Bettendorf – The Family Museum will hold a press conference on Saturday, February 22 at 10:00 am

at the Family Museum to introduce the new Honorary Mayor of Fox Hollow, Ethan Geifman, to the Quad Cities. Cake will be served. A proclamation will be read, and Mayor Geifman will be available for questions.

Ethan Geifman (pronounced GEEF-man), is a ten year old youth volunteer at the Family Museum. He has volunteered 50 hours since his start in March of 2013. He works with visitors in the Museum's Special Needs Creative Movement class, interacts with children in the Museum's exhibits, and cleans gallery props to keep the exhibits looking great.

Making Ethan the Honorary Mayor of Fox Hollow was a unanimous decision of the Family Museum staff. "At such a young age, I am so impressed with his volunteerism, his maturity, sense of responsibility, and his respect for the Museum and for people in our community.  Ethan has a great sense of enthusiasm and truly wants to make the world a better place.  He is one-of-a kind, and I'm so glad that he is part of our volunteer team," said Volunteer Coordinator Kristina Bouxsein-Hearn.

   

On Saturday, Ethan will be presented with a proclamation, and his name will be added to the Wall of Honorary Mayors located in the Fox Hollow Post Office. The proclamation will read: "On this day, the 22nd of February, 2014, we hereby recognize Ethan Geifman, a true steward of the Family Museum, as honorary mayor of Fox Hollow. Because of his ongoing dedication to Volunteerism; his efforts keeping Fox Hollow safe and clean for all; his work, undertaken with maturity and positivity and his genuine interest in the inclusion and happiness of all peoples, we thank you, Mr. Mayor."

Fox Hollow is an exhibit in the Family Museum consisting of a town square with a Shoe Store, Post Office, Vet Clinic, Grocery Store, Fire Department, and Pizza Parlor. This hands-on gallery space opened February 15, 2013. For more information on Fox Hollow, please visit our website.

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Rock Island, IL - Rock Island Lubricants (RILCO) has earned recognition as a Partner-level supplier for 2013 in the John Deere Achieving Excellence Program. The Partner-level status is Deere & Company's highest supplier rating. The Rock Island-based company was selected for the honor in recognition of its dedication to providing products and service of outstanding quality as well as its commitment to continuous improvement. Company employees accepted the recognition during formal ceremonies held on February 18, 2014 at the River Center.

RILCO is a supplier of lubricants & services to John Deere's operations in multiple locations.

Suppliers who participate in the Achieving Excellence program are evaluated annually in several key performance categories, including quality, cost management, delivery, technical support and wavelength, which is a measure of responsiveness. John Deere Supply Management created the program in 1991 to provide a supplier evaluation and feedback process that promotes continuous improvement.

RILCO offers premium products to customers in a variety of industries including transportation, agriculture, construction and industrial. RILCO is an industry leader in providing lubrication products and total product solutions to commercial and industrial customers.RILCO is dedicated to providing our customers the best total value of any supplier, including highest quality products and services to help increase productivity through best
practices and maintenance.
Shares Tips for Those Who Suspect They
May Have a Drinking Problem

College students with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) drink more alcohol than their peers, according to a new study published earlier this year in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

In addition to the problems normally associated with alcohol abuse, the students' heavier drinking also exacerbates their PTSD symptoms, the study found.

"The study doesn't identify what traumas led to the students' stress disorder, but it's safe to assume a good portion of them are survivors of child abuse and/or neglect," says Rayne E. Golay, psychotherapist, child advocate and award-winning author of The Wooden Chair, (www.raynegolay.com), a novel that illustrates the post-traumatic stress in the wake of child abuse and neglect.

Parental alcoholism is often a factor in child abuse and neglect. It's compounded by the risk that as adults, these children model their behavior on their parent - including drinking alcoholically.

Golay, who specializes in addictions counseling, says that in her many years in practice, she saw one common misconception among her alcoholic patients: They all believed that their drinking didn't affect anybody but themselves.

"That's simply not true. In a home with an alcoholic parent, everyone suffers, the most vulnerable being the children," Golay says. "They live in an insecure and unstable home, and because the alcoholic parent's behavior is unpredictable and terrifying, the children learn to be constantly on guard."

