer a lot of guidance in helping people choose the colors and types of paint that will work best for their situation,” she noted. ZuHone says she is grateful her business has grown steadily but admits she has faced her share of ups and downs while coping with the recession and other challenges. Still, she says, “After 17 years my painting business is still going strong.” She’s passed her experience and knowledge on, teaching classes in business, advertising and marketing part time at Parkland College. While A to Z Painting continues to be her primary focus, eventually she hopes to transition into teaching full time. In addition to providing her customers with excellent customer service and high-quality work, ZuHone makes time for helping others. She has

By Amanda Knoles

taught interviewing skills to students at Central High School and worked on three houses for Habitat for Humanity. An active member of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and Champaign West Rotary Club, she also supports the Humane Society, United Way and other organizations. The avid baseball fan has served on the board of the Champaign County Colts and as a committee member for the University of Illinois Dugout Club. “My parents taught me strong ethics and the importance of giving back to the community,” she said.

Business Vignettes

Flightstar Corporation: The Sky’s Not the Limit By Amanda Knoles

with shower, a weather briefing room, rental cars, free Wi-Fi and more. “We offer a high-end facility and strive to treat our customers well,” Giannetti said. “We want them to have a premium experience at the airport so they will leave with a positive impression of our community.” Flightstar offers an exceptional choice of highquality aircraft for a community the size of Champaign-Urbana. In addition to three Learjet 45XRs, a Learjet 40XR and a Challenger 300, the company offers a Global Express XRS and Falcon 10, Falcon 20 and Falcon 50 models. Four fulltime flight schedulers book trips and handle client travel arrangements. Flightstar also employs 24 FlightSafety-trained, Airline Transport-rated professional pilots. The general aviation division of the maintenance and avionics operation handles the needs of Flightstar-managed aircraft in addition to maintenance needs of outside clients. Technicians work on all types of general aviation aircraft, but they have extensive experience caring for Global, Challenger, Learjet, Falcon and King Air. The airline maintenance division provides comprehensive overnight maintenance of American Eagle Embraer Regional Jets seven days a week, 365 days a year.

In January 2012 Flightstar acquired the assets of Bloomington Avionics and transferred its employees to Willard Airport. “We were looking to expand our avionics capabilities, and this acquisition allowed us to move to the next level,” Giannetti said. “We can complete avionics work on a variety of aircraft, from small planes up to jets.” In March 2012, Flightstar was named a factory-authorized line maintenance facility for Bombardier Learjet 40 and 45 series aircraft. “We are proud to join the Bombardier service team,” said Giannetti. “We can now perform warranty repairs, handle service bulletins and all required periodic inspections on Lear 40 and 45 model aircraft. “After maintaining our own jet fleet for over 25 years, Flightstar’s maintenance team is extremely well-versed on getting the job done on time and on budget,” he continued. “And, as an operator of four Lear aircraft ourselves, we are able to bring that experience to our customers.” For more information, visit www.flightstar.com.

www.champaigncounty.org

lightstar has been the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Willard Airport since 1978. Featuring a 10,000-square-foot corporate terminal and 68,000 square feet of state-of-the-art maintenance facilities, Flightstar provides top-quality maintenance for aircraft operators and premium service to clients seeking passenger charter flights. Founded by Bill Giannetti, president, and Chip Hussey, executive vice president, the company began as a flight training operation with one plane and three employees operating out of an office trailer. Over the years the business has grown into a full-service FBO employing over 120 people. With facilities encompassing nearly half the airport, Flightstar handles line service operations, aircraft management and charter flight operations, and aircraft maintenance and avionics operations. Line services include meeting, marshaling and parking of transient and locally based aircraft; fueling operations at the airport; and towing and housing aircraft in Flightstar’s six hangars. Flightstar’s line service also does the fueling and ramp positioning of the University of Illinois Institute of Aviation’s fleet of training aircraft. Other services include baggage handling, aircraft de-icing, ground handling of air carrier charters and providing a variety of customer amenities, including a crew lounge, a guest workout room

Business Vignettes

Homer Soda Company:

Bubble, Bubble Is NO Trouble By Dana Mancuso

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

hether you’re a traditional soda drinker or you like a bit of “pop” in your pop, the Homer Soda Company has the bottled beverage for you. Owner Kate Boyer’s family had already had a business for several years when the opportunity to get into the soda business came up. “One of our downtown [Homer] buildings was occupied by a cute store with hundreds of varieties of soda,” she said. “The owner couldn’t continue operating it, and we didn’t want it to close, so we bought it out.” Because she already had extra warehouse space, Boyer was able to both keep a building open downtown and expand out. Her business started selling sodas out of the store at 118 S. Main Street in 2008, expanding to the warehouse in 2010. Today that warehouse is filled with soda in a rainbow of colors and an array of flavors. Inside the store, sodas are labeled by category so shoppers can easily choose from ginger ales, berry flavors, citrus sodas, root beers and cream sodas, and, of course, colas. The most popular flavor, Boyer says, is Dang Butterscotch Rootbeer. “That one is a native of Milwaukee, and you can’t find it in other places,” she explained. “I think its [popularity is] the mix of the butterscotch and the root beer.” Indeed, there is more to soda — and more to cola — than Coke or Pepsi, Boyer says. One popular cola is Moxie. Boyer explains that it not

only has a long history, but is the only cola in the dictionary. “Moxie tastes like old-fashioned elixir — you either love it or you hate it. Those who love it absolutely swear by it,” she said. “If you can drink more than one of those bottles you have ‘Moxie.’ It’s been around since the 1880s and is the official soda of the state of Maine.” Homer Soda Company also created their own fun twist on pop for the arrival of a new baby. The appropriately named New Baby soda comes in either cherry (pink) or blueberry (blue). The label is decorated with a stork, and there is a place on the side to enter the information about the baby’s birth. “Instead of handing out cigars, you can hand out cool soda,” Boyer said. Parties big and small also make great places to provide Homer Soda Company Soda. You can bring a six-pack as a gift to a barbecue or contact them to place a special order for a bigger event. Boyer has 150 varieties of soda in stock, so she can help you select the best one for your occasion. “We will deliver within about a 60-mile radius of Champaign,” Boyer said. If you aren’t in the area, you can check the website for retailers in Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, Bloomington, Springfield, Monticello and even Indianapolis, including Great Harvest Bread Company, Radio Maria and Aroma Café. For more information, visit homersoda.com or email sales@homersoda.com.

