Regional Media Podcast Network

May is Mental Health Month: It was first designated in America in 1949 by Mental Health in America. This is the 74th year we have celebrated Mental Health Month.

It’s a month dedicated to two things mainly:1. Recognizing that we ALL have a level of mental wellness just like we all have a level of physical wellness, andthat mental wellness is linked to all other kinds of health and wellness.2. It’s also a chance to have conversations about how mental illnesses are real just like other chronic physicalillnesses, and that they can be treated effectively. Like chronic illnesses, diagnosing them and treating them asearly as possible can prevent or lessen symptoms.We often focus on just physical health and ignore our mental wellness, for instance getting plenty of rest and exercise butstill living a stressful lifestyle when there are some things we also could do to eliminate or reduce that stress.• Wellness is essential to living a full and productive life• Stress affects our wellness and is something we all experience but there are ways to either better deal with stressor reduce it in our lives.• Anxiety disorders affect around 40 million Americans annually• Major depression affects around 15 million Americans annually• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder affects around 11 million Americans annually• Bipolar Disorder affects around 6 million Americans annually• It is common for mental illnesses to co-occur with substance use disorders and other diseases like diabetes, heartdisease, etc.

Go to Mental Health In America’s website (www.mentalhealthamerica.net) for more information about Mental Health Month and mental wellness and to take a free, confidential, online screening for yourself or someone you are concerned about.For an extensive list of links on mental health go to www.sinnissippi.org and click on LINKS at the top of the page. The link to the screenings is also there at the top of the page.

The Kewanee Salvation Army is ready for the summer with the announcement of their annual summer camps in a brand new location. Camp Wonderland in Salem Wisconsin is the new home of the Kewanee Salvation Army Summer Camps. We talked to Eddie Tolliver about the new location and he thanked the Kewanee Rotary for making it possible to transport campers to the incredible new camp this Summer. Kewanee Salvation Army Summer Camps, aside from one for the entire family, are free and they are free thanks to the generosity of Kewanee Rotary.

The school year is ending for Kewanee Schools and we caught up with Superintendent Dr. Chris Sullens to recap the final school board meeting before the official end of the 2022-2023 School Year. Dr. Sullens spoke to WKEI about ongoing construction projects, the beginning of the next budget cycle, and several highly accomplished students and student organizations, and athletes who were honored during Monday's Kewanee School Board Meeting. Graduation for Kewanee High School Seniors is this Sunday at 1 PM. For those who cannot be there in person it will be live on the School YouTube Channel and WKEI will share the broadcast here on RegionalMediaNews.com as well, starting at 1 PM.

Most people know Randall Parrish from his inclusion in Kewanee's Author's Mural. He's there because he wrote a series of very popular novels in his lifetime. But Randall Parrish had a secret life, one not well known to his friends and fans in his hometown, Kewanee. Before 1900, Parrish was a small time crime, passing himself off as a Pastor and using the cloak of the clergy, Parrish created a life of crime via a complicated check scam. For years, no one knew this about Randall Parrish. It wasn't until historian and author Dean Karau began looking into the life of Randall Parrish that he uncovered this little known aspect of the famed author's life. Dean joined Dave Clarke and Sean Kernan on Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about this incredible story.

Nicci joined us this morning to talk about Nursing Week at RRHH, and a few of the fundraisers coming up. 

Coping with a terminal illness in your family is one of life’s most challenging times, but you don’t have to face the challenges alone. As an area advocate for quality hospice care, Rock River Hospice & Home (RRHH) has been providing expert end of life care for patients in the final months of life – and support for their families – for over 40 years. Putting the needs of our patients and their families first … that is our commitment to you.

Legendary rock drummer, Carmine Appice, beloved for his work as the drummer for Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, and Rod Stewart, is back with a brand new record. Running Up that Hill is a collaboration with guitarist Fernando Perdomo, is an instrumental rock record inspired by the success of Kate Bush's legendary song, Running Up that Hill. Seeing that songs resurgent popularity last year, Perdomo and Appice decided to try their own, instrumental take on the song. That take is now the lead single from The Appice-Perdomo Project. WKEI was lucky to catch up with the legendary rocker on Tuesday, prior to his first concert in support of the record in New York City. You can watch tonight's concert and the debut of Carmine's new record, Running Up that Hill at Meathook.Live.

The Red White and Blue Bishop Hill Quilt Show will take place in Bishop Hill this weekend, May 19th, 20th and 21st at the Colony School. Hours are 10 AM to 4 PM on Friday and Saturday and 10 AM to 3 PM on Sunday. The event is being hosted by the Prairie Queen Quilt Club and will feature displays of Quilts, both handmade and machine made, and the chance for you to purchase quilts. There will also be raffle baskets up for grabs that visitors can sign up and try to win. Lorna Brown, a member of the Prairie Queen Quilt Club was our guest on Wake Up Tri-Counties on Tuesday with details about what makes the Bishop Hill Quilt Show so special.

Jordan Greenhaw is the Executive Director of Mozingo Lake Recreation Park.  Jordon worked her way to the position, First as the Director of the Maryville Chamber of Commerce, then she took a position with Maryville Parks and Rec. and was then named Executive Director.  Today we talked about improvements made to the park in recent years, Big Fish, which is a KNIM/KVVL yearly free fishing tournament.  Listen to the Interview here!