The Kaaba Shriners are in their 24th year of collecting the little tabs off of soda pop and beer cans to raise money to help with the expenses of caring for children with orthopedic injuries, diseases, and birth defects.

Based in Davenport but with membership throughout southeastern Iowa and western Illinois, the Kaaba Shriners are also known for their parade participation, circuses and other community events in addition to their support of the network of hospitals and their care for children.

Noble Jack Stamm, PP, began the tab collections in 1990 by turning in the tabs as scrap aluminum and using the money received to help with patient expenses. So far in 2014, the local Shriners have collected over 1,900 pounds of tabs which has netted them $944.70. And it takes 1,267 of those little tabs just to make a pound! Since the inception of this program, they've recycled 378,432 pounds for a whopping total of $202,194.67! That works out to almost one half billion tabs, all of it to aid in the care of children!

Pretty soon when you think of the Shriners you'll think hospitals, circuses, parades and those little aluminum tabs. For more information on the tabs project, to make a donation of tabs, or for information on the Kaaba Shriners in general, please contact them at 563-386-2526.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack announced today Community Health Care in Davenport received a $2,159,101 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"Doctors in Iowa are second to none in the quality of health care they provide and community health centers play a vital role in providing access to care," said Loebsack. "These funds will help ensure the health professionals at Community Health Care can continue to offer the highest quality of care. I am excited to see the improvements that will be made in Davenport."

Loebsack has been a longtime supporter of Community Health Centers and has visited Community Health Care multiple times.

AMES, IA - The Iowa FFA Supreme National Chapter Award Program will be held during the 86th Iowa FFA Leadership Conference in Ames, on April 27-29, 2014. 42 chapters participated in this year's award program. The first place chapter for the event was the Wapsie Valley FFA Chapter at Fairbank. The Agricultural Education Instructor/FFA Advisor is Ms. Ellen Doese. The second place chapter for the event was the Webster City FFA Chapter. The Agricultural Education Instructor/FFA Advisor is Mr. Kurt Veldhuizen.

The National Chapter Award program encourages participating chapters to plan activities and carry them out with a successful Program of Activities. Chapters are recognized for outstanding achievement in the areas of Student Development, Chapter Development, and Community Development. The National Chapter Awards are sponsored by John Deere as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.

Three FFA Chapters were recognized for outstanding achievement in the three development areas. The Tall Corn FFA Chapter at Latimer was named the top Student Development Chapter. The top Chapter Development Chapter was the LaPorte-Dysart FFA Chapter. The Wapsie Valley FFA Chapter at Fairbank was named the top Community Development Chapter. The top 22 FFA Chapters in Iowa will advance to the National FFA competition and will be recognized at the 87^th National FFA Leadership Conference in Louisville, KY.

The Iowa FFA Association has 219 local chapters with over 14,200 FFA members. FFA is a national organization of nearly 580,000 members preparing for leadership and careers in science, business and technology of agriculture. Local, state and national programs provide opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. FFA's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.