A whole new way to Take the Plunge!

When we asked about the one thing you've always wanted to do, we were blown away by 16-year-old Kami's answer. For the Galesburg teen, it's been a lifelong dream to serve others. Growing up, she experienced times when her family wasn't quite sure how they'd afford groceries, so she simply wanted to give back.

Summer is winding down, but there's still time for a fun getaway or two! And, ya know, there are more quick trip opportunities in this area than you might have realized. Whether you're from Peoria, Springfield, or the Quad Cities, we've come up with a list of trips that are just roughly one tank of gas away!

Jeremy and I caught up with singer/songwriter Chris Tomlin this morning. If you don't recognize the name, he's the guy behind How Great is Our God, arguably the most sung/loved worship song in the entire world these days, and loads of other worship and contemporary Christian radio hits like I Will Rise, Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone), and God's Great Dance Floor. The two-time male vocalist of the year and artist of the year talked with us about writing a legendary song, anticipating the arrival of a second kiddo, and the one TV show he and his wife have to catch every week. {It just might surprise you!}

Do you Red White and Boom or is a smaller celebration more your style? We asked you to name the best fireworks display from Springfield to the Quad Cities, and everywhere in between. We received so many great replies, but we know there are more! According to you, here's the list we have so far of the greatest fireworks shows for the 4th of July in central Illinois and northwestern Illinois:

Last week, we asked you where your absolute favorite place is to get ice cream in Illinois and SO many of you answered with delicious locations to try! According to you, the best locations for the cold stuff include: Uncle Bob's of Eureka, Double D's of Pekin, Gene's of Bloomington and Whitey's in the Quad Cities. Each of these received numerous votes on the WCIC Facebook page. Here are ALL of the wonderful ice cream shops mentioned {is yours here?}: