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Healthy Snacks for Trick-or-Treaters 

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2023•

Halloween is a festive day for children and adults alike. However, the abundance of candy and chocolate offered on and around Halloween can compromise diets designed to keep people healthy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity prevalence in the United States was 20.7 percent among children between the ages of six and 11 and 22.2 percent among 12- to 19-year-olds from 2017 to 2020. That’s a significant concern for parents, even during a time of year when candy and other sugary foods take center stage. Read More

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds 

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2023•

Carving jack-o-lanterns is a Halloween tradition that both adults and children enjoy. It’s hard to resist an opportunity to carve a funny or scary face into a pumpkin that will soon make its way to the front porch, but there’s another irresistible element to carving pumpkins as well. 

Roasted pumpkin seeds make for a tasty, tempting treat. Seeds must be removed before carving pumpkins, so turning them into a savory snack is a great way to make use of them and cook up some fuel for family carving sessions. Read More

Keep Trick or Treaters Safe 

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2023•

Halloween is just days away. One of the most popular holidays in this country, masses of little superheroes, cartoon and television characters will soon be out in their neighborhoods for trick or treat fun. The American Red Cross has tips parents can follow to help keep the kids safe while enjoying the festivities.  

Trick-or-Treating 

· Make your trick-or-treaters visible to others. Provide kids with reflective gear, flashlights and glow sticks to help make the route easier for them to follow and more visible to any vehicles on the roads. Adding reflective tape to costumes and treat buckets can help increase your trick-or-treater’s visibility to traffic.  Read More

Dove Recognizes

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photo by Crystal Reed
Dove Recognizes Darby Poe
Dove’s Moultrie County Domestic Violence Program recognized Darby Poe of Moultrie Counseling during their October 19 candlelighting ceremony in Sullivan. She was recognized for her compassionate work with participants of the program.

photo by Crystal Reed
Dove Recognizes Doug Smothers
Dove’s Moultrie County Domestic Violence Program recognized Doug Smothers of Land of Lincoln Legal Aid for his compassionate work with participants of the program during the candlelighting ceremony.

Illinois Student Organization Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Holds Meeting

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2023•

Every day the news is filled with negative stories of what teenage youth are doing. Yet, every day we also have thousands of young people who are doing great and positive things. The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) recognize that teens can play an essential role in improving the lives of families, schools, and communities. Given our vast network of established chapters in schools, FCCLA provides a tremendous vehicle for young people to take on projects and activities in all areas of life. From youth violence to financial fitness and healthy lifestyles, FCCLA members are tackling issues that not only affect the world today but their future also. Read More

Grants Promote Ag Literacy Through Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2023•

The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) program continues to thrive as a resource for educating children about connections to agriculture. Recently the program received funding to continue classroom lessons thanks to IAA Foundation grants to local county coalitions. 

Eighty coalitions serving 89 Illinois counties were awarded $647,000 in grant dollars which can be used for materials, training, educational lessons, and activities taking place during the 2023-2024 school year. Moultrie County was one of the counties included in this.  Read More

12th Annual Candy Fundraiser to Benefit Moultrie County Food Pantry

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Flesor’s Candy Kitchen of Tuscola is teaming with the Moultrie County Food Pantry for a candy fundraiser in its 12th year. Each year 20% of the proceeds from the candy sale go to the food pantry. When COVID hit, the fundraiser became order by mail, and it became so successful that this method has continued. Read More

Thompson Selected to Serve on Statewide Vision Group

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•October 25, 2023•

The Regional Office of Education #11 recently announced that Regional Superintendent, Dr. Kyle Thompson, has been appointed as a key member of the IASA Vision 2030 Workgroup.  The Illinois Association of Administrators (IASA) recently developed this visionary initiative following the previously successful framework of its Vision 20/20.  Vision 2030 aims to revolutionize the landscape of public education across the Prairie State.  Read More

5 Ways to Ensure a Greater Work-Family Balance 

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2023•

Individuals have to juggle many different responsibilities on a daily basis. Those with full- or part-time jobs, children, spouses or partners, or aging family members that require assistance, will often find they are pulled in different directions. In many cases, work takes priority over family time because people rely on their jobs for the income that funds their lifestyles. Rather than jeopardizing that income, certain individuals will make time concessions that favor employment over personal relationships and family time.

Recent data indicates that many people are trapped in unhealthy work-life balances and can’t find the time to unwind and enjoy themselves. The e-commerce company Groupon asked 2,000 Americans about stress at work and 60 percent indicated that pressures and responsibilities of the workplace and home life do not have boundaries. Learning to balance work and life better may come from following these tips. Read More