Chamber 2013 Networking Events - Everyone welcome to attend!

October 10 - Steventon's - 5:30-7:30 p.m. - Join us on the deck!

November - Faithful Pilot - date and time tbd

December 10 - Hungry Hobo - lunch - noon

 

HAVE YOU SEEN THE QC TIMES READER'S CHOICE AWARDS FOR 2013?!

Once again, LeClaire and our businesses are Winners!

Best Place to take out of town Guests - LeClaire!

These businesses won their category:

Best Gift Shop - Aunt Hattie's Fanciful Emporium

Best Place for a kid's Birthday Party - Happy Joe's

Runners-up in their category:

Best Pizza - Happy Joe's

Best Rueben - Bier Stube

Best Brewery - Mississippi River Distilling Company

These businesses were all Hononable Mentions in their category;

Best Chocolate - Grasshoppers

Best Fine Dining - Faithful Pilot and Steventon's

Best Locally Owned Restaurant and Best Meal - Crane and Pelican

Best Margaritas - Blue Iguana

Best Take-out - Hungry Hobo

Best live music - Wide River Winery

Best Summer Festival - TugFest

Best Accessories/Shoe Store - Aunt Hattie's Fanciful Emporium

Best Home Furnishing - Dwellings

Best New Car Dealership - Dahl Ford

Congratulations to all, and thank you for making LeClaire a WINNER!! 

 

CALENDAR


September 6th-22nd - The 2nd Annual East West Riverfest A 17-day celebration of the arts, culture and heritage offerings that thrive in the Quad Cities and along the Mississippi River. Over 380 events will take place at various theaters, music venues, galleries, historic sites, parks, libraries, and attractions on both sides of the river in the Quad Cities. Enjoy visual, literary and performing arts.  Celebrate with world-class festivals and events. Visit exhibits, take a tour, ride on a riverboat, attend lectures, and participate in workshops. The entire East West Riverfest Event Guide can be viewed online at eastwestriverfest.com, or a printed guide is available at the LeClaire Information Center, 122. N. Cody Road, or can be requested through the website to be sent by mail or by calling the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-747-7800.

 

September 13th - Live Music at Wide River Winery 5-8pm featuring Danika Holmes -106 N. Cody Road  www.wideriverwinery.com

 

September 14th - Silver Creek Order of the Eastern Star Swiss Steak Dinner Serving 4-7 p.m. SWISS STEAK DINNER WITH ALL THE FIXINGS, DESSERT AND BEVERAGE Adults - $7.00   Children 3-12 - $3.50 Serving at the Masonic Center dinning room at 113 S. Cody Rd., LeClaire. Everyone is welcome!

 

September 16th - Economic Development Meeting, Great River Financial, postponed.

 

September 19th - LeClaire Information Center Celebrates One Year of Operation! Join us for our Open House & Volunteer Recognition! Since our Grand Opening on August 3rd 2012, the LeClaire Information Center has welcomed over 17,500 guests, including tourists, local residents, potential business owners and has provided information about local attractions, businesses, business opportunities, and other points of interest. Operated by the LeClaire Office of Tourism and located at 122. N. Cody Road, the Center is open Mon-Sat 10-4 and Sun noon-4. On Thursday, September 19th from 4-6pm, the public is invited to an Open House celebrating our "First Anniversary." The event will include light refreshments and the opportunity to discover what the LIC offers residents and tourists.  The festivities will conclude with a short program honoring our volunteers. We are always looking for additional volunteers! Plus, Pleasant Valley High School students (accompanied by a parent) can apply their volunteer hours to the school's "service learning" requirement for graduation.  Training (for students and adults) only takes about an hour and volunteers are able to schedule hours through online scheduling software. Please contact Cindy Bruhn, LeClaire Tourism Manager, at info@visitleclaire.com or 563-650-7963, or the LIC at 563-289-4242, ext. 1135, if you are interested in volunteering or for more information.

 

September 20th - Live Music at Wide River Winery 5-8pm featuring 'Pieces of Candy' - 106 N. Cody Road  www.wideriverwinery.com

 

Olathea Golf Course - 9 am. $60 dollars per person, 4 person best ball.  Food, prizes, and supporting a great Cause. Please Call Olathea to sign up @ 563-289-(golf) 4653

 

September 21st - Twilight Riverboat Dinner Cruise Sponsored by LeClaire Chamber of Commerce - Grandma Swain's Roast Beef Dinner - $40 per person - Cash Bar - Board at 4:30pm - Cruise from 5-8pm - Tickets available at First Central State Bank, Vern Spring, or Dayle Hall - 563-340-0862. Tickets still available!

