ST. LOUIS, MO (02/27/2013)(readMedia)-- Maryville University has awarded a scholarship to Stacy Clark of Riverdale, IA.

The Monsanto Endowed Scholarship has been awarded to Clark for the academic school year. Clark will be honored at a reception for all scholarship recipients hosted by Maryville University President Mark Lombardi on March 20.

About Maryville University

Founded in 1872, Maryville University of St. Louis is an independent, four-year, private university located in west St. Louis County. In December, U.S. News & World Report named Maryville University the top-rated over-performing university in the country. Maryville University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors as well as many master's and doctoral degree programs. Visit Maryville University at www.maryville.edu.

Brucemore announces the Thursday Night Lineup schedule of evening specialty tours for the month of April. Each tour focuses on a different aspect of the estate's history, ranging from life in the early twentieth century to architecture and landscape design.  Space is limited on each tour; advance ticket purchase recommended. Admission fees and further details are available at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375.

April 4, 6:00 p.m. - Evening Mansion Tour: Explore over a century of Cedar Rapids history through the lives of the three families who called Brucemore home. The families of Brucemore were business and community leaders in a century of evolution of the Midwest. The changes they made to their estate, the impact they had on their community, and the stories they left behind shape our understanding of modern Cedar Rapids, eastern Iowa, and the American Midwest.

April 11, 6:00 p.m. - Nooks & Crannies Tour - Visit every floor, peek into closed rooms, and satisfy curiosity through this all-access pass to the Mansion. Marvel at the Skinner pipe organ room, discover the architecture and oddities in the attic, and experience the sight and sound of a "rain storm" in the basement Tahitian Room. Examine the superior craftsmanship and learn about ongoing preservation work. The tour is not recommended for children under ten or individuals who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

April 18, 6:00 p.m. - Spring Landscape Hike - Discover current landscape issues, the role of public use, and the seasonal chores required to preserve the historic grounds amongst the subtle and spectacular seasonal dressings of the 26-acre landscape. See how planting choices with sensitivity to native species and seasonal display affect the overarching impact of a landscape design. Seek advice from Brucemore gardeners and ask questions on topics ranging from particular plantings to landscape designs.

April 25, 6:00 p.m. - Hands on History Interactive Family Tour: Bring the whole family on this interactive tour of both the grounds and Mansion. Learn about the daily lives of children and families at Brucemore 100 years ago while practicing etiquette of the era, learning to set a Victorian dinner table, and creating a craft project.

About the Thursday Night Lineup

Every Thursday night Brucemore will feature a different specialty tour focusing on topics for all interests, including arts and culture, Midwestern industry, gardening, landscape design, architecture, preservation, behind-the-scenes at Brucemore, and growing up in the early twentieth century. For more information on the Thursday Night Lineup or the May schedule, visit www.brucemore.org or call (319) 362-7375.

About Brucemore

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

The Veterans Workshop announces that training of blind veteran relay operators begins March 4th, with six Blind Oklahoma Veterans training on a Google+ platform to make phone calls for Deaf Veterans.

Washington, DC, February 27, 2013

Imagine for one minute you are deaf and you are a veteran of the United States Armed Forces. You can't hear anything because an IED has left you deaf. You want to call your mom at home and wish her a "Happy Birthday", but that task is next to impossible. Maybe you want to call your daughter at college and wish her well on her exams, but again, that task is too difficult. But now, with the help of the Veterans Workshop, all of that is about to change. A core group of Blind veterans from the state of Oklahoma are in training starting on March 4th with a mission. They are learning how to be "relay operators", where they can actually make relay phone calls for the veteran who has lost their hearing. http://www.VeteransRelay.com

With funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program (VR&E) of Oklahoma City and the State of Oklahoma, Department of Rehabilitation Services, six Blind veterans are embarking on a training that will change the way that deaf veterans communicate.

Ken Coppinger, lead instructor for the training says "These veterans are my brothers, and teaching them how to use Google plus hangout technology to assist deaf veterans in communication is not a job to me, it's a mission".

One Blind Veteran is 90 Year Old, WWII Veteran Emory Finefrock - a Navy veteran who served in the Pacific. When asked why he has requested to join this training, Emory said, "These are fellow veterans, and if I can help just one, then I will have done my job."

The Veterans Workshop, a national veteran's charity that has programs to teach Blind, Deaf and Paralyzed veterans, has developed a unique and challenging work assignment for the tens of thousands of Blind American veterans who have an unemployment in the low 90% range. This initial group of blind veterans is excited about the training and the opportunities it will bring to them.

About the Veterans Workshop: With offices in Rhode Island and Washington, DC, the Veterans Workshop has developed unique training programs for a subset of the disabled veterans community to include blind, deaf and paralyzed veterans. Training for Blind veterans is underway, with training for Deaf and Paralyzed veterans expected in early fall.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-2) and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today met with senior Army leaders, including General Dennis Via, Commanding General of Army Materiel Command which oversees Army arsenals, ammunition plans, and depots. The attendees included two commanders from Rock Island Arsenal, Brigadier General John Wharton, Commanding General, Army Sustainment Command and Brigadier General Kevin O'Connell, Commanding General, Joint Munitions Command. Lieutenant General Patricia McQuistion, former Commanding General of Army Sustainment Command and current Deputy Commanding General, Army Material Command also attended. They discussed sequestration and the importance of maintaining a strong industrial base at the Rock Island Arsenal.  The senior Army leaders joined a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders at a breakfast hosted by the House Military Depot, Arsenal, Ammunition Plant and Industrial Facilities Caucus.  Loebsack serves as a Co-Chairman of the Caucus.

"I was pleased to be able to host these key Army leaders this morning to continue our discussion about how to best position the Rock Island Arsenal and its critical role in equipping our troops and spurring economic development in the Quad Cities region, especially in the face of sequestration.  I will continue to advocate for the Arsenal and its workforce with Army leaders and continue to work with my good friend Congresswoman Bustos to strengthen its future and address the threat of sequestration," said Congressman Loebsack.

"Nothing is more important to me than fighting for the people of our region.  That is why I was so pleased to meet with representatives from the Rock Island Arsenal this morning to discuss protecting the Arsenal, and the jobs it provides, from the potentially damaging impact of sequestration," said Congresswoman Bustos.  "I look forward to continuing to work towards a common sense solution to avert the sequester and to continue fighting on behalf of the Arsenal and the entire Quad Cities region with my friend and neighbor, Congressman Loebsack."