NORTHPARK & SOUTHPARK MALLS PARTNER WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO ENRICH THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

-Kids Club To Offer More Fun, More Education Starting January 2013

DAVENPORT, Iowa, and MOLINE, Illinois, Jan, 22, 2013 - NorthPark and SouthPark Malls are proud to announce a partnership with National Geographic to bring even more fun and more education to its Kids Club programming.

With help from the Bettendorf Family Museum, guests of the NorthPark Mall Kids Club can plan on attending the first Club Meeting set for January 26, from 11:00am - 12:00pm. Our SouthPark Mall Club Meeting is set for January 26, from 3:00pm - 4:00pm. Our kick-off program, just in time for winter, will be a "Polar Party." Participants will have the opportunity to compare hand prints to polar bear paws, participate in a sing-along, and parade through the center.

Parents and kids also can enjoy the educational fun at home, with materials available online, at both malls and as part of the Kids Club Newsletter. The Kids Club program will offer a new theme bi-monthly, with topics ranging from the oceans and animals to insects and outer space. Following our Polar Party, we will dig deep with dinosaurs and head into spring with springtime fun. From fun facts to photos with friends, parents and kids will enjoy all there is to discover at the exciting new Kids Club at NorthPark and SouthPark Malls.

"Great experiences for families and kids are an important part of what our mall offers the community," said Aleshia Chiesa, Marketing Manager, NorthPark and SouthPark Malls. "National Geographic is an iconic name in fun and educational experiences for young people, and we are very proud to add this exciting new element to our Kids Club."

The National Geographic Society has been inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888. It is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, and the promotion of environmental and historical conservation.

For a complete list of Kids Club dates and times, visit www.north-park-mall-ia.com or www.shopsouthparkmall-il.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to receive the most up-to-date information.

Macerich is a fully integrated self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. Additional information about Macerich can be obtained from the Company's website at www.macerich.com.

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JANUARY 25th. 2013  

6.00p.m. Onwards.

Cocktails and Hor's devours served on the Second Floor with the River City Radio Hour.

1530 Fifth Avenue

Moline.

309-762-9202

www.atthephoenix.com

We stand at the brink of a new America, one that stands up for those millions like me who are American in all but legal status.  As an undocumented immigrant, I cannot just sit and hope that a knight in shining armor will rise and fight for my cause.  Too many of us undocumented people sit in the shadows and do not stand to fight for what is fair.

I understand that some of us don't act because we are afraid: Afraid that our mother or father will not be there to pick us up from school. Afraid of an immigration officer knocking on our doors. Afraid of letting others know of our situation and afraid how they will respond once we tell them.

I am here to tell you, do not be afraid. I am also here to tell our friends and neighbors, classmates and coworkers, "Do not be afraid" of me and the millions like me who want only to live the American Dream, to work hard, build better lives for our families and a brighter future for our communities and our country.

I, too, was once afraid. When my father broke the news to me in 2010 that my undocumented status meant that my chances for a driver's license, a college education and a good job were slim, I felt stuck and alone. The DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors), which would help people like me, has stalled in Congress since 2001.

But I persevered. I began volunteering with the American Friends Service Committee, a non-profit group providing legal services to immigrants. I finished high school and began study at a community college, where I'm an honors student.

So now I am motivated by a dream, a dream similar to the civil rights activists and the community organizers who have fought for immigration reform before you and I were born. I dream of one day having comprehensive, fair immigration policies that set a path to allow me -- now a Deferred Action participant with my Social Security number and work permit -- to affordably attend college, receive a driver's license, drive my girlfriend around for a change, and to eventually become a citizen, among other things. I dream that one day, I will see Dreamers and our allies organize in all 50 states to make that path a reality. In order for my dream to come true, my generation needs to take the lead and move our country forward.

This plea does not apply to just the country's estimated 1.9 million Dreamers, but to all members of our generation. We cannot allow ourselves to grow content with the way things are, for when we are old, the next generation will ask us why we stood by as the rights of others were trampled.

I, too, have faith in the American Dream, because I am living it. Through hard work, I have been given opportunities for success, which is the American Dream. As a child, I read history books filled with great men and women who all struggled to keep that dream alive for all those who called the United States home.

I and many others strive to continue the fight for the American Dream, but we need help. To continue building upon the legacy of those before us, we need to stand up and fight for the rights of the oppressed. For we are the generation of hope and change. We cannot allow the flame that is the American Dream to be extinguished.

We the Dreamers, in fact, represent the American Dream for the 21st century because many of us have risen out of the abyss of despair to achieve success. We are honor students, graduates from universities and hardworking; above all else, we long to contribute to the country we call home.

The American Dream has always been to rise from nothing and become successful through hard work. For me, I want to continue my education and be the first in my family to graduate from college and to continue to contribute back to my community. I want to prove to our opponents that they can try and deny us opportunities, but we shall overcome our obstacles and surpass our goals.

If you are a Dreamer reading this, I urge you to go and start volunteering. Every time you  volunteer, you are making a positive impact on someone's life and taking down misconceptions as well. Take courage in knowing you are not alone, for I and many others are right beside you, fighting for our opportunity to contribute and move our country forward.

I also ask those who are not Dreamers to help out in any way you can. We need a coalition of friends, neighbors, Democrats, Republicans, young and old, black, brown, yellow and white, to pass not just the Dream Act, but comprehensive immigration reform. Stand in solidarity with us, and together we can keep the American Dream alive for all those who just want an opportunity to give back to this great nation we call home.

Lee County, IA - The Community Foundation of North Lee County, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, is excited to announce a scholarship opportunity available to graduating seniors who are entering 2-year degree or certificate programs.

The Lawrence and Marilyn Matteson Foundation Scholarship was established in 2012 to assist graduating seniors from select area high schools pursuing degrees leading to careers in career & technical programs or engineering. Examples of 2-year degree or certificate programs include fields like construction, technology, industrial production, electronics, or similar fields.

Seniors from the following high schools are eligible to apply: Central Lee, Danville, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Mediapolis, Mount Pleasant, New London, Waco, Wapello, Winfield and home school students who live in these school districts.

Scholarships will be awarded for either $1000 or $2000 for the 2013-14 school year. Students who make adequate academic progress can qualify for a second year of funding, at the same amount as the first year.

For the 2013-14 academic year, applications will be accepted until March 31, 2013. A panel of volunteers who live in the Lee County region will review applications and select recipients. Recipients will be notified by the end of June and scholarship checks mailed to the student's college or program by the end of August, 2013.

To learn more and to apply, visit www.iowacommunityfoundations.org/north-lee-county-community-foundation.aspx.

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