 

September 25th - Workshop - Reassessing Risk in Your Portfolio 12:00pm. Eric Johannes, Charles Schwab, 5345 Elmore Ave #300, Davenport, IA 52807. Please R.S.V.P 563-275-3659.

 

September 27th - Live Music at Wide River Winery 5-8pm featuring 'Patchy Fog' - 106 N. Cody Road  www.wideriverwinery.com

 

Save the Date

October 10th - The LeClaire Fire Department Annual Fire Prevention Open House at the Fire Station (corner of Jones and 15th) 6pm to 8pm. Please stop up and see the fire prevention posters designed by the students (K-4) from Bridgeview and Cody Schools. We will also have other interesting and informative displays, fire truck rides and they very popular LCFD popcorn!

 

October 13th - LeClaire Lions Club presents "Apple Fest on the River" 11:00am-4:00pm. For vendor sign up and more information, email:  boehlb@hotmail.com or call Bonnie, 563-340-6332

 

October 15th - Asbury United Methodist Church is hosting a "Partnering to EmPOWER" fundraising event for Winnie's Place. ALL booth fees will go to Winnie's Place. Vendors will also agree to donate 9% of their sales to Winnies Place, which corresponds to the statistic that every 9 seconds, a woman is abused. Interested vendors are asked to contact Heidi Lubben at hjlubben@aol.com for more details.

October 16th - Buffalo Bill Museum and River Pilot's Pier - Fundraiser Dinner Crane and Pelican Café, 127 S. 2nd St., LeClaire.  5-6 pm Social Hour, 6:15 pm 3-course dinner. $40 per person. Ghost story told with each course! Reservations must be made by October 11. Call 563-289-5580 for reservations and more information. Feel free to wear Civil War era period attire!

 

FYI

The LeClaire Chamber Website and our Facebook page are currently being updated and revised. Watch for the new website to be up and running soon, visit us again soon on Facebook, and in the meantime, thank you for your patience! 

 

Buffalo Bill Museum is open until 5pm daily. Hours are 9am to 5pm Monday through Saturday, and on Sundays 12noon to 5pm. A reminder: group discounts are available for tour groups, clubs/reunions, and school groups. Call the museum at 563-289-5580 for details!

"LIKE" the LeClaire Chamber of Commerce on FaceBook Visit the chamber's Face Book page and discover a great source of news, business announcements, events, and other information that is updated frequently. It's a useful source of updated information for all members and non-members!

 

SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND

Primitive Cottage is collecting food for the Princeton Presbyterian Church's Food Pantry which is in great need of food donations. They have helped alot of people, and now they need our help.  Donations can be dropped off at Primitive Cottage in LeClaire. Please check the expiration date on items because anything that has expired can't be given away.

First Presbyterian Church of LeClaire Meals for Seniors at the church every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12 noon. Good food and a time to visit with others. Please call 563-289-3646 and make a reservation 2 days in advance.

LeClaire 2013 Events Calendar:

First Fridays each month 5:00-8:00 P.M.

October 6th - Dogtoberfest at Bier Stube

October 13th - AppleFest - vendors sign up now - see info above!

October 24th - HalloWine

October 26th - Witches Walk Costume Contest and Parade

December 6-8 - Christmas in LeClaire

Family Nights at the LeClaire Rec Center: Details at www.leclairereccenter.com

www.LeClaireChamber.com and visit the Chamber on FaceBook!

The eighth annual Jewish, Christian, Muslim Women's Dialogue will be held this year on Monday, Sept. 30th and Monday, Oct 7th at 7:00pm at the Tri-City Jewish Center at 2715 - 30th Street in Rock Island.

This year's topic, "Who Is Stranger?" will be discussed from the perspective of each of the three faiths. The discussions, previously held at St. Mary's Monastery and teh Moline Mosque, will begin with a welcome from Rabbi Tamar Grimm.

For more information, call Linda Golden at 309-786-7031, Sister Catherine Cleary at 309-283-2118 or Lisa Killinger at 563-650-5733.  All women are invited to attend.

 

Former Congresswoman and astronaut to keynote Braley's 9th annual grassroots fundraising event
DES MOINES, IA - Rep. Bruce Braley announced today that former US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly will headline his 9th annual "Bruce, Blues, and BBQ" Iowa grassroots fundraising event on Sunday, October 27, 2013. Braley is running for the US Senate seat currently held by Sen. Tom Harkin, who announced in January he was retiring at the end of his current term.

