Peoria is full of local restaurants, coffee shops, hiking trails, parks and craft shops that anyone can visit for fun, but some students aren’t seizing those opportunities.
Bradley University has a new club on campus, BU Explore Peoria, which gives members an opportunity to travel around the city.
Jeannie Hansen, president of the club, formed BU Explore Peoria to offer students new local experiences. She stated that it emerged from discussions with seniors Leah LoVerde and Elizabeth Klisiewicz, who serve as the club’s vice president and event coordinator, respectively.
“It just came about … in just one day, we formed the club promoting different events in Peoria,” Hansen said.
LoVerde was invested in the club’s formation from her own knowledge of Peoria’s extensive activities.
“There’s a lot to do in Peoria, and I’ve heard that there is nothing to do,” LoVerde, kinesiology and health science major, said. “You then haven’t hung out with me because I go everywhere in Peoria.”
LoVerde has been on several hikes in Peoria, visited coffee shops such as Zion and Thirty-Thirty and also checked out The Balanced Bee.
The process of developing a club is the same for each person. Hansen talked to Sara Netzley, associate professor of journalism, to be the adviser for the club. With LoVerde’s help in forming the conditions and additional documents, the club was able to get approved in 18 hours when it typically takes 48 hours.
“It went from an idea to a proven club in under a week,” LoVerde said. “It was truly so fast.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, everyone was advised to stay home for as long as possible, grinding excursions and businesses to a halt. As a sophomore, Hansen has not been able to explore Peoria as much as LoVerde could during her first two years.
Hansen said that without exploring its added stress of getting adjusted to college and being in a new environment.
“Sometimes you can get a little tired being in the same place over and over again, and I don’t think that’s healthy, especially for mental health,” Hansen said.
The club will be having its first event, a picnic at Laura Bradley Park, this Saturday, Nov. 6 at 12 p.m. They will be waiting at Markin Recreation Center at 11:45 a.m. to walk with the group. Anyone is welcome to join while bringing their own lunch as well as ideas for the club.
After Saturday’s event, BU Explore Peoria will be having two events a month in the upcoming semester, one being a bigger event that all students are welcomed to join.
Hansen said that the club wants to host a Christmas shopping event where students can shop for gifts with a group. They also will be offering carpooling to further destinations for students who may not have a car.
To learn more about the club, check out their Instagram here and visit their sign-up form here.
