Humility of Mary Housing is hosting a family night of activities at the Family Museum in Bettendorf, Saturday, June 9, 5 - 8 pm. The traveling exhibit "Building Brainstorm" is the center of attraction for the evening. Children and adults, together, can explore what it is like to be an architect, designer and engineer in this imaginative exhibit. They can use the information from the exhibit and their own creative talents to plan a dream home or a dog house, build a skyscraper model, find the best arrangement of an apartment model's rooms and furniture, construct a structure they can crawl through, and much more.

The cost is $5 per person, which includes admission to the Family Museum and its many other exhibits, food and entertainment. The funds raised at this event will help support the continued work of Humility of Mary Housing for single parent families in our community who have experienced homelessness. For more information please call 563-326-1330.

Additional information:

Humility of Mary Housing, Inc. is a transitional and permanent supportive housing program that provides single-parent families experiencing homelessness with opportunities for growth and development that could lead to self-sufficient living. Children in the program learn there is a different way to live, they grow in self-esteem, and some of these children have become the first in their family to complete high school and then go on to college. Parents get help building the foundation upon which they will build better futures for their families.
??maurices Sells Hope Bracelet to Support Partnership With American Cancer Society

Duluth, Minn. - National women's fashion retailer maurices is inviting its customers and the community to join its efforts in supporting the world's largest cancer-fighting fundraiser, The American Cancer Society (ACS) Relay For Life.

As part of the company's mission to help raise awareness and funds for the ACS's ongoing research, education, advocacy and service programs, maurices is selling the 2012 version of its signature Hope Bracelet in all 800+ stores, as well as online now through June 30th, or while supplies last.

Designed exclusively for maurices by fashion designer and stylist Christopher Straub, from Season Six of Lifetime's Project Runway, the Hope Bracelet features silver-tone charms engraved with the message "hope." The bracelets retail for $6, and maurices will contribute a minimum of $3 from each sale toward its fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life.

This is the eighth year maurices has participated in Relay For Life, the ACS's signature fundraising activity and the largest global cancer-fighting fundraising movement. In addition to its contributions through the sale of Hope Bracelets, maurices will also raise money through its associate and community involvement in Relay For Life events.

During Relay For Life events across the country this spring and summer, maurices associates, executives and customers will work in teams to raise funds and take turns walking or running for 24 hours. Uniting more than 3.5 million people throughout the United States and 20 other countries, these life-changing events celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and make a commitment to fight back against the disease.

"We're grateful to have the continued support of maurices," said Terry Music, chief mission delivery officer for the American Cancer Society. "Through sales of the Hope Bracelet, the American Cancer Society will be able to continue the fight for a world with less cancer and more birthdays."

To learn more about maurices or shop online, visit www.maurices.com.

About maurices
maurices
, a division of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NASDAQ - ASNA), is the leading hometown specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude. Today, as maurices expands into the Canadian market, it operates more than 800 stores in 44 states. The retailer stands for fashion, quality, value and customer service. maurices' styles are inspired by the girl in everyone, in every size.

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(Moline, IL)  May 29th marks the start of John Deere's "Lights On for Learning" Summer Enrichment program at John Deere Middle School in Moline.  Instructors are targeting incoming 7th and 8th grade students who passed, but struggled in some academic areas.  One of the programming elements is Lego Robotics.  It will provide students a brief introduction to robotics and help to recruit students for the fall First Lego Robotics Team.
Students have 30 days once health plans end to notify their parents' health insurance company to continue coverage; delay could cause long lapse

DES MOINES – Few students realize that once their health plans ends after graduation they have 30 days to notify their parents' health insurance company to continue coverage. If students miss the 30-day window, it could be months before they're able to join their parents' plan under open enrollment. To help educate students of the rules, Obama for America today released the attached fact sheet detailing the action graduating college students can take to keep health care coverage once they are out of school.  Under the Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Obama in March 2010, students can stay on their parents' plans until they turn 26 - and 2.5 million young adults who would otherwise be uninsured have coverage today because of Obamacare. 

