INA – Massage Therapists can get hands-on with their continuing education this fall at the Therapeutic Massage Conference, scheduled for 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Nov. 7-8, at the Rend Lake College MarketPlace, Room 354, in Mt. Vernon.

The theme of the conference will center on Pillossage, a new treatment sweeping the hearts and hands of massage therapists across the country. Guest speaker and Registered Nurse Karen Kowal, LMT, will discuss the Pillossage techniques with several modules, including Shoulders to Hips; Hips, Glutes, ITBand to the Toes; The Forgotten Chest; Shoulder Therapy; Sinus Therapy; Cervical Therapy; and Self-Care Techniques.

RLC Massage Therapy Professor Michael Adamson said Pillossage is one of the newest and greatest techniques in the field.

“Pillossage is a nice addition to any massage therapist’s tool box because it can provide clients with an effective, comfortable, and memorable massage experience that is easy on the client and therapist as well,” said Adamson.

Pillossage and Mother Earth Pillows are self-care products that treat pain while decreasing the strain on the therapist. Pillossage Bodywork reduces numerous types of painful client conditions, directly treats dysfunctions that cause pain, improves mobility and flexibility, softens connective tissue, relaxes and lengthens muscle fibers, softens scar tissue, decreases stress and anxiety, and stimulates the release of Endorphins and Oxytocin.

The conference is sponsored by RLC, Stress Knot Massage of Mt. Vernon, and the South Central Illinois Area Health Education Center (SCI-AHEC). Certificates and 16 continuing education hours will be provided for those who complete the class. Massage tables will be provided; however, participants are asked to bring a flat sheet and face-rest cover. Comfortable clothing is suggested.

Adamson added, “Illinois Massage Therapy license renewal is due at the end of this year. This conference will provide 16 of the 24 continuing education hours required for licensure renewal at a very affordable cost that is close to home.”

The conference costs $200 per person and includes lunch both days. To register, contact Stephanie Smith in the RLC Community and Corporate Education Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714 or smithst@rlc.edu. Spots at the conference are limited to the first 20 who register by Friday, Oct. 31.

Maryville, Illinois — Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) is now accepting applications from young men and women interested in attending one of the United States military academies.  High school seniors, college students, and anyone interested should apply now for summer 2015 admission.

“As the school year begins, many students are thinking about what’s next.  As a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, I am eager to provide information and assistance with nominations to the military academies,” Shimkus stated.

To be eligible for appointment, you must be a United States citizen; at least 17 and not more than 23 years of age on July 1, 2015; unmarried; not pregnant; have no dependents; and a legal resident of the 15^th Congressional District of Illinois.  Average acceptable ACT scores are 24 in English/reading and 25 in math.

Applications are accepted for the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York; U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.

Those seeking more information or who are interested in applying for any or all of the academies should write or call for an application packet from Congressman John Shimkus, 15 Professional Park Drive, Maryville, IL 62062; (618)288-7190.

Completed applications must be received by November 5, 2014.  The Congressman nominates to the academies; however, academy officials actually make the final selection regarding admission.  Those accepted into an academy will be notified in early 2015.

“I encourage young men and women with any level of interest to contact us now,” Shimkus added.  “There are several steps in this process, and applications must be filed with both my office and online with the individual academies.”

The Illinois Artisans Program is looking for talented artisans.

All areas of arts and crafts, including folk, traditional, contemporary, and ethnic, as well as fine art forms are eligible.

Created in 1985 by Governor James R. Thompson, the program provides economic and exhibition opportunities for Illinois artists. Once juried, artisans participate in art sprees, craft festivals and exhibitions.

The Illinois Artisans Program focuses national attention on the rich heritage of the fine crafting that exists in Illinois. Over its 30-year history, the program has expanded across the state from The James R. Thompson Center to inside The Illinois State Museum’s Museum Store and The Southern Illinois Art & Artisans Center.

For additional information, call the Southern Illinois Art & Artisans Center at 629-2220.

The Artisans Center is located at 14967 Gun Creek Trail next to the Rend Lake Golf Course

Franklin County Board finance committee Chairman Jim McPhail cautioned board members of pending budget cuts during Tuesday’s rescheduled committee meetings.

INA, Ill. – Though the path was winding, 2002 Rend Lake College graduate Skyler Taylor has used his graphic design degree to find the perfect fit for himself and his family: Vine Church in Carbondale. Taylor said he loves what he does; working for a non-profit in design that allows his creativity to flourish, but it also gives him time to set aside for his family. For him, it’s not going to work every day, it’s living the life he was born for.

Originally from Wayne City, Taylor attended Rend Lake College from 2000-2002 when he received an Associate of Arts Degree with emphasis in art and design. He took that degree to Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design.