Not everyone who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic, Golay is quick to note. And she's not anti-alcohol. However, she urges parents and young adults to seriously evaluate whether alcohol is a problem in their lives, because there are solutions.

Golay offers these suggestions for people who suspect alcohol may play too important a part in their lives:

• Ask yourself the following questions; if you answer "yes" to one, alcohol may be a problem in your life.
Have you had the morning after drink? Do you envy people who can drink without getting into trouble? Does your drinking cause problems at home? Do you tell yourself you can stop any time you want although you keep getting drink? Have you neglected your duties because of drinking? Has anybody suggested you should stop drinking?

• Try having one drink every day for a month.
"One drink -- that is, 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor -- one drink, no more, no less," Golay says. "If you can do that, you're probably not an alcoholic." She suggests this test because most alcoholics can remain completely abstinent for a length of time, but they're unable to stop after one drink. To an alcoholic, one drink is too much and a million isn't enough.

• If you think alcohol is a problem, a 28-day Minnesota Model treatment program gives good results. Golay mentions Faith Based Treatment (www.SoberRecovery.com), and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (www.samhsa.gov) among other options.

The residential Minnesota Model combines detox and counseling built around the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (www.aa.org). Individualized, it includes the patient's family.

"It's effective because it starts with detox from all mood-altering chemicals, which is
imperative for lasting sobriety," Golay says. "It also aims to break down denial. It forces
the patient to take a serious look at the consequences of alcohol in his or her life."
No matter which treatment the individual chooses, aftercare and continued attendance     
at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are of vital importance for lifelong sobriety.

"When the protagonist, Leini, in my book The Wooden Chair, is a young woman, she realizes that she's relying more and more on alcohol to cope with daily life," Golay says.

"Leini also recognizes that the abuse she suffered as a child and her parent's drinking are family patterns passed down to her from her maternal grandmother through her own mother. In my book The Wooden Chair, Leini determines to end this cycle by getting professional help."

About Rayne E. Golay

Rayne E. Golay, (http://www.raynegolay.com/), is a certified drug and alcohol counselor whose work with addicts informs her understanding and insights into the consequences of child abuse. She has a Master's in Psychology and is a lifelong reader and writer. The Wooden Chair, published in 2013 by Untreed Reads, won the Royal Palm Literary Award for mainstream literature in the 2005 Florida Writers Association's competition.  She hopes that this story inspires witnesses to speak up for children whom they suspect are suffering from any form of abuse and/or neglect.

U.S. Green Building Council Ranks Illinois Number One in the Sustainable Building Design Movement

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that the U.S. Green Building Council has ranked Illinois number one among all 50 states in the sustainable building design movement. Illinois has more than 29 million square feet of certified green buildings, or 2.29 square feet for every resident. Today's announcement is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to ensure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.

"Both the public and private sectors in Illinois recognize that long-term investments in 21st century infrastructure should be done in ways that reduce energy consumption and protect the environment," Governor Quinn said. "Illinois is proud to be the nation's green buildings leader, and we are proof that a smaller environmental footprint can help us step toward energy independence."

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) ranking of the Top 10 States for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) highlights the regions around the country that are at the forefront of the movement for sustainable building design, construction and operation. Utilizing less energy and water, LEED-certified spaces save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce carbon emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

"In the face of the extraordinary global challenge of climate change, our national imperative to create resource-efficient and cost-effective green buildings has never been greater," USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi said. "Illinois has a strong base of dedicated individuals who are using LEED to transform its built infrastructure into high-performing spaces that promote the health of our planet and the people who use these buildings each and every day."

"Illinois' national ranking is the result of the robust network of businesses committed to sustainability working together with elected officials who understand the benefits of green building," said Brian Imus, executive director of the Chicago-based USGBC Illinois Chapter. "It's great to see passion from so many people making an impact and moving Illinois closer to the goal of everyone living, working and learning in a green and healthy building."

The per-capita list is based on 2010 U.S. Census data and includes commercial and institutional green building projects that were certified throughout 2013. Illinois certified 171 projects representing 29,415,284 square feet of real estate, or 2.29 square feet per resident, in 2013. USGBC calculates the list using per-capita figures as a measure of the human element of green building, allowing for a fair comparison of the level of green building taking place among states with significant differences in population and, accordingly, number of overall buildings.

