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Passenger Link – November 2024

CityLink Making Dreams Come True

JB is fascinated with buses. He dreams of becoming a bus operator, yet he acknowledges that his conditions pose certain challenges. CityLink wanted to help make JB’s dream come true. JB had the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of bus #2224, which prominently features an advertisement for his mother Andrea’s influential and life-changing book titled, “Just Like You.” Her book is designed to provide comfort to children with special needs or disabilities, reassuring them that their life challenges do not make them different. JB will certainly remember this remarkable day!

Thanksgiving Reminder

A reminder that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, November 27, the last line-up departing from the Transit Center will be at 8:45 p.m. and will return to the garage after reaching the end of the outbound route. There will be no service on Thursday, November 28 in observance of the holiday, but will resume Friday, November 29.

Stuff-A-Bus Kick-Off

The 37th Annual Stuff-A-Bus food drive to benefit the Peoria Friendship House of Christian
Service officially kicked off on Friday, October 18, 2024 with a press conference at the Kroger store on Lindbergh Drive in Peoria. Representatives from CityLink, the Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service, Cumulus Media, WMBD, and Kroger were on hand to kick off the annual food drive. This year, Stuff-A-Bus plans to outdo the success in 2023 and set a goal to reach a new record and collect 12 tons of food.

To mark the kickoff this year, Cumulus Radio station Z 92.3 joined us for a live broadcast,
encouraging listeners to stop by the kickoff event and donate. Additionally, cheerleaders from Coach Bre Cottage Cheerleading & Dance Company provided some extra enthusiasm to the event following the press conference and even helped us start to stuff the bus with Kroger’s donations. We were thrilled to have so many CityLink team members present for our kickoff, and that Eric Halvorson, Kroger Manager of Corporate Affairs, was able to join us from Indiana.

Peoria Police Department Football Game

From one kickoff to another, the Marketing & Community Engagement team were certainly busy on Friday, October 18, 2024, as they left the Stuff-A-Bus kickoff and went to the Peoria High School football game to collect donations for the food drive! Our partnership with the Peoria Police Department tied in with the Peoria Lions football team, as it was Police Night. This collaboration allowed the police department to provide the team with new specialty jerseys for the game, and gave the players the opportunity to run through an inflatable helmet featuring the Peoria Police Department logo on it.

A new ‘hype’ video was created for the team, proudly showing off the new jerseys and our latest bus wrap for the PPD recruitment efforts. The bus also brought the team to Peoria Stadium, followed by a police escort, giving them the VIP treatment before the game started. To end the night, the Peoria Lions won against the Bloomington Purple Raiders with a score of 48-28.

Stuff-A-Bus Volunteers

We’ve been spending the weekends at various Kroger stores across Peoria and East Peoria,
collecting donations for the Peoria Friendship House with some special friends! We’ve been lucky to have the support of both the East Peoria and Peoria Fire Departments, the East Peoria Police Department, the Peoria Police Department Cadets and members from the Gentlemen of Distinction program! We are extremely grateful for the support from our community for such a great cause, and are pleased with all of the donations that have came in just a few weeks!

Community Engagement

On October 2nd, 2024, the Marketing Team spent the day engaging with the senior citizen community of Tazwell County at TazFest. This free event provided seniors with the opportunity to meet with law enforcement officers, hear from guest speakers, and gain valuable information on local resources in the community.

The next day, October 3rd, 2024, CityLink participated in the East Peoria Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest Business Expo at the Par-A-Dice Hotel. The business expo allowed CityLink, and other organizations in the community, to show off all of the resources they can offer. We placed a special emphasis on CityLift for our passengers in East Peoria and Washington.

Fine Free x Fare Free Update

During the month of September, CityLink partnered with local libraries for the third year of the Fine Free x Fare Free initiative. September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month, and we helped provide free rides if you showed your library card. This continued partnership showed an increase in library cards being registered and renewed across our community.

  • The Peoria Public Library issued a total of 1,709 cards, which is higher than their usual monthly total.
  • The Fondulac District Library in East Peoria issues 57 new cards and had 69 renewals.
  • Pekin Public Library had 128 new library cards and 84 renewals.

In a one-month comparison, September ridership, which was Fine Free x Fare Free, reached 175,800, while August’s ridership stood at 171,836. This marks an increase of 3,964 riders, representing approximately 2.3%.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the United States. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 234,580 people will be diagnosed with lung and bronchus cancer in the United States in 2024, and about 125,070 people will die of the disease – 65,790 men and 59,280 women. The five-year survival rate for these cancers is 26.7 percent.

Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths, according to experts. Other risk factors for lung cancer include being exposed to secondhand smoke; having a family history of lung cancer; being treated with radiation therapy to the breast or chest; exposure to asbestos, chromium, nickel, arsenic, soot, or tar in the workplace; and exposure to radon. When smoking is combined with other risk factors, the risk of lung cancer increases. 

Lung cancer can affect people with no smoking history due to genetics, environment, or occupation. Everyone should know the risks and stay proactive. Studies show, 20% of lung cancer cases occur in people with no or little smoking history.

There are two main forms of lung cancer—small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the more common form of the disease, accounting for about 80% of diagnosed cases. The most common subtypes of NSCLC are squamous cell carcinoma, which begins in the thin, flat squamous cells; large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma.

About 10% to 15% of all lung cancer cases are small cell lung cancer (SCLC). This is a fast-growing, aggressive disease with poor outcomes. Unfortunately, most patients with SCLC are diagnosed with extensive stage disease. That means it has spread beyond the lung and the area between the lungs to other lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Overall, 5% to 10% of patients with SCLC are alive five years after diagnosis.

Many cases of lung cancer are diagnosed late, reducing the chances for effective treatment. Early detection and education are key to increasing survival. Current guidelines recommend annual screening with low-dose CT scan in adults aged 50 to 80 who have a 20-pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or stopped smoking within the past 15 years. Specifically, a pack-year is the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day times the number of years smoking. Thus, someone who smoked one pack per day for 20 years has a 20-pack-year smoking history. Thanks to lifesaving cancer research, 18,000,000 cancer survivors in the United States are living with, through, and beyond their disease.

Native American Heritage Month

In 1990, Congress enacted a joint resolution that was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, officially designating November as the inaugural National American Indian Heritage Month, also known as Native American Indian Month. The original inhabitants of the land that is now the United States were American Indians. As highlighted in H.J. Res. 577, Native American Indians have made significant and unique contributions to both our nation and the world. This resolution was introduced by Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii and Congresswoman Eni Faleomavaega from American Samoa. It granted the president the authority to issue a proclamation urging federal, state, and local governments, alongside organizations and the public, to celebrate the month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. In 2008, the commemorative language was broadened to recognize the contributions of Alaskan Natives as well. Annually, either through legislation or a presidential proclamation, November is officially established as National Native American Heritage Month.

Tips for a Healthy Thanksgiving

Lounging in your sweatpants? Sitting on the couch to watch football or a movie? Gorging on a big feast of salty dishes and sweet treats? Sounds kind of nice!

Thanksgiving is often seen as a holiday to indulge. But when you’re trying to make healthy changes, a day of extreme indulgence can derail you from your goals.

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. You can have your cake (or pumpkin pie) and eat it, too! Here are a few expert tips to make Thanksgiving just a little better for you and your health goals.

Before Dinner

  • Start the day with movement. Go for a walk, hit the gym, exercise at home, or even sign up for the local turkey trot. Remember, some movement is better than no movement.
  • Be sure to eat breakfast. Stay in your rhythm of eating balanced meals and snacks every 3 to 4 hours.
  • Take the edge off hunger by having a protein + produce snack before the big meal. This will help keep you satisfied and avoid overeating at dinner.
  • Be mindful of any nibbling. Serve up your appetizers on a plate and take the time to sit and eat them, free of distraction. If you’re hosting, keep fresh produce washed and cut up that’s ready to snack on if you feel the need to munch.
  • If you’re going to someone else’s house, consider bringing a healthy dish to share.

If you’re cooking for others:

  • Change up your favorite recipes to save calories from fat, carbs, and sugar. Look for easy ways to add fresh veggies to your dishes so you can boost nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
  • Use low-sodium chicken broth to baste the turkey and make gravy.
  • Reduce oil and butter wherever you can.
  • Replace sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for your creamy dips, mashed potatoes, and casseroles.
  • Choose brown rice, pick whole grain bread over refined bread, and add extra celery, mushrooms, and onions to your stuffing. Enjoy seasonal fruits such as pears or
    apples in your salad. 
  • Serve a vegetable tray, fresh fruit, or a salad for a light and fiber-rich, low-calorie starter.

For more information, please visit: https://library.teladochealth.com/hc/en-us/articles/360011983873-Tips-for-a-Healthy-Thanksgiving

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