Fire department receives grant
The Carbondale Fire Department has been awarded a $2,135 prevention grant by FM Global, according to the city of Carbondale. The award was presented Tuesday at the Carbondale Fire Station No. 2 and will be used to cover the costs of a new Sparky costume. The fire dog is the department's mascot which is used to assist with fire prevention education and outreach throughout the community.
New Humanist Forum on Dec. 10
The next New Humanist Forum will be at 12:15 p.m., Dec. 10 at Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship, 10 N. Parrish Lane. Joe Schmit will present "Scientific Advances That Might Change Our Lives." He will explain breakthrough discoveries in the medical, scientific, and technological fields. Schmit has a doctorate from Purdue and is now a retired chair of the biochemistry and molecular biology department at the SIU School of Medicine.
Bounce with Santa at the Garden Grove
The Courtyard at Garden Grove will host a family-focused event "Bounce with Santa," from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 17. The event will include access to four bounce houses, photos with Santa, a hot chocolate bar, and holiday crafts for the kids. The afternoon will conclude with a singalong lead by Stephanie Wooley from SI Suzuki Strings. Tickets are $5 for adults and $15 for kids, through Eventbrite.com.
Police, SIU Athletics extend coat drive
The Carbondale Police Department is once again partnering with the Athletics Department of Southern Illinois University Carbondale this holiday season to collect new coats for boys and girls, ages 1-8 in Carbondale. The donated coats will benefit the children served by the Carbondale Police Department Community Christmas Store. New coats will be collected at all home men's and women's basketball games in November. Coats will now be accepted at the Dec. 9 home game. Coats for Kids donations will also be accepted at the Carbondale Police Department, 501 S Washington Street, and on campus at the SIUC Department of Public Safety, 1175 S Washington St., Trueblood Hall, as well as at the athletics office in Lingle Hall, room 127.
Artspace 304 offers Mini-Monumentals
The newest exhibit at Artspace 304 by Carbondale Community Arts is titled "Mini-Monumentals" by Southern Illinois sculptor Dan Johnson. Johnson presents a collection of sculptures made of clay, concrete, granite, and steel that capture an aura and sense of "grandeur." Simple design and a sense of humor guide Johnson's process of making, allowing deep communication with nature and the materials used to create. The exhibit will be at the Artspace 304 gallery from Nov. 29 until Jan. 12. It will also be featured at the Carbondale Civic Center from Dec. 5 to Jan. 31.
SIU Polar Plunge coming Feb. 17
Support the Special Olympics athletes of Illinois by jumping into the waters of the SIU Campus Lake on Saturday, Feb. 17 for the 2018 SIU Polar Plunge. The funds raised from the Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge will benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. Check-in for the plunge begins at 10 a.m. at 1493 Douglas Drive in Carbondale. This is the 19th year of the LETR Polar Plunge. In 19 years, more than $18.4 million has been raised by more than 66,000 plungers. Plungers can register for the Plunge at www.plungeillinois.com or by contacting Shane Bennett at sbennett@soill.org. Last-minute Plungers are welcome to register on-site the morning of the Plunge.
Carbondale Library workshop series
"Hands-On Homeschooling," a series of 10 weekly workshops that allow participants to experience and compare the Montessori and Waldorf educational methods, will be presented at Carbondale Public Library from 6 to 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday evenings through Dec. 12. The free, 45-minute workshops will be of value to home schooling parents, schoolteachers and students of education focused on elementary and middle-school aged children. They will consist of a short presentation on the featured educational method and demonstration of the technique followed by time to explore, discuss and practice the technique. Workshops are free, no registration is required. People can attend one, several or all sessions. Topics covered can be found on the library's website at: carbondalepubliclibrary.org.
Children's programs at library
The Carbondale Public Library has three programs for children. "Making Music" with the Belletones will fill the library with music for a half-hour at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. On Wednesday, a free parenting workshop will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Erica Jowett Hirst of the Rehabilitation Institution at SIU will present the workshop. The presentation is titled "Improving Language and Communication." The third program takes place on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m., where the library presents "Family-style story times." The library staff tells stores, rhymes, sings songs and will have a craft activity and a snack. The final program is on Dec. 5. For more information, call (618) 457-0354 or visit carbondalepubliclibrary.org.