Business Vignettes

Midwest Underground Technology: Power in the Wind

By Laura Wilcoxen

based both upon the perceived financial opportunity and a desire to contribute toward promoting energy independence and environmental stewardship.” MUTI offers full turnkey services (including site analysis, permitting, financing, post-installation maintenance and coordination) for wind energy projects, from single installations to small wind farm configurations. While most of MUTI’s wind turbine clients are municipal, the company also serves corporate and private clients — with one of its corporate clients being MUTI itself. Leading by example, the company has installed a turbine at its corporate headquarters in Champaign. The NW100 produces between 70 and 90 percent of the site’s current energy, and since its installation in

January 2011, it is estimated that it has reduced the company’s CO2 emissions by more than 340,000 pounds and energy costs by more than $20,000. “We were the first company in Champaign to install a wind turbine defined as distributed wind, which will produce clean energy for years to come,” Woods said. “It’s a great selling tool for us, since it’s an example of a successful application of renewable energy.” For more information on all of MUTI’s services, visit www.mutionline.com. Here you can also view live status updates on the company’s own NW100 wind turbine, a fascinating and ongoing study of the benefits of renewable energy.

www.ccchamber.org

tarted in 2000 by just two employees specializing in horizontal directional drilling and technology, Midwest Underground Technology Inc. (MUTI) was soon reaching for the skies — literally. By mid-2000 the Champaign-based company had already expanded into construction and maintenance of communications towers. Today, with more than 160 employees and four office locations, MUTI has established its reputation as a leader in the communications industry. In 2009, MUTI turned its attention to renewable energy, and in keeping with its fast-moving history, is already building a name as a leader in the growing wind turbine field. Derek Woods is vice president of MUTI’s Renewable Energy Division. He says wind turbine technology was a logical extension of the company’s existing expertise. “MUTI’s primary business is serving the telecommunications market, and within this function, it offers turnkey construction and project management services,” he said. “Many of these services were a perfect fit to expand into the renewable energy market — specifically, wind energy. MUTI was able to enter the distributed wind energy market by utilizing existing in-house abilities.” While many companies might have hesitated to branch out in the midst of the national economic downturn, MUTI saw both marketability and mission in wind energy. “The timing appeared to be right based upon the increased recognition and desire to implement more renewable energies throughout the country, additional local and federal incentives to invest in wind energy technology, and increased concern for rising energy prices and energy independence,” Woods said. “The desire to move forward in this market was

Technology

EnterpriseWorks Energizes Tech Startups By Jennifer Bull

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

ne of the advantages of having a worldclass university in Champaign County is the sheer number of businesses that are created. The Research Park at the University of Illinois has long been on the forefront of fostering startup technological businesses and helping those businesses thrive. Laura Frerichs, the director of The Research Park, explains that EnterpriseWorks functions as the park’s incubator. “Most U of I startups, especially those started by faculty members, would begin here at EnterpriseWorks,” Frerichs said. “We have had 135 startups go through here in the last 10 years, with about 35 at any given time. It’s always nearly full, and we are turning companies.” Frerichs says that companies spend three to four years at EnterpriseWorks before graduating. In addition to fostering startups, the goal is for

the incubator to make Champaign County an attractive permanent home. “The idea is to create and incubate companies; support them while they’re here, make it an easy place for them to build their businesses and then have them graduate to either the Research Park or another location locally if possible,” Frerichs explained. “More than half of them stay within Champaign County afterwards.” Many of the startups are born at U of I. “About half the companies are started by professors; about 25 percent by students or recent alumni; and about 5 percent by staff at the university,” Frerichs said. “The rest are from other geographies, and they have to undergo an application process to get in.” With the explosion in popularity and sales of smartphones, tablets and e-readers, the cutting edge of technology right now is in mobile apps development. EnterpriseWorks offers classes for those who are interested in exploring this opportunity. “We’re offering an iOS development class at night. We filled the class within a couple of days and we will be offering it again because of the demand,” Frerichs said. Members of the community interested in having an app developed have gotten some help from the EnterpriseWorks class, which has also given students some needed practical experience. “Somewhere around week four we paired up with groups of people in the community and on

campus that want a mobile app,” said Michael Haberman, an iOS developer and professor, who teaches the course. “Class participants teamed up, with each client working with three to four developers. The students are creating a software specification sheet for them in a storyboard showing what the app potentially would look like. They are all relatively new developers, so they are not actually going to build the app for them, but are helping them spec out what the app would require for it to be fully functioning.” The apps class is just one of several services startups and students can take advantage of. And once they’ve graduated, companies locating in The Research Park can look forward to rubbing elbows with some pretty significant players in the technology and science industries. “The Research Park includes not only our graduates, but also larger corporations,” Frerichs said. “Companies like Yahoo and Abbott have research facilities here, employing lots of IT development kind of people. The total employment at Research Park is about 1,300 people at 90 companies. “There’s a very impressive list of inventions that have come from here — Netscape Mosaic, the first Web browser; the MRI; the transistor,” Frerichs continued. “Entrepreneurs that came from here include the founders of YouTube and PayPal. These are all part of our legacy as a tech center. This is a small community, but it has a really impressive story.”

