Before his Presidency, Lincoln Served in the Illinois Militia During the Black Hawk War

SPRINGFIELD, IL (11/10/2011)(readMedia)-- Before Abraham Lincoln's name became synonymous with the Civil War, he slogged his way around the state during the Black Hawk War as a volunteer Soldier in the Illinois Militia, known today as the Illinois National Guard.

Elected by his peers to the rank of captain, Lincoln will forever be linked to the history of the National Guard, which will celebrate its 375th birthday on Dec. 13. Lincoln is one of 19 Presidents to serve in the National Guard, one of two from Illinois. The other is Ulysses S. Grant, who would go on to command all Union Armies under President Lincoln.

Previously unknown Black Hawk War documents written and signed by Capt. Abraham Lincoln while on duty in 1832, and an affidavit signed by Lincoln in 1855, have recently been discovered at the National Archives in Washington, D.C and their authenticity confirmed by researchers at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) in Springfield, Ill.

"Few documents survive that detail Abraham Lincoln's service as a Company Captain in the 4th Illinois Mounted Volunteers in the 1832 frontier disturbances collectively known as the Black Hawk War," said Daniel Stowell, editor of The Papers of Abraham Lincoln at the ALPLM. "This discovery reminds us that many U.S. presidents, including Lincoln, answered their country's call to duty long before becoming Chief Executive, and that service had a formative effect on their future careers. Lincoln always said he was more gratified by being elected an officer by his men than any position he held afterwards."

Private researcher Anne Musella recently brought a previously discovered Certificate of Discharge signed by Lincoln to the attention of Papers of Abraham Lincoln staff who are working at the National Archives Building in downtown Washington. That led Assistant Editor David Gerleman to delve further in the Bounty Land Warrant files at the National Archives where he found two more Certificates of Discharge written and signed by Lincoln.

Together with other documents previously discovered, it appears that Lincoln, like other officers, filled out and signed dozens of these Certificates of Discharge. Given to soldiers as they mustered out to return home, the veterans later submitted these documents as proof of service when they claimed the bounty lands allotted to them by Congress. The certificates located at the National Archives more than double the number of surviving discharge certificates written and signed by Captain Abraham Lincoln, and likely others still await discovery.

Twenty years after the end of the conflict, changes in bounty land laws gave several of Lincoln's company the chance to claim up to 160 acres of federal land. To do so, they had to provide evidence of their service, and so Lincoln was once again called upon to confirm that they had indeed enrolled in his company. An additional document discovered by Gerleman in the Bounty Land Warrant Files was an affidavit signed by Lincoln and Thomas Moffet in 1855 attesting that former First Corporal Charles R. Pierce had honorably served and therefore was entitled to make a land claim.

Like Lincoln's service, Soldiers and Airmen in the Illinois National Guard have protected their communities from during natural disasters and other domestic emergencies, while also answering their nation's call during war and national emergencies. From the communities around the state to the sands of Iraq to the mountains of Afghanistan, the Illinois National Guard has made their mark. The echos of the past live on today in the men and women of the Illinois National Guard, whose Joint Force Headquarters unit patch features a silhouette of Lincoln.

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today welcomed Senate passage of a version of the veterans hiring legislation he and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus introduced in January and urged House of Representatives passage as soon as possible.

"These men and women are extremely capable," Grassley said.  "They have a lot of skills to offer in the workplace.  The legislation that Senator Baucus and I put together clears some bureaucratic hurdles and adds a financial incentive to encourage employers to seek out veterans.  These steps are a logical follow-up to my effort to increase the IRS' hiring of veterans.  The IRS saw the value of this pool of potential workers and followed through on increased hiring of veterans.  Other employers, including small businesses, should have similar opportunities."

The legislation approved by the Senate today was based on the Veterans Employment Transition Act, or the VETs Jobs bill, introduced by Grassley and Baucus in January.  A previous version of this credit, which was part of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and also authored by Grassley and Baucus, was designed to help employers hire veterans but expired at the end of 2010.

