October Calendar - Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce

Become a “Secret Santa” to a foster child this Christmas. Interested? Call Catholic Social Services at (618) 394-5900. Program instructions will be mailed to all who are registered as Secret Santa's.

If you are a family member, or know someone that is, of someone killed by family violence, let me know their name and I will make a luminary in their memory. There will also be a memorial garden for photos of those tragically lost to this crime. If desired, there will be a time of sharing for anyone affected to speak. For more information, call Debby at 236-2531.

With guest speaker State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Chris Koch. $15.00 Members; $20.00 Non-Members (Breakfast included). Please RSVP to 618-233-2015 or kcrawford@bellevillechamber.org. Check in begins at 7:00am.

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital encourages area women to make their health a top priority with a special event in relaxed and social setting. Participants can enjoy wine and cheese while they visit with various hospital department representatives and additional vendors. Area female physicians will also be on hand to meet and greet the public. The physicians are Dr. Linda Camp, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon; Dr. Regina Chiu, Cardiologist; Dr. Nell Hennon, Family Practice; and Drs. Helen Mussemann and Emily Boyd, OB/GYN. Hospital departments participating include Heart and Vascular Center, the Mother Child Center, Outpatient Nutrition, Women’s Physical Therapy, and Radiology/Mammography Services. Kings Point, Total Image Solutions, uppercase living, and Circle of Hope Bracelets will also be in attendance. A donation of $5 is suggested to benefit the Friends of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, a nonprofit organization serving the community through the promotion of health and wellness. Convenient parking is available at the back of the hospital near the Southern Illinois Heart Institute entrance.

In “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975), a rebellious new arrival at a mental institution rallies his fellow patients against their authoritative head nurse. The film received Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Milos Forman), Best Actor (Nicholson), Best Actress (Louise Fletcher), and Best Writing for an Adaptation. All screenings are free of charge and the public is welcome to attend. Each film will begin at 8 p.m. and an audience discussion will follow.

Join the American Cancer Society at their Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Registration begins at 9:00am with the 5K walk beginning at 10:00am. Sign up today at www.cancer.org/stridesonline.

Cars will be displayed and judged in this automotive affair to delight gear heads of all ages. Registration for the car show is from 8am-noon. The entry fee is $15. Judging begins at noon with the awards presentation at 4pm.

Ride the wagons out to the pumpkin patch to search for your great pumpkin. Our pumpkins range from a couple of pounds to more than 150 pounds so we are sure to have the perfect jack-o-lantern for you! Wagon rides, country music, live entertainment, pony rides, make-your-own scarecrow, funnel cakes and festival foods make this a fun-filled weekend for everyone! Children's activities. Petting farm.

Admission $5 and bring your pet! Free Wine Tasting, Live Music, Silent Auction, Pet Psychic, Pet Massages and More! For more info email HALO at: ronikay08@hotmail.com

Join L.A. Theatre Works, America’s premiere radio theatre company, for a special back-to-back double bill of chills, thrills and great literature as they present two masterpieces of science fiction and adventure: War of the Worlds and The Lost World. Spotlight Series tickets are $12 for each performance with discounts for seniors and students.

Do you ever feel like it’s hard to understand the younger generation? Do you wish it was easier to talk to your daughter? Do you ever get hurt when she doesn’t want to spend time with you? Do you find it’s hard to completely understand her or her generation? Do you wish you could talk to each other better? Find out how you can bridge the generation gap with your daughter, niece, or other young person in your life. Carrie Silver-Stock, MSW, LCSW, author of the award winning The Powder Box Secrets: 7 Tips to Help Teen Girls Achieve Success, and a teen expert based in St. Louis, will share her tips on how to improve your relationships with the younger generation as well as how to help them achieve success. In this dynamic session designed for both of you, You will learn: 7 powerful tips you and the younger generations can use to strengthen their life and relationship, How to design a relationship that works for both of you, How to improve the way you communicate with each other. Carrie Silver-Stock, MSW, LCSW, author of the award winning, Powder Box Secrets: Seven Tips to Help Teen Girls Achieve Success, and founder and CEO of Girls with Dreams.com, has a dream of creating an amazing global community of teen girls. $23 Members & $30 Guests. Registration Deadline: 12 Noon Friday before Tuesday workshop: Fee includes food, beverage, workshop materials. $30 Members & Guests After Reg. Deadline. Register at www.espw.org. For more info Call Cyndi Brown 618-830-7851.

Speaker: Julie Pena, Volunteer Coordinator, Family Hospice. Free and open to the public.

Australia is the 6th largest producer of wines in the world and is steadily picking up steam. From regions in the south to the West Australian Shiraz's and Chardonnay's are receiving world-class awards. New Zealand exploded onto the wine scene in the 80's with and has never looked back. We will taste a selection of wines from Down Under as our wine specialist’s introduce and taste with you a selection of wines from Australia and New Zealand. Space is limited. Event will take place from 6pm – 8pm in the Country Restaurant. $15/Person. Reservations are required; please call (618) 233-0513 to reserve your spot today!

Apex Physical Therapy will be hosting a free conference entitled, “Managing Your Workers’ Compensation”, on Friday, October 10, 2008, at the Gateway Center in Collinsville, IL. Apex invites anyone who deals with work comp claims to join them for this event. The day will include breakfast, lunch and an impressive lineup of presenters including an orthopedic surgeon, 2 occupational medicine physicians, an attorney, a safety manager and an occupational therapist. These speakers will discuss a wide range of work comp issues to inform attendees of ways to decrease costs and prevent injuries in the work place. For more information or to reserve a space, please call Jessica at 618-233-5163 or email jerb@apexpt.us.