"I could not be more excited to have my friends Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly come to Iowa for Bruce, Blues, and BBQ," Braley said. "Gabby and Mark have made it their life's mission to bring people together and find common sense solutions that solve some of the tough problems facing our country. I work hard every day to live by their example, and I hope to bring that same spirit to the US Senate."

Giffords has become known across the country for her resilience in the face of violence, and for her consensus building leadership in Congress.  Giffords was shot in the head at point blank range at a Congress on Your Corner event in Tucson on January 8, 2011. Giffords represented the 8th Congressional District of Arizona in the US House from 2007 until 2012.
Kelly is a retired astronaut and US Navy Captain. As a Naval Aviator, Kelly flew combat missions during the Gulf War. He was then assigned to Attack Squadron 115 (VA-115) in Atsugi, Japan, and made two deployments to the Persian Gulf on the aircraft carrier USS Midway, flying 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm.
In January 2013, Giffords and Kelly formed Americans for Responsible Solutions to encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership. The organization recognizes that the rights of Americans to own guns for collection, recreation, and protection must be defended, and commonsense protections from gun violence can prevent shootings from shattering communities.

Bruce, Blues, and BBQ is Braley's annual grassroots fundraising event, held every fall since 2005. For the first time this year, the event will be held in Des Moines. Past keynote speakers include : Minnesota US Sen. Amy Klobuchar; then-US Sen. Barack Obama; then-US Sen. Hillary Clinton; and DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. 

The event will be held on Sunday, October 27, 2013, from 1:00pm - 3:00pm at the 4-H Exhibits Building on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.brucebraley.com or by calling (515) 244-1270. Tickets will also be available at the door. Cost is $30 for individuals, $50 for couples, $75 for families, and $15 for students.
Sunday, October 27, 2013

1:30pm
  Bruce, Blues, & BBQ
Featuring Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly
Iowa State Fairgrounds
Bruce L. Rastetter 4-H Exhibits Building
3000 E. Grand Ave.
Des Moines, Iowa
# # #
DAVENPORT, IA - On September 12, 2013, Kelly Taylor, age 51, of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced to one year and one day of imprisonment for bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.  Chief United States District Judge James E. Gritzner also sentenced Taylor to a five year term of supervised release, following the term of imprisonment.

Beginning in August 2012, and continuing until January 2013, Kelly Taylor executed a scheme to defraud Scott Schools Credit Union ("SSCU"). Taylor and her husband had been longstanding clients of SSCU and had a personal checking account at the credit union. On August 28, 2013, Taylor opened a business account at SSCU for the business owned and operated by Taylor and her husband.

After opening the business account at SSCU Taylor immediately wrote $430,000 worth of checks drawn on the account and deposited the checks into her personal account. Taylor knew that she did not have sufficient funds in the business account to cover the checks. Several days later, Taylor wrote $430,000 worth of checks drawn on her personal account and deposited the checks into her business account. Taylor knew that she did not have sufficient funds in her personal account to cover the checks.  

Taylor continued to write checks between the business account and her personal account in close succession in order to take advantage of the time required for the bank to process the checks. By operating in this manner Taylor was able to make it appear as if there were sufficient funds in her two accounts to cover large checks and debits despite the fact that the true balances in both accounts were grossly insufficient. Taylor knew that she did not have sufficient funds in her accounts to cover the checks drawn on the accounts and she continued to kite insufficient funds checks between the accounts in order to deceive the credit union until her accounts were closed in January 2013.        

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

#     #     #
Cedar Rapids - Showing continued momentum in his campaign for Governor, Tyler Olson today announced the support and endorsement of 29 state legislators.
"I am proud to have such overwhelming support from colleagues in the legislature," said Rep. Tyler Olson. "Together we will build a strong campaign organization all across the state that will bring my vision to begin the next thirty years to Iowa voters."
"Tyler has been a champion of working families across Iowa and has the experience and vision to make Iowa a better place for the next generation," said Rep. Chris Hall.
"Tyler's experience in business gives him the background to lead our state's economic development efforts. We need to stop focusing solely on attracting the big fish, we need a greater emphasis on innovation, Tyler understands that," said Rep. Scott Ourth.
###
Amana - The energy, charisma and music of Tom Jones and Elvis all come together for one spectacular tribute show at The Old Creamery Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. on the Main Stage.