The new version of the legislation would reinstate the tax credit and make it easier for veterans and small businesses to use.  As a result, servicemen and women who have been recently discharged would be able to provide documentation directly from the Department of Defense without having to go through the tax credit's current certification process.

The credits will range from up to $2,400 to up to $9,600 in 2012 depending on the veteran hired.  Tax exempt organizations are eligible for the credit.  The credit is only available for calendar year 2012. The credits are 40% of the veteran's wages up to $24,000.  The credits total:

  • $9,600 for veterans with service-connected disabilities unemployed for 6 months or longer in the past year.
  • $5,600 for veterans unemployed for 6 months or longer in the past year.
  • $4,800 for service-disabled veterans hired within 1 year of being discharged.
  • $2,400 for veterans who do not fit any of the above categories and are unemployed for between 4 weeks and 6 months in the past year.

Any veteran who has left active duty in the past five years who has discharge paperwork showing 180 days of qualified active duty would be eligible for the credit. This would include those men and women who were activated by their states as members of the National Guard.  The bill also helps service members market themselves to prospective employers by requiring the military to educate service members about how the credit works.

Noting that the unemployment rate for veterans is higher than for non-veterans nationwide, the senators first introduced the VETs Jobs bill in May 2010.

-30-

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act introduced Today

Lyons, NE - Lyons, NE - The Center for Rural Affairs praised the Senate introduction today of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011, a cross-cutting initiative aimed at helping the next generation of farmers and ranchers enter into agriculture and take advantage of emerging markets. The bill is sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and nine other Senators. A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Representative Tim Walz (D-MN) several weeks ago.

"I am proud of the initiatives we have previously enacted to help beginning farmers and ranchers create and pursue opportunities and realize their goals and dreams," said Senator Harkin as he concluded his floor speech introducing the bill. "By building on the success of the existing programs, this legislation will lend more help to beginning farmers and ranchers and in doing so strengthen American agriculture, our rural communities, and our nation as a whole.  I am grateful to the cosponsors of this bill and urge all of my colleagues to support it." 

"We commend Senator Harkin and the other sponsors for introducing this bill. Their legislation is smart, cost-effective public policy that will create jobs and invest in the future of rural America," said Traci Bruckner, Assistant Director for Rural Policy of the Center for Rural Affairs. "It addresses obstacles that often prevent beginning farmers and ranchers from getting their operation started."

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act contains several key elements, including:

  • Reauthorizing the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, a beginning farmer and rancher training and support initiative. It would increase mandatory funding from $75 million to $125 million over the next 5 years to help meet growing demand for the program, and include a new priority on agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training programs for military veterans.
  • $30 million in annual funding for the Value Added Producer Grants Program and will retain the priority for projects benefiting beginning farmers and ranchers as well as a set-aside of program funding for these projects.
  • Creating savings and enhancing lending provisions that help beginning farmers and ranchers access credit and establish a pattern of savings.
  • Providing conservation incentives to assist beginning farmers and ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to establish conservation practices and sustainable systems on their farms and ranches.

Senator Harkin is joined by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), Senator Robert Casey (D-PA), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), Senator Al Franken (D-MN), Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) as original co-sponsors of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011.

"When you compare the numbers from the 2007 and 2002 Census of Agriculture, you see a big drop in the number of younger farmers in agriculture as their primary occupation. The revitalization of rural America depends, in large part, on reversing that trend," explained Bruckner.

"It can be difficult to get started in the world of agriculture," said Garrett Dwyer, a beginning rancher and former Marine infantryman from Bartlett, NE. "Skyrocketing costs of buying or renting land make entry into farming and ranching a daunting task." Dwyer traveled to D.C. in June to participate in a nationwide fly-in called, "Sound Investments to ensure the Next Generation of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers."

According to Dwyer, more beginning farmers and ranchers are needed because without a new generation of beginners, the land will concentrate in large farms. "And that will cause the permanent loss of opportunity for family farms, ranches, and rural communities and squander the chance to shift to a more sustainable system of agriculture," explained Dwyer.

