The Moline Foundation awarded almost $17,000.00 in scholarships to 16 college-bound students this spring. The following scholarships were awarded:

Dolores A. Hulse-DiIulio Scholarship: Morgan McCarthy, Moline High School, $1,000.00.

The scholarship provides funds to a deserving female student graduating from Moline High School who plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in chemistry, physics, engineering or pre-medicine. McCarthy plans to attend University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, to pursue a degree in Engineering. Hulse-DiIulio was a chemistry teacher at Moline High School for 36 years, retiring in 1994.

Lee Womack Memorial Scholarship: Allison Boyle, Moline High School, $1,000.00.

The scholarship provides funds to a Moline High School graduate who plans to obtain a degree in education. Boyle plans to study Special/Elementary Education at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. The scholarship was established by Womack's wife, Peggy and the Lee Womack Memorial Golf Outing Steering Committee. Annually since his death, a golf outing has been held in his memory to raise funds for a local charity. In 2004, the scholarship fund was established and is now administered by the Moline Foundation.

Moline High School Class of '59: Drew Marlier and Kylie Romeo, both graduates of Moline High School, $1,000.00 each.

Marlier plans to major in Pre-Physical Therapy at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. Romeo plans to major in Biology at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. The fund was established by the Class of '59 as a way to commemorate their 50th class reunion. Funds are raised by class members and volunteers through various fundraisers.

Maggie Webb Scholarship: Ashley Vermeire, Moline High School, $1,500.00.

Vermeire plans to major in Education at Black Hawk College, Moline, Illinois. The fund was established as a memorial to Maggie Webb, a 2001 graduate of Moline High School who was killed in December 2007 in a mass shooting at an Omaha Mall.

Clem T. Hanson Scholarship: Maggie Johnson, Drew Marlier and Hayley Marlier, all graduates of Moline High School, $1,500.00 annually for the next four years.

Johnson plans to major in Elementary Education at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois. D. Marlier plans to major in Pre-Physical Therapy at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. H. Marlier plans to major in Kinesiology at Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois. The fund was established through the generosity of Clem T. Hanson (1901-1985), a former Moline businessman and community leader.

Hazel VanArsdale Scholarship: Amanda Rumley, Moline High School, $1,000.00.

Rumley plans to major in Music Education at Black Hawk College, Moline, Illinois. Hazel VanArsdale was a former sixth grade teacher in Moline who found ways to incorporate music into her classroom. The scholarship was established by some of her former students.

DARE Scholarship: Kylie Romeo, Ellen Wells and Megan Wilson, $1,000.00. 

The scholarship provides funds to a Moline High School graduate based on academic merit, good citizenship, attendance, and active involvement in school and community. Romeo plans to major in Biology at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Wells plans to major in Art-Graphic Design at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Wilson plans to major in Psychology at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. The DARE scholarship is based upon the principles of the former DARE anti-drugs program used in Moline-Coal Valley elementary schools.

Lee McAllister Scholarship: Mariah Logan, $1,000.00, and Maggie Johnson, $500.00.

The scholarship provides funds to a Moline High School graduate planning to major in education. Logan plans to major in Music Education at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. Johnson plans to major in Elementary Education at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois. This scholarship was established in memory of Lee McAllister who taught in the Moline Schools from 1948 to 1981.

Stan Woods Scholarship: Kylie Romeo, $1,000.00.

The scholarship provides funds to a Moline High School graduate based on community involvement and leadership and academic achievement. Romeo is majoring in Biology at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. This scholarship was established in memory of Stan Woods who was a teacher, guidance counselor and dean of students in Moline School District No. 40. Former students, co-workers, parents, and the community have contributed to the Woods Scholarship Fund.

Srikanth Yerra Scholarship: Alexandra Lenger, $500.00.

This scholarship provides funds to a Moline School District graduate or community college student based on financial need and potential for future personal achievement. Lenger is majoring in  engineering at Black Hawk College, Moline, Illinois. The family established this scholarship in memory of Srikanth Yerra, a 2005 graduate of Moline High School.

The Moline Foundation, founded in 1953, is a community foundation which provides grants to benefit health, human services, education, community development, the arts and other charitable organizations which help the citizens of Moline and the surrounding area, including the Quad Cities. The Moline Foundation receives and administers charitable gifts in Scott County, Iowa,
and Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, Warren, Henderson and McDonough counties in Illinois. The Moline Foundation has a current endowment of approximately $17 million.

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Davenport, IOWA (June 2012) This Thursday, June 14, the Figge Art Museum will be hosting a public reception celebrating the exhibition "Waxing Poetic: Exploring Expression in Art." The reception begins at 5 pm in the Figge Café with a brief introduction by guest curator Pat Villeneuve, PhD, Florida State University, and Ryan Collins, Midwest Writing Center board member.  At 7 pm, there will be a poetry reading by eight poets who wrote poems in response to this exhibition. The reading will take place in the Mary Waterman Gildehaus Community Gallery. The reception is free with museum membership or paid admission.