Starring tribute artist, Irv Cass, who has spent many years perfecting his Elvis performances. He has worked with the famous show "Legends in Concert," in four different states, as well as performed live in many countries and on dozens of cruise ships. Irv is proud to carry the world champion title from the "Images of Elvis" competition in Memphis, TN as well as winning many other competitions and awards throughout his career. Irv has also appeared in the movie "Almost Elvis" as well as TLC's "The Men Who Would Be King," and a special for 20/20 among other TV specials. He's shared the stage with celebrities DJ Fontana, The Jordanaires and Willie Nelson, just to name a few.

Irv is also an accomplished Tom Jones impersonator and is credited for convincing many others to pay tribute to a variety of artists. Irv's favorite part of performing or emceeing at Elvis themed events is making friends with all those he meets.

The event will be emceed by the multitalented Ronny Craig, formally of Tama, Iowa. Ronny worked for 10 years as a professional Elvis Tribute artist and opened his own show in Branson, MO, which had a successful five year run. He is also the producer of the Elvis Explosion, a highly popular contest in LaCrosse, WI and has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows.

Call the box office at 319-622-6262 or visit the website at www.oldcreamery.com for more information, ticket prices or to reserve your seats. Walk-ins are always welcome if seats are available. Reservations are highly recommended for this one day only special event.

CARBONDALE - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon, will advocate for the state to prioritize mental health funding following a tour of a group home and crisis center Friday.

"Mental health providers are on the front lines, serving some of our state's most vulnerable residents, and they depend on state funding," said Simon. "I am committed to working with the governor, legislators and stakeholders to support programs that are allowing people with developmental disabilities to thrive."

Simon will visit a group home and a mental health crisis center operated by The H Group. For more than 50 years the agency has provided mental health services in Franklin, Jackson and Williamson Counties. Simon's visit follows a tour earlier this spring of the Murray Developmental Center in Centralia.

Lt. Governor Simon is the only Southern Illinois member of the state's Budgeting for Results Commission. In order to evaluate programs, the bi-partisan commission - comprised of Lt. Governor Simon, legislators and leaders in business, education, budgeting and finance - spent the summer holding public hearings to gather testimony from service providers, advocates and stakeholders, regarding the success of existing programs and services. The commission will advise the Governor on the Fiscal Year 2015 budget.

Between 2009 and 2011, Illinois cut general revenue funding for mental health services by almost $114 million and was fourth in the nation for total cuts.

DATE: Sept. 13, 2013

TIME: 2:30 p.m.

PLACE: The H Group Administration & Counseling & Wellness Center, 310 West Plaza Drive, Carterville

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced that they again are inviting schools to Skype with them, following last year's successful "Skype Your School!" effort.

 

"We were excited to see the response to our Skype Your School initiative last school year, and are encouraging administrators, teachers and students to join us again this year," said Branstad. "We had great conversations with dozens of classrooms, and appreciate the opportunity to answer students' questions. As we work to restore Iowa's leadership position in education, we believe this level of accessibility is important and a positive experience for everyone involved."

 

To request a "Skype Your School!" classroom chat, teachers, administrators and students are encouraged to click on the featured image at http://Governor.Iowa.Gov, request a "Skype Your School" event in the comments section on Facebook.com/TerryBranstad and Facebook.com/KimReynoldsIA, or to use the #SkypeYourSchool hash tag on Twitter.

 

Last year's "Skype Your School!" effort garnered national attention for "pushing the frontiers of digital technology" on Skype's blog.

 

"Our Skype Your School initiative has enabled students to learn about new technology, and allowed us to stay in touch with classrooms throughout the state," said Reynolds. "We have had some great questions from students, and appreciate the opportunity to address a variety of topics straight out of Iowa's classrooms. The governor and I enjoy visiting all of Iowa's 99 counties every year, but our Skype initiative allows us to cover a lot more ground throughout the entire state."

 

# # #

One Month. One Cause. One Million Miles.

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to host Million Mile Run to raise awareness and funds during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, September '13

Philadelphia, PA - In an effort to raise the profile of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation will go the distance this September introducing the Million Mile Run. With firsthand knowledge of just how far parents of children with cancer would go to find a cure for their child, the Foundation will challenge supporters across the country to do just that,  collectively walk or run one million miles during the month of September to work toward better treatments and ultimately cures.