Skyler Taylor, SECOND FROM LEFT, said starting his education at RLC led him down the path to his current job at Vine Church in Carbondale.

“Being from Wayne City, a small rural town with a graduating class of 50 students, SIUC seemed like a metropolis. It sounds funny to say now, but the first time I was on SIUC’s campus, I was almost sick to my stomach because of how large it was,” said Taylor. “RLC was a great transition for me, because I learned a lot of life lessons. I think I would have had a lot further to fall if I went all in at a university.”

At RLC, Taylor said he remembers several staff members who stood out and pushed him the most toward getting an education, including Dorothy DeAngelo, Steve Kennett and Tracey Webb.

Though not technically an instructor, Taylor said DeAngelo taught him several important lessons, including one that he’s not likely to repeat any time soon.

“She hired me to work at the bookstore stocking shelves, but, good-intentioned as I was, I couldn’t seem to get to work on time. Once, she asked me to open the store while she was on vacation, and I was 30 minutes late,” he said. “When she returned, she quietly fired me. Luckily, I learned my lesson, and that job remains the only one I’ve been fired from.”

When it came to instructors, Taylor said Kennett was the one who pushed him the most academically.

“His philosophy class usually filled up very quickly, and when I finally got in, I understood why. No one had challenged me intellectually the way he did,” he said. “Many of my assumptions of who I was to ‘be’ were never the same after his class. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, for instance, still sticks with me, and started the long journey that eventually led me to give up commercial work and go full-time at a non-profit church.”

“Being involved in the theatre productions with Tracey are among my fondest memories at RLC. I loved every moment of it, even when she was frustrated with us for barely trying. Our improv troupe was also incredibly fun.”

After graduating from RLC and SIUC, Taylor started getting serious about his graphic design career.

“I have been fortunate in that I was able to get a job in my major almost immediately after graduating SIUC,” he said. “I started doing graphic design at a T-shirt shop. While I was there, I did illustration and layout for silk-screened shirts.”

About one year later, Taylor took a job with Arthur Agency, a small start-up advertising agency, where he kick-started a career with big projects, such as one for the Southern Illinois Miners baseball team. Together with the Arthur Agency team, Taylor created a logo, the mascots, team uniforms, and other elements found in the stadium today.

“They were small, but they had big dreams and were willing to take a lot of risk,” said Taylor. “I had a lot of fun and gained valuable experience working with clients, managing projects, getting files ready to print, and developing brand strategy for a variety of companies.”

Currently, Taylor is the Art Director and Lead Designer at Vine Church in Carbondale, where he gets to balance his personal values with his love of design. On the side, Taylor does freelance work that varies from branding local businesses to developing websites to planning technology conferences. His website, www.skylerraytaylor.com, showcases all of his work.

“Of course, with all the opportunities I’ve been afforded, I do make sure that my family gets the priority they deserve. Part of my decision to work at a non-profit in a place as small as Carbondale is too allow for my attention to not get diverted too easily from what I feel matters the most in my life,” Taylor added.

As for the future, Taylor said he isn’t planning on any big career moves, but leisure travel may be in the works.

“As much as I’d like to set out on another adventure and embark on something new, I know Carbondale is a good fit for my family right now. I feel like the work I’m doing in Carbondale at Vine Church is meaningful work, and I count myself fortunate to be a part of it,” he said. “At the same time, I’m allowing room for the possibility of travel, and even international travel, if the opportunity arises. At this point, I have friends in Switzerland, India, Scotland, and on both U.S. coasts, so there are a lot of avenues open.”

Statement by IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman regarding HR 0895 that was approved today by the Illinois House:

“We believe that the Illinois High School Association has been a model of transparency in the great state of Illinois for over 100 years. The Association has nothing to hide and will be fully cooperative with the General Assembly, as we have done on so many other issues before.

We wish Representative Chapa LaVia had provided the courtesy of discussing any issues she believes exist within our organization prior to the introduction of this Resolution, which has unfairly cast the Association in a negative light. While we believe the hearings she proposes will be an unnecessary strain on the time and resources of both the General Assembly and the IHSA, we welcome the opportunity to clear up any misconceptions this Resolution has created.

As we await word from the General Assembly on the next step in this process, it will be business as usual at the IHSA: administering spring sports and activities for the hundreds of thousands of high school students in Illinois who participate in them.

We will also maintain posting our financial information online for the public to review (www.ihsa.org/Resources/DownloadCenter.aspx  click Documents tab), continue to be a national leader in student-athlete safety and offer one of the largest and most inclusive rosters of programs for high school students in the country.”