Blaise Bernardi (center), Outreach Coordinator for the Illinois State Treasurer's Office, was Tuesday's guest speaker at the weekly meeting of the Taylorville Kiwanis Club.  President Will Perkins (left) presided at the meeting; Kiwanis program chair for April Patty Hornbuckle is at the right.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard about the many programs offered by the Illinois State Treasurer's Office, at their weekly luncheon on Tuesday at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital auditorium.

Blaise Bernardi, an outreach coordinator with the State Treasurer's Office, spoke about 5 programs among the many that office provides.

The “I-Cash” program administered by the State Treasurer's Office, helps them connect unclaimed property with their rightful owners.  Bernadi said that in Christian County alone, there's some 2-point-3 million dollars of unclaimed property, including one  item worth some 41-thousand dollars.

Bernardi said the “Bright Start College Savings Plan” administered by the State Treasurer's Office, allows people to save for college tax-free.  That program has over 400-thousand active accounts.

He went on to talk about the “Able-Act” account, which allows disabled people to open tax free accounts to protect Social Security and Medicare benefits.  Bernardi said people can save up to 100-thousand dollars thru this program without losing Social Security benefits.

The 4th program Bernardi talked about that's offered thru the State Treasurer's Office, is the Ag Invest program, which provides opportunities for qualified farmers to begin or expand farming operations, at low interest rates.

And the last program Bernardi spoke about at the Kiwanis meeting, was the “Illinois Funds and E-Pay” program offered to cities and towns across Illinois, enabling communities to get better returns on invested money.

Kiwanis members are reminded of the annual Kiwanis Park Clean-Up Day this Saturday morning at 9, the Interclub meeting with the Taylorville High School Kiwanis Key Club April 26th, and the May 16th dinner at Kiwanis Park in lieu of the noon meeting that day.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital auditorium.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.