Bruckner explained that the introduction of these bills in both the House and the Senate is a crucial step in focusing more of the public investment in the 2012 farm bill on the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Congressional investment in beginning farmers and ranchers is an investment, by all Americans, in the future of rural America.  

"And it is money well spent," continued Bruckner.

Bi-Partisan Reforms Will Save Businesses $400 Million, Encourage Growth

SPRINGFIELD - November 10, 2011. Governor Quinn today applauded the passage of bi-partisan legislation to strengthen the integrity of Illinois' unemployment insurance program. The reforms - supported by numerous groups, including the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Illinois AFL-CIO - are expected to save Illinois businesses more than $400 million, provide 16 percent unemployment insurance tax reductions for companies that have not laid off workers, and identify and punish those that defraud the unemployment system.

"We are in difficult economic times, and we need to bolster our unemployment insurance program to protect both workers and businesses," Governor Quinn said. "As we did with our workers' compensation overhaul this spring, we brought everyone to the table to find a solution. I want to thank representatives of labor, business and the General Assembly whose hard work and collaboration created a package of reforms that will reward Illinois companies for sound business practices, protect those laid off through no fault of their own and give our companies the confidence to grow."

Illinois' Unemployment Trust Fund (UTF), like all unemployment trust funds, is designed to be resilient to economic movements, running deficits during downturns and building a surplus during times of prosperity. Due to the ongoing national recession, however, the self-correcting unemployment trust funds in more than half of U.S. states currently carry a negative balance. Illinois is expected to end 2011 with $2.4 billion in outstanding loans from the federal government to cover state unemployment benefits. Without the agreement, in 2012 federal penalties would result in increased unemployment insurance taxes for companies throughout Illinois, regardless of whether they have laid off workers.

The legislation allows Illinois to issue non-General Revenue Fund (GRF) bonds during a period of historically low interest rates to keep the fund solvent, without shrinking benefits and preventing additional taxes to businesses. The bonds prevent continued UTF borrowing at 4 percent interest from the federal government, saving the state an estimated $240 million (nearly $82 million in interest payments in 2012 alone). The bonds are paid for entirely by businesses normal contributions to the UTF and require no payments from the GRF, freeing money for other state obligations.

The bill also will save businesses more than $400 million through 2019 by preventing the penalty taxes that further federal borrowing for the UTF would create. In addition, the agreement will provide significant tax reductions to the nearly 46 percent of Illinois employers (more than 143,000) that have not laid off workers during the recession. Under this legislation, companies that have avoided layoffs will see, on average, a 16 percent reduction in their unemployment insurance taxes in 2012.

"Businesses need a degree of tax certainty to successfully grow in this economy. This legislation will provide the tax relief to make that happen while making the trust fund solvent," David Vite, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said.

"This bill recognizes the difficult decisions necessary to prime the pump of this economy," Tim Drea, secretary-treasurer of the Illinois AFL-CIO, said. "We recognize that the best economic environment in Illinois occurs when business and labor work together."

The reforms also introduce new tools to prevent and recover fraudulent payments, which will help restore UTF solvency. The legislation will, for the first time, allow the state to garnish federal tax returns of individuals who purposefully collect unearned unemployment insurance benefits and establish personal liability for individuals who defraud the unemployment insurance program of taxes owed.

"This legislation will help our businesses regain their footing and provide certainty so they can appropriately prepare for the future," Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Jay Rowell said. "Although the lingering effects of the national recession echo across our country, we must not let that uncertainty prevent sound proposals that will help our local economy."

The unemployment insurance program is a joint federal-state effort, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Businesses' unemployment insurance taxes fund the UTF, and those contributions fund unemployment insurance benefits to qualified workers. The amount businesses pay is tied to their experience with the program; the more employees a business lays off, the more they must contribute to the fund to support the increased stress on the UTF.

The UTF provides benefits to individuals laid off through no fault of their own based on their income over the previous four quarters. Unemployment benefits provide temporary assistance until an individual is able to find meaningful employment. Temporary payments also help communities in times of economic stress by ensuring continued spending in the local economy.