Before health care reform, more young Americans lacked health coverage than any other age group - accounting for more than one in five of the uninsured.  As young people transition to the job market, they often have entry level jobs, part time jobs, or jobs at small businesses - all forms of employment that are less likely to offer insurance.  That is why it is imperative to let students know how to switch from their student health plan to their parents' plan after graduation.  Once student health plans end, they will have only 30 days to notify their parents' health insurance company.  If students miss the 30-day window, it could be months before they're able to join their parents' plan under open enrollment.

 

 

 

 

TIMBER LAKE PLAYHOUSE

Mount Carroll, IL- Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP) kicks off the 51st season next week. Each year, TLP casts an entire season of shows through auditions around the country. The season opener, Guys and Dolls, features three outstanding performers who have never worked at TLP.

Miami, Florida native, Hanah Rose Nardone, will be playing the leading female role, Sarah Brown. Attending the Chicago College of the Performing Arts, she had heard of Timber Lake Playhouse through other performers.  "I had heard great things about the company. People I knew that had worked at TLP raved about the experience. In the auditions, everyone was nice and welcoming. I am excited to work at TLP because this is the first time I will be working in theatre professionally."

Nardone saw a play when she was eight years old and has been hooked on theatre every since. "I couldn't imagine doing anything else," she said. She is excited to work on Guys and Dolls because she says it is classic, musical theatre. Her character she is playing is very innocent and the classic damsel in distress.

Joe Capstick from St. Louis, Missouri, who attends Southeast Missouri State, takes on the role of Nathan Detroit for the opening production. He states, "I had heard great things about TLP. I auditioned and was offered the awesome job. I am excited to jump into the summer and work on all of these shows."

Joe got started in theatre when he took dancing lessons and fell in love with tap. He says that he would watch movies as a child and would say, "I want to do that!" He will be able to fulfill his childhood dream in the first production. "I love acting with new people. Guys and Dolls has interesting, colorful characters. The show and the company have a great energy and that's what I am looking forward to the most," he said.

Capstick will be opposite, Hayley Gribble, who plays the fun character, Adelaide. Gribble stated that the role she will be playing is the role that made her fall in love with theatre. She played the character in high school in Wichita, Kansas where she grew up performing in community theatres and in a local Wichita dance company.

Gribble is also excited about the costumes in the production. She had heard that resident co-costume designers, Tate Marie Ellis and Katy Freeman, are extremely talented. Hayley has taken a peek at some of the beginnings of the costumes for the show and she feels that the audience is going to be amazed at what they see on stage.

All three performers believe that the audiences for the show will love this classic, musical theatre piece and that it will appeal to a variety of people. Capstick said, "Guys and Dolls is fun and entertaining...everyone old and young will love it!"

Guys and Dolls performances are June 6th through June 17th at Timber Lake Playhouse, 8215 Black Oak Road, Mount Carroll. Tickets are available through the box office during regular business hours, 11am - 6pm daily, at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org or 815-244-2035.

Timber Lake Playhouse, What's Your Story?

This program is partially supported by a grant for the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Production Sponsors are Kunes Country Auto Group and Compliance Signs.

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The City of Davenport is requiring a $57,000 new fire sprinkler system for King's Harvest Ministries.  King's Harvest will need to raise the money for the new system or shut their doors. So King's Harvest is starting a Capital Campaign called Saving King's Harvest to raise the money. King's Harvest serves the poor and homeless in the Quad Cities and is located at 824 W. 3rd Street in downtown Davenport.


Anne McVey, Fundraising Coordinator for King's Harvest, stated "King's Harvest is planning several special event fundraisers throughout the summer and early fall". She feels this should be a community wide effort. "It would be a sad day if King's Harvest was gone and could not help all the poor and less fortunate in our community, especially our new Shelter for Homeless Mothers with Children. Where will they go? I've seen the homeless children, will they go back into tents and cars?".