Recreation & Tourism

Public Parks & Recreation: Plenty of Places to Play

n impressive array of parks and programs awaits leisure-seekers in Champaign County. Both Champaign and Urbana boast large, active parks districts, and Savoy’s Recreation Center promotes healthy living with a variety of programs and top-notch facilities.

Champaign Park District

By Amanda Knoles

• Sholem Aquatic Center at Centennial Park features adult and kiddie pools, lap lanes, water rides, a translucent slide, a bathhouse, and shade and sun areas. • Dogs and their human companions look forward to play time at the Champaign Bark District, a 7-acre dog park at Windsor and Rising roads featuring separate areas for large and small dogs.

www.champaignparkdistrict.com

• Spalding Park Skatepark at 900 Harris Street is free and open seven days a week for skateboarders and inline skaters. Offering 18,000 square feet of concrete, the park challenges skaters with two bowls, a snake run and an exciting street course.

What’s more, Champaign parks are undergoing upgrades and improvements, and new facilities are in the works: • Phase II additions planned at Porter Park include a fishing pier and boardwalk, a shelter, a half-mile trail with interpretive signs, and a naturescape playground. • Aging Leonhard Recreation Center will be replaced with a new community center at Centennial Park thanks to a $2.5 million Park and Recreation Construction Facility Grant. • The city of Champaign’s Planning Department and the Park District are collaborating on The Champaign Trails Plan, a series of recreational trails that will connect parks with key community destinations. The Champaign Parks Foundation conducts numerous fundraising efforts throughout the year. Thanks to donations from individuals and various organizations, the foundation assists in funding the development of parks and trails and purchasing land and open space. The foundation also provides funding for the Youth Scholarship Program so that children can attend day camps and participate in recreational programs their families could not otherwise afford. The foundation is a strong supporter of the arts, including the Springer Cultural Center and downtown’s landmark Virginia Theatre, which is in its final stages of restoration. The Virginia Theatre hosts a variety of entertainment including movies, concerts and the annual Roger Ebert Film Festival. The Springer Center Cultural Center offers cultural and educational programs, workshops, lectures, exhibits and performances.

Urbana Park District www.urbanaparks.org

With 22 parks and a variety of facilities, there is a recreational opportunity for everyone who visits the Urbana Park District. Crystal Lake Park

Crystal Lake Park’s 90.4 acres include a playground, paths and trails, a lake for fishing and seasonal boating, areas for sledding, picnic tables with shelters, and a labyrinth surrounded by gardens. The park’s Family Aquatic Center is expected to serve more than 62,000 annual visitors when it opens in summer 2013. It will feature a combination of high-energy water play spaces (slides, diving board, climbing wall) and relaxing spaces (zero-depth entry, wet deck, shaded lounge areas.) The design includes a streambed feature that looks like a natural stream or river. The center will offer lap and competitive swimming, swim lessons and areas for other activities.

www.champaigncounty.org

Featuring 63 parks spanning over 670 acres, the Champaign Parks District also operates 13 facilities, including recreation centers, a tennis center, a downtown cultural center, an aquatic center and a historic movie theater. The Parks District provides the community with more than 1,000 programs and special events each year. The broad variety of programs and venues allows the district to serve the community with activities that appeal to people of all ages, interests and abilities. The year-round calendar includes everything from preschool activities, arts and crafts, and fitness classes to senior bowling and fishing trips. Fun family events include seasonal festivals, fishing derbies, a sunset movie series, art shows, cardboard boat races, mini-triathlons and activities at the Prairie Farm, a replica turn-of-the-century farm with traditional farm animals. Residents enjoy ample opportunities for outdoor recreation at Champaign parks, including hiking, fishing, boating, sledding and skating. Among special features:

Recreation & Tourism

The Anita Purves Nature Center, located at the north end of Crystal Lake Park, is an environmental education center adjacent to 59-acre Busey Woods. Visitors can discover the natural history of Illinois though interactive hands-on exhibits inside the field station, or they can register for educational programs that explore the Illinois landscape, native animals, plants and ecosystems. The center’s wildlife observation room is perfect for watching birds in the garden, and a variety of multipurpose rooms are used for business meetings, parties and special events. The Audubon Nature Shop features naturethemed gifts. Other signature Facilities

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

• Located at 102 E. Michigan Street, the Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center is shared by the Urbana Park District and the Urbana School District. It’s open yearround and offers swim lessons, water exercise programs and open swim in a familyfriendly atmosphere. • Phillips Recreation Center, at 505 W. Stoughton Street is the main registration center for the district and is home base for a variety of activities for all ages. With three multipurpose rooms, a senior lounge, and a dance and fitness room inside, it is home to senior, fine arts and fitness programs. Outside is a playground and basketball court. Stop in here to rent available pavilions and rooms throughout the district. • Meadowbrook Park, located along Windsor Road and Race Street, features 130 acres with open fields, the district’s largest playground, paths and trails for pedestrians and bicyclists, rentable organic garden plots, herb and flower gardens, picnic tables, pavilions, and restrooms. The Meadowbrook Interpretive Center provides classroom space for children from local schools, and The Wandell Sculpture Garden, a free outdoor gallery,

includes works on loan from artists and sculptures purchased for the garden’s permanent collection. • A fenced 10-acre dog park, located at 1501 E. Perkins Road, is open from dawn to dusk. Members and visitors can run their dogs off leash in this park specially designed for canines.

