LIFE Center for Independent Living

04/06/2026

One week from today!

LIFE CIL is having a fundraiser at Pizza Ranch! Join us!
WHEN: Monday, April 13, 2026
TIME: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
WHERE: Pizza Ranch in Bloomington
1211 Holiday Drive
_______________________________________________________________________
LIFE CIL volunteers will:
• Bus tables and clean dining area after customers for tips - 100% of tips go to LIFE CIL
• Sell Pizza Ranch Round-Up Cards during the event – 100% of card sales go to LIFE CIL
Tell them you are there to support LIFE CIL - a portion of sales go to LIFE CIL also!

image is the flyer with the above information. At the top of the flyer, centered, is Pizza Ranch's logo. At the bottom of the flyer on the left is LIFE CIL's logo, on the right is a photo of Pizza Ranch's pizza, breadsticks and dessert pizza. Under the images it says “Assisting Persons with Disabilities to Achieve and Maintain Independent Lives”
Bloomington: 309-663-5433
Pontiac: 815-844-1132
Website: www.lifecil.org

04/01/2026

Just for clarification -
It was recently brought to our attention that the date listed was not updated to the correct year. This has now been corrected. Please note that the event will take place on Monday, April 13, 2026. We sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused and appreciate your understanding.

LIFE CIL is having a fundraiser at Pizza Ranch! Join us!
WHEN: Monday, April 13, 2026
TIME: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
WHERE: Pizza Ranch in Bloomington
1211 Holiday Drive
_______________________________________________________________________
LIFE CIL volunteers will:
• Bus tables and clean dining area after customers for tips - 100% of tips go to LIFE CIL
• Sell Pizza Ranch Round-Up Cards during the event – 100% of card sales go to LIFE CIL
Tell them you are there to support LIFE CIL - a portion of sales go to LIFE CIL also!

image is the flyer with the above information. At the top of the flyer, centered, is Pizza Ranch's logo. At the bottom of the flyer on the left is LIFE CIL's logo, on the right is a photo of Pizza Ranch's pizza, breadsticks and dessert pizza. Under the images it says “Assisting Persons with Disabilities to Achieve and Maintain Independent Lives”
Bloomington: 309-663-5433
Pontiac: 815-844-1132
Website: www.lifecil.org

03/27/2026

We have one fundraiser for April - this time at Pizza Ranch!
Mark your calendars and join us on Monday, April 13!

LIFE CIL is having a fundraiser at Pizza Ranch! Join us!

WHEN: Monday, April 13, 2026
TIME: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
WHERE: Pizza Ranch in Bloomington
1211 Holiday Drive
___________________________________________________________________________
LIFE CIL volunteers will:
• Bus tables and clean dining area after customers for tips - 100% of tips go to LIFE CIL

• Sell Pizza Ranch Round-Up Cards during the event – 100% of card sales go to LIFE CIL

Tell them you are there to support LIFE CIL - a portion of sales go to LIFE CIL also!

image is the flyer with the above information. At the top of the flyer, centered, is Pizza Ranch's logo. At the bottom of the flyer on the left is LIFE CIL's logo, on the right is a photo of Pizza Ranch's pizza, breadsticks and dessert pizza. Under the images it says “Assisting Persons with Disabilities to Achieve and Maintain Independent Lives”
Bloomington: 309-663-5433
Pontiac: 815-844-1132
Website: www.lifecil.org

03/26/2026

Today, March 26, is Purple Day, an international grassroots campaign to raise awareness about epilepsy.

What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. When a person has had two or more unprovoked seizures more than twenty-four hours apart, they are considered to have epilepsy. A person can also be diagnosed with epilepsy if they have one or more unprovoked seizures and a probability of future seizures.

A few facts about epilepsy:

1 in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy in their lifetime.

An estimated 3.4 million Americans and 65 million people worldwide currently live with epilepsy.

Each year more than 150,000 people are diagnosed with epilepsy.

Per the CDC, 456,000 children in the United States 17 and younger have active epilepsy.

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder.

Epilepsy affects more people than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS combined.

All of this and more can be found on the Epilepsy Alliance America's website:

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. When a person has had two or more unprovoked seizures more than twenty-four hours apart, they are considered to have epilepsy.

03/25/2026

Starting now (10 a.m.) until 8 p.m. tonight, order from Papa Murphy's Take 'n' Bake Pizza and support LIFE CIL!

You can use the Bloomington location at 2402 E. Oakland Avenue or the Normal location at 1531 E. College Avenue.

Make sure you tell them you want to support LIFE CIL!

If you call to order or go into the store, simply tell the cashier you want to support the LIFE CIL fundraiser.