The first big fundraiser is scheduled for June 16th at the Brady Street Stadium. The Wolfpack Semi-pro football team has their first game and King's Harvest is their charity of choice. Just attending the football game with friends or family can help save King's  Harvest. King's Harvest will be receiving a portion of each ticket sold.


If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Anne McVey, ?Fundraising Coordinator for King's Harvest Ministries, please call 563-508-4170.


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The opportunity to serve you is the most important part of this job, and with it comes a responsibility to do the best job I can.  The 17th District is spread out over more than 8,200 square miles and while I work my tail off trying to get to every corner of the district, I just can't be at all places at all times.
That's why we have four offices in our area so you can conveniently keep in close contact with us.  We have also hosted roundtables with business leaders and health care professionals throughout our area, forums to help our veterans get information on benefits available to them, and had both Democrat and Republican Members of Congress choose to visit our area for field hearings to see the national treasures we have here in our own backyard.
But what good are these roundtables, forums, and offices if you aren't aware of them?
We stand ready to help the more than 630,000 men and women of the 17th District, which is why we make an effort to be proactive in communicating with folks about how we can lend them a hand.  In doing so, we get many compliments about our office's outreach.  Folks stop me in the street and tell me how much more proactive I am being than my predecessor in communicating with them, and how much they appreciate it.
Recently, I've come under a coordinated political attack designed to distort this effort and criticize me for our outreach.  It's not surprising; we know how well our customer service is working, so we expected to be attacked for this strength.  But the truth is that we are doing more with less.
As your representative in Congress, I believe we must keep in contact with folks across the district, asking for your input on issues before Congress or notifying you of upcoming events and how we can help.  Just ask Mark Graves of Aledo, one of many to reach out to us after receiving a mailer on the services my staff provides.  Mark served our country with the United States Army Military Police in Iraq, where he earned a number of awards.  The award that eluded him - the one he contacted us for help acquiring - was the Combat Action Badge.  My staff got right to work on his case, and it was my honor to present Mark with the Combat Action Badge in March of this year.
It's important for you to know that we work for you, and to know the facts.  The negative political attacks aren't going to tell you the truth.
Each Congressional office is allotted an annual office budget from which we pay all our expenses, including district office rent, staff salaries, office supplies, and mail to constituents.  I voted to reduce this budget by 5 percent in 2011, and another 6.4 percent in 2012.  For years, Congress continually saw it fit to increase their office budgets, but that stopped in 2011 when this new House took office. 

On top of cutting my own budget, I saved enough to return another 8 percent or $110,000 of my 2011 budget to taxpayers, keeping true to my pledge of spending significantly less than my predecessors.  In 2011, we spent a total of $151,138 less than my predecessor did in 2010, including $405,018 less on staff salaries and expenses alone.  Last year we spent a total of $103,038 less in 2011 than what my predecessor spent in 2009, including $362,018 less on staff salaries.  We also have four district offices up and running for approximately the same amount my predecessor operated one office.  Again, we are doing more with less.
I'm proud my offices have been successfully providing high-quality services to my constituents while reducing our overall expenses and remaining mindful of taxpayer dollars.  I will continue to lead by example. That's why I brought my own health care to Washington, rejected congressional pay raises and the pension, and authored legislation to tie Members of Congress' access to their federal pensions to the Social Security age of their constituents.  These positions may not be popular in Washington, but I've found that the people of the 17th District believe - as I do - that Congress should be about serving people, not serving your own self-interests.
In the face of hundreds of thousands - maybe even millions - of dollars outside groups have spent to distort my record and scare seniors, we found it important to communicate the truth and the facts to the people of the 17th District.  We sent five mailers with information on issues Congress was considering and actions I was taking on behalf of constituents, and asking constituents to return a tear-off questionnaire so I could better know what issues were of concern to them.  We sent two postcards specifically regarding Medicare, two postcards inviting folks to the opening of new regional district offices, and one postcard inviting folks to a forum on veterans issues.  And we sent three letters specifically regarding ways we could help veterans.  You may have even received one of these pieces of mail from me.
This is called constituent service, and it hasn't happened in our area for a long time.  I've had folks tell me that they weren't aware a Congressional Office could help out to the extent that we do.  I've had people tell me that Members of Congress don't typically ask their opinion on certain issues.  We've even had folks from Iowa and from other Congressional Districts in Illinois call our offices asking us for help.
As an elected official, I will never stop communicating with the constituents of the 17th District.  My staff and I prioritize constituent service and communications, and will continue working to keep in close contact with folks in all corners of the district.  We work for you, and that is something I will never forget.