Savoy Recreation Center www.savoyreceationcenter.com

Located south of Champaign in nearby Savoy, the Savoy Recreation Center promotes healthy living by offering residents easily accessible and affordable fitness programs with over 30 classes per week to choose from. Serving the community since 2005, the center provides a variety of preschool, youth and adult sports programs as well as activities designed for seniors. “We provide a safe place to exercise, play sports or participate in group activities,” explained director Tiffany DeSpain. “Our goal is to build a healthy community and provide a comfortable atmosphere where people can have fun and connect with each other.” Featuring a full-court gym, cardio and weight rooms, an aerobics room, and an indoor walking/jogging track, the center offers affordably priced memberships that include all group fitness classes. Low-cost memberships allow members

to use a variety of fitness equipment, including machines, stationary bikes, treadmills, ellipticals and stair-steppers. The center also offers volleyball and basketball courts, lockers, showers, and an activity room. Group fitness classes include everything from yoga, Zumba and cardio kickboxing to turbo kick and fitness boot camps. Youth Hoops, men’s basketball leagues and Biddy-Ball for children ages 3 and 4 are a few of the fun sports available. Summer Camp offers morning, afternoon and all-day options and provides kids with lots of fun activities in a safe and healthy environment. A variety of special events are offered throughout the year, including Trick or Treat Street, Breakfast with Santa, Touch A Truck, Parent Date Night, Ultimate Family Road Rally, Take A Kid Fishing Day and the Annual Summer Kickoff. “We offer one-month, six-month and annual memberships for families, adults, couples, youth and seniors,” DeSpain noted. “Specials are offered throughout the year, and you do not have to live in Savoy to join or participate in our programs. Both resident and non-resident rates are available.” The Recreation Center gym and activity room may be rented for corporate and private events. A variety of birthday packages are available, and the center also handles rentals of pavilions at Savoy Parks. Call 217-359-3550 for more information.

Recreation & Tourism

Open to All:

New Stephens Family YMCA

By Jay Nehrkorn

needs. The universal design concept was incorporated into all aspects of the building, from the neutral wall colors, to benefit those with autism or epilepsy, all the way down to the rubber flooring, which improves mobility for members with wheelchairs or walkers. “Universal design is a way of looking at architecture and design to ensure that it’s accommodating for all people while also taking out the stigma of being ‘handicap-accessible,’” said Champaign County YMCA Marketing Director Heidi Cordes. “People who have disabilities come in and say, ‘Wow, this is great! I can maneuver my wheelchair easily,’ or ‘My son has autism and I love these colors because there’s no chance of him being overstimulated.’ The locker rooms are all accessible, with benches and hand rails, and while people with disabilities really appreciate that, people who don’t have a disability rarely notice that we did anything special.” In addition, four sensory rooms are included in the new building, providing a soothing place of retreat for autistic guests as well as quiet places that can be reserved for various types of therapy. In terms of public response, YMCA membership numbers speak volumes. In the five weeks after opening the new facility, membership grew from just below 3,000 to more than 6,700 members. And YMCA staff couldn’t be happier. “Everything we dreamt and wanted this facility to become is actually happening,” Cordes

Stephens Family YMCA Facilities Highlights •A quatic center with eight-lane pool, warm water therapy pool and zero-entry family recreational pool • Health & Wellness Center, including three group exercise studios • Large gymnasium • Multi-purpose/gymnastics gym • Rock-climbing wall • Indoor track • Child Watch and Family Adventure Center • Accessible locker rooms and changing rooms, including family locker room

said. “We wanted all ages, all races and all religions to share the same space so that the community members would spend time together and become more familiar with each other. Each day when we walk into the facility we can see this taking place in front of us, and that’s what our dream was for the Y. We wanted people to come and just lose track of time while they’re spending time together being active and healthy.”

ccymca.net :: 217-359-YMCA (9622)

• T wo saunas • Social space for teens and active older adults, including TV and games • Resource library and two classrooms • Outdoor athletic field and pavilion area • More than 300 parking spaces

Program Highlights •H ealth and wellness programs, including group fitness classes for a variety of ages and physical capabilities • Aquatics programs include instructional, recreational and competitive swimming, as

• • • • • •

well as exercise/therapy offerings, water sports, and water safety and rescue classes Recreational gymnastics and tumbling Family health and fitness programs and other family-oriented events Year-round youth sports opportunities including flag football, basketball and winter indoor soccer Summer camps After-school and School’s Out day programs Yearly special events

www.champaigncounty.org

he opening of the new Stephens Family YMCA on March 1, 2012, ushered in a new era for the Champaign County YMCA, both in terms of services offered and in its accessibility for all members of the community. The new 75,000-square-foot location at 2501 Fields South Drive in Champaign not only replaced the aging facilities at Church Street and Country Fair, but it has also enhanced the YMCA’s ability to bring the entire community together. Starting with an initial $5 million donation by the Stephens family in 2010 and a donation of land worth $1.65 million by health care provider Carle, the new YMCA went from concept to completion in less than two years. Inspired by the Stephens family’s faith in the project, many other community members stepped up to support the successful “New Beginnings” capital campaign, which is now in the home stretch of meeting its ultimate $16 million goal. The successful construction phase of the project also represented a significant accomplishment for YMCA leadership, coming in on time and under budget as they challenged the status quo to create a place that would serve members better than previous facilities. The new YMCA not only includes new features such as a rock-climbing wall, teen center, outdoor pavilion and fields, walking track, classrooms, and a library, it also opens the door for members of the community who have special

Recreation & Tourism

On The Green

Champaign County Golf Courses By Jay Nehrkorn

hampaign County offers golfers a variety of attractive courses for outings and events. Pack your clubs and visit any of these Chamber-member courses for a great day on the greens.

