Family
In This Issue
Staff/Volunteer News
Directions
It's Time to Plan Ahead

STAFF/VOLUNTEER NEWS
There were a few milestones that took place in the past year that are very noteworthy.
 
ANNIVERSARIES 
It is with congratulations to the following staff that celebrated special employment anniversaries in 2015:
One Year 
Mikki Harrison (April) 
Children' Legal Advocate 
Five Year 
Jill Mann (December) 
Sexual Assault Program Medical/ 
Legal Advocate
Ten Years 
Becky Cox-Medina (March) 
Legal Advocate 
Tim Lobdell (September) 
Regional Collection Facility Manager 
Josh Mercer
(March) 
Assistant Planner 
Naomi Taylor (September) 
Victim Services Prevention Educator
Fifteen  Years 
Diane Mayfield (January) -  
Victim Services Director
Royal Whit e (August) - 
Housing Specialist
Twenty Five Years 
Tina Lovejoy (August) - 
LIHEAP/CSBG Coordinator
Tim Manock  (June) -
Weatherization Coordinator

STAFF DEPARTURES 
We are sorry to note that we had two staff departures in the 2015 year, after many years of fine service to the Agency and its mission.
Karen Culver (July-Fiscal Clerk) - 
retired after 20 years of service. Karen is looking forward to relaxing mornings and more time to travel.
Gary Ziegler (March-Veteran Employee) - decided that it was time to fully retire. Gary had numerous years of outstanding public service and dedication to this agency.  He is looking forward to leisurely drinking his morning coffee and pursuing different volunteer opportunities.  
 
VOLUNTEER SERVICE 
We are happy to recognize several volunteers who have served the WIRC and the WIRC-CAA for ten or more years, and continue to do so:
Ten Years Plus 
Alice Henry (McDonough County) - serving on the WIRC-CAA Board of Directors 
Bill Reichow (Warren County) - serving on the WIRC Board of Directors 
Fifteen Years Plus 
Sue McCance (McDonough County) - serving on the WIRC-CAA Board of Directors 
David Walker (Hancock County) - serving on the WIRC-CAA Board of Directors 
Twenty Years Plus 
Chuck Gilbert (Hancock County) - serving on the WIRC Board of Directors 
Mike Kirby (Roseville) - serving on the WIRC Board of Directors 
Twenty Five Years Plus 
Lowell Lueck (McDonough County) - serving on the WIRC Board of Directors 
Thirty Years Plus 
Nancy Jameson (McDonough County) - serving on the Quad County Coalition Against Domestic Violence Advisory Board and the WIRC-CAA Board of Directors 
Jim Nightingale (Hancock County) - serving on the WIRC Board of Directors 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

hold,

DIRECTIONS  - Suzan Nash, Executive Director  

St. Paul School is one of the many yearly contributors to the Project Santa Program. Over the past several years, the students have
 donated hundreds of coats to the program.
 
This was another big year for our Project Santa (PS) Program!  The PS program and its small staff and band of merry elves and volunteers provided a happier holiday season to 177 families and a total of 444 children in the four Community Action Agency counties of Hancock, Henderson, McDonough and Warren. 
It's Time to Plan Ahead
Now is the time to think about community development projects 
One of the biggest issues that holds back communities is the lack of planning for community development.
 
 With the new year upon us, this is a great time to think about all of the community development related projects your community would like to see accomplished. In the coming months, several agencies will announce (or may have already announced) new grant cycles and accompanying deadlines. Undoubtedly one of the biggest issues that holds back communities from participating in development projects is lack of planning. WIRC staff receives many calls requesting assistance in the submission of an application and many times it is too close to a submission deadline. When that happens, staff suggests that the community call WIRC several months ahead, giving enough time to submit a strong and competitive application. 
 

$10,000 In Scholarship Funds Available From WIRC-CAA 

The Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency (WIRC-CAA) will have five $2,000 scholarships available for individuals desiring to further their educational training through an Illinois community college, vocational school, college or university. Applicants should be pursuing employment in a high-need field and must be residents of Hancock, Henderson, McDonough, or Warren counties. Scholarship recipients may apply the $2,000 toward tuition and fees, textbooks and supplies, or campus room and board.  

It is Time to Start the Conversation 
It is critical to talk to all youth about recognizing abuse and  
how to build healthy relationships. 
 
Ask a young person today what they think a healthy relationship is and you will get a variety of responses.  With access to more information than ever before, teens are overwhelmed with information, often contradictory information about healthy relationships.  Teens then must sift through these messages, deciding what is relevant to them, and some times, making choices that are not in their best interests. 
Thousands of CRTs Recycled...Thousands More to Go

Play it again Sam.  It was yet another record year at the Tri-County Regional Collection Facility (TCRCF).  Once again, the TCRCF blew past its previous record by collecting 975,775 pounds of electronics in 2015, a 16.5% increase over the prior record (837,420 pounds in 2014).  The avalanche of cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs and monitors accounted for nearly 78% of the total weight locally, and continue to cause collection and processing problems throughout the State of Illinois and other areas of the country as manufacturers push back against the various electronic recycling programs.
Western Illinois Regional Council
223 South Randolph St.
Macomb, IL 61455
(309) 837-3941
patti@wirpc.org
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