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To send Congressman Schilling an e-mail, click here

Kirsten Ann Hanford graduates from William Woods University

FULTON, MO (05/29/2012)(readMedia)-- Kirsten Ann Hanford of Davenport, Iowa, graduated in May from William Woods University with a bachelor of science degree.

Actor Val Kilmer was the speaker at WWU's undergraduate commencement May 5. One of the most prolific actors of his generation, Kilmer s memorable roles include Batman in "Batman Forever," Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's "The Doors," Doc Holliday in "Tombstone" and Simon Templar in "The Saint."

Kilmer spent the week on the William Woods campus meeting with various groups and performing his one-man play, "Citizen Twain."

Veterans face high unemployment when they come home, Braley working to ensure there are jobs when they return

 

Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) will hold a roundtable discussion with veterans focusing on employment opportunities and the challenges veterans face finding employment when they return home from deployment.

 

"One out of every four veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan is out-of-work. I'm working hard to reduce this number, but it's important we understand the unique challenges our veterans face when it comes to finding employment," Braley said.  "Men and women who've put their lives on the line for our country deserve every opportunity when they return home. "

 

Earlier this month, Braley introduced the Veterans' Job Corps Act, which would allow the executive branch to create the Vets Jobs Corps program as a cooperative project between federal agencies. Members of the jobs corps could be employed to improve public lands and national parks, prevent forest fires, work in public safety jobs like police and fire departments, and control floods. Participation in the corps would be open to unemployed veterans and unemployed widows of veterans.

 

 

TODAY May 29, 2012

 

1:00pm                 Veteran Employment Roundtable

Veterans Freedom Center

2245 Kerper Blvd.

Dubuque, Iowa

 

 

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Moline, Illinois - Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) has announced the schedule of upcoming mobile office hours.  His staff will travel throughout the 17th Congressional District to meet with constituents and address any questions or concerns they may have.  No appointments are necessary.  

"As your representative in Congress, it's my job to keep in close contact with folks across the district, asking for your input on issues before Congress or notifying you of upcoming events and how we can help," Schilling said. "My staff and I prioritize constituent service and communications, and will continue working to keep in touch with folks in all corners of our area.  We work for you."

A field representative will be available in the following locations at the following times:

June 6, 2012
Monmouth City Hall - Council Chambers
100 East Broadway
Monmouth, IL 61462
9:00am - 12:00pm

Albany City Hall
102 S Main St.
Albany, IL 61230
1:00pm - 4:00pm

June 20, 2012
Oquawka Village Hall
507 Schuyler St.
Oquawka, IL 61469
9:00am - 12:00pm

Aledo City Hall - Council Chambers
120 North College Ave.
Aledo, IL 61231
9:00am - 1:00pm

June 27, 2012
Kewanee City Hall
401 East Third St.
Kewanee, IL  61443
9:00am - 4:00pm

Constituents are also encouraged to visit the Moline, Galesburg, Canton, and Rock Falls offices during normal office hours:

Moline District Office
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
3000 41st St., Suite B
Moline, IL 61265
P: (309) 757-7630

Galesburg District Office
Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 8:30am - 5:00pm
Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce
185 South Kellogg St.
Galesburg, IL 61401
P: (309) 343-2220

Canton District Office
Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30am - 5:00pm
8 South Main St., Suite 200
Canton, IL 61520
P: (309) 649-3307

Rock Falls District Office
Hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 9:00am - 4:00pm
1600 First Ave., Suite A
Rock Falls, IL 61071
P: (815) 548-9440

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To send Congressman Schilling an e-mail, click here

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