O’Fallon Around Town - June 29 edition

Jennifer Green
·8 min read

Noon Friday, June 30 is the deadline to appear in next week’s “Around Town” listing. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions. Submissions will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.

Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: O’Fallon Around Town, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.

Friday, June 30

▪ O’Fallon Knights of Columbus & Ladies Auxiliary Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 402 E. U.S. 50, O’Fallon. Traditional menu of cod, tilapia, catfish, hamburgers, hot dogs, pork steaks and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229. facebook.com/KnightsOfColumbus4239

▪ Shiloh Eagles Fish Fry — 5-7 p.m. Shiloh Eagles 545, 100 Eagle Drive, Shiloh. Cod, walleye, catfish, shrimp and sides. Full menu. Dine-in or carryout available. For carryout, call 618-624-5412. facebook.com/shiloheagles545

Saturday, July 1

▪ Vine Street Market at O’Fallon Station — 8 a.m. to noon. O’Fallon Station, 212 E. 1st St., O’Fallon. Locally grown vegetables, flowers, fruits, eggs, cheese and meats. A selection of bakers and sweet treats along with coffee, craft brew beverages and artisans. Live music, patio seating, food truck on site. Bicycle and pet friendly. 618-624-0139 or ofallonvinestreetmarket.com.

Monday, July 3

▪ Fireworks Over O’Fallon — Dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.). The fireworks will be launched near the west entrance of the O’Fallon Family Sports Park. Spectators are asked to park only in designated parking areas. There will be no parking in the grass or side of roadways in the Sports Park. Once all the parking spots are filled, no other vehicles will be allowed in the Sports Park. People may still access the park on foot and watch the fireworks from grass areas. The turf fields and baseball restrooms will be closed. Restrooms near the Splash Pad and north side of the park will be open. There will also be parking restrictions on the north side of West Nixon and West Madison. Parking will be prohibited on Venita Drive and Taylor Road. Venita Drive and the west entrance of the Family Sports Park will be closed to traffic approximately five minutes before the firework show begins and reopened immediately following the completion of the show. At the end of the show, signs and police officers will direct vehicles towards either the East or West exit of the Sports Park (depending on where you parked). Please be patient and expect delays leaving the Sports Park.

Wednesday, July 5

▪ National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group — 6:30-8 p.m. Online via Zoom. Free peer-to-peer support group for adults with a mental health condition working towards recovery. Every Wednesday. Open the Zoom app and enter 3914844542. For information: kelly.nami.swi@gmail.com or 618-798-9788.

Thursday, July 6

▪ St. Clair County Genealogical Society — 7 p.m. Online via Zoom. Program: “Deeds and Patents in Genealogical Research” presented by John Barr, a genealogist for Old Northwest Genealogy. The meeting is open to the public, but space is limited. Reservation information is at stclair-ilgs.org/events or facebook.com/STCCGSIL.

Other area events

▪ Great Illinois River Raft Race — 3 p.m. Saturday, July 8. Hardin. Two raft races and a kayak race will highlight a full day of river-focused activities starting at 3 p.m. and ending at midnight. The raft races – featuring two separate classes of homemade rafts – begin at 4 p.m. Entry fees are $20 per person before July 8 and $30 the day of the race. Registration is on-going through July 8. Participants can register online at illinoisriverraftrace.com. Day includes a bags competition, a kayak raffle, a basket drop, live music, bounce houses, food, beer garden, vendors and games. Radio station 92.3 will also do a live remote from the Hardin riverfront from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be a fireworks show taking place at dark. The event is free and open to the public.

▪ O’Fallon Township Senior Committee — 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 20. Township Building, 801 E. State St., O’Fallon. Dinner and entertainment. For Township residents only. Cost: $3. Reservation deadline is Friday, July 14.

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10 Fireworks safety recommendations to keep your Fourth of July fun

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital wants to remind community members that while fireworks can be fun, they can also be dangerous. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, there were an estimated 10,163 fireworks-related injuries in America in 2022.

According to medical experts at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, most injuries from fireworks occur to the hands or fingers, legs, face and eyes. Fireworks should be left to experts trained and certified so everyone can have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Some safe firework and sparkler alternatives are party poppers, bubbles, silly string or glowsticks. These options provide the same amount of fun, but with less risk of harm for all involved.

If you do decide to use fireworks, here are 10 tips from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

  1. Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before purchasing.

  2. Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks and watch them closely while playing with sparklers.

  3. Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby in case of fire or other mishap.

  4. Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

  5. Don’t forget about your pets. Fireworks can cause extreme stress to animals. Keep your pets indoors.

  6. Never place a part of your body directly over a firework or hold a firework in your hand while lighting. Light fireworks one at a time and move back to a safe distance quickly.

  7. Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.

  8. Soak all spent and unused fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing away in a trash can. Never discard fireworks in a fire pit.

  9. Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from houses, dry leaves and flammable materials.

  10. Avoid buying fireworks packaged in brown paper. This is often a sign they were made for professional use only.

For any minor fireworks-related injuries, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Convenient Care is available without an appointment. It is located in the O’Fallon Medical Building at 1512 N. Green Mount Road in O’Fallon and is open seven days a week. Patients can seek care for minor illnesses, sprains and strains, minor lacerations, and more.

For more information about HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, visit steliz.org.

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Students from area high schools, including Belleville East, Belleville West, O’Fallon Township, Highland, Civic Memorial, Althoff Catholic and First Baptist Academy, participated in a Healthcare Bootcamp at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. The first-time event was offered to juniors and seniors interested in the health care field and provided a hands-on look into various health care roles and an opportunity to network with clinical professionals.

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital welcomes high school students from the area to a summer Healthcare Bootcamp

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital recently welcomed high school students from across southwestern Illinois for its first Healthcare Bootcamp event of the year. The bootcamp for juniors and seniors interested in a career in health care is designed to give students a realistic look into various health care roles while also allowing an opportunity to make connections in the field.

“Through these job shadowing opportunities, students are able to understand the roles and responsibilities of a healthcare career by allowing them a deeper look, which in turn will provide motivation to learn the role of the career, type of education that is required, skills that are performed, and network with our health care professionals,” says Gavin Halpin, community sourcing strategist at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and organizer of the Healthcare Bootcamp. “These students were able to experience hands-on skill sessions, and network with health care professionals from 11 departments.”

Twenty-three students took part in HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s Healthcare Bootcamp on Tuesday, June 20. It included experiences in eleven different departments, which engaged students in a variety of ways and solidified their interest in health care. Students also shared that they enjoyed the positive and caring environment that HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital provided them as guests. Interested students were able to talk directly to HSHS employment specialists about opportunities available to them in the field, opening a door in the healthcare industry before they graduate high school.

Funding for the bootcamp was provided by the HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s Foundation. “The Foundation is proud to support the next generation of potential health care workers,” says David Garris, the Foundation’s director. “This community supports our hospitals in so many tangible ways, including the work we do to equip our colleagues to be the best in their field. This community outreach is key to inspiring young people to choose career paths in caring for our community.”

Students from area high schools, including Belleville East, Belleville West, O’Fallon Township, Highland, Civic Memorial, Althoff Catholic and First Baptist Academy, participated in the bootcamp.

For those who did not take part in the bootcamp but are still interested in a job shadow opportunity with HSHS, future opportunities can be found at: hshs.org/careers/job-shadowing.