How to Drive Safely on Halloween Night

PEKIN, Ill. –– On Halloween, kids will swarm neighborhoods to participate in a sugar-fueled frenzy of door-to-door trick-or-treating. While this is an invigorating event for most kids, parents’ reactions to this ghoulish night usually consist of some measure of anxiety over their kids’ safety. Fortunately, there are plenty of Halloween safety tips for parents to give their kids before they hit the streets and morph into candy goblins.

Keeping kids safe on Halloween should also be considered a community effort that includes parents, neighbors, and even drivers. If you’re planning on hitting the road on Oct. 31, make sure you know how to drive safely on Halloween night during the time kids are trick-or-treating. Here are a few cautionary steps you can take to keep neighborhoods safe.

Try to avoid neighborhood streets.

Unless you’re heading to work or a Halloween party, it’s a good idea to keep your car off residential streets during trick-or-treating hours. Keeping cars off of neighborhood streets on Halloween night greatly decreases the hazard formed when energetic kids in costumes are crossing streets cars are driving down.

Don’t speed through neighborhoods.

If you absolutely have to head out on Halloween night, make sure you drive slower than usual through your neighborhood. While legally you may not be required to drive slower on Halloween, it’s a good idea because, again, it’s likely your neighborhood will be flooded with hyped up kids who aren’t paying much attention to a set of headlights a block away. By driving slowly, it gives you more time to react if a group of goblins, vampires, or ghosts decide to run across an intersection before looking both ways.

Use your floodlights in darker areas.

While most neighborhoods streets are lined with streetlights these days, some residential areas choose not to implement them. These streets can get extremely dark at night, especially on Halloween when the only noticeable light is coming from a few porches with candlelit pumpkins.

Make complete stops at stop signs.

Let’s be honest, it’s more than likely that you roll through a majority of the stop signs in your neighborhood, as most drivers do. While you should always come to complete stops at stop signs, it’s especially important on a night like Halloween. Most kids that are out trick-or-treating won’t think about looking before they run across an intersection. By you coming to a complete stop you can take time to look for these kids before proceeding.

Slow down at intersections without signs.

Even if there aren’t any signs telling you to stop or yield at an intersection, it’s a good idea to slow down as you pass through them. Again, this will give you a chance to spot any trick-or-treaters who aren’t paying close attention to the vehicles driving through their neighborhood.

As a driver on Halloween, it’s your responsibility to help the community keep kids who are out trick-or-treating safe. You can do a lot by choosing not to drive during trick-or-treat times, but if you have to, our used car dealer near Peoria Heights, IL, wants to make sure you know how to drive safely on Halloween night. We share tips like these because we care about our community, but another way we try to keep our neighbors safe is by providing them with quality used cars and trucks they know they can rely on. Visit us for a test-drive and you’ll see what we mean.

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit Velde Ford located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

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Ohio Corn Maze Designed to Look Like the Latest Ford F-150

PEKIN, Ill. –– Illinois might be the king state of cornfields, but it could be hard for any of our famous fall corn mazes to compete with this Ohio corn maze designed to look like the latest Ford F-150.

The seven-acre corn maze, located at Leaders Farms in Napolean, Ohio, was cut in the image of the latest edition of the Ford F-150. It might not be as tough as the half-ton pickup’s aluminum alloy body, but navigating this maze definitely looks like a challenge––it usually takes at least one hour to complete.

“We are a multi-generation Ford-driving family,” said Kristin Leaders of Leaders Farms. “My husband Brad was reading a magazine last winter and saw the new F-150 design and loved it. We thought it would really stand out as the feature of this year’s corn maze.”

But that idea to create a corn maze designed to look like the latest Ford F-150 wasn’t a simple task. Running a corn maze, let alone a farm with 13 goats and 40 cows, is a year-round duty that requires planning, designing, and plenty of maintenance. When it came to creating the image, the Leaders had to use GPS technology to create a well-cut image of the F-150.

Another Ford-themed experience Leaders Farm offers is seeing Big Jack, a pumpkin cannon mounted to the chassis of a restored Ford F-450, launch massive gourds across the farm fields. If getting lost in a Ford-F-150-themed corn maze and seeing squash shells splatter in the distance sounds like a fun time, heading over to Leaders Farms in Ohio could be a worthwhile autumn road trip for the most fanatical Ford families

You can go get lost in the Ford F-150 corn maze, but there’s nothing like actually getting behind the wheel of a new Ford truck. And remember, there are plenty of Go great fall activities to participate in around our used car dealer near East Peoria, IL, too.

