Workforce Development needs your feedback! Sponsored survey by State Representative Mike Marron – see survey here
Illinois Angel Investment Tax Credit – see news release here
Vermilion Advantage Job Board – For current, local job opportunities posted directly by employers, please see the Vermilion County Jobs Board at www.vermilionadvantage.com/job-board – Vermilion Advantage is Vermilion County, Illinois’ electronic resource for career and occupational opportunities, employer profiles, career information, K-16 education programs and partnerships in our area. Learn more about local training through Danville Area Community College and other local training resources. It’s all here. If you need help to be set up as a user on our Vermilion County Jobs Board page to post job openings, please contact Vermilion Advantage at 217-442-6201.
Honors & Achievements
Monday, February 6th, Iroquois Federal cut the ribbon at their new location at 655 Dixie Highway in Hoopeston, Illinois. The new branch replaced the old location located less than a mile north and employs 6 staff members. Vermilion Advantage and the Hoopeston Chamber were there to support the new branch along with Iroquois Federal employees and community stakeholders.
In November 2022 CRIS Healthy Aging welcomed Lisa Miller as their new executive director – see release here
Healthcare
OSF Pediatrics offers care from infancy through the teenage years – see flyer here
Crosspoint Human Services Offers Mental Health & Psychiatric Services – see news release here
Rosecrance “On You Radar” Podcast – See “The Overlap Between Mental Illness and Substance Use” episode here
CRIS Healthy Aging Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Seminar – February 15 at Danville and March 9 in Champaign . See Danville flyer here; Champaign flyer here
Education
Illinois Small Business Center at DACC – see upcoming classes & training events here
Danville Public School Foundation News – see February Issue here
District 118 Fine Arts – save the date for April 1 Jazz Festival and April 29 for the Fine Arts Festival!
March 1 Oakwood District Unit Office is holding an in-person workshop: Understanding ACEs and Exploring Resilience – see flyer here
DACC’s Community Education spring 2023 classes – see details here
DACC Corporate Education 2023 Training Opportunities – see flyer here
DACC Coordinated Engineering Program – see details here
Register today for our March 15 Navigate Change workshop – see details here
New Membership Alert
Welcome to Vermilion Advantage Lima Bean Glassworks & Gifts!
Shannon Schroeder
Shannon Schroeder laments that people always remark about how she is always onto the next thing. She says it is not because she cannot stay on track; it is because her life purpose is to set out to make an impact through encouraging people. She enthusiastically says “Yes!” to opportunities that give her a space to provide encouragement. She has done many things through many roles, but the end goal for her is always encouraging others. Shannon says, “You can just call me a professional encourager!”
Shannon has been telling stories of encouragement to the Danville community for decades, and she is not about to stop. Shannon says, “Storytelling can help change people’s identities. Your trauma is not your truth. Stories empower people to live purposefully and meaningfully, and when people start doing this, you change a community.” Through her time in Danville, she has told these stories of encouragement through many different avenues including theatre, personal interactions, and writing.
In fact, Shannon has a company called Say So Communications, LLC. Through this company, she contracts with Best Version Media to create two magazines that circulate in the Danville and surrounding areas: Central Illiana Living and Danville Area Living. She is proud that these magazines are uplifting and provide only positive news to thousands every month. In addition, she is working on a project called the “Say So Project” which creates a platform for people to share breakthrough and empowerment stories. She says, “Sometimes we’re just one story away from a life being changed.”
Shannon and her husband, Bryan, have four children between the two of them and two dogs. She was born and raised here and was a third generation Danville High School graduate. After high school she went to the U of I and then to law school at Drake Law. Following that, she practiced law at the District Attorney’s office in Milwaukee, working primarily with domestic violence victims. In 1993, she moved home to care for her sick father. He passed away the day she moved home. At that point, Shannon realized, “I’m here. I have no money. I have nothing. I am between jobs. I can be a failure, or I can be an entrepreneur.” That is when she founded her first leadership company, Arête, providing soft skills and leadership training including a course called Project Danville where she provided free mindset classes. Even back in 1993, she was set out to make an impact through encouragement.
Shannon has been in a variety of professional roles during her time in Danville, but she also demonstrates a spirit of generosity through her volunteerism. She is currently the Vice President of the D118 School Board and has been on the Board for 6 years. She is the current president of Arts in the Park, an involved member at The Rock Church, a past Danville Light Opera board member and director, and she volunteers with many of the local theatre companies. When sharing about her time directing teen musicals she reflected, “I loved working with young kids so much because it was an opportunity to make their first theatre experience positive.” She has quite the stage presence and won a Katy award in 2022 for Best Supporting Actress. In her youth, she was the Georgetown Fair Queen in 1987, going on to compete as state and claiming First Runner Up.
As for why she chooses Danville as her hometown, Shannon says, “I love the people here. As a group, we have never failed to come together when it counts. We can accomplish the impossible here. We do it repeatedly. As a community, we do so much. We need to see ourselves through the eyes of who we actually are.”
To nominate someone who inspires you, click below!
BIGG Tip of the Week: The Only Two Ways to Make Money
(1) Trade time for money – This is the only way many people make money. Unfortunately, they are destined to scrape by, living paycheck to paycheck. (2) Make money from your money – Instead of working for money, put money to work for you. How? Understand this concept: What you make matters less than what you keep. You can’t always control your earnings. However, you are in full control of your spending. Save consistently…for your BIGG success! Get more tips from BIGG Success here.
