All of the volunteers and staff at the Bettendorf Discovery Shop are hoping that you will be able to join us Monday, May 5th for our Garden event.  We are all ready to welcome a long awaited spring by filling the shop with a variety of beautiful spring things that have been donated over the last year.

The store will be bursting with lovely items for your home and garden.  Plants & flowers for inside and outside, pictures, dishes, yard decorations, birdhouses, the list goes on and on.  We will also have lots of beautiful flowered clothing and accessories to brighten your day.  There will be a lot of great things to see, so we hope that you can stop by and take part in the fun!

The Discovery Shop is an upscale resale shop that is celebrating 26 years of successful fundraising in Bettendorf.  Thanks to the generosity of the community, the Discovery Shop raises money by selling gently used items donated by individual donors and local businesses.  Helping to make the shop such a success is the staff of wonderful volunteers that donate their time, if you are interested in joining our volunteer team we are always happy to have extra hands to help.   All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society for cancer research, education, patient services and advocacy.

Donations needed and welcomed anytime the shop is open and a tax receipt is always available.  Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 5 pm., Thursday from 10 am to 7 pm. and Saturday from10 am to 4 pm.

CENTRAL HOCKEY LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS

Quad City Mallards vs. Allen Americans

Game One: Friday, April 18 @ Allen, 7:05 p.m.

Game Two: Sunday, April 20 @ Allen, 5:05 p.m.

Game Three: Wednesday, April 23 @ Quad City, 7:05 p.m.

Game Four: Friday, April 25 @ Quad City, 7:05 p.m.

Game Five*: Saturday, April 26 @ Quad City, 7:05 p.m.

Game Six*: Tuesday, April 29 @ Allen, 7:05 p.m.

Game Seven*: Wednesday, April 30 @ Allen, 7:05 p.m.

*- if necessary

ROUND ONE

Quad City defeats Rapid City four games to three

Friday, April 4 at Rapid City: Rapid City 5 Quad City 1

Saturday, April 5 at Rapid City: Quad City 3 Rapid City 2 (OT)

Wednesday, April 9 at Quad City: Quad City 5 Rapid City 1

Friday, April 11 at Quad City: Rapid City 3 Quad City 1

Saturday, April 12 at Quad City: Quad City 3 Rapid City 1

Tuesday, April 15 at Rapid City: Rapid City 2 Quad City 1

Wednesday, April 16 at Rapid City: Quad City 3 Rapid City 1

Allen defeats Brampton four game to one
Wednesday, April 2 at Allen: Allen 7 Brampton 2

Thursday, April 3 at Allen: Allen 5 Brampton 3
Thursday, April 10 at Brampton: Allen 4 Brampton 1

Friday, April 11 at Brampton: Brampton 4 Allen 2
Sunday, April 13 at Brampton: Allen 4 Brampton 1

REGULAR SEASON

Quad City
33-23-10, 76 points
5th place
Coach: Terry Ruskowski

Allen
39-22-5, 83 points
3rd place
Coach: Steve Martinson

QUACK TRACKS
Round One

The fifth-seeded Mallards knocked off the fourth-seeded Rapid City Rush in seven games in round one.  The Mallards closed out the tightly contested series by winning game seven 3-1 Wednesday night in Rapid City.

Winning
The Mallards' round one win was their first playoff series victory in 11 years.  Prior to this year, the Mallards last won a playoff series when they downed the Muskegon Fury in six games in the 2003 United Hockey League Colonial Cup semi-finals.  The Mallards were eliminated in the first round in each of six straight postseason appearances (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013) before this spring.

Seven

Wednesday night the Mallards played in a seventh game for the first time since falling to the Danbury Trashers 6-4 in the deciding tilt of the opening round of the 2007 UHL playoffs.  The Mallards Wednesday won a game seven for the first time since they claimed the UHL Colonial Cup by title defeating the Flint Generals 3-2 in overtime in the seventh game of the 1998 finals.  All-time, the Mallards are now 3-3 in game sevens.

Quick Change
While the Americans have been idle since eliminating the Beast in Brampton Sunday, the puck will drop on game one of round two tomorrow night 43 hours and 40 minutes after the Mallards finished game seven of the opening round.

Tight
The Mallards finally saw off the Rush in game seven after both teams had gone 6-5-1 in 12 head-to-head meetings (regular season and playoffs combined) heading into Wednesday night.

Goals, Goals, Goals

The Mallards-Rush match-up was the lowest scoring of the four first round series.  The two clubs averaged 4.6 goals per game.  The losing team scored just one goal in six of the seven games.