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit Velde Ford located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

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Illinois Auto Lease Tax Law Changes for 2015

PEKIN, Ill. ––  Did you know as of Jan. 1, 2015, the state of Illinois did away with its former Auto Tax Law and put a new law into effect that helps our customers save money?

The Illinois Auto Lease Tax Law changed for 2015 and now requires that customers only pay tax on the value of the lease duration, unlike the previous law where leasers paid a use tax on the entire value of the leased vehicle. With this tax change, you'll find your monthly lease payment to be much lower, making it even more beneficial to lease a vehicle. 

With the Illinois Auto Lease Tax Law change in 2015, leasing a brand-new vehicle at Velde is better than ever. We want you to know the benefits of leasing under the new tax law, which is why as soon as we heard about the changes, we began to research and train our employees to ensure that they're able to help you in the best way possible. At Velde Ford, we go above and beyond to make sure our customers have all of the information they need before they lease or purchase a vehicle. Stop by our Ford dealer near Bellevue, IL, to test-drive one your next Ford lease!

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit Velde Ford located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

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Boo! 5 Safety Tips to Protect Your Fearless Kids This Halloween

PEKIN, Ill. –– On Halloween, the hysteria cultivated in kids filling bags with free candy until they weigh 20 pounds is enough to override the many rules of trick-or-treating safety you've imbued in them from a young age. But as irritating as it can be when they don't listen to you, it's still your job to keep your kids safe on this ghoulish night, so we've provided you with five tips to protect your fearless kids on Halloween.

1. No Tricks, Just Treats

Unfortunately, we live in a world where you have to keep a constant eye out for bizarre and unpleasant things that may negatively affect your kids. While we aren’t suggesting the majority of people are dangerous individuals roaming the streets to terrorize innocent kids, we believe it's important to keep your kids informed of the reality that some people aren’t very nice and could have crummy intentions, especially on a holiday built around creepiness. You can give some neighbors you're familiar with the benefit of the doubt, but the truth is you don’t know the majority of the people who are passing out candy to your kids. Make sure your kids know to stay polite when they ring doorbells for candy, but remind them not to fall under strangers' incantatory spells.

2. Not Just Any Haunted House

Never should your kids enter a house without your authorization or supervision. If you’re kids are old enough to trick-or-treat alone, make sure they know to stay on porches and out of houses when they collect candy. Again, your kids don’t know the people passing out candy; therefore, they should feel uncomfortable if an adult asks them to come inside. Of course, there are exceptions to this Halloween safety tip. For instance, some Halloween fanatics turn their homes or garages into haunted spaces for kids to walk through before receiving candy. If your kids see other kids and adults participating in this, there’s nothing to worry about. But if no one else is around, make sure your kids are intuitive enough to move on rather than oblige an offer to step inside a seemingly friendly stranger’s home.

3. Resist the Dark Side, Stay in the Light

Let’s be honest, Halloween can be a pretty dark occasion, figuratively and literally. It’s up to you how you choose to raise your kids regarding the more grotesque aspects of costumes and decorations, but when it comes to the real darkness of the holiday––nighttime––we think all parents should make sure their kids follow a set of rules for navigating the dusk hours. Make sure your kids are safe this Halloween when the sun goes down and the moon comes out.; no, not because of werewolves, but because nighttime naturally results in riskier situations. When it’s dark, it’s harder for drivers to see kids going door-to-door or crossing the street, and it also creates a higher risk for shady characters lurking in spooky, unnoticeable places. Keep your kids safe and remind them to stay on well-lit streets and to avoid dark areas.

4. Don’t Be a Zombie, Look Both Ways

When kids get excited about Halloween, the only thing on their mind is sugar and how much they’ll consume before slipping into a coma. That’s why it’s important to remind your kids they aren’t zombies and they should look both ways before crossing the street. Be annoying when communicating this rule to your kids, because we guarantee they won’t be repeating the left-right-left mantra you taught them years ago as they run from one block to another in pursuit of candy without you there to remind them.

5. You’re Not a Real Vampire, so Don’t Expect to Be Out Late

The parameters you emplace for your kids on Halloween are of your own discretion, but we still suggest setting a curfew for them to ensure they get home safely and on time. Find out when other parents expect their kids to come home. This will help you gauge an appropriate curfew time that won’t ruin your kids’ trick-or-treating fun, but also prevents them from being out too late when fewer adults will be present to maintain a safe environment. Be reasonable with your expectations, but don’t be afraid to set a stern check-in time, because ultimately your kids’ safety is primary.