Leadership Tomorrow is seeking sponsors for The Amazing Race – see flyer here
City of Danville CDBG-CV Small Business Assistance Grant Program – see news release here
Healthy Prep Meal Service is excited to show you their new products. Click here for menu options!
Illinois Housing Development Association’s Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) is a court-based rental assistance program for people who are facing eviction and are in court proceeding – see program information here
ECICAA Announces the Start of the Energy Assistance Program
Be a voice from Vermilion County community to discuss Early Childhood service needs – see flyer here
AMBUCS is accepting nomination for its 90th annual First Citizen Award – deadline for nominations is March 10 – see news release here
Upcoming Member Events
February 16 Veterans from the VA will be vising the Fischer Theatre to view a movie – We are hoping to spread the word to downtown businesses that they will be rolling in around 1PM. Some of the Veterans have not been able to leave the VA Campus for nearly 4 years – so this will be a real treat! No contact will be allowed however a simple smile and wave will mean to much to them- we will also have the marquee lit with a thank you message. Please help us make this a special day for our Veterans!
February 16 Leadership Tomorrow Reunion – see flyer here
February 16 U of I Community Credit Union Financial Wellness Webinar – see flyer here
February 20 Luxe Lift Grand Opening – see flyer here
February 22 Please Join Birth to Five Illinois Region 54 for a Parent Focus Group – see flyer here
February 23 Love INC of Vermilion County 2023 Annual Fundraising Banquet – see flyer here
February 23 Scouts BSA Troop 399 Invites you to the American Legion Post 210 for a FREE event – see news release here
February 28 OSF Sacred Heart Blood Drive – see flyer here
March 3 Danville’s Got Talent – see news release here; see flyer here
March 4 Project Success Casino Night Fundraiser – see flyer here
March 7 Please Join Birth to Five Illinois Region 54 for a Parent Focus Group – see flyer here
March 11 Vermilion County Master Gardeners Hold Annual Spring Festival – see news release here
March 13 Danville Mayoral Forum to be held at Danville Area Community College – see news release here
March 18 The Grant Township United Community Barstool Golf; Locations include Hubbard Trail Country Club, The Pump, 112 Wine and Coffee Shoppe, and The Legion – see flyer here
March 19 Vermilion County Conservation District’s Maple Syrup Fest – see details here
Danville Public Library – see upcoming events here
Danville Public Library will be closing Wednesday, February 8 at 1:00 for water main repairs. They will reopen Thursday February 9 at 9:00AM
Scouts Troop 399 is excited to invite you to their virtual STEM night. Thursday, February 23rd, 2023, at 6:00 pm at the American Legion Post 210, located at 201 Prospect Place in Danville, IL there will be a FREE event for youth ages 10 or older. This event is to share about STEM career opportunities, education, and scouting!
Our partners include DACC, Danville Metal, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 149, Sygma Network, Thyssenkrupp, and Watchfire.
Friday Dinner served 5:00PM-7:00PM with options of beer battered fish, shrimp, and a variety of sandwiches
Big Thorn Farm & Brewery:
Bar Hours: Friday 3:00-9:00PM, Saturday Noon-9:00PM, Sunday 10:00AM–4:00PM
Enjoy our delicious craft beer, great food, and one-of-a-kind Greenhouse Bar setting. This is a heated, outdoor venue, so dress in layers! No reservations are required.
Boxcar Books & Vinyl:
We have a club for that! The Donut Club grades 5-8, The Coffee Club grades 8-12 and the Adult Book Club.
Check out our Rail Mail Book Subscription Boxes. Choose your genre and the number of months you’d like to subscribe and we will ship you a new release book and bookish gifts each month!
This Friday night cook will be as follows: cheeseburgers/hamburgers, chicken strips, pork fritters, grilled chicken sandwich, and hot dogs.
Price is $10.
Service time is 5:30 til 7:30.
Captain’s 3 will be playing in the hall from 7 til 9.
Sleepy Creek Vineyards:
Mondays: Yoga & Wine with Linda every Monday; Doors open at 5:30PM Class begins at 6:00PM, Cost is $10
Tuesdays: Yoga & Wine with Mandy every Tuesday; Doors open at 5:30PM Class begins at 6:00PM, Cost is $10
February 15: 12:00PM-7:00PM For a limited time, Wine Down ALL DAY Wednesday. $5 any glass of wine, small slushy, or small sangria. Take a mid-week break to relax and unwind!
February 17: 6:00PM-9:00Pm Live Music Series with Paige & Catlin
February 18: 5:00PM-8:00PM Food Truck On-Site: Los Bros Food Truck
February 18: Live Stand Up Comedy is back at Sleepy Creek Vineyards with Champaign-Urbana Comedy on Saturday, February 18 for an 8PM show. Perfect idea for a date night, group outing, parties, and more!
Sundays: Winey Mary Bar Every Sunday Noon-6:00PM
Sleepy Creek Hours: Sunday-Tuesday Noon-6:00PM; Wednesday-Thursday-Saturday Noon-7:00PM & Friday Noon-9:00PM. Please visit our Facebook page at Sleepy Creek Vineyards or online at www.sleepycreekvineyards.com for updates
Turtle Run:
Wednesdays: Queen of Hearts Drawing – see info here & see the winning pot each week on Facebook.
Westville American Legion Post 51:
Wednesdays: Queen of Hearts Drawing at 7:00PM. Tickets $1.00.
Thursdays: Tacos/Nachos with Bob Schifo from 5:30-7:30PM