###

ROCK ISLAND, IL (11/10/2011)(readMedia)-- Opera@Augustana will present Paul Hindemith's

Christine Harb, a Undecided major, is a First Year at Augustana. Harb is from Davenport, Iowa.

Kaleigh Wall, a Art major, is a Junior at Augustana. Wall is from Eldridge, Iowa.

Elyzia Powers, a Undecided major, is a First Year at Augustana. Powers is from Silvis, Ill..

The opera's libretto is by American playwright Thornton Wilder, after his play of the same name. Wilder captures a series of Christmas dinners celebrated by the Bayard family over 90 years and blends them into a one long meal. The tender story follows four generations as they experience birth, death, growth and loss.

"When I listened to it, I found a story that focuses on family during the holidays," said Dr. John Pfautz, director of Opera@Augustana. "It gives us insight into 90 years of a family's holiday dinner, allowing us a glimpse of family traditions, continuing patterns from generation to generation, and lasting family values."

Playing the second-generation father of the Bayard family is Dylan Hinrichs '13, a vocal music education major from Sterling, Ill. One of 11 Augustana students featured in the opera, Hinrichs appreciates the storyline's complexity. "There are a lot of hidden messages lying under the surface of the plot," he said. "Many of the underlying themes are quite controversial and up for different interpretations."

Hinrichs is no stranger to the stage as a performer or as a director. A member of the Augustana Choir and the Augustana Chamber Singers, Hinrichs played Gunther in the Truce of Carols opera last season. He directs a children's choir and performs with an adult church choir. Last summer, he directed a musical for middle-school students.

"The most challenging part of The Long Christmas Dinner is the music," he said. "Hindemith is a 20th-century composer who incorporated several contemporary musical styles, which can be difficult for singers."

The challenging musical score helped convince Dr. Pfautz to present this particular opera. "Pedagogically, it's appropriate that Opera@Augustana presents repertoire that teaches something to the performers as well as the audience. I'm so pleased with how the students have risen to the occasion."

During his weekly video address, Senator Chuck Grassley says thank you to all American veterans for their outstanding service and tremendous sacrifices on Veterans Day and discusses tax policy to encourage employers to hire qualified veterans who have recently completed their military service.

 

Click here for audio.

 

Here is the text of the address:

A difficult job market is challenging the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have protected America's interests by serving in the Armed Forces.  The unemployment rate for veterans is higher than for non-veterans nationwide.  These men and women are extremely capable.  They have valuable skills to offer the workplace.  They need job opportunities.  This week, the United States Senate took action to help by passing legislation to encourage employers to hire veterans.

The legislative proposal that passed builds on previous legislation put forward by Senator Max Baucus and me, as part of our bipartisan work on the Senate's tax policy committee.  That law expired at the end of 2010.  What's now been renewed and passed by the Senate would increase the reward for employers for hiring qualified veterans who have recently completed their service in the military.  The new version of the tax credit also would make it easier for veterans and small businesses to use.

Veterans - including those men and women who were activated by their states as members of the National Guard - will be helped by this tax incentive.  It was passed by the Senate as our nation pauses for Veterans Day.

The eleventh day of the eleventh month is designated as Veterans Day to celebrate as a national community and honor America's living veterans for their courage, patriotism and sacrifice.  America's veterans put their lives on the line to defend freedom, protect national security and secure the safety of loved ones here at home.  Like all those uniformed men and women in whose footsteps they follow, members of the Armed Forces continue to make the words "land of the free and home of the brave" ring true.  We owe our liberty and our way of life to them.

So -- to all of those who have answered the call of duty and served -- I thank you for defending my freedom and the freedom of all Americans.  Those words cannot be said enough.  It's our duty and our privilege to honor all American veterans for their outstanding service and tremendous sacrifices on Veterans Day and every day.

-30-
ROCK ISLAND, ILL.?Success requires an attitude - it's a passion for some. As an athlete, Gold Medal Olympian, coach and mentor, Iowa native and legend Dan Gable spoke about some of the very same traits and characteristics inherent in his passion - wrestling - and how they relate to traits and characteristics we practice and cherish in the Army.

