The QC Hearts and Minds Youth Workgroup of the Quad City Health Initiative (QCHI) is proud to be partnering with the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education and Scott County Kids to bring the Stand Up! Change Teen Statistics theater program to our local high schools.  Presented by the R.Ed.I. Arts and Education Foundation, Stand Up! Change Teen Statistics is a 50-minute live prevention theater show based on interviews with over 90 teens.  Stand Up! delivers important statistics and information in an engaging format thus helping to raise awareness, encourage healthy behaviors and provide resources to assist teens with issues they face during adolescence.  The show is unique for its ability to target issues on a peer to peer level in frank and clear "teen" language.  The show tackles challenging topics such as drug abuse, teen sex, depression, alcohol abuse, self worth, suicide and internet threats.  Additional information about the show is available at www.redifoundation.org. 

During the week of October 22nd, the Stand Up! cast will give 11 performances to an estimated 3,400 high school students across our community.   Twelve high schools across multiple school districts have worked as partners to facilitate the Stand Up! performances for local audiences. 

"The QC Hearts and Minds Youth Workgroup seeks to identify and assist youth with mental and behavioral health concerns," says workgroup member Megan Heffernen.  "Performances of Stand Up! provide a great springboard for teens and adults to have open discussions about issues facing youth today." To facilitate this dialogue, the community is invited to attend a free performance of Stand Up! to be given at  4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 23rd in the Nighswander Junior Theater, 2815 Eastern Avenue, Davenport.  Community leaders, school personnel, parents, high school students and anyone interested in the well-being of today's youth are invited to attend.  (Due to mature themes, the show is not recommended for students below 8th grade.)

The R.Ed.I. Arts and Education Foundation has performed the Stand Up! show in many communities across the United States but this is the first time a community has orchestrated a week-long series of presentations across two states and multiple school districts.  "I applaud the tireless efforts of the partners to bring the STAND UP! Change Teen Statistics program to the schools and to the Quad City community as a whole," says Kimberly Farah, Executive Director for the R.Ed.I. Arts and Education Foundation.  "The coordinated effort has been awe-inspiring and we are proud to be part of this undertaking that will serve as a model for other communities across our nation."

Local funding for the Stand Up! performances was provided by Edgerton Women's Health Center, Quad City Bank & Trust, Rock Island County Probation Services, Scott County Regional Authority and United Way of the Quad Cities Area.  "Stand Up! highlights the need for more focus around youth mental health," says Dave Green, co-chair of United Way of the Quad Cities Health Council.  "United Way has brought experts around the table to examine how we can increase access to services for youth.  Stand Up! is a great first step in raising awareness of this issue in our community and encouraging Quad-City youth to talk about mental health issues."

The Quad City Health Initiative is a community partnership working to create a healthy community.  A 25-member community Board that was established in 1999 oversees the organization.  The Initiative seeks to be our community's recognized leader for creating collaborative action on health and abides by the core values of commitment, collaboration and creativity.  The QC Hearts and Minds Team was created in 2008 to promote mental health as integral to our overall heath and well-being.  Major financial support of the Quad City Health Initiative is currently provided by the generous direct and in-kind investments of Genesis Health System and Trinity Regional Health System. In 2012, additional financial support is provided by St. Ambrose University, KJWW and Midland Information Resources.

For more information, please call 563-421-2815 or visit our website at www.qchealthinitiative.org.

SALT LAKE CITY (October 22, 2012) ?FC Organizational Products LLC, the official consumer products licensee of the FranklinCovey Co. brand, today released the results of its annual New Year's Resolutions Survey, which polled more than 1,000 adult consumers throughout the United States during October 2012.

The 2013 New Year's Resolutions Survey found that respondents' top four New Year's resolutions remain the same as prior year: (1) become more physically fit; (2), improve one's financial condition; (3) improve health; and (4) lose weight. However, two new resolutions broke into the top 10 list - becoming more educated and improve work habits/career situation.  The education goal moved from 12^th position in 2012 to 2013, and the work habit/career goal moved from 11^th position in 2012 to 6^th position.  The renewed focus on education and career both signal that consumers may be feeling the economy is reviving sufficiently to invest in an education and venture out into the job market.   One resolution fell off the Top 10 list - improve other relationships.

TOP 10 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2012	TOP 10 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2013
1. Become more physically fit	1. Become more physically fit
2. Improve financial condition	2. Improve financial condition
3. Improve health	3. Improve health
4. Lose weight	4. Lose weight
5. Read more	5. Read more Become more educated - NEW
6. Change overall attitude:  be more positive	6.  Improve work habits/career situation -- NEW
7. Improve family relationships	7.  Travel more
8. Travel more	8.  Improve family relationships
9. Do more volunteer work	9.  Do more volunteer work
10. Improve other relationships (friends, co-workers, neighbors)	10. Change overall attitude:  be more positive

 

For the first time, the survey asked consumers to share the resolution abandoned first and pursued the longest. Interestingly, fitness and weight loss appeared on both lists:

• Resolutions abandoned first
  • Lose weight - 31% of those who made the resolution
  • Travel -- 26% of those who made the resolution
  • Improve physical fitness - 20% of those who made the resolution
    
    
• Resolutions pursued the longest
  • Lose weight - 41% of those who made the resolution
  • Improve physical fitness -- 29% of those who made the resolution
  • Improve financial condition -- 16% of those who made the resolution

 

When asked to share methods most helpful to pursuing goals, the most frequently mentioned methods were:

• Sharing goals with friends and asking for their support - 41%
• Tracking goals in a planner - 25%
• Keeping a journal - 18%

 

As in the 2012 survey, respondents were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with life. Interestingly, that number increased modestly from 2012, up to 7.3 versus 7.0 in 2012 on a 10 point scale of 1 = Not At All Satisfied and 10 = Extremely Satisfied.