These five tips to protect your fearless kids this Halloween are what we consider to be the major preventative measures you can take to keep your family having fun without risking any danger. Halloween is meant to be an exciting and festive night, so let’s work to keep spirits high by keeping our own and others’ kids with these tips.

At our used car dealer near Peoria Heights, IL, we also think it’s important to drive safe throughout the entire fall season. Follow our tips and visit our service center for all of your autumn maintenance. Velde Ford, located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554, is committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience.

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5 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids

PEKIN, Ill. –– Helping your kid choose a great costume for Halloween can be tedious and expensive. This year, instead of spending money on an outfit they’ll only wear once and outgrow before this time next year, try making one of these 5 easy DIY Halloween costumes for kids that will prove to be lots of fun for you and your kid!

1. DIY Bed Sheet Mummy

For this Halloween costume, cut an old bed sheet into long strips then embalm your little tike by wrapping and tying the strips around their arms, legs, and torso.

2. DIY Candy Bum

This one is a classic. Grab some old cloths, tatter them with scissors, sew on a few patches, and let your kid be dirty for once. Don’t worry; they can wash up after they finish trick-or-treating.

3. DIY Biker Baby

If you ride a Harley, why not have your little one follow in your footsteps this Halloween? Use makeup or face paint to draw on a rather premature goatee and a tattoo you’d never let them get, tie a bandana around their head, and put them in some biker jeans and a Harley T-shirt. Sorry rough riders out there, but these baby bikers might make you look a little less intimidating.

4. DIY Minion

This costume is super easy. Just find a yellow shirt, some overalls, and a yellow knit hat. Make the Minion eye and goggle out of felt pieces, then glue or stitch them to the hat. Make sure you remind your kid to say trick-or-treat in Minion, which would simply be, “Bedo!”

5. DIY Living LEGO Brick

Find a box that matches the shape of your kid’s favorite LEGO brick and paint it their a color they choose. Cut holes in the box for their head, arms, and legs. What you use for the studs in the front is up to you, but Solo cups could work well! Color-coordinate their clothes and Voila!

It’s so much more fun to make something with your kids rather than go pay an excessive amount for something they’ll only wear once. Instead of shopping around a store for the perfect costume, make one of these 5 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids, or use these ideas for inspiration. If you have other ideas, let us know in the comments below!

At Velde Ford, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit our used car dealership to test-drive our used cars and trucks for sale near East Peoria, IL, located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

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Converted Ford Transit Helps The Salvation Army Feed the Poor

PEKIN, Ill. –– From our participation in Central Illinois Food4All this past August, it’s clear that our Ford dealer near Bellevue, IL, is committed to providing essential needs to financially struggling individuals.

That’s why we're proud to see Ford Motor Co. helping provide a converted Ford Transit to help The Salvation Army feed the poor and homeless through its Grate Patrol program on Washington’s streets. Grate Patrol has served 1.3 million meals to homeless men and women over the last three decades, and continues to deliver 150 meals, snacks, and hydration every night.

“Ford is proud to support The Salvation Army’s mobile meals program as part of our commitment to help build strong communities everywhere our employees live and work,” said Janet Lawson, director, Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company. “Transit – America’s best-selling commercial van – has the size and flexibility that make it the right vehicle for this program.”

After Grate Patrol retired its previous van of 10 years, Ford was one of the top donors to help provide a converted Ford Transit to help The Salvation Army feed the poor. The customized van includes a sink, refrigerator, food preparation space, service window, and cabinets, making the process of delivering meals much more feasible and convenient.

As one of the world’s most prominent automakers, Ford uses its influence to impact local communities, and that’s what we continue to do as a smaller part of Ford, whether it’s by providing affordable used cars and trucks for sale near Bellevue, IL, or by participating in community events like Central Illinois Food4All.

At Velde Ford, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit our dealership, Velde Ford at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

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Creative Ways to Decorate Your Pumpkin for Halloween

PEKIN, Illi - All right, we already covered how to add apples and pumpkins into your menu this fall, but with Halloween in sight, we quickly remembered another fun fall activity –– pumpkin decorating! While many people like to stick to their traditional jack-o-lantern carvings, why not take a shot at one of these creative ways to decorate your pumpkin for Halloween? All of these ideas are super simple and are sure to be great at-home projects to do with the kids!

