The Women’s Committee will be sponsoring a Defensive Driving Course on May 11th & 12th from 10a.m. to 3p.m. at the Naaman Diehl Auditorium, Mt. Carroll. The course is open to people 55 years of age and older who are Farm Bureau members and COUNTRY insureds. The registration fee of $12 covers course materials, instruction, and lunch both days. Those completing the course are eligible for a discount on their auto insurance, but they must attend both days to qualify. An examination is not required to complete the course or receive certification, but attendance is required both days to receive certification. Deadline for registration is April 30th. Stop by or call the Farm Bureau office at .

We are co-sponsoring a bus trip with Ogle and Winnebago County Farm Bureaus on June 5th. We will travel to The Brew City to tour the one of a kind Harley Davidson Museum, then be off to the Milwaukee Public Museum to tour the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. Tour cost is $65 per person and includes deluxe motorcoach transportation provided by Cheeseman Coaches; buffet lunch; and tickets to both museums. Pick-up points will be in Lanark, Leaf River and Rockford beginning at 6:30 a.m. Our bus should arrive back in Lanark by 7:30 p.m. on June 5th.

Nearly 105 years in the making, the Harley Davidson Museum opened in July of 2008. The 130,000 square foot museum offers visitors an experience that brings to life the freedom, camaraderie, and pride that Harley riders experience every time they fire up their hog.

Following a buffet lunch at the Harley Davidson Museum we will travel a few blocks to the Milwaukee Public Museum, one of the most visited and renowned museums in the United States. Each year over one-half million visitors pour through their doors. The museum is one of the few in the world to host the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible: Ancient Artifacts, Timeless Treasures exhibit.

The exhibit brings together archaeological objects and manuscripts to tell a story 2,000 years in the making. Witness actual Dead Sea Scrolls and other early biblical artifacts to learn how transmission of these early writings has shaped the beliefs of Judaism and Christianity and influenced aspects of Islam.

The largest temporary exhibit ever produced by the Milwaukee Public Museum, Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible explores the archaeological history of the Holy Land during the period the Scrolls were written, from the third century BCE through the first century CE. The exhibit also tracks the discovery of the first Scrolls and subsequent realization of their extraordinary significance. If you are interested in the trip, contact our office at .

Illinois Farm Bureau has announced this year’s Nurse Practitioner Scholarship Program. The program will award five scholarships for a Registered Nurse to acquire additional education at an accredited college or university to become a Nurse Practitioner. The scholarships of $4000 each are sponsored by the Rural Illinois Medical Assistance Program. Award recipients must agree to practice in a rural area for two years as a part of the ongoing effort to increase health care services in rural areas. Applications may be picked up at our office or found at www.ilfb.org. Applications are due May 1.