Full survey results are available on www.franklinplanner.com.

Additional details are available on FC Organizational Products' SlideShare Channel and in infographic format.

Survey Methodology

FC Organizational Products surveyed a nationally distributed sample of 1,000 male and female consumers, 18 to 60 years of age across the United States through a third-party organization in October 2012. The survey's resulting sampling error rate is at the 95 percent confidence level.

ABOUT FC ORGANIZATIONAL PRODUCTS LLC
FC Organizational Products LLC is a global retailer and the exclusive worldwide consumer products licensee of the FranklinCovey® brand owned by FranklinCovey Co. FC Org. Products helps individuals and organizations achieve greater organization, productivity, and success. The Company's products are sold throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East and in more 15,000 retail outlets across North America, including FranklinCovey stores. Some of the Company's best-known consumer products include ever popular FranklinCovey planners, PlanPlus® Online, as well as a line of laptop bags and totes.  In recent years, the company has added thousands of organizational tools and accessories to its product offering which are distributed through its consumer sites including Franklin Planner, Geekorize, Tidy Nirvana and The Organized Parent . For more information about the 2012 Resolution Survey, please visit www.franklinplanner.com.

Minnesota soy checkoff board helps drive NTPA's acceptance of B100
ST. LOUIS (October 22, 2012) - U.S. soybean farmers, through their checkoff, support the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) to promote biodiesel among pulling fans. The NTPA plans to return the favor by allowing the use of 100 percent biodiesel fuel, or B100, in all diesel pulling classes beginning next season.

This could increase biodiesel demand by putting its performance benefits on display for the farmers, truck drivers and other diesel users who make up a large portion of the NTPA's fan base.

"The NTPA has been a good partner with the soy checkoff," says United Soybean Board (USB) Director Jim Willers, a soybean farmer from Beaver Creek, Minn. "We are pleased that tractor pullers will be able to use B100 and show off what biodiesel can do for their engines."

A recent study by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) and the United Pullers of Minnesota (UPM) found that using B100 in a pulling tractor can add up to 4 percent more horsepower and torque compared with traditional diesel.

Previously, NTPA fuel regulations limited the use of biodiesel to lower concentrations. This season, the NTPA and UPM allowed the use of B100 on a trial basis. The overwhelming success of the trial led the NTPA to adopt the policy permanently.

"We now have a reliable test to make sure it's B100, so pullers can use it right out of the pump," says Gregg Randall, NTPA office general manager. "The biggest thing is that this will be the ultimate proof that biodiesel performs well, which is what our partnership with the soy checkoff is all about."

The United Soybean Board has partnered with the NTPA for the past six years to help increase biodiesel availability and use among pulling fans. And for the third year in a row, the checkoff sponsored the NTPA's "Powered by Biodiesel" Light Pro Stock class, in which all competitors use biodiesel blends.

Biodiesel offers excellent horsepower, mileage, cetane and lubricity. It's also recognized as America's Advanced Biofuel due to its ability to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. And since biodiesel's an American-made fuel that can be made from U.S. soy oil, it can help Americans declare freedom from foreign oil.

Finding biodiesel has never been easier. The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it will require the use of 1.28 billion gallons of biodiesel next year under the Renewable Fuel Standard. That's an increase over this year's requirement of 1.1 billion gallons.

The soy checkoff funds biodiesel research and promotion efforts through the National Biodiesel Board to help increase the use of U.S. soy oil. Soy oil remains the dominant feedstock for U.S. biodiesel production.

The 69 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
Visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UnitedSoybeanBoard
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unitedsoy
View our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard

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Bettendorf - The Pleasant Valley High School Band program is excited to have the internationally renowned Hornheads join them as guest artists on their November 12th Jazz Band Showcase concert. The Pleasant Valley Junior High Jazz Band and three Pleasant Valley High School Jazz Bands will open the concert at 6:45pm in the Pleasant Valley High School Auditorium. The Hornheads will go on stage following the Pleasant Valley jazz bands. Admission will be $10 for adults; $5 for students and Century Club members.

The Hornheads, an extraordinarily talented group of horn players, has been gathering international acclaim from artists and critics alike, since 1991. On tour with Prince and the New Power Generation from 1991-1994, the Hornheads performed for over 2 million concert goers in twenty countries. Q Magazine, London, described them as "a peerless horn section...playing in bare brilliant syncopation, punching with a staccato precision beyond the grasp of science or Synclavier."

Performing on over sixty CD projects, the Hornheads have recorded with national and international artists such as Prince, Chaka Kahn, The Jonas Brothers, Mavis Staples, Phil Upchurch, Ricky Peterson, Jimmy Jam, Mandy Moore, Pedro Abrunhosa, Yumi Matsutoya, Babyface, Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas, France Gal, Tevin Campbell, Rosie Gaines, Larry Graham, Sétimo Céu, Carmen Electra, Gegé Telesforo, and Ben Jor.

Individually, as top call session and show players, the Hornheads have performed and/or recorded with artists such as Janet Jackson, Rod Stewart, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Louie Bellson, Ray Charles, Clark Terry, Sammy Davis Jr., Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Doc Severinsen, Burt Bacharach, Natalie Cole, Donny Osmond, Johnny Mathis, Michael Bolton, Trisha Yearwood, Lenny Kravitz, The Time, and many others.

As a solo ensemble performing at jazz festivals, arts series, universities, and high schools, this a cappella group brings their distinctive flair to jazz and funk music, combining virtuosic improvisation with sizzling ensemble work to create a truly unique music experience. They delight audiences with their artistry, versatility, musicality, and precision, covering American masters from Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk, to Leonard Bernstein, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Stevie Wonder, while completing their repertoire with dynamic Hornheads' originals.

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