Creative Ways to Decorate Your Pumpkin for Halloween

There definitely isn't a shortage of candy this time of year, so why not put it to good use? Glue some of your favorite candies onto your pumpkin to make a silly face or a unique design!

Thumbtacks can be used for more than just hanging notes on your cork board! Use the pins to write out a message or create a decorative pattern on your pumpkin. 

A little Mod Podge and some festive fabric can turn your pumpkin into a real piece of art! Fabric-covered pumpkins also make for adorable centerpieces! 

Paint your pumpkin in chalkboard paint to turn into your personal message board!

Carving a pumpkin has never been so easy! Kids can pick out their favorite cookie cutters and, with your help, of course, use a mallet to pound the cookie cutter all the way through the pumpkin's shell. Using a knife, parents can easily carve out their perfectly shaped design and ta-da!

Painting your pumpkin is not only a hassle-free project, it's also a great way for the kids to get creative all on their own! Whether they decide to use stencils or paint free-hand, the possibilities are endless!

Prepare your vehicle for whatever fall has in store for us with help from our Ford dealer near Peoria Heights. At Velde Autos, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

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Use These Car Care and Maintenance Tips to Drive Through Fall

PEKIN, Ill. –– The signs of autumn have arrived as warm weather succumbs to cooler temperatures and the leaves begin to turn beautiful colors. While this season is great for relaxing and enjoying activities like cider mills, pumpkin patches, and bonfires, it’s also the perfect time to make sure your vehicle is up-to-date on what should be considered regular auto service. Use these car care maintenance tips to drive through fall and ensure that you’re staring at the colorful foliage this season rather than a seized engine on the side of the road.

Get a Brake Inspection

Brakes should be inspected every 10,000 miles, and seeing as fall is just ahead of winter it makes this season the perfect time to take a look. If you hear high pitched squealing or grinding, or if it’s difficult to stop, bring your vehicle to our factory-trained and certified service technicians and get your brakes inspected before the roads get slick with snow.

Get a Battery Inspection

Seeing as your batter keeps your vehicle running, you’ll want to make sure you have it inspected before the temperatures plummet. When it gets cold, your battery has a harder time kicking into gear. Open your vehicle hood and check for corrosion around the battery terminals. If you see any, or if your engine is struggling to start and if your check engine light is on, bring your vehicle to us and we’ll give it a thorough inspection. We use batteries of the highest quality and can get your vehicle back on the road, healthy for the upcoming colder months.

Check Lamps and Bulbs.

Although fall is a colorful season, the sky that comes with it can be pretty dull. Autumn days can be dark and gray enough to require the use of headlights when you’re driving. Make sure your vehicle’s lamps and bulbs are working and that they’re bright enough. If you have malfunctioning lamps and bulbs, or if they’re too dim, our service techs can fit your vehicle with the correct headlamps, tail lamps, and interior bulbs to make sure the road is always illuminated as bright as it should be on the dreariest fall days.

Get a Cooling System Inspection.

Your engine coolant, also referred to as antifreeze, keeps your engine from overheating in the summer, but it also keeps your vehicle’s radiator fluid from freezing in the winter. Coolant should be checked every 24,000 miles and fll is a great in-between season to have your cooling system inspected to make sure your vehicle has a healthy engine. Our cooling system inspection includes:

• Inspecting overall equipment condition and operation
• Monitoring operating temperatures
• Checking coolant quality and levels
• Checking hoses for damage and leaks

Rotate or Replace Your Tires

You should have your tires rotated every 3,000 to 7,000 miles, which is about every other oil change. Unfortunately, the majority of people are unaware of this, and many others continue to drive on worn tires that should be replaced. Fall is the perfect time to take care of this vital maintenance before winter hits and the roads get icy. If your tires look bald, treadworn, or you feel less traction on the road, we offer these tire services:

• New tire installation
• Tire mounting and balancing
• Tire rotation
• Tire inspection for proper inflation and wear (for both new tires and tire inspections)

We want our customers to be safe on the roads this fall, and the best way to ensure that is for you to use these car care maintenance tips to drive through fall. Stop by our Pekin area dealer for the auto service your vehicle needs to remain a healthy machine. At Velde Ford, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit our dealership, Velde Ford at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

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