"Waxing Poetic" is the first exhibition of its' kind at the Figge.  The exhibition challenges museum visitors to do more than view art and process through private thought. Instead, visitors are invited to respond to the art through poetry and add their poem to the walls of the gallery to be shared with other viewers.  Through the use of poetry and intuitive writing, visitors are encouraged to engage with the artworks that intrigue them. Poetry serves as a gateway for conversation between viewers who experience the exhibition at different times, as well as a gateway between the viewer and the artwork.

The interactive elements of Waxing Poetic extend beyond the gallery walls; visitors are also invited to Tweet poems about the art that inspires them. Each artwork has a unique Twitter #hashtag and the Figge will retweet and post on Facebook the poems that visitors write, making the museum experience a virtual one.

Additional exhibition programs will be offered through the summer:

 

·         At 7pm on Thursday, June 21, Ryan Collins will lead the writing workshop, "An Intuitive Conversation with Art: Trusting Your First Thought." In this workshop, participants will practice an intuitive kind of writing toward art, starting with their first thoughts and letting their creative responses grow from there.  Mr. Collins is the author of a chapbook, Complicated Weather (Rock Town Press) & an e-chapbook, Handshake Trouble (Gold Wake Press).

·         WVIK "Art Talks" host Bruce Carter will lead a lively discussion about artistic inspiration and expression during a panel discussion with Leslie Bell, E. Marie Bertram, Ryan Collins, and David Murray on Thursday, June 28 at 7pm.

·         The writing workshop, "So Moved: Responding to Art via Gut, Heart, and Mind," will be held on Thursday, September 20 at 7pm.  E. Marie Bertram will lead participants through the process of writing toward the art that moves them, trusting their initial responses to take shape from there. Participants will be encouraged to harness the energy the work of art has generated within them and send it outward, allowing their gut reactions, feelings, and thoughts to guide their writing.

The Figge education staff worked with the curatorial staff, the Midwest Writing Center, and Dr. Pat Villeneuve, professor from Florida State University, to develop this unique exhibition. This exhibition's approach is based on a model that Dr. Villeneuve has developed for visitor-centered exhibitions. In her model, Dr. Villeneuve looks for ways to connect art and museum visitors in a meaningful way.

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m.  Thursdays the museum is open until 9pm. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit our website, www.figgeartmuseum.org.

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DES MOINES - On Friday, Mitt Romney mocked the President's plan to keep teachers in the classroom and to put fire fighters and cops to work protecting our communities in Council Bluffs, IA.  With Romney's announcement yesterday that he will return to the state next week, State Rep. Tyler Olson responded to Mitt Romney's job elimination plan.

Watch a video of Mitt Romney's comments on Friday HERE.

"I talk to Iowans every day and they are thankful for the service and sacrifice of our police, firefighters, and teachers who working tirelessly to make sure every Iowan has a shot at the American Dream and the opportunity to live in a safe, prosperous community. These are hard-working folks who want to make their cities and towns a better place by teaching our children and responding in times of crisis. President Obama is focused on getting more Iowans back to work, putting more money into the pockets of those who are working and creating an economy that's built to last. An important part of the President's jobs plan would put more first responders on our streets and teachers in our classrooms.

"On Friday, in a stunning moment of candor right here in Iowa, Mitt Romney mocked that idea. He said we need to 'cut back on government and help the American people' - suggesting teachers, police officers and firefighters don't help the American people, do unnecessary jobs, or make essential contributions to our communities. Everyone but Mitt Romney knows that without teachers, police officers and firefighters doing their jobs our communities can't function.

"Mitt Romney will need to explain to firefighters, teachers, policemen and all Iowans when he returns to the state next week why he plans to cut their jobs just like he did in Massachusetts, undermining our recovery and hurting the middle class. Romney Economics didn't work then and it won't work now. We know that firefighters, policemen, and teachers are the backbone of successful communities and Romney suggesting they aren't vital to our well-being is just another example of how out of touch he is with Iowa's priorities."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced more than $1.2 million in federal grants to help protect, restore and enhance wetlands and associated habitats across the Midwest Region under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Small Grants Program. The federal grants are matched by more than $3.6 million in partner funds.

"The NAWCA Small Grants Program facilitates public-private partnerships that benefit wetlands and other vital habitats, which contribute to our water quality and overall ecological health," said Service Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius. "The continuation of this funding source provides outdoor recreation opportunities while educating the public on the importance of wetlands and wetland-dependent species to our environment and our economy."

NAWCA Small Grants Program approved projects in 2012 –

Iowa
Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management Area, Mangold Addition
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$125,000
This project will protect 40 acres adjacent to Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management Area in Delaware County, Iowa. The property will be converted from row-crop agriculture to native prairie and wetlands will be restored.

Iowa Prairie Pothole Upland Habitat Enhancement II
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$75,000
This project will restore or enhance over 1,440 acres of wetland-associated grasslands throughout the Prairie Pothole region of Iowa. Project activities will include a combination of tree removal and seeding of native grasses and other prairie plants.