A few notable projects that certified in Illinois in 2013 include :

·         The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, LEED Gold

·         Choices Mental Health Facility in Ottawa, LEED Platinum

·         300 North LaSalle, a 57-story, 1.3 million-square-foot tower in Chicago developed and managed by USGBC Platinum Member Hines, LEED Platinum

·         The Caterpillar Visitors Center in Peoria, LEED Gold

·         Engine Company 16 in Chicago, LEED Platinum

·         Lincoln Hall at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, LEED Platinum

·         Powell Elementary School in Chicago, LEED Gold

·         Lincoln Land Community College Workforce Development Center in Springfield, LEED Silver

The full ranking of the top 10 states includes:

 

Rank

State

Projects certified in 2013

Square feet LEED certified in 2013

Per-capita square footage

1

Illinois

171

29,415,284

2.29

2

Maryland

119

12,696,429

2.20

3

Virginia

160

16,868,693

2.11

4

Massachusetts

101

13,684,430

2.09

5 (tie)

New York

259

37,839,395

1.95

5 (tie)

California

595

72,729,476

1.95

6

Oregon

47

6,991,942

1.83

7

North Carolina

133

17,183,099

1.80

8

Colorado

124

8,894,187

1.77

9

Hawaii

17

2,323,379

1.71

10

Minnesota

51

8,205,155

1.55

*

Washington, D.C.

106

19,524,216

32.45

*Washington, D.C., is not ranked as it is a federal district, not a state.

Collectively, 1,777 commercial and institutional projects became LEED certified within the top 10 states in 2013, representing 226.8 million square feet of real estate. Worldwide, 4,642 projects were certified in 2013, representing 596.8 million square feet.

More than 20,000 projects representing 2.9 billion square feet of space have been LEED-certified worldwide, with another 37,000 projects representing 7.6 billion square feet in the pipeline for certification.

The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. Their LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of green buildings. More than 57,000 commercial and institutional projects are currently participating in LEED, comprising 10.5 billion square feet of construction space in 147 countries and territories. In addition, more than 50,000 residential units have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system. Learn more at usgbc.org/LEED.

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MOLINE, Ill. (February 18, 2014) - The Quad City Mallards have placed forward Mike Hellyer on 14-day injured reserve and forward Thomas Frazee on seven-day injured reserve while forward Jeff Lee has been named an alternate team captain, the Mallards announced today.

Hellyer has been sidelined by a lower body injury after briefly returning to the lineup for the Mallards' loss Sunday to the Mavericks in Missouri.  Hellyer missed two games before returning to the ice Sunday.  The 27-year old native of Brandon, Manitoba, has scored ten goals and totaled 25 points in 42 games this season after last year being named Central Hockey League Rookie of the Year.

Frazee has been forced out of the line-up by an upper body injury.  The 23-year old North Vancouver product missed Sunday's game after playing in each of the Mallards' first 43 tilts.  Among CHL rookies Frazee is tied for third in goals (13) and points (31) and tied for fourth in assists (18).  Frazee has been moved to IR retroactive to Saturday while Hellyer's move is retroactive to Sunday.

Lee joins captain Darren McMillan and fellow alternate captain Mike Stinziani in wearing a letter for the Mallards.  Jim McKenzie also donned the "A" before being called up to the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild last month.  Lee has enjoyed a strong first season with the Mallards and of late has been the team's hottest forward.  The 25-year old Calgary native leads the Mallards in goals (16) and is tied for the team lead in points (38).  Lee, who last year spent what was his rookie campaign with the Rapid City Rush, has posted a plus/minus rating of +10 while playing in each of the Mallards first 44 games this season.  Lee is in the midst of a six game point scoring streak (3-7-10) and has piled up 17 points (five goals and 12 assists) in his last 12 games.

TROY, NY (02/18/2014)(readMedia)-- About 3,250 students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute were named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2013 semester. The Dean's List recognizes full-time students who maintain grade-point averages of a minimum of 3.0 out of a possible 4.0 and have no grades below "C."

