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Join us for a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Springfield! Businesses across the area will showcase exciting special vegan menu items, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs.

How It Works:
- Visit participating restaurants throughout Springfield
- Try their exclusive vegan offerings.
- Share your experience—vote, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag us at @veganchefchallengeMW
This event is open to everyone—not just vegans! It’s about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support Springfield chefs.

Get Involved:
Looking for ways to connect? Volunteer with us! We’re seeking passionate individuals to help with outreach, event promotion, and community building throughout the month. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make a difference! Volunteer using this link: TinyURL.com/VOLVCC
Join us in making Springfield an even more inclusive, vibrant, and compassionate community.
For details on participating businesses, menus, sponsorship opportunities, and more, visit our website at veganchefchallenge.org/Springfield

Each month, we invite our youngest visitors (0-5 years) and their caregivers to participate in Little Lincoln’s Fireside Tales. This early learning program focuses on reading stories and engaging children in activities and play around a fun theme that changes monthly.

Step into a colorful celebration of life, memory, and tradition! Join the ALPLM’s Education Team on Tuesday, October 27th at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library as we explore Día de los Muertos through stories and hands-on activities celebrating remembrance and culture.

This program is free, but advance registration is required. Due to increased demand, we now offer two sessions of Little Lincoln's Fireside Tales. Just select the session you'd like to attend. If your first choice should happen to be "sold out," please select the other time.

GRIEFSHARE grief recovery and support group will meet at the Parish Hall at Trinity Lutheran School, 515 S. MacArthur Blvd., Springfield. The fall session will begin on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm and meets weekly for 13 weeks. GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics including "Is This Normal?," "The Challenges of Grief," "Grief and Your Relationships," "Why," and "Guilt and Anger." Thanks to a grant from Thrivent Financial, the workbook fees for this session will be waived.
This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required to ensure there are enough materials for everyone.
For more information or to pre-register, please call 217.899.9418 or register at trinitygriefshare@yahoo.com.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum invites you to a special evening to explore how first ladies have been uniquely positioned to influence American society, policy, diplomacy, and life in the White House from an insiders perspective of one of the longest-tenured women senior staffers in White House history.

Anita McBride, co-author of Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women, will join ALPLM Executive Director Christina Shutt in a moderated conversation to examine the evolutionary role of the first lady and its historic importance on the American presidency. The book shines a light on the influential women who broke barriers and made a mark on our country and, at times, our world, during their tenures in the White House on a wide range of important issues such as civil rights, political campaigns, major speeches, and the White House itself. From Martha Washington through the 21st century, McBride demonstrates how first ladies have been uniquely positioned to influence American society, policy, diplomacy, and life in the White House.

This special evening with Anita McBride will take place on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in the ALPLM Union Theater. The program is free to attend but advance registration is required. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Program begins at 6:30 p.m. A book signing will follow the program. You’ll have the opportunity to purchase a copy of the book that evening or in advance when you register for the program. You’ll also have the opportunity to view a special pop-up exhibit featuring some Mary Lincoln artifacts from the ALPLM collection before and after the program.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Anita McBride is an internationally recognized expert on first ladies and the operations of the White House. She directs the First Ladies Initiative at American University's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies in the School of Public Affairs. Her White House experience spans two decades and three Administrations, including as Assistant to President George W. Bush and Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush. She is the co-author of three books on the evolving role of the first lady and their historical influence on the American presidency, including a first-of-its-kind college textbook and an illustrated children's book. She is a frequent speaker and media commentator on White House history and presidential transitions. She is actively engaged in philanthropic efforts nationally and globally, supporting women's leadership, the arts, cultural heritage, historic preservation, veterans' wellness, and civic education. And she is co-chair of In Pursuit, a new national initiative launched to mark America’s 250th anniversary with essays that reflect on lessons of U.S. leadership.

Join us for a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Springfield! Businesses across the area will showcase exciting special vegan menu items, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs.

How It Works:
- Visit participating restaurants throughout Springfield
- Try their exclusive vegan offerings.
- Share your experience—vote, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag us at @veganchefchallengeMW
This event is open to everyone—not just vegans! It’s about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support Springfield chefs.

Get Involved:
Looking for ways to connect? Volunteer with us! We’re seeking passionate individuals to help with outreach, event promotion, and community building throughout the month. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make a difference! Volunteer using this link: TinyURL.com/VOLVCC
Join us in making Springfield an even more inclusive, vibrant, and compassionate community.
For details on participating businesses, menus, sponsorship opportunities, and more, visit our website at veganchefchallenge.org/Springfield

Join us for a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Springfield! Businesses across the area will showcase exciting special vegan menu items, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs.

How It Works:
- Visit participating restaurants throughout Springfield
- Try their exclusive vegan offerings.
- Share your experience—vote, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag us at @veganchefchallengeMW
This event is open to everyone—not just vegans! It’s about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support Springfield chefs.

Get Involved:
Looking for ways to connect? Volunteer with us! We’re seeking passionate individuals to help with outreach, event promotion, and community building throughout the month. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make a difference! Volunteer using this link: TinyURL.com/VOLVCC
Join us in making Springfield an even more inclusive, vibrant, and compassionate community.
For details on participating businesses, menus, sponsorship opportunities, and more, visit our website at veganchefchallenge.org/Springfield

Join us for a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Springfield! Businesses across the area will showcase exciting special vegan menu items, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs.

How It Works:
- Visit participating restaurants throughout Springfield
- Try their exclusive vegan offerings.
- Share your experience—vote, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag us at @veganchefchallengeMW
This event is open to everyone—not just vegans! It’s about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support Springfield chefs.

Get Involved:
Looking for ways to connect? Volunteer with us! We’re seeking passionate individuals to help with outreach, event promotion, and community building throughout the month. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make a difference! Volunteer using this link: TinyURL.com/VOLVCC
Join us in making Springfield an even more inclusive, vibrant, and compassionate community.
For details on participating businesses, menus, sponsorship opportunities, and more, visit our website at veganchefchallenge.org/Springfield

Art @ the Market provides a free weekly, make-it, take-it art/craft activity to the public each week. Our activity booth will be at the Bloomington Farmers' Market (near the intersection of Jefferson and Center Streets). This activity is for youth to the young-at-heart adult. Our volunteers will be there to help with the activity which will take about 15 minutes. Drop by during the scheduled time to participate. If the weather is poor, the activity will be held in the lobby just outside our gallery in the Monroe Center.

Join us for a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Springfield! Businesses across the area will showcase exciting special vegan menu items, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs.

How It Works:
- Visit participating restaurants throughout Springfield
- Try their exclusive vegan offerings.
- Share your experience—vote, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag us at @veganchefchallengeMW
This event is open to everyone—not just vegans! It’s about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support Springfield chefs.

Get Involved:
Looking for ways to connect? Volunteer with us! We’re seeking passionate individuals to help with outreach, event promotion, and community building throughout the month. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make a difference! Volunteer using this link: TinyURL.com/VOLVCC
Join us in making Springfield an even more inclusive, vibrant, and compassionate community.
For details on participating businesses, menus, sponsorship opportunities, and more, visit our website at veganchefchallenge.org/Springfield

Food Not Bombs Springfield is sharing free produce, clothing, and basic needs supplies at the northwest picnic tables at Union Square Park. No documentation required.