The brainchild of Foundation Co-Executive Director, Jay Scott, a running enthusiast, the Million Mile Run will invite ambitious individuals, as well as teams, to pledge to walk/run and contribute to the one million mile goal during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Drawing from the inspiration of Foundation creator Alexandra "Alex" Scott, who set out to raise $1 million through lemonade stands in 2004, Jay Scott feels that through combined efforts, reaching one million miles in just thirty days is attainable.

"The Million Mile Run will act as an easy way for walkers and runners of all abilities to contribute to the fight against childhood cancer and raise the profile of the awareness month," says Scott. "Though some people have commented that one million miles might be a crazy goal, and maybe they are right, my daughter Alex taught me that when you set your mind to something and garner the help of others, anything is possible. She reached her million, and I think we can too."

The Million Mile Run will utilize both the MapMyRun application and the ability for participants to manually enter the miles they log daily. Individuals who participate will average 3-4 miles a day, while teams can split up the 100 miles. For instance, a group of 4 employees can walk a mile at lunch every day and easily reach their goal. Additionally, participants are urged to recruit friends and family members to pledge dollar amounts for each mile, or provide a straight donation.

"September has become highly recognizable within the childhood cancer community as an important time of year," says Liz Scott, Alex's mom and Co-Executive Director of the Foundation. "However, for the general public, it still flies highly under the radar. We think the Million Mile Run has the ability and mass appeal to change that, one mile at a time."

Individuals and teams who are interested in participating or learning more about the Million Mile Run can visit MillionMileRun.org where they will find a video detailing the effort.

About Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $60 million toward fulfilling Alex's dream of finding a cure, funding over 300 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. For more information on Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit AlexsLemonade.org.

How far is 1 Million Miles?

A trip to the moon and back, twice.

More than 40 times around the earth.

More than 3,000 trips from NYC to Los Angeles.

                                                                     More than 38,000 Marathons.

Michel Shane, executive producer of Catch Me If You Can and I, Robot, has forged an unusual collaborative alliance with the Chinese government, artists, investors, and Japan's Genco Inc. and Flamingo Features to produce an epic television series based on The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Filming will commence July 14 in historical locations throughout China under the direction of Executive Producer Hu Mei (Confucius), one of that nation's leading filmmakers.

"This will be the first time The Art of War has ever been done in the West as a film or TV series, and it's unique in that the complete series is being shot in China," Shane says.

Adds Taro Maki, founder of Genco Inc., a Japanese studio best known for its anime productions: "Our full-fledged multinational collaboration stems from a mutual respect for Sun Tzu and his masterpiece. Here is an undefeated general whose lessons remain as important today as they were 2,500 years ago. We want to honor his story and share his wisdom."

Sun Tzu, considered the greatest military commander in history, penned The Art of War around 525 B.C. It is one of history's most enduring texts and today is required reading in the curricula of military, business, economic and political science classes around the globe.

The series will cover the life of Sun Tzu, his contemporaries and their exploits, and explore the events that may have provided the foundation for lessons shared in The Art of War. Following the timeline of the final war between Wu and Ch'u, each episode will take the viewer farther across the battlefields of ancient China as Sun Tzu leads his outnumbered army to victory after victory. The life stories of Sun Tzu and those who influenced him will interspersed in the form of memories.

The Municipal People's Government in China has created a government board to oversee production matters, and each episode will be directed by various internationally acclaimed directors.

"This marks a new day," Maki says. "We're entering an era of true co-production, which holds tremendously exciting potential from many perspectives -- cultural, economic and political."

About Michel Shane: Michel Shane is a filmmaker, producer and co-founder of Hand Picked Films. He's best known as the executive producer of "Catch Me If You Can" and "I, Robot," along with his business partner Anthony Romano. One of motion pictures' premier independent producers, he specializes in financial structuring and feature film development. In recent years, he has worked with Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks and Will Smith, among others.

About Tari Maki: Tari Maki is president of Genco, Inc., a Japanese anime production studio established in 1997 in Tokyo, Japan. Genco has produced more than 100 titles of animation TV series and films including Sword Art Online, Elfen Lied and Tokyo Godfathers. From financing, studio booking to merchandising, Genco provides a wide range of production service for audiovisual projects.

About Flamingo Features: Flamingo Features has played a crucial financial and creative role in nearly 100 film, television and documentary projects throughout Asia. Flamingo Features manages content distribution rights for video on demand (VOD) and multi-media platforms to more than 70 million subscribers in Latin America and Japan. The company manages an active International Film Fund of nearly $1 billion dollars.

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