Brookhill Golf Course 3150 Country Road 1700 East, Rantoul.............217-893-1200 www.golfbrookhillgc.com

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

Set amidst the beauty of rich agricultural land, this public course is a great location for golfing with friends or an organized event. The 18-hole, par-72 course has four sets of tees playing from 5,557 to 6,597 yards.

Champaign Country Club 1211 S. Prospect Ave., Champaign.......................217-356-1391 www.champaigncountryclub.com

a practice range and a nine-hole, par-3 course for sharpening your short game. The course is a certified Audubon sanctuary.

Lincolnshire Fields Country Club 2000 Byrnebruk Drive, Champaign....................217-352-0893 www.lincolnshirefieldscc.com

This private club adjacent to I-57 has golf programs and packages for the whole family as well as tennis, swmimming and dining amenities.

Stone Creek Golf Club 2600 Stone Creek Blvd., Urbana.......................217-367-3000 www.stonecreekgolfclub.com

Located in southeastern Urbana, this public championship course plays more than 7,100 yards from the championship tees and offers a snack bar for golfers who work up an appetite.

This private, 18-hole championship course features mature landscaped trees, bent grass fairways and four teeing options.

Urbana Country Club

Lake of the Woods Golf Course

100 E. Country Club Road, Urbana.....................217-344-8670 www.urbanacountryclub.com

405 N. Lake of the Woods Road, Mahomet.........217-586-2183 www.golfthelake.com

Just minutes west of Champaign, Lake of the Woods offers a par-72 regulation course as well as

A private club with a picturesque and challenging 18-hole course designed by A Thomas Bendelow, it plays approximately 6,551 yards and has a stroke rating of 71.5.

Come Closer to Nature:

Recreation & Tourism

he steward of five forest preserves covering 3,885 acres, the Champaign County Forest Preserve District promotes conservation, education and enjoyment of the county’s natural and historic resources. In addition to providing outdoor recreational opportunities, the district offers residents myriad educational options, including general programs, school and homeschool activities, summer youth camps, scout programs, and customized activities like guided tours, hikes and themed presentations. “The district’s Education Department provides a broad range of programs to help the community learn about the natural and cultural history of the region,” noted John Baker, the district’s business, finance and human resources director. “Programs are free or minimally priced and offered throughout Champaign County.” For more information visit www.ccfpd.org.

Lake of the Woods Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, located near Mahomet, spans 900 acres along the Sangamon River. The scenic wooded area offers several popular attractions, including the Museum of the Grand Prairie, Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden, Lake of the Woods Golf Course, and the Hi-Tower Bell Carillon and observation area. Outdoor activities including fishing, hiking and picnicking. In winter it’s a popular spot for crosscountry skiing and sledding. Boating enthusiasts may rent pedal boats, kayaks and rowboats from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Walkers, joggers, bikers and skaters enjoy the paved 3.3-mile path winding through grasslands, prairie and wooded areas and over the Sangamon River via the Lake of the Woods Covered Bridge.

Museum of the Grand Prairie (formerly the Early American Museum) offers an extensive collection depicting 19th- and 20th-century life in east-central Illinois. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the museum participates in the Illinois “Looking for Lincoln” program and offers two floors of exhibits featuring agriculture, trades and occupations, architecture, decorative arts, and childhood and domestic life. Educational programs for all ages are presented year-round. A gift shop sells a variety of items, from educational toys for children to jewelry, home décor, ironware and collectibles for adults. A consignment gallery features the works of local artists. The 8-acre Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden offers some of the most beautiful flowers and plant displays in east-central Illinois. Favored as a picturesque spot for weddings, the garden features distinct areas like the All-America Selections Display Garden, the award-winning Miriam Davies Memorial Enabling Garden and the Discovery Garden. The Hi-Tower and Carillon, a must-see for first-time visitors and children, has been a landmark for more than four decades. Those who climb the six-story stairway to the observation deck are rewarded with a view that seems to go on for miles. The bell carillon plays music throughout the day.

Other Highlights

• Rayburn-Purnell Woods is an oak and hickory upland forest with a 0.44-mile trail that winds through the woods. The old growth forest, comprised primarily of native trees, is a popular spot for viewing spring wildflowers and fall leaves. • Homer Lake Forest Preserve spans 828 acres and has historic significance. A “Looking for

Lincoln” wayside exhibit marks the location of the horse trail Abraham Lincoln traveled when he served on the 8th Judicial Circuit. Offering 10 miles of trails that cross grasslands, prairies and woodlands, the preserve is a popular destination for hikers and bird-watchers. Fishing, boating, sledding and cross-country skiing also draw visitors to the relaxing setting. The Homer Lake Natural Playscape uses natural materials as an alternative to traditional playground equipment to expose kids to nature. The Homer Lake Interpretive Center offers interactive displays, a wildlife viewing area, live animals and activities for all ages. Salt Fork Center, overlooking Homer Lake, is rented frequently for gatherings and offers a boat dock, outdoor amphitheater and a system of interpretive trails nearby. • River Bend Forest Preserve is a 280-acre site boasting 130 acres of clear water in two lakes. The scenic area, spanning 2.5 miles of forest along the Sangamon River, offers a 1-mile nature trail and 1.3-mile multi-use trail. The 9-11 Memorial Woodland, located on the west side of the preserve, was established to honor those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. • Universally accessible Possibility Pier offers the best fishing in the area for those without a boat. A roof shields anglers from the sun, and there are picnic and tackle tables. Those seated are able to fish through railing slots. • Sangamon River Forest Preserve covers 160 acres and provides a serene setting for activities like hiking, bird watching, river fishing and picnicking. The preserve’s Lincoln Ash is one of the largest ash trees in the state. The preserve also features groves of large bur and white oak trees, some more than 200 years old with circumferences of more than 13 feet. • Middle Fork River Forest Preserve consists of 1,702 acres of reforestation projects, marsh reclamation and prairie restoration to restore habitat typical of pre-settlement periods. Middle Fork is home to the 65-site Harry L. Swartz Campground, a swimming beach and the 130acre Waterfowl Management Area. Visitors also enjoy hiking trails, fishing ponds, a play area and a variety of picnic spots.