If you order online at PapaMurphys.com put the code SUPPORT before checkout

Order your favorites and LIFE CIL will get 20% of your purchase!

image is the flyer that has a red heart centered at the top and says "JOIN US IN SUPPORTING" then LIFE CIL's logo and says "LIFE Center for Independent Living

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 10am to 8pm

Mention the fundraiser to the cashier, or you can order online and use the code SUPPORT at checkout

20% of your total purchase will be donated to the fundraiser!

Order at PapaMurphys.com
Enter Code: SUPPORT
at checkout

1531 E. College Ave
2402 E. Oakland Ave

There is a QR code to scan for pickup or delivery

Not valid with any other offers, specials, promotions or discounts.

Papa Murphy's logo is in the bottom right corner.

03/24/2026

How about pizza for lunch or dinner tomorrow!?!?!

Tomorrow is our Papa Murphy's Take 'n' Bake Fundraiser and we hope you will be getting your favorite pizza from there and supporting LIFE CIL at the same time!

image is the flyer that has a red heart centered at the top and says "JOIN US IN SUPPORTING" then LIFE CIL's logo and says "LIFE Center for Independent Living

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 10am to 8pm

Mention the fundraiser to the cashier, or you can order online and use the code SUPPORT at checkout

20% of your total purchase will be donated to the fundraiser!

Order at PapaMurphys.com
Enter Code: SUPPORT
at checkout

1531 E. College Ave
2402 E. Oakland Ave

There is a QR code to scan for pickup or delivery

Not valid with any other offers, specials, promotions or discounts.

Papa Murphy's logo is in the bottom right corner.

03/24/2026

Today is World Tuburculosis (TB) Day.

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium (or germ) called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In the United States, the majority of TB disease cases in people are caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Other mycobacteria (such as Mycobacterium bovis) can also cause TB disease in people.

TB usually affects the lungs. TB can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. TB can also affect multiple parts of the body at the same time. For example, TB can affect both the lungs and lymph nodes.

Not everyone infected with TB germs becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: inactive TB (or latent TB infection) and active TB disease.

If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.

All of this and more can be found on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)'s website:

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air.

03/23/2026

This Wednesday, March 25 is our Papa Murphy's fundraiser.

Plan to get lunch or dinner from there on Wednesday!

Share this information with family and friends and ask them to support us too! 👍

image is the flyer that has a red heart centered at the top and says "JOIN US IN SUPPORTING" then LIFE CIL's logo and says "LIFE Center for Independent Living

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 10am to 8pm

Mention the fundraiser to the cashier, or you can order online and use the code SUPPORT at checkout

20% of your total purchase will be donated to the fundraiser!

Order at PapaMurphys.com
Enter Code: SUPPORT
at checkout

1531 E. College Ave
2402 E. Oakland Ave

There is a QR code to scan for pickup or delivery

Not valid with any other offers, specials, promotions or discounts.

Papa Murphy's logo is in the bottom right corner.

03/21/2026

Around 1 in every 800 babies will be born with Down syndrome.

Today is World Down Syndrome Day
March 21 - it matches the 3 copies of chromosome 21 (3/21).

Down syndrome (or Trisomy 21) is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes – 46 in total. People with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome added onto the 21st pair – 47 in total.

Find this and more about World Down Syndrome Day at

Explains what World Down Syndrome Day is, when it takes place and what happens on this day on 21 March each year.

03/20/2026

Learn a bit more about neurodiversity by watching this video - they make some great points!

Neurodiversity – with this term we mean that not all our brains work alike. The term originates from the autism-rights movement in the 1990s and includes eve...

03/20/2026

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

Right now, this minute, at 9:46 a.m. CST, spring 2026 has started!

According to the Farmer's Almanac, March 20, 2026 at 9:46 a.m. CST is the astronomical beginning of spring season for the Nortern Hemisphere. This is when the March equinox or vernal equinox occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north. On the March equinox, the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere receive roughly equal amounts of sunlight; neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the Sun than the other.

Now bring on the nice weather, the sunshine, the longer days and beautiful blooming flowers!

Learn more about the March equinox and beginning of spring here:

Spring begins March 20, 2026! Learn what the spring equinox is, why daylight grows, how equinox dates shift, and fun folklore to celebrate the season of renewal.

03/19/2026

Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many ways, with no one "right" way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not deficits.

Neurodiversity refers to the diversity of all people, but it is often used in the context of autism spectrum disorder and other neurological or developmental disorders such as ADHD or dyslexia.

Referring to someone as neurodiverse or neurodivergent is a way to focus on the positive aspects of their differences and what that can bring to the group setting.

This is from the National Library of Medicine's website. You can find this and more, including a TedTalk from 2016 that talks about neurodiversity, by visiting

Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many ways, with no one "right" way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not deficits. Neurodiversity refers to the diversity of all people, but it is often used in the context of a...