Streaking

Thomas Frazee (4-4-8) scored the winning goal and added an assist in game seven to move into a tie with Vladimir Nikiforov (2-6-8)- who also scored in the seventh game- for the team lead in playoff points and for sixth in the CHL in postseason points.  Frazee is also tied for second in the league in goals while Nikiforov is tied for third in assists.  Jordan Mayer also had a goal and an assist in game seven and, after sitting out the first two games of the series, produced five points (three goals and two assists) in his first five career playoff games.

Between the Pipes
Thomas Heemskerk, who made 26 saves in game seven, went 3-1 in round one and leads the league in playoff goals against average (1.76) and ranks second in save percentage (.937).

Special Teams
In round one, the Mallards went 21-for-23 on the penalty kill and 5-for-30 on the power play after finishing the regular season first in shorthanded goals (12), fourth in penalty killing (83.7 percent) and ninth on power play (14.3 percent).

Home and Away

The Mallards went 2-1 at home in round one and 2-2 on the road.  During the regular season the Mallards went 19-11-3 at home and 14-12-7 on the road.

Working Overtime
Their game two win in round one was the Mallards' first postseason overtime victory since April 1, 2011, when they defeated the Colorado Eagles 4-3 in game one of an opening round series.  The Mallards had lost their three most recent playoff overtime contests- a 5-4 defeat at the hands of Colorado on April 2, 2011 and 3-2 losses to the Fort Worth Brahmas on March 30 and April 3 of last year- before winning game two.

Head to Head

The Mallards and Americans have never before met in the playoffs.  The two clubs split their four regular season meetings.  The Mallards went 1-1-0 at home against the Americans during the regular season and 1-1-0 in Allen.  All-time, the Mallards have posted a record of 3-5-1 against the Americans: 2-3-0 at home and 1-2-1 at the Allen Event Center.  Allen's Jamie Schaafsma (4-2-6) and Alex Lavoie (1-5-6) were the top point scorers during the regular season series while Matt Duffy (3-1-4) and Vladimir Nikiforov (0-4-4) were the Mallards' top point producers against the Americans.

Ins and Outs
Forward Mike Hellyer (upper body) played in game seven of round one after missing the final 22 regular season games while on injured reserve and the first six games of the playoffs...Joe Perry (upper body) missed the last five games... Jordan Mayer made his professional playoff debut in game three of round one....Jim McKenzie missed game seven of round one.  McKenzie returned April 1 the AHL's Iowa Wild, with whom he signed a professional tryout agreement January 8...Perry signed an amateur tryout agreement March 31... Ty Rimmer returned March 31 after being recalled by the AHL's Oklahoma City Barons March 25... Forward Gabriel Levesque (lower body) is on 14-day injured reserve.

WATCH PARTIES
The Mallards have teamed again with T.G.I. Friday's in Moline and the Lodge in Bettendorf to host watch parties tomorrow night and Sunday evening when the Mallards play games one and two of their semi-final series against the Americans.  T.G.I. Friday's is located at 1425 River Drive in Moline, adjacent to the iWireless Center.  Fans who prefer to watch the Mallards in Iowa can enjoy the playoff action in the lounge of the Lodge Hotel and Conference Center, which is located at 900 Spruce Hills Drive in Bettendorf.  T.G.I. Friday's will offer half price appetizers to Mallards fans during the watch party.  Fans who flock to the Lodge can join the watch parties for just a $3 cover charge and enjoy $1.50 drafts and hot dogs.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES
Wednesday, April 23, 7:05 p.m. - Mallards vs. Allen

CHL Semi-Finals, Game Three

The third game of the series will see the Mallards return home for the first time since game five of round one.  Tickets for game three are available for just $3.

Friday, April 25, 7:05 p.m. - Mallards vs. Allen

CHL Semi-Finals, Game Four

The Mallards and Americans will clash in the second of the Mallards' two guaranteed semi-final games.

Saturday, April 26, 7:05 p.m. - Mallards vs. Allen (if necessary)

CHL Semi-Finals, Game Five

The Mallards will host the fifth game of the semi-finals should it prove necessary.

ON THE AIR
Fox Sports Radio 1230 is the radio home of Mallards Hockey Presented by Genesis Power Sports Performance.  Mallards games broadcast on AM 1230 also stream live online at www.wfxn.net.  A limited number of Mallards games will not air on Fox Sports Radio 1230 due to conflicts with University of Illinois basketball and football and Green Bay Packer football.  Audio webcasts of games that do not air on AM 1230 are available at myqcmallards.net.  CHL-TV pay-per-view video webcasts of all Mallards games are also available at myqcmallards.net.  For a full Mallards broadcast/webcast schedule, go to http://myqcmallards.net/schedule/broadcast_schedule/.