As part of the First Army Commander's Conference at the Jumer's Hotel conference center here, Gable spent the evening with First Army Senior leaders, spouses, and Family Support Group members to talk about his life's experiences as a disciplined world-class athlete and coach.

"And when adversity hits, it's usually not by choice," he said. "When it hits, you've got to take it on. If you wait for the 'or', you may not survive - and that's where leadership steps in."

"Leadership is all about being motivated and applying and executing based on the passions you have built around and within you," said Gable.

"Leadership is being the first one at work, the hardest worker, and staying until the last person has left. It's about staying current and having the vision to create a great future. It's preventing adversity through discipline and preparation. Leadership is the ability to positively affect the masses so they become successful and do the same."

Being a leader means you know how to take care of people. "You've got to treat each and every team member in their own way," he said.

One athletic process that Gable feels is most essential and the building block of what's to come is recovery. He talked about how as a young athlete it was always easy to pick up from where one left off, without allowing one's body proper recovery. But now that he is older and wiser, and has incorporated science into this process, he's more in tune with the need for recovery?physically, mentally and emotionally.

"Go to the sauna, the spa, get a massage or swim. Think about what took place today during your recovery process and then think about what you need to do tomorrow."

"The bottom line is the future," he said. "There are good coaches and really good coaches, and there's some really, really good senior leadership and really, really great senior leadership. And hopefully that's what you all are, but you just don't realize it, and thank you for what you do," he said.

Senior leaders from First Army units across the United States attended the first ever First Army Commander's Conference here in Rock Island, Ill., Nov. 8. One of the purposes of the conference was to synchronize First Army efforts in reserve component training, mobilization, deployment and demobilization, all responsibilities as assigned by U.S. Forces Command.

The two-day event started with a physical training session of broomball on ice and soccer at Davenport's River's Edge sports complex.

A Family Leadership Conference attended by First Army Readiness and Support representatives was conducted simultaneously and provide information on military installation and community support systems for Soldiers and Family members.

 

-30

Christian Care has been feeding the hungry for 95 years. Although the organization's focus is primarily on the homeless and victims of domestic violence, the Christian Care Community Meal Site, located at the Rescue Mission, welcomes anyone in the community who is hungry. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served on weekdays Monday through Friday and breakfast and dinner are served on Saturday and Sunday. Mealtimes are as follows: Breakfast is served at 7:30 AM, lunch at 12:15 PM, and dinner at 6:00 PM. The community relies on Christian Care not only to serve hot meals every day but also to provide a warming station for nonresident homeless individuals during the harsh, Quad City winter.

Every Thanksgiving, the Christian Care Rescue Mission serves an extra special feast "with all the trimmings" in addition to their regular daily meals. This Thanksgiving Day, from Noon to 2:00 PM, the Rescue Mission's Chef, Kenny Anderson, will serve the traditional menu of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean salad, corn casserole and rolls. Pies, cakes, and salads are still needed, as well as volunteers to help serve. If you are interested in donating or volunteering or if you would like more details, please call 309/786-5734 and ask for Chef Kenny.

Christian Care is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose vision is to transform lives. Through its mission of providing safe shelter, support and resources Christian Care empowers both the homeless and survivors of domestic violence to make positive changes in every aspect of their lives. Christian Care's two facilities?a domestic violence shelter for women and children and a rescue mission for men?serve homeless individuals, victims of domestic violence, veterans, men and women coming out of prison, and those with mental illnesses. If you know someone in need, call the Christian Care Crisis Hotline at any hour of the day or night at (309) 788-2273.

For more information about Christian Care, please go to their web site at www.christiancareqc.org or on Facebook www.facebook.com/christiancareqc.

 

###

MILWAUKEE, WI (11/10/2011)(readMedia)-- Students from Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) traveled to Downers Grove, Ill., in October to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction Region III Student Competition. For the tenth consecutive year, at least one of MSOE's teams took first place. This year, the Preconstruction Team and the VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) Team took first place in their respective competitions, and the Design Build Team took third place. They competed against large universities, including Texas A&M University, Brigham Young University, Purdue University, Ball State University and Michigan State, in the various events.

