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The following was taken from the spring 2006 course catalog of
the Institute for Learning in Retirement at Bradley University in Peoria,
Illinois.
The Commerce Unseen trips are designed to take members into unseen
and sometimes overlooked businesses within their own community. Most
trips are $20, which includes the tour, lunch and van transportation.
Members meet for lunch at 11:30 a.m. then tour, and return at 3:30 p.m.
Here’s where members of the Bradley University ILR are going this
spring:
L.R. Nelson Corporation – L.R. Nelson is a manufacturer
of hose end watering products, commercial irrigation products, water
features, fountains and water gardening products. Members toured the
318,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution facilities where
they saw products being assembled and packaged for shipment.
Pere Marquette Renovations – Members took a
tour of the Hotel Pere Marquette! They learned the history of the magnificent,
old world-inspired hotel that has charmed travelers, statesmen, international
dignitaries, and other honored guests. A nine-month $6 million renovation
of the 79 year-old Hotel Pere Marquette has begun and will continue
till June or 2006. The exterior, ground level, ballroom level, guest
rooms, and corridors will all have a new and elegant treatment.
Juvenile Detention Center – Members took a behind-the-scenes
look at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center located in Peoria.
The Juvenile Detention Center serves Peoria County as well as surrounding
counties, and houses males and females between the ages of 10-16. Members
toured the administrative office, control room, educational area, medical
and living units, and came away with more insight on how Peoria country
serves this population.
Parsons Company – Parsons Company is a full-service
custom metal fabrication supplier in business since 1971. At the beginning
of the tour, members passed through a photo gallery highlighting the
destruction and rebuilding of the company from a July 2004 tornado.
They toured a new 28,000 square foot facility housing the most current
fabrication, machining, welding and paint line equipment in the Midwest.
They also witnessed up close the process of creating steel parts from
raw sheet metal to finished parts such as fenders, fuel tanks, platforms
and undercarriage frames.
Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (IPMR)
– ILR members toured IPMR which was founded in 1950 in response
to the polio epidemics and the need to get veterans back to work. Today,
IPMR remains a non-profit comprehensive medical rehabilitation center
and provides inpatient and/or outpatient therapy at 18 locations throughout
Central Illinois. IPMR Return to work Center has the area’s largest
program of injury-prevention training, ergonomic assessments, physical
testing for the workplace, and work conditioning programs.
Caterpillar Demonstration & Application Center –
ILR members visited the Caterpillar experience at the Edwards Demonstration
and Application Center. This facility offers a General Line Product
Demonstration which represents each product family in a single demo.
Some examples of the machines are skid-steer loaders, small and large
excavators, backhoe loaders, track-type tractors, articulated trucks,
off-highway trucks, telehandlers, large wheel loaders and motor graders.
There are two main demonstration sites outdoors and two indoors, one
with three-fourths of an acre under roof and the newest arena with two
acres under roof.
Linden Hill Farms – Linden Hill Farms is a fourth-generation dairy
farm located in the rolling river valley west of Peoria. ILR member
will watch the morning milking process and learn how milk travels from
the farm to home. In addition, the family owners have begun a manure
recycling business by way of composting. After the tour ILR members
will eat at Kim’s Kitchen.
Conner Nursery & Kickapoo Creek Winery –
Conner Nursery and Gardens has been in business since 1995 selling about
500 different varieties of hosta as well as many ornamental grasses,
perennials and annuals. Kickapoo Creek Winery is adjacent to the nursery
in Edwards, Illinois. The name was taken from nearby Kickapoo Creek
and the Native American tribe that lived in this area. ILR members will
walk the vineyard rows, examining and comparing the grapes and will
also learn about the various vines.
Bob Emser Studio – ILR members will join Bob
Emser, sculptor, on a tour of his Eureka studio. The 2,000 + square
foot studio with 20-foot ceiling allows for the creation of Emser’s
large-scale public sculpture. The studio was designed by the artist
and was built in 2002. In addition to the studio, the 1.5 acre compound
has landscaped areas that highlight several pieces of Bob’s large
outdoor sculpture.
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October 11, 2008
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