Dean's List recipients include :

Vignessh Kumar, of Moline, IL, who studies Biology

Alec Vogel, of Davenport, IA, who studies Biomedical Engineering

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1824, is the nation's oldest technological research university. The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology, architecture, management, and the humanities and social sciences. Institute programs serve undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals around the world. Rensselaer faculty are known for pre-eminence in research conducted in a wide range of fields, with particular emphasis in biotechnology, nanotechnology, computational science and engineering, and the media arts and technology. The Institute is well known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that new discoveries and inventions benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.

DAVENPORT, IA -  River Bend Foodbank Executive Director Tom Laughlin recently announced the hiring of Steve Morenz, of Rock Island, IL, as the organization's first Director of Finance and Human Resources.

"The operations of food banks across the country have changed immensely in the more than 30 years since I was hired as the first Executive Director of the River Bend Foodbank," said Laughlin.  "With increased responsibilities in all aspects of our organization, the time was right to hire someone with the skills and background necessary to not only handle accounting and finance responsibilities but also take a lead role in the hiring and support of other future employees.  Steve is that person."

Having earned a Bachelor of Arts in Finance and a Masters of Business Administration, Morenz has more than 20 years of experience in the field, first in healthcare and eldercare and then with non-profit organizations.  He was most recently the first Director of Finance for the Quad City Symphony Orchestra Association, a position he held for six years.

In 2013, the River Bend Foodbank collected, stored and redistributed nearly 8 million pounds of food to more than 300 charities which serve people in need.  These non-profits include food pantries, soup kitchens and those that manage programs that assist and low-income children and elderly.  The Foodbank serves 17 counties in Illinois and 5 in Iowa.

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Last year, the Center for Active Seniors, Inc. (CASI) & Great River Brewery teamed up to make the Owney Irish Red Ale to raise funds for CASI. Well, last year was such a hit we brewed it again! The reasoning behind this fundraiser is because since 2009, government funding to non-profit organizations that provide human services has been in steady decline, forcing these service organizations to change much of their funding strategies or face a reduction in their ability to provide critical services to their communities.  Competition amongst non-profits for the "donated" dollar is extreme:  How can an individual not-for profit make itself standout from the crowd to garner more support and exposure plus increase donor dollars?

That's when CASI & Great River Brewery came up with the Owney and" brewed" the prefect fundraising plan. Owney, an old Irish name for "elderly" is on shelves now at retail locations throughout the Quad Cities.  Proceeds from the sale of Owney Irish Red Ale will be used by CASI to fund services for seniors in the Quad City community.  There a number of special events scheduled between February 19 & March 3 to help feature the beer:

Pre-Release Parties:

February 19, 6:00 p.m. O'Keefe's 1331 5th Ave Moline, IL

February 26, 7:00 p.m. Harrington's 2321 Cumberland Square Bettendorf, IA

February 27, 8:00 p.m. Kavanaugh's Hilltop 1228 30th St Rock Island, IL

 

Owney Tapping:

March 1, 1-5 p.m. Great River Brewery  332 E 2nd St. Davenport

Golden Keg is at 1:00 p.m. Food provided by Senior Star

 

Owney Dinner:

March 3, 4:00-7:00 p.m. Kelly's Irish Pub & Grill  Davenport IA

$25.00 tickets: include corn beef, cabbage, roasted potatoes and two pints of Owney. Purchase tickets at CASI, Kelly's or Great River Brewery.

*Proceeds will benefit CASI to help local seniors*

 

Stop in at any of these events to... Sit up, Take Notice & Raise your Pint to CASI!

Founded in 1973, CASI is a multi-service senior center providing a variety of social, educational, support and wellness programs and activities designed for adults over the age of 60 and their families/caregivers.

-          END  -

It's the running o' the green at the annual CASI St. Patrick's Day Races on Saturday, March 15, starting at the River Music Experience, 129 Main St. in downtown Davenport, Iowa, with a 1 mile family fun run/walk and a 5K race beginning at 9 am.

You'll be done with the run in plenty of time to see the annual Grand Parade on Saturday with floats, bands, and family clans. The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. in downtown Rock Island, Ill. The parade proceeds through Rock Island to the Centennial Bridge, and then crosses the bridge over the Mississippi River and marches into downtown Davenport, Iowa.

Immediately following the parade, a Post Parade Bash is held at the RiverCenter, 136 E. 3rd St. in downtown Davenport from 1-4:30 p.m. Entry to the Post Parade Bash is by membership, with $15 memberships available at the door. The Bash includes food, drink, and entertainment.