TICKETS
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets for Mallards home playoff tilts are now available.  Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com for more information about tickets.  Single game tickets are also available at the i wireless Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free.  The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

Group Tickets
Groups of at least ten receive savings off the walk-up price and a host of group benefits.  Mallards group tickets are a great fit for youth organizations, friends, co-workers, family groups, religious groups, school functions and business events.  For more group ticket information, fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com.

Long-Term Care Crisis Prompts More Aggressive Collection Tactics
Insurance Industry Expert Shares Tips for Protecting Your Family from "Filial" Support Laws

Most people do not understand filial support laws, which are spreading to more states - 28 and counting, says insurance industry expert Chris Orestis.

"We're living longer, but for many of us, that also means we'll require some type of  long-term health care at some point," says Orestis, a longtime industry insider and author of "Help on the Way," (http://ebook.lifecarefunding.com/), which explains the problem of funding long-term care and offers solutions.

"It's a problem no matter what your age because we're experiencing a "Silver Tsunami" of retiring baby boomers and the costs of long-term care can be extremely high. Medicaid is the only option for many seniors, and that's straining the funding for that safety net. Many people are not eligible for Medicaid, but also cannot afford the expense of care."

As a result, long-term care providers and the federal government are bringing lawsuits and mandating claw-back actions against families, insurance companies and legal advisors, he says. Many are turning to filial support laws, which impose a duty upon adult children for the support of their impoverished parents. Medicaid also has the right to sue families in probate court to "claw-back" funds spent on care.

Just one recent example involved John Pittas, a 47-year-old restaurant owner who was sued by a nursing home company for $93,000 in expenses incurred by his mother over a six-month period after she was denied Medicaid eligibility.

"The court finding even granted discretion to the nursing home company to seek payment from any family members it wished to pursue," says Orestis.

To avoid a financial catastrophe, he says families should consider these options:

•  Know your and your family's health-care rights as a veteran. Veterans who have honorably served their country should take advantage of their VA benefits - not only for their well-being, but also for their family's health. Additional programs that may apply to family members include the VA Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA), a comprehensive health-care program in which the VA shares the cost of covered services and supplies for eligible beneficiaries; the spina bifida health-care benefits program for certain Korea and Vietnam veterans' birth children; and TRICARE, another health-care program serving uniformed service members, retirees and their families.

•  You can convert your life insurance policy for long-term care. There is $27.2 trillion worth of in-force life insurance policies in the United States, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners - that's triple the amount of home equity today! Rather than cancel or drop a policy to save on premiums when faced with long-term care needs, you can use it to pay for home care, assisted-living or nursing home expenses. "I've been lobbying state Legislatures to make the public aware of their legal right to use this option," says Orestis, CEO of Life Care Funding, (www.lifecarefunding.com). Seniors can sell their policy for 30 to 60 percent of its death benefit value and put the money into an irrevocable, tax-free fund designated specifically for their care.

•  Don't be so quick to attempt to qualify for Medicaid. Many people who need significant long-term health care can't afford it, so they drop life insurance policies that they've been carrying for years in order to qualify for Medicaid. Families often turn to Medicaid to pay for nursing home care, but it comes with many restrictions, including choice of facilities. In a situation where one spouse is healthy and the other is not, the spouse living independently will also face restrictions on the amount of assets he or she can retain, for instance, a maximum $2,898.00 for monthly maintenance.

About Chris Orestis

Chris Orestis, nationally known senior health-care advocate, expert, and author is CEO of Life Care Funding, (www.lifecarefunding.com), which created the model for converting life insurance policies into protected Long-Term Care Benefit funds. His company has been providing care benefits to policy holders since 2007. A former life insurance industry lobbyist with a background in long-term care issues, he created the model to provide an option for middle-class people who are not wealthy enough to pay for long-term care, and not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.

Plan to attend the Helping with Humor fundraising event benefiting the Humility of Mary Shelter, Inc. on Sunday, May 4^th at the Establishment Theatre in Rock Island. ComedySportz Quad Cities and the Humility of Mary Shelter, Inc. have partnered once again to provide you with an evening of comedy for a cause, featuring a stand-up performance by comedian Chris Schlicting followed by a ComedySportz match! This is a family friendly event. Tickets are only $10, which in turn supports one bed for one night at the Humility of Mary Shelter. Doors open at 5:15 and the fun starts at 6:00. Please purchase your tickets by calling the Establishment Theatre box office at (309)786-1111.

Humility of Mary Shelter, Inc. provides emergency shelter, transitional and permanent supportive housing programs that offer opportunities for men and women experiencing homelessness to become emotionally, mentally, and physically more stable. The shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has proudly served the Quad City community since 2008.