Performance sponsored by McKendree Alumni Association. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! These amazing entertainers wowed a packed house at the Hett last year and we are thrilled to have them back. Elegant Eastern dance, acrobatics, magic and beautiful music make this show a must-see! Thrilling acts include the lion dance, jar juggling, hoop-diving, trapeze, aerial ballet and much more! Spotlight Series tickets are $12 for each performance with discounts for seniors and students.

Featuring The Smash Band and special guest Whiskey Dixon. Food booths by: The Acropolis, Jefferson’s Restaurant and Roy-el Catering. 50/50 raffle and a travel raffle. Event is open to the public. Admission tickets are $15.00 each / $20 at door. Tickets may be purchased at Ravissant as well as other locations and on-line. For more information or to purchase tickets on-line, go to www.sccerotary.com/festival.htm. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Saint Clair County (East). This year, the funds raised through the Fall Festival will support Minds Eye Information Service and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Much more than a concert, IN THE MOOD presents a retro 1940's musical featuring a full cast of singers and dancers plus the sensational String of Pearls Big Band Orchestra. The music and the arrangements are as authentic as it gets. Remember a time when all America was listening and dancing to the same music. IN THE MOOD has been playing to sold out houses across the nation. Spotlight Series tickets are $12 for each performance with discounts for seniors and students.

Babysitting, for family members or for others, can build confidence and maturity for many pre-teen girls and boys, but it is also a great responsibility to care for someone else’s children. The right training can make the situation beneficial and positive for both parents and sitters. St. Elizabeth’s Hospital invites girls and boys, ages 11 and above, to take part in a babysitting workshop on October 13, sponsored by St. Elizabeth’s Child Care Center and Mother Child Center. It will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Centennial Room, located on the main floor of the hospital. The workshop will cover many topics including first aid, basic life saving skills, nutrition, fire and home safety, age appropriate activities and more. An evaluation and certification test will be done at the conclusion of the day. Registration is $25 per student and includes snacks and lunch. Enrollment is limited to 50 participants. Pre-registration and payment is required by October 6, 2008 or when maximum capacity is reached. Contact Emily at 618-234-2120, ext. 2099, to register or for more information. Registration forms are also available for download at www.steliz.org/events/.

An old-fashion game for all ages. Play Bunko at Eckert’s Country Restaurant on the second and fourth Monday of each month. $5 per person includes game, prizes, beverages, and snacks. Open to the public. No reservation required.

Meet other Chamber members over coffee and bagels at our new monthly networking meeting. Coffee Cup Connections will be held the 2^nd Tuesday of each month in the Chamber Boardroom. Please arrive by 8:15am with business cards in hand. 8:15-8:30 will be networking time. At 8:30am, we’ll begin three 10 minute presentations by members. Afterwards, members will have additional networking time. During the meeting we’ll draw 3 business cards and those three members will be the presenters at the following month’s Coffee Cup Connections. Don’t miss this opportunity to network and learn more about other member businesses! There is no cost, but we would like to know how many people will be attending, so please email kcrawford@bellevillechamber.org if you plan to attend.

Reaching your goals requires a lot more than a hot investment tip or a smart trade. It means creating a sound financial plan-a life plan-one you'll stick to when short-term worries and temptations threaten to cloud your judgment. Please call your individual advisor if you have any questions and RSVP per the attached invitation. Please click here to view the invitation. Presented by The Gray Group and Smith Barney.

“Network” (1976). This satire of TV news and media madness was directed by Sidney Lumet. When an aging news anchor reacts to his firing by announcing he plans to commit suicide, his ranting and raving turn him into an overnight sensation. Peter Finch was awarded the Best Actor Oscar posthumously. All screenings are free of charge and the public is welcome to attend. Each film will begin at 8 p.m. and an audience discussion will follow.

Topics Include: Sexual Assault, Family Violence, Psychological Violence, Religious and Theological Perspectives. Keynote Speaker Connie J. Kirkland, MA, CTS, NCC, Director of Sexual Assault Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Local Speakers: Debby Mize, BS, ICDVP, Maria Middleton, MA, LMFT, LCPC, Holly Wood, M.Div. $20 workshop fee includes lunch catered by The Gathering Place (Limited number of scholarships available). Casual fashion show during lunch presented by Talbots. Workshop Sponsor: Union United Methodist Women and Outreach Ministries. Deadline for registration is October 9. For additional information, contact Bette Miller, 233-6375.

The founding family of America’s oldest Dodge-Chrysler dealership -- Oliver C. Joseph, Inc. -- is hosting a “Fall Family Festival” with free rides for children in a miniature passenger train, on child-size carnival rides, and on ponies. Families will be able to play free carnival games with prizes and enjoy a free petting zoo. Each child will be given a small pumpkin to decorate and to take home. Adults will be able to register for a range of door prizes. All families will be offered complimentary alignment checks for their vehicles in the service department, and while at the service department will be able to tour the Oliver C. Joseph family’s 99-foot-long refurbished rail car built in 1927 for use by managers at the Pennsylvania Railroad. Complimentary refreshments will be available in cooperation with the Lincoln Theatre.

Please bring your 7th-10th grade student in and we'll pinpoint your child's strengths and weaknesses, then during the week of October 20th, we'll invite you in to meet with our Center Director to share the results. Reservations are required and space is limited, so call today or email virginia@sylvanstl.com today to reserve your child's spot.

This event is a family fun day with health screenings, chair massage, pet massage, food & drinks, animal product vendors (pet food, grooming services, veterinary services), face painting, bake sale, K-9 demonstrations and DJ. Pets are welcome! All proceeds to benefit Belleville Area Humane Society and Spencer Kennel.

Belleville Rotary Club Travel & Adventure Film - "America's Natural Wonders, America's Amazing Places"