Hello to All with Winter Wanderlust,

We have been advised by GAHC member Mary Burchett that a travel opportunity in Germany has arisen as follows:

Christmas Market Cruise

November 22-30, 2013

Flight Moline - Vienna

Return Nuremberg - Moline

Intinerary includes Vienna, Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg

3 double occupancy cabins are available.  Price @ $2,500 per person inclusive of flight

Cabins held through April 30th, 2013

Entry Deadline is July 15 for the Awards that Honor Volunteer Efforts to Improve Illinois Communities

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today marked National Volunteer Week by encouraging communities to submit entries for the 31st Annual Governor's Hometown Awards, a program that recognizes volunteer efforts to improve Illinois communities. The awards are part of Governor Quinn's commitment to honor volunteer service and community improvement across the state. The application deadline is July 15, and communities of any size may submit nominations.

"Local volunteers and organizations are improving communities across Illinois and enhancing the quality of life for everyday people," Governor Quinn said. "The Hometown Awards recognize people who are helping us build a better Illinois for current and future generations."

Applications for Hometown Awards may be submitted by local governments, schools, youth groups, community organizations, chambers of commerce, community action agencies, job training organizations, or other local entities. Awards are given based on population in six project categories: Services and mentorship, beautification and sustainability, parks and recreation, memorials and monuments, history and historic preservation, and general projects.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) oversees the award program.  Details and application forms are available at www.ildceo.net/HometownAwards. All Governor's Hometown Awards winners will be recognized at a reception at the Governor's Mansion this fall.

"Previous award winners have included an urban farm and apiary on a hospital parking lot rooftop, a memorial honoring women in military service, completion of a public skate park using private funds, and a reading mentorship program, just to name a few," DCEO Acting Director Adam Pollet said. "We encourage communities to submit Hometown Awards applications to help us recognize the people who are making Illinois a better place to live and work."

A team of impartial volunteer judges will evaluate the applications. The judges will select the category winners and also nominate one project from each population division to receive the coveted Governor's Cup, a traveling silver trophy which signifies the project deemed most representative of the spirit of Illinois volunteerism. The 2012 Governor's Cup recipient was East St. Louis for transforming an abandoned and overgrown parking lot into a community teaching garden that provides fresh produce to low-income citizens.

MARSEILLES, IL (04/26/2013)(readMedia)-- Story by Capt. Dustin Cammack, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

Members from Save Our American Raptors, Inc. (SOAR) gave a wildlife presentation to Illinois National Guard Soldiers and staff at the Illinois National Guard Marseilles Training Center (MTC) April 24.

The intent of SOARs visit was to educate and train MTC personnel on the importance of raptors in the local habitat and what to do if an injured or sick raptor is found.

"I asked SOAR to come to help educate the Soldiers here at MTC," said Sgt. Maj. Timothy Forest of Marseilles, MTC security manager and falconry apprentice. "So when my range control people find a downed raptor, they will not necessarily be afraid of it. This will give them an opportunity to identify it, rescue it and possibly reintroduce it back into the wild."

Save Our American Raptors, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization created in 1989 with the sole purpose of rehabilitating sick and injured raptors and releasing them back into the wild, said George Richter, founder of SOAR.

"We are here today to talk to people about how to handle sick and injured raptors and who to call. With windmills and other hazards out there, there is a good chance if people start looking for sick and injured birds, they will find them," said Richter.

The Soldiers saw the value of the presentation.

"We had a lot of our range control personnel in here," said Spc. Alicia Gutierrez of Streater, MTC scheduling technician. "With spring here the birds might fall out of their nests, and it will be good for Soldiers to know what to look for and who to call."

The Marseilles Training Center is home to several species of raptor to include the red tailed hawk, great horned owl, screech owl, Cooper's hawk, barn owl, and the rare long eared owl, said Forest. "I alone have seen 16 red tailed hawks here at MTC. We have a substantial population."

Acquisition and development of the 2,552-acre training center was a direct result of compatible needs of the State of Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Department of Military Affairs of Illinois (DMAIL).

"It's about sustainability of the habitat and the ecology," said Jason McNamara of Marseilles, MTC natural recourses manager. "Raptors play a vital role in the food chain - just like the other species do in our training area - and awareness of those species for the Soldiers is just as important to the ongoing health of the environment."

For more on the Illinois National Guard Marseilles Training Center, visit http://www.il.ngb.army.mil/departments/mtc/.

For more on SOAR, visit http://www.soar-inc.org/.

(DES MOINES) - Today, Gov. Terry E. Branstad signed a letter to be delivered to President Obama requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for five Iowa counties. The five counties in the request are Dickinson, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola and Sioux.

The Governor is making the request for Public Assistance Program funding in response to severe weather between April 9 and 11, 2013. The severe weather produced damaging winds, heavy rains, thunderstorms, freezing rain, ice and snow that caused damage to utility lines, poles, trees and vegetation.

A joint federal, state and local preliminary damage assessment of the five counties found the severe weather caused an estimated $6 million of damage that could be eligible under the Public Assistance Program. Public Assistance funds may be used to rebuild damaged infrastructure that may include roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities, or to cover costs of emergency work during and debris removal after storms.

The Governor's letter to President Obama, including the damage estimates, is available at www.homelandsecurity.iowa.gov.