www.champaigncounty.org

Champaign County Forest Preserve District

Art & Entertainment

Art Alfresco:

Public Arts League Sponsors Outdoor Sculpture By Laura Wilcoxen

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

hen an entire community is your gallery, art can make an amazing impact. In Champaign County, the Public Art League (PAL) is bringing outstanding works of sculpture outside four walls and into public spaces outdoors. David Wilcoxen, president of the Public Art League, says that bringing art into the public venue can expand a community’s horizons and draw it together at the same time. “Public art creates a sense of place, of belonging and community space. Public art causes you to look at and interact with the urban environment in ways never before imagined.” PAL was formed in 2010 by Wilcoxen, Brian Knox, Lawrence Hamlin and Eric Robeson. The all-volunteer organization is governed today by a nine-member board of directors Wilcoxen describes as “very active and highly motivated.” The group’s ultimate goal is to create a permanent collection in the community. Each year PAL sponsors a sculpture competition, issuing a call to professional visual artists, 18 and older, to submit works for consideration. Judged by a panel of local arts professionals, artists, board members and city representatives, the selected sculptures are installed in the community metro area for a two-year period. “Selection is based upon artistic excellence and originality, representations of the artist’s past works, artistic career, and other supporting materials,” Wilcoxen said. “Appropriateness of the artist’s vision, medium, style and experience in a public environment is also considered.” Winning artists receive an honorarium to furnish, install and remove their work. The selected pieces are available for sale during their lease, and PAL receives a commission on pieces sold, all of which goes toward advancing the organization’s mission. PAL has a list of sites targeted for artwork, and selected sculptures are carefully matched with an appropriate locale. “Before a sculpture site is finalized, the site is reviewed by municipal or park district officials to ensure there are not any safety or utility access concerns,” Wilcoxen noted. “We’re definitely open to recommendations from the community. In some

cases, sponsors have fallen in love with a piece and have sponsored installation on private land.” While the league’s initial focus is on the medium of sculpture, Wilcoxen says that as resources, public interest and support grows, the board may explore other media such as murals, mosaics and urban lighting. There are a number of ways the public can show their support of the league’s mission. “One great way to get involved is to become a ‘Friend of PAL’ at the individual, family or business level,” Wilcoxen said. “Friends are notified of all PAL happenings and are invited to PAL gatherings throughout the year. “In addition, you can become a sponsor of PAL,” he continued. “As a sponsor, you can assure that more great public art comes to Champaign-Urbana though our rotating lease program. Finally, the sculptures that come to Champaign-Urbana as part of PAL’s program are all for sale. If you see one that you think needs to stay here, purchasing it is the way to make it happen.”

Wilcoxen says there are many reasons for any community — but especially for ChampaignUrbana — to support a public arts program. “Public art has an economic benefit. In addition to the value of the artwork, public art promotes tourism, community interest and that intangible element of ‘coolness’ that causes people to want to move and live here.” As for Champaign-Urbana itself, Wilcoxen cites U of I Chancellor Phyllis Wise’s recent remarks “In Praise of the Arts”: “In our ever expanding world, in our necessary push to globalize, we cannot neglect the arts. The arts have the potential to be the glue that allows cross cultural exchanges. To whatever extent the arts are ignored or starved, will mean that our ability to enhance cross cultural exchange will be less than optimal. I urge you to continue to support the vibrant arts scene on our campus and in our community.”

art & Entertainment

Exhibits, Extra Large: SkyGallery

rtist Willem de Kooning once said, “Whatever an artist’s personal feelings are, as soon as an artist fills a certain area on the canvas or circumscribes it, he becomes historical. He acts from or upon other artists.” A new partnership provides artists with the opportunity to create art history on a grand, and a very public, scale in Champaign County. Started in 2012, SkyGallery is an arts competition in which winning pieces are displayed on 10-foot by 30-foot billboards throughout ChampaignUrbana. The project was the brainchild of the Champaign division of Adams Outdoor Advertising, a national advertising and marketing firm specializing in outdoor signs and billboards. “Adams Outdoor Advertising was looking for a way to give back to our community, and also give back to the arts as a whole and recognize the efforts they put into the arts in this community,” said Kelly Strube, general manager of Adams’ Champaign division. “It started with our real estate department, myself and our art director, and we put together the idea of SkyGallery. Then we had to figure out how we were going to find the artists, and that was when we contacted Kelly White at 40 North.” When Adams reached 40 North, SkyGallery wasn’t a hard sell. “40 North staff had previously discussed the idea of utilizing a single billboard for our Sight Specific program, so when Adams approached us with the idea of a series of billboards featuring

local art it was the perfect partnership!” said Kelly White, director of 40 North. “The billboard format is truly the largest canvas in town,” White continued. “Having artwork on a billboard not only provides unlimited exposure for the artist, but also impacts a whole new audience that might never have visited a traditional gallery.” Both Adams and 40 North were determined to give artists a great deal of license in subject matter, style and choice of materials. Submitted pieces of art included paintings, drawings, photography, and even jewelry and other art forms. One winning piece, for example, portrays the eyes of a person’s face in a photo-realistic pencil drawing. Artists were encouraged to submit their art as created, without trying to remake it to fit the dimensions of the billboards. Adams then used their expertise to make the formats work. “We were very vocal about that fact: You submit your art, and on our end we can make that art fit that size of a canvas,” Strube said. White says the artists themselves rediscovered their pieces on seeing them adapted to the billboard format. “Several of the winning artists were fascinated to see how the scale and surroundings affected their piece,” she noted. Adams and 40 North opted not to be involved in the judging process, choosing instead to bring in outside experts: Nan Goggin, director of the School of Fine & Applied Arts, UIUC; Denise Seif, art and design program director, Parkland