There is a free Kid's Craft Day at the John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline on Saturday, March 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. John Deere Pavilion celebrates the American heartland from the first horse-drawn plow to the latest modern-day combines and tractors that people can climb on and sit in the cab. The whole family can enjoy interactive, hands-on computer displays.

CSI: The Experience opens March 1 at the Putnam Museum, 1717 West 12th Street in Davenport, Iowa. This traveling exhibit immerses guests in hands-on science while leading them through the challenge of solving a crime featuring guidance from the CBS show's characters. Through hands-on activities with real equipment, as well as multi-media presentations, guests will understand different science fields' role in cracking crimes. Exhibition hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 Noon to 5 p.m.

The Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa, takes you into the beautiful world of glass blowing and glass sculpture with four exhibits including: Kids Design Glass with kid's mythical monsters come to life in glass sculptures; Katja Loher: Videoplanet - Orchestra where videos are projected on suspended weather balloons and glass bubbles; Landscape, a floor-to-ceiling landscape created of glass; and Roman Glass Works showcasing the art of ancient Roman glassblowing.

The Family Museum, 2900 Learning Campus Drive in Bettendorf, Iowa, completed its final phase of its new permanent exhibit galleries. The ThinkShop is a place where families and children use real tools in a supervised setting to build one-of-a-kind inventions in a highly-interactive, hands-on space. Through the use of real building materials and recycled components, kids can bring ideas to life.

You'll feel a spring in your step as you walk through over 20,000 square feet of blooming flowers, dazzling ponds, waterfalls, and hundreds of garden-related displays by the area's landscape architects and garden designers. Attend seminars by Melinda Myers during the Flower and Garden Show at the QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Ave. in Rock Island, Illinois.

Even if the flowers aren't quite blooming outside, you can get a taste of spring at these Quad Cities indoor gardens. The Quad City Botanical Center's impressive 70-feet tall skylight peak in the Sun Garden conservatory offers a breathtaking tropical paradise with hundreds of jungle sized palm trees and exotic tropical plants and flowers in a year-round garden, located at 2525 4th Ave. in Rock Island, Illinois.

The Vander Veer Botanical Park is famous for its numerous floral shows and tropical plants, a tradition of over 100 years. Going on in March is the Spring Floral Show. They're located at 215 W. Central Park in Davenport, Iowa.

If Mallards Win, Fans Win Again; Save with Harris Pizza Puck and Pizza Package


MOLINE, Ill. (February 18, 2014) - Each fan attending tonight's 7:05 p.m. game between the Quad City Mallards and MIssouri Mavericks at the iWireless Center will, thanks to the return of Winning Wednesday presented by T.G.I. Friday's, win a free ticket to the Mallards' next Wednesday home game if the Mallards beat the Mavericks

The Mallards this evening will bid for second successive victory on Winning Wednesday.  In their last Wednesday home game, the Mallards defeated the Allen Americans 5-2 on February 5 and, thus, fans at that game won free tickets to tonight's tilt.  Should the Mallards win again tonight, those in attendance will receive free tickets to the Flock's rematch with the Mavericks next Wednesday, February 26.

On each Winning Wednesday presented by T.G.I. Friday's, fans also have the opportunity to purchase $2 hot dogs and beer at iWireless Center concession stands.  After each Wednesday game- including this week's- fans are invited to join the Mallards for a post-game party at T.G.I. Friday's adjacent to the iWireless Center at 1425 River Drive in Moline.

The Mallards' remaining Winning Wednesdays presented by T.G.I. Friday's (all Wednesday games start at 7:05 p.m.):

  • February 19: Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks
  • February 26: Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks
  • March 5: Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks
  • March 12: Mallards vs. Denver Cutthroats
  • March 19: Mallards vs. St. Charles Chill
Mallards fans can also save with the Harris Pizza Puck and Pizza Package tonight.  With the Harris Pizza Puck and Pizza Package, fans can purchase four lower level tickets for just $55 or four upper level seats for only $45 for any Mallards Wednesday or Sunday home game- including tonight's tilt- and receive a certificate for a free large single topping pizza from Harris Pizza.   The Puck and Pizza Package is available available at the iWireless Center Box Office.

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