Jared Gothard, a construction management major from Long Grove, Iowa, was part of MSOE's Preconstruction Team, which was asked to submit a proposal for preconstruction and construction services for a $20-$25 million hospital expansion project. They had 30 hours to create their proposal and deliver a presentation to competition judges from Pepper Construction. The Preconstruction Team was coached by Dr. Jeong Woo, assistant professor in the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department. Team members are:

  • Matt Bakke, construction management major, Elkhart Lake, Wis.
  • Chris Dublinski, construction management major, Naperville, Ill.
  • Jared Gothard, construction management major, Long Grove, Ill.
  • Josh Halvorsen, architectural engineering and construction management double major, West Dundee, Ill.
  • Cate Scholfield, construction management major, Wausau, Wis.
  • Nick Zamorski, architectural engineering and construction management double major, Waukesha, Wis.
  • Theodore Bulinski (alternate), construction management major, Minneapolis
  • Bryan Makatura (alternate), construction management major, Pen Argyle, Penn.

MSOE's VDC Team had to submit a proposal for the virtual design and construction services for a Laboratory/Data Center building located in Milwaukee. They had 30 hours to create their proposal and deliver a presentation to competition judges from Mortenson Construction. The VDC Team was coached by Dr. Jeong Woo, assistant professor in the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department.

MSOE's Design Build Team submitted a proposal for design build services for a $30 million student dorm at a private university in St. Louis. They were responsible for creating a proposal that included the complete architectural design, a detailed construction estimate, a construction schedule and a site logistics plan. They had 30 hours to create their proposal and deliver a presentation to McCarthy Building Company executives, the Design Build competition sponsor. The Design Build Team was coached by Robert Lemke, associate professor in the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department.

MSOE offers bachelor's degrees in architectural engineering, construction management and a five year freshman-to-master's degree in civil engineering. The architectural engineering program prepares graduates for careers in the design and construction of buildings and building systems. Lecture and laboratory courses-led by industry-experienced faculty-integrate theory and the practical application of design principles, practices, methods and materials.

The construction management program educates students to direct building construction project activities from the owner's conception of the project until completion. Learning focuses on the technical process and resource management skills essential to construct commercial, institutional and industrial buildings on time, within budget, of high quality and safely.

Students in MSOE's civil engineering program will receive both a bachelor's and master's degree in civil engineering after five years. MSOE is the first and only university in the state of Wisconsin to offer a five-year, freshman-to-master's degree in civil engineering.

MSOE is an independent university with about 2,500 students. MSOE offers 18 bachelor's degrees and 10 master's degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, building and infrastructure engineering, health-related engineering, computer, business and nursing fields. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real-world experience; and extremely high placement rates and the highest starting salaries of any Wisconsin university according to PayScale Inc. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.

"Every day should be Veterans Day" when it comes to our nation's commitment to vets 

 

Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement regarding Veterans Day, which is tomorrow, November 11th:

"As US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan ends, it's more important than ever that our nation works to address the challenges faced by the men and women who fought there.  The unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is three times higher than the national average.   Thousands of veterans have been left with physical and mental injuries that will be with them for the rest of their lives.  Rates of veteran suicide are on the rise.

 

"Veterans Day is observed on November 11th, but every day needs to be Veterans Day when it comes to our nation's commitment to the men and women who have fought to ensure our freedom.  Keeping our nation's promises to our veterans isn't a partisan issue, it's the right thing to do."

 

Braley is a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and is the highest-ranking Democrat on the Veterans' Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Braley participated in the first-ever Andrew Connolly Day of Service yesterday, which honored the legacy of the late Andrew Connolly, a Dubuque native and Iowa National Guard veteran who never stopped urging others to "pay it forward" in every aspect of their lives.  Volunteers helped remodel the new Veterans' Freedom Center in Dubuque.

# # #

Pages