Community College; and Christina McClelland, public arts coordinator for the city of Urbana “The judges were not encouraged to categorize or try to produce winners that represented varieties of art forms or types, although there was ultimately good variety in the pieces chosen. They were simply asked to choose the six best entries,” Strube said. A rotating schedule will move the winning entries from location to location approximately every 12 weeks. This will maximize exposure and give viewers a changing, fluid experience. “Some viewers might see one of the billboards every day on their way to work, while some might only catch a glimpse as they drive by; some of the billboards are surrounded by buildings and street signs, while others are isolated in a field of prairie grass— all of these aspects create a new way to experience these pieces and see the art in a whole new way,” said White. The public has already expressed appreciation for SkyGallery. “We have received wonderful feedback from the public!” White said. “I think people will never look at billboards quite the same way again. Several people have told me they are keeping track of how many they have seen, and I even received a request from someone who wanted to purchase the original artwork from the billboard.” White says a winning piece even worked some trompe l’oeil magic with the region’s wildlife. “About two days after the billboards were first installed, Stephen Sears’ piece, Fixed+Free, which features birds perched on a wire, had several real birds all lined up on top of the billboard — they were even the same scale as the birds in the image. It was perfect.” Both Stube and White are thrilled with the results of the inaugural venture and hope SkyGallery becomes a Champaign County fixture. “We couldn’t have asked for it to have gone any better, ” Strube said. “We’re looking forward to taking what started as a small idea and grew to be a very big idea very quickly, and going forward into 2013 and improving on it.” For more information and to view not only the winning entries, but other works from the competition, visit www.40north.org and click on the SkyGallery badge.

www.champaigncounty.org

By Jay Nehrkorn & Laura Wilcoxen

section Restaurant title& Hotel Guide

Dining & Lodging Selections Delicious Dishes

Area code, unless otherwise noted, is 217. 88 Broadway 142 Lincoln Square, Urbana....................................954-1008 301 Mongolia 301 N. Neil Street, Champaign............................... 531-1153 Alexander Steakhouse 202 W. Anthony Drive, Champaign......................... 359-1789 Atlanta Bread Company 1905 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................. 356-8040 Bevier Café/University of Illinois 260 Bevier Hall, Room 298 905 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana............................ 333-8469 Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano 2235 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................. 356-4300 Billy Barooz Pub & Grill 2521 Village Green Place, Champaign.................... 355-8030 Black Dog Smoke & Ale House 201 N. Broadway Avenue, Urbana.......................... 344-9334 Boneyard BBQ 25 E. Springfield Avenue, Champaign..................... 239-7625 Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar 907 W. Market View Drive, Suite 5, Champaign.... 378-4400 1335 Savoy Plaza Lane, Savoy................................ 356-9464

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

The Café 1001 Killarney Street, Urbana................................. 328-7900

City Girl Yogurt 202 E. University Avenue, Suite E, Urbana............. 607-1345 Cowboy Monkey 6 E. Taylor Street, Champaign................................. 398-2688 Culver’s of Champaign 903 W. Marketview Drive, Champaign................... 356-8132 Culver’s on Neil Street 2302 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................. 352-1699 D. Q. Grill & Chill 3602 N. Mattis Avenue, Champaign....................... 373-2412

Dairy Queen 911 W. University Avenue, Urbana.........................344-4108 701 N. Third Street, St. Joseph...............................469-8078 DESTIHL Restaurant & Brew Works 301 N. Neil Street, Champaign...............................356-0301 Dublin O’Neils Irish Pub 301 N. Neil Street, Champaign...............................531-1152 Einstein Bros. Bagels 901 W. University Avenue, Urbana.........................344-7520 El Toro Bravo Mexican Restaurant 2561 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign...............351-7024 El Toro II 723 S. Neil Street, Suite E, Champaign..................378-7807 Esquire Lounge 106 N. Walnut Street, Champaign..........................398-5858 Fat City Bar & Grill 505 S. Chestnut Street, Champaign........................954-0556 Flat Top Grill 607 S. Sixth Street, Champaign..............................344-3200 Great Harvest Bread Co. Shoppes of Knollwood 2149 S. Neil Street, Champaign..............................398-5623

Guido’s 2 E. Main Street, Champaign..................................359-3148 Hickory River Smokehouse 1706 N. Cunningham Avenue, Urbana.................... 337-1656 The Highdive 51 E. Main Street, Champaign................................356-2337 Hilton Garden Inn 1501 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................. 352-9970 Hooters of Champaign 1706 S. State Street, Champaign............................ 355-7682 J. Gumbo’s 700 S. Gregory Street, Urbana................................337-4840 Jarling’s Custard Cup 309 W. Kirby Avenue, Champaign........................... 352-2273 Jet’s Pizza 512 S. Neil Street, Suite B, Champaign.................. 352-3333 Jimmy John’s 43 E. Green Street, Champaign............................... 344-6200 1511 N. Prospect Avenue, Champaign.................... 359-6700 1811 W. Kirby Avenue, Champaign......................... 359-9100 601B E. Green Street, Champaign........................... 344-4443 315 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston.............................. 356-9900 807 S. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana............................... 328-3100 102 E. University Avenue, Suite A, Urbana............. 328-2700