Minnesota
Minnesota Lake Waterfowl Complex Addition
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$225,000
This project will protect 78 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat adjacent to Minnesota Lake and 1,323 acres of existing habitat complex in Faribault County, Minn. The area hosts a large colony of American White Pelicans and is part of a regionally significant migratory bird stopover site.

Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge Wetland Restorations
Grantee: Rydell/Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuges
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$249,499
This project will restore or enhance 245 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat on two recently acquired tracts of refuge land. Project activities will include ditch plugging and berm construction, tree and invasive species removal, and seeding using native plants.

Fergus Falls Wetland and Grassland Restoration
Grantee: Fergus Falls Wetland Management District
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $50,000/$170,000
This project will restore or enhance 381 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat on Waterfowl Production Areas in the Fergus Falls Wetland Management District. Multiple small wetland basins will be restored throughout the area, and larger existing basins will be enhanced with the replacement or installation of water control structures. Grasslands will be restored and enhanced through tree removal, herbicide and seeding.

West Central Minnesota Grasslands II
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$120,000
This project will restore 250 acres of wetland-associated grasslands on 18 Waterfowl Production Areas and protect more than 74 acres of predominantly wetland habitat via fee-title acquisition.

Windom Area Wetlands
Grantee: Ducks Unlimited
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$359,973
This project will enhance water quality at three large, shallow wetland basins totaling 358 acres. These basins have been degraded due to invasive species. Installation of water-control structures will provide managers with the capability to conduct periodic drawdowns, which will help rejuvenate water clarity and allow for emergent vegetation to re-establish.

Detroit Lakes Private Lands Wetland Restorations
Grantee: Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $55,000/$175,000
This project will restore or enhance 122 acres of wetland and grassland habitat on several tracts of land that are adjacent to publicly-managed areas in northwestern Minnesota. Project activities will involve a combination of ditch plugging, sediment removal, seeding and tree removal.

Wisconsin
Marquart Addition to the Hallie Marsh Wildlife Area
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$120,000
This project will protect approximately 106 acres of habitat including a wetland basin surrounded by row-crop agriculture. This parcel is located directly adjacent to Hallie Marsh Wildlife Area. Agricultural land will subsequently be restored to grassland after acquisition, which will contribute to a larger intact habitat complex.

Meadow Valley Flowage Wetland Enhancement Project- Phase III
Grantee: Ducks Unlimited
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$75,000
This project will enhance 350 acres of wetland habitat and improve water-level management capacity at the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area, a key wetland complex in central Wisconsin. This project will build upon the previous two phases of this initiative to better manage a 3,000 acre wetland complex on this area.

Glacial Habitat Restoration Area Wetland Restoration Project
Grantee: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$81,856
This project will restore approximately 74 acres of row-crop agricultural land to wetland habitat and protect 140 acres of habitat.

Green Bay West Shore Preserve Acquisition
Grantee: Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $48,960/79,040
This project will protect 34 acres of predominantly wetland habitat along the west shore of Green Bay, Wis. This parcel contains high-quality wetlands and is in close proximity to other conservation-managed areas including the 570-acre Sensiba Wildlife Area.

Northern Empire Prairie Wetlands Initiative
Grantee: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$81,856
This project will protect and enhance 757 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat. Wetlands will be restored via a combination of installation of water control structures, dike renovation, chemical treatment, tree removal and seeding.

Indiana
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge Wetlands Conservation
Grantee: Ducks Unlimited
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $42,416/$42,416
This project will protect 155 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat and restore approximately 63 acres of predominantly forested wetlands on four separate tracts of the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge in southern Indiana. These areas were recently acquired by the refuge and were until recently in row-crop agriculture.

Illinois
Black Crown Marsh Restoration and Protection Project
Grantee: Ducks Unlimited
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$116,673
This project will protect 36 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat, and will restore 75 acres of former wetland habitat via a combination of earthwork, tree and invasive plant removal, and seeding. This project is part of a larger initiative to restore the 375 acre Black Crown Marsh complex.

Habitat Restoration at Hadley Valley Preserve
Grantee: Forest Preserve District of Will County
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$104,000
This project will restore or enhance 96 acres of former wetland and grassland habitat in Will County, Ill. Project activities will include locating and disabling drain tiles, tributary stabilization, and re-establishing native prairie and wetland plants on the area via seeding and invasive plant control/removal.

Ohio

Medina Marsh Protection Project
Grantee: Medina County Park District
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$1,189,000
This project will protect 91 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat in Medina County, Ohio. This area will connect two adjacent conservation-managed areas along the West Branch of the Rocky River, which drains into nearby Lake Erie.

Franklin Bog Protection Project
Grantee: Portage Park District
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$262,760
This project will protect 56 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat in Portage County, Ohio. The property includes more than 17 acres of rare wetland and supports populations of several rare plant and animal species.

For additional information on the NAWCA Small Grant Program, visit http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NAWCA/Small/2012.shtm

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Connect with our Facebook page at facebook.com/usfwsmidwest, follow our tweets at twitter.com/usfwsmidwest, watch our YouTube Channel at youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at flickr.com/photos/usfwsmidwest.

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