O’Fallon Around Town — March 17 edition

Noon Thursday, March 17, 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. Due to the number of submissions, events may run only one time in print, will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.

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

Thursday, March 17

▪ National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwestern Illinois (NAMI SWI) — 7-8:30 p.m. Online via Zoom. Virtual support meetings for family members and other caregivers of individuals with mental illness. Meetings are peer-led and rely on the knowledge and experiences of the group to help one another. Registration is required in order to receive the link to these meetings. For more information or to register, contact Pat Rudloff at silverlining6@charter.net.

Friday, March 18

▪ 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.

▪ O’Fallon 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 and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229.

Friday, March 18, & Saturday, March 19

▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Thibaudet Plays Gershwin — 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 18, and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 19. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. From sea to shining sea. Stéphane and Jean-Yves Thibaudet revel in the high spirits of George Gershwin’s Concerto in F. James Lee III explores the joys, sorrows, and triumphs of Harriet Tubman’s life in “Chuphshah!” Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote his Symphony No. 3 in exile from his beloved Russia, and balances melancholy with exuberance, prayer with triumph. slso.org

Saturday, March 19

▪ Book Sale — 9 a.m. to noon. Tri Township Library, 209 S. Main St., Troy. Book donations accepted during the sale and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Masks required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. 618-667-2133.

▪ Colorectal Cancer Awareness Drive-Through Event — 9 a.m. to noon. Cancer Care Center, 321 Regency Park, O’Fallon. Providers at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Radiation Oncology Center will give away free at-home colon cancer test kits. The InSure ONE at-home screening test includes full instructions for an easy, water-based sampling for specimen collection. Patients MUST return the sample to the Cancer Care Center of O’Fallon between March 21-25. St. Elizabeth’s laboratory will analyze, and results will be reviewed by a physician to then be provided to each participant and their primary care provider. The kits are available while supplies last. 618-607-5545.

▪ Nashville Live at The Sheldon: The Lonely Fighters — 7:30 p.m. The Sheldon Ballroom, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis. Singer/songwriters Claire Wyndham and Chris Roberts blend seamless harmonies with an authenticity that harkens back to the classic 1970s West Coast sounds of Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles and John Denver. thesheldon.org

▪ The Wee Heavies — 7:30 p.m. Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, 400 N. Alton St., Lebanon. Back by popular demand with its eclectic mix of Scottish, Irish and American folk music, which combines tradition, innovative original arrangements and moving interpretation. Dedicated to music from and influenced by the Celtic tradition, tenors Aaron Schiltz and Peter Merideth, baritone Jay Harkey, and bass Steve Neale began singing together in St. Louis’ Shaw neighborhood in 2013 after they observed a distinct lack of a cappella Celtic music at charitable events. They create a sound rich in harmony with unexpected twists and an energy that has audiences clapping, stomping, and singing along. thehett.com

▪ St. Louis Classical Guitar: Mak Grgić — 8 p.m. The Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Road, St. Louis. Touted as a “gifted young guitarist” by the New York Times, and “a guitarist to keep an eye on” by the Washington Post, Mak Grgić is emerging as a star on the worldwide stage. An expansive and adventurous repertoire attests to his versatility and wide-ranging interests: from the Baroque and Renaissance to music of the cinema; from ethnic music of his native Balkans to extreme avant-garde and microtonal music, Grgić’s extraordinary talents and tastes as soloist, collaborator, and recording artist are fueled by his curiosity, imagination, and boundless energy. stlclassicalguitar.org

Sunday, March 20

▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Music of John Williams — 3 p.m. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. Enjoy the music of John Williams with Stéphane Denève and your SLSO to celebrate the legendary composer’s 90th birthday in 2022. Selections from “Superman,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and more fill Powell Hall with Williams’ iconic soundtracks from the big screen. Arrive early to take photos with members of the 501st Legion prior to the concert and during intermission. slso.org

Tuesday, March 22

▪ ImpactLife Blood Drive — 3-6 p.m. Fulton Jr. High, 307 Kyle Road, O’Fallon. Appointments are required. 800-747-5401 or bloodcenterimpact.org.

Wednesday, March 23

O’Fallon Sunrise Rotary Meeting — 6:45 a.m. O’Fallon Township Building, 801 E. State St., O’Fallon. 618-210-8156 or ofallonsunriserotary.org

Other area happenings

▪ Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary of St. Clair County Scholarships — Application deadline is Friday, April 15. Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded. One scholarship will go to a high school senior pursuing higher education at an accredited college, university or trade school, the other to an already enrolled college student and resident of St. Clair County. For an application or information, please contact your school counselor or Captain Samantha Nolan Jones at 618.235.7378x101 or Samantha.Nolanjones@uscsalvationarmy.org.

▪ Injury Free Running Clinic — 5:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month through December. HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Outpatient Therapy clinic, 209 Rec Plex Drive, O’Fallon. The clinic supports current runners and those wishing to start on how to run safely and improve performance. Free and open to the public. Space is limited. Registration is required. hshs.org/StElizabeths/Events/Community/Injury-Free-Running-Clinic-2022

HSHS Illinois Division offering nursing scholarships

Hospital Sisters Health System Illinois Division recently announced a scholarship opportunity for students pursuing a career in nursing.

The HSHS Scholars program is open to qualifying students attending an accredited nursing program. Students can earn up to $20,000 of funding for educational expenses. In addition to financial help, recipients will have a job upon graduating and passing boards in an HSHS Illinois Division hospital.

“St. Elizabeth’s and the other HSHS ministries in Illinois have many education and career development programs with partners in our area. This scholarship is another way we can support nursing students and continue to develop a strong, highly-competent workforce for our hospitals and patients,” said Regina Peterson, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon.

Interested students can apply at hshs.org/ILnursingscholarship. The deadline to apply is May 1. Applications are reviewed upon submission and top candidates are chosen for interviews. Applicants should have an interest in working in a HSHS Illinois Division hospital as an RN upon graduation/ passing boards.

“I recommend applying for the HSHS scholarship program because it is a great way to help pay for school and also gives you a head start in starting your career in nursing,” said Ciarra Marreo, RN, a recent recipient of HSHS Scholars funding.

“Once graduating, the anxiety you feel preparing for the NCLEX and searching for a job is intense. This scholarship ensures that you have a job in your desired specialty after graduation and the residency program is very beneficial in helping new grads grow.

For additional questions about the HSHS Scholars program, email ILscholarships@hshs.org. For other career opportunities in a wide range of clinical and non-clinical positions, visit www.careers.hshs.org.

This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 5:07 PM.