Restaurant & Hotel Guide

JT Walkers Restaurant & Sports Bar 401 E. Main Street, Mahomet................................. 586-1100 Jupiter’s at the Crossing 2511 Village Green Place, Champaign.................... 366-8300 Jupiter’s Pizza & Billiards 39 E. Main Street, Champaign................................ 398-5988 Kam’s 618 E. Daniel Street, Champaign............................ 337-3300 Le Peep 2209 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................. 352-7599

Longhorn Steakhouse 2101 N. Prospect Avenue, Champaign.................... 352-9189 Marble Slab Creamery 1211 Savoy Plaza Lane, Savoy................................ 359-5950 McDonald’s 1910 N. Federal Drive, Suite 120, Urbana.............. 328-0200 Meatheads Burgers & Fries 1305 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................. 352-5555 Minneci’s Ristorante & Catering 401 S. First Street, Champaign................................ 352-4425 Murphy’s Pub 604 E. Green Street, Champaign............................. 352-7275 Noodles & Company 528 E. Green Street, Champaign............................. 367-2000 Old Chicago Pasta and Pizza 1910 N. Neil Street, Champaign............................. 607-1489 Original Pancake House 1909 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign............... 352-8866 Outback Steakhouse 2402 N. Prospect Avenue, Champaign.................... 398-3322 Panchero’s Mexican Grill 102 E. University Avenue, Suite B, Urbana............. 367-4000

Panera Bread 1765 W. Kirby Avenue, Champaign.........................355-9885 1903 Convenience Place, Champaign.....................239-5000

Sidney Dairy Barn 311 W. Main Street, Sidney....................................688-3700

Papa Del’s at the Crossing 2510 Village Green Place, Champaign....................359-5500

Smoothie King 1912 Round Barn Road, Suite A, Champaign.......... 351-0800 510 N. Cunningham Avenue, Suite 14, Urbana...... 337-5555

Papa Del’s Pizza 206 E. Green Street, Champaign.............................359-7700

Soma Ultralounge 320 N. Neil St., Champaign..................................... 359.7662

Pekara Bakery & Bistro 116 N. Neil Street, Champaign............................... 356.4500

Sun Singer Wine & Spirits, Ltd. 1115 W. Windsor Road, Champaign....................... 351-1115

Pia’s Sports Bar & Grill 1609 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign...............351-1993

TCBY 1731 W. Kirby Avenue, C, Champaign..................... 778.9052

Piato Café 300 S. Broadway, Suite FC2, Urbana......................344-9015

Village Inn Pizza 1901 S. High Cross Road, Urbana........................... 359.1736

Radio Maria 119 N. Walnut Street, Champaign..........................398-7729

Za’s 2006 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign............... 355-4990

Red Lobster 1901 N. Prospect Avenue, Champaign....................355-2577

Za’s On Neil, Inc. 1905 N. Neil Street, Champaign............................. 355-4990

The Ribeye Restaurant 1701 S. Neil Street, Champaign..............................351-9115

Zelma’s 1103 W. Windsor Road, Champaign....................... 359-1994

Roma Ralph’s Pizza 200 E. Cedar Street, LeRoy...............................309-962-7073 Rosati’s Pizza 701 S. Gregory Street, Suite H, Urbana..................328-2334 The Seven Saints 32 E. Chester Street, Champaign............................351-7775

Be Our Guest Baymont Inn & Suites - Champaign 302 W. Anthony Drive, Champaign......................... 356-8900 Baymont Inn & Suites - Tuscola 1006 Southline Road, Tuscola................................. 253-3500

www.champaigncounty.org

Little Caesars Pizza 1211 S. Mattis Avenue, Champaign........................ 352-5544

Restaurant & Hotel Guide Candlewood Suites 1917 Moreland Boulevard, Champaign................... 398-1000 Comfort Suites 2001 N. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana............................. 328-3500 Country Inn & Suites 602 W. Marketview Drive, Champaign................... 355-6666 Courtyard by Marriott 1811 Moreland Boulevard, Champaign................... 355-0411 Drury Inn 905 W. Anthony Drive, Champaign......................... 398-0030 Eastland Suites Hotel and Conference Center 1907 N. Cunningham Avenue, Urbana.................... 367-8331 Econo Lodge Inn and Suites 914 W. Bloomington Road, Champaign................... 356-6000 Fairfield Inn 1807 Moreland Boulevard, Champaign................... 355-0604 Hampton Inn at U of I 1200 W. University Avenue, Urbana....................... 337-1100 Hawthorn Suites Ltd. 101 Trade Centre Drive, Champaign........................ 398-3400 Hilton Garden Inn 1501 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................. 352-9970 Holiday Inn Express - Tuscola I-57 & Rt. 36, 1201 Tuscola Boulevard, Tuscola...... 253-6363 Holiday Inn Express - Urbana 1003 Killarney Street, Urbana.................................328-0328 Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center 1001 Killarney Street, Urbana.................................328-7900 Homewood Suites by Hilton 1417 S. Neil Street, Champaign.............................. 352-9960 I Hotel and Conference Center 1900 S. First Street, Champaign.............................. 819-5000 La Quinta Inn 1900 Center Drive, Champaign................................ 356-4000 Lindaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oak Meadows Bed & Breakfast Resort 789 County Road 3300 N, Dewey........................... 897-1775

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

Red Roof Inn 212 W. Anthony Drive, Champaign......................... 352-0101

Sleep Inn 1908 N. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana............................. 367-6000 Super 8 207 S. Murray Road, Rantoul..................................893-8888 Sylviaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Irish Inn 312 W. Green Street, Urbana..................................384-4800 Value Place 1212 W. Anthony Drive, Champaign....................... 359-5499 Wingate Hotel 516 W. Marketview Drive, Champaign................... 355-5566

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